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Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, June 17, 2010
BP's Haywayrd says he didnt know what company was doing
Well folks ive been deeply saddened as of late. Watching this crisis go on in the Gulf is killing me. Hayward today says he wasnt aware of the decision made at the rigs...maybe not, but how does he explain the 370 million in fines over 600 safety violations, when the next oil giant only had 8...yes 8 in the last 5 years. WTF is up with them....unreall
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
BP oil spill update
Seems the oil spill will now be shutting down fishing in the gulf. If the oil hits the currents in the atlantic, fish could be poisoned for generations. So now not only do we need to worry about mercury in fish, but contamination form the oil too. Eating fish will be a slow but sure death sentence
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
BP Oil spill
Well the BP oil spill is hitting land now. I am inclined to believe that not only will it kill wildlife, but im quite confident that someone in the region will either get stuck in the slick or end up drinking the contaminated water and getting sick. Its just a hunch, but i bet it happens
Monday, April 19, 2010
Obesity may shorten lifespan..nothing new
Because Americans are getting heavier at an earlier age and failing to lose the extra pounds for longer, researchers now believe that chronic illness and life expectancy will be worse than previously estimated.
The study authors report that one in five people born between 1966 and 1985 became obese -- a step above merely overweight -- when they were between 20 and 29 years old.
By contrast, those who were born from 1946 to 1955 didn't reach the level of obesity until they were in their 30s. And those who were born between 1936 and 1945 didn't get to that weight category until their 40s, according to the report published in the April 12 issue of the International Journal of Obesity.
"Many people have heard that Americans are getting heavier. But it's very important to understand who the obesity epidemic is affecting," study lead author Dr. Joyce Lee, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital, said in a news release. "Our research indicates that higher numbers of young and middle-age American adults are becoming obese at younger and younger ages."
In the new federally funded study, the researchers found that blacks and women are especially hard hit by obesity when compared to past generations.
"Black Americans already experience a higher burden of obesity-related diseases, and the obesity trends will likely magnify those racial disparities in health," Lee noted in the news release.
The study authors report that one in five people born between 1966 and 1985 became obese -- a step above merely overweight -- when they were between 20 and 29 years old.
By contrast, those who were born from 1946 to 1955 didn't reach the level of obesity until they were in their 30s. And those who were born between 1936 and 1945 didn't get to that weight category until their 40s, according to the report published in the April 12 issue of the International Journal of Obesity.
"Many people have heard that Americans are getting heavier. But it's very important to understand who the obesity epidemic is affecting," study lead author Dr. Joyce Lee, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital, said in a news release. "Our research indicates that higher numbers of young and middle-age American adults are becoming obese at younger and younger ages."
In the new federally funded study, the researchers found that blacks and women are especially hard hit by obesity when compared to past generations.
"Black Americans already experience a higher burden of obesity-related diseases, and the obesity trends will likely magnify those racial disparities in health," Lee noted in the news release.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Autism bowel disease not a real condition?
A new autism disease identified in a flawed paper linking a common children's vaccine to autism, may not exist, new research says.
A dozen years ago, British surgeon Andrew Wakefield and colleagues published a study in the journal Lancet on a new bowel disease and proposed a connection between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella.
The study was widely discredited, 10 of Wakefield's co-authors renounced its conclusions and the Lancet retracted the paper in February. The research set off a health scare, and vaccination rates in Britain dropped so low measles outbreaks returned.
In research published Friday in the medical journal BMJ, reporter Brian Deer examines if the illness described by Wakefield and colleagues — autistic enterocolitis, a bowel disease found in autistic people — actually exists.
In 1996, Wakefield was hired by a lawyer to find a new syndrome of bowel and brain disease to help launch a lawsuit against drug companies that made the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, according to BMJ article.
According to reports from London's Royal Free Hospital, eight of the 11 children included in Wakefield's original study had normal bowels. But in the Lancet study, 11 of the 12 were said to have a swollen bowel, which was said to be proof of a new gastrointestinal disease affecting autistic children.
In 2005, Wakefield started a clinic in Texas to research and treat the syndrome.
The original biopsy slides from the children in the Lancet study are no longer available. Deer asked independent experts to examine hospital reports on the biopsies, who failed to find any distinctive inflammation that would qualify as a new disease.
In an accompanying editorial, Sir Nicholas Wright from the Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, said "any firm conclusion would be inadvisable." He said several studies have shown a link between inflamed bowels and autism, but too little evidence exists to prove there is a new illness.
In January, Britain's General Medical Council ruled Wakefield had acted unethically. He and the two colleagues who have not renounced the study face being stripped of their right to practice medicine in Britain.
A dozen years ago, British surgeon Andrew Wakefield and colleagues published a study in the journal Lancet on a new bowel disease and proposed a connection between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella.
The study was widely discredited, 10 of Wakefield's co-authors renounced its conclusions and the Lancet retracted the paper in February. The research set off a health scare, and vaccination rates in Britain dropped so low measles outbreaks returned.
In research published Friday in the medical journal BMJ, reporter Brian Deer examines if the illness described by Wakefield and colleagues — autistic enterocolitis, a bowel disease found in autistic people — actually exists.
In 1996, Wakefield was hired by a lawyer to find a new syndrome of bowel and brain disease to help launch a lawsuit against drug companies that made the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, according to BMJ article.
According to reports from London's Royal Free Hospital, eight of the 11 children included in Wakefield's original study had normal bowels. But in the Lancet study, 11 of the 12 were said to have a swollen bowel, which was said to be proof of a new gastrointestinal disease affecting autistic children.
In 2005, Wakefield started a clinic in Texas to research and treat the syndrome.
The original biopsy slides from the children in the Lancet study are no longer available. Deer asked independent experts to examine hospital reports on the biopsies, who failed to find any distinctive inflammation that would qualify as a new disease.
In an accompanying editorial, Sir Nicholas Wright from the Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, said "any firm conclusion would be inadvisable." He said several studies have shown a link between inflamed bowels and autism, but too little evidence exists to prove there is a new illness.
In January, Britain's General Medical Council ruled Wakefield had acted unethically. He and the two colleagues who have not renounced the study face being stripped of their right to practice medicine in Britain.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Researchers find annual Chlamydia screening may not be enough for some to prevent Pelvic Inflammatory disease
Once-a-year screening for chlamydia isn't likely to protect women from developing pelvic inflammatory disease, researchers say.
A new study has found that most cases of pelvic inflammatory disease occur in women who didn't have chlamydia infection when they were screened, which suggests they may have become infected later.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in Europe and the United States. An estimated 3 million new infections are diagnosed annually, and because there are often no symptoms, many cases remain undiagnosed, according to background information provided in a news release about the study. Undiagnosed chlamydia infection may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease.
The study included 2,529 sexually active females, aged 16 to 27, who completed questionnaires and provided vaginal swabs to check for chlamydia. Some of the swabs (1,254) were tested immediately while others (1,265) were tested after a year.
Chlamydia was found in 68 (5.4 percent) of the women who were screened at the start of the study and in 75 (5.9 percent) of those screened a year later. During the study period, pelvic inflammatory disease developed in 15 (1.3 percent) of the women who were screened immediately and in 23 (1.9 percent) of those who were screened after one year.
The majority of cases of pelvic inflammatory disease (79 percent) were among women who tested negative for chlamydia at their initial screening, the study authors found. This suggests that, among high-risk people, frequent testing for chlamydia may be more effective at preventing pelvic inflammatory disease than annual screening, said Dr. Pippa Oakeshott, of the University of London, and colleagues.
Public campaigns should emphasize the need for screening whenever a woman has a new sexual partner, the study authors recommended in the report published online April 9 in BMJ.
"It is disappointing but not surprising that this study could not provide a clear answer as to whether screening is effective in reducing the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease," Jessica Sheringham, of University College London, wrote in an editorial accompanying the study.
A new study has found that most cases of pelvic inflammatory disease occur in women who didn't have chlamydia infection when they were screened, which suggests they may have become infected later.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in Europe and the United States. An estimated 3 million new infections are diagnosed annually, and because there are often no symptoms, many cases remain undiagnosed, according to background information provided in a news release about the study. Undiagnosed chlamydia infection may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease.
The study included 2,529 sexually active females, aged 16 to 27, who completed questionnaires and provided vaginal swabs to check for chlamydia. Some of the swabs (1,254) were tested immediately while others (1,265) were tested after a year.
Chlamydia was found in 68 (5.4 percent) of the women who were screened at the start of the study and in 75 (5.9 percent) of those screened a year later. During the study period, pelvic inflammatory disease developed in 15 (1.3 percent) of the women who were screened immediately and in 23 (1.9 percent) of those who were screened after one year.
The majority of cases of pelvic inflammatory disease (79 percent) were among women who tested negative for chlamydia at their initial screening, the study authors found. This suggests that, among high-risk people, frequent testing for chlamydia may be more effective at preventing pelvic inflammatory disease than annual screening, said Dr. Pippa Oakeshott, of the University of London, and colleagues.
Public campaigns should emphasize the need for screening whenever a woman has a new sexual partner, the study authors recommended in the report published online April 9 in BMJ.
"It is disappointing but not surprising that this study could not provide a clear answer as to whether screening is effective in reducing the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease," Jessica Sheringham, of University College London, wrote in an editorial accompanying the study.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
POLISH PRESIDENT DIES IN PLANE CRASH!
Polish President Lech Kaczynski and some of the country's highest military and civilian leaders died on Saturday when the presidential plane crashed as it came in for a landing in thick fog in western Russia, killing ~97 people, officials said.
Russian and Polish officials said there were no survivors on the 26-year-old Tupolev, which was taking the president, his wife and staff to events marking the 70th anniversary of the massacre in Katyn forest of thousands of Polish officers by Soviet secret police.
The crash devastated the upper echelons of Poland's political and military establishments. On board were the army chief of staff, the navy chief commander, and heads of the air and land forces. Also killed were the national bank president, deputy foreign minister, army chaplain, head of the National Security Office, deputy parliament speaker, Olympic Committee head, civil rights commissioner and at least two presidential aides and three lawmakers, the Polish foreign ministry said.
Although initial signs pointed to an accident with no indication of foul play, the death of a Polish president and much of the Polish state and defense establishment in Russia en route to commemorating one of the saddest events in Poland's long, complicated history with Russia, was laden with tragic irony.
Reflecting the grave sensibilities of the crash to relations between the two countries, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin personally assumed charge of the investigation. He was due in Smolensk later Saturday, where he would meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was flying in from Warsaw.
"This is unbelievable — this tragic, cursed Katyn," Kaczynski's predecessor, Aleksander Kwasniewski, said on TVN24 television.
It is "a cursed place, horrible symbolism," he said. "It's hard to believe. You get chills down your spine."
Andrei Yevseyenkov, spokesman for the Smolensk regional government, said Russian dispatchers asked the crew to divert from the military airport in North Smolensk and land instead in Minsk, the capital of neighboring Belarus, or in Moscow because of the fog.
While traffic controllers generally have the final word in whether it is safe for a plane to land, they can and do leave it to the pilots' discretion.
Air Force Gen. Alexander Alyoshin confirmed that the pilot disregarded instructions to fly to another airfield.
"But they continued landing, and it ended, unfortunately, with a tragedy," the Interfax news agency quoted Alyoshin as saying. He added that the pilot makes the final decision about whether to land.
Russia's Emergency Minister Sergei Shoigu said there were 97 dead. His ministry said 88 of whom were part of the Polish state delegation. Poland's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Piotr Paszkowski, said there were 89 people on the passenger list but one person had not shown up for the roughly 1 1/2-hour flight from Warsaw's main airport.
Some of the people on board were relatives of those slain in the Katyn massacre. Also among the victims was Anna Walentynowicz, whose firing in August 1980 from the Lenin Shipyards in Gdansk sparked a workers' strike that spurred the eventual creation of the Solidarity freedom movement. She went on to be a prominent member.
"This is a great tragedy, a great shock to us all," former president and Solidarity leader Lech Walesa said.
The deaths were not expected to directly affect the functioning of Polish government: Poland's president is commander in chief of its armed forces but the position's domestic duties are chiefly symbolic. Most top government ministers were not aboard the plane.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, there have been 66 crashes involving Tu-154s in the past four decades, including six in the past five years. The Russian carrier Aeroflot recently withdrew its Tu-154 fleet from service, largely because the planes do not meet international noise restrictions and use too much fuel.
The aircraft was the workhorse of East Bloc civil aviation in the 1970s and 1980s, and many of the crashes have been attributed to the chaos that ensued after the breakup of the Soviet Unio
Poland has long discussed replacing the planes that carry the country's leaders but said they lacked the funds.
The presidential plane was fully overhauled in December, the general director of the Aviakor aviation maintenance plant in Samara, Russia told Rossiya-24. The plant repaired the plane's three engines, retrofitted electronic and navigation equipment and updated the interior, Alexei Gusev said. He said there could be no doubts that the plane was flightworthy.
The plane tilted to the left before crashing, eyewitness Slawomir Sliwinski told state news channel Rossiya-24. He said there were two loud explosions when the aircraft hit the ground.
Rossiya-24 showed footage from the crash site, with pieces of the plane scattered widely amid leafless trees and small fires burning in woods shrouded with fog. A tail fin with the red and white national colors of Poland stuck up from the debris.
Polish-Russian relations had been improving of late after being poisoned for decades over the Katyn massacre of some 22,000 Polish officers.
Russia never has formally apologized for the murders but Putin's decision to attend a memorial ceremony earlier this week in the forest near Katyn was seen as a gesture of goodwill toward reconciliation. Kaczynski wasn't invited to that event. Putin, as prime minister, had invited his Polish counterpart, Tusk.
Putin and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev both called Tusk to express their condolences and they promised to work closely with Poland in investigating the crash. Tusk said they had been the first to offer condolences.
"On this difficult day the people of Russia stand with the Polish people," Medvedev said, according to the Kremlin press service.
Putin told Tusk that he would keep him fully briefed on the investigation, his spokesman said.
Rossiya-24 showed hundreds of people around the Katyn monument, many holding Polish flags, some weeping.
Poland's parliament speaker, the acting president, declared a week of national mourning. Tusk called for two minutes of silence at noon (1000GMT) Sunday.
"The contemporary world has not seen such a tragedy," he said.
In Warsaw, Tusk also called an extraordinary meeting of his Cabinet and the national flag was lowered to half-staff at the presidential palace, where several thousand people gathered to lay flowers and light candles. Black ribbons appeared in some windows in the capital.
Kaczynski, 60, was the twin brother of Poland's opposition leader, former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Kaczynski's wife, Maria, was an economist. They had a daughter, Marta, and two granddaughters.
Lech Kaczynski became president in December 2005 after defeating Tusk in that year's presidential vote.
The nationalist conservative had said he would seek a second term in presidential elections this fall. He was expected to face an uphill struggle against Parliament speaker Bronislaw Komorowski, the candidate of Tusk's governing Civic Platform party.
The constitution says the parliament speaker announce early elections within 14 days of the president's death. The vote must be held within another 60 days.
Poland, a nation of 38 million people, is by far the largest of the 10 formerly communist countries that have joined the European Union in recent years.
Last year, Poland was the only EU nation to avoid recession and posted economic growth of 1.7 percent.
It has become a firm U.S. ally in the region since the fall of communism — a stance that crosses party lines.
The country sent troops to the U.S.-led war in Iraq and recently boosted its contingent in Afghanistan to some 2,600 soldiers.
U.S. Patriot missiles are expected to be deployed in Poland this year. That was a Polish condition for a 2008 deal — backed by both Kaczynski and Tusk — to host long-range missile defense interceptors.
The deal, which was struck by the Bush administration, angered Russia and was later reconfigured under President Barack Obama's administration.
Under the Obama plan, Poland would host a different type of missile defense interceptors as part of a more mobile system and at a later date, probably not until 2018.
Kaczynski is the first serving Polish leader to die since exiled World War II-era leader Gen. Wladyslaw Sikorski in a plane crash off Gibraltar in 1943.
In the village of Gorzno, in northern Poland, the streets were largely empty as people stayed home to watch television.
"It is very symbolic that they were flying to pay homage to so many murdered Poles," said resident Waleria Gess, 73.
"I worry because so many clever and decent people were killed," said high school student Pawel Kwas, 17. "I am afraid we may have problems in the future to find equally talented politicians."
Russian and Polish officials said there were no survivors on the 26-year-old Tupolev, which was taking the president, his wife and staff to events marking the 70th anniversary of the massacre in Katyn forest of thousands of Polish officers by Soviet secret police.
The crash devastated the upper echelons of Poland's political and military establishments. On board were the army chief of staff, the navy chief commander, and heads of the air and land forces. Also killed were the national bank president, deputy foreign minister, army chaplain, head of the National Security Office, deputy parliament speaker, Olympic Committee head, civil rights commissioner and at least two presidential aides and three lawmakers, the Polish foreign ministry said.
Although initial signs pointed to an accident with no indication of foul play, the death of a Polish president and much of the Polish state and defense establishment in Russia en route to commemorating one of the saddest events in Poland's long, complicated history with Russia, was laden with tragic irony.
Reflecting the grave sensibilities of the crash to relations between the two countries, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin personally assumed charge of the investigation. He was due in Smolensk later Saturday, where he would meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was flying in from Warsaw.
"This is unbelievable — this tragic, cursed Katyn," Kaczynski's predecessor, Aleksander Kwasniewski, said on TVN24 television.
It is "a cursed place, horrible symbolism," he said. "It's hard to believe. You get chills down your spine."
Andrei Yevseyenkov, spokesman for the Smolensk regional government, said Russian dispatchers asked the crew to divert from the military airport in North Smolensk and land instead in Minsk, the capital of neighboring Belarus, or in Moscow because of the fog.
While traffic controllers generally have the final word in whether it is safe for a plane to land, they can and do leave it to the pilots' discretion.
Air Force Gen. Alexander Alyoshin confirmed that the pilot disregarded instructions to fly to another airfield.
"But they continued landing, and it ended, unfortunately, with a tragedy," the Interfax news agency quoted Alyoshin as saying. He added that the pilot makes the final decision about whether to land.
Russia's Emergency Minister Sergei Shoigu said there were 97 dead. His ministry said 88 of whom were part of the Polish state delegation. Poland's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Piotr Paszkowski, said there were 89 people on the passenger list but one person had not shown up for the roughly 1 1/2-hour flight from Warsaw's main airport.
Some of the people on board were relatives of those slain in the Katyn massacre. Also among the victims was Anna Walentynowicz, whose firing in August 1980 from the Lenin Shipyards in Gdansk sparked a workers' strike that spurred the eventual creation of the Solidarity freedom movement. She went on to be a prominent member.
"This is a great tragedy, a great shock to us all," former president and Solidarity leader Lech Walesa said.
The deaths were not expected to directly affect the functioning of Polish government: Poland's president is commander in chief of its armed forces but the position's domestic duties are chiefly symbolic. Most top government ministers were not aboard the plane.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, there have been 66 crashes involving Tu-154s in the past four decades, including six in the past five years. The Russian carrier Aeroflot recently withdrew its Tu-154 fleet from service, largely because the planes do not meet international noise restrictions and use too much fuel.
The aircraft was the workhorse of East Bloc civil aviation in the 1970s and 1980s, and many of the crashes have been attributed to the chaos that ensued after the breakup of the Soviet Unio
Poland has long discussed replacing the planes that carry the country's leaders but said they lacked the funds.
The presidential plane was fully overhauled in December, the general director of the Aviakor aviation maintenance plant in Samara, Russia told Rossiya-24. The plant repaired the plane's three engines, retrofitted electronic and navigation equipment and updated the interior, Alexei Gusev said. He said there could be no doubts that the plane was flightworthy.
The plane tilted to the left before crashing, eyewitness Slawomir Sliwinski told state news channel Rossiya-24. He said there were two loud explosions when the aircraft hit the ground.
Rossiya-24 showed footage from the crash site, with pieces of the plane scattered widely amid leafless trees and small fires burning in woods shrouded with fog. A tail fin with the red and white national colors of Poland stuck up from the debris.
Polish-Russian relations had been improving of late after being poisoned for decades over the Katyn massacre of some 22,000 Polish officers.
Russia never has formally apologized for the murders but Putin's decision to attend a memorial ceremony earlier this week in the forest near Katyn was seen as a gesture of goodwill toward reconciliation. Kaczynski wasn't invited to that event. Putin, as prime minister, had invited his Polish counterpart, Tusk.
Putin and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev both called Tusk to express their condolences and they promised to work closely with Poland in investigating the crash. Tusk said they had been the first to offer condolences.
"On this difficult day the people of Russia stand with the Polish people," Medvedev said, according to the Kremlin press service.
Putin told Tusk that he would keep him fully briefed on the investigation, his spokesman said.
Rossiya-24 showed hundreds of people around the Katyn monument, many holding Polish flags, some weeping.
Poland's parliament speaker, the acting president, declared a week of national mourning. Tusk called for two minutes of silence at noon (1000GMT) Sunday.
"The contemporary world has not seen such a tragedy," he said.
In Warsaw, Tusk also called an extraordinary meeting of his Cabinet and the national flag was lowered to half-staff at the presidential palace, where several thousand people gathered to lay flowers and light candles. Black ribbons appeared in some windows in the capital.
Kaczynski, 60, was the twin brother of Poland's opposition leader, former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Kaczynski's wife, Maria, was an economist. They had a daughter, Marta, and two granddaughters.
Lech Kaczynski became president in December 2005 after defeating Tusk in that year's presidential vote.
The nationalist conservative had said he would seek a second term in presidential elections this fall. He was expected to face an uphill struggle against Parliament speaker Bronislaw Komorowski, the candidate of Tusk's governing Civic Platform party.
The constitution says the parliament speaker announce early elections within 14 days of the president's death. The vote must be held within another 60 days.
Poland, a nation of 38 million people, is by far the largest of the 10 formerly communist countries that have joined the European Union in recent years.
Last year, Poland was the only EU nation to avoid recession and posted economic growth of 1.7 percent.
It has become a firm U.S. ally in the region since the fall of communism — a stance that crosses party lines.
The country sent troops to the U.S.-led war in Iraq and recently boosted its contingent in Afghanistan to some 2,600 soldiers.
U.S. Patriot missiles are expected to be deployed in Poland this year. That was a Polish condition for a 2008 deal — backed by both Kaczynski and Tusk — to host long-range missile defense interceptors.
The deal, which was struck by the Bush administration, angered Russia and was later reconfigured under President Barack Obama's administration.
Under the Obama plan, Poland would host a different type of missile defense interceptors as part of a more mobile system and at a later date, probably not until 2018.
Kaczynski is the first serving Polish leader to die since exiled World War II-era leader Gen. Wladyslaw Sikorski in a plane crash off Gibraltar in 1943.
In the village of Gorzno, in northern Poland, the streets were largely empty as people stayed home to watch television.
"It is very symbolic that they were flying to pay homage to so many murdered Poles," said resident Waleria Gess, 73.
"I worry because so many clever and decent people were killed," said high school student Pawel Kwas, 17. "I am afraid we may have problems in the future to find equally talented politicians."
E. Coli outbreak in Washington
A deadly strain of E. coli spread from child to child at a Washington state day care, killing one and sickening three others despite what health officials determined were appropriate hygienic practices.
The four children were hospitalized, and Elizabeth Winter of the Washington state Department of Early Learning said her department was notified Friday that one of them, a 4-year-old boy, had died.
Fletch Family Daycare — a tidy single-story yellow rambler on a large lot in Vancouver, Wash. — is closed.
The other three children have been released, said Dr. Alan Melnick, health officer with the Clark County, Wash., health department. He declined to provide any further details on the child who died.
Melnick said the department learned of the first hospitalization involving the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria strain on March 19.
Health officials determined that the business' hygienic practices were acceptable, but closed it down in April 2 when it became apparent that E. coli was spreading from person to person, Melnick said in an interview with Portland's KGW-TV.
"We believe we have it confined," Melnick told reporters Friday.
Winter said the center, near Portland and operated by Dianne and Larry Fletch, has been open since 1990 and no complaints have been filed against it. Lately, it has been caring for about 22 children.
"This is a very difficult time for the family who has suffered such an incredible loss," the Fletches said in a statement Friday. "It is also a difficult time for our day care families and the children who were his friends. It is an especially difficult time for us as day care providers."
The statement said the day care has worked closely with the health department to put measures in place to control the spread of the illness.
The Fletches did not immediately return phone messages from The Associated Press seeking additional comment.
E. coli is a common and ordinarily harmless bacteria, but certain strains can cause abdominal cramps, fever, bloody diarrhea, kidney failure, blindness, paralysis and death.
The strain involved in this case, E. coli O157:H7, is best known for its role in large outbreaks traced to ground beef or produce.
However, person-to-person transmission can be a problem in day-care settings or nursing homes without sufficiently thorough hand washing after toilet use or diaper changing. In some cases, especially in young children, infection can lead to life-threatening complications.
Investigators have not pinpointed a precise source of the outbreak, but Melnick said the infection was spread from person to person.
Health investigators have tested the 22 children, as well as four adults, Melnick said. Seven additional people, a mix of staff and children, showed no symptoms but had E. coli in their stool, he said.
Symptoms can take as long as 10 days to appear after exposure so the health department is checking with staff and the children's families daily.
Melnick said the day care will remain closed until affected staff show no presence of the bacteria on two consecutive tests. Children who tested positive will have to meet the same criteria before being allowed to attend any day care or school, he said.
The four children were hospitalized, and Elizabeth Winter of the Washington state Department of Early Learning said her department was notified Friday that one of them, a 4-year-old boy, had died.
Fletch Family Daycare — a tidy single-story yellow rambler on a large lot in Vancouver, Wash. — is closed.
The other three children have been released, said Dr. Alan Melnick, health officer with the Clark County, Wash., health department. He declined to provide any further details on the child who died.
Melnick said the department learned of the first hospitalization involving the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria strain on March 19.
Health officials determined that the business' hygienic practices were acceptable, but closed it down in April 2 when it became apparent that E. coli was spreading from person to person, Melnick said in an interview with Portland's KGW-TV.
"We believe we have it confined," Melnick told reporters Friday.
Winter said the center, near Portland and operated by Dianne and Larry Fletch, has been open since 1990 and no complaints have been filed against it. Lately, it has been caring for about 22 children.
"This is a very difficult time for the family who has suffered such an incredible loss," the Fletches said in a statement Friday. "It is also a difficult time for our day care families and the children who were his friends. It is an especially difficult time for us as day care providers."
The statement said the day care has worked closely with the health department to put measures in place to control the spread of the illness.
The Fletches did not immediately return phone messages from The Associated Press seeking additional comment.
E. coli is a common and ordinarily harmless bacteria, but certain strains can cause abdominal cramps, fever, bloody diarrhea, kidney failure, blindness, paralysis and death.
The strain involved in this case, E. coli O157:H7, is best known for its role in large outbreaks traced to ground beef or produce.
However, person-to-person transmission can be a problem in day-care settings or nursing homes without sufficiently thorough hand washing after toilet use or diaper changing. In some cases, especially in young children, infection can lead to life-threatening complications.
Investigators have not pinpointed a precise source of the outbreak, but Melnick said the infection was spread from person to person.
Health investigators have tested the 22 children, as well as four adults, Melnick said. Seven additional people, a mix of staff and children, showed no symptoms but had E. coli in their stool, he said.
Symptoms can take as long as 10 days to appear after exposure so the health department is checking with staff and the children's families daily.
Melnick said the day care will remain closed until affected staff show no presence of the bacteria on two consecutive tests. Children who tested positive will have to meet the same criteria before being allowed to attend any day care or school, he said.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Stem Cells to fight HIV?
Researchers are studying a new approach that arms the immune system with
an intrinsic defence against HIV.
While speaking at the Society for General Microbiology's spring meeting in
Edinburgh, Professor Ben Berkhout explained how this new approach could
dramatically improve the quality of life and life expectancy for HIV
sufferers in whom antiviral drugs are no longer effective.
In the absence of an effective vaccine, daily administration of
anti-retroviral drugs is the most effective treatment for HIV. However,
low patient compliance rates combined with the virus's ability to easily
mutate has led to the emergence of drug-resistant strains that are
difficult to treat.
Professor Berkhout from the University of Amsterdam is investigating a
novel gene therapy that has long-lasting effects even after a single
treatment. It involves delivering antiviral DNA to the patients' own
immune cells that arms them against viral infection. "This therapy would
offer an alternative for HIV-infected patients that can no longer be
treated with regular antivirals," he suggested.
The therapy involves extracting and purifying blood stem cells from the
patient's bone marrow. Antiviral DNA is transferred to the cells in the
laboratory, after which the cells are re-injected into the body. The DNA
encodes tiny molecules called small RNAs that are the mirror image of key
viral genes used by HIV to cause disease. The small RNAs float around
inside the immune cell until they encounter viral genes which they can
stick to like Velcro(tm). This mechanism, called 'RNA interference' can
block the production of key viral components from these genes.
Transferring the antiviral DNA to stem cells would help to restore a large
part of the patient's immune system. "Stem cells are the continually
dividing 'master copy' cells from which all other immune cells are
derived. By engineering the stem cells, the antiviral DNA is inherited by
all the immune cells that are born from it," explained Professor Berkhout.
an intrinsic defence against HIV.
While speaking at the Society for General Microbiology's spring meeting in
Edinburgh, Professor Ben Berkhout explained how this new approach could
dramatically improve the quality of life and life expectancy for HIV
sufferers in whom antiviral drugs are no longer effective.
In the absence of an effective vaccine, daily administration of
anti-retroviral drugs is the most effective treatment for HIV. However,
low patient compliance rates combined with the virus's ability to easily
mutate has led to the emergence of drug-resistant strains that are
difficult to treat.
Professor Berkhout from the University of Amsterdam is investigating a
novel gene therapy that has long-lasting effects even after a single
treatment. It involves delivering antiviral DNA to the patients' own
immune cells that arms them against viral infection. "This therapy would
offer an alternative for HIV-infected patients that can no longer be
treated with regular antivirals," he suggested.
The therapy involves extracting and purifying blood stem cells from the
patient's bone marrow. Antiviral DNA is transferred to the cells in the
laboratory, after which the cells are re-injected into the body. The DNA
encodes tiny molecules called small RNAs that are the mirror image of key
viral genes used by HIV to cause disease. The small RNAs float around
inside the immune cell until they encounter viral genes which they can
stick to like Velcro(tm). This mechanism, called 'RNA interference' can
block the production of key viral components from these genes.
Transferring the antiviral DNA to stem cells would help to restore a large
part of the patient's immune system. "Stem cells are the continually
dividing 'master copy' cells from which all other immune cells are
derived. By engineering the stem cells, the antiviral DNA is inherited by
all the immune cells that are born from it," explained Professor Berkhout.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
New website to be created hosting all sources of public health employment
You heard right folks. I got the idea today sitting im the lounge at the school of public health listening to first and second year students trying to figure out where to search for such jobs. Then it hit me, why not have a place that links to all possible sites that emply public health employess. Certainly not every possible department of health or hospital will be listed, but I figure it'd be best for those in the market for finding the largest forums available. Ill be posting the link to the website soon.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Swine Flu killing children
Ok its been a while since my last post and I apologize to my followers. Thank you for your understanding. It turns out I had the H1N1A influenza. I had 104 fever, lack of appetite, severe muscle aches, and intestinal issues. this disease has luckily been mild overall, yet it seems to be disproportionately affecting children. In fact there have been 55 deaths in children in the US since the outbreak began in April....although most deaths have been among those with chronic underlying conditions, the sheer bulk of those infected appear to be under forty, with most spread in the middle and high schools. We are seeinh very few cases among the elderly, partyl due to the fact that many were exposed to the original swine flu in 1976. If you visit the CDC website, www.cdc.gov, you will learn how to protect yourself. But one thing to understand is that getting vaccinated against both swine and seasonal flu is the best way to protect yourself
Monday, June 22, 2009
Lots of things happen in 2 months
Well my friends it has been a while since I have posted due to my workload. Had my hands full with getting ready for certain examinations, and of course, following swine flu. By now, anyone who reads my posts knows about swine flu, so all I am going to say about it is 1) vaccine production is under way, 2) Swine flu may be more common than 'regular' flu this winter and 3) as of now swine flu is rather mild. However, should the virus tweak slightly, it could become much more virulent and dangerous.
On another topic, the FDA recently advised that people stop using Zicam, as the Zinc that is used in the product can damage your olfactory nerves, causing you to lose your sense of smell. And of course, smell and taste are intricately linked, so of course you will lose ability to taste too. Better safe than sorry, if you have some, toss it!
Finally, wanted to say that President Obama is set to sign a massive legislation against smoking, essentially givning regulatory power to FDA. While I think that FDA does a good job, I dont know if this is the right move. However, I do know that they will tell us EVERY chemical found in the tobacco used, so that will beinteresting...we already know a few hundred carcinogens. This move will make it MUCH harder for smaller/newer tobacco companies to survive, as there is major advertising limits. Effectively, they have given Philip-Morris a monopoly, as they already have like 50% market share. New companies just wont be able to compete. Imagine that???? But if it prevents kids from taking up the habit...then im all for it. I dont care if PM gets richer. Eventually smoking (tobacco) will be a thing of the past...at least with all the nasty chemicals its treated with. Be talking to you all soon. Good to be back!
On another topic, the FDA recently advised that people stop using Zicam, as the Zinc that is used in the product can damage your olfactory nerves, causing you to lose your sense of smell. And of course, smell and taste are intricately linked, so of course you will lose ability to taste too. Better safe than sorry, if you have some, toss it!
Finally, wanted to say that President Obama is set to sign a massive legislation against smoking, essentially givning regulatory power to FDA. While I think that FDA does a good job, I dont know if this is the right move. However, I do know that they will tell us EVERY chemical found in the tobacco used, so that will beinteresting...we already know a few hundred carcinogens. This move will make it MUCH harder for smaller/newer tobacco companies to survive, as there is major advertising limits. Effectively, they have given Philip-Morris a monopoly, as they already have like 50% market share. New companies just wont be able to compete. Imagine that???? But if it prevents kids from taking up the habit...then im all for it. I dont care if PM gets richer. Eventually smoking (tobacco) will be a thing of the past...at least with all the nasty chemicals its treated with. Be talking to you all soon. Good to be back!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Genentech Psoriasis Drug Raptiva PULLED
Raptiva is being withdrawn from the U.S. market, California-based drug maker Genentech announced Wednesday.
The move comes almost two months after U.S. health officials issued a public health advisory on the drug after confirming a link to a rare, sometimes fatal brain infection.
2,000 patients in the United States may currently be using Raptiva for chronic psoriasis. Since it was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2003, 46,000 patients worldwide have been treated with Raptiva, the Genentech said.
In February, an FDA advisory cited three deaths in people taking Raptiva. Two involved people with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The third death was a person believed to have contracted the brain infection. All had been treated with Raptiva for at least three years, and none was taking other immune suppressants, which would make the body more susceptible to such infections.
Raptiva works by affecting T-cells in the immune system. The effects of Raptiva also decrease the function of the immune system and increase susceptibility to infections. Raptiva was approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in 2003.
According to the FDA; there were no cases of PML seen in the clinical trials that supported the approval of Raptiva. At the time of approval, a total of 2,764 patients had been treated with Raptiva. Of those 2,764 patients, 2400 had been treated for three months, 904 for six months, and 218 for one year or more. In October 2008, the labeling for Raptiva was changed to highlight, in a Boxed Warning, the risks of life-threatening infections, including PML.
So there was a boxed warning of potential death with Raptiva, yet they continued to sell it because the risks at the time did not outweigh the benefits of the treatment of psoriasis. While Genentech is protecting patients (and ultimately is reputation, but not so much its wallet), those who have severe psoriasis are likely NOT going to want to stop taking the medication, even if they are risking serious infection.
The move comes almost two months after U.S. health officials issued a public health advisory on the drug after confirming a link to a rare, sometimes fatal brain infection.
2,000 patients in the United States may currently be using Raptiva for chronic psoriasis. Since it was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2003, 46,000 patients worldwide have been treated with Raptiva, the Genentech said.
In February, an FDA advisory cited three deaths in people taking Raptiva. Two involved people with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The third death was a person believed to have contracted the brain infection. All had been treated with Raptiva for at least three years, and none was taking other immune suppressants, which would make the body more susceptible to such infections.
Raptiva works by affecting T-cells in the immune system. The effects of Raptiva also decrease the function of the immune system and increase susceptibility to infections. Raptiva was approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in 2003.
According to the FDA; there were no cases of PML seen in the clinical trials that supported the approval of Raptiva. At the time of approval, a total of 2,764 patients had been treated with Raptiva. Of those 2,764 patients, 2400 had been treated for three months, 904 for six months, and 218 for one year or more. In October 2008, the labeling for Raptiva was changed to highlight, in a Boxed Warning, the risks of life-threatening infections, including PML.
So there was a boxed warning of potential death with Raptiva, yet they continued to sell it because the risks at the time did not outweigh the benefits of the treatment of psoriasis. While Genentech is protecting patients (and ultimately is reputation, but not so much its wallet), those who have severe psoriasis are likely NOT going to want to stop taking the medication, even if they are risking serious infection.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Today starts National Public Health Week
Yes there is a week devoted to public health. NYS health commissioner Richard Daines is celebrating by visiting 8 separate counties to commend them for their work. Organizations like APHA, the AMA, and public health schools throughout the country have a bunch of activities. I wont be partaking in any, because I dont take the time to celebrate my work...ok just kidding I just want to enjoy my vacation which happens to be this week. So if you know a public health worker, time to pat them on the back for all they do, cause Lord knows they aren't compensated for what their worth!
One in five 4 Year Olds OBESE!
Sesame Street Must Be Up In Arms! Years of public education and goverment sponsored nutrition programs just cant keep up with the alarming rise in obesity. We focus efforts one place, make an improvement, and in three other places we have new problems. How then can we possibly target interventions, or distribute public program dollars? Well given this new study, I argue that we need life long nutrition education, not just during certain periods of our lives.
We have all heard that obesity is up 30% in the last 2 decades, and that older children and teens are the fastest growing subpopulation, no pun intended....
Now we have to worry about our toddlers more so than ever before. This study backs up the need for programs like Women Infants & Children (WIC) and Food Stamps, both which supplement food costs and offer education, particularly WIC.
Out of Chicago: this new study says almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, and the rate is alarmingly higher among American Indian children, with nearly a third of them obese. Researchers were surprised to see differences by race at so early an age.
Overall, more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese, the study suggests.
Obesity is more common in Hispanic and black youngsters, too, but the disparity is most startling in American Indians, whose rate is almost double that of whites.
"The cumulative evidence is alarming because within just a few decades, America will become a 'minority majority' nation," he said. Without interventions, the next generation "will be at very high risk" for heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers, joint diseases and other problems connected with obesity, said Flores, who was not involved in the new research.
This is a real problem, and NEEDS to be funded to be corrected!
More on this story can be found at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090406/ap_on_re_us/med_obese_preschoolers;_ylt=AgldHAhAi5hkXf6QLCmSfMCISbYF
We have all heard that obesity is up 30% in the last 2 decades, and that older children and teens are the fastest growing subpopulation, no pun intended....
Now we have to worry about our toddlers more so than ever before. This study backs up the need for programs like Women Infants & Children (WIC) and Food Stamps, both which supplement food costs and offer education, particularly WIC.
Out of Chicago: this new study says almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, and the rate is alarmingly higher among American Indian children, with nearly a third of them obese. Researchers were surprised to see differences by race at so early an age.
Overall, more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese, the study suggests.
Obesity is more common in Hispanic and black youngsters, too, but the disparity is most startling in American Indians, whose rate is almost double that of whites.
"The cumulative evidence is alarming because within just a few decades, America will become a 'minority majority' nation," he said. Without interventions, the next generation "will be at very high risk" for heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers, joint diseases and other problems connected with obesity, said Flores, who was not involved in the new research.
This is a real problem, and NEEDS to be funded to be corrected!
More on this story can be found at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090406/ap_on_re_us/med_obese_preschoolers;_ylt=AgldHAhAi5hkXf6QLCmSfMCISbYF
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Tragedy In Binghamton
At an immigration center in Binghamton, NY, a nut-job opened fire on a peaceful group of immigrants taking a United States Citizenship Exam. At least 13 people are dead, and dozens more injured. He ended his rampage before taking his own life. The community is in shock. I am in shock. There is no reason for this, let alone no known motive. Someone just seemingly taking their aggression out on the world. This madness has got to end! Nearby students were removed from their dwellings for safe keeping, businesses closed their doors for protection. Just an absolute living nightmare for this town. Our prayers are with the family members of the victims.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Manhattan Anesthesiologist License Revoked
The New York State Department of Health has determined that Dr. Brian Goldweber, 62, violated appropriate infection control practices and used the medication Propofol in an inappropriate manner. He also failed to take an infection control and barrier precaution course as mandated by Public Health Law.
"Dr. Goldweber's reuse of syringes while injecting patients with anesthetics is an inappropriate and unacceptable practice that could have led to the spread of bloodborne diseases, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV," said State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D.
The Board found Brian Goldweber, M.D., guilty of gross negligence, negligence on more than one occasion, gross incompetence, incompetence on more than one occasion, and failure to comply with provisions governing the practice of medicine.
Commissioner Daines cited Governor Paterson's signing of the 2008 Patient Safety Law, which enhanced the State's authority to take action against physicians, helping to prevent future infection control and other violations.
He had a history of violations:
Dr. Goldweber was disciplined in 1999 after he incorrectly administered anesthesia in several patients, and falsified records in one case. As part of his penalty he underwent a medical competency evaluation and more medical training.
In 2002, Dr. Goldweber was again disciplined after he admitted to the charge of violating state Public Health Law by fraudulently answering questions related to the disciplinary action taken against him by the Department on an application he submitted to Ellenville Regional Hospital.
In 2007, authorities notified 4,500 people who were patients of Dr. Goldweber, between December 2003 and May 2007, about his careless infection control methods.
This is the second physician to lose their license in a week.
"Dr. Goldweber's reuse of syringes while injecting patients with anesthetics is an inappropriate and unacceptable practice that could have led to the spread of bloodborne diseases, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV," said State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D.
The Board found Brian Goldweber, M.D., guilty of gross negligence, negligence on more than one occasion, gross incompetence, incompetence on more than one occasion, and failure to comply with provisions governing the practice of medicine.
Commissioner Daines cited Governor Paterson's signing of the 2008 Patient Safety Law, which enhanced the State's authority to take action against physicians, helping to prevent future infection control and other violations.
He had a history of violations:
Dr. Goldweber was disciplined in 1999 after he incorrectly administered anesthesia in several patients, and falsified records in one case. As part of his penalty he underwent a medical competency evaluation and more medical training.
In 2002, Dr. Goldweber was again disciplined after he admitted to the charge of violating state Public Health Law by fraudulently answering questions related to the disciplinary action taken against him by the Department on an application he submitted to Ellenville Regional Hospital.
In 2007, authorities notified 4,500 people who were patients of Dr. Goldweber, between December 2003 and May 2007, about his careless infection control methods.
This is the second physician to lose their license in a week.
Follow-Up to Pistachios-Salmonella
A few days ago I spoke about the tainted pistachio products. They may contain salmonella. FDA has issued warning to avoid all pistachio products until they determine which products are actually tainted, which may take weeks to months. I stand by my original statement that roasted nuts and ice cream products are safe, given the process used to make these products.
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