Month: July 2014

Advanced Standing Nursing Program (ASN): Admissions Open

asn

Texila American University has a continuing commitment to assist the registered nurses in attaining the baccalaureate degree. All RN students will have the opportunity to receive advanced placement credit upon completion of specific courses.

Salient Features of the Program

  • This program is also called the RN- BSN Conversion program.
  • This is for those nurses who are already registered nurses, but would like to further their knowledge and upgrade themselves with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
  • Students will be provided training for CGFNS Exams.
  • CGFNS protects the public by ensuring that nurses and other health care professionals educated in countries other than the United States are eligible and qualified to meet licensure, immigration and other practice requirements in the United States.
  • TAU provides training to students for NCLEX exams- this is in built with the Curriculum.
  • NCLEX exams is conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing [ NCSBN].

Eligibility

  • Nurses with Registered Nursing Certification.
  • Completed a 3-year diploma in Nursing.
  • Completion of the Associate of Bachelors in Nursing.

Duration of the Program: 2 Years.

For more details register here: http://www.tauedu.org/texila-connect/signup.html

Watch our Nursing Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TuC3B1pvAg

Daily fish oil boosts memory function in older adults

Daily fish oil boosts memory function in older adults

Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center have found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive functioning as well as differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements. The findings suggest possible benefits of fish oil supplements on brain health and aging.

The results were reported at the recent International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease, in Paris, France.

The study was led by Lori Daiello, PharmD, a research scientist at the Rhode Island Hospital Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center. Data for the analyses was obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a large multi-center, NIH-funded study that followed older adults with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease for over three years with periodic memory testing and brain MRIs.

The study included 819 individuals, 117 of whom reported regular use of fish oil supplements before entry and during study follow-up. The researchers compared cognitive functioning and brain atrophy for patients who reported routinely using these supplements to those who were not using fish oil supplements.

Daiello reports that compared to non-users, use of fish oil supplements was associated with better cognitive functioning during the study. However, this association was significant only in those individuals who had a normal baseline cognitive function and in individuals who tested negative for a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease known as APOE4. This is consistent with previous research.

The unique finding, however, is that there was a clear association between fish oil supplements and brain volume. Consistent with the cognitive outcomes, these observations were significant only for those who were APOE4 negative.
Daiello says, “In the imaging analyses for the entire study population, we found a significant positive association between fish oil supplement use and average brain volumes in two critical areas utilized in memory and thinking (cerebral cortex and hippocampus), as well as smaller brain ventricular volumes compared to non-users at any given time in the study. In other words, fish oil use was associated with less brain shrinkage in patients taking these supplements during the ADNI study compared to those who didn’t report using them.”

Daiello continues, “These observations should motivate further study of the possible effects of long-term fish oil supplementation on important markers of cognitive decline and the potential influence of genetics on these outcomes.”

Source: science daily

15 Home Remedies for Neck Pain

15 Home Remedies for Neck Pain

“This job is a pain in the neck” may be more than just a saying. Tension on the job or at home, tasks that require a lot of leaning over a work surface, poor posture, and even a too-soft mattress can cause neck pain and stiffness. Of course, some neck pain is the result of injury or disease, but the vast majority of neck pain is due to simple muscle tension.

The neck, with its intricate structure and wide range of mobility, is particularly vulnerable to stress and strain. The head, which weighs between 10 and 20 pounds, is supported by a stack of seven small bones called vertebrae and held in place by 32 complex muscles.

Attached to and between the vertebrae are pads of fibrous cartilage called discs that act as cushions, or shock absorbers. Eight nerves, which relay sensations (including pain), and four major arteries, which carry blood, run through the neck and connect the head with the shoulders, chest, and arms. The delicate spinal cord runs through the center of the stack of vertebrae and is protected by it. Add to this complex structure the fact that the neck moves more than any other part of the body, and you’ve got a formula for trouble.

It’s a vicious cycle. When our muscles tense, either because of physical or emotional stress, the blood supply to the muscles decreases, causing pain. And that pain causes the muscles to tense further. That’s why the best way to relieve neck pain is to try to eliminate or ease the physical or emotional stress in addition to treating the muscles.

Get rid of that pain in the neck by heeding the home remedies that follow.
Take a load off. One of the simplest ways to relieve the pain is to lie down and give your neck muscles a chance to recover. But don’t use a thick pillow that crimps your neck.

Ice it. Ice effectively numbs pain and decreases inflammation. Put crushed ice in a plastic bag and cover the bag with a pillowcase (a terry towel is too thick to effectively transmit the cold). Apply the icepack to your painful neck for 15 minutes at a time.

Heat it up. Heat increases circulation and can be effective for easing stiff muscles. Use a wet towel or a hot water bottle, or stand in a hot shower. But don’t keep it up for too long. Too much heat can aggravate symptoms and cause more pain. You might even want to try following up your heat application with a few minutes of cold treatment.

Relax. Emotional stress can trigger muscle tension. Pay attention to what stresses you: your drive to work, your rush to get dinner on the table each night, meetings with your boss, and so on. After you’ve identified your common stressors, think creatively about ways to reduce your stress. One way to manage stress is through relaxation techniques, such as progressive relaxation or abdominal breathing.

To perform progressive relaxation, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit or lie down and close your eyes. Then, starting with your head and neck and working down the entire body, consciously tighten, or tense, and then completely release the muscles in the area.

To perform abdominal breathing, sit quietly and take a slow, deep breath all the way into your abdomen; place a hand on your abdomen to feel it expand and confirm you are breathing deeply enough. Then exhale completely, gently sucking in your stomach. Breathe slowly and deeply like this for several minutes (if you do this too quickly, you may begin to hyperventilate).

Other relaxation techniques include meditation, yoga, and exercise. In addition, you may want to develop some of your own methods of relaxation, such as engaging in a hobby or listening to peaceful music. Do whatever works for you.
Use massage. Massage can help ease tense muscles and give temporary relief, and it may help you sleep better. First, take a hot bath or shower to relax the muscles. Then, have your partner use oil or lotion and rub your neck and shoulders using the fingers to apply gentle pressure in small circular motions. Next, have your partner rub your neck and shoulders using firm pressure and long, downward strokes. Don’t forget the chest area. If you don’t have a willing partner, try rubbing your own neck and chest area with oil or lotion for 10 or 15 minutes.

Take a nonprescription pain reliever. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen can ease the pain and reduce inflammation. If you can’t take these medications because of allergies, stomach upset, or any other reason, try acetaminophen; it won’t calm inflammation, but it should help relieve pain.

Practice good posture. Posture has more to do with neck pain than people realize. The head and spine balance in relation to gravity. When poor posture pulls the curve of the lower back forward, the upper back curves farther backward to compensate. In response, the neck curves forward, in a strained position.

You can use a wall to help align your body properly and improve your posture: Stand with your back to a wall, heels several inches from the wall. Your buttocks and shoulders should touch the wall, and the back of your head should be close to the wall. Keep your chin level. Now, step away from the wall. Step back and check your position. Try to carry this posture throughout the day.
Get and stay trim. Being overweight strains all of the body’s muscles, including those in the neck.

Strengthen stomach muscles. Just as poor posture and obesity can cause straining of the neck muscles, poor tone in the stomach muscles forces the upper back to curve farther backward and the neck to curve forward. Do exercises such as bent-knee curls (they’re basically sit-ups, but you only lift your head and upper back, rather than your whole back, off the ground) to strengthen abdominal muscles.

Do neck exercises. Two types of neck exercises can help ease and prevent neck pain: gentle range-of-motion exercises and isometric exercises. Apply moist heat to the neck before performing the exercises. Each exercise should be done five times per session, three sessions per day.

Range-of-motion exercises help stretch neck muscles. Sit erect but relaxed. Slowly turn your head to the right as far as you can, hold, and return it to the center. Repeat to the left. Then drop your chin down slowly toward your chest, hold, and relax. Bring your head back up. Now tilt your head toward your left shoulder, hold, and return to the center. Do the same on the right side.

Isometric exercises are performed against resistance but without actually moving your head. Try this routine:

Sit erect and relaxed, hold your hand up to your forehead, and press your forehead into your palm, using your palm to resist the motion.
Place your right hand against the right side of your head, and press your head against your hand (as if trying to bring your right ear to your right shoulder), but use your hand to resist your head’s motion. Do the same on the left side.

Press both hands against the back of your head as you try to push your head backward; resist your head’s backward motion with your hands.

Press your hand against the right side of your face as you try to turn your head to look over your right shoulder; use your hand to resist the turning motion. Repeat, pressing your left hand to the left side of your face as you attempt to look over your left shoulder.

Stay in shape. The stronger and more flexible you are overall, the less likely you’ll suffer from neck pain. Swimming is one of the best all-around exercises for strengthening the neck and back.

Work at eye level. If your neck discomfort comes on toward the end of the workday, chances are good that your workstation or your work habits are causing the problem. People often get “desk neck” from looking down for long periods or from reaching up to work. If possible, always keep your work at eye level. Change the height of your chair, desk, or computer screen; use an upright stand to hold reading material; and use a stepladder, stool, or raised platform instead of reaching up.

Take frequent breaks. Change your body position often, especially if you have to be in a physically stressful position. Get up and walk around at least once an hour.

Unlearn “neck-bashing” habits. Do you crimp the phone between your neck and shoulder? Do you often fall asleep sitting up in a chair and wake with your head tilted way back or your chin to your chest? Do you shampoo your hair in the sink? All of these habits can cause neck strain. Become aware of habits that strain your neck and replace them with neck-healthy ones.

Sleep on a firm mattress. If you wake in the morning with a stiff or sore neck, your mattress, pillow, or sleeping habits are probably the culprit. Use a firm mattress and keep your head aligned with your spine. Don’t sleep on your stomach, since it forces your head up. Avoid pillows that are too thick and firm; try feather or crushed-foam pillows rather than those of solid foam rubber.

As you can see, several of your everyday habits can contribute to neck pain. Take the home remedies listed in this article to keep your neck held high and healthy.

Source: how stuff works

Source: how stuff works

US to invest $11 million to curb HIV

US to invest $11 million to curb HIV

The US government has reviewed the progress of the National HIV-AIDS Strategy in the past four years, and has announced new funding to fight the scourge, media reported Wednesday.

In a report released by the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services will invest $11 million to fund the Community Health Centres’ to help communities highly affected by HIV, Xinhua reported.

“This initiative, funded through the Affordable Care Act and the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund, aims to build sustainable partnerships between public health and health centres to help achieve the goals of the strategy,” the report said.

In addition, the government will expand investment in research to address gaps in the HIV Care Continuum, including investigations of the effectiveness of methods to identify HIV-infected people earlier and to provide them with necessary treatments.

On July 15, 2010, US President Barack Obama released the first comprehensive National HIV-AIDS Strategy.

This strategy envisions that “US will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination”.
Source: business

Gel lowers blood clot risk for breast cancer patients

Gel lowers blood clot risk for breast cancer patients

A gel form of a popular drug taken orally to prevent breast cancer has brought cheers for such patients as this can reduce the growth of cancer cells with minimum side effects.

Tamoxifen is an oral drug that is used for breast cancer prevention and as therapy for non-invasive breast cancer and invasive cancer.

Since the gel form of the drug is absorbed through the skin directly into breast tissue, blood levels of the drug are much lower and it minimises dangerous side effects like blood clots and uterine cancer, researchers said.

“Delivering the drug though a gel, if proven effective in larger trials, could potentially replace oral tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention and encourage many more women to take it,” said lead author Seema Khan, a surgical oncologist from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

The gel was tested on women diagnosed with the non-invasive cancer ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in which abnormal cells multiply and form a growth in a milk duct. Because of potential side effects, many women with DCIS are reluctant to take oral tamoxifen.

The new study involved 26 women, ages 45 to 86, who had been diagnosed with DCIS that was sensitive to estrogen. Half the women received the gel which they applied daily and half the oral drug, which they took daily.

The gel minimised exposure to the rest of the body and concentrated the drug in the breast where it is needed. “There was very little drug in the bloodstream in women who used gel which should avoid potential blood clots as well as an elevated risk for uterine cancer,” Khan noted.

The paper was published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.

Source; Business standard

How to Have Flawless Skin in a Week

How to Have Flawless Skin in a WeekDetermine your skin type. Is it oily, dry, normal, or combination of either? In order to do this, wash your face, let it dry and leave your face completely untouched for an hour. Inspect by dabbing a tissue between your nose and cheek, called the T-zone:
Normal skin shows neither oil nor flaking skin. It should feel supple and smooth. If you have it, consider yourself lucky!

Oily skin is characterized by the grease on the tissue. It is also common for a person with oily skin to have large pores and a bit of a shine.

Dry skin may feel taut or show flakes of dead skin. It is associated with small pores. Moisturizing is important for this skin type.

Combination skin is most common. It exhibits traits of all three of the above skin types. Usually, the skin is oily in the T-zone and normal to dry elsewhere.

Invest in a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and facial scrub suited to your skin type. (If you’re young there’s no need for a facial scrub.) You might have to test out a couple of brands before you find the perfect one. Talk to an associate at a make up or skin care counter. You will be able to test different formulas. They may even offer samples so you can try a product out for a day or two.
Try to get cleanser, toner, and moisturizer that is non-comedogenic. This just means that it won’t clog your pores, leading to pimples.

If you have a bad case of acne or any other skin problem like eczema, see a dermatologist. They will give you the specific treatment you need. It’s likely that any medication you get from a dermatologist will be prescription strength, too, meaning it will be stronger.

Buy an SPF 15+ sunscreen for daily use. Try for a facial sunscreen with no fragrance or oil. Sunscreen will help block harmful UV-A and UV-B rays that can lead to skin damage and cancers.
Many moisturizers these days have sunscreen built into them. Experiment with different moisturizers to see if the sunscreen works well and the moisturizer keeps your face hydrated.

  • Use your face wash every day. You will not see a difference if you only use it once a week. Use your scrub, which lifts off dead layers of skin, only every few days as to avoid scrubbing off too much skin.
  • Do not use a washcloth, loofah or any other abrasive material to wash your face. Washing with your hands is perfectly acceptable, and will lower the irritation you might otherwise get with an abrasive material.
  • Wash once in the morning and once at night. This is especially important if you have very oily skin, or numerous pimples.
  • Moisturize after every wash. Washing your face with a facial cleanser sucks all the natural oils from your face. Clear, beautiful skin is hydrated skin.

Wash off your makeup. Before going to bed remember to take off any makeup you put on. Washing your face may do the trick, but some makeup may require makeup remover.
Don’t be lazy about taking off makeup. If you’re prone to leaving your makeup on or forgetting to wash your face, invest in some wipes and keep them close to your bed. That way, all you need to do is swipe your face when you’re dead tired.

Eat properly. A great menu is a balanced menu. Remember the food pyramid? Eat fruits and vegetables. Nutritionists recommend eating 3 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables daily. Avoid foods with caffeine and sugar, as well as greasy foods and red meat.

Drink plenty of fluids. Try to drink 8 glasses of fluids, preferably water, every day! Avoid sugary soft drinks, caffeine and coffee. Green/herbal tea is rich in antioxidants, which protect cells in your body from damage.

Exercise. Exercising helps you metabolize. A walk with your dog or some yoga lessons do make a difference! Healthy skin is just another part of a healthy body.
Exercising is also good for relieving stress. Studies show[1] that there’s a link between how stressed you are and how bad your acne is. So if you’re super-stressed all the time, try your favorite form of exercise to get rid of it pronto.

Sleep. Make sure you get your 8 hours every night, perhaps a bit more if you are a teenager. Being well rested gives your body more energy to go about its daily routine, and leaves you feeling even better. Flawless skin doesn’t have big dark circles.
Do this every day, and you will soon begin to see the results.

Source: wiki how

Scorching summer may trigger kidney stone attacks

Scorching summer may trigger kidney stone attacks

As daily temperatures rose, there was a rapid increase in the number of patients seeking treatment for kidney stones.

Hot and humid days may bring more kidney stones as higher temperatures contribute to dehydration that leads to a higher concentration of calcium in the body that promote the growth of kidney stones.

In a study involving 60,000 patients in the US, researchers found that as daily temperatures rose, there was a rapid increase in the number of patients seeking treatment for kidney stones.

“The findings point to potential public health effects associated with global climate change,” said Gregory E. Tasian, a pediatric urologist and epidemiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

It is likely that higher temperatures increase the risk of kidney stones in those people predisposed to stone formation.

The delay between high daily temperatures and kidney stone presentation was short, peaking within three days of exposure to hot days, the study added.

The team found that as frigid weather keeps people more in indoors, higher indoor temperatures, changes in diet and decreased physical activity may raise their risk of kidney stones.

The authors note that increase in greenhouse gas emissions are projected to raise earth’s average temperatures by 1 to 4.5 degrees Celsius by 2100.

“Kidney stone prevalence has already been on the rise over the last 30 years, and we can expect this trend to continue as daily temperature increase,” Tasian noted.

The paper was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Source: Khaleej Times

Sleeping in bed with parents riskier for younger infants, MDs find

Sleeping in bed with parents riskier for younger infants, MDs find

Newborns were more likely to die while sharing a bed compared with older infants, say doctors who want parents to know about the risks.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death have known risk factors but researchers wanted to know if the factors differed by age group.

In a total of 8,207 deaths analyzed, the majority of the infants, 69 per cent, were bed-sharing at the time of death, researchers said in Monday’s issue of the journal Pediatrics. In bed-sharing, the infant shares the same sleeping surface with another person.

Younger infants were more likely bed-sharing compared with babies aged four months to just under a year (73.8 per cent vs. 58.9 per cent.)

“The predominant risk factor for younger infants (up to three months of age) is bed-sharing, whereas rolling to prone, with objects in the sleep area, is the predominant risk factor for older infants (four months to 364 days),” Dr. Jeffrey Colvin of Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinic in Kansas City, Mo., and his co-authors concluded.

“Parents should be warned about the dangers of bed-sharing, particularly in 0- to three-month-old infants.” They also suggested that parents should be reminded that cribs should be clear of objects so that if an infant rolls, there is no risk of rolling into something that increases the risk suffocation.

The Canadian Paediatric Society reaffirmed its recommendations for safe sleep environments for infants and children in February.

“The recommended practice of independent sleeping will likely continue to be the preferred sleeping arrangement for infants in Canada, but a significant proportion of families will still elect to sleep together,” the society’s position statement said. “The risk of suffocation and entrapment in adult beds or unsafe cribs will need to be addressed for both practices to achieve any reduction in this devastating adverse event.”

The group noted that evidence suggests bed-sharing with an adult who is extremely fatigued or impaired by alcohol or drugs (legal or illegal) that impair arousal can be hazardous to an infant.

Canadian coroners have also warned about the hazards

Source: cbc news

Organic Produce Has Fewer Pesticides, More Antioxidants

Organic Produce Has Fewer Pesticides, More Antioxidants

New research comes down on the side of organic food, but doesn’t make any claims about health effects

Organically-grown fruits, vegetables and grains have substantially higher levels of antioxidants and lower levels of pesticides than conventionally-grown produce, according to a comprehensive review of earlier studies on the matter.

Organic crops contain 17 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown crops, according to the study, to be published next week in the British Journal of Nutrition.

“It shows very clearly how you grow your food has an impact,” Carlo Leifert, a professor of ecological agriculture at Newcastle University in England who led the research, told the New York Times. “If you buy organic fruits and vegetables, you can be sure you have, on average, a higher amount of antioxidants at the same calorie level.”

The findings contradict a similar analysis published two years ago by Stanford scientists, who found that there are only minor differences in the nutritional content of organic and conventionally-grown foods.

However, the new study does not claim eating organic food leads to better health. However, many studies have suggested that antioxidants have been linked to a lower risk of cancer and other diseases.

Organic food purchases accounted for just over four percent of the total food market in the United States last year, or $32.3 billion.

Source: Time

Mystery of the 13-year-old girl who kept falling down

Mystery of the 13-year-old girl who kept falling down

Hope Horncastle’s debilitating episodes might once have been dismissed as ‘hysteria’, but doctors are taking her and other young sufferers seriously

For four years, Hope Horncastle, now 16, suffered a mystery condition that confounded her doctors. Her legs would buckle beneath her, her torso would go rigid and she would fall to the ground.

These distressing episodes, called “drop attacks” by doctors, resembled epileptic seizures – except that, unlike epilepsy, in Hope’s case there was no evidence of electrical disturbance in the brain. Despite extensive neurological and other tests, no explanation could be found.

Hope is not alone. More than 5 per cent of children and adolescents referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital’s neurological centre suffer what are officially termed medically unexplained neurological symptoms (MUNS), although the incidence is thought to be far higher in the general population. Most of these patients are girls, with an average age of 13. According to Dr Prab Prabhakar, consultant paediatric neurologist at Great Ormond Street, they tend to experience three different types of symptoms: drop attacks such as Hope’s; loss of movement, vision or hearing; or debilitating but inexplicable pain that sometimes stops them from getting out of bed.

In the past, such episodes might have been labelled as “hysteria” by doctors. Today, they are sometimes referred to as “psychogenic paralysis” or “conversion disorders” (in which a psychological crisis is converted into physical symptoms). Dr Prabhakar argues that “emotive terms” are unhelpful, and that this complex condition should not be dismissed as being “all in the mind”. A study of MUNS patients published in 2012 showed that psychological factors are indeed linked with neurological symptoms in ways that are still not completely understood.

“The symptoms are real in these cases, even though we can’t explain them, and in most cases like Hope’s, persist for at least two years,” he says. “Once we have ruled out any organic cause, we need to look at their impact on the children’s lives.” The symptoms of MUNS, he says, can lead to social isolation and depression.

Source: healcon