Repeat brain injury raises soldiers' suicide risk

May 15, 2013 ? People in the military who suffer more than one mild traumatic brain injury face a significantly higher risk of suicide, according to research by the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah.

A survey of 161 military personnel who were stationed in Iraq and evaluated for a possible traumatic brain injury -- also known as TBI -- showed that the risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors increased not only in the short term, as measured during the past 12 months, but during the individual's lifetime.

The risk of suicidal thoughts increased significantly with the number of TBIs, even when controlling for other psychological factors, the researchers say in a paper published online May 15 in JAMA Psychiatry, a specialty journal of the American Medical Association.

"Up to now, no one has been able to say if multiple TBIs, which are common among combat veterans, are associated with higher suicide risk or not," says the study's lead author, Craig J. Bryan, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Utah and associate director of the National Center for Veterans Studies. "This study suggests they are, and it provides valuable information for professionals treating wounded combat servicemen and women to help manage the risk of suicide."

Results showed that one in five patients (21.7 percent) who had ever sustained more than one TBI reported suicidal ideation -- thoughts about or preoccupation with suicide -- at any time in the past. For patients who had received one TBI, 6.9 percent reported having suicidal thoughts, and zero percent for those with no TBIs. In evaluating the lifetime risk, patients were asked if they had ever experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviors up to the point they were assessed.

The increases were similar for suicidal thoughts during the previous year rather than at any time: 12 percent of those with multiple TBIs had entertained suicidal ideas during the past year, compared with 3.4 percent with one TBI and zero percent for no TBIs.

In this study, suicidal ideation was used as the indicator of suicide risk because too few patients reported a history of suicide plan or had made a suicide attempt for statistically valid conclusions to be made.

Researchers found that multiple TBIs also were associated with a significant increase in other psychological symptoms already tied to single traumatic head injuries, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, and the severity of the concussive symptoms. However, only the increase in depression severity predicted an increased suicide risk.

"That head injury and resulting psychological effects increase the risk of suicide is not new," says Bryan. "But knowing that repetitive TBIs may make patients even more vulnerable provides new insight for attending to military personnel over the long-term, particularly when they are experiencing added emotional distress in their lives."

How the Study was Conducted

During a six-month period in 2009, 161 patients who received a suspected brain injury while on duty in Iraq were referred to an outpatient TBI clinic at a combat support hospital there. Patients were predominantly male, average age of 27, with 6.5 years of military service.

Diagnosis of traumatic brain injury was made by a clinical psychologist specifically trained in the assessment, diagnosis and management of the condition. Only patients with mild or no TBI completed all assessments; patients with moderate to severe TBI were immediately evacuated from Iraq.

TBI was confirmed if at least one clinical event was newly presented or worsened following the injury: loss of consciousness or memory, alteration of mental state, some neurological decline or brain damage.

Patients were divided into three groups based the total number of TBIs during their entire lives -- zero, single TBI and two or more -- the most recent of which was typically within the days immediately preceding their evaluation and inclusion in the study.

Each individual was also given surveys as part of his or her evaluation and treatment. Using standard evaluation tools, patients were surveyed about their symptoms of depression, PTSD and concussions, and their suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

"An important feature of the study is that by being on the ground in Iraq, we were able to compile a unique data set on active military personnel and head injury," Bryan says. "We collected data on a large number of service members within two days of impact."

At the same time, because the results of this study are based on a single clinical sample -active military in a war zone within days of the injury -- the researchers note that caution is advised before assuming that the results from this particular group will apply to every other group. Studies with larger sample sizes and conducted over longer periods of time will be needed.

Why TBI is of Concern for Military Personnel

As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a traumatic brain injury is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Effects can be mild to severe. The majority of TBIs that occur each year are concussions or other mild forms.

TBI is considered a "signature injury" of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and is of particular concern because of the frequency of concussive injuries from explosions and other combat-related incidents. Estimated prevalence of TBI for those deployed in these two countries ranges from 8 percent to 20 percent, according to a 2008 study.

In addition, according to studies by the RAND Corp., suicide is the second-leading cause of death among U.S. military personnel, and the rate has risen steadily since the conflicts began in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prevalence of PTSD, depression and substance abuse have risen as well, especially among those in combat, and each has been shown to increase risk for suicidal behaviors.

"Being aware of the number of a patient's head injuries and the interrelation with depression and other psychological symptoms may help us better understand, and thus moderate, the risk of suicide over time," Bryan says. "Ultimately, we would like to know why people do not kill themselves. Despite facing similar issues and circumstances, some people recover. Understanding that is the real goal."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/depression/~3/PRIeGEpqYdY/130515163924.htm

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New Regional Venture Capital Fund Open for Business | TechEast

High-potential companies in Atlantic Canada now have more access to the funds they need to grow and compete in the international marketplace.

Build Ventures, a privately managed venture capital fund, launched today, May 14, and is actively seeking investment opportunities throughout the Atlantic provinces. The idea for a regional venture capital fund was brought forward in 2010 by Premier Darrell Dexter.

?Emerging Atlantic Canadian companies have had limited access to venture capital in the past,? said Premier Dexter. ?As our economy starts to turn the corner, I believe if we help those companies take advantage of the opportunities on the horizon, it will be for the benefit of all Nova Scotians, and Atlantic Canadians.?

Patrick Keefe and Rob Barbara will manage the fund.

Mr. Keefe has more than 15 years of investment and entrepreneurial experience. He spent the last several years with Innovacorp, overseeing its early-stage venture capital activities.

Mr. Barbara is also a seasoned investment manager. Most recently, he spent 11 years with Burgundy Asset Management, a Toronto-based global investment management firm serving private clients, foundations, endowments, pensions and family offices.

?We?re really encouraged by the start-up activity we?ve been seeing in Atlantic Canada over the last few years,? said Mr. Keefe. ?We look forward to backing, and then working closely with, the most promising entrepreneurs as they build game-changing companies.?

Nova Scotia?s $15-million commitment to the fund has been leveraged to $48.5 million. The other investors are New Brunswick ($15 million), Prince Edward Island ($2.5 million), BDC Venture Capital ($10 million), a Moncton-based private sector company, Technology Venture Corp. ($5 million), and the fund managers ($1 million). Build Ventures is looking to raise additional private sector investment in the coming months.

Headquartered in Halifax, Build Ventures will concentrate on making Series A investments. These are investments made in companies that are early stage yet have an established business model, a solid team, a large target market, and some revenue generation, and now need ramp-up capital. The focus will be on companies in information technology, clean technology, life sciences and other high-growth sectors. Build Ventures? investments will be between $1 million and $5 million for each venture.

Reaction to the fund from the entrepreneurial community has been extremely positive.

?I know firsthand the impact early investors and venture capital has on a young company,? said Dr. Daniel Boyd, president and chief science officer of ABK Biomedical. ?A private sector fund that targets early-stage investments is a critical ingredient for what?s next for this region.?

?The Business Development Bank of Canada is pleased to see Build Ventures getting off the ground. This fund will help finance Atlantic Canada?s most promising and innovative start-ups,? said Jean-Ren? Halde, president and chief executive officer of BDC. ?Our venture capital arm, BDC Venture Capital, has seen concrete examples of the region?s high tech potential recently with companies like Radian6 and Q1 Labs. The future certainly looks very promising.?

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Source: http://www.techeast.ca/2013/05/new-regional-venture-capital-fund-open-for-business/

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Stained Glass Labs Launches As A Wearable Computing Startup Incubator

Wearable computing looks more and more like the inevitable future, so today Stained Glass Labs launches to help entrepreneurs develop apps and businesses around Google Glass and similar devices. The incubator and accelerator will offer mentorship, office space, and one day maybe funding as well.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Vb3yzwYqZKc/

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Bernie Yeszin: Music Industry Legend Has Fallen on Hard Times ...

By Mike Gormley

Bernie Yeszin designed the famous Motown Records logo, and did lots of covers for the label in the '60s.

In fact, he was at the center of the industry back then, and did everything from playing poker with Marvin Gaye to letting an 11-year-old Stevie Wonder hang out in his office.

But he's fallen on hard times and now lives in a van, in a parking lot under a Ralph's grocery store in L.A. Why there? "I'm not leaving my neighborhood," he says, adding that staying off the streets helps protect him.

Yeszin is now 71. He later transitioned from the music industry to television, and even won an Emmy, in 1990, for art direction on The Tracey Ullman Show.

But he hasn't been able to find work, and was even forced to pawn his Emmy, which was eventually sold by the pawn shop.

"It was part of me," he says, "and now it's gone." Still he keeps with him -- in the 1990 GMC Suburban van he shares with his dog Daisy, an aging Golden Retriever -- much of his memorabilia from over the years, including photos he took of The Supremes, whom he used to pick up after they had finished school for the day and take to local high school dances.

Originally from Detroit, he was an aspiring artist from the get-go, and at age 21 he stopped by the Motown Records house, unannounced. "I went in, met Berry Gordy and got a job in the art department," he remembers. Within a few days the only other guy in the department was gone and Yeszin became the boss. "I didn't know a thing, really. I just had an eye."

His first cover was for Martha and the Vandellas' Come and Get These Memories and his second was little Stevie Wonder's Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius, which brought Wonder to the world stage.

But eventually he got tired of doing album covers and went to Cal Arts film school, and for decades did set design for TV shows and movies of the week. "It was enough for me to have a house and a great life," he says. But in-house art departments eventually got phased out, and so was he.

Source: http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2013/05/bernie_yeszin_motown_emmy.php

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The Lead: Curse of the second-term scandal (CNN)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/305796685?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Research reveals possible reason for cholesterol-drug side effects

Monday, May 13, 2013

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and physicians continue to document that some patients experience fuzzy thinking and memory loss while taking statins, a class of global top-selling cholesterol-lowering drugs.

A University of Arizona research team has made a novel discovery in brain cells being treated with statin drugs: unusual swellings within neurons, which the team has termed the "beads-on-a-string" effect.

The team is not entirely sure why the beads form, said UA neuroscientist Linda L. Restifo, who leads the investigation. However, the team believes that further investigation of the beads will help inform why some people experience cognitive declines while taking statins.

"What we think we've found is a laboratory demonstration of a problem in the neuron that is a more severe version for what is happening in some peoples' brains when they take statins," said Restifo, a UA professor of neuroscience, neurology and cellular and molecular medicine, and principal investigator on the project.

Restifo and her team's co-authored study and findings recently were published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, a peer-reviewed journal. Robert Kraft, a former research associate in the department of neuroscience, is lead author on the article.

Restifo and Kraft cite clinical reports noting that statin users often are told by physicians that cognitive disturbances experienced while taking statins were likely due to aging or other effects. However, the UA team's research offers additional evidence that the cause for such declines in cognition is likely due to a negative response to statins.

The team also has found that removing statins results in a disappearance of the beads-on-a-string, and also a restoration of normal growth. With research continuing, the UA team intends to investigate how genetics may be involved in the bead formation and, thus, could cause hypersensitivity to the drugs in people. Team members believe that genetic differences could involve neurons directly, or the statin interaction with the blood-brain barrier.

"This is a great first step on the road toward more personalized medication and therapy," said David M. Labiner, who heads the UA department of neurology. "If we can figure out a way to identify patients who will have certain side effects, we can improve therapeutic outcomes."

For now, the UA team has multiple external grants pending, and researchers carry the hope that future research will greatly inform the medical community and patients.

"If we are able to do genetic studies, the goal will be to come up with a predictive test so that a patient with high cholesterol could be tested first to determine whether they have a sensitivity to statins," Restifo said.

Detecting, Understanding a Drugs' Side Effects

Restifo used the analogy of traffic to explain what she and her colleagues theorize.

The beads indicate a sort of traffic jam, she described. In the presence of statins, neurons undergo a "dramatic change in their morphology," said Restifo, also a BIO5 Institute member.

"Those very, very dramatic and obvious swellings are inside the neurons and act like a traffic pileup that is so bad that it disrupts the function of the neurons," she said.

It was Kraft's observations that led to team's novel discovery. Restifo, Kraft and their colleagues had long been investigating mutations in genes, largely for the benefit of advancing discoveries toward the improved treatment of autism and other cognitive disorders.

At the time, and using a blind-screened library of 1,040 drug compounds, the team ran tests on fruit fly neurons, investigating the reduction of defects caused by a mutation when neurons were exposed to different drugs. The team had shown that one mutation caused the neuron branches to be curly instead of straight, but certain drugs corrected this. The research findings were published in 2006 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Then, something serendipitous occurred: Kraft observed that one compound, then another and then two more all created the same reaction ? "these bulges, which we called beads-on-a-string,'" Kraft said. "And they were the only drugs causing this effect."

At the end of the earlier investigation, the team decoded the library and found that the four compounds that resulted in the beads-on-a-string were, in fact, statins.

"The 'beads' effect of the statins was like a bonus prize from the earlier experiment," Restifo said. "It was so striking, we couldn't ignore it."

In addition to detecting the beads effect, the team came upon yet another major finding: when statins are removed, the beads-on-a-string effect disappears, offering great promise to those being treated with the drugs.

"For some patients, just as much as statins work to save their lives, they can cause impairments," said Monica Chaung, who has been part of the team and is a UA undergraduate researcher studying molecular and cellular biology and physiology.

"It's not a one drug fits all," said Chaung, a UA junior who is also in the Honors College. "We suspect different gene mutations alter how people respond to statins."

Having been trained by Kraft in techniques to investigate cultured neurons, Chuang was testing gene mutations and found variation in sensitivity to statins. It was through the work of Chuang and Kraft that the team would later determine that, after removing the statins, the cells were able to repair themselves; the neurotoxicity was not permanent, Restifo said.

"In the clinical literature, you can read reports on fuzzy thinking, which stops when a patient stops taking statins. So, that was a very important demonstration of a parallel between the clinical reports and the laboratory phenomena," Restifo said.

The finding led the team to further investigate the neurotoxicity of statins.

"There is no question that these are very important and very useful drugs," Restifo said. Statins have been shown to lower cholesterol and prevent heart attacks and strokes.

But too much remains unknown about how the drugs' effects may contribute to muscular, cognitive and behavioral changes.

"We don't know the implications of the beads, but we have a number of hypotheses to test," Restifo said, adding that further studies should reveal exactly what happens when the transportation system within neurons is disrupted.

Also, given the move toward prescribing statins to children, the need to have an expanded understanding of the effects of statins on cognitive development is critical, Kraft said.

"If statins have an effect on how the nervous system matures, that could be devastating," Kraft said. "Memory loss or any sort of disruption of your memory and cognition can have quite severe effects and negative consequences."

Restifo and her colleagues have multiple grants pending that would enable the team to continue investigating several facets related to the neurotoxicity of statins. Among the major questions is, to what extent does genetics contribute to a person's sensitivity to statins?

"We have no idea who is at risk. That makes us think that we can use this genetic laboratory assay to infer which of the genes make people susceptible," Restifo said.

"This dramatic change in the morphology of the neurons is something we can now use to ask questions and experiment in the laboratory," she said. "Our contribution is to find a way to ask about genetics and what the genetic vulnerability factors are."

The Possibility for Future Research, Advice

The team's findings and future research could have important implications for the medical field and for patients with regard to treatment, communication and improved personalized medicine.

"It's important to look into this to see if people may have some sort of predisposition to the beads effect, and that's where we want to go with this research," Kraft said. "There must be more research into what effects these drugs have other than just controlling a person's elevated cholesterol levels."

And even as additional research is ongoing, suggestions already exist for physicians, patients and families.

"Most physicians assume that if a patient doesn't report side effects, there are no side effects," Labiner said. "The paternalistic days of medication are hopefully behind us. They should be."

"We can treat lots of things, but the problem is if there are side effects that worsen the treatment, the patient is more likely to shy away from the medication. That's a bad outcome," he said. "There's got to be a give and take between the patient and physician."

Patients should feel empowered to ask questions, and deeper questions, about their health and treatment and physicians should be very attentive to any reports of cognitive decline for those patients on statins, she said.

For some, it starts early after starting statins; for others, it takes time. And the signs vary. People may begin losing track of dates, the time or their keys.

"These are not trivial things. This could have a significant impact on your daily life, your interpersonal relationships, your ability to hold a job," Restifo said.

"This is the part of the brain that allows us to think clearly, to plan, to hold onto memories," she said. "If people are concerned that they are having this problem, patients should ask their physicians."

Restifo said open and direct patient-physician communication is even more important for those on statins who have a family history of side effects from statins.

Also, physicians could work more closely with patients to investigate family history and determine a better dosage plan. Even placing additional questions on the family history questionnaire could be useful, she said.

"There is good clinical data that every-other-day dosing give you most of the benefits, and maybe even prevents some of the accumulation of things that result in side effects," Restifo said, suggesting that physicians should try and get a better longitudinal picture on how people react while on statins.

"Statins have been around now for long enough and are widely prescribed to so many people," she said. "But increased awareness could be very helpful."

###

University of Arizona: http://uanews.org

Thanks to University of Arizona for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/128208/Research_reveals_possible_reason_for_cholesterol_drug_side_effects

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Ognjen Miljanic first from UH to be selected a Cottrell Scholar

Public release date: 14-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lisa Merkl
lkmerkl@uh.edu
713-743-8192
University of Houston

Chemist recognized for scientific research, dedication to teaching

HOUSTON, May 14, 2013 Ognjen Miljanic, assistant professor of chemistry, strives for innovation in both his research and teaching endeavors. That trait led to his selection as a 2013 Cottrell Scholar. Miljanic is the first University of Houston (UH) faculty member to receive this recognition and the only scholar of this year's 13 recipients from Texas.

The honor, awarded by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA), goes to early-career science educators in the physical sciences and related fields. Recipients receive $75,000 to further their research and educational programs.

Selection is highly competitive. Only about 10 percent of those who apply are approved by the RCSA's peer-review process. The Cottrell Scholar Program Award is one of several faculty awards recognized in the Top American Research Universities report as defining Tier One universities. The program strives to establish a network of scholar educators through their annual Cottrell Scholar Collaborative, a forum for sharing methods to improve undergraduate science education in American research universities and increase retention of undergraduate science majors.

"The yearly meetings focus on establishing educational collaborations that will help bring our initiatives to completion faster," Miljanic said. "It is a great honor to be part of the Cottrell Scholar Collaborative."

Proposals for the Cottrell Scholar Award cover research and education endeavors equally. Miljanic's proposal to RCSA included several educational initiatives. All of his ideas are based on his desire to enhance his students' educational experience, with a particular focus on the unique demographics of UH students. One activity involves "eLectures" designed to help the students enrolled in his large 5:30 p.m. organic chemistry class.

"Many of these students are commuters with full-time jobs, and their work sometimes requires them to miss a lecture or two," he said. "The recorded lectures approximate the classroom experience. They can listen in their free time at home as many times as they need. I encourage students not to miss lectures, but if they do, there is a back up."

Miljanic tapes the lectures ahead of class in a studio-like setting, dividing each eLecture into five to 10 concepts. This structure makes it easy for students to locate concepts they need to review. Each concept is cross-linked with related topics, both within the lecture and with external resources.

Another initiative involves building 3-D printed models to illustrate concepts in chemistry, such as potential energy surfaces and orbital interactions of aromaticity. He uses the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics 3-D printing facility to create the models.

"Some concepts are difficult to put on a blackboard," Miljanic said. "The 3-D models make the class more interactive. Students can touch them and pass them around."

On the research side of his proposal, Miljanic hopes to mimic nature by achieving "molecular self-sorting" in manmade mixtures of chemical compounds. Working on ways to better imitate nature's ability to manufacture many of the molecules necessary for life, Miljanic aims to apply these insights in the preparation of new molecules for use in sensing, separations and energy-relevant applications.

"Nature simultaneously makes hundreds of really complex molecules. For example, an orange tree doesn't shut down all other systems when it needs to make vitamin C. It makes it in parallel with glucose and many other things," he said. "I am working to translate this concept into a laboratory setting in order to make multiple value-added chemicals in parallel with each other in the same reaction flask."

His research is not designed to replicate nature but rather to make sophisticated synthetic molecules with applications in environmental analysis, energy-related research and basic chemical industry.

"Ognjen is truly dedicated to excellence in both his research and teaching," said David Hoffman, chairman of the chemistry department. "It is great to see his creativity and hard work recognized at the national level. My colleagues and I are very proud to have him on our faculty."

With an anticipated award start date of July 1 for the Cottrell award, Miljanic has been invited to attend the 2013 Cottrell Scholar conference "Connecting Educators, Building Communities" in Tucson, Ariz., July 10-12. The highly interactive conference gives scholars the opportunity to share their proposed educational activities with others, provides time for team building and the development of collaborative projects and offers a chance to engage with well-known speakers from a national perspective regarding possibilities for taking ideas to the next level.

Miljanic's past awards include a National Science Foundation CAREER Award and UH Teaching Excellence Award for Innovation in Instructional Technology, both awarded in 2012.

###

About the University of Houston

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 39,500 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country. For more information about UH, visit the university's newsroom at http://www.uh.edu/news-events/.

About the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, with 187 ranked faculty and more than 5,000 students, offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in the natural sciences, computational sciences and mathematics. Faculty members in the departments of biology and biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, earth and atmospheric sciences, mathematics and physics conduct internationally recognized research in collaboration with industry, Texas Medical Center institutions, NASA and others worldwide.

To receive UH science news via e-mail, sign up for UH-SciNews at http://www.uh.edu/news-events/mailing-lists/sciencelistserv/index.php.

For additional news alerts about UH, follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UHNewsEvents and Twitter at http://twitter.com/UH_News.

---

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 14-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lisa Merkl
lkmerkl@uh.edu
713-743-8192
University of Houston

Chemist recognized for scientific research, dedication to teaching

HOUSTON, May 14, 2013 Ognjen Miljanic, assistant professor of chemistry, strives for innovation in both his research and teaching endeavors. That trait led to his selection as a 2013 Cottrell Scholar. Miljanic is the first University of Houston (UH) faculty member to receive this recognition and the only scholar of this year's 13 recipients from Texas.

The honor, awarded by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA), goes to early-career science educators in the physical sciences and related fields. Recipients receive $75,000 to further their research and educational programs.

Selection is highly competitive. Only about 10 percent of those who apply are approved by the RCSA's peer-review process. The Cottrell Scholar Program Award is one of several faculty awards recognized in the Top American Research Universities report as defining Tier One universities. The program strives to establish a network of scholar educators through their annual Cottrell Scholar Collaborative, a forum for sharing methods to improve undergraduate science education in American research universities and increase retention of undergraduate science majors.

"The yearly meetings focus on establishing educational collaborations that will help bring our initiatives to completion faster," Miljanic said. "It is a great honor to be part of the Cottrell Scholar Collaborative."

Proposals for the Cottrell Scholar Award cover research and education endeavors equally. Miljanic's proposal to RCSA included several educational initiatives. All of his ideas are based on his desire to enhance his students' educational experience, with a particular focus on the unique demographics of UH students. One activity involves "eLectures" designed to help the students enrolled in his large 5:30 p.m. organic chemistry class.

"Many of these students are commuters with full-time jobs, and their work sometimes requires them to miss a lecture or two," he said. "The recorded lectures approximate the classroom experience. They can listen in their free time at home as many times as they need. I encourage students not to miss lectures, but if they do, there is a back up."

Miljanic tapes the lectures ahead of class in a studio-like setting, dividing each eLecture into five to 10 concepts. This structure makes it easy for students to locate concepts they need to review. Each concept is cross-linked with related topics, both within the lecture and with external resources.

Another initiative involves building 3-D printed models to illustrate concepts in chemistry, such as potential energy surfaces and orbital interactions of aromaticity. He uses the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics 3-D printing facility to create the models.

"Some concepts are difficult to put on a blackboard," Miljanic said. "The 3-D models make the class more interactive. Students can touch them and pass them around."

On the research side of his proposal, Miljanic hopes to mimic nature by achieving "molecular self-sorting" in manmade mixtures of chemical compounds. Working on ways to better imitate nature's ability to manufacture many of the molecules necessary for life, Miljanic aims to apply these insights in the preparation of new molecules for use in sensing, separations and energy-relevant applications.

"Nature simultaneously makes hundreds of really complex molecules. For example, an orange tree doesn't shut down all other systems when it needs to make vitamin C. It makes it in parallel with glucose and many other things," he said. "I am working to translate this concept into a laboratory setting in order to make multiple value-added chemicals in parallel with each other in the same reaction flask."

His research is not designed to replicate nature but rather to make sophisticated synthetic molecules with applications in environmental analysis, energy-related research and basic chemical industry.

"Ognjen is truly dedicated to excellence in both his research and teaching," said David Hoffman, chairman of the chemistry department. "It is great to see his creativity and hard work recognized at the national level. My colleagues and I are very proud to have him on our faculty."

With an anticipated award start date of July 1 for the Cottrell award, Miljanic has been invited to attend the 2013 Cottrell Scholar conference "Connecting Educators, Building Communities" in Tucson, Ariz., July 10-12. The highly interactive conference gives scholars the opportunity to share their proposed educational activities with others, provides time for team building and the development of collaborative projects and offers a chance to engage with well-known speakers from a national perspective regarding possibilities for taking ideas to the next level.

Miljanic's past awards include a National Science Foundation CAREER Award and UH Teaching Excellence Award for Innovation in Instructional Technology, both awarded in 2012.

###

About the University of Houston

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 39,500 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country. For more information about UH, visit the university's newsroom at http://www.uh.edu/news-events/.

About the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, with 187 ranked faculty and more than 5,000 students, offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in the natural sciences, computational sciences and mathematics. Faculty members in the departments of biology and biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, earth and atmospheric sciences, mathematics and physics conduct internationally recognized research in collaboration with industry, Texas Medical Center institutions, NASA and others worldwide.

To receive UH science news via e-mail, sign up for UH-SciNews at http://www.uh.edu/news-events/mailing-lists/sciencelistserv/index.php.

For additional news alerts about UH, follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UHNewsEvents and Twitter at http://twitter.com/UH_News.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/uoh-omf051413.php

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Vt. poised to allow lethal meds for terminally ill

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- Vermont is poised to join three other states permitting doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients after the state House approved a compromise bill similar to Oregon's 1997 law.

The bill, approved on Monday, now goes before Gov. Peter Shumlin, a strong supporter of the legislation. It marks the first time a state has granted legislative approval to such a measure.

By a 75-65 roll call vote, the House concurred with a Senate version of the bill that largely mirrors the Oregon law for three years and then shifts to a system with less government monitoring.

The vote was a reversal of the defeat of similar legislation in the House in 2007.

Critics continued to voice their concerns during House debate on Monday, while supporters, who knew they had the votes to pass the bill, were more muted.

"There is potential here for abuse of the disabled," said Rep. Carolyn Branagan, R-Georgia, "especially disabled elders," she said. "This is not medical care. It is the opposite."

Sen. Richard McCormack, D-Windsor, watched the debate from the House gallery. "This bill makes no judgment about the value of anybody's life," he said after the vote. "It makes a very positive judgment about the value of personal freedom and the right to make one's own choices."

The House vote was to concur with a hybrid bill passed 17-13 by the Senate. For the first three years, Vermont's law would closely follow the Oregon model, which allows for several safeguards, including requirements that patients state three times ? once in writing ? that they wish to die. Others include a concurring opinion from a second doctor that a patient has less than six months to live and a finding that the patient is of sound mind.

"It's an important step for terminally ill Vermont patients," Dick Walters, president of Patient Choices-Vermont, said after the vote. "It's a big step forward for the region and for the country as a whole."

If Shumlin signs the bill, Vermont would become the fourth state ? the first east of the Mississippi ? to allow doctors to help patients die by writing a prescription for a lethal dose of medication. Oregon passed the first-in-the-nation law by referendum; Washington state followed suit in 2006; and a court order in Montana made it legal in that state.

Debate included two packed Statehouse hearings in which supporters and opponents took turns voicing their views on the legislation, sometimes dubbed "death with dignity" by backers and "physician-assisted suicide" by opponents.

After July 1, 2016, Vermont would move to a model pushed by some senators who complained of too much government intervention in the Oregon system. Those changes would require less monitoring and reporting by physicians. However, there's widespread expectation that lawmakers may push to eliminate the changes set to take effect in 2016, leaving an Oregon-style law in place.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vt-poised-allow-lethal-meds-132749148.html

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Vatican brings Genesis to Venice Biennale art show

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The Vatican is getting back into its centuries-old tradition of arts patronage with its first-ever exhibit at the Venice Biennale, commissioning a biblically inspired show about creation, destruction and renewal for one of the world's most prestigious contemporary arts festivals.

The Holy See on Tuesday unveiled details of its Venice pavilion, which opens June 1 and marks the Vatican's most significant step yet in a renewed effort to engage contemporary artists and intellectuals in ways that once created masterpieces such as the Sistine Chapel and Bernini Colonnade.

Yet the exhibit "Creation, Un-Creation, Re-Creation" is not religous art: There are no crucifixes or images of the Madonna or sacred objects that might find themselves on a church altar. Rather, the works explore themes that are important to the church and were executed by internationally recognized contemporary artists, including Czech photographer Josef Koudelka, who were given broad leeway to create.

The initiative is the brainchild of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican's culture minister who was considered a papal contender in the conclave that elected Pope Francis. An Italian biblical scholar, Ravasi quotes Hegel as easily as Amy Winehouse ? in multiple languages.

He has long lamented that the Holy See, whose artistic treasures fill the Vatican Museums and then some, has all but severed its ties with a contemporary art world that often finds in the Catholic Church inspiration for blasphemous art (think Andres Serranno's "Piss Christ").

Remarkably, the Venice Biennale, which features pavillions for individual nations as well as a curated show of international artists, has provided a very visible venue for some of that blasphemy ever since its inception.

In the Bienniale's 1895 first edition, the Patriarch of Venice asked the mayor of Venice to ban the exhibit's most talked-about work, Giacomo Grosso's "Supreme Meeting," which featured a coffin surrounded by naked women. Religious leaders feared it would offend the morals of visitors.

The mayor refused to take it down, and the picture went on to win a popular prize at the exhibition's end.

Church officials complained about the 1990 edition, when the American artists' collective Gran Fury, a branch of the gay activist group ACT UP, showed "Pope Piece," an image of John Paul II and an image of a penis. It was meant as a critique of the pontiff's opposition to condoms as a way to fight AIDS.

And in 2001, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan exhibited his scandalous "La Nona Ora," or "The Ninth Hour" ? a life-size figure of John Paul being crushed by a black meteorite.

Art experts suggested the Vatican's initiative to have its own pavilion was perhaps a response to such perceived attacks.

"There is something about modern art that is resolutely secular," said Pepe Karmel, associate professor of art history at New York University and former art critic. "There is not a great deal of first-rate religious art from the 20th and 21st centuries."Ravasi, though, is intent on changing that.

"This for us is a germ, a seed to return to the hope that there can be even more commissions between churchmen, ecclesial figures and artists ? quality contemporary artists," Ravasi told reporters.

For its inaugural Venice commission, the Vatican picked three well-known artists and art groups and gave them a relatively simple source of inspiration: the first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis. The text describes Creation, the introduction of evil, destruction and sin into the world, followed by hope for mankind in a renewed creation.

Being Catholic wasn't a criterion: Vatican officials said they weren't even sure of the artists' faiths. Rather, the artists were selected based on the body of their pre-existing work.

The Milan-based multimedia group "Studio Azzurro" was selected for the "Creation" part of the three-space exhibit: It features a darkened room with a mass of stone in the center that when touched create images and sounds that recall the animal and vegetable kingdoms.

Czech photographer Koudelka provided the "Un-Creation" section, a series of 18 photos and three tryptichs exploring destruction: war, environmental degradation, and the conflict between nature and industry. Koudelka famously photographed Soviet-led tanks invading Prague in 1968 ? images that were smuggled out to the United States and published anonymously because of fear that his family would suffer reprisals.

The third installment, "Re-Creation," was given to Australian-born painter Lawrence Carroll, who often employs re-used materials in his work. He created a floor piece and four wall paintings, one of which has a freezing element that causes it to melt and refreeze cyclically.

To provide at least some reference point back to the Vatican's artistic patrimony, the exhibit opens with an homage by the 20th century Italian painter Tano Festa to Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel and its depictions of Adam and original sin.

Micol Forti, head of the modern and contemporary art at the Vatican Museums, said her only regret about the Vatican's selection was that no female artists were included. Four were approached, but none was able to participate, Forti told reporters.

"Given the theme of Genesis and Creation, we would have wanted that voice reflected," she said.

The Holy See is one of eight countries being represented at the 55th Venice Biennale for the first time, joining Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, Kuwait, Maldives, Paraguay and Tuvalu. In a coincidence, the Holy See pavilion is located in the Sale d'Armi, right next to the Argentine pavillion.

The Argentine-born Pope Francis, known for his humble ways and focus on the poor, hasn't shown a particular interest in liturgical art or music. Whether Ravasi's initiative continues remains to be seen, but his office was quick to point out that the ?750,000 ($975,000) pricetag ? which includes the payment to the artists and Biennale organizers ? was entirely covered by corporate sponsorship and private donations.

And the Vatican's presence at Venice isn't entirely out of the norm: The Holy See has a long history of participation in international exhibitions dating to the first World's Fair, the 1851 "Great Exhibition" in London.

The Venice Biennale, which also features the famous summertime Venice film festival, runs through Nov. 24.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-05-14-Vatican-Venice%20Biennale/id-ea4c5c65902748bf827258fdef45f00e

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Give Us The Detail House Plans For Your Home Improvement

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You can use creative ideas to make the best use of the space in the middle of your kitchen. It is also important to determine your cabinet height by height of your ceiling. The height of ceiling in your kitchen is very important. The eighth foot ceiling height is very ideal for your kitchen. Deep drawers are ideal for the easy storage of kitchen items.

If your kitchen ceiling is very high then you can also leave open space above your cabinets for extra storage items. The exchange-off is you presumably need to commission them yourselves but the reward is you are able to restore or repaint them as you like. In the event that your kitchen needs some shade, a basic and practical kitchen remodeling configuration is to repaint the kitchen. You are able to present a strong or subtle update to your kitchen by introducing revamped colors and plans. Before you hire a contractor you must first know and plan how you want your kitchen to be. Decide on your budget and have a rough idea of the kitchen design. Choosing the right design can be done on your own or you can ask a professional interior designer for help. Lay out your plans for your kitchen renovation project that will use when you are looking for a contractor.

There are heaps of sport tips noticing kitchen remodeling within the web based world. Fabricate a portfolio full of the outlines you like the most. Then attempt to pinpoint what it are you like in every photograph. You are able to present a strong or subtle update to your kitchen by introducing revamped colors and plans. A proportionally minor backing of fabricating an island can yield huge resell esteem profits. Have a detail house plan will be good for kitchen makeovers, it can include Custom Kitchens and Wholesale Kitchens.?

Source: http://www.jwopenmarket.com/give-us-the-detail-house-plans-for-your-home-improvement/

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Nikkei up after Japan gets nod from G7 on stimulus

BANGKOK (AP) ? Japan's stock market jumped Monday after global finance leaders gave a seal of approval to the country's stimulus program and refrained from criticizing its weakening effect on the yen. Stocks were mixed elsewhere in Asia.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo shot up 1.6 percent to 14,838.08. The index has soared nearly 43 percent since the beginning of the year.

Finance leaders from the world's seven leading industrialized economies said at a meeting over the weekend in Britain that Japan's stimulus policies are aimed at boosting the domestic economy, which has been mired in stagnation since the 1990s, and not manipulating the yen.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, elected late last year on promises to revive the world's third-largest economy, has implemented a policy mix of increased public spending and aggressive monetary easing.

One result has been a dramatic fall in the value of the yen, which helps the country's export industries by making products more affordable in overseas markets while increasing the value of repatriated profits. On Thursday, the dollar rose above 100 yen for the first time in more than four years.

Elsewhere, South Korea's Kospi was nearly unchanged at 1,944.41. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.8 percent to 23,127.48. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.2 percent after banking shares slid.

Commodities such as gold and oil fell Friday as the U.S. dollar continues to appreciate against the yen and other currencies. When the dollar rises against other currencies, it tends to weaken demand for commodities, hurting resource-related shares.

Hong Kong-listed Zijin Mining Group, China's largest gold miner, fell 2.6 percent. Japanese energy explorer Inpex Corp. tumbled 5.6 percent.

On Wall Street on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.2 percent to close at 15,118.49. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 0.4 percent to 1,633.70. The Nasdaq composite index rose 0.8 percent to 3,436.58.

Benchmark oil for June delivery was down 78 cents to $95.26 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 35 cents to $96.04 per barrel in Nymex trading on Friday in New York.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.2974 from $1.2983 late Friday in New York. The dollar rose to 101.87 yen from 101.53 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nikkei-japan-gets-nod-g7-stimulus-032555033.html

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Rodman plans new NKorea trip, hopes to gain release of American

Dennis Rodman has some fighting words for President Obama, who he says has failed in his foreign policy toward North Korean and its leader Kim Jong-Un.

"We got a black president who can't even go talk to him," Rodman told celebrity website TMZ.com. "How about that one?"

Rodman announced his plans to visit North Korea on Aug. 1 and he's got a self-imposed mission.

dennis Rodman

He wants to secure the release of 44-year-old Korean American Kenneth Bae, who was recently sentenced to 15 years hard labor.

The former NBA player said he's going because he feels the White House has failed with its North Korea policy.

PHOTOS: Dennis Rodman Goes to North Korea

Earlier this year, Rodman visited North Korea and even spent time with the North Korean leader. The two bonded over their love of basketball.

Last week, Rodman tweeted this message to Kim Jong-Un: "?do me a solid and cut Ken Bae loose."

U.S. officials told ABC News that they are in touch with Bae's family.

PHOTOS: An Inside Look at North Korea

The U.S. government is calling on the North Korean government to grant him amnesty.

The news of Rodman's trip comes as North Korea has been dialing back talk of war.

"At least Kim did one thing, he took the missiles back," Rodman said. "Thank you. Took the missiles back, right?"

RELATED: North Korean Missiles Moved Away From Launch Site

After his earlier trip this year to North Korea, Rodman sat down in an exclusive interview with ABC News George Stephanopoulos in which he praised the North Korean leader.

"I don't condone what he does," Rodman said, "but as far as a person to person, he's my friend."

RELATED: Dennis Rodman: Kim Jong Un Wants President Obama to 'Call Him'

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dennis-rodman-plans-north-korea-trip-hopes-secure-171011452--abc-news-politics.html

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Linda Bloom LCSW and Charlie Bloom MSW: It's ... - Huffington Post

The next best thing to preventing conflict is having the skills to manage differences effectively. Differences are inevitable in relationships; conflict is optional. It's the differences in our personalities, styles of relating, perspectives, and temperaments that make us attractive to each other and allow us to have a fuller, more complete experience of life. We rarely are strongly attracted to people who are just like us. Differences turn into conflict when one or both partners try to coerce the other to do, say, think, or feel what they want them to. Conflict occurs when both partners are engaged in a struggle to resist each other's efforts to become dominated or controlled.

Most of us don't come into marriage with highly developed conflict-management skills, but these abilities can be cultivated through practice on the job. While most couples have an abundance of opportunities to practice the art of conflict management, the great majority of them fail to take advantage of those opportunities. They choose instead to either grudgingly accommodate each other, engage in various forms of manipulation or coercion, or simply practice denial or avoidance. These strategies are all potentially destructive to relationships and often lead to continual cycles of pain, resentment, and alienation. While many couples collude to deny their differences, as John Gottman points out in his writings, couples who are most likely to divorce are not those who are most volatile, but rather those with the strongest tendency to avoid dealing with differences.

Some couples are motivated by intolerance not necessarily of the differences, but rather of the emotional pain that they experience in the face of them. It is often this pain that finally motivates them to learn how to manage their differences more respectfully and responsibly. Many marriages are characterized by defensive, avoidant behavioral patterns that diminish sensitivity to pain and promote a kind of numbness that makes suffering more tolerable.

Successful couples, on the other hand, tend to be more honest with themselves and each other in regard to their emotional discomfort. This willingness to feel the pain, rather than to deny it, generates a strong motivation to learn more effective ways of working out their differences.
Relationship differences generally are not "resolved" in the sense of eliminating them, but rather they are held in a context of acceptance, respect and appreciation. Even those differences that are irreconcilable will not necessarily damage and can even enhance a relationship if they are viewed from this perspective. A key factor in the process of handling differences skillfully is our willingness to be open to learn from one another, to observe the consequences of our actions, and to integrate what we learn into our relationship.

Even the happiest of couples sometimes experience negative emotional states. They just generally don't tend not to get stuck in them for prolong periods of time. The ability to move quickly through distressful mind states isn't simply a gift that is possessed by the lucky few, but rather is a capacity that can be developed with practice. By adopting an attitude of acceptance and openness towards our own feelings and those of our partner, we can become less reactive and defensive with each other. Even people with fiery temperaments can learn to smooth out rough edges and often move through painful emotional impasses in minutes rather than days or weeks.

The challenge is often to shift our intention from trying to convert our partner to our point of view, to trying to understand their perspective and see things from their vantage point. We deepen our capacity for empathy with practice and intentionality. Few of us come into adulthood with these capacities fully developed. For most, marriage is the crucible within which we cultivate and strengthen these capacities. And of course other enhancements to our abilities -- such as individual or marriage counseling, personal growth workshops, books, CDs, and professional seminars -- can make a huge difference as well.

While there is no generically "correct" way to resolve differences, successful couples share an underlying respect for the differences between them. It is this perspective more than anything else that allows for the kind of engagement that transforms anger and pain into compassion and gratitude. When we have a clear sense that differences not only needn't be eliminated but they are valuable and necessary aspects of the relationship, we thrive. And the desire to thrive is one of the primary motivators for getting into relationships in the first place. It does require the willingness to put in the time and the effort, but the payoffs are far greater than the cost of the investment. But don't take our word for it, find out for yourself.

For more by Linda Bloom, LCSW, and Charlie Bloom, MSW, click here.

For more on conscious relationships, click here.

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Follow Linda Bloom LCSW and Charlie Bloom MSW on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bloomwork

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-bloom-lcsw-and-charlie-bloom-msw/conflict-resolution-relationships_b_3247761.html

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How To Get The Perfect Auto Insurance ? Hot Article Depot

Have you been planning to get car insurance? Then you should first know that before you get one, your credit would probably be checked. This way they are able to evaluate if you can be awarded with car insurance. Checking of credit means that they use credit scores to make their decision. The deeper meaning behind this credit check is connected with the risk involved in insurance.

The check then is more of an assurance to the company that you have the least risk of getting into an accident otherwise, they could face losing a lot of cash. It is a known fact that accidents happen most to people who are not careful. The credit check is important because companies believe that when people pay their bills on time, they are showing utmost responsibility and they have the lesser chance of getting into trouble.

So if you to surely get car insurance, then you should go for a company that doesn?t do credit checks. There are actually companies that offer no credit check car insurance and use only other means to gather accurate information on how responsible the applicant is when they issue policies. They believe that the credit score is just one of the many determining factors to evaluate risk. Some companies require you to show other proofs such as a spotless driving record, up-to-date car and mortgage payments. Presenting these information to the car insurance company can help you make get a car insurance since these documents can show how responsible you are.

Now, on to the search for companies with auto insurance with no credit check. Your search for these companies should start in the Internet. In this modern day and age, companies already have their very own sites. When you find these companies, you now have to gather all the data you?ll be presenting to the insurance company. You have to ensure that all these documents are updated so that you don?t mistakenly give the wrong data.

But in the unfortunate event wherein you don?t get an insurance from a no credit check company, you would have to get a broker?s services since they may be able to help you get rid of this credit check. This happens when you are able to use the broker as an intermediary for passing payment for the policy to the insurance company. But this depends on the broker?s method and style.

For more information about finding best auto insurance easily please tap here.

Source: http://hotarticledepot.com/how-to-get-the-perfect-auto-insurance-2/

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Success unpredictable for 'Long Island Medium'

TV

Randee Dawn TODAY contributor

20 hours ago

You might think that as a psychic who channels spiritual messages, Theresa Caputo would have had a premonition long ago that her TLC series "Long Island Medium," would turn out to be a hit. But as it gets set to enter its fourth season, Caputo admits the success caught her by surprise.

"I never thought in a million years," she told TODAY's Natalie Morales and Billy Bush Friday. "I thought I was going to do a couple of episodes. I was still booking appointments, and I thought I was going to go on with my little life."

Okay, so you can't catch everything, particularly when you're focused on locating messages sent from the great beyond to their loved ones still here in the real world. And Caputo acknowledges there are skeptics out there who don't believe she's really contacting the dearly departed. "First of all, I say to all the skeptics ... it is what it is. Come and witness and speak to the people that have had the experience with me," she said.

But if those messages coming from beyond are less than positive, Caputo says she probably won't send them forward. "I would just say to the spirit, 'I only want the highest good of all concerned,'" she said. "We always have to deliver messages with love and levity."

"Long Island Medium" returns to TLC on Sunday, May 12 at 8 p.m.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/long-island-medium-theresa-caputo-couldnt-predict-own-shows-success-1C9875170

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Woman pulled alive from rubble of Bangladesh factory

By Rafiqur Rahman

SAVAR, Bangladesh (Reuters) - A young Bangladeshi woman who spent 17 days buried alive under a collapsed garments factory was rescued on Friday when astonished workmen heard a voice calling "save me, save me" from the rubble.

Pale, drawn but seemingly unhurt, Reshma Begum was cut from the ruins and hoisted onto a stretcher to wild cheers in scenes that captivated a nation which had long given up hope of finding any more survivors.

When the eight-storey building collapsed on April 24, Begum was trapped in a lightless, cell-like nook - alone, but alive. She managed to survive by taking sips from bottles of water buried with her.

"To save water I used to drink only a small quantity," Begum, 19, told Somoy television from her hospital bed.

The 45-minute rescue was broadcast live on television. Cameras captured hope lighting up the faces of rescue workers peering into the hole, before Begum was carried out.

For a moment she was shown with her head lolling to the side, as if unconscious. Emergency workers placed an oxygen mask on her face and loaded her into an ambulance that sped away with its doors open.

Hours earlier, crews had pulled the 1,000th dead body from the wreckage.

By the end of the day, a spokesman at the army control room coordinating the operation said the number of people confirmed to have been killed had reached 1,050. It was the world's worst industrial accident since Bhopal in India in 1984.

"A MIRACLE"

Major Moazzem Hossain said Begum had been discovered by chance after army engineers searching for more bodies began cutting through concrete beams, inadvertently allowing a ray of sunlight to pour into the space where she had been stuck.

Begum began waving an aluminum curtain rail through the gap to attract attention and cried out "Save me! Save me!".

"We told her the whole country is with you, we will never leave this place until we rescue you," Hossain told Reuters. "How can she have survived for 17 days? It must have been a miracle."

Mohammad Rubel Rana, a workman who had been cutting iron rods at the site said he had alerted rescue crews after hearing her cries.

"I heard a faint voice saying 'Save me, Save me'," Rana told Reuters television. "She was given water, biscuits and oxygen."

A doctor at the Combined Military Hospital in Savar where Begum was treated told reporters she was stable but needed rest.

Good news has been in short supply in Bangladesh, which is simultaneously reeling from the aftermath of the disaster and its worst bout of violent since independence in 1971 ahead of elections due early next year.

A series of deadly incidents at factories has focused global attention on safety standards in Bangladesh's booming garment industry. Eight people were killed in a fire at a factory this week, which an industry association said on Friday may have been started deliberately.

About 2,500 people were rescued from Rana Plaza, in the industrial suburb of Savar, 20 miles northwest of Dhaka, including many injured, but there is no official estimate of the numbers still missing.

The disaster, believed to have been triggered when generators were started up during a blackout, has put the spotlight on Western retailers who use the impoverished South Asian nation as a source of cheap goods.

Nine people have been arrested in connection with the disaster, including the building's owner and bosses of the factories it housed.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul and Matthew Green; Writing by Matthew Green; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-pulled-alive-rubble-bangladesh-factory-052358107.html

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It?s time to out Lindsey Graham (Americablog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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Pets may help reduce your risk of heart disease

May 9, 2013 ? Having a pet might lower your risk of heart disease, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement.

The statement is published online in the association's journal Circulation.

"Pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with a decreased risk of heart disease," said Glenn N. Levine, M.D., professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and chair of the committee that wrote the statement after reviewing previous studies of the influence of pets.

Research shows that:

• Pet ownership is probably associated with a reduction in heart disease risk factors and increased survival among patients. But the studies aren't definitive and do not necessarily prove that owning a pet directly causes a reduction in heart disease risk. "It may be simply that healthier people are the ones that have pets, not that having a pet actually leads to or causes reduction in cardiovascular risk," Levine said.
• Dog ownership in particular may help reduce cardiovascular risk. People with dogs may engage in more physical activity because they walk them. In a study of more than 5,200 adults, dog owners engaged in more walking and physical activity than non-dog owners, and were 54 percent more likely to get the recommended level of physical activity.
• Owning pets may be associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and a lower incidence of obesity.
• Pets can have a positive effect on the body's reactions to stress.

"In essence, data suggest that there probably is an association between pet ownership and decreased cardiovascular risk," Levine said. "What's less clear is whether the act of adopting or acquiring a pet could lead to a reduction in cardiovascular risk in those with pre-existing disease. Further research, including better quality studies, is needed to more definitively answer this question."

Even with a likely link, people shouldn't adopt, rescue or buy a pet solely to reduce cardiovascular risk, Levine said.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/npdynYSFzdg/130509163902.htm

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