Friday, November 30, 2012

First Study To Refute A Common Health Misconception: Children's Headaches Rarely Indicate A Need For Eyeglasses

Main Category: Headache / Migraine
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Eye Health / Blindness
Article Date: 14 Nov 2012 - 0:00 PST

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252698.php

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Migraines Hurt Your Head But Not Your Brain

Main Category: Headache / Migraine
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 14 Aug 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/248926.php

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Predicting Scoliosis Progression From 3D Imaging, Study Shows Promising Results

Main Category: Bones / Orthopedics
Also Included In: Back Pain;  Neurology / Neuroscience;  IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 13 Sep 2012 - 0:00 PDT

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Predicting Scoliosis Progression From 3D Imaging, Study Shows Promising Results


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Data Presented at SRS Conference Suggest 3D Evaluation May Help Forecast Disease Progression at Initial Medical Visit

EOS imaging (NYSE Euronext, FR0011191766 - EOSI), the pioneer in 2D/3D orthopedic medical imaging, announces today results of a new clinical study highlighting the value of 3D spine measurements provided by the EOS® imaging system for monitoring and predicting scoliosis progression as of the patient's first medical visit. The data was presented at the 47th annual conference of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS).

Dr. Stefan Parent, of Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montreal and lead investigator, says, "This study sheds new light on the benefits of the EOS 3D technology in more precisely assessing and predicting the progression of scoliosis. The 3D parameters measured using EOS improve our ability to choose the most appropriate treatment path for our adolescent patients, whether it be monitoring, use of a brace or surgery. This is a considerable benefit for the surgeon and especially for the patient."

The prospective study, financed by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the FRSQ (Fonds de recherche en Santé du Québec, the Quebec Health Research Fund), involved 134 patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). The findings demonstrated that the 3D morphological parameters of the spine obtained with EOS® can be used to distinguish between progressive scoliosis and non-progressive scoliosis from the point of the first medical visit. Such a distinction is not possible on the basis of two-dimensional parameters. The propensity of scoliosis to develop and worsen, or not, is a major challenge when choosing therapies, which are costly and invasive.

Marie Meynadier, CEO of EOS imaging, says, "Scoliosis, which has long been detected and monitored in 2D, can now benefit from these very significant results, which might improve the care pathway, benefiting both patients and healthcare systems. This study, which was presented during a major conference for the profession, strengthens the visibility of EOS among orthopaedic professionals and its clinical value to improve care for their patients."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our bones / orthopedics section for the latest news on this subject.
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n.p. "Predicting Scoliosis Progression From 3D Imaging, Study Shows Promising Results." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 13 Sep. 2012. Web.
29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/250146.php>


APA
n.p. (2012, September 13). "Predicting Scoliosis Progression From 3D Imaging, Study Shows Promising Results." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/250146.php.

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Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/250146.php

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Gene Identified For Back Pain

Main Category: Back Pain
Also Included In: Seniors / Aging;  Genetics
Article Date: 26 Sep 2012 - 0:00 PDT

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Gene Identified For Back Pain


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Researchers at King's College London have for the first time identified a gene linked to age-related degeneration of the intervertebral discs in the spine, a common cause of lower back pain.

Costing the UK an estimated £7billion a year due to sickness leave and treatment costs, the causes of back pain are not yet fully understood. Until now, the genetic cause of lower back pain associated with lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) was unknown, but the largest study to date, published this week in the journal Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, has revealed an association with the PARK2 gene.

The researchers, funded by the Wellcome Trust and Arthritis Research UK, say more research into this surprising association needs to be carried out in order to fully understand how it is triggered, but this new finding could ultimately pave the way towards developing new treatments in the future.

LDD is a common age-related trait, with over a third of middle-aged women having at least one degenerate disc in the spine. Discs become dehydrated, lose height and the vertebrae next to the discs develop bony growths called osteophytes. These changes can cause or contribute to lower back pain. LDD is inherited in between 65 - 80 per cent of people with the condition, suggesting that genes play a key role.

Scientists compared MRI images of the spine in 4,600 individuals with genome-wide association data, which mapped the genes of all the volunteers. They identified that the gene PARK2 was implicated in people with degenerate discs and could affect the speed at which they deteriorate.

The researchers say the results show that the gene may be switched off in people with LDD. Although it is still unclear how this might happen, it is thought that environmental factors, such as lifestyle and diet, could trigger this switch by making changes known as epigenetic modifications to the gene.

Dr Frances Williams, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, said: 'Back pain can have a serious impact on people's lives and is one of the most common causes of sickness leave, costing both the NHS and UK economy billions each year.

'We have performed, using data collected from around the world, the biggest genome-wide association analysis of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD). We know that people whose discs wear out are at increased risk of episodes of lower back pain, but normal human discs are hard to get hold of to study so until now our knowledge of normal human biology was incomplete.

'We have identified a gene called PARK2 as associated with LDD. We have shown that the gene may be switched off in people with the condition.

'Further work by disc researchers to define the role of this gene will, we hope, shed light on one of most important causes of lower back pain. It is feasible that if we can build on this finding and improve our knowledge of the condition, we may one day be able to develop new, more effective treatments for back pain caused by this common condition.'

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our back pain section for the latest news on this subject.
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n.p. "Gene Identified For Back Pain." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 26 Sep. 2012. Web.
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Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/250647.php

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69 Percent Of US Primary Care Doctors Now Have Electronic Medical Records

Main Category: IT / Internet / E-mail
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice;  Medical Practice Management
Article Date: 15 Nov 2012 - 3:00 PST

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Survey of 10 countries finds US Primary care doctors most likely to spend time dealing with insurance restrictions; Majority support fundamental health system change; All countries need to improve communication about patient care

Two-thirds (69%) of U.S. primary care physicians reported using electronic medical records (EMRs) in 2012, up from less than half (46%) in 2009, according to findings from the 2012 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey, published as a Web First online in the journal Health Affairs. Primary care physicians in the U.S. - the only country in the study without universal health coverage - stand out in the survey for reporting that their patients often cannot afford care (59%). By comparison, between 4 percent and 25 percent of physicians reported affordability problems for their patients in Norway (4%), the U.K. (13%), Switzerland (16%), Germany (21%), and Australia (25%). Moreover, more than half of U.S. doctors (52%) said insurance restrictions on their care decisions are a major time concern - by far the highest rate in the 10-country survey. U.S. physicians also were the most negative about their country's health system, with only 15 percent agreeing the health care system works well.

The survey of nearly 8,500 primary care physicians in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, finds that communication and teamwork across the health system is a challenge in all countries. In each, only a minority of primary care doctors reported always receiving timely information from specialist physicians after referring patients to them; in the U.S., just 11 percent of physicians said they had such information available when it was needed. And from one-third to more than half of doctors across countries said they are not always notified when their patients leave the hospital.

In the study, "A Survey of Primary Care Doctors in Ten Countries Shows Progress in the Use of Health Information Technology, Less in Other Areas," the U.S. stands out for having the lowest rates of after-hours care: one-third (34%) of U.S. physicians reported they provided options for their patients to receive after-hours care, compared to about 90 percent or more in the U.K (95%), the Netherlands (94%), New Zealand (90%), and Germany (89%).

"The U.S. spends far more on medical care than the other countries we surveyed, yet our doctors are telling us their patients can't afford care, they don't always have the patient information they need, they spend too much time dealing with insurance companies, and we need major change," said Commonwealth Fund senior vice president Cathy Schoen, lead author of the study. "The insurance expansions under the Affordable Care Act will make care more affordable - but we also need to simplify insurance to free up physicians to provide timely access to high-quality care for their patients."

Use of Health Information Technology

According to the survey, while the U.S. and Canada have made improvements in health information technology use, both countries continue to lag behind the leaders in EMR use and the range of functions supported by practice systems. In fact, just 27 percent of U.S. physicians and 10 percent of Canadian practices indicated their systems have multi-functional capacity, with the ability to: generate patient information, such as medication lists; manage patient registries, such as seeing which patients are overdue for care; order prescriptions or diagnostic tests electronically; or provide decision support, such as alerts about drug interactions. In contrast, 68 percent of U.K. practices and 59 to 60 percent of New Zealand and Australian practices reported having such multi-functional capacity.

Providing patients with electronic access appears to be spreading. The survey found that about a third of U.S. doctors allow patients to request prescription refills online (36%) or e-mail a medical question (34%). Physicians in other countries have also expanded such electronic access: for example, two-thirds (68%) of Swiss doctors provide e-mail access, and more than half of Dutch (63%), Norwegian (53%), and U.K. (56%) doctors said their patients can request prescription refills electronically.

However, the ability of primary care physicians to exchange information electronically with doctors outside their practice is not routine in any country. New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Switzerland lead on information exchange, with about half of the doctors having that capability, compared to 31 percent of doctors in the U.S.

"The substantial increase in U.S doctors' use of electronic medical record systems reflects the incentives and national investment included in the 2009 economic stimulus legislation," said Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis. "As we look to the future, we hope to see similar progress as health reform provisions take hold, including patient-centered medical homes and health care systems that foster teamwork and coordination. With improvements in these areas, we will be able to improve patient outcomes and experiences, and make a positive difference for physicians."

Communication and Teamwork: Shared Challenge

Primary care doctors' reports on receiving information back from specialists and hospitals about care provided to their patients indicate that communication and teamwork are challenges shared by all the countries. Only a minority of primary care doctors reported they always receive timely information from specialists after a referral (the rates range from 1% to 27%), while less than half of doctors in any country said they always know about changes to their patients' medications or care plans. And a third to more than half of primary care physicians in all countries said they are not always notified when their patients are discharged from a hospital or seen in an emergency department. U.S. doctors' reports on receiving timely, consistent communications from specialists and hospitals were generally near the bottom of the country range.

Additional Survey Findings

  • Primary care physicians' reports about their patients' access to specialists varied widely: 10 percent of Swiss doctors, compared to three-fourths of Canadian and New Zealand doctors, said their patients often face long waits to see a specialist. Twenty-eight percent of U.S. doctors - the same percentage of U.K. doctors - also voiced this concern.
  • To provide incentives for quality improvement, many of the countries have been investing in making information available on physician performance. U.K. doctors stand out for getting feedback on their performance: 84 percent of U.K. primary care practices reported they routinely receive and review data on clinical outcomes, 82 percent receive data on hospital admissions and emergency room use, and 78 percent have comparative data available - by far the highest rates in the survey. U.S. primary care doctors are in the middle of the range for having performance information on clinical outcomes (47%) and data for comparing themselves with other practices (34%).
  • Within the U.S., physicians who reported that they spend a lot of time on insurance restrictions or that their patients have access problems were the most likely to call for major change and were the most negative about practicing medicine.
The authors of the study observe that physician experiences underscore the importance of national policies, including those concerning health insurance design, investment in information systems, and the resources necessary to support primary care practices. "Although U.S. health information technology adoption has increased, the study points to the need for intensified efforts to link practice information systems to enable communication and collaboration across care sites," they write. With the redesign of primary care central to U.S. efforts to improve health outcomes and care experiences while reducing costs, they conclude that "listening to doctors on the front lines of primary care can help identify gaps and target reforms."
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our it / internet / e-mail section for the latest news on this subject.

A summary and link to the article will be available on the Commonwealth Fund Web site on November 15, 2012, at http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/In-the-Literature/2012/Nov/Survey-of-Primary-Care-Doctors.aspx. The article will also be published in the December issue of Health Affairs.

Methodology: Harris Interactive, Inc. and country contractors conducted the physician surveys by a combination of mail and phone (methods varied by country) from March through July, 2012. The final samples include 500 primary care doctors in Australia, 2,124 in Canada, 501 in France, 909 in Germany, 522 in the Netherlands, 500 in New Zealand, 869 in Norway, 1,025 in Switzerland, 500 in the U.K, and 1,012 in the U.S. For sample sizes of 1,000 and 500, the margin of sample error is +/𔃀 to +/- percent at the 95 percent confidence level, at the 95 percent confidence level. The Commonwealth Fund provided core support and partnered with the Health Council of Canada, Health Quality Ontario, Quebec Health Commission, Health Quality Council of Alberta, and Canada Health Infoway to expand the Canadian samples. Other countries were funded by: Haute Authorité de Santé and Caisse Nationale de l'Assurance Maladie des Travailleurs Salariés (France); German Federal Ministry of Health and German National Institute for Quality Measurement in Health Care; Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport and the Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare at Radboud University Nijmegen; Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services; Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs; and Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and Swiss Medical Association.

The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation supporting independent research on health policy reform and a high performance health system.

Commonwealth Fund

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30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252857.php>


APA
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'69 Percent Of US Primary Care Doctors Now Have Electronic Medical Records'

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Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252857.php

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Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi

Main Category: Immune System / Vaccines
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma;  Arthritis / Rheumatology
Article Date: 17 Nov 2012 - 0:00 PST

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Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi


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Caterpillar fungi (Cordyceps) are rare parasites found on hibernating caterpillars in the mountains of Tibet. For centuries they have been highly prized as a traditional Chinese medicine - just a small amount can fetch hundreds of pounds.

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have been studying how this fungus could work by studying cordycepin, one of the drugs found in these mushrooms. They have already discovered that cordycepin has potential as a cancer drug. Their new work indicates that it could also have anti-inflammatory characteristics with the potential to help sufferers of asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, renal failure and stroke damage.

The research, published in the academic journal RNA, was led by Dr Cornelia de Moor in the School of Pharmacy. It shows that cordycepin reduces inflammatory gene products in airway smooth muscle cells - the cells that contract during an asthma attack.

Several studies have suggested that cordycepin could be an effective drug for a variety of conditions, including cancer, stroke, kidney damage and inflammatory lung disease but until now it was unclear how cordycepin could bring about so many different beneficial effects at the cellular level.

Dr de Moor said: "We have shown that cordycepin reduces the expression of inflammatory genes in airway smooth muscle cells by acting on the final step in the synthesis of their messenger RNAs (mRNAs) which carry the chemical blueprint for the synthesis of proteins. This process is called polyadenylation. Commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs either work much earlier in the activation of inflammatory genes, such as prednisone, or work on one of the final products of the inflammatory reaction (e.g. ibuprofen).These findings indicate that cordycepin acts by a completely different mechanism than currently used anti-inflammatory drugs, making it a potential drug for patients in which these drugs don't work well.

"However, it is a surprise that cordycepin does not affect the synthesis of mRNAs from other genes, because nearly all mRNAs require polyadenylation."

Dr de Moor's research suggests that this is because inflammatory genes can be very rapidly induced and that cordycepin has its many and varied effects by altering the synthesis of other classes of rapidly induced genes as well. If this is true if could be said that cordycepin slows down the rapid cellular responses to tissue damage and may work by preventing the over-activation of these responses which are associated with conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, renal failure, cancer and stroke damage.

However, it also indicates that cordycepin could have adverse effects on normal wound healing and on the natural defences against infectious diseases.

Dr de Moor said: "We are hoping to further investigate which genes are more dependent on polyadenylation than others and why this is the case, as well as test the effect of cordycepin on animal models of disease. Clinical testing of cordycepin is not in our immediate plans, as we think we first have to understand this drug in more detail before we can risk treating patients with it."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our immune system / vaccines section for the latest news on this subject.
Additional funding has been awarded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to continue this vital work.
University of Nottingham
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MLA

n.p. "Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 17 Nov. 2012. Web.
29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252848.php>


APA
n.p. (2012, November 17). "Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252848.php.

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



'Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi'

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Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252848.php

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Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi

Main Category: Immune System / Vaccines
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma;  Arthritis / Rheumatology
Article Date: 17 Nov 2012 - 0:00 PST

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Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi


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4.67 (3 votes)

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Caterpillar fungi (Cordyceps) are rare parasites found on hibernating caterpillars in the mountains of Tibet. For centuries they have been highly prized as a traditional Chinese medicine - just a small amount can fetch hundreds of pounds.

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have been studying how this fungus could work by studying cordycepin, one of the drugs found in these mushrooms. They have already discovered that cordycepin has potential as a cancer drug. Their new work indicates that it could also have anti-inflammatory characteristics with the potential to help sufferers of asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, renal failure and stroke damage.

The research, published in the academic journal RNA, was led by Dr Cornelia de Moor in the School of Pharmacy. It shows that cordycepin reduces inflammatory gene products in airway smooth muscle cells - the cells that contract during an asthma attack.

Several studies have suggested that cordycepin could be an effective drug for a variety of conditions, including cancer, stroke, kidney damage and inflammatory lung disease but until now it was unclear how cordycepin could bring about so many different beneficial effects at the cellular level.

Dr de Moor said: "We have shown that cordycepin reduces the expression of inflammatory genes in airway smooth muscle cells by acting on the final step in the synthesis of their messenger RNAs (mRNAs) which carry the chemical blueprint for the synthesis of proteins. This process is called polyadenylation. Commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs either work much earlier in the activation of inflammatory genes, such as prednisone, or work on one of the final products of the inflammatory reaction (e.g. ibuprofen).These findings indicate that cordycepin acts by a completely different mechanism than currently used anti-inflammatory drugs, making it a potential drug for patients in which these drugs don't work well.

"However, it is a surprise that cordycepin does not affect the synthesis of mRNAs from other genes, because nearly all mRNAs require polyadenylation."

Dr de Moor's research suggests that this is because inflammatory genes can be very rapidly induced and that cordycepin has its many and varied effects by altering the synthesis of other classes of rapidly induced genes as well. If this is true if could be said that cordycepin slows down the rapid cellular responses to tissue damage and may work by preventing the over-activation of these responses which are associated with conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, renal failure, cancer and stroke damage.

However, it also indicates that cordycepin could have adverse effects on normal wound healing and on the natural defences against infectious diseases.

Dr de Moor said: "We are hoping to further investigate which genes are more dependent on polyadenylation than others and why this is the case, as well as test the effect of cordycepin on animal models of disease. Clinical testing of cordycepin is not in our immediate plans, as we think we first have to understand this drug in more detail before we can risk treating patients with it."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our immune system / vaccines section for the latest news on this subject.
Additional funding has been awarded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to continue this vital work.
University of Nottingham
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

n.p. "Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 17 Nov. 2012. Web.
29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252848.php>


APA
n.p. (2012, November 17). "Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252848.php.

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



'Anti-Flammatory Benefits Likely To Be Revealed In Rare Parasitic Fungi'

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.


Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252848.php

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Painkillers Can Cause Headaches Warns UK Watchdog

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Main Category: Pain / Anesthetics
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice;  Headache / Migraine;  Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals
Article Date: 19 Sep 2012 - 3:00 PDT

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/250407.php

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease In Women Not Caused By IUDs

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 23 Nov 2012 - 1:00 PST

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253094.php

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New Research Finds Half Of Children Outgrow Egg Allergy

Main Category: Food Intolerance
Also Included In: Allergy;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 12 Nov 2012 - 1:00 PST

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Avoiding sweet treats like pumpkin bread and cookies this holiday season might not be necessary for children with egg allergies. New studies presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting found 56 percent of allergic children can tolerate baked hen's egg, while 55 percent outgrow their egg allergy entirely.

"More than half of egg allergic children can tolerate hen's eggs when they are baked at 350 degrees in products such as cakes and breads," said allergist Rushani Saltzman, M.D., lead study author and ACAAI member. "Dietary introduction of baked egg by an allergist can broaden a child's diet, improve quality of life and likely accelerate the development of an egg tolerance."

The median dose tolerated was 2⁄5 baked hen's egg. The products tested were all baked at 350 degrees for a minimum of 30 minutes.

In a separate study also presented at the meeting, Ruchi Gupta, M.D., lead study author and pediatrician, found that out of the eight common food allergens, children most commonly outgrew egg allergy.

"Food tolerance was observed in one in four children, with 55 percent outgrowing their egg allergy by age seven," said Dr. Gupta. "Developing an egg tolerance is the most common for children, followed by milk. A small proportion outgrew shellfish and tree nut allergies."

If children have shown a severe reaction to eggs in the past they are less likely to outgrow the allergy, according to researchers. Severe symptoms include rapid swelling of the skin and tissue, difficulty breathing and life-threatening anaphylaxis.

"While these studies show many positive findings for children with egg allergy, parents must practice caution," said allergist Richard Weber, M.D., ACAAI president-elect. "Introducing an allergen back into a child's diet can have severe consequences, and only should be done under the care of a board-certified allergist."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our food intolerance section for the latest news on this subject.
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29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252618.php>


APA
n.p. (2012, November 12). "New Research Finds Half Of Children Outgrow Egg Allergy." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
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Music Therapy Improves Recovery For Surgery Patients

Main Category: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Also Included In: Pain / Anesthetics;  Anxiety / Stress
Article Date: 23 Nov 2012 - 0:00 PST

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Music Therapy Improves Recovery For Surgery Patients


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A new study review published by the University of Kentucky found that music therapy can be beneficial to patients before, during and after a surgical procedure and may reduce pain and recovery time.

Published in the Southern Medical Journal, the review examined the use of music in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative stages of the surgical process, and music was shown to have positive results in all three stages. Patients were less anxious before the procedure and recovered more quickly and satisfactorily after by being exposed to music intra- and post-operation. They also required less sedative medication and reported better satisfaction with their medical experience.

"Music therapists have long known that music can be an effective tool to manage pain and anxiety," said Lori Gooding, UK director of music therapy and lead author on the review. "Here at UK, our music therapists regularly use music-based interventions to help patients manage both pain and anxiety."

Some research suggests that music-based interventions can be effective in reducing anxiety, pain perception and sedative intake. Music that is selected by trained personnel is preferred because specific guidelines for music selection should be followed in order to maximize its positive effect on patients, though the patient's musical tastes should still be considered. It is suggested that several "playlists" be offered and the patient can choose one that best suits their tastes.

Characteristics of the music are also important in effective music therapy. Among other features, the tempo, rhythm and volume of the music can be carefully controlled in order to maximize the positive effect that music can have. Calm, slow, gentle music was shown to produce the most positive results and facilitate relaxation and pain reduction in patients. Data proposes that music could be beneficial in reducing cost and length of stay in intensive care units.

Other findings show that medical music therapists serve as good consultants when implementing music medicine-based interventions. Specialized training can help them to better manage pain and anxiety in surgical patients and it has been proposed that live performances for patients are more effective than recorded music.

UK began providing music therapy for patients in Kentucky Children's Hospital, UK Chandler Hospital and UK Good Samaritan Behavioral Health in October 2010. Based on the findings from this review, Gooding and her team have begun implementing two pilot programs in the pre-op unit at UK, one for procedural support/pain and the other for patient distress.

"Our goal is to decrease patient pain and anxiety as well as improve satisfaction with the surgical experience," Gooding said. "We also hope the program benefits staff by allowing them to do their jobs more easily and effectively."

The UK Music Therapy program, which was established as part of the Lucille Caudill Little Performing Arts in HealthCare Program, is a unique partnership between the UK School of Music and UK HealthCare. Since the program's inception, Gooding has worked to establish its clinical, academic and research components. Educating the health care, university and local communities about the evidenced-based benefits of music therapy is a vital role in program development.

In 2013, Gooding and colleague Olivia Yinger will present findings on procedural support music therapy to reduce pediatric pain and distress at the International Symposium on Pediatric Pain in Sweden.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our complementary medicine / alternative medicine section for the latest news on this subject.
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n.p. "Music Therapy Improves Recovery For Surgery Patients." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 23 Nov. 2012. Web.
25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253059.php>


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n.p. (2012, November 23). "Music Therapy Improves Recovery For Surgery Patients." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
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'Music Therapy Improves Recovery For Surgery Patients'

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Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253059.php

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Make Negative, Unwanted Thoughts Disappear By Throwing Them Away

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: Anxiety / Stress
Article Date: 28 Nov 2012 - 0:00 PST

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If you want to get rid of unwanted, negative thoughts, try just ripping them up and tossing them in the trash.

In a new study, researchers found that when people wrote down their thoughts on a piece of paper and then threw the paper away, they mentally discarded the thoughts as well.

On the other hand, people were more likely to use their thoughts when making judgments if they first wrote them down on a piece of paper and tucked the paper in a pocket to protect it.

"However you tag your thoughts - as trash or as worthy of protection - seems to make a difference in how you use those thoughts," said Richard Petty, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at Ohio State University.

Some types of psychological therapy use variations of this concept by trying to get patients to discard their negative thoughts. But Petty said this is the first study he is aware of that has validated that approach.

"At some level, it can sound silly. But we found that it really works - by physically throwing away or protecting your thoughts, you influence how you end up using those thoughts. Merely imagining engaging in these actions has no effect."

The findings suggest that people can treat their thoughts as material, concrete objects, Petty said. That is evident in the language we use.

"We talk about our thoughts as if we can visualize them. We hold our thoughts. We take stances on issues, we lean this way or that way. This all makes our thoughts more real to us."

Petty conducted the research with Pablo Briñol, Margarita Gascó and Javier Horcajo, all of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain.

The results are published online in the journal Psychological Science and will appear in a future print edition.

For the study, the researchers conducted three related experiments.

In the first experiment, 83 Spanish high school students participated in a study they were told was about body image. Each participant was told to write down either positive or negative thoughts about his or her body during a three-minute period.

All the participants were asked to look back at the thoughts they wrote. Researchers told half of the students to contemplate their thoughts and then throw them in the trash can located in the room, "because their thoughts did not have to remain with them." The other half were told to contemplate their thoughts and check for any grammar or spelling mistakes.

The participants then rated their attitudes about their own bodies on three 9-point scales (bad-good, unattractive-attractive, like-dislike).

Results showed that for those who kept their thoughts and checked them for mistakes, it mattered whether they generated positive or negative thoughts about their bodies. As would be expected, participants who wrote positive thoughts had more positive attitudes toward their bodies a few minutes later than did those who wrote negative thoughts.

However, those who threw their thoughts away showed no difference in how they rated their bodies, regardless of whether they wrote positive or negative thoughts.

"When they threw their thoughts away, they didn't consider them anymore, whether they were positive or negative," Petty said.

In a second study, 284 students participated in a similar experiment, except this time they were asked to write negative or positive thoughts about something most people believe is good: the Mediterranean diet (the diet emphasizes high consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes and unrefined cereals, with olive oil as the basic fat).

In this case, some threw the thoughts away, some left them on their desk, and some were told to put the paper in their pocket, wallet or purse and keep it with them.

All participants were then asked to rate their attitudes toward the diet and intentions to use the diet for themselves.

As in the first study, those who kept the list of thoughts at their desk were more influenced by them when evaluating the diet than were those who threw them away. However, those who protected their thoughts by putting them in a pocket or purse were even more influenced than those who kept the thoughts on their desk.

In other words, those who wrote positive thoughts about the Mediterranean diet and put those thoughts in their pocket rated the diet more favorably than those who wrote positive thoughts and simply kept those thoughts on their desk. And, those who wrote negative thoughts and put them in their pocket rated the diet more negatively than those who kept their thoughts on the desk.

"However you tag your thoughts - as trash or as worthy of protection - seems to make a difference in how you use those thoughts."

"This suggests you can magnify your thoughts, and make them more important to you, by keeping them with you in your wallet or purse," Petty said.

But how important is the physical action of throwing these thoughts away or keeping them in your pocket? To find out, the researchers conducted a third experiment using computers. In this case, 78 Spanish college students wrote their thoughts in a computer word-processing document. Some later used a mouse to drag the file into the computer recycle bin, while others moved the file to a storage disk.

Just as in the previous studies, participants made less use of negative thoughts that they had trashed - by dragging them to the recycle bin -- than did those who saved the thoughts by transferring them to a disk.

In one other condition, some participants were told to simply imagine dragging their negative thoughts to the recycle bin or saving them to a disk. But that had no effect on their later judgments.

"The more convinced the person is that the thoughts are really gone, the better," Petty said. "Just imagining that you throw them away doesn't seem to work.

"Of course, even if you throw the thoughts in a garbage can or put them in the recycle bin on the computer, they are not really gone - you can regenerate them. But the representations of those thoughts are gone, at least temporarily, and it seems to make it easier to not think about them."

Petty said the researchers plan to see if this technique could work to help people who have recurrent negative thoughts that are intrusive and bothersome, such as thoughts about the death of a loved one.

"It is often difficult to get rid of these thoughts. We want to find out if there is a way to keep those thoughts from coming back, at least for longer periods of time."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our psychology / psychiatry section for the latest news on this subject.
The study was supported by grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the equivalent agency in Spain.
Written by Jeff Grabmeier
Ohio State University
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

n.p. "Make Negative, Unwanted Thoughts Disappear By Throwing Them Away." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 28 Nov. 2012. Web.
28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253226.php>


APA
n.p. (2012, November 28). "Make Negative, Unwanted Thoughts Disappear By Throwing Them Away." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253226.php.

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



'Make Negative, Unwanted Thoughts Disappear By Throwing Them Away'

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Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253226.php

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