Low-Birth Weight Babies Linked to Early Mortality in Parents

Low-Birth Weight Babies Linked to Early Mortality in Parents - CME Teaching Brief - MedPage Today: " * Review study findings with parents of low-birth weight babies. Assess parents for cardiovascular risk factors and initiate prevention and or treatment as indicated.

Review
STOCKHOLM, June 29-Babies born too soon and too small may be grim harbingers of early mortality in mothers and, to a lesser degree, in fathers."

International Association for the Study of Obesity

New Page 2
to improve global health by promoting the understanding of obesity and weight-related diseases through scientific research and dialogue, whilst encouraging the development of effective policies for their prevention and management.

Intraabdominal adiposity and risk factors

www.theheart.org: "Purpose

This paper will address the clinical perceptions surrounding cardiovascular risk factors, while keeping a particular focus on intra-abdominal adiposity and the metabolic syndrome. The results of a survey on intra-abdominal adiposity and the definition of the metabolic syndrome according to the current National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) guidelines are discussed here. Dr Christie Ballantyne's perspectives on the survey results will be provided throughout the review along with comments from various thought leaders in the area of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease prevention.

Survey participants

A six-question survey evaluating perceptions on intra-abdominal adiposity and the metabolic syndrome in the context of cardiovascular risk factors was completed by 1436 healthcare professionals. Of these respondents, physicians made up the largest group (879 participants or 61%), with cardiology representing the largest medical specialty (634 participants or 72%)."

Longevity and the quality of life: a new challenge for public health in the Americas

Mirta Roses Periago
More people in the Americas now live longer than was true at any other time in our history. Nevertheless, further reducing premature deaths among
adults and older adults will require major efforts, parallel to global efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals and to together plan a future
in which everyone can enjoy good health and quality of life.

Insurers sound the alarm on climate change

FT.com / International economy - Insurers sound the alarm on climate change: "The cost worldwide of storms, expected to become more frequent owing to climate change, is likely to rise by two-thirds to 5bn Pounds($27bn, €22bn) a year in the next seven decades, the Association of British Insurers will warn on Wednesday.

Nick Starling, the ABI's director of general insurance, urged the leaders of the Group of Eight industrialised nations to take action on greenhouse gas emissions when they meet to discuss climate change next week."

Understanding Social Factors and Inequalities in Health: 20th Century Progress and 21st Century Prospects

house_century.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Understanding Social Factors and Inequalities in Health:
20th Century Progress and 21st Century Prospects
JAMES S. HOUSE. University of Michigan
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 2001, Vol. 43 (June): 125-142
The development of social epidemiology and medical sociology over the last half of the 20th century, in which Leo Reeder played a central role, transformed scientific and popular understanding of the nature and caures of physical health and illness. Viewed in the early 1950s as shaped almost entirely by biological processes and medical care, physical health and illness are now understood to be as much or more a function of social, psychological, and behavioral factors. Utilizing a stress and adaptation conceptual framework, social epidemiology has identified a broad range of psychosocial risk factors for health, most notably: (1) social relationships and support; (2) acute or event-based stress; (3) chronic stress in work and life; and (4) psychological dispositions such as anger/hostility, lack of self-efficacy/control, and negative affect/hopelessness/pessimism, with new risk factors continuing to be identified. Howeve1; proliferation of risk factors must be balanced by conceptual integration and causal understanding of the relationships among them, their causes, and consequences.
One source of such integration and understanding has been the rediscovery of large and persistent socioeconomic and racial-ethnic disparities in health. Socioeconomic position and racelethnicity shape individuals' exposure to and experience of virtually all known psychosocial, and well as many environmental and biomedical, risk factors, and these risk factors help to explain the size and persistence of social disparities in health. Improving the socioeconomic position of a broad range of disadvantaged socioeconomic and racial-ethnic strata constitutes a major avenue for reducing exposure to and experience of deleterious risk factors for health, and hence for improving the health of these groups and the overall population. This in turn requires better understanding of the macrosocial forces that influence the socioeconomic position of individuals.

FSANZ: Acrylamide and Food

FSANZ: Acrylamide and Food (updated 31st January 2003): "Acrylamide and food

Updated 31 January 2003

A report of an epidemiological study published in the British Journal of Cancer [January 2003] may help to allay some of the concerns associated with the presence of acrylamide in food. The study has examined retrospectively the level of intake of acrylamide over the last 5 years in a group of cancer patients in Sweden compared with healthy controls. The researchers found “a lack of an excess risk, or any convincing trend, of cancer of the bowel, bladder or kidney in high consumers of fourteen different food items with a high or moderate range of acrylamide content”. While epidemiological studies of this type can never be considered conclusive, the reported results support previous studies which have failed to link acrylamide intake with human cancer.

Several other studies are currently underway around the world that are expected to further clarify the risk to humans from consumption of acrylamide in foods."

Cost of War in Iraq

Cost of War: "In April, 2003 an intergenerational team of Niko Matsakis of Boston, MA and Elias Vlanton of Takoma Park, MD created costofwar.com. After maintaining it on their own for the first year, they gave it to the National Priorities Project to contribute to their ongoing educational efforts.

Where Do Your Tax Dollars Go? NPP's latest publication shows how the average household's tax dollars are spent for every state and 193 cities, towns and counties.

To the right you will find a running total of what taxpayers are spending on the Iraq War. This total is based on estimates from Congressional appropriations.

To find out how to get a Cost of War LED sign for Main Street in your hometown, contact NPP




The War in Iraq Costs
"

Microsoft Loves RSS

Microsoft Loves RSS
The blogoshpere is buzzing about Microsoft's announced support for RSS. Here's a quick history of how they got there, and the good and bad on what they are adding to the standard.

Qualivitae

Qualivitae
De: Mario F. de Camargo Maranhão [mailto:mariomaranhao@uol.com.br] AMICOR
Assunto: Apresentação do Instituto Qualivitae

Caros amigos: Favor acessar meu novo site:

www.qualivitae.org

dfestinado à promover a prevenção e a qualidade de vida:

Mario Maranhão
Presidente e Fundador


Um em cada três executivos morre de infarto, câncer ou AVC (derrame cerebral) entre os 37 e 59 anos de idade, no auge da sua capacidade produtiva, levando consigo todo o capital intelectual amealhado ao longo dos anos por meio de investimentos maciços das empresas em treinamento e capacitação dos seus colaboradores, na busca por aprimoramento constante de competências mas, sobretudo, da sua própria competitividade.

Child survival: countdown to 2015

The Lancet
Jennifer Bryce and Cesar G Victora (AMICOR) on behalf of the Conference Organizing Group


10 years from now, in 2015, governments of the world will meet to assess whether we have achieved the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the most widely ratified and loudly trumpeted set of development goals ever signed onto by every country in the world.1 MDG-4 commits the global community to reducing child deaths below age 5 years by three-quarters from a 1990 baseline.

Can the world afford to save the lives of 6 million children each year?

The Lancet:
Jennifer Bryce et al.
"In July, 2003, the Bellagio Study Group on Child Survival estimated that the lives of 6 million children could be saved each year if 23 proven interventions were universally available in the 42 countries responsible for 90% of child deaths in 2000. Here we assess the cost of delivering these interventions, and discuss whether the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for child survival falls within the financial capacities of donors and developing countries."

Trial of Galileo Galilei

Trial of Galileo Galilei
(Source: Science)
On 22 June 1633, an elderly and frail Galileo Galilei appeared before a tribunal of the Roman Inquisition, clad in a white shirt signifying contrition. Arraigned for advocating the heresy that Earth wasn't the center of the universe, Galileo took a plea bargain and vowed to "abjure, curse, and detest the aforesaid errors and heresies, and generally every other error and sect whatsoever contrary to the said Holy Church." Read more about the famous clash between religion and science at this site from law professor Douglas Linder of the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Along with an account of the trial and its background, Linder marshals a wealth of documents from the case. You can study Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems--the work that prompted the Church to take action against him--the papal condemnation, and part of his recantation. The Galileo pages are part of Linder's site summarizing famous trials, including two others with a scientific angle: the 1925 Scopes trial and the 1951 nuclear espionage case against Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/galileo.html

Human Development and Capability Association

Human Development and Capability Association: "Development can be seen ... as a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy. Focusing on human freedoms [or capabilities] contrasts with the narrower views of development, such as identifying development with the growth of gross national product, or with the rise in personal incomes, or with industrialization, or with technological advance, or with social modernization.
--Amartya Sen, President of the HDCA 2004-2006

Welcome! This is the website of the Human Development and Cabability Association, an association that promotes research from many disciplines on problems related to impoverishment, justice, and well-being. This site is here to serve you - whatever your academic or practical interest in the human development and capability approach. This is a place to learn more, to encounter other people and to find an intellectual and policy community. This site has the most comprehensive collection of bibliographic resources on the web! And we hope to be the 'virtual tearoom' of a truly global network of people interested in the capability approach.



Registration has begun for The 5th International Conference on the Capability Approach Knowledge and Public Action: Education, Responsibility, Collective Agency, Equity being held September 11-14 in Paris. Please visit our conference information page for more information."

JAMA -- The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us, and What to Do About It;

JAMA -- The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us, and What to Do About It; On the Take: How Medicine's Complicity With Big Business Can Endanger Your Health June 22/29, 2005, Wilkes and Hoffman 293 (24): 3107:
"While still highly profitable, the pharmaceutical industry (Pharma) has had a tough couple of years. Stock prices have slipped, the public seems more skeptical of Pharma’s motives, exposés of corporate decisions that seem routinely to place profit above public health have become regular news media fare, and more and more voices from academia are questioning the relationship between the industry and health care professionals.

This increase in skepticism about Pharma has developed despite the industry’s army of 88 000 detailers and its physician-targeted marketing budget of $14 billion—more than $30 000 for every practicing physician in the United States (not to mention several billion more for direct-to-consumer advertising)—all part of the attempt to increase the public’s already bloated spending on products that are often relatively ineffective, rarely better than cheaper alternatives, and not infrequently dangerous—at least to individual users, and certainly if overused. This may make for good business"

FDA Prohibits Lawsuits Against Pharmaceuticals

T&A: FDA Prohibits Lawsuits Against Pharmaceuticals: "Whether or not her pharmaceutical drugs or medical device cause more harm or indeed help -- this will no longer be determined in court. The Bush administration has changed the way in which consumers may sue pharmaceutical manufacturers -- simply, you can not.

The White House says that consumers may not recover damages for injuries of products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which the Justice Department says is a position that reflects a change in government policy and persuades judges to accept the new strategy.

Any consumer who sues manufacturers would undermine public health and interfere with federal regulation of drugs and devices, government prosecutors argue."

American Institute for Cancer Research - Diet, Nutrition and Cancer Prevention

(Recommended by Berenice Goelzer)
American Institute for Cancer Research - Diet, Nutrition and Cancer Prevention: "AICR is the cancer charity that fosters research on diet and cancer prevention and educates the public about the results."

Virtual Fossil Museum Fossils Across Geological Time and Evolution

Virtual Fossil Museum Fossils Across Geological Time and Evolution
Fossils across geological time presented in multiple contexts of geological history, the tree of life, paleobiology and evolution. The Virtual Fossil Museum is an educational resource providing an ever-growing extensive collection of fossil images.
Dedicated to the Diversity of Life

The Story of O2 -- Kerr 308 (5729): 1730 -- Science

EARTH SCIENCE: The Story of O2 -- Kerr 308 (5729): 1730 -- Science:
"Gaseous oxygen is essential to advanced life, but Earth came with no guarantees that oxygen would abound. Researchers are piecing together life's complex involvement in oxygen's halting 3-billion-year rise
In the beginning, Earth was devoid of oxygen, and then life arose from nonlife. As that first life evolved over a billion years, it began to produce oxygen, but not enough for the life-energizing gas to appear in the atmosphere. Was green scum all there was to life, all there ever would be? Apparently, yes, unless life and nonlife could somehow work together to oxygenate the planet from the atmosphere to the deep sea.

Earth scientists are flocking to the emerging field of astrobiology to tease out the history of oxygen on Earth from a maddeningly subtle and fragmented rock record. The rise of atmospheric oxygen from nothing to abundance, they are finding, came in two big steps about 2 billion years apart. Relatively simple life probably facilitated the first step up and possibly the second, much to its own detriment but to the benefit of more complex life.

'The rise of oxygen changed the course of evolution,' says astrobiologist David Catling of the University of Bristol, U.K. 'Atmospheric oxygen was a precursor to advanced life on Earth, and, I would argue, to life elsewhere.' With the new interest in 3 billion years of oxygen history, 'there's been a great deal of progress,' says geochemist Donald Canfield of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. 'The field has matured; it used to be a hobby area for most people. I credit NASA's [astrobiology funding] for much of that.' An invigorated field is attacking a host of big questions: When did free oxygen first appear in Earth's atmosphere? What made it appear in the first place? What held it back for so long? And what caused the second, delayed surge of oxygen that allowed advanced animals to appear?"

FILM: HISTORY OF SCIENCE: Nature's Beauty and Haeckel's Talents -- Laubichler 308 (5729): 1746 -- Science

FILM: HISTORY OF SCIENCE: Nature's Beauty and Haeckel's Talents -- Laubichler 308 (5729): 1746 -- Science: "
All art should become science and all science art; poetry and philosophy should be made one. --Friedrich Schlegel (1)

Proteus, written and directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker David Lebrun, presents a 19th-century vision of the age-old quest to grasp nature and her creative powers. In the 19th century, with Earth's surface mostly mapped and the readily visible life forms largely described and cataloged, the quest to understand nature turned inward toward the depths of the sea, the psyche, and the smallest elements of organic forms. Aptly named after the shape-shifting ancient Greek god of the sea, the film follows these interconnecting lines of research at this mythical frontier that so preoccupied the imagination of artists, scientists, and explorers."

Inflammatory Exposure and Historical Changes in Human Life-Spans -- Finch and Crimmins 305 (5691): 1736 -- Science

Inflammatory Exposure and Historical Changes in Human Life-Spans -- Finch and Crimmins 305 (5691): 1736 -- Science: "Inflammatory Exposure and Historical Changes in Human Life-Spans
Caleb E. Finch* and Eileen M. Crimmins

Most explanations of the increase in life expectancy at older ages over history emphasize the importance of medical and public health factors of a particular historical period. We propose that the reduction in lifetime exposure to infectious diseases and other sources of inflammation—a cohort mechanism—has also made an important contribution to the historical decline in old-age mortality. Analysis of birth cohorts across the life-span since 1751 in Sweden reveals strong associations between early-age mortality and subsequent mortality in the same cohorts. We propose that a 'cohort morbidity phenotype' represents inflammatory processes that persist from early age into adult life.

Andrus Gerontology Center and Departments of Biological Sciencesand of Sociology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: cefinch@usc.edu"

Einstein Light: a brief illumination of relativity

Einstein Light: a brief illumination of relativity: "The Special Theory of Relativity has revolutionised our understanding of time and space, of mass and energy since Einstein wrote his famous paper in June, 1905. In Einstein Light (Einstein lite?), we begin by explaining the relativity of Galileo and Newton, and some of the electromagnetism of Maxwell. We show how they disagree, we show how Einstein solved this problem and we explain some of the key ideas in his theory of relativity.

Can you really learn relativity in ten minutes? Of course not. But you can grasp some of the key ideas. The six multimedia modules together run for 10 minutes. The Related Links give more complete explanations, at levels with or without mathematics."

Sense and Sensitivity

Science -- NetWatch {17 June 2005; 308 (5729)}: "Sense and Sensitivity

This tutorial from Tutis Vilis of the University of Western Ontario in Canada offers 12 animated chapters on the basics of vision, hearing, and the other senses, along with topics such as memory. Students can probe the workings of the vestibular system in the inner ear, which maintains our balance, or learn how receptors in the skin transform pressure into the sensation of being touched. The chapters also include exercises demonstrating concepts such as working memory, the mental scratch pad for temporarily storing information.

www.med.uwo.ca/physiology/courses/sensesweb"

Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio: una mirada desde América Latina y el Caribe

Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio: una mirada desde América Latina y el Caribe
En septiembre del 2000, los Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno de 147 países y 42 ministros y jefes de delegación se reunieron en la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas para emprender la tarea de determinar cómo mancomunar sus voluntades y su compromiso de realizar un esfuerzo conjunto para revitalizar la cooperación internacional destinada a los países menos desarrollados y, en especial, a combatir decisivamente la pobreza extrema.

En esa oportunidad, se identificaron objetivos que apuntan a la lucha contra la pobreza y el hambre, la reversión del deterioro ambiental, el mejoramiento de la educación y la salud, y la promoción de la igualdad entre los sexos, entre otros. Además, quedó de manifiesto que, dado que la falta de desarrollo es un problema que atañe y preocupa al mundo todo y no solo a los países menos desarrollados, el establecimiento de una alianza que enriquezca y revitalice la cooperación internacional, haciéndola más adecuada y efectiva, debía ser uno, no el menos importante, de los ocho objetivos seleccionados. Así quedaron estructurados los objetivos de desarrollo del Milenio.

Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion: An International Conference on Health Promotion

Public Health Agency of Canada - Population Health Approach - Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion: An International Conference on Health Promotion: "Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion: An International Conference on Health Promotion

November 17-21, 1986
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

PDF format PDF (243KB) click here

The first International Conference on Health Promotion, meeting in Ottawa this 21st day of November 1986, hereby presents this CHARTER for action to achieve Health for All by the year 2000 and beyond.

This conference was primarily a response to growing expectations for a new public health movement around the world. Discussions focused on the needs in industrialized countries, but took into account similar concerns in all other regions. It built on the progress made through the Declaration on Primary Health Care at Alma Ata, the World Health Organization's Targets for Health for All document, and the recent debate at the World Health Assembly on intersectoral action for health."

The Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion

Review/2005/16
The Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion
Introduction

The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, gender, age, religion, political belief, economic or social condition. Health promotion is based on the values and principles of social justice and equity; respect for diversity, dignity and human rights; reduction of health inequalities within and between countries; and health defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Dificuldades com a língua Portuguesa...

Para quem pediu " help" sobre o uso do hífen:

Recomendo aos interessados a publicação de Eduardo Martins " Com todas as letras" - O português simplificado, Ed. Moderna Ltda, SP, 1999. No capítulo "Não ceda à síndrome do hífen" vocês encontrarão tudo que querem saber sobre o tema. Esse livro é excelente para dúvidas sobre o português. Recomendo a todos pos meus orientandos.
Ines Lessa

CORRUPÇÃO

Aloyzio Achutti. Membro da Academia Sul-Rio-Grandense de Medicina

(Publicado hoje no jornal ZH)

É uma das fraquezas do ser humano: pelo poder (e pelo dinheiro que compra o poder) se faz qualquer coisa. A própria Bíblia começa por aí, e está cheia de histórias de comportamento duvidoso na busca de privilégios. Existem até explicações biológicas para a voracidade no controle do terreno, e na busca de domínio sobre potenciais competidores.

Alimentamos a fantasia de que somos seres por natureza virtuosos, capazes de respeitar valores e direitos dos outros, e costumamos colocar a responsabilidade do deslize fora de nós, buscando uma serpente perversa, para explicar a virtude corrompida. Mas até o adágio diz que “todo o mundo um tem seu preço”...

Quando escândalos alcançam as manchetes nos damos conta de fenômenos que necessitam da surdina para se desenvolver, ou que de tão freqüentes deixamos de estranhar. Entretanto, somente através da transparência, permitindo o controle social, se consegue frear o impulso da corrupção.

Uma das agências que se ocupa do assunto, no relatório deste ano, cujo mote é “um mundo construído em cima de propinas” estima em torno de um trilhão de dólares o volume da sangria anual que se desvia de suas legítimas finalidades e que termina movendo o mundo através de interesses secundários.

Resultados de pesquisa realizada no ano passado, tentando estimar o grau de corrupção das instituições pelo mundo afora, colocaram em primeiro e segundo lugar partidos políticos e poder legislativo, o que não nos causa surpresa. Em seguida vem a polícia e todo o sistema judiciário, recursos nos quais deveríamos confiar no controle da ordem social. O setor privado e de negócios se situa em 6º lugar, provavelmente pelo equilíbrio já estruturado pela concorrência de mercado.

Em posição intermediária situam-se a mídia, os serviços médicos e a educação.

Por falar na minha profissão, é de se admirar o grau de preservação ainda existente, apesar de todos os desafios e interesses secundários de dentro e de fora da profissão (num dos setores que mais se expande no mundo atual, e no qual vem se perdendo a força da relação simples e do contrato claro entre o médico e o paciente): intermediações de todo tipo, indústria hospitalar, farmacêutica e de equipamentos. De muitas formas se manifesta o abuso nas relações sociais e a corrupção. Não é somente com dinheiro, mas também com favores, presentes, tráfego de influência e de ilusões, nepotismo, corrupção passiva e outras.

As tensões sociais, aliadas às fragilidades e desvios da personalidade rompem o tecido social, as relações de confiança, o contrato de tolerância, a ordem das prioridades e terminam com a solidariedade. Fica-se exposto a toda sorte de abusos e de exploração, cada um encontrando justificativa no clima de luta pela sobrevivência, na imitação do comportamento grupal, na bruma da perda da identidade, na impunidade, nos impulsos selvagens da discriminação, e no desespero ou disputa por espaço e expressão narcisista.

A discussão deste tema não pode servir como desculpa para também entrar numa competição que só pode levar ao desastre global, mas para alertar para uma permanente vigilância e reconstrução de uma sociedade com mais transparência.

Internet Center for Corruption Research

Internet Center for Corruption Research
The Actual Data. The main table containing ranks, scores and further data for each country. All data for the 146 countries in the TI-CPI can also be retrieved in the form of an Excel-Sheet . This sheet provides data also for another 49 countries. Because there were less than three sources available, these 49 countries are measured less reliably and not included in the official list.

NÃO TROPECE NA LÍNGUA..::

::::..NÃO TROPECE NA LÍNGUA..::
Maria Tereza de Queiroz Piacentini*

COMPOSTOS DA ÁREA MÉDICA


--- A palavra imunorreação está corretamente escrita? Ou seria imuno-reação ou ainda imunoreação? Perpétua, Manaus/AM

--- Os pacientes submetidos a tratamento com corticosteróides apresentam-se sensíveis ou resistentes, isto é, respondem ou não respondem ao tratamento. No dia-a-dia, costuma-se dizer que tal paciente é córtico sensível ou córtico resistente. Dúvida: na forma escrita usa-se hífen? José Carlos Guitti, Londrina/PR

--- A minha dúvida é sobre termos usados pela Medicina, no caso: a palavra "velofaríngeo". Pesquisei em dicionários e na internet. Encontrei só no dicionário Michaelis o verbete "velo-palatino." Porém, na internet encontrei várias formas: velo-faríngeo, velofaríngeo e velo faríngeo. Velo vem de véu, e faríngeo é adjetivo relativo à faringe. Nessas palavras compostas em que os elementos mantêm a independência fonética mas formando um conjunto de perfeita unidade de sentido e mantendo cada um sua própria acentuação, o correto é usar hifenização? Ângelo Gabriel Roesner, São Paulo/SP

Milionários no Brasil e no mundo

Zero Hora

Stumbling around in the dark

The Lancet: "For much of the world, scientists rely on guesswork to understand what makes people sick and why they die. True, the guesswork is based on sophisticated surveys, sampling studies, and other techniques of data collection and analysis, but it is guesswork nonetheless. In a study in this week's Lancet, for example, Igor Rudan and co-workers set out to identify the best information they could find on the four leading causes of death in children worldwide: acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, falciparum malaria, and neonatal disorders."

Women's Health: Science Online Special Collection

Women's Health: Science Online Special Collection: "In a collection of articles published with the 10 June 2005 issue, Science Magazine and its online companion sites focus on the many dimensions of women's health. A special section in Science includes News and Review articles on subjects ranging from gender differences in development, health, and sexuality to a current understanding of female-specific disorders. Articles in the Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment and the Science of Aging Knowledge Environment look at topics such as cervical cancer and the role of estrogen in diseases of aging. And Science's Next Wave (via GrantsNet) offers, among other things, a sampling of current funding opportunities for women's health research."

Prognosis without treatment as a modifier in health economic assessments -- Camidge et al. 330 (7504): 1382 -- BMJ

Prognosis without treatment as a modifier in health economic assessments -- Camidge et al. 330 (7504): 1382 -- BMJ: "Explicit rationing—decisions not to fund certain treatments—has become a fact of life in many healthcare systems.1-4 Health economic assessments often underpin rationing decisions, although it remains unclear whether society's values are well reflected by the utilitarian approach of maximising the units of health attainable from available resources.5 6 Health economic assessments are used to determine the additional cost per unit of health gain for different treatment options. Cost effectiveness analysis is the most common method of assessment7 8 and, for life shortening conditions, primarily focuses on the additional cost per life year gained. We propose that prognosis without treatment is an important contextual modifier of life years gained in evaluating treatments for life shortening conditions. We present initial data supporting this hypothesis and describe resource allocation strategies that use this information."

Use of waist circumference to predict insulin resistance: retrospective study -- Wahrenberg et al. 330 (7504): 1363 -- BMJ

Use of waist circumference to predict insulin resistance: retrospective study -- Wahrenberg et al. 330 (7504): 1363 -- BMJ
A waist circumference of < 100 cm excludes individuals of both sexes from being at risk of being insulin resistant. Waist circumference is a strong independent risk factor for insulin resistance and the most powerful regressor in our model. It replaces body mass index, waist:hip ratio, and other measures of total body fat as a predictor of insulin resistance and explains more than 50% of the variation in insulin sensitivity alone.

Current guidelines suggest a cut-off of 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women, on the basis of the many metabolic risk factors after waist circumference is stratified in fifths.3 However, with 88 cm as a cut-off in women the specificity drops markedly. In the San Antonio heart study, twice as many women as men had a waist circumference above the level given in the current guidelines, whereas the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was similar in both sexes, thus supporting the notion that abdominal obesity is overestimated in women.4 The coupling of insulin resistance with abdominal obesity suggests a biological link at the fat cell level. Hyperinsulinaemia activates 11{beta}-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in omental adipose tissue, thus generating active cortisol and promoting a cushingoid fat distribution.5 Waist circumference is a simple tool to exclude insulin resistance and to identify those at greatest risk (therefore those who would benefit most from lifestyle adjustments).

Early life risk factors for obesity in childhood: cohort study -- Reilly et al. 330 (7504): 1357 -- BMJ

Early life risk factors for obesity in childhood: cohort study -- Reilly et al. 330 (7504): 1357 -- BMJ: "Results Eight of 25 putative risk factors were associated with a risk of obesity in the final models: parental obesity (both parents: adjusted odds ratio, 10.44, 95% confidence interval 5.11 to 21.32), very early (by 43 months) body mass index or adiposity rebound (15.00, 5.32 to 42.30), more than eight hours spent watching television per week at age 3 years (1.55, 1.13 to 2.12), catch-up growth (2.60, 1.09 to 6.16), standard deviation score for weight at age 8 months (3.13, 1.43 to 6.85) and 18 months (2.65, 1.25 to 5.59); weight gain in first year (1.06, 1.02 to 1.10 per 100 g increase); birth weight, per 100 g (1.05, 1.03 to 1.07); and short (< 10.5 hours) sleep duration at age 3 years (1.45, 1.10 to 1.89).

Conclusion Eight factors in early life are associated with an increased risk of obesity in childhood."

Adult socioeconomic, educational, social, and psychological outcomes of childhood obesity: a national birth cohort study -- Viner and Cole 330 (7504):

Adult socioeconomic, educational, social, and psychological outcomes of childhood obesity: a national birth cohort study -- Viner and Cole 330 (7504): 1354 -- BMJ: "Obesity in childhood only was not associated with adult social class, income, years of schooling, educational attainment, relationships, or psychological morbidity in either sex after adjustment for confounding factors. Persistent obesity was not associated with any adverse adult outcomes in men, though it was associated among women with a higher risk of never having been gainfully employed (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.3) and not having a current partner (2.0, 1.3 to 3.3).

Conclusions Obesity limited to childhood has little impact on adult outcomes. Persistent obesity in women is associated with poorer employment and relationship outcomes. Efforts to reduce the socioeconomic and psychosocial burden of obesity in adult life should focus on prevention of the persistence of obesity from childhood into adulthood.

"

Prognosis in obesity -- Lean 330 (7504): 1339 -- BMJ

Prognosis in obesity -- Lean 330 (7504): 1339 -- BMJ:
recommended by Marcelo Gustavo Colominas [mgcolominas@gigared.com]
"Obesity has a colossal impact on physical, mental, and social ill health in many parts of the world. Without effective action, expanding waists in ageing populations and the associated health problems will present enormous financial burdens for future generations. The prevalence of obesity is already above the critical threshold of 15% set by the World Health Organization for epidemics needing intervention.1 We cannot withdraw medical support for obese individuals, but we urgently need politically driven public health measures to curb this epidemic."

chronic conditions - discussion paper.

chronicconditions-discussionpaper.pdf (application/pdf Object)
(recommended by Dr. Maria Ines Reinert Azambuja)
How to have your say
The NHC is seeking input from a wide range of individuals and organisations – including people with chronic conditions and those who work with them. People working in this area may be in organisations such as District Health Boards (DHBs), Primary Health Organisations (PHOs), Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) or consumer organisations, as well as from other sectors such as housing, transport or social services. If you are representing a collective view (eg, representing the views of an organisation or community), please make this clear in your submission.
Please also state if you have a chronic condition/s yourself, or if you are a health professional. If you would prefer to discuss your input, please contact us. All input will be treated in confidence.
Throughout the paper there are questions designed to help you think through your ideas, but please do not feel constrained by them. We welcome your input on any level. However, we would ask that you address the three bullet points above to identify gaps in our analysis and to assist development of a way forward.
The project is focused on people with chronic conditions rather than on specific conditions or diseases. We are not seeking submissions on ‘best practice’ for clinical treatment of particular conditions, but input on the major issues facing people with chronic conditions, and those who work with them.
The NHC acknowledges that on many issues there will not be consensus, but the more submissions it receives, the better able it will be to judge the strength and diversity of views on any particular issue. We therefore encourage you to participate in this consultation.

Doctors call for neglected disease research funds

News
Doctors call for neglected disease research funds
Wed Jun 8, 2005 01:10 PM ET

By Jeremy Lovell

LONDON (Reuters) - Sixteen Nobel laureates as well as doctors, scientists and charities called on Wednesday for a global plan to develop drugs to treat neglected diseases that are killing millions of the world's poorest people.

Asking for a fund of $3 billion a year, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative said major drug firms did not put enough effort into potential cures for mega killdrs like malaria and tuberculosis because medicines to fight them make no money.

"This is not a luxury. It is critical to the future of humankind," human genome project pioneer John Sulston told a news conference, noting the "global and lethal consequences" of neglecting the problem.

"We have got to have a concerted effort. We have got to have collective leadership by governments," the Nobel Prize winner added.

The world spends more than $100 billion per year on health research and drug development, but less than 10 percent is spent on 90 percent of the world's health problems affecting the poor of Africa, Asia and Latin America, the campaigners said.

"There is an urgent need to correct the fatal imbalance of the current drug development model," said campaign director Bernard Pecoul. "We are talking about 14 million deaths from infectious diseases each year.

Too many medicines were being developed by rich nations which could afford expensive and often complicated drug therapies that were either too costly or too complicated or both for nations struggling against poverty and disease epidemics.

CALL ON G8

Pecoul urged the leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations to take the lead by declaring war on developing country disease -- and supplying the weapons to fight it -- when they meet in Scotland next month.

And it was not just a matter of charity. There was a strong case of self-interest.

"Diseases are traveling globally as people travel globally," said diagnostic specialist Helen Lee. "You have Medecins sans Frontiers. These are Diseases sans Frontiers."

But throwing money at the problem was not the only answer.

The secretive pharmaceutical industry had to allow the free exchange of information on drugs in research and development to be taken up by others even if firms had shelved their own efforts due to the lack of profits in prospect.

Pecoul called for incentives to industry to open doors and persuade them to push forward development of drugs for diseases alien to the rich nations, and for governments in all countries -- not just the wealthy -- to take a leading role.

Noting the development of two anti-malarial drug treatments specifically aimed at the poor and uneducated which are expected to come to market next year, Pecoul said he was not calling for revolution but accelerated evolution.

And by raising public awareness of the problems and their consequences and showing concrete results, the campaign for the plan to raise public money for the neglected diseases hoped to provide the catalyst for the necessary change, he added.

(Additional reporting by Ben Hirschler)

Global spending on arms tops $1 trillion

Independent News: "Global spending on arms tops $1 trillion
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington 09 June 2005

Global spending on arms tops $1 trillion

Blair's deal with Bush is only the first stage, campaigners say Blair insists G8 will reach climate deal Britain's EU rebate may be frozen under farm reforms
Adrian Hamilton: Africa is too important to be a Blair pet projectindependent portfolio
Leading article: Now we know how the peace dividend was frittered awayindependent portfolio

Less than a month before leaders of the world's most powerful nations meet to discuss financial help for Africa, a new report reveals the extraordinary sums spent by those same countries on weapons compared to the relatively modest sums spent on aid.

In 2004 - the sixth successive year in which arms spending increased - the global total spent on munitions topped $1 trillion for the first time since the height of the Cold War. In contrast, the amount spent on aid over the same period was $78.6bn.

Once again, America was by far the greatest spender on arms. In 2004, it spent $455bn, an increase from 2003 of 12 per cent, fuelled largely by the investment in President George Bush's 'war on terror'. America's foreign aid spending is around 4.1 per cent of its arms bill. Britain, the second largest arms spender, spent $47bn - a tenth of the US total.

The new figures, released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), an independent research institute, emerged the day after Tony Blair and President Bush met in Washington to discuss increasing aid for Africa. The Prime Minister came away with an undertaking from Mr Bush to support a 100 per cent debt relief plan that could be worth more than $20bn to the continent. Mr Bush also announced $674m in new famine relief for the Horn of Africa.

But aid groups and campaigners say that, compared to the amount spent annually on arms, the sums being set aside for aid to Africa - a cause to which Mr Blair has pledged himself in his third term - are negligible.

'When you look at the amount being spent on arms compared to ... aid, it shows how little is being spent on aid,' said Brendan Cox, a spokesman for Oxfam. 'We are pushing to increase aid by $50bn annually, but the US spends $450bn on arms. This shows that, when there is a political will to find funding, the resources can be delivered. We need a war on poverty.'

Other groups have accused the G8 nations of hypocrisy. A separate report by the London-based Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) reveals that seven of the G8 nations are among the world's top 10 arms dealers - responsible for the export of more than $24bn worth of weapons, half of which last year went to developing countries.

The group's report also refers to an investigation by the Congressional Research Service which shows that in 2003 just five members of the G8 - the US, Britain, France, Germany and Russia - were responsible for 89 per cent of arms sales to developing countries.

'The cost of arms sales, and the conflicts they help to sustain, have a massive and disastrous effect on the possibility of sustainable development. Talk about ending poverty at the G8 summit will only be meaningful if G8 countries end their political and financial support for the arms trade,' said a CAAT spokesman, James O'Nions.

'G8 governments give political and financial support to arms companies, often at a highly disproportionate level to civil industries. Huge amounts of time and money goes into promoting arms sales, underwriting exports and providing subsidies. While the G8 countries push 'free trade' on the global south, they provide a system of corporate welfare for arms giants like Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Thales.'

The Sipri report says while defence spending last year topped $1trn, it has not reached record levels. It is still below the Cold War peak of 1987-88, but has risen sharply since 1998.

The group said spending by the US accounted for nearly half the total spent on weapons and was more than the combined sum of the 32 next biggest spenders. It estimated spending by the US will rise to $502bn by 2010. The two largest single recipients of arms last year were China and India. In 2003, India completed a $1.8bn deal to buy Hawk jets from the British defence company BAE systems.

Regionally, south-east Asia saw the biggest rise in spending, largely due to a 19 per cent increase in India's defence budget."

Action Against Poverty

About us.. — gcap:
"he Global Call to Action against Poverty is a worldwide alliance committed to making world leaders live up to their promises, and to making a breakthrough on poverty in 2005.

It is an alliance between a range of actors around the common cause of ending poverty: existing coalitions, community groups, trade unions, individuals, religious and faith groups, campaigners and more."

Global Health Watch 2005 REPORT

GHW 2005 REPORT: "Global Health Watch 2005/6:
An alternative world health report

The Watch will consist of a compilation of chapters on various global health issues written by NGOs and academics from different regions of the world. Stories, experiences and analysis direct from poor communities will be threaded through the chapters and enable those who are traditionally unheard to voice their concerns on global health issues. For the first edition, the chapters will cover the following topics:"

Report: World military spending tops $1T in 2004

USATODAY.com - Report: World military spending tops $1T in 2004:
"STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — Global military spending in 2004 broke the $1 trillion barrier for the first time since the Cold War, boosted by the U.S. war against terror and the growing defense budgets of India and China, a European think tank said Tuesday.

Led by the United States, which accounted for almost half of all military expenditure, the world spent $1.035 trillion on defense, equal to 2.6% of global gross domestic product, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said.

Besides its regular defense budget, the United States has allocated $238 billion since 2003 to fight terrorism, according to the report. 'These appropriations are now assuming extraordinary proportions,' said SIPRI researcher Elisabeth Skons, who co-authored the organization's annual report.

Adjusted for inflation, the figure for global military spending in 2004 is only 6% lower than its Cold War peak in 1987-1988, Skons said.

Total military expenditure grew 6% in 2004 over the previous year, in line with an average annual increase since 2002, the institute said. South Asia, northern Africa and North America made the largest increases. In Western Europe and Central America, military spending fell.

But the report said the figures might be on the low side as countries are increasingly outsourcing services related to armed conflicts, such as military training and providing logistics in combat zones, without classifying them as military expenditures.

Such outsourcing has more than doubled in the last 15 years, and was estimated to have reached $100 million during 2004, SIPRI researcher Caroline Holmqvist said. The researchers predicted it would double again from current levels by 2010.

'This is a global phenomenon,' Holmqvist said, adding it was difficult to provide exact figures. 'This is an industry that is not largely regulated.'

As a region, South Asia saw the biggest rise in military expenditure, largely because India boosted its defense budget by 19% in a move that could provide a 'real setback' to the country's attempts at ending a decades-long conflict with neighbor Pakistan, Skons said.

'Just a few years ago, it looked like they would be able to reach a peaceful settlement,' she said. 'Now India has increased (military spending) again.'

The report is based on official national budgets in most cases, and independent studies for countries like China, where, Skons said, 'it's obvious that the official figures are very wrong.'

The government-funded institute estimated that China increased it defense budget by about 10% in 2004, to $35.4 billion — a figure that is about 70% above the government's official figure, Skons said.

Petter Stalenheim, co-author of the report, said India's large increase in military spending might be a way of challenging neighbor China as the supreme power in Asia but there was little sign of a growing arms race between the countries.

'Objectively, you can see that both India and China are increasing their military expenses by a rather large percentage,' Stalenheim said. 'But at the same time, neither one says they're directed toward each other.'

The report also said China, which traditionally imported military equipment from Russia, is increasingly turning to other countries.

'(China) is very much dependent on Russia, and being dependent is not something that any country would like,' SIPRI researcher Siemon Wezeman said. 'What their wish would be is to become an independent producer of everything they need.'

However, it may take as long as 50 years for China to catch up with the West in arms production, he said.

The United States accounted for 47% of all military expenditure while Britain and France each made up 5% of the total. In all, 15 countries accounted for 82% of the world's total military spending.

The arms trade also grew sharply, with the top 100 makers of weapons increasing their combined sales by 25% between 2002 and 2003, the report said. Those companies sold weapons and arms worth $236 billion worldwide in 2003, compared to $188 billion a year earlier. The United States accounted for 63% of all arms sales in 2003, the report said.

While conflicts in the Middle East were responsible for much of military spending, the rest of the world is also laying out more on security, the report said.

'It's hard to put the United States in the center, or blame everything on the U.S.,' said Alyson J.K. Bailes, the think tank's director.

'Despite all the ongoing problems, the state of world security is a great deal better than it was in the Cold War,' Bailes said."

World Bank Group - Data and Statistics

World Bank Group - Data and Statistics
The tables provided here contain the latest data for key development topics from the World Development Indicators database.

* Regional tables

Key indicators: regional comparisons for People, Environment, Economy, States and Markets, and Global Links.

Country comparisons: East Asia & Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Middle East & North Africa, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

* GNI per capita 2003 (Atlas method and PPP) -- new terminology read more
* Total GNI 2003 (Atlas method) -- new terminology read more
* Total GDP 2003
* PPP GDP 2003
* Population 2003
* Technical notes
* Country classification

Millenium Development goals

Global Data Monitoring Information System: "The Millennium Development Goals website is managed and maintained by the Development Data Group of the World Bank in association with the agencies and groups listed on the Partners page. The work on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) presented on this site is managed by Eric Swanson. For more information on development data and the Bank's data work visit http://www.worldbank.org/data/.

Global Monitoring Report 2005 focuses on how the world is doing in implementing the policies and actions for achieving the MDGs and related development outcomes."

WB - Data and Statistics: World Development Indicators

World Bank Group - Data and Statistics: "World Development Indicators (WDI) is the World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development. The 2005 WDI includes more than 800 indicators in 83 tables organized in 6 sections: World View, People, Environment, Economy, States and Markets, and Global Links. How to Order

Data are shown for 152 economies with populations of more than 1 million and 14 country groups, plus selected indicators for 56 other smaller economies. Indicators are shown for the most recent year or period for which data are available and, in most tables, for an earlier year or period (usually 1990 in this edition).

Amnesty International Report 2005 -

Amnesty International Report 2005 -: "Amnesty International Report 2005

During 2004, the human rights of ordinary men, women and children were disregarded or grossly abused in every corner of the globe. Economic interests, political hypocrisy and socially orchestrated discrimination continued to fan the flames of conflict around the world. The “war on terror” appeared more effective in eroding international human rights principles than in countering international “terrorism”. The millions of women who suffered gender-based violence in the home, in the community or in war zones were largely ignored. The economic, social and cultural rights of marginalized communities were almost entirely neglected.

This Amnesty International Report, which covers 149 countries, highlights the failure of national governments and international organizations to deal with human rights violations, and calls for greater international accountability.

The report also acknowledges the opportunities for positive change that emerged in 2004, often spearheaded by human rights activists and civil society groups. Calls to reform the UN human rights machinery grew in strength, and there were vibrant campaigns to make corporations more accountable, strengthen international justice, control the arms trade and stop violence against women.

Whether in a high profile conflict or a forgotten crisis, Amnesty International campaigns for justice and freedom for all and seeks to galvanize public support to build a better world. "

International Conference on Urban Health

International Conference on Urban Health: "The 4th International Conference on Urban Health
Achieving Social Justice in Urban Communities

Hosted by: Centre for Research on Inner City Health
St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto
October 26 – 28, 2005
The Westin Harbour Castle
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Official Conference of the International Society for Urban Health
This conference, now in its 4th year, has become the leading international forum for the discussion of issues relating to urban health. The annual meeting of the International Society for Urban Health brings together researchers, practitioners, community members, and policy makers to present leading-edge research and reviews relating to urban health and to discuss how to translate research into practice and policy. The past conferences have had increasing international attendance and representation from a wide variety of research disciplines. This year’s conference has a particular emphasis on social justice in urban communities and promises to have strong community representation.

THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR URBAN HEALTH
The International Society for Urban Health (ISUH) facilitates the exchange of perspectives, research methods, and data on the study of disease in urban areas and the effects of urbanization on health. "

Towards a politics of health -- Bambra et al. 20 (2): 187 -- Health Promotion International

Towards a politics of health -- Bambra et al. 20 (2): 187 -- Health Promotion International
SUMMARY
The importance of public policy as a determinant of health is routinely acknowledged, but there remains a continuing absence of mainstream debate about the ways in which the politics, power and ideology, which underpin public policy influence people’s health. This paper explores the possible reasons behind the absence of a politics of health and demonstrates how explicit acknowledgement of the political nature of health will lead to more effective health promotion strategy and policy, and to more realistic and evidencebased public health and health promotion practice.

All-100 Movies (From Time Magazine)

• A - C
• Aguirre: the Wrath of God (1972)
  
• The Apu Trilogy (1955, 1956, 1959)
  
• The Awful Truth (1937)
  
• Baby Face (1933)
  
• Bande à part (1964)
  
• Barry Lyndon (1975)
  
• Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)
  
• Blade Runner (1982)
  
• Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
  
• Brazil (1985)
  
• Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
  
• Camille (1936)
  
• Casablanca (1942)
  
• Charade (1963)
  
• Children of Paradise (1945)
  
• Chinatown (1974)
  
• Chungking Express (1994)
  
• Citizen Kane (1941)
  
• City Lights (1931)
  
• City of God (2002)
  
• Closely Watched Trains (1966)
  
• The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936)
• D - F
• Day for Night (1973)
• The Decalogue (1989)
  
• Detour (1945)
  
• The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
  
• Dodsworth (1936)
  
• Double Indemnity (1944)
  
• Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
  
• Drunken Master II (1994)
  
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  
• 8 1/2 (1963)
  
• The 400 Blows (1959)
  
• Farewell My Concubine (1993)
  
• Finding Nemo (2003)
  
• The Fly (1986)
• G - J
• The Godfather, Parts I and II (1972, 1974)
  
• The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
  
• Goodfellas (1990)
  
• A Hard Day's Night (1964)
  
• His Girl Friday (1940)
  
• Ikiru (1952)
  
• In A Lonely Place (1950)
  
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
  
• It's A Gift (1934)
  
• It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
  
• K - M
• Kandahar (2001)
  
• Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
  
• King Kong (1933)
  
• The Lady Eve (1941)
  
• The Last Command (1928)
  
• Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
  
• Léolo (1992)
  
• The Lord of the Rings (2001-03)
  
• The Man With a Camera (1929)
  
• The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
  
• Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
  
• Metropolis (1927)
  
• Miller's Crossing (1990)
  
• Mon oncle d'Amérique (1980)
  
• Mouchette (1967)
  
• N - P
• Nayakan (1987)
  
• Ninotchka (1939)
  
• Notorious (1946)
  
• Olympia, Parts 1 and 2 (1938)
  
• On the Waterfront (1954)
  
• Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
  
• Out of the Past (1947)
  
• Persona (1966)
  
• Pinocchio (1940)
  
• Psycho (1960)
  
• Pulp Fiction (1994)
  
• The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
  
• Pyaasa (1957)
• Q - S
• Raging Bull (1980)
  
• The Searchers (1956)
  
• Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
  
• The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
  
• Singin' in the Rain (1952)
  
• The Singing Detective (1986)
  
• Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
  
• Some Like It Hot (1959)
  
• Star Wars (1977)
  
• A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
  
• Sunrise (1927)
  
• Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
  
• Swing Time (1936)
• T - Z
• Talk to Her (2002)
  
• Taxi Driver (1976)
  
• Tokyo Story (1953)
  
• A Touch of Zen (1971)
  
• Ugetsu (1953)
  
• Ulysses' Gaze (1995)
  
• Umberto D (1952)
  
• Unforgiven (1992)
  
• White Heat (1949)
  
• Wings of Desire (1987)
  
• Yojimbo (1961)
  Return to Index
  Guilty Pleasures
  Great Performances
  Best Soundtracks
  MP3 Download:
• Corliss & Schickel Talk
  Movie Madness Fan Poll

TinyURL.com - where tiny is better!

TinyURL.com - where tiny is better!
Welcome to TinyURL!™
(Reference from Dennis Raphael)
Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to have to cut and paste it back together? Then you've come to the right place. By entering in a URL in the text field below, we will create a tiny URL that will not break in email postings and never expires.

World of Mathematical Equations - EqWorld

World of Mathematical Equations - EqWorld: "Equations play a crucial role in modern mathematics and form the basis for mathematical modelling of numerous phenomena and processes in science and engineering.

The EqWorld website presents extensive information on solutions to various classes of ordinary differential, partial differential, integral, functional, and other mathematical equations. It also outlines some methods for solving equations, includes interesting articles, gives links to mathematical websites, lists useful handbooks and monographs, and refers to scientific publishers, journals, etc. This site will be kept up to date to include new equations with solutions and other useful information.

The EqWorld website is intended for researchers, university teachers, engineers, and students all over the world. All resources presented on this site are free to its users."

Science in the Arab World: Vision of Glories Beyond -- Maziak 308 (5727): 1416 -- Science

GLOBAL VOICES OF SCIENCE: Science in the Arab World: Vision of Glories Beyond -- Maziak 308 (5727): 1416 -- Science
Wasim Maziak is the director of the Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies in Aleppo, a pioneer collaborative research and research capacity-building center in the Arab world. He earned an MD in 1984 from the Aleppo School of Medicine, Syria, and in 1990 he received his Ph. D. in allergy immunology from Kiev Medical Institute, Ukraine. He built his research experience in epidemiology and clinical medicine at the Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine in Muenster, Germany, and the National Heart and Lung Institute in London, UK. Much of his research career has been devoted to the study of asthma as well as tobacco use and addiction, including the emerging public health threat of water pipe smoking. Most recently he initiated the Research Assistance Matching (RAM) program aimed at helping researchers in developing countries get specialized assistance in their research projects. For this essay, he has synthesized his experience and observations as a working scientist in Syria to analyze the larger context of science in the Arab world.

CREDIT: WASIM MAZIAK

All essays and interactive features appearing in this series can be found at www.sciencemag.org/sciext/globalvoices/

Armed conflict is a leading cause of hunger, says FAO -- Moszynski 330 (7503): 1286 -- BMJ

Armed conflict is a leading cause of hunger, says FAO -- Moszynski 330 (7503): 1286 -- BMJ:
"Armed conflict is now the leading cause of hunger around the world, concludes a report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization that was presented to the Committee on World Food Security in Rome last week.

"

Saúde no Brasil, 1998.

SAUDEBR.PDF (application/pdf Object)
(Recomendado por Maria Inês Reinert Azambuja)
A Representação da OPAS no Brasil está divulgando, em língua portuguesa, o documento preparado para compor o Capítulo "Brasil" da edição 1998 da publicação quadrienal "La Salud en las Américas", lançado pelo Diretor da Organização no mês de setembro, por ocasião da Conferência Sanitária Pan-Americana (Publicação Científica nº 569, em dois volumes). A versão ora editada contém trechos que, por restrições de espaço, não constam da Publicação Científica supracitada. Inclui, ainda, algumas informações mais atualizadas e as referências bibliográficas utilizadas na elaboração do documento.
Esta publicação atende solicitação do Ministério da Saúde do Brasil, objetivando oferecer aos gestores e trabalhadores do sistema nacional de saúde, bem como aos estudiosos do assunto, um amplo panorama dascondições de saúde prevalentes no país. Embora sem aprofundar questões específicas, o documento propicia a identificação de aspectos que estão a merecer maior atenção, requerendo a realização de estudos de situação ou
a implementação de intervenções seletivas.
Para a elaboração deste documento, a Representação da OPAS no Brasil contou com grande número de colaboradores que, sem qualquer ônus para a Organização, forneceram dados, informações, documentos de trabalho, publicações e referências bibliográficas, tendo contribuído, ainda, com sugestões para o aperfeiçoamento do texto. A todas essas pessoas e instituições, os agradecimentos pela inestimável colaboração prestada.

Brazil: Are Health and Nutrition Programs Reaching the Neediest?

BarrosBrazilFinal.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Brazil: Are Health and Nutrition Programs Reaching the Neediest?

De: Equity, Health & Human Development [mailto:EQUIDAD@LISTSERV.PAHO.ORG] Em nome de Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC)
Enviada em: quinta-feira, 2 de junho de 2005 10:14

Aluísio J.D. Barros, Cesar G. Victora, Juraci A. Cesar, Nelson Arns Neumann and Andréa D. Bertoldi

Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) Discussion Paper, The World Bank – May 2005

Available online as PDF file [38p.] at:
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/HEALTHNUTRITIONANDPOPULATION/Resources/281627-1095698140167/BarrosBrazilFinal.pdf


“…..Social inequalities are a major problem in Latin America. As pointed out in the Human Development Report 2003 (UNDP 2003), 6 of the 12 highest ranking countries in terms of income concentration are from the region; the other 6 are in Africa. Among the Latin American countries, Brazil, Nicaragua, Honduras, Paraguay, Chile, and Colombia presented, in this order, the highest Gini coefficients, ranging from 60.7 to 57.1.

Health inequalities are also acknowledged as “the leading health problem” in the Americas by Pan American Health Organization (PAHO 1998). Reducing such inequalities, however, is not a simple task. There is an important gap in knowledge about the impact of health interventions on health inequalities. In fact, some interventions may actually increase inequalities instead of reducing them (Victora et al. 2000).

Nutritional supplementation programs are classic examples of this strategy: milk supplementation programs, family ration distribution, school meals in poor neighborhoods. In Brazil, such programs were popular until about 10 years ago. But, beset by difficulties in the management and distribution of food, they have given place to programs that offer money allowances to the poorest families, conditional upon keeping their children in school and bringing them to health facilities regularly…..”

“…In this study we evaluate how four current Brazilian health programs cover the neediest people. The programs were selected for their importance, national coverage, and availability of data. They are: the national immunization program; the national antenatal care program; the Family Health Program (PSF in Portuguese); and the Pastorate of the Child Program. The first two are universal programs intended for the whole population. The third is also a universal

program, but it was designed to start by reaching the poorest people first and then expand gradually. Unlike the first three programs, operated by the government, the Pastorate of the Child Program is run by a nongovernmental organization (NGO) linked to the Catholic Church. The Pastorate of the Child Program is the only strictly targeted initiative, directed at very poor families or at families with malnourished children….”

OBESITY

Medscape Medical News 2005. © 2005 Medscape

David C. Holzman

May 27, 2005 (Boston) — The recent federal study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggesting that extra pounds could be risk free raised concerns by panelists at a meeting yesterday at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in Boston, Massachusetts. The study published in the April 20 issue of JAMA had inspired the popular press to celebrate the prospect of gastronomy without guilt.

The meeting panelists criticized the study's methodology and suggested that the conclusions were biologically implausible and contrary to numerous other analyses.

The study, which was led by Katherine M. Flegal, PhD, of the National Center for Health Statistics, CDC, had found an excess of nearly 112,000 deaths annually among the obese (body mass index [BMI], 30 kg/m²). While significant, that was a huge decrease from a CDC study last year, which found an excess of 365,000 deaths in this group, suggesting that obesity was second only to smoking on the list of the top U.S. killers. The Flegal study also found no excess mortality among the overweight (BMI, 25 to <29>2) as compared with people of normal weight (BMI, 18.5 to <25>2; -86,094 deaths; 95% confidence interval [CI], -161,223 to -10,966). However, underweight (BMI, <18.5>2) was associated with 33,746 excess deaths (95% CI, 15,726 - 51,766). The study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cohorts I, II, and III. The study authors concluded that improvements in public health and healthcare might have reduced obesity's impact on mortality.

JoAnn Manson, MD, MPH, DrPH, a panelist who is professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital told attendees at the meeting that the study's conclusions lacked plausibility given that obesity causes all the elements of metabolic syndrome. Further, she noted that losing weight intentionally mitigated these elements.

Dr. Manson charged that inasmuch as obesity leads to hypertension, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and diabetes, abnormal lipids, and inflammation and that modest weight loss was shown to reduce blood pressure, blood glucose and insulin levels, and diabetes and to increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, the results of the Flegal study appeared to be biologically implausible. Moreover, she cited a 2004 JAMA analysis encompassing 136 studies and 22,000 patients that showed that bariatric surgery mitigated or eliminated hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea in a majority of patients.

Michael Thun, MD, MS, vice president of epidemiology and surveillance research at the American Cancer Society told attendees that the Cancer Prevention Study II had shown that both breast cancer mortality in women and colon cancer mortality in men climbed steadily with BMI, the latter rising from a relative risk of less than 1 at BMIs of less than 22 kg/m² to nearly 2 at BMIs of more than 32.5 kg/m². That study included 1.2 million people in 50 states.

But, the crux of the problem with the CDC study, according to several panelists, was failure to control for "reverse causality," a theme that was echoed by several panelists. Implicit in the study's methodology was the notion that leanness can lead to death, when in fact, leanness may merely be an adverse effect of the sickness that leads to death.

For example, chronic diseases such as cancer, cirrhosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lead to wasting. Even conditions that may result from overweight, such as heart disease, can ultimately lead to weight loss. The overweight may precede the disease-induced weight loss by years or even decades, Meir Stampfer, MD, DrPH, comoderator of the meeting, and chair, the department of epidemiology, HSPH, told Medscape. And it is possible for the elderly — people in their 70s and 80s — to lose weight, often due to chronic conditions.

Despite the uncertainties about using BMI in the elderly, the CDC study erred in using it as a predictor of death, Dr. Manson told Medscape. That, Dr. Manson said, was one of the two biggest difficulties with the study.

The other was the short follow-up. NHANES I had a 19-year follow-up, but NHANES II and III had only 14 and 9 years, respectively. Extrapolating the death rate in NHANES I, the cohort with the longest (19 years) mean follow-up, to the entire U.S. population resulted in nearly 300,000 deaths annually attributable to obesity, Dr. Manson told attendees at the meeting, while extrapolating cohorts II and III, with follow-ups of 14 and 9 years, respectively, resulted in 29,917 and 43,650 deaths from obesity, respectively. The Flegal study was based on data from all three NHANES cohorts.

Panelist Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH, of HSPH told attendees that "The public health response has ignored the morbidity burden that is real. Dr. Colditz cited data showing that type 2 diabetes, cholelithiasis, hypertension, and coronary heart disease all rise steadily with BMI, and said that direct costs totaled $70 billion annually, 7% of the U.S. healthcare budget.

Donna Stroup, PhD, director of the coordinating center for health promotion at CDC, represented her agency on the panel. The authors of the Flegal study all declined invitations. Dr. Stroup told attendees the CDC study reflected a "remarkable" decline in risk factors, such as high blood pressure among the obese, for the last four years. But asked by Medscape about the panelists' criticisms of the study, Dr. Stroup told attendees that "I would not disagree with my colleagues on the [HSPH] program." Dr. Stroup added that she did not disagree with their numbers.

The 300,000 deaths extrapolated from NHANES I corresponded with an analysis of mortality from obesity that Dr. Manson and others published in JAMA in 1999, based on data from six prospective cohort studies including Nurses' Health Study, NHANES I, and the Framingham Heart study, Dr. Manson told attendees at the meeting. When restricting the data to never/nonsmokers, that analysis attributed 325,000 deaths/year to obesity.

Harvard Forum: "Weighing the Evidence: A Forum to Examine the Latest News About Overweight, Obesity and Mortality in America." Presented May 26, 2005.

Reviewed by Gary D. Vogin, MD

David C. Holzman is a freelance writer for Medscape.

Obesity

PIIS0140673605666044.pdf (application/pdf Object)
When does “large” become “obese”? Or, at what point does an acceptable variation in body form become a pathological condition? And how does an individual’s lifestyle become subject to public and medical scrutiny?
In discussing obesity historians have tended to contrast the preindustrial physical ideal, in which plumpness signified health and prosperity, with the modern western archetype. But despite the shifting nature of body image, most cultures seem to have drawn a distinction between the pleasantly rounded and the morbidly fat, and have looked to medical practitioners for answers.

Isenção de impostos reduz em 11% os preços de mil medicamentos

Em Quest�o:
"Isenção de impostos reduz em 11% os preços de mil medicamentos
Rosa Maria Sampaio Vilanova de Carvalho [rosa.sampaio@saude.gov.br]
A partir de junho mais de mil apresentaçõ es de medicamentos terão isenção das contribuições PIS e Confins. A medida estabelecida pelo governo federal vai permitir a redução em média de 11% nos preços praticados nas farmácias, o que significa uma economia de aproximadamente R$ 125 milhões anuais para os consumidores brasileiros. A determinação é mais uma ação do Ministéio da Saúde para ampliar o acesso da população a medicamentos, como é o caso da instituição das Farmácias Populares, do aumento dos recursos para distribuição de medicamentos e para a produção desses produtos pelos laboratórios oficiais. "

International Conference on Urban Health

International Conference on Urban Health: "The 4th International Conference on Urban Health
Achieving Social Justice in Urban Communities

Hosted by: Centre for Research on Inner City Health
St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto
October 26 – 28, 2005
The Westin Harbour Castle
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

The Official Conference of the International Society for Urban Health
This conference, now in its 4th year, has become the leading international forum for the discussion of issues relating to urban health. The annual meeting of the International Society for Urban Health brings together researchers, practitioners, community members, and policy makers to present leading-edge research and reviews relating to urban health and to discuss how to translate research into practice and policy. The past conferences have had increasing international attendance and representation from a wide variety of research disciplines. This year’s conference has a particular emphasis on social justice in urban communities and promises to have strong community representation."