HEALTHY LIVING

6 Sex Mistakes Men Make

2008-06-26T09:34:00.003+03:00

Hey guys, think you know everything there is to know about having sex with women? That erotic encyclopedia you carry around in your head may contain a lot of basic errors and omissions about women's sexuality -- errors that can lead to sex mistakes.
That's because -- after learning the facts of life -- most of us are left to figure out sex for ourselves. Guys tend to take a lot of cues from adult movies, and we all know how true-to-life those are. Experience may help, but many women can be shy when talking about what they like.
To help us with some sex tips, WebMD asked two acclaimed sex educators, Tristan Taormino and Lou Paget, to tell us what they think are the most common sex mistakes men make with women.
Taormino is a prolific author, lecturer, and video producer. Her latest project is the Expert Guide educational video series from Vivid Ed.
Paget is author of The Great Lover Playbook and other sex manuals, and she gives seminars nationwide.

Sex Mistake No.1: You Know What She Wants
Men often make assumptions about what a woman wants based upon what they've done with other women. But women aren't all the same.
"You develop a repertoire as you mature sexually, but you should never assume that what worked for the last person is going to work for this person," Taormino says.
That applies not only to sexual predilections, but also to relationships, she says. "There are women who can have no-strings-attached sex, and women who can get attached very easily, and then everyone in between."

Sex Mistake No. 2: You Have All She Needs
Some women can't have an orgasm with less than 3,000 rpm. No human tongue or fingers can generate that kind of vibration. But men typically think something is wrong if a woman needs a vibrator.
"If the only way that a woman can achieve orgasm is with a vibrator, she's not broken," Taormino says.
Think of a vibrator as your assistant, not your substitute. Many couples use vibrators together. "While you're doing one thing, or two things, the vibrator can be doing something else," Taormino says.

Sex Mistake No. 3: Sex Feels the Same for Men and Women
Paget says there tends to be a "huge disconnect" between men and women in the ways that sex feels good.
"When a man has intercourse with a woman, and his penis goes into her body, that sensation is so off the charts for most men, they cannot imagine that it isn't feeling the same way for her," Paget says. "It couldn't be further from the truth."
The inside of the vagina is probably less sensitive than the outer parts for most women. Also, deep thrusting may not feel so nice on the receiving end. If the penis is too long, "it feels like you're getting punched in the stomach," Paget says. "It makes you feel nauseous."

Sex Mistake No. 4: You Know Your Way Around a Woman's Anatomy
Most guys know generally what a clitoris is and where to find it. That's not to say that they really understand it.
More than 30 years ago, at the start of the "sexual revolution," a best-selling book called the Joy of Sex got Americans hip to the orgasmic importance of the clitoris. But the belief that women must be able to orgasm from vaginal penetration stubbornly persists.
"I still get letters from people who say things like, my wife can't [orgasm] from intercourse unless she has clitoral stimulation -- please help," Taormino says. "I want to write back and say, 'OK, what's the problem?'"
"For the majority of women, it's not going to happen that way," Paget says.
Men also lack information about how to touch it and how sensitive it is, Taormino says.
A touch that's bliss for one woman may feel like nothing special, or may even be painful for someone else. Some prefer indirect stimulation.
How can you find out how she likes to be touched? Try asking her.

Sex Mistake No. 5: Wet = Turned On
Guys sometimes get hung up if a woman doesn't get slippery enough for easy penetration. Don't worry about it.
"I think there's a myth that if you're turned on, you're wet," Taormino says. Not necessarily.
Some women tend to get wetter than others, and how much natural lubrication a woman has can change from day to day. It varies by the phase of her menstrual cycle, and it's subject to influences like stress and medications.

Sex Mistake No. 6: Silence Is Golden
A lot of guys think they should be silent during sex, but unless you speak up, your partner has to guess what's doing it for you and what isn't.
If you're respectful about it, a woman who wants to please you will probably appreciate some directions.
"I'm not saying push her head in your lap," Taormino says. "I think that, 'this is how I like it,' is a very useful conversation to have."

Pap Smear

2008-06-26T09:23:00.003+03:00

What Is a Pap Smear?
A Pap smear (Pap test) is a way to look at a sample of cells taken from a woman's cervix. The test is used to look for changes in the cells of the cervix that show cervical cancer or conditions that may develop into cancer.
All women who are or who have been sexually active, or who have reached age 21, should have an annual Pap smear. It is your best tool to detect pre-cancerous conditions and hidden, small tumors that may lead to cervical cancer. If detected early, cervical cancer can be cured.

How Is a Pap Smear Performed?
The Pap smear is done during a pelvic exam. A doctor uses a device called a speculum to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix can be examined. A plastic spatula and small brush are used to collect cells from the cervix. After the cells are taken, they are placed into a solution. The solution is sent to a lab for testing.

Is the Pap Smear Painful?
A Pap smear is not painful, but the pelvic exam may be a little uncomfortable.
When Will I Know the Results of the Pap Smear?
It may take several weeks to get the test results. If you haven't heard from your doctor's office after 3 weeks, give them a call to see if your results have come back.

What Do the Results of a Pap Smear Mean?
A normal Pap smear means the cells from the cervix look normal. An abnormal Pap smear means the cells do not look normal. Sometimes repeat Pap smears are needed. Different tests also may need to be done, such as a colposcopy (the use of a special microscope to examine the cervix and vagina). Pap smears can occasionally show signs of infection but cannot be relied on to screen for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Other tests are necessary to determine the presence of an STD.There are several things you can do to help make the Pap smear as accurate as possible. These include avoidance of sex, douching, and vaginal creams for 48 hours before the test.

What Happens If the Results Are Abnormal?
An abnormal Pap smear does not necessarily mean that cancer cells were found during the examination. There are many causes for abnormal Pap smear results. Your doctor will evaluate the results to determine if further testing is necessary.
Why Would I Need to Repeat the Pap Smear?
A repeat Pap smear may be necessary if you had an infection at the time of the test or if there were not enough cells collected during the test. Since decreased levels of the female hormone estrogen also can influence Pap smear results, menopausal women may need to take estrogen before they repeat the test.
If the results of the repeat Pap smear are still abnormal, your doctor may recommend that you have a colposcopy to further evaluate the problem.

What Is a Colposcopy?
Colposcopy is an examination of the cervix and the walls of the vagina. During the examination, a speculum is inserted into the vagina (as done in a Pap smear). Your doctor looks through a magnifying instrument called a colposcope to detect cervical problems that cannot be seen by the eye alone. During the colposcopy, the colposcope remains outside the vagina. Biopsies (tissue samples) of the abnormal cervical area may be taken.
Colposcopy is not always necessary immediately after an abnormal Pap smear. Be sure to ask your doctor about other options.

How Often Should I Get a Pap Smear?
You should get a Pap smear once a year if you are having or have had sex or if you have reached the age of 21. Some women who have a higher risk of cancer may need a Pap smear more often. Women who have had normal Pap smears for several years in a row, and have had only one sex partner may need the test less often.
Women with certain risk factors, such as being HIV positive (carrying the virus that causes AIDS), a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy, organ transplant, chronic steroid use, or have a history of diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure before birth, should continue to be screened more frequently.

What Symptoms Should I Watch for Between Pap Smears?
Pre-cancerous conditions of the cervix seldom cause symptoms. For problems to be detected, a pelvic examination and a Pap smear are usually required.
When cancer is present in the cervix, the most common symptom is abnormal bleeding. Bleeding may start and stop between regular menstrual periods, or it may occur after sexual intercourse or douching. Abnormal vaginal discharge is another symptom. Pain is NOT an early warning sign of the disease. These symptoms are not sure signs of cancer. But be sure to see your doctor if any of these symptoms develop.

Do I Need to Get Pap Smears If I Have Had a Hysterectomy?
Pap smears may be discontinued after a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix), unless the surgery was performed for cervical pre-invasive or invasive cancer or other uterine cancers. Women who have had a partial hysterectomy with the cervix remaining should continue to have routine Pap smears. Check with your doctor to determine if you still need Pap smears. Even women who no longer require Pap smears should see their doctor annually for pelvic exams.

Source:www.webmd.com

Tips for a Healthy Diet

2008-05-02T14:38:00.003+03:00

By committing to eating better, you can reduce your risk of many chronic diseases – including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and certain cancers – while increasing your energy and stamina. Healthy eating can even lower “bad” LDL cholesterol as much as low-dose statin drugs!

By developing your own plan for healthy eating, you’ll be able to expand your range of healthy choices to include a variety of foods, especially delicious vegetables, grains, and fruits that you may have previously ignored. This article provides guidelines and tips for creating a healthy, satisfying diet.

Tips and advice for a healthy diet
A healthy diet helps improve your overall health and well being. A healthy diet can help you feel better, provide you with more energy, help you stay fit and active, and help you fight stress.

Healthy eating can prevent most cases of heart disease and diabetes and help ward off high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer.

Eating smart: The first step towards healthy eating
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”. -- It's not just what you eat, but how you eat.

Take time to chew your food:Digestion begins in the mouth. Chewing breaks the food into smaller particles and mixes the food with saliva that contains digestive enzymes. Thorough digestion is key to the absorption of nutrients and to good health! Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Avoid stress while eating. When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised. Avoid eating while working, driving, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Also avoid confrontations, serious discussions or worry during meals. If you feel stressed or upset, stop eating and relax before continuing with your meal. Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
Listen to your body: Stop eating when you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eating slowly can help you get a more accurate read on this, as well. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself into a “food coma”!
Eat early, eat often: Remember this old saying: breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating six small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.

Healthy Eating Tips: The Basics
You don’t need a degree in nutrition to ensure that you get a well-balanced diet that provides the daily nutrients you need – simply focus on six basic food groups:

Whole Grains: Whole grains include whole wheat, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain barley and millet. Avoid food with refined grains including many breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals.
Vegetables: Go for the brights: the deeper the color, the greater the concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Dark green and orange vegetables, from broccoli, kale and mustard greens to butternut squash and sweet potatoes, are several excellent choices.
Fruits: Enjoy fruits in a number of ways: fresh, canned, frozen, dried, whole, cut-up, or pureed. Fruit juices can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water
Milk and other dairy: Choose low-fat dairy products. It is important to choose dairy products that DO NOT contain rBST (bovine growth hormone). Organic dairy is best. If you're lactose-intolerant, choose lactose-free and lower-lactose products, such as hard cheeses and yogurt.
Protein: Vary your healthy eating protein choices with a variety of fish, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. Minimize red meats containing high levels of saturated fat.
Oils: We’ve been taught to fear fats and oils, but fresh, high quality fats from olive oil, avocado, raw nuts & seeds, coconut and fish actually provide excellent (and necessary) sources of healthy fatty acids in your diet.
Source: http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

How to Approach Hair Loss in Women

2008-04-02T22:08:00.000+03:00

Hair is considered one of the most defining aspects of human appearance. Hair loss, or alopecia, in women is often met with significant emotional distress and anxiety (Cash, Price, & Savin, 1993). Clinicians play a key role in providing women with a thorough evaluation, a specific diagnosis, evidence-based treatment options, and counseling. In this review article, a systematic approach to history taking, examination, and diagnosis of hair loss is provided. Specific types of hair loss are discussed in the context of disturbances of the hair cycle, damage to the hair shaft, and disorders affecting the follicle. Lastly, recommendations for effectively counseling women with hair loss are provided.

Hair is considered one of the most defining aspects of hu man appearance. Through out history, hair length, style, and color have been used to make statements about virility, sexuality, religion, military status, and more. Alopecia, or hair loss, is a common and distressing problem and is often met with feelings of grief and a lost sense of "self" (Cash et al., 1993). Women with alopecia must not only face the loss of their hair, but they often feel isolated, embarrassed to seek care, and may be frustrated by misdiagnosis or poor treatment options. Clinicians play a key role in providing women with a thorough evaluation, a specific diagnosis, evidence-based treatment options, and counseling.

During our lifetime, each hair follicle undergoes continuous cycles of growth (anagen), resorption (catagen), and rest (telogen). The portion of hair that is seen is called the hair shaft. That which is below the surface of skin is the follicle. Hair loss can occur due to disturbances of the hair cycle, damage to the hair shaft, or disorders affecting the follicle. A systematic approach to the patient with hair loss will enable the clinician to classify and diagnose the hair problem accurately in the majority of cases. The correct diagnosis is based on a detailed history, physical examination, and in some cases, scalp biopsy and pertinent laboratory tests. With the appropriate diagnosis, proper patient counseling and treatment can be initiated (Han & Mirmirani, 2006).

More article ....

Music 'can aid stroke recovery'

2008-02-20T16:18:00.002+03:00

Listening to music in the early stages after a stroke can improve a patient's recovery, research suggests.
The researchers compared patients who listened to music for a couple of hours a day, with those who listened only to audio books, or nothing at all.

The music group showed better recovery of memory and attention skills, and a more positive general frame of mind.

Writing in journal Brain, the Finnish team who studied 60 patients said music could be a useful addition to therapy.

Lead researcher Teppo Sarkamo, from the University of Helsinki, said music could be particularly valuable for patients not yet ready for other forms of rehabilitation.

It also had the advantage of being cheap and easy-to-conduct.

Quick action

The study focused on 60 stroke patients who took part in the research as soon as possible after they had been admitted to hospital.

The aim was to offer music therapy before the changes in the brain that can take place in the aftermath of a stroke had a chance to kick in.

Most of the patients had problems with movement and with cognitive processes, such as attention and memory.

Patients in the music group were able to choose the type of music they listened to. All patients received standard stroke rehabilitation.

After three months, verbal memory improved by 60% in the music group, compared with18% in the audio book group, and 29% in the non-listeners.

Focused attention - the ability to control and perform mental operations and resolve conflicts - improved by 17% in the music group, but not at all in the other two groups.

In addition, patients in the music group were less likely to be depressed, or confused.

Mr Sarkamo said: "Other research has shown that during the first weeks and months after stroke, the patients typically spend about three-quarters of their time each day in non-therapeutic activities, mostly in their rooms, inactive and without interaction, even although this time-window is ideal for rehabilitative training from the point of view of brain plasticity.

"Our research shows for the first time that listening to music during this crucial period can enhance cognitive recovery and prevent negative mood, and it has the advantage that it is cheap and easy to organise."

However, he admitted that further work was needed to confirm the study, and that it should not be assumed that music therapy would work all patients.

He said: "Rather than an alternative, music listening should be considered as an addition to other active forms of therapy, such as speech therapy or neuropsychological rehabilitation."

Possible theories

The researchers said it was possible that music directly stimulated recovery in the damaged areas of the brain.

Alternatively, it might stimulate more general mechanisms related to the ability of the brain to repair and renew its neural networks after damage.

Or it might specifically act on the part of the nervous system that is implicated in feelings of pleasure, reward and memory.

Dr Isabel Lee, of The Stroke Association, welcomed the research.

However, she said: "Further research into the effect of music on stroke patients needs to be undertaken before any widespread use, as presently the mechanisms of any effect remain unclear."

Brain control headset for gamers

2008-02-20T15:58:00.001+03:00

Gamers will soon be able to interact with the virtual world using their thoughts and emotions alone.

A neuro-headset which interprets the interaction of neurons in the brain will go on sale later this year.

"It picks up electrical activity from the brain and sends wireless signals to a computer," said Tan Le, president of US/Australian firm Emotiv.

"It allows the user to manipulate a game or virtual environment naturally and intuitively," she added.

The brain is made up of about 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons, which emit an electrical impulse when interacting. The headset implements a technology known as non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) to read the neural activity.

Ms Le said: "Emotiv is a neuro-engineering company and we've created a brain computer interface that reads electrical impulses in the brain and translates them into commands that a video game can accept and control the game dynamically."

Headsets which read neural activity are not new, but Ms Le said the Epoc was the first consumer device that can be used for gaming.

"This is the first headset that doesn't require a large net of electrodes, or a technician to calibrate or operate it and does require gel on the scalp," she said. "It also doesn't cost tens of thousands of dollars."

The use of Electroencephalography in medical practice dates back almost 100 years but it is only since the 1970s that the procedure has been used to explore brain computer interfaces.

The Epoc technology can be used to give authentic facial expressions to avatars of gamers in virtual worlds. For example, if the player smiles, winks, grimaces the headset can detect the expression and translate it to the avatar in game.

It can also read emotions of players and translate those to the virtual world. "The headset could be used to improve the realism of emotional responses of AI characters in games," said Ms Le.

"If you laughed or felt happy after killing a character in a game then your virtual buddy could admonish you for being callous," she explained.

The $299 headset has a gyroscope to detect movement and has wireless capabilities to communicate with a USB dongle plugged into a computer.

The Emotiv said the headset could detects more than 30 different expressions, emotions and actions.

They include excitement, meditation, tension and frustration; facial expressions such as smile, laugh, wink, shock (eyebrows raised), anger (eyebrows furrowed); and cognitive actions such as push, pull, lift, drop and rotate (on six different axis).

Gamers are able to move objects in the world just by thinking of the action.

Emotiv is working with IBM to develop the technology for uses in "strategic enterprise business markets and virtual worlds"

Paul Ledak, vice president, IBM Digital Convergence said brain computer interfaces, like the Epoc headset were an important component of the future 3D Internet and the future of virtual communication.

By Darren Waters
Technology editor, BBC News website, San Francisco

Top 4 Nutrients For Brain Power

2008-01-12T11:35:00.000+03:00

The key strategy for tuning up the nervous system is to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to make healthy nerve cells, to protect them from damage, and to enhance their ability to carry out their functions. The results can be astounding. You can boost your mental alertness, increase concentration, promote learning, enhance both short-term and long-term memory, and keep your senses sharp. Your brain requires a constant source of high-quality nutrition. The brain is so metabolically active that a deficiency of any of a number of nutrients can lead to poor mental function, depression, or other serious mental disorders. Since the neurons in your brain communicate through neurotransmitters, you need to supply your body with the raw materials needed to keep a constant supply of neurotransmitters available. There are more than fifty known neurotransmitters. Some are found only in the central nervous system, while others are active there and elsewhere in the body. Here are some nutrients for boosting your brain and nerve function.

1. Boost Choline Intake

Choline, a B vitamin-like substance, is a crucial ingredient in the membranes found in every one of your cells. Dietary or supplementary choline can boost the production of acetylcholine and thus is important for memory, learning, and mental alertness. Rich food sources of choline include lecithin, peanuts, wheat germ, and soy foods. Choline is also found in good levels in Brussels sprouts, oatmeal, soybeans, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. The best forms of choline for supplementation are phosphatidylcholine, glycerophosphocholine, and cytosine diphosphocholine, but supplementation is usually not necessary if you boost dietary sources.

2. Boost Your Antioxidant Intake

Vitamins C and E are found in high levels in the brain and nervous system. Because the brain cells are high in unsaturated fat, they are especially vulnerable to damage by free radicals. There is mounting scientific and clinical evidence that the higher the intake of antioxidants over time, the better the mental function later in life. A high intake of these nutrients is also associated with a significantly lower risk for both Alzhemier’s and Parkinson’s disease. Taking 500 to 1,500 mg of vitamin C and 400 to 800 IU of vitamin E is recommended.

3. Balance Your Electrolytes

The ability of a nerve to fire depends on the presence of electrolytes – minerals such as potassium, sodium, chloride, and magnesium dissolved in water. They are termed electrolytes to signify their critical role in conducting electricity in the human body. If you have too much sodium and too little potassium in your diet, the imbalance can slow down the ability of neurons to conduct signals. Boosting potassium and magnesium while restricting sodium intake is a very important dietary recommendation for tuning up brain and nervous system function. Eating more whole, unprocessed foods and avoiding high-salt processed foods and table salt is all that is needed for most people to get their potassium and sodium in balance.

4. Take B Vitamins

These vitamins are crucial for brain and nerve function. B1 and B2 help control the use of glucose by neurons. They also help your body make fatty acids needed to preserve the integrity of nerve cell membranes. Along with vitamin B5, they are important for making acetylcholine and thus for helping memory function. Vitamin B2 (niacin) is vital for proper mental function. People who suffer from niacin deficiency often exhibit signs of dementia. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) acts like a biological shuttle service, ferrying amino acids into the brain for its use in making neurotransmitters. Lack of B6 can cause abnormal brain wave patterns and a decrease in nervous system activity. Vitamin of B12 helps your brain make use of carbohydrates and proteins. It is also vital for producing the myelin sheath that protects the axons of your nerve cells. Folic acid works as a partner with vitamin B12 in many biochemical processes in the brain, including the manufacture of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Impaired mental acuity (or dementia) and depression are common symptoms of folic acid or B12 deficiency. Deficiencies of these nutrients are common, especially in elderly subjects, and are an often overlooked cause of dementia and depression.

How To Be A Man And Have Healthy Skin

2008-01-12T11:33:00.000+03:00

Nowadays, men are as concerned about maintaining their youthfulness and clear skin as women. It is already commonplace to see straight men putting on sunscreen, lip gloss, and even a concealer in public places. In fact, there has been a sharp rise in the number of skin care products and anti-aging creams specifically designed for men.

If you are one of those men who want to know how to make the skin look younger and wrinkle-free but are afraid of going to the mall to ask what products to use, read on and find out more about anti-aging and skin care tips for men:

Quit Smoking

Quite a number of studies have shown that smoking can make you age faster and look older. Enzymes released while smoking wears down elastin and collagen, which are main components of the skin. Furthermore, ditching your regular nicotine fix is not only good for your skin, but for your general health as well.

Keep Away From The Sun

Although man is gifted with thicker and less-prone-to-aging skin, the sun's rays, especially from 10AM to 3PM, can still damage your skin and speed up development of wrinkles and other skin blemishes. Thus, it is still best for you to not expose yourself outdoors during this time. However, if you must, then it is wise to wear a sun screen. Just chose a sun screen that has a high SPF, probably 60 or more. You can also buy sun screen that is specifically designed for men so you can be sure that it is not greasy and thick.

Get Adequate ZZZs

If you have watched the movie Machinist starring Christian Bale, you will get a picture of what you will look like if you do not have adequate sleep. Aside from the dark circles around your eyes, your skin will sag.

According to experts, sleep deprivation releases extra cortisol, which is a type of hormone that is responsible for breaking down your skin cells. On the other hand, if you have enough sleep, you will be producing an excess of human growth hormone, which is crucial in maintaining skin's elasticity and thickness.

Be Gentle With Your Face

Men have a tendency to scrub their face just as the way they are scouring a dirty pan. You have to realize that your face is very delicate so you have to treat it with care and gentleness. If you continue to mistreat your face, you will be having sagging skin and wrinkles. But if you don't want to look 10 years older, you should try to be a little gentler on your skin.

When washing your face, use a facial wash that is appropriate for your skin type. If you have regular acne breakouts and your face is almost always shiny and greasy, then use a facial wash that is for oily skin. It is more common for men to have oily skin. Meanwhile, if your skin is flaky, then you may have dry skin. If your skin is neither flaky nor oily, then you are blessed with normal skin.

Load On Fruits And Vegetables

Vegetables and fruits are high on antioxidants that are known to be effective in cell regeneration and cell growth. Furthermore, antioxidants are also effective in combating damages caused by sun exposure and free radicals.

Drink Lots Of Water

Studies have shown that water helps moisturize the skin from within. People who do not meet their water needs for the day usually have dry skin.

Use A Good Anti-Aging Cream

If you don't want to look two decades older than your wife even if you are just about the same age, you better use a good anti-aging cream. Look for natural ingredients and extracts, such as chamomile, olive leaf, and sunflower oil extracts. These ingredients have been proven to help moisturize your skin.

Alternative Asthma Treatment

2008-01-12T11:31:00.000+03:00

If you are an asthma sufferer and particularly if you are diagnosed with allergic asthma, it can seem at times that even the treatment or treatments you are receiving through conventional sources can sometimes seem somewhat experimental. You try one medicine and see how it works. Then you talk to your doctor about your malady and he might give you something els to elevate some other aspect of your symptoms, until you find what works and what doesn't and in what combination they should be used and at what dosage.

Then there is the tests and diagnosis you go through to determine what you are actually allergic to and how it can be controlled or eliminated. It is important to understand that a doctor is trained in the medical process of elimination and fully understands the effects and side effects of the drugs he is screening you for during this process. So when the treatment that works best for you is finally determined and your schedule treatment is having positive effects, one might be led to belive that further trials might bring even more relief.

So you might start thinking about the natural or alternative medicines you might have heard about. What can be the problem? They are only herbs and natural herbs at that. You use herbs in cooking every day and you are just fine. Before you grab a handful of any medicine,herbal, or conventional, you should think twice before brewing it up in a cup of tea. herbal medicines can be very powerful and some can have toxic side effects. Some may have a negative reaction to the medicines you are taking now.

Opium is an herbal derivitive and a spoon full of it can kill you. I make this point only to point up the potential for strength and potency in herbal medicines. Never ever discontinue your prescribed medicines you doctor has given you without having a serious talk with your doctor. There are herbal remedies for bad breath that can be purchased at your drug store and might actually work but not as good as a tooth brush and dental floss. No one has ever died as a result of bad breath though. No matter what you hear about any herbal treatments always consult your doctor and let him or her explain what exactly it is in the medicine you are thinking of consuming.

There are other complimentary or alternative medicine therapies that are out there. As long as you consult your doctor some are no risk at all. Acupuncture is one. The only risk here is having to walk around with sore spots on your body, as long as you continue your prescribed medicine. If you are going to experiment with food avoidance it is also important to let your doctor know what you are doing so if you begin to suffer from malnutrition he knows what the cause is. If you suffer from food allergies it is wise to have a medical professional supervise and document your food elimination program.

If you are a severe asthma patient you can at times feel desperate and might be willing to try anything at times. It can leave you alone and isolated and unable to do the things you like to do. Many asthma patients have found relief from group therapy. Being able to talk with others who have the same problems is always a help and has no risk of side effects other than possibly making some new friends. So never underestimate the power of positive thinking as a part of your treatment and before you ever consume any type of herbal concoction, talk to your doctor first.

Your Printer May Be Hazardous To Your Health

2007-08-04T01:16:00.000+03:00

I've long heard rumors that the fine particulate dust used in laser printer toner cartridges may be a health risk. It certainly makes sense: Not all of that stuff can stick to the paper, and if you've ever spilled toner you know there's no way it can be good for your lungs. Now a controlled study is confirming the information, saying that 30 percent of all laser printers tested emit dangerous particles described as "causing lasting damage on the scale of inhaled cigarette smoke." These tiny particles lodge deep in the lungs and can lead to anything from lung irritation to full-on cancer.
The tests come from an Australian technology university and were conducted in a "large open-plan space," and found that printers could increase particulate matter in the air by up to 400 percent.

While I'm still trying to obtain the list of high vs. low particle emitters from the university, there appears to be a lot of variability among machines and even among different toner cartridges. New cartridges, for example, produce more particle matter than old ones. Printing graphics pages also produces more particle matter than text, since more toner is used, and obviously, air quality gets worse the more pages you spit out. I'll post the full list of printers tested here (or a link to it) as soon as I can obtain one.

The upshot is that printer emissions should potentially be regulated much the way that auto emissions are, but even in the absence of government intervention, use common sense around your printer: Limit use when possible (tell the guy that prints out every single email to cut it out), sequester printers in their own rooms and away from workers, ventilate offices appropriately, and have your own air and printer tested before it becomes a serious health problem.

Source: tech.yahoo.com

11 Things Women Don't Know About Men

2007-07-18T20:36:00.000+03:00

1. Getting angry at us for not reading your mind is like getting angry at yourself for not being able to fly. It's not just futile, it's physically impossible.
2. Yes, we do think Jessica Alba is hot. Sometimes we're even dumb enough to admit it.
3. Don't ask us to understand your shoe fetish. Asking us to respect it is even sort of pushing it.
4. You do look good without makeup, just not as good as you look with it.
5. Ever notice how we don't fight with our male friends? That's why we get so frustrated when we fight with you.
6. You care what you're wearing infinitely more than we do. In fact, if you're naked when you open the front door, you won't hear an argument from us.
7. You don't like to get hit on in public, you don't want to date online and you don't want to be set up on blind dates. Tell us if sending messenger pigeons is an appropriate way of courting. Because if it is, we're all over it.
8.
There should a statute of limitations on stupid things that we said that can come back to haunt us
There should a statute of limitations on stupid things that we said that can come back to haunt us. I propose 24 hours.
9. Cooking dinner for a man is like buying flowers for a woman, except it takes a lot more time, effort and thought for you to do it. Thanks. We appreciate it.
10. We actually like your girly pet-names for us, but please, not in front of the guys!
11. Just because we like looking at the women in Maxim doesn't mean we want to actually converse with the women in Maxim. Not for long, anyway.
12. Your nice guy friends are the most reliable source for telling you if your new boyfriend's a jerk. And he probably is. (By the way, you might want to consider marrying that nice guy who's giving you advice about the jerk.)

Yoga combats evils of modern living; Yoga nourishes body and soul

2007-06-29T09:02:00.000+03:00

Despite the fact that the world is moving forward at a maddening pace, taking along its wake the somewhat mindless, hapless millions who are struggling to stay afloat, trying their best to keep their souls intact, there is a beacon of hope that reaches across thousands of years, promising Man, relief from the debilitating maladies of modern living. According to the World Health Organization, about 121 million people worldwide are affected by depression. It is the leading cause of disability among people from the ages of 15 to 44. Despite our ever-expanding knowledge, as a species we’ve lost our connection with who we are. Yoga, the ancient science of India, with more than 5000 year old history promises us succor and a profound insight into the nature of existence. “An hour of yoga everyday changes your whole personality,” promises Dr Rakesh Singh, yoga guru who has been imparting the knowledge of yoga in Kuwait for the last six years. With a PhD in yoga from Benares University, he staunchly believes that the adoption of Yoga in our daily life will keep away all illnesses both physical and mental. “If you observe your own state of mind after an hour of yoga you shall see the difference. You start thinking positive and are able to combat all negative thoughts. Yoga also gives you stronger will power,” he notes.

Depression
As a science, yoga is able to keep at bay depression, stress and obesity the three killer diseases of modern living. Amy Weintraub, in her book “Depression and Our Forgotten Magnificence,” notes, “Our everyday yoga practice brings us home, allows us to abide in our natural state, that universal place inside ourselves – changeless, eternal, whole – a place that contains and embraces all the emotions.” There are two kinds of depression, informs Dr Singh. “The first type occurs because of hormonal imbalance in our body while the other is due to stress.” Yoga, he says, provides good cure for both kinds of depression. “Depression due to hormonal imbalance takes place when the pituitary gland gets retarded, and fails to produce enough hormones for the nervous system, thus leading to weaker memory power, enthusiasm and lowered zeal.” The art of Yoga includes poses and breathing exercises that activate these glands thus improving the hormonal system. Dr Singh gives the instance of his students who were able to forego their medicines for thyroid and hormonal imbalance after practicing yoga.

Habits
Meditation and asanas help attack the root cause of depression - the feeling that you can’t handle the demands of your life. It tones the nervous system, brings back hormonal balance, stimulates circulation, promotes concentration, and energizes both mind and body. Depression arising out of stress can also be fought with Yoga. “It gives you strength of mind which makes you composed even while living in a stressful situation.” It is through pranayam or breathing exercises and meditation that one achieves tranquility. “Pranayam recharges our whole body battery. It supplies enough oxygen and activates the lobes of our lungs. When we start breathing correctly our whole body system is overhauled,” said Dr Singh while breathing deeply. But in order to keep depression and stress away, we have to change our lifestyle and adopt a way of life prescribed by Yoga. “The moment we leave yoga, our will power weakens, we tend to eat wrong food and get demoralized and that’s when depression begins.” Depression, says Dr Singh, is directly related to our lifestyle that includes our eating habits. “Human intestines are very long, they are about 28 feet. We should eat food that quickly passes through and is easily digested like vegetables and fruits.” He recommends a vegetarian diet, rich in fibre. “ If people stop and analyze their mind after eating meat they will find their concentration going low and a general feeling of lethargy.”

Obesity
The science and art of yoga is something that Dr Rakesh Singh received as legacy from his parents. “From the very beginning I was interested in teaching spiritual science.” He proceeded to study yoga first in an ashram ( retreat) and then at the famed Benares University where they teach Vedas, ayurveda, yoga, astrology and other Indological sciences. Dr Singh has some very interesting facts to share about this ancient discipline. “Yoga,” he says, “can have an effect on the total lifestyle from the first day of a man’s life till the very end.” Even unborn babies can feel the benefits, ensconced in their mother’s wombs. “In my own experience, children whose mothers practice yoga during pregnancy, grow up to very energetic and active. The child also tends to be creative because yoga is not something that is merely physical; there is a spiritual and mental side to it as well.” As a discipline, yoga is still regarded difficult by many. “Those who say yoga is difficult are unaware of the science” says Dr Singh, who teaches yoga to many Kuwaitis in Qurtoba, Sabah Al-Salem and Surra. “In fact the West has concentrated more on the poses, which is a very limited aspect of yoga. The rest ninety percent remains untouched.”

Obesity too finds its cure in yoga. A malady which grows out of wrong living and thinking, it is slowly becoming a growing menace in Kuwait. According to yoga, our present lifestyle is one of the most important factors behind the different mental and physical illnesses. In obesity, lifestyle is the determining factor. The way we live our lives is what really determines our susceptibility to the different causes of disease, whether physical, chemical or infectious agents, immunological reactions, genetic, environmental or nutritional imbalances. “There are two reasons for obesity,” says Dr Singh. “One is poor metabolism. Our metabolic system has become very slow because we have abused our body with the wrong diet.” A direct consequence of this abuse results in more and more calories being deposited in the body. “The internal system of the body gets confused as to how much to hold in the body for survival and how much to discharge.

Poor metabolism is one major reason for people accumulating fat even though they might be on a low calorie diet. Obesity is also due to the lack of exercise. Walking, he says, is no proper substitute because it exercises only the legs and the lower limbs of the body. “Yoga has a number of poses that exercises every tiny muscle in our body thus giving it an overall tone.” One should practice the asanas that activate the digestive organs, the stomach and the liver for a better fight against obesity. In yoga, the real therapy begins with self-awareness. The true motivation for change arises when we reach self realization that our body needs to rebalance itself. In order to fight self inflicted woes like depression and obesity we need to make changes in our behaviour, habits and lifestyle. But this will be possible only when we realize our real needs, strengths and weaknesses. This will help us develop greater self-confidence, and the changes thus implemented will last lifelong.

By Chaitali B. Roy
Special to the Arab Times

Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders)

2007-06-12T22:35:00.000+03:00

Not until the middle of the twentieth century was there a name for a disorder that now appears to affect an estimated 3.4 every 1,000 children ages 3-10, a disorder that causes disruption in families and unfulfilled lives for many children. In 1943 Dr. Leo Kanner of the Johns Hopkins Hospital studied a group of 11 children and introduced the label early infantile autism into the English language. At the same time a German scientist, Dr. Hans Asperger, described a milder form of the disorder that became known as Asperger syndrome. Thus these two disorders were described and are today listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (fourth edition, text revision)1 as two of the five pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), more often referred to today as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). All these disorders are characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills, social interactions, and restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior.

The autism spectrum disorders can often be reliably detected by the age of 3 years, and in some cases as early as 18 months.2 Studies suggest that many children eventually may be accurately identified by the age of 1 year or even younger. The appearance of any of the warning signs of ASD is reason to have a child evaluated by a professional specializing in these disorders.

Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child. In some cases, the baby seemed "different" from birth, unresponsive to people or focusing intently on one item for long periods of time. The first signs of an ASD can also appear in children who seem to have been developing normally. When an engaging, babbling toddler suddenly becomes silent, withdrawn, self-abusive, or indifferent to social overtures, something is wrong. Research has shown that parents are usually correct about noticing developmental problems, although they may not realize the specific nature or degree of the problem.

The pervasive developmental disorders, or autism spectrum disorders, range from a severe form, called autistic disorder, to a milder form, Asperger syndrome. If a child has symptoms of either of these disorders, but does not meet the specific criteria for either, the diagnosis is called pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Other rare, very severe disorders that are included in the autism spectrum disorders are Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. This brochure will focus on classic autism, PDD-NOS, and Asperger syndrome, with brief descriptions of Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder on the following page.
Rare Autism Spectrum Disorders
Rett Syndrome

Rett syndrome is relatively rare, affecting almost exclusively females, one out of 10,000 to 15,000. After a period of normal development, sometime between 6 and 18 months, autism-like symptoms begin to appear. The little girl's mental and social development regresses—she no longer responds to her parents and pulls away from any social contact. If she has been talking, she stops; she cannot control her feet; she wrings her hands. Some of the problems associated with Rett syndrome can be treated. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy can help with problems of coordination, movement, and speech.

Scientists sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development have discovered that a mutation in the sequence of a single gene can cause Rett syndrome. This discovery may help doctors slow or stop the progress of the syndrome. It may also lead to methods of screening for Rett syndrome, thus enabling doctors to start treating these children much sooner, and improving the quality of life these children experience.*
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

Very few children who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis meet the criteria for childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD). An estimate based on four surveys of ASD found fewer than two children per 100,000 with ASD could be classified as having CDD. This suggests that CDD is a very rare form of ASD. It has a strong male preponderance.** Symptoms may appear by age 2, but the average age of onset is between 3 and 4 years. Until this time, the child has age-appropriate skills in communication and social relationships. The long period of normal development before regression helps differentiate CDD from Rett syndrome.

The loss of such skills as vocabulary are more dramatic in CDD than they are in classical autism. The diagnosis requires extensive and pronounced losses involving motor, language, and social skills.*** CDD is also accompanied by loss of bowel and bladder control and oftentimes seizures and a very low IQ.

*Rett syndrome. NIH Publication No. 01-4960. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2001. Available at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubskey.cfm?from=autism

**Frombonne E. Prevalence of childhood disintegrative disorder. Autism, 2002; 6(2): 149-157.

***Volkmar RM and Rutter M. Childhood disintegrative disorder: Results of the DSM-IV autism field trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1995; 34: 1092-1095.
What Are the Autism Spectrum Disorders?

The autism spectrum disorders are more common in the pediatric population than are some better known disorders such as diabetes, spinal bifida, or Down syndrome.2 Prevalence studies have been done in several states and also in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia. A recent study of a U.S. metropolitan area estimated that 3.4 of every 1,000 children 3-10 years old had autism.3 This wide range of prevalence points to a need for earlier and more accurate screening for the symptoms of ASD. The earlier the disorder is diagnosed, the sooner the child can be helped through treatment interventions. Pediatricians, family physicians, daycare providers, teachers, and parents may initially dismiss signs of ASD, optimistically thinking the child is just a little slow and will "catch up." Although early intervention has a dramatic impact on reducing symptoms and increasing a child's ability to grow and learn new skills, it is estimated that only 50 percent of children are diagnosed before kindergarten.

All children with ASD demonstrate deficits in 1) social interaction, 2) verbal and nonverbal communication, and 3) repetitive behaviors or interests. In addition, they will often have unusual responses to sensory experiences, such as certain sounds or the way objects look. Each of these symptoms runs the gamut from mild to severe. They will present in each individual child differently. For instance, a child may have little trouble learning to read but exhibit extremely poor social interaction. Each child will display communication, social, and behavioral patterns that are individual but fit into the overall diagnosis of ASD.

Children with ASD do not follow the typical patterns of child development. In some children, hints of future problems may be apparent from birth. In most cases, the problems in communication and social skills become more noticeable as the child lags further behind other children the same age. Some other children start off well enough. Oftentimes between 12 and 36 months old, the differences in the way they react to people and other unusual behaviors become apparent. Some parents report the change as being sudden, and that their children start to reject people, act strangely, and lose language and social skills they had previously acquired. In other cases, there is a plateau, or leveling, of progress so that the difference between the child with autism and other children the same age becomes more noticeable.

ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors that can range from the very mild to the severe. The following possible indicators of ASD were identified on the Public Health Training Network Webcast, Autism Among Us.4
Possible Indicators of Autism Spectrum Disorders

* Does not babble, point, or make meaningful gestures by 1 year of age
* Does not speak one word by 16 months
* Does not combine two words by 2 years
* Does not respond to name
* Loses language or social skills

Some Other Indicators

* Poor eye contact
* Doesn't seem to know how to play with toys
* Excessively lines up toys or other objects
* Is attached to one particular toy or object
* Doesn't smile
* At times seems to be hearing impaired

Benefit of YoGa

2007-06-12T14:06:00.000+03:00

At the physical level, yoga and its cleansing practices have proven to be extremely effective for various disorders. To get a sampling of how yoga benefits health disorders, please visit the Yoga Therapy section.
More importantly, yoga is extremely effective in:
Increasing Flexibility – yoga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that are never really on the ‘radar screen’ let alone exercised.
Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons – likewise, the well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body.
Surprisingly it has been found that the body which may have been quite rigid starts experiencing a remarkable flexibility in even those parts which have not been consciously work upon. Why? It is here that the remarkable research behind yoga positions proves its mettle. Seemingly unrelated “non strenuous” yoga positions act upon certain parts of the body in an interrelated manner. When done together, they work in harmony to create a situation where flexibility is attained relatively easily.

Massaging of ALL Organs of the Body – Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity which massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner, including those – such as the prostate - that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.
One of the far-reaching benefits of yoga is the uncanny sense of awareness that it develops in the practitioner of an impending health disorder or infection. This in turn enables the person to take pre-emptive corrective action

Complete Detoxification – By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.

Excellent toning of the muscles – Muscles that have become flaccid, weak or slothy are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess flab and flaccidity.

Strength training may reverse muscle aging

2007-05-27T21:57:00.000+03:00

Strength training may not only make older adults' muscles stronger, but younger as well, a small study suggests.

It's well known that resistance exercises improve muscle strength and function in young and old alike, but the new research suggests that strength training also affects older muscles on the level of gene expression -- essentially turning back the clock on muscle aging.

The study, published in the online journal PLoS One, looked at whether strength training affects the "gene expression profile" in older adults' muscle. Genes hold the instructions from which the body manufactures proteins; gene expression refers to the processes that translate these instructions into proteins.

Analyzing small samples of muscle tissue from a group of healthy young and older adults, researchers found that older and younger muscle tissues differed significantly in their gene expression profiles. The difference indicated that older muscle tissue had impaired functioning in mitochondria -- structures within cells that act as the cell's "powerhouse."

That impairment was reversible, however. After 14 of the older adults underwent 6 months of strength training, the gene expression profile in their muscles showed a more youthful appearance.

"In a very real sense, the muscle was younger," said lead study author Dr. Simon Melov of the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, California.

Experts have long known that exercise is good for younger and older adults alike, Melov told Reuters, but the new findings suggest that it can "actually rejuvenate muscle" in older individuals.

The study included 25 healthy men and women older than 65, and 26 healthy adults ages 20 to 35 who had diet and exercise habits similar to the older group. By analyzing muscle tissue from each volunteer, Melov's team found age-related differences in the expression of hundreds of genes -- such that mitochondrial function in older adults appeared "dramatically impaired."

Fourteen of the older adults then went through a strength training program, working out two days a week for 6 months.

As expected, the researchers found that these volunteers boosted their muscle strength, coming closer to their younger counterparts' performance. But their muscle also showed a turnaround in gene expression that Melov described as surprisingly stark.

He said more studies are needed to see whether aerobic exercise, like walking or cycling, has similar effects on muscle -- and whether exercise might reverse molecular aging in other types of body tissue.

For now, the researchers say, their findings show that it's never too late to start exercising.

Lungs affected in healthy kids of smoking parents

2007-05-22T02:14:00.000+03:00

"Healthy" children of smokers may not show any signs of breathing difficulties, but they may still be experiencing reduced lung function -- which could progressively worsen with continued exposure -- according to a study reported Sunday at the American Thoracic Society's meeting in San Francisco.

"Smoking parents are bad news for children," even if the children are "healthy," Dr. Bert Arets from the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands told Reuters Health ahead of the meeting.

Multiple studies have shown that children of smokers have more breathing problems than children of non-smokers, but until now it's been unclear whether lung function is impaired in children of smokers who don't have any breathing complaints or diagnosed lung problems like asthma.

Arets and his colleagues assessed the lung function of 244 children aged 4 to 12 without any lung or airway disease and found that children of smoking parents had significantly reduced lung function.

"In contrast to earlier studies, the current study included only children totally free of respiratory disease (asthma) in the past and respiratory symptoms at the moment of measurement," Arets emphasized. "Other studies included all children, irrespective of respiratory disease or symptoms. If you find abnormal lung function in the latter group, this appears logical."

"However, our study," said Arets, "shows that disease-free and symptom-free does not mean normal lung function."

The trend today is to ban smoking in public places. Arets worries that this might cause parents to smoke more in their own homes, "which might increase the harmful effects for children."

The researchers are expanding their study to include 2,000 healthy children of smoking parents. Data from this larger group are expected to be available within 2 years.NEW YORK (Reuters Health) -

Viagra shown to aid jet-lagged travelers

2007-05-22T02:02:00.000+03:00

The male impotence drug Viagra may be useful for treating jet lag as well, according to Argentine researchers who gave it to hamsters made to feel like rodent globe-trotters.

The researchers manipulated the schedule of turning lights on and off to induce jet lag in the laboratory animals, they reported on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Adult male hamsters given Viagra, also called sildenafil, recovered from jet lag up to 50 percent faster than hamsters that were not given it, the researchers said.

The scientists stopped giving the hamsters the highest dose they had been using in the experiment due to a certain side effect.

"However, we used the intermediate dose for the rest of the experiments because at that dose animals did not manifest the effects of sildenafil-induced penile erections," they wrote.

Flying across multiple time zones can confuse one's sleep-wake cycle, resulting in the condition called jet lag, marked by insomnia, sleepiness and difficulty concentrating.

Researchers Patricia Agostino, Santiago Plano and Diego Golombek of the Universidad Nacional de Quilmes in Buenos Aires gave doses of Viagra to the hamsters at night, then switched on bright lights six hours early to simulate eastbound flight.

They judged how well the hamsters adjusted to the changes by observing when they began running on exercise wheels.Continue to Reuters

alcohol boosts breast cancer risk

2007-05-01T10:06:00.000+03:00

A study in mice shows that moderate alcohol consumption stimulates the growth and progression of breast cancer by fueling the development of new blood vessels -- a process called "angiogenesis." It does this by boosting expression of a key growth factor known as vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF.

Drinking alcohol -- even moderate amounts - is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer in women. A recent study found that 60 percent of breast cancer cases in women worldwide were attributable to alcohol consumption. But the mechanism(s) of alcohol-induced breast cancer are poorly understood.

Dr. Jian-Wei Gu and colleagues from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson examined the effects of alcohol on tumor growth and progression of breast cancer in mice.

For 4 weeks, 6-week old female mice consumed regular drinking water or water containing 1 percent alcohol, which is equivalent to about 2 to 4 drinks in humans. In week 2, the animals were inoculated with mouse breast cancer cells.

"We found after about 4 weeks that breast tumor size almost doubled in mice that drank alcohol compared to control mice given plain water," Gu noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health. Moderate alcohol intake also caused a noteworthy increase in tumor blood vessels compared with no alcohol intake.

The team also observed a significant increase in VEGF levels in the tumors of mice consuming alcohol compared to the tumors of control mice.

"VEGF can promote the formation of new blood vessels," Gu said. "This suggests that alcohol can induce tumor angiogenesis."

He presented the research at the American Physiological Society's annual meeting, part of Experimental Biology 2007, underway in Washington DC.

Court strikes down Internet porn law

2007-03-24T19:27:00.000+03:00

A federal judge on Thursday dealt another blow to government efforts to control Internet pornography, striking down a 1998 U.S. law that makes it a crime for commercial Web site operators to let children access "harmful" material.
In the ruling, the judge said parents can protect their children through software filters and other less restrictive means that do not limit the rights of others to free speech.
"Perhaps we do the minors of this country harm if (free speech) protections, which they will with age inherit fully, are chipped away in the name of their protection," wrote Senior U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed Jr., who presided over a four-week trial last fall.
The law would have criminalized Web sites that allow children to access material deemed "harmful to minors" by "contemporary community standards." The sites would have been expected to require a credit card number or other proof of age. Penalties included a $50,000 fine and up to six months in prison.
Sexual health sites, the online magazine Salon.com and other Web sites backed by the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the law. They argued that the Child Online Protection Act was unconstitutionally vague and would have had a chilling effect on speech.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a temporary injunction in 2004 on grounds the law was likely to be struck down and was perhaps outdated.
Technology experts said parents now have more serious concerns than Web sites with pornography. For instance, the threat of online predators has caused worries among parents whose children use social-networking sites such as News Corp.'s MySpace.
The case sparked a legal firestorm last year when Google challenged a Justice Department subpoena seeking information on what people search for online. Government lawyers had asked Google to turn over 1 million random Web addresses and a week's worth of Google search queries.
A judge sharply limited the scope of the subpoena, which Google had fought on trade secret, not privacy, grounds.
To defend the nine-year-old Child Online Protection Act, government lawyers attacked software filters as burdensome and less effective, even though they have previously defended their use in public schools and libraries.
"It is not reasonable for the government to expect all parents to shoulder the burden to cut off every possible source of adult content for their children, rather than the government's addressing the problem at its source," a government attorney, Peter D. Keisler, argued in a post-trial brief.
Critics of the law argued that filters work best because they let parents set limits based on their own values and their child's age.
The law addressed material accessed by children under 17, but applied only to content hosted in the United States.
The Web sites that challenged the law said fear of prosecution might lead them to shut down or move their operations offshore, beyond the reach of the U.S. law. They also said the Justice Department could do more to enforce obscenity laws already on the books.
The 1998 law followed Congress' unsuccessful 1996 effort to ban online pornography. The Supreme Court in 1997 deemed key portions of that law unconstitutional because it was too vague and trampled on adults' rights.
The newer law narrowed the restrictions to commercial Web sites and defined indecency more specifically.
In 2000, Congress passed a law requiring schools and libraries to use software filters if they receive certain federal funds. The high court upheld that law in 2003.

Cell phones unlikely to cause brain cancer: study

2007-03-24T19:22:00.000+03:00

Cell phone use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of glioma -- the most common type of brain tumor, according to a new study. The story may be different, however, for intense use of cell phones over many years.

"Public concern has been expressed about the possible adverse health effects of mobile telephones, mainly related to (brain) tumors," Dr. Anna Lahkola, of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki, and colleagues explain in the International Journal of Cancer.
The researchers examined the relationship between mobile phone use and risk of glioma by studying 1,521 glioma patients and 3,301 controls.

The vast majority of both groups reported using cell phones. Overall, 92 percent of glioma patients and 94 percent of controls reported ever using a mobile phone.
Overall, there was no evidence of increased glioma risk related to regular mobile phone use.
There were no significant associations observed with duration of use, years since first use, cumulative number of calls, or cumulative hours of use.
No increased glioma risk was observed when analog and digital phones were analyzed separately.
There was, however, a trend toward increased risk of glioma in people who used a cell phone for more than 10 years exclusively on one side of the head, which was on the same side as the tumor. The association reached "borderline statistical significance."
"This may be due either to chance or causal effect or information bias, i.e., overreporting of mobile phone use on the affected side by the cases with brain tumors," the investigators comment.
Source: NEW YORK (Reuters Health) -Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:07AM GMT

Cervical cancer: Can you get it if you haven't had sex?

2007-03-18T22:45:00.000+03:00

Most cervical cancer is associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. But not all cervical cancers are due to HPV infection. So, yes, it is possible to have cervical cancer if you've never had sex.
HPV is primarily transmitted during vaginal intercourse. However, it is important to know that it may also be transmitted during oral sex. Factors that put you at increased risk of HPV infection include:
-Multiple sexual partners
-A history of other sexually transmitted infections
-Cigarette smoking

Regular Pap tests are the best tool for early detection of cervical cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that you have your first Pap test about three years after first having sexual relations or at age 21 if you haven't been sexually active. After age 21, the guidelines recommend annual Pap tests until age 29 and every two to three years from ages 30 to 69.

HPV infection: How does it cause cervical cancer?

2007-03-18T22:42:00.000+03:00

Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, is the most common cause of cervical cancer. When a woman is exposed to HPV, her immune system usually prevents the virus from doing any harm. But in a small number of women, the virus survives for years and eventually converts some cells on the surface of the cervix into cancer cells. These changes happen very slowly. At first, the cells only show signs of a viral infection. Later, the cells become precancerous. Doctors refer to this as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. In time, it progresses to invasive cervical cancer.

It's not clear why some women are more likely to develop cervical cancer. Some types of HPV are more aggressive than others and that plays a role. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of both precancerous changes and cancer of the cervix. The best way to prevent sexually transmitted infections is to have fewer sexual partners and use condoms.
In June 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Gardasil, a vaccine that offers protection from the most dangerous types of HPV. The national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination for girls age 11 and 12, as well as girls and women ages 13 to 26 if they haven't received the vaccine already. The vaccine is most effective if given to girls before they become sexually active.

Hearing loss may raise risk of meningitis in kids

2007-03-17T10:02:00.000+03:00

Findings from a study of Danish children suggest that hearing loss greatly increases the risk of meningitis. Therefore, parents of children with hearing loss should familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of meningitis.
Researchers conducted a review of all children born in Denmark between 1995 and 2004. Out of 663,963 children, the researchers identified 39 who had both hearing loss and meningitis, including five cases in which the hearing loss preceded the meningitis.
Children with hearing loss were five times more likely to develop meningitis than those without hearing loss, lead author Dr. Erik T. Parner, from the University of Aarhus in Denmark, and colleagues note.
"This is the first study to report on the risk of meningitis in children with hearing loss...and warrants further investigation in other populations and databases," the researchers conclude.
"If children with hearing loss have a higher risk of meningitis, then parents and healthcare providers should be made aware of the need to be alert for possible signs and symptoms of meningitis, and vaccination should be considered."
An increased risk of meningitis has been reported in children with cochlear implants, the authors note, but until now the "baseline" rate of meningitis among children with hearing loss had not been established.
Meningitis is a relatively rare but potentially deadly disease that produces swelling of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It can cause seizures, brain damage, memory loss, deafness, and even death in otherwise healthy children and adults.
SOURCE: Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery March 2007. //reuters health

Asbestos triggers mesothelioma more often in men than women

2007-03-11T20:08:00.000+03:00

After asbestos exposure, men are more likely than women to develop malignant mesothelioma, according to an Australian study.
Mesothelioma, a lethal cancer of the lining of the lungs and the chest cavity, is caused mainly by exposure to asbestos.
Alison Reid told Reuters Health that she and her colleagues are studying people exposed to asbestos at Wittenoom in Western Australia. "This was an asbestos mining and milling town that closed in 1966, but still provides us with a legacy of asbestos-related diseases."
In the medical journal Chest, Ms. Reid, at the University of Western Australia, Crawley, and her associates report findings from follow-up through the end of 2000 among more than 4700 former residents of Wittenoom. These subjects were not employed in the milling and mining industry but were nonetheless exposed to the mineral.
Deaths rates from mesothelioma were higher with increasing length of residence, and were consistently lower for women than for men.
Men had more than four times the rate of mesothelioma as women, after accounting for cumulative asbestos exposure and age at first residence.
People who were at least 15 years old when they were first exposed to the asbestos-laden environment were 2.4-times more likely to die of mesothelioma than those who were younger than 15 years at first exposure, the researchers note.
"The asbestos epidemic is almost past its peak in the developed world," Ms Reid pointed out, "but elsewhere it will just be starting. It is still being used in many developing countries -- where they have little or no regulation about its use, worker protection, or means of treatment."

Mesothelioma

2007-03-05T22:20:00.000+03:00

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of your internal organs (mesothelium). Doctors divide mesothelioma into different categories based on what part of the mesothelium is affected by cancer. Mesothelioma that occurs in the tissue that surrounds the lung (pleura) is called pleural mesothelioma and is the most common form. Mesothelioma that occurs in the tissue in your abdomen (peritoneum) is called peritoneal mesothelioma and accounts for 10 percent to 20 percent of all mesotheliomas. In rare cases, mesothelioma can also occur in the lining around the heart (pericardium) and in the lining around the testicles (tunica vaginalis).

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the United States each year. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma than are women. It's more common in older adults — most people with mesothelioma are 65 and older — though mesothelioma can be diagnosed at any age.

Mesothelioma is closely linked to exposure to asbestos — a natural fiber that was once used in manufacturing a wide variety of industrial and household products. Mesothelioma rates have increased during the past 20 years in response to the widespread use of asbestos in the past. Many industrialized countries now limit asbestos use and enforce laws to protect workers who may be exposed. Researchers predict these efforts will lead to fewer cases of mesothelioma in the future

Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma vary depending on where the cancer occurs.

Pleural mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:-Shortness of breath
-Painful breathing
-Chest pain under the rib cage
-Unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest
-Unexplained weight loss
-Dry (nonproductive) cough

Peritoneal mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:Abdominal pain
-Abdominal swelling
-A change in your bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation
-Lumps of tissue in the abdomen
-Unexplained weight loss
Signs and symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma and mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis are unclear. These forms are so rare that not much information is available. Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis may be first detected as a mass on a testicle. Pericardial mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include difficulty breathing and fever.

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma that has spread to other parts of the body include:
-Pain in the area where cancer has spread
-Difficulty swallowing
-Swelling in the neck and face

Causes
In general, cancer begins with a genetic mutation that turns normal, healthy cells into abnormal cells. Healthy cells grow and multiply at a set rate, eventually dying at a set time. Abnormal cells grow and multiply out of control, and they don't die. The accumulating abnormal cells form a mass (tumor). Cancer cells invade nearby tissues and can break off from an initial tumor to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).

It isn't clear what causes the initial genetic mutation that leads to mesothelioma, though researchers have identified factors that may increase the risk. It's likely that cancers form because of an interaction between many factors, such as inherited conditions, your environment, your health conditions and your lifestyle choices.

Risk factors
Asbestos exposure plays a role in 70 percent to 80 percent of mesothelioma cases, though the actual percentage could be higher. Asbestos is a mineral that is found naturally in the environment. Asbestos fibers are strong and resistant to heat, making them useful in a wide variety of applications. Asbestos fibers have been used to make insulation, cement, brakes, shingles, flooring and many other products.

People who work around asbestos fibers are thought to have the greatest risk of mesothelioma. When asbestos is broken up — for instance, in the mining process or in removing asbestos insulation from a building — dust may be created. If the dust is inhaled or swallowed, the asbestos fibers may settle in the lungs or in the stomach, where they can cause irritation that may lead to mesothelioma, though how exactly this happens isn't understood. Although asbestos is still used in a limited number of industries, the federal government limits the amount of asbestos fibers workers may be exposed to and sets rules to protect workers.

Mesothelioma risk is believed to be increased in people who are exposed to high levels of asbestos, in people who are exposed to asbestos over a long period of time and in people exposed to asbestos at a young age. It can take 30 to 40 years or more for mesothelioma to develop as a result of asbestos exposure.

People who live with workers exposed to asbestos may also have an increased risk of mesothelioma. Asbestos dust is thought to have been carried home on workers' clothes. Today workers are required to shower and change clothes after working with asbestos to protect their families.

Some people with years of asbestos exposure never develop mesothelioma. Researchers estimate only about 5 percent of the people with the highest exposure to asbestos will develop mesothelioma. And yet, others with very brief exposure develop the disease. This indicates that other factors may be involved in determining whether someone gets mesothelioma or doesn't. For instance, you could inherit a predisposition to cancer or some other condition could increase your risk. Risk of mesothelioma is increased greatly in smokers who are exposed to asbestos.

Other possible risk factors
Researchers have identified other factors that may increase the risk of mesothelioma, including:

-SV40. Some research indicates a link between mesothelioma and simian virus 40 (SV40), a virus originally found in monkeys. Millions of people may have been exposed to SV40 when receiving polio vaccinations between 1955 and 1963, because the vaccine was developed using monkey cells. Once it was discovered that SV40 was linked to certain cancers, the virus was removed from the polio vaccine. There is some evidence that SV40 may also be passed between people, though it isn't clear how. Whether SV40 increases the risk of mesothelioma is a point of contention, and more research is needed.
-Radiation. The radioactive substance thorium dioxide was used along with X-rays to diagnose various health conditions from the 1920s to the 1950s. Thorium dioxide was later found to cause cancer and was no longer used. Some research links thorium dioxide to mesothelioma.
-Asbestos-like minerals. A naturally occurring asbestos-like mineral called zeolite has been linked to mesothelioma cases in Turkey, where the mineral is used to construct homes.
-Family history. Research into the same region of Turkey where zeolite is used reveals that family history may play a role in mesothelioma there. More research is needed to determine whether family history may predispose some people to mesothelioma.

When to seek medical advice
See your doctor if you have signs and symptoms that may indicate mesothelioma. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma aren't specific to this disease and may be related to other conditions. If any signs and symptoms seem unusual or bothersome to you, ask your doctor to check them out.

Screening and diagnosis
If you have signs and symptoms that might indicate mesothelioma, your doctor will conduct a physical exam, paying particular attention to areas where you're experiencing pain. He or she checks for any lumps or other unusual signs. Your doctor may order other tests to determine the cause of your signs and symptoms, including:

-Chest X-ray. X-rays may show abnormalities if you have pleural mesothelioma.
-Chest or abdominal CT scan. Computerized tomography (CT) may reveal abnormalities in your chest or abdomen if you have mesothelioma.
It's not uncommon for mesothelioma to be misdiagnosed initially because mesothelioma is rare and its signs and symptoms aren't specific. Your doctor will likely rule out other more common conditions before considering mesothelioma.

Biopsy
Biopsy, a surgical procedure to remove a small portion of the mesothelium for laboratory examination, is the only way to determine whether you have mesothelioma. Depending on what area of your body is affected, your doctor selects the right biopsy procedure for you. Options include:

-Fine-needle aspiration. The doctor removes fluid or a piece of tissue with a small needle inserted into your chest or abdomen.
-Thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopy allows the surgeon to see inside your chest. In this procedure, the surgeon makes one or more small incisions between your ribs. He or she inserts a tube with a tiny video camera to see inside your chest cavity — a procedure sometimes called video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Special surgical tools allow your surgeon to cut away a piece of tissue.
-Laparoscopy. Laparoscopy allows the surgeon to see inside your abdomen. Using one or more incisions into your abdomen, the surgeon inserts a tiny camera and special surgical tools to obtain a small piece of tissue for examination.
Thoracotomy. Thoracotomy is surgery to open your chest to allow a surgeon to check for signs of disease. He or she removes a sample of tissue for testing.
-Laparotomy. Laparotomy is surgery to open your abdomen to allow a surgeon to check for signs of disease. He or she removes a sample of tissue for testing.
Once the tissue sample has been collected through biopsy, the sample is analyzed under a microscope. This determines whether or not the abnormal tissue is mesothelioma. Biopsy samples also allow your doctor to test for the type of cells involved in your mesothelioma. The type of mesothelioma you have is used to determine your treatment plan.

Staging
Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, your doctor orders other tests to determine the extent of the cancer and whether it has spread — a process called staging. Imaging procedures allow doctors to see inside your chest or abdomen to determine the stage of mesothelioma. Options include:
-Chest X-ray
-CT scans of the chest and abdomen
-Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
-Positron emission tomography (PET)
Once the extent of mesothelioma is determined, a stage is assigned. Staging helps your doctor determine your prognosis and the best treatment plan. The stages of mesothelioma are:

-I. Stage I mesothelioma is considered localized cancer, meaning it's limited to one small area of the chest or abdomen.
-II. Stage II mesothelioma is considered advanced cancer. Mesothelioma at this stage involves the mesothelium and has also spread to other structures directly adjacent to the tumor, such as the lungs or the diaphragm.
-III. Stage III mesothelioma is also considered advanced cancer. Mesothelioma at this stage meets the same requirements as stage II, but has also spread to the lymph nodes in the region.
-IV. Stage IV mesothelioma is an advanced cancer that has spread to distant areas (metastasized). Mesothelioma most commonly spreads (metastasizes) to the brain and areas of the lung that are away from the tumor

Complications
As pleural mesothelioma spreads in the chest, it puts pressure on the structures in that area. This can cause complications, such as:

-Difficulty breathing
-Chest pain
-Difficulty swallowing
-Swelling caused by pressure on the large vein that leads from your upper body to your heart (superior vena cava syndrome)
-Pain caused by pressure on the nerves and spinal cord

Mesothelioma that progresses can lead to death. People who die of mesothelioma usually die from related complications, such as lung failure, bowel obstruction, heart problems, stroke and other causes

Treatment
What treatment you undergo for mesothelioma depends on your health and certain aspects of your cancer, such as its stage and location. Unfortunately, mesothelioma often is an aggressive disease and for many people a cure won't be possible. Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage — when it isn't possible to remove the cancer through surgery. Instead, your doctor may work to control your cancer and its signs and symptoms to make you more comfortable.

Discuss your treatment goals with your doctor. Some people want to do everything they can to treat their cancer, even if that means enduring side effects for a small chance of a cure. Others prefer treatments that make them comfortable so that they can live their remaining months as symptom-free as possible.

Mesothelioma treatment options may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and clinical trials.

Surgery
Surgeons work to remove mesothelioma from your body. Sometimes it isn't possible to remove all of the cancer. In those cases, surgery may help to reduce the signs and symptoms caused by mesothelioma spreading in your body. Surgical options may include:

-Surgery to decrease fluid buildup. Pleural mesothelioma may cause fluid to build up in your chest, causing difficulty breathing. Surgeons insert a tube or catheter into your chest to drain the fluid. Surgeons may also inject medicine into your chest to prevent fluid from returning (pleurodesis).
-Surgery to remove the tissue around the lung or abdomen. Surgeons may use scalpels and other surgical tools to remove the tissue lining the ribs and the lungs (pleurectomy) or the tissue lining the abdominal cavity (peritonectomy) in order to relieve signs and symptoms of mesothelioma.
-Surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible (debulking). If all of the cancer can't be removed, surgeons may attempt to remove as much as possible.
-Surgery to remove a lung and the surrounding tissue. Removing the affected lung and the tissue that surrounds it may relieve signs and symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. This procedure also allows doctors to use higher doses of radiation against any remaining mesothelioma, since doctors won't need to worry about protecting your lung from damaging radiation.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs travel throughout your body and kill rapidly growing cells. This works against cancer cells, but also affects other rapidly growing cells in your body, such as those in your hair follicles and those in your gastrointestinal system. Chemotherapy may slow the growth of pleural mesothelioma. Chemotherapy can be used before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) or after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to reduce the signs and symptoms you may experience from mesothelioma.

People with peritoneal mesothelioma may receive adjuvant chemotherapy drugs that have been heated (hyperthermic chemotherapy). Rather than being distributed throughout the body, chemotherapy drugs are often injected directly into the abdominal cavity (intraperitoneal chemotherapy), where they can reach the peritoneal mesothelioma directly without injuring healthy cells in other parts of the body. This allows doctors to administer higher doses of chemotherapy drugs. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy may also be used to reduce the signs and symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma that can't be removed through surgery.

Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy focuses high-energy radiation to a specific spot or spots on your body. Radiation may reduce signs and symptoms in people with pleural mesothelioma. Doctors aim radiation at the entire chest to obtain the best result. However, many sensitive organs reside in the chest, such as the heart, lungs and spinal cord, so doctors must use low doses of radiation to spare these organs. Radiation therapy is sometimes used after biopsy or surgery to prevent mesothelioma from spreading to the surgical incision.

Radiation therapy is used occasionally in people with peritoneal mesothelioma. Radiation may reduce signs and symptoms of mesothelioma.

Combination therapy
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be combined. This aggressive therapy can be grueling and may not be appropriate for everyone. Younger, healthier people and those with earlier stage mesothelioma may be more able to endure this treatment. Combination therapy has shown the most promise in treating mesothelioma. However, most people will eventually experience a recurrence of this cancer despite this aggressive treatment. Combination therapy has been used in both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma.

Clinical trials
Clinical trials are studies of new mesothelioma treatment methods. People with mesothelioma may opt for a clinical trial for a chance to try new types of treatment. However, a cure isn't guaranteed. Carefully consider your treatment options and talk to your doctor about what clinical trials are open to you. Your participation in a clinical trial may help doctors better understand how to treat mesothelioma in the future.

Treatment for other types of mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma and mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis are very rare and can be very aggressive. Early-stage cancer may be removed through surgery. Doctors have yet to determine the best way to treat later stage cancers, though. Your doctor may recommend other treatments to improve your quality of life.

Prevention
Reducing your exposure to asbestos may reduce your risk of mesothelioma. Most people with mesothelioma were exposed to the asbestos fibers at work. Workers who may encounter asbestos fibers include:
-Miners
-Factory workers
-Insulation manufacturers
-Railroad workers
-Ship builders
-Gas mask manufacturers
-Construction workers
Follow all safety precautions in your workplace, such as wearing protective equipment. You may also be required to shower and change out of your work clothes before taking a lunch break or going home. Talk to your doctor about other precautions you can take to protect yourself from asbestos exposure.

Older homes and buildings may contain asbestos. In many cases, it's more dangerous to remove the asbestos than it is to leave it intact. Breaking up asbestos may cause fibers to become airborne, where they can be taken into your body as you breathe. Consult experts trained to detect asbestos in your home. These experts may test the air in your home to determine whether the asbestos is a risk to your health. Don't attempt to remove asbestos from your home — hire a qualified expert.

Coping skills
Shock. Anger. Sadness. Despair. Confusion. You may be feeling one or all of these emotions after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis. A cancer diagnosis is devastating not only to you, but to your family and loved ones. Take time to experience the sadness and despair and to grieve. As you're shuffled between appointments with various doctors and specialists, know that you can take control of the time you have remaining. You decide how you'll spend your time and whom you'll spend your time with. Along with your doctor, you determine which treatments you'll undergo.

In order to regain a sense of control, try to:

-Learn everything you can about mesothelioma. Write down a list of questions to ask your doctor. Ask your health care team for reading materials and other resources to help you better understand your disease. Consult the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) for more information. Both organizations can provide you with information through their Web sites or toll-free telephone information lines. Call the NCI at 800-4-CANCER, or 800-422-6237. Call the ACS at 800-ACS-2345, or 800-227-2345. Information may help you feel more confident in your treatment decisions, and it may help you better understand what's going on inside your body.
-Surround yourself with a support network. Whether it's close friends or family or a combination of both, surround yourself with people who love you. These people can help you with the everyday tasks, such as getting you to appointments or treatment, and they can help support you by providing someone to talk to or to reassure you. If you have trouble asking for help, learn to be honest with yourself and accept help when you need it — your friends and family feel helpless too, and they want to help you.
-Seek out other people with cancer. Ask your health care team about cancer support groups in your community. Sometimes there are questions that can only be answered by other people with cancer. Support groups offer a chance to ask these questions and receive support from people who understand your situation. Online support message boards can offer similar benefits while allowing you to remain anonymous.
-Plan for the unknown. Ask your health care team about advance directives that give your family guidance on your medical wishes in case you can no longer speak for yourself. Talk to a lawyer about your will, if you haven't already done so. Source; MayoClinic

Stretches you can do in your office

2007-03-05T16:34:00.000+03:00

Finger stretch
Working hard at your desk? To avoid getting sore and worn out, take a stretch break every 20 to 30 minutes. Relaxed and focused after stretching, you may actually complete your work faster and more accurately.
If you spend lots of time clutching a pen or typing on a keyboard, start with the finger stretch. Separate and straighten your fingers until you feel a stretch, keeping your hand in alignment with your wrist (left). Hold for 10 seconds. Next, bend the end and middle knuckles of your fingers (right), keeping your hand and wrist in the same position. Hold for 10 seconds. Relax and repeat

Back scratch
It may look like you’re scratching your back, but you’re really stretching the back of your arm. Reach behind your head and place your hand on your upper back, keeping your arm close to your ear. Gently hold your elbow with your opposite hand. Pull your elbow toward the back of your head and reach your hand toward the middle of your back until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Relax. Repeat on other side

Arm and shoulder stretch
Press your hands away from your body to stretch your arms and shoulders.
Lace your fingers together and turn your palms facing out. Straighten your arms in front of you. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Relax. Repeat two to three times

Chest stretch
This stretches the muscles of your chest, upper back and the back of your neck.
Lace your fingers together behind your head, bringing your elbows back as far as possible. Squeeze your shoulder blades together until you feel your muscles stretching. Hold for 20 seconds. Relax. Repeat

Side neck stretch
To stretch the muscles along the side of your neck, face forward and look straight ahead. Tilt your head toward one side, gently pushing your ear toward your shoulder. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Lift your head into a normal, upright position. Relax. Repeat three to five times on each side.

Head turn
To stretch the muscles along the side and back of your neck and at the top of your back, start facing forward. Slowly turn your head and look to one side until your chin is parallel with your shoulder. Be sure to keep your shoulders straight ahead. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Return to your starting position and relax. Repeat twice on each side.

Chin tuck
The chin tuck also loosens stiff neck and shoulder muscles. Start facing straight ahead. Keeping your back straight, pull your chin toward your chest until you feel a stretch along the back of your neck. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Relax and return to your starting position. Repeat two to three times.

Shoulder shrug
The shoulder shrug targets tight neck, shoulder and upper back muscles. Slowly bring your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold for three to five seconds, then roll your shoulders back and down. Relax. Repeat five to 10 times.

Back stretch
You'll feel this stretch along your mid- and lower back muscles. Sit forward in your chair so that there's a little room between your back and the back of the chair. Face forward and cross your right leg over your left. Put your left hand on your right knee, and gently pull toward your left side while slowly turning your head and shoulders to the right. Keep turning until you see the wall behind your right shoulder. Be careful not to force the turn — go just until you feel a nice stretch in your back. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Relax and repeat on the other side.
Always be careful not to overstretch. These gentle moves should feel good — never painful.

Stretching: Focus on flexibility

2007-03-05T16:25:00.000+03:00

Stretching is a powerful part of any exercise program. Here's why — and how — to include stretching in your fitness routine.
You pound out three miles on the treadmill. You work your way through a series of weightlifting exercises. You even add some time on the stationary bike for good measure — and you smile with satisfaction that you made it through your workout. Nothing to do now but hit the shower.

Not so fast. Did you consider stretching those muscles that pulled you through your invigorating workout? Most aerobic and strength training programs inherently cause your muscles to contract and flex. For equal balance, pay attention to stretching those muscles after your workout.

Benefits of stretching
Regular stretching is a powerful part of any exercise program.
Stretching increases flexibility. Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring.
Stretching improves range of motion of your joints. Good range of motion keeps you in better balance, which will help keep you mobile and less prone to injury from falls — especially as you age.
Stretching improves circulation. Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Improved circulation can speed recovery after muscle injuries.
Stretching promotes better posture. Frequent stretching keeps your muscles from getting tight, allowing you to maintain proper posture and minimize aches and pains.
Stretching can relieve stress. Stretching relaxes the tense muscles that often accompany stress.
Stretching may help prevent injury. Preparing your muscles and joints for activity can protect you from injury, especially if your muscles or joints are tight.

Stretching essentialsReady, set, stretch!
Target major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play.
Warm up first. Stretching muscles when they're cold increases your risk of injury, including pulled muscles. Warm up by walking while gently pumping your arms, or do a favorite exercise at low intensity for five minutes. Better yet, stretch after you exercise — when your muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching.

One caveat: If you plan to stretch only after your workout, increase the intensity of the activity more slowly than you would if you had stretched your muscles before exercising.

Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. It takes time to lengthen tissues safely. Hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds — and up to 60 seconds for a really tight muscle or problem area. That can seem like a long time, so keep an eye on the clock or your watch. Then repeat the stretch on the other side. For most muscle groups, a single stretch is often enough if you hold it long enough.
Don't bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle. These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals, which tightens the muscle even further — making you less flexible and more prone to pain.
Focus on a pain-free stretch. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching. If it hurts, you've gone too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.
Relax and breathe freely. Don't hold your breath while you're stretching.

How often to stretch is up to you. As a general rule, stretch whenever you exercise. If you don't exercise regularly, you might want to stretch at least three times a week to maintain flexibility.

Eyestrain and your computer screen:

2007-03-03T11:13:00.000+03:00

Tips for getting relief
Although not associated with long-term consequences, eyestrain resulting from computer use can be bothersome and uncomfortable — and may cut your work short. Minimize computer-related eyestrain by following these tips.
Your eyes hurt. Your head aches. And there you sit, peering at your computer monitor. If you're one of the many people who use computers every day — either for work or personal use — you may experience eyestrain as a result.

Eyestrain: Signs and symptoms
Common signs and symptoms include:
-Sore, tired, burning or itching eyes
-Watery eyes
-Dry eyes
-Blurred or double vision
-Headache and sore neck
-Difficulty shifting focus between monitor and paper documents in your work area
-Color fringes or afterimages when you look away from the monitor
-Increased sensitivity to light

Eyestrain associated with computer use isn't thought to have serious or long-term consequences, but it's disruptive and unpleasant. Though you may not be able to change the nature of your job or all the factors that can cause eyestrain, you can take steps to reduce the strain.

New habits can help relieve eyestrain
A few simple adjustments in how you work or surf the Internet can give your eyes a much-needed rest.

Follow these simple tips to reduce eyestrain:

Take eye breaks. Throughout the day, give your eyes a break by forcing them to focus on something other than on your screen. Try the following exercise: Hold a finger a few inches in front of your face; focus on the finger as you slowly move it away; focus on something far in the distance and then back to the finger; slowly bring the finger back toward your face. Next, shift your focus to something farther than eight feet away and hold your eyes there for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise three times, several times a day.
Change the pace. Try to stand up and move around at least once every hour or so. If possible, lean back and close your eyes for a few moments. At the very least, try to give yourself a five-minute rest every hour. Do other work, such as phone calls or filing, during this time.
Blink often to refresh your eyes. Because many people blink less than normal when working at a computer, dry eyes can result from prolonged computer use. Blinking produces tears that can help moisten and lubricate your eyes. Make a conscious effort to blink more often.
Consider using artificial teardrops. Available over the counter, artificial tears can help relieve dry eyes that result from prolonged sessions at the computer.
Practice relaxation. Ease muscle tension with this relaxation exercise: Place your elbows on your desk, palms facing up; let your weight fall forward and your head fall into your hands; position your head so that your eyebrows rest on the base of your palms, with your fingers extended toward your forehead; close your eyes and take a deep breath through your nose; hold it for four seconds, then exhale. Continue this deep breathing for 15 to 30 seconds. Perform this simple exercise several times a day.
Get appropriate eyewear. If you wear glasses or contacts, make sure the correction is right for computer work. Most lenses are fitted for reading print and may not be optimal for computer work. Glasses or contact lenses designed specifically for computer work may be a worthwhile investment

Water: How much should you drink every day?

2007-03-03T10:02:00.000+03:00

How much water should you drink each day? — a simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.
Though no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body's need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day.
Health benefits of water
Water is your body's principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 percent of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.
Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions.
How much water do you need?
Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.
A couple of approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.
Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is 1.5 liters a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.
Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3.0 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.
Even apart from the above approaches, it is generally the case that if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce between one and two liters of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.
Factors that influence water needs
You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
Exercise. The more you exercise, the more fluid you'll need to keep your body hydrated. An extra 1 or 2 cups of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires additional fluid. How much additional fluid is needed depends on how much you sweat during the exercise, but 13 to26 ounces (or about 2 to 3 cups) an hour will generally be adequate, unless the weather is exceptionally warm.
During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Fluid also should be replaced after exercise. Drinking 16 ounces of fluid per pound of body weight lost during exercise is recommended.
Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.
Illnesses or health conditions. Signs of illnesses, such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, cause your body to lose additional fluids. In these cases you should drink more water and may even need oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or Ceralyte. Certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones, also require increased water intake. On the other hand, certain conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.
Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are lost especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.4 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.0 liters (about 12.5 cups) of fluids a day.

Beyond the tap: Other sources of water
Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to satisfy your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake, while the remaining 80 percent comes from water and beverages of all kinds.
For example, many fruits and vegetables — such as watermelon and cucumbers — are nearly 100 percent water by weight. Beverages such as milk and juice are also comprised mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea or soda can contribute, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is one of your best bets because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.
Dehydration and complications
Failing to take in more water than your body uses can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration — as little as a 1 percent to 2 percent loss of your body weight — can sap your energy and make you tired. Common causes of dehydration include strenuous activity, excessive sweating, vomiting and diarrhea.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:
-Mild to excessive thirst
-Fatigue
-Headache
-Dry mouth
-Little or no urination
-Muscle weakness
-Dizziness
-Lightheadedness

Mild dehydration rarely results in complications — as long as the fluid is replaced quickly — but more-severe cases can be life-threatening, especially in the very young and the elderly. In extreme situations, fluids or electrolytes may need to be delivered intravenously.

Staying safely hydrated
It's generally not a good idea to use thirst alone as a guide for when to drink. By the time one becomes thirsty, it is possible to already be slightly dehydrated. Further, be aware that as you get older your body is less able to sense dehydration and send your brain signals of thirst. Excessive thirst and increased urination can be signs of a more serious medical condition. Talk to your doctor if you experience either.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. Nearly every healthy adult can consider the following:
-Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal.
-Hydrate before, during and after exercise.
-Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings.

If you drink water from a bottle, thoroughly clean or replace the bottle often. Refill only bottles that are designed for reuse.
Though uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in a condition called hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the blood). Endurance athletes — such as marathon runners — who drink large amounts of water are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who consume an average American diet.
If you're concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's best for you.
From MayoClinic

Ibuprofen beats acetaminophen for period pain

2007-03-03T09:57:00.001+03:00

Although both ibuprofen and acetaminophen reduce menstrual pain, ibuprofen appears to have more potent effects, according to investigators from the West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown.
Although ibuprofen is accepted as an effective treatment for painful periods, or dysmenorrhea, Drs. M. Yusoff Dawood and Firyal S. Khan-Dawood note in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, there is still controversy about the usefulness of acetaminophen. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is known as paracetamol in several countries.
To investigate further, the duo conducted a small trial involving 12 women with dysmenorrhea who were given three different treatments in random order for three different periods: 1000 milligrams of acetaminophen, 400 milligrams of ibuprofen, or an inactive placebo, four times daily for three days.
The women rated the active medications as being more effective than placebo. "However," Dr. Dawood told Reuters Health, "it appears that ibuprofen has a greater effect and patients also preferred it."
SOURCE: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, January 2007.

Study finds painkillers raise blood pressure

2007-02-27T20:13:00.000+03:00

Popular painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen can raise blood pressure and thus the risk of heart disease among men, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

Men who took such drugs for most days in a week were about one-third more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than men not taking them, the researchers found.
Their findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, reinforce a study published in 2002 that these commonly used drugs raise blood pressure in women.

"This is a potentially preventable cause of high blood pressure," Dr. John Forman of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who led the study, said in a statement.

Millions of people take the painkillers as pills every day to treat headaches, arthritis, muscle pulls and other aches and pains.

"These are the three most commonly used drugs in the United States," Dr. Gary Curhan, who also worked on the study, said in a telephone interview.

For their study, the researchers looked at a continuing study of male health professionals. After they filtered out everyone who already had high blood pressure and other problems, they had 16,000 men whose records they checked for a 4 year period
Men who took acetaminophen (paracetamol), sold generically and under the Tylenol brand name, six or seven days a week were 34 percent more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than men who did not take analgesics.

Men who took aspirin that regularly were 26 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than non-users. For non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, which include ibuprofen and naproxen, the increased risk was 38 percent.

FREQUENCY A FACTOR
Men who took 15 or more NSAID pills a week were 48 percent more likely than non-users to have high blood pressure. The drugs can affect the ability of blood vessels to expand, and may also cause sodium retention -- two factors that can both raise blood pressure.

Being overweight reduced the risk from acetaminophen, but raised the risk from NSAIDS, the researchers found.

But men who are advised by a doctor to take an aspirin a day to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke should not stop taking them, cautioned Curhan. "The benefit outweighs the risk," he said in a telephone interview.

The American Heart Association issued its own advisory based in part on the report's findings.

"We advise physicians to start with non-pharmacologic treatments such as physical therapy and exercise, weight loss to reduce stress on joints, and heat or cold therapy," said the Association's Dr. Elliott Antman, also of Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Makers of the analgesics defended their products.

"In two recent studies, aspirin did not appear to cause hypertension and, in fact, some researchers believe that timed administration of low-dose (aspirin) could provide an additional approach for blood pressure control of certain patients with mild essential hypertension," Bayer Consumer Care said in a statement.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, which makes Tylenol, said its study of 1,500 heavy Tylenol users showed no heart attacks or strokes for a year. "In addition, published studies of acetaminophen used for as long as two years have not demonstrated an increased risk of these cardiovascular events," the company said.

FDA widens peanut butter warning

2007-02-17T12:14:00.000+03:00

All Peter Pan peanut butter bought since May 2006 should be discarded, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday in a statement broadening its warning about salmonella-contaminated peanut butter.

More than 290 people from 39 states have become ill in the food poisoning outbreak, and 46 have been hospitalized, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
ConAgra Foods Inc., which makes Peter Pan, said earlier it was checking the source of the contamination, which may have also affected the Great Value label peanut butter it makes for retailer Wal-Mart.
The FDA had said on Wednesday that certain batches of Peter Pan butter may contain salmonella and that all had a product code on
the lid of the jar beginning with 2111.
The FDA said the suspect Great Value peanut butter also could be identified by the 2111 code.

The CDC has identified the strain of bacteria as Salmonella Tennessee, one of many strains of salmonella bacteria.
They can cause nausea, diarrhea and other ill effects, but usually the sickness clears up on its own in less than a week. Source: Reuters

When pregnant mom eats fish, kids do better

2007-02-17T11:23:00.000+03:00

Children of mothers who ate more fish and other seafood while pregnant are smarter and have better developmental skills than kids of women who ate less or none, researchers said on Thursday in findings they called surprising.

The study, sure to be controversial, sought to assess whether it is wise, as some experts and the U.S. government have recommended, for pregnant women to limit their seafood intake to avoid mercury, a toxin that can harm the nervous system of developing foetuses.

Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a U.S. National Institutes of Health researcher who led the study in The Lancet medical journal, said seafood is a key source of omega-3 fatty acids, important for fetal brain development.

The researchers said limiting pregnant women's weekly intake to 340 grams (12 ounces) of fish and seafood, as advised by the U.S. government, did not protect their children from developmental problems. Women who avoid seafood, they said, may actually be harming their babies by depriving them of essential nutrients needed for the developing fetal brain.

"It was very surprising," Hibbeln said in a telephone interview. "We did not expect such clear-cut results of the harm of low seafood consumption."

The study looked at the children of more than 8,000 British women tracked by the University of Bristol to determine how kids fared if their mothers ate more than 12 ounces -- about two average meals.
Source: Reuters

2007-02-02T17:48:00.000+03:00

Cold or Flu?

It's mid-winter and you're feeling some familiar symptoms: aches, a fever and cough, fatigue, the feeling that someone is sitting on your chest - and all of it coming on in a matter of hours. You think it might be the flu, but you're not sure. After all, your co-worker said she had just gotten over a nasty cold where she described some of the same symptoms you've got. How can you know if it's a cold or the flu?

The cold and flu are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different types of viruses. Flu symptoms usually appear quickly (within 3-6 hours) and consist of a fever, body aches, dry cough, and extreme tiredness. Cold symptoms are less severe; most people experience a stuffy nose, hacking cough, slight tiredness and limited body aches.
Both colds and flu can be prevented - though in decidedly different ways. While colds are best prevented through diligent hygiene, the flu shot can be an effective way to avoid getting the flu virus. If you do succumb, the flu can be treated with options ranging from antiviral medications to over-the-counter medicines, whereas you're limited to over-the-counter treatments for a cold. Medical experts agree that antibiotics don't work for either flu or cold.

And, contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as the "stomach flu." It's most likely viral gastroenteritis...read more

Bird flu can infect people via upper airway

2007-02-02T17:22:00.000+03:00

Leading scientists in Hong Kong have found that the H5N1 bird flu virus can infect cells in the upper airway of humans and need not penetrate deep in the lungs to cause infection.
A study by scientists based in the United States in 2006 suggested that H5N1 could not infect people easily because it had to first lodge itself deep inside the lungs, where it binds more easily to certain receptors called the alpha 2-3.
But in an article published in the January issue of the journal Nature Medicine, scientists from the University of Hong Kong found that the virus could infect the nasopharynx, an area behind the nose and above the soft palate, and the throat.

"On the earlier hypothesis, the virus has to go deep into the lungs to infect anybody but our research suggests that is not the case. The virus can get a foothold in the upper respiratory tract, it doesn't have to get deep down into the lungs," microbiology professor Malik Peiris told Reuters late on Friday.
Using discarded human tissues, Malik found both upper and lower human respiratory tracts could be infected by the virus.

"Even in the upper respiratory tract (where) the alpha 2-3 receptor seems to be lacking, the H5N1 can still infect the cells ... so it raises the question of whether there may be other receptors the virus is using and highlights the point that further study is needed."
However, he said there was no reason to panic

New York to tout official city condom

2007-01-27T10:25:00.000+03:00

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration wants to reduce rates of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS, and part of the strategy is the aggressive promotion of free condoms. Officials say more people will use them if they have jazzy packaging.
One idea is a subway theme, with maps on the wrappers.
"Brands work, and people use branded items more than they use nonbranded items, whether it's a cola or a medicine even," Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said.

New York hands out 1.5 million free condoms each month, or about 18 million a year. Hundreds of organizations get free condoms from the city and distribute them at health clinics, bars, restaurants, nail salons, nightclubs and even prisons.
Widespread free distribution started after Frieden became health commissioner in 2002 and found that the city's STD clinics were limiting each patient to just a small number.
"I thought that was nuts -- of all the people you'd like to have an unlimited supply of condoms, it's people who have an STD," Frieden said. "Condoms work; they're just not where they need to be as often as they need to be."
There is even a bowl of condoms outside Frieden's office.
More than 100,000 New Yorkers are living with HIV and AIDS. AIDS remains the third-leading cause of death among New Yorkers under 65.
The number of condoms distributed by the city multiplied several times over after the health department launched its online ordering system in 2005.
Individuals cannot order, but any organization or venue can request unlimited free condoms
Read More about Condom

AstraZeneca seen cautious after strong 2006

2007-01-27T10:23:00.000+03:00

LONDON---Strong sales of established drugs such as Nexium for ulcers and Seroquel for schizophrenia will mean AstraZeneca delivers a healthy 33 percent rise in 2006 earnings on Thursday, a Reuters poll showed.
But the outlook for 2007 is likely to be more cautious, as cheap, copycat competition to heart drug Toprol XL in the United States weighs on profit margins.
AstraZeneca (AZN.L: Quote, Profile , Research), Europe's third-biggest maker of prescription medicines, is expected to post 2006 earnings per share of $3.86, up from $2.91 in 2005, according to the average forecast of 19 analysts. The mean forecast for 2007 is currently $4.08.
A procession of failures in late stage clinical trials, stretching from anti-clot pill Exanta in 2004 to stroke drug NXY-059 last year, have led the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker to embark on a spending spree to rebuild its pipeline of new drugs.

Recent deals have included a tie-up on two diabetes drugs with Bristol-Myers Squibb that could cost more than $1 billion (510 million pounds) and analysts will be looking for clues on how much more AstraZeneca plans to spend.
Crucial to the stock's near-term performance will be results of a Phase III trial, due next month, on an experimental heart disease drug it is developing with AtheroGenics.

AstraZeneca agreed in December 2005 to pay AtheroGenics up to $1 billion for exclusive rights to the drug, known as AGI-1067. But the project is viewed as high risk and many analysts fear it could become the latest failure.
One bright spot within the results could be sales of cholesterol fighter Crestor which, after a slow start, has been winning increased market share since trial results last year showed it can reverse the build-up of the plaque inside arteries that leads to heart attacks.
AstraZeneca shares have performed broadly in line with European peers over the past year. However, they trade at 14.4 times forecast earnings, below a European sector average of 16.3 times, according to Reuters Estimates

Renewed evidence suggests statin/Parkinson's link

2007-01-16T16:52:00.000+03:00

WASHINGTON - New research showing a strong link between Parkinson's disease and low levels of "bad" cholesterol are so worrying that U.S. researchers are launching a study to look into it.
The team at the University of North Carolina is planning clinical trials involving thousands of people to see whether statin drugs, which lower low density lipoprotein, or LDL, might actually cause Parkinson's in some people.

Other research has for several years suggested that people with abnormally low levels of LDL might be at higher risk of Parkinson's.
Xuemei Huang and colleagues found that patients with low levels of LDL cholesterol are at least three and a half times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those with higher LDL levels.

Writing in the journal Chemistry & Industry, they said they plan a bigger study of patients taking statins, the biggest-selling drugs in the world.

"I am very concerned, which is why I am planning a 16,000-patient prospective study to examine the possible role of statins," Huang said in a statement.
Prospective study means the patients are watched for a period of time to see what diseases or conditions develop.
Huang noted some other studies showed that people with APOE2, a gene that causes naturally low cholesterol, have a higher risk of Parkinson's. Another variation of the gene, APOE4, is associated with a risk of Alzheimer's disease
British heart experts expressed alarm about the report and said heart patients should not stop taking statins.
"We are concerned that any suggestion of a link between statins and Parkinson's disease would unnecessarily scare the millions of people benefiting from statins in the U.K.," said Dr. Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation.

"There is no evidence to suggest that statins cause Parkinson's disease. There is, however, overwhelming evidence that statins save lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes."
Parkinson's is an incurable brain illness that can paralyze patients. Patients may also have difficulty walking and talking and may shake uncontrollably at times.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Parkinson's affects at least 500,000 people in the United States alone. But heart disease affects 70 million Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and kills more than 910,000 each year.

apple juice more antioxidants

2007-01-16T16:44:00.000+03:00

When it comes to apple juice, "cloudier" may mean healthier, according to a study published Monday.
In a head-to-head comparison of apple juices, Polish researchers found that pulpy, non-clarified juice carried a greater antioxidant punch than clear juice. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, molecules that can damage body cells and contribute to disease.
Unlike cloudy apple juice, the much more common clear variety undergoes additional processing to remove any apple solids. Manufacturers typically think the public will favor the more attractive, clear juice over its cloudy cousin, and retailers prefer the clear variety for its longer shelf life.

But the new findings suggest that health-conscious consumers should reach for the cloudy variety, according to Dr. Jan Oszmianski, the study's lead author.
"Cloudy apple juices contain much more antioxidant than clear," Oszmianski, a researcher at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw, told Reuters Health.

In fact, Oszmianski's team found, cloudy juice packed up to four times the level of polyphenols, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. And in experiments, cloudy juice was the more effective free radical "scavenger," the researchers report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
The findings are based on four juices that the study authors prepared themselves, using two varieties of apple -- Champion and Idared. Cloudy juice from Champion apples turned out to be the most antioxidant-rich, but clarification of either juice cut their antioxidant levels significantly
The process, Oszmianski explained, involves using an enzyme that oxidizes the juice's antioxidants, particularly compounds called procyanidins.
But while cloudy apple juice may be a healthier choice than clear, it's still best to get your apples in the form nature made them.
"It is better to eat whole apples with skins than drink the juice to get the most antioxidants," Oszmianski said

Bird flu: What you need to know

2007-01-13T15:15:00.000+03:00

What is bird flu (avian influenza)?
• Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The disease, first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago, occurs worldwide.
• All birds are thought to be susceptible to the avian influenza, though some species, such as wild ducks, are more resistant than others. Domestic poultry, such as chickens or turkeys, are particularly susceptible.
• Infection triggers a wide spectrum of symptoms in birds, ranging from mild illness to a highly contagious and rapidly fatal disease resulting in severe epidemics.
• In severe cases, the flu is characterized by a sudden onset of severe illness, and rapid death, with a mortality that can approach 100 percent.

Have humans come down with bird flu?
• Avian influenza does not normally infect species other than birds and pigs. But humans came down with the bird flu in Hong Kong in 1997, when the H5N1 strain infecting 18 humans, 6 of whom died.
• Then, people became infected after coming into close contact with live infected poultry.
• Genetic studies showed the virus jumped directly from birds to humans, and caused severe illness with high mortality.
• Hong Kong's entire poultry population, estimated at around 1.5 million birds, was destroyed within three days. This is thought to have averted a pandemic.
• The World Health Organization has said the H5N1 bird flu virus is responsible for a number of deaths in Vietnam. They suspect people became ill after coming into contact with chicken feces.

Why is H5N1 of particular concern?

Of the 15 avian influenza virus subtypes, H5N1 is of particular concern because:
• It mutates rapidly and seems to acquire genes from viruses infecting other animal species.
• It can cause severe disease in humans.
• Birds that survive infection excrete virus for at least 10 days, orally and in feces, helping spread the virus at live poultry markets and by migratory birds.
• The more birds that come down with bird flu, the greater the opportunity for direct infection of humans.
• The more humans get infected, the greater the likelihood people can become infected with both human and bird flu strains.
• Humans could then serve as a "mixing vessel" for a new type of virus that could easily be transmitted from person to person. Such an event would mark the start of an influenza pandemic.

What are the symptoms, can it be tested and how do you treat it?
• When humans came down with H5N1 bird flu in Hong Kong in 1997, patients developed symptoms of fever, sore throat, cough and, in several of the fatal cases, severe respiratory distress secondary to viral pneumonia.
• Previously healthy adults and children, and some with chronic medical conditions, were affected.
• Tests for diagnosing all influenza strains of animals and humans are rapid and reliable.
• Antiviral drugs, some of which can be used for both treatment and prevention, are clinically effective against influenza A virus strains in otherwise healthy adults and children, but have some limitations.
• At least four months would be needed to produce a new vaccine, in significant quantities, capable of conferring protection against a new virus subtype.

-- Compiled from a World Health Organization fact sheet.

Gonorrhea linked to risk of male bladder cancer

2007-01-10T09:16:00.001+03:00

Gonorrhea, a common sexually transmitted infection, can double the risk of bladder cancer in men. Earlier studies had already suggested a link and scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health in Massachusetts who monitored the health of 51,529 American men found 286 cases of bladder cancer in men who had had the infection.

"We observed a two-fold increase in bladder cancer risk among men with a history of gonorrhea," said Dr. Dominique Michaud, the lead author of the research reported in the British Journal of Cancer.
The link was stronger for invasive and advanced bladder cancer, which is more serious and difficult to treat, and among smokers.
Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer worldwide. Smoking is a leading cause of the disease and accounts for 65 percent of cases in men and 30 percent in women, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France.

"Gonorrhea is an infection that often recurs, causing local inflammation and symptoms such as incomplete emptying of the bladder. The inflammation itself or the associated symptoms could be contributing to the development of bladder cancer," Michaud said.
Professor John Toy, of the charity Cancer Research UK, said the findings strengthen the suspected linked between gonorrhea and bladder cancer in men.
"The next step is to confirm whether the increased risk could be caused directly by the gonorrhea infection or its symptoms," he said in a statement.

Test may identify heart attack, stroke risk

2007-01-10T09:11:00.000+03:00

An inexpensive blood test may identify which heart disease patients are at the highest risk of a stroke or heart attack, allowing doctors to move more aggressively to help them, a study said on Tuesday.
"We are very good in this country at diagnosing heart disease," said Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, of the University of California-San Francisco, lead author of the study.
"But we're not very good at distinguishing who's at high risk for future problems and starting them on preventive therapies. This test could make all the difference," she added.
The study, published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, involved nearly 1,000 people who were followed for over three years. The blood test measured a combination of amino acids called NT-proBNP related to heart function.

The researchers found that heart disease patients with the highest levels of the substance had nearly eight times the risk of stroke, heart attack or heart failure as did those with the lowest levels.
About 71 million people in the United States alone have one or more forms of heart disease, and the test would cost from $20 to $40, according to information provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which sponsored the study along with the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Scientists find stem cell source in amniotic fluid

2007-01-08T14:26:00.000+03:00

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Scientists reported Sunday they had found a plentiful source of stem cells in the fluid that cushions babies in the womb.
The announcement may make it easier to sidestep the controversy over destroying embryos for research.
Researchers at Wake Forest University and Harvard University reported the stem cells they drew from amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women hold much the same promise as embryonic stem cells.
They reported they were able to extract the stem cells without harm to mother or fetus and turn their discovery into several different tissue cell types, including brain, liver and bone.
"Our hope is that these cells will provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and for engineered organs as well," said Dr. Anthony Atala, head of Wake Forest's regenerative medicine institute and senior researcher on the project.
It took Atala's team some seven years of research to determine the cells they found were truly stem cells that "can be used to produce a broad range of cells that may be valuable for therapy."

However, the scientists noted they still don't know exactly how many different cell types can be made from the stem cells found in amniotic fluid. They also said that even preliminary tests in patients are years away.
Still, Atala said the research reported in the scientific journal Nature Biotechnology expands far beyond similar work discussed at a heart research conference in November.
Swiss researcher Simon Hoerstrup said at the conference that he had managed to turn amniotic fluid stem cells into heart cells that could be grown into replacement valves.
Hoerstrup has yet to publish his work in a scientific journal.
Atala said the new research has found even more promising stem cells with the potential to turn into many more medically useful replacement parts.

"We have other cell lines cooking," Atala said.
The hallmark of human embryonic stem cells, which are created in the first days after conception, is the ability to turn into any of the more than 220 cell types that make up the human body.
Researchers are hopeful they can train these primordial cells to repair damaged organs in need of healthy cells.
However, many people, including President Bush, oppose the destruction of embryos for any reason.
The Bush administration has severely restricted federal funding for the embryo work since 2001, leading many scientists to search for alternative stem cell sources.

Generating other cell typesThe cells from amniotic fluid "can clearly generate a broad range of important cell types, but they may not do as many tricks as embryonic stem cells," said Dr. Robert Lanza, chief scientist at the stem cell company Advanced Cell Technology.
"Either way, I think this work represents a giant step forward for stem cell research," he said.
It's the latest advance in the so-called regenerative medicine field that has sprung from Atala's lab in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
In April, Atala and his colleagues rebuilt bladders for seven young patients using live tissue grown in the lab.

Most recently, Atala's team extracted a small number of stem cells swimming among the many other cell types in the amniotic fluid.
One of the more promising aspects of the research is that some of the DNA of the amnio stem cells contained Y chromosomes, which means the cells came from the babies rather than the pregnant moms.
Dr. George Daley, a Harvard University stem cell researcher, said that finding raises the possibility that someday expectant parents can freeze amnio stem cells for future tissue replacement in a sick child without fear of immune rejection.
Nonetheless, Daley said the discovery shouldn't be used as a replacement for human embryonic stem cell research.
"While they are fascinating subjects of study in their own right, they are not a substitute for human embryonic stem cells, which allow scientists to address a host of other interesting questions in early human development," said Daley.
He began work last year to clone human embryos to produce stem cells.

Source: CNN 08/01/2007

Sick Leave Policy

2007-01-06T08:30:00.000+03:00

Memorandum: Addendum to the employee handbook.
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES

SUBJECT: SICK LEAVE POLICY

SICKNESS:
No excuse...We will no longer accept your doctor's statement as proof. We believe that if you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

AN OPERATION:
We are no longer allowing this practice. We wish to discourage any thoughts that you may need an operation. We believe that as long as you are an employee here, you will need all of whatever you have and should not consider having anything removed. We hired you as you are, and to have anything removed would certainly make you less than we bargained for.

DEATH:
Other than your own: This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for them, and we are sure that someone else can attend to the arrangements. However, if the funeral can be held in the late afternoon, we will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently let you leave 1 hour early, provided your share of the work is ahead enough to keep the job going in your absence.

Your own: This will be accepted as an excuse. However, we require at least two weeks notice as we feel it is your duty to train your replacement.

ALSO:
Entirely too much time is being spent in the restroom. In the future, we will follow the practice of going in alphabetical order. For instance, those whose names begin with "A" will go from 8:00-8:15, and so on. If you're unable to go at your time, it will be necessary to wait until the next day when your time comes again.

We appreciate your cooperation,
THE MANAGEMENT

Nursing Diagnosis

2007-01-06T08:19:00.000+03:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A nursing diagnosis is a standardized statement about the health of a client (who can be an individual, a family, or a community) for the purpose of providing nursing care. Nursing diagnoses are developed during the course of performing the nursing assessments.

The main organization for defining standard diagnoses in North America is the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, now known as NANDA-International. Other international associations are AENTDE (Spanish), AFEDI (French language) and ACENDIO (Europe).

Nursing diagnoses are part of a movement in nursing to standardize the terminology involved. This includes standard descriptions of diagnoses, interventions and outcomes. Nurses who support of standardized terminology believe that it will help nursing become more scientific and evidence-based. Other nurses feel that nursing diagnoses are an ivory tower mentality and neither help in care planning nor in differentiating nursing from medicine.

Structure of diagnoses
The NANDA-International system of nursing diagnosis provides for five categories.
read more

nursing care plan

2007-01-06T08:18:00.000+03:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A nursing care plan outlines the nursing care to be provided to a patient. It is a set of actions the nurse will implement to resolve nursing problems identified by assessment. The creation of the plan is an intermediate stage of the nursing process. It guides in the ongoing provision of nursing care and assists in the evaluation of that care.

Characteristics of the nursing care plan
1.It focuses on actions which are designed to solve or minimize the existing problem.
2.It is a product of a deliberate systematic process.
3.It relates to the future.
4.It is based upon identifiable health and nursing problems.
5.Its focus is holistic.

Elements of the plan
In the USA, the nursing care plan consists of a NANDA nursing diagnosis with related factors and subjective and objective data that support the diagnosis, nursing outcome classifications with specified outcomes (or goals) to be achieved including deadlines, and nursing intervention classifications with specified interventions.

The nursing process
Care plans are formed using the nursing process. First the nurse collects subjective data and objective data, then organizes the data into a systematic pattern, such as Marjory Gordon's functional health patterns. This step helps identify the areas in which the client needs nursing care. Based on this, the nurse makes a nursing diagnosis. As mentioned above, the full nursing diagnosis also includes... read more

Telltale signs: Nurses know the criteria to look for!

2007-01-03T09:23:00.000+03:00

They found a dead nurse on the side of the road the other day
How did they know it was a nurse?
...the bladder was full, the stomach was empty, and the backside had been chewed

24 hrs & sinking fast: Living each moment to the fullest
Doctor: I have some bad news and some very bad news.

Patient: Well, might as well give me the bad news first.

Doctor: The lab called with your test results. They said you have 24 hours to live.

Patient: 24 HOURS! That's terrible!! WHAT could be WORSE? What's the very bad news?

Doctor: I've been trying to reach you since yesterday.

read more

A change in perspective

2007-01-03T09:22:00.000+03:00

"Nurse! Nurse!"

The cry came from visitors in Mrs. Thompson's room. Mrs Thompson* was in liver failure, and she had new onset of siezure activity while these visitors were present.

The four nurses within earshot rushed to the room. They immediately went to work protecting her from injury, placing an IV line, and contacting her physician.

The fifth nurse on duty that night, Chris, had been on the other side of the hall, out of earshot. The unit secretary was answering call lights and writing down needs. Several of the needs involved IV pumps that were beeping because the IV's were either almost empty, occluded, or infiltrated. When Chris rounded the corner of the nurses station, the secretary asked, "Are you taking care of all the IV's?"

Twenty-five of the patients on our unit were receiving IV therapy at that time. "No I'm not doing all the IV's!" Chris exclaimed.

"Well, the rest of them are busy with Barbara's patient who is seizing down in room 495*," the secretary explained.

"Yes I'm doing all the IV's!" Chris corrected herself quickly. "Give me that request list," she demanded, grabbing the paper from the secretary's hand.

Funny how the perspective can change so quickly in this profession. Chris took one look at the patient in room 495 and the nurses attending to her, and said, "I knew right then I had the best job!"

What is breast cancer?

2007-01-03T09:09:00.000+03:00

Cells in the body normally divide (reproduce) only when new cells are needed. Sometimes, cells in a part of the body grow and divide out of control, which creates a mass of tissue called a tumor. If the cells that are growing out of control are normal cells, the tumor is called benign (not cancerous). If, however, the cells that are growing out of control are abnormal and don't function like the body's normal cells, the tumor is called malignant (cancerous).

Cancers are named after the part of the body from which they originate. Breast cancer originates in the breast tissue. Like other cancers, breast cancer can invade and grow into the tissue surrounding the breast. It can also travel to other parts of the body and form new tumors, a process called metastasis.

What causes breast cancer?
We do not know what causes breast cancer, although we do know that certain risk factors may put you at higher risk of developing it. A woman's age, genetic factors, personal health history, and diet all contribute to breast cancer risk.

Who gets breast cancer?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women other than skin cancer.

In the US, breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer, and it's the leading cause of cancer death among women ages 35 to 54. Only 5 to 10% of breast cancers occur in women with a clearly defined genetic predisposition for the disease. The majority of breast cancer cases are "sporadic," meaning there is no direct family history of the disease. Increasing age is another risk factor for developing breast cancer.

What are the warning signs of breast cancer?

A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm that persists through the menstrual cycle
A mass or lump, which may feel as small as a pea
A change in the size, shape, or contour of the breast
A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from the nipple
A change in the look or feel of the skin on the breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered, scaly, or inflamed)
Redness of the skin on the breast or nipple
An area that is distinctly different from any other area on either breast
A marble-like hardened area under the skin
These changes may be found when performing monthly breast self-exams. By performing breast self-exams, you can become familiar with the normal monthly changes in your breasts.

Breast self-examination should be performed at the same time each month, three to five days after your menstrual period ends. If you have stopped menstruating, perform the exam on the same day of each month.

What are the types of breast cancer?
The most common types of breast cancer are:

Infiltrating (invasive) ductal carcinoma. This cancer starts in the milk ducts of the breast. It then breaks through the wall of the duct and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. This is the most common form of breast cancer, accounting for 80% of cases.
Ductal carcinoma in situ is ductal carcinoma in its earliest stage (stage 0). In situ refers to the fact that the cancer hasn't spread beyond its point of origin. In this case, the disease is confined to the milk ducts and has not invaded nearby breast tissue. If untreated, ductal carcinoma in situ may become invasive cancer. It is almost always curable.
Infiltrating (invasive) lobular carcinoma. This cancer begins in the lobules of the breast where breast milk is produced, but has spread to surrounding tissues or the rest of the body. It accounts for 10 to 15% of breast cancers.
Lobular carcinoma in situ is a marker for cancer that is only in the lobules of the breast. It isn't a true cancer, but serves as a marker for the increased risk of developing breast cancer later, possibly in both or either breasts. Thus, it is important for women with lobular carcinoma in situ to have regular clinical breast exams and mammograms.
Cancers can also form in other parts of the breast but are more rare.

What are the stages of breast cancer?.....read more

cancer

2007-01-03T08:54:00.000+03:00

Cancer involves the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that have mutated from normal tissues. This growth can kill when these cells prevent normal function of vital organs or spread throughout the body, damaging essential systems.
Alternative Names
Carcinoma; Malignant tumor
Causes, incidence, and risk factors

There are many different kinds of cancers. Cancer arises out of normal cells in the body, and can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue.

In general, cancer appears to be caused by abnormal regulation of cell division. Cancers can occur when cells divide too rapidly or when cells “forget” how to die.

There are multiple causes of cancers such as:Radiation
Sunlight
Tobacco
Certain viruses
Benzene
Certain poisonous mushrooms and aflatoxins (a poison produced by organisms that can grow on peanut plants)
However, the cause of many cancers remains unknown.

The three most common cancers in men in the U.S. are prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. In women here, the three most frequently occurring cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.

The most common cause of cancer-related death is lung cancer.

Certain cancers are more common in particular geographic regions. For example, in Japan, there are many cases of gastric cancer, while in the US this type of cancer is relatively rare. Dietary differences may account for the variance.

Some other types of cancers include:1.Brain cancer
2.Cervical cancer
3.Uterine cancer
4.Liver cancer
5.Leukemia
6.Hodgkin's lymphoma
7.Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
8.Kidney cancer
9.Ovarian cancer
10.Skin cancer
11.Testicular cancer
12.Thyroid cancer

Symptoms
Symptoms of cancer depend on the type and location of the tumor. For example, lung cancer can cause coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain, while colon cancer often causes diarrhea, constipation, and blood in the stool.

Some cancers may not have any symptoms at all. In some cancers, such as gallbladder cancer, symptoms often are not present until the disease has reached an advanced stage.

However, the following symptoms are common with most cancers:Fever,Chills, Night sweats, Weight loss, Loss of appetite, Fatigue, Malaise.

Signs and tests...........read more

Breast cancer risk factor knowledge among nurses in teaching hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

2007-01-02T10:57:00.000+03:00

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in both the developed and the developing world. The incidence of breast cancer in Karachi, Pakistan is 69.1 per 100,000 with breast cancer presentation in stages III and IV being common (≥ 50%). The most pragmatic solution to early detection lies in breast cancer education of women. Nurses constitute a special group having characteristics most suited for disseminating breast cancer information to the women. We assessed the level of knowledge of breast cancer risk factors among registered female nurses in teaching hospitals of Karachi. We also identified whether selected factors among nurses were associated with their knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, so that relevant measures to improve knowledge of nurses could be implemented.www.nursingtheory.blogspot.com

Bursitis

2006-12-29T15:43:00.000+03:00

Definition
Bursitis is inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) that lies between a tendon and skin, or between a tendon and bone. The condition may be acute or chronic.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Bursae are fluid-filled cavities near joints where tendons or muscles pass over bony projections. They assist movement and reduce friction between moving parts.
Bursitis can be caused by chronic overuse, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or infection. Sometimes the cause cannot be determined. Bursitis commonly occurs in the shoulder, knee (washmaid's knee), elbow, and hip. Other areas that may be affected include the Achilles tendon and the foot.
Chronic inflammation can occur with repeated injuries or attacks of bursitis.
Symptoms
Joint pain and tenderness SwellingWarmth over the affected joint
Treatment
Your health care provider may recommend...... read more

Rhematoid Arthritis

2006-12-29T15:37:00.000+03:00

Definition
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic (long-term) disease that causes inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also affect other organs.
Alternative NamesRA; Arthritis - rheumatoid

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unknown. It is considered autoimmune disease. The body's immune system normally fights off foreign substances, like viruses. But in an autoimmune disease, the immune system confuses healthy tissue for foreign substances. As a result, the body attacks itself.
RA can occur at any age. It usually occurs in people between 25 and 55. Women are affected more often than men.
The course and the severity of the illness can vary considerably. Infection, genes, and hormones may contribute to the disease.
RA usually affects joints on both sides of the body equally. Wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles are the most commonly affected.

Symptoms
The disease usually begins gradually with fatigue, morning stiffness (lasting more than one hour), widespread muscle aches, loss of appetite, and weakness. Eventually, joint pain appears. When the joint is not used for a while, it can become warm, tender, and stiff. When the lining of the joint (synovium) becomes inflamed, it gives off more fluid and the joint becomes swollen. Joint pain is often felt on both sides of the body, and may effect the wrist, knees, elbows, fingers, toes, ankle or neck. Additional symptoms include:
Loss of appetiteLow-grade feverLimited range of motionDeformities of hands and feetRound, painless nodules under the skin (usually a sign of more severe disease)Inflammation of the lung (pleurisy)Skin redness or inflammationPalenessSwollen glandsEye burning, itching, and dischargeNumbness or tinglingAnemia may occur due to failure of the bone marrow to produce enough new red cells.Joint destruction may occur within 1-2 years after the appearance of the disease.

Signs and tests
Joint x-raysRheumatoid factor test is positive in about 75% of people with symptoms Erythrocyte sedimentation rate is elevated CBC may show low hematocrit (anemia) or ....... read more

Arthritis

2006-12-28T22:56:00.000+03:00

Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints, which results in pain, swelling, and limited movement.
See also joint pain.
Alternative NamesJoint inflammation

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like when you walk. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling (inflammation), and stiffness.
You may have joint inflammation for a variety of reasons, including:
Broken boneInfection (usually caused by bacteria or viruses)An autoimmune disease (the body attacks itself because the immune system believes a body part is foreign)General "wear and tear" on jointsOften, the inflammation goes away after the injury has healed, the disease is treated, or the infection has been cleared.
With some injuries and diseases, the inflammation does not go away or destruction results in long-term pain and deformity. When this happens, you have chronic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type and is more likely to occur as you age. You may feel it in any of your joints, but most commonly in your hips, knees or fingers. Risk factors for osteoarthritis include:
Being overweightPreviously injuring the affected jointUsing the affected joint in a repetitive action that puts stress on the joint (baseball players, ballet dancers, and construction workers are all at risk)Arthritis can occur in men and women of all ages. About 37 million people in America have arthritis of some kind, which is almost 1 out of every 7 people.

Other types or cause of arthritis include:
Rheumatoid arthritis (in adults)Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (in children)Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)GoutSclerodermaPsoriatic arthritisAnkylosing spondylitisReiter's syndrome (reactive arthritis)Adult Still's diseaseViral arthritisGonococcal arthritisOther bacterial infections (non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis )Tertiary Lyme disease (the late stage)Tuberculous arthritisFungal infections such as blastomycosis

Symptoms
If you have arthritis, you may experience:
Joint painJoint swellingStiffness, especially in the morning Warmth around a joint Redness of the skin around a joint Reduced ability to move the joint..............read more

Young smokers often try to quit on their own

2006-12-28T07:28:00.000+03:00

They usually buck recommended methods and fail more, study says
Most young smokers who try to quit usually do so on their own instead of using recommended methods, according to a report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This could explain why smokers age 16 to 24 have higher failure rates when they try to quit than do older smokers, the CDC notes in the article.
The article described results of the 2003 National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey, which looked at quitting behavior in 1,827 “established” smokers 16 to 24 years old. “Smokers who had ever tried to quit were asked about their knowledge of, and perceived availability of, and use of assisted and unassisted quitting methods,” the report states.

Of the six recommended quitting methods for adults — talk to a health professional, use nicotine-replacement products, use bupropion (such as Zyban), talk with a counselor, attend a program or class, and call a help line — only consulting a health professional was tried by at least 20 percent of young people surveyed.
On the other hand, six of the 11 unassisted methods that are not recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service were each used by at least 36 percent of respondents. The most common unassisted strategy (cutting back on the number of cigarettes smoked in a day) was tried by 88.3 percent of would-be quitters.

The other five commonly used unassisted methods were not buying cigarettes, tried by 56 percent of young smokers; exercising more (51 percent); trying to quit with a friend (47.5 percent); telling others they quit (44.5 percent); and switching to light cigarettes (36.1 percent).
Young women were more apt than young men to seek the help of a professional to kick the habit but they were less likely to have tried nicotine gum (14.4 percent vs 20.3 percent). Women were also more likely than men to enlist the help of a friend when trying to quit smoking and to have used self-help pamphlets or videos.
However, men were more likely than women to try exercise as a quit strategy and to switch to chewing tobacco, snuff or other tobacco products.
“The high proportion of respondents who tried to quit smoking by switching to light cigarettes or other tobacco products is “a concern because such strategies might undermine successful cessation,” the report states.
The CDC encourages young smokers to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or seek help from a health professional......read more to determine the most appropriate method for them. (Reuters, December27,2006)

Wife n Husband in humor

2006-12-23T16:50:00.000+03:00

WIFE VS. HUSBAND
A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word.An earlier discussion had led to an argument andneither of them wanted to concede their position.As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs,the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?""Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws."

W O R D S
A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day...30,000 to a man's 15,000.The wife replied, "The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men...The husband then turned to his wife and asked, "What?"

CREATION
A man said to his wife one day, "I don't know how you can beso stupid and so beautiful all at the same time." The wife responded, "Allow me to explain.God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me;God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!

WHO DOES WHAT
A man and his wife were having an argument about whoshould brew the coffee each morning.The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first,and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee."The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking around here andyou should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Biblethat the man should do the coffee."Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me."So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testamentand showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says.........."HEBREWS"

The Silent Treatment
A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving eachother the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day,he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight..Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper,"Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He left it where he knew she would find it.The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go andsee why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper bythe bed. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."Men are not equipped for this kind of contest.
God may have created man before woman,
but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.

(Source; Friend's email)

Naloxone (Narcan)

2006-12-23T08:10:00.000+03:00

Pharmacology
Naloxone is a pure opioid antagonist that competitively blocks opiate receptors within the central nervous system (CNS). Sodium Hydrochloride has no opioid agonise properties and can be given safely in large doses without producing respiratory or CNS depression. Naloxone is not effective orally but maybe given subcutaneously, intra muscular or intravenously. After IV administration, opioid antagonise occurs within 1-2 minutes and persist for approximately 1-4 hours. The plasma half life is about 60 minutes.

Indicators :

Use naloxone for reversal of acute opioid intoxication manifested by CNS and respiratory depression.
Use as empirical therapy for stupor or coma suspected to be caused by drug overdose.

Contra indication :
Do not use in patients with a known hypersensitive of naloxone.

Adverse effects :

Use in opiate-dependent patient may precipitate acute withdrawal syndrome.
Pulmonary oedema or Ventricles Fibrillation has occurred shortly after naloxone administration in opioid intoxicated patient.
Agitation, hypertension and ventricular irritability may occur following opiod antagonism when other stimulants are present. Such reaction have been associated with post anaesthetic use of naloxone when cathecolamine and large volumes of fluid have been administered.

Dosage and administration :
IM route: absorption is erratic and incomplete suspected opioid induce coma.
Adult and children:

Administer 0,4-2,0 mg IV bolus injected, repeat doses of 0,4-2,0mg can be given to achieve a clinical effect. If not response has been observed after 10 mg has been administered, the diagnosis of opioid induced toxicity should be questioned.
Repeated doses of naloxone may be required with 20-60minutes to maintain reversal of the effect of opioid with prolonged elimination half lives. (e.g. methadone and propoxyphene).
Singe doses up to 24mg have been given without adverse effect.
Pediatric dose: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendens a dose of 0,1mg/kg IV for children aged neonates to five years. In order children a minimum of 2mg is recommended.
Manufacturer recommendens an initial pediatric dose of 0,01mg/kg followed 0,1mg/kg if clinical improvement is not optimum.
Continuous infusion may be employed in circumstances of opioid overdose with log acting opioid. The patient is given an initial bolus dose of IV naloxone to achieve reversal of opioid effects and is then started on continuous infusion to maintain this state of antagonism. Utilize two third of the initial dose on an hourly basis. Add ten times this dose to each litre of dextrose 5% and infuse at rate 100ml/hour. One half of the initial bolus should be re administered 15 minute after the star of continuous infusion to prevent a droop in naloxone levels increase infusion rate as needed to assure adequate ventilation. Naloxone requirements may vary during the infusion period necessitating close monitoring of vital signs and increasing or decreasing the dose as needed.

Formulation :

Naloxone (Narcan) 400mg per ml in 1 ml ampules.
Nalaxone Nonatal (Narcan Neonatal) 20mcg per ml in 2 ml ampules.

Hot soup (humor3)

2006-12-21T01:46:00.000+03:00

Basher was not very rich. But sometimes his wife asked him for something beyond his reach. That day, for example, she ask him to buy her gold ring. Of course, Basher could not buy it for her. His wife got angry. In the evening, she made soup. She intentionally put so many chilies that the soup was too hot to eat. Of course, she did not tell her husband about it. But a moment later, when the time for dinner came, she herself forgot about it and took spoon of soup and sipped before Basher took any. Of course, she felt too hot and tear came down her cheeks. She tried to hide it from her husband and said nothing.
"Why are you crying?" asked basher, seeing his wife in tears. "My mother used to make soup for me. So whenever i make it, I always remember her, then i cry,"ansered his wife.
Basher without any suspicion, took a spoon and sipped it. He, of course, felt to hot, too, and his tears fell down from his eyes. His wife asked him,"Why are you also crying?" He answered, "I am also very sad. When your mother died, why didn't you follow her at once?"

Nursing Care of Hepatitis

2006-12-20T10:30:00.000+03:00

NURSING DIAGNOSIS

Alteration in nutritional status related to anorexia,nausea and vomiting.
Impaired skin integrity related to pruritis.
Activity intolerance related to fatigue and generalized malaize.
Abdominal pain related to tender, enlarged liver.
Fever related to body's defense reaction to invading organism.
Potential spread of infection.

Expected patient outcome and Nursing Intervention

1.Alteration in nutritional status related to anorexia, nausea and vomiting.

Expected patient outcome

a. Maintains adequate nutritional intake, avoids alcohol during ilness, maintains weight and identifies features of balanced diet.

b. Report decrease in anorexia , nausea and vomitting.

Nursing interventions

a. Provide balanced meals consistent with patient's food preferences.

b. Provide pleasant environment for meals.

c. Encourage the patient to eat in sitting positition to decrease abdominal tenderness and feeling of fullness.

d. Proovide frequent small meals if severe anorexia .

e. Instruct the patient about the importance of a balance diet and the need to avoid alcohol during illness.

2. Impaired skin integrity related to pruritis

Expected patient outcome.

Demonstrates improved skin integrity-intake skin with no evidence of excoriation for infection, decrease scrathing, no prurutis.

Nursing intervention.

a. Use starch or baking soda baths, soothing lotions such as calamine.

b. Administer cholestyramin (questran) to promote fecal excretion of bile salts to decrease itching .

c. Administer antihistamines, transquilizers, and sedatives if prescribed.

d. Assist the patient to divent the patien in reducing the strong tendency to scrach his skin :

encourage activities to divent the patient attention
keep nails trimmed and clean
Avoid excessive top bleeding
Give sooting massage, particular at night in prepering the patient for sleep, since this is a time when he is specially likely to scrach.
Provide the client with gloves to use at night if the patient scratches during sleep.

3. Activity Intolerance related to fatigue and generalized malaise.

Expected patient outcome

Exhibits increased ability to carry out desired activities and allow sufficient periods for rest and relaxation.

Nursing Intervention

a. Encourage the patient to limit activity when fatigue

b. Assist the patient in planning periods of rest and activity when symptoms begin to subside.

c. Encourage gradual resumption of activities and mild excercise during recovery.

4. Abdominal pain related to tender, enlarged liver.

Expected patient outcome

Report a decrease or absence of abdominal pain and tenderness;restrict activities if pain occurs;participates in planned activities when free of pain; take prescribed analgesic if necessary.

Nursing Intervention

a. Asses and record presence or absence of abdominal pain or tenderness, hepatomegally and splenomegally.

b. Encourage the patient to maintain bedrest or restrict activities if abdominal pain or tenderness is present.

c. Administer analgesic as prescribed.

d. Notify the physian of sudden occuraence or increase in pain or tenderness.

5. Fever related to body's defense reaction to invading organism.

Expected patient outcome

Shows signs of recovering from fever, temperature begins decline, sense well-being returns.

Nursing Intervention

a. Reducing the fever when indicated(it's often impotant to wach temperature curve)

Administer antipiretic drug as docter order
Employ cool sponges cautiously as indicated

b. Measure and record body temperature, pulse and respiratory rates frequently.

c. Ensure the adequate hydration in the even excessive fluid loss through vomiting, diarhea or excessive sweating:

Encourage liberal fluid intake.
Prefpare for administration of IV Fluid as required.

6. Potential spead of infection

Expected patient outcome

Protect self and others from spread of infection adheres to anyisolation and hygiene measure that are implemented, reminds personne and visitors to wash hand when entering and leaving roo.

Nursing Interventions

a.Wash hand immediatly after contact with each patient and after every contact with that maybe contaminated and potentialy infectious-wash hand even if sterile gloves are used, wear gloves for direct exposure to blood, drainage or secretions (gloves are disposable)

b. Handle needles and syrings with extreme care because it is ussually not known which patient blood is contaminated

Places used needles in labelled, puncture-resistance container, don not bend or break by hand.
Blood spills should be cleaned up promptly with a solution of 5,25% sodium hypochloride sodium diluted 1:10 with water

c. Control dissemination of infections droplets

Encourage the patient to cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Wrap contaminated tissues and articles in paper before disposal.

Basher and the Professor ( humor 2)

2006-12-18T02:14:00.000+03:00

One day very briliant professor visited a town where basher lived. The professor was very famous through-out the country for his knowledge abouth many things. Not like other citizens, basher doubted him and wanted to test him.
He meet the professor and said,"Professor, I want to ask you a question." "Go head", answered the professor.
We have to make a deal first. If you can not answer my question, you have to pay me 10 coins. Then you can ask me a question. If i can not answer your question, i will pay you one coin, explained basher. The professor said quickly, "it's not fair".
"Yes, it's quite fair because you are highly educated, know much everything. While i am not educated and not a professor," said Basher.
The professor throught for a while and finally he agreed. Basher smiled and said,"What do you call an animal that has three legs?" The professor throught for quite a long time while his right hand was rubbing his bald forehead. At last he quited," I do not know. I quite, Basher".
He gave Basher 10 coins. Then he ask Basher the same question, " Now it's my turn. Basher, what do you call an animal that has three legs?"
"I do not know either, Professor,"answered Basher quickly, handling one coin to the professor. He put the rest into his pokcket and went away.

Your Guide to Gastrict Problems

2006-12-17T13:01:00.000+03:00

Gastric Problems include:

gastro esophageal reflux, commonly known as heartburn, occurs when the stomach contents rise up into the esophagus. The most prominent symptoms is a burning sensation in the upper stomach or chest.
non-ulcer dyspepsia is characterised by discomfort in the upper stomach and is often meal-related. The discomfort most often features a dull ache, feeling of excessive fullness, gas and belching.
gastric or duodenal ulcers are formed in the lining of the stomach or intestine which may bleed. Ulcers may cause significant stomach discomfort, particularly between meals.

Gastrict problems share similar symptoms but may have different causes, such as impaired motility(the process by which food moves through the digestive system), too much stomach acid, or an infection. Test for the presence of a bacteria called H.PYLORY are available and strongly recommended for any one who is being treated for an ulcer.

Gastrict problems can be difficulty to diagnose and often persist or recur without proper treatment. In order to properly asses your situation, your Doctor will need a through and precise description of your symptoms, when the occur how severe they are, what you ate and so on.

Treatment objectives: the objectives are eliminate gastric discomfort and to threat the underlying cause.
Live-style-changes: the following lifestyle changes can also help to prevent or relieve gastric discomfort, depending on your symptoms.

Avoid excessive milk, caffeine, fried, fatty or spicy food, alcohol, mint, tomatoes, citrus fruit or other acidic foods.

Eat small meals-they are easier to digest than large meals.
Do not smoke-smoking increases the chances of having heartburn and slows the healing of ulcers.
Raise the head of your bed about six inches to help reduce heartburn.
Control your weight-being over weight often worsens symptoms.

Medication:
There are different kinds of medication used to treat gastric problems, including antacid, acid suppressants, antibiotics, and motility agents. Some problems may require four to eight weeks of treatment to disappear completely

Hiding from a thief (humor 1)

2006-12-16T19:07:00.000+03:00

One night a thief was breaking into basher house. Coincidentally basher saw it. Then he hid in a big box the corner of the room quickly. The thief started searching for money or jewelery in the house. He opened the cupboards, drawers, and wardrobe but he could not find anything. He was almost desperate and wanted to go out through the window. When he walked to the window he saw a big box in the corner of basher near the window. He was glad because he thought that there was jewelery or much money inside.
The box was tightly locked from inside. Yet, he could open the door hardly. He was very surprise to find basher inside the box. The thief was angry and said,"Hey, what are you doing here?" I hide from you, said basher. "Why?" I am ashamed because i do not have anything that you can take. That's the reason why i hide here, answered Basher.

Your guide to Hepatitis

2006-12-16T15:13:00.000+03:00

Hepatitis is serious disease that can have deadly consequences. Hepatitis is disease of the liver that caused by a virus. Different types of viruses cause different types of hepatitis. This short of knowledge describes the various forms of the disease and explains their symptoms, how they are transmitted, prevention and treatments.

Hepatitis A

Many people especially children under the age of six, will have no symptoms and won't even be aware that they are sick. Those who do have symptoms may experience any of the following: fever, chills, headache, general weakness, and fatigue, jaundice ( yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), dark-colored urine, light colored stools, abdominal pain.
Infected adults are often very ill for up to two months and as many as one-quarter of them require hospitalization. Full recovery can take up to six months.
How it spreads?
Hepatitis A(which is used to be known as infectious hepatitis) may be spread in several ways but the most common is by fecal oral route. This can happen if you go to the bathroom or change diaper of an infected baby and touch your mouth before washing your hands, thereby spreading the virus from the stool to your mouth. You can also get it if an infected food service worker handles your food or if your food comes in contact with water that contains the virus (for examples, raw shellfish from polluted waters or unpeeled fruit washes in contaminated water).
Some people have greater risk of getting hepatitis A, including people who travel to areas where the disease is common, people who engage in high risk sexual activity, who inject illicit drugs, sewage workers, health care workers, food handlers.

Hepatitis B

This form of the disease, which is caused by hepatitis B virus, used to be called Serum Hepatitis. It is found in the blood any body fluids, such as semen, vaginal fluids, saliva and breast milk. those people who do have symptoms may experience:
Flu-like illness, sometimes with a mild fever, nausea and vomiting, muscles and joint aches, fatigue, diarrhea, dull abdominal pain, itchy pain, jaundice, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools.
This is very serious disease but most people recover and are immune to this form of the disease for the rest of their lives. However, about 10% cannot get the virus out of their systems and they can spread the disease to others. These people are called chronic carriers. Chronic infection may lead to liver damage or live cancer.
How it spreads?
Hepatitis B spreads by direct contact with the body fluids from an infected person. The main ways are: through sexual intercourse, intravenous drugs use, passing from an infected women to her infant (either during pregnancy, at the time of delivery) or while breast feeding, sharing razors or toothbrushes.
Some people have greater risk of developing hepatitis B, including: people with multiple sexual partners and those with recent history of a STD(sexual transmitted disease), people who inject illicit drugs, kidney patient receiving haemodialysis treatments, people living with a hepatitis carrier, international travelers to areas with high rates who stay more than six months or who have sexual contact with local residents or contact with their blood, infant born to infected mothers.

Others forms of Hepatitis

Hepatitis C virus, like hepatitis B may be spread through contact with contaminated blood or through household or sexual contact with an infected person.
Hepatitis D is caused by the delta virus and it can only affect people who are already infected the hepatitis B virus. When it does become active in someone with hepatitis B, it is extremely dangerous. It is transmitted in the same way as the hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis E is generally acquired through contaminated food or water.
Hepatitis F appears to produce a type af hepatitis that is similar to hepatitis C, in fact, that may scientist are not sure it is a separate virus.
Hepatitis G is a newly identified form of the disease and not much is known about it. Scientist believe that it is probably transmitted in the same way as hepatitis C virus.

Nursing Care Plan of AIDS

2006-12-13T20:20:00.000+03:00

COMMON NURSING DIAGNOSES AND COLLABORATIVE PROBLEMS

The following are the most common nursing diagnoses for clients with AIDS:

Risk for infection related to immunodeficiency
Impaired Gas Exchange related to anemia, respiratory infection or malignancy (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), cytomegalovirus(CMV) pneumonia, pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma, and/or Mycobacterium infection anemia, fatigue, or pain.
Acute pain or chronic pain related to neuropathy, myelopathy, malignancy, or infection
Imbalance nutrition: Less than Body Requirements related to high metabolic need, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty to chewing or swallowing, or anorexia.
Diarrhea related to infection, food intolerance, or medication.
Impaired skin integrity related to KS, infection, altered nutritional state, incontinence, immobility, hyperthermia, or malignancy
Disturbed Thought Processes related to AIDS dementia complex (ADC), central nervous system infection, or malignancy.
Situational low Self-Esteem or chronic low self,-esteem related to changes in body image, decreased self system, or helplessness
Social Isolation related to stigma virus transmissibility, infection control practices, or fear.

The primary collaborative problem is potential/risk for infection.

ADDITIONAL NURSING DIAGNOSES AND COLLABORATIVE PROBLEMS.
In addition to the common nursing diagnose and collaborative problems, clients with AIDS ma ave one or more of the following :

Activity Intolerance related to fatigue, discomfort, CNS defect, weakness or anemia
Risk for injury related to CNS defect,metal status changes, depression, or thrombocytopenia
Disturbed Sensory Perception (Visual) related to CMV retinitis or blindness.
Disturbed Sleep Pattern related to pain, discomfort, anxiety, or depression
Ineffective coping related to the diagnosis of AIDS
Disabled Family Coping related to the diagnosis of AIDS
Anticipatory Grieving related to potential loss of role and function or impending death

PLANNING and IMPLEMENTATION
Planning: Expected Outcomes.
The client is expected to remain free of opportunistic disease.
Intervention Activities for the client at risk for infections

Monitor for systemic and localized signs and symptoms of infection
Monitor vulnerability to infection
Monitor absolute granulocyte count, WBC, and differential result.
Follow neutropenic precautions, as appropriate.
Screen all visitors for communicable disease.
Maintain aseptic for client at risk.
Inspect skin and mucous membranes for redness, extreme warmth, or drainage.
Obtain cultures, as needed.
Promote sufficient nutritional intake.
Monitor for change in energy level/malaise.
Instruct client to take medicine as prescribed.
Teach the client and family members how to avoid infections.

BEST PRACTICE for
Prevention of infection in an Immunocompromised Client

Place the client in a private room whenever possible. x
Use good hand washing technique before touching the client or any of his or her belongings.
Ensure that the client's room and bathroom are cleaned at least once each day.
Do not use supplies from common areas for immunosuppressed clients. For example, keep a sleeve or box of paper cups int he client's room, and do not share this box with any other client. Other articles include drinking straws, plastic knives and fork, dressing materials, gloves and bandages.
Limit the numbber of health care personnel entering the client's room.
Monitor vital signs every four hours; note minor temperature elevation, which may suggest early sepsis.
Inspect the client's mouth at least every 8 hours.
Inspect the client's skin and mucous membranes(especially the anal area) for the presence of fissures and abscesses at least every 8 hours
Inspect open areas, such as IV sites, every 4 hours for manifestations of infection.
Change wound dressing daily.
Obtain specimens of all suspicious areas for culture, and promptly notify physician.
Assist the client in performing coughing and deep-breathing exercises.
Encourage activity at appropriate level for the client's current health status.
Change IV tubing daily.
Keep frequently used equipment in the room for used by clie only (e.g., blood pressure cuff, stethoscope,thermometer).
Limits visitors to healthy adults.
Use strict aseptic technique for all invasive procedures.
Monitor the white blood cell count, especially the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) daily.
Avoid the use of indwelling urinary catheters.
Keep fresh flowers and potted plans out of the client's room

Your guide to AIDS & HIV Infection

2006-12-12T01:47:00.000+03:00

AIDS(which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is very frightening subject for many people. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It tis the organism that leads to the condition we call AIDS.Once someone becomes infected with HIV, the virus slowly destroys the immune system so the body cannot fight off even mild problems and the person is likely to get many different diseases. When the virus progresses to the point where the infected person is very sick, we call this AIDS.There is no cure for HIV yet, but scientists hope to find one or to develop a vaccine that will protect people from HIV. In the meantime, our only defense is prevention.

How Does a person get infected?

HIV is passed from a person to person through body fluids. A person catches the virus in the following ways:by sexual contact with an infected person, by sharing needles or syringes with someone who is infected from tattooing, skin piercing or acupuncture with unsterilized needles, a mother can pass the infection to her baby during the pregnancy, at the time of birth or through breast feeding, health care workers have become infected after being stuck with a needle containing HIV infected blood or after having an open cut come in contact with infected blood.

A person cannot get infected by:casual contact with an infected person (such as shaking hands), hugging or kissing, being coughed or sneezed on, donating blood, swimming in pool, sitting on a toilet seat, sharing bed linens, eating or food, from insect or animal bites.

Testing for HIV infection:

Once a person has been exposed to HIV, the body begins to produce antibodies to try to fight off the virus. A blood test will test if someone has the antibodies. If so, it means that the person has come in contact with the virus and has been infected. However, it can take up to six months after the infection for the antibodies to show up in the blood, so a negative test result does not necessarily mean that a person is in the clear. Remember, the test only tells whether someone has been infected with the virus; it does not mean that the person has AIDS. People who are HIV positive (that is, people who have been infected with the virus) may look and feel well for years. Even during this time through, they can pass the virus to others.

Preventing an HIV infection:

Sex: The only sure way to prevent HIV infection from sex is not to have any. The next best thing is to have sex only with a long-time(several years) partner who is not infected and who is not havingsex with anyone else. In other circumstances, you can reduhce your risk of getting HIV by using a latex condom.Needles: Obviously, injecting illegal drugs into your body is not a healthy thing to do, but sharing needles increases your risk of getting a diseases. The best way to avoid becoming infected with any virus, including HIV, is just not to share needles or syringes.