Life | Page 87 of 133 | SpiritIndia.com

Health Care :: Hopeful nurses are more comfortable, condident in caring for dying children

Nurses with higher levels of hopefulness are more likely to report feeling confident and competent in their ability to care for dying children and their families. Based on a survey of hundreds of pediatric nurses, researchers found that nurses who were more confident about their skills also were more likely to have received education in palliative care — the practice of providing high-quality, responsive care to patients with a life-threatening illness.

Alzheimer’s Disease :: People at genetic risk for Alzheimer’s age mentally just like noncarriers

Australian researchers say that a genotype that heightens the risk for Alzheimer’s disease does not contribute to cognitive change during most of adulthood. The largest study of its kind has found that carriers and noncarriers show the same type and extent of normal age-related cognitive declines, decades before carriers start to more often develop symptoms of dementia. The findings suggest that the higher-risk genotype acts only in later years to layer disease on top of normal aging.

E Coli :: Canadian E coli vaccine for cattle gets preliminary nod

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently gave preliminary approval for field use of the world’s first vaccine to reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle and thereby help keep it out of food.

Encephalopathy :: Ashley Treatment – towards a better quality of life for Pillow Angels

Ashley had a normal birth, but her mental and motor faculties did not develop. Over the years, neurologists, geneticists, and other specialists conducted every known traditional and experimental test, but still could not determine a diagnosis or a cause. Doctor?s call her condition ?static encephalopathy of unknown etiology?, which means an insult to the brain of unknown origin or cause, and one that will not improve.

Parenting :: Unmarried couples living with children

Many changes in family structure in the U.S. have occurred over the past few decades. A recent article in Journal of Marriage and Family explores a demographic trend surrounding family formation ? unmarried cohabitation and childbearing.

Osteoporosis :: Proposed FDA claim recognizes role of key nutrients in dairy in reducing osteoporosis risk

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed an amended health claim that would communicate to consumers the value of foods high in calcium and vitamin D for reducing the risk of osteoporosis. The National Dairy Council (NDC) acknowledges and supports the body of scientific evidence that backs the proposed claim, which indicates that a lifestyle that includes a well-balanced diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, and physical activity, helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

DNA :: The bumper book of DNA no-no’s

Most genome sequencers are looking for genes inside living species to understand their function. But one genome project is deliberately searching for DNA sequences that are absent from species — perhaps because they are too dangerous to life to exist. The US team have developed software that calculates all the possible sequences of nucleotides and then scans sequence databases to identify sequences that aren’t present. They believe their results will have far-reaching applications.

Heart :: Costly implanted heart devices unnecessary

This year, tens of thousands of heart patients will have high-tech devices implanted in their chests. Called ICDs or implantable cardioverter defibrillators, the expensive devices are designed to shock damaged hearts back into rhythm and save patients from sudden cardiac death. But a new study finds that while many of these patients will benefit from their ICDs, a large number won’t — and a simple heart-rhythm test can tell who’s who.

Liver Cancer :: No benefit for liver cancer patients from long-acting octreotide

Long-acting octreotide does not improve outcomes for patients with liver cancer compared to a placebo, according to the results of a new double blind study published in the January 2007 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

Hypertension :: Moderate drinking cuts heart attack risk in hypertensive men

Men with high blood pressure who have a drink or two per day may be at lower risk for heart attack than men who don’t drink at all, new research suggests.