Workout programs, exercise tips, and general fitness related news!: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

Online Dating Scams Can Take Emotional, Financial Toll

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British researchers believe 'romantic' fraud often goes unreported. April 19, 2012 RSS Feed Print

THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Online dating scams leave many victims feeling doubly traumatized, according to a small new study.

This is because scammers not only try to steal money from their victims but hoodwink them by pretending to have a meaningful connection with them. Victims therefore lose both their money and what they believed was a significant relationship.

The U.K. study included 11 women and 4 men who were victims of online dating scams. Participants provided a full description of the scam and were asked questions such as why they believe they fell victim and how they were mentally affected by the scam.

[Read: Online Dating as Honest as Real Life.]

The results showed that basic marketing techniques were used to groom victims, increasing the feelings of a genuine relationship and leaving victims susceptible to fraud, said Professor Monica Whitty of the University of Leicester.

"Our data suggests that the numbers of British victims of this relatively new crime is much higher than reported incidents show," Whitty said in a university news release. "It also confirms law enforcement suspicions that this is an underreported crime, and thus more serious than first thought."

[Read: Teen Dating Violence in Focus.]

"This is a concern not solely because people are losing large sums of money to these criminals, but also because of the psychological impact experienced by victims of this crime," she added. "It is our view that the trauma caused by this scam is worse than any other, because of the 'double hit' experienced by the victims -- loss of money and loss of romantic relationship."

The study also found that people most likely to fall victim to online romantic scams are those with strong romantic beliefs who idealized romantic partners.

The findings were to be presented April 19 at the annual meeting of the British Psychological Society, in London.

More information

The U.S. Department of State has more about online romance and dating scams.

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Scoliosis Treatment Might Reduce Need for Surgeries

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In small study, children with the spinal condition avoided repeat procedures April 19, 2012 RSS Feed Print

THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Magnetically controlled growing rods can treat the spinal disorder scoliosis in children without the need for repeat invasive surgeries, a small new study suggests.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curving of the spine that occurs mainly in young children and adolescents. Traditional treatment for children who are still growing is surgical insertion of growing rods. Every six months, however, a new surgery is required to lengthen the rods.

These repeated surgeries are costly and force children to miss school and parents to miss work.

In the study, researchers assessed the use of magnetically controlled growing rods that were implanted in two patients. The key advantage: Surgery is not required to lengthen these rods.

[Read: Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis Seems Effective Years Later.]

After 24 months of follow up, the rods were effective and there were no complications, the researchers reported online April 17 in The Lancet. Furthermore, the patients had no pain and typically were satisfied with the procedure.

The new rods "will eliminate the need for repeated operations under general anesthesia, wound complications, and socioeconomic and health-care costs associated with the procedure," a team led by Kenneth Cheung and Dr. Dino Samartzis, from the department of orthopedics and traumatology at the University of Hong Kong, said in a news release. "The preliminary results from the first two patients to undergo the treatment for a minimum of 24 months suggest that this noninvasive outpatient procedure is effective and safe."

Still, the long-term effectiveness remains unclear, the researchers added. "Whether [the new technology] leads to significantly better outcomes than traditional growing rods is not yet known, but early results are positive and the avoidance of open distractions is a great improvement," they said.

One expert is optimistic about the new rods, but said more study is needed.

"This is exciting new technology, which has the potential of eliminating additional surgical procedures in children with scoliosis," said Dr. Victor Khabie, co-director of the Orthopedic and Spine Institute at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

[Read: Weight-Loss Surgery Beat Drugs for Cutting Diabetes in Very Obese.]

He added, however, that "the downside is that with every new technology potential complications can occur. The sample size is very small with just two patients being followed two years after surgery.

"Many more patients will need to be enrolled in the trial and followed for many years before we can say this new technology is safe and effective," Khabie said. "However, the very early findings are encouraging."

And in a journal editorial, two experts noted that magnetically controlled rods are not yet approved for use in the United States.

"If this technology was available in the U.S., we believe that it would be rapidly used to avoid repetitive surgeries and improve quality of life for children with spinal deformity," wrote Dr. John Smith, of the University of Utah School of Medicine, and Dr. Robert Campbell Jr., of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The two experts said they, "strongly encourage Cheung and colleagues to continue to report their results -- both positive outcomes and adverse events. We are hopeful that further development of the technology will make this treatment increasingly available to children worldwide."

More information

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more about scoliosis.

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The definitive U.S. News guide to hospitals, with 172 full-color pages of rankings, special reports, and more.

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FDA: Gulf Seafood Safe Despite Oil Spill Concerns

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April 20, 2012 RSS Feed Print

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Photos of fish with sores may raise concern about long-term environmental effects of the massive BP oil spill — but federal health officials say the Gulf seafood that's on the market is safe to eat.

After all, diseased fish aren't allowed to be sold, said Dr. Robert W. Dickey, who heads the Food and Drug Administration's Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory.

"It's important to emphasize that we're talking about a low percentage of fish," Dickey stressed. "It doesn't represent a seafood safety hazard."

[Read: Gulf Residents to Get Extra $64M for Spill Claims.]

Two years after the oil spill, scientists cite lesions and other deformities in some Gulf fish as a sign of lingering environmental damage. They can't say for sure what's causing the fish ailments or if there really are more sick fish today than in the past.

As marine biologists study the threats to the fish, here are some questions and answers about the safety of seafood:

Q: What keeps sick fish off the market?

A: Every wholesaler and seafood processor must follow longstanding FDA rules on what constitutes a safe and usable catch. Fish with lesions or signs of parasites or other disease aren't allowed, Dickey said.

Q: What about oil contamination that's not visible?

A: Federal and state laboratories tested more than 10,000 fish, shrimp and other animals for traces of certain chemicals in oil to be sure they were far below levels that could make anyone sick before commercial fishing ever was allowed to resume. Gulf Coast states are continuing that testing today as a precaution. Some species clear oil contaminants from their bodies more rapidly than others, the reason that fishing resumed before the oyster harvest. The FDA says that someone could eat 9 pounds of fish or 5 pounds of oyster meat a day for five years and still not reach the levels of concern for a key set of chemicals.

Q: But what about the oil compounds that scientists have reported finding in the bile of some fish?

A: Bile shows what a fish recently ate, but the fish's digestive system goes on to process and eliminate contaminants so they don't build up in edible tissue, Dickey said.

[Read: 2 Years Later Fish Sick Near BP Oil Spill Site.]

Q: Are there other reasons to pay attention to seafood safety?

A: Definitely. A California company recently recalled some yellowfin tuna used to make sushi because it was linked to an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning. And every year, health officials warn people with certain health conditions to avoid eating raw oysters — they may be contaminated with the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria that typically is found in warm coastal waters between April and October.

Tags: food safety, oil, United States, Associated Press, health Reader Comments Read all comments (9) Add Your Thoughts Comment Your comment will be truncated to the first 3000 characters. Name State Select One AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY International Email Please enter the two words below into the text field underneath the image. Incorrect please try again Get a new challenge

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Depression

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis can affect the young and old alike.

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Get the Guidebook

Best Hospitals 2012

The definitive U.S. News guide to hospitals, with 172 full-color pages of rankings, special reports, and more.

Order it now Hospitals » Hospitals by Specialty Cancer Hospitals Cardiology & Heart Surgery Hospitals Diabetes & Endocrinology Hospitals Orthopedics Hospitals Hospitals »

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Monday, April 30, 2012

Online Dating Scams Can Take Emotional, Financial Toll

Scoliosis Treatment Might Reduce Need for Surgeries

FDA: Gulf Seafood Safe Despite Oil Spill Concerns

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