Smoking and aneurysm

Researchers at Jefferson Hospital found that cigarette smokers who are treated for brain aneurysm with coils are more likely to develop another aneurysm. In coiling, a catheter is snaked to the affected artery in the brain, then tiny coils are placed in the aneurysm, and the body forms a blood clot around the coil, blocking the aneurysm. Smoking has been linked to an increased risk of brain aneurysm formation and growth. But even though it's the most preventable risk factor, over one-third of the patients studied continued to smoke after suffering an aneurysm.

Online drug alerts

Doctors may have the latest medical technology available, but until now, the way they received drug alerts was anything but advanced. The Health Care Notification network has started delivering drug safety alerts via email to physicians, a big improvement to the old system which was based on paper and the U.S. mail. The network is free to all licensed U.S. physicians and it's only for patient safety alerts, there's no advertising or promotion. It will help your doctor get important information to you faster.

Square-jaw myth

Forget what they say in Hollywood, the square-jawed look isn't more attractive to most people. Experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center looked at images of men and women over their lifetimes. They found that their lower jaws got wider as they aged.

Vascular graft

Heart bypass patients have veins harvested from other parts of the body to take the place of damaged heart arteries. For patients with poor alternative veins, research could provide a way to grow a healthy artery graft. Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have developed a biodegradable material that could be used as a starting point for vein re-growth. The electrospun material is shaped into a tube and implanted in the artery graft space. Then nature takes over, using the tube as a scaffold for healthy muscle cells.

TMJD & headaches

A study finds some headache pain isn't caused by tension, but by a jaw jam. University at Buffalo Dental Researchers examined patients with temporomandibular muscle and joint disorder, or TMJD. When manipulating the temporalis muscle, researchers could create tension-headache symptoms in over 80% (eighty-percent) Of the patients. The researchers are now developing a set of criteria to help differentiate between head pain caused by t-m-j-d and true headache pain.

Jet lag advice

Long-distance travel can interfere with your normal sleep schedule. To shed some light on the jetlag dilemma British Airways offers an online resource. The 'jet lag advisor' suggests times during the day when you should seek light and darkness. These recommendations help your circadian rhythms get on track with the new time-zone.

Heather Davis and her sister inherited beautiful genes, and one family flaw.

"We all have these tired eyes and I'm like, 'I'm 23! I still have a lot of life to live!" says Davis.

Heather opted for an injectable filler, but didn't have to imagine the results. She had a 'rehearsal' procedure a week before the real thing, using a temporary product.

"Which was really nice because then my nervousness was gone and I felt more comfortable about the procedure," says Davis.

Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Simon Ourian developed the idea of a 'dress rehearsal' while prepping patients for treatments.

"As I would inject numbing solution in people's face, I actually would hold the mirror and say, 'this is how things are going to look like,'" says Ourian.

Now, the pre-procedure rehearsal uses saline as the temporary filler.

"I can add volume to these areas. I can add a bit of volume to the lines, I can lift the skin, by just adding a little bit of the saline underneath the skin," says Ourian.

And for the doctor, the chance to give his patient a 3D view of the potential outcome is priceless.

"I have a clear image of how things are going to look like, but unless I could take a picture of my mind and show it to patients, this is as close as you can come to that situation," says Ourian.

And when doctor and patient see eye-to-eye, then the real procedure can meet the expectations of everyone.

"Then we can go back and use our real tools, which are injectables, lasers, and really as little cutting as possible, to create the look that you want," says Ourian.

The saline injections can last from a few hours to an entire day, long enough to give patients an idea of the results. Doctor's have talked to other cosmetic dermatologists about this dress rehearsal procedure. Although they're unsure of how many are incorporating it into their practices.

More accurate results

According to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the HPV vaccine Gardasil has been found to reduce abnormal Pap test results. Gardasil seems to prevent the development of cell changes that lead to cervical disease, and in the study, the vaccine reduced abnormal Pap test results by 43 percent when compared to women who didn't get the shot. The scientists think this new finding will help spare many women repeat Pap tests.

Internet addiction

The Internet is a great source of information, but too much of a good thing can be a problem. Experts at Oregon Health and Science University say Internet addiction should be listed as a mental disorder. The addiction can have serious consequences like fatigue, depression, trouble at work, and social isolation. There are even some rare cases of extreme Internet users suffering cardio-pulmonary related deaths.

Upside of anger

It seems like a no brainer, people would rather feel happy than mad. But new research shows this isn't always the case. Study participants at Stanford were told to play either a shooting or non-confrontational computer game. The people who thought they'd be playing the shooting game prepared by recalling an angry event or listening to angry music.

Cavity rinse

You might expect a mouth rinse to freshen your breath, but a wash entering clinical trials plans on doing more. Oragenics has developed a probiotic mouth rinse teaming with three beneficial bacteria normally found in the mouth. By swishing the Probiora3 rinse for 35 seconds, the theory is that the good bacteria in the wash will crowd out the bad bacteria. These bad bacteria are largely responsible for cavities and gum disease. The rinse may morph into other products after the trial, including chewable tablets or gum.

Runny nose babies

Smoking affects not just the smoker, but everyone in the vicinity. A study focused on children finds smoking in the home is the culprit in allergic rhinitis. University of Cincinnati researchers found the first year of life is a critical time for babies' lungs. Exposing those lungs to environmental smoke triggers the immune system to go into overdrive, leading to sneezing and a constantly running nose. Previously it was believed household mold was the main reason kids developed allergic rhinitis.

Hot runners

Running is a year-round endeavor for many, but in the midst of steamy summertime, runners need to exercise some common sense to jog safely. Fitness experts from Moravian College in Pennsylvania say location matters. When possible, run under the shade of trees. The leafy cover will help shield you from some heat as well as reduce sun exposure. Also, drink water before and during your run, whether you feel thirsty or not.

Arrie Taylor loves collard greens. She used to flavor the vegetable with bacon, but she's lightened up the recipe to keep her blood pressure in check.

"It changes your whole life because once that blood pressure get under control, you're gonna' live longer, you're gonna' feel better," says Study Participant Farrie Taylor.

African-Americans have a higher risk for hypertension, and diet can be a factor. Researchers at the University of Alabama Birmingham are studying a new eating plan they've developed called ADAPT. It stands for Altering Diet in African American Populations to Treat Hypertension. It's a modified version of the so-called DASH diet, endorsed by the National Institutes of Health to lower blood pressure. Many African Americans don't stick to the DASH diet because it doesn't account for their ethnic dishes.

"We don't want people to feel like they have to give those things up in order to be healthy," says Internist Dr. Jamy Ard.

The ADAPT diet embraces familiar foods, but prepares them in a healthier way. Besides tips on healthy substitutes, participants learn about portion sizes and how to digest nutrition labels.

"A lot of it is education, but a lot of it is really just sort of giving people behavioral skills that they did not have surrounding food," says Ard.

It's catching on. Farrie is already cooking up healthier food choices.

"I get me a sweet potato to substitute for that big hunk of chocolate cake that's gonna put more weight on me," says Taylor.

The study is being funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. For more information about the study visit www.uab.edu/news

Ever since Chase Eaton was a toddler, he's wanted to mow his yard. Now that he's almost 12, he's risen to the task.

"He has always been my kid that wanted to take on the next mature thing," says Mother Audrey Eaton.

Before children can take on that next big step, experts say preparation is key, and that preparation starts early.

"And I'm talking about the time in which the child is starting to go through separation anxiety. To be able to say I'm here, but you do need to go to another caregiver, or whatever the case may be," says Child Psychologist Dr. Allison Chase.

Another big step Chase has taken towards independence is coming home to an empty house after school. Experts say most 11 or 12-year-olds are ready for this responsibility.

"You have to talk about it with your children. If a child says to you, 'I am I don't want to do that, I am not ready,' you can't push it," says Chase.

Chase did a couple of trial runs first, something experts strongly recommend.

"Sometimes I'd be home, sometimes I wouldn't. And that one time that I wasn't, he let himself in, he called me like I asked him to, and that really started you know, building his confidence in being able to do that," says Audrey.

Dr. Chase stresses that every child is different and maturity levels play a big role. It's up to parents to properly assess their child's readiness to help them to that next level. He says setting and reaching certain goals is another important step to developing independence. This goal-setting can start in small ways such as asking your child what they would like to accomplish during the day.

Millie Evans knew she needed help when her daily walks became too much.

"All of a sudden I couldn't walk and I couldn't breathe well," says Study Participant Millie Evans.

She was being treated for aortic stenosis, narrowed heart valves, but traditional valve replacement surgery was too risky.

"It was a little bit dangerous for me to do that, my chances were not very good," says Evans.

So she waited for a safer option to come along. Finally, she was enrolled in a study that replaced her damaged heart valve, without open heart surgery. Instead, she got a replacement threaded through a catheter.

"That catheter is fed up right above the diseased valve and through that catheter; we can pass a replacement valve directly inside the old valve and for all intents and purposes, replace the old valve with the new one," says Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Peter Block.

it means a much quicker recovery.

"With a little luck, the patient can go home in one or two days," says Block.

While still being compared to the traditional open heart route, it's a hopeful option for patients like Millie.

"At the present time this is a technique that is purely experimental and that needs to be emphasized. This is still under FDA evaluation and it is under trial," says Block.

For Millie, this fix was an answer to a prayer.

"I went home two days later, what more can I say. Now I'm climbing hills, not mountains, but hills," says Evans.

The trial is recruiting volunteers at multiple sites around the country.

For more information about the study visit http://www.Clinicaltrials.Gov/ct/show/nct00530894?Order=4

Hair hope

One day your hair may help grow new blood vessels. Scientists already know hair follicles hold stem cells. University at Buffalo researchers found that, when combined in the lab with smooth muscle cells from hair follicles, engineered blood vessels are capable of constricting and dilating. This new technology could be used to grow new skin for burn victims, and the scientists say it may also be used for patients with heart problems, by engineering cardiac tissues.

Exercise for life

Everyone knows exercise is important, and a recent study shows it's also important to keep it up. Researchers at the University of Missouri asked participants to reduce their physical activity by driving instead of walking or taking the elevator instead of the stairs. After two weeks of no exercise and little physical activity, they found participants had a much higher level of fat and glucose in the blood. The longer it takes a person's body to clear out those substances in the blood, the more likely they are to develop diabetes or other chronic diseases.

Take home stress

When it hits five o'clock, try to leave your stress at work. Constant work-related stress can take a serious physical and psychological toll, and without the proper coping skills, people may take it out on their family. Experts at Baylor College of Medicine recommend finding something that helps you de-stress, like sports or relaxation techniques.

Jennifer long is brace-free! Jennifer's treatment was faster than most because her braces were planned on a computer-aided design system.

"With SureSmile, and the ability of the new technology to understand all the forces going on in the mouth, we are able to treat the total mouth, and so it reduces the amount of wires the patient needs," says Orthodontist Dr. Adam Weiss.

By using a 3D scanning system, the orthodontist plans treatment in a virtual environment.

"It's not really moving the teeth faster, it's all a matter of efficiency," says Weiss.

This engineered efficiency comes right down to the wires, crafted to Dr. Weiss's specification, by a robot.

"Bent to a level of accuracy that is just well beyond human abilities, bent in a material that has shape memory, meaning, I can bend the wire, but it won't hold that bend," says Weiss.

Once in the mouth, the wires gently move the teeth, but at a pace that's quicker than traditional braces.

"The reason that we can do that is because of how much information is being placed in the wire that we're inserting in the mouth and that fact that it's using nice, light, gradual forces. So, we aren't really moving the teeth faster. It's all about efficiency," says Weiss.

The accuracy of the system meant Jennifer's teeth were corrected in nine months, far shorter than 18 months with conventional braces.

"I would probably be sitting here with a mouthful of metal instead of, you know, almost going on a year with a retainer," says Jennifer.

For more information visit www.suresmile.com

3D clue

Researchers in the U.S. have created the first 3D image of a chemotherapy agent binding to DNA. They created the 3D image by using X-ray crystallography, when X-rays are directed through crystals. Seeing how the chemo drug interacts with DNA is important because it could shed light on how to make the drug less toxic. This new insight may help scientists come up with better chemo drugs to treat a variety of cancers.

Cutting salty snacks

Cutting back on salty snacks might keep kids away from sweet drinks, a study published in the journal Hypertension, found that kids who ate a lower salt diet drank fewer sugary soft drinks. Researchers say that kids aged 4 to 18 who cut their salt intake in half, could end up drinking two fewer soft drinks a week. And there are other reasons to keep salt intake down. It can lower blood pressure and help reduce the risk of obesity. Which is a growing problem in kids.

Common sense relief

A little effort and common sense can help cut down your suffering this allergy season. Experts at Saint Louis University Medical Center say using an over-the-counter antihistamine can help keep scratchy throats and sneezing at ease. Try to keep your windows closed, both at home and in the car, to help keep pollen and dust out.

Associated Press

May 1, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A new analysis says Oregon Senator Ron Wyden's plan for universal health care coverage would pay for itself and eventually could create modest budget surpluses.

The report came Thursday from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation. It says the plan could be fully operational by 2012 and become "budget-neutral" by 2014. That means the plan would bring in as much revenue as it costs to implement.

Wyden says the report shows it is possible to provide universal health care without a large tax increase and "without breaking the bank." 

Saggy eye lifter

Though eye and brow lifts can give you a younger appearance, surgery doesn't appeal to everyone. A technique can freshen the eyes with the touch of a heating device. Thermage was first used to tighten skin on the face. The technology employs radio frequency energy to heat deeper layers of the skin. The heating jump-starts collagen production, causing the skin to firm and plump up. In studies, a new eye tip for the Thermage device helped reduce wrinkling around the eyes and tightened skin on the lids.

Overweight headache

Overweight kids are growing into a painful problem with chronic headaches. A study presented at the American Headache Society's annual Scientific Meeting found more than20 percent of kids with headache problems are overweight. The researchers, from Cincinnati Children's Hospital, say the combination of poor nutrition, lack of exercise and overall poor health are likely contributing to the headache trend. A new phase of the study will look at whether losing weight can turn the tide and reduce the incidence of a headache.

Hives or bed bugs

'Don't let the bed bugs bite', has taken on new meaning since people have been menaced at home and away by the bed-hiding blood seekers. A report in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology details several cases of bed bug bites that were mistaken for hives. 

Don't tell Jenny Henken, but that's organic brown rice she's sipping through that straw, in a novel new drink called Froose.

"I just like it because it kind of tastes like a smoothy," says Henken.

Getting kids to like the taste makes Froose a success in the eyes of its inventor, Denise Devine. She came up with the idea because she wanted to give her own kids a healthy alternative to the ever-popular juice box.

"If they're filling up on juice, it's sort of like empty calories and they're not getting the complex carbohydrates and fiber and protein that they need to build muscles and bones," says Devine.

A four-ounce box of Froose contains three grams of fiber, about what you'd get in a bowl of whole grain cereal. But making brown rice drinkable required new technology.

"Our process, and this is why, you know, we ended up with patents, it really was a breakthrough. We take the whole food and we, you know, micro-mill it in such a way that we can incorporate it in a liquid form that there's no particulates, no grit," says Devine.

Besides brown rice, the drink contains whole fruit concentrate, with only eight grams of sugar.

"Most juice has quite a lot of sugar grams, about you know, 27 grams in a typical serving of juice. That's a lot of sugar," says Devine.

Marylou Henken is a busy mother of three who says she's a Froose fan.

"I try really hard to stay in a healthy mode in terms of food, organic foods and you know fruits and vegetables, so this is one more option that I can give my children and feel really comfortable about," says Henken.

Froose is gluten-free, so it is safe for kids with a digestive disorder and kids with autism on a gluten-free diet. For more information visit www.froose.com

Finding food trouble

Researchers at Purdue University have found a way to screen thousands of food and water samples for dangerous food-borne pathogens, like listeria. They use live cells that release a signaling chemical when harmed. Then, using optical equipment and sophisticated computer software, they can see how many harmful microbes are present, and it can be done in one or two hours. The scientists say the new technique has potential food safety and biosecurity applications.

Smokeless danger

Smokeless tobacco may seem like a better alternative to cigarettes, but beware, it has its own dangers. Researchers at the University of Florida say that while smokeless tobacco products, like snuff or chewing tobacco, carry fewer risks than cigarettes, they still have almost 30 ingredients known to cause cancer, and have been linked to oral problems and bone loss. So, when it comes to cigarettes and tobacco in general, quitting is still the best option.

Listen to your heart

It's spring and love is in the ai,- but are you sure your heart isn't racing for the wrong reason? Atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, is the most common heart rhythm disorder, causing rapid, irregular heart beats. It can be triggered by infections, stress, and too much caffeine or alcohol. Experts at the University of Virginia Health System say it's important to take care of A-fib. The condition can cause the blood to clot, which can eventually lead to stroke.

Eleven year-old Maryleigh Wear is having fun trying out a new computer program called Facesay.

"There's one game where you have to pick objects that somebody's looking at. And the other game you have to put band-aids on people," says Wear.

Researchers at the University of Alabama Birmingham want to see if the game can help kids with autism recognize facial expressions.

"We found that children with autism, in particular, really had difficulties recognizing emotions. And in particularly, they tended to look at the lower part of the face than the upper part of the face."

The game tries to encourage kids to read facial cues by looking at a person's eyes.

"There are a number of questions that we're trying to address. One of the questions is: Do they, can we get them to look at the eyes and then become more global lookers at the face instead of just focusing on the lower half of the face? The other question is how much do they actually know or understand about the concepts of the expressions," says Researcher Dr. Maria Hopkins.

So far the findings are promising. Kids with mild to moderate autism got better at reading facial expressions and emotions.

"On the playground, we saw improvements in how they approached other children. They were using more eye contact and following people's eye gaze," says Hopkins.

Parents also reported improvements at home.Researchers are now studying the long-term effects of the computer program. Facesay is now available to schools.

Eight-year-old Caileen Perez only needs her asthma inhaler during exercise. "

Sometimes when she's running the track at school, it can create some wheezing or exercise-induced asthma is what they call it," says her mother Hilary.

Now Caileen's asthma inhaler has officially gone 'green'. It no longer uses CFC's. Instead it uses propellants called HFA's. Experts say patients won't experience that cold blast with the newer inhalers, but they still get the same, effective medicine.

"When they did the studies, they did show that people attain the similar amount of bronchodilation that their lungs opened up after using the medicine. So head to head, it works just as well as the others," says Allergist Dr. Allen Lieberman.

Asthma patient William Graham used his new inhaler a lot because of a recent bout of pneumonia. He noticed a couple of differences.

"The taste is a little different, I think it does essentially the same thing," says Graham.

Right now the biggest impact these new inhalers have is cost. Currently there's no generic form available. And that's having a huge impact on William's wallet.

"It's a higher amount. I think I pay $22 instead of $3," says Graham.

Palate reconstruction

Cancer of the mouth can lead to removal of the palate, a key player in speech and eating. A denture can help form a new palate, but it isn't the same as the original. Now, a technique studied at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center re-forms the palate using a nearby muscle. After cancerous tissue is removed, the surgeons rotate the temporalis (temm puh rale iss) Muscle, the one used in chewing, and sew it into the palate area. 15 out of 16 patients in the study were able to resume their normal diet and speech.

Treatment 'patience'

Patients with treatment resistant depression have an alternative by using vagus nerve stimulation, also called VNS. But a study finds patients must have 'patience' to see the results. Saint Louis University and Washington University School of Medicine studied brain scans of patients who had the VNS device implanted. In general, it took one to two years for scans to reveal brain changes related to mood improvement. In contrast, medicines in other depression patients spur change in less than three months.

Cooked through?

Backyards and patios are sizzling with grilled meats, but you might want to invest in a food thermometer before you serve up the barbecue! Food safety advice comes from New Zealand researchers who compared visual cues cooks use, such as a pink center, to actual safe temperatures. They found that premature center browning can occur in meat that has thawed for a long period, or with meat exposed to oxygen during packaging.

Five-year old Mavric Herrera is going to have his brand new ear checked. He was born with an ear deformity called microtia.

"Just a little flap hanging off of the side, and a little bit of the lobe was there, and that's it, no opening or anything," says his mother Monique Herrera.

Mavric's family hoped he could have the ear fixed early on, but traditional treatment uses rib cartilage for the ear framework.

"You would have to take a child like Mavric and wait until he's big enough that you could take enough cartilage," says Plastic Surgeon Dr. John Reinisch.

Dr. Reinisch uses a medical-grade plastic form instead of waiting for a rib.

"And so when they go to school, they've got ears and hearing. It's really great compared to what used to be available," says Reinisch.

The implant is attached to the side of the head and is first covered with a membrane of blood vessels that will nourish a skin graft.

"And when you apply the suction, you have an ear! It's red because it's got the membrane, and then we put skin on it," says Reinisch.

The framework adjusts to match the child's other ear, which reaches adult size by the time you're four.

"We basically can adjust it both in size and also the amount it sticks out from the head."

The day of Mavric's surgery was one the whole family waited for.

"Probably 50 times that morning we said, "who's gonna get a new ear today?" says Monique. "And he'd go (thumb's up) Ya know?!"

For Mavric, it's been a surgery that's been a resounding success.

There are limited plastic surgeons who can pioneered this surgery.

For more information visit www.atresiamicrotia.org 

Lisa Esprit-Matthews gets crippling migraines that start in the back of her head.

"When it reaches like up here it's the worst because it's just like, my head is gonna' explode. I just can't take it," says Matthews

Now there may be a way to stop the pain before it starts.

"I put it up and it's like pap," says Matthews.

Lisa took part in a study on an experimental device that sends short bursts of magnetic energy to the brain.

"We're hopeful that it'll provide a completely new modality of treatment for migraine sufferers," says Neurologist Dr. William Young.

Researchers are testing the device in patients who have migraine with aura, a visual warning sign of the pain to come.

"When they first start, I see spots. It's like little spots all over and they start getting darker," says Matthews.

Auras can last 20 minutes to an hour, giving patients time to aim the device at the trouble spot shown on MRI's to be in the back of the head.

"So in the MRI, it would start approximately here and it would travel along the visual surface of the brain in this direction," says Young.

If magnetic stimulation can interrupt the aura, there's a good bet it will nip the pain in the bud.

"You have this warning sign. You know you're gonna' get a headache and then you treat yourself before you even get the headache so it never happens," says Young.

"You could just see the pressure just relieving from the back of my head, like it didn't go up anymore and it was just working its way back down," says Matthews.

The device does not relieve the migraine once the pain has already started. Researchers say if studies prove the device is successful. The treatment may be available within a few years.

Stopping a silent killer

Ovarian cancer has come to be known as the 'silent killer' because it's usually not diagnosed until its late stages. Researchers at Yale School of Medicine are working to change that. They've developed a blood test sensitive enough to detect early stage ovarian cancer, and it's 99 percent accurate. The scientists use the test to look for six protein biomarkers, then measure their concentration in the blood. The test is already being used at Yale, and has been licensed to three companies for broader use.

Eating for a boy

It's a boy, at least, it's a boy more often than not, and now researchers have found one reason why. Scientists from the U.S. and Sweden found that moms who gain weight between their first and second pregnancies are a little more likely to have a boy during their second pregnancy. And that's big news because few biological factors are known to influence the chance of conceiving a boy or girl. But weight gain during pregnancy is risky, so experts warn that moms to be shouldn't pack on the pounds to up their chances of having a boy.

Super salad

Salads may soon be a little more nutritious. U.S. researchers developed a technique in the lab to boost the nutritional value of iceberg lettuce. They simply pried open the leaves as they grew, keeping the lettuce from forming tightly closed heads. Since there was more surface area exposed on the lettuce leaves, more sunlight seeped in. As a result, the lettuce accumulated five times as much vitamin C, and twice as much calcium and iron as typical iceberg lettuce.

Plasma vs. Skin damage

Sun exposure can lead to the development of Actinic Keratoses, or AK. These surface changes feel rough to the touch, and are considered pre-cancerous lesions. A treatment method may help reduce the chance that an AK will develop into an invasive skin cancer. A plasma energy technology used for facial rejuvenation, called portrait, is approved to treat AK. The treatment doesn't use laser, but nitrogen plasma that's delivered as a plume of heated gas to the skin. The therapy causes a 'controlled' injury, resulting in new collagen forming beneath the skin and the AK sloughing off on top.

Sting reactions

Bug bites are part and parcel with spring, but one study says not enough of those cases are getting the professional help needed. In the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, over 10,000 young teens were surveyed about insect bites. More than half were stung, most often by a bee. Among the stings, nearly 20 percent had reactions ranging from mild to severe, though just a small percentage saw a doctor. Researchers say anyone with breathing problems or abdominal pain caused by a bug bite should be hospitalized for 24-hours.

Menopause beer

Women hitting menopause often ponder ways to handle the many symptoms. But, beer isn't generally on the list of hot flash remedies, until now. The Research Institute for Brewing and Malting, located in the Czech Republic, has brewed up a special beer with an extra strong dose of estrogen. The estrogen comes naturally from the hops used to make beer. If beer isn't your beverage of choice, the research team is working on an alcohol-free version of the menopause brew.

A new piece of equipment is shaking things up at this gym. The power plate uses whole body vibration to give you more of a workout in a lot less time.

"It's incredibly simple technology, but it's just very effective," says Gym Owner Robert Moser.

The idea is that the up and down movement of the platform forces your body to constantly steady itself, causing your muscles to tense and relax up to 50 times per second. It's kind of a sneaky way to increase the amount of exercise they're getting.

"Your muscles work on, subconsciously as well as consciously so you're doing a lot more work than you think."

"It doesn't take as long, which is nice, but you work up a sweat doing it," says Moser.

Power plate user Lisa Williams says her balance and flexibility are finally back on track after a car crash 10 years ago.

"I actually am not sore anymore when I get up in the morning and that hasn't happened to me in years," says Williams.

Carlos Hodges, a competitive cyclist, claims adding vibration therapy to his training program improved his strength and endurance.

"I went out on the road a week-and-a-half ago and I was doing hills much easier than I've ever been able to do hills in the past six months. So I am very happy with my results," says Hodges.

Users also like the versatility of the therapy, even allowing for regular floor exercises.

"I do crunches on there. I do have a bit of Pilates experience, so I've been incorporating my Pilates onto the plate," says Power Plate User Erica Arrigo.

Studies suggest vibration therapy improves blood flow and increases bone density. And it could help you shake off a few pounds in the process.

Experts say the plate is effective, but should only be used as a supplement to a sensible diet and exercise program. The Power Plate is just one of the vibration devices available today.

Associated Press

April 24, 2008

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The deadline is Friday for some applications for a new Oregon Health Plan medical coverage program.

More than 600 uninsured, low-income adults have already been found eligible for the new state medical insurance program. The deadline applies to people who received applications in March. But people who received applications in April have until May 23rd to return them.

For the first time since mid-2004, the Oregon Health Plan opened a limited number of spots for new enrollees for its standard benefit package.

During five weeks in January and February, more than 91,000 Oregonians put their names on a reservation list for a chance to receive an application. 

Sean and Kelly Ryan's wedding plans were more stressful than most.

"He had this new job, then we bought a new home, and then literally about two months later, ya know, he was diagnosed with cancer," says Kelly.

As they planned for the future, Sean's doctor encouraged him to look into sperm banking.

"There is a chance that I may or may not be able to have children later on, so he said it would be a good idea to bank the sperm," says Sean.

Chemotherapy and radiation can damage the future fertility of both adults and kids.

"I think there is this growing awareness that we need to consider these 'life after cancer' events," says Pediatric Oncologist Dr. Jennifer Levine.

For male patients, oncologists have a new kit, called 'Live On', that may help them embrace the idea.

"I'm really hoping that the use of this increases the number of patients who, you know, take advantage of this opportunity," says Levine.

The kit includes vials and instructions to collect a sperm sample at home, and then send it to the cryo bank.

"We explain what the risks are for not doing this and what the benefits would be. Of course, we do have to emphasize the timeliness of it, that this is a decision that needs to be made," says Levine.

for Sean and Kelly, banking his sperm before cancer treatment eased their minds.

"It enabled us to focus on his treatment, and not have to worry so much about us being able to have children in the future," says Kelly.

Most people send in more than one sample, and the cryo bank charges a lab processing fee for each one. For more information, go to www.liveonkit.com

Low-fat technology

Let's face it, low-fat foods don't always taste as good as the real thing. Now researchers are working on a new way to 'doctor' up fat. Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are using dietary fiber to encapsulate the fat in food, which keeps it from being digested. The encapsulated fats are made by mixing oil, water, and a chemical stabilizer to form small droplets. Then, in a controlled process, the oil attracts the fiber like a magnet, sticking to the outside. And more good news, there's no need for FDA approval since all the ingredients are food-grade.

Hard working man

Guys, if you're stuck at a desk all day, you might want to fit some exercise into your routine. In a recent study from UCLA, researchers looked at the relationship between physical activity and prostate cancer development. They found that men who developed the cancer were more likely to have jobs that didn't require much exertion. So guys, get moving for better health.

Quit nits®

It's a problem that strikes fear into homes everywhere, lice. But now there's a new treatment available. Quit Nits® is a non-toxic alternative made with quassia amara, a natural plant oil that's safe for anyone from kids to pregnant mothers. No combing is needed and the treatment is considered safe for repeated use. Quit Nits® also makes an everyday preventive spray that can be used to prevent re-infestation after treating hair for lice.

Fifty one-year-old Jenny Corley was ready for a change.

"I was having health issues, high blood pressure, blood sugar going up, joints hurting. And I didn't like the way I looked. And at some point I wanted to be a normal weight," says Corley. 

Before she had lap-band surgery, Corley weighed 243 pounds.

"Well I definitely looked fat. I just I didn't feel feminine. You know, just women as they get older, when they're heavy, they start to look like men," she says.

The lap-band procedure is a minimally invasive alternative to gastric bypass. Surgeons place a band around the upper section of the stomach, which restricts the amount of food going in. But the patient still has post-surgery work to do.

"You have to watch what you eat, and by restricting the calories that you're taking in, which the lap-band helps you to do, it's going to result in weight loss," says Bariatric Surgeon Dr. Anthony Terracina. 

"I don't eat bread, but pretty much everything else I can have a little bit of. And I try to make healthy choices," says Corley. 

The new diabetes research is promising, but requires larger studies to verify. For Jenny, her success is proof enough for her.

"I was at the point where I was gonna have to go on medication for diabetes and that's completely resolved," says Corley.  

The lap-band is permanent, and if the weight starts adding on it can be adjusted by adding more saline. Doctors say on an average, patients have four to five adjustments in the first year of post-surgery.

Orthodontic implants

Orthodontic mini-screws are commonly used to anchor replacement teeth. Dental researchers are using the same screws to help move teeth in kids with braces. Instead of drilling into bone to make a permanent connection, doctors are inserting the tiny screws into the palate and gum. Then, wires are linked from the tiny implants to braces, exerting smile-changing pressure. Once the teeth have been spaced properly, the implants can be removed without harming bone.

Growing together

Sharing meals is an important part of coupledom. But a study finds men get healthier with this bonding while women end up fatter! Nutritionists at Newcastle University in the UK studied women who were married or lived with a male companion. In an odd paradox, men ate healthier thanks to the extra fruits and vegetables their significant other brought to the table. Women, on the other hand, ate more meat and sugar than before, and gained weight. Researchers say this dietary partnership can benefit both if more focus is given to healthy eating coupled with exercise.

Freedom from ear ringing

Celebrations often include noisy pyrotechnics. If you decide to set off your fireworks, your ears could be in for a bang. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says each year nearly 10,000 people are injured by small explosives. Among these, 1,400 suffer head and ear wounds. In just seconds, permanent hearing loss can occur from one blast of a nearby firework.

Ten-year-old Cole Fenton compares hospital operating rooms to a scary movie.

"It kind of looks like Frankenstein's office," says Fenton

He's been in plenty of them. He has 15 orthopedic surgeries already under his belt.

"He's had a lot, I mean, even bone surgeries as early as, like, eight months old because he was born with the disorder of having bones missing or needing fixing. And he had a lot of pain after the surgeries," says his Mother Tracy Fenton.

The most recent procedure was different. Cole took part in a study at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where doctors wanted to see if kids could handle an adult pain-relieving procedure called continuous peripheral nerve block.

"Basically it is like when you got to a dentist and they put in some Novocaine. They block the nerves," says Anesthesiologist Dr. Arjunan Ganesh.

In this case, doctors block the nerves to the area they're operating on.

"We identify the nerves that supply that particular part of this area where the surgery is taking place. Then we just put in a little catheter close to the nerve and we infuse local anesthetic through a pouch," says Ganesh.

Local anesthetics don't have the harsh side effects of pain killers like morphine. And the pouch is portable so kids recover at home.

"In the majority of cases it's worked very well and the parents really like it," says Ganesh.  

So did Cole.

"I was feeling great. I was eating. I was watching tv. I was doing a lot more than what I would usually do in a normal surgery," says Cole.

There are more surgeries in his future, but now he knows the pain will be easier to take. Hospitals teach parents to remove the catheter and pouch after the child is home. Any lingering pain should be mild and can often be treated with Tylenol.

Working on the nerves

Canadian researchers are working on new technology to repair and regenerate nerves that connect the brain, spinal cord, and body. Their goal is to create a tube-shaped microchip that sends out electrical signals. Using those signals, the researchers would be able to guide nerve cells on the chip to grow and connect to one another. The scientists say this technology would mean a new life for people with brain or spinal cord injuries.

A better view

A tiny pill cam may help doctors treat celiac disease. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic used capsule endoscopy to view intestinal damage in 37 celiac patients. The less invasive test proved a better window into the trouble spots than traditional endoscopy. They hope using this technique will help doctors diagnose celiac disease, and measure intestinal healing after treatment.

Post-pimples

The pimple is gone, but it's left behind a scar. Now what? Experts at Baylor College of Medicine say if washing and topical treatments aren't enough, acne scarring and discoloration can be treated with lasers. They can be used to fade dark spots left by acne and shrink oil glands that can cause future breakouts. If you don't mind the wait, dermatologists say best way to handle the problem is still prevention and time. The discoloration left after acne isn't permanent, so it will eventually fade away.

Betsy Toomey's close friends went out on a limb when they suggested her varicose veins needed a doctor's attention.

"'You're attractive, you keep yourself in shape, and look at this, look at this leg,'" says Toomey

Not only did the enlarged leg veins ache, they even showed through Betsy's clothing.

"There were certain pairs of pants, I'd wear little white Capri pants, and stuff, and you could see it coming through."

Betsy wanted her varicose veins to disappear, so she consulted with Vascular Surgeon Dr. Peter Lawrence. He developed a surgery technique called Light Assisted Stab Phlebectomy that barely leaves a trace.

"For them that's great because they've seen other legs of patients who have had surgery and have visible scars," says Lawrence.

Because varicose veins don't travel in a straight line, a light source is inserted in the leg to illuminate the path.

"It allows you to place an incision that's tiny right next to the vein, because you know exactly where it is," says Lawrence.

Dr. Lawrence uses a secret weapon, a thin crochet hook he files down to help catch the veins.

"It's tapered down so at the end of it, you can get all the way through the skin with less than a millimeter, so something that's no longer than, than a pencil lead," says Lawrence.

This tiny tool, along with other small clamps, helps remove the veins from incisions so small they don't need a single stitch.

"It's hard to tell, but there's one right there," says Lawrence.

The LASP technique is only available at UCLA Medical Center. To train other surgeons, doctors plan on teaching courses later this year at UCLA.

Secrets of hair

Hair samples are important clues when left at the scene of a crime, and now, a new technique uses human hair to help locate where a victim was before a crime occurred. Researchers at the University of Utah found that human hair reveals the general location where a person drank water. They analyze isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in hair that come from water and food a person consumes. Then they create color coded maps to pinpoint a general geographic area where that person spent time. This can help police track down criminal suspects and identify murder victims.

Weighing concern

Ask any woman what they hate about doctor's appointments and they'll likely tell you they hate getting weighed. And that's bad news. A University of Pennsylvania study shows when it comes to being weighed at the doctor's office, fear may keep women from going to the doctor at all. The researchers think a small change, like weighing patients in a private room, could keep them from worrying about stepping on the scale.

Trusty oats

Ten years ago, the FDA allowed oatmeal makers to label it heart healthy, and now, a decade later, oatmeal's health claims still stand strong. Experts at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine reviewed oatmeal's health claims, and found that it still lowers total cholesterol levels, and reduces LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol, without adverse effects on HDL, or 'good' cholesterol. Studies also show that oatmeal may reduce the risk for high blood pressure, weight gain, and type 2 diabetes. So keep these oats as a part of your heart healthy diet.

Typically when a child has an upper respiratory infection her doctor prescribes a medicine to treat it. Then it's a trip to the pharmacy to get the prescription filled, right? Well hold your horses! Now some doctor's have a machine that can dispense the medicine right away.

"It takes us two minutes, three minutes, you know, to process it. It's very quick," says Pediatrician Dr. Madeleine Weiser.

Dr. Weiser says she installed the Quiqmeds system in her office to save patients time and money.

"You're giving the patient the exact same thing that you would be, you know, ordering at a pharmacy, all right, but you're able to deliver sometimes a larger quantity for a similar price or a better price," says Weiser.

The dispensing machine holds mostly cost-saving generics. Instead of writing a prescription on a pad, the doctor logs into the system using a security code and orders the medication on a touch screen.

"I pick, you know, what kind of dosage I want to give, whether it's one teaspoon two times a day or three times a day, so I have full control over it. There's no confusion as to what I want," says Weiser.

While a printer churns out personalized instructions, the machine coughs up the medication.

"When it's right here and you can answer their questions and it really saves on the phone calls that go back and forth to clarify sometimes medication orders," says Weiser.

The prescription is at the front desk by the time the patient checks out.

"Having the medicine right here, she can go home and get started right away, so it'll actually work out very good for us," says Patient's Mother Miriam Andruszko.

Doctors say the Quiqmeds system improves among patients. Depending on the state, doctors who use the machine make a minimal profit on each prescription.

Before Kristina Vanausdoll bought home her daughter, she gave a lot of thought to crib safety, right down to the bumper pads.

"You think that they're safe because they're in every major store whenever you go to pick out a bedding set," says Vanausdoll.

However, a recent study at Saint Louis Children's Hospital found the crib cushions aren't harmless.

"There were a few strangulations with long bumper cord ties. Most of them were suffocation," says Neonatologist Dr. Bradley Thach.

Current guidelines say bumper pads shouldn't be pillow-like. In this study, all firmness levels posed dangers.

"What we found is that even the firm cushions, which we graded from soft to, to firm, were hazardous in that babies became entrapped in them," says Thach.

Babies as young as one month can wedge their head and neck between the bumper pad and the mattress.

"And then it flattens out over the back of their heads, usually, and babies don't know how to go back," says Thach.

The pad also creates a breathing hazard when a baby's face gets pressed against it.

"They breathe into the bedding, they expire into the bedding. High CO2, low oxygen gas, and then they re-breathe it back in, and gradually their oxygen falls," says Thach.

While bumper pads are thought to prevent injuries, Kristina decided not to use the ones that came with the set.

"I'd much rather her get a little bump or bruise or something than, you know, suffocate from the bumper pads," says Vanausdoll.

Doctor say the greatest risk occurs between one and eight months, when babies can scooch around in the crib but don't have enough neck and head strength to move themselves out of harm's way.