Spanish doctors said Tuesday they have carried out the world's first successful operation on a fetus to unclog a blocked bronchial tube.
Doctors from two Barcelona hospitals -- Clinic and Joan de Deu -- introduced an endoscopy through the mouth of the fetus to clear the right bronchi, the air tube leading from the trachea to the lungs, and reconnect it with the central airways.
"It is the first time in the world that this has been achieved. It is the first time that it has been tried and it turned out well," said the head of the maternal-fetal medicine department at Hospital Clinic, Eduard
Selasa, 13 Maret 2012
Vaginal birth after C-section carries more risks: study
Women who had a Cesarean section for their first child's birth face more health risks if they attempt a vaginal birth with their second, Australian researchers said Tuesday.
The study included more than 2,300 women at 14 hospitals in Australia who were preparing for their second child. About half signed up for a vaginal birth after C-section, or VBAC, and the other half chose to repeat the surgery.
Women who planned a repeat C-section had a significantly lower rate of complications than women who chose to deliver vaginally the second time -- 2.4 percent risk of death or serious complication
The study included more than 2,300 women at 14 hospitals in Australia who were preparing for their second child. About half signed up for a vaginal birth after C-section, or VBAC, and the other half chose to repeat the surgery.
Women who planned a repeat C-section had a significantly lower rate of complications than women who chose to deliver vaginally the second time -- 2.4 percent risk of death or serious complication
Senin, 12 Maret 2012
With Small-Picture Approach, A.C.O.’s Gain in Health Care
Steve Kagan for The New York Times
CHICAGO Gwlie Lloyd, a nurse and care manager, and Dr. Steven Wolf at an Advocate Health clinic. Advocate is one of the nation’s first accountable care organizations.
CHICAGO — Even as she struggled to manage her Type 2 diabetes, Fannie Cline’s condition spiraled downward. It was not uncommon for Mrs. Cline, a 69-year-old retiree, to have dizzy spells, some so bad that they landed her in a hospital emergency room near her home here on the South Side.
But last May, she began to receive extra attention from Gwlie Lloyd, a registered nurse and care
CHICAGO Gwlie Lloyd, a nurse and care manager, and Dr. Steven Wolf at an Advocate Health clinic. Advocate is one of the nation’s first accountable care organizations.
CHICAGO — Even as she struggled to manage her Type 2 diabetes, Fannie Cline’s condition spiraled downward. It was not uncommon for Mrs. Cline, a 69-year-old retiree, to have dizzy spells, some so bad that they landed her in a hospital emergency room near her home here on the South Side.
But last May, she began to receive extra attention from Gwlie Lloyd, a registered nurse and care
Books: ‘Blue Water, White Water’ Review - Sleepless and in Pain, a Patient Watched
Just when it seems long past time for the age of memoir to be over — just when it seems impossible that any ailing person with literary inclinations could find anything new to say about illness, and the list of not-to-be-missed “patients are people too” books should be closed and locked — yet another book comes along.
And despite all the above, no one with even a passing interest in the experience of illness should miss Robert C. Samuels’s “Blue Water, White Water,” a memoir drafted about 30 years ago and published without fanfare a few months ago; it stands head and shoulders
And despite all the above, no one with even a passing interest in the experience of illness should miss Robert C. Samuels’s “Blue Water, White Water,” a memoir drafted about 30 years ago and published without fanfare a few months ago; it stands head and shoulders
Minggu, 11 Maret 2012
The Mystery of 18 Twitching Teenagers in Le Roy
Gillian Laub for The New York Times
Lydia Parker, foreground, at home with her sister. She got one of the bruises on her face when an uncontrollable tic caused her to hit herself with her cellphone.
Before the media vans took over Main Street, before the environmental testers came to dig at the soil, before the doctor came to take blood, before strangers started knocking on doors and asking question after question, Katie Krautwurst, a high-school cheerleader from Le Roy, N.Y., woke up from a nap. Instantly, she knew something was wrong. Her chin was jutting forward uncontrollably and her
Lydia Parker, foreground, at home with her sister. She got one of the bruises on her face when an uncontrollable tic caused her to hit herself with her cellphone.
Before the media vans took over Main Street, before the environmental testers came to dig at the soil, before the doctor came to take blood, before strangers started knocking on doors and asking question after question, Katie Krautwurst, a high-school cheerleader from Le Roy, N.Y., woke up from a nap. Instantly, she knew something was wrong. Her chin was jutting forward uncontrollably and her
America Is Stealing the World’s Doctors
It was not an unusual death. Kunj Desai, a young doctor in training at University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, had seen many that were not so different and were equally needless. Still, this was the one that altered all his plans. “A guy came in, and he had a stab wound,” Desai recalled, “and his intestines got injured.” The operation was delayed, and the wound became infected. “Whatever he was eating would come out of his belly,” Desai said. A carefully managed diet would have helped the man heal, but there were no dietitians at the hospital nor any IV drips of liquid
Sabtu, 10 Maret 2012
The Bay Citizen: As Uninsured Go Without, California Health Districts Hold Reserves
Lianne Milton for The Bay Citizen
At San Mateo Medical Center, patients face a lengthy wait list in order to receive health care subsidized by the county.
When Roron Chen went to a public clinic to try to see a doctor, she was put on the waiting list at the San Mateo Medical Center. A California state law requires counties to provide health care to people like Ms. Chen who cannot afford health insurance and have no other alternatives.
Ms. Chen, a homemaker from San Mateo whose husband lost his job three years ago, had to wait nearly a year to see a doctor through the program. Like
At San Mateo Medical Center, patients face a lengthy wait list in order to receive health care subsidized by the county.
When Roron Chen went to a public clinic to try to see a doctor, she was put on the waiting list at the San Mateo Medical Center. A California state law requires counties to provide health care to people like Ms. Chen who cannot afford health insurance and have no other alternatives.
Ms. Chen, a homemaker from San Mateo whose husband lost his job three years ago, had to wait nearly a year to see a doctor through the program. Like
Jumat, 09 Maret 2012
Your Money: Why the Web Lacks Authoritative Reviews of Doctors
For all the debate about which Web sites have the best model for reliable reviews — paid or unpaid, anonymous or real name, Angie’s List or Yelp or TripAdvisor — one thing is certain: a robust ecosystem exists online for restaurant and hotel reviews that has changed those industries for the better.
So it is puzzling that there is no such authoritative collection of reviews for physicians, the highest-stakes choice of service provider that most people make.
Sure, various Web sites like HealthGrades and RateMDs have taken their shots, and Yelp and Angie’s List have made a go of it,
So it is puzzling that there is no such authoritative collection of reviews for physicians, the highest-stakes choice of service provider that most people make.
Sure, various Web sites like HealthGrades and RateMDs have taken their shots, and Yelp and Angie’s List have made a go of it,
The Texas Tribune: Texas Limits Are Squeezing the Elderly Poor and Their Doctors
Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune
Texas has cut its share of co-payments for such patients, and Dr. Javier Saenz's practice is suffering.
After Dr. Javier Saenz completed his family-medicine residency in 1985, he returned home to the Rio Grande Valley to open a practice in the impoverished town of La Joya.
Expanded coverage of Texas is produced by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit news organization. To join the conversation about this article, go to texastribune.org.
Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune
Half of the patients seen by Dr. Saenz, right, qualify for Medicare and
Texas has cut its share of co-payments for such patients, and Dr. Javier Saenz's practice is suffering.
After Dr. Javier Saenz completed his family-medicine residency in 1985, he returned home to the Rio Grande Valley to open a practice in the impoverished town of La Joya.
Expanded coverage of Texas is produced by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit news organization. To join the conversation about this article, go to texastribune.org.
Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune
Half of the patients seen by Dr. Saenz, right, qualify for Medicare and
Kamis, 08 Maret 2012
Texas Women’s Clinics Retreat as Finances Are Cut
Eddie Seal for The New York Times
Rosario Espriella and her children at Planned Parenthood in Edinburg, Tex. The agency has closed four clinics in the county.
Leticia Parra, a mother of five scraping by on income from her husband’s sporadic construction jobs, relied on the Planned Parenthood clinic in San Carlos, an impoverished town in South Texas, for breast cancer screenings, free birth control pills and pap smears for cervical cancer.
But the clinic closed in October, along with more than a dozen others in the state, after financing for women’s health was slashed by
Rosario Espriella and her children at Planned Parenthood in Edinburg, Tex. The agency has closed four clinics in the county.
Leticia Parra, a mother of five scraping by on income from her husband’s sporadic construction jobs, relied on the Planned Parenthood clinic in San Carlos, an impoverished town in South Texas, for breast cancer screenings, free birth control pills and pap smears for cervical cancer.
But the clinic closed in October, along with more than a dozen others in the state, after financing for women’s health was slashed by
Retirees Are Using Education to Exercise an Aging Brain
Ed Smith
ACTIVE A Learning in Retirement flower class.
MORE and more retired people are heading back to the nearest classroom — as students and, in some cases, teachers — and they are finding out that school can be lovelier the second time around. Some may be thinking of second careers, but most just want to keep their minds stimulated, learn something new or catch up with a subject they were always curious about but never had time for.
For many, at least part of the motivation is based on widespread reports that exercising the brain may preserve it, forestalling mental decline and
ACTIVE A Learning in Retirement flower class.
MORE and more retired people are heading back to the nearest classroom — as students and, in some cases, teachers — and they are finding out that school can be lovelier the second time around. Some may be thinking of second careers, but most just want to keep their minds stimulated, learn something new or catch up with a subject they were always curious about but never had time for.
For many, at least part of the motivation is based on widespread reports that exercising the brain may preserve it, forestalling mental decline and
Rabu, 07 Maret 2012
Melanoma Leads Idaho to Consider Limit on Tanning Salons
Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Shenandoah Hinton, 15, pitched in last week at Sage Springs Ranch in Guffey, Idaho, where Jan Gerdes, right, raises sheep and designs sun-shielding hats.
GUFFEY, Idaho — There is no tanning salon in this brittle bend of the Snake River, no unlimited monthly Titanium package for $39.99, no interest in getting any more ultraviolet light than necessary during a day spent working the dry canyon lands beneath the big, bright sun.
“We’re not really into that,” said Shenandoah Hinton, 15, on her way to rake stalls on the Sage Springs Ranch, where she will
Shenandoah Hinton, 15, pitched in last week at Sage Springs Ranch in Guffey, Idaho, where Jan Gerdes, right, raises sheep and designs sun-shielding hats.
GUFFEY, Idaho — There is no tanning salon in this brittle bend of the Snake River, no unlimited monthly Titanium package for $39.99, no interest in getting any more ultraviolet light than necessary during a day spent working the dry canyon lands beneath the big, bright sun.
“We’re not really into that,” said Shenandoah Hinton, 15, on her way to rake stalls on the Sage Springs Ranch, where she will
Christopher Lyles, Got Synthetic Trachea, Dies at 30
Christopher Lyles, whose cancerous windpipe was swapped in November for a synthetic one seeded with his own cells in only the second operation of its kind, died on Monday in a Baltimore hospital. He was 30 and lived in Abingdon, Md.
His death was announced by his family on the Web site of HelpHopeLive, an organization that helps patients and families facing transplantation or dealing with catastrophic injury. The family did not disclose the cause of death.
Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, a surgeon and a leader in the field of tissue engineering who performed the windpipe surgery on Mr. Lyles in
His death was announced by his family on the Web site of HelpHopeLive, an organization that helps patients and families facing transplantation or dealing with catastrophic injury. The family did not disclose the cause of death.
Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, a surgeon and a leader in the field of tissue engineering who performed the windpipe surgery on Mr. Lyles in
Selasa, 06 Maret 2012
Mice study reveals Alzheimer's antibodies
British scientists have discovered a type of antibody in mice that blocks a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, offering a potential new route to treatment, according to research published on Tuesday.
The antibodies shut down a protein called Dkk1 that in turn stops the formation of amyloid plaque in the brain, a key factor in the progression of Alzheimer's, said the findings in the Journal of Neuroscience.
When this plaque builds up, it leads to a loss of connection between neurons, known as synapses, in the part of the brain known as the hippocampus which handles learning and memory.
"These
The antibodies shut down a protein called Dkk1 that in turn stops the formation of amyloid plaque in the brain, a key factor in the progression of Alzheimer's, said the findings in the Journal of Neuroscience.
When this plaque builds up, it leads to a loss of connection between neurons, known as synapses, in the part of the brain known as the hippocampus which handles learning and memory.
"These
Boss of French implant firm jailed after failing to pay bail
The founder of the French breast implant company at the heart of a global health scare was jailed on Tuesday after failing to pay his bail, a source said.
Jean-Claude Mas, 72, was jailed at Marseille's Baumette prison, the source said requesting anonymity.
In January he was charged with causing "involuntary injuries" but released on a 100,000-euro (131,000-dollar) bail.
Mas is the founder of Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), which shut down in 2010 after it was revealed to have been using substandard, industrial-grade silicone gel. More than 400,000 women around the world are believed to have
Jean-Claude Mas, 72, was jailed at Marseille's Baumette prison, the source said requesting anonymity.
In January he was charged with causing "involuntary injuries" but released on a 100,000-euro (131,000-dollar) bail.
Mas is the founder of Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), which shut down in 2010 after it was revealed to have been using substandard, industrial-grade silicone gel. More than 400,000 women around the world are believed to have
Senin, 05 Maret 2012
Amateur Biologists Are New Fear in Making a Mutant Flu Virus
Na Son Nguyen/Associated Press
WORRY An outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus was reported in Vietnam in February.
Just how easy is it to make a deadly virus?
This disturbing question has been on the minds of many scientists recently, thanks to a pair of controversial experiments in which the H5N1 bird flu virus was transformed into mutant forms that spread among mammals.
After months of intense worldwide debate, a panel of scientists brought together by the World Health Organization recommended last week in favor of publishing the results. There is no word on exactly when those papers —
WORRY An outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus was reported in Vietnam in February.
Just how easy is it to make a deadly virus?
This disturbing question has been on the minds of many scientists recently, thanks to a pair of controversial experiments in which the H5N1 bird flu virus was transformed into mutant forms that spread among mammals.
After months of intense worldwide debate, a panel of scientists brought together by the World Health Organization recommended last week in favor of publishing the results. There is no word on exactly when those papers —
Essay: For Doctors, Luck Can Explain What They Themselves Cannot
The hospital I work at has no 13th floor.
The absence can be a bit awkward to explain to people. I mean, here sits a building at the center of the modern evidence-based scientific empire. Yet as soon as we set foot in the elevator, it is clear that we have decided to hedge our bets a little, and play the dark side too.
This odd coupling of bullet-train rationality and primal superstition actually is quite common in science. I once worked for an investigator, the most methodical, robotic person I ever have known, who insisted on pointing all of the lab’s workbenches toward the sun for good
The absence can be a bit awkward to explain to people. I mean, here sits a building at the center of the modern evidence-based scientific empire. Yet as soon as we set foot in the elevator, it is clear that we have decided to hedge our bets a little, and play the dark side too.
This odd coupling of bullet-train rationality and primal superstition actually is quite common in science. I once worked for an investigator, the most methodical, robotic person I ever have known, who insisted on pointing all of the lab’s workbenches toward the sun for good
Sabtu, 03 Maret 2012
Sitaras Fitness, Where Business Titans Work Out
Michael Falco for The New York Times
John Sitaras, third from left, runs a Manhattan gym that attracts top executives. Members include, from left, James D. Robinson III, Sandra Navidi, George Soros, Fred Adler and Larry Neubauer.
THERE’S a place on East 58th Street in Manhattan, with no outdoor sign, where George Soros, David Geffen, Paul Volcker, Jules Kroll and other big names in the business and financial world are regulars.
And it’s not some exclusive private dining room or mahogany-lined boardroom. It’s Sitaras Fitness, which has quietly attracted the upper echelons of Wall
John Sitaras, third from left, runs a Manhattan gym that attracts top executives. Members include, from left, James D. Robinson III, Sandra Navidi, George Soros, Fred Adler and Larry Neubauer.
THERE’S a place on East 58th Street in Manhattan, with no outdoor sign, where George Soros, David Geffen, Paul Volcker, Jules Kroll and other big names in the business and financial world are regulars.
And it’s not some exclusive private dining room or mahogany-lined boardroom. It’s Sitaras Fitness, which has quietly attracted the upper echelons of Wall
In New Jersey, a Battle Over Fluoridation, and the Facts
For all its renown as an engine of pharmaceutical and biotechnology progress, New Jersey has long lagged in what public health officials call one of the 10 biggest health advances of the last century: fluoridating its water.
While 72 percent of Americans get their water from public systems that add fluoride, just 14 percent of New Jersey residents do, placing the state next to last, ahead of only Hawaii, and far behind nearby New York (72 percent), Pennsylvania (54 percent) and Connecticut (90 percent).
A bill in the Legislature would change that, requiring all public water systems in New
While 72 percent of Americans get their water from public systems that add fluoride, just 14 percent of New Jersey residents do, placing the state next to last, ahead of only Hawaii, and far behind nearby New York (72 percent), Pennsylvania (54 percent) and Connecticut (90 percent).
A bill in the Legislature would change that, requiring all public water systems in New
Jumat, 02 Maret 2012
Birth Control Coverage Measure Defeated in Senate
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday killed a Republican effort to let employers and health insurance companies deny coverage for contraceptives and other services to which they have religious or moral objections.
The vote was 51 to 48. In effect, the Senate upheld President Obama’s birth control policy. The policy guarantees that women have access to insurance coverage for contraceptives at no charge, through an employer’s health plan or directly from an insurance company.
The vote followed four days of impassioned debate in which senators from both parties weighed the competing
The vote was 51 to 48. In effect, the Senate upheld President Obama’s birth control policy. The policy guarantees that women have access to insurance coverage for contraceptives at no charge, through an employer’s health plan or directly from an insurance company.
The vote followed four days of impassioned debate in which senators from both parties weighed the competing
Asian New Yorkers Resist Anti-Smoking Efforts
On a cool, damp afternoon in Flushing, Queens, Seung Jun stood outside on Main Street on Thursday, a smoker among his peers. He unsheathed a Parliament and took a long drag, as though he were taking in a breath of relief.
All around him, other Asian men engaged in the same ritual, on the sidewalks, in doorways and on bicycles. Here, in the heart of the city’s largest Asian community, smoking is still a way of life.
The city’s Asian population has been stubbornly resistant to the otherwise successful efforts by the Bloomberg administration to curb smoking among New Yorkers. Smoking rates
All around him, other Asian men engaged in the same ritual, on the sidewalks, in doorways and on bicycles. Here, in the heart of the city’s largest Asian community, smoking is still a way of life.
The city’s Asian population has been stubbornly resistant to the otherwise successful efforts by the Bloomberg administration to curb smoking among New Yorkers. Smoking rates
Kamis, 01 Maret 2012
Senate Kills G.O.P. Bill Opposing Contraception Policy
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday killed a Republican effort to let employers and health insurance companies deny coverage for contraceptives and other services to which they have religious or moral objections.
The vote was 51 to 48. In effect, the Senate upheld President Obama’s birth control policy. The policy guarantees that women have access to insurance coverage for contraceptives at no charge, through an employer’s health plan or directly from an insurance company.
The vote followed four days of impassioned debate in which senators from both parties weighed the competing
The vote was 51 to 48. In effect, the Senate upheld President Obama’s birth control policy. The policy guarantees that women have access to insurance coverage for contraceptives at no charge, through an employer’s health plan or directly from an insurance company.
The vote followed four days of impassioned debate in which senators from both parties weighed the competing
New York Welcomes Yoga Asana Championships
Piotr Redlinski for The New York Times
On Friday, yogis from the New York area will compete for spots in the national yoga finals. Kyoko Katsura adjusted a student's pose while leading an advanced preparation class for the competition.
For Kelsea Bangora, New York’s 2011 yoga asana champion, the conversation usually goes like this:
“Yoga champion? How does that work?”
“Well, it’s like a dance performance, sort of, or a gymnastics routine, but not really.”
“So, can you touch your head with your feet?”
“Well, of course”
Typically, she does not demonstrate.
“I don’t
On Friday, yogis from the New York area will compete for spots in the national yoga finals. Kyoko Katsura adjusted a student's pose while leading an advanced preparation class for the competition.
For Kelsea Bangora, New York’s 2011 yoga asana champion, the conversation usually goes like this:
“Yoga champion? How does that work?”
“Well, it’s like a dance performance, sort of, or a gymnastics routine, but not really.”
“So, can you touch your head with your feet?”
“Well, of course”
Typically, she does not demonstrate.
“I don’t
Rabu, 29 Februari 2012
Cancer drugs could halt Ebola virus
Some cancer drugs used to treat patients with leukemia may also help stop the Ebola virus and give the body time to control the infection before it turns deadly, US researchers said on Wednesday.
The much-feared Ebola virus emerged in Africa in the 1970s and can incite a hemorrhagic fever which causes a person to bleed to death in up to 90 percent of cases.
While rare, the Ebola virus is considered a potential weapon for bioterrorists because it is so highly contagious, so lethal and has no standard treatment.
But a pair of well-known drugs that have been used to treat leukemia -- known as
The much-feared Ebola virus emerged in Africa in the 1970s and can incite a hemorrhagic fever which causes a person to bleed to death in up to 90 percent of cases.
While rare, the Ebola virus is considered a potential weapon for bioterrorists because it is so highly contagious, so lethal and has no standard treatment.
But a pair of well-known drugs that have been used to treat leukemia -- known as
Selasa, 28 Februari 2012
Safety Alerts Cite Cholesterol Drugs’ Side Effects
Federal health officials are adding new safety alerts to statins, cholesterol-reducing medications that are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, about the rare risks of memory loss, increased blood sugar levels and muscle pain.
It is the first time that the Food and Drug Administration has officially linked statin use with cognitive problems like forgetfulness and confusion, although some patients have reported such problems for years. Among the drugs affected are such huge sellers as Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor and Vytorin.
Numerous studies have shown that statin therapy
It is the first time that the Food and Drug Administration has officially linked statin use with cognitive problems like forgetfulness and confusion, although some patients have reported such problems for years. Among the drugs affected are such huge sellers as Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor and Vytorin.
Numerous studies have shown that statin therapy
Democrats Primed for Contraception Battle With Republicans
WASHINGTON — With the cameras running and the microphones on, Congressional Democrats express outrage over Republican efforts to limit the types of health care that employers have to offer to their workers, particularly contraception. This is a fight Democrats are perfectly pleased to have.
As the issue of contraception access comes to the Senate this week, White House officials and Senate Democrats are increasingly hopeful that it will cut in their favor, believing that voters will conclude that Republicans are overreaching under the rubric of religious freedom.
Democratic leaders, who
As the issue of contraception access comes to the Senate this week, White House officials and Senate Democrats are increasingly hopeful that it will cut in their favor, believing that voters will conclude that Republicans are overreaching under the rubric of religious freedom.
Democratic leaders, who
Senin, 27 Februari 2012
Yoga Fans Sexual Flames and, Predictably, Plenty of Scandal
The wholesome image of yoga took a hit in the past few weeks as a rising star of the discipline came tumbling back to earth. After accusations of sexual impropriety with female students, John Friend, the founder of Anusara, one of the world’s fastest-growing styles, told followers that he was stepping down for an indefinite period of “self-reflection, therapy and personal retreat.”
George Rose/Getty Images
CELEBRITY GURU Swami Muktananda had many thousands of devotees, including celebrities. A senior aide charged that he was a serial philanderer and sexual hypocrite.
Barry Z
George Rose/Getty Images
CELEBRITY GURU Swami Muktananda had many thousands of devotees, including celebrities. A senior aide charged that he was a serial philanderer and sexual hypocrite.
Barry Z
Stents Show No Extra Benefits for Coronary Artery Disease
The common practice of inserting a stent to repair a narrowed artery has no benefit over standard medical care in treating stable coronary artery disease, according to a new review of randomized controlled trials published on Monday.
Stable coronary artery disease is the type of heart ailment that causes angina, or chest pain, after physical exercise or emotional stress but generally not at other times. The review did not include studies of the emergency use of stents for heart attacks.
Stent implantation involves a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention, or P.C.I., in which a
Stable coronary artery disease is the type of heart ailment that causes angina, or chest pain, after physical exercise or emotional stress but generally not at other times. The review did not include studies of the emergency use of stents for heart attacks.
Stent implantation involves a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention, or P.C.I., in which a
Minggu, 26 Februari 2012
Pioneering lab work aims to smash women's fertility barrier
An experiment that produced human eggs from stem cells could one day be a boon for women who are desperate to have a baby, according to a study published on Sunday.
The work sweeps away the belief that a woman has only a limited stock of eggs and replaces it with the theory that the supply is continuously replenished from precursor cells in the ovary, its authors said.
"The prevailing dogma in our field for the better part of the last 50 or 60 years was that young girls at birth were given a bank account of eggs at birth that's not renewable," said Jonathan Tilly, director of the Vincent
The work sweeps away the belief that a woman has only a limited stock of eggs and replaces it with the theory that the supply is continuously replenished from precursor cells in the ovary, its authors said.
"The prevailing dogma in our field for the better part of the last 50 or 60 years was that young girls at birth were given a bank account of eggs at birth that's not renewable," said Jonathan Tilly, director of the Vincent
Sabtu, 25 Februari 2012
The Vanishing Mind: Dealing With Dementia Among Aging Criminals
By Nancy Donaldson, Todd Heisler, Soo-Jeong Kang and Catherine Spangler
Dementia Behind Bars: Dementia is a fast-growing phenomenon in prisons that many are not prepared to handle. The California Men’s Colony is using convicted killers to care for inmates who can no longer care for themselves.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Secel Montgomery Sr. stabbed a woman in the stomach, chest and throat so fiercely that he lost count of the wounds he inflicted. In the nearly 25 years he has been serving a life sentence, he has gotten into fights, threatened a prison official and been caught with
Dementia Behind Bars: Dementia is a fast-growing phenomenon in prisons that many are not prepared to handle. The California Men’s Colony is using convicted killers to care for inmates who can no longer care for themselves.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Secel Montgomery Sr. stabbed a woman in the stomach, chest and throat so fiercely that he lost count of the wounds he inflicted. In the nearly 25 years he has been serving a life sentence, he has gotten into fights, threatened a prison official and been caught with
Workstation: Procrastinating at Work? Maybe You’re Overwhelmed
SINCE time began, it seems, people have been putting off till tomorrow what they could have done today — berating themselves and inconveniencing others in the process.
It wouldn’t be a problem except that time eventually runs out. “You may delay, but time will not,” said Benjamin Franklin.
In the world of work, procrastination has “expensive and visible costs,” said Rory Vaden, a corporate trainer, who points to research showing that the average employee admits to wasting two hours a day on nonwork tasks.
People know that procrastination hurts themselves, others and their work,
It wouldn’t be a problem except that time eventually runs out. “You may delay, but time will not,” said Benjamin Franklin.
In the world of work, procrastination has “expensive and visible costs,” said Rory Vaden, a corporate trainer, who points to research showing that the average employee admits to wasting two hours a day on nonwork tasks.
People know that procrastination hurts themselves, others and their work,
Jumat, 24 Februari 2012
Facebook Posts Can Offer Clues of Depression
For adolescents, Facebook and other social media have created an irresistible forum for online sharing and oversharing, so much so that endless mood-of-the-moment updates have inspired a snickering retort on T-shirts and posters: “Face your problems, don’t Facebook them.”
But specialists in adolescent medicine and mental health experts say that dark postings should not be hastily dismissed because they can serve as signs of depression and an early warning system for timely intervention. Whether therapists should engage with patients over Facebook, however, remains a matter of
But specialists in adolescent medicine and mental health experts say that dark postings should not be hastily dismissed because they can serve as signs of depression and an early warning system for timely intervention. Whether therapists should engage with patients over Facebook, however, remains a matter of
Managed Care Keeps the Frail Out of Nursing Homes
Todd Heisler/The New York Times
Lillian Johnson, seated, prepares for a ride home from the New York Archdiocese's ArchCare PACE Center in Harlem, an alternative to a nursing home.
Faced with soaring health care costs and shrinking Medicare and Medicaid financing, nursing home operators are closing some facilities and embracing an emerging model of care that allows many elderly patients to remain in their homes and still receive the medical and social services available in institutions.
Follow @NYTMetro
Connect with us on Twitter for breaking news and headlines in New York.
Todd
Lillian Johnson, seated, prepares for a ride home from the New York Archdiocese's ArchCare PACE Center in Harlem, an alternative to a nursing home.
Faced with soaring health care costs and shrinking Medicare and Medicaid financing, nursing home operators are closing some facilities and embracing an emerging model of care that allows many elderly patients to remain in their homes and still receive the medical and social services available in institutions.
Follow @NYTMetro
Connect with us on Twitter for breaking news and headlines in New York.
Todd
Kamis, 23 Februari 2012
Colonoscopy Prevents Death, a Study Affirms
A new study provides what independent researchers call the best evidence yet that colonoscopy — perhaps the most unloved cancer screening test — prevents deaths. Although many people have assumed colonoscopy must save lives because it is so often recommended, strong evidence has been lacking until now.
In patients tracked for as long as 20 years, the death rate from colorectal cancer was cut by 53 percent in those who had the test and whose doctors removed precancerous growths, known as adenomatous polyps, researchers reported on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The
In patients tracked for as long as 20 years, the death rate from colorectal cancer was cut by 53 percent in those who had the test and whose doctors removed precancerous growths, known as adenomatous polyps, researchers reported on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The
Governor of Virginia Shifts Position on Abortion Bill
Bob Brown/Richmond Times-Dispatch, via Associated Press
Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, at a news conference in Richmond on Wednesday, has requested changes in abortion legislation.
Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia backed down on Wednesday on a bill requiring women to have a vaginal ultrasound before undergoing an abortion. It was a sudden change of position for a conservative governor who is viewed as having political ambitions on the national stage.
The bill had drawn intense national attention in recent days, with a large protest by women’s health groups over the weekend and spoofs on
Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, at a news conference in Richmond on Wednesday, has requested changes in abortion legislation.
Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia backed down on Wednesday on a bill requiring women to have a vaginal ultrasound before undergoing an abortion. It was a sudden change of position for a conservative governor who is viewed as having political ambitions on the national stage.
The bill had drawn intense national attention in recent days, with a large protest by women’s health groups over the weekend and spoofs on
Rabu, 22 Februari 2012
US health experts give nod to new obesity drug
An advisory panel to the US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday urged approval of a new obesity drug, Qnexa, after warning against its approval in 2010 due to safety concerns.
The panel voted 20-2 that the FDA should allow Qnexa on the market, saying the latest overall benefit-risk assessment supported its approval.
The drug, made by California-based biotech firm Vivus, is the first obesity drug submitted to the FDA in more than a decade.
Qnexa combines two existing drugs, the appetite suppressant phentermine and topiramate, an anti-convulsant that can be used in conjunction with other
The panel voted 20-2 that the FDA should allow Qnexa on the market, saying the latest overall benefit-risk assessment supported its approval.
The drug, made by California-based biotech firm Vivus, is the first obesity drug submitted to the FDA in more than a decade.
Qnexa combines two existing drugs, the appetite suppressant phentermine and topiramate, an anti-convulsant that can be used in conjunction with other
Colonoscopy Lowers Rate of Cancer Deaths, Study Finds
A new study provides what independent researchers call the best evidence yet that colonoscopy — perhaps the most unloved cancer screening test — prevents deaths. Although many people have assumed colonoscopy must save lives because it is so often recommended, strong evidence has been lacking until now.
In patients tracked for as long as 20 years, the death rate from colorectal cancer was cut by 53 percent in those who had the test and whose doctors removed precancerous growths, known as adenomatous polyps, researchers reported on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The
In patients tracked for as long as 20 years, the death rate from colorectal cancer was cut by 53 percent in those who had the test and whose doctors removed precancerous growths, known as adenomatous polyps, researchers reported on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The
Selasa, 21 Februari 2012
Bird flu claims third victim this year in Indonesia
Tests on a 19-year-old woman who died last week showed she had contracted the bird flu virus, Indonesia's third human death from the deadly disease this year, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
Concerns about avian influenza have risen in the region with China, Cambodia and Vietnam all reporting deaths from the H5N1 virus this year.
The latest Indonesian victim died on February 13, a day after being admitted to a hospital in Tangerang district on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, the ministry said.
Tests on the victim after she died confirmed she had contracted the virus, but a health
Concerns about avian influenza have risen in the region with China, Cambodia and Vietnam all reporting deaths from the H5N1 virus this year.
The latest Indonesian victim died on February 13, a day after being admitted to a hospital in Tangerang district on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, the ministry said.
Tests on the victim after she died confirmed she had contracted the virus, but a health
F.D.A. Approves Imports Amid Shortage of 2 Cancer Drugs
WASHINGTON — Dire shortages of two critical cancer drugs — shortfalls that have threatened the lives and care of thousands of cancer patients — should be resolved within weeks, federal drug officials said.
The two drugs are doxorubicin and methotrexate, and in both cases supplies in the United States are being bolstered by shipments from abroad. Shortages of scores of other drugs continue.
“We’re not out of the woods,” said Dr. Sandra L. Kweder of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug center. “But these two particular shortages have been very, very upsetting to patients
The two drugs are doxorubicin and methotrexate, and in both cases supplies in the United States are being bolstered by shipments from abroad. Shortages of scores of other drugs continue.
“We’re not out of the woods,” said Dr. Sandra L. Kweder of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug center. “But these two particular shortages have been very, very upsetting to patients
Senin, 20 Februari 2012
Personal Best: Workouts May Not Be the Best Time for a Snack
Andrew Burton/Associated Press
A few weeks ago, a friend showed up for a run with a CamelBak — one of those humplike backpacks with a tube that allows you to sip liquid — and a belt containing food to eat along the way. Every 20 minutes or so as we ran, he stopped to eat and drink, sprinting afterward to catch up.
Now that is unusual, I thought. Does it really help to eat so often during a 16-mile run?
Certainly a lot of athletes believe they need constant nourishment. My friend and running partner Jen Davis, who has entered more races and run more than I ever have, once went on a
A few weeks ago, a friend showed up for a run with a CamelBak — one of those humplike backpacks with a tube that allows you to sip liquid — and a belt containing food to eat along the way. Every 20 minutes or so as we ran, he stopped to eat and drink, sprinting afterward to catch up.
Now that is unusual, I thought. Does it really help to eat so often during a 16-mile run?
Certainly a lot of athletes believe they need constant nourishment. My friend and running partner Jen Davis, who has entered more races and run more than I ever have, once went on a
In Theory: Aging of Eyes Is Blamed in Circadian Rhythm Disturbances
The aging eye filters out blue light, affecting circadian rhythm and health in older adults.
THE INVESTIGATORS
Dr. Martin Mainster and Dr. Patricia Turner, University of Kansas School of Medicine.
For decades, scientists have looked for explanations as to why certain conditions occur with age, among them memory loss, slower reaction time, insomnia and even depression. They have scrupulously investigated such suspects as high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease and an inactive lifestyle.
Now a fascinating body of research supports a largely unrecognized culprit: the aging of the eye.
The
THE INVESTIGATORS
Dr. Martin Mainster and Dr. Patricia Turner, University of Kansas School of Medicine.
For decades, scientists have looked for explanations as to why certain conditions occur with age, among them memory loss, slower reaction time, insomnia and even depression. They have scrupulously investigated such suspects as high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease and an inactive lifestyle.
Now a fascinating body of research supports a largely unrecognized culprit: the aging of the eye.
The
Minggu, 19 Februari 2012
Lives Forever Linked Through Kidney Transplant Chain 124
FROM START TO FINISH A donation by a Good Samaritan, Rick Ruzzamenti, upper left, set in motion a 60-person chain of transplants that ended with a kidney for Donald C. Terry Jr., bottom right.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Rick Ruzzamenti admits to being a tad impulsive. He traded his Catholicism for Buddhism in a revelatory flash. He married a Vietnamese woman he had only just met. And then a year ago, he decided in an instant to donate his left kidney to a stranger.
In February 2011, the desk clerk at Mr. Ruzzamenti’s yoga studio told him she had recently donated a kidney to an ailing friend
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Rick Ruzzamenti admits to being a tad impulsive. He traded his Catholicism for Buddhism in a revelatory flash. He married a Vietnamese woman he had only just met. And then a year ago, he decided in an instant to donate his left kidney to a stranger.
In February 2011, the desk clerk at Mr. Ruzzamenti’s yoga studio told him she had recently donated a kidney to an ailing friend
Scientists Find New Dangers in Tiny but Pervasive Particles in Air Pollution
Fine atmospheric particles — smaller than one-thirtieth of the diameter of a human hair — were identified more than 20 years ago as the most lethal of the widely dispersed air pollutants in the United States. Linked to both heart and lung disease, they kill an estimated 50,000 Americans each year. But more recently, scientists have been puzzled to learn that a subset of these particles, called secondary organic aerosols, has a greater total mass, and is thus more dangerous, than previously understood.
A batch of new scientific findings is helping sort out the discrepancy, including,
A batch of new scientific findings is helping sort out the discrepancy, including,
Sabtu, 18 Februari 2012
'Nodding disease' confounds experts, kills children
Patrick Anywar, 14, lies curled up naked in the dust and midday heat of a Ugandan village, struggling to look up at his younger brother and sister playing in front of the family home.
After a minute's effort to face his siblings, Anywar's head slumps onto his chest and his emaciated body is gripped by convulsions.
Anywar is one of more than 3,000 children in northern Uganda who are suffering from a debilitating mystery ailment known as nodding disease, which has touched almost every family in the village of Tumangu.
For several years, scientists have tried and failed to determine the cause
After a minute's effort to face his siblings, Anywar's head slumps onto his chest and his emaciated body is gripped by convulsions.
Anywar is one of more than 3,000 children in northern Uganda who are suffering from a debilitating mystery ailment known as nodding disease, which has touched almost every family in the village of Tumangu.
For several years, scientists have tried and failed to determine the cause
Research on Deadly Bird Flu to Be Published in Full
The full details of recent experiments that made a deadly flu virus more contagious will be published, despite recommendations by the United States government that some information be kept secret for safety reasons, an official of the World Health Organization said on Friday.
But a 60-day moratorium declared last month on both the research itself and its publication will be extended, probably for several months, according to Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the health organization’s assistant director general for health security and the environment. He spoke at a news conference in Geneva after a
But a 60-day moratorium declared last month on both the research itself and its publication will be extended, probably for several months, according to Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the health organization’s assistant director general for health security and the environment. He spoke at a news conference in Geneva after a
Jumat, 17 Februari 2012
Details of Bird Flu Research Will Be Released
The full details of recent experiments that made a deadly flu virus more contagious will be published, despite recommendations by the United States government that some information be kept secret for safety reasons, an official of the World Health Organization said on Friday.
But a 60-day moratorium declared last month on both the research itself and its publication will be extended, probably for several months, according to Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the health organization’s assistant director general for health security and the environment. He spoke at a news conference in Geneva after a
But a 60-day moratorium declared last month on both the research itself and its publication will be extended, probably for several months, according to Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the health organization’s assistant director general for health security and the environment. He spoke at a news conference in Geneva after a
Microchip Implanted to Deliver Drug Shows Promise in Trial
Scientists have conducted the first human trial of an implantable microchip-based drug delivery device, an assembly that releases precise doses of a drug through a wireless communication link and receives return messages confirming proper operation.
In cooperation with two commercial companies, scientists at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Case Western Reserve University created a chip that holds measured doses of teriparatide (brand name Forteo), an injectable drug used to treat osteoporosis.
The cost of the drug delivered by the implant is about $10,000 to $12,000 a
In cooperation with two commercial companies, scientists at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Case Western Reserve University created a chip that holds measured doses of teriparatide (brand name Forteo), an injectable drug used to treat osteoporosis.
The cost of the drug delivered by the implant is about $10,000 to $12,000 a
Kamis, 16 Februari 2012
Self-Insurance Complicates Deal on Birth Control
Stephen Crowley/The New York Times
President Obama, with Kathleen Sebelius, the health and human services secretary, on Friday.
The Obama administration thought it had found a way to ease mounting objections to a requirement in the new health care act that all employers — including religiously affiliated hospitals and universities — offer coverage for birth control to women free of charge.
It would make the insurers cover the costs, rather than the organizations themselves.
But the administration announced the compromise plan before it had figured out how to address one conspicuous
President Obama, with Kathleen Sebelius, the health and human services secretary, on Friday.
The Obama administration thought it had found a way to ease mounting objections to a requirement in the new health care act that all employers — including religiously affiliated hospitals and universities — offer coverage for birth control to women free of charge.
It would make the insurers cover the costs, rather than the organizations themselves.
But the administration announced the compromise plan before it had figured out how to address one conspicuous
Well: In Israel, a New Approach to Organ Donation
Dr. Jacob Lavee
One of the most agonizing spots in medicine is the “transplant list.” When I’ve referred patients for organ transplant — heart, liver, kidney — it is the start of an anguished wait. The clock ticks for my patient as we watch her clinical status decline, all the while harboring that excruciating hope that someone will die soon enough to make an organ available. In the case of kidney donation, which can come from a live donor, it is the desperate hope that someone will decide to make this enormous personal sacrifice.
Some of my patients have died waiting, which is,
One of the most agonizing spots in medicine is the “transplant list.” When I’ve referred patients for organ transplant — heart, liver, kidney — it is the start of an anguished wait. The clock ticks for my patient as we watch her clinical status decline, all the while harboring that excruciating hope that someone will die soon enough to make an organ available. In the case of kidney donation, which can come from a live donor, it is the desperate hope that someone will decide to make this enormous personal sacrifice.
Some of my patients have died waiting, which is,
Rabu, 15 Februari 2012
Hip Implant the F.D.A. Rejected Was Marketed Abroad
The health care products giant Johnson & Johnson continued to market an artificial hip in Europe and elsewhere overseas after the Food and Drug Administration rejected its sale in the United States based on a review of company safety studies.
During that period, the company also continued to sell in this country a related model, which earlier went on the market using a regulatory loophole that did not require a similar safety review.
It is not known how many people overseas received the replacement hip after the agency decided in 2009 not to approve it, nor the number who received the
During that period, the company also continued to sell in this country a related model, which earlier went on the market using a regulatory loophole that did not require a similar safety review.
It is not known how many people overseas received the replacement hip after the agency decided in 2009 not to approve it, nor the number who received the
Obama Shift on Contraception Splits Catholics
The near-unified front led by the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops to oppose a mandate for employers to cover birth control has now crumbled amid the compromise plan that the Obama administration offered last week to accommodate religious institutions.
The leaders of several large Catholic organizations that work directly on poverty, health care and education have welcomed the president’s plan as a workable compromise that has the potential to protect religious freedom while allowing employees who request it to have contraceptives covered by their insurance plans.
The bishops, however,
The leaders of several large Catholic organizations that work directly on poverty, health care and education have welcomed the president’s plan as a workable compromise that has the potential to protect religious freedom while allowing employees who request it to have contraceptives covered by their insurance plans.
The bishops, however,
Selasa, 14 Februari 2012
Aspirin could beat cancer spread: Australian study
Aspirin and other household drugs may inhibit the spread of cancer because they help shut down the chemical "highways" which feed tumours, Australian researchers announced on Tuesday.
Scientists at Melbourne's Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre said they have made a biological breakthrough helping explain how lymphatic vessels -- key to the transmission of tumours throughout the body -- respond to cancer.
"We've shown that molecules like the aspirin... could effectively work by reducing the dilation of these major vessels and thereby reducing the capacity of tumours to spread to distant sites,"
Scientists at Melbourne's Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre said they have made a biological breakthrough helping explain how lymphatic vessels -- key to the transmission of tumours throughout the body -- respond to cancer.
"We've shown that molecules like the aspirin... could effectively work by reducing the dilation of these major vessels and thereby reducing the capacity of tumours to spread to distant sites,"
Smoke-free laws lead to less smoking at home
Anti-tobacco laws in several European countries prompted many smokers to ban smoking at home and to cut their cigarette consumption, according to a study reported in the journal Tobacco Control on Tuesday.
Doctors pored over a survey into smoking habits in France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, both before and after bans on smoking in the workplace, restaurants and bars took effect in the last decade.
The trends in those countries were compared with Britain, which at the time did not have smoke-free legislation.
After the laws took effect, the percentage of smokers who banned all
Doctors pored over a survey into smoking habits in France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, both before and after bans on smoking in the workplace, restaurants and bars took effect in the last decade.
The trends in those countries were compared with Britain, which at the time did not have smoke-free legislation.
After the laws took effect, the percentage of smokers who banned all
Senin, 13 Februari 2012
Feeling Anxious? Soon There Will Be an App for That
The very idea of psychotherapy seems to defy the instant-access, video screen chatter of popular digital culture.
Not for long, if some scientists have their way. In the past few years researchers have been testing simple video-game-like programs aimed at relieving common problems like anxiety and depression. These recent results have been encouraging enough that investigators are now delivering the programs on smartphones — therapy apps, in effect, that may soon make psychological help accessible anytime, anywhere, whether in the grocery store line, on the bus or just before a work
Not for long, if some scientists have their way. In the past few years researchers have been testing simple video-game-like programs aimed at relieving common problems like anxiety and depression. These recent results have been encouraging enough that investigators are now delivering the programs on smartphones — therapy apps, in effect, that may soon make psychological help accessible anytime, anywhere, whether in the grocery store line, on the bus or just before a work
Well: Well: Remembering Jeffrey Zaslow
Eden ZaslowFATHER FIRST Much of Jeffrey Zaslow’s writing centered on the theme of love.
Several years ago, my friend Jeffrey Zaslow sent me a chapter from a book he was writing about lifelong friendships among a group of women from Ames, Iowa. It was a powerful story about love and loss that moved me to tears.
With the draft pages still in my hands, I sat down with my daughter, a second-grader at the time, to talk about the importance of friendship. We talked about her girlfriends, why occasional fights didn’t matter and why she should always treasure her friends. It was a sweet moment,
Several years ago, my friend Jeffrey Zaslow sent me a chapter from a book he was writing about lifelong friendships among a group of women from Ames, Iowa. It was a powerful story about love and loss that moved me to tears.
With the draft pages still in my hands, I sat down with my daughter, a second-grader at the time, to talk about the importance of friendship. We talked about her girlfriends, why occasional fights didn’t matter and why she should always treasure her friends. It was a sweet moment,
Minggu, 12 Februari 2012
Chicago News Cooperative: Program Aims to Bring Fresh Produce and Meats to Chicago’s So-Called Food Deserts
Chicago Central Food Mart, a corner store in West Humboldt Park, straddles the northern edge of an area considered one of Chicago’s food deserts.
The store’s faded yellow awning promises “fresh fruits, meats and vegetables.” But until recently, little fresh produce could be found among the sodas, chips and canned meats packed onto the store’s shelves.
“Everybody eats fruit,” said Ray Samham, a Palestinian immigrant who has owned the store at the intersection of Chicago and Central Park Avenues since 2007 and began stocking fresh groceries last year. “Maybe a store owner
The store’s faded yellow awning promises “fresh fruits, meats and vegetables.” But until recently, little fresh produce could be found among the sodas, chips and canned meats packed onto the store’s shelves.
“Everybody eats fruit,” said Ray Samham, a Palestinian immigrant who has owned the store at the intersection of Chicago and Central Park Avenues since 2007 and began stocking fresh groceries last year. “Maybe a store owner
Michelle Obama Injects Optimism Into Campaign
DALLAS — At a time when President Obama and his opponents are blamed for shrinking from painful remedies for a sluggish nation, Michelle Obama is back on the road as a tireless, cheerful dispenser of them.
“You’ve got a lot of energy because you’re all eating your vegetables and exercising,” the first lady proclaimed to a crowd of 14,000 screaming children in Des Moines on Thursday.
“Thank you for eating your vegetables,” she told airmen at a mess hall in Little Rock, Ark., as several stared guiltily into half-eaten plates of broccoli. “We need you strong.”
And sitting
“You’ve got a lot of energy because you’re all eating your vegetables and exercising,” the first lady proclaimed to a crowd of 14,000 screaming children in Des Moines on Thursday.
“Thank you for eating your vegetables,” she told airmen at a mess hall in Little Rock, Ark., as several stared guiltily into half-eaten plates of broccoli. “We need you strong.”
And sitting
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Sabtu, 11 Februari 2012
Romney’s Path to ‘Pro-Life’ Position on Abortion
Stephan Savoia/Associated Press
Mitt Romney headed to a 1994 debate with Senator Edward M. Kennedy in which Mr. Romney said he would not impose his abortion beliefs on others.
WASHINGTON — From the moment he left business for politics, the issue of abortion has bedeviled Mitt Romney.
In 1994, as a Senate candidate, he invoked the story of a “close family relative” who had died after an illegal abortion and insisted that abortion should be “safe and legal,” though he was personally opposed. In 2002, while running for governor of Massachusetts, he sought the endorsement of abortion
Mitt Romney headed to a 1994 debate with Senator Edward M. Kennedy in which Mr. Romney said he would not impose his abortion beliefs on others.
WASHINGTON — From the moment he left business for politics, the issue of abortion has bedeviled Mitt Romney.
In 1994, as a Senate candidate, he invoked the story of a “close family relative” who had died after an illegal abortion and insisted that abortion should be “safe and legal,” though he was personally opposed. In 2002, while running for governor of Massachusetts, he sought the endorsement of abortion
Cities Turn to a Crop for Cash: Medical Marijuana
Robert Galbraith/Reuters
A customer buying medical marijuana in Oakland, Calif. The city collected $1.4 million in taxes from dispensaries last year.
OAKLAND, Calif. — As the stubborn economic downturn has forced this city to take painful steps to balance its budget in recent years, it has increasingly turned to one of its newer industries to raise much-needed revenues: medical marijuana dispensaries.
The city has raised taxes on marijuana dispensaries several times in the past few years, and last year it collected $1.4 million in taxes from them — nearly 3 percent of all the business
A customer buying medical marijuana in Oakland, Calif. The city collected $1.4 million in taxes from dispensaries last year.
OAKLAND, Calif. — As the stubborn economic downturn has forced this city to take painful steps to balance its budget in recent years, it has increasingly turned to one of its newer industries to raise much-needed revenues: medical marijuana dispensaries.
The city has raised taxes on marijuana dispensaries several times in the past few years, and last year it collected $1.4 million in taxes from them — nearly 3 percent of all the business
Jumat, 10 Februari 2012
Obama Offers ‘Accommodation’ on Birth Control Rule
WASHINGTON—The Obama administration, seeking to rein in a runaway political furor over birth control and religious liberty, is set to announce a possible compromise on Friday that is meant to calm ire from the right about a new administration rule that would require health insurance plans — including those offered by Roman Catholic hospitals, universities and charities — to offer free birth control to female employees.
Administration officials called the expected announcement an “accommodation” that they said sought to demonstrate respect for religious beliefs. It will be similar
Administration officials called the expected announcement an “accommodation” that they said sought to demonstrate respect for religious beliefs. It will be similar
Bishops Planned Battle on Birth Control Coverage Rule
Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan said the Obama administration had infringed on religious liberty.
When after much internal debate the Obama administration finally announced its decision to require religiously affiliated hospitals and universities to cover birth control in their insurance plans, the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops were fully prepared for battle.
Seven months earlier, they had started laying the groundwork for a major new campaign to combat what they saw as the growing threat to religious liberty, including the legalization of same-sex marriage. But
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan said the Obama administration had infringed on religious liberty.
When after much internal debate the Obama administration finally announced its decision to require religiously affiliated hospitals and universities to cover birth control in their insurance plans, the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops were fully prepared for battle.
Seven months earlier, they had started laying the groundwork for a major new campaign to combat what they saw as the growing threat to religious liberty, including the legalization of same-sex marriage. But
Kamis, 09 Februari 2012
Boehner Vows to Fight Contraception Rule
WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans, seizing on the type of social issue that motivates and unifies their base, stepped forcefully Wednesday into the battle over an Obama administration rule requiring health insurance plans provided by Catholic universities and charities to offer free birth control to women, vowing to fight back with legislation to unravel the new policy.
“This is not a women’s rights issue,” said Senator Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire. “This is a religious liberty issue.”
Racing to defend the administration, five Democratic senators returned from
“This is not a women’s rights issue,” said Senator Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire. “This is a religious liberty issue.”
Racing to defend the administration, five Democratic senators returned from
The New Old Age: Tables Reserved for the Healthiest
Harbor’s EdgeThe River Terrace, above, a dining room at the Harbor’s Edge retirement community in Norfolk, Va., has been closed to residents in assisted living or nursing care.
Residents at Harbor’s Edge, an upscale retirement community in downtown Norfolk, Va., appreciate their gracious dining room, called the River Terrace. They like the country club cuisine, the socializing, the view of ships passing on the Elizabeth River.
Until recently, William Hodges had dinner there every evening with his wife, Betty. Dorothy and Thomas Evans hosted out-of-town guests and celebrated
Residents at Harbor’s Edge, an upscale retirement community in downtown Norfolk, Va., appreciate their gracious dining room, called the River Terrace. They like the country club cuisine, the socializing, the view of ships passing on the Elizabeth River.
Until recently, William Hodges had dinner there every evening with his wife, Betty. Dorothy and Thomas Evans hosted out-of-town guests and celebrated
Rabu, 08 Februari 2012
Obama Addresses Ire on Health Insurance Contraception Rule
By Courtesy of NBC
David Axelrod on Contraception Policy: David Axelrod, a top adviser to President Obama’s campaign, suggested on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that compromise is possible on a mandate requiring almost all employers to cover contraception.
WASHINGTON — Facing vocal opposition from religious leaders and an escalating political fight, the White House sought on Tuesday to ease mounting objections to a new administration rule that would require health insurance plans — including those offered by Catholic universities and charities — to offer birth control to women free
David Axelrod on Contraception Policy: David Axelrod, a top adviser to President Obama’s campaign, suggested on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that compromise is possible on a mandate requiring almost all employers to cover contraception.
WASHINGTON — Facing vocal opposition from religious leaders and an escalating political fight, the White House sought on Tuesday to ease mounting objections to a new administration rule that would require health insurance plans — including those offered by Catholic universities and charities — to offer birth control to women free
After Outcry, Karen Handel Resigns From Komen
Correction Appended
Karen Handel, a former Republican candidate for governor in Georgia who joined the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation last year, resigned Tuesday as senior vice president for policy just days after the foundation reversed its decision to largely end its financial support for breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood affiliates amid an uproar.
Ms. Handel, who opposes abortion and called for eliminating government money to Planned Parenthood during her 2010 campaign, was among the organization’s senior leaders who helped persuade Komen’s board to change its
Karen Handel, a former Republican candidate for governor in Georgia who joined the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation last year, resigned Tuesday as senior vice president for policy just days after the foundation reversed its decision to largely end its financial support for breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood affiliates amid an uproar.
Ms. Handel, who opposes abortion and called for eliminating government money to Planned Parenthood during her 2010 campaign, was among the organization’s senior leaders who helped persuade Komen’s board to change its
Selasa, 07 Februari 2012
The Consumer: New Weight Watchers Plan Leaves Some Grumbling
Matt Collins
When Janet Holwell first joined Weight Watchers seven years ago, she lost 43 pounds in one year and considered the popular commercial weight-loss plan “miraculous.”
“I felt like I had found the magic key, the secret that eluded me all of these years,” said Ms. Holwell, who has maintained most of her weight loss by continuing to adhere to the program.
But the magic disappeared when Weight Watchers overhauled its weight-loss plan little over a year ago. Under the new system, called Points Plus, Ms. Holwell, has not been able to lose the five pounds she recently
When Janet Holwell first joined Weight Watchers seven years ago, she lost 43 pounds in one year and considered the popular commercial weight-loss plan “miraculous.”
“I felt like I had found the magic key, the secret that eluded me all of these years,” said Ms. Holwell, who has maintained most of her weight loss by continuing to adhere to the program.
But the magic disappeared when Weight Watchers overhauled its weight-loss plan little over a year ago. Under the new system, called Points Plus, Ms. Holwell, has not been able to lose the five pounds she recently
Senin, 06 Februari 2012
Fallout From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Retraction Is Far and Wide
David Calvert/AP Images, via Associated Press
When scientists reported in 2009 that a little-known mouse retrovirus was present in a large number of people with chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting a possible cause of the condition, the news made international headlines. For patients desperate for answers, many of them severely disabled for years, the finding from an obscure research center, the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease in Reno, Nev., seemed a godsend.
“I remember reading it and going, ‘Bingo, this is it!’ ” said Heidi Bauer, 42, a mother of triplets
When scientists reported in 2009 that a little-known mouse retrovirus was present in a large number of people with chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting a possible cause of the condition, the news made international headlines. For patients desperate for answers, many of them severely disabled for years, the finding from an obscure research center, the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease in Reno, Nev., seemed a godsend.
“I remember reading it and going, ‘Bingo, this is it!’ ” said Heidi Bauer, 42, a mother of triplets
Essay: Breast Cancer Screening Matters, but Prevention Is the Real Goal
A decision by the nation’s leading breast cancer advocacy group, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, to largely cut off financing for breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood set off howls of outrage last week. Once again, it seemed, political gamesmanship was jeopardizing women’s health.
The widespread anger forced Komen to reverse its decision, and it has certainly reinvigorated the women’s health movement. But the furor misses an important fact: Women have been led to believe that screening is the best prevention.
In reality, we still do not know what causes breast cancer, which
The widespread anger forced Komen to reverse its decision, and it has certainly reinvigorated the women’s health movement. But the furor misses an important fact: Women have been led to believe that screening is the best prevention.
In reality, we still do not know what causes breast cancer, which
Sabtu, 04 Februari 2012
Lives: Dazed and Confused
It’s 1976. I am 15 and have been “asked to leave” the progressive private school in Brooklyn Heights I’ve attended since age 4. This is not a surprise. I have been playing hooky all year, hanging out with boys from other neighborhoods, smoking pot every day. My parents wheedle me into another private school. Walking to this new school on the third morning, I stop in a pocket park off Court Street, knowing that if I miss the mandatory morning meeting, I’ll be kicked out. I miss it.
The city is a fantastic playground in 1976, ’77. My best friend and I crash gay discos. We wear our
The city is a fantastic playground in 1976, ’77. My best friend and I crash gay discos. We wear our
Komen Reverses Stance on Planned Parenthood Grants
The nation’s pre-eminent breast cancer advocacy group, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, apologized on Friday for its decision to cut most of its financing to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screening and said it would again make Planned Parenthood eligible for those grants.
“We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s chief executive, said in a statement posted on the organization’s Web site. The statement added, “We will continue to fund
“We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s chief executive, said in a statement posted on the organization’s Web site. The statement added, “We will continue to fund
Jumat, 03 Februari 2012
Komen Breast Cancer Group Reverses Decision That Cut Off Planned Parenthood
The nation’s pre-eminent breast cancer advocacy group, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, apologized on Friday for its decision to cut most of its financing to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screening and said it would again make Planned Parenthood eligible for those grants.
“We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s chief executive, said in a statement posted on the organization’s Web site. The statement added, “We will continue to fund
“We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” Nancy G. Brinker, Komen’s chief executive, said in a statement posted on the organization’s Web site. The statement added, “We will continue to fund
Well: Today's Teens Better Behaved Than Their Parents
Illustration by O.O.P.S.
This column appears in the Feb. 5 issue of The New York Times Magazine.
Every few years, parents find new reasons to worry about their teenagers. And while there is no question that some kids continue to experiment with sex and substance abuse, the latest data point to something perhaps more surprising: the current generation is, well, a bit boring when it comes to bad behavior.
By several noteworthy measures, today’s teenagers are growing increasingly conservative. While marijuana use has recently had an uptick, teenagers are smoking far less pot than their
This column appears in the Feb. 5 issue of The New York Times Magazine.
Every few years, parents find new reasons to worry about their teenagers. And while there is no question that some kids continue to experiment with sex and substance abuse, the latest data point to something perhaps more surprising: the current generation is, well, a bit boring when it comes to bad behavior.
By several noteworthy measures, today’s teenagers are growing increasingly conservative. While marijuana use has recently had an uptick, teenagers are smoking far less pot than their
Kamis, 02 Februari 2012
Maine girl bouncing back after 6-organ transplant
HOLLIS, Maine (AP) — A 9-year-old Maine girl is home from a Boston hospital healthy, active and with high hopes — and a new stomach, liver, spleen, small intestine, pancreas, and part of an esophagus to replace the ones that were being choked by a huge tumor.
It's believed to be the first-ever transplant of an esophagus and the largest number of organs transplanted at one time in New England.
Spunky and bright-eyed as she scampered around her family's farmhouse outside Portland, Alannah Shevenell said Thursday that she's glad to be feeling well again and able to go sledding, make a
It's believed to be the first-ever transplant of an esophagus and the largest number of organs transplanted at one time in New England.
Spunky and bright-eyed as she scampered around her family's farmhouse outside Portland, Alannah Shevenell said Thursday that she's glad to be feeling well again and able to go sledding, make a
Mass hysteria rare, but usually seen in girls
ATLANTA (AP) — Fifteen teenage girls report a mysterious outbreak of spasms, tics and seizures in upstate New York. But tests find nothing physically wrong.
Scores of adults in Northern California report crawling skin sensations and other bizarre symptoms. Government doctors find no physical cause after an extensive study.
The conclusion by experts is that these are just the latest examples of what used to be called mass hysteria. Now known as conversion disorder, sufferers experience real, but psychologically triggered symptoms.
It's rare, but scores or even hundreds of outbreaks have
Scores of adults in Northern California report crawling skin sensations and other bizarre symptoms. Government doctors find no physical cause after an extensive study.
The conclusion by experts is that these are just the latest examples of what used to be called mass hysteria. Now known as conversion disorder, sufferers experience real, but psychologically triggered symptoms.
It's rare, but scores or even hundreds of outbreaks have
Rabu, 01 Februari 2012
New European pill works against uterine fibroids
NEW YORK (AP) — New research offers hope for the first pill to treat a common problem in young women: fibroids in the uterus. The growths can cause pain, heavy bleeding and fertility problems, and they are the leading cause of hysterectomies.
In two studies, a lower dose of a "morning after" contraceptive pill stopped the bleeding and shrank the fibroids. It worked as well as shots of a hormone-blocking drug that has unpleasant side effects.
"This is very, very good news. The results are better than we expected," said research leader Dr. Jacques Donnez, of Saint-Luc hospital at the
In two studies, a lower dose of a "morning after" contraceptive pill stopped the bleeding and shrank the fibroids. It worked as well as shots of a hormone-blocking drug that has unpleasant side effects.
"This is very, very good news. The results are better than we expected," said research leader Dr. Jacques Donnez, of Saint-Luc hospital at the
Alzheimer’s Spreads in the Brain Like a Virus, Studies Find
Alzheimer’s disease seems to spread like an infection from brain cell to brain cell, two new studies find. But instead of viruses or bacteria, what is being spread is a distorted protein known as tau.
The surprising finding answers a longstanding question and has immediate implications for developing treatments, researchers said. And, they said, they suspect that other degenerative brain diseases, like Parkinson’s, may spread in the brain in a similar way.
Alzheimer’s researchers have long known that dying, tau-filled cells first emerge in a small area of the brain where memories are
The surprising finding answers a longstanding question and has immediate implications for developing treatments, researchers said. And, they said, they suspect that other degenerative brain diseases, like Parkinson’s, may spread in the brain in a similar way.
Alzheimer’s researchers have long known that dying, tau-filled cells first emerge in a small area of the brain where memories are
Selasa, 31 Januari 2012
Study questions proton therapy for prostate cancer
A warning to men considering a pricey new treatment for prostate cancer called proton therapy: Research suggests it might have more side effects than traditional radiation does.
A study of Medicare records found that men treated with proton beams later had one-third more bowel problems, such as bleeding and blockages, than similar men given conventional radiation.
This is an observational study so it is not definitive, but it is one of the largest to compare these treatments. Proton therapy is rapidly growing in use — Medicare covers it — even though no rigorous studies have tested
A study of Medicare records found that men treated with proton beams later had one-third more bowel problems, such as bleeding and blockages, than similar men given conventional radiation.
This is an observational study so it is not definitive, but it is one of the largest to compare these treatments. Proton therapy is rapidly growing in use — Medicare covers it — even though no rigorous studies have tested
Repeat Breast Cancer Surgery Guidelines Found Unclear
Some women who have lumpectomies for breast cancer may then undergo second operations they do not need, because guidelines for deciding who requires repeat surgery are unclear, a new study finds. It also hints that some women who might benefit from further surgery may be missing out on it.
Rates of repeat surgery can vary widely by doctor, from zero to 70 percent, according to the study.
The additional operations are done when pathology reports on tumor specimens suggest that the first operation may have left behind some cancer cells. But surgeons differ when it comes to interpreting those
Rates of repeat surgery can vary widely by doctor, from zero to 70 percent, according to the study.
The additional operations are done when pathology reports on tumor specimens suggest that the first operation may have left behind some cancer cells. But surgeons differ when it comes to interpreting those
Senin, 30 Januari 2012
AIDS Prevention Inspires Ways to Simplify Circumcision
PrePex
‘LIKE A FINGERNAIL’ One new product, PrePex, uses a ring to block blood flow. After a week, the dead foreskin falls off or can be clipped.
The day of the assembly-line circumcision is drawing closer.
Now that three studies have shown that circumcising adult heterosexual men is one of the most effective “vaccines” against AIDS — reducing the chances of infection by 60 percent or more — public health experts are struggling to find ways to make the process faster, cheaper and safer.
The goal is to circumcise 20 million African men by 2015, but only about 600,000 have
‘LIKE A FINGERNAIL’ One new product, PrePex, uses a ring to block blood flow. After a week, the dead foreskin falls off or can be clipped.
The day of the assembly-line circumcision is drawing closer.
Now that three studies have shown that circumcising adult heterosexual men is one of the most effective “vaccines” against AIDS — reducing the chances of infection by 60 percent or more — public health experts are struggling to find ways to make the process faster, cheaper and safer.
The goal is to circumcise 20 million African men by 2015, but only about 600,000 have
Cases: Feeling Strain When Violent Patients Need Care
Brian Stauffer
I didn’t know much about the patient — just that he’d showed up on my floor the previous evening after some confusion about whether his room was ready. When I went into his room that morning, he was still asleep. I gently roused him while his doctor, who had followed me in, explained that he needed to do a physical exam.
The patient, suddenly fully awake, challenged him: “Are you going to examine me or are you just going to stand there and talk about it?”
He was aggressive, confrontational. But more than that, his voice had an edge to it that, I’ll reluctantly
I didn’t know much about the patient — just that he’d showed up on my floor the previous evening after some confusion about whether his room was ready. When I went into his room that morning, he was still asleep. I gently roused him while his doctor, who had followed me in, explained that he needed to do a physical exam.
The patient, suddenly fully awake, challenged him: “Are you going to examine me or are you just going to stand there and talk about it?”
He was aggressive, confrontational. But more than that, his voice had an edge to it that, I’ll reluctantly
Minggu, 29 Januari 2012
Researchers find cancer in ancient Egyptian mummy
CAIRO (AP) — A professor from American University in Cairo says discovery of prostate cancer in a 2,200-year-old mummy indicates the disease was caused by genetics, not environment.
The genetics-environment question is key to understanding cancer.
AUC professor Salima Ikram, a member of the team that studied the mummy in Portugal for two years, said Sunday the mummy was of a man who died in his forties.
She said this was the second oldest known case of prostate cancer.
"Living conditions in ancient times were very different; there were no pollutants or modified foods, which leads us to
The genetics-environment question is key to understanding cancer.
AUC professor Salima Ikram, a member of the team that studied the mummy in Portugal for two years, said Sunday the mummy was of a man who died in his forties.
She said this was the second oldest known case of prostate cancer.
"Living conditions in ancient times were very different; there were no pollutants or modified foods, which leads us to
Zimbabwe doctors report 800 typhoid cases
HARARE,Zimbabwe (AP) — An independent doctors' group in Zimbabwe is reporting 800 cases of the bacterial disease typhoid in a recent outbreak.
No deaths have been reported in the past three weeks. The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights said Sunday that the nation's troubled coalition government lacked urgency in dealing with public health woes.
In a statement, the group said that amid heavy rains clean water supplies were still irregular or "completely absent" in most impoverished townships in Harare. It said burst sewers were left unattended and meat and fish were sold on
No deaths have been reported in the past three weeks. The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights said Sunday that the nation's troubled coalition government lacked urgency in dealing with public health woes.
In a statement, the group said that amid heavy rains clean water supplies were still irregular or "completely absent" in most impoverished townships in Harare. It said burst sewers were left unattended and meat and fish were sold on
Sabtu, 28 Januari 2012
Studied: Blogging as Therapy for Teenagers - Studied
THE GIST Blogging is therapeutic for teenagers.
THE SOURCE “The Therapeutic Value of Adolescents’ Blogging About Social-Emotional Difficulties,” by Meyran Boniel-Nissim and Azy Barak.
IN the days before the instantly pinged “OMG Where R U?,” the first words many teenagers composed during their fretful moments were “Dear Diary.” After several paragraphs of spewing onto paper adolescent angst about cafeteria slights, unreciprocated crushes and oversize thighs, the diarist often felt better.
Research has long backed the therapeutic value of diary-keeping for teenage girls and
THE SOURCE “The Therapeutic Value of Adolescents’ Blogging About Social-Emotional Difficulties,” by Meyran Boniel-Nissim and Azy Barak.
IN the days before the instantly pinged “OMG Where R U?,” the first words many teenagers composed during their fretful moments were “Dear Diary.” After several paragraphs of spewing onto paper adolescent angst about cafeteria slights, unreciprocated crushes and oversize thighs, the diarist often felt better.
Research has long backed the therapeutic value of diary-keeping for teenage girls and
Jumat, 27 Januari 2012
Well: Caffeine Alters Estrogen Levels in Younger Women
Tony Cenicola/The New York TimesCan a dose of caffeine affect estrogen levels?
Your daily dose of caffeine may tinker with more than just your energy levels.
A new study of women ages 18 to 44 found that drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages can alter levels of estrogen. But the impact varies by race. In white women, for example, coffee appears to lower estrogen, while in Asian women it has the reverse effect, raising levels of the hormone.
The study did not look at older women, but women of child-bearing age who enjoy a daily cuppa have little reason to fret, the researchers said.
Your daily dose of caffeine may tinker with more than just your energy levels.
A new study of women ages 18 to 44 found that drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages can alter levels of estrogen. But the impact varies by race. In white women, for example, coffee appears to lower estrogen, while in Asian women it has the reverse effect, raising levels of the hormone.
The study did not look at older women, but women of child-bearing age who enjoy a daily cuppa have little reason to fret, the researchers said.
Doctor and Patient: Doctor and Patient: Using Symptom Checklists to Sell Drugs
Are symptom checklists more for marketing than for diagnosis?
It began suddenly a little over 10 years ago. With impressive fluency, friends, family members and patients started asking me about random medications, the odd syncopations of those invented, polysyllabic pharmaceutical brand names – Viagra, Lipitor — rolling perfectly off their tongues.
The questions they asked about those drugs did not reflect breaking news or the results of scientific studies. Rather, they were a reflection of sound bites, advertisements and the draw of celebrities who endorsed them, all part of carefully
It began suddenly a little over 10 years ago. With impressive fluency, friends, family members and patients started asking me about random medications, the odd syncopations of those invented, polysyllabic pharmaceutical brand names – Viagra, Lipitor — rolling perfectly off their tongues.
The questions they asked about those drugs did not reflect breaking news or the results of scientific studies. Rather, they were a reflection of sound bites, advertisements and the draw of celebrities who endorsed them, all part of carefully
Kamis, 26 Januari 2012
In Real Time, a Virus Learns a New Way to Infect
Viruses regularly evolve new ways of making people sick, but scientists usually do not become aware of these new strategies until years or centuries after they have evolved. In a new study published today in the journal Science, however, a team of scientists at Michigan State University describes how viruses evolved a new way of infecting cells in little more than two weeks.
The report is being published in the midst of a controversy over a deadly bird flu virus that researchers manipulated to spread from mammal to mammal. Some critics have questioned whether such a change could have
The report is being published in the midst of a controversy over a deadly bird flu virus that researchers manipulated to spread from mammal to mammal. Some critics have questioned whether such a change could have
Doctor and Patient: Using Symptom Checklists to Sell Drugs
Are symptom checklists more for marketing than for diagnosis?
It began suddenly a little over 10 years ago. With impressive fluency, friends, family members and patients started asking me about random medications, the odd syncopations of those invented, polysyllabic pharmaceutical brand names – Viagra, Lipitor — rolling perfectly off their tongues.
The questions they asked about those drugs did not reflect breaking news or the results of scientific studies. Rather, they were a reflection of sound bites, advertisements and the draw of celebrities who endorsed them, all part of carefully
It began suddenly a little over 10 years ago. With impressive fluency, friends, family members and patients started asking me about random medications, the odd syncopations of those invented, polysyllabic pharmaceutical brand names – Viagra, Lipitor — rolling perfectly off their tongues.
The questions they asked about those drugs did not reflect breaking news or the results of scientific studies. Rather, they were a reflection of sound bites, advertisements and the draw of celebrities who endorsed them, all part of carefully
Rabu, 25 Januari 2012
Wisconsin Scientist Says H5N1 Flu Strain He Created Is Less Dangerous
A Wisconsin virology team that created a more contagious form of bird flu did not produce a highly lethal superflu, as a Dutch team famously and controversially did last year, according to the leader of the Wisconsin team.
Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Tokyo said in a commentary published online by Nature magazine that his team’s virus had infected ferrets through the air, but did not kill any of them. Ferrets catch flu just as humans do. Also, he said, “current vaccines and antiviral compounds are effective against it.”
By
Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Tokyo said in a commentary published online by Nature magazine that his team’s virus had infected ferrets through the air, but did not kill any of them. Ferrets catch flu just as humans do. Also, he said, “current vaccines and antiviral compounds are effective against it.”
By
Nanomaterials’ Effects on Health and Environment Unclear, Panel Says
Tiny substances called nanomaterials have moved into the marketplace over the last decade, in products as varied as cosmetics, clothing and paint. But not enough is known about their potential health and environmental risks, which should be studied further, an expert panel of the National Academy of Sciences said on Wednesday.
Nanoscale forms of substances like silver, carbon, zinc and aluminum have many useful properties. Nano zinc oxide sunscreen goes on smoothly, for example, and nano carbon is lighter and stronger than its everyday or “bulk” form. But researchers say these products
Nanoscale forms of substances like silver, carbon, zinc and aluminum have many useful properties. Nano zinc oxide sunscreen goes on smoothly, for example, and nano carbon is lighter and stronger than its everyday or “bulk” form. But researchers say these products
Selasa, 24 Januari 2012
Depression’s Criteria May Be Changed to Include Grieving
A proposed change to the definition of depression could pathologize normal grieving and greatly expand the number of people treated for the mood disorder, researchers contend in a new report, the latest salvo in a bitter skirmish over the diagnosis that has gone on largely under the public radar.
The criteria for depression are being reviewed by the American Psychiatry Association, which is finishing work on the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or D.S.M., the first since 1994. The manual is the standard reference for the field, shaping treatment
The criteria for depression are being reviewed by the American Psychiatry Association, which is finishing work on the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or D.S.M., the first since 1994. The manual is the standard reference for the field, shaping treatment
Brown Fat Burns Ordinary Fat, Study Finds
Fat people have less than thin people. Older people have less than younger people. Men have less than younger women.
It is brown fat, actually brown in color, and its great appeal is that it burns calories like a furnace. A new study finds that one form of it, which is turned on when people get cold, sucks fat out of the rest of the body to fuel itself. Another new study finds that a second form of brown fat can be created from ordinary white fat by exercise.
Of course, researchers say, they are not blind to the implications of their work. If they could turn on brown fat in people without
It is brown fat, actually brown in color, and its great appeal is that it burns calories like a furnace. A new study finds that one form of it, which is turned on when people get cold, sucks fat out of the rest of the body to fuel itself. Another new study finds that a second form of brown fat can be created from ordinary white fat by exercise.
Of course, researchers say, they are not blind to the implications of their work. If they could turn on brown fat in people without
Senin, 23 Januari 2012
As Victims, Men Struggle for Rape Awareness
Michael Nagle for The New York Times
ASSAULTED Keith Smith of East Windsor, N.J., was raped when he was a 14-year-old hitchhiker.
Keith Smith was 14 when he was raped by a driver who picked him up after a hockey team meeting. He had hitchhiked home, which is why, for decades, he continued to blame himself for the assault.
When the driver barreled past Hartley’s Pork Pies on the outskirts of Providence, R.I., where Mr. Smith had asked to be dropped off, and then past a firehouse, he knew something was wrong.
“I tried to open the car door, but he had rigged the lock,” said Mr. Smith, of
ASSAULTED Keith Smith of East Windsor, N.J., was raped when he was a 14-year-old hitchhiker.
Keith Smith was 14 when he was raped by a driver who picked him up after a hockey team meeting. He had hitchhiked home, which is why, for decades, he continued to blame himself for the assault.
When the driver barreled past Hartley’s Pork Pies on the outskirts of Providence, R.I., where Mr. Smith had asked to be dropped off, and then past a firehouse, he knew something was wrong.
“I tried to open the car door, but he had rigged the lock,” said Mr. Smith, of
Disgust’s Evolutionary Role Is Irresistible to Researchers
Disgust is the Cinderella of emotions. While fear, sadness and anger, its nasty, flashy sisters, have drawn the rapt attention of psychologists, poor disgust has been hidden away in a corner, left to muck around in the ashes.
No longer. Disgust is having its moment in the light as researchers find that it does more than cause that sick feeling in the stomach. It protects human beings from disease and parasites, and affects almost every aspect of human relations, from romance to politics.
In several new books and a steady stream of research papers, scientists are exploring the evolution of
No longer. Disgust is having its moment in the light as researchers find that it does more than cause that sick feeling in the stomach. It protects human beings from disease and parasites, and affects almost every aspect of human relations, from romance to politics.
In several new books and a steady stream of research papers, scientists are exploring the evolution of
Minggu, 22 Januari 2012
China reports second bird flu death in a month
BEIJING (AP) — China on Sunday reported its second bird flu fatality in a month following deaths last week in Vietnam and Cambodia.
The patient died Sunday in Guizhou province in the southwest after being hospitalized on Jan. 6, the health ministry said in a brief statement. It said the flu was highly pathogenic but gave no indication whether it was confirmed to be the H5N1 strain.
Mainland officials told Hong Kong authorities the patient was a 39-year-old man who reported having no contact with poultry, government-run Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK said. It gave no other details of his
The patient died Sunday in Guizhou province in the southwest after being hospitalized on Jan. 6, the health ministry said in a brief statement. It said the flu was highly pathogenic but gave no indication whether it was confirmed to be the H5N1 strain.
Mainland officials told Hong Kong authorities the patient was a 39-year-old man who reported having no contact with poultry, government-run Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK said. It gave no other details of his
Chefs, Butlers and Marble Baths - Not Your Average Hospital Room
Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times
The entrance to the Eleven West wing at Mount Sinai Medical Center, where Jasmine Williams is a guest services attendant.
The feverish patient had spent hours in a crowded emergency room. When she opened her eyes in her Manhattan hospital room last winter, she recalled later, she wondered if she could be hallucinating: “This is like the Four Seasons — where am I?”
Follow @NYTMetro
Connect with @NYTMetro on Twitter for New York breaking news and headlines.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
A menu available to patients
The entrance to the Eleven West wing at Mount Sinai Medical Center, where Jasmine Williams is a guest services attendant.
The feverish patient had spent hours in a crowded emergency room. When she opened her eyes in her Manhattan hospital room last winter, she recalled later, she wondered if she could be hallucinating: “This is like the Four Seasons — where am I?”
Follow @NYTMetro
Connect with @NYTMetro on Twitter for New York breaking news and headlines.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
A menu available to patients
Sabtu, 21 Januari 2012
Bird Flu Scientists Agree to Pause H5N1 Research
The scientists who altered a deadly flu virus to make it more contagious have agreed to suspend their research for 60 days to give other international experts time to discuss the work and determine how it can proceed without putting the world at risk of a potentially catastrophic pandemic.
Suspensions of biomedical research are almost unheard of; the only other one in the United States was a moratorium from 1974 to 1976 on some types of recombinant DNA research, because of safety concerns.
A letter explaining the flu decision is being published in two scientific journals, Science and
Suspensions of biomedical research are almost unheard of; the only other one in the United States was a moratorium from 1974 to 1976 on some types of recombinant DNA research, because of safety concerns.
A letter explaining the flu decision is being published in two scientific journals, Science and
As Specialists Debate Autism, Some Parents Watch Closely
A debate among medical professionals over how to define autism has spilled over into the public domain, stirring anger and fear among many parents and advocates of those with the neurological disorder, even as some argue that the diagnosis has been too loosely applied.
Jessica Kourkounis for The New York Times
Amanda Forman's 5-year-old son was given a diagnosis of a mild form of autism. This led to therapy that she said has helped him.
A study reported on Thursday found that proposed revisions to the American Psychiatric Association’s definition would exclude about three-quarters
Jessica Kourkounis for The New York Times
Amanda Forman's 5-year-old son was given a diagnosis of a mild form of autism. This led to therapy that she said has helped him.
A study reported on Thursday found that proposed revisions to the American Psychiatric Association’s definition would exclude about three-quarters
Jumat, 20 Januari 2012
LA hospital prepares to send tiny baby home
LOS ANGELES (AP) — One of the world's smallest surviving babies is headed home.
Melinda Star Guido weighed only 9 ½ ounces at birth— less than a can of soda. After spending her early months in the neonatal intensive care unit, a team of doctors and nurses will gather Friday to see her off.
Melinda has been growing steadily and gaining weight since she was born premature at 24 weeks in August at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. She is the world's third smallest baby and the second smallest in the U.S.
Now weighing 4½ pounds, doctors said Melinda has made enough progress to be
Melinda Star Guido weighed only 9 ½ ounces at birth— less than a can of soda. After spending her early months in the neonatal intensive care unit, a team of doctors and nurses will gather Friday to see her off.
Melinda has been growing steadily and gaining weight since she was born premature at 24 weeks in August at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. She is the world's third smallest baby and the second smallest in the U.S.
Now weighing 4½ pounds, doctors said Melinda has made enough progress to be
Kamis, 19 Januari 2012
New Definition of Autism May Exclude Many, Study Suggests
Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and may make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests.
The definition is under review by an expert panel appointed by the American Psychiatric Association, which is completing work on the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The D.S.M, as the manual is known, is the standard reference for mental disorders, driving research, treatment and
The definition is under review by an expert panel appointed by the American Psychiatric Association, which is completing work on the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The D.S.M, as the manual is known, is the standard reference for mental disorders, driving research, treatment and
Osteoporosis Is So Slow, Bone Density Retests Can Wait, Study Says
Bone loss and osteoporosis develop so slowly in most women whose bones test normal at age 65 that many can safely wait as long as 15 years before having a second bone density test, researchers report in a new study.
The study, published in Thursday’s issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, is part of a broad rethinking of how to diagnose and treat the potentially debilitating bone disease that can lead to broken hips and collapsing spines.
A class of drugs, bisphosphonates, which includes Fosamax, have been found to prevent fractures in people with osteoporosis. But medical experts
The study, published in Thursday’s issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, is part of a broad rethinking of how to diagnose and treat the potentially debilitating bone disease that can lead to broken hips and collapsing spines.
A class of drugs, bisphosphonates, which includes Fosamax, have been found to prevent fractures in people with osteoporosis. But medical experts
Rabu, 18 Januari 2012
Osteoporosis Is So Slow, Bone Density Tests Can Wait, Study Says
Bone loss and osteoporosis develop so slowly in most women whose bones test normal at age 65 that many can safely wait as long as 15 years before having a second bone density test, researchers report in a new study.
The study, published in Thursday’s issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, is part of a broad rethinking of how to diagnose and treat the potentially debilitating bone disease that can lead to broken hips and collapsing spines.
A class of drugs, bisphosphonates, which includes Fosamax, have been found to prevent fractures in people with osteoporosis. But medical experts
The study, published in Thursday’s issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, is part of a broad rethinking of how to diagnose and treat the potentially debilitating bone disease that can lead to broken hips and collapsing spines.
A class of drugs, bisphosphonates, which includes Fosamax, have been found to prevent fractures in people with osteoporosis. But medical experts
Well: Obesity Rates Stall, But No Decline
After two decades of steady increases, obesity rates in adults and children in the United States have remained largely unchanged during the past 12 years, a finding that suggests national efforts at promoting healthful eating and exercise are having little effect on the overweight.
Over all, 35.7 percent of the adult population and 16.9 percent of children qualify as obese, according to data gathered by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published online Tuesday by The Journal of the American Medical Association. While it is good news that the ranks of the obese in
Over all, 35.7 percent of the adult population and 16.9 percent of children qualify as obese, according to data gathered by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published online Tuesday by The Journal of the American Medical Association. While it is good news that the ranks of the obese in
Selasa, 17 Januari 2012
Essay: Depression Defies Rush to Find Evolutionary Upside
In certain quarters of academia, it’s all the rage these days to view human behavior through the lens of evolutionary biology. What survival advantages, researchers ask, may lie hidden in our actions, even in our pathologies?
Depression has come in for particular scrutiny. Some evolutionary psychologists think this painful and often disabling disease conceals something positive. Most of us who treat patients vehemently disagree.
Consider a patient I saw not long ago, a 30-year-old woman whose husband had had an affair and left her. Within several weeks, she became despondent and socially
Depression has come in for particular scrutiny. Some evolutionary psychologists think this painful and often disabling disease conceals something positive. Most of us who treat patients vehemently disagree.
Consider a patient I saw not long ago, a 30-year-old woman whose husband had had an affair and left her. Within several weeks, she became despondent and socially
Paula Deen Says She Has Type 2 Diabetes
PAULA DEEN, the self-crowned “Queen of Southern cuisine,” said Tuesday morning on the “Today” show on NBC that she has Type 2 diabetes, a diagnosis she received three years ago. Ms. Deen also confirmed that she is being paid to promote Victoza, a noninsulin injectable medication made by Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company.
Ms. Deen, 64, ran a restaurant in Savannah, Ga., for years before she became nationally known through her cooking shows on the Food Network, reveling in dishes like deep-fried macaroni and cheese and Krispy Kreme doughnut bread pudding. But she said in
Ms. Deen, 64, ran a restaurant in Savannah, Ga., for years before she became nationally known through her cooking shows on the Food Network, reveling in dishes like deep-fried macaroni and cheese and Krispy Kreme doughnut bread pudding. But she said in
Senin, 16 Januari 2012
For Intrigue, Malaria Drug Artemisinin Gets the Prize
Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
MADE TO ORDER Mao Zedong, center, demanded that Chinese scientists act when a malaria strain felled North Vietnamese troops.
The Chinese drug artemisinin has been hailed as one of the greatest advances in fighting malaria, the scourge of the tropics, since the discovery of quinine centuries ago.
Artemisinin’s discovery is being talked about as a candidate for a Nobel Prize in Medicine. Millions of American taxpayer dollars are spent on it for Africa every year.
But few people realize that in one of the paradoxes of history, the drug was discovered
MADE TO ORDER Mao Zedong, center, demanded that Chinese scientists act when a malaria strain felled North Vietnamese troops.
The Chinese drug artemisinin has been hailed as one of the greatest advances in fighting malaria, the scourge of the tropics, since the discovery of quinine centuries ago.
Artemisinin’s discovery is being talked about as a candidate for a Nobel Prize in Medicine. Millions of American taxpayer dollars are spent on it for Africa every year.
But few people realize that in one of the paradoxes of history, the drug was discovered
Well: Daily Aspirin Is Not for Everyone, Study Suggests
Stuart Bradford
Nearly a third of middle-aged Americans regularly take a baby aspirin in the hope of preventing a heart attack or a stroke or lowering their cancer risk. But new research shows that aspirin is not for everyone, and that in some patients this so-called wonder drug is doing more harm than good.
“I stop a lot more aspirin than I start,” said Dr. Alison Bailey, director of the cardiac rehabilitation program at the Gill Heart Institute at the University of Kentucky. “People don’t even consider aspirin a medicine, or consider that you can have side effects from it. That’s
Nearly a third of middle-aged Americans regularly take a baby aspirin in the hope of preventing a heart attack or a stroke or lowering their cancer risk. But new research shows that aspirin is not for everyone, and that in some patients this so-called wonder drug is doing more harm than good.
“I stop a lot more aspirin than I start,” said Dr. Alison Bailey, director of the cardiac rehabilitation program at the Gill Heart Institute at the University of Kentucky. “People don’t even consider aspirin a medicine, or consider that you can have side effects from it. That’s
Minggu, 15 Januari 2012
Recipes for Health: Noodle and Apple Kugel — Recipes for Health
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Noodle and Apple Kugel
This comforting kugel tastes much richer than it is, and it is certainly lighter than a traditional kugel (though it is not a low-calorie dessert). I’ve made this with Golden Delicious apples and with tarter varieties like Pink Lady; I liked it both ways.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 apples, cored and cut in small (1/4- to 1/2-inch) dice
6 ounces flat egg noodles, preferably whole-grain
Salt to taste
1/4 cup raisins, plumped for 5 minutes in warm water and drained (optional)
4 eggs
1/4 cup raw brown sugar or dark brown
Noodle and Apple Kugel
This comforting kugel tastes much richer than it is, and it is certainly lighter than a traditional kugel (though it is not a low-calorie dessert). I’ve made this with Golden Delicious apples and with tarter varieties like Pink Lady; I liked it both ways.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 apples, cored and cut in small (1/4- to 1/2-inch) dice
6 ounces flat egg noodles, preferably whole-grain
Salt to taste
1/4 cup raisins, plumped for 5 minutes in warm water and drained (optional)
4 eggs
1/4 cup raw brown sugar or dark brown
How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body
Danielle Levitt for The New York Times
Members of the Broadway cast of “Godspell” do their flexible best. From left: Uzo Aduba (doing the wheel), George Salazar (extended-hand-to-big-toe pose) and Nick Blaemire (headstand).
On a cold Saturday in early 2009, Glenn Black, a yoga teacher of nearly four decades, whose devoted clientele includes a number of celebrities and prominent gurus, was giving a master class at Sankalpah Yoga in Manhattan. Black is, in many ways, a classic yogi: he studied in Pune, India, at the institute founded by the legendary B. K. S. Iyengar, and spent years in
Members of the Broadway cast of “Godspell” do their flexible best. From left: Uzo Aduba (doing the wheel), George Salazar (extended-hand-to-big-toe pose) and Nick Blaemire (headstand).
On a cold Saturday in early 2009, Glenn Black, a yoga teacher of nearly four decades, whose devoted clientele includes a number of celebrities and prominent gurus, was giving a master class at Sankalpah Yoga in Manhattan. Black is, in many ways, a classic yogi: he studied in Pune, India, at the institute founded by the legendary B. K. S. Iyengar, and spent years in
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