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How Often Should Women Have Bone Tests?

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:01:10 +0000

How Often Should Women Have Bone Tests?

Experts recommend that older women have regular bone density tests to screen for osteoporosis. But it’s been unclear how often to repeat the tests. A study of nearly 5,000 women now reports that patients with healthy bone density on their first test might safely wait 15 years before getting rescreened.

Osteoporosis is a disorder marked by weakened bones and an increased risk of fractures. More than 40 million people nationwide either have osteoporosis or are at increased risk for broken bones because of low bone mineral density (osteopenia).

Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because it usually progresses slowly and without symptoms until a fracture occurs. When low bone density is identified early through screening, lifestyle changes and therapies can help protect bone health and reduce the risk of fractures. That’s why the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening of bone mineral density for women ages 65 and older.

To help doctors decide how often to repeat bone density tests in women who don’t have osteoporosis at their initial screening, a research team led by Dr. Margaret Gourlay of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill analyzed data on nearly 5,000 women, age 67 or older. The women were participants in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, a long-term nationwide study supported by NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Center for Research Resources (NCRR).

Researchers divided the women divided into 4 groups based on initial bone density tests that were either normal or showed mild, moderate or advanced osteopenia. They were given 2 to 5 bone density tests at varying intervals during the 15-year study period.

As reported in the January 19, 2012, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the scientists found that less than 1% of women who initially had normal bone mineral density went on to develop osteoporosis during the study. Only 5% of those with mildly low bone density at the start made the transition to osteoporosis. Overall, the data suggest that women in these 2 categories might safely wait about 15 years before being rescreened for osteoporosis.

The scientists also found that about 1 in 10 women with moderate osteopenia at baseline developed osteoporosis within 5 years. For those with advanced osteopenia at the start, about 10% had developed osteoporosis within a year, suggesting that 1-year screening intervals might be advisable for this group.

“If a woman’s bone density at age 67 is very good, then she doesn’t need to be rescreened in 2 years or 3 years, because we’re not likely to see much change,” Gourlay says. “Our study found it would take about 15 years for 10% of women in the highest bone density ranges to develop osteoporosis. That was longer than we expected, and it’s great news for this group of women.”

These findings can help guide doctors in their bone screening recommendations. Other risk factors, such age, medications or specific diseases, would also influence screening frequency.

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* The above story is reprinted from materials provided by National Institutes of Health (NIH)
** The National Institutes of Health (NIH) , a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency—making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. The National Institutes of Health is made up of 27 different components called Institutes and Centers. Each has its own specific research agenda. All but three of these components receive their funding directly from Congress, and administrate their own budgets.

How Often Should Women Have Bone Tests? is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

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Manganese May Prevent Toxin Damage

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:58:07 +0000

Manganese May Prevent Toxin Damage

A new study suggests that manganese, an essential nutrient, may prevent the deadly effects of Shiga toxin. The finding may lead to cheap, effective treatments for dangerous foodborne Shigella or E. coli infections, which currently affect millions worldwide.

Foodborne illness is often caused by bacteria that contaminate raw foods. To healthy people, most of these bacteria are harmless. Infections by bacterial strains that carry Shiga toxin, however, can lead to dangerous complications, including severe bloody diarrhea, kidney failure and even death. Shiga toxin is a protein produced by certain strains of Shigella and E. coli bacteria. When cells of the digestive tract take up Shiga toxin, it interferes with cellular functions and the cells die.

Ordinarily, dangerous proteins taken up by the cell are routed via a compartment called the endosome to the lysosome, where they’re destroyed. Shiga toxin, however, escapes this route by leaving the endosome and traveling through the Golgi apparatus to the cell’s protein production machinery. Once there, the toxin halts protein production and kills the cell.

In earlier research, scientists directed by Dr. Adam Linstedt of Carnegie Mellon University found that Shiga toxin uses a specific cellular protein, called GPP130, to bypass the cell’s defenses and avoid destruction. GPP130 ordinarily moves between the endosome and the Golgi apparatus. However, manganese disrupts this movement and causes the cell to break down GPP130. Linstedt and his colleagues reasoned that because manganese could divert GPP130, it might also affect Shiga toxin. Their work, funded by NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), appeared in the January 20, 2012, issue of Science.

Curious about the connection between GPP130 and Shiga toxin, the researchers broke the GPP130 protein into pieces. They found that Shiga toxin binds directly to one section of the GPP130 protein. This binding allows Shiga toxin to avoid destruction in the lysosome by piggybacking a ride on GPP130 as it leaves the endosome to travel to the Golgi.

When the scientists added manganese to the mix, GPP130 was destroyed by the cell. Without GPP130, Shiga toxin couldn’t escape from the endosome and instead moved to lysosomes for destruction.

The researchers next pretreated mice with several doses of manganese, and then gave the mice lethal doses of Shiga toxin. All the mice without pretreatment died within 4 days. All those pretreated with higher doses of manganese survived. This pretreatment experiment may not directly translate to clinical use. However, with further research, the scientists hope to find a manganese treatment that can be used as a preventative measure or at disease onset to prevent Shiga toxin-related death.

“While Shiga toxin infection affects people in the developed world, it affects far more people in the developing world. An inexpensive, accessible treatment—not a designer drug—is the ideal solution,” says Linstedt.

These findings point toward an inexpensive, life-saving treatment for millions worldwide. However, because excess manganese can cause serious side effects, more work must be done to determine if manganese can be safe and effective for use in humans.

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Manganese May Prevent Toxin Damage is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Looking Inside Viruses

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:52:20 +0000

Looking Inside Viruses

Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualize smaller and smaller structures to provide insights into the inner workings of human cells, bacteria and viruses. Now, researchers have developed a new way to see tiny structures within viruses.

Conventional cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has allowed researchers to image the surface of viruses in great detail. But scientists hadn’t been able to clearly visualize structures inside viruses. Cryo-EM procedures use radiation, and higher doses damage viruses, destroying the very structures researchers would like to view.

A team led by Dr. Alasdair Steven of NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and Dr. Lindsay Black at the University of Maryland Medical School was studying a type of virus that infects bacteria and so might one day be used to combat pathogens. Past studies showed that the virus, called ϕKZ, contains a cylindrical protein structure called the inner body. Those studies, however, used disrupted viruses. The inner body can’t be distinguished from the DNA that surrounds it in intact viruses using conventional cryo-EM.

In the January 13, 2012, issue of Science, the researchers described how they were able to turn the problem of radiation damage into an asset. They realized that the proteins inside the virus are more sensitive than DNA to radiation damage. After recording images of the virus with low doses of radiation, they used higher doses. As the inner structure deteriorated, it appeared as a cylinder of bubbles. The team was able to superimpose the images and, using 3-D computer reconstruction, clearly visualize the viral structure. The investigators call their technique bubblegram imaging.

Based on the shape and position of the inner body, the researchers believe that it helps organize DNA into its compact structure. In the future, bubblegram imaging may yield further insights into the inner workings of viruses and suggest strategies for developing novel therapies.

The scientists anticipate other uses for bubblegram imaging as well. For example, it could be used to visualize the interactions of proteins with DNA in human cells.

“This new cryo-EM procedure renders previously invisible proteins visible and, thus, will provide new understanding of cell biology,” Steven says.

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Looking Inside Viruses is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Collaborative ‘Rochester Model’ Gets Spotlight for Hypertension Program

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:50:15 +0000

Collaborative ‘Rochester Model’ Gets Spotlight for Hypertension Program
Business, health care partnership featured in national medical journal

The fast-moving effort led by business leaders, in partnership with healthcare organizations, to make the Finger Lakes region the healthiest community in the country serves as a model for action that other cities could follow, according to a medical journal.

The “Rochester Model” was created by the Finger Lakes Health Collaborative — a partnership of the Rochester Business Alliance, Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, and area hospitals and leaders — to reduce the cost of local healthcare. It has set its sights on reducing hypertension, or high blood pressure, and was featured online by the Journal of Clinical Hypertension.

“We have a one-of-a-kind model in place here in Rochester and what makes it unique is that the business community drove the efforts, stepping up because they want to help solve a problem that makes it challenging to do business,” said cardiologist John D. Bisognano, M.D., Ph.D., director of the hypertension program at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and lead author of the paper. “There are many organizations working to solve health problems in every community, but this one is truly collaborative and making strides toward changing lives.”

The RBA began studying ways to reduce the cost of health care coverage for its employees in 2005. Frustrated by rising insurance costs, the group was anxious to curb spending and improve the bottom line for area businesses. And, executives recognized they could not successfully impact the system without joining forces with community and health care leaders.

“We’re creating an infrastructure that can help us with collaboration and move the needle on high blood pressure in our region and in the future, hope to look at other important conditions, such as obesity and diabetes,” said Paul Speranza, an author of the paper and chair of the health care team. He is vice chairman, secretary and general counsel at Wegmans Food Markets Inc. “We’ve learned that we do much better as a community when we work together and get better results.”

The RBA health care group includes executives from Eastman Kodak Co., Xerox Corp., Bausch & Lomb, Paychex, Jasco Tools, Rochester Institute of Technology and Wegmans.

Joining with the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency (FLHSA), the group brought together healthcare leaders, independent providers, physicians, insurers, community-based organizations, organized labor, representatives of local, state, and federal government, and business and community leaders to form the Finger Lakes Health Collaborative. This partnership of more than 100 leaders from 50 different organizations aspires to make the Finger Lakes region the healthiest region in America by 2020.

The journal article focuses on the FLHC’s efforts to control hypertension in the community, a leading cause of strokes, heart attacks and kidney and heart diseases. About one-third of adults in the region have high blood pressure and the group aims to help 85 percent of them get it under control and keep it under control. The most recent data indicates that only 63 percent have successfully reached a control rate of 140/90 or better. If effective, the effort could mean a potential savings for the Finger Lakes region of as much as $8.5 million annually.

“We chose to work on reducing the incidence of high blood pressure because it’s a condition that people understand. Some people know if they have it, but don’t do anything about it. But if they’re willing to control their blood pressure, we can see dramatic change in a relatively short period of time,” Speranza said.

Primary care physician Howard Beckman, M.D., another co-author of the paper, said the initiative helps reinforce what doctors recommend to their patients every day.

“This project is helping create real change in how health care is delivered because there are educational and motivational programs taking place in our churches, barbershops and hairdressers, and in the workplaces encouraging people to take a more active role in their care and to be knowledgeable about what they need to do to remain healthy,” said Beckman, who has practiced medicine for 35 years.

“We’ll be able to back up this effort with real data because we’re tracking the numbers of people who have hypertension and we’re going to be monitoring the incidence of stroke, heart attacks, heart failure and the initiation of dialysis to see if we’re successful and that these conditions should all decline,” said Beckman, director of strategic innovation at the FLHSA and clinical professor of Medicine at URMC.

The RBA’s early successes include: a generic drugs initiative, which has increased generic fill rates by 20 percentage points and saved more than $490 million over five years, and the Rochester Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO), a secure electronic health information exchange that gives authorized medical providers access to information such as test results, lab reports, radiology results, medication history, and insurance eligibility. To date, more than 800,000 people have agreed to have their medical information included in the system, which has been characterized by the commissioner of the New York State Department of Health as the state’s most advanced RHIO.

“There’s no other community in America that’s attempted to do what we are, but we have the community resources, dedication and in time, we’ll get the results,” Speranza said.

Funding has come from the Wegman Family Charitable Foundation and the Finger Lakes Economic Development Council.

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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center

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Collaborative ‘Rochester Model’ Gets Spotlight for Hypertension Program is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Medical Center Psychiatrist Wins Award for Book on Workplace Violence

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:42:35 +0000

Medical Center Psychiatrist Wins Award for Book on Workplace Violence

Michael R. Privitera, M.D., M.S., associate professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, will receive the 2012 Manfred S. Guttmacher Award, which is given for an outstanding contribution to the literature of forensic psychiatry.

Privitera, director of the Psychiatry Consultation Service at the Medical Center, edited Workplace Violence in Mental and General Healthcare Settings and wrote several chapters in the book, which offers practical suggestions for the prevention and control of violence in the healthcare workplace that many consider at an epidemic level.

The Guttmacher award, established in 1967, is sponsored by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Privitera, a Medical Center faculty member since 1983, will receive the award in May at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in Philadelphia, where he also will give a lecture. In a letter, James Scully, M.D., chairman of the board of the American Psychiatric Foundation, praised Privitera for his leadership and “outstanding achievements” in the field of psychiatry.

Workplace Violence in Mental and General Healthcare Settings is aimed at clinicians, administrators, law enforcement professionals, educators and insurance and pharmaceutical officials. Writers of chapters in the book include Medical Center faculty members and professionals as well as experts from the University of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland, and consultants from across the country and Australia.

Jane Lipscomb, R.N., Ph.D., F.A.A.N., director of the Work and Health Research Center at the University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Nursing, calls the book a “platform for action.”

“Dr. Privitera has brought together a cadre of expert “big thinkers,” representing a range of perspectives and experiences, that has the potential to curb the tide of violence acted out in our healthcare settings and ultimately save lives, careers, and the healthcare industry,” Lipscomb writes in the book’s forward.

Workplace Violence in Mental and General Healthcare Settings was published by Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

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Michael R. Privitera, M.S., M.D. Bio.

University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry
601 Elmwood Ave, Box PSYCH
Rochester, New York 14642

> Current Appointments
Associate Professor – Department of Psychiatry, Ambulatory Services (SMD) – Primary

> Awards & Honors
Irma Bland MD Award for Excellence in Teaching Residents 2009
Friend of Residents Award – (URMC Psychiatry Resident Class) 2009
Best Doctors in America 2007 – 2009
Top Psychiatrists in America 2006
Best Doctors in America 2005
URMC, Dept of Psychiatry Excellence in Clinical Care Award 2005
Sidney Rubin, MD Award for Excellence in Psychiatric Residency 2004
Sidney Rubin, MD Award for Excellence in Psychiatric Residency 2001
Mary Lou Meyers, MD Award for Excellence in Medical Student 1999
Best Doctors In America 1998
Nancy C.A. Roeske, MD Award for Excellence in Medical Student 1997
Fellow (now called 1995
Sidney Rubin, MD Award for Excellence in Psychiatric Residency 1986
Sandoz Award in Psychopharmacology 1983
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society | (SUNY @ Buffalo, of Medicine) 1979

> Specialties
Psychosomatic Medicine – American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Psychiatry – American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

> Post-Doctoral Training & Residency
Residency in Psychiatry at Strong Memorial Hospital- GME Office 09/01/1981 – 06/30/1983
Internship in Psychiatry at University of Michigan Hospitals 09/01/1979 – 06/30/1981

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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center

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Medical Center Psychiatrist Wins Award for Book on Workplace Violence is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Step into American Heart Month with a Winter Walk

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:40:08 +0000

Step into American Heart Month with a Winter Walk
Event benefits Golisano Children’s Hospital, promotes active lifestyle

February is American Heart Month, and what better way to celebrate than outdoors in a winter wonderland? The third annual Winter Walk for Strong Kids, on Sunday, Feb. 5 at the Nazareth College Shults Center, is a fun way for the whole family to engage in a heart-healthy activity. All ages are invited to enjoy the walk, which will benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

“We’re so grateful for the students from Nazareth and St. John Fisher for their involvement,” said Becky Fahy, event organizer. “They’re instrumental in making the walk as fun and successful as it is.”

In addition to the short walk around campus, activities include a variety of crafts, music, sports, carnival games and more. Registration and festivities begin at 10 a.m. and the walk begins at 11 a.m. The activities will run until 1:30 p.m. Snacks and refreshments will also be provided. Last year, the event attracted more than 150 participants and raised $3,100 for Golisano Children’s Hospital.

The event is free to all participants who raise a minimum of $10 in pledges.

Those who raise at least $25 will receive a commemorative t-shirt.

To register, visit https://forms.naz.edu/payments/pay/winter-walk-for-kids-2012/

For more information, contact Becky Fahy at rfahy6@naz.edu

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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center

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Step into American Heart Month with a Winter Walk is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

An afternoon with bedheads and Deadheads

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:34:07 +0000

An afternoon with bedheads and Deadheads

Yes, it might seem like sleep researcher William Dement, MD, PhD, and the late Jerry Garcia would make very strange bedfellows. But, that wasn’t the case at a Stanford event on Saturday. There, they blended together – albeit, in a circular way – like a sweet dream in a deep sleep.

More than 60 people with a variety of ties to the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Center came together at the Jerry House (yes, that Jerry) for the unveiling of a long-awaited plaque discussed earlier today. I was one of the people there to honor the Stanford “sleep camps” held there in the 1970s and ’80s.

A wide variety of those involved with the camps showed up at the event to revisit their pasts and talk about their presents. It was a fun, wacky reunion, bringing together 10 years worth of researchers and researchees. Some flew in from distant ports, and their entrances generated hugs and squeals and hearty handshakes. There was a coterie of “campers,” some the progeny of professors and staff, who happily dispensed memories and swapped tales. There were full-fledged doctors who, as undergrads, acted as “sleep counselors.” And there were sleep-research luminaries who were, back then, just getting the sleep-research field powered up.

The plaque, which was concealed under a very ’60s tie-died cloth, was unveiled, and the researchers who led the work at the camps spoke, acknowledging the importance of the research and expressing gratitude to all involved. The remarks of Mary Carskadon, PhD, expanded into a very detailed string of stories – a decade of escapades involving rambunctious kids, stealthy undergrads, and 24-hour-a-day volleyball tournaments.

There was an abundance of delicious food, a terrific Sancerre, a quantity of beer and an enormous, mega-cake with a stunning replica of the plaque laid out in the frosting. It was the perfect fuel for dancing on a sunny, spring-like afternoon, so when the Grateful Dead-inspired band let loose, people were ready. The air was charged, and the past quickly became the present. Gauging by the expressions on many faces, I don’t think I was the only one transported back to college days!

By MA Malone
Stanford University Medical Center

Photo of Dement by Robert Tognoli

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* Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions – Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

** The above story is adapted from materials provided by Stanford University School of Medicine

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An afternoon with bedheads and Deadheads is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

The end of iPS? Stanford scientists directly convert mouse skin cells to neural precursors

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:32:42 +0000

The end of iPS? Stanford scientists directly convert mouse skin cells to neural precursors

I was excited last week to learn about the recent work of stem cell scientist Marius Wernig, MD, published today (direct link to come) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Wernig directly converted mouse skin cells to neural precursor cells – an extension of previous work in which he created functional neurons from the same types of cells. Although functional neurons might sound more exciting, neural precursor cells promise to be research workhorses.

Marius Wernig, MD.

That’s because these cells can become any of three main components of the nervous system: neurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. They can also be grown to large numbers in the laboratory – a critical factor when carrying out drug screening or considering future transplantation into animals or perhaps even one day even into humans. As Wernig explained in our release:

We are thrilled about the prospects for potential medical use of these cells. We’ve shown the cells can integrate into a mouse brain and produce a missing protein important for the conduction of electrical signal by the neurons. This is important because the mouse model we used mimics that of a human genetic brain disease. However, more work needs to be done to generate similar cells from human skin cells and assess their safety and efficacy.

The release also advances what, for some researchers, may be an even more intriguing idea:

The multiple successes of the direct conversion method could refute the idea that pluripotency (a term that describes the ability of stem cells to become nearly any cell in the body) is necessary for a cell to transform from one cell type to another. Together, the results raise the possibility that embryonic stem cell research and another technique called “induced pluripotency” could be supplanted by a more direct way of generating specific types of cells for therapy or research.

As always, however, more research is needed to determine how cell types generated by the various techniques differ or resemble one another at a molecular level. Right now, there’s no clear winner and it appears there are still several horses in the race.

By Krista Conger
Stanford University Medical Center

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Marius Wernig, MD.
Assistant Professor, Pathology – Stem Cell Institute

Member, Bio-X

> Administrative Appointments
Assistant Professor, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (2008 – present)

> Honors and Awards
Ascina Award, Republic of Austria (2010)
New Scholar in Aging, Ellison Medical Foundation (2010)
Robertson Investigator Award, New York Stem Cell Foundation (2010)
Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Faculty Scholarship, Stanford University (2009)
Cozzarelli Prize for outstanding scientific excellence, National Academy of Sciences USA (2009)
Longterm fellowship Human Frontiers Science Program Organisation, HFSP (2004-2006)
Margaret and Herman Sokol Award, Biomedical Research (2007)

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** The above story is adapted from materials provided by Stanford University School of Medicine

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The end of iPS? Stanford scientists directly convert mouse skin cells to neural precursors is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Scientists turn skin cells into neural precursors, bypassing stem-cell stage

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:30:27 +0000

Scientists turn skin cells into neural precursors, bypassing stem-cell stage

Mouse skin cells can be converted directly into cells that become the three main parts of the nervous system, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding is an extension of a previous study by the same group showing that mouse and human skin cells can be directly converted into functional neurons.

Marius Wernig, MD.

The multiple successes of the direct conversion method could refute the idea that pluripotency (a term that describes the ability of stem cells to become nearly any cell in the body) is necessary for a cell to transform from one cell type to another. Together, the results raise the possibility that embryonic stem cell research and another technique called “induced pluripotency” could be supplanted by a more direct way of generating specific types of cells for therapy or research.

This new study, published online Jan. 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is a substantial advance over the previous paper in that it transforms the skin cells into neural precursor cells, as opposed to neurons. While neural precursor cells can differentiate into neurons, they can also become the two other main cell types in the nervous system: astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. In addition to their greater versatility, the newly derived neural precursor cells offer another advantage over neurons because they can be cultivated to large numbers in the laboratory — a feature critical for their long-term usefulness in transplantation or drug screening.

In the study, the switch from skin to neural precursor cells occurred with high efficiency over a period of about three weeks after the addition of just three transcription factors. (In the previous study, a different combination of three transcription factors was used to generate mature neurons.) The finding implies that it may one day be possible to generate a variety of neural-system cells for transplantation that would perfectly match a human patient.

“We are thrilled about the prospects for potential medical use of these cells,” said Marius Wernig, MD, assistant professor of pathology and a member of Stanford’s Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. “We’ve shown the cells can integrate into a mouse brain and produce a missing protein important for the conduction of electrical signal by the neurons. This is important because the mouse model we used mimics that of a human genetic brain disease. However, more work needs to be done to generate similar cells from human skin cells and assess their safety and efficacy.”

Wernig is the senior author of the research. Graduate student Ernesto Lujan is the first author.

While much research has been devoted to harnessing the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, taking those cells from an embryo and then implanting them in a patient could prove difficult because they would not match genetically. An alternative technique involves a concept called induced pluripotency, first described in 2006. In this approach, transcription factors are added to specialized cells like those found in skin to first drive them back along the developmental timeline to an undifferentiated stem-cell-like state. These “iPS cells” are then grown under a variety of conditions to induce them to re-specialize into many different cell types.

Scientists had thought that it was necessary for a cell to first enter an induced pluripotent state or for researchers to start with an embryonic stem cell, which is pluripotent by nature, before it could go on to become a new cell type. However, research from Wernig’s laboratory in early 2010 showed that it was possible to directly convert one “adult” cell type to another with the application of specialized transcription factors, a process known as transdifferentiation.

Wernig and his colleagues first converted skin cells from an adult mouse to functional neurons (which they termed induced neuronal, or iN, cells), and then replicated the feat with human cells. In 2011 they showed that they could also directly convert liver cells into iN cells.

“Dr. Wernig’s demonstration that fibroblasts can be converted into functional nerve cells opens the door to consider new ways to regenerate damaged neurons using cells surrounding the area of injury,” said pediatric cardiologist Deepak Srivastava, MD, who was not involved in these studies. “It also suggests that we may be able to transdifferentiate cells into other cell types.” Srivastava is the director of cardiovascular research at the Gladstone Institutes at the University of California-San Francisco. In 2010, Srivastava transdifferentiated mouse heart fibroblasts into beating heart muscle cells.

“Direct conversion has a number of advantages,” said Lujan. “It occurs with relatively high efficiency and it generates a fairly homogenous population of cells. In contrast, cells derived from iPS cells must be carefully screened to eliminate any remaining pluripotent cells or cells that can differentiate into different lineages.” Pluripotent cells can cause cancers when transplanted into animals or humans.

The lab’s previous success converting skin cells into neurons spurred Wernig and Lujan to see if they could also generate the more-versatile neural precursor cells, or NPCs. To do so, they infected embryonic mouse skin cells — a commonly used laboratory cell line — with a virus encoding 11 transcription factors known to be expressed at high levels in NPCs. A little more than three weeks later, they saw that about 10 percent of the cells had begun to look and act like NPCs.

Repeated experiments allowed them to winnow the original panel of 11 transcription factors to just three: Brn2, Sox2 and FoxG1. (In contrast, the conversion of skin cells directly to functional neurons requires the transcription factors Brn2, Ascl1 and Myt1l.) Skin cells expressing these three transcription factors became neural precursor cells that were able to differentiate into not just neurons and astrocytes, but also oligodendrocytes, which make the myelin that insulates nerve fibers and allows them to transmit signals. The scientists dubbed the newly converted population “induced neural precursor cells,” or iNPCs.

In addition to confirming that the astrocytes, neurons and oligodendrocytes were expressing the appropriate genes and that they resembled their naturally derived peers in both shape and function when grown in the laboratory, the researchers wanted to know how the iNPCs would react when transplanted into an animal. They injected them into the brains of newborn laboratory mice bred to lack the ability to myelinate neurons. After 10 weeks, Lujan found that the cells had differentiated into oligodendroytes and had begun to coat the animals’ neurons with myelin.

“Not only do these cells appear functional in the laboratory, they also seem to be able to integrate appropriately in an in vivo animal model,” said Lujan.

The scientists are now working to replicate the work with skin cells from adult mice and humans, but Lujan emphasized that much more research is needed before any human transplantation experiments could be conducted. In the meantime, however, the ability to quickly and efficiently generate neural precursor cells that can be grown in the laboratory to mass quantities and maintained over time will be valuable in disease and drug-targeting studies.

“In addition to direct therapeutic application, these cells may be very useful to study human diseases in a laboratory dish or even following transplantation into a developing rodent brain,” said Wernig.

In addition to Wernig and Lujan, other Stanford researchers involved in the study include postdoctoral scholars Soham Chanda, PhD, and Henrik Ahlenius, PhD; and professor of molecular and cellular physiology Thomas Sudhof, MD.

The research was supported by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the New York Stem Cell Foundation, the Ellison Medical Foundation, the Stinehart-Reed Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

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Marius Wernig, MD. Bio.

Marius Wernig, MD.
Assistant Professor, Pathology – Stem Cell Institute

Member, Bio-X

> Administrative Appointments
Assistant Professor, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (2008 – present)

> Professional Education
M.D.: Technical University of Munich, Medicine (2000)

> Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations
Cancer Biology
Neurosciences

> Current Research Interests

Our laboratory is generally interested in the molecular mechanisms that determine specific cell fates.

Recently, we have identified a pool of transcription factors that are sufficient to convert skin fibroblasts directly into functional neuronal cells that we termed induced neuronal (iN) cells. This was a surprising finding and indicated that direct lineage reprogramming may be applicable to many somatic cell types and many different directions. Indeed, following our work others have identified transcription factors that could induce cardiomyocytes, blood progenitors, and hepatocytes from fibroblasts.

We are now focussing on two major aspects of iN and iPS cell reprogramming:
(i) we are fascinated by the puzzle how a hand full of transcription factors can so efficiently reprogram the entire epigenome of a cell so that it changes identity. To that end we are applying genome-wide expression analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation, protein biochemistry, proteomics and functional screens.
(ii) it is equally exciting to now use reprogramming methods as tools to study or treat certain diseases. iPS cells have the great advantage that they can easily be genetically manipulated rendering them ideal for treating monogenetic disorders when combined with cell transplantation-based therapies. In particular we are working on Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa in collaboration with Stanford’s Dermatology Department. An exciting application of iN cell technology will be to try modeling neurological diseases in vitro. We perform both mouse and human experiments hoping to identify quantifiable phenotypes correlated with genotype and in a second step evaluate whether this assay could be used to discover novel drugs improve the disease progression.

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** The above story is adapted from materials provided by Stanford University School of Medicine

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Scientists turn skin cells into neural precursors, bypassing stem-cell stage is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Either you’re a woman or you know one: Help spread the message of women’s heart health

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:24:47 +0000

Either you’re a woman or you know one: Help spread the message of women’s heart health

…

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women. Experts from Stanford’s Women’s Heart Health Clinic urge all women to know their numbers, listen to their bodies, and spread awareness about women’s heart disease.

…

If you’re not a woman, I bet you know a few who you love. Heart disease, although typically viewed as a man’s disease, happens to be the number one killer of women. The disease affects women of all backgrounds and ages and, because symptoms show themselves differently in women than men, women are often misdiagnosed.

It became clear to us that most women don’t think that heart disease will affect them, but the statistics show otherwise. Women’s Heart Health at Stanford graciously collaborated with Liat Kobza, my colleague, and me to create this video.

We hope the video will spread far and wide, so please share this with all the women you love and help save lives.

By Todd Holland
Stanford University Medical Center

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** The above story is adapted from materials provided by Stanford University School of Medicine

________________________________________________________________

Either you’re a woman or you know one: Help spread the message of women’s heart health is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Boosting willpower and breaking bad habits

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:22:09 +0000

Boosting willpower and breaking bad habits

Raise your hand if you’re having trouble keeping your New Year’s resolution. Not to worry; you’re in good company. Recent data shows that four out of five people who vowed to reform bad habits will eventually break those promises. A third of this group will give up on their resolutions by Feb. 1, which is Wednesday.

So now is a good time to reflect on your 2012 goals and re-commit to your efforts. A Q&A posted with Florida State University social psychologist Roy Baumeister, PhD, offers insights and tips to help boost your willpower, which research suggests is limited, and break bad habits.

On the topic of things you can do to maximize your chance of successfully keeping a resolution, Baumeister suggests sharing your goals with others, tracking progress and findings ways to minimize decision-making. He says:

Social support and interpersonal pressure can help quite a bit. The most important thing is to keep track, day by day, of what you are trying to control. Keep an explicit, written record of how much you eat or spend or exercise. Sharing this record with others is also helpful.

Pre-commitment is another class of helpful strategies. When people choose what they are going to eat well in advance, they eat better than when they decide, impulsively, what and how much to eat on each occasion. Pre-commitment includes things like automatic savings plans that transfer some of your paycheck into a savings account, without you having to make a decision each time.

In the article, Baumeister echoes several key points discussed by Stanford health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, PhD, in this earlier Scope Q&A.

By Lia Steakley
Stanford University Medical Center

Photo by moMents fiXats

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** The above story is adapted from materials provided by Stanford University School of Medicine

________________________________________________________________

Boosting willpower and breaking bad habits is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Thanks, Jerry: Honoring pioneering Stanford sleep research

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:20:56 +0000

Thanks, Jerry: Honoring pioneering Stanford sleep research

As the writer who has long covered the sleep “beat” for our office, I’m quite familiar with Stanford’s rich history of sleep research. For those in need of some background: The Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Center, the first center of its kind, was established in 1970 - by William Dement, MD, PhD, who came here after working in the lab where rapid eye movement was discovered – and numerous advances, like the discovery of the cause of narolepsy, have been made since then. Until recently, though, I wasn’t familiar with the role of a Stanford dormitory in that history.

As it turns out, for a ten-year period starting in the mid-70s, the residence now known as Jerry House served as the site of a series of pioneering sleep studies: Undergraduates and members of the community lent themselves for study during “summer sleep camps” at the house. Until that time, the field of sleep research - still in its infancy – had centered on nighttime events, but researcher Mary Carskadon, PhD, now a professor of psychiatry & human behavior at Brown University, focused these camp studies on the role of sleep in daytime function. The participants’ sleeping and waking were manipulated, recorded and examined; and the end result was important data on sleep restriction and sleep deprivation, and the establishment of clinical protocols still used today.

“Much of the essential, pioneering sleep work at Stanford was done in these camps,” sleep expert Rafael Pelayo, MD, recently told me. “The work had great consequences on the development of the field of sleep research here and around the world.”

This weekend, Pelayo joined Carskadon, Dement and others in honoring this early, important research and unveiling a wood-and-glass commemorative plaque to be housed there. (Writer Patrick May was there and reported on the event for yesterday’s San Jose Mercury News.) The plaque outlines the significance of the studies and highlights the successful careers of Carskadon and Dement, but I like its line of summary the best:

Jerry House at Stanford University was the unique site for seminal research findings that apply to every man, woman and child on the planet.

By Michelle Brandt
Stanford University Medical Center

Photo courtesy of Stanford Residential Education

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** The above story is adapted from materials provided by Stanford University School of Medicine

________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Jerry: Honoring pioneering Stanford sleep research is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

From the Archives: President Obama Signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:14:02 +0000

From the Archives: President Obama Signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

…

On January 29, 2009, President Obama signed his very first piece of legislation: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The law, named after a woman who discovered her employer was paying her less than men doing the same job, makes it easier for Mrs. Ledbetter and others like her to effectively challenge unequal pay.

Lilly Ledbetter took her pay discrimination complaint all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled in 2007 that claims like hers had to be filed within 180 days of an employer’s decision to pay a worker less—even if the worker didn’t learn about the unfair pay until much later, as was the case for Mrs. Ledbetter .

To make sure that people can effectively challenge unequal pay, the law President Obama signed shortly after taking office amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 so that unfair pay complaints can be filed within 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck—and that 180 days resets after each paycheck is issued.

Watch the video above from the bill’s signing to hear Mrs. Ledbetter’s thoughts about what the new law means to her.

_________________________________________________________________

The White House

* The above story is adapted from materials provided by The White House

From the Archives: President Obama Signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Joining Forces for Caregivers

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:12:35 +0000

Joining Forces for Caregivers

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks at the U.S. Department of Labor on new rules proposed to help caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans, in Washington, D.C. Jan. 30, 2012. Mrs. Obama was joined on stage by Ms. RyAnne Noss, wife and caregiver of SFC Scot Noss, and Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

Earlier today, I had the great privilege of joining First Lady Michelle Obama and many of the nation’s leaders in announcing proposed changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that recognize the unique circumstances faced by the caregivers of our country’s wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans.

The Joining Forces announcement reflects a collaborative, public-private effort between the Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs, along with private sector business and non-profit organizations. Joining the First Lady were Secretaries from the Departments of Labor, Defense and Veterans Affairs; Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as the Joint Chiefs Chairman, and all of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The proposal announced today by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis continues this Administration’s commitment to our wounded warriors and their caregivers. The new language would extend the entitlement of military caregiver leave to qualifying family members of veterans who are dealing with a serious injury or illness for up to five years after leaving the military. At this time, the law only covers family members of “currently serving” service members. Additionally, the proposal expands the military family leave provisions of the FMLA by extending qualifying leave to employees whose family members serve in the regular armed forces. Currently, the law only covers families of National Guard members and reservists. These changes will ensure that our military families have peace of mind knowing that they won’t have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for their loved ones.

The rules also provide flexibility to all of our Armed Forces personnel as they deal with the unpredictability of military life. If a loved one is unexpectedly deployed, or a spouse is home on rest and recuperation leave, these new protections will allow qualifying family members to take time off work to handle childcare, financial or legal obligations, or simply spend time with the ones they love.

In addition to the announcement by Secretary Solis, the First Lady also announced major commitments from the private sector:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s newly formed Military Spouse Business Alliance (MSBA) has committed to hosting a career forum and hiring fair that focuses on wounded warrior spouses and caregivers. The event will take place at Bethesda/Walter Reed hospital in May 2012. Additionally, spouses and caregivers of wounded warriors will be included in the 10 hiring fairs for military spouse that the MSBA will conduct at military installations across the country during 2012.
Building on successful pilot programs at Fort Belvoir and Fort Carson last year, the USO, Hire Heroes USA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have committed to conducting 14 Career Opportunity Days focused on the employment of wounded, ill and injured warriors, their spouses and their caregivers.
Career Opportunity Days are non-traditional career fairs, where 15-20 employers connect with 75-100 wounded ill or injured warriors, spouses, and caregivers based on mutual interests in the employer’s industry and the job seeker’s occupational background. Employers conduct mock interviews on-site giving the service member, spouse or caregiver the opportunity to interact with a prospective employers in a less intimidating environment. In many cases, these interviews lead to job offers on the spot.
In the lead up to each of the 14 Career Opportunity Days, which will take place at six major installations during 2012, Hire Heroes USA will conduct premier transition workshops to prepare wounded, ill, and injured warriors, their spouses and caregivers with first class resumes and better interview techniques.

Two significant non-profit organizations supporting caregivers have stepped up to enhance their existing support for this special group of Americans. Operation Homefront and the Semper Fi fund have identified service opportunities that every American can undertake in support of our nation’s caregivers. Volunteer opportunities are accessible on the Joining Forces website.
This effort includes significantly expanded volunteer opportunities in all 50 states in support of caregivers, with specific focus of effort in San Diego, San Antonio, Washington, D.C., Portsmouth and Camp Lejeune. Additional service opportunities will be identified in the coming month at sites throughout the country.

_________________________________

* More about Joining Forces: http://www.joiningforces.gov and http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces

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The White House

* The above story is adapted from materials provided by The White House

Joining Forces for Caregivers is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

UN welcomes Iraqi ratification of pact on rights of persons with disabilities

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:12:11 +0000

UN welcomes Iraqi ratification of pact on rights of persons with disabilities

Celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities. UN Photo/Fardin Waezi

30 January 2012

The United Nations welcomed today the ratification by Iraq of a convention that protects, promotes, and ensures the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified last week by the Iraqi Government, covers a number of key areas such as accessibility, personal mobility, health, education, employment, habilitation and rehabilitation, participation in political life, and equality and non-discrimination.

“The ratification of this convention by Iraq marks a historic step in ensuring that persons living with disabilities enjoy full participation in the Iraqi society and can contribute to the community to their full potential,” said Francesco Motta, chief of the human rights unit of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Iraq.

Mr. Motta stressed that the ratification represents the Government’s recognition of the “potential contribution which persons with disabilities can make to society if given the same opportunities enjoyed by other Iraqi citizens.”

UNAMI noted in a news release that the ratification requires Iraq to introduce measures such as anti-discrimination legislation, the elimination of laws and practices that discriminate against persons with disabilities, and considering these persons when adopting new policies and programmes. Other measures include making services, goods and facilities accessible to them.

“The important thing now is for the Government of Iraq to ensure that the provisions of the convention are implemented,” Mr. Motta said. “The best way to do this is in consultation with civil society organizations and representatives of people with disabilities so as to ensure that measures taken to implement the convention promote and protect their right to participate equally in the economic, social and political life of Iraqi society without discrimination.”

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> United Nations (UN).

The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 192 countries.

When States become Members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:

to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)

UN welcomes Iraqi ratification of pact on rights of persons with disabilities is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Top UN officials discuss preparations for sustainable development conference

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:10:42 +0000

Top UN officials discuss preparations for sustainable development conference

30 January 2012

The heads of the General Assembly and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) met today to discuss preparations for the UN Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20), which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June.

The discussions between Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova took place in Paris, a day before a conference entitled “Towards new global governance for the environment,” which was organized by France and in which Mr. Al-Nasser will deliver the keynote speech.

During their meeting, the two officials also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East as well as mediation, the dialogue of civilizations and disaster risk reduction, according to a note released by Mr. Al-Nasser’s spokesperson.

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About UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

UNESCO works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. It is through this dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO’S mission and activities.

The broad goals and concrete objectives of the international community – as set out in the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – underpin all UNESCO’s strategies and activities. Thus UNESCO’s unique competencies in education, the sciences, culture and communication and information contribute towards the realization of those goals.

UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. The Organization focuses, in particular, on two global priorities:

Africa
Gender equality

And on a number of overarching objectives:

Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning
Mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable development
Addressing emerging social and ethical challenges
Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace
Building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication

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> United Nations (UN).

to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

###

* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)

Top UN officials discuss preparations for sustainable development conference is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

UNESCO forum to discuss role of Holocaust education in fighting prejudice

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:06:40 +0000

UNESCO forum to discuss role of Holocaust education in fighting prejudice

30 January 2012

Historians and researchers will gather in Paris tomorrow for a United Nations forum designed to address the impact that Holocaust remembrance can have in stemming the tide of intolerance around the world.

The conference, which will be hosted by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will provide an opportunity to debate the role of Holocaust education in the global fight against racism and anti-Semitism. It will also allow the attending experts to discuss the need to preserve the memory of the Holocaust in areas of the world where it is less well known.

Last week, the UN marked the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, which is observed annually on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp.

In a declaration marking the occasion, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova emphasized the need for Holocaust education as part of the overall fight against intolerance.

“Transmitting the memory of the Holocaust is a vital part of the struggle to combat ignorance and prejudice through education in humanist values, the sharing of cultures and knowledge of history,” Ms. Bokova said.

“Education is a key front in this struggle and also UNESCO’s unique contribution, through our work for youth, training of teachers and curriculum design,” she added.

The UNESCO conference will feature debates and lectures from leading international Holocaust experts as well as a talk delivered by Henri Borlant – a survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The forum will also feature a special ceremony focusing on the theme of “Children in the Holocaust” to pay tribute to the estimated 1.5 million children who perished during the genocide.

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About UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Africa
Gender equality

And on a number of overarching objectives:

Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning
Mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable development
Addressing emerging social and ethical challenges
Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace
Building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication

###

> United Nations (UN).

to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

###

* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)

UNESCO forum to discuss role of Holocaust education in fighting prejudice is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

With new blueprint in hand, Ban calls for action to chart more sustainable future

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:04:44 +0000

With new blueprint in hand, Ban calls for action to chart more sustainable future

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the launch of report by his High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability. UN Photo/ Eskinder Debebe

30 January 2012 –

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for action on a new blueprint for creating a sustainable planet, a just society and a growing economy, stressing that the current path will not lead to a fair and resilient future for the world’s people.

“We need to chart a new, more sustainable course for the future, one that strengthens equality and economic growth while protecting our planet,” he stated. “Sustainable development offers our best chance to change course.”

Speaking at the launch in Addis Ababa of the report prepared by his High-level Panel on Global Sustainability, Mr. Ban stressed that sustainable development is a top priority for his second term of office.

“Sustainable development is a social, economic and environmental imperative,” he stated. “I call on all sectors of society to join in this effort. We need everyone – government ministers and policymakers, business and civil society leaders, and young people – to work together to create a future worth choosing – a future we want.”

The 22-member panel, established by the Secretary-General in August 2010 to formulate a new blueprint for sustainable development and low-carbon prosperity, was co-chaired by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob Zuma.

The group’s final report, Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing, contains 56 recommendations to put sustainable development into practice and to make it a part of mainstream economic policy as quickly as possible.

“Today our planet and our world are experiencing the best of times, and the worst of times,” states the report. “The world is experiencing unprecedented prosperity, while the planet is under unprecedented stress.”

It adds that because of the array of overlapping challenges the world faces, it is more urgent than ever to take action to embrace the principles of the sustainable development agenda. “It is time that genuine global action is taken to enable people, markets and governments to make sustainable choices.”

The report calls for integrating social and environmental costs in how the world prices and measures economic activities. It also calls for a set of sustainable development indicators that go beyond the traditional approach of gross domestic product (GDP) and recommends that governments develop and apply a set of “Sustainable Development Goals” that can mobilize global action and help monitor progress.

It underscores the importance of science as an essential guide for decision-making on sustainability issues. It calls on the Secretary-General to lead efforts to produce a regular Global Sustainable Development Outlook report that integrates knowledge across sectors and institutions, and to consider creating a science advisory board or scientific adviser.

“The need to integrate the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development so as to achieve sustainability was clearly defined a quarter of a century ago. It is time to make it happen,” states the report.

“The opportunities for change are vast. We are not passive, helpless victims of the impersonal, determinist forces of history. And the exciting thing is that we can choose our future.”

The report serves as an important contribution to the UN’s work on sustainable development, particularly in preparation for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil this June.

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Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Ban Ki-moon is the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. His priorities have been to mobilize world leaders around a set of new global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and increasing pressures involving food, energy and water. He has sought to be a bridge-builder, to give voice to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, and to strengthen the Organization itself.“I grew up in war”, the Secretary-General has said, “and saw the United Nations help my country to recover and rebuild. That experience was a big part of what led me to pursue a career in public service. As Secretary-General, I am determined to see this Organization deliver tangible, meaningful results that advance peace, development and human rights.”Mr. Ban took office on 1 January 2007. Highlights of his tenure have included:

Promoting sustainable development
One of the Secretary-General’s first major initiatives was the 2007 Climate Change Summit, followed by extensive diplomatic efforts that have helped put the issue at the forefront of the global agenda. Subsequent efforts to focus on the world’s main anti-poverty targets, the Millennium Development Goals, have generated more than $60 billion in pledges, with a special emphasis on Africa and the new Global Strategy on Women’s and Children’s Health. At the height of the food, energy and economic crises in 2008, the Secretary-General successfully appealed to the G20 for a $1 trillion financing package for developing countries and took other steps to guide the international response and protect the vulnerable and poor.

Empowering women
The Secretary-General pressed successfully for the creation of UN Women, a major new agency that consolidates the UN’s work in this area. His advocacy for women’s rights and gender equality has also included the “Unite to End Violence against Women” campaign, the “Stop Rape Now” initiative, the creation of a “Network of Men Leaders” and the establishment of a new Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Within the UN itself, the Secretary-General has increased the number of women in senior management positions by more than 40 per cent, reaching the highest level in the Organization’s history.

Supporting countries facing crisis or instability
The Secretary-General has sought to strengthen UN peace efforts, including through the New Horizons peacekeeping initiative, the Global Field Support Strategy and the Civilian Capacity Review, a package of steps to improve the impact of the 120,000 United Nations “blue helmets” operating in the world’s conflict zones. A mediation support unit, along with new capacity to carry out the Secretary-General’s good offices, have been set up to help prevent, manage and resolve tensions, conflicts and crises. Accountability for violations of human rights has received high-level attention through inquiries related to Gaza, Guinea, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, legal processes in Lebanon and Cambodia, and advocacy for the “responsibility to protect,” the new United Nations norm aimed at prevent and halt genocide and other grave crimes. He has also sought to strengthen humanitarian response in the aftermath of mega-disasters in Myanmar (2008), Haiti (2010) and Pakistan (2010), and mobilized UN support for the democratic transitions in North Africa and the Middle East.

Generating new momentum on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation
The Secretary-General has sought to rejuvenate the disarmament agenda through a five-point plan, efforts to break the deadlock at the Conference on Disarmament and renewed attention to nuclear safety and security in the aftermath of the tragedy at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Strengthening the UN
The Secretary-Generalhas introduced new measures aimed at making the United Nations more transparent, effective and efficient. These include heightened financial disclosure requirements, compacts with senior managers, harmonization of business practices and conditions of service, the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards, and continued investments in information technology and staff development.

Personal
The Secretary-General was born in the Republic of Korea on 13 June 1944. He received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Seoul National University in 1970. In 1985, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.At the time of his election as Secretary-General, Mr. Ban was his country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. His 37 years of service with the Ministry included postings in New Delhi, Washington D.C. and Vienna, and responsibility for a variety of portfolios, including Foreign Policy Adviser to the President, Chief National Security Adviser to the President, Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and Director-General of American Affairs.Mr. Ban’s ties to the United Nations date back to 1975, when he worked for the Foreign Ministry’s United Nations Division. That work expanded over the years, with assignments that included service as Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization and Chef de Cabinet during the Republic of Korea’s 2001-2002 presidency of the UN General Assembly. Mr. Ban has also been actively involved in issues relating to inter-Korean relations.The Secretary-General speaks English, French and Korean. He and his wife, Madam Yoo (Ban) Soon-taek, whom he met in high school in 1962, have one son, two daughters and three grandchildren. Since 2007, Mrs. Ban has devoted her attention to women’s and children’s health, including autism, the elimination of violence against women, and the campaign to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS.

###

> United Nations (UN).

to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

###

* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)

With new blueprint in hand, Ban calls for action to chart more sustainable future is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

UN and Intel unveil initiative on technology-based training for midwives

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:02:43 +0000

UN and Intel unveil initiative on technology-based training for midwives

A midwife attending to an expectant mother in a health centre in northern Uganda. Photo: IRIN/Charles Akena

30 January 2012

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the computing company Intel today unveiled a joint effort to strengthen the skills of midwives and community health workers through technology, in a bid to reduce the number of pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths across the world.

The initiative will increase the capacity of health workers around the world through software and technical assistance provided by Intel Corporation, and wider availability of higher-quality education through training and materials from UNFPA.

Intel will build on its commitment to the UN Every Woman, Every Child initiative to help train one million frontline health workers by 2015 under the Intel 1Mx15 Health project.

An estimated 360,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth and up to two million babies die within the first 24 hours of life, largely because of a lack of access to properly trained health workers, according to the UN.

The UNFPA-Intel initiative will use an existing health care education platform to provide open access multi-media content delivery in an “anytime, anywhere” capacity. The content delivery and assessment platform will train midwives and other health-care workers.

Intel will also work with various governments to help increase the availability, affordability and usage of technology.

UNFPA, for its part, will develop the training content with relevant partners and professional organizations. The agency will also engage stakeholders to ensure the sustainability and multiplier effect of the programme.

“By increasing the accessibility and affordability of ICT [Information Communications Technology] solutions, we would be able to equip the workforce with the correct tools to improve women and children’s health,” said Mike Gann, director of global health care for the World Ahead Program at Intel. The programme will pilot in countries with high rates of maternal and newborn deaths.

“With this innovative collaboration, we are putting game-changing technology into the hands of the people who are saving the lives of women and newborns around the world,” said Werner Haug, the director of UNFPA’s technical division. “UNFPA is inspired by Intel’s commitment and we look forward to strengthening the work for safe motherhood.”

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30 January 2012

Intel and UNFPA to Boost Health Workers’ Skills around the World

Collaboration will provide technological infrastructure to train midwives and health workers in selected developing countries

UNITED NATIONS, New York/SANTA CLARA, California—The high number of unnecessary deaths during pregnancy and childbirth is unacceptable for Intel Corporation and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

In an effort to address that problem, Intel and UNFPA have announced a joint commitment to strengthen the skills of midwives and community health workers through technology and training materials from the two organizations. The new initiative will increase the capacity of health workers around the world through software and technical assistance provided by Intel, and wider availability of higher-quality education through training and materials furnished by UNFPA. Boosting the skills and quality of services provided by frontline health workers would be a key result of this effort.

Intel will build on its commitment to the United Nations Every Woman, Every Child initiative to help train one million frontline health workers by 2015 under the Intel 1Mx15 Health initiative. According to the United Nations, every year, about 360,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth and up to 2 million babies die within the first 24 hours of life, largely because they don’t have access to properly trained health workers.

As part of the initiative, the Intel skoool™ Healthcare Education Platform will provide open access multi-media content delivery in an anytime, anywhere capacity. The content delivery and assessment platform will further educate and train midwives and other frontline healthcare workers. Additionally, Intel will work with various governments to help increase the availability, affordability and usage of technology in order to enable healthy lives.

UNFPA, a United Nations agency dedicated to improving maternal health, will develop the content and training for health workers, together with relevant partners and professional organizations at both country and international levels. UNFPA will also engage national stakeholders to ensure the sustainability and multiplier effect of the programme.

“We are looking forward to working with UNFPA and improve training for healthcare workers via technology and education,” said Mike Gann, director of global healthcare for the World Ahead Program at Intel. “By increasing the accessibility and affordability of ICT solutions, we would be able to equip the workforce with the correct tools to improve women and children’s health.”

The programme will pilot in countries with high rates of maternal and newborn death. The collaboration will bring new forms of technology and training to the hardest hit areas of India, Bangladesh and Ghana.

“With this innovative collaboration, we are putting game-changing technology into the hands of the people who are saving the lives of women and newborns around the world,” said Werner Haug, director of UNFPA’s Technical Division. “UNFPA is inspired by Intel’s commitment and we look forward to strengthening the work for safe motherhood.”

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

About UNFPA
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

###

> United Nations (UN).

to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

###

* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)

UN and Intel unveil initiative on technology-based training for midwives is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

UN experts begin assessment of effects of Fukushima nuclear accident

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:00:20 +0000

UN experts begin assessment of effects of Fukushima nuclear accident

Destroyed Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Photo: UNSCEAR/ Wolfgang Weiss

30 January 2012

Sixty international experts assessing the radiation exposures and health effects resulting from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan last March kicked off a week-long meeting today in Vienna.

“We are putting together a jigsaw puzzle, evaluating the exposures of the general public, of workers, and radiation effects, and looking for the missing pieces,” said Wolfgang Weiss, Chair of the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR).

The power plant was damaged following a massive earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 that knocked out water cooling systems at the plant, contaminating air, water, plants and animals with radioactive plumes dozens of kilometres from the site.

This week’s meeting will explore where there are critical gaps in the data that are available, where additional focus is required, and how to ensure the quality and reliability of what the assessment is based on, according to Mr. Weiss.

Japan is providing data to the Committee together with input from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

A preliminary report will be provided to UNSCEAR’s annual meeting, to be held between 21 to 25 May, and a final report to the UN General Assembly in 2013.

Established in 1955, UNSCEAR is tasked with undertaking broad reviews of the sources of ionizing radiation and the effects on human health and the environment.

Its assessments provide a scientific foundation for UN agencies and governments to formulate standards and programmes for protection against ionizing radiation.

###

Radiation Experts Meet in Vienna to Assess Effects of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

VIENNA, 30 January (UN Information Service)

A week-long meeting of 60 international experts assessing for the United Nations the radiation exposures and health effects due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan in March 2011 opens today.

“We are putting together a jigsaw puzzle, evaluating the exposures of the general public, of workers, and radiation effects, and looking for the missing pieces,” said Wolfgang Weiss, Chair of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR).

“At this meeting, the groups will be exploring where there are critical gaps in the data that are available, where additional focus is required, and how to ensure the quality and reliability of what our assessment is based upon,” Weiss said.

Japan is providing data to the Committee together with input from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

There will be a preliminary report delivered to UNSCEAR’s annual meeting (21-25 May) and a final report to the UN General Assembly in 2013.

The UNSCEAR assessment is being undertaken by four expert groups and the work was endorsed by resolution in the UN General Assembly last month. The 60 experts are provided cost free by 18 UN Member States.

Expansion of the Scientific Committee to 27 members from 21 was also approved by the General Assembly in December 2011. The new members are: Belarus, Finland, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Spain and Ukraine. Each State designates a scientist with associated advisers to represent it on the Committee.

The mandate of UNSCEAR, established in 1955, is to undertake broad reviews of the sources of ionizing radiation and the effects on human health and the environment. Its assessments provide a scientific foundation for the United Nations agencies and governments to formulate standards and programmes for protection against ionizing radiation.

###

> United Nations (UN).

to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

###

* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)

UN experts begin assessment of effects of Fukushima nuclear accident is an article review from: Medicinezine.com

Medicinezine.com - Reviews and articles in Wellness & Lifestyle, Child & Teen Health, Women’s Health, Men's Health, Mental Health, Natural Medicine, Drugs and Medication, Sexual Health.

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