Study finds hydrocarbons, in things like cleaners & fuels, pose major risk

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) May 2013 – Many of us may not be familiar with the term “hydrocarbons”, but chances are you have them scattered throughout your house, and a new study shows that more than 100,000 injuries were reported in children due to hydrocarbons between 2000-2009.

“I’ve personally taken care of kids that have been in the hospital for more than a month with hydrocarbon injuries, and unfortunately, children still die from them,” said the co-author of the study Heath Jolliff, DO, associate medical director for the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Inspired by Strong-Armed Celebrities, Upper Arm Lifts Jump 4,378% Since 2000, New ASPS Statistics Show

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., April 29, 2013 – New statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons(ASPS) show that arm lifts in women have skyrocketed a staggering 4,378 percent in just over the last decade.  It is a trend fueled, in part, by sleeveless fashions for women and more focus on strong-armed celebrities.  In 2000, more than 300 women got upper arm lift procedures.  Last year, more than 15,000 did.

Upper arm lifts can include liposuction or a surgical procedure known as brachioplasty, in which loose skin is removed from the back of the arms.

Injuries higher on ‘fixed’ rides, experts call for consistent regulations

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) May 2013 – On average, a child is treated in an emergency department every other hour in the U.S. for injuries suffered on amusement rides, according to the first national study to examine those types of accidents in depth.

Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital investigated amusement ride injuries from 1990 to 2010 and found that nearly 93,000 children were injured on rides that included everything from roller coasters at theme parks, to merry-go-rounds at county fairs to coin-operated rides at restaurants and shopping malls.

Researchers chart patient progress with technology you use every day

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) April 2013 –  The same smart phone technology you might use to find directions or play video games is being tested in a new way - to see if it can help stroke survivors learn to walk again.

Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are the first to test this innovative approach, which combines blue tooth technology with a sophisticated computer program that charts the movement of a patient’s arms and legs during rehabilitation.

Rise in temperatures & carbon dioxide levels are boosting pollen, extending allergy seasons

DENVER, CO - March 2013 -- There may be different opinions about the causes of climate change, but experts say there is no denying its existence - and the effects are nothing to sneeze at.  Researchers say global warming is leading to larger plants, earlier and more robust pollination and, as a result, worsening allergies.

“With the combination of increased temperature and carbon dioxide, we are seeing a dramatic change, and allergy sufferers can probably feel that change,” said Richard Weber, MD, an allergist at National Jewish Health in Denver, and president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.  “We are experiencing longer allergy seasons, earlier onset and there is just more pollen in the air,” he said.