Smileband health topics

Years of depression  can cause brain inflammation that has been linked to degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, a new study revealed About 1.5 percent of all American adults suffer from persistent depressive disorder, a long-lasting form of the mental condition. 

Another 16.1 million face major depressive order, but the treatment approaches to the two are largely the same.

But an analysis of brain-changes among people whose depression lasted more than 10 years, done by the Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, suggested doctors may need to treat both depression itself and inflammation in these patients. The average, untreated bout of depression typically lasts a few months, according to Harvard University.

Everyone's symptoms vary in type, severity, and duration. Depression may look like irritability or simply a 'low mood.'

But the staying power of depression may make it even more difficult to diagnose, as years of the disorder come to be seen as 'normal' for the person suffering the symptoms.

This may be why the average age of diagnosis for persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is relatively late, at 31 years old.

Most research on the physical consequences of depression - no matter how long its episodes are - has pointed primarily on its effects on the experience of pain and the likelihood of developing other mental illnesses.

The condition is also known to affect eating habits and experiences. Some tend to overeat when they are depressed, others lose their appetites, and still others will experience upset stomachs.  <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

After decades of research, scientists have failed to find any effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, and, following futile efforts, last month pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced it is ending its own dementia research programme. The reason for this lack of progress is beginning to emerge: the scientific idea underpinning the majority of treatments and clinical trials is fundamentally flawed.

Scientists have spent years developing treatments that target a protein called amyloid, which plays a vital role in healthy nerve cell function, but can become corrupted — sticking together to form damaging clumps or plaques, which destroy nerve cells. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in Arizona and the United States.

Over the last five years, counts and rates of reported gonococcal infections have significantly increased in the state of Arizona. The number of reported infections increased 133.5% from 3,249 in 2010 to 7,585 in 2014.

Transmission

Gonorrhea is transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea can also be spread perinatally from mother to baby during childbirth.

Lab Tests & Specimen Info

Test*	Specimen
PCR	Genital Swab, Urine
IgG/IgM Serology	Serum, Whole Blood
Culture	Genital Swab, Urine
Gram Stain	Genital Swab

  Isolation Precautions

Infected individuals should be advised to refrain from sexual activity for at least 7 days after being fully treated. 

Standard precautions are recommended in healthcare settings.

Prevention for Patients
There are several ways to prevent sexually transmitted infection:

• Condoms
• Monogamous relationships
• Abstinence

Expedited partner therapy (EPT) is an available option in Arizona in order to treat partners.

Pregnant females should be screened during prenatal care. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A is highly contagious. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. Infections range from asymptomatic to disabling illness that may last several months but are seldom fatal and not chronic.

Symptoms may include:

• fever
• malaise
• anorexia
• nausea
• abdominal discomfort
• diarrhea

Jaundice, dark urine and clay-colored stool may also occur.

Individuals are most infectious 1 to 2 weeks before onset of jaundice or elevation of liver enzymes.

The number of reported cases of hepatitis A in Arizona has been decreasing over the past 10 years.

Arizona 5 year median: 72 cases

Transmission 
Direct and indirect person-to-person spread via the fecal-oral route. Rarely, blood-borne transmission can occur during the viremic phase of the disease.

The incubation period can range from 15 to 50 days (average of 25-30 days).

Lab Tests & Specimen Info 

Test*	Specimen
IgM Serology (IgM antibody develops 1 week after symptom onset and peaks approximately in 3 months and is usually gone after 6 months)	Serum

 

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Smileband general news

A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of being a member of banned far-right group National Action. Counter-terror officers raided a property in Lincoln early on Friday and detained the man on suspicion of membership of a proscribed organisation and malicious communications.

He remains in police custody for questioning and inquiries are ongoing. Detective Chief Superintendent Dominic Scally, head of counter terrorism policing for the North West, said: 'Today's arrest forms part of a wider operation into the activities of a proscribed organisation.

'The man remains in custody to be questioned by specialist officers and our investigation continues.

'Those involved in proscribed organisations have a detrimental effect on the communities others work so hard to build, so it is essential people contact us with information so we can put a stop to those who support extremist ideologies.

'Any information that people have can be dealt with in the strictest of confidence by calling the police on 0800 789 321. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband general news

Jamaica to become a U.S territory – Andrew Holness hints

The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, has told the media that the Jamaica is on the verge of becoming a territory of the United States. 

According to Andrew Holness, Jamaica would be joining Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa to become permanently inhabited territory of the United States.

“This has been a request on the table for quite sometime. Trump administration has made it very favorable for us.” – The PM said.

“Jamaican envoy are expected to be in the U.S soon to append signatures on documents” – he added.

As a territory of the United States, Jamaica would become a sub-national administrative division directly overseen by the United States federal government. 

Despite being overseen by the United States, Jamaica would have an organized government through an Organic Act passed by the U.S. Congress.

The country will also have local voting rights and protections under U.S. courts, pay some U.S. taxes, and have limited representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Jamaicans will elect “Members of Congress” who, like the delegate from Washington, D.C., “possess the same powers as other members of the House, except that they may not vote when the House is meeting as the House of Representatives.”

As a member of the U.S territories, Jamaica automatically becomes part of the U.S and as such would not require visas when traveling to the U.S.

Andrew Holness hinted that, plans are far advanced for Jamaica to be recognized as a U.S territory. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

A teenage boy has claimed to have laid 20 eggs in the past two years, completely baffling doctors.

Akmal, 14, from Gowa in Indonesia  says he has been regularly laying eggs since 2016. When cracked open Akmal's father claims the eggs laid by his son appear to be either all yolk or all white.

The 14-year-old has been repeatedly hospitalised for his condition, and recently laid two eggs in front of doctors.

His father Rusli said: 'In two years he laid 18 eggs and two today, so in total there have been 20. I cracked the first egg and its content was all yellow, no white.'

But doctors are baffled by his condition, saying its 'impossible' for eggs to form inside the human body, the Daily star reported. 

A spokesperson from the hospital said: 'Our suspicion is that the eggs were deliberately shoved into Akmal's rectum. But we did not see it directly. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband general news

A police officer and a former Russian diplomatic official are among those arrested after authorities seized a large cocaine shipment at the Russian embassy in Buenos Aires. Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said that 860 pounds (389 kilograms) of the drug were hidden inside diplomatic luggage.

The investigation began after Victor Koronelli, the Russian ambassador to the South American country, and three members of the Russian federal security service, reported to Bullrich that they had suspicions about the luggage found at a school annex of the embassy. Once authorities confirmed that there were drugs inside the 16 pieces of luggage, they devised a plan to catch the criminals.

They swapped cocaine for flour and placed a GPS to track the luggage and the luggage was flown to Russia in 2017. 

Bullrich said three Argentine customs officials traveled to Russia to monitor the delivery, and that Ishtimir Khudzhmov and Vladimir Kalmykov, were arrested when they went to pick up the cargo.

A suspect, who Bullrich only referred to as 'K,' was in charge of buying the drug, and introducing it to the embassy in Argentina. He is still at large in Germany and is wanted under an international arrest warrant.

The logistics were also coordinated by former embassy official Ali Abyanov, who was arrested in his Moscow apartment. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

Nocardiosis is a bacterial infection caused by Nocardia. The bacteria is most commonly found in soil and water. Symptoms of nocardiosis depend on where the infection occurs. Infections most commonly occur in the lungs and symptoms include fever, weight loss, night sweats, cough, chest pain and pneumonia. When the lungs are infected the infection can spread to the brain and cause headaches, weakness, confusion and seizures.

Generally individuals with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for infection.

Transmission

Transmission occurs when an individual inhales the bacteria or the bacteria gets into an open wound or cut. Tranmission has also occurred during surgical procedures.

Incubation period is unknown.

Lab Tests & Specimen Info

Test*	Specimen
Culture	Tissue, Sputum
Susceptibility testing	Isolate

 Isolation Precautions

Standard precautions are recommended in healthcare settings. 

Prevention for Patients
There are no specific prevention methods since the bacteria is naturally occurring in water and soil. 

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Smileband health topics

Prince harry and Meghan markel were at the centre of an anthrax scare after a suspicious white powder was found in a letter sent to their Kensington Palace home.   The letter - which was addressed to both Harry and Meghan - prompted a terror alert after it was received at the Palace where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children also live.

The package was intercepted by staff at the Palace and it did not reach Harry or Meghan - but they have both been informed of the incident. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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