Monday, 18 December 2017

Smileband General News


Saudi Arabia has 'no excuse' for blocking aid to Yemen, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said as she warned that 'using starvation as a weapon' was a breach of humanitarian law.
The UK is set to provide an emergency £50 million aid package to help feed millions of Yemeni people caught in 'the world's worst humanitarian crisis'.
Ms Mordaunt, who was visiting Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, promised food vouchers for 3.4 million Yemenis for one month, 106,000 tonnes of grain, and fuel to keep hospitals running and pump clean water. Yemen has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 2014 when rebels took over the capital city of Sanaa.
In recent months there has been an escalation in fighting and restrictions on aid access threaten to push Yemen into a 'catastrophic famine', Ms Mordaunt warned.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting rebels have imposed restrictions in an effort to prevent supplies reaching their enemies.
Speaking in Djibouti, from where UK aid is shipped to Yemen, Ms Mordaunt said: 'The harrowing stories I have heard from Yemenis and aid workers today are a powerful reminder of the human tragedy of the world's worst humanitarian crisis where three quarters of the population are in desperate need.
'Every day, parents are carrying their malnourished children to hospital because they haven't eaten in days, and families are watching as loved ones die needlessly from treatable illnesses because they do not have access to medical care. This builds on the Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia last month, where she reiterated the need to ensure full access across Yemen, renewed calls for all sides to find a peaceful solution and emphasised the importance of full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida.
Ms Mordaunt said: 'The UK Government is calling on all parties to this conflict to immediately restore full access for humanitarian and commercial imports and find a peaceful solution to this conflict to stop Yemen falling into a catastrophic famine.'
The UK is the second largest donor to the UN appeal and this new package of support will bring the total UK aid to Yemen to £205 million for 2017/18, making the UK the third largest donor overall. 

Sunday, 17 December 2017

Smileband Health issues


It could be: Arterial disease. If the fuzz on your toes suddenly disappears, it could signal poor blood circulation caused by peripheral arterial disease (PAD). “Signs of PAD can include decreased hair growth on the feet and ankles, purplish toes, and thin or shiny skin,” says a health specialist , DPM, a podiatric surgeon at North Shore University Hospital in New York. A buildup of plaque in the leg arteries, PAD affects about 8 million Americans. Symptoms are subtle, but doctors can check for a healthy pulse in the foot or spot PAD on an X-ray. “If I take an X-ray of a broken foot, and I see a hardening of the arteries, 99 percent of the time, the same thing is happening in the heart blood vessels,” says Gary A. Pichney, DPM, a podiatric surgeon of The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center. It could be: Diabetes. Uncontrolled glucose levels can damage nerves and cause poor circulation, so blood doesn’t reach the feet. When blood doesn’t get to a wound caused by, say, irritating shoes, the skin doesn’t heal properly. “Many, many people with diabetes are diagnosed first because of foot problems,” says Reid. Other signs of diabetes may include tingling or numbness of the feet. Ask your doctor about getting your blood sugar levels tested. It could be: A heart infection. Red streaks underneath the toenails or fingernails could be broken blood vessels known as splinter hemorrhages. These occur when small blood clots damage the tiny capillaries under the nails. They can signal endocarditis, an infection of the heart’s inner lining. People who have an existing heart condition, have received a pacemaker, or who have chronically suppressed immune systems (such as cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, HIV patients, and diabetes patients) are at higher risk of developing endocarditis. The infection can result in heart failure if left untreated. If you notice splinter hemorrhages on your toenails or fingernails, and haven’t experienced any recent trauma to the nail, see your doctor to check your heart and blood circulation.   It could be: Lung cancer or heart diseases .Another symptom that appears in both toes and fingers, clubbing is often associated with lung cancer, chronic lung infection, heart disease, or intestinal disease. Lung cancer and heart disease decrease vascular resistance, which means blood flow to the small arteries in the toenails and fingertips will increase. Tissue swells and results in the “clubbed” appearance (rounder, wider fingers and toes). Though patients are typically aware they have a disease that is causing the clubbing, it’s best to get checked if you see any abnormalities. (Here are some smart habits to prevent lung cancer -and it’s not just not smoking.) It could be: anemia  or lupus . Do you have a depression in the toenail deep enough to hold a water droplet? Also known as koilonychias, spoon-shaped toenails or fingernails can indicate iron deficiency, as well as hemochromatosis (overproduction of iron), Raynaud’s disease (which affects blood supply to the fingers and toes), and sometimes lupus (an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks cells, tissues, and organs). Spooned nails occasionally appear in infants, but normalize in the first few years of life. If you notice spooning, contact your physician, who will administer a blood test to identify the exact cause.

Smileband Health issues


Bowel Conditions & Symptoms

The first and most important point to remember is that everyone with a bowel problem can be helped and many can be completely cured.
If you have been diagnosed with bowel (faecal) incontinence, IBS, Colitis, Crohns, constipation or other bowel problems you can search the down menus below to find out more information about your specific condition or problem. If you have not been diagnosed by a health professional, the following questions about your symptoms should help you find the information you are looking for.
  • Do you find it difficult to have a bowel movement or have a bowel movement less than 3 times a week and have to strain
  • Excessively or do not feel completely empty? You may be constipated 
  • Do you pass watery or very loose stools more than 3 times in a day? You may have diarrhoea  
  • Do you have abdominal pain (in the lower left part of the abdomen) and a change in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhoea or alternating between both), with a mild fever and nausea and vomiting? These are symptoms of diverticulitis diseases 
  • If you have diarrhoea, weight loss and abdominal pain, these could be signs of crohn diseases .
  • Do you have bloody diarrhoea or diarrhoea containing mucus and the constant urge to go to the toilet even though nothing comes out, with or without abdominal pain? These are symptoms of Ulcerative colitis 
  • Do you leak faeces without being aware of it? This could be bowel or faecal incontestable If you experience any of the following symptoms, you must see your GP as soon as possible:
    • bleeding from your back passage
    • blood in your stools (faeces), which can make them look bright red, dark red, or black
    • a change in normal bowel habits lasting three weeks or more
    • unexplained weight loss and tiredness
    • an unexplained pain or lump in your tummy
    Once you have a clearer idea of what your problem may be or if you have been diagnosed you can visit our treatment section to see what your options are for managing your symptoms or condition. Information dealing with the more practical and emotional side of coping with bowel problems can be found by visiting the support section. 

Smileband General News


A council has plans to allow people to dispose of loved ones' bodies through water cremation, a new and environmentally friendly way to get rid of human remains.
The process involves putting a body is put into a steel vat with an alkaline solution that accelerates the natural breakdown of the body, turning all but the bones into liquid that gets poured down the drain.
Sandwell metropolitan borough council, near Birmingham, hopes to become the first in the UK to use the cremation technique, which is already used in parts of Canada and the United States. The council has given permission to Rowley Regis crematorium to fit a £300,000 Resomator, or water cremation device into their facility.
But water company Severn Trent has refused to give the council a 'trade effluent permit', arguing that the permit only covers waste disposal.
Rowley Regis needs permission from Severn Trent before it can dispose of waste down the drain, The Sunday Times reported.
Sandwell council, Resomation and Water UK are working to 'explore all the options' to allow the device into Rowley Regis. Alkaline hydrolysis was originally created to dispose of animal carcasses, but it is now being used in parts of North America as a more environmentally friendly way of disposing of loved ones' bodies.
Alkaline hydrolysis uses a metal hydroxide, 572F (300C) heat and huge amounts of pressure to destroy bodies in big stainless-steel cylinders that look similar to pressure cookers. The process involves submerging the body in a solution of water and potassium hydroxide, which is then pressurised and heated for two-and-a-half to three hours.
This leaves a green-brown tinted liquid containing amino acids, peptides, sugars and salts and soft, porous white bone remains which are easily crushed into ash and given to the family in an urn.
The liquid waste, meanwhile, is flushed down the drain. Per body, there is about 330 gallons (1,500 litres) of liquid waste.
It also eliminates concerns about crematorium emissions, including carbon dioxide, which can be released into the air as part of the process.
The process is considered to be a new way to 'green-ify' death, as concern grows over the carbon footprint that is left by burials and standard cremations. Resomation's founder, Sandy Sullivan, 61, said 'dozens' of crematoriums across the UK are interested in the water cremation devices, which are built in West Yorkshire.
He said he hopes Rowley Regis will have the cremation device in operation by springtime.
'There is no technical reason why the liquid can't go down the drain,' he told The Sunday Times. 'It is a very treatable organic liquid. It is sterile and there is no DNA in it.
'We are copying nature. The body dissolves by soil bacteria and it is a very long process. All we are doing is taking the exact same chemistry and applying heat, which speeds it up. This is a third option, other than cremation and burial.'
While it would be a first in the UK if Rowley Regis is able to start using the process, the Crematory Association of North America (Dean is a board member) added alkaline hydrolysis in 2010 to its definition of cremation.
The cremation industry itself has already been undergoing rapid change in recent years; according to CANA statistics, the cremation rate in the United States jumped from 26.2 per cent in 2000 to 48.6 percent in 2015.

Smileband General News


Overview

A brain tumor is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in your brain or close to your brain.
Many different types of brain tumors exist. Some brain tumors are noncancerous (benign), and some brain tumors are cancerous (malignant). Brain tumors can begin in your brain (primary brain tumors), or cancer can begin in other parts of your body and spread to your brain (secondary, or metastatic, brain tumors.  How quickly a brain tumor grows can vary greatly. The growth rate as well as location of a brain tumor determines how it will affect the function of your nervous system.
Brain tumor treatment options depend on the type of brain tumor you have, as well as its size and location. 

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor vary greatly and depend on the brain tumor's size, location and rate of growth.
General signs and symptoms caused by brain tumors may include:
  • New onset or change in pattern of headaches
  • Headaches that gradually become more frequent and more severe
  • Unexplained nausea or vomiting
  • Vision problems, such as blurred vision, double vision or loss of peripheral vision
  • Gradual loss of sensation or movement in an arm or a leg
  • Difficulty with balance
  • Speech difficulties
  • Confusion in everyday matters
  • Personality or behavior changes
  • Seizures, especially in someone who doesn't have a history of seizures
  • Hearing problems

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have persistent signs and symptoms that concern you. Primary brain tumors are much less common than are secondary brain tumors, in which cancer begins elsewhere and spreads to the brain.
Many different types of primary brain tumors exist. Each gets its name from the type of cells involved. Examples include:
  • Gliomas. These tumors begin in the brain or spinal cord and include astrocytomas, ependymoma, glioblastomas, oligoastrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas.
  • Meningiomas. A meningioma is a tumor that arises from the membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord (meninges). Most meningiomas are noncancerous.
  • Acoustic neuromas (schwannomas).These are benign tumors that develop on the nerves that control balance and hearing leading from your inner ear to your brain.
  • Pituitary adenomas. These are mostly benign tumors that develop in the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. These tumors can affect the pituitary hormones with effects throughout the body.
  • Medulloblastomas. These are the most common cancerous brain tumors in children. A medulloblastoma starts in the lower back part of the brain and tends to spread through the spinal fluid. These tumors are less common in adults, but they do occur.
  • PNETs. Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are rare, cancerous tumors that start in embryonic (fetal) cells in the brain. They can occur anywhere in the brain.
  • Germ cell tumors. Germ cell tumors may develop during childhood where the testicles or ovaries will form. But sometimes germ cell tumors move to other parts of the body, such as the brain.
  • Craniopharyngiomas. These rare, noncancerous tumors start near the brain's pituitary gland, which secretes hormones that control many body functions. As the craniopharyngioma slowly grows, it can affect the pituitary gland and other structures near the brain.

Cancer that begins elsewhere and spreads to the brain

Secondary (metastatic) brain tumors are tumors that result from cancer that starts elsewhere in your body and then spreads (metastasizes) to your brain.
Secondary brain tumors most often occur in people who have a history of cancer. But in rare cases, a metastatic brain tumor may be the first sign of cancer that began elsewhere in your body.
Secondary brain tumors are far more common than are primary brain tumors.
Any cancer can spread to the brain, but the most common types include:
  • Breast cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Melanoma

Risk factors

In most people with primary brain tumors, the cause of the tumor is not clear. But doctors have identified some factors that may increase your risk of a brain tumor. Risk factors include:
  • Your age. Your risk of a brain tumor increases as you age. Brain tumors are most common in older adults. However, a brain tumor can occur at any age. And certain types of brain tumors occur almost exclusively in children.
  • Exposure to radiation. People who have been exposed to a type of radiation called ionizing radiation have an increased risk of brain tumor. Examples of ionizing radiation include radiation therapy used to treat cancer and radiation exposure caused by atomic bombs.
    More common forms of radiation, such as electromagnetic fields from power lines and radiofrequency radiation from cellphones and microwave ovens, have not been proved to be linked to brain tumors. 
  • Family history of brain tumors. A small portion of brain tumors occur in people with a family history of brain tumors or a family history of genetic syndromes that increase the risk of brain tumors.

Smileband Health issues


What Is Brittle Bone Disease?

Brittle bone disease is a disorder that results in fragile bones that break easily. It’s typically present at birth, but it only develops in children who have a family history of the disease. 
The disease is often referred to as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), which means “imperfectly formed bone.” 
Brittle bone disease can range from mild to severe. Most cases are mild, resulting in few bone fractures. However, the severe forms of the disease can cause:
  • hearing loss
  • heart failure
  • spinal cord problems
  • permanent deformities 
OI can sometimes be life-threatening if it occurs in babies either before or shortly after birth. Approximately one person in 20,000 will develop brittle bone disease. It occurs equally among males and females and among ethnic groups. What Causes Brittle Bone Disease?
Brittle bone disease is caused by a defect, or flaw, in the gene that produces type 1 collagen, a protein used to create bone. The defective gene is usually inherited. In some cases, however, a genetic mutation, or change, can cause it.

What Are the Types of Brittle Bone Disease?

Four different genes are responsible for collagen production. Some or all of these genes can be affected in people with OI. Defective genes can produce eight types of brittle bone disease, labeled as type 1 OI through type 8 OI. The first four types are the most common. The last four are extremely rare, and most are subtypes of type 4 OI. Here are the four main types of OI: 

Type 1 OI

Type 1 OI is the mildest and most common form of brittle bone disease. In this type of brittle bone disease, your body produces quality collagen but not enough of it. This results in mildly fragile bones. Children with type 1 OI typically have bone fractures due to mild traumas. Such bone fractures are much less common in adults. The teeth may also be affected, resulting in dental cracks and cavities.

Type 2 OI

Type 2 OI is the most severe form of brittle bone disease, and it can be life-threatening. In type 2 OI, your body either doesn’t produce enough collagen or produces collagen that’s poor quality. Type 2 OI can cause bone deformities. If your child is born with type 2 OI, they may have a narrowed chest, broken or misshapen ribs, or underdeveloped lungs. Babies with type 2 OI can die in the womb or shortly after birth.

Type 3 OI

Type 3 OI is also a severe form of brittle bone disease. It causes bones to break easily. In type 3 OI, your child’s body produces enough collagen but it’s poor quality. Your child’s bones can even begin to break before birth. Bone deformities are common and may get worse as your child gets older.

Type 4 OI

Type 4 OI is the most variable form of brittle bone disease because its symptoms range from mild to severe. As with type 3 OI, your body produces enough collagen but the quality is poor. Children with type 4 OI are typically born with bowed legs, although the bowing tends to lessen with age.

Saturday, 16 December 2017

Smileband Health issues


Students at University College London have been given 'precautionary' antibiotics after someone at the university was taken to hospital with meningitis.
The college said it had managed to identify everyone who had come into contact with the patient, who was described as a person associated with the university.
In a statement UCL warned students to make sure they were vaccinated after the individual was admitted to hospital with suspected meningococcal meningitis.
The university said: 'UCL is working closely with Public Health England and we have identified all of those who had close contact with the person and arranged a course of antibiotics for them as a precautionary measure. The antibiotics are given to kill the meningococci that they may be carrying in their nose or throat, and will reduce the risk of infection to others. 
'Although the risk to other members of the UCL community is generally low, it is important to be aware of the symptoms, which can include fever, a severe headache, stiff neck, drowsiness or confusion, aversion to bright light, painful joints, nausea and vomiting.
'It can also cause a characteristic rash that does not fade when pressed against a glass. Advice from Public Health England says that contact between two people has to be close for the bacteria to be picked up, because they cannot live for more than a few seconds outside the body. The college said that early signs of meningitis could be mistaken for flu or even a hangover, but warned staff and students to call their GP or NHS 111 if they suspected it could be something worse.
Members of the university were also told to make sure they had had the Meningitis ACWY vaccine which protects against four kinds of meningococcal bacteria. 
The vaccine, offered to people aged under 25, is available from GPs. 

Smileband News

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