Some Health Providers Unable to Get Flu Vaccine
The United States' supply of flu vaccine will reach 80 million doses by early December, federal experts say. But many health-care providers say they can't get enough vaccine to meet patient demand -- or can't get any at all, the Associated Press reported.
Some flu vaccine shortages have occurred because one manufacturer will produce less vaccine than expected. Chiron Corp. was expected to deliver 25 million to 30 million doses of vaccine, but will likely produce fewer than 18 million and may only provide 11 million to 12 million doses, said Dr. Jeanne Santoli, deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Services Division.
Santoli, who briefed a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advisory committee on Tuesday, said there was also a delay in distribution of Chiron flu vaccine, the AP reported.
It was expected that the Chiron supplies would be distributed in late September, but they were actually distributed about a month later. By that time, some health-care providers had cancelled flu shot clinics for their patients, the news service reported.
Some members of the advisory committee expressed concern that reports of flu vaccine shortages might discourage some people from getting a flu shot. They noted that getting a shot later in the season was better than not getting one, the AP reported.
Taking Vioxx for a Month Caused Fatal Heart Attack: Lawyer
Taking Vioxx for a month was enough to cause a Florida man's fatal heart attack, his widow's lawyer said in an opening statement Tuesday in a federal liability lawsuit against drug maker Merck.
However, the drug company's lawyer countered that heart disease, not Vioxx, led to the man's death. The Merck lawyer said that extensive studies conducted before the drug was introduced in 1999 found no evidence that short-term use of the drug caused heart attacks, the Associated Press reported.
Evelyn Irvin Plunkett's husband, Richard Irvin Jr., was 53 years old when he died in May 2001. This is the third trial so far over the cardiovascular risks posed by Vioxx. Merck has lost one case and won another. More than 7,000 state and federal lawsuits have been filed over Vioxx, which was pulled from the market last year after studies showed that long-term use of the drug increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Plunkett's lawyer, Andy Birchfield, quoted from internal Merck e-mails to support his contention that the company knew about Vioxx's safety problems before the drug was introduced to the market in 1999. Birchfield charged that Merck made a "premeditated, financial decision" not to warn patient's about the risks of taking Vioxx, the AP reported.
Merck lawyer Philip S. Beck countered that Merck acted responsibly in developing and marketing the drug, and said Vioxx did not cause Irvin's heart attack.
China Reports 30th Bird Flu Outbreak
China announced its 30th confirmed outbreak of bird flu this year, in the westernmost region of Xinjiang County. This is the ninth outbreak to hit the county this year, making it one of the regions hit hardest by bird flu, Agence France Presse reported.
This latest outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu strain killed about 300 poultry and led to the culling of about 1.18 million farm-raised birds within a 1.8-mile radius of the outbreak, AFP said.
Chinese officials also said there was no SARS-like cover-up surrounding bird flu in the country, and that the nation was capable of preventing the disease from spreading easily from person to person.
In 2003, local governments in China did not openly report accurate figures about the extent of SARS until months after outbreaks.
"There's no such covering up of bird flu transmission in China," Health Minister Gao Qiang told reporters at a news briefing. "Once there is an outbreak, we will inform the public immediately and tell the public to be more prepared."
As of Nov. 25, China had reported three human cases of bird flu and two deaths. The virus has infected a total of 132 people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China and killed 68 people in those countries, Bloomberg news reported.
Safety Alert Issued for Off-Label Use of Breast Cancer Drug
The drug letrozole (brand name Femara), which is often prescribed as a fertility aid, may cause birth defects and miscarriages, according to a Health Canada safety alert issued Monday.
The drug is approved to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, doctors in Canada and the United States often prescribe letrozole "off-label" to promote ovulation as part of fertility treatments, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.
Health Canada and drug maker Novartis sent letters to doctors in Canada warning them about unapproved off-label use of the drug. Copies of the letter were posted on Health Canada's Web site.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't instructed Novartis to alert U.S. doctors but the Swiss drug company plans to send cautionary letters to U.S. fertility specialists. The letters will remind them that the drug is approved only for treatment of breast cancer.
Novartis has received 13 reports of adverse reactions in women who were exposed to letrozole during pregnancy. Of those 13 reports, four involved harm to babies, Knight Ridder reported.
Eye-Drop Maker Required to Sign FDA Consent Order
Eye-drop maker MBI Distributing Inc. has signed a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop making and distributing drugs until the company corrects manufacturing problems and other violations at its Benicia, Calif., facility.
Among other problems, MBI lacked manufacturing controls to ensure that its eye drops were sterile, the FDA said. MBI's eye-drop product line includes Oxydrops, Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes II, Clarity Vision for Life, Visitein, and Can-C. The company also makes several over-the-counter pain relievers, the federal agency said.
The FDA also determined that two of MBI's eye-drop brands, Visitein and Clarity Vision for Life, are unapproved drugs. In addition, three of MBI's pain relievers -- Biogesic, Bio-Ice, and Bio-Heat -- don't provide adequate warnings for their safe use, the agency said.
Consumers, health-care providers, and caregivers should dispose of these MBI eye drops and pain relievers, the FDA said. Any adverse events related to these products should be reported to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Health Tip: Getting Your Zzzzs at the Wrong Time?
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder associated with uncontrollable sleepiness and frequent daytime sleeping.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, narcoleptic episodes often occur after meals, but they may also come at dangerous inopportune times, such as while driving.
Symptoms of the condition include extreme drowsiness, difficulty staying awake during classes or work, hallucinations before or after an episode, and sudden loss of muscle function.
There is no known cure, but planned naps, eating light meals, and some prescription medications may help ease symptoms.
Health Tip: Wear a Helmet
Helmets can prevent serious injuries on the football field, and from bicycles, skateboards, and scooters.
But for the helmet to work, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says, it must fit properly.
To find a proper fit, you may need to try several sizes and models. Helmets should be worn flat on your head and low on your forehead, with the bottom edge parallel to the ground. Side straps should form a V shape around the ear, and the buckle should fasten tightly.
The device should also contain pads that can be removed or installed for a perfect fit. Most important, the helmet should not move in any direction when you shake your head, or interfere with vision, movement or hearing.
Helmets should be replaced when they are damaged, outgrown or at least every five years.
Food Fact:
Tea for tumors.
Research shows one kind of tea can be up to 100 times more potent at blocking growth of cancer cells than another. While all tea (green, oolong or black) contains antioxidant compounds called catechins that protect against cancer (especially of the lung, breast, colon, stomach and skin) by neutralizing free radicals, green tea contains about 7 times more catechins than black tea. Green tea also has unique catechins that block an enzyme involved in breast, prostate and colon cancers. Green tea is 10 to 100 times stronger than black tea in blocking the growth of cancer cells. Catechins also prevent heart disease and stroke, primarily by defending against the harmful effects of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Battling exercise "burnout."
To keep your enthusiasm up, it may pay to put a few exercises down for a while. Changing your exercise program every couple of months may help beat boredom. Besides, after a while, your body adapts to the exercise stressors your current program had introduced, and craves new challenges.
FAQ of the day:
What is a "serving?"
All the nutrition information on a food label is based on one serving, the amount most typically eaten of that food. For example, a serving of salad dressing is 2 tablespoons. These serving sizes are not necessarily the amount you eat at a typical meal. Take breakfast cereal. The box may define a serving as one cup, but if you typically pour twice as much into your bowl; that's two servings, which means you'll be taking in twice the calories listed. Always consider the portion size when you read the nutrition information on the label.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Health Headlines - November 29
Safety Alert Issued for Off-Label Use of Breast Cancer Drug
The drug letrozole (brand name Femara), which is often prescribed as a fertility aid, may cause birth defects and miscarriages, according to a Health Canada safety alert issued Monday.
The drug is approved to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, doctors in Canada and the United States often prescribe letrozole "off-label" to promote ovulation as part of fertility treatments, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.
Health Canada and drug maker Novartis sent letters to doctors in Canada warning them about unapproved off-label use of the drug. Copies of the letter were posted on Health Canada's Web site.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't instructed Novartis to alert U.S. doctors but the Swiss drug company plans to send cautionary letters to U.S. fertility specialists. The letters will remind them that the drug is approved only for treatment of breast cancer.
Novartis has received 13 reports of adverse reactions in women who were exposed to letrozole during pregnancy. Of those 13 reports, four involved harm to babies, Knight Ridder reported.
Eye-Drop Maker Required to Sign FDA Consent Order
Eye-drop maker MBI Distributing Inc. has signed a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop making and distributing drugs until the company corrects manufacturing problems and other violations at its Benicia, Calif., facility.
Among other problems, MBI lacked manufacturing controls to ensure that its eye drops were sterile, the FDA said. MBI's eye-drop product line includes Oxydrops, Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes II, Clarity Vision for Life, Visitein, and Can-C. The company also makes several over-the-counter pain relievers, the federal agency said.
The FDA also determined that two of MBI's eye-drop brands, Visitein and Clarity Vision for Life, are unapproved drugs. In addition, three of MBI's pain relievers -- Biogesic, Bio-Ice, and Bio-Heat -- don't provide adequate warnings for their safe use, the agency said.
Consumers, health-care providers, and caregivers should dispose of these MBI eye drops and pain relievers, the FDA said. Any adverse events related to these products should be reported to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
High POP Exposure May Increase Diabetes Risk: Study
Exposure to high levels of toxic persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a Swedish study in the journal Environmental Health.
POPs include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the insecticide DDT. Eating fatty fish such as salmon is the most likely source of POPs exposure, the study authors said.
The study of 196 fishermen and their wives found significantly higher signs of POPs in the blood of the 6 percent of the men and 5 percent of the women with Type 2 diabetes, BBC News reported.
According to previous research, POPs may impair the ability of the body's cells to take up glucose or may trigger responses that disrupt the body's ability to break down fats, the news service said.
Despite their findings, the study authors said people shouldn't be concerned about eating salmon and other fatty fish. The fishermen and their wives in this study had exceptionally high levels of POP exposure, BBC News reported.
10 Million People in China May Be Infected With HIV by 2010: WHO
Unless more is done to prevent the spread of HIV in China, about 10 million people in that country will be infected with the virus that causes AIDS by 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.
The warning accompanied the WHO's call for Asian governments to show stronger political will to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, The Times of India reported.
Last year, about five million people worldwide were infected with HIV, bringing the global total to 45 million people living with the virus. More than 13,000 people around the world contract HIV every day, the agency said.
In China, HIV has spread to all 31 provinces and autonomous regions. Injected drug use is the main method of HIV transmission in China, the WHO said.
"We know what works and what doesn't. So why has the necessary action to prevent the virus from spreading not been taken? Why is the epidemic still growing and not reversing?" Shigeru Omi, WHO director for the Western Pacific region, said in a statement issued in advance of World AIDS Day on Thursday.
2 New Bird Flu Outbreaks in China
Two new outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu have been reported in China, bringing to 29 the total number of outbreaks in that country so far this year.
Laboratory tests confirmed that H5N1 was responsible for a Nov. 18 outbreak in Yongzhou city in central Hunan province and a Nov. 22 outbreak in Shanshan County in western Xinjiang province, Bloomberg news reported.
In the Hunan outbreak, 13,481 birds were culled within a three-kilometer radius of the infection site and 52,162 birds were culled in Xinjiang.
As of Nov. 25, China had reported three human cases of bird flu and two deaths. The virus has infected a total of 132 people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China and killed 68 people in those countries, Bloomberg reported.
Studies Offer Evidence of 'Placebo Effect'
If your mind truly believes your medicines will work, they may actually have more of an effect in your body, according to numerous studies examining this so-called "placebo effect."
"Your expectations can have profound impacts on your brain and your health," Columbia University neuroscientist Tor Wager told the Associated Press.
It has long been believed that the placebo effect was psychological. However, new studies are offering direct evidence that the placebo effect is physical and that expectations of benefiting from treatment actually activate the same neurological healing pathways that are triggered by drugs.
One example is new research that suggests that a proven painkiller doesn't work as well once Alzheimer's disease robs people of the ability to expect that the painkiller will help them, the AP reported.
Another example involves Parkinson's disease patients who were given a placebo while researchers measured electrical activity of individual nerve cells in an area of the brain that controls movement.
After the Parkinson's patients received the placebo, there was a 40 percent decrease in the firing of these nerve cells that correlated with improvement in the patients' ability to move, the AP reported.
Health Tip: Don't Be Shocked
Injuries stemming from electric shock can lead to muscle, nerve and tissue damage, burns, and even cardiac arrest. Such injuries often are serious because the human body is an excellent conductor of electricity.
Duke University Medical Center says about 1,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of electric shock.
Here's a list of preventive tips:
Use child safety plugs in all outlets.
Keep electrical cords out of the reach of children.
Teach children about the dangers of electricity.
Follow manufacturer safety instructions when using electrical appliances.
Avoid using electrical appliances when wet.
Never touch electrical appliances while touching faucets or cold water pipes.
Health Tip: Keep That Cast Intact
Plaster or fiberglass casts protect injured bone and soft tissue while reducing pain, swelling and muscle spasms. But in order to work properly, it is important to keep the cast in good condition.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends keeping the cast dry, because moisture weakens the plaster and can cause skin irritation. Patients should also keep dirt, sand and powder away from the inside of the cast.
Although itchy skin is a common side effect of a cast, try not to scratch. Also avoid objects or powders to stop itching. Call your doctor if the itching persists, or the cast becomes cracked or soft in spots.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't just stand -- stretch!
It's easy to fit stretching into your day; try these 3 tips. Practice some stretches while waiting in shopping lines. Simple neck and shoulder rolls are a great way to release stress and relax tight muscles. And make use of the stairs -- a great tool for stretching out your calves. How important is it to stretch? The American College of Sports Medicine has added stretching to its fitness recommendations.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
The drug letrozole (brand name Femara), which is often prescribed as a fertility aid, may cause birth defects and miscarriages, according to a Health Canada safety alert issued Monday.
The drug is approved to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, doctors in Canada and the United States often prescribe letrozole "off-label" to promote ovulation as part of fertility treatments, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.
Health Canada and drug maker Novartis sent letters to doctors in Canada warning them about unapproved off-label use of the drug. Copies of the letter were posted on Health Canada's Web site.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't instructed Novartis to alert U.S. doctors but the Swiss drug company plans to send cautionary letters to U.S. fertility specialists. The letters will remind them that the drug is approved only for treatment of breast cancer.
Novartis has received 13 reports of adverse reactions in women who were exposed to letrozole during pregnancy. Of those 13 reports, four involved harm to babies, Knight Ridder reported.
Eye-Drop Maker Required to Sign FDA Consent Order
Eye-drop maker MBI Distributing Inc. has signed a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop making and distributing drugs until the company corrects manufacturing problems and other violations at its Benicia, Calif., facility.
Among other problems, MBI lacked manufacturing controls to ensure that its eye drops were sterile, the FDA said. MBI's eye-drop product line includes Oxydrops, Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes II, Clarity Vision for Life, Visitein, and Can-C. The company also makes several over-the-counter pain relievers, the federal agency said.
The FDA also determined that two of MBI's eye-drop brands, Visitein and Clarity Vision for Life, are unapproved drugs. In addition, three of MBI's pain relievers -- Biogesic, Bio-Ice, and Bio-Heat -- don't provide adequate warnings for their safe use, the agency said.
Consumers, health-care providers, and caregivers should dispose of these MBI eye drops and pain relievers, the FDA said. Any adverse events related to these products should be reported to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
High POP Exposure May Increase Diabetes Risk: Study
Exposure to high levels of toxic persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a Swedish study in the journal Environmental Health.
POPs include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the insecticide DDT. Eating fatty fish such as salmon is the most likely source of POPs exposure, the study authors said.
The study of 196 fishermen and their wives found significantly higher signs of POPs in the blood of the 6 percent of the men and 5 percent of the women with Type 2 diabetes, BBC News reported.
According to previous research, POPs may impair the ability of the body's cells to take up glucose or may trigger responses that disrupt the body's ability to break down fats, the news service said.
Despite their findings, the study authors said people shouldn't be concerned about eating salmon and other fatty fish. The fishermen and their wives in this study had exceptionally high levels of POP exposure, BBC News reported.
10 Million People in China May Be Infected With HIV by 2010: WHO
Unless more is done to prevent the spread of HIV in China, about 10 million people in that country will be infected with the virus that causes AIDS by 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.
The warning accompanied the WHO's call for Asian governments to show stronger political will to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, The Times of India reported.
Last year, about five million people worldwide were infected with HIV, bringing the global total to 45 million people living with the virus. More than 13,000 people around the world contract HIV every day, the agency said.
In China, HIV has spread to all 31 provinces and autonomous regions. Injected drug use is the main method of HIV transmission in China, the WHO said.
"We know what works and what doesn't. So why has the necessary action to prevent the virus from spreading not been taken? Why is the epidemic still growing and not reversing?" Shigeru Omi, WHO director for the Western Pacific region, said in a statement issued in advance of World AIDS Day on Thursday.
2 New Bird Flu Outbreaks in China
Two new outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu have been reported in China, bringing to 29 the total number of outbreaks in that country so far this year.
Laboratory tests confirmed that H5N1 was responsible for a Nov. 18 outbreak in Yongzhou city in central Hunan province and a Nov. 22 outbreak in Shanshan County in western Xinjiang province, Bloomberg news reported.
In the Hunan outbreak, 13,481 birds were culled within a three-kilometer radius of the infection site and 52,162 birds were culled in Xinjiang.
As of Nov. 25, China had reported three human cases of bird flu and two deaths. The virus has infected a total of 132 people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China and killed 68 people in those countries, Bloomberg reported.
Studies Offer Evidence of 'Placebo Effect'
If your mind truly believes your medicines will work, they may actually have more of an effect in your body, according to numerous studies examining this so-called "placebo effect."
"Your expectations can have profound impacts on your brain and your health," Columbia University neuroscientist Tor Wager told the Associated Press.
It has long been believed that the placebo effect was psychological. However, new studies are offering direct evidence that the placebo effect is physical and that expectations of benefiting from treatment actually activate the same neurological healing pathways that are triggered by drugs.
One example is new research that suggests that a proven painkiller doesn't work as well once Alzheimer's disease robs people of the ability to expect that the painkiller will help them, the AP reported.
Another example involves Parkinson's disease patients who were given a placebo while researchers measured electrical activity of individual nerve cells in an area of the brain that controls movement.
After the Parkinson's patients received the placebo, there was a 40 percent decrease in the firing of these nerve cells that correlated with improvement in the patients' ability to move, the AP reported.
Health Tip: Don't Be Shocked
Injuries stemming from electric shock can lead to muscle, nerve and tissue damage, burns, and even cardiac arrest. Such injuries often are serious because the human body is an excellent conductor of electricity.
Duke University Medical Center says about 1,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of electric shock.
Here's a list of preventive tips:
Use child safety plugs in all outlets.
Keep electrical cords out of the reach of children.
Teach children about the dangers of electricity.
Follow manufacturer safety instructions when using electrical appliances.
Avoid using electrical appliances when wet.
Never touch electrical appliances while touching faucets or cold water pipes.
Health Tip: Keep That Cast Intact
Plaster or fiberglass casts protect injured bone and soft tissue while reducing pain, swelling and muscle spasms. But in order to work properly, it is important to keep the cast in good condition.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends keeping the cast dry, because moisture weakens the plaster and can cause skin irritation. Patients should also keep dirt, sand and powder away from the inside of the cast.
Although itchy skin is a common side effect of a cast, try not to scratch. Also avoid objects or powders to stop itching. Call your doctor if the itching persists, or the cast becomes cracked or soft in spots.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't just stand -- stretch!
It's easy to fit stretching into your day; try these 3 tips. Practice some stretches while waiting in shopping lines. Simple neck and shoulder rolls are a great way to release stress and relax tight muscles. And make use of the stairs -- a great tool for stretching out your calves. How important is it to stretch? The American College of Sports Medicine has added stretching to its fitness recommendations.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Heart Association Offers CPR Guidelines
Updating the way everyday people do CPR, new recommendations urge many more chest compressions for victims of cardiac arrest.
The revised guidelines issued Monday by the American Heart Association on cardiopulmonary resuscitation advise giving 30 chest compressions -— instead of 15 -— for every two rescue breaths.
"Basically, the more times someone pushes on the chest, the better off the patient is," said Dr. Michael Sayre, an Ohio State University emergency medicine professor who helped develop the new guidelines.
"When you stop compressions, blood flow stops," said Mary Fran Hazinski, a clinical nurse specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who also helped develop the guidelines.
"You have to make up for that lost ground," she said. "We think that the fewer the interruptions, the better for blood flow."
The guidelines also recommend cooling cardiac arrest patients for 12 to 24 hours to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Two significant studies have shown that practice can improve survival and brain function for those who are comatose after initial resuscitation.
More than 300,000 Americans die each year of cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating. The heart association estimates that more than 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before they get to the hospital.
Studies show that the chest compressions create more blood flow through the heart to the rest of the body, buying time until a defibrillator can be used or the heart can pump blood on its own. Studies have also shown that blood circulation increases with each chest compression and must be built back up after an interruption, the association says in its online journal Circulation.
The new guidelines also cut down on the number of times a rescuer needs to use a defibrillator and they advise rescuers not to stop after giving two rescue breaths to check for signs of circulation before starting compressions. The bottom line advice is to focus on the chest compressions.
Instead of applying the defibrillator pads up to three times before beginning CPR, the guidelines advise rescuers to just give one shock and then do two minutes of CPR beginning with chest compressions before trying the defibrillator again.
Studies show that the first shock works more than 85 percent of the time.
Defibrillators have been popping up in public places like airports and businesses, but the heart association says that more public places need to install the devices. Survival rates have been as high as 49 to 74 percent for lay rescuer programs when defibrillators are placed in casinos, airports or used by police.
The guidelines also urge that 911 operators be trained to provide CPR instructions by phone.
"For the bystander that witnesses a collapse, the main danger is inaction," Sayre said. "We believe there is very little downside to trying to attempt a resuscitation."
According to the heart association, about 75 percent to 80 percent of all cardiac arrests outside a hospital happen at home, and effective CPR can double a victim's chance of survival.
Sudden cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack or as a result of electrocution or near-drowning. It's most often caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. The person experiencing it collapses, is unresponsive to gentle shaking and stops normal breathing.
"The most common reason many people die from cardiac arrest is no one nearby knows CPR," Sayre said.
The new guidelines provide an opportunity for those who have taken CPR in the past to take a refresher course, said Dr. Ahamed Idris, professor of surgery and medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
"I think it's a good idea for people to take CPR lessons at least every couple of years," said Idris, also involved in creating the guidelines.
Hazinski said that she expects the new guidelines will be disseminated over the next few months to those who teach CPR.
The heart association says that currently about 9 million Americans a year are trained in CPR, but the association has a goal of more than doubling that number in the next five years to 20 million.
"The bottom line is we think more people need to learn CPR," Hazinski said. "We have more and more evidence that good CPR works. We're doing our best to increase the number of bystanders that learn CPR."
The revised guidelines issued Monday by the American Heart Association on cardiopulmonary resuscitation advise giving 30 chest compressions -— instead of 15 -— for every two rescue breaths.
"Basically, the more times someone pushes on the chest, the better off the patient is," said Dr. Michael Sayre, an Ohio State University emergency medicine professor who helped develop the new guidelines.
"When you stop compressions, blood flow stops," said Mary Fran Hazinski, a clinical nurse specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who also helped develop the guidelines.
"You have to make up for that lost ground," she said. "We think that the fewer the interruptions, the better for blood flow."
The guidelines also recommend cooling cardiac arrest patients for 12 to 24 hours to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Two significant studies have shown that practice can improve survival and brain function for those who are comatose after initial resuscitation.
More than 300,000 Americans die each year of cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating. The heart association estimates that more than 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before they get to the hospital.
Studies show that the chest compressions create more blood flow through the heart to the rest of the body, buying time until a defibrillator can be used or the heart can pump blood on its own. Studies have also shown that blood circulation increases with each chest compression and must be built back up after an interruption, the association says in its online journal Circulation.
The new guidelines also cut down on the number of times a rescuer needs to use a defibrillator and they advise rescuers not to stop after giving two rescue breaths to check for signs of circulation before starting compressions. The bottom line advice is to focus on the chest compressions.
Instead of applying the defibrillator pads up to three times before beginning CPR, the guidelines advise rescuers to just give one shock and then do two minutes of CPR beginning with chest compressions before trying the defibrillator again.
Studies show that the first shock works more than 85 percent of the time.
Defibrillators have been popping up in public places like airports and businesses, but the heart association says that more public places need to install the devices. Survival rates have been as high as 49 to 74 percent for lay rescuer programs when defibrillators are placed in casinos, airports or used by police.
The guidelines also urge that 911 operators be trained to provide CPR instructions by phone.
"For the bystander that witnesses a collapse, the main danger is inaction," Sayre said. "We believe there is very little downside to trying to attempt a resuscitation."
According to the heart association, about 75 percent to 80 percent of all cardiac arrests outside a hospital happen at home, and effective CPR can double a victim's chance of survival.
Sudden cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack or as a result of electrocution or near-drowning. It's most often caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. The person experiencing it collapses, is unresponsive to gentle shaking and stops normal breathing.
"The most common reason many people die from cardiac arrest is no one nearby knows CPR," Sayre said.
The new guidelines provide an opportunity for those who have taken CPR in the past to take a refresher course, said Dr. Ahamed Idris, professor of surgery and medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
"I think it's a good idea for people to take CPR lessons at least every couple of years," said Idris, also involved in creating the guidelines.
Hazinski said that she expects the new guidelines will be disseminated over the next few months to those who teach CPR.
The heart association says that currently about 9 million Americans a year are trained in CPR, but the association has a goal of more than doubling that number in the next five years to 20 million.
"The bottom line is we think more people need to learn CPR," Hazinski said. "We have more and more evidence that good CPR works. We're doing our best to increase the number of bystanders that learn CPR."
Health Headlines - November 28
Merck Suffers Vioxx Lawsuits Setback
A U.S. district judge's pretrial ruling against drug maker Merck & Co. means a tougher fight for the company in thousands of lawsuits involving its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
The Nov. 16 ruling affects the first federal trial of Vioxx, scheduled to begin Tuesday in Houston. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon ruled that plaintiff lawyers in the case may present evidence that brief use of Vioxx may trigger heart attacks and strokes, the Associated Press reported.
The judge rejected Merck's motion to throw out the case due to insufficient evidence. The case involves a 53-year-old Florida man who died of a heart attack after being on Vioxx for about a month.
This ruling blocks Merck's attempt to avoid having to fight thousands of federal lawsuits involving short-term use of Vioxx, legal experts said.
"It leaves Merck stuck with every dad-gum one of those cases," Houston lawyer Mark Lanier told the AP. In August, Lanier won a $253.4 million verdict for the widow of man who was a short-term user of Vioxx.
Merck has vowed to fight thousands of Vioxx liability lawsuits one by one. More lawsuits are being filed against the company. There were at least 7,875 as of last Wednesday, the AP reported.
Merck, meanwhile, announced Monday that it planned to slash 7,000 jobs, 11 percent of its workforce, and close or sell five factories worldwide in an effort to cut production costs and reduce the time it takes to get new products on the market, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Bird Flu Virus Mutating in China
Compared to cases in Vietnam, the H5N1 bird flu virus in humans in China has mutated, according to laboratory tests.
The genetic order of the H5N1 virus found in people infected in China is different than that found in people in Vietnam. A Chinese health ministry spokesman said the H5N1 virus in humans in China had mutated "to a certain degree," Agence France Presse reported.
However, this mutation cannot cause human-to-human transmission of the virus, the health ministry spokesman said. Health officials around the world are worried about the possibility of the virus mutating into a form that can pass easily from person to person.
So far, bird flu has killed more than 60 people in Asia since 2003.
In related news, Indonesia announced that it will establish a nationwide bird flu monitoring system. It will involve millions of people in the nation's more than 400,000 villages, AFP reported.
At least five people in each village will monitor any cases of bird flu among birds and humans in order to ensure quick reporting of any cases. The plan also involves training doctors to handle bird flu cases.
Special Straw Eases Antibiotic Use for Children
It may not be a spoonful of sugar, but a specially designed drinking straw for children may, indeed, help the medicine go down.
The Clarosip straw, made by a German company, contains granules of an antibiotic with a coating that has a neutral taste. The antibiotic is released when a child uses the straw to drink his or her favorite beverage, BBC News reported.
The straw has a filter that indicates when the child has taken the entire dose of the clarithromycin antibiotic. The straw can be used with many kinds of hot or cold beverages, including cola. However, juices with pulp can't be used with the straw.
The tasteless coating on the antibiotic is designed to dissolve once it's in the stomach. Children need to swallow the beverage immediately so that the coating doesn't dissolve in the mouth and release the bitter taste of the antibiotic, BBC News reported.
Entire Lesotho Population Offered HIV/AIDS Screening Tests
The entire population of the African kingdom of Lesotho will be offered HIV screening tests and even the King will is expected to take part, The Times of London reported.
The country will announce this week a $12 million HIV screening program for its 1.9 million people. Lesotho, which is located within South Africa, has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates, with an adult infection rate of nearly 30 percent.
If he goes ahead with the screening, King Letsie III will be the first monarch to take an HIV test in public. Such a move is regarded as critical in reducing the stigma associated with HIV in much of Africa, The Times reported.
The testing program will be coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Lesotho's Health Ministry and is designed so that all people over age 12 will know their HIV status by the end of 2007.
It's hoped that Lesotho's screening effort will be a blueprint for other nations devastated by HIV/AIDS.
"This will be a major step forward. If we have 80 or 90 percent uptake of testing, which we believe we can, it will be a hugely effective way of reducing the rise in HIV infection. It could have as important an impact as a moderately effective vaccine," Dr. Jim Yong Kim, director of the WHO's HIV/AIDS department, told The Times.
In related news, Kim apologized for his program's failure to meet a global target for HIV treatment. The goal was to get three million people in poor nations on HIV drugs by the end of 2005, but that target will not be met, BBC News reported.
Mental Health Screening Urged for Infants
About 10 percent of children ages 2 to 5 have a serious psychiatric illness, but most of those cases are not diagnosed, says a Duke University Medical Center researcher who urged mental health checks for infants.
Adrian Angold, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, studied 307 children in this age group and found that one in 10 had obvious symptoms of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, BBC News reported.
That rate is similar to that of older children and suggests that these psychiatric illnesses begin early in life, perhaps even in the womb, Angold said. He said it's essential to screen for and treat these disorders in babies and small children. Waiting until later in childhood or adulthood is too late and causes unnecessary distress and suffering, he said.
Angold presented the findings from the study at an Institute of Psychiatry meeting in London, England.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't discount fitness.
Can't fit exercise into your schedule? Here's how to exercise when you shop, and buy a little extra time! Mall walking makes exercise feel less like a chore and more a part of daily life. When the weather is bad walk laps with a friend around your area mall -- a great cardiovascular workout. To find a mall-walking program in your area, contact the management office of your local mall.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
Health Tip: Be Careful Shoveling Snow
Although shoveling snow can count as moderate-to-heavy physical activity, studies show it can cause a quick rise in heart rate and blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack in some people.
Here's a list of people who should limit or avoid shoveling snow, courtesy of North Dakota State University:
Anyone who has had a heart attack or heart disease.
People with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Smokers.
Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
If you must shovel snow, dress in warm layers, avoid caffeine before beginning, stretch your muscles beforehand, and begin slowly. Shovelers should always pace themselves and listen to their bodies to know when to stop.
Health Tip: Snowboard Safely
Snowboarding may look cool and be lots of fun, but don't be fooled by the fluffy white stuff. You can end up badly hurt if you don't take the right precautions.
The American Academy of Family Physicians says the right equipment is paramount to avoiding injury.
Most snowboard injuries occur on the hands, wrists, buttocks and head. To protect the wrists, wear well-made wrist guards and make fists as you snowboard to reduce the possibility of injury to open hands.
And be sure to wear a helmet, especially while learning, racing and navigating unfamiliar trails.
A U.S. district judge's pretrial ruling against drug maker Merck & Co. means a tougher fight for the company in thousands of lawsuits involving its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
The Nov. 16 ruling affects the first federal trial of Vioxx, scheduled to begin Tuesday in Houston. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon ruled that plaintiff lawyers in the case may present evidence that brief use of Vioxx may trigger heart attacks and strokes, the Associated Press reported.
The judge rejected Merck's motion to throw out the case due to insufficient evidence. The case involves a 53-year-old Florida man who died of a heart attack after being on Vioxx for about a month.
This ruling blocks Merck's attempt to avoid having to fight thousands of federal lawsuits involving short-term use of Vioxx, legal experts said.
"It leaves Merck stuck with every dad-gum one of those cases," Houston lawyer Mark Lanier told the AP. In August, Lanier won a $253.4 million verdict for the widow of man who was a short-term user of Vioxx.
Merck has vowed to fight thousands of Vioxx liability lawsuits one by one. More lawsuits are being filed against the company. There were at least 7,875 as of last Wednesday, the AP reported.
Merck, meanwhile, announced Monday that it planned to slash 7,000 jobs, 11 percent of its workforce, and close or sell five factories worldwide in an effort to cut production costs and reduce the time it takes to get new products on the market, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Bird Flu Virus Mutating in China
Compared to cases in Vietnam, the H5N1 bird flu virus in humans in China has mutated, according to laboratory tests.
The genetic order of the H5N1 virus found in people infected in China is different than that found in people in Vietnam. A Chinese health ministry spokesman said the H5N1 virus in humans in China had mutated "to a certain degree," Agence France Presse reported.
However, this mutation cannot cause human-to-human transmission of the virus, the health ministry spokesman said. Health officials around the world are worried about the possibility of the virus mutating into a form that can pass easily from person to person.
So far, bird flu has killed more than 60 people in Asia since 2003.
In related news, Indonesia announced that it will establish a nationwide bird flu monitoring system. It will involve millions of people in the nation's more than 400,000 villages, AFP reported.
At least five people in each village will monitor any cases of bird flu among birds and humans in order to ensure quick reporting of any cases. The plan also involves training doctors to handle bird flu cases.
Special Straw Eases Antibiotic Use for Children
It may not be a spoonful of sugar, but a specially designed drinking straw for children may, indeed, help the medicine go down.
The Clarosip straw, made by a German company, contains granules of an antibiotic with a coating that has a neutral taste. The antibiotic is released when a child uses the straw to drink his or her favorite beverage, BBC News reported.
The straw has a filter that indicates when the child has taken the entire dose of the clarithromycin antibiotic. The straw can be used with many kinds of hot or cold beverages, including cola. However, juices with pulp can't be used with the straw.
The tasteless coating on the antibiotic is designed to dissolve once it's in the stomach. Children need to swallow the beverage immediately so that the coating doesn't dissolve in the mouth and release the bitter taste of the antibiotic, BBC News reported.
Entire Lesotho Population Offered HIV/AIDS Screening Tests
The entire population of the African kingdom of Lesotho will be offered HIV screening tests and even the King will is expected to take part, The Times of London reported.
The country will announce this week a $12 million HIV screening program for its 1.9 million people. Lesotho, which is located within South Africa, has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates, with an adult infection rate of nearly 30 percent.
If he goes ahead with the screening, King Letsie III will be the first monarch to take an HIV test in public. Such a move is regarded as critical in reducing the stigma associated with HIV in much of Africa, The Times reported.
The testing program will be coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Lesotho's Health Ministry and is designed so that all people over age 12 will know their HIV status by the end of 2007.
It's hoped that Lesotho's screening effort will be a blueprint for other nations devastated by HIV/AIDS.
"This will be a major step forward. If we have 80 or 90 percent uptake of testing, which we believe we can, it will be a hugely effective way of reducing the rise in HIV infection. It could have as important an impact as a moderately effective vaccine," Dr. Jim Yong Kim, director of the WHO's HIV/AIDS department, told The Times.
In related news, Kim apologized for his program's failure to meet a global target for HIV treatment. The goal was to get three million people in poor nations on HIV drugs by the end of 2005, but that target will not be met, BBC News reported.
Mental Health Screening Urged for Infants
About 10 percent of children ages 2 to 5 have a serious psychiatric illness, but most of those cases are not diagnosed, says a Duke University Medical Center researcher who urged mental health checks for infants.
Adrian Angold, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, studied 307 children in this age group and found that one in 10 had obvious symptoms of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, BBC News reported.
That rate is similar to that of older children and suggests that these psychiatric illnesses begin early in life, perhaps even in the womb, Angold said. He said it's essential to screen for and treat these disorders in babies and small children. Waiting until later in childhood or adulthood is too late and causes unnecessary distress and suffering, he said.
Angold presented the findings from the study at an Institute of Psychiatry meeting in London, England.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't discount fitness.
Can't fit exercise into your schedule? Here's how to exercise when you shop, and buy a little extra time! Mall walking makes exercise feel less like a chore and more a part of daily life. When the weather is bad walk laps with a friend around your area mall -- a great cardiovascular workout. To find a mall-walking program in your area, contact the management office of your local mall.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
Health Tip: Be Careful Shoveling Snow
Although shoveling snow can count as moderate-to-heavy physical activity, studies show it can cause a quick rise in heart rate and blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack in some people.
Here's a list of people who should limit or avoid shoveling snow, courtesy of North Dakota State University:
Anyone who has had a heart attack or heart disease.
People with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Smokers.
Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
If you must shovel snow, dress in warm layers, avoid caffeine before beginning, stretch your muscles beforehand, and begin slowly. Shovelers should always pace themselves and listen to their bodies to know when to stop.
Health Tip: Snowboard Safely
Snowboarding may look cool and be lots of fun, but don't be fooled by the fluffy white stuff. You can end up badly hurt if you don't take the right precautions.
The American Academy of Family Physicians says the right equipment is paramount to avoiding injury.
Most snowboard injuries occur on the hands, wrists, buttocks and head. To protect the wrists, wear well-made wrist guards and make fists as you snowboard to reduce the possibility of injury to open hands.
And be sure to wear a helmet, especially while learning, racing and navigating unfamiliar trails.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Health Headlines - November 27
U.S. Officials Probing Medicare Drug Plan Complaints
The marketing of Medicare's new prescription drug benefit has led to scores of complaints about aggressive and possibly illegal tactics used by some insurance companies and agents.
The New York Times reported that Medicare officials in the past few weeks have received complaints about uninvited door-to-door solicitation of business and misrepresentation of insurance products.
Federal and state officials said they also heard that some insurance agents have identified themselves as working for the Social Security Administration or the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and that some agents have asked beneficiaries for personal information like Social Security numbers and credit card or bank account numbers.
Officials were also investigating reports that some agents had offered cash payments to Medicare beneficiaries as an inducement to enroll in a prescription drug plan or a managed care plan.
"These steps are illegal, totally inappropriate and unacceptable," Patricia P. Smith, director of the Medicare Advantage Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told the Times. "They not only endanger the beneficiary. They could endanger the program. This will draw the ire of people who are legitimately looking at the program to make sure beneficiaries are protected."
The new drug coverage, known as Part D, is available to 42 million people who are 65 and older or disabled. The benefit, which goes into effect Jan. 1, is heavily subsidized by the U.S. government but is offered through private health plans and insurers.
Christopher Eisenberg, director of health plan accountability at the Medicare agency, said the U.S. government had received "more than 100 complaints concerning misconduct by independent agents" marketing Medicare products.
Indonesia Reports New Human Bird Flu Infection
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Food Fact:
Sounds shellfishy...
Think you should avoid shrimp because it's high in cholesterol? Think again... All shellfish are low in fat, have almost no saturated fat, and fit squarely into a heart-healthy diet when boiled, steamed, grilled or pan-seared. The one no-no is ordering it fried, which boosts the fat totals way higher than they need to be.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Carry that weight?
How much should you be lifting? Here's a good rule of thumb. When you can perform 12 to 15 reps using excellent form, it's time to increase the weight used by 5%. In weight training, always use weights you can handle. Remember, we are training our bodies not our egos.
FAQ of the day:
What are the most cancer-protective vegetables?
In population surveys, the following categories seem to be the the most cancer-protective: Raw vegetables, alliums (onions, garlic), carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and tomatoes.
The marketing of Medicare's new prescription drug benefit has led to scores of complaints about aggressive and possibly illegal tactics used by some insurance companies and agents.
The New York Times reported that Medicare officials in the past few weeks have received complaints about uninvited door-to-door solicitation of business and misrepresentation of insurance products.
Federal and state officials said they also heard that some insurance agents have identified themselves as working for the Social Security Administration or the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and that some agents have asked beneficiaries for personal information like Social Security numbers and credit card or bank account numbers.
Officials were also investigating reports that some agents had offered cash payments to Medicare beneficiaries as an inducement to enroll in a prescription drug plan or a managed care plan.
"These steps are illegal, totally inappropriate and unacceptable," Patricia P. Smith, director of the Medicare Advantage Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told the Times. "They not only endanger the beneficiary. They could endanger the program. This will draw the ire of people who are legitimately looking at the program to make sure beneficiaries are protected."
The new drug coverage, known as Part D, is available to 42 million people who are 65 and older or disabled. The benefit, which goes into effect Jan. 1, is heavily subsidized by the U.S. government but is offered through private health plans and insurers.
Christopher Eisenberg, director of health plan accountability at the Medicare agency, said the U.S. government had received "more than 100 complaints concerning misconduct by independent agents" marketing Medicare products.
Indonesia Reports New Human Bird Flu Infection
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Food Fact:
Sounds shellfishy...
Think you should avoid shrimp because it's high in cholesterol? Think again... All shellfish are low in fat, have almost no saturated fat, and fit squarely into a heart-healthy diet when boiled, steamed, grilled or pan-seared. The one no-no is ordering it fried, which boosts the fat totals way higher than they need to be.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Carry that weight?
How much should you be lifting? Here's a good rule of thumb. When you can perform 12 to 15 reps using excellent form, it's time to increase the weight used by 5%. In weight training, always use weights you can handle. Remember, we are training our bodies not our egos.
FAQ of the day:
What are the most cancer-protective vegetables?
In population surveys, the following categories seem to be the the most cancer-protective: Raw vegetables, alliums (onions, garlic), carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and tomatoes.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Health Headlines - November 26
Indonesia Reports New Human Bird Flu Infection
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Florida Couple Awarded $60M After Hospital Negligence
A U.S. federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research.
Food Fact:
Fillet buster.
When trying to decide on the freshest fish, a few simple rules will help end the debate. First, let your nose by your guide. Fresh fish should smell like seawater, not "fishy." Fillets should look moist, not slimy or dried out. Fish has a reputation as "brain food," and while eating it hasn't been shown to actually increase your IQ, it's certainly smart to eat fish often. Fish is a protein with little artery-clogging saturated fat. Lean, white-fleshed fish, such as cod or flounder, has about one gram of fat and 125 calories in a 4-oz. portion.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
Why cut back on calories if I have diabetes?
Listen to your doctor. Cutting back on calories will improve your blood sugar, blood cholesterol profile and blood pressure -- classic signifiers of insulin resistance syndrome -- whether or not you lose weight. Even if you are eating only slightly more calories than you are burning each day, you are overloading your system, which is triggering an inherited tendency for Type 2 diabetes. If you continue to take in your current number of calories from middle age on, the imbalance will get worse, and your risk of heart disease will go up.
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Florida Couple Awarded $60M After Hospital Negligence
A U.S. federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research.
Food Fact:
Fillet buster.
When trying to decide on the freshest fish, a few simple rules will help end the debate. First, let your nose by your guide. Fresh fish should smell like seawater, not "fishy." Fillets should look moist, not slimy or dried out. Fish has a reputation as "brain food," and while eating it hasn't been shown to actually increase your IQ, it's certainly smart to eat fish often. Fish is a protein with little artery-clogging saturated fat. Lean, white-fleshed fish, such as cod or flounder, has about one gram of fat and 125 calories in a 4-oz. portion.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
Why cut back on calories if I have diabetes?
Listen to your doctor. Cutting back on calories will improve your blood sugar, blood cholesterol profile and blood pressure -- classic signifiers of insulin resistance syndrome -- whether or not you lose weight. Even if you are eating only slightly more calories than you are burning each day, you are overloading your system, which is triggering an inherited tendency for Type 2 diabetes. If you continue to take in your current number of calories from middle age on, the imbalance will get worse, and your risk of heart disease will go up.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Health Headlines - November 25
Florida Couple Awarded $60M After Hospital Negligence
A federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a U.S. Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
Indonesia to Make Tamiflu for Bird Flu Fight
Indonesia's health minister said Friday her country will begin producing and stockpiling the anti-flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) due to fears of a potential bird flu epidemic in humans.
Siti Fadilah Supari told the Associated Press that Tamiflu patent holder Roche Holding AG will let the country produce the drug, which experts believe might help lessen the severity of avian flu in humans. Production will begin as soon as the country receives the necessary raw materials from China or Korea, Supari said.
The news came the same day the country announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry through the capital, Jakarta. "It is very serious," Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono told the AP. "Based on our research, the virus has spread throughout the city."
Also on Friday, authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 avian flu virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Food Fact:
Super nova
Eating one meal of salmon a week can spawn a much healthier you. Salmon and other fatty fish like mackerel or bluefish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to a lower risk of heart attacks. As little as one weekly serving of fish can cut a middle-aged adult's chances of a fatal heart attack by as much as 50%. More good news: Eating fish rich in omega-3s helps reduce diabetes risk, in part by lowering blood triglycerides. Conversely, diets low in omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to insulin resistance, a risk for developing diabetes. Salmon also bolsters your body's ability to process serotonin, which can help relieve a tendency toward depression. Poach it. Grill it. Pan-sear it. Bake it. Just eat it.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Why is fat so fattening?
Fat has more calories than carbohydrate, in part because it has a different balance of oxygen and carbon atoms; a gram of fat has 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrates has 4. Also, carbohydrate-rich foods absorb water while fat does not, which makes a big difference in calories. Apple slices, which are mostly carbohydrates and water, have 65 calories per cup. Lard, which is nearly pure fat, contains 1,850 calories in a cup.
A federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a U.S. Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
Indonesia to Make Tamiflu for Bird Flu Fight
Indonesia's health minister said Friday her country will begin producing and stockpiling the anti-flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) due to fears of a potential bird flu epidemic in humans.
Siti Fadilah Supari told the Associated Press that Tamiflu patent holder Roche Holding AG will let the country produce the drug, which experts believe might help lessen the severity of avian flu in humans. Production will begin as soon as the country receives the necessary raw materials from China or Korea, Supari said.
The news came the same day the country announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry through the capital, Jakarta. "It is very serious," Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono told the AP. "Based on our research, the virus has spread throughout the city."
Also on Friday, authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 avian flu virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Food Fact:
Super nova
Eating one meal of salmon a week can spawn a much healthier you. Salmon and other fatty fish like mackerel or bluefish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to a lower risk of heart attacks. As little as one weekly serving of fish can cut a middle-aged adult's chances of a fatal heart attack by as much as 50%. More good news: Eating fish rich in omega-3s helps reduce diabetes risk, in part by lowering blood triglycerides. Conversely, diets low in omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to insulin resistance, a risk for developing diabetes. Salmon also bolsters your body's ability to process serotonin, which can help relieve a tendency toward depression. Poach it. Grill it. Pan-sear it. Bake it. Just eat it.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Why is fat so fattening?
Fat has more calories than carbohydrate, in part because it has a different balance of oxygen and carbon atoms; a gram of fat has 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrates has 4. Also, carbohydrate-rich foods absorb water while fat does not, which makes a big difference in calories. Apple slices, which are mostly carbohydrates and water, have 65 calories per cup. Lard, which is nearly pure fat, contains 1,850 calories in a cup.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Health Headlines - November 24
Happy Thanksgiving!
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Also on Thursday, a top Indonesian agriculture official announced the first outbreak of bird flu in Sumatra's Aceh province, where 130,000 people were left homeless by last December's deadly tsunami.
S. Korean Cloning Scientist Quits After Egg Scandal
The South Korean who helped produce the world's first cloned human embryos has resigned all public posts, after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers, the BBC reported.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," Professor Hwang Woo-suk said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Dr. Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Dr. Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
Medicare May Change Rules for Weight-Loss Surgery
U.S. health officials on Wednesday proposed expanding Medicare coverage of weight-loss surgery for disabled individuals, but cutting coverage of these procedures for the elderly, the Associated Press reported.
While studies have shown that gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries can help reduce extreme, disabling obesity, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the elderly face two to three times the risk of death from these procedures compared to younger patiets.
It's these data that are prompting the proposed changes, officials at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. "Some beneficiaries may significantly reduce their health risks through surgery," agency administrator Mark McClellan told the AP.
Over 8,000 Medicare beneficiaries had their weight-loss surgeries covered by the program in 2004, at about $13,000 per procedure, Medicare officials said.
The new proposal is not final and the agency is now seeking public comment on the proposed changes.
Domestic Violence a Global Health Threat
A new report from the World Health Organization finds high rates of domestic violence in countries worldwide, with similar effects on women's health regardless of where they live, the Associated Press reported.
"Whether you are a cosmopolitan woman in Sao Paolo or Belgrade, or you are a rural woman in Ethiopia or Bangladesh, the association between violence and poor health is there," said the WHO's Dr. Claudia Garcia-Moreno, who coordinated the first-ever international survey of more than 24,000 women in 10 countries.
Rates of domestic violence occurring over the preceding year ranged from 4 percent in Japan and Serbia, to between 30 percent and 54 percent in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Peru and Tanzania. Women who reported being attacked were more likely to report pain, gynecological problems, miscarriage or mental health woes, compared to those who had not suffered domestic violence.
Because most of the research into domestic violence has been done in North America and Europe, countries in those regions were not included in the survey. However, earlier studies have found rates of about 20 percent in the U.S. and 23 percent in Canada and Britain, one expert told the AP.
Toxic Slick Threatens Chinese City
A 50-mile-long slick of water carrying poisonous benzene has begun entering the northern Chinese city of Harbin after a chemical plant explosion released the toxin Nov. 13, the Associated Press reported.
Many of the city's 3.8 million residents began frantically hoarding water and the government announced it would commence digging 100 wells to help ensure a safe water supply. Harbin shut down its water system Tuesday in anticipation of the coming slick.
Bezene and a related chemical, nitrobenzene, have been found in very high levels in the Songhua River, according to the official China Daily. "Massive amounts can lead to the disorder of blood cells -- in other words, leukemia," Zhang Lanying, director of the Environment and Resources Institute at Jilin University, was quoted as saying by the AP.
Across the border in Russia, officials there are voicing concern over the threat to the health of residents in the nearby city of Khabarovsk, 435 miles downstream from Harbin. One official there complained that the Chinese have not released enough information on the amount and type of contamination released into the river.
Food Fact:
Boil meets grill.
If you're boiling vegetables, you're losing key nutrients. There is a better way. Turn up the oven to 425 degrees and roast 'em. High heat seals in the veggies' juices -- and the nutrients, which leech out in boiling water. The flavor is remarkably better, too -- roasting caramelizes veggies' natural sugars, and you won't need a pat of butter or a cheese sauce to dress them up. When roasting, cut the vegetable into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Spray a baking sheet with heart-healthy canola or olive oil. Spread the veggies evenly out on the sheet, and spray with the oil. Add your favorite seasoning and roast until the veggies are tender on the inside.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Home sweat home.
A home gym can remake your body and save money -- if you know how to use it. For home exercise programs to succeed, you need to treat a room in your home like your own private health club. When you enter the room you have entered the gym. Be sure to establish a training time that you will stick to keep all other activities OUT of the room.
FAQ of the day:
Do I burn calories even when I''m just sitting around?
You burn calories all the time, even when you're asleep. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses for basic chores such as breathing, circulating blood, powering the nervous system and maintaining body temperature. A normal BMR for the average healthy male is around 1 calorie per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per hour; for women it is slightly lower, at around .9 calorie/kg/hr. But BMRs are very personal. Body composition helps determine BMR; a woman's BMR is generally lower than a man's because she carries more body fat. Other factors that affect BMR include age, activity level, nutrition, growth, pregnancy, body size and overall health.
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Also on Thursday, a top Indonesian agriculture official announced the first outbreak of bird flu in Sumatra's Aceh province, where 130,000 people were left homeless by last December's deadly tsunami.
S. Korean Cloning Scientist Quits After Egg Scandal
The South Korean who helped produce the world's first cloned human embryos has resigned all public posts, after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers, the BBC reported.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," Professor Hwang Woo-suk said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Dr. Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Dr. Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
Medicare May Change Rules for Weight-Loss Surgery
U.S. health officials on Wednesday proposed expanding Medicare coverage of weight-loss surgery for disabled individuals, but cutting coverage of these procedures for the elderly, the Associated Press reported.
While studies have shown that gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries can help reduce extreme, disabling obesity, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the elderly face two to three times the risk of death from these procedures compared to younger patiets.
It's these data that are prompting the proposed changes, officials at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. "Some beneficiaries may significantly reduce their health risks through surgery," agency administrator Mark McClellan told the AP.
Over 8,000 Medicare beneficiaries had their weight-loss surgeries covered by the program in 2004, at about $13,000 per procedure, Medicare officials said.
The new proposal is not final and the agency is now seeking public comment on the proposed changes.
Domestic Violence a Global Health Threat
A new report from the World Health Organization finds high rates of domestic violence in countries worldwide, with similar effects on women's health regardless of where they live, the Associated Press reported.
"Whether you are a cosmopolitan woman in Sao Paolo or Belgrade, or you are a rural woman in Ethiopia or Bangladesh, the association between violence and poor health is there," said the WHO's Dr. Claudia Garcia-Moreno, who coordinated the first-ever international survey of more than 24,000 women in 10 countries.
Rates of domestic violence occurring over the preceding year ranged from 4 percent in Japan and Serbia, to between 30 percent and 54 percent in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Peru and Tanzania. Women who reported being attacked were more likely to report pain, gynecological problems, miscarriage or mental health woes, compared to those who had not suffered domestic violence.
Because most of the research into domestic violence has been done in North America and Europe, countries in those regions were not included in the survey. However, earlier studies have found rates of about 20 percent in the U.S. and 23 percent in Canada and Britain, one expert told the AP.
Toxic Slick Threatens Chinese City
A 50-mile-long slick of water carrying poisonous benzene has begun entering the northern Chinese city of Harbin after a chemical plant explosion released the toxin Nov. 13, the Associated Press reported.
Many of the city's 3.8 million residents began frantically hoarding water and the government announced it would commence digging 100 wells to help ensure a safe water supply. Harbin shut down its water system Tuesday in anticipation of the coming slick.
Bezene and a related chemical, nitrobenzene, have been found in very high levels in the Songhua River, according to the official China Daily. "Massive amounts can lead to the disorder of blood cells -- in other words, leukemia," Zhang Lanying, director of the Environment and Resources Institute at Jilin University, was quoted as saying by the AP.
Across the border in Russia, officials there are voicing concern over the threat to the health of residents in the nearby city of Khabarovsk, 435 miles downstream from Harbin. One official there complained that the Chinese have not released enough information on the amount and type of contamination released into the river.
Food Fact:
Boil meets grill.
If you're boiling vegetables, you're losing key nutrients. There is a better way. Turn up the oven to 425 degrees and roast 'em. High heat seals in the veggies' juices -- and the nutrients, which leech out in boiling water. The flavor is remarkably better, too -- roasting caramelizes veggies' natural sugars, and you won't need a pat of butter or a cheese sauce to dress them up. When roasting, cut the vegetable into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Spray a baking sheet with heart-healthy canola or olive oil. Spread the veggies evenly out on the sheet, and spray with the oil. Add your favorite seasoning and roast until the veggies are tender on the inside.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Home sweat home.
A home gym can remake your body and save money -- if you know how to use it. For home exercise programs to succeed, you need to treat a room in your home like your own private health club. When you enter the room you have entered the gym. Be sure to establish a training time that you will stick to keep all other activities OUT of the room.
FAQ of the day:
Do I burn calories even when I''m just sitting around?
You burn calories all the time, even when you're asleep. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses for basic chores such as breathing, circulating blood, powering the nervous system and maintaining body temperature. A normal BMR for the average healthy male is around 1 calorie per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per hour; for women it is slightly lower, at around .9 calorie/kg/hr. But BMRs are very personal. Body composition helps determine BMR; a woman's BMR is generally lower than a man's because she carries more body fat. Other factors that affect BMR include age, activity level, nutrition, growth, pregnancy, body size and overall health.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Health Headlines - November 23
China Reports 2nd Human Death From Bird Flu
China's second confirmed human death from bird flu was reported Wednesday.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry, the Associated Press reported.
Test results showed the woman was infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed, the AP reported.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness. Officials suspect the children contracted the bird flu virus after handling sick chickens at their home, not because they ate infected chicken meat, as was initially reported by Chinese state media.
Bacterial Infection Linked to Abortion Pill Deaths
All four California women who died after taking the RU-486 (Mifeprex) abortion pill had a rare, deadly Clostridium sordellii bacterial infection, say U.S. federal drug regulators, who plan to take a closer look at the drug's safety.
The deaths from 2003 to 2005 prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test if Mifeprex pills sold in California were contaminated, but they weren't, The New York Times reported.
In an attempt to get some answers, the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a scientific meeting in early 2006. Experts at the meeting will consider a number of possibilities, including whether Mifeprex may make women more vulnerable to Clostridium sordellii infection.
It they conclude that's the case, the experts would consider how to more easily diagnose and even prevent such infections in women taking Mifeprex, the Times reported.
Currently, there is no sign that the FDA is considering restricting access to Mifeprex, which has been used in more than 500,000 medical abortions it won FDA approval in September 2000.
Since last July, the Mifeprex label has carried a warning about the drug's possible link with the deadly bacteria. The information is also posted on the FDA's Web site.
Oscillating Fans Recalled for Fire Hazard
A fire and burn hazard has prompted the U.S. recall of about 150,000 Haier oscillating electric tower fans, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.
There have been eight reports of fires or flames associated with the model FTM 140GG electric fan, including one report of minor property damage and one report of minor burns. The fire hazard is linked to internal electric arcing in the fan.
This model has three speed settings and a 120-minute shut-off timer. "Haier" is printed on a silver label near the top of the front of the tower and the model number is located on the lower back of the fan.
The fans were sold for between $20 and $30 at discount department stores across the United States from February 2004 through November 2005.
Consumers should immediately stop using these fans and call Haier at 1-866-601-8073 anytime for more information and to get instructions on how to obtain a $30 coupon for the purchase of any available Haier product.
FDA Approves New Device to Treat Lumbar Problem
A newly approved device offers another treatment option for patients in the United States who suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, a spinal problem that causes back and leg pain.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the "X-stop," a thumb of titanium on a mount that fits to a vertebra in the lower back, the Associated Press reported.
The device was developed at the St. Mary's Spine Center in San Francisco. Insertion of the X-stop usually requires only local anesthetic, and a person can have up to two devices implanted on vertebrae in the lower spine.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common cause of back injury in people older than 50. The condition is caused by age-related constriction of the tube for nerves in the spine. People with lumbar spinal stenosis usually suffer pain, numbness and weakness when they stand, but these symptoms are relieved by sitting down.
The X-stop presses against parts on either side of a vertebra and pushes open the tube that contains the nerves, the AP reported.
Other current treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and injections, or a form of surgery called laminectomy, which involves full anesthesia and removal of bone and tissue in order to open up the tube that contains the nerves in the spine.
Mold Concerns Prompt Recall of Eye Products
Concern about possible mold contamination has led to the recall of seven lots of GenTeal Gel and GenTeal GelDrops, which are used to relieve eye dryness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Novartis Ophthalmics said Tuesday.
While the risk of contamination is considered to be low, contamination in these products could cause eye infections in some people.
The recall covers about 142,500 tubes in five lots of GenTeal Gel distributed across the United States from March to November 2004 and about 12,000 dropper bottles in two lots of GenTeal Gel Drops distributed nationwide in October 2005.
Mold was detected in a small number of samples of GenTeal Gel. The species of mold is generally not harmful, but can cause eye infections in people with compromised immune systems and others who may be susceptible, the FDA said.
Food Fact:
Raspberry preserve.
Fresh raspberries are delicious -- but fragile. Here's how to treat them right. Because all fresh berries are highly perishable, they should be refrigerated (unwashed) as soon as possible after they're picked. Before refrigerating, spread the juicy, fragile berries in a single layer on a large tray or baking sheet. Wash berries gently but thoroughly before you eat them or use them in a recipe. Juicy and sweet, raspberries are jam-packed with vitamin C, folate and potassium; one cup has more than a third of your daily requirement of fiber. Raspberries are particularly powerful antioxidants. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston measured levels of antioxidants in various fruits and vegetables, berries consistently cropped up at the top of the list.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need each day?
Fifteen calories per pound per day is a good rule of thumb for maintaining your weight. But remember, this is a rough estimate for the average, moderately active person; the actual number you need will depend on your relative amounts of lean and fat body tissue, and your fitness level. If you're very lean and active, you may burn as many as 17 calories per pound per day. Here's a rough guide to the number of calories a 125-lb. woman burns during different activities: About 1 calorie a minute sleeping or sitting quietly, 3 calories a minute doing light housework, and 14 calories a minute walking up stairs.
China's second confirmed human death from bird flu was reported Wednesday.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry, the Associated Press reported.
Test results showed the woman was infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed, the AP reported.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness. Officials suspect the children contracted the bird flu virus after handling sick chickens at their home, not because they ate infected chicken meat, as was initially reported by Chinese state media.
Bacterial Infection Linked to Abortion Pill Deaths
All four California women who died after taking the RU-486 (Mifeprex) abortion pill had a rare, deadly Clostridium sordellii bacterial infection, say U.S. federal drug regulators, who plan to take a closer look at the drug's safety.
The deaths from 2003 to 2005 prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test if Mifeprex pills sold in California were contaminated, but they weren't, The New York Times reported.
In an attempt to get some answers, the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a scientific meeting in early 2006. Experts at the meeting will consider a number of possibilities, including whether Mifeprex may make women more vulnerable to Clostridium sordellii infection.
It they conclude that's the case, the experts would consider how to more easily diagnose and even prevent such infections in women taking Mifeprex, the Times reported.
Currently, there is no sign that the FDA is considering restricting access to Mifeprex, which has been used in more than 500,000 medical abortions it won FDA approval in September 2000.
Since last July, the Mifeprex label has carried a warning about the drug's possible link with the deadly bacteria. The information is also posted on the FDA's Web site.
Oscillating Fans Recalled for Fire Hazard
A fire and burn hazard has prompted the U.S. recall of about 150,000 Haier oscillating electric tower fans, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.
There have been eight reports of fires or flames associated with the model FTM 140GG electric fan, including one report of minor property damage and one report of minor burns. The fire hazard is linked to internal electric arcing in the fan.
This model has three speed settings and a 120-minute shut-off timer. "Haier" is printed on a silver label near the top of the front of the tower and the model number is located on the lower back of the fan.
The fans were sold for between $20 and $30 at discount department stores across the United States from February 2004 through November 2005.
Consumers should immediately stop using these fans and call Haier at 1-866-601-8073 anytime for more information and to get instructions on how to obtain a $30 coupon for the purchase of any available Haier product.
FDA Approves New Device to Treat Lumbar Problem
A newly approved device offers another treatment option for patients in the United States who suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, a spinal problem that causes back and leg pain.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the "X-stop," a thumb of titanium on a mount that fits to a vertebra in the lower back, the Associated Press reported.
The device was developed at the St. Mary's Spine Center in San Francisco. Insertion of the X-stop usually requires only local anesthetic, and a person can have up to two devices implanted on vertebrae in the lower spine.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common cause of back injury in people older than 50. The condition is caused by age-related constriction of the tube for nerves in the spine. People with lumbar spinal stenosis usually suffer pain, numbness and weakness when they stand, but these symptoms are relieved by sitting down.
The X-stop presses against parts on either side of a vertebra and pushes open the tube that contains the nerves, the AP reported.
Other current treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and injections, or a form of surgery called laminectomy, which involves full anesthesia and removal of bone and tissue in order to open up the tube that contains the nerves in the spine.
Mold Concerns Prompt Recall of Eye Products
Concern about possible mold contamination has led to the recall of seven lots of GenTeal Gel and GenTeal GelDrops, which are used to relieve eye dryness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Novartis Ophthalmics said Tuesday.
While the risk of contamination is considered to be low, contamination in these products could cause eye infections in some people.
The recall covers about 142,500 tubes in five lots of GenTeal Gel distributed across the United States from March to November 2004 and about 12,000 dropper bottles in two lots of GenTeal Gel Drops distributed nationwide in October 2005.
Mold was detected in a small number of samples of GenTeal Gel. The species of mold is generally not harmful, but can cause eye infections in people with compromised immune systems and others who may be susceptible, the FDA said.
Food Fact:
Raspberry preserve.
Fresh raspberries are delicious -- but fragile. Here's how to treat them right. Because all fresh berries are highly perishable, they should be refrigerated (unwashed) as soon as possible after they're picked. Before refrigerating, spread the juicy, fragile berries in a single layer on a large tray or baking sheet. Wash berries gently but thoroughly before you eat them or use them in a recipe. Juicy and sweet, raspberries are jam-packed with vitamin C, folate and potassium; one cup has more than a third of your daily requirement of fiber. Raspberries are particularly powerful antioxidants. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston measured levels of antioxidants in various fruits and vegetables, berries consistently cropped up at the top of the list.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need each day?
Fifteen calories per pound per day is a good rule of thumb for maintaining your weight. But remember, this is a rough estimate for the average, moderately active person; the actual number you need will depend on your relative amounts of lean and fat body tissue, and your fitness level. If you're very lean and active, you may burn as many as 17 calories per pound per day. Here's a rough guide to the number of calories a 125-lb. woman burns during different activities: About 1 calorie a minute sleeping or sitting quietly, 3 calories a minute doing light housework, and 14 calories a minute walking up stairs.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Trouble in Toyland: The 20th Annual Survey of Toy Safety
Toys are safer than ever before, thanks to decades of work by product safety advocates and parents and the leadership of Congress, state legislatures and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Nevertheless, as parents venture into crowded malls and browse for the perfect toy on the Internet this holiday season, they should remain vigilant about often hidden hazards posed by toys on store shelves.
The 2005 Trouble in Toyland report is the 20th annual Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. This report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.
PIRG’s research focused on four categories of toys: toys that may pose choking hazards, toys that may pose strangulation hazards, toys that are excessively loud, and toys that contain potentially toxic chemicals. PIRG researchers visited numerous toy stores and other retailers to find potentially dangerous toys and identify trends in toy safety. Key findings include:
CHOKING HAZARDS
Choking on small parts, small balls and balloons remains a leading cause of toy-related deaths and injuries. Between 1990 and 2004, at least 157 children died after choking or asphyxiating on a toy or toy part; seven children died in 2004 alone. Our researchers found:
• Although most toys on store shelves are safe, PIRG researchers still found toys for children under three with small parts and toys with small parts for children under six without the statutory choke hazard warning label.
• Toy manufacturers are over-labeling toys by placing choke hazard warnings on items that do not contain small parts. This could dilute the meaning of the warning labels, making them less useful to parents. CPSC should push manufacturers to apply the choke hazard warning only when necessary.
• Mattel, a large toy manufacturer, now includes a non-statutory and vague warning on some of its toys, saying “Small parts may be generated.” If a toy contains small parts or can break easily into small parts that pose a choking hazard, the company should use the statutory warning. Toys without small parts should not include this confusing label.
• Balloons, which cause more choking deaths than any other children’s product, are still marketed specifically for children under age three (such as “Baby’s First Birthday”) and with characters appealing to children under eight years old (such as “Bob the Builder”). Toy manufacturers should not market balloons to children under age eight.
STRANGULATION HAZARDS
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has set safety standards to prevent strangulation by cords and elastics attached to toys. These standards and other ASTM standards are enforceable by CPSC. PIRG researchers found that the popular yo-yo water ball poses particular hazards to young children, including strangulation and other injury to the eyes, neck and face. New versions of the toy contain batteries to make the toy flash; these batteries can tear through the toy easily, posing a choking hazard if swallowed.
In June 2005, Illinois became the first state to ban this toy. At the federal level, the CPSC should ban all sales of yo-yo water balls and similar toys in the United States.
LOUD TOYS
Almost 15 percent of children ages 6 to 17 show signs of hearing loss, according to a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In November 2003, ASTM promulgated a new acoustics standard for toys, setting the loudness threshold for most handheld toys at 90 decibels; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that prolonged exposure to sounds at 85 decibels or higher can result in hearing damage. PIRG researchers found:
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves may not meet the ASTM standards for appropriately loud toys.
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves exceed 100 decibels when measured at close range.
CPSC should enforce the ASTM acoustics standards for loud toys and consider strengthening the standards to reduce the sound threshold for hand-held toys from 90 decibels to 85 decibels. Toy manufacturers should go above and beyond the standards and not make hand-held toys that produce sounds louder than 85 decibels.
TOXIC CHEMICALS IN TOYS
Some toys can pose hidden hazards, exposing children to dangerous chemicals that are linked to serious health problems. PIRG researchers found:
• Manufacturers are selling play cosmetic sets that include nail polish containing toxic chemicals, such as toluene and xylene. Since children often put their hands in their mouths, nail polish applied to fingernails offers a direct route of exposure.
• Even though the European Union has banned or imposed wide restrictions on the use of six phthalates in toys and childcare products, some manufacturers of children’s products continue to use phthalates in toys for the U.S. market. Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to “plasticize” or soften otherwise hard PVC plastic material, have been linked to reproductive defects and other health problems.
• In response to consumer concern about phthalates, some manufacturers are labeling their products as “phthalate-free.” The U.S. government, however, does not regulate the “phthalate-free” label or ensure that products labeled “phthalate-free” actually do not contain phthalates. To test the reliability of the “phthalate-free” label, PIRG commissioned laboratory tests of eight soft plastic toys labeled as not containing phthalates. Of the eight toys tested, six contained detectable levels of phthalates.
CPSC should ban phthalates in toys and other products intended for children under five and work with the Federal Trade Commission to take immediate action to ensure that toys labeled “phthalate-free” do not contain phthalates. In addition, CPSC should team up with the Food and Drug Administration to require manufacturers to stop using toluene, xylene, dibutyl phthalate, and other toxic chemicals in nail polish marketed for children.
OTHER TOY HAZARDS
Many toys are approved for use by young children but require additional safety precautions as well as adult supervision. Non-motorized scooters and other riding toys, for example, cause more toy-related injuries every year than any other category of toy. Electric toy minimotorcycles and gasoline-powered mini-motorcycles (“pocket bikes”) are likely to be popular purchases this shopping season. Children are vulnerable to a wide range of injuries when using both motorized and non-motorized riding toys; parents should supervise their children closely when they use these toys and outfit them with the proper safety equipment.
PURCHASING TOYS ON THE INTERNET
Increasingly, parents are turning to the Internet as a convenient way to shop for toys, especially during the busy holiday shopping season. The CPSC, however, has yet to require online retailers to include choke hazard warnings on their websites. PIRG conducted its fifth annual survey of online toy retailers, finding that some online toy retailers are voluntarily displaying some sort of choke hazard warning for at least some of their toys—although mandatory requirements are still necessary. We found:
• One-third (35%) of the 37 online retailers surveyed display some sort of choke hazard warning next to toys that otherwise require such labeling on their packaging or point of sale, although most retailers do not display these warnings consistently on their websites.
• Of the retailers surveyed, just over half (20) allow consumers to shop for toys by age group. Of these 20 websites, four post or direct parents to toys that are not age-appropriate.
• Nine of the retailers provided no manufacturer age recommendations for the toys we surveyed.
CPSC should require online toy retailers to display on their websites the safety warnings otherwise required by law to appear on toy packaging. Toy manufacturers should take the initiative and use statutory choke hazard warnings on retail toy websites.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSUMERS AND PARENTS
Be vigilant this holiday season and remember:
• The CPSC does not test all toys, and not all toys on store shelves meet CPSC standards.
• Online toy retailers do not have to provide the same safety warnings that otherwise are legally required on the packaging of toys sold in stores.
• PIRG’s report includes only a sampling of potentially hazardous toys. Always examine toys carefully for potential dangers before you make a purchase.
• Report unsafe toys or toy-related injuries to the CPSC.
The 2005 Trouble in Toyland report is the 20th annual Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. This report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.
PIRG’s research focused on four categories of toys: toys that may pose choking hazards, toys that may pose strangulation hazards, toys that are excessively loud, and toys that contain potentially toxic chemicals. PIRG researchers visited numerous toy stores and other retailers to find potentially dangerous toys and identify trends in toy safety. Key findings include:
CHOKING HAZARDS
Choking on small parts, small balls and balloons remains a leading cause of toy-related deaths and injuries. Between 1990 and 2004, at least 157 children died after choking or asphyxiating on a toy or toy part; seven children died in 2004 alone. Our researchers found:
• Although most toys on store shelves are safe, PIRG researchers still found toys for children under three with small parts and toys with small parts for children under six without the statutory choke hazard warning label.
• Toy manufacturers are over-labeling toys by placing choke hazard warnings on items that do not contain small parts. This could dilute the meaning of the warning labels, making them less useful to parents. CPSC should push manufacturers to apply the choke hazard warning only when necessary.
• Mattel, a large toy manufacturer, now includes a non-statutory and vague warning on some of its toys, saying “Small parts may be generated.” If a toy contains small parts or can break easily into small parts that pose a choking hazard, the company should use the statutory warning. Toys without small parts should not include this confusing label.
• Balloons, which cause more choking deaths than any other children’s product, are still marketed specifically for children under age three (such as “Baby’s First Birthday”) and with characters appealing to children under eight years old (such as “Bob the Builder”). Toy manufacturers should not market balloons to children under age eight.
STRANGULATION HAZARDS
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has set safety standards to prevent strangulation by cords and elastics attached to toys. These standards and other ASTM standards are enforceable by CPSC. PIRG researchers found that the popular yo-yo water ball poses particular hazards to young children, including strangulation and other injury to the eyes, neck and face. New versions of the toy contain batteries to make the toy flash; these batteries can tear through the toy easily, posing a choking hazard if swallowed.
In June 2005, Illinois became the first state to ban this toy. At the federal level, the CPSC should ban all sales of yo-yo water balls and similar toys in the United States.
LOUD TOYS
Almost 15 percent of children ages 6 to 17 show signs of hearing loss, according to a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In November 2003, ASTM promulgated a new acoustics standard for toys, setting the loudness threshold for most handheld toys at 90 decibels; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that prolonged exposure to sounds at 85 decibels or higher can result in hearing damage. PIRG researchers found:
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves may not meet the ASTM standards for appropriately loud toys.
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves exceed 100 decibels when measured at close range.
CPSC should enforce the ASTM acoustics standards for loud toys and consider strengthening the standards to reduce the sound threshold for hand-held toys from 90 decibels to 85 decibels. Toy manufacturers should go above and beyond the standards and not make hand-held toys that produce sounds louder than 85 decibels.
TOXIC CHEMICALS IN TOYS
Some toys can pose hidden hazards, exposing children to dangerous chemicals that are linked to serious health problems. PIRG researchers found:
• Manufacturers are selling play cosmetic sets that include nail polish containing toxic chemicals, such as toluene and xylene. Since children often put their hands in their mouths, nail polish applied to fingernails offers a direct route of exposure.
• Even though the European Union has banned or imposed wide restrictions on the use of six phthalates in toys and childcare products, some manufacturers of children’s products continue to use phthalates in toys for the U.S. market. Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to “plasticize” or soften otherwise hard PVC plastic material, have been linked to reproductive defects and other health problems.
• In response to consumer concern about phthalates, some manufacturers are labeling their products as “phthalate-free.” The U.S. government, however, does not regulate the “phthalate-free” label or ensure that products labeled “phthalate-free” actually do not contain phthalates. To test the reliability of the “phthalate-free” label, PIRG commissioned laboratory tests of eight soft plastic toys labeled as not containing phthalates. Of the eight toys tested, six contained detectable levels of phthalates.
CPSC should ban phthalates in toys and other products intended for children under five and work with the Federal Trade Commission to take immediate action to ensure that toys labeled “phthalate-free” do not contain phthalates. In addition, CPSC should team up with the Food and Drug Administration to require manufacturers to stop using toluene, xylene, dibutyl phthalate, and other toxic chemicals in nail polish marketed for children.
OTHER TOY HAZARDS
Many toys are approved for use by young children but require additional safety precautions as well as adult supervision. Non-motorized scooters and other riding toys, for example, cause more toy-related injuries every year than any other category of toy. Electric toy minimotorcycles and gasoline-powered mini-motorcycles (“pocket bikes”) are likely to be popular purchases this shopping season. Children are vulnerable to a wide range of injuries when using both motorized and non-motorized riding toys; parents should supervise their children closely when they use these toys and outfit them with the proper safety equipment.
PURCHASING TOYS ON THE INTERNET
Increasingly, parents are turning to the Internet as a convenient way to shop for toys, especially during the busy holiday shopping season. The CPSC, however, has yet to require online retailers to include choke hazard warnings on their websites. PIRG conducted its fifth annual survey of online toy retailers, finding that some online toy retailers are voluntarily displaying some sort of choke hazard warning for at least some of their toys—although mandatory requirements are still necessary. We found:
• One-third (35%) of the 37 online retailers surveyed display some sort of choke hazard warning next to toys that otherwise require such labeling on their packaging or point of sale, although most retailers do not display these warnings consistently on their websites.
• Of the retailers surveyed, just over half (20) allow consumers to shop for toys by age group. Of these 20 websites, four post or direct parents to toys that are not age-appropriate.
• Nine of the retailers provided no manufacturer age recommendations for the toys we surveyed.
CPSC should require online toy retailers to display on their websites the safety warnings otherwise required by law to appear on toy packaging. Toy manufacturers should take the initiative and use statutory choke hazard warnings on retail toy websites.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSUMERS AND PARENTS
Be vigilant this holiday season and remember:
• The CPSC does not test all toys, and not all toys on store shelves meet CPSC standards.
• Online toy retailers do not have to provide the same safety warnings that otherwise are legally required on the packaging of toys sold in stores.
• PIRG’s report includes only a sampling of potentially hazardous toys. Always examine toys carefully for potential dangers before you make a purchase.
• Report unsafe toys or toy-related injuries to the CPSC.
Health Headlines - November 22
U.S. Bans British Columbia Poultry Imports
The United States has banned imports of poultry from the Canadian province of British Columbia in response to the discovery of a mild strain of H5 bird flu virus in one duck at a commercial poultry farm.
Taiwan and Hong Kong also imposed bans on poultry from the province, while Japan has banned all poultry from Canada.
U.S. officials are waiting for more information from Canadian authorities before deciding whether to continue the ban on all poultry imports from the province or restrict imports from only the Chilliwack area, where the farm is located, the Associated Press reported.
The duck was infected with a North American strain of H5 bird flu virus that doesn't kill poultry and is not a human health threat, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.
The virus does sicken and weaken poultry. After the virus was confirmed in the duck, Canadian officials ordered the destruction of about 56,000 birds on the farm. Four other farms in the area have been quarantined, the AP reported.
China Reports Three New Bird Flu Outbreaks
Three new outbreaks of bird flu in China were announced Tuesday, bringing to 20 the total number of outbreaks in that country in recent weeks.
The latest outbreaks -- two in the west and one in the south of China -- have led to the killing of almost175,000 birds as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
Ministry of Agriculture officials said the three outbreaks were currently under control.
In related news, health workers and officials in Hong Kong will stage a second bird flu drill this week as part of their preparations for a possible outbreak, Agence France Presse reported.
The inter-departmental communication exercise on Thursday will include more than 200 people and is designed to review the efficiency of cooperation between 30 bureaus, departments and organizations.
In Britain, meanwhile, fear of a bird flu pandemic has resulted in a shortage of winter flu vaccine, even though it offers no protection against bird flu. Fourteen million doses of winter flu vaccine were available for the elderly and other "at-risk" people, but there was an unexpected demand from what health officials termed the "worried well."
About 400,000 extra doses of flu vaccine have been released from emergency stocks and another 200,000 doses will be available in January, the health officials said.
Nestle Recalls Baby Milk in Europe
Food giant Nestle SA has recalled hundreds of thousands of gallons of baby milk from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain after tests suggested the milk may be contaminated with a chemical used in the printing on the milk cartons.
Traces of the photographic chemical isopropyl thioxanthone (ITX) were first detected in milk samples in Italy, BBC News reported.
Italian officials said the chemical may be toxic, and police in that country have started seizing the baby milk. Nestle denies the chemical poses a health risk but decided to recall the affected cartons of baby milk, which have an expiration date of September 2006.
The company also said that a new packaging process has been put in place in order to prevent further incidents of contamination, BBC News reported.
CDC Proposes Updated Quarantine Rules
Easier access to ship and aircraft passenger lists and explicit authority to offer vaccinations and medical treatment to people under quarantine are among updated quarantine regulations proposed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday.
The proposed updates also include a clearer appeals process for people placed in quarantine. The goal of the updates is to better protect the United States from infectious diseases, including bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. quarantine regulations haven't been substantially overhauled in at least 25 years and the need for updated rules was made clear during the international SARS outbreak in 2003, CDC officials said.
During the SARS outbreak, public health officials trying to trace the contacts of people who'd been infected had a difficult time obtaining passenger information from airlines, the AP reported.
The proposed changes will be open for public comment for 60 days and could be finalized by next spring.
In the past 18 months, the CDC has increased from eight to 18 the number of quarantine stations at U.S. airports, ship ports and land-border crossing, the AP reported.
CDC Reports 2nd Human Case of Mad Cow
The second documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease has been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The case involves a man from the United Kingdom who lived in Houston for four years before returning to the U.K., where he is now undergoing medical treatment. The CDC said he probably contracted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the U.K. but he'll be listed as a U.S. case because that's where he was living when his symptoms began, the Associated Press reported.
"Almost certainly, this case represents a continuation of the outbreak that is going on in the United Kingdom," CDC medical epidemiologist Lawrence B. Schonberger told the AP.
People contract the disease by eating the brain or other nervous system tissue of animals that have mad cow disease -- bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The only other documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease involved a woman from the U.K. who lived in Florida. It's believed she also contracted the disease in the U.K.
Nearly 6 Million Kids Die of Hunger, Malnutrition Yearly, U.N. Reports
Almost 6 million children worldwide die each year because of hunger and malnutrition, according to a U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report released Tuesday.
The report also noted that there were more malnourished people in sub-Saharan Africa this decade than there were in the 1990s. The report said there were 203.5 million malnourished people in that region in 2000-02, compared to 170.4 million 10 years earlier, the Associated Press reported.
Hunger and malnutrition are among the leading causes of poverty, illiteracy, disease and death in developing countries, the U.N. agency said. Diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis have the greatest impact on the hungry and poor, the report noted.
It said that the illness and death of income earners, health care and funeral costs, and support of orphans pushes millions of families deeper into poverty and hunger each year, the AP reported.
People living in rural areas of poor countries account for about 75 percent of the world's hungry and poor populations.
In 1996, the World Food Summit set a goal of halving the number of hungry people in the world by 2015. That target, reinforced by the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, is difficult but attainable, the report states.
Food Fact:
Plum role?
America has a prune glut, so help yourself -- and help your heart. Prunes, aka dried plums, are loaded with pectin, the soluble fiber that lowers blood cholesterol. They're also rich in iron and cancer-fighting antioxidants. As a health-conscious American, do your part by having a few prunes every day -- California orchardists, as well as your family doctor, will be glad you did.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Is grape juice good for me?
White grape juice is mostly sugar and water, but purple grape juice, which includes the grape skins, is rich in the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine. In a study at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, drinking a 12-oz. glass of purple grape juice a day reduced the tendency of blood clots to form by 40%. That's about the same as when people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
The United States has banned imports of poultry from the Canadian province of British Columbia in response to the discovery of a mild strain of H5 bird flu virus in one duck at a commercial poultry farm.
Taiwan and Hong Kong also imposed bans on poultry from the province, while Japan has banned all poultry from Canada.
U.S. officials are waiting for more information from Canadian authorities before deciding whether to continue the ban on all poultry imports from the province or restrict imports from only the Chilliwack area, where the farm is located, the Associated Press reported.
The duck was infected with a North American strain of H5 bird flu virus that doesn't kill poultry and is not a human health threat, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.
The virus does sicken and weaken poultry. After the virus was confirmed in the duck, Canadian officials ordered the destruction of about 56,000 birds on the farm. Four other farms in the area have been quarantined, the AP reported.
China Reports Three New Bird Flu Outbreaks
Three new outbreaks of bird flu in China were announced Tuesday, bringing to 20 the total number of outbreaks in that country in recent weeks.
The latest outbreaks -- two in the west and one in the south of China -- have led to the killing of almost175,000 birds as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
Ministry of Agriculture officials said the three outbreaks were currently under control.
In related news, health workers and officials in Hong Kong will stage a second bird flu drill this week as part of their preparations for a possible outbreak, Agence France Presse reported.
The inter-departmental communication exercise on Thursday will include more than 200 people and is designed to review the efficiency of cooperation between 30 bureaus, departments and organizations.
In Britain, meanwhile, fear of a bird flu pandemic has resulted in a shortage of winter flu vaccine, even though it offers no protection against bird flu. Fourteen million doses of winter flu vaccine were available for the elderly and other "at-risk" people, but there was an unexpected demand from what health officials termed the "worried well."
About 400,000 extra doses of flu vaccine have been released from emergency stocks and another 200,000 doses will be available in January, the health officials said.
Nestle Recalls Baby Milk in Europe
Food giant Nestle SA has recalled hundreds of thousands of gallons of baby milk from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain after tests suggested the milk may be contaminated with a chemical used in the printing on the milk cartons.
Traces of the photographic chemical isopropyl thioxanthone (ITX) were first detected in milk samples in Italy, BBC News reported.
Italian officials said the chemical may be toxic, and police in that country have started seizing the baby milk. Nestle denies the chemical poses a health risk but decided to recall the affected cartons of baby milk, which have an expiration date of September 2006.
The company also said that a new packaging process has been put in place in order to prevent further incidents of contamination, BBC News reported.
CDC Proposes Updated Quarantine Rules
Easier access to ship and aircraft passenger lists and explicit authority to offer vaccinations and medical treatment to people under quarantine are among updated quarantine regulations proposed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday.
The proposed updates also include a clearer appeals process for people placed in quarantine. The goal of the updates is to better protect the United States from infectious diseases, including bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. quarantine regulations haven't been substantially overhauled in at least 25 years and the need for updated rules was made clear during the international SARS outbreak in 2003, CDC officials said.
During the SARS outbreak, public health officials trying to trace the contacts of people who'd been infected had a difficult time obtaining passenger information from airlines, the AP reported.
The proposed changes will be open for public comment for 60 days and could be finalized by next spring.
In the past 18 months, the CDC has increased from eight to 18 the number of quarantine stations at U.S. airports, ship ports and land-border crossing, the AP reported.
CDC Reports 2nd Human Case of Mad Cow
The second documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease has been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The case involves a man from the United Kingdom who lived in Houston for four years before returning to the U.K., where he is now undergoing medical treatment. The CDC said he probably contracted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the U.K. but he'll be listed as a U.S. case because that's where he was living when his symptoms began, the Associated Press reported.
"Almost certainly, this case represents a continuation of the outbreak that is going on in the United Kingdom," CDC medical epidemiologist Lawrence B. Schonberger told the AP.
People contract the disease by eating the brain or other nervous system tissue of animals that have mad cow disease -- bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The only other documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease involved a woman from the U.K. who lived in Florida. It's believed she also contracted the disease in the U.K.
Nearly 6 Million Kids Die of Hunger, Malnutrition Yearly, U.N. Reports
Almost 6 million children worldwide die each year because of hunger and malnutrition, according to a U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report released Tuesday.
The report also noted that there were more malnourished people in sub-Saharan Africa this decade than there were in the 1990s. The report said there were 203.5 million malnourished people in that region in 2000-02, compared to 170.4 million 10 years earlier, the Associated Press reported.
Hunger and malnutrition are among the leading causes of poverty, illiteracy, disease and death in developing countries, the U.N. agency said. Diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis have the greatest impact on the hungry and poor, the report noted.
It said that the illness and death of income earners, health care and funeral costs, and support of orphans pushes millions of families deeper into poverty and hunger each year, the AP reported.
People living in rural areas of poor countries account for about 75 percent of the world's hungry and poor populations.
In 1996, the World Food Summit set a goal of halving the number of hungry people in the world by 2015. That target, reinforced by the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, is difficult but attainable, the report states.
Food Fact:
Plum role?
America has a prune glut, so help yourself -- and help your heart. Prunes, aka dried plums, are loaded with pectin, the soluble fiber that lowers blood cholesterol. They're also rich in iron and cancer-fighting antioxidants. As a health-conscious American, do your part by having a few prunes every day -- California orchardists, as well as your family doctor, will be glad you did.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Is grape juice good for me?
White grape juice is mostly sugar and water, but purple grape juice, which includes the grape skins, is rich in the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine. In a study at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, drinking a 12-oz. glass of purple grape juice a day reduced the tendency of blood clots to form by 40%. That's about the same as when people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Health Headlines - November 21
40 Million People Infected With HIV: WHO Report
Almost five million people around the world were infected with HIV last year, bringing to 40 million the estimated number of people with the AIDS virus, says a World Health Organization (WHO) report released Monday.
About 3.1 million people died from the virus last year, which means that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, the Associated Press reported.
However, efforts over the past five years to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS are finally starting to show results in some countries, the WHO report noted.
Previously, there were declines in HIV infection rates noted in countries such as Senegal, Uganda and Thailand.
"Now we have Kenya, several of the Caribbean countries and Zimbabwe with a decline," UNAIDS chief Peter Piot told the AP, adding that all these countries have heavily promoted safe-sex and other HIV prevention.
Pregnant women in urban Kenya have shown the most dramatic decline in HIV prevalence, from about 28 percent in 1999 to 9 percent in 2003, the AP reported.
The WHO said that HIV epidemics continue to grow in southern Africa and expanding epidemics are occurring in Central and East Asia and Eastern Europe. There are indications that Indonesia and Pakistan could be on the brink of serious epidemics.
Bird Flu Virus Prompts Cull in British Columbia
More than 67,000 ducks and geese will be killed in the Canadian province of British Columbia after a bird in the Chilliwack area tested positive for avian flu, but not the deadly H5N1 strain.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said the virus was a mild North American strain of bird flu that's been present on the continent for decades. However, they decided on the cull because this mild strain of bird flu virus does have the potential to mutate into a more dangerous version, the Globe and Mail reported.
Four farms that had contact with the affected Chilliwack facility and all farms close to where the infected bird was found will be kept under observation, CFIA officials said.
The announcement about the cull was made amid increasing concern that the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus could be brought to North America by migrating birds.
In related news, the CFIA announced that two wild ducks in the province of Manitoba tested positive for the H5N1 strain. However, it was a low-pathogenic version of H5N1 and not as dangerous as the strain currently plagued Asia, the Globe and Mail reported.
Health Official: U.S. Won't Have Enough Bird Flu Vaccine for 3-5 Years
It will take the United States at least three years to have enough doses of flu vaccine to stave off a pandemic, according to Health and Human Services Secretary MIke Leavitt.
Speaking on the NBC TV progam, "Meet the Press," Leavitt said the U.S. doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to make and distribute the 300 million doses of a vaccine to protect the country's population, and it won't have that capacity for three to five years.
The issue of a major fatal flu outbreak has been heightened because incidents of avian flu killing 67 people in Asian countries in the past year have caused health officials to become concerned. So far, however, there have been no reports of the bird flu being transmitted from person to person.
"What we all learned from (Hurricane) Katrina is sometimes we have to think clearly about the unthinkable," the Associated Press quotes Leavitt as saying. "We're probably closer to a pandemic at any time in the last 37 years. We're not as prepared as we need to be."
While scientists can't predict what type of virus the avian flu could mutate into so that it would cause a pandemic, the wire service says The U.S. has only enough doses for 4.3 million people. And says the A.P., President Bush has proposed stockpiling enough of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for 81 million people. There is some evidence that these drugs might be effective against a bird flu virus.
MRI Used to Track Path of Anti-Cancer Cells
Scientists continue to find new uses for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the functions of organs in the body. A team of scientists says it has developed a method to use the MRI to track how well a certain cancer therapy is working.
In the latest issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology , the researchers report that implanted tiny iron oxide particles were able to determine whether the cancer-fighting cells were on target.
"In four of the eight patients, MRI revealed that the implanted cells weren't where they needed to be to be effective for treatment," says Jeff Bulte, an associate professor of radiology at Hopkins' Institute for Cell Engineering who was part of the research team. A Johns Hopkins University news release says Bulte was the author of the report and developed methods to use the iron oxide particles with the anti-cancer cells.
The iron oxide technique was much more accurate than previous tracking methods like radioactivity and ultrasound, Bulte said in the news release. The cells in question are called dendritic cells, which scientists theorize can stimulate the body's immune system to fight malignant cells.
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
Food Fact:
No-fry zone.
Potatoes can be a dieter's secret weapon -- if you know how best to prepare them. Keep them away from the deep fryer or high-fat toppings, and they're excellent choices. On its own, a cooked medium-size potato has only about 200 calories, and it's very filling. Top it with yogurt and a sprinkling of chives -- you'll never miss the sour cream. Potatoes are rich in protein, iron, potassium and, if you eat the skin, fiber. They also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against cancer. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator -- it makes them turn dark when cooked. Keep them in a cool, dark, ventilated place. Trim away any green spots before cooking.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best fruits for vitamin C?
The best fruit sources of vitamin C are apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mango, orange, pineapple, plum, strawberry, tangerine and watermelon. Apricot, cantaloupe and mango are also rich in health-protective carotenoids, including the beta-carotene our bodies make into vitamin A.
Almost five million people around the world were infected with HIV last year, bringing to 40 million the estimated number of people with the AIDS virus, says a World Health Organization (WHO) report released Monday.
About 3.1 million people died from the virus last year, which means that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, the Associated Press reported.
However, efforts over the past five years to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS are finally starting to show results in some countries, the WHO report noted.
Previously, there were declines in HIV infection rates noted in countries such as Senegal, Uganda and Thailand.
"Now we have Kenya, several of the Caribbean countries and Zimbabwe with a decline," UNAIDS chief Peter Piot told the AP, adding that all these countries have heavily promoted safe-sex and other HIV prevention.
Pregnant women in urban Kenya have shown the most dramatic decline in HIV prevalence, from about 28 percent in 1999 to 9 percent in 2003, the AP reported.
The WHO said that HIV epidemics continue to grow in southern Africa and expanding epidemics are occurring in Central and East Asia and Eastern Europe. There are indications that Indonesia and Pakistan could be on the brink of serious epidemics.
Bird Flu Virus Prompts Cull in British Columbia
More than 67,000 ducks and geese will be killed in the Canadian province of British Columbia after a bird in the Chilliwack area tested positive for avian flu, but not the deadly H5N1 strain.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said the virus was a mild North American strain of bird flu that's been present on the continent for decades. However, they decided on the cull because this mild strain of bird flu virus does have the potential to mutate into a more dangerous version, the Globe and Mail reported.
Four farms that had contact with the affected Chilliwack facility and all farms close to where the infected bird was found will be kept under observation, CFIA officials said.
The announcement about the cull was made amid increasing concern that the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus could be brought to North America by migrating birds.
In related news, the CFIA announced that two wild ducks in the province of Manitoba tested positive for the H5N1 strain. However, it was a low-pathogenic version of H5N1 and not as dangerous as the strain currently plagued Asia, the Globe and Mail reported.
Health Official: U.S. Won't Have Enough Bird Flu Vaccine for 3-5 Years
It will take the United States at least three years to have enough doses of flu vaccine to stave off a pandemic, according to Health and Human Services Secretary MIke Leavitt.
Speaking on the NBC TV progam, "Meet the Press," Leavitt said the U.S. doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to make and distribute the 300 million doses of a vaccine to protect the country's population, and it won't have that capacity for three to five years.
The issue of a major fatal flu outbreak has been heightened because incidents of avian flu killing 67 people in Asian countries in the past year have caused health officials to become concerned. So far, however, there have been no reports of the bird flu being transmitted from person to person.
"What we all learned from (Hurricane) Katrina is sometimes we have to think clearly about the unthinkable," the Associated Press quotes Leavitt as saying. "We're probably closer to a pandemic at any time in the last 37 years. We're not as prepared as we need to be."
While scientists can't predict what type of virus the avian flu could mutate into so that it would cause a pandemic, the wire service says The U.S. has only enough doses for 4.3 million people. And says the A.P., President Bush has proposed stockpiling enough of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for 81 million people. There is some evidence that these drugs might be effective against a bird flu virus.
MRI Used to Track Path of Anti-Cancer Cells
Scientists continue to find new uses for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the functions of organs in the body. A team of scientists says it has developed a method to use the MRI to track how well a certain cancer therapy is working.
In the latest issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology , the researchers report that implanted tiny iron oxide particles were able to determine whether the cancer-fighting cells were on target.
"In four of the eight patients, MRI revealed that the implanted cells weren't where they needed to be to be effective for treatment," says Jeff Bulte, an associate professor of radiology at Hopkins' Institute for Cell Engineering who was part of the research team. A Johns Hopkins University news release says Bulte was the author of the report and developed methods to use the iron oxide particles with the anti-cancer cells.
The iron oxide technique was much more accurate than previous tracking methods like radioactivity and ultrasound, Bulte said in the news release. The cells in question are called dendritic cells, which scientists theorize can stimulate the body's immune system to fight malignant cells.
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
Food Fact:
No-fry zone.
Potatoes can be a dieter's secret weapon -- if you know how best to prepare them. Keep them away from the deep fryer or high-fat toppings, and they're excellent choices. On its own, a cooked medium-size potato has only about 200 calories, and it's very filling. Top it with yogurt and a sprinkling of chives -- you'll never miss the sour cream. Potatoes are rich in protein, iron, potassium and, if you eat the skin, fiber. They also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against cancer. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator -- it makes them turn dark when cooked. Keep them in a cool, dark, ventilated place. Trim away any green spots before cooking.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best fruits for vitamin C?
The best fruit sources of vitamin C are apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mango, orange, pineapple, plum, strawberry, tangerine and watermelon. Apricot, cantaloupe and mango are also rich in health-protective carotenoids, including the beta-carotene our bodies make into vitamin A.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Health Headlines - November 20
Health Official: U.S. Won't Have Enough Bird Flu Vaccine for 3-5 Years
It will take the United States at least three years to have enough doses of flu vaccine to stave off a pandemic, according to Health and Human Services Secretary MIke Leavitt.
Speaking on the NBC TV progam, "Meet the Press," Leavitt said the U.S. doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to make and distribute the 300 million doses of a vaccine to protect the country's population, and it won't have that capacity for three to five years.
The issue of a major fatal flu outbreak has been heightened because incidents of avian flu killing 67 people in Asian countries in the past year have caused health officials to become concerned. So far, however, there have been no reports of the bird flu being transmitted from person to person.
"What we all learned from (Hurricane) Katrina is sometimes we have to think clearly about the unthinkable," the Associated Press quotes Leavitt as saying. "We're probably closer to a pandemic at any time in the last 37 years. We're not as prepared as we need to be."
While scientists can't predict what type of virus the avian flu could mutate into so that it would cause a pandemic, the wire service says The U.S. has only enough doses for 4.3 million people. And says the A.P., President Bush has proposed stockpiling enough of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for 81 million people. There is some evidence that these drugs might be effective against a bird flu virus.
MRI Used to Track Path of Anti-Cancer Cells
Scientists continue to find new uses for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the functions of organs in the body. A team of scientists says it has developed a method to use the MRI to track how well a certain cancer therapy is working.
In the latest issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology , the researchers report that implanted tiny iron oxide particles were able to determine whether the cancer-fighting cells were on target.
"In four of the eight patients, MRI revealed that the implanted cells weren't where they needed to be to be effective for treatment," says Jeff Bulte, an associate professor of radiology at Hopkins' Institute for Cell Engineering who was part of the research team. A Johns Hopkins University news release says Bulte was the author of the report and developed methods to use the iron oxide particles with the anti-cancer cells.
The iron oxide technique was much more accurate than previous tracking methods like radioactivity and ultrasound, Bulte said in the news release. The cells in question are called dendritic cells, which scientists theorize can stimulate the body's immune system to fight malignant cells.
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
China Gives OK to New Type of Cancer Drug
China has become the first country to approve a cancer therapy that uses a virus to attack only malignant tumor cells.
The New York Times reports that the drug, called H101, is actually a modified version of a treatment originated and abandoned by an American biotech company. The original drug was developed by a California company, Onyx Pharmaceuticals and was called -- appropriately -- Onyx-015.
Both Onyx-015 and H101 use a genetically engineered cold virus that zeroes in only on cells with a genetic defect found in cancer cells, the Times reports. There were some operational problems with the drug in America, the newspaper reports, and Onyx dropped the drug in 2003. It has since developed another anti-cancer drug that is awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Chinese company, Shanghai Sunway Biotech, has approval to market H101 to treat head and neck cancer, according to the Times.
Possible Cause of Kawasaki Disease Reported
Northwestern University scientists say that they have discovered a possible cause of Kawasaki disease, a heart ailment that strikes an estimated 15 of every 100,000 children in the United States. Kawasaki disease, first discovered in 1967, is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children.
Early diagnosis is extremely important, because the disease can be treated.
Kawasaki disease has long been believed to be caused by some sort of infection, but it has so far been unidentified. The latest research from Northwestern scientists indicates the cause may be viral.
In a news release, the university says its research team from the Feinberg School of Medicine and Children's Memorial Hospital completed findings that show how the virus spreads through a childs body. "The virus is likely to be taken up by white blood cells in the lung and carried through the bloodstream, infecting other tissues, including the coronary artery, and leading to coronary artery aneurysms, the most important adverse outcome of Kawasaki disease," said Dr. Anne H. Rowley, a professor of pediatrics and of microbiology/immunology who led the research.
The findings are reported in the Nov. 15 issue of Journal of Infectious Disease.
Major Depression Afflicts 8 Percent of U.S. Adults
About eight percent (17 million) of U.S. adults reported suffering at least one bout of major depression during the previous year, according to a report released Friday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
About two-thirds of the people who reported major depression in the previous year said they'd received treatment, which included taking prescription medications or talking with a doctor or other health professional.
Illicit drug use within the previous month was almost twice as high among adults who reported major depression than among people who did not report major depression.
Food Fact:
Sweeter pineapple
Know what kind to buy, and you can triple the vitamin C. Golden Pineapple, a new variety tagged with a Golden label, is making a splash -- it's sweeter, juicier and contains 3 times as much vitamin C as other varieties of the tropical fruit. When choosing a pineapple, look for fresh, green leaves and be certain they are not wilted or brown. The pineapple should smell sweet and be firm with no soft spots. Diced or sliced fresh pineapple is the perfect way to end a meal. Toss it with some chopped candied ginger if you like.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Drink up.
By the time you feel thirsty during a workout, you may already be dehydrated! Your body requires constant hydration during exercise. Drink at least 8 oz. of water every 15 minutes while you are exercising.
FAQ of the day:
Are dried fruits safe if I'm sensitive to sulfites?
Sulfites that are added to many dried fruits can cause allergy-like reactions in some individuals -- in some cases these can be life-threatening. That's why the FDA now requires that any foods with sulfites say so on the label. If you are sulfite-sensitive, look for "unsulphured" dried fruits, sold in some supermarkets and natural food stores.
It will take the United States at least three years to have enough doses of flu vaccine to stave off a pandemic, according to Health and Human Services Secretary MIke Leavitt.
Speaking on the NBC TV progam, "Meet the Press," Leavitt said the U.S. doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to make and distribute the 300 million doses of a vaccine to protect the country's population, and it won't have that capacity for three to five years.
The issue of a major fatal flu outbreak has been heightened because incidents of avian flu killing 67 people in Asian countries in the past year have caused health officials to become concerned. So far, however, there have been no reports of the bird flu being transmitted from person to person.
"What we all learned from (Hurricane) Katrina is sometimes we have to think clearly about the unthinkable," the Associated Press quotes Leavitt as saying. "We're probably closer to a pandemic at any time in the last 37 years. We're not as prepared as we need to be."
While scientists can't predict what type of virus the avian flu could mutate into so that it would cause a pandemic, the wire service says The U.S. has only enough doses for 4.3 million people. And says the A.P., President Bush has proposed stockpiling enough of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for 81 million people. There is some evidence that these drugs might be effective against a bird flu virus.
MRI Used to Track Path of Anti-Cancer Cells
Scientists continue to find new uses for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the functions of organs in the body. A team of scientists says it has developed a method to use the MRI to track how well a certain cancer therapy is working.
In the latest issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology , the researchers report that implanted tiny iron oxide particles were able to determine whether the cancer-fighting cells were on target.
"In four of the eight patients, MRI revealed that the implanted cells weren't where they needed to be to be effective for treatment," says Jeff Bulte, an associate professor of radiology at Hopkins' Institute for Cell Engineering who was part of the research team. A Johns Hopkins University news release says Bulte was the author of the report and developed methods to use the iron oxide particles with the anti-cancer cells.
The iron oxide technique was much more accurate than previous tracking methods like radioactivity and ultrasound, Bulte said in the news release. The cells in question are called dendritic cells, which scientists theorize can stimulate the body's immune system to fight malignant cells.
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
China Gives OK to New Type of Cancer Drug
China has become the first country to approve a cancer therapy that uses a virus to attack only malignant tumor cells.
The New York Times reports that the drug, called H101, is actually a modified version of a treatment originated and abandoned by an American biotech company. The original drug was developed by a California company, Onyx Pharmaceuticals and was called -- appropriately -- Onyx-015.
Both Onyx-015 and H101 use a genetically engineered cold virus that zeroes in only on cells with a genetic defect found in cancer cells, the Times reports. There were some operational problems with the drug in America, the newspaper reports, and Onyx dropped the drug in 2003. It has since developed another anti-cancer drug that is awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Chinese company, Shanghai Sunway Biotech, has approval to market H101 to treat head and neck cancer, according to the Times.
Possible Cause of Kawasaki Disease Reported
Northwestern University scientists say that they have discovered a possible cause of Kawasaki disease, a heart ailment that strikes an estimated 15 of every 100,000 children in the United States. Kawasaki disease, first discovered in 1967, is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children.
Early diagnosis is extremely important, because the disease can be treated.
Kawasaki disease has long been believed to be caused by some sort of infection, but it has so far been unidentified. The latest research from Northwestern scientists indicates the cause may be viral.
In a news release, the university says its research team from the Feinberg School of Medicine and Children's Memorial Hospital completed findings that show how the virus spreads through a childs body. "The virus is likely to be taken up by white blood cells in the lung and carried through the bloodstream, infecting other tissues, including the coronary artery, and leading to coronary artery aneurysms, the most important adverse outcome of Kawasaki disease," said Dr. Anne H. Rowley, a professor of pediatrics and of microbiology/immunology who led the research.
The findings are reported in the Nov. 15 issue of Journal of Infectious Disease.
Major Depression Afflicts 8 Percent of U.S. Adults
About eight percent (17 million) of U.S. adults reported suffering at least one bout of major depression during the previous year, according to a report released Friday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
About two-thirds of the people who reported major depression in the previous year said they'd received treatment, which included taking prescription medications or talking with a doctor or other health professional.
Illicit drug use within the previous month was almost twice as high among adults who reported major depression than among people who did not report major depression.
Food Fact:
Sweeter pineapple
Know what kind to buy, and you can triple the vitamin C. Golden Pineapple, a new variety tagged with a Golden label, is making a splash -- it's sweeter, juicier and contains 3 times as much vitamin C as other varieties of the tropical fruit. When choosing a pineapple, look for fresh, green leaves and be certain they are not wilted or brown. The pineapple should smell sweet and be firm with no soft spots. Diced or sliced fresh pineapple is the perfect way to end a meal. Toss it with some chopped candied ginger if you like.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Drink up.
By the time you feel thirsty during a workout, you may already be dehydrated! Your body requires constant hydration during exercise. Drink at least 8 oz. of water every 15 minutes while you are exercising.
FAQ of the day:
Are dried fruits safe if I'm sensitive to sulfites?
Sulfites that are added to many dried fruits can cause allergy-like reactions in some individuals -- in some cases these can be life-threatening. That's why the FDA now requires that any foods with sulfites say so on the label. If you are sulfite-sensitive, look for "unsulphured" dried fruits, sold in some supermarkets and natural food stores.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Health Headlines - November 19
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
China Gives OK to New Type of Cancer Drug
China has become the first country to approve a cancer therapy that uses a virus to attack only malignant tumor cells.
The New York Times reports that the drug, called H101, is actually a modified version of a treatment originated and abandoned by an American biotech company. The original drug was developed by a California company, Onyx Pharmaceuticals and was called -- appropriately -- Onyx-015.
Both Onyx-015 and H101 use a genetically engineered cold virus that zeroes in only on cells with a genetic defect found in cancer cells, the Times reports. There were some operational problems with the drug in America, the newspaper reports, and Onyx dropped the drug in 2003. It has since developed another anti-cancer drug that is awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Chinese company, Shanghai Sunway Biotech, has approval to market H101 to treat head and neck cancer, according to the Times.
Possible Cause of Kawasaki Disease Reported
Northwestern University scientists say that they have discovered a possible cause of Kawasaki disease, a heart ailment that strikes an estimated 15 of every 100,000 children in the United States. Kawasaki disease, first discovered in 1967, is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children.
Early diagnosis is extremely important, because the disease can be treated. But diagnosis can be missed, and the result can be a long and difficult illness.
Kawasaki disease has long been believed to be caused by some sort of infection, but it has so far been unidentified. The latest research from Northwestern scientists indicates the cause may be viral.
In a news release, the university says its research team from the Feinberg School of Medicine and Children's Memorial Hospital completed findings that show how the virus spreads through a childs body. "The virus is likely to be taken up by white blood cells in the lung and carried through the bloodstream, infecting other tissues, including the coronary artery, and leading to coronary artery aneurysms, the most important adverse outcome of Kawasaki disease," said Dr. Anne H. Rowley, a professor of pediatrics and of microbiology/immunology who led the research.
The findings are reported in the Nov. 15 issue of Journal of Infectious Disease.
Major Depression Afflicts 8 Percent of U.S. Adults
About eight percent (17 million) of U.S. adults reported suffering at least one bout of major depression during the previous year, according to a report released Friday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
About two-thirds of the people who reported major depression in the previous year said they'd received treatment, which included taking prescription medications or talking with a doctor or other health professional.
Illicit drug use within the previous month was almost twice as high among adults who reported major depression than among people who did not report major depression, according to the data. The report, based on the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, also showed that 39.7 percent of adults who reported major depression smoked cigarettes in the previous month, compared to 25.9 percent of adults who did not have major depression.
Women were almost twice as likely as men to report major depression (10.3 percent vs. 5.6 percent) and women who did experience major depression were more likely than men with depression to receive treatment (70.1 percent vs. 55.2 percent).
The report said that major depression occurred in about 10 percent of adults ages 18-49 and in about 1.3 percent of adults ages 65 or older.
FDA Issues Caution on Bronchodilators
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued a public health advisory about long-lasting bronchodilator medicines called long-acting beta 2-adrenergic agonists (LABAs) and told companies that make the medicines to update existing product labels with new warnings.
The FDA says these medicines -- Serevent Diskus, Advair Diskus and Foradil Aerolizer -- may increase the risk of severe asthmatic episodes and increase the risk of death when the episodes occur. LABAs help relax the muscles around the airways in the lungs. Even though LABAs decrease the frequency of asthma episodes, they may make asthma episodes more severe when they do occur, the FDA said.
The advisory offers the following recommendations for the use of LABAs in asthma patients:
LABAs should not be the first medicine used the treat asthma and should be added to asthma treatment only if other medicines do not control asthma.
Don't stop using your LABA or any other asthma medicines that have been prescribed for you unless you've talked with your healthcare provider about whether or not to continue treatment.
Don't use your LABA to treat wheezing that's getting worse. Call your healthcare professional immediately if your wheezing becomes worse while using a LABA.
LABAs don't relieve sudden wheezing. Always have a short-acting broncodilator medicine with you to treat sudden wheezing.
Food Fact:
Some like it hot.
With good reason -- chiles' heat may bring you significant health protection. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chile peppers their firey heat, contains an anticoagulant that might help prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots. Chile peppers also contain a mixture of cancer-fighting antioxidants. Remember, don't touch your eyes as you're working with chile peppers, and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. As a general rule, the larger the pepper, the milder it is. To reduce a pepper's intensity, remove the core and seeds.
Fitness Tip of the day:
We've got your back!
If back muscles become tight and sore after exercise -- a common feeling -- a great way to relieve this stress is to lie on the floor with a tennis ball between your back and the floor and give yourself a massage.
FAQ of the day:
Does cranberry juice cure urinary tract infections?
Cure is too strong a word, but cranberry juice has been shown in carefully controlled experiments to help prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, or UTIs. Research in the late 1980s reported that cranberry juice (as well as blueberry juice) prevented common bacteria from adhering to cells that line the urinary tract. Studies in the '90s found that women who drank about 10 oz. of cranberry juice a day had lower levels of bacteria in their urine, and were 75% less likely to develop urinary tract infection in the next month.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
China Gives OK to New Type of Cancer Drug
China has become the first country to approve a cancer therapy that uses a virus to attack only malignant tumor cells.
The New York Times reports that the drug, called H101, is actually a modified version of a treatment originated and abandoned by an American biotech company. The original drug was developed by a California company, Onyx Pharmaceuticals and was called -- appropriately -- Onyx-015.
Both Onyx-015 and H101 use a genetically engineered cold virus that zeroes in only on cells with a genetic defect found in cancer cells, the Times reports. There were some operational problems with the drug in America, the newspaper reports, and Onyx dropped the drug in 2003. It has since developed another anti-cancer drug that is awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Chinese company, Shanghai Sunway Biotech, has approval to market H101 to treat head and neck cancer, according to the Times.
Possible Cause of Kawasaki Disease Reported
Northwestern University scientists say that they have discovered a possible cause of Kawasaki disease, a heart ailment that strikes an estimated 15 of every 100,000 children in the United States. Kawasaki disease, first discovered in 1967, is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children.
Early diagnosis is extremely important, because the disease can be treated. But diagnosis can be missed, and the result can be a long and difficult illness.
Kawasaki disease has long been believed to be caused by some sort of infection, but it has so far been unidentified. The latest research from Northwestern scientists indicates the cause may be viral.
In a news release, the university says its research team from the Feinberg School of Medicine and Children's Memorial Hospital completed findings that show how the virus spreads through a childs body. "The virus is likely to be taken up by white blood cells in the lung and carried through the bloodstream, infecting other tissues, including the coronary artery, and leading to coronary artery aneurysms, the most important adverse outcome of Kawasaki disease," said Dr. Anne H. Rowley, a professor of pediatrics and of microbiology/immunology who led the research.
The findings are reported in the Nov. 15 issue of Journal of Infectious Disease.
Major Depression Afflicts 8 Percent of U.S. Adults
About eight percent (17 million) of U.S. adults reported suffering at least one bout of major depression during the previous year, according to a report released Friday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
About two-thirds of the people who reported major depression in the previous year said they'd received treatment, which included taking prescription medications or talking with a doctor or other health professional.
Illicit drug use within the previous month was almost twice as high among adults who reported major depression than among people who did not report major depression, according to the data. The report, based on the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, also showed that 39.7 percent of adults who reported major depression smoked cigarettes in the previous month, compared to 25.9 percent of adults who did not have major depression.
Women were almost twice as likely as men to report major depression (10.3 percent vs. 5.6 percent) and women who did experience major depression were more likely than men with depression to receive treatment (70.1 percent vs. 55.2 percent).
The report said that major depression occurred in about 10 percent of adults ages 18-49 and in about 1.3 percent of adults ages 65 or older.
FDA Issues Caution on Bronchodilators
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued a public health advisory about long-lasting bronchodilator medicines called long-acting beta 2-adrenergic agonists (LABAs) and told companies that make the medicines to update existing product labels with new warnings.
The FDA says these medicines -- Serevent Diskus, Advair Diskus and Foradil Aerolizer -- may increase the risk of severe asthmatic episodes and increase the risk of death when the episodes occur. LABAs help relax the muscles around the airways in the lungs. Even though LABAs decrease the frequency of asthma episodes, they may make asthma episodes more severe when they do occur, the FDA said.
The advisory offers the following recommendations for the use of LABAs in asthma patients:
LABAs should not be the first medicine used the treat asthma and should be added to asthma treatment only if other medicines do not control asthma.
Don't stop using your LABA or any other asthma medicines that have been prescribed for you unless you've talked with your healthcare provider about whether or not to continue treatment.
Don't use your LABA to treat wheezing that's getting worse. Call your healthcare professional immediately if your wheezing becomes worse while using a LABA.
LABAs don't relieve sudden wheezing. Always have a short-acting broncodilator medicine with you to treat sudden wheezing.
Food Fact:
Some like it hot.
With good reason -- chiles' heat may bring you significant health protection. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chile peppers their firey heat, contains an anticoagulant that might help prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots. Chile peppers also contain a mixture of cancer-fighting antioxidants. Remember, don't touch your eyes as you're working with chile peppers, and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. As a general rule, the larger the pepper, the milder it is. To reduce a pepper's intensity, remove the core and seeds.
Fitness Tip of the day:
We've got your back!
If back muscles become tight and sore after exercise -- a common feeling -- a great way to relieve this stress is to lie on the floor with a tennis ball between your back and the floor and give yourself a massage.
FAQ of the day:
Does cranberry juice cure urinary tract infections?
Cure is too strong a word, but cranberry juice has been shown in carefully controlled experiments to help prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, or UTIs. Research in the late 1980s reported that cranberry juice (as well as blueberry juice) prevented common bacteria from adhering to cells that line the urinary tract. Studies in the '90s found that women who drank about 10 oz. of cranberry juice a day had lower levels of bacteria in their urine, and were 75% less likely to develop urinary tract infection in the next month.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Health Headlines - November 18
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
Major Depression Afflicts 8 Percent of U.S. Adults
About eight percent (17 million) of U.S. adults reported suffering at least one bout of major depression during the previous year, according to a report released Friday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
About two-thirds of the people who reported major depression in the previous year said they'd received treatment, which included taking prescription medications or talking with a doctor or other health professional.
Illicit drug use within the previous month was almost twice as high among adults who reported major depression than among people who did not report major depression, according to the data. The report, based on the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, also showed that 39.7 percent of adults who reported major depression smoked cigarettes in the previous month, compared to 25.9 percent of adults who did not have major depression.
Women were almost twice as likely as men to report major depression (10.3 percent vs. 5.6 percent) and women who did experience major depression were more likely than men with depression to receive treatment (70.1 percent vs. 55.2 percent).
The report said that major depression occurred in about 10 percent of adults ages 18-49 and in about 1.3 percent of adults ages 65 or older.
FDA Issues Caution on Bronchodilators
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued a public health advisory about long-lasting bronchodilator medicines called long-acting beta 2-adrenergic agonists (LABAs) and told companies that make the medicines to update existing product labels with new warnings.
The FDA says these medicines -- Serevent Diskus, Advair Diskus and Foradil Aerolizer -- may increase the risk of severe asthmatic episodes and increase the risk of death when the episodes occur. LABAs help relax the muscles around the airways in the lungs. Even though LABAs decrease the frequency of asthma episodes, they may make asthma episodes more severe when they do occur, the FDA said.
The advisory offers the following recommendations for the use of LABAs in asthma patients:
LABAs should not be the first medicine used the treat asthma and should be added to asthma treatment only if other medicines do not control asthma.
Don't stop using your LABA or any other asthma medicines that have been prescribed for you unless you've talked with your healthcare provider about whether or not to continue treatment.
Don't use your LABA to treat wheezing that's getting worse. Call your healthcare professional immediately if your wheezing becomes worse while using a LABA.
LABAs don't relieve sudden wheezing. Always have a short-acting broncodilator medicine with you to treat sudden wheezing.
Web Camera Helps Save Ill Calif. Woman
A diabetic woman in California was saved after her son in the Philippines saw through a Web camera that she was seriously ill.
Karin Jordal, 69, lives in Pinon Hills, Calif. On Thursday, she collapsed in her living room. Her son Tore, who lives in the Philippines, saw through his mother's Web cam that she was lying motionless on the couch, the Associated Press reported.
Tore tried to call emergency authorities in California but wasn't able to get through. He then called his brother Ole, who lives in Bergen, Norway. Ole's wife, Tammy, is originally from Long Island, N.Y. She knew who to call and help arrived at Karin Jordal's home within five to 10 minutes.
The sons watched on the Web camera as ambulance personnel took care of their mother, now recovering at Desert Valley Hospital in California. She had collapsed because of low blood sugar and had been unconscious for about two hours before Tore spotted her on the Web camera.
Tobacco Industry Targeting Hispanics: Critics
The U.S. tobacco industry is boosting efforts to sell cigarettes to Hispanics, who currently smoke less than blacks and whites, say anti-smoking groups.
The critics say that Hispanic youth are especially being targeted by the tobacco companies, which are using sexy print ads that feature young musicians, the Associated Press reported.
State attorneys should investigate R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's new "Kool be true" advertising campaign and other tobacco industry promotional efforts that are covertly aimed at young Hispanics, said The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group noted a recent eight-page ad that R.J. Reynolds recently placed in Latina magazine, which featured musicians and the line: "It's about pursuing your ambitions and staying connected to your roots."
A spokesman for R.J. Reynolds disputed the criticism, saying the company markets its products only to adults and uses models who are 25 years or older in its ads.
Currently, about 15 percent of Hispanic adults in the United States smoke, compared to 20.9 percent of blacks and 22.2 percent of whites, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Food Fact:
"Bell" epoque.
Here's a trick for bringing out the rich sweetness in bell peppers. Blacken the peppers under the broiler or on the grill. After broiling or grilling, peel off the pepper skins with a paring knife and use the pepper in sandwiches, pasta sauces, or as an accompaniment to chicken or fish. Whether they're red, green or yellow, bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C -- and a great source of fat-free culinary excitement. Sliced fresh peppers add crunch and color to salads.
Fitness Tip of the day:
If the shoe fits...
Choosing the right type of shoe for your activity is only a start to avoid foot pain. A good fit is essential to providing comfort and preventing injury. When buying shoes, look for knowledgeable salespeople and be sure to have your feet measured -- size and width can change over time. For the best fit, try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest, and be sure to put on the socks you normally wear.
FAQ of the day:
If I have diabetes, should I avoid sugar?
The Nutrition Guidelines of the American Diabetes Association say that reasonable amounts of sugar are OK for people with diabetes, and are no different than any other type of carbohydrate for regulating blood sugar levels. The rise in blood sugar after eating bread, potatoes or rice is actually very similar to what happens after eating an equal amount of carbohydrate as sugar. The presence of protein, fat and soluble fiber will slow the rise in blood sugar from carbohydrates; that's why a mixed meal, say peanut butter on oat-bran bread, is better for regulating blood sugar than jelly on white bread. Keeping a handle on total calories is even more important.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
Major Depression Afflicts 8 Percent of U.S. Adults
About eight percent (17 million) of U.S. adults reported suffering at least one bout of major depression during the previous year, according to a report released Friday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
About two-thirds of the people who reported major depression in the previous year said they'd received treatment, which included taking prescription medications or talking with a doctor or other health professional.
Illicit drug use within the previous month was almost twice as high among adults who reported major depression than among people who did not report major depression, according to the data. The report, based on the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, also showed that 39.7 percent of adults who reported major depression smoked cigarettes in the previous month, compared to 25.9 percent of adults who did not have major depression.
Women were almost twice as likely as men to report major depression (10.3 percent vs. 5.6 percent) and women who did experience major depression were more likely than men with depression to receive treatment (70.1 percent vs. 55.2 percent).
The report said that major depression occurred in about 10 percent of adults ages 18-49 and in about 1.3 percent of adults ages 65 or older.
FDA Issues Caution on Bronchodilators
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued a public health advisory about long-lasting bronchodilator medicines called long-acting beta 2-adrenergic agonists (LABAs) and told companies that make the medicines to update existing product labels with new warnings.
The FDA says these medicines -- Serevent Diskus, Advair Diskus and Foradil Aerolizer -- may increase the risk of severe asthmatic episodes and increase the risk of death when the episodes occur. LABAs help relax the muscles around the airways in the lungs. Even though LABAs decrease the frequency of asthma episodes, they may make asthma episodes more severe when they do occur, the FDA said.
The advisory offers the following recommendations for the use of LABAs in asthma patients:
LABAs should not be the first medicine used the treat asthma and should be added to asthma treatment only if other medicines do not control asthma.
Don't stop using your LABA or any other asthma medicines that have been prescribed for you unless you've talked with your healthcare provider about whether or not to continue treatment.
Don't use your LABA to treat wheezing that's getting worse. Call your healthcare professional immediately if your wheezing becomes worse while using a LABA.
LABAs don't relieve sudden wheezing. Always have a short-acting broncodilator medicine with you to treat sudden wheezing.
Web Camera Helps Save Ill Calif. Woman
A diabetic woman in California was saved after her son in the Philippines saw through a Web camera that she was seriously ill.
Karin Jordal, 69, lives in Pinon Hills, Calif. On Thursday, she collapsed in her living room. Her son Tore, who lives in the Philippines, saw through his mother's Web cam that she was lying motionless on the couch, the Associated Press reported.
Tore tried to call emergency authorities in California but wasn't able to get through. He then called his brother Ole, who lives in Bergen, Norway. Ole's wife, Tammy, is originally from Long Island, N.Y. She knew who to call and help arrived at Karin Jordal's home within five to 10 minutes.
The sons watched on the Web camera as ambulance personnel took care of their mother, now recovering at Desert Valley Hospital in California. She had collapsed because of low blood sugar and had been unconscious for about two hours before Tore spotted her on the Web camera.
Tobacco Industry Targeting Hispanics: Critics
The U.S. tobacco industry is boosting efforts to sell cigarettes to Hispanics, who currently smoke less than blacks and whites, say anti-smoking groups.
The critics say that Hispanic youth are especially being targeted by the tobacco companies, which are using sexy print ads that feature young musicians, the Associated Press reported.
State attorneys should investigate R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's new "Kool be true" advertising campaign and other tobacco industry promotional efforts that are covertly aimed at young Hispanics, said The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group noted a recent eight-page ad that R.J. Reynolds recently placed in Latina magazine, which featured musicians and the line: "It's about pursuing your ambitions and staying connected to your roots."
A spokesman for R.J. Reynolds disputed the criticism, saying the company markets its products only to adults and uses models who are 25 years or older in its ads.
Currently, about 15 percent of Hispanic adults in the United States smoke, compared to 20.9 percent of blacks and 22.2 percent of whites, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Food Fact:
"Bell" epoque.
Here's a trick for bringing out the rich sweetness in bell peppers. Blacken the peppers under the broiler or on the grill. After broiling or grilling, peel off the pepper skins with a paring knife and use the pepper in sandwiches, pasta sauces, or as an accompaniment to chicken or fish. Whether they're red, green or yellow, bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C -- and a great source of fat-free culinary excitement. Sliced fresh peppers add crunch and color to salads.
Fitness Tip of the day:
If the shoe fits...
Choosing the right type of shoe for your activity is only a start to avoid foot pain. A good fit is essential to providing comfort and preventing injury. When buying shoes, look for knowledgeable salespeople and be sure to have your feet measured -- size and width can change over time. For the best fit, try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest, and be sure to put on the socks you normally wear.
FAQ of the day:
If I have diabetes, should I avoid sugar?
The Nutrition Guidelines of the American Diabetes Association say that reasonable amounts of sugar are OK for people with diabetes, and are no different than any other type of carbohydrate for regulating blood sugar levels. The rise in blood sugar after eating bread, potatoes or rice is actually very similar to what happens after eating an equal amount of carbohydrate as sugar. The presence of protein, fat and soluble fiber will slow the rise in blood sugar from carbohydrates; that's why a mixed meal, say peanut butter on oat-bran bread, is better for regulating blood sugar than jelly on white bread. Keeping a handle on total calories is even more important.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Health Headlines - November 17
Climate Change Linked to 150,000 Deaths a Year: Report
More than 150,000 people die and five million more become sick each year due to the effects of global climate change. And those numbers could double by 2030, says a World Health Organization (WHO) report published Thursday in the journal Nature.
The WHO data indicate that climate change is causing increasing rates of malaria, malnutrition and diarrhea and that poorer countries are disproportionately affected by the rising temperatures, the Washington Post reported.
"Those most vulnerable to climate change are not the ones responsible for causing it. Our energy-consumptive lifestyles are having lethal impacts on other people around the world, especially the poor," study lead author Jonathon Patz, professor at the Gaylord Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, told the Post.
The Asian and South American Pacific coasts and the Indian Ocean coast and sub-Sahara Africa are the regions that face the greatest threats due to climate change. These areas are most vulnerable to abrupt climate shifts and have more climate-sensitive diseases, Patz said.
Climate change could also cause more severe health problems in large cities due to the urban "heat island" effect, the report said.
FDA to Review Tamiflu Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it will review the deaths of 12 Japanese children who took the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, which is being stockpiled by many countries in anticipation of a potential global flu pandemic.
In a report posted on its Web site, the FDA said that four of the deaths were due to "sudden death, an unusual phenomenon in otherwise healthy" children aged 16 and under. Asphyxiation, cardio-respiratory arrest, pneumonia and suicide were the other causes of death among the Japanese children taking Tamiflu, the FDA said.
The FDA review of deaths and injuries among Tamiflu users is part of a review meant to gather information on how medicines work in children, Bloomberg news reported. As part of that review, the FDA panel will also examine reports about other drugs.
On its Web site, the FDA noted that Japan is the source of more than 90 percent of reports of serious complications in children using Tamiflu. The FDA is examining whether genetics might be a factor or whether herbal medications taken by Japanese people could predispose them to complications while taking Tamiflu, Bloomberg reported.
HIV/AIDS May Make it Easier for Bird Flu to Mutate: Expert
The bird flu virus may have an easier time mutating into a deadly pandemic form if it infects people with HIV/AIDS, a U.S. flu expert said at a conference in New York City sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations.
If the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus infects people with HIV/AIDS -- who have weakened immune systems -- the virus could become better adapted and more dangerous to humans, said Dr. Robert Webster of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
Currently, the H5N1 virus cannot pass easily between people.
Webster noted that immune-compromised cancer patients have difficulty clearing normal flu viruses from their systems and can produce copies of a flu virus for weeks, BBC News reported.
The same thing could happen in people with HIV/AIDS who contract bird flu. Being able to reproduce for long periods inside humans would provide ideal conditions for the H5N1 virus to mutate into a more infectious form, Webster said.
He said a crisis could erupt when the H5N1 virus reaches East Africa, where many people have HIV/AIDS, BBC News reported.
The virus has not yet reached East Africa, but that region is the destination for many birds migrating from areas that currently have bird flu outbreaks.
Airborne Mold Levels in New Orleans Called Excessive
Levels of airborne mold in New Orleans are so high that the U.S. federal government needs to closely monitor the levels and should provide protective gear to residents, according to a national environmental group.
The Natural Resources Defense Council said that excessive concentrations of mold spores were found inside and outside when test samples were taken in 14 locations across New Orleans in October. One indoor test of mold spores in a neighborhood barely affected by Hurricane Katrina floodwaters was higher than a sample taken from one of the worst-hit areas, USA Today reported.
The Mid-City neighborhood had the highest outdoor readings -- 102,000 mold spores per cubic meter. A mold spore count above 50,000 is considered "very high," according to National Allergy Board standards.
High concentrations of mold can pose a serious health risk for people with allergies, asthma, respiratory problems or immune system deficiency.
Overall, the mold spore readings taken October 15-17 were at least two to four times higher than normal for New Orleans, USA Today reported.
Federal, state and local government agencies are using the Internet and fliers to inform New Orleans residents about the dangers of mold and how to protect themselves by wearing masks and protective clothing.
Coffee Increases Risk of Stillbirth: Report
Pregnant women who drink more than three cups of coffee a day greatly increase their risk of delivering stillborn babies, says a Danish study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Researchers analyzed data from 88,482 women who'd provided information about their consumption of coffee, tea, cola and alcohol, along with smoking and other possible risk factors when they were four months pregnant. In this group of women, there were 1,102 stillborn babies, United Press International reported.
After they adjusted for all the risk factors, the study authors concluded that drinking one-half a cup to three cups of coffee a day increased the risk of fetal death by 3 percent, while drinking four to seven cups of coffee a day increase the risk by 33 percent. Drinking eight or more cups of coffee a day increased the risk by 59 percent.
The study found that the association between coffee consumption and fetal death was strongest after the fifth month of pregnancy, UPI reported.
The researchers found no link between fetal death and tea or cola consumption. This suggests that caffeine may not be the compound responsible for the association between fetal death and coffee. Further research into other chemical compounds in coffee is needed, the researchers said.
DuPont Reportedly Hid Information on Chemical's Health Risks
Studies that identified the health risks of a Teflon-related chemical used to line many kinds of food containers were hidden by DuPont Co., according to internal company documents and a former DuPont chemical engineer.
The documents about the chemical Zonyl were made public Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization.
Zonyl is used to line pizza boxes, candy wrappers, microwave popcorn bags and many other kinds of food containers. Zonyl can rub off these package liners and get into the food. When it's ingested, Zonyl can break down into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts, the Associated Press reported.
Food Fact:
Sprig fever!
Parsley isn't just pretty on the plate -- the green herb may help keep you in the pink. Parsley is rich in potassium, vitamins C and A, folic acid, iron and copper. It also contains phytochemicals that may have cancer-fighting and heart-protective properties. Research into these potential health benefits is in its infancy, however, and there's no data directly relating parsley consumption and lowered disease risk. To wash fresh parsley, dunk the leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Shake off the excess, wrap in paper towels and refrigerate in a plastic bag. It'll keep for several days. Add larger quantities to pilafs, potatoes, egg dishes and vegetable sautes shortly before you finish cooking for a nutritious boost that's not just cosmetic.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Food for thought.
If weight loss is part of your plan, you've got good reasons to watch your portions. Don't deny yourself your favorite foods, but don't go overboard, either. Keep track of what you eat and each day focus on small successes. They can add up to a new you, and a lifetime of feeling better about yourself and your weight.
FAQ of the day:
How do I know if I have Type 2 diabetes?
The initial symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are far less severe than those of Type 1. In fact, it is estimated that half the Americans who have Type 2 diabetes don't even know it. But early diagnosis is extremely important. Left uncontrolled, Type 2 diabetes silently damages the body's large blood vessels. One reason we didn't hear much about Type 2 diabetes in the past was that many deaths related to it were blamed on heart disease. Talk to your doctor, and above all else, strive to maintain a healthy weight.
More than 150,000 people die and five million more become sick each year due to the effects of global climate change. And those numbers could double by 2030, says a World Health Organization (WHO) report published Thursday in the journal Nature.
The WHO data indicate that climate change is causing increasing rates of malaria, malnutrition and diarrhea and that poorer countries are disproportionately affected by the rising temperatures, the Washington Post reported.
"Those most vulnerable to climate change are not the ones responsible for causing it. Our energy-consumptive lifestyles are having lethal impacts on other people around the world, especially the poor," study lead author Jonathon Patz, professor at the Gaylord Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, told the Post.
The Asian and South American Pacific coasts and the Indian Ocean coast and sub-Sahara Africa are the regions that face the greatest threats due to climate change. These areas are most vulnerable to abrupt climate shifts and have more climate-sensitive diseases, Patz said.
Climate change could also cause more severe health problems in large cities due to the urban "heat island" effect, the report said.
FDA to Review Tamiflu Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it will review the deaths of 12 Japanese children who took the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, which is being stockpiled by many countries in anticipation of a potential global flu pandemic.
In a report posted on its Web site, the FDA said that four of the deaths were due to "sudden death, an unusual phenomenon in otherwise healthy" children aged 16 and under. Asphyxiation, cardio-respiratory arrest, pneumonia and suicide were the other causes of death among the Japanese children taking Tamiflu, the FDA said.
The FDA review of deaths and injuries among Tamiflu users is part of a review meant to gather information on how medicines work in children, Bloomberg news reported. As part of that review, the FDA panel will also examine reports about other drugs.
On its Web site, the FDA noted that Japan is the source of more than 90 percent of reports of serious complications in children using Tamiflu. The FDA is examining whether genetics might be a factor or whether herbal medications taken by Japanese people could predispose them to complications while taking Tamiflu, Bloomberg reported.
HIV/AIDS May Make it Easier for Bird Flu to Mutate: Expert
The bird flu virus may have an easier time mutating into a deadly pandemic form if it infects people with HIV/AIDS, a U.S. flu expert said at a conference in New York City sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations.
If the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus infects people with HIV/AIDS -- who have weakened immune systems -- the virus could become better adapted and more dangerous to humans, said Dr. Robert Webster of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
Currently, the H5N1 virus cannot pass easily between people.
Webster noted that immune-compromised cancer patients have difficulty clearing normal flu viruses from their systems and can produce copies of a flu virus for weeks, BBC News reported.
The same thing could happen in people with HIV/AIDS who contract bird flu. Being able to reproduce for long periods inside humans would provide ideal conditions for the H5N1 virus to mutate into a more infectious form, Webster said.
He said a crisis could erupt when the H5N1 virus reaches East Africa, where many people have HIV/AIDS, BBC News reported.
The virus has not yet reached East Africa, but that region is the destination for many birds migrating from areas that currently have bird flu outbreaks.
Airborne Mold Levels in New Orleans Called Excessive
Levels of airborne mold in New Orleans are so high that the U.S. federal government needs to closely monitor the levels and should provide protective gear to residents, according to a national environmental group.
The Natural Resources Defense Council said that excessive concentrations of mold spores were found inside and outside when test samples were taken in 14 locations across New Orleans in October. One indoor test of mold spores in a neighborhood barely affected by Hurricane Katrina floodwaters was higher than a sample taken from one of the worst-hit areas, USA Today reported.
The Mid-City neighborhood had the highest outdoor readings -- 102,000 mold spores per cubic meter. A mold spore count above 50,000 is considered "very high," according to National Allergy Board standards.
High concentrations of mold can pose a serious health risk for people with allergies, asthma, respiratory problems or immune system deficiency.
Overall, the mold spore readings taken October 15-17 were at least two to four times higher than normal for New Orleans, USA Today reported.
Federal, state and local government agencies are using the Internet and fliers to inform New Orleans residents about the dangers of mold and how to protect themselves by wearing masks and protective clothing.
Coffee Increases Risk of Stillbirth: Report
Pregnant women who drink more than three cups of coffee a day greatly increase their risk of delivering stillborn babies, says a Danish study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Researchers analyzed data from 88,482 women who'd provided information about their consumption of coffee, tea, cola and alcohol, along with smoking and other possible risk factors when they were four months pregnant. In this group of women, there were 1,102 stillborn babies, United Press International reported.
After they adjusted for all the risk factors, the study authors concluded that drinking one-half a cup to three cups of coffee a day increased the risk of fetal death by 3 percent, while drinking four to seven cups of coffee a day increase the risk by 33 percent. Drinking eight or more cups of coffee a day increased the risk by 59 percent.
The study found that the association between coffee consumption and fetal death was strongest after the fifth month of pregnancy, UPI reported.
The researchers found no link between fetal death and tea or cola consumption. This suggests that caffeine may not be the compound responsible for the association between fetal death and coffee. Further research into other chemical compounds in coffee is needed, the researchers said.
DuPont Reportedly Hid Information on Chemical's Health Risks
Studies that identified the health risks of a Teflon-related chemical used to line many kinds of food containers were hidden by DuPont Co., according to internal company documents and a former DuPont chemical engineer.
The documents about the chemical Zonyl were made public Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization.
Zonyl is used to line pizza boxes, candy wrappers, microwave popcorn bags and many other kinds of food containers. Zonyl can rub off these package liners and get into the food. When it's ingested, Zonyl can break down into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts, the Associated Press reported.
Food Fact:
Sprig fever!
Parsley isn't just pretty on the plate -- the green herb may help keep you in the pink. Parsley is rich in potassium, vitamins C and A, folic acid, iron and copper. It also contains phytochemicals that may have cancer-fighting and heart-protective properties. Research into these potential health benefits is in its infancy, however, and there's no data directly relating parsley consumption and lowered disease risk. To wash fresh parsley, dunk the leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Shake off the excess, wrap in paper towels and refrigerate in a plastic bag. It'll keep for several days. Add larger quantities to pilafs, potatoes, egg dishes and vegetable sautes shortly before you finish cooking for a nutritious boost that's not just cosmetic.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Food for thought.
If weight loss is part of your plan, you've got good reasons to watch your portions. Don't deny yourself your favorite foods, but don't go overboard, either. Keep track of what you eat and each day focus on small successes. They can add up to a new you, and a lifetime of feeling better about yourself and your weight.
FAQ of the day:
How do I know if I have Type 2 diabetes?
The initial symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are far less severe than those of Type 1. In fact, it is estimated that half the Americans who have Type 2 diabetes don't even know it. But early diagnosis is extremely important. Left uncontrolled, Type 2 diabetes silently damages the body's large blood vessels. One reason we didn't hear much about Type 2 diabetes in the past was that many deaths related to it were blamed on heart disease. Talk to your doctor, and above all else, strive to maintain a healthy weight.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Health Headlines - November 16
China Confirms First Human Bird Flu Cases
China has reported its first three confirmed human cases of bird flu. Two cases were in the central province of Hunan and one was in the eastern province of Anhui.
The World Health Organization confirmed two human cases of bird flu in China, including a female poultry worker who died from the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, CNN reported.
But WHO spokesman Dick Thompson said the organization does not have enough samples to confirm if a 12-year-old girl who died on Oct. 17 contracted the virus, because she had been cremated.
Thompson said the two confirmed cases include the girl's 9-year-old brother, who fell ill last month in Hunan but survived and a 24-year-old female poultry worker in Anhui who died from the virus last week.
Chinese officials had not previously disclosed any suspected human cases of bird flu in Anhui, where a bird flu outbreak in late October killed about 550 birds.
In other news, China announced Tuesday that it will attempt to vaccinate all of the country's estimated 4.2 billion chickens and billion ducks, geese and turkeys against bird flu.
No timetable for this ambitious vaccination effort was given. In terms of the number of animals, it would the largest single vaccination program every for any species, the International Herald Tribune reported.
This effort would require massive manpower because the birds would have to be vaccinated by one by one. China said it can produce 100 million doses a day of bird flu vaccine for birds.
U.S. to Lift Restrictions on Canadian Cattle
All mad-cow disease-related restrictions on Canadian cattle imported into the United States will be lifted within the next year, the U.S. Agriculture Department announced Wednesday.
Tight restrictions were put in place in 2003 when Canada reported its first case of mad cow disease. Some of the restrictions were removed earlier this year to allow Canada to ship younger cattle into the United States, the Associated Press reported.
However, Canadian cattle older than 30 months weren't allowed because it's believed that levels of infection from mad cow disease increase with age. In order to have that ban lifted, the cattle industry argued that rules that govern the slaughter of cattle would prevent mad cow disease from entering the animal or human food supply.
The U.S. Agriculture Department said it's currently drafting a rule that would remove remaining restrictions on Canadian cattle imports. The rule will be proposed in six to eight months, the AP reported.
Tougher New Steroid Policy for Baseball Players
It'll be three strikes and you're out for professional baseball players under a new policy that sharply increases penalties for steroid use.
Under an agreement reached Tuesday by major league baseball owners and players, the new policy will take effect next season, the Boston Globe reported.
It includes a 50-game suspension for a first offense, a 100-game suspension for a second offense, and a lifetime ban for a third transgression. The policy also includes mandatory random testing for amphetamines, a first in the history of major professional sports leagues in the United States.
The current Major League Baseball policy on steroid use includes a 10-day suspension for a first offense, 30 days for a second offense, and 60 days for a third, the Globe reported
"This is an important step to reaching our goal of ridding our sport of performance-enhancing substances and should restore the integrity of and public confidence in our great game," commissioner Bud Selig said.
Major league baseball has been plagued for months by embarrassing steroid and amphetamine scandals and has faced pressure from Congress to rid the game of performance enhancing substances.
Food Industry Must Step Up Obesity Fight: WHO
The global food and drink industry is not doing enough to improve the nutritional quality of their products in order to help combat childhood obesity, a World Health Organization (WHO) official charged Wednesday.
"The industry's efforts are commendable, but inadequate. They are only a drop in the ocean," Colin Tukuitonga, head of the WHO's global strategy on diet and physical activity, told the Associated Press.
Tukuitonga made his comments prior to a meeting with food and drink industry representatives.
Major changes in the way that food is processed and marketed are needed in order to counter the worldwide obesity epidemic, the WHO says.
Some food companies, such as Kraft, Nestle and Unileve,r have reduced the salt, sugar and fat content of some of their products and have also promised to change some of their marketing and advertising practices.
"These are selected companies doing one-off changes. They are making a genuine effort ... but we need an industry-wide approach," Tukuitonga told the AP.
Study Identifies New Neurons
Neurons that develop in the olfactory system and are especially sensitive to new stimuli have been identified by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School Center for Nervous System Repair.
The level of flexibility displayed by these neurons suggests that they may be capable of replacing brain cells lost to disease or injury. The research, using adult mice, appears in the Nov. 16 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
"Our results show that these new neurons have a lot of plasticity and can contribute to important learning and memory functions of the brain, suggesting that similar, newly recruited neurons may be able to function in other parts of the brain," study leader Sanjay Magavi said in a prepared statement.
"Eventually we'd like to be able to redirect brain cell precursors or stem cells to make other types of neurons in regions of the brain that do not normally regenerate," Magavi said.
Food Fact:
Flipped burger.
What grills like a burger, tastes meaty on a bun -- but has a fraction of the fat? Grill up broad, flat portobello mushrooms, dress 'em up like burgers, and you'll enjoy a hearty sandwich that's far better for your heart than beef. Mushrooms have what the Japanese call umami, a meaty taste, and healthy cooks use that meatiness to advantage. And that meaty taste comes with a very impressive nutrition profile: No fat, no carbs and hardly any calories. Add sauteed cremini mushrooms to spaghetti sauce for depth of flavor and satisfying chewiness. Slice shiitakes for you next stir-fry.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Crunch time.
Great abs gives you more just a flat stomach. Here's how to get them. Develop your abdominal muscles by starting with basic sit-ups (knees bent) and work your way up to using an incline bench or ball. This powerful core of muscles provides strength for all of your other activities.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best carbs for diabetics?
The very best contain soluble fiber, such as oats, rye and beans. Soluble fiber forms a gel in the gastrointestinal tract, which slows the rise in blood sugar after a meal and gives insulin more time to clear sugar from the blood.
China has reported its first three confirmed human cases of bird flu. Two cases were in the central province of Hunan and one was in the eastern province of Anhui.
The World Health Organization confirmed two human cases of bird flu in China, including a female poultry worker who died from the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, CNN reported.
But WHO spokesman Dick Thompson said the organization does not have enough samples to confirm if a 12-year-old girl who died on Oct. 17 contracted the virus, because she had been cremated.
Thompson said the two confirmed cases include the girl's 9-year-old brother, who fell ill last month in Hunan but survived and a 24-year-old female poultry worker in Anhui who died from the virus last week.
Chinese officials had not previously disclosed any suspected human cases of bird flu in Anhui, where a bird flu outbreak in late October killed about 550 birds.
In other news, China announced Tuesday that it will attempt to vaccinate all of the country's estimated 4.2 billion chickens and billion ducks, geese and turkeys against bird flu.
No timetable for this ambitious vaccination effort was given. In terms of the number of animals, it would the largest single vaccination program every for any species, the International Herald Tribune reported.
This effort would require massive manpower because the birds would have to be vaccinated by one by one. China said it can produce 100 million doses a day of bird flu vaccine for birds.
U.S. to Lift Restrictions on Canadian Cattle
All mad-cow disease-related restrictions on Canadian cattle imported into the United States will be lifted within the next year, the U.S. Agriculture Department announced Wednesday.
Tight restrictions were put in place in 2003 when Canada reported its first case of mad cow disease. Some of the restrictions were removed earlier this year to allow Canada to ship younger cattle into the United States, the Associated Press reported.
However, Canadian cattle older than 30 months weren't allowed because it's believed that levels of infection from mad cow disease increase with age. In order to have that ban lifted, the cattle industry argued that rules that govern the slaughter of cattle would prevent mad cow disease from entering the animal or human food supply.
The U.S. Agriculture Department said it's currently drafting a rule that would remove remaining restrictions on Canadian cattle imports. The rule will be proposed in six to eight months, the AP reported.
Tougher New Steroid Policy for Baseball Players
It'll be three strikes and you're out for professional baseball players under a new policy that sharply increases penalties for steroid use.
Under an agreement reached Tuesday by major league baseball owners and players, the new policy will take effect next season, the Boston Globe reported.
It includes a 50-game suspension for a first offense, a 100-game suspension for a second offense, and a lifetime ban for a third transgression. The policy also includes mandatory random testing for amphetamines, a first in the history of major professional sports leagues in the United States.
The current Major League Baseball policy on steroid use includes a 10-day suspension for a first offense, 30 days for a second offense, and 60 days for a third, the Globe reported
"This is an important step to reaching our goal of ridding our sport of performance-enhancing substances and should restore the integrity of and public confidence in our great game," commissioner Bud Selig said.
Major league baseball has been plagued for months by embarrassing steroid and amphetamine scandals and has faced pressure from Congress to rid the game of performance enhancing substances.
Food Industry Must Step Up Obesity Fight: WHO
The global food and drink industry is not doing enough to improve the nutritional quality of their products in order to help combat childhood obesity, a World Health Organization (WHO) official charged Wednesday.
"The industry's efforts are commendable, but inadequate. They are only a drop in the ocean," Colin Tukuitonga, head of the WHO's global strategy on diet and physical activity, told the Associated Press.
Tukuitonga made his comments prior to a meeting with food and drink industry representatives.
Major changes in the way that food is processed and marketed are needed in order to counter the worldwide obesity epidemic, the WHO says.
Some food companies, such as Kraft, Nestle and Unileve,r have reduced the salt, sugar and fat content of some of their products and have also promised to change some of their marketing and advertising practices.
"These are selected companies doing one-off changes. They are making a genuine effort ... but we need an industry-wide approach," Tukuitonga told the AP.
Study Identifies New Neurons
Neurons that develop in the olfactory system and are especially sensitive to new stimuli have been identified by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School Center for Nervous System Repair.
The level of flexibility displayed by these neurons suggests that they may be capable of replacing brain cells lost to disease or injury. The research, using adult mice, appears in the Nov. 16 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
"Our results show that these new neurons have a lot of plasticity and can contribute to important learning and memory functions of the brain, suggesting that similar, newly recruited neurons may be able to function in other parts of the brain," study leader Sanjay Magavi said in a prepared statement.
"Eventually we'd like to be able to redirect brain cell precursors or stem cells to make other types of neurons in regions of the brain that do not normally regenerate," Magavi said.
Food Fact:
Flipped burger.
What grills like a burger, tastes meaty on a bun -- but has a fraction of the fat? Grill up broad, flat portobello mushrooms, dress 'em up like burgers, and you'll enjoy a hearty sandwich that's far better for your heart than beef. Mushrooms have what the Japanese call umami, a meaty taste, and healthy cooks use that meatiness to advantage. And that meaty taste comes with a very impressive nutrition profile: No fat, no carbs and hardly any calories. Add sauteed cremini mushrooms to spaghetti sauce for depth of flavor and satisfying chewiness. Slice shiitakes for you next stir-fry.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Crunch time.
Great abs gives you more just a flat stomach. Here's how to get them. Develop your abdominal muscles by starting with basic sit-ups (knees bent) and work your way up to using an incline bench or ball. This powerful core of muscles provides strength for all of your other activities.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best carbs for diabetics?
The very best contain soluble fiber, such as oats, rye and beans. Soluble fiber forms a gel in the gastrointestinal tract, which slows the rise in blood sugar after a meal and gives insulin more time to clear sugar from the blood.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Health Headlines - November 15
Transplanted Blood Vessels Grown from Patients' Skin
Argentinian surgeons say they have transplanted blood vessels grown in the lab using a small piece of the patients' own skin and vein, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.
Two kidney dialysis patients are the first recipients of the new technology, which could prove a boon to diabetics, heart bypass patients and children with heart defects, said scientists from San Francisco-based Cytograft Tissue Engineering, who developed the technique.
The vessels, which are comprised of a tough outer layer and a softer inner lining, took six to nine months to grow in the lab, although Cytograft officials believe that process can be sped up. The technique does not require the use of stem cells, sidestepping ethical concerns.
The first recipient, a 56-year-old woman, received a grafted vessel in May, and researchers said it has withstood needle punctures three times a week since then. Cytograft plans to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to study the procedure in the United States next year.
The findings were presented at Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Dallas.
Study Raises Hopes for Malaria Vaccine
A new study suggests that it's possible to create a vaccine to protect people against malaria, which kills more than a million people worldwide each year.
This study of more than 1,400 children in Mozambique found that a malaria vaccine offered partial protection from malaria to young children for up to 18 months and cut the risk of severe malaria by 49 percent, the Associated Press reported.
The findings were presented Tuesday at an international malaria conference in Cameroon .
"The unprecedented response demonstrated in this study is further evidence that an effective vaccine to help control the malaria pandemic ... is very possible," Pedro Alonso, who heads the Center for International Health at the Hospital Clinic of the University of Barcelona, Spain, said in a prepared statement.
Scientists have been trying for 20 years to develop a malaria vaccine but, until this study, none of them showed any promise, the AP reported.
Complex Sugar Stops Tumor Growth: Study
A complex natural sugar called heparin can block tumor growth in mice, says a study in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
The findings suggest that it may be possible to develop a sugar-based treatment to stop the growth of tumors before they become dangerous, BBC News reported.
This study by an Association for International Cancer Research team found that sugar molecules inhibit hormones that tumors send out in order to promote the growth of new blood vessels, which the tumors need in order to continue growing.
In this study, the sugar molecules were divided and purified before they were injected into mice with tumors.
This approach is only effective if cancer is diagnosed at an early stage and does not cause tumors to shrink. However, it may prove an effective treatment when it's combined with other cancer therapies, the researchers said.
China Plans to Vaccinate All Poultry
China announced Tuesday that it will attempt to vaccinate all of the country's estimated 4.2 billion chickens and billion ducks, geese and turkeys against bird flu.
No timetable for this ambitious vaccination effort was given. In terms of the number of animals, it would the largest single vaccination program ever for any species, the International Herald Tribune reported.
This effort would require massive manpower because the birds would have to be vaccinated by one by one. China said it can produce100 million doses a day of bird flu vaccine for birds.
There is no vaccine to protect people against bird flu, but a vaccine for birds has been available for several years. This vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective in protecting poultry from bird flu, the International Herald Tribune reported.
In related news, Chinese officials announced Tuesday that it was "highly probable" that a boy and a girl afflicted with high fevers last month were the country's first human cases of bird flu. The girl has died.
Heart Attack Rate Drops After Public Smoking Ban
After a smoking ban was imposed on bars, restaurants and other public places in Pueblo, Colo., heart attack rates declined 27 percent, according to a study presented Tuesday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Dallas.
The study found that 291 heart attack patients were admitted to area hospitals in the 18 months following the July 2003 smoking ban, compared to 399 heart attack patients in the 18 months prior to the ban, the Associated Press reported.
Over the same period, the number of heart attacks stayed the same in a neighboring county that had no smoking ban.
The findings support previous research that showed that exposure to secondhand smoke can cause negative cardiovascular effects within minutes, the AP reported.
The study results are preliminary but important, said AHA spokesman Dr. Donald Lavan, a University of Pennsylvania cardiologist.
"It reaffirms the fact that secondhand smoke is deleterious to all people," Lavan said.
Suicides, Psychological Ills Linked to Tamiflu in Japan
Two teen suicides and 64 cases of psychological disorders in Japan have been linked to Tamiflu, the flu drug that many countries are stockpiling in anticipation of a potential influenza pandemic, according to published reports.
Japanese media reported that in 2004 a 17-year-old high school boy taking Tamiflu died after he jumped in front of a truck, and that this year a 14-year-old boy taking Tamiflu fell to his death from the ninth floor of a condominium.
It's also been revealed that Japan's Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency has recorded 64 cases of psychological disorders linked to Tamiflu, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Swiss drug maker Roche, which makes Tamiflu, said it's aware of the two suicides in Japan and has informed regulatory agencies in other countries. A Roche spokesman said the 17-year-old boy took Tamiflu after first being treated with amantadine, an older anti-flu drug known for central nervous system side effects.
The spokesman said there wasn't enough evidence to determine whether the second boy's death was suicide or an accident, the Chronicle reported.
Roche would not comment on the psychological disorders linked to Tamiflu users in Japan.
Food Fact:
"Pea" is for Protein.
Can eating peas save your eyesight? Peas are also an excellent source of lutein, which is believed to help fight macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people age 65 and older. It may surprise you to learn peas are not vegetables -- they're actually legumes. Either way, a 2/3-cup serving contains about 5 grams of protein, or about 10% of the daily protein needs of a 130-lb. person. Like other legumes, peas are rich in B vitamins, minerals and soluble fiber. While it's a treat to eat fresh peas in late spring and early summer, shucking them is tedious. Frozen peas are just as nutritious as fresh. Add them to pilafs, bean salads and soups.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Butt buster.
Want one exercise that works five major muscle groups? We've got it! Try squats, which work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs and lower back -- and you can do them anywhere. To increase resistance, add dumbbells or barbells to your reps.
FAQ of the day:
Are there different diets for diabetics?
There are different diets for controlling type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The basic dietary principles for any healthy diet apply to both types of diabetes, but the top priorities are different. In Type 1 diabetes, which requires insulin injections, it's most critical to match the amount of food you eat at each meal and snack with your injection schedule. For Type 2 diabetes, the top priority usually is limiting overall calories to lose weight; meal-to-meal variations are less critical.
Argentinian surgeons say they have transplanted blood vessels grown in the lab using a small piece of the patients' own skin and vein, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.
Two kidney dialysis patients are the first recipients of the new technology, which could prove a boon to diabetics, heart bypass patients and children with heart defects, said scientists from San Francisco-based Cytograft Tissue Engineering, who developed the technique.
The vessels, which are comprised of a tough outer layer and a softer inner lining, took six to nine months to grow in the lab, although Cytograft officials believe that process can be sped up. The technique does not require the use of stem cells, sidestepping ethical concerns.
The first recipient, a 56-year-old woman, received a grafted vessel in May, and researchers said it has withstood needle punctures three times a week since then. Cytograft plans to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to study the procedure in the United States next year.
The findings were presented at Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Dallas.
Study Raises Hopes for Malaria Vaccine
A new study suggests that it's possible to create a vaccine to protect people against malaria, which kills more than a million people worldwide each year.
This study of more than 1,400 children in Mozambique found that a malaria vaccine offered partial protection from malaria to young children for up to 18 months and cut the risk of severe malaria by 49 percent, the Associated Press reported.
The findings were presented Tuesday at an international malaria conference in Cameroon .
"The unprecedented response demonstrated in this study is further evidence that an effective vaccine to help control the malaria pandemic ... is very possible," Pedro Alonso, who heads the Center for International Health at the Hospital Clinic of the University of Barcelona, Spain, said in a prepared statement.
Scientists have been trying for 20 years to develop a malaria vaccine but, until this study, none of them showed any promise, the AP reported.
Complex Sugar Stops Tumor Growth: Study
A complex natural sugar called heparin can block tumor growth in mice, says a study in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
The findings suggest that it may be possible to develop a sugar-based treatment to stop the growth of tumors before they become dangerous, BBC News reported.
This study by an Association for International Cancer Research team found that sugar molecules inhibit hormones that tumors send out in order to promote the growth of new blood vessels, which the tumors need in order to continue growing.
In this study, the sugar molecules were divided and purified before they were injected into mice with tumors.
This approach is only effective if cancer is diagnosed at an early stage and does not cause tumors to shrink. However, it may prove an effective treatment when it's combined with other cancer therapies, the researchers said.
China Plans to Vaccinate All Poultry
China announced Tuesday that it will attempt to vaccinate all of the country's estimated 4.2 billion chickens and billion ducks, geese and turkeys against bird flu.
No timetable for this ambitious vaccination effort was given. In terms of the number of animals, it would the largest single vaccination program ever for any species, the International Herald Tribune reported.
This effort would require massive manpower because the birds would have to be vaccinated by one by one. China said it can produce100 million doses a day of bird flu vaccine for birds.
There is no vaccine to protect people against bird flu, but a vaccine for birds has been available for several years. This vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective in protecting poultry from bird flu, the International Herald Tribune reported.
In related news, Chinese officials announced Tuesday that it was "highly probable" that a boy and a girl afflicted with high fevers last month were the country's first human cases of bird flu. The girl has died.
Heart Attack Rate Drops After Public Smoking Ban
After a smoking ban was imposed on bars, restaurants and other public places in Pueblo, Colo., heart attack rates declined 27 percent, according to a study presented Tuesday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Dallas.
The study found that 291 heart attack patients were admitted to area hospitals in the 18 months following the July 2003 smoking ban, compared to 399 heart attack patients in the 18 months prior to the ban, the Associated Press reported.
Over the same period, the number of heart attacks stayed the same in a neighboring county that had no smoking ban.
The findings support previous research that showed that exposure to secondhand smoke can cause negative cardiovascular effects within minutes, the AP reported.
The study results are preliminary but important, said AHA spokesman Dr. Donald Lavan, a University of Pennsylvania cardiologist.
"It reaffirms the fact that secondhand smoke is deleterious to all people," Lavan said.
Suicides, Psychological Ills Linked to Tamiflu in Japan
Two teen suicides and 64 cases of psychological disorders in Japan have been linked to Tamiflu, the flu drug that many countries are stockpiling in anticipation of a potential influenza pandemic, according to published reports.
Japanese media reported that in 2004 a 17-year-old high school boy taking Tamiflu died after he jumped in front of a truck, and that this year a 14-year-old boy taking Tamiflu fell to his death from the ninth floor of a condominium.
It's also been revealed that Japan's Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency has recorded 64 cases of psychological disorders linked to Tamiflu, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Swiss drug maker Roche, which makes Tamiflu, said it's aware of the two suicides in Japan and has informed regulatory agencies in other countries. A Roche spokesman said the 17-year-old boy took Tamiflu after first being treated with amantadine, an older anti-flu drug known for central nervous system side effects.
The spokesman said there wasn't enough evidence to determine whether the second boy's death was suicide or an accident, the Chronicle reported.
Roche would not comment on the psychological disorders linked to Tamiflu users in Japan.
Food Fact:
"Pea" is for Protein.
Can eating peas save your eyesight? Peas are also an excellent source of lutein, which is believed to help fight macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people age 65 and older. It may surprise you to learn peas are not vegetables -- they're actually legumes. Either way, a 2/3-cup serving contains about 5 grams of protein, or about 10% of the daily protein needs of a 130-lb. person. Like other legumes, peas are rich in B vitamins, minerals and soluble fiber. While it's a treat to eat fresh peas in late spring and early summer, shucking them is tedious. Frozen peas are just as nutritious as fresh. Add them to pilafs, bean salads and soups.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Butt buster.
Want one exercise that works five major muscle groups? We've got it! Try squats, which work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs and lower back -- and you can do them anywhere. To increase resistance, add dumbbells or barbells to your reps.
FAQ of the day:
Are there different diets for diabetics?
There are different diets for controlling type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The basic dietary principles for any healthy diet apply to both types of diabetes, but the top priorities are different. In Type 1 diabetes, which requires insulin injections, it's most critical to match the amount of food you eat at each meal and snack with your injection schedule. For Type 2 diabetes, the top priority usually is limiting overall calories to lose weight; meal-to-meal variations are less critical.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Health Headlines - November 14
Audit Faults FDA on Morning-After Pill Decision
Normal procedures weren't followed when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected over-the-counter sales of the morning-after birth control pill, according to independent audit results released Monday.
Members of Congress who requested the audit noted that some documents suggest that the decision to reject over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill was made even before scientists had completed their review of the evidence, the Associated Press reported.
This shows that politics took precedence over science, the members of Congress said.
"We are deeply opposed to the subversion of science," 18 lawmakers said in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, who oversees the FDA. The letter urged Leavitt to ensure that a pending reconsideration of over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill "is based on the best available science instead of ideology."
The Government Accountability Office audit of the FDA decision uncovered conflicting accounts of whether the decision to reject over-the-counter sales of the pill was made months before experts completed their review of scientific evidence, the AP reported.
The audit also found that there was unusual involvement from high-ranking FDA officials and that three FDA directors who normally have responsibility for signing off on such decisions refused to do so because they disagreed with the decision.
Free Memory Screenings Offered
Free memory screenings will be offered Tuesday, Nov. 15 at more than 750 sites across the United States during National Memory Screening Day, an annual event to promote early detection of Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses.
The event, held by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, also provides families with community resources and educational materials about Alzheimer's disease and brain health.
The face-to-face memory screening takes about 10 minutes and consist of questions and tasks designed to assess memory. The screening is not intended to provide any diagnosis but can indicate whether a person should have a full medical exam to check for a possible memory disorder.
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or related illnesses can help people take advantage of medical treatments, social services assistance and long-term planning that can improve their quality of life.
To find a site close to you, call toll-free 1-866-232-8484 or go to the National Memory Screening Day Web site.
Physical Punishment Increases Kids' Risk of Aggressiveness, Anxiety
Even if it's a normal part of the culture, physical punishment makes children more likely to be aggressive and anxious, says a study of 336 families in six countries.
Researchers interviewed mothers and children in China, India, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines and Thailand. Mothers in Thailand were most likely to physically discipline their children while mothers in India and Kenya were least likely to do so, BBC News reported.
No matter the country, all children who were subject to physical discipline were more likely than other children to show higher levels of aggression, anxiety and other emotional problems, said the study published in the journal Child Development.
However, the study did find that these problems weren't as bad in countries where physical discipline was more common and culturally accepted compared to countries were physical discipline was less accepted, BBC News reported.
"One implication of our findings is the need for caution in making recommendations about parenting practices across different cultural groups," noted study lead researcher Jennifer Lansford said.
Effective CPR Training Takes 20 Minutes, Researchers Say
Lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be effectively taught in as little as 20 minutes, new research contends.
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas found that 20 minutes of CPR instruction and five minutes of defibrillator training was as effective as a standard four-hour course, the Associated Press reported.
The study, presented Sunday at the American Heart Association meeting in Dallas, compared 150 people who took the short CPR course with 118 people who received standard CPR instruction. After their courses, the study volunteers were tested on computerized mannequins and were graded by instructors.
The people who took the short course did as well or better than those who took the standard training and had similar CPR knowledge retention rates six months later, the AP reported.
The study's finding suggests that it may be possibly to greatly increase the number of Americans who can perform CPR and use defibrillators, which are increasingly common in U.S. airports, schools and other public places, experts said.
Older Brains Handle Memories Differently
Healthy older brains store and encode memories differently than younger brains, according to a Johns Hopkins study in rats published online by the journal Nature Neuroscience.
If this finding is found to also be true in human brains, it could lead to the development of new prevention and treatment methods for memory problems.
"We found that aged rats with preserved cognitive abilities are not biologically equivalent to young rats in some of the basic machinery that neurons use to encode and store information in the brain," study co-author Michela Gallagher, chair of the department of psychological and brain sciences at Hopkins' Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, said in a prepared statement.
He and his colleagues found that, compared to younger rats, older rats with healthy brains relied less on a synaptic receptor that's linked to a common mechanism for storing memories.
"Instead, successful agers relied more than young rats on a different mechanism for bringing about synaptic change. This 'switch' could serve the same purpose - storing memories - but through a different neurochemical device," Gallagher said.
High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet Reduces Heart Energy: Study
High-fat, low-carb diets can reduce heart energy, according to new U.K. research.
Oxford University researchers monitored 19 people for two weeks and found the amount of energy stored in heart decreased an average of 16 percent among those who ate a high-fat, low carbohydrate diet. Some of them lost as much as at third of their heart energy, BBC News reported.
But it's unclear whether this reduction in heart energy can damage a person's health, and more research is needed, the study authors said.
The hearts of the people on the high-fat, low-carb diet also became somewhat "stiffer," which meant their hearts did not relax quite as much as they did before the diet. These changes in heart energy and stiffness reversed within two weeks after the study participants went back to normal diet.
The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Dallas.
Food Fact:
Attention, Popeye!
Here's a secret for getting the most iron from spinach. Have a glass of orange juice! Our bodies are far better able to access the iron in iron-rich plant foods -- fortified grains, legumes and dark greens -- if eaten with something acidic, such as citrus juice or tomato sauce. And even though Popeye was always carrying the spinach around, it's more likely that his sweetie Olive Oyl needed the iron more -- 75% of American women under the age of 50 are iron-deficient. If you're concerned about iron deficiency, see your doctor for a blood test, the only way to properly diagnose the condition. Adult men rarely need iron supplements.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Get back on track.
Fell off the exercise wagon? It's never too late to get back on! Losing your routine may slow you down, but you can get back on track in short order if you resume regular sessions. Get motivated by setting new goals; when you start back up, reduce by half the difficulty level where you left off.
FAQ of the day:
What's the difference between an herb and a spice?
Spices are generally derived from the dried seeds, roots or bark of a plant, often a tropical one. Herbs generally come from leaves, flowers and stems.
Normal procedures weren't followed when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected over-the-counter sales of the morning-after birth control pill, according to independent audit results released Monday.
Members of Congress who requested the audit noted that some documents suggest that the decision to reject over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill was made even before scientists had completed their review of the evidence, the Associated Press reported.
This shows that politics took precedence over science, the members of Congress said.
"We are deeply opposed to the subversion of science," 18 lawmakers said in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, who oversees the FDA. The letter urged Leavitt to ensure that a pending reconsideration of over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill "is based on the best available science instead of ideology."
The Government Accountability Office audit of the FDA decision uncovered conflicting accounts of whether the decision to reject over-the-counter sales of the pill was made months before experts completed their review of scientific evidence, the AP reported.
The audit also found that there was unusual involvement from high-ranking FDA officials and that three FDA directors who normally have responsibility for signing off on such decisions refused to do so because they disagreed with the decision.
Free Memory Screenings Offered
Free memory screenings will be offered Tuesday, Nov. 15 at more than 750 sites across the United States during National Memory Screening Day, an annual event to promote early detection of Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses.
The event, held by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, also provides families with community resources and educational materials about Alzheimer's disease and brain health.
The face-to-face memory screening takes about 10 minutes and consist of questions and tasks designed to assess memory. The screening is not intended to provide any diagnosis but can indicate whether a person should have a full medical exam to check for a possible memory disorder.
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or related illnesses can help people take advantage of medical treatments, social services assistance and long-term planning that can improve their quality of life.
To find a site close to you, call toll-free 1-866-232-8484 or go to the National Memory Screening Day Web site.
Physical Punishment Increases Kids' Risk of Aggressiveness, Anxiety
Even if it's a normal part of the culture, physical punishment makes children more likely to be aggressive and anxious, says a study of 336 families in six countries.
Researchers interviewed mothers and children in China, India, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines and Thailand. Mothers in Thailand were most likely to physically discipline their children while mothers in India and Kenya were least likely to do so, BBC News reported.
No matter the country, all children who were subject to physical discipline were more likely than other children to show higher levels of aggression, anxiety and other emotional problems, said the study published in the journal Child Development.
However, the study did find that these problems weren't as bad in countries where physical discipline was more common and culturally accepted compared to countries were physical discipline was less accepted, BBC News reported.
"One implication of our findings is the need for caution in making recommendations about parenting practices across different cultural groups," noted study lead researcher Jennifer Lansford said.
Effective CPR Training Takes 20 Minutes, Researchers Say
Lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be effectively taught in as little as 20 minutes, new research contends.
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas found that 20 minutes of CPR instruction and five minutes of defibrillator training was as effective as a standard four-hour course, the Associated Press reported.
The study, presented Sunday at the American Heart Association meeting in Dallas, compared 150 people who took the short CPR course with 118 people who received standard CPR instruction. After their courses, the study volunteers were tested on computerized mannequins and were graded by instructors.
The people who took the short course did as well or better than those who took the standard training and had similar CPR knowledge retention rates six months later, the AP reported.
The study's finding suggests that it may be possibly to greatly increase the number of Americans who can perform CPR and use defibrillators, which are increasingly common in U.S. airports, schools and other public places, experts said.
Older Brains Handle Memories Differently
Healthy older brains store and encode memories differently than younger brains, according to a Johns Hopkins study in rats published online by the journal Nature Neuroscience.
If this finding is found to also be true in human brains, it could lead to the development of new prevention and treatment methods for memory problems.
"We found that aged rats with preserved cognitive abilities are not biologically equivalent to young rats in some of the basic machinery that neurons use to encode and store information in the brain," study co-author Michela Gallagher, chair of the department of psychological and brain sciences at Hopkins' Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, said in a prepared statement.
He and his colleagues found that, compared to younger rats, older rats with healthy brains relied less on a synaptic receptor that's linked to a common mechanism for storing memories.
"Instead, successful agers relied more than young rats on a different mechanism for bringing about synaptic change. This 'switch' could serve the same purpose - storing memories - but through a different neurochemical device," Gallagher said.
High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet Reduces Heart Energy: Study
High-fat, low-carb diets can reduce heart energy, according to new U.K. research.
Oxford University researchers monitored 19 people for two weeks and found the amount of energy stored in heart decreased an average of 16 percent among those who ate a high-fat, low carbohydrate diet. Some of them lost as much as at third of their heart energy, BBC News reported.
But it's unclear whether this reduction in heart energy can damage a person's health, and more research is needed, the study authors said.
The hearts of the people on the high-fat, low-carb diet also became somewhat "stiffer," which meant their hearts did not relax quite as much as they did before the diet. These changes in heart energy and stiffness reversed within two weeks after the study participants went back to normal diet.
The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Dallas.
Food Fact:
Attention, Popeye!
Here's a secret for getting the most iron from spinach. Have a glass of orange juice! Our bodies are far better able to access the iron in iron-rich plant foods -- fortified grains, legumes and dark greens -- if eaten with something acidic, such as citrus juice or tomato sauce. And even though Popeye was always carrying the spinach around, it's more likely that his sweetie Olive Oyl needed the iron more -- 75% of American women under the age of 50 are iron-deficient. If you're concerned about iron deficiency, see your doctor for a blood test, the only way to properly diagnose the condition. Adult men rarely need iron supplements.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Get back on track.
Fell off the exercise wagon? It's never too late to get back on! Losing your routine may slow you down, but you can get back on track in short order if you resume regular sessions. Get motivated by setting new goals; when you start back up, reduce by half the difficulty level where you left off.
FAQ of the day:
What's the difference between an herb and a spice?
Spices are generally derived from the dried seeds, roots or bark of a plant, often a tropical one. Herbs generally come from leaves, flowers and stems.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Health Headlines - November 13
Thailand Probes Human Bird Flu Case in Bangkok
Thailand authorities were investigating the first confirmed human infection from bird flu in Bangkok.
An 18-month-old boy was diagnosed with bird flu, in the first case of the disease found in the capital according to AFX.
The house where the boy contracted the virus had two chickens and one fighting cock, which died on Oct 31 but were only reported to authorities after the boy fell sick, officials said.
The public health ministry said the boy fell ill on Nov. 1 and went to hospital on Nov. 3 with a runny nose, fever and coughing. The boy's 65-year-old grandmother has also shown symptoms of the disease, but so far has tested negative. Doctors are awaiting the results of further tests.
The boy is the 21st case of bird flu diagnosed in Thailand since the deadly H5N1 virus was first detected in the country in Jan 2004. Thirteen of those cases have been fatal.
Meanwhile, China and Vietnam reported fresh outbreaks of the lethal strain of bird flu Saturday.
The latest China outbreak, its eighth within a month, is in Jingshan county in Hubei province, indicating the virus appears to be spreading. Four suspected human cases of the virus are being investigated, but so far there have been no confirmed human infections in the country, according to wire reports.
The latest outbreak has killed 2,500 birds, and more than 30,000 birds are being culled, government authorities said Saturday.
The H5N1 strain has devastated poultry flocks across Asia since 2003, and killed at least 64 people.
In Vietnam, which has had two-thirds of the human deaths, two more provinces reported bird flu outbreaks, bringing to nine the total number of affected provinces, officials said Saturday.
Authorities have ordered the destruction of all birds in the two infected areas, about 10,000 in total. In the past month, more than 130,000 poultry have been culled throughout the country as Vietnam battles to stop the spread of the virus.
Man Beats HIV, British Papers Report
British newspapers on Sunday reported that a Scottish man may have become the first person in the world to beat HIV.
Andrew Stimpson, 25, who lives in London but comes from Largs in Ayrshire, was diagnosed as HIV-positive in August 2002. But tests taken 14 months later showed the virus had completely gone from his body, without the use of medication to combat a virus that has infected more than 40 million people in the world.
"I remember after the repeat tests my doctor came into the room saying, 'You've cured yourself. This is unbelievable.' " he told the News of the World .
A spokeswoman for Chelsea and Westminster Heathcare Trust in London confirmed that one of their patients had tested negative for HIV about 14 months after testing positive in May 2002. But she said that Stimpson has so far declined to undergo further tests with them, according to Ireland On-Line.
Cord Blood Cells Could Widen Treatment Window for Stroke
University of South Florida researchers reported Saturday that human umbilical cord blood cells could be used to treat stroke victims outside the three-hour window that is the current standard.
The experimental treatment, which was administered to rats two days following a stroke, curbed inflammatory responses in the brain, limited stroke damage, and lead to greater recovery. The researchers, who shared the results at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C., could benefit more stroke victims.
"We were very surprised," said principal investigator Alison Willing, a neuroscientist at the university's Center for Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair. "In some animals, the stroke initially damaged half the brain, but after treatment with the cord blood cells they were functioning normally."
The only drug currently approved for ischemic stroke treatment is tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), which breaks up blood clots. However, it must be given within three hours of a stroke to work.
Loneliness Could Be Genetic, Researchers Say
Loneliness might be a family trait.
That's the conclusion of new research suggesting 48 percent of the variations in loneliness among people is a result of genetics. The rest is caused by life circumstances, such as leaving home or losing a spouse, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Researchers in the Netherlands and the University of Chicago examined surveys of 8,387 young adults in the Netherlands Twin Register. Fraternal and identical twins and their families responded to mailed surveys every two or three years. Twins were asked whether they agreed with such statements as "I feel lonely," "I like to be alone," "Nobody loves me," and "I try to have as little as possible to do with other people."
Thirty-five percent of the men and 50 percent of the women reported having moderate to extreme feelings of loneliness. And the researchers found less difference in loneliness ratings between identical twins.
There probably is more than one loneliness gene, although no such gene has yet been identified, said University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo, a co-author of the study, which is published in the journal Behavior Genetics.
Meditation Linked to Structural Changes in Brain
The regular practice of meditation seems to produce structural changes in areas of the brain associated with attention and sensory processing, a new study suggests.
The imaging study, led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, found that particular areas of the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, were thicker in participants who were experienced practitioners of a type of meditation commonly practiced in the United States and other western countries.
The findings appear in the Nov. 15 issue of NeuroReport, and are also to be presented Monday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington, D.C.
"Our results suggest that meditation can produce experience-based structural alterations in the brain," said study author Sara Lazar, of the hospital's Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program. "We also found evidence that meditation may slow down the aging-related atrophy of certain areas of the brain."
Food Fact:
Go nuts!
Eat the right number of nuts per week, and you may cut your risk of a fatal heart attack in half! That's what studies have shown for people who eat nuts five times or more per week. Many nuts, especially walnuts, are a good source of fatty acids that work in the body to lower heart disease risk. Eating nuts can help lower blood cholesterol, and reduce the risk of sudden severe heart attacks. But when eating nuts, it's important not to go overboard, because they're loaded with calories -- a 1/2 cup contains about 350 calories and 36 grams of fat. Instead of snacking on nuts by the handful, use them as an accent in a salad, in baked goods or pilafs.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Think ahead.
Going to the gym in the a.m.? It pays to pack your gym bag the night before. You'll be less likely to find excuses not to get up and work out if you've got everything ready ahead of time -- and less likely to forget something in haste as you're rushing out the door.
FAQ of the day:
Is vitamin E good for my eyes?
Extra vitamin E may help, but eating foods rich in yellow plant pigments is probably far more important. Lutein, the pigment in spinach, kale, corn, peas and other foods, concentrates in the macula of the eye, where it filters out harmful ultraviolet light. It sounds like you're getting more than enough vitamin E, so concentrate on eating carotenoid-rich vegetables, such as carrots, to help preserve your vision.
Thailand authorities were investigating the first confirmed human infection from bird flu in Bangkok.
An 18-month-old boy was diagnosed with bird flu, in the first case of the disease found in the capital according to AFX.
The house where the boy contracted the virus had two chickens and one fighting cock, which died on Oct 31 but were only reported to authorities after the boy fell sick, officials said.
The public health ministry said the boy fell ill on Nov. 1 and went to hospital on Nov. 3 with a runny nose, fever and coughing. The boy's 65-year-old grandmother has also shown symptoms of the disease, but so far has tested negative. Doctors are awaiting the results of further tests.
The boy is the 21st case of bird flu diagnosed in Thailand since the deadly H5N1 virus was first detected in the country in Jan 2004. Thirteen of those cases have been fatal.
Meanwhile, China and Vietnam reported fresh outbreaks of the lethal strain of bird flu Saturday.
The latest China outbreak, its eighth within a month, is in Jingshan county in Hubei province, indicating the virus appears to be spreading. Four suspected human cases of the virus are being investigated, but so far there have been no confirmed human infections in the country, according to wire reports.
The latest outbreak has killed 2,500 birds, and more than 30,000 birds are being culled, government authorities said Saturday.
The H5N1 strain has devastated poultry flocks across Asia since 2003, and killed at least 64 people.
In Vietnam, which has had two-thirds of the human deaths, two more provinces reported bird flu outbreaks, bringing to nine the total number of affected provinces, officials said Saturday.
Authorities have ordered the destruction of all birds in the two infected areas, about 10,000 in total. In the past month, more than 130,000 poultry have been culled throughout the country as Vietnam battles to stop the spread of the virus.
Man Beats HIV, British Papers Report
British newspapers on Sunday reported that a Scottish man may have become the first person in the world to beat HIV.
Andrew Stimpson, 25, who lives in London but comes from Largs in Ayrshire, was diagnosed as HIV-positive in August 2002. But tests taken 14 months later showed the virus had completely gone from his body, without the use of medication to combat a virus that has infected more than 40 million people in the world.
"I remember after the repeat tests my doctor came into the room saying, 'You've cured yourself. This is unbelievable.' " he told the News of the World .
A spokeswoman for Chelsea and Westminster Heathcare Trust in London confirmed that one of their patients had tested negative for HIV about 14 months after testing positive in May 2002. But she said that Stimpson has so far declined to undergo further tests with them, according to Ireland On-Line.
Cord Blood Cells Could Widen Treatment Window for Stroke
University of South Florida researchers reported Saturday that human umbilical cord blood cells could be used to treat stroke victims outside the three-hour window that is the current standard.
The experimental treatment, which was administered to rats two days following a stroke, curbed inflammatory responses in the brain, limited stroke damage, and lead to greater recovery. The researchers, who shared the results at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C., could benefit more stroke victims.
"We were very surprised," said principal investigator Alison Willing, a neuroscientist at the university's Center for Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair. "In some animals, the stroke initially damaged half the brain, but after treatment with the cord blood cells they were functioning normally."
The only drug currently approved for ischemic stroke treatment is tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), which breaks up blood clots. However, it must be given within three hours of a stroke to work.
Loneliness Could Be Genetic, Researchers Say
Loneliness might be a family trait.
That's the conclusion of new research suggesting 48 percent of the variations in loneliness among people is a result of genetics. The rest is caused by life circumstances, such as leaving home or losing a spouse, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Researchers in the Netherlands and the University of Chicago examined surveys of 8,387 young adults in the Netherlands Twin Register. Fraternal and identical twins and their families responded to mailed surveys every two or three years. Twins were asked whether they agreed with such statements as "I feel lonely," "I like to be alone," "Nobody loves me," and "I try to have as little as possible to do with other people."
Thirty-five percent of the men and 50 percent of the women reported having moderate to extreme feelings of loneliness. And the researchers found less difference in loneliness ratings between identical twins.
There probably is more than one loneliness gene, although no such gene has yet been identified, said University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo, a co-author of the study, which is published in the journal Behavior Genetics.
Meditation Linked to Structural Changes in Brain
The regular practice of meditation seems to produce structural changes in areas of the brain associated with attention and sensory processing, a new study suggests.
The imaging study, led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, found that particular areas of the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, were thicker in participants who were experienced practitioners of a type of meditation commonly practiced in the United States and other western countries.
The findings appear in the Nov. 15 issue of NeuroReport, and are also to be presented Monday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington, D.C.
"Our results suggest that meditation can produce experience-based structural alterations in the brain," said study author Sara Lazar, of the hospital's Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program. "We also found evidence that meditation may slow down the aging-related atrophy of certain areas of the brain."
Food Fact:
Go nuts!
Eat the right number of nuts per week, and you may cut your risk of a fatal heart attack in half! That's what studies have shown for people who eat nuts five times or more per week. Many nuts, especially walnuts, are a good source of fatty acids that work in the body to lower heart disease risk. Eating nuts can help lower blood cholesterol, and reduce the risk of sudden severe heart attacks. But when eating nuts, it's important not to go overboard, because they're loaded with calories -- a 1/2 cup contains about 350 calories and 36 grams of fat. Instead of snacking on nuts by the handful, use them as an accent in a salad, in baked goods or pilafs.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Think ahead.
Going to the gym in the a.m.? It pays to pack your gym bag the night before. You'll be less likely to find excuses not to get up and work out if you've got everything ready ahead of time -- and less likely to forget something in haste as you're rushing out the door.
FAQ of the day:
Is vitamin E good for my eyes?
Extra vitamin E may help, but eating foods rich in yellow plant pigments is probably far more important. Lutein, the pigment in spinach, kale, corn, peas and other foods, concentrates in the macula of the eye, where it filters out harmful ultraviolet light. It sounds like you're getting more than enough vitamin E, so concentrate on eating carotenoid-rich vegetables, such as carrots, to help preserve your vision.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Health Headlines - November 12
New Bird Flu Outbreaks in China, Vietnam
China and Vietnam reported fresh outbreaks of the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu Saturday.
The latest China outbreak, its eighth within a month, is in Jingshan county in Hubei province, indicating that the virus appears to be spreading. Four suspected human cases of the virus are being investigated, but so far there have been no confirmed human infections in the country, according to wire reports.
The latest outbreak has killed 2,500 birds, and more than 30,000 birds are being culled, government authorities said Saturday.
The H5N1 strain has devastated poultry flocks across Asia since 2003 and killed at least 64 people.
In Vietnam, which has had two-thirds of the human deaths, two more provinces reported bird flu outbreaks, bringing to nine the total number of affected provinces, officials said Saturday.
In the northern province of Hung Yen, which borders Hanoi, about 150 poultry died and more than 300 have been destroyed, the National Animal Health Department said on its Web site.
In Ninh Binh province, poultry began dying in two villages earlier this week, and tests Friday confirmed the birds had the H5N1 strain, according to a provincial animal health officer.
Authorities have ordered the destruction of all birds in the two infected areas, about 10,000 in total. In the past month, more than 130,000 poultry have been culled throughout the country as Vietnam battles to stop the spread of the virus.
Loneliness Could Be Genetic, Researchers Say
Loneliness might be a family trait.
That's the conclusion of new research suggesting 48 percent of the variations in loneliness among people is a result of genetics. The rest is caused by life circumstances like leaving home or losing a spouse, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Researchers in the Netherlands and the University of Chicago examined surveys of 8,387 young adults in the Netherlands Twin Register. Fraternal and identical twins and their families responded to mailed surveys every two or three years. Twins were asked whether they agreed with such statements as "I feel lonely," "I like to be alone," "Nobody loves me," and "I try to have as little as possible to do with other people."
Thirty-five percent of the men and 50 percent of the women reported having moderate to extreme feelings of loneliness. And the researchers found less difference in loneliness ratings between identical twins.
There probably is more than one loneliness gene, although no such gene has yet been identified, said University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo, a co-author of the study, which is published in the journal Behavior Genetics.
Scientists Developing Combat Chewing Gum
Scientists are working on developing a chewing gum for combat soldiers too busy to brush their teeth.
The gum, described to an American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists meeting this week in Nashville, would contain a bacteria-fighting agent to prevent plaque, cavities and gum disease.
Soldiers in the field often lack the time or the means to brush and floss, and the stress of combat can encourage bacterial growth in the mouth, Col. Dennis Runyan, commander of the Army Dental and Trauma Research Detachment in Great Lakes, Ill., told the Associated Press.
Gum was considered an ideal solution because the Army already issues gum in field rations. Dr. Patrick DeLuca, a University of Kentucky drug product developer, is trying to make the prototype taste better and ensure that it retains its bacteria-fighting ability and flavor for up to an hour.
Once the development stage is complete sometime in the next year, scientists will begin field-testing the gum, possibly with Army units, the AP reported.
Warning Added to Birth-Control Patch Label
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered that a strong warning be added to the label on the popular Ortho Evra birth-control patch.
The FDA said the warning was needed to alert users of the patch that they're being exposed to higher estrogen levels than was previously revealed, putting them at increased risk of blood clots and other serious side effects, the Associated Press reported.
The warning, added to the patch label on Thursday, tells women using the patch that they're be exposed to about 60 percent more estrogen than what's found in typical birth-control pills.
Previously, the FDA and patch maker Ortho McNeil said that risks associated with the patch were expected to be similar to those associated with taking birth-control pills, the AP reported.
Several lawsuits have been filed against Ortho McNeil by families of women who suffered blood clots or died while using the patch.
Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, said in a prepared statement that there's no medical reason for women to use the "more dangerous Ortho Evra" rather than one of the "older, better understood, and equally effective oral contraceptives."
Meditation Linked to Structural Changes in Brain
The regular practice of meditation seems to produce structural changes in areas of the brain associated with attention and sensory processing, a new study suggests.
The imaging study, led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, found that particular areas of the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, were thicker in participants who were experienced practitioners of a type of meditation commonly practiced in the United States and other western countries.
The findings appear in the Nov. 15 issue of NeuroReport, and are also to be presented Monday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington, D.C.
"Our results suggest that meditation can produce experience-based structural alterations in the brain," said Sara Lazar, of the hospital's Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program, and the study's lead author. "We also found evidence that meditation may slow down the aging-related atrophy of certain areas of the brain."
Calif. Center Shuts Liver Transplant Program
The University of California, Irvine Medical Center abruptly shut down its liver transplantation program Thursday, hours after the federal government stripped the program's certification and said the hospital was endangering patients' prospects for survival.
The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that the decision came on the same day the newspaper reported that 32 people had died awaiting liver transplants in the last two years while hospital turned down scores of donated organs.
Dr. Ralph Cygan, UCI Medical Center's chief executive, announced an investigation into the program and said the 106 patients on UCI's liver waiting list would be transferred to other hospitals for transplants and other care.
UCI's is the second liver program in Southern California to announce its closure within a week. St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles said Nov. 4 that it would shut its program, weeks after admitting its staff inappropriately gave a liver to a patient who was deep on the waiting list and then falsified records, the Times reported.
Food Fact:
Mesclun around.
Translate this peculiar French word as "easy nutrition" for folks on the run. Mesclun, a mix of baby greens, gives the health-conscious yet harried salad eater a welcome break. Mesclun, also called gourmet salad mix, usually contains oak leaf lettuce, radicchio, mache, arugula and a smattering of fresh herbs. Even if the mix varies somewhat, it's certain to include an antioxidant-rich blend. Choose mesclun with crisp, dry leaves and no signs of wilting. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. Wash and spin dry just before serving.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Jump to it.
Feeling rundown? We bet an old gym-class standby can make you feel like a kid again. Skipping rope as part of your exercise routine burns a surprising number of calories and provides a great workout for your shoulders, arms and calves. It's fast-paced, varied and, best of all, you can do it anywhere!
FAQ of the day:
Are vitamin D supplements a good idea?
A daily multivitamin will provide safe amounts of vitamin D and other nutrients. Consider a calcium supplement as well, if there's no other rich source of calcium in your diet. You need both calcium and vitamin D to reduce your risk of osteoporosis and possibly colon cancer.
China and Vietnam reported fresh outbreaks of the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu Saturday.
The latest China outbreak, its eighth within a month, is in Jingshan county in Hubei province, indicating that the virus appears to be spreading. Four suspected human cases of the virus are being investigated, but so far there have been no confirmed human infections in the country, according to wire reports.
The latest outbreak has killed 2,500 birds, and more than 30,000 birds are being culled, government authorities said Saturday.
The H5N1 strain has devastated poultry flocks across Asia since 2003 and killed at least 64 people.
In Vietnam, which has had two-thirds of the human deaths, two more provinces reported bird flu outbreaks, bringing to nine the total number of affected provinces, officials said Saturday.
In the northern province of Hung Yen, which borders Hanoi, about 150 poultry died and more than 300 have been destroyed, the National Animal Health Department said on its Web site.
In Ninh Binh province, poultry began dying in two villages earlier this week, and tests Friday confirmed the birds had the H5N1 strain, according to a provincial animal health officer.
Authorities have ordered the destruction of all birds in the two infected areas, about 10,000 in total. In the past month, more than 130,000 poultry have been culled throughout the country as Vietnam battles to stop the spread of the virus.
Loneliness Could Be Genetic, Researchers Say
Loneliness might be a family trait.
That's the conclusion of new research suggesting 48 percent of the variations in loneliness among people is a result of genetics. The rest is caused by life circumstances like leaving home or losing a spouse, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Researchers in the Netherlands and the University of Chicago examined surveys of 8,387 young adults in the Netherlands Twin Register. Fraternal and identical twins and their families responded to mailed surveys every two or three years. Twins were asked whether they agreed with such statements as "I feel lonely," "I like to be alone," "Nobody loves me," and "I try to have as little as possible to do with other people."
Thirty-five percent of the men and 50 percent of the women reported having moderate to extreme feelings of loneliness. And the researchers found less difference in loneliness ratings between identical twins.
There probably is more than one loneliness gene, although no such gene has yet been identified, said University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo, a co-author of the study, which is published in the journal Behavior Genetics.
Scientists Developing Combat Chewing Gum
Scientists are working on developing a chewing gum for combat soldiers too busy to brush their teeth.
The gum, described to an American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists meeting this week in Nashville, would contain a bacteria-fighting agent to prevent plaque, cavities and gum disease.
Soldiers in the field often lack the time or the means to brush and floss, and the stress of combat can encourage bacterial growth in the mouth, Col. Dennis Runyan, commander of the Army Dental and Trauma Research Detachment in Great Lakes, Ill., told the Associated Press.
Gum was considered an ideal solution because the Army already issues gum in field rations. Dr. Patrick DeLuca, a University of Kentucky drug product developer, is trying to make the prototype taste better and ensure that it retains its bacteria-fighting ability and flavor for up to an hour.
Once the development stage is complete sometime in the next year, scientists will begin field-testing the gum, possibly with Army units, the AP reported.
Warning Added to Birth-Control Patch Label
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered that a strong warning be added to the label on the popular Ortho Evra birth-control patch.
The FDA said the warning was needed to alert users of the patch that they're being exposed to higher estrogen levels than was previously revealed, putting them at increased risk of blood clots and other serious side effects, the Associated Press reported.
The warning, added to the patch label on Thursday, tells women using the patch that they're be exposed to about 60 percent more estrogen than what's found in typical birth-control pills.
Previously, the FDA and patch maker Ortho McNeil said that risks associated with the patch were expected to be similar to those associated with taking birth-control pills, the AP reported.
Several lawsuits have been filed against Ortho McNeil by families of women who suffered blood clots or died while using the patch.
Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, said in a prepared statement that there's no medical reason for women to use the "more dangerous Ortho Evra" rather than one of the "older, better understood, and equally effective oral contraceptives."
Meditation Linked to Structural Changes in Brain
The regular practice of meditation seems to produce structural changes in areas of the brain associated with attention and sensory processing, a new study suggests.
The imaging study, led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, found that particular areas of the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, were thicker in participants who were experienced practitioners of a type of meditation commonly practiced in the United States and other western countries.
The findings appear in the Nov. 15 issue of NeuroReport, and are also to be presented Monday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington, D.C.
"Our results suggest that meditation can produce experience-based structural alterations in the brain," said Sara Lazar, of the hospital's Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program, and the study's lead author. "We also found evidence that meditation may slow down the aging-related atrophy of certain areas of the brain."
Calif. Center Shuts Liver Transplant Program
The University of California, Irvine Medical Center abruptly shut down its liver transplantation program Thursday, hours after the federal government stripped the program's certification and said the hospital was endangering patients' prospects for survival.
The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that the decision came on the same day the newspaper reported that 32 people had died awaiting liver transplants in the last two years while hospital turned down scores of donated organs.
Dr. Ralph Cygan, UCI Medical Center's chief executive, announced an investigation into the program and said the 106 patients on UCI's liver waiting list would be transferred to other hospitals for transplants and other care.
UCI's is the second liver program in Southern California to announce its closure within a week. St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles said Nov. 4 that it would shut its program, weeks after admitting its staff inappropriately gave a liver to a patient who was deep on the waiting list and then falsified records, the Times reported.
Food Fact:
Mesclun around.
Translate this peculiar French word as "easy nutrition" for folks on the run. Mesclun, a mix of baby greens, gives the health-conscious yet harried salad eater a welcome break. Mesclun, also called gourmet salad mix, usually contains oak leaf lettuce, radicchio, mache, arugula and a smattering of fresh herbs. Even if the mix varies somewhat, it's certain to include an antioxidant-rich blend. Choose mesclun with crisp, dry leaves and no signs of wilting. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. Wash and spin dry just before serving.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Jump to it.
Feeling rundown? We bet an old gym-class standby can make you feel like a kid again. Skipping rope as part of your exercise routine burns a surprising number of calories and provides a great workout for your shoulders, arms and calves. It's fast-paced, varied and, best of all, you can do it anywhere!
FAQ of the day:
Are vitamin D supplements a good idea?
A daily multivitamin will provide safe amounts of vitamin D and other nutrients. Consider a calcium supplement as well, if there's no other rich source of calcium in your diet. You need both calcium and vitamin D to reduce your risk of osteoporosis and possibly colon cancer.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Health Headlines - November 11
Appetite Suppressing Hormone Discovered
There's a new entry in the field of weight-controlling hormones, a finding of potential importance to the millions of Americans trying to lose weight without giving up their zest for eating.
The Stanford University researchers who discovered it have named it obestatin. It acts to suppress appetite, and its commercial possibilities are noted by sponsorship of the research by the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson.
Obestatin joins leptin, melanocortin and ghrelin, hormones identified in the last few years as acting on appetite and weight. So far, work with those molecules has not produced the hoped-for cure for obesity.
The obestatin discovery comes with a couple of twists. One is that it's produced by the same gene that produces ghrelin, which acts to suppress appetite. Another is that major credit for the discovery is given to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
The principles of evolution led to identification of obestatin, said Aaron Hsueh, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford, in whose laboratory the work was done. He also credited the information gathered by the Human Genome Project, which produced a complete human gene map.
Hsueh and his colleges used human genome data to study small-peptide hormones, which are active throughout the body. Specifically, they looked at the receptors for those hormones -- the cellular molecules to which the hormones are attached when they go into action. There are about 300 such receptors, of which 100 had no known hormone partner.
The search for missing hormones was narrowed by focusing on receptors that have been around for hundreds of millions of years and are found in many species. One of those receptors is for ghrelin. Further studies showed that ghrelin actually had another protein tacked on to it -- obestatin.
When the researchers injected obestatin into rats, "to our surprise, we found that treatment with it suppresses food intake," Hsueh said. And so, he added, "it could have potential as an appetite-suppressing drug, by injection. Or it might be possible to deliver by nasal spray. It also allows us to screen for new drugs that might suppress appetite."
The study findings appear in the Nov. 11 issue of the journal Science.
But Matthias Tschop, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati, and co-author of an editorial in the journal on obestatin, is sounding a note of caution.
"The effect of obestatin on body weight seems to be relatively limited," Tschop said. "Also, it might cause some sort of illness or nausea that causes a decrease in food intake."
The effect of obsestatin was discovered in research with rodents, Tschop noted. "The most obvious question is, does obestatin work in obese animals?" he said.
And the business of weight regulation is complicated, Tschop added. "There are many other players involved," he said. "And obestatin may have many other functions. For example, it could regulate physical activity."
But with all those caveats taken into consideration, the discovery of obestatin is "a step in the right direction," Tschop said.
Arteries' 'Repair Crews' Key to Heart Disease
It's the job of specialized bone marrow cells to repair damage to the lining of arteries, and the failure of these cells to keep up with that deterioration may be key to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), researchers report.
Bacterium, Gene Play Roles in Elderly Vision Loss
The diseased eye tissue of some patients with "wet" age-related macular degeneration (AMD) contains a bacterium called Chlamydia pneumoniae, which can cause chronic inflammation and has been linked to heart disease, researchers report.
New Pain Control System Approved
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Medtronic Personal Therapy Manager (PTM), allowing people with chronic pain to use Medtronic's SynchroMed II drug pump to manually deliver supplemental doses of pain medication, the company said.
Warning Issued for Birth-Control Patch
The Food and Drug Administration warned users of the popular Ortho Evra birth control patch that they are being exposed to more hormones, and are therefore at higher risk of blood clots and other serious side effects, than previously disclosed.
China Reports New Bird-Flu Outbreaks
China on Friday reported its fourth bird flu outbreak in chickens in the same province in two weeks, while Vietnam -— which has suffered two-thirds of Asia's human deaths from the virus -— ordered its military and police to help fight the disease.
Kuwait Flamingo Has Deadly Bird-Flu Strain
The deadly strain of bird flu that has devastated poultry and killed more than 60 people in Asia has been detected in a bird in Kuwait, the first known outbreak of the virus in the Gulf region, an agricultural official said Friday.
Food Fact:
Sap to it!
Guess how many gallons of raw sap it takes to make 1 gallon of pure maple syrup? When the sap starts running, Vermont sugarmakers start stoking the fire under the evaporators -- there are 40 gallons of raw sap per gallon that reaches your breakfast table. The all-natural sweetener is loaded with calories -- 50 per tablespoon -- and has no significant nutritive value. But it's so flavorful a little will go a long way. Maple sugar is about twice as sweet as refined granulated sugar, and is produced when nearly all the sap has evaporated. Try it sprinkled on scones or biscuits or stirred into hot apple cider.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Write it down.
Stuck in a rut? Reached a plateau? Break the logjam with an activity log! Keeping a fitness journal to track your routine will give you insight into your performance, let you measure your progress and help you set goals.
FAQ of the day:
What is mesclun?
Mesclun is an assortment of baby lettuce leaves, usually prewashed. The mix may be expensive, but there's no waste. It's so convenient you may find yourself eating a mesclun salad with every meal.
There's a new entry in the field of weight-controlling hormones, a finding of potential importance to the millions of Americans trying to lose weight without giving up their zest for eating.
The Stanford University researchers who discovered it have named it obestatin. It acts to suppress appetite, and its commercial possibilities are noted by sponsorship of the research by the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson.
Obestatin joins leptin, melanocortin and ghrelin, hormones identified in the last few years as acting on appetite and weight. So far, work with those molecules has not produced the hoped-for cure for obesity.
The obestatin discovery comes with a couple of twists. One is that it's produced by the same gene that produces ghrelin, which acts to suppress appetite. Another is that major credit for the discovery is given to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
The principles of evolution led to identification of obestatin, said Aaron Hsueh, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford, in whose laboratory the work was done. He also credited the information gathered by the Human Genome Project, which produced a complete human gene map.
Hsueh and his colleges used human genome data to study small-peptide hormones, which are active throughout the body. Specifically, they looked at the receptors for those hormones -- the cellular molecules to which the hormones are attached when they go into action. There are about 300 such receptors, of which 100 had no known hormone partner.
The search for missing hormones was narrowed by focusing on receptors that have been around for hundreds of millions of years and are found in many species. One of those receptors is for ghrelin. Further studies showed that ghrelin actually had another protein tacked on to it -- obestatin.
When the researchers injected obestatin into rats, "to our surprise, we found that treatment with it suppresses food intake," Hsueh said. And so, he added, "it could have potential as an appetite-suppressing drug, by injection. Or it might be possible to deliver by nasal spray. It also allows us to screen for new drugs that might suppress appetite."
The study findings appear in the Nov. 11 issue of the journal Science.
But Matthias Tschop, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati, and co-author of an editorial in the journal on obestatin, is sounding a note of caution.
"The effect of obestatin on body weight seems to be relatively limited," Tschop said. "Also, it might cause some sort of illness or nausea that causes a decrease in food intake."
The effect of obsestatin was discovered in research with rodents, Tschop noted. "The most obvious question is, does obestatin work in obese animals?" he said.
And the business of weight regulation is complicated, Tschop added. "There are many other players involved," he said. "And obestatin may have many other functions. For example, it could regulate physical activity."
But with all those caveats taken into consideration, the discovery of obestatin is "a step in the right direction," Tschop said.
Arteries' 'Repair Crews' Key to Heart Disease
It's the job of specialized bone marrow cells to repair damage to the lining of arteries, and the failure of these cells to keep up with that deterioration may be key to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), researchers report.
Bacterium, Gene Play Roles in Elderly Vision Loss
The diseased eye tissue of some patients with "wet" age-related macular degeneration (AMD) contains a bacterium called Chlamydia pneumoniae, which can cause chronic inflammation and has been linked to heart disease, researchers report.
New Pain Control System Approved
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Medtronic Personal Therapy Manager (PTM), allowing people with chronic pain to use Medtronic's SynchroMed II drug pump to manually deliver supplemental doses of pain medication, the company said.
Warning Issued for Birth-Control Patch
The Food and Drug Administration warned users of the popular Ortho Evra birth control patch that they are being exposed to more hormones, and are therefore at higher risk of blood clots and other serious side effects, than previously disclosed.
China Reports New Bird-Flu Outbreaks
China on Friday reported its fourth bird flu outbreak in chickens in the same province in two weeks, while Vietnam -— which has suffered two-thirds of Asia's human deaths from the virus -— ordered its military and police to help fight the disease.
Kuwait Flamingo Has Deadly Bird-Flu Strain
The deadly strain of bird flu that has devastated poultry and killed more than 60 people in Asia has been detected in a bird in Kuwait, the first known outbreak of the virus in the Gulf region, an agricultural official said Friday.
Food Fact:
Sap to it!
Guess how many gallons of raw sap it takes to make 1 gallon of pure maple syrup? When the sap starts running, Vermont sugarmakers start stoking the fire under the evaporators -- there are 40 gallons of raw sap per gallon that reaches your breakfast table. The all-natural sweetener is loaded with calories -- 50 per tablespoon -- and has no significant nutritive value. But it's so flavorful a little will go a long way. Maple sugar is about twice as sweet as refined granulated sugar, and is produced when nearly all the sap has evaporated. Try it sprinkled on scones or biscuits or stirred into hot apple cider.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Write it down.
Stuck in a rut? Reached a plateau? Break the logjam with an activity log! Keeping a fitness journal to track your routine will give you insight into your performance, let you measure your progress and help you set goals.
FAQ of the day:
What is mesclun?
Mesclun is an assortment of baby lettuce leaves, usually prewashed. The mix may be expensive, but there's no waste. It's so convenient you may find yourself eating a mesclun salad with every meal.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Health Headlines - November 10
Bird flu spreads further in Asia
Three Asian nations reported more outbreaks of bird flu in poultry on Thursday, a day after health experts unveiled a $1 billion global plan to halt the spread of the virus.
Kuwait Announces Bird Flu in Fowl
Kuwait has detected two cases of bird flu in fowl, a senior official said Thursday, but it was not clear if the virus strain was the deadly version that has devastated poultry in Asia and has triggered fears of a human pandemic.
UK nurses and pharmacists to prescribe drugs
Nurses and pharmacists in Britain are to be given greater powers to prescribe medicines, the Department of Health said on Thursday, prompting an angry response from leading doctors who described it as dangerous.
Nurses have been prescribing drugs for minor injuries for some time but under new rules they will be able to prescribe for more serious conditions too.
Both groups will undergo training before being allowed to prescribe drugs after health secretary Patricia Hewitt announced the change, to give doctors more time for complex care.
The powers will only be given to experienced nurses and pharmacists and will start in the first half of 2006.
"Extending prescribing responsibilities is an important part of our commitment to modernize the NHS," Hewitt said in a statement.
"By expanding traditional prescribing roles, patients can more easily access the medicines they need from an increased number of highly trained health professionals."
But the British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, has attacked the decision.
"This is an irresponsible and dangerous move," said Paul Miller, chairman of the BMA's consultants committee.
"Patients will suffer. I would not have me or my family subject to other than the highest level of care and prescribing, which is that provided by a fully trained doctor."
But the move was welcomed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society which said it would result in faster access to medicines and help take the pressure off overworked GPs.
Uncanny Canines Sense Oncoming Seizures
Four o'clock in the morning a little more than two weeks ago, Cheryl Huey of Monroe, La., felt herself being roused from sleep.
Chelsea, the new 2-year-old female golden retriever that Huey and her teenage son Taylor had just brought home the day before had run from his bedroom to hers and was now agitatedly pawing at her arm.
"I got up and went to Taylor's bedroom and said, 'Hey, looks like we got to take her outside, she needs to go to the bathroom,'" Huey recalled.
However, "About 10 minutes later we were out in the parking lot, and Taylor starts having a seizure," Huey said. Taylor, 16, has epilepsy and experiences a temporarily debilitating attack about once a month.
Because the onset of a seizure is unpredictable and injury is possible if her son falls or is otherwise hurt during an attack, Cheryl Huey decided to adopt Chelsea -- a dog specifically trained to alert epileptics to seizures before they occur -- to help protect Taylor and give him an independence he hadn't had before.
Witnessing Chelsea's ability to sense the onset of an attack even as Taylor lay sleeping was extraordinary, Huey said. "At the time, I just couldn't believe it," she said.
"Then, out in the parking lot after he had stopped the seizure, I told her 'Stay, Chelsea,' and she crawled across his body and lay on top of him as I ran inside to get help. When I came out again, she was still across his body -- part of her training is to just protect and stay with him."
Jennifer Arnold, founder and operator of nonprofit Canine Assistants, where Chelsea was born and trained, said seizure-alert dogs can also be taught to push a button to dial 911, tug open doors to run and get help, and even use their mouths to bring their human a cordless phone or any medication they might need.
"Seeing Chelsea's reaction that first time, the response she had, I now have confidence that in the event of a seizure she's going to be in charge," Huey said.
Taylor Huey's new companion is giving him new freedom and peace of mind, too. "She's going to make me more confident and independent, help me do more stuff by myself," he said.
That's not always easy for people with epilepsy, which is still a very poorly understood disorder.
"It's a chronic condition and [an attack] is literally an electric storm in the brain that can change behaviors," explained Dr. Blanca Vasquez, director of clinical research at New York University's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. While seizures can vary greatly in their intensity and outward manifestations, many are preceded by sensations known as an aura, she said.
Even from far across a room, seizure-alert dogs seem to be able to pick up on extremely subtle physiological changes -- minute alterations in odor or movement -- that may begin anywhere from 45 to five or 10 minutes before an actual attack. "More research needs to be done," Arnold said. "We don't exactly know right now what the dogs are responding to."
But their ability to sense these changes for their owners can be invaluable, since early warning of a seizure's onset helps people with epilepsy find a safe environment or take precautionary measures.
The Labradors and retrievers trained by the experts at Alpharetta, Ga.-based Canine Assistants begin their 18 months of instruction at just 2 days of age, learning over 90 standard commands. More mysteriously, some protective measures seem to come to the dogs by instinct, Arnold said. For example, when sensing an oncoming seizure, "they tend to want their person to lie on the ground," she said.
As any person with epilepsy will tell you, that's about the most sensible action an individual can take before a seizure, since falling is the leading cause of serious injury during an attack.
"It's fascinating -- dogs who have never seen anyone have a seizure will tug at their person's sleeve, they want you on the ground," Arnold said. "How do they have that instinct that lying on the ground is safer? We have no idea."
Arnold's investment in Canine Assistants is a very personal one. Stricken with multiple sclerosis at 16, she was confined for a time to a wheelchair. Seeking to help his daughter, Arnold's father, now deceased, discovered that people were training dogs to help partially immobilized patients navigate the tasks of daily living.
Fortunately for Arnold, her MS has improved so she can walk again. But her experience, combined with a love of dogs, compelled her and her mother to start Canine Assistants in 1991. The company matches dogs with owners in need, charging no fees.
Right now, the seizure-alert arm of Canine Assistants is funded by pharmaceutical company UCB Pharma, Inc. Arnold's team also trains dogs to help individuals with other disorders such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease).
And the ability of these canines to sense other, hidden health dangers is emerging, too.
"There are already dogs that have been anecdotally reported to be able to pick up on dangerously low blood sugar, including one of our own seizure-alert dogs," Arnold said. "And a service dog a few years ago alerted his owner in the middle of the night that he was having a heart attack in his sleep -- and then did it again for a stranger in a mall."
For people with epilepsy, having a four-legged, early warning system that can be taken everywhere gives them a sense of security and independence many haven't had before.
Taylor Huey said he hasn't yet decided whether he'll start taking Chelsea to school, but he certainly feels comfortable bringing her to daily outings such as church or shopping.
And Chelsea's arrival means Cheryl Huey can finally let her teenager go off on his own without worry.
"Sunday we went to the mall, and he went with me," she said. "I went to get my nails done and, as usual, I said 'Come on, Taylor.' He looked at me and said, 'No, it's OK, I've got Chelsea.' And I thought, 'Yeah, you do.' "
Hair Bleach May Trigger Asthma
Hair stylists can develop occupational asthma and rhinitis (chronic runny nose) from exposure to chemicals called persulphate salts in hair bleaching agents, researchers say.
Scientists Uncover Protein's Weight-Loss Secrets
A study of protein-munching rats shows that a low-carb diet sparks a chain of biological events that ultimately curbs hunger.
Cannabis-based Drug Eases Arthritis Pain
The first-ever study focused on a cannabis-based medicine aimed at easing the pain of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) finds it may help suppress the disease.
MRI Deemed Vital to Diagnosing MS
Newly published expert guidelines in treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) are putting a stronger focus on MRI in the diagnosis of the disease.
Reflux-Linked Esophagus Cancer On the Rise
The incidence of a deadly form of esophagus cancer associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is rising at an alarming rate, experts say.
Some kids outgrow nut allergies: study
Nine percent of children allergic to tree nuts such as almonds and pecans eventually outgrow their allergy, even those who have had severe reactions, researchers said on Wednesday.
Food Fact:
The world's No. 1 fruit?
Believe it or not, it's not the apple or banana. It's the mango! The intense orange flesh is not only meltingly sweet, soft, juicy and delicious, but reflects a high level of beta carotene, which our bodies convert to much-needed vitamin A. A whole mango provides about 130 calories along with all the vitamin C that most of us need daily. Don't go by color alone when choosing a ripe mango. The flesh should give a little to pressure, much like a ripe avocado. For smoothies, frozen treats and fruit salads, buy frozen mango pieces. The price is right and ripeness is guaranteed.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Get in-line.
Step into a pair of skates for a head-turning pair of legs and a killer derriere. In-line skating is a strength-training and cardio workout all in one. Studies find in-line skating to be more aerobic than cycling, easier on your joints than running, and a great way to shape and tone muscles. Get rolling and you can burn 570 - 900 calories an hour!
FAQ of the day:
Will eating blueberries improve my balance?
They seem to help rats keep their footing. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston fed rats antioxidant-rich extracts of blueberries, strawberries or spinach for eight months, the animals were protected from age-related declines in brain functions, including cognitive function. For some reason, those that received the blueberry extracts were also better able to keep their balance when walking over small rods.
Three Asian nations reported more outbreaks of bird flu in poultry on Thursday, a day after health experts unveiled a $1 billion global plan to halt the spread of the virus.
Kuwait Announces Bird Flu in Fowl
Kuwait has detected two cases of bird flu in fowl, a senior official said Thursday, but it was not clear if the virus strain was the deadly version that has devastated poultry in Asia and has triggered fears of a human pandemic.
UK nurses and pharmacists to prescribe drugs
Nurses and pharmacists in Britain are to be given greater powers to prescribe medicines, the Department of Health said on Thursday, prompting an angry response from leading doctors who described it as dangerous.
Nurses have been prescribing drugs for minor injuries for some time but under new rules they will be able to prescribe for more serious conditions too.
Both groups will undergo training before being allowed to prescribe drugs after health secretary Patricia Hewitt announced the change, to give doctors more time for complex care.
The powers will only be given to experienced nurses and pharmacists and will start in the first half of 2006.
"Extending prescribing responsibilities is an important part of our commitment to modernize the NHS," Hewitt said in a statement.
"By expanding traditional prescribing roles, patients can more easily access the medicines they need from an increased number of highly trained health professionals."
But the British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, has attacked the decision.
"This is an irresponsible and dangerous move," said Paul Miller, chairman of the BMA's consultants committee.
"Patients will suffer. I would not have me or my family subject to other than the highest level of care and prescribing, which is that provided by a fully trained doctor."
But the move was welcomed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society which said it would result in faster access to medicines and help take the pressure off overworked GPs.
Uncanny Canines Sense Oncoming Seizures
Four o'clock in the morning a little more than two weeks ago, Cheryl Huey of Monroe, La., felt herself being roused from sleep.
Chelsea, the new 2-year-old female golden retriever that Huey and her teenage son Taylor had just brought home the day before had run from his bedroom to hers and was now agitatedly pawing at her arm.
"I got up and went to Taylor's bedroom and said, 'Hey, looks like we got to take her outside, she needs to go to the bathroom,'" Huey recalled.
However, "About 10 minutes later we were out in the parking lot, and Taylor starts having a seizure," Huey said. Taylor, 16, has epilepsy and experiences a temporarily debilitating attack about once a month.
Because the onset of a seizure is unpredictable and injury is possible if her son falls or is otherwise hurt during an attack, Cheryl Huey decided to adopt Chelsea -- a dog specifically trained to alert epileptics to seizures before they occur -- to help protect Taylor and give him an independence he hadn't had before.
Witnessing Chelsea's ability to sense the onset of an attack even as Taylor lay sleeping was extraordinary, Huey said. "At the time, I just couldn't believe it," she said.
"Then, out in the parking lot after he had stopped the seizure, I told her 'Stay, Chelsea,' and she crawled across his body and lay on top of him as I ran inside to get help. When I came out again, she was still across his body -- part of her training is to just protect and stay with him."
Jennifer Arnold, founder and operator of nonprofit Canine Assistants, where Chelsea was born and trained, said seizure-alert dogs can also be taught to push a button to dial 911, tug open doors to run and get help, and even use their mouths to bring their human a cordless phone or any medication they might need.
"Seeing Chelsea's reaction that first time, the response she had, I now have confidence that in the event of a seizure she's going to be in charge," Huey said.
Taylor Huey's new companion is giving him new freedom and peace of mind, too. "She's going to make me more confident and independent, help me do more stuff by myself," he said.
That's not always easy for people with epilepsy, which is still a very poorly understood disorder.
"It's a chronic condition and [an attack] is literally an electric storm in the brain that can change behaviors," explained Dr. Blanca Vasquez, director of clinical research at New York University's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. While seizures can vary greatly in their intensity and outward manifestations, many are preceded by sensations known as an aura, she said.
Even from far across a room, seizure-alert dogs seem to be able to pick up on extremely subtle physiological changes -- minute alterations in odor or movement -- that may begin anywhere from 45 to five or 10 minutes before an actual attack. "More research needs to be done," Arnold said. "We don't exactly know right now what the dogs are responding to."
But their ability to sense these changes for their owners can be invaluable, since early warning of a seizure's onset helps people with epilepsy find a safe environment or take precautionary measures.
The Labradors and retrievers trained by the experts at Alpharetta, Ga.-based Canine Assistants begin their 18 months of instruction at just 2 days of age, learning over 90 standard commands. More mysteriously, some protective measures seem to come to the dogs by instinct, Arnold said. For example, when sensing an oncoming seizure, "they tend to want their person to lie on the ground," she said.
As any person with epilepsy will tell you, that's about the most sensible action an individual can take before a seizure, since falling is the leading cause of serious injury during an attack.
"It's fascinating -- dogs who have never seen anyone have a seizure will tug at their person's sleeve, they want you on the ground," Arnold said. "How do they have that instinct that lying on the ground is safer? We have no idea."
Arnold's investment in Canine Assistants is a very personal one. Stricken with multiple sclerosis at 16, she was confined for a time to a wheelchair. Seeking to help his daughter, Arnold's father, now deceased, discovered that people were training dogs to help partially immobilized patients navigate the tasks of daily living.
Fortunately for Arnold, her MS has improved so she can walk again. But her experience, combined with a love of dogs, compelled her and her mother to start Canine Assistants in 1991. The company matches dogs with owners in need, charging no fees.
Right now, the seizure-alert arm of Canine Assistants is funded by pharmaceutical company UCB Pharma, Inc. Arnold's team also trains dogs to help individuals with other disorders such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease).
And the ability of these canines to sense other, hidden health dangers is emerging, too.
"There are already dogs that have been anecdotally reported to be able to pick up on dangerously low blood sugar, including one of our own seizure-alert dogs," Arnold said. "And a service dog a few years ago alerted his owner in the middle of the night that he was having a heart attack in his sleep -- and then did it again for a stranger in a mall."
For people with epilepsy, having a four-legged, early warning system that can be taken everywhere gives them a sense of security and independence many haven't had before.
Taylor Huey said he hasn't yet decided whether he'll start taking Chelsea to school, but he certainly feels comfortable bringing her to daily outings such as church or shopping.
And Chelsea's arrival means Cheryl Huey can finally let her teenager go off on his own without worry.
"Sunday we went to the mall, and he went with me," she said. "I went to get my nails done and, as usual, I said 'Come on, Taylor.' He looked at me and said, 'No, it's OK, I've got Chelsea.' And I thought, 'Yeah, you do.' "
Hair Bleach May Trigger Asthma
Hair stylists can develop occupational asthma and rhinitis (chronic runny nose) from exposure to chemicals called persulphate salts in hair bleaching agents, researchers say.
Scientists Uncover Protein's Weight-Loss Secrets
A study of protein-munching rats shows that a low-carb diet sparks a chain of biological events that ultimately curbs hunger.
Cannabis-based Drug Eases Arthritis Pain
The first-ever study focused on a cannabis-based medicine aimed at easing the pain of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) finds it may help suppress the disease.
MRI Deemed Vital to Diagnosing MS
Newly published expert guidelines in treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) are putting a stronger focus on MRI in the diagnosis of the disease.
Reflux-Linked Esophagus Cancer On the Rise
The incidence of a deadly form of esophagus cancer associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is rising at an alarming rate, experts say.
Some kids outgrow nut allergies: study
Nine percent of children allergic to tree nuts such as almonds and pecans eventually outgrow their allergy, even those who have had severe reactions, researchers said on Wednesday.
Food Fact:
The world's No. 1 fruit?
Believe it or not, it's not the apple or banana. It's the mango! The intense orange flesh is not only meltingly sweet, soft, juicy and delicious, but reflects a high level of beta carotene, which our bodies convert to much-needed vitamin A. A whole mango provides about 130 calories along with all the vitamin C that most of us need daily. Don't go by color alone when choosing a ripe mango. The flesh should give a little to pressure, much like a ripe avocado. For smoothies, frozen treats and fruit salads, buy frozen mango pieces. The price is right and ripeness is guaranteed.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Get in-line.
Step into a pair of skates for a head-turning pair of legs and a killer derriere. In-line skating is a strength-training and cardio workout all in one. Studies find in-line skating to be more aerobic than cycling, easier on your joints than running, and a great way to shape and tone muscles. Get rolling and you can burn 570 - 900 calories an hour!
FAQ of the day:
Will eating blueberries improve my balance?
They seem to help rats keep their footing. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston fed rats antioxidant-rich extracts of blueberries, strawberries or spinach for eight months, the animals were protected from age-related declines in brain functions, including cognitive function. For some reason, those that received the blueberry extracts were also better able to keep their balance when walking over small rods.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Health Headlines - November 9
Hair Bleach May Trigger Asthma
Hair stylists can develop occupational asthma and rhinitis (chronic runny nose) from exposure to chemicals called persulphate salts in hair bleaching agents, researchers say.
Vietnam to Produce Generic Bird-Flu Drug
Vietnam has reached an agreement with the Swiss manufacturer of the antiviral drug Tamiflu to allow the country to produce a generic version starting early next year in an effort to protect its population against bird flu, a Health Ministry official said Wednesday.
Birthing Classes
If you are having a child for the first time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by questions, fears, and just not knowing what to expect. Many new parents find that birthing classes can really help calm their worries and answer many questions.
Infant Botulism
Infant botulism is an illness that can occur when a newborn ingests a specific type of bacteria that produce a toxin inside the body. The condition can be frightening because it can cause muscle weakness and breathing problems. But it is very rare: Fewer than 100 cases of infant botulism occur each year in the United States. Most of the babies who do get botulism recover fully.
Kids With Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a type of learning disability in which a child has difficulty learning to read and understand written language. Even kids with average or above-average intelligence, plenty of motivation, and ample opportunities to read can have dyslexia. Because kids with dyslexia have trouble making the basic connection between letters and their sounds, they often also have difficulty with spelling, writing, and speaking.
Report Finds Flaws in Mad Cow Test Program
Government investigators say testing is too slow at times to prevent cattle from eating feed that might be contaminated, just one flaw they cited in a program to help stop mad cow disease from spreading.
Syphilis rises in US but gonorrhea at new low - study
The number of U.S. syphilis cases rose for the fourth straight year in 2004, fueled by increases among men, while the gonorrhea disease rate reached a historic low, federal health researchers said on Tuesday.
Survey Looks at Ethics of Alzheimer's Trials
The majority of Americans approve of allowing patients with Alzheimer's disease to be enrolled in research studies -- even when they aren't able to provide their own consent, new research shows.
For Women, Laughter Is a Just Reward
The path to a good belly laugh may be strikingly different between women and men.
Pediatrician Counseling Boosts Gun Safety at Home
Pediatricians who provide brief counseling and training sessions on gun safety can greatly improve parents' gun-storage behaviors, a new study finds.
Aspirin May Help Prevent Throat Cancer
Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help prevent esophageal cancer from developing in patients with Barrett's esophagus, researchers report.
Antibiotics Still Prescribed Too Often
Despite widespread concern about the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, too many people are still receiving prescriptions for antibiotics they don't need.
Health Tip: Air Bags Can Harm Children
Although air bags are extremely effective in saving adult lives, they often do not have the same effect for children.
If it's necessary for your child to ride in the front seat of a car with a passenger air bag, follow these tips to prevent injuries, courtesy of the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania:
Secure the child in a restraint system that is correct for his size.
Move the front seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.
Do not allow the child to lean forward toward the dashboard.
Never allow a rear-facing infant to ride in front of a passenger air bag.
To ensure utmost safety, however, children should be seated in the back seat of the car, protected by safety seats.
Health Tip: Acne Isn't Just for Teens and Adults Anymore
Acne doesn't just appear on teenagers and adults.
It is also common on a baby's cheeks during the first few months of life, and is known as neonatal acne.
According to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, neonatal acne is caused by hormonal stimulation of glands in the cheeks, and appears between the ages of 2 and 4 weeks. It consists of red bumps or pimples.
Parents should keep the baby's cheeks clean and dry, and know that baby lotions or oils can make the condition worse. However, the acne is temporary and should disappear by the ages of 4 months to 6 months.
If the rash spreads, gets worse, or the baby experiences a fever, parents should see a pediatrician.
Hair stylists can develop occupational asthma and rhinitis (chronic runny nose) from exposure to chemicals called persulphate salts in hair bleaching agents, researchers say.
Vietnam to Produce Generic Bird-Flu Drug
Vietnam has reached an agreement with the Swiss manufacturer of the antiviral drug Tamiflu to allow the country to produce a generic version starting early next year in an effort to protect its population against bird flu, a Health Ministry official said Wednesday.
Birthing Classes
If you are having a child for the first time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by questions, fears, and just not knowing what to expect. Many new parents find that birthing classes can really help calm their worries and answer many questions.
Infant Botulism
Infant botulism is an illness that can occur when a newborn ingests a specific type of bacteria that produce a toxin inside the body. The condition can be frightening because it can cause muscle weakness and breathing problems. But it is very rare: Fewer than 100 cases of infant botulism occur each year in the United States. Most of the babies who do get botulism recover fully.
Kids With Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a type of learning disability in which a child has difficulty learning to read and understand written language. Even kids with average or above-average intelligence, plenty of motivation, and ample opportunities to read can have dyslexia. Because kids with dyslexia have trouble making the basic connection between letters and their sounds, they often also have difficulty with spelling, writing, and speaking.
Report Finds Flaws in Mad Cow Test Program
Government investigators say testing is too slow at times to prevent cattle from eating feed that might be contaminated, just one flaw they cited in a program to help stop mad cow disease from spreading.
Syphilis rises in US but gonorrhea at new low - study
The number of U.S. syphilis cases rose for the fourth straight year in 2004, fueled by increases among men, while the gonorrhea disease rate reached a historic low, federal health researchers said on Tuesday.
Survey Looks at Ethics of Alzheimer's Trials
The majority of Americans approve of allowing patients with Alzheimer's disease to be enrolled in research studies -- even when they aren't able to provide their own consent, new research shows.
For Women, Laughter Is a Just Reward
The path to a good belly laugh may be strikingly different between women and men.
Pediatrician Counseling Boosts Gun Safety at Home
Pediatricians who provide brief counseling and training sessions on gun safety can greatly improve parents' gun-storage behaviors, a new study finds.
Aspirin May Help Prevent Throat Cancer
Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help prevent esophageal cancer from developing in patients with Barrett's esophagus, researchers report.
Antibiotics Still Prescribed Too Often
Despite widespread concern about the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, too many people are still receiving prescriptions for antibiotics they don't need.
Health Tip: Air Bags Can Harm Children
Although air bags are extremely effective in saving adult lives, they often do not have the same effect for children.
If it's necessary for your child to ride in the front seat of a car with a passenger air bag, follow these tips to prevent injuries, courtesy of the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania:
Secure the child in a restraint system that is correct for his size.
Move the front seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.
Do not allow the child to lean forward toward the dashboard.
Never allow a rear-facing infant to ride in front of a passenger air bag.
To ensure utmost safety, however, children should be seated in the back seat of the car, protected by safety seats.
Health Tip: Acne Isn't Just for Teens and Adults Anymore
Acne doesn't just appear on teenagers and adults.
It is also common on a baby's cheeks during the first few months of life, and is known as neonatal acne.
According to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, neonatal acne is caused by hormonal stimulation of glands in the cheeks, and appears between the ages of 2 and 4 weeks. It consists of red bumps or pimples.
Parents should keep the baby's cheeks clean and dry, and know that baby lotions or oils can make the condition worse. However, the acne is temporary and should disappear by the ages of 4 months to 6 months.
If the rash spreads, gets worse, or the baby experiences a fever, parents should see a pediatrician.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Health Headlines - November 8
U.S. Urges Rapid Response Plan for Potential Bird Flu Pandemic
The World Health Organization (WHO) should immediately convene a small expert panel to devise a rapid response to a potential avian flu pandemic, the United States proposed Tuesday.
The U.S. said this panel should also create a plan to improve worldwide influenza surveillance. Both tasks should be completed by January so they can be considered by the WHO's executive board, the Associated Press reported.
"We must go beyond generalized planning and well-intentioned expressions of cooperation. Now is the time to speak and act with specificity," Stewart Simonson, assistant secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, told experts meeting at WHO's Geneva, Switzerland, headquarters.
He said the U.S. believes the international community must take immediate action to increase bird flu surveillance, especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the AP reported.
In other news, Vietnam reported Tuesday that another person had been killed by bird flu. The man's death brings Vietnam's bird flu death toll to 42, the highest of any country.
Swiss drug maker Roche said it has stopped selling the antiretroviral drug Tamiflu in China and has turned supplies of the drug in that country over to the Chinese government. Roche said it believed the government could best handle rapid distribution of Tamiflu -- one of the few drugs believed to be effective against bird flu -- in the event of a pandemic, the AP reported.
In Japan, officials announced Tuesday that 170,00 more chickens will be killed in an area north of Tokyo where a bird flu virus from the H5 family was detected.
The World Bank said Monday that it has created a $500 million loan program to assist Southeast Asian nations trying to contain bird flu outbreaks. The loan program will be presented next week to the bank's board for approval, The New York Times reported.
The loan money would be provided quickly to countries that ask for it, a World Bank spokesperson said. The program was announced in Geneva at the first major international coordination meeting on bird flu.
The European Union also announced Monday that it's donating $35 million to help Asian countries combat bird flu.
Happy Marriage Offers Flu Protection
Marital bliss may help protect you against flu, says a British study that also found that people who are recently divorced or bereaved may be more susceptible to flu.
University of Birmingham researchers studied the effect that stress can have on a person's immune response to a flu shot. That response is considered a good marker of the body's ability to fend off a flu virus. Higher levels of antibodies in the blood indicate that the body is better primed to combat infection, BBC News reported.
The study of 180 people over age 65 found that happily married people had much higher levels of antibodies in the blood than other people. People whose partners had died in the year prior to flu vaccination had lower antibody levels than people who hadn't suffered bereavement.
"We know that those aged over 65 are more at risk of the impact of flu. But this research shows that within that group, those that have been recently bereaved, or those that are single, divorced or widowed are more at risk than those who are in a happy marriage," lead researcher Dr. Anna Phillips said.
Nikon Recalls Camera Battery Packs
Nikon Inc. has issued a worldwide recall of about 710,000 rechargeable camera battery packs -- including about 200,000 in the United States -- that can shortcircuit, overheat and possibly melt, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
The lithium ion battery packs -- with model number EN-EL3 -- were included as power sources for Nikon's digital SLR D100, D70 and D50 cameras and were also sold separately for about $50. There have been four reports of problems with the batteries but no reports of injuries.
Consumers with an EN-EL3 battery pack should check Nikon's Web site to determine if their battery pack is included in the recall. If so, consumers should stop using the battery pack and contact Nikon for a free replacement.
For more information, contact Nikon at 1-800-645-6678 or go to Nikon's Web site (http://www.nikonusa.com).
Tryptophan Suppresses Overactive Immune System
A substance called tryptophan, found in turkeys and a number of other foods, can suppress an overactive immune system and may point the way to new treatments for autoimmune disorders, according to new research.
Stanford University scientists found that a breakdown product -- kynuerenines -- produced in the body by tryptophan drastically reduced inflammation and reversed paralysis in mice with form of multiple sclerosis (MS), The New York Times reported.
The research was published in the current issue of the journal Science.
"I have always been a skeptic regarding the interaction of diet and immunity. But now I'm getting smacked on the head by my own research," study leader Dr. Lawrence Steinman, chairman of Stanford's immunology program, told The Times.
The findings are "very interesting and quite encouraging," autoimmune disorder expert Dr. Marc Feldman, professor of medicine at Imperial College London, told The Times. He said the next step is to determine if this kind of treatment is safe for people.
U.S. Emergency Departments Can't Handle Disasters: Experts
Many U.S. trauma centers and emergency departments are already at their capability limits and wouldn't be able to deal with a flu pandemic, terrorist attack or other types of disasters.
That's the conclusion of health experts like Larry Gage, president of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, who told the Associated Press,"Trauma centers are never more than a couple of minor incidents from being overwhelmed."
"Across the country, the level of crowding at emergency departments has reached levels that are unprecedented in America's history," Dr. Kathleen Clem, chief of emergency medicine at Duke University Medical Center, said.
Experts note that trauma and emergency services are money losers. It costs a lot of money to maintain a 24-hour staff of specialized health workers, and many patients who use the services don't have health insurance. That's why many hospitals no longer offer trauma and emergency care, which places more pressure on hospitals that still offer those services, experts say.
Emergency doctors are demanding more support from the federal government and are in favor of a bill that would increase Medicare payments to emergency doctors and hospitals by 10 percent, the AP reported.
However, that bill so far has only two sponsors.
Food Fact:
The perfect food?
Here are five good reasons it just might be lentils. 1) Lentils, a fine source of plant protein, don't take hours to cook, unlike other dried beans. 2) Lentils are rich in soluble fiber, which helps control blood cholesterol. 3) Lentils provide some calcium, iron and other trace minerals. 4) Lentils are one of the best sources for folic acid, a B vitamin critical for preventing neural tube defects. 5) Lentils may protect against some types of cancers and lower heart disease risk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Boost "good" cholesterol.
Here's one of the best arguments for daily aerobic exercise. Medical trials suggest that a daily dose of walking, biking, jogging, or swimming helps reduce the risk of heart disease, especially if that increased activity helps you lose weight. Research shows such exercise is the best way to raise HDLs, the "good" cholesterol that helps carry harmful fats out of your system.
FAQ of the day:
Why are my hips and thighs so big?
The hormones that maintain a woman's fat reserves for pregnancy and lactation also help determine where fat is stored. Despite what you see in magazines, a so-called "pear" shape is perfectly normal for a healthy woman. In fact, the female distribution of body fat in the hips and thighs has been associated with lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and breast cancer. Women who tend to have more of a male distribution of body fat, with fat stored around the waist, are at higher risk for these diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) should immediately convene a small expert panel to devise a rapid response to a potential avian flu pandemic, the United States proposed Tuesday.
The U.S. said this panel should also create a plan to improve worldwide influenza surveillance. Both tasks should be completed by January so they can be considered by the WHO's executive board, the Associated Press reported.
"We must go beyond generalized planning and well-intentioned expressions of cooperation. Now is the time to speak and act with specificity," Stewart Simonson, assistant secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, told experts meeting at WHO's Geneva, Switzerland, headquarters.
He said the U.S. believes the international community must take immediate action to increase bird flu surveillance, especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the AP reported.
In other news, Vietnam reported Tuesday that another person had been killed by bird flu. The man's death brings Vietnam's bird flu death toll to 42, the highest of any country.
Swiss drug maker Roche said it has stopped selling the antiretroviral drug Tamiflu in China and has turned supplies of the drug in that country over to the Chinese government. Roche said it believed the government could best handle rapid distribution of Tamiflu -- one of the few drugs believed to be effective against bird flu -- in the event of a pandemic, the AP reported.
In Japan, officials announced Tuesday that 170,00 more chickens will be killed in an area north of Tokyo where a bird flu virus from the H5 family was detected.
The World Bank said Monday that it has created a $500 million loan program to assist Southeast Asian nations trying to contain bird flu outbreaks. The loan program will be presented next week to the bank's board for approval, The New York Times reported.
The loan money would be provided quickly to countries that ask for it, a World Bank spokesperson said. The program was announced in Geneva at the first major international coordination meeting on bird flu.
The European Union also announced Monday that it's donating $35 million to help Asian countries combat bird flu.
Happy Marriage Offers Flu Protection
Marital bliss may help protect you against flu, says a British study that also found that people who are recently divorced or bereaved may be more susceptible to flu.
University of Birmingham researchers studied the effect that stress can have on a person's immune response to a flu shot. That response is considered a good marker of the body's ability to fend off a flu virus. Higher levels of antibodies in the blood indicate that the body is better primed to combat infection, BBC News reported.
The study of 180 people over age 65 found that happily married people had much higher levels of antibodies in the blood than other people. People whose partners had died in the year prior to flu vaccination had lower antibody levels than people who hadn't suffered bereavement.
"We know that those aged over 65 are more at risk of the impact of flu. But this research shows that within that group, those that have been recently bereaved, or those that are single, divorced or widowed are more at risk than those who are in a happy marriage," lead researcher Dr. Anna Phillips said.
Nikon Recalls Camera Battery Packs
Nikon Inc. has issued a worldwide recall of about 710,000 rechargeable camera battery packs -- including about 200,000 in the United States -- that can shortcircuit, overheat and possibly melt, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
The lithium ion battery packs -- with model number EN-EL3 -- were included as power sources for Nikon's digital SLR D100, D70 and D50 cameras and were also sold separately for about $50. There have been four reports of problems with the batteries but no reports of injuries.
Consumers with an EN-EL3 battery pack should check Nikon's Web site to determine if their battery pack is included in the recall. If so, consumers should stop using the battery pack and contact Nikon for a free replacement.
For more information, contact Nikon at 1-800-645-6678 or go to Nikon's Web site (http://www.nikonusa.com).
Tryptophan Suppresses Overactive Immune System
A substance called tryptophan, found in turkeys and a number of other foods, can suppress an overactive immune system and may point the way to new treatments for autoimmune disorders, according to new research.
Stanford University scientists found that a breakdown product -- kynuerenines -- produced in the body by tryptophan drastically reduced inflammation and reversed paralysis in mice with form of multiple sclerosis (MS), The New York Times reported.
The research was published in the current issue of the journal Science.
"I have always been a skeptic regarding the interaction of diet and immunity. But now I'm getting smacked on the head by my own research," study leader Dr. Lawrence Steinman, chairman of Stanford's immunology program, told The Times.
The findings are "very interesting and quite encouraging," autoimmune disorder expert Dr. Marc Feldman, professor of medicine at Imperial College London, told The Times. He said the next step is to determine if this kind of treatment is safe for people.
U.S. Emergency Departments Can't Handle Disasters: Experts
Many U.S. trauma centers and emergency departments are already at their capability limits and wouldn't be able to deal with a flu pandemic, terrorist attack or other types of disasters.
That's the conclusion of health experts like Larry Gage, president of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, who told the Associated Press,"Trauma centers are never more than a couple of minor incidents from being overwhelmed."
"Across the country, the level of crowding at emergency departments has reached levels that are unprecedented in America's history," Dr. Kathleen Clem, chief of emergency medicine at Duke University Medical Center, said.
Experts note that trauma and emergency services are money losers. It costs a lot of money to maintain a 24-hour staff of specialized health workers, and many patients who use the services don't have health insurance. That's why many hospitals no longer offer trauma and emergency care, which places more pressure on hospitals that still offer those services, experts say.
Emergency doctors are demanding more support from the federal government and are in favor of a bill that would increase Medicare payments to emergency doctors and hospitals by 10 percent, the AP reported.
However, that bill so far has only two sponsors.
Food Fact:
The perfect food?
Here are five good reasons it just might be lentils. 1) Lentils, a fine source of plant protein, don't take hours to cook, unlike other dried beans. 2) Lentils are rich in soluble fiber, which helps control blood cholesterol. 3) Lentils provide some calcium, iron and other trace minerals. 4) Lentils are one of the best sources for folic acid, a B vitamin critical for preventing neural tube defects. 5) Lentils may protect against some types of cancers and lower heart disease risk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Boost "good" cholesterol.
Here's one of the best arguments for daily aerobic exercise. Medical trials suggest that a daily dose of walking, biking, jogging, or swimming helps reduce the risk of heart disease, especially if that increased activity helps you lose weight. Research shows such exercise is the best way to raise HDLs, the "good" cholesterol that helps carry harmful fats out of your system.
FAQ of the day:
Why are my hips and thighs so big?
The hormones that maintain a woman's fat reserves for pregnancy and lactation also help determine where fat is stored. Despite what you see in magazines, a so-called "pear" shape is perfectly normal for a healthy woman. In fact, the female distribution of body fat in the hips and thighs has been associated with lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and breast cancer. Women who tend to have more of a male distribution of body fat, with fat stored around the waist, are at higher risk for these diseases.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Health Headlines - November 7
Cancer Survivors Need Long-Term Follow-Up Care: Report
Customized, long-term follow-up care is needed for the 10 million cancer survivors in the United States, says an Institute of Medicine study released Monday.
The report said too few cancer survivors receive this kind of follow-up and called on oncologists to create a "survivorship plan" to guide the future health care of every cancer survivor, the Associated Press reported.
When a cancer patient's active treatment is completed, their special physical, psychological and social needs may be just starting, but these needs are largely ignored by doctors, researchers and patient advocacy groups, the report noted. That means that many cancer survivors are unaware of lingering health issues or have to deal with them on their own.
Potential lingering health problems caused by cancer treatments include: mobility or memory problems, nerve damage, infertility or sexual dysfunction, and impaired organ function, the AP reported.
Cancer survivors may also be distressed over changes in their appearance, face discrimination from employers, or have to contend with increased health insurance premiums.
WHO Official Warns of 'Incalculable Human Misery' in Flu Pandemic
If the world is unprepared for the next human flu pandemic, there will be "incalculable human misery," the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday in Geneva at the first major international coordination meeting on bird flu .
"We have been experiencing a relentless spread of avian flu," along domestic poultry and migratory birds, Lee Jong-wook said at the gathering of 600 health experts and planners. "It is only a matter of time before an avian flu virus -- most likely H5N1 -- acquires the ability to be transmitted from human to human, sparking the outbreak of human pandemic influenza."
"This is the time for every country to prepare their national action plan -- and act on it. If we are unprepared, the next pandemic will cause incalculable human misery -- both directly from the loss of human life and indirectly through its widespread impact on security," Lee added.
Mike Ryan, the WHO's outbreak response director, said about 60 percent of countries have pandemic preparedness plans but most of those are just a piece of paper. Ryan said those plans need to move off the paper and into exercise and rehearsal, the Associated Press reported.
The warnings came as the maker of the antiviral drug Tamiflu announced it will increase production to make 300 million treatments annually by 2007 in order to meet government orders.
Swiss manufacturer Roche Holding AG said the increase would mean a tenfold rise in production from 2004, when a decision was made to start boosting production of the drug scientists believe may help humans fight a mutated virus, the AP reported.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities ordered all live poultry markets in Beijing to close and officials went door-to-door seizing chickens and ducks from private homes as part of a major increase in the country's efforts to combat avian flu.
About six million birds have been slaughtered around the area of China's most recent outbreak of bird flu, authorities said Monday.
Health experts are especially concerned about the possibility of a bird flu outbreak among humans in China, which has a huge poultry industry (5.2 billion birds) and is also located along major wild bird migration routes.
Parasitic Worms May Aid New Asthma Treatments
Tiny parasitic worms called helminths could help researchers develop new ways of treating disorders such as asthma and hay fever, says an Edinburgh University study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Researchers found that helminths (such as roundworms and threadworms) can fool the human immune system so that it doesn't attack the worms. It's believe the worms release molecules that switch off the immune system response that would kill the parasites, BBC News reported.
The researchers said it may be possible to copy this helminth survival tactic in order to suppress allergic reactions and reduce the need for vaccinations or drugs.
Last year, U.S. scientists reported that helminths may help prevent the inflammatory bowel disorder Crohn's disease.
Pre-Diabetic Condition Affects About Two Million U.S. Youngsters
An estimated two million youngsters in the United States have an obesity and inactivity-related pre-diabetic condition called impaired fasting glucose (IFG) that puts them at risk for diabetes and heart disease, say federal government researchers.
IFG is characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels after several hours without eating. A blood test is used to measure IFG.
Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health analyzed data from 915 youngsters ages 12 to 19 and found that one in 14 had IFG. Among overweight adolescents, the rate was one in six, the Associated Press reported.
Youngsters with IFG were more likely than other children with normal fasting glucose levels to have higher levels of bad cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides, the study found.
The findings were published Monday in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.
The researchers said that lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and healthier eating can help prevent pre-diabetes from progressing to diabetes in adults. They said the same is likely true for children, the AP reported.
Aspirin May Protect Against Skin Cancer
Aspirin may help reduce the risk of skin cancer, says an Australian study.
The 15-year study of more than 1,600 people in southern Queensland concluded that regular use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) protected against skin caner and sunspots.
People who took two pills a week for more than five years had a 63 percent reduced risk of squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. That risk decreased by 90 percent among people who took at least eight pills a week for a year, Agence France-Presse reported.
The study appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
"We found that people who regularly used aspirin and other NSAIDs had significantly lower risks of developing skin cancer than people who did not use them," researcher David Whiteman told AFP. "Moreover, we found that among people who had never had skin cancer, those who regularly used aspirin had significantly lower numbers of sunspots."
He said that aspirin and other NSAIDs inhibit an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase (COX), which allows some kinds of skin cancer to develop.
"Aspirin blocks the COX enzyme and it just so happens that these enzymes are involved in inflammation ... and these enzymes are also used by cancer cells to stimulate blood cells," Whiteman told AFP.
Food Fact:
Herbal essence.
Herbs add discreet flavor to a dish, if you handle them just right... When buying fresh parsley, basil, thyme or chives, the stem ends should look freshly cut, not dried out or wilted. Don't wash herbs until you're ready to use them. Store sturdier herbs in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator. Delicate herbs such as cilantro and tarragon should be placed in a glass of water and stored on the counter for a couple of days. Except for parsley which is dreadful dried, you can substitute dried herbs for fresh, but remember that drying intensifies the flavor. In general use one-fourth to one-third of the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Train your brain.
Exercise more than your muscles to stick to a fitness plan -- be a winner at the mental game. Preparing your mind along with your body is pivotal for accomplishing your goals. Try writing a personal mission statement and tape a copy to your refrigerator, the dashboard of your car, your computer -- anywhere you can see it during the day.
FAQ of the day:
What is a healthy level of body fat?
Healthy adult males' generally accepted range of body fat is from 15 - 22%; healthy women range from 20 - 25%. Elite athletes may lower their body fat through exercise, but they also tend to be genetically lean. Women who reduce their body fat by 1/3 or more through intense exercise and/or restricted eating may depress their estrogen production too far to sustain a normal menstrual cycle. Not only is this likely to cause infertility, it's known to cause bone loss and osteoporosis in young women.
Customized, long-term follow-up care is needed for the 10 million cancer survivors in the United States, says an Institute of Medicine study released Monday.
The report said too few cancer survivors receive this kind of follow-up and called on oncologists to create a "survivorship plan" to guide the future health care of every cancer survivor, the Associated Press reported.
When a cancer patient's active treatment is completed, their special physical, psychological and social needs may be just starting, but these needs are largely ignored by doctors, researchers and patient advocacy groups, the report noted. That means that many cancer survivors are unaware of lingering health issues or have to deal with them on their own.
Potential lingering health problems caused by cancer treatments include: mobility or memory problems, nerve damage, infertility or sexual dysfunction, and impaired organ function, the AP reported.
Cancer survivors may also be distressed over changes in their appearance, face discrimination from employers, or have to contend with increased health insurance premiums.
WHO Official Warns of 'Incalculable Human Misery' in Flu Pandemic
If the world is unprepared for the next human flu pandemic, there will be "incalculable human misery," the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday in Geneva at the first major international coordination meeting on bird flu .
"We have been experiencing a relentless spread of avian flu," along domestic poultry and migratory birds, Lee Jong-wook said at the gathering of 600 health experts and planners. "It is only a matter of time before an avian flu virus -- most likely H5N1 -- acquires the ability to be transmitted from human to human, sparking the outbreak of human pandemic influenza."
"This is the time for every country to prepare their national action plan -- and act on it. If we are unprepared, the next pandemic will cause incalculable human misery -- both directly from the loss of human life and indirectly through its widespread impact on security," Lee added.
Mike Ryan, the WHO's outbreak response director, said about 60 percent of countries have pandemic preparedness plans but most of those are just a piece of paper. Ryan said those plans need to move off the paper and into exercise and rehearsal, the Associated Press reported.
The warnings came as the maker of the antiviral drug Tamiflu announced it will increase production to make 300 million treatments annually by 2007 in order to meet government orders.
Swiss manufacturer Roche Holding AG said the increase would mean a tenfold rise in production from 2004, when a decision was made to start boosting production of the drug scientists believe may help humans fight a mutated virus, the AP reported.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities ordered all live poultry markets in Beijing to close and officials went door-to-door seizing chickens and ducks from private homes as part of a major increase in the country's efforts to combat avian flu.
About six million birds have been slaughtered around the area of China's most recent outbreak of bird flu, authorities said Monday.
Health experts are especially concerned about the possibility of a bird flu outbreak among humans in China, which has a huge poultry industry (5.2 billion birds) and is also located along major wild bird migration routes.
Parasitic Worms May Aid New Asthma Treatments
Tiny parasitic worms called helminths could help researchers develop new ways of treating disorders such as asthma and hay fever, says an Edinburgh University study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Researchers found that helminths (such as roundworms and threadworms) can fool the human immune system so that it doesn't attack the worms. It's believe the worms release molecules that switch off the immune system response that would kill the parasites, BBC News reported.
The researchers said it may be possible to copy this helminth survival tactic in order to suppress allergic reactions and reduce the need for vaccinations or drugs.
Last year, U.S. scientists reported that helminths may help prevent the inflammatory bowel disorder Crohn's disease.
Pre-Diabetic Condition Affects About Two Million U.S. Youngsters
An estimated two million youngsters in the United States have an obesity and inactivity-related pre-diabetic condition called impaired fasting glucose (IFG) that puts them at risk for diabetes and heart disease, say federal government researchers.
IFG is characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels after several hours without eating. A blood test is used to measure IFG.
Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health analyzed data from 915 youngsters ages 12 to 19 and found that one in 14 had IFG. Among overweight adolescents, the rate was one in six, the Associated Press reported.
Youngsters with IFG were more likely than other children with normal fasting glucose levels to have higher levels of bad cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides, the study found.
The findings were published Monday in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.
The researchers said that lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and healthier eating can help prevent pre-diabetes from progressing to diabetes in adults. They said the same is likely true for children, the AP reported.
Aspirin May Protect Against Skin Cancer
Aspirin may help reduce the risk of skin cancer, says an Australian study.
The 15-year study of more than 1,600 people in southern Queensland concluded that regular use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) protected against skin caner and sunspots.
People who took two pills a week for more than five years had a 63 percent reduced risk of squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. That risk decreased by 90 percent among people who took at least eight pills a week for a year, Agence France-Presse reported.
The study appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
"We found that people who regularly used aspirin and other NSAIDs had significantly lower risks of developing skin cancer than people who did not use them," researcher David Whiteman told AFP. "Moreover, we found that among people who had never had skin cancer, those who regularly used aspirin had significantly lower numbers of sunspots."
He said that aspirin and other NSAIDs inhibit an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase (COX), which allows some kinds of skin cancer to develop.
"Aspirin blocks the COX enzyme and it just so happens that these enzymes are involved in inflammation ... and these enzymes are also used by cancer cells to stimulate blood cells," Whiteman told AFP.
Food Fact:
Herbal essence.
Herbs add discreet flavor to a dish, if you handle them just right... When buying fresh parsley, basil, thyme or chives, the stem ends should look freshly cut, not dried out or wilted. Don't wash herbs until you're ready to use them. Store sturdier herbs in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator. Delicate herbs such as cilantro and tarragon should be placed in a glass of water and stored on the counter for a couple of days. Except for parsley which is dreadful dried, you can substitute dried herbs for fresh, but remember that drying intensifies the flavor. In general use one-fourth to one-third of the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Train your brain.
Exercise more than your muscles to stick to a fitness plan -- be a winner at the mental game. Preparing your mind along with your body is pivotal for accomplishing your goals. Try writing a personal mission statement and tape a copy to your refrigerator, the dashboard of your car, your computer -- anywhere you can see it during the day.
FAQ of the day:
What is a healthy level of body fat?
Healthy adult males' generally accepted range of body fat is from 15 - 22%; healthy women range from 20 - 25%. Elite athletes may lower their body fat through exercise, but they also tend to be genetically lean. Women who reduce their body fat by 1/3 or more through intense exercise and/or restricted eating may depress their estrogen production too far to sustain a normal menstrual cycle. Not only is this likely to cause infertility, it's known to cause bone loss and osteoporosis in young women.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Health Headlines - November 6
Did Orwell's TB Frame '1984'?
Well-known British author George Orwell was hardly Mr. Sunshine, given the grim worlds he created in his books, especially the foreboding novel "1984." So why all the gloom?
In a new study, an infectious-disease specialist suggests that a bad case of tuberculosis may be partially responsible, along with the drastic treatments Orwell underwent toward the end of his life.
Orwell was "always a gloomy, pessimistic sort," said study co-author Dr. John J. Ross of Caritas Saint Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston. But by the time Orwell wrote his masterpiece in the late 1940s, he was very sick and even more out of sorts, Ross added.
" '1984' would have certainly been a very different book, and maybe a less powerful book, had he not been so desperately ill at the time," Ross contended.
Ross has already made a name for himself in the field of diagnosing historical figures. Earlier this year, he wrote a controversial study suggesting that evidence in the life and writings of William Shakespeare showed the playwright probably suffered from syphilis.
In the new study, published in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, Ross looks at Orwell, who lived from 1903 to 1950. Orwell published his political allegory "Animal Farm" in 1945, four years before "1984," his depiction of a totalitarian government that turns language into a weapon against its own people. Today, the book is perhaps best known for its invention of the concepts of "doublethink" and "Big Brother."
Orwell -- whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair -- always had respiratory problems, and appears to have developed tuberculosis while living in Burma and in the cities that provided the subject matter for his book about underground life called "Down and Out in Paris and London."
In the 19th and early 20th century, tuberculosis -- also known as consumption -- often struck artists and authors who lived in crowded, germ-filled slums. In many cases, infected people slowly wasted away, giving the victims a romantic cast, as seen in the film "Moulin Rouge."
Antibiotics weren't available until near mid-20th century, so treatments involved bed rest or the dangerous "collapse therapy," in which doctors actually collapsed the lungs of patients to stop oxygen from feeding tuberculosis infections, Ross said.
Orwell underwent just such a treatment in the late 1940s. Around the same time, "his writing acquired a great deal of urgency," Ross said.
Why? It was partly because he had returned from the Spanish Civil War and was appalled by the "lies, deceit and murder he'd seen," Ross said. But he also thinks Orwell's illness instilled "a sense of his own mortality," even if he tried to deny how sick he was.
Overall, Ross said, Orwell's illness may have played a major role in his writing because it forced him to lie in bed. "You probably spend more time in your head than other people, more time to be creative and think," Ross said. "It makes you rely on your own resources, and it gives you time away from the world to formulate your creativity."
Peter Stansky, a British history professor at Stanford University who has studied Orwell, said the author appears to have ignored his bad health.
"I think he was pretty much a wreck, but he just went on," Stansky said. "There was a Puritanism and asceticism about him and also the English tendency to regard taking too much care of yourself as too self-indulgent."
But did Orwell's illness turn him into one of history's most powerful and influential writers? "I don't think his bad health drove his vision," Stansky said. "But it might have been a small factor."
Orwell died in 1950, before antibiotics began to make tuberculosis a much more treatable -- if often still deadly -- disease.
China responds to bird flu under shadow of SARS
In the blaze of speeches, meetings and regulations about bird flu that China's leaders have fired off in recent days, SARS has never been mentioned.
But memories of that epidemic two years ago are shadowing China's increasingly urgent response to the latest health threat, say Chinese experts and journalists.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which started in southern China in early 2003, killed 349 Chinese after officials hid or underplayed the flu-like illness, and China faced international censure after SARS spread to Hong Kong, then Asia and North America, killing hundreds more.
China dismissed two senior officials and blamed them for the cover-up.
On Friday, China announced that it was mobilizing a national "command headquarters" under the country's top emergency official, Hua Jianmin, to bring together six government and party departments and coordinate the fight against bird flu.
With rising global fears about the H5N1 avian flu virus, even parts of China's state-dominated press have recently said habitual government secrecy and cumbersome bureaucracy could again undercut efforts to contain an epidemic.
Scientists fear H5N1 could mutate into a form communicable between people, triggering a pandemic that could kill millions and overwhelm health systems.
"At present, the information about avian influenza cases released to the public here is clearly too tardy and inadequate," the outspoken business weekly, Caijing, said in an editorial that cited parallels with SARS.
While several Chinese experts interviewed also called for more official candor, they also said Chinese officials appeared to be reporting outbreaks of bird flu faster than they did during the SARS epidemic.
And central leaders have stepped in to ensure that disparate government agencies, especially the agriculture and health ministries, pull together.
"SARS is the model nobody wants to repeat. The public health system and official incentives have changed and I wouldn't expect the same problems," said Mao Shoulong, a government policy expert at the People's University of China who has studied official reactions to both SARS and the bird flu.
China's leaders have good reason to improve transparency. Bird flu has already killed more than 60 people in Asia and China on Friday reported its fourth outbreak in birds in a month. But so far, the country has not had any cases of humans being infected with H5N1, officials have said.
If China does succumb to bird flu, it will not be for lack of official plans. On Tuesday, China's Ministry of Agriculture issued an "emergency response" for any bird flu epidemic among birds and livestock in coming months, joining dozens of similar documents from central and local bureaucracies.
The agriculture ministry's plan demands that local officials report suspected cases of infection to the ministry within four hours.
"Those responsible for hiding, overlooking or delaying reports will be harshly punished according to the law," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told a high-level meeting about bird flu on Tuesday.
"NO INCENTIVE TO HIDE"
Mao, the policy expert, said these demands from national leaders mean central government agencies will cooperate more and local officials will be much less likely to hide cases of bird flu than they were SARS.
"Officials have no incentive to hide bird flu outbreaks," he said. "Their political career won't be damaged if they report, but they would be ended if they hid information." Farmers are also given compensation for culled poultry, he noted.
Pressure on local officials to report all possible cases may even lead to "systemic overload," as junior officials report even unlikely cases out of fear of punishment, said Lan Xue, a public policy researcher at Tsinghua University in Beijing who has advised China's leaders about dealing with emergencies.
Since SARS struck, China has also invested in a new nationwide network of emergency offices and plans. These preparations include one master plan, 25 plans for specific emergencies such as disease outbreaks, floods and earthquakes, and 80 plans for government departments, Xue said.
The government has established a national office to coordinate response to emergencies, and it has also drafted a law to encode the responsibilities and powers of officials in emergencies and pumped over 5 billion yuan into local disease surveillance offices, Xue said.
"Once the government realizes something is wrong, it can really go all the way. But now the challenge is implementation," he said.
But rapid response to a large outbreak among birds or possible human infection could be made more difficult by official reluctance to share information about specific outbreaks with citizens, said Chinese experts.
"Risk communication is not an easy task -- there's always the problem of over-reaction -- but the best way to deal with this is to get the general public educated," Xue said.
And in a country as large as China, even the $248 million that Prime Minister Wen promised to fight bird flu may be stretched if the virus spreads.
Each Chinese province has received tens of thousands of yuan to monitor migratory birds, which are thought to carry the virus, said Chu Guozhong, a Beijing-based ornithologist who is advising Chinese wildlife authorities on the disease.
"Local officials are now paying attention, but that's not much money to build up monitoring, and in some places it hasn't arrived yet."
China Turns to WHO for Bird Flu Help
China said Sunday it had asked the World Health Organization to help it determine whether the death of a 12-year-old girl last month was caused by bird flu. If it is confirmed, it would be China's first known human death from the lethal and virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has killed at least 62 people across Southeast Asia.
There have been four outbreaks of the bird flu among poultry in China in the past three weeks.
Three people living in central China's Hunan province came down with pneumonia from unknown causes last month following an outbreak of the H5N1 strain among local poultry, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
The girl, He Yin, died three days after developing a high fever on Oct. 13. She had had "close contact with sick birds," Xinhua said. Her 9-year-old brother was also hospitalized with similar symptoms but recovered.
The third victim was a 36-year-old middle school teacher who reportedly cut raw chicken while he had a minor injury on his hand and later fell ill, Xinhua said. He was identified only by his surname, Song.
All three lived in or near Wantang, a village where the government says 545 chickens and ducks died of bird flu last month.
Chinese officials initially said the girl and her brother had tested negative for the bird flu virus.
However on Sunday, Xinhua reported that experts "cannot rule out the possibility of human transmission of H5N1 bird flu. The specific cause needs further laboratory tests."
Roy Wadia, a spokesman for the WHO in Beijing, confirmed that China had asked the organization for help last week.
"This is a reiteration of how much of a public health threat bird flu really is," said Wadia. "Sometimes it takes a human case or a suspected human case to raise the alarm, to remind us that no country, whether China or anywhere else, can afford to be complacent."
Xinhua said China has asked the WHO for help in testing the blood and throat swabs from the three victims.
Since late 2003, the H5N1 strain of bird flu has ravaged poultry stocks and jumped from birds to humans. Most of the human deaths have been linked to close contact with infected birds. But experts fear the virus could mutate into a form easily passed among humans and possibly spark a worldwide pandemic.
China, which was heavily criticized during the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome for initially covering up the illness, has pledged it will be more open about reporting on bird flu.
Wadia said he did not think China had delayed its announcement of the suspected cases but that instead it was trying to be thorough before going public.
"I think the information they have shared with us has been shared as soon as they can corroborate it," he said.
Also Sunday, 1,700 officials and 100 police finished culling about 370,000 birds in northern China's Liaoning province after bird flu killed 8,940 chickens there.
The outbreak in Liaoning's Badaohao village, east of Beijing, was China's fourth reported outbreak in three weeks.
State television news on Sunday showed dozens of officials in white face masks and blue protective suits spraying disinfectant on empty poultry cages and the wheels of vehicles.
Xinhua said late Saturday that Badaohai lies along a route used by migratory birds heading from East Asia to Australia, contributing to fears that wild birds could spread the disease.
More than 20 magpies and other migratory birds had been spotted in the area, it said.
Chinese authorities have said they are concerned wild birds might spread the virus, particularly following an outbreak last spring that killed more than 6,000 migratory geese and gulls at northwestern China's Qinghai Lake.
The State Forestry Bureau said last month it was activating a reporting network to detect outbreaks among wild birds.
New regulations went into effect in Beijing on Sunday that allow detention for up to 15 days and fines of up to 200 yuan ($25) for anyone who fails to immunize their birds, the Beijing Morning Post reported.
The rules, announced jointly by the Beijing Agricultural Bureau and the Beijing Public Security Bureau, are aimed at ensuring a 100 percent bird vaccination rate in the capital, the newspaper said.
Experts Offer Free Memory Screenings Nov. 15
Experts will offer free in-person memory screenings at more than 700 sites across the United States on Nov. 15 -- National Memory Screening Day -- as part of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month.
The free service is sponsored by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America and is held each year to promote early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses, and to provide information about successful aging.
The non-invasive, confidential memory screenings will be administered by social workers, doctors and other health care professionals. Each screening takes about 10 minutes and consists of tasks designed to assess memory and other intellectual functions.
The most commonly used screening method is the Mini-Mental State Examination, which has been documented to be an effective screening tool for dementia.
These screenings are meant to detect a potential problem, not to diagnose any specific illness. People who have abnormal screening scores will be urged to undergo an extensive medical evaluation.
"Early detection enables persons to benefit most from available medications that can help slow the progress of symptoms, and psychological and social interventions that can ease the journey for families. And it enables individuals to exercise self-determination related to future care, and legal and financial issues," AFA board member Dr. Richard Powers, chief of the Bureau of Geriatric Psychiatry at the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, said in a prepared statement.
Existing drugs for Alzheimer's disease do not treat the underlying cause of the brain-robbing illness, which is still largely unknown. However, they can temporarily slow the progression of symptoms.
Workouts Can Lighten Heavy Hearts
The millions of Americans stricken each year by debilitating depression may want to consider running away from their problem -- or walking, swimming or dancing it away.
"What the studies are showing is that exercise, at least when performed in a group setting, seems to be at least as effective as standard antidepressant medications in reducing symptoms in patients with major depression," said researcher James Blumenthal, a professor of medical psychology at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
According to Blumenthal, other studies are beginning to suggest that solitary exercise, such as workouts at the gym or a daily jog, can be just as effective as group activities in beating the blues, and that "duration of exercise didn't seem to matter -- what seemed to matter most was whether people were exercising or not."
Blumenthal was lead author on a much-publicized study released five years ago that found that just 10 months of regular, moderate exercise outperformed a leading antidepressant (Zoloft) in easing symptoms in young adults diagnosed with moderate to severe depression.
And another study released earlier this year, by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, found that 30-minute aerobic workouts done three to five times a week cut depressive symptoms by 50 percent in young adults.
Theories abound as to how revving up the body helps uncloud the mind.
Robert E. Thayer is a professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, and the author of Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise. He said that while workouts probably affect key brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, physical activity may also trigger positive changes in other areas, too.
"Depression is a condition characterized by low energy and moderate tension, something I call 'tense tiredness,'" he said. But exercise has a clear "mood effect" that seems to ease that anxious but lethargic state, he said.
According to Thayer, moderate exercise -- a brisk 10-minute walk, for example -- results in a boosting of energy, although it may not be quite enough to relieve stress.
"More intense exercise -- the amount you'd engage in with a 45-minute aerobic workout -- does give a primary mood effect of reducing tension. It might also leave you with a little less energy because you'd be tired, of course," he said. "However, there's also some indication from the research that there's a 'rebound' effect an hour or so later, in terms of [increased] energy."
Blumenthal pointed to the more lasting psychological boost regular workouts can bring. "People who exercise might also have better self-esteem; it may help them feel better about themselves, having that great sense of accomplishment," he said.
Still, the experts acknowledged that truly depressed individuals often find it tough to jump into an exercise routine.
"Why do people not do the thing that's perhaps the most important thing for them to do?" said Thayer. "It's because a drop in energy is such a central component of depression -- you just don't have the energy to do the exercise."
He said the key to breaking that cycle is to start small.
"Thinking about going to the gym and doing all the stuff that's involved with that can be overwhelming for a depressed person," Thayer pointed out. "But if you think 'Hey, maybe I'll just walk down the street 30 yards or so, at a leisurely pace,' that's a start. And it turns out that your body becomes activated then -- you have more of an incentive to walk farther, to do more."
Loved ones can play a key role, too, urging a depressed friend or family member to join in with them as they work out. "Social support, peer pressure, family support -- all of that can be helpful, certainly in getting people to maintain exercise," Blumenthal said.
No one is saying that exercise is always a substitute for drug therapy, especially for the severely depressed. "But we also know that these drugs aren't effective for everyone -- about a third of people aren't going to get better with medication," Blumenthal said.
For those patients, exercise may prove a viable, worry-free alternative -- with one great fringe benefit.
"In addition to its mental health benefits, there are some clear cardiovascular benefits to exercise which we don't see with antidepressant drugs, of course," Blumenthal noted. So, he said, what keeps the mind fit strengthens the body, too. "You're killing two birds with one stone."
Food Fact:
Ginger, no ail.
Want a neat trick for making health-giving ginger easier to grate? Freeze it first. You'll be glad you did: Spicy, lively, fresh ginger has a way of waking up all the other flavors around it. Look for large, firm, buff-colored knobs when buying fresh ginger. Traditionally used in Asian cooking, it's making its way into all sorts of savory dishes and delivering loads of healthful antioxidant compounds. Ginger may also decrease your heart attack risk. A few studies have found that both fresh and dried ginger inhibits blood levels of thromboxane B-2, a compound that promotes dangerous blood clots. It also has a longstanding folk reputation as a remedy for nausea. Clinical studies have found it useful in treating motion sickness, as well as post-surgical nausea.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Change the pace.
A few simple steps can make your walking routine a better cardio workout. The trick is to break from your usual pace with bursts of fast walking. For example, walk fast for one minute, then resume your usual speed for the next three minutes. Over time, shorten the slow intervals to two minutes and then one minute.
FAQ of the day:
Can I be fit and fat?
While obesity is strongly associated with increased health risks, recent population studies suggest much of that risk may stem from poor fitness. Increased physical activity makes a difference when combined with a calorie-controlled diet. As your fitness improves, you'll boost your health and feel better, even with only modest weight loss.
Well-known British author George Orwell was hardly Mr. Sunshine, given the grim worlds he created in his books, especially the foreboding novel "1984." So why all the gloom?
In a new study, an infectious-disease specialist suggests that a bad case of tuberculosis may be partially responsible, along with the drastic treatments Orwell underwent toward the end of his life.
Orwell was "always a gloomy, pessimistic sort," said study co-author Dr. John J. Ross of Caritas Saint Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston. But by the time Orwell wrote his masterpiece in the late 1940s, he was very sick and even more out of sorts, Ross added.
" '1984' would have certainly been a very different book, and maybe a less powerful book, had he not been so desperately ill at the time," Ross contended.
Ross has already made a name for himself in the field of diagnosing historical figures. Earlier this year, he wrote a controversial study suggesting that evidence in the life and writings of William Shakespeare showed the playwright probably suffered from syphilis.
In the new study, published in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, Ross looks at Orwell, who lived from 1903 to 1950. Orwell published his political allegory "Animal Farm" in 1945, four years before "1984," his depiction of a totalitarian government that turns language into a weapon against its own people. Today, the book is perhaps best known for its invention of the concepts of "doublethink" and "Big Brother."
Orwell -- whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair -- always had respiratory problems, and appears to have developed tuberculosis while living in Burma and in the cities that provided the subject matter for his book about underground life called "Down and Out in Paris and London."
In the 19th and early 20th century, tuberculosis -- also known as consumption -- often struck artists and authors who lived in crowded, germ-filled slums. In many cases, infected people slowly wasted away, giving the victims a romantic cast, as seen in the film "Moulin Rouge."
Antibiotics weren't available until near mid-20th century, so treatments involved bed rest or the dangerous "collapse therapy," in which doctors actually collapsed the lungs of patients to stop oxygen from feeding tuberculosis infections, Ross said.
Orwell underwent just such a treatment in the late 1940s. Around the same time, "his writing acquired a great deal of urgency," Ross said.
Why? It was partly because he had returned from the Spanish Civil War and was appalled by the "lies, deceit and murder he'd seen," Ross said. But he also thinks Orwell's illness instilled "a sense of his own mortality," even if he tried to deny how sick he was.
Overall, Ross said, Orwell's illness may have played a major role in his writing because it forced him to lie in bed. "You probably spend more time in your head than other people, more time to be creative and think," Ross said. "It makes you rely on your own resources, and it gives you time away from the world to formulate your creativity."
Peter Stansky, a British history professor at Stanford University who has studied Orwell, said the author appears to have ignored his bad health.
"I think he was pretty much a wreck, but he just went on," Stansky said. "There was a Puritanism and asceticism about him and also the English tendency to regard taking too much care of yourself as too self-indulgent."
But did Orwell's illness turn him into one of history's most powerful and influential writers? "I don't think his bad health drove his vision," Stansky said. "But it might have been a small factor."
Orwell died in 1950, before antibiotics began to make tuberculosis a much more treatable -- if often still deadly -- disease.
China responds to bird flu under shadow of SARS
In the blaze of speeches, meetings and regulations about bird flu that China's leaders have fired off in recent days, SARS has never been mentioned.
But memories of that epidemic two years ago are shadowing China's increasingly urgent response to the latest health threat, say Chinese experts and journalists.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which started in southern China in early 2003, killed 349 Chinese after officials hid or underplayed the flu-like illness, and China faced international censure after SARS spread to Hong Kong, then Asia and North America, killing hundreds more.
China dismissed two senior officials and blamed them for the cover-up.
On Friday, China announced that it was mobilizing a national "command headquarters" under the country's top emergency official, Hua Jianmin, to bring together six government and party departments and coordinate the fight against bird flu.
With rising global fears about the H5N1 avian flu virus, even parts of China's state-dominated press have recently said habitual government secrecy and cumbersome bureaucracy could again undercut efforts to contain an epidemic.
Scientists fear H5N1 could mutate into a form communicable between people, triggering a pandemic that could kill millions and overwhelm health systems.
"At present, the information about avian influenza cases released to the public here is clearly too tardy and inadequate," the outspoken business weekly, Caijing, said in an editorial that cited parallels with SARS.
While several Chinese experts interviewed also called for more official candor, they also said Chinese officials appeared to be reporting outbreaks of bird flu faster than they did during the SARS epidemic.
And central leaders have stepped in to ensure that disparate government agencies, especially the agriculture and health ministries, pull together.
"SARS is the model nobody wants to repeat. The public health system and official incentives have changed and I wouldn't expect the same problems," said Mao Shoulong, a government policy expert at the People's University of China who has studied official reactions to both SARS and the bird flu.
China's leaders have good reason to improve transparency. Bird flu has already killed more than 60 people in Asia and China on Friday reported its fourth outbreak in birds in a month. But so far, the country has not had any cases of humans being infected with H5N1, officials have said.
If China does succumb to bird flu, it will not be for lack of official plans. On Tuesday, China's Ministry of Agriculture issued an "emergency response" for any bird flu epidemic among birds and livestock in coming months, joining dozens of similar documents from central and local bureaucracies.
The agriculture ministry's plan demands that local officials report suspected cases of infection to the ministry within four hours.
"Those responsible for hiding, overlooking or delaying reports will be harshly punished according to the law," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told a high-level meeting about bird flu on Tuesday.
"NO INCENTIVE TO HIDE"
Mao, the policy expert, said these demands from national leaders mean central government agencies will cooperate more and local officials will be much less likely to hide cases of bird flu than they were SARS.
"Officials have no incentive to hide bird flu outbreaks," he said. "Their political career won't be damaged if they report, but they would be ended if they hid information." Farmers are also given compensation for culled poultry, he noted.
Pressure on local officials to report all possible cases may even lead to "systemic overload," as junior officials report even unlikely cases out of fear of punishment, said Lan Xue, a public policy researcher at Tsinghua University in Beijing who has advised China's leaders about dealing with emergencies.
Since SARS struck, China has also invested in a new nationwide network of emergency offices and plans. These preparations include one master plan, 25 plans for specific emergencies such as disease outbreaks, floods and earthquakes, and 80 plans for government departments, Xue said.
The government has established a national office to coordinate response to emergencies, and it has also drafted a law to encode the responsibilities and powers of officials in emergencies and pumped over 5 billion yuan into local disease surveillance offices, Xue said.
"Once the government realizes something is wrong, it can really go all the way. But now the challenge is implementation," he said.
But rapid response to a large outbreak among birds or possible human infection could be made more difficult by official reluctance to share information about specific outbreaks with citizens, said Chinese experts.
"Risk communication is not an easy task -- there's always the problem of over-reaction -- but the best way to deal with this is to get the general public educated," Xue said.
And in a country as large as China, even the $248 million that Prime Minister Wen promised to fight bird flu may be stretched if the virus spreads.
Each Chinese province has received tens of thousands of yuan to monitor migratory birds, which are thought to carry the virus, said Chu Guozhong, a Beijing-based ornithologist who is advising Chinese wildlife authorities on the disease.
"Local officials are now paying attention, but that's not much money to build up monitoring, and in some places it hasn't arrived yet."
China Turns to WHO for Bird Flu Help
China said Sunday it had asked the World Health Organization to help it determine whether the death of a 12-year-old girl last month was caused by bird flu. If it is confirmed, it would be China's first known human death from the lethal and virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has killed at least 62 people across Southeast Asia.
There have been four outbreaks of the bird flu among poultry in China in the past three weeks.
Three people living in central China's Hunan province came down with pneumonia from unknown causes last month following an outbreak of the H5N1 strain among local poultry, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
The girl, He Yin, died three days after developing a high fever on Oct. 13. She had had "close contact with sick birds," Xinhua said. Her 9-year-old brother was also hospitalized with similar symptoms but recovered.
The third victim was a 36-year-old middle school teacher who reportedly cut raw chicken while he had a minor injury on his hand and later fell ill, Xinhua said. He was identified only by his surname, Song.
All three lived in or near Wantang, a village where the government says 545 chickens and ducks died of bird flu last month.
Chinese officials initially said the girl and her brother had tested negative for the bird flu virus.
However on Sunday, Xinhua reported that experts "cannot rule out the possibility of human transmission of H5N1 bird flu. The specific cause needs further laboratory tests."
Roy Wadia, a spokesman for the WHO in Beijing, confirmed that China had asked the organization for help last week.
"This is a reiteration of how much of a public health threat bird flu really is," said Wadia. "Sometimes it takes a human case or a suspected human case to raise the alarm, to remind us that no country, whether China or anywhere else, can afford to be complacent."
Xinhua said China has asked the WHO for help in testing the blood and throat swabs from the three victims.
Since late 2003, the H5N1 strain of bird flu has ravaged poultry stocks and jumped from birds to humans. Most of the human deaths have been linked to close contact with infected birds. But experts fear the virus could mutate into a form easily passed among humans and possibly spark a worldwide pandemic.
China, which was heavily criticized during the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome for initially covering up the illness, has pledged it will be more open about reporting on bird flu.
Wadia said he did not think China had delayed its announcement of the suspected cases but that instead it was trying to be thorough before going public.
"I think the information they have shared with us has been shared as soon as they can corroborate it," he said.
Also Sunday, 1,700 officials and 100 police finished culling about 370,000 birds in northern China's Liaoning province after bird flu killed 8,940 chickens there.
The outbreak in Liaoning's Badaohao village, east of Beijing, was China's fourth reported outbreak in three weeks.
State television news on Sunday showed dozens of officials in white face masks and blue protective suits spraying disinfectant on empty poultry cages and the wheels of vehicles.
Xinhua said late Saturday that Badaohai lies along a route used by migratory birds heading from East Asia to Australia, contributing to fears that wild birds could spread the disease.
More than 20 magpies and other migratory birds had been spotted in the area, it said.
Chinese authorities have said they are concerned wild birds might spread the virus, particularly following an outbreak last spring that killed more than 6,000 migratory geese and gulls at northwestern China's Qinghai Lake.
The State Forestry Bureau said last month it was activating a reporting network to detect outbreaks among wild birds.
New regulations went into effect in Beijing on Sunday that allow detention for up to 15 days and fines of up to 200 yuan ($25) for anyone who fails to immunize their birds, the Beijing Morning Post reported.
The rules, announced jointly by the Beijing Agricultural Bureau and the Beijing Public Security Bureau, are aimed at ensuring a 100 percent bird vaccination rate in the capital, the newspaper said.
Experts Offer Free Memory Screenings Nov. 15
Experts will offer free in-person memory screenings at more than 700 sites across the United States on Nov. 15 -- National Memory Screening Day -- as part of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month.
The free service is sponsored by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America and is held each year to promote early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses, and to provide information about successful aging.
The non-invasive, confidential memory screenings will be administered by social workers, doctors and other health care professionals. Each screening takes about 10 minutes and consists of tasks designed to assess memory and other intellectual functions.
The most commonly used screening method is the Mini-Mental State Examination, which has been documented to be an effective screening tool for dementia.
These screenings are meant to detect a potential problem, not to diagnose any specific illness. People who have abnormal screening scores will be urged to undergo an extensive medical evaluation.
"Early detection enables persons to benefit most from available medications that can help slow the progress of symptoms, and psychological and social interventions that can ease the journey for families. And it enables individuals to exercise self-determination related to future care, and legal and financial issues," AFA board member Dr. Richard Powers, chief of the Bureau of Geriatric Psychiatry at the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, said in a prepared statement.
Existing drugs for Alzheimer's disease do not treat the underlying cause of the brain-robbing illness, which is still largely unknown. However, they can temporarily slow the progression of symptoms.
Workouts Can Lighten Heavy Hearts
The millions of Americans stricken each year by debilitating depression may want to consider running away from their problem -- or walking, swimming or dancing it away.
"What the studies are showing is that exercise, at least when performed in a group setting, seems to be at least as effective as standard antidepressant medications in reducing symptoms in patients with major depression," said researcher James Blumenthal, a professor of medical psychology at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
According to Blumenthal, other studies are beginning to suggest that solitary exercise, such as workouts at the gym or a daily jog, can be just as effective as group activities in beating the blues, and that "duration of exercise didn't seem to matter -- what seemed to matter most was whether people were exercising or not."
Blumenthal was lead author on a much-publicized study released five years ago that found that just 10 months of regular, moderate exercise outperformed a leading antidepressant (Zoloft) in easing symptoms in young adults diagnosed with moderate to severe depression.
And another study released earlier this year, by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, found that 30-minute aerobic workouts done three to five times a week cut depressive symptoms by 50 percent in young adults.
Theories abound as to how revving up the body helps uncloud the mind.
Robert E. Thayer is a professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, and the author of Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise. He said that while workouts probably affect key brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, physical activity may also trigger positive changes in other areas, too.
"Depression is a condition characterized by low energy and moderate tension, something I call 'tense tiredness,'" he said. But exercise has a clear "mood effect" that seems to ease that anxious but lethargic state, he said.
According to Thayer, moderate exercise -- a brisk 10-minute walk, for example -- results in a boosting of energy, although it may not be quite enough to relieve stress.
"More intense exercise -- the amount you'd engage in with a 45-minute aerobic workout -- does give a primary mood effect of reducing tension. It might also leave you with a little less energy because you'd be tired, of course," he said. "However, there's also some indication from the research that there's a 'rebound' effect an hour or so later, in terms of [increased] energy."
Blumenthal pointed to the more lasting psychological boost regular workouts can bring. "People who exercise might also have better self-esteem; it may help them feel better about themselves, having that great sense of accomplishment," he said.
Still, the experts acknowledged that truly depressed individuals often find it tough to jump into an exercise routine.
"Why do people not do the thing that's perhaps the most important thing for them to do?" said Thayer. "It's because a drop in energy is such a central component of depression -- you just don't have the energy to do the exercise."
He said the key to breaking that cycle is to start small.
"Thinking about going to the gym and doing all the stuff that's involved with that can be overwhelming for a depressed person," Thayer pointed out. "But if you think 'Hey, maybe I'll just walk down the street 30 yards or so, at a leisurely pace,' that's a start. And it turns out that your body becomes activated then -- you have more of an incentive to walk farther, to do more."
Loved ones can play a key role, too, urging a depressed friend or family member to join in with them as they work out. "Social support, peer pressure, family support -- all of that can be helpful, certainly in getting people to maintain exercise," Blumenthal said.
No one is saying that exercise is always a substitute for drug therapy, especially for the severely depressed. "But we also know that these drugs aren't effective for everyone -- about a third of people aren't going to get better with medication," Blumenthal said.
For those patients, exercise may prove a viable, worry-free alternative -- with one great fringe benefit.
"In addition to its mental health benefits, there are some clear cardiovascular benefits to exercise which we don't see with antidepressant drugs, of course," Blumenthal noted. So, he said, what keeps the mind fit strengthens the body, too. "You're killing two birds with one stone."
Food Fact:
Ginger, no ail.
Want a neat trick for making health-giving ginger easier to grate? Freeze it first. You'll be glad you did: Spicy, lively, fresh ginger has a way of waking up all the other flavors around it. Look for large, firm, buff-colored knobs when buying fresh ginger. Traditionally used in Asian cooking, it's making its way into all sorts of savory dishes and delivering loads of healthful antioxidant compounds. Ginger may also decrease your heart attack risk. A few studies have found that both fresh and dried ginger inhibits blood levels of thromboxane B-2, a compound that promotes dangerous blood clots. It also has a longstanding folk reputation as a remedy for nausea. Clinical studies have found it useful in treating motion sickness, as well as post-surgical nausea.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Change the pace.
A few simple steps can make your walking routine a better cardio workout. The trick is to break from your usual pace with bursts of fast walking. For example, walk fast for one minute, then resume your usual speed for the next three minutes. Over time, shorten the slow intervals to two minutes and then one minute.
FAQ of the day:
Can I be fit and fat?
While obesity is strongly associated with increased health risks, recent population studies suggest much of that risk may stem from poor fitness. Increased physical activity makes a difference when combined with a calorie-controlled diet. As your fitness improves, you'll boost your health and feel better, even with only modest weight loss.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Health Headlines - November 5
Bird Flu Kills Young Woman in Indonesia
A 19-year-old woman died of bird flu in Indonesia and an 8-year-old boy from her family was hospitalized with the virus, officials said Saturday.
With concerns about a possible human bird flu pandemic rising around the globe, the World Bank said it was finalizing plans to provide up to $500 million to help poor countries fight the disease.
New cases of the virus in birds were reported in China and Vietnam this week.
The woman, from the town of Tangerang on the outskirts of the Indonesia capital Jakarta, was believed to have contracted the virus from infected dead chickens in her neighborhood, said Hariadi Wibisono, a Ministry of Health official. Her death brings the number of people killed by the disease in Indonesia to five, he said.
Wibisono said a Hong Kong laboratory confirmed both victims had bird flu, but it was not immediately clear how the young boy contracted the disease.
Since late 2003, the virulent and lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu has ravaged poultry stocks and jumped from birds to humans, killing at least 62 people in Southeast Asia. Most of the human deaths have been linked to close contact with infected birds. But experts fear the virus could mutate into a form easily passed among humans and possibly spark a worldwide pandemic.
The latest outbreak in China — the fourth in three weeks — killed 8,940 chickens on Oct. 26 in Liaoning province's Badaohao village east of Beijing, the government said Friday.
The outbreak prompted authorities to destroy 369,900 other birds in the area, and came despite efforts to tighten controls on China's 5.2 billion chickens, ducks and other poultry.
Hong Kong immediately banned poultry imports from Liaoning, reflecting growing concern that China is becoming a potential bird flu flashpoint.
No human cases have been reported in China, but authorities warn it is inevitable if the government cannot stop repeated outbreaks in poultry.
In Vietnam — where most of the human deaths have occurred — more than 3,000 poultry died or were culled this week in three villages in Bac Giang province about 35 miles northeast of Hanoi, provincial vice chairman Nguyen Dang Khoa said Friday.
Transporting poultry to or from the three villages was banned, and the towns and those around them have been disinfected and remaining poultry vaccinated, he said.
In one of the villages, Van Trung, about a dozen local officials on Friday went from house to house, beating to death any poultry they found.
"We expect more outbreaks, not just in Bac Giang, but also in other provinces," said Hoang Van Nam, deputy director of the Animal Health Department. "Cooler weather now makes it easier for the virus to spread."
The World Bank is considering a package between $300 million and $500 million which could be used by low-income countries to "supplement government resources, to strengthen the veterinary systems and to put in place culling and vaccine programs for animals," Jim Adams, the World Bank's vice president for operations policy and country services, said Friday.
On Saturday, WHO said farmers in developing countries should be compensated for poultry culled during a bird flu outbreak to encourage them to report unusual chicken deaths.
In the United States, Hawaii became the first state this week to begin voluntary screening of passengers at airports to detect signs of bird flu or other viruses.
Insect Sting Allergy May Be Undertreated
Frontline health workers aren't following guidelines on management of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), new research suggests.
The guidelines, published by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, state that patients with a history of anaphylaxis to an insect sting should: be educated on ways they can avoid insect stings; carry injectable epinephrine for emergency self-treatment; undergo specific IgE testing for stinging insect sensitivity; and be considered for immunotherapy.
In one study, Dr. Thomas L. Johnson II of San Antonio, Texas, and his colleagues analyzed the charts of patients treated at emergency rooms and primary care clinics in order to review health providers' documented recommendations for fire ant and flying insect hypersensitivity reactions.
Of 120 fire ant and flying insect encounters suggestive of a systemic reaction, 59 were from flying insects, and 46 were from fire ants. The remainder of the systemic reactions included five scorpion stings and 10 unidentified insects.
The review found that 55 percent of the patients who suffered a systemic reaction received a prescription for injectable epinephrine, 12 percent were given information on how to avoid insect stings, and 39 percent were referred to an allergist.
Of the 28 patients who were referred to an allergist, and who kept their appointments are were tested, 89 percent had positive skin testing and were recommended for immunotherapy.
The study authors wrote that, "it is apparent that many patients who have experienced a systemic reaction following an insect sting and have sought medical care are not afforded an opportunity for potentially life-saving therapy."
The findings were presented Saturday at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Anaheim, Calif.
Two other U.S. studies presented at the meeting also found that many health providers failed to follow the guidelines on management of severe allergic reactions caused by insect stings.
Bill Gates Fights to End Malaria
The world's richest man, Bill Gates, believes it is possible to completely wipe out malaria that kills thousands every day but gets comparatively little attention because it mostly affects poor countries.
"The fact that all these kids are dying, over 2,000 a day. That's terrible. If it was happening in rich countries, we'd act," said the software billionaire -— who has acted by pledging $258.3 million recently for the development of new drugs, a vaccine and better protection against mosquitos.
"Biology has improved, so the chance of having new medicines and vaccines are stronger today than ever," Gates said in an interview for ABC's "This Week" to be aired Sunday.
"And yet because the people who need these medicines can't afford them, we haven't put the resources of the world behind us," said the top philanthropist who has provided about $6 billion over the last five years for various causes and projects.
The largest chunk, $107.6 million, of the new funds to battle malaria will go to develop an experimental malaria vaccine and will cover the completion of testing in Africa and the licensing process, should the vaccine prove viable. A study in Mozambique has found the vaccine cut the risk of severe malaria among young children by 58 percent.
A group working to accelerate the development of affordable drugs, the Medicines for Malaria Venture, will get $100 million. The rest will go to developing better pesticides and bed nets against the disease-spreading mosquitos.
In the United States, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on education and scholarships. But globally "We learned about these health issues, we realized that that's where you can make a huge change," he said.
"With our foundation, with others ... we're getting the brightest scientists to come and work on these problems," Gates added.
But can the stubborn, age-old infection be fully eradicated?
"Absolutely. It's not going to happen overnight, and we should take the tools we have today and get those applied, because we can save half the lives just that way," Gates told George Stephanopoulos, a former White House aide and now an ABC anchor.
"With breakthroughs that will come over the next two decades, yes, we can make malaria in the whole world like it is in the United States today, something that we just don't have to worry about," said Gates.
So will he be remembered more for the work on global health than for Microsoft, Stephanopoulos asked?
"I don't care whether I'm remembered ... empowering people with the Internet and PCs is my lifetime's work. That's my job."
Food Fact:
Smashing!
To get the most from garlic, you may have to rough it up a little. When you cook garlic, cut it, smash it and then let it sit for about 10 minutes. This allows plenty of time for the formation of garlic's mother compound, allicin, the sulfur compound that gives garlic its unique potential benefits, including an ability to inhibit blood clots. Raw and cooked garlic may reduce elevated blood cholesterol and blood pressure. In population studies, people who eat more alliums (garlic family members) have lower rates of stomach and other cancers; indeed, just one clove of garlic a day can lower the risk. Raw garlic and onion kill bacteria and fungi, making them natural antibiotics. When buying garlic, choose firm heavy heads and store in an open container in a cool, dry place.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Chill out.
One essential step in your workout helps avoid light-headedness and muscle spasms. It's the cool-down period, which is even more important than a preworkout warmup. After vigorous activity, a cooldown gives your heart rate a chance to normalize, and protects you from negative effects.
FAQ of the day:
How can I get heart-healthy omega-3s without fish?
First, make sure you include plant sources of omega-3s every day. It's also important to limit the amount of highly polyunsaturated oils in your diet, because they compete with omega-3s. Olive oil is a safe choice. Plant-based sources of omega-3s such as English walnuts, soy foods, flax seeds and leafy green vegetables.
A 19-year-old woman died of bird flu in Indonesia and an 8-year-old boy from her family was hospitalized with the virus, officials said Saturday.
With concerns about a possible human bird flu pandemic rising around the globe, the World Bank said it was finalizing plans to provide up to $500 million to help poor countries fight the disease.
New cases of the virus in birds were reported in China and Vietnam this week.
The woman, from the town of Tangerang on the outskirts of the Indonesia capital Jakarta, was believed to have contracted the virus from infected dead chickens in her neighborhood, said Hariadi Wibisono, a Ministry of Health official. Her death brings the number of people killed by the disease in Indonesia to five, he said.
Wibisono said a Hong Kong laboratory confirmed both victims had bird flu, but it was not immediately clear how the young boy contracted the disease.
Since late 2003, the virulent and lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu has ravaged poultry stocks and jumped from birds to humans, killing at least 62 people in Southeast Asia. Most of the human deaths have been linked to close contact with infected birds. But experts fear the virus could mutate into a form easily passed among humans and possibly spark a worldwide pandemic.
The latest outbreak in China — the fourth in three weeks — killed 8,940 chickens on Oct. 26 in Liaoning province's Badaohao village east of Beijing, the government said Friday.
The outbreak prompted authorities to destroy 369,900 other birds in the area, and came despite efforts to tighten controls on China's 5.2 billion chickens, ducks and other poultry.
Hong Kong immediately banned poultry imports from Liaoning, reflecting growing concern that China is becoming a potential bird flu flashpoint.
No human cases have been reported in China, but authorities warn it is inevitable if the government cannot stop repeated outbreaks in poultry.
In Vietnam — where most of the human deaths have occurred — more than 3,000 poultry died or were culled this week in three villages in Bac Giang province about 35 miles northeast of Hanoi, provincial vice chairman Nguyen Dang Khoa said Friday.
Transporting poultry to or from the three villages was banned, and the towns and those around them have been disinfected and remaining poultry vaccinated, he said.
In one of the villages, Van Trung, about a dozen local officials on Friday went from house to house, beating to death any poultry they found.
"We expect more outbreaks, not just in Bac Giang, but also in other provinces," said Hoang Van Nam, deputy director of the Animal Health Department. "Cooler weather now makes it easier for the virus to spread."
The World Bank is considering a package between $300 million and $500 million which could be used by low-income countries to "supplement government resources, to strengthen the veterinary systems and to put in place culling and vaccine programs for animals," Jim Adams, the World Bank's vice president for operations policy and country services, said Friday.
On Saturday, WHO said farmers in developing countries should be compensated for poultry culled during a bird flu outbreak to encourage them to report unusual chicken deaths.
In the United States, Hawaii became the first state this week to begin voluntary screening of passengers at airports to detect signs of bird flu or other viruses.
Insect Sting Allergy May Be Undertreated
Frontline health workers aren't following guidelines on management of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), new research suggests.
The guidelines, published by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, state that patients with a history of anaphylaxis to an insect sting should: be educated on ways they can avoid insect stings; carry injectable epinephrine for emergency self-treatment; undergo specific IgE testing for stinging insect sensitivity; and be considered for immunotherapy.
In one study, Dr. Thomas L. Johnson II of San Antonio, Texas, and his colleagues analyzed the charts of patients treated at emergency rooms and primary care clinics in order to review health providers' documented recommendations for fire ant and flying insect hypersensitivity reactions.
Of 120 fire ant and flying insect encounters suggestive of a systemic reaction, 59 were from flying insects, and 46 were from fire ants. The remainder of the systemic reactions included five scorpion stings and 10 unidentified insects.
The review found that 55 percent of the patients who suffered a systemic reaction received a prescription for injectable epinephrine, 12 percent were given information on how to avoid insect stings, and 39 percent were referred to an allergist.
Of the 28 patients who were referred to an allergist, and who kept their appointments are were tested, 89 percent had positive skin testing and were recommended for immunotherapy.
The study authors wrote that, "it is apparent that many patients who have experienced a systemic reaction following an insect sting and have sought medical care are not afforded an opportunity for potentially life-saving therapy."
The findings were presented Saturday at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Anaheim, Calif.
Two other U.S. studies presented at the meeting also found that many health providers failed to follow the guidelines on management of severe allergic reactions caused by insect stings.
Bill Gates Fights to End Malaria
The world's richest man, Bill Gates, believes it is possible to completely wipe out malaria that kills thousands every day but gets comparatively little attention because it mostly affects poor countries.
"The fact that all these kids are dying, over 2,000 a day. That's terrible. If it was happening in rich countries, we'd act," said the software billionaire -— who has acted by pledging $258.3 million recently for the development of new drugs, a vaccine and better protection against mosquitos.
"Biology has improved, so the chance of having new medicines and vaccines are stronger today than ever," Gates said in an interview for ABC's "This Week" to be aired Sunday.
"And yet because the people who need these medicines can't afford them, we haven't put the resources of the world behind us," said the top philanthropist who has provided about $6 billion over the last five years for various causes and projects.
The largest chunk, $107.6 million, of the new funds to battle malaria will go to develop an experimental malaria vaccine and will cover the completion of testing in Africa and the licensing process, should the vaccine prove viable. A study in Mozambique has found the vaccine cut the risk of severe malaria among young children by 58 percent.
A group working to accelerate the development of affordable drugs, the Medicines for Malaria Venture, will get $100 million. The rest will go to developing better pesticides and bed nets against the disease-spreading mosquitos.
In the United States, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on education and scholarships. But globally "We learned about these health issues, we realized that that's where you can make a huge change," he said.
"With our foundation, with others ... we're getting the brightest scientists to come and work on these problems," Gates added.
But can the stubborn, age-old infection be fully eradicated?
"Absolutely. It's not going to happen overnight, and we should take the tools we have today and get those applied, because we can save half the lives just that way," Gates told George Stephanopoulos, a former White House aide and now an ABC anchor.
"With breakthroughs that will come over the next two decades, yes, we can make malaria in the whole world like it is in the United States today, something that we just don't have to worry about," said Gates.
So will he be remembered more for the work on global health than for Microsoft, Stephanopoulos asked?
"I don't care whether I'm remembered ... empowering people with the Internet and PCs is my lifetime's work. That's my job."
Food Fact:
Smashing!
To get the most from garlic, you may have to rough it up a little. When you cook garlic, cut it, smash it and then let it sit for about 10 minutes. This allows plenty of time for the formation of garlic's mother compound, allicin, the sulfur compound that gives garlic its unique potential benefits, including an ability to inhibit blood clots. Raw and cooked garlic may reduce elevated blood cholesterol and blood pressure. In population studies, people who eat more alliums (garlic family members) have lower rates of stomach and other cancers; indeed, just one clove of garlic a day can lower the risk. Raw garlic and onion kill bacteria and fungi, making them natural antibiotics. When buying garlic, choose firm heavy heads and store in an open container in a cool, dry place.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Chill out.
One essential step in your workout helps avoid light-headedness and muscle spasms. It's the cool-down period, which is even more important than a preworkout warmup. After vigorous activity, a cooldown gives your heart rate a chance to normalize, and protects you from negative effects.
FAQ of the day:
How can I get heart-healthy omega-3s without fish?
First, make sure you include plant sources of omega-3s every day. It's also important to limit the amount of highly polyunsaturated oils in your diet, because they compete with omega-3s. Olive oil is a safe choice. Plant-based sources of omega-3s such as English walnuts, soy foods, flax seeds and leafy green vegetables.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Health Headlines - November 4
Mild Flu Season Eased Impact of Vaccine Shortage Last Winter
A mild flu season last winter helped offset the flu vaccine shortage in the United States, said a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Thursday.
That unexpected shortage occurred when Chiron Corp. was unable to provide any flu vaccine for the United States due to possible vaccine contamination at a production plant outside Liverpool, England. As a result, the number of available flu vaccine doses available nationwide -- expected to be about 100 million -- was cut in half.
In an attempt to boost vaccine supplies, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a number measures, including the purchase of a flu vaccine not licensed for the U.S. market. However, by the time those vaccine supplies were secured in December and January, there was little demand for them, the GAO report said, according to the Associated Press.
One of the lessons learned from last year is that foreign-bought vaccines should be shipped to the United States no later than the beginning of October, the report said.
An estimated 17.5 million people in the United States decided not to get a flu shot last year to ensure there was enough vaccine for people at greatest need for a shot. The report said some health experts believe the people who deferred their flu shots should have been told to check later in the winter for a flu shot, the AP reported.
China Faces Another Bird Flu Outbreak
Chinese authorities ordered the destruction of 370,000 more birds in its fourth bird flu outbreak in three weeks, despite a nationwide effort to contain the virus. The latest outbreak occurred in a northeastern village, the Associated Press reported.
In Japan, signs of bird flu were detected at a northern plant and authorities planned to kill 180,000 chickens after it was found that some of the chickens tested positive for antibodies to the H5 family of avian flu.
The H5 family of bird flu includes the deadly H5N1 strain, the only one that has spread to humans. The H5N1 strain has not been detected in Japan, but the less virulent H5N2 strain was found in the country last year, the AP reported.
On Friday, the head of Thailand's state drug production company said the country could begin distributing its own generic version of the drug Tamiflu as early as February. Tamiflu is considered to be one of the most effective anti-viral drugs to treat avian flu.
Tamiflu is not patented in Thailand, so the country can manufacture a generic version without having to compensate Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, which created Tamiflu.
In the United States, meanwhile, the federal government says it will install a new quarantine station at Logan International Airport in Boston. The quarantine area, patterned after one at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, will be used to evaluate travelers who pose a potential health risk, the AP reported.
The Logan station is part of a federal government program to triple the number of quarantine stations around the United States.
Patient Information Found on Internet
Personal information about an estimated 2,800 Ohio State University (OSU) Medical Center patients appeared on the Internet, hospital officials revealed Thursday.
Names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and the reason why the patients were making appointments at the medical center were included in the information that appeared on the Internet, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Patient medical records were not exposed to public scrutiny.
Hospital officials were alerted about the problem three weeks ago and immediately pulled the information from the Web. They have no idea how long the patient information was on the Internet.
The error involved medical center patients who made or changed appointments on April 19, 2004. The hospital has offered to pay for all affected patients to enroll in a 12-month credit protection service, the Dispatch reported.
L.A. Hospital Closes Liver Transplant Program
St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles will close its liver transplant program in response to revelations that program doctors committed a serious breach of national standards by misappropriating a liver.
"It's the right thing to do for this organization," Gus Valdespino, president and chief executive of St. Vincent, told the Los Angeles Times.
He suspended the hospital's liver transplant program in late September after learning about the inappropriate transplant, which occurred in 2003. Doctors bypassed patients in more dire need of a new liver and performed a liver transplant on a Saudi national who ranked 52nd on the regional liver transplant waiting list.
Documents were then falsified to cover up the inappropriate transplant. A patient who was at the top of the regional list for a liver transplant -- but did not receive one -- later died.
Ongoing investigations and the challenges of rebuilding the program were among the reasons cited by Valdespino for permanently closing down the liver transplant program at St. Vincent, the Times reported.
Clinton Launches Breast Cancer Fund
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is establishing a breast cancer fund in honor of his mother, who died of the disease in 1994.
The Virginia Clinton Kelley Fund, which will be part of the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, will educate and train breast cancer survivors to influence research and increase access to care, the Associated Press reported.
"She had a very upbeat attitude and never thought of herself as dying from the disease but living with it. She was totally at ease with her own mortality and yet ferocious in fighting against the disease," Clinton told the AP.
"Basically, we're going to train people to do what she did by second nature. We're doing better with breast cancer but we've still got a long way to go," Clinton said.
This is the latest in a series of health-related issues, such as fighting AIDS in African and other developing countries and combating child obesity, supported by the former president.
Clinton said his own health problems -- he had quadruple heart bypass surgery last year -- are a source of motivation.
"The fact that I survived made me feel an even deeper sense of obligation to spend whatever time I've got left on Earth doing what I can for other people to make sure they have a chance to live a full and rich life," Clinton told the AP.
Health Tip: If You Dislocate Your Shoulder
The shoulder has a wide range of motion, making it easier to disconnect the joints and cause a dislocated shoulder, the Mayo Clinic says.
If this happens to you, get medical attention as soon as possible. To reset the bones in proper alignment and help ease pain, your doctor may try gently maneuvering the shoulder in a process called reduction.
If the shoulder won't go back into place, surgery may be necessary. The doctor may also put your shoulder in a sling to prevent re-injury.
Avoid strenuous activity for as long as your doctor advises. When treated properly, the shoulder should heal normally. However, it may be more susceptible to dislocation again.
Health Tip: Stretch Your Back
It's important for back health that you keep the spine and surrounding muscles and tendons loose. Tightness in the spine can hinder normal movement and cause back pain, according to the Baystate Health System of New England.
Poor flexibility also can lead to muscle weakness, stiffness, poor posture and a higher risk of injury to muscles or tendons.
Flexibility can be improved, regardless of age. Stretches should be done until the point of mild discomfort, without bouncing or pulling too hard. It is recommended that major joints be stretched at least three times a week.
Talk to your doctor before you begin, and ask if he or she can recommend some basic stretches.
A mild flu season last winter helped offset the flu vaccine shortage in the United States, said a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Thursday.
That unexpected shortage occurred when Chiron Corp. was unable to provide any flu vaccine for the United States due to possible vaccine contamination at a production plant outside Liverpool, England. As a result, the number of available flu vaccine doses available nationwide -- expected to be about 100 million -- was cut in half.
In an attempt to boost vaccine supplies, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a number measures, including the purchase of a flu vaccine not licensed for the U.S. market. However, by the time those vaccine supplies were secured in December and January, there was little demand for them, the GAO report said, according to the Associated Press.
One of the lessons learned from last year is that foreign-bought vaccines should be shipped to the United States no later than the beginning of October, the report said.
An estimated 17.5 million people in the United States decided not to get a flu shot last year to ensure there was enough vaccine for people at greatest need for a shot. The report said some health experts believe the people who deferred their flu shots should have been told to check later in the winter for a flu shot, the AP reported.
China Faces Another Bird Flu Outbreak
Chinese authorities ordered the destruction of 370,000 more birds in its fourth bird flu outbreak in three weeks, despite a nationwide effort to contain the virus. The latest outbreak occurred in a northeastern village, the Associated Press reported.
In Japan, signs of bird flu were detected at a northern plant and authorities planned to kill 180,000 chickens after it was found that some of the chickens tested positive for antibodies to the H5 family of avian flu.
The H5 family of bird flu includes the deadly H5N1 strain, the only one that has spread to humans. The H5N1 strain has not been detected in Japan, but the less virulent H5N2 strain was found in the country last year, the AP reported.
On Friday, the head of Thailand's state drug production company said the country could begin distributing its own generic version of the drug Tamiflu as early as February. Tamiflu is considered to be one of the most effective anti-viral drugs to treat avian flu.
Tamiflu is not patented in Thailand, so the country can manufacture a generic version without having to compensate Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, which created Tamiflu.
In the United States, meanwhile, the federal government says it will install a new quarantine station at Logan International Airport in Boston. The quarantine area, patterned after one at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, will be used to evaluate travelers who pose a potential health risk, the AP reported.
The Logan station is part of a federal government program to triple the number of quarantine stations around the United States.
Patient Information Found on Internet
Personal information about an estimated 2,800 Ohio State University (OSU) Medical Center patients appeared on the Internet, hospital officials revealed Thursday.
Names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and the reason why the patients were making appointments at the medical center were included in the information that appeared on the Internet, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Patient medical records were not exposed to public scrutiny.
Hospital officials were alerted about the problem three weeks ago and immediately pulled the information from the Web. They have no idea how long the patient information was on the Internet.
The error involved medical center patients who made or changed appointments on April 19, 2004. The hospital has offered to pay for all affected patients to enroll in a 12-month credit protection service, the Dispatch reported.
L.A. Hospital Closes Liver Transplant Program
St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles will close its liver transplant program in response to revelations that program doctors committed a serious breach of national standards by misappropriating a liver.
"It's the right thing to do for this organization," Gus Valdespino, president and chief executive of St. Vincent, told the Los Angeles Times.
He suspended the hospital's liver transplant program in late September after learning about the inappropriate transplant, which occurred in 2003. Doctors bypassed patients in more dire need of a new liver and performed a liver transplant on a Saudi national who ranked 52nd on the regional liver transplant waiting list.
Documents were then falsified to cover up the inappropriate transplant. A patient who was at the top of the regional list for a liver transplant -- but did not receive one -- later died.
Ongoing investigations and the challenges of rebuilding the program were among the reasons cited by Valdespino for permanently closing down the liver transplant program at St. Vincent, the Times reported.
Clinton Launches Breast Cancer Fund
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is establishing a breast cancer fund in honor of his mother, who died of the disease in 1994.
The Virginia Clinton Kelley Fund, which will be part of the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, will educate and train breast cancer survivors to influence research and increase access to care, the Associated Press reported.
"She had a very upbeat attitude and never thought of herself as dying from the disease but living with it. She was totally at ease with her own mortality and yet ferocious in fighting against the disease," Clinton told the AP.
"Basically, we're going to train people to do what she did by second nature. We're doing better with breast cancer but we've still got a long way to go," Clinton said.
This is the latest in a series of health-related issues, such as fighting AIDS in African and other developing countries and combating child obesity, supported by the former president.
Clinton said his own health problems -- he had quadruple heart bypass surgery last year -- are a source of motivation.
"The fact that I survived made me feel an even deeper sense of obligation to spend whatever time I've got left on Earth doing what I can for other people to make sure they have a chance to live a full and rich life," Clinton told the AP.
Health Tip: If You Dislocate Your Shoulder
The shoulder has a wide range of motion, making it easier to disconnect the joints and cause a dislocated shoulder, the Mayo Clinic says.
If this happens to you, get medical attention as soon as possible. To reset the bones in proper alignment and help ease pain, your doctor may try gently maneuvering the shoulder in a process called reduction.
If the shoulder won't go back into place, surgery may be necessary. The doctor may also put your shoulder in a sling to prevent re-injury.
Avoid strenuous activity for as long as your doctor advises. When treated properly, the shoulder should heal normally. However, it may be more susceptible to dislocation again.
Health Tip: Stretch Your Back
It's important for back health that you keep the spine and surrounding muscles and tendons loose. Tightness in the spine can hinder normal movement and cause back pain, according to the Baystate Health System of New England.
Poor flexibility also can lead to muscle weakness, stiffness, poor posture and a higher risk of injury to muscles or tendons.
Flexibility can be improved, regardless of age. Stretches should be done until the point of mild discomfort, without bouncing or pulling too hard. It is recommended that major joints be stretched at least three times a week.
Talk to your doctor before you begin, and ask if he or she can recommend some basic stretches.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Health Headlines - November 3
New Drug Delays Intestinal Cancer
A new drug appears to dramatically delay the progression of a rare type of intestinal cancer in those who've run out of other options because their tumors have outsmarted even the latest high-tech drug.
The drug, Sutent, or sunitinib malate appears to shrink tumors by simultaneously starving them of blood, blocking signals that tell them to grow and spread, and causing cancer cells to die, according to research findings presented Friday at the European Cancer Conference in Paris.
The drug, made by Pfizer which also funded the new research, belongs to a new class of cancer drugs that target multiple tumor activities at once. Doctors are hopeful it will usher in a new era of combinations of finely targeted drugs that can greatly improve the prognosis of cancer patients, much like triple-combination therapy revolutionized HIV treatment, the Associated Press reports.
Sutent was tested against a type of cancer called gastrointestinal stromal tumor, or GIST, a cancer that had a dire prognosis until the drug Gleevec, or imatinib, came along about five years ago. Gleevec, however, stops working for most patients within two years as the tumor develops resistance to it. In the study, two-thirds of 312 patients on four continents, all of whom had developed resistance to Gleevec, got the new drug, while one-third received a fake treatment. Sutent delayed the time to progression of the tumor from 6.4 weeks to 27.3 weeks, the study found. It is too early to tell whether the treatment is saving lives.
The study's leader, Dr. George Demetri, associate professor of medicine at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said the findings will help scientists think more creatively about more complicated cancers.
Older Americans Reluctant to Use Sleep Meds: Survey
Nearly half (46 percent) of older Americans get less than seven hours of sleep a night and 25 percent believe they have a sleep problem, says a Gallup survey released Thursday by the International Longevity Center-USA.
Nearly 40 percent of those with sleep problems cited worry as a cause of their inability to get a good night's sleep. That issue was especially common for those who were primary caregivers for a parent or other family member.
The telephone survey of 1,003 adults 50 years and older also found that many of them have concerns about taking prescription sleep medications. Those concerns include addiction (68 percent), long-term side effects (77 percent), and next-day grogginess. Only nine percent said they felt prescription sleep aids were "very safe."
Most of the respondents (80 percent) recognize the importance of sleep to their health, but many who experience sleep problems aren't receiving treatment. The survey found that 53 percent of the older adults who talked with their health providers about a sleep problem aren't receiving treatment.
Men were more likely than women (38 percent vs. 27 percent) to say they get a good night's sleep seven nights a week. The 46 percent of respondents who rated their health as "excellent" were most likely to say they get a good night's sleep every night of the week, the survey found.
Johnson & Johnson Rethinking Guidant Purchase
Johnson & Johnson is threatening to pull out of its $25.4 billion deal to buy trouble-plagued Guidant Corporation, the second largest maker of heart devices in the United States.
The deal was announced last December, but since then Guidant has been hammered by safety issues and product recalls. For example, in May Guidant was forced to recall a defibrillator model that had an electrical problem that could be fatal to patients, The New York Times reported.
On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson released a statement that said the company believes the recalls and federal investigations dogging Guidant have materially affected its short-term results and long-term outlook. Because of those concerns, Johnson & Johnson wants to pay less for Guidant than the previously negotiated $76 per share.
In response, Guidant said any impact from the recalls would be short term and that Johnson & Johnson was legally bound to complete the deal by Friday, under the terms of the deal announced last year.
More Estrogen Makes Women More Attractive to Men
High levels of estrogen make women appear more feminine and attractive to men, according to a U.K. study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society.
The study also said that make-up can easily obscure these subtle facial clues about women's estrogen levels. The findings suggest that the way a man perceives the attractiveness of a woman's face is directly linked to physical indicators of fertility and good reproductive health, The Times of London reported.
Desirable facial attributes include a feminine jawline, bright, clear eyes and a less-pallid complexion, the study found.
Researchers photographed 56 women, average age 20, and showed their photos to 15 female and male volunteers. The study participants rated the faces of women with higher estrogen levels as the most attractive and as being in better overall health, The Times reported.
3 Indonesian Children Hospitalized With Bird Flu Symptoms
Three Indonesian children related to a woman who may have died of avian flu are being treated in a hospital for symptoms of the illness, Agence France Presse reported.
The girl and two boys, suffering from coughs and high fevers, were admitted to the hospital on Tuesday and are being tested for the potentially deadly HFN1 bird flu strain. The children are aged 5 months, 10 months and 8 years.
So far, bird flu has killed at least four people in Indonesia and three others have been infected but survived. The virus has killed more than 60 people in Asia since 2003.
In Africa, veterinary experts meeting in Rwanda warned that a bird flu outbreak could devastate the continent because many countries lack proper monitoring or facilities to deal with such an emergency, AFP reported.
Meanwhile, Swiss drug maker Roche is committed to boosting production of its anti-viral drug Tamiflu, the European Commission said Thursday.
EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said that Roche Chief Executive Franz Humer promised that Roche would not allow patents to stand in the way of making Tamiflu licensing arrangements with other companies, the Associated Press reported.
Tamiflu is currently considered the most effective medical defense against a potential outbreak of bird flu in humans. Roche has been under international pressure to loosen its control on production of Tamiflu, which is in short supply as businesses and nations stockpile the drug.
Roche says it's in discussions with other companies and governments about increasing Tamiflu production, the AP reported.
In related news, Swiss drug maker Novartis said it would consider constructing an influenza vaccine production plant in the United States. The news comes amid worries that a proposed Novartis deal to take over Chiron, the only major U.S. producer of flu vaccine, would leave the U.S. dependent on foreign companies for flu vaccine supplies, The New York Times reported.
Food Fact:
Fennel club.
Seeds of this parsley kin can be a life saver if you have stomach pain. Fennel has long been part of folk remedies for indigestion, colic, bloating and heartburn, and modern research has shown that fennel seeds are rich in anethole, a compound that relaxes the smooth muscles of the stomach and acts as an anti-spasmodic. When shopping for fennel bulbs, avoid any that have droopy tops, are brownish or look dry. At home, store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and sprinkle lemon juice on sliced fennel to prevent browning. Fennel has an affinity for fish. It's particularly good with grilled mackerel and sardines.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Bring the kids!
Your children will pick up your attitudes about exercise -- make it a positive one! If you see exercise as a chore, your children will, too. Think of activities that you can do with your kids. Get them off to a good start -- and off the fast food -- with fun activities that make the whole family more active.
FAQ of the day:
What are the fattiest foods?
The worst offenders are stick margarine, solid vegetable shortening and commercially baked products, including donuts, cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. Foods that seem a little more wholesome, such as toaster waffles and wheat crackers, can also contain significant amounts of trans fats. A general rule of thumb: The higher the total fat in a product, and the higher hydrogenated oils appear in the ingredient list, the more trans fat it contains.
A new drug appears to dramatically delay the progression of a rare type of intestinal cancer in those who've run out of other options because their tumors have outsmarted even the latest high-tech drug.
The drug, Sutent, or sunitinib malate appears to shrink tumors by simultaneously starving them of blood, blocking signals that tell them to grow and spread, and causing cancer cells to die, according to research findings presented Friday at the European Cancer Conference in Paris.
The drug, made by Pfizer which also funded the new research, belongs to a new class of cancer drugs that target multiple tumor activities at once. Doctors are hopeful it will usher in a new era of combinations of finely targeted drugs that can greatly improve the prognosis of cancer patients, much like triple-combination therapy revolutionized HIV treatment, the Associated Press reports.
Sutent was tested against a type of cancer called gastrointestinal stromal tumor, or GIST, a cancer that had a dire prognosis until the drug Gleevec, or imatinib, came along about five years ago. Gleevec, however, stops working for most patients within two years as the tumor develops resistance to it. In the study, two-thirds of 312 patients on four continents, all of whom had developed resistance to Gleevec, got the new drug, while one-third received a fake treatment. Sutent delayed the time to progression of the tumor from 6.4 weeks to 27.3 weeks, the study found. It is too early to tell whether the treatment is saving lives.
The study's leader, Dr. George Demetri, associate professor of medicine at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said the findings will help scientists think more creatively about more complicated cancers.
Older Americans Reluctant to Use Sleep Meds: Survey
Nearly half (46 percent) of older Americans get less than seven hours of sleep a night and 25 percent believe they have a sleep problem, says a Gallup survey released Thursday by the International Longevity Center-USA.
Nearly 40 percent of those with sleep problems cited worry as a cause of their inability to get a good night's sleep. That issue was especially common for those who were primary caregivers for a parent or other family member.
The telephone survey of 1,003 adults 50 years and older also found that many of them have concerns about taking prescription sleep medications. Those concerns include addiction (68 percent), long-term side effects (77 percent), and next-day grogginess. Only nine percent said they felt prescription sleep aids were "very safe."
Most of the respondents (80 percent) recognize the importance of sleep to their health, but many who experience sleep problems aren't receiving treatment. The survey found that 53 percent of the older adults who talked with their health providers about a sleep problem aren't receiving treatment.
Men were more likely than women (38 percent vs. 27 percent) to say they get a good night's sleep seven nights a week. The 46 percent of respondents who rated their health as "excellent" were most likely to say they get a good night's sleep every night of the week, the survey found.
Johnson & Johnson Rethinking Guidant Purchase
Johnson & Johnson is threatening to pull out of its $25.4 billion deal to buy trouble-plagued Guidant Corporation, the second largest maker of heart devices in the United States.
The deal was announced last December, but since then Guidant has been hammered by safety issues and product recalls. For example, in May Guidant was forced to recall a defibrillator model that had an electrical problem that could be fatal to patients, The New York Times reported.
On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson released a statement that said the company believes the recalls and federal investigations dogging Guidant have materially affected its short-term results and long-term outlook. Because of those concerns, Johnson & Johnson wants to pay less for Guidant than the previously negotiated $76 per share.
In response, Guidant said any impact from the recalls would be short term and that Johnson & Johnson was legally bound to complete the deal by Friday, under the terms of the deal announced last year.
More Estrogen Makes Women More Attractive to Men
High levels of estrogen make women appear more feminine and attractive to men, according to a U.K. study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society.
The study also said that make-up can easily obscure these subtle facial clues about women's estrogen levels. The findings suggest that the way a man perceives the attractiveness of a woman's face is directly linked to physical indicators of fertility and good reproductive health, The Times of London reported.
Desirable facial attributes include a feminine jawline, bright, clear eyes and a less-pallid complexion, the study found.
Researchers photographed 56 women, average age 20, and showed their photos to 15 female and male volunteers. The study participants rated the faces of women with higher estrogen levels as the most attractive and as being in better overall health, The Times reported.
3 Indonesian Children Hospitalized With Bird Flu Symptoms
Three Indonesian children related to a woman who may have died of avian flu are being treated in a hospital for symptoms of the illness, Agence France Presse reported.
The girl and two boys, suffering from coughs and high fevers, were admitted to the hospital on Tuesday and are being tested for the potentially deadly HFN1 bird flu strain. The children are aged 5 months, 10 months and 8 years.
So far, bird flu has killed at least four people in Indonesia and three others have been infected but survived. The virus has killed more than 60 people in Asia since 2003.
In Africa, veterinary experts meeting in Rwanda warned that a bird flu outbreak could devastate the continent because many countries lack proper monitoring or facilities to deal with such an emergency, AFP reported.
Meanwhile, Swiss drug maker Roche is committed to boosting production of its anti-viral drug Tamiflu, the European Commission said Thursday.
EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said that Roche Chief Executive Franz Humer promised that Roche would not allow patents to stand in the way of making Tamiflu licensing arrangements with other companies, the Associated Press reported.
Tamiflu is currently considered the most effective medical defense against a potential outbreak of bird flu in humans. Roche has been under international pressure to loosen its control on production of Tamiflu, which is in short supply as businesses and nations stockpile the drug.
Roche says it's in discussions with other companies and governments about increasing Tamiflu production, the AP reported.
In related news, Swiss drug maker Novartis said it would consider constructing an influenza vaccine production plant in the United States. The news comes amid worries that a proposed Novartis deal to take over Chiron, the only major U.S. producer of flu vaccine, would leave the U.S. dependent on foreign companies for flu vaccine supplies, The New York Times reported.
Food Fact:
Fennel club.
Seeds of this parsley kin can be a life saver if you have stomach pain. Fennel has long been part of folk remedies for indigestion, colic, bloating and heartburn, and modern research has shown that fennel seeds are rich in anethole, a compound that relaxes the smooth muscles of the stomach and acts as an anti-spasmodic. When shopping for fennel bulbs, avoid any that have droopy tops, are brownish or look dry. At home, store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and sprinkle lemon juice on sliced fennel to prevent browning. Fennel has an affinity for fish. It's particularly good with grilled mackerel and sardines.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Bring the kids!
Your children will pick up your attitudes about exercise -- make it a positive one! If you see exercise as a chore, your children will, too. Think of activities that you can do with your kids. Get them off to a good start -- and off the fast food -- with fun activities that make the whole family more active.
FAQ of the day:
What are the fattiest foods?
The worst offenders are stick margarine, solid vegetable shortening and commercially baked products, including donuts, cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. Foods that seem a little more wholesome, such as toaster waffles and wheat crackers, can also contain significant amounts of trans fats. A general rule of thumb: The higher the total fat in a product, and the higher hydrogenated oils appear in the ingredient list, the more trans fat it contains.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Health Headlines - November 2
Poultry Import Bans Could Affect Flu Reporting: U.S. Official
Countries should be cautious in banning poultry imports because excessive measures may make some nations reluctant to report avian flu outbreaks, says a U.S. agriculture official who held talks with Chinese officials about coordinating anti-bird flu strategies.
"If countries overreact and are overly punitive in their reaction when this disease is reported, that reduces the incentive for other countries to report," Charles Lambert, a U.S. deputy undersecretary of agriculture, said at a news conference.
He said that Chinese agriculture and quarantine officials agreed to increase information exchanges and technical cooperation with the U.S., the Associated Press reported.
Both China and Vietnam have banned poultry imports from countries with bird flu outbreaks. American producers sell $500 million worth of poultry a year to China, Lambert said.
In other news, Vietnam banned raw blood pudding and poultry-raising in major cities and China' largest drug maker is negotiating with Swiss drug maker Roche for permission to produce Roche's anti-flu drug Tamiflu, the AP reported.
New Vitamin D Pill Improves Prostate Cancer Survival
Taking an experimental, high-dose vitamin D pill in combination with chemotherapy can help extend the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer, says a study presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the European Cancer Conference in Paris.
The study of 250 patients found that those who took the DN-101 pill with chemotherapy lived about eight months longer than men who took a placebo with chemotherapy.
"When DN-101 is added to chemotherapy, it provides a significant improvement in survival for advanced prostate cancer patients. DN-101 extends lives and it may also protect against side effects of chemotherapy, providing a one-two punch in cancer therapy," Dr. Thomasz Beer, national leader of the clinical trial and director of the Prostate Cancer Program at the Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) Cancer Institute, said in a prepared statement.
"This is both surprising and pleasing. A cancer treatment that improves survival and decreases toxicity is exceedingly rare," Beer added.
DN-101 was designed specifically as a cancer therapy. It's a form of calcitriol, a naturally occurring hormone and the biologically active form of vitamin D.
Both Beer and OHSU have significant financial interest in Novacea, the maker of DN-101.
Health Insurer to Cover Depression Management
Major insurer Aetna is expected to announce Wednesday that it will begin paying for a depression management program in dozens of medical offices in the United States, The New York Times reported.
Depression is one of the most common and costly health problems in the country, and Aetna's move is seen as a response to employers who point to depression as a major cause of worker absenteeism and low productivity.
The Aetna plan will pay additional fees to primary care doctors when they screen patients for depression and provide follow-up consultations for patients who are prescribed anti-depressants or are referred to psychologists or psychiatrists, the Times reported.
The company reasons that the added costs of identifying and treating depression can help prevent even greater financial costs, including higher medical expenses that often occur when diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health problems are compounded by depression.
About 33 million Americans are treated for depression each year and at least one in six Americans suffer depression at some point in their lives. It's estimated that depression causes a total economic loss of more than $83 billion a year in the United States, the newspaper reported.
Generic Drug Could Stretch Tamiflu Supply
A generic drug called probenecid could help "double" the supply of the influenza drug Tamiflu, which is in high demand due to fears about a potential global outbreak of avian flu, says a report released Tuesday by the journal Nature.
Administering probenecid alongside Tamiflu prevents Tamiflu from being excreted in urine, meaning that half-doses of Tamiflu would provide sufficient protection, according to an emergency medical specialist who reviewed safety data on Tamiflu.
Probenecid appears to double the number of hours that Tamiflu's active ingredient remains in the blood and doubles its maximum blood concentration.
Probenecid prevents many drugs, including antibiotics, from being removed from the blood by the kidneys. It was used during the Second World War to stretch penicillin supplies and is still widely used alongside antibiotics in hospital emergency rooms and in treating patients with syphilis and gonorrhea.
Because probenecid is already widely used, there are few safety considerations, some doctors told Nature. However, others noted that even with the use of probenecid, a major increase in flu drug production is still required to cope with an influenza pandemic.
Diabetic Black Men Have Less Heart Disease, Researchers Say
Black men with diabetes have dramatically lower amounts of coronary artery disease than diabetic white men, a surprise outcome announced by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Tuesday.
Dr. Barry Freedman and colleagues report in the December issue of Diabetologia that African-American men had significantly lower levels of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries and the carotid arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain.
"This striking result was observed despite black subjects having higher levels of conventional risk factors for heart disease," said Freedman in a prepared statement. "These risk factors would normally be expected to promote coronary artery disease in the black participants."
The results came from the Diabetes Heart Study, made up of North Carolina families in which at least two siblings have type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The Wake Forest investigators recruited 1,000 white participants from 369 families and 180 blacks from 74 families for the research.
Freedman pointed out that the study was the first to compare blacks and whites who had type 2 diabetes for differences in atherosclerosis. The amount of plaque was measured using high-speed computed tomography (CT) scans.
"Hardening of the arteries appears to be a different disease in blacks and whites. We have demonstrated this in diabetic subjects; other groups have shown it in people with hypertension," said Freedman. "We should be studying what causes these biologic differences. Perhaps inherited or genetic influences may contribute to these differences."
Food Fact:
Soy to the world.
Think soy is boring? Edamame just might change your mind. Baby green soybeans are unlike tofu or soy milk in taste, look and feel, but are just as packed with protein and protective soy isoflavones. Edamame are sold frozen in the pod or shucked. Cook for 7 or 8 minutes in boiling water until tender. Serve plain as a snack or add to stir-fries, bean salads or vegetables mixes. A 1/4-cup serving contains about 110 calories and 9 grams of protein.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Speak up.
Chatting on the phone? It's the perfect time to get active! Stand up, switch the phone to speaker, and pace during long conversations and conference calls. While your hands are free, try a little lifting with a dumbbell set.
FAQ of the day:
Can I take a pill to get the benefits of soy food?
In order to get the benefits of soy, a supplement alone won't do. You'll need to eat soy food, for both soy protein and soy isoflavones, to get the full range of health benefits. Pills will just give you the isoflavones. Only soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy protein powder provide both.
Countries should be cautious in banning poultry imports because excessive measures may make some nations reluctant to report avian flu outbreaks, says a U.S. agriculture official who held talks with Chinese officials about coordinating anti-bird flu strategies.
"If countries overreact and are overly punitive in their reaction when this disease is reported, that reduces the incentive for other countries to report," Charles Lambert, a U.S. deputy undersecretary of agriculture, said at a news conference.
He said that Chinese agriculture and quarantine officials agreed to increase information exchanges and technical cooperation with the U.S., the Associated Press reported.
Both China and Vietnam have banned poultry imports from countries with bird flu outbreaks. American producers sell $500 million worth of poultry a year to China, Lambert said.
In other news, Vietnam banned raw blood pudding and poultry-raising in major cities and China' largest drug maker is negotiating with Swiss drug maker Roche for permission to produce Roche's anti-flu drug Tamiflu, the AP reported.
New Vitamin D Pill Improves Prostate Cancer Survival
Taking an experimental, high-dose vitamin D pill in combination with chemotherapy can help extend the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer, says a study presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the European Cancer Conference in Paris.
The study of 250 patients found that those who took the DN-101 pill with chemotherapy lived about eight months longer than men who took a placebo with chemotherapy.
"When DN-101 is added to chemotherapy, it provides a significant improvement in survival for advanced prostate cancer patients. DN-101 extends lives and it may also protect against side effects of chemotherapy, providing a one-two punch in cancer therapy," Dr. Thomasz Beer, national leader of the clinical trial and director of the Prostate Cancer Program at the Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) Cancer Institute, said in a prepared statement.
"This is both surprising and pleasing. A cancer treatment that improves survival and decreases toxicity is exceedingly rare," Beer added.
DN-101 was designed specifically as a cancer therapy. It's a form of calcitriol, a naturally occurring hormone and the biologically active form of vitamin D.
Both Beer and OHSU have significant financial interest in Novacea, the maker of DN-101.
Health Insurer to Cover Depression Management
Major insurer Aetna is expected to announce Wednesday that it will begin paying for a depression management program in dozens of medical offices in the United States, The New York Times reported.
Depression is one of the most common and costly health problems in the country, and Aetna's move is seen as a response to employers who point to depression as a major cause of worker absenteeism and low productivity.
The Aetna plan will pay additional fees to primary care doctors when they screen patients for depression and provide follow-up consultations for patients who are prescribed anti-depressants or are referred to psychologists or psychiatrists, the Times reported.
The company reasons that the added costs of identifying and treating depression can help prevent even greater financial costs, including higher medical expenses that often occur when diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health problems are compounded by depression.
About 33 million Americans are treated for depression each year and at least one in six Americans suffer depression at some point in their lives. It's estimated that depression causes a total economic loss of more than $83 billion a year in the United States, the newspaper reported.
Generic Drug Could Stretch Tamiflu Supply
A generic drug called probenecid could help "double" the supply of the influenza drug Tamiflu, which is in high demand due to fears about a potential global outbreak of avian flu, says a report released Tuesday by the journal Nature.
Administering probenecid alongside Tamiflu prevents Tamiflu from being excreted in urine, meaning that half-doses of Tamiflu would provide sufficient protection, according to an emergency medical specialist who reviewed safety data on Tamiflu.
Probenecid appears to double the number of hours that Tamiflu's active ingredient remains in the blood and doubles its maximum blood concentration.
Probenecid prevents many drugs, including antibiotics, from being removed from the blood by the kidneys. It was used during the Second World War to stretch penicillin supplies and is still widely used alongside antibiotics in hospital emergency rooms and in treating patients with syphilis and gonorrhea.
Because probenecid is already widely used, there are few safety considerations, some doctors told Nature. However, others noted that even with the use of probenecid, a major increase in flu drug production is still required to cope with an influenza pandemic.
Diabetic Black Men Have Less Heart Disease, Researchers Say
Black men with diabetes have dramatically lower amounts of coronary artery disease than diabetic white men, a surprise outcome announced by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Tuesday.
Dr. Barry Freedman and colleagues report in the December issue of Diabetologia that African-American men had significantly lower levels of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries and the carotid arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain.
"This striking result was observed despite black subjects having higher levels of conventional risk factors for heart disease," said Freedman in a prepared statement. "These risk factors would normally be expected to promote coronary artery disease in the black participants."
The results came from the Diabetes Heart Study, made up of North Carolina families in which at least two siblings have type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The Wake Forest investigators recruited 1,000 white participants from 369 families and 180 blacks from 74 families for the research.
Freedman pointed out that the study was the first to compare blacks and whites who had type 2 diabetes for differences in atherosclerosis. The amount of plaque was measured using high-speed computed tomography (CT) scans.
"Hardening of the arteries appears to be a different disease in blacks and whites. We have demonstrated this in diabetic subjects; other groups have shown it in people with hypertension," said Freedman. "We should be studying what causes these biologic differences. Perhaps inherited or genetic influences may contribute to these differences."
Food Fact:
Soy to the world.
Think soy is boring? Edamame just might change your mind. Baby green soybeans are unlike tofu or soy milk in taste, look and feel, but are just as packed with protein and protective soy isoflavones. Edamame are sold frozen in the pod or shucked. Cook for 7 or 8 minutes in boiling water until tender. Serve plain as a snack or add to stir-fries, bean salads or vegetables mixes. A 1/4-cup serving contains about 110 calories and 9 grams of protein.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Speak up.
Chatting on the phone? It's the perfect time to get active! Stand up, switch the phone to speaker, and pace during long conversations and conference calls. While your hands are free, try a little lifting with a dumbbell set.
FAQ of the day:
Can I take a pill to get the benefits of soy food?
In order to get the benefits of soy, a supplement alone won't do. You'll need to eat soy food, for both soy protein and soy isoflavones, to get the full range of health benefits. Pills will just give you the isoflavones. Only soy foods like tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy protein powder provide both.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Health Headlines - November 1
Generic Drug Could Stretch Tamiflu Supply
A generic drug called probenecid could help "double" the supply of the influenza drug Tamiflu, which is in high demand due to fears about a potential global outbreak of avian flu, says a report released Tuesday by the journal Nature.
Administering probenecid alongside Tamiflu prevents Tamiflu from being excreted in urine, meaning that half-doses of Tamiflu would provide sufficient protection, according to an emergency medical specialist who reviewed safety data on Tamiflu.
Probenecid appears to double the number of hours that Tamiflu's active ingredient remains in the blood and doubles its maximum blood concentration.
Probenecid prevents many drugs, including antibiotics, from being removed from the blood by the kidneys. It was used during the Second World War to stretch penicillin supplies and is still widely used alongside antibiotics in hospital emergency rooms and in treating patients with syphilis and gonorrhea.
Because probenecid is already widely used, there are few safety considerations, some doctors told Nature. However, others noted that even with the use of probenecid, a major increase in flu drug production is still required to cope with an influenza pandemic.
Diabetic Black Men Have Less Heart Disease, Researchers Say
Black men with diabetes have dramatically lower amounts of coronary artery disease than diabetic white men, a surprise outcome announced by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Tuesday.
Dr. Barry Freedman and colleagues report in the December issue of Diabetologia that African-American men had significantly lower levels of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries and the carotid arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain.
"This striking result was observed despite black subjects having higher levels of conventional risk factors for heart disease," said Freedman in a prepared statement. "These risk factors would normally be expected to promote coronary artery disease in the black participants."
The results came from the Diabetes Heart Study, made up of North Carolina families in which at least two siblings have type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The Wake Forest investigators recruited 1,000 white participants from 369 families and 180 blacks from 74 families for the research.
Freedman pointed out that the study was the first to compare blacks and whites who had type 2 diabetes for differences in atherosclerosis. The amount of plaque was measured using high-speed computed tomography (CT) scans.
"Hardening of the arteries appears to be a different disease in blacks and whites. We have demonstrated this in diabetic subjects; other groups have shown it in people with hypertension," said Freedman. "We should be studying what causes these biologic differences. Perhaps inherited or genetic influences may contribute to these differences."
2nd Vioxx Trial Goes to Jury in New Jersey
A state court jury in New Jersey began deliberating a closely watched Vioxx product liability case Tuesday, capping a seven-week trial in which drug manufacturer Merck & Co. was accused of knowingly misrepresenting the safety risks of the arthritis drug, the Associated Press reported.
The six-woman, three-man jury started the day by hearing the closing argument of a lawyer for an Idaho postal worker who blamed Vioxx for his heart attack. Lawyer Chris Seeger called Merck a "monster" and told jurors their verdict would send a message about what is acceptable when marketing drugs, the AP reported.
The jurors got the case after Superior Court Judge Carol E. Higbee finished instructing them on the laws at issue in the case of Frederick "Mike" Humeston. The 60-year-old Boise, Idaho, resident took the drug for about two months before suffering a non-fatal heart attack in September 2001.
Humeston's is one of about 7,000 lawsuits brought against Merck, the Whitehouse Station, N.J.,-based company that removed the prescription painkiller, which once had annual sales of $2.5 billion, from the market a year ago after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke after 18 months' use.
In August, a Texas jury hearing the nation's first Vioxx case found in favor of a widow who blamed the drug for the death of her husband from an abnormal heartbeat. The jury awarded the woman $253 million, although the award was reduced to about $26 million because Texas law caps punitive damages at about that number in malpractice cases.
Chlamydia Bacteria Linked to Eye Cancer
Infection with a form of chlamydia bacteria called Chlamydia psittaci may play a role in the development of a type of lymphoma called ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL), which affects tissue around the eye, says a South Korean study.
The finding raises hopes that antibiotics may one day offer an alternative to radiation or chemotherapy for OAL patients, the Associated Press reported.
Chlamydia psittaci can be contracted from infected birds, such as parrots. Cats also carry the bacteria and may be a source of infection in humans. The bacteria also causes a lung infection called psittacosis.
In the study, researchers compared chlamydia infection in 33 people with OAL and 21 people with a similar non-cancerous condition called non-neoplastic ocular adnexal disease, the AP reported.
Chlamydia psittaci was present in 78 percent of the OAL patients, compared with 23 percent of the patients in the comparison group, according to the findings presented Monday at the European Cancer Conference in Paris.
A previous Italian study found Chlamydia psittaci in 80 percent of OAL patients and in none of a comparison group of healthy people.
TB Blood Test Better Than Skin Test: Study
A new blood test called ELISPOT is more effective at detecting latent tuberculosis (TB) than the traditional tuberculin skin test, says a University of Texas Health Center study in the November issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
The study included 413 people who had contact with TB patients. All the study participants were given both the skin test and the blood test. The blood test returned positive results for 39 percent of the participants, compared with 50 percent for the skin test.
The researchers contend that the blood test offers more accurate results because it reduces the risk of error in test administration and interpretation. They also noted that certain types of vaccinations can trigger incorrect results from the skin test.
"Unfortunately, the standard method of diagnosing latent TB infection is the tuberculin skin test, which has many shortcomings," researcher Dr. Peter F. Barnes of the Center for Pulmonary and Infectious Disease Control at the University of Texas Health Center, said in a statement.
"Two visits are required and skilled personnel are essential for proper placement and interpretation of the test. In addition, because purified protein derivative of tuberculin contains many antigens that are shared with other mycobacteria, the skin test does not reliably distinguish latent TB infection from prior immunization with bacilli Calmette-Guerin, or BCG vaccination, or from infection with environmental bacteria," Barnes said.
Food Fact:
Slice of heaven?
Is pizza healthy any way you slice it? No, but you can make it so... To make healthy pizza, you've got to attack the fat. Instead of full-fat mozzarella, sausage and pepperoni, increase the variety and quantity of vegetables and use a small amount of flavorful cheese, such as feta or Parmesan. Given the amount of pizza Americans eat, any choice to cut calories helps; collectively, we eat about 100 acres of pizza each day, which works out to 46 slices of pizza for every man, woman and child over the course of a year.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make it a "cardio commute."
We've got an easy tip for giving yourself an energy boost in the morning. Walk or ride your bike to the train station or bus stop. Or, try hopping off the bus a few blocks from your normal stop and walk the rest of the way. You'll arrive awake, alert and ready for work.
FAQ of the day:
Can soy save me from prostate cancer?
Soy's isoflavones exhibit several cancer-protective effects, but one relates directly to reducing prostate cancer risk. Isoflavones inhibit an enzyme that converts testosterone into an active form (dehydrosterone) associated with prostate cancer risk. Dehydrotestosterone, made primarily in the prostate, regulates the prostate cell's growth. Soy isoflavones have little effect on testosterone itself.
A generic drug called probenecid could help "double" the supply of the influenza drug Tamiflu, which is in high demand due to fears about a potential global outbreak of avian flu, says a report released Tuesday by the journal Nature.
Administering probenecid alongside Tamiflu prevents Tamiflu from being excreted in urine, meaning that half-doses of Tamiflu would provide sufficient protection, according to an emergency medical specialist who reviewed safety data on Tamiflu.
Probenecid appears to double the number of hours that Tamiflu's active ingredient remains in the blood and doubles its maximum blood concentration.
Probenecid prevents many drugs, including antibiotics, from being removed from the blood by the kidneys. It was used during the Second World War to stretch penicillin supplies and is still widely used alongside antibiotics in hospital emergency rooms and in treating patients with syphilis and gonorrhea.
Because probenecid is already widely used, there are few safety considerations, some doctors told Nature. However, others noted that even with the use of probenecid, a major increase in flu drug production is still required to cope with an influenza pandemic.
Diabetic Black Men Have Less Heart Disease, Researchers Say
Black men with diabetes have dramatically lower amounts of coronary artery disease than diabetic white men, a surprise outcome announced by investigators at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Tuesday.
Dr. Barry Freedman and colleagues report in the December issue of Diabetologia that African-American men had significantly lower levels of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries and the carotid arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain.
"This striking result was observed despite black subjects having higher levels of conventional risk factors for heart disease," said Freedman in a prepared statement. "These risk factors would normally be expected to promote coronary artery disease in the black participants."
The results came from the Diabetes Heart Study, made up of North Carolina families in which at least two siblings have type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The Wake Forest investigators recruited 1,000 white participants from 369 families and 180 blacks from 74 families for the research.
Freedman pointed out that the study was the first to compare blacks and whites who had type 2 diabetes for differences in atherosclerosis. The amount of plaque was measured using high-speed computed tomography (CT) scans.
"Hardening of the arteries appears to be a different disease in blacks and whites. We have demonstrated this in diabetic subjects; other groups have shown it in people with hypertension," said Freedman. "We should be studying what causes these biologic differences. Perhaps inherited or genetic influences may contribute to these differences."
2nd Vioxx Trial Goes to Jury in New Jersey
A state court jury in New Jersey began deliberating a closely watched Vioxx product liability case Tuesday, capping a seven-week trial in which drug manufacturer Merck & Co. was accused of knowingly misrepresenting the safety risks of the arthritis drug, the Associated Press reported.
The six-woman, three-man jury started the day by hearing the closing argument of a lawyer for an Idaho postal worker who blamed Vioxx for his heart attack. Lawyer Chris Seeger called Merck a "monster" and told jurors their verdict would send a message about what is acceptable when marketing drugs, the AP reported.
The jurors got the case after Superior Court Judge Carol E. Higbee finished instructing them on the laws at issue in the case of Frederick "Mike" Humeston. The 60-year-old Boise, Idaho, resident took the drug for about two months before suffering a non-fatal heart attack in September 2001.
Humeston's is one of about 7,000 lawsuits brought against Merck, the Whitehouse Station, N.J.,-based company that removed the prescription painkiller, which once had annual sales of $2.5 billion, from the market a year ago after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke after 18 months' use.
In August, a Texas jury hearing the nation's first Vioxx case found in favor of a widow who blamed the drug for the death of her husband from an abnormal heartbeat. The jury awarded the woman $253 million, although the award was reduced to about $26 million because Texas law caps punitive damages at about that number in malpractice cases.
Chlamydia Bacteria Linked to Eye Cancer
Infection with a form of chlamydia bacteria called Chlamydia psittaci may play a role in the development of a type of lymphoma called ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL), which affects tissue around the eye, says a South Korean study.
The finding raises hopes that antibiotics may one day offer an alternative to radiation or chemotherapy for OAL patients, the Associated Press reported.
Chlamydia psittaci can be contracted from infected birds, such as parrots. Cats also carry the bacteria and may be a source of infection in humans. The bacteria also causes a lung infection called psittacosis.
In the study, researchers compared chlamydia infection in 33 people with OAL and 21 people with a similar non-cancerous condition called non-neoplastic ocular adnexal disease, the AP reported.
Chlamydia psittaci was present in 78 percent of the OAL patients, compared with 23 percent of the patients in the comparison group, according to the findings presented Monday at the European Cancer Conference in Paris.
A previous Italian study found Chlamydia psittaci in 80 percent of OAL patients and in none of a comparison group of healthy people.
TB Blood Test Better Than Skin Test: Study
A new blood test called ELISPOT is more effective at detecting latent tuberculosis (TB) than the traditional tuberculin skin test, says a University of Texas Health Center study in the November issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
The study included 413 people who had contact with TB patients. All the study participants were given both the skin test and the blood test. The blood test returned positive results for 39 percent of the participants, compared with 50 percent for the skin test.
The researchers contend that the blood test offers more accurate results because it reduces the risk of error in test administration and interpretation. They also noted that certain types of vaccinations can trigger incorrect results from the skin test.
"Unfortunately, the standard method of diagnosing latent TB infection is the tuberculin skin test, which has many shortcomings," researcher Dr. Peter F. Barnes of the Center for Pulmonary and Infectious Disease Control at the University of Texas Health Center, said in a statement.
"Two visits are required and skilled personnel are essential for proper placement and interpretation of the test. In addition, because purified protein derivative of tuberculin contains many antigens that are shared with other mycobacteria, the skin test does not reliably distinguish latent TB infection from prior immunization with bacilli Calmette-Guerin, or BCG vaccination, or from infection with environmental bacteria," Barnes said.
Food Fact:
Slice of heaven?
Is pizza healthy any way you slice it? No, but you can make it so... To make healthy pizza, you've got to attack the fat. Instead of full-fat mozzarella, sausage and pepperoni, increase the variety and quantity of vegetables and use a small amount of flavorful cheese, such as feta or Parmesan. Given the amount of pizza Americans eat, any choice to cut calories helps; collectively, we eat about 100 acres of pizza each day, which works out to 46 slices of pizza for every man, woman and child over the course of a year.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Make it a "cardio commute."
We've got an easy tip for giving yourself an energy boost in the morning. Walk or ride your bike to the train station or bus stop. Or, try hopping off the bus a few blocks from your normal stop and walk the rest of the way. You'll arrive awake, alert and ready for work.
FAQ of the day:
Can soy save me from prostate cancer?
Soy's isoflavones exhibit several cancer-protective effects, but one relates directly to reducing prostate cancer risk. Isoflavones inhibit an enzyme that converts testosterone into an active form (dehydrosterone) associated with prostate cancer risk. Dehydrotestosterone, made primarily in the prostate, regulates the prostate cell's growth. Soy isoflavones have little effect on testosterone itself.
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