Infection linked to dangerous blood clots in veins and lungs

ScienceDaily (Apr. 3, 2012) ? Research shows iOlder adults who get infections of any kind -- such as urinary, skin, or respiratory tract infections -- are nearly three times more likely to be hospitalized for a dangerous blood clot in their deep veins or lungs, University of Michigan Health System research shows.

The most common predictor of hospitalization for venous thromboembolism -- a potentially life-threatening condition that includes both deep-vein and lung blood clots -- was recent exposure to an infection, according to the study released April 3 ahead of print in Circulation.

"Over half of older Americans who were hospitalized for such blood clots had an infection in the 90 days prior to the hospitalization," says lead author Mary Rogers, Ph.D., M.S., research assistant professor in Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and research director of the Patient Safety Enhancement Program at the U-M Health System and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

"This is important because infections are common and many people do not link infections with developing blood clots. In fact, many educational websites do not list infections as a risk factor for blood clots -- but they are."

The study comes as the rate of hospitalization for venous thromboembolism steadily increases in the United States, with more than 330,000 hospital admissions for this condition a year.

"We would like to decrease the number of preventable hospitalizations, both for the benefit of the patient and to help bring down the cost of medicine," says Rogers, pictured left. "We wanted to study the triggers of hospitalization to help us understand what is driving such admissions and to think about actions we can take in order to prevent these hospitalizations."

If the infection occurred during a previous hospital or nursing home stay, patients were nearly seven times more likely to be admitted for a blood clot. Those who got the infection at home were nearly three times more likely to be sent to the hospital for a blood clot within 90 days.

The study also found that other strong predictors of hospitalization for blood clots included blood transfusions and drugs prescribed to stimulate red blood cell production (known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents), which are sometimes given to treat anemia. The risk of hospitalization for blood clots was nine times greater after the use of these drugs.

Rogers and her colleagues conducted the study using participants in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally-representative sample of older Americans, and combined their information with Medicare files. The Health and Retirement Study is conducted by the U-M Institute for Social Research on behalf of the National Institute of Aging.

"There is a national effort to decrease infections in hospitals but we need to pay attention to prevention regardless of where we are. Older Americans can help out by keeping up-to-date with their immunizations and practicing good hygiene such as hand washing," Rogers says. "This is particularly important for people who are already at higher risk of blood clots. This includes smokers, people who are overweight, and those individuals who are immobile."

"Often we don't think about the downstream consequences of infection," Rogers adds "The infection itself may trigger blood clots in your deep veins which may travel to your lungs and block the arteries there. This can be fatal. It's a risk both patients and physicians need to be aware of."

In addition to Rogers, authors of the study were Kenneth Langa, M.D., Ph.D.; Deborah Levine, M.D., MPH; Neil Blumberg, M.D.; Scott Flanders, M.D.; and Vineet Chopra, M.D.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Michigan Health System, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Mary A.M. Rogers, Deborah A. Levine, Neil Blumberg, Scott A. Flanders, Vineet Chopra, and Kenneth M. Langa. Triggers of Hospitalization for Venous Thromboembolism. Circulation, 2012 DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.084467

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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San Diego Designer Releases Inaugural Line of ?Superbright ...

Californians with bold style and an inspired fashion-sense need look no further than Volga Verdi: a rising clothing brand with unbridled color and character.

The newly-launched brand is the brainchild of twenty-six-year-old designer Peter Green, a San Diego resident who has left the realm of graphic and interactive design and brought his art to the fashion market. Volga Verdi?s first line is comprised of ten contemporary t-shirts with design statements ranging from abstract-pop images to geometric minimalism and pure color experiments. Green finds inspiration for his designs in a wide array of places, but produces a truly unique product.

?I get inspired by different things, including cinema, combination of video and music, astronomy and space, physics, light, human visual perception, contrasts, excessiveness, architecture, paintings, materials and texture, abstract thoughts. You know, pretty much everything,? Green explains.

Before creating the designs for his first collection, Green analyzed thousands of graphic t-shirts and fashion prints on the market. ?I have full confidence that Volga Verdi is in a truly unique niche,? he says.

Volga Verdi shirts are designed and printed in San Diego. The euro-fit shirts are produced in Los Angeles from a custom pattern designed by Green.

?Unexpected. Eclectic. Rule-breaking,? Green describes his clothing, ?My designs are based on human visual perception. When seen on a person, the graphic, together with the clothes, is intended to invoke emotion. Art, abstract, geometric shapes, absurdity are all united by brightness to create the effect.?

Green sees Volga Verdi as more than just selling clothing and making money ? he seeks to embody human attributes through the brand he?s building. ?It must be a social entity that will promote qualities worthy of my own admiration. It has a human face, it?s powerful but kind, it?s great and modest, it possesses the best moral qualities ? it never lets a customer down, it will never put profit before reputation. It should be noble, lustrous and beautiful. But just pure good is always boring; there?s got to be a little evil?, he explains.

A true entrepreneur, Green has worked in film, advertising, magazine journalism, and is currently part of an internet start-up developing a new type of social network.

?I have always done graphic design on computers, but want to make tangible objects and improve the real world. So Volga Verdi is my entrance into the ?things? design world,? Green says.

?Volga Verdi is that crazy swarm of ideas I?ve always been collecting, but I had nothing to apply them to. I needed a standalone entity, that would be a vehicle for all those experiments in art and life; that would get all the credit. That is what Volga Verdi is here for.?

Green currently sells most of his clothing online, but will be expanding to boutique stores throughout the San Diego area by early 2012.

Shirts are only the tip of the iceberg for Volga Verdi. Future lines will include a female-oriented line and other accessories, such as jewelry, backpacks, and belt buckles. Green continues to experiment with alternative printing methods to increase the brightness of his prints, saying ?they will burn eyes.?

Visit www.volgaverdi.com for more information.

Related posts:

1. Local San Diego Musician Jim Allen Wears Three Band Hats
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3. Fran Cannon, MBA ACM, Interviewed on KUSI?s San Diego People
4. San Diego Designer Releases Inaugural Line of ?Superbright? Clothing
5. San Diego-based The Beautiful View releases debut CD

Tags: "Superbright" Clothing, Abstract-pop, Eclectic, Entrepreneur, Fashion, Los Angeles, Peter Green, Unique, Visual Perception, Volga Verdi

Category: Life Style

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Lensbaby Composer Pro gets Samsung, Sony, Micro Four Thirds mirrorless mounts

Lensbaby faithfuls awaiting a mirrorless-compatible Composer Pro lens need not hold out any longer. The company's high-end creative optic is now shipping for mirrorless mounts of the Samsung NX, Sony NEX and Micro Four Thirds variety -- including the Panasonic Lumix G and Olympus PEN. These latest additions join Canon, Nikon, Sony Alpha, Pentax K and Four Thirds versions, which are all available for 300 bucks at the source link below.

Continue reading Lensbaby Composer Pro gets Samsung, Sony, Micro Four Thirds mirrorless mounts

Lensbaby Composer Pro gets Samsung, Sony, Micro Four Thirds mirrorless mounts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minutes: Fed less inclined to support bond buys

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Federal Reserve policymakers appear less inclined to take further action to stimulate the economy.

Minutes released Tuesday showed members of the Fed's policymaking committee spent little time at their March 13 meeting discussing the possibility of purchasing more bonds as a way to drive down long-term interest rates and promote more borrowing and spending.

The minutes also showed that only "a couple" of members expressed support for bond purchases, given that the economy is showing signs of improvement. At the previous meeting, there was support from "a few" members for more bond purchases.

The Fed currently has 10 voting members.

Wall Street appeared disappointed by signs that the Fed is moving away from further efforts to stimulate the economy. Traders reacted by selling stocks and, more tellingly, bonds. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.30 percent from 2.16 percent. A bond's yield moves in the opposite direction of its price.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell as much as 133 points and ended the day at 13,199, a decline of 65 points.

Since the financial crisis of 2008, the Fed has completed two bond-purchase programs that have helped to drive down rates on mortgages and other loans. They were intended to encourage lending.

"Even though Fed officials remain cautious about the economic outlook, there is little, if any, support for any new (bond-buying) program," said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics, in a note to clients.

David Jones, chief economist at DMJ Advisors, put it more bluntly: "More bond buying may still be on the table, but just barely."

Opponents are worried that more bond purchases could stoke inflation. Consumers are already paying higher prices for gasoline.

After its March 13th meeting, the Fed sketched a slightly sunnier view of the economy. Members pointed to strong hiring gains from December through February. Employers added an average of 245,000 jobs a month from December through February. The unemployment rate has fallen from 9.1 percent in August to 8.3 percent in February.

Still, they noted in the minutes that there have been similar bursts of hiring in the past two years that ended up fading. Members said the Fed's policies are still needed to help the recovery and stuck with their plan to keep short-term interest rates at record lows until at least late 2014.

The Fed is concerned that the recovery could falter, as it did last year. Americans aren't receiving meaningful pay increases. Gas prices are high. And Europe's debt crisis could weigh on the U.S. economy.

Most economists don't think Fed officials will change their interest-rate policy at the next meeting on April 24-25.

But pressure could build for the Fed to begin raising rates sooner if the pace of economic growth picks up.

U.S. consumers boosted their spending in February by the most in seven months, raising expectations that the economy grew at a stronger pace in the first quarter the year. The Commerce Department will release its growth estimate for the January-March quarter on April 27.

Many people are more confident in the economy, despite stagnant wages and higher gas prices. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey index rose last month to its highest level since February 2011.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the combination of modest economic growth and rapid declines in unemployment is something of a puzzle. Normally, it takes roughly 4 percent annual growth to lower the rate by 1 percentage point over a year.

Bernanke cautioned that he doesn't expect the unemployment rate to keep falling at its current pace without much stronger growth and more robust hiring.

Associated Press

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Career Days at Clark College, April 23 to 26 | OregonLive.com

Community Contribution from The Public Blog

VANCOUVER, Wash. - As the economy continues its slow recovery, many people are still searching for jobs. To support their efforts, Clark College will host Career Days 2012 from April 23-26 at the college?s main campus.

The annual event has been expanded to four days of workshops, skills sessions and events designed to assist students and job seekers. Participants will find resources for career planning, tools and strategies for an effective job search, techniques to sharpen networking skills, and insights on how to get the education they need to meet their career goals. Nearly 30 companies will participate in a job fair on April 25. The college will host a transfer fair for current and prospective students on April 26.

Clark College President Robert K. Knight said, ?As one of the largest community colleges in Washington state and a leader in workforce training, we feel a special responsibility to support our students and the community. Career Days allows us to provide opportunities for people to build their skills as they search for a new job or career. They?ll also have the chance to make connections with industry leaders in our region.?

All events are free to students and members of the community. No registration is required. Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver. Driving directions and parking maps are available at www.clark.edu/maps.

Complete information about the event - including times and locations of the various events - is available at www.clark.edu/cc/careerdays.

Information about Clark College Career Services is available at
www.clark.edu/cc/careerservices.

Schedule of Events

Developing Career Readiness - Monday, April 23 (afternoon)
Getting Started
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Choosing a Career
2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. - Effective Job Search Tools
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Interviewing Skills

Write a Winning Resume - Tuesday, April 24 (morning)
Marketing Yourself on Paper
9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. - Resume Building
10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. - A Recruiter's Perspective: Applying for Jobs
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Resume Clinic: Critiques & Assistance

In Your Words - Tuesday, April 24 (afternoon)
Marketing Yourself in Person
1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. - Conversational Skills for Networking
2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. - The 60 Second Commercial
4:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m. - How to Work a Job Fair

Career Job Fair - Wednesday, April 25
Marketing Yourself to Employers
The Career Job Fair is an opportunity to obtain career advice, network with employers and seek employment opportunities.
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Gaiser Student Center

Transfer Fair - Thursday, April 26
Getting the Education You Need
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gaiser Student Center
Need a bachelor?s degree to advance your career? Not sure how or where to transfer? Drop by the Spring Transfer Fair during Career Days 2012 and get the answers to your questions about admissions, financial aid, and academic programs.

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Romney faces question about Mormon faith

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a building supply store in Green Bay, Wis., Monday, April 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a building supply store in Green Bay, Wis., Monday, April 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a building supply store in Green Bay, Wis., Monday, April 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greets the crowd during a campaign stop at a building supply store in Green Bay, Wis., Monday, April 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) ? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was questioned about his Mormon faith while campaigning for Tuesday's Wisconsin primary.

A Ron Paul supporter, 28-year-old Bret Hatch, asked Romney whether he agreed with a passage from the Book of Mormon that describes a cursing of people with a "skin of blackness." Romney's staff took away the microphone before the Green Bay man could read the passage.

"I'm sorry, we're just not going to have a discussion about religion in my view, but if you have a question I'll be happy to answer your question," Romney said Monday.

Hatch then asked whether Romney thought it was a sin for interracial couples to have children.

"No. Next question," Romney responded curtly.

Hatch was citing verses from Mormon scriptures which he argued called it sinful for blacks and whites to have children.

Such allegations are often made by critics who accuse The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of racism and consider Mormon teachings heretical. The church barred men of African descent from the Latter-day Saint priesthood until 1978. Some Mormons may have heard verses from scripture cited in their communities as an explanation of why blacks were not allowed to become priests.

However, church leaders have said the origins of the prohibition are unknown. The church recently issued a statement from its offices in Utah denouncing racism and warning against what it called speculation about how the ban came to be.

"For a time in the church there was a restriction on the priesthood for male members of African descent," the church said. "It is not known precisely why, how, or when this restriction began in the church but what is clear is that it ended decades ago."

Romney often talks about the decade he spent as a volunteer Mormon pastor in the Boston area before becoming governor of Massachusetts.

Not long after Hatch's question, Romney reflected upon that experience.

"This gentleman wanted to talk about the doctrines of my religion. I'll talk about the practices of my faith," Romney said, noting that his service as a pastor helped him connect with people on "a very personal basis."

"Most Americans, by the way, are carrying a burden of some kind. We don't see it. We see someone on the street, they smile and say hello, but behind them they're carrying kind of a bag of rocks," Romney said. "I want to help people. I want to lighten that burden."

___

AP Religion Writer Rachel Zoll contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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