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6 important questions to ask your pharmacist

6 important questions to ask your pharmacist

Midsection of a senior man with pill bottles using laptop at table. Horizontal shot.

There’s a good chance you take at least one prescription drug— about 82 percent of American adults do, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There’s also a good chance you pick up that medication without asking the pharmacist any questions.

You may want to reconsider. According to a study published in the medical journal JAMA, some 700,000 emergency room visits each year are attributed to misuse of prescription drugs. Many of them could have been prevented, either by the patient or a member of his medical team, according to the Institute of Medicine. Arming yourself with information about your medication and how to take it is essential. One way to get that information is by asking your pharmacist the right questions.

“A pharmacist’s primary concern is the health of their patients, and safe use of their medications is of paramount importance,” says Sophia De Monte, spokesperson for the American Pharmacists Association and pharmacy manager at Costco in Nesconset, New York. “No question is stupid or trivial.”

When you pick up your prescription, make sure the medication literature is attached to the bag. While reading all of this material can be a chore, it will serve as a great backup to the answers you get from your pharmacist. Also, note any warnings and stickers placed on the medication bottle itself. Then get ready to pick your pharmacist’s brain.

READ MORE: Read This Guide Before You Try an Online Pharmacy

What Your Pharmacist Should Know About You

First, there are a few things your pharmacist needs to know about you. If you’ve been going to the same pharmacy for years, this information should be part of your record. Even if you’re well known at your drugstore, double-check that they have the following on file:

● Other medications you’re taking

● Allergies

● Dietary restrictions

● Up-to-date insurance information

More than likely, the pharmacist will initiate a conversation with you about any new medications or changes in your prescription drug regimen. But in case she doesn’t, come prepared with these questions:

1. “When should I take it?”

Your medication may need to be taken at a very specific time, on a full or empty stomach or with a certain number of hours between doses. Failure to follow this guidance could lessen its effectiveness or increase the risk of side effects.

2. “What are the side effects?”

Side effects can range from mild, such as an upset stomach, to potentially life threatening, and some side effects are more common than others. When asking your pharmacist about potential effects, ask how likely it is that you’ll experience them. This is also a good time to ask about serious adverse effect— those that would warrant medical attention.

3. “Are there other medications or supplements that I should steer clear of?”

The chemical makeup of a drug can make it dangerous to combine with other medications or supplements. In a 2008 study published in JAMA, researchers found one in 25 older adults were at risk of a “major drug-drug interaction.” Inform your pharmacist of all the medications and supplements you take, whether they’re daily vitamins, anti-inflammatories for aches and pains or over-the-counter cold medicine.

READ MORE: Do You Take One of the Most Commonly Prescribed Drugs in the U.S.?

4. “Are there any foods or drinks I should avoid?”

In addition to drug interactions, you should ask whether your medicine could interact with your food or drink. Alcohol is often mentioned as off limits on the side of prescription bottles, but there may be additional things you should avoid. Some drugs can cause problems when taken with caffeine, and diuretics can cause problems for people who eat foods that are high in potassium, for example.

5. “What should I do if I miss a dose?”

It’s easy to forget to take your medicine, or to get sidetracked and remember it hours later. The advice on when to take a missed dose varies by medication. Some drugs must be taken at certain times of day, or with a certain number of hours between doses. Ask this question to minimize the risk that your missed dose (or the makeup dose) will interfere with your treatment.

READ MORE: 4 Prescription Drug Myths Debunked

6. “How long should I take it?”

Some drugs need to be taken indefinitely and will come with refills and, possibly, a need for regular check-ins with your doctor. Others, like antibiotics, are taken for a set period. Regardless, failing to take them as long as directed could have serious consequences. In the case of antibiotics, for instance, quitting your medication early because you’re feeling better could lead to antibiotic resistance.

READ MORE: How to Save on Prescription Drug Costs

Your path to good health doesn’t end when you leave the doctor’s office; your pharmacist plays an important role too. Take advantage of his or her knowledge by asking questions that can keep you safe and well.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/31/6-important-questions-to-ask-your-pharmacist/

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How to prevent and treat head lice

How to prevent and treat head lice

Head lice is one of those things every mother hopes and prays won’t happen to her kid. Although lice don’t carry diseases or are harmful in any way, getting rid of them for good can be tough, not to mention dealing with the ick factor in the process.

The good news is that if your child does get head lice, there are easy, stress-free ways to nix them fast and keep them from spreading.

How do kids get head lice?

Although head lice have been around for thousands of years, they’ve become more of an issue in recent years as treatment-resistant “super-lice” have been identified in 25 states.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 12 million children get lice each year. Those most at risk are children between the ages of 3 and 10 and moms because they’re often in close contact, said Claire Roberts, CEO of Lice Clinics of America, based inSalt Lake City, Utah.

Kids often transfer lice to each other while playing together, on the athletic field or locker room, or even from the foam pit at gymnastics class.

“Schools are one of the greatest resources for spotting it and communicating the issue to parents because they take on that responsibility,” Roberts said. “But that’s not where kids are snuggling the most.”

In May, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a report which recommends schools eliminate their “no nit” policy, which required a child be free of nits before they can return to school. Under their recommendation, if a child has head lice, they should finish the school day, get treatment and return to school.

A common misconception about head lice is that it’s a result of poor hygiene. The reality however, is that lice are human parasites that require human blood to survive and are transferred from head to head.

The lice eggs, or “nits,”themselves are not contagious, but it’s the adult active lice that are. Once the eggs are laid— on the hair shaft, close to the scalp— they have 7 to 10 days until they hatch. If they’re not removed before they hatch, baby lice or nymphs become adult lice within 1 to 2 weeks and leave the eggshell behind.

Although you can see the eggs, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to see the live lice unless there’s a severe infestation. The eggs are clear or white and unlike dandruff, you won’t be able to pull it off with your fingers.

Additionally, although many children will scratch the back of their heads or around their ears, many show no signs of lice because they’re not allergic to the lice saliva which causes itchiness, said Stacey Pomerantz, partner and owner of Fairy LiceMothers in Austin, Tex.

More on this…

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If your kid gets lice, hope that you live in this state

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How to treat head lice

Be vigilant.

If you can find lice early, it’s much easier to get rid of them quickly and prevent it from turning into a large infestation, Pomerantz said. Check your child’s scalp at bath time or when brushing her hair with a special nit comb. Also, ask your child’s school to notify you if there are reported cases of head lice.

Treat it— stat.

If you choose to treat your child at home, you must remove both the lice and the eggs. Although there are over-the-counter products and prescription medications available, there is not one product on the market that has 100 percent ovicidal effects on the eggs, meaning it will kill all the eggs, Pomerantz said.

You’ll need a nit comb with microgrooves that can wrap around the hair strands and drag everything off. You also have to comb the hair strand by strand for two weeks to make sure all of the nits are completely gone.

There are however, professional centers that offer natural, effective treatments and do all of the hard work for you.

Clean, but don’t go overboard.

Head lice can survive off the scalp for up to two days but you don’t have to call in a cleaning crew to prevent it from spreading to other family members. Pesticide sprays for furniture are not necessary, but it’s a good idea to vacuum carpets, couches and car seats. Since lice don’t burrow like bed bugs, you can put a sheet on your couch for 24 hours to create a barrier.

Extreme heat and cold temperatures kill lice, so throw pillows, blankets, stuffed animals and hats in the dryer for 30 minutes in high heat. Wash and boil hairbrushes, combs and hair clips and put helmets in a bag and leave it in the freezer for several hours.

Spread the word.

Although there is a stigma attached to head lice and many parents and kids are embarrassed to admit they have it, it’s important to tell other parents to keep it from spreading.

“Being open and honest with people in your world means you’re going to get rid of it all at the same time,” Pomerantz said.

Julie Revelant is a health journalist and a consultant who provides content marketing and copywriting services for the healthcare industry. She’s also a mom of two. Learn more about Julie at revelantwriting.com.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/31/how-to-prevent-and-treat-head-lice/

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Doctor convicted in overdose deaths of 3 patients

Doctor convicted in overdose deaths of 3 patients

March 16, 2012: Dr Hsiu Ying “Lisa” Tseng listens in court during her arraignment, in Los Angeles. (AP)

LOS ANGELES – The second-degree murder convictions this week of a Los Angeles-area physician were the first against a U.S. doctor for recklessly prescribing drugs, the Los Angeles district attorney’s office said.

Dr. Hsiu-Ying "Lisa" Tseng was convicted of murder on Friday in a landmark case for killing three patients who overdosed on what a prosecutor called "crazy, outrageous amounts" of painkillers she prescribed.

It’s rare to bring homicide charges against a physician, but the case came amid a prescription drug abuse epidemic that has led lawmakers to try to rein in so-called pill mills that dole out medications with little scrutiny.

"You can’t hide behind a white lab coat and commit crimes," Deputy District Attorney John Niedermann said. "Writing a prescription to someone knowing that they’re going to abuse it and potentially die was the theory of second-degree murder that we had."

A dozen of Tseng’s patients died, though prosecutors only brought three murder charges because of other factors involved in some of those deaths, such as drugs prescribed by other doctors and a possible suicide.

Tseng, 45, showed no emotion as the convictions were read out loud, though her lawyer said she was emotional and very upset later. Jurors deliberated for 10 days before reaching the verdicts.

She was also convicted of illegally writing prescriptions for two of the deceased patients and 16 other people, including two undercover agents who were investigating how easily she prescribed addictive pain pills after brief office visits. She was acquitted of illegally writing a hydrocodone prescription to a third undercover officer.

Tseng prescribed "crazy, outrageous amounts of medication" to patients who didn’t need the pills, Niedermann told jurors in Los Angeles County Superior Court during closing arguments.

The doctor repeatedly ignored warning signs even after several patients died as she built a new medical clinic in Rowland Heights with the money she made from them, earning $5 million in one three-year period. One patient even overdosed in her office and had to be revived.

"Something is wrong with what you’re doing if your patients are dying," Niedermann said.

Tseng’s lawyer said her client naively trusted her patients. Defense lawyer Tracy Green said patients testified they were legitimately in pain and later became dependent on the drugs, hiding their addictions by seeing other doctors and picking up prescriptions from different pharmacies.

Green had asked jurors to acquit Tseng on all but one drug count.

Tseng shouldn’t have been convicted of anything more than manslaughter and plans to appeal, Green said after the verdict.

"It’s disappointing," Green said. "I don’t think it bodes well for doctors in America."

Tseng faces up to life in prison when sentenced Dec. 14.

She was convicted of killing Vu Nguyen, 29, of Lake Forest, Steven Ogle, 25, of Palm Desert, and Joseph Rovero, 21, an Arizona State University student from San Ramon. The three died of overdoses between March and December 2009.

Tseng barely kept any records on the three men until she was contacted by the Medical Board of California. She then fabricated charts to make it look like she kept thorough records of diagnoses and noted she was weaning them off drugs, Niedermann said.

Tseng ignored pleas from family members of patients who demanded she stop prescribing drugs to them.

April Rovero, who lost her son almost six years ago, said she had waited for justice so long that she almost couldn’t believe it when she heard the words "guilty" uttered repeatedly.

She said her son and others were culpable at some level, but they had lost the ability to stop themselves and Tseng took advantage.

If her son were alive today, she’d tell him that his bad choice led to an outcome that could have a broader impact.

"This is something that could make a difference as we turn this doctor overprescribing situation around," Rovero said. "I wish he was here, certainly, but his life has made a difference."

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/30/doctor-convicted-in-overdose-deaths-of-3-patients/

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Is your pet wrecking your sleep?

Is your pet wrecking your sleep?

The sleeping woman and its dog in bedroom,focus on foreground

We hate to break it to you, but Spot may be depriving you of shut-eye, big-time. According to a recent Mayo Clinic study, 18 percent of pet owners felt that their animal disturbed their slumber. But the actual numbers are likely higher.

"I think many people don’t want to admit that their cat or dog interrupts their sleep, because they’re intensely loyal to their animals," said study co-author Dr. Lois Krahn, a professor of psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorder Center. "But putting up with poor sleep just because you love your pet can negatively affect things like your mood, memory and, in extreme cases, even your heart."

RELATED: 11 Signs You’re Sleep Deprived

Fidgety, noisy pets—who toss, turn, lick and scratch in bed—can keep you from falling or staying asleep, the same way a snoring husband can. Even if you’re not consciously waking up, your dog or cat could be causing "microarousals," or mini wake-ups, throughout the night, which also disrupt your sleep cycle, noted Krahn. And that can leave you constantly tired (and confused as to why).

Sound familiar? Then it’s time for tough love. "People ask me what to do about a cat or dog who hurts their sleep, but when I tell them to kick him out of their bedroom, they’ll say, ‘Oh, I can’t do that—it will traumatize my pet,’" said Dr. Meir Kryger, a professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine.

Good news: "If you go about it the right way, your pet probably won’t mind," said Ellen Lindell, VMD, a veterinary behaviorist in New York City. Use these pointers to relocate your pet and get a doggone good night’s sleep.

RELATED: How to Choose a Pet When You Have Allergies

Retrain your pet Keep your dog from curling up by buying him his own plush bed and rewarding him with treats and scratches when he rests there at any time of the day, Lindell said. Then, at night, move his bed next to yours, and reach down and pet him so he knows he’s being a good pup. If your dog is too loud to be so nearby, get a gate you can put in your door that allows him to see in but blocks him from entering the room.

As for cats, they love having lots of warm, soft sleeping options, so you may simply need to provide yours with more.

RELATED: 12 Ways Pets Improve Your Health

Teach a new family member good habits "It’s easier to create and enforce rules early on than after bad habits develop," Lindell said. For dogs, consider crate training from the start—many pups see their crate as a safe den for sleep. Place the crate outside your room so his scratching and licking won’t wake you.

New cat owners should create lots of comfortable sleeping spaces—and get your kitty to use them by keeping the bedroom door closed at night.

This article originally appeared on Health.com.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/30/is-your-pet-wrecking-your-sleep/

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With help from dad, visually impaired Maine boy competes in cross-country races

With help from dad, visually impaired Maine boy competes in cross-country races

Noah and Richard Carver in the middle of and after a race during the 2015 cross country season. (image: Suzanne Carver)

Noah Carver participates in his first race as a 3-year-old; Carver’s cross country debut in kindergarten. (image: Suzanne Carter)

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When Noah Carver asked his parents if he could participate in running at his school, they said, without hesitation, “Yes.”

For Suzanne and Richard “Buzz” Carver, it didn’t matter that their kindergartener was blind. They’d make it work.

Noah, who is now 12 and a sixth-grader at Beals Elementary School in Beals, Maine, recently wrapped up his eighth cross country season. He completed each race beside his father, who holds his hand and verbally guides him over every root, curb, and transition between terrains.

More: 16 Cross-Training Activities to Try

When asked what he loves about the sport, Noah said, “The whole kit and caboodle. Running downhill and feeling the wind, I’m in my element.”

Noah has Leber’s congenital amaurosis, a condition that causes severe vision loss at birth. But when he started school, he decided he wanted to be like the other kids and participate in sports. He settled on running, likely because his parents had always dabbled with it. Even as a toddler, Noah had already participated in his first race—a fun run in Boston for children.

Though he always needs to exercise a bit more caution to get around, Suzanne said she thinks her son embraces the opportunity to “move faster through space and feeling that freedom.”

More: 5 Reasons Runners Need a Good Breakfast

Noah said this season was his best yet, and it’s not just because he got his 1.5-mile time down to 12:53.

“I was more focused on lengthening out my stride and being on my toes,” Noah said.

Because Noah has never actually seen someone run, learning the mechanics of the movement has been challenging.

“Trying to teach him without being able to see how to move your arms and run naturally was difficult,” Richard said. Throw in their difference in height and their style of holding hands, and it often put them off balance when Noah was younger.

“It was fun, don’t get me wrong there, but me and my father weren’t used to doing it,” Noah said.

GET MORE RUNNER’S WORLD: Sign up for the RW Daily newsletter

Now Noah is nearly as tall as Richard, so the pair can run stride-for-stride, and their paces and hand motions are more in sync.

During races, Richard does his best to let Noah control the pace while helping him navigate the course. The constant stream of communication hasn’t prevented trip-ups, however. At last year’s championship meet, Noah fell.

“He gets himself back up, and he just keeps going,” Suzanne said. “It’s a metaphor for life. He’s learning a skill, and he’s learning a huge life lesson in being a runner—you just have to keep going.”

More: 6 Healthy Yogurt Indulgences

The duo has become a fixture within the youth cross country scene in Beals, and Noah’s competitors regularly voice their support for his efforts, Suzanne said. Noah always makes sure to return the sentiment, both during and after races.

For Richard, it’s just been a joy being able to run with his son.

“I don’t know how much longer it’ll last because he’s getting older,” Richard said. “Until then, I’ll try to keep up. That’s the joke around the community. They say, ‘Noah, are you going to tow your dad around today?’”

More: British Mother With Terminal Cancer Finishes Half Marathon

This article originally appeared on RunnersWorld.com.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/30/with-help-from-dad-visually-impaired-maine-boy-competes-in-cross-country-races/

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Interrupted sleep worse for mood than shortened sleep, study finds

Interrupted sleep worse for mood than shortened sleep, study finds

Waking up several times throughout the night may be worse for your mood than sleeping a shortened amount of time, found a small study from Johns Hopkins Medicine.

The study, published in Sleep, used three experimental conditions for three consecutive nights in an inpatient clinical setting:forced awakenings, delayed bedtimes or uninterrupted sleep. The 62 participants were all healthy men and women without sleep issues.

Researchers found that, after the second night, the forced awakening group had a 31 percent reduction in positive mood, while the delayed bedtime group showed a 12 percent decline, compared to measurements taken before bedtime.

“When your sleep is disrupted throughout the night, you don’t have the opportunity to progress through the sleep stages to get the amount of slow-wave sleep that is key to the feeling of restoration,” study lead author Patrick Finan, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a news release.

Study authors believe the findings are applicable to those who suffer from insomnia, an estimated 10 percent of the U.S. adult population.

“Many individuals with insomnia achieve sleep in fits and starts throughout the night, and they don’t have the experience of restorative sleep,” Finan said in the news release.

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Assessing participants’ sleep stages, researchers found the forced awakening group had shorter periods of deep, slow-wave sleep, compared to the delayed bedtime group, which showed a statistically significant association with the subjects’ reduction in positive mood.

Interrupted sleep was also found to affect energy levels and feelings of sympathy and friendliness.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/29/interrupted-sleep-worse-for-mood-than-shortened-sleep-study-finds/

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Student uses creative ways to attract potential kidney donor

Student uses creative ways to attract potential kidney donor

A North Carolina A&T University student has gotten creative in her search for a prospective kidney donor.

The Greensboro News & Record reports (http://bit.ly/1P8HrU6) 23-year-old Kiana Sanders and her friends are appealing to the public through road signs, car decals and T-shirts in hopes of finding a donor for Sanders.

At age 5, Sanders was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. More than two years ago, she learned that both of her kidneys are failing, and she needs a transplant.

Sanders, who will graduate in December, undergoes weekly dialysis. Doctors say a kidney transplant would prolong Sanders’ life and greatly improve her quality of life.

Sanders says those interested in being considered as a match can call Duke University Medical Center to speak to a living donor coordinator.

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http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/29/student-uses-creative-ways-to-attract-potential-kidney-donor/

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Study explains why parents should sing to their babies more

Study explains why parents should sing to their babies more

A baby cries as Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, background, returns it to the crowd after holding him up at a campaign rally at Tri-City Christian Academy in Chandler, Arizona, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Want to keep your baby calm and not wailing? Talking in your own voice will work for an average of just under four minutes, at which point the "cry face" typically sets in—the lowered brow, open mouth, and raised cheeks that signal distress.

Employing baby talk buys you a few more seconds. But singing, or even playing a recording of others singing, gets you up to nine minutes of calm baby time.

So find researchers at the University of Montreal, who report in the journal Infancy that the results held even when the singing was in an unfamiliar language, like Turkish.

At just 30 babies, the study’s sample size is small, but researchers say the findings were consistent. They add that because Western mothers in particular speak more than sing to their babies, the findings could prove especially useful for those facing socio-economic or emotional challenges: "Although infant distress signals typically prompt parental comforting interventions, they induce frustration and anger in some at-risk parents, leading to insensitive responding and, in the worst cases, to infant neglect or abuse." The best approach of all, they say? Sing to your kids.

(Some companies now let new parents bring their babies to work.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Study: You Should Sing to Your Baby a Lot More

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Here’s Where Men, Women Are OK Being Touched

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/29/study-explains-why-parents-should-sing-to-their-babies-more/

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Researchers detail where men and women are OK being touched

Researchers detail where men and women are OK being touched

Where are men and women OK with being touched? Perhaps not surprisingly, it has everything to do with who is doing the touching, report researchers at Oxford University this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A handy body map—1,368 men and women were asked to color in areas of the body where touching from a particular type of person was OK, and the map resulted from their answers—accompanying their study paints a pretty clear picture: For instance, most men and women are perfectly fine being touched anywhere by romantic partners, and almost every body part is off limits when it comes to strangers, while women are more comfortable being touched by others in general than men.

But how do we feel for all those people who fall in the categories in between? Subtleties begin to bubble up when factoring in other relationships, from parents and siblings to cousins and friends, and "it gets weirder the longer you stare at it," observes AskMen.com.

Women are far more comfortable being touched on their shoulders, arms, backs, and near their chests than men, which may not be too surprising, but there’s visible discomfort with both men and women being touched below the knee by strangers, acquaintances, and less immediate relatives—a finding that is across the board for men but far more pronounced when women are being touched by uncles and male cousins than aunts and female cousins.

The researchers also demarcated "taboo zones," and while men say their genital areas are off limits to their parents and siblings, that same zone isn’t out of bounds for female acquaintances—or even female strangers.

(See what happened to this 6-year-old who touched his teacher’s thigh.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Here’s Where Men, Women Are OK Being Touched

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Study: You Should Sing to Your Baby a Lot More

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/29/researchers-detail-where-men-and-women-are-ok-being-touched/

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Kids get more cavities when they live with smokers

Kids get more cavities when they live with smokers

Zahnarzt Stefan Gottschalk fuehrt am Montag, 19. Maerz 2007, in Koeln die Benutzung einer elektrische Zahnbuerste mit kleinen neuenartigen Meisseln vor. Vom 20. bis 24. Maerz treffen sich Zahnspezialisten aus aller Welt zur Internationalen Dental-Schau in den Koelner Messehallen. Ueber 1.700 Aussteller aus 50 Laendern zeigen auf der weltgroessten Messe fuer Zahnmedizin die neuesten Techniken um Zahnbehandlung, und Zahnersatz. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) —Dentist Stefan Gottschalk demonstrates the use of an electronic toothbrush at the dental show in Cologne, Germany, Monday, March 19, 2007. More than 1,700 exhibitors from 50 countries show the latest dental medicine technology from March 20 through 24, 2007 at the world’s leading dental fair. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) (AP)

Young children are much more likely to get cavities if they live in a household with smokers, a Japanese study suggests.

Compared to children in non-smoking households, kids living with smokers were more than twice as likely to have cavities at age three.

Even when smokers in the home didn’t light up near the children, these three-year-olds were 50 percent more likely to have cavities than kids who didn’t live with smokers, the study found.

The findings should give parents another reason to quit smoking, and another way for health care providers to talk to them about cessation, said senior author Koji Kawakami, a researcher at Kyoto University in Japan.

"Education on the harm of secondhand smoke might increase if dentists became aware of the risk of (cavities) as well as tobacco consumption of their clients," Kawakami said by email.

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To understand the connection between secondhand smoke and cavities, Kawakami and colleagues examined data on almost 77,000 children born between 2004 and 2010 in Kobe City, Japan.

To be included in the study, children needed data on household smoking status when they were infants, as well as records from dental exams done at 18 months and three years.

Overall, about 55 percent of the children lived in households with smokers, but only about 7 percent had people who smoked around them instead of lighting up somewhere away from the kids.

By age three, 14 percent of the kids in non-smoking households had cavities, compared with 20 percent of children who had smokers in the home who tried not to use cigarettes in their presence, and 28 percent of kids who were directly exposed to the smoke.

Children of women who smoked during pregnancy didn’t appear to have an increased risk for cavities, the authors reported in the medical journal BMJ.

One limitation of the study is that it relied on mothers to honestly report smoking in the home on questionnaires, the authors acknowledge. In particular, women may have underreported smoking during pregnancy.

In addition, because the study was observational, and didn’t randomly assign groups of children to live with or without smokers, the findings can’t prove that smoke exposure causes cavities.

Two things in Japan – a lack of fluoride in the water and less sugar in a typical diet – might make results for these children different than what researchers might see in the U.S. and other countries, where children consume more sweets and have fluoride-enhanced drinking water, the authors also note.

But the connection between cigarette exposure and cavities is strong enough that the U.S. Surgeon General has warned that secondhand smoke may be associated with an increased risk of tooth decay in children.

"This study simply adds to the body of evidence that associates secondhand smoke and an increased risk of tooth decay among children," said Jonathan Shenkin, a researcher in pediatric dentistry at Boston University and a spokesperson for the American Dental Association.

"Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in childhood," Shenkin, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. For parents, "knowing they can protect their children against pain and suffering will hopefully be a strong motivator to quit smoking."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1PUCuQA BMJ, online October 21, 2015.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/29/kids-get-more-cavities-when-they-live-with-smokers/

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The lucrative industry booming on the back of Australia's ice epidemic

The lucrative industry booming on the back of Australia's ice epidemic

A septic tank had to be dug up, bedrooms gutted, land decontaminated and surfaces scrubbed within an inch of life.

The process to make the elaborate meth lab north of Sydney habitable again was no small or cheap feat.

"That job was $250,000 by the time it was finished," said Robert Gale, Sydney-based operations manager and hygienist.

This is a glimpse into the booming cleaning and remediation industry that has prospered on the back of Australia’s ice epidemic.

What used to be a niche market is now lucrative with many businesses tuning their skills in the field to take advantage of the upward trend in meth lab busts in rural and suburban areas.

In 2013-14, 744 drug labs were busted across the country, almost double that of a decade earlier, according to the Australian Crime Commission.

Once a drug lab is uncovered, the local council is notified and it then falls to the home owner to remediate the home of its chemical contamination.

A hygienist is employed to swab the property to record the contamination levels before quotes are sought from remediation companies on what it will cost to make the place liveable again.

Ahmad Merhi has been in the meth lab cleaning business since 2010, when the workload was about five jobs per year.

Now the company remediates an average of 100 drug labs annually across Australia and New Zealand.

The head technician from Living Fresh says clandestine labs aren’t only found in backyard sheds, kitchens and discreet rural blocks.

He recently cleaned a lab in an "elite class" apartment building, fit with a concierge, on top of bustling Sydney shopping centre.

Thinking back on some of the worst cases he has come across, Mr Merhi remembers a house that had turned yellow from the iodine used in the chemical cocktail to manufacture methylamphetamine.

"There were coke cans on the kitchen bench that were yellow," he said.

"It was like someone walked into this house and sprayed painted it."

Some cooks go to unusual lengths to cover their tracks – like covering tap fittings and door handles in plastic to combat the corrosion that comes from makeshift labs – but it’s often the innocent home owners left to grapple with the consequences.

Mr Merhi spoke of one man left with a $25,000 remediation bill after the tenant in the granny flat below his home produced meth and the chemicals seeped up through his wooden floorboards.

The costs to reverse the effects of drug labs vary but they are high enough to push people to employ their own cleaning methods.

However, experts warn using general cleaners or painting over surfaces, doesn’t fix the problem and only puts the next round of tenants at risk.

A quote from Living Fresh, which uses a decontamination foam over demolition, for a standard two bedroom unit can be range anywhere between $15,000-$20,000. Quotes can go into the hundreds of thousands of dollars when demolition is involved.

"It’s very profitable," Mr Merhi said of the industry.

That is on top of employing a hygienist.

Mr Gale has recorded chemical readings in the thousands of micrograms, where the standard is 5 micrograms, from inside homes used as drug labs.

"Once you get to the levels in the 1000s, you just can’t clean it. It is very resilient," he said.

He estimates his workplace has dealt with about 30 drug labs in the past two years, compared with none about four or five years ago.

With an increasing number of current and new businesses seeking meth lab clean up training, Scott McFadzen estimates there are now 50 companies in Australia equipped to do the job.

Mr McFadzen, the Specialised Cleaning and Restoration Industry Association (SCRIA) president, said five years ago there were only a handful of businesses equipped to clean drug houses.

DRUG LAB BUSTS IN NSW

2014 – 99

2013 – 115

2012 – 98

2011 – 93

2010 – 96

2009 – 67

2008 – 55

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/10/02/the-lucrative-industry-booming-on-the-back-of-australias-ice-epidemic/

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Debate night: The media want a Trump fight, with blood and bruises

Debate night: The media want a Trump fight, with blood and bruises

The press is full of chatter about what the other candidates could, should, must do to derail the Trump juggernaut at tonight’s CNN debate.

Naturally, the big audience for the second presidential debate offers the other Republicans a prime opportunity to make a lasting impression in this Donald-dominated campaign. So I expect there will be no shortage of canned zingers.

But every candidate on that stage has to be wary of getting into an insult contest with a gut fighter who doesn’t play by the usual rules of political politeness.

It’s all well and good for candidates to talk about creating a “moment,” but that can’t seem artificial or staged, or the attacker will look phony and a tad desperate. Trump’s rivals have to deliver a positive message about themselves while drawing a sharp contrast with the real estate mogul, not just denounce him, as Bobby Jindal did, as a narcissist and egomaniac.

And consider this: If half of the other 10 candidates try to whack Trump, won’t that make him look larger? Won’t that reinforce the narrative that Trump has so shaken the Republican establishment that his opponents are feverishly trying to bring him down?

Trump’s task is far easier: He can uncork his usual lines about the “very, very stupid people” running the government, and jab back at those who challenge him (bad polls, low energy and so on). And—remember the Fox debate—if he gets a detailed question that he doesn’t like, he can take a swipe at the media and the “gotcha” game.

In terms of the media’s focus, it’s going to be Trump vs. Whoever—as long as Whoever is named Carly, Ben or Jeb. The truth is that journalists have lost interest in most of the other candidates, who are mired in single digits (as is Jeb, but he’s still got the money, the Bush name, and the fading aura of the person the pundits thought would be The Man to Beat). That could change, but right now they’re eclipsed by Trump.

Carson told me in the interview we aired Sunday on "Media Buzz" that he would not be throwing punches in this campaign, and that he regretted questioning Trump’s faith and felt he needed to apologize. So even though yesterday’s CBS/New York Times poll has him at 23 percent, close behind Trump’s 27 percent, I don’t expect Carson to take him on. The question for the “okay doctor” (in Trump’s words) is how he handles it if The Donald starts denigrating him.

The media are really hoping for a dustup involving Fiorina, whose Super PAC made a clever ad aimed at women, boasting she has earned every wrinkle on her 61-year-old face, after Trump told a Rolling Stone reporter, “Look at that face.” Trump has taken to hitting her as a failed CEO dumped by Hewlett-Packard, but keep in mind that she took him on in the Fox happy-hour debate, even though he wasn’t there.

“Never before in American presidential politics has a candidate who has drawn accusations of sexism and bullying been forced to personally confront the female recipient of his insults on live television,” the New York Times declares. “And with Mrs. Fiorina bragging that she is getting under Mr. Trump’s skin, their showdown is emerging as one of the most intriguing subplots of the second debate.”

And here’s the Wall Street Journal: “After punching her way onto the big stage, Carly Fiorina is poised to take on her party’s heavyweights in Wednesday’s Republican presidential primary debate, where she will come face-to-face with the candidate who found fault with her face.”

Still, Carly was very restrained in responding to Facegate, telling Megyn Kelly only that she must be getting under Trump’s skin. So don’t expect any pro wrestling.

What’s getting a lot of traction online is Mark Halperin’s Bloomberg analysis of why Trump has a commanding position:

“With Trump, the rules have changed. So far, he has proven to be largely immune from attack, and also a master killer himself, with a unique political arsenal. With a few months to go before voters vote, Trump has squashed the poll numbers and personas of a host of his rivals, without resorting to significant traditional opposition research, paid media, or surrogates. He simply uses Instagram, Twitter, and his virtually unlimited access to the news media to unsheathe his sharp tongue, cutthroat sensibility, and unerring perverse humor. And Trump can shift to kill mode without strain or hesitation.

“From the get-go of his entrance in June, Trump has engaged intuitively in kill-or-be-killed tactics.”

Deadly rhetoric aside, one of the reasons I warned from the beginning that Trump shouldn’t be underestimated is that I saw how his buzzsaw style was sharpened in New York’s tabloid culture. But you can’t just be a Don Rickles figure. Some voters are also drawn to his successful career in real estate and reality TV, and the wealth that enables Trump to thumb his nose at the donor class.

One thing to watch: If Trump uses the debate to raise his recent arguments about overpaid CEOs and taxing hedge-fund millionaires, you’ll know he’s decided to shrug off the not-really-a-conservative attacks and stay on his populist path.

Click for more from Media Buzz

media-buzz

Media Buzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz, airs on Sundays at 11AM and 5PM ET on Fox News Channel.

More on this show

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/09/15/debate-night-the-media-want-a-trump-fight-with-blood-and-bruises/

[usnewsplus-blog]

Staff at Gungahlin Crust Pizza win backpay after complaints about their conditions

Staff at Gungahlin Crust Pizza win backpay after complaints about their conditions

Former Crust pizza delivery driver Priya De has raised concerns about pay conditions. Photo: Melissa Adams

Staff at the Gungahlin Crust Pizza store have won backpay after complaints about their working conditions were aired by Fairfax Media.

Workers say they have been told by the management of the franchise they will be paid award rates, with the money going into their bank accounts, rather than being paid cash in hand.

The young woman who spoke out on behalf of her fellow workers, Priya De, described the outcome as a "real victory".

Priya De and United Voice ACT secretary Lyndal Ryan confronted store management with their concerns. Photo: Melissa Adams

"As an added bonus, I have my shifts back," she said on Wednesday.

"The management at Crust have been calling around apologising to the drivers, saying we will all be compensated for our underpayments and from now on we will be paid into our bank accounts at proper award wages and conditions.

"Front of house staff will also be paid what they’re owed in lost penalty rates."

The resolution comes after the former owner-operator of the Crust Gourmet Pizza outlet at Maroubra was fined for refusing to reimburse eight employees who were underpaid almost $26,000.

UnionsACT is calling for the national management of Crust Pizza to audit the chain of franchisees.

After the story about the Gungahlin workers appeared in Monday’s Canberra Times, they took their complaints to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

A spokeswoman for the national chain had said last week: "Thank you for bringing these issues to our attention", adding a review was under way.

Ms De had said drivers for Crust Pizza’s Gungahlin store, on Canberra’s northside, were not recorded as employees and were paid cash in hand at below award rates.

She believed the majority of drivers hired by the franchise were international students, who are limited to 20 hours a week work but rarely complain about being underpaid for extra hours, as the extra shifts breach their visas.

Alex White, secretary of UnionsACT, said there was "no question" the Crust Pizza head office had been aware of underpayments and sham contracting for many years.

"Other Crust franchises in the chain have been prosecuted for similar underpayments, yet Crust continues to turn a blind eye to the willful exploitation of young workers," he said.

"This particular instance has come to light because of the courage of one of Crust’s delivery drivers, Priya De, who has stood up.

"It takes incredible bravery to speak up against this kind of exploitation and it shows that by standing up, things can change.

"Crust Pizza must now independently audit every store in its chain and commit to directly employing all its delivery drivers."

While welcoming the resolution, Mr White said he wanted to see the money paid into the workers’ bank accounts.

"We’ve seen this too many times," he said.

"A lot of the workers in this industry are international workers so they’re very vulnerable to threats about their visa conditions and deportation.

"We welcome that Crust Gungahlin appears to be taking the right steps but it’s not just Crust Gungahlin.

"Crust head office needs to audit every store and make sure all franchises are paying properly and not exploiting drivers."

Ben Sweaney​ from the Transport Workers Union also welcomed the resolution.

"With the coverage in the media and the perseverance of members, we are pleased to report the company has undertaken to make all [payments] they are obliged to under the award including back pay," he said.

"This is illustrative of what can be done when people stick together and fight for their rights at work."

The allegations came to light after reports overseas students want more hours of legal work to avoid possible exploitation by employers.

Recently a joint Four Corners and Fairfax Media investigation into 7-Eleven uncovered startling and systemic wage fraud across the country’s biggest convenience store chain, including falsification of payroll records and other illegal practices.

The allegations over delivery drivers concern only the Gungahlin store. Fairfax Media does not imply any wrongdoing at other stores in the national franchise chain.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/09/15/staff-at-gungahlin-crust-pizza-win-backpay-after-complaints-about-their-conditions/

[usnewsplus-blog]

Video interviews with boy allegedly abused by ex-Mountie dad and stepmom to be shown in court

Video interviews with boy allegedly abused by ex-Mountie dad and stepmom to be shown in court

The trial of a former Ottawa RCMP officer and his wife continues Wednesday, with the court set to see video interviews of the boy at the centre of the case involving alleged severe abuse. (Courtroom sketches by Sarah Wallace)

Several videotaped interviews with an 11-year-old boy who was allegedly severely abused by his father and stepmother will be shown in Ottawa Superior Court today.

The 44-year-old former Mountie and his 36-year-old wife face several charges alleging severe long-term child abuse.

Video of restrained boy silences Ottawa Mountie’s child abuse trial

Mountie told police he ‘screwed up,’ trial hears

Mountie, woman held on child abuse charges

Each is on trial for aggravated assault, forcible confinement and failing to provide the necessaries of life. The woman is also charged with assaulting the child with a weapon, while the man is charged with sexual assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon.

Both have pleaded not guilty. Neither accused can be named to protect the victim’s identity.

Court silenced by videos of boy Tuesday

On Tuesday, the courtroom was silent and the judge at one point shielded his face from onlookers as videos of the boy, naked and restrained in the basement of his family’s home, were shown.

The five videos, made one month before the couple was arrested in February 2013, were seized from the father’s cellphone.

They show the small boy, breathing heavily and looking gaunt, with his ribs sticking out. In the videos, a man is heard repeatedly taunting and humiliating the boy, who was tied to the basement wall.

In some of the videos, the boy is shivering. In others, he breaks down crying, according to the CBC’s Laurie Fagan, who was in court.

Onlookers inside the courtroom were seen wiping away tears, and the last video left Justice Robert Maranger shielding his face from those in court, who were left in a stunned silence, Fagan said.

Father admitted to tying down boy

The father has previously admitted in court to restraining the boy with a chain and plastic ties.

On Monday, the court saw the woman’s police interview video, which was taken after her arrest. She told police her 11-year-old stepson was “out of control” and that she feared for her safety, but denied any wrongdoing.

In 2013, the RCMP said the father had been on leave since May 2011. The reason for that remains under a court-ordered publication ban.

Police sources previously told CBC News the man was a member of the force’s counter-terrorism unit.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/09/15/video-interviews-with-boy-allegedly-abused-by-ex-mountie-dad-and-stepmom-to-be-shown-in-court/

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Former 'Star Trek: Voyager' actress charged with indecent exposure in Tennessee

Former 'Star Trek: Voyager' actress charged with indecent exposure in Tennessee

Jennifer Lien as Kes in Star Trek Voyager

PreviousNext

HARRIMAN, Tenn. – A former actress on the "Star Trek: Voyager" television series has been arrested in eastern Tennessee and is accused of exposing herself to children.

Multiple media outlets report that 41-year-old Jennifer Ann Lien, who played "Kes" on the TV show, is charged with two misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure involving children under age 13, according to an arrest report.

Roane County Sheriff’s Office deputies served the warrants Sept. 3 at Lien’s Harriman home, where they say she was naked under a blanket on her couch. Deputies say Lien refused their requests to get dressed.

Harriman Police Chief Randy Heidle says Lien also faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, stemming from an April incident in which he says Lien rammed a police cruiser with her vehicle. It is unclear if she has an attorney.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/09/15/former-star-trek-voyager-actress-charged-with-indecent-exposure-in-tennessee/

[usnewsplus-blog]

Thomas Kelly's brother Stuart calls on Premier to hold the line on lockout laws in emotional speech

Thomas Kelly's brother Stuart calls on Premier to hold the line on lockout laws in emotional speech

Stuart Kelly receives a standing ovation at the Take Kare gala dinner. Photo: James Brickwood

Protesters demand end to ‘draconian’ laws

It was the speech that moved a room of Sydney’s most powerful people to tears.

Stuart Kelly, the brother of 18-year-old "one punch" victim Thomas Kelly, has revealed the moment he and his family learned their beloved Tom was on life support at St Vincent’s Hospital following an attack by an intoxicated stranger in Kings Cross on July 7, 2012.

Thomas Kelly was 18 when he was fatally assaulted.

Speaking at the Take Kare gala dinner to raise money for the Thomas Kelly foundation, Stuart addressed an audience of more than 700 people, including Premier Mike Baird, Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the Prime Minister’s wife, Lucy Turnbull, and NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione.

Stuart maintained his composure, unlike most of the audience, as he called on Mr Baird to maintain the state government’s hardline lockout laws to prevent any more senseless violence affecting families like his own.

"I look back at that moment: I was 14 years old, I was told by a stranger that my brother, my best friend, was going to die. Those few words would change my life forever.

"I’m now 17 – that was three years ago. However I carry a deep scar that you cannot see. It’s always there, it never leaves. It sits below the surface of your skin and surfaces when you least expect it."

He continued: "[We need] change to stop the growing epidemic of drug and alcohol abuse, and misuse, and to say no to senseless violence.

"Premier, will you make this promise tonight?"

Earlier, Mr Baird had applauded the work of his predecessor Barry O’Farrell in instituting the changes that have resulted in a dramatic drop in violence in the Kings Cross area following a raft of law changes.

Stuart Kelly’s speech to the Take Care gala dinner

My name is Stuart Kelly, I’m Thomas’ younger brother. I was 14 years old when Thomas was brutally attacked without reason; resulting in him losing his life.

Tom was out with his friends, it was his first night out in Sydney. We were at home in Bowral, doing what many families do on a Saturday – watching TV and getting ready for bed.

The phone rang at 10.25pm. Mum answered it but couldn’t comprehend what the person was telling her, so she passed it to dad. The voice on the end of the phone told them that they needed to come to St Vincent’s Hospital urgently.

Mum and dad told my sister, Madeline and I, that Tom had been in an altercation; they had to drive up to Sydney to be with him but would probably be back later during the night.

We had absolutely no idea about the extent of Tom’s injuries. The person from the hospital did not give any further information, except to firmly ask that we come straight to the hospital.

Maddie and I stayed at home. It was really late, so we went to bed. On Sunday morning, mum’s sister Carrie called, telling us that she was driving down to Bowral from Sydney to pick us both up. I felt really uneasy, I couldn’t understand why Carrie would be coming and not our parents.

Later at home I thought what might have happened to Tom. Never did I think or imagine that we might lose our brother.

I remember walking into the floor at St Vincent’s hospital, around midday on that Sunday – the floor was bustling with people. As we made our way to the lifts, I tried to work out what was going on and why we were there. Madelaine had even brought her school books with her to study because she was stressed about her upcoming HSC trial examinations.

We took the lift to the fourth floor, where mum and dad met us. They took us into a small room, closing it … closing the door. I could tell by the look on their faces that something serious had happened. I thought this was really strange as we were not visiting Tom – nothing was making any sense to me.

Finally dad said to us, "Thomas has been badly hurt, the doctors want to explain it to the both of you". I felt uneasy. We waited what seemed to be a very long time, but probably wasn’t. Two doctors came in with a social worker. We all sat down. I was feeling scared and anxious, and I was about to find out why.

"Your brother Thomas is in a critical condition and will not survive".

I was being told to prepare for his death. Those few words would change our lives forever. I don’t remember too much more of what they said. I was in shock and total disbelief. I heard those terrible words but was feeling that this could not be real, this could not be happening to Tom. I could not process this as a reality.

I look back at that moment: I was 14 years old, I was told by a stranger that my brother, my best friend, was going to die.

I’m now 17 – that was three years ago. However, I carry a deep scar that you cannot see. It’s always there, never leaves. It’s just below the surface of your skin, and surfaces when you least expect it.

The last time that I had seen Tom alive was at a Wallabies game against Wales on the 23rd of June. We had so much fun, lots of banter between the two of us, laughing at the Welsh accents – trying to imitate them. It was a great afternoon, but now it is a memory caught in time, a memory of my final time with Tom. It is a memory which should continue to be joined by many more, as we grow up and grow old together.

Tom never deserved to die that night, it was not meant to be his time. In fact, I believe now that it could and should have been avoided. Our family lost a son and a brother.

I ask all of you to look at me, I am but one person who has been affected by violence. It is a sentence that I have to carry for the rest of my life. My mother, father and sister now carry this sentence. Our relatives and friends, Tom’s friends, carry this sentence.

We are not alone, there are many many thousands of other who are directly affected by senseless violence every year. Today, I am preparing to complete Year 12 at the King’s School, with my HSC only weeks away. My graduation is this Friday.

I still remember sitting in the hall with my parents and Madeline, watching Tom graduate. Now it’s my turn. How will I feel when the headmaster shakes my hand?

I want to ask all of you in this room right now to think of your children, or the children of someone special that you may know. Would you want them to be here on this stage now making this speech? It’s time for change. Action is needed through strong leadership from the NSW state government and the federal government. Action is needed by our friends and our families across all of our communities – change to stop the growing epidemic of drug and alcohol abuse and misuse that is turning now into senseless violence.

Premier will you make this promise tonight? Australia is an alcoholic; we need to rethink the way we drink. Tonight your involvement and your voice can and will make a difference. To finish I would like to read a short poem that my father read at Thomas’ funeral. It is a stark, blunt message to us all, it started with ‘The Guy in the Glass’:

"When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,

And the world makes you King for a day,

Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,

And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your Father, or Mother, or Wife,

Who judgement upon you must pass.

But the man whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the man staring back from the glass.

He’s the feller to please, never mind all the rest,

For he’s with you right up to the end,

And you’ve passed your most difficult test

If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and ‘chisel’ a plum,

And think you’re a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum

If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the highway of years,

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you’ve cheated the guy in the glass."

Thank you.

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/09/15/thomas-kellys-brother-stuart-calls-on-premier-to-hold-the-line-on-lockout-laws-in-emotional-speech/

[usnewsplus-blog]

FedEx profit up but global economy, strong dollar weigh on results

FedEx profit up but global economy, strong dollar weigh on results

A FedEx delivery truck is seen in San Diego, California December 5, 2013.

Reuters/Mike Blake

CHICAGO Package delivery company FedEx Corp (FDX.N) posted a higher quarterly profit on Wednesday, but missed Wall Street expectations due to weak global economic conditions and the strong U.S. dollar.

The Memphis-based company also lowered its full-year earnings forecast, citing modest economic growth and higher-than-expected operating costs at its ground domestic U.S. package unit. It also sees weaker demand for its less-than-truckload business, in which operators fill trucks with smaller orders from multiple customers as opposed to regular trucking firms that haul full loads for single customers.

The news sent FedEx shares down nearly 3 percent in pre-market trading.

Often considered a bellwether of U.S. economic activity, FedEx said it now expects earnings per share for the fiscal 2016 year ending May 31 next year in a range from $10.40 to $10.90 before year-end mark-to-market pension accounting adjustments. The company had previously forecast full-year earnings per share of $10.60 to $11.10.

Analysts have on average predicted full-year earnings per share of $10.82.

“We still expect strong earnings growth this year, as we remain focused on executing our profit improvement program, leveraging e-commerce growth and enhancing our revenue quality,” chief financial officer Alan Graf said in a statement.

FedEx reported a net profit for its fiscal 2016 first quarter ending August 31 of $692 million or $2.42 per share, up 6 percent from $653 million or $2.26 per share a year earlier.

Analysts had on average expected earnings per share of $2.46.

The company reported revenue for the quarter of $12.3 billion versus $11.7 billion a year earlier, which was in line with analyst estimates.

FedEx said late Tuesday that it would increase rates for its international package, U.S. domestic package and U.S. freight business by 4.9 percent as of January 4.

The company said it would also hike surcharges for packages that exceed its published maximum weight or dimensional limits.

In pre-market trading, FedEx shares were down nearly 3 percent at $149.50.

(Reporting By Nick Carey; Editing by W Simon and Chizu Nomiyama)

http://usnewsplus.com/2015/09/15/fedex-profit-up-but-global-economy-strong-dollar-weigh-on-results/