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Virtual Memorials for special cats loved by special owners

Winn's goal is to help "Every Cat, Every Day" and we can only do this with your assistance. Stay in touch with our activities and learn how you can become involved in the future of feline health.

Join over 3,000 other cat lovers on our Facebook page.

Follow us on Twitter and help spread the word!

Subscribe to our email newsletter - we promise, no spam :-)
  

Virtual Memorials for special cats loved by special owners

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Exercise 'can prevent a cold', a study shows

People who exercise regularly are less likely to get a cold, researchers say.


A study of 1,000 people found that staying active nearly halved the odds of catching cold viruses and, failing that, made the infection less severe.

Experts told the British Journal of Sports Medicine that this could be because exercise helps bolster the immune system to fight off bugs.

But you may not have to actually do much exercise - those who merely think they are fit enjoy the same lower risk.

Adults can expect to suffer two to five colds per year. This latest research suggests there are lifestyle choices you can make to improve your odds of either avoiding them, or suffering too badly from them.

For their study, US researchers asked the healthy volunteers to keep a record of any coughs and sniffles they experienced over a three-month period during the autumn and winter.

The volunteers were also asked to say how frequently in any given week they would do exercise lasting at least 20 minutes and intensive enough to break a sweat.

And they were questioned about lifestyle, diet and recent stressful events, as these can all affect a person's immune system.

Being older, male and married seemed to reduce the frequency of colds, as did eating plenty of fruit.
But the most significant factors that cut colds was how much exercise a person did and how fit they perceived themselves to be.

Feeling fit and being active cut the risk of having a cold by nearly 50%.

People who were physically active on five or more days of the week were unwell with a cold for about five days of the three-month period, compared to nine days for those who did little or no exercise.

And even when they were ill, they suffered less with their symptoms.

The severity of symptoms fell by 41% among those who felt the fittest and by 31% among those who were the most active.

Lead researcher Dr David Nieman and his team, from Appalachian State University in North Carolina, say bouts of exercise spark a temporary rise in immune system cells circulating around the body that can attack foreign invaders.

Although these levels fall back within a few hours, each session is likely to provide an immune boost to fight off infections like the common cold.

Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "This is yet more evidence for doing exercise. It reflects what we have believed for some time.

"Exercise makes us feel better and now here's more evidence that it is good for us."

People who exercise regularly are less likely to get a cold, researchers say.


A study of 1,000 people found that staying active nearly halved the odds of catching cold viruses and, failing that, made the infection less severe.

Experts told the British Journal of Sports Medicine that this could be because exercise helps bolster the immune system to fight off bugs.

But you may not have to actually do much exercise - those who merely think they are fit enjoy the same lower risk.

Adults can expect to suffer two to five colds per year. This latest research suggests there are lifestyle choices you can make to improve your odds of either avoiding them, or suffering too badly from them.

For their study, US researchers asked the healthy volunteers to keep a record of any coughs and sniffles they experienced over a three-month period during the autumn and winter.

The volunteers were also asked to say how frequently in any given week they would do exercise lasting at least 20 minutes and intensive enough to break a sweat.

And they were questioned about lifestyle, diet and recent stressful events, as these can all affect a person's immune system.

Being older, male and married seemed to reduce the frequency of colds, as did eating plenty of fruit.
But the most significant factors that cut colds was how much exercise a person did and how fit they perceived themselves to be.

Feeling fit and being active cut the risk of having a cold by nearly 50%.

People who were physically active on five or more days of the week were unwell with a cold for about five days of the three-month period, compared to nine days for those who did little or no exercise.

And even when they were ill, they suffered less with their symptoms.

The severity of symptoms fell by 41% among those who felt the fittest and by 31% among those who were the most active.

Lead researcher Dr David Nieman and his team, from Appalachian State University in North Carolina, say bouts of exercise spark a temporary rise in immune system cells circulating around the body that can attack foreign invaders.

Although these levels fall back within a few hours, each session is likely to provide an immune boost to fight off infections like the common cold.

Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "This is yet more evidence for doing exercise. It reflects what we have believed for some time.

"Exercise makes us feel better and now here's more evidence that it is good for us."

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How should value be defined in spine surgery?

Introduction
In a health care economy with limited resources, providers and consumers of health care services need to be accountable for the end result and the cost of care. The value proposition in health care is an analysis of the benefits of care relative to the direct cost and risk of providing the care. Measurement of benefits and costs is challenging, and a consensus on the measures that encompass the relevant components of the value equation has not been reached. Traditional outcome measures in orthopedics including survival, radiographic outcomes, and disease-specific outcome tools do not adequately reflect the patient’s health care experience, or the impact of an intervention on health-related quality of life. Similarly, measuring cost of care is complex, and may encompass both direct costs of treatment and alternative treatments, and indirect costs including time from work or family role, loss of productivity, and cost of caretakers.

The value equation may vary depending on the perspective of the stakeholder in the health care economy. Hospitals and facilities providing care may measure outcome and costs by factors that affect their short-term, single admission interaction, including length of stay, implant utilization, and complications. Third-party payors may focus on a timeframe that is longer that a single admission, and may include factors in the value equation such as readmission within 90 days, or cost of outpatient care. Hospital- and payor-based quality measures may be misinterpreted as measures of outcome or value. Length of stay, surgical times, compliance with antibiotic or thromboembolic prophylaxis, and perioperative complications are process measures that may be useful to compare hospital and provider performance when appropriately matched and stratified. However, they are not useful in measuring a patient’s health care experience, or the impact of an intervention on long-term health-related quality of life. In fact, a focus on quality and process measures alone may be misleading in the pursuit of value in health care, and may provide incentive for counterproductive care strategies that serve the measurement system rather than the patient.

The health care provider and the patient measure outcome by the impact of an orthopedic intervention on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The timeframe for the patient and provider is a lifetime, rather than a single admission. As Porter and Teisberg wrote in 2006, the right goal for health care delivery is superior patient value, which is measured at the level of specific medical conditions. Measurement of outcomes of care needs to reflect the patient’s long-term health care experience, and the impact of one intervention compared with alternatives on the patients self-assessment of HRQoL.

Introduction
In a health care economy with limited resources, providers and consumers of health care services need to be accountable for the end result and the cost of care. The value proposition in health care is an analysis of the benefits of care relative to the direct cost and risk of providing the care. Measurement of benefits and costs is challenging, and a consensus on the measures that encompass the relevant components of the value equation has not been reached. Traditional outcome measures in orthopedics including survival, radiographic outcomes, and disease-specific outcome tools do not adequately reflect the patient’s health care experience, or the impact of an intervention on health-related quality of life. Similarly, measuring cost of care is complex, and may encompass both direct costs of treatment and alternative treatments, and indirect costs including time from work or family role, loss of productivity, and cost of caretakers.

The value equation may vary depending on the perspective of the stakeholder in the health care economy. Hospitals and facilities providing care may measure outcome and costs by factors that affect their short-term, single admission interaction, including length of stay, implant utilization, and complications. Third-party payors may focus on a timeframe that is longer that a single admission, and may include factors in the value equation such as readmission within 90 days, or cost of outpatient care. Hospital- and payor-based quality measures may be misinterpreted as measures of outcome or value. Length of stay, surgical times, compliance with antibiotic or thromboembolic prophylaxis, and perioperative complications are process measures that may be useful to compare hospital and provider performance when appropriately matched and stratified. However, they are not useful in measuring a patient’s health care experience, or the impact of an intervention on long-term health-related quality of life. In fact, a focus on quality and process measures alone may be misleading in the pursuit of value in health care, and may provide incentive for counterproductive care strategies that serve the measurement system rather than the patient.

The health care provider and the patient measure outcome by the impact of an orthopedic intervention on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The timeframe for the patient and provider is a lifetime, rather than a single admission. As Porter and Teisberg wrote in 2006, the right goal for health care delivery is superior patient value, which is measured at the level of specific medical conditions. Measurement of outcomes of care needs to reflect the patient’s long-term health care experience, and the impact of one intervention compared with alternatives on the patients self-assessment of HRQoL.

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Study: Growing Rods for Childhood Scoliosis Treatment Likely to Cause Autofusion

While the use of growing rods has produced efficacy in the control of deformity within the growing spine, the surgery also has high rates of unintended autofusion, which can lead to a difficult and moderate correction, according to an article published in Spine.

Researchers conducted a retrospective review of the medical records and radiographs of young patients who received treatment for scoliosis using growing rods. The researchers collected data on complications, pre- and postoperative Cobb angles, total spine length, correction since initiation of treatment, total number of surgeries and the number of patients found to have autofusion at the time of device removal.

The rate of autofusion in the patients treated with growing rods was 89 percent. The average percent of the Cobb angle was 44 percent, and an average of seven osteotomies per patient were required at the time of definitive fusion due to autofusion.

While the use of growing rods has produced efficacy in the control of deformity within the growing spine, the surgery also has high rates of unintended autofusion, which can lead to a difficult and moderate correction, according to an article published in Spine.

Researchers conducted a retrospective review of the medical records and radiographs of young patients who received treatment for scoliosis using growing rods. The researchers collected data on complications, pre- and postoperative Cobb angles, total spine length, correction since initiation of treatment, total number of surgeries and the number of patients found to have autofusion at the time of device removal.

The rate of autofusion in the patients treated with growing rods was 89 percent. The average percent of the Cobb angle was 44 percent, and an average of seven osteotomies per patient were required at the time of definitive fusion due to autofusion.

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Health In Your Hands – Scoliosis Exercises for Prevention and Correction DVD

Sneak Peek of DVD Cover Art

Sneak Peek of DVD Cover Art

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Get pillow smart

Thursday, 25 l 03 l 2010 ; Source: Mind Your Body, The StraitsTimes
By Stacey Chia

Investing in the right one can mean the difference between a good night’s sleep and waking up with neck ache. STACEY CHIA reports

Like most people, you probably spend about a third of your time in bed, so investing in the right pillow can be an asset to your health.

The right pillow can help you acquire better sleep and at the same time lower your risk of neck pain and headaches, said Dr Charles Siow, a consultant neurologist and pain specialist at Siow Neurology Headache and Pain Centre.

These aches and pains usually result from a lack of head and neck support from your pillow.

Dr Kenny Pang, the director of Pacific Sleep Centre, explained that the human neck curves slightly forward to take the weight of the head when upright and it is important that this curve is maintained while at rest.

Pillows help ensure that your head is kept in a neutral alignment.

This means that your head should not lean too far forward or backwards.

When buying a pillow, it is important to take into account your sleeping position, said Ms Karen Koh, a senior principal physiotherapist at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).If you tend to sleep on your back, your pillow should be kept low so that your head and neck is fairly aligned with your body.

If you sleep on your side, you will need a higher pillow. Ms Koh said a higher pillow would be more suitable in maintaining the alignment as it fills the space between your head and the mattress.

Dr Kevin Lau, a chiropractor at Orchard Clinic, advised against sleeping on your stomach as it causes a strain on your back by exaggerating the arch at the base of your spine.

If you are particular about the type of pillow stuffing, Dr Lau recommends buying a memory foam pillow.

Such a pillow is said to reduce pressure points by moulding and adjusting itself as you move throughout the night, thus ensuring that your neck is always supported.

It is, however, not a necessity, he said.

Dr Lim Li Ning, the medical director of the Sleep Neurology and Sleep Centre agreed, adding that there is no good scientific evidence to support the use of one type of pillow over another.

“Most people can sleep on any type of pillow depending on their preference and no special stuffing is needed,” said Dr Lim.

Dr Lau said that pillows to avoid are those stuffed with feathers as they tend to lose firmness over time and become too flat to provide sufficient support.

Dr Pang said: “A large part of what makes a good pillow is personal preference. If the pillow feels comfortable, it is likely to help one become relaxed and thus get a good night’s sleep.”

Thursday, 25 l 03 l 2010 ; Source: Mind Your Body, The StraitsTimes
By Stacey Chia

Investing in the right one can mean the difference between a good night’s sleep and waking up with neck ache. STACEY CHIA reports

Like most people, you probably spend about a third of your time in bed, so investing in the right pillow can be an asset to your health.

The right pillow can help you acquire better sleep and at the same time lower your risk of neck pain and headaches, said Dr Charles Siow, a consultant neurologist and pain specialist at Siow Neurology Headache and Pain Centre.

These aches and pains usually result from a lack of head and neck support from your pillow.

Dr Kenny Pang, the director of Pacific Sleep Centre, explained that the human neck curves slightly forward to take the weight of the head when upright and it is important that this curve is maintained while at rest.

Pillows help ensure that your head is kept in a neutral alignment.

This means that your head should not lean too far forward or backwards.

When buying a pillow, it is important to take into account your sleeping position, said Ms Karen Koh, a senior principal physiotherapist at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).If you tend to sleep on your back, your pillow should be kept low so that your head and neck is fairly aligned with your body.

If you sleep on your side, you will need a higher pillow. Ms Koh said a higher pillow would be more suitable in maintaining the alignment as it fills the space between your head and the mattress.

Dr Kevin Lau, a chiropractor at Orchard Clinic, advised against sleeping on your stomach as it causes a strain on your back by exaggerating the arch at the base of your spine.

If you are particular about the type of pillow stuffing, Dr Lau recommends buying a memory foam pillow.

Such a pillow is said to reduce pressure points by moulding and adjusting itself as you move throughout the night, thus ensuring that your neck is always supported.

It is, however, not a necessity, he said.

Dr Lim Li Ning, the medical director of the Sleep Neurology and Sleep Centre agreed, adding that there is no good scientific evidence to support the use of one type of pillow over another.

“Most people can sleep on any type of pillow depending on their preference and no special stuffing is needed,” said Dr Lim.

Dr Lau said that pillows to avoid are those stuffed with feathers as they tend to lose firmness over time and become too flat to provide sufficient support.

Dr Pang said: “A large part of what makes a good pillow is personal preference. If the pillow feels comfortable, it is likely to help one become relaxed and thus get a good night’s sleep.”

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Collars and Microchips for Cats

Lord LK, Griffin B, Slater MR et al: Evaluation of collars and microchips for visual and permanent identification of pet cats, J Am Vet Med Assoc 237:387, 2010.

The objective of this study was to determine the percentage of pet cats still wearing collars and having a functioning microchip six months after application. In prior studies, only 14% of cats were wearing any form of visual identification such as a collar or tag at the time they were lost and only 7% had a microchip. Less than 2% of cats entering a shelter with unknown owner status were reunited with their owners. The primary reasons owners give for not providing a form of identification for their cats are because the cats are kept exclusively indoors, their cats did not get lost, and a belief that their cats won’t tolerate a collar or will be hurt by collars or that microchips are too expensive. Most cats successfully wore their collars (approximately 75%). The plastic buckle collars stayed on better than the plastic breakaway buckle form or elastic stretch plastic collars. However, it was noted that owner willingness to replace a collar repeatedly if it did come off and owner expectations for success were more important than collar types. The results also found that many owners do not think to put a collar on their cat though are willing to do so once educated. Each cat in the study was also microchipped and of the 478 microchips scanned at the conclusion of the study, only one was found to be non-functioning. Microchips are considered a good backup, long-term identification system following the use of a visual form of identification. Since one earlier study showed that 40% of all cats lost were considered to be exclusively indoors, veterinarians should recommend some form of identification to cat owners. [VT]

Related articles:
Lord LK, Ingwersen W, Gray JL et al: Characterization of animals with microchips entering animal shelters, J Am Vet Med Assoc 235:160, 2009.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Lord LK, Griffin B, Slater MR et al: Evaluation of collars and microchips for visual and permanent identification of pet cats, J Am Vet Med Assoc 237:387, 2010.

The objective of this study was to determine the percentage of pet cats still wearing collars and having a functioning microchip six months after application. In prior studies, only 14% of cats were wearing any form of visual identification such as a collar or tag at the time they were lost and only 7% had a microchip. Less than 2% of cats entering a shelter with unknown owner status were reunited with their owners. The primary reasons owners give for not providing a form of identification for their cats are because the cats are kept exclusively indoors, their cats did not get lost, and a belief that their cats won’t tolerate a collar or will be hurt by collars or that microchips are too expensive. Most cats successfully wore their collars (approximately 75%). The plastic buckle collars stayed on better than the plastic breakaway buckle form or elastic stretch plastic collars. However, it was noted that owner willingness to replace a collar repeatedly if it did come off and owner expectations for success were more important than collar types. The results also found that many owners do not think to put a collar on their cat though are willing to do so once educated. Each cat in the study was also microchipped and of the 478 microchips scanned at the conclusion of the study, only one was found to be non-functioning. Microchips are considered a good backup, long-term identification system following the use of a visual form of identification. Since one earlier study showed that 40% of all cats lost were considered to be exclusively indoors, veterinarians should recommend some form of identification to cat owners. [VT]

Related articles:
Lord LK, Ingwersen W, Gray JL et al: Characterization of animals with microchips entering animal shelters, J Am Vet Med Assoc 235:160, 2009.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

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