Group items tagged

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

A seasonal variation of calcitropic hormones, bone turnover and bone mineral density in early and mid-puberty girls - a cross-sectional study. Viljakainen HT, Palssa A, Kärkkäinen M, Jakobsen J, Cashman KD, Mølgaard C, Lamberg-Allardt C. Br J Nutr. 2006 Jul;96(1):124-30. PMID: 16870000 Seasonal variation in S-25-OHD and bone remodelling markers accompanied by negative correlation between S-25-OHD and S-iPTH was seen in this cross-sectional study of adolescent girls. In addition, the seasonal rhythm contributed 7.0-7.6 % difference in the BMD of lumbar vertebrae and left femur in early puberty girls. This variation should be avoided since it could hamper peak bone mass attainment.

Childhood sun exposure influences risk of multiple sclerosis in monozygotic twins. Islam T, Gauderman WJ, Cozen W, Mack TM. Neurology. 2007 Jul 24;69(4):381-8. PMID: 17646631 Conclusion: Early sun avoidance seems to precede the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). This protective effect is independent of genetic susceptibility to MS.

The association of solar ultraviolet B (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates. Grant WB, Garland CF. Anticancer Res. 2006 Jul-Aug;26(4A):2687-99. PMID: 16886679 CONCLUSION: These results provide additional support for the hypothesis that solar UVB, through photosynthesis of vitamin D, is inversely-associated with cancer mortality rates, and that various other cancer risk-modifying factors do not detract from this link. It is thought that sun avoidance practices after 1980, along with improved cancer treatment, led to reduced associations in the latter period. The results regarding solar UVB should be studied further with additional observational and intervention studies of vitamin D indices and cancer incidence, mortality and survival rates.

I have been inundated with letters asking about Professor Marshall's recent "discovery." Some have written that to say they have stopped their vitamin D and are going to avoid the sun in order to begin the "Marshall protocol." The immediate cause of this angst is two publications, a press article in Science Daily about Professor Marshall's "study" (which is no study but simply an opinion) in BioEssays. Dr. Trevor Marshall has two degrees, both in electrical engineering

25(OH)D Serum levels decline with age earlier in women than in men and less efficiently prevent compensatory hyperparathyroidism in older adults. Maggio D, Cherubini A, Lauretani F, Russo RC, Bartali B, Pierandrei M, Ruggiero C, Macchiarulo MC, Giorgino R, Minisola S, Ferrucci L. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005 Nov;60(11):1414-9. PMID: 16339327 Conclusions. These findings suggest that the age-associated fall of serum 25(OH)D starts earlier in women than in men and that higher levels of 25(OH)D are required in older compared to younger persons to avoid the age-associated compensatory hyperparathyroidism.

Is the MP Treatment for Sarcoidosis Helpful for Other Chronic Diseases? MP's Vitamin D Theories Are Not Supported by Lab Studies. Updated July 2, 2008 "The MP treatment plan was originally designed to treat an inflammatory condition known as sarcoidosis. The treatment consists of using the drug Benicar, combined with the avoidance of all sources of vitamin D, and eventually adding various antibiotics, especially minocycline. After being used by sarcoidosis patients for some years, it was then theorized and claimed that the treatment could treat other inflammatory conditions. Eventually it was also claimed that it could treat fibromyalgia and CFS, conditions which are not recognized by the medical literature as being inflammatory in nature. "

"Hi! This is Amy Proal. I wrote the article referenced at the start of the thread about vitamin D. Dr. Marshall is not concerned with vitamin D toxicity. Rather his molecular modeling research has clarified the actions of the two vitamin D metabolites 25-D and 1,25-D. The Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) is a fundamental receptor of the body - it controls the expression thousands of genes, as well as the activity of the innate immune system and the antimicrobial peptides. If you think of the VDR as a switch, 25-D (which is a corticosteroid) turns it off (inactivates it) and 1,25-D turn it on (activates it). What is commonly believed among vitamin D researchers is that if people supplement with extra vitamin D it will be converted into 1,25-D and activate the VDR. Unfortunately, Marshall's work revealed that the type of vitamin D derived from supplements and sun remains, for the most part, in it's precursor form 25-D. This means that the extra vitamin D we get from fortified food products and supplements is turning the VDR off, not on. That causes a decrease in immune function and gene transcription."

My plans to take vitamin D seemed well funded (lots of positive research these days about high vitamin D levels) and then I stumbled upon this article that promotes the views of Trevor Marshall. "The Truth About Vitamin D: Fourteen Reasons Why Misunderstanding Endures", by Amy Proal (a biologist), 15/09/2007 http://bacteriality.com/2007/09/15/vitamind/

"I recently received an email from the Vitamin D Council regarding recent evidence that having adequate serum Vitamin D levels could be very important to avoiding illness from the H1N1 (swine) flu that is making the rounds. That will seem intuitive to those of you who read my earlier post about D, but it's good to see some real evidence. Some of you may have seen this information already on other blogs, including Richard's, but I have some new information and some comments to add."