Procalcitonin Levels in Acute Respiratory Infection.

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker of inflammation that is used to help make clinical decisions, like starting antibiotics or admitting a patient to the hospital. While PCT levels have been widely studied in pneumonia, levels in less severe acute respiratory infections (ARI) have not been well studied. To measure PCT levels in otherwise healthy adults during ARI, we followed 99 healthy adults during the cold and flu season, collecting blood specimens for PCT testing at baseline, and when participants presented with ARI.

Sustainability, synthetic chemicals, and human exposure.

Public concerns regarding exposures to synthetic chemicals are increasing. Globally, there are increasing concentrations of many synthetic chemicals within the environment. The ubiquitous extent of some chemicals makes human exposure unavoidable.

Practitioner empathy and the duration of the common cold.

Objective: This study's objective was to assess the relationship of empathy in medical office visits to subsequent outcomes of the common cold.

Methods: A total of 350 subjects ? 12 years of age received either a standard or enhanced physician visit as part of a randomized controlled trial. Enhanced visits emphasized empathy on the part of the physician.

Healing the healer: a tool to encourage student reflection towards health.

Background: Research has demonstrated that students' health falters while in medical school with healthy behaviors continuing to deteriorate during residency. Medical education can be focused toward helping students find health for themselves. Physicians who are most likely to practice healthy lifestyles are more likely to encourage their patients to do so.

CAM education: promoting a salutogenic focus in health care.

Introduction: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) education has created a focus that not only brings awareness of various CAM therapies to conventional medical education but also highlights how these therapies can bring insight toward improved health care.

Methods: A survey of CAM educational leaders at institutions awarded grants for incorporating CAM education into medical curricula was performed to address how CAM education can improve health care delivery in America.

Results: Five (5) core themes were noted to be successful in achieving this goal.

Inflammation: nutritional, botanical, and mind-body influences.

Chronic inflammation is becoming an important risk factor to identify in regard to inhibiting disease onset and its progression. Nutritional science attempted to improve health by manipulating fats so that we could consume "healthy" nonsaturated fats while simultaneously allowing foods to have a longer shelf-life. However, despite our good intentions, trans-fats and partially hydrogenated oils have been found to promote inflammation and adversely affect health.