Guest guest Posted October 10, 2001 Report Share Posted October 10, 2001 NON-TEXT REMOVED > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > AOL users: look for your links at the bottom of the page. > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > LICE ATTACK > > Experts point to head lice as an increasingly common prob- > lem among school children. The last Centers for Disease > Control head count had some 6 million to 12 million > children affected, but researchers say that number is, > in fact, much higher, with head lice being second only > to cold and flu as a cause for absence from school. Com- > plicating the problem is the growing resistance of head > lice to current over-the-counter medications, which > usually come in shampoo form, says Dr. Terri Meinking, > an expert on head lice at the University of Miami Medical > School. A number of new products are being introduced in > response to the problem, including a mechanical comb with > vibrating teeth. The Los Angeles Unified School District > recently purchased 700 of the oscillating devices. > MagiComb, made by Israel-based MagiComb, Ltd., has been > approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a > medical device. " Studies have shown that a quick treat- > ment with MagiComb is most effective in ridding and pre- > venting nits and lice in the hair. The sturdy, stainless > steel teeth will not scratch or pull hair and work on > all hair types -- long, short, thick, curly, " said Eve > McClure, president of the comb's U.S. distributor > Quantum Inc. of Eugene, Ore. > > AGING AMERICANS NEED TO KICK THE TV HABIT > > Watching too much television can be bad for your health, > doctors advise. Dr. Roush, associate professor at > the Huffington Center on Aging at Baylor College of > Medicine in Houston says it's not just America's youth > that overindulge in their " TV diet. " Older Americans > also have picked up the habit, which can cause anxiety > or depression or worsen such conditions, especially dur- > ing national crises like the recent terrorist attacks. > " Many older individuals, particularly those who live > alone or who don't get out of their homes as much as > they once did, look to their television as a source of > comfort. During times of crises the sheer volume of > news coverage of tragic events can be overwhelming, " > Roush said. " Seeing violence occur can result in a > loss of sense of security among older people who may > not be as mobile or socially connected as they once > were. Bad TV news can result in heightened fears or > depression. " He advises people to stay informed -- > but take a break. > > CLARITY IN ADVERTISING > > Prescription drug advertisements leave much to be > desired, say researchers at Dartmouth Medical School > and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Drug com- > panies spent $1.8 billion on direct-to-consumer ads > for prescription drugs in 1999, said Dr. > Woloshin, assistant professors of medicine and com- > munity and family medicine and author of the report > in the journal The Lancet. Proponents argue such ads > provide consumers with information about treatment > options and might help to increase public awareness > and treatment of serious diseases such as diabetes, > high blood pressure or depression. Opponents express > concern that such advertisements might inapprop- > riately increase patient demand for specific -- and > costly -- agents. The investigators studied ads in > 10 leading magazines. " Consumers are increasingly > exposed to direct-to-consumer advertisements for > prescription products. In turn, physicians are > increasingly confronted with patients who ask ques- > tions, or who make suggestions, on the basis of > these advertisements, " Woloshin said. " Our findings > indicate that these advertisements rarely quantify > a medication's expected benefit, and instead make > an emotional appeal. This strategy probably leaves > many readers with the perception that the drug's > benefit is large and that everyone who uses the > drug will enjoy the benefit. The provision of com- > plete information about benefits would serve the > interests of physicians and the public. " > > NEW WAY TO FIND GENES > > Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists in > California have come up with a technique for rapidly > discovering genes. The invention, cited as one of the > best 100 of the year by R & D Magazine, was made in the > process of studying breast cancer. During the research, > the team in the laboratory's Biology and Biotechnology > Research Program hit upon a shortcut method for dis- > covering genes in the chromosomes of any plant or > animal genome. The new technology, called Gene Recovery > Microdissection, was invented by biomedical scientists > Christian, and Tucker. > " Genetic diseases frequently require genetic cures, " > Christian said. " Our Gene Recovery Microdissection > method will make finding the genetic causes of diseases > much easier. " For example, biomedical scientists don't > know the cause of about 95 percent of breast cancer > cases. The new technique will ease efforts to learn > the underlying genetic causes, scientists said. " As a > mapping tool, this technique lets you know what genes > are where and how they're being used -- with many > times less sequencing than was previously needed, " > Christian said. > > ************************************************************ AOL Links ************************************************************ > > <a href= " http://www.shagmail.com/sub/sub-health.html " >Subscribe</a> > <a href= " http://www.shagmail.com/unsub/health.html " >Unsubscribe</a> > <a href= " http://www.shagmail.com " >FREE Newsletters</a> > ____________________________________________________________ > > END OF HEALTH TIPS > Copyright 2001 by Pulse Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. > Feel free to forward this, in its entirety, to others. > > Copyright 2001 by United Press International. > All rights reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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