Category: News

2009Dec7: “Today 56 newspapers in 45 countries take the unprecedented step of speaking with one voice through a common editorial. We do so because humanity faces a profound emergency. Unless we combine to take decisive action, climate change will ravage our planet, and with it our prosperity and security” (Gulf Times).

Reference: Gulf Times http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=330503&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56

List of all 56 newspapers http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/06/papers-copenhagen-leader

How the climate change global editorial project came about http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/06/climate-change-leader-editorial

Image Description: The Copenhagen climate editorial logo. Image Location: The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/06/papers-copenhagen-leader Image Permission: This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. However, it is believed that the use of this work to illustrate the subject in question, Where no free equivalent is available or could be created that would adequately give the same information, on Interlinked Challenges, hosted on servers in the United States by Michigan State University, qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law.

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, UK, Design/Style

Ferrari F430 Spider goes under the knife – Click above to watch the video

It can’t really be that simple, can it? Well, it seldom is. But experts in any given field tend to have a knack for making complex procedures look deceptively simple. Take this video, for example, from Creative FX. The British firm specializes in vinyl wraps, and they make it look all too easy.

Wraps are growing into a popular choice for exotic car owners looking to give their rides a new look. Rather than repainting the entire car, specialist shops like Creative FX apply what essentially amounts to giant decals. That’s how most of the matte-finish cars we see – including this particular Ferrari F430 Spider – end up that way. You have to figure it’d be a very tricky operation. Follow the jump to watch the video and judge for yourself.

[Source: Creative FX]

Continue reading VIDEO: That’s a Wrap! Ferrari F430 Spider gets the vinyl treatment

VIDEO: That’s a Wrap! Ferrari F430 Spider gets the vinyl treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There has been a very encouraging announcement from the UK government in a report titled ‘New Horizons’ where the government is now preparing to triple the funding of mental health research from £50 million to £150 million each year. This comes with recognition of the impact that mental illness has or will have on society both now and in the future.

Research in Dementia

Apathy was more likely in Dementia (Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Dementia or Mixed Dementia) in patients with white matter lesions in one study (n=176). Research at the molecular level has identified two compounds which when acting together have dissolved Amyloid plaque. The two compounds are DAPH-12 and a green tea component EGCG. This has taken place in the Yeast version of the Amyloid plaque but would need to be supported by positive findings in the human version and then in clinical trials and so there are several steps to go before the implications are clear. A Swedish team are taking a unique approach to the management of Amyloid plaques. This involves the construction of an artificial protein which envelopes the Amyloid plaque components – the ABeta peptides and the protein is currently being modified to avoid degradation in the circulation. The team are also working with another approach which involves stabilising oligimers intermediate in the transformation of ABeta peptides into Amyloid plaques. A team in Dundee are undertaking research into Parkinson’s Disease using the worm C.elegans!

Research in Mood Disorders

The Psydir News has a review of a number of recent phase 2 and 3 trials including a proprietary combination of Buspirone and Melatonin in this article and it will be interesting to see the results of further relevant studies and which will gain regulatory approval.

Miscellaneous Research

A research team have removed brain tissue from a man with intractable epilepsy and not only preserved this tissue but also enabled the tissue to continue to function. This allowed them to examine the tissue function in more detail to try to understand how the seizures were being generated. The researchers identified very fast oscillations which were thought to represent the precursors to seizure activity but excluded chemical neurotransmission as the basis for this activity. The researchers concluded that the seizures were likely to result from electrical transmission (which occurs across gap junctions rather than through neurotransmitters) and this might have implications for therapeutics research. The study is also covered here. There has been recent discussion of a theory that cerebral venous insufficiency may lead to Multiple Sclerosis supported by imaging and surgical evidence. However there are many questions that remain to be answered and further research will be needed.

A Belgian study looked at psychological trait in medical students over 7 years. They found that extraversion was associated with lower performance in the preclinical phase of medical school but beneficial in the clinical phase. Being conscientious was associated with success in the preclinical phase. A recent study looked at a man who had experienced damage to the insular cortex and anterior cingulate cortex but still maintained an awareness of his heart rate. The researchers concluded that there are at least two areas that are responsible for a person’s awareness of their internal body functions – interoception – one being the insular cortex and the other being unkown but likely to be the somatosensory cortex. In Missouri, USA, the National Centre for Health Statistics have developed an online training tool for separated parents to faciliate compliance with state law. They provided evidence from the parents of subjective improvement in relationships and they are intending to roll this out to other states. It will be interesting to follow the results of further studies in this area. A research team in Manchester are undertaking a study into virtual reality assisted treatment of driving phobias and it will be interesting to see if this has the same success as virtual reality based treatments for other types of phobia.  A life story conference is being held at the beginning of next year which will help to explore how life stories can be used in mental health services.

News Round-Ups

MindHacks has another installment of Spike Activity in which amongst other items he notes the recent dissection of H.M’s brain online. Patient H.M is a famous patient who unfortunately had both of his hippocampi removed and was subsequently unable to store new biographical information. The hippocampus has been shown to play a role in the pathology of some forms of dementia and there is a lot of research now underway looking at this relationship in more detail. H.M very kindly gave permission for his brain to be used after his death and the H.M blog is here. Over at the clinical cases and images blog there is a mention of loneliness spreading in social networks. The AlzForum continue with coverage of the Chicago Neuroscience conference and discuss studies which suggest the involvement of calcineurin and Nuclear Factors of Activated T-Cells (NFAT’s) in Alzheimer’s Disease. They also examine evidence that in Mild Cognitive Impairment higher brain metabolism may be protective against possible neurotoxic effects of Amyloid plaques.  In the Schizophrenia Forum, there is coverage of the Neuroscience Conference with a look at various studies comparing biological markers in Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. There is a round-up of the monthly news in PTSD over at the Heal My PTSD blog which includes a look at Telehealth and trauma in the movies. Over at the Neuroanthropology blog there is an excellent round-up of recent blog articles including one on research into synaesthesia. Mental Nurse has an interesting round-up of blog articles including the Neuroskeptic’s look at a study in which psychiatrists and psychologists assessed their own response to an antidepressant.

Evolutionary Psychiatry

Subtle changes in speech can feature in illnesss and listening to the ‘music’ in a person’s voice has been suggested as very useful in an assessment (see here). Two recent studies add to the growing body of evidence showing a link between music and speech e.g (Mithen, 2005). In the first study, sad or happy affect could be described in major and minor scales. In the second study, 10 people repeated different vowel sounds with different affect. The researchers provided evidence that the most popular scales occurring in folk songs were based on vowel sounds.

Psychiatry 2.0

In a recent study, the authors looked at Facebook user profiles and compared them with personality inventories completed on those same people (n=236). They found that there was a significant relationship between the Facebook profiles and their scores on the personality tests which was most significant for extraversion and least significant for neuroticism. If there are useful relationships between facebook profiles and personality test results then there may be health applications for this but only if the appropriate applications are developed and relevant trials undertaken. MindHacks covers hallucinations in people who were profoundly deaf or deaf at birth in this article. The Neurocritic looks at the recent online dissection of H.M’s brain in this article. Dr Shock writes about a recent course in Oxford about editing journals complete with video.

References

Steve Mithen. The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind and Body. George Weidenfeld and Nicholson publishers. 2005.

Twitter

You can follow ‘The Amazing World of Psychiatry’ Twitter by clicking on this link

Podcast

You can listen to this post on Odiogo by clicking on this link (there may be a small delay between publishing of the blog article and the availability of the podcast).

TAWOP Channel

You can follow the TAWOP Channel on YouTube by clicking on this link

Responses

If you have any comments, you can leave them below or alternatively e-mail [email protected]

Disclaimer

The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor. The author is not responsible for the contents of any external sites that are linked to in this blog.

The Nature Podcasts reviewed here are of a typically high standard.  I thought the audio quality was very good. The hosts of the program speak clearly and slowly and there are helpful pauses between questions and answers which help the listener to take in the information that is being presented. In the Nature Podcast of November 19th 2009 (freely available here) there is a brief discussion of the works of Charles Darwin and the impact this had on his contemporary society. There is also a look at how Darwin’s theory of evolution spread throughout the world and some of the complexities of translating his works. In the Nature Podcast of November 26th 2009 (freely available here) there is a discussion of murine studies finding a relationship between osteoporosis and temperature regulation mediated through a protein Rank-L. There is also an interesting discussion of a study in which people were more likely to hear vowel sounds that sounded like a puff of air applied as a stimulus to their skin. The vowel sound involved pursing the lips which the researchers argue was analogous to the tactile stimulus that was applied to the skin and they speculate that sensory information from different modalities was being integrated before the decisions were made.

Twitter

You can follow ‘The Amazing World of Psychiatry’ Twitter by clicking on this link

Podcast

You can listen to this post on Odiogo by clicking on this link (there may be a small delay between publishing of the blog article and the availability of the podcast).

TAWOP Channel

You can follow the TAWOP Channel on YouTube by clicking on this link

Responses

If you have any comments, you can leave them below or alternatively e-mail [email protected]

Disclaimer

The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor. The author is not responsible for the contents of any external sites that are linked to in this blog.

If you dread trips to the gym, but want to exercise nonetheless, try having some fun that gets you physically active instead. Here’s a list of things you can do to get some exercise and get you out of that workout rut. Photo from: Clipart.com

Filed under: Motorsports, Renault

Renault looks set to be the next automaker to bail out of Formula 1, and it appears that there are two serious bidders in line to take over the operation. Renault will hold a special board meeting this week to decide on the racing team’s fate, and it looks like it may go ahead and just line up a sale right away, instead of announcing a shutdown and then trying work out a sale as Honda and BMW did.

AutoCar reports that Prodrive, which has been trying to break into F1 for several years, may have the inside line on the French outfit. The other primary bidder is Genil Capital, a Luxembourg-based investment fund. The financial group would likely retain the Renault name for the team, while Prodrive would probably run under its own banner. If Prodrive wins out, Renault would remain only as an F1 engine supplier.

[Source: AutoCar]

REPORT: Two bidders step up to acquire Renault F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Stanford women’s soccer team’s dream season came up one win short of a perfect season and a national championship today, falling 1-0 to defending champions North Carolina in College Station, Texas. On a wet and rainy pitch, the Cardinal struggled to assert itself against the vastly experienced Tar Heels, and in the end was shut out for the first time all year.

The lone goal came just three minutes into the match. UNC’s Casey Nogueira whipped in a beautiful cross from the left and fellow forward Jessica McDonald snuck in behind the backline to touch it past Stanford goalkeeper Kira Maker. Just like that, it was 1-0.

Stanford faced a similar situation in the round of sixteen against Boston College, going down less than two minutes into the match. In that match, the Card struck back less than a minute later, but the team would find breaking down this ACC team was a much more difficult proposition.

The Cardinal players were having trouble gaining possession against UNC’s high pressure, and when they were, they were often wasting long balls to no one in particular. The team struggled to create anything in the final third, and it was almost 20 minutes before it registered a shot, with sophomore midfielder Teresa Noyola hitting a long-range effort too high.

Meanwhile, the Tar Heels were playing with confidence and came close twice off of corner kicks in the 23rd and 26th minutes—however, both of Amber Brooks’ headers went wide.

Despite being outplayed, the Card had the ball in the net in the 39th minute. Junior forward Christen Press made a great move on the left before sending in a bending cross into the box. Freshman Courtney Verloo appeared to miss her sliding attempt in front of the goal, but the ball continued on and into the corner of the net. However, the linesman’s flag was up for offsides. The game would go into halftime with a score of 1-0, and with UNC holding a 10-2 advantage in shots and a 7-0 advantage in corners.

Stanford showed its spirit in the second half, though, and came out of the gates much more crisply than had been seen in the entire first 45 minutes. Press won the team’s first corner kick in the 51st minute and delivered a great ball into the box. Freshman midfielder Mariah Nogueira— no relation to Casey—got a head on it but could only direct it over the goal.

Three minutes later senior forward Kelley O’Hara—one of six Stanford players revealed to be suffering from a stomach virus—collected a throw in on the left and turned past her defender towards the middle. Falling away from goal and under pressure, though, her effort was always going high.

In the 57th minute Press ripped from about 25 yards out but once again had a little too much height on it. Stanford wasn’t getting great chances, but there were chances nonetheless.

The Card almost found itself down 2-0 in the 71st minute. A North Carolina corner kick was drilled low into the penalty area and passed all the way through the six yard box and out the other side. All it needed was a touch from one of the Tar Heels in the area, but no one could get a foot on it.

Even so, Stanford’s comeback quest was about to become a lot more difficult in the 73rd minute. O’Hara was throwing herself full speed into every challenge to win the ball and was booked for a tackle from behind on UNC’s Whitney Engen. The yellow card was her second of the match after receiving one four minutes earlier, and just like that Card was down to 10 players. It was a far from fitting end to a career that was so inspirational to the Stanford program.

With her strike partner off the field, Press was going to have to carry the team on her back, and she almost scored a sensational equalizer a minute later. The junior picked up the ball in midfield and drove forward, striking a hard shot that was heading right under the crossbar. Unfortunately, it was hit right at the center of the goal, and UNC keeper Ashlyn Harris made the save.

The Tar Heels had perhaps their best chance to double their advantage in the 77th minute. Casey Nogueira held up the ball at the top of the box and slipped in a brilliant through ball to McDonald, but McDonald put her 1v1 effort with Maker just wide.

Stanford surged forward for one last attack, but UNC’s stout defense and extra player made it difficult for them to build anything substantive. It was going to take a moment of magic from Press, who was working her socks off, and with time running out she almost supplied it. With just under two minutes remaining, the striker controlled a long ball with her chest outside the box and drilled it off the far post and into the net. Yet once again, the offsides flag killed any possible Stanford celebrations. The Cardinal would get a corner kick in the final minute but could not convert, and soon after North Carolina was celebrating its 20th national championship.

As for Stanford, the program is still searching for its first. Just like with the team’s star player, the ending was not at all fitting for such an incredible season.

I like eggnog, but I’m not a big fan of most store-bought eggnogs, even “organic” ‘nogs from natural foods stores. I find that many of them have an overly strong nutmeg flavor, and others are so thick that they verge on being pudding. I like eggnog to be light and refreshing, with flavor from all the ingredients in it. Eggnog is made from milk and eggs. It is lightly sweetened and flavored with (usually) vanilla and nutmeg. You can drink it plain or make it boozy and warming by adding in some brandy.

My favorite eggnog is an uncooked eggnog, which can be made with pasteurized eggs – not eggs from a carton, but eggs pasteurized in-shell – or regular eggs. It’s quick, easy and has the flavor I’m looking for. But to avoid any salmonella risk, or to make a big batch in advance for a party, I also make a cooked eggnog. This ‘nog is the same recipe, but I put it on the stovetop and bring the temperature up to 160F, which is just high enough to kill off any bacteria that might be in there. I chill it for several hours before serving.

I like to use low fat milk for eggnog because I like the consistency that the eggnog has when it is finished, a good balance of light and creamy. You can use nonfat or whole milk in this recipe if you prefer. Freshly grated nutmeg will give you the best results in this recipe. If you need to use preground, you may find that you need to add more to get enough nutmeg flavor. Either way, feel free to add or subtract from the amount of nutmeg given to suit your individual tastes.

(more…)

Healthy books can inspire you to get moving, teach you more about your body or just give you some good cooking ideas. For the reader on your list, look for something that inspires or teaches.

Inspiration

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Get inspired by incredible athletic achievements and epic adventures in Born to Run.

Be the Change: How Meditation Can Transform You and the World
I’m currently reading this book, and a full review will come soon. The book can be a source or inspiration and comfort, or a motivation to make changes. For anyone curious about meditation, or looking to get a glimpse into how it has helped others, Be the Change would make an insightful gift. It also has a forward by the Dalai Lama. (I received a free copy of this book for review.)

Bicycle Diaries
Written by David Byrne of Talking Heads fame, this popular book sings the praises of urban bicycling. It’s a travel journal, photo album and general celebration of traveling through cities on a bike.

Cures

Encyclopedia of Homeopathy
For anyone wanting a home reference for using homeopathic remedies, this book by the late Dr. Andrew Lockie does the trick, explaining how to treat common ailments.

Pill Book 13TH Edition
Pill Book is a favorite resource for many people who want information about the most commonly prescribed drugs in the US.

Cooking

Hungry Girl Chew the Right Thing: Supreme Makeovers for 50 Foods You Crave
To be released on December 8, Hungry Girl Chew the Right Thing offers makeovers for 50 foods you might crave. Recipe cards included.

Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook
This cookbook provides inspiration for cooking at home with wholesome ingredients. Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook includes 350 recipes, providing a fresh look at the ever-present but underused slow cooker.

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food (How to Cook Everything)
I own this book. It’s not just for vegetarians, but for anyone wanting to be healthier by avoiding meat more often. It’s written by food god Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food. Yes, I own that one too. Not everything in it is healthy. It does tell you how to cook fried chicken, after all. Yet, any cooking at home is often better than eating out since you control the ingredients and cooking methods.

(Book images via Knopf Publishing Group, St. Martin’s Griffin; holiday image by stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

Healthy Reading for Holiday Gifts

Two district councils have recently been in the news for paying what some people see as inordinate attentions of the footware of people over 50.

The Daily Telegraph highlighted Warwickshire County Council’s offer of a service allowing “older people” to bring in their old slippers and replace them with a new pair, which it claims can cut the risk of falling over. For a fee of £5, participants fitted with a new pair of the Velcro fastening slippers, and advice on how to puy them on and avoid accidents around the home.

The council claims that the initiative, which has been adopted by other local authorites, will save money in the long run because it prevents costly injuries to elderly people. The firm which makes the special slippers charges local authorities £3 a pair – £2 less than the council charges people taking up its scheme.

Neil Duncan Jordan, of the National Pensioners’ Convention said: “Falls among the elderly are very serious, but for the vast majority of people in their 50s and 60s, this is patronising and a waste of money. It is astonishing that while the council claim they have your best interests at heart by providing these slippers, they then fleece you for more than the manufacturer is charging.”

Meanwhile , Flntshire care home staff are to be trained to understand the importance of properly fitting footwear in preventing falls by residents. Flintshire Local Health Board (LHB) is providing the training to its staff, saying that it wants families to consult experts like podiatrists before buying elderly relatives slippers for Christmas.

Good fitting slippers fit the shape of the wearer’s feet, have a non-slip sole and should support the foot, reducing the chances of a fall. Chiropodists and good shoe retailers should also be able to provide more information on properly fitting footwear, said Flintshire LHB.

The BBC report on this story said that Celia Drew, a chronic disease management nurse with Flintshire LHB who is organising the training, said: “We know from research that there is a clear link between foot pain and falls. When people have poorly fitting footwear, they are much more likely to sustain a fall, which can lead to bruising, sprains or a broken hip.

She also said, “An indoor shoe would be much more appropriate than a slipper and they aren’t terribly expensive, retailing at around £20,” she said.

It is estimated that around 20 to 30 per cent of falls among the elderly can be prevented. Badly fitting slippers are said to significantly increase the risk of suffering a fall which can lead to disability or death. The new slippers being supplied by Warwickshire CC are safer because they have non-slip soles, better support and a Velcro fastening to ensure a snug and tailored fit, makers Natureform claim.

For the past few years, Crystal Dynamics has been pretty much synonymous with the Tomb Raider franchise, so when they talk about a new AAA title in development at the studio the name “Lara Croft” immediately comes

Jeremy Clarkson seems to hate anything that “greens up” or in any other way adds an “eco” label to his cars – and some environmentalists don’t exactly appreciate the television host either – so it’s with some amusement that we learn that the Top Gear team has named the Toyota Prius the “City Car of the Year.” Turns out, the Prius really can appeal to almost everyone.

Clarkson was not specifically quoted in the Prius praise piece – remember, this is the guy who called Honda’s Insight “Biblically terrible” and pretended to run out of energy in a Tesla Roadster – but his mates said the 2010 Prius gets “awesome numbers” of 60 mpg (U.S. gallons, as measured on the UK scale) and emits just 89 grams of C02 per km. And all this from “a proper family five-door hatch.” BBC Top Gear Editor Conor McNicholas even called the third-gen model “something quite ground-breaking.” Press release pasted after the jump.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Et tu, Clarkson? Top Gear names Toyota Prius its “City Car of the Year”

Et tu, Clarkson? Top Gear names Toyota Prius its “City Car of the Year” originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009Dec6: Sudan’s Lumumba Di-Aping, a lead negotiator for the G77/China bloc at the Copenhagen talks: “A deal can be done; the science is clear, the economics are clear, the legal issues are clear. The question is that some leaders believe their narrow national economic interests take primacy over the existence and well-being of the entire world” (BBC).

Reference: BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8397742.stm

Image Description: Tea Party protest at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford, Connecticut. Photo by Sage Ross, 2009Apr15. Image Location: Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tea_Party_Protest,_Hartford,_Connecticut,_15_April_2009_-_007.jpg Image Permission: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License. In short: you are free to share and make derivative works of the file under the conditions that you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute it only under a license identical to this one.