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Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:05AM 07/07/08 :
Seroprevalence of sexually transmitted viruses in ...[Int J Infect Dis. 2008] - PubMed Result
Note: ..."RESULTS: The prevalence of IgG antibodies to HSV-2 was 20.8% in STI patients compared to 12.4% in the general population. The HBV carriage rate was 3.4% in STI patients against 2.9% in the general population. HCV prevalence was 3.9% in STI patients and 4.6% in the general population. No HIV infection was found in the study population. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the high prevalence of viral STIs in the tribal community of Central India, there is a need to strengthen the STI control program in this under-privileged group."
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:03AM 07/07/08 :
Mechanism and history of evolution of symbiotic HI...[Med Hypotheses. 2007] - PubMed Result
Note: .."Following the work of Korber et al. on the phylogenetics of HIV-1 groups M, I reach the conclusion that the major subgroups giving rise to the worldwide pandemic, were founded in a 1927 clinical trial of pamaquine (plasmoquine) in Leopoldville (Kinshasa). This drug is much more toxic that chloroquine and appears to have strongly selected for resistance to apoptosis in infected cells, which allows these subgroups to attrite bystander cells leading to AIDS. " "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:01AM 07/07/08 :
AIDS: caused by development of resistance to drugs...[Med Hypotheses. 2007] - PubMed Result
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:00AM 07/07/08 :
The achilles heel of the trojan horse model of HIV...[PLoS Pathog. 2008] - PubMed Result
Note: ..."While this model gained rapid favor as a strong example of how a pathogen exploits the natural properties of its cellular host, our recent studies challenge this model by showing that the vast majority of virions transmitted in trans originate from the plasma membrane rather than from intracellular vesicles. This review traces the experimental lines of evidence that have contributed to what we view as the "rise and decline" of the Trojan horse model of HIV-1 trans-infection. "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:57AM 07/07/08 :
Herpes simplex virus 2 infection: a risk factor fo...[Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2008 May-Jun] - PubMed Result
Note: ..."Conclusion: The high prevalence of HSV-2 seropositivity in the HIV-infected group (49%) as compared to normal controls (22%) was statistically significant. Prior HSV-2 infection could be an important risk factor for acquisition of HIV in our patients. "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:55AM 07/07/08 :
Sam L. Ruteikara - "Let My People Go, AIDS Profiteers" - washingtonpost.com 6-30-2008
Note: ..."But will the money allocated for AIDS stop the spread of the virus in sub-Saharan Africa, where 76 percent of the world's HIV-AIDS deaths occurred last year? Not if the dark dealings I've witnessed in Africa continue unchecked. In the fight against AIDS, profiteering has trumped prevention. AIDS is no longer simply a disease; it has become a multibillion-dollar industry. "...
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:29AM 07/07/08 :
New heterosexually transmitted HIV infections in married or cohabiting couples in urban Zambia and Rwanda: an analysis of survey and clinical data
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:18AM 07/07/08 and by 1 others:
ScienceDirect - The Lancet : "Universal HIV testing and counselling in Africa" 2008
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:14AM 07/07/08 and by 1 others:
Universal HIV testing and counselling in Africa The Lancet 371 (9631), 2148 (2008)
Note: In today's Lancet, Kristin Dunkle and colleagues1 present a mathematical model of the expected proportion of new heterosexually transmitted HIV infections in urban Zambia and Rwanda that are acquired during marriage or cohabitation. Their model, which uses existing data from voluntary counselling and testing and population-based surveys for HIV, consistently estimates that most new HIV infections occur within marriage or cohabitation. They conclude that HIV-prevention efforts should expand beyond individuals to target couples."..."More than 20 years into the epidemic, it is striking that nearly 80% of HIV-infected adults in sub-Saharan Africa are unaware of their HIV status and more than 90% are unaware of their partners' status.6,7 Nationally representative data from east Africa suggests that 40–50% of married HIV-infected individuals have an HIV-uninfected spouse,5 and most do not know their own or their partner's status and do not understand that HIV discordance can exist within couples."...
Posted by msredsonyas, at 11:48PM 07/06/08 and by 2 others:
Which are the world's most corrupt countries?
Note: "Corruption continues to intensify in two-fifths of the world's nations, nurtured by persistent poverty, political instability and crime."..."Of the 180 countries looked at in its most recent rankings, 132 had index scores below 5, including Greece, India, Mexico, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Some 56 countries were rated below 3, a level that indicates rampant corruption, including Argentina, Pakistan and Russia.".."The divide runs along economic realities. Forty per cent of the countries rated below 3 are classified by the World Bank as low income. It doesn't help if the governments are weak or engaged in a struggle for power."..."The double whammy of weak government and abundant natural resources also stokes corruption, particularly where personal greed can run rampant without fear of recrimination."..
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:01AM 07/06/08 :
"GlobalTemperatures and ENSO" RealClimate Blog 7-4-2008
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:18AM 07/05/08 :
Digg - "Body's Own 'Cannabis (Marijuana)' Is Good For The Skin" (ScienceDaily)
Posted by msredsonyas, at 01:43AM 07/05/08 :
Benjamin Senauer "Biofuels, rising food prices and increasing global hunger | Comment is free" guardian.co.uk (7-3-2008)
Note: "The evidence linking biofuel production to rising food prices can't be ignored. Between the start of 2002 and early 2008, basic global food commodity prices rose by 220%. The global production of biofuels - ethanol and bodiesel - rose from less than 8m gallons in 2004 to an estimated 18m gallons in 2008. The most rapid increase has been in the production of ethanol derived from corn in the US: rising from about 3.5m gallons in 2004 to an estimated 9m in 2008. This year ethanol production is forecast to consume 30% or more of 2008's entire US corn crop."..."."."..."Based on that model, IFPRI estimates that 30% of the increase in the prices of the major grains is due to biofuels. And now we learn that the World Bank's own unpublished forecasts suggest that biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%."....
Posted by msredsonyas, at 01:57AM 07/03/08 and by 1 others:
US, Poland strike missile deal; Russia objects (7-1-2008) Cnn.com
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:09AM 06/30/08 and by 1 others:
'Troubling' Rise in HIV Among Young Gay Men: CDC - US News and World Report
Note: ..."Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the rise is "especially concerning" for young black men aged 13 to 24 who have sex with men. For this group, the annual rate of new HIV diagnoses rose by 15 percent annually, compared to a 9 percent and an 8 percent annual rise among their white and Hispanic peers, respectively. "..."Overall, gay and bisexual men comprised 63 percent of all cases of new infection among U.S. males, and almost two-thirds of new cases among men who have sex with men occurred in the 25-to 44-year-old age group, the CDC said. "...
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:02AM 06/30/08 :
Daniel 12 - Israel’s Time of Trouble (Commentary)
Note: ..."b. Michael shall stand up: The angel Michael is often associated with spiritual battle (Daniel 10:13, 10:21, Jude 1:9, Revelation 12:7). Since Michael is called the archangel (Jude 1:9), he is Satan’s true opposite. Satan is not the opposite of Jesus; he is the opposite of Michael, this high-ranking angel."..."e. Such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time: The Jewish people have known many a time of trouble through their history. From the horrors at the fall of Samaria and Jerusalem to the terrors wrought by Antiochus Epiphanes to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans to the persecutions from the church during the Dark Ages to the pogroms of Europe to the 20th Century Holocaust, it often seems that all Israel’s history has been a time of trouble. But this time of trouble will be different. This will be a worse time of trouble than Israel has ever seen before"..."b. Until the time of the end: Daniel’s prophecy certainly was of some value in his own day. But there would come a day, the time of the end, when his prophecy would be of even more importance. Therefore, it was important to shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end. i. "We must wait 'till the time of the end;' and this, it appears from the following calculations, will not arrive before the twentieth century. We here see the reason why these prophecies are at present so imperfectly understood. God has sealed them." (Adam Clarke, 1825) c. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase: Here, Daniel is describing a characteristic of the time of the end. Many take this prediction as being fulfilled in the travel (run to and fro) and information explosions (knowledge shall increase) of our modern age. i. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase: This has more the idea of searching after knowledge than rapid forms of transportation. ii. "The idea is that people would run about trying to find answers to important questions, especially in reference to future events." (Wood) iii. "The correct sense is that 'many shall search it through and through,' and that as a consequence 'knowledge of the book itself shall be increased.' " (Newell) "..."e. When the power of the holy people has been shattered, all these things shall be finished: the people of Israel will seem completely crushed as these things end, but at that time, the Messiah – upon whom they will trust before He returns – will return to rescue them."..."b. For the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end: Daniel must make a mental departure from his questioning, because the revealing of these things will not come till the time of the end. Until then, there is a sense in which these prophecies are closed up and sealed. i. We shouldn’t think there was no instruction, no blessing, no benefit in these words for any generation until the time of the end. But the meaning of these prophecies would be less mysteries at the time of the end. ii. The massive interest in prophecy, and the incredible development in understanding of Biblical prophecy in the last 150 years should make us see that we truly are at the time of the end. iii. One of the common arguments against some understandings of Biblical prophecy is "Your ideas are new. The early church or Christians through the ages didn’t teach these things. Your ideas are wrong because they are new." But this word to Daniel, that the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end should make us think differently. iv. Additionally, when we look at Church history, we see that God has successively had the church focus on specific areas of doctrine at different periods. Our present understanding of many areas of Biblical teaching were only most carefully and precisely defined after God appointed the church to focus on that doctrinal area. v. For example, in the second through fourth centuries, the church focused on the doctrine of Scripture. In the fourth century, the focus was on the doctrine of God (in the Trinity). In the fifth century, the focus was on the doctrine of Christ. In the fifth through seventh centuries, the focus was on the doctrine of man. In the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries, the focus was on the doctrine of salvation. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the focus was on the doctrine of the church. So it should not surprise us that it was not until the nineteenth and twentieth centuries - the time of the end - that the focus would turn upon the doctrine of last things and the return of Jesus ."..."f. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days: What is the relation between three and one-half years (1,260 days, mentioned specifically in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6), the 1,290 days mentioned here, and the 1,335 days mentioned here? i. It is difficult to be certain. We could say that at the end of the 1,260 days Jesus returns. At the end of the 1,290 days, Jesus’ government is officially installed. At the end of the 1,335 days the nations are judged (Matthew 25:31-46). ii. "It is quite possible that this period of judgment of those that have lived through the tribulation period and have survived somehow during this holocaust when God’s judgment will be poured out upon the earth, when they are brought to stand before Jesus at this judgment, that this judgment of the Lord will take a forty-five day period." (Smith) g. But you, go your way till the end: Daniel’s mind was filled with exciting and frightening prophetic thoughts. It might have been easy for those things to become a distraction to him instead of a blessing to him. So the angel concludes with an important reminder: go your way till the end. God had a course He wanted Daniel to complete, and Daniel needed to remain focused on that. i. Adam Clarke draws the following points from Daniel 12:13: · Every man has his way to go · Every man has an end · There is a rest provided for the people of God · There is an inheritance for the people of God ii. At the end of the gospel of John, Jesus told Peter about his destiny to die as a martyr for Jesus. Peter wanted to know about John’s destiny, so he asked Jesus, "What about John?" Essentially, Jesus replied, "It’s none of your business. You follow Me." (John 21:22) In the same way, Daniel was not to spend all his time and energy speculating and worrying about things he couldn’t know. Instead, he should simply obey the word to go your way till the end - something we must all do ."
Posted by msredsonyas, at 06:51AM 06/29/08 and by 1 others:
Revising HIV's History -- Pennisi 2008 (625): 1 -- ScienceNOW
Note: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) responsible for most of the AIDS cases in the world infected people approximately 100 years ago, more than 20 years earlier than previously believed, according to findings presented here this week at the Evolution 2008 meeting. Its lesser known cousin, HIV-2, jumped into humans decades later, from a monkey species that carried the virus for just a couple of hundred years, not the millions of years researchers had assumed, according to other research presented at the meeting. Researchers are trying to pin down the origins of both HIVs to understand how often new human viruses emerge. Both arose from simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) of other primates. The first clues that researchers were on the wrong track about the SIV that led to HIV-2 came last year. Researchers had assumed that because most monkey species infected with SIV don't get sick, the virus has been coevolving with the primates for millions of years, allowing the host and pathogen to peaceably coexist. If that were the case, the branching of the monkey family tree should match the branching of the SIV tree. But last year, University of Arizona, Tucson, graduate student Joel Wertheim, his adviser, Michael Worobey, and colleagues found that not to be the case for the African green monkey and its SIV. "The work suggested that the virus was not millions of years old," Wertheim said at the meeting. To better pin down the origin of SIVs, Wertheim then collected samples of the virus from sooty mangabeys in Africa and in U.S. primate centers. (These samples were far more plentiful than virus from African green monkeys.) He compared the genetic sequences in those SIV samples with sequences from the few African green monkey SIV samples he had, as well as to sequences of human HIV-2 and macaque SIV. Wertheim used a sophisticated computer program to build a family tree based on the degree of differences among the sequences. The analysis also determined when the various strains--branches on this tree--appeared. The sooty mangabey caught its first SIV in 1808, and it jumped into humans 125 years later to become HIV-2, he reported at the meeting. In the second study, another of Worobey's graduate students, Marlea Gemmel, analyzed HIV-1 genetic material obtained from lymph tissue collected in 1960 from the University of Kinshasa pathology department in the Democratic Republic of the Congo--only the second HIV sequence predating 1976 deciphered to date. Thus far, she has sequenced about 1000 DNA bases, which she has compared with the previously reported sequence of HIV-1 extracted from a frozen blood sample from 1959. Since it entered into humans, HIV-1 has been evolving into different substrains--but the 1960 and 1959 sequences were much more divergent than expected, Gemmel reported at the meeting. "It reflects a long past of diversification before 1960," she said. By comparing the two sequences with more recent ones, Gemmel was able to show that HIV-1 first entered humans about 1908, not 1931, as earlier analyses with just the 1959 sample found. Her analysis also indicates that the virus existed in low levels in humans until the middle of the 20th century. "That matches the rise of population centers," Gemmel explained, suggesting that urbanization around that time paved the way for the AIDS epidemic. Experts are impressed by both findings. The Worobey group is "applying state-of-the-art tools and controlling for a lot of important issues" in shedding light on the origins of the AIDS epidemic, says John Logsdon Jr., an evolutionary biologist at the University of Iowa, Iowa City. These studies are also helping us understand how HIV works, says David Hillis, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Texas, Austin. For example, AIDS experts have assumed that the disease is so severe in humans--yet less so in most monkeys--because humans have not had the time to evolve the proper defenses against the virus that many other primates have. "But the origins are around the same order of magnitude," and still the monkeys don't get sick, says Hillis. "It points out that there are other directions we need to go to understand [virulence]."
Posted by msredsonyas, at 06:17AM 06/29/08 and by 2 others:
Trends in HIV/AIDS Diagnoses Among Men Who Have Sex with Men --- 33 States, 2001--2006
Note: ..."This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that the number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among MSM overall during 2001--2006 increased 8.6% (estimated annual percentage change [EAPC] = 1.5). During 2001--2006, an estimated 214,379 persons had HIV/AIDS diagnosed in the 33 states. Of these diagnoses, 46% were in MSM, and 4% were in MSM who engaged in illicit injection-drug use (IDU) (i.e., MSM and IDU). To reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in the United States, HIV prevention services that aim to reduce the risk for acquiring and transmitting infection among MSM and link infected MSM to treatment must be expanded. "..."Reporting cases of HIV infection (not AIDS) and AIDS is now legally mandated in all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. The CDC case definition for HIV infection (not AIDS) requires a positive test result from an assay approved by the Food and Drug Administration that demonstrates evidence of HIV infection; the case definition for AIDS requires meeting the HIV infection (not AIDS) case definition, plus diagnosis of at least one AIDS-defining illness or a CD4+ T-lymphocyte count of <200 cells/µL.† "..."In this report, transmission categories§ are discrete (e.g., "MSM" is distinct from "MSM and IDU" and "IDU" is distinct from "MSM and IDU"). Accordingly, MSM who were also injection-drug users (MSM and IDU) were excluded from analysis of MSM. "..."Of 214,379 HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 33 states during 2001--2006, a total of 97,577 (46%) were among MSM. Decreases in diagnoses were observed in all transmission categories except MSM (excluding MSM and IDU) (Figure 1). Among males, MSM accounted for 97,577 (63%) of cases. Men aged 25--44 years accounted for 64% of cases among MSM (Table). "..."Among MSM of all ages, statistically significant increases as measured by EAPC were observed in blacks, Hispanics, and Asian/Pacific Islanders"..."Editorial Note: During 2001--2006, male-to-male sex remained the largest HIV transmission category in the United States and the only one associated with an increasing number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses. In this analysis, statistically significant decreases in HIV/AIDS diagnoses were observed for all other transmission categories (i.e., among persons likely to have been infected through high-risk heterosexual contact, IDU, MSM and IDU, and other routes). Among MSM aged 13--24 years, statistically significant increases in diagnoses were observed in nearly all racial/ethnic populations. These findings underscore the need for continued effective testing and risk reduction interventions for MSM, particularly those aged <25 years. "..."To improve the nation's ability to track new HIV infections, CDC has established a new system for measuring incident HIV infections at the population level."..."The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, the 33-state case surveillance data are not representative of all HIV-positive persons in the United States. However, the racial/ethnic disparities described in this report are similar to those observed in AIDS cases from all 50 states (4). Second, since 1993, the proportion of HIV/AIDS cases reported to CDC without an identified risk factor for HIV infection has been increasing. In 2006, no risk factor was reported for 25% of HIV (not AIDS) adult and adolescent cases reported to CDC (4). This results in an increasing proportion of cases that are assigned to transmission categories (including male-to-male sexual contact) not based on interview with patients, but rather via statistical adjustment. Risk factor information often is missing because patients decline to disclose behaviors that might place them at risk for HIV transmission or are unaware of their sex partners' high-risk behavior. ...Finally, a backlog of cases diagnosed earlier than recorded in the data might have exaggerated the number of diagnoses in the first 2--3 years after name-based HIV (not AIDS) case reporting was implemented (5). For example, retrospective ascertainment of name-based HIV case reports might have resulted in a substantial number of cases that were recorded as diagnosed during 2001--2002 but were actually diagnosed earlier. "..."In addition, an estimated 25% of HIV-infected persons have not received a diagnosis of HIV infection (7). These persons represent a challenge in terms of HIV prevention and case ascertainment. Moreover, testing is the first step to linking persons infected with HIV to medical care. CDC recommends at least annual testing for sexually active MSM and an "opt-out" approach for screening of all patients aged 13--64 years in clinical settings (8). Ulcerative and nonulcerative sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as syphilis and gonorrhea facilitate HIV transmission from infected MSM and acquisition of HIV by noninfected MSM; therefore, screening for STDs in private and public clinical settings is an important component of HIV prevention in MSM (9). STD and HIV prevention efforts should be as fully integrated as possible. Furthermore, associations have been observed between abuse of illicit and legal drugs such as methamphetamine and alcohol, respectively, and high-risk behavior among MSM. Screening for substance abuse in private and public clinical settings is an important tool for reducing HIV transmission.†† Strengthened collaborations between STD, HIV, viral hepatitis, and substance abuse programs should result in more effective HIV prevention efforts. "..."In support of CDC's strategic goal of reducing the number of new HIV infections in the United States,§§ the proportion of MSM who adopt behaviors that reduce risk for HIV transmission must increase. "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:07AM 05/05/08 :
Economic Policy Institute "Unemployment level of college grads surpasses that of high-school dropouts" (3-17-2004)
Note: "The recent job market has been particularly tough for those workers with college degrees. In fact, as Figure 1 reveals, the number of unemployed college graduates surpassed that of high-school dropouts a few months ago."...
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add to friendsmsredsonyas's Posts (19)
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:05AM 07/07/08 :Seroprevalence of sexually transmitted viruses in ...[Int J Infect Dis. 2008] - PubMed Result
Note: ..."RESULTS: The prevalence of IgG antibodies to HSV-2 was 20.8% in STI patients compared to 12.4% in the general population. The HBV carriage rate was 3.4% in STI patients against 2.9% in the general population. HCV prevalence was 3.9% in STI patients and 4.6% in the general population. No HIV infection was found in the study population. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the high prevalence of viral STIs in the tribal community of Central India, there is a need to strengthen the STI control program in this under-privileged group."
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:03AM 07/07/08 :Mechanism and history of evolution of symbiotic HI...[Med Hypotheses. 2007] - PubMed Result
Note: .."Following the work of Korber et al. on the phylogenetics of HIV-1 groups M, I reach the conclusion that the major subgroups giving rise to the worldwide pandemic, were founded in a 1927 clinical trial of pamaquine (plasmoquine) in Leopoldville (Kinshasa). This drug is much more toxic that chloroquine and appears to have strongly selected for resistance to apoptosis in infected cells, which allows these subgroups to attrite bystander cells leading to AIDS. " "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:01AM 07/07/08 :AIDS: caused by development of resistance to drugs...[Med Hypotheses. 2007] - PubMed Result
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:00AM 07/07/08 :The achilles heel of the trojan horse model of HIV...[PLoS Pathog. 2008] - PubMed Result
Note: ..."While this model gained rapid favor as a strong example of how a pathogen exploits the natural properties of its cellular host, our recent studies challenge this model by showing that the vast majority of virions transmitted in trans originate from the plasma membrane rather than from intracellular vesicles. This review traces the experimental lines of evidence that have contributed to what we view as the "rise and decline" of the Trojan horse model of HIV-1 trans-infection. "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:57AM 07/07/08 :Herpes simplex virus 2 infection: a risk factor fo...[Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2008 May-Jun] - PubMed Result
Note: ..."Conclusion: The high prevalence of HSV-2 seropositivity in the HIV-infected group (49%) as compared to normal controls (22%) was statistically significant. Prior HSV-2 infection could be an important risk factor for acquisition of HIV in our patients. "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:55AM 07/07/08 :Sam L. Ruteikara - "Let My People Go, AIDS Profiteers" - washingtonpost.com 6-30-2008
Note: ..."But will the money allocated for AIDS stop the spread of the virus in sub-Saharan Africa, where 76 percent of the world's HIV-AIDS deaths occurred last year? Not if the dark dealings I've witnessed in Africa continue unchecked. In the fight against AIDS, profiteering has trumped prevention. AIDS is no longer simply a disease; it has become a multibillion-dollar industry. "...
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:29AM 07/07/08 :New heterosexually transmitted HIV infections in married or cohabiting couples in urban Zambia and Rwanda: an analysis of survey and clinical data
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:18AM 07/07/08 and by 1 others:ScienceDirect - The Lancet : "Universal HIV testing and counselling in Africa" 2008
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:14AM 07/07/08 and by 1 others:Universal HIV testing and counselling in Africa The Lancet 371 (9631), 2148 (2008)
Note: In today's Lancet, Kristin Dunkle and colleagues1 present a mathematical model of the expected proportion of new heterosexually transmitted HIV infections in urban Zambia and Rwanda that are acquired during marriage or cohabitation. Their model, which uses existing data from voluntary counselling and testing and population-based surveys for HIV, consistently estimates that most new HIV infections occur within marriage or cohabitation. They conclude that HIV-prevention efforts should expand beyond individuals to target couples."..."More than 20 years into the epidemic, it is striking that nearly 80% of HIV-infected adults in sub-Saharan Africa are unaware of their HIV status and more than 90% are unaware of their partners' status.6,7 Nationally representative data from east Africa suggests that 40–50% of married HIV-infected individuals have an HIV-uninfected spouse,5 and most do not know their own or their partner's status and do not understand that HIV discordance can exist within couples."...
Posted by msredsonyas, at 11:48PM 07/06/08 and by 2 others:Which are the world's most corrupt countries?
Note: "Corruption continues to intensify in two-fifths of the world's nations, nurtured by persistent poverty, political instability and crime."..."Of the 180 countries looked at in its most recent rankings, 132 had index scores below 5, including Greece, India, Mexico, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Some 56 countries were rated below 3, a level that indicates rampant corruption, including Argentina, Pakistan and Russia.".."The divide runs along economic realities. Forty per cent of the countries rated below 3 are classified by the World Bank as low income. It doesn't help if the governments are weak or engaged in a struggle for power."..."The double whammy of weak government and abundant natural resources also stokes corruption, particularly where personal greed can run rampant without fear of recrimination."..
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:01AM 07/06/08 :"GlobalTemperatures and ENSO" RealClimate Blog 7-4-2008
Posted by msredsonyas, at 02:18AM 07/05/08 :Digg - "Body's Own 'Cannabis (Marijuana)' Is Good For The Skin" (ScienceDaily)
Posted by msredsonyas, at 01:43AM 07/05/08 :Benjamin Senauer "Biofuels, rising food prices and increasing global hunger | Comment is free" guardian.co.uk (7-3-2008)
Note: "The evidence linking biofuel production to rising food prices can't be ignored. Between the start of 2002 and early 2008, basic global food commodity prices rose by 220%. The global production of biofuels - ethanol and bodiesel - rose from less than 8m gallons in 2004 to an estimated 18m gallons in 2008. The most rapid increase has been in the production of ethanol derived from corn in the US: rising from about 3.5m gallons in 2004 to an estimated 9m in 2008. This year ethanol production is forecast to consume 30% or more of 2008's entire US corn crop."..."."."..."Based on that model, IFPRI estimates that 30% of the increase in the prices of the major grains is due to biofuels. And now we learn that the World Bank's own unpublished forecasts suggest that biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%."....
Posted by msredsonyas, at 01:57AM 07/03/08 and by 1 others:US, Poland strike missile deal; Russia objects (7-1-2008) Cnn.com
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:09AM 06/30/08 and by 1 others:'Troubling' Rise in HIV Among Young Gay Men: CDC - US News and World Report
Note: ..."Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the rise is "especially concerning" for young black men aged 13 to 24 who have sex with men. For this group, the annual rate of new HIV diagnoses rose by 15 percent annually, compared to a 9 percent and an 8 percent annual rise among their white and Hispanic peers, respectively. "..."Overall, gay and bisexual men comprised 63 percent of all cases of new infection among U.S. males, and almost two-thirds of new cases among men who have sex with men occurred in the 25-to 44-year-old age group, the CDC said. "...
Posted by msredsonyas, at 03:02AM 06/30/08 :Daniel 12 - Israel’s Time of Trouble (Commentary)
Note: ..."b. Michael shall stand up: The angel Michael is often associated with spiritual battle (Daniel 10:13, 10:21, Jude 1:9, Revelation 12:7). Since Michael is called the archangel (Jude 1:9), he is Satan’s true opposite. Satan is not the opposite of Jesus; he is the opposite of Michael, this high-ranking angel."..."e. Such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time: The Jewish people have known many a time of trouble through their history. From the horrors at the fall of Samaria and Jerusalem to the terrors wrought by Antiochus Epiphanes to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans to the persecutions from the church during the Dark Ages to the pogroms of Europe to the 20th Century Holocaust, it often seems that all Israel’s history has been a time of trouble. But this time of trouble will be different. This will be a worse time of trouble than Israel has ever seen before"..."b. Until the time of the end: Daniel’s prophecy certainly was of some value in his own day. But there would come a day, the time of the end, when his prophecy would be of even more importance. Therefore, it was important to shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end. i. "We must wait 'till the time of the end;' and this, it appears from the following calculations, will not arrive before the twentieth century. We here see the reason why these prophecies are at present so imperfectly understood. God has sealed them." (Adam Clarke, 1825) c. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase: Here, Daniel is describing a characteristic of the time of the end. Many take this prediction as being fulfilled in the travel (run to and fro) and information explosions (knowledge shall increase) of our modern age. i. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase: This has more the idea of searching after knowledge than rapid forms of transportation. ii. "The idea is that people would run about trying to find answers to important questions, especially in reference to future events." (Wood) iii. "The correct sense is that 'many shall search it through and through,' and that as a consequence 'knowledge of the book itself shall be increased.' " (Newell) "..."e. When the power of the holy people has been shattered, all these things shall be finished: the people of Israel will seem completely crushed as these things end, but at that time, the Messiah – upon whom they will trust before He returns – will return to rescue them."..."b. For the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end: Daniel must make a mental departure from his questioning, because the revealing of these things will not come till the time of the end. Until then, there is a sense in which these prophecies are closed up and sealed. i. We shouldn’t think there was no instruction, no blessing, no benefit in these words for any generation until the time of the end. But the meaning of these prophecies would be less mysteries at the time of the end. ii. The massive interest in prophecy, and the incredible development in understanding of Biblical prophecy in the last 150 years should make us see that we truly are at the time of the end. iii. One of the common arguments against some understandings of Biblical prophecy is "Your ideas are new. The early church or Christians through the ages didn’t teach these things. Your ideas are wrong because they are new." But this word to Daniel, that the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end should make us think differently. iv. Additionally, when we look at Church history, we see that God has successively had the church focus on specific areas of doctrine at different periods. Our present understanding of many areas of Biblical teaching were only most carefully and precisely defined after God appointed the church to focus on that doctrinal area. v. For example, in the second through fourth centuries, the church focused on the doctrine of Scripture. In the fourth century, the focus was on the doctrine of God (in the Trinity). In the fifth century, the focus was on the doctrine of Christ. In the fifth through seventh centuries, the focus was on the doctrine of man. In the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries, the focus was on the doctrine of salvation. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the focus was on the doctrine of the church. So it should not surprise us that it was not until the nineteenth and twentieth centuries - the time of the end - that the focus would turn upon the doctrine of last things and the return of Jesus ."..."f. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days: What is the relation between three and one-half years (1,260 days, mentioned specifically in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6), the 1,290 days mentioned here, and the 1,335 days mentioned here? i. It is difficult to be certain. We could say that at the end of the 1,260 days Jesus returns. At the end of the 1,290 days, Jesus’ government is officially installed. At the end of the 1,335 days the nations are judged (Matthew 25:31-46). ii. "It is quite possible that this period of judgment of those that have lived through the tribulation period and have survived somehow during this holocaust when God’s judgment will be poured out upon the earth, when they are brought to stand before Jesus at this judgment, that this judgment of the Lord will take a forty-five day period." (Smith) g. But you, go your way till the end: Daniel’s mind was filled with exciting and frightening prophetic thoughts. It might have been easy for those things to become a distraction to him instead of a blessing to him. So the angel concludes with an important reminder: go your way till the end. God had a course He wanted Daniel to complete, and Daniel needed to remain focused on that. i. Adam Clarke draws the following points from Daniel 12:13: · Every man has his way to go · Every man has an end · There is a rest provided for the people of God · There is an inheritance for the people of God ii. At the end of the gospel of John, Jesus told Peter about his destiny to die as a martyr for Jesus. Peter wanted to know about John’s destiny, so he asked Jesus, "What about John?" Essentially, Jesus replied, "It’s none of your business. You follow Me." (John 21:22) In the same way, Daniel was not to spend all his time and energy speculating and worrying about things he couldn’t know. Instead, he should simply obey the word to go your way till the end - something we must all do ."
Posted by msredsonyas, at 06:51AM 06/29/08 and by 1 others:Revising HIV's History -- Pennisi 2008 (625): 1 -- ScienceNOW
Note: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) responsible for most of the AIDS cases in the world infected people approximately 100 years ago, more than 20 years earlier than previously believed, according to findings presented here this week at the Evolution 2008 meeting. Its lesser known cousin, HIV-2, jumped into humans decades later, from a monkey species that carried the virus for just a couple of hundred years, not the millions of years researchers had assumed, according to other research presented at the meeting. Researchers are trying to pin down the origins of both HIVs to understand how often new human viruses emerge. Both arose from simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) of other primates. The first clues that researchers were on the wrong track about the SIV that led to HIV-2 came last year. Researchers had assumed that because most monkey species infected with SIV don't get sick, the virus has been coevolving with the primates for millions of years, allowing the host and pathogen to peaceably coexist. If that were the case, the branching of the monkey family tree should match the branching of the SIV tree. But last year, University of Arizona, Tucson, graduate student Joel Wertheim, his adviser, Michael Worobey, and colleagues found that not to be the case for the African green monkey and its SIV. "The work suggested that the virus was not millions of years old," Wertheim said at the meeting. To better pin down the origin of SIVs, Wertheim then collected samples of the virus from sooty mangabeys in Africa and in U.S. primate centers. (These samples were far more plentiful than virus from African green monkeys.) He compared the genetic sequences in those SIV samples with sequences from the few African green monkey SIV samples he had, as well as to sequences of human HIV-2 and macaque SIV. Wertheim used a sophisticated computer program to build a family tree based on the degree of differences among the sequences. The analysis also determined when the various strains--branches on this tree--appeared. The sooty mangabey caught its first SIV in 1808, and it jumped into humans 125 years later to become HIV-2, he reported at the meeting. In the second study, another of Worobey's graduate students, Marlea Gemmel, analyzed HIV-1 genetic material obtained from lymph tissue collected in 1960 from the University of Kinshasa pathology department in the Democratic Republic of the Congo--only the second HIV sequence predating 1976 deciphered to date. Thus far, she has sequenced about 1000 DNA bases, which she has compared with the previously reported sequence of HIV-1 extracted from a frozen blood sample from 1959. Since it entered into humans, HIV-1 has been evolving into different substrains--but the 1960 and 1959 sequences were much more divergent than expected, Gemmel reported at the meeting. "It reflects a long past of diversification before 1960," she said. By comparing the two sequences with more recent ones, Gemmel was able to show that HIV-1 first entered humans about 1908, not 1931, as earlier analyses with just the 1959 sample found. Her analysis also indicates that the virus existed in low levels in humans until the middle of the 20th century. "That matches the rise of population centers," Gemmel explained, suggesting that urbanization around that time paved the way for the AIDS epidemic. Experts are impressed by both findings. The Worobey group is "applying state-of-the-art tools and controlling for a lot of important issues" in shedding light on the origins of the AIDS epidemic, says John Logsdon Jr., an evolutionary biologist at the University of Iowa, Iowa City. These studies are also helping us understand how HIV works, says David Hillis, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Texas, Austin. For example, AIDS experts have assumed that the disease is so severe in humans--yet less so in most monkeys--because humans have not had the time to evolve the proper defenses against the virus that many other primates have. "But the origins are around the same order of magnitude," and still the monkeys don't get sick, says Hillis. "It points out that there are other directions we need to go to understand [virulence]."
Posted by msredsonyas, at 06:17AM 06/29/08 and by 2 others:Trends in HIV/AIDS Diagnoses Among Men Who Have Sex with Men --- 33 States, 2001--2006
Note: ..."This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that the number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among MSM overall during 2001--2006 increased 8.6% (estimated annual percentage change [EAPC] = 1.5). During 2001--2006, an estimated 214,379 persons had HIV/AIDS diagnosed in the 33 states. Of these diagnoses, 46% were in MSM, and 4% were in MSM who engaged in illicit injection-drug use (IDU) (i.e., MSM and IDU). To reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in the United States, HIV prevention services that aim to reduce the risk for acquiring and transmitting infection among MSM and link infected MSM to treatment must be expanded. "..."Reporting cases of HIV infection (not AIDS) and AIDS is now legally mandated in all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. The CDC case definition for HIV infection (not AIDS) requires a positive test result from an assay approved by the Food and Drug Administration that demonstrates evidence of HIV infection; the case definition for AIDS requires meeting the HIV infection (not AIDS) case definition, plus diagnosis of at least one AIDS-defining illness or a CD4+ T-lymphocyte count of <200 cells/µL.† "..."In this report, transmission categories§ are discrete (e.g., "MSM" is distinct from "MSM and IDU" and "IDU" is distinct from "MSM and IDU"). Accordingly, MSM who were also injection-drug users (MSM and IDU) were excluded from analysis of MSM. "..."Of 214,379 HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 33 states during 2001--2006, a total of 97,577 (46%) were among MSM. Decreases in diagnoses were observed in all transmission categories except MSM (excluding MSM and IDU) (Figure 1). Among males, MSM accounted for 97,577 (63%) of cases. Men aged 25--44 years accounted for 64% of cases among MSM (Table). "..."Among MSM of all ages, statistically significant increases as measured by EAPC were observed in blacks, Hispanics, and Asian/Pacific Islanders"..."Editorial Note: During 2001--2006, male-to-male sex remained the largest HIV transmission category in the United States and the only one associated with an increasing number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses. In this analysis, statistically significant decreases in HIV/AIDS diagnoses were observed for all other transmission categories (i.e., among persons likely to have been infected through high-risk heterosexual contact, IDU, MSM and IDU, and other routes). Among MSM aged 13--24 years, statistically significant increases in diagnoses were observed in nearly all racial/ethnic populations. These findings underscore the need for continued effective testing and risk reduction interventions for MSM, particularly those aged <25 years. "..."To improve the nation's ability to track new HIV infections, CDC has established a new system for measuring incident HIV infections at the population level."..."The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, the 33-state case surveillance data are not representative of all HIV-positive persons in the United States. However, the racial/ethnic disparities described in this report are similar to those observed in AIDS cases from all 50 states (4). Second, since 1993, the proportion of HIV/AIDS cases reported to CDC without an identified risk factor for HIV infection has been increasing. In 2006, no risk factor was reported for 25% of HIV (not AIDS) adult and adolescent cases reported to CDC (4). This results in an increasing proportion of cases that are assigned to transmission categories (including male-to-male sexual contact) not based on interview with patients, but rather via statistical adjustment. Risk factor information often is missing because patients decline to disclose behaviors that might place them at risk for HIV transmission or are unaware of their sex partners' high-risk behavior. ...Finally, a backlog of cases diagnosed earlier than recorded in the data might have exaggerated the number of diagnoses in the first 2--3 years after name-based HIV (not AIDS) case reporting was implemented (5). For example, retrospective ascertainment of name-based HIV case reports might have resulted in a substantial number of cases that were recorded as diagnosed during 2001--2002 but were actually diagnosed earlier. "..."In addition, an estimated 25% of HIV-infected persons have not received a diagnosis of HIV infection (7). These persons represent a challenge in terms of HIV prevention and case ascertainment. Moreover, testing is the first step to linking persons infected with HIV to medical care. CDC recommends at least annual testing for sexually active MSM and an "opt-out" approach for screening of all patients aged 13--64 years in clinical settings (8). Ulcerative and nonulcerative sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as syphilis and gonorrhea facilitate HIV transmission from infected MSM and acquisition of HIV by noninfected MSM; therefore, screening for STDs in private and public clinical settings is an important component of HIV prevention in MSM (9). STD and HIV prevention efforts should be as fully integrated as possible. Furthermore, associations have been observed between abuse of illicit and legal drugs such as methamphetamine and alcohol, respectively, and high-risk behavior among MSM. Screening for substance abuse in private and public clinical settings is an important tool for reducing HIV transmission.†† Strengthened collaborations between STD, HIV, viral hepatitis, and substance abuse programs should result in more effective HIV prevention efforts. "..."In support of CDC's strategic goal of reducing the number of new HIV infections in the United States,§§ the proportion of MSM who adopt behaviors that reduce risk for HIV transmission must increase. "
Posted by msredsonyas, at 12:07AM 05/05/08 :Economic Policy Institute "Unemployment level of college grads surpasses that of high-school dropouts" (3-17-2004)
Note: "The recent job market has been particularly tough for those workers with college degrees. In fact, as Figure 1 reveals, the number of unemployed college graduates surpassed that of high-school dropouts a few months ago."...
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