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A second opinion could save your life
"Several recent studies found that as many as 60% of patients who sought a second opinion received a major change in their diagnosis or treatment."
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'Twice as many die' in Africa after surgery
BBC, 4 January 2018
Post-surgery survival rates are lower across Africa despite patients undergoing "more minor" operations
Patients undergoing surgery in Africa are more than twice as likely to die following an operation than the global average, researchers say.
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Study Finds That Antibiotics Make Viral Infections More Deadly
New research out of the Francis Crick Institute in London found that antibiotics can worsen viral infections and increase mortality when viral exposure occurs. The research findings published in Cell Reports, “Microbiota-Driven Tonic Interferon Signals in Lung Stromal Cells Protect from Influenza Virus Infection” noted that:
“Our study argues that caution should be exercised when treating patients with antibiotics. Between 2000 and 2015, worldwide antibiotic consumption is believed to have increased by 65%, much of which may be linked to inappropriate treatment of pollution- and viral-based illnesses (Klein et al., 2018). Our results suggest that inappropriate use of oral antibiotics could predispose patients to more severe influenza, because of reduced antiviral resistance of the epithelia.” (source)
When mice with healthy gut bacteria were infected with the flu, approximately 80% of them survived. However, only a third survived if they were given antibiotics before being infected.
The researchers found that antibiotics increase the vulnerability of the lungs to flu viruses, leading to worse infections and symptoms. They found that the reason for the increase in severity of flu virus symptoms was because signals from gut bacteria helped to prepare the lining of the lungs for the viral infection, and made the viral infection less potent and deadly. When antibiotics wipe out the gut bacteria, they don’t signal for the lung linings to prepare for, and fight, the oncoming flu virus, and the virus is able to multiply and proliferate in the unprepared lung linings.
One of the study’s authors, Dr. Andreas Wack, stated:
“We were surprised to discover that the cells lining the lung, rather than immune cells, were responsible for early flu resistance induced by microbiota. Previous studies have focused on immune cells, but we found that the lining cells are more important for the crucial early stages of infection. They are the only place that the virus can multiply, so they are the key battleground in the fight against flu. Gut bacteria send a signal that keeps the cells lining the lung prepared, preventing the virus from multiplying so quickly.”
Gut bacteria are crucial for cell signaling, and both healthy gut bacteria and proper cell signaling are necessary for the body to mount a proper response to viral infections.
Ref: Cell
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GMO Dangers: Facts You Need to Know
"By training, I am a plant biologist. In the early 1990s I was busy making genetically modified plants (often called GMOs for Genetically Modified Organisms) as part of the research that led to my PhD. Into these plants we were putting DNA from various foreign organisms, such as viruses and bacteria.
I wasn’t, at the outset, concerned about the possible effects of GM plants on human health or the environment. One reason for this lack of concern was that I was still a very young scientist, feeling my way in the complex world of biology and of scientific research. Another reason was that we hardly imagined that GMOs like ours would be grown or eaten. So far as I was concerned, all GMOs were for research purposes only."
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Turns out they don't work.
"An analysis by The Times using United Nations data showed that the United States and Canada have gained no discernible advantage in yields — food per acre — when measured against Western Europe, a region with comparably modernized agricultural producers like France and Germany. Also, a recent National Academy of Sciences report found that “there was little evidence” that the introduction of genetically modified crops in the United States had led to yield gains beyond those seen in conventional crops."
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"The FDA report states the approved pediatric labeling of Levaquin is for treatment of inhalation of anthrax and plague in patients 6 months of age and older. According to the CDC, in recent decades, an average of one to 17 cases human plague cases have been reported each year; that would mean an estimation of 51 cases from 2011-2014. Yet, in the FDA report, 17.6 million patients received a prescription for oral levofloxacin tablets from U.S. pharmacies from April 2011 through March 2014."
“Why do we have this high amount? It’s a great question, and we are very concerned," says Bennett.
Levaquin is made by Janssen pharmaceuticals, who’s owned by American Pharmaceutical Company Johnson & Johnson. Generic levofloxacin is still available on the market according to Bennett. But Bennett also discussed Janssen’s recent decision to halt distribution of Levaquin, citing its adverse side effects including depression.
“Plus tendon ruptures, Achilles tendon ruptures, shoulder ruptures." The list goes on, says Bennett.
These adverse effects, are similar to symptoms seen in the polio-like illness, Accute flaccid myelitis, known as AFM according to Bennett. He says there could be a connection between the two.
“We’ve talked to several patients, unexpectedly by us, whose children are getting very sick [with symptoms] and have been given Levaquin," says Bennett.
“Some of them have passed away.”
As the CDC reports—with no known cause, vaccine, or treatment—AFM cases are continuing to grow. As of November 8th, there are now at 80 cases this year. Bennett hopes—with more known knowledge of Levaquin—and its possible connection—medical emergencies and even death can be prevented in any medical diagnosis.
“The risks outweigh the benefits," says Bennett.
Dr. Charles Bennett, MD, PHd, MPP, has done extensive research through his years on Levquin and other notable drugs, currently is based out of the University of South Carolina.
Covered by Chandler Morgan (COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM)| November 9, 2018 at 10:27 AM EST - Updated November 15 at 10:22 AM
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Allergy drug Singulair gets FDA's strongest warning over depression, suicide risk
The Food and Drug Administration is issuing a boxed warning — its strongest warning — for a widely prescribed asthma and allergy drug, citing its potential to cause "serious behavior and mood-related changes," the agency announced this week.
Montelukast, which is sold under the brand name Singulair and in generic form, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions, agitation, depression, sleeping problems and other mental health issues, the FDA said in a press release.
"Consistent with our prior evaluations, a wide variety of mental health side effects have been reported, including completed suicides," the FDA said.
Most reported cases of psychiatric side effects occurred during montelukast treatment, the FDA said, but some occurred after stopping.
The side effect rate is unknown, "but some reports are serious, and many patients and health care professionals are not fully aware of these risks," said Sally Seymour, director of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Rheumatology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in a press release.
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Thousands of patients possibly exposed to HIV, hepatitis asked to take blood tests - ABC News
Merry xmas from the medical industry!
By Aaron Katersky
Dec 24, 2018, 5:03 PM ET
"An investigation by the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) revealed that during this time period, lapses in infection control in sterilization/cleaning instruments and the injection of medications may have exposed patients to bloodborne pathogens," the letter states, adding that it is important to get tested "even if you do not remember feeling sick."
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Autocorrect errors in Excel still creating genomics headache - 30% of published papers contain mangled gene names in supplementary data.
Embarrassing autocorrect mistakes are common fodder for Internet listicles and Twitter threads. But they are also the bane of geneticists using spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel. Five years after a study showed that autocorrect problems were widespread, the academic literature is still littered with error-riddled spreadsheets, according to an analysis of published gene lists. And the problem may be even worse than previously realized.
The long-standing issue often occurs when the abbreviated form of a gene’s name — known as a gene symbol — is incorrectly recognized as a date and autocorrected as such by Excel or Google Sheets. For example, SEPT4 (septin 4) and MARCH1 (membrane associated ring-CH-type finger 1) will be automatically changed to 4-Sep and 1-Mar.
“It can have a significant impact on your research,” says molecular biologist Auriol Purdie at the University of Sydney in Australia. Having worked with gene-microarray and gene-transcription data sets for two decades, Purdie is familiar with the inadvertent errors. But she says the problem frequently catches out beginners.
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