Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon underwent five hours of emergency surgery on Friday to relieve cranial pressure and stop bleeding on his brain. Mr. Sharon's doctors say the surgery was successful, but Mr. Sharon remains in critical condition.
Ariel Sharon's battle to stay alive entered a new phase when, early Friday, his doctors rushed him back into the operating room for the third time in less than 48 hours.
A CAT scan had indicated renewed bleeding on his brain and other complications. After an hours-long operation, Hadassah Hospital's director, Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, emerged to brief hundreds of reporters.
"During the surgery, the intercranial pressure was released, the clotting from the previous operation was cleaned from the brain, and there is no active bleeding at the moment," he explained.
Dr. Mor-Josef says a new CAT scan taken after Mr. Sharon's latest surgery was encouraging.
"After the operation, we performed a CAT scan at our imaging center here at Hadassah, and when (we) compared the results of the CAT scan of today with the previous CAT scan, we can see a significant improvement," he added.
Dr. Mor-Josef says, even though the results from the CAT scan are better than those taken previously, Mr. Sharon remains in critical condition.
Mr. Sharon's two sons, Omri and Gilad, remain by his bedside. Israel's prime minister has been widowed twice.
Government offices closed Friday in observance of the Jewish Sabbath, which began at dusk. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other senior government officials are monitoring Mr. Sharon's condition closely.
One senior Israeli politician, former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, did visit Hadassah Hospital on Friday. Mr. Peres, a longtime Labor Party leader, who recently joined Mr. Sharon's newly formed Kadima Party, expressed support for Mr. Olmert and continuity in Israeli policy.
"Legally, according to our constitution, he is to be the prime minister in charge of the situation," said Mr. Peres. "I think every citizen has to support him. So, do I. I wish him success, and I hope that the continuation of the peace process and the attempt to bring an end to terrorism will continue full speed."
Even as Ariel Sharon was battling for his life, speculation about who will succeed him was heating up. Polls released on Friday show Mr. Sharon's newly formed Kadima Party could still win in Israeli elections on March 28.
Still unresolved is who will lead the party following Mr. Sharon's departure, but polls show many Israelis would support Ehud Olmert as a new party leader.
Joshua Teitelbaum of the Moshe Dayan Center and a professor at Tel Aviv University says the polling data will likely change by Election Day.
"As far as polls go, I think you have to take them with a grain of salt," he said. "I think what you have now is a bit of a sympathy vote. It may be that they lose support in a couple of days or weeks. This Kadima Party was really Sharon's party in every way, so, without Sharon, I think you will see it lose support after the sympathy vote dissipates."
Polls taken just before Mr. Sharon's massive stroke on Wednesday showed him a heavy favorite to win re-election to a historic third term as prime minister of Israel.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
US to Decide if China is Manipulating Currency
The Obama administration faces a deadline Friday on whether to formally label China a "currency manipulator." The U.S. Treasury Department may apply that label in a twice-a-year report on global currencies which is expected to be released on Friday. The reporting requirement is mandated by Congress, but the report could be postponed.U.S. lawmakers and businesses accuse China of keeping its currency, artificially low, giving Chinese-made goods a price advantage on world markets.
Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman Yao Jian said Friday the United States should not make the yuan a "scapegoat" for its domestic problems. He said it is unfair to criticize the yuan's exchange rate by simply pointing at the Chinese trade surplus. China posted a $16.9 billion trade surplus in September. That was less than the $20 billion surplus in August but enough to prompt new demands for the world's second-largest economy to let the yuan trade more freely on financial markets.
Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman Yao Jian said Friday the United States should not make the yuan a "scapegoat" for its domestic problems. He said it is unfair to criticize the yuan's exchange rate by simply pointing at the Chinese trade surplus. China posted a $16.9 billion trade surplus in September. That was less than the $20 billion surplus in August but enough to prompt new demands for the world's second-largest economy to let the yuan trade more freely on financial markets.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Millions of people in the United States suffer from osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease
These replacement joints can be made of combinations of metal alloys, plastic and ceramic, but new research shows that it might be possible to regenerate damaged joints using a patient's own stem cells.
Osteoarthritis is the result of infection, trauma or simply age, and is the leading cause of chronic disability worldwide.
The disease causes cartilage-protecting joint surfaces to degrade, allowing painful bone-to-bone contact. Osteoarthritis is usually treated with pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but in severe cases, the damaged joint can be replaced with an artificial one. However, this option may not work well for the growing population of younger arthritic patients.
"The average lifespan of the metal joints is about 10 to 15 years," says Jeremy Mao at the Columbia University Medical Center. "So as you can imagine, if you are say 50, 55 or younger, the surgeons will be very hesitant to place these metal joints in your body because knowing that in 10 to 15 years, there's a chance these would fail."
In order to address this concern, Mao is exploring new ways to regenerate joints.
Growing new joint cells
Mao replaced a portion of a rabbit's upper arm joint with a biomaterial scaffold, providing a place for cells to grow. In order to attract the rabbit's own stem cells to re-grow the cartilage, channels in the scaffold were filled with a growth factor protein.
"What we found was with one protein that we delivered in the micro-channels in the scaffolds, that was sufficient to regenerate the entire joint surface with cartilage and with bone and with blood vessels," says Mao. "So when we observe these animals with the replacement joints, what we found was there was regeneration of the entire joint that allowed the animals to resume weight-bearing and locomotion."
This return to normalcy occurred just four months after the surgical procedure, with newly grown cartilage fully covering the joint surface. When the mechanical properties of this new cartilage were tested, they showed that the regenerated cells were just as effective as the rabbit's naturally formed cartilage.
Added benefits
While human trials are still a long way off, scientists in the field are excited and encouraged by the research.
"It's absolutely necessary that we continue to push the envelope in terms of try to develop new innovative and more natural ways of effectively treating arthritis," says Dr. Mary O'Connor, chairperson of Orthopedic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Florida.
O'Connor says there is significant benefit to using this type of treatment for arthritis in the knee.
"When we do a knee replacement, we remove one or sometimes both of the cruciate ligaments - which are the ligaments in the center of the knee. So one of the potential advantages of this growing joint technique is perhaps the ability to preserve more of those tissues inside the knee, which would hopefully translate into more natural mechanics of the knee."
O'Connor says cost could be a factor in deciding to use this treatment. While it may not be worthwhile for older patients, younger patients are more likely to regard anything that gives them a lifelong working knee joint as well worth the cost.
Osteoarthritis is the result of infection, trauma or simply age, and is the leading cause of chronic disability worldwide.
The disease causes cartilage-protecting joint surfaces to degrade, allowing painful bone-to-bone contact. Osteoarthritis is usually treated with pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but in severe cases, the damaged joint can be replaced with an artificial one. However, this option may not work well for the growing population of younger arthritic patients.
"The average lifespan of the metal joints is about 10 to 15 years," says Jeremy Mao at the Columbia University Medical Center. "So as you can imagine, if you are say 50, 55 or younger, the surgeons will be very hesitant to place these metal joints in your body because knowing that in 10 to 15 years, there's a chance these would fail."
In order to address this concern, Mao is exploring new ways to regenerate joints.
Growing new joint cells
Mao replaced a portion of a rabbit's upper arm joint with a biomaterial scaffold, providing a place for cells to grow. In order to attract the rabbit's own stem cells to re-grow the cartilage, channels in the scaffold were filled with a growth factor protein.
"What we found was with one protein that we delivered in the micro-channels in the scaffolds, that was sufficient to regenerate the entire joint surface with cartilage and with bone and with blood vessels," says Mao. "So when we observe these animals with the replacement joints, what we found was there was regeneration of the entire joint that allowed the animals to resume weight-bearing and locomotion."
This return to normalcy occurred just four months after the surgical procedure, with newly grown cartilage fully covering the joint surface. When the mechanical properties of this new cartilage were tested, they showed that the regenerated cells were just as effective as the rabbit's naturally formed cartilage.
Added benefits
While human trials are still a long way off, scientists in the field are excited and encouraged by the research.
"It's absolutely necessary that we continue to push the envelope in terms of try to develop new innovative and more natural ways of effectively treating arthritis," says Dr. Mary O'Connor, chairperson of Orthopedic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Florida.
O'Connor says there is significant benefit to using this type of treatment for arthritis in the knee.
"When we do a knee replacement, we remove one or sometimes both of the cruciate ligaments - which are the ligaments in the center of the knee. So one of the potential advantages of this growing joint technique is perhaps the ability to preserve more of those tissues inside the knee, which would hopefully translate into more natural mechanics of the knee."
O'Connor says cost could be a factor in deciding to use this treatment. While it may not be worthwhile for older patients, younger patients are more likely to regard anything that gives them a lifelong working knee joint as well worth the cost.
Bush Says Hunt for bin Laden Continues
President George Bush says America's greatest challenge is stopping terrorist leader Osama bin Laden from attacking the country again. The president spoke at the swearing-in of the new Director of Homeland Security.
President Bush says U.S. forces are on a constant hunt for bin Laden, whose al-Qaida terrorist group was behind the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington.
The president referred to recent intelligence reports that bin Laden is trying to recruit Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to organize attacks outside Iraq.
President Bush says coalition and Iraqi forces are working day and night to dismantle al-Zarqawi's terrorist network in Iraq and bring him to justice. At the same time, Mr. Bush says U.S. troops are keeping the pressure on bin Laden, keeping him in hiding.
"Bin Laden's message is a telling reminder that al-Qaida still hopes to attack us on our own soil. Stopping him is the greatest challenge of our day," the president said.
The president spoke following the swearing-in of former judge and federal prosecutor Michael Chertoff as America's new Director of Homeland Security.
"Mike Chertoff knows we can not afford to become complacent. He understands that as we adapt our defenses, the terrorists will adapt their tactics in response. He understands they continue to pose a grave threat to the American people," Mr. Bush said.
The president says U.S. actions since the September 11 attacks have already made the world safer by toppling regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, convincing Libya to give up its weapons of mass destruction, and breaking-up the nuclear trading network of Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan.
Mr. Bush says while confronting terrorists abroad makes Americans safer at home, there can be no let up in protecting U.S. borders.
"We have been relentless and we will continue to be relentless in our mission to secure the people of this country," the president said. "From Florida to California to Massachusetts, we have arrested and prosecuted terrorist operatives and their supporters. By our actions we are sending the world a clear message: 'The terrorists will not be permitted sanctuary or safe haven or the tools of mass murder'."
Secretary Chertoff takes charge of an agency with 160,000 employees from border patrol and Secret Service to the Coast Guard and immigration control. He succeeds former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge who was the nation's first Director of Homeland Security, following the biggest government reorganization since World War II.
President Bush says U.S. forces are on a constant hunt for bin Laden, whose al-Qaida terrorist group was behind the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington.
The president referred to recent intelligence reports that bin Laden is trying to recruit Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to organize attacks outside Iraq.
President Bush says coalition and Iraqi forces are working day and night to dismantle al-Zarqawi's terrorist network in Iraq and bring him to justice. At the same time, Mr. Bush says U.S. troops are keeping the pressure on bin Laden, keeping him in hiding.
"Bin Laden's message is a telling reminder that al-Qaida still hopes to attack us on our own soil. Stopping him is the greatest challenge of our day," the president said.
The president spoke following the swearing-in of former judge and federal prosecutor Michael Chertoff as America's new Director of Homeland Security.
"Mike Chertoff knows we can not afford to become complacent. He understands that as we adapt our defenses, the terrorists will adapt their tactics in response. He understands they continue to pose a grave threat to the American people," Mr. Bush said.
The president says U.S. actions since the September 11 attacks have already made the world safer by toppling regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, convincing Libya to give up its weapons of mass destruction, and breaking-up the nuclear trading network of Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan.
Mr. Bush says while confronting terrorists abroad makes Americans safer at home, there can be no let up in protecting U.S. borders.
"We have been relentless and we will continue to be relentless in our mission to secure the people of this country," the president said. "From Florida to California to Massachusetts, we have arrested and prosecuted terrorist operatives and their supporters. By our actions we are sending the world a clear message: 'The terrorists will not be permitted sanctuary or safe haven or the tools of mass murder'."
Secretary Chertoff takes charge of an agency with 160,000 employees from border patrol and Secret Service to the Coast Guard and immigration control. He succeeds former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge who was the nation's first Director of Homeland Security, following the biggest government reorganization since World War II.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The number of boat people trying to reach Australia continues to surge, with a new boat recently found
So far this year, about 900 illegal migrants have been found at sea near Australia - four times the number for all of 2008. The surge has authorities worried.
In the latest case, about 73 asylum seekers are being taken to the Australian territory of Christmas Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean for processing.
Most of the migrants trying to reach Australia this year are escaping fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Most travel to Malaysia or Indonesia where people smugglers have established the logistics, however dangerous, to ferry people in search of safety and a better life into Australian waters.
Pamela Curr is a campaign strategist for the Asylum Resource Center in Melbourne. She says more needs to be done to help those seeking to flee troubled homelands.
"The fact of life is there is [are] no formal or thoughtful mechanisms for someone facing death in Afghanistan or Iraq to get out," Curr said. "They go to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Jakarta, they get turned away and told to go to the Australian embassy. They go to the Australian embassy, same thing. This is what they tell me, four to five times they go backward and forward and then where do they go? They go to the people smuggler who offers them a trip on a boat."
The increased numbers has resulted in much closer cooperation among customs agents and police in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia where Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently visited and asked for help in shutting down people smuggling.
However, Curr says this will not be enough to stop the current wave of boat people despite the perils of barely seaworthy vessels.
"We can give advice from our perspective and that is 'Don't get on a boat, you stand a good chance of drowning because the boats that are used are boats that are disposable,'" Curr said. "The fishermen who rent them out and bring them across know they are going to be burnt at the other end. So they are not boats that are fit for a return journey."
Curr says despite those warnings, until life in Central Asia and the Middle East improves, and governments in transit countries like Indonesia and Malaysia firmly grasp the issue, the flow into Australia is unlikely to abate.
Members of the conservative opposition blame Prime Minister Rudd for the increased flow, because he eased rules on indefinitely detaining suspected illegal migrants and other policies on boat people. The opposition argues that Mr. Rudd's new policies encourage people to sneak into the country.
Australia accepts more than 10,000 refugees a year, after they have been screened through official programs run by the United Nations and other organizations.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
South Korea and the United States are wrapping up senior diplomatic talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons with a show of unity
They say a six-nation process that has been underway for six years must be preserved.
Senior U.S. Envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, emerged from meetings with South Korean counterparts in Seoul holding firm to Washington's insistence that Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities must be ended.
"We have had very useful conversations here with our South Korean partners," he said, "we are agreed entirely that denuclearization, complete and verifiable, remains our core interest."
Bosworth has been in the South Korean capital since Friday, holding meetings with officials including chief South Korean nuclear negotiator Wi Wung-lac and Unification Minister Hyun In-taek.
Both sides are expressing concern over North Korean statements on Friday that Pyongyang is continuing to extract plutonium from spent nuclear fuel for material useable in weapons.
The North also said it had reached the final stage of a uranium enrichment program, possibly creating a second process by which it can build nuclear arms. Until this year, Pyongyang has denied U.S. accusations it possessed a covert HEU, or highly enriched uranium program, in violation of previous agreements.
Bosworth said the problem will take time to solve.
"This is not the first we have heard of HEU," he said. "And it may not be the last."
Bosworth repeated the Obama administration's policy that Washington is willing to talk one-on-one with North Korea, but only within the framework of six-nation talks begun in 2003 aimed at ending all of the North's nuclear capabilities.
North Korea has declared those talks "dead" several times this year, and says it is willing to deal only with the United States as a fellow nuclear weapons nation.
The United States and South Korea say they will be diligent about implementing U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed after North Korea conducted the second nuclear weapons test in its history in May.
Senior U.S. Envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, emerged from meetings with South Korean counterparts in Seoul holding firm to Washington's insistence that Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities must be ended.
"We have had very useful conversations here with our South Korean partners," he said, "we are agreed entirely that denuclearization, complete and verifiable, remains our core interest."
Bosworth has been in the South Korean capital since Friday, holding meetings with officials including chief South Korean nuclear negotiator Wi Wung-lac and Unification Minister Hyun In-taek.
Both sides are expressing concern over North Korean statements on Friday that Pyongyang is continuing to extract plutonium from spent nuclear fuel for material useable in weapons.
The North also said it had reached the final stage of a uranium enrichment program, possibly creating a second process by which it can build nuclear arms. Until this year, Pyongyang has denied U.S. accusations it possessed a covert HEU, or highly enriched uranium program, in violation of previous agreements.
Bosworth said the problem will take time to solve.
"This is not the first we have heard of HEU," he said. "And it may not be the last."
Bosworth repeated the Obama administration's policy that Washington is willing to talk one-on-one with North Korea, but only within the framework of six-nation talks begun in 2003 aimed at ending all of the North's nuclear capabilities.
North Korea has declared those talks "dead" several times this year, and says it is willing to deal only with the United States as a fellow nuclear weapons nation.
The United States and South Korea say they will be diligent about implementing U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed after North Korea conducted the second nuclear weapons test in its history in May.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
President Obama and his family are vacationing on the Gulf coast to show support for businesses hurt by the BP oil leak since April
Many residents hope the visit sends a positive message that the beaches are open to tourists.
Whether or not President Obama jumps in the Gulf of Mexico, the coast is clear. Surfers enjoyed the waves off Panama City Beach this weekend, and families jumped in the water to take a break from the heat.
There are no signs of oil here, even though visitors like Brian Jacks were not sure what they would find when they arrived.
"You are expecting to see oil all over the place [but] it's actually pretty nice," said Jacks.
Jacks came from nearby Alabama to scuba dive at St. Andrews State Park. He is pleased to see clean waters. But he was surprised at the relatively low number of tourists.
"Normally when we come down here it's just packed. You can't get into stores or restaurants. And now it is pretty free-flowing," he added. "You can tell the economy has slowed down a good bit."
Businesses across the Gulf coast say they are suffering because of the oil leak that started from the explosion on April 20. BP oil crews capped the leak last month, but tourist numbers are still down for many hotels, restaurants and other stores.
The trip by President Obama, his wife and younger daughter is intended as a show of support for the struggling region. White House officials hope it shows the rest of the country that the Gulf is safe and open for business.
At Treasure Island marina, Bobby Robinette says his charter boat company and others could use some help to bring in more tourists.
"We don't have a problem with oil, we have a problem with people thinking there is a problem," noted Robinette. "So if we get some good publicity, maybe it will offset some of the bad publicity."
President Obama has made four other trips to the Gulf coast, to review clean-up efforts. First Lady Michele Obama also visited Panama City Beach last month.
Republican critics says the latest trip is merely a photo opportunity that offers little help to the struggling economy.
At Treasure Island seafood market, fishmonger Joe Brown says it may be too late for the president's trip to change anything. He says sales are way down, as there are fewer boats bringing in fresh seafood, and fewer tourists to buy it.
"The damage is done. There is nothing he can do, unless he goes out there and puts a Tyvek suit on and starts cleaning up oil himself," said Brown.
Too late or not, the President shouldn't leave without tasting local oysters. Hunt's Oyster Bar has been serving oysters non-stop since the oil leak started. Robert Daffin stays busy prying open the shellfish to serve customers.
"Our specialty is fresh, cold Apalachicola oysters," said Daffin. "Right now they are very salty. You just get it open, make sure there is no shell in it. There you go, nice and salty. No oil there."
Daffin says he has seen the restaurant business go up this year,as more tourists came to Panama City Beach to avoid spots that were hit hard by oil. There is plenty left to share, however, including a dozen raw oysters he would offer the president if he came to the restaurant.
"Then I would add to that probably a dozen fried shrimp, some fresh gator tail. We do that blackened. And always grouper and snapper," he added.
Businesses like Hunt's are happy to have any visitors, not just the president.
Whether or not President Obama jumps in the Gulf of Mexico, the coast is clear. Surfers enjoyed the waves off Panama City Beach this weekend, and families jumped in the water to take a break from the heat.
There are no signs of oil here, even though visitors like Brian Jacks were not sure what they would find when they arrived.
"You are expecting to see oil all over the place [but] it's actually pretty nice," said Jacks.
Jacks came from nearby Alabama to scuba dive at St. Andrews State Park. He is pleased to see clean waters. But he was surprised at the relatively low number of tourists.
"Normally when we come down here it's just packed. You can't get into stores or restaurants. And now it is pretty free-flowing," he added. "You can tell the economy has slowed down a good bit."
Businesses across the Gulf coast say they are suffering because of the oil leak that started from the explosion on April 20. BP oil crews capped the leak last month, but tourist numbers are still down for many hotels, restaurants and other stores.
The trip by President Obama, his wife and younger daughter is intended as a show of support for the struggling region. White House officials hope it shows the rest of the country that the Gulf is safe and open for business.
At Treasure Island marina, Bobby Robinette says his charter boat company and others could use some help to bring in more tourists.
"We don't have a problem with oil, we have a problem with people thinking there is a problem," noted Robinette. "So if we get some good publicity, maybe it will offset some of the bad publicity."
President Obama has made four other trips to the Gulf coast, to review clean-up efforts. First Lady Michele Obama also visited Panama City Beach last month.
Republican critics says the latest trip is merely a photo opportunity that offers little help to the struggling economy.
At Treasure Island seafood market, fishmonger Joe Brown says it may be too late for the president's trip to change anything. He says sales are way down, as there are fewer boats bringing in fresh seafood, and fewer tourists to buy it.
"The damage is done. There is nothing he can do, unless he goes out there and puts a Tyvek suit on and starts cleaning up oil himself," said Brown.
Too late or not, the President shouldn't leave without tasting local oysters. Hunt's Oyster Bar has been serving oysters non-stop since the oil leak started. Robert Daffin stays busy prying open the shellfish to serve customers.
"Our specialty is fresh, cold Apalachicola oysters," said Daffin. "Right now they are very salty. You just get it open, make sure there is no shell in it. There you go, nice and salty. No oil there."
Daffin says he has seen the restaurant business go up this year,as more tourists came to Panama City Beach to avoid spots that were hit hard by oil. There is plenty left to share, however, including a dozen raw oysters he would offer the president if he came to the restaurant.
"Then I would add to that probably a dozen fried shrimp, some fresh gator tail. We do that blackened. And always grouper and snapper," he added.
Businesses like Hunt's are happy to have any visitors, not just the president.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)