Obama Administration delays internet gambling ban implementation
Congressional Hearing Scheduled on Legislation to Regulate the Industry
Department of the Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke announced agreement to delay for six months, until June 1, 2010, required compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). The move blocks regulations to implement the legislation which requires the financial services sector to comply with ambiguous and burdensome rules in an attempt to prevent unlawful Internet gambling transactions. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) has scheduled a House Financial Services Committee hearing for December 3 to discuss Internet gambling legislation and the opportunity to effectively regulate the industry.
“We see this move by the Obama Administration as a decision to halt implementation of UIGEA in order to give Congress time to enact an alternative approach of regulating Internet gambling instead of prohibiting it,” said Michael Waxman, spokesperson of the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. “This decision is the latest evidence that momentum is building for a shift in policy and a rewrite of U.S. Internet gambling laws to provide for regulation and taxation instead of prohibition. Over the next six months, Congress should act to create a framework that regulates Internet gambling to protect consumers and collect billions in much-needed revenue for critical federal and state government programs.”
Representatives of the financial services industry, including the Chamber of Commerce and Financial Services Roundtable, have stated publicly that rules to implement UIGEA are ambiguous, burdensome and unlikely to stop Americans from gambling online. In testimony before Congress in April 2008, Department of the Treasury and Federal Reserve System representatives acknowledged the challenges U.S. financial institutions will face in attempting to comply with UIGEA, especially given the chance of multiple interpretations of what may or may not be illegal Internet gambling activity. Recognizing the danger UIGEA posed to the U.S. banking system, the House Financial Services Committee voted in 2008 to suspend UIGEA implementation.
The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267), legislation introduced by Chairman Frank in May 2009, would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S. The legislation, which has attracted a bipartisan group of more than 60 co-sponsors, mandates a number of significant consumer protections including safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identity theft. Additional provisions in the legislation reinforce the rights of each state to determine whether to allow Internet gambling activity for people accessing the Internet within the state and to apply other restrictions on the activity as determined necessary.
The Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act (H.R. 2268), introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) as a companion to Chairman Frank’s bill, is anticipated to generate nearly $42 billion over 10 years for the U.S. Treasury primarily through ensuring that applicable individual and corporate taxes and license fees on regulated Internet gambling activities are collected.
Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative
The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative promotes the freedom of individuals to gamble online with the proper safeguards to protect consumers and ensure the integrity of financial transactions. For more information on the Initiative, visit www.safeandsecureig.org. The Web site provides a means by which individuals can register support for regulated Internet gambling with their elected representatives.
Source: Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative
Biological H1N1 Vaccines: Too little, too late
Lethality of H1N1 Virus Drops to “Non-Epidemic Resting Levels” in Current Cycle – Virus’ Infectivity Remains Increased; New Faster-Developed Synthetic Replikin Vaccines Found Effective, FluForecast(R) Gives Advance Warning of Strain-Specific Outbreaks and Cessation
Biotech firm Replikins Ltd., which has analyzed the H1N1 virus’ genomic data from the 1918 pandemic through the prediction, outbreak, and progress of the current H1N1 pandemic, today issued its latest biochemical analysis of the virus. The new data shows that the lethality of the H1N1 (“Swine Flu”) virus has dropped from its peak of 3.7 (s.d. 4.5) during the virus’s current outbreak in the spring of 2009 to resting non-epidemic levels this week of 2.0 (s.d. 0.1). The H1N1 virus’ infectivity count, however, remains increased.
The new data shows changes in the Replikin Count*, a measure of a virus’s ability to rapidly replicate. A decrease in Replikin Count has signaled the end of each of the three influenza pandemics of the last century (H1N1, H2N2, and H3N2), the end of the SARS outbreak in 2003, and the end of the H5N1 (Avian Flu) outbreak in humans in 2008 (refs).
The company issued an interim advance report of this decrease in lethality on September 30, 2009 (refs). That report has now been confirmed by the current additional Replikins data and by the recent CDC epidemiological reports of declining total hospitalizations and deaths, and declining pediatric deaths from H1N1 (refs). In April 2008, Replikins issued a warning of an impending H1N1 influenza epidemic when the virus’ Replikin Count reached levels not seen since the last H1N1 pandemic in 1918.
Without advance warning, the current biological methods of vaccine production cannot possibly meet the growing needs of a human population that today exceeds 6.7 billion. The current H1N1 Pandemic demonstrates the inherent limitations of biological vaccines, which simply do not permit the timely delivery of vaccine in sufficient quantities before a “hit-and-run” emergent viral disease like H1N1 has come and gone.
The best intentions and efforts of governments, pharmaceutical firms, and public health authorities cannot overcome the absence of advance warning, and the many months required from outbreak to delivery of the vaccine. It is becoming universally acknowledged that new vaccine technologies and methods for providing advance warning of viral outbreaks must be found.
At a meeting of the Influenza Congress USA in Washington, DC on November 19-20, 2009, Replikins chairman Dr. Samuel Bogoch presented new confirmatory evidence of two of its Replikins-based products that offer promise for advance warning of a viral outbreak and for the timely production and delivery of safe and effective vaccines. The first, called FluForecast(R), is software that has correctly provided advance warning of two flu epidemics — H5N1 (Avian Flu) and H1N1 (Swine Flu) — by counting the increase in the number of Replikins in the virus’ genes over time. For the current H1N1 pandemic, the company issued an advisory in April 2008 that forewarned its arrival one year later. With advance warning, scientists, public health officials and the pharmaceutical industry can develop, test and distribute the appropriate vaccine with enough time to avert the worst effects of emerging diseases.
Replikins Ltd. has successfully tested a second promising technology that allows for the faster development and deployment of safe and effective influenza vaccines. The company has now produced completely synthetic vaccines based on both new and conserved Replikin structures, which exclude all biological components and any contact with them. The process eliminates unwanted side effects from contaminants and the need for preservatives such as thimerosol. Synthetic Replikin vaccines made in seven days, given orally or intranasally, recently have been found independently to be effective in blocking emergent viruses including H5N1 in chickens, where it totally blocked virus excretion and thus potentially, virus reservoir formation (refs).
When asked at the Influenza Congress about the goals of Replikins Ltd., Dr. Bogoch replied: “Current biological vaccine technologies for emergent diseases are expected to provide, albeit ‘too little and too late’, approximately 125 million vaccine doses for people worldwide this fall (Klaus Stohr, Influenza Congress USA, Washington, DC, Nov. 19-20, 2009). Replikins synthetic vaccines are targeting emergent diseases in the unserved global population of over six billion people, and selected animal populations, and FluForecast(R) can give advance warning of outbreaks.
“The company has announced the formation of WorldVaccines(TM) Ltd to test and distribute these new Replikins technologies, and invites all interested public health, pharmaceutical, financial, and other institutions to join it in testing and distributing FluForecast(R) and Replikins’ synthetic vaccines against emerging diseases.”
References:
1) US Patent Office publications on Replikins 2002-2009; 2) BogochS, Bogoch,ES. Replikins: the Biochemistry of Rapid Replication, Begell House, New York, 2005; 3) Website <replikins.com> Replikins Press 2006-2009; 4) CDC Weekly Reports website (google “FluView”); 5) Betsy McKay, Wall Street Journal, page A3, November 21-22, 2009; 6) Jackwood, M. et al. Efficacy of a Replikin Peptide Vaccine Against Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza H5 Virus. Avian Diseases, Publication Online, doi:10.1637/8892-042509-Res. Note.1; Hard copy Article In Press. July 2009.
Source: Replikins Ltd.
NASA’s Fermi Telescope peers deep into a microquasar
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has made the first unambiguous detection of high-energy gamma-rays from an enigmatic binary system known as Cygnus X-3. The system pairs a hot, massive star with a compact object — either a neutron star or a black hole — that blasts twin radio-emitting jets of matter into space at more than half the speed of light.
Astronomers call these systems microquasars. Their properties — strong emission across a broad range of wavelengths, rapid brightness changes, and radio jets — resemble miniature versions of distant galaxies (called quasars and blazars) whose emissions are thought to be powered by enormous black holes.
“Cygnus X-3 is a genuine microquasar and it’s the first for which we can prove high-energy gamma-ray emission,” said Stephane Corbel at Paris Diderot University in France.
The system, first detected in 1966 as among the sky’s strongest X-ray sources, was also one of the earliest claimed gamma-ray sources. Efforts to confirm those observations helped spur the development of improved gamma-ray detectors, a legacy culminating in the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard Fermi.
At the center of Cygnus X-3 lies a massive Wolf-Rayet star. With a surface temperature of 180,000 degrees F, or about 17 times hotter than the sun, the star is so hot that its mass bleeds into space in the form of a powerful outflow called a stellar wind. “In just 100,000 years, this fast, dense wind removes as much mass from the Wolf-Rayet star as our sun contains,” said Robin Corbet at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Every 4.8 hours, a compact companion embedded in a disk of hot gas wheels around the star. “This object is most likely a black hole, but we can’t yet rule out a neutron star,” Corbet noted.
Fermi’s LAT detects changes in Cygnus X-3’s gamma-ray output related to the companion’s 4.8-hour orbital motion. The brightest gamma-ray emission occurs when the disk is on the far side of its orbit. “This suggests that the gamma rays arise from interactions between rapidly moving electrons above and below the disk and the star’s ultraviolet light,” Corbel explained.
When ultraviolet photons strike particles moving at an appreciable fraction of the speed of light, the photons gain energy and become gamma rays. “The process works best when an energetic electron already heading toward Earth suffers a head-on collision with an ultraviolet photon,” added Guillaume Dubus at the Laboratory for Astrophysics in Grenoble, France. “And this occurs most often when the disk is on the far side of its orbit.”
Through processes not fully understood, some of the gas falling toward Cygnus X-3’s compact object instead rushes outward in a pair of narrow, oppositely directed jets. Radio observations clock gas motion within these jets at more than half the speed of light.
Between Oct. 11 and Dec. 20, 2008, and again between June 8 and Aug. 2, 2009, Cygnus X-3 was unusually active. The team found that outbursts in the system’s gamma-ray emission preceded flaring in the radio jet by roughly five days, strongly suggesting a relationship between the two.
The findings, published today in the electronic edition of Science, will provide new insight into how high-energy particles become accelerated and how they move through the jets.
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an astrophysics and particle physics partnership, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, along with important contributions from academic institutions and partners in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, and the U.S.
Source: NASA
Financial concerns remain top stressors for Americans heading into Holiday Season
American Psychological Association Offers Strategies to Manage Stress and Promote Health during Holidays
As Black Friday nears and national unemployment levels push into double digits for the first time in decades, the American Psychological Association’s (APA) newest Stress in America survey finds that Americans continue to cite financial concerns as leading sources of stress.
Approximately seven in ten Americans report that money is a significant source of stress (71 percent), according to APA’s 2009 Stress in America survey, with similarly high percentages reporting stress resulting from work (69 percent) and the economy (63 percent). More than half of adults (55 percent) also cited family responsibilities as a significant source of stress in their lives.
“According to our survey three quarters of adults in this country already report moderate to high levels of stress,” says psychologist Katherine Nordal, PhD, APA’s executive director for professional practice. “The holiday season can bring with it additional emotional and financial stressors that can negatively impact both physical and mental health.”
Psychologists urge parents to pay particular attention to the stress their children may experience during the holidays. APA’s Stress in America survey found that children are nearly two times more likely to worry about financial concerns than their parents realize. Specifically, 30 percent of youth say they worry about their family having enough money, while only 18 percent of parents report that this is a source of stress for their child.
“While the holidays are stressful for many people, there are some things we can all do to manage that stress and enjoy the season,” says Dr. Nordal. “Given the concerns our young people are reporting about stress and money, parents need to be good models for managing stress in healthy ways.”
APA suggests the following strategies to manage holiday stress and enjoy the season:
1. Take time for yourself. Taking care of yourself helps you to take better care of others in your life. Go for a long walk or take time out to read or listen to your favorite music. By slowing down you will actually have more energy to accomplish your goals.
2. Volunteer. Many charitable organizations face new challenges as a result of the ongoing economic downturn. Find a local charity, such as a soup kitchen or a shelter, where you and your family can volunteer together. Helping others who are less fortunate can put hardships in perspective and can build stronger family relationships.
3. Set realistic expectations. No holiday celebration is perfect; view inevitable missteps as opportunities to demonstrate flexibility and resilience. Create a realistic budget and remind your children that the holidays aren’t about expensive gifts.
4. Remember what’s important. Commercialism can overshadow the true sentiment of the holiday season. When your holiday expense list is running longer than your monthly budget, scale back. Remind yourself that family, friends and the relationships in our lives are what matter most.
5. Seek support. Talk about stress related to the holidays with your friends and family. Getting things out in the open can help you navigate your feelings and work toward a solution. If you continue to feel overwhelmed, consider talking with a professional such as a psychologist to help you develop coping strategies and better manage your stress. A psychologist has the skills and professional training to help people learn to manage stress and cope more effectively with life problems, using techniques based on best available research and their clinical skills and experience, and taking into account an individual’s unique values, goals and circumstances. Psychologists have doctoral degrees and are licensed by the state in which they practice. They receive one of the highest levels of education of all health care professionals, spending an average of seven years in education and training after they receive their undergraduate degrees.
Stress in America is part of APA’s Mind/Body Health public education campaign. For additional information on stress and lifestyle and behavior, visit www.apahelpcenter.org, read the campaign blog www.yourmindyourbody.org, and follow @apahelpcenter on Twitter.
Methodology
The 2009 Stress in America Survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Psychological Association, between July 21, 2009 and August 4, 2009 among 1,568 adults aged 18+ who reside in the U.S. This report also includes the results of a YouthQuery survey conducted between August 19 and 27, 2009 among 1,206 young people aged 8-17 years old. Results were weighted as needed for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.
Source: American Psychological Association
New report warns against Bubble economic recovery
A new report released today by Bread for the World Institute warns that unless the triple threats of hunger, unemployment, and climate change are addressed, any economic recovery will only lead to another bubble.
“To blunt the surge of hunger, unemployment, and the long-term effects of climate change, we need a just and sustainable economic recovery,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World Institute. “If we do not reshape our economy with jobs that allow low-income workers to feed their families and move out of poverty, our recovery will not be sustainable. Like a bubble, it will only collapse again.”
According to the new report, Hunger 2010: A Just and Sustainable Recovery, more than 1.02 billion people are hungry every day — an increase of more than 100 million from a year ago. In the United States, the number of people who struggle to put food on the table has surged to 49.1 million. “It’s deeply disturbing to think that nearly one in four children live on the brink of hunger in this country,” said Rev. Beckmann. “It’s a scandal for us as the richest country in the world.”
Unemployment is also on the rise, with one in ten Americans out of a job. The report stresses that for a sustainable economic recovery, we need to put people back to work. It argues that dollar for dollar, one of the best investments the United States can make is to create green jobs focused on lowering carbon emissions. “The jobs that will help us convert our economy from reliance on fossil fuels to alternative energy sources could more than surpass the 4 million manufacturing jobs lost since the start of the recession,” Rev. Beckmann added.
“Climate change is real and we have to deal with it,” said Rev. Beckmann. “Governments negotiating a new climate treaty must make concrete commitments at the climate change conference in Copenhagen in early December. The world’s economic recovery will remain fragile if we do not take steps to address climate change. Hungry and poor people are the most vulnerable. More than anyone else, they are bearing the brunt of the effects of climate change.”
The report analyzes the issues that need to be addressed in order for the U.S. and global economies to recover from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. It highlights the opportunity to put in place policies that reduce inequality, help low-income families to save and build assets for the future, and revitalize neglected communities throughout the country.
Hunger 2010: A Just and Sustainable Recovery also makes the case for U.S. leadership in reducing hunger and poverty around the world and in addressing climate change. “The economic crisis has given us an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our economy and to put people and the planet at the center of our decisions,” said Rev. Beckmann. “It is important that the economic recovery be measured by how many of the world’s poorest people are able to lift themselves out of chronic hunger and poverty.”
Hunger 2010: A Just and Sustainable Recovery is available online at www.bread.org/hungerreport.
Source: Bread for the World Institute
Moving to clean energy would drive job growth and economic recovery in Arkansas
State stands to gain 18,000 jobs through policies to promote renewable energy
Shifting to renewable energy sources, such as wind and bio-energy, would bring significant job growth, economic investment and revenues to Arkansas’ struggling rural communities, according to a new report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). These benefits would be enhanced through clean energy and climate legislation that is currently moving through the U.S. Senate.
“After suffering significant job losses, Arkansas is well-positioned to become a leader in producing the clean energy that America needs,” said Martin R. Cohen, author of the report and an independent energy policy. “The state’s dependable workforce and strong business community provide the tools for leadership in manufacturing equipment for clean energy industries.”
The new report, called “A Clean Energy Economy for Arkansas: Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources,” examines the potential for renewable energy resource development, specifically looking at how the state’s rural communities stand to benefit. According to the report, investment in renewable energy would create as many as 18,000 new Arkansas jobs and provide a boost to rural communities across the state.
Chris Callahan, CEO, NextGen Ilumination, in Fayetteville, Ark., said: “Energy efficiency is one of the most powerful ways of reducing emissions. In addition, it can significantly lower energy costs for Arkansas citizens. NexGen Illumination has helped Arkansas to reduce energy consumption, minimizing waste and saving them money in energy and labor costs as well as creating new jobs within the state. Arkansas benefits not only environmentally, but economically, by adopting new energy efficiency technology.”
Nathan Wilson, manager, Winds of Change Leaseholding, LLC in Rogers, Ark., said: “Harnessing wind energy not only reduces Arkansas’ carbon footprint, it does so while economically benefiting rural areas of the state. Winds of Change has worked to develop community wind farms where both investors and landowners work towards an uncommon benefit. Wind farms can create Arkansas jobs and harness Arkansas energy while giving a much-needed boost to economically struggling areas of the state.”
The new report finds renewable energy in Arkansas provides significant opportunity for economic growth that is environmentally sustainable in rural communities. The report also finds the potential of new income sources for farmers from emerging clean energy technologies, particularly wind, biofuels, biopower, and biogas.
Wind Power. A federal government study projects that 1,000 megawatts of Arkansas wind power — about eight or ten utility-scale wind farms
– would create $830 million in economic benefits over 20 years, 3,496 construction and locally stimulated indirect jobs, and 504 permanent operations jobs.
Biofuels. Cellulosic ethanol – made from organic waste materials, crop residue, and non-food plants, instead of edible sugars and starches, and biodiesel — made from algae instead of soybeans, are the next generation of smart biofuels. Arkansas is perfectly situated to become a center of the next generation biofuels production. Existing usable Arkansas crop and timber residues are sufficient to produce 770 million gallons of transportation fuels each year, equivalent to 50 percent of all the gasoline used in Arkansas. An average rice farm could see potential gross revenue of $38,000 from harvesting biomass residue. Ten cellulosic plants, each with a 50 million gallon capacity, would create 2,090 long-term jobs, and $216 million in annual economic activity;Biopower. Electricity generation that combines solid biomass with coal at existing power plants would be a relatively low-cost way to ramp up renewable resource development in Arkansas and cut back on coal consumption. Many sources of biomass are renewable fuels that can be stored to make biopower whenever they are needed, making them a perfect complement to the variable output of wind and solar power. If 10 percent of Arkansas’ coal-fired power capacity were replaced with biopower plants, more than 700 new long-term jobs would be created, not including new agricultural jobs to produce and harvest the biomass fuel.
“A Clean Energy Economy for Arkansas: Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources” is available online at http://www.nrdc.org/energy/cleanAR/.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world’s natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org.
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC
Experts examine possible links between climate change and infectious disease transmission
ASTMH Symposium Considers Evidence of Effects of Climate Change on Climate-Sensitive Diseases
An emerging body of evidence suggests that the changing global climate is already affecting infectious disease transmission patterns. As noted in a symposium at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), such changes are expected to have a profound impact on global public health.
“There is concrete evidence that the global climate is changing, and these changes are expected to greatly impact human health as surface temperatures rise, agricultural belts shift, and extreme weather events become more commonplace,” observed Mary H. Hayden, Ph.D. of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, CO. “Although most scientists agree that climate change is underway, the role it plays in infectious disease transmission is still in contention. The evidence presented today suggests that climate change will exacerbate the challenges of controlling infectious diseases in the developing world.”
The aim of the symposium, “Changing the Climate: A Data-Driven Discussion About Climate,” was to address the use, utility, and limitations of weather and climate models toward a goal of providing data-driven evidence of the links between weather, climate, specific pathogens and ultimately, human health. The symposium included several evidence-based presentations by speakers from the US Centers Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Columbia University’s International Research Institute on the established effects of climate variability/change on specific climate-sensitive diseases such as meningitis, malaria, plague and other vector-borne bacterial pathogens.
“Climate change is expected to impact global health through a variety of factors including greater heat stress, air pollution, respiratory disease exacerbation, and changes in the geographic distribution of vector-, food- and water-borne disease,” commented Dr. Hayden, who is one of the three (Dr. Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez (CDC) and Dr. George Luber (CDC)) program coordinators of a joint NCAR/US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention postdoctoral fellowship combining public health applications and climate science. “The complexity of such influences requires that the next generation of climate and health scientists undergo training to ensure that they can address climate-related public health challenges. Such preparation will be critical as the population of at-risk individuals continues to grow.”
“We are moving into the age of ‘decision-making’ with regard to climate change after decades of focusing on reducing uncertainties in attribution and prediction,” added NCAR Director Eric J. Barron, Ph.D., who discussed the potential use of available weather and climate models in health forecasting. “Health has huge potential and should be first in line for greater investment to improve the decision-making process because of its clear ties to weather and climate. Whereas the medical community has tended to respond in a ‘point-of-service’ manner – reacting to incoming cases with almost no discipline of forecasting – health/climate forecasting has real potential if we can design monitoring algorithms or a robust predictive capability.”
“The changing climate will likely bring infectious diseases to the forefront of the public health consciousness in the years and decades to come,” said Thomas Wellems, MD, Ph.D., president of ASTMH. “We salute the NCAR and its research scientists for drawing attention to this growing challenge, which can only be met through concerted effort by the global community.”
Source: The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Military study shows prevention of Novel A/H1N1 virus infection is vaccine-type and age-dependent
Both Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) and Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine (TIV) provide Protection against novel A/H1N1, especially against severe disease
Immunization with either live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV, also known as FluMist®), or trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV), appears to offer a protection (~ 45%) against the novel A/H1N1 virus, the cause of the present influenza pandemic. However, the benefit was largely attributed to the youngest age group. The finding emerges from an evaluation of medical encounters and seasonal influenza immunization of U.S. military service members.
As reported today in a Late-Breaker presentation at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), seasonal influenza vaccination also appears to offer higher protection against severe disease requiring hospitalization (~ 62%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 14% to 84%) than against milder infections that can be treated on an outpatient basis (~ 42%, 95% CI, 29% to 53%).
“The increasing momentum of the H1N1 pandemic underscores the need for vaccination, yet there is a wide variance in vaccine effectiveness depending on the strain-match for a particular season,” comments Col. (Ret.) Jose L. Sanchez, MD, MPH, of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC) in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Dr. Sanchez and colleagues conducted a case control analysis of influenza-related medical encounter data of U.S. military service members, compared to a control group of personnel with acute, non-respiratory illnesses. For the period of April-October 2009, a total of 1,205 cases of pandemic H1N1 2009 infections were reported, of which 966 (80%) were among males and more than one-half (58%) were among those younger than 25 years. The overall vaccine effectiveness (VE) for service members was found to be 45% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33% to 55%). Immunization with prior season’s TIV (VE=37%; 95% CI, 23% to 49%) as well as LAIV (VE=22%; 95% CI, 1% to 38%), were found to be protective.
Interestingly, and unexpectedly, the investigators observed a U-shaped relationship of VE with age stratification. VE was high in the youngest (< 25 yo) and oldest (> 39 yo) service members (50% and 55% respectively), while there was noVE for those 25 to 39 years of age.
“These data highlight the need for concise, timely assessments of influenza vaccine effectiveness against the new A/H1N1 as well as seasonal strains,” notes Thomas Wellems, MD, PhD, president of ASTMH. “Although the United States military constitutes a highly immunized population that may not be generalizable to civilians, it offers unique cohorts of at-risk individuals that can be studied in randomized clinical trials. We look forward to further data from this population.”
“These findings suggest that while prior season’s influenza vaccine may not prevent infection or developing illness once infected, it certainly appears to protect against more severe outcomes. We may also be seeing a cross-protective effect resulting from natural influenza infections and/or prior influenza immunization in the military setting,” says Dr. Sanchez. “This may play a role in conferring a certain degree of ‘immunological priming.”
“Continued timely assessment of influenza vaccine effectiveness among military personnel is a top priority for us at the AFHSC. At the very least, our results will assist health officials in the military and Department of Defense in guiding future policy on seasonal and novel A/H1N1 vaccine use among military service members and dependents,” Dr. Sanchez concludes.
Source: The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Employee confidence remains strong despite tough economy in October 2009
U.S. Workers Express High Degrees of Optimism, Loyalty to their Companies
Despite one of the worst economic environments in American history, U.S. employees report surprisingly high levels of confidence in the overall direction of their companies and their management, according to a new employee confidence survey released today.
Conducted by APCO Worldwide in partnership with Gagen MacDonald, a strategy execution firm specializing in employee and organizational communication, the survey also uncovered unexpectedly high degrees of company loyalty despite uncertainty about how loyal their companies are to them. The survey was carried out among a cross-section of 500 U.S. full-time workers who have been employed for at least one year at companies with 100 or more employees.
“While employee confidence and loyalty may to a large degree be an expression of wishful thinking during these tough times, it nonetheless indicates a sentiment that can and should be leveraged to a company’s advantage,” said Kirk Stewart, an executive vice president at APCO Worldwide. “The results clearly point to the increased importance and responsibilities leaders have in more effectively engaging, inspiring and leading their organizations, particularly in this uncertain economic environment.”
“Though the survey found surprisingly high levels of employee loyalty and trust, there is clearly less certainty of the company’s reciprocal allegiance. By employing more strategic communication, we believe companies can demonstrate their loyalty to employees and make significant headway in building the high-performing cultures needed to weather the remainder of this downturn and grow during the eventual economic recovery,” said Maril MacDonald, CEO of Gagen MacDonald. “As the survey reinforces, this begins with leadership’s ability to articulate a vision for the company, build meaningful relationships and be transparent about decisions and their implications, from the C-Suite to the frontline.”
Strong Confidence in Company Direction and Leadership
Overall, employees are very confident about the current and future direction of their companies, the survey showed. More than 80 percent of the respondents say their companies are headed in the right direction; only 15 percent think things are headed in the wrong direction. Nearly nine in 10 employees believe conditions will be better or the same a year from now; only 12 percent say they will be worse.
Nearly three-fourths of the respondents are also highly confident in their chief executive officer’s (CEO) and immediate supervisor’s abilities to effectively lead their organizations. Those who believe their companies are headed in the wrong direction rate the performance of their CEOs significantly lower.
Despite the current controversy surrounding CEO compensation, only 32 percent believe their CEOs are compensated too highly. Just 11 percent think their immediate supervisors are compensated too highly. These results vary significantly depending on the respondent’s salary level. Employees are somewhat less positive about their own compensation; four in 10 respondents do not believe they are compensated sufficiently.
The survey indicated mixed sentiments regarding employee morale. Only 27 percent of respondents believe morale in their organizations is extremely positive, while 20 percent think it is extremely or somewhat negative. Only two in 10 employees believe morale is better compared to a year ago, while nearly one-third say it is worse. Morale declined with tenure and was lower among union employees.
Respondents, however, report very high levels of job satisfaction. Nearly 80 percent say they are extremely or somewhat satisfied with their current jobs, while only 9 percent are extremely or somewhat unsatisfied. Given the choice, nearly 90 percent of the employees say they will be at the same job six months from now. The employees cite job security, stability, pay and benefits as the primary reasons for their satisfaction.
Loyalty, Trust High, But Not Mutual
More than 80 percent of the respondents say they are extremely loyal to their company and personally motivated to do all they can to help their companies succeed. Fewer than half, however, say they completely agree with the statements “My company is loyal to me” and “My company values its employees.” There is significantly higher agreement on company reciprocity among younger, more highly compensated, non-union and less-tenured employees.
The survey reaffirmed the important role effective communication plays in improving mutual loyalty and trust. Employees say they prefer to receive information about their company via e-mail or face-to-face from management. Nearly eight in 10 of the respondents believe it is extremely important to receive communication directly from their CEO, yet less than half consider the quality and frequency of that communication as excellent. Employees rate the communication they receive from their immediate supervisors much more positively.
Employees generally agree their companies successfully communicate the information necessary for them to do their jobs and their supervisors provide clear directions and priorities for their teams. Employees, however, see their company executives falling short on clearly explaining the future direction of the company.
This survey of 500 full-time U.S. employees was fielded by telephone from September 28 to October 5, 2009. It was conducted by APCO Insight(R), APCO’s independent opinion research division. The sample included individuals who were employed full time, had been employed at their company for at least one year and worked at a company that had more than 100 employees. The sampling error for the survey was +/- 4.4 percentage points at the 95-percent confidence interval.
Source: APCO Worldwide
Healthy oceans can help save us from climate change
International coalition advances marine conservation as part of the solution to climate change
A large international coalition today urged the United States to support marine conservation options that will help mitigate climate change.
The ‘Blue Climate Coalition,’ comprised of sixty-six conservation groups and interests and over 150 marine scientists and professionals, from 33 countries, issued communications addressed to President Obama and the United States Senate.
Together, the coalition letters request the option for marine conservation solutions to climate change to be considered in national climate change legislation and international climate change treaties, and support for marine science research that further explores this concept.
Eminent oceanographer and conservationist, Dr. Sylvia Earle, endorsed the letters as the first scientist to sign-on. In her latest book, ‘The World Is Blue,’ Earle reveals how dangerous oceanic change threatens the very existence of life on Earth and argues for renewable strategies that safeguard the natural systems that sustain us.
News of the coalition’s effort made its way to Hollywood, and to the notice of Gilles Marini, most recently of ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ Gilles signed the letters as a supporter of healthy oceans.
Philippe, Jr., and Alexandra Cousteau, grandchildren of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, signed-on, representing their respective conservation organizations EchoEarth International and Blue Legacy International.
A wide range of interests were represented in the coalition letters: environmental conservation, climate change education and advocacy, ecosystem restoration, the dive industry, ecotourism and sustainable travel, carbon offsetting, fishing, and scientific research.
Scientific Backing
The coalition’s message is supported by reports released recently by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). UNEP’s ‘Blue Carbon’ report highlights the carbon storage potential of coastal and marine ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and saltwater marsh lands.
The UNEP report found that the restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems and a reduction in the clearcutting of tropical forests could mitigate anthropogenic carbon emissions by up to 25%.
The IUCN report, titled ‘The Ocean and Climate Change,’ finds that failure to recognize the ocean in climate change discussions will have profound consequences for humanity. The report also recommends for additional research to quantify the carbon value of ocean ecosystems. This recommendation is echoed in the coalition letters, to ensure full scientific backing any future natural ocean carbon policies.
“Utilizing the natural carbon functions of both the green and blue biospheres of our planet is an option that we simply cannot afford to ignore if we are serious about tackling climate change and making the transition to a sustainable low-carbon economy,” said Mark J. Spalding, President of The Ocean Foundation and signatory to the coalition letters.
The Urgency of Action
“The United States will play a crucial role in next month’s climate change discussions in Copenhagen,” said Steven J. Lutz, Executive Director of Blue Climate Solutions, the group that organized the letters. “We are asking the United States to show global leadership by advancing solutions for climate change that involve coastal and marine conservation. Many U.S. federal and state agencies are already pursuing actions that could be considered climate mitigation, such as the restoration of coastal and estuarine habitats. These actions need to be continued and encouraged.”
Recognizing the carbon value of healthy coastal and marine ecosystems may be significant for achieving consensus at the Copenhagen negotiations. The health of coastal ocean ecosystems is a critical issue for many developing countries, especially small island developing states. The need to restore the ocean’s natural carbon function could help direct billions of dollars towards conservation efforts, while simultaneously supporting local economies and countering the threat of climate change throughout the globe.
Economic stimulus associated with restoring the ocean’s natural carbon function include funding and investment for activities such as improving water quality, ecosystem restoration, coastal surveying, and the innovation of new environmental monitoring and restoration technologies.
“Restoring the ocean’s natural ocean carbon function is proposed as an alternative to potentially harmful ocean geo-engineering schemes recently discussed in Congress,” said Lutz. “Restoration activities that naturally fix carbon in to forms other than dissolved carbon will also not increase ocean acidification.”
Environmental co-benefits associated with natural ocean carbon solutions include renewed and sustainable fisheries, the conservation of endangered marine species and birds, and the restoration of certain coastal ecosystems. Mangrove forests are considered essential habitat for many fish species, and healthy seagrass meadows are indispensable for endangered sea turtles and manatees.
“Sea turtle hatchlings need healthy coastal and marine ecosystems in order to survive,” said Lutz. “It just so happens that we also need the same healthy ocean ecosystems to survive on this blue planet.”
Source: Blue Climate Coalition