These liver diseases may become life-threatening without any noticeable symptoms, which is why screening is vital. For people who are at high risk, such as those living with obesity, pre-diabetes, or type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor about your liver health and get screened as early as possible. In the past, the best way to diagnose liver disease was by performing a liver biopsy, a procedure where a small piece of the liver is removed using a long needle and then analyzed in a lab. Liver biopsies can be painful, risky, expensive, and unreliable. Complications can include bleeding, infection, accidental injury to a nearby organ, and even death. A typical liver biopsy can cost more than $7,000. Additionally, a biopsy relies on using a tiny fraction of the liver, which means more than 30 percent of liver biopsy diagnoses may be wrong.

Fortunately, there are now alternatives to biopsy. It is important for all healthcare providers and patients to understand that liver biopsy is not the only diagnostic option available. Some examples of non-invasive diagnostics include blood tests, ultrasound, and various different scans. Non-invasive diagnostics lead to fewer patient visits, quicker diagnosis, and are more cost-effective without the risks of surgery. Imaging tests can provide you and your doctor with a full picture of the liver, rather than just a small sample. If your doctor recommends a biopsy to screen for early liver disease, ask for non-invasive alternatives such as blood tests and imaging.

For more information about liver health and non-invasive screening for liver disease, visit www.globalliver.org/beyond.

Incluso durante la era del COVID-19, las caídas siguen siendo la principal causa de lesiones fatales y no fatales para los adultos mayores. Las caídas pueden tener un impacto significativo en la calidad de vida de un adulto mayor. Una caída puede provocar que una persona mayor se aísle socialmente o que tenga miedo de salir de casa, y puede ocasionar altos gastos médicos.

Un primer paso importante para mantenerse seguro es aprender qué aspectos de su vida pueden ponerle en mayor riesgo de caerse. Consejo Nacional para Adultos Mayores (NCOA), un líder nacional de confianza que trabaja para garantizar que todas las personas puedan envejecer sin problemas, ha creado una encuesta gratuita en línea para ayudarle a identificar su riesgo de caerse y ofrece medidas prácticas para subsanarlo.

Se llama Chequeo Contra Caídas, y se lanzará como parte de la Semana de Concienciación para la Prevención de Caídas de la NCOA, del 21 al 25 de septiembre.

"Queremos que los adultos mayores sean sus propios agentes de cambio para asegurarse de envejecer bien", dice Kathleen Cameron, directora del Centro para el Envejecimiento Saludable de la NCOA. "El Chequeo Contra Caídas proporciona una revisión confidencial y fácil de usar sobre los riesgos de caídas como un primer paso para prevenirlas". NCOA también ofrece formas prácticas y comprobadas de abordar dichos riesgos".

El Chequeo Contra Caídas está disponible en inglés y en español. Presenta 12 preguntas sobre razones conocidas que aumentan el riesgo de caídas. Los adultos mayores responden sí o no a cada pregunta, y luego ven una explicación de por qué esa razón es importante. Por ejemplo, "A veces me siento inestable cuando estoy caminando", es seguido por: "La inestabilidad o la necesidad de apoyo al caminar son signos de un mal equilibrio".

Después de terminar la encuesta autodirigida, los adultos mayores reciben una puntuación de riesgo personalizada, junto con medidas prácticas que pueden tomar para evitar caídas. Pueden compartir esta información con sus cuidadores y proveedores de atención médica para discutir cómo reducir el riesgo de caídas y tomar medidas al respecto.

Algunos de los pasos siguientes podrían ser el mejor uso de un bastón o andadera, ajustar los medicamentos, hacerse un chequeo de la audición o de la vista, o añadir ejercicios de fortalecimiento y equilibrio con la aprobación de un médico.

Además de lanzar el Chequeo Contra Caídas, NCOA organizará eventos gratuitos en Facebook, en inglés (23 de septiembre a las 6:30 p.m. EST) y en español (24 de septiembre a las 6:30 p.m. EST) durante la Semana de la Concienciación sobre la Prevención de Caídas para destacar este importante tema de salud.

Para obtener más información, visit www.ncoa.org/ContraCaidas.

"I was not happy when I read that Nigeria will have the highest contribution to the global burden of sickle cell disease by 2050 - if we continue at the present birth rate and the level of inactivity in newborn screening," says hematologist Obiageli Nnodu, M.D., the lead researcher in Nigeria for the Sickle Pan African Research Consortium (SPARCo), funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. "As a country, we can do better than that. After all, this is a disease where children die undiagnosed, and largely from preventable causes such as bacterial infections."

Sickle cell disease affects 20 million people worldwide, including at least 100,000 in the United States, mainly African Americans, but Hispanics and Asian-Americans, too. To help address the problem on a global scale, the NHLBI has been supporting programs in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 75 percent of the sickle cell disease births worldwide occur. SPARCo, with a hub in Tanzania, and additional sites in Nigeria and Ghana, works to develop an infrastructure for sickle cell disease research, health care, education, and training to take place in Africa.

"We are showing that with effective partnerships, significant advances in health and biomedical science can be achieved," says Tanzania-based Julie Makani, M.D., Ph.D., who leads the SPARCo consortium. SPARCo, in collaboration with the Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center, led by Ambroise Wonkam, M.D., in South Africa, created Sickle In Africa, which has a growing electronic registry of more than 10,000 individuals with sickle cell disease.

"The genetic diversity of Africa's population allows scientific research that will increase our understanding of how a disease caused by a single gene can manifest in such different ways," Makani explains.

Newborn screening, as Nnodu notes, is the first step to reduce mortality and suffering for these children, and for that, they need good tests readily available at the point of care. That's why NHLBI supports research towards development of diagnostics, such as a new rapid result test that is relatively inexpensive, accurate, and can provide a timely diagnosis of sickle cell disease. The test does not require sophisticated laboratory equipment, electricity, refrigeration, or highly trained personnel - a critical advantage for countries with few resources.

On the treatment front, a large multinational NHLBI-funded clinical trial found that a daily hydroxyurea pill was safe and effective for young children living with sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa. The NHLBI also has its sights on developing genetic therapies for the disease, as part of a newly announced NIH collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the partnership, which also addresses HIV, is to advance possible gene-based cures to clinical trials in the United States and relevant countries in sub-Saharan Africa within the next seven to 10 years.

"A person's health should not be limited by their geographic location, whether it's in rural America or sub-Saharan Africa," says Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., director of the NHLBI. "Harnessing the power of science is needed to transcend borders if we want to improve health for all."

De hecho, los científicos ven los primeros dos o tres años de vida como un momento de desarrollo crítico para la salud intestinal de los bebés que establece las bases para beneficios que pueden durar toda la vida.

"Mantener un equilibrio de bacterias buenas en el microbioma es un factor importante para influir en los sistemas inmunológicos y nerviosos para que estén saludables, lo cual conduce a una salud intestinal integral", dijo Whitney Casares, Doctorado en Medicina, Magister en Salud Pública, Miembro de la Academia Estadounidense de Pediatría, y creadora de Modern Mommy Doc. "Para ayudar a sus bebés en las etapas cruciales del comienzo de la vida, los padres deben aprender cuáles son las principales áreas prometedoras para apoyar el desarrollo saludable del microbioma, lo que incluye opciones de alimentación temprana, la inclusión de probióticos y prebióticos en la dieta, así como la incorporación de alimentos sólidos saludables".

Para ayudar con la salud intestinal de los bebés, los padres pueden tomar decisiones de alimentación inteligentes, como amamantar cuando sea posible. La lactancia materna ofrece una gama de beneficios, incluyendo la transferencia de probióticos naturales y así propiciar las bacterias beneficiosas para el bebé. Sin embargo, la alimentación basada exclusivamente en la lactancia materna podría no ser siempre factible para los padres. Para los padres que están usando una fórmula infantil como suplemento o que están alimentando a su bebé exclusivamente con fórmula, la fórmula infantil en polvo Gerber Good Start GentlePro es una solución que le proporciona probióticos al bebé (similares a las bifidobacterias que se encuentran en la leche materna), para ayudar a promover un equilibrio de bacterias buenas en el microbioma.

Algunos bebés pueden beneficiarse de probióticos en su dieta, ya sea que estén siendo amamantandos o no. Los probióticos son microorganismos vivos que ayudan a la salud digestiva, y los bebés que nacen por cesárea pueden ser deficitarios en bacterias buenas porque no estuvieron expuestos a las bacterias de su madre a través del canal de parto. Los padres deben considerar incluir el probiótico B. lactis en la dieta de su bebé para ayudar a promover un equilibrio de bacterias buenas en los niños nacidos por cesárea. Las gotas probióticas Gerber Good Start Gentle Everyday con B. lactis son una gran opción para los padres que amamantan a sus pequeños. Para bebés alimentados con fórmula, la fórmula infantil en polvo Gerber Good Start GentlePro con B. lactis ayuda a promover un microbiota equilibrada en bebés nacidos por cesárea.

Además, los prebióticos son sustancias naturales que alimentan y apoyan el crecimiento de bacterias beneficiosas en el sistema digestivo. La leche materna contiene prebióticos, como los oligosacáridos de la leche humana (HMO, por sus siglas en inglés), al igual que las fórmulas infantiles en polvo Gerber Good Start GentlePro y SoothePro.

A medida que los niños crecen, la incorporación de una variedad de alimentos saludables, incluyendo cereales integrales, frutas y verduras, continuará promoviendo el desarrollo de un sistema digestivo saludable.

Para obtener consejos de expertos 24 horas al día y 7 días a la semana, y más información sobre la salud intestinal y las necesidades nutricionales de su bebé, visite Gerber.com.

Although this new "Full House" dynamic could forge family bonds, it will also cause energy use and utility bills to skyrocket with all home technologies, appliances and systems running overtime at unprecedented levels - making optimal, energy-efficient home climate control a critical part of both keeping everyone comfortable AND minimizing utility bills due to significantly more time spent at home.

The good news is that families can successfully prevent a utility bill blitz this winter by following a few simple steps. With home heating and cooling accounting for nearly half of home energy use, small steps can go a long way.

* Ease Into Electric: According to Columbia University's Earth Institute, electric systems are a solution to decarbonize home climate control. Among the most energy-efficient heating and cooling products, electricity-powered ductless mini-split systems, offered by companies including Fujitsu General America, can save as much as 25 percent on your energy bill.

Mini-splits use thin copper tubing to pump refrigerant from an outdoor compressor directly into an indoor air-handling unit, where the air is quietly distributed to the interior space.

* Get "Smart" About Climate Control: When it comes to smart home-temperature control, there are Smart HVAC Systems and Smart Thermostats. Smart HVAC systems have built-in Internet capability and can be controlled directly without additional equipment. Smart Home Thermostats create "smart" systems by enabling remote temperature control via a mobile or Internet-connected device or voice-operated home automation system.

* Voice Your Preference: Take control of your comfort. Most HVAC manufacturers offer apps that enable systems to be controlled from anywhere using a mobile device. Voice-control capability uses digital assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, to verbally dictate home temperatures. Easily controlling the temperature more closely allows homeowners to be more comfortable and improve energy savings.

* Find Your Efficient Comfort Zone: Many of us live in homes designed for bigger families, but have yet to downsize. If you find yourself using a fraction of your home on a regular basis, consider upgrading to a zoned ducted, or ductless system. That will allow you to save energy heating and cooling spaces where you and your family don't spend a lot of time. This will multiply savings as you're not only needing less cooling, but you also gain from a more efficient system in the spaces you do still use.

* Try Low-tech Fixes: Simple changes can have a big impact. Take advantage of the sun's energy to heat your home by opening your south-facing curtains at sunrise to make best use of "passive solar gain." Force down warm air. Denser, cooler air stays closer to the ground, and warmer air rises. So, force it downwards with a low-speed fan. Insulate and fill the gaps. Warmed air leaking out around poorly sealed window frames, power sockets, recessed light fittings, and other gaps is a big source of heat loss in homes. Thick curtains help to insulate glass at windows.

Achieving a sense of peaceful co-existence in your increasingly crowded, multi-functional home does not need to make your family members hot under the collar. If a new system is right for you, many Fujitsu systems with the Energy Star rating are more than twice as efficient as the minimum standard set by the government. To learn more or find a contractor near you, call 888-888-3424 or visit www.constantcomfort.com.

The Annual Election Period runs from October 15 through December 7. This year's AEP brings some new challenges for enrollees, due to potential restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to ensure you can safely and securely compare plan options from the comfort of your home, including:

* Online workshops: Many insurance companies are offering online workshops to help educate individuals about 2021 Medicare Advantage plan options. Before you attend a virtual event, find out in advance how to log on to the meeting to avoid technical issues.

* Virtual meetings: Set up one-on-one meetings with licensed sales agents by phone or video chat. Be prepared with your questions to ensure you get the information you need, such as what innovative benefits are available and if vision, hearing and dental coverage are included.

* Trusted websites: Go to the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov to compare plans, benefits and an estimated cost for each plan based on an average member. If you are interested in Medicare Part D, which helps cover the cost of prescription medications, you can also enter the names of prescription medications you take to ensure those medications are covered by the plan you are considering.

When researching plan information, be sure to provide only your Medicare number and other personal data to trusted sources, such as your doctor, pharmacist, hospital or health insurer, as scammers may try to steal your data. It's also important to not click links in text messages and emails about COVID-19 from unknown sources, and not to answer unsolicited phone calls offering COVID-19 tests or supplies.

Utilizing trusted resources will ensure that you select the plan that will suit your healthcare needs for the coming year. For more information, you can also go to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). And, to learn about Humana's Medicare Advantage plans, visit www.Humana.com/Medicare or speak with a licensed sales agent by calling 1-800-213-5286 (TTY: 711) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, seven days a week.

However, all fire-suppression devices are not created equal, and portability, safety, and ease of use are key when selecting the right fire protection product for your home, business or wherever.

BlazzOut Inc has developed a lightweight and user-friendly fire-extinguishing device that offers several advantages for home, business, and vehicle use as well as other settings where simple, environmentally-friendly firefighting is needed, such as schools, libraries, and farms.

The signature BlazzOut product is a compact, lightweight, and easy-to-handle grenade-style extinguisher known as BlazzKiller. The device is designed to be thrown into a fire from a safe distance that contains a non-toxic water-based formula, which is economical and effective. The container is made of an easily breakable resin plastic that will release the fire-suppression liquid when thrown into a fire.

The BlazzKiller proprietary formula is engineered to smother flames quickly and also initiates an endothermic process of taking energy from the fire itself to cool the surrounding area. This chemical reaction also releases nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the immediate flame area, which prevents oxygen from reaching and feeding the fire in order to prevent the fire from restarting, thus providing peace of mind.

BlazzOut products were designed by a chemical engineer to provide safe, simple, fire protection that can be used by almost anyone, including older adults and children approximately 7 years of age and older. The BlazzKiller fire-extinguishing grenades can be safely stored anywhere and has no need for maintenance.

BlazzOut also offers the BlazzTrap, an automatic fire-extinguishing device that features the same BlazzKiller technology and is designed to be placed where it will snuff out fires in up to 250 sq ft, such as in the kitchen, garage, attic or basement when the glass ampule reaches a predetermine temperature.

In addition the BlazzTrap device can be placed in a boat, camper, car, truck, or RV as well.

Other benefits of BlazzOut products include easy cleanup and no property damage, compared with the damage often caused by conventional fire extinguishers, as well as a shelf life of approximately five years.

Visit www.tiny.cc/blazzout for more information.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) supports North America's manufacturers of construction and agricultural equipment to promote success and growth in the global marketplace.

The organization has identified five top trends to follow in 2021 that can help businesses succeed and ultimately thrive:

- Safety first. Workplace safety and compliance with the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration remain a top priority in all areas of manufacturing in 2021 and beyond.

Although the ongoing distribution of vaccines is encouraging, the impact of vaccination will not be apparent in the short term, and organizations will need to continue with the workplace strategies of practicing social distancing, restricting visitors, encouraging good hygiene, and ensuring employees' health before allowing them on the job.

- Together remotely. Technology has allowed many industries to connect and collaborate from a distance in ways never before available.

"The desire to equip workers with technology to stay connected and collaborate from a distance has been a trend within our industry," says Dennis Slater, President of AEM. "As the rise of big data in manufacturing takes shape, creating and finding technologies to make an increasingly spread-out workforce as productive as possible is a top priority for companies, and especially our equipment manufacturing members."

Manufacturers who continue to provide training and resources to help employees maximize productivity remotely will retain a competitive advantage.

As a recent McKinsey & Company article states, "by digitizing processes to improve equipment management and optimize physical assets, digital collaboration tools give manufacturers ways to boost productivity while enhancing quality," according to AEM.

- Expanded Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is an ongoing trend to watch in manufacturing, More organizations recognize and incorporate smart devices and embedded intelligence in multiple areas of the production process as a way to maintain efficiency and productivity with greater remote monitoring.

- Shop local. Manufacturers who are willing and able to embrace a localized economy can benefit from smaller, more flexible factories located near current and prospective customers. Not only can certain costs be saved, and potential disruptions to supply chains reduced, but many consumers report that they value authenticity and local sourcing.

- Maintenance made easier. Technology also allows manufacturers to have more detailed information about their equipment, which helps them more accurately predict potential equipment failure and plan accordingly to prevent downtime.

Visit AEM.org for more details about events, resources, and membership.

Resumes should be concise. The first thing you should do is look carefully at the job posting you are applying for. Look for any specifics that they are looking for in an applicant, and use the same wording they do in your resume, if it is applicable. You do not need to have paragraphs explaining every little detail about previous jobs and duties. Stick to the high-level details that seem important and make sure it is readable. Highlight your main job responsibilities, if you received any recognition, and impressive metrics that you may have achieved.

Put the most important information near the top of the resume.

Use a professional, easy-to- read font like Arial or Times New Roman in size 10 - 12. If you are having trouble thinking about what to focus on or how to design your resume, do a search for example resumes relevant to the industry you are applying in. Those may help you think of something in your history that you may not have considered including before.

So you've got your resume primed and ready to go. Now you have an interview, but it's remote. One of the most important things about a remote interview is being able to get to it. Find out which video chat service your potential employer is using and familiarize yourself with it before the interview. Just as with an in-person interview, how you present yourself is of great importance. Make sure you have a clean, orderly, quiet backdrop and that you dress appropriately for the interview.

You want to give the impression that you are ready to work remotely if necessary, or if not necessary, that you are taking the interview just as seriously. Make sure you close everything on your computer except the program you are using for the interview. This will prevent notifications from going off and help you remain focused on the interviewer.

When it comes to resume writing and interviewing, practice makes perfect. Family Credit Management is committed to helping however they can.

For a free, no-obligation, resume review and even a mock remote interview with an HR professional, you can send an email to [email protected].

Type 2 diabetes does not cause an elevated risk of infection per se but a greater risk of complications and mortality that arise from COVID-19 infection. Cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and organ dysfunction, including kidney and eye, all are common issues associated with Type 2 diabetes, and have been seen to be further exacerbated by COVID-19 infection.

While doctors still do not have enough evidence to explain all of the ways the virus affects the body, reports from all over the world have identified connections between inflammation and blood coagulation abnormalities and dangerous outcomes from the virus.

However, what many have not discussed is the possibility that quarantines, stay-at-home orders and remote working -- necessary to prevent the spreading of the virus -- may also present additional risk for those who already experience a sedentary lifestyle. A study by the National Institutes of Health shows that people who spend significant amounts of time not being active are subject to a 112 percent greater risk of potential complications, including Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome Coronavirus, and therefore, presents not only risks to those with Type 2 diabetes, but to those already at risk for Type 2 diabetes. Obesity is a key cause of Type 2 diabetes and one that the CDC has long been concerned about as a growing problem in the United States -- even before the current pandemic -- and the lifestyle changes which tend toward activities which lean toward weight gain rather than weight loss.

Health experts are therefore emphasizing the importance of maintaining metabolic health by managing potential risk factors associated with the disease, all while maintaining social distancing and engaging in safe behaviors connected to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

A variety of tools have become available in recent years that utilize modern technology, including app-driven diet, exercise and behavior modification plans, but the precision required in order to mitigate diabetes risk has been limited. One recently introduced system, BEATdiabetes, consists of a unique smartphone and/or tablet app comprising a digital version of a successful diabetes weight management program by the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Mass. It provides a suite of life management tools that provide users with personalized coaching driven by a unique, AI-based digital platform that responds to the specific needs of the user.

"Even in the best of times, people at risk for Type 2 diabetes must be extra vigilant in order to manage their weight, their blood pressure and other potential risk factors," says Faz Chowdury, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Nemaura Medical, Inc., which developed the system. "It can be a daunting task that requires constant maintenance - especially when trying to manage it alone."

In addition, the company has developed the sugarBEAT non-invasive continuous glucose monitor, that adheres to the skin (not pierces it), tracking a user's glycemic levels throughout the day and providing valuable coaching in response. Nemaura Medical believes that regular use of the system can improve the health of people with Type 2 diabetes who need extra help managing it, prevent diabetes to those at very high risk, such as pre-diabetes, and may even reverse diabetes in some patients.

While COVID-19 may pose additional risk for people with Type 2 diabetes, it is especially important to identify solutions to manage Type 2 diabetes while protecting yourself from the virus.