MedAbroad Info

This article is a reminder for the approaching deadline for Medicine in the Media, The Challenge of Reporting on Medical Research. The deadline is 28 February so






Sincere People · Real Experiences · Authentic Info

Aspirin a day (now) can keep the cancer at bay, as the latest research seems to be promising. Earlier, aspirin, our very own aspirin has been highly recommended for prevention of heart disease and strokes. The regimen for stroke had been 81 mg, popular as Baby Aspirin. ( apparently because the aspirin over-the counter- is for 300mg)
Lancet, one of the most respected journals has published the research at this link
The research says that you may have to continue popping aspirin for upto 20 years everyday for it to prevent cancers, especially Proximal cancers, and probably other cancers (research is still on!)

As the article and research interprets-



Other cancers that seems to be prevented are pancreatic, brain and even lung cancer (not the one caused smoking though !!) . It also prevents stomach cancers. It's a news for such practitioners who actually advise the patients not up take aspirin for the fear of stomach bleeding as in UK etc.
Now may be the time, to let them start it, as the risks of stomach bleeding seems to be real less, only 1 per 1000 persons as claimed by GUARDIAN
Your general practitioner should be able to guide you regarding this new potential therapy.


Sincere People · Real Experiences · Authentic Info 


MedA

SCDA Annual Meeting


WHAT: 23rd Annual Meeting on Special Care Dentistry
WHEN: April 1-3, 2011
WHERE: Swissotel Chicago
                Chicago, Illinois

Salient Features:


The 23rd Annual Meeting on Special Care Dentistry, April 1-3, 2011 in Chicago, is the go-to event for dentists, hygienists and others who care for patients with special needs. More than 200 oral health care professionals attend each year – here are a few reasons you should join them:

• Quality interaction with thought leaders, speakers and colleagues
• 20+ specialty sessions developed for those who treat patients with special needs
• Highlighted speakers who are well-established & fresh finds, that will inspire and invigorate
• An exhibit gallery featuring products and services such as dental equipment and supplies, educational material and more
• The SCDA Gala and other networking events that honor practitioners and create an atmosphere for making peer-to-peer connections happen

Register today here


Sincere People · Real Experiences · Authentic Info

Today, WHO endorsed a new and novel rapid test for tuberculosis (TB), especially relevant in countries most affected by the disease. The test could revolutionize TB care and control by providing an accurate diagnosis for many patients in about 100 minutes, compared to current tests that can take up to three months to have results.

Some Key Facts:

• It is an automated test, free from any human error.
•  It is a very sensitive test, even at low volume of TB in HIV patients, this test will be able to diagnose TB.
• Can be used as the Initial TB test
• Uses Nucleic Acid Amplification Test which is fully automated and based on DNA testing
• Diagnoses both TB and Rifampin Resistance (used in TB treatment and one of the drugs for which MDR or Multiple Drug Resistance is present)
• Takes less than 2 hours to detect.
• People can get immediate treatment.
•  FIND, the company behind this TB test, has negotiated with many organizations to provide the tests for 75% discount.
• This will result in a 3 fold rise in Drug resistance TB cases in the near future
• As WHO puts it, the delay of the diagnosis as in previous diagnostic methods which can take even months, results in continuous spreading of the disease. The early diagnosis will be safer for all the professionals involved and of course for public, who will be early diagnosed and treated.
• The test is planned to be systematically implemented in 2011
• There are minimal dangers to perform such a test
• The new technology will not replace the need for microscopy, conventional culture and/or existing
  molecular methods such as line probe assay.Conventional microscopy and culture are also still necessary to monitor treatment response once patients are taking anti-TB drug.
• Advantage of early detection of TB and preventing spread of TB between people.

 MedA


Post your comments below, what do you think about this news!!

Source: WHO

In an interesting case aptly describing what the "Accepted Standards of Care" is under process.

The malpractice trial will continue (not proved) against Dr. Hardley Bach, for NOT folowing the Standards of Care Protocol. He did NOT use encapsulated Amalgam and instead used BULK amalgam resulting in mercury poisoning to patient Freya Koss.

According to court documents, lawyers for patient Freya Koss, a Pennsylvania-based anti-amalgamist, claim that Dr. Bach



The court has NOT gone against Dr. Hardley Bach for the malpractice but has ONLY allowed to let the trial continue forward and refuse the dismissal of the case using the objective factors.

The court considered that the experts



What Do We Learn: Always USE the encapsulated amalgam and follow the ACCEPTED STANDARDS OF CARE. If required,  refuse to treat the patient if it does not fall under the Accepted Standards of Care.

Why to go through the whole hassle of Dental Lawsuit, even if you win the case? It does impact your Practice in long run and not to mention the emotional hassle is just not worth!!
Please talk about your experiences in the comments Section.

MedAbroad

What is self seeding? (related to cancer cells)

According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center the circulating tumor cells - cancer cells that break away from a primary tumor and disseminate to other areas of the body - can also return to and grow in their tumor of origin, a newly discovered process called "self-seeding."

How could that be helpful in the future of cancer research?

As Dr. Joan Massagué, PhD, Chair of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering states - “These results provide us with opportunities to explore new targeted therapies that may interfere with the self-seeding process and perhaps slow or even prevent tumor progression.”
His research also indicates that  self-seeding can enhance tumor growth through the release of signals that promote angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.

What are other ramifications of this phenomenon?

According to the research, which was conducted in mice, self-seeding involves two distinct functions: the ability of a tumor to attract its own circulating progeny and the ability of circulating tumor cells to re-infiltrate the tumor in response to this attraction. The investigators identified four genes that are responsible for executing these functions: IL-6 and IL-8, which attract the most aggressive segment of the circulating tumor cells population, and FSCN1 and MMP1, which mediate the infiltration of circulating tumor cells into a tumor.

The findings also show that circulating breast cancer cells that are capable of self-seeding a breast tumor have a similar gene expression pattern to breast cancer cells that are capable of spreading to the lungs, bones, and brain, and therefore have an increased potential to metastasize to these organs. Additional experiments revealed that self-seeding can occur in cancer cells of various tumor types in addition to breast cancer, including colon cancer and melanoma.

"These results provide us with opportunities to explore new targeted therapies that may interfere with the self-seeding process and perhaps slow or even prevent tumor progression," said the study's senior author, Joan Massagué, PhD, Chair of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.

John Hopkins has always been a pioneer in setting trends and the herd has always followed them.
This time John Hopkins's Bloomberg School Of Public Health has launched THREE new academic programs for students in and interested in Social Work and Public Health. They are offering three new master’s degree programs,

1. the Master of Health Science (MHS) in Social Factors in Health,
2. the Master of Health Science (MHS) degree in Health Economics, and
3. the combined Bachelor of Arts and Master of Health Science (BA/MHS) degree program in Health Policy.

The new degree programs are currently enrolling students for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Since John Hopkins is famous for setting the great foundation, I would highly recommend to check these new programs out.
As what happens in promoting new programs, here also I see a potential Scholarship that might be available (Just a hunch though)

The excerpt from their website about different programs are as follows:

Master of Health Science (MHS) Program in Social Factors in Health

The MHS in Social Factors in Health is an advanced research degree for students with undergraduate exposure to social and behavioral sciences and/or public health, who are interested in further training in the theory and methods in this area. The degree prepares students for further doctoral training in public health or for work in public health research or policy. Offered by the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, the MHS in Social Factors in Health focuses on integrating and applying a broad range of knowledge and analytical skills in social aspects of public health, with an emphasis on contemporary health problems.

The program consists of one and one half to two years of full-time study, combining classroom-based coursework, seminars and independent study, development of a research plan and completion of a mentored research project, and a master’s research paper presenting original research. The final program requirement is a presentation of the research by the student in a department seminar.

More Details can be accessed HERE

Master of Health Science (MHS) in Health Economics

The MHS in Health Economics will provide students with a solid foundation in general health economics and evaluation methods necessary to promote the efficient and equitable allocation of health care resources in public health and to identify relevant regulatory policies, strategies and interventions. Such methods are important in designing and assessing preventive and curative services, and are relevant to health care systems around the globe. Graduates will be well positioned to pursue doctoral training in economics and health policy or careers as analysts in both the public and private sector.

This MHS is offered jointly by the departments of International Health and Health Policy and Management. Prospective students apply to one of the two departments based on academic and career interests. However, students from both departments participate in a common core of classes spanning health economics, economic evaluation, econometrics, statistics and epidemiology. Students have an opportunity to specialize, based on interests and experience, by choosing from elective courses that focus on U.S. or non-U.S. settings.

More Details can be accessed HERE

Bachelor of Arts and Master of Health Science (BA/MHS) in Health Policy

The BA/MHS in Health Policy is offered by the Department of Health Policy and Management and is open to Johns Hopkins University undergraduates majoring in Public Health Studies. Students may apply in their junior or senior year, but must complete their BA before officially enrolling in the program.

The MHS in Health Policy is a professional master’s program designed to train individuals seeking specialized training in health policy in order to establish or expand their careers as health policy analysts.

In addition to course work, students are required to complete a nine-month field placement. The placement consists of full-time employment in the health policy arena, which provides an opportunity for students to apply their theoretical academic training in a professional health policy setting and to gain skills essential to functioning as health policy analysts.

More Details can be accessed HERE

Additional information about the Bloomberg School’s degree programs is available at http://www.jhsph.edu/academics

How about a Dental Conference in San Diego? Yes, the next 24th ADA conference is in San Diego for NEW Dentsits

• It will be attended by NEW dentists (those in practice for less than 10 years old)- a great opportunity to network and learn
  
• Amazing speakers to look forward to, which are not only instructional, but motivational and entertaining. See details below
  
• A chance to win early bird registration incentives if you register before April 29 at www.ada.org/goto/newdentconf
• Beaches in San Diego will give you a respite form your hectic schedule and hard-work

Eleven hours of CE are available June 25–26 through the following well-known speakers:

• Ongoing Changes in Dentistry by Dr. Gordon Christensen—Major changes in the profession will be discussed and future predictions made.
• The Grand Slam Early Years of Private Practice by Dr. Mark Hyman—The program covers the "greatest hits" of practice management and leadership, which can be used by dentists and teams at any career stage to lower stress and increase productivity.
• Creating Endodontic Excellence by Dr. Cliff Ruddle—Shaping canals, cleaning root canal systems and three-dimensional obturation are included.
• Recession Proof Strategies by Lisa Philp—Dental practice are vulnerable to declining patient flow and practice stress; learn immediate actions that can be taken to lessen the impact of a down economy.
• Build Your Confidence in Pediatric Restorative Care by Dr. Greg Psaltis—Diagnosis, treatment planning and the latest pediatric restorative techniques and materials are detailed.
• In addition, new dentists can focus on pediatric dentistry at the New Dentist Conference with Dr. Greg Psaltis' course, Build Your Confidence in Pediatric Restorative Care, and expand on it with the annual session course, Step up to Advanced Pediatric Dental Skills, also conducted by Dr. Psaltis. Both courses at the annual session are free to new dentists. (Annual session is Oct. 9–12 and registration begins in April.)
• Neck, Back and Beyond: Preventing Pain for Peak Productivity by Bethany Valachi—Implement strategies to prevent pain, which forces far too many dentists to retire early.
• The Leadership programming has been expanded on popular demand to be used in the offices and your community.

UCLA investigators have been successful in finding four Biomarkers in human saliva that will in future prevent Pancreatic Cancer. The researchers are from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Dentistry, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA School of Public Health and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA.

Did you know"According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and the lifetime risk of developing it is about one in 72."

The investigators identify four messenger RNA (mRNA) biomarkers, KRAS, MBD3L2, ACRV1 and DPM1, that differentiated pancreatic cancer patients from noncancer subjects with 90 percent sensitivity and 95 percent specificity. The study used a set of 30 pancreatic cancer patients, 30 chronic pancreatitis patients and 30 healthy controls to compare data in the findings.

In short the saliva biomarkers potentially are able to diagnose the condition early and will eventually save thousands of lives.

Dr. Wong, also at the UCLA has previously established studies that identify Oral Cancer using salivary Biomarkers. He also believes that in the future dentists will be able to diagnose numerous medical conditions—including pancreatic cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease—in their offices.

The article may be accessed by subscribers at www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(09)02000-9/abstract

Under EBD, we will be launching abstracts from reputed Journals on the conditions that we encounter on daily basis. This will help not only the budding students but also the new dentists who are still gaining experience in the REAL world to work more efficiently and confidently.

You might have wondered sometime...

• Does Perio Treatment prevents any undue Pregnancy complications?
• Is Vit B12 an effective treatment fOr Major Aphthous Ulcers?
• What is the perfect timing of Pulp Extirpation for replanted avulased Teeth?

As mentioned by www.thewealthydentist.com that the General Dentists earn a big part of their income doing Eshthetic Dentistry, so why not invest a little in conference learning the art from the best of all people!!
For all the dentists out there, (especially my friends who are finishing DDS soon ) may like to visit Las Vegas for an amazing huge conference!! My friends in UCSF, UCLA, USC, UOP can visit Las Vegas and have a "learning fun" at this amazing conference.

Passion, Esthetics, & New Technology: The Future of Dentistry
The 6th World Congress of The International Federation
of Esthetic Dentistry

Date:: August 2-5, 2009
Venue:: The Bellagio Resort
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Registration form can be reached at the official website http://www.ifed2009.org/

All pre–registrations must be received on or before July 26, 2009.
Registrations received on July 27 or later will be considered on–site registrations

I will recommend it for a great Fun and Learning Experience.

Experience Las Vegas at the Video below!!


Do you like the Article? Agreed or Disagreed? Please leave your comments.

HNH4U

Panks


Share on Facebook