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Friday, March 1, 2013

Ultrasound to detect lung congestion in dialysis patients may help save lives

Feb. 28, 2013 ? Asymptomatic lung congestion increases dialysis patients' risks of dying prematurely or experiencing heart attacks or other cardiac events, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The study also found that using lung ultrasound to detect this congestion helps identify patients at risk.

Lung congestion due to fluid accumulation is highly prevalent among kidney failure patients on dialysis, but it often doesn't cause any symptoms. To see whether such asymptomatic congestion affects dialysis patients' health, Carmine Zoccali, MD (Ospedali Riuniti, Reggio Calabria, Italy) and his colleagues measured the degree of lung congestion in 392 dialysis patients by using a very simple and inexpensive technique: lung ultrasound.

Among the major findings:

Lung ultrasound revealed very severe congestion in 14% of patients and moderate-to-severe lung congestion in 45% of patients.
Among those with moderate-to-severe lung congestion, 71% were asymptomatic.
Compared with those having mild or no congestion, those with very severe congestion had a 4.2-fold increased risk of dying and a 3.2-fold increased risk of experiencing heart attacks or other cardiac events over a two-year follow-up period.
Asymptomatic lung congestion detected by lung ultrasound was a better predictor of patients' risk of dying prematurely or experiencing cardiac events than symptoms of heart failure.

The findings indicate that assessing subclinical pulmonary edema can help determine dialysis patients' prognoses. "More importantly, our findings generate the hypothesis that targeting subclinical pulmonary congestion may improve cardiovascular health and reduce risk from cardiovascular death in the dialysis population, a population at an extremely high risk," said Dr. Zoccali. Fluid in the lungs may be reduced with longer and/or more frequent dialysis.

Investigators will soon start a clinical trial that will incorporate lung fluid measurements by ultrasound and will test whether dialysis intensification in patients with asymptomatic lung congestion can prevent premature death and reduce the risk of heart failure and cardiac events.

Study co-authors include Claudia Torino, PhD, Rocco Tripepi, Giovanni Tripepi, PhD, Graziella D'Arrigo, PhD, Maurizio Postorino, MD, Luna Gargani, MD, Rosa Sicari, MD, Eugenio Picano, MD, PhD, and Francesca Mallamaci, MD, on behalf of the Lung US in CKD Working Group.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society of Nephrology, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Carmine Zoccali, Claudia Torino, Rocco Tripepi, Giovanni Tripepi, Graziella D?Arrigo, Maurizio Postorino, Luna Gargani, Rosa Sicari, Eugenio Picano, Francesca Mallamaci, and on behalf of the Lung US in CKD Working Group. Pulmonary Congestion Predicts Cardiac Events and Mortality in ESRD. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 2013; DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2012100990

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/82S6XydsFdE/130228171454.htm

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New marine species discovered in Pacific Ocean

Feb. 28, 2013 ? When Jim Thomas and his global team of researchers returned to the Madang Lagoon in Papua New Guinea, they discovered a treasure trove of new species unknown to science.

This is especially relevant as the research team consisted of scientists who had conducted a previous survey in the 1990s.

"In the Madang Lagoon, we went a half mile out off the leading edge of the active Australian Plate and were in 6,000 meters of water," said Thomas, Ph.D., a researcher at Nova Southeastern University's National Coral Reef Institute in Hollywood, Fla. "It was once believed there were no reefs on the north coast of Papua New Guinea since there were no shallow bays and lagoons typical of most coral reef environments. But there was lots of biodiversity to be found."

Thomas and his team discovered new species of sea slugs (nudibranchs), feather stars (crinoids) and amphipods (genus Leucothoe). There was more variety of these indicator species found than there is in the entire length of Australia's 1,600-mile Great Barrier Reef.

"This was an astonishing discovery," Thomas said. "We returned to our labs and began to formally assess our collections. We had no idea this lagoon's bounty was so profound."

The international team Thomas led included researchers from and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in San Diego, the California Academy of Sciences and the National Botanical Gardens of Ireland. Their 3-week expedition ended late last year. While in Madang, they joined a large French contingent of scientists from the Paris Museum of Natural History.

The NSU-led research team's findings will be shared with the local villagers, as well as regional and federal governments. It will also be published in peer-reviewed journals.

The Madang Lagoon faces many environmental threats by land-based pollution from a recently opened tuna cannery whose outfall is very close to the lagoon's reefs.

"Hopefully, our discoveries will strongly encourage governing bodies to recognize the environmental importance of the lagoon and work to stop the pollution," Thomas said.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Nova Southeastern University, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/uiK6nfuUp-Q/130228155436.htm

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Divoom iFit-2 portable stereo universal dock review

Most families have several media devices, such as the iPad, Galaxy, Surface, or any of the many smart phones available nowadays, and our family is no exception. We have iPads, iPhones, and an Android tablet. Also, with the new Lightning adapter, we have a total of three different charging cables for our devices. This makes [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/01/divoom-ifit-2-portable-stereo-dock-review/

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Venezuela VP: Chavez'battling for life

A man wearing a handcrafted mask depicting the face of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attends an event commemorating the violent street protests of 1989 known as the "Caracazo," in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. The wave of the 1989 violent protests, seen by the Chavez government as a "popular uprising," was in response to the economic measures imposed by then PresidentCarlos Andres Perez. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A supporter of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez wears a headband that reads in Spanish "I am Chavez" during a small gathering of supporters near the military hospital in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. The government said last week that the country's ailing president was continuing unspecified medical treatments at the military hospital in Caracas. Chavez's sudden return to Venezuela after more than two months of cancer treatments in Cuba has fanned speculation that the president could be preparing to relinquish power and make way for a successor and a new election. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Indigenous supporters of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez dance around a bonfire during a vigil to pray for Chavez as he remains in a hospital undergoing cancer treatment in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. Chavez hasn't been seen since he returned to Venezuela on Monday from Cuba, where for 10 weeks he was recovering and fighting complications following his latest cancer surgery Dec. 11. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Venezuela's vice president said Thursday that President Hugo Chavez is fighting for his life while he continues to undergo treatment more than two months after his latest cancer surgery.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro said on television that Chavez "is battling there for his health, for his life, and we're accompanying him."

The vice president has used similar phrasing in the past, saying on Dec. 20 that Chavez "is fighting a great battle ... for his life, for his health."

Chavez hasn't spoken publicly since before his latest cancer operation in Cuba on Dec. 11. He returned to Venezuela on Feb. 18, and the government says he has been undergoing more treatment at a military hospital in Caracas.

Maduro also called for Venezuelans to keep praying for Chavez and to remain loyal to the president. He said Chavez's health had suffered because he had dedicated himself "body and soul" to his work as president.

Chavez himself has previously acknowledged that he was neglecting his health in recent years, often staying up late and drinking dozens of cups of coffee a day.

The president has undergone surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments since June 2011, when he first announced his cancer diagnosis. He hasn't specified the type of cancer or the exact location in his pelvic region where his tumors have been removed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-28-Venezuela-Chavez/id-89d198a36faa4fa19bc18c35e001785e

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The 'Oz' Stars Walk The Yellow Brick Road!

The Wizard and his witches celebrate the London premiere! Check out more pics of your favorite stars on the scene.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/star-snapshots-celebrity-photo-gallery-2012/1-b-450006?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Astar-snapshots-celebrity-photo-gallery-2012-450006

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A sturdier US economy can withstand budget cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) ? As economic policy goes, experts say, the automatic spending cuts that kick in Friday are ? to use a technical term ? bone-headed.

Fortunately, the self-inflicted wound isn't going to leave a deep scar on an economy that is otherwise looking pretty good. It's a fiscal speed-bump on the road to economic recovery, which is why the stock market is nearing an all-time high despite Washington's latest display of legislative paralysis.

That's a marked change from the past two years, when budget battles rattled consumer and business confidence and triggered big selloffs.

"Businesses and consumers have begun to look away from the histrionics and the battles going on in Washington," says Bernard Baumohl, chief global economist at the Economic Outlook Group. "They're beginning to realize that organic growth in the private economy is beginning to pick up speed."

From Wall Street to Main Street, Americans are too busy spending, hiring and investing to panic over Washington's latest budgetary melodrama.

They've seen this movie before. And this time, the ending doesn't scare them.

Even with Friday's trigger date for the cuts drawing near, Americans have been pouring money into the stock market. The Dow Jones industrial average has jumped nearly 8 percent this year and is approaching a record high.

Consumers are also growing more confident. And last month, orders for U.S. factory goods that reflect companies' investment plans surged by the most in more than a year. It showed that more businesses have become more upbeat about their prospects.

Only 27 percent of Americans surveyed for a Pew Research Center/USA Today poll last week said they had heard a lot about the looming spending cuts. And according to a Washington Post poll conducted late last month, less than a third of Americans said they thought the cuts would have a big impact on their own finances.

Why less concern this time?

The stakes aren't nearly as high as they were two months ago, when lawmakers engaged in a budget standoff over the so-called fiscal cliff. Economists had warned that the cliff's tax increases and spending cuts would send the economy back into recession if they remained in place for much of 2013.

By contrast, no one is talking about a recession this time, no matter what Congress does or doesn't do. The financial squeeze will be milder. And it will be delayed.

For one thing, the cuts are smaller than they seem: Actual spending will likely drop $44 billion in the budget year that ends Sept. 30, according to the Congressional Budget. That's only slightly more than 1 percent of federal spending.

Of that, about 80 percent will come from discretionary programs, which includes everything from environmental protection to defense spending. The rest will come from Medicare and other entitlement programs.

What's more, federal agencies must give workers a month's notice before imposing furloughs, which will likely force many to take one day a week of unpaid leave indefinitely. So the pay and spending power of government workers and many contractors won't be affected until April at the earliest.

Perhaps more important, the delay gives lawmakers time to seek a deal that might retroactively reverse the spending cuts before they could do much damage to the economy.

"If it lasts a matter of a few weeks or a few months, I don't think it will have any measurable impact on growth," Baumohl says.

Scott Anderson, chief economist at the Bank of the West, estimates that if the budget cuts lasted only through March, economic growth would drop just 0.1 percentage point in 2013. That change would reduce his estimate of growth for the year from 1.8 percent to 1.7 percent.

Not that the spending cuts won't hurt many workers and consumers. And the longer the cuts are in place, the more they will slow growth, depress hiring and keep unemployment stranded at high levels.

If the automatic spending cuts aren't reversed, they would reduce economic growth in 2013 to 2 percent from 2.6 percent, wipe out 700,000 jobs and keep unemployment at 7.4 percent or higher through 2014, according to calculations by Macroeconomic Advisers, a forecasting firm.

Growth would rebound to 3.4 percent in 2014, the firm says. In part, that's because the Federal Reserve is expected to keep short-term interest rates near zero to blunt the economic damage from the spending cuts.

The spending cuts are taking effect just as the economy shows its most sustained improvement since the recession officially ended in June 2009.

The housing market, which had helped slow the economy's growth from the housing bust in 2006 until last year, is finally recovering. Sales of new homes rose last month to the highest level in 4? years. Home prices rose in December from a year earlier by the most in more than six years.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that business investment in buildings, machines and software rose at an 11.2 percent annual pace the last three months of 2012.

Companies are hiring more, too: Private employers added an average of 208,000 jobs a month in November, December and January, up from an average 155,000 from August through October.

That job growth is giving more people money to spend. After stagnating since the recession ended, hourly pay has risen faster than inflation the past three months. Families have reduced their debts and are in a better position to spend ? although they did get pinched when a Social Security tax cut expired in January, raising the annual tax bill of someone earning $100,000 a year by $2,000.

Without the political dysfunction, Baumohl says, the economy would be growing at a healthy 3 percent annual pace.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sturdier-us-economy-withstand-budget-cuts-201200138--finance.html

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FOR KIDS:?Oldest bird is new mom

At 62, albatross hatches a healthy chick

By Allison Bohac

Web edition: February 27, 2013

Enlarge

Wisdom, an albatross who is estimated to be 62 years old, tends to her newly hatched chick. She is the oldest known wild bird.

Credit: John Klavitter/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Here?s one new mom with lots of experience ? at least 62 years of it. On February 3, a Laysan albatross named Wisdom hatched a healthy chick on a Pacific island near Hawaii. It was the sixth year in a row this bird had hatched a chick.

Although women may live to be 100 years old or more, few are capable of giving birth after their early to mid-50s. What makes Wisdom so special is that her species normally lives only 12 to 40 years. So not only has she outlived most other Laysan albatrosses by at least two decades, but also she has remained fertile and able to hatch healthy chicks well into her 60s. Scientists are amazed by this feat.

Visit the new?Science News for Kids?website?and read the full story:?Oldest bird is new mom

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/348631/title/FOR_KIDSOldest_bird_is_new_mom

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