Tag Archives: foxnews

Disinfecting robot zaps superbugs

A new breakthrough in superbug fighting technology is changing the way patients view hospitals—and it goes by the name TRU-D. The Total Room Ultraviolet Disinfector uses a modified germicidal light to zap bacteria and viruses, and with just one use, it has 99.9 percent disinfection of bacteria and spores, such as influenza and norovirus. “It stops the bacterial organisms from reproducing, and any organism that can't reproduce can't colonize on a patients’ body,” said Michael Hossary, director of environmental services at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. The TRU-D robot is used in patient isolation areas like the operating room and intensive care unit. After being placed in the room, all drawers are opened, all doors are closed and safety signs are put outside the room to ensure no one enters. The robot is then activated remotely. TRU-D’s Sensor360 technology automatically calculates the UV dose required to disinfect a room. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours and can destroy deadly superbugs like C. difficile and MRSA. According to the Centers for Disease Control, C. difficile is linked to 14,000 American deaths each year. TRU-D is only used after traditional hospital cleaning methods are used. “Traditional cleanup methods for isolation patients usually include use of germicidal chemicals on all high touch point surfaces, replacement of the curtains, washing of the walls to ensure patient safety and reduce infection rates,” Hossary said. Over 100 devices are now being used in hospitals across the U.S. and Canada, and Hossary said it’s just one more step to keep patients healthy – especially since most people who visit the hospital are already apprehensive. “It's not easy knowing that you have to go to the hospital,” Hossary said. “Whether it’s for elective surgery or some unexpected event that happens in your life where you have to end up in the ER. So the uncertainty is definitely there, and we want to give patients a piece of mind for that.”source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/05/disinfecting-robot-zaps-superbugs/

US births remain steady in 2012

The number of babies born yearly in the United States appears to be leveling off, after declining for the last few years, a new report says. In 2012, there were 3,958,000 babies born in the United States, according to early estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's about the same as the number of births in 2011, the report says. The number of U.S. births has been decline since 2007, when a record-breaking 4,316,233 babies were born —more births than at the height of the baby boom in the 1950s. But the downward trend slowed between 2010 and 2011, and “essentially flattened” between 2011 and 2012, the report says. The country's birth rate has followed a similar trend, peaking in 2007 at 69.3 births per 1,000 women, and declining until 2011, after which it stabilized. In 2012, there were 63.2 births per 1,000 women between ages 15 and 44, essentially the same as the rate in 2011, the report says. The report is published June 6 by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/06/us-births-remain-steady-in-2012/

Could you be allergic to the sun?

That’s right! It is possible to be allergic to the sun! Exposure to sunlight can trigger a variety of nasty skin conditions that affect one in five people. So who’s at risk? Being of a Caucasian or Native American descent may make having a sun allergy more likely, although correlation between skin color and solar skin allergies is still up for debate among researchers. Certain antibiotics such as tetracycline, sulfonamides and/or having eczema can increase the likelihood of sun-related skin problems. If you have a relative with allergic skin reactions to sun, then you are also at an increased risk. Sunlight can actually trigger hives, and those who are affected have red blotchy skin associated frequently with itchiness on sun-exposed areas of their body.  This tends to occur quickly, and in most cases, resolves itself in about a day.   Heat can also trigger hives, simply from an increase in body temperature.  Many of my patients who exercise, particularly when their immediate environment is very warm, or if they are “over-dressed,” find that these conditions may trigger hives and itchy skin. Another increasingly common malady is being allergic to your sunscreen. It generally occurs at the point of application of the product you are using, but it is more likely to appear on sun-exposed areas. The distribution may include your face but often spares affecting the eyelids.   Other less-common causes include a variety of autoimmune diseases, such as Lupus. In that case blood tests and/or a skin biopsy may help pinpoint the cause.  In some cases, sun allergy will manifest only when exposed to other triggers such as plants and/or fruits and vegetables. A solar-triggered rash may also have other symptoms including headaches, redness, hives and blisters. Clothing can provide significant protection as well as using an umbrella and a wide-brimmed hat.   Using a physical blocking sunscreen that generally contains micronized (almost invisible) zinc and/or titanium may be gentler on your skin, particularly if you have sensitive skin and/or allergic reactions to “chemical sunscreens.” Oral antihistamines can often reduce the severity of symptoms, although this is no guarantee! Other complementary treatments include topical steroid creams and, of course, avoidance of direct sunlight.   Don’t forget to reduce your outdoor direct sunlight exposure, especially between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.   As always, work with a dermatologist and allergist to get proper advice and care for sun-allergy and photosensitivity reactions.Dr. Clifford Bassett is an adult and pediatric allergy specialist, and diplomat of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. He is the medical director of& Allergy and Asthma Care of NY.& & Bassett is a clinical assistant professor of medicine and on the teaching faculty of NYU School of Medicine and NYU Langone Medical Center and assistant clinical professor of Medicine and Otolaryngology at SUNY LICH. Follow him on& Twitter. & source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/06/could-be-allergic-to-sun/

In-flight emergencies: Not as common as you think

Medical emergencies can occur at any time and that means, even while you’re on vacation or flying to your destination. But don’t be alarmed; you may be surprised as to how rare they are. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine investigated the outcomes of medical emergencies on commercial flights between 2008 and 2010.   They found that for every 1 million passengers, 16 emergencies occurred – in other words, one emergency for every 600 flights.   The most common emergencies included fainting at 37.4 percent, respiratory symptoms at 12.1 percent and nausea or vomiting at 9.5 percent.  Interestingly, cardiovascular events like cardiac arrest, and obstetric or gynecological issues each accounted for less than or equal to 0.5 percent.   The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates that all aircraft carry an emergency medical kit.  These kits are required to have, among other things, aspirin tablets, nitroglycerine tablets, saline solution and epinephrine. These kits are designed to provide flight crew or on-board medical professionals with resources to treat ill passengers, after consulting a ground-based physician in a medical communication center.   According to the report, flights had to be diverted and land at a different destination in only 7.3 percent of the cases.  Often, the reason flights were able to continue to the original destination is because of the training of the flight crew, the supplies in mandatory medical kits and the presence of medical professionals on board.   Oxygen was the most commonly used treatment almost 50 percent of the time, followed by saline solution at 5.2 percent and aspirin at 5 percent. This study does a nice job quantifying the incidence of in-flight medical emergencies and the resulting treatments and providers.   Keep in mind that such medical emergencies are rare, but do occur daily given the vast amount of airline travel across the world.   Rest assured that traveling physicians and other medical professionals are often on board and able to help ill passengers; at minimum, the flight crew will have contact with a physician at an academic medical communication center to remotely aid in treatment.  Dr. David B. Samadi is the Vice Chairman of the Department of Urology and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He is a board-certified urologist, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of urological disease, with a focus on robotic prostate cancer treatments. To learn more please visit his websites RoboticOncology.com and SMART-surgery.com. Find Dr. Samadi on Facebook.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/05/in-flight-emergencies-not-as-common-as-may-think/

Energy drinks no better than caffeine, study suggests

Despite the “special blend” of ingredients, energy drinks work no better than ordinary caffeine at helping us pay attention, a new study suggests. In the study, researchers examined participants' brain activity while they performed a task designed to require attention. Specifically, the researchers looked at how fast the brain responded to a change in letters appearing on a computer screen. Before the task, participants consumed 8 ounces of either water, water with caffeine, or water containing the energy drink 5-Hour Energy. The caffeinated drinks were adjusted so that they had the same amount of caffeine per pound of participants' body weight, and all drinks were colored blue. During the task, participants who drank the caffeinated drinks had faster brain responses, compared with those who drank plain water. But there was no difference in brain activity between those who consumed caffeinated water, and those who consumed 5-Hour Energy. More from LiveScience “A lot of people take the energy drinks because they think they have that extra boost over caffeine,” said study researcher Chelsea Benham, a student at Centre College in Danville, Ky. But the study shows “there's really no difference,” Benham said. In terms of boosting attention, a cup of coffee “would do you just as well,” if it had the same amount of caffeine as an energy drink, she said. A 2-ounce bottle of 5-Hour Energy contains about 215 milligrams of caffeine, the equivalent of about two cups of coffee. An advantage of 5-Hour Energy is that it contains a concentrated amount of caffeine — people need to consume a larger volume of coffee to get the same amount of caffeine. However, there has been concern over the safety of energy drinks in general because of their ability to deliver high doses of caffeine in such a concentrated form. Last year, the FDA said it had received reports of health problems linked with 5-Hour Energy, including heart attacks and death, although the reports do not prove that the energy drink was the cause of these problems. Some health experts have been concerned about the combination of compounds in energy drinks, and are calling for more research to determine what amount is safe to consume. Energy drinks can contain chemicals such as guarana, taurine, L-carnitine, ginseng and yohimbine. In the new study, researchers also did not find a difference in participants' physical reaction times (on a test that involved clicking a computer mouse when a particular letter appeared on a screen), regardless of whether they consumed a caffeinated or non- caffeinated drink. Benham said this may have been because the test took only 20 minutes. Over a longer period, she said she suspects there would be a difference. The study was presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science in Washington, D.C., on May 26. Benham conducted the work with her adviser, KatieAnn Skogsberg, an assistant professor of psychology and behavioral neuroscience at Centre College. Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/05/energy-drinks-no-better-than-caffeine-study-suggests/

Tips for eating healthy while traveling

Summertime is vacation time – from road trips and family reunions to long flights, making healthy food choices can sometimes seem impossible. But by following a few guidelines and doing a little bit of prep work, you can easily make healthy choices on even the most exotic vacation. Fill your suitcase The last thing you want to do when you first arrive is go shopping for healthy snacks. Instead, prepare snack-sized baggies that you can easily throw into your beach bag or pocket. Keep all the small baggies together by storing them in a larger plastic storage bag. Some great choices include trail mix with dried fruits and nuts, individual packets of nut butters, dehydrated kale chips, dried coconut slices and your favorite jerky. When choosing jerky, make sure to look for brands with no added preservatives, and be creative so you don’t get bored by trying salmon or turkey jerky instead of beef. Even a can of sardines, wild salmon or tuna can be made into a quick meal in a pinch. Air travel Make sure to eat a healthy, protein-packed meal right before leaving to cut down on the temptation of airport fast food, or take a light meal with you. Small frozen gel packs are great for keeping snacks cool for a few hours and usually have no trouble getting through security. Look for sets that are sold for diaper bags since they tend to be streamlined and don’t take up much space. Choose snacks that are nutrient-dense so you don’t need a large quantity to fill you up. Veggie sticks and cheese cubes, avocado slices, fresh coconut slices and hard-boiled eggs are easy to eat without utensils. Apples and bananas are usually easy to find and make a great snack when paired with a packet of nut butter. Road trips Investing in a small cooler will greatly reduce your chances of giving in to the drive-through window. Fill it with fresh fruit, veggie sticks, hard-boiled eggs, chicken-avocado salad and sandwiches. When making sandwiches, choose sprouted, or whole-grain bread – or wrap it all up in a lettuce leaf for a grain-free option. Look for deli meats that are free of nitrates and preservatives, add some lettuce and sliced avocado as a healthy fat instead of mayonnaise. Make sure you layer any condiments (pickles, mustard, and tomatoes) between the protein slices so the bread, or lettuce wrap, doesn’t get soggy. Homemade oatmeal cookies or granola bars made with a touch of honey and filled with dried fruits and nuts make a great kid-friendly snack on the go. If you get caught hungry at a gas station, choose high-protein snacks such as sunflower seeds, nuts, fruit and nut bars or a banana. Restaurants Of course you want to indulge on vacation, but indulging at every meal may make it harder to get back into your healthy routine when you get back home. Choose one meal a day, or every two days, as an indulgence, and skip the breadbasket so you’re not tempted to fill up on empty calories before the meal. Choose grilled, broiled, steamed, roasted, baked or poached for your proteins and ask for vegetables to be steamed so they don’t end up floating in oil. Try ordering a salad with olive oil and fresh lemon juice as an appetizer and choose an appetizer for a main course, or choose two appetizers for your dinner. It’s a great way to try different things without going overboard. Hotels Hotel breakfasts tend to offer a lot of high-sugar, high-carbohydrate items such as pancakes and processed cereals. Choose high-protein eggs instead and add veggies to your omelet if you can. Try finding a hotel with a fridge or request that the mini bar be emptied before you arrive so that you can use it during your stay. Stock it with perishables such as fresh veggie sticks, berries, organic full-fat yogurt, kefir and organic cheese. Pack your own individual oatmeal breakfasts in plastic baggies. Add old-fashioned rolled oats, cacao nibs, shredded coconut, dried cherries, slivered almonds and even some whey protein. Pour the mixture into a bowl covered with water or coconut milk the night before, store it in the fridge and your breakfast will be waiting for you in the morning.Jacqueline Banks is a certified holistic health counselor and busy mother. & Her focus is on helping other busy moms in all stages of motherhood keep themselves and their little ones healthy and happy. & She uses natural and organic solutions to solve individual health problems and promote clean living. Check out her website at www.jbholistic.com.& & source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/05/tips-for-eating-healthy-while-traveling/

Obesity surgery-diabetes study shows pros and cons

Obesity surgery worked much better at reducing and even reversing diabetes than medication and lifestyle changes in one of the most rigorous studies of its kind. But the researchers and others warn that possible serious complications need to be considered. The yearlong study indicates that the most common weight-loss surgery, gastric bypass, can effectively treat diabetes in patients with mild to moderate obesity - about 50 to 70 pounds overweight, the researchers reported Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Other studies have shown the operation can reverse diabetes in severely obese patients, although sometimes the disease comes back. About a third of the 60 adults who got bypass surgery in the new study developed serious problems within a year of the operation, though some cases were not clearly linked with the surgery. That rate is similar to what's been seen in previous studies. But for the most serious complications - infections, intestinal blockages and bleeding - the rate was 6 percent, slightly higher than in earlier research. The most dangerous complication occurred in one patient when stomach contents leaked from the surgery site, leading to an overwhelming infection, leg amputation and brain injury. Lead author Dr. Sayeed Ikramuddin, an obesity surgeon at the University of Minnesota, called that case “a fluke.” A journal editorial says such devastating complications are rare, but that “the frequency and severity of complications ... is problematic” in the study and that the best way to treat patients with both obesity and diabetes “remains unknown.” A research review in the journal said more long-term evidence on risks and benefits is needed to determine if obesity surgery is an appropriate way to treat diabetes in patients who aren't severely obese - at least 100 pounds overweight. More than 20 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes; most are overweight or obese. Diabetics face increased risks for heart disease and strokes, and poorly controlled diabetes can damage the kidneys, eyes and blood vessels. About 160,000 people nationwide undergo various types of obesity surgery each year. Bypass surgery, the type studied, involves stapling the stomach to create a small pouch and attaching it to a lower part of the intestines. The American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery says obesity surgery is safe and that the death rate is less than 1 percent, lower than for gallbladder and hip replacement surgery. The study involved 120 patients at five hospitals in New York, Minnesota and Taiwan. All patients got medicines for diabetes, obesity, cholesterol and/or high blood pressure. They all were advised to cut calories and increase physical activity. Sixty patients also had surgery, and the two groups were compared after one year. The surgery group lost on average nearly 60 pounds and 75 percent lowered blood sugar levels to normal or near normal levels. The non-surgery group lost an average 17 pounds and just 30 percent reached the blood-sugar goal. The surgery group also needed less medication after the operation. The researchers say the diabetes changes were likely due to the weight loss but that hormonal changes affecting blood sugar may have contributed. The surgery group showed a trend toward having less high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol - both major risk factors for heart disease, although those between-group differences could have been due to chance. Ikramuddin, the lead author, said the study results don't mean that all mildly obese diabetics should have obesity surgery, but that “in the correct patient, surgery might be an important thing to consider.”source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/05/obesity-surgery-diabetes-study-shows-pros-and-cons/

New app provides health info straight from doctors

Being in the dark about your health can be very unsettling, so people often turn to the Internet for answers. But sometimes, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction on web sites. To help people get better answers to their biggest health questions, two physicians developed a free new app called iTriage. The app’s content is written by a team of doctors and health professionals, and the information available on the app has been reviewed by Harvard Medical School, according to iTriage’s web site. The app includes tools to check symptoms, explore possible causes, research medications and even find a doctor. Additionally, a section on the app called My iTriage allows users to store their personal health records and insurance information. The iTriage app is a useful tool, but if you’re sick, be sure to seek professional help. For more information go to iTriageHealth.comsource : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/05/new-app-provides-health-info-straight-from-doctors/

Research for Her: Bridging the gender gap in health studies

Before Kelli Sargent’s mother, Nanci, was diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer in 2000, she and her family knew little about the disease’s warning signs. Frustrated by the lack of research and awareness surrounding ovarian cancer, Sargent and her mother started a nonprofit called “Run for Her” in conjunction with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 2005. The event, a 5,000-meter run held in Los Angeles, raises funds and spreads awareness about ovarian cancer. Though Nanci lost her battle with ovarian cancer five years ago, Run for Her is still dedicated to its mission. Now, a new program at Cedars-Sinai called Research for Her is collaborating with Run for Her to overcome another obstacle standing in the way of improved outcomes for ovarian cancer patients: the lack of women participating in clinical trials. Women are historically underrepresented in clinical trials and erasing this gender gap could help scientist’s develop better screening methods for diseases like ovarian cancer – something that Sargent believes could have saved her mother’s life. “If you catch ovarian cancer early…it’s basically curable. You have such an optimistic future,” Sargent told FoxNews.com. “But only less than 20 percent of cases are caught early.” Sign up, save lives While doctors are uncertain why fewer women choose to enroll in clinical trials, they know unequal gender representation in studies can have serious health implications. “If we don’t find out how drugs work in the real population, then they may simply not work as well as we hope that we do,” Dr. BJ Rimel, co-founder of Research for Her and a gynecologic oncologist in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Cedars-Sinai, told FoxNews.com. Furthermore, the lack of female research participants has slowed studies seeking to explore the basic causes and markers of diseases like ovarian cancer.  Understanding the basic mechanisms behind these disorders could help lead to earlier detection methods – and ultimately save lives. It wasn’t until Rimel began her career at Cedars-Sinai in 2011, with a dream of conducting clinical trials, that she understood the severity of the problem. “I realized the enrollment for clinical trials at Cedars was abysmal,” Rimel said. “We weren’t making a dent. We were offering all these great things, but nothing was happening.” Rimel eventually met Dr. Catherine Deng, associate director of the Wasserman Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program and surgeon at the Saul and Joyce Brandman Breast Center at Cedars-Sinai, who was having difficulty getting women to sign up for her breast cancer registry. With help from the already established Run for Her, the two women joined forces and launched the Research for Her clinical trial online registry. Doctors suspect that women haven't signed up for clinical trails in the past because of a lack of information, or because of the difficult sign-up process. Previously, the registration process for clinical trials was cumbersome, done primarily in the doctor’s office and using pen and paper.   “Women aren’t going to seek out a clinical trial when they have 19 other things to do, just to figure out if they qualify,” Sargent said. But with Research for Her, the sign-up process is easy. It takes only about 10 minutes, can be done online and all medical information is confidential, according to Rimel. If a woman qualifies for a trial, a research coordinator will contact her personally with more information – though there is no obligation to participate. “We want to make this simple,” Rimel said. And they seem to be on to something. Since the program’s launch on March 18, Research for Her has succeeded in registering 160 women for clinical trials – a huge increase for the program. Promising research One exciting trial currently benefitting from the Research for Her registry seeks to pinpoint chemical markers in the blood that may act as early identifiers for ovarian cancer. “We are trying to enroll women in the study (that are) already at risk for ovary cancer. The general population has a low risk, but for women with a high risk, we don’t know how best to screen them,” Rimel said. Thanks to the registry, researchers have been able to connect with a larger pool of women eligible to participate in the trial. “This registry has allowed us to find these women and contact them and get people in the study…that we haven’t been able to fill before now,” Rimel said.   Ultimately, Rimel and Deng hope to register 2,000 women through Research for Her by the end of the year. But in the long term, Rimel hopes that the program will be used nationwide to boost participation in clinical trials and further the progress of medical research. “Right now, it’s a single institution, but we hope if this takes off that we can network with others to make it a real way to help people (get) in clinical trials,” Rimel said. “That is my dream for this.” Sargent hopes that getting the word out about registry will help improve detection and treatment methods for women’s cancers – and save other women battling the disease that their mothers fought. “There is so much to learn, especially as research is advancing,” Sargent said. “They need this information from women.” Click for more on Research for Her. source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/04/research-for-her-bridging-gender-gap-in-health-studies/

Sunscreen slows skin aging, study shows

Though you may rely on anti-wrinkle creams packed with antioxidants and cosmeceuticals to keep your skin looking young, a new study suggests that you may be better off smoothing on sunscreen.   This is the first large study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, to demonstrate that sunscreen not only slows skin aging, but may also reverse it.  Researchers compared photoaging in 900 men and women from Australia over a four year period between 1992 and 1996. Photoaging is associated with coarser and slack skin, increased wrinkling and dryness, an increase in visible small blood vessels and white and blackheads on the face. The adults, who were all under age 55, were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was told to apply an SPF 15+ sunscreen every day. They were instructed to apply it to their head, neck, arms and hands every morning, and to reapply after heavy sweating, swimming, or spending more than a few hours outdoors. A second group could use sunscreen at their discretion. The adults were also randomized to take either a B-carotene supplement, which some believe protects against photoaging, or a placebo supplement. Their skin was assessed at the start and finish of the study.   By the end of the study, 77 percent of the participants told to use sunscreen every day were applying sunscreen at least 3 to 4 days per week, compared to 33 percent of discretionary users. Compared with discretionary sunscreen users, those assigned to daily sunscreen use were 24 percent less likely to show increased aging. The skin-saving effect of sunscreen was observed in all daily-use participants, regardless of age. At the beginning of the study, 58 percent of participants had moderate photoaging, but by the end of the study, that number dropped to 49 percent, suggesting a decrease in photoaging in some of the participants. There was no difference in photoaging among those taking carotene supplement and those taking the placebo. However, the authors said that they could not rule out a small increase or decrease in skin aging as a result of carotene supplementation. Though it was widely believed that sunscreen could delay aging, there has been little evidence of this until now. Notably, an increase in photoaging is also significantly associated with an increased risk of actinic keratoses (thick patches of skin) and skin cancer. Regularly applying sunscreen can prevent cosmetic changes and may reduce the risk of skin cancer as well, the authors wrote. To protect your face from aging, apply a daily moisturizer with an SPF 15 or greater.Laurie Tarkan is an award-winning health journalist whose work appears in the New York Times, among other national magazines and websites. She has authored several health books, including “Perfect Hormone Balance for Fertility.” Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/03/sunscreen-slows-skin-aging-study-shows/