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Walgreens Boots Alliance, the parent company of Boots UK, has begun a strategic review of its business in the United Kingdom, chief executive officer Rosalind Brewer said on Tuesday (January 11) - as the pharmacy chain tries to renew its focus on US healthcare. Boots has over 2,200 stores across the UK, which include pharmacies, health and beauty stores, among others, according to the chain's website. "This review is very much in line with our renewed priorities and strategic direction. In particular, our increased focus on US healthcare. While the process is at an exploratory stage, we do expect to move quickly," Brewer said at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. The review comes at a time when the company, which was formed in 2014 after the acquisition of stake in Alliance Boots by Walgreens, moves beyond its drugstores with its investments in two smaller healthcare providers, CareCentrix and VillageMD.

estrogen receptor Beta and alpha discussed in the endometrium through menstrual cycle.  This study focus' on human endometrium

Review of the physiological roles of GH and IGF-1 during exercise.  The focus is on maximizing the normal physiologic response, not supra physiologic.

could the flu vaccine cause a short-term increase in cardiovascular event risk?  According to this study yes.  So, with a recent study showing no benefit in children and adults, then with this finding of increased arterial dysfunction, increased CRP and fibrinogen, and increased LDL oxidation...why would an adult get the flu vaccine??? The focus should be on what the science shows, not an individuals bias!

Continuous changes in the healthcare reimbursement criteria require executives across the industry to focus on enterprise-wide changes that have a positive effect on supply chain savings. It's a complex problem and it's easy to get distracted on one issue when having the ability to see a clear BIG picture of your entire supply chain is what can lead to the most dramatic results and return on investments. Register for MHS' webinar on November 01 (2:00pm EST) to learn about how their customers experience an average 4:1 ROI with continual savings into the millions and a positive financial impact to their bottom line through inventory reduction, avoidance of obsolete and expired inventory, improved charge capture for each patient, and physician preference card optimization. Click on http://bit.ly/UvD3nq Presenters *Michael Ferris: Co-Founder, MHS with over 30 years of supply chain management experience *Steve Basiliere: Former Director of Supply Chain Services at Saints Medical Center, Lowell, MA *Art Kozyrovicius: Finance and Procurement Systems Support at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY WHY ATTEND? Join a unique discussion with healthcare supply chain thought leaders and understand how to drive significant and sustainable supply chain operational improvements. Get a jump on making an immediate and positive impact on your bottom line as you head into 2013. Register by clicking on http://bit.ly/UvD3nq Note: Event will be online, through WebEx Please Register at http://bit.ly/UvD3nq

How do environmental chemicals interfere?  This study shows how Bisphenol A actually interferes at the site of the estrogen receptor alpha.  Bisphenol A decreased the efficacy of chemotherapy in ER +/- breast cancer.  Again, the focus is on the interaction with ER alpha.

Panax ginseng may be helpful in ADD and ADHD, especially for focus/attention symptoms.

Individuals with type II DM, found to have blunted morning cortisol and decreased hippocampal volume.  The hippocampus is the focus of memory.  This is similar to what is found in PTSD.

This study finds that AGE, advanced glycation end products, play a significant role in free radical generation and neurodegenerative disease. Quote: "... pharmacologoical approaches which break the vicious cycle of oxidative stress and neurodegeneration offer new opportunities for the treatment of AD. These approaches include AGE- inhibitors, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory substances which prevent radical production." They focus on the pharmacological, how about the natural first?

discussion of the declining levels of androgens in the aging male.  But the focus of this entire article is wrong.  They are focusing on the blood levels of these androgens.  The biological effects of hormones occur in tissue not blood.  Though this article provides a good discussion of how transport of androgens are effected, it falls far short of providing any useful clinical application, because it fails to discuss peripheral levels of androgens.  

good, detailed discussion of HPAG signaling with a focus on the role of Kisspeptin--a GNRH secretagogue.

Studies like this surprise me. This study lauds the benefit of metformin as a breast cancer protective in postmenopuasal womb.  Their focus is on the bandaid--the prescription drug.  They completely ignore the cause--glucose.  The Warburg effect in cancer is well known.  Limit simple sugar intake and support oxidative phosphorylation will do the same.  That is treating the cause.

Curcumin, best taken in form from Turmeric, found to significantly prevent diabetes progression and improve Beta islet cell function.  The dosage used in this 9 month trial was 1500 mg taken in divided dosing.  A major point is that turmeric actually improved pancreatic beta islet cell function and prevented Diabetes.  As "health" care providers our focus should be on prevention of disease.

2013 ACOG opinion on environmental toxins and women.  This opinion piece focus' primarily on pregnancy.

Again, Testosterone and here Estradiol are merely there for libido and sex.  What tunnel vision?!  What about hsCRP?  What about fibrinogen?  What about IL-1beta?  What about TNF-alpha?  These inflammatory cytokines have all been reported to elevate as a result of estrogen production in men.   And PSA?  No mention of it here.   This linear, tunnel vision thinking on hormones has got to stop! The study points out that all clients were using AIs and SERMs irregardless of whether they had elevated estrogens or not.  That is not a well designed study.  One group should have had AI's if elevated estrogens were present and another group should not--this would compare the effects of aromatase activity.  Second, this was simply a retrospective chart review.  Third, a 50% conversion of 34,000 + men is very high when you look at the literature.  Fourth, they point to gynecomastia as a means of negative?  The cardiovascular implications are more significant.  These studies just seem to focus on superficial things.  Fifth, did libido problems exist before?  What were the free levels?   This falls in the paucity of data (2 studies) that point to excessive lowering of estradiol effecting libido and sexual performance.

Study worries over the risks of supplements and prescription drugs.  The author should worry more over the lack of knowledge by physicians of the health benefits of supplements.  Instead of focusing on the prescriptions themselves, how about focusing on the supplements to reduce the need for the prescriptions.  This authors focus is all wrong.   Obviously, the patient needs to be forthcoming with his/her physician about all supplements that they are on.  

I like this study.  So many men, and women for that matter, focus on cardio for health and weight loss.  In men, low Testosterone is associated with aging as is weight.  This inverse relationship leads to the sarcopenic (belly, manboobs, and thin arms/legs) obesity so prevalent in older men today.  This study found that older men do have lower levels of enzymes and androgens from muscle biopsies as compared to younger men.  A 12 week resistance training regimen of only knee flexion and extension (simple) resulted in increased 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.  

Estrogen receptors are primarily located inside the nucleus and in the cytoplasm; not on the cell membrane surface. This article specifically focus' on the non-genomic action of ER-beta.  ER-alpha and ER-beta are classic transcription factors.