project co2-9ja

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY DURING PREGNANCY

2012-12-08T12:18:00.002-08:00

Is prenatal care important?

Prenatal care is very important. To help make sure that you and your baby will be as healthy as possible, follow some simple guidelines and check in regularly with your doctor.

What will happen during prenatal visits?

After you find out you are pregnant, you should make an appointment with your doctor. Your first prenatal visit will likely be when you are 6 to 8 weeks pregnant. Your doctor will probably start by talking to you about your medical history and how you've been feeling. You'll be weighed and have your blood pressure taken. These measurements will most likely be taken during each doctor's visit.
On your first visit, you'll also have a pelvic exam to check the size and shape of your uterus (womb) and a Pap smear to check for abnormalities of the cervix (the opening of the uterus).
Urine and blood tests samples will be taken on the first visit and again at later visits. Other tests are performed, such as urine tests to check for bacteria in your urine, high sugar levels (which can be a sign of diabetes) and high protein levels (which can put you at risk for preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure during pregnancy). Blood tests to check for low iron levels (anemia), blood cell count, infectious diseases (such as syphilis and hepatitis) and blood type are also performed.
Sometimes, an ultrasound may be done to help figure out when your baby is due or to check on your baby's growth and position in your uterus. An ultrasound uses sound waves to create an image of your baby on a video screen.
Other tests may be needed if you or your baby are at risk for any problems.

How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

Talk to your doctor about how much weight you should gain. It's different for everyone, but most women gain about 25 to 30 pounds. If you don't weigh enough when you get pregnant, you may need to gain more. If you're overweight when you get pregnant, you may need to gain less.

What should I eat?

Eating a balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your baby. There are a few foods that you should be more careful about eating while you are pregnant. Meat, eggs and fish that are not fully cooked could put you at risk for an infection. Do not eat more than 2 or 3 servings of fish per week (including canned fish). Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. These fish sometimes have high levels of mercury, which could hurt your baby. If you eat tuna, make sure it is light tuna and eat no more than 6 ounces per week of albacore tuna and tuna steaks. It is safe to have 12 ounces per week of canned light tuna.
Wash all fruit and vegetables. Keep cutting boards and dishes clean. Eat 4 or more servings of dairy foods each day. This will give you enough calcium for you and your baby. Do not drink unpasteurized milk or eat unpasteurized milk products. Soft cheeses such as Brie, feta, Camembert, blue cheese and Mexican-style cheeses such as queso fresco may have bacteria that can cause infections.
If you drink coffee or other drinks with caffeine, do not have more than 1 or 2 cups each day.
It is okay to use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (some brand names: Equal, NutraSweet) and sucralose (brand name: Splenda) while you are pregnant, but you should use them in moderation. If you have a genetic disease called phenylketonuria, or PKU, you shouldn't use aspartame at all.

Should I take vitamins?

You should take 1,000 mcg (1 mg) of folic acid every day during your pregnancy. Folic acid can help prevent problems with your baby's brain and spinal cord. It is best to start taking folic acid before you get pregnant.
Your doctor might want you to take a prenatal vitamin. If you do take a prenatal supplement, make sure you're not taking any other vitamin or mineral supplement along with it unless your doctor recommends it.

Is it okay to take medicine?

Check with your doctor before taking any medicine, including pain relievers or other over-the-counter medicines. Even medicine you can buy without a prescription may cause birth defects, especially if it's taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

How long can I keep working?

This depends on whether you have any problems with your pregnancy, what kind of work you do and if you're exposed to anything at work that could harm your baby. For instance, lifting heavy objects or standing for long periods can be hard on your body. Radiation, lead and other heavy metals, such as copper and mercury, could be damaging to the baby. However, working in front of a computer screen is not thought to cause harm to an unborn baby. Talk with your doctor about your work environment.

What about exercise?

Unless you have problems in your pregnancy, you can probably do whatever exercise you did before you got pregnant. Exercise can help ease discomfort during pregnancy. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. Talk to your doctor about any special conditions that you may have.
Some women say exercising during pregnancy makes labor and delivery easier. Walking and swimming are great choices. If you didn't exercise before pregnancy, start slowly. Don't overdo exercise. Listen to your body. Call your doctor if you have symptoms such as blurred vision, dizziness, chest pain or abdominal pain while you are exercising. Don't get overheated. Be sure to drink plenty of water so that you don't get dehydrated. It's best to avoid anything that could cause you to fall, such as water skiing or rock climbing. It's also best to avoid contact sports such as basketball or soccer.

Is it okay to have sex?

Yes, unless your doctor believes you're at risk for problems. Don't be surprised if you're less or more interested in sex while you are pregnant. As you get larger, you may find you need to try different positions, such as lying on your side or being on top. If you have oral sex, tell your partner not to blow air into your vagina. This could force air inside you, which could cause an air embolism. Air embolisms can cause permanent brain damage and even death to a pregnant woman and her baby.

What can I do to feel better?

Here are the most common discomforts of pregnancy and some tips for handling them:
Morning sickness. Nausea or vomiting may strike anytime during the day (or night). Try eating frequent, small meals and avoid greasy foods. Keep crackers by your bed to eat before getting up.
Talk to your doctor if morning sickness lasts past the first 3 months of pregnancy or causes you to lose weight.
Tiredness. Sometimes tiredness in pregnancy is caused by anemia, so tell your doctor. Get enough rest. Take a daytime nap if possible.
Leg cramps. Gently stretch the calf of your leg by curling your toes upward, toward your knee.
Constipation. Drink plenty of fluids. Eat foods with lots of fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and bran cereal. Don't take laxatives without talking to your doctor first. Stool softeners may be safer than laxatives.
Hemorrhoids. Don't strain during bowel movements. Try to avoid becoming constipated. Clean yourself well after a bowel movement (wet wipes may be less irritating than toilet paper). Take several warm soaks (sitz baths) a day if necessary.
Urinating more often. You may need to urinate more often as your baby grows because he or she will put pressure on your bladder. This can't be helped.
Varicose veins. Avoid clothing that fits tightly around your legs or waist. Rest and put your feet up as much as you can. Move around if you must stand for long periods. Ask your doctor about support or compression hose, which may help ease or prevent varicose veins.
Moodiness. Your hormones are on a roller coaster ride during pregnancy. Plus, your life is undergoing a big change. Don't be too hard on yourself. If you feel very sad or think about suicide, talk to your doctor.
Heartburn. Eat frequent, small meals. Avoid spicy or greasy foods. Don't lie down right after eating. Ask your doctor about taking antacids.
Yeast infections. The amount of discharge from the vagina increases during pregnancy. Yeast infections, which can also cause discharge, are more common during pregnancy. It's a good idea to talk with your doctor about any unusual discharge.
Bleeding gums. Brush and floss regularly, and see your dentist for cleanings. Don't put off dental visits because you're pregnant, but be sure to tell your dentist you're pregnant.
Stuffy nose. This is related to changes in the levels of the female hormone estrogen. You may also have nosebleeds.
Edema (retaining fluid). Rest with your legs up. Lie on your left side while sleeping so blood flows from your legs back to your heart better. Don't use diuretics (water pills). If you're thinking about cutting down on salt to reduce swelling, talk with your doctor first. Your body needs enough salt to maintain the balance of fluid and cutting back on salt may not be the best way to manage your swelling.

Skin changes. Stretch marks appear as red marks on your skin. Lotion with shea butter can help keep your skin moist and may help reduce the itchiness of dry skin. Stretch marks often can't be prevented, but they often fade after pregnancy.
Other skin changes may include darkening of the skin on your face and around your nipples, and a dark line below your belly button. Staying out of the sun or using a sunscreen may help lessen these marks. Most marks will probably fade after pregnancy.

Call your doctor if you have:

Blood or fluid coming from your vagina
Sudden or extreme swelling of your face or fingers
Headaches that are severe or won't go away
Nausea and vomiting that won't go away
Dizziness
Dim or blurry vision
Pain or cramps in your lower abdomen
Chills or fever
A change in your baby's movements
Less urine or burning when you urinate
Any illness or infection
Anything that bothers you

Warnings

"Don't do this, don't do that." You've probably heard every old wives' tale. Here are some warnings worth heeding:

Don't smoke. Smoking raises your risk for miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight and many other problems.
Don't use drugs. Cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other drugs increase your risk of miscarriage, premature birth and birth defects. Your baby could also be born addicted to the drug you've been abusing, which can cause serious health problems.
Don't drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is the major cause of preventable birth defects, including fetal alcohol syndrome.
Don't clean your cat's litter box or eat raw or undercooked red meat. You could get toxoplasmosis, a disease that can cause birth defects.
Don't sit in a sauna or hot tub. The high heat raises your risk of miscarriage and birth defects.
Don't douche. Douching could force air into the vagina, which can cause an air embolism. The vagina doesn't require cleansing in addition to normal bathing. Douching disrupts the helpful bacteria that keep the vagina clean.

What is HPV?

2012-04-17T23:47:00.001-07:00

HPV is a virus that causes Cervical Cancer.
What is HPV?
HPV stands for human papillomavirus, which is a group of over 100 viruses. Different types of HPV cause different types of infections. Most people will get a HPV infection during their lifetime, from sexual activity. Most of these infections do not need treatment but they can cause genital warts and other skin infections. In some women, however, HPV causes changes in the cervix that can develop into cervical cancer.
How is HPV transmitted?
HPV can be transmitted during sexual intercourse or genital contact with an infected person. Transmission from mother to baby can also occur immediately before or after birth.
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is a cancer of a woman’s cervix, the entrance to the womb. Each year in Ireland about 250 women get cervical cancer and 80 women die from it. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV infection.

How does HPV infection cause cervical cancer?
HPV can infect the cells on the surface of the cervix and damage them, causing their appearance to change and lead to abnormalities in these cells over a number of years.
These abnormalities are known as Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) These changes can be classified according to their severity.
Mild lesions are known as CIN 1 and severe lesions are described as CIN 2/3. In some cases these more severe lesions can develop into cervical cancer
The progression of mild and severe lesions to cancer takes many years so these abnormalities are known as pre-cancerous.
HPVs associated with cancer are called oncogenic or 'high risk' types. HPVs that do not cause cancer are termed 'low risk' types. Two of these 'low risk' types cause most genital warts. HPV types are referred to by number (the numbers refer to the order in which they were discovered).
Two types (16 and 18) cause 7 out of 10 cervical cancers.

How common is cervical cancer?
Worldwide cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women with an estimated 520,000 new cases and 274, 000 deaths in 2008

Can cervical cancer be prevented?
Cervical screening can detect pre-cancerous lesions and cervical cancer at an early stage when treatment can be successful. In countries where there are cervical cancer screening programmes there has been a marked decrease in cervical cancer.

Where can I find out more about the National Cervical Screening Programme?
More information on the cervical screening programme email us at projectco29ja@yahoo.com, or talk2caleb@yahoo.com

Who is getting the HPV vaccine?

All girls in 1^st year in second level schools will be offered the HPV vaccine each year.
There will also be a HPV catch-up vaccination programme for girls in 6^th year in second level schools in September 2011. This will be repeated for girls in 6^th year in September 2012 and 2013.
Most girls will be vaccinated at school by HSE immunisation teams. Some will be invited to attend a HSE clinic to get the vaccine.

Why was HPV vaccine introduced into the National Immunisation Programme?

The HPV Vaccination Programme was introduced to protect girls from their future risk of cervical cancer.
Why is the HPV vaccine administered through a schools based programme?

Other countries such as Australia and the UK have shown that the best vaccine uptakes are obtained through a school based programme. Data from the UK found that immunisation through a school based programme achieved an uptake rate of 80% compared to 60%from GPs.
How does the school programme work?
The programme will target all girls in 1st year and 6^th year of second level schools in September 2011, 2012 and 2013..
From September 2014 the programme will target all girls in 1^st year of second level schools as all other girls will have already been offered the vaccine.
All girls require three doses of vaccine with a two month interval between the 1st and 2nd dose and a four month interval between the 2nd and 3rd doses.
What about girls in Special schools?
For special schools, vaccination will be offered in September 2011 to

all girls who reach 12 years of age between 1^st September 2011 and 31^st August 2012
girls who are 18 years and older on 1^st September 2011
girls who reach 18 years of age between 1^st September 2011 and 31^st August 2012

Why is the vaccine being given to 1^st year girls?
The vaccine is given routinely to girls in 1^st year of second level school so that it is in place well before adulthood and likely exposure to HPV.
Why should a girl in 6^th year get the HPV vaccine?
Girls who get the vaccine are far less likely to develop cervical cancer or have genital warts, or other illnesses caused by HPV in the future.
The vaccine will also protect girls against some less common cancers, such as vaginal and vulval cancers.
What if a girl is already sexually active?
The vaccine works best if girls have it before they have any sexual contact with another person. This is why experts recommend girls have the vaccine aged 12–13. But if a girl is already sexually active it’s still a good idea to have the vaccine as it can still give some protection against HPV
What if a girl has already started a course of HPV vaccine?

If a girl has started a private course of HPV vaccine, it is best if she completes that course as planned. If she is to move into the HSE programme, she will need to provide records of her previous vaccinations. This is for the girl’s safety and will allow us to decide if we can include her in our programme. There is a space on the vaccine consent form to fill in this information.
Why is the vaccine given to girls only?
The HPV vaccine is being given to girls to protect them from cervical cancer.
What happens next?

In September schools will send girls and their parents/ guardians the HSE information packs. Please read the booklet, complete the enclosed consent form and return it to the school. If you are giving consent, it is for three doses of HPV vaccine.
Can the vaccine be given to boys?

HPV vaccines have also been shown to be effective in preventing infection in men. Studies are now being done to see if the vaccine should be routinely recommended for boys/men as well.

What should I do if I want to get younger or older sisters vaccinated?
You should wait until your younger or older girls reach First year or Sixth year in second level schools when they will be vaccinated free of charge through the HSE school based programme.
Older girls may visit their GP to obtain the vaccine privately. Younger girls should wait until they reach First Year in second level schools when they will be vaccinated free-of-charge through the HSE school programme.
Do girls who have been vaccinated still need to attend for cervical screening?

Yes. HPV vaccines only protect against 70% of cervical cancers. It is still important that girls to have regular smear tests when they are older.
Linking vaccination information to the Cervical Screening Programme
With consent, we will share girls' vaccination details with the National Cancer Screening Service. These will be linked to her future cancer screening record.

Hypersensitivity To Sound And Anxiety Disorders

2012-04-15T12:41:00.001-07:00

Would you like to wake up every morning feeling completely calm, relaxed, and confident?
Would you like to cure your anxiety and panic once and for all without it ever coming back?
Would you like to spend more quality time with your family, friends and loved ones, without your anxiety affecting your happiness?
If so, try taking our 7 minute anxiety test to learn the causes and effects of your anxiety.

Learn whether your mental and physical symptoms are caused by anxiety.
See how your problems compare with those of the average anxiety patient.
Understand which factors may be working together to create more anxiety.

When you succeed in curing your anxiety, you will feel like you have been reborn as a new, happier person. In a few years you'll be able to look back and feel proud of yourself for having traveled such great lengths and achieved a happier you.
Try the test right now. It's short, and it's answers are very revealing.
So, click here to take the 7 Minute Anxiety Test.

Anxiety sufferers often complain of being very hypersensitive to sounds and noises whenever their anxiety or panic hits. They complain that every sound they hear, no matter how low in intensity, seems to be amplified for them. According to experts, this hypersensitivity may be caused by biochemical changes in the system.
When the body is stressed out, the brain releases adrenaline to specific receptors in the body to prepare for flight or fight. The increase in heart rate, breathing, muscle tension, and energy level is accompanied by an increase in sensory perceptions such as sight, smell, tactile and auditory. All of these things are to help the body become more aware of the surroundings so that when real danger comes the body can immediately think and act.
Hypersensitivity to sound and anxiety disorders can both have a devastating effect in one’s life. It may be painful or frightening to realize that a person who has these kinds of disorders may have a big problem to be outside near traffic, be traveling, be near household appliances or attend social activities that play loud music.
Many people have reported increased hypersensitivity to sound and anxiety disorders during periods of stress. Other biochemical causes include changes in the system due to stress and anxiety. Once the stress-related experience is over, the hypersensitivity usually decreases. The sensory system may also be over aroused by changes in the person’s biochemistry, including increases in toxins produced by an overgrowth of yeast and fungus and possibly exposures to other toxins like heavy metals and toxic chemicals. Hypersensitivity to sound may develop to anxiety disorder during this exposure and may be restored to more normal levels when the toxins are removed.
Everyone experiences anxiety at various points in life in response to stressful situations. An anxiety disorder exists when a person has a long-standing feeling of tension, fear or unease that may occur on its own with no exact reason. It may range from minor to severe. Hypersensitivity to sound and anxiety disorders can both interfere in all areas of a person’s life, job, performance in school and overall quality of life.
Hypersensitivity to sound is one of the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Other symptoms may include physical, psychological and behavioral features such as rapid pulse, muscle tension, disturbed sleep, irritability, impatience, jumpiness, excessive need to maintain routines, disturbing thoughts, avoiding interaction with others and excessive worrying.
People with hypersensitivity to sound and anxiety disorders can also become overwhelmingly anxious and self-conscious even in everyday situations that to a healthy person are normal or of little consequence. Sufferers complain that these disorders can be so painful and distracting that they could not accomplish anything. For them, every noise, no matter how low, seemed to be of maximum volume. They could not seem to filter out any noise and it is really hard for them to prevent and handle these situations.
It’s been established that nutritional effects may result in hypersensitive hearing. In fact, it’s documented that deficiency in magnesium can result to hypersensitivity to sound. Many patients who receive magnesium supplements have shown improvement from sound sensitivity. Thus, physicians often recommend for anxiety patients to eat magnesium-rich foods and take magnesium supplements to help reduce this hypersensitivity. Thus, this concludes that hypersensitivity to sound and anxiety disorders can also be prevented through good nutrition and self-help.

The perfect house cannot be built from the roof down. I’ve helped thousands of people overcome their anxiety and panic attacks, and I always start them off with my anxiety test before discussing treatment options.
Understanding your anxiety and its probable causes is crucial, because it gives you a starting point – a steady ground from which you can build toward your well-being.
As such, I recommend you take the quiz even if you have already been diagnosed with anxiety.

Aging changes in the Breast

2012-01-24T15:34:00.000-08:00

With aging, a woman's breasts lose fat, tissue, and mammary glands, reducing breast size, firmness, and fullness. The breasts lose support. These changes are mostly due to a decrease in the hormone, estrogen.

Aging breasts commonly flatten and sag, and the nipple may turn in slightly. The area surrounding the nipple (the areola) becomes smaller and may nearly disappear. Loss of hair around the nipple is common.

Breasts may change in size as a woman grows older. Lumps are common around the time of menopause. These are often noncancerous cysts. However, if you notice a lump, make an appointment with your doctor. Breast cancer risk increases with age. Women should perform monthly breast self-examinations. However, because breast self-exams do not always pick up early stages of breast cancer, women should also talk to their health care provider about mammograms.

Breast Cancer
Breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lives. Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any cancer except lung cancer. No one knows why some women get breast cancer, but there are a number of risk factors. Risks that you cannot change include
Age - the chance of getting breast cancer rises as a woman gets older
Genes - there are two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, that greatly increase the risk. Women who have family members with breast or ovarian cancer may wish to be tested.
Personal factors - beginning periods before age 12 or going through menopause after age 55

Other risks include being overweight, using hormone replacement therapy (also called menopausal hormone therapy), taking birth control pills, drinking alcohol, not having children or having your first child after age 35 or having dense breasts.
Symptoms
Symptoms of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in size or shape of the breast or discharge from a nipple. Breast self-exam and mammography can help find breast cancer early when it is most treatable. Treatment may consist of radiation, lumpectomy, mastectomy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

Men can have breast cancer, too, but the number of cases is small.

Breast Biopsy
A breast biopsy is the removal of breast tissue to examine it for signs of breast cancer or other disorders. Several different types of biopsy may be done. This article discusses open breast biopsy. An open biopsy involves making a small cut in the breast and removing breast tissue.

An open biopsy may remove part (incisional biopsy) or all (excisional biopsy) of the area of interest. If the entire lump or area of interest is removed, this method may also be called a lumpectomy.

If the surgeon cannot easily feel the lump or cyst, breast ultrasound or mammography may be used before the biopsy. A needle or wire is placed in the area of interest. This will be left in to help the surgeon.

The biopsy will be done in an operating room.
Usually, you lie on your back for the procedure. You may receive local anesthesia with medicine to make you sleepy or you may receive general anesthesia.
A surgical cut is made in the skin. The wire and breast tissue around it are removed. Sometimes, testing is done at the time of the procedure, but a final diagnosis takes more time.
After the tissue sample is taken, the cut is closed with sutures. A dressing and bandage are applied.

If you receive general anesthesia, your vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) will be monitored for at least an hour after the procedure. Your health care provider may prescribe pain medication.

How to Prepare for the Test

The health care provider will ask questions about your medical history and perform a manual breast exam.

You must sign an informed consent form. If you are going to have general anesthesia, you may be asked not to eat or drink anything for 8 - 12 hours before the test.

If you take medications (including aspirin or herbal medications), ask your doctor whether you need to stop taking these before the biopsy.

Tell your doctor if you may be pregnant before having an open biopsy.

Do not wear lotion, perfume, powder, or deodorant underneath your arms or on your breasts.
How the Test Will Feel

After the test, the breast may be sore and tender to the touch for several days. If a surgical cut is made, your doctor may prescribe pain medication.

You will probably go home the day of the procedure.

Do not do any heavy lifting for 24 hours after the biopsy. Do not take a shower for the first 24 hours.
Why the Test is Performed

A biopsy may be done if the doctor is concerned about breast cancer because of abnormal findings on a mammogram or breast ultrasound, or seen during a physical exam.

To determine whether someone has breast cancer, a biopsy must be done. Cells from the abnormal area are removed and examined under a microscope.
Normal Results

A normal result means there is no sign of cancer.

Your doctor or nurse will let you know when you need a follow-up mammogram or other tests.
What Abnormal Results Mean

Biopsy may identify a number of breast conditions that are not cancer or precancer, including:
Adenofibroma
Fibrocystic breast disease
Intraductal papilloma
Mammary fat necrosis

Biopsy results may show the following precancerous breast conditions:
Atypical ductal hyperplasia
Atypical lobular hyperplasia

Two main types of breast cancer may be found:
Ductal carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple. Most breast cancers are of this type.
Lobular carcinoma starts in parts of the breast called lobules, which produce milk.

Depending on the biopsy results, you may need further surgery or treatment.
Risks

There is a slight chance of infection at the injection or incision site.

Excessive bleeding is rare, but may require draining or re-bandaging. Bruising is common.

There will be a small scar. Depending on the amount of tissue removed and how the breast heals, the appearance of the breast may be affected.
Alternative Names

Biopsy - breast; Open breast biopsy

Most women experience breast changes at some time. Your age, hormone levels and medicines you take may cause lumps, bumps and discharges.

If you have a breast lump, pain, discharge or skin irritation, see your health care provider. Minor and serious breast problems have similar symptoms. Although many women fear cancer, most breast problems are not cancer.

Some common causes of breast changes are
Fibrocystic breast condition - lumpiness, thickening and swelling, often associated with a woman's period
Cysts - fluid-filled lumps
Fibroadenomas - solid, round, rubbery lumps that move easily when pushed, occurring most in younger women
Intraductal papillomas - growths similar to warts near the nipple
Blocked or clogged milk ducts
Milk production when a woman is not breastfeeding
Injury

NIH: National Cancer Instituteclick to expand your study

The various cancer therapy treatments

2012-01-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with drugs that can destroy cancer cells by impeding their growth and reproduction.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we work closely with our patients to meet your individual needs before, during and after chemotherapy. Our supportive therapies help you relax and minimize side effects.

During chemoembolization, chemotherapy is injected through a catheter directly into a tumor using image guidance. The chemotherapy drugs are mixed with particles, called microspheres, which block the flow of blood to the tumor. Without a blood supply, the tumor no longer has the oxygen and nutrients it needs to grow.

Chemoembolization allows high doses of chemotherapy drugs to be targeted directly to the cancerous tissue for a longer period of time, without exposing the entire body to the effect of the drugs.
chemeombolization:
This method of chemotherapy is primarily used for the treatment of liver cancer, but may also be used for the treatment of other cancers that have spread to the liver, such as pancreatic and colorectal cancers.

chronotherapy:
One of these methods is chronotherapy, in which our doctors time the delivery of chemotherapy drugs based on a patient’s individual biorhythms. We use drug-specific research and track a variety of symptoms to discover when tumor tissues may be most sensitive to the chemotherapy drugs.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC):
this is a heated, sterilized chemotherapy solution which is delivered directly to the abdomen during a surgical procedure. First, surgical oncologists perform surgery to remove visible tumors within the abdomen. Then, using sophisticated technology and tools, the surgical oncologists administer the chemotherapy solution to penetrate and destroy cancer cells that remain in the abdomen after surgery.

HIPEC is a treatment option for people who have advanced surface spread of cancer within the abdomen, without disease involvement outside of the abdomen. It may be used to treat some cases of:
Colorectal cancer
Appendiceal cancer
Ovarian cancer
Stomach cancer
Primary peritoneal cancer

In comparison to traditional chemotherapy delivery, HIPEC allows for higher doses of chemotherapy treatment. Heating the solution (i.e., hyperthermia) also enhances the power of the chemotherapy, improving absorption by tumors and susceptibility of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Furthermore, because the chemotherapy is kept within the abdomen, it minimizes the rest of the body’s exposure to the treatment. This helps reduce some chemotherapy side effects.

As a result, chronotherapy helps to minimize the damage of chemotherapy to healthy tissues. By pinpointing the time of day that is best for treatment, we can deliver higher doses that do less harm to the rest of the body.

Intra- areterial chem otheraphy(IAC):
During IAC, your physician inserts a thin catheter through the femoral artery in the right leg. We perform an angiogram (injects dye under a special scope) to obtain a “roadmap” of the arteries. The physician then uses this roadmap to insert a line into the hepatic artery, which is the main blood vessel that delivers blood to the liver. Using dye from a syringe to make sure the line is in the correct position, the chemotherapy drug or drugs are injected directly into the artery.

Patients typically need to lay flat after the treatment to allow the chemotherapy to reach all areas of the spinal cord and brain. We offer a variety of supportive therapies to help make our patients comfortable during this time, including relaxation therapies from mind-body medicine and acupuncture.

intraperitoneal Chemotheraphy:
This innovative chemotherapy technique works by delivering chemotherapy drugs directly into the abdominal cavity through a catheter. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy directly targets cancer cells in the abdomen, minimizing drug exposure to healthy tissues.

Another innovative treatment we offer, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), circulates heated chemotherapy drugs in the abdomen during surgery.

intrathecal chemotherapy:
Intrathecal chemotherapy is delivered through a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) or a device placed under the scalp. Patients typically need to lay flat after the treatment to allow the chemotherapy to reach all areas of the spinal cord and brain. We offer a variety of supportive therapies to help make our patients comfortable during this time, including relaxation therapies from mind-body medicine and acupuncture.

Meet the five years apart twins

2012-01-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

During the medical process, five embryos were created and two implanted in Mrs Blake, which resulted in the birth of their son Reuben, weighing 9lbs 5oz on 9 December 2006.

The couple, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, decided to try for another child in March last year using the three remaining frozen embryos.

Two of the embryos did not survive the defrosting process, but the final embryo was successfully implanted.

Against the odds, Floren arrived on 16 November 2011 weighing 8lbs 12oz - two weeks before her due date - but five years after her twin brother.

Simon, 45 and Jody Blake, 38, with their twins Reuben, five and Floren seven weeks./PA

So how were Mr and Mrs Blake able to have twins born five years apart?

Doctors at the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine, based at Southmead Hospital, said the decision made by Mr and Mrs Blake to freeze their remaining embryos was a safer way to have twins.

[Relevant: One mum's £50,000 IVF struggle]

Dr Akande explained: “It's usually better to have one baby at a time rather than two because carrying twins is associated with greater risk. So we would very often recommend storing surplus embryos so that they can be used at a later date.

“In essence they haven't come from the same embryo but from the same batch of embryos. It does depend how you interpret the term 'twins' - twins generally means that they are born at the same time.

“But, yes, twins in that they have come from the same batch of embryos, collected from the same treatment cycle - so twins born at a different time - but not a twin pregnancy, when they have grown in the womb together.”

Twins Reuben Blake, five with his sister Floren seven weeks./PA

Speaking about his two children, Mr Blake, a lecturer at University College Birmingham told PA: “I find it very difficult to resist the temptation to say 'Oh and by the way they are twins'. It's almost just to see people's response. They are really amazed and surprised.”

Mother Jody, a programmes manager for the children's charity WellChild, said: “It does feel quite surreal. I think people are really, really surprised and it almost takes people a few minutes to get their heads around it.

“We obviously had nine months to get it straight and to think 'Gosh, we're having Reuben's twin', but it's incredibly special.

The couple said Reuben was a little apprehensive about having a sibling but has quickly settled into his role as the eldest.

Mr Blake said: “Since the day Floren was born, he's been really tender and loving with her. “

Reuben’s parents said he is aware of the special relationship he has with his seven-week-old sister but it would be a while before he fully understands.

His mother added: “He knows that she's been in the freezer - he likes to say she has been in the freezer with the chips and the chicken - so he is sort of aware that she is his twin, but obviously he doesn't really understand how it's all worked really.

Five ways to stay healthy this christmas

2011-12-23T06:08:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again. Although it’s hard to believe another year has flown by, I am clearly not mistaken as today I heard my first Christmas song on the radio, shops are displaying their Christmas themed windows, and my inbox is full of “Christmas Gift Idea” emails from all my favorite brands that I subscribe to.

With the risk of sounding a little like the Scroodge, please be sensible. It’s not called the silly season for no reason. Partying, drinking, indulging, overeating and running around like a headless chicken from event-to-event and shop-to-shop, it’s no wonder many of us feel tired, rundown, overweight and stressed as the new year comes around.

What if this year you honored YOU and entered the new year feeling refreshed, energized, slim and relaxed? It’s really not so difficult. Just a little discipline and willpower, that’s all.

Logging in to Springday every morning to record your previous day’s points is a great starting point and reminder to keep on track with your wellness journey. Here are a few tips to help you keep on track.

Top 5 Tips to help you stay healthy over Christmas

1. Exercise
Remember to keep up with your exercise routine. Just because you were out and about the night before is no excuse to sleep in and forego your workout. Staying active will help you feel better. I promise! My favourite hangover cure used to be a run on the beach and swim in the surf. Great way to sweat out those toxins! Try and exercise outside as much as possible and take advantage of the bright sunny summer days. If a run is too much, how about calling a friend who was out with you the night before and take a brisk walk around the park.

2. Relaxation
As much as Christmas is a lovely time to catch up with all your friends and family, remember to take some time out for YOU. Take a few moments in the day to practice meditation or stress-relieving breathing techniques. We’re conditioned to think that Christmas is all about giving, so how about taking the time to give to yourself as well this year. Don’t get stressed out over Christmas present buying. Plan your shopping in advance, write a list of all the presents you need to buy and avoid the frenzied crowds.

3. Nutrition
Remember to make healthy choices this Christmas. It’s easy to get carried away with all the puddings and chocolates and shortbread and party food, but before over-indulging remember how it’s going to make you feel the next day. Remember to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. If you do like enjoying Christmas treats, limit your portion size. Read Dr Naras Lapsys article on the top 10 things to avoid when eating at Christmas.

4. Water
Drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated. If you do drink alcohol, remember to alternate every alcoholic drink with a glass of water and please don’t drink on an empty stomach. Best to have a healthy snack before you go to the party as it will also prevent you from snacking on unhealthy party food. Dandelion tea is a great herbal tea to drink throughout the days when you know you’re going to be out and about, partying and drinking alcohol at night, as it helps to detoxify the liver.

5. Sleep
Get plenty of rest and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night. It’s not going to make or break your life if you don’t go to EVERY party. How about having a night in? Create a relaxing spa experience at home, snuggle up on the couch with a good book or DVD and get to bed early.

And if all that fails, please don’t beat yourself up about it. Take each day as it comes and strive for a healthier day the next day.

Ovarian cancer facts

2011-10-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Most ovarian growths in women under age 30 are benign, fluid-filled cysts.

There are several types of ovarian cancer.

The exact causes of ovarian cancer are unknown.

Risk factors that increase the chance of developing ovarian cancer include a family history of cancer, being over 55 years of age, and never being pregnant.

The ovarian cancer symptoms and signs can be vague but may include abdominal swelling, pressure, or pain, frequent urination or urinary urgency, back pain, leg pain, unusual vaginal bleeding, and feeling full quickly.

There are no routine screening tests for ovarian cancer.

A physical examination (including pelvic exam), ultrasound, X-rays, the CA 125 blood test, and biopsy of the ovary may be needed to detect and diagnose ovarian cancer and determine staging.

The treatment, prognosis, and survival rate for ovarian cancer depend on the stage of the disease and the age and health of the woman.

The ovaries

The ovaries are part of a woman's reproductive system. They are in the pelvis. Each ovary is about the size of an almond.
The ovaries make the female hormones -- estrogen and progesterone. They also release eggs. An egg travels from an ovary through a fallopian tube to the womb (uterus).
When a woman goes through her "change of life" (menopause), her ovaries stop releasing eggs and make far lower levels of hormones.

Understanding ovarian cancer

Cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. Tissues make up the organs of the body.
Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place.
Sometimes, this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.
Tumors can be benign or malignant:
Benign tumors are not cancer:

Benign tumors are rarely life-threatening.

Generally, benign tumors can be removed. They usually do not grow back.

Benign tumors do not invade the tissues around them.

Cells from benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.

Malignant tumors are cancer:

Malignant tumors are generally more serious than benign tumors. They may be life-threatening.

Malignant tumors often can be removed. But sometimes they grow back.

Malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs.

Cells from malignant tumors can spread to other parts of the body. Cancer cells spread by breaking away from the original (primary) tumor and entering the lymphatic system or bloodstream. The cells invade other organs and form new tumors that damage these organs. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.

Benign and malignant cysts
An ovarian cyst may be found on the surface of an ovary or inside it. A cyst contains fluid. Sometimes it contains solid tissue too. Most ovarian cysts are benign (not cancer).
Most ovarian cysts go away with time. Sometimes, a doctor will find a cyst that does not go away or that gets larger. The doctor may order tests to make sure that the cyst is not cancer.
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer can invade, shed, or spread to other organs:

Invade: A malignant ovarian tumor can grow and invade organs next to the ovaries, such as the fallopian tubes and uterus.

Shed: Cancer cells can shed (break off) from the main ovarian tumor. Shedding into the abdomen may lead to new tumors forming on the surface of nearby organs and tissues. The doctor may call these seeds or implants.

Spread: Cancer cells can spread through the lymphatic system to lymph nodes in the pelvis, abdomen, and chest. Cancer cells may also spread through the bloodstream to organs such as the liver and lungs.

When cancer spreads from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the original tumor. For example, if ovarian cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually ovarian cancer cells. The disease is metastatic ovarian cancer, not liver cancer. For that reason, it is treated as ovarian cancer, not liver cancer. Doctors call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.

What is the prostate gland?

2011-10-30T17:34:00.001-07:00

The prostate gland is an organ that is located at the base or outlet (neck) of the urinary bladder. (See the diagram that follows.) The gland surrounds the first part of the urethra. The urethra is the passage through which urine drains from the bladder to exit from the penis. One function of the prostate gland is to help control urination by pressing directly against the part of the urethra that it surrounds. The main function of the prostate gland is to produce some of the substances that are found in normal semen, such as minerals and sugar. Semen is the fluid that transports the sperm to assist with reproduction. A man can manage quite well, however, without his prostate gland. (See the section on surgical treatment for prostate cancer.)
In a young man, the normal prostate gland is the size of a walnut (<30g). During normal aging, however, the gland usually grows larger. This hormone-related enlargement with aging is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), but this condition is not associated with prostate cancer. Both BPH and prostate cancer, however, can cause similar problems in older men. For example, an enlarged prostate gland can squeeze or impinge on the outlet of the bladder or the urethra, leading to difficulty with urination. The resulting symptoms commonly include slowing of the urinary stream and urinating more frequently, particularly at night. Patients should seek medical advice from their urologist or primary-care physician if these symptoms are present.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor (growth) that consists of cells from the prostate gland. Generally, the tumor usually grows slowly and remains confined to the gland for many years. During this time, the tumor produces little or no symptoms or outward signs (abnormalities on physical examination). However, all prostate cancers do not behave similarly. Some aggressive types of prostate cancer grow and spread more rapidly than others and can cause a significant shortening of life expectancy in men affected by them. A measure of prostate cancer aggressiveness is the Gleason score (discussed in more detail later in this article), which is calculated by a trained pathologist observing prostate biopsy specimens under the microscope.
As the cancer advances, however, it can spread beyond the prostate into the surrounding tissues (local spread). Moreover, the cancer also can metastasize (spread even farther) throughout other areas of the body, such as the bones, lungs, and liver. Symptoms and signs, therefore, are more often associated with advanced prostate cancer.

Why is prostate cancer important?

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in American men and the second leading cause of deaths from cancer, after lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society's most recent estimates, 192,280 new cases of prostate cancer would be diagnosed in 2009 and 27,360 would die from the disease.
The estimated lifetime risk of being diagnosed with the disease is 17.6% for Caucasians and 20.6% for African Americans. The lifetime risk of death from prostate cancer similarly is 2.8% and 4.7% respectively. As reflected in these numbers, prostate cancer is likely to impact the lives of a significant proportion of men that are alive today.
Over the years, however, the death rate from this disease has shown a steady decline, and currently, more than 2 million men in the U.S. are still alive after being diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives.
Although it is subject to some controversy, many experts in this field, therefore, recommend that beginning at age 40, all men should undergo screening for prostate cancer.

What is prostate cancer?

2011-10-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

The prostate

The prostate is a gland found only in men. As shown in the picture below, the prostate is just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The size of the prostate varies with age. In younger men, it is the size of a walnut, but it can be much larger in older men. The tube that carries urine (the urethra) runs through the center of the prostate. The prostate contains cells that make some of the fluid (semen) that protects and nourishes the sperm.
The prostate begins to develop before birth and keeps on growing until a man reaches adulthood. Male hormones (called androgens) cause this growth. If male hormone levels are low, the prostate gland will not grow to full size. In older men, though, the part of the prostate around the urethra may keep on growing. This causes BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) which can lead to problems passing urine because the prostate can press on the urethra. BPH is a problem that often must be treated, but it is not cancer.

Prostate cancer

There are several types of cells in the prostate, but nearly all prostate cancers start in the gland cells. This kind of cancer is known as adenocarcinoma. The rest of the information here refers only to prostate adenocarcinoma.
Some prostate cancers can grow and spread quickly, but most of the time, prostate cancer grows slowly. Autopsy studies show that many older men (and even younger men) who died of other diseases also had prostate cancer that never caused a problem during their lives. These studies showed that as many as 7 to 9 out of 10 men had prostate cancer by age 80. But neither they nor their doctors even knew they had it.

Pre-cancerous changes of the prostate

Some doctors believe that prostate cancer begins with very small changes in the size and shape of the prostate gland cells. These changes are known as PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia). Almost half of all men have PIN by the time they reach age 50. In PIN, there are changes in how the prostate gland cells look under the microscope, but the cells are basically still in place -- they don't look like they've gone into other parts of the prostate (like cancer cells would). These changes can be either low-grade (almost normal) or high-grade (abnormal).
A prostate biopsy might also show a change called atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP). It is sometimes just called atypia. In ASAP, the cells look like they might be cancer when seen under the microscope, but there are too few of them on the slide to be sure. If ASAP is found, there's a high chance that cancer is also present in the prostate.
If you have had a prostate biopsy that showed high-grade PIN, ASAP, or certain other changes, there is a greater chance that there are cancer cells in your prostate. For this reason, you will be watched carefully and may need another biopsy.

Children, ear infections and antibiotics

2011-10-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

If you're a parent, there's a good chance you know about middle ear infections – infections in the space behind the eardrum. Or if you don't yet, you soon will.
The painful condition, known medically as "otitis media", strikes virtually all kids at some point in their childhood. But it is especially common in babies and toddlers, particularly those attending childcare. Peaking in the cooler months, it makes them unwell and irritable – often with a fever – and can affect their hearing.
Since the infection is usually caused by bacteria, antibiotics became the standard treatment.
In fact, acute middle ear infection (where the symptoms come on suddenly) is the most common reason antibiotics are prescribed for children, says Harvey Coates, clinical professor in ear, nose and throat medicine at the University of Western Australia.
But whether or not that's appropriate is controversial.
Over the past 30 years, expert opinion has swung against doctors giving antibiotics for this problem, and parents have been urged not to pressure GPs to prescribe them.
Now two papers published in a leading medical journal, the New England Journal of Medicine, have raised the issue once again.
An editorial commenting on the studies says they are high quality and provide "the best evidence yet" that toddlers who have been properly diagnosed with the condition recover more quickly when treated with antibiotics.
So what's a parent of a sick child to make of it all?

Watch and wait

When your toddler's ear infection makes them irritable and feverish – and keeps you awake at night – it's perhaps understandable you might see antibiotics as a "quick fix".
But concerns antibiotics might not be the most appropriate response have been enough to trigger education campaigns aimed at parents.
"Parents should not be concerned if the doctor does not prescribe antibiotics or suggests they wait and see what happens before having a script dispensed," stated a 2009 press release from the NPS, a government-funded organisation that aims to help people use medicines wisely.
"In some cases, such as babies, antibiotics will be necessary, but most ear infections will get better without specific treatment," the release said.
"Pain will usually subside within one or two days, in which case antibiotics would not be needed."
The advice reflects a treatment policy known as "watchful waiting", which was endorsed for selected children by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2004 and also underlies treatment guidelines issued to Australian GPs. It involves treating symptoms with paracetamol while observing recovery from the infection before giving antibiotics.

Opinions divided

Watchful waiting stems from on a solid body of research dating back to the 1980s, says Dr Hasantha Gunasekera, a general paediatrician at the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead.
This research clearly shows the benefit from antibiotics for most children with acute middle ear infections is "very small", Gunasekera says – around 12 to 24 hours less pain or fever. What's more this benefit is generally seen in only around one in 10 or so children treated with the drugs.
"It's not one of those conditions that has a very rapid response to treatment and if you don't treat it's catastrophic. It's a condition where antibiotics have a very weak effect," he says.
This weak benefit has to be balanced against the cost and inconvenience to the family of buying and administering antibiotics, as well as the side effects, which may include a rash, diarrhoea and vomiting, he says.
Research in the past has shown the benefits of antibiotics are slightly greater in very young children, in children with infections in both ears, and in children whose eardrums have burst from the infection. But, even then, they are still benefits Gunasekera describes as "modest".
His view is that the two studies published in January this year essentially confirm this modest benefit in younger children. They focused on children aged six to 23 months and six to 35 months, respectively.
In both studies, "most children given the placebo [non-active treatment] still got better, it just took a little longer," he said. Other experts like Boston University paediatrics professor Jerome Klein, however, have described the children who took antibiotics in the studies as "substantially improved" compared to those who did not.
The different perspectives may stem from what Gunasekera describes as "a disagreement in the medical fraternity".
"There's a group of doctors who are pro-antibiotics," he says.
"And then there are others who are not so much anti-antibiotics, but [they are] quite happy to just observe first before going down the antibiotic path".

The role of parents

What's this got to do with parents anyway? Isn't it doctors who decide how to treat sick children, not their parents?
Yes, but it's widely recognised parents play a significant role in influencing doctors' prescribing habits, Gunasekera says.
This is one reason prescribing rates are so high, despite what the treatment guidelines say.
"The argument [given by doctors who succumb to pressure from parents] is that if the child is sick and crying and irritable it's very hard to do nothing. But what we're recommending is not 'doing nothing'. We're recommending you treat the symptoms – the pain and the fever.
"What I say to parents when I'm managing the condition is: 'If I was to treat your child there's a chance they'd get better one day sooner but the trouble is there's also a very similar chance they'll get some problem like a rash or diarrhoea'."
If a discussion follows, some parents are also told there are broader benefits to limiting antibiotic use to cases that really need them. This is because overuse of antibiotics is known to lead to more bacteria becoming resistant to the drugs, making illnesses harder to treat – a major public health concern worldwide.
Gunasekera believes the message not to automatically expect antibiotics for a child with an acute middle ear infection is still valid.
"I think it's perfectly justified to still use the watchful waiting approach, even with this new research," he says.
Immediate treatment with antibiotics might be more warranted however, he says, if:

Your child has a history of recurrent infections (more than six in six months) or severe infections (the ear drum bursts or there is ongoing release of fluid from the ear drum) that started before they were three months old. The risk of long term hearing problems is significantly greater in these children.
Your family has difficulty accessing health care – say, because you live in a very remote area. If a child is not given antibiotics initially but does not seem to be getting better in a few days time, you need to be able to bring them back so a doctor can review them.

The bottom line

While experts disagree about whether or not it's necessary to treat middle ear infections, they do agree if you suspect your child has one, it's important to take them to a doctor.
The signs of a middle ear infection may include:

fever
earache (or pulling at the ears)
irritability
being generally unwell
sometimes with diarrhoea and vomiting
if the eardrum has burst there may be a discharge of fluid from the ear

Fight against parasite getting advanced

2011-10-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

An Australian researcher is hoping his work sequencing the genome of a giant parasitic worm will lead to a more effective treatment for a condition that affects more than one billion people worldwide.

The worm hinders the development of children and kills tens of thousands of people, mainly in South East Asia, South America and parts of Africa.

Here's Simon Lauder.

SIMON LAUDER: For the past year and a half University of Melbourne parasitologist Dr Aaron Jex has been taking a very close look at one of the world's most troublesome parasites.

AARON JEX: It's a very big, big worm. It's about 30cm. I mean there are some people that would say nematodes are pretty, quite attractive. But you know I guess to each their own.

SIMON LAUDER: Dr Jex says the giant intestinal roundworm infects about a billion people and its impact can be compared with malaria and tuberculosis.

AARON JEX: The most significant effects tend to be in children where you can get chronic, from the affects of the parasite which is mainly malnutrition you can get chronic disease, effects on their physical and cognitive development. And that can last them through the rest of their life.

SIMON LAUDER: So really they're literally stunted by this parasite.

AARON JEX: Yeah absolutely, yep. The challenge with the parasite is that it tends to affect people in very impoverished communities. And so the amount of information that's available for those people is limited.

But tens of thousands or more would die from this parasite annually, yeah.

SIMON LAUDER: Can you explain how it's comparable with tuberculosis and malaria?

AARON JEX: Mainly in prevalence. In really heavily affected regions, in heavily endemic regions it might be up to 90 or in excess of 90 per cent of the population would have the parasite.

The effect in terms of overall comparison to malaria, tuberculosis, is the overall effect on quality of life because it affects so many individuals. And because that effect can start from childhood and last for the rest of their life the sum effect is quite substantial.

SIMON LAUDER: There are already treatments for the condition known as ascariasis but none that are lasting.

AARON JEX: You can treat someone for ascariasis and then because the environment is still contaminated they can become infected again. And so especially in young children you have to re-treat constantly for most of their school age.

But the challenge with that is if you are constantly re-treating you're breeding resistance to the drug and there will emerge populations of parasites that will not be affected by this drug.

And that's a problem because there are a limited number of drugs available and there are a limited number of new drugs.

SIMON LAUDER: Dr Jex is a part of a large international team of scientists who have just finished mapping the genome of Ascaris Suum which is very closely related to the one that infects humans but easier to study.

SIMON LAUDER: He says it will help find new treatments for ascariasis which has been identified by the World Health Organization as a key neglected disease.

AARON JEX: This has revealed a lot of new information about how the parasite interacts with the human host. And the hope is that by doing that we'll be on an avenue towards being able to develop vaccines against these parasites. But it's a very difficult feat.

But obviously when you think of a parasite that causes disease in roughly one in six on the planet and hugely affects children, particularly children between the ages of one to five, to be able to even in a small sense be able to develop a new drug that can replace the existing drugs if and when resistance emerges will be a massive thing.

About Diabetes Drugs

2011-10-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

What do diabetes medicines do?

Over time, high levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can cause health problems. These problems include heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, nerve damage, digestive problems, eye disease, and tooth and gum problems. You can help prevent health problems by keeping your blood glucose levels on target.

Everyone with diabetes needs to choose foods wisely and be physically active. If you can't reach your target blood glucose levels with wise food choices and physical activity, you may need diabetes medicines. The kind of medicine you take depends on your type of diabetes, your schedule, and your other health conditions.

You may need diabetes medicines to reach your blood glucose targets.

Diabetes medicines help keep your blood glucose in your target range. The target range is suggested by diabetes experts and your doctor or diabetes educator.

What targets are recommended for blood glucose levels?

The National Diabetes Education Program uses blood glucose targets set by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for most people with diabetes. To learn your daily blood glucose numbers, you'll check your blood glucose levels on your own using a blood glucose meter.

Target blood glucose levels for most people with diabetes		My targets
Before meals	70 to 130 mg/dL^*
1 to 2 hours after the start of a meal	Less than 180 mg/dL

* Milligrams per deciliter.

Also, you should ask your doctor for a blood test called the A1C at least twice a year. The A1C will give you your average blood glucose for the past 3 months.

Target A1C result for people with diabetes	My targets
Less than 7 percent

Your personal A1C goal might be higher or lower than 7 percent. Keeping your A1C as close to normal as possible-below 6 percent without having frequent low blood glucose-can help prevent long-term diabetes problems. Doctors might recommend other goals for very young children, older people, people with other health problems, or those who often have low blood glucose.

Talk with your doctor or diabetes educator about whether the target blood glucose levels and A1C result listed in the charts above are best for you. Write your own target levels in the charts. Both ways of checking your blood glucose levels are important.

If your blood glucose levels are not on target, you might need a change in how you take care of your diabetes. The results of your A1C test and your daily blood glucose checks can help you and your doctor make decisions about

what you eat
when you eat
how much you eat
what kind of exercise you do
how much exercise you do
the type of diabetes medicines you take
the amount of diabetes medicines you take

What happens to blood glucose levels in people with diabetes?

Blood glucose levels go up and down throughout the day and night in people with diabetes. High blood glucose levels over time can result in heart disease and other health problems. Low blood glucose levels can make you feel shaky or pass out. But you can learn how to make sure your blood glucose levels stay on target-not too high and not too low.

What makes blood glucose levels go too high?

Your blood glucose levels can go too high if

you eat more than usual
you're not physically active
you're not taking enough diabetes medicine
you're sick or under stress
you exercise when your blood glucose level is already high

Some diabetes medicines can also lower your blood glucose too much. Ask your doctor whether your diabetes medicines can cause low blood glucose.
The results of your blood glucose checks can help you make decisions about your diabetes medicines, food choices, and physical activity.

Medicines for My Diabetes

Ask your doctor what type of diabetes you have and write down your answer.

I have

type 1 diabetes
type 2 diabetes
gestational diabetes
another type of diabetes: ____________________

Medicines for Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, once called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is usually first found in children, teenagers, or young adults. If you have type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin because your body no longer makes it. You also might need to take other types of diabetes medicines that work with insulin.

Medicines for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, once called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. It can start when the body doesn't use insulin as it should, a condition called insulin resistance. If the body can't keep up with the need for insulin, you may need diabetes medicines. Many choices are available. Your doctor might prescribe two or more medicines. The ADA recommends that most people start with metformin, a kind of diabetes pill.

Medicines for Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs for the first time during pregnancy. The hormones of pregnancy or a shortage of insulin can cause gestational diabetes. Most women with gestational diabetes control it with meal planning and physical activity. But some women need insulin to reach their target blood glucose levels.

Medicines for Other Types of Diabetes

If you have one of the rare forms of diabetes, such as diabetes caused by other medicines or monogenic diabetes, talk with your doctor about what kind of diabetes medicine would be best for you.

Types of Diabetes Medicines

Diabetes medicines come in several forms.

Insulin

If your body no longer makes enough insulin, you'll need to take it. Insulin is used for all types of diabetes. Your doctor can help you decide which way of taking insulin is best for you.

Taking injections. You'll give yourself shots using a needle and syringe. The syringe is a hollow tube with a plunger. You will put your dose of insulin into the tube. Some people use an insulin pen, which looks like a pen but has a needle for its point.
Using an insulin pump. An insulin pump is a small machine about the size of a cell phone, worn outside of your body on a belt or in a pocket or pouch. The pump connects to a small plastic tube and a very small needle. The needle is inserted under the skin and stays in for several days. Insulin is pumped from the machine through the tube into your body.
Using an insulin jet injector. The jet injector, which looks like a large pen, sends a fine spray of insulin through the skin with high-pressure air instead of a needle.

If your body no longer makes enough insulin, you'll need to take it.

What does insulin do?

Insulin helps keep blood glucose levels on target by moving glucose from the blood into your body's cells. Your cells then use glucose for energy. In people who don't have diabetes, the body makes the right amount of insulin on its own. But when you have diabetes, you and your doctor must decide how much insulin you need throughout the day and night.

What are the possible side effects of insulin?

Possible side effects include

low blood glucose, weight gain

How and when should I take my insulin?

Your plan for taking insulin will depend on your daily routine and your type of insulin. Some people with diabetes who use insulin need to take it two, three, or four times a day to reach their blood glucose targets. Others can take a single shot. Your doctor or diabetes educator will help you learn how and when to give yourself insulin.

Types of Insulin

Each type of insulin works at a different speed. For example, rapid-acting insulin starts to work right after you take it. Long-acting insulin works for many hours. Most people need two or more types of insulin to reach their blood glucose targets.

Diabetes Pills

Along with meal planning and physical activity, diabetes pills help people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes keep their blood glucose levels on target. Several kinds of pills are available. Each works in a different way. Many people take two or three kinds of pills. Some people take combination pills. Combination pills contain two kinds of diabetes medicine in one tablet. Some people take pills and insulin.

Diabetes pills help people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes keep their blood glucose levels on target.

Your doctor may ask you to try one kind of pill. If it doesn't help you reach your blood glucose targets, your doctor may ask you to

take more of the same pill
add another kind of pill
change to another type of pill
start taking insulin
start taking another injected medicine

If your doctor suggests that you take insulin or another injected medicine, it doesn't mean your diabetes is getting worse. Instead, it means you need insulin or another type of medicine to reach your blood glucose targets. Everyone is different. What works best for you depends on your usual daily routine, eating habits, and activities, and your other health conditions.

Injections Other Than Insulin

In addition to insulin, two other types of injected medicines are now available. Both work with insulin-either the body's own or injected-to help keep your blood glucose from going too high after you eat. Neither is a substitute for insulin.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your diabetes medicines. Do not stop taking your diabetes medicines without checking with your doctor first.

What do I need to know about side effects of medicines?

A side effect is an unwanted problem caused by a medicine. For example, some diabetes medicines can cause nausea or an upset stomach when you first start taking them. Before you start a new medicine, ask your doctor about possible side effects and how you can avoid them. If the side effects of your medicine bother you, tell your doctor.

For More Information

To find diabetes educators-nurses, dietitians, and other health professionals-near you, call the American Association of Diabetes Educators toll-free at 1-800-TEAMUP4 (1-800-832-6874). Or go to www.diabeteseducator.org and see the "Find a Diabetes Educator" section.

jenifer lopez purchases $18million mansion

2011-10-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

In late August, Jennifer Lopez, 42, purchased an $18 million mansion in the Water Mill area of The Hamptons, New York. The 14,000-square foot home features seven bedrooms and nine and half baths.

PHOTOS: Celebrity dream homes
Built in 2010 by architect Richard Perrillo of East End Builders, the shingle-style home sits on two acres of land and is surrounded by water.
Other amenities include heated marble floors in the master bath, several walk-in closets, a formal dining room, a library with white oak paneling, seven fireplaces, a media room, dockage on Mecox Bay and a pool.
PHOTOS: Look back at Jennifer and Marc in happier times
The property also boasts a first floor guest suite with garden views, an elevator and an attached three-car garage.
The American Idol judge -- currently shooting the movie Parker in Palm Beach, Florida -- won't be settling into her new digs with three-year-old twins Max and Emme just yet.
"She is moving in in a few months," a source tells Us Weekly.
PHOTOS: Jennifer's ghetto to glam style evolution
Though she's new to the neighborhood, Lopez has been visiting The Hamptons for years. Less than a month after announcing her split with hubby Marc Anthony, 41, in July, the "On the Floor" singer reunited with her ex at Sagg Main Beach in Southampton, New York.

Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell marries "Whats next"

2011-10-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

Sir Paul McCartney and American heiress Nancy Shevell have married in London, on what would have been Beatle bandmate John Lennon's 71st birthday.
The couple spent around a minute posing for photographers after arriving at The Old Marylebone Town Hall in London shortly after 3.25pm.
The 69-year-old former Beatle wore a dark suit with a white shirt and pale blue tie while his bride chose a long-sleeved white dress for the ceremony.
Sir Paul's former band mate Ringo Starr posed for photographs and made a peace sign as he arrived at the register office.
After the ceremony the beaming couple waved to the gathering of around 200 cheering fans - some of whom had been waiting all day to catch a glimpse of the singer - before getting into their red Lexus to travel to the reception at Sir Paul's home.
Sir Paul and Nancy posed for pictures and kissed outside their home when they got back from the ceremony.
Asked how he felt, he said: "Terrific, thank you. I feel married." He added: "I feel absolutely wonderful."
The bride's second cousin, US broadcast journalist Barbara Walters, described the wedding as "beautiful and wonderful" as she left the register office.
Alison Cathcart, Westminster City Council's superintendent registrar said: "I am overjoyed to have played a part in bringing these two wonderful people together in marriage.
"Lots of couples get married at Marylebone Town Hall because of the venue's iconic status and reputation as the place to get married in central London. I wish them both great happiness as they further their lives together."

Latest story of the Forest Boy

2011-10-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

A Swiss couple have said a boy who emerged from woodland in Germany claiming he had lived wild for the past five years is their grandson.
Now the pair are due to give a DNA test which will be matched with the teenager, Ray, who was dubbed "forest boy" after his story became public.
Berlin's BZ newspaper reported on Friday that Ray's photo was seen by the couple in Switzerland and that they then contacted police.
There was no official comment from authorities in the German capital and no further details in the newspaper report.
Police and social workers began suspecting two weeks ago that Ray's story was bogus and that his motives were suspect.
He is only 17 and now in the care of social workers after a legal guardian to represent his interests was appointed.
If it is found that he comes from Switzerland he will be deported back there.
The blond, blue-eyed boy claimed to remember few details about his life and where he had been when he pitched up on the steps of a town hall in the east of Berlin on September 5.
He spun a tale - in accented English - that gripped the imagination of the world: that he had been living in a tent in a forest for five years with his father, called Ryan, and that his mother Doreen had perished in a car crash five years previously.
He said he began walking towards Berlin after his father died suddenly in the woods a fortnight before his arrival. He said he had buried him among the trees.
"I'm all alone, please help me," he said.
He was taken into care at a cost to the German taxpayer of around £2,500 per month.
But the tale he wove began to appear to have more holes than a Swiss cheese.
A check of police computers in all 16 states of Germany showed up that no woman called Doreen had died in a car crash in Germany in the past decade.
No sign of a grave has been found in cursory searches of forests in the Harz Mountains, along the Bavarian-Czech border or in Thuringia.
He was unable to pinpoint the forest where he said he lived, he was also unable to say what nationality he was, although police soon suspected he was not British despite the words he spoke.
The tent he carried did not look like it had sustained five years of treatment in a German forest and he was well dressed and clean.
As Interpol was alerted to check with police forces for missing people in other European lands, Ray triggered more suspicion when he said he did not want to pose for photographs or make an appeal to try to find any of his family members.
"They're all dead," he said. "I just want to get on and make a new life for myself."
"Unfortunately it seems that the boy told his guardian that he wasn't interested in discovering who he was," said a police spokesman.
But now the Swiss link is the most promising development so far.
If true, Germany would be in a position to make a claim from Switzerland for money paid towards his upkeep.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors of cervical cancer

2011-10-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer in women. It is much less common in the United States because of the routine use of Pap smears.

Cervical cancers start in the cells on the surface of the cervix. There are two types of cells on the cervix's surface: squamous and columnar. Most cervical cancers are from squamous cells.

Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly. It starts as a precancerous condition called dysplasia. This precancerous condition can be detected by a Pap smear and is 100% treatable. That is why it is so important for women to get regular Pap smears. Most women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer today have not had regular Pap smears or they have not followed up on abnormal Pap smear results.

Undetected precancerous changes can develop into cervical cancer and spread to the bladder, intestines, lungs, and liver. It can take years for precancerous changes to turn into cervical cancer. Patients with cervical cancer do not usually have problems until the cancer is advanced and has spread.

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV (human papilloma virus). HPV is a common virus that is spread through sexual intercourse. There are many different types of HPV. Some strains lead to cervical cancer. (Other strains may cause genital warts, while others do not cause any problems at all.)

Risk factors for cervical cancer include:

Having sex at an early age
Multiple sexual partners
Poor economic status (may not be able to afford regular Pap smears)
Sexual partners who have multiple partners or who participate in high-risk sexual activities
Women whose mothers took the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) during pregnancy in the early 1960s to prevent miscarriage

Weakened immune system

Symptoms

Most of the time, early cervical cancer has no symptoms. Symptoms that may occur can include:

Abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods, after intercourse, or after menopause
Any bleeding after menopause
Continuous vaginal discharge, which may be pale, watery, pink, brown, bloody, or foul-smelling
Periods become heavier and last longer than usual

Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer may include:

Back pain
Bone fractures
Fatigue
Heavy bleeding from the vagina
Leaking of urine or feces from the vagina
Leg pain
Loss of appetite
Pelvic pain
Single swollen leg
Weight loss

Signs and tests

Precancerous changes of the cervix and cervical cancer cannot be seen with the naked eye. Special tests and tools are needed to spot such conditions.

Pap smears screen for precancers and cancer, but do not make a final diagnosis.
If abnormal changes are found, the cervix is usually examined under magnification. This is called colposcopy. Pieces of tissue are surgically removed (biopsied) during this procedure and sent to a laboratory for examination.

Other tests may include:

Endocervical curettage (ECC) to examine the opening of the cervix
Cone biopsy

If the woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer, the health care provider will order more tests to determine how far the cancer has spread. This is called staging. Tests may include:

Chest x-ray
CT scan
Cystoscopy
Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
MRI

Treatment

Treatment of cervical cancer depends on:

The stage of the cancer
The size and shape of the tumor
The woman's age and general health
Her desire to have children in the future

Early cervical cancer can be cured by removing or destroying the precancerous or cancerous tissue. There are various surgical ways to do this without removing the uterus or damaging the cervix, so that a woman can still have children in the future.

Types of surgery for early cervical cancer include:

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) -- uses electricity to remove abnormal tissue
Cryotherapy -- freezes abnormal cells
Laser therapy -- uses light to burn abnormal tissue

A hysterectomy (removal of the uterus but not the ovaries) is not often performed for cervical cancer that has not spread. It may be done in women who have repeated LEEP procedures.

Treatment for more advanced cervical cancer may include:

Radical hysterectomy, which removes the uterus and much of the surrounding tissues, including lymph nodes and the upper part of the vagina.
Pelvic exenteration, an extreme type of surgery in which all of the organs of the pelvis, including the bladder and rectum, are removed.

Radiation may be used to treat cancer that has spread beyond the pelvis, or cancer that has returned. Radiation therapy is either external or internal.

Internal radiation therapy uses a device filled with radioactive material, which is placed inside the woman's vagina next to the cervical cancer. The device is removed when she goes home.
External radiation therapy beams radiation from a large machine onto the body where the cancer is located. It is similar to an x-ray.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer. Some of the drugs used for cervical cancer chemotherapy include 5-FU, cisplatin, carboplatin, ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cyclophosphamide. Sometimes radiation and chemotherapy are used before or after surgery.

Support Groups

National Cervical Cancer Coalition - http://www.nccc-online.org/

Expectations (prognosis)

Many factors influence the outcome of cervical cancer. These include:

The type of cancer
The stage of the disease
The woman's age and general physical condition

Pre-cancerous conditions are completely curable when followed up and treated properly. The chance of being alive in 5 years (5-year survival rate) for cancer that has spread to the inside of the cervix walls but not outside the cervix area is 92%.

The 5-year survival rate falls steadily as the cancer spreads into other areas.

Complications

Some types of cervical cancer do not respond well to treatment.
The cancer may come back (recur) after treatment.
Women who have treatment to save the uterus have a high risk of the cancer coming back (recurrence).
Surgery and radiation can cause problems with sexual, bowel, and bladder function.

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you:

Are a sexually active woman who has not had a Pap smear in the past year
Are at least 20 years old and have never had a pelvic examination and Pap smear
Think your mother may have taken DES when she was pregnant with you
Have not had regular Pap smears (ask your health care provider how often you should have one performed)

Prevention

A vaccine to prevent cervical cancer is now available. In June 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine called Gardasil, which prevents infection against the two types of HPV responsible for most cervical cancer cases.

Studies have shown that the vaccine appears to prevent early-stage cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. Gardasil is the first approved vaccine targeted specifically to prevent any type of cancer.

Practicing safe sex (using condoms) also reduces your risk of HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases. HPV infection causes genital warts. These may be barely visible or several inches wide. If a woman sees warts on her partner's genitals, she should avoid intercourse with that person.

To further reduce the risk of cervical cancer, women should limit their number of sexual partners and avoid partners who participate in high-risk sexual activities.

Getting regular Pap smears can help detect precancerous changes, which can be treated before they turn into cervical cancer. Pap smears effectively spot such changes, but they must be done regularly. Annual pelvic examinations, including a pap smear, should start when a woman becomes sexually active, or by the age of 20 in a nonsexually active woman.

Staph infections

2011-10-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

How are Staph infections diagnosed?

In cases of minor skin infections, staphylococcal infections are commonly diagnosed by their appearance without the need for laboratory testing. More serious staphylococcal infections such as infection of the bloodstream, pneumonia, and endocarditis require culturing of samples of blood or infected fluids. The laboratory establishes the diagnosis and performs special tests to determine which antibiotics are effective against the bacteria.

What is the treatment for Staph infections?

Minor skin infections are usually treated with an antibiotic ointment such as a nonprescription triple-antibiotic mixture. In some cases, oral antibiotics may be given for skin infections. Additionally, if abscesses are present, they are surgically drained. More serious and life-threatening infections are treated with intravenous antibiotics. The choice of antibiotic depends on the susceptibility of the particular staphylococcal strain as determined by culture results in the laboratory. Some Staph strains, such as MRSA (see next section), are resistant to many antibiotics.

What is antibiotic-resistant Staph aureus?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA, is a type of Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic methicillin and other drugs in the same class, including penicillin, amoxicillin, and oxacillin. MRSA is one example of a so-called "superbug," an informal term used to describe a strain of bacteria that has become resistant to the antibiotics usually used to treat it. MRSA first appeared in patients in hospitals and other health facilities, especially among the elderly, the very sick, and those with an open wound (such as a bedsore) or catheter in the body. In these settings, MRSA is referred to as health-care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA).
MRSA has since been found to cause illness in the community outside of hospitals and other health facilities and is known as community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) in this setting. MRSA in the community is associated with recent antibiotic use, sharing contaminated items, having active skin diseases or injuries, poor hygiene, and living in crowded settings. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 12% of MRSA infections are now community-associated, but this percentage can vary by community and patient population.
MRSA infections are usually mild superficial infections of the skin that can be treated successfully with proper skin care and antibiotics. MRSA, however, can be difficult to treat and can progress to life-threatening blood or bone infections because there are fewer effective antibiotics available for treatment.
The transmission of MRSA is largely from people with active MRSA skin infections. MRSA is almost always spread by direct physical contact and not through the air. Spread may also occur through indirect contact by touching objects (such as towels, sheets, wound dressings, clothes, workout areas, sports equipment) contaminated by the infected skin of a person with MRSA. Just as S. aureus can be carried on the skin or in the nose without causing any disease, MRSA can be carried in this way also. In contrast to the relatively high (25%-30%) percentage of adults who are colonized by Staph aureus in the nose (these people have Staph bacteria present that do not cause illness), only about 2% of healthy people carry MRSA in the nose. There are no symptoms associated with carrying Staph in general or MRSA in the nose.
A drug known as mupirocin has been shown to be effective in some cases for treating and eliminating MRSA from the nose of healthy carriers, but decolonization (treating of carriers to remove the bacteria) is usually not recommended unless there has been an outbreak of MRSA or evidence that an individual or group of people may be the source of the outbreak.
More recently, strains of Staph aureus have been identified that are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin, which is normally effective in treating Staph infections. These bacteria are referred to as vancomycin-intermediate resistance S. aureus (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant Staph aureus (VRSA).

What are complications of Staph infections?

Scalded skin syndrome is a potentially serious side effect of infection with Staph bacteria that produce a specific protein which loosens the "cement" holding the various layers of the skin together. This allows blister formation and sloughing of the top layer of skin. If it occurs over large body regions, it can be deadly, similar to a large surface area of the body having been burned. It is necessary to treat scalded skin syndrome with intravenous antibiotics and to protect the skin from allowing dehydration to occur if large areas peel off. The disease occurs predominantly in children but can occur in anyone. It is known formally as staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.click for more details

Non-disease Causing Virus Kills Breast Cancer Cells

2011-09-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

Penn State College of Medicine researchers, who tested the virus on three different breast cancer types that represent the multiple stages of breast cancer development, made the findings.

Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) is a virus that regularly infects humans but causes no disease. Past studies by the same researchers show that it promotes tumour cell death in cervical cancer cells infected with human papillomavirus.

Researchers used an unaltered, naturally occurring version of AAV2 on human breast cancer cells.

"Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world and is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women. It is also complex to treat," said Samina Alam, Ph.D., research associate in microbiology and immunology.

Craig Meyers, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology, said breast cancer is problematic to treat because of its multiple stages.

"Because it has multiple stages, you can't treat all the women the same. Currently, treatment of breast cancer is dependent on multiple factors such as hormone-dependency, invasiveness and metastases, drug resistance and potential toxicities," Meyers said.

"Our study shows that AAV2, as a single entity, targets all different grades of breast cancer," he stated.

In tissue culture dishes in the laboratory, 100 percent of the cancer cells are destroyed by the virus within seven days, with the majority of the cell death proteins activated on the fifth day

ladies that call the shuts usually have poor sex lives

2011-09-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

In a study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, women who call the shots at home, take decisions and generally have the last word, are somehow irregular with physical intimacy.

Professor Michelle Hindin, the lead author of the study, said: “A very consistent pattern was observed across all six countries we surveyed. The more decisions a woman reported making on her own, as compared to joint decision making, the less likely she was to have sex and the longer it was since she last had sex

“Spartacus” star Andy Whitfield dies at 39

2011-09-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

“Spartacus” star Andy Whitfield has died after an 18-month battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was 39.
Whitfield seemed to rise out of obscurity to play the title role in the uber-violent Starz drama. After a smash first season, Whitfield was diagnosed. Starz wanted to keep him so badly in the production, the network made the decision to air a prequel series. Whitfield went in remission and was cleared last year to return to shoot the second season of the show - then his cancer returned. Whitfield died in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by his family.
Months ago, with his blessing, Starz recast the role of Spartacus. Relative newcomer Liam McIntyre takes over the role when the show returns early next year. He has some mighty big sandals to fill.
Whitfield’s “Spartacus” co-star Lucy Lawless told Entertainment Weekly, “Obviously, Andy Whitfield left an indelible mark on all of us in the ‘Spartacus’ family. He was a gentle man who never said a bad word about anyone, a gifted photographer, engineer (no really!) and a brilliant actor. Andy’s incandescent film presence made men want to be him and women want to marry him. … How lucky we were to have him grace all our lives. Godspeed, Andy!”
It’s always a shock when someone so young and seemingly so fit dies. Whitfield was a tremendous talent and had a huge future ahead of him. This one stings today, people. To his fans and his family, all I can say is at least his work will live on.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes video with Whitfield talking about his prep work for the series in “gladiator camp.” He will be missed.

The importance of breat feeding to baby (Lactation)

2011-09-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

Breast feeding should be encouraged by education throughout pregnancy and the puerperium. Mothers should be told the benefits of breast feeding - it is emotionally satisfying, promotes mother-infant bonding, is economical, and gives significant immunity to the infant. The period of amenorrhea associated with frequent and consistent breast feeding provides some (though not completely reliable) birth control until menstruation begins at 6-12 months postpartum or the intensity of breast feeding diminishes. If the mother must return to work, even a brief period of nursing is beneficial. Transfer of immunoglobulins in colostrum and breast milk protects the infant against many systemic and enteric infections. Macrophages and lymphocytes transferred to the infant from breast milk play an immunoprotective role. The intestinal flora of breast-fed infants inhibits the growth of pathogens. Breast-fed infants have fewer bacterial and viral infections, less severe diarrhea, and fewer allergy problems than bottle-fed infants and are less apt to be obese as children and in adult life.

Frequent breast feeding on an infant-demand schedule enhances milk flow and successful breast feeding. Mothers breast feeding for the first time need help and encouragement from providers, nurses, and other nursing mothers. Milk supply can be increased by increased suckling and increased rest.

Nursing mothers should have a fluid intake of over 2 L/d. The United States RDA calls for 21 g of extra protein (over the 44 g/d baseline for an adult woman) and 550 extra kcal/d in the first 6 months of nursing. Calcium intake should be 1200 mg/d. Continuation of a prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement is wise. Strict vegetarians who eschew both milk and eggs should always take vitamin B12 supplements during pregnancy and lactation.

Effects of Drugs in a Nursing Mother

Drugs taken by a nursing mother may accumulate in milk and be transmitted to the infant. The amount of drug entering the milk depends on the drug’s lipid solubility, mechanism of transport, and degree of ionization.

Suppression of Lactation

A. Mechanical Suppression
The simplest and safest method of suppressing lactation after it has started is to gradually transfer the baby to a bottle or a cup over a 3-week period. Milk supply will decrease with decreased demand, and minimal discomfort ensues. If nursing must be stopped abruptly, the mother should avoid nipple stimulation, refrain from expressing milk, and use a snug brassiere. Ice packs and analgesics can be helpful. If suppression is desired before nursing has begun, use this same technique. Engorgement will gradually recede over a 2- to 3-day period.

B. Hormonal Suppression
Oral and long-acting injections of hormonal preparations were used at one time to suppress lactation. Because of their questionable efficacy and particularly because of associated side effects such as thromboembolic episodes and hair growth, their use for this purpose has been abandoned. Similarly, lactation suppression with bromocriptine is to be avoided because of reports of severe hypertension, seizures, strokes, and myocardial infarctions associated with its use. click to source for more

Healthy living

2011-09-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

Healthy living

You may want to ask what healthy living is. Healthy living is the act of living free from all kinds of diseases in order to stay fit physically, mentally and spiritually. This is very possible all you need is to be properly educated on how to. The first thing need to do is to be sensitive about your environmental hygiene, there is a regular saying that cleanliness is next to Godliness and that for sure I will like to say is true. most people especially in the continent of Africa are very careless and ignorant about their hygiene and this is one of the reasons for so many illness and also difficulty to understand environmental changes .if the government and co-operate individuals could take it upon themselves to clean their environment all the time then there will be no room for some of these illnesses to come in.

Proper nutrition

This is another factor affecting healthy living. Most people interpret been fat or obsessed as eating well. THAT IS VERY WRONG! What you need is not the fats or protruded stomach but the vitamins that that food gives because is the vitamins that aids the proper development of the body organs, gives you blood, energy and strong bones.

Exercises

When last do you care to take a long stroll or attempt jugging, skip ropes or pull some weights? Believe me you needed this because it helps to keep your body active, by aiding proper blood circulation, regulate heart beats and for the elderly, slow aging

Importance of healthy living

People are so busy that they often fail in paying attention to the one most important aspect of life, health. In the name of money, they do not care if healthy living is sacrificed because of amplifying work load which often leads to physical and mental fatigue in the end.

In case you are forgetting, your health is the key to your productivity. If you are healthy today and you keep ignoring to maintain it that way, you will soon be deprived if this important element of your life and being successful in everything that you do will be hard to achieve afterwards

If you indulge in a healthy living, everything follows quickly with you. Happiness, success, peace, and all positive auras will flow within enabling you to be even more productive because you are fit to do so. There is nothing more satisfying than when you know you don’t face the fear of failing anytime because of poor health.

Healthy Living is Healthy Mind

Remember that being healthy not only means having physical but mental fitness too. It is achieved by constantly nourishing the body with proper nutrients. These nutrients can be found in various food groups and your health depends largely on what you feed your body. However, you must also remember that healthy living is not achieved by simply eating the foods you like at anytime. You need a balanced diet and key to achieving this is a simple change in your lifestyle.

The Longevity Approach

Nowadays, people have become more knowledgeable about improved healthy living because of the various medical researches done over the years. All individuals, and even the children, know the importance and advantages of learning the proper nutritional contents of the food we eat and the needs of the body and mind.

Most of the researches done from the past few years take on a longevity approach. The raw food diet is just one of these researches done. It is primarily being promoted in most of the books of the diet author, David Wolfe.

The concept is about eating raw foods to keep the enzymes and vitamins consumed by the body for a healthier and fitter physical body and mind. It is just one of those researches made by the experts and there are still many others which people can take advantage of.

Conclusion

People are lucky nowadays because unlike the old days, they lack the information about the real concept of healthy living which was probably the main reason why there were numerous cases of adverse health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart failure, and many more diseases.

With the various studies about healthy living concepts now, there is no reason for you not to achieve the quality of life you should be enjoying in this world. People should also see the message of healthy living as a worthy effort towards ensuring that churches, mosques and schools in communities are used as centers for sensitization on the importance of healthy living. So, go on and start taking those steps towards ensuring that you enjoy life to the fullest! Still your Health man Trey walter saying thanks for your attention, Cheers!

Male Patients with Breast Cancer Can't Get Medicaid Coverage

2011-09-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Raymond Johnson is 26 and has male breast cancer. He works for a small construction company that does its best for him, but it doesn't provide health insurance. When he turned to Medicaid for help covering the cost of treatments, he was turned down. Medicaid rules vary by state and Johnson lives in South Carolina, where coverage for treatment of breast cancer is offered only to women.

Johnson and his mother had to absorb the shock of his cancer diagnosis and then the jolt of covering expenses with no assistance from their state. He hoped the lump in his breast was a cyst, but when it became large and painful, he sought help. A biopsy confirmed his breast cancer. He went to the Charleston Cancer Center for surgery and to get help with other treatments. It was there that he learned that he was on his own to cover the cost. Fortunately, he met a patient advocate, Susan Appelbaum, experienced in working with state bureaucracy. Appelbaum remarked, "Breast cancer is not exclusive to women, I know there's not near as many cases [in men] but it's certainly an issue to think about," she said. "What this 26-year-old man is going to endure, with chemo, radiation and surgery, we're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars. This boy is never going to recover financially."

Currently, Johnson is having neo-adjuvant chemotherapy before surgery. When chemo is given on this schedule, doctors hope to shrink the tumor and stop the possible spread of cancer. A small tumor means less surgical trauma for the patient - male or female. But the chemotherapy drugs are making it impossible for Johnson to continue working, as the side effects are debilitating. His medical bills are already over $4000, just in the early stages of his treatment. Medicaid has turned him down twice, but his patient advocate and the hospital remains positive about helping him with finances.

Appelbaum has appealed to Johnson's congressman and to local organizations that may be able to help change the laws and provide help with medical costs. "It's always one day at a time," said Appelbaum. "We will continue to try our best because we want to help people, it's our job." Meanwhile, the doctor bills and hospital bills continue to come in the mail. Johnson now goes to Roper Saint Francis Hospital, a not-for-profit organization, for treatments. He will not be denied treatment, and no collection agencies will be sent to dog him for money. Johnson's patient advocate will help work out a payment plan that is adjusted to his current financial situation.Read more stories

Planet filled with diamonds discovered

2011-08-31T17:01:00.000-07:00

Recently Astronomers spotted an exotic planet that seems to be made of diamond racing around a tiny star in our galactic backyard.
The new planet is far denser than any other known so far and consists largely of carbon. Because it is so dense, scientists calculate the carbon must be crystalline, so a large part of this strange world will effectively be diamond.
"The evolutionary history and amazing density of the planet all suggest it is comprised of carbon -- i.e. a massive diamond orbiting a neutron star every two hours in an orbit so tight it would fit inside our own Sun," said Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne.
Lying 4,000 light years away, or around an eighth of the way toward the center of the Milky Way from the Earth, the planet is probably the remnant of a once-massive star that has lost its outer layers to the so-called pulsar star it orbits.
Pulsars are tiny, dead neutron stars that are only around 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in diameter and spin hundreds of times a second, emitting beams of radiation.
In the case of pulsar J1719-1438, the beams regularly sweep the Earth and have been monitored by telescopes in Australia, Britain and Hawaii, allowing astronomers to detect modulations due to the gravitational pull of its unseen companion planet.
The measurements suggest the planet, which orbits its star every two hours and 10 minutes, has slightly more mass than Jupiter but is 20 times as dense, Bailes and colleagues reported in the journal Science on Thursday.
In addition to carbon, the new planet is also likely to contain oxygen, which may be more prevalent at the surface and is probably increasingly rare toward the carbon-rich center.
Its high density suggests the lighter elements of hydrogen and helium, which are the main constituents of gas giants like Jupiter, are not present.
Just what this weird diamond world is actually like close up, however, is a mystery.
"In terms of what it would look like, I don't know I could even speculate," said Ben Stappers of the University of Manchester. "I don't imagine that a picture of a very shiny object is what we're looking at here."