Researchers
at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles and Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California have discovered why smoking increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
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They have found that nicotine promotes prediabetes, also known as insulin resistance, in smokers, which is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.The study's lead author, Theodore Friedman, chief of the endocrinology division at Charles Drew University, suggests previous theory that nicotine and cigarette smoking induce high levels of the stress hormone cortisol was correct.Friedman said: 'As cortisol excess is known to induce insulin resistance, it has been suggested that glucocorticoids, such as cortisol, are the missing [causative] link between cigarette smoking and insulin resistance'.Experts found that nicotine induced prediabetes, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.The study authors were also able to undo some harmful effects of nicotine in mice to some extent by treating them with the nicotine antagonist mecamylamine, a drug that blunts the action of nicotine. Friedman said: 'Our results suggest that reducing tissue glucocorticoid levels or decreasing insulin resistance may reduce the heart disease seen in smokers. We anticipate that in the future there will be drugs to specifically block the effect of nicotine on glucocorticoids and insulin resistance.'
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Easy strength training exercise may help ease pain of tennis elbow
A simple exercise to strengthen the wrist may help alleviate the pain of tennis elbow, according to a new study.
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The exercise involves using an inexpensive rubber bar to perform isolated eccentric wrist extensor strengthening to treat the painful condition in the elbow or forearm that affects 3 percent of the general population, not just those who play tennis. 'Our study illustrated that a novel exercise, using an inexpensive rubber bar, may provide a practical and effective means of adding isolated wrist strengthening exercises to a treatment plan,' said lead author Timothy F. Tyler, PT, ATC, Clinical Research Associate, of the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York City. The study randomized 21 patients with tennis elbow into two groups. Both received the wrist extensor stretching, ultrasound, cross-friction massage, heat and ice for treatment. The eccentric training group performed isolated eccentric wrist extensor strengthening using the rubber bar (Flexbar, Akron OH) while the standard treatment group performed isotonic wrist strengthening exercises. Three sets of 15 repetitions were performed daily as part of a home program with intensity increased progressively during the treatment period. A variety of pain and movement scales were utilized to determine progress. Patients using the rubber bar had vastly better results on all scales, especially related to strength. In fact, given the consistently poor outcomes for patients in the standard treatment group, it was deemed appropriate to terminate the randomization with 21 of the intended 30 patients having already completed the study.'Compared to other treatments for tennis elbow such as cortisone injections or topical nitric oxide which require direct medical supervision and often side effects, this treatment is not only cost effective but dosage is not limited by the patient having to come to a clinic,' said Tyler.
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The exercise involves using an inexpensive rubber bar to perform isolated eccentric wrist extensor strengthening to treat the painful condition in the elbow or forearm that affects 3 percent of the general population, not just those who play tennis. 'Our study illustrated that a novel exercise, using an inexpensive rubber bar, may provide a practical and effective means of adding isolated wrist strengthening exercises to a treatment plan,' said lead author Timothy F. Tyler, PT, ATC, Clinical Research Associate, of the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York City. The study randomized 21 patients with tennis elbow into two groups. Both received the wrist extensor stretching, ultrasound, cross-friction massage, heat and ice for treatment. The eccentric training group performed isolated eccentric wrist extensor strengthening using the rubber bar (Flexbar, Akron OH) while the standard treatment group performed isotonic wrist strengthening exercises. Three sets of 15 repetitions were performed daily as part of a home program with intensity increased progressively during the treatment period. A variety of pain and movement scales were utilized to determine progress. Patients using the rubber bar had vastly better results on all scales, especially related to strength. In fact, given the consistently poor outcomes for patients in the standard treatment group, it was deemed appropriate to terminate the randomization with 21 of the intended 30 patients having already completed the study.'Compared to other treatments for tennis elbow such as cortisone injections or topical nitric oxide which require direct medical supervision and often side effects, this treatment is not only cost effective but dosage is not limited by the patient having to come to a clinic,' said Tyler.
Global warming may increase dispersal of flora in Northern forests
new research has indicated that an increase in temperature of only a couple of degrees may increase the dispersal of plants in Northern forests and the spread of plant species into forest clearings after felling or forest fires.The research, in the impact of global warming on seed and pollen dispersal, was led by University of Helsinki researcher Anna Kuparinen. The goal was to learn whether global warming would accelerate the dispersal of plant populations in forests. The research group utilized the micrometeorological data gathered over a decade at the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station. Seed and pollen dispersal profoundly affects the dynamics and genetic variation of plant populations. Spreading into more favourable areas will help them survive in the warming climate. Wind conditions play a key role, as turbulent vertical streams, in particular, spread seeds very efficiently, even over long distances. The researchers also discovered that a temperature that is only three degrees Celsius warmer increased the dispersal of seeds and the speed at which populations spread throughout the growth season. Particularly for those plants that have light seeds, the annual spreading speed increased dramatically, by approximately 30 meters. On the basis of these results, it seems that global warming accelerates the spread of plants, but it will not alone be sufficient to help plant populations to relocate to new vegetation zones. However, on a more local level, global warming may have a significant impact, as original and newly introduced species spread faster from one place to another and take over new patches of habitat.
Air travel and driving costs to soar under Labour plan to curb global warming
The cost of air travel and driving is set to soar to pay for the government’s plans to curb global warming due to be unveiled this week.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband warned of rising fuel prices as he outlined Labour’s bid to move Britain on to a low carbon economy.
He said people will have to enact ‘big changes’ in their lifestyle.
Labour is also planning to turn the screws on those who refuse to cooperate with the green push
Householders who refuse to take part in energy saving schemes could face higher council tax rates or the threat of higher stamp duty when they sell up.
Mr Miliband will unveil plans to boost renewable energy on Wednesday, which will see householders offered green mortgages to install solar panels and other energy saving devices.
Ministers will also make it easier for those with energy generating devices at home to sell electricity back to the national grid.
Mr Miliband disputed claims that rising fuel costs will add £230 a year to the average household fuel bills.
But he warned voters to prepare for a painful transition from polluting energy sources like coal fired power stations as Britain tried to hit legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 and by 80 per cent by 2050.
‘I think there are upward pressures on energy prices whatever route we go down,’ he said. ‘I think that the price of flying will go up over time,’ he said.
Government estimates of the cost to consumers will be published on Wednesday.
Mr Miliband said the government would bring in more renewables like wind power, new nuclear power stations and clean fossil fuel energy through carbon capture and storage.
The government will spend £100 billion on renewable sources by 2020, including 7,000 wind turbines.
‘It does mean big changes in people's lives,’ he said. ‘That does mean some costs for transition. My job is to counter those effects as much as I possibly can, helping people with energy efficiency and having tough regulation.’
He insisted that failure to act would be even more costly as climate change produced more extreme weather conditions - from floods to heat waves.
‘We will have a lot more of those extremes of weather and that has got big human costs in Britain,’ he said. ‘It has also got massive financial costs as well, far outweighing any costs of making the transition.’
The green mortgage scheme will enable householders to take out low-interest loans to pay for double-glazing, loft insulation and heat pumps to extract energy from underground.
And under controversial plans, ministers may also relax planning rules, which could see wind turbines on roofs sprouting even in conservation areas and on listed buildings.
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Greg Clark accused Mr Miliband of stealing ideas from the Tories.
He said: ‘Most of these announcements are taken directly from Conservative proposals launched by David Cameron in the past year.
‘Last year we set out plans for carbon capture projects, and our Low Carbon Economy green paper contained plans for a smart grid and an ambitious home energy efficiency scheme – all things it is speculated the Government is about to announce.
‘With Britain facing an energy crunch in the next ten years and having the third lowest contribution from renewable energy sources it is clear that the last decade has been a scandalously wasted opportunity.'
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband warned of rising fuel prices as he outlined Labour’s bid to move Britain on to a low carbon economy.
He said people will have to enact ‘big changes’ in their lifestyle.
Labour is also planning to turn the screws on those who refuse to cooperate with the green push
Householders who refuse to take part in energy saving schemes could face higher council tax rates or the threat of higher stamp duty when they sell up.
Mr Miliband will unveil plans to boost renewable energy on Wednesday, which will see householders offered green mortgages to install solar panels and other energy saving devices.
Ministers will also make it easier for those with energy generating devices at home to sell electricity back to the national grid.
Mr Miliband disputed claims that rising fuel costs will add £230 a year to the average household fuel bills.
But he warned voters to prepare for a painful transition from polluting energy sources like coal fired power stations as Britain tried to hit legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 and by 80 per cent by 2050.
‘I think there are upward pressures on energy prices whatever route we go down,’ he said. ‘I think that the price of flying will go up over time,’ he said.
Government estimates of the cost to consumers will be published on Wednesday.
Mr Miliband said the government would bring in more renewables like wind power, new nuclear power stations and clean fossil fuel energy through carbon capture and storage.
The government will spend £100 billion on renewable sources by 2020, including 7,000 wind turbines.
‘It does mean big changes in people's lives,’ he said. ‘That does mean some costs for transition. My job is to counter those effects as much as I possibly can, helping people with energy efficiency and having tough regulation.’
He insisted that failure to act would be even more costly as climate change produced more extreme weather conditions - from floods to heat waves.
‘We will have a lot more of those extremes of weather and that has got big human costs in Britain,’ he said. ‘It has also got massive financial costs as well, far outweighing any costs of making the transition.’
The green mortgage scheme will enable householders to take out low-interest loans to pay for double-glazing, loft insulation and heat pumps to extract energy from underground.
And under controversial plans, ministers may also relax planning rules, which could see wind turbines on roofs sprouting even in conservation areas and on listed buildings.
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Greg Clark accused Mr Miliband of stealing ideas from the Tories.
He said: ‘Most of these announcements are taken directly from Conservative proposals launched by David Cameron in the past year.
‘Last year we set out plans for carbon capture projects, and our Low Carbon Economy green paper contained plans for a smart grid and an ambitious home energy efficiency scheme – all things it is speculated the Government is about to announce.
‘With Britain facing an energy crunch in the next ten years and having the third lowest contribution from renewable energy sources it is clear that the last decade has been a scandalously wasted opportunity.'
G8 agrees to limit global warming; China, India resist
The G8 agreed on Wednesday to try to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius and cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent,
With only five months until a new UN climate pact is due to be agreed in Copenhagen, climate change organisations said the G8 had left much work to be done and ducked key issues. China and India resisted signing up for a global goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Developing economies demanded rich nations commit to steeper short term reductions. And while the 2 Celsius goal was adopted for the first time by the United States, Russia, Japan and Canada, it had already been agreed in 1996 by the European Union and its G8 members Germany, Britain, France and Italy. The G8 statement also failed to pinpoint a base year for the 80 percent reduction -- saying it should be "compared to 1990 or more recent years" -- meaning the target was open to interpretation. "The world will recognise that today in Italy we have laid the foundations for a Copenhagen deal that is ambitious, fair and effective," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the 2 Celsius (3.6 Farenheit) target, since pre-industrial times, was "clear progress" for the G8. The G8 backed the creation of a global carbon trading market and a fund financed by rich nations to pay for technological change, but it fell short of the $100 billion a year advocated by Britain's Brown and non-governmental groups. "While agreeing to keep temperature rise to below 2 degrees rise Celsius, without a clear plan, money and targets on how to do this the G8 leaders will not have helped to break the deadlock in the UN climate negotiations," said Tobias Muenchmeyer, Greenpeace International political adviser. China's absence key Temperatures have already risen by about 0.7 Celsius since the start of the Industrial Revolution ushered in widespread burning of fossil fuels, the main cause of warming according to the UN Climate Panel. Many developing nations also view two degrees as the threshold beyond which climate change will reach danger levels, with rising seas and more heatwaves, floods and droughts. The temperature target was due to be included in a statement from the 17-member Major Economies Forum (MEF), which groups the G8 plus major developing economies, which will meet on Thursday. Last minute talks to convince MEF members to sign up to the goal of cutting world greenhouse gases by at least 50 percent by 2050 -- adopted by the G8 last year -- unravelled on Tuesday. Delegates said the absence of Chinese leader Hu Jintao, who flew home to deal with an outbreak of ethnic violence in western China, dashed hopes of an eleventh hour breakthrough. "China's not here so they cannot move anywhere: there will be no agreement tomorrow in the MEF text on 50 percent. We will take this up again at the G20 when China is present," said a senior European G8 source involved in the talks. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said emerging countries appeared willing to sign up to long-term emissions goals if rich nations would agree to tough targets by 2020. The G8 statement called for "robust" medium-target cutbacks, but gave no details.
With only five months until a new UN climate pact is due to be agreed in Copenhagen, climate change organisations said the G8 had left much work to be done and ducked key issues. China and India resisted signing up for a global goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Developing economies demanded rich nations commit to steeper short term reductions. And while the 2 Celsius goal was adopted for the first time by the United States, Russia, Japan and Canada, it had already been agreed in 1996 by the European Union and its G8 members Germany, Britain, France and Italy. The G8 statement also failed to pinpoint a base year for the 80 percent reduction -- saying it should be "compared to 1990 or more recent years" -- meaning the target was open to interpretation. "The world will recognise that today in Italy we have laid the foundations for a Copenhagen deal that is ambitious, fair and effective," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the 2 Celsius (3.6 Farenheit) target, since pre-industrial times, was "clear progress" for the G8. The G8 backed the creation of a global carbon trading market and a fund financed by rich nations to pay for technological change, but it fell short of the $100 billion a year advocated by Britain's Brown and non-governmental groups. "While agreeing to keep temperature rise to below 2 degrees rise Celsius, without a clear plan, money and targets on how to do this the G8 leaders will not have helped to break the deadlock in the UN climate negotiations," said Tobias Muenchmeyer, Greenpeace International political adviser. China's absence key Temperatures have already risen by about 0.7 Celsius since the start of the Industrial Revolution ushered in widespread burning of fossil fuels, the main cause of warming according to the UN Climate Panel. Many developing nations also view two degrees as the threshold beyond which climate change will reach danger levels, with rising seas and more heatwaves, floods and droughts. The temperature target was due to be included in a statement from the 17-member Major Economies Forum (MEF), which groups the G8 plus major developing economies, which will meet on Thursday. Last minute talks to convince MEF members to sign up to the goal of cutting world greenhouse gases by at least 50 percent by 2050 -- adopted by the G8 last year -- unravelled on Tuesday. Delegates said the absence of Chinese leader Hu Jintao, who flew home to deal with an outbreak of ethnic violence in western China, dashed hopes of an eleventh hour breakthrough. "China's not here so they cannot move anywhere: there will be no agreement tomorrow in the MEF text on 50 percent. We will take this up again at the G20 when China is present," said a senior European G8 source involved in the talks. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said emerging countries appeared willing to sign up to long-term emissions goals if rich nations would agree to tough targets by 2020. The G8 statement called for "robust" medium-target cutbacks, but gave no details.
Global warming no myth
John Peterson on July 4 (Letters) argued that global warming was a hoax. The counter-evidence is convincing.
Google lists about 37.6 million articles on global warming, including articles both pro and con. Obviously not all articles are credible. The purpose of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the U.N. Environmental Programme, is to evaluate the state of climate science primarily on the basis of peer-reviewed and published scientific literature. The IPCC publishes its report only about every five years, as it responds to comments from over 50,000 scientists worldwide, so the process is tedious.
The conservative IPCC reports have gradually gone from being tentative on global warming to being positive. Peer review is the process of giving credibility to scientific reports by requiring experts in the area of the report to critically evaluate, in writing, the candidate report.
Prior to publication, such a report must satisfy the reviewers or it is not published. At last count, 928 global warming reports agreed that global warming is real: Zero peer-reviewed published reports stated that mankind was not causing global warming.
Julian Powers
Google lists about 37.6 million articles on global warming, including articles both pro and con. Obviously not all articles are credible. The purpose of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the U.N. Environmental Programme, is to evaluate the state of climate science primarily on the basis of peer-reviewed and published scientific literature. The IPCC publishes its report only about every five years, as it responds to comments from over 50,000 scientists worldwide, so the process is tedious.
The conservative IPCC reports have gradually gone from being tentative on global warming to being positive. Peer review is the process of giving credibility to scientific reports by requiring experts in the area of the report to critically evaluate, in writing, the candidate report.
Prior to publication, such a report must satisfy the reviewers or it is not published. At last count, 928 global warming reports agreed that global warming is real: Zero peer-reviewed published reports stated that mankind was not causing global warming.
Julian Powers
Global warming no myth
John Peterson on July 4 (Letters) argued that global warming was a hoax. The counter-evidence is convincing.
Google lists about 37.6 million articles on global warming, including articles both pro and con. Obviously not all articles are credible. The purpose of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the U.N. Environmental Programme, is to evaluate the state of climate science primarily on the basis of peer-reviewed and published scientific literature. The IPCC publishes its report only about every five years, as it responds to comments from over 50,000 scientists worldwide, so the process is tedious.
The conservative IPCC reports have gradually gone from being tentative on global warming to being positive. Peer review is the process of giving credibility to scientific reports by requiring experts in the area of the report to critically evaluate, in writing, the candidate report.
Prior to publication, such a report must satisfy the reviewers or it is not published. At last count, 928 global warming reports agreed that global warming is real: Zero peer-reviewed published reports stated that mankind was not causing global warming.
Google lists about 37.6 million articles on global warming, including articles both pro and con. Obviously not all articles are credible. The purpose of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the U.N. Environmental Programme, is to evaluate the state of climate science primarily on the basis of peer-reviewed and published scientific literature. The IPCC publishes its report only about every five years, as it responds to comments from over 50,000 scientists worldwide, so the process is tedious.
The conservative IPCC reports have gradually gone from being tentative on global warming to being positive. Peer review is the process of giving credibility to scientific reports by requiring experts in the area of the report to critically evaluate, in writing, the candidate report.
Prior to publication, such a report must satisfy the reviewers or it is not published. At last count, 928 global warming reports agreed that global warming is real: Zero peer-reviewed published reports stated that mankind was not causing global warming.
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