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Frostbite Physiology: How Bitter Cold Can Freeze You Down To The Bone

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As we previously explained in an exploration of the physiology of polar bear plunges, your body reacts to cold outside by constricting blood vessels close to your skin. This shunts blood away from your extremities and toward your core; its your bodys emergency measure to try and protect your vital organs. But this lack of blood flow comes at a cost -- it puts those affected tissues at greater risk for freezing and tissue damage.

In cold conditions -- even those slightly above zero -- frostbite can develop in half an hour or less. In extreme cases with cold and high winds, sometimes it can take even less time. The National Weather Service has a handy (and chilling) chart that illustrates the risk for frostbite based on temperature and wind speed:

Times to develop frostbite, calculated by the National Weather Service. NWS

With so many areas in the Midwest dipping into negative double-digit temperatures, even relatively easygoing winds of 5 or 10 miles an hour may drive frostbite danger zones down to 10 minutes or less. Even in New York City, which experienced a relatively balmy six degrees on Tuesday morning, people are at risk for developing frostbite within 30 to 45 minutes thanks to winds that are gusting up to 50 miles per hour.

Experts say that bundling up is the best protection.

"Prevention really is key," Cleveland Clinic emergency physician Seth Podolsky told NPR. "The more time and the more skin exposed, the worse it is.

Some of the signs of frostbite are skin with a white or grayish-yellow color, unusually firm or waxy skin, and numbness. Blisters and skin discoloration can follow. If your tissue actually freezes, that may lead to gangrene -- dead tissue -- treatable only by cutting away the affected areas.

If you are frostbitten, the best thing to do is to seek immediate medical attention. If you cant immediately get to the doctor, there are several steps that can be taken to mitigate the damage, via the the National Institutes of Health:

- Get into a warm room.

- Put the affected area in warm -- not hot! -- water, or warm using body heat (such as putting a frostbitten hand in your armpit).

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Frostbite Physiology: How Bitter Cold Can Freeze You Down To The Bone

Increased risk of prostate cancer in African-American men; implications for PSA screening

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

7-Jan-2014

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, January 7, 2014African American men have an increased risk of prostate cancer and are two times more likely than Caucasian American men to die from the disease. Despite recent questions about the overall usefulness of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing to detect prostate cancer, should PSA screening be used to detect early-stage disease to help save lives in this at-risk population? The controversy is explored in a Review article in Journal of Men's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Men's Health website at http://www.liebertpub.com/jomh.

In the Review "PSA Screening for the African American Male: When and Why?" Tyler Luthringer, Ilija Aleksic, Vladimir Mouraviev, and David Albala, Associated Medical Professionals of NY, PLLC, and SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, support the American Urological Association's position that early detection of prostate cancer should include multiple parameters to assess personal risk. Together with their physicians, men should decide on an individualized approach to risk assessment and screening, which may include PSA testing and digital rectal examination.

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Increased risk of prostate cancer in African-American men; implications for PSA screening

Infor gets into big data analytics for HR with PeopleAnswers acquisition

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Infor is buying PeopleAnswers, maker of software companies can use to analyze a job candidates behavioral traits before deciding whether to make a hire. Terms of the deal, which was announced Wednesday, were not disclosed.

PeopleAnswers was developed by a team of behavioral science PhDs, who created a series of algorithms that underpin online tests job applicants take through PeopleAnswers service. The test measures 39 behavioral attributes, such as discipline, ambition, energy and empathy, weighting them according to the particular job role. The test software is available in 16 languages.

Beyond the algorithms and behavioral science know-how, PeopleAnswers has also built up years of historical data, resulting in more reliable analysis of a candidate, said Infor CEO Charles Phillips.

PeopleAnswers customers include Audi, Foot Locker, Neiman Marcus and Hertz, all of which are large companies with many hourly employees, and which can experience seasonally high demand for workers as well as excessive turnover.

About 60 percent of PeopleAnswers customers are using the software as a primary method of ranking and determining who they will offer positions to, according to Phillips. Other customers are using it internally to build promotion lists or put together teams, he said.

PeopleAnswers approach stops job applicants from gaming the tests by giving answers they think a company will want to hear, Phillips said. Its asking your preferences on things, what you like or dont like, he said. Questions dont lead to a particular result. You cant tell why theyre asking the question.

Infor will make PeopleAnswers part of its HCM (human capital management) software suite. It plans to expand PeopleAnswers test coverage into additional verticals over time, according to Phillips.

Phillips is also keen on retaining PeopleAnswers staff.

Its key that we keep all these guys, he said. Theyre hard to replicate. They understand software and data science as well.

Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for the IDG News Service. More by Chris Kanaracus

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Infor gets into big data analytics for HR with PeopleAnswers acquisition

The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) Concludes Successful Year and Looks Forward to Prestigious …

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Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) January 07, 2014

The year 2013 offered unparalleled education, distinguished speakers, informative exhibits, hundreds of Fellowship graduates and knowledge used to eliminate chronic diseases, one diagnosis at a time. In 2013, A4M offered 11 live U.S. events and 12 events held overseas.

In the course of a year, the U.S. events included three Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) Symposiums held in Las Vegas, San Diego, and Boston; an Inflammation Symposium offered in Fort Lauderdale, FL; an IV Symposium in Dallas TX; Gut/ Brain Symposium in Los Angeles, CA; and two Annual World Congresses held in Orlando, FL and Las Vegas, NV. Over 15,000 healthcare practitioners attended an A4M educational event in 2013.

The 21st Annual Spring World Congress in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, FL was held April 11-14, 2013. Over 2,500 medical professionals from all over the world gathered for pre-conference workshops, Fellowship modules, the exhibit hall, board certification exams, three days of general conference sessions, distinguished speakers and medical faculty. Among keynote speakers was Pat Williams, co-founder and senior vice president of the Orlando Magic who spoke on the 7 Key Ingredients to Make a Great Leader.

The 21st Annual Winter World Congress on Anti-Aging, Regenerative & Aesthetic Medicine at the Sands Expo Center/ Venetian/ Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas, NV took place December 12-15, 2013. Over 4,000 medical practitioners attended specialty workshops, the exhibit hall housing over 300 booths, general conference sessions, Fellowship modules, board certification exams, and other conference bonuses. Also at this event, A4M introduced the brand new product theater, featuring several exhibiting companies who showcased their latest products via a live demonstration or lecture. In addition, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was presented with the 2013 A4M Infinity Award for his lifetime of accomplishments, including his leadership role in early funding and support of stem cell research and healthcare reform, among other endeavors. Other notable presenters included Suzanne Somers; Travis Stork, MD; and Judith Reichman, MD.

A4M is excited to announce the 2014 educational calendar offering nine U.S. events, including a brand new location. Several international events will be offered in Canada, Thailand, Dubai, Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

In 2014, A4M will be introducing new modules as part of the Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine (FAARFM). Module XXIV: Infectious Disease and Module XXV- A & B: Addiction; both be offered at different domestic events this year.

Kicking off 2014 is the symposium on Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) in San Francisco, CA on March 13-16th. Featured presenters include Thierry Hertoghe, Jennifer Landa, MD, OB/GYN, FAARM; Ron Rothenberg, MD; Pamela Smith, MD, MS, MPH; and Jonathan Wright, MD. Fridays sessions will cover the basics of BHRT and Saturday through Sunday will cover advanced BHRT topics. Fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine (FAARM) modules offered in San Francisco include Module III: Neurology, Module V: Clinical Intensives, Module VII: Autoimmune Disease, and Module XVI(A): Cardiovascular.

The 22nd Annual Spring World Congress on Anti-Aging, Regenerative & Aesthetic Medicine will take place once again at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee. This event will include general conference sessions and exhibit hall; anti-aging board certification exams, and Fellowship modules including Module I: Endocrinology, Module V: Clinical Intensives, Module XII: Toxicology, and Module VI: Functional/ Nutritional Medicine. A complete educational program including speakers and conference bonuses will be released closer to the event.

The 22nd Annual Winter World congress on Anti-Aging, Regenerative & Aesthetic Medicine will take place once again at the Venetian/Palazzo Resort. This event will include general conference sessions and exhibit hall; anti-aging board certification exams, and Fellowship modules including Module I: Endocrinology, Module V: Clinical Intensives, Module XVI(D): Cardiovascular, and Module XXIV: Infectious Disease (NEW!)

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Could Bleach Facials Become the Next Big Craze?

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Jan 8, 2014 6:00am

Toxic, flammable, corrosive, keep out of childrens reach are the warnings listed on a bottle of Clorox. But a recent study by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine suggested the common household cleaning bleach could have anti-aging benefits, following preliminary tests they conducted on mice.

Reports of women having bleach facials are popping up on social media. Some spas offer them with such natural ingredients as honey, lime and lemon juice and cream.

Stanford University School of Medicine said in a statement about the study that if the bleach were found to work similarly in humans, the inexpensive, widely available household chemical could provide a new way to treat skin damage caused by radiation therapy, excess sun exposure or aging.

Watch: Celebs Flock to Facials Made of Ground-Up Jewels

I wouldnt recommend trying the bleach facial at home. We are not chemists, and we cannot produce the exact dilution rate the Stanford scientists used, Dr. Daniel Shapiro, a Scottsdale, Ariz., plastic surgeon, told ABCNews.com.

I think its really difficult to figure out what .005 percent is. Any higher concentration of bleach can burn your skin, he said.

According to the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a team of researchers led by Dr. Thomas Leung tested the effect of daily, 30-minute baths in the diluted bleach solution on laboratory mice with radiation dermatitis, a skin condition caused by chemo or radio therapy.They found that the animals bathed in the bleach solution experienced less severe skin damage and better healing and hair regrowth than animals bathed in water, said the university statement.

Originally it was thought that bleach may serve an antimicrobial function, killing bacteria and viruses on the skin, said Leung, in a statement.

Vagifacials for the Bikini Line

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Intel’s Vision: Wearables Everywhere In A Post-Windows World

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At its CES-opening keynote Intel laid bare its vision for computing in the future. If Microsoft is remembered for the once Quixotic goal of a computer on every desk, Intel has taken up the mantel of a computer in every thing.

Touting new hardware, new computing chips, and operating system agnosticism, Intel talked its way through gaming, sensors, smart gadgets, and more to draw the picture of its take on what is next for the technology industry.

At the core of its view is the idea of smart, which is to say a regular item made intelligent through a firm dose of computing power. Its catalyst for this trasmorgification is the Edison, a full computer the size of an SD card. Available in the middle of this year, the Edison runs Linux, and can bring the power of computing into a plethora of new environments.

During its keynote, Intel showed off a few gadgets of its own provenance that contained roughly the same charisma as a bucket of warm spit; contained therein: an awkward headset more fit for a failed Star Trek competitor, a bowl that charged your devices in an unexplained manner, and a watch that didsomething.

But what Intel has in mind is the introduction of computing power everywhere, a fabric of intelligence woven into your daily life to quantify and understand and react and control your world. If you are even slightly chart-inclined, this is a future of information at the ready of scale you can scarcely imagine.

I would love to know the impact of my morning coffee on my heart rate provided a set of conditions from the previous night. If I was out late, does a four or five shot latte provide the best morning boost? What about the post-caffeine crash? Surely this could be looked into if the devices and brains that were integrated into my life became intelligent enough to tally their own scores, and, this is key, talk to the rest of my lifes trinkets.

And here weve come to it: You cant create an endemic layer of sensor technology that needs to speak to its cohort in harmony, and intelligently enough to draw and explain inferences thereof without a set of firmware intelligent enough to keep the whole game in the air.

And the Edison runs Linux.

Were in a slightly post-PC era in that the venerable PC in its desktop and laptop formats is losing ascendancy in certain use categories to tablets and other SKUs across old school computing needs. But what Intel is drawing is a future in which the very core fabric of our digital lives will be the passive collating of data, and in its view Windows is nowhere in sight. How can you run Windows on microcomputers that retail for a fraction of the cost of Windows to an OEM building a new PC?

And as you expect, the Edison contains an application store, and supports what Intel awkwardly called app store programming. So this is another potential oxygen leak for Microsofts yet nascent Windows 8.x operating system.

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Intel’s Vision: Wearables Everywhere In A Post-Windows World

Clark College’s enrollment down from a year ago

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The stadium-style lecture hall was filled with students Monday, the first day of winter term in instructor Mark Bolke's anatomy and physiology class at Clark College.

The class a prerequisite for entrance into several popular health care programs, including nursing, dental hygiene and medical radiography remains as in-demand as ever, even as the college's overall enrollment for winter term has dropped.

The college has enrolled 12,578 students this term, a drop from the 13,477 students enrolled this time last year.

"We haven't dropped off within our department, at least," said Bolke, who's taught anatomy and physiology for the past 15 years. "We're sort of the exception here. We're still holding strong."

This winter, there are roughly 120 anatomy and physiology students spread across three classes, on par with previous years. Bolke teaches the class in one of the campus' two large lecture halls to accommodate all the students.

He has no trouble filling the seats.

"Anatomy and physiology classes are generally full," he said, adding there are currently about 10 students waiting for someone to drop the course so they can get in.

The reason for its popularity is simple, Bolke said: His students hope to enter a lucrative health care occupation.

Margie Baron, 17, said she's taking the class so she can successfully apply to nursing school. The large number of classmates, many of whom want to do the same thing, is an incentive for her to work hard and achieve high grades.

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Clark College's enrollment down from a year ago

Veria Living Gets Interactive for New Year's Resolutions

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Sonia Baghdady and Robin Berzin

Move over, Dr. Oz! The new health and wellness cable channel Veria Living (veria.com) is kicking off 2014 with a daily, interactive series VLC (Veria Living Companion) that showcases the most recent developments in medicine, fitness, nutrition and beauty and lets the audience get involved in the broadest way possible.

"VLC is a high-energy experience that emphasizes interaction and will capitalize on being live," says Veria CEO Eric Sherman. "Our viewers will be able to ask questions and get answers via phone, email, Skype, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. There's nothing like it."

The series starts Monday, Jan. 6 just in time to help you keep those New Year's resolutions and airs four times daily in 15-minute pops (11am/10c, 11:45am/10:45c, 3/2c, 3:45/2:45c). Rotating hosts include championship runner Alyson Charles, foodie Robyn Youkilis, dance and fitness coach Jaycee Gossett, anti-aging whiz Sonia Baghdady, Dr. Robin Berzin, an expert in East-West medicine, and for a some male perspective journalist Matt McClure.

"If something just hit the news or YouTube or is trending around the world, our hosts and experts will bring it to you," says VLC exec producer George Davilas. "No one is lecturing at you. No one comes off as the voice of God. We're all in this together."

Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

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Veria Living Gets Interactive for New Year's Resolutions

Is ‘Paranormal’ scary good?

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You have to hand it to the keepers of the "Paranormal Activity" franchise -- after four movies set in anonymously upscale houses, the new chapter takes us to a working-class apartment complex in Oxnard, Calif. While it's exciting to see a hit series take on an almost entirely Latino cast as just a matter of course, the new zigs only barely balance out all the familiar zags.

"Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones," the latest in a seemingly endless array of "put the camera down and run, fool" fright flicks, will certainly please fans who are happy to get more of the same with each successive film. But if, like me, you're suffering from "Paranormal" burnout, the change of scenery won't feel like enough to make a difference.

Recent high school grad Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) -- who has just bought his first hand-held camera, go figure -- spends the summer hanging out with best pals Hector (Jorge Diaz) and Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh). All is not well, however; the creepy lady downstairs, considered by many to be a bruja, is murdered by class valedictorian Oscar (Carlos Pratts) not long after Jesse lowers a camera through the vent and catches his neighbor painting a strange symbol on a naked woman's stomach.

Bing: More about 'Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones'

Jesse and Hector (and the camera, of course) later sneak into the lady's apartment and find all sorts of creepy books, not to mention a cache of VHS tapes that will be familiar to anyone who's been following the series. Suddenly, Jesse seems to have strange powers, and his old Simon machine is answering yes/no questions like a Ouija board, and the family dog is freaking out, and Jesse's abuelita heads to her local bodega santero for help in driving the evil out of her house.

More at TheWrap: 'Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones' Will Haunt 'The Hobbit' at Box Office

"The Marked Ones" makes a noble effort to shake up the franchise, but it doesn't commit to anything that might prevent the sixth, seventh and eighth chapters that are no doubt in various stages of production. Mexican mysticism might have made a more palatable opponent to the wicked witches than the bland bourgeois agnosticism of the previous chapters, but the film winds up being not all that interested in pursuing the idea.

Instead, we get a very predictable progression from "check out my cool powers" (any found-footage movie about a teenager suddenly endowed with magical abilities can't help but call "Chronicle" to mind) to screaming and bleeding and running.

Writer-director Christopher Landon delivers a few good scares, and not always where you expect them, but where he really excels in the cast and their performances; their exchanges feel spontaneous and unforced, vital for a found-footage movie, and Landon (with the help of casting director Carla Hool) has assembled a charismatic and empathetic group of actors. (Particularly the scene-stealing Jorge Diaz, who all but walks away with the movie.)

"Paranormal Activity" fans will certainly appreciate the effort that Landon (who has written every installment since the second one) makes to ground the tale in series canon. And he's to be applauded for ethnically diversifying this studio cash cow since, after all, it's the franchise itself that's the star and not any of the actors.

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Is 'Paranormal' scary good?