Nurse hopes to have world's first baby from a transplant womb donated by her own MOTHER

An intensive care nurse is so desperate to have a baby she has decided to undergo a womb transplant from her own mother. 

It means that should the operation be successful her child would be born from the same uterus from which she herself was born.

Melinda Arnold, 34, from Melbourne in Australia, was born without a womb but has ovaries that produce eggs. 

Her mother's age has not been disclosed, however she would only be accepted as a viable womb donor if she was pre-menopausal. The average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 52. Melinda and her husband Andrew were devastated after two attempts to use her mother as a surrogate and one attempt using a friend failed. 

They said attempts to have an interstate adoption had also come to nothing. 'Becoming a mother is something that has always been in me,' Mrs Arnold told the Herald Sun. 'It is ingrained in me. It is who I am. 

That's why I have gone into the work I have, as a neonatal intensive care nurse, so I could channel that passion into helping other mothers and their babies.' Now her own mother Denise Allen, says she is prepared to go under the knife to give her daughter one more chance. 

'People looking at her (Melinda) would never know the heartache that she carries about, but I see the chink,' Ms Allen told the Australian Sunday Telegraph. 'I also know that if anyone can do this, my daughter can.

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Posted in: health tip for women,Woman with monuopause expecting baby

Garra rufa fish can spread HIV

Health authorities in Britain are afraid that trendy pedicures in which fish are used can spread HIV and hepatitis C.

UK tabloid The Sun reported that the country's Health Protection Agency said risks from the treatment in which fish nibble the client's feet "could not be excluded".

And it said that people with illnesses such as diabetes or psoriasis, or those with a weakened immune system, were especially vulnerable and should not indulge in the latest pampering craze.

Infections and bacteria might be passed on by the tiny garra rufa fish or through water used in the pedicure of a previous client.

Blood-borne viruses could be transmitted if an infected client bled in spa water that was re-used.

The report conceded that the risk was "extremely low".

An agency spokesman said: "We have issued this guidance because there is a growing number of these spas.

"When the correct hygiene procedures are followed, the risk of infection is low.

"However, there is still a risk of transmission of a number of infections, including viruses such as HIV and hepatitis."

Some parts of the US and Canada have banned fish pedicures.

Equipment cannot be sterilised because this would kill the fish.

After a six-month review, the agency said in its report that pedicure salons must follow "strict standards of cleanliness" and ensure that fresh water is used for each client.

They should also check customers for health conditions that might make them vulnerable to infection, and for cuts and grazes.

Hundreds of beauty salons, malls, hairdressers and fashion shops offer the treatment, which celebrities have been spotted enjoying.

A spokesman for HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust told the tabloid: "The risk of picking up infections is minimal but people must be careful about where they choose to go for a pedicure." - Staff reporter

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Posted in: Gara rufa fish news,HIV infections

Vitamins linked with higher death risk in older women

When it comes to vitamins, it appears you could have too much of a good thing, say researchers who report a link between their use and higher death rates among older women.

Experts have suspected for some time that supplements may only be beneficial if a person is deficient in a nutrient. 

And excess may even harm, as the study in Archives of Internal Medicine finds. All of the women, in their 50s and 60s, were generally well nourished yet many had decided to take supplements. 

Multivitamins, folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron in particular appeared to increase mortality risk. The researchers believe consumers are buying supplements with no evidence that they will provide any benefit.

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Posted in: health gist,health tip for women,vitamin pills unhealthy for wom,vitamins gist

Children of mothers who don't take folic acid ‘more likely to have severe language delays’

Women who fail to take folic acid in early pregnancy could be threatening their child's ability to speak according to scientists. A study has revealed that mothers who don't take the vitamin supplement are twice as likely to have children with severe speech delays. 

Experts at Columbia University in New York, say that the results highlight the health benefits of folic acid which is already known to reduce the risk of certain types of birth defects. 

Around 40,000 Norwegian women were questioned during the first stage of pregnancy on what supplements they were taking four weeks before and eight weeks after conception. 

Three years later researchers revisited the women investigating their children's language skills, including how many words they could string together in a phrase. Toddlers who could only say one word at a time or who had 'unintelligible utterances' were considered to have severe language delay. 

The scientists found four out of 1,000 children born to women who took folic acid had severe language delays. However, this rose to nine out of 1,000 children if the mothers hadn't taken folic acid. Folic acid has been linked to aiding language development 'What you do during pregnancy... is not only important for birth but also for subsequent development.' 

The pattern remained after Dr Susser's team took into account other detrimental factors, such as a mother's weight and education, and her marital status. They wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association that the study can't prove that folic acid, itself, prevents language delay and more research is needed. 

Usha Ramakrishnan, a maternal and child nutrition researcher from Emory University in Atlanta who wasn't involved in the study said: 'Clearly it plays a role in development that starts very early in pregnancy. 'I think this adds to what's already known about the benefits of folic acid.'

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Posted in: childrens health,mothers should take more folic acid for children longuage

Want to cure that snack habit? Eat more protein as too little makes you hungry

Too little protein in your diet makes you feel hungry and reach for fattening snacks, an international study shows. Eating more than the average amount of foods such as meat, fish, eggs and nuts can stop you gaining two pounds a month. Researchers found that those whose meals were ten per cent protein consumed 260 more calories a day than those on 15 per cent protein. 

 Not only did they eat more but 70 per cent of the extra calories they ate were between snacks between meals rather than at mealtimes. Raising consumption to 25 per cent – as advocated by the Atkins Diet – was no extra help in halting over-eating.

An average British adult eats around 12 per cent protein, but for many people this has gone down as a result of diluting their protein intake with lots of carbohydrates from processed foods.

The researchers from Cambridge University and the University of Sydney recruited 22 volunteer, all of a healthy weight and aged between 18 and 51, to live and eat in a science facility.

While the foods looked the same, they had different protein levels. Typical meals were a savoury muffin for breakfast, and tuna bake with salad for lunch and beef pasty or spaghetti bolognaise with vegetables and a dessert for dinner. 

The amount of fat remained constant at 30 per cent of the total calories in a meal but the carbohydrate was adjusted to either 45, 50 or 60 per cent of the meal. 

Volunteers all took the same amount of exercise – a one-hour supervised walk per day – and did the same activities to avoid them eating out of boredom or stress. People who consumed ten per cent protein a day ate on average an extra 1,036 calories over a four-day period compared with those who ate a 15 per cent protein diet. 

Over a year that would be enough to gain two stone. Each was asked to rate how hungry they felt at one-hour intervals and those who ate 15 per cent protein felt fuller two hours after a meal than those on the 10 per cent protein diet while at 25 per cent the difference was no higher.

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Posted in: health gist,more protein can cure snakes habit

Asthma inhalers to be banned by year's end for allegedly disrupting ozone layer

Asthma sufferers who use inexpensive, over-the-counter Primatene Mist (PM) inhalers will no longer be able to obtain them beginning in 2012, thanks to a phase-out of the product initiated by the Obama administration. 

In accordance with the Montreal protocols adopted during the Bush administration, products that emit chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which include PM inhalers, are an alleged threat to the ozone layer, and are thus being withdrawn from use. 

The decision is a curious one, though, as the Obama administration recently denied a new US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) smog rule that was allegedly designed to cut emissions and protect the ozone layer. Surely millions of vehicles produce more ozone-destroying pollution than those tiny inhalers do, right? 

Nevertheless, the Obama administration is moving forward with the inhaler ban, which will send thousands of asthma patients using epinephrine inhalers to the pharmacist counter to purchase more-expensive, prescription-only albuterol inhalers, which can cost up to three times more and are not necessarily as effective. 

We at NaturalNews do not necessarily endorse either type of inhaler, since the chemicals inside them can cause respiratory illness and other health problems in those that use them (http://www.naturalnews.com/020318.html). The simple fact of the matter is that a common medicine is being banned, not because it is harmful to human health, but because it is supposedly harmful to the environment. 

The minute amount of CFCs emitted by epinephrine inhalers is nothing compared to the massive amount of other pollutants permitted to freely plague the environment -- toxic waste from pharmaceutical plants, fluoride chemicals dumped in water, and the millions of tons of aerosol chemicals sprayed in skies by aircraft to allegedly "prevent global warming" are just a few examples. 

And yet the Obama administration is targeting a simple inhaler for extinction, which conveniently leaves several million asthma sufferers with no choice but to buy high-priced alternatives that require a trip to the doctor first in order to get a prescription. The good news, though, is that there are ways to treat asthma naturally without the use of any inhaler. For some, simply drinking more water is enough to "cure" the disease, as respiratory inflammation is often caused by a lack of hydration

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Posted in: Asthma gist,health gist,inhaler to be banned

Swimming Pool Chemicals Cause Thousands of Injuries: CDC

More than 28,000 cases of injury and illness caused by swimming pool chemicals are estimated to have occurred in the United States between 2002 and 2008, according to a new federal study. 

Most of the cases occurred at private homes, and the most common problems were respiratory symptoms and eye and skin injuries, the researchers said. 

The findings are based on projections from a nationally representative sample of hospital emergency rooms and a state-based injury and illness surveillance system, the researchers said. 

They noted that people can suffer injury or illness when pool disinfectants and other chemicals are used or stored improperly, and when they are handled or applied by untrained people or those who don’t use appropriate personal protective equipment. 

Factors that led to injury and illness included lack of proper training and supervision, spills/splashes of chemicals, and mixing incompatible pool products. The researchers outlined a number of ways to prevent pool chemical-related injuries and illness. 

They include: better chemical handling practices; pool chemical container and label redesign; and engineering controls, such as installing devices at pools to prevent the mixing of incompatible pool products.

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Posted in: health gist,swimming pool chemical may cause heat damage

Red Wine May Get Thumbs up for Br*ast Cancer

The latest research conducted jointly by Italian researchers collaborating with the Americans indicating that Resveratrol blocks estrogen receptors that make br*ast cancer grow, is perhaps the first study to claim positive effects of red wine against cancer but it must not make women to rush to the nearby wine bar yet, warns Subhash Arora.

The finding of the study published in the October, 2011 edition of the FASEB Journal is important for women whose br*ast cancer becomes resistant to hormonal therapy.

For the study, the scientists tested the effect of the red wine ingredient Resveratrol in br*ast cancer cell lines in the laboratory. They compared the resveratrol treated cells to those left untreated, finding drastic reductions of estrogen receptors that they also discovered was a direct result of the red wine ingredient.

The br*ast cancer cells showed significantly slower growth compared to the cells left untreated.

"Resveratrol is a potential pharmacological tool to be exploited when br*ast cancer become resistant to the hormonal therapy," said Sebastiano Andò, a researcher involved in the work from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Calabria in Italy.

However, Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal warns that women shouldn’t take resveratrol supplements or start drinking red wine to treat br*ast cancer, according to examiner.com.

According to the American Cancer Society, even one drink per day increases the risk of br*ast cancer and the risk gets bigger with more drinks. According to the editorial message of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, "from a standpoint of cancer risk, the message could not be clearer. There is no level of alcohol consumption that can be considered safe."

The research though encouraging, must be treated with caution and as academic for the time being, according to delWine. The researchers did not study the effects of red wine, but rather the effects of one chemical in a test tube. A lot more studies are needed before one gives any medical opinion

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Posted in: br*ast cancer tip.,health gist,red wine news

Types Of Cancer: Symptoms And Management

Globally, the month of October is used to create awareness on br*ast cancer. According to estimates, over 1.38 million new br*ast cancer cases are diagnosed annually with 458, 367 deaths worldwide annually. One of the keys for treating br*ast cancer is catching it very early on, experts say. 

This month aims to promote women’s awareness of the disease and encourage mammogram screening which has become much more accurate at detecting early states of the disease. Many non-governmental organisations and the Federal Ministry of Health are of the opinion that the fight against br*ast cancer should be taken to the public at large. 

Events are held around the country in October, including walks and other fund-raising activities, that not only promote br*ast cancer awareness but also seek to raise money to provide all women access to healthcare and br*ast screening. The issue is certainly worth paying attention to, with figures showing alarming rate of a million new cases of invasive br*ast cancer this year with approximately 20% dying from the disease, it is not to be taken lightly. 

Br*ast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and surprisingly, it can also occur in men, though the number of cases is well under one percent and less than 500 males will die from the disease in 2011. Apart from having regular screenings and being generally aware of br*ast health, other factors that women should be aware of include:

Post menopausal

weight gain

Family history of the disease

Getting yearly mammograms after the age of 40 Arguments that are commonly heard include ideas that people rather wouldn’t know if they have cancer so avoid screenings, as well as not bothering because they feel healthy. 

Two aspects that women should be aware of is the possibility to make regular self examinations once a month, and on a positive note, being clear that br*ast cancer survival rates are improving both from more cases being caught early on and treatments and technologies becoming more advanced. Br*ast cancer survivors generally have a good quality of post-treatment life and many go on to live happy and healthy lives, having overcome the disease. 

 Having this kind of information made clear is one of the primary goals of Br*ast Cancer Awareness Month. However, the four most common cancers are: Br*ast Cancer, Colon Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer . Cancer is a broad term that encompasses over one hundred different types of cancer. Although each type has its own set of characteristics, there are some cancer symptoms that occur in many types of cancer. 

It is important to note that some types of cancer do not present any symptoms until they are in advanced stages. This is why cancer screening and risk assessment are vital for cancer prevention and early detection, medical journals said. For most people with cancer, a persistent symptom is what prompted them to seek medical attention that eventually led to a cancer diagnosis. 

A 47-year-old Anayo Okechukwu, said he had severe drenching night sweats, severe heartburn, and a severe host of pains in the stomach, lower back pain, shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing sometimes, and a drastic weight loss. Currently living with liver cancer, Andrew presented with a noggin on his thyroid with a tumor that is growing and spreading. “So my symptoms were real,” he says, “I’m sad and I’m not afraid. I only feel afraid for my children ages 17, 15, 16 and 11. They will need me and I fear what they will fear or go through. I’m tired. 

I just want to make sure that I’m comfortable. No more pain” he says. Another victim who refused his name on print, said, “I have had soft tissue sarcoma since age 21. It has been removed five times but spread to my liver five years ago. I have been having bad back, chest and hip pain. I have lumps and bumps all over. I feel tired all the time, and I can’t handle any weight on my body at all. The hip pain causes me to not be able to sleep well, hurts to have s*xual intercourse. In fact, I hurt every day. 

Five years ago, I was diagnosed stage four but have always been told they don’t know the primary source. I am hurting alone and scared to death” A medical expert, Dr Okunoghae Imafidon, offers hope and succor to the sufferers of cancers, saying, “There is life after death. If you or your family are struggling with the possibilities of having cancer, stay positive and exercise, even more importantly read God’s Word. The Bible says it will give strength to thy navel and marrow to thy bones. 

Read the book of Psalms and Romans. He is the only one who gives true peace” Musa Abu tells his own story. “I am a smoker of about 30 cigarettes a day, and have been smoking for a good 25 years, I am a female. I always feel extremely exhausted, although my line of work is very physical. Of late I have developed a pain in my chest, not serious but it is always there. My legs are aching in and behind the joints, especially when I have been lying down or sitting and I get up, and I suffer from very bad headaches on a daily basis. 

A friend of mine passed away last year with pancreatic cancer and one of her symptoms was the sore legs, do you think I need to be checked?” For ovarian cancer, it is always characterized with abnormal bleeding, according to doctors. Mrs Victoria narrates her experience, “I did not know I had gone through the menopause. I still thought I was having periods when in fact I had womb cancer. 

I am due to have my womb removed. Apart from the bleeding, which still occurred roughly monthly, I felt a little tired, so I thought that at 59, I may have made medical history by being one of the oldest menstruating women because of the way the bleeding was occurring, monthly. But no, I did get a very nasty shock after having a biopsy and within one month of seeing my doctor and having my hospital tests, I had my operation in five days time. 

I will not deny I am a little frightened, but fingers crossed that it is contained in the lining of my womb” Another says, “It turns out that I have small-cell cancer in the lung and liver. It is spreading fast. There is little they can do to slow it down, and there is no stopping it at all. I am terminally ill. By the time I found it out, I was a stage 4.” Also, cancer knows no age barrier as a student laments his fate “I have had a sinus infection for four months now. 

It never gets better and every doctor I have seen just prescribes antibiotics that never seem to help. Now I’m having pain in my left side in and under my ribs, I always feel like I’ve eaten a truck load of food, fatigue, I’m impossibly cold all the time, my glands in my neck are always swollen and sometimes hurt so bad that my teeth ache and I’m having my period every two weeks. 

I also have a rash that doesn’t itch or hurt on my arms and legs. I can’t seem to get any doctor to want to find out what is causing all this. They just throw antibiotics at me and send me on my way. Nobody believes me because I’m young and supposed to be healthy but clearly I’m not. Not even my roommate believes me and he’s been present for all of this stuff. I am so aggravated and worried about myself. How do I get them to listen?” Speaking on the early symptoms of lung cancer. Okunoghae says, “We know that the survival rate from lung cancer is better the earlier it is caught. 

The 60% to 80% 5-year survival rate with stage 1 lung cancer drops to a saddening 10% with stage 4 diseases, yet nearly half of people has progressed to this advanced stage at the time of diagnosis.” Significantly, he said one should keep in mind that understanding the early symptoms of lung cancer is important for non-smokers as well as smokers. According to World Health Organisation estimates, currently, 50 per cent of people who develop lung cancer are former smokers, and 15 per cent have never smoked. 

Many people dismiss or adapt to a chronic cough, attributing it to something else. Perhaps it is allergies, a “leftover” cough following a cold, or dry air during the winter months. But, the Oncologist noted that a cough that lasts more than a few weeks can be a sign of something else. “A chronic cough as an early symptom of lung cancer is even easier to miss if you have a condition that predisposes you to coughing, such as asthma, COPD, allergies, or gastroesophageal reflux. 

Coughing up blood (hemoptysis) is a common symptom of lung cancer, but can be fairly subtle and you may notice only a small amount of blood tinged phlegm when you cough. If you experience a persistent cough, check with your doctor, and ask for a second opinion if you don’t get a clear answer.”

There are four standard methods of treatment for cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and biologic therapy. Clinical trials may be an option for some as cancer treatment who meet certain study criteria. 

When initially diagnosed with cancer, a cancer specialist, an oncologist, will provide you with the cancer treatment options. He or she will recommend the best treatment plan based on your type of cancer, how far it has spread, and other important factors like your age and general health. Ultimately, you are the one who makes your treatment decisions based on your doctor’s recommendations, possible second opinions, and other information gathered from qualified professionals. 

Surgery: Surgery can be used to prevent, treat, stage (determine how advanced the cancer is), and diagnose cancer. In relation to cancer treatment, surgery is done to remove tumors or as much of the cancerous tissue as possible. It is often performed in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. For those whose cancer is not treatable, palliative surgery may be an option to relieve pain that may be caused by the cancer. Palliative surgery is not intended to treat or cure the cancer, or even to prolong life, but more to lessen discomfort. 

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to eliminate cancer cells. Unlike surgery, chemotherapy affects the entire body, not just a specific part. It works by targeting rapidly multiplying cancer cells. Unfortunately, other types of cells in our bodies also multiply at high rates, like hair follicle cells and the cells that line our stomachs. This is why chemo can cause side effects like hair loss and an upset stomach. 

Chemotherapy is most commonly given by pill or intravenously (IV), but can be given in other ways. A single type of chemotherapy, or a combination of drugs, may be prescribed for a specific length of time. Like surgery, chemotherapy can be prescribed alone, in conjunction with radiation therapy or biologic therapy. 

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy uses certain types of energy to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. It works by damaging a cancer cell’s DNA, making it unable to multiply. Cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated. Nearby healthy cells can be damaged as well, but are resilient and are able to fully recover.

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Posted in: br*ast cancer tip.,cancer news,health gist,type and syptoms of cancers

Piles Information

Piles, also known as hemorrhoids, can be described as the swelling and inflammation of veins in the rectum and anus. There are two types of piles - internal and external. 

When struck externally, piles cause a lot of pain, but no bleeding. However, in case of internal piles, there is no pain, but a discharge of dark blood.

Hemorrhoids are usually not dangerous or life threatening and in most of the cases, its symptoms will go away within a few days. To get information on the causes and symptoms of piles, go through the following lines.

Causes Of Piles 

.Chronic constipation 

.Bowel disorders 

.Prolonged periods of standing or sitting 

.Obesity 

.General weakness of the body tissues 

.Mental tension 

.Heredity factors 

.Dysentery 

.Hormonal changes during pregnancy 

.Strenuous physical exercise

.Prostate problems in older men 

.Straining, to empty the bowels 

.Eating a low-fiber diet 

.Chronic diarrhea 

.Cancer or growths in pelvis or bowel, which puts pressure on abdomen 

 Symptoms Of Piles 

.Pain or irritation while passing stools 

.Bleeding

.Slight bleeding, in case of internal trouble 

.Feeling of soreness

.Irritation after passing a stool

.Itching 

.Discomfort 

.Pain in the rectal region 

.Lump on the anus 

.Pain and discomfort after you opening the bowels 

.Slimy discharge of mucus 

.Feeling that the bowels haven't emptied completely 

.Soiled undergarments 

.Swelling protruding from the anus 

.Frequent urge for evacuation 

.Loss of appetite 

.Yellowish face, due to extensive bleeding 

.Heaviness at the opening of anus

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Posted in: health gist,pile gist

'Belly Fat' Linked to Development of Asthma, Study Finds

The findings, presented at the European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Amsterdam, have shown central obesity as a risk factor for the disease.

Excess abdominal fat has been linked with a number of health effects, such as diabetes and heart disease, but there has been little focus on its link with lung disease.

Previous studies have found a link between asthma and body mass index (BMI), which is a marker for overall obesity. This new study looked at waist circumference, which is a marker for central obesity, to see whether this form of obesity could also contribute to asthma risk.

The research is one of the first prospective studies to investigate the individual and combined effect of central and overall obesity on incident asthma in adults. Researchers followed 23,245 adults without asthma, aged 19-55 years from the second Norwegian Nord-Trondelag Health Study (HUNT), for 11 years.

The participants had their BMI measured along with their waist circumference to test overall obesity and central obesity, respectively. They were also asked to report incidence of asthma. The results showed that people who were centrally obese but not overall obese were 1.44-times more likely to develop asthma.

Additionally, people who were both centrally obese and obese overall were 1.81-times more likely to develop asthma. Ben Brumpton, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said: "Asthma can affect people of all sizes, but our study has highlighted both the individual and combined effect of central obesity and overall obesity on asthma development.

Both these measures have an individual impact on asthma and an additive effect when they are combined. It is not yet clear why this association exists. Central obesity is closely associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. These factors may play important roles concerning central obesity-related asthma. We will evaluate the effects of these factors on the development of asthma in future studies.

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Posted in: Asthma gist,fat belly to develop asthma,health gist

Steve Jobs Had Pancreatic Cancer: Warning Signs You Need To Know

As the world says good-bye to Apple CEO and visionary, Steve Jobs, the news of his death at the early age of 56 could be a wake-up call to us. Jobs had pancreatic cancer–a silent and often deadly disease that he had battled since 2004. And even with its high mortality rate, little is known about this type of cancer and how to catch it or prevent it.

Let’s start with the facts: Pancreatic cancer is one of the fastest spreading and deadliest cancers, and often goes undiagnosed until it’s too late. Only about 4% of patients survive five years after their diagnosis, and those with an advanced stage usually die within three to six months. In addition, roughly 44,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, and 37,000 people die of the disease, including the late Patrick Swayze who only lived for 20 months after his diagnosis.

All of this can be scary, especially considering the fact that there are often no warning signs until it’s too late and no screening diagnosis test available yet. But according to Dr. Oz, there are a few symptoms to be aware of, including:

1. Upper abdominal pain. If there is an unusual pain in your core, especially if it radiates to the back, that should be a red flag to see your physician.

2. Jaundice. This can be a sign that your liver is failing because the cancer has spread to other organs.

3. Pale Stools. If there is no bile in your stools, they will be a pale beige color, which is another sign that your organs are under attack.

4. Dark Urine. When your urine turns a tea color and progresses to a cola color, this means the bile couldn’t come out through your stool so it comes out through your kidneys, the browner it gets the more blocked off you are.

According to Time magazine, Jobs’ cancer was extremely aggressive, and his liver transplant was only making things more difficult. “He not only had cancer, he was battling the immune suppression after the liver transplant,” Dr. Timothy Donahue of the UCLA Center for Pancreatic Disease in Los Angeles, who had not treated Jobs, told MSNBC.com. He also said that most patients who receive liver transplants survive just two years afterward.

While Jobs was fairly private and secretive about his disease and treatment, he reportedly did not undergo chemo, but was said to have tried certain alternative therapies including dietary changes and a radiation-based hormone treatment.

Until more is known about pancreatic cancer, it’s best, as always, to be aware of your body and get routine check-ups.

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Posted in: early detection advice,pancreatic cancer tips,steve jobs death

Fair-skinned? You may need to pop vitamin D pills, say expert

Fair-skinned people who burn easily in the sun may need to take vitamin D supplements, according to research. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and people get most of what they need from exposure to sunlight during the summer months. 

NHS advice says that between April to October exposing your skin to the sun for around 15 minutes a day should be enough. But a new study funded by Cancer Research UK has found that people with very pale skin may not be able to spend long enough in the sun while also avoiding sunburn. It suggests that the increased risk of skin cancer from excessive sun exposure outweighs any vitamin D benefit for people who are fair-skinned.

The study, from the University of Leeds and published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control, suggests the optimal amount of vitamin D required by the body is at least 60nmol/L. Over-65s who take a daily aspirin are 'twice as likely to suffer age-related sight loss' Some studies have indicated that levels lower than this are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and poorer survival from br*ast cancer. 

Meanwhile, levels below 25nmol/L are linked to poor bone health. In the new study, people with fair skin did not, on average, reach 60nmol/L unless they were taking supplements, but they did reach above 25nmol/L. Researchers also found that sunlight and supplements are not the only factors that can determine the level of vitamin D in the human body.

Genetic differences in how the body processes vitamin D have a strong effect on vitamin D levels. The researchers also found that patients with melanoma skin cancer may need vitamin D supplements. Professor Julia Newton-Bishop, lead author of the study, said: 'Fair-skinned individuals who burn easily are not able to make enough vitamin D from sunlight and so may need to take vitamin D supplements. 

This should be considered for fair-skinned people living in a mild climate like the UK and melanoma patients in particular.' Experts analysed vitamin D levels for 1,203 people and found that around 732 had a sub-optimal level. Those with fair skin had significantly lower levels than others in the group.

Sara Hiom, director of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: 'We must be careful about raising the definition of deficiency or sufficiency to higher levels until we have more results from trials showing that maintaining such levels has clear health benefits and no health risks. 'If you are worried about your vitamin D levels, our advice is to go see your doctor

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Posted in: fair skinned may need more vitamin D,health gist

How iPads could help 'blind' children to see

Children living with severe vision problems could transform the way they communicate simply by using an iPad, researchers say. A team from the University of Kansas gave the tablet computers to a group of children with a cortical visual impairment (CVI). 

The severe neurological disorder results from brain damage which prevents them from interpreting visual information, making them essentially 'blind.' 'We tested 15 children and were absolutely shocked,' said lead researcher Muriel Saunders.

Every single child was enthralled with the iPad. Children that typically didn't look at people, didn't respond with objects or responded in a very repetitious fashion, were absolutely glued to the iPad. It was an amazing experience.' Professor Saunders, who works with children with CVI to help them develop language skills, said that traditionally such children work with therapists and parents using a light box.

This is because children with CVI have an easier time seeing lights and objects in high contrast. 'Someone with a severe CVI will spend a lot of time looking at lights,' Saunders said. With its bright screen, the iPad replicates a light box - but its interactivity, sound and color are a great deal more engaging to the children with CVI. 'We were using some very simple infant applications,' said Saunders.

One was called 'Baby Finger,' where you just touch the screen, and sounds and images and colored shapes appear on the white background. 'So, in many ways, it was similar to a light box except for instead of black and white, there were bright colors. We also looked at a Dr. Seuss book.' 

The man who changed the world: Apple founder Steve Jobs, 56, dies weeks after quitting as boss of firm he started in his garage What financial crisis? 1,200 pupils given free iPad 2s as their secondary school spends £500,000 Word of the device's promise had begun to spread among parents of children with CVI online, but no formal research has been conducted. 

Professor Saunders is now writing a grant proposal to the National Institutes of Health to conduct a thorough study. 'Using the iPad, not only can they interact with a screen, but we can teach them through a series of steps to control things on that screen,' the researcher said. 'There are so many apps already available; we don't have to go out and make our own apps. 

There are apps available to make a communication board. There are apps available that have different levels of difficulty. 'Parents of children with CVI are already learning that the iPad works well. There are blogs that say, "Look at that one! My child is responding to this app."' Early intervention in the lives of children living with CVI is not just crucial to their development; it also could help them to gain better vision as they grow.

Saunders said the iPad could be a crucial part of this life-changing therapy. 'With the proper intervention techniques, the amazing thing is that the child's brain grows the brain cells needed in the cerebral cortex,' she said. 'It grows the brain cells necessary to begin understanding what their eye is seeing. So they develop the ability to interpret images, sometimes just partially, sometimes fully.' Saunders is conducting the initial tests of the iPad in cooperation with the Junior Blind of America in Los Angeles.

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Posted in: childrens health,ipod gist,steve jobs gisthow ipad could help blind children see

Increased Fat in Children Raises Their Blood Pressure Risk

A study of 1,111 healthy Indiana school children over a period of 4.5 years revealed that when the children's body mass index (BMI) reached or passed the 85th percentile -- the beginning of the overweight category -- the adiposity effect on blood pressure was more than four times that of normal weight children. 

Adiposity is fat under the skin and surrounding major organs. The absolute value of BMI is not used to classify weight status in children, because change in BMI is normal and expected as children grow and develop. Instead, BMI percentiles are used which adjust for age and gender.

Researchers found when children reached categories of overweight or obese, the influence of adiposity on blood pressure increased. "Higher blood pressure in childhood sets the stage for high blood pressure in adulthood," said Wanzhu Tu, Ph.D., study lead author and Professor of Biostatistics at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana. "Targeted interventions are needed for these children.

Even small decreases in BMI could yield major health benefits." Among study participants, 14 percent of the blood pressure measurements from overweight/obese children were in prehypertensive or hypertensive levels, compared to 5 percent in normal weight children. Blood levels of leptin, a hormone in fat tissues, and heart rate had a similar pattern as blood pressure.

So leptin may have played a mediating role in obesity-induced blood pressure elevation, researchers said. The study reinforces the importance of separately considering overweight and obese children from those of normal weight; otherwise, the adiposity effect is overestimated in normal weight children and underestimated in overweight children. 

The adiposity effects on blood pressure in children are not as simple as we thought," Tu said. On average, children in the study underwent 8.2 assessments each, for a total of 9,102 semi-annual blood pressure and height/weight assessments to determine BMI. The average enrollment age was 10.2 years, with children stratified into 10 years and under, 11-14 and 15 and older. 

Children with BMI percentile values over 85 percent were considered overweight and those with BMI values over 95 percent were considered obese. "Important questions that remain unanswered are what makes the blood pressure go up when you have an increase in the BMI percentile and what mechanisms are involved in the process," Tu said. "This study wasn't set up to answer those questions.

Further study may determine how the increase in adiposity affects blood pressure and whether other factors such as leptin, insulin or inflammatory cytokines may play a role. Healthcare providers and parents should pay attention to children's weight, Tu said. "If they see a dramatic weight gain in a child who already is overweight, they need to intervene with behavioral measures, such as dietary changes and increased physical activity, to improve overall health and minimize cardiovascular risk.

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Posted in: increased in children fats may cause high blood pressure.,teens health news

Overweight Mothers Increase Asthma Risk for Their Children

Epidemiology & Community Health found that there was an increased risk of 20 to 30 per cent, compared with women who have a healthy pre-pregnancy weight Swatee Patel, Principal Lecturer in Statistics in the University of Greenwich's School of Health & Social Care, analysed data from almost 7,000 15 and 16-year-olds born in northern Finland. 

The study also suggested that the heavier the women, the greater the risk of wheezing and asthma-like symptoms. Those with a history of allergies also have a much higher risk of their children having chest problems. Swatee Patel says: "Our research has shown that overweight or obese women, who become pregnant are more likely to have children who suffer from asthma or wheeze in their teenage years.

The heaviest mothers were 47 per cent more likely to have children with severe wheezing compared to normal weight mothers. Our findings suggest that being overweight may interfere with normal fetal development as a result of disrupted metabolic or hormonal activity. This could partly contribute towards the rising rates of chronic asthma suffered by children.

These new findings add to a long list of damaging effects of obesity, not only in the mothers but in their children." The mothers were questioned when they were 12 weeks pregnant about their lifestyle, social background, and educational achievements. Medical data on height and weight before pregnancy was also examined.

The study was carried out with colleagues from Imperial College London, and institutions in Finland including the National Public Health Institute, University of Oulu and the University Hospital of Oulu.

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Posted in: Asthma gist,health gist,overweight mothers may increase asthma in children.

New Microbicide May Block AIDS Virus from Infecting Human Cells

Development and laboratory testing of the potential new microbicide to prevent human immunodeficiency virus infection is outlined in a study set for online publication in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. Despite years of research, there is only one effective microbicide to prevent s*xual transmission of HIV, which causes AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Microbicide development has focused on gels and other treatments that would be applied vaginally by women, particularly in Africa and other developing regions. To establish infection, HIV must first enter the cells of a host organism and then take control of the cells' replication machinery to make copies of itself. Those HIV copies in turn infect other cells. 

These two steps of the HIV life cycle, known as viral entry and viral replication, each provide a potential target for anti-AIDS medicines. "Most of the anti-HIV drugs in clinical trials target the machinery involved in viral replication," says the study's senior author, Patrick F. Kiser, associate professor of bioengineering and adjunct associate professor of pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Utah. "There is a gap in the HIV treatment pipeline for cost-effective and mass-producible viral entry inhibitors that can inactivate the virus before it has a chance to interact with target cells," he says.

Kiser conducted the study with Alamelu Mahalingham, a University of Utah graduate student in pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry; Anthony Geonnotti of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.; and Jan Balzarini of Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, and the Fund for Scientific Research, also in Belgium. Synthetic Lectins Inhibit HIV from Entering Cells Lectins are a group of molecules found throughout nature that interact and bind with specific sugars.

HIV is coated with sugars that help to hide it from the immune system. Previous research has shown that lectins derived from plants and bacteria inhibit the entry of HIV into cells by binding to sugars found on the envelope coating the virus. However, the cost of producing and purifying natural lectins is prohibitively high. So Kiser and his colleagues developed and evaluated the anti-HIV activity of synthetic lectins based on a compound called benzoboroxole, or BzB, which sticks to sugars found on the HIV envelope. Kiser and his colleagues found that these BzB-based lectins were capable of binding to sugar residues on HIV, but the bond was too weak to be useful.

To improve binding, they developed polymers of the synthetic lectins. The polymers are larger molecules made up of repeating subunits, which contained multiple BzB binding sites. The researchers discovered that increasing the number and density of BzB binding sites on the synthetic lectins made the substances better able to bind to the AIDS virus and thus have increased antiviral activity. "The polymers we made are so active against HIV that dissolving about one sugar cube's weight of the benzoboroxole polymer in a bath tub of water would be enough to inhibit HIV infection in cells," says Kiser.

Depending on the strain, HIV displays significant variations in its viral envelope, so it is important to evaluate the efficacy of any potential new treatment against many different HIV strains. Kiser and his colleagues found that their synthetic lectins not only showed similar activity across a broad spectrum of HIV strains, but also were specific to HIV and didn't affect other viruses with envelopes. The scientists also tested the anti-HIV activity of the synthetic lectins in the presence of fructose, a sugar present in semen, which could potentially compromise the activity of lectin-based drugs because it presents an alternative binding site.

However, the researchers found that the antiviral activity of the synthetic lectins was fully preserved in the presence of fructose. "The characteristics of an ideal anti-HIV microbicide include potency, broad-spectrum activity, selective inhibition, mass producibility and biocompatibility," says Kiser. "These benzoboroxole-based synthetic lectins seem to meet all of those criteria and present an affordable and scalable potential intervention for preventing s*xual transmission in regions where HIV is pandemic."

Kiser says future research will focus on evaluating the ability of synthetic lectins to prevent HIV transmission in tissues taken from the human body, with later testing in primates. Kiser and his colleagues are also developing a gel form of the polymers, which could be used as a topical treatment for preventing s*xual HIV transmission.

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Posted in: health gist,HIV infections,microbicide may prevent HIV