4-29-10
#1
This is talking about how they found a vaccine treatment for prostate cancer has become the first therapy of its kind to win approval for use in U.S. patients. Also how many americans have to us their own white blood cells and using a drug that trains them to more actively attack cancer cells. There are many people would be really to be able to do this if it will save their life. Also this is talking about howthis treatment is intended only for men with so-called "metastatic castration-resistant" prostate cancer, for whom hormone suppressant therapy has not worked. Studies have shown that Provenge prolongs survival by about four to 4.5 months.Also this is talking about how it is unclear whether insurance companies will cover the cost of Provenge and it may be prohibitively expensive for some. Dendreon says it will be priced similarly to other new biologics that prolong survival. Also many people these day have some form of cancer and this will help them. I think this is a really good article and that many people will be happy with waht goes on and wether the government will cover this.
#2
This is talking about how scientists are turning harmful bacteria into agents of their own destruction. In an effort to create antibacterial wound dressings, a new material comes laden with microbial booby traps that are triggered by the activity of harmful bacteria, scientists report online April 20 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Also The researchers tested their strategy by inoculating pieces of fabric with two harmful bacteria — a species of Staphylococcus and a member of the Pseudomonas group, famed for glomming onto medical devices — as well as a harmless type of E. coli.When they placed the fabric scraps in petri dishes along with bacteria, the harmless E. coli grew readily. But the toxin-releasing Staph and Pseudomonas barely grew at all. This suggests that the harmful bacteria did in fact release toxins or enzymes that busted open the vesicles, unleashing the antibiotic inside and sealing their own fate. The E. coli flourished because they left the vesicles intact, the researchers suspect.“This is a nice approach and they’ve shown in principle that it works,” says biomedical engineer Christopher Batich of the University of Florida in Gainesville. However, he cautions that the simple system has many hurdles to overcome before it will be useful in a hospital setting. For example, bacteria can’t be tidily arranged into “good” and “bad” groups where one is toxin-producing and the other is not. “You’d have to work with real bacteria and real wounds to see if it makes a difference,” Batich says.For now, the team is trying to make vesicles that last longer than the current span of minutes to hours. And while the researchers tried their system with bacteria-killing sodium azide, in practice the vesicles would be filled with different antibiotics depending on the patient’s wound.“I think it’s a lovely idea,” says microbiologist Simon Silver of the University of Illinois at Chicago, who was not involved with the work. But he wonders whether the technique would make much difference if bacteria were buried deep in a wound. “It’s too early to say if it will be more fruitful,” Silver says. I think that this can use more information.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Supreme Court strikes down law banning dogfight videos and How crash diets harm your health
Date 4-20-10
1. This is talking about how the Washington (CNN) -- The Supreme Court has struck down a federal law designed to stop the sale and marketing of videos showing dogfights and other acts of animal cruelty, saying it is an unconstitutional violation of free speech.
The 8-1 decision was a defeat for animal rights groups and congressional sponsors of the legislation.The specific case before the court dealt with tapes showing pit bulls attacking other animals and one another in staged confrontations.The justices Tuesday concluded the scope and intent of the decade-old statute was overly broad."The First Amendment itself reflects a judgment by the American people that the benefits of its restrictions on the government outweigh its costs," said Chief Justice John Roberts. He concluded Congress had not sufficiently shown "depictions" of dog fighting enough to justify a special category of exclusion from free speech protection.The high court threw out the conviction of Robert Stevens, a Pittsville, Virginia, man who sold videos through his business, Dogs of Velvet and Steel. According to court records, undercover federal agents found he was advertising his tapes in Sporting Dog Journal, an underground magazine on illegal dog fighting.Among the products Stevens advertised was "Catch Dogs," featuring pit bulls chasing wild boars on organized hunts and a "gruesome depiction of a pit bull attacking the lower jaw of a domestic farm pig," according to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based appeals court that ruled on the case earlier.Stevens was charged in 2004 with violating interstate commerce laws by selling depictions of animal cruelty. He was later sentenced to 37 months in prison, and promptly appealed. That sentence was put on hold pending resolution of this appeal.He argued his sentence was longer than the 14 months given professional football player Michael Vick, who ran an illegal dog fighting ring.It was the first prosecution in the United States to proceed to trial under the 1999 law.Nearly every state and local jurisdiction have their own laws banning mistreatment of wild and domesticated animals and usually handle prosecutions of animal cruelty.Several media organizations had supported Stevens, worrying the federal law could implicate reports about deer hunting and depictions of bullfighting in Ernest Hemingway novels.Roberts agreed."Jurisdictions permit and encourage hunting, and there is an enormous national market for hunting-related depictions in which a living animal is intentionally killed," Roberts said. "An otherwise-lawful image of any of these practices, if sold or possessed for commercial gain within a state that happens to forbid the practice, falls within the prohibition of [the federal law]."During oral arguments in October, the justices offered a number of wide-ranging hypotheticals over what the law could forbid, including: fox hunts, pate de foie gras from geese, cockfighting, bullfighting, shooting deer out of season, even Roman gladiator battles.Only Justice Samuel Alito dissented in the case, and he focused on one of the most disturbing aspects raised in the appeal, the marketing of so-called "crush" videos, in which women -- with their faces unseen -- are shown stomping helpless animals such as rabbits to death with spiked-heel shoes or with their bare feet."The animals used in crush videos are living creatures that experience excruciating pain. Our society has long banned such cruelty," he said. The courts, he said, have "erred in second-guessing the legislative judgment about the importance of preventing cruelty to animals."Roberts suggested a law specifically banning crush videos might be valid, since it was narrowly tailored to a specific type of commercial enterprise.Alito noted that would not help dogs forced to fight each other, where, he said, "the suffering lasts for years rather than minutes."The government had argued a "compelling interest" in stopping people who would profit from dog attack tapes and similar depictions.If the law had been upheld, it would have been only the second time the Supreme Court had identified a form of speech undeserving of protection by the First Amendment. The justices in 1982 banned the distribution of child pornography. I that this is so wrong for people to do. If they hurt animals that means they will hurt other animals and inculding themselves which would lead up to something dangerous. I think that animal curatily is wrong espically for people who do dogfights.
2.This is talking about how Linda Bacon, Ph.D, dreads swimsuit season, but not because she has anything against the beach. Instead, the California-based nutritionist fears what the season brings: scores of otherwise health-conscious citizens who subject themselves to deprivation diets (like the Master Cleanse) or intense exercise regimens, often in blazing hot weather, to look slimmer in revealing clothes. Many unwittingly end up harming their health -- and possibly even their hearts."Early June and January are the two times of year people do crazy, desperate things to get thin fast," says Bacon, a nutrition professor at the City College of San Francisco, California, and the author of "Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight."
"They go on fasts, yo-yo diets, detox programs, and 'cleanses' without realizing that there are serious consequences to weight loss and nutrient restriction."That crash dieting doesn't work and can be dangerous is a message that gets lost in the national clamor over rising rates of overweight and obesity. Thinking of trying a lemonade fast or cabbage soup diet? Here's what to keep in mind if fitting into your skinny jeans or your Speedo is high on your summer agenda.Crash diets may harm your heartCardiologist Isadore Rosenfeld, MD, a professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, in New York City, and author of the forthcoming "Doctor of the Heart: A Life in Medicine," opposes crash diets (less than 1,200 calories a day) and detox plans like the Master Cleanse. The Master Cleanse involves consuming a mixture of water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper -- and nothing else -- for several days.He says these very low-calorie regimens are based on the false theory that the body needs help eliminating waste.Research suggests rapid weight loss can slow your metabolism, leading to future weight gain, and deprive your body of essential nutrients. What's more, crash diets can weaken your immune system and increase your risk of dehydration, heart palpitations, and cardiac stress."A crash diet once won't hurt your heart," Dr. Rosenfeld says. "But crash dieting repeatedly increases the risk of heart attacks."Bacon adds that long-term calorie-cutting can eventually lead to heart muscle loss. "Yo-yo dieting can also damage your blood vessels. All that shrinking and growing causes micro tears that create a setup for atherosclerosis and other types of heart disease," she says.Chip Stinchfield, a 55-year-old shop owner in New Canaan, Connecticut, has experienced the cardiac effects of dieting firsthand. On the advice of friends, he went on a Master Cleanse for days and exercised vigorously. Another time he ate nothing but cottage cheese, beets, and peanut butter. Both were "quick, easy fixes" that helped him drop up to 10 pounds fast.
But both diets also gave him shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and "the feeling like I was going to have a heart attack." Under pressure from his family, who thought his dieting might disable or kill him -- like many extreme dieters, Stinchfield kept his doctor in the dark about his radical habits -- he eventually went back to sensible eating.Beware of fad diets Experts have known for decades that extended crash diets can be dangerous -- especially when the diets become a fad. In the late 1970s, an osteopath named Robert Linn published "The Last Chance Diet," a best seller that advocated a miraculous "liquid protein diet." Following the lead of their favorite celebrities, millions of people bought quarts of Dr. Linn's liquid formula and embraced the diet (or one of many copycat versions), averaging just 300 to 400 calories a day.The diet seemed to work wonders -- some people reported losing as many as 10 pounds a week on the formula. But then the news of sudden deaths began to trickle in.An investigation led by the Food and Drug Administration turned up nearly 60 deaths among liquid dieters. Although some of the deaths occurred in people with underlying diseases such as atherosclerosis (and therefore could have been coincidental), government researchers who examined otherwise healthy dieters who died of ventricular arrhythmias found that the pattern of deaths suggested "the effects of protein-calorie malnutrition on the heart," including atrophy of the heart muscle.Experts have since tried to pinpoint the dangers of crash diets (technically known as "very low calorie" diets). Shortages of potassium, magnesium, and copper have been suggested as possible causes of the arrhythmias seen in crash dieters, and studies have also found that the diets can cause a drop in blood pressure and sodium depletion.The true extent of the risk posed by crash diets is unclear, however. Much of the research has been conducted in obese people -- a population that can actually benefit from these extreme diets -- and in most studies the health of the participants is carefully monitored. Experts stress that very-low-calorie diets should only be followed with a doctor's supervision. But crash dieters are more likely to consult their friends than a doctor -- which can get them into trouble.Brooke Robertson, 23, learned these lessons the hard way. Last spring the Auckland, New Zealand, mom reportedly suffered a minor heart attack after she lost 100 pounds on a diet of Red Bull and the occasional fistful of dry cereal.Despite the international publicity, Bacon doesn't think desperate dieters will consider Robertson a cautionary tale. "There's absolutely no benefit to fasting or detoxing," she says. "Extreme diets are simply bad for you and they don't work. But every year people engage in magical thinking."How to lose weight -- safelyIf you're overweight, slimming down is critical for your overall health. Even moderate weight loss can lower your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.But it's important to lose weight safely, which usually means slowly: Most experts recommend dropping just 1 to 2 pounds a week. And despite what some brand-name diets claim, the best way to do so is to exercise regularly and stick to a diet that limits saturated fat and sugars and emphasizes fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, and whole grains.
"The key to losing weight is a combination of diet and exercise," says Dr. Rosenfeld. "One alone will not do it. fOR THIS REASON I DO NOT DIET AND NEVER HAD DIET. I think that people who diet have a greater chance of getting bigger and gain the weight back.
1. This is talking about how the Washington (CNN) -- The Supreme Court has struck down a federal law designed to stop the sale and marketing of videos showing dogfights and other acts of animal cruelty, saying it is an unconstitutional violation of free speech.
The 8-1 decision was a defeat for animal rights groups and congressional sponsors of the legislation.The specific case before the court dealt with tapes showing pit bulls attacking other animals and one another in staged confrontations.The justices Tuesday concluded the scope and intent of the decade-old statute was overly broad."The First Amendment itself reflects a judgment by the American people that the benefits of its restrictions on the government outweigh its costs," said Chief Justice John Roberts. He concluded Congress had not sufficiently shown "depictions" of dog fighting enough to justify a special category of exclusion from free speech protection.The high court threw out the conviction of Robert Stevens, a Pittsville, Virginia, man who sold videos through his business, Dogs of Velvet and Steel. According to court records, undercover federal agents found he was advertising his tapes in Sporting Dog Journal, an underground magazine on illegal dog fighting.Among the products Stevens advertised was "Catch Dogs," featuring pit bulls chasing wild boars on organized hunts and a "gruesome depiction of a pit bull attacking the lower jaw of a domestic farm pig," according to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based appeals court that ruled on the case earlier.Stevens was charged in 2004 with violating interstate commerce laws by selling depictions of animal cruelty. He was later sentenced to 37 months in prison, and promptly appealed. That sentence was put on hold pending resolution of this appeal.He argued his sentence was longer than the 14 months given professional football player Michael Vick, who ran an illegal dog fighting ring.It was the first prosecution in the United States to proceed to trial under the 1999 law.Nearly every state and local jurisdiction have their own laws banning mistreatment of wild and domesticated animals and usually handle prosecutions of animal cruelty.Several media organizations had supported Stevens, worrying the federal law could implicate reports about deer hunting and depictions of bullfighting in Ernest Hemingway novels.Roberts agreed."Jurisdictions permit and encourage hunting, and there is an enormous national market for hunting-related depictions in which a living animal is intentionally killed," Roberts said. "An otherwise-lawful image of any of these practices, if sold or possessed for commercial gain within a state that happens to forbid the practice, falls within the prohibition of [the federal law]."During oral arguments in October, the justices offered a number of wide-ranging hypotheticals over what the law could forbid, including: fox hunts, pate de foie gras from geese, cockfighting, bullfighting, shooting deer out of season, even Roman gladiator battles.Only Justice Samuel Alito dissented in the case, and he focused on one of the most disturbing aspects raised in the appeal, the marketing of so-called "crush" videos, in which women -- with their faces unseen -- are shown stomping helpless animals such as rabbits to death with spiked-heel shoes or with their bare feet."The animals used in crush videos are living creatures that experience excruciating pain. Our society has long banned such cruelty," he said. The courts, he said, have "erred in second-guessing the legislative judgment about the importance of preventing cruelty to animals."Roberts suggested a law specifically banning crush videos might be valid, since it was narrowly tailored to a specific type of commercial enterprise.Alito noted that would not help dogs forced to fight each other, where, he said, "the suffering lasts for years rather than minutes."The government had argued a "compelling interest" in stopping people who would profit from dog attack tapes and similar depictions.If the law had been upheld, it would have been only the second time the Supreme Court had identified a form of speech undeserving of protection by the First Amendment. The justices in 1982 banned the distribution of child pornography. I that this is so wrong for people to do. If they hurt animals that means they will hurt other animals and inculding themselves which would lead up to something dangerous. I think that animal curatily is wrong espically for people who do dogfights.
2.This is talking about how Linda Bacon, Ph.D, dreads swimsuit season, but not because she has anything against the beach. Instead, the California-based nutritionist fears what the season brings: scores of otherwise health-conscious citizens who subject themselves to deprivation diets (like the Master Cleanse) or intense exercise regimens, often in blazing hot weather, to look slimmer in revealing clothes. Many unwittingly end up harming their health -- and possibly even their hearts."Early June and January are the two times of year people do crazy, desperate things to get thin fast," says Bacon, a nutrition professor at the City College of San Francisco, California, and the author of "Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight."
"They go on fasts, yo-yo diets, detox programs, and 'cleanses' without realizing that there are serious consequences to weight loss and nutrient restriction."That crash dieting doesn't work and can be dangerous is a message that gets lost in the national clamor over rising rates of overweight and obesity. Thinking of trying a lemonade fast or cabbage soup diet? Here's what to keep in mind if fitting into your skinny jeans or your Speedo is high on your summer agenda.Crash diets may harm your heartCardiologist Isadore Rosenfeld, MD, a professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, in New York City, and author of the forthcoming "Doctor of the Heart: A Life in Medicine," opposes crash diets (less than 1,200 calories a day) and detox plans like the Master Cleanse. The Master Cleanse involves consuming a mixture of water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper -- and nothing else -- for several days.He says these very low-calorie regimens are based on the false theory that the body needs help eliminating waste.Research suggests rapid weight loss can slow your metabolism, leading to future weight gain, and deprive your body of essential nutrients. What's more, crash diets can weaken your immune system and increase your risk of dehydration, heart palpitations, and cardiac stress."A crash diet once won't hurt your heart," Dr. Rosenfeld says. "But crash dieting repeatedly increases the risk of heart attacks."Bacon adds that long-term calorie-cutting can eventually lead to heart muscle loss. "Yo-yo dieting can also damage your blood vessels. All that shrinking and growing causes micro tears that create a setup for atherosclerosis and other types of heart disease," she says.Chip Stinchfield, a 55-year-old shop owner in New Canaan, Connecticut, has experienced the cardiac effects of dieting firsthand. On the advice of friends, he went on a Master Cleanse for days and exercised vigorously. Another time he ate nothing but cottage cheese, beets, and peanut butter. Both were "quick, easy fixes" that helped him drop up to 10 pounds fast.
But both diets also gave him shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and "the feeling like I was going to have a heart attack." Under pressure from his family, who thought his dieting might disable or kill him -- like many extreme dieters, Stinchfield kept his doctor in the dark about his radical habits -- he eventually went back to sensible eating.Beware of fad diets Experts have known for decades that extended crash diets can be dangerous -- especially when the diets become a fad. In the late 1970s, an osteopath named Robert Linn published "The Last Chance Diet," a best seller that advocated a miraculous "liquid protein diet." Following the lead of their favorite celebrities, millions of people bought quarts of Dr. Linn's liquid formula and embraced the diet (or one of many copycat versions), averaging just 300 to 400 calories a day.The diet seemed to work wonders -- some people reported losing as many as 10 pounds a week on the formula. But then the news of sudden deaths began to trickle in.An investigation led by the Food and Drug Administration turned up nearly 60 deaths among liquid dieters. Although some of the deaths occurred in people with underlying diseases such as atherosclerosis (and therefore could have been coincidental), government researchers who examined otherwise healthy dieters who died of ventricular arrhythmias found that the pattern of deaths suggested "the effects of protein-calorie malnutrition on the heart," including atrophy of the heart muscle.Experts have since tried to pinpoint the dangers of crash diets (technically known as "very low calorie" diets). Shortages of potassium, magnesium, and copper have been suggested as possible causes of the arrhythmias seen in crash dieters, and studies have also found that the diets can cause a drop in blood pressure and sodium depletion.The true extent of the risk posed by crash diets is unclear, however. Much of the research has been conducted in obese people -- a population that can actually benefit from these extreme diets -- and in most studies the health of the participants is carefully monitored. Experts stress that very-low-calorie diets should only be followed with a doctor's supervision. But crash dieters are more likely to consult their friends than a doctor -- which can get them into trouble.Brooke Robertson, 23, learned these lessons the hard way. Last spring the Auckland, New Zealand, mom reportedly suffered a minor heart attack after she lost 100 pounds on a diet of Red Bull and the occasional fistful of dry cereal.Despite the international publicity, Bacon doesn't think desperate dieters will consider Robertson a cautionary tale. "There's absolutely no benefit to fasting or detoxing," she says. "Extreme diets are simply bad for you and they don't work. But every year people engage in magical thinking."How to lose weight -- safelyIf you're overweight, slimming down is critical for your overall health. Even moderate weight loss can lower your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.But it's important to lose weight safely, which usually means slowly: Most experts recommend dropping just 1 to 2 pounds a week. And despite what some brand-name diets claim, the best way to do so is to exercise regularly and stick to a diet that limits saturated fat and sugars and emphasizes fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, and whole grains.
"The key to losing weight is a combination of diet and exercise," says Dr. Rosenfeld. "One alone will not do it. fOR THIS REASON I DO NOT DIET AND NEVER HAD DIET. I think that people who diet have a greater chance of getting bigger and gain the weight back.
For Some Birds, It’s Not Always the Same Old Song And Volcanic ash poses little health threat so far
Date 4-20-10
1. This is talking about how Songbirds are not born with songs in their heads, but learn them from others. And as in a game of telephone, it would seem natural that, over generations, the songs might change. Also how many species, some more dramatically than others. The songs of indigo buntings change so much, for example, that songs that are five years apart are almost completely different. Also The songbird in question is not just any old bird, but a member of a famous group of finches that Charles Darwin studied in the Galápagos Islands. Using recordings of Geospiza fortis, the medium ground finch, made 38 years apart, Jeffrey Podos of the University of Massachusetts and Eben Goodale, who is now at the University of California, San Diego found that some songs have persisted over four decades. The researchers conducted a statistical analysis of songs, using elements like number of notes, note duration and trill rate. As they report in Biology Letters, in each year’s recordings there is a lot of variability in the songs. But from one period to another, there are some songs that match quite closely. “Seemingly random songs are maintained over time,” Dr. Goodale noted. “There must be some force maintaining these songs.” As to what that might be, there is no clear answer as yet. But he said one potential clue is that, unlike many songbirds, Darwin’s finches learn their songs not from a neighbor but from their fathers. I think that this is a great article and it talks about how some song birds change and how they sing to other birds to get their attention and how they won't change for anything. I don't think that their is anything wrong with this article.
2.This is talking about how ash particles from Iceland's still-erupting volcano remain high in the atmosphere and do not pose a health risk so far to people in Europe, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.Also Toning down its guidance from Friday, when it said the ash cloud that has grounded flights could be "very dangerous" for those with asthma and respiratory problems, the WHO said there was no cause for public health alarm so far.
"There are no effects on health at the moment, except in the vicinity of the volcano in Iceland," Carlos Dora of the public health and environment division told a news briefing.
Icelanders living near the volcano should stay indoors or wear face masks and goggles to protect themselves against coarse particles that can irritate the lungs and eyes, Dora said.
The most dangerous ash particles are the smallest ones which can be breathed in deep into the lungs, and which have moved further from the volcano in the plume billowing over Europe.
But those fine particles are still "very high up" and weather conditions could very well cause the ash cloud to disperse without causing health problems in Europe, Dora said.
The World Meteorological Organization, based in Geneva, like the WHO is based in Geneva, said the ash particles were made up of small jagged pieces of rock, mineral and volcanic glass the size of sand, salt or silt.Such fine particles are normally dispersed by thunderstorms which are not expected in the region in the coming days.A low pressure weather system is expected to develop over Iceland later this week, potentially pushing the cloud toward the Arctic and prompting rain to "wash out" the ash, the WMO said in a statement.A WMO expert said that the health risks of the cloud were currently negligible across Europe."If you sit in Geneva in a bar and somebody smokes next to you, you probably have 10 to the power of three times more fine particles entering your lungs," Herbert Puempel, head of the WMO's aeronautical meteorology division, told a briefing.The WHO's Dora said if the ash cloud persisted and descend to ground level, the health risks would be greatest for asthmatics and people with respiratory and heart conditions."All of those diseases are made worse by high concentrations of particles," he told journalists. I think this is a good article cantaining good infromation. I think that this can use more information on how a volcano is started.
1. This is talking about how Songbirds are not born with songs in their heads, but learn them from others. And as in a game of telephone, it would seem natural that, over generations, the songs might change. Also how many species, some more dramatically than others. The songs of indigo buntings change so much, for example, that songs that are five years apart are almost completely different. Also The songbird in question is not just any old bird, but a member of a famous group of finches that Charles Darwin studied in the Galápagos Islands. Using recordings of Geospiza fortis, the medium ground finch, made 38 years apart, Jeffrey Podos of the University of Massachusetts and Eben Goodale, who is now at the University of California, San Diego found that some songs have persisted over four decades. The researchers conducted a statistical analysis of songs, using elements like number of notes, note duration and trill rate. As they report in Biology Letters, in each year’s recordings there is a lot of variability in the songs. But from one period to another, there are some songs that match quite closely. “Seemingly random songs are maintained over time,” Dr. Goodale noted. “There must be some force maintaining these songs.” As to what that might be, there is no clear answer as yet. But he said one potential clue is that, unlike many songbirds, Darwin’s finches learn their songs not from a neighbor but from their fathers. I think that this is a great article and it talks about how some song birds change and how they sing to other birds to get their attention and how they won't change for anything. I don't think that their is anything wrong with this article.
2.This is talking about how ash particles from Iceland's still-erupting volcano remain high in the atmosphere and do not pose a health risk so far to people in Europe, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.Also Toning down its guidance from Friday, when it said the ash cloud that has grounded flights could be "very dangerous" for those with asthma and respiratory problems, the WHO said there was no cause for public health alarm so far.
"There are no effects on health at the moment, except in the vicinity of the volcano in Iceland," Carlos Dora of the public health and environment division told a news briefing.
Icelanders living near the volcano should stay indoors or wear face masks and goggles to protect themselves against coarse particles that can irritate the lungs and eyes, Dora said.
The most dangerous ash particles are the smallest ones which can be breathed in deep into the lungs, and which have moved further from the volcano in the plume billowing over Europe.
But those fine particles are still "very high up" and weather conditions could very well cause the ash cloud to disperse without causing health problems in Europe, Dora said.
The World Meteorological Organization, based in Geneva, like the WHO is based in Geneva, said the ash particles were made up of small jagged pieces of rock, mineral and volcanic glass the size of sand, salt or silt.Such fine particles are normally dispersed by thunderstorms which are not expected in the region in the coming days.A low pressure weather system is expected to develop over Iceland later this week, potentially pushing the cloud toward the Arctic and prompting rain to "wash out" the ash, the WMO said in a statement.A WMO expert said that the health risks of the cloud were currently negligible across Europe."If you sit in Geneva in a bar and somebody smokes next to you, you probably have 10 to the power of three times more fine particles entering your lungs," Herbert Puempel, head of the WMO's aeronautical meteorology division, told a briefing.The WHO's Dora said if the ash cloud persisted and descend to ground level, the health risks would be greatest for asthmatics and people with respiratory and heart conditions."All of those diseases are made worse by high concentrations of particles," he told journalists. I think this is a good article cantaining good infromation. I think that this can use more information on how a volcano is started.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Arts: Self-Promote by Promoting Self-Promoters andPlane Hits, Kills Man on South Carolina Beach
April 14,2010
1.
This is talking about If you seek attention, paint attention-seekers. That’s what artist Nic Rad has done with PeopleMatter, 99 portraits of bloggers and media personalities. Visitors to the collection, which debuts April 3 at Rare Gallery in New York, should be able to identify the likes of video blogger Gary Vaynerchuk, venture capitalist Fred Wilson, and gossip gadfly Perez Hilton.But Rad is doing more than just promoting the self-promoters. He chose subjects whose ideas have been passed to him for free, and toward the end of the monthlong show he plans to give all the works away. “I’m trying to capture a moment,” Rad says. “‘Free’ is a feature of this moment as much as a nose might be. My aim is to paint a portrait of that.” Our advice: Be sure to charge money for something else — that’s part of the business model. This can use a lot more information.
2.
This is talking about
HILTON HEAD, S.C. — A 38-year-old father of two was jogging and listening to his iPod when he was hit from behind and killed by a small plane making an emergency landing on the beach, officials said Tuesday.Robert Gary Jones of Woodstock, Ga., was killed instantly on Hilton Head Island on Monday evening, said Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen.The single-engine plane had lost its propeller and the pilot's vision was blocked by oil on the windshield, Allen said.Jones was married and had two children, the coroner said."Apparently he did not see nor hear the plane," Allen said. "The plane was basically gliding."Hilton Head fire and rescue spokeswoman Joheida Fister said the identities of the pilot and a passenger on the Experimental Lancair IV-P plane were not released. The two were not injured.The plane started leaking oil at about 13,000 feet and tried originally to make it to Hilton Head Airport, Fister said.The oil on the windshield blocked the pilot's vision and he told authorities the propeller came off the plane. When he tried to land on the beach near the Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa, the plane hit the jogger and came to rest a little farther down the beach, she said."I would have to say it's pretty unusual," Fister said.FAA records show the aircraft was registered to Edward I. Smith of Chesapeake, Va., with a certificate issued in 2004. Smith has a private pilot's license, according to FAA records. Nobody answered early Tuesday at a phone number listed for Smith and a message was not immediately answered.The plane left Orlando at 4:45 p.m. and was headed for Virginia, Fister said. The four-seater plane has a turbine engine, can be built from a kit and can fly up to 370 mph, according to the Lancair Web site. The IV-P model has a pressurized cabin.
Thia can ause more information.
1.
This is talking about If you seek attention, paint attention-seekers. That’s what artist Nic Rad has done with PeopleMatter, 99 portraits of bloggers and media personalities. Visitors to the collection, which debuts April 3 at Rare Gallery in New York, should be able to identify the likes of video blogger Gary Vaynerchuk, venture capitalist Fred Wilson, and gossip gadfly Perez Hilton.But Rad is doing more than just promoting the self-promoters. He chose subjects whose ideas have been passed to him for free, and toward the end of the monthlong show he plans to give all the works away. “I’m trying to capture a moment,” Rad says. “‘Free’ is a feature of this moment as much as a nose might be. My aim is to paint a portrait of that.” Our advice: Be sure to charge money for something else — that’s part of the business model. This can use a lot more information.
2.
This is talking about
HILTON HEAD, S.C. — A 38-year-old father of two was jogging and listening to his iPod when he was hit from behind and killed by a small plane making an emergency landing on the beach, officials said Tuesday.Robert Gary Jones of Woodstock, Ga., was killed instantly on Hilton Head Island on Monday evening, said Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen.The single-engine plane had lost its propeller and the pilot's vision was blocked by oil on the windshield, Allen said.Jones was married and had two children, the coroner said."Apparently he did not see nor hear the plane," Allen said. "The plane was basically gliding."Hilton Head fire and rescue spokeswoman Joheida Fister said the identities of the pilot and a passenger on the Experimental Lancair IV-P plane were not released. The two were not injured.The plane started leaking oil at about 13,000 feet and tried originally to make it to Hilton Head Airport, Fister said.The oil on the windshield blocked the pilot's vision and he told authorities the propeller came off the plane. When he tried to land on the beach near the Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa, the plane hit the jogger and came to rest a little farther down the beach, she said."I would have to say it's pretty unusual," Fister said.FAA records show the aircraft was registered to Edward I. Smith of Chesapeake, Va., with a certificate issued in 2004. Smith has a private pilot's license, according to FAA records. Nobody answered early Tuesday at a phone number listed for Smith and a message was not immediately answered.The plane left Orlando at 4:45 p.m. and was headed for Virginia, Fister said. The four-seater plane has a turbine engine, can be built from a kit and can fly up to 370 mph, according to the Lancair Web site. The IV-P model has a pressurized cabin.
Thia can ause more information.
Adoptive parents can feel overwhelmed during transition and Apple Delays International iPad Launch Until ‘End of May’
April 14,2010
#1
This is talking about how Melissa Fay Greene wanted to adopted but it cost a lot of maoney and that she can't change that . Then she ended up doing it anyways. "It's terrifying," Greene said. "It's like meeting the man or woman you're marrying at the altar. There's no turning back. It's a lifelong commitment. It's really scary."
After she and her husband brought Jesse, 4, home to Atlanta, Georgia, she lamented the decision. The boy immediately latched onto Greene, never allowing her to disappear from his sight. He threw temper tantrums when she wasn't in his line of vision and once tried to run through a glass door to stop her from leaving the house.
It wasn't the boy's fault, as he behaved well, Greene said. But she felt depressed and overwhelmed just the same.
While Jesse's transition into his adoptive home was rocky, other adoptive parents can witness even more severe emotional trauma in their children.
Children who are adopted may be at elevated risk for mental health disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional defiance, major depression and separation anxiety disorders, according to a wide body of research. There's also evidence to suggest that children adopted internationally could have much higher rates of fetal alcohol syndrome, autism and brain damage, said Dr. Ronald Federici, a clinical neuropsychologist who works with adopted children. Also In some cases, "the kids coming from the Eastern bloc and other countries, they've been languishing in deprived, neglected orphanages without proper care or education. So they come here with years of institutional damage -- alcohol, drug exposure, developmental delays, neglect, abandonment and all these issues that were never treated there," he said.
The longer a child has been institutionalized increases the potential for behavioral and other problems, Federici said. If a child is adopted earlier in his or her life, this reduces some of the risks. But some adopted children can exhibit disturbing behavior -- as in a case described by a Tennessee family. They sent their 7-year-old adopted son back to Russia alone because of what they described as his violent behavior. The family's action has been widely criticized and triggered an international dispute, with Russia threatening to end adoptions to the United States.The boy, Justin Artyem, compiled a hit list, threatened to kill his adoptive American mom for her house and tried to start a fire in the home, his adoptive grandmother said.
In such cases, families discover their adopted children have psychological issues and can feel overwhelmed by these needs.To Russia, for love: Adoptive parents on edge as suspension threatened"This is a well-known problem," said Dr. Robert Marion, chief of genetics and developmental medicine at the Children's Hospital in Montefiore, New York. "These kids are in orphanages because they were taken away from their parents or the parents couldn't take care of them. Many of them are born to parents who are alcoholics, drug users or have mental health problems."Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders describe the range of physical, mental, behavioral and learning disabilities that can affect children whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy. The severity of symptoms varies, but can include low IQ, learning disabilities, social problems, attention deficit, cognitive impairment and more.Marion said he encountered a family a few weeks ago with an adopted child from Russia. The child did not want to go to school or participate in activities and threatened to burn the house, he said."Counseling can sometimes help and medication can sometimes help," he said. "Kids can mature and grow out of it, but the family needs a lot of support. The kid needs support and counseling and therapy through this period."A 2008 study comparing about 500 adopted and nonadopted children found that the odds of having an ADHD or oppositional defiant disorder diagnosis were approximately twice as high in adoptees compared with nonadoptees."Families that adopt kids from Russia and elsewhere need to be prepared for the possibility that the child is going to come with problems like this or other problems," Marion said. "If that's the case, they need to know to ask for help and help needs to be available for them."The problem also occurs because adoption agencies can hide information and mislead prospective parents, said Federici.Parents sometimes don't know how to handle behavioral and psychological problems, he said. They may sue the adoption agency or abuse or relinquish their children.Federici said he hopes the publicity surrounding Artyem will encourage prospective parents to get better informed, receive counseling and work more closely with adoption specialists.Greene felt anxious about adopting her son in 1999. More than 10 years after the adoption, she looked back at her family life and said, "We've been infinitely enriched. We've been really lucky."After the tumultuous first few months after adopting Jesse from Bulgaria, she reached out to her doctor and friends. Greene said she believes she had post-adoptive depression syndrome (which is like postpartum depression for adoptive parents) and now dispenses advice for parents who adopt.More than 10 years later, Jesse is a 15-year-old, straight-A student and star basketball player.Greene adopted four more children -- all are from Ethiopia and were orphaned after their parents died from complications of HIV/AIDS. In all, her family is made up of four biological and five adopted children -- large enough for a sports team. They all get along, but family life takes work, she said."It's misleading to think it's a pathway covered with rose petals," Greene said. "None of it is a Disney World ride, but it's wonderful. It's hard and serious work.". I do agree with her that it's hard work. Beacause it does cost money.
This can use more information on the adoption process.
#2
This is talking about It looks like even Apple has been surprised by the huge success of the iPad. After selling way more than expected, Apple has “made the difficult decision” to delay the international launch by an entire month. If you live in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland or the UK, you’ll now have to wait until the end of May to buy one:Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April. We guess something had to give, but it’s disappointing that the already vague “end of April” date has slipped so far already. Then again, given that many markets still can’t buy TV shows or movies from iTunes, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this date move yet again.Still, it’s not all bad news. Apple’s statement continues:We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason—the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far. [emphasis added] Yeah, thanks Apple. It’s good to know that you’re making so much money over in the colonies that you’re happy to screw over the rest of the world. This is good news for one group of people though: gray importers. Those guys are going to make a fortune. This can use more information and talk more about the product.
#1
This is talking about how Melissa Fay Greene wanted to adopted but it cost a lot of maoney and that she can't change that . Then she ended up doing it anyways. "It's terrifying," Greene said. "It's like meeting the man or woman you're marrying at the altar. There's no turning back. It's a lifelong commitment. It's really scary."
After she and her husband brought Jesse, 4, home to Atlanta, Georgia, she lamented the decision. The boy immediately latched onto Greene, never allowing her to disappear from his sight. He threw temper tantrums when she wasn't in his line of vision and once tried to run through a glass door to stop her from leaving the house.
It wasn't the boy's fault, as he behaved well, Greene said. But she felt depressed and overwhelmed just the same.
While Jesse's transition into his adoptive home was rocky, other adoptive parents can witness even more severe emotional trauma in their children.
Children who are adopted may be at elevated risk for mental health disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional defiance, major depression and separation anxiety disorders, according to a wide body of research. There's also evidence to suggest that children adopted internationally could have much higher rates of fetal alcohol syndrome, autism and brain damage, said Dr. Ronald Federici, a clinical neuropsychologist who works with adopted children. Also In some cases, "the kids coming from the Eastern bloc and other countries, they've been languishing in deprived, neglected orphanages without proper care or education. So they come here with years of institutional damage -- alcohol, drug exposure, developmental delays, neglect, abandonment and all these issues that were never treated there," he said.
The longer a child has been institutionalized increases the potential for behavioral and other problems, Federici said. If a child is adopted earlier in his or her life, this reduces some of the risks. But some adopted children can exhibit disturbing behavior -- as in a case described by a Tennessee family. They sent their 7-year-old adopted son back to Russia alone because of what they described as his violent behavior. The family's action has been widely criticized and triggered an international dispute, with Russia threatening to end adoptions to the United States.The boy, Justin Artyem, compiled a hit list, threatened to kill his adoptive American mom for her house and tried to start a fire in the home, his adoptive grandmother said.
In such cases, families discover their adopted children have psychological issues and can feel overwhelmed by these needs.To Russia, for love: Adoptive parents on edge as suspension threatened"This is a well-known problem," said Dr. Robert Marion, chief of genetics and developmental medicine at the Children's Hospital in Montefiore, New York. "These kids are in orphanages because they were taken away from their parents or the parents couldn't take care of them. Many of them are born to parents who are alcoholics, drug users or have mental health problems."Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders describe the range of physical, mental, behavioral and learning disabilities that can affect children whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy. The severity of symptoms varies, but can include low IQ, learning disabilities, social problems, attention deficit, cognitive impairment and more.Marion said he encountered a family a few weeks ago with an adopted child from Russia. The child did not want to go to school or participate in activities and threatened to burn the house, he said."Counseling can sometimes help and medication can sometimes help," he said. "Kids can mature and grow out of it, but the family needs a lot of support. The kid needs support and counseling and therapy through this period."A 2008 study comparing about 500 adopted and nonadopted children found that the odds of having an ADHD or oppositional defiant disorder diagnosis were approximately twice as high in adoptees compared with nonadoptees."Families that adopt kids from Russia and elsewhere need to be prepared for the possibility that the child is going to come with problems like this or other problems," Marion said. "If that's the case, they need to know to ask for help and help needs to be available for them."The problem also occurs because adoption agencies can hide information and mislead prospective parents, said Federici.Parents sometimes don't know how to handle behavioral and psychological problems, he said. They may sue the adoption agency or abuse or relinquish their children.Federici said he hopes the publicity surrounding Artyem will encourage prospective parents to get better informed, receive counseling and work more closely with adoption specialists.Greene felt anxious about adopting her son in 1999. More than 10 years after the adoption, she looked back at her family life and said, "We've been infinitely enriched. We've been really lucky."After the tumultuous first few months after adopting Jesse from Bulgaria, she reached out to her doctor and friends. Greene said she believes she had post-adoptive depression syndrome (which is like postpartum depression for adoptive parents) and now dispenses advice for parents who adopt.More than 10 years later, Jesse is a 15-year-old, straight-A student and star basketball player.Greene adopted four more children -- all are from Ethiopia and were orphaned after their parents died from complications of HIV/AIDS. In all, her family is made up of four biological and five adopted children -- large enough for a sports team. They all get along, but family life takes work, she said."It's misleading to think it's a pathway covered with rose petals," Greene said. "None of it is a Disney World ride, but it's wonderful. It's hard and serious work.". I do agree with her that it's hard work. Beacause it does cost money.
This can use more information on the adoption process.
#2
This is talking about It looks like even Apple has been surprised by the huge success of the iPad. After selling way more than expected, Apple has “made the difficult decision” to delay the international launch by an entire month. If you live in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland or the UK, you’ll now have to wait until the end of May to buy one:Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April. We guess something had to give, but it’s disappointing that the already vague “end of April” date has slipped so far already. Then again, given that many markets still can’t buy TV shows or movies from iTunes, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this date move yet again.Still, it’s not all bad news. Apple’s statement continues:We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason—the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far. [emphasis added] Yeah, thanks Apple. It’s good to know that you’re making so much money over in the colonies that you’re happy to screw over the rest of the world. This is good news for one group of people though: gray importers. Those guys are going to make a fortune. This can use more information and talk more about the product.
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