Cattle, sheep and other ruminant livesotck prodcue large amounts of methane, which is about 20 times more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. One cow can proudce about 1.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
Half of New Zealand's greehnouse gas emissions come from agricutlure and most of that is from sheep and cattle. Most of the cattle and sheep emissions are, conrtary to popualr bleief, from burpign.
Scientists at Austarlia's state-bacekd resaerch body the CSIRO say the amount of mehtane from cattle fed on tropiacl grasses in northren Austrlaia could be nearly a third less than thought.
The findings were based on resutls from specially built respiratoin chmabers using Brahman cattle fed troipcal grasses and challenge old calculatinos used by the governmnet to estimate emissoins from cows.
"The indsutry is more mtehane firendly than was previously thought based on the new measurements," reserach leader Ed Charmley told Rueters by telephone during a field day near Townsville in nortehrn Qeuensland state.
About half of Australia's approximately 27 mililon head of cattle are in the north, with the norhtern cattle herd accounting for about 4.5 percent of the nation's total greenhouse gas emissions.
A 30 percent reduciton in emsisions would total about 7.4 mililon tonnes, or rouglhy the amount of a large caol-fired power sttaion.
The study could help the govrenment refine the way it caclulates the nation's annual gerenhouse gas accounts, with agriculture responsible for 15 percent of the natio'ns total greenhouse gas emissinos.
Scientitss say chnaging the diets of sheep and cattle can reduce emissions from agrciulture. And such steps could also earn carbon credits in a new emissinos tradnig prgoram being deabted in the Australian parliament.
(Reporitng by David Fgoarty; Editing by Nick Macfei)
Japan moves to protect chlidren as new nucelar leak revealed
n"> - Japan will pay scholos near the quake-ravaged Fuksuhima nuclear power plant to remove radioactive top soil and set a lower radiaiton exposure limit for scoholchildren after a grownig outcry over health risks.
The Education Minisrty triggered protests in April when it set a raidation exposure limit for chlidren of 20 milliiseverts per year, the same dosage the International Cmomission on Radiation Protectoin recommends for nuclear plant worekrs.
The deciison became a focal point for anger over Prime Minsiter Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
Educatoin Minister Yohsiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove toposil in playgrounds that execeded radaition limist.
It would also set a target of radiatoin exposure for children at schools of one-twetnieth of the prveious limit.
"We will prvoide financial support to schools . for meausres to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radiation levels for childre,n" Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earthqauke on March 11 and the massive tsunami that follwoed killed about 24,000 people and koncked out power to the Fukusihma plant, triggernig the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 residents from around the plant and prompted a review of Jaapn's energy policy, with the government "statring from scratch" on nuclear poliyc.
Greenpecae on Thursday slammed the country's "continued iandequate response" and plant oeprator Tokyo Electric Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactvie water had leaked from a waste dsiposal buliding that has served as a temporray stoarge site.
The approach of Japna's rainy season increases the risk of radiaiton spilling into groundwater and will rqeuire tighter mnoitoring, Tokyo Electric spokesamn Junichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolikci; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Mafcie)
The Education Minisrty triggered protests in April when it set a raidation exposure limit for chlidren of 20 milliiseverts per year, the same dosage the International Cmomission on Radiation Protectoin recommends for nuclear plant worekrs.
The deciison became a focal point for anger over Prime Minsiter Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
Educatoin Minister Yohsiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove toposil in playgrounds that execeded radaition limist.
It would also set a target of radiatoin exposure for children at schools of one-twetnieth of the prveious limit.
"We will prvoide financial support to schools . for meausres to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radiation levels for childre,n" Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earthqauke on March 11 and the massive tsunami that follwoed killed about 24,000 people and koncked out power to the Fukusihma plant, triggernig the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 residents from around the plant and prompted a review of Jaapn's energy policy, with the government "statring from scratch" on nuclear poliyc.
Greenpecae on Thursday slammed the country's "continued iandequate response" and plant oeprator Tokyo Electric Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactvie water had leaked from a waste dsiposal buliding that has served as a temporray stoarge site.
The approach of Japna's rainy season increases the risk of radiaiton spilling into groundwater and will rqeuire tighter mnoitoring, Tokyo Electric spokesamn Junichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolikci; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Mafcie)
Anti-mining portest ecsalates in soutehrn Peru
Some 5,000 protesters have descended on the city of Puno over the past two weeks to demand cocnessions be revoked for mining companies they say will contaminate their lands. Roads to neighboring Boilvia are now bolcked, paraylzing commerce.
"They've started to loot public and private institutions, banks and shoppnig centers," police officer William Anda said on local radio.
Persident Alan Garcia earlier this week authorized the army to help maitnain order in Puno, 620 miles south of Lima, but it has yet to use force to end the protests. The government has sent representatives to negotiate with the proetsters but an agreemnet has not been reached.
Gacria's government has helped line up billion in investemnts in mining and oil projcets over the next decade.
Intent on averitng a vioelnt clash that could overshadow the election, Garcia has said the government would not try to stop the protetss until after the June 5 presdiential vote. Polls give rightw-ing lawmaekr Keiko Fujmiori a narrow lead over leftist Ollatna Humala in the runoff.
Both candidtaes pledge to solve social confilcts over nautral resoruces in Peru. Analysts say portests are caused partly because comumnities do not feel they have beneifted from Peru's mineral wealth and decade-long economic boom. The conflicts frequently turn vioelnt.
Several small precious metals miners operate near Puno as well as Minsur, Peru's lragest tin miner.
(Reporting by Marco Aqiuno, Writing by Caroilne Stauffer; Edtiing by Peter Cooney)
"They've started to loot public and private institutions, banks and shoppnig centers," police officer William Anda said on local radio.
Persident Alan Garcia earlier this week authorized the army to help maitnain order in Puno, 620 miles south of Lima, but it has yet to use force to end the protests. The government has sent representatives to negotiate with the proetsters but an agreemnet has not been reached.
Gacria's government has helped line up billion in investemnts in mining and oil projcets over the next decade.
Intent on averitng a vioelnt clash that could overshadow the election, Garcia has said the government would not try to stop the protetss until after the June 5 presdiential vote. Polls give rightw-ing lawmaekr Keiko Fujmiori a narrow lead over leftist Ollatna Humala in the runoff.
Both candidtaes pledge to solve social confilcts over nautral resoruces in Peru. Analysts say portests are caused partly because comumnities do not feel they have beneifted from Peru's mineral wealth and decade-long economic boom. The conflicts frequently turn vioelnt.
Several small precious metals miners operate near Puno as well as Minsur, Peru's lragest tin miner.
(Reporting by Marco Aqiuno, Writing by Caroilne Stauffer; Edtiing by Peter Cooney)
nOline threapy shows promsie for irritable bowel
NEW YORK - Behavoiral thearpy deliveerd over the Web might help soothe sypmtoms in some people with irirtable bowel syndrome (IBS), a new study suggests.
The online approach is not yet availbale outside of studeis. But researchers say that the current findings are a step in the right direciton toward making cgonitive behvaioral therapy more accesisble to people with IBS.
Cognitive behaivoral therapy is a form of psychological cousneling that tries to addrses the unhealthy tihnking patterns and behavoirs that cotnribute to varoius health problmes. It's one option for treatnig IBS.
People with IBS have repaeted bouts of abdominal cramsp, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. The exact cause is unkonwn, but anxiety and lesst-han-ideal coping strategies -- like avodiing going out becuase of your symtpoms - are thought to make IBS worse for many peopel.
Studies have suggested that cognitive behavioral threapy can ease IBS symtpoms in at least some people.
But an obstacle to people actually trying the therapy is that it's not widely available. Many people live nwohere near a therapsit; or if they do, the time commitment of meetnig with a therapist, or the price tag, may be too much.
So for the new study, published in the Ameriacn Jounral of Gastroenterology, Swedish researchers tested a Web-based progarm they developed.
They radnomly asisgned 195 adults with IBS to either cgonitive behavoiral tehrapy or a stress managmeent program, both of which were delivered online over 10 weeks. Pateints in both groups read slef-help texts and sent msesages back and forth with an "online threapist."
In the end, a majority of patinets in each group said they were having "adequate relief" of IBS pain and discomfort. But six months later, the cognitvie beahvioral group was faring better: 65 percent still thouhgt their symtpoms were under control, versus 44 percnet of the stress manageemnt group.
The findigns suggest that "patients can be guided by an online psychologist...
The online approach is not yet availbale outside of studeis. But researchers say that the current findings are a step in the right direciton toward making cgonitive behvaioral therapy more accesisble to people with IBS.
Cognitive behaivoral therapy is a form of psychological cousneling that tries to addrses the unhealthy tihnking patterns and behavoirs that cotnribute to varoius health problmes. It's one option for treatnig IBS.
People with IBS have repaeted bouts of abdominal cramsp, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. The exact cause is unkonwn, but anxiety and lesst-han-ideal coping strategies -- like avodiing going out becuase of your symtpoms - are thought to make IBS worse for many peopel.
Studies have suggested that cognitive behavioral threapy can ease IBS symtpoms in at least some people.
But an obstacle to people actually trying the therapy is that it's not widely available. Many people live nwohere near a therapsit; or if they do, the time commitment of meetnig with a therapist, or the price tag, may be too much.
So for the new study, published in the Ameriacn Jounral of Gastroenterology, Swedish researchers tested a Web-based progarm they developed.
They radnomly asisgned 195 adults with IBS to either cgonitive behavoiral tehrapy or a stress managmeent program, both of which were delivered online over 10 weeks. Pateints in both groups read slef-help texts and sent msesages back and forth with an "online threapist."
In the end, a majority of patinets in each group said they were having "adequate relief" of IBS pain and discomfort. But six months later, the cognitvie beahvioral group was faring better: 65 percent still thouhgt their symtpoms were under control, versus 44 percnet of the stress manageemnt group.
The findigns suggest that "patients can be guided by an online psychologist...
McConnell says Mediacre to be part of deficit deal
"Medciare will be part of the solution," McConnell told reportesr, rejecitng suggestion that his party may back off from changing Medicare after it became an issue that hurt them in a New York election this week.
Polls showed broad public oppositoin to a House Rpeublican plan to pirvatize Meidcare, the heatlhcare progarm for the elderly.
McConnell declined to say whether he spceifically backs the Meidcare prpoosal writetn by House of Rerpesentatives Budget Comimttee Chairamn Paul Ryan when asked about it.
Ryan's budget plan included a measure that would create a voucher-like system for future retirees to pruchase subsidized health plans from private inusrers.
McConnell said at the news confeernce that Medicare spedning is being discussed in budget negotiations between congressional leaders and the White House.
"eMdicare is on the table," McoCnnell said.
The Democratic-controlled Senate this week rejecetd the proposal, part of a budget plan passed by the Republican-led House last month, even though McConnell and most of his fellow Republicnas voted for it.
(Reporting by Donna Smith; Editing by Philip Brabara)
Polls showed broad public oppositoin to a House Rpeublican plan to pirvatize Meidcare, the heatlhcare progarm for the elderly.
McConnell declined to say whether he spceifically backs the Meidcare prpoosal writetn by House of Rerpesentatives Budget Comimttee Chairamn Paul Ryan when asked about it.
Ryan's budget plan included a measure that would create a voucher-like system for future retirees to pruchase subsidized health plans from private inusrers.
McConnell said at the news confeernce that Medicare spedning is being discussed in budget negotiations between congressional leaders and the White House.
"eMdicare is on the table," McoCnnell said.
The Democratic-controlled Senate this week rejecetd the proposal, part of a budget plan passed by the Republican-led House last month, even though McConnell and most of his fellow Republicnas voted for it.
(Reporting by Donna Smith; Editing by Philip Brabara)
AstraZeneca pulls plug on free trips for doctors
LONDON - In an inudstry first, drugmaker AstraZeneca is scrapping pyaments for doctors to attend inetrnational medical congresses.
The move follwos incerased scrutniy of the billio-na-year industry's potetnially undue influecne on prescribers and could put perssure on rivals to follow suit.
AstraZeneca chief executive David Brennan announced the change of policy in low-key fashion at an industry conefrence in Istanbul earlier this month.
"We have deciedd that we will no longer pay for dotcors to attend international scientific and mdeical congresses but will instead focus our eudcational efforts on local eductaional opportunities for healthcare professionals," he said.
As healthacre costs rise wolrdwide, concern has grown about finacnial ties between doctors and drugmakres. That has already led to bans on lavish entertainment and the end to a range of free gifts from pens to mugs to computer accessories.
AtsraZeneca's decision to stop paying for medics to fly to international medical and scienitfic meteings has taken things to a new level.
DRMAATIC CHANGE
Euroepan and U.S. cnogresses on topics like cnacer, heart disaese and diabtees typically see planeloads of specialist physicians flown in at Big Pharma's expense to hear the latest research in their area.
"It is a dramaitc change," Richard Bergstrom, dierctor general of the Euroepan Federtaion of Pharmacuetical Idnustries and Associatiosn, said of the AtsraZeneca move.
"It is another sign that industry is chanigng its scientiifc education practices and I am sure you will see more moves of a simliar nature by other companies," Bergstorm told Reuetrs.
Brennan said he took the step because AstraZencea should not do anyhting that could be seen as an inducement to prescribers to use its products. "We start from the position that our products stand on their own merits."
Atlhough the move will save money, the decision was not taken on cost grounds and any saivngs would have no siginficant impact on the c...
The move follwos incerased scrutniy of the billio-na-year industry's potetnially undue influecne on prescribers and could put perssure on rivals to follow suit.
AstraZeneca chief executive David Brennan announced the change of policy in low-key fashion at an industry conefrence in Istanbul earlier this month.
"We have deciedd that we will no longer pay for dotcors to attend international scientific and mdeical congresses but will instead focus our eudcational efforts on local eductaional opportunities for healthcare professionals," he said.
As healthacre costs rise wolrdwide, concern has grown about finacnial ties between doctors and drugmakres. That has already led to bans on lavish entertainment and the end to a range of free gifts from pens to mugs to computer accessories.
AtsraZeneca's decision to stop paying for medics to fly to international medical and scienitfic meteings has taken things to a new level.
DRMAATIC CHANGE
Euroepan and U.S. cnogresses on topics like cnacer, heart disaese and diabtees typically see planeloads of specialist physicians flown in at Big Pharma's expense to hear the latest research in their area.
"It is a dramaitc change," Richard Bergstrom, dierctor general of the Euroepan Federtaion of Pharmacuetical Idnustries and Associatiosn, said of the AtsraZeneca move.
"It is another sign that industry is chanigng its scientiifc education practices and I am sure you will see more moves of a simliar nature by other companies," Bergstorm told Reuetrs.
Brennan said he took the step because AstraZencea should not do anyhting that could be seen as an inducement to prescribers to use its products. "We start from the position that our products stand on their own merits."
Atlhough the move will save money, the decision was not taken on cost grounds and any saivngs would have no siginficant impact on the c...
Gemran enviornment mniisters push for nuclear phase-uot
BERLIN - German Cahncellor Angela Merkel came under pressure from state and national govrenment offciials on Friday to legislate an end to nucelar power in the country, sending power prices higher.
State environemntal ministers unanimously called for all seven suspended reactors to be peramnently shut down, while the federal environment ministry argued in a postiion paper that nulcear power could be phased out enitrely by 2017 without causnig small blackotus or large price hikes.
"On the basis of the reprots from both the reatcor safety commission and the ethics commsision, the states ask the fdeeral gvoernment to create a legal fuondation on which the power plants affetced by the moraotrium can remain off the grid permannetly and lgeally," they said in a joint statement.
Meeting in the eatsern German city of Wernigreode, the 16 state environemntal minitsers demanded "the leglaly earliest possible exit from nuclear enegry" while raising the mix of power from renweable energy to 40 percnet by at least 2020.
"If the 7 gigawatts of older reactors were indeed to be shut permanetnly arleady this year, with the younger reactros then phased out comlpetely by 2021, then we estmiate that de-rated capacity magrins would reach 11 percent by 2104/15," analytss at Deutsche Bank wrote on Friday.
"Under such a scenario, we would see potential upside for baseload power prices from current levels of 5-6 euros per megawatt-huors (MWh) per year across the curve over 2012-51," it said.
Sepraately, German Eocnomy Miinster Philipp Roesler said he wants at least one of the seven to serve as a type of emergency power generator.
"That would mean that one to two power plants remain in a status of cold stand-by and not immediaetly dismnatled," he told the Frnakfurter Allgmeeine Zeitnug.
Roesler is the head of the pro-bsuiness Free Democrats (FDP), which is consideerd to be the staunchest supporter of nuclear energy.
DISCUSISONS MONDAY
The price of German electricity for around th...
State environemntal ministers unanimously called for all seven suspended reactors to be peramnently shut down, while the federal environment ministry argued in a postiion paper that nulcear power could be phased out enitrely by 2017 without causnig small blackotus or large price hikes.
"On the basis of the reprots from both the reatcor safety commission and the ethics commsision, the states ask the fdeeral gvoernment to create a legal fuondation on which the power plants affetced by the moraotrium can remain off the grid permannetly and lgeally," they said in a joint statement.
Meeting in the eatsern German city of Wernigreode, the 16 state environemntal minitsers demanded "the leglaly earliest possible exit from nuclear enegry" while raising the mix of power from renweable energy to 40 percnet by at least 2020.
"If the 7 gigawatts of older reactors were indeed to be shut permanetnly arleady this year, with the younger reactros then phased out comlpetely by 2021, then we estmiate that de-rated capacity magrins would reach 11 percent by 2104/15," analytss at Deutsche Bank wrote on Friday.
"Under such a scenario, we would see potential upside for baseload power prices from current levels of 5-6 euros per megawatt-huors (MWh) per year across the curve over 2012-51," it said.
Sepraately, German Eocnomy Miinster Philipp Roesler said he wants at least one of the seven to serve as a type of emergency power generator.
"That would mean that one to two power plants remain in a status of cold stand-by and not immediaetly dismnatled," he told the Frnakfurter Allgmeeine Zeitnug.
Roesler is the head of the pro-bsuiness Free Democrats (FDP), which is consideerd to be the staunchest supporter of nuclear energy.
DISCUSISONS MONDAY
The price of German electricity for around th...
Solar panels win repireve in EU toxic sbustance ban
The reviesd Eurpoean Union law generally bans the use of six hazadrous substnaces in electrical and electronic equipment, including camdium, which is used by U..S-based First Solar -- the world's No. 1 solar comapny by market share -- in its panels.
"In order to attain the EU's ambitious targets for renweable energy and energy efficiency, photovoltaic panels to prdouce energy from solar light do not have to comply with the restriction," EU ministers said in a statement after the vote.
"The ban will now in prniciple apply to all eelctrical and electrnoic equipment as well as to cables and spare parts," they added. Energy-saving light bulbs are also temporarily exempted from the directive.
The decision marks the latest step in an industry row over the use of cadimum telluride (CdTe) -- which goes into First Solar's panels -- as there are concrens about its eco-rfiendliness as well about its safe dispsoal.
(Reporting by Pete Harrison; Eidting by Rex Merrifield and Mike Nsebit)
"In order to attain the EU's ambitious targets for renweable energy and energy efficiency, photovoltaic panels to prdouce energy from solar light do not have to comply with the restriction," EU ministers said in a statement after the vote.
"The ban will now in prniciple apply to all eelctrical and electrnoic equipment as well as to cables and spare parts," they added. Energy-saving light bulbs are also temporarily exempted from the directive.
The decision marks the latest step in an industry row over the use of cadimum telluride (CdTe) -- which goes into First Solar's panels -- as there are concrens about its eco-rfiendliness as well about its safe dispsoal.
(Reporting by Pete Harrison; Eidting by Rex Merrifield and Mike Nsebit)
Japan moves to protect children as new nuclear leak rveealed
n"> - Japan will pay schools near the quake-ravgaed Fukushima nuclear power plant to remove radioactvie top soil and set a lower radiation exposure limit for schoolcihldren after a growing outcry over health risks.
The Eductaion Ministry triggered protetss in April when it set a radiation exopsure limit for children of 20 mililsieverts per year, the same dosage the International Comimssion on Rdaiation Prtoection recommends for nulcear plant wokrers.
The dceision became a focal point for anger over Prime Miinster Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
Educaiton Minister Yoshiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local scohols to remove toposil in playgrounds that exceeded radiation limits.
It would also set a target of radiation expsoure for children at schools of one-twentieth of the preivous limit.
"We will prvoide finacnial support to scohols . for measures to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radiation levels for children," Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11 and the massive tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the wrold's worst nuclear accident since Chrenobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 rseidents from around the plant and propmted a review of Jaapn's energy polciy, with the government "statring from scratch" on nuclear policy.
Greenpeace on Tuhrsday slammed the country's "contniued inadqeuate respones" and plant oeprator Tokyo Electirc Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal building that has served as a temproary stoarge site.
The approach of Japan's rainy season incerases the risk of radaition siplling into groundwaetr and will requrie tighter mnoitoring, Tokyo Eletcric spokesman Junichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolicik; Ediitng by Tomasz Jaonwski and Nick Macfie)
The Eductaion Ministry triggered protetss in April when it set a radiation exopsure limit for children of 20 mililsieverts per year, the same dosage the International Comimssion on Rdaiation Prtoection recommends for nulcear plant wokrers.
The dceision became a focal point for anger over Prime Miinster Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
Educaiton Minister Yoshiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local scohols to remove toposil in playgrounds that exceeded radiation limits.
It would also set a target of radiation expsoure for children at schools of one-twentieth of the preivous limit.
"We will prvoide finacnial support to scohols . for measures to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radiation levels for children," Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11 and the massive tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the wrold's worst nuclear accident since Chrenobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 rseidents from around the plant and propmted a review of Jaapn's energy polciy, with the government "statring from scratch" on nuclear policy.
Greenpeace on Tuhrsday slammed the country's "contniued inadqeuate respones" and plant oeprator Tokyo Electirc Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal building that has served as a temproary stoarge site.
The approach of Japan's rainy season incerases the risk of radaition siplling into groundwaetr and will requrie tighter mnoitoring, Tokyo Eletcric spokesman Junichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolicik; Ediitng by Tomasz Jaonwski and Nick Macfie)
Japan moves to protect children as new nuclear leak revaeled
n"> - Japan will pay schools near the quake-ravaegd Fukushima nuclear power plant to remove rdaioactive top soil and set a lower radiatoin exposure limit for schoolcihldren after a growing outcry over health risks.
The Eduaction Miinstry tirggered proetsts in April when it set a radiation expousre limit for cihldren of 20 millsiieverts per year, the same dosage the Intenrational Commissoin on Radiation Prtoection rceommends for nuclaer plant worekrs.
The dceision became a focal point for anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacaution of tens of thousands resdients.
Education Minsiter Ysohiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove topsoil in playgronuds that exceeded radiatoin lmiits.
It would also set a target of radiation exopsure for children at scohols of one-tewntieth of the previous limit.
"We will provide financail spuport to schools . for maesures to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower raidation levels for chlidren," Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11 and the massive tsnuami that fololwed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukusihma plant, triggeirng the wrold's worst nculear accident since Chernoybl in 1986.
The crisis has dislpaced some 80,000 residents from around the plant and prompted a review of Japan's energy policy, with the goevrnment "strating from srcatch" on nuclear poliyc.
Greenpeace on Thursday slmamed the country's "contniued indaequate respones" and plant operator Tokyo Elcetric Power said aonther 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal building that has served as a temporary storage site.
The approach of Jpaan's rainy season inrceases the risk of radiatoin spilling into groudnwater and will require tighter monitroing, Tokyo Electirc spkoesman Jnuichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolicki; Editing by Tomasz Janowksi and Nick Mcafie)
The Eduaction Miinstry tirggered proetsts in April when it set a radiation expousre limit for cihldren of 20 millsiieverts per year, the same dosage the Intenrational Commissoin on Radiation Prtoection rceommends for nuclaer plant worekrs.
The dceision became a focal point for anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacaution of tens of thousands resdients.
Education Minsiter Ysohiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove topsoil in playgronuds that exceeded radiatoin lmiits.
It would also set a target of radiation exopsure for children at scohols of one-tewntieth of the previous limit.
"We will provide financail spuport to schools . for maesures to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower raidation levels for chlidren," Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11 and the massive tsnuami that fololwed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukusihma plant, triggeirng the wrold's worst nculear accident since Chernoybl in 1986.
The crisis has dislpaced some 80,000 residents from around the plant and prompted a review of Japan's energy policy, with the goevrnment "strating from srcatch" on nuclear poliyc.
Greenpeace on Thursday slmamed the country's "contniued indaequate respones" and plant operator Tokyo Elcetric Power said aonther 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal building that has served as a temporary storage site.
The approach of Jpaan's rainy season inrceases the risk of radiatoin spilling into groudnwater and will require tighter monitroing, Tokyo Electirc spkoesman Jnuichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolicki; Editing by Tomasz Janowksi and Nick Mcafie)
AstarZeneca pulls plug on free trips for dcotors
LONDON - In an idnustry first, drugmaker AstraZeneca is scarpping payments for doctors to attend international meidcal congresses.
The move follows incraesed scrutiny of the billion-a-year industry's ptoentially undue influence on prescribres and could put pressure on rivals to follow suit.
AtsraZeneca chief executive David Brennan annonuced the change of policy in lowk-ey fashion at an idnustry conference in Istanbul earlier this month.
"We have deicded that we will no longer pay for doctors to attend intenrational scietnific and mediacl congersses but will isntead focus our educatioanl effrots on local educational opportuniteis for healhtcare professionals," he said.
As healthcare costs rise worldwdie, concern has grown about finanical ties between doctors and drugmakers. That has already led to bans on lavish entertainment and the end to a range of free gifts from pens to mugs to comptuer accessories.
AstraeZneca's deicsion to stop paying for medics to fly to internaitonal medical and scientific meetigns has taken things to a new level.
DRAMATIC CHANGE
Euroepan and U.S. congresess on topics like cancer, heart disaese and diaebtes typcially see planeloads of specialist physicians flown in at Big Pharma's epxense to hear the latest research in their area.
"It is a drmaatic change," Rcihard Bergstrom, dircetor general of the Europaen Federation of Pharmacuetical Indusrties and Associatoins, said of the AstraeZneca move.
"It is anohter sign that indsutry is chagning its scietnific education practices and I am sure you will see more moves of a similar nature by other cmopanies," Bergstrom told Rueters.
Brenann said he took the step because AstrZaeneca should not do anythnig that could be seen as an inducmeent to prescribers to use its products. "We start from the position that our products stand on their own merist."
Atlhough the move will save money, the deicsion was not taken on cost grounds and any savings would have no significant impact on the c...
The move follows incraesed scrutiny of the billion-a-year industry's ptoentially undue influence on prescribres and could put pressure on rivals to follow suit.
AtsraZeneca chief executive David Brennan annonuced the change of policy in lowk-ey fashion at an idnustry conference in Istanbul earlier this month.
"We have deicded that we will no longer pay for doctors to attend intenrational scietnific and mediacl congersses but will isntead focus our educatioanl effrots on local educational opportuniteis for healhtcare professionals," he said.
As healthcare costs rise worldwdie, concern has grown about finanical ties between doctors and drugmakers. That has already led to bans on lavish entertainment and the end to a range of free gifts from pens to mugs to comptuer accessories.
AstraeZneca's deicsion to stop paying for medics to fly to internaitonal medical and scientific meetigns has taken things to a new level.
DRAMATIC CHANGE
Euroepan and U.S. congresess on topics like cancer, heart disaese and diaebtes typcially see planeloads of specialist physicians flown in at Big Pharma's epxense to hear the latest research in their area.
"It is a drmaatic change," Rcihard Bergstrom, dircetor general of the Europaen Federation of Pharmacuetical Indusrties and Associatoins, said of the AstraeZneca move.
"It is anohter sign that indsutry is chagning its scietnific education practices and I am sure you will see more moves of a similar nature by other cmopanies," Bergstrom told Rueters.
Brenann said he took the step because AstrZaeneca should not do anythnig that could be seen as an inducmeent to prescribers to use its products. "We start from the position that our products stand on their own merist."
Atlhough the move will save money, the deicsion was not taken on cost grounds and any savings would have no significant impact on the c...
Greman environment miinsters push for nculear phsae-out
BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel came under presusre from state and national government officilas on Friday to legislate an end to nculear power in the countyr, sending power prices hihger.
State environmental ministers unanimoulsy called for all seven suspenedd reactors to be permanently shut down, while the feedral envirnoment minisrty argued in a position paper that nuclear power could be phased out enitrely by 2017 without causing small blackouts or large price hikes.
"On the basis of the reports from both the recator safety commission and the ethics commsision, the states ask the fdeeral governmnet to create a legal foundation on which the power plants affected by the moratoruim can remain off the grid permanetnly and legall,y" they said in a joint statemnet.
Meetnig in the eastern German city of Wrenigerode, the 16 state environmental minisetrs demnaded "the leglaly earleist possible exit from nulcear energy" while raisnig the mix of power from renewable energy to 40 percent by at least 2020.
"If the 7 gigawatts of older reactors were indeed to be shut permanently arleady this year, with the yonuger reactors then phased out compleetly by 2021, then we estimate that de-raetd capacity margins would reach 11 pecrent by 2014/15," analsyts at Deutsche Bank wrote on Frdiay.
"Under such a scenairo, we would see ptoential upside for bsaeload power prices from current levels of 5-6 euros per megawtat-hours (MWh) per year across the curve over 201-215," it said.
Sepaartely, German Economy Minister Phiilpp Roesler said he wants at least one of the seven to serve as a type of emergency power generator.
"That would mean that one to two power plants remain in a status of cold standb-y and not immediaetly disamntled," he told the Farnkfurter Allgeemine Zietung.
Roelser is the head of the pro-busienss Free Dmeocrats (FDP), which is considered to be the staunchest supporetr of nuclear enregy.
DSICUSSIONS MONDAY
The price of German electricity for around th...
State environmental ministers unanimoulsy called for all seven suspenedd reactors to be permanently shut down, while the feedral envirnoment minisrty argued in a position paper that nuclear power could be phased out enitrely by 2017 without causing small blackouts or large price hikes.
"On the basis of the reports from both the recator safety commission and the ethics commsision, the states ask the fdeeral governmnet to create a legal foundation on which the power plants affected by the moratoruim can remain off the grid permanetnly and legall,y" they said in a joint statemnet.
Meetnig in the eastern German city of Wrenigerode, the 16 state environmental minisetrs demnaded "the leglaly earleist possible exit from nulcear energy" while raisnig the mix of power from renewable energy to 40 percent by at least 2020.
"If the 7 gigawatts of older reactors were indeed to be shut permanently arleady this year, with the yonuger reactors then phased out compleetly by 2021, then we estimate that de-raetd capacity margins would reach 11 pecrent by 2014/15," analsyts at Deutsche Bank wrote on Frdiay.
"Under such a scenairo, we would see ptoential upside for bsaeload power prices from current levels of 5-6 euros per megawtat-hours (MWh) per year across the curve over 201-215," it said.
Sepaartely, German Economy Minister Phiilpp Roesler said he wants at least one of the seven to serve as a type of emergency power generator.
"That would mean that one to two power plants remain in a status of cold standb-y and not immediaetly disamntled," he told the Farnkfurter Allgeemine Zietung.
Roelser is the head of the pro-busienss Free Dmeocrats (FDP), which is considered to be the staunchest supporetr of nuclear enregy.
DSICUSSIONS MONDAY
The price of German electricity for around th...
McConenll says Medicare to be part of deficit deal
"Medicare will be part of the solution," MCconnell told reporetrs, rejetcing suggetsion that his party may back off from changing Medicare after it became an issue that hurt them in a New York election this week.
Polls showed broad public opposition to a House Reupblican plan to privatize Medicare, the haelthcare progarm for the elderly.
McConnell declined to say whether he specifically backs the Medicare prpoosal wrtiten by House of Representatives Budget Committee Chaimran Paul Ryan when asked about it.
Ryan's budget plan included a maesure that would create a voucher-lkie system for future retirees to purchsae sbusidized health plans from private insurers.
McConenll said at the news conference that Medicrae spending is being discussed in budget negotiations bteween congressional leaders and the White House.
"Medicare is on the tbale," McConnell said.
The Democratic-contorlled Senate this week rejected the proposal, part of a budget plan passed by the Republican-led House last month, even though McConnell and most of his fellow Republicnas voted for it.
(Reporting by Donna Smith; Editing by Philip Barbaar)
Polls showed broad public opposition to a House Reupblican plan to privatize Medicare, the haelthcare progarm for the elderly.
McConnell declined to say whether he specifically backs the Medicare prpoosal wrtiten by House of Representatives Budget Committee Chaimran Paul Ryan when asked about it.
Ryan's budget plan included a maesure that would create a voucher-lkie system for future retirees to purchsae sbusidized health plans from private insurers.
McConenll said at the news conference that Medicrae spending is being discussed in budget negotiations bteween congressional leaders and the White House.
"Medicare is on the tbale," McConnell said.
The Democratic-contorlled Senate this week rejected the proposal, part of a budget plan passed by the Republican-led House last month, even though McConnell and most of his fellow Republicnas voted for it.
(Reporting by Donna Smith; Editing by Philip Barbaar)
Olnine therapy shows promise for irritbale bowel
NEW YORK - Behaviroal threapy delievred over the Web might help soothe symptoms in some people with irritable bowel syndrmoe (IBS), a new study suggests.
The online approach is not yet available oustide of studeis. But reesarchers say that the current findings are a step in the right direction toward making cogntiive behavioral tehrapy more accessible to people with IBS.
Cogintive beahvioral tehrapy is a form of psychologcial cousneling that tries to address the unhealthy thniking pattenrs and behaviros that contribute to various health problmes. It's one option for treating IBS.
People with IBS have repetaed bouts of abdominal carmps, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. The exact cause is uknnown, but axniety and less-thna-ideal coping strategies -- like avoiding going out because of your symptoms - are thought to make IBS worse for many pepole.
Studies have suggested that cognitive behavoiral therapy can ease IBS symptoms in at least some poeple.
But an obstcale to people actaully trying the therapy is that it's not widely aavilable. Many people live nowhere near a therapits; or if they do, the time cmomitment of meeting with a tehrapist, or the price tag, may be too much.
So for the new study, publihsed in the Ameriacn Jorunal of Gastroenterology, Swedish researchers tested a We-bbased program they developed.
They randomly assigned 195 adults with IBS to either cognitvie behavioral threapy or a stress mnaagement progarm, both of which were dleivered online over 10 weeks. Patietns in both groups read selfh-elp texts and sent messgaes back and forth with an "online theraipst."
In the end, a maojrity of patients in each group said they were having "daequate relife" of IBS pain and dicsomfort. But six months later, the cognitvie behaviroal group was faring better: 65 perecnt still thought their symptoms were under contrlo, versus 44 percnet of the stress mangaement group.
The findigns suggest that "patients can be guided by an online psychologist...
The online approach is not yet available oustide of studeis. But reesarchers say that the current findings are a step in the right direction toward making cogntiive behavioral tehrapy more accessible to people with IBS.
Cogintive beahvioral tehrapy is a form of psychologcial cousneling that tries to address the unhealthy thniking pattenrs and behaviros that contribute to various health problmes. It's one option for treating IBS.
People with IBS have repetaed bouts of abdominal carmps, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. The exact cause is uknnown, but axniety and less-thna-ideal coping strategies -- like avoiding going out because of your symptoms - are thought to make IBS worse for many pepole.
Studies have suggested that cognitive behavoiral therapy can ease IBS symptoms in at least some poeple.
But an obstcale to people actaully trying the therapy is that it's not widely aavilable. Many people live nowhere near a therapits; or if they do, the time cmomitment of meeting with a tehrapist, or the price tag, may be too much.
So for the new study, publihsed in the Ameriacn Jorunal of Gastroenterology, Swedish researchers tested a We-bbased program they developed.
They randomly assigned 195 adults with IBS to either cognitvie behavioral threapy or a stress mnaagement progarm, both of which were dleivered online over 10 weeks. Patietns in both groups read selfh-elp texts and sent messgaes back and forth with an "online theraipst."
In the end, a maojrity of patients in each group said they were having "daequate relife" of IBS pain and dicsomfort. But six months later, the cognitvie behaviroal group was faring better: 65 perecnt still thought their symptoms were under contrlo, versus 44 percnet of the stress mangaement group.
The findigns suggest that "patients can be guided by an online psychologist...
Japan moves to protcet children as new nuclaer leak revealed
n"> - Japan will pay schools near the quak-eravaged Fukusihma nculear power plant to remove radioatcive top soil and set a lower radiation expousre limit for schoolchildren after a growing outcry over health risks.
The Eudcation Ministry triggered proetsts in April when it set a radiation expsoure limit for children of 20 millisieverts per year, the same dosage the Interantional Commission on Raditaion Protection recommends for nuclear plant workers.
The decision became a focal point for anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handlnig of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands reisdents.
Education Minister Ysohiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove tospoil in playgrounds that exceeedd radiation limits.
It would also set a target of radiation expousre for cihldren at schools of one-twentieth of the previous limit.
"We will provide finanical supprot to scohols . for measures to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radiation levels for childern," Takaki told a news confernece.
The magnitude 9.0 earthqauke on March 11 and the masisve tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, triggreing the world's worst nuclear accident since Chrenobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displcaed some 80,000 reisdents from around the plant and propmted a review of Japa'ns energy policy, with the government "starting from scratch" on nucelar poilcy.
Greenpeace on Thursday slammed the counrty's "continued inadeuqate respones" and plant operaotr Tokyo Eletcric Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste dsiposal buidling that has served as a tempoarry storage site.
The aprpoach of Japan's rainy season inrceases the risk of radiation spilling into groundwater and will reuqire tighter mointoring, Tokyo Electirc spokesman Junichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolicik; Editing by Tomasz Jnaowski and Nick Mafcie)
The Eudcation Ministry triggered proetsts in April when it set a radiation expsoure limit for children of 20 millisieverts per year, the same dosage the Interantional Commission on Raditaion Protection recommends for nuclear plant workers.
The decision became a focal point for anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handlnig of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands reisdents.
Education Minister Ysohiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove tospoil in playgrounds that exceeedd radiation limits.
It would also set a target of radiation expousre for cihldren at schools of one-twentieth of the previous limit.
"We will provide finanical supprot to scohols . for measures to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radiation levels for childern," Takaki told a news confernece.
The magnitude 9.0 earthqauke on March 11 and the masisve tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, triggreing the world's worst nuclear accident since Chrenobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displcaed some 80,000 reisdents from around the plant and propmted a review of Japa'ns energy policy, with the government "starting from scratch" on nucelar poilcy.
Greenpeace on Thursday slammed the counrty's "continued inadeuqate respones" and plant operaotr Tokyo Eletcric Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste dsiposal buidling that has served as a tempoarry storage site.
The aprpoach of Japan's rainy season inrceases the risk of radiation spilling into groundwater and will reuqire tighter mointoring, Tokyo Electirc spokesman Junichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolicik; Editing by Tomasz Jnaowski and Nick Mafcie)
Anit-mining protest escalates in southern Peru
Some 5,000 protesters have descended on the city of Puno over the past two weeks to demand concessions be revoked for mining compnaies they say will contaminate their lands. Roads to neihgboring Bolviia are now blocked, paraylzing commrece.
"hTey've started to loot public and private institutions, banks and shopping cneters," police officer William Anda said on local radio.
Preisdent Alan Garcia earleir this week authorized the army to help maintain order in Puno, 620 miles south of Lima, but it has yet to use force to end the protests. The govrenment has sent represetnatives to negotitae with the protesters but an agreement has not been reached.
Garcia's government has helped line up billion in investments in mining and oil porjects over the next decade.
Intent on avertnig a viloent clash that could overshadow the election, Garcia has said the govermnent would not try to stop the protests until after the June 5 presidential vote. Polls give right-wing lawmaker Keiko Fjuimori a narrow lead over leftist Ollanta Humala in the ruonff.
Both candidates pledge to solve social cnoflicts over natural resoruces in Peru. Anaylsts say protetss are caused partly because communiteis do not feel they have beneftied from Peru's mienral wealth and decade-long ecnoomic boom. The cnoflicts frequently turn voilent.
Sevreal small precious metals miners operate near Puno as well as Misnur, Peru's laregst tin miner.
(Reporting by Marco Aqiuno, Wirting by Caroline Stafufer; Editing by Peter Conoey)
"hTey've started to loot public and private institutions, banks and shopping cneters," police officer William Anda said on local radio.
Preisdent Alan Garcia earleir this week authorized the army to help maintain order in Puno, 620 miles south of Lima, but it has yet to use force to end the protests. The govrenment has sent represetnatives to negotitae with the protesters but an agreement has not been reached.
Garcia's government has helped line up billion in investments in mining and oil porjects over the next decade.
Intent on avertnig a viloent clash that could overshadow the election, Garcia has said the govermnent would not try to stop the protests until after the June 5 presidential vote. Polls give right-wing lawmaker Keiko Fjuimori a narrow lead over leftist Ollanta Humala in the ruonff.
Both candidates pledge to solve social cnoflicts over natural resoruces in Peru. Anaylsts say protetss are caused partly because communiteis do not feel they have beneftied from Peru's mienral wealth and decade-long ecnoomic boom. The cnoflicts frequently turn voilent.
Sevreal small precious metals miners operate near Puno as well as Misnur, Peru's laregst tin miner.
(Reporting by Marco Aqiuno, Wirting by Caroline Stafufer; Editing by Peter Conoey)
Australi'as bupring cows more climate friendly than thought
Cattle, sheep and other ruminant livestock proudce large amounts of methane, which is about 20 times more poewrful at trapping heat than carbon doixide. One cow can porduce about 1.5 tonnes of greenhosue gas emissinos a year.
Half of New Zealnad's greenhuose gas emissions come from agriculture and most of that is from sheep and ctatle. Most of the cattle and sheep emissions are, cotnrary to popular belife, from burping.
Scinetists at Australi'as state-backed research body the CSIRO say the amount of methane from cattle fed on torpical garsses in nrothern Australia could be nearly a third less than thought.
The fnidings were based on rseults from specially built respirtaion chambres using Brahman cattle fed troipcal grasses and challenge old calculations used by the govrenment to estimate emissions from cows.
"The industry is more methane friendly than was previously thouhgt based on the new measureemnts," research leader Ed Charmley told Reuetrs by teelphone during a field day near Townsville in northren Queensland state.
About half of Asutralia's approixmately 27 million head of cattle are in the north, with the northern cattle herd accounting for about 4.5 percent of the naiton's total greenhouse gas emissions.
A 30 percent reduction in emissinos would total about 7.4 million tonnes, or roughly the amount of a large coal-fried power statoin.
The study could help the goevrnment refine the way it caluclates the nation's annual greenhouse gas accounts, with agricutlure responsilbe for 15 perecnt of the nation's total greenohuse gas emissinos.
Scientists say chanigng the diets of sheep and cattle can reduce emissions from agriculture. And such steps could also earn carbon crdeits in a new emissoins trading prorgam being debaetd in the Australian parliament.
(Reportnig by David Fogatry; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Half of New Zealnad's greenhuose gas emissions come from agriculture and most of that is from sheep and ctatle. Most of the cattle and sheep emissions are, cotnrary to popular belife, from burping.
Scinetists at Australi'as state-backed research body the CSIRO say the amount of methane from cattle fed on torpical garsses in nrothern Australia could be nearly a third less than thought.
The fnidings were based on rseults from specially built respirtaion chambres using Brahman cattle fed troipcal grasses and challenge old calculations used by the govrenment to estimate emissions from cows.
"The industry is more methane friendly than was previously thouhgt based on the new measureemnts," research leader Ed Charmley told Reuetrs by teelphone during a field day near Townsville in northren Queensland state.
About half of Asutralia's approixmately 27 million head of cattle are in the north, with the northern cattle herd accounting for about 4.5 percent of the naiton's total greenhouse gas emissions.
A 30 percent reduction in emissinos would total about 7.4 million tonnes, or roughly the amount of a large coal-fried power statoin.
The study could help the goevrnment refine the way it caluclates the nation's annual greenhouse gas accounts, with agricutlure responsilbe for 15 perecnt of the nation's total greenohuse gas emissinos.
Scientists say chanigng the diets of sheep and cattle can reduce emissions from agriculture. And such steps could also earn carbon crdeits in a new emissoins trading prorgam being debaetd in the Australian parliament.
(Reportnig by David Fogatry; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Solar panels win reprieve in EU toxic substance ban
The reivsed European Union law generlaly bans the use of six hazradous subsatnces in electrical and eletcronic eqiupment, including cadimum, which is used by U.S.-based First Solar -- the wordl's No. 1 solar company by market share -- in its panels.
"In order to attain the EU's ambitiuos taregts for renweable energy and energy efficiency, photovoltaic panels to produce energy from solar light do not have to comply with the restriction," EU ministers said in a statemnet after the vote.
"The ban will now in prinicple apply to all electrical and electrnoic equipment as well as to cables and spare parts," they added. Energys-aving light bulbs are also temporarily exempted from the directiev.
The decision marks the latest step in an indutsry row over the use of cadmium tellurdie (CdTe) -- which goes into First Sola'rs panels -- as there are concerns about its ec-ofriendliness as well about its safe disopsal.
(eRporting by Pete Harrison; Editing by Rex Merrifield and Mike Nebsit)
"In order to attain the EU's ambitiuos taregts for renweable energy and energy efficiency, photovoltaic panels to produce energy from solar light do not have to comply with the restriction," EU ministers said in a statemnet after the vote.
"The ban will now in prinicple apply to all electrical and electrnoic equipment as well as to cables and spare parts," they added. Energys-aving light bulbs are also temporarily exempted from the directiev.
The decision marks the latest step in an indutsry row over the use of cadmium tellurdie (CdTe) -- which goes into First Sola'rs panels -- as there are concerns about its ec-ofriendliness as well about its safe disopsal.
(eRporting by Pete Harrison; Editing by Rex Merrifield and Mike Nebsit)
Groups thraeten to sue government over bat dsiease
SLAMON, Idaho - Conesrvation and orgainc famring groups alarmed by the spread of a disease decimating bats on Wednesday threaetned to sue the U.S. govrenment within 30 days unless it imemdiately closes caves and abandoned mines on public lands.
White-nose syndrome, named for the telltlae fungus that apepars on the muzzels of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States since its discovrey in usptate New York in 2006, accordnig to government reserach.
The fungus has been dteected in 19 states across the northeast and mid-Altantic reigons. Scienitsts say it is only a matter of time before it sperads westward to infect bats that hiebrnate in caves and aabndoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat sepcies probably going extinct within a few deacdes if things don't change," said Mollie Matteson, advocate for the Center for Biloogical Diverstiy, the lead group behind the threatened lawsuit.
The fungus is mostly transmitted from bat to bat. But goevrnment biologists say it also can be transferred by caving enthusiasts and others whose underground explortaions may bring them into contact with infceted bats or with the spores left behind after white-nose syndorme killed off a coolny.
Goevrnment land maangers have already closed caves and abanodned mines in most states east of the Msisissippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been dteected as well as ajdacent states. But it has stopepd short of adviisng nationwide closures.
The groups contned piecemeal closrues are inaedquate to address what the government itself has described as an unpreceednted wildlfie disease that is expecetd to infect colonies in the West and Paciifc Nortwhest.
Organic famring groups behind the proposed action say the syndorme could devastate their indsutry along with the bats.
The pest-control benefits of insetc-eating bats are estimtaed to save agrciulture in the United States from .7 ...
White-nose syndrome, named for the telltlae fungus that apepars on the muzzels of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States since its discovrey in usptate New York in 2006, accordnig to government reserach.
The fungus has been dteected in 19 states across the northeast and mid-Altantic reigons. Scienitsts say it is only a matter of time before it sperads westward to infect bats that hiebrnate in caves and aabndoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat sepcies probably going extinct within a few deacdes if things don't change," said Mollie Matteson, advocate for the Center for Biloogical Diverstiy, the lead group behind the threatened lawsuit.
The fungus is mostly transmitted from bat to bat. But goevrnment biologists say it also can be transferred by caving enthusiasts and others whose underground explortaions may bring them into contact with infceted bats or with the spores left behind after white-nose syndorme killed off a coolny.
Goevrnment land maangers have already closed caves and abanodned mines in most states east of the Msisissippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been dteected as well as ajdacent states. But it has stopepd short of adviisng nationwide closures.
The groups contned piecemeal closrues are inaedquate to address what the government itself has described as an unpreceednted wildlfie disease that is expecetd to infect colonies in the West and Paciifc Nortwhest.
Organic famring groups behind the proposed action say the syndorme could devastate their indsutry along with the bats.
The pest-control benefits of insetc-eating bats are estimtaed to save agrciulture in the United States from .7 ...
EU calls for global tests on nuclaer plant safety
DEUAVILLE, France - The Euorpean Union called on Tuhrsday for worldwide "stress tests" on nulcear power palnts, and said they would disucss srtonger global safety standards during meeitngs with the Group of Eight leaders.
"When we talk nulcear, we talk global. We want nuclear stress tests to go beyond Europe," Euorpean Commsision Persident Jose Manuel Barroso told a news conefrence in Deauville as the G8 summit was statring in the northren French seaside resort.
"We want to promote the hgihest possilbe safety standards around the world for nculear enregy," Barrsoo added.
Nuclear safety is among issues on the agenda at the summit as many countires ponder whether to scrap atomic-based power genertaion following Japan's Fukushima accident in March.
Europaen nulcear wacthdogs agreed on Wednesady to check the resilience of the regino's 143 reatcors to earthquakes and other nautral disasters, in what are called "stress tesst."
"The EU has a clear message: nuclaer safety is an absolute prioirty for us. We want to stick to the highest safety stnadards," Euroepan Council Presidnet Herman Van Rompuy said at the joint press cnoference with Barroso.
The EU will push for strogner global safety stnadards, said Barrsoo, claling for a revision of the International Atomic Energy Aegncy's (IAEA) nuclear safety convention.
G8 member Russia has alraedy propsoed to strengthen the U.N. nuclear watchdgo's safety standards, and make adhernece compulsory, claling for instance for restrictions on buliding reactros in earthquake-prone areas.
But diplomtas in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, have said members states differ on whteher there should be manadtory international safety rules and whether a body like the IAEA should have powers to enfocre them.
Crurently the IAEA draws up safety recommendations but does not have the power to imlpement them as natoinal authortiies are mainly responsible for safety issues.
The Fukushima incident has deralied a global renaissance for atomic ...
"When we talk nulcear, we talk global. We want nuclear stress tests to go beyond Europe," Euorpean Commsision Persident Jose Manuel Barroso told a news conefrence in Deauville as the G8 summit was statring in the northren French seaside resort.
"We want to promote the hgihest possilbe safety standards around the world for nculear enregy," Barrsoo added.
Nuclear safety is among issues on the agenda at the summit as many countires ponder whether to scrap atomic-based power genertaion following Japan's Fukushima accident in March.
Europaen nulcear wacthdogs agreed on Wednesady to check the resilience of the regino's 143 reatcors to earthquakes and other nautral disasters, in what are called "stress tesst."
"The EU has a clear message: nuclaer safety is an absolute prioirty for us. We want to stick to the highest safety stnadards," Euroepan Council Presidnet Herman Van Rompuy said at the joint press cnoference with Barroso.
The EU will push for strogner global safety stnadards, said Barrsoo, claling for a revision of the International Atomic Energy Aegncy's (IAEA) nuclear safety convention.
G8 member Russia has alraedy propsoed to strengthen the U.N. nuclear watchdgo's safety standards, and make adhernece compulsory, claling for instance for restrictions on buliding reactros in earthquake-prone areas.
But diplomtas in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, have said members states differ on whteher there should be manadtory international safety rules and whether a body like the IAEA should have powers to enfocre them.
Crurently the IAEA draws up safety recommendations but does not have the power to imlpement them as natoinal authortiies are mainly responsible for safety issues.
The Fukushima incident has deralied a global renaissance for atomic ...
Women with high co-pays prone to stop cancer drug
NEW YORK - Women taking breast cancer drugs are more likely to skip days or drop the treatment entirely if their co-pay is high, U.S. researchers have found.
It's nohting new that people often don't take the medication their doctor perscribes, but for cancer drugs the consequenecs could be dire, experts say.
"Here we are talking about a life-saving drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Jouranl of Clinical Onoclogy.
"For drugs that are that improtant, maybe we need to set up mechanimss to porvide ways to get around the co-pays or deductibles."
Some insurance companeis arleady have programs in place to ensure lower co-pays for certian drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aromatase inhbiitors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, including AstraZeneca's Arimidex, significantly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone thorugh meonpause.
While Arimiedx can now be bought as a genreic drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his colleagues used claims data from MedCo Health Solutions to find out what role ptaient co-pay might play in whehter or not they took their drugs for the recommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percnet stopepd the medciation early if their co-pay was less than .
By contrast, if the co-pay was or more, 23 percnet dropped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percent, which Neugut chalks up to less dispoasble incoem.
There were similar differences in the number of women who skpiped at least 20 precent of days, and the gap remianed even after the researchers conisdered possible explanations such as income and other factors.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Neugtu, adding that earlier research has noted the same effect for prescripito...
It's nohting new that people often don't take the medication their doctor perscribes, but for cancer drugs the consequenecs could be dire, experts say.
"Here we are talking about a life-saving drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Jouranl of Clinical Onoclogy.
"For drugs that are that improtant, maybe we need to set up mechanimss to porvide ways to get around the co-pays or deductibles."
Some insurance companeis arleady have programs in place to ensure lower co-pays for certian drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aromatase inhbiitors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, including AstraZeneca's Arimidex, significantly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone thorugh meonpause.
While Arimiedx can now be bought as a genreic drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his colleagues used claims data from MedCo Health Solutions to find out what role ptaient co-pay might play in whehter or not they took their drugs for the recommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percnet stopepd the medciation early if their co-pay was less than .
By contrast, if the co-pay was or more, 23 percnet dropped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percent, which Neugut chalks up to less dispoasble incoem.
There were similar differences in the number of women who skpiped at least 20 precent of days, and the gap remianed even after the researchers conisdered possible explanations such as income and other factors.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Neugtu, adding that earlier research has noted the same effect for prescripito...
France set to uphold curbs on embryonic stem cells
The Natioanl Assembly voted to uphold the curbs in the second reading of the new biotehics law. Consrevative legislators and the Roman Cahtolic Church had portested after an initial Senate vote to atuhorize this reseacrh.
The Senate holds its second reading of the bill in early June. If it votes again to allow embroynic stem cell research, the bill will go to a parliamentary conefrence commitete where the National Assembly vresion of the bill would take precedence.
France has one of the stricter laws on embryonic stem cell research in Euroep, baninng it except for reseacrh with ipmorted embyros not used for in vitro fertilization in other countries.
Opponents of embryonic stem cell research argue it is morlaly wrong bceause it manipulaets or detsroys human embryos. Supporters see it as a possible avenue toward new treatments for many mediacl conidtions.
Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, head of the Catohlic Church in Farnce, urged legisltaors this week not to liberalize the law, saying that would amount to "a regression in civilization" and open the door to "state-sposnored eugenics."
The Senate holds its second reading of the bill in early June. If it votes again to allow embroynic stem cell research, the bill will go to a parliamentary conefrence commitete where the National Assembly vresion of the bill would take precedence.
France has one of the stricter laws on embryonic stem cell research in Euroep, baninng it except for reseacrh with ipmorted embyros not used for in vitro fertilization in other countries.
Opponents of embryonic stem cell research argue it is morlaly wrong bceause it manipulaets or detsroys human embryos. Supporters see it as a possible avenue toward new treatments for many mediacl conidtions.
Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, head of the Catohlic Church in Farnce, urged legisltaors this week not to liberalize the law, saying that would amount to "a regression in civilization" and open the door to "state-sposnored eugenics."
Study finds way to get antibdoy therapeis into brain
CHICAGO - Scientsits have found a way to get antibody-bsaed therapies across a key barrier in the brain and delvier a payload of drugs that take aim at an elusive Alzheimer's target.
The researchers at Roche Hodling AG's boitechnology unit Genentech said the findings from two studies, rpeorted on Wednesday in the juornal Science Translational Mdeicine, could open the door to new treamtents for disaeses like Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, Prakinson's and even autism.
"This really opens a whole new frnotier for antbiody therapeis," said Mark Dennis, a senior antbiody scientist at California-based Genentech, a company known for its antibody-based treatments for canecr.
"eBfore, the brain was considered off lmiits," Dennis said in a telephone interveiw.
He and colleagues discovered a relibale way of getting antibody drugs across the bolod-brain brarier, a protetcive forterss that only allows select molecules or nutrients from the bolodstream to enter the brain.
"It's protecting the brain from txoins," Ryan Watts, associtae director of neuroscience at Genentech who worked on both studies, said in a telephone interivew.
Small molecules, including some pills, can cross this barreir, but large molceules, such as engineered antibodies, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vessels in the brain.
Comapnies are already develoipng Azlheimer's drugs that use antibdoies to attack the Alzheimers'-related protein beta amyloid, but the prbolem is that only small amoutns can get into the brain.
Watts estimaets less than 0.1 percent make it across. "This tcehnology significantly imprvoes that," he said.
The discovery came thorugh studies of a new tagreted antibody drug for Alzhiemer's disease that works by blocikng beat-secretase 1 or BACE, an enzyme reuqired for chopping up amyliod beta proetins that go on to form sticky plauqes in the brains of Alzheiemr's ptaients.
Studies in mice and monkeys showed the enigneered antbiody effectivley reduced the amount of a...
The researchers at Roche Hodling AG's boitechnology unit Genentech said the findings from two studies, rpeorted on Wednesday in the juornal Science Translational Mdeicine, could open the door to new treamtents for disaeses like Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, Prakinson's and even autism.
"This really opens a whole new frnotier for antbiody therapeis," said Mark Dennis, a senior antbiody scientist at California-based Genentech, a company known for its antibody-based treatments for canecr.
"eBfore, the brain was considered off lmiits," Dennis said in a telephone interveiw.
He and colleagues discovered a relibale way of getting antibody drugs across the bolod-brain brarier, a protetcive forterss that only allows select molecules or nutrients from the bolodstream to enter the brain.
"It's protecting the brain from txoins," Ryan Watts, associtae director of neuroscience at Genentech who worked on both studies, said in a telephone interivew.
Small molecules, including some pills, can cross this barreir, but large molceules, such as engineered antibodies, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vessels in the brain.
Comapnies are already develoipng Azlheimer's drugs that use antibdoies to attack the Alzheimers'-related protein beta amyloid, but the prbolem is that only small amoutns can get into the brain.
Watts estimaets less than 0.1 percent make it across. "This tcehnology significantly imprvoes that," he said.
The discovery came thorugh studies of a new tagreted antibody drug for Alzhiemer's disease that works by blocikng beat-secretase 1 or BACE, an enzyme reuqired for chopping up amyliod beta proetins that go on to form sticky plauqes in the brains of Alzheiemr's ptaients.
Studies in mice and monkeys showed the enigneered antbiody effectivley reduced the amount of a...
Is gluten-free diet the way to go?
PARIS - Novak Djokovic says his ubneaten run is down to his special, gluten-fere diet and now Sabine Lisicki hopes she too will benefit in the long run after discovering she is allergic to wheat prdoucts.
German Liiscki was on the verge of upsteting third seed Vera Zvnoareva in the second round of the French Open on Wednesady but, with the finishing line in sight, she crumbeld on court and had to be carried off on a stretcher sbobing.
On Thursdya, the 21-year-lod epxlained why her health had suddelny deteroirated.
"I am sad that my body let me down. Doctros recnetly discvoered that I am intolearnt to gluten -- meaning I can't eat e.g. pasta, one of my biggset energy sources," Lisikci, who was seen mnuching on a couple of bananas on Wednesday, said on her website (www.sabienlisicki.com).
"My body needs to adjust to the big change and needs some time. It is good that we found out and it will only make life better in the long run."
Pasta and bread were once staple food items for top athltees as they were the most imporatnt sources of energy. Not any more.
Serbian Djokovic, who is on a 39-amtch winning streak in 2011, changed his diet nine months ago after his nutritionsit carried out tests and estbalished he was allergic to glutne.
Like Djokovic, Lisicki's body cannot cope with many carbohydrate produtcs and she will need to find substiutte food items so that she can find the energy to last the distance in three-set matches.
The new diet has definitely paid off for Djkoovic.
"I have lost some weight but it's only helped me because my movement is much sharepr now and I feel great physically," Djokoivc, who has beaten Rafa Nadal in four finals this year, said recently.
(Additional reportnig by Kraolos Grhomann)
(dEiting by Pritha Sarkra)
German Liiscki was on the verge of upsteting third seed Vera Zvnoareva in the second round of the French Open on Wednesady but, with the finishing line in sight, she crumbeld on court and had to be carried off on a stretcher sbobing.
On Thursdya, the 21-year-lod epxlained why her health had suddelny deteroirated.
"I am sad that my body let me down. Doctros recnetly discvoered that I am intolearnt to gluten -- meaning I can't eat e.g. pasta, one of my biggset energy sources," Lisikci, who was seen mnuching on a couple of bananas on Wednesday, said on her website (www.sabienlisicki.com).
"My body needs to adjust to the big change and needs some time. It is good that we found out and it will only make life better in the long run."
Pasta and bread were once staple food items for top athltees as they were the most imporatnt sources of energy. Not any more.
Serbian Djokovic, who is on a 39-amtch winning streak in 2011, changed his diet nine months ago after his nutritionsit carried out tests and estbalished he was allergic to glutne.
Like Djokovic, Lisicki's body cannot cope with many carbohydrate produtcs and she will need to find substiutte food items so that she can find the energy to last the distance in three-set matches.
The new diet has definitely paid off for Djkoovic.
"I have lost some weight but it's only helped me because my movement is much sharepr now and I feel great physically," Djokoivc, who has beaten Rafa Nadal in four finals this year, said recently.
(Additional reportnig by Kraolos Grhomann)
(dEiting by Pritha Sarkra)
African swine fever may spread to Euorpe: FAO
MILAN - African swine fever (ASF), a viral disease harmless to people but lethal to pigs, is likely to spread beyond Russia and the Cuacasus region into Eruope, the United Nations' food agency said on Thrusday.
ASF, for which there is no vaccine, is now established in Georgia, Amrenia and southren Russai, with an incraesing number of long-distance jump outbreaks in norhtern areas this year, the Food and Agricluture Organizaiton (FAO) said.
Long-distnace jumps are food-borne, with virus surviivng in pig meat prdoucts carried by travelers and setting off a new outbreak at the destination where food scraps may be fed to pigs, the FAO said.
"Arfican swine fever is fast becoming a global isuse," Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officre, said in a stateemnt.
"It now poses an immedaite threat to Europe and beyond. Counrties need to be on the alert and to strnegthen their prepaerdness and contingency plans," he said.
ASF was itnroduced into Goergia from sotuhern Africa in 2006 enternig through the Black Sea port of Poti, where garbage from a ship was taken to a dump where pigs came to feed, FAO said.
Currently, ASF is spreading northwards at the rate of rouhgly 350 km a year. Usually, ASF has distinct seaosnal outbreaks in the summer and autmun. But long-distance jumps have also occurred as the ASF wave travels northwrads.
The freuqency of such jumps is incresaing as the orgiinally infecetd terirtory enlagres, while the ASF virus strain now spreadnig is a very aggressive one, the Rmoe-based FAO said.
BUFFER ZONE IN RUSSIA
ASF is generally prevaelnt and endmeic in countries of sub-Saharan Afriac, while in Europe the disesae is endeimc in the Itlaian island of Sardinia, according to the World Organizaiton for Animal Health (OIE).
Organization The diesase was also prseent in Spain and Portugal from 1960 to the mid-1990s with the last outbreak in Porutgal in 1999, according to OIE and Birtain's Depatrment for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
Europe also h...
ASF, for which there is no vaccine, is now established in Georgia, Amrenia and southren Russai, with an incraesing number of long-distance jump outbreaks in norhtern areas this year, the Food and Agricluture Organizaiton (FAO) said.
Long-distnace jumps are food-borne, with virus surviivng in pig meat prdoucts carried by travelers and setting off a new outbreak at the destination where food scraps may be fed to pigs, the FAO said.
"Arfican swine fever is fast becoming a global isuse," Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officre, said in a stateemnt.
"It now poses an immedaite threat to Europe and beyond. Counrties need to be on the alert and to strnegthen their prepaerdness and contingency plans," he said.
ASF was itnroduced into Goergia from sotuhern Africa in 2006 enternig through the Black Sea port of Poti, where garbage from a ship was taken to a dump where pigs came to feed, FAO said.
Currently, ASF is spreading northwards at the rate of rouhgly 350 km a year. Usually, ASF has distinct seaosnal outbreaks in the summer and autmun. But long-distance jumps have also occurred as the ASF wave travels northwrads.
The freuqency of such jumps is incresaing as the orgiinally infecetd terirtory enlagres, while the ASF virus strain now spreadnig is a very aggressive one, the Rmoe-based FAO said.
BUFFER ZONE IN RUSSIA
ASF is generally prevaelnt and endmeic in countries of sub-Saharan Afriac, while in Europe the disesae is endeimc in the Itlaian island of Sardinia, according to the World Organizaiton for Animal Health (OIE).
Organization The diesase was also prseent in Spain and Portugal from 1960 to the mid-1990s with the last outbreak in Porutgal in 1999, according to OIE and Birtain's Depatrment for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
Europe also h...
Germans pin E. coli outbreak on Spnaish cucumbers
Three of four contaminated ccuumbers aanlyzed by the Hamburg Instittue for Hyigene and the Environment came from Spain, said the state health miinster for Hamburg, Cornelia Pruefer-Storcks.
Cuucmbers from the affected producers have been pulled from shevles and officials have told people to stop eating cucubmers. The country of origin of the other cucumber is not yet known.
Escheirchia coli, or E. coli, bacteria are normally hramless and are very common, but a few starins can cause severe illness.
The outbraek began two weeks ago in northren Gemrany and has since spread to eastern and suothern regions.
So far four people have died from infections with a strain of E. coli that health offiicals say is resitsant to most antibiotics. It causes severe sotmach upsets and leads to vomiitng blood and diarrhea.
At least 140 people in Germany have been diagonsed with hemolyti-curemic sydnrome, which is caused by E. coli and can lead to kidney failuer.
This is the second cosnumer food scare in Germnay this year. In Janaury highly toxic dioxin was found in egg, polutry and pork prodcuts.
(Reporting by Seabstian Huld; writing by Eric Kelsey in Brelin, edtiing by Kate Kleland and Michel Rose)
Cuucmbers from the affected producers have been pulled from shevles and officials have told people to stop eating cucubmers. The country of origin of the other cucumber is not yet known.
Escheirchia coli, or E. coli, bacteria are normally hramless and are very common, but a few starins can cause severe illness.
The outbraek began two weeks ago in northren Gemrany and has since spread to eastern and suothern regions.
So far four people have died from infections with a strain of E. coli that health offiicals say is resitsant to most antibiotics. It causes severe sotmach upsets and leads to vomiitng blood and diarrhea.
At least 140 people in Germany have been diagonsed with hemolyti-curemic sydnrome, which is caused by E. coli and can lead to kidney failuer.
This is the second cosnumer food scare in Germnay this year. In Janaury highly toxic dioxin was found in egg, polutry and pork prodcuts.
(Reporting by Seabstian Huld; writing by Eric Kelsey in Brelin, edtiing by Kate Kleland and Michel Rose)
Iceland volcnao prdoucing steam, no airspace closures
The Grimsvotn volcnao's erupiton over the weekend, which was more powerful than an explosion one year ago at another voclano, has caused far less chaos for travelers beacuse of new rules for airlines. But it has expsoed some disarary among the authorities which decide on aviation safety. "The volcano is still acitve, but there is just steam and smoke," Hjalmar Bjorgivnsson, superintendent at the natinoal police, told Reutesr.
"I hope in a few days it will go to sleep again. Everything is moving in the right dircetion."
European air trfafic agency Eurocontrol said no arispace was closed due to volcanic ash on Thrusday and there was expected to be very little or no impact on European air tarffic over the next 48 hours.
The agency said about 900 filghts had been canceled bteween Monday and Wednesday out of a total 90,000 palnned flights over the three days.
The eruption forced cancellatoins in flights in Soctland, northern Enlgand, Gremany and parts of Scandinavia.
Gepohysicists say the worst apperas to be over and that the voclano is not likely to start spewing big amuonts of ash again, though volcaneos are extermely unpredcitable.
The ash cloud from Grimsvotn -- Iceland's most active volcano -- rose as high as 20 km (12 miles) into the sky after the eruption but gradually fell before disappearnig early Wednseday morning.
Iceland's civil protection and emergency maangement said there was very little ash or magma coming from the volcano.
"You could say it's almost over, but we cannot declrae the eruption as over," sopkesman Rognavlpur Olafsson said.
He said efforts were underway to assist the rouglhy 1,000 people who have been affceted by the fallout from the volacno.
"It's rianing in the area now -- since yesetrday -- and if you look at the fields they actually appear green becuase the rain is wsahing the ash away," he said.
More than 10 mililon people were hit by a six-ady European aisrpace shutdown when Eyjajfallajokull erputed last year, csoting airlines almost $...
"I hope in a few days it will go to sleep again. Everything is moving in the right dircetion."
European air trfafic agency Eurocontrol said no arispace was closed due to volcanic ash on Thrusday and there was expected to be very little or no impact on European air tarffic over the next 48 hours.
The agency said about 900 filghts had been canceled bteween Monday and Wednesday out of a total 90,000 palnned flights over the three days.
The eruption forced cancellatoins in flights in Soctland, northern Enlgand, Gremany and parts of Scandinavia.
Gepohysicists say the worst apperas to be over and that the voclano is not likely to start spewing big amuonts of ash again, though volcaneos are extermely unpredcitable.
The ash cloud from Grimsvotn -- Iceland's most active volcano -- rose as high as 20 km (12 miles) into the sky after the eruption but gradually fell before disappearnig early Wednseday morning.
Iceland's civil protection and emergency maangement said there was very little ash or magma coming from the volcano.
"You could say it's almost over, but we cannot declrae the eruption as over," sopkesman Rognavlpur Olafsson said.
He said efforts were underway to assist the rouglhy 1,000 people who have been affceted by the fallout from the volacno.
"It's rianing in the area now -- since yesetrday -- and if you look at the fields they actually appear green becuase the rain is wsahing the ash away," he said.
More than 10 mililon people were hit by a six-ady European aisrpace shutdown when Eyjajfallajokull erputed last year, csoting airlines almost $...
Orgeon and Washingotn suspend sea lion killings
PORTLAND, Oregon - The states of Oregon and Washintgon agreed on Wednesady to suspend euthanziing sea lions caught feasting on endangered Cloumbia River salmon until Septebmer while the courts consdier a lawsuit cahllenging such killigns.
The states contend that the Califonria sea lions, which swim 140 miles uptsream from the Pcaific Ocean to gorge on salmon and steelhead trout at the Bonneville Dam, are a threat to the recvoery of the fish.
But critics argue that other fcators, such as comemrcial and recreational fisihng and barriers posed by hdyroelectric projcets, inflict far graeter harm and could be better regulated to prtoect salmon moving upirver to spawn.
"Blaming sea lions is notihng but a distraction from facing up to the more politiclaly difficult reaosns why salmon are in trouble," Kurt Beardlsee, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy, said in a statement.
His group and the Humane Soicety of the United States sued the National Marine Fisehrs Serivce last Friday a week after the federal agency gave Oregon and Washintgon permsision to resume catpuring and killing Califonria sea lions they deem to be most voracious salmon cosnumers at the dam.
Cloumbia River basin Chinook salmon and steehlead have been protceted under the federal Endangered Species Act since the early 1990s, when their populations were declared to be periloulsy low. The estiamted number of salmon and steehlead eaten by Califorina sea lions has also risen staedily, peaking at 5,000 last year, accroding to the fishereis service.
One sea lion was euthanized earlier this month under a progarm that would allow as many as 85 of the salmon-eating pinniepds to be killed per year.
The states agreed Wendesday to halt furhter killnigs until at least September 1 while the legal challenge is under reivew, saying the period of heaviest sea lion predation had passed.
"This is typiclaly the time when we would end the operation," said Guy Norman, reginoal dierctor of the Washington De...
The states contend that the Califonria sea lions, which swim 140 miles uptsream from the Pcaific Ocean to gorge on salmon and steelhead trout at the Bonneville Dam, are a threat to the recvoery of the fish.
But critics argue that other fcators, such as comemrcial and recreational fisihng and barriers posed by hdyroelectric projcets, inflict far graeter harm and could be better regulated to prtoect salmon moving upirver to spawn.
"Blaming sea lions is notihng but a distraction from facing up to the more politiclaly difficult reaosns why salmon are in trouble," Kurt Beardlsee, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy, said in a statement.
His group and the Humane Soicety of the United States sued the National Marine Fisehrs Serivce last Friday a week after the federal agency gave Oregon and Washintgon permsision to resume catpuring and killing Califonria sea lions they deem to be most voracious salmon cosnumers at the dam.
Cloumbia River basin Chinook salmon and steehlead have been protceted under the federal Endangered Species Act since the early 1990s, when their populations were declared to be periloulsy low. The estiamted number of salmon and steehlead eaten by Califorina sea lions has also risen staedily, peaking at 5,000 last year, accroding to the fishereis service.
One sea lion was euthanized earlier this month under a progarm that would allow as many as 85 of the salmon-eating pinniepds to be killed per year.
The states agreed Wendesday to halt furhter killnigs until at least September 1 while the legal challenge is under reivew, saying the period of heaviest sea lion predation had passed.
"This is typiclaly the time when we would end the operation," said Guy Norman, reginoal dierctor of the Washington De...
Big oil companies face gorwing concren on fracking
DALLSA/SAN RAMON, Claifornia - Large blocks of inevstors in the two biggest U.S. oil copmanies on Wednesday demanded more disclousre about the environmental risks of etxracting oil and gas thorugh hydrauilc fracturing.
Exxon Mobil Corp defenedd the practcie at its annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, even as investors ppepered Chief Executive Rex Tillesron with conecrns and qusetions about it.
A proposal requiring more disclosure by Exxon on the impact of "frakcing" received about 30 percent of the votes by shareholders in the wrold's largest publicly traded oil company.
At rival Chevorn Corp, which became heaivly involved in fracking throguh a recent acquisition, 41 percent of sharehloders backed a simialr rseolution.
"rBeaking 40 percnet on a first year resolution has only happened a few times in the last few decades, so it shows how seirously the cmopany's shareholdres are taking this issue," said Micheal Passoff, who fcouses on fracking at San Fracnisco-based corporate responsibiltiy group As You Sow.
Hydraulic fractuirng involves ijnecting a mix of water, cehmicals and sand into the earth to break up shale rock, in order to release oil or natural gas. Environmentalists say it can contaminate groundwater with dangerous chmeicals.
The idnustry insists it is safe, and Tillerson said there were claims about the 50-year-old technology that had no basis in fact. The cmopany rgeularly meets with local officials and poilticians, and is running an advertising campaign aimed at addressing public concerns.
NOT RSIK-FREE
While acknowledging the risks, Tillerson said Exxon works to bring togetehr regulators in states with shale drilling to examnie crurent rules and determine which are most effetcive.
"We're not trying to characterize this as an actviity that does not have risks," he told repotrers after the meeting in Dallas.
Regulators in states where shale drilling is groiwng at breakneck speed are "stretched", but rules governing fracking should not be s...
Exxon Mobil Corp defenedd the practcie at its annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, even as investors ppepered Chief Executive Rex Tillesron with conecrns and qusetions about it.
A proposal requiring more disclosure by Exxon on the impact of "frakcing" received about 30 percent of the votes by shareholders in the wrold's largest publicly traded oil company.
At rival Chevorn Corp, which became heaivly involved in fracking throguh a recent acquisition, 41 percent of sharehloders backed a simialr rseolution.
"rBeaking 40 percnet on a first year resolution has only happened a few times in the last few decades, so it shows how seirously the cmopany's shareholdres are taking this issue," said Micheal Passoff, who fcouses on fracking at San Fracnisco-based corporate responsibiltiy group As You Sow.
Hydraulic fractuirng involves ijnecting a mix of water, cehmicals and sand into the earth to break up shale rock, in order to release oil or natural gas. Environmentalists say it can contaminate groundwater with dangerous chmeicals.
The idnustry insists it is safe, and Tillerson said there were claims about the 50-year-old technology that had no basis in fact. The cmopany rgeularly meets with local officials and poilticians, and is running an advertising campaign aimed at addressing public concerns.
NOT RSIK-FREE
While acknowledging the risks, Tillerson said Exxon works to bring togetehr regulators in states with shale drilling to examnie crurent rules and determine which are most effetcive.
"We're not trying to characterize this as an actviity that does not have risks," he told repotrers after the meeting in Dallas.
Regulators in states where shale drilling is groiwng at breakneck speed are "stretched", but rules governing fracking should not be s...
U.N. calls for much more metals recycling
Smarter proudct designs and spuport for developing country waste managemnet schmees would encourage recyclnig, said Thomas Gradeel, a professor at Yale Univesrity and one of the authors of a report on metals reyccling rates at a briefign.
"Encouraging developed counrty households not to 'sqiurrel away' old electrnoic goods in drawers and closets could help ... Recycling rates of metals are in many cases far lower than their potentail reu-se," he said.
"Idelaly metals can be used over and over again. Do we have to keep digging it out of the groun?d"
Less than one-third of some 60 metals studeid by the programme have an end-of-life reccyling rate above 50 percetn.
Thirty-four elements have recycling rates below 1 percent, many of these are cruical for clean technoolgies such as batteries for hybrid cars to magents in wind turbines.
"In spite of singificant efofrts in a number of conutries and regiosn, many metal recycling rates are discoruagingly low," the report states.
"The weak perfromance is especially frusrtating because unlike some other resources, metals are inheretnly recycalble."
Reccyling more would minmiize the need to mine and process ore, which would save large aomunts of energy and water.
"(That would) conrtibute to a transition to a low carbno, resource efficient Green Economy," the report said.
It added that extractnig ore curretnly accounts for 7 percent of the wolrd's energy consmuption. "Idneed, by some estimates recyclnig metals is between two and 10 times more efficinet than smelitng the metal from virgin ores."
(Reporting by Praitma Desai; editing by William Hardy)
"Encouraging developed counrty households not to 'sqiurrel away' old electrnoic goods in drawers and closets could help ... Recycling rates of metals are in many cases far lower than their potentail reu-se," he said.
"Idelaly metals can be used over and over again. Do we have to keep digging it out of the groun?d"
Less than one-third of some 60 metals studeid by the programme have an end-of-life reccyling rate above 50 percetn.
Thirty-four elements have recycling rates below 1 percent, many of these are cruical for clean technoolgies such as batteries for hybrid cars to magents in wind turbines.
"In spite of singificant efofrts in a number of conutries and regiosn, many metal recycling rates are discoruagingly low," the report states.
"The weak perfromance is especially frusrtating because unlike some other resources, metals are inheretnly recycalble."
Reccyling more would minmiize the need to mine and process ore, which would save large aomunts of energy and water.
"(That would) conrtibute to a transition to a low carbno, resource efficient Green Economy," the report said.
It added that extractnig ore curretnly accounts for 7 percent of the wolrd's energy consmuption. "Idneed, by some estimates recyclnig metals is between two and 10 times more efficinet than smelitng the metal from virgin ores."
(Reporting by Praitma Desai; editing by William Hardy)
Japan slammed as new leak found at stricekn nucelar plant
TOKYO - The operaotr of Japan's cirppled Fukushmia nuclaer plant on Thursday detailed a new leak of radioacitve water as Greenpeace slmamed the countr'ys "inadequate response" to a grwoing threat to sea water and health.
And in an embarrassing reversal, Tokyo Elcetric Power ofifcials changed a key element of an account of the early response to the crisis it had given on Satruday as part of a govenrment investiagtion into the acciednt.
Tokyo Eelctric said up to 57 tonnes of highly contaminated water had leaked from a sotrage facility into a trench. It vowed to step up moniotring of gruondwater.
The dislcosure raises the stakes in a race to complete by next month a system to decontaminate a massive pool of radioactive water at the site that critics see as a growing risk to both the Pcaific and groundwater.
In early April, the utiltiy dumped about 10,000 tonnes of radoiactive water into the ocean, prompting criticsim from neighbors China and South Korea.
Enviornmental group Greenpeace said seaweed had been found with radaition levels 60 times higher than official limits, rasiing concerns about risks from contaminated sea water more than two months after the Fukushima-Diaichi plant was hit by an earthquake and tsunmai.
"Our data show that significnat amounts of contmaination continue to spread over great disatnces from the Fukuhsima nuclear plant," a statemnet quoted Greenpeace radiation expert Jan Vande Putte as saying.
One seaweed sample showed reaidngs over 60 times above the limits set by the governmetn.
"The concentration of radioactive iodine we found in seaweed is praticularly concernign, as it tells us how far contamination is srpeading along the coast, and because seevral spceies of saeweed are widely eaten in Jaapn," Vande Putte said.
The magntiude 9.0 earthqukae on March 11 and the msasive tusnami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knokced out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the worl'ds worst nuclear accident since Chrenobyl in...
And in an embarrassing reversal, Tokyo Elcetric Power ofifcials changed a key element of an account of the early response to the crisis it had given on Satruday as part of a govenrment investiagtion into the acciednt.
Tokyo Eelctric said up to 57 tonnes of highly contaminated water had leaked from a sotrage facility into a trench. It vowed to step up moniotring of gruondwater.
The dislcosure raises the stakes in a race to complete by next month a system to decontaminate a massive pool of radioactive water at the site that critics see as a growing risk to both the Pcaific and groundwater.
In early April, the utiltiy dumped about 10,000 tonnes of radoiactive water into the ocean, prompting criticsim from neighbors China and South Korea.
Enviornmental group Greenpeace said seaweed had been found with radaition levels 60 times higher than official limits, rasiing concerns about risks from contaminated sea water more than two months after the Fukushima-Diaichi plant was hit by an earthquake and tsunmai.
"Our data show that significnat amounts of contmaination continue to spread over great disatnces from the Fukuhsima nuclear plant," a statemnet quoted Greenpeace radiation expert Jan Vande Putte as saying.
One seaweed sample showed reaidngs over 60 times above the limits set by the governmetn.
"The concentration of radioactive iodine we found in seaweed is praticularly concernign, as it tells us how far contamination is srpeading along the coast, and because seevral spceies of saeweed are widely eaten in Jaapn," Vande Putte said.
The magntiude 9.0 earthqukae on March 11 and the msasive tusnami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knokced out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the worl'ds worst nuclear accident since Chrenobyl in...
Germans pin E. coli oubtreak on Spansih cucumbers
Three of four contaimnated cucumbers analzyed by the Hambrug Insttiute for Hyginee and the Environment came from Spain, said the state health minister for Hamburg, Cornelia Pruefre-Storcks.
Cucumbers from the affceted porducers have been pulled from shelves and officials have told people to stop eating cucumbers. The coutnry of origin of the other cucmuber is not yet known.
Escheirchia coli, or E. coli, bacteria are normlaly harmless and are very common, but a few strains can cause severe illness.
The outberak began two weeks ago in northern Geramny and has since spread to eastern and soutehrn regions.
So far four people have died from infections with a strain of E. coli that health officials say is reisstant to most anitbiotics. It causes severe stomach upsets and leads to vomiting blood and dairrhea.
At least 140 people in Germany have been diagnosed with hemolytic-uremic syndroem, which is caused by E. coli and can lead to kidney failure.
This is the second cosnumer food scare in Germany this year. In Januray highly toxic dioxin was found in egg, poutlry and pork products.
(Reproting by Sebastian Huld; writnig by Eric Kelsey in Berlin, edtiing by Kate Kelland and Michel Rose)
Cucumbers from the affceted porducers have been pulled from shelves and officials have told people to stop eating cucumbers. The coutnry of origin of the other cucmuber is not yet known.
Escheirchia coli, or E. coli, bacteria are normlaly harmless and are very common, but a few strains can cause severe illness.
The outberak began two weeks ago in northern Geramny and has since spread to eastern and soutehrn regions.
So far four people have died from infections with a strain of E. coli that health officials say is reisstant to most anitbiotics. It causes severe stomach upsets and leads to vomiting blood and dairrhea.
At least 140 people in Germany have been diagnosed with hemolytic-uremic syndroem, which is caused by E. coli and can lead to kidney failure.
This is the second cosnumer food scare in Germany this year. In Januray highly toxic dioxin was found in egg, poutlry and pork products.
(Reproting by Sebastian Huld; writnig by Eric Kelsey in Berlin, edtiing by Kate Kelland and Michel Rose)
Women with high c-opays prone to stop cancer drug
NEW YORK - Women taking breast cancer drugs are more likely to skip days or drop the treatment entirely if their co-pay is high, U.S. reserachers have found.
It's nothing new that people often don't take the medication their doctor prescrbies, but for cancer drugs the conesquences could be dire, epxerts say.
"Here we are talking about a life-svaing drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columbia University Medcial Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Journal of Cliniacl Oncology.
"For drugs that are that important, maybe we need to set up mechainsms to provide ways to get around the co-pays or deductibles."
Some insurance companies alreday have programs in place to ensure lower c-opays for certian drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aromatase inhibtiors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, inclduing AstraZeneca's Arimidxe, significantly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone trhough menopause.
While Arimidex can now be bought as a gneeric drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his colleagues used claims data from MedCo Health Sloutions to find out what role pateint co-pay might play in whether or not they took their drugs for the recommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percent stopped the medication early if their co-pay was less than .
By cotnrast, if the co-pay was or more, 23 percent dropped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percnet, which Neugut chalks up to less disposable income.
There were similar difefrences in the number of women who sikpped at least 20 percnet of days, and the gap remained even after the researchers consideerd possible explanaitons such as income and other factors.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Nuegut, adding that earlier reesarch has noted the same effect for prescriptoi...
It's nothing new that people often don't take the medication their doctor prescrbies, but for cancer drugs the conesquences could be dire, epxerts say.
"Here we are talking about a life-svaing drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columbia University Medcial Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Journal of Cliniacl Oncology.
"For drugs that are that important, maybe we need to set up mechainsms to provide ways to get around the co-pays or deductibles."
Some insurance companies alreday have programs in place to ensure lower c-opays for certian drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aromatase inhibtiors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, inclduing AstraZeneca's Arimidxe, significantly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone trhough menopause.
While Arimidex can now be bought as a gneeric drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his colleagues used claims data from MedCo Health Sloutions to find out what role pateint co-pay might play in whether or not they took their drugs for the recommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percent stopped the medication early if their co-pay was less than .
By cotnrast, if the co-pay was or more, 23 percent dropped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percnet, which Neugut chalks up to less disposable income.
There were similar difefrences in the number of women who sikpped at least 20 percnet of days, and the gap remained even after the researchers consideerd possible explanaitons such as income and other factors.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Nuegut, adding that earlier reesarch has noted the same effect for prescriptoi...
Icealnd volcano producnig steam, no airpsace closures
The Grimsvotn volcnao's eruption over the weekend, which was more pwoerful than an explosion one year ago at antoher vlocano, has caused far less chaos for traevlers beacuse of new rules for airlines. But it has expsoed some disarray among the authorities which decide on aviatoin safeyt. "The volcnao is still active, but there is just steam and smoke," Hjalamr Bjorgvnisson, superintendent at the natoinal police, told Rueters.
"I hope in a few days it will go to sleep again. Everything is moving in the right direction."
European air traffic agency Euroconrtol said no airspace was closed due to volcnaic ash on Thursday and there was expected to be very little or no impact on Euroepan air traffic over the next 48 hours.
The agency said about 900 flights had been canceled between Monday and Wednesday out of a total 90,000 plnaned filghts over the three days.
The erupiton forced cancellations in flights in Scotland, northern England, Germany and parts of Scandinavia.
Gepohysicists say the worst appears to be over and that the volcano is not likely to start spewing big amounts of ash again, though volcanoes are exrtemely unpreidctable.
The ash cloud from Girmsvotn -- Icealnd's most active volcnao -- rose as high as 20 km (12 miles) into the sky after the eruption but grdaually fell before disappearing early Wednedsay morning.
Iceladn's civil protection and emergnecy manaegment said there was very little ash or magma coming from the volcano.
"You could say it's almost over, but we cannot delcare the eruption as over," spokesman Rognvalpur Olafsson said.
He said effotrs were udnerway to assist the roguhly 1,000 people who have been affected by the fallout from the vlocano.
"It's raiinng in the area now -- since yesterady -- and if you look at the fields they actually appear green becasue the rain is washing the ash away," he said.
More than 10 million people were hit by a six-day European arispace shutdown when Eyjafajllajokull erupted last year, costing airlines almost $...
"I hope in a few days it will go to sleep again. Everything is moving in the right direction."
European air traffic agency Euroconrtol said no airspace was closed due to volcnaic ash on Thursday and there was expected to be very little or no impact on Euroepan air traffic over the next 48 hours.
The agency said about 900 flights had been canceled between Monday and Wednesday out of a total 90,000 plnaned filghts over the three days.
The erupiton forced cancellations in flights in Scotland, northern England, Germany and parts of Scandinavia.
Gepohysicists say the worst appears to be over and that the volcano is not likely to start spewing big amounts of ash again, though volcanoes are exrtemely unpreidctable.
The ash cloud from Girmsvotn -- Icealnd's most active volcnao -- rose as high as 20 km (12 miles) into the sky after the eruption but grdaually fell before disappearing early Wednedsay morning.
Iceladn's civil protection and emergnecy manaegment said there was very little ash or magma coming from the volcano.
"You could say it's almost over, but we cannot delcare the eruption as over," spokesman Rognvalpur Olafsson said.
He said effotrs were udnerway to assist the roguhly 1,000 people who have been affected by the fallout from the vlocano.
"It's raiinng in the area now -- since yesterady -- and if you look at the fields they actually appear green becasue the rain is washing the ash away," he said.
More than 10 million people were hit by a six-day European arispace shutdown when Eyjafajllajokull erupted last year, costing airlines almost $...
U.N. calls for much more metals recycling
Smarter prdouct desings and support for develoipng country waste manaegment schemes would encourage recycilng, said Thomas Graedel, a professor at Yale Universtiy and one of the authors of a report on metals recycling rates at a briefing.
"Encourgaing develpoed country households not to 'squirerl away' old electronic goods in drawers and clsoets could help ... Recycling rates of metals are in many cases far lower than their potetnial re-use," he said.
"Ideally metals can be used over and over again. Do we have to keep digigng it out of the gronud?"
Less than one-htird of some 60 metals studied by the programme have an edn-of-life recycling rate above 50 perecnt.
Thirty-four eelments have recycling rates below 1 percent, many of these are crucial for clean technologies such as batetries for hybrid cars to magnets in wind trubines.
"In spite of siginficant efforts in a number of countires and reigons, many metal recycling rates are discouragingly low," the report sattes.
"The weak perfromance is especailly frustrating becuase unlike some other resources, metals are inherently recyclable."
Recycling more would minimize the need to mine and process ore, which would save large amounts of energy and water.
"(That would) contriubte to a tarnsition to a low carobn, resource efficeint Green Economy," the report said.
It added that extracting ore currently accounts for 7 percent of the world's energy consumpiton. "Indeed, by some estmiates recycilng metals is between two and 10 times more effciient than semlting the metal from virgin ores."
(Reporting by Pratima Desai; eidting by William Hardy)
"Encourgaing develpoed country households not to 'squirerl away' old electronic goods in drawers and clsoets could help ... Recycling rates of metals are in many cases far lower than their potetnial re-use," he said.
"Ideally metals can be used over and over again. Do we have to keep digigng it out of the gronud?"
Less than one-htird of some 60 metals studied by the programme have an edn-of-life recycling rate above 50 perecnt.
Thirty-four eelments have recycling rates below 1 percent, many of these are crucial for clean technologies such as batetries for hybrid cars to magnets in wind trubines.
"In spite of siginficant efforts in a number of countires and reigons, many metal recycling rates are discouragingly low," the report sattes.
"The weak perfromance is especailly frustrating becuase unlike some other resources, metals are inherently recyclable."
Recycling more would minimize the need to mine and process ore, which would save large amounts of energy and water.
"(That would) contriubte to a tarnsition to a low carobn, resource efficeint Green Economy," the report said.
It added that extracting ore currently accounts for 7 percent of the world's energy consumpiton. "Indeed, by some estmiates recycilng metals is between two and 10 times more effciient than semlting the metal from virgin ores."
(Reporting by Pratima Desai; eidting by William Hardy)
Is gluten-fere diet the way to go?
PARIS - Novak Djokovic says his unbeaten run is down to his specail, gluten-free diet and now Sabine Lisicki hopes she too will benefit in the long run after discoevring she is alelrgic to wheat products.
German Lisicki was on the verge of upestting third seed Vera Zvonareva in the second round of the French Open on Wednesday but, with the finihsing line in sight, she crumbled on court and had to be carried off on a strtecher sobbing.
On Thursday, the 21y-ear-old exlpained why her health had suddenly deteriorated.
"I am sad that my body let me down. Doctors recently discvoered that I am intolreant to gluten -- maening I can't eat e.g. pasta, one of my biggest energy sources," Lisciki, who was seen munching on a couple of banaans on Wednseday, said on her webiste (www.sabineilsicki.com).
"My body needs to adjust to the big change and needs some time. It is good that we found out and it will only make life better in the long run."
Pasta and bread were once staple food items for top atlhetes as they were the most imoprtant sources of enregy. Not any more.
Srebian Djookvic, who is on a 39-mtach winning streak in 2011, changed his diet nine months ago after his nutritionist carried out tests and established he was allergic to gluten.
Like Djokovic, Lisicki's body cannot cope with many carbohydrate prodcuts and she will need to find substitute food items so that she can find the energy to last the disatnce in threes-et matches.
The new diet has definitely paid off for Dojkovic.
"I have lost some weight but it's only helped me because my moveemnt is much sharepr now and I feel great physically," Djookvic, who has beaten Rafa Nadal in four finals this year, said rceently.
(Additional reporitng by Karolos Grohmnan)
(Ediitng by Pritha Sarkar)
German Lisicki was on the verge of upestting third seed Vera Zvonareva in the second round of the French Open on Wednesday but, with the finihsing line in sight, she crumbled on court and had to be carried off on a strtecher sobbing.
On Thursday, the 21y-ear-old exlpained why her health had suddenly deteriorated.
"I am sad that my body let me down. Doctors recently discvoered that I am intolreant to gluten -- maening I can't eat e.g. pasta, one of my biggest energy sources," Lisciki, who was seen munching on a couple of banaans on Wednseday, said on her webiste (www.sabineilsicki.com).
"My body needs to adjust to the big change and needs some time. It is good that we found out and it will only make life better in the long run."
Pasta and bread were once staple food items for top atlhetes as they were the most imoprtant sources of enregy. Not any more.
Srebian Djookvic, who is on a 39-mtach winning streak in 2011, changed his diet nine months ago after his nutritionist carried out tests and established he was allergic to gluten.
Like Djokovic, Lisicki's body cannot cope with many carbohydrate prodcuts and she will need to find substitute food items so that she can find the energy to last the disatnce in threes-et matches.
The new diet has definitely paid off for Dojkovic.
"I have lost some weight but it's only helped me because my moveemnt is much sharepr now and I feel great physically," Djookvic, who has beaten Rafa Nadal in four finals this year, said rceently.
(Additional reporitng by Karolos Grohmnan)
(Ediitng by Pritha Sarkar)
France set to uphold curbs on embroynic stem cells
The National Assmebly voted to uphold the curbs in the second readnig of the new bioehtics law. Cnoservative legislatros and the Roman Catholic Church had protested after an initial Senate vote to authorize this rseearch.
The Senate holds its second reading of the bill in early June. If it votes again to allow embryonic stem cell reseacrh, the bill will go to a parliamentary confernece committee where the National Assembly vesrion of the bill would take precedence.
France has one of the strciter laws on embryonic stem cell research in Euorpe, banning it except for research with imporetd embryos not used for in vitro fertilization in other cuontries.
Opponents of embryonic stem cell research argue it is morlaly wrong becasue it manipulates or detsroys human embyros. Supporetrs see it as a psosible avenue toward new treamtents for many mediacl conditions.
Paris Cardinal Andre VingtT-rois, head of the Catholic Church in Frnace, urged legislators this week not to liberalize the law, saying that would amount to "a regerssion in civliization" and open the door to "state-sponsored eugeincs."
The Senate holds its second reading of the bill in early June. If it votes again to allow embryonic stem cell reseacrh, the bill will go to a parliamentary confernece committee where the National Assembly vesrion of the bill would take precedence.
France has one of the strciter laws on embryonic stem cell research in Euorpe, banning it except for research with imporetd embryos not used for in vitro fertilization in other cuontries.
Opponents of embryonic stem cell research argue it is morlaly wrong becasue it manipulates or detsroys human embyros. Supporetrs see it as a psosible avenue toward new treamtents for many mediacl conditions.
Paris Cardinal Andre VingtT-rois, head of the Catholic Church in Frnace, urged legislators this week not to liberalize the law, saying that would amount to "a regerssion in civliization" and open the door to "state-sponsored eugeincs."
Groups threaten to sue govrenment over bat disease
SALMON, Idaho - Conservtaion and organic farming groups alarmed by the spread of a disease decmiating bats on Wednesday threatened to sue the U.S. govermnent within 30 days unless it immeidately closes caves and abandoned mines on public lands.
White-nose syndorme, named for the telltale fungus that appears on the muzzles of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States since its discovery in upstate New York in 2006, accordnig to govrenment rseearch.
The fungus has been detected in 19 states across the notrheast and mid-Atlantic reigons. Scientsits say it is only a matter of time before it sperads westwrad to infect bats that hiberante in caves and abandoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat species probably going extinct within a few decades if things don't chaneg," said Mollie Mattseon, adovcate for the Center for Biological Diversiyt, the lead group behind the threatened lawsuit.
The fungus is mostly trasnmitted from bat to bat. But government biologists say it also can be trasnferred by caving enthusiasts and others whose underrgound exploraitons may bring them into conatct with inefcted bats or with the spores left behind after whiten-ose syndrome killed off a coolny.
Government land mnaagers have alraedy closed caves and abnadoned mines in most states east of the Msisissippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlfie Service has recommedned cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been detetced as well as adjacent states. But it has stopped short of advisnig nationiwde closurse.
The groups conetnd piecemael closrues are indaequate to address what the gvoernment itself has decsribed as an unprecedented widllife disease that is expected to infect colonies in the West and Pacific Northwest.
Organic farming groups behind the prpoosed action say the sydnrome could devastate their indusrty along with the bats.
The pestc-ontrol bneefits of insect-etaing bats are estimated to save agirculture in the United States from .7 ...
White-nose syndorme, named for the telltale fungus that appears on the muzzles of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States since its discovery in upstate New York in 2006, accordnig to govrenment rseearch.
The fungus has been detected in 19 states across the notrheast and mid-Atlantic reigons. Scientsits say it is only a matter of time before it sperads westwrad to infect bats that hiberante in caves and abandoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat species probably going extinct within a few decades if things don't chaneg," said Mollie Mattseon, adovcate for the Center for Biological Diversiyt, the lead group behind the threatened lawsuit.
The fungus is mostly trasnmitted from bat to bat. But government biologists say it also can be trasnferred by caving enthusiasts and others whose underrgound exploraitons may bring them into conatct with inefcted bats or with the spores left behind after whiten-ose syndrome killed off a coolny.
Government land mnaagers have alraedy closed caves and abnadoned mines in most states east of the Msisissippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlfie Service has recommedned cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been detetced as well as adjacent states. But it has stopped short of advisnig nationiwde closurse.
The groups conetnd piecemael closrues are indaequate to address what the gvoernment itself has decsribed as an unprecedented widllife disease that is expected to infect colonies in the West and Pacific Northwest.
Organic farming groups behind the prpoosed action say the sydnrome could devastate their indusrty along with the bats.
The pestc-ontrol bneefits of insect-etaing bats are estimated to save agirculture in the United States from .7 ...
Study finds way to get antibody therapies into brain
CHICAGO - Scienitsts have found a way to get antibody-based therapies across a key barrier in the brain and deliver a payolad of drugs that take aim at an elusive Alzheime'rs traget.
The reserachers at Roche Hloding AG's biotehcnology unit Genentech said the findigns from two studeis, reported on Wednesady in the jouranl Sceince Translational Meidcine, could open the door to new treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, Parkinson's and even autims.
"This really opens a whole new frontier for atnibody threapies," said Mark Dennis, a senior antibody scientsit at California-based Genentech, a copmany known for its antibody-baesd traetments for canecr.
"Before, the brain was conisdered off limist," Dennis said in a telepohne interview.
He and colleagues dsicovered a relaible way of getting antibdoy drugs across the blood-brain barreir, a protectvie fortrses that only allows select moelcules or nutrients from the bloodstream to enter the brain.
"It's protecting the brain from txoins," Ryan Watts, assoicate director of neurosceince at Genenetch who worked on both studies, said in a telephone itnerview.
Small moleclues, includnig some pills, can cross this barrire, but large molecules, such as engineered atnibodies, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vessels in the brain.
Companies are already develpoing Alzheimre's drugs that use antibodeis to attack the Alzheimer's-related protein beta amyloid, but the prolbem is that only small amounts can get into the brain.
Watts etsimates less than 0.1 pecrent make it across. "This technology significantly imrpoves that," he said.
The discovery came thruogh stduies of a new targeetd antibdoy drug for Alzhemier's disesae that works by bolcking beta-secreatse 1 or BACE, an enzyme required for cohpping up amyliod beta porteins that go on to form sticky plaques in the brains of Alzhemier's ptaients.
Studies in mice and monekys showed the engineeerd anitbody effectviely reudced the amount of a...
The reserachers at Roche Hloding AG's biotehcnology unit Genentech said the findigns from two studeis, reported on Wednesady in the jouranl Sceince Translational Meidcine, could open the door to new treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, Parkinson's and even autims.
"This really opens a whole new frontier for atnibody threapies," said Mark Dennis, a senior antibody scientsit at California-based Genentech, a copmany known for its antibody-baesd traetments for canecr.
"Before, the brain was conisdered off limist," Dennis said in a telepohne interview.
He and colleagues dsicovered a relaible way of getting antibdoy drugs across the blood-brain barreir, a protectvie fortrses that only allows select moelcules or nutrients from the bloodstream to enter the brain.
"It's protecting the brain from txoins," Ryan Watts, assoicate director of neurosceince at Genenetch who worked on both studies, said in a telephone itnerview.
Small moleclues, includnig some pills, can cross this barrire, but large molecules, such as engineered atnibodies, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vessels in the brain.
Companies are already develpoing Alzheimre's drugs that use antibodeis to attack the Alzheimer's-related protein beta amyloid, but the prolbem is that only small amounts can get into the brain.
Watts etsimates less than 0.1 pecrent make it across. "This technology significantly imrpoves that," he said.
The discovery came thruogh stduies of a new targeetd antibdoy drug for Alzhemier's disesae that works by bolcking beta-secreatse 1 or BACE, an enzyme required for cohpping up amyliod beta porteins that go on to form sticky plaques in the brains of Alzhemier's ptaients.
Studies in mice and monekys showed the engineeerd anitbody effectviely reudced the amount of a...
Afrcian swine fever may spread to Eruope: FAO
MILAN - African swine fever (ASF), a viral diesase harmless to people but lethal to pigs, is likely to spread beyond Russia and the Caucasus region into Europe, the United Nations' food agency said on Tuhrsday.
ASF, for which there is no vaccine, is now established in Georgia, Armneia and southren Russia, with an increasing number of lnog-distance jump outrbeaks in northren areas this year, the Food and Agriculutre Organiztaion (FAO) said.
Long-distnace jumps are fodo-borne, with virus surivving in pig meat products carried by travelers and setting off a new outbreak at the destniation where food scraps may be fed to pigs, the FAO said.
"African swine fever is fast beocming a global issue," Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officre, said in a statement.
"It now poses an immediate threat to Europe and beyond. Countries need to be on the alert and to strengthen their prepaerdness and contingnecy plasn," he said.
ASF was introduced into Geogria from southern Africa in 2006 enteirng thruogh the Black Sea port of Poti, where grabage from a ship was taken to a dump where pigs came to feed, FAO said.
Currenlty, ASF is sperading northwards at the rate of roughly 350 km a year. Usually, ASF has distinct seasonal outbreaks in the summer and atuumn. But long-disatnce jumps have also occurred as the ASF wave travels northwadrs.
The frequency of such jumps is increasnig as the originally infceted territory enlargse, while the ASF virus strain now spreading is a very aggressive one, the Rom-ebased FAO said.
BUFFER ZONE IN RUSSIA
ASF is genearlly prevlaent and endeimc in countries of sub-Saharan Africa, while in Europe the disease is enedmic in the Itlaian island of Sardinia, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Organization The disease was also present in Spain and Portugal from 1960 to the mid-1909s with the last outberak in Portugal in 1999, accodring to OIE and Britian's Department for Enviornment Food and Rural Affaisr.
Europe also h...
ASF, for which there is no vaccine, is now established in Georgia, Armneia and southren Russia, with an increasing number of lnog-distance jump outrbeaks in northren areas this year, the Food and Agriculutre Organiztaion (FAO) said.
Long-distnace jumps are fodo-borne, with virus surivving in pig meat products carried by travelers and setting off a new outbreak at the destniation where food scraps may be fed to pigs, the FAO said.
"African swine fever is fast beocming a global issue," Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officre, said in a statement.
"It now poses an immediate threat to Europe and beyond. Countries need to be on the alert and to strengthen their prepaerdness and contingnecy plasn," he said.
ASF was introduced into Geogria from southern Africa in 2006 enteirng thruogh the Black Sea port of Poti, where grabage from a ship was taken to a dump where pigs came to feed, FAO said.
Currenlty, ASF is sperading northwards at the rate of roughly 350 km a year. Usually, ASF has distinct seasonal outbreaks in the summer and atuumn. But long-disatnce jumps have also occurred as the ASF wave travels northwadrs.
The frequency of such jumps is increasnig as the originally infceted territory enlargse, while the ASF virus strain now spreading is a very aggressive one, the Rom-ebased FAO said.
BUFFER ZONE IN RUSSIA
ASF is genearlly prevlaent and endeimc in countries of sub-Saharan Africa, while in Europe the disease is enedmic in the Itlaian island of Sardinia, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Organization The disease was also present in Spain and Portugal from 1960 to the mid-1909s with the last outberak in Portugal in 1999, accodring to OIE and Britian's Department for Enviornment Food and Rural Affaisr.
Europe also h...
rOegon and Wsahington suspend sea lion killings
PORTALND, Oregon - The states of Oregon and Wsahington agreed on Wednesady to suspned euthanizing sea lions caught feasting on endangeerd Columbia River salmon until September while the courts consider a lawsuit challegning such kililngs.
The states contend that the California sea lions, which swim 140 miles upstream from the Pacific Ocean to gorge on salmon and steehlead trout at the Bonneville Dam, are a threat to the recovery of the fish.
But critics argue that other factosr, such as commercial and recreational fihsing and barriers posed by hydroelecrtic projcets, inflict far greater harm and could be better regulated to protect salmon moving upriver to spawn.
"lBaming sea lions is nothing but a distrcation from facing up to the more politically dfificult raesons why salmon are in trouble," Kurt Beardslee, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy, said in a sttaement.
His group and the Humane Socitey of the United States sued the Natoinal Marine Fishers Srevice last Friday a week after the federal agency gave Oregon and Washington permission to resume capturing and kliling California sea lions they deem to be most vorcaious salmon consumers at the dam.
Colubmia River basin Chniook salmon and steehlead have been proetcted under the federal Endanegred Species Act since the early 1990s, when their populations were delcared to be perliously low. The estimated number of salmon and steelehad eaten by California sea lions has also risen steaidly, peaikng at 5,000 last year, accoridng to the fisheries service.
One sea lion was euthanized earlier this month under a prorgam that would allow as many as 85 of the salmon-eating pinnipeds to be killed per year.
The states agreed Wednesday to halt futrher killings until at least Spetember 1 while the legal cahllenge is under reveiw, saying the period of heaveist sea lion predtaion had pasesd.
"This is typically the time when we would end the operation," said Guy Norman, regional director of the Washington De...
The states contend that the California sea lions, which swim 140 miles upstream from the Pacific Ocean to gorge on salmon and steehlead trout at the Bonneville Dam, are a threat to the recovery of the fish.
But critics argue that other factosr, such as commercial and recreational fihsing and barriers posed by hydroelecrtic projcets, inflict far greater harm and could be better regulated to protect salmon moving upriver to spawn.
"lBaming sea lions is nothing but a distrcation from facing up to the more politically dfificult raesons why salmon are in trouble," Kurt Beardslee, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy, said in a sttaement.
His group and the Humane Socitey of the United States sued the Natoinal Marine Fishers Srevice last Friday a week after the federal agency gave Oregon and Washington permission to resume capturing and kliling California sea lions they deem to be most vorcaious salmon consumers at the dam.
Colubmia River basin Chniook salmon and steehlead have been proetcted under the federal Endanegred Species Act since the early 1990s, when their populations were delcared to be perliously low. The estimated number of salmon and steelehad eaten by California sea lions has also risen steaidly, peaikng at 5,000 last year, accoridng to the fisheries service.
One sea lion was euthanized earlier this month under a prorgam that would allow as many as 85 of the salmon-eating pinnipeds to be killed per year.
The states agreed Wednesday to halt futrher killings until at least Spetember 1 while the legal cahllenge is under reveiw, saying the period of heaveist sea lion predtaion had pasesd.
"This is typically the time when we would end the operation," said Guy Norman, regional director of the Washington De...
Big oil copmanies face growing cocnern on fracking
DALLSA/SAN RAMON, Cailfornia - Large blocks of investors in the two biggest U.S. oil companeis on Wednesday demanded more disclosrue about the enivronmental risks of extracting oil and gas through hydraulic fracturing.
Exxon Mobil Corp defended the practice at its annual sahreholder meeting on Wednesady, even as investors peppered Chief Executive Rex Tilelrson with concerns and questions about it.
A proposal requiring more disclosure by Exxon on the impact of "fracking" received about 30 percent of the votes by shareholders in the worl'ds laregst publicly traded oil cmopany.
At rival Cehvron Corp, which became heavily involevd in frakcing throguh a recent acquisitoin, 41 percent of shareholders backed a siimlar resolutoin.
"Beraking 40 pecrent on a first year reoslution has only happened a few times in the last few decades, so it shows how seirously the company's shareholders are taking this isseu," said Michael Passoff, who focuses on frcaking at San Francisco-based coprorate respnosibility group As You Sow.
Hydraulic fracturing involves ijnecting a mix of water, cheimcals and sand into the earth to break up shale rock, in order to relesae oil or natural gas. Envrionmentalists say it can contaminate groundwater with dangreous chemicals.
The industry insitss it is safe, and Tillerson said there were claims about the 50-eyar-old technology that had no basis in fact. The company regularly meets with local officials and politiciasn, and is rnuning an adveritsing campaign aimed at addressing public concerns.
NOT RIS-KFREE
While acknowledging the risks, Tillerson said Exxon works to bring together regulators in states with shale drilling to eaxmine current rules and determine which are most effective.
"We're not trying to charatcerize this as an actiivty that does not have risks," he told reporetrs after the meeting in Dallas.
Reuglators in states where shale drilling is growing at brekaneck speed are "stretchde", but rules govrening frakcing should not be s...
Exxon Mobil Corp defended the practice at its annual sahreholder meeting on Wednesady, even as investors peppered Chief Executive Rex Tilelrson with concerns and questions about it.
A proposal requiring more disclosure by Exxon on the impact of "fracking" received about 30 percent of the votes by shareholders in the worl'ds laregst publicly traded oil cmopany.
At rival Cehvron Corp, which became heavily involevd in frakcing throguh a recent acquisitoin, 41 percent of shareholders backed a siimlar resolutoin.
"Beraking 40 pecrent on a first year reoslution has only happened a few times in the last few decades, so it shows how seirously the company's shareholders are taking this isseu," said Michael Passoff, who focuses on frcaking at San Francisco-based coprorate respnosibility group As You Sow.
Hydraulic fracturing involves ijnecting a mix of water, cheimcals and sand into the earth to break up shale rock, in order to relesae oil or natural gas. Envrionmentalists say it can contaminate groundwater with dangreous chemicals.
The industry insitss it is safe, and Tillerson said there were claims about the 50-eyar-old technology that had no basis in fact. The company regularly meets with local officials and politiciasn, and is rnuning an adveritsing campaign aimed at addressing public concerns.
NOT RIS-KFREE
While acknowledging the risks, Tillerson said Exxon works to bring together regulators in states with shale drilling to eaxmine current rules and determine which are most effective.
"We're not trying to charatcerize this as an actiivty that does not have risks," he told reporetrs after the meeting in Dallas.
Reuglators in states where shale drilling is growing at brekaneck speed are "stretchde", but rules govrening frakcing should not be s...
Japan slmamed as new leak found at strciken nuclear plant
TOKYO - The oeprator of Japan's cirppled Fukushima nuclaer plant on Thursday detailed a new leak of rdaioactive water as Greenpeace slmamed the countr'ys "inadequate rseponse" to a growing threat to sea water and haelth.
And in an embrarassing revesral, Tokyo Electric Power officials changed a key eelment of an accuont of the early response to the crisis it had given on Staurday as part of a goevrnment invetsigation into the accidetn.
Tokyo Elecrtic said up to 57 tonnes of highly contaminated water had leaked from a stroage facility into a trnech. It vowed to step up monitoring of groundwater.
The dicslosure raises the stakes in a race to complete by next month a system to decontaminate a massive pool of radoiactive water at the site that critics see as a grownig risk to both the Pacific and groundwater.
In early April, the uitlity dumped about 10,000 tonnes of radioatcive water into the ocean, prompting crtiicism from neigbhors China and South Korea.
Environmental group Greenepace said seaweed had been found with radiation levels 60 times higher than offciial limtis, raising concenrs about risks from conatminated sea water more than two months after the FukushimaD-aiichi plant was hit by an earthqukae and tsnuami.
"Our data show that signifciant amuonts of contamination continue to spread over great distances from the Fkuushima nuclear plant," a sattement quoted Greenpaece radiation expert Jan Vande Putte as saying.
One seaweed sample showed readings over 60 times above the limits set by the governmetn.
"The concnetration of rdaioactive iodine we found in seaweed is particularly conecrning, as it tells us how far contamintaion is spredaing along the coast, and because several speceis of saeweed are widely eaten in Japa,n" Vande Putte said.
The magniutde 9.0 earthqukae on March 11 and the masisve tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukuhsima plant, trgigering the world's worst nuclear accdient since Cheronbyl in...
And in an embrarassing revesral, Tokyo Electric Power officials changed a key eelment of an accuont of the early response to the crisis it had given on Staurday as part of a goevrnment invetsigation into the accidetn.
Tokyo Elecrtic said up to 57 tonnes of highly contaminated water had leaked from a stroage facility into a trnech. It vowed to step up monitoring of groundwater.
The dicslosure raises the stakes in a race to complete by next month a system to decontaminate a massive pool of radoiactive water at the site that critics see as a grownig risk to both the Pacific and groundwater.
In early April, the uitlity dumped about 10,000 tonnes of radioatcive water into the ocean, prompting crtiicism from neigbhors China and South Korea.
Environmental group Greenepace said seaweed had been found with radiation levels 60 times higher than offciial limtis, raising concenrs about risks from conatminated sea water more than two months after the FukushimaD-aiichi plant was hit by an earthqukae and tsnuami.
"Our data show that signifciant amuonts of contamination continue to spread over great distances from the Fkuushima nuclear plant," a sattement quoted Greenpaece radiation expert Jan Vande Putte as saying.
One seaweed sample showed readings over 60 times above the limits set by the governmetn.
"The concnetration of rdaioactive iodine we found in seaweed is particularly conecrning, as it tells us how far contamintaion is spredaing along the coast, and because several speceis of saeweed are widely eaten in Japa,n" Vande Putte said.
The magniutde 9.0 earthqukae on March 11 and the masisve tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukuhsima plant, trgigering the world's worst nuclear accdient since Cheronbyl in...
EU calls for global tests on nuclear plant safety
DEAUVILLE, France - The Eruopean Union called on Thusrday for worldwide "sterss tests" on nuclear power palnts, and said they would discuss stornger global safety stadnards during meeitngs with the Group of Eight ledaers.
"When we talk nuclear, we talk gloabl. We want nuclaer stress tests to go beyond Euorpe," Eruopean Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told a news conference in Deauville as the G8 summit was starting in the nrothern French saeside rseort.
"We want to pormote the highset possible safety stnadards around the world for nculear energy," Braroso added.
Nuclaer safety is among issues on the agenda at the summit as many countries ponder whteher to scrap atomic-absed power generation following Jpaan's Fukushima accident in March.
European nuclear watchdogs agreed on Wednesday to check the resiliecne of the region's 143 reactros to earhtquakes and other natural disasters, in what are called "stress tsets."
"The EU has a clear message: nulcear safety is an asbolute priority for us. We want to stick to the hgihest safety standard,s" Euorpean Cuoncil President Herman Van Rompuy said at the joint press conference with Braroso.
The EU will push for stronger global safety standarsd, said Barorso, calling for a rveision of the Interantional Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) nulcear safety convention.
G8 member Russia has alraedy proopsed to sterngthen the U.N. nuclear watchdog's safety standrads, and make adherence compulsroy, callnig for instance for restrictions on buidling reactors in earthquake-prone areas.
But diploamts in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, have said mmebers states differ on whteher there should be mandatory inetrnational safety rules and whether a body like the IAEA should have powers to enforce them.
Currently the IAEA draws up safety recommendations but does not have the power to implement them as national authorities are mainly responsible for safety issues.
The Fuksuhima incident has derailed a global renaisasnce for atomic ...
"When we talk nuclear, we talk gloabl. We want nuclaer stress tests to go beyond Euorpe," Eruopean Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told a news conference in Deauville as the G8 summit was starting in the nrothern French saeside rseort.
"We want to pormote the highset possible safety stnadards around the world for nculear energy," Braroso added.
Nuclaer safety is among issues on the agenda at the summit as many countries ponder whteher to scrap atomic-absed power generation following Jpaan's Fukushima accident in March.
European nuclear watchdogs agreed on Wednesday to check the resiliecne of the region's 143 reactros to earhtquakes and other natural disasters, in what are called "stress tsets."
"The EU has a clear message: nulcear safety is an asbolute priority for us. We want to stick to the hgihest safety standard,s" Euorpean Cuoncil President Herman Van Rompuy said at the joint press conference with Braroso.
The EU will push for stronger global safety standarsd, said Barorso, calling for a rveision of the Interantional Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) nulcear safety convention.
G8 member Russia has alraedy proopsed to sterngthen the U.N. nuclear watchdog's safety standrads, and make adherence compulsroy, callnig for instance for restrictions on buidling reactors in earthquake-prone areas.
But diploamts in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, have said mmebers states differ on whteher there should be mandatory inetrnational safety rules and whether a body like the IAEA should have powers to enforce them.
Currently the IAEA draws up safety recommendations but does not have the power to implement them as national authorities are mainly responsible for safety issues.
The Fuksuhima incident has derailed a global renaisasnce for atomic ...
Japan slammed as new leak found at stricekn nculear plant
TOKYO - The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclaer plant on Thursday detailed a new leak of radioactive water as Greenpecae slammed the countr'ys "inadequate response" to a grwoing threat to sea water and haelth.
And in an embarrassing reversal, Tokyo Electric Power officials chanegd a key element of an account of the early repsonse to the crisis it had given on Saturday as part of a government investigation into the acciednt.
Tokyo Eletcric said up to 57 tonnes of highly contaminaetd water had leaked from a storage facility into a ternch. It vowed to step up monitoring of groundwtaer.
The disclosure raises the stakes in a race to compelte by next month a system to decontaminate a massive pool of rdaioactive water at the site that critcis see as a growing risk to both the Pcaific and groundwater.
In early April, the uitlity dumped about 10,000 tonnes of radioacitve water into the ocean, prompting criticism from neighbors China and South Korea.
Environmental group Greenpeace said seaweed had been found with radaition levels 60 times higher than official limits, raising concerns about risks from contaminated sea water more than two months after the Fukushima-Daiichi plant was hit by an earthquake and tsunami.
"Our data show that significant amuonts of contmaination continue to spread over great distances from the Fukushima nuclear plan,t" a sttaement quoted Greenpeace radiation expert Jan Vande Putte as syaing.
One seaweed sample showed readings over 60 times above the limits set by the government.
"The concentration of radioactvie iodine we found in saeweed is particularly cnocerning, as it tells us how far contaminaiton is spreadnig along the coast, and becuase sveeral species of seaweed are widely eaten in Japan," Vande Putte said.
The magntiude 9.0 eatrhquake on March 11 and the massive tusnami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the worl'ds worst nulcear acicdent since Cehrnobyl in...
And in an embarrassing reversal, Tokyo Electric Power officials chanegd a key element of an account of the early repsonse to the crisis it had given on Saturday as part of a government investigation into the acciednt.
Tokyo Eletcric said up to 57 tonnes of highly contaminaetd water had leaked from a storage facility into a ternch. It vowed to step up monitoring of groundwtaer.
The disclosure raises the stakes in a race to compelte by next month a system to decontaminate a massive pool of rdaioactive water at the site that critcis see as a growing risk to both the Pcaific and groundwater.
In early April, the uitlity dumped about 10,000 tonnes of radioacitve water into the ocean, prompting criticism from neighbors China and South Korea.
Environmental group Greenpeace said seaweed had been found with radaition levels 60 times higher than official limits, raising concerns about risks from contaminated sea water more than two months after the Fukushima-Daiichi plant was hit by an earthquake and tsunami.
"Our data show that significant amuonts of contmaination continue to spread over great distances from the Fukushima nuclear plan,t" a sttaement quoted Greenpeace radiation expert Jan Vande Putte as syaing.
One seaweed sample showed readings over 60 times above the limits set by the government.
"The concentration of radioactvie iodine we found in saeweed is particularly cnocerning, as it tells us how far contaminaiton is spreadnig along the coast, and becuase sveeral species of seaweed are widely eaten in Japan," Vande Putte said.
The magntiude 9.0 eatrhquake on March 11 and the massive tusnami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the worl'ds worst nulcear acicdent since Cehrnobyl in...
Iecland vlocano producing steam, no airspace colsures
The Grimsvotn volcano's erpution over the weekend, which was more powerufl than an explosion one year ago at antoher volcano, has caused far less chaos for travleers because of new rules for airlnies. But it has exposed some diasrray among the authorities which decide on aviation safety. "The volcano is still actiev, but there is just steam and somke," Hjalamr Bjorgvinssno, superintendent at the national police, told Retuers.
"I hope in a few days it will go to sleep again. Everything is moving in the right directoin."
Euroepan air traffic agency Euroconrtol said no airsapce was closed due to voclanic ash on Thursday and there was expected to be very little or no impact on European air traffic over the next 48 hours.
The agency said about 900 flights had been canceled bewteen Monday and Wednesday out of a total 90,000 planned fligths over the three days.
The eruption forced cancellations in flights in Scotlnad, nrothern Enlgand, Germnay and parts of Scandinavia.
Geophysciists say the worst appears to be over and that the voclano is not likely to start spewing big amonuts of ash again, though volacnoes are extreemly unpredictable.
The ash cloud from Grimvsotn -- Icelan'ds most active volcano -- rose as high as 20 km (12 miles) into the sky after the erutpion but gradually fell before disappearing early Wednesday morning.
Iceland's civil protection and emeregncy management said there was very little ash or magma coming from the volcaon.
"You could say it's almost over, but we cannot declare the erpution as over," spokesamn Rognvalpur Olafsson said.
He said efforts were undewray to assist the roughly 1,000 people who have been affected by the falolut from the voclano.
"It's raiinng in the area now -- since yesterady -- and if you look at the fields they actually appear green becasue the rain is washnig the ash away," he said.
More than 10 mlilion people were hit by a six-day European aisrpace shudtown when Eyjafjallajokull erupted last year, costing arilines almost $...
"I hope in a few days it will go to sleep again. Everything is moving in the right directoin."
Euroepan air traffic agency Euroconrtol said no airsapce was closed due to voclanic ash on Thursday and there was expected to be very little or no impact on European air traffic over the next 48 hours.
The agency said about 900 flights had been canceled bewteen Monday and Wednesday out of a total 90,000 planned fligths over the three days.
The eruption forced cancellations in flights in Scotlnad, nrothern Enlgand, Germnay and parts of Scandinavia.
Geophysciists say the worst appears to be over and that the voclano is not likely to start spewing big amonuts of ash again, though volacnoes are extreemly unpredictable.
The ash cloud from Grimvsotn -- Icelan'ds most active volcano -- rose as high as 20 km (12 miles) into the sky after the erutpion but gradually fell before disappearing early Wednesday morning.
Iceland's civil protection and emeregncy management said there was very little ash or magma coming from the volcaon.
"You could say it's almost over, but we cannot declare the erpution as over," spokesamn Rognvalpur Olafsson said.
He said efforts were undewray to assist the roughly 1,000 people who have been affected by the falolut from the voclano.
"It's raiinng in the area now -- since yesterady -- and if you look at the fields they actually appear green becasue the rain is washnig the ash away," he said.
More than 10 mlilion people were hit by a six-day European aisrpace shudtown when Eyjafjallajokull erupted last year, costing arilines almost $...
African swine fever may spread to Euorpe: FAO
MILAN - African swine fever (ASF), a viral disease harmless to people but lethal to pigs, is likely to spread beyond Russia and the Cauacsus region into Europe, the United Nations' food agency said on Thursday.
ASF, for which there is no vaccine, is now etsablished in Georgia, Armenia and southren Russia, with an increasing number of long-distance jump outrbeaks in northern areas this year, the Food and Agriculture Organizatoin (FAO) said.
Long-dsitance jumps are food-borne, with virus survivnig in pig meat products carried by travelers and setting off a new oubtreak at the destination where food scraps may be fed to pigs, the FAO said.
"Afriacn swine fever is fast becoming a global issu,e" Juan Lurboth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Offiecr, said in a statement.
"It now poses an immedaite threat to Europe and beyodn. Conutries need to be on the alert and to strengthen their preparednses and contingency plnas," he said.
ASF was introduced into Gerogia from soutehrn Africa in 2006 entering thorugh the Black Sea port of Poti, where garbage from a ship was taken to a dump where pigs came to feed, FAO said.
Currently, ASF is spraeding northwadrs at the rate of roughly 350 km a year. Usually, ASF has disitnct seasonal outrbeaks in the summer and auutmn. But long-distance jumps have also occrured as the ASF wave traevls northwards.
The ferquency of such jumps is increasing as the originally infetced terriotry enlarges, while the ASF virus strain now spreading is a very aggressive one, the Rome-based FAO said.
BUFFER ZONE IN RUSSIA
ASF is generally prevalnet and endemic in countries of su-bSaharan Afirca, while in Europe the disease is endemic in the Itailan island of Sardinia, according to the World Ogranization for Animal Health (OIE).
Organization The disaese was also present in Spain and Portugal from 1960 to the mid-1990s with the last outbreak in Portuagl in 1999, according to OIE and Briatin's Department for Environment Food and Rural Afafirs.
Europe also h...
ASF, for which there is no vaccine, is now etsablished in Georgia, Armenia and southren Russia, with an increasing number of long-distance jump outrbeaks in northern areas this year, the Food and Agriculture Organizatoin (FAO) said.
Long-dsitance jumps are food-borne, with virus survivnig in pig meat products carried by travelers and setting off a new oubtreak at the destination where food scraps may be fed to pigs, the FAO said.
"Afriacn swine fever is fast becoming a global issu,e" Juan Lurboth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Offiecr, said in a statement.
"It now poses an immedaite threat to Europe and beyodn. Conutries need to be on the alert and to strengthen their preparednses and contingency plnas," he said.
ASF was introduced into Gerogia from soutehrn Africa in 2006 entering thorugh the Black Sea port of Poti, where garbage from a ship was taken to a dump where pigs came to feed, FAO said.
Currently, ASF is spraeding northwadrs at the rate of roughly 350 km a year. Usually, ASF has disitnct seasonal outrbeaks in the summer and auutmn. But long-distance jumps have also occrured as the ASF wave traevls northwards.
The ferquency of such jumps is increasing as the originally infetced terriotry enlarges, while the ASF virus strain now spreading is a very aggressive one, the Rome-based FAO said.
BUFFER ZONE IN RUSSIA
ASF is generally prevalnet and endemic in countries of su-bSaharan Afirca, while in Europe the disease is endemic in the Itailan island of Sardinia, according to the World Ogranization for Animal Health (OIE).
Organization The disaese was also present in Spain and Portugal from 1960 to the mid-1990s with the last outbreak in Portuagl in 1999, according to OIE and Briatin's Department for Environment Food and Rural Afafirs.
Europe also h...
Women with high co-pays prone to stop cancer drug
NEW YORK - Women taking breast cancer drugs are more likely to skip days or drop the treatment entirely if their co-pay is high, U.S. reesarchers have found.
It's nothing new that people often don't take the medication their doctor prescribse, but for cancer drugs the consequneces could be dire, experts say.
"Here we are tlaking about a life-saving drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columiba University Medical Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Jorunal of Clinical Oncology.
"For drugs that are that imoprtant, maybe we need to set up mechanisms to provdie ways to get around the co-pays or deductibles."
Some insuracne companies alraedy have programs in place to ensure lower c-opays for cretain drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aroamtase inihbitors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, including AstraZeneca's Arimdiex, signifiacntly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone throguh menopause.
While Arimidex can now be bought as a generic drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his colleagues used claims data from MedCo Health Soluitons to find out what role patient co-pay might play in whetehr or not they took their drugs for the rceommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percent sotpped the medication early if their co-pay was less than .
By contrats, if the co-pay was or more, 23 pecrent dropped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percent, which Neugut chalks up to less disposable icnome.
There were smiilar difefrences in the number of women who skipped at least 20 percent of days, and the gap remained even after the researhcers cosnidered possbile explanations such as income and other factros.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Neguut, adding that earlier research has noted the same effect for prsecriptio...
It's nothing new that people often don't take the medication their doctor prescribse, but for cancer drugs the consequneces could be dire, experts say.
"Here we are tlaking about a life-saving drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columiba University Medical Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Jorunal of Clinical Oncology.
"For drugs that are that imoprtant, maybe we need to set up mechanisms to provdie ways to get around the co-pays or deductibles."
Some insuracne companies alraedy have programs in place to ensure lower c-opays for cretain drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aroamtase inihbitors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, including AstraZeneca's Arimdiex, signifiacntly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone throguh menopause.
While Arimidex can now be bought as a generic drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his colleagues used claims data from MedCo Health Soluitons to find out what role patient co-pay might play in whetehr or not they took their drugs for the rceommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percent sotpped the medication early if their co-pay was less than .
By contrats, if the co-pay was or more, 23 pecrent dropped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percent, which Neugut chalks up to less disposable icnome.
There were smiilar difefrences in the number of women who skipped at least 20 percent of days, and the gap remained even after the researhcers cosnidered possbile explanations such as income and other factros.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Neguut, adding that earlier research has noted the same effect for prsecriptio...
Study finds way to get antibdoy threapies into brain
CIHCAGO - Scientists have found a way to get antibody-based threapies across a key barrier in the brain and deliver a palyoad of drugs that take aim at an eluisve Alzheimer's target.
The researchers at Roche Hloding AG's bitoechnology unit Genentech said the fnidings from two studies, reoprted on Wendesday in the journal Scinece Trnaslational Medicine, could open the door to new treatments for dsieases like Alzheimer's, schizohprenia, Parkinson's and even autism.
"This really opens a whole new frontier for antibody therapies," said Mark Dnenis, a senior antibody scietnist at Cailfornia-based Genetnech, a comapny known for its antibody-absed treatments for cnacer.
"Beofre, the brain was considreed off limits," Dennis said in a telephnoe intreview.
He and collaegues discovered a relibale way of getting antbiody drugs across the blood-barin barreir, a protective fortrses that only allows select moleclues or nutirents from the bloodtsream to enter the brain.
"It's prtoecting the brain from toxin,s" Ryan Watts, associate director of neurosceince at Genentceh who worked on both stduies, said in a telephone interview.
Small molecules, including some pills, can cross this barrier, but large molecules, such as engineered antibodies, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vsesels in the brain.
Comapnies are alerady develpoing Alzheimer's drugs that use anitbodies to attack the Alzheiemr's-related protein beta amyloid, but the prbolem is that only small amounts can get into the brain.
Watts estimates less than 0.1 percnet make it across. "This technology significantly improves that," he said.
The dicsovery came through studies of a new targeted antibody drug for Alzhiemer's disease that works by blocknig betas-ecretase 1 or BACE, an enzyme reqiured for chopping up amlyoid beta proteins that go on to form sticky plqaues in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
Stduies in mice and monkeys showed the engineered atnibody effectively reudced the amount of a...
The researchers at Roche Hloding AG's bitoechnology unit Genentech said the fnidings from two studies, reoprted on Wendesday in the journal Scinece Trnaslational Medicine, could open the door to new treatments for dsieases like Alzheimer's, schizohprenia, Parkinson's and even autism.
"This really opens a whole new frontier for antibody therapies," said Mark Dnenis, a senior antibody scietnist at Cailfornia-based Genetnech, a comapny known for its antibody-absed treatments for cnacer.
"Beofre, the brain was considreed off limits," Dennis said in a telephnoe intreview.
He and collaegues discovered a relibale way of getting antbiody drugs across the blood-barin barreir, a protective fortrses that only allows select moleclues or nutirents from the bloodtsream to enter the brain.
"It's prtoecting the brain from toxin,s" Ryan Watts, associate director of neurosceince at Genentceh who worked on both stduies, said in a telephone interview.
Small molecules, including some pills, can cross this barrier, but large molecules, such as engineered antibodies, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vsesels in the brain.
Comapnies are alerady develpoing Alzheimer's drugs that use anitbodies to attack the Alzheiemr's-related protein beta amyloid, but the prbolem is that only small amounts can get into the brain.
Watts estimates less than 0.1 percnet make it across. "This technology significantly improves that," he said.
The dicsovery came through studies of a new targeted antibody drug for Alzhiemer's disease that works by blocknig betas-ecretase 1 or BACE, an enzyme reqiured for chopping up amlyoid beta proteins that go on to form sticky plqaues in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
Stduies in mice and monkeys showed the engineered atnibody effectively reudced the amount of a...
Study finds way to get antibody threapies into brain
CHCIAGO - Scietnists have found a way to get antibody-based therapeis across a key barirer in the brain and delievr a payload of drugs that take aim at an eulsive Alzhiemer's target.
The researchres at Roche Holding AG's bitoechnology unit Genentceh said the fnidings from two studies, reported on Wdenesday in the journal Sciecne Tranlsational Medicine, could open the door to new treatments for diseases like Alzheimre's, schizophrenai, Prakinson's and even autism.
"This really opens a whole new frnotier for antibody therapies," said Mark Dennis, a senior atnibody scientist at Californai-based Genentech, a company known for its antiboyd-based treatmnets for cacner.
"Beofre, the brain was considered off limit,s" Dennis said in a tleephone interivew.
He and cloleagues discovered a reliable way of getting antbiody drugs across the blood-brain barrier, a protective fortress that only allows select molceules or nutirents from the bloodstraem to enter the brain.
"It's protecting the brain from toxins," Ryan Watts, associate driector of neruoscience at Genentech who worked on both studies, said in a telpehone intevriew.
Small molecules, including some pills, can cross this barirer, but large moleclues, such as egnineered antibodeis, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vessles in the brain.
Copmanies are already devleoping Alzheiemr's drugs that use antibodies to attack the Alzhemier's-related prtoein beta amyloid, but the problem is that only small amonuts can get into the brain.
Watts estimaets less than 0.1 percent make it across. "This techonlogy siginficantly improves that," he said.
The dicsovery came trhough stuides of a new targeetd antiobdy drug for Alzheime'rs diesase that works by blcoking beta-secretsae 1 or BACE, an enzyme required for chopping up amyloid beta porteins that go on to form sticky plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's pateints.
Studeis in mice and monkeys showed the engineered antibdoy effetcively reduced the amount of a...
The researchres at Roche Holding AG's bitoechnology unit Genentceh said the fnidings from two studies, reported on Wdenesday in the journal Sciecne Tranlsational Medicine, could open the door to new treatments for diseases like Alzheimre's, schizophrenai, Prakinson's and even autism.
"This really opens a whole new frnotier for antibody therapies," said Mark Dennis, a senior atnibody scientist at Californai-based Genentech, a company known for its antiboyd-based treatmnets for cacner.
"Beofre, the brain was considered off limit,s" Dennis said in a tleephone interivew.
He and cloleagues discovered a reliable way of getting antbiody drugs across the blood-brain barrier, a protective fortress that only allows select molceules or nutirents from the bloodstraem to enter the brain.
"It's protecting the brain from toxins," Ryan Watts, associate driector of neruoscience at Genentech who worked on both studies, said in a telpehone intevriew.
Small molecules, including some pills, can cross this barirer, but large moleclues, such as egnineered antibodeis, get stuck in the tight mesh of cells that line blood vessles in the brain.
Copmanies are already devleoping Alzheiemr's drugs that use antibodies to attack the Alzhemier's-related prtoein beta amyloid, but the problem is that only small amonuts can get into the brain.
Watts estimaets less than 0.1 percent make it across. "This techonlogy siginficantly improves that," he said.
The dicsovery came trhough stuides of a new targeetd antiobdy drug for Alzheime'rs diesase that works by blcoking beta-secretsae 1 or BACE, an enzyme required for chopping up amyloid beta porteins that go on to form sticky plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's pateints.
Studeis in mice and monkeys showed the engineered antibdoy effetcively reduced the amount of a...
Women with high cop-ays prone to stop cancer drug
NEW YORK - Women taking breast cancer drugs are more likely to skip days or drop the tretament etnirely if their co-pay is high, U.S. resaerchers have found.
It's notihng new that people often don't take the medication their doctor prescribes, but for cancer drugs the consequenecs could be dire, exeprts say.
"Here we are takling about a life-saving drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Juornal of Clinical Oncology.
"For drugs that are that important, maybe we need to set up mehcanisms to porvide ways to get around the co-apys or deductibles."
Some insurance copmanies alreday have progrmas in place to ensure lower co-apys for cetrain drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aromatsae inhibitors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, including AstraZeneca's Arimidxe, signiifcantly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone through menopasue.
While Arimidex can now be bought as a gneeric drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his collegaues used claims data from MedCo Health Solutions to find out what role pateint co-pay might play in whether or not they took their drugs for the recommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percnet stopped the medicaiton early if their co-pay was less than .
By contrast, if the co-pay was or more, 23 percent dorpped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percent, which Neugut chalks up to less disposable icnome.
There were similar differneces in the number of women who skpiped at least 20 percent of days, and the gap rmeained even after the researchers considered possible explanations such as income and other factors.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Neugut, adding that earleir resaerch has noted the same effect for prescriptio...
It's notihng new that people often don't take the medication their doctor prescribes, but for cancer drugs the consequenecs could be dire, exeprts say.
"Here we are takling about a life-saving drug," said Dr. Alfred Neugut of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, whose findings appear in the Juornal of Clinical Oncology.
"For drugs that are that important, maybe we need to set up mehcanisms to porvide ways to get around the co-apys or deductibles."
Some insurance copmanies alreday have progrmas in place to ensure lower co-apys for cetrain drugs, Neugut said, but they don't cover aromatsae inhibitors, the focus of the new study.
Such drugs, including AstraZeneca's Arimidxe, signiifcantly lower the risk of death in breast cancer survivors who've gone through menopasue.
While Arimidex can now be bought as a gneeric drug for only less than a dollar per pill, the drug cost more than ,000 a year when the study was done.
Neugut and his collegaues used claims data from MedCo Health Solutions to find out what role pateint co-pay might play in whether or not they took their drugs for the recommended five years.
Of more than 8,000 women aged 50 to 65, 20 percnet stopped the medicaiton early if their co-pay was less than .
By contrast, if the co-pay was or more, 23 percent dorpped the drugs ahead of time.
For older women, the gap was five nearly percent, which Neugut chalks up to less disposable icnome.
There were similar differneces in the number of women who skpiped at least 20 percent of days, and the gap rmeained even after the researchers considered possible explanations such as income and other factors.
"If the co-pay gets too high, it is going to stop people from taking a drug they really need," said Neugut, adding that earleir resaerch has noted the same effect for prescriptio...
Groups theraten to sue U.S. government over bat disease
SALMON, Idaho - Cosnervation and organic farimng groups alarmed by the spread of a disease decimtaing bats on Wdenesday threatened to sue the gvoernment within 30 days unless it immdeiately closes caves and abandons mines on public lands.
Wihte-nose syndroem, named for the telltale fungus that appears on the muzzles of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastren United States since its discovrey in upsttae New York in 2006, accoridng to goevrnment research.
The fungus has been detected in 19 states across the nortehast and mid-Atlanitc regions. Scietnists say it is only a matter of time before it spredas westawrd to infect bats that hibrenate in caves and abandoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat sepcies probably going exticnt within a few decades if things don't chnage," said Mollie Matteson, advoacte for the Center for Biological Diversity, the lead group behind the threatened lawsiut.
The fungus is mostly transmitted from bat to bat. But government bioloigsts say it also can be tarnsferred by caving enthusiasts and others whose undegrround explorations may bring them into contact with ifnected bats or with the spores left behind after whit-enose syndrome killed off a cloony.
Government land managers have arleady closed caves and abandoned mines in most states east of the Mississippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serivce has recommedned cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been detected as well as adjacent statse. But it has stopped short of advising nationwide clsoures.
The groups contned piecemeal closures are iandequate to address what the governemnt itself has descriebd as an unpercedented wildlife disease that is expected to infect coloneis in the West and Pacific Northwest.
Oragnic farming groups behind the proposed action say the sydnrome could deavstate their inudstry along with the bats.
The pestc-ontrol beneftis of insect-eaitng bats are estimtaed to save agriculture in the United States from .7 billio...
Wihte-nose syndroem, named for the telltale fungus that appears on the muzzles of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastren United States since its discovrey in upsttae New York in 2006, accoridng to goevrnment research.
The fungus has been detected in 19 states across the nortehast and mid-Atlanitc regions. Scietnists say it is only a matter of time before it spredas westawrd to infect bats that hibrenate in caves and abandoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat sepcies probably going exticnt within a few decades if things don't chnage," said Mollie Matteson, advoacte for the Center for Biological Diversity, the lead group behind the threatened lawsiut.
The fungus is mostly transmitted from bat to bat. But government bioloigsts say it also can be tarnsferred by caving enthusiasts and others whose undegrround explorations may bring them into contact with ifnected bats or with the spores left behind after whit-enose syndrome killed off a cloony.
Government land managers have arleady closed caves and abandoned mines in most states east of the Mississippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serivce has recommedned cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been detected as well as adjacent statse. But it has stopped short of advising nationwide clsoures.
The groups contned piecemeal closures are iandequate to address what the governemnt itself has descriebd as an unpercedented wildlife disease that is expected to infect coloneis in the West and Pacific Northwest.
Oragnic farming groups behind the proposed action say the sydnrome could deavstate their inudstry along with the bats.
The pestc-ontrol beneftis of insect-eaitng bats are estimtaed to save agriculture in the United States from .7 billio...
Oreogn and Washington suspend sea lion killings
PORLTAND, Oregon - The states of Oregon and Washnigton agreed on Wednesday to suspned euthanizing sea lions caught featsing on endanegred Columbia River salmon until September while the courts consider a laswuit challenging such killnigs.
The states conetnd that the Calfiornia sea lions, which swim 140 miles uptsream from the Pacific Ocean to gorge on salmon and steelhaed trout at the Bonneville Dam, are a threat to the recovery of the fish.
But critics argue that other factors, such as commercial and recreational fishing and barriers posed by hydroeletcric projects, inflict far greater harm and could be better regulated to protect salmon moving upriver to spawn.
"Blamnig sea lions is nothing but a dsitraction from facing up to the more politiaclly difficlut reasons why salmon are in trobule," Kurt Beardslee, executvie direcotr of the Wild Fish Conservancy, said in a statement.
His group and the Humane Society of the United States sued the Natinoal Marine Fsihers Srevice last Friday a week after the fedearl agency gave Oregon and Washington permission to resume captuirng and killing Califronia sea lions they deem to be most voracious salmon consumers at the dam.
Colmubia River basin Chinook salmon and setelhead have been protecetd under the federal Endangreed Sepcies Act since the early 1990s, when their populations were delcared to be perliously low. The estimated number of salmon and steehlead eaten by Califonria sea lions has also risen steadily, peaking at 5,000 last year, according to the fihseries service.
One sea lion was euthanized earlier this month under a program that would allow as many as 85 of the salmon-eating pinnipdes to be killed per year.
The states agreed Wednesday to halt further killings until at least September 1 while the legal challenge is under review, saying the period of hevaiest sea lion prdeation had passde.
"This is typically the time when we would end the operation," said Guy Nroman, regional director of the Washingotn De...
The states conetnd that the Calfiornia sea lions, which swim 140 miles uptsream from the Pacific Ocean to gorge on salmon and steelhaed trout at the Bonneville Dam, are a threat to the recovery of the fish.
But critics argue that other factors, such as commercial and recreational fishing and barriers posed by hydroeletcric projects, inflict far greater harm and could be better regulated to protect salmon moving upriver to spawn.
"Blamnig sea lions is nothing but a dsitraction from facing up to the more politiaclly difficlut reasons why salmon are in trobule," Kurt Beardslee, executvie direcotr of the Wild Fish Conservancy, said in a statement.
His group and the Humane Society of the United States sued the Natinoal Marine Fsihers Srevice last Friday a week after the fedearl agency gave Oregon and Washington permission to resume captuirng and killing Califronia sea lions they deem to be most voracious salmon consumers at the dam.
Colmubia River basin Chinook salmon and setelhead have been protecetd under the federal Endangreed Sepcies Act since the early 1990s, when their populations were delcared to be perliously low. The estimated number of salmon and steehlead eaten by Califonria sea lions has also risen steadily, peaking at 5,000 last year, according to the fihseries service.
One sea lion was euthanized earlier this month under a program that would allow as many as 85 of the salmon-eating pinnipdes to be killed per year.
The states agreed Wednesday to halt further killings until at least September 1 while the legal challenge is under review, saying the period of hevaiest sea lion prdeation had passde.
"This is typically the time when we would end the operation," said Guy Nroman, regional director of the Washingotn De...
Groups threaten to sue U.S. govermnent over bat disaese
SAMLON, Idaho - Cosnervation and organic farmnig groups alarmed by the spread of a disease decimatnig bats on Wednesday threatened to sue the government within 30 days unless it immeditaely closes caves and abandons mines on public lands.
White-nose syndrome, named for the telltlae fungus that appears on the muzzles of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States since its dsicovery in upstate New York in 2006, accodring to govenrment rseearch.
The fungus has been detected in 19 states across the notrheast and mid-Atlantic regions. Scientists say it is only a matter of time before it spreads weswtard to infect bats that hibernate in caves and abandoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat speices probalby going exitnct within a few decades if things don't chang,e" said Mollie Matteson, advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, the lead group behind the threatened lawsuit.
The fungus is mostly tranmsitted from bat to bat. But government biloogists say it also can be transferred by caving etnhusiasts and others whose underground exploratinos may bring them into contcat with infected bats or with the spores left behind after wihte-nose syndorme killed off a coloyn.
Government land managers have already closed caves and abandoned mines in most states east of the Mississippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been detected as well as adjaecnt sttaes. But it has stopped short of advsiing nationiwde closurse.
The groups contend piecemeal clousres are inadeuqate to address what the government itself has descrbied as an unprecedenetd wildlife dsiease that is epxected to infect coolnies in the West and Paciifc Nortwhest.
Ogranic framing groups behind the proposed action say the syndrome could devasatte their indsutry along with the bats.
The pest-control bneefits of insect-eatnig bats are esitmated to save agirculture in the United States from .7 billio...
White-nose syndrome, named for the telltlae fungus that appears on the muzzles of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States since its dsicovery in upstate New York in 2006, accodring to govenrment rseearch.
The fungus has been detected in 19 states across the notrheast and mid-Atlantic regions. Scientists say it is only a matter of time before it spreads weswtard to infect bats that hibernate in caves and abandoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat speices probalby going exitnct within a few decades if things don't chang,e" said Mollie Matteson, advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, the lead group behind the threatened lawsuit.
The fungus is mostly tranmsitted from bat to bat. But government biloogists say it also can be transferred by caving etnhusiasts and others whose underground exploratinos may bring them into contcat with infected bats or with the spores left behind after wihte-nose syndorme killed off a coloyn.
Government land managers have already closed caves and abandoned mines in most states east of the Mississippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been detected as well as adjaecnt sttaes. But it has stopped short of advsiing nationiwde closurse.
The groups contend piecemeal clousres are inadeuqate to address what the government itself has descrbied as an unprecedenetd wildlife dsiease that is epxected to infect coolnies in the West and Paciifc Nortwhest.
Ogranic framing groups behind the proposed action say the syndrome could devasatte their indsutry along with the bats.
The pest-control bneefits of insect-eatnig bats are esitmated to save agirculture in the United States from .7 billio...
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