Month: September 2016

Use of prescription-strength ibuprofen, naproxen and other commonly used pain relievers may be tied to a higher risk of heart failure, researchers report. Medicines like these fall into a category of painkillers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medications may raise a person’s relative risk of heart failure by nearly 20 percent, according to the analysis of medical records for nearly 10 million patients. That risk increases with the amount of NSAIDs a person

Myopia, the common vision problem that causes close objects to appear clearly but not far ones, is on the rise globally. Also callednearsightedness, symptoms of myopia can include headaches, eyestrain and squinting. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), more than 34 million Americans age 40 and older are myopic – about 24 percent of that population. The National Eye Institute estimates that at least 41 percent of all Americans are nearsighted. Research suggests that the number

People with migraines and other headache disorders have a greater risk of a thyroid disease known as hypothyroidism, a new study suggests. Hypothyroidism occurs when the body doesn’t produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. This can cause mood swings, weight gain, hair loss, fatigue, constipation and irregular menstrual cycles, according to researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The study included more than 8,400 people. The volunteers were followed for 20 years as

This is crucial at a time when the palliative care field is expanding to include not only those facing end-of-life situations but all individuals receiving treatments that relieve difficult symptoms of illnesses that are not easily cured, or for which there is no current cure. In such cases, treatments focus on providing comfort and improving quality of life for the patent and family. This type of palliative care is likely to grow exponentially in the

The MLTC program offered by my company, VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans, provides members with an entire array of services that are overseen and revised as necessary by a nurse care coordinator/manager who is attentive to all the details, large and small, of each plan member’s daily life. In addition to what we typically think of as home care, such as visits by a home health aide, the nurse care coordinator coordinates with interdisciplinary team members

What Massachusetts gets right A key part of Massachusetts’ success is low infant, neonatal and child mortality, coupled with a low prevalence of obesity among women. These metrics are part of a larger story about the way the state approaches health care. Because of the state’s relative prosperity and universal health care program, only 3.5 percent of Massachusetts residents are uninsured, compared to Texas, where 21 percent of residents are uninsured.  Access to health insurance is key

While having lunch at a convention where I was scheduled to speak, I sat with a very nice, overweight gentleman. After we introduced ourselves to each other, he realized I was one of the speakers presenting a breakout session about wellness in the workplace. He asked me to give him three pieces of advice about diet. I looked him straight in the eye, and said, “Sustained weight loss takes knowledge, patience, and practice, and without

Alicia Machado or any other woman worried what Donald Trump might think of their “plumpness” should just do what he did: Get taller. That’s apparently what the GOP presidential nominee has managed over the past year, going from the 6-foot-2 that had long been his claimed height to 6-foot-3, his stature according to his physician, Harold Bornstein, following a Sept. 9 exam. Perhaps coincidentally, that extra inch lets Trump escape the obesity label that being

It’s easy to get lost in the beauty of Heidi Williams’ yoga-inspired Instagram account ? but the images are also spreading an important message about mental health.  Williams started practicing yoga after she was diagnosed with a constellation of mental health disorders that she believes stem from an incident in 2013 in which her infant son, Silas stopped breathing and had to be revived. “He basically died and came back to life,” Williams told The

We are touched by their secret: feeling lonely and needing love, because at different times in our lives, we have all felt that way, too. But for many Libras, loneliness and need for a love relationship sometimes, drives them to desperately seek out romances that are superficial and will never satisfy their intimate needs. In extreme cases, their desperation to find a relationship can result in their being promiscuous. Fortunately, most Libras grow and mature

In this exercise, the length of your chosen music will determine the length of the practice. Mix things up by picking something unfamiliar or, if you do pick an old favorite, try to listen as if hearing it for the first time.

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The first Zika virus-related death in the continental U.S. occurred in June of this year, but even now, months later, two aspects of this case continue to puzzle health experts. First, why did this patient die? It is quite …

The first Zika virus-related death in the continental U.S. occurred in June of this year, but even now, months later, two aspects of this case continue to puzzle health experts. First, why did this patient die? It is quite …

Researchers, including an associate professor from the Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center, say smokers who go to a doctor to be screened for lung cancer should also be encouraged to quit smoking during …

Each year, about 1.38 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer. Advances in diagnosis and treatment have facilitated a 90 percent, five-year survival rate, among those treated. Given the increased rate and length of survival following breast cancer, more and more survivors are facing a life-time risk of developing breast cancer-related lymphedema; one of the most distressing and feared late onset effects. Lymphedema, characterized by the abnormal swelling of one or more limbs, is

This year, everyone will have to roll up their sleeves and receive the flu shot via injection, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer recommends the nasal flu mist vaccine due to ineffectiveness. “Feeling the pinch is a small price to pay to protect your health and, importantly, to protect the health of those more vulnerable to illness,” said Jorge Parada, MD, MPH, medical director, infection prevention and control program, Loyola

(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing laryngotracheoplasty, posterior cricoid split laryngoplasty, tracheal resection, and cricotracheal resection, dysphagia duration is shorter for those without versus those with stents, …

During HIV infection, the virus mutates too rapidly for the immune system to combat, but some people produce antibodies that can recognize the virus even two years after infection. With an eye towards developing a vaccine, …

Good news for the millions of people who suffer from skin wounds that won’t heal. A team of researchers at The Ohio State University has brought a potentially transformative solution to the problem by creating a portable adhesive patch that drives a continuous, small electrical current to stimulate healing and reduce the risk of infection. Nearly 7 million Americans have chronic wounds – typically a result of diabetes, obesity or other conditions that impact circulation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers that homeopathic teething tablets and gels may pose a risk to infants and children. The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and dispose of any in their possession. Homeopathic teething tablets and gels are distributed by CVS, Hyland’s, and possibly others, and are sold in retail stores and online. Consumers should seek medical care immediately if their child experiences seizures, difficulty breathing, lethargy, excessive

RELATED: The Only 2 Moves You Need for Tighter Thighs While you could technically do all of these moves on the floor, the bench puts more oomph into every rep. (Tone up, beat stress, and feel great with Rodale’s new With Yoga DVD.) Your elevated feet in the glute bridge put more emphasis on your hamstrings and glutes. Meanwhile, your raised leg in the Bulgarian split-squat ensures that the front leg is doing all the work

Your diet is on point: The hard work is done! You’ve found an eating strategy that’s right for you. The only thing that’s left is to stick with it, says Holthaus. With the right motivation and support, like enlisting a friend or partner as an accountability buddy or joining healthy weight-loss groups on social media, you’ll crush your goals. And if in a few weeks, months, or even years from now, you find that a

2. You Sneak Lunchmeat Cold cuts may be on the no-no list due to food poisoning concerns, but…sometimes a girl just has to have a turkey sandwich. RELATED: 7 Fears Pregnant Women Have—but Shouldn’t 3, You Relish the Pregnancy Parking Space YOU GUYS: Some places have special parking spots for pregnant women. Never mind that you don’t actually need it—you get a reserved space, all because you had sex. 4. You Actually Love All the

An international team of scientists have designed a new generation of universal flu vaccines to protect against future global pandemics that could kill millions. The vaccine could give protection for up to 88% of known flu strains worldwide in a single shot, spelling the end of the winter flu season. The collaboration involving the universities of Lancaster, Aston and Complutense in Madrid have applied ground-breaking computational techniques to design the vaccine in a study published

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced new guidelines, tightening their advisory on the sexual transmission of Zika in hopes of further protecting unborn fetuses from a range of damaging birth defects. The new guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urge men who have been exposed to Zika to wait longer before trying to make their partner pregnant – even if they have no symptoms. Men should also

Some foods that don’t appear to contain wheat or gluten based on package labeling may still have trace amounts of these ingredients, a company-funded study suggests. Researchers tested 101 foods sold in the U.S. that didn’t include ingredients known to contain gluten, such as wheat, barley, rye, malt or brewer’s yeast. These foods were not labeled “gluten-free” – but consumers might assume they were gluten-free, because gluten-containing substances weren’t on the ingredient list.   Some

There’s an old maxim — keep your spouse happy, and you’ll stay healthy — that behavioral analysts say may be true. Researchers have long linked mental well-being — a sense of satisfaction — with good physical health. So if your spouse is happy, your mental well-being is better off. But a recent study published in Health Psychology, and reported by The New York Times, suggests physical health is also linked to a happy spouse. The

A breakthrough drug which uses a man-made virus to treat advanced skin cancer has been approved for use on the NHS. The new medicine, which doubles average survival time for people with inoperable melanoma, is to be provided to patients in England for whom other drugs do not work, after NHS watchdog NICE recommended it for immediate use. The therapy, called T-VEC, works by infecting and killing cancer cells with a genetically-modified form of the

Bilateral oophorectomy is a preventative measure against ovarian cancer It is advised women with a mutated breast gene – such as BRCA1 – have it But women under 46 who had it were at higher risk of many conditions They believe the loss of oestrogen affects a series of ageing mechanisms Experts say it shouldn’t be used for women under 50 without a faulty gene By Stephen Matthews For Mailonline Published: 09:20 EST, 30 September

A 12-year-old almost died after a birthmark on her brain popped ‘like a balloon’. Rachel Cunningham spent 23 days in a medically-induced coma after collapsing at school having complained of a headache. She is now battling to walk and talk again following the catastrophic bleed on her brain.   Her parents explained how she was walking between classes at school when she suddenly vomited, collapsed and stopped breathing. School friends alerted teachers, who called 999 and

Unwelcome outbreaks often correlate to different times in your cycle  Hormones cause common skin problems from greasiness to dryness Skin expert Susan Curtis has put together a handy monthly cycle calendar There are steps you can take to prevent acne from days 22 to day four   By Unity Blott For Mailonline Published: 11:50 EST, 29 September 2016 | Updated: 12:00 EST, 29 September 2016 e-mail 43 View comments There are few women who don’t suffer

The great majority of men and women now live to beyond the age of 80, new official estimate. Decades of rising wealth, healthier lifestyles and improving medicine mean that more than two thirds of women and well over half of all men now pass their 80th birthday, it found. For women, the chances of entering the ninth decade of life have risen by more than a third over the past 30 years. In the early

AW: Not at all. While we are all at risk, given the extremely perfectionistic, image-obsessed culture we live in, every single person I have treated with an eating disorder has had personal experiences that led them astray. Most people who suffer from an eating disorder can tell you the specific moment or moments when someone called them a name or told them to lose weight or commented negatively on their shape, weight, athletic ability or

Of course, that’s important. But there is another indicator of corporate greatness that Collins overlooked: How innovative companies, led by compassionate executives, embrace the health and well being of their employees, especially those with an often terminal disease like cancer.

If the issue is something like herpes, your doctor will probably recommend an antiviral treatment, like Valtrex, and if it’s chemical cervicitis, avoiding exposure to latex, douches, spermicide, or whatever irritated you is the best course of action. PH-balancing gels might also help, depending on the situation, Pizarro adds There are also ways of treating symptoms–namely pain–while waiting for the cause to clear up. “There’s lidocaine jelly, which is local anesthetic in jelly form, and

By Madeline Kennedy (Reuters Health) – In a comparison of fitness levels among children in 50 countries, the nations with the biggest internal income disparities tended to have the least fit youth. African and northern European nations, as well as Japan, had the highest scores on cardio-respiratory fitness among kids aged 9 to 17, while Mexico was last among the 50 and the United States fourth from the bottom. When looking for social, economic and

First, there’s the basic fact that, at best, 30% of women have orgasms during intercourse. Anatomically, only about 1/3 of women, based on the space between their urethral opening and their clitoris, are able to have an orgasm without direct stimulation to the clitoris. This means, in order to orgasm, you either have to create a position in which friction with the clitoris is happening with either another body part or with a vibrator.

He wrote, “In war, the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won.” He advised his troops to “make your way by unexpected routes and attack unguarded spots.” And he further stated, “Military tactics are like water. For water, in its natural course, runs away from high places and hastens downwards. So, in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and strike at what is weak.”

In a UT Southwestern Medical Center study, (l-r) Dr. Philipp Scherer, Dr. Yi Zhu, and Dr. Shangang Zhao found interesting anti-diabetic properties in beige fat. White fat tissue can acquire beige cells in response to cold temperatures. Credit: UT Southwestern Medical Center When exposed to cold, clusters of cells within the body’s white fat become beige – a color change that reflects the creation of more energy-producing mitochondria, cellular components that enable cells to burn

(HealthDay)—The language doctors use when recommending the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can influence whether parents will have their children immunized, a new study finds. HPV causes most cases of cervical cancer and a large percentage of vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends boys and girls receive the three-dose HPV vaccination beginning at age 11 or 12. As of 2015, only 42 percent of girls and

Mutations in RET’s three enhancers (RET -7, RET -5.5 and RET +3) can disrupt the binding of their transcription factors (RARB, GATA2 and SOX10, respectively) and alter the activation of the RET gene and the production of RET mRNA and protein. Credit: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Scientists at Johns Hopkins say they are one step closer to understanding the genetic mechanism of a rare, complex, multiple-gene disorder called Hirschsprung’s disease. The results of

The sharing of data from and to participating hospitals allows MSQC to identify best practices and help individual surgeons understand how they can improve. Credit: University of Michigan Health System Once upon a time, Dr. Darrell Campbell would get Christmas cards from the patients whose lives he’d saved by transplanting a new kidney, liver or pancreas into them. He’d get hugs and high fives when they came in for appointments. He got his satisfaction from

If you’ve tried to see a doctor, fill a prescription or get a diagnostic test lately, you’ve probably had to pay more out of your own pocket than you would have even a few years ago. Most insurance plans have increased their co-pays and deductibles, to keep monthly premiums from rising even faster. But a pair of experts who have studied this trend see a lost opportunity to give you – and all health care

(HealthDay)—Chronic hyperglycemia (A1C 8 percent) is associated with poor surgical outcomes, as measured by an increased hospital length of stay (LOS), according to a study published in the March issue of Diabetes Care.

(HealthDay)—More U.S. health care workers need to get their annual flu shots, a new government report shows. Roughly one in every five American health care workers skips the yearly vaccination, and in some facilities that number exceeds half, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We owe it to our patients, as well as to other health care providers, to be vaccinated,” said Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician

(HealthDay)—A weight-loss therapy that focuses on personal values and “mindful” decision-making may help people shed more pounds, a new clinical trial suggests. Over one year, people who received the therapy lost more than 13 percent of their initial weight, on average. To put that into perspective, current behavioral therapies typically help people drop 5 percent to 8 percent of their starting weight, the study authors said. Researchers call the new approach acceptance-based behavioral therapy, or

An investigation into clusters of cancer cases around Sellafield and Dounreay nuclear sites has found they were very unlikely to have been caused by radiation exposure. A report from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (Comare) said the clusters had gone. It also found no evidence of a spike in thyroid cancers following the Windscale reactor fire in 1957. The committee said rural population mixing may have been a factor. Comare

Six babies have been affected by an outbreak of the MRSA “superbug” at a hospital maternity unit in Cambridge. The infants were found to be carrying the bacteria on their skin at the Rosie neonatal ward of Addenbrooke’s Hospital, the Cambridge News reported. The bug was found during routine checks, the hospital said. The babies are being monitored and no units have closed. Public Health England has been made aware, its trust added. The outbreak

Caroline Aherne’s brother has told BBC Radio 5 live’s Emma Barnett that he thought his sister would survive cancer. The Bafta award-winning comedian died of lung cancer in July 2016, after previously surviving eye cancer when she was a baby, and bladder cancer in her later life. Patrick Aherne gave a rare interview to publicise the coffee morning being held in aid of Macmillan Cancer, a charity which she strongly supported. He said the moment

Media captionKarl Price has been saved from dying of an overdose by naloxone on three occasions It has been a year since a change in UK law made it legal for a heroin antidote to be given by anyone who might encounter someone dying of an overdose. The antidote, naloxone, can be given by friends and family members of addicts – and even their children. It has reportedly saved hundreds of lives. But does the

Pot-friendly Colorado is still working on the perfect recipe for regulating edible marijuana, in the face of data showing an increase in accidental ingestion of marijuana-infused treats. The state’s latest attempt legislates new warning labels for edibles, which have become increasingly popular. Through June of this year, consumers spent $73.5 million US on edible pot — more than 12 per cent of total marijuana sales, according to cannabis data firm BDS Analytics. Pesto with a punch: Edible marijuana in Canada’s future

A British Columbia man says Health Canada has handed out so many medical marijuana licences, it’s cutting into his profit. “This is how I make my living,” said the man we’re calling “Jack.” “I grow it and sell it. Money is good — well, not as good as it used to be”  Jack is not his real name. He asked that we conceal his identity so that he could speak candidly about the medical marijuana black

Health Minister Jane Philpott is hitting back at premiers who are concerned about the Liberal pledge to stick with the former Harper government’s health-care spending formula, saying that more money for cash-strapped provinces isn’t the only solution. “Three per cent is a reasonable escalator for next year,” Philpott said of the planned hike to health transfer payments. “Three per cent is actually significantly higher than the growth in health spending across the country, which averages anywhere from zero to two per cent.” Some provincial health ministers, including

Task-sharing involves substituting specialised personnel with healthcare workers who are lesser trained but can perform some aspects of their role [1]. A range of both skilled and semi-skilled health workers can play a major role in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) service delivery [33]. Annually around 40 million mothers give birth at home globally without any trained health worker [2, 3]. As a result, most of the maternal, perinatal and neonatal morbidities and mortalities

This study was conducted to better understand the potential of CHWs, particularly in the provision of obstetric care at community level, with focus on pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. There were no previously published studies regarding the knowledge or competency of CHWs in identifying or managing HDPs in Mozambique. This analysis showed that despite the fact that CHWs had no specific training for identification, management and referral of pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, a considerable number

New interactive map highlights areas within countries that exceed WHO air quality limits A new World Health Organization (WHO) air quality model confirms that 92% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. Information is presented via interactive maps, highlighting areas within countries that exceed WHO limits. “The new WHO model shows countries where the air pollution danger spots are, and provides a baseline for monitoring progress in combatting

TSRI Scientists Find Evidence for Alternate Theory of How Life Arose A new study led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) offers a twist on a popular theory for how life on Earth began about four billion years ago. The study questions the “RNA world” hypothesis, a theory for how RNA molecules evolved to create proteins and DNA. Instead, the new research offers evidence for a world where RNA and DNA evolved simultaneously.

A new medication that targets part of the brain’s stress system may help reduce alcohol use in people with alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to a new study by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. “Medications have become an important tool for treating alcohol use disorders, but current medications are not effective for all people with AUDs,” noted NIAAA Director George F. Koob,

Because everyone is different, psychologists have long debated how to characterise personality. Credit: Szoki Adams/Flickr, CC BY The brain is key to our existence, but there’s a long way to go before neuroscience can truly capture its staggering capacity. For now though, our Brain Control series explores what we do know about the brain’s command of six central functions: language, mood, memory, vision, motor skills and personality – and what happens when things go wrong.

One in six young people eat fast food twice a day, according to a survey of the nation’s eating habits. The BBC Good Food Nation Survey found that most people ate fast food on average two days per week. But in the 16 to 20-year-old category, one in six ate fast food at least twice a day, with one in eight among 21 to 34-year-olds eating as frequently. The study of more than 5,000 people

FluMist, the nasal spray version of the influenza vaccine, is still being recommended for children in Canada, even though pediatricians in the U.S. have been told it’s ineffective. The Public Health Agency of Canada says that for children without a medical reason that prevents them from receiving it, the influenza vaccine is recommended — either by nasal or needle. Asked Thursday about the Canadian versus U.S. decision, Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3724-3 ©  The Author(s). 2016

Assessment of the current status of global indicators We first assessed the extent to which the 45 WHO Essential Interventions15] were being addressed in either household or facility surveys, to better understand the landscape of current data needs and gaps that our indicator development project should address. Our search focussed on the most recently reported process and outcome indicators identified from globally recognised sources. First, we examined the common international databases which compile indicators from

Animals A colony of GK/Ox rats bred locally and derived in 1995 from the GK/Par colony was used to produce the congenic strains. BN rats were obtained from a commercial supplier (Charles River Laboratories, Margate, UK). All congenics were derived from these strains using a genetic marker-assisted breeding strategy (“speed congenics”) as previously described 11], 44] and maintained by brother–sister mating. They were specifically designed to contain GK alleles over genomic regions of various lengths

Materials (S)-2-amino-6-((2-azidoethoxy)carbonylamino)hexanoic acid (Alk) was purchased from IRIS Biotech GmbH (Marktredwitz, Germany) or was kindly provided by EMC Microcollections GmbH (Tübingen, Germany). Restriction endonucleases were from New England Biolabs (Ipswitch, MA). Pfu DNA polymerase was from Stratagene (La Jolla, CA). Boc-protected L-lysine was from P3 BioSystems LLC (Shelbyville, KY). Coomassie Brilliant Blue G250 and Bradford Protein Assay Kit were from Pierce (Rockford, USA). GFP ELISA Kit Simple step (#ab171581) was from Abcam (Cambridge, United Kingdom).

The study was conducted to identify the level of knowledge held by community health care workers – staff nurses, ANM, ASHA – regarding pre-eclampsia and eclampsia and their routine management of these cases in northern Karnataka. Community health workers are essential in identifying obstetric emergencies, thus a sound knowledge of pregnancy complications is needed for early diagnosis and referral. It was observed that most community providers were aware of the link between hypertension and seizures;

Pre-eclampsia is defined as development of new hypertension in pregnancy along with significant proteinuria occurring after 20 weeks of gestation [1]. It is a multisystem disorder that may affect the liver, kidney and clotting in pregnancy, as well as potential fetal growth restriction and premature delivery [1]. Eclampsia is a complication of pre-eclampsia defined as the new onset of grand mal seizure(s) and/or unexplained coma during pregnancy or postpartum in a woman with pre-eclampsia [2]. Eclampsia

The dearth of health personnel in low income countries has attracted global attention. Among the top challenges being addressed are issues as to how health care services can be delivered in a more effective and efficient manner using available health personnel. Task-sharing is one innovative approach that makes this possible [1, 2]. It is the process which allows low-cadre and mid-level healthcare professionals to provide safely clinical tasks and procedures that would otherwise be restricted

Our study has found that women and their communities in rural southern Mozambique identified a broad range of inter-related determinants that influence maternal health. All respondents highlighted the significance of poverty that was then described as having a number of downstream effects including the inability to pay for transport and medical costs, gender inequality and intimate partner violence, and lack of structured community groups like xitique. Single, divorced and widowed women, were described as a