APNewsBreak: Tenn.'s meningitis has likely peaked

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Tennessee's chief medical officer says the rate of new infections from a deadly fungal meningitis outbreak appears to be declining in the state where it was first discovered.

"I think we're on the downhill part of the epidemic curve," Dr. David Reagan said in an interview on Thursday. Still, Reagan cautioned that he expects to see new infections in the state, and there likely will be more deaths.

Tennessee health officials were the first to identify and report the outbreak of the rare disease caused when patients seeking pain relief received contaminated steroid injections. With 66 cases, the state has about a quarter of the 271 patients who have been sickened nationally either with meningitis or, in a few cases, joint infections. Eight of the 21 patients who have died were in Tennessee.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Curtis Allen said it is too early to say whether the rate of new infections is decreasing nationally.

"This is still an ongoing investigation," he said. "There were about 14,000 people exposed."

Not everyone who received the contaminated medicine will get sick, Reagan said. The most important factor determining who does get sick seems to be how much fungus was contaminating the particular vial of medication they received, not their age or even how healthy they were.

"It's not predictable," Reagan said.

Tennessee's meningitis patients range in age from 23 to 91 years old. The majority of them are women, but Reagan said that is only because more of the patients receiving the contaminated injections were women.

Those patients who have been sickest are those who either did not catch the symptoms early or who didn't receive appropriate treatment early because doctors didn't know what they were dealing with. The fungi become harder to kill once they have established themselves in a person's body.

"If treatment is given early, it is very effective," Reagan said. "If it is given late, it is not very effective."

Most of the positively identified cases are caused by Exserohilum rostratum (ex-sir-oh-HY-lum ross-TRAH-tum). The fungus is commonly found in the environment, but it has never before been observed as a cause of meningitis.

Because of that, Reagan said, officials have been unable to firmly establish the incubation period and give those who received the tainted injections a date for when they will no longer need to worry about developing meningitis.

"We're saying at least six weeks, or 42 days, but we probably will extend that," he said. "This is new territory. There's no literature to tell us how long."

That uncertainty is causing a lot of anxiety for people who received the tainted injections but haven't developed symptoms. And there's no test that can show someone is in the clear.

Doctors are diagnosing the fungal meningitis cases by collecting spinal fluid with a long needle, but "just because there's no evidence of infection today, that doesn't mean it won't show up tomorrow," Reagan said.

That's why Tennessee health officials are continuing intensive follow-up with the approximately 1,000 patients who received the injections here between June 27 and Sept. 28, when the suspect medication was pulled from clinics.

Reagan said officials are calling patients once a week to check in and calling twice a week if patients report any symptoms. That has included tracking down people who were vacationing out of state or even out of the country. For anyone who cannot communicate clearly by telephone, officials are making home visits.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-10-19-Meningitis%20Outbreak/id-cddf551d5e0e4f5093f74e3f6ac3df34

valentines day cards hallmark grammy winners obama budget woolly mammoth belize resorts nikki minaj grammy performance

Andy Samberg to Star in Mike Schur Police Comedy

{ttle}

{cptn}","template_name":"ss_thmb_play_ttle","i18n":{"end_of_gallery_header":"End of Gallery","end_of_gallery_next":"View Again"},"metadata":{"pagination":"{firstVisible} - {lastVisible} of {numItems}","ult":{"spaceid":"7664811","sec":""}}},{"id": "hcm-carousel-1529896707", "dataManager": C.dmgr, "mediator": C.mdtr, "group_name":"hcm-carousel-1529896707", "track_item_selected":1,"tracking":{ "spaceid" : "7664811", "events" : { "click" : { "any" : { "yui-carousel-prev" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"prev","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } }, "yui-carousel-next" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"next","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // no more pages, don't beacon again // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } } } } } } })); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {(function() { try{ if (Math.floor(Math.random()*10) == 1) { var loc = window.location, decoded = decodeURI(loc.pathname), encoded = encodeURI(decoded), uri = loc.protocol + "//" + loc.host + encoded + ((loc.search.length > 0) ? loc.search + '&' : '?') + "_cacheable=1", xmlhttp; if (window.XMLHttpRequest) xmlhttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); else xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); xmlhttp.open("GET",uri,true); xmlhttp.send(); } }catch(e){} })(); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings = '"projectId": "10001256862979", "documentName": "", "documentGroup": "", "ywaColo" : "vscale3", "spaceId" : "7664811" ,"customFields" : { "12" : "classic", "13" : "story" }'; Y.Media.YWA.init(Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {if(document.onclick===YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.newClick){document.onclick=YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.oldClick;} }); }); });

Take control: Exploring how self-discipline works and how we might boost it

ScienceDaily (Oct. 19, 2012) ? Converging scientific evidence -- not to mention a great deal of life experience -- tells us that self-control is an important ability. It helps us keep our cool, get things done, and resist the things that tempt us. Scientists believe that gaining a clearer understanding of how self-control works could provide critical insights into addressing some of the large-scale problems facing society today, including obesity and addiction.

Numerous studies have found evidence for the idea of self-control as a limited resource, but emerging research suggests that this model may not tell the whole story. Research published in the journals of the Association for Psychological Science explores the various mechanisms -- metabolic, cognitive, motivational, affective -- thought to underlie self-control.

Motivational Versus Metabolic Effects of Carbohydrates on Self-Control

Daniel C. Molden, Chin Ming Hui, Abigail A. Scholer, Brian P. Meier, Eric E. Noreen, Paul R. D'Agostino, and Valerie Martin

We usually think of a sugary treat as something that taxes our self-control because we have to expend effort trying to resist it. But what if sweets could actually help to boost self-control? That's the basic gist behind the energy model of self-control. According to this model, self-control relies on carbohydrate metabolism; we deplete our carbohydrate stores as we exert self-control, making it more difficult to exert self-control until the stores are built up again. Psychological scientist Daniel Molden and his colleagues decided to test the energy model in a series of four experiments in which participants' baseline glucose levels were assessed prior to performing tasks that required self-control. The researchers found no evidence for a relationship between self-control and glucose metabolism. Follow-up studies indicated that participants who rinsed their mouths with a carbohydrate solution showed improved self-control, despite the fact that they didn't ingest the solution and there was no observable change in their blood glucose levels. These findings suggest a motivational as opposed to metabolic mechanism for self-control.

Published in the October 2012 issue of Psychological Science

The Gargle Effect: Rinsing the Mouth with Glucose Enhances Self-Control

Matthew A. Sanders, Steve D. Shirk, Chris J. Burgin, Leonard L. Martin

In this article, psychological scientist Matthew Sanders and colleagues aim to clarify the debate over whether metabolic or motivational mechanisms underlie self-control. The researchers asked participants to engage in a task that required self-control; the participants then rinsed their mouths with either glucose or a non-glucose sweetener while they performed a second self-control task. The results of the study conceptually replicate those reported by Molden and colleagues. Participants who rinsed with the glucose sweetener demonstrated better self-control than those who rinsed with a non-glucose sweetener, despite the fact that there was not enough time for the glucose to actually be metabolized. These results provide additional evidence to suggest that glucose influences self-control through a non-metabolic route. The researchers speculate that glucose may activate brain areas involved in selecting and inhibiting action, as well as detecting errors and evaluating competing responses.

Forthcoming in Psychological Science

What Is Ego Depletion? Toward a Mechanistic Revision of the Resource Model of Self-Control

Michael Inzlicht and Brandon J. Schmeichel

Although self-control has traditionally been thought of as a limited resource that can be depleted, research on cognition, motivation, and affect has begun to challenge this picture. Inzlicht and Schmeichel review the existing research on self-control and propose an alternative model of self-control focused on process. This process model holds that our initial exertions of willpower lead our motivation to shift away from control and toward gratification. As a part of this process, our attention shifts away from cues that signal the need for control and toward cues that signal indulgence. Inzlicht and Schmeichel argue that the process model provides a starting point for understanding self-control and that more research examining these cognitive, motivational, and affective influences on self-control is needed.

Published in the September 2012 issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal References:

1. D. C. Molden, C. M. Hui, A. A. Scholer, B. P. Meier, E. E. Noreen, P. R. D'Agostino, V. Martin. Motivational Versus Metabolic Effects of Carbohydrates on Self-Control. Psychological Science, 2012; 23 (10): 1137 DOI: 10.1177/0956797612439069
2. Matthew A. Sanders, Steve D. Shirk, Chris J. Burgin, Leonard L. Martin. The Gargle Effect: Rinsing the Mouth with Glucose Enhances Self-Control. Psychological Science, 2012; (forthcoming)
3. M. Inzlicht, B. J. Schmeichel. What Is Ego Depletion? Toward a Mechanistic Revision of the Resource Model of Self-Control. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2012; 7 (5): 450 DOI: 10.1177/1745691612454134

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/R7jvrS7RTa8/121019141256.htm

Felix Baumgartner Little Nemo gawker green bay packers walking dead bcs rankings earthquake today

Unlock PDF Because Sometimes Security Do ... - Work On the Internet

Miscellaneous Written by Anonymous ??Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:22

In the truly paperless office, you have huge collection of PDF files which might have grown exponentially. To maintain PDF files, password protection is the most important activity which gives you the perfect way to have management of PDF files. Today, organizational information is the key to oprations in business which requires proper attention. PDF files have thus become standard files for storing and sharing information. To keep stored PDF data safe, protection with passwords is essential. Sometimes all struggles fail in unlocking PDF files which require you to find some appropriate solution.

Regardless of the fact that your data in PDF files are safe, many a times, it is important for organizations to Unlock PDF Files.

Steps to secure Adobe Acrobat v6.0 PDF files:

• First select Document >> Security >> Display Restrictions and Security
• After this, choose password security from security method drop down list
• From drop down list, choose apt Adobe acrobat version
• Set the password which you want to use to change user password allowing printing, accessing data etc. Go to security settings check box and choose, enter the password in Permissions password
• In the printing option, choose editing permissions you want to put into effect
• In changes allowed option, select editing permissions you want to put into effect
• Press 'OK'

Secured PDF Files-Bothersome For Many!

• To forget PDF password is one disgruntled situation which you never wanted to face in your lifetime. Even all your efforts in recalling PDF passwords fail which is resolvable if you unlock PDF files with external software tool.
• One of the most critical situations might occur when owner of the respective PDF files is at long distant place and only he/she is possessed with password. In this situation, when you are unknown about the PDF password then you might think to unlock PDF files as early as possible.

Unlock PDF with best Result Delivering Tool:If trying of other methods fails, then rely only on professional solution for this purpose. You can utilize PDF Unlocker software to Unlock Password Protected PDF Files. This is one useful application fully supportive of all Adobe acrobat versions from 1-9. This tool is comprises of advanced algorithms and easy functioning of the steps. This application is useful for unlocking user password protected PDF files, however, if you want to unlock owner password protected PDF files, then you need to have permissions for it

Article Tags :

Last Updated on Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:22

Source: http://www.workoninternet.com/business/reviews/miscellaneous/219403-article.html

azores emmylou harris disco inferno b.i.g 1000 words ron white ron white

Film Reviews: Searching for Sugar Man, Paranormal Activity 4 and ...

October, 19, 2012 , by Isaac Weeks

This week brings three new major releases to Triangle cinemas, at least two of which are vying for Taken 2?s spot at the top of the charts. We?ve got Tyler Perry?s action debut in Alex Cross; the latest chapter in the Paranormal Activity saga; and an Oscar contender for Best Documentary with Searching for Sugar Man. Enough time?s been wasted, let?s get started.

The character of Alex Cross first graced screens in the 1997 thriller Kiss the Girls and its quasi-sequel, Along Came a Spider. Those two films starred Morgan Freeman in the role of Cross, a brilliant police detective that used his forensic psychology skills to greater use than a gun. Girls did pretty good at the box office, while Spider languished, basically killing the franchise until Summit Entertainment decided that bringing a mostly forgotten character back to the screen could somehow win over both audiences looking for something that wasn?t created in a comic book, and those that looked back at the original series with fondness.

Alex Cross stars Tyler Perry as the titular character. Here we meet the young detective for the first time, making a name for himself on the streets of Detroit as the best cop in the city. When a wealthy young woman is brutally tortured and murdered, Cross and his team (which includes Edward Burns, Mr. Box Office Poison himself) manage to crack the killer?s (Lost?s Matthew Fox) code and save his next victim from the same grisly fate. Taking this as a personal insult, the killer then sets his sights on Cross? family and friends for revenge.

Your opinion on Alex Cross will largely depend on whether you can buy Tyler Perry, forever to be known for starring as Madea and making a bazillion dollars in the process, as a tough-as-nails Detroit cop. This is the type of character that, even when he?s off the screen for five minutes, the supporting characters spend that time discussing how brilliant he is. It seems almost unfair to point out that the directing and script are horrible, as the acting wouldn?t have been any better if an A-lister was behind the camera. The first time Perry knocks someone out with an open-handed slap, I checked out. Skip this one; if you?re a Perry fan, just drop an extra buck in the collection plate Sunday morning to alleviate the guilt a little.

Next up we have the latest entry in a very lucrative franchise, Paranormal Activity 4. I just realized today that this series has officially taken over as the cheapie Halloween release from Saw, as that franchise quit pumping out quickie sequels almost immediately after the success of PA.?And why shouldn?t Hollywood acquiesce that title onto PA? Whereas almost any other studio would feel no qualms in throwing anyone with half a script and a grasp of which end of the camera to stand behind at the franchise to keep it rolling, Paramount has actually nurtured it along with a creative streak not seen in years from a major studio. By looking toward directors of the most buzzed about documentaries and offering them their first major studio gigs, the PA series is 3-for-3 in quality entertainment that doesn?t cost a bundle. So with Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the directors of both the controversial ?doc? Catfish and Paranormal Activity 3, invited back to oversee the fourth installment, where does it rank among the other installments of the series?

PA 4 opens up five years after the events of the first two films. Katie and Hunter are still missing, and there have been no clues as to where the pair has gone in that time. A family in Nevada befriends a small boy who has just moved in across the street, and after his mother is hospitalized, takes him into their home for a few days while the mom recuperates. The boy is stand-offish and talks to an invisible friend for much of the time, until he starts focusing on getting the son in this family ?ready? to meet this invisible entity. Before you know it chairs are sliding across floors, toys are mysteriously lining up in hallways, and knives are disappearing. Spooooooooooooky!

Here?s the thing: I?m a sucker for these movies. For all of the detractors that ask, ?Who?s scared of a door opening and closing?? the answer is me. I watch these films, and spend the rest of the night hearing my house make noises and assuming that I?m about to die. In my mind, there is something much more scary about an entity you can?t put your hands on screwing around with your property than your generic undead boogie man attempting to stalk you. That is what is so ingenious about the PA series; by taking that which we are most familiar with in our day to day lives, and turning those very things against us, we are left with a feeling of helplessness and horror. PA4 falls in line with the first three films, and is a fine choice for your Halloween viewing this year.

Finally, we have the most buzzed about documentary of the year, Searching for Sugar Man. In the early 70s, Rodriguez was just another struggling folk singer with a small group of fans that watched him play in the bars around Detroit. After releasing two albums that were met by the public with general indifference, the troubadour disappeared from the music scene, leaving behind nothing but whispers about an unappreciated genius and tales of a suicide performed on stage.

What wasn?t known at the time was that those albums were huge hits in South Africa. Discovered by a generation tired and confused by the apartheid movement that surrounded them, they latched onto the words they heard coming from Rodriguez?s records and took them to heart. The albums were such successes that they quickly went gold ten times over, without the news ever reaching America that someone finally appreciated the singer?s brilliance.

Sugar Man walks you through this story, showing you firsthand how dangerous it was for these groups of kids to listen to music that the government at that time labeled as subversive. Whereas many here might consider the music to be just another example of the folksingers of the time who were all attempting to be lesser versions of Bob Dylan, youths in South Africa found the singer to be the voice of their struggle. In fact, it is said in the film that in a liberal family?s home at the time you would find three albums: The Beatle?s ?Abbey Road?, Simon & Garfunkel?s ?Bridge Over Troubled Water?, and Rodriguez?s debut title; many assumed he was as big in America as the other two acts.

Decades later, a South African music reporter in search of a story decides to finally investigate the tale of Rodriguez and his rumored death. Along with a record store owner that regards himself as one of the singer?s biggest fans, they begin to unravel the mystery surrounding the elusive songwriter.
Sugar Man?s biggest strength is its ability to avoid all of the Behind the Music clich?s that befall almost any musical doc. We are not given the sugar-coated rags to riches story that has become the norm for these types of films. Instead, we are shown how one man can cause change, no matter how small, and provide comfort to a people in desperate need for it. What we, the viewer, are receiving is one of the most entertaining yet powerful films of the year, and a sure-fire contender at the Oscars this year.

So in review:
? Avoid Alex Cross, unless you have some ulterior motive for watching it
? Paranormal Activity 4 is a fine film to get your Halloween season started
? Searching for Sugar Man will probably be one of the best films you watch all year

Read More

, Other posts by Isaac Weeks.

Source: http://www.newraleigh.com/article/film-reviews-searching-for-sugar-man-paranormal-activity-4-and-alex-cross/

navy seal team 6 tim gunn tim gunn built to last obama state of the union address 2012 mitt romney tax return flip saunders

Small Business Advertising Online | Mad Marketing Method Blog

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.mad-marketing-method.com/small-business-advertising-online/

dropkick murphys guernsey nit colcannon dystonia tourettes gonzaga

Last episode of soap opera grips Brazil

{ttle}

{cptn}","template_name":"ss_thmb_play_ttle","i18n":{"end_of_gallery_header":"End of Gallery","end_of_gallery_next":"View Again"},"metadata":{"pagination":"{firstVisible} - {lastVisible} of {numItems}","ult":{"spaceid":"46077947","sec":""}}},{"id": "hcm-carousel-1617167371", "dataManager": C.dmgr, "mediator": C.mdtr, "group_name":"hcm-carousel-1617167371", "track_item_selected":1,"tracking":{ "spaceid" : "46077947", "events" : { "click" : { "any" : { "yui-carousel-prev" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"prev","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } }, "yui-carousel-next" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"next","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // no more pages, don't beacon again // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } } } } } } })); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {(function() { try{ if (Math.floor(Math.random()*10) == 1) { var loc = window.location, decoded = decodeURI(loc.pathname), encoded = encodeURI(decoded), uri = loc.protocol + "//" + loc.host + encoded + ((loc.search.length > 0) ? loc.search + '&' : '?') + "_cacheable=1", xmlhttp; if (window.XMLHttpRequest) xmlhttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); else xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); xmlhttp.open("GET",uri,true); xmlhttp.send(); } }catch(e){} })(); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings = '"projectId": "10001256862979", "documentName": "", "documentGroup": "", "ywaColo" : "vscale3", "spaceId" : "46077947" ,"customFields" : { "12" : "classic", "13" : "story" }'; Y.Media.YWA.init(Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {if(document.onclick===YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.newClick){document.onclick=YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.oldClick;} }); }); });