US truck parking problem to be addressed

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released survey results recently that point out the lack of truck parking information and capacity across the country. The results called for a national coalition to address the escalating problems and find solutions.

The results showed that almost half of the state departments of transportation surveyed reported that truckers were forced to park on freeway interchange ramps and shoulders of highways, which is a safety issue.

“We know truck parking has been a longstanding problem in our nation and we need new approaches to fix it,” said US Deputy Transportation Secretary Victor Mendez. “Now more than ever, this country needs better planning, investment, and innovation from those who have a stake in safe truck parking and transportation.”

The National Coalition on Truck Parking announced that it will continue working to find solutions to truck parking needs and will include the FHWA, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the American Trucking Associations, the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, the National Association of Truck Stop Operators and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance in finding these solutions.

“Without truck drivers, America’s businesses would suffer and the economy would come to a halt,” said Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “They deliver the goods and products we use every day, and are critical to safe freight movement in our country.”

FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darling added: “Highway safety depends in part on making sure hardworking, professional truck drivers have a safe place to recuperate after spending hours on the road. We at FMCSA are committed to addressing this shortage of safe and convenient truck parking for the drivers who do so much to advance our economy.”

In the new few months, the USDOT and the National Coalition on Truck Parking said it  will engage in a conversation with state and local governments, law enforcement and the trucking and business communities to work together to advance truck parking solutions to meet the needs of the nation’s truck drivers.

Navistar appoints new treasurer

LISLE, Ill. – Navistar International announced recently that Bill McMenamin, president of Navistar Financial, will add responsibilities as senior v.p. and treasurer of the company. He will replace Jim Moran, who is leaving the company to pursue other career opportunities.

McMenamin joined the Navistar team back in 2001 as director of corporate finance, while Moran joined the company in 2005 following a 16-year career at R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company.

“Jim has been a valuable contributor to Navistar and the Finance & Accounting organization over the past 10 years, and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Walter Borst, Navistar executive vice-president and chief financial officer. “At the same time, we’re proud to have Bill add this role to his NFC responsibilities. He is a technically skilled, highly collaborative financial executive that has a track record of success at NFC and will contribute a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new role.”

CarriersEdge expands online driver training system

MARKHAM, Ont. – CarriersEdge said today that it has made several enhancements to its online driver training system, offering fleets the ability to customize and consolidate its training programs.
With this announcement, CarriersEdge customers now have expanded options for adding their own content to their training environment. Things like PowerPoint presentations and videos can be uploaded onto the system for drivers. In addition, new event management functions allow for trainers to track classroom activities.

“More and more, our customers are looking to CarriersEdge as the central hub for all their training activities”, said Mark Murrell, v.p. sales and marketing at CarriersEdge. “In addition to our extensive library of online courses, they want the ability to add their own material and track outside activities as well. With these new tools they can now do all that and more.”

The company also announced the release of new titles in its Practical Cargo Securement series.
“With these new modules, we now have more than a dozen distinct titles based on the Practical Cargo Securement handbook”, noted Murrell. “That handbook is the gold standard in cargo securement for a reason – it’s comprehensive, clear, and easy to use – and we’re very proud to be the exclusive provider of online courses based on its content.”

For more information, click here.

PeopleNet awards Grimshaw Trucking with Innovator of the Year Award

PHOENIX, Ariz. and MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — At its User Conference this week, PeopleNet announced the recipients of its 2015 Innovator of the Year Awards.

The awards are given to fleets that demonstrated exceptional leadership in using PeopleNet products and services. Winners are selected by PeopleNet’s product advisory council.

Taking the cake for the Canada category was Grimshaw Trucking. The company integrated PeopleNet service into its operations since 2006, including: eDriver Logs; Onboard Event Recording; Speed Monitoring; Vehicle Management; Dispatch Integration; and Messaging. Since using these systems, Grimshaw decreased its driver turnover to 8% representing a 50% reduction year-over-year which in turn saved them thousands of dollars in cost savings.

Star Transport won the award in the Under 100 Trucks category, Quickway Carriers for the 100-500 Trucks, and The Kroger Co. for 500+ Trucks category.

The awards were presented by PeopleNet’s executive vice-president Rick Ochsendorf.

“Year after year, PeopleNet is incredibly proud to recognize the industry leaders who set an example by using PeopleNet technology to accelerate progress and growth among their fleets,” he said.

“Customers who invest in today’s innovation are also committing to a future of enhanced technology, safety and performance.”

TTSAO sets date for annual conference

HAMILTON, Ont. – The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario has set the date for its first annual conference for February 23-24 at the Sandman Hotel in Mississauga.

The two-day conference consists of the TTSAO’s board of directors’ meeting, then the general meeting, a cocktail party, as well as presentations about recruitment and retainment.

There will also be session called “The Stan and Dan Show”, featuring a candid conversation about trucking with Dan Einwechter, chairman and CEO of Challenger, and Stan Campbell, host of Trucker Radio.

John G. Smith, publisher and editor of Private Motor Magazine will be the event’s Master of Ceremonies.

The event is $199.00 plus HST per registrant. The conference registration form is available here.

Goodyear expanding Smart Fleet program, looking to further improve roll time

TORONTO, Ont. — Goodyear introduced its Smart Fleet program to the Canadian market last spring and is now looking to expand the program and continuously engage its members.

The program is aimed at offering national account-type benefits to small fleets and owner/operators, including published pricing on tires and tire-related services, waiving of dispatch fees on road service calls and educational tools. Traditionally these benefits have only been available to large fleets, according to Jose Martinez, architect of the Smart Fleet program with Goodyear.

In an interview with Trucknews.com, Martinez said Smart Fleet memberhip is completely free. In order to entice new members to join, Goodyear is offering an introductory deal of $25 off per tire on orders of up to 10 tires, for a savings of up to $250.

However, with the program launched at Expocam in April, Martinez said the focus is now shifting from signing up new members, to continuously engaging them and offering more benefits.

“We were concentrating on signing up new members, but we have shifted the emphasis and now we want not only to sign up members, but to make them active in the program,” Martinez said.

So far, the greatest benefit to members has been access to published prices across the entire country. So an owner/operator that needs to replace a tire far from home in some remote part of Canada won’t pay more for the tire and service just because of their location.

“What happens with the program is the owner/operator becomes a national account of Goodyear, so they are dealing directly with Goodyear, so therefore the dealer is helping us deliver the tires but the business relationship and the billing – everything happens directly between Goodyear and the owner/operator,” Martinez explained.

Smart Fleet members access this information through a Web portal. Most members so far have one to five trucks, Martinez said, but fleets with up to 30 trucks are free to join. Larger fleets than that are likely already part of a national account program, Martinez noted.

Goodyear is also working to reduce roll time (the time it takes to get customers back on the road following a service call). The average across its network is just over two hours, but Martinez said the company is working to integrate its customer-based road service app and the service provider’s SmartTech app in an effort to further reduce roll time.

When this happens, probably early next year, customers will be able to see in real-time how their call is progressing. They’ll be able to see via the app when the ticket has been approved, when the replacement tire has been loaded onto the truck, when the service truck has been deployed, when it’s scheduled to arrive, etc.

“We think we’ll be able to reduce our roll time significantly,” Martinez said.

Kenworth adds new options, expects truck market to remain strong

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kenworth is expecting another strong year for Class 8 truck sales in 2016, but there isn’t a lot of room for the overall market to grow.

Preston Feight, Kenworth general manager and Paccar vice-president, said at a press event this week that 2015 is likely to be the second best year ever for Class 8 truck orders, behind only 2006 when an emissions-related pre-buy drove record demand.

“It’s hard to imagine a five-year run like we’ve been having,” he said.

Feight pointed to the following reasons why business conditions are strong: US GDP grew 2.3% in the second quarter; housing starts are up 10.3% year-over-year; auto sales are up 6.1% y-o-y; freight tonnage is up 3.7% y-o-y; fleet utilization is above 90%; and fleet profitability is up 5.5%.
One of the only major concerns currently, Feight said, is availability of drivers.

Kenworth itself has grown its Class 8 market share this year to 14.7% year-to-date, a modest increase from 14.1% over the same period last year. However, when you consider the slowdown in the oil and gas sector where Kenworth is strong, Feight said the overall improvement points to the company’s growth in other segments.

Kenworth’s medium-duty share is 7.9% year-to-date, down from last year, but Feight said the company has received recent orders that will give it a bump in the second half of this year.

Feight attributed the company’s Class 8 growth to the success of its two most recent offerings: the T680 on-highway tractor and the T880 vocational truck. Together, the two models account for more than 70% of Kenworth’s build. The new ICON 900, a throwback truck that pays homage to the classic-styled W900, has been well received too, with 350 trucks sold since its launch in May.

Kenworth has also seen its glider kit business soar, according to Kevin Baney, chief engineer. It has seen sales double every year since the division was formed in 2013. The EPA plans to stamp out the glider market by 2018, but Baney said the company will continue selling them until then.
The company has also seen its Paccar MX engine gain ground. Introduced in 2010, it has seen growth every year and is now ordered in 40% of Kenworth’s Class 8 trucks.

The T680 gets 10% better fuel economy today than it did in 2013 with more improvements to come, Feight said.

“We will continue to make year-over-year improvements to the fuel economy of the T680,” he said.
Kenworth has also added several new options to its product line. A new 76-inch mid-roof sleeper will be offered on the T680 and T880 in September and the T880 will get a 40-inch sleeper in the first quarter of 2016. The Paccar MX-11 engine is coming in early 2016.

Meanwhile, Feight said the company’s dealers have invested more than $450 million into their facilities over the past few years, increasing service hours by 15% last year and another 15% this year.

Kenworth has also added new driver performance technologies to its trucks. Predictive Cruise Control uses GPS data to optimize vehicle speed, providing a fuel economy improvement of up to 2%, Baney said. For example, the cruise will reduce acceleration when cresting a hill to save fuel and the transmission will shift into neutral when travelling down a grade of 1-3%. Together, Predictive Cruise and Neutral Coast could boost fuel economy by 3%, said Baney.

An optional Driver Performance Assistant provides real-time coaching on acceleration, braking and shifting.

Also new is an ultracapacitor battery that will improve starting in extreme weather.
Kenworth’s idle management system is getting a new auto start/stop function, which will start the truck’s engine to recharge the batteries when their power is getting low. The system provides more than eight hours of air-conditioning and can save up to a gallon of diesel per hour of use compared to idling. An optional fuel-fired heater can be added to the system to provide warmth.

Baney also provided an update on Kenworth’s Truck Tech+ remote diagnostics system. He admitted Kenworth wasn’t first to market with remote diagnostics, but it was able to study systems currently in the market and come up with something the company feels is simpler and more user-friendly. About 5,000 Kenworth trucks are equipped with Truck Tech+ today. The system remotely analyzes fault codes and then advises the operator on the most appropriate course of action.

Feight said more fuel economy improvements are coming to the T680, largely due to better powertrain integration. He said Kenworth is delighted with some of the enhancements Eaton has made to its automated transmissions and the two companies are “co-developing” new systems for further efficiencies.

To spread the message about Kenworth’s expanding product line, the company is hitting the road with a 30-stop road tour that began just last week and will run through November, making several stops in Canada. The T680 with 76-inch mid-roof sleeper and T880 will be featured. The Kenworth Tour Trailer will be at each of the stops and inside, you’ll find the soon-to-be-launched Paccar MX-11 engine.

UPS receives 50,000th Paccar MX engine in a Kenworth truck

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kenworth has presented UPS with a plaque commemorating the 50,000th Paccar MX engine to be installed in a Kenworth truck.

The milestone engine went into a Kenworth T680 day cab that UPS will deploy in the Seattle area. UPS has become a major customer of Kenworth’s, ordering 1,750 trucks this year alone.

“Kenworth and UPS have an excellent relationship, and it’s great to recognize UPS with Kenworth’s 50,000th Paccar MX series engine,” said Preston Feight, Kenworth general manager and Paccar vice-president. “The engine’s outstanding fuel efficiency, low cost of ownership, exceptional reliability and durability, high horsepower and torque ratings, lightweight design and quiet operation are among key attributes that benefit UPS and all our customers.”

Bill Brentar, UPS director of maintenance and engineering for transportation equipment, said “Our Kenworth T680s with the Paccar MX engine are performing well in UPS operations throughout the US.”

UPS was represented at the ceremony by Robert Filosa, who accepted the plaque from Feight and employees at Kenworth’s Kirkland, Wash. headquarters. Paccar has produced more than 100,000 MX engines at its Columbus, Miss. engine plant.

What Works Best to Curb a Preschooler's Bad Behaviors?

New look at the evidence supports 'time-outs,' withholding privileges or toys in some cases

Thursday, August 6, 2015

 

 THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Parents should be open to using a range of tactics for managing their preschoolers' behavior problems -- including "time-outs," a set of new studies suggests.

When it comes to disciplining young children, there are two broad camps. Some popular advice books and websites emphasize "positive parenting," where time-outs and other punishments are discouraged.

But if parents were to read a child psychology textbook, they'd find that time-outs are considered an effective tactic, said Robert Larzelere, a professor of human development and family science at Oklahoma State University.

That's because time-outs have shown their value in studies of children diagnosed with behavioral disorders.

Things have been murkier, however, when it comes to "typical kids," Larzelere explained.
But on Thursday, he and other researchers speaking at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting in Toronto offered evidence in support of time-outs -- and a range of other parenting tactics.

Research presented at meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The gist of all the studies is that while whining and pouting can be managed with little fuss -- or just ignored -- more serious behavior issues, such as aggression towards other kids and hitting, should have consequences.

That does not mean parents should yell or spank, Larzelere stressed. It means judicious use of a time-out, or taking away a privilege or toy.

For their study, Larzelere and his colleagues conducted a series of interviews with 102 mothers whose children ranged in age from 17 months to almost 3 years at the outset. Overall, the researchers found that different tactics seemed to work for different behavior issues. And immediate solutions often differed from long-term ones.

When youngsters were "defiant" or hitting, moms often got immediate results when they used time-out or took something away from the child. Those moves were not effective, though, when children were simply whining or trying to get their way, the researchers found.

For those milder issues, "reasoning" seemed to do the trick in the short term, the study found. And how do you reason with a toddler? By keeping it simple, according to Larzelere.

One example he gave: "If you don't share your toys with your sister, she won't want to play with you."

And in the long run, reasoning did seem to help wean youngsters off of more troublesome behavior, such as defiance and aggression. It didn't work immediately, like time-outs did; but over the next 16 months, mothers who regularly reasoned with their child saw improvements in their behavior.
The key, Larzelere said, seemed to be "moderate" use of punishments like time-outs.

Other research presented at the meeting emphasized the importance of being consistent. Time-outs don't work if parents brandish them randomly, wrote researcher Ennio Cipani, a professor at National University in La Jolla, Calif.

Instead, parents should decide what types of behavior will warrant a time-out -- hitting, for example -- and then be consistent with it.

When a child does cross the line, Larzelere said, parents can "give a warning." If that doesn't work, it's time for time-out.

Clear, judicious use of time-out does work, agreed Kirsten Cullen Sharma, a neuropsychologist at the NYU Langone Child Study Center, in New York City.

Sharma, who was not involved in any of the studies, said that parents can feel free to ignore behavior problems that are simply annoying -- like whining. But "oppositional behavior," she said, is often persistent, and that warrants a response.

"Time-outs can be very effective for those children," Sharma said.

Of course, she added, every child is different. "So matching the best intervention for any one child is very individual," Sharma said.

But parents should not be made to feel like time-out is unreasonable, according to Sharma. "Some people disagree with time-out," she said. "But sometimes parents need to take control. And they should know that it's OK for their child to feel upset."

Larzelere added that, "Parents need to have a full range of non-abusive tactics they can use for different behavior problems. Sometimes, they need to use 'consequences.'"

But along with responding to behavior problems, he said, parents should also be sure to recognize and praise their preschooler for their positive behavior.

SOURCES: Robert Larzelere, Ph.D., professor, department of human development and family science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK; Kirsten Cullen Sharma, Psy.D., neuropsychologist, department of child and adolescent psychiatry, NYU Langone Child Study Center, New York City; Aug. 6, 2015, presentation, American Psychological Association annual meeting, Toronto

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U.S. Infant Deaths At Lowest Rate Ever: CDC

But American babies still die at rates that are higher than other affluent countries

 

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The number of U.S. infants who die before their first birthday continues to decline and is at a historic low, health officials reported Thursday.
Between 2012 and 2013, the rate dropped only slightly, from 5.98 deaths per 1,000 births to 5.96. But that's part of a long-term trend: Since 2005, when infant mortality stood at 6.86 per 1,000 births, the rate has fallen by 13 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Every single time an infant dies in the first year of life it is a tragedy for a family," said report author T.J. Mathews, a demographer at CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

However, "in 2013, we saw the lowest infant mortality rate ever," he said. "That's good news. There were many years when the rate was steady and wasn't declining, then in 2009 we started to see some declines, and we are continuing to see that. It's not a sharp decline, but it's going in the right direction."

In 2013, 23,446 infants died in the United States, 208 fewer than in 2012, the researchers found. "Not long ago, we were around 28,000 to 30,000 deaths," Mathews said. "There are still a lot of infant deaths, but that there are fewer means there have been positive changes."

For most groups, the infant death rate remained stable. However, death rates among Puerto Ricans and Cuban-Americans dropped significantly -- 14 percent for Puerto Rican women and 40 percent for Cuban-American women.

Mathews noted that the disparity in infant deaths between blacks and whites persists. The infant death rate for blacks is double that of whites. "That sad fact has been constant," he said.

Dr. David Mendez, a neonatologist at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, said, "Access to care seems to be the driving force behind these disparities."

Most infant deaths occur among babies born early with birth defects. Many deaths are also due to preterm delivery.

In 2013, infants born at 37 to 38 weeks of gestation (early term) had death rates 63 percent higher than for babies born at full term, according to the report.

For multiple births, the infant death rate was almost 26 per 1,000 births. That's five times the rate among single births, the researchers said.

Other causes of infant deaths include sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and accidents, Mathews said.

Also in 2013, 36 percent of infant deaths were due to preterm-related causes, such as short gestation and low birth weight. Another 15 percent were due to sudden, unexpected infant death, including unspecified causes and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, the researchers said.

Mathews said that the U.S. still has higher infant mortality rates than other countries such as Sweden and Japan, where the rate is fewer than 3 deaths per 1,000 births.

Dr. Edward McCabe, chief medical officer of the March of Dimes, agreed that "prematurity is the driving force behind many infant deaths."

Mendez said that babies born under 2 pounds 2 ounces make up only 0.7 percent of all births, but they account for 47 percent of all infant deaths.

The most important way for women to reduce the odds that their baby will die is to carry the infant to full term, McCabe said. Second, women taking advantage of reproductive technology should have only one embryo implanted, he said.

Mendez added that prenatal care is key in preventing preterm births. "Prenatal care is vital," he said. "That can make all the difference in the world."

Women shouldn't drink, smoke or use drugs during pregnancy. They also should watch their weight, get moderate exercise and get regular check-ups, Mendez said.

"We owe it to babies born in the U.S. to do a better job," McCabe said.

For more information
Learn more about infant deaths at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: T.J. Mathews, demographer, U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention; David Mendez, M.D., neonatologist, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami; Edward McCabe, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, March of Dimes, White Plains, N.Y.; Aug. 6, 2015, report, Infant Mortality Statistics From the 2013 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set

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Spicy Food and Longevity

If you’re a lover of spicy food, here’s a study that may have you asking for more chili peppers!
Nearly 490,000 men and women, 30 to 79 years old, filled out questionnaires about their general health, physical measurements and eating habits, including consumption of spicy foods, red meat, vegetables and alcohol. None had a history of cancer, heart disease or stroke at the start of the study, which was conducted in China. During an average 7 years of follow-up, there were more than 20,000 deaths. People who ate spicy foods 1 or 2 days a week had a 10 percent lower risk of death from all causes compared to people who ate spicy foods less than once a week.

Those who ate spicy foods almost every day had a 14 percent lower risk. Frequent consumption of spicy foods was also linked to a reduced risk of death from cancer, heart and respiratory diseases, especially in women. So should you start spicing up your diet to improve your health? The study authors say no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect yet. They are calling for more research that in their words may “lead to updated dietary recommendations and development of functional foods.”

I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV…with the news doctors are reading – health news that matters to you.

Social Skills Program for Young Adults With Autism Shows Promise

PEERS involves patients and caregivers to maintain social support and guidance

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A special program for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improved their social skills, a new study finds.
Because autism research tends to focus on therapies for younger children, the study's attention to this older age group is unusual, said lead author and program founder Elizabeth Laugeson, an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"But the reality is these kids grow up and social demands change, and we are not keeping up with these demands," she noted.

Anna Vagin, a speech language pathologist and director-elect of the California Speech and Hearing Association, agreed. "Those of us who work with students with ASD need to remember how quickly [they] become young adults," she said. "Each year is precious, and every therapy decision is important."

The 16-week program, called PEERS, focuses on breaking down social behaviors step-by-step and includes caregivers in all of the sessions. The caregiver participation is a unique aspect of the PEERS program, Laugeson said.

"We include parents, other family members, adult siblings, life coaches or peer mentors, because we want to teach people to be social coaches to these young adults outside of the treatment setting," she explained.

Students in the program meet for 90 minutes a week. Caregivers meet at the same time, and the two groups come together at the end of a session to review the day's material and homework assignments, which focus on peer practice between sessions.

In the study, Laugeson and her co-authors had 12 young adults in the program and another 10 in a control group for whom treatment was delayed 16 weeks. After the PEERS sessions ended, follow-up evaluations 16 weeks later showed that those who had completed the program had maintained their improvements. The study was published recently in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

A key to PEERS, Vagin said, is the chance to "practice relationship skills in the therapy room as well as the real world."

Jordan Sadler, a speech language pathologist and clinical faculty member at Northwestern University in Chicago, said that being able to generalize skills outside the therapy setting is important. "I strongly believe in taking the time to teach the hows and whys of social communication," she said, to allow for responses in different real-world situations.

Laugeson agreed that is critical. To that end, PEERS participants learn steps of social interactions that people who aren't on the autism spectrum might not even think about, she said.

She gave an example of approaching a group of people and joining their conversation. "We might first teach them to watch and listen, maybe using a prop like a cell phone or gaming device to look distracted while you're sort of eavesdropping," she said. The next step, she added, would be "wait for a pause and then join in by saying something on topic, and then maybe later introducing yourself."
During practice and role play in the sessions, participants get feedback from each other, and that's crucial, Vagin said. "The feedback and support received during treatment sessions allow the young adults, as well as their caregivers, to leave with clear weekly homework [and] the sense that the assignment is attainable," she said.

Autism blogger M. Kelter, who has written about social difficulties, said that a program like PEERS might have helped him as a teen and young adult with his challenges in "basic interactions."
"I think making the program about genuine comprehension is a step in the right direction," he said. He added that the question he would ask is: "Are these trainings empowering individuals on the spectrum or teaching them to conceal their differences?" If it's the former, he said, then "these measures can be a positive thing."

Laugeson said that in developing the program, her team consulted with adolescents and young adults with autism, along with parents. One area where the two groups diverged was dating. "The teens' number one treatment priority was dating etiquette," she said, "and their least prioritized was conversational skills." The parents felt exactly the opposite.

Laugeson and her colleagues ultimately incorporated dating etiquette into their young adult version of PEERS. "Even though many of the young adults are not actively dating, most are pretty curious about it, and we want to make sure that they know what they're doing," she said.

This disconnect between what social skills patients and parents want emphasized might reflect a broader misconception about autism. Because so many people still see it as a condition of childhood, said Laugeson, "we're just not doing enough, unfortunately, for adults."

SOURCES: Elizabeth Laugeson, assistant clinical professor, University of California, Los Angeles; Anna Vagin, speech language pathologist and director-elect, California Speech and Hearing Association; Jordan Sadler, speech language pathologist and clinical faculty member, Northwestern University, Chicago; M. Kelter, autism blogger; June 25, 2015, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

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Social Life in Youth May Impact Health Decades Later

People who were more outgoing in their 20s had better well-being in their 50s, study found

By Robert Preidt

Thursday, August 6, 2015

 

 THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Having good social connections at age 20 can lead to improved well-being later in life, a new study suggests.

Previous research has shown that people with poor social links are at increased risk for early death.
"In fact, having few social connections is equivalent to tobacco use, and [the risk is] higher than for those who drink excessive amounts of alcohol, or who suffer from obesity," study author Cheryl Carmichael, who conducted the study while a doctoral candidate at the University of Rochester in New York, said in a university news release.

The study included 133 people who enrolled when they were 20-year-old college students in the 1970s. The participants kept track of their daily social interactions at ages 20 and 30. At age 50, they completed an online survey about the quality of their social lives and emotional well-being, including questions about loneliness and depression, and their relationships with close friends.

The findings showed that frequent social interactions at age 20 and good-quality relationships -- defined as intimate and satisfying -- at age 30 were associated with higher levels of well-being at age 50.

The study findings were published in a recent issue of the journal Psychology and Aging.
A high number of social interactions at age 20 are beneficial later in life because they help young adults determine who they are, the researchers said.

"It's often around this age that we meet people from diverse backgrounds, with opinions and values that are different from our own, and we learn how to best manage those differences," said Carmichael, now an assistant professor of psychology at Brooklyn College.

"Considering everything else that goes on in life over those 30 years -- marriage, raising a family and building a career -- it is extraordinary that there appears to be a relationship between the kinds of interactions college students and young adults have and their emotional health later in life," she concluded.

SOURCE: University of Rochester, news release, July 23, 2015

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Over 4 Million Americans Say They've Driven Drunk in Prior Month: CDC

Typical drunk driver is a young male with a history of binge drinking, survey shows

By E.J. Mundell

Thursday, August 6, 2015

 

 THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds that close to 2 percent of adults -- about 4.2 million people -- admitted to driving while intoxicated at least once over the prior month.
The study, based on 2012 data analyzed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also outlines the "typical" drunk driver: Young males with a history of binge drinking.

Curbing the problem could save countless lives, the CDC researchers said, since "alcohol-impaired driving crashes have accounted for about one third of all U.S. crash fatalities in the past two decades."

One expert agreed. Binge drinking is rampant among the young, said Dr. Scott Krakower, who specializes in alcohol abuse issues.

"Individuals should not be afraid to seek help if they have a drinking problem," he said. "Bottom line: if one is drinking, they should never drive a motor vehicle. They are putting innocent lives at risk."
In the new study, a team led by CDC investigator Amy Jewett looked at 2012 data from an annual federal government survey. They found that "an estimated 4.2 million adults reported at least one alcohol-impaired driving episode in the preceding 30 days, resulting in an estimated 121 million episodes [per year]."

Rates varied widely between states, and were often tied to a state's drunk-driving laws, the CDC said. The Midwest fared the worst in terms of drunk driving, but that's no surprise, the team said, because "persons living in the Midwest have consistently reported higher alcohol-impaired driving rates than those living in other regions."

The profile of the "typical" drunk driver probably won't surprise many, either -- a binge-drinking young male. According to the study, men aged 21 to 34 made up a third of all drunk driving episodes, while men overall made up 80 percent of impaired drivers.

The report found that 4 percent of adults fall into the category of "binge drinkers" -- men who consume 5 or more drinks at one occasion, or women who have 4 or more drinks per occasion. This 4 percent of adults are involved in nearly two-thirds of all drunk driving incidents, the CDC researchers noted.

"Binge drinking is extremely problematic amongst young adults and the college-age population, and is a leading factor in alcohol-impaired driving," added Krakower, who is assistant unit chief in psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y.

"In 2013, 39 percent of college students reported binge drinking in the past month," he said. "Research has also shown that underage drinking may progress onward to a serious alcohol problem in adults."

Adding to the on-the-road danger is the fact that people who say they sometimes don't wear a seat belt were also three times more likely to drive drunk than adults who habitually strap themselves in, the CDC researchers said.

All of these numbers can be reduced, however. According to Jewett's team, drunk driving fatalities can fall if states get tough on the issue -- enforcing breath-alcohol laws, upping taxes on booze, cracking down on underage drinking, expanding roadside "sobriety checkpoints," and requiring ignition interlocks (in-car breathalyzers) for people with prior drunk-driving convictions.
Parents can also do their part, Krakower added, since problem drinking behaviors often start at an early age.

"Parental influence over adolescent drinking behaviors has been shown to be a leading contributing factor to this," he said. "It is important for parents to set strict rules against drinking."

The study was published Aug. 7 in the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

SOURCES: Scott Krakower, D.O., assistant unit chief, psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, N.Y.; Aug. 7, 2015, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

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Online Program Boosts Hand Washing, Cuts Infections

Study finds risk of flu-like illness dropped 20 percent

  

By Robert Preidt

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- An online program that encourages people to wash their hands reduced the spread of cold and flu viruses within families, a new study says.

The program also led to fewer gastrointestinal illnesses, doctor appointments and antibiotic prescriptions, according to the findings published online Aug. 6 in The Lancet.

"A simple, cheap internet program to encourage hand washing can reduce the risk of infection by around 14 percent," study author Dr. Paul Little, a professor at the University of Southampton in the U.K., said in a journal news release.

"Because most of the population catches coughs, colds, sore throats and other respiratory infections, this could have an important impact on reducing the spread of these viruses in the general population, and also help reduce the pressure on [health] services during the winter months," he added.

The free, interactive program, called PRIMIT, offers four weekly sessions that provide medical information, outline simple steps to help participants avoid catching and passing on viruses, monitor users' hand washing habits, and provide personalized feedback.

The study included more than 20,000 people, aged 18 and older, in British households who were randomly assigned to use PRIMIT or to a control group that did not use the website.

Over 16 weeks of monitoring, 51 percent of people in the PRIMIT group had at least one respiratory infection, compared with 59 percent of those in the control group. That means those in the PRIMIT group had a 14 percent lower risk, the researchers said.

Those in the PRIMIT group had a 20 percent lower risk of catching a flu-like illness. They also had 10 percent to 15 percent fewer doctor visits and antibiotic prescriptions, the study found.

"Influenza is only one of the many infectious diseases that can affect populations. An even more important point to take from this study is therefore the promotion of hand washing as a generic routine to manage transfer of infections," Dr. Chris van Weel, a professor at Australian National University in Canberra, wrote in an accompanying commentary.

SOURCE: The Lancet, news release, Aug. 6, 2015

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Most U.S. Schools Start Too Early for Kids to Get Enough Sleep: Study

Less than 18 percent of high schools, middle schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Five out of six middle and high schools in the United States start the day too early, which keeps students from getting the sleep they need, a new government report finds.

Middle and high schools should aim for a start time no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to help kids get enough sleep, according to a policy statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics last year.
But a review of U.S. Department of Education data found that slightly less than 18 percent of public middle and high schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later.

The average school start time across the nation was 8:03 a.m., according to the report published in the Aug. 7 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Getting enough sleep is important for students' health, safety and academic performance," said lead author Anne Wheaton, an epidemiologist in the CDC's division of population health. "Early school start times, however, are preventing many adolescents from getting the sleep they need."

Wheaton added that she suspects busing schedules are the leading factor in early school start times.
"For some reason, they chose to start the high school earliest, which really does fight against the biology of the high school students," she said. "They really can't get up early enough."

"It's been a couple of decades the research has been building up to support the AAP's recommendation," Wheaton added. "We're hoping in the coming years we'll see a trend going in the other direction, but it will take time."

Teenagers need to get at least eight hours of sleep per night, but two out of three high school students fail to get their full eight hours of rest on school nights, according to the report. The proportion of students who fail to get sufficient sleep has remained steady since 2007.

Teens who don't get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight, suffer from depression, perform poorly in school and engage in unhealthy behaviors such as drinking, smoking and drug use, the CDC said.

Sleep deprivation can also be a safety issue, given that many older teens are new behind the wheel, Wheaton said.

"A lot of these students are starting to drive," she noted. "As beginning drivers, they're already at a disadvantage. If they're sleepy while driving to school, that's going to increase the danger."
To figure out how many schools are starting too early, CDC and U.S. Department of Education researchers reviewed data from the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey of nearly 40,000 public middle, high and combined schools.

Of the 50 states, 42 reported that between 75 percent and 100 percent of their public schools start the day before 8:30 a.m., the researchers reported.

Hawaii, Mississippi and Wyoming are the states that provide the most hindrance to students trying to get a good night's sleep. None of the schools in those three states had a start time of 8:30 a.m. or later.
On the other hand, more than three out of four schools in Alaska and North Dakota started at 8:30 a.m. or later.

Louisiana had the earliest average school start time (7:40 a.m.), while Alaska had the most delayed (8:33 a.m.), according to the report.

"I'm thrilled this is getting some national attention," said Dr. Safwan Badr, chief of the division of pulmonary & critical care and sleep medicine at Wayne State University's School of Medicine in Detroit. "This is a major public health issue, and the science is very clear on it."

Complex bus transportation demands that involve many different elementary, middle and high schools are a likely reason why some districts set early start times for older students, on the assumption that because they are older they will be better able to cope, Badr said.

But teenagers have a naturally delayed circadian rhythm (body clock), which means they tend to go to sleep later than adults and wake up later, said Badr, who also is a past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

"Your kids are not lazy-bones," he said. "This is how they are wired. If they are getting up at 6 a.m., their brains still want them to get another hour of sleep."

Early start times also give teenagers more time in the afternoon to pursue jobs or after-school activities, and allow parents to get their kids out of the house before they leave for work, said Badr and Dr. Pushpom James, a pediatrician at Staten Island University Hospital in Staten Island, NY.
Parents seeking to delay the school start times in their community often face resistance, the authors pointed out. School officials argue that delaying start times will increase bus transportation costs, force students and teachers to deal with rush-hour traffic, and make it more difficult to schedule athletics and other after-school activities.

Parents who are concerned about their teens' sleep patterns can help by promoting good sleep hygiene, James said.

Parents can set and enforce a regular bed time and rise time, including on weekends. In addition, parents should pull the plug on all electronic entertainment an hour before bed time, including computers, TV, video games, tablets or smartphones, she said.

"An hour before bedtime, they shouldn't be watching TV or on their phone," James said, noting that kids who are exposed to more light in the evening are less likely to get enough sleep.

SOURCES: Safwan Badr, M.D., chief, division of pulmonary & critical care and sleep medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit; Anne Wheaton, epidemiologist, division of population health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Population; Pushpom James, M.D., pediatrician, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, N.Y.; Aug. 7, 2015, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

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Legionnaire's Disease Most Deadly for Frail, Elderly, Experts Say

Outbreak in New York City has already killed 10, sickened 100

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- As New York City health officials work to contain an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, health experts note that the elderly, smokers and those with respiratory conditions are most vulnerable to the potentially deadly bacteria.

So far, 100 people have been infected and 10 have died in the current outbreak, which has been traced to cooling towers in a Bronx neighborhood, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Of those who died, all were older individuals with other medical conditions.
And the outbreak is not over, experts noted Thursday.

"There are probably going to be more cases because the disease has a long incubation period -- 10 to 14 days," said Dr. Robert Glatter, an attending physician in the department of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Another expert explained that the disease is more likely to get a foothold during warm weather.
"Every summer, when we are using air conditioning, the odds of an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease increases," added Dr. Debra Spicehandler, an infectious diseases specialist at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

Hospitals routinely test their water for Legionnaires', she said. However, hotels, apartment buildings and offices are not required to test for it.

Glatter said that most of the people who are affected by Legionnaires' are the elderly, people who smoke and those with chronic medical conditions, such as emphysema or asthma. Children and young adults are usually not affected, he said.

According to Glatter, the bacteria is commonly found in water and soil. "However, when it is able to set up shop in cooling towers where the water is warm, it can reproduce quickly and spread," he said.
But Spicehandler noted that "it's a very simple, treatable disease most of the time."

Among the young and healthy, the infection runs its course without treatment, but among those at high risk, up to 30 percent can die, Glatter said.

Fortunately, Legionnaires' cannot be spread person-to-person, Glatter said. "It is airborne and is contracted by inhaling it or, in theory, through drinking water," he said.

Legionnaires' causes fever, cough and chills, Glatter said. If caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics.

"Death is usually caused by respiratory failure," Glatter said. "The bacteria overwhelms the lung tissue and reduces the ability to get oxygen into the lungs. Asphyxia [suffocation] is the main cause of death," he said. "Death can occur within three to five days or sooner."

Legionnaires' disease was first seen among 2,000 American Legionnaires attending a convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1976, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak was linked to air conditioner cooling towers in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. That outbreak sickened 221 people, and 34 died.

"People should not be alarmed at this point," Glatter said. "The cooling towers are being cleaned and disinfected, and these measures should make the public feel safer," he said.

SOURCES: Robert Glatter, M.D., attending physician, department of emergency medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Debra Spicehandler, M.D., infectious diseases specialist, Northern Westchester Hospital, Mount Kisco, N.Y.

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Kidney Problems Linked to Brain Disorders: Study

Reduced blood flow likely to blame, researcher suggests

 

By Robert Preidt

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Kidney problems can increase the risk of brain disorders, a new study finds.

The findings suggest that protecting kidney health may also benefit the brain, the researchers said.
They studied data from more than 2,600 people in the Netherlands, and found that poor kidney function was strongly associated with decreased blood flow to the brain. They also saw an increased risk of stroke and memory and thinking problems (dementia) in people with kidney problems.
The association was independent of known heart disease risk factors, the researchers said.

The study was published Aug. 6 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

"Our findings provide a possible explanation linking kidney disease to brain disease," Dr. M. Arfan Ikram, an assistant professor of neuroepidemiology at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands, said in a journal news release.

"Also, given that kidney disease and (reduced blood flow to) the brain are both possibly reversible, there might be an opportunity to explore how improving these conditions can ultimately reduce one's risk of developing brain disease," Ikram added.

The researchers also noted that the risk of brain disorders may not be limited to people with chronic kidney disease, but also likely extends to people with milder kidney disorders.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, news release, Aug. 6, 2015

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HIV Cells Keep Duplicating Even When Treatments Are Working: Study

Antiretroviral therapy may affect progression of disease, but virus doesn't disappear

By Robert Preidt

Thursday, August 6, 2015

 

 THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- HIV can continue to multiply in patients who are responding well to antiretroviral therapy, U.K. researchers say.
Treatment advances over the last 30 years mean that HIV -- the virus that causes AIDS -- is suppressed to almost undetectable levels in many patients, and they can live a long and healthy life. It was believed that after many years of successful therapy, a patient's body would naturally rid itself of HIV.

"This research shows that sadly, the HIV virus has found yet another way to escape our treatments," study leader Anna Maria Geretti, a professor from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, said in a university news release.

During treatment, the virus tries to avoid destruction by hiding in blood cells that trigger an immune response. HIV does this by integrating its own genetic information into the DNA of immune system cells called CD4 cells, the investigators explained.

The researchers checked levels of integrated HIV in the CD4 cells of patients who had been receiving antiretroviral therapy for between one to 14 years, and found that the levels were the same in all of the patients.

The results indicate that whenever an HIV-tainted CD4 cell copies itself to produce more cells, it also copies the HIV genes, the researchers said.

Findings from the study were published Aug. 4 in the journal EBioMedicine.

"We always knew HIV is difficult to suppress completely and that it hides inside CD4 cells, but we always hoped that as the body gradually renews its CD4 cells that the hidden HIV would die out. We were surprised to find that the levels of HIV integrated in the CD4 cells didn't reduce over the 14-year period," Geretti said.

"The good news is that we did not see any worsening over time, but the bad news is that these findings really cast doubt over whether HIV can be 'cured' by increasing immune cell responses against it -- a strategy that now looks like it will eventually fail," Geretti concluded.

SOURCE: University of Liverpool, news release, Aug. 4, 2015

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Higher-Dose, Short-Duration Radiation Better for Early Breast Cancer: Study

Treatment offers fewer side effects and better quality of life, researchers say

By Robert Preidt

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A shorter course of radiation therapy is better for women with early stage breast cancer, according to a new study.

Specifically, it found that those who received higher doses of whole breast radiation over a shorter period of time had fewer side effects and a better quality of life than those who received smaller doses of radiation over a longer period of time.

"Patients who received the shorter course reported less difficulty in caring for their families' needs. This is a major priority for women undergoing breast cancer radiation," study first author Dr. Simona Shaitelman, from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said in a center news release.
"Most are busy working mothers, working inside or outside the home, and are juggling a number of priorities. It's paramount that we address this need," explained Shaitelman, who is an assistant professor of radiation oncology.

The study was published Aug. 6 in the journal JAMA Oncology.

Doctors should use this higher-dose approach -- called hypofractionated whole breast irradiation -- as a starting point when discussing treatment options with breast cancer patients, researchers said.
Radiation therapy for breast cancer in the United States is generally given in smaller doses over a longer period of time. This method is called conventionally fractionated whole breast irradiation.
Only one-third of patients who should undergo the new, higher-dose treatment according to American Society of Radiation Oncology guidelines actually receive it, the researchers said.

Their study included nearly 300 women with early breast cancer (stages 0-2). The women were all 40 or older. They had undergone breast conserving surgery ("lumpectomy") and were randomly assigned to receive either the hypofractionated radiation or conventional radiation.

During treatment, those in the higher-dose radiation group had fewer radiation-related side effects such as breast pain, eczema, skin darkening and fatigue than those in the conventional group. Six months after treatment, patients in the hypofractionated group had less fatigue and were better able to care for their families than those in the conventional group.

Dr. Stephanie Bernik is chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She said, "[This study] suggests that women who undergo the accelerated radiation not only benefit from the shorter length of time for treatment, but they also suffer less severe side effects. Women should discuss with their doctor if they are candidates for this type of therapy due to the benefits it offers."
Dr. Benjamin Smith is the study's corresponding author and an associate professor of radiation oncology at MD Anderson. "This study fills in a missing piece in the literature," he said in the news release. "No longer do I regard the shorter course of treatment as just an option for patients, but rather the preferred starting point for discussion with patients if they need whole breast radiation."

SOURCES: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, news release, Aug. 6, 2015; Stephanie Bernik, M.D., chief, surgical oncology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City

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For Pregnant Military Wives, Risks Rise if Partner Deployed

Odds for preterm birth, postpartum depression triples, Fort Bragg study finds

 

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- War is tough on the soldiers sent to fight, but it also might have consequences for wives left behind, a new study suggests.

Pregnant military wives are three times more likely to have a preterm birth or suffer postpartum depression if their spouses are deployed during the entire pregnancy, compared with those whose spouses are serving stateside, a new study reports.

"The stress and the anxiety of not knowing whether your husband was alive during that period" can cause an increase in stress-related hormones in the body, and that stress may interfere with women's pregnancies, said Dr. Christopher Tarney, a U.S. Army captain and an obstetrician/gynecologist with Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Women also might be stressed out because they are going through pregnancy without the support of their spouse, and often without other family or friends around to help, Tarney added.

"We've been at war since 2001," he said. "It's time we start focusing on the spouse and the family members to see what effects these wars have played."

The study focused on 397 women at Fort Bragg who were having their first baby. Of those women, 183 had spouses deployed to a combat zone, while the rest had spouses serving at the military base.
About 21 percent of women with deployed spouses had a preterm birth, meaning they delivered before 37 weeks of gestation. Only 7 percent of women with spouses serving at home had preterm births, the findings showed.

Wives of deployed soldiers also suffered higher rates of postpartum depression, with 16 percent struggling with their mood compared to 6 percent of wives with stateside spouses, according to the report.

Modern communications technology can keep wives in better touch with their deployed spouses, and that might be helpful, Tarney said.

However, many women at Fort Bragg don't have that option, given that the base serves as home to many special operations commands. "They tend to deploy to regions where there isn't that access, and so a lot of those spouses can go prolonged periods of time without knowing what's really going on," Tarney said.

It also can be difficult for soldiers to get leave so they can be with their pregnant wives. "It's at the discretion of the commander to determine whether the mission will permit the soldier to come back," Tarney said. Unless the pregnancy is high-risk, there's not much chance the soldier will be sent home, he added.

Doctors at Womack have set up a group prenatal-care program to better help wives of deployed soldiers, Tarney said. Groups of 10 to 12 women with similar due dates meet with an obstetrician at the same time, forming an ad hoc support group while they receive education for expecting mothers.
"You take a group of women and they go through pregnancy together," said Dr. Wilma Larsen, vice chairwoman of the department of obstetrics/gynecology at Baylor Scott & White Health in Temple, Texas, and an associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Medicine. "That group becomes bonded and gets to know each other, and it can be very beneficial," Larsen said.

The study looked at whether group prenatal care can help lower women's stress and improve their pregnancies, but the results were inconclusive.

"We showed a trend toward a protective effect, but given we didn't have enough numbers, we couldn't really draw statistical significance from it," Tarney said.

Wives whose spouses are deployed also might consider staying with their parents or siblings during their pregnancy, explained Larsen, who is a retired Army colonel.

"Going back to stay with family can be helpful, in terms of decreasing stress," she said. "Faith, family and friends are probably the three things that can be most helpful in that situation."

Military doctors are brainstorming other ways to help the pregnant wives of deployed soldiers, given the results of this study, Tarney said.

"As military physicians, we can't tell commanders and we can't tell Congress not to deploy soldiers," he said. "That's why it's on us as military physicians to find some other strategies to ensure that even when these soldiers are deployed, we're still doing our best for their families."

The study is published in the September issue of the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

SOURCES: Christopher Tarney, M.D., U.S. Army captain and obstetrician/gynecologist, Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Wilma Larsen, M.D., vice chairwoman, department of obstetrics/gynecology, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas, and associate professor, Texas A&M College of Medicine; September 2015, Obstetrics & Gynecology

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Bigger Families Mean More Infections, Study Finds

Study finds the more kids in the family, the longer viruses are present in the household

By Robert Preidt

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Love kids? Having a bunch may have its downside, a new study finds.

Researchers say being part of a big family boosts the risk of passing on viral infections that cause colds, flu and other respiratory woes.

"A lot families go through wave after wave of illness. In fact, some of the kids we monitored had symptoms for 20 to 25 weeks in a row," study co-first author Dr. Carrie Byington, a professor of pediatrics and co-director of the Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Utah, said in a university news release.

The research included 108 people from 26 Utah families. They were monitored for one year, and provided nasal swabs to test for viruses weekly for each family member.

During that time, researchers found that people in childless households were infected with viruses an average of three to four weeks a year. That rose to 18 weeks a year in families with one child, and up to 45 weeks a year in households with six children.

However, only half of the people who tested positive for viral infection had the typical symptoms of coughing, fever and stuffy nose, the study said.

Findings from the study were published recently in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Young children are the main reason why viruses are more common in large families. Children younger than 5 had at least one virus detected in their noses for half the year, which was twice as often as older children and adults. When infected, young children were 1.5 times more likely to have symptoms, including severe ones such as fever and wheezing, the study said.

"This study helps us to understand what is normal in young children, and can help us determine when illness should be a cause for concern," Byington said.

The researchers also found that parents of young children were sick 1.5 times more often than those who did not have young children.

SOURCE: University of Utah, news release, Aug. 5, 2015

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Active As Teen, Free of Diabetes In Later Life?

Findings showed insulin resistance peaks in early adolescence, so exercise crucial during this period

By Robert Preidt

Thursday, August 6, 2015

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of physical activity during the early teen years might reduce the risk of diabetes later in life, a new study suggests.

The research included 300 children who were checked for insulin resistance every year from ages 9 to 16. Insulin resistance is a condition that leads to high blood sugar and is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

At age 13, insulin resistance was 17 percent lower among more physically active youngsters than among those who were less active. However, this difference decreased over the next three years and was gone by age 16.

"Insulin resistance rises dramatically from age 9 to 13 years, then falls to the same extent until age 16. Our study found that physical activity reduced this early-teenage peak in insulin resistance but had no impact at age 16," study author Brad Metcalf, a senior lecturer in physical activity and health at the University of Exeter in England, said in a university news release.

"A reduction in this peak could lessen the demand on the cells that produce insulin during this critical period, which may preserve them for longer in later life," Metcalf said.

"We are not saying that 16-year-olds don't need to be physically active, there are other health benefits to be gained from being active at all ages," he added.

The study was published Aug. 6 in the journal Diabetologia.

The findings could help lead to new ways to reduce insulin resistance in children, Metcalf noted.
In recent decades, there has been a sharp rise in childhood obesity in many industrialized nations, and one in six American children is obese. Obesity is a major factor in insulin resistance.

SOURCE: University of Exeter, news release, Aug. 5, 2015

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Heart and Brain Function Related?

A person’s ability to reason and problem solve may be tied to their heart attack risk, according to a new study.

Researchers recruited nearly 4,000 people around 75 years old who had no history of heart attack, stroke or dementia but did have either heart disease or an increased risk of heart disease from high blood pressure, diabetes or smoking. Participants were given tests to evaluate their high-level thinking skills and placed into groups of low, medium or high based on the results. They were then followed for an average of three years. Men and women in the lowest group were 85 percent more likely to have a heart attack compared to those in the highest group. The lowest scores were also associated with a higher risk of stroke. One of the study authors says the results show that heart and brain function are more closely related than appearances would suggest and that cognitive function should be part of the evaluation of future cardiovascular risk.

I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV with the news doctors are reading – health news that matters to you.

Severe 'Picky Eating' May Point to Mental Health Issues in Kids

1 in 5 young children has limited palate, study finds

 

Monday, August 3, 2015

MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A kid who is a seriously "picky eater" is also likely to struggle with emotional problems like anxiety and depression, new research suggests.

About 3 percent of kids suffer from severe selective eating, to the extent that they can't eat out at a restaurant, said lead researcher Nancy Zucker, an eating disorders specialist at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

These kids are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression or social anxiety, when compared with kids who'll eat anything, according to findings published online Aug. 3 in the journal Pediatrics.

Even kids who are moderate picky eaters -- for example, they only have 10 foods they will reliably eat -- are at increased risk for symptoms of anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, although not to the extent that they can be diagnosed with a disorder, Zucker added.

The researchers discovered that kids who eat selectively are unusually sensitive, and that this sensitivity affects their eating and their emotional health.

"They have a stronger sensitivity to the world outside and to how their body feels," Zucker said. "That sets them up to have more vivid experiences -- more intense food experiences, more intense emotional experiences. None of that is pathological, but it could be a vulnerability for later problems."
These findings should take some of the blame off of the parents, since it's not just a matter of controlling an unruly child, Zucker said.

In this study, researchers looked at more than 3,400 children ages 2 to nearly 6 who were treated at one of Duke's pediatric primary care clinics. Of those, over 900 kids were screened by an in-home evaluation, and their parents filled out psychiatric assessment forms and reported on their eating patterns.

About 20 percent of the kids who were screened had some form of selective eating, researchers found. Of those, 3 percent exhibited signs of severe selective eating and 17 percent were moderately picky eaters.

Children who ate within the normal range of childhood likes and dislikes weren't considered picky eaters. "Kids who disliked broccoli were considered normal," Zucker said.

For severe picky eaters, eating out is too challenging, Zucker said.

"Their sensitivities to smell and other foods are so extreme that eating around other people and all the different smells at a restaurant are too overwhelming," she said.

On the other hand, moderate picky eaters have a limited list of foods they like, but they can manage eating out. "He might not be able to order off the menu, but he's still fine being around food," Zucker said.

The researchers found that selective eaters also are hypersensitive to smell, noise, visual cues and oral textures. They are more likely to avoid food and to have problems swallowing.

Dr. Andrew Adesman is chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park. He said this study raises important questions about the possibility that "picky eaters may have a different sensory experience of tastes. Further research into variations in sensory experience is warranted."

Parents of a severely selective eater should seek out professional help for their child, based on these findings, Zucker said. "That child might not be struggling only with eating that's causing impairment, but also with other psychiatric diagnoses," she said.

However, there aren't many kids who fit this category, Zucker and Adesman noted.

Most of the 17 percent of kids who are moderately picky eaters can be expected to grow out of it, although parents should take steps to help manage their kids' struggle with food, Zucker said.

For example, to ensure that dinnertime remains a pleasant experience, serve foods that are palatable to the picky eater, and introduce new foods at other times of the day, she recommended.

Also, ignore anyone who advises you your kid will eat whatever you serve once they're hungry enough, she said.

"None of us who are hungry become more adventurous," Zucker said. "We become more rigid and set in our ways if we are hungry."

Finally, don't be alarmed if your kids tend to choose processed foods over healthier options.

"Processed foods are easier to chew, and they're very predictable in terms of what they taste like," Zucker said.

SOURCES: Nancy Zucker, Ph.D., eating disorders specialist, and associate professor, psychology and neuroscience, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.; Andrew Adesman, M.D., chief, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; September 2015, Pediatrics

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Septic Tanks May Allow Fecal Matter Into Lakes, Rivers

Experts had assumed that soil would help to filter human waste

By Robert Preidt

Monday, August 3, 2015

MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Septic tanks don't prevent fecal bacteria from seeping into rivers and lakes, according to a new study that dispels a widely held belief that they can.

"All along, we have presumed that on-site wastewater disposal systems, such as septic tanks, were working," Joan Rose, a water expert at Michigan State University, said in a university news release.
"But in this study, sample after sample, bacterial concentrations were highest where there were higher numbers of septic systems in the watershed area," she said.

Rose and her colleagues analyzed samples from 64 river systems in Michigan.

The study was published in the Aug. 3 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Many areas of the United States rely on septic tanks to dispose of human sewage, including Michigan, Florida and South Carolina, the researchers said. They also noted that resort areas near lakes all across the United States often use septic tanks. Regulations on septic tanks vary by state, the researchers said.

Until now, it was thought that soil worked as a natural treatment system that could filter human sewage, the researchers explained.

"For years we have been seeing the effects of fecal pollution, but we haven't known where it is coming from," Rose said.

She added that the study "has important implications on the understanding of relationships between land use, water quality and human health as we go forward."

SOURCE: Michigan State University, news release, Aug. 3, 2015

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Online Anti-Drinking Aids May Not Help Over Long Term

Beefing up electronic programs with human help might make them more effective, expert says

Monday, August 3, 2015

MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Trying to curb alcohol use on your own with web-based or CD programs may not be very effective, a new study reports.

The study found these programs could reduce drinking slightly among adults and college students. But they appeared to be ineffective for reducing binge drinking and the negative social aspects linked with alcohol misuse.

The evidence, researchers said, shows that intense treatment may be needed to reduce drinking levels to recommended limits.

"At this point, the effects of the available brief electronic interventions are small, and evidence that they help people to drink within recommended limits is lacking," said lead researcher Eric Dedert, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences from Duke University School of Medicine, in Durham, N.C.

"However, electronic interventions for alcohol misuse hold significant promise, and there is a need to develop more intensive interventions," he said.

The report was published in the Aug. 4 Annals of Internal Medicine.

The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) guidelines say low-risk drinking for women means no more than three drinks in a single day, and no more than seven drinks in a week. For men, low-risk drinking means no more than four drinks in a single day and no more than 14 drinks a week.

To see if electronic programs were effective, Dedert and colleagues reviewed 28 previous studies.
The review included a range of electronic interventions. Interventions were delivered by CD-ROM, desktop computers in clinics, online delivery, mobile applications, or interactive voice response on the phone or computer, Dedert said.

"The most common electronic interventions in our review were brief, consisting of one-time interventions in which individuals would enter information about how much alcohol they drank, and then receive information on how their alcohol intake compared to their peer group," he explained.
Other common treatment techniques were goal setting and providing information on the negative effects of drinking on physical health and overall functioning, Dedert said.

"Though human support for these electronic interventions was typically absent or limited, a minority of interventions was supplemented by 1.5 to 6.5 hours of support, including phone counseling. Electronic intervention also varied in duration, ranging from a single, two-minute interaction to as many as 62 interactions for more than a year," he said.

Dedert added that some electronic interventions are freely available, including the "Rethinking Drinking" tool on the NIAAA website.

The researchers found that electronic interventions may work slightly to reduce alcohol consumption in the short term.

Specifically, for people using electronic interventions, there was evidence of reduced alcohol intake of an average of one less drink per week, with diminishing effects at 12 months. This was true of both college students and non-college adults, Dedert said.

There was little evidence that electronic interventions led to any significant long-term changes, the study found.

Few trials reported on other clinically significant outcomes, such as meeting drinking-limit guidelines, fewer binge-drinking episodes, reducing the social consequences of drinking, and cutting alcohol-related health problems.

"The available data provided insufficient evidence in support of a benefit of electronic interventions for these outcomes," he said.

In addition, only a few trials have investigated electronic interventions for alcohol use disorders, which are a more severe form of alcohol misuse, Dedert said.

Dr. James Garbutt, a professor of psychiatry from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, said, "The underlying idea is of interest -- can we use brief and inexpensive electronic interventions to help individuals reduce their harmful drinking?"

But, "these data suggest that stronger electronic interventions, possibly including interventions from a live human being, may be necessary to attain more meaningful improvements in drinking behavior," Garbutt said.

SOURCES: Eric Dedert, Ph.D., assistant professor, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.; James Garbutt, M.D., professor, psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Aug. 4, 2015, Annals of Internal Medicine

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Liquid Nicotine From E-Cigs Poses Poison Danger to Kids

Even small amounts of the chemical can cause serious illness, expert says

By Robert Preidt

Monday, August 3, 2015

MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Nicotine poisoning is a growing concern for American children, but proposed U.S. federal government regulations alone aren't enough to solve the problem, an expert says.

The increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes has led to a number of cases of nicotine poisoning in recent years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hopes to require warning labels and child-resistant packaging on liquid nicotine products, such as those used in e-cigarettes. Even a small amount of liquid nicotine can be lethal, Jonathan Foulds, a professor of public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine, said in a university news release.

The proposed FDA measures would help, but it's important for adults to consistently use the provided childproofing features and to keep all sources of nicotine out of children's reach, said Foulds.

"Simply put, nicotine is a poison and consumers need to take responsibility for keeping it away from children, whether it is in a childproof container or not," he said.

A nicotine overdose can cause anxiety, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, loss of consciousness or even death. All nicotine-containing products -- including cigarettes, liquid nicotine and nicotine-replacement lozenges -- can be harmful to youngsters and should come in childproof containers, Foulds explained.

"There are hundreds of cases of poisoning from cigarettes every year, and so all nicotine products, including cigarettes, should be in childproof packages," he said.

SOURCE: Penn State University, news release, July 23, 2015

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