The Radical Medical Blog

Pregnancy tumor linked to poor dental health

2007-09-22T01:41:00.000-07:00

What is a pregnancy tumor?

A pregnancy tumor is a red glistening growth that is usually in the mouth during the later part of a pregnancy. It may bleed easily, cause discomfort when chewing food, and be a sign of poor dental health.

It is not cancer. The term "tumor" refers to any swelling or enlargement of a spontaneous growth of tissue. Pregnancy tumors have many names: pyogenic granuloma, granuloma of pregnancy, lobular capillary hemangioma, and pregnancy epulides. Shakespeare was right when he wrote "A rose by any other name is still a rose." If you get the diagnosis of any of the above mentioned conditions, they really are all the same thing.

The hormones that increase in a pregnancy are: HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin hormone), HPL (human placental lactogen), estrogen, and progesterone. All of these hormones play a role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

Progesterone is produced by the ovaries and the placenta. Progesterone helps the placenta function and stimulates the thickening of the uterine lining. However, it also affects the tissues in the mouth. Progesterone can increase the production of plaque. Plaque in the mouth is invisible. Plaque is actually a mass of microorganisms that grow on the teeth and at the roots of teeth. It leads to decay of both the teeth and the gums.

Women who have a history of gum disease are at greater risk for developing a pregnancy tumor. Some people blame pregnancy tumors solely on the hormones of the pregnancy. However, there is increased evidence that a combination of poor oral hygiene and increased levels of progesterone make a woman more susceptible to not only pregnancy tumors but also gingivitis and periodontitis.

If a woman does develop a pregnancy tumor, the dentist may be able to identify the cause, remove it and prevent further growth. Untreated tumors can lead to further tooth and gum decay. Women with untreated dental disease are also at greater risk of having a premature baby. Dental health is very important to both the mother and the baby.

Within five to six days after the birth of the baby, the level of progesterone drops dramatically. The hormones associated with lactation (the making of milk) are different than the hormones of pregnancy, thereby decreasing the risk of plaque formation. But it is still very important to practice good oral hygiene. That means: Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, floss at least once a day and rinse with an antimicrobial mouth rinse, and, of course, have your teeth professionally cleaned every six months.

Take care of your teeth because they are part of your smile. As Mother Teresa loved to say: "Love begins with a smile."

Original Article is HERE. Article By : Katie Powers, R.N., is a board-certified lactation consultant and perinatal educator at Manatee Memorial Hospital's Family BirthPlace. Her column appears every other week in WellBeing. Contact her at katie.powers@mmhhs.com.

Drugs, Fashion- Ruined Life

2007-09-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

Video:
New Delhi: It's a riches to rags story of Geetanjali Nagpal, a former super model who once walked the ramp with Sushmita Sen, but today is forced to lead a desolate life on the streets of Delhi.

She now dresses in shabby clothes and begs for scraps for a living. Some NGOs and the Delhi Commission for Women have now offered her help.

Daughter of a navy officer, Geetanjali studied at Mount Carmel School in Delhi and later graduated from Lady Sriram College.

Little is known about the former model's personal life and the circumstances that led to her ruin. However, sources say she lost assignments and got into drugs to cope with stress.

Geetanjali studied fashion designing at South Delhi Polytechnic and ventured into modeling in 1990. She was living-in with a British man in Goa until recently.

FULL STORY HERE

AIDS stigma: Father forced to deliver baby

2007-06-29T03:36:00.000-07:00

A man was allegedly forced to deliver his own baby when doctors refused to attend to his HIV positive wife in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district.
Sunita, who has been undergoing treatment at the Meerut Medical College, was taken to the hospital when she went into labour on Wednesday night.
But doctors and other staff refused to attend to the 28-year-old and did not even allow her to be taken to the labour room.

''The baby could have died or I could have died but the doctors were not bothered. We did not get blankets, food or milk. There were no facilities. Doctors asked us to go to Delhi or else, they said they would hand us over to the police. They said that we would spread HIV here,'' said Sunita.

Prejudice over duty?
As the situation became critical, her husband, Rahees Abbas, was forced to deliver the baby himself as doctors stood aside giving him instructions. ''I told the doctors that my wife is about to deliver the baby. They said they will come along. They came but simply stood in a line and asked me to pull out the baby and cut the umbilical cord.
They even asked me to clean up the all the blood and burn the waste. ''Even after the delivery, not a single doctor came and asked about my wife's health. It was only yesterday that we got some medicine and that too from the store outside,'' said Abbas.A baby boy was born to the couple who have three daughters.

Although the hospital has demanded an explanation from the doctors and staff on duty, it is treating the couple's complaint with some skepticism.''How can I believe what he said? These days those who have HIV think they will get media sympathy by blaming others. So how can I blindly believe what he said?'' argued Dr Abhilasha Gupta, Head, Gynaecology Department, Medical College, Meerut.

Probe ordered
The incident highlights the shocking extent of prejudice against the disease even among doctors and has sparked off outrage in the medical community.The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a state level enquiry into the incident.

Full Story..

Fighting Cancer with Video Games

2007-06-21T01:09:00.001-07:00

Check out the positive impact video games like Re-Mission can have on patients fighting cancer.
Parents struggle, strain and stress out trying to get sick children to take their medicine. Typically, this involves insidious tactics like crushing pills into pudding and playing endless hours of "Aspirin Airplane," but judging by the piles of strained peas covering kitchen floors, it's clear the kids usually win.
When it comes to fighting cancer, however, coercion takes a back seat to innovation. Instead of tricking patients into taking their pills, a joint effort by Cigna Healthcare and HopeLab is helping afflicted youth better understand their illness through an action-packed computer game.
Re-Mission is a third-person shooter that lets users fight cancer as a perky nanobot named Roxxi. Each of the game's 20 missions drops the player into the body of a patient afflicted with a specific form of cancer, ranging from common diseases like Hodgkins to rarities like Ewing's sarcoma. Featuring weapons like the Chemo Blaster, the Radiation Gun, and the Antibiotic Rocket, the game encourages users to zap malignant cells while enlisting the aid of helpful characters like Dendritic cells, T-cells and Platelets.
Unlike most educational gaming efforts, Re-Mission was designed from the start to be a viable, challenging action game. High-end 3D graphics, multiple weapon upgrades, and a variety of meters to manage have helped stave off the dreaded "edutainment" label that many gamers equate with a distinct lack of fun. By way of its visceral punch and frantic action, the product has even earned a "Teen" rating.
Most importantly, the game seems to be working on a medical level. The results of a 2006 Re-Mission study indicate that most of the respondents showed an increase in cancer knowledge and an improvement in their ability to manage treatment.
Re-Mission is being distributed to cancer patients for free at http://www.cigna.com/Re-mission. Further information can be found at http://www.re-mission.net/, which also houses the product's community site.

Bush vetoes embryonic stem cell funding

2007-06-21T00:25:00.000-07:00

As he rejects such a bill for the second time, the president calls for study of tissue that would not 'destroy human life.'

WASHINGTON — President Bush on Wednesday vetoed legislation that would have allowed the use of federal funds to support embryonic stem cell research, the second consecutive year he has blocked such a bill. Proponents say embryonic stem cells — which can turn into cells for many different kinds of human tissue — offer the best chance of treating or curing many debilitating or fatal diseases.

But opponents, like Bush, argue that research on the cells, which can be derived from human embryos created during in-vitro fertilization treatments, effectively destroys a human life.In announcing the veto, Bush said he took heart from studies released this month that suggested it may be possible to grow stem cells from sources other than human embryos. "Destroying human life in the hopes of saving human life is not ethical — and it is not the only option before us," Bush said in remarks in the White House's ornate East Room after the veto. "Researchers are now developing promising new techniques that offer the potential to produce pluripotent stem cells without having to destroy human life." "Pluripotent" stem cells can become any of the three layers of cells from which all organs and tissues develop.At the same time, Bush issued an executive order to the National Institutes of Health, asking scientists to pursue research on stem cells that "are derived without creating a human embryo for research purposes or destroying, discarding, or subjecting to harm a human embryo or fetus."

Critics accused the president of using the executive order, which does not need congressional approval, to give the appearance of supporting stem cell research when in fact he has been holding it back. "Last year, the Republican-controlled House and Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill to open up the hope of stem cell research to the millions of Americans who suffer. That was a proud day," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)."Now a year has passed, and our best scientists continue to work with one hand tied behind their back. A year has passed, and countless thousands more Americans have been diagnosed with cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries, heart disease and ALS" — a reference to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said that the president has always advocated ethical research on stem cells and that the executive order will make sure that continues. "The policy change is that when you're taking a look at pluripotent stem cell lines, it is no longer limited strictly to embryonic stem cell lines. So that is a change in the law," Snow said. The stem cell bill passed both houses of Congress this spring with strong majorities, but overriding the veto would require a two-thirds vote in each chamber. The Senate appears to be one vote shy of the two-thirds mark, and the House is about 35 votes short.

Stem cell research has been a tricky issue for Bush since the first year of his administration, when he made a decision to permit scientists to continue to use several existing strains of embryonic stem cells but denied federal funding that would create new ones. Opponents of that policy say that research efforts have been hampered by myriad factors, including the limited amount of funding available through private sources and contamination of the existing cell lines. Wednesday's veto was only the third Bush has cast. In addition to two stem cell vetoes, the president in May vetoed a war funding bill that included a timeline for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Study: Ratings of Sunscreens

2007-06-20T02:43:00.000-07:00

Environmental Working Group Tells How Well They Ward Off Various Harmful Rays
(CBS) A Web site that assesses the effectiveness and safety of almost 800 sunscreens was unveiled Tuesday morning. The sunscreen screening site, put together by the Environmental Working Group, gives detailed information about all the products and groups them by the types of harmful rays they're meant to protect against.

The EWG has cautioned the public in the past about health concerns involving certain cosmetics and seafood. It unveiled the sunscreens site on Early Show Tuesday. Jane Houlihan, the EWG's vice president of research, supervised the site's construction. She explained to co-anchor Julie Chen that there are two things people need from sunscreens more than anything else. One is broad spectrum coverage, from both UVA and UVB rays. The other is stability in sunlight. It's important to note, she said, that SPF numbers on sunscreen packages only cover UVB, the type of ray most responsible for burns.
UVA is far less responsible for burning, but still can raise skin cancer risk, and only one sunscreen in five has effective UVA protection, Houlihan pointed out. There is no number that quantifies UVA protection, which depends on several factors. There are ingredients that protect well against UVA, but sunlight can break them down and make them ineffective if they're not formulated well. Also, when sunscreen ingredients break down, they can penetrate the skin and trigger allergies.
The ingredients are actually designed to break down; that's part of the function of absorbing energy and keeping it out of the skin. But some break down more quickly and easily than others. The two ingredients Houlihan likes most are zinc and titanium, which don't break down in sunlight as others do, and offer longer lasting protection as a result. They also work by reflecting sunlight, rather than absorbing it.
Consumers should look for both SPF numbers and zinc and titanium when buying suncreens, Houlihan observed. High SPF protects best against UVB. Zinc and titanium offer maximum UVA protection. Several ingredients are far less desirable although, depending on how they're blended and what else the products contain, they're not automatically undesirable. They are avobenzone, oxybenzone and padimate O, a relative of PABA, which has come into disrepute in recent years.
The Web site's rankings show that a sunscreen being popular doesn't necessarily mean it's among the best. Coppertone, for instance, has some items in higher categories, but also makes a number whose stability could be better. One problem with sunscreens is that this country is behind the curve, Houlihan notes. European regulators have approved several effective products that the Food and Drug Administration hasn't gotten around to testing. So, Americans are limited in our choices. Even if your sunscreen is good, Houlihan stressed that you still need to take all the standard precautions against the sun, such as staying out of the sun during peak hours, wearing protective clothing and hats, and reapplying sunscreen often.

Take nap at work - Say Health Experts

2007-02-12T22:49:00.000-08:00

New research suggests that a midday nap might be good for the heart -- especially if you can take one at work.

In the largest study to date on the health effects of napping, researchers tracked 23,681 healthy Greek adults for an average of about six years. Those who napped at least three times weekly for about half an hour had a 37 percent lower risk of dying from heart attacks or other heart problems than those who did not nap.

People who took any naps at all during the day had a 34 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than non-nappers.

Most of the people studied were in their 50s, though they ranged in age from 20 to 86. The strongest evidence was in working men, according to the study, which appeared Monday in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Among working men, those who took midday naps occasionally or regularly had a 64 percent lower risk of death from heart disease than those who did not nap, while non-working men who napped had a 36 percent reduction in risk.

Dr. Dimitrios Trichopoulos, a professor of cancer prevention and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, led the study with a colleague from the University of Athens Medical School in Greece.

''My advice is if you can take a nap, yes, do take a nap," Trichopoulos said. "If you have a sofa in your office, if you can relax, do it."

Scripps Howard News Service, AP

Stress Relief By Yoga

2007-01-18T22:12:00.000-08:00

Stress seems to be the root cause of ill health – physical and mental. Stress results in problems like insomnia, anxiety, nervousness, weight gain/lose, heart disease, arthritis, weakness of immune system, loneliness, hypertension and menstrual disorders etc.

Here are some ways to overcome stress:

1. Aman Mudra
Sit cross–legged or on a chair, with your back straight, but not stiff. Join the palms together at the centre of the body, with the base of the palms and fingers touching softly, just below their tips. (as in picture) Stay in this position as long as comfortable. It can be 30 seconds or more. Practice this regularly once a day, at a fixed time, convenient to you.

2. Four Step Breathing
a. Chest Breathing: Inhale and expand your chest. Then exhale and relax your chest. This is one round of chest breathing. Do this ten times.
b. Abdominal Breathing: Inhale and expand your abdomen. Then exhale and relax. Do this ten times.
c. Yogic Breathing: Inhale and first expand your abdomen, then expand your chest. Exhale and relax your abdomen first and then your chest. Do this ten times too.
d. Tadan Breathing or Ajgari Mudra: Inhale from both the nostrils slowly. While inhaling expand your abdomen making it like a pot
belly. Hold for 5 seconds, then exhale from your nose and pull your stomach in while exhaling. Do ten rounds of this.

3. Om Mantra Dhyan
Sit in a comfortable meditative pose with eyes gently closed. Keep your back straight and upright, shoulders relaxed. Place both hands in “Ghyan Mudra”.(Touch tip of the index finger with tip of the thumb keeping other three fingers straight to form Ghyan Mudra) Now silently recite the “Om” mantra and focus your mind on the rhythmic flow of this mantra. Practice this dhyan for at least 15 times daily. Slowly increase the time as per time available.

4. Progressive Relaxation Technique
Sit in padma asana or sukh asana. Now inhale and tense your body for a few seconds or as long as possible. Then exhale and relax your body.
You can use this exercise to relax, whichever part of your body is feeling tense. It can be done anywhere and at any time.

5. Warm Up Cup Therapy
Rub your hands together vigorously until they become warm. Then cup them over your closed eyes
for five seconds, while you breathe deeply.

6. Mini Self Massage
Massage the palm of one hand by making a circular motion with the thumb of the other hand. Do
this exercise on both hands.

7. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
Nadi means channel or flow of energy and shoudhana means purification.
Sit in a comfortable meditative posture. Keep the head and spine upright. Relax the whole body and close eyes. Then with the thumb of the right hand close the right nostril. Now breathe in through left nostril. Then close the left nostril with ring finger and release the pressure of the thumb on the right nostril while breathing out through the right nostril. Now inhale through the right nostril. Hold the breath, then release the left nostril and breathe out. This is one round. Do this for at least 20 rounds.

Benefits: The whole body is nourished by an extra supply of oxygen, while carbon dioxide is efficiently expelled and blood purified of toxins. This pranayama increases vitality and lowers level of stress and anxiety by harmonizing the prana.

8. Shavasana
Lie flat on the back with arms about 15 cms away from the body, palms facing upwards, fingers of both hands slightly curled up. Close your eyes. The head and spine should be in a straight line. Relax the whole body and be still. Become aware of your natural breathing and with every inhalation, chant the word SO and with every exhalation think of the word HUM. Repeat this mantra for 5 to 10 minutes, or according to time available.

Benefits: This asana relaxes the whole psycho–physiological system. It should be practiced before sleep. Try not to move the body while doing this asana, as the slightest movement will create muscular contraction. This asana is very useful for high blood pressure patients, heart patients, depression and stress.

www.yogagurusuneelsingh.com

BOTOX SHOTS TO KILL MIGRAINE

2007-01-18T04:06:00.000-08:00

BOTOX SHOTS TO KILL MIGRAINE
MUMBAI: There's a shot of relief for patients who suffer recurrent and intolerable migraines. In what is emerging as a good treatment option, Botox injections are now being used to provide pain relief to those with chronic headaches.

For many, like 20-year-old Gayatri Balasubramaniam from Chembur, the little-known treatment option brought loads of cheer.

"Her headaches were unbearable. She would cringe and cry in pain. There were days we had to wake up her physician at two in the morning, only so that he could give her a pain-relief injection,"recalls Gayatri's grandmother. In fact, the recurrent migraine became a stumbling block for the budding fashion designer.

With not much awareness, Gayatri was at first skeptical about trying out the new treatment. Botox or botulinum toxin now popularly associated with beauty treatments — widely used for ironing out wrinkles and frown lines — has huge benefits for treating neurological and movement disorders.

TOI had earlier highlighted how botox offers hope to patients of cerebral palsy, besides being widely used for dystonia, squints, sweaty armpits and palms.

Chronic migraines can now be added to that list. "Botox injections have two benefits to patients of chronic migraines.

They relax the muscles of the forehead, besides reducing the pain effect,"explains founder of Houston Headache Clinic and former president of the International Headache Society, Dr Ninan Mathew.

"We introduce botox treatment only when drugs fail to work and the pain impairs the normal functioning of patients,"says specialist in headache management at Jaslok Hospital Dr K Ravishankar.

There is a caveat. Patients need to be selected with care, as migraines — identified by throbbing pain at the temples — differ from individual to individual and can be triggered by different factors
such as irregular sleep, changing weather or stress.

Consultant neurologist at Hinduja Hospital Charulata Sankhla adds a word of caution. "While Botox has no side-effects, the shots should be given by a trained specialist,"she said.

Food from cloned animals safe to eat: FDA

2006-12-29T07:50:00.000-08:00

By Missy Ryan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -
Milk and meat from some cloned animals are safe to eat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday in a draft ruling that brings the controversial technology closer to American grocery carts.
If given final approval, the ruling would allow for the sale of food made from cloned cattle, pigs and goats, but not sheep, in the United States for the first time.
The agency said it would be unlikely to recommend special labels for food made from clones, which are genetic twins of donor animals, but would not decide on the labeling issue until it collects comments from the public over the next 90 days.

"No unique risks for human food consumption were identified in cattle, swine or goat clones," it said.
The FDA did not have enough evidence to give the same assurance on sheep clones, but it did vouch for food made from clones' offspring, which many believe would account for most of the clone-related food making its way onto dinner tables.
Making clones of animals works by taking cells from an adult and fusing them with other cells before implanting them in a surrogate mother. A relatively small amount of cloned livestock now exists in the United States.
The FDA stressed it will maintain its current moratorium on the food until a final ruling is issued.

A molecule-sized keypad lock

2006-12-29T07:42:00.000-08:00

Unlocking secrets will become a bit more difficult from now on, literally. Israeli scientists have created the tiniest of locks, of the size of a molecule, which will come as a wonder to securing things in future. This lock only activates when exposed to the right password, a sequence of chemicals and light.

Researchers suggest their device could in the future lead to a new level of safeguards for secret information, reports LiveScience.com.

This lock might also serve to recognise when certain sequences of chemicals are released in the body for instance, after exposure to Sarin or another deadly chemical or biological weapon.

Organic chemist Abraham Shanzer and his colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovat, Israel, began with a molecule named FLIP. At its core is a component dubbed a "linker" that mimics a bacterial compound that binds to iron. Attached to it are two molecules that respectively can glow either blue or green.

There are essentially three "buttons" that scientists can use with this molecular kedypad lock. These are an acidic molecule, an alkaline compound, and ultraviolet light.

Hangover Treatment

2006-12-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

Time may not cure all wounds, but helps hangovers
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - The only sure way of avoiding a hangover is abstinence. For the rest of us, time is the answer.
There are almost as many folk cures to treat the unpleasant, painful condition that some have dubbed the wrath of grapes as there are beers, wines and whiskies that cause it.
In Finland, saunas are a preferred antidote, in the belief that they increase the circulation and therefore sweat out alcohol's toxins faster. Russians are said to prefer cabbage soup to replenish lost water and nutrients.
In Britain, some swear by the concentrated yeast spread Marmite on toast (or, in Australia, Vegemite) while others tout Berocca -- a fizzy vitamin supplement made by Bayer AG. The fizzy tablet of choice in the United States is Alka Seltzer, also made by Bayer.

In some parts, a Prairie Oyster (a concoction egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, Tabasco sauce and salt & pepper) has its loyal boosters. Aspirin, ibuprofen tablets, cold showers, hot baths, strawberries and peanut butter with honey are not uncommon suggestions.
Still others will swear by Green tea, pickle juice, cola drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks or a hair of the dog that bit you (another alcoholic drink).
Some argue a greasy meal such as bacon and fried eggs or perhaps pizza will do the trick. Others favor ice packs, milkshakes, a blend of herbs with cardamom, ginger and citrus, or dietary supplements containing borage, artichoke, and prickly pear.
Unfortunately none of these remedies work, according to researchers from the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth.

After a comprehensive review of the medical trials, abstracts and studies, the scientists reported in the British Medical Journal: "No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover.
"The most effective way to avoid the symptoms of alcohol induced hangover is thus to practice abstinence or moderation," they said in December 2005.
For those for whom neither abstinence nor moderation is an option, be comforted in the knowledge that time is really the most successful treatment.
Scientists reported in Alcohol Health & Research World that "hangover symptoms will usually abate over 8 to 24 hours."

Overcoming Food Allergies Possible

2006-12-26T22:00:00.001-08:00

By LAURAN NEERGAARD
WASHINGTON - Elizabeth White's first encounter with peanuts - a nibble of a peanut butter cracker at age 14 months - left the toddler gasping for breath. Within minutes, her airways were swelling shut.
A mere fifth of a peanut was enough to trigger an allergic reaction.
So it was with trepidation that her parents enrolled Elizabeth, at 4 1/2, in a groundbreaking experiment: Could eating tiny amounts of the very foods that endanger them eventually train children's bodies to overcome severe food allergies?
It just may work, suggest preliminary results from a handful of youngsters allergic to peanuts or eggs - and who, after two years of treatment, seem protected enough that an accidental bite of the forbidden foods is no longer a huge threat.
"We're so lucky," says Carrie White, Elizabeth's mother.
Now 7, Elizabeth can safely tolerate the equivalent of seven peanuts. For the first time, the Raleigh, N.C., girl is allowed to go on playdates and to birthday parties without her parents first teaching the chaperones to use an EpiPen, a shot of epinephrine that can reverse a life-threatening reaction.
"Our whole worry level is really gone."
Don't try this experiment on your own, warns lead researcher Dr. A. Wesley Burks of Duke University Medical Center. Children in the study are closely monitored for the real risk of life-threatening reactions.
But if the work pans out - and larger studies are beginning - it would be a major advance in the quest to at least reduce severe food allergies that trigger 30,000 emergency-room visits and kill 150 people a year.
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"I really think in five years there's going to be a treatment available for kids with food allergy," says Burks.
Millions of Americans suffer some degree of food allergy, including 1.5 million with peanut allergy, considered the most dangerous type. Even a whiff of the legume is enough to trigger a reaction in some patients.
Moreover, food allergies appear to be on the rise. Peanut allergy in particular is thought to have doubled among young children over the past decade, prompting schools to set up peanut-free cafeteria zones or ban peanut-containing products.
There's no way to avoid a reaction other than avoiding the food, something the new research aims to change.
Allergies to pollen and other environmental triggers often are treated with shots called immunotherapy. A series of injections containing small amounts of the allergen builds up patients' tolerance, reducing or even eliminating symptoms in many people.
Shots proved too dangerous for food allergy. So Burks and colleagues at Duke and the University of Arkansas developed an oral immunotherapy.
Here's how it worked: First, youngsters spent a day at the Duke hospital swallowing miniscule but increasing doses of either an egg powder egg or a defatted peanut flour, depending on their allergy. They started at 1/3,000th of a peanut or about 1/1,000th of an egg, increasing the amount until the child broke out in hives or had some other reaction.
Then the children were sent home with a daily dose just under that reactive amount. Every two weeks, the kids returned for a small dose increase until they reached the equivalent of a tenth of an egg or one peanut - a maintenance dose that they swallowed daily.
After two years, four of the seven youngsters in the egg pilot study could eat two scrambled eggs with no problem, and two more ate about as much before symptoms began, researchers report in the January edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
In the peanut pilot study, yet to be published, six of the children challenged so far could tolerate 15 peanuts, Burks says; Elizabeth's limit was seven.
"We thought it would make some difference. We're surprised about the amount of difference it made," says Burks. "From one peanut to 15 peanuts is basically a huge difference."
But will it last? These youngsters still take their daily maintenance dose, which Elizabeth's mother nicknamed "peanut medicine" so as not to confuse a child taught to avoid peanut products. No one knows if the protection will last if they stop that daily dose, notes Dr. Marshall Plaut of the National Institutes of Health, which has a Food Allergy Research Consortium that's closely tracking Burks' work.
The next step: Burks' team is beginning larger studies that randomly assign youngsters to take either dummy powders or the egg- or peanut-containing ones, seeking better evidence for the treatment.
He's also giving patients like Elizabeth larger doses, to try to increase their resistence to the allergens. Blood tests signal promise: People who tolerate higher doses in turn have lower blood levels of a compound called immunoglobulin-E that's key to immune cells' overreaction to allergens.
"Inducing tolerance is an attractive approach," says NIH's Plaut. But, "you don't go into this kind of a study lightly" because of the risks.
"It's not something we're ready for everybody to do yet," stressed Burks.

Castro cancer free, could govern again: doctor

2006-12-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

By Andrew Hay
MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish surgeon who has just examined Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Tuesday he is making a good recovery from intestinal surgery, does not have cancer, and could return to governing his country.
Castro's disappearance from the public eye after emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding in July sparked frenzied speculation about his health, but surgeon Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido said the communist leader was in good condition.
"His physical activity is excellent, his intellectual activity intact, I'd say fantastic, he's recovering from his previous operation," Garcia Sabrido, head of surgery at Madrid's Gregorio Maranon public hospital, told a news conference after returning from Cuba.

"He asks every day to return to work, but doctors advise him not to, to take it easy," said Garcia Sabrido.
Garcia Sabrido, who flew to Cuba last week to examine the 80-year-old leader, said he did not need further surgery but required physical therapy, a strict diet and rest.
"He does not have cancer, he has a problem with his digestive system," Garcia Sabrido told Reuters after the news conference. "President Castro has no malign inflammation, it's a benign process in which he has had a series of complications."

Circumcision could save money in AIDS-hit Africa

2006-12-26T07:19:00.000-08:00

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -

Male circumcision, which has been shown to decrease the chances of contracting HIV, could save billions of dollars in AIDS-hit Africa, a new study has shown.
Circumcision has emerged as a new tool in the battle against AIDS following results in three African studies which showed it cuts the chances of HIV infection by as much as 60 percent.
Researchers who conducted one of the studies in Orange Farm outside of Johannesburg concluded that circumcising 1,000 men would prevent an estimated 300 new HIV infections over 20 years -- translating into savings of some $2.4 million that would have been spent on treating AIDS patients in this group alone.
"I would say we're making two points -- it's an effective strategy and it's cost effective," said James Kahn of the University of California-San Francisco, one of the researchers on the project.

The study in the medical journal PLoS Medicine has implications for other African countries, Kahn said.
"The estimate is that a fully scaled-up program might save ... well over $5 billion in savings if it were done throughout sub-Saharan Africa based on the infections prevented over 10 years," he said.
While researchers have hailed the circumcision studies as opening a new front in the war on AIDS, some African governments have reacted cautiously -- noting that it appears to provide only partial protection against HIV.
Public health experts have also warned that promoting circumcision may confuse or undercut other AIDS prevention strategies such as condom use and reducing a person's number of sexual partners.
Khan said however that, on a cost basis, circumcision was a good idea for Africa.
"HIV is particularly attractive (for finding cost savings) mainly because it's so serious a disease and so expensive to treat," he said. "But male circumcision looks pretty good compared to many other strategies that we use for HIV prevention."
(additional reporting by Will Dunham in Washington)

Diabetes a global threat

2006-12-24T22:23:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI:
Diabetes is now a global problem and for the first time, all UN members have admitted to it.

In a landmark resolution passed by the UN general assembly on Thursday, diabetes became the first non-communicable disease to be recognised as a global threat.

Up till now, communicable diseases had captured the world's attention despite non-communicable diseases accounting for over 60% of morbidity and mortality in the world. Governments have acknowledged that diabetes poses as serious a threat to world health as infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The resolution passed on diabetes has made November 14 the United Nations World Diabetes Day. For the first time, UN has also asked all member states to establish national policies on the treatment, prevention and care of diabetes.

Explaining the importance of the resolution, Martin Silink, International Diabetes Federation president, said, "A key battle has been won in the fight against diabetes. The significance is monumental. It will inspire, energise and empower the diabetes world. The resolution will help governments develop national policies to improve diabetes care and prevention."

The resolution is a result of an 'United for Diabetes' campaign that brought together patient organisations from over 150 countries, the world's best known scientists and diabetes societies.

Bangladesh steered the diplomatic process that resulted in the resolution. The cause was earlier taken up by the G-77 (a coalition of 133 developing and transitional countries at the UN led by South Africa).

The number of people suffering from diabetes has soared to 246 million and the disease now kills more people than AIDS. IDF estimates that the number of cases may rise to 380 million within 20 years. Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, or when the body can't use the insulin it produces.

Diabetes is a much-ignored but deadly disease, responsible for close to 4 million deaths every year. It is a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation.

Cold Symptoms May Mask Something More Serious

2006-12-20T23:28:00.000-08:00

(HealthCentersOnline) -

Most people experiencing a stuffy nose and coughing during the winter attribute the symptoms to a cold. However, these symptoms may also be caused by sinusitis, a more serious condition.

Also known as rhinosinusitis, sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes lining one or more of the paranasal sinuses, the four pairs of hollow cavities found around the eyes and behind the nose. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), approximately 31 million Americans develop sinusitis each year.

Sinusitis can develop when colds, allergies or other conditions damage the cells of the sinus lining, causing it to swell and thicken. This impairs the sinuses by blocking the small openings between the sinuses and the nose, preventing the free exchange of air and mucus and causing cold-type symptoms, including nasal congestion, postnasal drip, runny nose, headaches, chronic cough and pressure in the face.

"Millions of Americans think they're suffering from a cold when they're actually experiencing sinusitis," said Dr. Brian A. Smart, chair of the AAAAI's Rhinosinusitis Committee, in a press release. "People should remember that colds are the most common cause of acute sinusitis, and people with allergies are more likely to develop sinusitis."

Rhinosinusitis can cause serious health problems if left untreated. Conditions known to develop over time include infection of the eye socket, which can lead to vision loss, and infection of the brain linings, also known as meningitis, which can cause brain damage.

The AAAAI is urging people with rhinosinusitis to consult with an allergist or immunologist. The condition can be successfully treated with antibiotics, decongestants, corticosteroid nasal sprays and antihistamines.
This recommendation was provided by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in a press release.
Copyright 2000-2006 HealthCentersOnline, Inc.

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Why Teens Take Stupid Chances..?

2006-12-20T22:53:00.000-08:00

Though teenagers are known to indulge in crazy stuff like taking drugs and going for unprotected sex, a new study says they ponder about risks more than adults.

The study finds teens spend more time weighing risk than adults and in fact often overestimate the odds of a bad outcome, reports LiveScience. But the desire for acceptance among peers wins out in the decision-making process of a young mind. Cornell University researcher Valerie Reyna and Frank Farley of Temple University conducted a review of scientific studies on the topics.

Compared to adults, teens take about 170 milliseconds more weighing the pros and cons of engaging in high-risk behaviour, the researchers conclude. Adults scarcely think about risk, perhaps because they think they recognise risk intuitively. Teens, on the other hand, take time to mull the risk against benefit equation.

“In other words, more experienced decision-makers tend to rely more on fuzzy reasoning, processing situations and problems as gists rather than weighing multiple factors,” Reyna said.

Teens often decide that the benefits of risky behaviour immediate gratification or peer acceptance — outweigh the risks, Reyna said. She figures its better to teach teens some “gist-based” thinking skills, such as putting risks into general categories rather than lecturing with specific data and details. The results, announced this week, were published in Psychological Science.

In another study, she found that doctors make better decisions by processing less information and making sharper black-and-white distinctions among decision-making options. “This leads to better decisions, not only in everyday life but also in places like emergency rooms where the speed and quality of risky decisions are critical,” she said

Female Condom: CONFIDOM

2006-12-20T21:34:00.000-08:00

What is Confidom?
Confidom is the new name of passion. It’s the new meaning of love for your partner. Confidom is a new form of protection that gives you complete freedom and control. It has been carefully designed, methodically manufactured and aesthetically packaged. Made from a thin strong polyurethane sheath, it greatly enhances the enjoyment of making love.

When do I use Confidom?
Naturally, whenever you want to experience the ultimate in passion. Additionally, you could use it if you
.Want to safeguard against unintended pregnancy.
.Require a back-up barrier contraceptive, for example, when a pill is missed.
.Have recently given birth.
.Have had a hysterectomy.
.Are in pre-menopause or post-menopause.
.Are allergic or sensitive to latex.
.Have vaginal dryness and want to increase lubrication and reduce painful intercourse.
.Have partners reluctant to use the condom.
.Want protection during the post partum period or even during pregnancy.
.Seek protection against STIs, including HIV/AIDS.

How do I use Confidom?
Do follow the 8-step process in the demo provided on this site.

Is Confidom easy to use?
Confidom is not difficult to use but it may take some practice before you become comfortable with it. There are a number of positions you can try before choosing the method of insertion that works best for you. Asking your partner to insert it can make it easier, and more enjoyable for the two of you.

Is it painful to use Confidom?
Not really. Some women do find the inner ring slightly uncomfortable in the beginning. But if it's hurting you, chances are it hasn't been pushed inside enough. So push it further into the vagina or try inserting it again while experimenting with different positions. An extra lubricant (oil-based or water-based) also reduces discomfort.

Does Confidom reduce pleasure?
On the contrary, Confidom is made of a very thin plastic that conducts body heat, so sexual intercourse actually feels very natural and pleasurable. Several studies reveal how women have used it and even their partners have noticed the difference and expressed their delight. Some couples believe the inner and outer rings can increase pleasure for both. Having your partner insert it for you can also enhance the pleasure.

How safe is Confidom?
Confidom is very safe. It prevents sexually transmitted infections such as trichomoniasis, chlamydia, herpes, syphilis and HIV. However, it works best only when it's used correctly and consistently.

What are the chances of Confidom breaking?
Almost zero. The plastic sheath is very strong and stronger than latex. However, you may have to trim your fingernails if they are very long.

Can I re-use Confidom?
That’s not really recommended at present. Research is currently underway to determine if and how Confidom can be re-used. For now, it's best to use a new one each time.

Can I use the Confidom when I have my periods?
Yes. It does not interfere with menstruation and can therefore be used during your periods. Some women find it very useful as the inner ring traps the blood and enables them to have intercourse.

Can Confidom be used with the male condom?
Never. Using both together may cause tearing or slippage due to friction. It may also cause the outer ring to be pushed inside the vagina. Also, there is no evidence to prove that protection from unwanted pregnancy or sexual infection is increased by simultaneous use of both.

Can I stop using other contraceptives ?
Yes, but not without serious thought and consideration. Confidom must be used correctly and consistently every time you have sex in order to ensure protection. However, there is no harm in using other non-barrier contraceptive methods as well.

When should I NOT use Confidom?
It should not be used with the male condom.

Lybrel: New safe,effective year-round contraceptive

2006-12-19T22:08:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON: A new year-round contraceptive pill called Lybrel, which eliminates menstrual cycles altogether, appears to be safe and effective, researchers report.

Lybrel is not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, but a decision is expected next year.

Currently, there are contraceptives available that reduce the number of menstrual periods to four a year, but this is the first study that shows it is safe to eliminate menstrual periods.

The report is published in journal Contraception."One advantage to using this pill is that you take one pill regularly with the expectation that you are not going to have a regular menstrual bleeding period,"said lead researcher David F Archer, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

The downside is that some women who use this Contraceptive pill Lybrel will have some bleeding or spotting, Archer said. "You get rid of the anticipated menstrual period, but you replace it with erratic, unpredictable bleeding or spotting,"he said.

"So, this is a group of women who are going to be willing to put up with that type of nuisance bleeding." This unpredictable bleeding and/or spotting affects about 20% of the women taking the pill Lybrel after a year, and it can last up to six days, Archer said.

"It's impossible to predict which women will have bleeding and spotting,"he added. However, it is the main reason that 18.5% of the women of the 8% who quit the study of the contraceptive pill Lybrel, he noted.

Another benefit to Lybrel is the elimination of menstrual cycle-related symptoms, such as mood changes, menstrual cramps and headaches, Archer said.

In the study, which was conducted at 92 sites in North America, Archer's group used a birth-control pill consisting of 20 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol and 90 micrograms of levonorgestrel.

The pill was developed by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.The researchers gave the pill to 2,134 sexually active women, aged 18 to 49. The women took a pill daily without any breaks. During the 18 months of the study, the number of days of bleeding decreased progressively. After one year, 79% of the women reported an absence of bleeding. Moreover, 58.7% of the women reported having no menstrual cycles.

In addition, only about one woman out of a hundred will become pregnant while taking the Contraceptive pill, Archer said.

One expert says that because of the incidences of bleeding, this contraceptive pill isn't for every woman.

"The main advantage is that this continuous pill provides a lower dose than other continuous oral contraceptive pills like, Seasonale,"said Philip D Darney, chief of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at San Francisco General Hospital.

Yoga can cure AIDS: Baba Ramdev

2006-12-19T21:53:00.000-08:00

BHOPAL, INDIA: Irked by a Union government(INDIA) notice, which asked Baba Ramdev not to make tall claims about yoga's curative powers, the yoga guru is now determined to prove his point by finding a cure for AIDS.

Ramdev, who was in the city to find land to set up his Patanjali

Yoga Centre, said,"We will prove through clinical tests that

yoga can cure AIDS. And we will offer the cure shortly,

in the next couple of years."

Ramdev's claim comes after a notice was issued to him by the Union government recently. He said he had received the notice from the Centre asking him not to claim his yoga can cure diseases. "I haven't claimed anything. My followers, who have practised yoga, said they have benefited and their ailments(including AIDS) have been cured. People have immensely benefited in controlling ailments like high blood pressure through yoga and meditation. How can anyone contradict this?"

Ramdev went on to suggest that yoga was the way and not sex education to AIDS awareness, prevention and cure. ( imagine!!!) "Sex education in schools need to be replaced by yoga education," Ramdev told reporters at the state health minister's residence on Monday.

"The government should stop polluting the minds of innocent young children with sex education. Society's morality cannot improve with teaching sex education in schools. And AIDS cannot be prevented by talking free sex and by using condoms."

RADICALMEDICAL BLOG'S OPINION: 1. " YOU WISH" 2. "BU**SH*T

Pop some Pepper to boost your SEX LIFE

2006-12-19T05:42:00.000-08:00

BEIJING: Looking to spice up your SEX LIFE? Forget the romantic dinner, champagne and chocolates and eat spicey food! Instead of popping the cork on a bottle of bubbly, pop a pepper!

As with many aspects of health—including a healthy sex life—what you put in your body makes a big difference. What counts in sex is circuitry—as in nerves—and circulation—as in blood. And if you're overweight—lose it!

That's why researchers recommend food high in Omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, salmon, wild salmon and chili peppers.

"Omega-3 makes your nervous system function better,"says Barbara Bartlik, assistant professor of psychiatry and a sex therapist with the Human Sexuality Program at Weill Cornell Medical Centre. "Sex is really about circuitry."

Multivitamins and minerals will help, too. Both improve neurological function, which contributes to good circulation. Improved circulation results in greater erectile response.

To accomplish that, reach for food rich in L-Arginine, such as granola, oatmeal, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, dairy, green vegetables, root vegetables, garlic, ginseng, soybeans, chickpeas and seeds. Studies show that L-Arginine is helpful for improving sexual function in men.

There haven't been studies done on women—but remember, erectile response is something both sexes share.

"Women have erections too: in their clitoris and the tissue surrounding the vulva,"says Bartlik.

John Mulhall, director of the Sexual Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian, agrees that what a man puts in his stomach is important, but the heart is the key that opens the door to sexual performance.

Indian Athelete Fails Gender Test

2006-12-17T22:41:00.001-08:00

A top Indian woman athlete who won a silver medal at a recent regional championship has failed a gender test, officials say.
Santhi Soundararajan, who took the silver in the women's 800m race at the Asian Games in Doha, is likely to be stripped of her award, reports say.
Santhi Soundararajan, 25, was declared the best athlete at an Indian championship in the capital, Delhi, this year. She is possibly the third Indian sportswoman to fail a gender test.
"Santhi was subjected to a gender test in Doha and we have received the report which says she failed the test," said Manmohan Singh, chairman of the Indian Olympic Association's Medical Commission.
The test is not mandatory, but carried out if officials want it or a rival team protests, reports say.
Second controversy
The test was done soon after Santhi Soundararajan came second in the women's 800m race on 9 December.
Reports say the athlete cleared the gender test at the Asian track and field championship in South Korea last year where she won the silver medal in the 800m.
It is not clear how she failed the test at the Asian Games in Doha.
This the second controversy to hit Indian athletes within a month - female shot putter Seema Antil was withdrawn from the Asian Games she failed a pre-competition dope test.

SMOKERS PRESCRIBED VIAGRA TO QUIT

2006-12-17T22:34:00.000-08:00

Smokers trying to quit the habit were mistakenly prescribed anti-impotence drug Viagra by doctors.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the error was due to a computer glitch at two city GP practices.

When GPs selected anti-smoking pill Zyban, computers selected sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra.

A health board spokeswoman said: "At no time was patient care affected by this as all prescriptions are subject to stringent double checking."

The e-Formulary computer system used by GPs automatically selects a list of the most popular drugs when doctors fill out prescriptions.
Some patients went to the pharmacy with a prescription for the anti-impotence drug instead of tablets to help them stop smoking.
The health board was made aware of the problem on Tuesday and alerted all its GPs to the problem.

It is not thought anyone left a chemist with the wrong medication.

A health board spokeswoman said: "A computer glitch was discovered by two Glasgow GP practices that use the Glasgow e-Formulary, following a recent update of the online GPass system used throughout Scotland. Viagra.

"As a precaution an advisory e-mail and memo was issued to all practices which use GPass and have installed the e-Formulary to alert staff."

Is Breast Cancer Transferred Sexually?

2006-12-17T06:40:00.000-08:00

Australian study claims breast cancer may also be sexually transmitted Posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 (EST)(google news) Sydney, Dec 12:

Emeritus Professor James Lawson of the University of New South Wales and colleagues have found the same form of the human papillomavirus (HPV) associated with cervical cancer in almost half the breast tumor samples they tested.
It's the first study of its kind in Australia, although international studies have also found cervical cancer-related HPV in breast cancer cells. He says while the evidence is far from conclusive, "it's possible and totally worthy of investigation" to suspect that HPV could also cause breast cancer.

Lawson says it's possible that HPV is spread by sexual activity or during showers or baths, when the virus could be transferred from the genital area to the breasts via the nipple ducts.
"We know that the virus explodes out of the cell and is spread by touch, so it's fairly obvious that it could be spread by sexual activity to the breast, you could also argue that it would be spread by washing and bathing," he was quoted by ABC, online, as saying.

Lawson says more research is needed to establish whether HPV is actually causing the breast cancer or if women with breast cancer are more prone to infection with the virus.
Lawson and colleagues last year published the results of a DNA analysis which found 24 out of 50 breast cancer samples also tested positive to HPV 18, the same form of the virus implicated in breast cancer.
A subsequent review, published in the journal Future Microbiology in June this year, found various forms of high-risk HPV had been identified in 10 separate breast cancer studies since 1999.
In a letter published online in the British Journal of Cancer last month Lawson reports that a review of the 2005 study found women with HPV positive breast cancers were on average about eight years younger than those whose tumors did not test positive to the virus. (ANI)

Genetic key to some breast cancers found

2006-12-12T22:28:00.000-08:00

POLLY CURTIS

CANCER SPECIALISTS announced recently that they have discovered a gene, which may hold the key to a treatment for up to 10 per cent of all breast cancers. The development could — in time — lead to treatments that would make chemotherapy unnecessary.

Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in the UK have found that one in 10 breast cancers — including many lobular cancers, which are among the hardest to treat and fastest increasing — are linked to an overactive gene called FGFR1.

The gene provides the blueprint for a cancer-fuelling protein. The scientists reported in the journal Clinical Cancer Research that when the gene's activity was blocked, tumour growth was reduced.

First stage of trials
Using a compound targeted at FGFR1, scientists reduced the growth of cells in laboratory tests and are now planning the first stage of clinical trials.The discovery raises the hope of a `targeted' therapy which could lead to a sophisticated new age of treatments for women who test positive for FGFR1 and spare them chemotherapy, with its devastating side-effects.

Jorge Reis-Filho, of the molecular pathology laboratory at the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre at the institute, said: "Breast cancer is a complex disease made up of many sub-types. Currently, most breast cancers are treated similarly but we'd like to be able to tailor treatment for each type."To do this, it is important that we find new targets for drug development. The discovery of FGFR1 is the first step on the road to tailoring treatment for the 10-15 per cent of women diagnosed with lobular breast cancer.
"The identification of FGFR1 in this sub-group of breast cancers is a very promising finding and although we are a few years away from clinical trials we are moving closer towards our vision of a future free from the fear of breast cancer."

Some 44,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancers every year and 10-15 per cent of those have lobular cancers. FGFR1 is present in half of this subset of cancers, as well as in around 10 per cent of all breast cancers, he said. The research echoes the work that led to the development of the breast cancer drug Herceptin.
Herceptin can be prescribed for women whose cancer is HER2 positive — around 20 per cent of those diagnosed. The FGFR1 discovery, which is similar to the discovery of HER2, could lead to a therapy for women who are diagnosed with breast cancers that are HER2 negative but positive for FGFR1.

Separately, the same scientists are carrying out the first trials of a drug called a PARP inhibitor, which could be beneficial for other women who have a family history of breast cancer and have developed it themselves.

Results promising
The first trial of 50 women is nearing completion, the drugs are not showing signs of toxicity in patients, and the results are "very promising."

"In the future we hope to be able to provide several targeted therapies which will improve survival rates."
It's an optimistic view and we couldn't say when it would happen, but this is heading in the direction of chemotherapy-free treatments," he said.

The new research comes shortly after a study published in the journal Science recently, which found that a chemical used in the abortion pill also prevented the growth of breast and ovarian cancers. The drug Mifepristone is used to terminate early pregnancies, but by shutting down the hormone progesterone in breast tissue cells, the drug can also prevent tumours from forming. — Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
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