If there's one thing iMore loves even more than iPhones and iPads (and iPods!), it's giving cool iPhone and iPad accessories and apps to our awesome readers. This week we have codes for Mail Pilot! The winners are:
ckillam3
Donald Croce
LazyMe
Mat Banke
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Congratulations everyone! Winners will be contacted via email in the next few days. Looking for another chance to win? We always have a contest underway for something cool, so keep your eyes on the blogs for those announcements.
Postcode inequality for cancer diagnosis 'costs lives'Public release date: 29-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mark Rutherford mark.rutherford@le.ac.uk 44-011-622-97292 University of Leicester
Study finds hundreds of lives could be prolonged if women in poorer areas were diagnosed with breast cancer at same stage as those in affluent areas
Hundreds of women with breast cancer living in England's most deprived areas would have better survival rates if they were diagnosed at the same stage as those who lived in affluent areas.
A new study led by the University of Leicester, working with colleagues from Public Health England and the University of Cambridge, investigated how much of a difference late-stage diagnosis had on women from deprived areas.
The team calculated how many deaths would be postponed beyond 5 years from diagnosis if as many women in the more deprived areas were diagnosed at an earlier stage as those in most affluent areas.
The researchers were funded by both Cancer Research UK and The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Their work will be published in the International Journal of Cancer and is available on line ahead of publication at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.28221/abstract
The research team consisted of:
At the University of Leicester, Department of Health Sciences: Dr Mark Rutherford, Sally Hinchliffe and Professor Paul Lambert.
At the University of Cambridge, Centre for Health Services Research, Institute of Public Health: Dr Gary Abel, Dr Georgios Lyratzopoulos and Dr David Greenberg.
Dr Mark Rutherford, of the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Leicester, said: "A number of previous studies have shown poorer breast cancer survival for women who live in more deprived areas. Our study looks at how much of these differences are due to later stage disease at diagnosis for women who live in more deprived areas.
"We found that for a typical yearly cohort of breast cancer patients in England, 450 deaths could have been postponed beyond 5 years of diagnosis if the stage distribution for all women matched that of the most affluent."
The teams from the University of Leicester and University of Cambridge used data from the Eastern Cancer Registry who have good information on stage at diagnosis, but made some assumptions when estimating figures for the whole of England.
Dr Rutherford added: "Our research highlights that important and significant improvements could be made in terms of the number of early deaths that are observed for women living in more deprived areas by concentrating on making sure these women are diagnosed earlier.
"The findings suggest that policies aimed at reducing inequalities in stage at diagnosis between women with breast cancer are important to reduce inequalities in breast cancer survival.
"Being diagnosed with earlier stage disease has a significant impact on survival chances. It is clear from the results of the study that women from more deprived areas are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease. Removing these deprivation inequalities in stage at diagnosis can substantially reduce the number of deaths in the short-term for more deprived women."
Dr Martine Bomb, head of early diagnosis at Cancer Research UK, said: "There is already good evidence that breast cancer survival is poorer among more deprived women, and this research helps us understand more about why that might be. More needs to be done to tackle this inequality to ensure everyone has the same chance of surviving breast cancer, no matter where they live.
"Cancer Research UK is working in partnership with others to help people get to know their bodies, know what signs to look out for that could be cancer and see their doctor sooner rather than later if they have noticed something out of the ordinary. Spotting breast cancer at an early stage makes a real difference to women's chance of surviving the disease, and we must ensure this is a reality for all."
###
NOTE TO EDITORS
For more information, please contact: Mark Rutherford
About Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research
The charity's groundbreaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. This work is funded entirely by the public.
Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to beat cancer.
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1861 or visit http://www.cancerresearchuk.org
About the National Institute for Health Research
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government's strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (http://www.nihr.ac.uk).
The views expressed in this news release are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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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.
Postcode inequality for cancer diagnosis 'costs lives'Public release date: 29-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mark Rutherford mark.rutherford@le.ac.uk 44-011-622-97292 University of Leicester
Study finds hundreds of lives could be prolonged if women in poorer areas were diagnosed with breast cancer at same stage as those in affluent areas
Hundreds of women with breast cancer living in England's most deprived areas would have better survival rates if they were diagnosed at the same stage as those who lived in affluent areas.
A new study led by the University of Leicester, working with colleagues from Public Health England and the University of Cambridge, investigated how much of a difference late-stage diagnosis had on women from deprived areas.
The team calculated how many deaths would be postponed beyond 5 years from diagnosis if as many women in the more deprived areas were diagnosed at an earlier stage as those in most affluent areas.
The researchers were funded by both Cancer Research UK and The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Their work will be published in the International Journal of Cancer and is available on line ahead of publication at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.28221/abstract
The research team consisted of:
At the University of Leicester, Department of Health Sciences: Dr Mark Rutherford, Sally Hinchliffe and Professor Paul Lambert.
At the University of Cambridge, Centre for Health Services Research, Institute of Public Health: Dr Gary Abel, Dr Georgios Lyratzopoulos and Dr David Greenberg.
Dr Mark Rutherford, of the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Leicester, said: "A number of previous studies have shown poorer breast cancer survival for women who live in more deprived areas. Our study looks at how much of these differences are due to later stage disease at diagnosis for women who live in more deprived areas.
"We found that for a typical yearly cohort of breast cancer patients in England, 450 deaths could have been postponed beyond 5 years of diagnosis if the stage distribution for all women matched that of the most affluent."
The teams from the University of Leicester and University of Cambridge used data from the Eastern Cancer Registry who have good information on stage at diagnosis, but made some assumptions when estimating figures for the whole of England.
Dr Rutherford added: "Our research highlights that important and significant improvements could be made in terms of the number of early deaths that are observed for women living in more deprived areas by concentrating on making sure these women are diagnosed earlier.
"The findings suggest that policies aimed at reducing inequalities in stage at diagnosis between women with breast cancer are important to reduce inequalities in breast cancer survival.
"Being diagnosed with earlier stage disease has a significant impact on survival chances. It is clear from the results of the study that women from more deprived areas are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease. Removing these deprivation inequalities in stage at diagnosis can substantially reduce the number of deaths in the short-term for more deprived women."
Dr Martine Bomb, head of early diagnosis at Cancer Research UK, said: "There is already good evidence that breast cancer survival is poorer among more deprived women, and this research helps us understand more about why that might be. More needs to be done to tackle this inequality to ensure everyone has the same chance of surviving breast cancer, no matter where they live.
"Cancer Research UK is working in partnership with others to help people get to know their bodies, know what signs to look out for that could be cancer and see their doctor sooner rather than later if they have noticed something out of the ordinary. Spotting breast cancer at an early stage makes a real difference to women's chance of surviving the disease, and we must ensure this is a reality for all."
###
NOTE TO EDITORS
For more information, please contact: Mark Rutherford
About Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research
The charity's groundbreaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. This work is funded entirely by the public.
Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to beat cancer.
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1861 or visit http://www.cancerresearchuk.org
About the National Institute for Health Research
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government's strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (http://www.nihr.ac.uk).
The views expressed in this news release are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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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.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - World stock indexes and the euro advanced on Monday as the formation of a new government in Italy eased uncertainty about the political future of the country, the third-largest economy in the euro zone, while the S&P 500 closed at a record high.
The gains on Friday extended the S&P 500's recent rally, bringing the index's increase for the year-to-date to 11.8 percent.
Expectations of more easy money from the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, which would offset the risk of future disappointment over global economic recovery, also boosted stocks.
Recent signs of weak U.S. growth have raised expectations the Fed will keep its pace of bond buying unchanged at $85 billion (54.8 billion pounds) a month at its two-day policy meeting beginning on Tuesday, while the ECB is widely expected to announce an interest rate cut when it meets on Thursday.
"After the election there was a lot of uncertainty about whether Italy could form a government, so now there is not only a great deal of relief over that, but also expectations for additional monetary policies from the ECB," said Alec Young, global equity strategist at S&P Equity Research in New York.
Investors welcomed the formation of a broad coalition government in Italy under new Prime Minister Enrico Letta, two months after inconclusive general elections, though investors remain cautious over how long the new growth-focused government will survive.
The resolution of Italy's political stalemate helped bring its five- and 10-year borrowing costs down to their lowest level since October 2010 at a bond sale on Monday, while yields on 10-year debt in the secondary market fell 13 basis points to 3.93 percent.
MSCI's world equity index was up 0.7 percent, while the broad FTSE Eurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed up 0.5 percent, led higher by Milan's FTSE MIB, which rose 2.2 percent.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 106.20 points, or 0.72 percent, at 14,818.75. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 11.37 points, or 0.72 percent, at 1,593.61. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 27.76 points, or 0.85 percent, at 3,307.02.
The S&P 500 surpassed its previous record close set earlier this month.
Housing data also helped U.S. stocks. Signed contracts to purchase previously owned U.S. homes rose in March as the housing market continued to pick up pace this year.
Growth-oriented stocks like energy and technology led the way higher. The Fed's stimulus measures have helped U.S. stocks rally for much of this year.
U.S. Treasury benchmark note yields held near four-month lows, with trading volumes light ahead of the central bank meetings and the U.S. Labour Department's highly anticipated monthly jobs report on Friday.
The 10-year Treasuries were flat in price to yield 1.67 percent. The yields have dropped from as high as 2.05 percent on March 8.
The euro was up 0.51 percent at $1.3093, with hedge funds cited among key buyers. It peaked at $1.3115, the highest since April 19.
Some analysts say the euro could weaken should the ECB cut its main interest rate by 25 basis points, from 0.75 percent currently, when it meets on Thursday; a rate cut would erode the euro's interest rate advantage over the dollar and yen.
"The euro would likely weaken somewhat on that, but the overall move will be muted," said John Doyle, currency strategist at Tempus Consulting in Washington, D.C. "The expectation is starting to get priced in."
A Reuters poll of 76 economists last Thursday showed only a narrow majority of 43 expected a 25-basis-point cut at this week's ECB policy meeting, which would take the bank's refinancing rate to a record low of 0.5 percent.
OIL, GOLD CLIMB
A weaker dollar helped drive gains in both U.S. crude oil prices and gold.
U.S. light crude rose $1.50 to settle at $94.50. Brent crude settled up 65 cents at $103.81 a barrel, after making its biggest weekly gain since November last week.
U.S. gold futures were up 0.8 percent to $1,465.30 an ounce.
(Additional reporting by Wanfeng Zhou and Ryan Vlastelica in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler and Leslie Adler)
The Spiderpodium?from Breffo is, um, well… it’s this spider-shaped thing you can use to hold smartphone-sized objects in a variety of ways. It comes in black, blue, graphite (the review unit color), green, pink, purple, or white. ?Let’s give it a look. So where were the spiders? Inside the box is the Spiderpodium in [...]
BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - China warned against "troublemaking" on its doorstep, in an apparent rebuke to North Korea, and the United States said it was postponing a missile test to help calm high tension on the divided Korean peninsula.
The North, led by 30-year-old Kim Jong-un, has been issuing vitriolic threats of war against the United States and U.S.-backed South Korea since the United Nations imposed sanctions in response to its third nuclear weapon test in February.
Pyongyang's anger appears heightened by U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises. But most analysts say it has no intention of starting a conflict that would bring its own destruction and instead is out to wring concessions from a nervous international community.
The North told diplomats late last week to consider leaving Pyongyang because of the tension, but embassies appeared to view the appeal as more rhetoric and staff have stayed put.
South Korea said it was ready for any kind of action that the North's unpredictable leaders might make - including a possible missile launch - by Wednesday, after which the North said it could not guarantee diplomats' safety.
China, North Korea's sole financial and diplomatic backer, has shown growing irritation with Pyongyang's warnings of nuclear war.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressing a forum on the southern island of Hainan, did not name North Korea but said no country "should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gain".
Stability in Asia, he said, "faces new challenges, as hot spot issues keep emerging and both traditional and non-traditional security threats exist".
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed similar frustration in a statement late on Saturday, relating a telephone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
"We oppose provocative words and actions from any party in the region and do not allow trouble making on China's doorstep," Wang said, according to a ministry statement on its website.
On Sunday, the ministry expressed "grave concern" at rising tension and said China had asked North Korea to "ensure the safety of Chinese diplomats in North Korea, in accordance with the Vienna Convention and international laws and norms".
China's embassy, it said, was "understood" to be operating normally in Pyongyang.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, addressing the Hainan forum, said avoiding conflict on the peninsula was vital. "There, any aggression is a threat to the interests of every country in the region," she said.
British Foreign Minister William Hague said North Korea's nuclear ambitions had to be taken seriously.
Interviewed by Sky News, he said the international response "should also be very clear, very united and calm at all times because it's important not to feed that frenetic rhetoric that we've seen over the last few weeks".
Switzerland's Foreign Ministry offered to mediate, saying it was "always willing to help find a solution, if this is the wish of the parties, such as hosting meetings between them".
Kim, the third member of his dynasty to rule North Korea, is thought to have spent several years in Switzerland being educated under a pseudonym. He took over in December 2011 after the death of his father Kim Jong-il, who confronted South Korea and the United States throughout his 17-year rule.
FEAR OF "MISCALCULATION"
In Washington, a defense official said a long-scheduled test of the Minuteman III intercontinental missile, due to take place at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, would be postponed.
"This test ... has been delayed to avoid any misperception or miscalculation in light of recent tensions on the Korean peninsula," the official said on Saturday. "This is the logical, prudent and responsible course of action to take."
He said the test had been unconnected to "anything related to North Korea" and added that another test launch could be expected next month. The United States remained fully prepared to respond to any North Korean threat, the official said.
The South Korean president's office said the country had a "firm military readiness" for any eventuality. It described as "planned behavior" the North's call for South Korean workers to leave the Kaesong joint industrial park, just inside North Korea, and for diplomats to evacuate Pyongyang by Wednesday.
"Ahead of that time, a situation like a North Korean missile launch could occur," Kim Haing, a spokeswoman for the presidential Blue House, quoted the chief of the National Security office as saying. "As of now, there are no signs of all-out war, but if a local conflict breaks out, North Korea should be aware that it will pay the price."
South Korean media said on Friday the North had moved two medium-range missiles to the country's east coast, but there has been no confirmation of such a move.
The North has always condemned joint exercises off the South Korean coast, but its rhetoric has been especially furious this year as the United States sent nuclear-capable stealth bombers from their home bases.
North Korean state television showed a military training session, with soldiers putting dogs through their paces, including one seen tearing to pieces an effigy of South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin. Soldiers were shown firing at pictures of the minister and a depiction of a U.S. serviceman.
"As you all know, on the Korean peninsula, it is not a matter of whether we will have a war or not, but whether it will take place today or tomorrow," an unidentified soldier said.
"This is a situation like being on the eve of a big explosion. Every minute, every second counts. We are right now set to march, once the order is given."
There was no evidence of any tension in the South Korean capital, Seoul, with residents strolling in the city center on a chilly spring day.
(Writing by Ron Popeski and Andrew Roche; Additional reporting by Koh Gui Qing in Hainan and Phil Stewart in Washington; Editing by David Stamp)
ATLANTA (AP) ? Tip-off time is nearing. Time to see if Louisville can live up to the hype or one of those other guys can turn the Final Four into their party.
The Cardinals are not only the favorites to win the national championship, they've become sentimental favorites, as well, after rallying around Kevin Ware, the guard whose compound leg fracture in last week's regional final turned stomachs, while also warming hearts and setting the story line for this week in Atlanta.
"With Kevin going down, especially the way he did, it's just making us play harder," Louisville forward Wayne Blackshear said Friday.
In Saturday's opening national semifinal at the Georgia Dome, the Cardinals ? No. 1 seeds in the entire tournament ? play ninth-seeded Wichita State, which has sprung upsets of Gonzaga and Ohio State en route to that program's first Final Four appearance since 1965.
The second semifinal pits a pair of No. 4 seeds, Michigan and Syracuse, two programs with plenty of tradition but largely considered subplots in a week dominated by Louisville and Ware. (To say nothing of the news going down at Rutgers, where video of coach Mike Rice hitting players led to his ouster, the departure of the athletic director and other problems.)
"I'm just glad to know Kevin Ware now even more because he's probably the most famous person I know," Louisville guard Peyton Siva said. "You know, when you have Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama call you, it's pretty good to say you know that person."
Wichita State has one player (Carl Hall) who salvaged his career after working in a light bulb factory and two more (Ron Baker and Malcolm Armstead) who paid their way to come to school and started on the team as walk-ons. Its coach has invited fans into the locker room after big wins. In most years, this would be the school with all the makings of a team the whole country can get behind.
Problem is, in this case, Louisville and Ware are already tugging on America's heart strings.
"We're brothers for life," swingman Luke Hancock said. "I have that guy's back in any situation. I know he has mine."
Louisville (33-5) is a 10?-point favorite against the Shockers (30-8).
The second semifinal is expected to be more competitive. Michigan (30-7) is a 2-point favorite against Syracuse (30-9). The Wolverines are back at the Final Four for the first time since the Fab Five led them there in 1993. Syracuse returns on the 10-year anniversary of its only title, led by Carmelo Anthony.
The featured players in this game: For Michigan, Trey Burke, The Associated Press Player of the Year. And for Syracuse, well, it's coach Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone defense.
How will Boeheim try to stop Burke, whose long-range 3-pointer against Kansas sent the game into overtime and set the stage for the Wolverines run to Atlanta?
"I don't pay attention to matchups," Boeheim said. "It's teams. Teams play."
Indeed, during interviews Friday, the Syracuse players sounded plenty confident that their team could stop Burke and the rest of the Wolverines, who followed their victory over top-seeded Kansas with a 20-point blowout of Florida in the regional final.
"It's tough to go against our zone when you've never seen it before," forward C.J. Fair said. "We want to force him to do some things he's not done before."
While Burke may be the most-watched player in the second game, all eyes figure to be on Ware in the opener, even though he'll never touch a basketball.
He lives near Atlanta and traveled with the team for the Final Four. When the Cardinals arrived Wednesday night, he was in a wheelchair and the plan is for him to be on the bench for the game.
Louisville faces some practical concerns not having Ware in the lineup.
He was the main substitute for Russ Smith and Siva, the guards who guide the Louisville press and its offense, as well.
"Our players totally understand the challenge that lies ahead with this Wichita State team," coach Rick Pitino said. "We understand with Kevin out that we not only have to play very hard, we have to play very, very smart."
According to the recent study , 4.4 percents of Americans have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder at some point in their lives. Most of them (83 percents) have a severe version of the disease. Many people are not diagnosed properly and only about half of them are receiving treatment. Another interesting finding of the study is that world average is 2.4 percents. It is not clear why Americans have so many more cases of bipolar disorder then other nations. What is clear is that people suffering from this lifelong debilitating disease need help with early diagnosis and treatment, especially since the first signs of the disease often show up in childhood.
What is bipolar disease?
Sometimes called manic-depressive disorder, bipolar disease manifests itself with dramatic mood shifts and rapid changes in levels of activity and energy. ?These shifts are much more drastic than normal mood changes we all experience occasionally. Their severity seriously affects person?s ability to lead normal life, work and socialize. Economically, bipolar disorder has more effect on person?s productivity than all types of cancer, epilepsy or Alzheimer?s. According to the World Health Organization, bipolar disorder, with its high mortality and disability, accounts for ?more than 14 million years of lost healthy life , almost as much as schizophrenia.
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder and it often develops in very early adulthood or even late teens. The symptoms make it very difficult to diagnose, because they shift between depression and manic episodes, appearing like completely different diseases. The severity of symptoms makes people with bipolar disorder very difficult to live or work with. They affect person?s ability to perform in school or at work and often result in suicide. According to the study ?conducted by researchers from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, at least 25 to 50 percents of patients with bipolar disease attempt suicide at least one time.
Like other chronic conditions, bipolar disorder stays with a person for the duration of his or her life, and has to be managed with medication and therapy in order to allow normal living.
Risk factors for bipolar disorder
It is general agreement among scientists that many factors work together to increase our risk for developing bipolar disease or to develop the disease at some point in our lives.
Bipolar disorder often runs in families, and children with a sibling or parent with bipolar disorder have four to six times more chance of developing the disease, in comparison with children without such family history. But, studies show that there is more than one gene involved and ?most children with a high risk for bipolar disease due to their family history do ?not develop the disease.
While not quite sure what causes bipolar disease, scientists now know ?that genes are not the sole risk factor for this disorder. Some people develop bipolar disorder late in life, so the cause for them evidently stems from other reasons.
Some studies ?found the link between increased paternal age and higher risk for bipolar disorder. Family history of other psychiatric disorders such as ADHD, schizophrenia, anxiety and major depression also increases risk of a person developing bipolar disease.
Children and bipolar disorder
When young children develop this disorder, its symptoms are often more severe than in adults. Also, their symptoms appear more often and their moods shifts are more frequent than in adults.
It is very difficult for parents to acknowledge that their child?s behavior is not just normal moodiness but a more serious disease. If your child goes through episodes of depression and manic activity and sometimes both at the same time, it is urgent to consult a physician. Usually, such episodes last a week or so, and then symptoms disappear. Unfortunately, they will come back.
To recognize manic episode, look for:
Intense bouts of happiness or silliness;
Frequent attacks of short temper
Very ?fast talk about many different things
Trouble sleeping
Never feeling tired
Trouble focusing
Inappropriate and frequent talk about sex
Risky behavior
Depressive episodes look very different :
Deep sadness
Constant complaining about various pains
Too much or too little sleep
Sense of worthlessness and guilt
Too much or too little appetite
No interest in any activities
Very little energy
Talking and thinking about suicide and death or suicide
Is there help?
Bipolar disorder lasts a lifetime in most cases. While people go through symptom-free periods, episodes of depression and mania come back.
If not diagnosed and treated, bipolar disorder often gets much worse. ?Episodes become more severe and frequent. The delays in getting diagnosed and treated make a person suffer more from the ?inability to lead normal personal and social life and perform at work or in school.
In addition, scientists found that people with bipolar disorder frequently suffer from anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, ADHD, and a range of physical diseases such as thyroid disease, migraines, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, obesity, and others.
While there is currently no cure for bipolar disorder, the disease can be managed and treated through control of symptoms. It is a lifelong commitment, but the results are in most cases encouraging. ?Treatment includes combination of medication and psychotherapy which have a goal of preventing the return of symptoms and reducing the intensity of episodes,
Both children and adults are mostly treated with mood stabilizers such as lithium and alternatives such as valproic acid. Both have potential side effects. Lithium may affect thyroid gland and valproic acid may increase levels of testosterone in girls.
Antidepressants are often prescribed together with mood stabilizers. Depending on symptoms, doctors may prescribe other medication such as sleeping pills.
Psychotherapy is a necessary and helpful part of bipolar disorder treatment. It provides education and support, not only to the patients, but to their families, who often need it as much, in order to be able to help when episodes occur.
Regular consultation with doctor and psychiatrist and monitoring of symptoms and their changes can enable a person with bipolar disorder to lead rich and productive life. Understanding that a person is suffering from a serious disease and not just being moody and difficult is crucial in helping person to be part of normal society. What is even more important, such understanding and support can prevent a suicide which is so often a tragic result of not being able to cope with the disease.
Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 1, Episode 9 of "The Americans," titled "Safe House."
Is it just me or was "Safe House" a bit like "Modern Family" this week? If everyone just slowed down and spoke up, there would be no confusion -- everyone could get the information they needed without needlessly battling each other, and solve all their problems. But that would be boring.
The joke's on me for speculating about what was going to happen with Amador and Martha and Nina last episode. The writers just took care of it. That's all well and good in terms of moving the plot along for the season finale wind-up, but this episode just didn't make sense on so many levels.
For example:
Amador was a weird dude. I know he claimed he was just a guy looking for one night stands at the Crab Shack, but first, when did he and Stan become close enough buds to get in a framed picture together? What's the timeline here? Do I just not understand male friendships?
Secondly, it's not like Chris had been doing secret recon on the Jennings. He was really going to take Philip 'down to station,' or an undisclosed location, to beat him up for staying over at Martha's? I'm not going to buy that he recognized 'Clark' from the Beeman's party. He was too busy talking shop the whole time to meet Philip and hardly checked out Elizabeth. Even when he almost recognized her on his death bed, he didn't. He was kidnapped and murdered for no good reason.
Except that then, because of all of the misunderstandings, Stan went all-in with the rogue mission his FBI friends were planning to capture Arkady, and Beeman got to unleash his pent up male rage on his first in command, Vlad. The worst punishment for a KGB agent during the Cold War is maybe dying by a bullet to the head while you're chewing bad American fast food.
Now the FBI is riled up over losing one more of their own in a botched mission that wasn't even a mission. And the KGB will probably be riled up by Beeman's cryptic phone call to Arkady just before offing Vlad. I'm no diplomat or historian, but doesn't that seem to sum up the Cold War? Veiled threats and called bluffs and a lot of fuss over nothing more than nationalist ideals and ego. So now we have to assume that the Jennings might be in trouble for messing up yet again. I thought the fun of this show was that they were going to start to be figured out by the FBI, but that hope is squashed.
Another thing that doesn't make sense is Martha's love for Clark. She's just so pathetic. Her and Chris would have made a good team. No, Martha, your relationship is not real, no matter how many breakfasts in bed you make for the man. Especially if you serve grapefruit.
And of course, the separation. If anyone can handle divorce, it's Elizabeth. But we all know it's not going to go that far. If there's one thing we can expect from this show, it's a quick, almost unexplainable solution to every issue that wasn't an issue the episode before. I'm guessing Philip will be back in the house for happily ever after by the time Elizabeth finishes the stir fry.
One last item of note: if anyone knows where I can my hands on the three owl lamp from the Jennings' foyer, please advise.
"The Americans" airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.
Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings, Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings
Stills from "The Americans"
Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings
Stills from "The Americans"
Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings
Stills from "The Americans"
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Researchers studying how the immune system works found it sometimes has a Jekyll and Hyde nature. This discovery led to important information on the nature of immunity and how it affects inflammatory conditions like Crohn's disease.
According to ScienceDaily, researchers from the Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine found that while the immune system can fight off severe inflammatory conditions, it can also turn on the body during a later stage of inflammation and hamper an immune response.
Additional inflammatory disorders likely to be affected by the research include diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, leprosy, leishmaniasis, and cancer. At a certain point in each of these conditions, immunity enters a suppressive mode, causing the disorder to worsen.
Around 700,000 Americans suffer from Crohn's disease, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America reports. This disorder and its cousin, ulcerative colitis, are the two principal types of inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's is incurable. While its exact cause remains a mystery, many experts believe it's a combination of factors such as genetics, a faulty immune system, and environmental issues.
The most recent treatment for Crohn's is biologic therapy. It utilizes drugs such as Remicade, Humira, and Cimzia to neutralize a protein manufactured by the immune system of a Crohn's patient known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), the Mayo Clinic says.
The Hebrew University work utilized mice. Researchers sought to discover why one compound, TNF-a, showed beneficial effects and the beginning of an immune response against pathogenic invaders and tumor cells, but then displayed harmful features during a chronic phase of an inflammatory disease.
After injecting mice experiencing a severe inflammatory response with etanercept, an anti-TNF drug, the researchers noted that the medication abolished the immunosuppressive activity of certain cells in the blood. This restored the mice's immune function. The restoration mimics the way this FDA-approved drug was designed to work in humans with inflammatory conditions.
Various combinations of drugs failed to prevent me from undergoing five surgeries for Crohn's disease. The gastroenterologist prescribed an anti-TNF drug that I took, along with other medications, for around two years. However, an endoscopic procedure revealed that I had still developed active disease.
Because of side effects presumably linked to the medication, I opted to stop it. I have declined to try any of the other anti-TNF drugs for Crohn's patients because no one has been able to provide an answer as to exactly how they work and why they fail for some patients.
The Hebrew University research team believes that the information they discovered about the relationship between TNF and the dual nature of the immune system will eventually lead to better treatments for illnesses like Crohn's disease. My hope as a patient is that the research will continue and result in therapies that can be customized for Crohn's patients who have had unsatisfactory results with biologic medications.
Vonda J. Sines has published thousands of print and online health and medical articles. She specializes in diseases and other conditions that affect the quality of life.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A study funded by the National Rifle Association released on Tuesday proposed that armed personnel be stationed in every school in response to December's school massacre in Connecticut.
The proposal by the National School Shield Task Force also includes security accords between schools and law enforcement, an online safety assessment tool for schools, state safety standards and improved federal coordination for school safety.
Asa Hutchinson, the panel's director, said having a trained and armed security officer or staff member in each school was a key element of the proposal.
"Obviously, we believe they will make a difference in the various layers that make up school safety," Hutchinson, a former congressman, told a news conference held under unusually heavy security.
"This is not talking about all teachers. Teachers should teach."
Security officers and staffers would need 40 to 60 hours of training that would cost $800 to $1,000 each.
While the NRA commissioned the 225-page, $1 million study, Hutchinson said his panel was fully independent. The 12-member task force included former Secret Service head Ralph Basham, police and security officers and five representatives from Phoenix RBT Solutions, a law enforcement training firm.
The NRA said it needed time to study the report and commended Hutchinson for his work. The NRA "is determined to continue to use every asset at its disposal to help make America's children safe at school," it said in a statement.
The report's recommendations said the NRA could develop and carry out armed personnel training. Given school funding shortfalls, the National School Shield program also could step in with NRA backing to support safety programs.
The panel also called for adoption of a model state law for armed school staffers and a program to assess threats and support the mental health of students.
SAFER KIDS
The gun lobby's proposal follows the December 14 massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 20 students and six adults were killed.
Mark Mattioli, whose son was among the slain Newtown students, said he welcomed the recommendations and applauded the panel's work.
"This is recommendations for solutions, real solutions that will make our kids safer. And that's what we need," he told the news conference.
Hutchinson's proposal was similar to the post-Newtown call by NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre for armed guards in all U.S. schools. The suggestion drew strong criticism from gun control advocates and the biggest U.S. teachers' union.
In a statement, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the new proposal would fail to keep schools safe. She urged Congress to enact gun-control legislation.
The American Civil Liberties Union said the proposal could get the federal government in the business of supplying arms to teachers and heighten the risk that students could be funneled into the criminal justice system.
Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund, an advocacy group, also condemned the proposal. So too did the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence which said the report "is not the conversation the American people want to have."
The Newtown massacre galvanized the U.S. debate over firearms. Gun ownership is protected by the U.S. Constitution and no major gun legislation has passed Congress since 1994.
Lawmakers are scaling back President Barack Obama's ambitions for sweeping gun control measures made after the Newtown killings.
Gun-control advocates say expanded background checks would be the most effective way to reduce gun violence. While such a measure could pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, it faces long odds in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold the majority.
On the state level, legislative leaders in Connecticut said late on Monday that they had agreed to some of the toughest gun regulations in the nation and expected to adopt them this week.
Asked about the Connecticut legislation, Hutchinson said it would be "totally inadequate" for school safety.
(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz, Eric Walsh, Alden Bentley, Jim Marshall and Andrew Hay)
A nurse works to treat patients in Bangladesh. (Credit: Dr. Richard Besser)
There are so many things we take for granted in America. One of them is that our children are not regularly infected by one of the tropical diseases so common among the world?s poorest people.
When I was just starting my career in medicine, I worked for a year in Bangladesh studying the polio vaccine. I spent several months serving as the doctor in a clinic run by the Marist sisters. I kept a journal of my experiences that I came across when I was cleaning out my desk the other day.
Flipping through the pages reminded me why I went into public health in the first place: the opportunity to address some of the health inequity that I saw.
Join the ABC News Tweet Chat About Neglected Tropical Diseases Today at 1 p.m. ET
One of the diseases I treated while working at the clinic was ascaris, also known as roundworm infection. As many as one billion people around the world are infected with this parasite, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Along with hookworm, trachoma, elephantiasis, whip worm, snail fever and river blindness, roundworm is considered one of the seven parasitic and bacterial infections that together have a higher health burden on the world?s poor than malaria and tuberculosis.
In medicine, we refer to these as the ?neglected tropical diseases.? They infect nearly one in six people worldwide, including half a billion children, and lead to tremendous suffering and loss of life. Yet, the estimated cost to treat these diseases is less than 50 cents per person.
Roundworm is spread through contact with soil contaminated with feces containing eggs or early worm forms.? Symptoms may be mild ? but long-term infections with worms can cause micronutrient deficiencies that impair growth and stunt brain development.
Each year, an estimated 60,000 people die from roundworm infection. These are preventable deaths.
I am still haunted by one little boy ?I treated in ?Tuital, a rural village that is six hours by boat from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. He must have been 9 or 10 years old.? Like most of the children I saw, his family brought him to the clinic as a last resort. Travel was difficult and local remedies were trusted more than conventional medicine.
Here is what I wrote in my journal at the time:
Jan. 28, 1990. ?There is a little boy I?m caring for who has an intestinal obstruction from worms. I?m quite worried about him. After one enema, he passed a few worms. That was yesterday.? I am afraid he will perforate his bowel and die. In the morning we may try again to convince the family to go to Dhaka. I would love to do an abdominal x-ray and then scope him. It is truly a cruel world if this child dies needlessly.?
Jan. 30, 1990. ?The little boy is hanging in there but in the morning we are sending him to Shishu Hospital in Dhaka??
March 5, 1990. ?I met the family of the boy with worms that we sent to Dhaka. He died three days ago after two operations for resection of dead bowel. He was obstructed from worms as we thought. I can?t help but wonder whether we had kept him here for too long?..?
The World Health Organization has a plan for eliminating intestinal worms transmitted by contact with contaminated soil:? treat all children with a cheap medication to ?deworm? them; provide clean water and proper sanitation to prevent new infections.
Sounds pretty simple right? On my weekly tweet chat today, I?ll explore why this hasn?t happened yet and what it will take to get it done.
The one-hour chat takes place on Twitter today from 1-2 p.m. ET. This week, I?ll be joined by the not-for-profit groups End 7, The Carter Center and Every Mother Counts, as well as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, plus dozens of hospitals and caring citizens from around the globe.
I realize that the average American isn?t likely to encounter a deadly tropical disease. But for the rest of the world, these diseases have devastating consequences.?Won?t you join me to learn more about this important issue and what you can do to get involved in the fight to the needless suffering caused by these diseases?
Participation is simple. ?Here?s how.?Follow the conversation or jump in with comments and questions of your own.
Muppets matriarch Jane Nebel Henson dies at age 78
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jane Nebel Henson, the former wife of Muppets creator Jim Henson who was influential in the creation of the popular U.S. TV puppet program, died on Tuesday following a long bout with cancer, The Jim Henson Company said. She was 78 years old. Henson, who died at her home in Connecticut, was an "integral creative and business partner" in the Muppets, the company, owned by the Hensons' five children, said in a statement.
Tom Hanks makes solid Broadway debut in so-so play: critics
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tom Hanks impressed critics with his Broadway debut in "Lucky Guy", Nora Ephron's final play, but the late Hollywood writer and director did not fare so well with her newsroom-set drama that opened on Monday night. As tabloid journalist Mike McAlary, who won a Pulitzer Prize covering New York police scandals and lurid crimes for the Daily News and New York Post, Hanks rewards audiences "with a committed, generous performance by the real-deal star," Entertainment Weekly said.
Trump withdraws "orangutan" lawsuit against comic Bill Maher
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump is withdrawing his lawsuit against television host and comedian Bill Maher seeking $5 million that Maher said he would give to charity, in a seemingly facetious offer, if Trump could prove he was not the son of an orangutan. The lawsuit stems from comments Maher made during an appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show" in January in which he said an orangutan's fur was the only thing in nature that matches the shade of Trump's trademark hair.
Hannibal Lecter dishes up liver, suspense in new TV series
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Liver and loin are served up gourmet-style, young women are impaled on antlers, mushrooms grow out of decomposing bodies. Hannibal Lecter, one of the world's creepiest fictional villains, is back, and this time he is not locked up but is a respected psychiatrist with an appetite for art, fine clothes, good food and red wine.
Autopsy shows Gandee of 'Buckwild' died from carbon monoxide poisoning
(Reuters) - An autopsy on Shain Gandee, a cast member of MTV reality show "Buckwild," showed he died from carbon monoxide poisoning, Kanawha County Sheriff's Department said on Tuesday. Deputy Brian Humphreys told Reuters that the deaths of Gandee, 21, his uncle David, 48, and friend Donald Robert Myers, 27, on Monday morning were ruled "accidental" after coroners completed autopsies on all three men.
TBS extends Conan O'Brien's 'Conan' talk show into 2015
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedian Conan O'Brien's late-night talk show has been extended through November 2015, U.S. cable network TBS said on Monday. "Conan" debuted in November 2010 following O'Brien's acrimonious split with broadcaster NBC after his brief stint as host of the network's flagship "The Tonight Show."
FCC seeks public comment in review of TV, radio decency policy
(Reuters) - Regulators on Monday launched a review of policy governing the way it enforces broadcasts of nudity and profanity on radio and television and asked for public comment on whether its current approach should be amended. The Federal Communications Commission issued a public notice inviting comment on whether it should focus its efforts on pursuing only the "most egregious" cases in which rules are broken, or focus on isolated cases of nudity and expletives uttered on radio and TV shows.
"Glee" star Cory Monteith enters addiction treatment facility
NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Glee" star Cory Monteith has entered a rehabilitation facility where he is being treated for an unspecified substance addiction, his publicist said on Monday. Monteith, who plays Finn on the popular Fox television series, "asks for your respect and privacy as he takes the necessary steps towards recovery," the publicist's statement said.
Appeals court denies broadcaster request to shut Aereo
(Reuters) - An appeals court on Monday declined to temporarily shut down Aereo Inc, an online television venture backed by billionaire Barry Diller that broadcasters say is infringing their copyrights. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with the broadcasters, including Walt Disney Co's ABC and Comcast Corp's NBCUniversal, that Aereo should discontinue its service until litigation between the companies is resolved.
Miramax, Martin Scorsese to develop 'Gangs of New York' TV series
By Lucas Shaw NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Miramax and Martin Scorsese are developing a television series based on Scorsese's 2002 film "Gangs of New York," the studio announced on Thursday.
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Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
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