As the unofficial end of summer quickly approaches with Labor Day weekend, many Americans are planning one last hurrah by gathering with family and friends for cookouts and picnics. Essential ingredients for a successful party include sunny weather, good company and delicious – and safe – food. Food safety and quality testing company Intertek offers the following tips for packing the perfect cooler and advice for safe grilling to keep your party food at optimum temperatures during your outdoor celebration.

When packing for a cookout or picnic, it’s best to bring one cooler for beverages and a separate cooler for food. Because beverage coolers are opened more frequently, cold air can escape, causing the internal temperature to rise. Be sure to pack your food cooler with ice packs along with loose ice so it will remain below 40 F, reducing the risk for harmful bacteria to grow.

When grilling food, it is important to use a meat thermometer to ensure proper temperatures. To verify safe internal temperatures, beef and poultry should be grilled to 170 F, while hamburgers are best at 160 F. Additionally, to avoid cross contamination, do not use the same utensils for raw and cooked food.

If you have leftovers, immediately put perishable food away in a cooler containing ice or ice packs. Discard any leftovers that have been outside for more than two hours; however if the temperature exceeds 90 F, discard food left out only after one hour. When in doubt, throw it out.

In what may be one of the first known iPhone 4 “video calling” medical consultations since the phone’s release, surgeons at Valley Presbyterian Hospital near Los Angeles and University of Arizona used the advanced technology to successfully collaborate long distance in “real time” on a wound consultation for a patient.

Using the FaceTime feature on the new iPhone 4, Dr. David G. Armstrong, Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona’s Southern Arizona Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), was able to instantly connect with Dr. Lee Rogers, Associate Director of Valley Presbyterian Hospital’s Amputation Prevention Center, near Los Angeles by video calling. What is essentially a simple phone call, turned into a long distance consultation and second opinion for a patient who recently underwent surgery.

“Video consultation over the Internet has been available for a few years, but its utility in the clinical setting has been limited by the necessity of having a transportable computer, camera, and appropriate software,” said Dr. Rogers. “Now, nearly everyone carries a phone in their pocket. It is this compact accessibility that will lead to the adoption of this technology for medical consultations.”

“While the University of Arizona has had one of the world’s top telehealth systems, the ability to communicate quickly with something that is an afterthought has the potential to alter how we work with our colleagues and patients,” said Dr. Armstrong.

“Just as with the iPod in music and the laptop in computing, it is not the change in technology, but the change in form factor and ubiquity that alters this landscape.”

The use of iPhone 4 technology is just the most recent cutting-edge technology to help surgeons at Valley Presbyterian Hospital’s Amputation Prevention Center, which opened earlier this year.

A team of Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) physicians led by neurosurgical pioneer Peter Jannetta, MD, has made an important new discovery linking the central nervous system to the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Reporting today in the journal Surgical Neurology International, Dr. Jannetta and his colleagues present evidence from a prospective clinical trial that vascular compression of a section of the brain called the medulla oblongata is a factor in some patients with type 2 diabetes and that microvascular decompression surgery (MVD) may be an effective treatment for the condition.

Recognized world-wide as one of the preeminent authorities on diseases associated with vascular compression of the cranial nerves, Dr. Jannetta is credited with developing the MVD technique, which is now generally considered the surgical standard of care for a host of debilitating cranial nerve diseases, including trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, vertigo, Meniere’s disease and spasmodic torticollis.

Microvascular decompression is a procedure that involves repositioning compressive arteries in the brain and placing a protective pad between the nerve and artery.

Dr. Jannetta, who serves as Vice Chair of Academics in AGH’s Department of Neurosurgery, and his team have performed more than 6,000 such operations.

Over the past three decades, research by Dr. Jannetta and others has led to observations about the potential role of vascular compression in metabolic syndromes such as hypertension and diabetes.

A disease of epidemic proportions in the United States, type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition marked by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Although obesity is a primary risk factor for the disease, it can also develop in those who are not obese, especially among the elderly. Without medical intervention or aggressive lifestyle changes, type 2 diabetes often leads to serious cardiovascular, vision and renal problems.

In a previous, retrospective study of 15 patients with type 2 diabetes who were operated on by Dr. Jannetta for an unrelated right-sided cranial nerve disease, arterial compression of the right anterolateral medulla oblongata was documented in every single case (Stroke 1999:30:1707-10).

The medulla oblongata is the lowermost portion of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord, that is responsible for respiration, circulation and the body’s autonomic reflexes, including function of the pancreas.

“Insulin resistance, or hyperinsulinemia, is central to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. We have documented previously that pulsatile arterial compression of the right anterolateral medulla oblongata is associated with autonomic dysfunction that adversely impacts the pancreas and increases insulin resistance. Building upon that knowledge, we hypothesized that decompressing the right cranial nerve X – or the vagus nerve – and the medulla oblongata could result in better glycemic control for patients with this disease,” said Dr. Jannetta.

Ten patients with steadily progressive type 2 diabetes mellitus and visible right lateral medullary compression by arterial loops on MRI were enrolled in the team’s follow up study. Each patient in the trial underwent right retromastoid craniectomy and microvascular decompression. At intraoperative visual evaluation, the vascular compression was even more severe than seen on MRI scans in 9 of the 10 patients, Dr. Jannetta said.

Patients in the study were followed for 12 months post-operatively, during which time no changes in diet, weight or activity level were permitted. In addition to blood glucose monitoring, studies of glycemic control, pancreatic function and insulin metabolism were performed regularly by the team.

Study participants whose glycemic control either improved or did not worsen during the course of the trial were considered “good” responders, while “failed” responders had no slowing in the natural progression of the disease.

Results of the trial showed that seven of the ten patients who underwent MVD experienced significant improvement in their glucose control, based on measurement of diabetes markers (changes in hemoglobin A1c, fasting blood glucose and serum insulin levels) and decrease of diabetes medication dosages. One patient was able to discontinue his diabetic medications entirely.

Dr. Jannetta said body mass index also appeared to be an important factor in who responded well to surgery. Those in the study who had the best outcome from MVD had BMIs classified as overweight while those who did not respond had BMIs in the obese category.

“Diabetes is a tremendously difficult condition to manage and, for patients, to live with. Though our study involves a relatively small sampling of patients, we believe that it represents a major breakthrough in our understanding about the central nervous system etiology of the disease and the potential of surgical intervention as an alternative therapy for a significant subset of patients. The next step is a much larger prospective clinical investigation to further corroborate what we have found,” Dr. Jannetta said.

Commenting on the study in an accompanying editorial, Sunil Patel, MD, Chair of the Department of Neurosciences at the Medical University of South Carolina and Joyce Nicholas, Ph.D., Associate Professor in MUSC’s Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, concur on the importance of the AGH team’s work and the need for continued investigation:

“These observations point the way to further questions that need to be answered to conclude definitively that pulsatile arterial compression of the right antrolateral medulla is an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Like Dr. Jannetta’s earlier observations on essential hypertension, the observations presented [in the current study] are valuable starting points for questions related to the exact location of arterial compression relevant to type 2 diabetes mellitus, the best experimental measure of response, and the subset of patients most likely to benefit from microvascular decompression surgery. We encourage their continued efforts and those of other researchers in addressing the questions raised by this valuable contribution to our understanding of the disease and its treatment.”

In addition to Dr. Jannetta, other AGH physicians who participated in the study include neurosurgeon Ray Sekula, MD, endocrinologist Peter Grondzioski, MD, and research coordinator Lynn Fletcher, RN.

After overcoming a series of facial reconstructive surgeries for the removal of an 18 pound, melon-sized tumor from her face, followed by a devastating earthquake that resulted in loss of family and homelessness – Marlie Casseus faces another challenge.

“Marlie is having difficulty breathing due to an infection,” stated Janelle Prieto, Director of IKF’s Wonderfund. “She needs to go in to Holtz Children’s Hospital for surgery. She has come so far and has overcome so much – we will not let her die and we are appealing to the community for help.”

In 2005, IKF’s Wonderfund through the generous donations that came in from throughout the U.S., funded a series of facial reconstructive surgeries that removed a massive tumor that covered most of Marlie’s face. The tumor was as a result of Polyostotic Fibrous Dysplasia, a genetic bone disease that can affect any bone in the body. Marlie’s mouth and nasal passages were blocked prior to the initial surgery. She could not speak and was only able to eat and breathe through one narrow passage.

IKF’s Wonderfund is a program of Jackson Memorial Foundation, made possible by Holtz Children’s Hospital. The philanthropic program helps critically ill children, throughout the world, gain immediate access to life-saving and life-changing medical treatments.

In a few short weeks, teams across the country will kick off the 2010 football season. And this year, preventing concussions is top of mind for athletes and sports officials from the NFL to the high school level with new regulations and educational material aimed to better protect players.

The Brain-Pad experts offer five concussion prevention tips for sports player and parents in preparation for the start of the fall sports season.

1.) Proper exercise and training. Regular neck exercises to strengthen and elongate the muscles can help provide stronger support during impact. A strong neck can keep muscles in place and lessen the impact of jolts to the head that can cause concussions.

2.) Don’t forget the mouth guard. Many think a mouth guard is effective just to protect the teeth. But studies have shown mouth guards can reduce lower jaw impact that causes concussions. A dual arch mouth guard, like Brain-Pad’s line of performance mouth guards, is the best concussion defense for inside your mouth. Unlike traditional mouth guards that offer protection for either the upper or lower teeth only, Brain-Pad is a dual arch or bi-molar mouth guard. It stabilizes the jaw into a neutral position, creating a safety space at the base of the skull that greatly reduces the risk of jaw-impact concussions, TMJ injuries, and injuries caused by hits to the face mask.

3.) Listen to your body. One of the most important things a player can do is recognize the warning signs of a concussion. A common misconception is that unconsciousness must occur if it’s a concussion injury. Symptoms can be as subtle as a headache, fatigue, confusion, dizziness, sensitivity to light, or nausea.

4.) Speak up. If you are a player or a parent and think a concussion injury may have occurred, let the coach or trainer know immediately. It is better to be mistaken than to go days without treatment because of uncertainty.

5.) Know the concussion myths. A concussion does not only occur from hits to the top of the head. A player can also suffer a concussion from lower jaw impact and hits below the chin. That’s another reason why dual arch mouth guards such as Brain-Pad are an important piece of concussion prevention.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced important new rules and resources to strengthen the privacy of health information and to help all Americans understand their rights and the resources available to safeguard their personal health data. Led by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), HHS is working with public and private partners to ensure that, as we expand the use of health information technology to drive improvements in the quality and effectiveness of our nation’s health care system, Americans can trust that their health information is protected and secure.

Through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, current health information privacy and security rules will now include broader individual rights and stronger protections when third parties handle individually identifiable health information.

The proposed rule announced today would strengthen and expand enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Enforcement Rules by:

• expanding individuals’ rights to access their information and to restrict certain types of disclosures of protected health information to health plans.
• requiring business associates of HIPAA-covered entities to be under most of the same rules as the covered entities;
• setting new limitations on the use and disclosure of protected health information for marketing and fundraising; and
• prohibiting the sale of protected health information without patient authorization.

HHS is also looking more closely at entities that are not covered by HIPAA rules to understand better how they handle personal health information and to determine whether additional privacy and security protections are needed for these entities.

Patients are emerging as an increasingly strong group when it comes to influencing the success and failure of new drugs – according to a newly published New Health Report commissioned by Quintiles to gauge the opinions of biopharma executives, managed care executives and patients, and to track progress in the New Health.

According to the survey, almost one third (32%) of biopharmaceutical executives think patients will be very or extremely influential in the success or failure of new drug therapies over the next five years. In stark contrast, only 11% of patients feel they will influence which new prescription drugs are available over that same time period.

The survey also reveals that the perception of how patients demonstrate influence varies considerably between biopharma executives and patients themselves. Only 6% of biopharma executives feel that patients show their influence most by choosing lifestyle or holistic approaches, despite 45% of patients who report they have made lifestyle changes within the past five years to avoid taking prescription drugs.

“This misalignment speaks volumes about biopharma’s challenge to better understand patients and their perception of the value of prescription drugs in order to address the needs of this increasingly influential stakeholder group,” added Amin.

Additional findings from The New Health Report include:

• What is the impact of the rise in generics? – Almost half (46%) of biopharma executives believe a worsening of public health is likely if generics continue to gain market share.
• What do patients think of patent protection? – Nearly all biopharma executives (99%) and three-quarters (75%) of patients feel patent protection is important in promoting the development of new drug therapies. However, nearly one third (30%) of patients believe that drug companies should never be the only company that can make and sell a drug.
• What should be the therapeutic area of greatest focus? Biopharma executives, managed care executives and patients all agree that oncology should be the therapeutic area of greatest focus in the next five years.
• Which cancer should be a top priority? – Among patients, more than one in three (35%) feel breast cancer should be the priority focus, followed by lung cancer (16%) and leukemia (13%).

Boston Medical Group, a national physician network specializing in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, today released ten top acronyms that matter to men’s health. From weight loss to mental, heart and sexual health, the medical lexicon can be confusing for patients, family members and healthcare professionals alike. Boston Medical Group is taking a step to dispel the confusion around men’s health conditions and treatments in order to help patients move towards self-care as a crucial part of their overall health-care.

Ten Important Men’s Health Terms Include (listed in alphabetical order):

1. AOD: Adult Onset Diabetes, more commonly referred to as “Type II Diabetes,” is a condition marked by high blood glucose and insulin deficiency. Because diabetes affects blood sugar levels and a man’s vascular system, diabetes is often associated with other health conditions, such as heart disease and erectile dysfunction. Men will benefit by understanding the underlying health issues affecting all bodily functions and taking a holistic approach to healthcare, rather than treating a singular condition such as diabetes.

2. BMI: Body Mass Index is a number calculated using a person’s height and weight. One’s BMI is a reliable indicator of the various weight classifications, such as obesity, that can lead to other health problems. Once a man’s BMI is calculated, he can take the diet and exercise measures necessary to improve his weight category and overall health.

3. BP: High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of blood within an artery is unusually high. The risk of high blood pressure increases in a man’s forties, and can cause a wide range of health problems, including aneurysms, heart failure, kidney failure and blindness. While high blood pressure is often genetic, a man can decrease his risk of hypertension by improving his diet and exercise level, and decreasing salt and alcohol intake.

4. ED: Erectile dysfunction is a condition that affects 30 million American men. According to the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, 52 percent of men between the ages of 40 and 70 report having some difficulty achieving or maintaining erections.¹ Many physicians point to the fact that the penis serves as the barometer of a man’s overall health, with ED acting as an early sign of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other physical ailments. Men with even mild symptoms of ED should examine their overall health to ensure longevity.

5. HDL/LDL: HDL—or high-density lipoprotein—is known as “good cholesterol,” because it is thought to carry cholesterol away from the arteries to be processed by the liver and excreted from the body. LDL—or low-density lipoprotein—can form plaque in the arteries that feed the heart and the brain, increasing risk of clot formation and heart attack. Foods heavy in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oils, flax seeds, soy products and dark leafy greens have been shown to lower fat in the bloodstream and improve overall blood flow.

6. ICP: Used to treat erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, intracavernous pharmocotherapy (ICP) is a combination of FDA-approved medications that is injected into the spongy tissue of the penis, using an auto-applicator, to produce an erection within minutes. Because ICP is a localized treatment, many of the systemic risk factors that keep oral medications from being a safe treatment option for men affected with diabetes and heart conditions are not present with ICP.

7. EKG: Recommended for men over thirty-five, an electrocardiogram (EKG) is an important medical test that records the electrical activity of the heart. EKGs are used to detect abnormal rhythms and heart muscle damage.

8. STI: Sexually transmitted diseases, in recent years referred to as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are illnesses transmitted through sexual contact. Gone untreated, many STIs can adversely affect one’s immune system, organ function, blood cells and other health conditions. The most effective way to prevent STIs is by avoiding the transfer of bodily fluids; proper use of condoms also reduces risk of STIs. Both sexual partners should also get tested for STIs before initiating sexual activity.

9. CDE: In order to promote good health and strong bodily functions, it is important that the male diet is rich in vitamins and minerals. Three important vitamins for men include Vitamin C to strengthen blood vessels and muscles and protect against infection; Vitamin D, which is important for preventing some types of bone disease; and Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps repair cell membranes that protect the heart.

10. PSA: A Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein secreted by the prostate–measuring one’s PSA level has been used for some time as a method of screening for prostate cancer.

States, territories, and large metropolitan areas will receive grants totaling $390.5 million this month to help hospitals and other health care organizations strengthen the medical surge capability across the nation.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response will provide the funds through the Hospital Preparedness Program. The grants enhance community resilience by increasing the ability of hospitals and healthcare facilities to respond to the public health and medical impacts of any emergency, such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or acts of terrorism.

All states, territories and the metro areas of New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles County and Washington, D.C., will receive the 2010 Hospital Preparedness grants. The funds will be used by state and local governments to boost the readiness of hospitals and other healthcare facilities in their jurisdictions by finalizing development or improving:

• Interoperable communication systems
• Systems to track available hospital beds
• Advance registration of volunteer health professionals
• Processes for hospital evacuations or sheltering-in-place
• Processes for fatality management
• Strengthening health care partnerships at the community level
• Strengthen hospital participation in statewide and regional exercise programs.

The 2010 awards are as follows:

The grant cycle aligns with the state fiscal year of July 1 – June 30.

The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act requires accountability of the use of the Hospital Preparedness Program funds. These funds can be withheld from awardees if they fail to meet established state-level performance measures.

Neuros Medical announced today they have received notification of award for $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Defense. The Applied Research and Technology Development Award was provided by the Defense Medical Research and Development Program (DMRDP). The funding will aid technology development and human clinical research for their novel neurostimulation therapy, called Nerve Block, focusing on the treatment of chronic residual limb pain which is suffered by nearly one million amputees. The Company’s technology utilizes high frequency alternating current stimulation to block chronic pain signals in the peripheral nervous system.

“The U.S. Military holds a strong commitment to continued care for the wounded warrior, even after the battlefield experience,” stated Jon J. Snyder, President and CEO of Neuros Medical. “Our efforts via this funding will greatly advance our technology’s application in providing a proven treatment for patients with chronic pain, specifically residual limb pain.” In addition, military casualties and amputations experienced by those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have contributed to the need to develop effective treatments for patients suffering from chronic residual limb pain.