U.S. preterm birth rate goes down but Kentucky's maternal smoking rate still second highest, putting preterm babies at risk

For the fifth year in a row, the preterm birth rate in the United States has dropped. Which is great news. But Kentucky again had a significantly high smoking rate for expectant mothers -- at 32.2 percent, putting us behind only West Virginia (at 36 percent) of pregnant women who gave birth preterm and smoked.

Being born before full term puts babies at undue risk. Still, nearly half a million babies in the United States are born prematurely, many unnecessarily, according to the March of Dimes' 2012 Premature Birth Report Card. Serena Gordon of HealthDay reports that "those risks include breathing difficulties, heart defects and bleeding in the brain. Some conditions are only temporary while others can persist." A premature birth is anything that occurs before 37 weeks gestation. Maternal smoking is a major factor respiratory difficulties for the child and in an inability for the mother to go full term.

It is also been found that women without health insurance also have a higher incidence of preterm birth. Texas had the worst rates of uninsured women with 34.2 percent without insurance. Florida and New Mexico had rates of uninsured women of about 30 percent. Kentucky had rates of uninsured women of 21.7 percent. (Read more)

To see the full report and to see how Kentucky fared compared to other states in a number of other categories, go here.

For the fifth year in a row, the preterm birth rate in the United States has dropped. Which is great news. But Kentucky again had a significantly high smoking rate for expectant mothers -- at 32.2 percent, putting us behind only West Virginia (at 36 percent) of pregnant women who gave birth preterm and smoked.

Being born before full term puts babies at undue risk. Still, nearly half a million babies in the United States are born prematurely, many unnecessarily, according to the March of Dimes' 2012 Premature Birth Report Card. Serena Gordon of HealthDay reports that "those risks include breathing difficulties, heart defects and bleeding in the brain. Some conditions are only temporary while others can persist." A premature birth is anything that occurs before 37 weeks gestation. Maternal smoking is a major factor respiratory difficulties for the child and in an inability for the mother to go full term.

It is also been found that women without health insurance also have a higher incidence of preterm birth. Texas had the worst rates of uninsured women with 34.2 percent without insurance. Florida and New Mexico had rates of uninsured women of about 30 percent. Kentucky had rates of uninsured women of 21.7 percent. (Read more)

To see the full report and to see how Kentucky fared compared to other states in a number of other categories, go here.

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Solving the Mystery of Aging: Longevity Gene Makes Hydra Immortal and Humans Grow Older

ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2012) — Why do we get older? When do we die and why? Is there a life without aging? For centuries, science has been fascinated by these questions. Now researchers from Kiel (Germany) have examined why the polyp Hydra is immortal -- and unexpectedly discovered a link to aging in humans.

The study carried out by Kiel University together with the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS).

Hydra -- mysteriously immortal

The tiny freshwater polyp Hydra does not show any signs of aging and is potentially immortal. There is a rather simple biological explanation for this: these animals exclusively reproduce by budding rather than by mating. A prerequisite for such vegetative-only reproduction is that each polyp contains stem cells capable of continuous proliferation. Without these stem cells, the animals could not reproduce any more. Due to its immortality, Hydra has been the subject of many studies regarding aging processes for several years.

Aging in humans

When people get older, more and more of their stem cells lose the ability to proliferate and thus to form new cells. aging tissue cannot regenerate any more, which is why for example muscles decline. Elderly people tend to feel weaker because their heart muscles are affected by this aging process as well. If it were possible to influence these aging processes, humans could feel physically better for much longer. Studying animal tissue such as those of Hydra -- an animal full of active stem cells during all its life -- may deliver valuable insight into stem cell aging as such.

Human longevity gene discovered in Hydra

"Surprisingly, our search for the gene that causes Hydra to be immortal led us to the so-called FoxO gene," says Anna-Marei Böhm, PhD student and first author of the study. The FoxO gene exists in all animals and humans and has been known for years. However, until now it was not known why human stem cells become fewer and inactive with increasing age, which biochemical mechanisms are involved and if FoxO played a role in aging. In order to find the gene, the research group isolated Hydra's stem cells and then screened all of their genes.

Immortality mechanism of Hydra revealed

The Kiel research team examined FoxO in several genetically modified polyps: Hydra with normal FoxO, with inactive FoxO and with enhanced FoxO. The scientists were able to show that animals without FoxO possess significantly fewer stem cells. Interestingly, the immune system in animals with inactive FoxO also changes drastically. "Drastic changes of the immune system similar to those observed in Hydra are also known from elderly humans," explains Philip Rosenstiel of the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology at UKSH, whose research group contributed to the study.

FoxO makes human life longer, too

"Our research group demonstrated for the first time that there is a direct link between the FoxO gene and aging," says Thomas Bosch from the Zoological Institute of Kiel University, who led the Hydra study. Bosch continues: "FoxO has been found to be particularly active in centenarians -- people older than one hundred years -- which is why we believe that FoxO plays a key role in aging -- not only in Hydra but also in humans." However, the hypothesis cannot be verified on humans, as this would require a genetic manipulation of humans. Bosch stresses however that the current results are still a big step forward in explaining how humans age. Therefore the next step must be to study how the longevity gene FoxO works in Hydra, and how environmental factors influence FoxO activity.

Without stem cells we all die

Scientifically, the study has two major conclusions: On the one hand it confirms that the FoxO gene plays a decisive role in the maintenance of stem cells. It thus determines the life span of animals -- from cnidarians to humans. On the other hand, the study shows that aging and longevity of organisms really depend on two factors: the maintenance of stem cells and the maintenance of a functioning immune system.

About Dr Kevin Lau

Dr Kevin Lau DC is the founder of Health In Your Hands, a series of tools for Scoliosis prevention and treatment. The set includes his book Your Plan for Natural Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment, a companion Scoliosis Exercises for Prevention and Correction DVD and the innovative new iPhone application ScolioTrack. Dr Kevin Lau is a graduate in Doctor of Chiropractic from RMIT University in Melbourne Australia and Masters in Holistic Nutrition. He is a member of International Society On Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT), the leading international society on conservative treatment of spinal deformities. In 2006 I was awarded the "Best Health-care Provider Awards" by the largest Newspaper publication in Singapore on October 18 2006 as well as being interviewed on Primetime Channel News Asia as well as other TV and Radio. For more information on Dr Kevin Lau, watch his interviews or get a free sneak peek of his book, go to: http://www.hiyh.info.

ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2012) — Why do we get older? When do we die and why? Is there a life without aging? For centuries, science has been fascinated by these questions. Now researchers from Kiel (Germany) have examined why the polyp Hydra is immortal -- and unexpectedly discovered a link to aging in humans.

The study carried out by Kiel University together with the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS).

Hydra -- mysteriously immortal

The tiny freshwater polyp Hydra does not show any signs of aging and is potentially immortal. There is a rather simple biological explanation for this: these animals exclusively reproduce by budding rather than by mating. A prerequisite for such vegetative-only reproduction is that each polyp contains stem cells capable of continuous proliferation. Without these stem cells, the animals could not reproduce any more. Due to its immortality, Hydra has been the subject of many studies regarding aging processes for several years.

Aging in humans

When people get older, more and more of their stem cells lose the ability to proliferate and thus to form new cells. aging tissue cannot regenerate any more, which is why for example muscles decline. Elderly people tend to feel weaker because their heart muscles are affected by this aging process as well. If it were possible to influence these aging processes, humans could feel physically better for much longer. Studying animal tissue such as those of Hydra -- an animal full of active stem cells during all its life -- may deliver valuable insight into stem cell aging as such.

Human longevity gene discovered in Hydra

"Surprisingly, our search for the gene that causes Hydra to be immortal led us to the so-called FoxO gene," says Anna-Marei Böhm, PhD student and first author of the study. The FoxO gene exists in all animals and humans and has been known for years. However, until now it was not known why human stem cells become fewer and inactive with increasing age, which biochemical mechanisms are involved and if FoxO played a role in aging. In order to find the gene, the research group isolated Hydra's stem cells and then screened all of their genes.

Immortality mechanism of Hydra revealed

The Kiel research team examined FoxO in several genetically modified polyps: Hydra with normal FoxO, with inactive FoxO and with enhanced FoxO. The scientists were able to show that animals without FoxO possess significantly fewer stem cells. Interestingly, the immune system in animals with inactive FoxO also changes drastically. "Drastic changes of the immune system similar to those observed in Hydra are also known from elderly humans," explains Philip Rosenstiel of the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology at UKSH, whose research group contributed to the study.

FoxO makes human life longer, too

"Our research group demonstrated for the first time that there is a direct link between the FoxO gene and aging," says Thomas Bosch from the Zoological Institute of Kiel University, who led the Hydra study. Bosch continues: "FoxO has been found to be particularly active in centenarians -- people older than one hundred years -- which is why we believe that FoxO plays a key role in aging -- not only in Hydra but also in humans." However, the hypothesis cannot be verified on humans, as this would require a genetic manipulation of humans. Bosch stresses however that the current results are still a big step forward in explaining how humans age. Therefore the next step must be to study how the longevity gene FoxO works in Hydra, and how environmental factors influence FoxO activity.

Without stem cells we all die

Scientifically, the study has two major conclusions: On the one hand it confirms that the FoxO gene plays a decisive role in the maintenance of stem cells. It thus determines the life span of animals -- from cnidarians to humans. On the other hand, the study shows that aging and longevity of organisms really depend on two factors: the maintenance of stem cells and the maintenance of a functioning immune system.

About Dr Kevin Lau

Dr Kevin Lau DC is the founder of Health In Your Hands, a series of tools for Scoliosis prevention and treatment. The set includes his book Your Plan for Natural Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment, a companion Scoliosis Exercises for Prevention and Correction DVD and the innovative new iPhone application ScolioTrack. Dr Kevin Lau is a graduate in Doctor of Chiropractic from RMIT University in Melbourne Australia and Masters in Holistic Nutrition. He is a member of International Society On Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT), the leading international society on conservative treatment of spinal deformities. In 2006 I was awarded the "Best Health-care Provider Awards" by the largest Newspaper publication in Singapore on October 18 2006 as well as being interviewed on Primetime Channel News Asia as well as other TV and Radio. For more information on Dr Kevin Lau, watch his interviews or get a free sneak peek of his book, go to: http://www.hiyh.info.

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Japan approves a high-fiber version of Pepsi as a fat blocker

Let's start here: Way too much of Kentucky is way too fat. And, let's add this, we drink lotsa sugary beverages. Why, our intake of Mountain Dew alone is legendary. So, here comes some news out of Japan which may have particular interest to Kentuckians: This week, Pepsi will start marketing a new product called Pepsi Special that is special indeed, since it has the blessing of that country's National Institute of Health and Nutrition as a "food for specified health use." That use, you ask? Fat blocking. Let me at it, you say? Hold up, we caution. Pepsi Special is, in a nutshell, Benefiber Pepsi.

According to reporters at the The Atlantic magazine, wheat dextrin is the same additive in Pepsi Special as the one that's sold as Benefiber in the U.S. It's a soluble fiber that "absorbs water as it moves through our intestines and promotes movement of food through the bowel, and contraction of the bowel wall itself." In a 2006 Japanese study, rats that ate wheat dextrin absorbed less fat from their food because, notes the magazine, "It essentially moved right through them."

So, is any of this actually good for you? Dextrin "may increase micronutrient absorption, stabilize blood glucose, lower serum lipids, may prevent several gastrointestinal disorders, and have an accepted role in prevention of cardiovascular disease," experts say. But you still have to restrict your soda intake for any of this to matter. (Read more)

Let's start here: Way too much of Kentucky is way too fat. And, let's add this, we drink lotsa sugary beverages. Why, our intake of Mountain Dew alone is legendary. So, here comes some news out of Japan which may have particular interest to Kentuckians: This week, Pepsi will start marketing a new product called Pepsi Special that is special indeed, since it has the blessing of that country's National Institute of Health and Nutrition as a "food for specified health use." That use, you ask? Fat blocking. Let me at it, you say? Hold up, we caution. Pepsi Special is, in a nutshell, Benefiber Pepsi.

According to reporters at the The Atlantic magazine, wheat dextrin is the same additive in Pepsi Special as the one that's sold as Benefiber in the U.S. It's a soluble fiber that "absorbs water as it moves through our intestines and promotes movement of food through the bowel, and contraction of the bowel wall itself." In a 2006 Japanese study, rats that ate wheat dextrin absorbed less fat from their food because, notes the magazine, "It essentially moved right through them."

So, is any of this actually good for you? Dextrin "may increase micronutrient absorption, stabilize blood glucose, lower serum lipids, may prevent several gastrointestinal disorders, and have an accepted role in prevention of cardiovascular disease," experts say. But you still have to restrict your soda intake for any of this to matter. (Read more)

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State officials appear to be overstating successes of new prescription-drug law, The Courier-Journal reports

There's new criticism from Kentucky's doctors in an analysis of the state's four-month old prescription drug law, showing that a lot of what state officials have touted as the law's successes were already in the works before the law went into effect.

The Courier-Journal of Louisville reviewed state records after Gov. Steve Beshear released figures last month that showed the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure had disciplined 33 physicians for violating professional prescription standards. Reporter Mike Wynn writes that he "found that 16 of the cases were resolved before the new law took effect on July 20, and 13 others involved investigations or actions that were well under way before the law’s implementation. The administration also reported last month that 18 of the 44 known pain-management clinics in Kentucky have closed or discontinued pain management services, including 10 after House Bill 1. Still, state records are unclear if all the clinics were suspected of illegal prescribing."

“They’ve taken a situation that required a scalpel to cut out the disease and instead they have used a machete,” Gregory Hood, governor of the Kentucky chapter of the American College of Physicians, told Wynn.

Beshear's announcement last month about the bill's almost overnight success also included crediting it for drops in prescriptions being written for pain killers, most notably for oxymorphone, which had a 38 percent falloff.  But, writes Wynn, "Critics of the law say that at least part of those declines are due to doctors denying needed prescriptions to patients because of problems with HB 1." Experts told the paper that oxymorphone, commonly prescribed as Opana, was not readily available in the market during the applicable period because of a reformulation by its manufacturer. (Read more)

There's new criticism from Kentucky's doctors in an analysis of the state's four-month old prescription drug law, showing that a lot of what state officials have touted as the law's successes were already in the works before the law went into effect.

The Courier-Journal of Louisville reviewed state records after Gov. Steve Beshear released figures last month that showed the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure had disciplined 33 physicians for violating professional prescription standards. Reporter Mike Wynn writes that he "found that 16 of the cases were resolved before the new law took effect on July 20, and 13 others involved investigations or actions that were well under way before the law’s implementation. The administration also reported last month that 18 of the 44 known pain-management clinics in Kentucky have closed or discontinued pain management services, including 10 after House Bill 1. Still, state records are unclear if all the clinics were suspected of illegal prescribing."

“They’ve taken a situation that required a scalpel to cut out the disease and instead they have used a machete,” Gregory Hood, governor of the Kentucky chapter of the American College of Physicians, told Wynn.

Beshear's announcement last month about the bill's almost overnight success also included crediting it for drops in prescriptions being written for pain killers, most notably for oxymorphone, which had a 38 percent falloff.  But, writes Wynn, "Critics of the law say that at least part of those declines are due to doctors denying needed prescriptions to patients because of problems with HB 1." Experts told the paper that oxymorphone, commonly prescribed as Opana, was not readily available in the market during the applicable period because of a reformulation by its manufacturer. (Read more)

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Electric cooperatives' monthly magazine looks at the poor health of our state's children

Courtney Cagle, 14, of Clinton learns
how to cook healthy spaghetti in UK's
Cooperative Extension nutrition program

The November issue of Kentucky Living magazine, published monthly for member-customers of the state's electric cooperatives, focuses on children's health. Editor Paul Wesslund writes that the stories and statistics on the current state of the state's kids are "scary."

Reporter James Nold Jr. writes that when experts were asked about their concerns for the state, childhood obesity was front and center. The state ties Georgia and Arkansas for the second highest share of children (37 percent) who are obese, and it trails only Mississippi among children 10 to 17. That’s more than one in three kids who are grossly unfit.

Also of concern are Kentucky children's high rates of asthma, abuse, neglect, and cigarette smoking. The numbers for these are so bad and so seemingly out of control now that health professionals would be happy just to see them remain stable in the future, instead of continuously rising.

Nold writes that the experts' urgency on these matters was palpable. A lot of them talked about the way poor nutrition can harm children now and throughout the rest of their lives.  They also expressed deep concern for the lack of dental education and care, the need for more exercise and for more parent involvement in all of their children's choices.

The magazine, which has a Health Club for children, notes that the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service provides nutrition education to students in all 120 counties. For more information on the club, or to join, go to www.KentuckyLiving.com and click on "KL Health Club." (Read more)

Courtney Cagle, 14, of Clinton learns
how to cook healthy spaghetti in UK's
Cooperative Extension nutrition program

The November issue of Kentucky Living magazine, published monthly for member-customers of the state's electric cooperatives, focuses on children's health. Editor Paul Wesslund writes that the stories and statistics on the current state of the state's kids are "scary."

Reporter James Nold Jr. writes that when experts were asked about their concerns for the state, childhood obesity was front and center. The state ties Georgia and Arkansas for the second highest share of children (37 percent) who are obese, and it trails only Mississippi among children 10 to 17. That’s more than one in three kids who are grossly unfit.

Also of concern are Kentucky children's high rates of asthma, abuse, neglect, and cigarette smoking. The numbers for these are so bad and so seemingly out of control now that health professionals would be happy just to see them remain stable in the future, instead of continuously rising.

Nold writes that the experts' urgency on these matters was palpable. A lot of them talked about the way poor nutrition can harm children now and throughout the rest of their lives.  They also expressed deep concern for the lack of dental education and care, the need for more exercise and for more parent involvement in all of their children's choices.

The magazine, which has a Health Club for children, notes that the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service provides nutrition education to students in all 120 counties. For more information on the club, or to join, go to www.KentuckyLiving.com and click on "KL Health Club." (Read more)

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U of L doctor tells American Heart Association that cardiac stem-cell research shows a lot of promise

Dr. Roberto Bolli

Promising results are coming from research that uses patients’ own cardiac stem cells to heal their hearts, a Louisville doctor told colleagues this week at an American Heart Association meeting in Los Angeles.

Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal reports that Dr. Roberto Bolli, lead author of the clinical trial and chief of cardiovascular medicine and director of the Institute of Molecular Cardiology at the University of Louisville, said cardiac stems cells may someday be used to treat heart failure caused by muscle scarring after a heart attack.

Bolli, who partnered with Dr. Piero Anversa of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston on the research, explained that their research showed that hearts in patients treated with their stem cells had greater pumping power, and benefits continued to increase as long as two years after receiving the cells.  Heart failure afflicts about 6.6 million Americans. (Read more)

Dr. Roberto Bolli

Promising results are coming from research that uses patients’ own cardiac stem cells to heal their hearts, a Louisville doctor told colleagues this week at an American Heart Association meeting in Los Angeles.

Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal reports that Dr. Roberto Bolli, lead author of the clinical trial and chief of cardiovascular medicine and director of the Institute of Molecular Cardiology at the University of Louisville, said cardiac stems cells may someday be used to treat heart failure caused by muscle scarring after a heart attack.

Bolli, who partnered with Dr. Piero Anversa of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston on the research, explained that their research showed that hearts in patients treated with their stem cells had greater pumping power, and benefits continued to increase as long as two years after receiving the cells.  Heart failure afflicts about 6.6 million Americans. (Read more)

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New, 4-volume veterans' health handbook reflects UK expertise

It is not just about post-traumatic stress and re-entry into the job market anymore, as if it ever was. In topics as diverse as how to best get electronic medical records to how to treat the severely injured who would not have survived earlier wars, The Praeger Handbook of Veterans Health: History, Challenges, Issues and Developments has plumbed the expertise of 65 professionals -- many with ties to the University of Kentucky -- to teach anyone who cares how it's done.

Mary Meehan of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the editor of the four-volume set is Dr. Thomas Miller, professor emeritus and senior research scientist in psychiatry at UK, who began working on the handbook in 2006. The book makes wide use of Miller's many decades of work with veterans as well his network of experts from other countries.
 
 Miller told the Herald-Leader that he hopes the book will not only show people the scope of services available and how to get the help they need, but help shape the future of veteran care and by extension health care in the United States. The set is designed as a resource for libraries, health care offices and universities. It is available at online bookstores for $257. (Read more)

It is not just about post-traumatic stress and re-entry into the job market anymore, as if it ever was. In topics as diverse as how to best get electronic medical records to how to treat the severely injured who would not have survived earlier wars, The Praeger Handbook of Veterans Health: History, Challenges, Issues and Developments has plumbed the expertise of 65 professionals -- many with ties to the University of Kentucky -- to teach anyone who cares how it's done.

Mary Meehan of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the editor of the four-volume set is Dr. Thomas Miller, professor emeritus and senior research scientist in psychiatry at UK, who began working on the handbook in 2006. The book makes wide use of Miller's many decades of work with veterans as well his network of experts from other countries.
 
 Miller told the Herald-Leader that he hopes the book will not only show people the scope of services available and how to get the help they need, but help shape the future of veteran care and by extension health care in the United States. The set is designed as a resource for libraries, health care offices and universities. It is available at online bookstores for $257. (Read more)

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