Toilet Paper Could Hide a Cancer Warning Sign, Doc Says

Toilet paper containing red ink could disguise a dangerous medical condition, one doctor believes.

Paper that is decorated with pictures or designs that include red ink could look bloody when wet, and traces of red blood in the toilet are one of the most common signs of colon cancer, colorectal surgeon Dr. Guy Nash of Poole Hospital, in England, wrote in a letter published Jan. 15 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

“Those patients bleeding will miss real blood, and those not bleeding will report ‘blood’ in the toilet mistakenly,” Nash said.

Colon cancer, or colorectal cancer, develops in the cells that line the large intestine (colon) or rectum. The condition caused about 50,000 deaths in the United States in 2013, according to the National Cancer Institute, and many people suffer few symptoms early on. [10 Do’s and Don’ts to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer]

Nash said he saw what looked like blood in his own toilet, but it turned out to be red hearts adorning the bathroom tissue. He said manufacturers and the public should be aware of this risk.

“In my view, it is irresponsible of the makers to have not considered this,” Nash told LiveScience in an email, adding that inks of other colors would not create this difficulty.

Not all medical professionals view it as a concern, however.

“I think it’s nonsense,” said Dr. David Bernstein, a gastroenterologist at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. Bernstein said he has never seen a patient who confused colored toilet paper with signs of colon cancer.

“If someone sees blood, they should call their doctor, not panic, and have it appropriately evaluated,” Nash said. He also said healthy people should have regular colonoscopies, which are widely recommended as a screening tool for colorectal cancer.

Bloody stool is much more commonly associated with hemorrhoids than colon cancer, both doctors said. Other causes could include an anal fissure, diverticular disease or colitis.

And red toilet paper isn’t the only thing people may mistake for blood. Nash said some of his patients report bleeding that turns out to be beetroot eaten three days earlier.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/toilet-paper-could-hide-cancer-warning.html

Vitamin D Reduces Pain in People with Fibromyalgia

Taking vitamin D supplements may alleviate chronic pain in people with fibromyalgia who have low levels of the vitamin, according to a new study from Austria.

Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome suffer from chronic, body-wide muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. Previous studies have pointed to the possible role of vitamin D in the perception of chronic pain.

In the new study, researchers studied whether raising patients’ vitamin D levels to the recommended range would help with some of their symptoms. Thirty patients with fibromyalgia who also had low levels of vitamin D in their blood (below 32 nanograms per milliliter) were randomly assigned to take either oral vitamin D supplements, or a placebo, for 20 weeks.

Weeks after the treatment ended, patients who took the supplements were still experiencing reduced pain, while people who had taken placebo didn’t see a change in their pain level, according to the study, published today (Jan. 17) in the journal Pain.

“Vitamin D supplementation may be regarded as a relatively safe and economical treatment” for people with fibromyalgia,” said study researcher Dr. Florian Wepner, an orthopedist at the Orthopaedic Hospital Speising in Vienna.

However, the vitamin is not a cure for the condition, Wepner said. Fibromyalgia “cannot be explained by a vitamin D deficiency alone,” he said. And although the patients who took vitamin D saw reductions in their pain, there were no significant changes in their depression or anxiety symptoms.

Fibromyalgia affects about 2 percent of the U.S. population, and is more common in women than in men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No treatments are available that address all symptoms of the condition, but some symptoms may be alleviated by physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and temporary drug therapy.

Vitamin D is present in very few foods, but is produced by the skin after exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight. It can be found in fortified foods, such as milk, orange juice and cereals as well. Too much vitamin D has its risks, too — it can cause damage to the heart and kidneys. [9 Good Sources of Disease-Fighter Vitamin D]

Low levels of vitamin D are especially common in patients with severe pain and fibromyalgia, the researchers said.

“Vitamin D levels should be monitored regularly in fibromyalgia patients, especially in the winter season, and raised appropriately,” Wepner said.

Source: http://www.axuedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/vitamin-d-reduces-pain-in-people-with.html

New Genital Herpes Treatment Shows Promise

A new drug appears to combat the virus that causes genital herpes, suggesting it could one day be used as a treatment for people with the condition, according to a new study.

In study medical, the drug pritelivir reduced the replication of herpes simplex virus type 2 (which causes genital herpes) in patients with the condition, as well as the number of days patients experienced genital lesions.

Those who took 75 milligrams of the drug each day for about a month experienced viral shedding (which indicates the virus is active and replicating in the body) on just 2.1 percent of days, compared to 16.6 percent of days in those who took a placebo.

And those who took pritelivir at this dose experienced genital lesions on just 1.2 percent of days, compared with 9 percent of days for those who took a placebo.

More studies are needed to further assess the effectiveness of pritelivir, and compare it with existing drugs for genital herpes, the researchers said.

The new findings are good news, said Dr. Richard Whitley, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who was not involved in the study. “This is the first drug in 30 years that has a different mechanism of action” than existing drugs, Whitley said.

New treatments for genital herpes are needed because current drugs do not work well for certain complications of genital herpes, including brain infections, and infections that can occur in babies who contract the virus at birth, Whitley said.

And while current drugs reduce symptoms, they don’t eliminate them, and they only partly reduce the risk of spreading herpes through sexual activity, said study researcher Dr. Anna Wald, a professor of allergy and infectious diseases at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle.

“There’s clearly room for improvement” with genital herpes drugs, Wald said.

Wald noted that older drugs are active only in cells that are infected with the herpes virus.

“That’s one of the reason why the drugs are so safe. But [it] may limit the efficacy of the drug,” Wald said. On the other hand, pritelivir is active even in cells unaffected by the virus.

In rare cases, people with immune system problems have developed resistance to the current drugs used to treat herpes. Alternative drugs for genital herpes could offer a solution to this problem, Whitley said.

No serious side effects linked to pritelivir were seen in the current study, which looked at 156 people.

However, in May last year, the Food and Drug Administration placed development of pritelivir on hold because high doses of the drug given to monkeys were linked with toxic effects. Researchers are  investigating the cause of these toxic effects.

Whitley said he suspects the hold will be lifted, and studies in people can continue.

The study was funded by AiCuris, the pharmaceutical company that is developing pritelivir.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/new-genital-herpes-treatment-shows.html

Rice Bran Oil can Help Reduce Cholesterol

Rice bran oil is the oil extracted from the oily layer in between the paddy husk and the white rice(polished rice). It is nutritionally superior edible oil providing immense benefits for the heart and general health which is one reason why the Japanese call it the ‘heart oil’, Diabetic Living India magazine reported.

According to human clinical studies conducted in the University of Lowell, the oil has significantly better cholesterol lowering properties compared to other popular oils. Scientists have attributed this to presence of Oryzanol in the oil.

Source: http://axuedu.blogspot.in/2013/12/rice-bran-oil-can-help-reduce.html

Counselling Services For Admission To USA Best Universities

It is known all across the world that seeking admission in US universities is very tough. Stringent visa laws and effective screening of candidates has made it tougher to get admission in these universities. Therefore, students who want to get admission in the US have to ensure that they are keeping all options open and they are aware of all possibilities of selection and rejection. 

It is good to be ready with a Plan B in case all your efforts don’t work out well. Counseling for higher education becomes vital in such cases. International counseling organizations or counseling services who’ve been in the counseling domain for years have the ability to give valuable advice to students and parents who’re gearing up to invest some hard-earned money in their child’s education.

One of the first things counseling services inform students and parents is about the norms of admission in the colleges; you’re aiming to seek admission in some of the best universities in USA, you’ve to focus upon some vital points. One of the first and foremost things is to consider your academic background and past achievements. If you’re an undergraduate you’ve to strictly focus on your past academics and performances in subjects especially English, Science and mathematics. Most of the best universities in USA screen candidates who are exceptional in their academics. 

This is because it gives them a broad idea about the student’s background. However, counseling services also help students with not very high marks in their past classes to seek admission in institutes that focus on several other parameters apart from academics. So if you’ve been brilliant in acting, singing, music, painting or any other skills like sports, you can considered for admission in some top colleges in USA. Counseling services also help students to focus on top UK universities if students are unable to get admission in USA universities. Besides UK, there are also various issues related to student visa to Canada, which are easily solved by effective counseling salaries.

There are also various issues related to immigration laws from US. If students belong to a different nationality, counseling services help parents and students to resolve all the issues. By ensuring a hassle-free process in the entire journey, counseling services simplify various official works for students. We all are aware of the fact that it becomes increasingly difficult for parents and students to manage the entire complex process of applying to a foreign university then wait for entire process. Seeking the help of counseling services can really be beneficial.

Source: http://information-of-education.blogspot.in/2013/06/counseling-for-admission-to-best.html