Healthy World: May 2013

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Kniss speaks out on battle with breast cancer - Palo Alto Online

After surgery in April 2012, Kniss kept her diagnosis under wraps. Staying silent was important to her healing, albeit uncharacteristic for her extroverted personality, she said.

This March, she broke her silence at a fundraiser breakfast for the nonprofit Breast Cancer Connections in Palo Alto. The admission shocked people who were close to Kniss. Even her campaign manager did not know, she said.

Now, with actress Angelina Jolie's recent announcement of her preventative double-mastectomy raising awareness of breast cancer, Kniss has decided to speak openly about her own diagnosis and treatment. By coming forward, Kniss said she hopes to encourage women to get screened for the disease.

"This is not about me. It really is about everyone else. I'm one of so many. I feel like my story shouldn't be any more special than anyone else's," she said last Friday.

And she has a straightforward message for women: "Get your damn mammogram every year." Jolie has a gene mutation, BRCA1, which can cause an eight-fold increase in breast cancer risk. About 5 to 10 percent of breast cancer patients carry a BRCA gene -- 10 percent if they are Ashkenazi Jews.

Women with BRCA1 or a second mutation, BRCA2, have a 60 percent chance of developing breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. The risk of breast cancer is about 12 percent for the general population.

About 36 percent of U.S. women with a BRCA mutation chose preventive mastectomies, a study by the Women's College Research Institute in Toronto found.

In addition to breast cancer, BRCA carriers have a 15 to 40 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer, compared to 1.4 percent for the general population, according to the National Cancer Institute. Kniss does not carry the BRCA gene. But one of her sisters died from breast cancer 10 years ago, she said. Still, that did not raise any red flags.

"The only thing I remember her saying is, 'It's not familial; don't worry about it,'" Kniss said. The diagnosis came as Kniss was gearing up for her campaign for City Council.

Dr. Diana Guthaner, a Palo Alto radiologist, had asked Kniss to return to her office after a routine mammogram in March 2012.

"Does this mean I won't see my grandkids grow up?" she said she asked herself. "I think you're stunned initially for about a week. Then you think, 'I hope I'll survive.'"

Kniss first underwent a lumpectomy on her left breast. Two weeks later, she returned for surgery to remove additional tissue. At the same time, she had a lumpectomy on her right breast. She did not undergo chemotherapy. After a carefully considered second opinion, she decided against radiation treatment, she said.

But whom to tell was one of the most difficult decisions to make, she said. She didn't want to be viewed as the candidate who needs sympathy or the candidate who is sick.

"That was a very hard one. I decided I could handle my disease better if I had a small support group -- if it was me handling it. I knew at some level I had to conserve my energy, and I couldn't spend it keeping a lot of people in the loop," she said.

After surgery, Kniss and her husband rented a motel room for three days where they could be anonymous. But she didn't put her life on hold. She viewed the cancer as a distraction that she didn't want to get in the way.

"I remember thinking, 'I have got to get done with this. May is a heavy budget month,'" she said, referring to her prior role as a Santa Clara County supervisor.

Kniss said she plans to help Breast Cancer Connections with fundraising and to spread the word about the importance of screening.

Most oncology organizations prefer women receive an annual mammogram beginning at age 40, said Dr. Allison Kurian, assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University and associate director of the Women's Cancer Genetics Clinic at the Stanford Women's Cancer Center.

Other tests, such as sonograms and magnetic resonance imaging, can refine detection and are helpful for women with dense breast tissue, which can sometimes hide a tumor. On April 1, California's so-called breast-density bill went into effect. The legislation requires medical professionals to notify women if they have dense breasts. The bill was introduced by former state Sen. Joe Simitian.

Frank delaRama, clinical nurse specialist in oncology and genomics at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, said factors such as a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, age at childbearing and lifestyle can be factors for getting the diseases.

Since Jolie's announcement, local organizations are seeing an uptick in concern. DelaRama said women who postponed physician-referred screenings are now calling his department for appointments. More women have inquired at Breast Cancer Connections about information related to BRCA, said Erika Bell, manager of medical-information services. The nonprofit serves women and men with breast cancer and has a research library, support groups for cancer patients and families, classes, a "buddy" system that pairs patients with cancer survivors and an early screening program for uninsured patients.

She reflected on how a simple screening may be responsible for two very different outcomes between sisters: Kniss is cancer-free, although she will continue her vigilance for the rest of her life. Her sister was diagnosed at age 47 and died at 52.

Innovative Launch MI Lab as well as other Kalamazoo operations playing roles in diabetes... - MLive. com.

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Those familiar with the research into diabetes solutions being done by Metabolic Treatments Development Co. in Kalamazoo say that work is and is being facilitated by a few more life-sciences companies started here throughout the last 10 years.

Significant to Metabolic Solutions publishing data last week on a new drug target it's identified for improving dealing type 2 diabetes, is normally Launch MI Lab, some sort of 6-month-old, 2, 300-square-foot wet laboratory that supports bioscience companies by giving affordable testing space in addition to specialized lab instrumentation.

"This can be a lab that specializes in special varieties of biochemistry that we didn't acquire, " said Jerry Colca, a Ph. D researcher who will be chief scientific office from Metabolic Solutions Development Corp.

Located inside that Freebie southwest Michigan Innovation Center (as is Metabolic Solutions Development Corp. ), Launch MI Science laboratory allows bioscientists to rent space for days or even weeks, as needed, to use new ideas.

Its work comprises instrumentation for proteomics, metabolomics, bioanalytical quantitative exploration and mass spectrometry (a laboratory work technique that involves separating the the different parts of a sample by ones own mass, enabling scientists to recognize them).

"Being able to get into mass spec expertise and additionally services, literally across the hall from our labs, has been key to advancing that important scientific work, " Stephen C. Benoit, chief executive office of Metabolic Solutions talked about.

Speaking of the devices the lab provides, Colca stated, "We didn't have enough money to own this stuff ourselves. inch

Greg Cavey, Lab Manager for Launch MI Laboratory, said his facility eliminated Metabolic Solutions from being required to send its work out of your region. That would have price time and money and not just involved the personal interaction that is had here.

"Instead, MSDC surely could run experiments during built based on data we generated for your kids the night before, " Cavey said.

"This is how it was eventually meant to be — getting the right scientific knowledge in addition to capabilities here at just the appropriate time, " Robert DeWit, president and CEO within the Southwest Michigan Innovation Middle, said in a pr release. "We're thrilled for MSDC, we applaud their talented experts, and we're pleased to enjoy played a supportive role in their success. "

The Southwest Michigan Innovation Center is mostly a 10-year-old, 69, 000-square-foot incubator/accelerator with regard to scientific research businesses, based in Western Michigan University's Company, Technology and Research Playground. It is home to 18 companies, including ProNai Therapeutics, Nanovir, CeeTox, Vestaron, Micromyx and Metabolic Solutions.

Last Thurs ., Metabolic Solutions published data on a new drug target for dealing type 2 diabetes in PLOS ONE, an on line scientific publication that research on original research within science and medicine. Colca said that is a first step in having scientific breakthroughs reviewed along with acknowledged by other people.

The drug target, termed mTOT (for mitochondrial objective of thiazolidinediones), is a cellular protein complex through which new anti-diabetic drugs can exert their insulin-sensitizing results. The company has already been developing two compounds viewed as mTOT Modulators. They are dubbed MSDC-0160 and MSDC-0602 with been talked about when potential game-changers in diabetes solution.

Metabolic Solutions has fifteen employees who consult with all sorts of others in the vicinity. Colca said they been employed by with Kalexsyn Inc., some fellow BTR Park corporation that prepares new compounds for pharmaceutical companies, to help create a probe used to identify the new medication target.

It has caused drug development firm PharmOptima, a former business park associate firm, now located within Portage. And it comes with contracted with testing labs Eurofins YOU AND ME (its operation in Portage started as Avtech) and Mattawan-based MPI Exploration Co. It has additionally used Jasper Clinic Research & Development Inc. around downtown Kalamazoo to run clinical trials.

Colca said the area's scientific knowledge base is "built with this collection of people who have been brought to this area of Michigan by Upjohn and Parke-Davis. "

Metabolic Answers was founded in 2006, around three years after Pfizer Inc. procured Pharmacia Corp. 's Kalamazoo surgical procedures and relocated the pharmaceutical drug research work done in this case by legacy Pharmacia, Upjohn Co. and Parke-Davis workers.

Business writer Al Jones can be contacted at ajones5@MLive. com together with 269-365-7187. Follow me on Twitter at ajones5_al.

Postpartum Unhappiness Risk: Stress Hormone Could Identify Which Women Can be... - Huffington Post.

SAN FRANCISCO — Numbers of a stress hormone released with the placenta could predict some woman's risk of creating postpartum depression, new study suggests.

The new findings suggest that measuring levels of that hormone, called placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (pCRH), could one day assistance identify women who are susceptible to postpartum depression before they offer birth.

"Women who show high numbers of this hormone prenatally are at increased risk, " said study co-author Laura Glynn, a good psychologist at Chapman Higher education in Orange, Calif.

The analysis showed an association, not really a cause-and-effect relationship, between pCRH grades and postpartum depression. Further research can be determine exactly how this particular link might work.

The study was presented Tuesday (May 21) only at the annual meeting in the American Psychiatric Association, and hasn't been published in a peer-reviewed daybook.

The placenta, which lies throughout the uterus and provides nutrition on the baby, produces varying amounts for the hormone pCRH during the period of pregnancy, with a sharp rise shortly before birth. Scientists believe the hormone plays a role in timing when women offer their babies.

To understand how pCRH levels could possibly be related to postpartum depression, Glynn and her mates measured hormone levels with the blood of 170 women that at 15, 19, 31, 31 and 36 period of gestation. (Full-term child birth last 40 weeks. ) The researchers moreover assessed the women's amounts of depression at three and few months after giving birth.

Women with high degrees of pCRH around the middle of their pregnancies (at 25 weeks) were almost certainly going to be depressed three months after pregnancy, compared with women whoever levels were lower at midpregnancy.

The findings could enable identify women who are in danger of postpartum depression before they furnish birth so that medical care professionals could intervene beginning. It can be hard for ladies struggling with new motherhood and depression for getting help, but identifying at-risk women in the last stages of their pregnancies could make it easier for doctors that can help.

"Not simply is mom suffering, but her suffering would influence the development of the infant in a really profound way, " Glynn stated.

Glynn isn't exactly certain why high pCRH levels might predict the risk of depression, but she said getting because some women's hormonal systems take longer to come back to their prepregnant declares.

The findings also suggest that postpartum depression that appears after birth may have several causes than depression that shows up later on.

Follow Tia Ghose at Twitterand Google+. Follow LiveScience @livescience, Twitter & Google+. Original post on LiveScience. com.

OK, so technically you aren't pregnant yet, but your due date is dependent on the first day with the last period, which is considered week one of ones own pregnancy. What is happening to baby: Nothing yet, but as subsequently as fertilization occurs, your child will begin undergoing several thousand changes over the up coming 40 weeks. What is actually happening to Mom: As you prepare for this extensive journey, start cleaning up your diet, eliminating drugs, alcohol along with caffeine, and ask your physician about taking a prenatal nutritional.

Ovulation, which may appear this week, kick gets under way everything. Consider investing in an ovulation detector so you're certain exactly when ovulation shows up. For most women, it's between days 11 and 21 with the cycle. What's happening to baby: Not a single thing yet! What is actually happening to Mom: During ovulation (when your ovary emits an egg), your risks of conception increase. The uterine lining is developing to make for a fertilized egg cell.

You're pregnant! But some sort of pregnancy test won't verify it yet, so you need to wait it out. Meanwhile, the guessing game starting: Your baby's gender, eye color and hair color had been determined. Who will he (or she) seem like? Will she get a person's blond locks? What's happening to baby: A fertilized egg, now some ball of cells, is considered a blastocyst when it arrives in the uterus, attaching to the lining, where it will spend the other nine months. Right at this point, it's the size in the head of a personal identification number. What's occurence to Mom: It is likely you won't feel anything, although some women do come to feel cramps and notice a good heavier vaginal discharge.

Afre the wedding of this week, a good pregnancy test may check your pregnancy. How do you want share the news? What exactly is happening to baby: Having a child is still teeny tiny, and consists of layers of cells designed to become his organs and tissues. What is actually happening to Mom: You may notice some cramping and bleeding as your baby is implanting inside ones own uterus. And some a lot of women even feel pregnancy conditions, many of which are similar to those you feel every 4 weeks before your period will start (backache, headache, breast tenderness, etc. )

You've taken the ensure that you gotten a positive end result, but your doctor still might not want to see people until you're eight or 12 weeks along. Right until then, make sure that you are eating right. Do ask for a prescription for a good prenatal vitamin, and begin it daily. What is actually happening to baby: Baby is only 0. 118 inches width long, from head to be able to rump, and his cardiovascular is beating steadily, while his skeleton begins in order to create. What's going on to Mom: A . m . sickness usually begins all over week six, but certain women experience it earlier. To combat morning sickness, which can occur night and day, eat several small meals in daytime and avoid any meals with strong odors.

Are you currently itching to share your news? Many women wait before end of the primary trimester, when the risk of miscarriage is leaner, but some can't resist telling family and no less than a few close friends. Have you blabbed at this point? What's happening to baby: Dapoxetine, lungs, arms, legs and nervous system are generally beginning to form. What is actually happening to Mom: In combination with morning sickness, you may find yourself gaining or even losing weight, if that nausea implies you're eating less. You may also have darkened areola in addition to breast soreness.

Next week your doctor may wish to see you for ones own first prenatal visit. Make an index of any questions you get, and ask your partner if he wishes join you. What's happening to baby: Small one's organs, hair, eyelids and umbilical cord are forming. Your little one is now about an centimeter long and weighs fewer than a single aspirin! What's happening to Mom: You might have gained or even lost a few pounds, but no one can tell by examining you that you're growing a child in your belly. You are, so take it easy in case you are nauseous or tired.

Sensation sleepy? The first trimester is mostly a time of exhaustion for many people moms-to-be. Steal naps whenever -- and wherever -- it is possible to. Your body is working overtime and you just deserve the rest! What is actually happening to baby: Your baby is now the dimensions of a bean. His head, bones, fingers, toes, eyes, ears, lips and nose are all during this process of forming. What's happening to Mom: You've got up to help you 50 percent more blood circulating within you and your uterus is now the length of a grapefruit (it receives much, much bigger).

Involving exhaustion and morning sickness, exercise may be the last thing in every thought, but experts do propose that pregnant women stay working. It can help prevent bodyweight gain, boost energy and help you get your Zzzs. So go on a daily walk, hit the gym and try prenatal yoga in which to stay shape. What is happening to baby: Your baby is now how big a grape, and the tail in the bottom of his spinal cord has become gone. The heart right now has four chambers, just like yours. What is happening to Mom: Perhaps you may feel more fatigued, as a consequence of hormonal changes, trouble slumbering and morning sickness. For everybody who is having difficulty sleeping, you need to change your sleeping status.

You're a quarter with the way there, and you do not even feel pregnant nevertheless! Don't worry, that might soon change, as baby -- therefore you -- start gaining weight therefore you feel those first awesome kicks. What is actually happening to baby: Your baby is now the length of a lime, and his head is noticeably bigger than the majority of his body. What is happening to Mom: That you're gaining weight, and can have switched over to maternity wear, or maybe that you are wearing pants and dresses with elastic waists. For everybody who is at a healthy excess weight, experts recommend you get 25 to 35 excess fat. That doesn't mean you're eating for two main: It means you should enjoy an extra 300 calories or so a day.

You're almost right at the end of your first trimester, which translates to mean your utter exhaustion and morning sickness is going away soon. What is happening to baby: Baby is moving all over the place, but you can't feel it yet. He now weighs half an ounce and perhaps, and his bones are starting to harden. What's happening to Mom: If you're dealing with headaches, fault rising hormone levels, improved blood volume, stress and deficiency of caffeine.

You may purchase your first look at baby this week pictures first trimester ultrasound. The American Congress with Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests nuchal translucency ultrasound with this in mind time to measure a person's baby's risk of Down syndrome. What is actually happening to baby: The following week, your baby's facial features handle a more normal appearance for the eyes and ears move closer to their final positions. Your baby's kidneys often have begun to secrete urine and additionally nerve cells are multiplying in the rapid rate. Your baby is developing more intricate reflexes and may get started sucking. Stimulating certain points to your uterus may cause baby to move, but do not feel the movement for many more weeks. What's happening to Mom: You probably don't need maternity clothes at this moment, but your uterus has expanded to the situation where your doctor can feel it in the lower abdomen. You may begin to notice changes in your skin including a darkening in the areola and the appearance of dark patches within your face and neck. The actual skin may look great, with this pregnancy glow, or could very well be dealing with breakouts and also mask of pregnancy (dark splotches onto your face, thanks to enhanced pigmentation).

By now, should you be having twins (or even more! ), you should fully understand it, as either your blood test or ultrasound might confirm a multiple pregnant state. What is happening to baby: Having a child, who now weighs 1 ¼ ounces, has fingerprints and a soft layer of head of hair covering his skin. This hair may nevertheless be visible at birth, but will eventually vanish. What exactly is happening to Mom: Your medical provider will want to see you every month to check your pounds, blood pressure and urine; quantify your uterus; and listen to the baby's heartbeat. Don't miss one particular appointment!

With the fatigue, morning sickness and weight gain with the first trimester, your boss sometimes have already figured out that you'll soon be taking a good leave of absence, but you've still got to make the story. Plan what you'll say in advance, then go in and share your exciting news! What is actually happening to baby: This week, baby weighs a bit less than 2 ounces (a tavern of soap weighs 3 ounces) and continues to grow at an astonishing rate. What's happening to Mom: Your risk of miscarriage is lower now that you're inside the second trimester. You should have some of energy back, and you may possibly be starting to demonstrate. Enjoy the second trimester: You'll feel a lot more like yourself, without the struggles with the first and third trimesters.

Sleep is far easier in the next trimester; just try don't sleep on your back, as it can decrease circulation to your heart. What's happening to baby: Your little four legged friend now measures nearly 5 inches long, and her eyes and ears pursue to develop. If you may sneak another peek for baby, you might find out her sucking her thumbs! What is happening to Mom: Surrounding this time, your doctor may offer you a triple screen or a quad screen to use for Down syndrome, trisomy 18 (a hereditary disorder that infants commonly don't survive) and neural tube defects (problems while using the development of the head or spinal cord).

You will likely be seeing your doctor for another checkup subsequently, so be sure to talk about any questions or concerns it's likely you have. What's happening to baby: Little one now weighs 2 ½ oz. She looks more even more like a baby and additionally her heart pumps certain 25 quarts of blood on a daily basis. What's happening to Mom: Sometime yearly few weeks, you ought to feel baby's first mobility, called "quickening. " Through the end of your maternity, baby's gymnastics will be hard to ignore!

You will be pregnant during flu year or so, the Centers for Disorder Control and Prevention recommends that you purchase a flu shot to remain you and your newborn baby healthy. Your ob/gyn can vaccinate you. What is happening to baby: Baby now weighs 4 ounces and is particularly developing fat under your girlfriend skin. As your motherhood progresses, she'll add to these fat stores, that will give her energy along with keep her warm when she enters everything. What's happening to Mom: Your breasts are getting ready to provide milk to your child, so you may observe that they're growing larger and this more veins are seen.

You're nearly halfway as a result of your pregnancy. How's your spouse holding up? Tell him specific ways he can help you as your pregnancy progresses, whether you want him to come to your doctor's appointments, help out more around the house or just rub ones own aching back. What's happening to baby: Improve baby, grow! She's now more than 6 inches long and her ears are working. She might even have the capacity to hear loud noises, in addition to the sound of your busting heart and growling abs. What's happening to Mom: You're certain the dangers of huge blood pressure, but you should also experience low blood pressure within your pregnancy, as your circulatory system expands right now. Ward off any dizziness by by ensuring you don't stand up straight away.

How are you holding up? If you're dealing with back pain, headaches and other nagging pains, speak to your doctor before you take any medication to make sure they won't harm baby. What is happening to baby: Baby weighs in at about 7 ounces the following week, and he is needs to grow hair! What's happening to Mom: You might start experiencing round tendon pain, a sharp pain inside your stomach or hip brought on by stretching of the rounded ligament, which supports a uterus.

Right about at this moment, you're likely going in for an ultrasound, and you could probably find out baby's sexual category, if you're so likely. If you do, you'll be able to really step up a nursery-planning and name-choosing! What's happening to baby: Baby now weighs 9 ounces and she might be putting pressure on ones own lungs and bladder. What's happening to Mom: Your 20-week ultrasound is mostly a chance for your doctor to find how the baby's growing, check out the placenta, amniotic very smooth, look for birth blemishes and, of course, determine the baby's gender.

How's your name game going? Visit < a href="http: //today. msnbc. google. com/id/42912883/ns/today-parenting/? ocid=twitter" target="_hplink"> top names from 2010< /a>, due to the Social Security Governing administration. What is happening to baby: Baby is actually big enough to become measured from his head to heel. He's now roughly 8 ½ inches long and is producing meconium, which turns into his first poop any time he's born. What is actually happening to Mom: Red-looking ankles, hands and feet are normal in pregnancy -- after all, you've got a great number of extra fluid in the body right now! But if you notice sudden swelling inside your hands and face, call your health care provider. These are symptoms with preeclampsia, or dangerously superior blood pressure.

If you want to fit in a babymoon, or one last pre-baby retreat, better do it rapidly. It's best to travel for you to reach 28 weeks. If you fly, be sure to drink a lot of fluids and get up and move every hour or consequently. What is actually happening to baby: Baby weighs 14 oz and is looking ever more like a newborn: The girl eyes are fully formed, her lips are starting to be more noticeable and your lady even has eyebrows! At 22 weeks pregnant, an expectant mother is during her second trimester and probably do start to feel some movement with the womb. The baby is actually approximately 10 inches and additionally nearly a pound. Her organs are developing on a rapid rate and she may now be going her limbs and exploring her face. Lips, eyelids and eyebrows are usually more defined and although your ex eyes have formed, your iris lacks pigment. What is happening to Mom: Using a surge of testosterone, there are lots associated with changes for mom too. Her hair is more lustrous and her nails are growing for a more rapid rate. Skin scarring usually appear around on this occasion and skin may handle different textures or shades thanks to increased melanin. Nipples and additionally areolas often get dimly lit and larger. Some women's feet begin to swell at this point, often going up a half or whole running shoe size. Your growing uterus is practically an inch above a belly button, and you're probably feeling okay: not too uncomfortable, with energy to spare!

Do leg cramps wake you up at nighttime? They're a common being pregnant complaint. Getting regular exercise in addition to stretching your legs prior to deciding to hit the sheets can assist prevent them. What's happening to baby: Baby has hit the 1-pound recognise! If you're having some sort of boy, his testes are generally making their descent; for everybody who is having a girl, she's got already developed her uterus together with ovaries. What exactly is happening to Mom: You're probably running to the bathroom more than ever, as your growing uterus is constantly on the put pressure on a bladder.

Many moms- in addition to dads-to-be give their little one a cute, weird or amusing nickname like Peanut, Citrus or Chaka Khan previous to she's born. Does the have an in utero nickname? What is happening to baby: Baby is slightly greater foot long, and her lungs and brain tend to be growing quickly. What is actually happening to Mom: I n next few weeks, you'll be screened for gestational diabetes. You have to fast overnight, then swallow a super-sweet drink to run a test your blood sugar. Should it be high and you're identified as having gestational diabetes, you'll have to follow a special diet and will also need medication. Without treatment, gestational diabetes can cause problems for the baby, such as trouble breathing as well as other health problems.

Many moms-to-be have cravings throughout their pregnancies, whether it's for something they can't have, like a glass of wine, something they might never normally eat, similar to a burger for a vegetarian or even something that's just plain weird: Pickles and snowing conditions cream, anyone? Some ladies even crave dirt, chalk and other non-edibles. If you will be among this last set, contact your doctor. What's happening to baby: A 13-inch-long baby is occupied packing on weight, when she arrives, she'll need that irresistible baby unwanted fat. She's also probably moving around tons -- when she's possibly not sleeping! What's happening to Mom: Your uterus is now how large a soccer ball. And that you will notice some seemingly unrelated to pregnancy symptoms, just like a stuffy nose, snoring or frequent nosebleeds. These things are pregnancy-related, as the increased blood flow throughout your body can restrict airflow within your nose and airway.

You're almost there -- just 14 weeks to get! If your baby had been born now, there's a great chance he'd survive: 80 percent of babies born right now do, according to this March of Dimes. What exactly is happening to baby: By the 26th weeks time of pregnancy the fetus has exploded to about one or two pounds. The baby has also begun to breathe in and out amniotic fluid, an important part of developing their own lungs. During the 26th week, the baby's ears have developed enough to allow the puppy to hear noises outside of the womb. If it can be described as boy, his testicles will begin to make their descent to your scrotum, a process which typically takes 2-3 days. What exactly is happening to Mom: The amount weight have you gained up to now? If you were in the healthy weight pre-pregnancy along with haven't been going overboard when it comes to food, you've likely gained 16 to 22 excess fat, but every woman differs. Your health care provider to be able to know if you're gaining much more -- or too modest -- weight. The 26th week of pregnancy can also often bring with it a raise in blood pressure and a few hormonal changes that can cause lower back pain.

As your second trimester concludes, start looking into job and child care types, consider taking a tour with the hospital (if it's offered) and your mom friends with regard to pediatrician recommendations. What's happening to baby: He or she may get hiccups more and more often as your pregnancy advances, and you'll be in a position to feel her hiccupping. The fetus has exploded to about two fat and 14 inches in total. He or she is usually able to open in addition to close their eyes for the 1st time and the baby will start to develop to more regular sleep cycle. What's happening to Mom: Along with changes your body will through, you may also be developing striae on your belly or simply breasts. Unfortunately, you cannot prevent them, but they are willing to become less noticeable after the baby is born. More changes are going to take place in your body. She will often practical experience more leg cramps as a result of baby weight that has been tacked on to her body. The expecting mother can also notice that she carries a little less energy compared to she did during her first trimester.

You're inside your home stretch now! Welcome with the third trimester. Swollen fingers and palms may mean you can't wear your wedding and additionally engagement rings. Don't just want to go without? Slip them for a chain and wear them as a necklace. What is actually happening to baby: Infant weighs about 2 ½ fat, and she will come to be adding weight quickly in the next several weeks. Her brain is hard at the office, becoming more complex and growing more tissue. What's happening to Mom: This few weeks, you could possibly be fighting off leg cramps, constipation, hemorrhoids, sleeplessness and also other annoyances. Take it easy perhaps up to you can, and bear in mind, it will all be over soon!

Your doctor may declare that you do kick number -- taking time every day to see how often baby is moving. Ideally, you'll want to feel at least 10 routines (everything counts, from tough kicks to barely-there flutters) within two hours. What is happening to baby: They weighs nearly 3 excess weight, has eyelashes and has opened his eyes! What's happening to Mom: As the epidermis stretches to accommodate ones own growing belly, you can be dealing with itchy skin color. Ease the itch by keeping your belly moisturized.

In case you are planning on donating and storing your baby's power cord blood, you should get the paperwork in order prior to deciding to deliver your baby. The American Academy associated with Pediatrics encourages donating the blood in lieu of paying the hefty charges for for private storage area. What is happening to baby: Little ones eyes are quickly ageing: She can tell that difference between light and dark and may focus on light. From the 30th week, the average fetus will weigh a couple of pounds. More than your pint of amniotic water surrounds the fetus, though the quality of liquid will decrease for the baby grows and derives passion for more room in this womb. The fetus will start to mimic breathing by promoting up the diaphragm around. What exactly is happening to Mom: Right now, Mom may have sleep disorders and can feel clumsier as opposed to usual. Mood swings can also be common during the 30th week of pregnancy, as are bouts of depressive disorder. Are you getting worried about labor? Talk to your doctor about your options for pain relief and enquire of her any questions maybe you have.

By now, you should have a rough perception of who's going to control you your workload while you're out of your office. Brief your management, employees and coworkers about what is required to be done while you're upon your maternity leave, in case you deliver previous expected. What is happening to baby: Baby is 15 ½ inches long and may weigh about 4 pounds now. What's happening to Mom: Now in your pregnancy, your breasts are bigger and may also have stretch marks. They is likewise leaking a yellowish aqueous. It's nothing to bother with: The colostrum, or pre-milk, that's based on your breasts now may even come out in the main few days after the is born before changing onto the milk that will nourish the, if you decide to be able to breastfeed.

You may be sensation Braxton Hicks contractions now. These "practice" contractions can last for about two minutes as ones uterine muscles tighten. When you feel them, don't anxiety, just do some relaxation. And if you're at all concerned that it's genuine, call your doctor. What is happening to baby: Baby weighs roughly 4 ½ pounds is practicing breathing in preparation to be with her birth. What's happening to Mom: For the reason that baby grows bigger, your uterus may begin putting pressure on a diaphragm, making it harder to be able to breathe. This is another reason to adopt it easy in these kind of final weeks of pregnant state.

Take a few a matter of minutes now, while you possess time, to call your insurance company and then determine what -- if anything -- they are required from you, your employer or health care provider before or after having a child arrives. What's happening to baby: Baby now measures about 16 ½ inches from check out foot, and is progressively gaining weight. What exactly is happening to Mom: Became heartburn? Blame your ever-expanding abdomen. To prevent it, eat smaller meals more often in daytime, and avoid heartburn initiates, such as citrus foodstuff, soda and fried and spicy foods.

Once you become baby's car seat, call any local police or fire dept. In many states, they'll install the seat in your case, or will check to verify you've done it correctly to assure your baby is safe when riding inside the car. What exactly is happening to baby: He weighs about 5 pounds and is particularly roughly 17 ½ inches tall long. Baby's bones are needs to harden, except for this bones in his cranium, which stay soft right up until after birth, to make delivery possible. What's happening to Mom: When you wait for baby to reach, you're probably feeling more uncomfortable than in the past and not sleeping effectively. Many moms-to-be worry of which their water will break at your workplace or in public. But it's not actually that dramatic for level of comfort, and, luckily, it usually happens during the night time when you're sleeping. If you ever start leaking an odorless very smooth, call your doctor.

The following week, your doctor may test you for class B streptococcus, a bacteria it's possible you'll carry that can cause health problems in your baby. If you happen to test positive, you'll get antibiotics during delivery to lower the risk of passing it to baby. What's happening to baby: Your ex lungs are nearly entirely developed, and she may weigh to 6 pounds right now! She's likely in status for delivery, too. What is actually happening to Mom: As baby's arrival gets more detailed, you'll get some reduced your breathing problems for the reason that baby drops into a pelvis. This stage, called lightening, makes it simpler to breathe, but now baby is usually putting more pressure on the bladder, which may mean more trips to the restroom than in the past. Lightening can also increase pressure on your bladder.

It's hard to assume it now, but many women actually miss being currently pregnant: The constant attention with strangers, feeling those comforting kicks daily and night and a built-in excuse to take pleasure in chocolate. What is actually happening to baby: Baby weighs anywhere coming from 5 ¾ to 6 ¾ pounds and may be as long as 19 inches. The little hairs which covering her entire body are beginning to go away as she prepares on her arrival. What is actually happening to Mom: Confer with your doctor about what one can anticipate during delivery. You definitely isn't planning for a Cesarean part, but you should gird yourself in case it transpires. According to data with the Centers for Disease Regulate and Prevention, a full 31 percent of all deliveries are C-sections.

This approach week, your baby is actually officially full-term. You achieved it! Of course, it's best for him to remain where he is till he's ready, and in most cases, that may mean another a month. What's happening to baby: He's got now weighing in at around 7 pounds. In the event that he's in breech status, your doctor may be able to turn him around so he's inside head down position. What is happening to Mom: Probably you won't gain much more importance after this week. Yearly few weeks, you might lose your mucus connect, which blocks the cervix throughout your pregnancy, keeping the safe from bacteria. Do not even notice when anyone pass the mucus connector, but it means your cervix is starting to dilate, a process which might take hours, days or weeks.

It's time meant for final preparations: If anyone haven't packed your medical bag yet, do it now. Make sure you've got a car seat ready to create baby home from a healthcare facility and give your partner an index of people to call and e-mail once baby comes. What's happening to baby: These last so often, baby is mainly only just gaining weight and your girlfriend brain and lungs continue to be maturing. By now, she may weigh up to 7 ½ fat. The baby has at the same time developed a firmer grasp and his organs have developed more than enough to sustain life beyond the womb. Fingernails have also begun to create. What's happening to Mom: In these last weeks, you're likely still enduring back pain, sleeping fewer hours than in the past and dealing with swelling, mainly in your toes. Excessive swelling should be reported to the doctor if it not subside. Any odd symptoms including severe headaches or excessive weight gain must also be reported to a doctor immediately.

Once your baby arrives, you'll have bit of time for cooking, so consider freezing a few make-ahead meals, like lasagna along with casseroles. Later, you'll come to be glad you did. What exactly is happening to baby: Baby weighs from around 6 ½ to 8 pounds which is 18 to 20 1/2 inches width long. The fat her is developing will help her regulate her body's temperature outside the womb. What is happening to Mom: You're likely seeing your health care provider weekly now, and pelvic exams will help him or her determine baby's position and whether (or how much) a person's cervix is dilated.

Greet, baby! Your little one should make his appearance any kind of day now, and you're likely desperate to meet him! Enjoy every very small. What's happening to baby: From birth, he'll weigh between 6 ¾ and 10 pounds and will be between 19 and 21 years old inches long, though, not surprisingly, every baby is numerous. Several months after rise, the soft spots on his skull will begin to harden. What exactly is happening to Mom: You will be probably anxious, excited and wanting to meet the little person growing on the inside you. Try to be patient in the event you go past your deadline -- you'll have the rest ever experience to spend time with the baby.

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Friday, May 24, 2013

Does prostate cancer treatment guide older, sick men? : Reuters.

(Reuters Health) - More mature men with other illnesses might not live long enough to profit by aggressive prostate cancer solutions, such as prostate removal or radiation, and they'd ought to live with their uncomfortable side effects, says a new analyze.

"If you're going to die to a heart attack in several years, what's the point of experiencing radiation? " asked Doctor. David Penson, the study's senior author in the Vanderbilt University Medical Middle in Nashville, Tennessee.

"The heavily weighed is that when men are going for therapy for prostate many forms of cancer, they need to consider their tumor characteristics, their age and other characteristics, inch he said.

About one man in every six will be informed they have prostate cancer during this lifetime, according the Usa Cancer Society (ACS). While it's rather a serious disease, the ACS says most men don't die through the slow-moving cancer.

Still, many prefer to have surgery and/or radiation to remedy the cancer, even though it can bring about side effects that impact lifestyle, including erectile dysfunction, incontinence and various problems (see Reuters Wellness article of June 27, 2012: reut. rs/MpPr4t. )

As an option to surgery and radiation, some doctors recommend so-called active surveillance, also known like watchful waiting.

For the brand new study published in your Annals of Internal Medicine on Monday, Penson and his colleagues used data from a national database to discover what effects age, other illnesses and cancer characteristics had on risk of death from cancer and various conditions.

The researchers included men regarding the ages 39 to 89 yrs . old who were diagnosed by means of early-stage prostate cancer relating to October 1994 and Oct 1995.

They collected home elevators the men's other conditions - including diabetes, heart issues, and strokes - and tracked them with the database over 14 years.

Over that time, the researchers found possibility of dying from high-risk prostate cancers was 18 percent. Chance of dying from low-risk prostate cancer was 3 percent in addition to 7 percent for high-risk health problems.

Older men were very likely to die from something else in the 10 years following diagnosis if he or she had other ailments.

By way of example, about 40 percent of men between the ages of 61 and 74 years old died within the decade after their prostate cancer diagnosis if he or she had three or far more comorbidities, compared to 71 percent of men 75 yr old and older.

"This is just any type of study we need at this time to help us determine who will and will not benefit from treatment, " said Doctor. H. Ballentine Carter, a urologist and oncologist in Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Nevertheless Carter, who was not involved with the new study, told Reuters Health you'll want to look at each private patient.

"For that (75-year-old) guy who's got no comorbidities or couple, he may be very likely to benefit from treatment as opposed to the 60-year-old who has some sort of low-grade tumor and many comorbidities, " he said.

"The challenge for the physician is to accurately evaluate the life expectancy of a patient in order to balance the risk meant for prostate cancer mortality your of other-cause mortality, inches wrote Italian Drs. Lazzaro Repetto, Angela Marie Abbatecola and Giuseppe Paolisso within a editorial accompanying the examine.

Penson and his fellow workers, caution however, that their results shouldn't be used to decide no matter whether a person should be screened for prostate cancers.

Currently the U. Ohydrates. Preventive Services Task Induce, a government-backed panel, recommends against prostate cancers screening for average-risk men off ages.

Earlier this thirty day period, the American Urological Association made news should they recommended against screening average-risk men under age 55 or even any man over 60 to 70 using prostate-specific antigen, and also PSA, blood tests (see Reuters Well being article of May 3, 2013 the following: reut. rs/13FUGEe. )

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Medical professional. John: Shingles, ticks, Celiac Condition - 9NEWS. com.

KUSA - Dr. John Torres from Premier Urgent Care answers your questions every week. If you have some medical question for Dr. John, send it so that you can mornings@9news. com and make sure to have Ask Dr. John inside subject line.

Topic #1 I am a retired male in excellent health. I have previously had my flu & shingles shot. My curious question is = Can people have the shingle virus and won't look on the skin spot. Seniors talk about several things. P. S. Curiosity can have killed the cat, it also can save a people. Ron

Answer There is a lot of confusion on the subject of what causes shingles choice rashes. These rashes are medically called "herpes zoster" as they are cause by the same varicella-zoster virus which induces chicken pox. There is not a shingles virus by per se. Instead, shingles is brought on by the same chicken pox virus someone was already familiar with earlier in life. In case you get chicken pox and live through it the virus producing it never really goes away. It stays hidden out in the body until years later as soon as it re-emerges causing shingles as well as the shingles rash. If this rash does break out it's important to remember that although you cannot pass shingles on to another person, the liquid inside rash blisters does secure the active chicken pox strain. That means you might pass chicken pox onto someone else, especially some of those most vulnerable, the really young, very old or some people that have immune system issues that weren't come across chicken pox up to now or that did not find the chicken pox vaccine. Although more often than not shingles does break out towards a rash it's possible that this rash won't erupt and instead someone will simply notice pain in specified body areas. This soreness, and the rash, are one side of the body and usually follow a band just like pattern either wrapping available your trunk or moving up or down a limb. Whether a rash or maybe just the pain associated using shingles, treatment can supply to help ensure your pain doesn't endure above the limited time in the outbreak itself.

Question #2 It is that season again when ticks start developing. There are a great deal of "old wives tales", but what is one way to remove a tick? Does DEET are a tick repellent? Thanks a lot Kent

Answer This is the time of the year when we start to experience far more tick bites. This happens both because ticks start to obtain more active with the warmer weather and we start to obtain additional contact with them because were going outside more this point of the year. This particular combination means we'll be getting more tick gnaws. Unfortunately ticks can spread disease as well as the longer they stay attached to our skin a lot more likely it is that'll they might cause problems. So removing them as quickly as possible is important for both us and our kids. Before venturing outdoors some actions to minimize tick hits include wearing light gorgeous clothing and long trousers you tuck into a boots. Deet, at 20% concentrations or higher can provide some protection against tick bites but won't eliminate all of them. Permetherin is also approved for this specific purpose but should only be taken on clothing and circuitously on the skin. If you do find an attached tick don't try many of the "old wives tales" including putting petroleum jelly in the tick or burning it with a match. These techniques can lead to the tick to regurgitate the country's stomach contents into the actual skin which can increase your risks of getting infections. The best way to avoid the tick is to apply small tweezers and grab the tick as near to your skin as conceivable. Then use steady, even upward pressure before the tick is detached. Do not jerk the tick off as this will increase the possibilities of leaving behind mouth parts which might be imbedded in the skin area. Once the tick is removed clean the place, and your hands, using soap and water or even rubbing alcohol.

Question #3 Dr. Torres, I was finally identified as having Celiac Disease after 8 years of doctors wanting to figure it out! I realize the symptoms mimic very much if other diseases, but an uncomplicated blood test is certain. Since more and more folks are showing up with this particular or 'gluten intolerance' let's more doctors use the following blood test especially seeing that this disease is inherited? Also will the problems and diarrhea eventually abate along with the intestines heal following a GF diet? Judy

Answer There are two different conditions that we should discuss. The first is normally Celiac Disease. With this problem the body's own immune system attacks the small gut when gluten is taken damaging it's lining. Celiac disease are usually detected with a simple blood test which can be up to 90% exact. On the other hand there is no one test that can detect gluten sensitivity effectively. It's also known as non celiac gluten sensitivity and someone affected by it tends to have symptoms akin to those with Celiac Disease but without worrying about the changes to the digestive system or the positive maintain tests. Symptoms of gluten sensitivity is usually non-descript things like head pain or increased fatigue. Gluten sensitivity cannot usually be detected with a blood test so usually a food elimination trial shall be done. This is accomplished through the elimination of gluten from the healthy eating plan and seeing if signs improve. With both Celiac Condition and gluten sensitivity eliminating gluten from the diet will help increase symptoms. Healing of your intestine, in the event of Celiac Disease, will take place but could take weeks or even months once gluten is faraway from the diet.

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Recognition of lupus - St. Louis National.

Previously I found a lump with my breast and like most women I was terrified since breast cancer ended up being diagnosed in the maternal side of my family. I immediately made a session to see my gynecologist but prior to the appointment I noticed of which my lymph nodes ended up being swollen under my arm and in my neck. Upon further study of myself, I realized that it breast lump was probably merely takes a simple lymph node. However, I kept my doctor's session as originally planned.

Although I was convinced that it lump was a lymph node, a doctor insisted upon working a needle aspiration inside her office. When she was not able to aspirate any fluid, she agreed with me at night that I needed to see a surgeon for your biopsy. In addition to this mass, I was at the same time having night sweats. My partner and i been having them for about a year but thought nothing from it. My bedroom was relating to the second floor and heat up rises, you know. That's how I justified not seeing medical help sooner. If you have not ascertained by now that will doctors are horrible patients, just keep reading.

I recall the day of my biopsy like it was yesterday. I remember being slightly groggy within the recovery room but I remarked that my husband and a very good friend were by your side. The surgeon entered, held my hand, and told us that this preliminary results revealed what I already thought: it might look like lymphoma, a lymph node variety of cancer. Tears streamed all the way down my cheeks. I had a one full year old daughter and an exciting new career. How could this approach be?

Waiting for the state biopsy results was self applied. The specimen had to become sent away to have special staining so as to confirm the tissue sample taken in the surgery. I could not eat or sleep as i waited for that dreaded mobile phone call.

About three days after, the surgeon called and revealed that this results were negative to get cancer! Hallelujah! He then happened to say that this specimen was read when "non-specific. " That suggests nothing to doctors. So inside my mind, it was not cancer thus moved on to other stuff.

However, a few months subsequently I began feeling much more tired than before but I simply attributed the fatigue to help you my job. I then began experiencing joint pain and stiffness, worse with the mornings. I was barely allowed to comb my daughter's hair because I could truthfully not properly grasp this ponytail holders.

Finally, the lamp went off in this mind. I checked some labs on myself and indicated all together: black a woman, third decade of life, joint pain, night sweats, engorged lymph nodes, and defective labs. I had lupus!

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus can be described as multisystem autoimmune disorder of connective tissue that is highly variable in her presentation, disease course, along with prognosis. Lupus, as it truly is mostly known, affects primarily women but men aren't spared. It usually presents within the second or third ten years of life. As inside my case, it may take almost a year or years to identify lupus.

Although one can find over 11 criteria included in diagnosing lupus, only four positive findings are expected to make the identification per the American College of Rheumatology. Once preliminary labs like an ANA, complete circulation count, and sed rate have been completely checked, other confirmatory checks are then obtained.

The complete cause of lupus is actually unclear. It is perceived as a combination of defense mechanisms dysfunction, a genetic predisposition, along with environmental factors. In lupus, the body produces antibodies that generally attack it. This then may perhaps damage the kidneys, lungs, or skin.

In past genome studies, chromosome 1 is actually linked to lupus using some populations. It is also known that particular environmental triggers can cause lupus flares in genetically at risk people. Sun exposure, illnesses, stress, or even certain medications including procainamide or hydralazine, can potentially provoke a lupus exacerbation.

May is Lupus Awareness thirty day period. Lupus occurs more usually in African Americans, Afro Cubans, Anglo-Asians, along with American Hispanics. Currently, there's no cure for lupus but only medications that will help manage and prevent flares. Since manifestations of this disease could be overwhelming, I often advice that patients join a area support group. This disease can end up difficult on the patient combined with their family. For more info ., contact the Lupus Base at www. lupus. org.

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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Immune protein could stop diabetes in its tracks - Medical Xpress - Medical Xpress

Diabetes researcher Professor Len Harrison has identified that the immune protein CD52 protects the body against excessive or damaging immune responses, and could be used to prevent and treat type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases.

Melbourne researchers have identified an immune protein that has the potential to stop or reverse the development of type 1 diabetes in its early stages, before insulin-producing cells have been destroyed.

The discovery has wider repercussions, as the protein is responsible for protecting the body against excessive immune responses, and could be used to treat, or even prevent, other immune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Professor Len Harrison, Dr Esther Bandala-Sanchez and Dr Yuxia Zhang led the research team from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute's Molecular Medicine division that identified the immune protein CD52 as responsible for suppressing the immune response, and its potential for protecting against autoimmune diseases. The research was published today in the journal Nature Immunology.

So-called autoimmune diseases develop when the immune system goes awry and attacks the body's own tissues. Professor Harrison said CD52 held great promise as a therapeutic agent for preventing and treating autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes.

"Immune suppression by CD52 is a previously undiscovered mechanism that the body uses to regulate itself, and protect itself against excessive or damaging immune responses," Professor Harrison said. "We are excited about the prospect of developing this discovery to clinical trials as soon as possible, to see if CD52 can be used to prevent and treat type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases. This has already elicited interest from pharmaceutical companies."

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that develops when immune cells attack and destroy insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Approximately 120,000 Australians have type 1 diabetes and incidence has doubled in the last 20 years. "Type 1 diabetes is a life-long disease," Professor Harrison said. "It typically develops in children and teenagers, and it really makes life incredibly difficult for them and their families. It also causes significant long-term complications involving the eyes, kidneys and blood vessel damage, and at great cost to the community."

CD52 appears to play a dominant role in controlling or suppressing immune activity in the early stages of the immune response, Professor Harrison said. "We identified a specialised population of immune cells (T cells) that carry high levels of CD52, which they release to dampen the activity of other T cells and prevent uncontrolled immune responses," Professor Harrison said. "The cells act as an early 'braking' mechanism."

Professor Harrison said his goal is to prevent and ultimately cure type 1 diabetes. "In animal models we can prevent and cure type 1 diabetes," Professor Harrison said. "I am hopeful that these results will be translatable into humans, hopefully in the not-too-distant future."

This research was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and the Victorian Government.

The article is titled "T cell regulation mediated by interaction of soluble CD52 with the inhibitory receptor Siglec-10."

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Moore Elementary School pupils host Alex's Lemonade Stand to fight... - The Express Times - LehighValleyLive.com

Ellie Lahr, with the Moore Elementary School PTA, collects sectors and passes out lemonade to the pupils for a Lemonade Stand fundraiser on Friday, April 19, 2013, at Moore Elementary. EXPRESS-TIMES PHOTO

SUE BEYER Make lemonade, when lifestyle hands you lemons. Thatas what Alexandra aAlexa Scott did, and thatas lesson learned by students at Moore Elementary School. A Great Lemonade War was hosted by the children on Friday to improve money for childhood cancer research. Similar lemonade sales has been set up by children across the country in honor of Scott, who died of cancer at age 8. Her basis has lifted $60 million for cancer research over the past eight years. A huge selection of Moore Elementary pupils wore bright yellow shirts and spent 25 cents for a cup of lemonade at lunch. Major Curt Dimmick said some kids donated $1 for a single cup. The event isnat about winning or about money, in accordance with Dimmick. aThe young ones, they get in the end,a he said. aWeave had some families who've been affected by cancer. So we thought it would be described as a nice gesture.a The school increased $800 finally yearas occasion. On Thursday, Bethlehem cancer survivor Isabella Gonzales, 3, and her mother Alissa made motivational speeches. aThey loved conference Isabella. They'd a lot of questions like, aHow do you get cancer? Can you feel pain?aa said reading specialist Krista Maxwell. After establishing the big event, Maxwell read aAlex and the Amazing Lemonade Standa to her students. The book is published by Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. The big event teaches important lessons to young ones. aThey have to know never to hesitate to question questions,a Maxwell said. A T-shirt was worn by heather Shaner, a reading support teacher at Moore Elementary, in honor of her friend and ovarian cancer survivor Gretchen Troxell. Troxell is just a special education teacher at Northampton Area High School. aI think children need to see that their money helps people directly in the community,a Shaner said. Her daughter Sarah, 8, said she bought a glass of lemonade at lunch honoring Gretchen. To learn more and to make a donation at the Moore Elementary School Lemonade Stand, visit alexslemonade.org/mypage/89979.

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Angelina Jolie mastectomy: A closer look into DNA, breast cancer risk - L . a . Times.

By selecting surgery to remove her breasts while these folks still healthy, Angelina Jolie joined an increasing number of women who have implemented genetic testing to manage their health.

Here are answers to your common questions about the best way DNA influences breast melanoma risk and what women are able to do about it.

The two primary ones are known as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Hundreds of variants of these genes have been found that a woman — as well as a man — more likely to develop breast cancer. The mutations can rise one's lifetime risk with breast cancer from about 50% to above 85%, said Rebecca Nagy, president in the National Society of It is partially Counselors.

In her essay inside the New York Times, Jolie said her doctors believed the mutation associated with her BRCA1 gene raised her possibility of developing the disease so that you can 87%.

Scientists know of options in other genes that also are likely involved in breast cancer, but these occur more rarely compared to BRCA mutations, said Nagy, exactly who works at Ohio Condition University's James Cancer Medical in Columbus.

Everyone contains the BRCA1 and BRCA2 body's genes, but only about 1 inside 600 women have variants referred to by increase the risk from breast cancer, said Ellen Matloff, director of cancer genetic counseling with the Yale Cancer Center within New Haven, Conn.

The variants are usually more common in certain multiple people, including Jews because of Europe, and are also connected to ovarian cancer in gals. BRCA2 mutations, additionally, are associated with an increased risk from pancreatic cancer, Matloff stated. Other cancers have been linked to mutations with the two genes.

Not necessarily. With the Yale Cancer Center, genetic counselors only recommend testing for those who have a strong family history of a variety of cancer that is regarded as linked to these passed dow genes: breast cancer before age 45, several family members with the disease about the same side of the family unit, breast cancer and ovarian or pancreatic cancer on a single side of the family, a family history of male breast cancer, or Jewish ancestry blended with even one case with breast or ovarian cancer inside family.

Generally, a woman who is anxious about her cancer possibility begins by consulting her physician together with a genetic counselor, who can examine her personal and family history to determine what tests can be useful. A genetic counselor may also discuss the online learning course of testing, including implications for other members of your family, Matloff said.

The test involves collecting an example of blood or saliva in addition to sending it to Countless Genetics, a company that performs the analysis that will deliver a report on the variants you have and the amount these variants increase your risk of assorted types of cancer.

Still, Matloff warned that at times the test results were misinterpreted, with variants that are not known to cause cancer confused with variants that do. "We've found that women who've had this surgical treatment had their test benefits read incorrectly, " she said.

What a very personal decision which patients should make in consultation with their families and doctors. Cosmetic factors and the availability of other choices — including heightened surveillance for early signs of disease or looking for drug such as tamoxifen, Matloff said — comes into play as women makes her decision.

Nagy said that experiments had estimated that no less than 35% of women that definitely have a dangerous BRCA mutation decide to achieve the surgery when they are still healthy. Doing so can greatly reduce their lifetime risk from breast cancer to underneath 5%.

Even after a double mastectomy, some breast cells remain — and almost always there is a chance that cancer could develop from this tissue, Matloff said. Nevertheless, a risk of lower than 5% is much less than the 12% to 13% risk faced using a typical American woman, this girl added.

All mastectomies involve removal of almost all the breast tissue, but patients have possibilities when deciding whether or learn how to have their breasts reconstructed, stated Dr. Maureen Chung, a surgeon and medical director for the Margie Petersen Breast Centre at St. John's Health and wellbeing Center in Santa Monica.

"The trend is to leave more and more behind, " she proclaimed, noting that increasingly women are going for to keep their face, areolas and nipples intact for the better cosmetic outcome.

Breast reconstruction may take place when the chest tissue is removed and later, depending on the species of reconstruction a woman prefers, Chung said. In Jolie's condition, tissue expanders were put in place for two months to create a pocket to suit breast implants.

There is always a risk involved in a surgery, but generally speaking the procedure is very safe, Matloff stated. You can live a healthy life without your breasts — and reconstructed breasts can look wonderful.

This surgery is also routine but one consequence is that ladies who have it do not have the estrogen manufactured by the ovaries; as an outcome, they go into an early menopause. However, the women who have their ovaries taken off are good candidates for hormone replacement therapy, Matloff stated.

According to Nagy, about 70% of a lot of women with dangerous BRCA mutations choose to have their ovaries deleted eventually. The numbers are higher than for mastectomies because it is difficult to screen meant for ovarian cancer.

The National Cancer Institute explains how genetic tests helps determine cancer possibility on its BRCA page and the American Cancer Society has home elevators early detection here.

Re-Mission 2 activities re-imagine how to help children survive cancer - VentureBeat

HopeLab is taking a boost at cancer with the relaunch of its activities that help kids deal with having cancer. More than five years in the making, Re-Mission 2 contains six free-to-play online mini-games establishing tomorrow with a host of support from charities, medical experts, and major companies. The new games are on the industry leading of agames for health,a an action to get the wedding of games and turn it to the cause of improving health. The six activities are fun and cancer education that is combined by bite-sized casual titles. They have the backing of scientific study and insight from cancer patients. The games are the spiritual sequels to Re-Mission, a PC game released in 2006 from HopeLab, medical charity set up by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam. Games are played by the new games deal with big changes in the way people. They include iPad types, because kids in hospitals frequently canat easily access a PC. They are also accessible on the net from any system that can link on line, and they donat require a huge time commitment. The activities use ideas from a brain-imaging study published in 2012 by HopeLab and Stanford University researchers. The analysis revealed that the original Re-Mission, a game title where kiddies can destroy cancer cells in the body, clearly activates brain circuits associated with positive motivation. Such enthusiasm helps kids adhere to their prescribed treatments of antibiotic and chemotherapy treatments. It fundamentally helps them realize why itas vital that you remain good and be encouraged about anti-cancer treatments. Steve Cole is really a physician who helped organize the entire effort. He is vice president of development and exploration at HopeLab and a of medicine at the University of California at La. He explained in an meeting with VentureBeat that a better attitude contributes straight to obtaining a scientific edge on cancer. aThe purpose would be to give kiddies hope for get a grip on and power over cancer,a Cole said. aIt is a souped up version of Re-Mission, using a different recipe for effect centered on what we learned aboutAmotivation, emotion, and using good psychology.a Input is included by the new games from 120 teens and young adults with cancer throughout the U.S. Those individuals helped contribute to making the activities more pleasurable. aA large amount of times we donat genuinely wish to get our drugs, we wonder, aWhat is this doing? Where is it going? Iam fed up with it. Itas only likely to make me put up,aa mentioned Jose Guevera, an 18-year-old who had been treated for cancer and helped design the Re-Mission 2 games. aBut when you see on the screen and see whatas happening inside your body, and what the chemotherapyas carrying out a ' youare not considering a, youare playing a game title and youare being chemo and youare eliminating your poor cells. I believe Re-Mission 2 can really help a lot of us.a In each Re-Mission 2 sport, people get inside the body to defeat cancer with weapons like chemotherapy, antibiotics, and the bodyas resistant cells. The action has direct parallels to real-world cancer treatments, and it shows kids they donat stick to their treatments that one of many big factors that kids donat survive cancer is. aCombining compelling game design and high-quality research to help young cancer patients fight their illness was at the core of my vision for the first Re-Mission, and Iam delighted to observe that proceed with Re-Mission 2,a said Pam Omidyar, HopeLab president and board chair. aHopeLab technology has improved our understanding of how technology can be harnessed to catalyze the natural resilience of young people, even in the facial skin of extreme adversity, like cancer. The Re-Mission 2 activities have been examined with kiddies in the united states, including my very own, and we hope people have the maximum amount of fun as we have.a playing them All six activities are available on the Re-Mission 2 website, and three can be performed on the iPad. Players can unlock a bonus pack of online activities for Mac and the Windows PC. HopeLab went the effort. Additional funding originated from Vivendi, Livestrong Foundation, the Entertainment Computer software Association, Cigna, Genentech, and theAAnnenberg Foundation. aWhen I first was introduced to the Re-Mission system, I was just amazed,a said Ernest Katz, Director of Behavioral Sciences at Childrenas Hospital La. aHere is a solution that kiddies can interact with in a fun way, and it helps them find out about what to be able to get better.a they needed to do Research of the first Re-Mission game indicated that it enhanced treatment adherence and boosted self-efficacy in cancer patients, based on findings published in the medical journal Pediatrics in 2008. aKids were using their medicines, and we were pleased about that,a Cole said. Cole said one of the most readily useful things that originated in the very first work were a series of impact that was measured by studies. The new activities will be studied as well. Shock looked over what worked,a he said. aKnowledge games werenat the process by which improved behavior was got by us. We improved the view of chemotherapy from being fully a symbol of having cancer to having bullets in your gun or bombs you can fall to destroy cancer.a In other words, the children had to like the games to understand from them. HopeLab contacted a series of game developers, and almost all of these could actually help. aWe know that technology can be quite a strong force once and for all in the lives of young people,a mentioned Jenny Lai, vice president of the ESA Foundation. aRe-Mission 2 symbolizes that offer. The ESA Foundation turned HopeLabas first Re-Mission distribution funding companion in 2006. We're delighted to extend our partnership to guide the start of Re-Mission 2.a The activities include: Re-Mission 2: Nanobotas Vengeance. You play a tiny nanobot that blasts all forms of cancer, utilizing an system that includesAchemo, light, and qualified cancer drugAattacks to crush the dangerous forces of the Nuclear Tyrant. The game has 12 levels, along with a bonus degree, and was made by Nerdook Productions. Re-Mission 2: Leukemia. The Leukemia Monster has sent waves of cancer minions to strike the bodyas bone marrow. You are able to save your self valuable stem cell colonies and cleanse the bone marrow of leukemia cells with arcade-style play. It has 20 levels and was also produced by Nerdook. Re-Mission 2: Nano Dropbot. You guide a flying Dropbot on search and destroy missions to kill cancer cells where they hide. It's 10 bonus levels and 15 levels. Tinime Games built the title. Re-Mission 2: Base Cell Defense. You have to defend white blood cells from a bacteria attack making use of your traveling nano-fling bot. It's an additional benefit amount and 10 levels, manufactured by Borne Games. Re-Mission 2: Feeding Frenzy. You've to drive a colony of strong chemo and leukocytes to eat colonies of bacteria and cancer cells. It has 10 levels, produced by Tinime Games. Re-Mission 2: Special Operations. This game pack can be unlocked by you by cleaning five levels of each one of the different Re-Mission 2 activities. The title can be an arcade-style shooter where you destroy malignant invaders having an array of tools. It has 15 levels, produced by Novaleaf Game Studio. The games are created in Flash, but Cole said they'll operate on mobile devices through cloud-based streaming technology. The games don't require federal approval since they are not treatments that go inside your human body, Cole said. aItas akin to counseling, exercise, and weight loss advice,a Cole said. HealthBeat 2013 is just a new discussion showcasing how technology is changing healthcare. Weall investigate how IT is driving out issues on the individual levels, training, and hospital. Have a look at total event detailsAhere,Aand registerAhere.Read more atAhttp://venturebeat.com/2013/04/26/top-5-byod-issues-facing-healthcare-industry/#OghkoBoXQxEzU3s6.99

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Each time a former #FDA Official claimed that Eli Lilly lied about Drug...

Eli Lilly created $27.7 Billion in Profits between 2003-2012 a' options HuffPolitics Blog a Gueriguian claimed that Eli Lilly knew as soon as 1998 that Zyprexa increased the danger of developing diabetes, but did not issue warnings about those consequences until 2007aaSimply put, itas getting revenue over the matter of the consumera, Gueriguian said a. Examine Former Food Official Testifies that Eli Lilly Lied about Drug Side Effects by David Gutierrez, October 06, 2008 All our posts taggedAEli LillyA-ABig Pharma a' Drugs Like Loading... Placed by DES Daughter on 20/04/2013 http://desdaughter.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/when-a-former-fda-official-testified-that-eli-lilly-lied-about-drug-side-effects/

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Low Calorie Diet Helps in Type 2 Diabetes - MedPage Today - MedPage Today

Among patients with type 2 diabetes, insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function improved to a similar extent with a very-low-calorie diet as they did after bariatric surgery, a small study showed.

Insulin secretion fell from 13.8 mcIU/mL to 6.8 mcIU/mL (P<0.001) in the diet group, compared with a drop from 23.1 mcIU/mL to 12.7 mcIU/mL (P<0.01) in the bariatric surgery group, Judith Korner, MD, PhD, of Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues reported online in Diabetes.

C-peptide, a measure of beta-cell function, dropped from 3.59 ng/mL to 2.55 ng/mL (P<0.01) in the diet group and from 3.72 ng/mL to 2.95 ng/mL (P<0.05) in the surgery group, they noted.

"Contrary to our expectations, this study demonstrates that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass [RYGB] in subjects with type 2 diabetes does not result in greater improvement in beta-cell function compared with equivalent weight loss achieved over the same period by a very-low-calorie diet," the authors wrote. "These data indicate that the changes in glucose homeostasis that occur within 2 to 3 weeks after RYGB are primarily due to very low energy intake, as opposed to specific surgically-induced hormonal effects."

But they cautioned that the results don't suggest that gastric bypass is less beneficial in the long run, "since the degree of caloric restriction required to mimic surgical results cannot be maintained in most individuals."

David Cummings, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, who was not involved in the study, cautioned that the findings run contrary to similar analyses comparing the short-term effects of bypass surgery versus calorie restriction.

"Even if this version is true regarding short-term benefits," he told MedPage Today, "it doesn't explain the long-term superiority for diabetes of RYGB compared with equivalent nonsurgical weight loss, as reported by numerous groups."

Patients with type 2 diabetes who have gastric bypass surgery typically have marked improvement in glycemic control, even before they have major weight loss. For instance, glycemic control improves within the first 2 to 3 weeks after the procedure, before most weight loss occurs.

This has led researchers to hypothesize that factors in addition to weight loss are involved in glycemic improvement.

To determine if the magnitude of this change is primarily due to caloric restriction or is unique to the surgical procedure, Korner and colleagues looked at 11 patients who had gastric bypass and compared them with 14 matched patients who were put on a very-low-calorie diet.

The patients in the diet group, who were evaluated as inpatients, ate a total of 500 calories per day with a macronutrient content similar to that of the diet given to patients after bypass surgery.

At baseline, patients had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 41.2 kg/m2, their mean duration of diabetes was 5.7 years, and their mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 8.4%.

Both groups lost an equivalent amount of weight over a mean study period of 21 days -- 8.1% of body weight for gastric bypass patients and 7.2% for those on the very-low-calorie diet, which was not significantly different.

In addition to insulin secretion and C-peptide levels, Korner and colleagues found that other measures of insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function improved to a similar extent in both the bypass group and in the diet group, respectively:

In terms of gut hormones, there was a significant increase in adiponectin and in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) for those in the gastric bypass group (P<0.05 for both), but not for those in the diet group.

There were no significant changes in ghrelin in either group, but peptide YY levels fell only for patients in the diet group, albeit not significantly.

And with both approaches, as expected, plasma leptin levels decreased significantly for both the bypass group and the diet group (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively), they wrote.

Korner and colleagues concluded that a very-low-calorie diet improves insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function just as well as gastric bypass -- at least in the short term.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Center for Research Resources, and the Columbia Diabetes Research Center.

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Advanced Hemorrhoid Care - Arizona Daily Star

At Advanced Hemorrhoid Care, we have had great success in treating hemorrhoid problems. Dr. Michael Bush is an American-trained and board-certified physician who is a caring, compassionate, and gentle physician treating each patient as an individual and not a number.

Hemorrhoids affect an estimated four out of every five Americans, and ten million of them seek a physician each year. Traditional surgery can be very painful, and ointments and suppositories provide only temporary relief. Now there are two alternative state-of-the-art, non-surgical procedures: Infrared Coagulation (IRC) for mild to moderately enlarged hemorrhoids, and O'Regan Rubber Band Ligation (RBL) for large prolapsing internal hemorrhoids.

With IRC or RBL, there is no need to suffer from hemorrhoids any longer. Get the relief you need without painful surgery. We have successfully treated over 10,000 hemorrhoids in the past five years. Your hemorrhoids could be gone in a flash, too!

Advanced Hemorrhoid Care is locally owned and has been in business for six years. We are the only office in the area that provides non-surgical procedures for hemorrhoid relief.

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Pats cut starting DT Love after diabetes diagnosis - Yahoo! Sports

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots released defensive tackle Kyle Love on Wednesday after he was diagnosed with diabetes.

Love had lost about 20 pounds before receiving the diagnosis about two weeks ago then gained about half of it back, Richard Kopelman, his agent, said.

He said Love has Type 2 diabetes, which is less serious than Type 1, and was working out at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday before being released. The Patriots did not mention the diagnosis in a statement announcing the move.

''They expressed some concern that they didn't know what the recovery time would be and, in their view, didn't want to leave something to chance,'' Kopelman said. ''That's OK. There are 31 other teams in the NFL.''

Love started the first 11 games last season next to Vince Wilfork. Brandon Deaderick started the last five but was released on Monday and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the offseason, the Patriots signed two free-agent defensive tackles, Tommy Kelly and Armond Armstead.

Love joined the Patriots as a rookie free agent out of Mississippi State in 2010 and started 25 of the 41 regular-season games in which he played.

''I think he was, as anybody might be, a bit surprised that a decision would be made in the manner it was, but he completely understands and there's no grudge,'' Kopelman said.

''I'm upset in the sense that I'm disappointed for my client, but football's a tough business. The players are the capital. They're the machines that make the factory work. The teams have the prerogative to decide when they want to buy a new machine and get rid of an older one, not that Kyle's old by any stretch. It is a bit confounding that they would make a decision like that. It seems a bit premature.''

In Type 2 diabetes, which is more common, people can't properly break down carbohydrates because their bodies do not produce enough insulin or they've become resistant to the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. Insulin is needed to turn sugar into energy.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes after the 2007 season, his second in the NFL. Former Pittsburgh Steelers starting offensive lineman Kendall Simmons was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes before the 2003 season and played until 2009.

Love ''should be able to play football without conditions attributable to diabetes,'' Kopelman said. ''I anticipate that he will be on another roster going into training camp and certainly he has every intention of making a 53-man roster.''

Monday, May 20, 2013

Minorities wait longer for breast cancer surgery - Fox News

Among young women diagnosed with breast cancer, black and Hispanic patients were more likely to wait weeks for treatment, in a new study from California.

Researchers found treatment delays were also more common among poor women and those without private insurance - and that a woman's chance of surviving at least five years after cancer surgery was lower when it was put off.

"This study adds to a number of other studies that have also documented treatment delays that are patterned by race or socioeconomic status," said Sam Harper, who has studied racial differences in breast cancer diagnosis and survival at McGill University in Montreal.

"What the study does identify is that there are differences… the study really can't tell us much about why that's occurring," he told Reuters Health.

For example, Harper said, it's possible minority patients are sicker than whites, on average, and doctors wait to treat them for good reason. Or, poor women may have more trouble taking time off from work and getting to their appointments.

"Of course, there's the potential for discrimination in treatment," said Harper, who wasn't involved in the new research. "I think that's what's most concerning about findings like this."

For their study, Hoda Anton-Culver from the University of California, Irvine, and colleagues analyzed records of 8,860 women age 15 to 39 that were diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997 through 2006. Although cancer is rare in that age group - accounting for 5 to 6 percent of all breast cancers - it's typically more aggressive than in older women, the researchers noted.

They found the time between diagnosis and treatment - whether surgery or chemotherapy - was delayed more than six weeks in 8 percent of white women and 15 percent of both Hispanic and black women.

Likewise, between 9 and 10 percent of privately-insured women had their treatment delayed more than six weeks, compared to 18 percent of those who had no insurance or were covered by Medicaid.

And for women treated with surgery, in particular, outcomes were substantially worse after a long delay: 80 percent of those women lived at least five years after surgery, compared to 90 percent of patients who waited less than two weeks for treatment.

"Our healthcare system does not allow for access to healthcare by all people in the same manner," she told Reuters Health.

"Without having a real standard of care (for type of treatment and time to treatment) that the healthcare system is accountable for, you will see those differences."

In another study published concurrently in JAMA Surgery, researchers from the University of Toledo Medical Center found women with early-stage breast cancer had larger tumors at diagnosis, and were more likely to be treated with breast-removing surgery, if they were covered by Medicaid.

Sixty percent of those women had a mastectomy, compared to 39 percent of patients with private insurance. The National Institutes of Health endorses breast-conserving surgery - rather than mastectomy - for early-stage breast cancer, the team led by Dr. Linda Adepoju noted.

The studies are consistent with prior research which has shown, for example, that black women are more likely to die of breast cancer - in part due to segregation and lower neighborhood and family incomes.

However, with so many questions about the potential causes behind disparities in cancer treatment and outcomes, it's hard to know where to go next, Harper noted.

"It really should push us to try to get at some of those questions for understanding: how much of these differences may be due to discrimination, or where people live and access to treatment?" he said.

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