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Handwashing, Good Nutrition and New Antibiotics Useful to Fight Hospital Acq…
Handwashing, Good Nutrition and New Antibiotics Useful to Fight Hospital Acquired Infections. Hospital acquired infections kill about 100,000 annually in the USA. Many infectious organisms such as Staphyloccocus aureus (MRSA), Closteridium difficile, gram negative bacteria and molds like Aspergillus and Candida have developed resistance to many common antibiotics. Much more effort is needed to produce antibiotics for which the disease causing organisms are susceptible to. Considerable additional effort is also needed to prevent hospital acquired infections from occurring in the first place. Recently a new type of antibiotic drugs called SASP are being tested in humans. SASP are viruses which attack the DNA of bacteria and do not attack humans or other animals. SASP has a low toxicity to humans, but effectively kills many disease causing bacteria such as Methicillin Resistant Staphyloccocus aureus (MRSA). For a good review of SASP drugs- please see Drug News and Perspectives May 2009;22(4):197-203. Many infection causing molds such as Aspergillus and Candida have developed resistance to many common anti-fungal drugs. For the past several years, a new class of anti-fungal drugs calls echinocandins have been developed and include drugs such as Caspofungin and Micafungin. These echinocandin drugs are very effective against most molds such as Aspergillus and Candida- but have low toxicity to humans and other animals. For a good review of the Echinocandin drugs please see the September 2009 issue of Annals of Pharmarcotherapy. Many interventions can greatly reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections. The following interventions have all been shown to significantly reduce risk of hospital acquired infections: 1) Handwashing by visitors and hospital staff. When visiting hospitalized relatives and friends- insist that everyone washes their hands every time they visit, 2) Better cleaning of hospital rooms, 3) Better nutrition of hospitalized patients. About 45 to 92% of all hospitalized patients are significantly malnourished. Families of hospitalized patients should insist upon good diet and supplements for hospitalized patients. For patients who must be tube fed, special “immunonutrion” tube formulas containing extra omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and vitamins can greatly reduce risk of infections. 4) Use of silver containing urinary and blood catheters. 5) Use of laparoscopic rather than open surgery when possible, 6) Use of sterile water and 7) Proper air filtration equipment for hospital rooms. I have written a review of 48 interventions which significantly reduce risk of hospital acquired infections in the July 2008 Journal of Hospital Infection. For a free copy of my review, please e-mail me at LukeTCurtis@aol.com.
Far Infrared Sauna = Awesome!
A couple years ago, I was living with Evan (Doug’s son whom you may have seen on the show). We got really into working out for about 4 months, more than just as regular exercise. I think we were inspired by Gerard Butler’s cobblestone abs from the movie 300, which admittedly I never achieved. However, nearly every day we were in the gym, sometimes twice. At the end of each work out, we spent about 30 minutes in a far infrared sauna. Ethan and I recently sat in Doug’s sauna; I had forgotten how totally awesome they are!For those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about, a sauna is basically a hot, wooden box that you sit and perspire in. Far infrared saunas emit far infrared light – a form of light whose frequency isn’t in the visible light spectrum. Sauna companies claim that this type of light penetrates deep into your skin – between 1.5 and 3 inches, and helps break up toxins, allowing them to be sweat out. I don’t completely understand the science behind saunas, but I do know how incredible they make me feel. One of the things I noticed from my most recent sauna experience was how clean I felt afterwards. I immediately got out and rinsed off in a shower (always a good idea to wash that toxin laden sweat off before it dries. . . ), and my skin felt smooth and I just felt clean! I slept deeper than I have in months, and woke up completely refreshed. For anyone trying to detox or just wants to feel good, I highly recommend it!
Google Launches New Ad Marketplace; Display Ads Will Never Be the Same
You’re probably familiar with Google AdSense and AdWords, Google’s flagship advertising products. It’s how Google makes its billion of dollars. Highly targeted text ads appear on Google search and third party websites that are part of the AdSense program. Advertisers buy ads based on keywords, with more popular keywords costing more per click than less popular terms.
This has only applied to text ads though, not banner or display ads. But speculation was rampant that Google would apply its unique and lucrative ad model to display ads after its $3.1 Billion DoubleClick acquisition.
Now that speculation has become reality. Google has just launched the DoubleClick Ad Exchange, and it is just like AdWords and AdSense, except that it is a marketplace for display ads.
First, here is what Google said in its announcement:
“We’ve been working hard to put these principles into practice, and today we’re excited to announce the new DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a step towards creating a more open display advertising ecosystem for everyone. The Ad Exchange is a real-time marketplace that helps large online publishers on one side; and ad networks and agency networks on the other, buy and sell display advertising space.
These publishers and ad networks manage and represent large volumes of ads and ad space from lots of advertisers and websites. By bringing them together in an open marketplace in which prices are set in a real-time auction, the Ad Exchange enables display ads and ad space to be allocated much more efficiently. This improves returns for advertisers and enables publishers to get the most value out of their online content.”
Essentially, the small-time advertiser or business can now buy targeted display ads on thousands of DoubleClick ad-serving websites. This could have some major repercussions on the entire web. Some possibilities:
– It could significantly increase revenue for Google, as a highly targeted ad marketplace means people are paying more for the ads they want to serve.
– It increases Google’s competition with Yahoo, the current leader in display advertising.
– Highly targeted ad campaigns could effectively reach everywhere. This could be a major boon to marketers.
If you want to learn more, Google has a PDF explaining the Ad Exchange, as well as a video overview:
Reviews: Google
Tags: Ad Exchange, adsense, Adwords, doubleclick, DoubleClick Ad Exchange, Google
Ochocinco: No Twitter or Ustream Is Like Losing Your Johnson [VIDEO]
NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has been a strong advocate of social media, as well as a constant source of social media entertainment. He has over 170,000 followers on Twitter and is often streaming his antics live to his interested fans on Ustream.
This has put him at odds with the NFL, though. The league recently released a social media policy that bans tweeting before, during and after any game. And from video we’ve seen from tonight’s episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks, Chad’s not happy about it. In fact, he’s downright emotional.
In the clip, Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis lays down the NFL’s law on Ustream, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites, informing the entire Bengals team that “every one of your pages will be monitored every day.” Tweeting about the team or in the locker room…all banned.
Chad’s response though is absolutely classic:
“I understand where the NFL is coming from, I understand where [Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis] is coming from. But uh, again I have not been a distraction with Twitter or Ustream, and I have not hurt anyone. … I mean losing my Twitter and losing my Ustream … it’s just as tough and emotional for me as losing my Johnson.”
We (really) hope that his quote is referring to him losing his old last name (Johnson) for his new last name (Ochocinco). Regardless of what he’s referring to, here is the clip from Hard Knocks, embedded below for your viewing pleasure:
Reviews: Facebook, Twitter, ustream
Tags: chad ochocinco, Ocho Cinco, ochocinco, twitter, ustream
BUSTED: Burglar Arrested After Checking Facebook During Robbery
So apparently it actually works both ways: careless Facebook use can both get you robbed and get you arrested for burglary.
According to The Journal, a 19-year-old Pennsylvania man was arraigned earlier this week on a charge of felony daytime robbery. How did police catch him? Simple: the burglar left a trail, by way of checking his Facebook account before leaving the house with two diamond rings and forgetting to log out.
Jonathan Parker remains in custody on $10,000 bail, facing a maximum 10 year prison sentence if convicted. A friend of the defendant said Parker had asked him for help breaking into the victim’s house the previous night, so things are not looking too good for the perp.
What do you think: is this a case of Facebook addiction, or just a very dim burglar? If robbery weren’t such a serious matter we might consider this story pretty much hilarious. As Homer Simpson would say, “doh!”
Image courtesy of davidsonscott15
Reviews: Facebook
Tags: burglary, crime, facebook, robbery
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