Contents
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National News
Stripped of a pension - but battling on - The Guardian 18/03/06
Workers defiant despite government decision to deny compensation, writes Rupert Jones
Gentle detoxification - The Guardian 18/03/06
My GP suggests I'm neurotic, but I'm a hitherto well and energetic 62-year-old woman afflicted with a debilitating malaise that has built up over a couple of years. It began with a rash at the back of my throat, making for an uncomfortable mouth and throat, and has since caused exhaustion, weight loss and a cough. I've had blood tests and a thyroid check, and nothing is amiss.
Seven perfect daily moments - The Guardian 18/03/06
Body-clock experts believe that all our routine activities have an optimal time slot. So how do you plan a 24-hour schedule to benefit your health? By Peta Bee
Interest surges in trials despite patients' plight - The Guardian 18/03/06
Medical groups are being inundated with people wanting to sign up for drug trials despite the disastrous tests at Northwick Park hospital that left two men fighting for their lives and four others seriously ill.
Call for windfall tax on banks and oil firms to bail out NHS - The Independent 18/03/06
The Chancellor has been urged by Labour MPs to impose a windfall profits tax on banks and energy companies in next week's Budget to give him room to bail out the NHS hospitals facing deficits totalling more than 600m.
'I worried about the risks, but I wanted to do my bit' - The Times 18/03/06
The Labour MP for Barking and Minister for Work tells about her ten-year trial for a breast cancer drug
Feathers fly over site of new egg farm - The Times 18/03/06
PLANS for a farm producing free-range eggs are being challenged by villagers who fear that it could heighten the risk of the avian flu virus in their community.
Women touting their bodies to sell dream of the perfect child - The Times 18/03/06
THE unnamed women post their photographs and vital statistics on the internet to sell their services.
Letters to the Editor - The Times 18/03/06
Regarding your editorial (“Precious and real”, Mar 16) on the Baby MB case, where did the idea come from that doctors should decide whose life is or is not worth living?
Like my new face? - The Times 18/03/06
Stories behind the news: Facelifts - on sale everywhere, just don’t ask for the guarantee
Open wide ... this new drill will hurt - The Times 18/03/06
New reforms are forcing dentists to leave the NHS and pushing patients into private practice
Honest look at the last taboo - The Times 18/03/06
Actor Tony Robinson saw his mother die from dementia. He tells John Naish how it spurred him into campaigning for the elderly
They all look the same to me - The Times 18/03/06
From blanking colleagues and acquaintances, Andrew Billen knew that his face-blindness was bad — then tests revealed just how bad
Inside story: repetitive strain injury - The Times 18/03/06
When her upper limbs stopped working Annie Taylor refused to be written off — and she changed her life for the better
Dr Copperfield: inside the mind of a GP - The Times 18/03/06
“Miracle heart pill! Unblocks furred-up arteries while you sleep!” Another week, another headline: Tuesday brought us news that high doses of the statin, Crestor, may turn out to do wonders for patients who already have heart problems, but what about the rest of us? Suppose there was a pill
Bath-time bonding - The Times 18/03/06
What better than a ‘warm chic womb’ for Helen Lederer and Hannah, 16, to share quality time?
She's wearing the trousers - The Times 18/03/06
She can do it all but should hold back before the worm turns, says Jane
Agony and ecstasy: sex advice - The Times 18/03/06
An abusive father put me off men and, for a while, I thought I was a lesbian. At 27, I know I'm not, but I have never kissed a man. Any tips?
Fly-by-night worry - The Times 18/03/06
I am taking my 18-month- old son to Australia to meet my family but am concerned about the flight. He will be on my lap the whole time. A friend suggested giving him Phenergan to “knock him out”. What do you think and how can I help him adjust to the new time zone when we’re there?
How I shed the blues - The Times 18/03/06
Digging your way out of depression may seem like you’re losing the plot but it worked for Robin Shelton. He got an allotment and started sowing the seeds of a happier life
Eco-worrier: dry-cleaning - The Times 18/03/06
The film company I work for gets through a huge amount of dry-cleaning. What can I do?
At your table: pears - The Times 18/03/06
I’m a Conference pear person, although Williams, Comice and Packhams also find their way into my fruit bowl. Sweet and moreish, pears are so versatile. Not only do they make a juicier alternative to apples as a snack, but the luscious fruity taste goes well with cheese, from crumbly Mrs Kirkhams Lancashire to runny brie.
Taking it in his stride - The Times 18/03/06
When Bruce Millar decided to commute on two legs, he had to learn to put his best foot forward
Hands up for kids in the kitchen - The Times 18/03/06
What's the recipe for healthy little eaters? Teach them to cook at school, says Hilly Janes
The French way is to let them eat cake - The Times 18/03/06
Adam Sage finds that the French are tackling childhood obesity by encouraging youngsters to enjoy their grub
Movement Maestro - The Times 18/03/06
When choreographer Richard Alston, 57, was told he had diabetes he went on the GI diet and got fit
Gold watch ends up on scrap heap - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Asking for two, three or five years' experience on a job specification or giving perks for long service could become illegal under new age-discrimination laws, it has emerged.
Lifelong vaccine will end booster jab ordeal - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Booster jabs could soon become obsolete following the discovery by a British scientist of the world's first effective way to control the speed at which vaccines are released in the body.
New slow-release vaccine heralded - BBC Health News 18/03/06
Mother-to-be: Community nurses provide a little cocoon of safety - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Natalie Wakefield is expecting her second child in six weeks' time and said she was appalled by the potential loss of 120 midwives.
Midwife: Women stand to lose a gold standard birth choice service - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Sue Brown has had a hectic morning. Everyone is upset and is putting questions to her, as the deputy head of midwifery and Royal College of Nursing representative, the answers to which she cannot yet provide.
Super foods: walnuts - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Judith Woods looks at the health-giving benefits of some of our most common foods. This week: walnuts
Get a life: find your talents - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Part three of self-help guru Nina Grunfeld’s eight-step guide to greater confidence
Stomach surgery for obese children - Daily Mail 17/03/06
Obese children could be offered drastic stomach surgery on the NHS.
Deflector helps heated chefs keep their cool - Daily Mail 15/03/06
A heat-proof protector could be the answer to a kitchen nightmare highlighted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay - overheated testicles.
Healthy kidney removed in botched op - Daily Mail 16/03/06
The family of a cancer sufferer who had a healthy kidney removed in a botched operation say they are "devastated".
Hearing test for every baby in England - Daily Mail 16/03/06
All parents of newborns in England will be offered a test to see if their baby is deaf or has hearing problems.
Hospital to axe 1,000 staff to balance books - Daily Mail 17/03/06
A cash-strapped hospital is to cut up to 1,000 jobs in a desperate attempt to reduce debts of more than 15million.
Hewitt gets blame for hospital's slashing of 1,000 jobs - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Other trusts at risk - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Thousands more jobs may go as crisis hits NHS Direct - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Radiation overdose girl 'feeling better' - Daily Mail 17/03/06
A schoolgirl who was given a potentially deadly radiation overdose at a cancer unit says she is now rebuilding her life.
Two drug trial men still critical - BBC Health News 18/03/06
Investigations into how a drugs trial left six men seriously ill - two of them critical - are continuing.
Stricken drug trial victims will take months to recover - The Times 18/03/06
Critical drug trial men show hopeful signs - The Telegraph 18/03/06
Drugs trial men 'are improving' - BBC Health News 18/03/06
Drug-trial victim's mother kept in the dark - Daily Mail 18/03/06
Drug trial victim 'in long-term coma' - The Guardian 17/03/06
Drug company 'followed correct procedures' - Daily Mail 17/03/06
Drug trial four 'are conscious' - BBC Health News 17/03/06
Staffing crisis closes hospital - BBC Health News 17/03/06
A Highland hospital is to close temporarily because it does not have enough staff.
Wound Monitor 'sniffs Out' Harmful Infections - Medical News Today 18/03/06
The University of Manchester has received 1m to develop a new device able to 'sniff out' harmful infections.
Multi-million Pound UK Biobank Project - Medical News Today 18/03/06
UK Biobank, a visionary medical project aimed at improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other serious conditions is launched this week after several years of meticulous planning.
New Journal To Examine Medical Ethics In The UK - Medical News Today 18/03/06
The Royal Society of Medicine has today launched a new journal on medical ethics. Clinical Ethics examines ethical issues as they relate to health care delivery, research and policy. The journal provides a forum for cross-disciplinary research and debate on issues of contemporary relevance. It will have a particular emphasis on how ethics are, and should be, applied in clinical practice.
NHS Reconfiguration Must Benefit Local Communities, UK - Medical News Today 18/03/06
NHS organisations can be a powerful force for good in regenerating local communities, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said today. She urged them to take account of tackling deprivation when reconfiguring local services.
International News
Mothers sue over gender test that promised 99.9% accuracy - The Guardian 18/03/06
When a genetic testing kit promising to predict a baby's gender with 99.9% accuracy five weeks after conception was launched last year many pregnant women in America were delighted.
Hospital kept new-born baby over unpaid bill - The Guardian 17/03/06
Israel's justice ministry is deciding whether to prosecute a Jerusalem hospital that held a new-born baby for two months as collateral because its mother was unable to pay her bill.
Doctor's diary: a novel cure for a headache - The Telegraph 17/03/06
James LeFanu on side effects bad and good, and health workers who prove unhelpful
Atkins diet 'can risk your life' - Daily Mail 17/03/06
People who strictly follow the Atkins diet could develop a potentially fatal blood disorder, doctors say.
Why your waistline is a clue to heart disease - Daily Mail 17/03/06
A bulging belly is a better indicator of heart disease than overall body mass, according to scientists.
Sleep loss 'harms route memory' - BBC Health News 18/03/06
Losing sleep can interfere with the part of the brain responsible for finding your way round, a study says.
Scientists make 'bionic' muscles - BBC Health News 18/03/06
Scientists have developed artificial, super-strength muscles which are powered by alcohol and hydrogen.
Alcohol Is A Terrible Sleep Aide - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Although alcohol will cause sleepiness and may help a patient to initially fall asleep, it actually causes significant sleep disruption later in the night.
Waking Up And Feeling Awake, But Being Unable To Move, May Be A Sign Of A Serious Sleep Disorder - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Sleep paralysis is sometimes also referred to as the "witch is riding your back."
Exercise Or Eating Within Three Hours Of Going To Bed Could Be The Reason You Are Having Trouble Falling Asleep - Medical News Today 18/03/06
While exercise will help you relax, in general, and usually helps consolidate sleep, exercising too close to bedtime will delay the time your body unwinds and is able to fall asleep.
Falling Asleep At Movies Or Watching TV Can Be A Sign Of Sleep Apnea - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Patients with sleep apnea have frequent arousals at night secondary to recurrent apneas (no airflow).
Value Of Satellites In Fighting Epidemic Outbreaks - Medical News Today 18/03/06
The amount of data acquired by satellites is increasing at an exponential rate, and researchers are learning about the value of this data in fighting epidemic outbreaks as a result of the ESA's Epidemio project.
Understanding Tumescent Liposuction - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Tumescent liposuction was developed by dermatologic surgeons in the mid 1980's and has become the more popular method of liposuction. It is considered a major advancement that has completely changed surgical fat removal. It is regarded as the "best" type of liposuction surgery to date.
Kids Toy Safety Tips - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Educational toys are an important part of a toddler's life. They teach a little boy or girl about colors, sounds, letters, motion, and friction. They can also inspire a child's creativity. Yet, it's also important that toys be safe so that children do not get hurt while playing.
Whiplash Injury Much More Severe When Head Is Turned - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Persons whose heads are turned at the time of a rear impact collision risk a much more serious whiplash injury with potentially chronic symptoms, and a current Yale School of Medicine study explains why.
Arixtra® (Fondaparinux Sodium) Reduced Risk Of Death Or Recurrent Heart Attack In Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes - Medical News Today 18/03/06
GlaxoSmithKline plc [LSE and NYSE: GSK] announced today late-breaking clinical trial results of the OASIS 6 trial that compared its antithrombotic product ARIXTRA(fondaparinux sodium) to standard therapy in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with ST elevation MI (STEMI). The overall results of the study demonstrated superiority of fondaparinux to standard therapy (unfractionated heparin or placebo) in reducing risk of death or recurrent heart attack (risk reduction of 14% at day 30, p=0.008), with a significant reduction observed as early as day 9 (risk reduction of 17%, p=0.003). Furthermore, fondaparinux showed a significant reduction in all cause mortality (secondary endpoint) at day 9 (risk reduction 13%, p=0.043), which was maintained until the end of the study (risk reduction 12%, p=0.029). 1
FDA Statement On USDA Announcement Of Positive BSE Test Result - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Following confirmation today by the USDA of a cow found positive for BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) or "mad cow" disease, the FDA is working with federal and state authorities to investigate the origin of the animal feed consumed by this cow. The USDA also confirmed the cow did not enter the animal feed or human food supply.
Novel Trophy Study Is First To Evaluate Effects Of Pharmacological Intervention In Patients With Prehypertension - Medical News Today 18/03/06
among one of the most exciting and hotly debated areas of medical research today. While the promise of personalized medicine and effective treatments for debilitating diseases drive progress in this area, moral and ethical dilemmas about embryonic cells continues to cloud the field. In research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session, scientists continue to explore mature stem cell sources for potentially significant cardiovascular benefits. ACC.06 is the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, bringing together over 30,000 cardiologists to further breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine.
Research Mice Help Scientists Understand The Complexities Of Cholesterol - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues have developed new research mice to help them better understand how the body makes and uses "good" cholesterol to protect against heart attacks and strokes. Their latest findings are reported in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Found: Key 'go-between' In Heart Disease - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Medical researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have shed light on a little-known mechanism involved in the thickening of arteries, a process associated with heart disease.
Combining Multiple Treatments Improves Multiple Sclerosis Therapy - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which white blood cells known as lymphocytes attack the myelin insulation on nerves in the spinal cord and brain. Glatiramer acetate (GA) is a drug currently approved for MS treatment, but new therapies are needed to improve effectiveness and reduce side effects. Now, in a study appearing online on March 16 in advance of print publication in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Scott S. Zamvil and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, show that treating MS with combinations of immune modulating drugs can greatly reduce MS disease. The researchers treated the "EAE mouse" model of MS with GA in combination with atorvastatin (Lipitor), a cholesterol-lowering drug shown to improve MS symptoms in clinical trials. Compared to EAE animals treated with either drug alone (which had no effect on established MS), EAE mice receiving the combination therapy demonstrated a significant prevention and reversal of clinical MS severity, with less myelin loss, CNS inflammation, and MS disease incidence. The authors then treated isolated inflammatory cells called macrophages with these drugs and found that the combination therapy mediated its effects by promoting the secretion of the anti-inflammatory molecule IL-10 and suppressed production of the proinflammatory molecules IL-12 and TNF-alpha. Importantly, the combined drug therapy utilized doses of each drug that were lower than the doses used in the single drug treatment method. These data suggest that combined delivery of drugs which act through different mechanisms may enhance the therapeutic efficacy of MS and reduce the negative side effects that result from treatment strategies which use the single drug delivery approach.
Salt Substitute Significantly Reduces Hypertension Amongst Rural Chinese - Medical News Today 18/03/06
A salt substitute specially formulated to be flavourful and effective has significantly reduced blood pressure among high-risk residents of northern, rural ChResults of the TROPHY study (Trial Of Preventing Hypertension) were presented today in the late-breaking clinical trials session at the American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session. “The TROPHY study is groundbreaking because it's the first study to examine the potential to change the natural history of hypertension through early pharmacological intervention in patients diagnosed with prehypertension,” said principal investigator Stevo Julius, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine and Physiology, University of Michigan. For the primary study end point of development of hypertension, there was a 15.6% relative risk reduction in the group treated with ATACAND® (candesartan cilexetil) compared with the group treated with placebo (53.2% vs 63.0% p<.007). According to Dr Julius, “The TROPHY study was designed to provide proof of principle for the feasibility of using a pharmacologic intervention to affect the natural history of hypertension.”
More Potent And Reliable Platelet Inhibition With Prasugrel Compared To Clopidogrel - Medical News Today 18/03/06
In early phase data announced today, the investigational antiplatelet agent, prasugrel, demonstrated greater and more reliable antiplatelet effect compared to clopidogrel (Plavix®) even in patients with increased platelet reactivity. These data were featured in one of several prasugrel presentations at the 2006 Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta.
Things You Can Do That May Lessen Your Chance Of Having An Ectopic Pregnancy - Medical News Today 18/03/06
When you're pregnant, you want to do everything you possibly can to ensure that your baby is healthy. That means abstaining from smoking and alcohol use, opting for nutrition-rich foods, wearing non-restrictive maternity clothing and throwing out the junk food. You have even established a maternity insurance policy. But is there anything you can possibly do to reduce your risk of having an ectopic pregnancy?
IFPMA Welcomes Proposal To Remove Import Tariffs On Pharmaceuticals - Medical News Today 18/03/06
International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) welcomes the joint initiative by the United States, Switzerland and Singapore to include removal of import tariffs on pharmaceuticals in the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.
Memory, Speed Of Thinking Get Worse Over Time With Marijuana Use - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Memory, speed of thinking and other cognitive abilities get worse over time with marijuana use, according to a new study published in the March, 2006, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Newspaper Coverage Of Neurologic Conditions Incorrect 20 Percent Of The Time, Study Shows - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Twenty percent of all examined newspaper articles about common neurologic conditions had medical errors or exaggerations, according to a study partnering Mayo Clinic physicians and school of journalism experts from Arizona State University.
Medication Reduces Risk Of Adverse Events For Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes Undergoing PCI - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Patients with acute coronary syndromes who were pre-treated with the anti-platelet agent clopidogrel before undergoing a procedure such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement had a reduced risk of adverse events if they received the anti-clotting drug abciximab, according to a study that will appear in the April 5 issue of JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology annual conference.
Researchers Look To Enhances Lifestyles For The Elderly And Their Pets - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Developing new products and systems to enhance the lives of elderly people and their pets is the focus of a $40,000 competitive grant awarded by Procter & Gamble and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) to a Virginia Tech team led by Ed Dorsa, associate professor in the College of Architecture and Urban Affairs.
Gene Therapy May Provide Hope For Patients At High Risk Of Amputation - Medical News Today 18/03/06
A new randomized study presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session investigates an innovative treatment for critical limb ischemia, or lack of arterial blood supply and oxygen to the legs, using a therapeutic approach to generate new blood vessels. ACC.06 is the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, bringing together more than 30,000 cardiologists to further breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine.
‘Pony Scrub' Offers Stylish Solution For Rapunzel RN's - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Leave it up to an industrious anesthesiology resident to come up with the perfect solution for a scrub hat for people with longer hair. blue sky scrubs, an Austin, TX-based scrub attire company founded by Shelby Marquardt, M.D. has introduced a piece of OR apparel that is a breath of fresh air for anyone who has been forced to wear the elasticized bouffant surgical cap.
Protein That Regulates Quiescent Blood Stem Cells May Enhance Recovery From Radiation And Chemo - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Scientists have uncovered new information about what orchestrates the complex balance between blood stem cells and mature blood cells, a relationship that is often disrupted in leukemia. The results, published in the March issue of Cancer Cell, will lead to a better understanding of the behavior of leukemic cells and may have vital clinical applications for patients recovering from chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or bone marrow transplantation.
Dramatic Rise In Ethnic Plastic Surgery In 2005 - Medical News Today 18/03/06
The number of ethnic patients who chose to enhance their appearance or minimize the signs of aging through cosmetic plastic surgery took a substantial jump in 2005, with nearly 2.3 million procedures performed an increase of 65 percent from 2004, according to statistics released today by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Hispanics continue to lead all ethnic groups with more than 921,000 cosmetic procedures performed, up 67 percent from 2004; followed by African Americans with 769,000 procedures, up 67 percent; and Asians with 437,000 procedures, up 58 percent.
Potential Heart Benefit Found In Stem Cells - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Stem cell transplantation isina, where home-pickled foods are a dietary mainstay and hypertension is rampant.
Targeting The Dosage Compensation Complex - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Three independent research papers in the April 1 issue of G&D detail the chromosome-wide binding of the Drosophila dosage compensation complex (DCC) to the single male X chromosome, shedding new light on the mechanism of DCC targeting.
Early Treatment With Blood Pressure Meds May Reduce Hypertension - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Patients experiencing high normal blood pressure (HNBP), a precursor to hypertension, may benefit from early treatment with pharmacological therapy, according to new research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session. HNBP, often referred to as "prehypertension," is associated with double the normal risk of heart attacks and strokes. ACC.06 is the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, bringing together more than 30,000 cardiologists to further breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine.
The Greatest Wrinkle Remover And One Of The World's Most Potent Biological Weapons: Botulism Toxin's Insidious Route Into Nerve Cells - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Botulinum neurotoxin A can be either the greatest wrinkle remover or one of the world's most potent biological weapons. To perform either job, however, the toxin must first find a way to enter cells.
Complex Artery Disease Best Treated With Simple Approach - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Cardiologists increasingly use non-invasive methods to treat patients with diseased arteries that previously required open-heart surgery. A late-breaking clinical trial presented today during the American College of Cardiology's inaugural Innovation in Intervention: the i2 Summit 2006. Innovation in Intervention: i2 Summit is an annual meeting for practicing cardiovascular interventionalists sponsored by the American College of Cardiology in partnership with the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.
Older Breast Cancer Survivors Shared Care Study - Medical News Today 18/03/06
If follow-up mammography is an indicator of quality breast cancer care, then older survivors who receive shared care--provided by both a primary care physician and a cancer specialist--are better cared for than those who don't.
Post-stent Maintenance Therapies Questioned - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Patients admitted to the hospital with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are often treated with a catheter-based procedure known as percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI. But doctors are unclear about the optimal antithrombotic therapy to prescribe after procedure to prevent clotting, and new research suggests a possible alternative, according to a study presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session. ACC.06 is the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, bringing together more than 30,000 cardiologists to further breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine.
Women And Children Are The First Hurt By Welfare Reform - Medical News Today 18/03/06
A study published in the latest issue of Health Services Research finds an unintended consequence of welfare reform. The reduction of insurance coverage is likely to decrease the quantity and quality of health care services of economically disadvantaged women and their children. The replacement of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is found to be associated with a little more than eight percent increase in the likelihood that a welfare-eligible woman was not insured, while TANF implementation was associated with a three percent raise in the probability that a welfare-eligible child lacked insurance.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Patients Chose Needle Over Knife - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Rest and relaxation seem like impossible feats to most Americans trying to balance the demands of family and career. This balancing act could account for the continued growth in minimally-invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures with 8.4 million performed in 2005. According to the statistics released today by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), minimally-invasive procedures increased 13 percent from the previous year and 53 percent since 2000.
NIAID Media Availability: New Study Describes Key Protein From Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Flu Virus And How It Might Mutate - Medical News Today 18/03/06
WHAT: The recent spread of deadly H5N1 influenza A virus among birds in Asia, Europe, and Africa has been the focus of much attention and concern worldwide--largely because of the danger that the virus will mutate into a form that will become easily transmissible from person to person.
Hospitalized Patients With Schizophrenia More Likely To Have Medical And Surgical Complications - Medical News Today 18/03/06
A Johns Hopkins study of more than 1,700 patients with schizophrenia hospitalized for medical or surgical care unrelated to their mental disorder shows they are at least twice as likely as similar patients without schizophrenia to suffer dangerous and expensive adverse events. The adverse events are associated with poor outcomes, including death.
Diabetes Research Yielding Breakthrough Success - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Freedom from insulin injections and the myriad of health problems related to type 1 diabetes is closer to becoming reality, thanks to University of Calgary researchers who are developing the first bioreactor procedures to grow pancreatic cells in their laboratory. This opens the door to the possibility of providing a steady supply of insulin-producing cells that can be transplanted into patients affected by this serious disease.
Doctors In Training Improve Skills Via Virtual Patient - Medical News Today 18/03/06
An electronic stethoscope that doubles as a virtual patient dramatically improved the accuracy of medical residents in identifying heart sounds, according to a study presented today at the American College of Cardiology.
New Evidence Suggests Statins Could Prove Useful In Treating MS - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University Medical Center are reporting compelling new evidence that the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin could prove an effective therapy for preventing the progression of, and reversing the severity of, multiple sclerosis (MS).
Gold Nanorods Allow Safer, Deeper Penetrating Noninvasive Cancer Treatment - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, San Francisco, have found an even more effective and safer way to detect and kill cancer cells. By changing the shapes of gold nanospheres into cylindrical gold nanorods, they can detect malignant tumors hidden deeper under the skin, like breast cancer, and selectively destroy them with lasers only half as powerful as before without harming the healthy cells. The method, which allows for a safer, deeper penetrating noninvasive cancer treatment, has just appeared in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, volume 128.
Life May Soon Be Just A Little Easier For Parents Of Autistic Children - Medical News Today 18/03/06
Life may soon be just a little easier for parents of autistic children thanks to a parenting program being trialed at The University of Queensland (UQ).
Prediction Of A Prokaryotic RNA-silencing System - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Researchers have used computational methods to predict what could be a prokaryotic RNA-silencing mechanism similar to the eukaryotic RNA- interference system. A study published today in the open access journal with a novel system of peer review, Biology Direct, provides the first strong evidence that a type of tandem repeats found in archaea and bacteria, the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindrome Repeats (CRISPR), might act in conjunction with the CRISPR-associated (cas) family of genes as a defence mechanism against phage and plasmid RNA. A number of Cas proteins are shown to contain domains that suggest a functional similarity to eukaryotic proteins involved in the eukaryotic RNA-interference system.
Pathological Gambling Runs In Families, Study Finds - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Problem gambling runs in families according to a University of Iowa study published online in the journal Psychiatry Research. The study also found an excess of alcoholism, drug disorders and antisocial personality disorder in families with pathological gamblers.
Researchers Simulate Complete Structure Of Virus - On A Computer - Medical News Today 17/03/06
When Boeing and Airbus developed their latest aircraft, the companies' engineers designed and tested them on a computer long before the planes were built. Biologists are catching on. They've just completed the first computer simulation of an entire life form -- a virus.
Researchers Unravel DNA Tangles And Enzyme Seamstresses - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Almost three metres of tightly-coiled DNA strands fit into a cell's nucleus. As DNA replicates, the strands unwind and unfold and then re-package into chromosomes, the genetic blueprints of life but what happens if this process becomes entangled?
Health Affairs Web Exclusive Features Interview With Medical Technology Entrepreneur - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur: A Conversation with Alfred E. Mann," Health Affairs: In a Health Affairs Web exclusive, Molly Coye, founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based Health Technology Center, interviews Alfred Mann, CEO of MannKind and Advanced Bionics and chair of the Alfred Mann Foundation for Biomedical Engineering. Mann discusses the medical technology companies with which he is involved and the need to consider cost implications of medical technology in context with efforts to reform health care (Coye, Health Affairs, 3/14).
Workplace Requirements, Family Health Responsibilities Often Conflict, Study Finds - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Inflexible workplace requirements often conflict with family health responsibilities -- such as caring for sick children, grandchildren or parents -- according to a study by the Center for WorkLife Law, APM's "Marketplace" reports. For the study, Joan Williams, director of WorkLife Law, examined approximately 100 arbitrated union cases where parents and grandparents were disciplined or fired for refusing mandatory overtime to handle family responsibilities, such as picking up a sick child from school or the emergency room. According to the study, many unionized workers have limited access to child or elder care and often trade responsibilities with their spouses and rely on help from relatives, APM reports. Netsy Firestein, founder and executive director of the Labor Project for Working Families, said that workers tend to think that work-life issues are their personal problem. However, researchers say that if the workplace is not adapting to employees' needs, it is a workplace issue, according to APM. In addition, some internal productivity studies have found that more flexible work policies, such as compressed work weeks, reduce costs. Ed Porter, executive director of the Northern California Office of the Labor Management Partnership for Kaiser Permanente, said there is a "delicate balance" between providing services and having appropriate staffing levels. The segment also includes comments from Williams and a worker who was fired because of time away from work for family health responsibilities (Wicai, "Marketplace," APM, 3/14).
Diverting Ambulances For Specialized Heart Attack Care May Be Feasible - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Diverting ambulances with patients suffering a heart to a hospital providing emergency angioplasty rather than a closer hospital with no ability to provide this specialized care, may be feasible for the majority of Americans, researchers at Yale School of Medicine and the University of Michigan report in Circulation.
Alzheimer's Study First To Explain Death Of Brain Cells - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Researchers at Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland (CHRCO) have published a new study that is the first to explain how brain cells die in patients with Alzheimer's Disease. This discovery is an important first step to helping researchers devise ways to slow, prevent and eventually cure a disease that affects an estimated 4.5 million Americans.
Low-income Patients With Treatable Cardiac Risk Factors May Benefit From Regular Visits With An Internet Based Telemedicine Doctor - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Low-income patients with treatable cardiac risk factors may benefit from regular visits with an Internet based telemedicine doctor, according to interim results of a $4 million dollar study funded by the Pennsylvania State Department of Health and headed by Alfred Bove, MD, chief of cardiology at Temple University School of Medicine and Hospital. Findings will be presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting.
Study Finds Shifts In Treatment Trends Prior To Publication Of Study Results - Medical News Today 17/03/06
The oral presentation of data from a single study at a national scientific conference can have an important impact on patient treatment, even before study publication or Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, according to a study in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Exposure To Volcanic Mineral Associated With Increased Mesothelioma Incidence In Turkey - Medical News Today 17/03/06
High exposure to a fibrous volcanic mineral called erionite was associated with a high incidence of a type of cancer called mesothelioma, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Somalia Launches HIV/AIDS Commission To Stem Spread Of Epidemic In South, Central Regions Of Country - Medical News Today 17/03/06
The transitional government of Somalia on Tuesday launched the South Central AIDS Commission in an effort to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS in the south and central region of the country, Xinhua/People's Daily reports (Xinhua/People's Daily, 3/14). Current United Nations programs in Somalia focus on educating people about HIV/AIDS and how to prevent transmission of the virus, but the "ABC" prevention method -- meaning abstinence, be faithful and use condoms -- has met resistance because some Somalians think it promotes promiscuity, which is contrary to the teachings of Islam (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/28). The commission was launched in the south Somalia region of Baidoa and is expected to work with UNICEF to organize programs in 11 regions of central and south Somalia, according to a UNICEF statement (Xinhua/People's Daily, 3/14). "The South Central AIDS Commission is the last of three AIDS commissions that have been set up. The first one in the northwest, second one in the northeast and this one now in the central south," Leo Kenny, UNAIDS country coordinator for Somalia, said (De Capua, VOA News, 3/15). According to Xinhua/People's Daily, the commission will provide a single oversight and evaluation structure and work in collaboration with partners to create an effective prevention, treatment, care and support plan. The commission "will also facilitate resource mobilization and most effective use of current resources from The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, U.N., [Department for International Development] and other donor resources," UNICEF Representative Christian Balslev-Olesen said. "We recognize that HIV/AIDS can derail our efforts to harness our human resources for the reconstruction of our country," Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi said, adding, "Somalis everywhere must be educated on how to protect themselves from the virus, but even more importantly, we must support our brothers and sisters who already are infected so that they are cared for and are not marginalized" (Xinhua/People's Daily, 3/14). According to a 2004 World Health Organization survey that looked at pregnant women in antenatal clinics, Somalia's HIV prevalence is estimated to be 0.9%. However, no thorough studies have been conducted in the country because it has not had a central government in 15 years (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/28).
Highlights In The Journal Of The National Cancer Institute - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Dietary Folate Intake Associated with Reduced Pancreatic Cancer Risk
Use Of High Humidity Does Not Improve Symptoms For Children With Croup - Medical News Today 17/03/06
For children with moderate to severe croup treated in the emergency department, use of high humidity did not improve symptoms more than low humidity or mist therapy, according to an article in the March 15 issue of JAMA.
Researchers Link Human Papillomavirus (HPV) To Common Skin Cancer - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Human papillomavirus (HPV) may be a risk factor in developing squamous cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, according to research led by Dartmouth Medical School. The study, published in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, used new technology to detect antibodies from a strain of HPV on skin cancer samples.
HIV Prevalence In Uganda Drops To 6.4%, National Survey Says - Medical News Today 17/03/06
Uganda's HIV prevalence has decreased from 6.5% to 6.4%, according to a national AIDS indicator survey, Uganda's New Vision reports. The survey -- which was presented on Monday by Wilford Lordson Kirungi, medical epidemiologist for the country's AIDS Control Program -- was conducted between 2004 and 2005 and involved 10,437 households chosen at random. The survey finds that HIV prevalence fell in the country, and awareness of modes of transmission increased. "Rejection of misconceptions related to HIV is widespread," the survey says, adding that "74% of women and 84% of men know that a healthy-looking person may be HIV-positive, and more than four in five know that HIV cannot be transmitted by witchcraft or by sharing food with someone who has AIDS." Kirungi said women had the highest HIV prevalence, with a 7.5% rate among girls and women ages 15 to 49. According to the survey, boys and men ages 15 to 49 had an HIV prevalence of 6.4%, while children under age five had a prevalence of 0.7%. "We also found out that circumcised men are less likely to be HIV-infected, with 3.7% versus 5.5%," Kirungi said, adding, "This was true for most categories of age groups, ethnicity, region and urban-rural residence" (New Vision, 3/14). Kirungi also said that men who had not had sexual relations in the past year had an HIV prevalence of 5.0%, while those who had engaged in sexual relations with more than three partners in the past year had an HIV prevalence of 9.0%. According to Xinhua News Agency, Uganda's success in controlling HIV/AIDS in recent years can be attributed to government-sponsored national guidelines (Xinhua News Agency, 3/14).
Women, hit hard by AIDS, need own UN agency: envoy - Reuters 18/03/06
Women and girls are far more vulnerable to AIDS than men and need their own U.N. agency to defend them, just as the U.N. children's fund UNICEF protects young people, a top U.N. envoy said on Friday.
American kids getting high on prescription drugs - Reuters 17/03/06
When Paul Michaud's father died of cancer, the 16-year-old took OxyContin to ease his emotional pain.
Two more deaths after abortion pill reported in US - Reuters 17/03/06
Two more women have died after taking the abortion pill RU-486 but officials do not know if the drug played a role in their deaths, U.S. regulators said on Friday.
Kidney disease rare with early type 1 diabetes onset - Reuters 17/03/06
There may be a silver lining for kids who develop type 1 diabetes at a young age. They seem to be much less likely than children with later onset to develop kidney failure in adulthood, one of the feared consequences of the diabetes, investigators in Sweden report in the medical journal Diabetes Care.
Osteoporosis screening missing highest-risk women - Reuters 17/03/06
The women who would benefit the most from a screening test for osteoporosis are the least likely to get it, a new study shows.
No racial gap seen in US flu vaccine shortage - Reuters 17/03/06
Although the 2004-2005 shortage of influenza vaccine in the US led to lower vaccination rates in adults 65 years or older, the racial and ethnic disparities seen in previous seasons did not increase, according to new findings.
Fibroids can complicate pregnancy - Reuters 17/03/06
Fibroids are quite often discovered on a sonogram after a woman becomes pregnant, and they are associated with an increased likelihood of complications such as cesarean delivery, breech presentation and preterm birth.
Straight men using meth have riskier sex - Reuters 17/03/06
Heterosexual men are more likely to engage in high-risk sex if they use methamphetamine, or "meth," according to results of a study conducted in California.
Decongestant use has no ill effects in pregnancy - Reuters 17/03/06
Women who take decongestants during pregnancy don't appear to risk having poor outcomes or to be putting their baby at risk for birth defects, a Swedish team reports.
WHO calls for urgent studies on best use of Tamiflu - Reuters 17/03/06
The World Health Organization (WHO) called on Friday for urgent studies to determine optimal doses of flu drug Tamiflu to be used in the fight against human bird flu.
US reports two more deaths after abortion pill - Reuters 17/03/06
Two new deaths have been reported after women took the abortion pill known as RU-486 but officials do not know if the fatalities are connected to the drug, U.S. regulators said on Friday.
Body-mind therapy may ease anxiety of IVF - Reuters 17/03/06
A holistic form of group counseling can help calm some of the anxiety that women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) often feel, a new study suggests.
Cheshire and Merseyside News
TB scare at the Countess - Chester Chronicle 17/03/06
NINE patients and two staff at the Countess of Chester Hospital have been offered tests because of concerns they may have contracted tuberculosis from a doctor.
An end to migraine misery - Chester Chronicle 17/03/06
Reporter Jo Henwood has suffered with migraine since childhood so was more than ready to take part in vital new research into the condition being carried out at a North West hospital.
Campaigners fired up for incinerator march - Chester Chronicle 17/03/06
HUNDREDS of residents are to join a protest march against the Ince Marsh Incinerator on Saturday, April 1.
Patients tune in to fight crime - Runcorn Weekly News 16/03/06
PATIENTS at Halton Hospital can now tune into Radio Halton to hear about the latest policing initiatives in Runcorn.
Father to complain about son's treatment - Ellesmere Port Pioneer 16/03/06
A FATHER is making an official complaint over the way his son was treated over a doctor's appointment.
Job cuts loom at hospital - Northwich Chronicle 15/03/06
DEBT-RIDDEN Leighton Hospital is making shock job cuts in a bid to balance its books.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
60m payout for NHS women - Carlisle News & Star 17/03/06
HOSPITAL chiefs have confirmed that they are about to begin paying out 60 million in compensation to women in north Cumbria won an historic equal pay battle.
Show us your pearly whites... - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/03/06
SCHOOL kids in Lancaster and Morecambe could soon be getting their brushes out at lunchtime to keep their pearly whites in tip-top condition.
Dial-A-Ride service is vital for many - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/03/06
REGARDING the 90 days notice given to the full and part-time staff of Dial-A-Ride. Does it mean that this valuable and trusted service, mainly used by senior citizens or wheelchair-bound people, is going to come to an end?
Please don't sever my lifeline - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/03/06
Drunk caused mayhem at A&E - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/03/06
A 55-year-old man racially abused a hospital security officer who had been called to accident and emergency by nursing staff, a court was told.
Greater Manchester News
Wound Monitor 'sniffs Out' Harmful Infections - Medical News Today 18/03/06
The University of Manchester has received 1m to develop a new device able to 'sniff out' harmful infections.
uestion for the day is why do we bother? Monst an Cal spend the day having a go at each other all day. Cal puts in bugger all effort with his homework, Monst yells an storms upstairs. I screw up finishing the homework with Cal because I constantly miss one of the words he's meant to spell. It's a theme that continues throughout the day.
Afternoon I fall asleep. I guess it's recent events catching up with me. Feel better for it when I surface aroun fiveish. Feed the family, get Monst to work an sen Cal to bed on return as per instructions. He goes up without a peep, feel kinda guilty as a result.
Meanwhile I finally get round to watching 'Valiant'.
Technorati Tags: Family; Family; Rows; Homework; Valiant 
