PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
September 11, 2016
(Another day of infamy 9/11/2001)
PARADIGM DEFINED:
1) an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype.2) a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations, and the experiments performed in support of them, are formulated.
Our website...... http://paradigm97.blogspot.com/ Please copy, paste, and bookmark it.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our website...... http://paradigm97.blogspot.com/ Please copy, paste, and bookmark it.
MISSION STATEMENT
We believe that nurses need each other for support during the "lean and mean" days to help survive them. We offer research results and other ideas to enrich the nursing experience.
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SNIPPET
Dengue (DENG-gey) fever is a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Mild dengue fever causes high fever, rash, and muscle and joint pain. A severe form of dengue fever, also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause severe bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.
Millions of cases of dengue infection occur worldwide each year. Dengue fever is most common in Southeast Asia and the western Pacific islands, but the disease has been increasing rapidly in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Researchers are working on dengue fever vaccines. For now the best prevention is to reduce mosquito habitat in areas where dengue fever is common.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dengue-fever/basics/definition/con-20032868
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EDITORIAL COLUMN
Today in Mighty Girl history, women's rights activist and pioneering social reformer, Jane Addams -- who became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize -- was born in 1860. The co-founder of the famous Hull House, a settlement house in Chicago, Addams was instrumental in bringing the needs of mothers and children to greater public awareness and is recognized as the founder of the social work profession in the United States.
Born in Illinois in 1860, Addams was a voracious reader as a child and was inspired by Charles Dickens' writing on the lives of the poor to spend her life helping those in need. As an adult, she learned about the settlement house movement -- a social reform movement that began in the late 19th century to provide education and healthcare resources to the urban poor. After visiting the world's first settlement house, Toynbee Hall in London, Addams was inspired to open Hull House in 1889. Hull House offered an adult night school; clubs for older children; a gym and bath house; music, theater, and art lessons; and an employment center, among many other services; at its height, 2,000 people a week walked through its doors.
Addams encouraged women to become “civic housekeepers," working for the betterment of their communities. At one point, in 1894, she served as the first woman appointed as sanitary inspector and, with the help of the Hull House Women's Club, made over 1,000 reports of health department violations. She was also a vocal advocate of women's suffrage as she recognized that human welfare concerns would not be given adequate attention by the government without the voices and votes of women.
A staunch supporter of Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party, Adams was elected president of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom in 1915. In this capacity, she headed a commission which organized the first significant international effort to mediate between the warring nations. As a pacifist, she faced severe criticism once the US entered the war, and was even branded as unpatriotic. Following the war, however, President Calvin Coolidge and the public at large supported Addams and the WILPF efforts in the 1920s to ban poison gas -- which was achieved in 1925 with the signing of the Geneva Protocol.
Addams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 -- the second woman in history to receive the honor -- for her pioneering social reform work and her leadership of WILPF's peacebuilding efforts. Remembered as an individual who had transformed the lives of so many, especially women, Addams once said that the “[o]ld-fashioned ways which no longer apply to changed conditions are a snare in which the feet of women have always become readily entangled.” Thanks to her tireless efforts for suffrage and women’s rights, there are fewer snares in all of our paths.
For a wonderful new picture book about Jane Addams' inspiring story, we highly recommend "The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams" for ages 5 to 9 at http://www.amightygirl.com/the-house-that-jane-built
Addam is also one of the thirteen groundbreaking American profiled in President Barack Obama’s book “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter To My Daughters,” for ages 5 to 10 at http://www.amightygirl.com/of-thee-i-sing
For older children, she is one of the courageous changemakers profiled in the book "She Takes A Stand: 16 Fearless Activists Who Have Changed The World" for ages 12 and up athttp://www.amightygirl.com/she-takes-a-stand
Adult readers may enjoy Jane Addams' classic book about the history of the remarkable institution she founded: "20 Years at Hull-House" (http://amzn.to/1wcTHrG) or the engaging biography "Jane Addams: Spirit in Action" (http://amzn.to/21LWl7K)
And, for books for children and teens that address a wide variety of social issues, many of which Addams saw as important to the future of people everywhere, visit our "Social Issues" section athttp://www.amightygirl.com/books/social-issues
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INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles usually good for only 30 days
Mylan offers discounts on EpiPen amid wave of criticism (Well, well, greed gets caught out)
Mylan NV said on Thursday it would reduce the out-of-pocket costs of its emergency EpiPen allergy injection for some patients amid a wave of criticism from lawmakers and the public over the product's rapidly escalating price.
The list price of the drug will remain the same, but the company said it would increase the maximum copay assistance program to $300 from $100 for patients who pay for the 2-pak in cash or who are covered by a commercial health insurer.
The price of EpiPen has skyrocketed to $600 from $100 since it was acquired by Mylan in 2007.
Mylan also said it is doubling the eligibility for its patient assistance program, which will eliminate out-of-pocket costs for uninsured and under-insured patients and families.
Government paid programs are not eligible for the copay assistance program. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mylan-nl-pricing-idUSKCN11017J?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-08-26&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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FDA recommends Zika testing for all blood donated in U.S.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended on Friday that all blood donated in the United States and its territories be tested for Zika virus, as it moves to prevent transmission of the virus through the blood supply.
The agency said its decision to expand blood screening in the United States was based on concerns about more cases of local transmission in Florida, the growing number of travel-related infections and concerns that Zika-tainted blood could unwittingly be given to a pregnant woman, putting her unborn baby at risk of severe birth defects.
“The transfusion of a pregnant woman with blood infected with the Zika virus could have terrible consequences,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said during a conference call with reporters. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-blood-idUSKCN1111ZD?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-08-29&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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Zika Virus Case in Utah Baffles Health Officials
The New York Times (free-article access for SmartBrief readers) (7/18), HealthDay News (7/18)
The CDC has reported a case of Zika infection in a person who provided care to a Utah man who acquired the virus while traveling and died in June. The caregiver has recovered, a nd health officials are trying to determine how the virus was transmitted since it is not known to be circulating among mosquitoes locally and the case is not believed to involve sexual transmission. ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/19/health/utah-zika-case.html?WT.mc_id=SmartBriefs-Newsletter&WT.mc_ev=click&ad-keywords=smartbriefsnl&_r=0
or
http://tinyurl.com/gnct3ma
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TUESDAY, Aug. 30, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Ebola virus stays present in semen longer than previously thought, and is more likely to be found in older men, researchers report.
The deadly virus can be transmitted through semen.
Preliminary findings from 429 male Ebola survivors taking part in a national screening program in the African nation of Liberia showed that 9 percent (38) had fragments of Ebola in their semen.
Of those 38 men, 63 percent tested positive for Ebola in their semen a year after recovering from the disease. One man's semen still had evidence of Ebola at least 565 days after he recovered from the illness, the study found.
Men older than 40 were more likely to have Ebola fragments in their semen than younger men, the study authors said. ...
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_160697.html
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Zika-exposed infants may need a wide range of care.
Health experts are concerned that infants exposed to the Zika virus who do not develop microcephaly may still experience other cognitive and developmental issues and require cross-disciplinary care. Florida is enrolling children born with birth defects or developmental challenges due to Zika in its Early Steps program.
In nine months, the growing Zika outbreak in Florida will present a grave new challenge to the nation's health system — babies born to mothers infected with the virus that causes severe birth defects, many of which we have yet to discover.
There are nearly 1,400 pregnant women in the US and its territories known to have contracted Zika to date. More than 500 of those women live in the continental 48 states and 70 of them are in Florida. Experts estimate that by September we can expect eight women to get infected in their first trimester from Florida's local outbreak.
"Given the number we're seeing, we know there are going to be babies born to these moms," said Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, the director of the public health dissemination division at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "We want these babies to be able to develop to their full potential and we expect that some of them are going to have severe birth defects."
Most people experience mild or no symptoms after they've been infected, but during pregnancy the virus can have severe impacts on the fetus. The most well-known is microcephaly, a condition where the newborn's head is abnormally small and their brain is underdeveloped. ...
https://news.vice.com/article/zika-babies-will-create-a-new-challenge-for-americas-health-system
(CNN) An experimental drug shattered and removed toxic plaques in the brains of patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, researchers said Thursday.
Given to patients once a month for a year, infusions of the drug aducanumab cleared the brain of the deposits, which experts believe play a crucial role in disrupting cellular processes and blocking communication among nerve cells.
Although most aging brains contain some plaques, the brains of Alzheimer's patients tend to have much more. The disease, the most common form of dementia, has no cure, although some treatments are available to alleviate symptoms. Treatments to slow the progression or reverse it have not panned out. Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Biogen developed the drug aducanumab and funded the study, which primarily tested its safety in humans and was not designed to test for cerebral benefits for patients. Still, the condition of some patients who received the drug showed less decline than patients receiving a placebo.
As measured by PET brain scans, treatment with aducanumab reduced brain plaques based on both duration and dose; all groups showed more reduction in plaques over time, and the highest-dose group showed the greatest reduction of all.
The study has too few patients to prove that the drug actually works, wrote Eric M. Reiman, executive director of the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, in a commentary on the research, published in the journal Nature. He added that many other Alzheimer's drugs have looked promising early on but ended in failure.
However, "confirmation of a cognitive benefit would be a game-changer," said Reiman, a psychiatrist who is unaffiliated with the current study. A smell test may diagnose Alzheimers early.
Regular nibbling on nuts linked to low inflammation
(Reuters Health) - Eating a handful of nuts five times per week may reduce inflammation, a condition that contributes to heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic illnesses, say the authors of a recent U.S. study.
This inflammation-dampening effect might be the secret to the health benefits of nuts, the study team writes in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Past research has linked eating nuts to lower rates of heart disease and diabetes, but the exact reason was unknown, senior study author Dr. Ying Bao, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, told Reuters Health.
“We hypothesized that nuts may exert these health benefits by reducing inflammation,” Bao said by email.
Nuts may lower inflammation because they contain fiber, magnesium, antioxidants and other health-boosting ingredients, the researchers write. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-inflammation-nuts-idUSKCN10Z2S6?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-08-25&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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Heart Birth Defects Dropped After Folic Acid Was Added to Food
Monday, August 29, 2016
MONDAY, Aug. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- The introduction of folic acid-fortified foods in Canada was associated with a decrease in babies being born with heart defects, a new study found.
Researchers reviewed data from nearly 6 million births in Canada. The births occurred between 1990 and 2011. Folic acid food fortification became mandatory for all types of flour, enriched pasta and cornmeal in 1998 in Canada.
During the study period, there was an 11 percent decline in rates of congenital heart defects overall. But decreases weren't seen in all types of heart defects present at birth.
The biggest declines -- between 15 percent and 27 percent -- were in structural defects of the heart, such as holes in the wall of the heart or a narrowing of the major artery (the aorta) that carries blood to the body from the heart, the investigators found. ...
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_160673.html
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Overweight/Obesity Linked to Eight More Cancers
Being overweight/obese is already known to increase the risk for certain cancers, but this association has just become much wider. Another eight cancers have been added to the list, joining the five already there.
The new findings come from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO). They are published in the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention, Volume 16: Body Fatness, which provides an update of part of IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 6: Weight Control and Physical Activity, published in 2002.
A summary was published online August 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Rather than saying that overweight/obesity increases the risk for cancer, the IARC has presented its findings another way: "the absence of excess body fatness reduces the risk of cancers." ...
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/867919
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Adult mosquitoes can pass Zika to their offspring: U.S. study
Adult female mosquitoes can pass the Zika virus along to their offspring, U.S. researchers said on Monday, a finding that makes clear the need for pesticide programs that kill both adult mosquitoes and their eggs.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, show that as with many related viruses, including dengue and yellow fever, Zika can be transmitted from female mosquitoes to their offspring.
Dr. Robert Tesh of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, a study co-author, said the fact that the virus can be passed along to mosquito offspring makes Zika harder to control.
"Spraying affects adults, but it does not usually kill the immature forms - the eggs and larvae. Spraying will reduce transmission, but it may not eliminate the virus," he said. ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-mosquitoes-idUSKCN1142CD?feedType=nl&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%20Health%20Report%202016-08-30&utm_term=US%20Health%20Report
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Little known facts:
Humans are more likely to be killed by a vending machine, than they are by a shark/
The north pole of Uranus is dark for 42 years at a time.
The spots of light you see when you rub your eyes ar called phosphenes.
The Bible is the most shoplifted book.
A mosquito's saliva acts as an anesthetic so you usually don't notice when one bites you.
The month in which the most murders happen is August.
Bacteria can grow and divide every 20 minutes, turning one bacterial cell into 16 million in just eight hours.
The popsicle was invented by an 11-year-old who kept it secret for 18 years.
Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
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Cellular Defect May Be Linked to Parkinson's: Study Abnormality might apply to all forms of the disease, researchers say
THURSDAY, Sept. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've discovered a cellular defect that may be common to all forms of Parkinson's disease.
The defect plays a major role in the die-off of a group of nerve cells whose loss is a hallmark of Parkinson's, according to the Stanford University team. The researchers conducted a series of experiments with cells from Parkinson's patients and healthy people.
"We've found a molecular biomarker that characterizes not just familial cases of Parkinson's, in which a predisposition for the disease is clearly inherited, but also the condition's far more prevalent sporadic forms, for which the genetic contribution is either nonexistent or not yet discovered," said senior author Dr. Xinnan Wang, an assistant professor of neurosurgery.
This defect prevents cells from quickly eliminating their internal power sources (mitochondria) when they wear out. So instead of supplying energy, they start releasing waste, Wang and colleagues explained in a university news release.
The finding could lead to more accurate and earlier diagnoses of Parkinson's, as well as new treatments, the researchers said. ... https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_160862.html
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A report released on Tuesday shows in graphic detail the kind of damage Zika infections can do to the developing brain - damage that goes well beyond the devastating birth defect known as microcephaly, in which the baby's head is smaller than normal.
The current Zika outbreak was first detected last year in Brazil, where the virus has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly, which can cause severe developmental problems.
Prior research has shown the Zika virus attacks neural progenitor cells - a type of stem cell that develops into different types of nerve or brain cells.
The latest research, published in the journal Radiology, draws from imaging and autopsy findings linked with confirmed Zika infections done on 17 infants and fetuses cared for at the Instituto de Pesquisa, in Campina Grande in the state of Paraiba in northeastern Brazil, where the infection has been especially severe.
The study also included reports on 28 fetuses or newborns with brain anomalies whose mothers were suspected of having Zika during pregnancy.
Nearly all babies in each group had ventriculomegaly, a condition in which the ventricles, or fluid-filled spaces in the brain, are enlarged. While most of the fetuses had at least one exam showing abnormally small head circumference, suggesting they had microcephaly, three of the fetuses with ventriculomegaly had normal head circumference, but severe ventriculomegaly.
Nearly all of the fetuses or babies in the confirmed Zika group and nearly 80 percent of those in the presumed Zika group also had abnormalities of the corpus callosum - a large bundle of nerves that facilitates communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-imaging-idUSKCN10Y28A
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National nursing organizations offer education on the opioid crisis
To combat the nation's opioid epidemic, AANP has joined 24 national nursing organizations to offer a free webinar series that will serve as an educational resource for practicing nurses, faculty and students. http://media.aanponline.com/psa/Opioid_Flyer.pdf
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Cancer on Course to Become Top Killer of Americans
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_160665.html
Report shows it will probably eclipse heart disease as leading cause of death in coming years
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Cancer is on track to become the leading cause of death in the United States, closing in on heart disease as America's number one killer, a new government study shows.
Heart disease has consistently been the leading cause of death for decades, and remained so in 2014, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But the gap between heart disease and the second-leading cause of death, cancer, has been narrowing since 1968, the researchers said.
Cancer actually surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death for 22 states in 2014, the study found. Back in 2000, Alaska and Minnesota were the only two states where cancer killed more people than heart disease. ...
By now most people know that many studies have linked a Mediterranean diet to a lower risk of cancer and Alzheimer's disease, better cardiovascular health, and a longer life. The building blocks of the Mediterranean diet are foods that are low in saturated fat, rich in healthy oils, and packed with fresh fruits and vegetables (plus exercise). But what exactly should you be eating for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks? These delicious Mediterranean diet recipes will give you lots of ideas. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20793870,00.html
Watch the video: 7 Health Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet
Also, how to start: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20793870,00.html/view-all
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Mediterranean diet: A heart-healthy eating plan
The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating plan based on typical foods and recipes of Mediterranean-style cooking. Here's how to adopt the Mediterranean diet.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
If you're looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you.
The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
Most healthy diets include fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, and limit unhealthy fats. While these parts of a healthy diet are tried-and-true, subtle variations or differences in proportions of certain foods may make a difference in your risk of heart disease. ...
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801
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Overloaded carryalls injure thousands of school children in U.S.
SATURDAY, Aug. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Ill-fitting backpacks may put school children at risk for muscle injuries as well as back, neck and shoulder pain, experts warn.
"Heavy duty backpacks must be worn and used correctly in order to avoid injuries such as strains, sprains and posture problems," said orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Nitin Khanna, an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons spokesperson.
"Use both shoulder straps to keep the weight of the backpack better distributed and adjust the shoulder straps to keep the load close to the back. Roller bags are also a good option, if easily used at your child's school," Khanna said in an academy news release. ...
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QUIZ TIME
Which statement about hypertension and African Americans is correct?
a. Hypertension in African Americans tends to start at an older age than in other racial groups.
b. Hypertensive African Americans have a fourfold risk of fatal stroke.
b. Hypertensive African Americans have a fourfold risk of fatal stroke.
c. Hypertensive African Americans have a 2.2 greater risk of end-stage renal disease.
d. African Americans have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world.
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Women 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed after heart attack – study
Women are 50% more likely than men to be given a wrong diagnosis after a heart attack, according to a study.
Three in 10 patients’ initial diagnosis differed from their final diagnosis. Researcher Dr Chris Gale said an initial misdiagnosis could have “potentially important clinical repercussions, including an increased risk of death”.
The study by Leeds University researchers looked at records of nearly 600,000 heart attack patients admitted to 243 NHS hospitals in England and Wales between April 2004 and March 2013. It found that 198,534 patients were initially misdiagnosed.
Heart attacks can be broken down into two main types: Stemi and Nstemi. A Stemi attack occurs when there is a total blockage of the coronary artery that supplies the heart muscle with oxygenated blood. The more common Nstemi type of heart attack involves a partial blockage of one or more arteries. Both result in serious damage to the heart muscle.
Women who had a final diagnosis of Stemi had a 59% greater chance of a initial misdiagnosis compared with men, according to the study, which appears in the European Heart Journal Acute Cardiovascular Care. Women who had a final diagnosis of Nstemi had a 41% greater chance of a misdiagnosis when compared with men. ...
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/30/women-50-more-likely-to-be-misdiagnosed-after-heart-attack-study
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Teratoma:
Teratomas are germ cell tumors commonly composed of multiple cell types derived from one or more of the 3 germ layers. Inconsistent nomenclature often confuses discussions of various subtypes of teratomas. The word is derived from the Greek teras, meaning monster, which Virchow coined in the first edition of his book on tumors published in 1863.[1] Teratomas range from benign, well-differentiated (mature) cystic lesions to those that are solid and malignant (immature). Additionally, teratomas may be monodermal and highly specialized. Rarely, within some mature teratomas certain elements (most commonly squamous components) undergo malignant transformation.
In 1831, Leblanc coined the term dermoid cyst in the veterinary literature when he removed a lesion that resembled skin at the base of a horse's skull, which he called a “kyste dermoid.”[2] Both dermoid and teratoma, terms now more than a century old, remain in general use and often are used interchangeably with various preferences among subspecialties. The earliest implications were that elements similar to skin and its appendages composed dermoids, while teratomas had no such limits. Dermoids now are recognized as often being trigerminal and containing practically any type of tissue.
For those who continue to make a distinction, dermoids are tumors that maintain rather orderly arrangements, with well-differentiated ectodermal and mesodermal tissues surrounding endodermal components. Teratomas, specifically solid teratomas, are essentially devoid of organization; thus, the presence of some degree of organization, a high degree of cellular differentiation, and cystic structure differentiates dermoids from teratomas.[1] This article focuses on mature cystic teratomas, commonly referred to as dermoid cysts. (see pictures of teratomas) ...
For more information about the Pathophysiology...http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/281850-overview
RANDOM FACTS: In 2010, not only does the United States have a central bank, but it also runs our economy and issues all of our currency. The Federal Reserve has devalued the U.S. dollar by over 95 percent since 1913 and it has been used to create the biggest mountain of government debt in the history of the world.
Bonus Fact: The 50 wealthiest members of Congress saw their collective fortunes increase by 85.1 million dollars to $1.4 billion in 2009. (And now they are contemplating giving themselves another "very needed" raise.)
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HUMOR SECTION
A 5-year-old boy visited his grandmother one day.
Playing with his toys in her bedroom while Grandma was dusting, he looked up and said, “Grandma, how come you don’t have a boyfriend now that Grandpa went to heaven?”
Grandma replied, “Honey, my TV is my boyfriend. I can sit in my bedroom and watch it all day long. The religious programs make me feel good and the comedies make me laugh. I’m happy with my TV as my boyfriend.”
Playing with his toys in her bedroom while Grandma was dusting, he looked up and said, “Grandma, how come you don’t have a boyfriend now that Grandpa went to heaven?”
Grandma replied, “Honey, my TV is my boyfriend. I can sit in my bedroom and watch it all day long. The religious programs make me feel good and the comedies make me laugh. I’m happy with my TV as my boyfriend.”
Grandma later turned on the TV, and the reception was terrible. She started adjusting the knobs, trying to get the picture in focus. Frustrated, she started hitting the backside of the TV hoping to fix the problem.
The little boy heard the doorbell ring, so he hurried to open the door and there stood Grandma’s minister. The minister said, “Hello son, is your grandma home?”
The little boy heard the doorbell ring, so he hurried to open the door and there stood Grandma’s minister. The minister said, “Hello son, is your grandma home?”
The little boy replied, “Yeah, she’s in the bedroom banging on her boyfriend.”
The minister gasped.
The minister gasped.
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Two nuns were shopping at a 7-Eleven store. As they passed by the beer cooler, one nun said to the other, “Wouldn’t a nice cool beer or two taste wonderful on a hot summer evening?”
The second nun answered, “Indeed it would, sister, but I would not feel comfortable buying beer, since I am certain it would cause a scene at the checkout stand.”
“I can handle that without a problem,” the other nun replied, and she picked up a six-pack and headed for the checkout.
The cashier had a surprised look on his face when the two nuns arrived with a six-pack of beer.
“We use beer for washing our hair,” the nun said. “Back at the convent, we call it ‘Catholic shampoo.’ ”
Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter, pulled out a package of pretzel sticks, and placed them in the bag with the beer.
He then looked the nun straight in the eye, smiled, and said: “The curlers are on the house.”
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Laundry Lament
Based on the amount of laundry that
I do each week,
I am going to assume that
there are people who live here
Whom I have yet to meet.
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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
Go to www.sharedgovernance.org for access to a free continuing education module about shared governance, written by Robert Hess, Forum’s founder, and Diana Swihart, Forum advisory board member.
Please follow me on Twitter as Dr Robert Hess.
Go to www.sharedgovernance.org for access to a free continuing education module about shared governance, written by Robert Hess, Forum’s founder, and Diana Swihart, Forum advisory board member.
Please follow me on Twitter as Dr Robert Hess.
Free CEs http://www.myfreece.com/welcome.asp
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to: RNFrankie@AOL.com.
This is an excellent nursing site, check it out:http://nursingpub.com/
The BMJ Group is one of the world's most trusted providers of medical information for doctors,
researchers, nurses, health care workers and patients. www.bmjgroup.bmj.com
If you're buying a used car, it is recommended having a mechanic inspect it first. And screen the car's VIN through the free database at carfax.com/flood
Rozalfaro's website: http://www.alfaroteachsmart.com/articles.htm
Metric conversion calculators and tables for metric conversions
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MEDICAL RECALLS
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INRatio and INRatio2 PT/INR Monitor System by Alere: Recall - Potentially Inaccurate INR Results
[Posted 07/12/2016]
AUDIENCE: Cardiology, Laboratory, Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease, Nursing, Pharmacy
ISSUE: Alere Inc. will be initiating a voluntary withdrawal of the Alere INRatio and INRatio2 PT/INR Monitoring System.
BACKGROUND: In December 2014, Alere initiated a voluntary correction to inform users of the INRatio and INRatio2 PT/INR Monitoring System that patients with certain medical conditions should not be tested with the system. As part of its commitment to ensuring the safety of patients, Alere proactively reported these device concerns to the FDA and began conducting a thorough investigation into these events.
Over the course of the past two years, Alere invested in the research and development of software enhancements to address the potential, in certain cases, of the system to deliver a result that differs from that of another measurement method.
Although Alere is confident that the software enhancements it developed and submitted to the FDA at the end of 2015 effectively address this issue, the FDA notified the company that it believes the company’s studies do not adequately demonstrate the effectiveness of the software modification and advised Alere to submit a proposed plan to voluntarily remove the INRatio device from the market.
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FDA requires new warnings on danger of combining opioids, benzodiazepines
The Food and Drug Administration, alarmed that increasing numbers of Americans are combining opioid painkillers and benzodiazepines, said Wednesday that it will require tough new warnings on the product labels that spell out the serious dangers of mixing the drugs.
The agency said it will require “boxed warnings” — its strongest category — on 389 separate products and will mandate the warning on opioid-containing cough medications. The new language will list the hazards of using the medications in tandem, which include extreme sleepiness, respiratory depression, coma and even death.
The agency noted that the misuse of opioids, powerful pain medications such as prescription oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine, has “increased significantly” in the United States over the past two decades. Benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety, insomnia and seizure disorders. Both classes of drugs depress the central nervous system and together can raise the risk of adverse outcomes.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/08/31/fda-requires-new-warnings-on-danger-of-combining-opioids-benzodiazepines/?wpisrc=nl_sb_smartbrief
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08/22/2016
Eyesaline Eyewash by Honeywell: Recall - Microbial Contamination
Honeywell is voluntarily recalling one production lot of 32-ounce bottles of Eyesaline Eyewash solution, which is used for emergency eye rinsing after an injury. Although no injuries have been reported and no contamination was found in batch testing, there is a risk of product contamination with Klebsiella pneumoniae. Although found in the normal flora of the mouth and skin, if the contaminant were present in a bottle, there is a potential for it to result in infections that may be sight-threatening.
Approximately 9,700 32-ounce bottles with lot number F16091-61 are subject to recall. No other lot number of the product is subject to this recall.
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08/25/2016
Programmable Syringe Pumps: FDA Safety Communication - Problems With Fluid Flow Continuity at Low Infusion Rates The FDA is informing health care professionals that when using programmable syringe pumps to infuse therapies at low rates (e.g., less than 5 mL per hour, and especially at flow rates of less than 0.5 mL per hour), a lack of flow continuity (i.e., inconsistent rate of delivery) can result in serious clinical consequences, including delay of therapy, over-infusion or under-infusion.
Reports of serious adverse events such as abnormal or unstable blood pressure, anxiety from loss of sedation, and increased pain indicators in critically-ill infants have been associated with lack of flow continuity. The FDA believes that these concerns may extend to all programmable syringe pumps while infusing at low rates. Based on current information, the FDA believes that the overall benefits of programmable syringe pumps outweigh their risks. Moving forward, the FDA has requested that manufacturers make labeling changes to their syringe pumps to address flow continuity concerns.
BACKGROUND: From March 01, 2013 to July 20, 2016, the FDA received over 300 Medical Device Reports (MDRs) associated with programmable syringe pump use. The reports describe over- and under- infusion of high risk or life-sustaining medications, occlusion (blockage) detection failures, inadvertent boluses caused by inconsistent fluid delivery, and other mechanical malfunctions that result in delays in therapy. Of the 100 MDRs that provided information on the infusion rates, the majority of those MDRs noted infusions at rates of 5 mL per hour or less, including rates as low as 0.06 mL per hour.
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DISCLAIMER: The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Jane Addams
Hope to hear from you..... Frankie
Correct answer: d. African Americans have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world. In African American adults, hypertension occurs at a younger age and average blood pressure is higher than in other racial and cultural groups. Hypertensive African American have a 4.2 greater risk of end-stage renal disease and a twofold risk of fatal stroke.
To learn more, read the continuing nursing education article “ What goes up must come down: Hypertension and the JNC-8
