Brush teeth to 'prevent' heart disease

By Emma Wilkinson Health reporter, BBC News

Dentists recommend brushing twice a day People who fail to brush their teeth twice a day are putting themselves at risk of heart disease, research suggests.

The Scottish study of more than 11,000 adults backs previous research linking gum disease with heart problems.

The researchers said more work is needed to confirm if poor oral health directly causes heart disease or is a marker of risk.

A charity added that oral hygiene was just one factor in good heart health.

It is known that inflammation in the body, including in the mouth and gums, has an important role in the build up of clogged arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.

But this is the first time that researchers have looked at whether the frequency of teeth brushing has any bearing on the risk of developing heart disease.

If you don't brush your teeth, your mouth can become infected with bacteria which can cause inflammation, Judy O'Sullivan British Heart Foundation

Data, published in the British Medical Journal was collected on lifestyle behaviours, such as smoking, physical activity and oral health routines.

Participants were also asked how often they visited the dentist and how often they brushed their teeth.

Then nurses collected information on medical history and family history of heart disease, took blood pressure and blood samples.

Overall, six out of 10 people said they visited the dentist every six months and seven out 10 reported brushing their teeth twice a day.

Over the eight-year study there were 555 "cardiovascular events" such as heart attacks, 170 of which were fatal.


Taking into account factors that affect heart disease risk, such as social class, obesity, smoking and family history, the researchers found those with the worst oral hygiene had a 70% increased chance of developing the condition compared with those who brush their teeth twice a day.

Those with poor oral hygiene also tested positive in blood samples for proteins which are suggestive of inflammation.

Cause and effect

Study leader Professor Richard Watt, from University College London, said future studies will be needed to confirm whether the link between oral health behaviour and cardiovascular disease "is in fact causal or merely a risk marker".

Judy O'Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at British Heart Foundation, said: "If you don't brush your teeth, your mouth can become infected with bacteria which can cause inflammation.

"However, it is complicated by the fact that poor oral hygiene is often associated with other well known risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking and poor diet."

She added: "Good personal hygiene is a basic element of a healthy lifestyle.

"But if you want to help your heart, you should eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and take part in regular physical activity."

Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, added it was still unclear whether there was a definite cause and effect between oral hygiene and heart disease.

"Whatever the true position is, we can say with certainty that if people brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, visit the dentist regularly and restrict sugary snacks to mealtimes; that this will go a long way towards keeping the teeth and gums in a healthy state for life."

Tanning Beds Up the Risk For Cancer - ABC News

Indoor tanning is associated with a 74 percent higher risk of melanoma, researchers said.


New study warns that indoor tanning can raise risk of melanoma by 74 percent.
And, in a large case-control study, some forms of indoor tanning machines were associated with a four-fold increase in the risk of skin cancer, according to DeAnn Lazovich, of the University of Minnesota, and colleagues.

The risk rose depending on years of use, hours of use, or number of sessions, Lazovich and colleagues said online in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

The finding “provides strong support” for a recent declaration by the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency that the devices are carcinogenic, the researchers concluded.

“The take-home message is that indoor tanning is not safe,” Lazovich said in a video prepared by the University of Minnesota.

Tanning salons are increasingly popular in the U.S. and their rise has been paralleled by increasing incidence of melanoma, the researchers noted.

Think Long-Term when dealing with Hypertension

Think long-term when dealing with hypertension

May 26, 2010

Hypertension, an abnormally high blood pressure, is often called the silent killer. As increased pressure causes wear and tear on organs, in many patients, there is no outward sign or symptom. The end can come quickly with a sudden stroke or heart
attack. Conversely, the end may be more gradual from complications of kidney failure. Good treatment is important.

Regarding treatment, it is important to focus on how long a drug dosage will last. As it turns out, the best medicines are long-acting drugs. Unfortunately, not all medications measure up.

The goal for treatment is to keep blood pressure below 140/90 in patients with no risk factors, or below 130/80 for patients with diabetes and/or kidney disease.

The medical literature now refers to patients with a systolic blood pressure (the top number) between 120 to 139 or a diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) between 80 to 89 as being pre-hypertensive and deserving of early intervention.

There is no doubt that lower is better. The question becomes, "What is the best therapy?"

While certain classes of drugs have become very popular (the ARBs, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics and calcium channel blockers) not all members of each class last for long periods.

There is a rule of thumb — drugs that act quickly wear off quickly. Conversely, drugs that take a long time to act last a long time. While many factors control drug activity, the main influence is the time it takes to clear a medication from the body.

Years ago, many medications controlled blood pressure for only six to eight hours. Toward the end of this time, another dose of the medication was needed.

This would leave a patient with gaps of time during which blood pressure would spike, especially if a dose was missed.

There is an increased risk for heart attack or stroke when blood pressure spikes. An example is the increased incidence of heart attack at 5 or 6 a.m. It is well known that the body produces a surge of adrenaline at about 5 a.m. in most people to awaken them for their day. Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, increases blood pressure, heart rate and stress on the heart.


Fortunately, the pharmaceutical industry has developed medications that last 24 hours or longer. This allows hypertensive patients to use combinations of medications which provide even blood pressure control, usually with no more than
twice-a-day dosing.

In order to prove such control to your satisfaction and your doctor's, home blood pressure records are critical. I always ask patients to take blood pressures primarily in the mornings and to record them in a log. This can be taken to the doctor for perusal at checkup time and is a wonderful help when altering your medical regimen. I do not recommend the purchase and use of wrist blood pressure cuffs, which I often have found correlate poorly with cuffs used in the clinic setting.

Modern home blood pressure cuffs, for use on the arm, are cheap, automated and have a memory backup.

Remember that blood pressure control needs to be uniform, even and adequate over a 24-hour period.

Visiting your doctor for regular checkups, taking medications as prescribed and monitoring your blood pressure at home can help you maintain your cardiovascular health.

Dan Gold is a board-certified family physician who treats U.S. military veterans in Great Falls. E-mail him at thehealerscorner@mac.com.

8-phony-bargains-and-better-alternatives:

by: Caroline E. Mayer

Big discounts! Big sales! Big freebies! Enticing deals abound, but you need to distinguish those from the raw deals masquerading as bargains. Many of them come with so many strings attached that they could cost you plenty. (Those frequent-flier rewards cards, for example? They often cost you a bundle -- and the airline miles are often more restrictive and harder to use than what you'd get from a cash-back credit card.)


For consumers, a little homework goes a long way. Here are eight would-be deals to steer clear of, as well as our suggestions for better options.

1. Unlimited Long Distance

Many telephone plans bundle "free" unlimited long-distance service with local calling service. If you don't make a lot of long-distance calls -- or if you make a lot of them from your cell phone -- these plans may not be cost effective. A bundled plan typically costs about $20 more than a local plan, but the average American consumer makes fewer than two hours of long-distance phone calls a month, according to the Federal Communications Commission. That's about 17 cents per minute.

Better Deal: Skip the extra fees, and buy your long-distance service from a reseller such as ECG or Pioneer Telephone. These companies buy their long-distance service wholesale from the larger telecommunications firms but offer the same general quality for far lower prices, billing by the minute or fraction thereof. (ECG charges 2.5 cents a minute for interstate phone calls; Pioneer's price is 2.7 cents.)

Alternately, sign up for a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) plan from a carrier like Vonage, whose plans start at $15 a month (climbing to $26 after a six-month trial) for both local and long distance. Calls travel over the Internet, though, so you need a stable, active cable or DSL Internet connection for this to work.

2. Frequent-Flier Rewards Cards

Credit card rewards tied to airline miles or gift points were the earliest players in the sector, but it's time to dump them. For one thing, the benefits have shrunk, particularly on airlines: They've increased the number of miles needed for a free flight; reduced flight schedules, making free seats harder to find; and, in some cases, imposed a booking fee on rewards flights.

On certain rewards cards, annual fees may also outweigh the benefits. The perks-laden American Express Platinum, which costs $450 a year, offers a complimentary airline ticket for every first- or business-class fare purchased on select international flights, plus a business-class fare purchased on plus a concierge service, free access to airport lounges, and other bonuses. It all sounds great, especially if you are booking lots of international business-class travel. But if not, you just paid $450 to have someone else make your restaurant reservations.

Better Deal: Try cash-reward cards instead. Airline miles and gifts are fine, but if you have the cash in your wallet, you can make your own purchasing decisions. Peter Flur of Credit Card Goodies, a 10-year-old Web site that monitors rewards cards, recommends Blue Cash from American Express, which offers up to 5 percent cash back on purchases at gas, groceries, and drugstores, as well as 1.25 percent on all other purchases once a cardholder rings up $6,500 in purchases any given year.

3. Checking Accounts That Pay Interest

Interest-bearing checking accounts at traditional brick-and-mortar banks often pay only 0.13 percent interest but require high minimums to avoid a monthly maintenance fee. On, for instance, a deposit of $3,400 -- the average minimum required to avoid monthly fees, according to Bankrate.com data -- that amounts to just $4.42 in annual interest.

Better Deal: In this low-interest environment, forget about getting any interest from your checking account, advises Richard Barrington, an analyst with MoneyRates.com. Instead, look for a no-fee checking account -- and "be sure to check the minimum balance requirement," Barrington says. "These minimums have been rising, so make sure it's a minimum balance you can realistically maintain."

Meanwhile, if you have extra cash, shop around for banks and credit unions that offer good deals. Mike Moebs, an economist whose firm surveys bank fees says there are a few banks and credit unions that combine checking and money-market deposit accounts into one, offering a high rate on balances over $2,500.

4. Overdraft Protection

Many banks used to offer it automatically when you opened an account, making it sound like a valuable safeguard. After all, if you bounced a check or tried to withdraw more cash from the ATM than you had in your account, you wouldn't suffer any embarrassment when the bank refused to process a transaction.

But consumer advocates long argued that overdraft protection was just a way for banks to earn money at your expense, charging $20 to $35 per overdraft -- a substantial penalty, considering the typical transaction prompting the overdraft fee is $20. That's why the government has ordered new rules to take effect this summer that will require banks to get your approval before enrolling you in overdraft protection.

Better Deal: If you want back-up protection without the overdraft fees, consider setting up a savings account linked to your checking account so funds can be transferred in case of an overdraft. There may still be a fee to transfer funds between accounts, but it's typically lower -- only $10.

Meanwhile, keep a careful tab on your bank account balance: If you opt out of overdraft protection and then make an ATM or debit-card transaction that exceeds your balance, your transaction could be denied.

5. Extended-Warranty Protection

Don't buy additional warranty coverage for electronics and major appliances. For one thing, some repairs are already covered by the standard manufacturer warranty. And Consumer Reports' researchers have found that products seldom break within the extended-warranty window -- and that when electronics and appliances do break, average repair costs are about as much as an extended warranty.

Better Deal: Check the fine print on your existing Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Many of these cards, particularly if they are platinum or gold, will extend the warranty for a year. "It's one of the greatest freebies from credit card companies ever," says Edgar Dworsky, a consumer lawyer and founder of the Consumer World Web site. The warranty protection varies, so review the policies on your existing cards before you make a purchase -- then use the one offering the best warranty protection.

6. Going-Out-of-Business Sales

They don't offer the bargains you'd expect -- at least at the outset, when the promoted discounts are usually off the full retail price. That "30 percent off" sale may not be any better than the deals you could get before the liquidation process started. In some cases, you may actually be better off buying from a rival store that is trying to compete with the bankrupt retailer -- and will be around to take care of any problems after the liquidating store is out of business.

Better Deal: Shopping robots, such as PriceGrabber.com and Shopping.com, are good places to comparison shop and may be particularly useful before visiting any liquidation sale, says Dworsky. One of his favorite sites, PriceSpider.com, posts historical prices; the range of prices should help you determine whether the price is likely to hold or continue to drop.

7. Paying for a Credit Report

Despite its name, FreeCreditReport.com is not gratis. Here's what the fine print really says: Order your free report and you get a seven-day free trial membership in a credit-monitoring service. If you don't cancel within seven days, you'll be billed $14.95 a month until you bail out. Be wary of other sites making similar come-ons.

Better Deal: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com instead -- the government-approved Web site where you can get a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year. It won't give you your actual credit score, but most people don't need it. (The exception: If you're actively shopping for a loan right now, go to myFICO.com to get your current score -- and a report from Equifax or TransUnion -- for $16.)

If you're merely curious about how lenders perceive your credit record, you can get a good estimate of your credit score for free at CreditKarma.com. You can also try the credit score estimator at Credit.com; you will probably need your actual credit report to answer some of the site's key questions, such as the age of your oldest credit account and the number of outstanding loans and credit cards.

8. Fraud Alerts

Don't pay for identity-theft-protection services that automatically put fraud alerts on your credit report. You can do that yourself; it's easy -- and free. But be careful: Don't put a fraud alert on your credit report as a general matter, because that means you can't easily open new accounts. You should use fraud alerts only if you've had your wallet stolen or something else has happened to put you at real risk.

Better Deal: Review your monthly credit card and bank statements regularly to make sure there are no unauthorized charges. Also, don't forget to obtain a copy of your free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus -- using AnnualCreditReport.com, of course.

Pediatricians say most kids under 4 should learn to swim!

By Sabriya Rice
CNN Medical Producer

Parents should consider swimming lessons for most children between ages 1 and 4, the American Academy of Pediatrics urges in new guidelines on drowning prevention and water safety. The guidance is a change from previous recommendations.

“In light of new research that has revealed that swim instruction for children 1 to 4 years of age may decrease drowning, it is reasonable for the AAP to relax its policy regarding the age at which children should start learning water-survival skills,” the authors say in the report.

Previously, the AAP discouraged swimming lessons for this age group, noting a lack of evidence on whether these children were developmentally ready. The new guidelines, however, do not extend to all children under 4. The AAP still does not recommend swimming lessons before age 1, and says children with motor or cognitive disabilities may not be not be ready for swimming lessons until a later age.

Drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 19, according to the AAP report. New data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissions finds children between the ages of 1 and 2 represent 47 percent of submersion injuries and 53 percent of fatalities for children younger than 15. In light of those statistics, the CPSC launched Poolsafety.gov as as an educational resource for parents, providing pool safety videos and links to resources on drowning prevention.

“Children need to learn to swim,” say the authors of the Pediatrics report. But they also warn parents not to equate swimming lessons with “drown proofing.” They recommend a multilayered safety approach because, as they note, even children with advanced swimming skills can still drown. Beside swimming lessons, here are three additional things parents can do:

Fence in your pool: Many parents do not consider putting fencing around large inflatable pools,the AAP says, and because these pools are considered to be potable, they fall outside of many state regulations. The AAP recommends parents install a four-sided fence that is at least 4 feet high if you have any kind of pool in your back yard. The American Red Cross also offers a home pool maintenance class online to help you ensure your pool is set up properly. The two-hour class costs $19.95 and you receive a manual to keep at your home.

Learn CPR: According to the NIH, “all parents and those who take care of children should learn infant and child CPR if they haven't already.” But note that CPR recommendations vary by age group. You can find a CPR training class near you through the American Heart Association, and the National Institutes of Health has guidelines for performing CPR on children between the ages of 1 and 8.

Purchase the proper gear: The AAP warns against using inflatable swimming aids because they can easily lose air and they “are not designed to keep swimmers safe.” On the academy's website, parents can view a list of the types of personal flotation devices approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

Posted by: Sabriya Rice -CNN Medical Producer
Filed under: Children's Health • Uncategorized

COLD OR THE FLU?... how to tell the difference

How to Tell the Difference Between a Cold and the Flu
The cold and flu are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different types of viruses. Flu symptoms usually come on quickly (within 3-6 hours) and consist of a fever, body aches, dry cough, and extreme tiredness. Cold symptoms are less severe and people experience a stuffy nose, productive cough, slight tiredness, and limited body aches.


Is it a Cold or the Flu?

Whether you need to know the answer now or you’re looking into it for future purposes, we can help. Use the interactive tool below as a quick reference to determine if what you have is just a cold — or if it’s the flu. Remember that if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, it is better to act fast and speak to your doctor within 12 to 48 hours. We’ve prepared a list of helpful questions to ask your doctor to help you make the most of your visit.

Bedbugs Seen More In North America

Health experts said bedbugs are becoming more of a problem in apartments and hotels.

The wingless insects feed upon warm-blooded animals. Their population is on the rise in North America. For travelers, that means the bugs can be found in hotel rooms, according to the Good Housekeeping Institute.

The website BedBugRegistry is a free database where travelers report their experience at various hotels.

The institute advised checking the site before reserving rooms.

Adult bedbugs are reddish-brown and about the size of an apple seed.

"Pull back the bedspread and the bed sheet and look along the mattress seam," said the institute's Christina Peterson. "You also want to open the dresser drawer and look inside and check behind the dresser drawer."

Another good tip is to keep luggage off the floor. Place the luggage on a luggage rack, and check it before packing up, Peterson said.

Foreclosure Process

Foreclosure Process

Foreclosure processes are different in every state. If you are worried about making your mortgage payments, then you should learn about your state's foreclosure laws and processes. Differences among states range from the notices that must be posted or mailed, redemption periods, and the scheduling and notices issued regarding the auctioning of the property. However, a general understanding of what to expect can be found on our foreclosure timeline.

In general, mortgage companies start foreclosure processes about 3-6 months after the first missed mortgage payment. Late fees are charged after 10-15 days, however, most mortgage companies recognize that homeowners may be facing short-term financial hardships. It is extremely important that you stay in contact with your lender within the first month after missing a payment.

After 30 days, the borrower is in default, and the foreclosure processes begin to accelerate. If you do not call the bank and ignore the calls of your lender, then the foreclosure process will begin much earlier. At any time during the process, talk to your lender or a housing counselor about the different alternatives and solutions that may exist.

Three types of foreclosures may be initiated at this time: judicial, power of sale and strict foreclosure. All types of foreclosure require public notices to be issued and all parties to be notified regarding the proceedings. Once properties are sold through an auction, families have a small amount of time to find a new place to live and move out before the sheriff issues an eviction.

Judicial Foreclosure. All states allow this type of foreclosure, and some require it. The lender files suit with the judicial system, and the borrower will receive a note in the mail demanding payment. The borrower then has only 30 days to respond with a payment in order to avoid foreclosure. If a payment is not made after a certain time period, the mortgage property is then sold through an auction to the highest bidder, carried out by a local court or sheriff's office.

Power of Sale. This type of foreclosure, also known as statutory foreclosure, is allowed by many states if the mortgage includes a power of sale clause. After a homeowner has defaulted on mortgage payments, the lender sends out notices demanding payments. Once an established waiting period has passed, the mortgage company, rather than local courts or sheriff's office, carries out a public auction. Non-judicial foreclosure auctions are often more expedient, though they may be subject to judicial review to ensure the legality of the proceedings.

Strict Foreclosure. A small number of states allow this type of foreclosure. In strict foreclosure proceedings, the lender files a lawsuit on the homeowner that has defaulted. If the borrower cannot pay the mortgage within a specific timeline ordered by the court, the property goes directly back to the mortgage holder. Generally, strict foreclosures take place only when the debt amount is greater than the value of the property.

Justices Bar Life Terms for Youths Who Haven’t Killed

WASHINGTON — NYTIMES
By ADAM LIPTAK
Published: May 17, 2010

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that juveniles who commit crimes in which no one is killed may not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The ruling expanded a principle the court has never endorsed outside the death penalty — that an entire class of offenders may be immune from a given form of punishment.

Five justices, in an opinion by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, agreed that the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment forbids sentences of life without parole as a categorical matter for juvenile offenders who do not participate in homicides.

“A state need not guarantee the offender eventual release,” Justice Kennedy wrote, “but if it imposes the sentence of life, it must provide him or her with some realistic opportunity to obtain release before the end of that term.”

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. endorsed only a case-by-case approach, but he voted with the majority in saying that the particular inmate in question had received a sentence so harsh that it violated the Constitution.

The case involved Terrance Graham, who in 2003, at age 16, helped rob a Jacksonville restaurant, during which an accomplice beat the manager with a steel bar. Mr. Graham was sentenced to a year in jail and three years’ probation for that crime.

The next year, at 17, Mr. Graham and two 20-year-old accomplices committed a home invasion robbery. In 2005, a judge sentenced Mr. Graham to life for violating his probation.

In the context of capital punishment, the Supreme Court has carved out categories of offenders and crimes that are not subject to the death penalty, including juvenile offenders and those who do not take a life. Monday’s decision applied those two decisions in Venn diagram fashion to life-without-parole sentences.

Justice Kennedy, who was joined by Justices John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, said both national and international consensuses supported the court’s ruling.

Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel A. Alito Jr., said the majority was wrong about the facts in both cases and wrong as a matter of principle to take account of the international opinion.

Thirty-seven states, the District of Columbia and the federal government have laws allowing life-without-parole sentences for juveniles convicted of nonhomicide offenses. That represents, Justice Thomas said, a super-majority of states in favor of the punishment.

Justice Kennedy responded that a study relied on by Mr. Graham and supplemented by the court’s own research located only 129 juvenile offenders convicted under such laws. Seventy-seven were in Florida, the rest in 10 other states. Those numbers, Justice Kennedy said, make the sentence “exceedingly rare” and demonstrate that “a national consensus has developed against it.”

Justice Kennedy added that the sentences at issue had been “rejected the world over.” (Indeed, only the United States and perhaps Israel, he said, impose the punishment even for homicides committed by juveniles.)

“The judgment of the world’s nations that a particular sentencing practice is inconsistent with basic principles of decency,” Justice Kennedy wrote, “demonstrates that the court’s rationale has respected reasoning to support it.”

Justice Thomas disputed Justice Kennedy’s math, saying 11 nations seem to allow the punishment in theory. More important, he said, “foreign laws and sentencing practices” are “irrelevant to the meaning of our Constitution.”

He added that most democracies around the world remain free to adopt the punishment should they wish to. “Starting today,” Justice Thomas wrote, “ours can count itself among the few in which judicial decree prevents voters from making that choice.”

Although the majority limited its decision to nonhomicide offenses, advocates may try to apply its logic more broadly to the some 2,000 inmates serving life-without-parole sentences for participating in killings at 17 or younger.

Justice Kennedy noted, for instance, that juveniles serving life will typically spend more years and a greater percentage of their lives in prison than people who commit the same crime later in life.

The case decided Monday, Graham v. Florida, No. 08-7412, was argued in November along with a companion case, Sullivan v Florida, No. 08-7621. The court declined to decide the second case, which involved Joe Sullivan, who raped a woman when he was 13.

Instead, the court dismissed the case as improvidently granted, probably because it was beset with procedural difficulties. Mr. Sullivan’s lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, said his client and everyone else in his situation would be entitled to challenge their sentences under the Graham decision.

Gold at All Time High

Capital Market / 17:33 , May 14, 2010

Gold futures rallied to hit fresh all time high near $ 1250 levels as ongoing worries about financial stability in Europe boosted the safe-haven appeal of the precious metal.

Gold for June delivery rose $16.90 to $1,246.10 an ounce in electronic trading on Globex. It earlier hit an intraday high of $1,249.70 an ounce.

On Wednesday, June gold futures surged to end at a record high of $1,243.10 an ounce.The second round of losses in the US markets further triggered losses in the risky assets and gains in gold.

U.S. stock futures pointed to a weaker start Friday ahead of a wave of economic data, with early concerns focused on European debt burden and the legal troubles of the world's top banks.

The single currency fell to 17-month low against the U.S. dollar, as a report that France's president had threatened to pull his nation out of the euro zone rekindled worries about financial stability in Europe.

MCX June gold futures surged to as high as Rs 18339 per 10 grams. It recently traded at Rs 18306 up nearly Rs 270 per 10 grams.

The U.S. sees a busy day for economic releases, with retail sales and industrial production for April, business inventories for March and the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment for May.

Concerns Raised About Drugstore Genetic Test

FDA Is Looking Into Claims About New Genetic Test Kit

By Daniel J. DeNoon, WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Laura J. Martin, MDMay 12, 2010 --

A genetic test will be offered Friday at Walgreens drug stores, but the FDA warns that "consumers are putting themselves at risk if they use a test not approved" by the federal agency.

The test, offered by Pathway Genomics, already is offered online. So are similar tests from other companies. The FDA has not previously intervened.

"FDA believes we have regulatory authority over these laboratory-developed tests, but we recognize we have not always used this authority," FDA spokeswoman Erica Jefferson tells WebMD.

Now Pathway's planned retail sale of the test has attracted FDA attention. While the agency is considering its options, it seems likely that some action -- most likely a formal request for the company to speak with regulators -- will be forthcoming.

"We don't have any record of this test being submitted for approval or clearance, so we will look at claims being made," Jefferson says. "It is a process where we consider a number of different options. We want to make sure information given to consumers is accurate and that any product is going to do what it says."

Pathway Genetic Test

The Pathway test does not sequence a person's entire genome, but instead looks for the most common single-letter genetic code variations (single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) linked to disease risk, medical conditions, and sensitivity to certain drugs.

According to the Pathway web site, the tests report some of the genetic risks for 61 medical conditions and sensitivity or predisposition to adverse events for eight drugs.

The test kit will sell for between $20 and $30 at 7,500 Walgreens stores across the U.S., with the notable exception of New York, which has a law blocking sale of the test. But the kit isn't the whole cost. Pathway will offer kit buyers Drug Response results for $79, "Pre-Pregnancy Planning" results for $179, "Health Conditions" for $179, or a combination of all results for $249.
The kit contains a small saliva collection tube and a postage-paid envelope for customers to send in their samples for testing at Pathway's lab. Customers then go online to a password-protected site to see the results.

Genetic counseling is available at a price. It will cost $40 for a call of up to 20 minutes, and $99 for an hour of counseling, although Pathway will not charge for counseling calls it makes to customers to warn them of particularly troubling test results.

Only adults will get their full test results. If a parent sends in a child's saliva for testing, Pathway will report only those risks that affect childhood health. When the child reaches age 18, he or she can then ask Pathway for the full report.

Experts:

Genetic Test Offers 'Information Without Knowledge'Geneticists tell WebMD that the Pathway test is probably very accurate, as far as it goes.

They are not sequencing the genes, just the SNPs," Jeffery Vance, MD, PhD, chairman of genetics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, tells WebMD.

This means that while the test accurately identifies the most common variations on a gene linked to disease, it may miss rarer or yet-unknown variations that have the same effect.

"They could test for the six common SNPs that are most common ones that cause a disease, but a lot of other ones on the same gene could also go bad," Vance says. "So absence of information like that does not give you clean bill of health."

Even so, the test will accurately identify a large number of health-related risk factors. That's both good and bad, says Robert Marion, MD, director of genetics and developmental medicine at Montefiore Children's Hospital and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.

The good news, Marion says, is the availability of genetic tests means we are entering a new age of personalized medicine.

"We will be able to take a sample of DNA from a newborn or fetus or adult and analyze all 20,000 genes and come up with the profile of this person's lifetime disease susceptibility," Marion tells WebMD. "So people with susceptibility to diabetes, for example, will know they should be at a good weight, have a good diet, and pay attention to blood glucose levels earlier in life than they might otherwise have done."

The bad news, Marion says, is that it's extremely difficult to interpret the information that comes back from genetic testing.

"It opens up a Pandora's box," Marion says. "For a lot of other things they are testing for, we are not at a point yet where we can understand the results in a way that will be helpful to most families."

Vance uses even stronger language.

"They are giving people information without knowledge," he says. "The question is not whether a person has a risk gene but how much risk is involved. The average risk gene for a common disease is probably one and a half times the normal risk. So if it takes 100 pounds of risk to get the disease, these may be 1-pound risks."

And as every expert who spoke to WebMD is quick to note, genetic risk is not destiny. There is robust interplay between a person's genes, a person's lifestyle, a person's environment, and a person's experience. Genes, particularly SNPs, are only part of this complex equation.

"A lot of people who have a genetic risk for a disease never get the disease," Vance says. "And a lot of people who get a disease never had that genetic risk."

Vance and Marion both strongly agree that genetic counseling should not be an add-on option to genetic testing. Genetic counseling, they say, is the whole point of genetic testing.
Who might need such counseling? Virtually everyone who gets genetic testing.

"With the number of susceptibility genes out there, everybody is going to find he or she is susceptible to one condition or another. Virtually 100% of the population is going to have a positive result," Marion says

Did you know??.. fun facts that you never knew

There are 86,400 seconds in day

The parachute was invented by DiVinci in 1515

Ants never sleep

The human brain is 80% water

No word in the English language rhymes with month, silver or purple.

If you keep a Goldfish in the dark room, it will eventually turn white

The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law that stated you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb

Did You Know??.... Interesting Facts

No piece of normal-size paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.

Blueberry juice boosts memory

When cats are happy or pleased, they squeeze their eyes shut

The elephant is the only animal with 4 knees

Every human spent about half an hour as a single cell

Each year, about 500,000 detectable earthquakes occur in the world. About 100,000 of those can be felt and about 100 of them cause damage.

Do you have unwanted visitors in your atic?? .... what to do...

Q: Before I spend a lot of money to hire a professional to climb into my attic and get rid of two or three squirrels' and birds' nests, is there anything I can try that would act as a deterrent to these animals?

I am thinking of maybe a canister-type system that would slowly emit an odor that would be offensive to animals and keep them from making my attic their home. I'm not sure if such a product exists.

A: I don't encourage chemical warfare in dealing with rodents, and certainly not with birds.

You will, however, need to find and close up access points for these incursions and find ways of discouraging the return of these tenacious invaders once you've sent them packing. Hardware cloth, available at the hardware store, has worked best for me in closing up access points once I've removed the invaders.

That, as just about everyone reading this column will tell you, is the worst job of all.

Spraying fox urine, available at home and garden stores, has some deterrent effects in gardens — although I've had a fox or two visit overnight looking for romance.

Do's and Don'ts about Grills... BBQ Grills that is...

Q We have a permanently installed gas grill that is about 30 years old. It does not get a lot of use. For a number of years, the interior paint on the lid has had flakes and chips. I scrape it, use a wire brush and steel wool to clean it, and rinse it with water. After a few days of drying, I spray it with black heat-resistant paint.

It looks good for a year or so, then the flaking starts again.

Is there something you can recommend for a cleaner (for the smoke and grease) or primer, or can you tell me what I might be doing wrong so that my attempts at refurbishment will last longer?


A Have you used a degreaser on the interior to prep for painting? Sometimes a buildup of grease will prevent paint from adhering to the interior surface of a grill. Rinsing with water isn't a good substitute.

Some experts recommend several thin coats of heat-resistant paint, with proper drying and light sanding between coats, rather than one thick coat, for a longer-lasting finish.

Once you finish painting and the final coat is dry, turn up the heat full blast to cure the new coating. The experts also suggest a quick touch-up coat periodically, perhaps once a year, whether the grill needs it or not.

Thirty years is a long time for anything to remain fresh and good-looking — people as well as gas grills. The fact that you've kept it running this long is a tribute to your care and diligence.

____________________________________________

Did you know?.... National Historic Landmarks in Illinois

Abraham Lincoln's Home

Springfield, Illinois

County of Sangamon.

Eighth and Jackson Streets

National Register Number: 71000076

Resource type: District.

Property type: Domestic - single dwelling. The threat level was Satisfactory in
2008.

Congressional District: IL-18 Certified Local Government: YES

This NHL offers public access.

Please contact the NHL directly for visitor information.

Current use/information: Lincoln Home National Historic Site: www.nps.gov/liho.

Web Site: www.nps.gov/liho.


Statement of Significance (as of designation - December 19, 1960):

This was the residence of Abraham Lincoln, who lived here for most of the period from 1844 until 1861, an important era in his advancement from small-town lawyer to President of the United States.

Condition:

Currently, there is no threat to the landmark.

There is no change since the last reporting period.

Extraordinary uses for ordinary items ...Like a Bananna !!

Some ordinary, unassuming household objects have super powers. And most of these items cost less than a couple of bucks. So the next time you stain a shirt, smell something funky or think about tossing a banana peel, check these 100-plus uses first. Not only will you be going green, you'll be saving some green. --By Aisha Sultan

Bananas
• Polish leather shoes with a destringed banana peel. Buff with a soft cloth or paper towel.

• Remove warts by rubbing them with the inside of a banana peel every night for several weeks.

• Deter aphids by burying dried or cut-up banana peels a few inches deep around rosebushes.

• Nourish your skin with a mashed, medium-size banana combined with a quarter-cup plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons honey to make a mask. Leave on 20 minutes.

• Tenderize a roast by adding a peeled banana to the pan.

• Wipe houseplant leaves with the inside of a banana peel to remove dirt and leave a shine.

• Rub scraped knees with the inside of a banana peel to promote healing.

Extraordinary uses for ordinary items....Asprin you say?

Some ordinary, unassuming household objects have super powers. And most of these items cost less than a couple of bucks. So the next time you stain a shirt, smell something funky or think about tossing a banana peel, check these 100-plus uses first. Not only will you be going green, you'll be saving some green. --By Aisha Sultan

Aspirin
(JOE KOHEN, BLOOMBERG NEWS)
• Remove perspiration stains from white fabric by dissolving two aspirin in half a cup of warm water and applying to the fabric for a couple hours before washing.

• Eliminate chlorine discoloration from hair by dissolving eight tablets in a glass of water and rubbing into your hair. Leave for about 10 minutes and rinse. Shampoo.

• Reduce pimples by making a paste of water and crushed aspirin. Cover the pimple and rinse after a few minutes.

• Recharge a car battery by dropping two tablets into the battery. The aspirin's acetylsalicylic acid will combine with the battery's sulfuric acid to produce one charge. Drive to the nearest service station.

Getting zapped by static no fun !!

By Diana Strzalka
Special to the Tribune

Q: We have a two-story home, almost a year old. When we moved in, we had a humidifier installed in one of the two furnaces for the lower level. Because of the cold winter so far, we have been experiencing static shocks on the upstairs level. About three to four weeks ago, we had a second humidifier installed in the other furnace. (I have changed the filter in the first unit and can see that there is a water flow in both units). I have been adjusting the humidity level per the manufacturer's direction but continue to get shocks. At one point, I turned the humidity all the way up to see if that would help, but of course I only got water condensation on the windows. I am back to adjusting per directions, but nothing seems to help. Any suggestions or solutions?

Bob Vacko, Plainfield

A: To maintain consistent humidity, a homeowner needs to be sure he has a properly installed, good quality humidifier with adequate power to meet the needs of the indoor space, said Tom Hack, of A Custom Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., in Chicago. Not all brands are equal; some humidifiers are less effective and reliable than others. For seriously dry homes, especially new homes with wood, walls and other materials sucking up moisture, he recommends a steam humidifier because it is set up to run independent of the furnace.

Humidifiers that are linked with the furnace shut off and on with the furnace and may not be maintaining the targeted humidity level, he said. Homeowners should also check their ducts to be sure they are not undersized or leaking along their seams.

A dry house is a prime place for static electricity to develop so increasing humidity is the first line of defense, he said. Static electricity is caused when certain materials are rubbed against each other, causing electrons to be pulled off the surface of one material and moved to the surface of another material.

It's best to walk barefoot on the carpeting or wear leather shoes rather those made with synthetic materials. A wood floor is better than carpeting when it comes to static. There are also anti-static sprays, anti-static floor mats to protect computers and anti-static dryer sheets

Alka Seltzer at it's finest..... Did you know??

Wait till you read this....


Alka-Seltzer Uses you never thought of....
ECKEHARD SCHULZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS


• Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait 20 minutes, brush and flush.

• Attract fish. Fill a tube jig with a piece of Alka-Seltzer and cast off.

• Remove burned food from cookware by filling it with warm water, dissolving six tablets and letting it sit for an hour or so.

• Soothe insect bites. Dissolve two tablets in water, saturate a cloth or cotton ball with the solution and place on the bite for 30 minutes — unless you're allergic to aspirin, a key ingredient in Alka-Seltzer.