Medical information

DNA transcription is a process that involves the transcribing of genetic information from DNA to RNA
The transcribed DNA message is used to produce proteins. DNA is housed within the nucleus of our cells. It controls cellular activity by coding for the production of enzymes and proteins. The information in DNA is not directly converted into proteins, but must first be copied into RNA. This ensures that the information contained within the DNA does not become tainted.

DNA Transcription

DNA consists of four nucleotide bases [adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T)] that are paired together (A-T and C-G) to give DNA its double helical shape.

There are three main steps to the process of DNA transcription. RNA Polymerase Binds to DNA

DNA is transcribed by an enzyme called RNA polymerase. Specific nucleotide sequences tell RNA polymerase where to begin and where to end. RNA polymerase attaches to the DNA at a specific area called the promoter region.

Medical waste incinerators (MWIs) burn hospital waste. .... Summary of Results of EPA Test Program for Medical Waste Incinerators

Since much of the waste that hospitals produce, including hypodermic needles, body parts and fluids, diapers, laboratory cultures, etc., is infectious and potentially dangerous, many hospitals feel it is safer to burn this waste, rendering it harmless, rather than to bury it in landfills. When burned, hospital waste and medical/infectious waste emit various air pollutants, including hydrochloric acid, dioxin/furan, and toxic metals (lead, cadmium, and mercury).* 

 In Ohio:

• healthcare facilities generate over 73,000 tons of medical waste each year; *
• 150,000 children live within two miles of a permitted medical waste incinerator; *
• 17% of the minority population lives within two miles of a permitted incinerator, compared to 4% of white residents; *
• 12% of those below the poverty line live within two miles of a medical waste incinerator; *
• 26 medical waste incinerators are permitted to operate;
• four hospitals in NE Ohio are licensed to burn medical waste on-site, including the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Parma Community Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, and St. Vincent Charity Hospital.

 

Hepatitis B is an infectious hepatitis caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This infection has two possible phases; 1) acute and 2) chronic. r.


Acute hepatitis B refers to newly acquired infections. Affected individuals notice symptoms approximately 1 to 4 months after exposure to the virus. In most people with acute hepatitis, symptoms resolve over weeks to months and they are cured of the infection. However, a small number of people develop a very severe, life-threatening form of acute hepatitis called fulminant hepatitis. 



Chronic hepatitis B is an infection with HBV that lasts longer than 6 months. Once the infection becomes chronic, it may never go away completely.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) allows you to access state-provided healthcare in all European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland at a reduced cost or sometimes free of charge.
Everyone who is resident in the UK should have one and carry it with them when travelling abroad. Remember to check your EHIC is still valid before you travel. Applying for the card is free and it's valid for up to five years.
resenting the EHIC entitles you to treatment that may become necessary during your trip, but doesn't allow you to go abroad specifically to receive medical care. However, maternity care, renal dialysis and managing the symptoms of pre-existing or chronic conditions that arise while abroad are all covered by the EHIC. Your EHIC will allow you access to the same state-provided healthcare as a resident of the country you are visiting. However, many countries expect the patient to pay towards their treatment, and even with an EHIC, you might be expected to do the same. You may be able to seek reimbursement for this cost when you are back in the UK if you are not able to do so in the other country.

Health insurance helps protect you from high medical care costs. Many people in the United States get a health insurance policy through their employers. In most cases, the employer helps pay for that insurance. Insurance through employers is often with a managed care plan. These plans contract with health care providers and medical facilities to provide care for members at reduced costs.

You can also purchase health insurance on your own. It usually costs you more than employer-based insurance. People who meet certain requirements can qualify for government health insurance, such as Medicare and Medicaid. If you do not have health insurance, you must pay your medical bills directly or rely on health care providers or organizations that donate care.

Medical treatment is very expensive  
Even those who do have health insurance may not have sufficient coverage for all of their medical expenses. Many medical facilities have links with financial institutions which offer medical loans. These loans are cash advances made specifically for the purpose of medical intervention only, and are a financing option for people who are not able to pay for medical treatment on their own.
Medical loans are normally unsecured loans that are awarded on the basis of the applicant's credit record and earning capacity
Where Do You Get Medical Loans?
There are many places to find medical loans. Before taking out a medical loan, you might want to run a search on the Internet to find out about the different sources of medical loans. You might also want to contact medical practices in your area to determine which lenders they recommend to their patients and check out their terms. As with any type of loan, it is a good idea to compare terms and conditions before signing a contract

 Lose weight
Want a Lose weight
There are 2 weeks weight loss diets that work, that’s for sure. The difficult part is to choose a diet that works for you and generate the results you want. In this article we can help you understand more about 2 week weight loss diets and be able to differentiate which of them work and which are fads.
There are various reasons why people want to lose weight. Some people lose weight because of health reasons, others because of their job (models and celebrities), and some because they need to prepare for a big event like weddings or office parties, or maybe because they want to raise their self-esteem and improve their body image.
Whatever the reason is, people are always looking for the fastest way to lose weight. Because of this, some people would resort to weight loss pills, diet plans, or even surgery. Although some of these weight loss methods do work; we should still consider the large percentage of those that don’t. Some of these “quick fix” techniques could even possibly do more harm than good, thus it is very important to consult your doctor before trying any of these.
The most popular “quick fix” method is a weight loss diet. There are countless diet programs available in the Internet alone. If you try to key in “fast weight loss diet plan” in the Google search bar, it would generate a lot of diet plans or menus that promise fast results. Some claim in losing 10 pounds in 10 days, some say 2 weeks, and others say 7 days. A lot of these diets are promising and aside from the challenge of choosing the right diet for you, the biggest question is: Are there any 2 week weight loss diets that work?
The direct answer is YES, there are actually a lot of two week diets that work. However, the success of the said diet depends on the actual amount of weight loss in a period of 14 days. To better understand this, it is essential to know a bit more on how the body loses and gains weight. If you understand this it will be easier for you to also understand how to lose weight in 2 weeks.
The first fact that you should remember is the ratio between calories and pounds. There are 3500 calories in every pound. This simply means, that for every 3500 excess calories that you get rid of by eating less caloric food or by burning it through exercise, you would lose one pound. On the other hand, if you gain 3500 excess calories, you are also adding a pound to your weight. This numbers mean that, if you lose 3500 calories in 2 weeks; you lose one pound. If it’s 7000 calories in two weeks; you lose 2 pounds in two weeks and so on.
Each person has a different daily calorie requirement. Factors that affect the calorie requirement are age, sex, weight, height, and intensity of activities in a day. You may use online calorie calculators or the Harris-Benedict equation to compute your daily calorie needs. However, an average adult has 1500-2500 caloric requirements every single day. Which means, losing 3500 calories in a day to meet the promise of losing 10 pounds in 10 days is not only dangerous but it is a bit impossible. If you do your math, you would also be able to figure out if the amount of weight loss promised by any diet is realistic and safe.
The healthiest weight loss for two weeks is 2-4 pounds. Sorry to disappoint you with these low numbers, but if you want to lose weight safely and you’re thinking of a long term goal, this is the safest I can recommend. You would see the candidates for the Biggest Loser lose more than these numbers in two weeks, but do remember that these people are closely monitored by health professionals and nutritionists.
If that would be the case, you need to lose 500-1000 calories everyday. You do this by eating foods that contain fewer calories like fresh fruits and vegetables coupled by burning the excess fat by exercising.
I always advice my clients to eat a balanced diet everyday; that means, you should eat foods from different food groups that have fewer calories. I highly discourage my clients to go on with no-carbohydrate diet because it will only result to ketosis which could increase the body’s toxic level and damage the organs. And most importantly, I always remind my clients to never try starvation diets. Fasting is okay for religious purposes, however starving yourself will only result to anorexia, malnutrition, and more serious health problems.
So, the next time you are offered a diet plan that guarantees results within two weeks or any specific time, try to check first if it’s realistic and safe. This way, you will not only save yourself from wasting the extra dollars but you save yourself from the disappointment as well.

 lung cancer from smoking

Smoking hazards

Smoking cigarettes puts a person at risk for emphysema, lung cancer and other health problems. Second-hand smoke (smoke from a nearby cigarette) may also contribute to these diseases, especially among children.

e.
 Lung Cancer
Cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. The two main types are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. These types are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope.

Estimated new cases and deaths from lung cancer (non-small cell and small cell combined) in the United States in 2010:

	New cases: 222,520
	Deaths: 157,300

Health professionals sometimes use different names to describe cancer that's advanced beyond early stages, including advanced, secondary, metastatic and progressive cancer. On this website we use the term ‘advanced cancer'. Whatever words you use, it can be devastating to hear that cancer has advanced.

We hope you find the information in the links above helpful: it was produced with the help of health professionals and people with advanced cancer.

Most of the quotes are from people with advanced cancer. They tell us how they faced the situation and what has helped them. Above all, they offer hope to others. But reading the information may stir up difficult feelings. Try reading the parts that seem useful now and leave the rest until you are ready.

If your cancer has spread and it is not possible to cure it by surgery, your doctor may still recommend treatment. In this case, treatment may help relieve any symptoms, can make you feel better and may allow you to live longer.

Whether or not you choose to have anti-cancer treatment, symptoms can still be controlled. For example, if you have pain, there are effective treatments for this.

Each type of cancer has its own pattern of development. Some grow very slowly, others tend to advance rapidly, and some are unpredictable in their behaviour. Some types are known to respond well to treatment in most people, while other types are generally more difficult to treat successfully. Although many early cancers can be cured, there are many people now living with cancer who at some time in the future will die of their disease.

Knowing more about a particular cancer type can help make sense of symptoms and the treatments that may be offered.

Advanced cancer is a term commonly used to describe:

    * metastatic or secondary cancer that is unlikely to be cured
    * primary cancer that is unlikely to be cured.

Cancer is the name for abnormal cells that divide and multiply uncontrollably. When cancer begins, these cells usually develop into a mass (or tumour). This mass of cells is known as the primary cancer.

If the primary cancer is not treated, or cannot be treated, a few cancer cells can break away and move through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body. There, they multiply uncontrollably and form other masses of abnormal cells (metastases). When cancer spreads from the place where it first grew to other parts of the body, where it again begins to grow, it is known as secondary or metastatic cancer.

Advanced cancer usually cannot be cured; however, it usually can be treated to slow the growth and spread of the cancer, sometimes for months or years, and reduce its symptoms. Treatment can keep some cancers under control for long periods and is especially helpful in controlling pain.

General practitioners, specialists and palliative care teams in hospitals all play important roles in helping people with cancer. For further information, contact the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 or Palliative Care Victoria on 9662 9644.  

Cancer affects everyone, the young and old, the rich and poor- and represents a tremendous burden on patient’s family and societies. Life is a curse for those who suffer from cancer. Tobacco use is single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world. Cancer is curable if treated early.


Cancer Types

Types of Cancer

    * Appendix
    * Bladder
    * Bone
    * Brain
    * Breast
          o In situ Breast Cancer (Stage 0)
          o Stage 1 Breast Cancer
          o Stage 2 Breast Cancer
          o Stage 3 Breast Cancer
          o Stage 4 Breast Cancer
    * Cervical
    * Childhood cancers
          o Neuroblastoma
    * Esophageal
    * Eye
          o Retinoblastoma
    * Gallbladder
    * Gastrointestinal
          o Colon
          o Colorectal
          o Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor
          o Small Intestine
          o Stomach
    * Head and Neck
    * HIV and AIDS Related
    * Kaposi Sarcoma
    * Kidney
          o Renal Cell Carcinoma
    * Leukemia
          o Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
          o Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
          o Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
          o Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
    * Liver
    * Lung
          o Small-Cell
          o Non-Small-Cell
    * Lymphoma
          o Hodgkin's
          o Non-Hodgkin's
    * Metastatic
    * Multiple Myeloma
    * Nasopharyngeal
    * Oral
          o Lip Cancer
    * Metastatic Cancer
    * Ovarian
          o Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
    * Pancreatic
          o Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer
    * Parathyroid
    * Penile
    * Prostate
          o Stage 1 Prostate
          o Stage 2 Prostate
          o Stage 3 Prostate
          o Stage 4 Prostate
          o Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer
    * Rectal
    * Recurring Cancers
    * Secondary (Metastatic)
    * Skin
          o Melanoma
    * Squamous Cell
    * Testicular
    * Thyroid
    * Vaginal
    * Vulvar

Cancer Treatment Centers Across the United States

The following list of Cancer Treatment Centers have been approved by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as the very best in the country. They are cancer centers that are committed to providing excellent care for cancer patients, helping improve the quality of life for their patients and helping them get treated & cured as soon as possible. These cancer centers are also dedicated to educate the public about living healthy and preventing cancer, rather than trying to cure it. These cancer centers will also help you network with medical nurses, cancer social workers, psychologists & psychiatrists as well as nutritionists & dietitians that can help you improve your quality of life while living with cancer.

Alabama

UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center
1824 6th Avenue, S.
Birmingham, AL 35294
Phone#: (800) UAB-0933 or (205) 975-8222
Website: http://www3.ccc.uab.edu
   

Arizona

Arizona Cancer Center
1515 N. Campbell Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85724
Phone#: (520) 626-2900
Website: http://www.azcc.arizona.edu

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in the tissues of cells that line the lungs, heart and stomach. These tissues are called mesothelial cells and they become infected by inhaling particles of dust from asbestos fibers. Once these cells become infected they dry up the fluids surrounding these major organs of the body and tumors begin to develop. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma which accounts for 75% of all malignant cases however there are two other types peritoneal, and pericardial which you may be interested in reading about.

There is a lot of depressing information on the internet about pleural mesothelioma and the survival associated with this cancer.  Reading it you would think that no one has ever survived pleural mesothelioma beyond a year or so.  This information is far from comprehensive and can be misleading.  To help balance the negative information that is so prevalent on the Web, we present some case histories of long-term pleural mesothelioma survival as published in the peer reviewed medical literature.   These pleural mesothelioma case histories are instructional in two ways: 1) they remind us that, like Paul Kraus, there are long term survivors of this cancer; 2) they allude to the importance that the immune system may play in mesothelioma.

12 Years +

In 1994, a 58 year old man complained of chest pain and shortness of breath. He had been exposed to asbestos previously through his work and was eventually diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma.  The patient decided not to have any active treatment at that time and continued with his life.   Five years later he had an enlarging painless mass on his chest wall.  A needle biopsy confirmed it was malignant.  The patient had a left thoracotomy, multiple pleural biopsies, and chest wall resection.  Pathology reconfirmed that the mass was malignant pleural mesothelioma.  Seven years after the chest wall resection and 12 years after the initial diagnosis, the patient has no symptoms and no evidence of recurrence.  No chemotherapy or radiation had been given.

The doctors who wrote up this case history for publication noted that there was “moderate host inflammatory response” and that “spontaneous regression may be an immune-mediated phenomenon.”  In other words, the doctors hypothesized that the patient’s own immune system may have played a factor in his survival.

See: Pilling, J.E., et al., Prolonged Survival Due to Spontaneous Regression and Surgical Excision of Malignant Mesothelioma, Ann Thorac Surg, 2007; 83: 314-5.

14 Years

In 1986, a 65 year-old women had pain in her left chest wall.  A chest X-ray revealed a small pleural effusion on this side.  The patient declined an open biopsy and no diagnosis could be reached.  She was treated for tuberculosis because of the high rate of this disease in her area.  Her symptoms partially improved.  In 1988 she had increasing pain over her chest.  A biopsy was performed and malignant infiltration of the pleura was confirmed.  She turned down treatment.  In 1998, 10 years after the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma she had an enlarging mass over her left chest wall. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma.  She had a course of radiation and died in January 2000, 14 years after her initial symptoms.

The doctors who wrote this report counseled their colleagues that long-term survivors can occur with pleural mesothelioma and “one should not hold the belief that it is always the intervention that prolongs survival.”  In other words, these doctors suggested that in some cases the intervention (i.e. chemo, radiation, surgery) may not be the factor that prolongs survival in pleural mesothelioma, but other factors may be at work.

See: Wong, C.F., et al., A Case of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma with Unexpectantly Long Survival without Active Treatment, Respiration March/April 2002; 69, 2: 166-168.

7 Years +

In 1970, a 53 year-old man had shortness of breath and a sharp pain on his right side.  An X-ray revealed a right side pleural effusion.  The patient had worked at a plant adjacent to the Brooklyn Navy Yard from1955-1966 where asbestos had been used.  In 1972 a thoracotomy was performed and a pleural biopsy was taken.  The patient was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma.  The patient never received any specific treatment for pleural mesothelioma.  The report was written up in 1977 and apparently information about the continued life of this patient was not published after.  We do not know how many more years or decades he lived.

The doctors noted in their discussion that, “This unusual course may be explained either by the presence of low-grade malignancy or by the unusual host resistance…Our findings are consistent with the concept that normal immunological function may effectively impede dissemination of the disease (malignant pleural mesothelioma).”  In other words, these doctors are again alluding to how the immune system may play a role in managing pleural mesothelioma.

An MRI (or magnetic resonance imaging) scan is a radiology technique that uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce images of body structures. The MRI scanner is a tube surrounded by a giant circular magnet. The patient is placed on a moveable bed that is inserted into the magnet. The magnet creates a strong magnetic field that aligns the protons of hydrogen atoms, which are then exposed to a beam of radio waves. This spins the various protons of the body, and they produce a faint signal that is detected by the receiver portion of the MRI scanner. The receiver information is processed by a computer, and an image is produced.

The image and resolution produced by MRI is quite detailed and can detect tiny changes of structures within the body. For some procedures, contrast agents, such as gadolinium, are used to increase the accuracy of the images.

When are MRI scans used?

An MRI scan can be used as an extremely accurate method of disease detection throughout the body. In the head, trauma to the brain can be seen as bleeding or swelling. Other abnormalities often found include brain aneurysms, stroke, tumors of the brain, as well as tumors or inflammation of the spine.
Neurosurgeons use an MRI scan not only in defining brain anatomy but in evaluating the integrity of the spinal cord after trauma. It is also used when considering problems associated with the vertebrae or intervertebral discs of the spine. An MRI scan can evaluate the structure of the heart and aorta, where it can detect aneurysms or tears.

It provides valuable information on glands and organs within the abdomen, and accurate information about the structure of the joints, soft tissues, and bones of the body. Often, surgery can be deferred or more accurately directed after knowing the results of an MRI scan.

The kidneys are a pair of organs on either side of the spine in the lower abdomen. Each kidney is about the size of a fist. Attached to the top of each kidney is an adrenal gland. A mass of fatty tissue and an outer layer of fibrous tissue (Gerota's fascia) enclose the kidneys and adrenal glands.

The kidneys are part of the urinary tract. They make urine by removing wastes and extra water from the blood. Urine collects in a hollow space (renal pelvis) in the middle of each kidney. It passes from the renal pelvis into the bladder through a tube called a ureter. Urine leaves the body through another tube (the urethra).

The kidneys also make substances that help control blood pressure and the production of red blood cells.

Asbestos is a family of naturally occurring silica compounds (similar to, but not the same as, the silica of window glass and computer chips). These substances form fibers with varying shapes and sizes and are found throughout the earth. There are three commonly available types of asbestos; chrysotile (white asbestos), amosite (brown asbestos), and crocidolite (blue asbestos). All three have been associated with cancerous and non-cancerous lung disease.

• Weight loss
• Lumps in the abdomen
• Abdominal (stomach) pain
• Abdominal swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen (stomach).

When cancer begins in the membrane that surrounds the lungs, mesothelioma symptoms may include shortness of breath and pain in the chest or under the ribcage. If the cancer starts in the mesothelial tissue covering the organs in the abdominal cavity, symptoms such as weight loss and abdominal pain may develop. Sometimes, signs and symptoms will not appear until 30 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma is a benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumor affecting the mesothelium, which is a membrane that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura (lining around the lungs) or peritoneum (the lining around the abdomen).

Benign mesothelioma can also be called a fibroma, and cancerous mesothelioma is also known as malignant mesothelioma. A mesothelioma can further be named based on where it occurs. For example, malignant pleural mesothelioma is cancer that begins in the lining around the lungs.
Most people who develop malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. A benign mesothelioma does not appear to have any relationship to asbestos exposure.