A multi-institutional clinical trial has given good results for a targeted therapy to treat a rare, aggressive blood cancer known as blastic plasmacytoid dendritic-cell neoplasm (BPDCN). Details on the trial, which supported Food and Drug Administration approval of the tagraxofusp therapy in December 2018, have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ancient fire remains provide evidence of Neanderthal group mobility and settlement patterns and indicate specific occupation episodes, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE on April 24, 2019 by Lucia Leierer and colleagues from Universidad de La Laguna, Spain.

The shoulders are the most mobile joints in your body. But that mobility comes at a price: stability, says certified strength and conditioning specialist Matt Unthank. One in four women aged 20 to 55 complains of shoulder pain, according to BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. And another study suggests that, at some point, about 20% of us will tear our rotator cuff.

As women, everything from how we’re built to how we live and train impacts our shoulder health. Here are the biggest everyday culprits and how to beat them.

Your phone

When you hunch over a screen (be it phone, tablet or computer), your head puts more than 25kg of pressure on your neck – rounding your shoulders forward and weakening the supportive back and shoulder muscles, Unthank says. Over time, they become weak and stretched out and you start complaining about “carrying everything” in your shoulders.

The fix: In one study of female office workers, performing a 20-minute shoulder- and neck-strengthening dumbbell workout three times a week for 10 weeks significantly reduced pain and improved function.

Read more: These are the 4 most common causes of your back pain

Your hormones

Yep, the gender gap hits the shoulder too. The hormone oestrogen affects collagen synthesis, making women’s joints laxer, easier to injure and slower to repair, says physiotherapist Jessica Hettler, a certified sports and orthopaedic specialist.

The fix: If you’re on the Pill, good news: hormonal contraceptives may significantly reduce the risk for ligament injury, according to research in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. Not on birth control? Hettler says you are most prone to ligament injury in the luteal phase (from ovulation until your period starts), so keep an eye on your form and intensity during that time of the month to help avoid injury.

Read more: 5 easy Pilates stretches that’ll finally sort out your stiff upper back

Your workout

When you’re flexing (or selfie-ing) in front of the mirror, it’s natural to focus on what’s most visible. But that means we tend to forget about the smaller stabiliser muscles that we can’t always see – like your subscapularis, which stabilises the shoulder and combats internal shoulder rotation (aka rounded shoulders).

The fix: Perform two pulling exercises (think rows and chin-ups) for every pushing exercise (like push-ups and chest presses) in your workout routine, Nelson says. This will help strengthen those crucial posterior muscles (the ones on the back side of your body) while also helping to combat muscular imbalances that can make your shoulders more susceptible to injury.

Read more: The number one reason why your shoulders are always killing you

Your handbag

“The tendons of the rotator cuff are like a pair of blue jeans: with poor care and a lot of use, the denim starts to wear out and become frayed,” Unthank says. “If you’re carrying a bag the same way every day, especially if it’s super heavy, you add load to those torn blue jeans, causing them to wear down quicker.”

The fix: Realistically, it’s a big ask to downsize your handbag. Instead, opt for wider straps if possible, wear your bag across your body whenever you can and switch shoulders every now and then, he says.

Read more: 4 ridiculously simple stretches that do INSANE things for your body

Your bra

If you’re a C cup or larger, your bra straps may have created grooves on top of your shoulders. Well, if not corrected, these can become permanent, actually deforming the shoulders’ muscle fascia, explains sports physiotherapist Dr Deirdre McGhee. “They can also become very painful,” she says.

The fix: Consider investing in bras with thicker or padded straps to reduce the amount of downward pressure on your shoulders, McGhee says. She also recommends regularly switching between straight straps and racerbacks so you aren’t stressing the exact same spot on your shoulders every single day.

^{This article was originally published onwww.womenshealthsa.co.za}

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You might be surprised to learn that food allergies can start in adulthood and involve a food you’ve eaten without a problem for your entire life.

For adults as well as kids, the top – but not the only – food culprits are eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish, wheat and soy, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Just as with childhood food allergies, you’ll need to do your best to avoid these foods and be prepared in case you inadvertently come into contact with one of them.

Signs of a severe allergic reaction

• Hives or pale/bluish skin tone
• Cramps and/or vomiting
• Trouble swallowing or swelling of the tongue
• Weak pulse
• Feeling dizzy or faint
• Shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing
• Inability to breathe, and drop in blood pressure

The most serious reaction is called anaphylaxis, an extreme inability to breathe that can lead to shock. It is a life-threatening emergency. Keep in mind that allergic reactions can be unpredictable. Most happen within a few hours of contact, but some are instantaneous. It could take only a small amount of the allergen to cause swelling, hives or anaphylaxis. Also, your body could experience more than one type of reaction – your skin, gastrointestinal tract, heart and/or breathing could be affected.

So it’s important to call your doctor and ask about testing after any out-of-the-ordinary reaction to a particular food. If possible, write down what you ate, how soon afterward symptoms started and how long they lasted.

Allergy testing usually involves a combination of skin pricks and blood tests. Sometimes there may be a workaround. For instance, if a raw fruit or vegetable causes a reaction, you may be able to eat the food cooked because, for some people, heat neutralises the allergen.

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Asparagus is a great spring vegetable that can be a tasty side dish or the starring ingredient in a main course like risotto. And it’s more than just delicious – asparagus is great for digestive health, too.

It’s a prebiotic food, meaning it feeds the helpful bacteria that live in your gut. These good bacteria are responsible for everything from signalling your immune system and keeping digestion in check to producing vital B vitamins.

An easy side dish

When shopping for asparagus, look for spears that are free of blemishes and dry spots, and tips that are closed and firm. Use asparagus promptly – it can spoil quickly.

Miso asparagus is an easy side dish that can also be enjoyed as a main dish when served over salad or with sliced chicken. Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans. It’s a probiotic food, which has similar health benefits. Though it has a high salt content, it’s typically used in small amounts. Find it at health food and Asian food stores as well as in the Asian food aisle of large supermarkets.

Miso Asparagus

• 1 pound (450g) green asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons water

Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Heat the sesame oil, and then add the asparagus. Cook, covered, four to five minutes, turning often, until the asparagus has browned and is tender.

While the asparagus cooks, place the miso paste, ginger, garlic and water in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly. When the asparagus is done, transfer spears to a platter and top with the miso dressing. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings

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Children under two should not be given screens or TV to keep them quiet, new guidelines say.

Doctors say his work on a woman now “virtually unable to walk” is deeply flawed.

Mike Davies spent 70 days in intensive care with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia.

When people are “difficult” to be around, it’s easy to toss off labels like sociopath or narcissist—especially if the person seems to be totally full of themself or have no remorse for the way their actions might affect you. But while they share some similarities, sociopathy and narcissism are two distinct psychological disorders. Understanding them may make it easier to deal with someone who seems to be one or the other.

Sociopaths and narcissists: what they have in common

“Both sociopaths and narcissists have personality disorders, meaning that certain personality traits are so extreme that it causes harm to themselves or others, or causes multiple losses and failures in life, such as losing jobs or important relationships, or failing in school,” Aimee Daramus, PsyD, a Chicago-based licensed clinical psychologist, tells Health.

RELATED: What's the Difference Between a Psychopath and a Sociopath? An Expert Weighs In

People with both disorders value themselves above others, can't step outside their awareness of what they want and need, and consider others' feelings as secondary or a non-issue for them. They can also be charismatic and charming. But those traits are coming from different psychological places, and for different reasons.

Traits all narcissists share

“A narcissist is essentially somebody who is self-­obsessed to an extreme degree,” Darrel Turner, PhD, a forensic psychologist in Louisiana, tells Health. “This is someone who has a high level of confidence and belief in themselves, but to a very unhealthy and harmful extent—to the point at which it actually distorts their sense of reality about themselves, other people, and the world around them. It can also lead them into manipulative and exploitative behavior, because they will prioritize their own needs above anyone else’s.”

That definition can seem broad, especially with the #selfie generation and in today’s cutthroat work culture. But people frequently misuse the term narcissist. “Just because someone is ‘full of herself’ or takes advantage of others doesn’t necessarily mean they are a full­-blown narcissist,” says Turner.

RELATED: Narcissistic Abuse Is the Scary New Kind of Emotional Abuse You Need to Know About

To be diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V, someone would have an exaggerated sense of self-appraisal, set goals based on gaining the approval of others, set unreasonable high personal standards, lack empathy, be antagonistic, demonstrate feelings of entitlement, make excessive attempts to attract and be the focus of the attention of others, and firmly hold to the belief that they are better than others. It’s not a phase or a mood; it’s a lifelong disorder.

Above all is the narcissist’s need to be the most important, Daramus says. “That usually comes out of insecurity, but occasionally you get it coming out of a place of privilege, from someone who has genuinely never been exposed to the idea that other people matter,” she says.

What drives a sociopath

Sociopaths—people who are actually diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder—have many narcissistic characteristics, but this psychological disorder is typically much more dangerous. “Whereas a narcissist may occasionally harm people as a consequence of their self­-prioritization, the harm they cause to others is usually unintentional,” explains Turner. “More often than not, it’s a consequence of their self­-obsession rather than the motivator which drives them. A sociopath, on the other hand, essentially ‘gets off’ by hurting other people.”

RELATED: 10 Signs You Might Be a Narcissist

That doesn’t mean every sociopath is a serial killer. “It’s actually more common for a sociopath to be driven by a need to control and manipulate other people, to damage them in some way, and to gain money and power,” Turner says. “They are more likely to be in a parasitic or controlling/abusive relationship with a romantic partner; to engage in risky activities like drugs, problematic gambling, and promiscuous sex; to backstab and sabotage their colleagues at work; and to carry out financial fraud schemes.”

Someone with APD, according to the DSM-V, is egocentric, acts based on personal gratification, lacks empathy, is incapable of intimacy, and is manipulative, deceitful, callous, risk-taking, and impulsive. “A sociopath is someone who, on a biological level, is lacking awareness of others’ feelings, and isn’t all that interested in anybody else’s rules,” says Daramus. “They’re far more charming and exciting than most narcissists, whose charm is more superficial. Because of the lack of empathy, sociopaths feel little or nothing when they hurt or take advantage of others.”

Sociopaths are especially dangerous because they often go to great efforts to hide their true personality and appear likable, adds Turner. A true narcissist, on the other hand, often doesn’t—and couldn’t—try to hide what they are.

Given their psychological makeups, it’s unlikely that someone diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder of antisocial personality disorder would think they need or ever seek help. If you suspect you’re dealing with someone who may have either disorder, don’t get swept up into their world view—and make sure to watch out for your own interests.

RELATED: What It Means to Be a High-Functioning Sociopath—and How to Tell if You Know One