30 July 2010 Last updated at 06:51 ET Help
A wildlife reserve in the US has a new star attraction after a donkey there gave birth to a foal with stripy legs.
The zedonk, named Pippi Longstocking, is a rare cross between a zebra and a donkey. She is said to be in good health and have bonded well with her mother
The owners of the Chestatee Reserve in Georgia keep the breeds the same enclosure, but said it was the first time that they had ever mated.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Lowest Mortgage Rates of 2010 Reported – Lenders Bank of America and Wells Fargo Look to Finish Week Positive
Wells Fargo and Bank of America are two of the biggest mortgage lenders in the country and they have had their troubles in the last several years as has been documented. That being said, we are currently seeing the lowest mortgage rates of 2010 reported today as Zillow.com is reporting 30 year fixed mortgage rates around 4.35% and 15 year fixed mortgage rates around 3.85%. This is great news for both lenders and borrowers.
Lenders will benefit by gaining new customers each and every day even though the new home sales number continues to struggle. When Americans see statistics showing that mortgage rates are at an all time low it will likely be the case that they at least consider a home purchase. With mortgage interest rates so low borrowers benefit by saving a large amount of money on interest over time.
Bank of America and Wells Fargo have had an interesting week of trading on the NYSE but each of these financial giants are looking to end the week on a positive note. For the week, Wells Fargo (WFC) is up .98% while Bank of America (BAC) is up 2.11% going into the open of the market on Friday.
Author: Jeremy North
Lenders will benefit by gaining new customers each and every day even though the new home sales number continues to struggle. When Americans see statistics showing that mortgage rates are at an all time low it will likely be the case that they at least consider a home purchase. With mortgage interest rates so low borrowers benefit by saving a large amount of money on interest over time.
Bank of America and Wells Fargo have had an interesting week of trading on the NYSE but each of these financial giants are looking to end the week on a positive note. For the week, Wells Fargo (WFC) is up .98% while Bank of America (BAC) is up 2.11% going into the open of the market on Friday.
Author: Jeremy North
Monday, July 26, 2010
New Study Shows Time Spent Sitting Could Shorten Life
(RTTNews) - A new report published in the current edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that those who spend more time sitting down may die earlier.
After a 14-year study, researchers from the American Cancer Society have found that those who spend six or more hours of their leisure time sitting down are likely to die earlier than those who sit for three hours or less.
For the study, Dr. Alpa V. Patel followed 53,440 men and 69,776 women across America between the ages of 50-74. Patel and his team found that sitting for six or more hours a day causes an increased death rate of 40 percent for women and 20 percent for men.
For the least active adults, the chance of death increased to 94 percent in women and 48 percent in men.
"It is beneficial to encourage sedentary individuals to stand up and walk around as well as to reach optimal levels of physical activity," Patel tells WebMD.
After a 14-year study, researchers from the American Cancer Society have found that those who spend six or more hours of their leisure time sitting down are likely to die earlier than those who sit for three hours or less.
For the study, Dr. Alpa V. Patel followed 53,440 men and 69,776 women across America between the ages of 50-74. Patel and his team found that sitting for six or more hours a day causes an increased death rate of 40 percent for women and 20 percent for men.
For the least active adults, the chance of death increased to 94 percent in women and 48 percent in men.
"It is beneficial to encourage sedentary individuals to stand up and walk around as well as to reach optimal levels of physical activity," Patel tells WebMD.
New home sales rise.....The Wall Street Journal
Sales of new, single-family houses in June rose 23.6 percent from May, though new home sales nationally were down 16.7 percent from a year ago.
The Commerce Department also reports the supply of new homes on the market represented 7.6 months worth of inventory, down from 9.6 months in May.
Sales rose in three of the nation's four regions.
In the South, which includes Virginia, Maryland and D.C., new home sales rose 33.1 percent from May. Sales in the South were down 6.1 percent from a year earlier.
The year-over-year decline in the South was the smallest annual decline among regions.
The report comes a week after Reston-based home builder NVR reported a surge in sales in the second quarter as buyers raced to beat the June 30 deadline to settle in order to qualify for the homebuyer tax credit.
NVR (NYSE: NVR) also reported new orders declined 6 percent during the second quarter, and its backlog of homes sold but not settled was down 16 percent from a year ago.
Read more: New home sales rise - Washington Business Journal
The Commerce Department also reports the supply of new homes on the market represented 7.6 months worth of inventory, down from 9.6 months in May.
Sales rose in three of the nation's four regions.
In the South, which includes Virginia, Maryland and D.C., new home sales rose 33.1 percent from May. Sales in the South were down 6.1 percent from a year earlier.
The year-over-year decline in the South was the smallest annual decline among regions.
The report comes a week after Reston-based home builder NVR reported a surge in sales in the second quarter as buyers raced to beat the June 30 deadline to settle in order to qualify for the homebuyer tax credit.
NVR (NYSE: NVR) also reported new orders declined 6 percent during the second quarter, and its backlog of homes sold but not settled was down 16 percent from a year ago.
Read more: New home sales rise - Washington Business Journal
Friday, July 16, 2010
4 tips to protect you from ATM thieves... yahoo finance
ATMs are under siege more than ever from skimming. Skimming, where ATM thieves steal your PIN and account number using remote devices, is increasing dramatically. Often done by sophisticated crime rings from the Eastern bloc countries, ATM skimming is becoming a high-tech art that's hard to detect.
That's bad news for consumers. Experts say that losses from skimming are approaching $1 billion. Nearly one in five fraud victims reported having their credit card PIN or debit card ATM PIN information stolen in 2009, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. And Robert Vamosi, an analyst handling risk, fraud and security at Javelin, sees ATM skimming continuing to rise this year and next.
"Consumers aren't aware of ATM tampering," he says. "ATMs have 40 years of trust."
Skimming isn't new. It's been around for at least 10 years. What has changed is that the "technology of the bad guy is getting better and better every year," says Robert Siciliano, a security expert based in Boston. "It's up to consumers to watch their own backs."
Typically, ATM thieves use two devices to capture your PIN and card data. One device sits near where you swipe your card and reads the magnetic stripe on your card with your account number. Even more confusing, the device mimics the card slot. "The technology has evolved to a point where the molded plastic fits like it belongs there," says Siciliano. Devices are even readily available over the Internet for as little as $300.
A camera, hidden from view, captures the PIN. "You can get the data in real time," says Siciliano. "You can be in your car with a laptop remotely accessing the device."
Thieves then burn the data onto a blank card to access your money.
U.S. Secret Service spokesman Max Milien wants consumers to be warned. "The public is notified after an event," he says. And don't take bank security for granted. Fraud can occur at any bank in any part of the country. Thieves are even sending out false text alerts to get consumer data.
Banks, they say, are slow to adopt anti-skimming measures. When Javelin surveyed 25 banks, four stood out, though, for their anti-theft measures. They are Bank of America, Chase, Citibank and Wells Fargo.
Experts add that debit card users are most at risk. Typically, consumers must report fraudulent charges within two days, limiting your liability to $50. If you report ATM skimming fraud within 60 days, you're liable for the first $500 of any transaction. Siciliano adds that thieves carefully orchestrate ATM withdrawals, maxing out cash withdrawals one day and waiting until after midnight for the next stash, which quickly adds up.
Here are four tips to help you protect your account.
1. Cover your password with your hand
Hidden cameras are disguised so they can pick up your password. By protecting it, ATM thieves can't access your account.
2. Use familiar ATMs and limit your visits
ATMs in dimly lighted spots or used late at night could be more susceptible to fraud, while ATMs under video surveillance can be safer. Stay away from ATMs at retail stores or restaurants, adds Siciliano. Recently, skimming devices were found on ATMs in a popular grocery store in central Florida. Airports, convenience stores or kiosks are equally vulnerable to ATM thieves. Still, even highly trafficked ATMs outside a bank branch have been targeted by thieves.
Also, try to limit your visits to the ATM. "With frequency, there's risk," says Siciliano.
3. Check bank balances frequently
Given the two-day window for reporting fraud, it pays to check your account frequently. If you don't report fraud within 60 days, you have unlimited liability. "Sign up for alerts and notice unusual withdrawals," says Vamosi.
With credit cards there are more protections in place, and you can dispute charges."You have at least a billing cycle," says Siciliano.
4. Observe the ATM
Vamosi cautions consumers to look at an ATM to make sure a card slot is "legitimate and not tacked on." Look for things that strike you, he says. "Some people have felt that when they inserted their card, something went awry," he says. In that case, try another ATM.
When protecting your account against ATM thieves, "it's all about awareness, paying attention and understanding risks," says Sicilano. "There are 400,000 ATMs and every one of them is susceptible to fraud. The speed and convenience of technology has replaced the security of technology."
That's bad news for consumers. Experts say that losses from skimming are approaching $1 billion. Nearly one in five fraud victims reported having their credit card PIN or debit card ATM PIN information stolen in 2009, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. And Robert Vamosi, an analyst handling risk, fraud and security at Javelin, sees ATM skimming continuing to rise this year and next.
"Consumers aren't aware of ATM tampering," he says. "ATMs have 40 years of trust."
Skimming isn't new. It's been around for at least 10 years. What has changed is that the "technology of the bad guy is getting better and better every year," says Robert Siciliano, a security expert based in Boston. "It's up to consumers to watch their own backs."
Typically, ATM thieves use two devices to capture your PIN and card data. One device sits near where you swipe your card and reads the magnetic stripe on your card with your account number. Even more confusing, the device mimics the card slot. "The technology has evolved to a point where the molded plastic fits like it belongs there," says Siciliano. Devices are even readily available over the Internet for as little as $300.
A camera, hidden from view, captures the PIN. "You can get the data in real time," says Siciliano. "You can be in your car with a laptop remotely accessing the device."
Thieves then burn the data onto a blank card to access your money.
U.S. Secret Service spokesman Max Milien wants consumers to be warned. "The public is notified after an event," he says. And don't take bank security for granted. Fraud can occur at any bank in any part of the country. Thieves are even sending out false text alerts to get consumer data.
Banks, they say, are slow to adopt anti-skimming measures. When Javelin surveyed 25 banks, four stood out, though, for their anti-theft measures. They are Bank of America, Chase, Citibank and Wells Fargo.
Experts add that debit card users are most at risk. Typically, consumers must report fraudulent charges within two days, limiting your liability to $50. If you report ATM skimming fraud within 60 days, you're liable for the first $500 of any transaction. Siciliano adds that thieves carefully orchestrate ATM withdrawals, maxing out cash withdrawals one day and waiting until after midnight for the next stash, which quickly adds up.
Here are four tips to help you protect your account.
1. Cover your password with your hand
Hidden cameras are disguised so they can pick up your password. By protecting it, ATM thieves can't access your account.
2. Use familiar ATMs and limit your visits
ATMs in dimly lighted spots or used late at night could be more susceptible to fraud, while ATMs under video surveillance can be safer. Stay away from ATMs at retail stores or restaurants, adds Siciliano. Recently, skimming devices were found on ATMs in a popular grocery store in central Florida. Airports, convenience stores or kiosks are equally vulnerable to ATM thieves. Still, even highly trafficked ATMs outside a bank branch have been targeted by thieves.
Also, try to limit your visits to the ATM. "With frequency, there's risk," says Siciliano.
3. Check bank balances frequently
Given the two-day window for reporting fraud, it pays to check your account frequently. If you don't report fraud within 60 days, you have unlimited liability. "Sign up for alerts and notice unusual withdrawals," says Vamosi.
With credit cards there are more protections in place, and you can dispute charges."You have at least a billing cycle," says Siciliano.
4. Observe the ATM
Vamosi cautions consumers to look at an ATM to make sure a card slot is "legitimate and not tacked on." Look for things that strike you, he says. "Some people have felt that when they inserted their card, something went awry," he says. In that case, try another ATM.
When protecting your account against ATM thieves, "it's all about awareness, paying attention and understanding risks," says Sicilano. "There are 400,000 ATMs and every one of them is susceptible to fraud. The speed and convenience of technology has replaced the security of technology."
Memory loss linked to weight gain
Women who hope to preserve their memory as they grow older may want to consider shedding some excess pounds.
That’s because researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago have found a link between memory loss and weight gain in older women. Simply put, the more an older woman weighs, the worse her memory, according to the study published this week in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
The findings are based on 8,745 post-menopausal women, aged 65 to 79, who took a 100-point memory test. The score for normal memory is in the 90- to 100-point range. After completing the test, the score for each woman was matched to her Body Mass Index, or BMI.
It’s a standardize measure based on weight and height.
The study revealed that for every one point increase in a woman’s BMI, her memory score dropped by one point. “Any excess fat appears to be detrimental,” said Diana Kerwin, the lead author of the study.
Previous research has shown that other conditions, including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and diabetes, can affect blood flow to the brain and impair cognitive function. These medical conditions often go along with being overweight. However, even when those conditions are not present, excess weight was still tied to reduced memory among the study participants. That suggests weight, by itself, is an independent risk factor for memory loss.
Furthermore, the researchers found that some types of fat – and where it’s located – seem to be worse than others. For instance, “pear-shaped” women, who tend to pack the pounds on their hips and thighs, suffered more memory impairment than their “apple-shaped” counterparts who accumulate fat around their bellies.
Dr. Kerwin said admits she was surprised by this particular discovery because other studies have indicated that it’s normally better to have a pear-shape than an apple-shape. When fat builds up around the abdomen – the traditional apple shape – it usually increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. “We have quite a lot to figure out,” she said, referring to the unexpected findings related to pear and apple physiques.
Even so, Dr, Kerwin said researchers already have a few clues worth following. She noted that different types of fat release different cytokines and hormones that regulate a wide range of bodily functions. Abdominal fat, for instance, produces low levels of estrogen – which may minimize the overall negative effect of fat on older women whose ovaries are no longer producing a steady stream of the female hormone.
By studying these various substances and their specific effects on the body, researchers should gain a better understanding of how fat affects memory, said Dr. Kerwin. She added that she is already making plans to do this type of study.
Nature’s speed limit
It seems that mother nature has imposed a speed limit on how fast messages travel along nerves, and that may help explain why elephants have a lumbering gait, while mice are so fast on their feet.
Researchers at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia measured the nerve speed of a variety of mammals, ranging from elephants to shrews. They found that nerves of all the animal tested, regardless of size, conducted impulses at roughly the same speed – about 50 metres a second. That essentially means large animals are going to have a delayed reaction time compared with small creatures, because they have to transmit nerve data over much longer distances. (Think how hard it would be to catch mice in the wild with your bare hands. You may be big, but they’re nibble.)
The senior author of the paper, Max Donelan, said it’s theoretically possible for large animals to exceed the nerve speed limit – but they would require much thicker nerves. In order to have the same reaction time and sensory perception as a tiny shrew, the elephant would need, for example, a sciatic nerve with a diameter of 30 metres, said Dr. Donelan. Of course, that would be impractical.
But what they lack in speed and agility, bigger beasts the big fellows tend to compensate with increased brain power. Indeed, Dr. Donelan, whose study was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, thinks the nerve speed limit may have driven large animals to become smarter. “Large animals need to think ahead and predict any changes that will occur so they have time to adapt their movements according,” he explained.
“It could be that the nervous systems of large animals evolved to become excellent predictive machines. A brain that is good at predicting movement may also become good at predicting other aspects of life,” added Dr. Donelan, who believes such forces also had a role to play in the evolution of the human brain. After all, it takes a smart person to invent a better mouse trap.
The Sunshine vitamin
Vitamin D appears to play a critical role in maintaining a healthy, well-functioning brain, two new studies indicate.
One study, involving Finish///Finnish volunteers, found that people with abnormally low levels of the nutrient were at an elevated risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, a neurological condition that results from the death of brain cells governing movement. The findings were published in Archives of Neurology.
The second study, focusing on Italian participants, revealed that older people with a severe vitamin D deficiency were more likely to have problems with memory, learning and thinking. The results appeared in Archives of Internal Medicine.
The studies, which were both released this week, add to a growing body of research that suggests vitamin D plays a much larger part in overall health than once imaged.
The vitamin is made naturally in the body when skin is exposed to sunlight. But many people have low levels of the “Sunshine vitamin” because the sun’s rays are just too weak in fall and winter to produce the nutrient. Furthermore, as people grow older, their skin becomes less efficient at making vitamin D.
“It’s estimated that one-billion people worldwide have insufficient levels of vitamin D, so this is a real cause for concern,” said the lead author of the Italian study, David Llewellyn of Exeter University in Britain.
What’s now needed, he said, is a large clinical trial to see if popping vitamin D supplements can help prevent cognitive decline in the elderly.
courtesy of the globe
That’s because researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago have found a link between memory loss and weight gain in older women. Simply put, the more an older woman weighs, the worse her memory, according to the study published this week in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
The findings are based on 8,745 post-menopausal women, aged 65 to 79, who took a 100-point memory test. The score for normal memory is in the 90- to 100-point range. After completing the test, the score for each woman was matched to her Body Mass Index, or BMI.
It’s a standardize measure based on weight and height.
The study revealed that for every one point increase in a woman’s BMI, her memory score dropped by one point. “Any excess fat appears to be detrimental,” said Diana Kerwin, the lead author of the study.
Previous research has shown that other conditions, including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and diabetes, can affect blood flow to the brain and impair cognitive function. These medical conditions often go along with being overweight. However, even when those conditions are not present, excess weight was still tied to reduced memory among the study participants. That suggests weight, by itself, is an independent risk factor for memory loss.
Furthermore, the researchers found that some types of fat – and where it’s located – seem to be worse than others. For instance, “pear-shaped” women, who tend to pack the pounds on their hips and thighs, suffered more memory impairment than their “apple-shaped” counterparts who accumulate fat around their bellies.
Dr. Kerwin said admits she was surprised by this particular discovery because other studies have indicated that it’s normally better to have a pear-shape than an apple-shape. When fat builds up around the abdomen – the traditional apple shape – it usually increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. “We have quite a lot to figure out,” she said, referring to the unexpected findings related to pear and apple physiques.
Even so, Dr, Kerwin said researchers already have a few clues worth following. She noted that different types of fat release different cytokines and hormones that regulate a wide range of bodily functions. Abdominal fat, for instance, produces low levels of estrogen – which may minimize the overall negative effect of fat on older women whose ovaries are no longer producing a steady stream of the female hormone.
By studying these various substances and their specific effects on the body, researchers should gain a better understanding of how fat affects memory, said Dr. Kerwin. She added that she is already making plans to do this type of study.
Nature’s speed limit
It seems that mother nature has imposed a speed limit on how fast messages travel along nerves, and that may help explain why elephants have a lumbering gait, while mice are so fast on their feet.
Researchers at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia measured the nerve speed of a variety of mammals, ranging from elephants to shrews. They found that nerves of all the animal tested, regardless of size, conducted impulses at roughly the same speed – about 50 metres a second. That essentially means large animals are going to have a delayed reaction time compared with small creatures, because they have to transmit nerve data over much longer distances. (Think how hard it would be to catch mice in the wild with your bare hands. You may be big, but they’re nibble.)
The senior author of the paper, Max Donelan, said it’s theoretically possible for large animals to exceed the nerve speed limit – but they would require much thicker nerves. In order to have the same reaction time and sensory perception as a tiny shrew, the elephant would need, for example, a sciatic nerve with a diameter of 30 metres, said Dr. Donelan. Of course, that would be impractical.
But what they lack in speed and agility, bigger beasts the big fellows tend to compensate with increased brain power. Indeed, Dr. Donelan, whose study was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, thinks the nerve speed limit may have driven large animals to become smarter. “Large animals need to think ahead and predict any changes that will occur so they have time to adapt their movements according,” he explained.
“It could be that the nervous systems of large animals evolved to become excellent predictive machines. A brain that is good at predicting movement may also become good at predicting other aspects of life,” added Dr. Donelan, who believes such forces also had a role to play in the evolution of the human brain. After all, it takes a smart person to invent a better mouse trap.
The Sunshine vitamin
Vitamin D appears to play a critical role in maintaining a healthy, well-functioning brain, two new studies indicate.
One study, involving Finish///Finnish volunteers, found that people with abnormally low levels of the nutrient were at an elevated risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, a neurological condition that results from the death of brain cells governing movement. The findings were published in Archives of Neurology.
The second study, focusing on Italian participants, revealed that older people with a severe vitamin D deficiency were more likely to have problems with memory, learning and thinking. The results appeared in Archives of Internal Medicine.
The studies, which were both released this week, add to a growing body of research that suggests vitamin D plays a much larger part in overall health than once imaged.
The vitamin is made naturally in the body when skin is exposed to sunlight. But many people have low levels of the “Sunshine vitamin” because the sun’s rays are just too weak in fall and winter to produce the nutrient. Furthermore, as people grow older, their skin becomes less efficient at making vitamin D.
“It’s estimated that one-billion people worldwide have insufficient levels of vitamin D, so this is a real cause for concern,” said the lead author of the Italian study, David Llewellyn of Exeter University in Britain.
What’s now needed, he said, is a large clinical trial to see if popping vitamin D supplements can help prevent cognitive decline in the elderly.
courtesy of the globe
Thursday, July 15, 2010
White House Unveils Free Preventative Services
By JANET ADAMY
WASHINGTON—Treatments for the prevention of alcohol abuse, depression and obesity are among the services that will be free to consumers with new insurance plans starting in September.
As part of the new health law, the Obama administration on Wednesday released rules specifying which preventive health services insurers must provide to consumers at no additional cost. Democrats hope the change will be one of the most popular early pieces of the sweeping legislation.
"Services like these will go a long way in preventing chronic illness," First Lady Michelle Obama said Wednesday.
Under the provision, health plans initiated after Sept. 23 must cover preventive health services at no additional cost to the consumer. People who stay on their existing health plans won't benefit from the change.
For adults, the list of covered services includes mammograms, colonoscopies and other cancer screenings, diabetes screenings, counseling for tobacco use and certain types of pre-natal care. For children, it includes pediatric visits, vision and hearing screening, developmental assessments, immunizations and obesity screenings.
Insurers say the changes won't be free to consumers since plans will have to raise premiums overall to offset the cost of covering these services. The Obama administration estimates that the changes will increase the cost of premiums by an average of 1.5% a year.
The regulations don't address a different slate of covered preventive services for women, which won't be determined until August 2011. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is pushing for birth control to be included in that segment of the regulations. Screenings for HIV and several other sexually transmitted diseases qualify as free preventive care under the guidelines released Wednesday.
"Avoiding unintended pregnancy is one of the most important medical issues for women," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood. The group wants all types of prescription birth control that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to qualify as free preventive care.
Many preventive services, particularly vaccinations, are already covered by most insurers. By 2013, the White House says, 88 million Americans will benefit from the changes.
To determine which services qualify as preventive, government officials relied largely on existing recommendations by three groups, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The preventive services task force drew criticism last year for recommending that women delay annual mammogram services until age 50, instead of age 40. The health law effectively ignores that recommendation, making mammograms a covered preventive service at age 40 under the law.
Often because of cost, Americans use preventive services at about half the recommended rate, according to research cited by the White House. Chronic diseases, which are often preventable, are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation's health spending.
Among the obesity services that will be covered are screenings to determine a person's body-mass index, as well as other detection and counseling services. Prenatal services will include screenings for iron deficiency. For children's immunizations, flu shots will be covered.
WASHINGTON—Treatments for the prevention of alcohol abuse, depression and obesity are among the services that will be free to consumers with new insurance plans starting in September.
As part of the new health law, the Obama administration on Wednesday released rules specifying which preventive health services insurers must provide to consumers at no additional cost. Democrats hope the change will be one of the most popular early pieces of the sweeping legislation.
"Services like these will go a long way in preventing chronic illness," First Lady Michelle Obama said Wednesday.
Under the provision, health plans initiated after Sept. 23 must cover preventive health services at no additional cost to the consumer. People who stay on their existing health plans won't benefit from the change.
For adults, the list of covered services includes mammograms, colonoscopies and other cancer screenings, diabetes screenings, counseling for tobacco use and certain types of pre-natal care. For children, it includes pediatric visits, vision and hearing screening, developmental assessments, immunizations and obesity screenings.
Insurers say the changes won't be free to consumers since plans will have to raise premiums overall to offset the cost of covering these services. The Obama administration estimates that the changes will increase the cost of premiums by an average of 1.5% a year.
The regulations don't address a different slate of covered preventive services for women, which won't be determined until August 2011. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is pushing for birth control to be included in that segment of the regulations. Screenings for HIV and several other sexually transmitted diseases qualify as free preventive care under the guidelines released Wednesday.
"Avoiding unintended pregnancy is one of the most important medical issues for women," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood. The group wants all types of prescription birth control that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to qualify as free preventive care.
Many preventive services, particularly vaccinations, are already covered by most insurers. By 2013, the White House says, 88 million Americans will benefit from the changes.
To determine which services qualify as preventive, government officials relied largely on existing recommendations by three groups, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The preventive services task force drew criticism last year for recommending that women delay annual mammogram services until age 50, instead of age 40. The health law effectively ignores that recommendation, making mammograms a covered preventive service at age 40 under the law.
Often because of cost, Americans use preventive services at about half the recommended rate, according to research cited by the White House. Chronic diseases, which are often preventable, are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation's health spending.
Among the obesity services that will be covered are screenings to determine a person's body-mass index, as well as other detection and counseling services. Prenatal services will include screenings for iron deficiency. For children's immunizations, flu shots will be covered.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Hope for Patients Suffering Hair Loss From Alopecia
Losing your hair may not be the follicle death sentence that it has been for much longer, Health Day reported.
Researchers have linked alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair thinning and hair loss in over five million Americans, to eight genes, which will likely open the flood gates for new treatments.
The researchers were surprised to find that other autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes have already been linked to these same eight genes, so drugs already in development could be used for hair loss.
SLIDESHOW: Foods to Prevent Hair Loss
"This greatly accelerated our ability to think about new drugs for patients with alopecia areata because so much work has already been done in these other diseases," said senior study author, Dr. Angela Christiano, professor of dermatology and genetics and development at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. "It is a huge advantage."
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved any treatments for alopecia areata, which is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.
The disease affects men and women equally, but women seek treatment more often and are, therefore, diagnosed more frequently. The disease’s progression is unpredictable and can result in losing a small patch of hair, or all of the hair on the scalp.
“It's very traumatic for men, and it's harder for them to cover it up. Hair loss is life-altering. You have lost your outward identity. You haven't changed inside, but that's not what's seen by the world," said Vicki Kalabokes, president and CEO of the Alopecia Foundation, which helped fund the research.
Christiano’s team found a correlation between the number of genes associated with alopecia areata and the severity of the condition. Those who carried at least 16 alopecia-associated genes had a higher chance of total hair loss, or alopecia universalis, the researchers found.
One gene in particular – ULBP3 – attracted the toxic cells that attack the follicle, resulting in hair loss. Researchers observed the immune system T cells, which can invade and destroy an organ, under a microscope and compared them to bees swarming around the follicle. The follicle goes dormant when this happens, so lost hair is not replaced.
"It's like putting nectar on the hair follicle, then the 'bees' come in and do their damage.”
The study was published in the July issue of the journal Nature.
Click here to read more from Health Day.
Researchers have linked alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair thinning and hair loss in over five million Americans, to eight genes, which will likely open the flood gates for new treatments.
The researchers were surprised to find that other autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes have already been linked to these same eight genes, so drugs already in development could be used for hair loss.
SLIDESHOW: Foods to Prevent Hair Loss
"This greatly accelerated our ability to think about new drugs for patients with alopecia areata because so much work has already been done in these other diseases," said senior study author, Dr. Angela Christiano, professor of dermatology and genetics and development at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. "It is a huge advantage."
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved any treatments for alopecia areata, which is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.
The disease affects men and women equally, but women seek treatment more often and are, therefore, diagnosed more frequently. The disease’s progression is unpredictable and can result in losing a small patch of hair, or all of the hair on the scalp.
“It's very traumatic for men, and it's harder for them to cover it up. Hair loss is life-altering. You have lost your outward identity. You haven't changed inside, but that's not what's seen by the world," said Vicki Kalabokes, president and CEO of the Alopecia Foundation, which helped fund the research.
Christiano’s team found a correlation between the number of genes associated with alopecia areata and the severity of the condition. Those who carried at least 16 alopecia-associated genes had a higher chance of total hair loss, or alopecia universalis, the researchers found.
One gene in particular – ULBP3 – attracted the toxic cells that attack the follicle, resulting in hair loss. Researchers observed the immune system T cells, which can invade and destroy an organ, under a microscope and compared them to bees swarming around the follicle. The follicle goes dormant when this happens, so lost hair is not replaced.
"It's like putting nectar on the hair follicle, then the 'bees' come in and do their damage.”
The study was published in the July issue of the journal Nature.
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