A new study of the H1N1 flu virus shows that the pathogen is more virulent than previously thought. Writing in a report published July 13 in the journal Nature, an international team of researchers led by University of Wisconsin-Madison virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka provides a detailed portrait of the pandemic virus and its pathogenic qualities.
Japan's recession is idling both industrial and toy robots there, but the situation apparently isn't so dire in American industry. Ford uses robots to test new air bag sensors on its 2009 F-150 pickup to Taurus models; this Ford photo shows a robot inflicting a door impact simulating a hard-thrown ball.
Adverse work conditions may be to blame for the decline in the number of primary care physicians nationwide, according to a study published in the latest issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Focused on prevention and control, the new network will "unite currently fragmented efforts by bringing the cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes and respiratory communities together with tobacco control, healthy diets and physical activity advocates," the agency said.
According to Dr. Mary Capelli-Schellpfeffer, medical director of Loyola University Health System Occupational Health Services, people who come to work sick are more likely to hinder than help their company.
University of Alabama at Birmingham biomedical engineering undergraduate students are working to develop a computer program that can be downloaded on home computers and synched with the wireless technology of the Wii remote to teach users proper CPR technique.
In a suit filed this week in New York, the government says the company has an extensive history of operating under unsanitary conditions and producing cheese contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can cause serious illness and death.
Called a "revolutionary tool," it will allow the public to track environmental exposures and chronic health conditions.
In addition, EPA alleges the manufacturer violated notification and recordkeeping requirements and requirements to continuously monitor emissions from its boilers.
HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality announced "Consejos de Salud Para Ti," (Health Advice for You), a new monthly online health advice column for Spanish-speaking consumers.
The Weight of the Nation Conference taking place July 27-29 will explore best practices and strategies for primary prevention in workplaces, schools, and medical care.
"Each of these individuals brings with them valuable expertise in their respective fields, and I am grateful for their decision to serve in my administration," the president said.
A registered nurse who directed an allergy testing health care fraud scheme, was sentenced to nine years in prison and ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution, federal law enforcement officials announced.
The Association for Molecular Pathology has released a set of key principles to guide the organization's public policy advocacy amid current effort in Congress and the Obama administration to reform the nation's health care system. These core principles specifically address the practice of clinical laboratory medicine and the use of molecular-based diagnostic tests.
HEAT STRESS
Many workers are medicated today for various ailments, but few are aware of the dangers their drugs can cause with heat stress.
The American public's concern about potentially pandemic influenza A(H1N1) waned in early May as schools in some affected states reopened and Mexico appeared to have its outbreak in hand. The number of confirmed cases and countries in which they were found continued to rise steadily, however, primarily in the Americas and Europe, the World Health Organization reported.
In addition, the agency renewed funding for five years for two current injury control centers in Baltimore and Chapel Hill, N.C.
Total annual health care costs reached $2.4 trillion in 2008 and are projected to reach $3.1 trillion in 2012. In fact, there appears to be no end in sight to this trend.1 As a result, organizations and individuals continue to search for strategies to deal with escalating health care costs that are outpacing the rate of inflation.
The voice is the primary occupational tool for many professions, yet rarely do we think about the demands placed on the human voice. If a famous singer cancels a concert tour due to a voice problem—that might make the news. Yet every day, millions of Americans spend the majority of their work day using their voice in some capacity, especially workers such as salespersons and schoolteachers.
User weight is an important consideration when determining personal protective equipment for workers. Most fall protection product capacity rates up to 310 pounds, a weight aligned with most safety standards' and regulations' test criteria. Users should note that product capacity is more than just user weight, because it includes all clothing and equipment attached to the worker.