STATES CHRONICLE – Scientists developed an alternative to flu vaccines which will make needlephobes rejoice. They created a patch which works like a plaster, and is as effective against influenza as any shot. Also, it has no side effects and can be used by anybody.

The patch has micro-needles which deliver the vaccine

The team of scientists from Georgia Tech have been testing this patch since June 2015. Participants were aged between 18 and 49 and, in order to be suitable for the trials, they needn’t have received a flu shot in the previous year.

The patch isn’t completely needle-free, but you shouldn’t worry. It as a hundred micro-needles, but they are as tiny as hair follicles and deliver no sting. Patients need to stick it on their skin, and the needles deliver the immunization shot directly into the skin. You don’t even have to go to the doctor, and you’re safe from the flu.

This type of immunization is cheaper and more accessible

Mark Prausnitz, one of the main scientists who worked on the vaccine, said that they devised this type of ‘needled’ patch to make vaccines more accessible. Also, apart from no longer having to visit a medical professional to get a flu shot, this vaccination alternative brings no adverse effects as itchiness or redness so typical of traditional shots.

This vaccine alternative is also economic. You can administer it yourself, and you can choose to transport it with you wherever you go, without needing to refrigerate it. The patch can be safely sent to other people as well and, after use, it can be thrown away anywhere, since the micro-needles have dissolved and it poses no biological hazard.

This immunization method might be practical and easy to administer yourself, but the most important thing about it is another one. It is effective. Scientists compared the responses of the antibodies in patients who received both patches and intramuscular vaccines, and found them similar. Also, these responses were present in the patch group even after six months.
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STATES CHRONICLE – On Friday, a doctor from Oklahoma was charged with second-degree murder after five of her patients suffered deadly overdoses from taking painkillers and other dangerous medicine. Investigators claimed the combination of these drugs proved deadly for the patients.

Increasing opioid epidemics in the US

This case is one of the state’s many attempts to solve the opioid crisis, so many other doctors and medical professionals were charged with murder and sentenced to prison after their patients overdosed. A judge from the County of Oklahoma issued a warrant for the arrest of Regan Nichols, after several of her patients died while she was working at a clinic in Midwest City.

In 2015, around 33,000 deaths in the United States were caused by opioids, mostly heroin and prescription painkillers. Since 2000, the number of these deaths increased greatly, and determined the authorities to do something to stop this opioid epidemic.

The doctor prescribed dangerous combinations of drugs

Mike Hunter, the Attorney General in Oklahoma, declared that Nichols prescribed way too many opioid drugs, which put the lives of her patients in danger. The investigation revealed that, between 2010 and 2014, she prescribed over 3 million doses of dangerous medicine.

For instance, in 2010, a 47-year-old patient received a prescription from Nichols for anti-anxiety drugs, muscle relaxants, and opioid painkillers. This combination is regarded as deadly by both investigators and other medical experts. As a result, the patient was dead after six days.

The same case occurred in 2012 but, this time, the patient hadn’t received a thorough examination since 2008. Surprisingly, this patient survived for one month, despite having taken a worrying amount of narcotics which should have worked as a red light for Nichols.

Investigators claim that Nichols prescribed the patients drugs they didn’t need. Also, she combined three dangerous types of medicine, which most often lead to deadly overdose. Therefore, she was charged with second-degree murder.
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STATES CHRONICLE – Air pollution is at peak, so you need to know how to protect your lungs from it. The American Lung Association put up a few guidelines for people who suffer from chronic lung conditions, but they might come in handy for all people who want to keep themselves healthy.

How to see when air pollution levels are high

First of all, you need to know how high are the levels of pollution in your area. It’s not that hard to find out if you live in an environment with polluted air, since there are many websites which register the levels of air pollution.

If you don’t trust them, you can always download a special app which checks these levels itself. This app will help you plan your time outside, and know when the pollution levels are high in the air. Therefore, you will never be caught unprepared.

You can avoid polluting and keep the air clean

Now you may think you can’t simply stay inside if the levels of air pollution are too high. If you love physical activity, there are plenty of ways to exercise inside as well. If you can’t do your exercise routine at home, you can try gyms or other places with plenty of space. If there’s no way for you to be active inside, at least choose a place with less traffic, where the level of fumes is lower.

You can control the air you breathe at home as well. For instance, using less electricity helps you keep the air cleaner, as well as avoiding equipment for the yard which uses gasoline as fuel. Also, the burning of trash or wood produces soot, which pollutes the atmosphere and is extremely bad for the lungs.

Even if you drive yourself is bad, not only inhaling traffic fumes from other cars. Therefore, if you have the option to walk, choose walking instead of driving, or ride a bike. This not only helps your lung, but also prevents you from polluting and keeps the air cleaner.
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STATES CHRONICLE – On Wednesday, San Francisco became the first city in the United States to ban flavored tobacco. The officials passed a measure which forbids the sale of e-cigarette tobacco liquid containing flavors. This measure should prevent young people from taking up smoking.

Flavored tobacco liquid tricks youngsters into starting smoking

Such a ban received unanimous votes for the first time in our nation. Malia Cohen was the main sponsor of the bill, and the Supervisor who proposed it. When asked about the motivations of the ban, she said that flavored tobacco products were usually the first teenagers use if they started smoking. Flavors like banana, cotton candy, or menthol entice children and allow them to become addicted.

Cohen says that tobacco companies have always targeted young people, since they are easier to convince and to take up smoking. Also, the industry deceives them with tempting flavors which, in fact, cool the throat and prevent it from feeling irritation.

Business owners oppose the measure

San Francisco is the first city to require a complete ban on flavored tobacco liquid. Other cities and states imposed some limitations on the access and commercialization of such liquid, but it can still be purchased from stores.

Small business owners oppose this measure, and call it non-effective. If people can no longer buy flavored tobacco liquid from their city, nothing stops them to order it online or to purchase it from a different city or state. Also, removing the product from their shelves can seriously affect their business.

Miriam Zouzounis, one of the members of the Arab American Grocers Associations, said they couldn’t compete with big stores which sell mostly food products.

“Those tobacco products aren’t 100 percent of our revenue, but they are an anchor product.”

The bill needs a second vote to pass, which will be given next week. However, most officials expect the result to be positive. If this happens, all the regulations will be enforced next April.
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STATES CHRONICLE – Researchers are concerned that Americans might be taking too many vitamin D supplements. Studies showed they had started taking more than the daily recommended dosage, which could be risky. There is not much information on the effects of too much vitamin D, but research say it might be harmful.

People have exceeded the daily recommended dosage of vitamin D

A study from 2014 showed that a little bit over 3 percent of American adults took more than 4,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D every day. This is far more than the recommended dosage, which is 600 IUs for adults younger than 70, and 800 IUs for those aged 70 or older.

Researchers advise people to be extremely careful, since taking more supplements is not always a good thing. There are not many studies looking at how the body reacts to a vitamin excess, but scientists made a few observations. People might end up with too much calcium in their blood, which can produce deposits inside the blood vessels.

Vitamin D is essential to maintain the health of the bones, and some people are afraid that they might not be getting enough. Therefore, in a desperate try to avoid any deficiencies, people take too much of it.

Excessive supplements are not always good

Apart from keeping bones healthy, vitamin D has other advantages as well. These include a lower risk of developing cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression, or even early death. Many people indeed suffer from vitamin deficiency and need supplements, but they should not overdo it.

Researchers looked at surveys and saw how people started taking more and more supplements, until they overpassed the daily recommended dosage by many IUs. This increase was observed among all age groups and ethnicities, but older people, women, and white people were more likely to exceed the limits.

Vitamin D can be acquired from sunlight. Therefore, instead of taking too many supplements and ending up with other health problems, people should spend more time in the outdoors and can their vitamin deposits naturally.
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STATES CHRONICLE – A team of researchers performed several clinical trials on a vaccine which can lower cholesterol levels. If the vaccine proves effective in humans, it might work as an effective way to keep heart disease away which does not require people to take pills every day.

A vaccine which attacks bad cholesterol

The trial was performed on mice, and the results have been summed up in a paper published in the European Heart Journal. The study has been developed by the creators of the vaccine, AFFiRis, an Austrian pharmaceutical company. AT04A, as the shot is called, targets a certain enzyme related to high cholesterol levels.

This enzyme prevents receptors from getting rid of the bad cholesterol. Therefore, this might lead to its accumulation in blood vessels (atherosclerosis), thus increasing the risk of developing heart disease. There is a treatment for this condition, namely statins, but it implies taking a pill every day, which is a bit unpractical.

The shot had long-lasting effects in the test mice

To test the vaccine, researchers put the test mice on a special diet rich in heavy fats and determine them to develop atherosclerosis. Then, they injected them with the vaccine, and found they had 53 percent less cholesterol than the control mice. Also, they exhibited 64 percent less damage from atherosclerosis.

A previous test which used the antibodies from the vaccine showed that they were effective, but their effect went away quite rapidly. This was also unpractical, since the costs for new treatment supplies were too high. However, the new data shows that antibodies remain in mice for a longer period, suggesting that the vaccine is effective.

Researchers now hope they can apply the same treatment to humans. If antibodies successfully persist in our organism as well, we can say we have the first long-term method to keep heart disease away and to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol.
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STATES CHRONICLE – Mylan’s EpiPen, the emergency solution to treat allergies, is a bit expensive, making it difficult to afford it. Fortunately, the FDA approved a cheaper and more accessible alternative, which should become available for purchase this year. Symjepi is the medicine in question, produced by Adamis Pharmaceuticals.

Epinephrine injectors are vital for people with allergies

Symjepi resembles EpiPen, and is a syringe which allows people to inject epinephrine and save their own life if they are struggling with a severe allergic reaction. Epinephrine is a type of adrenaline which can combat the effects of anaphylaxis, namely reducing the swelling of blood vessels and reducing breathing difficulties.

Usually, people exhibit anaphylactic reactions after insect stings, latex, or after they consume certain foods or take certain medicine. Around 8 percent of American children have several types of food allergies, and around 38 percent of them suffer severe allergic reactions. Therefore, having an epinephrine syringe around is crucial for them.

A cheaper and easier to use alternative to the EpiPen

Therefore, Adamis decided to create an easier to use epinephrine injector. Moreover, Symjepi will be smaller, and easier to carry around. They haven’t set a specific price yet, but the company’s spokesperson declared they wanted to make it cheaper and more accessible than an EpiPen. Also, they want to create a ‘junior’ version of the pen, suitable for children, with a smaller amount of epinephrine.

The company came up with the idea after EpiPen prices started soaring. In 2007, the pen was available for only $94 but, without insurance, they come at prices between $630 and $700. After receiving intense criticism for rising the prices, the company released a generic and cheaper version, which is still quite expensive ($225-$425).

There prices are a bit exaggerate, since the manufacturing costs of a single pen are lower than $20. What makes everything harder is the fact that these pens need to be replaced every year. However, researchers found that they are good to use up to four years after the expiry date.
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STATES CHRONICLE – On June 14^th, we celebrated World Blood Donor Day, and honored those people who take time to donate blood and save a life. Many wanted to follow their examples, so numerous blood drives have been organized all over the country. You can still donate until the end of the week, and find out when you can come and give blood again.

Why you should become a blood donor

Some people have never donated blood. Many of them take this for granted, and say there’s no need for their blood if there are already so many other people who donate. On the other hand, there are others who have understood how important it is to be a blood donor. One such example is Lynn Chan.

Lynn Chan is the mother of three children, and she has donated blood since she was 18. She does this at least two or three times a year, sometimes even more often if hospitals are in urgent need of blood. Chan has started appreciating more the value of being a blood donor since she became a mother.

In case of an emergency, she wants hospitals to have enough blood supply to save lives, especially if someone dear to her might be in need of a transfusion. So far, Chan has donated for organizations like the American Red Cross.

Hospitals need blood during summer

These organizations stress the need of blood donors during summer. Many people are on vacation in this period, high schools are closed, and blood drives get scarce. Therefore, they ask for the help of the community and encourage people to donate.

If you are willing to help, you can donate once every 56 days. The centers will perform all the blood tests to see if you are eligible. The American Red Cross will hold more blood donating events in the month to come, so don’t hesitate to become a blood donor and get the chance to save a life.
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STATES CHRONICLE – Obesity rates are on the rise all over the world, causing around 4 million deaths. This condition is closely associated with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, which are the leading causes of mortality. One way to prevent them is to know who is exposed to a higher risk, and measuring the BMI of a person might not be the best indicator.

People don’t need a high BMI to suffer from metabolic problems

You might notice that a layer of fat has accumulated around your waist, but your BMI is still among normal lines. However, this doesn’t mean you are perfectly healthy, or you are free from all risks. Keep in mind that a normal body mass index does not account for all problems you might experience, so a more effective method of monitoring should be found.

So far, people see obesity in terms of a high BMI, and it’s hard to think otherwise, since most studies rely on it to characterize obese people. However, this indicator is related only to weight, and does not account for other possible health problems. Indeed, they can arise from being overweight, but certain issues can appear even when the indicator is lower.

BMI does not account for the distribution of body fat

What is at fault about BMI is that it correlates weight and height, and doesn’t take into account body fat in general. Therefore, it would be more advisable to look at waist size when determining possible future problems. This is important, since a person with a normal index but more fat concentrated in the abdominal area has twice the risk of an obese person.

Moreover, many obese people are metabolically healthy, while others are not, even though they have a normal weight. Therefore, instead of using BMI as a shortcut to identify risk factors, we should divert our attention to other indicators.

May Clinic proposed a new indicator, BVI (body volume indicator). This should be more effective, since it uses a software which scans your body and determines the fat distribution across your body. However, it is quite difficult to implement, but at least some medical experts have realized BMI is not enough to account for all health risks.
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STATES CHRONICLE – A new study sponsored by the state of California has analyzed the impact that legalizing marijuana would have on the local economy. It discovered how a market of legal cannabis would be worth more than $5 billion. Also, it will boost the economy by turning the state into a top destination for pot lovers. However, there are drawbacks as well.

Some Californians might still choose to buy pot from the illegal market

The study was developed by the Agricultural Issues Center of the University of California, and looked for the advantages of a legal marijuana market. Great economic boosts are to come, but only if people start buying pot legally.

Now you may wonder why they shouldn’t go acquire marijuana from the official market, once it became legal. Researchers suggest that around 29 percent of the consumer might stick to the black market at the beginning, since this would be cheaper.

Before selling cannabis, producers need to test and track it. This would lead to a tax increase, and around 15 percent of its value should go to these taxes. Therefore, some consumers might choose to still buy pot illegally and avoid paying these taxes.

California officials want to fully bring marijuana into legality

The State Bureau of Marijuana Control was the institution which sponsored this study. They saw that the economic prospect is encouraging, and hope to manage to convince black market consumers to switch to the legal one.

This November, the bill proposing the legalization of recreational marijuana use will be presented., Then, the state hopes to start issuing licenses for producers to test, transport, and sell cannabis as early as January next year.

However, officials will have to struggle with the underground market, which is already well-established and hard to bring into legality. However, they hope they would be able to annihilate this activity and make marijuana selling transparent.
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