Therapist Unlimited Blog

To avoid deaths of millions of people, early detection and quick response is needed if ever there is anthrax.
According to a latest research a large attack on a major metropolitan area with airborne anthrax could affect more than a million people, necessitating their treatment with powerful antibiotics.
To effectively respond on the situation quick detection and treatment are essential, and any delay beyond three days would overwhelm hospitals with critically ill people.
Dr. Nathaniel Hupert, associate professor of public health and medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College explained no matter how well-organized and prolonged a treatment program is it must be quickly implemented.
Hubert added based on their analysis time-to-treatment is roughly twice as important as the duration of the distribution program.
He added crucial to rapidly implementing a treatment program is early detection, including thorough use of advanced biosurveillance technologies and live, person-to-person communication.
Hupert, who is also director of the new preparedness modeling Unit at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed most important of all are multilateral diplomatic efforts to prevent bioterrorist attacks from ever happening.
Moreover, the study predicts that a campaign initiated two days after exposure would protect as many as 87 percent of exposed individuals from illness a rate considered successful by the CDC.
The researchers said each additional day needed to complete the campaign would result in an average of up to 2.9 percent more hospitalizations in the exposed population.

Early detection and quick response is a must in anthrax attack.

The researchers added each extra day of delay to the start of the program beyond two days would result in up to 6.5 percent more hospitalizations.
Anthrax attack scenarios usually involve the release of one kilogram of weaponized anthrax from a small airplane flying over a major city.
The invisible powder could be inhaled by thousands or hundreds of thousands, who would start becoming sick anywhere from 24 hours to a week or more after the attack.
With appropriate and timely administration of an antibiotic treatment program, exposed individuals would be spared from developing inhalational anthrax infection.

Those persons who wish to avoid getting inflicted with any form of cardiovascular disease better practice healthy lifestyle now.
This developed after a recent study has confirmed earlier observations that a healthy lifestyle lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases.
According to the research those persons who follow a healthy lifestyle were protected against cardiovascular disease: one found it linked to lower risk of heart failure in men and the other found it linked to lower risk of high blood pressure in women.
The researchers said to those people who wish to avoid any form of cardiovascular disease should follow these six healthy lifestyle tips: maintaining a normal body weight, never smoking, taking regular exercise, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol, eating plenty of cereals, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Keep a healthy lifestyle if you wish to avoid any form of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers also found that the healthier lifestyle choices the men followed, the lower their lifetime risk of heart failure.
According to the researchers a heart-healthy diet was described as eating lots of fruits, nuts, legumes and other vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, low sodium intake, and not consuming much red or processed meat or sugary drinks.
Moreover the researchers revealed to avoid any form or cardiovascular disease especially heart failure and high blood pressure, patients need to avoid and do these three things: Smoking, Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day and use calorie control and exercise to keep your BMI in the normal range.
BMI stands for Body Mass Index: it is the ratio of your weight in kilos to the square of your height in meters.
A normal BMI is between 20 and 25. Thus a person who weighs 80 kilos (176 pounds) and stands 183 cm tall (6 feet) has a BMI of 23.9 which is in the normal range.

Those persons who are constantly exposed to coal dust better seek an immediate medical help now.
This developed after a recent medical study has shown that coal dust exposure is directly linked to severity of emphysema in smokers and nonsmokers alike.
According to the study made by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) it was discovered that coal mine dust exposure is a significant predictor of emphysema severity.
The researchers discovered that cumulative exposure to respirable coal mine dust was a highly significant predictor of emphysema severity after accounting for cigarette smoking, age at death, and race. Miners tended to be older at death than non-miners
due to a higher proportion of accidental or other sudden deaths among the non-miners.
The researchers also found out that miners also smoked less on average, though differences were nonsignificant.
However, emphysema in miners was significantly more severe than in non-miners among both smokers and never-smokers.
Unsurprisingly, emphysema was also more severe among smokers than never smokers in both miners and non-miners.
The team of researchers said coal mine dust exposure and cigarette smoking had similar, additive effects on emphysema.

People need to avoid constant exposure to coal dust since it could cause and worsen emphysema.

The team of researchers explained the lung tissue analysis corroborated these findings; the greater the concentration of coal dusts in the lungs, the more severe the emphysema.
It is said that a 99-point increase on the 1000-point emphysema severity index scale is equivalent to an approximately 10 percent increase in diseased lung tissue.
Previous studies have shown that a 99-point increase in emphysema severity could mean the difference between "normal" and "abnormal" lung function or the worsening of existing lung function.
Moreover, the researcher said coal mine dust exposure is now generally accepted as a cause of COPD.
The researchers said their study will provide the basis for improved recognition of dust-induced COPD, its relationship to cigarette smoking, and may enhance efforts at prevention, diagnosis and medical management of occupational dust-related lung diseases.
They said the environmental and climatic impacts of burning coal are, quite rightly, a source of concern.
However, the direct consequences of extracting coal on the health of millions of coal miners must be an equal concern.
The team revealed improving disease surveillance and awareness among healthcare professionals about the occupational components of COPD including emphysema can increase the effective detection and management of these diseases.
 

People need to avoid constant exposure to coal dust since it could cause and worsen emphysema.

A recent research has shown that the economic crisis happening in different parts of the world caused stress to the children.
Based on the research made by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health taken in May 2009, 44 percent of families’ financial situations have worsened in the last six months.
The researchers discovered that to make ends meet, many have cut back on extras (65 percent),applied for government health coverage (24 percent), applied for free or reduced lunch programs (27 percent), and delayed taking their children to the doctor (11 percent) or dentist (16 percent).
Matthew Davis, M.D., director of the poll revealed in their research they found out that a family’s financial situation had worsened over the last 6 months and their children were
uninsured, 40 percent of those parents had delayed taking their children to the doctor.
Davis said this situation is a great concern since some of these kids whose care is being delayed may be particularly vulnerable or at risk for serious health problems.

Children are suffering huge amount of stress due to the bad economy in different parts of the world.

He said the poll also showed that 40 percent of parents indicate their children ages 5 - 17 have some or a lot of stress as a result of worries about their family’s finances.
He added 53 percent of parents report their teens, ages 13 - 17, have stress due to the family’s financial situation.
Furthermore, Davis revealed the common symptoms of stress in children include acting out, abdominal pain and headaches.
Davis explained stress from financial worries affected families of lower incomes more than families of higher incomes.
He added families of the lowest income level namely making $30,000 per year or less  were more than twice as likely to report their kids had stress as families of the
highest income group making $100,000 or more per year.
Davis concluded that overall, the findings indicate that this recession is not an equal opportunity recession, explaining that it has affected
families across all income levels and range of vulnerability, but it is affecting those who are most vulnerable even more than the population as a whole.
He said those who do not have insurance, or if your family income is at a lower level, your children are likely to be even at higher risk as this recession drags on.

PREGNANT women if possible should avoid taking anti-epilepsy drugs since doing so could affect the intelligence quotient of their unborn child.
Recent research at the University of Liverpool suggest that children aged three years and younger, who are born to women taking the anti-epileptic drug sodium valproate whilst pregnant, are likely to have an IQ of six to nine points lower than average.
The study looks into 300 three-year-olds in the UK and US, whose mothers took one of four anti-epilepsy drugs (AEDs) while pregnant.
According to the initial findings those children exposed to the drug sodium valproate had lower IQ results than children exposed to other AEDs, regardless of the mother’s IQ.
The researchers also took dosage, duration of pregnancy and mother’s consumption of folic acid while pregnant.

A recent study has shown that an anti-epilepsy drug has harmful effects on IQ of unborn children.

Gus Baker, professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Liverpool explained their research looked at how exposure to sodium valproate and other AEDs in the womb affected children’s everyday life in particular their IQ, memory and language
abilities from one to six years of age.
Based on studies, some 5,000 women with epilepsy become pregnant every year in the UK and the majority of these, including those on AEDs, will experience uncomplicated pregnancies and births.
Earlier studies on the matter has already shown that children exposed to AEDs such as sodium valproate in the womb are more likely to suffer birth defects characterized by
heart malformations, dysmorphic features and minor limb deformities.
Baker said the answer is not as simple as to take women off AEDs altogether as the effects of suffering a seizure can also pose a risk for both mother and unborn child.
He said it is vital that the research is now used to educate women with epilepsy before they start to plan for a family.
Furthermore, Baker said women need to be aware of the risks so that they can make informed choices with the help and advice of experts.
Baker said it is also important that women do not stop taking AED treatment without taking advice from their medical practitioner.
He said it is important to stress that sodium valproate is used globally and it has a favorable safety profile for all adult patients who use it.
He added it has a range of pharmaceutical uses including bipolar disorder, migraine, epilepsy, and in adults sodium valproate is extremely effective.

Patients suffering from kidney trouble better refrain from eating fresh meats.
According to a latest medical study, uncooked meat products enhanced with food additives may contain high levels of phosphorous and potassium that are not discernable from inspection of food labels.
According to medical experts, dietary phosphorous and potassium that at high levels are harmful to kidney disease patients.
The experts advices that kidney disease patients on dialysis must watch their intake of dietary phosphate so that their blood phosphate levels do not rise.
The experts explained this is important because high blood phosphate levels may cause premature death in dialysis patients.
The experts added kidney disease patients also must limit their intake of potassium, because high blood potassium levels can cause sudden death.
The studies conducted by the medical experts has shown that one growing source of dietary phosphorous and potassium is through "enhanced" fresh meat and poultry products.

Kidney patients need to avoid fresh meat if they wish to avoid complications from their medical condition.

The experts said these foods are injected with a solution of water with sodium and potassium salts (particularly phosphates) as well as antioxidants and flavorings.
However, the researchers revealed while ingesting phosphates and potassium can be dangerous for dialysis patients, there is no requirement that these ingredients be included in nutrition labels.
The researchers added there also have been no studies on the levels of phosphates and potassium contained in fresh meat and poultry products that have been "enhanced."
Moreover, the researchers hoped that with their discovery, manufacturers will label their foods properly so that the public will be aware of its components which could be harmful to their health.

Those senior citizens to who want to be physically fit despite their age should undergo strength training now.
According to a latest medical study progressive resistance muscle training improves strength in older adults and enhances their ability to do daily tasks such as walking, climbing steps or getting out of a chair.
The researchers discovered that this form of exercise has people working against resistance that increases as the muscle gets stronger, usually using exercise machines, free weights or elastic bands.
lead author Chiung-ju Liu, Ph.D., of the department of occupational therapy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis explained it is well established that as people get older, they begin to lose muscle mass which can impact on their ability to do
some activities on a daily basis.
To get the significant data, Liu and his co-authors looked at 121 randomized controlled trials involving 6,700 participants from as young as 60 to older than 80.

Strength training offers countless benefits to the elderly.

Based on their study, Liu and his team also discovered that older adults who exercised two to three times a week become stronger and have improved performance on measurements of simple tasks, such as standing up from a chair more quickly.
It is said that other studies have shown that activity is important to continued good health as a person ages.
Liu revealed those with osteoarthritis also reported reductions in pain following progressive resistance training.
He added they also found out that this improvement translates into doing daily activities from shopping to walking around the neighborhood more easily.
The lead researcher said one of the surprising outcomes of the review was that these improvements continued into later years.
The lead researcher explained they found out that older adults can benefit from this type of exercise even at the age of 80, and even with some types of health condition including arthritis and after hip surgery.
However, he and his team recommended that elderly do the strength training exercise with caution by consulting with a health professional or an exercise professional to prevent exercise injuries.
Furthermore, the researchers said the result of their study confirmed the positive benefits people of all ages accumulate by including progressive resistance training as a component of a well-rounded exercise program.
The researchers explained for the vast majority, the health risks of being sedentary are much greater than the health risks of a well balanced exercise program.

Now it can be told.
A recent medical study has validated early observations that physical activities can make the children fall asleep early.
Based on the study it was also discovered that in every hour of the day children are inactive adds three minutes to the time it takes them to fall asleep.
According to the research those children who fall asleep faster also sleep for longer, although, it appears one is not the direct consequence of the other.
The study has also shown that an estimate 16 percent of parents of school aged children report that their child finds it difficult to get to sleep.

To keep your children fall asleep early allow them to undergo rigorous physical activities everyday.

Researchers also found out that there is a connection between poor sleeping patterns in children and inferior school performance.
It is also linked to an increased risk of overweight and obesity.
The researchers get the data they are seeking using an activity monitor (called an actigraph) worn for 24 hours.
The team then evaluated the daytime activity and sleep patterns of a representative sample of 591 seven year olds.
The researchers got hold of the full information on sleep patterns for 519 of the children.
They took an average of 26 minutes to fall asleep.
This is known as sleep latency, ranging from 13 to 42 minutes (interquartile range).
The parents reported that around one in ten of the children regularly found it difficult to fall asleep quickly.
These children took around 15.5 minutes longer to get to sleep.
Moreover, the researchers said those children, who were physically active during the day, fell asleep more rapidly than their more sedentary peers.
Researchers said the more vigorous activity they did, the faster they fell asleep.
In addition, the researchers said in every hour of the day spent in sedentary activity increased sleep latency by three minutes.
The team also discovered that shorter sleep latency was also associated to longer duration of sleep.
It fell by more than 11 minutes for each additional hour of sleep.
The researchers concluded that their study emphasizes the importance of physical activity for children, not only for fitness, cardiovascular health and weight control, but also for sleep.

Parents should do their best to keep their children away from air pollution and family problems to protect them from strong chances of suffering from asthma.
Recent studies have shown that children constantly exposed to air pollution and family stress makes them susceptible to asthma.
Based on the study conducted by the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) it was learned that the risk of asthma associated with traffic-related pollution was significantly higher for children of parents reporting high levels of stress. Stress, as well as low parental education, was also associated with larger effects of
exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy.
Principal investigator Rob McConnell, M.D., professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and Deputy Director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at USC revealed they found out that it was the children who were exposed to the combination of air pollution and life in a stressful environment who were at highest risk of developing asthma.
It was learned that asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness in developed countries and has been linked to environmental factors.
The study drew upon data from the USC Children’s Health Study, a longitudinal study of respiratory health among children in 13 southern California communities.
To get the data, researchers followed 2,497 children with no history of respiratory problems over three years, tracking whether they developed asthma starting in kindergarten or first grade.
The researchers also measured parental stress and parental education as an indicator of socioeconomic status using a questionnaire, and collected information on exposure to traffic-related pollution and whether the children had been exposed to tobacco smoke in utero.

Children should keep away from air pollution and family stress to avoid getting inflicted with asthma.

It was learned in the study that the results showed that parental stress alone did not increase the risk that children would develop asthma.
However, when children had a combination of parents with stressful lives and also lived near high levels of traffic-related pollution, their risk of asthma increased compared with children only exposed to pollution.
McConnell explained air pollution can promote inflammatory responses in the airways of the lung, which is a central feature of asthma.
McConnell added stress may also have pro-inflammatory effects and this may help explain why the two exposures together were important.
Moreover, McConnell said children whose parents perceived their lives as unpredictable, uncontrollable, or overwhelming were susceptible to the effects of pollution.
He said stress associated with poverty may help explain why asthma rates are often higher in lower socioeconomic status communities.
He added childhood asthma is a complex disease that probably has many contributing causes.
The medical expert said further study of effects of exposure to air pollution in combination with stressful environments associated with poverty and other social factors could contribute to our understanding of why the disease develops.

Pregnant women around the world should avoid exposure to environmental pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) since it can adversely affect a child’s intelligence quotient or IQ.
Based on the study conducted by the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Mailman School of Public Health it was learned that PAHs are chemicals released into the air from the burning of coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic substances such as tobacco.
It is said that in urban areas motor vehicles are a major source of PAHs.
According to the study, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a component of the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and several private foundations, children exposed to high levels of PAHs in New York City had full scale and verbal IQ scores that were 4.31 and 4.67 points lower, respectively than those of less exposed children.
Researchers reveal high PAH levels were defined as above the median of 2.26 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3).
Frederica Perera, DrPH, professor of Environmental Health Sciences and director of the CCCEH at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and study lead author explained their findings are of concern because these decreases in IQ could be educationally meaningful in terms of school performance.
Perera added the good news is that they have seen a decline in air pollution exposure in our cohort since 1998, testifying to the importance of policies to reduce traffic congestion and other sources of fossil fuel combustion byproducts.
The study included children who were born to non-smoking Black and Dominican American women age 18 to 35 who resided in Washington Heights, Harlem or the South Bronx in New York.
The children were followed from in utero to 5 years of age.

Pregnant women around the world should avoid exposure to urban air pollutants to protect the IQ of their children.

The mothers wore personal air monitors during pregnancy to measure exposure to PAHs and they responded to questionnaires.
At 5 years of age, 249 children were given an intelligence test known as the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of the Intelligence, which provides verbal, performance and full-scale IQ scores.
The researchers developed models to calculate the associations between prenatal PAH exposure and IQ.
The researchers added other factors such as second-hand smoke exposure, lead, mother’s education and the quality of the home caretaking environment could also affect the IQ of the baby.
The study has shown that participants exposed to air pollution levels below the average were designated as having "low exposure," while those exposed to pollution levels above the average were identified as "high exposure."
A total of 140 children were classified as having high PAH exposure.
Furthermore, Perera said the decrease in full-scale IQ score among the more exposed children is similar to that seen with low-level lead exposure.
Perera added this finding is of concern because IQ is an important predictor of future academic performance, and PAHs are widespread in urban environments and throughout the world.
She said fortunately, airborne PAH concentrations can be reduced through currently available controls, alternative energy sources and policy interventions.