More people may be incubating variant CJD, the human version of so-called "mad cow disease", than was previously thought, according to scientists who today report an unusual case of the disease. All those tested worldwide since 1994 when the first cases were identified have been MM homozygous.However, a 30-year-old man who died of vCJD in January this year was found to have a different genetic makeup from the rest of the 200 or so people diagnosed around the world, and identified as MV heterozygous.
More people may be incubating variant CJD, the human version of so-called "mad cow disease", than was previously thought, according to scientists who today report an unusual case of the disease. All those tested worldwide since 1994 when the first cases were identified have been MM homozygous.
However, a 30-year-old man who died of vCJD in January this year was found to have a different genetic makeup from the rest of the 200 or so people diagnosed around the world, and identified as MV heterozygous.
COPENHAGEN, Dec 19 (IPS/TerraViva) - Before the outcome of COP 15 has even emerged, Latin American social organisations are already discussing their strategies for the next climate summit, to be held in a year's time in Mexico.The primary challenge is to broaden and strengthen the links between the different civil society movements and networks in the region, the international coordinator of Jubilee South, Beverly Keene, told TerraViva. Jubilee South is a network of social movements and people's organisations in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, formed in 1999 to fight for "freedom from debt and domination" in developing countries. Keene spoke at a session of Klimaforum09 - the civil society meeting held parallel to the Dec. 7-18 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15) - focused on what directions to take on the road to COP 16, in December 2010 in the Mexican capital.
COPENHAGEN--The anger in Juan Carlos Soriano's voice was clear when he rose to a podium in the Bella Center Friday afternoon. And it was easy to understand why: the climate-treaty talks were (and still are at this writing) stuck between competing draft texts, none of which offer plans to keep global warming within safe scientific limits. Another reason: Of the more-than 1,500 youth advocates accredited for the conference, all but 12 were locked out of the Bella Center on Friday--because of space constraints, according to the United Nations. Only one of them got to address delegates in the main plenary hall--Soriano, a 23-year-old college student from Peru. He gave voice to the frustration of those on the outside: "We have all worked for the past two years for the promise of a strong deal in Copenhagen to safeguard our future," he said. "Now it seems you will not get it done. This is unacceptable. We placed our trust in you. You should be ashamed."
Another reason: Of the more-than 1,500 youth advocates accredited for the conference, all but 12 were locked out of the Bella Center on Friday--because of space constraints, according to the United Nations. Only one of them got to address delegates in the main plenary hall--Soriano, a 23-year-old college student from Peru. He gave voice to the frustration of those on the outside:
"We have all worked for the past two years for the promise of a strong deal in Copenhagen to safeguard our future," he said. "Now it seems you will not get it done. This is unacceptable. We placed our trust in you. You should be ashamed."
The Netherlands stepped up measures Wednesday against the world's biggest Q fever epidemic that has killed 10 humans, by ordering the slaughter of over 30,000 animals, a press release said. The ministry of agriculture announced the "preventative slaughter" of 34,000 expectant goats and ewes, and 1,200 billy goats "will be killed too as they can transmit the infection through their sperm". Q fever, found in 55 Dutch farms so far, has killed six people in 2009 and Dutch authorities say 10 farm workers have died in total since the fever appeared in 2007 in the south of the country. ... An obligatory animal vaccination campaign was launched at the start of 2009 in the Netherlands, but due to a lack of vaccinations, it was not able to cover the whole country. In humans the symptoms of Q fever are similar to flu.
The ministry of agriculture announced the "preventative slaughter" of 34,000 expectant goats and ewes, and 1,200 billy goats "will be killed too as they can transmit the infection through their sperm".
Q fever, found in 55 Dutch farms so far, has killed six people in 2009 and Dutch authorities say 10 farm workers have died in total since the fever appeared in 2007 in the south of the country.
...
An obligatory animal vaccination campaign was launched at the start of 2009 in the Netherlands, but due to a lack of vaccinations, it was not able to cover the whole country.
In humans the symptoms of Q fever are similar to flu.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada, November 6, 2009 --WORLD-WIRE-- The Canadian pulse industry today released a white paper on the benefits of using pulses - beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas - as a food ingredient that provides nutritional and health benefits and contributes to environmental sustainability. Give Peas a Chance - The case for more pulses in the field and on the plate shows how using pulses can improve the nutritional profile of food products and reduce the carbon footprint of the food produced. "Food manufacturers and retailers are not only looking for healthy and nutritious products, they also wants to know the environmental story of the food they are producing and marketing," says Gordon Bacon, CEO of Pulse Canada. "Pulses have a great story to tell as they offer both sustainability in the field and positive nutritional results on the plate." The health benefits of pulses are plentiful. Higher in protein than most other crops, pulses are low in fat and they have a low glycemic index, which means their carbohydrates are mostly fibre and starch that prevent blood sugars from rising quickly after eating. Clinical trials have shown that eating pulses are not only nutritionally beneficial, they provide excellent health benefits and can even help combat chronic health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Pulses are also an environment-friendly crop. As a member of the `legume' family, they have a symbiotic relationship with soil organisms, which allows them to make their own nitrogen fertilizer from the atmosphere. By producing their own fertilizer, this reduces the need for manufactured nitrogen made from fossil fuels.
In his book 'After the Ice,' Anderson writes of a world in which Arctic ice has permanently melted and polar bears don't exist. He says the nightmare will likely come true in only decades.
It's hard to imagine a world in which polar bears don't exist in the wild. Alun Anderson, former editor-in-chief of New Scientist magazine, asserts that it most likely will occur in our lifetime. In his book, "After the Ice: Life, Death, and Geopolitics in the New Arctic" (HarperCollins, 2009), Anderson takes a close look at the complicated past, present and future of the Arctic region, the area of Earth that he says is certain to feel the effects of global warming first and most powerfully. .... Alun Anderson responding to an interview question: A big shock to me is that this melt is unstoppable now. In a relatively short time, the Arctic will be ice-free. Going from bright, white ice to black water should be a signal to the world that something is coming. As the ice is melting, it is changing weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere. As the ice melts, there will be a rise in sea level. Perhaps 3 feet. That may not sound like a lot, but if you look at a 1-foot rise and what happens -- it takes out chunks of cities. As the ocean warms, it lets off greenhouse gases, which will warm the Earth further. As the permafrost thaws out, microorganisms get active and digest carbon. It will be a slow change, but it will give us centuries of further warming we can't stop.
In his book, "After the Ice: Life, Death, and Geopolitics in the New Arctic" (HarperCollins, 2009), Anderson takes a close look at the complicated past, present and future of the Arctic region, the area of Earth that he says is certain to feel the effects of global warming first and most powerfully.
....
Alun Anderson responding to an interview question:
A big shock to me is that this melt is unstoppable now. In a relatively short time, the Arctic will be ice-free. Going from bright, white ice to black water should be a signal to the world that something is coming. As the ice is melting, it is changing weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere. As the ice melts, there will be a rise in sea level. Perhaps 3 feet. That may not sound like a lot, but if you look at a 1-foot rise and what happens -- it takes out chunks of cities. As the ocean warms, it lets off greenhouse gases, which will warm the Earth further. As the permafrost thaws out, microorganisms get active and digest carbon. It will be a slow change, but it will give us centuries of further warming we can't stop.
As the ice melts, there will be a rise in sea level. Perhaps 3 feet. That may not sound like a lot, but if you look at a 1-foot rise and what happens -- it takes out chunks of cities.
As the ocean warms, it lets off greenhouse gases, which will warm the Earth further. As the permafrost thaws out, microorganisms get active and digest carbon. It will be a slow change, but it will give us centuries of further warming we can't stop.
Course, it'll impact Greenland and Canadian glaciers directly and that'll have an impact. But it's antarctic ice that's the doozy, if we lose that we are seriously screwed. keep to the Fen Causeway
Health department takes first step to overturn ban on rooftop and backyard bee hives Soon, beekeepers in New York City may no longer be breaking the law. After months of prodding from rooftop beekeepers and proponents of community agriculture, the Department of Health on Thursday took the first step toward removing honey bees from a list of animals that residents are prohibited from raising within the five boroughs. The list includes lions, pit vipers, crocodiles and other animals "naturally inclined to do harm." Bees were added in 1999, during the Giuliani administration. The health department's action came with little attention or fanfare. A bill to overturn the ban had been introduced and loudly trumpeted in the New York City Council earlier this year, prompting a round of local and national news coverage about urban beekeeping, but it never went anywhere. So instead, activists appealed to the city health department, which gave a preliminary OK to making the change in a quarterly Board of Health meeting on Thursday. The action requires a second vote in March, following a public comment period, to take effect. Beekeeping advocates are happy
Health department takes first step to overturn ban on rooftop and backyard bee hives
Soon, beekeepers in New York City may no longer be breaking the law.
After months of prodding from rooftop beekeepers and proponents of community agriculture, the Department of Health on Thursday took the first step toward removing honey bees from a list of animals that residents are prohibited from raising within the five boroughs.
The list includes lions, pit vipers, crocodiles and other animals "naturally inclined to do harm." Bees were added in 1999, during the Giuliani administration.
The health department's action came with little attention or fanfare. A bill to overturn the ban had been introduced and loudly trumpeted in the New York City Council earlier this year, prompting a round of local and national news coverage about urban beekeeping, but it never went anywhere.
So instead, activists appealed to the city health department, which gave a preliminary OK to making the change in a quarterly Board of Health meeting on Thursday. The action requires a second vote in March, following a public comment period, to take effect.
Beekeeping advocates are happy
bzzzhmmmm ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
Such as sheep and ducks?
As for ducks, they're vicious. a squad of ducks on the loose and anything can happen. keep to the Fen Causeway
i didn't know ducks could be fierce, but geese were know sometimes to castrate men, or so i read in a story about opera castrati.
that page is funny, imagine, not being permitted elephants in new york city! ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
watching the new farmhand who hasnt dealt with them before can be quite entertaining. Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
Specialist engineers are to examine Eurostar's usually trouble-free trains to crack the puzzle of why they failed so disastrously, after running unaffected in previous cold snaps.The firm has blamed the sudden contrast for the high speed engines between freezing temperatures above ground and the heat of the tunnel's 25C (77F).Slower freight trains on the Eurotunnel service were not affected, and the contrast will form part of the company's investigation. Experts are also expected to focus on the fact that the failures were in London-bound services, which spend longer overground in France before the tunnel than trains going south."It's all a bit of a mystery and the company, and indeed a lot of people, appear baffled by it," said Nigel Harris, managing editor of Rail magazine. "But the fact that the problem has affected London-bound trains rather than ones leaving St Pancras may have been due to the fact that those heading away from London have less time to get cold.
Specialist engineers are to examine Eurostar's usually trouble-free trains to crack the puzzle of why they failed so disastrously, after running unaffected in previous cold snaps.
The firm has blamed the sudden contrast for the high speed engines between freezing temperatures above ground and the heat of the tunnel's 25C (77F).
Slower freight trains on the Eurotunnel service were not affected, and the contrast will form part of the company's investigation. Experts are also expected to focus on the fact that the failures were in London-bound services, which spend longer overground in France before the tunnel than trains going south.
"It's all a bit of a mystery and the company, and indeed a lot of people, appear baffled by it," said Nigel Harris, managing editor of Rail magazine. "But the fact that the problem has affected London-bound trains rather than ones leaving St Pancras may have been due to the fact that those heading away from London have less time to get cold.
