ATLANTA (AP) ? The Carter Center on Monday announced it received $40 million in donations to help fuel its mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease, a debilitating parasite that once plagued millions of people across the developing world.
The Atlanta-based center said the funding comes from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation and President Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates. It said the grants, along with $31 million committed last year by the United Kingdom, will help eradicate the disease by 2015.
"Millions of people in Africa and Asia will no longer risk suffering one of the most horrific human diseases ever known thanks to the generosity and global health leadership" of the donors, said former President Jimmy Carter.
There were about 3.5 million reported cases of the disease in 20 nations when the Carter Center's eradication program began in 1986. On Monday, the center said an early tally showed that only 1,060 cases of the disease occurred worldwide in 2011.
Most of the cases occurred in the African nations of South Sudan, Mali and Ethiopia. There was also an isolated outbreak in Chad.
Guinea worm disease occurs when people drink water contaminated with worm larvae. Over a year, the worm can grow to the size of a 3-foot long spaghetti noodle. Then they very slowly emerge through the skin, often causing searing, debilitating pain for months. The disease, however, is usually not fatal.
There is no vaccine or medicine for the parasite. Infection is prevented by filtering water and educating people how to avoid the disease.
The Carter Center has worked to stem the spread of Guinea worm in part by handing out millions of pipe filters and educating residents about the dangers of drinking tainted water. The former president has also has used his political bully pulpit to encourage local politicians to devote time and resources to fighting the disease.
The center said it would use the funding to pay for programs aimed at stamping out the disease and to fund surveillance by the World Health Organization to certify eradication over three years.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $23.3 million of Monday's pledge. Nahyan pledged $10 million and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation gave an additional $6.7 million.
"The last cases of any disease are the most challenging to wipe out," said Carter. "But we know that with the international community's support, Guinea worm disease soon will be relegated to the history books."
___
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Twelve months after a popular uprising erupted in Egypt, captivating the world and dislodging its authoritarian President, many in the country question whether the country is on the right path and whether the revolution has delivered on its promise. The unity of last year's revolution has given way to new realities and widening differences among Egyptians.
On the one-year anniversary marking the start of the revolution, I spent the day in Tahrir Square, the symbolic heart of Egypt's struggle for change, asking people what Jan. 25 means to them. Their answers can be categorized into two groups: the anniversary was either about celebrating the revolution or trying to reinvigorate it. (See photos of police and protesters clashing in Cairo.)
The invigorators argue the revolution has not lived up to its potential. They say this Jan. 25 was all about renewing calls for sustained protests against the military to hand over power to a civilian government immediately. Last year, the people had coalesced around this once central demand: the fall of the regime embodied by the departure of the President Hosni Mubarak. The word regime was commonly used but perhaps less understood than it is now. A year later, those critics contend the regime is still very much in place and that the biggest mistake was entrusting the military with the keys to the revolution after it assumed power.
History has yet to write its final chapter on what role the military played in easing Mubarak's departure. But anecdotal evidence, key decisions throughout the year and recent statements by the military, as embodied in the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), suggest it has embraced its newfound role as the country's paramount power over the past year. In a posting on its Facebook page on the eve of the Jan. 25 anniversary, the ruling military council wrote that the "military protected the revolution, stood with its objectives, embraced its demands and promises to fulfill it." The military is operating from a position of strength, observers say.
Political analysts say the military has managed to outmaneuver other forces in the country (Islamists, revolutionary youth, liberals, business elite and even foreign governments) by creating conditions on the ground whereby everybody discreetly feels the military should play a role in safeguarding the political process despite calls for its complete marginalization from political life. (Watch TIME's video "Why They Protest: Egypt, Libya and Syria.")
Antimilitary activists say more than 12,000 civilians have been detained by military tribunals in the past year -- more than the Mubarak era that lasted over 30 years. One year after the President's fall, not a single senior officer in any Egyptian security force has been convicted in the killing of protesters in the 18-day uprising. The trial of the former President was slow to start after the revolution. Since he left office, Mubarak has not spent time in prison, instead remaining under 24-hour medical watch at advanced medical facilities. Lawyers from his defense have been allowed to call hundreds of witnesses, a process that could delay his trial indefinitely. And while Mubarak is granted all of the protections of due process, civilians facing much lesser charges are being tried rapidly in military tribunals. Lawyers, victims and revolutionary groups have questioned the intent of the SCAF or government prosecutors to deliver true justice. Fueling their suspicion is the fact that the entire ruling military council and the country's general prosecutor are among the handful of officials appointed by Mubarak who have remained in power.
But there are signs of hope that the country is changing for the better. Many Islamist politicians and sizable part of the middle class in Egypt say while the pace of reform has been slow, certain gains have been made that are irreversible. Change is tangible. Those celebrating the revolution look at the gains achieved in the past year with optimism that the country is moving in the right direction.
A new parliament is being established. And people are enjoying newfound freedoms of speech, of the media and of the right to protest. There has been an explosion of political parties across the entire political spectrum, from socialists to ultraconservative Islamists. But above all, the relationship between the state and the citizens has changed. "A psychological barrier of fear has been broken," says Wael Ghonim, the young Google executive who rose from obscure activist to the global face of the Egyptian revolution after he and friends started a Facebook page that helped mobilize street protests. There is no going back to the ways of past oppression, he and others say. (See why Egyptians marked their revolution's anniversary with mixed feelings.)
But among the democratic realities that have emerged in post-revolutionary Egypt is the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and the ultraconservative Salafist movement in mainstream politics. These two parties overwhelmingly won the majority of seats in parliament. Will their mandate from the people be seen as a direct order to challenge the military? Some argue the Islamists are content with the democratic process undertaken by the military because it has paved their way to power. Some Egyptians fear the Brotherhood and the military have cut backroom deals. One popular theory is that the military will move the democratic process at a pace and under conditions favorable to Islamist parties at the expense of the lesser and weaker secular and liberal forces and that, in return, the Islamists will not mobilize their massive street support against the military or hold it accountable for past misdoings.
So whether Egyptians are celebrating or hoping to reinvigorate the revolution, one thing is certain: a year later, the success of that revolution still remains very much in question.
Mohyeldin is a foreign correspondent for NBC News based in Cairo.
Read "How the Islamist Group Became a Force in Egypt's Power Equation."
Cancer Screening ? United States, 2010 Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (CDC)
Each year, approximately 350,000 persons are diagnosed with breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer in the United States, and nearly 100,000 die from these diseases (1). The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening tests for each of these cancers to reduce morbidity and mortality (2). Healthy People 2020 sets national objectives for use of the recommended cancer screening tests and identifies the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) as the means to measure progress. Data from the 2010 NHIS were analyzed to assess use of the recommended tests by age, race, ethnicity, education, length of U.S. residence, and source and financing of health care to identify groups not receiving the full benefits of screening and to target specific interventions to increase screening rates. Overall, the breast cancer screening rate was 72.4% (below the Healthy People 2020 target of 81.1%), cervical cancer screening was 83.0% (below the target of 93.0%), and colorectal cancer screening was 58.6% (below the target of 70.5%). Screening rates for all three cancer screening tests were significantly lower among Asians than among whites and blacks. Hispanics were less likely to be screened for cervical and colorectal cancer. Higher screening rates were positively associated with education, availability and use of health care, and length of U.S. residence. Continued monitoring of screening rates helps to assess progress toward meeting Healthy People 2020 targets and to develop strategies to reach those targets.
The nation?s gross domestic product went up 2.8 percent in the final three months of 2011, falling slightly short of the 3 percent increase expected by many analysts. NBC?s Brian Williams reports.
>>>we learned today the
u.s. economy
continuing to grow now, though it's a slower pace than expected.
gross domestic product
bumped up 2.8% in the final three months of
2011
. that's disappointing some economis economists who have been looking for 3% growth. when companies have large inventories, they produce less in the feature, which could mean slower growth and fewer
american jobs
.
BUILDING MOMENTUM: Most commodities rallied for a second day as more proof emerged that the U.S. economy was gaining momentum. Prices for metals, wheat, beans and most energy products rose.
THE IMPETUS: Investors were encouraged by an improvement in orders for long-lasting manufactured goods, which could improve demand for industrial metals like copper, platinum and palladium. But a primary driver of the rally was the Fed's decision to extend its low-interest rate policy.
GAS BLUES: Natural gas prices fell 4.2 percent after the government said U.S. supplies were well above what is normal for this time of year.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer received an earful from President Obama when she met him on an airport tarmac outside Phoenix yesterday - and responded in kind.
The Democratic chief executive and Republican governor could be seen engaged in an intense conversation right at the base of Air Force One's steps.
Both could be seen smiling, but speaking forecefully at the same time. At one point, Jan Brewer pointed a finger directly in Barack Obama's face. Why?
Asked later what the conversation was about, Brewer, who recently published Scorpions for Breakfast, said, "He was a little disturbed about my book."
Something of a memoir of her years growing up, Scorpions defends her signing of Arizona's controversial law cracking down on undocumented immigrants.
Obama, who opposes that law, was objecting to Brewer's description of a meeting they had at the White House in June 2010. Bad blood has boiled since.
Brewer described Obama as lecturing her like "a little kid in a classroom, if you will, and he was this wise professor ... I felt minimized to say the least."
The Governor also said that later that year, Obama blew her off when he was in town to deliver the commencement address at Arizona State University.
On the tarmac Wednesday, Brewer handed Obama an envelope with a handwritten invitation to meet her for lunch and to join her for a visit to the border.
"I said to him, you know, I have always respected the office of the president and that the book is what the book is," she told reporters Wednesday.
She said Obama was upset that she wrote he was not cordial: "I said that I was sorry he felt that way. Anyway, we're glad he's here, and we'll regroup."
The President is visiting the Grand Canyon State to push for initiatives laid out in his State of the Union address, which began his reelection bid in earnest.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is rushed to a car by security after some 200 rowdy protesters surrounded a restaurant where she was speaking in Canberra, Australia. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
By msnbc.com staff and news services
CANBERRA -- Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was dragged away by security guards Thursday after she was trapped in a restaurant by rowdy protesters demonstrating for indigenous rights following a ceremony to mark Australia's national day.
Some 200 supporters of Aboriginal rights surrounded a Canberra restaurant and banged on its windows while Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were inside officiating at an award ceremony.
The protesters were marching at the nearby Aboriginal Tent Embassy to mark 40 years since its establishment and rushed the restaurant in response to comments by Abbott earlier in the day, The Australian newspaper reported.
"Look, I can understand why the Tent Embassy was established all those years ago. I think a lot has changed for the better since then," Abbott said earlier Thursday.
"I think the indigenous people of Australia can be very proud of the respect in which they are held by every Australian and yes, I think a lot has changed since then and I think it probably is time to move on from that," he said.
Lukas Coch / EPA
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is escorted by police and bodyguards out of a restaurant after aboriginal Tent Embassy protesters tried to get into the building in Canberra, Australia, on Thursday.
The newspaper reported that according to protesters, his remarks were interpreted as a call to take down the Tent Embassy, a ramshackle collection of tents and temporary shelters in the national capital that is a center point of protests against Australia Day.
Invasion Day Australia Day marks the arrival of the first fleet of British colonists in Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788. Many Aborigines call it Invasion Day because the land was settled without a treaty with traditional owners.
Around 50 police escorted the political leaders from a side door to a car. Gillard stumbled, losing a shoe. Her personal security guard wrapped his arms around her and supported her to the waiting car, shielding her from the angry crowd.
Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council Leader Sean?Gordon?told The Sydney Morning Herald that Abbott's comments had been read out to the crowd, which had been rallying peacefully until then.
"It was like waving a red flag at a bull," he said.
David Crosling / AP, file
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy, set up in 1972, sits on the lawn of the Old Parliament House building in Canberra.
Protesters chanted "shame" and "racist" outside the restaurant.
One of the Tent Embassy's founders, Michael Anderson, said after the incident that Abbott's remarks were "madness," the Herald reported.
"What he said amounts to inciting racial riots," he said.
Gillard was unharmed and hosted another Australia Day function at her official residence in Canberra later Thursday.
Young Americans recognize the impact of innovation on US economy according to surveyPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jessica Benjamin jbenjamin@coneinc.com 617-939-8417 Lemelson-MIT Program
2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index reveals barriers and drivers to becoming US inventors
Cambridge, Mass., January 25, 2012 The 2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index , announced today, indicates that young Americans are acutely aware of the importance of invention and innovation in their personal lives, and within the context of the nation's economy. Yet most feel there are factors that would prevent them from furthering education in or entering inventive fields, posing a threat to the pool of future U.S. innovators and the country's economic prosperity.
A Threat to U.S. Innovation
The annual Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges Americans' perceptions about invention and innovation, surveyed Americans ages 16 25. When asked about how new technology like smartphones and tablets influences and impacts their personal lives, 40 percent of respondents said they couldn't imagine their life without it. Americans also have a clear understanding of the role invention and innovation play in the health of the nation with nearly half (47 percent) saying that a lack of invention will hurt the U.S. economy. Those surveyed, however, may not be the ones to take-on the challenge; 60 percent say there are factors that could keep them from pursuing an education or career in science, technology, engineering or math - fields that yield invention and lead to innovation.
Thomas Edison Chosen over Steve Jobs as Greatest Innovator
Though part of the "Apple Generation," many young Americans surprisingly chose Thomas Edison (54 percent) over Steve Jobs (24 percent) as the greatest innovator of all time, demonstrating that education around the history of invention exists in today's curriculum. However, it may not be strong enough to inspire young Americans to make the leap into innovative fields themselves. When asked what other factors would stop them from pursuing innovation-driving fields, nearly half (45 percent) said that invention is not given enough attention in their school.
Additionally, 28 percent said their education left them unprepared to enter these fields.
"Hands-on invention activities are critical, but few too many students have opportunities to learn and develop their inventive skills," said Leigh Estabrooks, the Lemelson-MIT Program's invention education officer. "This year's survey revealed that less than half of respondents have done things like used a drill or hand-held power tool, or made something out of raw materials in the past year. We must engage students in these types of invention experiences as well as provide a strong STEM education to drive future innovators."
Driving Future Innovators
American youth feel that education is most in need of a new, inventive solution, more than other fields like healthcare, energy and finance. They also believe there are several ways to generate aspiring inventors by reforming learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. Fifty-four percent said including invention projects during school, or a creative field trip could be a solution; while 52 percent said simply giving students a place to develop an invention could do the trick.
Outside of the classroom, a majority (80 percent) expressed interest in education training courses to help them become more inventive and creative. Fifty-eight percent said an opportunity to participate in an invention-related national service co-op, such as a training program where aspiring inventors can "shadow" working professionals in science, technology, engineering and math would encourage aspiring inventors in the U.S.
Joshua Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, supports such ideas. "These encouraging statistics show that young Americans have an interest in learning more about invention. At the Lemelson-MIT Program our mission is to celebrate and inspire invention. We invite communities to join us by giving youth access to role models and hands-on programs like InvenTeams to help them become more inventive in their personal and professional lives."
Now in its ninth year, the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam Initiative inspires and empowers youth to invent by engaging students in creative thinking, problem-solving and hands-on learning. Granted up to $10,000 each, InvenTeams create and pursue a yearlong invention project addressing real-world problems such as energy efficiency and disaster relief.
###
ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM
Celebrating innovation, inspiring youth
The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding innovators and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history's most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering. The Foundation sparks, sustains and celebrates innovation and the inventive spirit. It supports projects in the U.S. and developing countries that nurture innovators and unleash invention to advance economic, social and environmentally sustainable development. To date The Lemelson Foundation has donated or committed more than U.S. $150 million in support of its mission. http://web.mit.edu/invent/
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?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Young Americans recognize the impact of innovation on US economy according to surveyPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jessica Benjamin jbenjamin@coneinc.com 617-939-8417 Lemelson-MIT Program
2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index reveals barriers and drivers to becoming US inventors
Cambridge, Mass., January 25, 2012 The 2012 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index , announced today, indicates that young Americans are acutely aware of the importance of invention and innovation in their personal lives, and within the context of the nation's economy. Yet most feel there are factors that would prevent them from furthering education in or entering inventive fields, posing a threat to the pool of future U.S. innovators and the country's economic prosperity.
A Threat to U.S. Innovation
The annual Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges Americans' perceptions about invention and innovation, surveyed Americans ages 16 25. When asked about how new technology like smartphones and tablets influences and impacts their personal lives, 40 percent of respondents said they couldn't imagine their life without it. Americans also have a clear understanding of the role invention and innovation play in the health of the nation with nearly half (47 percent) saying that a lack of invention will hurt the U.S. economy. Those surveyed, however, may not be the ones to take-on the challenge; 60 percent say there are factors that could keep them from pursuing an education or career in science, technology, engineering or math - fields that yield invention and lead to innovation.
Thomas Edison Chosen over Steve Jobs as Greatest Innovator
Though part of the "Apple Generation," many young Americans surprisingly chose Thomas Edison (54 percent) over Steve Jobs (24 percent) as the greatest innovator of all time, demonstrating that education around the history of invention exists in today's curriculum. However, it may not be strong enough to inspire young Americans to make the leap into innovative fields themselves. When asked what other factors would stop them from pursuing innovation-driving fields, nearly half (45 percent) said that invention is not given enough attention in their school.
Additionally, 28 percent said their education left them unprepared to enter these fields.
"Hands-on invention activities are critical, but few too many students have opportunities to learn and develop their inventive skills," said Leigh Estabrooks, the Lemelson-MIT Program's invention education officer. "This year's survey revealed that less than half of respondents have done things like used a drill or hand-held power tool, or made something out of raw materials in the past year. We must engage students in these types of invention experiences as well as provide a strong STEM education to drive future innovators."
Driving Future Innovators
American youth feel that education is most in need of a new, inventive solution, more than other fields like healthcare, energy and finance. They also believe there are several ways to generate aspiring inventors by reforming learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. Fifty-four percent said including invention projects during school, or a creative field trip could be a solution; while 52 percent said simply giving students a place to develop an invention could do the trick.
Outside of the classroom, a majority (80 percent) expressed interest in education training courses to help them become more inventive and creative. Fifty-eight percent said an opportunity to participate in an invention-related national service co-op, such as a training program where aspiring inventors can "shadow" working professionals in science, technology, engineering and math would encourage aspiring inventors in the U.S.
Joshua Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, supports such ideas. "These encouraging statistics show that young Americans have an interest in learning more about invention. At the Lemelson-MIT Program our mission is to celebrate and inspire invention. We invite communities to join us by giving youth access to role models and hands-on programs like InvenTeams to help them become more inventive in their personal and professional lives."
Now in its ninth year, the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam Initiative inspires and empowers youth to invent by engaging students in creative thinking, problem-solving and hands-on learning. Granted up to $10,000 each, InvenTeams create and pursue a yearlong invention project addressing real-world problems such as energy efficiency and disaster relief.
###
ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM
Celebrating innovation, inspiring youth
The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding innovators and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history's most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering. The Foundation sparks, sustains and celebrates innovation and the inventive spirit. It supports projects in the U.S. and developing countries that nurture innovators and unleash invention to advance economic, social and environmentally sustainable development. To date The Lemelson Foundation has donated or committed more than U.S. $150 million in support of its mission. http://web.mit.edu/invent/
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?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Warning over cost of asthma caused by traffic-related air pollutionPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@europeanlung.org 44-114-267-2876 European Lung Foundation
Experts warn cost of asthma caused by traffic-related air pollution is much higher than previous estimates
The total cost of asthma due to traffic-related air pollution is much higher than previous estimates, according to new research.
The study, published online ahead of print in the European Respiratory Journal, has revealed the true extent of the healthcare costs associated with living close to a busy road.
The researchers studied Long Beach and Riverside; two communities in Southern California that have high levels of regional air pollution and where there are large roads close to residential neighbourhoods. They analysed previous estimates of the number of asthma cases attributable to pollution exposure and multiple surveys on healthcare visits by children with asthma to estimate the yearly costs of childhood asthma.
Traditional methods of assessing the risks and costs of air pollution have not taken into account the causal relationship between pollution exposure and developing asthma, nor have they included the broader costs associated with the disease.
Instead, previous studies have been limited to pollution-related exacerbations (such as hospitalisations) of existing asthma cases. In this study, the research team used a new method of calculating costs that took into account asthma cases attributable to pollution and a broad range of costs including morbidity associated with asthma (such as sinus and ear infections) and the cost of regular care (such as daily control medication). This 'asthma career cost' estimates the lifelong costs incurred throughout the 'career' of the disease.
To estimate this cost, the researchers assessed the typical volume of health services (such as doctor visits) and number of school absences for a child with asthma each year. They then calculated costs using the average amount charged (for health services) and the average wage rate for parents or guardians (for school absences or attending medical appointments).
The total economic burden of asthma cases and asthma exacerbations due to pollution in the two communities is approximately $18 million a year, almost half of which is due to new asthma cases caused by pollution. The results also revealed that the total annual cost associated with a case of asthma was approximately 78% of average household income in both communities, which exceeds the 5% level that is widely considered sustainable for a family's healthcare expenses.
Sylvia Brandt, lead author of the study, said: "Traditional risk assessment methods for air pollution have underestimated both the overall burden of asthma and the cost of the disease associated with air pollution. Our research allows us to view the true cost of asthma attributable to air pollution as a 'career' cost.
"Our findings suggest the cost has been substantially underestimated and steps must be taken to reduce the burden of traffic-related pollution. While our study is specific to two communities in Southern California, its approach is applicable and relevant to other urban areas, especially since previous research suggests that over 50% of the population in 10 major European cities live within 150 metres of major roads."
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Warning over cost of asthma caused by traffic-related air pollutionPublic release date: 25-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@europeanlung.org 44-114-267-2876 European Lung Foundation
Experts warn cost of asthma caused by traffic-related air pollution is much higher than previous estimates
The total cost of asthma due to traffic-related air pollution is much higher than previous estimates, according to new research.
The study, published online ahead of print in the European Respiratory Journal, has revealed the true extent of the healthcare costs associated with living close to a busy road.
The researchers studied Long Beach and Riverside; two communities in Southern California that have high levels of regional air pollution and where there are large roads close to residential neighbourhoods. They analysed previous estimates of the number of asthma cases attributable to pollution exposure and multiple surveys on healthcare visits by children with asthma to estimate the yearly costs of childhood asthma.
Traditional methods of assessing the risks and costs of air pollution have not taken into account the causal relationship between pollution exposure and developing asthma, nor have they included the broader costs associated with the disease.
Instead, previous studies have been limited to pollution-related exacerbations (such as hospitalisations) of existing asthma cases. In this study, the research team used a new method of calculating costs that took into account asthma cases attributable to pollution and a broad range of costs including morbidity associated with asthma (such as sinus and ear infections) and the cost of regular care (such as daily control medication). This 'asthma career cost' estimates the lifelong costs incurred throughout the 'career' of the disease.
To estimate this cost, the researchers assessed the typical volume of health services (such as doctor visits) and number of school absences for a child with asthma each year. They then calculated costs using the average amount charged (for health services) and the average wage rate for parents or guardians (for school absences or attending medical appointments).
The total economic burden of asthma cases and asthma exacerbations due to pollution in the two communities is approximately $18 million a year, almost half of which is due to new asthma cases caused by pollution. The results also revealed that the total annual cost associated with a case of asthma was approximately 78% of average household income in both communities, which exceeds the 5% level that is widely considered sustainable for a family's healthcare expenses.
Sylvia Brandt, lead author of the study, said: "Traditional risk assessment methods for air pollution have underestimated both the overall burden of asthma and the cost of the disease associated with air pollution. Our research allows us to view the true cost of asthma attributable to air pollution as a 'career' cost.
"Our findings suggest the cost has been substantially underestimated and steps must be taken to reduce the burden of traffic-related pollution. While our study is specific to two communities in Southern California, its approach is applicable and relevant to other urban areas, especially since previous research suggests that over 50% of the population in 10 major European cities live within 150 metres of major roads."
###
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?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
In this Jan. 4, 2012 photo, the Yahoo company logo is displayed at their headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif. Yahoo Inc., reports quarterly financial earnings Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, after the market close.(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
In this Jan. 4, 2012 photo, the Yahoo company logo is displayed at their headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif. Yahoo Inc., reports quarterly financial earnings Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, after the market close.(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Yahoo slipped further behind in the online advertising race during the fourth quarter as the Internet company entered the fourth year of a revenue slump.
The results announced Tuesday marked the latest in a succession of disappointing performances. The persisting malaise led to the firing of Carol Bartz as CEO four months ago.
Yahoo Inc. recently replaced Bartz with PayPal executive Scott Thompson, anointing him as the fourth CEO in less than five years to try to snap the company out of a funk that has depressed its stock. Thompson, who was hired just three weeks ago, promised to move quickly to fix the problems.
"There is no question we need to do better and we will," Thompson assured analysts in a Tuesday conference call.
The company earned $296 million, or 24 cents per share, in the October-to-December period. That is down 5 percent from $312 million, or 24 cents per share, a year earlier.
The earnings matched analysts' estimates, but the company missed Wall Street's revenue target.
Fourth-quarter revenue dropped 13 percent from the previous year to $1.32 billion. After subtracting advertising commissions, Yahoo's revenue totaled $1.17 billion, or $20 million below analyst projections. It's the 13th straight quarter that Yahoo's net revenue has declined from the prior year.
Although Thompson said it was still too early to share precise details about his turnaround strategy, he said he will close some Yahoo services. That could mean layoffs. Yahoo added 400 employees in the fourth quarter to end the year with 14,100 workers. It lost one of its co-founders last week when Jerry Yang resigned from the company's board and gave up his role as "Chief Yahoo."
Bartz had also closed or sold some of Yahoo's less popular services while jettisoning jobs to cut costs and sharpen the company's focus. Those moves, though, didn't increase Yahoo's revenue or stock price, leading the company's board to fire her in September with more than 15 months remaining on her contract.
"This company has been through such a rotating cast of characters that it's reached the point where it needs action, not words," BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said.
Besides closing services, Thompson said Yahoo will expand into some fields where he sees opportunities to make money. He didn't elaborate on that or on which services to close.
Thompson also pledged to develop more innovative products to keep Yahoo's audience of 700 million users on its websites for longer periods. Accomplishing that could make Yahoo more attractive to online advertisers. Thompson said he hopes to harness the data that Yahoo collects about its audience to help advertisers do a better job of putting their marketing messages in front of the people most likely to buy their products.
"I'll always ask a lot of questions and I'll immerse myself in the details but when it comes to making decisions, I make them quickly and then push to move fast, fast, fast," Thompson said.
But Yahoo isn't promising a quick start under Thompson's leadership. Yahoo predicted its net revenue in the current quarter will range from $1.02 billion to $1.1 billion. The mid-point of that target works out to $1.06 billion, unchanged from last year's first quarter.
Investors appear to be taking a wait-and-see attitude with Thompson. Yahoo's stock shed 14 cents to $15.55 in extended trading after the report came out. The stock price has fallen by about 40 percent from five years ago.
Yahoo's downturn in revenue has occurred as advertisers are shifting more of their budgets to the Internet as people spend more of their time on the Web. The biggest beneficiaries of this boom so far have been Internet search leader Google Inc. and Facebook, the owner of the largest online social network.
While Yahoo continued to struggle during the final three months of last year, Google's revenue rose 25 percent from the same period in 2010. As a privately held company, Facebook doesn't disclose its financial results, but data compiled by independent research firms show that its website has been luring advertisers away from Yahoo.
Google has become so dominant in Internet search that Yahoo teamed up with another rival, Microsoft Corp., in an effort to become more competitive and save money. Yahoo's search engine now relies on Microsoft's technology to handle most requests. The alliance, forged in mid-2009, hasn't generated as much revenue so far as Yahoo had hoped, although there were signs of progress in the fourth quarter.
Net revenue from search totaled $376 million in the fourth quarter, a 3 percent decrease from a year earlier. The company, which is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., had been suffering year-over-year declines of more than 10 percent in previous quarters.
As it tries to boost its revenue and lift its stock price, Yahoo is considering selling its stakes in China's Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan. Yahoo is pursuing those negotiations with "great enthusiasm," according to Tim Morse, the company's chief financial officer. Neither Morse nor Thompson elaborated on when a deal might be reached.
An Italian Navy officer talks on a walkie-talkie in the harbor of the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, where the cruise ship Costa Concordia run aground, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
An Italian Navy officer talks on a walkie-talkie in the harbor of the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, where the cruise ship Costa Concordia run aground, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
The grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia lies on its side off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Salvage experts can begin pumping fuel from a capsized cruise ship as early as Tuesday to avert a possible environmental catastrophe and the ship is stable enough that search efforts for the missing can continue, Italian officials said. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
In this undated photo released by Vigili del Fuoco (Italian firefighters) Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 scuba divers of the firefighters unit inspect the Costa Concordia cruise ship, off the tiny Giglio island, Italy. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Vigili del Fuoco)
In this undated photo released by Vigili del Fuoco (Italian firefighters) Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 rocks emerge from the Costa Concordia cruise ship, off the tiny Giglio island, Italy. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Vigili del Fuoco)
Italian Guardia di Finanza and Civil Protection officers recover pieces of furniture from the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
ROME (AP) ? A barge carrying a crane and other equipment hitched itself to the toppled Costa Concordia on Tuesday, signaling the start of preliminary operations to remove a half-million gallons of fuel from the grounded cruise ship before it leaks into the pristine Tuscan sea.
Actual pumping of the oil isn't expected to begin until Saturday, but officials from the Dutch shipwreck salvage firm Smit were working on the bow of the Concordia on Tuesday, making preparations to remove the fuel.
They were at work as divers located another body from the wreckage, bringing the death toll to 16.
Officials have identified an initial six tanks that will be tapped, located in a relatively easy-to-reach area of the ship. Franco Gabrielli, head of the national civil protection agency, told reporters Tuesday that once the tanks are emptied, 50 percent of the fuel aboard the ship will have been extracted.
The pumping will continue 24 hours a day barring rough seas or technical glitches in this initial phase, he said.
"This is a complicated operation," Gabrielli warned. Smit has estimated the extraction operation could last a month.
The Concordia ran aground and capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio on Jan. 13 after the captain veered from his approved course and gashed the ship's hull on a reef, forcing the panicked evacuation of 4,200 passengers and crew.
So far 16 bodies have been found, including one located on the third floor deck on Tuesday. At least six of the badly decomposed bodies remain unidentified, and are presumed to be among some of the 17 passengers and crew still unaccounted for.
Divers, meanwhile, continued blasting holes inside the steel-hulled ship to ease access for crews searching for the missing. The search and rescue operation will continue in tandem with the fuel removal operation.
On Monday, islanders and officials spotted an oil film on the water about 300 meters (yards) from the wreck. Absorbent panels were put around the oil to soak up the substance and officials said Tuesday it was a very thin film that didn't present any significant levels of toxicity.
Giglio and its waters are part of a protected seven-island marine park, favored by VIPs and known for its clear waters and porpoises, dolphins and whales.
Gabrielli said he had formally asked Costa Crociere SpA, the owner of the Concordia, to come up with a plan for what to do with the innards of the ship that are floating away ? the tables and chairs and other furniture that are being hauled away by barge on a daily basis.
And he said he had asked provincial authorities to designate a site on the mainland where the material can be dumped.
Costa is a unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp., the world's biggest cruise operator.
It has blamed the captain, Francesco Schettino, for the disaster, saying he made an unauthorized and unapproved deviation from the route. Schettino remains under house arrest facing accusations of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship before all passengers were off.
Early Tuesday, amid continued outrage by passengers of the chaotic evacuation, Costa promised to refund the full cost of the cruise, reimburse all travel expenses to and from the ship, all on-board expenses and any medical expenses incurred as a result of the grounding.
"Every effort will be made to return the valuables left in the cabin safe," Costa said in a statement.
Vanessa Bryant is looking likely to join the permanent cast of Vh1 show ‘Basketball Wives’, with producers ready to make her an offer “she can’t refuse”. Multiple sources tell TMZ.com that producers are putting together “an extremely lucrative pitch for Vanessa”, though ironically, she will soon be a former-Basketball wife once her divorce from Kobe [...]
In this Jan. 19, 2012 photo, The Palace Theatre marquee and billboards advertising Broadway shows are seen in Times Square, in New York. Leaders in entertainment, academics and marketing gathered Monday, Jan. 23, to peer into their crystal balls and try to predict what Broadway will look like in 2032. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
In this Jan. 19, 2012 photo, The Palace Theatre marquee and billboards advertising Broadway shows are seen in Times Square, in New York. Leaders in entertainment, academics and marketing gathered Monday, Jan. 23, to peer into their crystal balls and try to predict what Broadway will look like in 2032. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
In this Jan. 19, 2012 photo, a Broadway street sign is seen in Times Square in New York. Leaders in entertainment, academics and marketing gathered Monday, Jan. 23, to peer into their crystal balls and try to predict what Broadway will look like in 2032. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
In this Jan. 19, 2012 photo, billboards advertising Broadway shows are seen in Times Square in New York. Leaders in entertainment, academics and marketing gathered Monday, Jan. 23, to peer into their crystal balls and try to predict what Broadway will look like in 2032. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
In this Jan. 19, 2012 photo, a theatergoer buys Broadway tickets at the Times Square TKTS discount ticket booth in New York. Leaders in entertainment, academics and marketing gathered Monday, Jan. 23, to peer into their crystal balls and try to predict what Broadway will look like in 2032. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Leaders in entertainment, academics and marketing gathered Monday to peer into their crystal balls and try to predict what Broadway will look like in 2032. Many agreed on at least one thing: Change is coming.
They discussed everything from Broadway's aging audience, its fragmented and maddening ticketing systems, the often poor experience it gives patrons, the power of social networks to harness fans and the continuing need to attract world-class talent.
The 13 speakers at the one-day inaugural TEDxBroadway included Jujamcyn Theaters president Jordan Roth, "Sleep No More" producer Randy Weiner, Citibank's social media strategist Frank Eliason and author Juan Enriquez. While some speakers made bold predictions, others demurred.
"I think it's safe to say that 20 years from now, Broadway will be a street in New York," said Kara Larson, founder of Arts Knowledge, a marketing consulting firm. She said people will continue to go there to take in a show. "Beyond that, I'm not willing to go."
Eliason warned that Broadway has become too much like a top-down business and needs to make a better human connection with its audience, which is bombarded by other rival entertainment. "You feel like they're rushing you in and rushing you out," he said. "That human connection is extraordinarily important."
The event, in front of about 200 attendees and peppered by short video clips from actor Neil Patrick Harris, was held in the off-Broadway complex's New World Stages, in the theater where "Million Dollar Quartet" is performed. Organizers hope it will be the first of many annual conclaves.
TEDx events are independently organized but inspired by the nonprofit group TED ? standing for Technology, Entertainment, Design ? that started in 1984 as a conference dedicated to "ideas worth spreading." Video of the Broadway event is likely to be made available later.
The gathering was the brainchild of three men: Ken Davenport, a writer, director, producer and industry pioneer; Jim McCarthy, the CEO of ticket discounter Goldstar; and Damian Bazadona, the founder of Situation Interactive, an online marketing firm.
"How will our shows be created? How will they be marketed? Who's going to come see them? These were all the questions that Jim, Damian and I sat around one day asking each other. And the only answer that we could all agree on was that we had no idea," Davenport said. "None. So what we decided to do is invite some of the smartest people we knew into this room today and ask them those same questions."
Patricia Martin, an expert on commerce and culture, predicted a new flowering of cultural energy as long as the stories Broadway tells are told with love. "It must lift our spirits and it must help us be compassionate," she said.
Weiner, whose immersive, genre-bending "Sleep No More" is playing off-off-Broadway has routinely sold out due to enthusiastic word-of-mouth, said his experience may help other producers. His marketing cost for "Sleep No More" is zero.
"The show is the marketing. It's about unifying the show, the experience, the marketing ? that is in many ways why the show has been so successful," he said, urging fellow producers to sink money into the experience. "There's something to be learned in that for Broadway."
Bazadona said that Broadway shows can overcome their limited supply by embracing different platforms beyond the four walls of a theater, opening the door to the idea of broadcasting a show on screens far away. "To me, innovative development is the best path to artist development," he said.
Barry Kahn, CEO of dynamic ticket pricing company Qcue, made a plea for the box offices to try and work together and not compete. Many theatergoers, he said, just want to see any Broadway show and the cutthroat battles between each theater's box offices drags the whole industry down.
"We have a common goal," he said. "If we compete against each other, we're going to drive each other all out of business. But if we work together, we can all be better off."
One of the most popular speakers was Vincent Gassetto, the principal of a public middle school in the Bronx whose students recently were treated to a performance of the "Spider-Man" musical and came home buzzing about it. For many, it was their first Broadway show.
Gassetto urged listeners not to overlook this diverse and enthusiastic talent pool as arts funding shrivel. "They're going to be your writers, your producers, they're going to be your actors and, at the very least, they're going to be your audience members," he said.
Other speakers included former Lincoln Center Director Gregory Mosher, who predicted that the subscription model for theater would soon become extinct, and Joseph Craig, a marketing expert, said lessons should be learned about how a dusty and dirty Las Vegas turned itself around in the late 1980s to become a booming draw in the late 1990s.
Roth stressed one key thing that makes Broadway different from other entertainment ? it is live. He underlined how important the live experience must remain for Broadway to remain a destination hub. "If we don't, whether we're telling stories we make up or stories we license, we will be cultural derivatives ? non-essentials," he said.
"If we do, we'll thrive on our cultural primacy. Not because we do it better than any other medium, but because we do what no other medium can do. We do it live. And that's original."
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Online:
http://www.goldstar.com/tedxbroadway
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Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
ATHENS (Reuters) ? Greece and its creditors will continue negotiations on a debt swap on Saturday, after late-night talks edged them closer to a vital deal but failed to clinch an agreement.
Athens is anxious to strike a deal before Monday's meeting of euro zone finance ministers, just in time to set in motion the paperwork and approvals necessary for Greece to receive a new injection of aid to avoid a messy bankruptcy in March.
"The elements of an unprecedented voluntary PSI are coming into place," the Institute of International Finance said in a statement after Friday's three-hour evening negotiation session, referring to the bond swap scheme.
"Now is the time to act decisively and seize the opportunity to finalize this historic deal and contribute to the economic stability of Greece, the euro area and the world economy."
The statement seemed to be addressing Greece's official lenders, the EU and the IMF, who have driven a hard bargain behind the scenes of the negotiations, sources in Athens said.
"We will not know anything for sure before Monday," said a banking source close to the talks. "The euro zone ministers will examine the proposal and say whether we have a deal. If they say we don't, we're back to the negotiating table."
Private bondholders will likely take a hit of 65 to 70 percent on their holdings, with Greece's new bonds featuring 30-year maturity and a progressive coupon, or interest rate, averaging out at 4 percent, another banking official close to the talks told Reuters.
A 15 percent cash sweetener will be made up of short-term bonds from Europe's temporary bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), two sources told Reuters.
"It will be near cash-equivalent short term EFSF bonds," one of the sources said.
Haggling over the coupon had held up the long-running talks as Greece raced to wrap up an agreement, raising the prospect of a messy default when Athens faces 14.5 billion euros ($18.5 billion) of bond repayments in March.
Another source close to the talks said the two sides had been hoping to bag a preliminary deal on Friday, with technical discussions with lawyers continuing over the weekend and into next week.
"There is still work to be done. The two sides are doing what they can but the paymasters must give their blessing," the source said.
ECB'S ROLE
The source said the European Central Bank's part in the deal was also discussed.
"We expect them to make an effort as well. It could be through a special deal, as you would expect for a body like the ECB," the source said.
IIF chief Charles Dallara, who negotiates in the name of the private bondholder, will resume talks with Greek officials on Saturday. No time was set for the meeting yet.
Greece needs to have a deal in the bag before funds are doled out from a 130 billion euro rescue plan that the country's official lenders, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, drew up in October.
The paperwork alone is expected to take weeks, meaning failure to secure a deal soon could put Athens at risk of a chaotic default in March, which in turn could jolt the financial system and tip the global economy into recession.
Adding to the pressure, officials from the "troika" of foreign lenders began meetings with the Greek government on Friday to discuss reforms and plans to finalize that bailout package.
"The deal must be completed. There is no more time left," said a Greek government official who requested anonymity.
The swap is aimed at cutting 100 billion euros off Greece's debt load of more than 350 billion euros. The second bailout - drawn up on the condition that Greece pushes through painful cuts and structural reforms - is expected to reduce Greece's debt to a more manageable 120 percent of gross domestic product in 2020 from about 160 percent now.
(Additional reporting by Lefteris Papadimas; Writing by Deepa Babington; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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Public release date: 25-Jan-2012
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