DC is nation's fittest city

By Crystal Park

WASHINGTON (VR) – The US capital has been named the "fittest" city in the U.S. by the American College of Sports Medicine. The 2014 American Fitness Index is an annual report that ranks American cities based on four categories: chronic health problems, health behaviors, physical environments and recreational facilities.

Researchers found D.C. has superior physical environments and recreational facilities. "Not only are there are lot of parks, but the city leaders of Washington have put the resources into the park system, which makes it very inviting, which makes it very safe for people to exercise," says Walt Thompson, a Regents Professor of Kinesiology at the American College of Sports Medicine.

It's no coincidence then, says Thompson, that the fittest cities also happen to spend more money on their facilities. "The cities that appear in the top of our list, the first five to 10 cities, do spend a considerable more amount of money on a category we call park related expenditures. This is the amount of money that the city invests per capita, per person in their park system. The target is $101.80. Washington spends $398 per capita on their parks."

In addition to D.C.'s health friendly facilities and natural resources, Washingtonians themselves live healthier lives. Only 13.2% of Washingtonians are cigarette smokers, compared to up to 25% in the highest cities. Obesity rates are lower in D.C. too- 24% of its population is obese, compared to 33% in fatter cities.

It could be interpreted that Washingtonians make healthier life choices, but that wouldn't paint the whole picture. The researchers found that people in D.C. eat more fruits and veggies than other cities because there's more access to fresh produce. "The goal for all of our cities for farmers markets is 13.1 per 1 million inhabitants. Washington is 28.5 markets per 1 million. So more than twice the number we could consider the target," says Thompson.

The Fitness Index is more than just bragging rights for the fittest city; researchers are taking their findings to cities trailing on the list to educate city officials who can make changes. Thompson explains, "It's a two pronged approach. In the first phase, we're simply providing the information. But we've also found in some cities there are two groups of targets that we can work with. One is the city officials. The other group is grassroots coalitions that are saying to us we need to lobby ourselves. We need to make changes ourselves to make us healthier because we're not getting the help we need from our city or our city resources."

Joining Washington, D.C. in the top five are Minneapolis-St. Paul; Portland, OR; Denver; San Francisco. In the bottom five are Nashville, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, Louisville and Memphis coming in last.

Source:

voiceofrussia.com

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/us/news/2014_05_31/DC-is-nations-fittest-city-1526/

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Time to put down the kanafeh and go on a diet! New study shows obesity in Lebanon among the highest globally

After ranking highly on a string of top 10 lists, Lebanon can now add being one of the fattest countries for young boys to its list of achievements.

The percentage of boys under twenty who are obese in Lebanon range between 13 to 19.1 percent, placing the Mediterranean nation at fifth in the world, tied with the Caribbean nation The Bahamas. The findings are according to a recently released global analysis on country-by-country obesity funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“This is largely due to low physical activity,” said Stephanie Nehme, a dietitian at the So7i W Sari3 clinic in Ashrafieh.

Nehme said that the changing of lifestyle and exchanging homemade food for fastfood was among several factors that led to an increase to obesity in youngsters.

"They really depend on their parents or their maid at home and they are lazy."

Young adults should drink and smoke less, Nehme recommended. "There also needs to be a healthy environment at home."

Lebanon also ranked second in the region with obese boys under the age of twenty, only beaten by the oil-rich nation of Qatar and is tied for 8th in the world, with Slovenia, for the most “overweight and obese” boys under the age of twenty.

Global obesity has been described as a global pandemic, according to the analysis, with 30 percent of the world, or 2 billion people, now overweight. The levels of obesity are alarming considering the health effects caused by obesity.

"It's pretty grim," Christopher Murray of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, who led the study, told AP. More than 1,700 studies covering 188 countries were monitored by Murray and his colleagues from 1980 to 2013. "When we realized that not a single country has had a significant decline in obesity, that tells you how hard a challenge this is."

Murray said scientists have found a correlation between obesity and diabetes and that weight-linked cancers, like pancreatic cancer, are also on the rise.

The analysis’ introduction reads: “In 2010, overweight and obesity were estimated to cause 3.4 million deaths, 4% of years of life lost, and 4% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) worldwide.”

Murray said increase in income was strongly linked to obesity and that as the standard of living around the world improves, the numbers on weight-scales have gotten larger.

An average of 71.1 percent of Lebanese men over 20 are “overweight or obese” while 26.3 are just obese, according to the analysis.

Lebanese girls, for their part look to be doing slightly better. According to the study, 29.8 percent of Lebanese girls under 20 are “overweight or obese” while 12.5 are just obese and 62.3 percent of Lebanese women over 20 are “overweight or obese” with just 29.3 percent being obese.

According to dietician Nehme, Lebanon has a lot of "temptations" and needs to focus more on physical education. She was also adamant that school canteens should change their menus and offer "not diet but healthier choices."

"When in school kids should put a priority on sports not only studies," Nehme said. "Nutrition classes should also be incorporated into the [school] curriculum."

By Justin Salhani

Source:

www.albawaba.com

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DRINKABLE SUNSCREEN PROTECTS FROM HARMFUL RAYS, COMPANY CLAIMS

LOS ANGELES (KABC) --

Research shows that cumulative sun exposure can significantly raise your risk of skin cancer. All the more reason to protect your skin from the sun.

But one skincare company claims their product - a drinkable sunscreen in water form - can cancel out about 97 percent of the sun's damaging UVA and UVB rays.

"It's a great idea. It's a lot less hassle and a lot less of a mess it seems," said Cesar Sanchez, who hates having to constantly put on sunscreen.

Osmosis Skincare's UV Neutralizer Harmonized Water claims to provide the equivalent of an SPF 30 for up to three hours. How? 

Dr. Ben Johnson, the skincare line's founder, describes how it works in avideo posted on the company's YouTube channel, saying "harmonized water, simply put, is the imprinting of radio frequency energy onto the molecules of water."

Marianne Kehoe stocks bottles of the drinkable sunscreen at her skincare store for $30 or $50 a bottle. She's been selling the harmonized UV water for a year, but recently it's been gaining in popularity.

"We've really done well with it because now, instead of just using sun block, in addition they're also using this water," said Kehoe.

But dermatologists say relying on this drinkable sunscreen to protect you is dangerous.

"I'm concerned that you're going to get a burn, you're going to have this false sense of security and actually it's going to increase your risk of melanoma," said Dr. Shirley Chi, a board certified dermatologist at the Center for Advanced Dermatology, Inc. 

Chi says there is no evidence to show the product is anything more than water and she warns her patients to steer clear.

"This is something that you want to be very careful of. You don't want to use this in place of sunscreen," she advised.

The American Academy of Dermatology also released a statement warning consumers about replacing sunscreen with UV Harmonizing water, stating the lack of any scientific proof. 

"They are so concerned that people are going to use this instead of sunscreen that they really felt it was important to make a statement like this," said Chi.

Sanchez was curious enough to give it try. The verdict: it tasted just like water. 

We took a closer look at the label to see what was listed besides water. The label says it contains something called "multiple vibration frequency blends," but again, there is no scientific evidence that it works.

Source:
abc7.com

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Fresh sunscreen ingredients stuck in FDA backlog

European sunbathers tend to wear less on the beach than their American counterparts, but they may be better protected when it comes to sunscreen.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, yet federal regulators have not added anything new to its list of approved sunscreen ingredients in 15 years.

Meanwhile, many of the ingredients that provide broader protection - from both the UVA and UVB types of ultraviolet radiation - are available in Europe, Canada and countries in Asia.

But they haven't seen the light of day in the U.S.

"Right now we have a backlog of newer sunscreen ingredients that are pending with the FDA that would be very valuable, as there are newer and better sunscreens being used all over the world," said Dr. Latanya Benjamin, a pediatric dermatologist at Packard Children's Hospital and assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Stanford.

Eight sunscreen ingredients are pending before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, many of them for years and even more than a decade.

The frustration over the regulatory delays has been heating up as summer approaches. Members of Congress are pushing the Sunshine Innovation Act, introduced in March by Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, and Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Kentucky. The act is designed to speed up the approval process by setting a timetable - approval within 11 months - while maintaining the same safety standards.

'Intractable problem'

The FDA, for its part, has acknowledged the delays. A spokeswoman said regulators have "prioritized reviewing the safety and effectiveness of additional sunscreen ingredients as quickly as possible given the agency's resources."

During a congressional committee hearing in November, Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, called the sunscreen ingredient delay an "intractable problem." "If possible we are more frustrated than the manufacturers and you are about this situation," she said.

Sunscreens makers in the U.S. are limited to only 17 chemicals that have been approved by the FDA, including just three chemicals that screen UVA rays. Meanwhile, European companies can choose among 27 chemicals approved under European Union standards, including seven expressly designed to filter UVA radiation.

Both UVA and UVB are associated with skin cancer. UVA rays play a bigger role in aging, but UVB rays are considered more responsible for burning and thus pose the greater cancer risk. Experts recommend "broad spectrum" sunscreens to cover both types, although the protection sold in the U.S. does a better job of screening out UVB.

"Most of the U.S. sunscreens have done a good job in UVB spectrum. What we're trying to get is a better ingredient that covers the far UVA range," Benjamin said.

Cancer on the rise

Rising rates of skin cancer over the past 30 years are driving the concern. More than 2 million Americans are diagnosed each year with skin cancer, and 90 percent of non-melanoma cases are associated with harmful sun exposure, studies have shown.

The rate of melanoma, the most deadly form of cancer, increased 2.7 percent per year from 2006 to 2010 among white people, according to the American Cancer Society. Anyone can get the disease, but the risk is higher in people with light skin.

As the FDA continues to be bogged down in regulatory processes, consumers have to struggle with figuring out how to best protect themselves absent some of the latest and potentially greatest tools.

The promising ingredients getting the most attention are currently available in Europe. They include ecamsule, also known as Mexoryl, and Tinosorb, and health experts believe they may be better than anything currently available in this country. They block both UVA and UVB rays and are more stable, meaning they don't break down in sunlight as quickly as the American products.

In 2006, the FDA approved a petition by L'Oreal to use a form of Mexoryl in the United States, but only in a single La Roche-Posay sunscreen product and only at a sun protection factor or SPF level of 15. The agency did not approve the chemical for widespread use.

Product concerns

Currently, the main UVA blockers available in the United States are avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789) and oxybenzone (also known as benzophenone-3). But experts say avobenzone has been known to degrade in sunlight and cause allergic reactions, and both chemicals may be associated with hormonal disruptions.

"We have concerns about the fact people put these (products) all over their bodies, multiple times a day for multiple days in a row," said Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy group in Washington, D.C.

Last week, the group released its eighth annual guide to sunscreen, which includes information about the products' chemical ingredients.

The guide recommends consumers be wary of high sun protection factor, or SPF, claims because they may be misleading and create a false sense of security. SPF is a measure of sunscreen's ability to protect against sunburn; theoretically, higher numbers mean more time can be spent in the sun without getting burned. The guide also cautions against products with vitamin A and oxybenzone, which the group described as toxic.

The recommended 7

Consumer Reports last week also released its sunscreen review. The magazine recommended seven of the 20 sunscreens it reviewed and found that only two products provided the SPF protection on the label.

For patients who are particularly concerned about exposure to potentially harmful ingredients, Dr. Maryam Asgari, a Kaiser dermatologist, recommended the use of physical rather than chemical blockers.

Physical blockers, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, protect the skin by deflecting the rays. They offer good broad spectrum coverage, but tend not to be as resistant to water and sweat.

Asgari said she recommends physical blockers, but would like to see some of the newer unapproved ingredients get past the FDA logjam. If some don't meet the safety standards, at least they won't remain in limbo.

"I'm all for getting those past the review process. It would be nice to know, one way or another," she said.

Shedding light on sunscreens

Consumer Reports researchers tested 20 sunscreens and found some products delivered less than half the promoted SPF, or sun protection factor. The magazine recommended seven sunscreens for providing "good to excellent" protection against sunburn, as well as blocking the broad spectrum of both UVA and UVB rays:

-- Banana Boat

-- BullFrog WaterArmor Sport InstaCool SPF 50 (provides full SPF promised on the label)

-- Coppertone Sensitive Skin SPF 50 (provides full SPF promised on the label)

-- Equate (Walmart)

-- Neutrogena

-- Up & Up (Target)

-- Well (Walgreens)

The Environmental Working Group released its eighth annual guide to sunscreen, which includes information about the products' chemical ingredients. It can be found athttp://bit.ly/1h4vRpH.

For information about the FDA's sunscreen labeling guidelines and related issues, go tohttp://1.usa.gov/1u0WTXr.

Source:

www.sfgate.com

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Warning on Meat Tainted With E.coli in 10 States

At least 10 states have been alerted to the existence of ground beef which might be contaminated and sold in the nation's supermarkets.

According to a report from The Associated Press, published by the CBS, U.S. food health officials reported that the ground beef delivered by a Detroit company last week is being recalled from supermarkets; however, the possibility that the meat has been consumed by humans is not being dismissed.

In total, 1.8 million pounds of ground beef might be contaminated with the powerful bacteria known as E.coli, reported the United States Department of Agriculture, which identified the Detroit Wolverine Packing Company as the producer of the defective meat.

The E.coli 0157:H7 bacteria produces a toxin which causes strong abdominal pains, kidney damage and, in some cases, can cause the death of those who ingest it.

"This particular strain tends to enter the bloodstream and affect other organs such as kidneys and the immunologic system," confirmed Dr. Steve McGraw to the CBS.

Last weekend, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed sevencases of infection due to the E.coli bacteria and three others in which the presence of the bacteria is suspected, reported CNN.

Likewise, the U.S. Department of Agriculture emmitted a list of locals who were probably affected by the contaminated meat: Gordon Food Service Marketplace in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennesee and Wisconsin, Surf N Turf Market in Sebring, Florida, Giorgio's Italian Delicatessen in Stuart, Florida Buchtel Food Mart in Buchtel, Ohio, M Sixty Six General Store in Orleans, Michigan.

People can return the packaged ground beef they might have bought by bringing them in plastic bags and will receive a full refund, authorities and the meat producer reported.

Source:

www.latinospost.com

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Iodine Deficiency Common in Pregnant Women; AAP Says

Most pregnant or breastfeeding women need to take iodine supplements, according to a new policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The statement claims that a third of all pregnant women in the U.S have iodine deficiency. Severe iodine deficiency in the mother has been linked to miscarriages, stillbirth, preterm delivery and cognitive problems in babies.

Table salt contains adequate amount of iodine. However, women who are of the reproductive age are consuming large amounts of junk food that doesn't contain enough iodine, according to Dr. Jerome Paulson, a pediatrician at the Children's National Health System and chairman of the AAP's council on environmental health.

"The brain development issues are very subtle and are not likely to be noticed in an individual child," Paulson explained, according to nbc. "It's an issue for society as a whole when you have a large number of children who are not reaching their full potential."

Adults require around 150 mcg of iodine daily, whereas pregnant and lactating women need 220 to 290 mcg of iodine, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.

According to the report, at least one in three women in the U.S. has mild iodine deficiency. However, just 15 percent of these women take supplements to raise their iodine levels.

The American Thyroid Association and other groups have already issued statements urging women to monitor their iodine intake, Wall Street Journal reported.

"Women who are childbearing age need to pay attention to this topic as well, because about half of the pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned," Paulson told Reuters. "Women in the early part of the pregnancy may not realize they're pregnant."

AAP also recommended that infants should not be exposed to cigarette smoke or drinking water with excess nitrate.

Taking too much iodine could also lead to several problems. Please consult a physician before using any iodine supplements.

Source:

www.natureworldnews.com

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U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer seeks $100 million in federal aid to curb heroin trafficking

ALBANY >> U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is asking for $100 million in funding for to curb the scourge of heroin in New York and across the country.

The New York Democrat on Monday is asking for an additional $100 million in federal funds to be allocated to the federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, saying that it will give authorities in New York and New Jersey the boost they need to better assess heroin’s trafficking patterns in the region.

The money would be included in the Senate Appropriation bill, which is being considered within the coming weeks.

With Mexican heroin flooding the market, Schumer hopes that the additional funding will help develop information-sharing between federal agencies and local law enforcement.

Schumer noted that recent reports indicated a “heroin pipeline” has formed from Mexico to New York City and beyond, to places like Upstate New York, Boston, and Vermont, where heroin use is skyrocketing. A recent New York Times story notes that the amount of heroin seized thus far in 2014 already surpasses heroin seizures in any year since 1991.

“Seizures of heroin in New York City in 2014 have already surpassed those of any previous year since 1991, which demonstrates an alarming trend that we must nip in the bud. It is clear that we need an emergency surge of funding to help combat New York City’s emergence as a gateway for the heroin that ends up in Upstate New York,” said Schumer.

“We all remember the horrors caused by the crack epidemic when it was left unchecked by federal officials and other law enforcement, and that’s why today I am urging my Senate colleagues to provide $100 million in extra federal anti-drug tracking dollars for the New York/New Jersey HIDTA, and others like it across the country, so that we can adequately crack down on drugs traveling from Mexico to New York City and beyond.”

Schumer urged his colleagues on the Senate subcommittee that are preparing the FY2015 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, to boost funding from $238,522,000 to $338,522,000. The Office of National Drug Control Policy’s HIDTA program has been instrumental in the fight against prescription drug abuse, and as it turns its attention to heroin, it needs our continued support, said Schumer. He is also urging the Department of Justice to reallocate funding to the HIDTA program from its general fund. Schumer is also urging the Department of Justice to search its budget and prioritize putting additional funding towards the HIDTA program.

Schumer said that this emergency surge of funding will help strengthen the unique intelligence, surveillance and coordination that HIDTA provides, which is critical in tracking and dismantling drug rings. Under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 and the ONDCP Reauthorization Act of 2006, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is authorized to declare areas that exhibit serious drug trafficking problems as HIDTAs if local law enforcement groups petition for the designation. The counties in-and-around-New York City, as well as many in the Hudson Valley and Upstate New York, are already HIDTA-designated counties, meaning that they receive federal resources to combat drug trafficking and sales. There are currently 28 HIDTAs nationwide, which include approximately 16 percent of all counties in the United States and 60 percent of the U.S. population. HIDTA-designated counties are located in 46 states.

The purpose of HIDTA is to reduce drug trafficking and production in the United States. The program’s goal is to facilitate cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; to share information and implement coordinated enforcement activities; to enhance intelligence sharing among law enforcement agencies as well as public health officials; to provide reliable law enforcement intelligence to law enforcement agencies to facilitate the design of effective enforcement strategies; and to support coordinated law enforcement strategies that make the most of available resources to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in the U.S.

According to the Department of Justice, heroin availability has increased since 2012, most likely due to an increase in Mexican heroin production and Mexican traffickers expanding into the eastern and Midwest U.S. markets.

According to the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York and a report from the New York Times, the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico has been using cocaine trafficking routes to export heroin.

A recent New York Times article pointed to the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, Bridget Brennan, whose office documented more than 288 pounds of heroin seized in the first four months of 2014.

The report notes that approximately 35 percent of heroin seized by the DEA since October occurred in New York State.

Schumer said Monday that an increase in funding for HIDTA will help better assess the drug tracking patterns in New York and help develop coordinated strategies and information-sharing between federal agencies such as DOJ and HHS with local law enforcement.

Source:

www.troyrecord.com

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Durata Therapeutics' Dalvance injection gets FDA approval

Durata Therapeutics has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Dalvance (dalbavancin) injection to treat adult patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by susceptible Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Dalvance is the first and only IV antibiotic approved to treat ABSSSI with a two-dose regimen of 1000mg followed one week later by 500mg, each administered over 30 minutes.

It is a second generation, semi-synthetic lipoglycopeptide, which consists of a lipophilic side-chain added to an enhanced glycopeptide backbone.

The drug shows bactericidal activity in vitro against a range of Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-resistant, also known as MRSA, strains) and Streptococcus pyogenes, as well as certain other streptococcal species.

Durata Therapeutics chief executive officer Paul Edick said the company is happy to bring Dalvance to market for the millions of Americans who may benefit from an innovative treatment option for ABSSSI in today's evolving health care environment.

"Dalvance's unique dosage regimen offers a new approach to treatment of these serious skin infections by allowing patients, health care professionals and hospitals to move beyond the standard daily or twice-daily IV antibiotic infusions," Edick said.

"We are executing on all fronts to complete the necessary activities required to launch and ensure success.

"The time to build out and train a first-class salesforce, complete packaging and final qualification activities keeps us on track to begin shipping in the third quarter."

The approval is based on the entire Dalvance clinical program which included 21 clinical trials with five Phase III trials evaluating about 3,000 patients.

Two Phase III trials, DISCOVER 1 and DISCOVER 2, were carried out under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) with the FDA and included over 1,300 patients with ABSSSI.

The trials showed Dalvance was non-inferior to the comparator regimen and met its primary and secondary endpoints of early response, measured at 48 to 72 hours of therapy, and clinical success at the end of treatment in patients with very large skin lesions and high frequencies of fever.

Source:

drugdelivery.pharmaceutical-business-review.com

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Most Women Feel Less Stressed at Work Than at Home, research says

If you ask someone what causes more stress in their life, home or work, the logical answer is work, right? Well, according to a new study, that may not be the case.

As much as people complain about endless conference calls, boring meetings, and long hours at the office, a new study suggests that people actually experience more stress at home than at work.

The study was done by a group of Penn State researchers and just released by the Council on Contemporary Families, a non-profit group based at the University of Miami.

“At work, people are potentially completing tasks. They’re able to focus their attention and accomplish things, both those with low and high incomes. They’re not multitasking,” Sarah Damaske, a sociologist and women’s studies professor at Penn State and one of the report authors, told the Washington Post. “We tend to think that jobs are rewarding if they’re professional, but actually people with lower incomes have more stress reduction at work.”

Stress levels were measured in two ways: by monitoring cortisol levels and by asking each of the 122 subjects to rate their own moods. Cortisol levels, which rise in stressful situations, are measured by swabbing the patient’s cheek.

However, when it comes to rating their own stress levels, there was a gap between genders.“Women may get more renewal from work than men, because unlike men, they report themselves happier at work than at home,” according to the study. “It is men, not women, who report being happier at home than at work.”

Parents reported feeling less stressed at work than at home, which is not as surprising, as the study suggests. However, parents did have higher stress levels than non-parents.

Conclusions from the study suggest that cutting back on work to solve work-family conflicts is not the solution.“Companies should consider adopting family-friendly policies that allow workers to continue getting the health benefits of employment while still being able to meet their family responsibilities.”

Source:

canadajournal.net

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Stroke risk high from sleep apnea among men, women

This is going to change the way doctors saw the problem earlier. Stroke risk is high from sleep apnea among men, women

Male and female both face almost similar risk of stroke due to sleep apnea, a new study has found. The study was presented by scientists during the American Thoracic Society’s annual meeting.

Researchers who are associated with top institutes across the world have concluded that risk of stroke from sleep apnea was similar for both men and women.

Suzanne Bertisch, MD of Harvard Medical School says, “Overall, we have found evidence of an increasing likelihood of stroke in women and not just the men…We are showing that women who reach the threshold for sleep apnea are at risk for cardiovascular disease”.

She went on to add that the 5-year probability of having a stroke with the least severe obstructive sleep apnea index was 0.4% for women and 0.6% for men. She went on to add that after a decade the likelihood of stroke for a person who is in lowest quartile of the sleep apnea index was 0.9% for women and 1% for men. This means that the difference was minimal. She went on to add that probability of suffering from stroke in the highest quartile of the apnea index was 2.3% in women and 3.1% in men.

While detailing the mode of the study Suzanne Bertisch says, “When we adjusted for other variables, we found that when compared with the lowest quartiles in both women and men, [there was] evidence of the impact on stroke in people with the highest categories of obstructive sleep apnea index scores”,” she said.

Others too seemed to agree with the findings of the study. David Rapoport who moderated the press conference said, “There are lots of studies that have shown that sleep apnea is bad for your risk of stroke. But the majority of strokes happen in men, so it as difficult to show the difference between men and women. One conclusion was that women were protected but what this study adds is that there was no protection, just statistical difficulty proving it until this analysis that they have done”. Rapoport is medical director of the sleep disorder unit at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Source:

nvonews.com

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Recalled beef may have been sent to 10 states, including Pennsylvania

Federal food safety officials say ground beef recalled by a Detroit business may have been sent to stores in 10 states.

According to an announcement, the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service says it has reason to believe recalled beef was sent to retail outlets in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Wolverine Packing Co. announced on Monday that it was recalling 1.8 million pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service said 11 people were sickened.

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture identified Gordon Food Service Marketplace stores as receiving recalled beef. Gordon Food Service has retail stores in Monroeville, Pleasant Hills and Robinson.

Gordon Food Service Marketplace stores stocked one of the products included in the voluntary recall, and that product has been completely removed from stores, said spokesman Mark Dempsey.

“That product is a Fresh Premium Angus Beef Steakburger Patty, 10 count, 4-pound package. The product was either sold prior to its expiration date of April 18, 2014, or immediately removed from the shelves when the notice was issued,” he said.

Gordon Food Service instructed its stores to dispose of the recalled product and displayed a recall notice on its website, gfs.com, he said.

In November, Gordon Food Service broke ground on a 420,000-square-foot distribution center in the Findlay Industrial Park, Westport, Findlay Township, Pittsburgh's first major industrial development since 2009.

Consumers can see a list of recalled products and potentially affected stores on the Department of Agriculture's website.

The Associated Press and Trib Total Media staff writer Sam Spatter contributed to this report.

Source:
triblive.com

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Work Environment may be Less Stressful than Home, Particularly for Women

Another day at the office might be particularly stressful for some. Yet recent research shows that even the majority of Americans who complain about their jobs may find it less taxing than their home environment. (Photo : Reuters)

Another day at the office might be particularly stressful for some. Yet recent research shows that even the majority of Americans who complain about their jobs may find it less taxing than their home environment "We found a big gender difference," said Sarah Damaske, a sociologist and women's studies professor at Penn State and one of the report authors, via The Washington Post. "Women were much happier at work than at home. And men were only moderately happier at home than at work."

For the study, researchers tested cortisol levels in 122 participants, also known as a biological hallmark of stress. To do so, researchers used swabs for saliva samples six times a day for three days. Findings showed what many might not have thought: The most relaxing part of the day for most people is at the office, not at home.

"Further contradicting conventional wisdom, we found that women as well as men have lower levels of stress at work than at home," wrote Sarah Damaske, Assistant Professor of Labor & Employment Relations, Sociology, and Women's Studies at Penn State, via pbs.org. "In fact, women may get more renewal from work than men, because unlike men, they report themselves happier at work than at home. It is men, not women, who report being happier at home than at work."

Besides testing saliva samples, researchers also asked participants about how they felt throughout the study period. As men typically reported no changes throughout the day, women were more likely to be significantly happier at work than at home, due to certain factors.

A slew of seemingly endless household chores comes to mind. At home, there may be less equated gender roles than in the office.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Journal of Science and Medicine. 

Source:
www.scienceworldreport.com

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Stroke Rounds: Sleep Apnea a Risk in Men and Women Alike

Both men and women appear to have a greater risk of stroke if they suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, researchers found.

Through up to 14 years of follow-up, stroke risk increased along with the obstructive sleep apnea index to a similar extent in both men and women, according toSuzanne Bertisch, MD, instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Brookline, Mass.

The 5-year probability of having a stroke with the least severe obstructive sleep apnea index was 0.4% for women and 0.6% for men, while the probability in the highest quartile of obstructive sleep apnea severity was 1.2% for women and 1.8% for men, she reported at the American Thoracic Society meeting in San Diego.

At 10 years, the probability of having a stroke if you were in the lowest quartile of the sleep apnea index was 0.9% for women and 1% for men, while the probability of having a stroke in the highest quartile of the apnea index was 2.3% in women and 3.1% in men.

All results were adjusted for various confounders, including age, race, education level, smoking status, diabetes, hypertension, and body mass index, she said.

"Overall, we have found evidence of an increasing likelihood of stroke in women and not just the men," she said. "We are showing that women who reach the threshold for sleep apnea are at risk for cardiovascular disease." She said the study indicated that it was just as important in women as in men to attend to cardiovascular risk factors if they are diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Bertisch and colleague re-evaluated the findings of the Sleep Heart Health Study -- a study that previously had indicated that sleep apnea was associated with stroke in men but not in women. With more events -- 153 strokes reported among women and 113 in men -- the researchers found that the significance between men and women has been muted, but the indication that stroke was observed with higher sleep apnea index scores remained.

The researchers followed 5,500 individuals for an average of 11.5 years. "The initial analysis, which was performed after an average follow-up of 8 years, shows an effect of increasing obstructive sleep apnea index severity and a relationship between sleep apnea and stroke in men but not in women," Bertisch said in a press briefing.

The current study report represents outcomes through 2011, Bertisch said. Because 20% of the original cohort had died, the researchers also recalculated the impact of sleep apnea on strokes. "We followed these patients longer, we had more data, and we used state-of-the-art analysis," she said.

The new analysis included the 268 strokes that occurred during the study, she said. "When we adjusted for other variables, we found that when compared with the lowest quartiles in both women and men, [there was] evidence of the impact on stroke in people with the highest categories of obstructive sleep apnea index scores," she said.

Press conference moderator David Rapoport, MD, medical director of the sleep disorder unit at NYU Langone Medical Center, commented, "There are lots of studies that have shown that sleep apnea is bad for your risk of stroke. But the majority of strokes happen in men, so it as difficult to show the difference between men and women. One conclusion was that women were protected, but what this study adds is that there was no protection, just statistical difficulty proving it until this analysis that they have done.

"What they are showing is that it has similar effects, if not the same magnitude for women as in men. That is an important concept as opposed to women being protected," Rapoport said. "There is good evidence that sleep apnea is slightly less common in women than in men, and there is a perception out there that maybe women don't have it: That's wrong. Until recently there was a question in people's minds as to whether sleep apnea mattered less."

He said it is also thought that women are less likely to seek treatment for sleep apnea. "If the consequences were less, it would not matter. This adds to the fuel that if it matters, it matters equally for women as it does for men."

Source:

www.medpagetoday.com

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