@raju Why are women in Italy more likely to rule out use of medical agents to end a pregnancy? One reason is the widespread and unfounded misconceptions about efficacy and safety, misconceptions that become stronger whenever there is a political debate on the subject.

@jaya The trial tested whether a 4-month Latin dance program, followed by a 4-month dance maintenance program, could elicit positive changes on cognition and mobility in 333 older Latinx individuals. A total of 167 participants (mean age, 64; 141 women) were randomly assigned to the Bailamos Latin dance intervention and 166 (mean age, 66; 140 women) to a control group who received health education only. Bailamos, which in Spanish means "we dance," teaches merengue, cha-cha-cha, bachata, and salsa. The 60-minute dance classes were held twice weekly. As part of the program, participants initially learned four dance styles. During the maintenance program, four additional moves were added to each dance style, so participants were able to practice their new skills.

Late-life depression can be difficult to treat, and in elderly patients, response to antidepressant therapy can vary considerably, new research suggests. In a study that looked at longitudinal patterns of changes in depressive symptoms in older adults prescribed the antidepressant venlafaxine XR (Effexor XR, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc), severe baseline depression tended to predict lack of response after 12 weeks of treatment. However, some patients with severe pretreatment depression did respond, which led the investigators to conclude that high depression severity alone may not be a completely accurate predictor of treatment response.

@minu He can be started with acetaminophen at a dose of 15 mg/kg and you can be instructed to follow the package directions. According to his weight and age, he would receive 250 mg of acetaminophen every 4 to 6 hours. If fever persists for more than 3 days, he should be taken to a physician.

@akhil There are things you can do counter them and keep yourself immune:
• Moisturise your skin regularly with oil/cream.
• Eat vitamin-C rich fruits and vegetables and drink sufficient fluids preferably warm fluids to maintain adequate immunity.
• Keep dry, if wet, change clothes immediately to prevent loss of body heat. Wear insulated/waterproof shoes.
• Warm the affected area of the body slowly with lukewarm water; do not rub the skin vigorously.
• If the affected skin area turns black, immediately consult a doctor.
• Maintain ventilation while using heaters to avoid inhaling toxic fumes.
• Take safety measures while using electrical and gas heating devices.
• For those with respiratory issues, avoid going out until unless there is an emergency, and cover the face when you do.

@lalit For temporary relief of a toothache, you can do the following:
Rinse with warm saltwater. Saltwater can loosen debris between your teeth, act as a disinfectant and reduce inflammation. Stir a ½ teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth thoroughly.
Rinse with hydrogen peroxide. A hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) helps to reduce inflammation and pain. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide with equal parts water and rinse thoroughly. Don’t swallow it.
Cold compress. For swelling and pain hold a cold compress of ice wrapped in a towel to the painful area for 20-minute periods. Repeat every few hours.
Pain medications. Over-the-counter pain medications can reduce pain and inflammation. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) can be used, or take acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you can’t take NSAIDs. Don’t give a child under the age of 16 aspirin; use Tylenol instead.

@jaya The treatment goal for acute attacks of porphyria is to decrease heme synthesis and reduce the production of porphyrin precursors. High doses of glucose can inhibit heme synthesis and are useful for treatment of mild attacks. United Kingdom guidelines recommend administering 5% glucose in 0.9% sodium chloride solution, infused intravenously at a rate of 2 L/24 h. Intravenous glucose in water solutions (eg, dextrose 5% or 10% [D5W, D10W]), should be avoided as they may aggravate hyponatremia. Patients experiencing severe attacks, especially those with severe neurologic symptoms, should be treated with hematin in a dose of 4 mg/kg/d for 4 days. Once hematin is initiated, glucose therapy no longer has a role.