Tag Archives: professor

Avoid hearing loss: Check the decibels before entering a room

An estimated 26 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 have some form of hearing loss due to exposure to loud noise at work or at play. That’s partly because our suburban and urban lifestyle has gotten louder, due to things like city traffic, a screeching subway, a football game, a loud bar or restaurant, or leaf blowers in the suburbs.  Research has also shown that the now ubiquitous practice of listening to music through earphones increases the risk of hearing loss. Aside from damaging hearing, loud noises are also associated with stress and symptoms of stress like hypertension and cardiovascular disease. As the noise level has increased, we’ve grown accustomed to the higher decibels, so it’s become difficult to know what is normal and what is too loud. According to the National Institutes of Health, long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. The louder the sound, the shorter the time period before noise-induced hearing loss can occur. Regular exposure to more than one minute of 110 decibels or more risks permanent hearing loss. Less than 75 decibels is generally considered safe. Now to put that into perspective: Normal conversation is approximately 60 decibels, heavy city traffic can reach 85 decibels, stadium noise can roar to 120 decibels, a rock concert or symphony orchestra can reach 110 decibels, a snowmobile generates 100 decibels, and a movie hovers at 85 – but can have 100 decibel peaks. A good way of gauging high decibels is if you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone sitting or standing nearby; this is not uncommon in noisy restaurants, bars or at a concert. If the noise hurts your ears, it’s also a sign that it’s too loud. To get a more accurate reading on sound, you can download an app that can quickly measure decibels. “If you think something’s loud, you can pick up the phone and see just how loud it is,” said Dr. Annette Hurley, associate professor of communications disorders at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.   Walk into a restaurant, quickly test the decibels, and go somewhere else if it registers above 75. If you feel like being an advocate for all patrons, you can bring it to the attention of the restaurant owner, who may be able to lower the decibels simply by turning down the background music. If you’re going to a concert or other noisy venue, take earplugs to dampen the sound. Here are a few apps that Dr. Hurley recommends:  - dB Volume Meter - TooLoud? - deciBel It’s also a good idea to set maximum decibels on your personal listening device. If you’re trying to hear your music in a place that’s already noisy, it’s easy to inadvertently turn up the volume to damaging levels. Make sure it’s set below 85 decibels, recommended Dr. Hurley.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/2013/06/11/avoid-hearing-loss-check-decibels-before-entering-room/

7 ways to cut your diabetes risk

Defend yourself against prediabetes and type 2 diabetes by sticking to these lifestyle habits, like lifting weights and getting a good night's sleep Hit the Weights Upping your lean muscle mass could lower your insulin resistance and drop your odds of developing prediabetes, according to a new study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Researchers found that for every 10 percent increase in muscle mass, people's prediabetes risk fell by 12 percent.  Build three days of resistance training into your weekly fitness plan, Sheri Colberg-Ochs, a professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University, said. And aim for at least two and a half hours a week of glucose-burning cardio activity such as running, cycling or swimming. MORE: 4 Muscle-Sculpting Kettlebell Exercises Score Enough Sleep Long-term sleep deprivation may amp up the body's insulin resistance, especially in people genetically predisposed to diabetes. A preliminary University of Chicago study found that those who regularly snoozed fewer than six hours a night were at the highest risk. Try to get at least seven hours of shut-eye each evening. MORE: 15 Tricks to Sleep Better Tonight Fiber Up The rough stuff isn't just good for digestion—it also curbs post-meal sugar spikes by slowing down the flow of glucose into the bloodstream. So when you crave something sweet, opt for fiber-rich fruit such as raspberries or pears. And consider adding brown rice to your diet: Eating two or more servings a week lowers diabetes risk by 11 percent, an Archives of Internal Medicine study said. MORE: What Your Food Cravings Say About Your Health Chill Out Chronic stress is a risk factor for many major diseases, including diabetes.  “When your body senses stress, it releases hormones that increase blood sugar,” Colberg-Ochs said.  That rush is beneficial in a pinch but dangerous long-term. Regularly practicing deep breathing or meditation, listening to calming music or getting massages can quell stress hormones and help lower overall blood sugar, she said. MORE: 8 Daily Strategies That De-Stress Your Life Embrace the Omegas The omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like oily fish (wild salmon, sardines) can help improve insulin sensitivity. Nosh on at least one serving of such seafood a week. Do the D The “sunshine vitamin” may be a key factor in the fight against diabetes. A review published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that people with high vitamin-D levels were less likely to develop type 2. Swallow 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day through dairy foods, fatty fish, or supplements. Spice Things Up Cinnamon may be an ace at lowering blood sugar levels, research in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine said. Rich in nutrients called polyphenols, the sweet spice may help insulin do its job more effectively. Sprinkle some into your morning joe or mix it into an oatmeal snack.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/10/7-ways-to-cut-your-diabetes-risk/

Math technique de-clutters cancer-cell data, revealing tumor evolution, treatment leads

Using increasingly cheap and rapid methods to read the billions of "letters" that comprise human genomes — including the genomes of individual cells sampled from cancerous tumors — scientists are generating far more data than they can easily interpret. Today, two scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) publish a mathematical method of simplifying and interpreting genome data bearing evidence of mutations, such as those that characterize specific cancers. Not only is the technique highly accurate; it has immediate utility in efforts to parse tumor cells, in order to determine a patient’s prognosis and the best approach to treatment. …

Normal molecular pathway affected in poor-prognosis childhood leukemia identified

Leukemia often occurs due to chromosomal translocations, which are broken chromosomes that cause blood cells to grow uncontrollably. One gene that is involved in chromosomal translocations found at high frequency in childhood leukemia is the MLL1 (Mixed Lineage Leukemia 1) gene. Conventional chemotherapy is very ineffective at curing patients with this translocation, in contrast to other types of childhood leukemia, which are relatively curable. …

Gene variant may provide novel therapy for several cancer types

This landmark study is published in the June 6, 2013 issue of the journal Science. Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Oncological Sciences led the team that discovered a mutation in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, which has subsequently been recognized as the second most common mutation in cancer, especially in breast, prostate, and brain cancers. PTEN encodes a 403 amino acid lipid phosphatase protein that is critical to cellular growth, proliferation, and survival…

Tumors disable immune cells by using up sugar

The scientists found that when they kept sugar away from critical immune cells called T cells, the cells no longer produced interferon gamma, an inflammatory compound important for fighting tumors and some kinds of infection. "T cells can get into tumors, but unfortunately they are often ineffective at killing the cancer cells," said Erika Pearce, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and immunology. …

New liver cell for cellular therapy to aid in liver regeneration

"The discovery of the novel progenitor represents a fundamental advance in this field and potentially to the liver regeneration field using cell therapy," said the study’s senior author, Valerie Gouon-Evans, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor, in the Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "Until now, liver transplantation has been the most successful treatment for people with liver failure, but we have a drastic shortage of organs…

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/