Tech Up Your Beauty Regimen!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-6mJ1IM-CfilPnYkfkSx-SRRLFwQsYd3oEjKNfpKtJD7cwrGAk_Ooe_sOHIs0XyGfPdBQBTAZz_MWDJOTXPY7dCj0W_dB3-Tu8I2yneIWhAD13d5nLVCQCAbeSzLjrWEEsE_zs2pmSvI/s1600/skin-care-concerns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-6mJ1IM-CfilPnYkfkSx-SRRLFwQsYd3oEjKNfpKtJD7cwrGAk_Ooe_sOHIs0XyGfPdBQBTAZz_MWDJOTXPY7dCj0W_dB3-Tu8I2yneIWhAD13d5nLVCQCAbeSzLjrWEEsE_zs2pmSvI/s400/skin-care-concerns.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">If you want to tech up your moisturizer, you can try the JeNu Plus Ultrasonic Infuser ($195). Every second, 365,000 pulses of ultrasound energy vibrate the “microsphere conducting gel” you put on your skin, which helps with the absorption of your ordinary moisturizer by encouraging it to penetrate deeper. The company promises it’s painless, and an older version gets a 95-percent recommendation rate from community members at cosmetic treatment site RealSelf.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“It’s true that if the right kind of ultrasonic vibrations are used on the right kind of ingredient, penetration may be enhanced,” cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller tells Digital Trends in an email. He’s one of the creators of the website Beauty Brains, where scientists answer beauty-related questions. But he adds that the size, shape, and polarity of the ingredients’ molecules will affect penetration, as will the frequency and power of the ultrasonic waves. </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Another device using pulses for skincare is Foreo, which had its Luna 2 on display. The $199 bristle-less silicone device has one side for cleansing and another for anti-aging. The cleaning mode uses 8,000 transdermal sonic pulsations a minute, while lower-frequency pulses supposedly help your skin by making it appear smoother and firmer. It’s the “appear” part that’s crucial, as Foreo isn’t claiming lines and wrinkles will actually disappear.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“Simply applying vibrations to the surface of the skin won’t restore those supportive elements,” says Schueller, referring to collagen and elastin, but “Luna’s massaging effect might plump up the skin and temporarily improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.” </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID=7969498351800807643&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=780060284859147958&postID=&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> --------------------------------------------</div>

Tech Up Your Beauty Regimen!

If you want to tech up your moisturizer, you can try the JeNu Plus Ultrasonic Infuser ($195). Every second, 365,000 pulses of ultrasound ...

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The Return of the "Family Doctor"

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fGAHbH01DMVcaYOfqh2M4RFoIHHPWmEMgedOFdZ7dzlNLcEUdEh_lWKhJliMBe2HKCTRLxjX7iD5QeCxePOSxw9mk5C6XhyphenhyphenPTenhAZF3l_54iKkqop0Sl8rB1umcIpy2psyHcu6VzJWf/s1600/FamilyDoc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fGAHbH01DMVcaYOfqh2M4RFoIHHPWmEMgedOFdZ7dzlNLcEUdEh_lWKhJliMBe2HKCTRLxjX7iD5QeCxePOSxw9mk5C6XhyphenhyphenPTenhAZF3l_54iKkqop0Sl8rB1umcIpy2psyHcu6VzJWf/s400/FamilyDoc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">House Calls</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I am of the age that doctors used to do house calls. In fact, I was born in our ancestral house. That also goes for my sister. "Doktora Maria" delivered bot of us. She was one of two "Family Doctors". The other one was Dr. Eulalio Berroya. He would come to our hose whenever someone was sick. He would carry his black bag and he rode a bicycle. Doktora Maria would eventually open a Maternity Clinic in front of her houyse along our street and Dr. Berroya's clinic would be at the garage of his home, complete with Kaimito, Chesa, Atis and Mabolo trees. It is either they would come to our house and the houses of our community or they would be attending to patients in their clinics.  Eventually both good doctors retires and no doctor in our community made house calls anymore. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Local Health Centers</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The transition from “house calls” to “health centers”  came in a few years later, particularly in the mid -1980s – early 1990’s. These have now evolved into Barangay Health Centers and Rural Health Units as a result of the “devolution” of National Health Care as per the 1991 Local Government Code. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Thus, the local community doctor is now extinct and another level of public health care has ceased to exist. There are of course private clinics that cater to public health care but these are usually stand-alone clinics with no diagnostic capabilities. In public barangay health centers and RHUs there is limited capabilities with regards to diagnostics and even emergency treatment. Also, these health centers are overwhelmed by sheer numbers of those who need basic health care particularly from those who belong to the lower income levels. Such cases are referred to tertiary hospitals that in most cases are far from those who need urgent health care much less critical diagnostic services.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">This is brought about by population pressure and a downstream result is urban sprawl with not enough health care centers to serve the burgeoning population. Most of the residents of these urban sprawls are middle class families who can also afford private clinics for their primary health care. The problem is the availability of such centers.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">New Doctor in Town</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Ayala Healthcare Holding, Inc. (AC Health) found the need for such a service. It brought back the “family” doctor to these communities. These medical centers can provide affordable, accessible and high quality primary   medical services.  </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Starting 2016, these medical centers commenced operations in their communities and suburbs.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">AC Health saw the need for such and invested a huge amount of research with regards to that nich in the industry according tro AC Health CEO Paolo Borromeo. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">“We spent around one full year looking at the sector end-to-end,” “We realized that there were so many areas that needed improvement where private sector could, hopefully, help, and we decided to throw our hat into the ring.” said Borromeo</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Because these suburban communities are relatively new, there was a dearth of  health care infrastructure to serve the needs of the residents and the communities. Established private hospitals presented proximity challenges for these people with health care needs. Thus, Family Doc arrived.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> “What we did was we put FamilyDoc right in the middle of their community. Right outside of their villages, in community malls,” according to Borromeo.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Currently, there are two FamilyDocs located Las Piñas City  and in Barangay Buhay na Tubig in Imus, Cavite with 4 more expected to pen during the remainder of 2016.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Three in One</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Unlike in barangay health centers and even private clinics, FamilyDoc offers a consultation clinic, diagnostic facilities (laboratory and imaging) and a pharmacy wherein FamilyDoc serves as a one-stop-shop for primary health care. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">What is critical is access and affordability for the community. They wil;l no longer have to go one place for consultations and another place for diagnostics nd then another place for buying medicines.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The cost for Basic consultation is Php300.00 and laboratory costs can be half what it would be charged in private hospitals. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Each FamilyDoc branch is a “three-in-one” medical center, offering the services of a clinic, diagnostic facility (with laboratory and imaging), and pharmacy. Basic consultation costs around P300, while laboratory tests cost half that charged by private hospitals.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">“Ultimately, the goal of FamilyDoc is access,” says Dr. Mike Santos, AC Health medical director, who is assigned to the branch in Brgy. Buhay na Tubig.  “We’ve  made it so affordable that instead of patients asking their neighbor what to take for a cough, they go to their primary care doctor. That’s what we want to happen in all FamilyDoc branches: That people will trust us enough to give preventive care,” Dr. Mike Santos, AC Health Medical Director said.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Another factor is that FamilyDoc complements the existing barangay health centers and private hospitals. This will augment the current health care institutions with regards to absorbing primary health care needs at the first level. This is due to diligent studying of the communities and health care infrastructure existing in those localities.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">FamilyDoc is open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Although basic first aid can only be offered for emergency cases these are better than current barangay level public health centers and RHUs. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">EMR</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">FamilyDoc has had over 8,000 regular patients and these are monitored at tracked by means of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system provided for by Medix. Medix is one of the leading EMR providers in the country. So any FamilyDoc branch can have access to a patient’s medical records instantly. This is crucial since a patient’s medical history will be very important in diagnostics, medical management and treatment.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The future</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">FamilyDoc also intends to open up more branches in the immediate future. This goes hand in hand with encouraging many doctors to go into General Practice of GP. The essence of FamilyDoc is the same as the family doctors of bygone years. This will serve as the backbone of the “new” primary health care frontlines in the country. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID= 2375387285433121867&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID= 2375387285433121867&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div>

Community Clinics EMR Health IT Innovations Technology The Return of the "Family Doctor"

House Calls I am of the age that doctors used to do house calls. In fact, I was born in our ancestral house. That also goes for my ...

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Discover Local: A Hospital In The Heart Of Metro Manila

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga81XrzBFNTozGIdwJGqdTibxbLHRdq9jKC1p7fQE2I21Do1kxhM1xs2EQN4hTOqa2e_4oy-gFp57w03pygSTlxw6BX0DPQgUXKZBa5nmHP2kPwXFBY80v0V7BDAcWyuCydgwJTDARVhbM/s1600/37_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga81XrzBFNTozGIdwJGqdTibxbLHRdq9jKC1p7fQE2I21Do1kxhM1xs2EQN4hTOqa2e_4oy-gFp57w03pygSTlxw6BX0DPQgUXKZBa5nmHP2kPwXFBY80v0V7BDAcWyuCydgwJTDARVhbM/s400/37_big.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) in Tondo, Manila, is a major private hospital located in the Chinatown area of the city. The hospital is licensed by the Government of the Philippines.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The MMC is based in a 27-storey medical tower, and is fully equipped with diagnostic equipment and a fully automated diagnostic laboratory. It is staffed by more than 300 doctors.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">A wide range of specialties are covered up to tertiary care level, including internal medicine, endoscopy, surgery (including bariatric surgery and renal transplantation), dentistry, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology and physical rehabilitation. The hospital has interests in developing medical tourism.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">As of early 2008, the Chief Executive Officer was Dr Joel Beltran MD.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Currently the hospital is not subject to international healthcare accreditation, whether sourced from the USA, the United Kingdom or Australia.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The MMC was formed in 1962, when six visionaries saw the future of medical care. A group of renown doctors (namely, Dr. Pacifico Yap, Dr. Victor So Yee Piu, Dr. Go Kiat Su), and a group of top businessmen from Christian Gospel Church (namely Mr. James Cu, Mr. Amado Lim, and his younger brother, Mr. Lim Kong Gee) envisioned putting up a tertiary level hospital in the heart of downtown Manila. Mr. Amado Lim served as the MMC's first Chairman.</span> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID=9065315938164895364&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=780060284859147958&postID=&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> --------------------------------------------</div>

Discover Local: A Hospital In The Heart Of Metro Manila

The Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) in Tondo, Manila, is a major private hospital located in the Chinatown area of the city. The hospi...

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This Is A New Chapter Of Anesthesiology

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXZy_1SS7l9py1Yss5KP609W-7BEaRrrI_7EzFodcgmhPUdTI53P07h7nbXBenejkjkFo-oj2oNk_Tq9FP8z1GeUS8Np5sRiwoPK3Ig_5-SqVy48ZFt3H9Rw2YP3a9yTaOzChioa3QRQZ/s1600/Anesthesiology-OR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXZy_1SS7l9py1Yss5KP609W-7BEaRrrI_7EzFodcgmhPUdTI53P07h7nbXBenejkjkFo-oj2oNk_Tq9FP8z1GeUS8Np5sRiwoPK3Ig_5-SqVy48ZFt3H9Rw2YP3a9yTaOzChioa3QRQZ/s400/Anesthesiology-OR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Anesthesia comes in three main types. Local anesthesia, the mildest form, merely numbs a very small area, such as a single tooth. Regional anesthesia desensitizes a large section of someone's body by injecting drugs into the spine that block nerve signals to the brain. Often a patient getting regional anesthesia also takes a relatively small dose of a powerful sedative drug, such as propofol—not enough to put them under but enough to alter brain activity in a way that makes the person less aware and responsive.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Surgeons may get more glory, but anesthesiologists probably play the most vital role in keeping you alive during surgery. They're the last face you see before you're put into a medicated sleep so deep you don't even notice that your body is being peeled open.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Between keeping track of your heart rate, breathing, and brain functions, an anesthesiologist also needs to be familiar with the ins and outs of the procedure so they can adjust sedatives and painkillers—without causing complications.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The new “perioperative information management systems” include software on touchscreen-enabled computers that can warn doctors if things are going south, keep track of the surgeon's workflows, and document every step of the procedure. All are essential when surgeries last up to 16 hours and docs need to pass the reins to a fresh pair of eyes.</span> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID=8108342844715037246&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=780060284859147958&postID=&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> --------------------------------------------</div>

This Is A New Chapter Of Anesthesiology

Anesthesia comes in three main types. Local anesthesia, the mildest form, merely numbs a very small area, such as a single tooth. Region...

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Early Parkinson's Diagnosis Moves Closer With New Protein Test

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4Sqdv6Rikk8uU1buujOjcDK4ZIrx5o3g0heL9Q7kxtzkN8oelI1exTuGyWKkLMDrCpzbbwfbcoJT-lPGdM1unOeM8QID8eEFgp00d7gPgP-ko_Phduz3K4EQSjHig9r_qV-BEcuRWdeo/s1600/493x335_parkinsons_disease_overview_slideshow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4Sqdv6Rikk8uU1buujOjcDK4ZIrx5o3g0heL9Q7kxtzkN8oelI1exTuGyWKkLMDrCpzbbwfbcoJT-lPGdM1unOeM8QID8eEFgp00d7gPgP-ko_Phduz3K4EQSjHig9r_qV-BEcuRWdeo/s400/493x335_parkinsons_disease_overview_slideshow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Researchers may be one step closer to a diagnostic test for Parkinson's disease, after finding that an abnormal protein associated with the illness can be detected in patients' spinal fluid.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">While it is early days for the test, the team's results - published in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology - have been hailed "hugely promising."</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition whereby production of dopamine in the brain is reduced over time, due to the damage and death of neurons that produce it. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of movement and coordination.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">As a result, patients with the disease may experience tremors of the hands, arms, legs, jaws, and face, slowed movement, muscle rigidity, impaired posture and balance, and speech problems.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">There is currently no definitive test for Parkinson's. The disease is normally diagnosed through assessment of the patient's medical history, a medical examination, and physical and neurological tests, but this can take years.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Now, Dr. Alison Green, of the National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, and colleagues reveal how a test originally developed to detect Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) could be adapted to detect Parkinson's.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Test detected Parkinson's with 95 percent accuracy</b></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">In their study, Dr. Green and team report how the test - called the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) - accurately detected accumulation of the protein alpha-synuclein in the spinal fluid of patients with the disease.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Alpha-synuclein is a protein believed to be associated with onset of both Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">In people with Parkinson's, the protein has been found to form clumps - called Lewy bodies - in neurons that produce dopamine, while in patients with Lewy body dementia, the clumps form in neurons associated with cognitive abilities.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">While previous studies have attempted to develop a test to detect alpha-synuclein, these have produced conflicting results. This is because the protein is present in the brains of healthy individuals, only causing problems when it clumps together.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The test from Dr. Green and colleagues, however, has the ability to measure the stickiness and buildup of proteins, an indicator of whether they are likely to cause disease.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">For their study, the researchers applied the test to 20 samples of spinal fluid taken from patients with Parkinson's disease, alongside samples of 15 healthy controls.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">They found the test was able to identify 19 out of 20 of samples with 95 percent accuracy and 100 percent specificity. It was also able to detect buildup of the protein in three spinal fluid samples of individuals at high risk for Parkinson's.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The team also applied the test to samples of patients with Lewy body dementia. Compared with control samples, the test was able to detect the disease with 92 percent accuracy and 100 percent specificity.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">A 'significant development' toward early test for Parkinson's</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">While these results need to be validated in a larger sample of patients, the researchers are hopeful that their findings could lead to much-needed diagnostic tests for both Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Dr. Green says earlier diagnosis for these patients may mean greater participation in clinical trials of new drugs to prevent disease or slow progression.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Dr. Beckie Port, senior research communications officer at Parkinson's UK, says the team's findings could one day meet the need for a simple, accurate test for Parkinson's.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID=2438554074192466527&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=780060284859147958&postID=&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> --------------------------------------------</div>

Early Parkinson's Diagnosis Moves Closer With New Protein Test

Researchers may be one step closer to a diagnostic test for Parkinson's disease, after finding that an abnormal protein associated w...

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Helping Surgeons Spot and Remove Cancer

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PQiLKK9iZHvuCaj6xDkm2ZxTd5T_gn6OsAox8ZqsjTKu77tedxxUboHOTKnnHKoxj9_2N6Wi0MdiS75eq38w1HTjsPCrIZPiV5z0SqKCZnWlgmidaTUsEO9Zmr56_xUm3Md1B8Q6evFT/s1600/Surgery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PQiLKK9iZHvuCaj6xDkm2ZxTd5T_gn6OsAox8ZqsjTKu77tedxxUboHOTKnnHKoxj9_2N6Wi0MdiS75eq38w1HTjsPCrIZPiV5z0SqKCZnWlgmidaTUsEO9Zmr56_xUm3Md1B8Q6evFT/s400/Surgery.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">For surgeons, removing a tumor is a balancing act. Cut out too much and you risk removing healthy tissues that have important functions. Remove too little and you may leave behind cancer cells that could grow back into a tumor over time.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">NIH-funded researchers are developing new technologies to help surgeons determine exactly where tumors end and healthy tissue begins. Their ultimate goal is to make surgery for cancer patients safer and more effective.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“Currently, surgeons view MRI and CT scans taken prior to an operation to establish where a tumor is located and to plan a surgical approach that will minimize damage to healthy tissues,” says Dr. Steven Krosnick, an NIH expert in image-guided surgery. “But once the operation has begun, surgeons generally rely only on their eyes and sense of touch to distinguish tumor from healthy tissue.”</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Surgeons go through many years of training to understand the subtle cues that can distinguish tumor from normal surroundings. Sometimes the tumor is a slightly different color than healthy tissue, or it feels different. It might also bleed more readily or could contain calcium deposits. Even with these cues, however, surgeons don’t always get it right.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“In a lot of cases, we leave tumor behind that could be safely removed if only we were able to better visualize it,” says Dr. Daniel Orringer, a neurosurgeon at the University of Michigan.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">In today’s operating rooms, pathologists can often help surgeons determine if all of a tumor has been taken out. A pathologist may view the edges of the tissue under a microscope and look for cancer cells. If they’re found, the surgeon will remove more tissue from the patient and send these again to the pathologist for review. This process can occur repeatedly while the patient remains on the operating table and continue until no cancer cells are detected.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“Each time a pathologist analyzes tissue during an operation, it can take up to 30 minutes because the tissue has to be frozen, thinly sliced, and stained so it can be viewed under the microscope,” Krosnick says. “If multiple rounds of tissue are taken, it can greatly increase the length of the surgery.”</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">In the days following an operation, the pathologist conducts a more thorough review of the tissue. If cancer cells are found at the margins, the patient may undergo a second surgery to remove cancer that was left behind.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Orringer is part of a research team that’s testing a new technology that could help surgeons tell the difference between a tumor and healthy brain tissue during surgery. The team developed a special microscope with NIH support that shoots a pair of low-energy lasers at the tissue. That causes the chemical bonds in the tissue’s molecules to vibrate. The vibrations are then analyzed by a computer and used to create detailed images of the tissue.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">From a molecular point of view, the components of a tumor differ from those in healthy tissue. This specialized microscope can reveal differences between the tissues that can’t be seen with the naked eye.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“Our technology enables us to get a microscopic view of human tissues without taking them out of the body,” Orringer says. “We can see cells, blood vessels, the connections between brain cells…all of the microscopic components that make up the brain.”</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Orringer and colleagues developed a computer program that can quickly analyze the images and assess whether or not cancer cells are present. This type of analysis could help surgeons decide whether all of a tumor has been cut out. To date, Orringer has used the specialized microscope to help remove cancer tissue in nearly 100 patients with brain tumors.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Other researchers are taking different approaches. For example, Dr. Quyen Nguyen—a head and neck surgeon at the University of California, San Diego—has developed a fluorescent molecule that’s currently being tested in clinical trials. The patient receives an injection of the molecules before surgery. When exposed to certain types of light, these molecules cause cancer cells to glow, making them easier to spot and remove. The surgeon then uses a near-infrared camera to visualize the glowing tumor cells while operating.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Nguyen is also developing a fluorescent molecule to light up nerves. Accidental nerve injury during surgery can leave patients with loss of movement or feeling. In some cases, sexual function may be impaired.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“Nerves are really, really small, and they’re often buried in soft tissue or encased within bone. When we have to do cancer surgery, they can be encased in the cancer itself,” Nguyen says. The fluorescent molecule could help surgeons detect hard-to-spot nerves, so they can be protected. The nerve-tagging molecule is now being tested in animal studies.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Other NIH-funded researchers are focusing on ways to speed up cancer surgeries. Dr. Milind Rajadhyaksha, a researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has developed a microscope technique to reduce the amount of time it takes to perform a common surgery for removing non-melanoma skin cancers.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Each year about 2 million people in the U.S. undergo Mohs surgery, in which a doctor successively removes suspicious areas until the surrounding skin tissue is free of cancer. The procedure can take several hours, because each time more tissue is removed, it has to be prepared and reviewed under a microscope to determine if cancer cells remain. This step can take up to 30 minutes.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The technique developed by Rajadhyaksha shortens the time for assessing removed tissue to less than 5 minutes, which greatly reduces the overall length of the procedure. Tissue is mounted in a specialized microscope that uses a focused laser line to do multiple scans of the tissue. The resulting image “strips” are then combined, like a mosaic, into a complete microscopic image of the tissue.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">About 1,000 specialized skin surgeries have already been performed guided by this technique. Rajadhyaksha is currently developing an approach that would allow doctors to use the technology directly on a patient’s skin, before any tissue has been removed. This would allow doctors to identify the edges of tumors before the start of surgery and reduce the need for several pre-surgical “margin-mapping” biopsies.</span>

Helping Surgeons Spot and Remove Cancer

For surgeons, removing a tumor is a balancing act. Cut out too much and you risk removing healthy tissues that have important functions....

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First Filipino-owned Hospital In Guam

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvg3XalNcmFCDrRP5dlaDEx5ii38oz3UvsCJQXKX_MzOk6EEgN42fZZaa8AKmaGBv1yNha8Fl4ZN5CpLqzB0Y9WXawQ1chxnzqvchYNZp9QpqpntBvtJbnB2iuAKhimq_t9YprSizTxV5X/s1600/635719473860988810-GRMC-Front-02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvg3XalNcmFCDrRP5dlaDEx5ii38oz3UvsCJQXKX_MzOk6EEgN42fZZaa8AKmaGBv1yNha8Fl4ZN5CpLqzB0Y9WXawQ1chxnzqvchYNZp9QpqpntBvtJbnB2iuAKhimq_t9YprSizTxV5X/s400/635719473860988810-GRMC-Front-02.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC), the first Filipino-owned hospital on United States soil, held its official grand opening on Monday, July 20, 2015. Majority owned and operated by premier health institution The Medical City (TMC), GRMC is the latest addition to TMC’s growing network of hospitals and clinics.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">More than 600 guests from Guam, across Micronesia and from the Philippines turned out to celebrate the opening of the first private hospital in Guam.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The 130-bed acute care facility represents an investment of $240 million by the Philippine-based TMC.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">TMC President and CEO Dr. Alfredo R.A. Bengzon and other members of TMC’s senior management graced the opening ceremony. Also present were Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and Guam Governor Eddie Calvo.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">During his speech, Dr. Bengzon spoke about the perseverance and faith it took them to overcome the obstacles and realize their dream to build the hospital located in Dededo, Guam. He likewise emphasized the commitment it represents to the people of Guam.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“GRMC is a gift of The Medical City and the Filipino people to the people of Guam. I encourage the residents of Guam to embrace TMC’s service philosophy of Patient Partnership, one that moved the patient from the periphery to center stage, defining for him a role as equal and empowered patient in the pursuit of his health,” said Dr. Bengzon.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">For her part, GRMC CEO Margaret Bengzon welcomed the guests and thanked all the people who worked hard to make the event possible.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“We must now look ahead and we need to get started on the real work, providing quality health care for the people of Guam,” she said.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Bordallo, on the other hand, underscored the importance of having a new hospital in Guam that will save both the financial and emotional burden of having to seek off island medical care.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">In 2010, TMC announced that it would be part owner and full operator of the first private hospital in Guam. GRMC’s services will be aligned with TMC’s centers of excellence and the Region’s specific health profile, featuring wellness, cardiology, medical oncology, endocrinology, pulmonology, neurology and other medical and surgical subspecialties. TMC’s unique value proposition of patient empowerment and partnership will enliven all programs and services.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Even before the formal opening of the hospital, Guam residents have begun to experience TMC’s brand of healthcare. GRMC physicians have been seeing patients at the GRMC Specialty Care Center since September 2014.</span>

First Filipino-owned Hospital In Guam

Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC), the first Filipino-owned hospital on United States soil, held its official grand opening on Monday,...

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Brain Implant Prevents Seizures

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruE5iFINhaWSicqqwMzAvctbzgNfvi7EIJ45PyaPT3LmtT-SMjr7M1-Z3WsT_IGnTbI-WXkLNE3b-XSW_rKhrry4cUWJ-d4oKWRYPioymTfG9DhYTuSQFx-CtMYY6EuMwpAXougA6sXF3/s1600/brain.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruE5iFINhaWSicqqwMzAvctbzgNfvi7EIJ45PyaPT3LmtT-SMjr7M1-Z3WsT_IGnTbI-WXkLNE3b-XSW_rKhrry4cUWJ-d4oKWRYPioymTfG9DhYTuSQFx-CtMYY6EuMwpAXougA6sXF3/s400/brain.gif" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;">A new medical device to treat epilepsy works like a cardiac defibrillator to detect and suppress seizures the instant they begin.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Clinical trials of the Responsive Neurostimulator System (RNS) show that the device decreases the number of monthly seizures by nearly 38 percent. The device received approval from the Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 14.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“This is the first FDA-approved brain implant for epilepsy that responds to the brain’s activity,” says Michel Berg, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“For patients who are unable to control their seizures with medications or are not eligible for resective surgery, this device could provide an important treatment option.”</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">An estimated three million Americans suffer from epilepsy. The condition, which can be triggered by a host of different factors, results in bursts of electrical activity in the brain caused when groups of neurons fire in an abnormal pattern. The resulting seizures can vary in length and severity.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">While most individuals with the condition are able to manage their symptoms with one or more antiepileptic drugs, for a significant portion of people with epilepsy these medications are either not effective or result in intolerable side effects. Some of these patients are candidates for surgery, which removes the region of the brain where the seizures originate.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Like a cardiac defibrillator</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">However, when the seizures come from several different spots or are located in an area of the brain that serves an important function, such as language processing or motor control, resective surgery is not possible. For patients who have run out of traditional medical options, the device may be an effective way to control their seizures.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The implantable device is designed to suppress seizures before symptoms appear. The device functions in a manner akin to implantable cardiac defibrillators, which detect abnormal heart rhythms and then deliver electrical stimulation to correct them.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The RNS is surgically implanted under the scalp and connected to one or two leads—insulated wires with electrodes at the end—that are placed either on the surface of the brain or are guided into the brain in the area where the seizures are determined to originate.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">It continuously monitors the patient’s brain waves and when seizure activity is detected, the device instantly delivers a mild, brief electrical stimulation that suppresses the seizures.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“The RNS system is not only a technological breakthrough, but the device is an important new tool that could help patients control their seizures and, ultimately, improve their quality of life,” says James Fessler, director of URMC’s Strong Epilepsy C</span>enter.

Brain Implant Prevents Seizures

A new medical device to treat epilepsy works like a cardiac defibrillator to detect and suppress seizures the instant they begin. Cli...

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Birth Year: Flu Strains Immunity Determinant

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsscSnEsuCXaEi13YsJ5pIE28UiNXPAfCn8EoEqNrE9kH10Ov6QseZdeOoLXYPKSOE1Bf1YNfO7Qj1-WGbO50QC5Fk2x5WHJRNmiMtVLS5VodinhtELOFOhFGEDi85tJXY-qf7ExSojLsG/s1600/n-IMMUNE-SYSTEM-large570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsscSnEsuCXaEi13YsJ5pIE28UiNXPAfCn8EoEqNrE9kH10Ov6QseZdeOoLXYPKSOE1Bf1YNfO7Qj1-WGbO50QC5Fk2x5WHJRNmiMtVLS5VodinhtELOFOhFGEDi85tJXY-qf7ExSojLsG/s400/n-IMMUNE-SYSTEM-large570.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Researchers say your first flu infection in childhood can provide protection against similar flu viruses for the rest of your life.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">If you have ever had the flu and been stuck in bed for days, you may have wondered why some people around you who got sick were barely affected.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">New research suggests that the year you were born plays a big part in this.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Or more specifically, the type of virus you were first exposed to as a child predicts which ones you will be vulnerable to later in life.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">On the flip side, you may also have a better chance of fighting off an infection caused by a flu virus similar to the one you were exposed to in childhood.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Understanding lifelong flu immunity</b></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Researchers say that childhood imprinting depends upon hemagglutinin, a receptor protein that sticks out from the surface of the flu virus.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Differences in this protein give rise to the two virus groups.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">When a person is first exposed to the flu virus, the immune system makes antibodies for this receptor. Those antibodies stick around throughout a person’s life, providing protection against other flu viruses in that group.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Researchers think that a similar process explains why so many young people died during the “Spanish” flu pandemic of 1918-1919. Nearly half of the 50 million people worldwide who died were between 20 and 40 years old.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">A group 1 virus caused the Spanish flu, while young people were likely exposed to a group 2 flu virus as children — leaving them especially vulnerable in 1918.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">More research is needed to understand exactly how imprinting works in the face of both shifting flu types around the world and our attempts to stay one step ahead.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">“This work also inspires further examination of immunity to influenza infections and disease,” said Cowling, “particularly following repeated re-infections or vaccinations through life, an area which is still not fully understood.”</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Before and after 1968</b></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">In the study, published today in Science, researchers focused on two recent types of avian flu, H5N1 and H7N9.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">These circulate in animals but don’t occur commonly in people. Only around 1,500 known human cases were caused by these two viruses, mostly in Asia and the Middle East.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Researchers found that people infected with these viruses fell into two groups — based on when they were born.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The shift occurred in 1968 with the Hong Kong flu pandemic, when a new type of virus swept away the virus that had dominated before.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">People born before 1968 had likely been exposed as children to a flu virus that scientists place into “group 1.”</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Researchers found that as adults, these people were less likely to become severely ill or die from H5N1, which is also in group 1. But they were more likely to get sick from H7N9, a “group 2” flu virus.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">People born after 1968 were likely exposed to a group 2 virus. They showed the reverse trend — less susceptible to H7N9, and more vulnerable to H5N1.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“Our findings show clearly that this ‘childhood imprinting’ gives strong protection against severe infection or death from two major strains of avian influenza,” study author James Lloyd-Smith, Ph.D., a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California Los Angeles, said in a press release.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The flu cases that the researchers looked at, though, were only the most severe — where people were sick enough to end up at the doctor’s office or in the hospital.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“The authors focused on the incidence of severe influenza, and it is not completely clear whether the patterns of severe infections are similar to the patterns of mild infections — or all infections,” Ben Cowling, Ph.D., a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at The University of Hong Kong, who was not part of the study, told Healthline.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Differences in how people are exposed to the two avian flu viruses might also impact which people get sick.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">“Relatively few people have been exposed to H5N1 in live poultry markets, apart from occupational exposure in the workers there,” said Cowling, “while exposure to H7N9 has probably been widespread in the workers and the customers.”</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>

Birth Year: Flu Strains Immunity Determinant

Researchers say your first flu infection in childhood can provide protection against similar flu viruses for the rest of your life. If...

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Electronic Medical Records in the Philippines: Issues and Challenges

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXaswP8i6-eAnR54sa4_hqTdm0HnsNNBkYaSkylL8WBpGlyI-sbJvmAWh5upqTK708-qxILtP0s4n-eZGC1k6m1Q2IgNk4f1U9mGYfF9nK2cX1AKDIyj0v18d_LWqgmU4v_2EbVf_nIvDJ/s1600/emr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXaswP8i6-eAnR54sa4_hqTdm0HnsNNBkYaSkylL8WBpGlyI-sbJvmAWh5upqTK708-qxILtP0s4n-eZGC1k6m1Q2IgNk4f1U9mGYfF9nK2cX1AKDIyj0v18d_LWqgmU4v_2EbVf_nIvDJ/s400/emr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">By: Electronic Medical Records in the Philippines Issues and Challenges ROMSTY C. SANTOS Master of Science in Health Informatics, University of the Philippines Manila</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">1.  What are the implementation issues and challenges of some of the leading EMR providers in the country?</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">2.  Lack of manpower No designated encoderin RHUs Fast turnoverof health workers Some midwives or nurses are at retirement age Some are not techy or computer savvy or literate Management issues in the LGU Some LCEs do not prioritizehealth Health workers are overburdened of tasks Instead of encoding data, they would prefer to maximize patient services Lack of resources, e.g. computer units and internet, due to lack of fundsor the area doesn't have internet connection such as GIDAsites</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">3. Legalware. Healthcare is multi-disciplinary: policies for health information exchange are not yet in place. Specific policies related to security, privacy and confidentiality of patient information are not yet laid down: some informatics pessimists are unconvinced that EMRs are good/efficient tools hardware. Poor hardware maintenance. Regular budget allocation to replace parts/units. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Network problems, i.e. IP conflict and slow internet connectivity software. Local technical expertise to troubleshoot software-related issues. Health care data requirements are dynamic/ever changing: costly for some LGUs to budget for customizations peopleware.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">4. Intended users Making the system relevant to them is more than just informing them. Users need to actually use it in their workflow. Until such time that they experience the full cycle: from recording, reminding, prescribing and use it for decision making, etc. then it is as of now just a database of patient information. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Policy EMR providers listen to what DOH, PHIC and DOST require. However, delays in implementation, changes in administration are set backs. We go to the field promising that the system is relevant for claims yet it remains a promise after two years. Partners As a private provider of EMRS, we also need to ensure that our partners are satisfied with our work. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes, there is already scope creep and we can not avoid including the work as it becomes relevant to the project based on circumstances. Technology As implementation plans change and slow down, technology on the other hand changes fast. We need to constantly upgrade which increases the cost of maintenance even before ROI kicks in. Sustainability We need to include a model for sustainability despite the software being free as there are real costs in maintaining the system.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">5. Lack of funding support from the national government Weak policy Weak infrastructure environment.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">6. Sustainability (unlike pharmacies, PHIC IT support are channeled to LGUs, and difficult to negotiate individually) Training and support for users Hardware for health workers</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Source: <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/Romsty/electronic-medical-records-in-the-philippines-issues-and-challenges-53260542">http://www.slideshare.net/Romsty/electronic-medical-records-in-the-philippines-issues-and-challenges-53260542</a></span></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID= 8302257025212695459&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID= 8302257025212695459&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div>

EMR Equipment Health IT Innovations Technology Electronic Medical Records in the Philippines: Issues and Challenges

By: Electronic Medical Records in the Philippines Issues and Challenges ROMSTY C. SANTOS Master of Science in Health Informatics, Unive...

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UST Research Team Wins US$20,000.00 grant

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1ibVcjN6HpU5nMd9kBCjx5-Yo4mcJx2f2wYkvbB03PS_ZiyqEYS8gI0waNivq9EGM5-Wg8PqgWjlgZ8sq_2mOGI6itzlvIRZUyZLh8Y0q6f3Yr6jDzQic1JwsuHaHGakGMEwY45qYXhR/s1600/Smartphone+Monitor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1ibVcjN6HpU5nMd9kBCjx5-Yo4mcJx2f2wYkvbB03PS_ZiyqEYS8gI0waNivq9EGM5-Wg8PqgWjlgZ8sq_2mOGI6itzlvIRZUyZLh8Y0q6f3Yr6jDzQic1JwsuHaHGakGMEwY45qYXhR/s400/Smartphone+Monitor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">A UST Research Team was granted US$20,000 by the Conquer Cancer Foundation of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) International. The UST Team came up with the iComPASS prototype mobile app that will enable doctors to monitor the symptoms of cancer patients and give medical advice.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The Inter-Disciplinary team of UST was led by by Dr. Teresa Sy Ortin, director of the UST Hospital Benavides Cancer Institute; and Dr. Jocelyn Que, chief program officer of the university’s Center for Pain Medicine, of the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery; and the USTH-BCI. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The amount grated will be utilized to help to help finance the group’s project titled “A Mobile Application for Monitoring Patient-Reported Outcomes in Cancer Care.”  </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">For use in mobile phones with iOS and Android Systems, the iComPass (internet-based Computerized Patient Assessment System) was developed  in 2014. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The iComPAsS is envisioned to facilitate remote monitoring of patients’ symptoms so the physician can advise the need for a follow-up visit.  </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">It is not intended to formulate a diagnosis, manage symptoms or take the place of a physician, but rather to complement current cancer care by reducing existing barriers that limit adequate management in the local setting – inadequate or delayed detection of symptoms, poor patient compliance, and lack of patient-physician communication. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The project is expected to be completed by next year. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">In 2013, the Conquer Cancer Foundation and ASCO International launched the International Innovation Grant, a one-year research grant that provides up to $20,000 in support of novel and innovative projects that can have a significant impact on cancer control in low- and middle-income countries.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">UST was one of four recipients of the grant this year.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID= 6125396346322687485&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID= 6125396346322687485&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div>

EMR Equipment Health IT Technology UST Research Team Wins US$20,000.00 grant

A UST Research Team was granted US$20,000 by the Conquer Cancer Foundation of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Internationa...

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FDA Bans Antiseptic Chemicals From Soaps

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UowvnFdUSpN_oC_RdH5peZzVqbC5R0AM__Yt7y6LpBFeq494qVXOO0ysTWuaZSnzeQ9T2hMeIUMGhd2WmsZ2j2fGXDkmhTHgSDbStSdQ9XQ1bH4UhdtlhrM-HacXzQrRLyf_SS7aBCbN/s1600/AP_29774445759-1024x576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UowvnFdUSpN_oC_RdH5peZzVqbC5R0AM__Yt7y6LpBFeq494qVXOO0ysTWuaZSnzeQ9T2hMeIUMGhd2WmsZ2j2fGXDkmhTHgSDbStSdQ9XQ1bH4UhdtlhrM-HacXzQrRLyf_SS7aBCbN/s400/AP_29774445759-1024x576.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">"We have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water," said Dr. Janet Woodcock, the Food and Drug Administration' drug center director, in a statement.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Several chemicals were banned by the FDA in antibacterial soaps. </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> Triclosan and Triclocarban were the two main chemicals targeted by the said decision as some limited animal research suggests can interfere with hormone levels and spur drug-resistant bacteria.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Most companies have now banned the products which contains the aforementioned substance. The FDA said it will allow companies more time to provide data on three other chemicals, which are still in a majority of products sold today.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Manufacturers were told about 3 years ago to prove that their products are safe and effective but they failed to meet the federal standards. </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The FDA is now undertaking a sweeping reevaluation of soaps and washes used by consumers and health professionals. The decision, however, does not include hand sanitizers, most of which use alcohol rather than antibacterial chemicals.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>

FDA Bans Antiseptic Chemicals From Soaps

"We have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water," said Dr. Janet Woodcock, the Food and Dru...

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Philippine Heart Center Runs By Solar Power

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoDr8J7EHn_Ksto6r3qtRX0xVS1O_YzTwGdWp4AM3dgaukGoyKrh529kiC9N8ajTpbpA-xmwC_Vb-RCc956AVjLyqFIRkTJP6GJO_JOqPEpMdSr9XFMV2KUPFnn-ej49wcYnIHq7BxUkc/s1600/solar-powered-mall-1121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoDr8J7EHn_Ksto6r3qtRX0xVS1O_YzTwGdWp4AM3dgaukGoyKrh529kiC9N8ajTpbpA-xmwC_Vb-RCc956AVjLyqFIRkTJP6GJO_JOqPEpMdSr9XFMV2KUPFnn-ej49wcYnIHq7BxUkc/s400/solar-powered-mall-1121.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">“The plant that has been installed in the Philippine Heart Center can generate 30,000 kilowatt hours (kwh) per month, miniscule in terms of our total electrical consumption of 900,000 kwh but nonetheless is a small step in the right direction,” said  Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco Jr., PHC executive director.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">A 100-kilowatt solar panel system was launched by PNOC-Renewables Corp. (PNOC-RC) at the rooftop of Philippine Heart Center (PHC)  in Quezon City. This is the first hospital among 200 others targeted by the state-owned renewable company. </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">A total of  P252,600 can be saved monthly in the hospital's electricity bill at a rate of  P8.42 per kwh as per Meralco. The P8-million project can  provide roughly 3 percent of the hospital’s total monthly electricity consumption.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">This will also enable  PHC  avoid the emission of  105 tons of carbon dioxide and the planting of 2,800 trees to offset that emission. </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">PHC is the first hospital to be powered by PNOC-RC’s solar power projects which also include government offices and institutions. </span>

Philippine Heart Center Runs By Solar Power

“The plant that has been installed in the Philippine Heart Center can generate 30,000 kilowatt hours (kwh) per month, miniscule in terms...

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Say Goodbye To The Much Dreaded Dental Drill

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1fqUgD4HQmvT6lQA7V9IEmE8RFnEUieBOEKzL7qfyja2e4SY5mthKtvodNdRRuvF5UldubaEKe-Y3siDSvN2vhhnOBl_lOCvz1icJgDH7cLtDjTowpZeIcSBbDMBkQfLodUlReEdCGOf/s1600/Dentist+working+on+a+patient.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1fqUgD4HQmvT6lQA7V9IEmE8RFnEUieBOEKzL7qfyja2e4SY5mthKtvodNdRRuvF5UldubaEKe-Y3siDSvN2vhhnOBl_lOCvz1icJgDH7cLtDjTowpZeIcSBbDMBkQfLodUlReEdCGOf/s400/Dentist+working+on+a+patient.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">A dental drill or dentist's drill is a small, high-speed drill used during dental procedures, usually to remove decay and shape tooth structure prior to the insertion of a filling or crown. A dental drill may also be used in the cleaning and shaping of root canals during endodontic treatment, or to remove old or temporary fillings or crowns prior to the insertion of new or permanent restorations. The term "dental drill" is considered the more colloquial form of the term "dental handpiece," although it can also be construed as to include the power source for one or more handpieces, a "dental engine." "Handpiece" and "engine" are more generic and euphemistic terms for generic dental tools.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Blasting through a decaying tooth to reach a cavity can involve “drilling out healthy parts of a tooth to get to a small area of infection,” says Wayne Flavin, director of scientific affairs for DMG America, a dental-materials company. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Enter Icon, the company's new treatment for early cavities, which works by injecting liquid resin into the tooth. The quick-flowing resin reaches the inner “lattice” of decay faster than traditional metal or composite fillings can. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Once inside the problem spot, it solidifies and stops the cavity from progressing. “Patients love it because there is no anesthetic and no drilling,” says John Rowe, DDS, a dentist in Jonesboro, Arkansas, who has been testing the product for more than a year. Already on the market in Europe, Icon will be widely available in the United States this year.</span></div>

Say Goodbye To The Much Dreaded Dental Drill

A dental drill or dentist's drill is a small, high-speed drill used during dental procedures, usually to remove decay and shape too...

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This Gel Will Probably Save Thousands Of Lives

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMhntSGof-VEkrJcV9buBaKC4a8LIAoB8SWSVpzVeWX0x3HWa2JDojxpRDyn-9bjhvDNfWtHcBauHpauNFgGtaJ5wfRZP1GNL6SKfk_S0GHXhlwNHrINXz4fylvVm2VejKaHz8sSYE7CV/s1600/Vetigel-Stops-Bleeding-In-Seconds-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMhntSGof-VEkrJcV9buBaKC4a8LIAoB8SWSVpzVeWX0x3HWa2JDojxpRDyn-9bjhvDNfWtHcBauHpauNFgGtaJ5wfRZP1GNL6SKfk_S0GHXhlwNHrINXz4fylvVm2VejKaHz8sSYE7CV/s400/Vetigel-Stops-Bleeding-In-Seconds-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Imagine that you are bleeding profusely, with nothing to stop it, and you have no access to an ER. Now imagine that you apply a simple gel to your wound, and the bleeding ceases in mere seconds. A few minutes later you are fully healed.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">This is the premise of VetiGel, an algae-based polymer created by Joe Landolina — a 22 year-old who invented the product when he was just 17.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Fast forward five years and now Landolina is the CEO of Suneris, a biotech company has taken that concept and has turned it into a safe, efficient and extremely effective way to heal wounds.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The science that makes this all possible is surprisingly basic.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Each batch of gel begins as algae, which is made up of tiny individual polymers. If you break those polymers down into even tinier pieces, "kind of like Lego blocks," Landolina says, you can put them into the gel and inject that gel into a wound site.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Once it hits the damaged tissue, whether it's open skin or a biopsied soft organ — livers, kidneys, spleens — the gel instantly forms a mesh-like structure.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Fibrin helps repair tissue over long-term periods of time, and it is what allows the VetiGel to be so effective.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">For now, VetiGel will be distributed to veterinarian offices, but it soon will be ready for human use once it receives FDA approval.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">The creation of this gel means that Band-Aids and stitches might soon be a thing of the past.</span>

This Gel Will Probably Save Thousands Of Lives

Imagine that you are bleeding profusely, with nothing to stop it, and you have no access to an ER. Now imagine that you apply a simple g...

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RxBox: Training for Trainors

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFO2wju8e11K91QzKise5MD6pjZM6Cv4HjdhnWsffa4gndmrmFNhYCDMfId3_KmUsprxINB_aMkzrD2F0X7bQOtRlzQu94BbZ7-f4VXlqwExoKYyMWXuK5xRWM_FGgFlyOyK8bpSrxJGA8/s1600/RXBox+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFO2wju8e11K91QzKise5MD6pjZM6Cv4HjdhnWsffa4gndmrmFNhYCDMfId3_KmUsprxINB_aMkzrD2F0X7bQOtRlzQu94BbZ7-f4VXlqwExoKYyMWXuK5xRWM_FGgFlyOyK8bpSrxJGA8/s400/RXBox+pic.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RxBox Trainors</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Following the eventual distribution of 1,000 RxBox units next year, IT Trainors were trained last Oct. 19 – 21, 2016 at the Computational Research Center at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The trainees were from all 18 Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Offices and the National Telehealth Center's (NHTC’s) regional coordinators. The training was conducted  by the NHTC TxBox Team and the NTHC Technology Group together with the UP Diliman EEEI IRC.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The RxBox is part of the National Telehealth Program. The RxBox enables patients from rural and depressed communities to avail of medical consultations such as body temperature, blood pressure, and other diagnostic services.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The first 143 RxBoxes have been field tested and passed the trials needed. These will greatly amplify the government’s commitment to deliver quality medical services to those who are most needy and not in the immediate areas served by traditional Rural Health Units and Health Centers. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The RxBox is a result of cooperation from three disciplines namely, engineering, medicine and ICT and was developed and made by Filipinos.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">During commitment ceremonies last June 2016, Dr. Montoya, Sec. Montejo, and Dr. Tayag, with University of Philippines (UP) Manila Vice Chancellor for Research and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Executive Director Eva Maria Cutiongco-Dela Paz, participated in the commitment signing of RxBox on “working together to provide better access to life saving healthcare services to every Juan.”  </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The training was funded by the DOST.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID=%202875980582321399070&target=facebook" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9Bov-5jxblscorzGCopVL5Xz68i6dvP9jIudFNjEHqR8MMdmVfysddhDjGUhuvlerb67aHnfQDJEUeUQZ5kjo_Wx4ig1t1Up2WOpNkMj-NaNLwPtxqdA3ez_SOd-1IwiRZWwI2BCbpA/s1600/sharefb185.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5544835517721897626&postID=%202875980582321399070&target=twitter" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMggqAn9B6n_ue3iBOqDQgfJmfpRxWvLyKJRt7IFP17wasPqRAsizTNNHpZHUKMuDMZm5A4duwa4m0IFs-cBh79J03YQVVToXxjf2LZ6qNn4CyLwa8Wy-c4jj2UC8QFH081Ja_q0iaXdM/s1600/sharetw185.png" /></a></div>

DOH EMR Equipment Health IT Professional Technology RxBox: Training for Trainors

RxBox Trainors Following the eventual distribution of 1,000 RxBox units next year, IT Trainors were trained last Oct. 19 – 21, 2016 a...

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