system, ” wang says. this may become particularly important as the cancer metastasizes, yao adds. “ one of the physical challenges for those tumor cells will be how to survive in the new sites. one way is by taking [ up ] those nk cells and other immune cells to damage the immune response of cancer [ patients ]. ” the bizarre phenomenon may also contribute to the genetic instability of cells, perhaps contributing to the formation of cancer early on. this march, overholtzer and colleagues published the finding that cell - in - cell structures can act as cleavage barriers that disrupt cell division, leading to changes in ploidy — the number of sets of chromosomes in the cell — which are known to drive tumor progression. [ 6. m. krajcovic et al., “ a non - genetic route to aneuploidy in human cancers, ” nature cell biol, 13 : 324 - 30, 2011. ] conversely, cell engulfment may act to suppress tumor growth, such as when tumor cells eat other tumor cells. “ entosis has a dual nature, ” says overholtzer. “ it clearly can kill [ tumor ] cells, but also, it can disrupt ploidy — one is predicted to be tumor suppressive, one is tumor promoting. ” for now, the question of function remains “ a puzzle, ” fais says, and “ i don ’ t have all the pieces. ” but with evidence growing for significance of cell engulfment in tumor pathogenesis, researchers are now considering whether the phenomenon could serve to aid in diagnosis or in the development of new cancer treatments. “ i think in the next few years this will be a very active field, ” shi says.


the bacteria found in some fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, may alter gene expression in human gut microbes, and resultant tweaks to metabolic processes could be behind gastrointestinal benefits often observed in people consuming such probiotic products, according to a study published today ( 26 october ) in science translational medicine. the work was funded by several grants from the national institutes of health and from danone research, the scientific research arm of groupe danone, a paris - based multinational food products corporation that specializes in dairy products. since the 1990s, clinical trials have shown that probiotic bacteria can aid digestion in humans, but the molecular mechanisms involved in conferring those health benefits have proved difficult to pin down. " nobody really understands how probiotics affect human health, " said university of california, davis, food microbiologist david mills, who was not involved with the study. " what [ this study ] has shown is that maybe one of the mechanisms is by shifting the course of expression and how the microbes speak. maybe that is part of the clue to how these types of foods are healthy. " jeffrey gordon, a microbiologist at washington university in st. louis, and his team gave a commercially - available probiotic yogurt containing five strains of bacteria to healthy adult volunteers and administered the same five strains to mice that harbored a subset of genetically - characterized human gut microbes. the yogurt bacteria did not significantly alter population structure in any of the entrenched gut microbes, in humans or mice — a result that is not surprising, according to mills. " to assume that you could eat a yogurt and numerically challenge what ' s in your gut is kind of like dumping a gallon of kool - aid in your swimming pool and expecting it to change color, " he said. but rna sequencing of the human gut microbes in the mice revealed that the probiotic bacteria changed the expression of gut microbe genes encoding key metabolic enzymes, such as those involved in the catabolism of sugars called xylooligosaccharides, which are found in many fruits and vegetables. mass spectrometry of metabolites in urine, which result from the ramped up metabolic processes in the probiotic - fed mice, confirmed the alterations, and when the researchers ran similar analyses on gut microbes from the human yogurt eaters, they found upregulation of the same genes. " the results show that in this particular set


probiotic - fed mice, confirmed the alterations, and when the researchers ran similar analyses on gut microbes from the human yogurt eaters, they found upregulation of the same genes. " the results show that in this particular set of conditions [ probiotic ] organisms are capable of altering the metabolic properties of a human microbial community, " said gordon. the fact that gordon ' s team could detect a signal of altered gene expression in the mice, which harbored only 15 species of human gut microbe, and that same signal was also apparent in the vastly more complex human gastrointestinal milieu is the start of something big, according to gregor reid, a nutritional researcher at the lawson health research institute in canada who wasn ' t involved with the study. " even with a very simplified model, they could replicate the effects they found in humans, " said reid, who wrote an accompanying opinion piece that was published in the same issue of science translational medicine. gordon noted that the mouse model he used in the current study points a way forward to further probe the interactions between entrenched gut microbial communities and probiotic products, which could allow researchers to develop new hypotheses, identify novel biomarkers, and apply findings in preclinical models and eventually clinical uses for such products. continued research may also help to elucidate the precise interactions between probiotic bacteria or other dietary inputs and resident gut microbes that lead to alterations in gene expression and metabolism. " we don ' t know the nature of the molecular communications between these yogurt strains and the entrenched microbial community, " gordon said. " each member of the [ gut ] community was able to adjust its metabolism presumably in a way that benefitted itself and the rest of the community as well. these organisms constantly try to find a niche or profession that allows them to survive in these complicated communities. " mcnulty et al., " the impact of a consortium of fermented milk strains on the gut microbiome of gnotobiotic mice and monozygotic twins, " science translational medicine, doi : 10. 1126 / scitranslmed. 3002701, 2011.


this week ’ s feature is the fourth and final in our series on food security. the first part looked at a canadian perspective, the second looked at organic farms in new orleans. and the third looked at composting. this week ’ s is about reducing waste. can we live waste - free in a world where most goods come packaged, and throwing stuff away allows us to forget about it? we need to change the way we think about waste and reduce the amount of waste we produce. to promote this waste - free lifestyle, the university of calgary sustainability street team invited u of c students, staff and faculty to participate in the clean bin challenge between feb. 27 – march 26 during which they would live for one month without producing any waste — attempting to have a clean bin. the participant who produces the least amount of waste by weight will be declared the winner. this clean bin challenge was inspired by the 2010 clean bin project documentary. the documentary follows jen rustemeyer and grant baldwin as they compete against each other to see who can produce the least amount of waste over a year. the documentary examines waste problems, such as the pacific trash island and offers ways we can reduce waste. rustemeyer and baldwin show how difficult minimizing waste production can be and consider whether their tiny green actions will actually influence the large environmental problems caused by what they call our “ throw - away society, ” where materials are used once and then discarded, without consideration given to reusing it. deven biskup, a fourth - year u of c history student, commented that tracking how much waste he produces is hard since there are two different bins in his back yard, and his household garbage is taken out constantly. he ’ s never had the chance to see all his waste together in one place. reducing waste production is difficult because buying products with a lot of packaging is very convenient. when getting food is easy, consumers hardly stop and think about the amount of waste produced. for example, take - out boxes provide convenient food but go straight to the trash. consumers need to think about the production, packaging and disposal of goods. when buying a product, one is purchasing the packaging too. ryan petrushka, a third - year u of c geoscience student, said “ [ i have to ] be more careful with what i buy, eliminate the source of it, not have as much food that i won ’ t be eating, because the food comes inside packaging and this is waste. ” the packaging of food, clothing, electronics and


to ] be more careful with what i buy, eliminate the source of it, not have as much food that i won ’ t be eating, because the food comes inside packaging and this is waste. ” the packaging of food, clothing, electronics and other material goods has to be recognized as waste. kenneth marsh and betty bugusu from the institute of food technologists found that 31 per cent of all municipal solid waste comes from packaging. in addition, food packaging contributes more waste to landfills than any other type of packaging. in 2007, claire bassett and angela charlton published the war on waste for the u. k. government, which studies the amount of food packaging in grocery stores. twenty - nine similar items from eight different stores were compared. the study found that about 5 per cent of the total weight of groceries was food packaging, and 21 – 40 per cent of this packaging could not be recycled. “ the quantity of waste i produce is mostly food waste, ” said biskup. a common misconception is to think that food and water are waste. when consumers don ’ t think about packaging, their perspective doesn ’ t encompass waste fully, so consumers think they produce less waste than they actually do. most food in canada comes packaged, and the packaging will usually end up in the garbage. for example, the plastic bottle that water comes in will soon be thrown out. both the paper bag used for a muffin and the disposable coffee cup go into the garbage. these small, one - time use products add up very quickly. why do we need so much packaging? packaging allows food to be preserved longer and allows for food to be transported farther distances. however, packaging is often just there to make carrying the product home convenient. in addition to this, the u. k. government ’ s waste and resources action program showed that luxurious packaging attracts consumers. consumers often choose packaged goods over loose goods. in other words, consumers are willing to buy a product because of the packaging — the marketing on packaging helps to sell it. how can packaging be improved? “ creating a food package is as much art as science, ” wrote marsh and bugusu. packaging has to be efficient and maintain the quality and safety of food to be considered an ideal food package. waste - reducing packaging is a “ shared responsibility between producers, retailers, consumers, local authorities and the waste management industry. ” producers should promote the use of more recycled materials in the components of the packaging as well as design efficient packaging. retailers should reduce packaging and


reducing packaging is a “ shared responsibility between producers, retailers, consumers, local authorities and the waste management industry. ” producers should promote the use of more recycled materials in the components of the packaging as well as design efficient packaging. retailers should reduce packaging and research and market products that are less wasteful. consumers should reduce their demand for packaging. local authorities should provide recycling facilities and waste education for their residents. industry should invest in facilities to recycle and recover waste. even if a consumer is aware of the waste problem, they still have to purchase the packaging in order to obtain the product. until the food industry comes up with an ideal packaging system, the responsibility to reduce waste is on consumers. how can consumers reduce packaging waste? how will the competitors of the clean bin challenge skip purchasing waste if almost everything comes wrapped in some kind of packaging? in three weeks of competition, the participants have had difficulties with food packaging, but are reducing their waste by being creative and organized. the clean bin project documentary offered several ways that anyone concerned about the amount of waste they produce can reduce that amount. an important first strategy is to stop using plastic bags. most people use plastic bags to take their food home and sometimes the bags are doubled. cloth bags are much more durable and can usually hold more, so switching to them can be more efficient. according to the clean bin project, an average person uses 500 plastic bags per year and fewer than 1 per cent of these are recycled. michele mallinson, a geoscience and paleontology student who is participating in the challenge, said, “ if you could go to a natural place and even bring your own plastic bags, then you can just bulk it. ” the documentary also recommends thinking about packaging before buying a product. “ i am a vegetarian, but i cannot buy veggie beef in bulk, like meat, so it comes with the plastic packaging, ” said nasrin pak, a participant and a u of c physics graduate student. janice cook, another participant and a u of c kinesiology professor, faced the same problem, but with fish. if she shops at a grocery store, the salmon she wants comes wrapped in cellophane, with styrofoam and plastic pads. another strategy to reduce waste is to have recycling bins handy at home, and to recycle everything possible. pak, as well as mallinson, commented that they have become more aware of recycling materials because of the challenge. “ you have to look at your garbage and see what is


bins handy at home, and to recycle everything possible. pak, as well as mallinson, commented that they have become more aware of recycling materials because of the challenge. “ you have to look at your garbage and see what is recyclable, if you have a pop can then you know you can take it back to the bottle depot, you just have to watch what you are throwing away, ” said mallinson. according to the city of calgary, about 80 per cent of the total municipal solid waste goes straight into landfills, leaving only 20 per cent in the blue carts for recycling. waste sorting is the responsibility of every citizen — things that can be reused, recycled and composted should be put in their appropriate place. yet reducing packaging is preferable to recycling. emma cook - clarke, a clean bin challenge participant and first - year u of c environmental science student, said, “ even the recyclable things, they still have so much packaging. i bought some rice and it was in a square plastic container, but the plastic was so thick and it seemed really unnecessary. it doesn ’ t make any sense to have all this for a product you will use once. ” considering if a product is actually needed before it is used reduces waste. cook said that she was inspired to prepare food differently. for example, she no longer uses aluminum foil to cook. she also decided to use handkerchiefs because she realized she wastes too much tissue. “ twist ties are the other thing i noticed. is it really necessary when you could just make a knot to close the bag? the challenge makes sure you are aware of the little things, ” said cook. composting and making some products yourself can further reduce waste. pak started composting her organics and mallinson started producing her own homemade soaps. going to farmers ’ markets instead of regular grocery stores can also help. farmers ’ markets are a local and healthy alternative, but they are also a waste - reducing business. products use less packaging because they travel short distances and they don ’ t need to be packed in a special way to protect them for long - distance transportation. the products are harvested and are only kept in a cooler for 2 – 3 days, so packaging is not needed in order to preserve the food. one of the most important ways to reduce waste is to better educate oneself about the problem. “ the challenge makes you become aware of all your choices, and it can ’ t be an isolated point — you have


needed in order to preserve the food. one of the most important ways to reduce waste is to better educate oneself about the problem. “ the challenge makes you become aware of all your choices, and it can ’ t be an isolated point — you have to look through all your lifestyle habits, ” said cook. cook - clarke is also seeing the challenge as a lifestyle change, and that waste needs to be reduced in an inter - connected way, instead of isolated parts. “ we don ’ t see where our garbage goes and this is a huge issue. once the garbage truck comes and takes it away, it ’ s like we are done with it and we don ’ t have to see the effects at all. until you see that the environment is being ruined because of the garbage, you don ’ t really realize the effect that the excessive amount of garbage makes, ” said cook - clarke. once something is thrown in the garbage, the problem does not end — the problem is just beginning. consumers need to be personally responsible for sorting their garbage correctly and trying to reduce the amount of garbage they produce. without personal responsibility, consumers won ’ t exert any effort to solve the problems caused by it. “ these days people consume a lot. they don ’ t even think where all this garbage goes, ” said pak. the best way to reduce waste is to make these strategies permanent habits. the challenge has inspired the competitors to continue doing the new things they learned. consumers should review their true needs before going shopping and value the effort given to producing and disposing products. is it really so hard to carry a reusable coffee mug, and is that plastic bag for groceries necessary?


over 8, 000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a thinkquest competition. compete | faq | contact us from rhombus to internet ( the geometrical history of the ancient world ) have you heard about aa alphabet? have you heard about the html from mezin? did you know that 20000 years ago there was a geometrical revolution? did you know that the angle, the rhombus and the spirals are older than the agriculture, the pottery and the kings? the history of the rhombus is more spectacular than the history of kings and wars. but did you know that the kings appeared 3200 years bc and the rhombus - c. 12000 years bc? did you know that the geometrical homeland of the man is the south east europe? did you know that the plants are healing today in the same way they were healing the geometrical man? do you know how tasty is an apricot taken from your own garden? do you know how sweet is a teacher when he ' s not a judge? do you know that the internet will change fundamentally the education? welcome to our site and surf the answers. ionthe lyceum of creativity and inventivness " prometeu ", chisinau, moldova, republic of sovateorethical liceum m. eminescu, gara falesti, moldova, republic of 19 & under andrei varticteorethical liceum m. eminescu, chisinau, moldova, republic of math > geometry english, french, romanian, russian


when president warren g. harding died from a heart - related problem in 1923, vice president calvin coolidge became the 30th president of the united states. the following year, with his popularity buoyed by a strong economy, coolidge handily won the 1924 presidential election, using the campaign slogan “ keep cool with coolidge. ” unlike some presidents, “ silent cal ” coolidge wasn ’ t known for making memorable statements. the most famous quote associated with him is a line about business being the business of america. that line is often given as “ the business of america is business ” or “ the business of the american people is business. ” in fact, both of those versions are misquotes. they aren ’ t radically different from what he actually said, which was “ the chief business of the american people is business. ” however, when this short quote or the misquote versions are cited alone, out of context, they tend to give the unfair and inaccurate impression that coolidge was a one - dimensional, pro - business cheerleader. president coolidge made his famous remark in an address to the society of american newspaper editors on january 17, 1925 in washington, d. c. “ there does not seem to be cause for alarm in the dual relationship of the press to the public, whereby it is on one side a purveyor of information and opinion and on the other side a purely business enterprise, ” he said. “ rather, it is probable that a press which maintains an intimate touch with the business currents of the nation, is likely to be more reliable than it would be if it were a stranger to these influences. ” coolidge went on to add his famous quote. “ after all, the chief business of the american people is business. they are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world. i am strongly of the opinion that the great majority of people will always find these the moving impulses of our life. ” the idea that americans are concerned about prospering seems pretty reasonable. and, coolidge made it clear that he didn ' t mean “ greed is good. ” “ of course, the accumulation of wealth cannot be justified as the chief end of existence, ” he said. “ but we are compelled to recognize it as a means to well - nigh every desirable achievement. so long as wealth is made the means and not the end, we need not greatly fear it... but it calls for additional effort to avoid even the appearance of


moon light world map the map below shows where the moon is visible from the earth, depending on weather conditions and moon phases. the white dot symbolizes the position of the moon, and the yellow sun symbolizes the position of the sun. view day and night map - the bright part of the map shows where the moon is over the horizon on monday, october 22, 2012 at 06 : 56 : 00 utc. - the sun ' s position is marked with this symbol :. at this location, the sun will be at its zenith ( directly overhead ) in relation to an observer. - the moon ' s position is marked with this symbol :. at this location, the moon will be at its zenith in relation to an observer. note that the symbol is not showing the current phase of the moon. fraction of moon illuminated : 52 % position of the moon on monday, october 22, 2012 at 06 : 56 : 00 utc the moon is at its zenith at these coordinates : | latitude : | | 15° 17 ' | | south | | longitude : | | 166° 50 ' | | east | the ground speed of the movement is currently 431. 79 meters / second, 1554. 4 km / hour, 965. 9 miles / hour or 839. 3 knots. the table below shows the moon position compared to the time and date above : | time | | longitude difference | | latitude difference | | total | | 1 minute | | 0° 14 ' 28. 2 " | | 16. 10 mi | | west | | 0° 00 ' 08. 5 " | | 0. 16 mi | | north | | 16. 10 mi | | 1 hour | | 14° 28 ' 20. 2 " | | 965. 76 mi | | west | | 0° 08 ' 34. 7 " | | 9. 83 mi | | north | | 966. 14 mi | | 24 hours | | 12° 18 ' 24. 9 " | | 821. 31 mi | | east | | 3° 44 ' 35. 4 " | | 257. 34 mi | | north | | 867. 08 mi | locations with the moon near zenith the following table shows 10 locations with moon near zenith position in the sky. | port vila | | mon 5 : 56 pm | | 314 km | | 195 miles | | 169 nm | | sse | | noumea | | mon 5 : 56 pm | | 774 km | | 481 miles | | 418 nm |


| mon 5 : 56 pm | | 314 km | | 195 miles | | 169 nm | | sse | | noumea | | mon 5 : 56 pm | | 774 km | | 481 miles | | 418 nm | | s | | honiara | | mon 5 : 56 pm | | 990 km | | 615 miles | | 534 nm | | nw | | suva * | | mon 7 : 56 pm | | 1275 km | | 792 miles | | 688 nm | | ese | | funafuti | | mon 6 : 56 pm | | 1541 km | | 958 miles | | 832 nm | | ene | | yaren | | mon 6 : 56 pm | | 1631 km | | 1014 miles | | 881 nm | | n | | brisbane | | mon 4 : 56 pm | | 1965 km | | 1221 miles | | 1061 nm | | sw | | tarawa | | mon 6 : 56 pm | | 1968 km | | 1223 miles | | 1062 nm | | nne | | nukualofa | | mon 7 : 56 pm | | 2005 km | | 1246 miles | | 1083 nm | | ese | | port moresby | | mon 4 : 56 pm | | 2231 km | | 1386 miles | | 1205 nm | | wnw | related time zone tools


it ' s hard to imagine that a war in which millions fought and died can be known as the forgotten war, but that is one moniker that has been given to the korean war. the war, which was fought from june 25, 1950, to july 27, 1953, was fought on the korean peninsula between north korea and south korea. north korea was aided by china, and south korea was backed by the united states and other countries under the united nations flag. in a century that saw two world wars plus wars in vietnam and the persian gulf, somehow the korean war and those who fought in it were not given their full recognition and appreciation when the war ended. north korean forces invaded south korea on june 25, 1950. the united nations asked for troops to end the aggression. president harry truman ordered u. s. navy and air force personnel to korea on june 27 of that year and approved ground forces and air strikes against north korea on june 30. ultimately, almost 34, 000 americans would be killed in korea, with more than 3, 000 non - combat deaths. due to the efforts of all who fought for south korea ' s position, the u. s. and south korea have continued their positive and fruitful relationship. north korea, on the other hand, remains a dangerous state, where famine and a threatening government contribute to an unstable world. as the years have passed, the united states has done more to honor its korean war veterans, including building a korean war veterans memorial, which recently, a bipartisan group of members of the u. s. senate ' s armed services committee sponsored a resolution recognizing the 60th anniversary of the end of the korean war and the designation of 2012 - 2013 as the year of the korean war veteran. " nearly 2 million americans fought in the korean war, and more than 120, 000 of them were killed or wounded in action, " said sen. mark udall of colorado, a co - sponsor of the resolution. " i have deep respect for all those who left behind their families and friends to protect a distant country from the spread of communism. "


there ' s a meteor shower tonight! the orionid meteor shower peaks this weekend and the night sky will give an impressive show as onlookers watch dozens of shooting stars. the orionid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight from saturday, oct. 20 to sunday, oct. 21. the orionids were named after the constellation orion, where they originate from. this particular meteor shower occurs while the earth moves through an area of space that contains remaining debris from halley ' s comet, which produces about 25 meteors per hour, making it one of the best shows of the year, according to wptv. " flakes of comet dust hitting the atmosphere should give us dozens of meteors per hour, " bill cooke, head of the meteoroid environment office at nasa ' s space flight center in huntsville, ala., said on the nasa site. " since 2006, the orionids have been one of the best showers of the year, with counts of 60 or more meteors per hour, " cooke continued. the orionid meteor shower will peak at about 12 : 00 a. m. pst on sunday morning, but one of the best times to watch the show is about an hour or two before the sun rises, because orion will be high in the sky. to find the best times to watch near you, check out spacedex. the moon is in the new moon stage and it will set around midnight, which will make the sky extra dark and perfect for watching stars. the only issue may be cloud coverage in some areas. a telescope is not necessary to view a meteor shower. the best way to watch it is to lie down in an area with little lights and trees and look straight up. the orionid meteor shower can be seen from everywhere in the world except antarctica. for those who can ' t see anything outside due to poor weather conditions or other issues, nasa will be live streaming the meteor shower as well as hosting a live chat. here is the video of the live stream. to follow the live chat, go to this link starting at 11p. m until 3a. m.


sodium lauryl sulfate is the victim of an urban myth similar to the one that haunts parabens. it is accused of causing cancer. this is false. however, there may be other reasons to avoid sodium lauryl sulfate and even its gentler sister, sodium laureth sulfate. first of all what is it? sodium lauryl sulfate is a detergent. as well as cleansing, it makes foam. hence, it is frequently used as the base for shampoos, soaps and toothpaste. although studies specifically cleared sodium lauryl sulfate of being carcinogenic, it has been established that it can cause severe epidermal changes to the area where it is applied that, theoretically, could increase the chances of cancer. if you have the suspicion that washing your face is making your skin dry, or that shampooing is giving you an itchy scalp or making your eyes sting, or that cleaning your teeth is giving you mouth ulcers, sodium lauryl sulfate is the likely culprit. in studies, there are " significant correlations " ( in the words of one ) between sls and contact dermatitis. the journal of the american college of toxicology says that it has " a degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties ". the journal adds that " high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration. worryingly, tests on young animals showed permanent eye damage - even when the sls was applied to areas other than the eye. no wonder shampooing can sting the eyes. in fact, sls ( which is an anionic detergent ) is frequently combined with cocamide mea and dea ( inonics ) that are believed to anesthetize the eyeball so that you are less likely to be aware of the harm the lauryl sulfate is doing. what ' s more, cocamide dea is pretty awful as well. ironically, it has been definitively linked to cancer. laureth sulfate is less likely to cause these side - effects because it doesn ' t denaturate ( change the structure ) of proteins, unlike lauryl. nevertheless, in germany, a product cannot be labeled ' natural ' if it contains any members of the sulfate family ( lauryl, laureth, or ammonium ). the cosmetic trade industry associatio, the cir, says that sulfates " appear to be safe in formulations designed for discontinous, brief use followed by thorough ri


every breath liam watters took was partly thanks to the life - saving advances pioneered at ucsf. liam entered the world two and a half months early, weighing only three pounds. he was a high - risk, premature baby. but he could breathe on his own. it was a far more complicated story when carter keltner was born 35 years ago, almost at full term and weighing just over eight pounds. he had to fight for every breath. the difference between liam and carter is the result of four decades of discoveries in neonatal intensive care — including one that centered on carter, now an international businessman. ucsf ' s neonatal intensive care unit, or nicu, was started in 1964 as a response to the very condition that made carter struggle to breathe. the tiny round chambers that made up the lining of his lungs — the alveoli — would flatten like deflated balloons as he tried to exhale. each intake of breath was a massive effort to force the alveoli to re - open. carter was suffering from respiratory distress syndrome ( rds ) — a condition that killed nearly 40, 000 us babies a year during the 1960s. a three - pound infant born at ucsf the same year as carter would have had a one - in - four chance of dying of rds, and survival could have meant severe disabilities. a fundamental discovery by ucsf ' s award - winning scientist dr. john clements in the late 1950s gave pediatricians the key to the cause and saved untold lives in the process. newborns with rds — mostly premature infants couldn ' t produce surfactant, the soapy substance that normally provides surface tension to prevent lungs from deflating with every exhalation. in the early 1960s, attempts to help these babies breathe led to the then - startling discovery that they were more likely to survive if they were carefully watched by nurses, using scientific monitoring methods borrowed from research. the nurses and neonatal doctors were able to intervene immediately if a baby showed distress. thus the concept of a neonatal intensive care unit was invented at ucsf and a handful of other university medical centers. those early nicus saved lives, but nothing that neonatologists tried could save a baby with severe rds. dr. george gregory, one of carter ' s doctors, remembers the turning point. gregory realized that if he gave air through a breathing tube and did not release the air pressure as the lungs breathed out, the alveoli should stay inflated. with his parents ' permission, carter became the first baby


doctors, remembers the turning point. gregory realized that if he gave air through a breathing tube and did not release the air pressure as the lungs breathed out, the alveoli should stay inflated. with his parents ' permission, carter became the first baby to receive continuous positive airway pressure ( cpap ). carter began to breathe more easily, and so did other babies with rds. after the introduction of cpap, ucsf ' s intensive care nursery showed a 15 percent to 25 percent improvement in survival of premature infants, results that were reflected around the world as clinicians started using cpap. in the 1980s, clements and colleagues developed an artificial surfactant to keep rds babies breathing until they could produce surfactant on their own. in the united states and other developed countries, newborn deaths due to rds declined further — by about 50 percent. breakthroughs such as these benefited liam and countless others. liam ' s mother, kirsten, was sent to ucsf center for mothers and newborns by helicopter after her doctors in monterey diagnosed preeclampsia — a blood pressure condition that threatens a pregnant woman ' s life. when liam arrived a week later on feb. 5, 2003, it was only the 31st week of her pregnancy, yet he never suffered from rds and never needed a breathing tube. instead, kirsten ' s doctors took preventive measures such as giving her steroid drugs to stimulate the fetus to begin producing surfactant in his lungs, months earlier than usual for a full - term baby. and upon delivery, liam did not even need artificial surfactant — just a small mask over his nose that delivered a gentle form of cpap. but from the start he was doing the real work of breathing on his own. kirsten ' s husband, george, vividly remembers giving liam his first bath. " liam was so small he fit in the palm of my hand. the doctors told us that he had certain hurdles to pass. but i never felt i had to worry about him at all. " today, prematurity remains a health concern, but most preemies survive and are healthy, thanks to improved care for infants and moms with high - risk pregnancies. most mothers have access to intermediate and community neonatal intensive care units that can care for all but the most fragile newborns. at ucsf benioff children ' s hospital, where the nicu concept was born, the regional ( or level iv ) nicu continues to treat very small preemi


coronary artery disease — also called coronary vascular, arteriosclerotic and ischemic heart disease — remains the leading cause of death in the united states. the disease is caused by arteriosclerosis or " hardening of the arteries, " which interferes with the normal flow of blood to the heart. it affects the arteries that surround and supply blood to the heart, causing more than a half million deaths a year. when the heart doesn ' t receive enough blood, symptoms may include pain or pressure in the chest, arm or jaw. this is a warning sign that your heart is having difficulty. if left untreated, it can result in a heart attack. the most common disease of the coronary arteries is arteriosclerosis, commonly called " hardening of the arteries. " plaque — a combination of cholesterol and other fats, calcium and other elements carried in the blood — builds up in the small blood vessels that feed the heart. when this condition exists in other parts of the body, it is called atherosclerosis. this plaque buildup can, in time, narrow the arteries so severely that blood flow to the heart is inadequate and symptoms of insufficient blood flow — called angina — develop. angina is a term meaning strangling or oppressive heaviness and pain, but it has become synonymous with angina pectoris or chest pain caused by lack of oxygen to the heart due to poor blood supply. doctors know that some people are at high risk of this kind of heart disease because of certain physical and behavioral characteristics. for example, men generally are at greater risk for heart disease but the risk increases for women after menopause. other characteristics for arteriosclerosis include : medications and sometimes lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or losing weight, can help improve heart efficiency to reduce angina but can ' t eliminate the plaque blockages. medications may include cholesterol - lowering drugs, beta - blockers, nitroglycerin, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin - converting enzyme inhibitors and others. reviewed by health care specialists at ucsf medical center. cardiovascular care and prevention center at mission bay 535 mission bay blvd. south san francisco, ca 94158 phone : ( 415 ) 353 - 2873 fax : ( 415 ) 353 - 2528


gonorrhoea - the drugs don ' t work published : 23rd dec 2011 08 : 41 : 37 the prospect of untreatable gonorrhoea has provoked alarm around the world, and there are no new classes of antibiotics in development. in this week ' s scrubbing up column, peter greenhouse of the british association for sexual health & hiv ( bashh ) argues financial incentives will be needed to seek a new cure. we ' re all familiar with stories about hospital - acquired superbugs - mrsa and the like - becoming more difficult to treat, and are fearful whenever an elderly relative needs in - patient care. but now, with a report from japan of multidrug - resistant gonorrhoea, and the festive season in full swing, the spectre of an untreatable sexually transmitted infection looms over us - and our teenagers - for the first time in a generation. since penicillin was first used to treat gonorrhoea in 1943, the organism has gradually developed novel means of evading control by each new antibiotic. for treatment to be effective and practical, it must be simple to administer by mouth as a single dose, achieving a high enough concentration of the drug in the body to treat over 95 % of infections. if the efficacy drops below this figure, the treatment has to change. but over - the - counter medication, widely available in africa and asia means people self - medicate often taking the wrong dose at the wrong time, perhaps with alcohol which further reduces the concentration of the drug. strains of gonorrhoea which need a higher concentration of a drug to kill them become the dominant ones. this keeps happening until the drug no longer works. if gonorrhoea becomes untreatable in these countries, the effect on increasing hiv rates could be disastrous - because any sexually transmitted infection which causes inflammation and discharge increases the transmission efficiency of hiv. on average, transmission is five times more likely to occur if gonorrhoea or chlamydia are present in the uk, the situation is monitored annually by the health protection agency, providing an essential early warning of drugs which are about to fail, allowing a switch of treatment regimes before they become ineffective. there ' s a desperate world - wide demand for new antibiotics, yet the drug companies aren ' t interested ” ciprofloxacin - a drug introduced in the mid - 1980s after the failure of penicillin - lasted in the uk until 2002 : this may have survived longer because of the


new antibiotics, yet the drug companies aren ' t interested ” ciprofloxacin - a drug introduced in the mid - 1980s after the failure of penicillin - lasted in the uk until 2002 : this may have survived longer because of the world - wide drop in gonorrhoea rates following the arrival of hiv, when fear of the new virus meant people practised safe - sex and changed partners less. but it had already failed in the far east, some four years previously. resistance develops faster in homosexual men, not just because of high rates of partner change. most people don ' t realise that oral sex is an important route of transmission for gonorrhoea, which doesn ' t usually cause a sore throat. gonorrhoea mixes with organisms which live naturally in the rectum and throat, picking up new types of antibiotic resistance from these bugs. the next drug, cefixime, was introduced around 2003, but lasted only six years in the uk before resistance rose suddenly, hitting 25 % among homosexual men. now, their only treatment option is an injection ( ceftriaxone ) which has recently failed in japan. but why isn ' t there a new drug in development? since the mid - 1980s and the arrival of hiv, almost all drug company research has focused on antiviral medicines, with no new classes of antibiotics being produced since the 1970s, and none on the horizon. there ' s a desperate world - wide demand for new antibiotics, yet the drug companies aren ' t interested, so how could we motivate them? financial reality dictates research policy : why bother to develop a drug which works in one day or one week, when you could make one - such as an antidepressant, statin or antiviral - which must be taken for months, for years, or for life? so either the new drug ( s ) would have to be seriously expensive, precluding their use where they would be most needed, or there would have to be a substantial reward offered, perhaps of a magnitude only affordable by a fund such as the gates foundation. yet even if novel drugs could be produced, the biology and transmission dynamics of gonorrhoea mean that each new regime would probably fail within five - to - ten years of its introduction, unless we use multi - dose, multi - drug regimes, which will be less practical and more expensive to administer. faced with this, what can we do to stay sexually healthy? stay at home, or take


to - ten years of its introduction, unless we use multi - dose, multi - drug regimes, which will be less practical and more expensive to administer. faced with this, what can we do to stay sexually healthy? stay at home, or take your partner to the new year party : if that ' s not possible, use condoms - meticulously, and visit your local clinic - frequently. harvard citationbbc news, 2011. gonorrhoea - the drugs don ' t work. [ online ] ( updated 23 dec 2011 ) available at : http : / / www. ukwirednews. com / news. php / 212819 - gonorrhoea - the - drugs - dont - work [ accessed 14th may 2013 ] at 07 : 53 : 07 in businessa group of international investors is interested in buying uk water supplier severn trent, the company has said.... at 07 : 49 : 21 in walesmajor road safety works have started on a one - mile stretch of coast road at flintshire which has been the scene of serious accidents.... at 07 : 48 : 53 in englandstuart hazell is due to be sentenced later after admitting mid - trial to killing his partner ' s granddaughter.... at 07 : 47 : 03 in walesan independent tv company has issued redundancy notices to 10 members of staff due to a cut in work from welsh language broadcaster s4c.... at 07 : 43 : 33 in walesfurther forensic evidence is expected to be heard later in the trial of the man accused of murdering april jones.... at 07 : 41 : 47 in walesa cardiff theatre was asked to explain by the arts council of wales why there was no plan to tackle an £800, 000 overspend, it has emerged.... at 07 : 40 : 22 in entertainmenthollywood actress angelina jolie has undergone a double mastectomy to reduce her chances of getting breast cancer.... at 07 : 32 : 39 in headlinesa boat carrying rohingya muslims has capsized off western burma, aid agencies say.... at 07 : 31 : 47 in businessindia ' s top drugmaker ranbaxy laboratories is to pay a record fine in the us for lying to officials and selling badly made generic drug... at 07 : 31 : 30 in northern irelandpolice have issued a description of a man they want to question about the rape of a teenage girl


sickle cell anemia is the most common inherited disease in people of african heritage. it affects one of every 400 african american newborns. this disease causes red blood cells to stiffen and twist into jagged shapes, blocking blood vessels and preventing normal blood flow. this leads to pain, anemia and damage to vital tissues and organs. without proper treatment, one in 10 children with sickle cell anemia may suffer a stroke before age 20. most will suffer a second stroke within three years. today, only regular blood transfusion therapy can prevent stroke in high - risk children with sickle cell anemia. in fact, 70 to 80 percent of all patients with sickle cell disease will have at least one transfusion by the age of 20. transfusions make it possible to maintain a relatively low level of abnormal ( sickle ) blood and a protective level of normal blood. to accomplish this, transfusions or exchange treatments must be given frequently, as often as every four weeks. this means that children with sickle cell anemia depend on the generosity of healthy volunteer blood donors. over time, children with sickle cell anemia may develop allergic - like reactions to the red blood cells of donors, and it becomes increasingly difficult to find red blood cells for their transfusions. children with sickle cell anemia are less likely to suffer these adverse reactions to blood from donors of african heritage, but blood is needed from donors of all backgrounds. how to help a supply of healthy blood is vital to stroke prevention and medical treatment of children with sickle cell anemia. ironically, people of african heritage are underrepresented in the donor pool. but it doesn ' t have to be this way : - ask friends, family members and neighbors of african heritage to consider becoming volunteer blood donors. - arrange a gathering at your place of worship... - organize a blood drive in your community. we will help!


dhaka, 22 march 2010 - urgent action is needed to address arsenic contamination of water and food in order to mitigate its impact on the health of millions of bangladeshi people, according to a document released today by the government of bangladesh and the united nations. the publication titled towards an arsenic safe environment in bangladesh was officially launched in dhaka on the occasion of world water day by begum matia chowdhury, minister of agriculture, syed ashraful islam, minister of local government and rural development & co - operatives, and dr. a. f. m ruhul haque, minister of health and family welfare, and the un resident coordinator in bangladesh, renata lok dessallien. according to the presentation made by dr a. atiq rahman, a leading author of the publication and renowned environmentalist, arsenic contamination poses major challenges to achieve the goal of safe water for all by 2011. a recent survey by the bangladesh bureau of statistics and unicef reveals that 12. 6 per cent of households equivalent to about 20 million people still drink water containing arsenic above the government standard of 50 micrograms per liter. in addition scientists have identified emerging threats in the health and agriculture sectors. there is now more evidence of the health impact of arsenic, which can significantly increase mortality from various cancers, heart attacks and cardio - pulmonary diseases. it is also recognised that arsenic can impair the intellectual function of children. research also suggests that rice irrigated with arsenic contaminated water can contribute substantially to the daily intake of arsenic in bangladesh because it is the main staple food. ‘ as we celebrate the world water day with the theme of ‘ clean water for a healthy world ’, it is time to take stock of progress made so far and devise a new plan in order to provide arsenic safe water to the 20 million people still at risk ’, said syed asharful islam, minister of local government and rural development and co - operatives. ‘ a sector development plan is already being devised, taking into account the latest situation assessment. ’ in addition to water, recent data from south - western districts of bangladesh indicate that rice also contains arsenic due to water irrigation. the average daily intake of arsenic from rice for a bangladeshi adult is estimated at approximately 100 micrograms arsenic while the who potential maximum tolerable daily intake ( pmdti ) for a 65 kg adult is 140 micrograms. arsenic may enter the food chain through rice straw used to feed cattle. food security is also at risk as accumulation of arsenic in the soil through the use of groundwater irrigation may


( pmdti ) for a 65 kg adult is 140 micrograms. arsenic may enter the food chain through rice straw used to feed cattle. food security is also at risk as accumulation of arsenic in the soil through the use of groundwater irrigation may reduce crops yields. ‘ the ministry of agriculture has taken steps to ensure the proper management of surface water including rainwater conservation ’, said begum matia chowdhury, minister of agriculture. ‘ we will have to augment the use of surface water and simultaneously limit the use of both surface and groundwater to reduce accumulation of arsenic in crops and food sources. ’ according to the publication, arsenic poses health risks to a significant proportion of the population. children are particularly vulnerable to arsenic poisoning. the well - know skin lesions caused by arsenic are only the tip of the iceberg of many health consequences, including cancers, lung and heart diseases. ‘ raising awareness among people on the danger of arsenic is essential ’, said dr. a. f. m ruhul haque, minister of health and family welfare. ‘ health workers can disseminate arsenic - related core messages, while the government will continue to invest in screening and treatment of arsenicosis patients in affected districts. ’ towards an arsenic safe environment in bangladesh includes clear recommendations for mitigating the impact of arsenic in the three sectors of water, health and agriculture, providing a road map for the government and development partners. robust arsenic monitoring and screening system are necessary in all sectors while overall coordination is essential to ensure that mitigation in one sector does not negatively affect efforts made in other sectors. ‘ urgent action is needed to re - focus the attention of the nation towards an arsenic safe environment ’, said renata lok dessallien, un resident coordinator in her speech. ‘ concerted efforts by the government and all stakeholders are necessary to reinvigorate arsenic monitoring and mitigation efforts and conduct comprehensive research on emerging threats. ’ three un agencies, fao, unicef, who and the water and sanitation program of the world bank have been providing continuous support to the government in addressing the unprecedented challenge of arsenic contamination. this has included several large - scale initiatives to provide access to alternative safe drinking - water supplies ; research into the health impacts, patient management, and arsenic presence in the food chain ; capacity building through training of health sector and water supply sector staff, and strengthening of institutional capacity. for more information contact : fao : mr shahidul islam, national consultant, tel : 8119422 / 017326088


we once reported that it rains more on weekends. now scientists say it rains less on weekends. but they all agree on the reason : air pollution. a new nasa study has found that summer storms in the southeaster us occur more often midweek than on weekends. they think the cause of this is air pollution created by traffic exhaust and other emissions which creates small particles that tend to " seed " clouds. livescience. com quotes researcher thomas bell as saying, "? it ' s well known that particulate matter has the potential to affect how clouds behave, and this kind of evidence makes the argument stronger for a link between pollution and heavier rainfall. " unfortunately, causing it to rain isn ' t all these particles do! art credit : freeimages. co. uk when it ' s raining, stay indoors and catch up on your radio listening. regular unknowncountry. com. listeners only have access to a month of shows, but subscribers can listen? and re - listen? for an entire year, as well as download shows to an mp3 disc so you can listen in your car and in other places away from your computer. you get all this for less than $ 4 per month, as well as get 10 % off the great items you can only find in our website store as well as special subscriber interviews just for you as well as a chance to chat with your favorite dreamland guests. so what are you waiting for? subscribe today! note : this news story, previously published on our old site, will have any links removed.


greenbelt, md., aug. 16 ( upi ) - - an instrument aboard a nasa orbiter has detected helium in the moon ' s tenuous atmosphere, the space agency said. these remote - sensing observations by the lunar reconnaissance orbiter confirm measurements taken in 1972 by an experiment deployed on the moon ' s surface by apollo 17, a nasa release reported wednesday. the instrument aboard the lro examined ultraviolet emissions in the tenuous atmosphere above the lunar surface, detecting helium in measurements spanning more than 50 orbits. " the question now becomes, does the helium originate from inside the moon, for example, due to radioactive decay in rocks, or from an exterior source, such as the solar wind? " said alan stern of the space science and engineering division at southwest research institute, boulder, colo. " if we find the solar wind is responsible, that will teach us a lot about how the same process works in other airless bodies, " stern said. if additional observations rule out the solar wind, then radioactive decay or other internal lunar processes could be producing helium that diffuses from the moon ' s interior or is released during lunar quakes, scientists said. " these ground - breaking measurements were enabled by our flexible operations of lro as a science mission, so that we can now understand the moon in ways that were not expected when lro was launched in 2009, " richard vondrak, lro project scientist at nasa ' s goddard space flight center, greenbelt, md., said. | additional science news stories | toronto, may 25 ( upi ) - - a canadian man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 9 - year - old girl in toronto more than 20 years ago. burbank, calif., may 24 ( upi ) - - baz luhrmann ' s big - screen adaptation of the classic novel, " the great gatsby, " has crossed the $ 100 million mark at the north american box office. washington, may 24 ( upi ) - - the u. s. food and drug administration says it ' s taken a close look at a mobile app that analyzes photos of urine samples and has been in contact with its maker.


attack by the squash vine borer is characterized by sudden wilt of the plant. larvae bore within stems, usually in the lower one meter ( three feet ) of the stem. stems can be girdled by borers, preventing water and nutrients from circulating in the plant. the point where a borer enters a stem is marked by a hole exuding yellow granular or sawdust - like frass. injured vines often decay and become wet and shiny. infested plants may be weakened or they can die ; the ultimate effect on the plant depends on the number of borers and their location. over 100 larvae have been found in a single plant. if a plant wilts but there is no evidence of borers, other possible causes include root feeding by larval cucumber beetles and bacterial pumpkins and gourds are attacked by the squash vine borer. hubbard squash is preferred over other hosts ; butternut squash tends to be less susceptible than others. cucumbers and melons are usually eggs are oval, flattened, dull - red in color, and 1 mm ( 1 / 25 inch ) in diameter. the larva is a fat, grub - like caterpillar with a white wrinkled body and a brown head. a fully - grown larva is 25 mm ( 1 inch ) long. the pupa is brown and 16 mm ( 5 / 8 inch ) long, and contained inside a cocoon that is made of earth - covered black silk and is 19 mm ( 3 / 4 vine borer larva. photo from the university of connecticut cooperative extension. the adult is a moth that looks like a wasp ; the body is black with orangish - red markings, and the hind legs are feathery with black and orange hairs. the front wings are metallic green, and the hind wings are transparent ; the wingspan is 25 to 37 mm ( 1 to 1. 5 inch ). male and female moths are similar, although the male is more colorful, smaller, has a narrower abdomen, and more feathery antennae. vine borer overwinters as a fully - grown larva in cocoons in the soil, 2 to 15 cm ( 1 to 6 inches ) deep. it pupates in the spring and the adult ( a moth ) emerges in june. these moths are distinct in that they are active during the daytime, resting on leaves in the evening ; most moths are active at night. the moths fly slowly in zig - zags around plants and lay eggs singly on stems ; eggs are


. these moths are distinct in that they are active during the daytime, resting on leaves in the evening ; most moths are active at night. the moths fly slowly in zig - zags around plants and lay eggs singly on stems ; eggs are usually found on the main stem near the base, but are also found on leafstalks or on the undersides of leaves. moths are active for about one month. eggs hatch in 9 to 14 days. larvae enter the stem at the plant base within a few hours after hatching from the eggs. larvae feed inside the stem for four to six weeks. fully - grown larvae leave the stems and crawl into the soil to pupate. there is usually one generation per year, but a partial or complete second generation vine borer is most susceptible to natural enemies in the egg stage. the eggs are commonly attacked by parasitic wasps. larval and adult ground beetles can attack the larvae of the squash vine borer, but do not appear to cause significant mortality. vines soon after harvest to destroy any larvae still inside stems. or plow the soil in fall or spring to destroy overwintering cocoons. vines at leaf joints with moist soil, to promote formation of secondary roots that will support the plant if the main root and stem are crop of very early - planted hubbard squash can be used to alleviate pest pressure from other cucurbits. for small gardens : borers can be removed from vines if detected before much damage is done. examine stems in early summer ; once holes are detected, slit the stem longitudinally with a fine sharp knife, remove the borer, then cover the wounded stem with moist soil above the point of injury to promote additional root formation. can be covered with a barrier, such as strips of nylon stockings, to prevent egg laying. and destroy the moths, especially at twilight or in early morning when they are resting on the upper side of leaf bases. the eggs before they hatch. the squash vine borer can be killed by chemicals, but appropriate timing is crucial. an insecticide is effective when applied as eggs are hatching. a preventive treatment regime consists of applying an insecticide when vines begin to run, and re - applying every seven to ten days for three to five weeks. the application should be directed to the base of plants, at crowns and runners. chemicals used for borer control in gardens include pyrethrum, malathion or carbaryl ( sevin ), applied as sprays or dusts. the biological insecticide b. t


scoping out sunglasses you may think we wear sunglasses for comfort and fashion. but here ' s another important reason to wear sunglasses - - to protect the health of your eyes. if you spend long hours in the sun without protection, you increase your exposure to ultraviolet ( uv ) rays, an invisible form of radiation from sunlight. overexposure to uv - a and uv - b radiation causes damage to the skin and eyes. you can damage the surface of your eyes in the same way you can get sunburned - - with just one exposure to extremely bright sunlight reflected off sand, snow, or water. exposure to sunlight over years can lead to vision loss from cataracts or macular degeneration. conditions that put eyes at risk according to the american academy of ophthalmology ( aao ) and the american optometric association ( aoa ), these are conditions that put the eyes of adults and children at risk : surfaces such as snow, sand, water, and concrete that reflect uv rays. high altitudes or low latitudes. exposure to uv rays is higher in the mountains or closer to the equator - - in the caribbean, for example time of day. uv radiation is usually at its highest from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m. as a rule - of - thumb, check your shadow ; if it is shorter than you, uv radiation is at a higher intensity. if it is longer, uv radiation is at a lower intensity. time of year. uv radiation is higher in the spring and summer, or may to august in the northern hemisphere, and lower in the fall. precautions to take don ’ t look directly at the sun. the aao and aoa say that damage to eyes from looking directly at the sun during an eclipse is from thermal rays of the sun, not uv radiation, so sunglasses won ’ t protect your eyes. don ’ t look directly at an eclipse. wear sunglasses that protect your eyes from uva and uvb rays when you are outside ; wear them even on cloudy days. wear a hat to provide additional protection for not only your eyes, but also your skin. wear it even on cloudy days. these precautions are especially important for people who have lighter skin or light - colored eyes, and for people who take medicines that increase the skin ’ s and eyes ' sensitivity to sunlight. these medications include tetracycline, doxycycline, allopurinol, sulfa drugs, birth control pills, diuretics, phenothiazine


increase the skin ’ s and eyes ' sensitivity to sunlight. these medications include tetracycline, doxycycline, allopurinol, sulfa drugs, birth control pills, diuretics, phenothiazine, and psoralens. what features should you look for? the aao and aoa advise against buying sunglasses that say they “ block uv radiation ” without saying how much is blocked. if they don ’ t block 99 to 100 percent, do not buy them. either plastic or glass lenses can absorb uv light, but the protection of either can be improved by the addition of a clear uv coating. according to the aao and aoa, mirror coating and gradient tinting of lenses do not offer uv protection. the color and degree of darkness of lenses do not mean the lenses can block uv rays. polarized lenses block glare, but offer no uv protection. photochromic lenses, or lenses that change from light to dark when exposed to uv rays, may offer protection. wraparound sunglasses keep light from shining on your eyes from the sides, offering more protection. polycarbonate lenses offer 99 percent uv protection. for comfort, sunglasses should be free of distortion and imperfection. look through the glasses at arm ' s length and move them slowly across, up and down over a square pattern, such as floor tile. if the lines sway or wiggle, the lenses are imperfect. you also should check lenses to ensure the color is exactly the same throughout. if you play sports, consider getting special impact - resistant lenses made from polycarbonate plastic. get them with a scratch - resistant coating.


it ’ s a painful affliction that nights many lives — but it can be overcome an interview with philip zimbardo, professor of social psychology at stanford university q professor zimbardo, what is shyness? a. shyness is shrinking from human contact, often because of a feeling of inferiority and fear of taking risks. it is an alienating force that prevents us from realizing our potential and enjoying the company of other people. among the notables who have at some time in their lives defined themselves as shy are prince charles, president and mrs carter and film star catherine deneuve. many celebrities who publicly do not appear shy nevertheless experience the pain of shyness. q. is a person born shy? a. shyness evolves out of the particular experiences we have in the home, at school and with our 134 peers. research we ’ ve been doing for the past six years shows that a quarter of the people who are shy as adults were not shy as children. on the other hand, a fair percentage of people who were shy as children stop being shy at some point in adulthood. the sad people are those who are shy all their lives and browse http : / / www. anotherway. org / 2012 / 10 / review - of - top - ranked - canon - digital - cameras - on - amazon /. i have some very distressing correspondence with elderly people who say things like, “ my greatest wish is not to be shy for one day in my life. ” this was from a great - grandmother in her seventies. q. is shyness necessarily a bad trait? a. shyness can make some people more appealing. modest and reserved, they contribute by being good listeners and not hogging the limelight. we ’ ve studied more than 7, 000 people, and a minority list such traits as positive aspects. but well over 75 per cent say shyness for them is negative. shyness makes it difficult to meet new people, to make friends. it prevents an individual from speaking up, expressing opinions and values. with authorities such as a boss or a teacher, the shy are less likely to communicate effectively or express justifiable criticism. the shy person does not present himself or herself in the best possible light. shyness tends to encourage self - consciousness at the cost of being concerned about and relating to other people. in the extreme, shyness can result in depression, anxiety and loneliness. shy people have difficulty in intimate situations. it is not unreasonable to implicate shyness as


self - consciousness at the cost of being concerned about and relating to other people. in the extreme, shyness can result in depression, anxiety and loneliness. shy people have difficulty in intimate situations. it is not unreasonable to implicate shyness as a decisive factor in impotence and frigidity. q. what is the basic cause of shyness? a. at the core is an excessive concern for security, going with what you know rather than chancing something uncertain. shy people lose out by not experimenting with life, by letting other people and situations control their reactions. i know shy university students who can ’ t ask the college librarian a question and instead will spend hours wandering round the library stacks. if they ’ re poor, those who are shy are reluctant to use available social or welfare resources. some people are even too shy to seek professional help. q. what can be done to help those who are shy? a. many things. shy people are very concerned about being negatively evaluated. everything in their lives is a performance — in the sense that they imagine others to be continually evaluating them. they can ’ t feel comfortable with other people, their “ judges. ” thus, a parent should start early to communicate to a child that he or she is loved unconditionally. the child should never experience a sense that his or her self - worth and existence depend upon social approval or current performance. it should be made clear that a person, young or old, has worth independent of his or her latest achievement, bank account or looks. q. what about the difficulties shy people experience at work? a. shy people tend to be more dissatisfied and have lower morale in their work setting than the not - shy worker. they typically feel that their contributions are not being recognized, that they are being passed over when it comes to handing out rewards. they are less likely than their non - shy peers to make their supervisors aware of what they are doing. in a big company, if the shy worker does his job well he tends not to be noticed. essentially, that person is anonymous. he does not want to be anonymous ; he wants to be outstanding — but not to take risks. that ’ s the conflict inherent in shyness. q. can shy people correct this condition on their own? a. if the problem is severe, they should seek professional help. but many people can be helped by making a commitment to changing their shyness. one of the most important things for them to learn is sets of skills about how you


web activity may contain a number of components. be sure to read the entire page and complete the required steps. some of the activities are located at other web sites. if you are sent to another site, be sure to return to this page to ensure that you have completed all of the components of the web activity. to know this site. the links listed under the " useful links " tab in the left column on this page will take you to different web sites. each site has a different look and intent, but all of them contain useful information. you will want to visit these sites as we advance from algebra into calculus. to better understand what the course will entail, read the advice from former math 175 students. the advice can be found here. choose a few that are from students that have the same major as you and a couple that have a different major. some time reviewing the algebra that will be needed in the course by downloading the " are you ready for calculus? " document located at this site. this site contains documents that have both a set of questions and a set of answers ( the details are not provided, so ask questions in class if you need help ). once you have reviewed algebra, take an on - line quiz by clicking here. have paper and a pencil ready and work out each problem and then select the correct answer. you may use your book, the links on this site, your calculator, and your notes to help you do well on the quiz. after you have answered all of the questions, submit your quiz ( by pressing the ` submit for grade ' button at the bottom of the page. when you do this, you will see your score. near the bottom of the results page, you will see a ` routing information ' box similar to the one pictured below. you need to fill in your name, your email address, and the email address of your professor. also, be sure to select " html " in the pull down menu under " send as " and then press the ` e - mail results ' button. when you have looked over the site and have read the advice, and after you have completed the quiz, answer the questions located on the following survey ( your responses will be sent to your instructor ). use your campus username and password ( the ones you use to check email ).


phenomena described by geophysicist in non - technical terms as alaska ’ s billion lakes become colder and harder, some of them will sport mysterious, spidery cracks extending from small holes in the ice. this phenomenon inspired a geophysicist to figure out what he calls “ lake stars. ” “ i thought something so pretty and relatively commonly observed should be understandable, so i pursued it, ” said victor tsai, who wrote perhaps the only paper in existence on lake stars. tsai, a geophysicist with the seismological laboratory at the california institute of technology, developed a mathematical model to explain how the stars form. he recently gave a less technical description of the conditions needed for lake stars to blossom. “ you need relatively thin ice, and a thick snow cover, ” he said. “ the lake needs to have just frozen over and then had a heavy enough snow to weigh the ice down enough that the snow can become wet from lake water. ” tsai became interested in lake stars when he spent a summer at woods hole oceanographic institution in massachusetts. there, he found that, while many people had guessed at what caused lake stars, there was no established theory to explain them. he set up a lab experiment in which he created the stars indoors, using a plate cooled below freezing. through a dish of slush, he fed a steady drip of water one degree above freezing. narrow channels formed in all of his attempts, and he wrote a 13 - page paper on “ the formation of radial fingers emanating from a central source. ” he provides here a non - technical version on how the stars form : from a hole in the ice, relatively warm lake water flows upward and infiltrates the slushy snow on top. water then flows outwards through the slush. some areas of slush melt more due to variations in water flow, allowing an arm of the star to grow faster. as the arms grow, cold robs the water of heat, slowing the growth of some arms and allowing others to sprout. lake stars are somewhat reminiscent of a feature familiar to most alaskans, windshield cracks. michael marder, a physicist at the university of texas in austin, once explained to me how they happen. a windshield, he said, isn ' t one solid piece of glass, it ’ s two layers pressed around a layer of plastic, which keeps glass from flying during an accident. the entire windshield is about as thick as a pile of five dimes. during windshield manufacture, a machine


' t one solid piece of glass, it ’ s two layers pressed around a layer of plastic, which keeps glass from flying during an accident. the entire windshield is about as thick as a pile of five dimes. during windshield manufacture, a machine presses glass onto the plastic with a pressure of about 800 atmospheres, which is about 800 times the force earth ' s atmosphere exerts on us. auto glass formed under such stress shuns blows that would shatter house window glass. car windshield glass would be as rock - resistant as granite if it were not for invisible flaws, marder said. flying gravel sometimes finds a weak spot in the glass, leaving behind a pitted, round indentation. water vapor in the air, even in tiny amounts, helps cracks expand across a windshield. water molecules act like scissors with edges no thicker than an atom, travelling to the tip of a crack and snipping glass apart. temperature differences enhance the growth of cracks. if a windshield ' s inner surface is 70 degrees fahrenheit on a 40 - below - zero day, a war is being waged within the glass. the cold outside surface of the glass contracts as the hot surface expands. at the interface, cracks expand. both the water vapor and temperature scenarios need another element to lengthen lines on a dimpled windshield — bumpy motion, which pulls the glass apart. because most alaska road crews spread gravel for winter traction, we have, in good quantity, all the ingredients for cracked windshields. ( since the late 1970s, the university of alaska fairbanks ’ geophysical institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the uaf research community. ned rozell is a science writer for the geophysical institute. )


mange - demodectic in dogs mange is a parasitic skin disease caused by microscopic mites. two different mange mites cause skin disease in dogs. one lives just under the surface of the skin, while the other resides deep in the hair follicles. although both mites share similar characteristics, there are also important differences. it is important not to confuse the two types of mange because they have different causes, treatments, and prognoses. what causes demodectic mange? demodectic mange, sometimes just called " demodex " or " red mange ", is the most common form of mange in dogs. it is caused by the demodex canis, a parasite that lives in the hair follicles of dogs. under the microscope, this mite is shaped like a cigar with eight legs. " as long as the body ' s immune system is functioning properly, these mites cause no harm. " all normal dogs ( and many humans ) have a few of these mites on their skin. as long as the body ' s immune system is functioning properly, these mites cause no harm. demodectic mange most often occurs when a dog has an immature immune system, allowing the number of skin mites to increase rapidly. as a result, this disease occurs primarily in dogs less than twelve to eighteen months of age. as the dog matures, its immune system also matures. adult dogs that have the disease usually have defective immune systems. demodectic mange may occur in older dogs because function of the immune system often declines with age. dogs who have immune suppression due to illness or certain medications are also candidates for demodectic mange. is demodectic mange contagious? " demodectic mange is not contagious to other animals or humans. " no, demodectic mange is not contagious to other animals or humans. demodex mites are transmitted to puppies from their mother during the first few days of life. since the mite is found on virtually all dogs, exposure of a normal dog to one with demodectic mange is not dangerous. why doesn ' t the immune system mature correctly in some dogs? development of the immune system is under genetic or hereditary control. thus, an affected dog often has littermates that are also affected. owners of littermates should be alerted to watch for the development of mange in their puppies. because the disease is due to a genetic defect


is under genetic or hereditary control. thus, an affected dog often has littermates that are also affected. owners of littermates should be alerted to watch for the development of mange in their puppies. because the disease is due to a genetic defect, affected dogs should not be bred, and the parents of the affected dog should not be bred again. what does demodectic mange do to the dog? surprisingly, a dog with demodectic mange usually does not itch severely, even though it loses hair in patches. the hair loss usually begins on the face, especially around the eyes. when there are only a few patches of hair loss, the condition is called localized demodectic mange. if the disease spreads to many areas of the skin, it becomes generalized demodectic mange. how is demodectic mange diagnosed? " your veterinarian will take deep skin scrapings and examine them under the microscope to diagnose this disease. " your veterinarian will take deep skin scrapings and examine them under the microscope to diagnose this disease. the finding of larger than normal numbers of demodex mites in skin scrapings confirms the diagnosis. occasionally, the disease will be diagnosed by means of a skin biopsy in dogs that have chronic skin infections that have not responded appropriately to treatment. how is demodectic mange treated? the localized form is usually treated with topical medication. the generalized form requires more aggressive treatment using special shampoos and dips, along with oral medication. shampooing with special cleansing shampoos containing benzoyl peroxide helps to flush out and open the hair follicles prior to dipping. a separate handout is available to describe the dipping process. in some cases, especially dogs with generalized demodectic mange, secondary skin infections complicate the condition, requiring antibiotic therapy. dogs with skin infections often have very red, inflamed skin. this is the source of the term " red mange. " are there any problems with topical treatment? the dip commonly used for demodectic mange contains the insecticide amitraz. it must be used cautiously because it is a strong insecticide that can cause side effects, both to your dog and to you, if not used properly. your dog may experience vomiting and sedation for twenty - four to thirty - six hours following each application. most of these problems are self - limiting and resolve without medical intervention. if your dog reacts in this manner, you should dil


not used properly. your dog may experience vomiting and sedation for twenty - four to thirty - six hours following each application. most of these problems are self - limiting and resolve without medical intervention. if your dog reacts in this manner, you should dilute the next dip with 25 % more water. since most dogs develop tolerance to the dip as they are repeated, your dog is less likely to have side effects with each subsequent treatment. after receiving two to three dipping treatments at seven - day intervals, skin scrapings should be repeated and examined for the presence of live mites or mite eggs. the results of these skin scrapings will determine whether further treatment is needed. i heard that there is a drug that can be given orally for demodectic mange. is that true? yes, under certain conditions. ivermectins are a class of drugs that are approved for prevention of heartworm disease in dogs and cats. milbemycin oxime, the active ingredient of interceptor® and sentinel® heartworm preventives, may be used to treat demodicosis in certain cases. certain ivermectins are used to treat parasites on cattle. in the past, the cattle preparation has been used orally for demodectic mange in some dogs. however, it is a very strong drug that can cause severe side - effects, including death, if it is not administered properly. it is not approved for use in dogs, so we would only consider using it as long as you are willing to accept liability for adverse effects. veterinarians do not generally recommend ivermectin usage in collies, shetland sheepdogs, australian shepherds, old english sheepdogs, or any other herding breed. advantage multi ®, containing imidacloprid and moxidectin, is now labeled and approved for the treatment and control of generalized demodectic mange, and may be the treatment of choice for generalized disease. what is the prognosis for my dog? treatment of demodectic mange is generally successful. however, if the immune system is defective, neither the mites nor the infection may respond to treatment. with generalized demodicosis, successful treatment may take a long time. following successful treatment, is it likely to recur? " it is important to treat as soon as a relapse occurs to minimize the possibility of developing uncontrollable problems. " because the immune system does not mature until twelve to eighteen months of age, a dog with demode


iso has just published a new brochure giving a concise overview of its substantial portfolio of international standards that share state - of - the - art technology and good practice with the automotive sector worldwide. " clearly, with more than a billion estimated road vehicles in use worldwide, " the brochure states, " if the automotive sector uses state - of - the - art standards for aspects such as safety, impact on the environment, and requirements for supply chain partners, this can have an enormous impact on all three dimensions of sustainable development – social, environmental and economic. " the importance of this challenge is reflected by iso ' s response. out of a current total of nearly 19 000 iso international standards for almost all sectors of business and technology, some 900 have been developed for road vehicles and related technologies. " iso standards provide benefits for manufacturers and supply chain partners ; regulators and health authorities ; vehicle owners and drivers, and road users including pedestrians. they cover all aspects of road vehicles : safety, ergonomics, performance, test methods, the environment, and the roll - out of innovative technologies. the focus of much of this work is iso technical committee iso / tc 22, road vehicles, which has so far developed more than 700 standards and updates. these range from standards addressing basics such as wheels, braking systems and road holding ability, to crash protection, child restraint systems and ergonomics. many aim to improve compatibility, interchangeability and safety, or to provide the requirements for harmonized test procedures for evaluating performance. its standards address road vehicles from mopeds, through cars to articulated good vehicles. twenty - six countries participate in developing standards within the committee, with another 41 as observers. other contributors include automotive sector associations and international bodies such as the world health organization. increasingly, road vehicles are integrated with systems and networks based on information and communication technologies with varied objectives such as safety, traffic control, navigation, fee collection and identification. today ’ s communications capabilities give the potential for vehicles to foresee and avoid collisions, transmit their position to emergency services in case of an accident, navigate the quickest route to their destination, make use of up - to - the - minute traffic reports, identify the nearest available parking slot, minimize their carbon emissions and provide multimedia communications. iso / tc 204, intelligent transport systems, is the principal focus in this area and has developed more than 110 standards and updates. twenty - six countries participate with another 24 as observers. iso / tc 31, tyres, rims and valves, has developed some 75 standards and updates


transport systems, is the principal focus in this area and has developed more than 110 standards and updates. twenty - six countries participate with another 24 as observers. iso / tc 31, tyres, rims and valves, has developed some 75 standards and updates. twenty - one countries participate with another 26 as observers. the technical specification iso / ts 16949 has become the global benchmark for quality management by automotive suppliers. certification of conformity to iso / ts 16949 is often required of suppliers by the automobile manufacturers as a condition to tender for participation in global supply chains. up to the end of december 2010, at least 43 946 iso / ts 16949 : 2002 certificates, a growth of 7 %, had been issued in 84 countries and economies. the document is the work of iso / tc 176, quality management and quality assurance. the future iso 39001, road - traffic safety management systems, being developed by iso project committee iso / pc 241, road safety management, is widely regarded as a major contribution to the united nations ' decade of action for road safety 2011 - 2020. iso standards now under development address alternative power systems promising less pollution and therefore contributing to the fight again climate change. these include standards for electrically propelled vehicles and vehicles powered by gaseous fuels, as well as for the infrastructures necessary to support them. micro platers and paint earns certification via nsf international ' s automotive collision parts distributor certification program nsf certification program closes supply chain gap between parts manufacturers and body shops by addressing automotive parts traceability and recall processes. company receives certification under nsf international ' s automotive collision parts distribution program.


virginia continues to be a top coal producer, but new rules and renewables challenge the industry ’ s futureapril 27, 2012 6 : 00 am by garry kranz coal mining took off in virginia when the railroads arrived in the 1880s. more than 130 years later, coal still fuels virginia ’ s economy. northern virginia ’ s tech sector depends on a steady supply of low - cost electricity, much of it derived from bitumen - rich appalachian coal. and virginia ’ s deepwater port in hampton roads — the largest coal exporting terminal in the u. s. — is a huge economic asset that neighboring coal states can only envy. coal mining is one of virginia ’ s oldest continuously operating industries, but the biggest question facing coal companies now is this : how does it adapt to the future? just like the commodity they coax from the earth, virginia ’ s coal companies and their national counterparts are under intense pressure. coal has fallen into disfavor amid fears that it contributes to carbon pollution and global warming, prompting new environmental regulations. in late march, the environmental protection agency ( epa ) announced the first - ever limits on carbon dioxide emissions for new coal power plants. under the new source performance standard, emissions could not exceed 1, 000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour of electricity produced. that benchmark, say some industry observers, is impossible to attain without costly equipment to capture carbon emissions. the regulations face certain opposition in congress as well as legal challenges. still, they ’ re indicative of the enormous challenges facing the industry — challenges that could have an impact on a new $ 6 billion coal - power plant proposed for surry county. it will delay, if not altogether doom, plans by old dominion electric cooperative ( odec ) in glen allen. odec already has received zoning permits to build a 1, 200 - to 1, 500 - megawatt coal plant in dendron, and it owns another potential site in sussex county. the proposed cypress creek power station would supply electricity for 330, 000 to 375, 000 homes, depending on its eventual location. the plant is needed to keep pace with new demand for electricity, forecast to increase about 3 percent a year, says david hudgins, odec ’ s director of member and external relations. “ we need the base - load energy, and we need it to be as fuel - efficient as possible, ” he says. it ’ s unlikely the plant will be built before 2021 - 22, he adds, but the company has spent about $ 25 million


need the base - load energy, and we need it to be as fuel - efficient as possible, ” he says. it ’ s unlikely the plant will be built before 2021 - 22, he adds, but the company has spent about $ 25 million so far on land acquisitions, site work and preliminary testing. the new spate of environmental regs puts the plant ’ s future in doubt, though. “ the reality is we ’ re waiting for clarification of multiple new epa rules. we can ’ t spend big money on a new plant unless we know what the standard is going to be, ” hudgins says. for now and the near future, experts say coal - fired electricity will contribute significantly to virginia ’ s energy supply, to say nothing of america in general. that ’ s because it ’ s cheap and abundant, even in the face of plummeting prices for natural gas. “ the united states has about 250 billion to 300 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves. we are to coal what saudi arabia is to oil, ” says nino ripepi, a virginia tech professor with the virginia center for coal and energy research. about 1 billion tons of coal gets extracted annually in the u. s. even in virginia — where production is in the midst of a two - decade decline — ripepi says coal accounts for about 40 percent of all in - state generation of electric power, a figure not expected to change quickly in coming years. virginia imports about one - third of its electricity, second only to california. if coal use is discouraged, virginia probably will be forced to import even more electric power, increasing energy costs, repipi says. not surprisingly, big changes are afoot in virginia ’ s coal industry. despite howls of protest from environmentalists and citizens groups, dominion virginia power, the state ’ s largest regulated electric utility, is set to open a $ 1. 8 billion “ clean - coal ” plant in the southwest virginia hamlet of st. paul this summer. consolidation also is reshaping the state ’ s coal sector. bristol - based alpha natural resources last year became the second - largest u. s. coal company, in terms of revenue — and the third largest in production — after it bought massey energy co., a longtime virginia rival. the deal swelled alpha ’ s revenue to $ 7. 1 billion in 2011, second only to st. louis - based peabody energy inc. changes in virginia are emblematic of the flux within the coal industry in general. a relatively mild winter cut into demand


deal swelled alpha ’ s revenue to $ 7. 1 billion in 2011, second only to st. louis - based peabody energy inc. changes in virginia are emblematic of the flux within the coal industry in general. a relatively mild winter cut into demand in 2011 and drove domestic coal prices lower than normal. good news for consumers — not so much for coal companies. in mid - april, stock prices for alpha natural resources had dropped by 75 percent and were down 80 percent at james river coal co. over the past year. coal prices are being depressed even further by a sudden surplus of natural gas, including newly unearthed shale deposits in pennsylvania, north dakota, wyoming and other states. in addition, the fast - growing economies of brazil, china and india, among others, are fueling a sustained building boom, supported by imports of high - quality u. s. metallurgical coal, used in the making of steel. in virginia, the macroeconomic challenges are magnified by bad geological luck. although it is consistently a top 10 producer, virginia is running out of available, easily accessible coal seams. virginia producers extracted 22. 4 million tons of coal in 2011, according to the federal energy information administration. that ’ s less than half of virginia ’ s all - time high of 46. 6 million tons in 1990. during the same time frame, lower - cost surface mines in western states have doubled their output, siphoning off business from appalachian states like virginia, where most mining occurs underground. “ our coal seams are thinner and deeper than our sister coal states. that makes it tougher and more expensive for us to recover mineable coal, ” says w. thomas hudson, president of the virginia coal association inc., a trade group in richmond. unfriendly environment for coal but the biggest worry is an uncertain regulatory climate, says brooks smith, an attorney with hunton & williams in richmond who represents several of the nation ’ s largest coal companies, including alpha natural resources. mining permits have slowed to a trickle as the epa implements tougher restrictions on mining, smith says. “ we believe the epa is trying to turn this situation on its head and upset the process, ” he says, referring to recent attempts by the agency to modify how permits are issued under the federal clean water act. the debate mostly centers on a 2008 study in which epa scientists concluded that entire orders of aquatic insects were being wiped out downstream of mountaintop - removal mining operations in central appalachia, which encompasses kentucky, virginia and west virginia.


clean water act. the debate mostly centers on a 2008 study in which epa scientists concluded that entire orders of aquatic insects were being wiped out downstream of mountaintop - removal mining operations in central appalachia, which encompasses kentucky, virginia and west virginia. the 20 - page report, “ downstream effects of mountaintop mining, ” prompted the epa to impose stricter rules designed to protect streams and waterways. critics say the new limits are based on assumptions, not science. “ it ’ s an attempt by the epa to establish a water - quality standard that no mining company can meet, ” says gene kitts, senior vice president of environmental affairs for alpha, who is based in charleston, w. va. not even a court decision has resolved the issue. the national mining association, a trade group in washington, d. c., sued the epa over the matter. the first phase of the litigation alleged that epa unlawfully obstructed clean water act permits, thus creating an unofficial moratorium on coal mining in the central appalachian region. late last year, u. s. district court judge reggie walton sided with the industry, ruling the epa had overstepped its authority and failed to follow established guidelines for federal rulemaking. the matter finally may be resolved in june, smith says. that ’ s when a motion of summary judgment is scheduled to be heard on the so - called “ guidance ” phase of the lawsuit. as the complex process gets sorted out, about 200 water - discharge permits for coal mining projects in virginia are in abeyance, smith says. hudson says it ’ s a double whammy on the coal industry : delaying the opening of new mines, while older mines can ’ t get renewals of their five - year operating permits. virginia ’ s mining sector already is feeling the impact. in february, hudson says, a & g coal corp. in wise county laid off 108 miners because of a slowdown in mining. then in march pennsylvania - based consol inc. announced it was idling production of metallurgical coal at its long - wall mine in buchanan county, which employs about 700 people. hudson says consol hasn ’ t announced layoffs, instead shifting employees to non - mining duties, “ but how long will it be before that work runs out? ” power outage ahead? the coal industry faces another hit, at least indirectly, from regulations aimed at u. s. power companies. icf international inc., a fairfax - based consulting firm, forecasts that america could lose up to