Mind power moves paralysed limbs

By Michelle Roberts Health reporter, BBC News

Scientists have shown it is possible to harness brain signals and redirect them to make paralysed limbs move.
The technology bypasses injuries that stop nerve signals travelling from the brain to the muscles, offering hope for people with spinal damage.
So far the US team from the University of Washington have only tested their "brain-machine interfaces" in monkeys.
The hope is to develop implantable circuits for humans without the need for robotic limbs, Nature reports.
Wired up
Spinal cord injuries impair the nerve pathways between the brain and the limbs but spare both the limb muscles and the part of the brain that controls movement - the motor cortex.

"Similar techniques could be applied to stimulate the lower limb muscles during walking "
Lead researcher Dr Chet Moritz

Recent studies have shown that quadriplegic patients - people who have paralysis in all four limbs - can consciously control the activity of nerve cells or neurons in the motor cortex that command hand movements, even after several years of paralysis.
Using a gadget called a brain-machine interface, Dr Chet Moritz and colleagues re-routed motor cortex control signals from the brains of temporarily paralysed monkeys directly to their arm muscles.
The gadget, which is the size of a mobile phone, interprets the brain signals and converts them into electrical impulses that can then stimulate muscle to contract.
By wiring up artificial pathways for the signals to pass down, muscles that lacked natural stimulation after paralysis with a local anaesthetic regained a flow of electrical signals from the brain.
Life-changing
The monkeys were then able to tense the muscles in the paralysed arm, a first step towards producing more complicated goal-directed movements, such as grasping a cup or pushing buttons, say the researchers.
Lead researcher Dr Chet Moritz said: "This could be scaled to include more muscles or stimulate sites in the spinal cord that could activate muscles in a coordinated action.
"Similar techniques could be applied to stimulate the lower limb muscles during walking."
The scientists found the monkeys could learn to use virtually any motor cortex nerve cell to control muscle stimulation - it did not have to be one that would normally controlled arm movement. And their control over the muscles improved with practice.
The researchers say they need to do trials in humans, meaning a treatment could be decades away.
Dr Mark Bacon, head of research at the UK charity Spinal Research, said: "This is clearly a step in the right direction and proves the principle that artificially transducing the will to move generated in the brain with relevant motor activity can be achieved.
"However, these results have been produced in experimental models where there is no injury per se."
He said injury-induced changes to the nerve circuits might hinder the technology's application in real life.
Also, brain-machine interfaces communicate in only one direction - in this case from the brain to the muscle.
"Sensory feedback, so important for fine control of movements and dexterity, is still some way away," he said.

腦部植入電子裝置有望可醫癱瘓
(星島)10月16日 星期四 14:39
美國 研究人員在實驗室內替一批四肢癱瘓的猴子進行試驗，在牠們的腦部植入一種電子裝置後，成功令猴子的四肢再度活動，而且可以發出訊號，重新控制肌肉。科學家形容這是一項重大的醫療突破和進展，有助研究新方法為脊椎受傷或中風 而導致四肢癱瘓的病人，進行治療。估計有關實驗可於5年內在人體內展開。 這批來自華盛頓 大學的科學家在《自然》周刊內發表研究報告，詳細解釋實驗的過程和結果。他們在癱瘓的猴子體內，植入一種極之幼細、用來監察腦細胞活動的電殛裝置，然後訓練猴子玩遊戲，把手腕左右轉動。 在過程中，電殛裝置不停記錄來自腦部的電子訊號，這些訊號會選擇迂迴的路綫，避開受了損害的區域，控制肌肉。　　接着，科學家把一種化學劑注入猴子體內，令牠們的手臂暫時癱瘓。今次，腦部發出的神經訊號會轉入電腦，進行過濾和分析，然後透過電綫傳到猴子的手腕。猴子再次玩遊戲，初時無法控制肌肉，但其後適應了，可以控制手腕活動。　　科學家莫里茨說，理論上，頸部以下癱瘓的病人，也可利用這種技術重新活動，但要普及化及進行臨床應用，恐怕會要等數十年。

科學家發現鯊魚無性生殖第二例

(法新社)10月15日 星期三 14:20
（法新社華盛頓 十四日電） 研究人員今天證實，一條小鯊魚似乎是在母鯊沒有與公鯊交配的情況下懷孕出生。這也是研究人員發現的第二個類似案例。
據「魚類生物期刊」週末的一篇報導，這項研究似乎顯示，母鯊可以在沒有公鯊讓卵受精的情況下生殖。
這項研究報告的主要作者，紐約 州立大學海洋保育科學研究所鯊魚專家柴普曼說，對這條幼鯊進行的DNA測試證實它沒有父親。
這條小鯊魚是一條名叫「提蒂」的黑尖端母鯊魚的後代，這條母鯊已在維吉尼亞州一家水族館生活了八年，但從來沒有與公鯊魚接觸過。
科學家說，這是經證實鯊魚以單性生殖懷孕的第二個案例，所謂單性生殖是一枚未受精的卵發展成一個新個體的過程。
直到現在，一般相信，單性生殖只會發生在某些特定的昆虫、蜘蛛、蜈蚣和甲殼類動物身上。

歐洲過半兩棲動物面臨滅絕威脅

研究人員說，到2050年，歐洲超過一半的兩棲動物有可能滅絕。
倫敦動物學協會的科學家們說，氣候變化和疾病有可能銷毀大批青蛙、蟾蜍和其他冷血動物。
倫敦動物學協會的科學家說，兩棲動物是許多環境的生命線，在生態系統的運作中起著關鍵的作用。
但是他們現在面臨氣候上升和疾病擴散這兩種威脅。
研究人員說，氣候變化將急劇影響許多動物的生活條件和生存機會。
一些兩棲動物將無法逃避較熱的氣溫以及他們所棲息的島嶼或半島受到的破壞。
疾病問題也日益嚴重。尤其是壺菌病的擴散。這種病菌已經在世界各地導致許多兩棲動物種類的滅絕。
科學家們說，對付氣候變化或影響兩棲動物的疾病感染都沒有一個快捷的方法。
但是他們說，圈養這些兩棲動物也許在短期內可以取得成功。

BBC中文網報導
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_7630000/newsid_7636800/7636895.stm

醫學專家：生活型態改變 亞洲中風比例攀升

(法新社)9月25日 星期四 08:20
（法新社維也納二十四日電） 醫學專家表示，亞洲地區生活型態改變，使得中風 比例逐漸攀高。大約有三千名醫學專家今天聚集在維也納參加一項為期四天的會議，討論如何預防和治療中風。
負責這項國際會議的布萊寧表示：「主要是因為中風在亞洲蔓延，罹患這種疾病的人數已經超越癌症，且影響到許多人。」
全球中風病例增加的原因與高膽固醇、高血壓及久坐不動的生活方式，同時與喝酒、抽菸及服用特定藥物有關。
然而研究人員表示，中風可以預防；一旦有中風情況發生時，透過快速的治療方式，可以減少後遺症。
在奧地利，有四成患者在九十分鐘內獲得治療，創下世界紀錄。

专家：三聚氰胺早已进入人类食物链

路透香港9月23日电（记者 Tan Ee Lyn）---有关专家周二表示，中国毒奶粉事件的“元凶”三聚氰胺在中国一直作为农业杀虫剂来使用，故可能在食物链中已存在很长时间。
香港中文大学生物化学系副授陈竟明表示，三聚氰胺的衍生物环丙氨?在中国被大量用作农作物杀虫剂。
禅教授指出：“它（环丙氨?）被植物吸收以後变成三聚氰胺，当然早就进入了我们的食物链及动物饲料中。”
他在采访中表示：“所以污染产品不仅是奶制品，农产品、牲畜饲料及鱼食亦属波及范畴。”
专家们目前还不确定这对人体健康的影响，或长期接触该化学物质的人群，即使在剂量极低的情况下，会出现何种状况。
在毒奶粉事件中，80%的患病儿童年龄不到两岁，他们每日的进食主要靠这些被污染的奶粉。
对于三聚氰胺能给人体带来何种危害，目前尚未有任何研究。很多专家表示，虽然肾结石可被轻易清除，但三聚氰胺一旦在过滤血液的肾小管中结晶，由此造成的肾脏损害，甚至肾衰竭更加令人堪忧。（完）
翻译：张敏 发稿：王丰
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© 路透 2008 版权所有
联系编辑请寄: cn.reuterseditors@thomsonreuters.com

德研究：睡房放花助發甜夢

(明報)9月23日 星期二 05:10
【明報專訊】經常發噩夢？試試在睡房放些鮮花吧！德國 研究人員邀請15名女子作氣味測試，再分析她們30日的睡眠狀况。
負面氣味負面情緒有關係
研究人員在這群女子進入「快速動眼睡眠」（淺睡期）狀態，即開始發夢時，將爛蛋、玫瑰的氣味，又或者沒氣味的空氣，輸送入她們的鼻子10秒。在她們起來後，就記錄發過什麼夢。
結果發現，這些氣味影響她們發夢時的情緒，但並沒有成為夢的一部分，即儘管她們嗅到玫瑰香味，卻沒有做跟玫瑰有關的夢。但研究同時發現，負面氣味和負面情緒卻有一定關係。研究人員說，對那些長期受噩夢困擾的人來說，研究結果非常有趣，因為正面的氣味可以改善睡眠情緒，達到治療效果。
每日電訊報



Sweet smells foster sweet dreams

Sleep with flowers in your bedroom if you want sweet dreams, work suggests.
When the smell of roses had been wafted under the noses of slumbering volunteers they reported experiencing pleasant emotions in their dreams.
An odour of rotten eggs had the opposite effect on the 15 sleeping women, the German scientists found.
They told a Chicago meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology that they now plan to study people who suffer from nightmares.
Sweet dreams
It is possible that exposure to smells might help make their dreams more pleasant, believe Professor Boris Stuck and his team from the University Hospital Mannheim.
They waited until their subjects had entered the REM phase of sleep, the stage at which most dreams occur, and then exposed them to a high dose of smelly air for 10 seconds before waking them up one minute later.


"Smell is the only sense that doesn't 'sleep' "
Professor Tim Jacob, an expert in smell and taste at Cardiff University


The volunteers were then quizzed about the content of their dreams and asked how it made them feel.
The sleeping women hardly ever dreamed of smelling something. Nevertheless, the emotional tone of the dream did change depending on the stimulation.
Previous research has shown that other types of stimulation, such as sound, pressure or vibration, can influence the content and the emotional tone of dreams.
Dr Irshaad Ebrahim of The London Sleep Centre said: "The relationship between external stimuli and dreaming is something we are all at some level aware of.
"This initial research is a step in the direction towards clarifying these questions and may well lead to therapeutic benefits."
Professor Tim Jacob, an expert in smell and taste at Cardiff University, said: "Smell is the only sense that doesn't 'sleep'. Information continues to reach the limbic system of the brain and that includes the hippocampus, or memory area and the amygdala, that is involved with emotional response.
"Other senses have to pass through the 'gate' of the thalamus, which is closed when we sleep."

Story from BBC

NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7628744.stm

Published: 2008/09/22 09:08:00 GMT© BBC MMVIII

Sexist Attitudes and the Wage Gap

It's no secret that some people get paid more than others for doing the same job, but the reason may have less to do with employers' attitudes, than those of the employees themselves. In a new study, two researchers from the University of Florida find that men who subscribe to "traditional" (read stereotypical) ideas of gender roles make more money than their peers who have a more egalitarian mindset.
Organizational psychologists Timothy Judge and Beth Livingston found that men who reported holding traditional views (that is, that women belong in the home, while men earn the money) earned on average $11,930 more annually for doing the same kind of work as men who held more egalitarian views. The reverse was true for women, to a much smaller degree. Female workers with more egalitarian views (that men and women should evenly divide the tasks at home and contribute equally to their shared finances) earned $1,052 more than women who did similar jobs but held more traditional views.
The effect was starkest, however, when researchers compared women's salaries to those of men, while also taking into account their gender-role biases. Men with traditional attitudes not only earned more than other men with egalitarian attitudes, but their annual salary was $14,404 greater than women with traditional attitudes, and $13,352 greater than women with egalitarian attitudes. Put differently, men with traditional attitudes made 71% more than women with traditional attitudes, while egalitarian-minded men made just 7% more than their female counterparts.
Judge and Livingston analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study, a survey of 12,686 people who were interviewed four times between 1979 and 2005. In 1979, the study group ranged in age from 14 to 22; by the end of the study, those volunteers were approaching 50. The salaries that researchers analyzed ranged from $22,795 on average for egalitarian-minded men to $34,725 for men with traditional attitudes. Women with egalitarian attitudes made $21,373, compared with women who held traditional attitudes and earned $20,321. The findings were published in the September issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology.
"What really surprised us was the magnitude of the difference," says Judge. "We suspected that 'traditional' gender-role attitudes would work against women. What surprised us was the degree to which that effect held, even when you start controlling for a variable that you think would make the effect go away, like how many kids you have, or how many hours you work outside the home, what type of occupation." When the researchers controlled for education, intelligence (based on the participants' IQ test scores), occupation, hours worked and even what region they lived in the United States, Judge found that "none of those really made the effect go away."
In other words, it's not that men make more than women because they work longer hours, are more highly educated or simply take higher paying jobs. Rather, the new findings suggest the wage gap may be largely attributable to gender-role attitudes. And the big winners, it seems, is men with traditional views. Why the gap persists, Judge and Livingston aren't sure, but Judge thinks it might be have something to do with the different ways men and women sign onto new jobs. Women on the whole are less effective at negotiating salaries than men, and they tend to be less aggressive about asking for bigger salaries, or they accept employers' offers without negotiating at all. And Judge suspects that tradition-bound women may be even worse at it than their more egalitarian counterparts: "I would posit that egalitarian women are not as susceptible to settling for less in the negotiating process," he says.
As for those money-making traditionally minded men, Judge theorizes that if they believe they are the family's primary breadwinner, they may show greater dedication to career and are perhaps more aggressive than other men in terms of salary negotiation. Compared with men with egalitarian attitudes, the primary breadwinner simply has more at stake. "Maybe the egalitarian guy thinks, 'Well, I don't have to go the extra mile because my wife and I share earning responsibilities equally,'" Judge says.
Another factor could be bias on the part of the employer. "We're learning that more and more aspects of organizational psychology are operating somewhat subconsciously," says Judge. "It may be that employers are more likely to take advantage of traditional gender-role women." We can learn a lot about someone based on a very short acquaintance; perhaps employers make judgments about a prospective employee's gender attitudes, on the basis of things like a more conservative style of dress or hairstyle and demure mannerisms, Judge says. "I wouldn't be surprised," he says, "if employers are treating these women differently." Employers perhaps should be aware of this subconscious effect and make more of an effort to be fair. "Most employers," says Judge, who studies gender differences in negotiating skills, "wouldn't be happy to see a big salary differential between men and women in the workplace."
The bottom line is that "psychology and people's attitudes toward their roles in life matters in an earnings gap, just as economics do," says Judge. But his sample of middle-aged men and women were employees of a more universally old-fashioned workplace; Judge thinks there's hope for future generations of workers: "The gap is narrowing," he says. "Older people do have more traditional views but each year the [attitude] gap between those that hold traditional views, and those that believe men and women are equal is narrowing. One would be hopeful that for new entrants into the workforce, this won't be as much an effect."


Find this article at:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1843323,00.html

Breast milk purged of HIV virus

A simple nipple shield that prevents HIV transmission from a breast-feeding mother to her child has been devised by a Cambridge University engineer.
Stephen Gerrard, a chemical engineer, has helped devise the shield that can disinfect milk as it leaves the breast.
The device uses a detergent used by biochemists to denature proteins for analysis.
A layer of cotton-wool soaked in the chemical is added to a conventional shield and this deactivates the virus.
The layer deals with the virus without having to go through heat treatment which is the normal treatment to deactivate the HIV virus.
The International Design Development Summit (IDDS) in the United States brought together engineers and field workers to work on research projects aimed at developing prototype designs.
Non-toxic solution
Mr Gerrard, together with a team of five others, was assigned the task of creating a practical design for heating breast milk to deactivate the virus.
"We quickly established this may be too lengthy a process for many women in developing countries so they might not have the time for it," he said.
"Research has shown that copper and copper compounds can work but another approach, carried out by a group at Drexel University seemed more promising.
"Their research has focused on sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), which can kill the HIV virus quickly and in fairly non-toxic concentrations."
Their project could also have benefits beyond prevention of HIV.
"We were concerned that using our nipple shield could be stigmatizing, since it would identify a mother as HIV infected," said Mr Gerrard.
"We're considering marketing it as a way to deliver medicines or micronutrient supplements to aid breast feeding. For example, they can also be used for iron or iodine deficiency."

Story from BBC

NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambridgeshire/7629253.stm

Published: 2008/09/22 11:23:59 GMT© BBC MMVIII

研究：植物受迫時會散發類阿

這段新聞令我想起電影「破天慌」(The Happening)

http://microsites2.foxinternational.com/tw/thehappening/

當然，要植物能共同演化到能產生針對人類的毒氣，以及感應人類數目的能力，距離還差得遠，不過看了報導後仍是會有點不安的感覺。

(法新社)9月20日 星期六 07:20（法新社華盛頓 十八日電） 「生物地球科學」雜誌今天公佈的研究報告指出，植物遇到乾旱或異常氣溫時，會散發類似阿斯匹靈的化學物質自救。研究成果可能有助農人避免農災。美國 科羅拉多州國家大氣研究中心團隊表示，植物散發的甲基水楊酸不但有助自身抵擋傷害、還可能有互相警告的用途。研究主持人卡爾說：「植物和人不同，人類會服用阿斯匹靈退燒，植物則能夠自行製造類似阿斯匹靈的化合物，誘發能增強生化防護措施並降低傷害的蛋白質 形成。」「我們在植物回應乾旱、氣溫異常或其他壓力時，測量到大氣中含有大量這種化學物質。」又稱阿斯匹靈的乙醯水楊酸，原先由樹皮中提煉而成，因此科學家已知這是一種植物生產的化合物。不過科學家從沒見過植物發散出這種氣體。研究人員表示，他們去年在加州一處胡桃林設置儀器、監控植物散發的揮發性有機化合物時，不經意地發現甲基水楊酸。

Junk food ad rules 'not working'

Adverts for unhealthy foods are still appearing during TV programmes seen by children, despite curbs introduced in January, a consumer watchdog has said.
Which? said the five programmes with the most child viewers and only four of the top 20 most popular children's shows were covered by Ofcom's rules.
These state that ads for "less healthy” foods are not allowed in or around programmes which "appeal" to under-16s.
But advertisers said Which's list included shows "not aimed" at children.
A programme is defined as being of particular appeal to children if the proportion of those under 16 watching a programme is 20% higher than the general viewing population.
This means shows like The Simpsons and SpongeBob SquarePants are covered, while shows like Beat the Star, Animals Do The Funniest Things and Emmerdale are not, even though they are watched by thousands more children.
'Not anti-advertising'
A two-week analysis by Which? found that ads for products including Coca-Cola, Oreos and Kellogg's Coco Pops were broadcast during programmes popular with children but not covered by the restrictions.
It said ITV's Beat the Star attracted more than half a million child viewers during the monitoring period, but had contained ads for Coca-Cola, Dairylea Dunkers, Nachos and Sprite.


"Their list includes programmes clearly not aimed at children and films screened after 10pm "
Baroness Peta Buscombe, Advertising Association chief executive



Which? food campaigner Clare Corbett said: "The ad restrictions may look good on paper but the reality is that the programmes most popular with children are slipping through the net.
"If these rules are going to be effective, then they have to apply to the programmes that children watch in the greatest numbers."
She added: "We're not anti-advertising, we're just against the fact that most of the ads children see are for unhealthy products, rather than the healthier foods they should be eating more of."
But the Advertising Association said Which? seemed to want to unfairly restrict companies' ability to deliver commercial messages.
Chief executive Baroness Peta Buscombe called its report "sensationalist, unconstructive and missing the point" and said the advertising industry took a "responsible approach" to food advertising.
She added: "Their list includes programmes clearly not aimed at children and films screened after 10pm.
"There clearly has to be an element of parental responsibility on which programmes they allow their children to view."
Reviews
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said: "For the first time, TV adverts for foods high in fat, salt and sugar are banned during programmes aimed at or of particular appeal to children under 16.
"Although children still see some of these advertisements, the current Ofcom regulations mean that the viewing of these adverts by children is reduced by an estimated 50%, an impressive amount."
He added: "We appreciate that there are calls for further restrictions on UK TV advertising but these should be considered once we have had a chance to assess the impact of current measures."
Ofcom is set to report to government on the success of its restrictions in December.
The Food Standards Agency, which drew up a model for deciding if a food was unhealthy, is also to assess how well it is performing.


Story from BBC

NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7623971.stm

Published: 2008/09/19 00:29:44 GMT© BBC MMVIII

Online gamers 'are not unhealthy'

The 'couch potato' image of computer gamers is unfounded, with many in better than average shape, claim US researchers.
More than 7,000 players of the online game "EverQuest II" were quizzed about their health by scientists.
They found gamers' body mass index (BMI) tended to be lower than the US average - with many taking "proper" exercise more than once a week.
But New Scientist magazine reports that depression was more common in gamers.


"A lot of people talk about 'excessive gaming' as if it is always bad to take part in gaming, but the context can make a big difference."
Professor Mark Griffiths
Nottingham Trent University


The increasing popularity of computer gaming has led to increasing scrutiny of its effects on the lifestyles and health of those who play the most.
Some have suggested that "excessive" gaming could fuel rising obesity and increase social and emotional problems.
The research, carried out by three US universities and published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, suggests this may not be the case.
They focused on just one game - EverQuest II - an online fantasy role-playing game - offering players a virtual weapon as a reward for returning the questionnaire.
Adult gamers had a body mass index of just over 25, which is the threshold for "overweight", while the US average is 28.
The average gamer also said that they engaged in vigorous physical exercise once or twice a week.
Obsessional or normal?
However, games did report more instances of depression and substance abuse than their non-playing peers, although whether this was caused by the game, or they were drawn to gaming because of pre-existing problems, is unclear.
Professor Mark Griffiths, the director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, said the findings tended to bear out previous research in the field.
He said that while asking people for details of their physical health did not always elicit truthful responses, there was no evidence that anyone, other than a small minority, were being harmed by their relationship to gaming.
He said: "A lot of people talk about 'excessive gaming' as if it is always bad to take part in gaming, but the context can make a big difference.
"I can think of two case studies of people who both spend 12 hours a day playing EverQuest, but while one is clearly obsessional, the other one is perfectly normal.
"Genuine addicts are few and far between."

Story from BBC

NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7621412.stm

Published: 2008/09/17 17:05:51 GMT© BBC MMVIII

世衛 2006瘧疾致百萬人死亡 非洲受創最重

(法新社)9月18日 星期四 13:50
（法新社日內瓦 十八日電） 世界衛生組織 （WHO）今天表示，根據最新統計數字顯示，二零零六年瘧疾肆虐造成全球近一百萬人死亡，其中又以五歲以下兒童和非洲 國家受害最嚴重。
世衛組織 在「年度瘧疾報告」中指出：「二零零六年全球有三十三億人口面臨瘧疾傳染威脅，其中二億四千七百萬人被感染，造成近一百萬人死亡，其中大部分是五歲以下兒童。」
報告指出，二零零八年，瘧疾是全世界一百零九個國家的地方疾病，其中約有一半，約四十五個國家在非洲。
世界衛生組織表示，這些國家仍然缺乏處理這個疾病的足夠資源，即使公共衛生系統已獲得更多抗瘧疾藥物，所有接受調查國家對瘧疾病人的治療仍不適切。
報告指出，大部分非洲國家仍無法達成世界衛生組織在二零零五年所訂頒，透過在室內掛蚊帳、用葯、噴灑殺蟲劑、以及對懷孕婦女的治療等四種主要方式，達到百分之八十的公衛涵蓋目標。

Will the real dinosaurs stand up?

This plant-eating Jurassic dinosaur was named Yinlong downsi by Xu Xing and colleagues in 2006. Xu Xing is the most prolific namer of new dinosaurs: this is his 25th new species. This type specimen is essentially complete, typical of the good practice of most workers today.

By Jonathan Amos

Science reporter, BBC News

Most of the newly discovered dinosaurs are just that - new to science, an assessment concludes.

With many past fossil finds named on the basis of partial remains, there has been concern that a lot of double counting has been taking place.

Recent studies had even suggested this error rate might be as high as 50% - with some species being catalogued with several aliases.

But the journal Biology Letters reports that modern practice is now very good.

"My research suggests we're getting better at naming things; we're being more critical; we're using better material," said Professor Michael Benton from Bristol University, UK.

The scientist looked at the original descriptions of all 1,047 species of dinosaurs ever named, from 1824 to the present day.

He assessed the quality of the specimens on which the names were founded - the type specimens. Professor Benton said some 500 were genuinely distinct, and the confidence surrounding the latest discoveries - about one new species a fortnight - was now very high.

"The bane of the dinosaurologist's life is species that have been named on the basis of incomplete specimens," Professor Benton explained.

"In Victorian times, palaeontologists were keen to name new species, and in the excitement of the great 'bone wars' for example, from 1870 to 1890, they rushed into print with new names for every odd leg bone, tooth, or skull cap that came their way.

"Later work, on more complete specimens, reduced more than 1,000 named dinosaurs to 500 or so."

Professor Benton said science had now put in place far more rigorous naming protocols, dramatically reducing the "alias problem".

Since 1960, the great majority of new species are founded on more or less complete specimens, sometimes even whole skeletons.

Professor Benton has a critical interest in the topic because he studies the evolution of dinosaurs. He tries to understand how this famous animal group changed and diversified over almost 200 million years.

"There's no point somebody such as myself doing big statistical analyses of numbers of dinosaur species through time - or indeed any other fossil group - if you can't be confident that they really are genuinely different," he told BBC News.

"This is important also for studies of modern biodiversity. People have also been looking at our current knowledge of mammals and insects and other animal groups and asking the simple question: are the species totals and lists we use for important conclusions - including to give political advice about endangered species - are they correct?

"There's been a big debate about vast extinctions among amphibians. We have to know what the species are first, before we can talk about that."

Story from BBC

NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/7620621.stm

Published: 2008/09/17 09:07:37 GMT© BBC MMVIII

Study into near-death experiences

By Jane Dreaper
Health correspondent, BBC News

A large study is to examine near-death experiences in heart attack patients.

Doctors at 25 UK and US hospitals will study 1,500 survivors to see if people with no heartbeat or brain activity can have "out of body" experiences.

Some people report seeing a tunnel or bright light, others recall looking down from the ceiling at medical staff.

The study, due to take three years and co-ordinated by Southampton University, will include placing on shelves images that could only be seen from above.


To test this, the researchers have set up special shelving in resuscitation areas. The shelves hold pictures - but they're visible only from the ceiling.

Dr Sam Parnia, who is heading the study, said: "If you can demonstrate that consciousness continues after the brain switches off, it allows for the possibility that the consciousness is a separate entity.

"It is unlikely that we will find many cases where this happens, but we have to be open-minded.

"And if no one sees the pictures, it shows these experiences are illusions or false memories.

"This is a mystery that we can now subject to scientific study."

Dr Parnia works as an intensive care doctor, and felt from his daily duties that science had not properly explored the issue of near-death experiences.


Process of death

He said: "Contrary to popular perception, death is not a specific moment.

"It is a process that begins when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop working and the brain ceases functioning - a medical condition termed cardiac arrest.

"During a cardiac arrest, all three criteria of death are present. There then follows a period of time, which may last from a few seconds to an hour or more, in which emergency medical efforts may succeed in restarting the heart and reversing the dying process.

"What people experience during this period of cardiac arrest provides a unique window of understanding into what we are all likely to experience during the dying process."

Dr Parnia and medical colleagues will analyse the brain activity of 1,500 heart attack survivors, and see whether they can recall the images in the pictures.

Hospitals involved include Addenbrookes in Cambridge, University Hospital in Birmingham and the Morriston in Swansea, as well as nine hospitals in the US.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7621608.stm

Published: 2008/09/18 05:00:51 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

英美科學家開始檢驗“臨死體驗”
美英兩國醫生展開一項大型研究，檢驗心臟病患者的“臨死體驗”或稱“接近死亡體驗”（Near-death Experience）。
來自英國和美國25家醫院的醫生將對1500名心臟病倖存者進行研究，以觀察人們在沒有心跳或腦活動的情況下是否會有靈魂脫殼的體驗。
一些心臟病突發倖存者在經歷了臨死體驗後說，他們曾看到一個隧道或亮光，也有患者回憶說從急救室的天花板往下看，看到搶救自己的醫護人員。
研究方法
要測試這一效果，研究人員在手術台附近擺放特殊的架子。架子上放著不同的圖畫，這些圖畫只能從天花板往下看才能看到。
負責這項研究的帕尼亞醫生說，如果你能顯示在大腦停止運作之後仍有知覺的話，這就可能顯示知覺是一種獨立的實體。
他說，我們不大可能找到許多這樣的案例。如果沒有一個病人能看到這些圖畫的話，那就說明這些臨死體驗只不過是一種幻覺或虛假的記憶。
帕尼亞是一名急救醫生，他從自己日常的工作中體會到臨死體驗並沒有得到恰當的探討。
死亡過程
他說，與人們普遍的認識不同的是，死亡並不是一個具體的時刻。
它是一個過程。它從心臟停止跳動，肺部停止工作，大腦停止運作開始。醫學上管這叫作“心臟停搏”。
在心臟停搏過程中，所有三個死亡標誌都出現了。在那之後有一段時間，急救人員可能會成功恢復患者的心肺功能，扭轉死亡的過程。這段時間可能是幾秒鐘，也可能超過一小時。
病人在這段時間裡經歷的東西可能會為我們瞭解臨死體驗打開一個獨特的窗口。
帕尼亞醫生和他的同事將分析1500名心臟病倖存者的大腦活動，看他們是否能夠回憶出擺放在急救室裡的這些圖畫。
這項由英國南安普頓大學協調的研究將持續三年。
BBC中文網報導
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_7620000/newsid_7623100/7623138.stm
已列印 2008/09/18 12:34:50 GMT© BBC MMVIII

UK seeking CO2 trading increase

By Roger Harrabin

Environment analyst, BBC News

The UK government wants the right to buy its way out of half its CO2 reduction targets, according to a leaked document.

It says EU nations should be allowed to trade away 50% of their emissions reductions - up from the 30% currently allowed by the European Commission.

The money would go towards clean energy projects in developing countries.

But because some of these schemes would have gone ahead anyway, CO2 is not always saved, warn environment groups.

European nations are currently expected to make around 70% of their carbon reductions on home turf, leaving 30% available for trade.

Reducing that domestic obligation to 50% could allow an extra billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, according to WWF.

Environmentally it does not matter where emissions reductions take place

Leaked government document

The dispute centres on the credibility of the system used for trading international carbon permits - the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) - arranged under the Kyoto Protocol.

It allows rich countries to offset some of their emissions reductions by purchasing carbon credits which help developing countries get clean technology.

Carbon trading is widely accepted in principle as it does not matter where in the world CO2 is cut because its warming potential is global.

'No saving'

In practice the CDM is under fire because some investors are obtaining credits for clean energy projects in countries like China and India that would have been built anyway, meaning that no CO2 is saved overall.

Various reports suggest that between 20% and 60% of CDM projects do not save additional CO2.
Even so, the leaked document (a so-called "non-paper", discussed between government departments but not yet stated policy) argues: "There are many good reasons why we should support increased access to project (CDM) credits.

"[It will] deliver substantial financial flows to developing countries and will also play a key role in any international deal.

"Environmentally it does not matter where emissions reductions take place.

"[The CDM] provides member states with a cost-effective means to meet their obligations and is an important flexibility mechanism."

It admits: "The commitment from developed countries in making emissions reductions is a critical part of reaching an international deal," and says "the use of flexible mechanisms must be supplemental to domestic action".

But it maintains that a 50% share is consistent with this goal.


Appalling

Dr Keith Allott, head of WWF-UK's climate change programme, said: "This is an appalling proposal from the UK.

"Already the CO2 targets aren't nearly strict enough to avoid the risk of dangerous climate change as defined by scientists. This would weaken the effort even more.

"If governments and companies know they can trade away their responsibilities they will just take their foot off the pedal. We are claiming leadership… this hardly sounds like leadership does it?

"The difference between what the EU are proposing and the UK are proposing is equivalent to 34 extra coal-fired power stations in Europe."

Peter Ainsworth, Conservative environment spokesman said: "Deciding how much CO2 should be traded is not an exact science - it's a matter of judgement.

"But we feel that we should be making around 70% of our emissions cuts on home territory - if it drops to a half then we are rally not sending a signal to the rest of the world that we are taking it seriously."

However Professor Philip Stott, a left-wing climate change sceptic, supported the UK government's stance in principle.

"If we could be sure the CDM was delivering genuine CO2 savings, we should be prepared to offset 100% of our emissions if we are concerned about the poor and climate change," he said.

"There is a need to provide finance to get the best technology to developing countries."

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/7621724.stm



Published: 2008/09/18 01:57:55 GMT



© BBC MMVIII

Also see:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/04/climate_change/html/greenhouse.stm

世界之最

宣傳新版健力士紀錄大全 長腿女遇上矮小男 俄國小姐腿長1.32米 內蒙少男身高0.74米
(明報)9月18日 星期四 05:15
【明報專訊】當全球最矮男人遇上世界最長腿女子時，會構成一個怎樣的有趣畫面？周二在倫敦 特拉法加廣場（Trafalgar Square）便擠滿了好奇的人士，目的就是一睹來自中國的全球最矮成人何平平跟第一長腿女子俄羅斯 的潘克拉托娃見面一幕，兩人同為2009年版《健力士世界紀錄 》宣傳。
今年20歲的何平平先天患有侏儒症，身高只有74.6厘米（約2呎5吋）。巧合的是，他和全球最高男子鮑喜順（身高2.36米）還是「鄰居」，均來自內蒙古 。36歲的最長腿女子潘克拉托娃（Svetlana Pankratova）是俄羅斯人，現居西班牙 ，身高6呎4吋的她擁有一對1.32米長的美腿，但上身比例則很正常。由於潘克拉托娃光是腿的長度，就接近何平平身高的兩倍，故兩人合照時，畫面相當有趣的。
長腿小姐嘆難買合適褲子
兩人共同出現，是為新版健力士世界紀錄做宣傳。潘克拉托娃身穿彩藍色迷你裙及高跟鞋，修長雙腿奪人眼目；何平平則倚坐在她的膝蓋前方，活脫一個稚嫩小童。「真漂亮！」何平平都忍不住讚美潘氏的腿。但潘克拉托娃坦言：「我愛我的腿，但有時也很麻煩，例如買不到合適的褲子。」
潘克拉托娃雖擁有最長雙腿，但全球最高女子紀錄保持者，卻是剛去世的美國 人艾倫（Sandy Allen），她身高7呎7吋。
《健力士紀錄大全》今年是第54版，裏面的古怪紀錄聞所未聞，如Britney Spears被列為網絡搜索量最多的人，美劇《迷失》（Lost）則是下載次數最多的電視節目。該書主編格倫迪（Craig Glenday）說：「這工作棒極了，總要去好多地方，年初我破了自己的旅行紀錄——連續44小時未停歇。」
美聯社/每日郵報

最年長男人瑞113歲生日
(明報)9月18日 星期四 13:25
全球最年長的男性、住在日本 九州都城的田鍋友時，今日慶祝113歲生日，他表示仍希望多活5年。
田鍋友時生於1895年9月18日，他113歲生日獲得不少禮物、鮮花，並有都城市長親手送予的1000美元 現金券。
他向記者表示，他現時健康良好，每日一早起床後會閱讀報章、寫日記、跟身邊的人閒談。他吃很多東西，但不吸煙、不喝酒、不吃零食。
他現時跟兒子和媳婦同住，有25名孫兒、52名曾孫和6名玄孫。
全球最年長的人瑞 是115歲、居住在美國 印弟安納州的老婦柏克。

轉載 : 再來，献支牛奶给黨喝！

From 香港獨立媒體網(inmediahk.net)

週三, 2008-09-17 12:34 — 牧草與早稻
关于三鹿，网友提出的一些疑问／北风 @ 2008-9-14 13:34:21 阅读(8624) 评论(18)
网易博友249(宁夏 银川)：卑鄙的三鹿公司
综合网友提出的疑点，以下理由支持三聚氰胺是三鹿主动添加，而不是污染或奶农导致：
1. 只有给三鹿供鲜奶的奶农会加三聚氰胺？其他厂的奶农都不加……2. 有问题的是700吨奶粉，要数千吨鲜奶原料啊……几家奶农加三聚氰胺能达到这效果？3. 三聚氰胺是微溶于水！加鲜奶里暂时成为混悬液，放置后应该会有大量沉淀的……4. 三鹿自称有1100道检测程序，这TMD都检不出来？？5. （奶粉制作工艺之原料乳验收：原料乳必须新鲜，不能混有异常乳，比重应为1.028～1.032(20℃)，酸度不超过20°T，含脂率不低于 3.1%，乳固体不低于11.5%。）三聚氰胺比重是1.573，加鲜奶里比重立即变化，莫非奶农用比重计精确调到1.028～1.032，而且其他指标还能合格……这是奶农还是大学实验室教授啊？6. 时间上矛盾：早有天涯网友于2月25日快件寄给三鹿问题奶粉，三鹿称3月中旬获知；并声称8月1日得出奶农添加三聚氰胺的结论，可9月10日前三鹿都坚称奶粉质量合格！明显说谎！7. 07年5月国家质检总局就已经通报三聚氰胺添加冒充蛋白质的案例，作为免检产品，三鹿理应把三聚氰胺纳入监测范围，否则你免检资格的基础是什么？8. 从三聚氰胺的理化特性看，最适合添加到粉状固体产品内，而不是液体，如果奶农真要添加物质增加蛋白质含量，完全可以另选其他易溶于水的化合物！9. 三聚氰胺作为中间体，在市场上少量购买并不方便，奶农并不能很容易得到它；10. 假如真的奶农掺了三聚氰胺，那么三鹿的所有奶粉都出问题才是，事实上，只有三鹿最便宜的婴儿奶粉出了问题……
（大家再看看后面的评论，太吓人了）
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
豆瓣活動：拒绝中国奶粉，拒绝官方扯淡http://www.douban.com/event/10267271/
news:蒙牛、伊利也下水了http://www.douban.com/event/discussion/1376889/
稻子按：現在網上毒奶粉事件的討論，基本上都沒有什麼阻礙，形勢一片大好。多謝中國共產黨老大在背後為網民撐腰！讓我們齊來献支牛奶给黨喝！
三鹿奶粉事件的命门／冉云飞
中国真是个人祸遍地的国家，以至于天灾背后从来不缺少人祸之推手。在每天发生的众多人祸里，又有许多是明知故犯；不只是明知故犯，而是纵容着犯；不只是纵容着，出现了问题，还竭力包庇、掩盖、推委，对这些事故重大的人祸，从来都没有一个像样子的处理方案。面对人祸危机，从政府到事故方，他们所做的不是清查事故，公开相关的信息，彻查当事人，向受害者赔偿道歉。而是政府和事故方合起来，掩盖事实真相，坑害民众利益。这次三鹿奶粉事件，只不过是中国众多人祸事件的又一次东窗事发罢了。
为什么政府和厂方一而再，再而三的出现大规模坑害民众的事，但民众就没有办法制止自己的权益不受侵害呢？其根源当然是源于政府的执政不是民众选举的结果，而且政府之所以不承认自己所犯的错，那就是因为民众无法用选票将不称职的政府选下台，因为目前中国民众的选票依旧是一张象征意义大过实际用途的废纸。中央政府到各级地方政府的权力不受约束，民众不能真正制约他们不作为或者乱作为乃至作恶，才是一切人祸频发的总根源。请记住，每天频发的大大小小的灾难里所包含的人祸因素，无一例外指向这个政府的权力来源和合法性，可谓万箭猬集。这个政府中的有识之士也深知这一点，但没有竞争对手的六十年“单干”已经使执政党和政府百孔千疮，他们被巨大而恶劣的执政习惯，被权力集团的利益所裹狭，已经上了一趟混装各种危险品的快速列车，既缺乏紧急处置的能力，也不想改变方向，清除掉车上的危险品。只是在那里像征性地高喊三十年改革开放，却不做一星半点的政治改革的实质举措。这样的政府管制下出现许多匪夷所思的对民众生命的漠视，实在是他们执政特质之体现。
我这样说，不仅有历史纪录，有理论根据，而且更有现实的靶子。三鹿奶粉总部所在地石家庄政府在卫生部的调查报告尚未出笼的时候，他们已开足马力，为袒护三鹿奶粉殚精竭虑。三鹿奶粉方面与当地政府穿了连裆裤是傻子都看出来的道理。三鹿厂方和石家庄政府，甚至是卫生部、国家质检局等相关部门都是极有瓜葛的利益相关单位。这些利益相关单位早都从内部获知消费者投诉或者医院病况，但是为了所谓稳定，为了奥运，为了更多的相关利益链，他们当然可以置人命于不顾。中央政府有稳定的压力，各部门有自己官员的官帽和实际受贿利益，当地政府的税收以及GDP，大批与此相关官员的贪腐，组合在一起成了类似三鹿奶粉这种企业危害民众利益而不受真正惩处的保护伞。商业利益使得这个保护伞的组合不只是政府各部门的贪腐与违法，而且连结到新闻媒体在其间的猫腻。新闻媒体受官方之打压，不能随意报道，我们暂且不说了，因为没有新闻自由。但新闻媒体和产家的利益瓜葛，因广告的投放的竞争，难以避免利益交换。这种利益交换的得益者，当然是厂方和新闻媒体，损害的是民众的知情权，从而损害民众利益，危及民众生命安全。同样的利益交换，当然更大规模地发生在与企业相关的政府行业主管部门，这里面的贪污腐败形成了有效的利益链锁，彻底出卖了民众的利益，所以你看到许多利益相关的政府部门、官员、媒体及其从业人员，联合起来愿意为不法厂商背书，你一点都不要吃惊。到要追究责任的时候，要么拿钱来不了了之，要么允许你走起诉的过场，但公检法也在后面等着不法产商送好处去，连怎么背书的调子都已经定好了。
也就是说，当一个产家通过许多关系使自己变成一地乃至国家的龙头企业后，这样的企业危害起民众的利益来，民众要讨回自己的利益可谓难上加难。这里面有一个充满痛苦的悖论：消费者在不知情与信息不充分，在媒体的误导并且压制了所有该企业的负面新闻，在虚假广告的诱惑下，使得消费者成就了某一个商品成为所谓的名牌，而一旦成了名牌，你要是受到了它的伤害，那它的力量就千百倍地能够弹压消费者。因为中国产品的名牌都是各种相关利益链（唯一不受重视的是消费者的利益）所组成的，而这相关利益链最可怕当然是政府在其间的贪腐和媒体在其间的误导。但不幸的是，中国没有哪一次伤害民众的事件，不是由政府相关部门乱作为乃至作恶，媒体受压误导或者受利益关联袒护而造成的。在中国社会，这就形成了一个通过不合法手段形成的强者通吃的社会局面，遍布各个阶层。而民众作为利益个体，利益分散，不容易组织起来，不容易形成合力来与这些不法的政府部门和虚假新闻媒体作斗争。因为你不仅没有言论自由，而且你没有游行、结社等宪法赋予的自由。如果不在制度设计上加以改革，那么民众作为利益受害者而得不到实质性赔偿的命运不仅无法改变，而且你只要生在中国，你是普通民众，那么就注定你受害的必然性。只是你受害的程度多少、受害时间的长短、受害秩序的先后而已。换言之，在中国做一个不受伤害的民众，或者说受到伤害而能得到真正公正补偿的民众，你的概率是无限趋近于零。也就是说，在中国，如果你是普通民众，你一生都未受到过不公正对待，没有受到过伤害，其概率比中六合彩还难。
三鹿奶粉事件不单纯是个食品安全事件——海外国家只需要拒绝进口中国这样的食品就行——但对中国来说，只是拒买或者惩罚三鹿奶粉是远远不够的。因为一个三鹿倒下了，千百万个三鹿站起来了。查出了三鹿奶粉的问题乃至我们幻想着能够合法处理它，在没有真正的制度保障食品安全问题的情形下，只不过是那些目前尚在扮演安全角色而实则一样有安全问题的企业在偷偷发笑，从中获益。普通民众的利益依旧不能得到真正的保障，普通民众成了永远的受害者。任何民众利益的大规模受损，最终矛盾的焦点，无一例外指向最高当轴应该进行民主政治改革。三鹿奶粉事件中诸方利益的博弈，受害方要得到真正完全公平公开公正的处理与赔偿，并且有效杜绝此类事件再次发生，必须仰赖中国的民主政治体制改革。我个人认为，中国社会已经到了充满很大危机的十字路口。
2008年9月13日林彪事件37周年8：01分于成都
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＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝延伸一下：
三鹿集团的声明（註：這是一篇很不錯的惡搞文章）　　……　　虽然三鹿奶粉有毒，但三鹿奶粉解决了中国数亿婴幼儿的吃饭问题，历史上谁能做得到？　　最后呼吁一下，反华势力抵制中国三鹿奶粉，最终受害的还是广大婴儿们，中国爱国者们都应团结起来，立场鲜明的集体狂喝三鹿奶粉。
三鹿奶农奶里加毒的深层次原因是什么
　　不法三鹿奶农为了多卖钱, 在原奶中加清水; 为了使加过水的奶仍然符合收购标准，又往奶里添加三聚氰胺,最终导致了婴儿肾结石的恶果。　　大多数人会说:奶农太缺德了,太无良了,竟让拿我们的的性命开玩笑！　　我们不禁要问一问: 奶农为什么往奶里加水? 是不是养奶牛的利润太低或者没有利润甚至还要赔钱? 是不是有制奶企业故意压价的作用? 是不是有制奶企业以势压人的成分?　　我们有理由相信绝大多数农民(包括奶农)是纯朴善良的, 如果又足以维持生计的利润, 他们一般不会去冒违法犯罪的风险, 这个利润到底被谁剥夺了?　　这样的经济究竟还是不是真正的市场经济? 农民个人究竟什么时候才能和大企业享有同等的地位和待遇?

毒奶粉引發的問題

　　由三鹿牌被揭發有問題開始，我覺得事件的影響性越來越大，亦越來越接近：

　　四川救災物資中有三鹿牌奶粉。

　　台灣食品有使用三鹿牌奶粉作材料。

　　事件擴大至其他牌子奶粉。

　　蒙牛停牌。

　　國內媽媽來港搶購奶粉。

　　教青局暫緩新學年牛奶計劃。


　　這次事件，尤其是對學生，是作為一個思考問題的好事例。

5 Lifestyle Habits Can Cut Death Risk

Study Shows Healthy Changes Can Reduce Risk of Death for Women
By Kelley Colihan

WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 16, 2008 -- A new study suggests that middle-aged women who followed certain key lifestyle habits had lower risk for death than those who did not.

Researchers led by Robert van Dam, PhD, of Harvard University's School of Public Health, looked at death risk and five lifestyle factors: cigarette smoking, being overweight, low physical activity, no light or moderate alcohol use, and low-quality diet.

The team interviewed and followed 77,782 female nurses, beginning in 1980. At the start, the women were all cancer-free and did not have cardiovascular disease. They ranged in age from 34 to 59 years old at the start of the study.

The participants were given a questionnaire and followed up every two years for 24 years. They were asked about their lifestyle habits, whether they smoked cigarettes, exercised regularly, what they ate, whether they drank alcohol, and how much and whether they were overweight.

There were 8,882 deaths throughout the 24 years. Of those deaths:

1,790 were from cardiovascular disease
4,527 were from cancer
55% of those deaths were estimated to have been due to smoking, lack of physical activity, being overweight, and low-quality diet
28% of the deaths were tied to smoking
Having five of the five risk factors increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease by a factor of eight compared with having none of the risk factors. The risk of dying from cancer was three times higher and the risk of dying from any cause was four times greater.

Women with light to moderate alcohol intake, defined as up to one drink daily, were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who did not drink any alcohol.

The researchers write that the findings should be one more wake-up call to people to make healthy changes like quitting smoking.

The study is published in BMJ Online.


SOURCES:

van Dam, R. BMJ Online, September 2008, vol 337.

News release, BMJ.

研究顯示雙酚A與心臟病等有關 FDA堅稱安全

(法新社)9月17日 星期三 07:35

（法新社華盛頓 十六日電） 即使首項對人體健康影響的大規模研究顯示，雙酚A（BPA）可能與罹患心臟病 和糖尿病 風險有關，但美國 政府主管機關今天仍為它針對該化學成份的安全性所作評估辯護，指稱廣泛使用於塑膠嬰兒奶瓶和食品容器的雙酚A安全無虞。

美國食品及藥物管理局 (FDA)資深科學家塔倫提諾告訴一個專家小組：「在當前暴露水準下，存在保護包括嬰兒和兒童在內消費者的適當安全餘裕。」前述專家小組被要求針對FDA的雙酚A安全性評估表達第二意見。

但「美國醫學會期刊」今天披露的研究報告提出有關雙酚A的新疑慮。研究報告作者表示，由於可能涉及大眾健康，這項研究結果「值得展開後續科學研究」。

研究人員針對將近一千五百名成人進行的健康調查研究，發現暴露在較高數量雙酚A的人，更可能回報罹患心臟病和糖尿病。

美國有多個州正考慮限制雙酚A的使用，部分廠商已開始推銷不含雙酚A的嬰兒奶瓶，若干商店正逐步淘汰含雙酚A的嬰兒用品。歐洲聯盟表示，含雙酚A產品安全無虞。但加拿大 政府提議禁止銷售內含雙酚A的嬰兒奶瓶，以策安全。

但前述發現只是初步研究，距離証明雙酚A會造成健康問題仍差得遠。美國達特茅斯大學的兩位醫學研究分析專家表示，這項研究提出質疑，但未就該普遍存在化學品是否有害提出任何答案。

FDA官員表示，他們並未駁斥這類研究發現，且承認有必要進一步研究。塔倫提諾說：「我們承認有必要解決已被提起的相關質疑。」

但FDA堅稱，它用來進行安全性評估的老鼠研究，較引發質疑的該人類研究更為徹底。

以往的動物研究顯示，雙酚A會引發生殖和荷爾蒙相關問題。長期以來一直批評雙酚A的科學家薩爾和邁爾斯指出，美國醫學會期刊披露的研究，是檢視雙酚A對人體可能影響的最大規模研究，且首度顯示與心臟病有直接關連。但兩人也表示，為証明這類結果，有必要進行更詳細研究。

雙酚A使用於廣泛硬化塑膠消費產品，包括食品容器、眼鏡鏡片、CD光碟等。許多科學家相信，它能發揮類似雌激素作用，且動物研究顯示雙酚A與乳房、攝護腺和生殖系統毛病以及若干癌症有關。