St. Jude Study: Promising Signs for Early, Life-Saving Detection of Infections in Childhood Leukemia Patients

March 2, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Non-Invasive Blood Test May Provide “Crystal Ball” for Early Detection of Infections Leading to Increased Cure for Pediatric Leukemia

Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the nation’s premier pediatric cancer research institution, have conducted a new study showing promising signs for utilization of a non-invasive blood test to provide for the early detection of infections in childhood leukemia patients days before symptoms appear which could lead to increased cure rates.

Using the Karius Test, a non-invasive blood test using artificial intelligence and DNA sequencing to detect over 1,400 bacteria, DNA viruses, fungi and parasites, St. Jude researchers are seeing early results in a new study published in the JAMA Oncology that could be the game-changing technique necessary for predicting infections in patients with weakened immune systems.

“Parents of children with cancer often wish they had a crystal ball to know what’s coming next and this new study is showing promising signs we may have found one for them,” said co-senior author Joshua Wolf, M.D, Ph.D., an associate faculty member of the St. Jude Department of Infectious Diseases.  “Infections are the leading cause of death for children treated for leukemia in the United States.  This works is going right to the heart of detecting new infections before symptoms appear and that is nothing short of a game-changer in how we treat and combat deadly infections in children with cancer.” 

Patients treated with chemotherapy for cancers, such as leukemia, have a high risk of life-threatening infections. Some children with leukemia have a higher chance of dying from an infection than from the cancer itself.  Currently, prophylactic antibiotics are used in certain high-risk patients to try to prevent infections. However, this approach is effective only half of the time, and exposure to antibiotics may cause gastrointestinal symptoms or contribute to antibiotic resistance.

The Karius Test was originally developed to primarily detect specific causative pathogens in complicated pneumonia, cardiovascular infections, and infections in immunocompromised patients.  St. Jude’s study is the first time the test has been used to detect and identify infections in pediatric leukemia patients.

The study enrolled 47 patients, 12 of whom developed a total of 19 bloodstream infections. The microbial cell-free DNA test, performed by Karius Inc., predicted the bloodstream infection in 75% (12/16) of cases as far out as three days before patients showed symptoms. The researchers are conducting an expansion of this study to analyze the test’s ability to detect infection in more patients.

The study’s other authors are Veronica Gonzalez-Pena, Yuki Inaba, Kim Allison, Sivaraman Natarajan, Ousman Mahmud, William Kuenzinger, Sarah Youssef, Abigail Brenner, Gabriela Maron, John Choi, Jeffrey Rubnitz, Yilun Sun and Li Tang of St. Jude and David Hong, Asim Ahmed and Desiree Hollemon of Karius Inc.  The research at St. Jude was funded in part by Karius Inc., the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Hyundai Foundation for Pediatric Cancer Research, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization of St. Jude.

 

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PASSENGER RIGHTS FOR TRAVEL TO CORONAVIRUS RISK COUNTRIES

March 2, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Italy currently has the largest coronavirus outbreak in Europe. The FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) recommends against all but essential travel to towns in Lombardy and Veneto already isolated by Italian authorities. Because of the high risk of infection, the FCO also recommends avoiding travel to all Category 1 countries/areas including Wuhan City and Hubei Province in China, Iran, Daegu and Cheongdo in South Korea, and Hong Kong. What rights do passengers who have already purchased tickets to a coronavirus risk country have if they cancel their flight?

Due to the high risk of coronavirus infection, airlines such as British Airways and Air China have cancelled flights from the UK to China and Hong Kong until April 17th and offer a free change of flight date service or ticket reimbursement.

All other countries with outbreaks, including Italy, have nearly all flights running to schedule. British Airways, however, has cut some services to Milan until the 11th of March. No airline has suspended any of their Italian routes and all airports remain operative. Should a passenger with a flight to Italy wish not to travel, they can cancel or rebook the flight if the airline permits. However, the chances of a refund if cancelled are low, and additional costs may apply for a change of travel dates. If travelling with a low cost airline or if a reduced or special offer flight was purchased, the cost of changing dates may not be cost effective. But you should keep in mind your passenger rights. “Cancelling a travel contract with an airline may appear difficult, but passengers may try to claim exceptional circumstances, that is the real risk of contracting a coronavirus. This is the same as what airlines do when cancelling flights to infected regions”, says Aleksandra Detyniecka, lawyer at GIVT who specialise passenger compensation claims for delayed and cancelled flights or denied boarding due to overbooking.

Each airline has their own policies for a refund so you should read their rules and regulations as stated in their General Conditions of Carriage. You should also try and contact the airline directly.

Spread of coronavirus – important links:

Map of affected areas

Foreign Office travel advice

Foreign Office travel advice Italy

Coronavirus public information

Shared via GIVT

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Six Tips to Help Avoid Diabetic Foot Ulcers

March 2, 2020 by Leave a Comment

When you are a diabetic, your blood sugar level is higher than it should be. This condition can cause complications to other parts of the body. The feet are the most prone to having other complications due to diabetes. Actually, diabetic foot ulcers are a leading cause of diabetic-related amputations. A small blister on the foot of somebody diabetic could result in another big problem that you could not imagine was as a result of the small blister. Luckily, such ulcers are preventable when you have diabetes and keep your feet safe as you strive to control your blood sugar levels. Below are some of these ways through which you can avoid diabetic foot ulcers.

Check Your Feet Every Day

Ideally, for people with diabetes, it may be hard for them to realize when there is pain on their feet due to the reduced sensitivity of the feet. For this reason, it is advisable to inspect your feet as often as possible. Look out for cracks, blisters, or cuts, among other signs of a wound. Touching the feet and lower legs will help you identify some of the unusual issues such as blisters on soles of feet, among other conditions that could need medical attention. Additionally, you could use a mirror or request help from somebody around. This way, it will be easier for you to seek medical help before it is too late.

Get The Right Shoes

The shoes that you wear have a big impact on the overall health of your feet. For this reason, if you have diabetes, you need to be more careful with the type of shoes that you wear. For instance, make sure that the shoes you have are tight enough to avoid rubbing on the skin, thus causing blisters. However, they should also be loose enough to avoid crowding the toes as this will also increase the risk. Consider going for shoes that are made for the fit, size, and shape of your feet to help ensure that your feet are comfortable. It is also paramount that your shoes have breathable fabrics. 

Prevent Feet Infection

Unlike the case of healthy people, an infection on your feet when you have diabetes could cause a lot of trouble for you. For this reason, you need to make sure that your feet are free from infections. Embrace tips that will help keep your feet safe. For instance, making sure that your feet are always clean. When cleaning the feet, use lukewarm water and not hot water as this could cause blisters. It is also important to ensure that your feet are always dry, especially between the toes. Prevent yourself from simple injuries by ensuring that you always have shoes or socks on your feet, thus preventing infections.  

Keep The Feet Hydrated

Typically, drying your feet is necessary to help keep them safe. However, when the feet are excessively dry, this could end up causing more harm than good. For instance, you could end up developing blisters on the feet. Use lotion to help ensure that your feet are moisturized. 

 

Eat Right

What you eat determines the overall health of your body. In the same way, when trying to avoid diabetics feet ulcers, then you need to watch what you are eating. In this case, you need to think more about the minerals and foods that help promote faster healing. Additionally, ensure that your meals are balanced diets that are high in legumes, lean proteins, and fiber as this will all help in building the body. Vitamins and minerals such as zinc, copper, and iron will also help in the growth of such body tissues. Therefore, strive to avoid the deficiency of such products to make healing faster.  

Get Regular Checkups

As mentioned above, a minor problem on the feet could result in another bigger and more complicated problem. Like in any other case, identifying the problem early enough will help increase the chances of solving it. Therefore, as much as you are also checking on your feet from time to time, it is advisable to get go for regular checkups. Additionally, contact your doctor in case you realize some signs such as redness on the feet, severe pain, pus coming out of the wound, among other signs. It will be easier for the doctor to advise on the right thing to do when they realize such problems early enough.

Foot ulcers are a common reason for diabetic patients to be in the hospital from time to time. For this reason, as you strive to control diabetes, pay more attention to the health of your feet. Above are some of these ways through which you can keep your feet free from ulcers and more so when you have diabetes. 

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Benefits of Ural Cranberry Supplements

March 2, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Cranberries are a popular everyday treat, especially during the holidays. However, did you know that these small, tart, bright-red berries have numerous health benefits thanks to the antioxidants they come with? Well, nowadays, you don’t have to eat cranberries every day to enjoy some of these health benefits since there are cranberry capsules that are formulated to give you a concentrated daily dose of cranberry. Also, you don’t have to go through a lot of trouble to get these capsules as they are available both over the counter at drugstores and can be purchased online as well. So, are you thinking of getting yourself a cranberry supplement and not sure if it’s worth it? The following benefits should help you make a better decision;

Prevention of urinary tract infections

Taking cranberry capsules can be the best solution to prevent recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs). One of the crucial compounds in cranberries is proanthocyanidins and is responsible for preventing E. coli from getting attached to the urethra and bladder lining. When the bacteria can’t stick to the tissues, it becomes hard to multiply and cause an infection as a result. According to several studies, taking cranberry capsules that contain 36 mg of proanthocyanidins daily for two months can reduce the frequency of getting a UTI significantly, especially among women. 

Contain powerful antioxidants

Cranberries and especially the high strength capsules are rich in antioxidants which prevent the body from damage caused by some free radicals. People continue to encounter chronic illnesses such as heart diseases and diabetes, and they are all linked to free radicals. Luckily, cranberries’ high levels of antioxidants can protect the body from significant damage comfortably. You would be surprised to find out that some cranberry compounds are way more effective than vitamin E, which is one of the most important antioxidants in the body for fighting free radicals. The high concentration of antioxidants in cranberry supplements has also made it possible to reduce markers of the body’s oxidative stress.

Prevention of stomach ulcers

Cranberry has several compounds, some of which can be used in eliminating H. pylori bacterial infections in the stomach. Once the bacteria are done away with, it means that it won’t temper with the stomach lining walls hence reducing the risk of stomach ulcers. Most people don’t realize the potential these cranberry capsules possess and end up struggling with conditions that could easily be solved.

Enhances healthier teeth and gums

Cranberry has some compounds that are used in the prevention of bacteria from getting attached to the urinary tract, as discussed earlier. However, the same compounds are quite useful in preventing bacteria from growing in the mouth as well. As such, they reduce the chances of getting cavities and gum disease.

Cranberries have many health benefits, and the above are just a few examples. The best thing is you can enjoy all these benefits without taking the berries every day, thanks to the cranberry capsules. What’s even better is that for most people, 1,500 mg per day is safe and won’t leave you with undesired side effects. So, if you are concerned about your health, especially with urinary tract issues, cranberry supplements can be your best solution. 

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China Tells Tourists to Stay Home

February 5, 2020 by Leave a Comment

China announced the temporary closure of most touristic attractions in the country, as the government launches an aggressive plan to contain and defeat the coronavirus before summer.

According to China travel experts, most of scenic spots are closed in China to prevent the virus from spreading. The annual holiday has been extended to February 9th, and tourists, both local and foreign, are encouraged to stay home and avoid crowded places. It would be an unwise decision to travel to China for tourism these days given that the virus still hasn’t been fully contained and the tourist hotspots are closed anyways. The experts suggest tourists wait at least 2-3 months before booking a China tour or trip.

The coronavirus has already caused a substantial impact on the tourism sector of countries popular among Chinese tourists such as Japan, Australia and Thailand as Chinese tourists have been urged by their government to stay home. The virus is also impacting the local Chinese tourism sector as some of the most popular tourist attractions like the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the Potala Palace and many others are now closed. Several countries are also ordering their airlines to halt flights to China, in an effort to minimize the chances of the virus making it to their lands.

Chinese government announced the deployment of 52 medical teams and over 6,000 doctors and nurses to Wuhan to help fight with the virus and care for the infected people. Chinese government is making every effort to develop the vaccine to fight against the virus. China has a rich experience in this matter since the SARS outbreak back in 2003.

Via ETurbo News

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How to stay positive after an accident

January 28, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Being involved in an accident and sustaining an injury isn’t easy to cope with. And when that injury leaves you bedridden, immobile, or having to cut your trip short, it’s even harder to comprehend. If you’re confined to your hospital bed or your hotel room, then it’s probably all you can think about. This state of mind can quickly spiral downward into regret, anger, even loneliness and isolation, making your injuries not just physical, but now mental ones too. 

Was the accident even your fault? If your injuries are the result of someone else’s negligence then you may be entitled to compensation. Compensation can help with your medical bills, and help you support yourself and your family if you’re no longer able to work. For personal injury lawyers in Long Island, click the link.

You may be feeling bitter and downtrodden and your dream trip might have turned out a little different than you thought, but you can still keep your head high and remain optimistic. Read on for how you can stay positive after an accident.

Accept what happened

As far as recovery and positivity are concerned, denial is a dangerous thing. It’s not right, it’s probably not fair and you have no idea why this happened to you. But, it did. This is the card you have been dealt. And while you may have other elements of your ordeal being taken care of in the background e.g. a legal case, insurance claims and medical treatments, it’s important to focus on your own mindset and turn your hurt and negativity into the positive energy you’re going to need to recover physically and mentally. 

Move your body

This is injury dependent of course. But if you have the ability to get up and move around, or even complete some simple upper or lower body exercises, you definitely should. Becoming stagnant and immobile will only worsen your mood and fuel your self-pity. Moving your body will help aid your recovery (speak with your doctor first of course) and it will keep your mind fit and healthy too. 

Keep your mind busy

Dwelling on the incident, your injuries and the injustice of it all will only make matters worse and make it difficult to bounce back. Keeping your mind busy and active with puzzles, apps, games and reading a good book will help keep that negativity at bay. You could even use this opportunity to study something new, or even take a course.

Surround yourself with positivity 

During this difficult time, you need the right kind of people around you. Family and friends will be able to provide you with moral support every time you need it. If you’re feeling a little low, don’t be afraid to reach out and let someone know. If you’re really struggling, then speak with your doctor. 

Eat right

Simply put, a good diet will help aid your recovery and make you feel good. Sure you deserve plenty of ice cream and all your favorite treats after what you’ve been through, but that kind of diet will only make you feel worse. Fill your plates with lots of fruits, vegetables and drink enough water.

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4 Proven Tips To Sleep Better At Night

December 31, 2019 by 1 Comment

Having trouble sleeping at night? No worries! We are here to fix it for you, which is why you need to stick with us till the end and read all of what we say thoroughly. 

You see, a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things, and you shouldn’t compromise on it no matter what. No matter how much you exercise, no matter what your diet plan is, if you aren’t getting 6 to 8 hours of proper sleep, you won’t be able to function properly. According to research, poor sleep comes with negative effects on all of your body. From your hormones to your blood to your brain, it all gets affected when you just don’t get a good night’s sleep. 

In a nutshell, if you have been having this issue for a while now, then know that it’s not normal, and you have to take measures to fix it as soon as possible. What’s worse is that you can even gain weight due to a disturbed sleep cycle. But luckily, there are a few tips for better sleep, and that’s what we are going to talk about today. 

Today we are going to tell you about some of the best proven tips to sleep better at night, so do take notes. We assure you that with these tips, you’ll see the change yourself and you are just going to love it. 

1- Don’t Consume Caffeine At Night 

Have you heard someone say that they couldn’t sleep at night because they had a cup of coffee? Well, the chances are that you did, and it’s pretty much true because caffeine does keep you awake. What happens is that coffee stimulates your nervous system, and it makes it difficult for your body to relax naturally. This is the reason why a cup of coffee early in the morning can do wonders for you, but at night, it’s the worst thing to drink as it can mess up your sleep. 

2- Try Yoga 

Sometimes, people don’t realize that their nervous system isn’t relaxing naturally because their body is stressed. With a stressed body and brain, of course, you’ll have trouble sleeping, and this is where yoga can come in handy. Yes, you read that right! Yoga is great to start a productive day, and to end your day, all eased and relaxed. If you search the internet, you can easily find some yoga poses that will help you have a good night’s sleep. 

3- Don’t Eat Late 

Midnight snacks are out of the question. The fact is that if you want to have a good sleep, you shouldn’t even eat late in the evening. Late night meals can mess up both things, your sleep, and the release of HGH and melatonin in your body. The perfect time to have your dinner is 4 hours before you go to bed so that your body can easily break down all the energy from the food, and the rest gets digested just the way it’s supposed to. A healthy digestive system plays a massive role in providing you a good sleep at night. 

4- Take A Relaxing Bath/Shower

Take a bath if nothing’s working for you because this is a tried and tested fact that if you take a relaxing bath at the end of a hectic day, all the stress is relieved, and even your nervous system relaxes, which is where sleep jumps in. 

Conclusion

Try out these tips, and we can bet on the fact that things will work for you. Also, make sure to rise early in the morning and don’t stay awake till late, as this can also mess up your sleep cycle. 

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Healthy Lifestyle Advice For The Elderly

December 31, 2019 by 2 Comments

As time passes and we progress through the aging process we naturally start to slow down and can’t always do the things we used to do (or for as long), but aging doesn’t always have to be a painful process and we can do a lot to slow down or minimize many of the elements of getting older. Our aging processes are encoded into or DNA and there is not a lot we can do to change that; we have quite recently discovered that the natural lifespan for a human being is actually just 38 years. Of course, we tend to live much longer than this but that seems to be correlated more with our advanced medical science and our lifestyle choices than our DNA. In other words, how long we live can be determined in part by the way we lead our lives. In this article, we’ll look at a few ways you can ensure your lifestyle helps to slow down your aging process.

Making the right choices

There are some fairly obvious choices you can make to help you live a longer life; we know that stopping smoking, not drinking so much alcohol, maintaining your exercise schedule and eating healthily all have a huge impact on the way that you age and the diseases and health conditions you may be susceptible to. It’s also very important to support your mind alongside your body, staying socially active, retaining a strong sense of gratitude (working hard to maintain a glass half full view of life) and challenging your mind with puzzles and learning are all crucial as you get older.

Change your home for your needs

You need to accept that as you get older, you might not be as able as you once were. Making the decision to look after your health and body in your home is one fine example of accepting that you are not as young anymore and that you need to make changes. You should, therefore, proof your home against potentially dangerous falls and breaks by ensuring you have stair lifts for older people, grab bars and other safety features if required.

Get Help 

As you get older it becomes increasingly more important to take the right steps that are going to help you improve your health and well-being. Now, there are a lot of ideas that will allow you to achieve this, and getting help is one of the best things you can do to achieve this. It is important to make sure you come up with ideas that will help you improve and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. And this might mean joining a retirement community, or hiring some live-in care assistants to help provide you with the help and support you need in order to help you boost and improve your life in the process. 

Senior care home services play such a massive role in helping you to enjoy a little extra independence, as well as being able to live a healthier, happier, and more comfortable life in the process. There are a lot of factors that play a part in this, and you need to make sure you focus on the best ideas that are going to help you with this. If you are eldderly and looking to be able to benefit from some of the best possible health advice, you should try to make sure you get help and support, and this is something that can help you make the right choices here.

Finding physical activities that work for you

We have recently discovered that it is possible to continue to grow muscle mass well into our seventies and beyond, so there is a strong argument for maintaining resistance training in your movement schedule, if at all possible. Anything from lifting weights to wearing weighted wrist or ankle bands, light push-ups against a wall or even just regularly carrying shopping home from the store can all help to keep muscles strong. This helps to support and protect your bone structure, too, which is vital as bones can become more brittle and susceptible to breaks and fractures as we age.

If you are able to walk, then you should. Conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis can make movement uncomfortable or sometimes impossible but however far you are able to walk, even just a little is better than none at all. Walking is not only a fantastic regular exercise for the body but is also great for mental health and as an anti-stress activity. This can also be combined with social activities; perhaps join a walking group so you can maintain your physical health while nurturing your social circles too.

Maintain a healthy diet

Keeping your diet rich in vegetables, healthy carbs, fruit, nuts, and seeds will not only help your body to remain strong, fit for purpose and bursting with energy, but it will also ensure you don’t carry excess weight. Obesity is one of the leading causes of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Keeping your diet healthy will give you the best chance of getting the most out of life, no matter how old you are.

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