Rates Of Decline In Aging And Alzheimer's Disease Higher For Women

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Seniors / Aging;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Rates Of Decline In Aging And Alzheimer's Disease Higher For Women

The rates of regional brain loss and cognitive decline caused by aging and the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are higher for women and for people with a key genetic risk factor for AD, say researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine in a study published online in the American Journal of Neuroradiology.

The linkage between APOE e4 - which codes for a protein involved in binding lipids or fats in the lymphatic and circulatory systems - was already documented as the strongest known genetic risk factor for sporadic AD, the most common form of the disease. But the connection between the sex of a person and AD has been less-well recognized, according to the UC San Diego scientists.

"APOE e4 has been known to lower the age of onset and increase the risk of getting the disease," said the study's first author Dominic Holland, PhD, a researcher in the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "Previously we showed that the lower the age, the higher the rates of decline in AD. So it was important to examine the differential effects of age and APOE e4 on rates of decline, and to do this across the diagnostic spectrum for multiple clinical measures and brain regions, which had not been done before."

The scientists evaluated 688 men and women over the age of 65 participating in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, a longitudinal, multi-institution study to track the progression of AD and its effects upon the structures and functions of the brain. They found that women with mild cognitive impairment (a condition precursory to AD diagnosis) experienced higher rates of cognitive decline than men; and that all women, regardless of whether or not they showed signs of dementia, experienced greater regional brain loss over time than did men. The magnitude of the sex effect was as large as that of the APOE e4 allele.

"Assuming larger population-based samples reflect the higher rates of decline for women than men, the question becomes what is so different about women," said Holland. Hormonal differences or change seems an obvious place to start, but Holland said this is largely unknown territory - at least regarding AD.

"Another important finding of this study is that men and women did not differ in the level of biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease pathology," said co-author Linda McEvoy, PhD, an associate professor in the UCSD Department of Radiology. "This suggests that brain volume loss in women may also be caused by factors other than Alzheimer's disease, or that in women, these pathologies are more toxic. We clearly need more research on how an individual's sex affects AD pathogenesis."

Holland acknowledged that the paper likely raises more questions than it answers. "There are many factors that may affect the sex differences we observed, such as whether the women in this study may have had higher rates of diabetes or insulin resistance than the men. We also do not know how the use of hormone replacement therapy, reproductive history or years since menopause may have affected these differences. All these issues need to be examined. There is no prevailing theory."

But he said that just as APOE e4 status identifies individuals at greater risk of AD, the sex of a person might prove an important determinant in future treatment as well. Currently, there is no cure for AD or any existing therapies that slow or stop disease progression.

"The biggest impact might be down the road when disease-modifying therapies become available," said Holland. "What works best for men might not work best for women. The same may be true for e4 carriers versus non-carriers."

He added that results also feed back into clinical trial design. The sex-makeup of the sample will affect the rates of decline for both natural progression (the placebo component) and, likely, the degree of disease modification in participants receiving therapy. So a sex-based sub-analysis might be appropriate.

"Additionally, in clinical practice it may be important to expect higher rates of decline for women patients, to help anticipate when stages of decline that significantly alter quality of life would be reached."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our alzheimer's / dementia section for the latest news on this subject.

Co-authors include Rahul S. Desikan, Department of Radiology, and Anders M. Dale, Departments of Radiology and Neurosciences, UC San Diego.

This research was funded, in part, by National Institutes of Health grants R01AG031224, R01AG22381, U54NS056883, P50NS22343 and P50MH081755; National Institute on Aging grant K01AG029218; and NIH-National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering grant T32 EB005970.

University of California - San Diego

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

University of California - San Diego. "Rates Of Decline In Aging And Alzheimer's Disease Higher For Women." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Rates Of Decline In Aging And Alzheimer's Disease Higher For Women'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Research Into Special Degradable Particles To Reduce Tooth Decay Wins Venture Prize Award - Could Bring Toothache Relief To Millions

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Research Into Special Degradable Particles To Reduce Tooth Decay Wins Venture Prize Award - Could Bring Toothache Relief To Millions

Researchers have developed new degradable particles, about the same size as small holes in teeth, which are designed to enter these holes and physically block and repair decayed teeth.

These particles are special glasses and can be incorporated into toothpaste and will dissolve in the mouth releasing calcium and phosphate that form tooth mineral. This reduces tooth pain, cuts back on the incidences of tooth decay and repairs teeth.

This could bring relief to the estimated 20 million adults in UK (40 per cent of the UK adult population) who are prone to tooth sensitivity. Indeed, untreated tooth decay or cavities in permanent teeth is the most common of all 291 major diseases and injuries assessed in the latest Global Burden of Diseases study. It affects 35 per cent of the world's population.

The team behind this development, led by Professor Robert Hill from Queen Mary, University of London have won the £25,000 materials science Venture Prize, awarded by the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers.

"These new particles dissolve faster than existing ones and are also softer than tooth enamel," said Professor Hill. "They have a more expanded open structure and this allows water to go into the glass structure faster and the calcium and phosphate ions to come out faster. Also, while existing particles are significantly harder and abrade away the enamel during brushing, our new particles will be softer."

Tooth pain is associated with hot, cold or mechanical stimulation and is caused by fluid flow within small tubes located within the tooth. These tubes can become exposed as a result of the gums receding, hence the expression "long in the tooth" or through the loss of the outer enamel coating as a result of tooth decay, acid erosion or mechanical wear associated with tooth brushing. These new bioactive particles can also re-mineralise the holes via the release of calcium and phosphate ions.

"This is a hugely exciting development which could benefit millions of people not only throughout the UK and Europe but right across the world," said Professor Bill Bonfield, chairman of the Armourers & Brasiers Venture Prize judging panel. "It meets our aim to encourage innovative scientific entrepreneurship in the UK and provide funding, which is often difficult to source, to bring new materials science research like this to market."

In addition to Professor Hill, who is head of dental physical sciences at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary. The team comprises: Dr David Gillam clinical lecturer and dentist, Dr Natalia Karpukhina an expert on bioactive glasses and Dr Pushkar Wadke from Queen Mary Innovations.

"This award will enable us to get our research from the laboratory into a prototype toothpaste, said Professor Hill. "The difficult step is getting money to enable the translation of research in the laboratory into commercial products. This is what the Venture Prize Award will enable us to do."

This development has come at an appropriate time. The latest Global Industry Analysts report outlined that the total world market for toothpaste is forecast to reach US$12.6 billion (£8.1billion) by the year 2015. This increase it outlines will be led by product innovations, rising population levels and greater awareness about oral hygiene.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our dentistry section for the latest news on this subject.

Alongside Professor Bonfield on the judging panel were Cambridge based materials scientist Professor Sir Colin Humphreys, representatives from First Ventures which invests and advises high potential technology companies and Members of the Armourers & Brasiers Company.

The Armourers & Brasiers Company

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

The Armourers & Brasiers Company. "Research Into Special Degradable Particles To Reduce Tooth Decay Wins Venture Prize Award - Could Bring Toothache Relief To Millions." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA
The Armourers & Brasiers Company. (2013, July 12). "Research Into Special Degradable Particles To Reduce Tooth Decay Wins Venture Prize Award - Could Bring Toothache Relief To Millions." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/263250.php.

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Research Into Special Degradable Particles To Reduce Tooth Decay Wins Venture Prize Award - Could Bring Toothache Relief To Millions'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Smoking Combined With Heavy Drinking Speeds Up Cognitive Decline

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Also Included In: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Smoking Combined With Heavy Drinking Speeds Up Cognitive Decline

The combination of smoking and heavy drinking speeds up cognitive decline, according to new research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Researchers from UCL (University College London) found that smokers who drank alcohol heavily had a 36% faster cognitive decline compared to non-smoking moderate drinkers.

Smoking and heavier alcohol consumption often co-occur, and their combined effect on cognition may be larger than the sum of their individual effects. The research team assessed 6,473 adults (4,635 men and 1,838 women) aged between 45 and 69 years old over a 10-year period. The adults were part of the Whitehall II cohort study of British civil servants.

All the participants were asked about their cigarette and alcohol consumption, and their cognitive function (including verbal and mathematical reasoning, short-term verbal memory and verbal fluency) was then assessed three times over 10 years.

The research team found that in current smokers who were also heavy drinkers, cognitive decline was 36% faster than in non-smoking moderate drinkers. This was equivalent to an age effect of 12 years - an additional two years over the 10-year follow up period. Among smokers, cognitive decline was found to be faster as the number of alcohol units consumed increased.

Lead researcher Dr Gareth Hagger-Johnson said: "Our research shows that cognitive decline was 36% faster in those people who reported both cigarette smoking and drinking alcohol above the recommended limits (14 units per week for women, 21 units per week for men). When we looked at people who were heavy-drinking smokers, we found that for every 10 years that they aged their brains aged the equivalent of 12 years."

"From a public health perspective, the increasing burden associated with cognitive aging could be reduced if lifestyle factors can be modified, and we believe that people should not drink alcohol more heavily in the belief that alcohol is a protective factor against cognitive decline. Current advice is that smokers should stop or cut down, and people should avoid heavy alcohol drinking. Our study suggests that people should also be advised not to combine these two unhealthy behaviours - particularly from mid-life onwards. Healthy behaviours in midlife may prevent cognitive decline into early old age."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our smoking / quit smoking section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

University College London. "Smoking Combined With Heavy Drinking Speeds Up Cognitive Decline." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Smoking Combined With Heavy Drinking Speeds Up Cognitive Decline'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Study Of Dogs With Microchimerism Should Improve Understanding Of Disease In Humans

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Veterinary
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Study Of Dogs With Microchimerism Should Improve Understanding Of Disease In Humans

Some people possess a small number of cells in their bodies that are not genetically their own; this condition is known as microchimerism. It is difficult to determine potential health effects from this condition because of humans' relatively long life-spans. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that microchimerism can be found in dogs as well. Jeffrey Bryan, an associate professor of oncology at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and director of Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory, says this discovery will help doctors determine what diseases humans with microchimerism may be more likely to develop during their lifetimes.

"Dogs have a much shorter lifespan than humans, which allows us, as researchers, to better monitor what diseases they may develop throughout their entire lives," Bryan said. "We already have some evidence that microchimerism may increase risk of thyroid disease while lowering the risk of breast cancer in women. Finding microchimerism in dogs allows us to track this condition over a lifespan of about 10 years, as opposed to the 70 or 80 years of a human life. This will make it much easier to determine any increased risk of or protection from other diseases brought on by microchimerism."

"Our study demonstrates that male microchimerism of probable fetal origin occurs in the pet dog population," said Sandra Axiak-Bechtel, an assistant professor of oncology at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. "Evidence exists in women that fetal microchimerism may have conflicting roles in disease formation. The pet dog represents an excellent model of many ailments in people, and the presence of fetal microchimerism in dogs will allow studies which further clarify its role in health and disease."

Microchimerism most often occurs when a mother gives birth to a child. Sometimes, cells from that child are left in the mothers' body and continue to live, despite being of a different genetic makeup than surrounding cells. Those cells can then be passed on to other children the mother may have later. Cells also can be passed on through blood transfusions as well as bone marrow and organ transplants.

In their study published in PLOS ONE, Bryan and Axiak-Bechtel, along with MU researchers Senthil Kumar, a co-investigator in this study and assistant research professor and assistant director of the Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory, and Sara Hansen, a comparative medicine resident at MU, studied 90 golden retrievers and found that 36 percent of the dogs had microchimerism. Closer to 40 percent of female dogs that were at least eight years post-pregnancy had the condition.

Axiak-Bechtel, Bryan, and Kumar plan on continuing their research to follow the lifespans of dogs with microchimerism to determine to what diseases those dogs may be susceptible. Bryan and Kumar also received a new grant for more than $400,000 to study epigenetic biomarkers in dogs, which will ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment of dogs with cancer.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our cancer / oncology section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

University of Missouri-Columbia. "Study Of Dogs With Microchimerism Should Improve Understanding Of Disease In Humans." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Study Of Dogs With Microchimerism Should Improve Understanding Of Disease In Humans'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

The Detrimental Effects Of Inflammation Due To Intestinal Bacteria On HIV Patients

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Immune System / Vaccines
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
The Detrimental Effects Of Inflammation Due To Intestinal Bacteria On HIV Patients

A new study of HIV infection by UC San Francisco researchers points to changes in intestinal bacteria as a possible explanation for why successfully treated HIV patients nonetheless prematurely experience life-shortening chronic diseases.

These changes in gut bacteria may perpetuate inflammation initially triggered by the body's immune response to HIV, according to the study, reported online in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

In recent years, such persistent inflammation has been proposed as a cause of the early onset of common chronic diseases found in HIV patients, who now can live for decades without immune system destruction and death due to infection, thanks to lifelong treatment with antiretroviral drugs. Likewise, in the general population, ongoing inflammation has been linked in some studies to chronic conditions such as heart disease, dementia and obesity.

Studies have shown that inflammation is induced by HIV in both treated and untreated patients, and is associated with - and possibly causes - disease in both, according to Joseph M. McCune, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Experimental Medicine at UCSF and a senior author of the study. McCune has been investigating the causes of chronic inflammation in HIV-infected patients and has treated patients with HIV for more than three decades.

"We want to understand what allows the virus to persist in patients who have HIV disease, even after treatment," he said. "In this study, we see that bacteria in the gut may play a role."

The study was initiated by Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, a graduate student working in McCune's lab in collaboration with Susan Lynch, PhD, an associate professor in the Division of Gastroenterology at UCSF and an expert on the human microbiome, the collection of microbes the live in and on the human body. Researchers estimate that humans have about ten times as many bacterial cells as human cells, and earlier studies have demonstrated that some of the microbes found within the intestines are able to drive immune responses, Lynch said.

"We thought the gut microbiome might be different in HIV-infected individuals, and that the high degree of immune activation in the patients might be associated with and possibly due to the presence of specific members of the bacterial community," Lynch said.

Vujkovic-Cvijin identified bacterial species in biopsied patient samples by tracking a gene that is distinct among different bacterial species. Working with co-first author, Richard Dunham, PhD, a UCSF postdoctoral fellow, he also tracked markers of inflammation in the blood.

The researchers compared seven untreated HIV patients, including six with active infection and one long-term patient who never developed AIDS; 18 HIV patients in whom ongoing drug treatment had reduced HIV in the blood to undetectable levels; and nine uninfected individuals matched for other health risks. The patients are part of a group being monitored through ongoing UCSF research led by UCSF Steven Deeks, MD, and Jeffrey Martin, MD, MPH, at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

"We found that HIV-infected people have a very different gut microbiome than people who are uninfected," Vujkovic-Cvijin said. "In particular, infected people harbor more bacteria that can cause harmful inflammation, like Pseudomonas, Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus."

The degree to which normal bacterial communities in the colon were disrupted corresponded to the levels of an inflammatory molecule, IL-6, in the blood, and also to the production of an enzyme called indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase. The enzyme can impair the gut's ability to function as a barrier, thereby allowing bacteria and molecules produced by bacteria to enter the body to fuel even more inflammation. Species of bacteria that can mimic the action of this enzyme also were more abundant in HIV-infected participants, Vujkovic-Cvijin found.

The researchers do not believe that there is a single bacterial species responsible for disrupting the integrity of the gut nor do they propose a specific probiotic bacterial treatment to restore a healthy gut. Nonetheless, Lynch said, manipulating microbial populations is a promising idea.

"It appears that changes in the microbiome perpetuate a vicious cycle that drives inflammation in HIV-infected patients," she said. "We are considering a restoration ecology approach to restore appropriate microbial colonization patterns and healthy functioning of the gut microbiome."

McCune believes that inflammation may also play a role in maintaining the persistence of HIV, even in those with no circulating virus in the bloodstream. "Our dream is to be able to make the virus go away, allowing HIV-infected people to lead longer lives without the need for life-long therapy," he said. "Perhaps restoring the microbiome to normal will be one strategy to make that happen."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our hiv / aids section for the latest news on this subject.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, UCSF, and the Harvey V. Berneking Living Trust.

University of California - San Francisco

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

University of California - San Francisco. "The Detrimental Effects Of Inflammation Due To Intestinal Bacteria On HIV Patients." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'The Detrimental Effects Of Inflammation Due To Intestinal Bacteria On HIV Patients'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Toward A Safer Form Of Acetaminophen

Main Category: Pain / Anesthetics
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Toward A Safer Form Of Acetaminophen

Efforts to develop a safer form of acetaminophen - the pain and fever-reducer that is one of the most widely used drugs - have led to discovery of substances that may have less potentially toxic effects on the liver. A report on the research appears in ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters.

Roman Shchepin and colleagues explain that a link exists between acetaminophen and liver damage. The damage may be severe and can occur with intentional and accidental overdoses, as well as when susceptible individuals take the drug. Indeed, acetaminophen has been implicated in almost 50 percent of all acute liver failure cases in the United States alone. Scientists have known the biochemical basis of acetaminophen's liver toxicity, and Shchepin and colleagues set out to develop safer versions of acetaminophen.

They describe the design and testing of two compounds that have a similar architecture to acetaminophen, but aren't toxic to liver cells grown in the laboratory. The researchers say that, although further testing is needed, these compounds are promising candidates for acetaminophen replacements.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our pain / anesthetics section for the latest news on this subject.

The authors acknowledge funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Center for Clinical Pharmacology and Drug Toxicology.

“Rational Design of Novel Pyridinol-Fused Ring Acetaminophen Analogues”ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters

American Chemical Society (ACS) July 10, 2013

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

American Chemical Society (ACS). "Toward A Safer Form Of Acetaminophen." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Toward A Safer Form Of Acetaminophen'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Upward Trend Of Fertility Halted By Rising Unemployment Rates In European Countries

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Fertility
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Upward Trend Of Fertility Halted By Rising Unemployment Rates In European Countries

The economic crisis has put measurable pressure on birth rates in Europe over the last decade. On average, the more the unemployment rose, the greater the decrease in fertility compared to the number of children per women expected without the crisis. This is the result of a new study performed by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock, Germany. MPIDR demographers Michaela Kreyenfeld, Joshua Goldstein and Aiva Jasilioniene have just published their analysis together with Deniz Karaman Orsal of the Leuphana University, Lüneburg, in the open access journal Demographic Research (online).

The largest effect was seen in young adults. Europeans under the age of 25 have especially refrained from having children in the face of rising unemployment rates. The drop of children per woman was strongest for first births. That means, over the last decade young Europeans have particularly postponed family formation.

Whether this leads to less children throughout their life is an open question. Right now most might just intend to postpone when they have children, not if they have children. "Fertility plans can be revised more easily at younger ages than at ages where the biological limits of fertility are approaching," says MPIDR demographer Michaela Kreyenfeld. In fact, among those over 40, birth rates of first children didn't change due to rising unemployment.

If and how economic conditions influence fertility is one of the big open questions in demographic research. The new MPIDR study proves that the extent of joblessness in a contemporary European country does in fact have an effect on birth rates.

However, the strength of this connection varies since factors such as family policies and job security are different for every nation. For example, the birth rates in southern Europe are most strongly affected by higher unemployment. "This is reflective of the especially unstable job situation at the beginning of the working life in the southern countries," says demographer Kreyenfeld.

The consequences of the recession appear beginning around 2008. "The financial crisis hit Europe at a time when birth rates in many countries had just began rising again," says Michaela Kreyenfeld. The MPIDR had observed in earlier studies that the era of very low fertility in Europe had come to an end and that there had been a trend reversal from falling to increasing birth rates. "In some countries the crisis has just put a halt on the upward trend, in others birth rates actually declined," says Kreyenfeld. A noticeable setback occurred, for instance, in Spain, Hungary, Ireland, Croatia and Latvia. Spain experienced a particularly distinct change. Starting at a rate of 1.24 children per woman at the beginning of the millennium, fertility had risen every single year, reaching 1.47 in 2008. In 2009, however, the birth rate dropped to 1.40 after the unemployment rate jumped from 8.3 percent in 2008 to 11.3 percent in 2009. Spanish fertility continued falling to 1.36 in 2011 (no more recent data is available).

Formerly growing rates came to a halt in countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, the United Kingdom and Italy. Some nations seemed to experience only weak or no effect from rising joblessness, like Russia or Lithuania. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland the analysis did not yield significant results. In these countries unemployment rates did not rise much or not at all. For Germany they even fell. (Charts with birth rates and unemployment rates for all 28 countries can be found on an additional data sheet online.)

The researchers used data from 2001 to 2010 for their study (some countries up to 2011). It is possible that the negative effects of the crisis on birth rates continue.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our public health section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. "Upward Trend Of Fertility Halted By Rising Unemployment Rates In European Countries." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Upward Trend Of Fertility Halted By Rising Unemployment Rates In European Countries'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Victims Of Forced Marriage Wary Of Social Services Due To Lack Of Cultural Understanding

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Victims Of Forced Marriage Wary Of Social Services Due To Lack Of Cultural Understanding

Victims of forced marriage and honour violence in the UK are hesitant to seek professional help because they are worried social workers will not understand their cultural differences, according to new research presented at Royal Holloway University.

Researchers at Royal Holloway have called for social workers to receive mandatory training on sensitive issues surrounding different cultures and religious backgrounds, so that they understand that normal practices, such as involving family members, may not be the best solution in forced marriage cases.

The study, which analysed the forced marriage experiences of both men and women from Indian and Pakistani communities, was presented at the University during the 15th annual UK Joint Social Work Education Conference.

"The forced marriage victims we interviewed recalled their experience as being the worst of their life", said one of the report's authors Stefan Brown, from the Department of Social Work at Royal Holloway. "Yet many victims are hesitant to seek professional help, either because they are unaware of the services available, they are worried non-Asians will not understand the cultural and familial pressures being placed on them or they are scared of the repercussions if they are caught.

"It is vital that social workers are pro-active in supporting victims and receive the necessary training so they understand the horror of what these young people are put through."

The report said that involving family members in discussions is normally considered good practice in the social work profession, but in domestic violence or forced marriage cases, this can instigate violent responses.

"Caution and confidentiality is essential, as well as cultural awareness. Forced marriage victims are subjected to emotional blackmail, physical violence and even death threats if it is thought they could damage the family's 'izzat', or honour. It is an issue that remains largely misunderstood, but one that causes misery for thousands of young people in the UK," Stefan added.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our public health section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Holloway, Royal. "Victims Of Forced Marriage Wary Of Social Services Due To Lack Of Cultural Understanding." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Victims Of Forced Marriage Wary Of Social Services Due To Lack Of Cultural Understanding'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Great Interest At International Headache Meeting On ElectroCore's Research Into The Treatment Of Cluster Headache

Main Category: Headache / Migraine
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Great Interest At International Headache Meeting On ElectroCore's Research Into The Treatment Of Cluster Headache

There was great interest at the recent International Headache Congress in Boston in a poster on the results of an open label trial on non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of cluster headache. The trial sponsored by electroCore, one of the world leaders in the rapidly expanding field of electroceuticals, is part of the most comprehensive clinical trial programs in headache presently running.

The poster, authored by Drs. Peter Goadsby, Alex Nesbitt and Juana Marin reviewed their cohort of cluster headache patients who were successfully treated by nVNS over the past year.

electroCore's presentation in Boston represented a subset of the data it previously presented on at the INS (International Neuromodulation Society) 11th World Congress in Berlin, which illustrated that nVNS may have meaningful clinical benefits, both in offering relief from acute cluster headaches as well as reducing the frequency of attacks.

The poster reported on an open-label trial run by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust at two sites in the UK and Ireland and which included data from 21 patients, five of whom were followed for twelve months. It concluded that nVNS, as delivered by electroCore's hand-held, home-use gammaCore device, appeared to be effective, safe and well-tolerated and useful for both acute and preventive treatment strategies of cluster headaches.

It further found that nVNS should be considered before surgically invasive neuro-stimulation, while the authors concluded that the data strongly supported the need for additional randomised studies of nVNS.

electroCore is conducting four randomized clinical trials, 2 of which are being conducted under an US, Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) for both migraine and cluster headaches.

Headaches are widely regarded as the world's most common debilitating neurological disorder, with cluster headaches considered to be one of the most painful - if not the most painful of all - headache conditions.

Cluster headaches are normally treated with a combination of oxygen, various drugs as well as surgically invasive neuro-stimulation. Oxygen presents portability issues, however, while high doses of certain medication are contraindicated or may have unacceptable side effects while any invasive surgery can require the use of anaesthetics and have a range of possible complications.

All the patients who took part in the trial recommended electroCore's non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation to other sufferers.

In the United States, only one product has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of acute cluster headaches. No products have been formally approved for reduction of cluster attacks.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our headache / migraine section for the latest news on this subject.

The research showed that on average, 47 per cent of the treated attacks were terminated within 15 minutes.

There was also a reduction in the use of concomitant therapies, such as hi-flow oxygen and injectable triptans, which patients previously relied on.

The research showed that nVNS is also useful for preventive treatment. On average, the number of attacks within a 24 hour period was cut in half.

The trial detailed in this release was funded by the electroceutical healthcare company electroCore Medical LLC, a leader in its field. ElectroCore has discovered a novel technology which delivers very small, proprietary electrical signals to stimulate particular fibres in the vagus nerve which is believed to cause the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brain stem, including GABA, serotonin and norepinephirine. These are believed to play a pivotal role in a wide range of conditions, including migraine and headache.

ElectroCore’s gammaCore has regulatory approval in the European Union, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Australia, Colombia and Malaysia for the acute and/or prophylactic treatment of migraine, cluster headache and medication overuse headache, as well as in Canada for the treatment and prevention of cluster headache and for the treatment of migraines. The product is currently being launched through healthcare professionals in Canada, Germany, UK, and other parts of Europe. GammaCore is not approved for use in the United States, and is being studied under an Investigational exemption for both migraine and cluster headaches.

ElectroCore

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

ElectroCore. "Great Interest At International Headache Meeting On ElectroCore's Research Into The Treatment Of Cluster Headache." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Great Interest At International Headache Meeting On ElectroCore's Research Into The Treatment Of Cluster Headache'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Keeping People With Neurodegenerative Diseases In Work: Pledge For Action At EU Level, Europe

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Also Included In: Parkinson's Disease;  Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Keeping People With Neurodegenerative Diseases In Work: Pledge For Action At EU Level, Europe

Member of the European Parliament Angelika Werthmann brought a fresh perspective towards improving the quality of life of over 9 million people living with neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) in Europe. Following a panel discussion on the challenges of NDDs in the workplace, MEP Werthmann offered to launch and sign a 'Written Declaration' of EU parliamentarians, in order "to give people with neurodegenerative diseases better opportunities within Europe".

Neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis affect people at different stages of their professional lives. Contrary to common belief, one in ten people with Parkinson's gets diagnosed at working age and Alzheimer's disease can affect people well before retirement. As for multiple sclerosis, the diagnosis hits fairly early, with the average age being 29. What all three diseases have in common is that the people affected tend to leave the workplace far earlier than necessitated by their condition. For example, half of those with MS stop working three years after diagnosis and, according to a recent UK survey, 60 per cent of people with Parkinson's are reported to retire from work early.

Representatives from the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP), Alzheimer Europe and the European Parkinson's Disease Association (EPDA) - co-organisers of the event - highlighted what could be done to help people stay in work:

Raising awareness - improving understanding and fighting stigma, for instance through education and training of employers and colleagues;Adapting social legislation - offering better protection for people with NDDs and their carers through social legislation, such as improved pension rights;Work place adaptations - allowing people to work with their remaining competencies. For instance, fatigue is a common feature for some NDDs. Many people could continue working if adjustments such as parking spaces, flexible schedules and special resting areas were provided;Early intervention - early access to diagnosis and treatment allows people to remain professionally active.

The commitment of EU parliamentarians should help people with neurodegenerative diseases achieve recognition for the contribution they can make to companies and to the wider culture of the EU. "We are the politicians, we are the stakeholders and we will be asked urgently to take the appropriate steps. I do not think I'm being too optimistic if I aim to have the Written Declaration ready by September-October", Mrs Werthmann pledged.

Appropriate measures also require financial commitment. Two recent developments offer positive perspectives leading up to 2020: the European Commission, Parliament and Council of the European Union agreed in principle to increase the budget for brain research and European leaders promised special funding to boost employment for young people across the EU.

As Shana Pezaro, a young person with MS, underlined in her speech from the panel discussion on neurodegenerative diseases in the workplace, "we're not asking for charity, we're asking for our talent to be put to good use".

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our multiple sclerosis section for the latest news on this subject.

Notes:

Unemployment amongst people with MS in EU27 stands at 55%

Two in five people with MS under the age of 35 can't work or study

MS is diagnosed, in two thirds of the cases, between the most active ages of 20 and 30

Find more useful facts and data here:

http://www.underpressureproject.eu/

http://www.emsp.org/projects/ms-id/160-ms-barometer-2011

European Multiple Sclerosis Platform

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

European Multiple Sclerosis Platform. "Keeping People With Neurodegenerative Diseases In Work: Pledge For Action At EU Level, Europe." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Keeping People With Neurodegenerative Diseases In Work: Pledge For Action At EU Level, Europe'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Belly Fat Tied to Raised Heart and Cancer Risks

Featured Article
Academic Journal
Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology;  Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 3:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Belly Fat Tied to Raised Heart and Cancer Risks

Carrying too much fat around the abdomen puts people at greater risk for heart disease and cancer compared with people who have a similar body mass index (BMI) but who carry their fat in other parts of the body.

So says a US study published online in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Previous studies have shown that the risk of disease and death linked to obesity or being overweight varies among individuals with the same BMI (body mass index - the ratio of their weight in kilos to their height in metres squared).

Now a new study suggests ectopic fat - that is, fat present where it shouldn't be, in this case the highly visible spare tyre(s) around the middle - might explain this variation.

We already know that carrying excess fat around the waist can be more dangerous than carrying it elsewhere, such as the hips or the thighs (apple-shaped as opposed to pear-shaped).

But this latest study, from lead author Kathryn A. Britton, instructor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues, is the first to use CT scans to see which specific deposits of excess fat are linked to disease risk.

The study uses data collected in the Framingham Heart Study from 3,086 participants who were followed for up to seven years. Their average age was 50, and around half were women.

The physical exams the participants underwent at the start of the Framingham study period included CT scans, which allowed the researchers on this study to assess ectopic fat deposits in the abdomen, around the heart and around the aorta, the largest artery in the human body.

Over the follow-up, there were 90 heart-related events, 141 cases of cancer, and 71 deaths (from all causes) among the participants.

When Britton and colleagues analyzed these in relation to the fat deposits, and took out the effect of clinical risk factors and BMI, they found abdominal fat was linked to heart disease and cancer.

This study is the first to show that when you add presence of belly fat to measures that compare BMI to waist size, the ability to predict cardiovascular risk improves.

Although the researchers didn't investigate why fat in the abdomen is tied to higher risk for heart disease and cancer, they conclude their findings support the growing idea that ectopic fat has "a pathogenic role".

One possible explanation could be to do with the fact belly fat often indicates there is too much fat around internal organs.

Britton says findings like these are valuable because, given the worldwide obesity crisis, it is important to identify individuals at high risk so that prevention and therapy can be tailored specifically for them.

Britton's study comes after one published in 2012 in which researchers at the Mayo Clinic found belly fat increases the risk of death even in people of normal weight.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. "Body Fat Distribution, Incident Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and All-cause Mortality"; Britton KA, Massaro JM, Murabito JM, Kreger BE, Hoffmann U, Fox CS; J Am Coll Cardiol, published online July 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.06.027; Link to Abstract. Additional source: American College of Cardiology. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Paddock, Catharine. "Belly Fat Tied to Raised Heart and Cancer Risks." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

posted by Joel Mitchell on 12 Jul 2013 at 12:12 pm

Unfortunately, we are what we eat and America's diet now consists of primary PIG food. We use corn and grains to fatten our livestock and now ourselves. Look in the mirror and on your plate. No wonder.

| post followup | alert a moderator |

'Belly Fat Tied to Raised Heart and Cancer Risks'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

2nd Digital Marketing For Medical Devices Europe Summit, 22-23 December 2013, London

Main Category: Conferences
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 7:00 PDT Current ratings for:
2nd Digital Marketing For Medical Devices Europe Summit, 22-23 December 2013, London

Conference organizer ExL Pharma is proud to bring the 2nd Digital Marketing for Medical Devices Europe Summit to the Hilton Kensington Hotel in London 22-23 December 2013.

The 2nd Digital Marketing for Medical Devices is designed to give Marketing Professionals in the Medical Device, Biotech, Diagnostics and Healthcare Industries the rare opportunity to discuss and benchmark with peers, where the industry is heading, how to adapt to a changing customer profile and new communication channels and benefit from a fully integrated marketing approach. It will be a MUST ATTEND for these organisations.

18 experts from leading companies such as Zimmer, Medtronic, Mölnlycke, American Medical Systems, Smith Medical, and B. Braun share best practices and vital information how to create and implement a successful digital marketing strategy, align sales and marketing and leverage emerging opportunities.

The medical device industry is often perceived as lagging somewhat behind other industries in areas related to digital marketing, mobile optimization, social media and branding. But with cheap products from China flooding the market, there is a lot of pressure on marketers to review their strategies and ensure maximum reach, while creating brand loyalty to increase sales! This Summit will focus on an integrated marketing approach providing useful tools, hands-on advice and strategies that have worked to overcome common pitfalls. Through interactive workshops, roundtables, panel discussions and case studies participants can enhance their skill set and learn how to overcome their challenges with regards to social media, content & website management, demonstrating ROI, iPad implementation, elearning, analytics, customer engagement and more!

To find out more information about the program and attending the Summit, please contact Kai Hahn at khahn@exlpharma.com or visit http://www.exlpharma.com/digitaldeviceEU

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our conferences section for the latest news on this subject.

About ExL Events

ExL Pharma, a division of ExL Events, Inc., is the industry leader in developing innovative, educational conferences that serve the pharmaceutical and allied healthcare communities in the United States, Europe, Latin America and various markets. Behind our diverse pharmaceutical event portfolio, ExL's experienced team conducts extensive market research and targeted outreach. The results translate into innovative, high-quality events designed to exceed the dynamic informational and networking needs of specific audiences and working groups.

ExL Pharma conference platforms facilitate the exchange of critical information between industry executives and suppliers who support their scientific and commercial goals. Our events are the preferred resource for industry professionals seeking important information and networking opportunities with a clear delineation between content and commercialism.

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Pharma, ExL. "2nd Digital Marketing For Medical Devices Europe Summit, 22-23 December 2013, London." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'2nd Digital Marketing For Medical Devices Europe Summit, 22-23 December 2013, London'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

Is Cat Poop A Danger For Public Health?

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Public Health;  Veterinary
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 5:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Is Cat Poop A Danger For Public Health?

Every year, 1.2 metric tons of cat feces are deposited in the US, raising the risk of infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, researchers from the Stanley Medical Research Institute and Johns Hopkins University Medical Center reported in Trends in Parasitology (July 10th, 2013 issue).

Some cat feces are contaminated with Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan known to cause toxoplasmosis epidemics in healthy individuals, not just patients with weakened immune systems and pregnant mothers.

Co-author, E. Fuller Torrey, said: "The accumulation of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts, found in cat feces, may be a much bigger problem than we realize because of their apparent long life and their association with some diseases."

Torrey said authorities need to gain better control of cat populations, especially feral cats. He also called for more research.

American backyards and communities contain between 3 and 400 oocysts per square feet. Just one single Toxoplasma gondii oocyst can infect a human.

There are between 25 and 60 million
feral cats in the USA

Cats become infected when they catch infected mice, birds and other small mammals. The infected cat then spreads oocysts through its feces in soil, water, grass, etc.

If you have a pet cat, no mice or rats in your home and your pet stays indoors all the time, you have nothing to worry about, Torrey said. If it does spend time outdoors, be extremely careful with litter boxes, makes sure sandboxes are covered, and wear gloves when you are gardening.

Torrey quoted one study showing that 100 T. gondii oocysts may be found under your fingernails.

Co-author Robert Yolken says parents, teachers and guardians need to be extra careful with young children.

Should we get tested? - Torrey says: "No, except perhaps in the case of pregnant women. Fifteen percent of us have antibodies, including me." Somebody may test positive one day and negative the next.

Toxoplasmosis prevention in newborns inadequate in USA - American babies born with toxoplasmosis have significantly higher rates of eye and brain damage compared to infants in Europe, researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine reported in Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the common Toxoplasma gondii parasite.

Signs and symptoms of toxoplasmosis are usually "flu-like" and may include

The majority of infected people will have no signs or symptoms at all.

For people with weakened immune systems, such as patients with cancer, AIDS, or transplant organ recipients on immunosuppressive medications, signs and symptoms may include the same as those listed above, plus:

ConfusionCoordination problemsSeizures (fits)Tuberculosis-like complicationsOcular toxoplasmosis - severe inflammation of the retina

If a pregnant woman becomes infected with Toxoplasma gondii, there is a 30% chance that the developing fetus will also become infected (congenital toxoplasmosis), even if the mother has no symptoms.

The pregnant mother is more likely to pass on the infection during the third trimester. However, the risk of more serious outcomes is greater earlier on during the pregnancy.

The following risks and complications are possible if the pregnant mother becomes infected with Toxoplasma gondii:

Miscarriage or stillbirthThe baby may suffer from seizuresThe newborn will have jaundiceThe infant may have serious eye infectionsThe newborn may have brain damageThe baby's liver and spleen may be enlargedMost complications appear when the child is a teenager or later, and may include:

- deafness
- recurrent and serious eye infections
- rheumatoid arthritis
- brain cancer
- mental problems, including schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and problems in school

As background information, Torry and Yolken informed that between 1989 and 2006 in the US, cat ownership rose by about 50%, from 54.6 million to 81.7 million. However, during the same period, the country's human population grew by only 23%. There are also between 25 and 60 million feral cats in the US.

In the UK, cat ownership rose from 4.5 million in 1990 to 8 million in 2009. Cat ownership has increased all over the world, especially in China and Latin America.

Some cat owners are very close to their pets. Torrey quoted one study showing that 62% of cats sleep with their adult owners and another 13% slept with children.

Written by Christian Norqvist

Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our infectious diseases / bacteria / viruses section for the latest news on this subject. "Toxoplasma oocysts as a public health problem"
E. Fuller Torrey andRobert H. Yolken
Trends in Parasitology, 10 July 2013. DOI:10.1016/j.pt.2013.06.001 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Nordqvist, Christian. "Is Cat Poop A Danger For Public Health?." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'Is Cat Poop A Danger For Public Health?'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

DNA Databases - Threat To Privacy Or A Good Thing?

Featured Article
Main Category: Genetics
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 9:00 PDT Current ratings for:
DNA Databases - Threat To Privacy Or A Good Thing?

Creating huge national databases of people's DNA is an increasingly contentious topic since the US Supreme Court recently backed the routine swabbing of DNA from all criminal suspects once they are arrested - at the immediate stages of investigation and before any legal proceedings.

The Fourth Amendment requires the US government to balance legitimate law enforcement interests with the privacy rights of individuals. When it comes to genetic fingerprinting, people worry about how safely guarded their DNA data is, as well as about the reliability of the information.

Similar concerns are hotly debated in the medical world. The sharing of large amounts of DNA data can enable researchers to predict and treat serious disease. But would you want an insurer to gain access to your genetic blueprint of personal disease risk?

A new example of where there may be clear medical benefits to widespread sampling of DNA is seen in research against Alzheimer's disease.

Today (July 12th), the international conference for the UK's Alzheimer's Association, held in Yorkshire, England, heard researchers claim they had gained whole genome sequences for the "largest cohort of individuals" ever grouped together for a single disease - more than 800 people.

Who should have access to your DNA?

Enrolled in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the genetic information from these people could be crucial for the understanding and treatment of this common type of dementia.

But how safe is it to give up all your genetic information to medical research? Well, in medical research studies, highly regulated ethical protocols are in place that aim to prevent such things as abuse of private and confidential data.

For the Alzheimer's research project, anyone interested in enrolling in the study had to give their informed consent, and the study doctors and scientists had to abide by numerous protocols set out in advance. Any parties interested in gaining access to the resulting DNA database must also agree to a number of principles, including not asking any researcher to somehow try and track down individual DNA data.

So, in medical research, information from individual people's DNA should be safely anonymized so that analysis is on a "big data" level and cannot be drilled down to identifiable individuals.

This is not always the case, though. A paper published in the journal Science by Yaniv Erlich, who runs a lab at MIT's Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, shows how he managed to identify individuals and their families among anonymous DNA research data.

So how much trust do people place in police and other public authorities to safeguard the data on your genes? The Economist recently ran an online poll and found a roughly 60/40 split - the majority of people said yes to the question, "Is it ever right for the DNA of the innocent to be used for any purpose without the consent of the 'owner.'" The debate, "The ethics of DNA databasing", centered on a motion that "This house believes that people's DNA sequences are their business, and nobody else's".

While it seems a majority of people are not too worried about national DNA databases, a large minority are seriously concerned.

Written by Markus MacGill

Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our genetics section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

MacGill, Markus. "DNA Databases - Threat To Privacy Or A Good Thing?." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'DNA Databases - Threat To Privacy Or A Good Thing?'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

FDA Wants To Crack Down On Arsenic Levels In Apple Juice

Featured Article
Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 8:00 PDT Current ratings for:
FDA Wants To Crack Down On Arsenic Levels In Apple Juice

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed an "action level" on the amount of inorganic arsenic in apple juice, based on findings from its latest data.

The agency are looking to set a limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) of arsenic in the fruit juice, which will reduce it to the same level the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set for the amount of arsenic in drinking water.

Although previous tests by the FDA over the past 20 years have shown that arsenic levels in apple juice are low, the agency has used new tools in order to understand the breakdown between inorganic and organic arsenic levels.

The latest FDA data analyzed 94 samples of apple juice containing arsenic. It found that 95% of the samples tested were below 10 ppb total arsenic and 100% of the samples were below 10 ppb for inorganic arsenic.

The agency says the proposed level of 10 ppb takes this data into account, as well as a peer-reviewed assessment of inorganic arsenic in apple juice conducted by FDA scientists, based on lifetime exposure.

The FDA says it is establishing this threshold to provide "guidance to industry." The agency takes into account the "action level" before proceeding with enforcement action if it finds a food product exceeds the threshold.

Arsenic poisoning (arsenicosis), is caused by the ingestion, inhalation or absorption of dangerous levels of arsenic, a natural semi-metallic chemical found in groundwater. Arsenic can be a carcinogen, a direct cause of cancer, if consumed in large quantities.

According to the FDA, possible sources of inorganic arsenic in apple juice include processing aids, prior use of arsenic based pesticides in other countries, naturally high levels of arsenic in soil or water, and exposure to arsenic from industrial activities.

Margaret Hamburg, managing director of the FDA, says:

"The FDA is committed to ensuring the safety of the American food supply and to doing what is necessary to protect public health. We have been studying this issue comprehensively, and based on the agency's data and analytical work, the FDA is confident in the overall safety of apple juice for children and adults."

Michael Taylor, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, adds: "While the levels of arsenic in apple juice are very low, the FDA is proposing an action level to help prevent public exposure to the occasional lots of apple juice with arsenic levels above those permitted in drinking water."

In its proposal, the FDA says that the presence of inorganic arsenic exposure in apple juice is a greater risk for children, who consume more apple juice relative to their body weight.

The proposal also points out that recent assessments from the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) / World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which also includes research from FDA scientists, conclude that food in general can be a major contributor to inorganic arsenic.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that exposure to inorganic arsenic in food needs to be reduced, and the FDA says that these findings "suggest a need to reduce exposure to inorganic arsenic from food."

The FDA says it will accept public comments on the action level and the risk assessment for 60 days.

Written by Honor Whiteman

Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our public health section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Whiteman, Honor. "FDA Wants To Crack Down On Arsenic Levels In Apple Juice." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'FDA Wants To Crack Down On Arsenic Levels In Apple Juice'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here

New Cry Analyzer Could Detect Babies' Health Problems

Featured Article
Academic Journal
Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;  Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 8:00 PDT Current ratings for:
New Cry Analyzer Could Detect Babies' Health Problems

Parents may sometimes wish they could interpret their babies' cries, and now researchers may have found a way to do this.

A team from Brown University and the Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island developed a device that analyzes a baby's cry as a means to interpret possible health or developmental problems.

The computer-based instrument may allow researchers and doctors to make use of cries as a way to determine whether a child has neurological or developmental problems.

The Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research recently published a paper describing the device and its testing methods.

According to a release from Brown University, the analyzer works in two steps:

It separates recorded cries from babies into frames of 12.5 milliseconds. Each of these frames is then studied for things like frequency traits, voicing and volume.The frames then go back together, and this time they are categorized as either an utterance or a silence (the pause between each utterance). The utterances are then grouped according to their length and analyzed for variables such as pitch. In addition, the lengths of the silences are measured.

In total, 80 different metrics are used to find clues about the health of a baby.

Stephen Sheinkopf, an assistant professor at Brown who helped develop the device, says:

"There are lots of conditions that might manifest in differences in cry acoustics. For instance, babies with birth trauma or brain injury as a result of complications in pregnancy, or birth of babies who are extremely premature can have ongoing medical effects.

Cry analysis can be a noninvasive way to get a measurement of these disruptions in the neurobiological and neurobehavioral systems in very young babies."

Barry Lester, director of Brown's Center for the Study of Children at Risk, has been working with Sheinkopf and others on this project as an expert in baby cries. He notes that this kind of research dates back to the 1960s, with a disorder known as Cri du chat - cry of the cat - syndrome.

Like Down syndrome, Cri du chat is a result of a genetic anomaly and is characterized by a recognizably high-pitched cry. Although the cries are perceivable by the human ear, Lester says the cries associated with that syndrome led him to wonder if there were other, smaller differences in a baby's cry that could be indicative of health.

He refers to a baby's cry as "a window into the brain."

Since the tests outlined in the team's paper show an accuracy rating of 88% to 95% for detecting voicing characteristics in the samples, the team is optimistic that their new device will be able to accurately identify problems in babies from a very early stage.

Lester adds: "Early detection of developmental disorders is critical. It can lead to insights into the causes of these disorders and interventions to prevent or reduce the severity of impairment."

In addition to aiding doctors, the team believes their device can further the research being done on "infant cry development."

Recently, a Smart Diaper was created that can communicate urine data to parents' phones, in yet another way scientists are attempting to glean health information from babies.

Written by Marie Ellis

Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our pediatrics / children's health section for the latest news on this subject.

“A Flexible Analysis Tool for the Quantitative Acoustic Assessment of Infant Cry”, B. Reggiannini, Xiaoxue Li, Harvey F. Silverman, JSLHR, DOI:10.1044/1092-4388(2013/11-0298), published online 19 June 2013.

“Cry analyzer seeks clues to babies’ health”, Brown University, published online 11 July 2013.

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Ellis, Marie. "New Cry Analyzer Could Detect Babies' Health Problems." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Jul. 2013. Web.
12 Jul. 2013. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

'New Cry Analyzer Could Detect Babies' Health Problems'

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here