Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles
Teeth Whitening

New Health Secretary Has Opportunity For Change, Says British Dental Association
The British Dental Association has welcomed the appointment of Andy Burnham as the new Secretary of State for Health. Mr Burnham replaces Alan Johnson, who has accepted the role of Home Secretary.
generic viagra online
Opinion Pieces Comment On Obama's Notre Dame Speech, Abortion Debate
Several newspapers recently published opinion pieces regarding President Obama"s commencement address at the University of Notre Dame. Summaries appear below.~ Cal Thomas, Washington Times: "Put aside the question of whether" Notre Dame should have invited President Obama to speak at its commencement ceremony on Sunday and "[f]ocus, instead, on [his] remarks and whether he is serious, or can be made so, about actually reducing the number of abortions in America," syndicated columnist Thomas writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. "Don"t put aside, however, the argument that there is only one reason to even want to reduce the number of abortions and that is that what is being killed, terminated, evacuated (choose your term) is, in fact, human life," Thomas adds. "In speaking of "original sin," the president hit upon why abortion has been so easily tolerated for so long," he writes, adding that Obama "spoke of "self-interest" and "crass materialism" but did so in the context of economics, not abortion." Thomas reports that Obama called for making adoption ""more available"" and providing ""care and support for women who do carry their children to term."" Thomas notes that Obama"s speech also included "an appeal for discussion and respect for people with different views," which was "a good beginning, but the ending is what counts, and the initial actions of this president when it comes to abortion and stem cell research have not been pro-life" (Thomas, Washington Times, 5/19).~ Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times: After his commencement address at Notre Dame, "it"s now clear that the president is the rhetorical equivalent of a "money player,"" which is the "kind of competitor who steps up and delivers in the big games," Rutten writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece. Notre Dame"s invitation for Obama to speak at commencement and receive an honorary degree "bec[a]me an engine of controversy" because of protests from "reductionists," or conservative Catholics "who insist on bringing the broad sweep of Catholic social morality down to a single issue -- abortion," Rutten writes. However, Obama "negotiated the situation with remarkable ease," Rutten continues, adding that Obama was "speaking … to three audiences far from South Bend on Sunday." The first audience was the "crucial bloc of Catholic voters who seem to be looking for ways to remain in the Democratic Party," he writes. In addition, Obama was speaking to "those Catholic Democrats in public office ... who are under intense pressure from the reductionist bishops in their home dioceses" and to the U.S. Senate, which will likely ask Obama"s Supreme Court nominee about his or her views on abortion during confirmation hearings, Rutten continues. He concludes, "Even in Washington"s charged partisan atmosphere, it will be hard to ignore the president"s call for civility at Notre Dame" (Rutten, Los Angeles Times, 5/20).~ Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune: Obama "appropriately promoted" the "ability of adversaries to work together on mutual interests" in his commencement address, Page writes in a Tribune opinion piece. Page adds that the speech was "classic Obama the pragmatist: Look past ideology, try to ignore disagreements and work together on mutual interests." Obama said that "at some level, the views of the two camps are irreconcilable," Page writes, adding that it is "because Americans hold no values more dear than "life" and "choice."" Page adds that "[i]n the abortion debate, those values clash head-on." However, Obama"s "eloquent come-together oratory enabled him to leave the university like a hero, even though he glossed over the thorny specifics that drive wedges between people of goodwill when words are hammered into law," Page continues. "For now, by focusing on civility, the president apparently hopes to defuse the abortion powder keg long enough to address his higher priorities," Page writes, concluding, "The economy, national security and health care are going to be tough fight
plastic surgery before after
News of the day
Southampton Asthma Researchers Win Share Of EU Grant, UK
Southampton researchers studying the treatment of severe asthma have won a share of a 23m euro grant. Experts at the city"s Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), based at Southampton General Hospital, are among a consortium of 14 European academic centres of excellence to receive a slice of the funding.
Health Insurance

Children With Sickle Cell Disease Need A Good Night's Sleep

Children with sickle cell disease tend to have interrupted sleep many times during the night leaving them tired and irritable during the day. It may be because the oxygen levels in their blood are reduced or they tend to have enlarged adenoids and tonsils, which can interfere with breathing at night. Whatever the cause, the mystery is about to be solved thanks to a groundbreaking study set to start at Barts and The London NHS Trust Children"s Hospital into airway blockage during sleep in pre-school children with sickle cell disease (distorted red blood cells) and how this may contribute to serious health problems later in life. Results from the two-year study, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, could have significant implications for the treatment of sickle cell disease patients throughout the world and will enable doctors to start treatments earlier, such as removing tonsils or providing night-time oxygen face masks. The study, supported by a grant of ÷£160,566 from Barts and The London Charity, brings together haematologists and sleep researchers and will make use of the paediatric sleep service"s laboratory facilities at The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, east London. Pre-school children will be videoed and recordings taken of their breathing rate, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and physical activity during the night. To assess if low oxygen in the blood is common in young children with sickle cell disease, the study will measure blood oxygen during sleep in all young children registered with the Barts and The London paediatric sickle cell service. Around 12,000 people in the UK, including 300 babies every year in England, have sickle cell disease, which particularly affects African and Afro-Caribbean populations. The disease is one of the most common reasons for repeated hospital admissions in these ethnic groups. About 75% of these are in London. In east London and Essex alone there are about 70-80 cases per year. Professor Jonathan Grigg, Consultant Paediatrician and Principal Co-Investigator of the study said: "Use of the sleep laboratory facilities will generate a much more detailed set of data - other studies have tended to use simple equipment to measure blood oxygen levels. "The study aims to recruit 90-100 patients from the local community, plus around 60 control patients (of similar age and ethnic background but without sickle cell disease). It will also look at the genes involved in the body"s inflammatory response to see if a genetic pre-disposition could explain why only some patients are affected. "Children with sickle cell disease often develop enlarged adenoids and tonsils, which can interfere with breathing at night. As a result, they may awake briefly from sleep many times during the night, as oxygen levels in the blood may be reduced leaving children chronically tired during the day. "Compared with other genetic conditions, sickle cell disease is a neglected disease. Few studies have looked at problems with breathing in patients with sickle cell disease, and fewer still have explored this in young children." There are about 800 children in east London with sickle cell and about 350 of them are looked after and managed at The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel. There is a clinical network for ensuring good care throughout the region and The Royal London is the specialist centre for the network. Other hospitals include Homerton, Newham, Whipps Cross, Queens Romford, Basildon, Harlow, and Southend. Notes 1. Because of mutations affecting haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment in blood, red blood cells become distorted ("sickle"). Sickled cells can block blood vessels, causing episodes of pain and may lead to other complications, such as lung damage and stroke. There are many triggers for attacks of sickling, including low oxygen levels in the blood. - Barts and The London is one of Britain"s top teaching hospital trusts. Our mission is literally to bring excellence to life - to give patients the best possible care so that they can live better, fuller, longer lives. - Our world-renowned hospitals - St Bartholomew"s (Barts) in the City, The Royal London in Whitechapel and The London Chest in Bethnal Green - have made and continue to make an outstanding contribution to modern medicine. Read more about our full portfolio of services at http://www.bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk. - Our ÷£1 billion new hospitals programme is set to transform healthcare facilities locally. When completed the new hospital at The Royal London will be the biggest new hospital in the country, while the new buildings at Barts will house a brand-new cancer hospital and cardiac centre. Barts and The London NHS Trust


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009