Health news update for someone special

Some one special in my life asked me to keep an eye out for important health news..... so here is the first of many updates:

Hazards: Steroids for Children Pose Danger of Chickenpox

Children taking medicines that contain steroids may be at risk for much more serious, even deadly, cases of chickenpox, a new study finds.

Writing in the November issue of Pediatrics, the researchers warn that the problem lies in the way steroids work, by suppressing the immune system.

http://tinyurl.com/b7omh

Panel Recommends Hepatitis A Vaccine for Children and Whooping Cough Shots for Adults

ATLANTA, Oct. 26 - Every toddler in the country should be immunized against hepatitis A, and every adult should receive booster doses of whooping cough vaccine, a panel advising the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unanimously recommended Wednesday.

Shots for hepatitis A, a liver disease that is rarely fatal but is easily spread, "should be integrated into the routine childhood vaccination schedule" and given between 1 and 2 years, the panel said.

http://tinyurl.com/cb79a

California Seeks to Stop the Use of Child Medical Interpreters

MERCED, Calif., Oct. 29 (AP) - Suffering from a variety of ailments but unable to communicate with her doctor, Ker Moua, a Laotian refugee, recently enlisted her 12-year-old son as her medical interpreter.

The boy, Jue, was the liaison between his mother, who speaks only Hmong, and the doctor who diagnosed a prolapsed uterus, a result of bearing 14 children. Ms. Moua began taking her medication in the doses her son described, but soon felt so dizzy she could not get out of bed for two days. Jue had mistranslated the doctor's orders, leading his mother to take the wrong dosage.

The error did not cause lasting harm, but it is the kind California medical officials want to prevent.

http://tinyurl.com/b367m

New study shows impact of birth order on maternal solicitousness towards children's GI symptoms

Research points to greater parental protectiveness for children of mothers with irritable bowel syndrome

HONOLULU, October 31, 2005 -- New research presented at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology suggests that birth order impacts child perceptions of maternal solicitousness toward GI symptoms, particularly in families where the mother has Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Researcher Rona L. Levy, Ph.D. and colleagues at the University of Washington and other institutions looked at whether parents respond differently to GI symptoms as a function of the child's birth order, and whether this relationship differs by maternal IBS status.

Researchers looked at survey data from 342 children of 228 mothers, 112 of whom had a diagnosis of IBS. The children completed the child-report version of the Adult Responses to Children's Symptoms Inventory (Van Slyke & Walker, 2004), which measures parental solicitousness. Items such as "When you have a stomach ache, how often do your parents let you stay home from school?" were designed to assess protectiveness.

Child perceptions of parental protectiveness differed as a function of birth order, with second and third born children perceiving greater parental protectiveness than did only children. This effect was apparent for children of mothers with IBS, but not for children of mothers who did not have IBS.

"I think parents do protect first-borns, but there is always the phenomenon of the family baby. In my personal experience, my youngest kid often calls out for more being taken care of, and I also think I always see her as younger - at every age - than her sisters were at the same age," commented Dr. Levy.

Earlier research by Dr. Levy published in 2004 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that children whose mothers made solicitous responses to illness complaints independently reported more severe stomach aches, and they had more school absences for stomach aches, but solicitous behavior did not significantly impact non-GI symptom reporting, clinic visits or school absences.

Given the established relationship between parental solicitousness and child disability, later born children may be at increased risk for such negative outcomes, particularly later born children of IBS mothers.

According to Shelby L. Langer, Ph.D., the lead author, "Future research is needed to examine how parents respond to children in a more 'protective' but potentially problematic way. Well-intended protectiveness may actually reinforce illness behavior rather than wellness behavior. As a result, children could miss more school or report more symptoms."

http://tinyurl.com/9t29x

Pedialyte and Gatorade equally effective in alleviating effects of viral gastroenteritis in children

HONOLULU, October 31, 2005 -- A double-blind trial of oral rehydration solutions for children with diarrhea and vomiting related to acute viral gastroenteritis found that Gatorade is as effective as Pedialyte in correcting dehydration and improving bowel symptoms. Satish S.C. Rao, M.D, Ph.D., FACG of the University of Iowa and colleagues at the Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad, India presented the study at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.

This study randomized 73 children in India with viral gastroenteritis to receive Gatorade, Pedialyte or a new oral rehydration solution with carbohydrates, sodium and potassium for 48 hours. The children also received a diet of yogurt and rice. Of the 61 children between ages 5 and 12 who completed the study, stool frequency, stool consistency and body weight improved in children taking all three of the solutions, and there was no difference among the solutions. The researchers found that all three solutions were safe. When asked to rate the taste, the patients rated Gatorade and the new solution higher than Pedialyte. The study was supported by a grant from The Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

A potassium deficiency, known as hypokalemia, persisted in a few patients receiving Gatorade after 48 hours. Patients who experienced hyponatremia, an electrolyte disturbance, experienced persisting symptoms for all three solutions. According to Dr. Rao, "A small number of patients with dehydration may have significant electrolyte disturbances. As they continue to rehydrate with oral rehydration solutions, a portion may continue to experience electrolyte imbalances, and additional treatment may be necessary."

About Actue Viral Gastroenteritis
Acute viral gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, is an illness of fever, diarrhea and/or vomiting caused by an infectious virus. It usually is of acute onset, normally lasting less than 10 days and self-limiting. It is often referred to as the "stomach flu" even though it is not related to influenza.

http://tinyurl.com/8pjm7

Because i was looking at research papers today, I found this on good writing

The secret of impressive writing? Keep it plain and simple

Writers who use long words needlessly and choose complicated font styles are seen as less intelligent than those who stick with basic vocabulary and plain text, according to new research from the Princeton University in New Jersey, to be published in the next edition of Applied Cognitive Psychology.

This implies that efforts to impress readers by using florid font styles and searching through a thesaurus may have the opposite effect.

Study author Daniel Oppenheimer based his findings on students' responses to writing samples for which the complexity of the font or vocabulary was systematically manipulated. In a series of five experiments, he found that people tended to rate the intelligence of authors who wrote essays in simpler language, using an easy to read font, as higher than those who authored more complex works.

"It's important to point out that this research is not about problems with using long words but about using long words needlessly," said study author Daniel Oppenheimer.

"Anything that makes a text hard to read and understand, such as unnecessarily long words or complicated fonts, will lower readers' evaluations of the text and its author."

The samples of text included graduate school applications, sociology dissertation abstracts, and translations of a work of Descartes. Times New Roman and italicised Juice font were used in samples to further assess the effect of fluency on rating levels.

Interestingly, by making people aware that the source of low fluency was irrelevant to judgement, Oppenheimer found that they overcompensated and became biased in the opposite direction. In a final experiment, he provided samples of text printed with normal and low printer toner levels. The low toner levels made the text harder to read, but readers were able to identify the toner as being responsible for the difficulty, and therefore didn't blame the authors.

"The continuing popularity amongst students of using big words and attractive font styles may be due to the fact that they may not realise these techniques could backfire," Oppenheimer noted.

"One thing seems certain: write as simply and plainly as possible and it's more likely you'll be thought of as intelligent."

http://tinyurl.com/7glhk

unusual houses for waterfront properties

I like Watermark, Orchid and Sundance houses, but then again I don't
know that I would want to live in them.... take a look for yourself:
http://tinyurl.com/cs2v8

A quick short comment on why astronauts should NOT have sex in space

http://tinyurl.com/7gypw

"On the other hand, keeping such [sexual] acts private is likely to tax even the most resourceful astronautic couple. Spacemen and spacewomen are constantly monitored for pulse and temperatures. A spot of high jinks in orbit is likely to fuse most remote sensors - and confuse mission control. In space, everyone can hear you moan."

Other items highlighted in the article are things like pregnancy and jealousy.

There are those who would argue that zero gravity sex is a selling point... I seem to remember one of the blurbs about the virgin atlantic space plane touting 'enough privacy for the hundred mile high club'... but I could be wrong.

Zevro Pasta Cooker

http://tinyurl.com/cbedv

its actually a pretty cool idea. A clear vertical pasta cooker that
also acts as a pasta storage place as well as a colander. Just add
pasta and boiling water.... some are claiming it saves energy and
water.... maybe in that you only need to wash one item instead of two
(pot and colander) but otherwise i don't really see it as an energy
saver.... it is a cool device....

though while looking though their site I found something (its not
hidden, so you'll see it too) called RAM but with no explination
other than that it comes in colors that fit my lifestyle..... anyone
know what it is? (look here: http://tinyurl.com/a9ym7 )

a clever closet door

http://amazingdoor.com/

not really certain how useful it is, but it is clever.
basically its two bookcases on a sliding track that turns them into
bifold doors to cover up your closet or your secret bat-cave styled
office.

to heck with the kids, I WANT ONE

You know, CMU has been talking about perfecting a computer in a pen for at least ten years.... the last time I checked (about 5 years ago) they said it was still 10 years away.  Well, leapfrog beat them to it.

thats right, leapfrog the children's learning games company.

http://tinyurl.com/9a2sw

From Gizmag:

October 25, 2005 Sometimes we write about technologies well in advance of actually hands-on experiencing them. Such was the case with the PenTop computer and although we were enthusiastic based on the specifications, once we tried it, the gravity and sheer importance of the product really shone through. The Pentop is a new computer platform and it is a significant one. First announced in New York City last January, the new platform transforms pen and paper into an interactive computer. With many creative and engaging learning applications available, the FLY Pentop Computer is targeted primarily at technology-savvy tweens (ages 8 - 13) and their parents. This week the Fly Pentop Computer finally hits the shelves across America.  Developed by well known, technology-based learning products marketer LeapFrog Enterprises,the Pentop has opened up an entirely new class of learning opportunities that were seemingly impossible to conceive of until now.

"Our new FLY Pentop Computer platform has completely blown the doors off of any prior learning products for tweens," said LeapFrog President Jerry Perez. "It's all about making learning accessible, engaging and effective, and we believe the FLY platform can make a very positive and enriching difference in the lives of busy tweens."

The new FLY Pentop Computer, a variety of specialized educational applications, games and accessories are available beginning today in the consumer electronics aisles of Walmart, Target, Toys 'R' Us, Best Buy, K-Mart and Circuit City across the country.

Dr. Robert Calfee, Dean Emeritus at the School of Education at the University if California, Riverside, and Chair of the LeapFrog Educational Advisory Board, states, "I am so impressed by the educational value of the FLY Pentop Computer. This new computing platform gives students the ability to engage fully in problem-solving and thinking with an innovative, intuitive and smart 21st Century tool. I'm particularly impressed with the potential opportunities for students to do genuine work in science and mathematics."

I also saw a write-up in a business mag, as well as (i think) wired.

this is just a cool toy

total waste of cash but....

http://tinyurl.com/bf6tk

From Gizmag:

Here's a novel way to make the most of your valuable time on the coach - the Draganflyer III remote controlled helicopter delivers full aerial manoeuvrability and high-speed flying for around five minutes at a time with the option of adding a micro-video Eyecam that can be watched live on television or recorded through a VCR of digital video camera. The battery operated helicopter has distinct advantages in size and weight over petrol driven models - three piezo gyros provide stability and the 70 cm long, lightweight carbon fibre and high impact nylon frame is means that when you inevitably crash land, the Draganflyer III will survive the impact.

Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the Draganflyer III is available in ten different frequencies so you can race simultaneously and the range is said to be limited only by your eye-sight. Full assembly of the model takes 30 minutes and flight times can be increased with the optional tether cord. Available online at www.rctoys.com, the Draganflyer III costs US$749 and the 2.4GHz Eyecam color video camera is US$149 extra.

stuff

good personal video player
http://tinyurl.com/box3b

A useful mod for your car, it wirelessly watches your tire pressure,
which can translate into better fuel efficiency.
http://tinyurl.com/76fba

A good way to get arrested on holloween for carrying concealed deadly
weapon
http://tinyurl.com/dxaal

(for sabrina) Secrets of the whale shark reveled.
http://tinyurl.com/cx4xy

Also for Sabrina, great white moves fast
http://tinyurl.com/ctdk4

Microgrids as peer to peer energy... interesting.
http://tinyurl.com/8ch4d

Rethinking the war on drugs.
http://tinyurl.com/9oqmx

Toy of the year.... down under
http://www.gizmag.com/go/4706/

Take that Babbage!

THE Antikythera mechanism

so all those whop believe that Babbage (ap?) made the worlds first calculator.... well your off by almost 1000 years its seems...

WHEN a Greek sponge diver called Elias Stadiatos discovered the wreck of a cargo ship off the tiny island of Antikythera in 1900, it was the statues lying on the seabed that made the greatest impression on him. He returned to the surface, removed his helmet, and gabbled that he had found a heap of dead, naked women. The ship's cargo of luxury goods also included jewellery, pottery, fine furniture, wine and bronzes dating back to the first century BC. But the most important finds proved to be a few green, corroded lumps—the last remnants of an elaborate mechanical device.

http://tinyurl.com/733e6

and a wikipedia article on it:

http://tinyurl.com/6kr53

oops.... we forgot to mention that we bulldozed that...

so the earth breathes through its forests and jungles..... and we have been chopping those down at an all to quick pace...... and now it seems we have been lying to ourselves about how quick that pace actually is....

Amazon 'stealth' logging revealed

http://tinyurl.com/as6qr

The Brazilian rainforest is being destroyed by human logging at more than twice the rate previously thought, a new satellite analysis reveals. The findings reinforce many ecologists’ belief that this type of forest destruction might be contributing to the area’s worst drought in 40 years.

http://tinyurl.com/76rur

I heard about this, but here is a cool application for it

When Erik Jacobson fell victim to a recent plague that ravaged the online game "World of Warcraft" and caused his character to squirt blood, he and other players laughed it off as a harmless bug that caused some temporary sickness.

The plague, which hit the virtual world in late September, quickly propagated, causing the temporary death of innumerable players and significant damage to large numbers of others. But it didn't have any lasting effect: Those hit by the disease were either healed or quickly reborn.

But to some scientists and educators, virtual reality outbreaks like the one that slammed "World of Warcraft" could prove a valuable tool for studying the spread of infectious diseases--as well as public response to them. The correlation between online and real-world behavior in the face of epidemics, they say, takes on heightened significance in the face of public-health threats like a potential avian flu pandemic.

http://tinyurl.com/ba27x

Basically they are studying the way it spread to see if it can teach any lessons for real world pandemics.

speilberg and games

Steven Spielberg, who worked his magic with ET, is now looking do the same with games giant Electronic Arts (EA).

The acclaimed film director has agreed to develop three original games with EA's Los Angeles studios.

could be amazing, could be terrible.... time will tell.

not everything he touches works out, much of his TV work sucked.

I guess it is those things he loves and really works on that shine.

http://tinyurl.com/9oec3

Mindset of a New Yorker

I was walking through the hallway at the NIH (clearly not in NY) and
a fellow I know asked me how things are. I responded:
"I'm still breathing, so how bad could they be?"
To me, that was an upbeat positive answer. I was saying 'I'm still
alive and happy to be so, nothing else can bother me'.
the fellow then asked me where I was from, I answered "born
elsewhere, raised in NY".
He said "Ahhh, thats where the cynicism comes from."
Since then I have been looking at the things I normally say, and
while I see them as positive, I now realize that many of them are
positive only in that they are discounting the negative. Sort of like
answering the question of "is the glass half empty or half full" by
saying 'its not more than half empty so I am happy' or maybe 'its
only half full, it could be better'

I wonder if its just me or if that pseudo-optimism is endemic of NYC
life.

Its About Time

The individual states that make up the union are taking environmental
problems into their own hands. The EPA has been turned into a
laughing stock by the current administration, so the states are, not
uniformly yet, taking their own actions.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1006/p01s04-uspo.html
well worth the short read.