Just in time for spring, anglers and recreational boaters (http://www.FocusOnFishHealth.org) in the nation’s midsection are hearing disturbing news about their recreational waterways.
With evidence that the voracious Asian carp has been detected in all of the Great Lakes and that the contagious fish disease VHS, or viral hemorrhagic septicemia, is now in waters as far north and west as Lake Superior, fishing (http://www.FocusOnFishHealth.org) and boating enthusiasts might be concerned that their favorite spots may be ruined. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) notes that prime waters can still be protected by the people who use them, particularly small bodies of water, streams and rivers where diseases and destructive invaders have not been detected.
APHIS offers a list of surprisingly simple steps to be taken to preserve the health of wild fish (http://www.FocusOnFishHealth.org) species for generations to come:
1. Thoroughly clean and dry all fishing and boating equipment including bait buckets, boots, boats, and trailers with HOT water.
2. Empty all water from equipment including buckets and bilges.
3. Remove all visible mud, plants and aquatic life from equipment before transporting.
4. Do not move fish and plants from one body of water to another.
5. Buy bait from certified bait dealers and dispose of unused bait in a secure trash area away from the water.
For more information, visit http://www.FocusOnFishHealth.org.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Chest X-Rays and H1N1 Flu News
A new study published in the April issue of Radiology suggests that chest x-rays may play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of H1N1 influenza by predicting which patients are likely to become sicker.
“Working in the emergency room is very stressful and physicians need information fast,” said lead author Galit Aviram, M.D., head of cardiothoracic imaging in the Department of Radiology at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel. “Our study provides significant findings that will help clinicians triage patients presenting with clinically suspected H1N1 influenza.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the H1N1 virus is the predominant influenza virus in circulation during the 2009-2010 flu season. The CDC estimates that between April 2009 and January 2010 there have been approximately 57 million cases of H1N1 in the U.S., resulting in 257,300 hospitalizations and 11,686 deaths.
As in past pandemics, the virus can occur in waves. It is possible that the U.S. could experience additional waves of the virus throughout 2010.
In the study, Dr. Aviram’s research team analyzed the chest x-rays of 97 consecutive patients with flu-like symptoms and laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of H1N1, admitted to the emergency department of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center between May and September 2009. The researchers then correlated the x-ray findings with adverse patient outcomes.
“To our knowledge, this is the largest series describing the presentation of chest x-ray findings in patients diagnosed with H1N1 influenza,” Dr. Aviram said.
The chest x-rays revealed abnormal findings for 39 of the patients, five (12.8 percent) of whom experienced adverse outcomes, including death or the need for mechanical ventilation. For the other 58 patients, chest x-ray findings were normal, although two (3.4 percent) of the patients experienced adverse outcomes. The mean age of patients in the study, which included 53 men and 44 women, was 40.4 years.
“Abnormal findings in the periphery of both lungs and in multiple zones of the lungs were associated with poor clinical outcomes,” Dr. Aviram said.
Although a normal chest x-ray did not exclude the possibility of an adverse outcome, Dr. Aviram said the study’s findings can help physicians better identify high-risk H1N1 patients who require close monitoring.
“In H1N1, as in various types of community-acquired pneumonia, initial chest x-rays may not show abnormalities that develop later in the course of the disease,'' Dr. Aviram explained. ''Further x-rays should be performed according to the patient’s clinical course.”
AT A GLANCE
- Chest x-rays may help radiologists identify high-risk H1N1 patients who require intense monitoring.
- Abnormal findings in the outer areas of both lungs and in multiple sections of the lungs were associated with more serious outcomes.
- Approximately 13 percent of patients with abnormal chest x-ray findings experienced adverse outcomes, compared to 3 percent of patients with normal chest x-rays.
''H1N1 Influenza: Initial Chest Radiographic Findings in Helping Predict Patient Outcome.'' Collaborating with Dr. Aviram were Amir Bar-Shai, M.D., Jacob Sosna, M.D., Ori Rogowski, M.D., Galia Rosen, M.D., Iuliana Weinstein, M.D., Arie Steinvil, M.D., and Ofer Zimmerman, M.D.
Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/)
RSNA is an association of more than 44,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical ph
“Working in the emergency room is very stressful and physicians need information fast,” said lead author Galit Aviram, M.D., head of cardiothoracic imaging in the Department of Radiology at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel. “Our study provides significant findings that will help clinicians triage patients presenting with clinically suspected H1N1 influenza.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the H1N1 virus is the predominant influenza virus in circulation during the 2009-2010 flu season. The CDC estimates that between April 2009 and January 2010 there have been approximately 57 million cases of H1N1 in the U.S., resulting in 257,300 hospitalizations and 11,686 deaths.
As in past pandemics, the virus can occur in waves. It is possible that the U.S. could experience additional waves of the virus throughout 2010.
In the study, Dr. Aviram’s research team analyzed the chest x-rays of 97 consecutive patients with flu-like symptoms and laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of H1N1, admitted to the emergency department of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center between May and September 2009. The researchers then correlated the x-ray findings with adverse patient outcomes.
“To our knowledge, this is the largest series describing the presentation of chest x-ray findings in patients diagnosed with H1N1 influenza,” Dr. Aviram said.
The chest x-rays revealed abnormal findings for 39 of the patients, five (12.8 percent) of whom experienced adverse outcomes, including death or the need for mechanical ventilation. For the other 58 patients, chest x-ray findings were normal, although two (3.4 percent) of the patients experienced adverse outcomes. The mean age of patients in the study, which included 53 men and 44 women, was 40.4 years.
“Abnormal findings in the periphery of both lungs and in multiple zones of the lungs were associated with poor clinical outcomes,” Dr. Aviram said.
Although a normal chest x-ray did not exclude the possibility of an adverse outcome, Dr. Aviram said the study’s findings can help physicians better identify high-risk H1N1 patients who require close monitoring.
“In H1N1, as in various types of community-acquired pneumonia, initial chest x-rays may not show abnormalities that develop later in the course of the disease,'' Dr. Aviram explained. ''Further x-rays should be performed according to the patient’s clinical course.”
AT A GLANCE
- Chest x-rays may help radiologists identify high-risk H1N1 patients who require intense monitoring.
- Abnormal findings in the outer areas of both lungs and in multiple sections of the lungs were associated with more serious outcomes.
- Approximately 13 percent of patients with abnormal chest x-ray findings experienced adverse outcomes, compared to 3 percent of patients with normal chest x-rays.
''H1N1 Influenza: Initial Chest Radiographic Findings in Helping Predict Patient Outcome.'' Collaborating with Dr. Aviram were Amir Bar-Shai, M.D., Jacob Sosna, M.D., Ori Rogowski, M.D., Galia Rosen, M.D., Iuliana Weinstein, M.D., Arie Steinvil, M.D., and Ofer Zimmerman, M.D.
Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/)
RSNA is an association of more than 44,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical ph
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Brain Quiz: How Brainy Are You?
Do you know the extraordinary changing powers of the Brain? March is National Brain Awareness Month (and Brain Injury Month) and the local LearningRx (http://www.learningrx.com/) cognitive skills’ experts are offering free tips, activities, expert seminar, and reduced-priced assessments for kids and adults. Whether a child needs cognitive skills help, a student needs a boost before SATs, senior needs memory help, a war veteran needs brain injury recovery, or a business executive needs a higher IQ in a competitive economy…the brain-training experts aim to educate everyone on our body's most complex and fascinating organ.
The free quiz is designed to help raise awareness about the brain's remarkable ability to change, how most learning disabilities like dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) do not have to be lifelong labels, and why tutoring, accommodations and/or medications are usually not the best option for children who struggle in school.
"Until the 1990s, scientists believed the brain was stagnant," explains Christina Sevilla of LearningRx, Denver. "We now know that the brain is capable of change at any age, and that intensive one-on-one cognitive skills training can treat the root cause of learning struggles like ADHD, dyslexia or memory issues. It's also good news for anyone who wants to strengthen their cognitive skills, increase their IQ, and become a better learner – whether they're six or 106 years old. Cognitive skills training does for the brain what physical exercise does for the body."
Examples of the amazing brain, and our knowledge of it, are everywhere today, whether with 2010 USA Olympic Team Snowboarder hopeful Kevin Pearce recovering from a fall and brain injury prior to the Games, to new research from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on general intelligence that show that “the connections between very specific areas of the brain determine intelligence and how well someone does in life.” (Health Day News, Friday, Feb. 26.)
In addition to the quiz (below), the new Learning RX Denver is offering for the month of March:
• Free tips on games and other at-home play for “Brain-Training”
• A thorough “Cognitive Skills Evaluation” for $19.95 (usually $200), for anyone.
Brain Awareness Day activities, open house, and speaker David Delaney, MA, CAR, LPC (http://boulderneurofeedback.com/about/) on Sat., March 20th 10a– 1p, "THE EXTRAORDINARY BRAIN! DYNAMIC ON THE TURN OF A DIME, OR NEUROPLASTICITY EXPLAINED"
Here are three sample questions from the longer Brain Awareness Quiz:
TRUE OR FALSE:
1. Dyslexia is a permanent diagnosis and cannot be cured.
2. IQ is a stagnant number and cannot change.
3. Most people hit their mental peak at age 22.
For answers to these three questions and to try the complete quiz, visit the Brain Awareness page on www.LearningRx.com. The answers to the 10-question quiz provide research-rich explanations and proof about how brain-training programs are literally changing lives. Perhaps most impressive, considering the number of children diagnosed with ADHD: With the right program, most children who have been labeled as having ADDH can improve from three to five grade levels and about half no longer require medications.
To learn more about Brain Awareness Month, brain-training, cognitive skills, ADHD, dyslexia, autism or age-related cognitive decline, or to sign up for a Cognitive Skills Evaluation appointment, contact Christina Sevilla at LearningRx, Denver, at (303) 284-6105 or christina(at)learningrx(dot)net.
About LearningRx
LearningRx specializes in identifying and correcting the underlying cognitive skill deficiencies that keep people from achieving their full potential in school, business or life. The program was pioneered by Dr. Ken Gibson and refined over a decade of research and testing. Using a comprehensive skills assessment test and intensive one-on-one training, certified trainers quickly and effectively enhance weak cognitive skills such as attention, memory, processing speed, and problem solving. Students completing the program usually see three to four years of improvement in as little as 12 to 24 weeks and benefit from improved confidence, self-esteem and overall achievement. The company guarantees improvement for all people with deficiencies who complete the training. To learn more about LearningRx, visit www.learningrx.com.
The free quiz is designed to help raise awareness about the brain's remarkable ability to change, how most learning disabilities like dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) do not have to be lifelong labels, and why tutoring, accommodations and/or medications are usually not the best option for children who struggle in school.
"Until the 1990s, scientists believed the brain was stagnant," explains Christina Sevilla of LearningRx, Denver. "We now know that the brain is capable of change at any age, and that intensive one-on-one cognitive skills training can treat the root cause of learning struggles like ADHD, dyslexia or memory issues. It's also good news for anyone who wants to strengthen their cognitive skills, increase their IQ, and become a better learner – whether they're six or 106 years old. Cognitive skills training does for the brain what physical exercise does for the body."
Examples of the amazing brain, and our knowledge of it, are everywhere today, whether with 2010 USA Olympic Team Snowboarder hopeful Kevin Pearce recovering from a fall and brain injury prior to the Games, to new research from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on general intelligence that show that “the connections between very specific areas of the brain determine intelligence and how well someone does in life.” (Health Day News, Friday, Feb. 26.)
In addition to the quiz (below), the new Learning RX Denver is offering for the month of March:
• Free tips on games and other at-home play for “Brain-Training”
• A thorough “Cognitive Skills Evaluation” for $19.95 (usually $200), for anyone.
Brain Awareness Day activities, open house, and speaker David Delaney, MA, CAR, LPC (http://boulderneurofeedback.com/about/) on Sat., March 20th 10a– 1p, "THE EXTRAORDINARY BRAIN! DYNAMIC ON THE TURN OF A DIME, OR NEUROPLASTICITY EXPLAINED"
Here are three sample questions from the longer Brain Awareness Quiz:
TRUE OR FALSE:
1. Dyslexia is a permanent diagnosis and cannot be cured.
2. IQ is a stagnant number and cannot change.
3. Most people hit their mental peak at age 22.
For answers to these three questions and to try the complete quiz, visit the Brain Awareness page on www.LearningRx.com. The answers to the 10-question quiz provide research-rich explanations and proof about how brain-training programs are literally changing lives. Perhaps most impressive, considering the number of children diagnosed with ADHD: With the right program, most children who have been labeled as having ADDH can improve from three to five grade levels and about half no longer require medications.
To learn more about Brain Awareness Month, brain-training, cognitive skills, ADHD, dyslexia, autism or age-related cognitive decline, or to sign up for a Cognitive Skills Evaluation appointment, contact Christina Sevilla at LearningRx, Denver, at (303) 284-6105 or christina(at)learningrx(dot)net.
About LearningRx
LearningRx specializes in identifying and correcting the underlying cognitive skill deficiencies that keep people from achieving their full potential in school, business or life. The program was pioneered by Dr. Ken Gibson and refined over a decade of research and testing. Using a comprehensive skills assessment test and intensive one-on-one training, certified trainers quickly and effectively enhance weak cognitive skills such as attention, memory, processing speed, and problem solving. Students completing the program usually see three to four years of improvement in as little as 12 to 24 weeks and benefit from improved confidence, self-esteem and overall achievement. The company guarantees improvement for all people with deficiencies who complete the training. To learn more about LearningRx, visit www.learningrx.com.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
April 2 is World Autism Day
For the one in 94 New Jersey families whose children struggle with autism spectrum disorders (http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org), finding financial help for ABA and other therapies is often a struggle. World Autism Awareness Day, taking place April 2, will draw attention to the growing worldwide problem of autism, says Linda Lajterman, founder of Crossroads for Growth, Inc. (http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org), but few people realize that New Jersey has the highest rate of autism in the United States.
Of the millions of dollars that go to autism causes, most is used for research; very little goes to the families living with it now. Lajterman, a Registered Nurse and Certified Disability Management Specialist, founded Crossroads for Growth, Inc., a non-sectarian, non-profit organization to provide relief to New Jersey’s economically-challenged families and to help them receive therapeutic services for children with autism.
“Families struggle to obtain the necessary services for their autistic children and are constantly fighting with schools for proper placement and home programs,” Lajterman says. “Many generous individuals donate to autism causes, but most are likely unaware of how little of their money goes to help families. Though the funding need for autism research is vital, donors should be able to choose where their dollars will go: research for the future, or help for the families who need it now.”
Recent state legislation will soon make it possible for New Jersey parents to receive insurance coverage to help with the cost of therapy for their autistic children, but those treatments are expensive, and there is a cap on that coverage. Current standards of treatment recommend at least 25 hours of intensive one-to-one therapy – much more than schools can provide, and much more than insurance will cover. In addition, recent government spending cuts to the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities are putting a strain on other programs that parents have relied upon for even a small degree of financial help.
In addition to ABA therapy, Crossroads for Growth, Inc. provides professional care management, a collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors and evaluates the options and services required to meet the client’s health and human services needs. “We only provide services that are science-based — ABA therapy (http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org/services.html) is our main service, although we offer a full spectrum of behavioral assessments and plan implementation,” Lajterman says. ABA is Applied Behavior Analysis, a technique which aims to improve socially important behaviors by using interventions based on principles of learning theory.
Despite operating on a limited budget, Crossroads for Growth, Inc. has helped several deserving families, like those of Araina Streeter-Colbert and Denise Diese, whose testimonials (http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org/testimonials.html) are featured on the Crossroads for Growth Web site.
Though Lajterman says the group is often passed over for grants and donations, she remains undaunted. “The CDC estimates the lifetime care of an autistic individual will cost 3.2 million dollars,” she says. “We need to do everything we can to help families find the care their children need and deserve right now.”
For more information about Crossroads for Growth, Inc., or to donate online, visit http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org.
Of the millions of dollars that go to autism causes, most is used for research; very little goes to the families living with it now. Lajterman, a Registered Nurse and Certified Disability Management Specialist, founded Crossroads for Growth, Inc., a non-sectarian, non-profit organization to provide relief to New Jersey’s economically-challenged families and to help them receive therapeutic services for children with autism.
“Families struggle to obtain the necessary services for their autistic children and are constantly fighting with schools for proper placement and home programs,” Lajterman says. “Many generous individuals donate to autism causes, but most are likely unaware of how little of their money goes to help families. Though the funding need for autism research is vital, donors should be able to choose where their dollars will go: research for the future, or help for the families who need it now.”
Recent state legislation will soon make it possible for New Jersey parents to receive insurance coverage to help with the cost of therapy for their autistic children, but those treatments are expensive, and there is a cap on that coverage. Current standards of treatment recommend at least 25 hours of intensive one-to-one therapy – much more than schools can provide, and much more than insurance will cover. In addition, recent government spending cuts to the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities are putting a strain on other programs that parents have relied upon for even a small degree of financial help.
In addition to ABA therapy, Crossroads for Growth, Inc. provides professional care management, a collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors and evaluates the options and services required to meet the client’s health and human services needs. “We only provide services that are science-based — ABA therapy (http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org/services.html) is our main service, although we offer a full spectrum of behavioral assessments and plan implementation,” Lajterman says. ABA is Applied Behavior Analysis, a technique which aims to improve socially important behaviors by using interventions based on principles of learning theory.
Despite operating on a limited budget, Crossroads for Growth, Inc. has helped several deserving families, like those of Araina Streeter-Colbert and Denise Diese, whose testimonials (http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org/testimonials.html) are featured on the Crossroads for Growth Web site.
Though Lajterman says the group is often passed over for grants and donations, she remains undaunted. “The CDC estimates the lifetime care of an autistic individual will cost 3.2 million dollars,” she says. “We need to do everything we can to help families find the care their children need and deserve right now.”
For more information about Crossroads for Growth, Inc., or to donate online, visit http://www.crossroadsforgrowth.org.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Get Your Facts Straight About Your Food
Hungry for answers about where your food, fiber and some renewable fuels come from? Do you feel unsure about modern, U.S. agriculture or have “agricultural angst?” The United Soybean Board would like to point you in the direction of a new resource that may help put some of your questions to bed.
BestFoodFacts.org (http://bestfoodfacts.org/prod/), developed by the Center for Food Integrity (http://www.foodintegrity.org/), hosts a venue for experts from universities across the country to weigh in on what’s true, plausible, unknown, misguided or just plain false.
Some topics being discussed now include:
- Technology’s role in feeding the expanding global population
- Animal welfare on modern farms
- The price of food around the world
- Truths about organic and non-organic food
Get the answers to these questions or submit your own right now by going here (http://bestfoodfacts.org/prod/). To stay up-to-date on topics such as biotechnology, food supply, sustainability and animal agriculture, follow the United Soybean Board on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
About the United Soybean Board
The United Soybean Board represents a group of volunteer farmer-leaders administering a U.S. soy research and promotion program known most commonly as the “soybean checkoff.” Through the soybean chcekoff, U.S. soybean farmers invest a portion of their sales in research and promotion to provide food, feed fuel and fiber to the world. By building demand for such things as biodiesel, soybean meal, soybean oil, soy exports and more, the soybean checkoff helps ensure a profitable future for all American soybean farmers. On the Web:
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