Become An Xray Tech

An x-ray tech or radiographer works with the radiologist to prepare patients and produce x-rays for medical evaluations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, radiographers are in demand and the need for the position is expected to grow quickly.

When a patient undergoes a radiologically based test, the radiologist is the main person he interacts with. She explains the procedure and prepares the patient for examination. Preparation includes addressing proper clothing, body and equipment positioning and administration of radioactive agents/contrasts. She takes the x-ray, develops it and turns it over to the radiologist for evaluation.

Instructions

1. Choose the proper program. To do this you must decide if you would like to receive a certificate, associate's degree or bachelor's degree.

2. Take mandatory classes required for admission. This normally includes high school level math and science classes.

3. After graduation, take and pass the ARRT's national certification exam in order to become registered with them. Registration with ARRT is a requirement of licensure in many states and most employers prefer it.

4. Become licensed in the state that you wish to work. Licensure is mandatory for radiographers in 38 states.

5. Apply for an open position. Look for positions in hospitals, private practice radiology clinics and individual doctors' offices.

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What Is A Qualified Medical Expense For An Hsa

A health savings account, or HSA, provides a way to pay for medical expenses and save money for future medical bills.

Research

A list of some of the qualified medical expenses can be found in the Internal Revenue Service's publication 502. Whether a specific item is covered is based on the facts and circumstances. The medical service must be given for the prevention or treatment of a physical or mental illness, according to the Department of the Treasury.

Family

Medical expenses for a spouse and children are considered a qualified medical expense.

Premium

A person can pay health care premiums using an HSA only if he is collecting unemployment benefits or is on COBRA health insurance from a previous employer.

Medical

Examples of medical expenses covered are doctor visits, emergency room visits, hospitalization, prescription medications, dental expenses, medical equipment and supplies, tests and diagnostic services.

Travel

Costs for travel to receive medical services are also a qualified medical expense.

Long-Term Care

Long-term care services and the premiums for long-term care insurance may be paid with funds from a health savings account.

Tags: medical expenses, health savings, health savings account, qualified medical, qualified medical expense, savings account

What Does It Mean When Your Breast Is Sore

What Does it Mean When Your Breast Is Sore?

According to the Mayo Clinic, 70 percent of women experience breast pain and tenderness, called mastalgia, at some point in their lives. This pain can be caused by hormonal changes, cysts, medication and breast size.

Cyclical pain

This pain is a result of cyclical hormonal changes in women, corresponding with menstruation or pregnancy. It usually occurs in both breasts and is described as a general sense of soreness and heaviness. It usually stops after menopause.

Noncyclical pain

Noncyclical breast pain is not related to a woman's monthly cycle. It may occur in only one breast and feels like a sharp, burning pain in a localized area of the breast. This type of pain may be caused by a cyst or fibroadenoma.

Medication

Some medications, including infertility treatments and oral contraceptives, can cause pain in the breasts due to the hormones they contain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant medications are also associated with breast pain.

Size

Women with larger breasts often experience breast soreness. This pain is usually accompanied by pain in the neck, back and shoulders. Breast reduction surgery can alleviate this pain.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer does not usually cause breast pain. However, cancerous lumps in the breasts can become painful.

Tags: breast pain, This pain, Your Breast Sore, Breast cancer, Breast Sore, Does Mean, Does Mean When

Monitor Heparin During Surgery

Monitor Heparin During Surgery

Heparin is an anticoagulant used to prevent or treat excessive clotting within the body's blood vessels. The partial thromboplastin time (PTT) test, also called a "bleeding time" in the clinical lab, is a test used to monitor heparin therapy to make sure that not too much of it is being used. When people on heparin therapy undergo surgery, or if the surgery requires heparin (as is the case when a heart-lung machine is used), PTT tests are done throughout the surgery to make sure the patient will have the ability to clot and heal after surgery.

Instructions

Blood Collection

1. Collect a blood sample by using a blood collection kit, usually consisting of a syringe, needle assembly, cotton swab, and alcohol or iodine cleaning swab. If you are using a tube ("butterfly") needle assembly, empty about 1 milliliter of blood into a discard tube before filling the light blue top tube.

2. Make sure the light blue top tube is properly filled. For accurate blood coagulation time studies, a correct ratio of blood to sodium citrate must be in the tubes.

3. Apply pressure for an extended period of time to the site of the blood draw, if it was done through a venous phlebotomy. This is to make sure a clot forms and the site does not continue to bleed after the sample is taken. If a port or IV line was used, then no pressure is necessary.

Perfom the PTT Test

4. Calibrate and run quality control on the blood coagulation analyzer according to the analyzer's manufacturer instructions. Only then may you continue to the next step.

5. Insert the patient sample into the analyzer for testing. Make sure to follow procedures since any deviation may alter the results. Always use caution when opening the tube for testing (if necessary) and when operating the analyzer.

6. Report the results to the surgical staff immediately. It is of the essence that the surgical team be aware of the PTT results since the results dictate how heparin and other medications are used during the surgery. Any critically abnormal results should be reported immediately per your institution's standard operating procedure.

Tags: blood coagulation, blue tube, During Surgery, Heparin During, Heparin During Surgery, heparin therapy, light blue

Estriol Transdermal Cream Vs Estriol Vaginal Cream

Decisions regarding your hormonal health can be confusing.

Estriol is one of the estrogen hormones. Since it is weaker than either estradiol or estrone, physicians sometimes prescribe it for their patients who cannot tolerate other estrogens.

Delivery Method

Estriol can be made into a cream or suppository to be inserted vaginally. Less frequently, it is administered through the skin.

Safety

Estriol is the weakest estrogen and has been safely used in Europe as a vaginal cream or suppository since the 1980s.

Effectiveness

According to a five-year study done by C Lauritzen at the University of Ulm in Germany, estriol vaginal cream was found to relieve menopausal symptoms and had very few side effects.

Other Uses

Vaginal estriol may be useful in treating urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Also, a patent has been issued to the inventor of an estriol transdermal patch to combat osteoporosis.

Considerations

The FDA has not yet approved estriol for use in the United States. Any decision regarding your hormonal health should be discussed with your health care provider.

Tags: your hormonal health, cream suppository, hormonal health, regarding your, regarding your hormonal, vaginal cream, your hormonal

Flu Shot Symptoms

Flu Shot Symptoms

The flu vaccine contains small amounts of dead influenza virus. Once it is injected into the body, it stimulates the body's immune response by recognizing the virus. Your body then prepares antibodies. There may be some minor symptoms as a result of the shot. Very rarely do major symptoms occur.

General Symptoms

Most symptoms will include soreness at the injection site, muscle aches, a mild fever and general malaise. The symptoms may last from one to two days.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

In rare instances, people who've received a flu shot develop GBS (where the body's immune system attacks the nervous system). Symptoms will start with weakness, tingling of lower extremities, difficulty breathing, paralysis and fever.

Allergic Reactions

People who are allergic to egg whites will often times have a response to the shot. Symptoms may be appear as hives or rashes on the body.

Severe Reactions

Severe reactions are very rare with the flu shot. They may be asthma-like symptoms (such as wheezing or gasping), a fast heartbeat, dizziness, or hives.

Reality

Most people who receive the flu shot are unlikely to develop symptoms at all.

Compensation

If you ever receive a flu shot and end up experiencing an adverse reaction, go to an emergency room immediately. You can then file a report using the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and a federal program will compensate you for your care.

Tags: body immune, receive shot

Transrectal Prostate Ultrasound & Biopsy

An ultrasound can help diagnose a prostate ailment.

Transrectal prostate ultrasound and biopsy are tests used to diagnose abnormal functioning of the prostate gland. They are generally employed when a man reports symptoms indicative of an enlarged prostate, and can be used to distinguish between several causes including benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, or prostate cancer. The procedures are minimally invasive and may be performed on an outpatient basis. The results of these two tests may conclusively determine the cause of the symptoms, or indicate further testing.

About the Prostate

The prostate gland is an integral part of the male reproductive system. It is located next to the bladder. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen. Its primary function is to produce, store, and secrete a fluid component of semen; however, it also prevents urination from occurring during intercourse by sealing off bladder access to the urethra when the man is sexually excited.

Significance

As men age, it is common for their prostate glands to become enlarged. When this occurs, the prostate begins to place more pressure on the nearby bladder as well as the urethra, causing a host of uncomfortable urinary problems. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as BPH, is most often behind these symptoms, however they can also be caused by prostate cancer or chronic infection. Transrectal prostate ultrasound and biopsy can be employed to identify which condition is causing the symptoms.

Features

During a transrectal ultrasound, a probe that emits ultrasound waves is inserted into a man's rectum. The probe translates the ultrasound waves bouncing off of the exterior of the prostate into a picture of the gland. From this picture, the health care professional can identify any areas of abnormal growths on the surface of the gland. If such areas are identified, they may choose to take a biopsy of the tissue to determine if it is cancerous. A needle is inserted through the rectum to collect a sample of tissue, which is sent to the laboratory for analysis.

Effects

Based on the results of the transrectal prostate ultrasound and biopsy, a medical professional may be ready to make a diagnosis or recommend more testing. If the ultrasound identifies gland enlargement but the biopsy does not return any results, a diagnosis of BPH will likely be given. If the biopsy results indicate malignant cell growth, a PSA blood test might be ordered to measure the levels of prostate-specific anti-bodies in the blood. Elevated PSA levels can indicate cancer or chronic infection, and either diagnosis might then be entertained.

Considerations

A transrectal prostate ultrasound and biopsy procedure typically takes between five and 20 minutes depending on initial results. Your health care provider may ask you to perform an enema before these procedures to remove an excess fecal matter from the rectum. Local anesthesia may be applied on request or if a biopsy of the gland is taken.

Tags: prostate ultrasound biopsy, prostate gland, ultrasound biopsy, cancer chronic, cancer chronic infection

Find The Value Of Old Money

money

There are several ways you can find the value of old money. Whether old coins or paper money, these are some places that will help you find out what your money's worth.

Instructions

1. A quick and easy way to find the value of old money is to do a search using online auction web sites. Look up the money you have in the completed auctions section, if available. This will give you a realistic idea of what it can be sold for. To do this however, you should be familiar with old money, identifying features, mint markings etc, as this can all factor into the value.

2. Another option to find the value of old money is to take it to a reputable coin dealer in your area. Coin dealers should be able to tell you the value of both old coins as well as paper money. You may want to get opinions from several coin dealers.

3. You may find web sites with online communities of collectors, dealers and researchers of old money helpful. These people are sometimes known as Numismatists. They may be able to give you values, answer your questions or provide you with information and resources.

4. The library can be another useful source to find the value of old money. There are several books you can use to research and educate yourself on this subject. Make sure you are looking at up to date values as they do change.

Tags: find value, find value money, value money, money There, money There several

What Is The Next Step After A Deposition

A deposition often reveals the need for further discovery.

A deposition is essentially a verbal statement made under oath by a witness or a party involved in a lawsuit. Lawyers commonly use depositions as an investigation tool during the discovery phase of a lawsuit, and depending on a deponent's testimony, the suit may proceed in one of several directions. Often a deposition serves as the catalyst for further investigation into the facts of a case, but it can also reveal an opportunity to settle the matter outside the courtroom.

Deposition

After a lawsuit is filed, each party has the right to fully investigate his opponent's case. This is called the "discovery phase." There are several tools available during the discovery process, and one of these is to take depositions of witnesses.

A deposition normally happens at the office of one of the attorneys involved in the case, and both parties' attorneys, as well as the parties themselves, are usually present. A court reporter records the witness' statement and produces a word-for-word transcript.

A deposition serves two purposes: to find out what a witness's testimony will be at trial, and to preserve that testimony until the case is tried. Depending on the information uncovered in a deposition, a lawsuit normally proceeds along one of three courses.

Further Discovery

Often, a deponent reveals information that requires additional follow-up. For instance, an attorney might learn that he needs to verify facts, obtain additional documents, or speak to additional witnesses in order to proceed with the lawsuit. In this situation, the next step will be to conduct further discovery.

Settlement

A deposition might serve as the final piece of the litigation puzzle, clarifying the issues and allowing the attorneys to reach a settlement on behalf of their clients. Depending on the facts of the case and the testimony given during the deposition, a settlement might be reached immediately or the parties might engage in more lengthy negotiations before reaching a resolution.

Trial Preparation

On the other hand, sometimes a deposition is the final step in the discovery phase, allowing the attorneys to prepare for trial. Often, deposition transcripts are used at trial to ensure that witness testimony remains consistent. On occasion, a witness can't attend trial, and his deposition substitutes for his appearance at trial.

Tags: discovery phase, allowing attorneys, deposition serves, during discovery, facts case

College Benefits For Children Of Disabled Veterans

Children of disabled veterans may receive college or educational benefit packages.

Children of disabled veterans may take advantage of state and federal financial aid earmarked specifically for children of disabled, missing in action or deceased veterans. In addition, service members who are awarded the Post-9/11 GI Bill may, as of 2009, transfer their unused college benefits to dependents or spouses.

Federal Benefits

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers an educational benefits package to children of veterans who are "permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-related disability," according to their website. The Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA) offers up to 45 months of educational assistance to qualifying dependents, defined as the sons or daughters of a permanently disabled veteran or one who is "hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability" which will likely result in discharge. Qualifying recipients must also be between the ages of 18 and 26.

State Aid

Some state governments provide aid for students who are children of disabled veterans. These state-run programs may cover up to the full-cost of tuition. For example, the California Department of Veteran Affairs offers a full-tuition scholarship and fees waiver to the dependents of a disabled veteran. To qualify, students must attend a California Community College, University of California or California State University school and must be a California resident. Students in other states should check their state government's website to see if they might qualify for a similar program.

California Department of Veterans Affairs

Division of Veterans Services

1227 O Street, Suite 105

Sacramento, CA 95814

916-503-8397

cdva.ca.gov

Post-9/11 G.I. Bill

Disabled veterans who served in the armed forces after Sept. 11, 2001, are eligible for a provision in the Post-9/11 GI Bill called Transfer of Benefits (TEB). Under this program, service members may transfer their educational benefits to a spouse or one or more of their dependents. Service members do not need to be disabled to take advantage of TEB: however, there are strict eligibility requirements for length of service. Dependents will receive all of the service member's unused education benefits, including money for tuition and fees, a housing allowance and books/living allowance. The child must be between the ages of 18 and 26.

Tags: disabled veterans, Post-9 Bill, Affairs offers, between ages, California Department, Children disabled veterans, Department Veterans

Health Insurance For Lowincome Pregnant Women

Thirty-five percent of low-income women between the ages of 18 and 64 years do not have health insurance coverage, according to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. If you're a pregnant woman in this category, you are most likely plagued by worries about how you'll pay for your pregnancy and delivery. Health insurance for low-income pregnant women presents special challenges and considerations that you should be aware of as you begin your journey as a pregnant woman.

Significance

Health insurance for low-income pregnant women plays an important role in keeping your medical costs under control during your prenatal care and the delivery of your baby. The American Pregnancy Association estimates the cost of the average delivery of a normal baby to be between $6,000 and $8,000, a financial investment that could be much higher if you experience a high-risk pregnancy or have a complicated delivery. Health insurance during this important time in your life gives you the freedom to enjoy your pregnancy, reducing or eliminating your out-of-pocket costs so you can afford adequate medical care for yourself and your little one.

Problems

Data from the American Pregnancy Association shows that approximately 13 percent of pregnant women did not have health insurance when they got pregnant. These women face a special challenge when trying to find health insurance. Many health insurance programs consider pregnancy to be a pre-existing condition, which means that the insurance company will not cover any costs associated with your pregnancy. If a health insurance option becomes available to you during your pregnancy, verify the company's policy on pregnancy and pre-existing conditions before you sign any papers or write any premium checks.

Types

As a low-income pregnant woman, you typically have two types of health insurance available: private insurance and federally funded insurance. Usually provided as an option with employment, private health insurance often has high premiums and may not even cover the costs of your pregnancy if you didn't have the insurance in place before you got pregnant. Medicaid, a federally funded health insurance option, will cover the costs of your pregnancy, even if you weren't covered by insurance when you got pregnant, as long as you meet certain requirements, including federally mandated income guidelines.

Qualifying for Medicaid

If private health insurance is not an option, you should check with your local Medicaid office to determine the eligibility guidelines in place for low-income pregnant women. Although these requirements may vary from state to state, typically you will need to provide proof of your pregnancy, your U.S. citizenship, your identification and your income. Pregnant women whose income does not exceed 130 percent of the federal poverty level qualify based on income; however, you should still check with your local Medicaid office even if your income exceeds that financial amount because you may qualify based on medical needs.

Considerations

Whether or not you have health insurance as a low-income pregnant woman, you can take certain steps to minimize your out-of-pocket costs for your prenatal care and delivery. If you and your obstetrician or midwife anticipate your labor to be straight-forward and simple, delivery at a birthing center provides a safe, cost-efficient option that could save you thousands of dollars. If you choose to have your baby at a hospital, the American Pregnancy Association suggests that you get in touch with the account manager to set up a payment plan or to see if they provide a sliding scale--a cost structure hat changes based on your income--for payment.

Tags: your pregnancy, health insurance, low-income pregnant, pregnant woman, American Pregnancy, American Pregnancy Association

Choose A Health Care Provider

Finding the right health care provider is an important part of any good overall health plan. When it comes to managing physical health, it isn't just about the medical care provided; it is also about the patient-doctor relationship. Health care providers must be able to provide care as well as inspire confidence that leads to trust among patients. Choosing a doctor or health care provider requires only a little detective work and knowledge of the right questions to ask.

Instructions

Choosing a Doctor or Health Care Provider

1. Determine your needs. Which doctor or health care provider you choose will depend upon your health needs. Some doctors, such as general practitioners, are trained to handle the basic medical concerns of people of all ages. Others, such as pediatricians and geriatricians, address the needs of more limited groups; in this case, children and older adults respectively. Needs for a doctor or health care provider can also be driven by a particular health concern. For example, gynecologists are concerned with women's reproductive health and cardiologists specialize in heart health.

2. Ask if the health care provider participates in a plan that is accredited. Quality among health care providers varies widely and can make the difference between excellent and mediocre care. Improve your chances of getting excellent care by choosing a doctor that belongs to a program that rates high marks. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) rates health services using measures such as doctor's credentials, quality of care provided, and preventive health services. Check the rating of any service you are considering at http://www.ncqa.org.

3. Talk with friends and family. Family and friends are often the most reliable source for information about the personality of a doctor as well as if the doctor listens well, takes time to explain things and is proactive about prevention (for example, asks about smoking, seat belts, diet, exercise, etc.). Make a list of the names you get, and then do a little objective research to find a doctor that offers a good combination of caring and competence. The Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research advises checking doctor training and certification at the American Medical Associations site http://www.ama-assn.org.

4. Ask where the doctor has privileges. Choose a doctor that is allowed to practice medicine at the hospital of your choice. While you are asking where your doctor has privileges, you should also learn if she accepts the health plan or insurance that you have and if she is accepting new patients. It is also important to know how much experience she has treating your medical conditions. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that doctors with a lot of experience treating a certain condition have more success with managing that condition.

5. Consult professional organizations. There are a number of websites, including the American Medical Association and American Board of Medical Specialties, that provide information for choosing a doctor or health care provider. When you find a doctor or health care provider worth considering, call to ask questions such how long it takes to get an appointment, policies for missed or cancelled appointments, how urgent medical needs are handled and approximate waiting room times.

Tags: doctor health, health care, health care provider, care provider, care provider

Description Of A Mainframe Computer

Mainframe computers have characteristics that set them apart from other computers.

Mainframe computers are in a league all their own and despite reports and speculation that they are history, new mainframe computer models are still being developed and introduced. As recently as 2010 IBM announced the zEnterprise machine, putting to rest for now the rumors of the mainframe's demise. These computing monoliths provide security, availability and reliability that is beyond the reach of their server cousins.

Mainframe Definition

A mainframe computer is a large computing device that runs complex operating systems, is extremely fast, consumes a large amounts of electricity and requires a clean, cool environment. Mainframes typically process mixed workloads very efficiently, serving thousands of users and processing batch transactions efficiently at the same time.

Mainframes Run Complex Operating Systems

While servers run Windows Server, Linux and UNIX operating systems, mainframe computers run extremely complex and powerful OSs such as MVS/XA, OS/390 and z/OS. These operating systems are capable of utilizing the hardware to produce the required transaction volume, and can run the previously mentioned server OSs as well. Virtualization is not as new as some may think, as it was introduced decades ago in mainframe operating systems.

Mainframes Are Large

Mainframe computers are larger than other computers, even the smallest taking up 10-12 square feet of floor space. The earliest mainframes such as UNIVAC and BRANIAC occupied hundreds of feet of floor space while ENIAC used 19,000 vacuum tubes and weighed over 60,000 pounds. Modern mainframes take up far less space, but provide far more computing power than their ancestors.

Mainframes Are Very Fast

Mainframes are incredibly fast computing machines. Their processor speeds combine with their ability to manage storage and memory to provide maximum transaction throughput. This ability to handle large transaction volumes is what endears mainframe computers to large banks, governments and insurance companies. These companies need the processing power of mainframe computers to process huge numbers of transactions on a daily basis.

Mainframes Devour Electricity

The vacuum tubes used in early mainframes consumed large amounts of power, and while modern mainframes are smaller and use more efficient components, they still consume a lot of electricity. Additionally, mainframes rely on clean and constant power through power conditioning equipment and uninterrupted power supplies -- UPSs.

Mainframes Need Clean, Cool Air

Dust and heat can cause major damage to any computing components and mainframes are no exception. There is a lot of circuitry in a mainframe computer and that circuitry produces heat. Cool air is required to keep a mainframe from overheating, which means expensive air conditioning and ventilation. Some mainframes have thermal sensors that shut the machine down if the room reaches a set temperature. Static electricity causes dust to adhere to the chips in computing equipment, so it is imperative that a mainframe computer room be kept clean and as dust-free as possible.

Tags: operating systems, mainframe computer, feet floor, feet floor space, floor space, large amounts

Aerobic Steps For Increasing Breast Size

Aerobic Steps on Blocks

Aerobic steps promote cardiac fitness and help you stay slim. They also can help you increase your breast size when used with strength training. To give your breasts a firm, uplifted look and add inches to your size, you must make the underlying muscles of the chest larger. While this will not add to the glandular tissue that makes up breasts, it will add firm, beautiful inches to your bust line.

Chest Muscles

To increase breast size, you need to work the muscles of the chest and shoulders. Because you will use your own body weight in strength training, you will challenge the muscles enough to stimulate growth through balance and resistance. Don't worry about getting too big and bulky. You want bulk under the breasts to increase bust size. You will not get too bulky in the upper body and shoulders because women just do not have enough testosterone for that. So, train until your heart and breast size are content.

Exercises

These exercises will work the pectoral muscles for maximum breast size, fullness, lift and contour. Lift and separate breasts by working the pectoralis minor, which pulls up and out toward the shoulder. Work the muscles on the sides and shoulder girdle to firm up the excess flab that we get from the side of the bra under the arm. Work the large pectoralis major in three parts--top, middle and bottom. Building up the top, along with the pectoralis minor, gives us beautiful, contoured, firm cleavage. The middle makes us perky, and the bottom enlarges and lifts the entire breast. The exercises we will use are flys, presses and push-ups. Learn to do these using an aerobic step, and you will never have a sagging breast.

Flys

Put a few blocks under the aerobic step. Height is not important as long as you are comfortable and can drop your arms a little below the level of the step. Use one or two blocks and you can lie comfortably. Use four blocks and you can work your core muscles at the same time. Lie on the step on your back with your head resting comfortably on the step. To rest, bend your knees. To work the core simultaneously, lift and straighten your lower body with knees bent to make a bridge. Now, work the chest! Use a weight or water jugs in each hand on either side of the step. Keeping the elbows straight, start with arms fully extended to the sides, then bring up and together in front of you. Do three sets of 10 repetitions.

Presses

Chest Press: Keep the same position lying on the step as in the fly. This time, bend the elbows so that they are on the floor or as low as possible and your hands are straight above you. Press the weights up, straightening the elbows as you press, then return. Do three sets of 10 reps.

Incline Press: The incline press is the same as the chest press, except you will adjust your position to target the upper pecs. Put four blocks under one end of the step and none under the other end. Lie with your head on the higher end. Rest your lower back on the step with your knees bent. Do the chest press as before, pressing straight up. Do three sets of 10 reps.

Decline Press: The decline press works the lower pecs to give us that beautiful lift and curve to the bottom of the breast. Put your head at the lower end of the step and rest your back on the higher end with your knees bent. Repeat the chest press again, pressing straight up. Do three sets of 10 reps.

Push-ups

These work like the presses, but you will work more through the upper arms and shoulder girdle. With the aerobic step flat on the floor, kneel and face it horizontally. With your hands wide, place each palm on the ends of the step and lunge both legs straight out behind you, resting on your toes. Bending the elbows, lower your upper body to the step, but do not rest on it, then press to straighten your elbows and rise up again. Do three sets of 10 reps.

Incline Push-up: Place two to four blocks under each end of the step so that your upper body is higher than your lower body. Repeat the push-ups as above.

Decline Push-up: Place the step directly on the floor. Place your feet and lower legs on top of an exercise ball or use a chair or sofa. Repeat the push-ups as above.

Method

Do these strength-training exercises three times per week. Wait a day or two between workouts to allow muscles to repair and grow more tissue. Do these religiously and you will see results in a month.

Conclusion

Building chest muscles is the most natural, most healthy method of breast enlargement. Before risking surgery or hormone creams, try this 100 percent safe method that has positive health benefits while adding true inches.

Tags: three sets, breast size, sets reps, three sets reps, aerobic step, blocks under

Plan A Beach Vacation To Mexico

Vacations to the beaches of Cancun or Puerto Vallarta are popular with travelers of all ages. However, their heavily-traveled resorts are only a few of the thousands of beach destinations available for travelers to Mexico. Plan a beach vacation that goes off the beaten path to appreciate everything Mexico has to offer.

Instructions

1. Transfer your travel funds into pesos as you plan your Mexico vacation. While some shops accept U.S. dollars, the conversion rate makes the use of pesos more favorable.

2. Keep your suitcase light by leaving heavier shirts and pants at home. You can plan for consistent temperatures and weather on both coasts during the winter, spring and fall.

3. Lay down roots during your beach vacation in Mexico along the central Pacific coast. The city of Mazatlan offers accommodations like the El Cid Marina Beach Hotel that are more affordable than similar hotels on the Atlantic coast (see Resources below).

4. Journey to the Big California Sur section of Mexico if you like fishing and boating. The city of La Paz has a marina that houses companies like Tortuga SportFishing, which offer diving and fishing excursions for tourists (see Resources below).

5. Travel to Tulum along Mexico's Atlantic beach front to avoid the crowds at nearby tourist destinations. Visit the Tulum page online at TripAdvisor to learn more about this ancient city's rich history and unique attractions (see Resources below).

6. Organize a trip to the Yucatan to enjoy a beach vacation while learning about Mexico's history. You can use a tour company like Illuminado Tours to witness the ruins of Uxmal and plan a trip along the Atlantic Coast (see Resources below).

7. Document every souvenir you purchase during your Mexico beach vacation to head off legal troubles as you head home. The enforcement of customs regulations by Mexican officials at airports and bus stations has increased, due to terrorism concerns.

Tags: Resources below, beach vacation, during your, your Mexico

Become A Plaster Technician

Residents of the United Kingdom have the option of choosing a career as a plaster technician. As of 2011, 1,490 people hold the British Casting Certificate, according to the Association of Orthopaedic Practioners. The United States equivalent of plaster technicians has the job title of orthopaedic technologists. They receive their certification from the National Association of Orthopaedic Technologists (NBCOT). Regardless of the country you live in, the requirements for becoming a plaster technician are similar.

Instructions

1. Earn a high school diploma. Technicians must have a high school diploma in order for employers to consider their applications. A General Equivalency Diploma (GED) is also acceptable.

2. Work for a medical facility in the casting room. As openings are few, you may have to work as a volunteer or begin working for another department and request a transfer when there is an opening.

3. Attend a training class. While you can become a plaster technician without attending formal training, you cannot gain your certification without it. According to the National Health Service of Scotland, it can be difficult to obtain work as a technician because of the limited number of jobs.

4. Gain your certification by applying to the association relevant for your country. You must supply references from a Fellow of the British Orthopaedic Association surgeon and your line manager for the BCC before taking the examination.

Tags: plaster technician, Association Orthopaedic, high school, high school diploma, school diploma

Check Out Medical Doctors

Learning how your doctor is rated helps you take care of your health.

Good health is a priority for all. We eat nutritional foods, exercise and practice stress reduction techniques. All this helps, but when we get sick we need competent medical care from an empathetic doctor. Before the days of the Internet it was difficult to know which doctor was best suited for your condition. Now it's easy to check out medical doctors to learn their credentials, specialties, and see their ratings from everything to promptness for appointments and diagnosis to their bedside manner.

Instructions

1. The Vitals.com website provides ratings and information about medical doctors credentials, affiliations and patient care. (See Reference 1)

2. Type in the name of the doctor you want to check out and the location of the doctor in the space provided. Click "Check-up Now." This will take you to a new page with the doctor's name, contact information, specialty and career highlights.

3. Click "View Full Profile" under the doctor's name.

This will take you to a new page with the doctor's name, and overall rating.

4. Scroll down page for more information. This will provide the doctor's hospital affiliations and hospital ranking, the institution where the doctor studied and the ranking of the institution, and the doctor's awards and distinctions. You can also see patient ratings on the page for the doctor's track record with several topics, which include ease of appointment, promptness, courteous staff, accurate diagnosis, bedside manner, follow up and "spends time with me."

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What Are The Dangers Of Saccharin

Saccharin is a low-calorie sweetener that some people use in place of sugar. Considerably sweeter than sucrose, it has no food value and no calories, and is not digested by the human body. Saccharin is sold under several different brand names as a sugar substitute and also may be used to sweeten candy, gum, soda, juice, jams and other products.

History

Initially discovered in 1879 by scientists at Johns Hopkins University, saccharin is the oldest low-calorie sweetener on the market. Saccharin gained popularity during the First and Second World Wars, and despite controversy as to its safety, it has remained a popular sugar substitute. However, it is now in competition with other sweeteners including aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame potassium and stevia.

Identification

Because of laboratory tests in which saccharin caused bladder cancer in rats, the sweetener was feared to also pose a threat of cancer in humans. The FDA proposed a ban against its use. However, in November 1977, Congress passed the Saccharin Study and Labeling Act to stop the FDA from banning saccharin. Instead, any product containing the sweetener was required by law to have a warning label that stated that the product caused cancer in laboratory animals and might be hazardous to the user's health.

Insight

Safety studies found no evidence to prove that saccharin causes cancer in people. Saccharin lacks two of the major characteristics of carcinogens. It is not metabolized by the body, and it does not react with DNA.

Significance

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Calorie Control Council requested that the National Toxicology Program review saccharin in 1997. Stating that the research showed saccharin was safe for human consumption, the council wanted to remove warnings from products containing the sweetener. In 2000, the NTP determined that saccharin was safe and should no longer be listed as a potential cancer-causing agent. The warning label was removed from foods the following year and has not since been required.

Considerations

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit organization, maintains its view that saccharin is still an additive that should be avoided, because it is questionable and has low nutritional value. There are also unsupported claims that saccharin may cause allergic reactions in some people, significantly those who cannot tolerate sulfa drugs. The symptoms they might experience include headaches, breathing difficulties, skin eruptions and diarrhea.

Tags: that saccharin, containing sweetener, low-calorie sweetener, saccharin safe, some people

Health Fair Project Ideas

Display health information at your health fair.

Through participation in a health fair, students learn about topics related to their physical well-being, and gather information about live a healthier lifestyle and avoid potentially dangerous health threats. Effective health fair projects are topical and relevant, providing viewers with information that they can apply to improve their daily life.

Which is Worse? Quiz

For your health fair, prepare an informative display to enlighten and surprise viewers. Select an assortment of foods, and place them head to head with each other in a health battle. For example, you could place soda against lemonade. Create a sheet featuring the two opponents, and place it on your display board, attaching it at the top so viewers can lift it up and see which food wins out. Under the sheet, place the answer to the question, "Which is Worse?" including nutrition information about each item featured in the match up.

Epidemic Death Statistics

While some move through life feeling as if they are immune from communicable diseases, infection epidemics have ravaged populations in the past. Make it clear how serious an epidemic can be to entice viewers to follow disease prevention precautions. Gather information on an assortment of epidemics, including a description of the disease as well as information on the estimated number of individuals who lost their lives to the illness. Create a display board featuring this information, allowing health fair visitors to see the potentially deadly implications of not protecting themselves.

Exercise Food Burn

Equate the calories burned through a variety of exercise methods to food quantities to allow health fair visitors to see the impact that exercising can have on their bottom---and waist---line. Gather information about the number of calories burned through several common types of exercises. Armed with this information, visit the grocery store and search nutrition information on the backs of foods to see just how much of each food would be burned off through that exercise method. Purchase packages of food that contain calorie contents similar to the amounts that could be burned off through completion of each exercise. Create a display board, listing the exercise and how many calories that form of exertion burns, and placing the food packaging next to it along with an explanation of how many servings of that food can be burned off with a little physical effort.

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Stage Four Cancer Life Expectancy

What can you expect with a stage 4 prognosis?

When someone is diagnosed with cancer of any type, the doctor usually provides a numerical stage number. Stage 1 is the least invasive type of cancer and is generally considered to be an early stage. Hence, stage 4 is just the opposite, normally describing cancers that are rather invasive or progressed. Therefore, stage 4 cancers are generally discussed in conjunction with anticipated life expectancy questions.

Lowest Stage 4 Cancer Life Expectancy by Type

In a study conducted by the U.S. Seer Program entitled "Cancer Survival

Among Adults," all cancer types were compared to see which had the lowest five-year life expectancy rates once they reached stage 4 status. Pancreatic cancer had the lowest five-year life expectancy rate, a mere 4.4 survival percentage. Close behind, at 7.2 percent, was mesothelioma. Liver cancer had the third-lowest life expectancy rate (10.2 percent), followed by esophagus cancer, with a 13.8 percent five-year life expectancy probability. Stage 4 cancer life expectancy is dramatically low in these types of cancers.

Highest Stage 4 Cancer Life Expectancy by Type

Stage 4 testes cancer had the highest five-year survival rate (95.5 percent) in the aforementioned study. Stage 4 thyroid cancer, at 93.9 percent, came in second-highest in life expectancy, and both the stage 4 lip and endocrine cancers tied for third place with a 91 percent survival rate. Fortunately for patients with these types of cancers, stage 4 cancer life expectancy is reasonably optimistic.

Highest Life Expectancy for Stage 4 Cancers by Race

Whites, with a rate of 95.8 percent, had the highest five-year cancer life expectancy recorded. Blacks came in second with a survival rate score of 94.7 percent for Stage 4 non-epithelial skin cancers. And third place went to Asians, with a 94.0 percent five-year survival rate for stage 4 thyroid cancer. However, this study did not include data from other races; therefore, these stage 4 cancer statistics are based solely on the races represented.

Lowest Expectancy Rate for Stage 4 Cancers by Race

The stage 4 cancer with the lowest cancer life expectancy rate for all three races represented in the U.S. SEER Program Study was pancreatic cancer (with whites at 4.4 percent, blacks at 4.4 percent and Asians at 4.8 percent).

Significance

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) is a program of the NCI (National Cancer Institute). This study about cancer life expectancy five-year survival rates for stage 4 cancers was produced from data compiled regarding cancers diagnosed between 1988 and 2001. It was comprised of adults 20 years of age and older (with the exception of leukemia, lymphoma and placenta cancers, which comprised individuals of younger ages).

The overall stage 4 cancer life expectancy rates were highest for white patients, at a 65 percent five-year survival rate, and lowest for Asians, at 54 percent. Surprisingly, the four most predominantly diagnosed stage 4 cancers during that period (lung/bronchial, breast, colon/rectum and prostate) were not reflected in the highest or lowest five-year survival rates.

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Signs Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. Early detection of breast cancer can improve survival significantly. Patients with breast cancer detected at early stages have a survival rate of 95%. Early detection of breast cancer can be done either through breast self-exam or routine mammogram screening. The most common symptom of breast cancer is the presence of a hard lump in the breast.

Location

About half of breast lumps are located in the upper outer quarter of the breast.

Incidence

Roughly one out of ten breast lumps turns out to be cancerous.

Effects

The presence of a hard lump may make the breasts appear asymmetrical.

Other Symptoms

Other symptoms include nipple discharge (either bloody or colorless fluid), nipple retraction and changes in contour or texture.

Types of Breast Lumps

In addition to breast cancer, other types of breast lumps include cysts, fibroadenomas and pseudolumps.

Warning

Many breast cancers have no symptoms at all and can only be detected by mammography.

Tags: breast cancer, breast lumps, detection breast, detection breast cancer, Early detection

Pap Test Procedures

A speculum holds open the vagina during the pap test and pelvic exam

Patients who need a pap test

Annual pap tests, or smears, in sexually active women or those over 18 detects cervical cancer in the earliest stages. Since it tests the opening of the cervix and not the uterus, a hysterectomy does not preclude a woman from annual pap tests. Most post menopausal women no longer need pap smears, but they still require gynecological exams each year.

Preparation

Ideally, a pap test needs to be done 10 to 20 days into the woman's menstrual cycle. Douching and vaginally applied products should be avoided for 2 days prior to the test to avoid tainting the results. The patient relates her most recent medical history to the doctor, focusing on the date of her last gynecological exam, pap test and any abnormalities in her menstrual cycle.

The patient removes her clothes and changes into a gown. Lying on the examination table on her back, she spreads her legs to allow the gynecologist to do a visual exam of the pelvic area. The doctor then lubricates and inserts a speculum to spread open the vagina. This allows the doctor to use both hands for the pap smear collection and the pelvic exam. A brief visual inspection of the genital area precedes sample collection for the pap test.

Sample collection

To clear away any mucus, the doctor might rub a cotton swab around the cervix. The gynecologist uses cervical brushes to gently collect cells from just inside and on the outside of the opening of the cervix. The cells from just around the inside of the opening are the endocervical sample, and those from the outside are called the ectocervical sample. These brushes are rubbed onto two separate glass slides for an evaluation under a microscope.

Test results

Within 2 to 3 weeks, the patient receives the results from her pap test. Tests examine for cell changes and read normal or abnormal, with abnormal results broken down by the type of cell change found. Normal test results only require scheduling a routine pap test for the following year, but abnormal results warrant further care and consultation with a doctor.

Changes in cells do not mean that the patient has cervical cancer, but it indicates that changes in the cells could later develop into cancer. A sexually transmitted disease, the human papillomavirus (HPV) often causes these changes and can lead to cervical cancer. Severe changes in the cells could indicate that cervical cancer is present either around the cervix or already spread. Abnormal results should be discussed with the patient's gynecologist to determine the best course of action.

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Get Medical Care For People Who Can'T Afford Medical Insurance

Many Americans face the challenge of finding quality medical care at an affordable price, but some cannot afford even inexpensive coverage. If you are having a heart attack, about to give birth or in the midst of some other medical emergency, a hospital cannot turn you away, according to the Legal Aid Society. But if you need routine or preventive care, you will need to tap some other sources of free or inexpensive medical treatment.

Instructions

1. Talk to your regular physician, if you have one. Tell her that you are having trouble paying for your health care. She might be able to refer you to some local resources that could help. She also might offer to reduce your bill, especially if you pay in full in cash, or to give you a payment plan.

2. Seek government help. If you are over 65, you are eligible for Medicare, the federal health plan for the elderly. But if you are younger, you still could qualify for Medicaid, the government plan that provides care for low-income people. According to MediLexicon International Ltd. Medicare, individual states establish the qualifications for Medicare, so check with your state Medicare office.

3. Take advantage of free clinics and care offered through your municipal health department. Most cities have free medical clinics that offer free or vastly reduced care and preventive programs. In addition, many city or county health departments offer free or reduced-cost screenings and preventive care.

4. Apply for free prescriptions. If you have an ongoing need for prescription medications, check out the resources available through Partnership for Prescription Assistance at www.pparx.org, or ask your prescribing physician whether the manufacturer of your medication has a program to provide the drugs at no or a reduced cost.

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Lipoma & Diet

Losing weight does not shrink lipomas.

Lipomas are slow-growing, non-cancerous lumps of mature fat cells. Commonly found under the skin, the growths feel round, smooth and rubbery. They readily roll beneath the fingers with pressure. Although most lipomas are harmless, any abnormal lump requires examination by a qualified health care professional.

Lipoma Causes

No one knows why lipomas develop. According to the Mayo Clinic, they tend to run in families, suggesting heredity plays a role in their occurrence. The America Academy of Family Physicians claims injury may also cause lipoma formation.

Lipomas and Diet

According to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, although lipomas occur more commonly in overweight individuals, losing weight does not shrink lump size. Dr. Yiannis Panayiotopoulus, a consultant of vascular and general surgery at Broomfield Hospital in England, states there is lack of scientific evidence supporting claims that high-fat diets contribute to lipoma formation.

Lipoma Treatment

According to the Mayo Clinic, lipomas need not be removed unless they exhibit rapid growth, cause pain or in a bothersome location. Treatment options include surgical removal, liposuction or steroid injections. Once removed surgically, they rarely recur. Steroid injections and liposuction shrink growths rather than totally eradicate them.

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Become A Radiologist With Felonies

Finding a job as a radiologist after a felony conviction may be difficult.

Finding a job with a felony record can be quite challenging. Trying to get employment in a hospital setting with a felony -- depending on the type of conviction -- can be nearly impossible. However, there are some simple tips available to individuals with a record who wish to work as a radiologist. Radiologists are physicians who specialize in the diagnostic use of X-rays, MRIs and CT scanners. They also can use radiation in the treatment process, such as oncological radiology. Due to the structure of medical school, you will have a slightly easier time finding employment than felons looking for work in other fields, but there are still some basic tips to keep in mind.

Instructions

1. Attend medical school and become an M.D. You will choose your radiology specialty in the third year of medical school. It will take at least eight years, counting the four to five of your residency, to be a fully certified radiologist. You may have difficulty getting accepted into very prestigious schools with a felony conviction on your record, but any properly accredited medical school can provide the education and experience you need to practice medicine.

2. Contact a lawyer to find out what can be done about your felony at some point during your education. Occasionally, depending on the circumstances, your record can be sealed or cleared, or the conviction can be reduced.

3. Apply for radiologist positions. Do not list your conviction on the application or in your resume. Be prepared, however, to volunteer the information if the interview process is going well. Tell the interviewer, prior to any background check on you, about your conviction and explain how you have turned your life around and are no longer on a self-destructive path.

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Help With Cost Of Unaffordable Prescription Drugs

Stay on the ball about making sure you can pay for your prescriptions.

Prescription drugs can be difficult to afford, especially if you don't have insurance or if your insurance only covers some of your prescriptions. However, health-care providers and advisors as well as pharmaceutical companies have responded to patient concerns over high costs with a number of possible solutions. If you can't afford your medications now, or you suspect you will have trouble paying for all of your prescriptions in the near future, take action now to avoid being without your medication later because of poor planning. Not taking the right dosage of your medication, or not taking it as regularly as directed, can have negative health consequences that are costly, too.

Seek Out Rebate Coupons

Many pharmaceutical companies are beginning to issue rebate coupons that help defray copay costs that patients in the past have had to shoulder. These coupons often bring down the price of brand-name drugs to the same level as their generic competitors. Although the Food and Drug Administration certifies that generic drugs have the same dose, strength, safety and effectiveness, if you use a brand-name drug for certain reasons, ask your pharmacist and doctor if there are any coupons available, and visit the website of the pharmaceutical company as well.

Talk To Your Pharmacist

One good habit to get into is to converse with your pharmacist regularly about lowering your drug costs. For example, sometimes if you begin a new medication, you might be able to stop taking another. Your pharmacist can explain the options to you and help your doctor choose the right medicine for your needs. Pharmacists are often notified directly about less costly options in a certain class of drugs. Asking about possible differences between generic and brand-name drugs is another good conversation to have when starting a new medication, so that you can immediately learn of ways to save money on that prescription. Another short-term way to save is to ask your doctor if she has any free samples of medications you take.

Patient Assistance Programs

Patient assistance programs are run by pharmaceutical companies to provide free medications to those who have no way to pay for medicines they need. You can search a comprehensive database of different programs at RxAssist.org, an organization that can help you reduce medication costs. RxAssist also recommends looking for information about reducing medication costs at places such as community health centers, local social service programs and charitable programs.

Medicare Extra Help

Some Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for up to $4,000 of additional government support to defray costs associated with monthly premiums, annual deductibles and co-payments. Your resources and income must fall below a certain level. Apply through your local Social Security office, online or over the phone.

Tags: pharmaceutical companies, your prescriptions, brand-name drugs, medication costs, that help, your doctor

Eligibility Requirements For Federal Medicaid

Medicaid is a federally funded, state-administered program. The U.S. government set up basic eligibility requirements for coverage that are followed by all state agencies. These requirements cover various groups of people and deal mainly with age and income levels. Rules for calculating income and resources vary by state, and can vary by group.

Children

Eligibility is determined on the child's status, not the parents'. Children who live with unrelated guardians will not have the income or resources of those guardians counted for the child. Minors can apply on their own if they live on their own. Adult children living with families of limited income can apply through the parent or guardian. Children requiring nursing home care or in-home care are eligible. Children whose families are at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level are automatically allowed until age 6. Children born to parents already on Medicaid are automatically eligible; coverage continues through the first year after birth as long as the mother remains eligible.

Citizenship

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or legally admitted immigrant. Children of lawfully admitted immigrants may be eligible, but there is a five-year limit for lawful permanent residents.

Disabilities

Persons 65 years or older who are blind, disabled, or have limited income are eligible. Terminally ill patients seeking hospice services or living in a nursing home are eligible. Persons needing nursing care but remaining in their homes while receiving special community care services are eligible.

Income Level

Persons who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or who fall at or under 133 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for Medicaid. Eligibility is provided for families with children as stated in the Social Security Act, Section 1931, as allowed by the requirements of the state's Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).

Mandatory Eligibility

Pregnant women eligible for Medicaid remain so to the end of the second full month after the child's birth. Eligibility testing standards cannot be higher than the AFDC program covering children or the SSI program covering expectant mothers. Applicants who also receive adoption assistance or foster care using Title IV-E of the Social Security Act cannot be denied Medicaid.

Optional Eligibility

Eligibility is extended to elderly, or disabled adults, when income is above mandatory coverage but below federal poverty guidelines. Minor children who fall within guidelines for Aid to Families with Dependent Children, but are not otherwise eligible for AFDC, can apply. Institutionalized persons with limited income are eligible. Patients infected with tuberculosis who are financially eligible for the program under the SSI levels can receive Medicaid for TB-related ambulatory and drug services.

Tags: federal poverty, limited income, Dependent Children, eligible Medicaid, Families with, Families with Dependent

Tools For Installing Flooring Near Mri Machines

A person gets scanned by an MRI machine for ailments.

MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, machines are large contraptions that allow radiologists to take detailed scans of body parts. This is particularly useful for determining the nature of head and brain trauma, as the MRI machine can differentiate among soft tissues, blood, and bone very easily. MRI machines operate on a giant magnetic wave and their powerful magnet means there cannot be any magnetic objects in the MRI room ever. Flooring installation tools completely change in existing MRI rooms. Does this Spark an idea?

Rubber Mallet

A rubber mallet with a wood handle can be used to install laminate flooring in an MRI room. The mallet is used to hammer the flooring into place and to shift the planks so that they interlock properly.

Plastic Trowel

A plastic trowel can be used to spread the adhesive used for carpeting or vinyl floor tile, which are common floorings in clinical settings. Plastic trowels for this process have a toothed edge for maximum adhesion.

Plastic Scraper

If the MRI machine has already been installed, chances are that the flooring is being replaced and the old floor will need to be removed. Removing floor coverings will require a scraper, but since metal tools cannot be used around an MRI machine, plastic scrapers are used. These scrapers are durable and flexible, with an extremely hard and sharp plastic edge to cut into and through vinyl and carpet.

Wooden Broom

A wooden broom will most likely be the tool of choice to clean up the floor before anything new is laid on the surface. A simple wooden push broom has no metal parts, being constructed entirely out of treated wood and having polyethylene bristles.

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Make Contact Sheets In Photoshop Cs5

Install a plug-in to make contact sheets in Adobe Photoshop CS5.

Contact sheets allow you to proof a group of images before you order professional prints or print out favorites. A Contact Sheet plug-in is required to create contact sheets in Adobe Photoshop CS5 because Adobe moved this technology to Adobe Bridge which contains Adobe's updated contact sheet features. If you do not own a copy of Adobe Bridge -- you must install and use the plug-in to create your contact sheets in Adobe Photoshop CS5.

Instructions

1. Download and install the Contact Sheet plug-in from Adobe's "Photoshop CS5 Optional Plugins" page. A utility such as WinZip should unzip this ZIP file contents. Your system must have Adobe Photoshop CS5 software installed for this installation to be successful.

2. Launch Adobe Photoshop CS5, select "File" and "Automate," then choose "Contact Sheet II." When the Contact Sheet II dialog box appears define the source of the contact sheet's images. Your choices include "Current Open Documents" and "Folder." If you choose "Folder," click "Browse" to select the folder that contains the images that need to appear on a contact sheet.

3. Specify the settings for a contact sheet in the Document area and define the contact sheet's dimensions as well as its color mode. Select "Flatten All Layers" to create a contact sheet that consists of a single layer.

4. Establish the contact sheet's layout in the Thumbnails area. Choose a contact sheet arrangement in the Place section and set the number of columns and rows required for all of your images to appear on one contact sheet. Enable "Use Auto-Spacing" if you want Photoshop CS5 to automatically space the images for you. Then, choose "Rotate For Best" to maximize the space on the contact sheet.

5. Click "Use Filename As Caption" so that each contact sheet image features its corresponding file name. Click "OK" to create the contact sheet.

Tags: Adobe Photoshop, contact sheet, contact sheet, contact sheets, contact sheets Adobe, create contact, sheets Adobe

Types Of Accounting Consulting Firms

There are several different types of accounting firms in the United States. Accounting firms can be classified in several ways such as: the number of staff employees, the number of offices, revenues, services provided or whether they are domestic or international. This article will break accounting firms down by specialty or the services they provide. The different types of accounting firms include: full service firms, tax firms, audit firms, risk management or internal control firms, outsourced service firms and business development firms.

Full-Service Accounting Firms

Full-service accounting firms provide a wide variety of services. Ernst & Young (E&Y) is one of the Big-4 accounting firms, referring to one of the four largest U.S. accounting firms, that provides multiple services. E&Y provides tax, audit, risk management, business development and executive coaching services. The firm has a presence on every continent, with exception of Antarctica. There are many firms, both large and small, that operate multiple departments. All of the large multinational firms operate in this manner. Many of the larger domestic firms offer a variety of services as well. These firms tend to do better in a recession due to the diversified group of services that they provide and the broad sector of clients that they service.

Tax Firms

Tax firms provide tax services only. These kinds of firms usually choose to specialize in one niche market. Tax firms can be sub-categorized into firms that offer individual tax services, business tax consulting, and high net-worth tax consulting. Many tax firms even have a division that works within the tax-specific areas of estate planning. H&R Block is a tax firm that primarily provides tax compliance services to individual tax filers. Although the company does complete business returns as well, that is not what they are known for. Specialty tax firms, like Margolis, Phipps & Wright in Houston, Texas, provide high net-worth tax consulting services to wealthy individuals. Firms choose to specialize in federal, state, sales and use, franchise, securitization, property and many other areas of tax compliance. The market is as diverse as it is competitive.

Audit Firms

Audit firms all do primarily one thing: they audit company financial statements and issue opinions on those audits. However, audit firms could be broken down into sub-categories such as governmental audit, nonprofit audit, SEC audit and private equity audit firms. Then there are specialty audit firms that perform, 401(k) and pension audits. Audits are conducted in many different areas, including: financial, operational, information technology and compliance issues. The latter audits are conducted by Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firms that provide external audit services. Most private and all public companies have annual audits. Private equity firms commission audits on their companies to ensure that they are being managed properly. Public firms are required to undergo a public audit once per year. This audit is published with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This process is meant to protect the investment community from fraudulent companies.

Risk Management Firms: Internal Controls

Internal controls and risk management firms offer internal audit services. An example of an internal controls firm is Protiviti. Protiviti, owned by Robert Half International (NYSE: RHI), offers internal control audits and consulting to ensure that a company has a system of checks and balances in place in relation to its accounting infrastructure. They also offer business evaluation and risk management services. Mercer, owned by Marsh & McLennan (NYSE: MMC) offers forensic accounting services. They too are a risk and business evaluations firm.

Outsourced Accounting Firms

Outsourced accounting service firms act as a company's accounting department. They provide the accounting service, and in some cases the contractors, that complete all of the accounting work either at their location or at the client's site. The accountant or accountants remain employees of the accounting firm but complete the accounting for the client. These firms may offer services that include: full-cycle accounting service, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) services or simple business development services. The CFO service is a high level executive product that allows the firm to oversee the work completed by the company's in-house accounting staff.

Bookkeeping Firms

Bookkeeping firms operate in every city, small town and rural setting in America. Some states do not allow the word "accounting" to be used in the company's name unless they are a CPA firm. However, bookkeeping firms serve a very important sector of our business community, the small business owner. They provide everything from monthly write-up bookkeeping to tax compliance services. Small businesses do not always have the resources to hire an in-house accountant or accounting staff. The bookkeeping firm acts as the accounting department for the small business owner. This keeps the business organized and financially responsible.

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When Did The Pink Ribbon Originate

The pink ribbon is known internationally as a symbol for breast-cancer awareness. Since its conception, the symbol's use has become pervasive. It has been worn on clothing, used on bumper stickers and placed as a logo on products whose companies donate a portion of their proceeds to breast-cancer research and treatment.

Background

In 1979, Penney Laingen tied yellow ribbons around the trees in her yards as a sign of her eagerness for her husband, who had been taken hostage in Iran, to be returned home. Although she was important in turning ribbons into a symbol of awareness, she was inspired by the 1973 song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree," which referenced the use of yellow ribbons worn by women to show devotion to someone in the U.S. Cavalry and encouraged others to use the yellow ribbon to show their longing for absent loved ones. The symbol of the yellow ribbon was taken up by many in solidarity with Laingen, and then later used for soldiers fighting in the Gulf War. In 1990, AIDS activists took inspiration from this to create a red ribbon, and the idea quickly spread to other diseases.

First Use

The first known use of pink ribbons in association with breast cancer was in the fall of 1991. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which had previously been giving out pink visors to participants that had survived breast cancer, gave out pink ribbons to all the participants in their Race for the Cure. This event, however, did not spark the mass use of the symbol.

Peach Ribbons

Sixty-eight-year-old Charlotte Haley, who saw three close family members struggle with breast cancer, was producing thousands of handmade peach-colored ribbons in her dining room by early 1992. Her ribbons were accompanied by a card that read: "The National Cancer Institute annual budget is $1.8 billion, only 5 percent goes for cancer prevention. Help us wake up our legislators and America by wearing this ribbon." She distributed the ribbons in her local grocery store and wrote to prominent women, allowing the campaign to spread by word of mouth.

Pink Ribbons

Independently of Charlotte Haley's campaign, Alexandra Penney had a similar idea while working as editor on Self magazine's issue for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She thought of creating a ribbon for breast cancer and asking cosmetic companies to distribute it in stores in New York City. Evelyn Lauder, who had been a guest editor on the previous Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue and was a vice president of cosmetics company Estée Lauder, promised to spread the campaign across the country. After reading about the peach ribbons, the two approached Haley, but she wasn't interested in working with them. Penney and Lauder's lawyers suggested that they go ahead with the campaign by choosing a different color. They chose pink.

Popularity

More than 1.5 million pink ribbons were given out at makeup counters that fall alone. The symbol quickly spread internationally and to other media and has remained prevalent for years.

Tags: Breast Cancer, breast cancer, pink ribbons, Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness

Kindergarten Round Up Activities

Kindergarten screening tests for educational readiness.

Prospective kindergarten students are asked to go through a screening period during the spring. Parents bring their 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds to school for a series of tests and actions that will help the school determine how ready the children are for school. The screening also identifies at-risk children, provides accountability and evaluation to improve instructional programs. Actual screening activities vary from program to program.

Vision and Hearing Screening

Children are screened for any vision or hearing problems. Parents may be asked to provide documentation of any family history of eye or ear disorders. Tests may be run to check how well children's eyes are aligned and their ability to track an object. Hearing acuity will be tested. The hearing screening may include an external examination and an audiometer test.

Teacher Observations

Kindergarten teachers observe the children in different situations to see how they react in "real life" situations. Some programs provide the teacher with a checklist sheet that uses a scale of 1 to 4, with 4 being the most positive response to the child's behavior. Work completed by the children is used to help evaluate their readiness for school.

Fine Motor Skills

The children will be tested to see if they have well developed fine motor skills. Children may be asked to cut with scissors. They may be given a writing tool and asked to trace, draw and write letters or numbers. Students may be asked to place pegs into a peg board, with the screener noting how the child handles picking up the pegs, stabilizing the peg board and placing the pegs into the holes.

Gross Motor Skills

There are three areas of screening for gross motor skills. Children will be asked to demonstrate balance by standing on one foot first and then the other. Upper-extremity coordination will be demonstrated by passing and catching a playground ball. Bilateral coordination will be tested by asking the children to jump into the air while clapping their hands several times.

Prior Knowledge

Children entering kindergarten are expected to have basic information during their screening. They will be asked to write numbers as the screener names them. The children will be asked to demonstrate a knowledge of number concepts, such as how many squares represent three. They will be asked to identify letters of the alphabet and the sound of each letter. They will be asked to sound out words. Children will asked to identify shapes and colors.

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Assess Nursing Skills

Nurses are vitally important health-care professionals. A good nurse can help in many different areas of medicine. In a single day, a nurse might help a patient recover more quickly from surgery, help a scared baby to relax in a frightening hospital and explain to a diabetic patient exactly how best to follow dietary restrictions. An assessment of a nurse's skills should focus on her understanding of patient-care basics as well as her overall understanding of medical procedures.

Instructions

1. Pay close attention the nurse's interactions with patients. Any assessment of a nurse's skills should focus on the way she works with patients. Note her body language as well as the words she uses to speak to patients. Pay attention to how she conveys information to the patient as well as how she addresses their cares and concerns about any medical treatments and procedures.

2. Test a nurse's administering of medication. One of the most important responsibilities any nurse has is the proper administering of medication. A nurse should know insert an intravenous line as well as make sure the line remains functional. She should know make sure that the patient receives the right dosage of medication and when to check on the patient or add more medication. A nurse should understand follow a doctor's orders about administering medications properly.

3. Determine if a nurse knows chart. Charting is an important part of a nurse's duties. Nurses must document a patient's progress at appropriate intervals. She should meet all charting requirements and make sure the next nurse caring for her patients during the next shift can follow her notes correctly.

4. Assess a nurse's foundation of knowledge. Nurses should understand basic medical procedures such as maintain a sterile environment. A nurse also should be familiar with academic subjects such as chemistry, biology, microbiology and statistics. If possible, ask her questions about her understanding of the scientific method and her background in pharmacology and anatomy.

5. Pay attention to her leadership skills. Charge nurses should be able to interact with other nurses on the floor to make sure that it is running well. Registered nurses should know supervise licensed practical nurses in order to make sure that patients are receiving medically suitable care. Nurses should be capable of working with orderlies and certified nursing assistants to make sure that all necessary medical tests are performed at the right time and that patient's physical needs are attended to appropriately.

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Pillfree Birth Control Options

There are many options available to women to prevent pregnancy. The most common is the birth control pill, but there are other choices that may not have the same side effects as the pill. Many women have complaints about birth control pills and look elsewhere for their contraceptive needs.

Implanted Devices

Implanted birth control is a method that many women choose because of the "set it and forget it" way that they work. There are intrauterine devices, such as the IUD and Mirena, which are placed internally in an outpatient setting and prevent pregnancy for anywhere from 5 to 10 years. There is also a series of cartridges called Norplant that are inserted under the skin of your arm and release hormones that prevent pregnancy. These are also easily removed if you choose to become pregnant. Another implanted device that is more of a permanent solution is Essure, which is a device that is implanted to block the fallopian tubes.

Non-pill Options

There is a birth control patch and a birth control shot that deliver hormones that prevent pregnancy. These methods aren't done daily like the pill, but they work similarly using hormones to prevent pregnancy. These also have many of the same side effects as the pill. Some religions don't allow the use of birth control and depend on the rhythm method to avoid pregnancy. This means knowing your cycle very well so that you don't indulge in sexual relations during the fertile time of the month. Condoms, when used properly, are an effective birth control option that women don't have to do themselves. This brings the man into the family planning and prevention actions; there are also female condoms. Condoms also protect against STD's, which makes them a doubly good choice. A doctor can fit a woman for a diaphragm that covers her cervix to prevent pregnancy, however she needs to always have it ready because it has to be in place before intercourse each time to work. There are foams, sponges, films and suppositories that are inserted into the vagina to prevent pregnancy by blocking and killing sperm.

Sterilization

Sterilization is available for men and women to prevent pregnancy. This method of birth control is considered permanent. It consists of a tubal ligation for women and a vasectomy for men. This option is only for those who are sure they do not want to get pregnant and is not recommended before a woman has two children.

Abstinence

The only definite way to prevent pregnancy is to not have intercourse. Abstinence is a 100 percent guaranteed effective form of birth control without taking pills or using any other contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.

After the Fact

There is one method that needs to be mentioned; even though it is a pill. Plan B will prevent pregnancy for up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. Plan B will not terminate a pregnancy, but will prevent the egg from being fertilized if taken in time.

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