Miscellaneous News

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Risky driving behaviors linked to teens and parents interactions

Two new studies reveal that teen crashes and risky driving behaviors such as cell phone use, failure to wear seat belts, and drinking and driving are strongly linked with the way teens and parents communicate and approach rules about safety.

1 Oct 2009

SEIU-UHW members take layoff fight to Orange County, Sacramento, Santa Rosa and Fresno

Kaiser Permanente employees will be picketing in force outside five Kaiser facilities this week to protest company plans to slash 1,350 jobs in coming months. More than 5,000 union members have attended the 14 prior pickets in SEIU-UHW's statewide campaign.

1 Oct 2009

Results of a new study warn against glamorizing celebrity suicides in the media

Dr Alex Mesoudi, from Queen Mary's newly established Research Centre for Psychology, has found evidence that the increasing reach and influence of the media, combined with a growing number of people assigned celebrity status, could increase the probability of widespread suicide pandemics.

1 Oct 2009

Reports: Climate change effects could increase hunger in developing countries by 2050

By 2050, climate change could lead to decreased outputs of corn, rice and wheat across the developing world resulting in price increases and hunger, according to an International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) study, Bloomberg reports (Ruitenberg, 9/30).

1 Oct 2009

Also in global health news: Tanzania's development initiatives; disease surveillance in West Africa; water, sanitation in Kenya, Malawi; doctor fights Lassa fever

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Tuesday commended Tanazanian President Jakaya Kikwete on the country's utilization of U.S. aid money and vowed her support for the country's future development projects, during a meeting in Washington, D.C., the Zimbabwean reports. "Pelosi hailed President Kikwete and his government for the commitment demonstrated by the campaigns against HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB and implementation of MCC programmes," the newspaper writes (Kulekana, 9/30).

1 Oct 2009

Texas-based retailer seeks recipients to accept donation of medical apparel

blue sky scrubs, an online boutique specializing in designer scrubs and scrub hats, has been looking for a non-profit organization who will accept a large donation of men's scrubs, women's scrubs, and scrub hats.

30 Sep 2009

Global use of biofuels expected to double by 2015

Despite a number of key issues such as land use and competition for feedstocks supplies for traditional food and feed uses, global use of biofuels is excepted to more than double from 2009 to 2015, according to a new global analysis released today by Hart's Global Biofuels Center.

30 Sep 2009

‘Sugar Free’ TV show receives significant interest from global television program distributors

Muscle Flex Inc. (PINKSHEETS: MFLI) (www.MuscleFlexInc.com) and Sterling Worldwide Entertainment, LLC (www.SterlingWWE.com), a subsidiary of Visual Industries, Inc., jointly announced today that their television show "Sugar Free," which is currently in pre-production, has received significant expressions of interest from global television program distributors and have engaged the interested media conglomerates in discussions regarding the show.

30 Sep 2009

ARRA stimulus funds fuel research projects across America

The Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and The Science Coalition (TSC) today released highlighted examples of the important scientific work happening across the country as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The brief report summarizes just a handful of the thousands of projects benefiting from stimulus dollars.

30 Sep 2009

Disaster preparedness program on UCTV

Earthquakes, fires, floods, pandemics. The public relies on health professionals, emergency responders and trained volunteers to react appropriately to a range of disasters, big or small. But does everyone understand the systems that are in place to respond to these dreaded events?

30 Sep 2009

Sexual satisfaction and general well-being linked: Study

Pre- and post-menopausal women who self-rated themselves as being sexually satisfied had a higher overall psychological well-being score and scores for "positive well-being" and "vitality," compared with sexually dissatisfied women in a study of 295 women sexually active more than twice a month. The study, published today in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, also uncovered a positive association between age and well-being, but a negative association for general health.

30 Sep 2009

FEMA grant for designing next generation firefighter gloves

What is one of the biggest complaints firefighters have about their job? It's their gloves. While the current gloves are designed to provide protection against extreme temperatures, they are often bulky and inflexible. Through a recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, researchers at North Carolina State University will attempt to redesign the traditional firefighter glove to provide fire protection with less bulk and greater hand dexterity.

30 Sep 2009

Opinion: 'Microland' to fight poverty; ensuring quality, timely drugs for Africa

In a Forbes column, Elisabeth Eaves, deputy editor at Forbes, examines the concept of "'microland:' securing rights to small plots of land for the world's poorest."

30 Sep 2009

Also in global health news: Drought in East Africa; improving food processing in Africa; Hajj pilgrims must take polio vaccine; fighting insecticide-resistant mosquitoes

"A severe and persistent five-year drought" is pushing "[m]ore than 23 million people ... towards severe hunger and destitution across East Africa, international aid agency Oxfam has warned as it launches a £9.5 million [about $15 million] emergency appeal," the U.K. Press Association reports (9/29). According to Reuters/New York Times, "Malnutrition is now above emergency levels in some areas and hundreds of thousands of valuable cattle are dying" (Wallis, 9/29).

30 Sep 2009

Study finds that bosses use threats and intimidation on employees during financial crisis

Employees report their bosses use threats and intimidation during the financial crisis, according to a national study of leadership funded by the University of Phoenix. “Questions get you written up and/or fired,” one worker said. The study’s results also showed employees increasing distrust what their bosses say.

30 Sep 2009

Drug addiction recovery center breaks city ordinances

One of the community's most brightly colored buildings also represents a bright future for Detroiters struggling against addiction.

30 Sep 2009

Prevalence and emotional impact of hair pulling

1.5% of males and 3.4% of females in a college sample reported significant hair pulling resulting in bald patches at some point in their lives.

30 Sep 2009

CIHR experts discuss the impact of poverty on health

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day and 25,000 children die each day due to poverty, according to the World Bank and UNICEF.

30 Sep 2009

CLF award for Baltimore City Public Schools

The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) today recognized the Baltimore City Public Schools with the Center's 2009 Award for Visionary Leadership in Local Food Procurement and Food Education.

30 Sep 2009

Survey reveals that majority of Americans are happy with their life

Now that the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh is over and the UN completed its one-day global warming summit, many are saying that measuring economic vitality should have more to do with people's overall happiness. Based on that, BIGresearch asked 6,976 Americans in their September American Pulse™ Survey to rate how happy they are with their life, their job and their health.

30 Sep 2009