Public Health
U.S. beaches a health risk for swimmers
|
|
The Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. has come under fire for failing to update 20 year old beach water quality standards.
According to a report by the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), ocean, bay and great lakes beaches were closed or health advisories issued for a total of more than 20,000 days last year, up 5 percent from 2004.
The NRDC claims foul water forced U.S. officials to issue health warnings or close beaches for more days than ever last year, and the group is suing the government over water safety standards.
Scientists discover two proteins responsible for detecting sour tastes
|
|
A team led by Duke University Medical Center researchers has discovered two proteins in the taste buds on the surface of the tongue that are responsible for detecting sour tastes.
While the scientific basis of other primary types of flavors, such as bitter and sweet, is known, this is the first study to define how humans perceive sour taste, said team senior scientist Hiroaki Matsunami, Ph.D., an assistant professor of molecular genetics and microbiology.
The identification of these proteins, called PKD1L3 and PKD2L1, could lead to ways to manipulate the perception of taste in order to fool the mouth that something sour, such as some children’s medicines or health foods, tastes sweet, he said.
Community involvement may be good for your health
|
|
People who are active in their communities are more likely to be up on the latest health advice—suggesting that contact with diverse groups of people may do your health some good, researchers say.
In a study of nearly 3,000 adults, investigators found that those who were members of one or more community groups were generally better at recalling heart-health advice, including diet and lifestyle recommendations.
The finding was not explained by higher education levels among the civic-minded study participants, nor was their health wisdom a product of older age.
More deaths as killer heat wave nears end in US
|
|
A record-breaking U.S. heat wave that has killed more than 150 people nationwide in the past two weeks claimed two more victims on Thursday just as relief was due.
The heat, which has moved east from California, also prompted record electricity demand and continued to force New York businesses to dim their Times Square billboards as part of a citywide conservation effort.
“We have had more record-breaking heat today, a lot of it in New York state,” National Weather Service meteorologist Dennis Feltgen said.
Foul water put swimmers’ health at risk: group
|
|
Foul water forced U.S. officials to issue health warnings or close beaches for more days than ever last year, an environmental group that is suing the government over water safety standards said on Thursday.
The Natural Resources Defense Council said in a report that ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches were closed or health advisories issued for a total of more than 20,000 days last year, up 5 percent from 2004.
The group blamed the rise in days that the water was found to be unsafe on heavy rain, better monitoring and more coastal development.
Research ethics requirements compromising quality of health research
|
|
Current research ethics requirements are compromising the scientific quality of health research, warn senior doctors in this week’s British Medical Journal.
Many ethics committees now insist that researchers approach only people who respond positively to a letter from their doctor informing them about an opportunity to take part in research - that is, people must opt in to being contacted by a researcher.
Poorer countries better at health grant implementation
|
|
Low-income countries with less-developed health systems are more likely to have a higher rate of grant implementation than nations with higher incomes and more developed health systems, according to a study in this week’s Lancet.
This is despite claims that the poorest countries cannot use additional resources effectively, a phenomenon known as a low absorptive capacity.
Dr Chunling Lu and colleagues at the Harvard Initiative for Global Health, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA analysed of rates of grant implementation from The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The investigators assessed the effects of different factors on grant implementation for 265 grants in 86 middle and low income countries.
“Welcome…you’ve got death…”
|
|
A social networking Web site for Americans aged 50-plus went live on Monday—complete with an online obituary database that sends out alerts when someone you may know dies and that plans to set up a do-it-yourself funeral service.
The founder of Internet job site Monster.com, Jeff Taylor, launched Eons.com, a similar site to the popular online teen hangouts MySpace or Facebook for the 50-plus crowd.
Instead of career and school sections, Eons.com has interactive games to build brain strength, news on entertainment and hobbies for older people, a personalized longevity calculator and tips to live longer.
DDT returns to battle malaria in Africa
|
|
Controlled indoor spraying of the infamous pesticide DDT is poised to make a comeback in countries that have tried and failed to do without it in the battle against malaria, according to a special news feature in the journal Nature Medicine.
Malaria is caused by a parasite known as Plasmodium, which is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Apoorva Mandavilli, senior news editor of the science journal, notes in the article that DDT—short for dichlorodiphenyl-trichloro ethane—is known to be very effective against malaria and helped rid the United States of the disease in the late 1940s.
Blair threatens food and drinks industry with legislation
|
|
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has virtually given the food and drinks industry in the UK an ultimatum saying unless the “junk food” industry can sort itself out it will be forced to restrict advertising to children next year.
Mr Blair delivered his strongest threat yet to manufacturers and warned that it would be much better if the industry comes together voluntarily regarding public health but says the government is prepared to act if the voluntary system does not work.
The Government it seems is prepared to use legislation to enforce clear labelling of content such as fat and salt, and wants tougher measures to curb under-age drinking.
Blair threatens food and drinks industry with legislation
|
|
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has virtually given the food and drinks industry in the UK an ultimatum saying unless the “junk food” industry can sort itself out it will be forced to restrict advertising to children next year.
Mr Blair delivered his strongest threat yet to manufacturers and warned that it would be much better if the industry comes together voluntarily regarding public health but says the government is prepared to act if the voluntary system does not work.
The Government it seems is prepared to use legislation to enforce clear labelling of content such as fat and salt, and wants tougher measures to curb under-age drinking.
Burgess bill important step toward ensuring seniors get needed health care
|
|
Rep. Michael C. Burgess, MD. (R-TX) took an important step toward replacing the flawed Medicare physician payment formula with the introduction of the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Bill and Quality Improvement Act of 2006.
“This bill is a major step toward ensuring health care access for seniors,” said Cecil B. Wilson, MD, American Medical Association (AMA) Board Chair. “The government plans to cut Medicare reimbursements to physicians by 37 percent over the next nine years, forcing physicians to make tough choices about the way they practice medicine.”
“Physicians want to treat seniors, but the flawed Medicare formula that dictates payments that do not keep pace with the rising costs of providing care is making it increasingly difficult to do so,” said Dr. Wilson. “A recent AMA survey found that nearly half, 45 percent, of physicians will decrease or stop taking new Medicare patients if the first projected cut of five percent goes into effect on January 1.”
Walgreen to open more in-store health clinics
|
|
Walgreen Co., the largest U.S. drugstore company in terms of revenue, on Monday said it plans to open more health clinics within its drugstores, marking the latest move by a pharmacy chain to offer health services that go beyond filling prescriptions.
Earlier this month, CVS Corp., the largest chain in terms of the most stores, said it plans to buy MinuteClinic, the biggest operator of retail-based health clinics in the United States, a move that will help it expand offerings for customers at its drugstores.
Walgreen, based in Deerfield, Illinois, opened 10 Health Corner Clinics in the Kansas City market last week and plans to open nine more in the St. Louis area later this summer.
Athletic trainers tell how to avoid heat illnesses
|
|
As temperatures soar during these summer months, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) advises that athletes, parents, coaches and medical personnel follow their new recommendations for preventing and treating dehydration, heat stroke and other exertional heat illnesses.
“Some of the worst heat problems happen with highly trained athletes in their teens and twenties,” NATA spokesperson, Dr. Douglas Casa, told Reuters Health.
Athletes may be able to participate in various trainings and practices despite the summer heat, but they should not expect to complete a full practice session, with equipment, on the first day, according to Casa, director of athletic training at the University of Connecticut.
Global early warning system for zoonoses launched
|
|
A global early warning system for animal diseases transmissible to humans (zoonoses) was formally launched this week by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Global Early Warning and Response System (GLEWS) is the first joint early warning and response system conceived with the aim of predicting and responding to animal diseases including zoonoses worldwide. This system builds on the added value of combining and coordinating the tracking, verification and alert mechanisms of OIE, FAO and WHO.
