Boston Honors Health Care Without Harm With 2012 Mayoral Prize in Primary Care

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BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - Oct 12, 2012) - Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) has been presented with the 2012 Mayoral Prize for Innovations in Pulmonary Care from the city of Boston, MA. HCWH was honored for its work to foster healthier food and workplace environments in Boston area hospitals.The presentation was made on October 12 by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who was joined by Dr. Paula Johnson, chair of the board of the Boston Public Health Commission, to present awards to HCWH and two other recipients.Now in its third year, the award raises awareness about best practices for improving the delivery of primary care services in healthcare, community-based, and workplace settings.

"Some of Boston's greatest assets are our world-renowned health care institutions.Part of being a leader means highlighting the great work that goes on in our city as a model for others to see," Mayor Menino said."I'm constantly impressed by the innovative work that organizations of all sizes are able to accomplish, and this year's winners champion that spirit of ingenuity.These awards strive to show that prevention is primary care, whether it's in the doctor's office, the workplace, or the community."

Health Care Without Harm was honored for its Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI), that focuses in part on improving the food and beverage environment within hospitals, places that touch hundreds of thousands of lives in Boston every year.All major teaching hospitals in the city joined a Healthy Beverage Learning Network in 2010 that was co-led by Health Care Without Harm.Just two years later, all ten of these hospitals have made progress toward increasing consumption of healthier beverages by hospital staff, patients, and visitors.The initiative is now being scaled nationwide, as hundreds of hospitals and food service contractors have begun to view food production and distribution through the lens of preventative medicine by support sustainable agriculture in the communities that it serves.

"In order to reverse the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in America, we need the healthcare sector to lead by example and create healthy food environments for patients and employees," stated Gary Cohen, president of Health Care Without Harm."Additionally, health care has an important economic engine and can leverage its enormous purchasing power to support sustainable agriculture in the communities that it serves. We need to move beyond treating sick people and demonstrate the path to helping people stay healthy."

Along with two other NGOs and 11 major U.S. health care systems, HCWH established HHI to help speed the progress of the health care sector toward sustainability. HHI recently introduced a series of Challenges for hospitals to undertake, and provided guidance and measurement systems to achieve the challenges.One of those challenges is Healthier Food, which asks hospitals to engage in a variety of initiatives to develop sustainable, healthy food programs within their facilities. Since the Challenge program was launched in April of this year, 150 hospitals have signed up for the Healthier Food challenge.

Today's event, held at the historic Boston Public Library in Copley Square, featured Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services JudyAnn Bigby as keynote speaker.It was sponsored by the Boston University School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School's Center for Primary Care, and Harvard University School of Public Health.

Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of more than 500 organizations in 53 countries, working to transform the health care industry worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. More than 400 hospitals have signed the HCWH Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge, committing to the development of healthy and sustainable food service operations in their facilities. For more information on HCWH, see http://www.noharm.org.

Visit the HCWH Healthy Food in Health Care Program Enroll or find out more about the HHI Food Challenge Learn more about previous winners of the Mayoral Prize in Primary Care

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Boston Honors Health Care Without Harm With 2012 Mayoral Prize in Primary Care

Health Care Is No. 2 Concern on Voters' Minds

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THURSDAY, Oct. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Health care is now the second most important issue in the presidential election, topped only by concerns about the economy, according to a study that analyzed 37 national opinion polls.

That's the highest health care has ranked as a presidential election issue since 1992, according to the researchers.

The study also found that voters who consider health care the top issue are more likely to side with President Barack Obama over challenger Mitt Romney on the Affordable Care Act and Medicare.

The analysis of survey data, conducted by 17 different organizations, revealed that 20 percent of respondents said health care/Medicare was the most important issue in their 2012 voting choice. The economy and jobs was first, at 51 percent.

Voters who said health care/Medicare was the most important issue were much more supportive of the Affordable Care Act than the general public. Forty-one percent of such voters said they were much less likely to vote for a candidate who would repeal all or part of the act, while 14 percent said they were much more likely to vote for such a candidate.

An average of current polls shows that about 44 percent of people support the act and 45 percent oppose it.

The study also found that 27 percent of people support and 66 percent oppose changing Medicare to provide seniors with a fixed amount of money they could use to buy either private health insurance or Medicare coverage.

Among voters who said health care/Medicare is the most important issue, 39 percent said they were much less likely to vote for a candidate who supported such a change in Medicare, and 11 percent said they were much more likely to vote for such a candidate.

The study was published online Oct. 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"The economy dominates most voters' thinking in terms of their priorities for choosing a candidate," study co-author Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said in a school news release. "But in a close election, the two candidates' stands on health care issues could help swing the balance among some voters."

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Health Care Is No. 2 Concern on Voters' Minds

DKFZ and Genetic Immunity Sign Collaboration Agreement to Develop HPV Therapeutic Vaccine

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HEIDELBERG, GERMANY and BUDAPEST, HUNGARY--(Marketwire - Oct 12, 2012) - Genetic Immunity ( OTCBB : PWRV ), a leader in immunotherapy technology product development, and DKFZ (German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany) signed a collaborative agreement to develop a DNA-based vaccine for the treatment of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection that causes cervical cancer and other cancers of the anus, penis, vulva, vagina, and oropharynx. Present HPV vaccines (Cervarix, Gardasil) have no therapeutic effect on HPV-related diseases, so they will not treat existing diseases or conditions caused by HPV.

The Division of Genome Modifications and Carcinogenesis led by Prof. Dr. Lutz Gissmann will initiate a preclinical research program to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the DKFZ's HPV-specific plasmid DNA using Genetic Immunity's nanomedicine formulation and Langerhans cell-targeting administration technologies. DKFZ is a world leading research center in tumor virology. Harald zur Hausen was awarded the Nobel Medicine Prize for his work on HPV-caused cancer of the cervix. Zur Hausen, former Scientific Director of the German Cancer Research Center, is recognized for finding that cervical cancer is caused by viral infections. His research made it possible to develop a vaccine against one of the most frequent cancers in women. Zur Hausen shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine with Franoise Barr-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier for discovering HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

"There is a huge unmet medical need for such cancer vaccine, because vaccines we have developed earlier do not provide protection against cancer when used for treatment of existing conditions caused by HPV. Our goal is to provide protection against cancer for patients after the onset of sexual activity, after they might be exposed to HPV," said Dr. Julianna Lisziewicz, CEO of Genetic Immunity.

Genetic Immunity has successfully tested in clinical trials DermaVir, a candidate immunotherapy for the cure of HIV. This new collaboration is using the clinically proven technology expanding the pipeline to another deadly viral disease that causes cancer. The partners will test whether HPV-specific memory T cells induced by Genetic Immunity's nanomedicine products could protect against cancer after infection has occurred.

"We found that Genetic Immunity technology is unique to target the vaccine DNA into the nucleus of the Langerhans cells. We believe that it will provide a breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy. We pioneered HPV prophylactic vaccines with new innovations and we would like to expand this tradition to therapeutic setting," said Dr. Prof. Gissmann of DKFZ.

Genetic Immunity is a wholly owned subsidiary of Power of the Dream Ventures, Inc. ( OTCBB : PWRV ).

About Genetic Immunity

Genetic Immunity, part of Power of the Dream Ventures, Inc. (PWRV), is a clinical stage technology company committed to discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing a new class of immunotherapeutic biologic drugs for the treatment of viral infections, cancer and allergies. Our Langerhans cell-targeting nanomedicines are exceptional in both safety and immune modulating activity boosting specific Th1-type central memory T cells. These are essential to eliminate infected cells or cancerous cells, and balance the immune reactivity in response to allergens.

In 1988 Drs. Lisziewicz and Lori founded Genetic Immunity in the US after they described the 1st patient whose immune system was boosted to control HIV after treatment interruption (Lisziewicz et al. New England Journal of Medicine 1999) that lead to the invention of DermaVir. The Company's innovative technology team directed by Dr. Lisziewicz, a champion of immune boosting therapies, is now headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. She has been invited into the Scientific Advisory Board of the HIV Cure Initiative led by Francoise Barre-Sinoussi Nobel Prize Laureate for her HIV research in 2009. For more information please visit http://www.geneticimmunity.com

About DKFZ

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DKFZ and Genetic Immunity Sign Collaboration Agreement to Develop HPV Therapeutic Vaccine

New gene test flags risk of serious complications in sarcoidosis

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2012) Researchers at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System have identified a genetic signature that distinguishes patients with complicated sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that can be fatal, from patients with a more benign form of the disease. The gene signature could become the basis for a simple blood test.

Their findings are reported online in the journal PLOS ONE.

In sarcoidosis, tiny clumps of abnormal tissue form in organs of the body. These clusters of immune cells, called granulomas, cause inflammation. Sarcoidosis can occur in the lymph nodes, liver, eyes, skin or other tissues, but almost always also in the lungs. The cause of the disease is unknown. African Americans are at higher risk for the disease and for more severe cases.

"One of the perplexing aspects of this disease is that two thirds of the people who get sarcoidosis get better with only minimal therapy," says Dr. Joe G.N. "Skip" Garcia, vice president for health affairs at the University of Illinois and principle investigator on the study.

But one third of patients go on to develop complicated sarcoidosis -- neurologic sarcoidosis, cardiac sarcoidosis and progressive lung disease, Garcia said. Complicated sarcoidosis can leave patients with lung damage, and in a small percentage of cases the disease can be fatal.

The challenge, Garcia says, is that there is no difference in the clinical presentation between patients with simple sarcoidosis and those who will go on to develop more serious disease.

The researchers took blood from patients with simple and complicated sarcoidosis as well as patients without the disease to look for a pattern of gene expression unique to complicated sarcoidosis.

They were able to identify a distinct 20-gene pattern of gene expression that could reliably identify those most likely to progress to complicated sarcoidosis.

A 31-gene expression signature had been identified previously, but a smaller panel of genes makes the new test less expensive and more useful clinically, said Garcia.

"We are dedicated to looking for new insights as well as new therapies for sarcoidosis and hope to someday be able to identify people at risk for it ahead of time," Garcia said.

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New gene test flags risk of serious complications in sarcoidosis

Scientists discover that shape matters in DNA nanoparticle therapy

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Public release date: 12-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Megan Fellman fellman@northwestern.edu 847-491-3115 Northwestern University

Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Northwestern universities have discovered how to control the shape of nanoparticles that move DNA through the body and have shown that the shapes of these carriers may make a big difference in how well they work in treating cancer and other diseases.

This study, to be published in the Oct. 12 online edition of the journal Advanced Materials, is also noteworthy because this gene therapy technique does not use a virus to carry DNA into cells. Some gene therapy efforts that rely on viruses have posed health risks.

"These nanoparticles could become a safer and more effective delivery vehicle for gene therapy, targeting genetic diseases, cancer and other illnesses that can be treated with gene medicine," said Hai-Quan Mao, an associate professor of materials science and engineering in Johns Hopkins' Whiting School of Engineering.

Mao, co-corresponding author of the Advanced Materials article, has been developing nonviral nanoparticles for gene therapy for a decade. His approach involves compressing healthy snippets of DNA within protective polymer coatings. The particles are designed to deliver their genetic payload only after they have moved through the bloodstream and entered the target cells. Within the cells, the polymer degrades and releases DNA. Using this DNA as a template, the cells can produce functional proteins that combat disease.

A major advance in this work is that Mao and his colleagues reported that they were able to "tune" these particles in three shapes, resembling rods, worms and spheres, which mimic the shapes and sizes of viral particles. "We could observe these shapes in the lab, but we did not fully understand why they assumed these shapes and how to control the process well," Mao said. These questions were important because the DNA delivery system he envisions may require specific, uniform shapes.

To solve this problem, Mao sought help about three years ago from colleagues at Northwestern. While Mao works in a traditional wet lab, the Northwestern researchers are experts in conducting similar experiments with powerful computer models.

Erik Luijten, associate professor of materials science and engineering and of applied mathematics at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-corresponding author of the paper, led the computational analysis of the findings to determine why the nanoparticles formed into different shapes.

"Our computer simulations and theoretical model have provided a mechanistic understanding, identifying what is responsible for this shape change," Luijten said. "We now can predict precisely how to choose the nanoparticle components if one wants to obtain a certain shape."

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Scientists discover that shape matters in DNA nanoparticle therapy

Shape matters in DNA nanoparticle therapy

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2012) Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Northwestern universities have discovered how to control the shape of nanoparticles that move DNA through the body and have shown that the shapes of these carriers may make a big difference in how well they work in treating cancer and other diseases.

This study, published in the Oct. 12 online edition of Advanced Materials, is also noteworthy because this gene therapy technique does not use a virus to carry DNA into cells. Some gene therapy efforts that rely on viruses have posed health risks.

"These nanoparticles could become a safer and more effective delivery vehicle for gene therapy, targeting genetic diseases, cancer and other illnesses that can be treated with gene medicine," said Hai-Quan Mao, an associate professor of materials science and engineering in Johns Hopkins' Whiting School of Engineering.

Mao, co-corresponding author of the Advanced Materials article, has been developing nonviral nanoparticles for gene therapy for a decade. His approach involves compressing healthy snippets of DNA within protective polymer coatings. The particles are designed to deliver their genetic payload only after they have moved through the bloodstream and entered the target cells. Within the cells, the polymer degrades and releases DNA. Using this DNA as a template, the cells can produce functional proteins that combat disease.

A major advance in this work is that Mao and his colleagues reported that they were able to "tune" these particles in three shapes, resembling rods, worms and spheres, which mimic the shapes and sizes of viral particles. "We could observe these shapes in the lab, but we did not fully understand why they assumed these shapes and how to control the process well," Mao said. These questions were important because the DNA delivery system he envisions may require specific, uniform shapes.

To solve this problem, Mao sought help about three years ago from colleagues at Northwestern. While Mao works in a traditional wet lab, the Northwestern researchers are experts in conducting similar experiments with powerful computer models.

Erik Luijten, associate professor of materials science and engineering and of applied mathematics at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-corresponding author of the paper, led the computational analysis of the findings to determine why the nanoparticles formed into different shapes.

"Our computer simulations and theoretical model have provided a mechanistic understanding, identifying what is responsible for this shape change," Luijten said. "We now can predict precisely how to choose the nanoparticle components if one wants to obtain a certain shape."

The use of computer models allowed Luijten's team to mimic traditional lab experiments at a far faster pace. These molecular dynamic simulations were performed on Quest, Northwestern's high-performance computing system. The computations were so complex that some of them required 96 computer processors working simultaneously for one month.

In their paper, the researchers also wanted to show the importance of particle shapes in delivering gene therapy. Team members conducted animal tests, all using the same particle materials and the same DNA. The only difference was in the shape of the particles: rods, worms and spheres.

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Shape matters in DNA nanoparticle therapy

Shape matters in DNA nanoparticle therapy: Particles could become a safer, more effective delivery vehicle for gene …

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2012) Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Northwestern universities have discovered how to control the shape of nanoparticles that move DNA through the body and have shown that the shapes of these carriers may make a big difference in how well they work in treating cancer and other diseases.

This study, to be published in the Oct. 12 online edition of the journal Advanced Materials, is also noteworthy because this gene therapy technique does not use a virus to carry DNA into cells. Some gene therapy efforts that rely on viruses have posed health risks.

"These nanoparticles could become a safer and more effective delivery vehicle for gene therapy, targeting genetic diseases, cancer and other illnesses that can be treated with gene medicine," said Hai-Quan Mao, an associate professor of materials science and engineering in Johns Hopkins' Whiting School of Engineering.

Mao, co-corresponding author of the Advanced Materials article, has been developing nonviral nanoparticles for gene therapy for a decade. His approach involves compressing healthy snippets of DNA within protective polymer coatings. The particles are designed to deliver their genetic payload only after they have moved through the bloodstream and entered the target cells. Within the cells, the polymer degrades and releases DNA. Using this DNA as a template, the cells can produce functional proteins that combat disease.

A major advance in this work is that Mao and his colleagues reported that they were able to "tune" these particles in three shapes, resembling rods, worms and spheres, which mimic the shapes and sizes of viral particles. "We could observe these shapes in the lab, but we did not fully understand why they assumed these shapes and how to control the process well," Mao said. These questions were important because the DNA delivery system he envisions may require specific, uniform shapes.

To solve this problem, Mao sought help about three years ago from colleagues at Northwestern. While Mao works in a traditional wet lab, the Northwestern researchers are experts in conducting similar experiments with powerful computer models.

Erik Luijten, associate professor of materials science and engineering and of applied mathematics at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-corresponding author of the paper, led the computational analysis of the findings to determine why the nanoparticles formed into different shapes.

"Our computer simulations and theoretical model have provided a mechanistic understanding, identifying what is responsible for this shape change," Luijten said. "We now can predict precisely how to choose the nanoparticle components if one wants to obtain a certain shape."

The use of computer models allowed Luijten's team to mimic traditional lab experiments at a far faster pace. These molecular dynamic simulations were performed on Quest, Northwestern's high-performance computing system. The computations were so complex that some of them required 96 computer processors working simultaneously for one month.

In their paper, the researchers also wanted to show the importance of particle shapes in delivering gene therapy. Team members conducted animal tests, all using the same particle materials and the same DNA. The only difference was in the shape of the particles: rods, worms and spheres.

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Shape matters in DNA nanoparticle therapy: Particles could become a safer, more effective delivery vehicle for gene ...

How NYC Transformed Times Square Into a Cultural Icon [Architecture]

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Say hello to the world's most visited destinationTimes Square in New York City. This single attraction hosts more visitors every year than Canadia has residents. This collection of shots from our friends at Oobject illustrate the Square's radical evolution over the past century from former NYT publishing house to giant, glitter ball-topped billboard.

Be sure to also take a tour of the New York Skyline, check out some New York Futurism, and these images of the Real New York City.

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How NYC Transformed Times Square Into a Cultural Icon [Architecture]

National Leaders Support "Freedom From Workplace Bullies Week" Mary Kay Henry (SEIU), Hilary O. Shelton (NAACP), MG …

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Workplace Bullying Institute hosts a press conference on Monday Oct. 15, 10-11 am in the Zenger Room at the National Press Club, Washington, DC. The event commemorates WBI's 5th annual "Freedom From Workplace Bullies Week" Oct. 14-20.

Support for the movement to stop bullying in the American workplace and to enact state legislation to compel employer action will be expressed by a coalition of special guests:

Gary Namie, PhD, WBI Director will host the conference and include brief presentations from State Coordinators from Massachusetts, Virginia & West Virginia all working to enact WBI's anti-bullying Healthy Workplace Bill. HWB has been introduced in 21 states since 2003. Ending the conference will be two first-person accounts of bullying by Neil Dias and Susan Rae Baker.

Dr. Namie describes Freedom Week as "the chance to break through the shame and silence surrounding abuse at work. It is a week to be daring and bold."

WBI is the first and only U.S. organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying that combines help for individuals, research, books, public education, training for professionals-unions-employers, legislative advocacy, and consulting solutions for organizations.

Contact: Gary Namie, O: 360.656.6630, Cell: 360.220.5158 namie@workplacebullying.org WBI: http://workplacebullying.org Freedom Week: http://workplacebullying.org/freedom-week HWB: http://healthyworkplacebill.org

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National Leaders Support "Freedom From Workplace Bullies Week" Mary Kay Henry (SEIU), Hilary O. Shelton (NAACP), MG ...

Government of Canada Supports the Expansion of a London-Area Technology Company

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For immediate release October12, 2012

London, OntarioSusan Truppe, Member of Parliament for London North Centre and Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced today a Government of Canada investment that will help Cyborg Trading Systems grow and increase the global market presence of its trading technology.

"Our government is proud to support the efforts of southern Ontario companies that want to grow and compete in the global marketplace," said MPTruppe. "Investing in innovative companies like Cyborg Trading Systems will result in high-quality jobs in the region and put southern Ontario on the map as a leader in the world's information and communications technology industry."

London-based Cyborg Trading Systems develops trading technology for global financial firms. The technology uses computerized algorithms to automate the process of trading and managing the risk of financial instruments such as stocks, bonds and options.

Through FedDev Ontario's Prosperity Initiative, Cyborg Trading Systems will receive up to $381,500 to increase its resourcesboth technological and humanto help the company capitalize on existing market gaps, expand its operations, and bring its products to market globally. This is expected to create 16 new highly technical jobs in the region, more than doubling the company's current workforce.

"The FedDev Ontario investment will allow us to rapidly scale our global growth strategy by allowing us to accelerate our plans to hire top Canadian talent," said James McInnes, founder and CEO of Cyborg Trading Systems. "We have a unique opportunity to be a world leader in the financial technology industry and this investment will take us one step closer to this goal."

For more information on this project and the Prosperity Initiative, please refer to the backgrounder.

Created in 2009, FedDev Ontario supports the southern Ontario economy by building on the region's strengths and creating opportunities for jobs and economic growth. The Agency has launched a number of initiatives to create a Southern Ontario Advantage and place the region in a strong position to compete in the global economy. These initiatives are designed to encourage partnerships and support projects that help the region's businesses and communities become more competitive, innovative and diversified. To learn more, please visit http://www.FedDevOntario.gc.ca or call 1-866-593-5505.

Follow us on Twitter @FedDevOntario

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Government of Canada Supports the Expansion of a London-Area Technology Company

Red tide bloom moves farther offshore

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A red tide bloom is visible in this aerial photo taken off Brohard Beach near the Venice Airport. The Venice Fishing Pier is on the left.

Staff report

SARASOTA COUNTY - An expansive red tide bloom has moved far enough south of Sarasota County to give beaches a respite from piles of dead fish.

Mote Marine Laboratory's Beach Conditions report indicated that almost all monitored beaches in the county are free of dead fish. Air quality is also good at all beaches.

The only beach where a few dead fish remained Thursday afternoon was Venice North Jetty. Mote monitors Manasota Key beach, Venice Beach, Venice North Jetty, Nokomis, Siesta and Lido.

Earlier in the week, thousands of dead fish killed by the toxic algae bloom washed ashore on Manasota Key, Venice beaches and Casey Key beaches. Siesta, Lido and Longboat keys were not affected.

SARASOTA COUNTY - An expansive red tide bloom has moved far enough south of Sarasota County to give beaches a respite from piles of dead fish.

Mote Marine Laboratory's Beach Conditions report indicated that almost all monitored beaches in the county are free of dead fish. Air quality is also good at all beaches.

The only beach where a few dead fish remained Thursday afternoon was Venice North Jetty. Mote monitors Manasota Key beach, Venice Beach, Venice North Jetty, Nokomis, Siesta and Lido.

Earlier in the week, thousands of dead fish killed by the toxic algae bloom washed ashore on Manasota Key, Venice beaches and Casey Key beaches. Siesta, Lido and Longboat keys were not affected.

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Red tide bloom moves farther offshore

Bizarre eyeball on Florida beach the latest in a weird week of sea creatures washing ashore

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It has been a strange week for things washing up on beaches around the world.

On Sunday,a seal was rescued on a beach in Eastbourne, UK, on the coast of the English Channel. The East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) quickly responded when the animal was reported, and found it with two strange puncture marks and covered in blood.

"We are not sure this stage what has caused the injuries but it may be the rough weather or fighting with another seal." said Trevor Weeks, the founder of WRAS.

The seal was otherwise healthy, and after recovering at RSPCA Mallydams,it should be released back into the wild.

The same day, authorities in Cape Town, South Africa, shut down the beaches at the south end of the city aftera 40 ton southern right whale washed up on the beach. Several great white sharks were spotted feeding on the whale until it fully washed up on shore.

[ Related: Borneo glow-in-the-dark mushrooms rare but do exist outside the psychedelic world ]

"At this stage it is unclear whether the whale was alive when the great white sharks attacked it or whether it died as a result of illness," said disaster management spokesman WilfredSolomons-Johannes, according to South African newspaper The Star.

The beaches remained closed through Monday, but were re-opened after the whale carcass was removed on Tuesday.

In a similar story, but an ocean away, on Wednesday, reports came in of a 7-metre long humpback whale calf washed up on shore near Burns Beach, north of Perth, Western Australia. The presence of the whale attracted the attention of great white sharks, which swam in sometimes right under surfers to feed. Authorities left the beaches in the area open while plans were made to remove the carcass. No statements have been made as to the cause of the whale's death.

In the most bizarre of these events, a bit closer to home, a man walking on Pompano Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesdaydiscovered something that seems more suited to a beach in Japan after Godzilla has fought one of his titanic kaiju foes. A giant eyeball.

Originally posted here:

Bizarre eyeball on Florida beach the latest in a weird week of sea creatures washing ashore

Aerospace engineer, 33, left paralysed from the neck down after street attack by drunken thug

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Samual Evans punched Matthew Edmonds to the ground where he hit his head and became paralysed Evans receives less than three years in prison which judge conceded was 'pathetic' Mr Edmonds arrived in court in his wheelchair to hear the sentence

By Martin Robinson

PUBLISHED: 05:51 EST, 12 October 2012 | UPDATED: 10:37 EST, 12 October 2012

Paralysed for life: Engineer Matthew Edmonds arrived at court to see Samuel Evans sentenced for an attack that left him in a wheelchair

An aerospace engineer has been left paralysed from the neck down and is facing life in a wheelchair after he was punched in the street by drunken yob Samuel Evans.

Matthew Edmonds, 33, now only has some limited movement in his arms as a result of the attack, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

Thug Evans was already subject to a suspended jail term for a previous assault when he lashed out at Mr Edmonds, causing him to fall and hit his head on a concrete floor.

The result of the punch was devastating for Mr Edmonds, a bachelor who worked as an aerospace testing engineer, the court was told.

Mr Edmonds was helped into court in his wheelchair so he could see Evans, of no fixed address, sentenced to a total of 34 months in jail.

Evans, of Stroud, had admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Edmonds on March this year.

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Aerospace engineer, 33, left paralysed from the neck down after street attack by drunken thug

Sonic cleared to buy WA’s Healthscope

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The competition regulator has allowed pathology and radiology provider Sonic Healthcare to buy the Healthscope pathology business in WA but won't allow Sonic to acquire Healthscope's pathology operations in Queensland.

Healthscope announced in May that it would sell its pathology businesses in Queensland, NSW, the ACT and WA to Sonic, subject to regulatory approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, for $100 million.

In August, the ACCC produced a statement of issues in relation to Sonic's proposed acquisition.

In September, Sonic backed away from acquiring the NSW/ACT business due to the time elapsed since the transaction was announced.

Sonic said today that it had received approval from the ACCC to acquire the WA business, for which Sonic will pay $18 million.

The sale is expected to be completed later in October.

But the ACCC had advised that it would not approve the acquisition by Sonic of Healthscope's Queensland pathology business.

Sonic said it and Healthscope were considering the ACCC's decision in respect of the Queensland business.

The ACCC said on Thursday that the proposed acquisition of the Queensland business was likely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in the market for the supply of community pathology services in Queensland.

"The proposed acquisition in Queensland would result in the removal of a substantial competitive constraint on the two major pathology providers in that state," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said in a statement.

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Sonic cleared to buy WA's Healthscope

Roanoke County Schools leading the way in school nutrition

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ROANOKE COUNTY, VA --

Kat Stackpole, Nutrition Manager at Bonsack Elementary likes to make eating healthy fun for kids and over the years a lot has changed in all of our local school systems including here in Roanoke County.

Years ago Roanoke County started taking fryers out of the kitchens in elementary and middle schools and just last year they removed the last of fryers in high schools now everything is baked only.

New this school year there is a push for better overall nutrition:

* Whole wheat rolls are one ounce

* Lower fat and lower sodium versions

* 2 fruits or vegetables instead of just one

Kathy hopes the younger kids develop lifelong healthy eating habits, "Hopefully they walk away here by the 5th grade knowing what to choose before they get to high school and are tempted by the other things."

While still keeping some healthy versions of comfort foods on the menu.

Kat says, "Our chicken nuggets today are skinless chicken nuggets and have a hint of BBQ flavor and the kids just love it."

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Roanoke County Schools leading the way in school nutrition

5 Food Trends to Watch

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I just got back from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo, the world's largest annual meeting of food and nutrition professionals. Registered dietitians (RDs), like myself, from all over the country (and even overseas) attend for up to four days of cutting-edge nutrition science research, educational presentations, lectures, debates, panel discussions, and culinary demonstrations.

My original plan was to write about my Expo discoveries, figuring I would find lots of new and exciting products to write about among the more than 350 food- and nutrition-related exhibitors. For many hours, I scoured the Expo floors looking for something new to jump out, until it hit me. I wasn't really going to find anything new, at least not new to me. As an RD who works with the media, I am always getting new research and information on products--long before those products hit supermarket shelves.

So, I decided instead to write about the food trends I observed. Here are four that I would like to see stick around, and a fifth that I'd like to see clarified:

1. Individual Serving Sizes

As the waistlines of Americans continue to expand, companies are manufacturing products that can be sold in individual serving sizes. Personally, I love this. My patients are taught to read nutrition facts labels, paying special attention to serving sizes. But the majority still have difficulty portioning out something that they are enjoying. However, a "100 calorie pack" of cookies with no nutritional benefit will never be as exciting to me as a "single serving" package of cheese, chocolate milk, or nuts.

2. Low Sodium

Ever since the government's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended 1,500 milligrams of sodium as the daily cap for African-Americans, adults older than 51, and for individuals with high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, companies have been trying to lower the sodium in their products. I don't really see a downside to this effort, since most companies were probably using more than they needed to begin with.

3. Less Added Sugar

I'm happy to report that this trend is still going strong. However, as I always point out to my patients, there's a difference between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar, such as sugar from fruit or dairy products. That's why it's important to read the ingredients listed on the label to see where the sugar is coming from. I was pleasantly surprised to see that a new dried cranberry product is being introduced, with 50 percent less added sugar than its original variety. I am typically a much bigger fan of fresh versus dried fruits, because of the high sugar content, but now I may be able to go both ways.

4. Whole Grains

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5 Food Trends to Watch

Media Asked To Increase Reportage On Nutrition Issues.

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Health News of Friday, 12 October 2012

Source: Mathias Aboba-Tamale

Ghanaian Journalists have been encouraged to use the powerful tool of the media to bring into the spotlight issues of nutrition for public attention and discussion so as to increase awareness of the impact of under nutrition among the population as a way to help generate solutions for optimal nutrition for increased productivity and national development. The called was made by the Mrs Wilhelmina Okawbi, Deputy Director in charge of nutrition, Ghana Health Services. Mrs Okwabi made the appeal during a days seminar on nutrition advocacy and reporting organized by the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with USAID for Journalists in the three regions of the north in Tamale. Presenting the 2011 Ghana nutrition profiles results Mrs Okwabi, pointed out that the major nutrition challenges in the country are; stunting (too short for age), wasting (low weight for height), anaemia (iron deficiency) and iodine deficiency. She mentioned some of the dire consequences of under nutrition to include: low productivity in adults, growth and learning impairment in children, reproduction challenges in women and mortality in all populations. Mrs Okwabi revealed that every in Ghana some 12,000 children die because their weight is too low for their age (underweight). According to her the survey has also shown that anaemia is very high in Ghana accounting for 20% of maternal mortality in the country. In her view, Ghana stands to gain tremendously if the nation is able to increase nutrition security to the population particularly women and young children. The nutrition profiles results for 2011 reveals that if Ghana is able to reduce stunting alone economic gains accruing to the country could exceed 720 million cedis (US$504 million) by 2020. The Northern Regional Director of Health Service Dr Akwesi Twumasi in his address to the participants said if Ghana does not place nutrition high on the national development agenda there is no way the country can achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); if at all we make some gains such gains are not sustainable and soon erode. Dr Twumasi charged journalist and health workers to be champions of nutrition to support change. On the role of the media in promoting nutrition, Esi Amoaful, Deputy Chief Nutrition Officer, Ghana Health Service, said the media as a powerful education tool can be used to sensitize the public about the importance of good sanitation and proper nutrition. She disclosed that one of the biggest nutrition challenges facing Ghanaians is the poor handling of food. Mrs Amoaful urged the media to take on the issue of people preparing and selling food and fresh meat to the public under insanitary conditions stressing no food is nutritious after it has been contaminated. Equally the media can play a key role in helping to change poor eating habits such as the eating of solely grains, fatty, and sugary foods while encouraging variety and balance diets and consumption of local foods. The one day seminar drew Journalists from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions to deliberate on ways of making nutrition a priority on the development agenda. It was under the theme: Build the future. Invest in nutrition now.

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Media Asked To Increase Reportage On Nutrition Issues.

Scientists focus on quorum sensing to better understand bacteria

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The relatively new field in microbiology that focuses on quorum sensing has been making strides in understanding how bacteria communicate and cooperate. Quorum sensing describes the bacterial communication between cells that allows them to recognize and react to the size of their surrounding cell population. While a cell's output of extracellular products, or "public goods," is dependent on the size of its surrounding population, scientists have discovered that quorum sensing, a type of bacterial communication, controls when cells release these public goods into their environments.

In a study appearing in the Oct. 12 issue of the journal Science, University of Washington researchers examine the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which colonizes in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. While most cells "cooperate" with each other by producing and sharing public goods when there are enough of their "friends" around, researchers have found that certain individual cells, known as "cheater cells," share in the use of these extracellular products without releasing any of these products themselves.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa these cheaters are quorum sensing mutants that don't make public goods in response to increasing population density. When the researchers manipulated the environment so that the cost of cell cooperation was high (so that the bacterial group had to produce a lot of public goods to survive), the cheater cells overtook the cooperating producer cells, the cooperators then became too rare, and the population collapsed. From this sequence of events, the researchers induced destabilization of cooperation. They also manipulated environmental conditions to restrict cheaters and stabilize cooperation. Scientists recognize this fundamental research as taking them steps closer to a different antibiotic-independent way to manage infections.

"Perhaps, one day, we'll be able to manipulate infections so that bacterial cooperation is destabilized and infections are resolved, "said Dr. Peter Greenberg, UW professor of microbiology and one of the three authors of the study.

"Biologists think of social interactions as being the push and pull between cooperation and conflict," he explained. "This is true of man and bacteria. Not so many years ago, people didn't think bacteria socialized at all. Now we are beginning to think we might manipulate bacterial social activity for the benefit of human health."

In the future, Greenberg said, this research may enable scientists to manipulate bacterial conditions in order to cause cell populations of dangerous pathogens to collapse.

"By learning about the fundamentals of quorum sensing control of cell cooperation, we are beginning to have a glimmer of insight into how to control and manipulate infecting populations of P. aeruginosa and other dangerous pathogens with similar systems," Greenberg said. "We've also gained new insights into how cell cooperation can be stably maintained in biology. It is much more straightforward to study sociality in bacteria than in animals. The payoffs may be in understanding what drives cooperation and conflict in general, and in developing strategies for infection control. "

More information: "Bacterial Quorum Sensing and Metabolic Incentives to Cooperate," by A.A. Dandekar et al., Science, 2012.

Journal reference: Science

Provided by University of Washington

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Scientists focus on quorum sensing to better understand bacteria

How bacteria communicate using quorum sensing: Could bacteria be manipulated to control infections?

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2012) The relatively new field in microbiology that focuses on quorum sensing has been making strides in understanding how bacteria communicate and cooperate. Quorum sensing describes the bacterial communication between cells that allows them to recognize and react to the size of their surrounding cell population. While a cell's output of extracellular products, or "public goods," is dependent on the size of its surrounding population, scientists have discovered that quorum sensing, a type of bacterial communication, controls when cells release these public goods into their environments.

In a study appearing in the Oct. 12 issue of the journal Science, University of Washington researchers examine the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which colonizes in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. While most cells "cooperate" with each other by producing and sharing public goods when there are enough of their "friends" around, researchers have found that certain individual cells, known as "cheater cells," share in the use of these extracellular products without releasing any of these products themselves.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa these cheaters are quorum sensing mutants that don't make public goods in response to increasing population density. When the researchers manipulated the environment so that the cost of cell cooperation was high (so that the bacterial group had to produce a lot of public goods to survive), the cheater cells overtook the cooperating producer cells, the cooperators then became too rare, and the population collapsed. From this sequence of events, the researchers induced destabilization of cooperation. They also manipulated environmental conditions to restrict cheaters and stabilize cooperation. Scientists recognize this fundamental research as taking them steps closer to a different antibiotic-independent way to manage infections.

"Perhaps, one day, we'll be able to manipulate infections so that bacterial cooperation is destabilized and infections are resolved, "said Dr. Peter Greenberg, UW professor of microbiology and one of the three authors of the study.

"Biologists think of social interactions as being the push and pull between cooperation and conflict," he explained. "This is true of man and bacteria. Not so many years ago, people didn't think bacteria socialized at all. Now we are beginning to think we might manipulate bacterial social activity for the benefit of human health."

In the future, Greenberg said, this research may enable scientists to manipulate bacterial conditions in order to cause cell populations of dangerous pathogens to collapse.

"By learning about the fundamentals of quorum sensing control of cell cooperation, we are beginning to have a glimmer of insight into how to control and manipulate infecting populations of P. aeruginosa and other dangerous pathogens with similar systems," Greenberg said. "We've also gained new insights into how cell cooperation can be stably maintained in biology. It is much more straightforward to study sociality in bacteria than in animals. The payoffs may be in understanding what drives cooperation and conflict in general, and in developing strategies for infection control. "

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How bacteria communicate using quorum sensing: Could bacteria be manipulated to control infections?

Prosecution: Velez' DNA found on knife used in Hudson murders

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The DNA of Idelfonso Velez was discovered on the kitchen knife authorities say was used to stab Trisha Bennett and Angel Ortiz to death in 2010.

Velez, 29, of Framingham, is on trial in Middlesex Superior Court on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Bennett and Ortiz, who were found stabbed to death inside their Hudson apartment in May 2010.

Andrea Borchardt-Gardner, a senior DNA analyst with Bode Technology in Virginia, told jurors Thursday she tested several DNA samples from the handle, tip and the recasso, the portion of the knife where the handle meets the blade. She found the samples matched Velezs DNA.

The probability of a randomly selected, unrelated person matching the DNA from the profile on the handle, tip and recasso is 1 in 2.8 quintillion, said Borchardt-Gardner.

The current world population is estimated to be about 7 billion, said Borchardt-Gardner.

"I can say to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty that Mr. Velez is the source of that DNA profile," said Borchardt-Gardner.

Borchardt-Gardner also testified Thursday that Bennetts DNA was found on the recasso portion of the knife. The probability of a randomly selected, unrelated person matching Bennetts DNA from the recasso section of the knife is 1 in 3.1 trillion.

Earlier this week, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Kevin Murphy said Velez told him that he entered Ortiz and Bennetts bedroom the night of the murders after hearing Bennett scream "baby, baby, baby."

Velez told Murphy that a man with a knife was standing over Ortiz and then attacked him before dropping the knife as he was running from the apartment. Velez then picked up the knife for his safety and placed it in the kitchen sink, said Murphy.

Alanna Frederick, a chemist with the Massachusetts State Police, also told jurors that DNA tested from a swab of blood spatter on the left thigh of the jeans Velez wore the night of the murders matched the DNA of both Velez and Bennett.

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Prosecution: Velez' DNA found on knife used in Hudson murders

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