An Iowa Senate Democrat is trying to organize a bipartisan summit meeting on health care, but he's getting a cool reception from Republicans. Sen. Jack Hatch of Des Moines said Thursday that he wants Iowa leaders to get together soon after the U.S.
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Health care and the Affordable Care Act are very complicated subjects with many moving parts. My goal is to bring simplicity and understanding of the health care system and the law to everyday people. With understanding the system and the problems, we can work together toward solutions.
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Despite a dismal health-care worker hand washing record in Edmonton, a local health professor says the germ spreading problem starts at home.
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Hon Tariana Turia
Associate Minister of Health
8 June 2012 Speech
Inside and Out Improving primary health care for current and former inmates and their whnau
Nordmeyer Theatre, University of Otago Wellington
I want to acknowledge Te Rp Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pmare, and Regional Public Health for your initiative in holding this hui today and in particular to mihi to Bridget Robson, as Associate Dean, Mori and Director for your commitment to the kaupapa of primary health care and Peter Gush, Regional Public Health.
I want to also acknowledge the vision behind today, which I understand was inspired by the work of two people: the prisoner reintegration project led by Sione Feki, and the work on continuity of care pioneered by Dr Paula King, a public health registrar. Tn krua.
I also want to mihi to a long time advocate, Kim Workman, for his commitment to this issue.
The unique set of challenges that emerge from the interface between the Corrections system and the healthcare system have challenged many of us for many years and it is a sign of progress that today marks a new milestone in this regard.
As I look around this room at old friends, respected colleagues, people who have pushed the boundaries in so many ways, it seems a remarkable coming together; this is the day that Justice meets Health and Health meets Justice.
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This week, we had six leading legal experts debating the Supreme Court’s upcoming health care ruling. Learn what the group said about the next steps after the court rules.
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Barack Obama and his team know the health care law will be the defining legislative accomplishment of his term.
But that doesnt mean they want it to be the defining issue of the 2012 campaign.
The Supreme Court, of course, has other ideas. Later this month, the Roberts Court is expected to rule on the Affordable Care Act. The justices questions during arguments are a notoriously unpredictable guide but conventional wisdom predicts the law will at least be stripped of its keystone provision, the mandate that nearly every American buy their own health insurance. The court could even bring down the whole law.
Obamas brain trust believes public opinion about the law is already locked in, and the decision is coming early enough in the cycle that it wont have a huge impact on the race.
(See also: 10 best pro and con health care quotes)
The election will be about the economy. Period. Health care only matters in the context of the larger economy, a top Democrat with close ties to the campaign told POLITICO.
The presidents aides have vehemently denied the administration is prepping for the law to be overturned or gutted and theres good reason to downplay the notion they are scheming behind closed doors. Why antagonize the justices? Why admit the law might be unconstitutional?
But there is undeniable danger in the optics of an election-year health care defeat, just as there was in early 2010 when the bill teetered. Obama simply cant allow health care to be a Jimmy Carter-in-the-desert moment, proof that he recklessly, fecklessly pushed through a doomed law at the expense of focusing on the economy and jobs.
So quiet plans are under way inside the administration under the cone, away from the prying eyes of the press, advocates and Hill aides, according to people close to the situation.
These are the three main scenarios Obama is likely gaming out the ugly, the bad and the good in that order.
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Scientists map babys genetic code in womb
By John von Radowitz
Friday, June 08, 2012
An unborn babys whole genetic code has been mapped in the womb using DNA taken from its parents.
The technique could in future make it possible to swiftly scan for some 3,500 genetic disorders before birth, without physically disturbing either foetus or mother.
But scientists acknowledge the ability to sequence a babys whole genome in the womb has as yet unresolved ethical implications.
It could produce a wealth of data relating to a babys future health. At the same time, difficult questions may be raised about the moral case for termination.
Most pre-natal genetic screening currently involves tapping fluid from the foetal sac, or taking placental samples. Such invasive methods can only identify a small number of birth defects including Downs syndrome, and spina bifida.
They also pose risks for both mother and child. But there are thousands of rarer genetic conditions that are seldom spotted until they start producing symptoms.
The new research involved analysing DNA shed by the foetus and floating in the mothers bloodstream. Blood sample DNA from the mother was also studied as well as DNA extracted from the fathers saliva.
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ScienceDaily (June 7, 2012) A team of UC Davis investigators has found that a genetic mutation may play an important role in the development of prostate cancer. The mutation of the so-called p53 (or Tp53) gene was previously implicated in late disease progression, but until now has never been shown to act as an initiating factor. The findings may open new avenues for diagnosing and treating the disease.
The study was published online in the journal Disease Models & Mechanisms and will appear in the November 2012 print edition in an article titled, "Initiation of prostate cancer in mice by Tp53R270H: Evidence for an alternate molecular progression."
"Our team found a molecular pathway to prostate cancer that differs from the current conventional wisdom of how the disease develops," said Alexander Borowsky, associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and principal investigator of the study. "With this new understanding, research can go in new directions to possibly develop new diagnostics and refine therapy."
Prostate cancer is the leading cancer diagnosis in men in the United States. Although it is curable in about 80 percent of men with localized disease, the rate is much lower if the cancer is highly virulent and has spread beyond the prostate gland.
The investigators developed a mouse model genetically engineered to have a mutation in the "tumor suppressor" gene, p53, specifically in the cells of the prostate gland. These mice were significantly more likely to develop prostate cancer than control mice without the mutation, and provided the first indication that the p53 mutation could be involved in the initiation of prostate cancer. They also note that the mutation of p53 in the prostate differs from loss or "knock-out" of the gene, which suggests that the mechanism is more complicated than simply a "loss of tumor suppression" and appears to involve an actively oncogenic function of the mutant gene.
The p53 gene encodes for a protein that normally acts as a tumor suppressor, preventing the replication of cells that have suffered DNA damage. Mutation of the gene, which can occur through chemicals, radiation or viruses, causes cells to undergo uncontrolled cell division. The p53 mutation has been implicated in the initiation of other malignancies, including breast, lung and esophageal cancers.
Other studies have associated p53 mutation with disease progression in prostate cancer, but this is the first to find that it can have a role in the early initiation of prostate cancer, as well.
Until now, understanding of the role of p53 was that mutation occurred exclusively as a late event in the course of prostate cancer. Based on the findings in the new mouse model that the researchers developed, p53 mutation not only can initiate prostate cancer but might also be associated with early progression toward more aggressive forms of the disease.
Genetic mutations can initiate cancers in a variety of ways. Those include promotion of uncontrolled cell growth and loss of the gene's normal cell growth-suppressor functions. Exactly how the p53 mutation promotes the initiation and progression of prostate cancer remains to be clarified and is a focus of current research by the UC Davis team. They also are trying to gain an understanding of how the p53 mutation affects the effectiveness of standard treatments for prostate cancer, such as radiation and hormone therapy.
Another application of the discovery could be the development of a new diagnostic test for prostate cancer based on the presence of the p53 mutation as a biomarker.
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New role for p53 genetic mutation -- initiation of prostate cancer
Washington, June 8 (ANI): New tests for genetic screening of unborn babies will not be 100 per cent accurate and may scare parents into believing their children will be born with a disability when they are healthy, a scientist has warned.
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Genetic screening of unborn babies 'may not be 100 pc accurate'
US scientists have mapped the genome of an unborn foetus, marking a significant breakthrough in genetic medicine but also one that raises profound ethical issues.
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SAN FRANCISCO--Genetic engineering could hold the key to artificially creating semiconductors in a lab. According to technology news site Ars Technica, a team of academics at the University of California, Santa Barbara is looking at ways to create synthetic proteins that could form new structures of silicon dioxide to make computer chips with.
These chips would then be used in all kinds of electronics.
The proteins could also form titanium dioxide, used in solar cells.
The process is a bit different from regular genetic engineering because it uses synthetic cells made of the randomly combined genes of two related silicateins replete with random mutations, surrounded by a nucleus of minute plastic beads.
The artificial cells are put through the proverbial wringer, killing many along the way. Those that survive the process have their genes cherry picked by the scientists from either the silicon or titanium dioxide-forming proteins.
The results were somewhat surprising, with researchers finding not just the original silicateins used to form the artificial cell in the first place, but also another, different gene.
Tests on the new gene found it contained a silica-forming protein which has been dubbed silicatein X1, which may prove useful in the making of folded sheets of silica-protein fibers.
Silica skeletons of radiolaria in false color
Now that scientists know its possible to create entirely different silica proteins, the next step will be to change the conditions in order to achieve things like semiconductor performance.
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June 7, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom FLORENCE, KY- Offense was not much of a factor for the second straight night thanks to the pitching of the Freedom's Daniel DeSimone and the Rascals' Preston Vancil. Florence, however, scratched enough runs off of River City's pitching staff, taking the second game of the series, 2-1.
For the second game in a row, pitching and defense commanded the game, as the runs were very limited. Florence's Daniel DeSimone made his third start of the year and first start at home. He was very good, as he allowed just one run on four hits in five innings of work.
The Freedom scored first when CF Cole Miles led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a single. Miles then stole 2nd and came around to score on a single by RF Peter Fatse. The one run he allowed came in the top of the 4th inning when DH Jason Patton scored on a double by 3B Josh Workman.
Manager Fran Riordan wanted to get his bullpen some work after not calling to them once the night before. After only tossing 55 pitches, DeSimone was taken out as RHP Matt Kline entered the ballgame to start the bottom of the 6th. Kline tossed two scoreless innings, striking out two and giving up just one hit. River City's Preston Vancil, a righty that pitched for the freedom from 2009-2011, had a good outing as well, allowing just one run on five hits in seven innings.
Submarine RHP Nick Kennedy entered the game in the 8th. With the game tied at 1-1, Kennedy got a quick two outs as Peter Fatse reached first as he bounced into a fielder's choice. Fatse then stole 2nd as 1B Eddie Rodriguez was at bat. On a 1-0 count, Rodriguez swung at a high fastball and popped it straight up. All the infielders came rushing towards the pitcher's mound to catch the popup, but the ball ended up falling the turf as no one took charge. Running on the pitch, Fatse came all the way around to score as Rodriguez was credited with an RBI-single.
Closer Jorge Marban entered the game in the top of the 9th and earned his 4th save of the season as punched out two in the inning. Brennan Flick, who pitched a scoreless 8th, came away with the victory, while the losing pitcher was River City's Nick Kennedy.
The Freedom go for the sweep against the Rascals tomorrow night at 7:05 pm, as Maxx Catapano (1-0) will face River City's Chandler Barnard(0-0) at the Home of the Florence Freedom.
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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Freedom Takes Second of Three from Rascals in Pitcher's Duel
A dog looks at a sea turtle returning to the Mediterranean Sea after it was set free by the Israeli Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in the coastal town of Palmachim, south of Tel Aviv.
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Narconon Freedom Center in Michigan is seeking additional certification to improve service. To this end they have started working with the nationally recognized Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).Albion, MI (PRWEB) June 08, 2012 Narconon Freedom Center in Michigan, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, is seeking additional certification to improve the ...
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Narconon Freedom Center In Michigan Seeks Additional Certification With CARF
ASPEN When Rod Stryker discovered yoga, he found it was just what he needed. His body was doing fine Stryker was just 19 at the time but his mind and spirit could use much calming.
I simply discovered stress at a young age. I was 19 and already starting to hit a wall, Stryker, now in his mid-50s, said. I had majored in philosophy and psychology at the University of Denver, and my first yoga class encapsulated more of my studies than three years of college.
Stryker pursued yoga with a seriousness of purpose. Two and a half years after beginning his practice he found his key teacher, a 70-something South African named Mani Finger who had lived in India and was instrumental in developing the Ishta technique that focused on an individual's specific needs. Stryker became the only American disciple of Finger to be given the title of Yogiraj, or master of yoga, and began teaching in Los Angeles.
As Stryker's reputation grew and he began receiving invitations to teach outside Southern California, he realized that not everyone saw yoga in the same way that he did. Where Stryker had been taught that yoga was useful for the entire being a grounding he calls exceptional he found that yoga had been introduced in America largely as a physical practice, and that most people viewed yoga as a tool for the body alone.
That's when I found my mission as a teacher to help students experience the far-reaching impact yoga could have in people's lives, Stryker said. What I had learned was unique. Most people were on the mind that yoga was about stretching, and the physical.
Stryker, who has lived in Missouri Heights for seven years, spreads his thoughts on yoga and more with an appearance on Saturday at the Wheeler Opera House as part of the Aspen Eco Fest. Stryker will talk and sign copies of his 2011 book, The Four Desires: Creating a Life of Purpose, Prosperity, Happiness, and Freedom. The appearance will be followed by a yoga rave on the Wheeler stage, featuring DJ Lior, percussionist Eden Vardy, and a handful of local yoga instructors.
Stryker notes that yoga's popularity in the U.S. began to explode about 15 years ago. Lagging behind, however, is the full recognition of yoga's potential benefits.
We've reduced the spectrum of what it can be, how it can benefit us, he said.
Stryker believes that 10 or 15 years ago, it might have been appropriate to treat yoga as a means toward physical health. But in his view, stress levels in the U.S. have increased to the point where yoga needs to address them.
As our need level increases, our teaching has to evolve, he said. Yoga had to be a practice about the mind, not just the body. There's only so much that can be done without the more subtle, mindful techniques.
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When we envision our transhumanist future, it's a little more profound than simply adding a sixth finger... but we suppose you've gotta start somewhere. Instructables user and employee Frenzy gave himself a rather primitive extra digit as part of a project for an Electronics and Robotics class at San Francisco State University. Sadly he doesn't provide step-by-step instructions for building your own cyborg appendage, but it doesn't seem too difficult. Frenzy borrowed heavily from other projects, using EMG sensors to trigger a servo controlled by an Arduino, which he strapped to the back of a glove. Like we said, doesn't seem particularly hard, once you figure out how to get the microcontroller to play nice with the sensors. Obviously this is just one small step step for DIY cyborgs. Next, we need to graph on a few extra arms to make one-man liveblogging a much simpler endeavor. To see Primitive Transhumanism #2: Sixth Finger in action, head on past the break.
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DIY cyborg appendage is less exciting than it sounds (video)
Beaches Arts and Crafts Show June 9 and 10. Ashley McEvoy, left, tries on a fascinator designed by Elizabeth Victoria-Stevens at her booth during last year's Beaches Arts and Crafts Show and Sale in Kew Gardens. This year's show takes place June 9 and 10, 2012 at Kew Gardens. Photo/MIKE POCHWAT
The event, which will be held Saturday, June 9 and Sunday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, will feature 150 Canadian artists, artisans and designers.
Proceeds from the juried show and sale will benefit Neighbourhood Link Support Services, a non-profit agency serving residents in east Toronto.
Admission is free and the event will take place rain or shine.
Created in 1984 by sisters Gaye Hachie and Maureen Warland, this year's event will be managed by Elyse Drouin.
Kew Gardens is near Queen Street East and Lee Avenue.
For more information, visit http://www.beachesartsandcraftsshow.ca
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Panaji, June 8 (IANS) Soon, no ducking behind a sand dune or a coconut palm to change in or out of your swimwear. The Goa beach experience is about to undergo a dramatic change with the state government formulating a shack policy, complete with freshwater showers and toilets.
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Posted: Fri, Jun 8, 2012, 6:41 AM ET (1041 GMT) Citing growing costs, NASA officials announced Thursday they were canceling a small x-ray astronomy mission that was still in the early stages of development. The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (GEMS) mission failed to pass a confirmation review by NASA last week, and the decision not to continue development of the mission was formally confirmed by the agency on Thursday. Officials said development of the instruments needed for the spacecraft was proving to be more difficult than originally planned, driving up costs and leading to cost overruns of 20 to 30 percent above its $119-million cost cap, based on independent analyses of the project. NASA will spend about $50 million on GEMS, including termination costs. The mission, part of NASA's Explorer program of small astrophysics mission, had planned to launch in late 2014 to study x-ray emissions from the vicinity of supermassive black holes and neutron stars.
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A remarkable new project is capable of magnifying tiny movements in human physiology, like heartbeats, blood flow, and breathing.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
It's like a magnifying glass for video: a special image processing filter designed by MIT researchers that lets you see body functions the human eye is too weak to pick up.
From monitoring a baby's breathing to detecting a person's pulse through their skin, the new technology could have far-reaching applications. It's called Eulerian Video Magnification, and it's incredible, reports Talking Points Memo's Carl Franzen:
The system works by selectively amplifying color variation between pixels in the video footage. It can also be applied to a still camera if the images are taken shortly after one another, on "burst" mode.
[...]
"After getting it to work for visualizing the human pulse, we then realized we could also amplify motion signals using a very similar technique," the researchers explained. "We noticed motion amplifications in our amplified human pulse signal, so we went back to understand that, and then figured out how to control and exploit it."
The MIT project has a grant from the Pentagon and also enjoys support from the computer graphics giant, Nvidia.
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Video: This Amazing Image Filter Lets Doctors See Under Your Skin