LS,
RN06 - December 2006
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Forest fragmentation rapidly erodes Amazonian biodiversity
The Amazon contains the planet’s most biologically diverse tree
communities, with up to three hundred species occurring in an area the
size of just two football fields. These forests are being rapidly
felled and fragmented for timber operations, cattle ranches and
industrial soy farms. “When you fragment the rainforest, hot winds from
the surrounding pastures blow into the forest and kill many trees,
which just can’t handle the stress,” said Henrique Nascimento, a team
member from Brazil’s National Institute for Amazonian Research in
Manaus.
[http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/27743/Fragmentation_rapidly_erodes_Amazonian_biodiversity.html]
Gaia scientist Lovelock predicts planetary wipeout
The earth has a fever that could boost temperatures by 8 degrees
Celsius making large parts of the surface uninhabitable and threatening
billions of peoples' lives, according to James Lovelock. He angered
climate scientists with his Gaia theory of a living planet and then
alienated environmentalists by backing nuclear power. Lovelock said
that a
traumatized earth might only be able to support less than a tenth of
it's 6 billion people.
[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-11-28T153508Z_01_L28841108_RTRUKOC_0_US-EARTH-FEVER.xml]
Long-term Cancer Risk Follows Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT - destroying the patient's own
unhealthy stem cells in the bone marrow and replacing them with a
compatible donor's stem cells) recipients face a significant long-term
risk for developing a second cancer, particularly if they were older at
the time of transplant or received stem cells from a female donor,
according to a new study. In addition, cancer risk almost quadruples
for patients who were over 40 years old at the time of transplant.
[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061127112922.htm]
[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn10660]
Analysis reveals millions of Europeans left at risk from influenza
Currently, only one third (35%) of all high risk populations are
receiving seasonal influenza vaccine in Europe, resulting in avoidable
morbidity, hospitalisations and mortality. The gap between current
influenza vaccine use and the population who could benefit has
important implications for global influenza pandemic preparedness.
[http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2006/11/20/firsttime_analysis_reveals_millions_of_europeans_left_at_risk_from_influenza.html]
[http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-11/k-far111706.php]
Kofi Annan urges action on biological weapon threat
Annan told the Geneva-based Convention on Biological Weapons (BWC) that
awareness of the dangers had been heightened by the twin global focus
on terrorism and natural diseases such as bird flu, two scourges which
could be combined as biological weapons. Annan repeated a call for a
new international forum bringing together governments, scientists,
representatives of industry and the general public to develop a new
strategy for facing up to the menace.
[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-11-20T155620Z_01_L20552635_RTRUKOC_0_US-ARMS-BIOLOGICAL-ANNAN.xml]
GM crops face risk of losing benefits
Growing secondary pest populations have slowly eroded the benefits of
Bt technology, while Bt cotton is in its seventh year of cultivation in
China. Similarly, data from the US compiled from USDA data, 10 years
after the adoption of GM crops, shows that the use of chemicals has
only increased with GM crops even as super-weeds and super-pests (not
easily controllable by the chemicals used earlier) are emerging.
[http://in.biz.yahoo.com/061120/203/69ix3.html]
Chinese medicine interest in UK threatens rare species
The market in London for products made from tiger bone, rhino horn
and bear bile has grown to such an extent that a special police
taskforce is trying to stamp it out. Rare breeds have been decimated,
not just because of demand from China but also Westerners wanting
alternative treatments.
[http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=336654&ssid=26&sid=env]
Chinese forest rangers rescued over 1 mln wild animals in 2006
To better protect forest resources, stop the rising trend of
illegal activities that harm the forest and wild plants and animals,
the State Forestry Administration officially started a nationwide
“Green Shield Action”. This year China’s forest rangers have rescued
1,189,000 wild animals from poaching and local restaurants, among which
12,000 were under national protection.
[http://www.chinanews.cn//news/2005/2006-11-16/30192.html]
Men Who Avoid Certain Risk Factors In Midlife May Have Longer,
Healthier Life
Researchers in Honolulu found that high grip strength and avoidance
of overweight, hyperglycemia, hypertension, smoking, and excessive
alcohol consumption were associated with both overall and exceptional
survival. In addition, high education and avoidance of
hypertriglyceridemia (elevated triglyceride level) were associated with
exceptional survival, and lack of a marital partner was associated with
death before age 85 years.
[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061116121312.htm]
Sleep Apnea Patients At Higher Risk For Deadly Heart Disease
People with sleep apnea could also be at risk for a particular kind
of deadly heart arrhythmia. Researchers looked at 134 patients with
coronary heart disease who hadn't been diagnosed with a sleep disorder.
In the patients who had a type of an irregular heartbeat called
ventricular premature contraction, more than 40 percent also had severe
sleep apnea -- and didn't realize it.
[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061116121443.htm]
What does the public really know about the risks of HPV?
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the most common sexually
transmitted infections in the United States, and certain “high risk”
types have been shown to cause cervical cancer.
Despite recent advances in the detection and prevention of HPV, the
link between the virus and cervical cancer is not well known to the
public. In June 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved
the first vaccine to prevent infection of two high risk types of HPV,
and two types that cause genital warts. The Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended it for females 9 to 26 years
of age.
[http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/27506/What_does_the_public_really_know_about_HPV.html]
World's most deadly bugs... in the hands of terrorists
Synthetic biology is an emerging field that allows scientists to
build micro-organisms from simple genetic material, in theory enabling
the creation of deadly pathogens such as ebola or anthrax without
access to existing stockpiles of the bugs.
[http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1681602006]
Breast Cancer Risk Linked To Red Meat
The study of more than 90,000 women found that the more red meat the
women consumed in their 20s, 30s and 40s, the greater their risk for
developing breast cancer fueled by hormones in the next 12 years. Those
who consumed the most red meat had nearly twice the risk of those who
ate red meat infrequently.
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/13/AR2006111300824.html]
Firefighters face increased risk for certain cancers
Firefighters are twice as likely to develop testicular cancer and
have significantly higher rates of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, prostate
cancer and are at greater risk for multiple myeloma. "We believe
there's a direct correlation between the chemical exposures
firefighters experience on the job and their increased risk for
cancer,” says LeMasters, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at
UC.
[http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/27482/Firefighters_face_increased_risk_for_certain_cancers.html]
Arsenic water safety breakthrough
Arsenic-contaminated water can be made drinkable cheaply and simply
using tiny crystals related to rust that can bind themselves to large
amounts of arsenic in water. When a strong magnet is placed above the
particles, they clump together like iron filings and are simple to
remove.
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6136970.stm]
Fizzy drinks increase risk of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a very serious form of cancer that is possibly
caused when the pancreas produces heightened levels of insulin as a
consequence of upset glucose metabolism. A well-known way of increasing
insulin production is to eat a lot of sugar. Scientists have now, for
the first time, shown that the consumption of sweetened food and drink
affects a person’s chances of developing pancreatic cancer.
[http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/27440/Fizzy_drinks_increase_risk_of_pancreatic_cancer.html]
Lifestyle changes shown to cut risk of diabetes
About 194 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes and public
health experts predict the number could reach more than 300 million by
2025. Most cases are type 2 diabetes, which is caused by an inability
to regulate glucose (sugar) in the body properly, and linked to being
overweight and obese.
[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyid=2006-11-10T000516Z_01_L09704421_RTRUKOC_0_US-DIABETES-LIFESTYLE.xml]
EU risks undermining emissions trading system: economists, WWF
After issuing more quotas than polluters could use in 2005, the
European Commission found that most of the EU member states that have
filed their allocation plans for the 2008-2012 period so far had once
again handed out too many emissions permits.
[http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061109/sc_afp/euemissionsenvironment]
Climate change threatens agricultural crisis: UN
Higher temperatures and less rainfall will cut water to some of the
world's most water-stressed areas, while water flows will become less
predictable and more subject to extreme events. Projections for
rain-fed areas in East Africa -- already suffering damaging drought and
hunger -- point to potential productivity losses of up to 33 percent in
maize and more than 20 percent for sorghum.
[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-11-09T171339Z_01_L08134918_RTRUKOC_0_US-UN-DEVELOPMENT-CLIMATE.xml]
Prediction of tsunamis: Pan-European approach to disaster prevention
EUROMARGINS is a European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES)
Programme coordinated by the European Science Foundation (ESF) and
supported by science funding agencies in ten European countries.
Harbitz and his colleagues at NGI and University of Oslo have developed
models which can predict tsunamis caused by rock falls, submarine
slides, earth quakes and even asteroid impacts. To validate and improve
the models, Harbitz and his team have put much effort into
back-calculating historical events.
[http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/27367/Joining_forces_to_predict_tsunamis_Pan-European_approach_to_disaster_prevention.html]
Doctors able to predict chance of breast cancer returning
Researchers developed a formula that takes into account all of the
risk factors associated with breast cancer coming back in the same
breast after breast conserving surgery, such as the age of the patient
at the time of treatment, the size and grade of the cancer, if
lymphatic vessels are affected, and the use of chemotherapy or hormone
therapy. With the help of a Web-based computer tool, doctors are able
to determine by this formula how much a patient will be at risk for
their cancer returning, along with how much a patient will benefit from
radiation therapy.
[http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/27362/Doctors_able_to_predict_chance_of_breast_cancer_returning.html]
Global warming threatens world heritage
Recent floods attributed to climate change have damaged the
600-year-old ruins of Sukhothai in northern Thailand, the report said,
while increasing temperatures are "bleaching" the Belize barrier reef
and a rising sea level is sending damaging salt into the wetlands of
Donana National Park in Spain.
[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061108/ap_on_sc/kenya_climate_talks]
[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-11-07T140700Z_01_KIM747156_RTRUKOC_0_US-BC-ENVIRONMENT-CLIMATE-CULTURE.xml]
Seal cracks in food safety system
With many Americans switching to a more health-conscious diet that
includes fresh vegetables, the nation must do a better job against
food-borne illnesses. The most recent outbreak — salmonella poisoning
linked to contaminated lettuce and tomatoes — sickened 171 people in 19
states, including Georgia, and came not long after a deadly and more
serious outbreak of E. coli that caused spinach to disappear from menus
and grocery shelves.
[http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=15481]
Duty to save albatross - Prince Charles
The heir to the British throne said the demise of the iconic
sea-bird would be "such an appalling commentary on the way we treat the
world". Campaigners said the birds were primarily being killed
unintentionally by longline fishing boats operating in the Southern
Ocean. The vessels use lines up to 120 km (75 miles) long, each with
thousands of baited hooks, to catch species such as tuna and swordfish.
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6124522.stm]
Orangutans perish in Borneo fires
Fires on the island of Borneo may have killed up to 1,000
orangutans, say animal protection workers in Indonesia. The Borneo
Orangutan Survival Foundation says the animals are facing severe
problems as their natural habitat is burnt away. Rescue workers have
found several dead orangutans in burnt-out areas, but have no way of
reaching animals still trapped in the burning forests.
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6123696.stm]
Poor people at risk in rich areas.
Poor people who live in rich neighbourhoods in the US are more
likely to die than those who live in disadvantaged areas, a study says.
The team found that age as well as a number of risk factors, such as
obesity and smoking, did not account for the results, but the cost of
living in an affluent neighbourhood could leave poor people with little
disposable income to spend on essential goods and services, such as
health care and healthy food.
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6103678.stm]
Oceans Empty By 2048? Accelerating loss of ocean species threatens
human well-being
An international team of ecologists and economists predict that the
world's oceans will be empty of fish in 2048. The cause: the
disappearance of species due to overfishing, pollution, habitat loss,
and climate change. Already, 29% of edible fish and seafood species
have declined by 90% -- a drop that means the collapse of these
fisheries.
[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/02/health/webmd/main2147223.shtml]
[http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/27372/Accelerating_loss_of_ocean_species_threatens_human_well-being.html]
[http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/2006/2006110223538.html]
Blair attacks 'irrational arguments' on GM food
UK Prime Minister Blair risked infuriating opponents of genetically
modified food - who include Prince Charles - by suggesting that their
arguments are not "rational" when he called for Britain to discuss
technological innovations in a more "scientifically literate" fashion.
[http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1633362006]
Perceived Risk vs. Actual Risk
A weblog covering security and security technology. Schneier writes
about the difference between perceived and actual risk, and how it
explains many seemingly perverse security trade-offs.
[http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/11/perceived_risk_1.html]
Mental health issues threaten 'knowledge economy'
In a knowledge economy, people work increasingly with their heads
instead of their hands. This makes mental health a crucial component of
economic growth. However, the knowledge economy leads to high levels of
stress and mental health problems. By damaging its ‘mental capital’ the
knowledge economy undermines the basis for its own success.
[http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/mental-health-issues-threaten-knowledge-economy-11916.html]
Nepal's rhinos threatened by resurgent poaching
Wildlife authorities in Nepal are concerned about a spike in
poaching of an endangered species of rhinoceros after four of the
animals were killed in the past two weeks in the country's biggest
wildlife reserve.
[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-11-03T155351Z_01_B724376_RTRUKOC_0_US-ENVIRONMENT-NEPAL-RHINOS.xml]
DNA Database Privacy Fears
Professor Alec Jeffreys told BBC radio that hundreds of thousands
of innocent people's DNA was now held on Britain's DNA database, a
disproportionate number of them young black men. The database, set up
in 1995, has expanded to 3.6 million profiles, making it the largest in
the world.
[http://www.wired.com/news/technology/medtech/0,72055-0.html]
compiled by PBP
risk (-at-) sciencemedia.eu