American Football: Brain-injury deaths in high school football players rising

iStock

NEW YORK – Two dozen high school football players died in recent years from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, and the annual death count has been growing slightly, according to a new study.

But such deaths remain rare, and are far lower than in decades past. Also, it's not clear whether the recent uptick is the result of more widespread attention and better reporting, said Kristen Kucera, the study's lead author.

The study, which examined the years 2005 through 2014, also counted four such deaths in college football players over the same period.

Most deaths occurred during games and were tied to tackling or being tackled. The study echoes other research that found such deaths were most common in running backs and linebackers.

The article was led by Kucera and other researchers at the University of North Carolina and released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

UNC has gathered data on deaths and injuries related to high school and collegiate football since 1965.

Roughly four times the number of young football players died from head and spine injuries from 1965 to 1974 compared to 2005-2014, according to previous UNC reports.

That's mainly due to improvements in medical care and rules adopted through the years that banned head-first tackling and set new helmet safety standards, Kucera said.

Though such deaths fell and then stabilized in the 1990s, the new study shows a slight uptick since 2010.

"We want to see these numbers going down," Kucera said.

The new study also found that about a fifth of the high school players with a fatal brain injury had suffered an earlier concussion less than a month before the fatal injury.

AP contributed to this report.

Zambia's Edgar Lungu orders military to fight army worms

Army worms can destroy entire fields

Zambia's President Edgar Lungu has called in the air force to help contain an invasion of army worms in maize fields, his spokesman has said.

Military planes are flying pesticides to the worst-affected areas so that crops can be sprayed as a matter of urgency, Amos Chanda added.

The pests are called army worms because they eat most vegetation in their way and can destroy entire fields.

They are devouring crops in six of the southern African state's 10 provinces.

"The president is concerned that if the outbreak of the worms is not controlled speedily, the crop yield for 2016/2017 may be negatively affected," Mr Chanda said in a statement.

Four years ago, army worms destroyed maize, cassava, sorghum and rice fields.

Maize is the staple diet in Zambia.

Production rose to 2.87 million tonnes in the 2015/2016 crop season from 2.6 million tonnes the previous season because of good rainfall and early delivery of fertiliser and seed to farmers, Reuters news agency reports.

Successful Ebola vaccine will be fast-tracked for use

Guinea was one of the worst hit countries in the West Africa Ebola outbreak (Getty Image)

A highly effective vaccine that guards against the deadly Ebola virus could be available by 2018, says the World Health Organization.

Trials conducted in Guinea, one of the West African countries most affected by an outbreak of Ebola that ended this year, show it offers 100% protection.

The vaccine is now being fast-tracked for regulatory approval.

Manufacturer Merck has made 300,000 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine available for use should Ebola strike.

GAVI, the global vaccine alliance, provided $5m for the stockpile.

Results, published in The Lancet medical journal, show of nearly 6,000 people receiving the vaccine, all were free of the virus 10 days later.

In a group of the same size not vaccinated, 23 later developed Ebola.

Only one person who was vaccinated had a serious side effect that the researchers think was caused by the jab. This was a very high temperature and the patient recovered fully.

It is not known how well the vaccine might work in children since this was not tested in the trial.

The director of British-based medical research institute the Wellcome Trust described the findings as "remarkable".

"Had a vaccine been available earlier in the Ebola epidemic, thousands of lives might have been saved," Jeremy Farrar said.

"We have to get ahead of the curve and make promising diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for diseases we know could be a threat in the future."

The trial was led by the World Health Organization (WHO), working with Guinea's health ministry and international groups.

The WHO's Marie-Paule Kieny said the results could help combat future outbreaks.

"While these compelling results come too late for those who lost their lives during West Africa's Ebola epidemic, they show that when the next Ebola outbreak hits, we will not be defenceless," said Dr Kieny, the lead author of the study.

Other drug companies are developing different Ebola vaccines that could be used in the future too.

The Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 but the recent outbreak in West Africa, which killed more than 11,000 people, highlighted the need for a vaccine.

The outbreak began in Guinea in 2013 and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

George North: Rugby authorities 'experimenting on players' brains' says medical expert

Wales winger George North has played 64 times for Northampton Saints since joining in 2013

Rugby union authorities are "experimenting on players' brains" by failing to address concussion, a former World Rugby medical advisor says.

A review panel has not punished Northampton despite finding that George North should not have played on for Saints after a head knock this month.

It was the fifth blow to the head the Wales winger has suffered in two years.

"They have had enough examples of how it has gone wrong to say 'enough is enough'," said Dr Barry O'Driscoll.

"If you have to take a player off to have a concussion assessment you must suspect concussion and he must stay off. But they are experimenting in that part of the game that is the most brutal."

The Rugby Players' Association (RPA) said North's return to the field was a "significant failing", and believes sanctions would have sent a "clear message" about the "gravity of concussion management".

The union added the recommendations in the report "must be adopted" to ensure North's case is an "isolated incident".

Former Scotland international John Beattie added that he was worried for the future of young players, and that they "have to be protected" from brain damage.

"We can't have a game where the end product is a brain-damaged super-human who's made a bit of money," the 59-year-old BBC pundit told BBC Radio 5 live.

"I know blokes my age and younger who have brain damage. I worry about George North, I think we need to be much more careful with players."

The report states that, although North, 24, appeared to lie motionless after the incident against Leicester Tigers on 3 December, he told medics he had stayed still because he was "concerned about his neck".

North also "continued to deny any loss of consciousness with immediate recall of events", with the "only symptom recorded being neck pain".

But Beattie said that "the last person you should listen to is the player" as they are "trapped in a money-earning spiral".

North's concussion history

The Northampton back suffered four head blows in five months between November 2014 and March 2015, leading to a spell on the sidelines that lasted from 27 March until 29 August.

• 22 November 2014: North suffers first concussion in Wales' 34-16 defeat by New Zealand
• 6 February 2015: Suffers accidental kick to the head during first half of 21-16 loss to England, but after assessment returns to the field
• 6 February 2015: Receives second blow to the head in second half of same game, appears to have been knocked out but finishes match
• 27 March 2015: North is knocked unconscious scoring a try in Northampton's 52-30 win over Wasps

What are the rules?

• With suspected concussion, club doctors have 13 minutes to decide if a player can return to the field.
• All Premiership grounds and Twickenham have medical teams with access to replays to help that decision.
• Any player with confirmed or suspected concussion will be permanently removed.

Protocols 'not fit for purpose'

Despite describing video technology in concussion assessments as "a great idea", O'Driscoll said the current protocols are "not fit for purpose".

"These protocols are terribly poor, they're dangerous - they're putting brain-damaged players back on the field time and time again," he said.

"In community rugby, women's rugby, school kids rugby, there's no such thing as a protocol test because it doesn't work. It's black and white with them, if they have to come off they stay off."

Peter McCabe, chief executive of brain injury association Headway, said that "serious questions have to be asked" of the existing concussion protocols.

"This incident sends out a confusing message around the issue of concussion, particularly for children who follow the example of famous players and favourite clubs," he said.

"It is essential that a safety-first approach is taken."

Meanwhile, sports injury lawyer Ian Christian said the decision was "hugely disappointing", and a missed opportunity for rugby authorities to "make a statement" on the importance of the issue.

"This isn't the first time George North has played on when all those watching thought he should be off the pitch and it proves that players need protecting from themselves," he said.

"This was an opportunity for the panel to make a statement about concussion and the importance of a safety first approach and it has been wasted."

Medics 'would never jeopardise a player's health'

Former England international Andy Hazell - who retired because of a concussion injury in 2014 - told BBC Radio 5 live that player welfare is "100%" at the forefront of decision-making by club doctors.

"People forget that the medical team and the players see each other daily, there's a bond," he said.

"The rugby community is a tight community, at the end of the day these are your friends, and people would never jeopardise a player's health.

"There's never any question that a medical team would want to put the player at harm."

'Plastic rice' seized in Nigeria

The "plastic rice" looks very realistic

Nigeria has confiscated 2.5 tonnes of "plastic rice" smuggled into the country by unscrupulous businessmen, the customs service says.

Lagos customs chief Haruna Mamudu said the fake rice was intended to be sold in markets during the festive season.

He said the rice was very sticky after it was boiled and "only God knows what would have happened" if people ate it.

It is not clear where the seized sacks came from but rice made from plastic pellets was found in China last year.

Rice is the most popular staple food in Nigeria.

The BBC's Peter Okwoche says it is the only foodstuff that crosses cultural and ethnic lines across the country.

A total of 102 sacks, each containing 25kg (55lb), was seized.

Investigations are under way to establish how much of the contraband has already been sold.

Each bag contained 25kg (55lb) of fake rice

The customs official called on "economic saboteurs who see yuletide season as a peak period for their nefarious acts to desist from such illegal" business activity.

Mr Mamudu did not explain how the plastic rice was made but said it had been branded as "Best Tomato Rice".

Enhancing your muscles with SHANDONG Muscle Training Gear Smart Auto Body Sculpting Exercise Tool

Introducing SHANDONG Muscle Training Gear Smart. It is a physical workout device for enhancing your muscles. Without even lifting a finger, achieve the body of your dreams. There are two versions (abdomen sticker and shoulder sticker), depending on the area of your body you want to target. The soft PU pad is comfortable and neatly fitsthe contours of your skin, while the electrodes utilizing silk printing and the conductive gel sheets distribute the pulses effective. Read More...

World Health Day 2016: WHO calls for global action to halt rise in and improve care for people with diabetes

First WHO Global report on diabetes: 422 million adults live with diabetes, mainly in developing countries

6 APRIL, 2016 | GENEVA - The number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults, with most living in developing countries. Factors driving this dramatic rise include overweight and obesity, WHO announced ahead of World Health Day.

WHO is marking its annual World Health Day (7 April), which celebrates the Organization’s founding in 1948, by issuing a call for action on diabetes. In its first “Global report on diabetes”, WHO highlights the need to step up prevention and treatment of the disease.

Health-promoting environments reduce risk factors

Measures needed include expanding health-promoting environments to reduce diabetes risk factors, like physical inactivity and unhealthy diets, and strengthening national capacities to help people with diabetes receive the treatment and care they need to manage their conditions.

“If we are to make any headway in halting the rise in diabetes, we need to rethink our daily lives: to eat healthily, be physically active, and avoid excessive weight gain,” says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “Even in the poorest settings, governments must ensure that people are able to make these healthy choices and that health systems are able to diagnose and treat people with diabetes.”

Diabetes is a chronic, progressive noncommunicable disease (NCD) characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (blood sugar). It occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough of the insulin hormone, which regulates blood sugar, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.

Key findings from WHO’s “Global report on diabetes”

Among the key findings from the “Global report on diabetes” are:

• The number of people living with diabetes and its prevalence are growing in all regions of the world. In 2014, 422 million adults (or 8.5% of the population) had diabetes, compared with 108 million (4.7%) in 1980.
• The epidemic of diabetes has major health and socioeconomic impacts, especially in developing countries.
• In 2014, more than 1 in 3 adults aged over 18 years were overweight and more than one in 10 were obese.
• The complications of diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputation. For example, rates of lower limb amputation are 10 to 20 times higher for people with diabetes.
• Diabetes caused 1.5 million deaths in 2012. Higher-than-optimal blood glucose caused an additional 2.2 million deaths by increasing the risks of cardiovascular and other diseases.
• Many of these deaths (43%) occur prematurely, before the age of 70 years, and are largely preventable through adoption of policies to create supportive environments for healthy lifestyles and better detection and treatment of the disease.
• Good management includes use of a small set of generic medicines; interventions to promote healthy lifestyles; patient education to facilitate self-care; and regular screening for early detection and treatment of complications.

Global commitments to reduce diabetes

“Many cases of diabetes can be prevented, and measures exist to detect and manage the condition, improving the odds that people with diabetes live long and healthy lives,” says Dr Oleg Chestnov, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for NCDs and Mental Health. “But change greatly depends on governments doing more, including by implementing global commitments to address diabetes and other NCDs.”

These include meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.4, which calls for reducing premature death from NCDs, including diabetes, by 30% by 2030. Governments have also committed to achieving 4 time-bound national commitments set out in the 2014 UN General Assembly “Outcome Document on Noncommunicable Diseases”, and attaining the 9 global targets laid out in the WHO “Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs”, which include halting the rise in diabetes and obesity.

“Around 100 years after the insulin hormone was discovered, the “Global report on diabetes” shows that essential diabetes medicines and technologies, including insulin, needed for treatment are generally available in only 1 in 3 of the world’s poorest countries,” says Dr Etienne Krug, Director of WHO’s Department for the Management of NCDs, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention. “Access to insulin is a matter of life or death for many people with diabetes. Improving access to insulin and NCD medicines in general should be a priority.”

Global efforts are underway to make medicines, including for NCDs, more available and affordable. Commitments from world leaders, including the SDGs, the 2011 “UN Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases”, the 2014 UN General Assembly “Outcome Document on Noncommunicable Diseases”, and the work of the UN Secretary-General’s high-level panel on access to essential medicines are aimed at improving affordability and availability of essential drugs for people living with diabetes.

Note to editors

There are three main forms of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. The cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown and people living with it require daily insulin administration for survival. Type 2 accounts for the vast majority of people living with diabetes globally, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. Once seen only in adults, type 2 diabetes is now increasingly occurring in children and young people. Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs in pregnancy and carries long-term risk of type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes is present when blood glucose values are above normal but still below those diagnostic of diabetes.

For more information please contact:

Paul Garwood

Telephone: +41 22 791 1578 

Mobile: +41 79 603 7294 

Email: garwoodp@who.int

Laura Sminkey

Telephone: +41 22 791 4547

Mobile: +41 79 249 3520

Email: sminkeyl@who.int

Source: World Health Organisation (WHO)