Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Work and Asbestos-Related Diseases, Part One

Symptoms of lung cancer, asbestosis or other asbestos related diseases may include chronic cough and hoarseness, wheezing, chest pain, weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, dysphonia, coughing up blood and shortness of breath. If you think that you may have an asbestos related disease because you were exposed to asbestos many years ago and you show any of the symptoms above mentioned, you should visit a specialist doctor to be explored by him and decide whether you need more exams or not.

Avoid Hospital Visits If You Have Had Diarrhea And Vomiting Symptoms During Last 48 Hours, Say Bristol Hospitals, England

Hospitals across Bristol are reminding people to avoid visiting if they have had symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting in the previous 48 hours. Over the past few weeks, cases of Norovirus - the winter vomiting virus - have increased in the community. Norovirus is brought into hospitals from the local community and is easily spread by contact with people suffering diarrhoea and vomiting who may have contaminated the environment. More at...

A novel, patented mosquito-killing technology developed by U.S. Army researchers under a long-term, joint-development agreement between the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research , the United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, and the U.S. More at...

While 78 percent of mothers in the United States consider influenza a severe and potentially life-threatening disease that can strike anyone, only half say it is likely their families will get vaccinated this season, according to a new survey from the American Lung Association. More at...

Forty-two leading U. S. scientists and specialists gathered at a November national forum to consider cutting-edge innovations that may defend America's public health and national economy from outbreaks of dangerous zoonotic diseases, the FAZD Center announced. Among those innovations: -- A "Doc in a Box" on every American kitchen table that detects highly contagious and dangerous zoonotic diseases in people before symptoms appear. More at...

Why are so many infectious diseases jumping from animals to humans? Why do we have so little capacity to predict epidemics, or avoid them? Some answers, and possible solutions, can be found in the first trench-to-bench guide to wild primate infectious diseases, published Nov. 17 in the Yearbook of Physical Anthropology. "There is growing awareness that the majority of emerging pathogens in the world are coming from wildlife. More at...

A new leaflet for patients has been unveiled by the Welsh Assembly Government to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics in Wales. It comes as a major new report from the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) shows that some infections are becoming more resistant to treatment - an issue faced by healthcare systems across the world. More at...

Elderly Cancer Survivors' Physical Function Improved By Home-Based Diet And Exercise Intervention

A home-based program to improve exercise and diet led to significant, clinically meaningful improvement in body weight and physical function among older long-term cancer survivors in preliminary findings from the RENEW (Reach-out to ENhancE Wellness) trial, according to Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's Department of Behavioral Science. Continue reading ...

According to new research published in the November issue of Archives of Surgery, women who live in wealthier communities with lower population densities and a larger proportion of college-educated individuals are more likely to have immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Every year in the Unites States, breast cancer affects 134 of every 100,000 women. Continue reading ...

A study of patients, at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, has shown that the decision to fund patient care depends more on where the patient lives, than the patient's health circumstances, raising public concern regarding a "postcode lottery" since each decision is made solely by the patients' local Primary Care Trust (PCT). The findings of this study are published in a letter to Clinical Oncology (http://www.elsevier. Continue reading ...

XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. (Nasdaq: XTLB; TASE: XTL) announced the top-line results from the Bicifadine Phase 2b clinical trial for the treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain. The trial's primary objective was to compare the efficacy of two doses of Bicifadine against placebo in reducing pain associated with diabetic neuropathy. The primary endpoint of the study was the reduction in pain score during the course of treatment. Continue reading ...

Cancer patients in Newcastle, NSW, have been taking part in a unique Australian trial to record levels of pain and distress using touchscreen technology. When out-patients see their doctor at Calvary Mater Newcastle, they use touchscreen computers to complete pain and distress "thermometers", as well as a brief psychological assessment. Continue reading ...

A new study provides the best evidence to date that a psychological intervention program designed for breast cancer patients not only improves their health - it actually increases their chance of survival. Researchers at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center found that patients participating in an intervention program reduced their risk of dying of breast cancer by 56 percent after an average of 11 years. Continue reading ...

Nicotinamide (VitB3), a vitamin found in common foods like meats, nuts, grains and cereals, may provide the next advance in skin cancer prevention, according to new research from the University of Sydney. Presenting the results of a trial to the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia's Annual Scientific Meeting today (19 Nov), Associate Professor Diona Damian said tests had shown the vitamin prevented damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation by protecting the immune system. Continue reading ...