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Research highlights devastating health effects of energy drinks
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageAlong with an alarming rise in obesity, energy drinks are leading to increasing statistics of negative social, emotional and behavioral issues along with other long-term health effects. Now policymakers and physician groups are coming together to push for serious sales restrictions of these drinks, especially to children under 18.
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Get to know the designer drug N‑bomb and its effects
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareRecreational use of designer psychoactive drugs is rising dramatically. Designer drugs have gained popularity since law enforcement and legislation have made it more difficult for recreational users to secure cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, opioids and cannabis. These restrictions have encouraged suppliers and users to seek alternatives.
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Researchers examine link between creativity and mental illness
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareThe link between creativity and mental illness has been a fascinating topic for many researchers. For example, well-known author Kurt Vonnegut was intermittently depressed, but that was only the beginning. His mother had suffered from depression and committed suicide on Mother's Day when Kurt was 21 and home on military leave during World War II. His son, Mark, was originally diagnosed with schizophrenia and later, bipolar disorder.
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Mets pitcher chooses safety over style
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Sports & FitnessAt first glance, it might appear that New York Mets pitcher Alex Torres is wearing a holdover cap from the long, snowy days of winter — the warming ear flaps folded up and over, then wrapped across the brim. Torres takes the mound with a redesign of the protective headgear he started wearing last season as part of the San Diego Padres.
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Universal precautions: They truly are worth it
Christina Thielst Medical & Allied HealthcareWhen a Santa Barbara, California, patient tested positive for Hepatitis C last month, local public health officials investigated the cause. Their analysis included a visit to the patient's physician, where they discovered the medical office was performing injections without following standard/universal precautions to protect themselves and their patients from blood-borne viruses.
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Researchers regenerate heart cells in mice
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareMyocardial infarction (MI) causes irreversible necrosis of heart muscle secondary to prolonged ischemia. Scar tissue begins to build almost immediately, leading to the loss of contractile myocardium, which is a frequent cause of chronic heart failure. However, a new study suggests there may someday be a way to stimulate the body into regenerating heart cells after MI.
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Should hospitals compete in the health insurance market?
Dr. Jonathan Kaplan Medical & Allied HealthcareI believe in capitalism, and I believe that a company shouldn't be ashamed of trying to make a profit. After all, staying in business is the name of the game. But when it comes to your healthcare, there is some unwritten rule (or maybe it is written in the form of the Hippocratic Oath) that entities involved in healthcare should care about your well-being in addition to caring about making money.
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Doctors: We need to delay ICD-10 again
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThis whole ICD-10 delay thing continues to bear some fruit, and there's still quite a bit of steam behind the effort. With rumors swirling that congressional leaders are finally ready to take action this year, many providers may not be sharing the joy, nor are they looking to celebrate.
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New technique may help speed up heart attack diagnosis
Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied HealthcareAcute myocardial infarction (MI) is a common cause of death and disability in the United States and around the world. Each year, about 735,000 Americans suffer an MI — 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 are a second MI. Prompt treatment depends on early diagnosis, and both are critical to patient survival.
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Air Methods making big moves in HEMS industry
Mark Huber Medical & Allied HealthcareI've always liked company executives who make big moves and have a passion and a vision for their business. Air Methods CEO Aaron Todd is one of those guys. Over the last several months, the nation's largest HEMS provider has made two huge moves that amplify the company's safety mantra. The most recent came in March at Heli-Expo when it placed a monster order for 200 new Bell 407GXP helicopters over the next 10 years.
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