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Mosquitoes and the West Nile Virus
DEET-Based Insect Repellents
Provide the Best Protection Against Mosquito Bites
July 2002 (Newstream) -- Summer fun can be a bummer if
you constantly have to take cover; from mosquitoes, that
is.
But new evidence published in the New England Journal
of Medicine confirms that repellents containing the
chemical DEET can better protect us from the ugly bumps
and bites of mosquitoes and keep us clear of the quickly
spreading West Nile Virus.
According to the study, DEET-based insect repellents offer
complete, safe and the most effective protection for the
longest time regardless of the activity.
But, choosing the right insect repellent for the right
occasion is quite another story. High-strength personal
repellents work best for camping or hiking in wooded areas
and mosquito-breeding areas such as lakes.
Use medium-strength personal repellents for family activities
such as picnics, gardening, and other activities. Gentle
personal repellents are effective for playing in the backyard
or while on a family outing.
People once concerned about using DEET now have more evidence
that normal use is safe as long as the label instructions
are followed.
In addition to using a DEET-based repellent you can also
protect yourself from biting insects by wearing long sleeves
and avoiding being outside during peak mosquito periods.
For more information on how to protect yourself against
mosquitoes this summer, visit www.mosquitoes.com.
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Produced for OFF!
Contacts:
Al Martin
312-988-2417
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Alzheimer's Research Breakthrough
World's top researchers announce latest findings at
Alzheimer's Conference
July 2002 (Newstream) -- The Alzheimer's Association hosted
the 8th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease
& Related Disorders in Stockholm, Sweden from July 20-25,
2002, when 3,800 researchers from around the world reviewed
nearly 2,000 studies in the areas of prevention, diagnosis
and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Following are two
human brain imaging studies presented at the Conference,
which could have a profound impact on Alzheimer research.
Study 1:
Pittsburgh/Uppsala collaboration
The first human studies of a promising compound used with
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging indicate that
researchers now can, for the first time, successfully highlight
amyloid plaques in the brains of individuals in the early
stages of Alzheimer's disease.
According to the Association, having the ability to quantify
amyloid deposition in the brain will have a profound impact
on our ability to monitor the progression of Alzheimer's
as well as gauge the effectiveness of medical treatments.
Prior to this discovery, the scientific community was
unable to view amyloid plaques -- one of the pathological
hallmarks of Alzheimer's -- in a person living with the
disease. Only during autopsy could researchers use special
stains to highlight mind-robbing amyloid plaques for further
investigation.
Study 2:
Phoenix, Arizona
Decades before symptoms appear, scientists have detected
abnormalities in the brains of healthy adults in their 20s
and 30s who are at genetic risk for developing Alzheimer's
disease.
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Produced for Alzheimer's Association
Contacts:
John Guagliardo and Lorraine Wilmott, 312-335-4078
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Tennis Elbow
New non-invasive technology is good news for athletes
and others
August 2002 (Newstream) -- Tennis players get it. Golfers
get it. Carpenters get it. The clinical name is lateral
epicondylitis, but it's commonly known as tennis elbow.
"Tennis elbow is caused by repetitive stress at the
site where the muscles of the forearm attach to the elbow
joint," said Brian Day, MD, an Orthopedic Surgeon.
"It's very common in workers and athletes and it's
very troublesome and difficult to treat."
In Vancouver, British Columbia, doctors are using a space
age looking device that's called the Sonocur Basic, as an
alternative to surgery and other treatments to relieve the
pain of tennis elbow.
It was recently approved by the FDA in the US, has been
in use in Europe and Canada for about 5 years and is gaining
in popularity.
"There are approximately 4 million cases of tennis
elbow and only about 5 percent of those are people who really
play tennis," said Anne Marie Keevins of Siemens, "so
this technology, similar to that used to treat kidney stones
but at much lower energy will bring relief to many individuals."
The machine sends pulses into the patient's elbow at the
site of the pain, helping to deliver immediate and long-term
relief from the chronic pain, by giving a slight anesthetic
effect right where it hurts.
Mark Schonfeld, a patient, says "The benefits of
it are great, because you've got tendonitis that limits
your ability to use your arm either in golf or weightlifting,
which is what I like to do, and it's fantastic."
This new non-invasive technology is good news for athletes
and others who suffer from tennis elbow, and who are looking
for a way to get back on the courts and back into the game.
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Produced for Siemens
CONTACT:
Scott Michaeloff, 212-980-9090
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