Archive for June, 2009

Nutrition 101 for Cancer Patients

Friday, June 26th, 2009

An alarming fact about cancer: 20% to 40% of cancer patients die not from the cancer itself, but from malnutrition. In addition, according to the National Cancer Institute, almost 80% of cancer patients develop clinical malnutrition due to side effects from cancer and cancer treatments. Some cancer patients have eating disorders and difficulties such as anorexia or a condition called “cachexia”, defined as a wasting syndrome, causing breakdown of immunity and weight loss.

Malnutrition weakens the patient’s immune system rendering him incapable of resisting infection and enduring cancer therapies. Protein and calories, key nutrients for energy, healing and fighting infection are the most common elements deficient in cancer patients.

Addressing malnutrition and under-nutrition are significant in reducing the risks of death and hospital admissions among cancer patients. According to Yale Professor Dave Katz, MD, “Optimizing nutrition during and following cancer therapy is unquestionably a vital element in overcoming the disease, and reclaiming good health.”

Easy nutritional tips for cancer patients include:

1. Small frequent meals and liquid intake: eating five or six small meals throughout the day helps rather than three consecutive large ones. To avoid filling up on liquid, drink between meals.
2. Protein intake: to increase protein level, patients may eat peanut butter crackers, yogurt and fruit, a hard-boiled egg and piece of toast for mini-meals. High-protein and high-calorie milkshakes and beverages will also help.
3. Nausea prevention: white, bland foods such as Cream of Wheat, mashed potatoes and cottage cheese help when the patient becomes nauseous. High-fat or fiber foods should be avoided because it makes nausea last longer. Food should be served at room temperature and 30 minutes before eating, patients can also eat fresh ginger or ginger capsules.
4. Diarrhea emergencies: ensure hydration. Allow patients to eat food with sauces and gravies. Make the patient eat bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.
5. Correcting taste deficiencies: citrus like lemon drops and lemonade counters metallic taste encountered by patients.
6. Consulting the physician: ask the doctor about dietary supplements and gather information about losing weight.

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CEMEX and ACCIONA Team Up for Wind Power

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Cement manufacturer CEMEX and renewable energy company ACCIONA have collaborated to launch the 250 megawatt EURUS wind farm in the southern state of Oaxaca. The wind farm will be located in a 2,500 hectacre area on the Tehuantepec Isthmus, which is known for its windy climate. The wind farm is projected to be complete by the end of 2009. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has already inaugurated the first phase of the project.

ACCIONA is investing $550 million into the EURUS wind farm. The wind farm will in turn supply 25% of the CEMEX’s energy requirements. Developed together by both CEMEX and ACCION, the EURUS wind farm will house 167 wind turbines, with each turbine generating 1.5 megawatts of power.

CEMEX CEO and chairman Lorenzo H Zambrano is eager to get the EURUS wind farm online to implement CEMEX environment policy. “At CEMEX, we are committed to innovation and to becoming more sustainable by the use of alternative fuels, and the application of more efficient processes to save energy, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and to contribute to a clean environment,” Mr. Zambrano said. “We are determined to include renewable sources of electricity into our energy mix, and therefore today we feel very proud of our alliance with ACCIONA, so that the EURUS wind farm can begin to transform the power of the wind into electric power.”

ACCIONA board member Esteban Morra is equally optimistic about the new wind farm, “EURUS is the largest wind farm installed by our company in the world and represents a huge impulse to the development of wind power in Mexico,” Mr.Morra said. “This country has great potential for wind development and should take advantage of this in the necessary transition toward a more sustainable energy model, creating with it wealth and employment in a sector of the future.”

Mr. Morra’s assertion is not just idle talk. ACCIONA Energia has already built 208 wind farms in 14 countries, generating a grand total of 6,000 megawatts of power. ACCION also builds and maintain thermosolar, photovoltaic hydroelectric and biomass facilities, biodiesel and bioethanol facilities.

Article Source: Mexican president inaugurates first phase of EURUS wind farm

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Carlos Abadi Bails Out Refco Victims

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Carlos Abadi, president of the investment firm Abadi & Company (which is closely affiliated with RGE Monitor, the firm run by “Dr. Doom” economist Dr. Nouriel Roubini), has put forth a bold new plan to help investors stung by the collapse of Refco. Refco was a financial broker based in New York, with a Bermuda-based dealer called Refco Capital Markets. Through a complex series of shady deals, including one involving $525 million in bogus bonds, Refco collapsed into financial ruin. Thousands of honest investors were in the position of losing millions of dollars, with securities investors maybe getting 75 cents on the dollar back, while FX customers were likely to get socked for 30 cents on the dollar.

Out of this calamity, Carlos Abadi saw a golden opportunity to not only rescue these hapless investors, but expand his company into an investment bracket niche. Teaming up with Dresdner Bank, Carlos Abadi has offered these investors to continue their business with the bank’s brokerage services. His company is prepared to pay an additional five to six cents more on the dollar over three years. In return, the investors would do their transactions through Dresdner Bank. The customers would even receive a share of the commissions Carlos Abadi would make by bringing these customers into the bank’s fold. The customers would also enjoy rebates for doing business with Dresdner.

Carlos Abadi’s motivation for this seemingly altruistic action is simple; he wishes to snag the customer base of small companies and wealthy individuals who have a net worth of between $5 million to $100 million. This niche has been more or less neglected by the larger brokerage houses, and Carlos Abadi wants to Dresdner Bank to become the major player for these relatively “small guys.”

“Refco had a very good business model. Its customers still want to trade with someone the way RCM was allowing them to trade,” Carlos Abadi says. “The problem wasn’t the business model, it was ethics and fraud.” If Carlos Abadi’s scheme works, the competition for portfolio funds will grow that much fiercer. The Financial Times speculates that Carlos Abadi’s business plan might help bring down portfolio fund fees.

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Coffee Addiction Among Women Reduces Stroke Risk

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Good news for coffee addicts: your indulgence may save you from stroke.

A study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association has come up with evidence linking regular coffee consumption with reduced stroke risk. Reports of the study indicate that women who drink more coffee possess a lesser likelihood of suffering from stroke than those who drank less. More specifically, the study revealed that coffee addicts (those who have 4 or more cups a day) have a 20% reduced risk of stroke. Those who drink 2 to 3 cups a day have a reduced risk of 19%. Those who drink 5 to 7 cups of coffee in a week show a 12% reduced likelihood of stroke.

These results come from the Nurses’ Health Study, an observational study covering 20 years. Data gathering began in 1980 involving 8,073 women participants of excellent health – no diagnosed history of heart disease, stroke or cancer at baseline. Documentation of their health took place every two to four years through food frequency questionnaires and check-ups.

Indulgence, however, only allows coffee, not cigarettes. The research pointed out that while increased coffee consumption has benefits, smoking overrides it. The study found that women nonsmokers who drank four cups or more in a day had a 43% decrease in stroke risk. Those who smoked and drank at the same frequency only had a 3% risk reduction for stroke.

Lead researcher Esther Lopez-Garcia noted that findings were due to coffee’s antioxidants that lower inflammation and improve blood vessel function. She added that the benefits of coffee apply only to healthy people. Those diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol cannot expect the same results.

Scientists from UCLA and the University of Southern California gathered similar findings from an observational study using health survey data of 9,400 adults aged 40 years and older. The study concluded that those who drank more cups of coffee have shown to exhibit lesser possibilities of stroke risk.

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Intelius Security Expert Offers Tips for Online Business

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Robert Sicilano of internet security firm Intelius recently gave Reader’s Digest some great safety tips on buying items off the internet. Buying and selling things online has become a fairly commonplace activity, and sites like eBay and Craigslist have become vibrant marketplaces. But there are still some real risks involved, particularly if you’re getting an item from a classified site such as Craigslist. With these website purchases, you will find yourself going over to a stranger’s house, or a stranger could be coming over to your house. With “Craigslist Killers” in the headlines, it’s something you should consider before heading out the door, or inviting an unknown person into your home. Sicilano gives the following advice on your next classified purchase:

  1. Be sure to get the name of the person you’re meeting and their cell phone number. If they are reluctant to give even this basic information, that could spell trouble. Search their names on iSearch.com and other social networks such as Facebook and MySpace.
  2. When meeting with your buyer or seller, don’t wear flashy jewelry or dress in a provocative manner. Loose clothes and scarves can give an attacker something to grab. Wear sports shoes so you can run and fight back if need be.
  3. Bring a friend if possible. If you’re paired up, the chances of an attack are significantly reduced. There’s strength in numbers.
  4. Try to meet in a public place where there are plenty of people. A predator is unlikely to attempt anything where there are plenty of eyewitnesses about.
  5. Let your friends or family know where you’re going and when you’ll be back. That way, at least someone will know if you’ve been missing for too long.
  6. Listen to your gut feelings. If you feel something is wrong, it’s far better to be safe than sorry.

Article Source: 7 Safety Tips for Shopping and Meeting Online

Robert Siciliano of Intelius published an article about identity theft on The Huffington Post.

More information about Intelius:

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Eating Right Key to Saving Eyesight

Friday, June 12th, 2009

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) afflicts people as they age, causing damage to the central vision, which is needed for clearly seeing objects and for going about daily activities such as driving or reading. While AMD is not painful, it affects the part of the eye that allows us to see fine detail – the macula. When early AMD strikes, blood vessels in the macula degenerate thereby blurring our vision. In the later stage, AMD may lead to complete blindness. At present, AMD is a top cause of vision loss among Americans aged 60 years and older.

However, prevention of AMD in its early stages is possible. Two studies have indicated that eating right is the key to saving the eyesight. Two research teams have found that diet leaning on food with healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, olive, oil and nuts may reduce the risk of developing AMD.

Dr. Jennifer S. L. Tan of the University of Sydney came up with findings from a 10-year observational study of 2,454 men and women suggesting that people who ate one serving of fish for their weekly diet have a 31% reduced risk of developing AMD compared to those who did not. The study also revealed that a weekly diet of nuts reduced AMD disk by 35 percent.

University of Melbourne researchers led by Elaine W. T. Chong, M.D., Ph.D., studied more than 6,700 individuals aged 50 to 79 years old in order to evaluate the link of omega-3 fatty acids consumption with AMD risk. It found that people who took at least 100ml of olive oil per week are 50% less likely to develop late AMD compared to those who took less than 1ml per week.

The study suggests sticking to healthy fat and away from transfat, which is the source for “bad cholesterol”, often found in fried and baked food. Findings indicate that people who ate the most transfat almost double (1.76 times) the risk of developing late AMD.

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Obama Unveils Elite Economic Recovery Panel

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

Reviving the ailing US economy will, according to US President Barack Obama, need “fresh thinking and bold new ideas from the leading minds across America.” Obama’s way of bringing this challenge to the core is the formation of the 16-member Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

After months away from the spotlight, the panel was finally unveiled on May 20, three months after its creation. The team is composed of a diverse mix of experts and strategists from the academe, labor, and business, who, prior to their public presentation, labored behind-the-scenes, providing Obama an external perspective on economic issues.

The economic recovery panel works outside the White House, according to White House spokesperson Jen Psaki, focusing on bringing about “a diverse set of perspectives and voices from different parts of the country and different sectors on the economy to bear in the formulation and evaluation of economic policy.”

The American public was given the opportunity to view the team in action live via video streaming on the White House website during May 20’s 10:00 am meeting, of which the creation of “green jobs” was top of the agenda.

The panel consists of a high-caliber mixture of Democrats and Republicans with the singular aim of putting America’s economy back on its feet.

Heading the panel is 81-year old Wall Street legend Paul Volcker, well known for conquering runaway inflation during the 1980s. Other advisors include:

• William Donaldson, previous chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission
• Roger Ferguson, president and CEO of TIAA-CREF,
• Robert Wolf, Chairman and CEO of UBS Group Americas,
• David Swensen of Yale University,
• Mark Gallogly, founder of Centerbridge Partners L.P.,
• Penny Prtizker of the Prtizker Realty Group,
• John Doerr, a partner of Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers,
• Jim Owens, chairman and CEO of Caterpillar, Inc.,
• Monica Lozano, publisher of La Opinion; Charles Phillips, president of Oracle Corp,
• Anna Burger, secretary-treasurer of Service Employees International Union,
• Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO labor organization,
• Laura D’Andrea Tyson, dean of UCLA, and
• Martin Feldstein of Harvard and Jeffrey Immelt, chief executive of GE.

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Search for H1N1 Vaccine in Progress

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

As the spread of the influenza A (H1N1) virus shows no signs of slowing down, researchers worldwide are expediting efforts to develop a vaccine to contain the fatal disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that since the outbreak, nearly 10,000 people in over 40 countries have suffered from the virus, claiming 79 lives.

Manufacturing the new vaccine has become significant because experts have found that the regular flu vaccine does not render immunity against the new flu. There are setbacks, however. Health officials who attended WHO’s annual meeting are doubtful about the possibility of developing a vaccine sooner because of difficulty in producing lab-grown swine flu virus, which is the source of “seed stock” needed to develop a new vaccine. They estimate that production will take approximately four to six months, starting at the end of May 2009.

Researchers in South Korea hope to ease this difficulty however, reporting that they have managed to develop a genetically modified version of a live virus that will lead to the development of a new vaccine against H1N1.

According to Professor Seo Sang-heui of the Chungnam National University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, although what they developed is a “candidate strain” that has to undergo additional testing, he is optimistic that it will lead to positive results. The university has already sent eight vials of the candidate strain to the US Center for Disease and Control (CDCC) for testing.

Britain has also reported some progress in producing a European prototype of the H1N1 vaccine. Its Health Protection Agency has successfully undergone sequencing of the virus’ genetic code – a crucial step in understanding the nature and characteristics of the virus prior to vaccine development.

At present, the H1N1 threat level remains “imminent” at phase five. Debates rage on whether or not to elevate the threat to the highest pandemic level six. Several governments are weary of the unnecessary global panic and confusion this might cause, saying the virus has not turned out as fatal as feared.

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