Health

Health

What is the PACS system and how is it used with RIS?

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

If you operate in radiology or at a different health care area, you probably hear a good deal of”shop talk” or medical lingo which could look to be a foreign language to individuals away from the health care community.

Two medical jargon recognizable to the majority of radiologists and doctors are PACS and RIS. Here is how PACS is linked to radiology and the way the PACS along with a RIS (Radiology Information System) can work collectively for the advantage of radiologists, professionals, hospitals and their patients.

What’s PACS?

Maybe you’ve heard of PACS but are not quite certain exactly what it signifies. In other words, PACS is a picture archiving and communications program. This system stores reports and images, rather than using the old technique of manually filing, retrieving and transporting movie coats, which can be used for preserving X-ray film.

The Four Fundamental Elements of … Read More

Health

Amazon’s Alexa Boss on What Users Are Asking During Covid-19

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

When Toni Reid,

Amazon.

com Inc.’s vice president of Alexa experience and Echo devices, sent hundreds of staffers home in early March to work remotely, she had her husband buy a standing desk for their house the next day.

“I knew we were in this for the long run,” she said.

Ms. Reid’s job overseeing the consumer experience for one of Amazon’s most popular product lines gives her unique insight into just how many people have embraced staying in during the coronavirus era.

Her staff raced to build new skills into Alexa, the virtual assistant in Echo devices, to give consumers coronavirus safety tips and information about its spread, the same way they teach Alexa to tell jokes and read the news. And people’s interactions with Alexa changed as the pandemic progressed, with more turning to Alexa for at-home exercise tips and recipes. The sheer volume of customers using

Health

Blacks, Hispanics drive down virus infection rates

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Long Island’s predominantly minority communities have driven down COVID-19 infection rates that were the Island’s highest at the peak of the pandemic in a public health success described by experts as one of the most successful turnarounds in the United States.

Since the end of August, the coronavirus has appeared in communities where Black and Hispanic residents make up more than half the population at lower rates than in other areas of Long Island, according to a Newsday analysis of reported case numbers.

The data marks the culmination of a five-month turnaround.

In April, confirmed cases of the coronavirus surfaced in communities that are home largely to minority residents at more than twice the rate that cases appeared in places populated mostly by others.

But starting in early July, the presence of the virus equalized across both Nassau and Suffolk counties, flattening a once sizable racial and ethnic disparity

Health

Wisconsin Looks Like a New COVID-19 Hot Spot

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

But those states are not seeing what Wisconsin is now. Cases are popping up in too many places, and among too many different age groups, to be blamed on college kids. In fact, every age group except 18-to-24-year-olds has seen cases rise this week, according to official data. “There’s a surge happening in cases across the state, for the most part,” Ajay Sethi, an epidemiology professor at the University of Wisconsin, told me.

Read: The fog of the pandemic is returning

Any coronavirus outbreak is bad news, but a surge in Wisconsin, at this moment, would be particularly awful. The problem is one of both political geography and poor timing. Wisconsin could determine the outcome of the presidential election: The state went for President Donald Trump in 2016 by only 22,748 votes, and both Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have campaigned there this month. The election is little

Health

UK’s creaking COVID-19 test system puts health services at risk

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) – Britain’s testing system for COVID-19 was creaking on Tuesday as a bottleneck prevented people including medics from getting a test in a potential threat to key health services, health sector organisations said.

In an attempt to slow one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the West, Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised in May to create a “world beating” system to test and trace people exposed to the virus.

“Our members are telling us that lack of access to testing for staff is a major barrier to them delivering services,” said Layla McCay, director at the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector.

“We are significantly concerned that some people with symptoms of COVID-19, including healthcare workers and their families, are having difficulty in accessing tests due to insufficient laboratory capacity,” she said.

Attempts by Reuters reporters to get a COVID-19 test on

Health

How New Mexico Controlled the Spread of COVID-19

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

There is a joke in New Mexico that the rest of the country does not know the state is part of the U.S. This summer, as cases of COVID-19 surged in many parts of the nation, New Mexico really did seem to stand apart. While Arizona and Texas, its neighbors to the west and east, loosened activity and business restrictions and then experienced alarming increases in COVID-19 numbers, New Mexico kept a tighter grip on the spread of the contagion. To date, Arizona has had more than twice as many cases and nearly twice as many deaths as New Mexico has per 100,000 people. The latter state also has far fewer cases and deaths per 100,000 than Texas.

New Mexico’s governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has taken an aggressive approach toward the pandemic. She declared a statewide emergency on March 11, the same day the state had its first positive case.

Health

Opko Shares Climb on Phase 2 Trial of Coronavirus Treatment

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Shares of Opko Health (OPK) – Get Report jumped on Tuesday after the drugmaker said it would start a Phase 2 clinical trial of rayaldee, a potential treatment for mild-to-moderate coronavirus.

The trial will be a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study that is expected to enroll about 160 subjects. Many of the participants will have stage 3 or 4 kidney disease and are at higher risk for developing more serious illness.

The trial will randomize outpatients in a 1:1 ratio for four weeks of treatment with rayaldee or placebo, with another two weeks of follow-up.

One primary endpoint of the trial is the time to resolution of a patient’s coronavirus symptoms.

Secondary endpoints for the trial include incidence of emergency-room or urgent-care visits, oxygen saturation below 94%, need for and duration of hospitalizations, requirement for ventilators, mortality rate, and severity and duration of illness evidenced by quality-of-life measures.

Over

Health

3 more COVID cases linked to American’s bar crawl in Bavaria

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

BERLIN (AP) — Authorities in southern Germany have recorded three more COVID-19 infections in people who frequented bars visited by a 26-year-old American woman suspected of flouting quarantine rules in the Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The latest cases take the total number of recent infections in the town to 59, including 25 staff at a hotel resort where the woman worked that caters to U.S. military personnel.

Anton Speer, who heads the county administration, told reporters Tuesday that authorities are still waiting for the results of about 300 tests conducted Monday and it was too soon to give the “all-clear.” The three new infections emerged from 740 tests conducted over the weekend.

Bavaria’s governor, Markus Soeder, called the outbreak in Garmisch-Partenkirchen “a model case of stupidity” because the 26-year-old American had gone partying despite having COVID-19 symptoms and awaiting a test result.

Soeder said “such recklessness must have consequences” and

Health

5 of the best testosterone supplements and some natural boosters

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Testosterone is the primary sex hormone in males, but it also has important functions in the female body. If a person has a testosterone deficiency, they may wish to take testosterone supplements or adopt certain lifestyle changes.

In this article, we explain more about testosterone, including its role in males and females and how a person can increase their levels of this hormone.

A person taking a testosterone supplement — Some of the best testosterone supplements may include vitamin D and ashwagandha.

Testosterone is a key male sex hormone. During puberty, testosterone is responsible for the deepening of the voice, the growth of the male sexual organs, and the development of pubic hair. It also plays an important role in sperm production.

Although people often associate testosterone

Health

Westbrook HS switches to distance learning through Wednesday after coronavirus case

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

WESTBROOK — Westbrook High School will be closed through Wednesday after a member of the school community tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a letter from the district.

In the letter, Zachary Faiella, director of health in Westbrook, and Interim Superintendent Patricia Charles said they became aware of the positive test on Sunday afternoon.

“The Westbrook Health Director, Zachary Faiella, has determined that the Westbrook High School facility needs to be closed for three days, September 14, 15, and 16,.” the officials said in the release. “These three days will enable the school to be thoroughly cleaned and to conduct the necessary contact tracing. The students will participate in distance learning during this period.”

“Pending further information on this investigation, students and staff who have not been identified as either being close contacts or in the same class

Health

These immunocompromised college students felt isolated when the fall semester began. So they did something about it

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

On the list of proposed topics: “Have you had a hard time with friends in the pandemic?”, “Are you planning to go back to school in the fall?” and “How have you been coping on a day-to-day basis?”

But Lynch quickly realized that the group of immunocompromised college students didn’t need questions to guide them. They just wanted to talk about their shared feeling of isolation during the pandemic.

They bonded over the fact that people assume that all teens are healthy. They questioned whether their schools were taking the right measures to help those who are more at-risk. They vented about their friends not understanding their inability to leave the house without fear of contracting Covid.

It’s a virtual support group for immunocompromised students — but its members don’t call it that. They prefer the name “Chronic and Iconic.”

They're living with an invisible illness. Social distancing will save their lives

It all started with a social media post. Lynch, who

Health

Doctors Should Watch for Punctured Lungs in COVID Patients | Health News

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay)

TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Punctured lungs occur in as many as 1 in 100 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, a new study finds.

Before the pandemic, this problem was typically seen in very tall young men or older patients with severe lung disease. But some British researchers noticed that several patients with COVID-19 developed the condition and decided to investigate.

“We started to see patients affected by a punctured lung, even among those who were not put on a ventilator,” said Stefan Marciniak, a professor at the University of Cambridge Institute of Medical Research.

“To see if this was a real association, I put a call out to respiratory colleagues across the U.K. via Twitter,” Marciniak said in a university news release. “The response was dramatic — this was clearly something that others in the field were seeing.”

The researchers noted that damage

Health

Bill Gates wonders whether FDA can be trusted on a COVID vaccine

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Philanthropist says political pressure cost agency credibility

Erik Schatzker, Bloomberg

Published

7:23 am CDT, Tuesday, September 15, 2020

In this Feb. 1, 2018 photo, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, with his wife Melinda, poses for a photo before an interview with The Associated Press in Kirkland, Wash.

In this Feb. 1, 2018 photo, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, with his wife Melinda, poses for a photo before an interview with The Associated Press in Kirkland, Wash.

Photo: Ted S. Warren, STF

Photo: Ted S. Warren, STF

In this Feb. 1, 2018 photo, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, with his wife Melinda, poses for a photo before an interview with The Associated Press in Kirkland, Wash.

In this Feb. 1, 2018 photo, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, with his wife Melinda, poses for a photo before an interview with The Associated Press in Kirkland, Wash.

Photo: Ted S. Warren, STF

Health

‘You don’t exist’: Inside UA’s COVID-19 isolation dorms

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

University of Alabama freshman Caleb Overstreet has been living under isolation in the university’s Bryce Lawn apartment complex since shortly after he tested positive for COVID-19 at Coleman Coliseum the afternoon of Aug. 27.

He first started experiencing symptoms the prior morning, but said he was only able to get an appointment for a rapid COVID test after calling the university’s coronavirus hotline more than a dozen times and leaving numerous voicemails over two days.

Since then, Overstreet says he has grown increasingly disillusioned with UA’s preparation for, and response to, the school’s massive COVID-19 outbreak. He is particularly critical of the university’s student isolation regime.

“They kind of pretend that once you get it, you don’t exist,” he said in a Wednesday phone interview from inside his isolation room. “It’s like they assigned a single person to manage all the COVID cases. That’s how it feels, like they pumped

Health

How to protect yourself from coronavirus in an airplane?

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

These days, Covid 19 is spreading at a very rapid rate. No matter what precautions you will take, you will get infected with covid virus. Some people who have travel history, there are more chances that you are more prone to Corona virus, You have to take some precautions to save yourself from Coronavirus. The probability of infections become a serious threat when you are travelling in an airplane.

You need to learn from the mistakes from others, you need to follow some rules in order to prevent yourself from this deadly disease, here are some hygiene rules to follow to avoid the spread of this respiratory system infection

Follow Simple Hygiene Habits

The infection can be easily spread with our hands, washing of your hands is must, Wash your hands on regular intervals

Always cough and sneeze using a handkerchief on your mouth and then don’t forget … Read More

Health

Berlusconi, hospitalized with COVID, has lung infection

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

Frances D’emilio, Associated Press

Updated

11:54 am CDT, Friday, September 4, 2020

FILE – In this Nov. 21, 2019 file photo, Silvio Berlusconi, Italian former Premier and President of Forza Italia (Go Italy) party speaks during the European Peoples Party (EPP) congress in Zagreb, Croatia. Sen. Lucia Ronzulli, who is a top aide to Silvio Berlusconi told RAI state TV Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, that the former premier was admitted to a Milan hospital early Friday as a precaution to monitor his coronavirus infection after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week. less

FILE – In this Nov. 21, 2019 file photo, Silvio Berlusconi, Italian former Premier and President of Forza Italia (Go Italy) party speaks during the European Peoples Party (EPP) congress in Zagreb, Croatia. Sen. … more

Photo: Darko Vojinovic, AP

Photo: Darko Vojinovic, AP

FILE – In this Nov. 21, 2019 file photo, Silvio Berlusconi, Italian

Health

Here’s what’s happening Friday in the Chicago area with COVID-19

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

Illinois health officials on Thursday announced 1,360 new known cases of COVID-19 and 25 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 240,003 and the statewide death toll to 8,115 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 40,795 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 4.4%.

a group of people standing on top of a grass covered field: People dance while musicians play on Aug. 9, 2020, during a weekly event organized by El Corrillo de Humboldt Park. Bystanders picnic in the grass and enjoy the show each Saturday and Sunday during the free gathering.

© Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune/TNS
People dance while musicians play on Aug. 9, 2020, during a weekly event organized by El Corrillo de Humboldt Park. Bystanders picnic in the grass and enjoy the show each Saturday and Sunday during the free gathering.

A lack of vitamin D may be associated with a higher risk for getting COVID-19, according to newly published research out of the University of Chicago. Patients with untreated vitamin D deficiencies were nearly twice as likely to test positive for COVID-19 as patients with sufficient levels of

Health

Vaccine developer Moderna could slow COVID-19 trials to add at-risk minorities

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

a group of people standing in front of a store: FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Moderna Therapeutics seen during COVID-19 in Massachusetts

© Reuters/Brian Snyder
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Moderna Therapeutics seen during COVID-19 in Massachusetts

(Reuters) – Moderna Inc has been asking sites that are conducting clinical trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine to focus on enrolling at-risk minorities, even if that slows down the trial speed, the company said on Friday.

Shares of Moderna, one of the few companies in the final stages of developing a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, fell 6.8% in morning trading.

The drug developer said it expected to enrollment to the late-stage study that began in late-July and aims to add 30,000 healthy volunteers to be completed in September.

As of last week, it had added 17,000 participants, of which nearly 24% are from communities of color.

A growing body of evidence has shown that long-standing health and social inequities have resulted in increased risk of infection and death from COVID-19 among communities of color.

Health

Early data on Russian COVID-19 vaccine published in The Lancet for peer review

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

Sept. 4 (UPI) — Critical data for the COVID-19 vaccine announced by Russia last month were published Friday in a major medical journal for scientific review, a key step in the approval process.

British medical journal The Lancet published the early-stage data that shows the Sputnik V vaccine didn’t produce serious adverse effects among 76 adults participating in a pair of 42-day trials.

The vaccine elicited an antibody response in all participants, it added, as well as responses in T cells and neutralizing antibodies with in 28 days.

“Large, long-term trials including a placebo comparison and further monitoring, are needed to establish the long-term safety and effectiveness of the vaccine for preventing COVID-19 infection,” the authors at the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow state in the study.

Russia announced the vaccine last month and said it had been registered for use, the first COVID-19 vaccine in

Health

Georgia plan to block the federal ACA insurance exchange draws criticism

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

About 460,000 Georgians have signed up for insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, most of them through the federal exchange. The healthcare.gov website allows people to shop and compare insurance plans, knowing the price they’ll actually be charged after federal subsidies are added for their income level. All the insurance plans available to them and the final premiums for each are presented at once so shoppers can compare.

Kemp’s proposal asks the federal government to waive the ACA requirement that Georgia participate in that website or create its own exchange website. Instead, Georgians would be diverted to contact information for private insurance agents and brokers, health insurance carriers and online broker websites that offer plans.

Kemp’s proposal contends that the change would give Georgians a wider range of health insurance choices. Those who don’t want robust insurance plans could buy skimpier plans. They wouldn’t get subsidized, but with low