No provoca embarazos no deseados ni enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Y claro está, tampoco ceguera. Todo lo contrario, según los expertos, tiene enormes beneficios para la salud emocional y sexual. La masturbación es un comportamiento común entre los menores, casi universal de la sexualidad adolescente: un 58% de los chicos y un 42% de las chicas de entre 15 y 18 ha recurrido a ella alguna vez. Sin embargo, y pese a que forma parte fundamental de su desarrollo sexual, sigue estigmatizada.
Tal vez por ello, y tras llevar a cabo uno de los estudios más recientes y completos sobre su práctica en una muestra representativa de adolescentes de EEUU, sus autores recomiendan que los profesionales de la salud charlen con sus pacientes sobre ella.
Cynthia Robbins, de la Universidad de Indiana y autora principal del ensayo, así lo reconoce: "Es importante hablar con los menores acerca de la masturbación porque no pueden recibir ninguna información o mensajes contradictorios sobre la misma, dado que es una parte fundamental de la expresión y la evolución de su sexualidad".
Publicado en el último 'Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine' , el trabajo ha sido llevado a cabo gracias a los participantes de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Comportamiento Sexual (NSSHB, sus siglas en inglés) realizada en 2009 al otro lado del Atlántico. Finalmente, 820 adolescentes (414 varones y 406 mujeres) de entre 14 y 17 años han formado parte del nuevo ensayo.
A todos ellos se les preguntó sobre la frecuencia con la que practicaban la masturbación, así como otros comportamientos sexuales llevados a cabo con pareja. Los investigadores indagaron también sobre el uso de preservativo en sus encuentros.
-Más años, más a menudo
Los chicos (73%) "de todos los grupos de edad admitieron masturbarse más que las chicas (48%), una práctica que aumenta su frecuencia conforme los menores cumplen años. Así, mientras que el 63% de los varones de 14 años reconoció haberse autoestimulado al menos una vez, esta cifra fue del 80% para los que tenían 17. Lo mismo sucede con las chicas: un 43% recurrió a la autobúsqueda de placer sexual a los 14 años frente al 58% de las que tenían 17", declaran los autores.
Otros datos que se desprenden de la investigación son que "tanto en el sexo masculino como en el femenino, la masturbación está vinculada a una mayor probabilidad de tener sexo oral y relaciones sexuales completas con otra pareja. Además, en los chicos su práctica se asoció a un mayor uso de preservativo", reza la investigación.
"Nuestro ensayo confirma que la prevalencia y la frecuencia de la masturbación difiere marcadamente entre chicos y chicas a lo largo de la adolescencia. Esta discrepancia es una de las mayores y más consistentes de cualquier aspecto del comportamiento sexual. Las razones aún no son bien conocidas. Algunos estudios en primates sugieren que la masturbación regular mantiene la calidad y cantidad del semen y de los espermatozoides... Las diferencias en la organización cerebral relacionadas con la excitación sexual y las hormonas androgénicas también pueden jugar un papel. Las diferencias anatómicas de los genitales a la hora de proporcionar placer entre hombres y mujeres podrían, asimismo, explicar por qué la autoestimulación es menos común en ellas", reconocen los científicos estadounidenses.
Todo sin obviar las fuertes influencias "de la sociedad y la cultura, expresadas por la doble moral sexual que aprueba las expresiones sexuales masculinas y suprime las femeninas,", agregan.
-Educación sexual integral
Pero a su juicio, lo más importante es que las "organizaciones profesionales, como la Academia Americana de Pediatría y el Colegio Americano de Obstetricia y Ginecología reconocen la masturbación como un componente normal del niño y del desarrollo del adolescente y recomiendan a los profesionales de la salud educar a sus pacientes sobre ella como parte del debate sobre la sexualidad... Debido a su prevalencia, frecuencia y a su asociación con otros comportamientos sexuales, su omisión como un componente básico de la sexualidad adolescente limita nuestra capacidad clínica para comprender y abordar el desarrollo sexual del joven... Las conclusiones de este estudio, junto con los estudios existentes sobre la masturbación, deberían utilizarse por los profesionales de la salud para informar, educar y tranquilizar a los adolescentes acerca de su práctica y proporcionar así una educación integral de la sexualidad".
**Publicado en "EL MUNDO"
23 August 2011
The ignored virus that causes liver cancer
Hepatitis G virus was identified in 1995. Some little research was carried out on the virus, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared it a non-harmful virus in 1997. Researchers in Saudi Arabia, writing in the International Journal of Immunological Studies, present evidence to suggest that this may have been the wrong decision. They claim that transmission of the virus through donated blood that was not screened for the virus as well as infection through other routes has led to an increase in cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. Hepatitis G virus (HGV) was renamed as GB virus C (GBV-C) and is a virus in the Flaviviridae family but has not yet been assigned to a genus. Intriguingly, some evidence suggests that co-infection with the AIDS virus, HIV, somehow enhances the immune system in those patients. However, it is the effects of the virus on the livers of otherwise healthy patients that is of concern to Mughis Uddin Ahmed of the King Abdulaziz Hospital (NGHA) in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. He points out that since the FDA declared the virus not to cause health problems to humans in 1997, no donated blood has been screened for this virus.
However, Mughis Uddin Ahmed has carried out a review of the scientific literature for the last 16 years that show the virus to be quite prevalent around the globe. Moreover, there is a correlation with infection with this virus and hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and it is possibly linked to hepatocellular carcinoma. Mughis Uddin Ahmed also found an apparent link with hematological disorders and hematological malignancies.
For this reason, he suggests that research should be carried out into this virus to determine whether it is a true human pathogen and a viral carcinogen. He also advises that screening of donated blood for this virus should be reinstated urgently rather than healthcare workers continuing to transferring the virus ignorantly to blood recipients and risking the same morbidity and mortality outcomes seen with hepatitis C virus transferred from donor to recipient until screening for that virus was adopted.
"Hepatitis G virus (HGV): where we stand and what to do?" in Int. J. Immunological Studies, 2011, 1, 255-263
**Source: Inderscience Publishers
However, Mughis Uddin Ahmed has carried out a review of the scientific literature for the last 16 years that show the virus to be quite prevalent around the globe. Moreover, there is a correlation with infection with this virus and hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and it is possibly linked to hepatocellular carcinoma. Mughis Uddin Ahmed also found an apparent link with hematological disorders and hematological malignancies.
For this reason, he suggests that research should be carried out into this virus to determine whether it is a true human pathogen and a viral carcinogen. He also advises that screening of donated blood for this virus should be reinstated urgently rather than healthcare workers continuing to transferring the virus ignorantly to blood recipients and risking the same morbidity and mortality outcomes seen with hepatitis C virus transferred from donor to recipient until screening for that virus was adopted.
"Hepatitis G virus (HGV): where we stand and what to do?" in Int. J. Immunological Studies, 2011, 1, 255-263
**Source: Inderscience Publishers
Joslin researchers identify new target for treatment of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes
Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have shown that an enzyme found in the mitochondria of cells is decreased in the skeletal muscle of those with diabetes, a finding that could lead to the development of drugs to boost the activity of this enzyme in an effort to fight the disease. A paper in published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that the enzyme, Sirt3, is decreased in the skeletal muscle of humans and animals with diabetes by at least half, compared to those without diabetes and that this may contribute to development of insulin resistance, one of the earliest manifestations of the disease. Sirt3 is found in the mitochondria, the power producers of cells that convert energy into usable forms.
"Ours is perhaps the first study to understand what is going wrong in the mitochondria of those with diabetes," said senior author C. Ronald Kahn, M.D., Head of the Joslin Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism and the Mary K. Iacocca Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Many studies have shown that the mitochondria don't work well in those with diabetes. This points to a cause of why they don't work well."
Dr. Kahn said the study sought to look at how decreased Sirt3 levels might affect the metabolism of cells, particularly how it could affect insulin action in cells. "We know that one of the hallmarks of early diabetes is insulin resistance in muscle, but we didn't know what caused it," he said.
He said the study showed that when Sirt3 levels are low, as they are in the case of diabetes, the mitochondria of the cells are not as efficient in energy metabolism as they should be.
When the mitochondria become inefficient, they generate what are known as reactive oxygen species (ROS), chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, which create insulin resistance in the muscles, he said.
"This is the first time this has been shown," Dr. Kahn said.
The goal for the future will be to find ways to restore levels of Sirt3 or increase the activity of the existing Sirt3, perhaps with a drug, in a bid to improve insulin resistance in the muscle and improve muscle metabolism, he said.
"It is a new target," he said.
Dr. Kahn noted that this study is one of the first demonstrations of a single defect that could affect mitochondrial metabolism and insulin signaling in the muscle.
"In further studies we will try to understand what proteins Sirt3 acts on," he said.
He noted that one of the earliest hallmarks of diabetes is insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle. As a result, a drug to boost Sirt3 levels could be useful in the treatment of prediabetes or in those newly diagnosed with the disease, he said.
"Agents which increase Sirt3 activity could, therefore, potentially reverse at least some of the adverse effects of type 2 diabetes," the paper concludes.
Co-authors included Enxuan Jing, lead author, as well as Brice Emanuelli, Jeremie Boucher and Kevin Lee, all of Joslin; Matthew D. Hirschey and Eric M. Verdin, both of Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology and the University of California, San Francisco; and David Lombard, formerly of the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and currently at the Department of Pathology and Institute of Gerontology at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Verdin noted that by "uncovering the multi-faceted role of SIRT3, we are laying important groundwork to better combat this widespread disease at the cellular level."
The study was supported by research grants to Kahn and Verdin as well as a grant from the Ellison Foundation and the Mary K. Iacocca Professorship. The study also received support from the Joslin DERC cores laboratories.
"Ours is perhaps the first study to understand what is going wrong in the mitochondria of those with diabetes," said senior author C. Ronald Kahn, M.D., Head of the Joslin Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism and the Mary K. Iacocca Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Many studies have shown that the mitochondria don't work well in those with diabetes. This points to a cause of why they don't work well."
Dr. Kahn said the study sought to look at how decreased Sirt3 levels might affect the metabolism of cells, particularly how it could affect insulin action in cells. "We know that one of the hallmarks of early diabetes is insulin resistance in muscle, but we didn't know what caused it," he said.
He said the study showed that when Sirt3 levels are low, as they are in the case of diabetes, the mitochondria of the cells are not as efficient in energy metabolism as they should be.
When the mitochondria become inefficient, they generate what are known as reactive oxygen species (ROS), chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, which create insulin resistance in the muscles, he said.
"This is the first time this has been shown," Dr. Kahn said.
The goal for the future will be to find ways to restore levels of Sirt3 or increase the activity of the existing Sirt3, perhaps with a drug, in a bid to improve insulin resistance in the muscle and improve muscle metabolism, he said.
"It is a new target," he said.
Dr. Kahn noted that this study is one of the first demonstrations of a single defect that could affect mitochondrial metabolism and insulin signaling in the muscle.
"In further studies we will try to understand what proteins Sirt3 acts on," he said.
He noted that one of the earliest hallmarks of diabetes is insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle. As a result, a drug to boost Sirt3 levels could be useful in the treatment of prediabetes or in those newly diagnosed with the disease, he said.
"Agents which increase Sirt3 activity could, therefore, potentially reverse at least some of the adverse effects of type 2 diabetes," the paper concludes.
Co-authors included Enxuan Jing, lead author, as well as Brice Emanuelli, Jeremie Boucher and Kevin Lee, all of Joslin; Matthew D. Hirschey and Eric M. Verdin, both of Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology and the University of California, San Francisco; and David Lombard, formerly of the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and currently at the Department of Pathology and Institute of Gerontology at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Verdin noted that by "uncovering the multi-faceted role of SIRT3, we are laying important groundwork to better combat this widespread disease at the cellular level."
The study was supported by research grants to Kahn and Verdin as well as a grant from the Ellison Foundation and the Mary K. Iacocca Professorship. The study also received support from the Joslin DERC cores laboratories.
**Source: Joslin Diabetes Center
Small molecules shed light on cancer therapies
Patients suffering from an aggressive brain cancer will benefit from the results of a University of Illinois study that could advance the development of targeted gene therapies and improve prognosis. "We have advanced the understanding of the role of microRNAs on glioblastoma multiforme, a deadly brain cancer, by studying the networks between the microRNAs and their target genes associated with different stages of cancer development and progression," said Kristin Delfino, a U of I doctoral candidate in animal science with a focus in genetics and bioinformatics.
What exactly are microRNAs? microRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate the expression of genes such as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. U of I researchers used a novel approach to identify the simultaneous association between tens of thousands of microRNAs, target genes, and glioblastoma progression and survival.
Delfino integrated clinical information such as race, gender, therapy, survival, and cancer stage from 253 patients together with genome-wide microRNA and gene expression data.
"We looked at the big picture and how microRNAs work together," Delfino said. "When you look at a single microRNA alone, it can seem significant. But when you evaluate it in the context of all other microRNAs, some turn out to be more significant and others may not be as significant as they appear on their own. The systems biology approach that we implemented is critical for understanding the gene pathways influencing cancer."
The study evaluated 534 microRNAs together, unlike the typical method of studying one at a time. They confirmed 25 microRNAs previously associated with glioblastoma survival and identified 20 other microRNAs associated with initiation or growth of other cancer types such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer and gastric adenocarcinoma.
"These findings suggest common pathways that can be targeted with similar drugs already developed and tested for other cancers," said Sandra Rodriguez Zas, co-researcher and U of I professor of animal science and bioinformatics.
In addition, researchers found that some of the microRNA biomarkers of survival are personalized, Rodriguez Zas said. This means that they are particularly useful for patients of a specific race, gender or therapy. Other microRNAs are equally effective regardless of the clinical conditions of the patient.
"These biomarkers can serve as the basis to dig deeper into cancer studies," Delfino said. "Cancer affects us all in one way or another. Unfortunately, we still don't know how it's caused, what takes place when it is caused and how to cure it. But these biomarkers give us guidance into developing specific gene therapies to target glioblastoma."
Today patients can easily and cheaply be screened for microRNA and target gene levels, Rodriguez Zas said.
"Based on our research, that information can be used to select the most effective therapy and develop prognosis strategies," Rodriguez-Zas said.
The study was published in Cancer Genomics & Proteomics. Co-researchers include Kristin Delfino, Nicola Serao, Bruce Southey and Sandra Rodriguez Zas, all of the U of I.
**Source: University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
What exactly are microRNAs? microRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate the expression of genes such as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. U of I researchers used a novel approach to identify the simultaneous association between tens of thousands of microRNAs, target genes, and glioblastoma progression and survival.
Delfino integrated clinical information such as race, gender, therapy, survival, and cancer stage from 253 patients together with genome-wide microRNA and gene expression data.
"We looked at the big picture and how microRNAs work together," Delfino said. "When you look at a single microRNA alone, it can seem significant. But when you evaluate it in the context of all other microRNAs, some turn out to be more significant and others may not be as significant as they appear on their own. The systems biology approach that we implemented is critical for understanding the gene pathways influencing cancer."
The study evaluated 534 microRNAs together, unlike the typical method of studying one at a time. They confirmed 25 microRNAs previously associated with glioblastoma survival and identified 20 other microRNAs associated with initiation or growth of other cancer types such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer and gastric adenocarcinoma.
"These findings suggest common pathways that can be targeted with similar drugs already developed and tested for other cancers," said Sandra Rodriguez Zas, co-researcher and U of I professor of animal science and bioinformatics.
In addition, researchers found that some of the microRNA biomarkers of survival are personalized, Rodriguez Zas said. This means that they are particularly useful for patients of a specific race, gender or therapy. Other microRNAs are equally effective regardless of the clinical conditions of the patient.
"These biomarkers can serve as the basis to dig deeper into cancer studies," Delfino said. "Cancer affects us all in one way or another. Unfortunately, we still don't know how it's caused, what takes place when it is caused and how to cure it. But these biomarkers give us guidance into developing specific gene therapies to target glioblastoma."
Today patients can easily and cheaply be screened for microRNA and target gene levels, Rodriguez Zas said.
"Based on our research, that information can be used to select the most effective therapy and develop prognosis strategies," Rodriguez-Zas said.
The study was published in Cancer Genomics & Proteomics. Co-researchers include Kristin Delfino, Nicola Serao, Bruce Southey and Sandra Rodriguez Zas, all of the U of I.
**Source: University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Según un estudio navegar por Internet mejora la productividad de los trabajadores
Un nuevo estudio elaborado por investigadores de la Universidad Nacional de Singapur refleja que navegar en Internet contribuye a la recuperación mental de los trabajadores. Tras realizar pruebas a tres grupos diferentes se llegó a la conclusión de que era la actividad más distendida, por encima de hacer llamadas de teléfono, enviar mensajes o emails.
El estudio conducido por los investigadores Don J.Q. Chen y Vivien K.G. Lim, de la Universidad Nacional de Singapur, ha sido presentado en un encuentro anual de educación en Texas. Los resultados atañen a los efectos de Internet en el rendimiento de las personas.
Navegar por la web contribuye en mayor medida a recuperar las energías y la concentración que otras actividades, como enviar emails, mensajes de texto o hacer llamadas, según las conclusiones de este estudio, que recoge The Wall Street Journal. El empleado también rinde más que si continúa trabajando continuadamente, sin pausas.
La investigación se ha basado en dos experimentos, uno de ellos realizado con estudiantes y otros con adultos. Ambos obtuvieron resultados similares. El proceso consistió en dividir en tres grupos a las personas seleccionadas. Todos buscaron durante 20 minutos las veces que se repetía la letra ‘e’ en un texto. Los siguientes 10 minutos eran de recuperación. Al primer grupo se le asignó otra tarea sencilla, el segundo podía hacer lo que quisiera en ese lapso de tiempo y los del tercero navegaron en Internet.
El estudio conducido por los investigadores Don J.Q. Chen y Vivien K.G. Lim, de la Universidad Nacional de Singapur, ha sido presentado en un encuentro anual de educación en Texas. Los resultados atañen a los efectos de Internet en el rendimiento de las personas.
Navegar por la web contribuye en mayor medida a recuperar las energías y la concentración que otras actividades, como enviar emails, mensajes de texto o hacer llamadas, según las conclusiones de este estudio, que recoge The Wall Street Journal. El empleado también rinde más que si continúa trabajando continuadamente, sin pausas.
La investigación se ha basado en dos experimentos, uno de ellos realizado con estudiantes y otros con adultos. Ambos obtuvieron resultados similares. El proceso consistió en dividir en tres grupos a las personas seleccionadas. Todos buscaron durante 20 minutos las veces que se repetía la letra ‘e’ en un texto. Los siguientes 10 minutos eran de recuperación. Al primer grupo se le asignó otra tarea sencilla, el segundo podía hacer lo que quisiera en ese lapso de tiempo y los del tercero navegaron en Internet.
-Menos cansados
Después del descanso los integrantes de los tres grupos volvieron a buscar la letra ‘e’ en un texto. Los resultados indicaron que los que habían navegado en Internet durante los 10 minutos anteriores fueron más productivos a la hora de realizar la tarea. Además presentaron menores niveles de cansancio y de aburrimiento, así como un mayor interés por su trabajo. Esto puede estar relacionado con la la creencia de que bloquear las redes sociales en el trabajo no es productivo.
Los autores de la investigación señalan la efectividad que tiene navegar en Internet como actividad de recuperación frente a otras. Por ejemplo leer y responder a cada mensaje “es cognitivamente más exigente, en comparación con navegar en la web, ya que tienes que prestar atención a lo que se dice en el email”, apunta la doctora Lim.
Después del descanso los integrantes de los tres grupos volvieron a buscar la letra ‘e’ en un texto. Los resultados indicaron que los que habían navegado en Internet durante los 10 minutos anteriores fueron más productivos a la hora de realizar la tarea. Además presentaron menores niveles de cansancio y de aburrimiento, así como un mayor interés por su trabajo. Esto puede estar relacionado con la la creencia de que bloquear las redes sociales en el trabajo no es productivo.
Los autores de la investigación señalan la efectividad que tiene navegar en Internet como actividad de recuperación frente a otras. Por ejemplo leer y responder a cada mensaje “es cognitivamente más exigente, en comparación con navegar en la web, ya que tienes que prestar atención a lo que se dice en el email”, apunta la doctora Lim.
**Publicado en "TICBEAT."
22 August 2011
Newest screen for newborns will indicate heart problems
About 1 in every 120 babies are born with congenital heart disease (CHD), of which about 25 percent is critical, requiring special care early in life. CHD is responsible for more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defect, but often outcomes can be improved with early detection. Now a group of physicians and scientists has published an important paper that recommends strategies for national screening for critical CHD, using a simple, noninvasive test called pulse oximetry that measures oxygen in blood. Low oxygen levels would trigger further investigation.
The screening strategy report was published in the journal Pediatrics on Aug. 22.
"Screening for low-blood oxygen saturation can be an effective way to identify otherwise well-appearing babies who have undetected critical CHD," said one of the report's authors, Alex Kemper, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center. "One of the biggest challenges in implementing screening will be the follow-up after a positive screen."
Many of the identified babies will require an evaluation by a pediatric cardiologist or an echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, before they can go home. Because not all hospitals have these services, some babies may need to be transferred to other hospitals.
"Therefore, it is very important to avoid false positive screening results," Kemper said. "We believe that the strategy we have developed will identify most cases but also have a false positive rate of less than 1 percent."
The group's recommendations are based on large studies conducted in the United States and Europe. However, there are still many unanswered questions about how to best screen, including timing and the standards for a positive screen.
For example, the algorithm's usual cutoff point for oxygen saturation may need to be adjusted for babies in high-altitude nurseries, where blood oxygen levels may be normally slightly lower.
"We expect that as screening is adopted, these recommendations will be improved, but there is good evidence that this screening can save lives," Kemper said.
The report was endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Cardiology Foundation, and the American Heart Association.
Based on evidence that has already been gathered, the state of New Jersey will initiate CCHD screening on Aug. 31 for all babies before discharge.
"This will be a great opportunity for other states to learn how to begin screening on a wide scale," Kemper said.
As more information is learned about how to safely and effectively screen newborns, other states are likely to adopt similar rules. In addition, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is now developing a plan to assist states in the identification and treatment of newborns with congenital heart disease.
Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive test that under the new recommendations would be applied to the right hand and a foot of a newborn, to get two different readings of oxygen levels in blood. Pulse oximetry uses light at different wavelengths that passes painlessly through the patient's skin and then measured by a detector to determine the percentage of oxygen-bound blood. A low level can result from CHD, certain infections, or other serious health problems. For screening, testing should ideally occur after the baby is 24 hours old, because there are many changes in the circulatory system very early in life that can cause a false positive screen.
**Source: Duke University Medical Center
The screening strategy report was published in the journal Pediatrics on Aug. 22.
"Screening for low-blood oxygen saturation can be an effective way to identify otherwise well-appearing babies who have undetected critical CHD," said one of the report's authors, Alex Kemper, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center. "One of the biggest challenges in implementing screening will be the follow-up after a positive screen."
Many of the identified babies will require an evaluation by a pediatric cardiologist or an echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, before they can go home. Because not all hospitals have these services, some babies may need to be transferred to other hospitals.
"Therefore, it is very important to avoid false positive screening results," Kemper said. "We believe that the strategy we have developed will identify most cases but also have a false positive rate of less than 1 percent."
The group's recommendations are based on large studies conducted in the United States and Europe. However, there are still many unanswered questions about how to best screen, including timing and the standards for a positive screen.
For example, the algorithm's usual cutoff point for oxygen saturation may need to be adjusted for babies in high-altitude nurseries, where blood oxygen levels may be normally slightly lower.
"We expect that as screening is adopted, these recommendations will be improved, but there is good evidence that this screening can save lives," Kemper said.
The report was endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Cardiology Foundation, and the American Heart Association.
Based on evidence that has already been gathered, the state of New Jersey will initiate CCHD screening on Aug. 31 for all babies before discharge.
"This will be a great opportunity for other states to learn how to begin screening on a wide scale," Kemper said.
As more information is learned about how to safely and effectively screen newborns, other states are likely to adopt similar rules. In addition, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is now developing a plan to assist states in the identification and treatment of newborns with congenital heart disease.
Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive test that under the new recommendations would be applied to the right hand and a foot of a newborn, to get two different readings of oxygen levels in blood. Pulse oximetry uses light at different wavelengths that passes painlessly through the patient's skin and then measured by a detector to determine the percentage of oxygen-bound blood. A low level can result from CHD, certain infections, or other serious health problems. For screening, testing should ideally occur after the baby is 24 hours old, because there are many changes in the circulatory system very early in life that can cause a false positive screen.
**Source: Duke University Medical Center
New study examines window fall-related injuries among youth
Windows are a part of everyday life for children in the United States. While many parents know that windows can be a hazard for their child, they may not be aware just how often things can take a turn for the worse. A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that approximately 5,200 children and adolescents 17years of age and younger were treated in U.S. emergency departments each year from 1990 through 2008 for injuries sustained due to falls from windows. This translates to approximately 14 children being injured as the result of a window fall every day in the U.S.
The study, being released online August 22, 2011 and appearing in the September 2011 print issue of Pediatrics, found that children 0 to 4 years of age were especially vulnerable, not only accounting for a majority (65 percent) of the injuries, but also having a higher rate of serious injury resulting in hospitalization or death. Children who fell from a height of 3 stories or above or who landed on a hard surface, such as concrete or brick, were also at increased risk for serious injury. Overall, the most common injuries were to the head and face region (49 percent), and the most frequent injury diagnoses were soft tissue injury (41 percent) and brain/head injury (26 percent).
"Window fall injuries are serious. In fact, one out of every four children in our study was hospitalized as a result of their injury," said the study's senior author Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "We know from successful programs in New York City and Boston [community education programs re: window fall prevention] that child injuries due to falls from windows can be prevented. We need to do a better job of protecting our children from these types of serious injuries."
In this study, more than190 children fell from windows each year after gaining access to the window by climbing on furniture placed near the window. Therefore, furniture should be moved away from windows to help keep young children safe.
"In addition, it is important for parents to understand that window screens will not prevent a child from falling out of a window," said Dr. Smith, also a professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "There were many children in our study who pushed a screen out of a window and then fell from the window."
To prevent injuries from window falls:
Install window guards on all second-story or higher windows in places where young children live or visit.
Remember that screens will NOT prevent a child from falling out of a window.
If windows are open, use window stops to prevent the window from opening more than 4 inches.
Move all furniture away from windows.
Remember that fire escapes, roofs and balconies are not safe places for children to play.
Educate older children on the dangers of climbing out of or jumping from windows.
Consider planting bushes or locating flower beds under windows to soften the landing surface, which may reduce the severity of injury in the event of a fall.
This is the first study to use a nationally representative sample to examine injuries associated with window falls that were treated in U.S. emergency departments. Data for this study were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is operated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
**Source: Nationwide Children's Hospital
The study, being released online August 22, 2011 and appearing in the September 2011 print issue of Pediatrics, found that children 0 to 4 years of age were especially vulnerable, not only accounting for a majority (65 percent) of the injuries, but also having a higher rate of serious injury resulting in hospitalization or death. Children who fell from a height of 3 stories or above or who landed on a hard surface, such as concrete or brick, were also at increased risk for serious injury. Overall, the most common injuries were to the head and face region (49 percent), and the most frequent injury diagnoses were soft tissue injury (41 percent) and brain/head injury (26 percent).
"Window fall injuries are serious. In fact, one out of every four children in our study was hospitalized as a result of their injury," said the study's senior author Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "We know from successful programs in New York City and Boston [community education programs re: window fall prevention] that child injuries due to falls from windows can be prevented. We need to do a better job of protecting our children from these types of serious injuries."
In this study, more than190 children fell from windows each year after gaining access to the window by climbing on furniture placed near the window. Therefore, furniture should be moved away from windows to help keep young children safe.
"In addition, it is important for parents to understand that window screens will not prevent a child from falling out of a window," said Dr. Smith, also a professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "There were many children in our study who pushed a screen out of a window and then fell from the window."
To prevent injuries from window falls:
Install window guards on all second-story or higher windows in places where young children live or visit.
Remember that screens will NOT prevent a child from falling out of a window.
If windows are open, use window stops to prevent the window from opening more than 4 inches.
Move all furniture away from windows.
Remember that fire escapes, roofs and balconies are not safe places for children to play.
Educate older children on the dangers of climbing out of or jumping from windows.
Consider planting bushes or locating flower beds under windows to soften the landing surface, which may reduce the severity of injury in the event of a fall.
This is the first study to use a nationally representative sample to examine injuries associated with window falls that were treated in U.S. emergency departments. Data for this study were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is operated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
**Source: Nationwide Children's Hospital
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