Because male breast cancer is rare, many cases aren't caught till later stages - Washington Post

For months, Oliver Bogler ignored the lump he felt behind the nipple of his right breast, figuring it was just a weird little nuisance. But on a rafting trip in Idaho last summer, his T-shirt was stained by discharge when he took off his life vest. That got his attention.

"I'm kicking myself I had not gone earlier," said Bogler, 46. "I should have gone right away. [But] my major worry during this time — and I wrote this down — is looking foolish and having my wife look at me: 'Are you kidding?' So I didn't say anything to anybody."

Bogler, the senior vice president for academic affairs at MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston, is undergoing chemotherapy treatments; so far, his tumor had stopped growing. The next step in his treatment is a modified radical mastectomy, then radiation and five years of tamoxifen, which inhibits estrogen from stimulating the grown of breast cancer cells.

According to the American Cancer Society, Bogler's case is rare: About 2,240 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in U.S. men a year, compared with about 232,000 cases of invasive cancer among women.

And because male breast cancer is rare, most men with the disease do what Bogler did and ignore the symptoms: lumps in a breast, discharge from a breast or other changes in a breast or nipple.

"Both the patient and the doctor often don't have a high level of suspicion it is breast cancer," said Sharon Giordano, Bogler's oncologist. "Some men don't come in, or some doctors don't get biopsies. It is not a common disease, which leads men to being diagnosed at more advanced stages," which are harder to treat.

Most of the time, women receive a diagnosis of breast cancer after a mammogram, said Robert Warren, oncologist and professor of medicine at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Most male breast cancer is diagnosed with a presence of mass," he said, which means that "right off the bat, the lump or mass is going to be a later-stage tumor."

Men rarely get breast cancer because they produce very little estrogen, which is associated with female sexual characteristics.

"Exposure to estrogen is the ultimate risk factor for developing breast cancer," said Ben Park, a breast cancer specialist and researcher at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center of Johns Hopkins Medical School.

Whether there's a relationship between estrogen and the male hormone testosterone is unclear, Park said. But when breast cancer develops in men, it more often occurs in older ones, at a time when testosterone production is waning.

According to the American Cancer Society, the average age for the discovery of breast cancer in men is 68; the disease most commonly strikes men (and women) between the ages of 50 and 70.

Other potential risk factors, Park said, include a family history of the disease, obesity (fat cells can convert testosterone into estrogen), and alcohol abuse or cirrhosis of the liver. The liver helps metabolize estrogen. Men born with Klinefelter syndrome, a rare condition where men have an extra X chromosome, may be more susceptible to breast cancer, as well as men who inherit a mutated gene. The most common culprit, for men and women, is the BRCA2 gene mutation.

Most breast cancer cells start in the lining of milk ducts in the breast, and they sometimes spread to lymph nodes or other organs.

The size of the tumor determines the stage of cancer, said Vered Stearns, co-director of the breast cancer program at the Kimmel center. Stage II breast cancer, which Bogler has, indicates that the disease has spread into surrounding breast tissue and the tumor is larger than in Stage I.

Treatment, Stearns said, is "based on the tumor stage," which is calculated both on the size of tumor and the determination of how far it has spread.

"We look at how quickly the cancer is likely to grow," she said. "In Grade 3 — that is, a relatively faster-growing tumor — Grade 1 is less likely to come back. In post-menopausal women, the prognosis is a little bit better for older women than younger; same with men."

Much of the breast cancer found in men is receptive to tamoxifen, which works like a key blocking a keyhole, said Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. Estrogen stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells; by inhibiting the growth of estrogen, the drug causes breast cancer cells to stop multiplying.

While tamoxifen is tolerated well by most men, the Lombardi Center's Warren said, some of his male patients have developed hot flashes, reduced libido, weight gain and changes in moods — the "same kind of menopausal experiences as women."

Lupus Analysis Start Increases Drive for the Cure: Calls for $1 Million... - The Herald|HeraldOnline.com

Scientists are Challenged by bold Global Research Initiative to Propose Innovative Research Reports to Locate the Main Causes of Lupus that May Cause a Cure NEW YORK, February. 6, 2013 a /PRNewswire/ --AThe Lupus Research Institute (LRI), the world's major promoter of modern research in lupus, encourages significant boffins from all over the world to submit proposals for $1 million Distinguished Innovator Awards. Selection will undoubtedly be based on individuality and potential to discover might reasons for autoimmunity in lupus that can propel toward a cure. Introduced just a year before as the first $1 million private sector lupus study awards, the Distinguished Innovator Award plan has already been money two highly promising initiatives that address the main reasons for this complex condition. These Famous Innovator Award people, Drs. Ann Marshak-Rothstein at University of Massachusetts Medical School and Greg Barton at University of California, Berkeley, are getting different but complementary views as they zero in on the household of proteins named Toll-like receptors (TLRs) as key causes of the body's autoimmune attack on itself that characterizes lupus. "In its first year the Distinguished Innovator Award elicited a large number of creative and scientifically sound plans to examine the basic causes of lupus," observed world-leading immunologist Dr. William Paul, LRI Scientific Advisory Board Chairman and member of the National Academy of Sciences. "Based on the number of exemplary submissions, we look forward to a powerful response from the global scientific community as the Institute requests recommendations for the 2013 Award. The LRI is really a catalyst for major study progress, and these prizes promise to help push the development process." "Our Distinguished Innovator Award program is taking lupus research to a really different level," mentioned Lupus Research Institute President Margaret Dowd. "Based on a volatile decade of technical improvements and medical findings, lots of which were backed by the LRI, finding the fundamental causes of lupus and operating to a treatment is now a possible goal.A Our technique of pinpointing and helping only the most novel study is successfully giving the development needed to drive to a cure." Two Grant Programs at the LRI Accelerate the Visit a Cure The Distinguished Innovator Award suits the LRI's well-established Novel Research Grant program, which includes made most of the decade's pivotal findings in lupus. The new Award gives researchers greater resources to explore deeper into the root reasons for lupus, on a larger scale. Together both grant projects further the Institute's mission to promote scientific development as the world's leading private supporter of novel research in lupus. About Lupus A complex autoimmune disease, lupus affects over 1.5-million Americans, mainly women. Concerning The Lupus Research Institute The Lupus Research Institute (LRI), the world's leading private promoter of innovative research, pioneers discovery and champions scientific imagination to find solutions to lupus. SOURCE Lupus Analysis Company

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Low vitamin D levels improve breast cancer risks

The newest study, conducted by scientists at the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, Westmead Hospital, in New South Wales, Australia, followed 214 women who'd been newly clinically determined to have breast cancer. Based on a summary of the results, women with lower-than-normal vitamin D "levels were identified be inversely associated with the chances ratio of breast cancer." The lower level "was of a considerably higher risk of breast cancer," said the conclusion. "These results support previous research which has shown that lower [vitamin D] levels are related to increased risk of breast cancer." The findings correspond with early in the day studies done by scientists around the world, of confirmed recently by U.S. Researchers conducting analysis breast cancer data. 'High vitamin D levels reduce steadily the danger of breast cancer and other disorders' "Epidemiological and laboratory studies have long recognized that high vitamin D levels can decrease the risk of breast cancer," says a written report by The Press Association. Nevertheless, the report included, a previous study greater than 67,000 French women, which was led by Pierre Engel, an epidemiology director at Quintiles-Outcome, a top research organization, "showed the value of a minimum vitamin D degree in preventing breast cancer." Vitamin D is available in several types, via meals like fruits and veggies, and through sunlight, the latter of which may show to be an issue for women who just happen to live in northern climates where sunlight is really a quality, experts said, observing that western women in certain lead busy lifestyles and may spend way too very little time in the sun. "High vitamin D levels reduce steadily the risk of breast cancer and also offer protection against a number of other diseases," Ad Model of the Sunlight Research Forum (SRF) said. "In the Northern Hemisphere, the degree of daylight from September to Might is often inadequate for the human body to make enough necessary Brand was said by vitamin D,". ""It may possibly for that reason be sensible to endure reasonable synthetic UV exposure on a regular basis." Two studies completed in 2010 by experts from the University of Rochester Clinic found the exact same link between lower levels of vitamin D and elevated breast cancer risk. "The research adds to growing evidence that some connection exists between vitamin D and cancer, even though it isn't yet known how vitamin D changes or contributes to cancer risk," said a press release from the school. "Our information truly shows that it's important to test individuals for serum vitamin D levels, and if necessary, treat the deficit along with the disease," mentioned Alissa Huston, M.D., the findings were presented by assistant professor of Medicine at URMC, who. "In some cases, weekly high amounts of vitamin D are needed to bring the patient around adequate levels." Another study, light emitting diode by Kevin Fiscella, M.D., M.P.H., found that "vitamin D deficiency among African Americans may describe a persistent mystery in colorectal cancer: why black people die of this disease far more frequently than whites," said the pr release. Researchers are finding that simply being African-American doubled the chance of dying from colorectal cancer. Early in the day, scientists using information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that a vitamin D deficiency might also donate to a greater quantity of heart and stroke-related deaths among blacks. Sources: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/40517 http://www.nursingtimes.net http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=3013 a The mineral selenium shows itself as powerful anti-cancer medicine A Fresh research shows vitamin D reduces threat of cancers by 77 percent; cancer industry won't support cancer avoidance a Therapeutic Illness - A Natural Anti-Cancer Project a cause breast cancer (and other cancer facts you most likely never knew) a Exposed: 10 Facts about the Breast Cancer Industry You are Perhaps not Likely to Know (opinion) As strong anti-cancer medicine a The mineral selenium proves it self A Brand New research shows vitamin N slashes risk of cancers by 77 percent; cancer industry will not help cancer avoidance a Healing Infection - An All-natural Anti-Cancer Method a trigger breast cancer (and other cancer facts you probably never knew) a Exposed: 10 Factual statements about the Breast Cancer Industry You're Perhaps not Supposed to Know (view) Permalink to the article: http://www.naturalnews.com/039246_vitamin_D_breast_cancer_risks.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OKAY, report NaturalNews.com with clickable link. Upload post link: (backup CODE below ): Low vitamin D levels increase breast cancer risks

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Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Offers First Depression ...

Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is the first hospital in the area to offer a novel treatment for depression, with no drug side effects.

"The brain is like an electrical device," said Dr. James Young, a psychiatrist with OSU. "It has currents. It has electricity. So, we can use a magnetic field to alter the current of the electricity in different parts of the brain."

Young said that the therapy targets the symptoms of depression. There are no side effects, because there are no drugs.

"My hope is that over the years, as we learn more about this technique, that we refine it and we get better at it," Young said.

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aSide Effectsa (Deconstruction 1) a' The Actual Concept

Welcome to the first installment of this analysis of "Side Effects," the currently-playing film by Steven Soderbergh.  Look for it as a Best Original Screenplay nominee next year… I'm calling that one now.

The context of these posts will be to create learning by using the film to illustrate the core principles of storytelling excellence – the Six Core Competencies, and the Six Realms of Story Physics that empower them.  I haven't interviewed the screenwriter (Scott Z. Burns) or the director (Soderbergh), so I can't speak for them regarding the process of developing the story, including how and where where they started.

But that doesn't matter here.  For all I know (though I doubt it), they backed into this brilliant premise after years of hit and miss.  What matters is what this story teaches us about how to wield tools – such as Concept – to reach a compelling end result, without years of hit and miss.

The notion of "concept" has been kicked around on this site over the past two weeks, as well as in over 200 Storyfix posts (for the several folks who answered my recent call for topics with "could you explain more about Concept, please?"… use the search bar to find them, listed in reverse chronological order).  The precise definition of a "story concept" remains imprecise,  as does the minds of many on what it means to a story in development.

A properly rendered Concept identifies your CORE STORY, without actually exploring.   It is the end-game of the narrative strategy you are about to put into play.  And thus, it fuels every scene with CONTEXT.  When you watch the film a second time (or after this series), you'll see that context, often sub-textual, in each story beat, even those that appear before Channing Tatum's body hits the floor.

That's the first take away, from this or any other story that works: the narrative unfolds IN CONTEXT TO THE CONCEPT from page 1.  (And yes, I know I'm repeating this… and I will again… this point alone can literally cut decades off your learning curve.)

The point is to recognize when – and how – a statement of story concept comes up short, when it's not good enough, deep enough, or compelling enough… even though it's not technically off-topic, per se.  For example: you say The Davinci Code, novel and film, is "about paintings by Leonardo Davinci."   That's your tale on the concept.  Are you wrong?  In the context of a writer trying to identify the core conceptual story and USE that as a story development too… that's absolutely a wrong answer.

I see this ALL THE TIME in the stories sent to me.  Which is why I'm pounding on it here.  Concepts that, a) aren't really concepts at all, and b) seem to be a discarded and wasted tool, a placeholder, because the core story that follows turns out to be something else entirely.

That last one is the killer concept.  The one they made the movie from.  The one YOU should shoot for AS SOON AS POSSIBLE in your process (ahead of time if you plan, or if you're a pantser, as quickly in the drafting sequence as possible, so you can start over on a new draft that will be written from this higher/better context).

Let's be clear, the core story in "Side Effects" is NOT, at its core, a look at the dark side effects of prescription drugs.  That's a by-product of what IS the dramatic concept, which, as it turns out, is a murder mystery.  That false start is purposeful and strategic.  Be very clear on this: it's not there because the writer started down one road and took a dramatic turn elsewhere.

Let's review the mission, the purpose, of a killer story concept.  It is much more specific and dramatic than defining a topic, a subject, an arena, a setting or a theme.  It is more specific than "the adventures of" the protagonist (the most common shortcoming of too many non-fucntional concepts).

Concept is, rather, a compelling proposition, a question that demands an answer (even if not stated as a question, it implies one).  It brings something inherently interesting and urgent to the story arena.  It is inherently interesting and fresh.

It is not necessarily focused on the hero, but rather, about the forthcoming implication of a hero's quest… something the hero must do or achieve.  A problem or a goal.

It doesn't go anywhere near trying to answer to the question it poses.  That's not part of the concept's job.  That's YOUR job, via the narrative sequence.

And, it does it all in one sentence, or one efficiently stated question.  It's always a matter of depth and degree… you get to decide on that count.  But the goal is ALWAYS the identification of the CORE DRAMATIC STORY, rather than just the arena or theme or character.

"A story about a blind orphan" is not a concept.  Yet.  "A story set in Ireland in the 1300s, about a ghost and a descendant" is not a concept.

A compelling question leads to a itch for an answer, which becomes the story itself.  You'll notice that not all of the preliminary "Side Effects" concepts below have such a question… for the simple reason that the insufficient ones don't really lead to one, other than… "So what? What the hell happens?"

Here is the evolutionary thread for the concept for "Side Effects," beginning with a few story ideas, technically relevant, that DON'T PROVIDE SUFFICIENTLY ROBUST CONTEXT for a dramatic story.

All of these are ideas.  Fodder.  None of them imply conflict, and all could be a documentary on PBS.  None of these are STORIES yet.

"What if a woman on prescription antidepressant drugs kills her husband and blames the side effects of her prescription?"

Why aren't these good enough, even when combined?  Because a story told from either of these context's could easily be episodic.  It needs more drama, more layering, the promise of a twist and an emerging hero.

A story about a wife who kills her husband and tries to cover it up with a profitable market scam involving prescription drugs, diverting the blame to her shrink.  (Which can be framed as a question…)

"What if a woman fakes dire side effects to the antidepressants she's been prescribed, claiming the side effects caused her to blackout and murder her husband while sleep-walking?"

Notice how this covers it, the whole story is in there, conceptually, even while leaving some plot threads out.  That while this is good, but not great.

"What if a wife and her lover conspire to create the illusion that her use of prescription depression drugs is responsible for the death (at her hand ) of her ex-con husband, for the twofold agenda of eliminating him  while making millions in the market from the resultant scandal, all the while diverting blame on the shrink who gave her the drug in the first place?"

Each story point, each twist and shift, that you saw in the movie is birthed FROM this highest hierarchical level of concept.

Why is each succeeding iteration of this concept more effective than the one before it?  Why is the last one the best one?

Easy.  The answer is the point of all of this, so please get it: because these are aspects, nuances and focuses the WRITER MUST UNDERSTAND FROM PAGE ONE of the story being written, in the draft that will ultimately work best.  And, it has taken on a compelling essence that was missing, in specificity and degree, from the earlier iterations.

This is the CORE story.  Not the thematic message about antidepressants.  Not a depressed woman driven to desperation.  This is a MURDER MYSTERY, with THRILLER elements driving it.  The fun of seeing this film is in believing you are experiencing one core story, itself compelling, when it fact it's something else entirely, and has been since the opening credits.  You were fooled… not by trickery, but by masterful storytelling that immerses the audience in the dramatic experience in a visceral way.

Each scene in the Part 1 SETUP is in context to THIS concept.  The movie even flashes back to show you that context, which remained almost completely cloaked in stealth until… the MID-POINT.

Imagine trying to write this story without knowing, a) the drug thing was all a scam, a setup, from the very beginning; b) that there were two women behind it; c) that the killer's real doctor (not her lover-doctor) had a sketchy background that might implicate him, and d) that doctor (Jude Law) will set out to correct it, with is own character arc at stake.

That, in fact, JUDE LAW is the hero and protagonist of this story.  Try to wrap your head around not knowing that, as the writer.  Imagine trying to PANTS this thing.

You couldn't   You could use the organic pantsing as a MEANS OF STORY DISCOVERY, but from that point on you AREN'T making it up as you go along.  Because its all now IN CONTEXT TO SOMETHING.

You must, at some point, come to KNOW what your CORE STORY is… what your story is REALLY ABOUT in a DRAMATIC context.  Your own original "idea" just might sabotage you if you don't.

You can't manipulate your reader to optimize story physics, you can't execute that narrative strategy, without KNOWING.

So DON'T SETTLE on this, the most empowering element of your story development.  "The adventures of…" won't be good enough.  The arena won't be enough.  The theme won't be enough.

DRAMATIC TENSION, emerging from your CONCEPT… is what you need.  It is, in fact, the very thing that will EMPOWER your theme and setting, perhaps where your passion for the story began.  Without this concept, "Side Effects" would have been a linear character profile of a depressed woman, more suited to PBS than a mass audience.

You need to fully understand what your CORE story is ultimately ABOUT,… dramatically (versus thematically)… both internally and externally (to the hero)….  beyond its theme.  Beyond its character arcs and internal struggle.  Beyond it's plot points.

The concept and the core story it tells are what FACILITATES all of those important things.  The theme and the character arc EMERGE from the core story, they AREN'T the core story.

Which is also to say: you need to know how your story will END before you can write a draft worthy of having FINAL on the cover page.

Your statement of concept may not tell you that, but it will tell you what road to take – the most compelling and rewarding road – to get there.

NEXT in this series: evolving the concept into a narrative sequence… what decisions are involved, and where to put those story points, using "Side Effects" as an example.  And… it may not be what you think it is, thus illustrating a very advanced and brilliant storytelling strategy… one YOU can emulate in your own work.

Also, I'll provide a scene log (sequential scene summary) of the entire film, with major story milestones identified.

Link: Health Highlights: Feb. 11, 2013

FDA Alert: Reumofan Plus: Recall - Undeclared Medicine Ingredient

March 19, 2013 [UPDATED 2/19/2013] Reumofan Plus USA, LLC and Reumofan USA, LLC is recalling "Reumofan Plus" Tablets, Lot# 99515, exp. 09/16, simply because they contain undeclared effective pharmaceutical ingredients: methocarbamol, dexamethasone, and diclofenac. After it was discovered that the product was distributed in packaging that didn't show the current presence of the active pharmaceutical ingredients, making it an unapproved drug the recall was started. One illness has been reported up to now in connection with this issue. [UPDATED 8/28/2012] View remarks

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[cancer] The worlds weirdest drug side effect: Eyelashes | jlake.com

I'm on Vectibix, which is an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody. One side effect of this type of drug is excessive eyelash growth.

Of late my vision has been getting foggy due to runaway eyelash growth. And people have been commenting on my unusually lush eyelashes, included various nurses while I was in the hospital recently. So last night, the_child and Mother of the Child undertook to trim my eyelashes. Lisa Costello was kind enough to photo document. (Note this is a profound act of trust in your trimmer's very steady hands.)

This work by Lisa Costello is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Adderall abuse continues despite harmful side-effects | gcsunade.com

Adderall is easily accessible. It's a study drug. But as the drug becomes a routine study habit for many, more and more of Adderall's negative side effects are coming to light.

The drug is used to treat attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and can also treat narcolepsy. It's ingredients are ideal for the typical, sleep-deprived college student cramming for a test, which is exactly what students all over the nation and at GC are using it for.

"People are cavalier about (abusing Adderall)," Steven Wilson, assistant director of counseling services, said. "But it comes with a number of dangers."

According to Wilson, the mild side effects include dry mouth, a quickened heartbeat, insomnia and headaches. But when the dosage increases, there is a greater risk to danger, especially with people who do not have a prescription. The more dangerous side effects include hallucinations and heart attacks.

However, Wilson said amphetamines put users at risk of addiction. According to WebMD, if you use the drug for a while, you could become addicted and getting off the drug would trigger withdrawal symptoms.

In 2012, about 30 percent of college students admitted to using Adderall, and about 50 percent of college students using the drug got it from their friends, according to statisticbrain.com.

Adderall is not an over-the-counter drug, so to get it legally, a doctor has to prescribe it. However, most students buy it from their classmates.

"Talk to people. I'm pretty sure you'll find out pretty quickly," freshman computer science major Zach Matl said, who uses the drug for study purposes only.

"Pretty much ask around," he said."Especially people who are prescribed it, because a lot of people who are prescribed it will sell it."

Both Grober and freshman art major Zach VanLandingham are diagnosed with ADHD, but said they don't like the person they become when they are on the drug.

Grober stopped taking the drug for his ADHD, but both he and VanLandingham still use the drug to focus when they study.

"I'm on a prescription," VanLandingham said, "and I've been jumped around on a few drugs and most of them, they get my work done, but I don't really like who I am on them. I literally only take it so I can do my work."

"I don't clench my teeth; I bite the skin off the side of my nails," he said. "So my skin comes off the side of my fingers and leaves a scar."

Amphetamines increase the amount of certain chemicals in the body, which then increases heart rate and blood pressure, as well as suppress appetite.

Adderall abuse on campus was a topic for discussion in University Senate meetings in October and December of last year.

Dianne Chamblee, senior lecturer in the nursing school, said the nursing faculty thought it would be good for senior nursing students to come up with an action plan to raise awareness of Adderall's dark side.

A group of senior nursing students teamed up with first semester nursing students and ended up giving out more than 400 flyers about the drug to students, along with free candy.

"I don't know if anybody took our advice, but a lot of students were surprised by the various health consequences," Kathryn Gilliland, senior nursing major, said. "Namely, the male students were surprised to find out that it can cause erectile dysfunction. Apparently it's damaging to their manhood when that happens."

"It's not that it's addictive," he said. "You can do the same amount of work when you're bored, but when you enjoy the motivation so much, there's no reason not to take it."

While most students see the drug as harmless and merely a means to an end, many health professionals see Adderall abuse as a dangerous trend. And with ADHD diagnoses becoming more common, the face of studying could change permanently.

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Alert over new death-link party drug Mexxy « This Is Jersey

A medicine that has been linked to a series of deaths in the united kingdom may flood the streets of Jersey within the next year, medical researchers have informed. Methoxetamine a a alegal higha which this past year became a class C substance in Jersey a' is expected to be the next custom drug in the Jersey club scene. Jordan Gafoor, director of the States Alcohol and Drug Service, said that though the substance was already sometimes available on the streets of Jersey, it was more likely to turn into a much bigger issue in the coming months. Following serious concerns about its health consequences, methoxetamine this past year became the very first substance in britain to be barred temporarily under new government powers. It's now as a result of be replaced to a type B in Jersey. See the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Just click here for subscription details. Personal features will also be available online.

China Admits Pollution Has Caused Cancer Communities - Company...

Flickr/Richard Johnson Pictures of the day: 22 February 2013 Senator who tried to impeach Clinton admits lovechild Coach: Oscar Pistorius could be back in training in a few days The Chinese government has accepted for the very first time that decades of reckless pollution have spawned a chain of harmful "cancer villages." Flickr/Richard Johnson The entrance by China's Environment ministry came in a five-year intend on fixing pollution. aIn the past few years, dangerous and hazardous chemical pollution has caused many environmental problems, cutting off drinking water supplies, and even resulting in social issues and severe health such as for example acancer villagesaa the document says. Environmentalists have long campaigned for the us government to support and recognise the a huge selection of cancer clusters brought on by poisoned soil, water or air. In 2009, Deng Fei, an investigative journalist served to plot a number of the worst-hit towns on a Google map. aI do think this shows an optimistic development,a said Ma Jun, certainly one of Chinaas leading environmentalists. aThe recognition of the existence of problems is the very first step and the precondition for all of us to really start fixing these problems.a aBefore there was always this tendency to play down as well as mask the issues. If that continues then every one of these problems with air, soil, water and groundwater pollution and their health impact might move on for a, long time.a The plan outlines a clampdown on the use and production of 58 kinds of hazardous substance. aThe document warns that China faces a serious situation with regards to chemical pollution control, citing limited pollution risk control by companies, deficiencies in systematic policies to restrict the making and usage of highly toxic and dangerous substances and authoritiesa inadequate pollution monitoring and oversight capabilities,a state news agency Xinhua noted on Friday. The planas distribution comes amid a growing public outcry over the cost pollution is taking on public health. Cancer is now China's biggest killer, and cancer rates have increased because the beginning of China's economic miracle. One in four Chinese now die from cancer, and there's been an 80pc rise in the mortality rate from cancer over the past 30 years. Experts estimate that lung cancer rates will continue steadily to increase as a result of polluting of the environment, even though China's obsession with cigarettes is brought under control. Since January, recurring rounds of harmful smog in Beijing and other major cities have pushed the issue of air pollution to the top of Chinaas political agenda. The focus has changed underground, with a number of local media reports how plants are apparently moving huge quantities of toxic waste into groundwater supplies this month. The headlines were hit by the issue of groundwater pollution after Mr Deng launched an on line strategy welcoming internet-users to publish images of polluted rivers near their houses. Mr Deng said he was apetrifieda by their state of Chinaas rivers. aIf things keep on like this, we will all be doomed,a he explained. aIf the matter [of soil water pollution] is not correctly solved, not only will kill people to it but it'll also pull down the whole healthcare system because of the number of cancer patients it causes.a Ma Jun, who runs the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, explained government officials had traditionally claimed there clearly was inadequate scientific evidence to link acancer clustersa and pollution. While more research was required to establish a better connection, Mr Ma said China urgently had a need to follow in the actions of the Usa and Japan by using aprecautionarya procedures. aWe can not just say that until every one of these links have already been shown 100 percent, scientifically and clinically, [we do nothing].a Mr Ma said the governmentas acknowledgment of acancer villagesa was element of an ongoing shift towards greater environmental transparency. aRecently the government, especially the central government, has been more open about these environmental pollution issues, much more open than before. Medical effect was previously considered a highly sensitive issue as it matters to (political) stability.a SEE ALSO:A These Pictures Show Why China's Smog Problem Is Wholly Unmanageable

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Dorothy Klein: To Cancer, on Valentines Day

Cancer: I doubt you're getting several love letters this Romantic Days Celebration. Don't get excited -- that is not one, often. But last month since you paid my Valentine a call, I'd want to obtain a few points off my chest. Our story was complicated enough without you. We met toward the conclusion of our senior year of high school and really hit it off, simply to keep for schools countless miles apart just a couple short months later. We tried the cross country point, which I believe even you'd say was a poor idea. It only ever got harder. We tried keeping in contact while we dated other people without much luck, and we eventually drifted into what we now fondly reference as "radio silence" before reconnecting at a good friend's wedding (clichA, I know) in 2011. We'll never really know when during 2012 you snuck in, but you made yourself known just as I was beginning to really get comfortable in our rekindled us-ness (which, I should note, remains long-distance). It was nearly three days after I had determined that all along, he was usually the one I had been searching for -- a slap in the facial skin of a memory not to get too comfortable. Obviously, I'm not allowing myself to believe that people don't have forever. You're more straightforward to eliminate in testicular type, even when you constantly knock on our door. I simply wish you'd stop knocking. I used to have this fear about him, he couldn't possibly be right for me personally mainly because we met in senior high school. I still cringe at the word "high school sweethearts." But my relationship panic comes today from the world of much less-familiar territory. We have learned words I never thought I had complete -- "orchiectomy" being the most jarring. When before I would just laugh off the notion of children we've had straight-faced talks about fertility. We have even had to speak -- although fleetingly -- about how precisely in the future, health and life insurance might get dirty. And while the doctors say you've let him be for the present time, my mind swirls with research. He has of a 1 in 775,000 potential for being struck by lightning. He's about a 1 in 5,000 possibility of being killed in a car accident. He's about a 1 in 10,000,000 possibility of becoming the leader some time. But there's a chance that you get back to visit, the doctors say. A 20 % chance that his surgery was not enough and that he'll need additional therapy. And in the meantime, MRIs and CT scans four times annually for the following five years, each session just a little bubble of worry ready to rush. The medical practioners, our families, my friends tell us these are great odds. And by cancer requirements, they are. Even when he does require radiation or chemotherapy or more surgery, he is still better off than most of the men and women you terrorize. I can not pretend to learn the smallest thing about the endless questions we are blessed not to possess to handle, or what reading the words "Stage IV" must feel like, or what the ladies for the reason that place -- standing by their men when their men can no further stand -- are going right on through. But that will not mean a one-in-five chance of viewing your ugly face again makes me feel great. You understand who is feeling great, although? Him. As soon as he decided to voice his concerns by what you're doing to his body, he is been a model patient. My Valentine has been so brave, reassuring me when I am frightened of you! He's laughed in hideous hospital clothes at the irritation of your visit landing right between Christmas and New Year's, and at the disbelief that he had never had blood drawn ahead of your tricks. Why I have made a decision to create, in the place of only curse you alone you might wonder. You're right, writing to you certainly will not make him better. But there is a tiny chance it may resonate with someone recognizing a change in his own body and persuade his concerns to be brought by him to his doctor. This indicates if you ask me that men, and young men particularly, often avoid making appointments to be poked and prodded. It's my hope that after looking over this, other young men, like my Valentine, won't wait any more. Therefore, while I will not say it's been specifically "nice" to generally meet you, I did want to send this valentine to you of types to let you know that you have certainly created me -- and us -- tougher. Therefore thanks for that, I suppose. I hope I never see you again, Dorothy Seven days after surgery: Follow Sarah Klein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sarklei

Epilepsy medicine results in weight reduction, negative effects|Modern Medicine

Scientific Last Updated: 2012-10-17 18:55:03 -0400 (Reuters Health) By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A drug approved to stop seizures can also help people lose a few pounds if it is added to therapy and nutritional assistance, a new small test indicates. But individuals who took zonisamide also reported more unwanted effects, from vomiting and nausea to anxiety and depression. And two experts maybe not active in the research asked simply how much the medicine might actually help people in real life. Even though zonisamide is only accepted by the U.S. Drug and food Administration for seizures, doctors could prescribe it off-label - and preceding little studies and anecdotal evidence suggested it may donate to weight reduction. "There is just a bit of weight loss with this drug if it is provided for treatment of epilepsy," said lead researcher Dr. Kishore Gadde, from Duke University Clinic in Durham, New York. That could be due to its effects on dopamine and serotonin, he explained. Those two neurotransmitters influence motivation and reward pathways in mental performance, including those associated with food. Dr. Gadde said his staff wished to see if zonisamide could make weight reduction in people without epilepsy, and with the extra support of a behavioral intervention. Based on reports published with the analysis, Dr. Gadde has multiple patents for zonisamide as cure of obesity and weight gain, and he has money in a business creating a combination weight-loss drug containing zonisamide. For the newest research, funded by the National Institute of Digestive and Diabetes and Kidney Diseases, Dr. Gadde and his colleagues randomly assigned 225 obese visitors to take either 200 or 400 mg of zonisamide or placebo daily for one year. At the top of the, all members met frequently with a nutritionist and were encouraged to be more physically active. At the outset, they'd the average body mass index of 37.6. Annually later, average weight reduction was nine pounds with placebo, 10 pounds with the lower zonisamide dose, and 16 pounds with the bigger dose. Unwanted effects were most frequent on the large amount. Out of 75 people, 10 reported nausea / vomiting, 14 had headaches, 15 developed attacks, eight had impaired memory and seven reported anxiety. Dr. Gadde said it's unclear which of these were directly linked to the drug, or how much they bothered individuals. Six and between four individuals in each class, like the placebo cohort, dropped out as a result of negative effects. According to an FDA-mandated notice on the drug's name, zonisamide can cause serious skin rashes, suicidal ideas and difficulties with memory and thinking, among other possible unwanted effects. In its universal form, the drug are available for around $30 monthly. Obesity investigator Dr. Raj Padwal, from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, said the difference between the high-dose zonisamide and placebo groups in this study was "modest" at best. "Overall it is kind of a result," in the opinion of Dr. Padwal, who wasn't active in the new study. "The earlier in the day reports of zonisamide were only a little more promising, so I would define this as somewhat disappointing," he told Reuters Health. Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, from the University of Ottawa in Canada and the Bariatric Medical Institute, also said he was not amazingly impressed with the additional weight loss with zonisamide, specially because the study only lasted one year. "Although that sounds like a really long time, it is not when it concerns weight management. It's keeping the fat off that's a struggle," he said. "To be useful for medical management of people who challenge, we must see whether two, three, four, five years in the future, there is really any benefit." What is more, Dr. Freedhoff included, it seems unlikely based on the data that zonisamide would have any effect on cholesterol levels or diabetes risk. "At the conclusion of your day, there just are not any shortcuts," Dr. Freedhoff, who also did not take part in the analysis, told Reuters Health. Dr. Gadde said much larger studies, with hundreds or thousands of obese people in each treatment group, will soon be required to more demonstrably start to see the weight-loss benefits and possible dangers of zonisamide. He plans to get funding for such study from the National Institutes of Health. "The more alternatives that people have available, the higher it's planning to be for specialists along with the consumers," Dr. Gadde told Reuters Health. A mix drug including another anti-seizure medicine, topiramate, was accepted by the FDA for weight loss in July. Dr. Freedhoff said zonisamide could be ideal for people who need anti-seizure therapy but are on different epilepsy drugs which make them gain weight. The research was published online October 15 in Archives of Internal Medicines. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/TuOztq Arch Intern Med 2012. Copyright A 2012 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited minus the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shan't be liable for any mistakes or delays in the content, or for any steps drawn in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters ball logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters number of organizations around the globe.

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Jailbreak developer helps fight cancer along with his latest modify|9to5Mac

Jailbreak tweak creator Filippo Biga launched his newest piece of iPhone-modding software, called LivelyIcons, today. Fun animations are added by the tweak itself is simple: it to your iPhoneas homescreen symbols when you open an application. You can find a movie of it doing his thing the following. The animations arenat the only real reason to buy it, though. Biga has also released with a blog postAthat he'll be donating the proceeds from this fine-tune to two foundations that give attention to funding investigation to fight pediatric cancer. On his web log, Biga writes: Hey everybody, I think you probably already heard about my new upcoming tweak,ALivelyIcons: I placed a little movie preview on Twitter several days ago, and lots of people appeared to enjoy it. However, what I will be telling you in this article is not strictly associated with the features of the tweak, nor I'll talk about any complex detail: what I want to inform you today is how you can help other people by getting LivelyIcons. In fact, I'd an agenda for this tune right from the beginning: gather money for research, in particularApediatric cancer research. Analysis is essential, but until they are directly involved in such things lots of people will not realize it. The tune prices $1.99, and after taxes and PayPal expenses, Biga is left with $1, which he will contribute to two pediatric cancer fundamentals. From his web log post: I'll contribute to 2 different foundations, both dedicated to pediatric cancer research: IAwonat spend enough time speaking about some of them, you can lookup every detail on the site. The tune is now on Cydia. It operates on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It needs iOS 6. Please allow the comments to be viewed by JavaScript driven by Vanilla.

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Drug side effects « hopscotchinaminefield

I am the second eldest of eleven children.  When I was growing up, my parents mainly fed us food…unprocessed food.  I say mainly, because at one point we lived near a convenience store which made it far too convenient for me to spend my babysitting earnings on garbage food.  Hostess cherry pies were my favorite, any type of frozen novelty, artificially colored of course, Doritos, Cheetos, and the like.  I had a fairly uneventful childhood as far as my health went.  I did have pretty severe mood swings and stomach aches, but there was never any explanation given by the doctors I visited.

It has taken years of practice for me to get to where I am with my diet.  Just like anything we aspire to do or be, it takes practice.  I went from Cheetos, to eating a half bag of Pirate's Booty…much better as far as the toxicity of the ingredients, however, still empty calories.  It took me having a son on the Autism Spectrum to really and truly change my ways for good.  I had to start looking at food as a means of fuel and energy, and not as a means of pleasure or sport.  Don't get me wrong, food should be pleasurable, and it is, but that is relative.  There is a huge difference between savoring the intense and complex flavors in a meal made from fresh organic vegetables, grains, and meats, depending on your body's needs.  I do firmly believe our bodies are different, and have different needs.  I do not require much meat, if any…neither does my husband or five-year-old son.  My three-year-old and sixteen-year-old do.  Different bodies, different needs.

I had the notion that I was allergic, or at least intolerant of apples…so I do not eat them. They make my mouth tingle and my throat feel swollen.  A few days ago, we got a new juicer.  I tried it out with an apple, celery, kale, carrot juice.  Mind you, there were about ten apples that went into the juice.  Within minutes, my throat was swelling and my chest was tight…alright.  Duly noted.  No apples for me.  Because of the severity of the reaction, I reached into the cabinet for an Allegra allergy pill and popped it.  The swelling in my throat lessened shortly thereafter…along with another surprise.  My mood turned to shit.  Because I eat so clean these days, and rarely if ever take any prescription drugs, I am able to clearly feel what is going on my body.

My kids are getting restless as I type…so let me finish.  Prescription drugs can be useful, but should not be taken lightly…they are pretty dang serious.  Some may say I am paranoid or overly sensitive in my opinions.  Was it the allergic reaction that changed my mental state?  Or the prescription drug?  My son who has ASD will become another person if he eats something that disagrees with his body.  The need for prescription drugs can, in many cases, be terminated with a proper diet.

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Sarah Klein: To Cancer, on Valentines Day

I doubt you're getting many love letters this Valentine's Day. Don't get excited -- this isn't one, either. But since you paid my Valentine a visit last month, I'd like to get a few things off my chest.

Our story was tricky enough without you. We met toward the end of our senior year of high school and really hit it off, only to leave for colleges hundreds of miles apart just a few short months later. We tried the long distance thing, which I'm sure even you would say was a bad idea. It only ever got harder. We tried keeping in touch while we dated other people without much luck, and we eventually drifted into what we now fondly refer to as "radio silence" before reconnecting at a mutual friend's wedding (cliché, I know) in 2011.

We'll never really know when during 2012 you snuck in, but you made yourself known just as I was starting to really get comfortable in our rekindled us-ness (which, I should mention, continues to be long-distance). It was just about three weeks after I had decided that all along, he was the one I'd been looking for -- a slap in the face of a reminder never to get too comfortable.

Of course, I'm not allowing myself to think that we don't have forever. You are easier to get rid of in testicular form, even if you persistently knock on our door.

I used to have this fear about him, that he couldn't possibly be right for me simply because we met in high school. I still cringe at the term "high school sweethearts." But my dating anxiety comes now from a world of much less-familiar territory.

We've learned words I never thought I'd utter -- "orchiectomy" being the most jarring. We've had straight-faced conversations about fertility when before I would only laugh off the idea of children. We've even had to talk -- albeit briefly -- about how down the road, health and life insurance could get messy.

And while the doctors say you've let him be for now, my head swirls with statistics. He has about a 1 in 775,000 chance of being struck by lightning. He has about a 1 in 5,000 chance of being killed in a car accident. He has about a 1 in 10,000,000 chance of becoming the president some day.

But there's a one-in-five chance that you come back to visit, the doctors say. A 20 percent chance that his surgery wasn't enough and that he'll need additional treatment. And in the meantime, MRIs and CT scans four times a year for the next five years, each appointment a little bubble of worry ready to burst.

The doctors, our families, my friends tell us those are great odds. And by cancer standards, they are. Even if he does need radiation or chemotherapy or more surgery, he's still better off than many of the men and women you terrorize. I can't pretend to know the slightest thing about the infinite uncertainties we are blessed not to have to face, or what hearing the words "Stage IV" must feel like, or what the women in that position -- standing by their men when their men can no longer stand -- are going through. But that doesn't mean a one-in-five chance of seeing your ugly face again makes me feel great.

You know who is feeling great, though? Him. From the moment he decided to voice his concerns about what you were doing to his body, he's been a model patient. My Valentine has been so brave, comforting me when I'm scared of you! He's laughed in hideous hospital gowns at the inconvenience of your visit landing right between Christmas and New Year's, and at the disbelief that he'd never had blood drawn prior to your antics.

You might wonder why I've decided to write, rather than just curse you in silence. You're right, writing to you certainly won't make him better. But there's a small chance it might resonate with someone noticing a change in his own body and convince him to bring his concerns to his doctor. It seems to me that men, and young men in particular, all too often avoid making appointments to be poked and prodded. It is my hope that after reading this, other young men, like my Valentine, won't wait any longer.

So, while I can't say it's been particularly "nice" to meet you, I did want to send you this valentine of sorts to let you know that you've undoubtedly made me -- and us -- stronger. So thanks for that, I guess.

Reports: Lakers owner Jerry Buss hospitalized with cancer

Lakers owner Jerry Buss is supposedly hospitalized with cancer. (Damian Dovarganes/AP) ByABen Golliver Lakers owner Jerry Buss has been hospitalized for an extended time frame as he challenges cancer, based on numerous stories. RadarOnline.com first described the reason for Bussa hospitalization. The billionaire and entrepreneur reaches Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and a source close to the specific situation tells RadarOnline.com that Lakers people have been calling with well-wishes and even stopping by to see him in what his final days they expect you'll be. aJerry itas very unhappy and isnat succeeding, but heas surrounded by loved ones,a the expert told RadarOnline.com. The report was confirmed by the Orange County Register. Bussa cancer was discovered previously by the Register however not published out of respect for the Buss familyas desires. The Register also noted recently that the Buss family issued a that the Lakers could stay in the family for the foreseeable future. aWe all agree that we've no intention of ever attempting to sell the Lakers, and mean to hold control of the staff within our family for years to come.a The La Times noted that Buss has been in intensive care with an aundiscloseda kind of cancer and that he's been visited by several Lakers greats. A few present and former Lakers people have visited Buss, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille OaNeal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Buss, 79, was inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. As owner he has presided over 10 NBA titles and has owned the Lakers since 1979. His son, Jim, and daughter, Jeannie, are both executive vice presidents for the Lakers.

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Deadly medicine: Side Effects reveals darker side of prescription...

Rooney Mara, as a lady struggling with the dangerous side effects of psychiatric medication. Available Path Shows The music tells us what type of video Side Effects is going to be. It rings beneath what seems like a realistic plan and whispers that something haunted and possessed is going on. Envision music for a sorcery-related plan and then dial it right down to ominous forebodings. Without Thomas Newman's score, "Side Effects" would have been a reduced film, also another film. We meet a new woman called Emily (Rooney Mara). Her man, Martin (Channing Tatum), has been produced after four years in prison for insider trading. Don't weep for him. At a celebration, he describes, "It may be the culture." They resume. They eat. Eager love is made by them. Things don't choose her as easily as they appears to be. She's known a doctor called Banks (Jude Law). She is been under care before, with a shrink named Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones), but Banks believes Emily may get accomplishment from a new drug called Ablixa. Meanwhile, a drug business has paid $50,000 to him to examine it through the licensing period. That Banks has dilemmas. A Brit in Manhattan, he's separated from a dubious person (Vinessa Shaw). He immigrated to the Usa, he explains, because in the U.K., when you enter psychiatric treatment, it's assumed you may get sicker, and over here, it's assumed you are getting well. Obviously that attitude tilts him toward pushing tablets. Emily's utilization of Ablixa causes some alarming behavior, including a murder during a blackout, and she's committed to a mental hospital. Banks shows several signs of empathy...( READ FULL REVIEW)

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Drug alert system by CDSCO picks up momentum

The drug alert system, launched by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to inform the public about the drugs, devices and cosmetics found substandard or spurious during the tests, has picked up momentum with different drug testing laboratories reporting 12 cases during January.

After the system was launched in November with three cases that came from the Central Drug Testing Lab in Chennai alone, the number of such cases went to seven with more labs sending in reports to the DCGI office in December. The alert system also has prompted the companies to recall the batches of drugs found substandard.

CDL, Kolkota has reported four cases while regional central drug testing lab of Guwahati and CDTL, Chennai reported three cases each in January. Regional lab at Chandigarh and CDTL in Mumbai also sent reports about one each cases.

Brexic DT (piroxicam dispersible tablets 20 mg) having batch no. WBI-1207 and manufactured by Wockhardt Ltd was among the cases reported. Cloxacid- D 500 capsules (bath no WGS 1204) by G S Pharmaceuticals was sent by Arunachal Pradesh Drugs Control Department to RDTL Guwahati and was  found substandard in the assay test in another instance.

Adrenaline injection IP (b.no – AD1N1L) by Arco Life Sciences of Nagpur,  telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide tablets USP (Arbitel-H) having batch number of ARHD0029 and manufactured by Micro Labs of Baddhi,  diclofenac sodium tablets IP 50 mg (Batch No. DF110) by Eurokem Laboratories (P) Ltd of Alathur in Tamil Nadu, and Spasdor tablets (dicyclomine HCL and mafenamic acid tablets) having batch No. JKT-12107 and manufactured by Japsi Chem Pharmaceuticals of Solan were also among those reported as substandard.  Another drug, Pyricure-650 (paracetamol tablets) with batch No. JLT-1221, manufactured by Japsi was also found substandard in the test done by Chennai lab.

Spinz talcum powder (batch no L3) by Cavincare Pvt Ltd failed the test for microbial limit while Oroceph-500 capsule (batch no OC5-7033) by Lark Laboratories was found to be having no uniformity with that of net content. Lupisera-D tablets (b.no. 005 E1ABY) by Akums Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Carvas 3.125 (carvedilol tablets IP) with batch no of E20053 manufactured by Medley Pharmaceuticals and Ondasentron tablets (B.No 1103) by Deepin Pharmaceuticals were also included in the alert list.

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