By Barbara Findlay Schenck
When Brad Newman introduced himself as an actrepreneur, I was hooked. Everything about his title told me he had information I wanted to hear. Over a few additional seconds, I learned that this actor and entrepreneur is the founder of Zentainment, "a socially conscious media company committed to growing brands that encourage you to dream big and live a sustainable life." From there, a longer conversation — and a business relationship — followed, all spurred by an attention-getting introduction that took just moments to deliver.
The elevator pitch rides into the speed-dating era
Today's economic environment has turned job fairs, trade shows, networking events and even sidewalk sales into buyers' markets where only those with quick, compelling pitches survive.
In the 1990s, high-tech entrepreneurs named these short spiels "elevator pitches" because they could be conveyed during an elevator ride. The tech bubble ballooned and burst (and ballooned again), but elevator pitches are here to stay. Everyone — whether seeking employment, sales or profitable business associations — needs one.
Is your introduction ready to roll?
"So, what do you do?"
Those five words are on the minds of everyone you meet, whether in person or online. Brad Newman's introduction helps provide a formula that can assist you in preparing your answer and attracting attention from those you aim to impress:
Describe yourself in five words or less. Use a distinctive title or phrase that makes people think, "This sounds interesting" or "This is what I'm looking for." Consider the difference between "I'm a copywriter" and "I turn browsers into buyers." Or, in Newman's case, between "social media entrepreneur" and "actrepreneur."
Explain what you do in one sentence. After introducing yourself, introduce your offerings. "Our name combines the words Zen and entertainment, which stakes out our media space," Newman says. "We're a media company that focuses on socially conscious content. That definition tells what Zentainment is and rules out what it isn't." Work on a similarly specific description for your business.
Define your target audience. "Our market is comprised of 30- to 49-year-olds who care about socially conscious living," Newman says. "By defining our market in that way, people immediately know whether our business is for them." In other words, Zentainment isn't trying to be all things to all people. It's focused on a specific target audience, which is a key to success in today's crowded business environment.
Communicate your vision. "We're committed to growing brands that encourage you to dream big and live a sustainable life, whether they're our own brands or ones for which we consult and serve as producers," Newman says. "Our vision is clear enough to keep us focused and broad enough to make us adaptive to the opportunities of a changing market and media world." It's also compelling enough to attract a growing contingent of Zentainment consumers and business clients. What does your business stand for? What attracts your customers and their loyalty? Your answers can serve as a magnet for growth.
Practice, practice, practice. Create a script that conveys who you are, what you offer, your market, and the distinctive benefits you provide. Edit until you can introduce yourself and your business in less than a minute, which is how long most prospects will give you to win their interest.
Shrink your introduction even further so you can tell your story in 20 words or less. That's how much space you have in most marketing materials and online presentations, whether on your own site, on social media sites, or on sites that link to your home page. If you're thinking, "Twenty words? You've got to be kidding," scroll back to the start of this column. That's exactly what Brad Newman used to get my interest.
Barbara Findlay Schenck is a small-business strategist, the author of “Small Business Marketing for Dummies” and the co-author of “Branding for Dummies,” “Selling Your Business for Dummies” and “Business Plans Kit for Dummies.”
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
HIV Vaccine Research a Field Apart From Classic Vaccinology
From Medscape Medical News
Bob Roehr
May 7, 2010 (Bethesda, Maryland) — HIV vaccine research is diverging from classic vaccinology and its focus on the adaptive immune response, to a field of its own. There has been a shift from protecting against infection to changing the nature of the infection, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), in Bethesda, Maryland, said in his keynote address here at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases 13th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research.
The principles of classic vaccinology are that "the response to natural infection is the guidepost to the vaccine. . . . The proof of concept is already done for us by the natural response to infection. . . . The vast portion of people spontaneously recover," he said.
"The virus is cleared and eradicated and the person is left with a protective immunity that, in most cases, is complete and lifelong."
But beginning with the gp160 trial in 1987, researchers quickly learned that the principles of classic vaccinology "didn't apply particularly well to HIV. . . . I've been taking care of HIV-infected individuals for almost 29 years and I have never seen anybody eradicate the virus or spontaneously recover," Dr. Fauci said.
"And protective immunity against subsequent infection doesn't appear to occur. That is amazing. You are infected with a microbe and, while you are infected, you get reexposed to the microbe and you get reinfected. That is depressing for vaccinologists."
"There is no proof of concept to help us. We really have to start from scratch," he said. Basic research has been able to generate a few antibodies that are broadly neutralizing to laboratory strains of HIV, but not to wild-type virus, Dr. Fauci noted.
Once these facts began to sink in, the field shifted toward developing a vaccine that would not protect against infection but that might shift the course of disease progression to one that is less lethal, perhaps even benign. The public health goal of reducing transmission might be accomplished by lowering the viral load of those who are infected. "Those attempts, thus far, have not been successful," Dr. Fauci said.
STEP Back
The early stopping of the STEP trial, which was testing an HIV vaccine developed by Merck with the support of NIAID, led the field to another reevaluation. The mix of basic and developmentally oriented research was recalibrated back toward the former.
Then came the Thai study (RV144) "using a pox virus vector and an envelope boost, which, when you looked immunologically, had virtually none of the classical parameters that would predict protection. [Cytotoxic T lymphocytes] were nowhere to be found; neutralizing antibody, nowhere to be found," Dr. Fauci said.
But "for the first time we found a modest, weak, but real signal of prevention of acquisition," he said. "There was no doubt that the Kaplan–Meier curves were separated. We now had a weak signal upon which to build."
The fact that the vaccine had no effect on the viral load of those who became infected confounded the expectations of many, but not Dr. Fauci.
"I think it argues for the dichotomy of effect on acquisition vs the control of chronic viral infection. It is telling us something that perhaps we should have realized a long time ago — an immune response that protects against acquisition might be quite different from the immune response that actually controls chronic virus replication."
"What we have now is a whole new way of looking at things. . . . We really know what is going on and what is needed."
He sees the way forward as building on the empiricism of the RV144 trial while, at the same time, pursuing the fundamental issues of basic research.
Dr. Fauci is not sure that it will be possible to isolate correlates of protection from acquisition from the small number of infections in the Thai trial, "but it certainly will tell us what they are not. And what they aren't is 750 ELISPOTS on an assay. What they aren't is broadly cross-reacting neutralizing antibodies. . . . It may be that they are important, but they are not a requirement."
Different Virus
"As scary and dangerous as HIV infection is, it is a very inefficiently transmitted infection. One of the reasons is that there is a bottleneck to transmission." It has become apparent that "the transmitting virus might be quite different from the chronic replicating virus."
The transmitting virus appears to have a unique hypoglycosylated molecular signature that, surprisingly, appears to be easier to neutralize than variants found later in infection. However, once infection is established, the virus rapidly diversifies with conformational changes and the addition of glycands that can shield antibody binding sites, and the virus evades immune control.
Dr. Fauci pointed to the work of Dennis Burton, showing that "when looking at acquisition, you really need low levels of neutralizing antibody, much lower than you would have predicted" from the study of established infections. "There is a direct correlation between the ease of neutralization of a transmitting virus [and] the virus that has been replicating for years."
He added that "as the quasi-species develops, the virus diverges. The further you are from infection, the more divergent the virus is; the closer you are to the initial infection, the more homogeneous the virus is."
"Once the virus robustly replicates and gets into the lymphoid tissue, for all practical purposes, the ballgame is over for a vaccine. No matter what we do, you don't eradicate the virus. . . . The focus really needs to be on blocking acquisition. That is the end game."
It is why he is focusing on very early events, far earlier than the adaptive immune system is capable of reacting to.
Dr. Fauci indicated that, taken together, the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response will play, at best, a small role in future research toward a preventive vaccine. It might have some role in immunotherapy for HIV disease, but his comments on the effectiveness, tolerability, and cost of available small-molecule drugs create a high bar in moving HIV immunotherapy from basic research into regular clinical practice.
Dr. Fauci has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) 13th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research: Session 8. Presented April 27, 2010.
Bob Roehr
May 7, 2010 (Bethesda, Maryland) — HIV vaccine research is diverging from classic vaccinology and its focus on the adaptive immune response, to a field of its own. There has been a shift from protecting against infection to changing the nature of the infection, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), in Bethesda, Maryland, said in his keynote address here at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases 13th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research.
The principles of classic vaccinology are that "the response to natural infection is the guidepost to the vaccine. . . . The proof of concept is already done for us by the natural response to infection. . . . The vast portion of people spontaneously recover," he said.
"The virus is cleared and eradicated and the person is left with a protective immunity that, in most cases, is complete and lifelong."
But beginning with the gp160 trial in 1987, researchers quickly learned that the principles of classic vaccinology "didn't apply particularly well to HIV. . . . I've been taking care of HIV-infected individuals for almost 29 years and I have never seen anybody eradicate the virus or spontaneously recover," Dr. Fauci said.
"And protective immunity against subsequent infection doesn't appear to occur. That is amazing. You are infected with a microbe and, while you are infected, you get reexposed to the microbe and you get reinfected. That is depressing for vaccinologists."
"There is no proof of concept to help us. We really have to start from scratch," he said. Basic research has been able to generate a few antibodies that are broadly neutralizing to laboratory strains of HIV, but not to wild-type virus, Dr. Fauci noted.
Once these facts began to sink in, the field shifted toward developing a vaccine that would not protect against infection but that might shift the course of disease progression to one that is less lethal, perhaps even benign. The public health goal of reducing transmission might be accomplished by lowering the viral load of those who are infected. "Those attempts, thus far, have not been successful," Dr. Fauci said.
STEP Back
The early stopping of the STEP trial, which was testing an HIV vaccine developed by Merck with the support of NIAID, led the field to another reevaluation. The mix of basic and developmentally oriented research was recalibrated back toward the former.
Then came the Thai study (RV144) "using a pox virus vector and an envelope boost, which, when you looked immunologically, had virtually none of the classical parameters that would predict protection. [Cytotoxic T lymphocytes] were nowhere to be found; neutralizing antibody, nowhere to be found," Dr. Fauci said.
But "for the first time we found a modest, weak, but real signal of prevention of acquisition," he said. "There was no doubt that the Kaplan–Meier curves were separated. We now had a weak signal upon which to build."
The fact that the vaccine had no effect on the viral load of those who became infected confounded the expectations of many, but not Dr. Fauci.
"I think it argues for the dichotomy of effect on acquisition vs the control of chronic viral infection. It is telling us something that perhaps we should have realized a long time ago — an immune response that protects against acquisition might be quite different from the immune response that actually controls chronic virus replication."
"What we have now is a whole new way of looking at things. . . . We really know what is going on and what is needed."
He sees the way forward as building on the empiricism of the RV144 trial while, at the same time, pursuing the fundamental issues of basic research.
Dr. Fauci is not sure that it will be possible to isolate correlates of protection from acquisition from the small number of infections in the Thai trial, "but it certainly will tell us what they are not. And what they aren't is 750 ELISPOTS on an assay. What they aren't is broadly cross-reacting neutralizing antibodies. . . . It may be that they are important, but they are not a requirement."
Different Virus
"As scary and dangerous as HIV infection is, it is a very inefficiently transmitted infection. One of the reasons is that there is a bottleneck to transmission." It has become apparent that "the transmitting virus might be quite different from the chronic replicating virus."
The transmitting virus appears to have a unique hypoglycosylated molecular signature that, surprisingly, appears to be easier to neutralize than variants found later in infection. However, once infection is established, the virus rapidly diversifies with conformational changes and the addition of glycands that can shield antibody binding sites, and the virus evades immune control.
Dr. Fauci pointed to the work of Dennis Burton, showing that "when looking at acquisition, you really need low levels of neutralizing antibody, much lower than you would have predicted" from the study of established infections. "There is a direct correlation between the ease of neutralization of a transmitting virus [and] the virus that has been replicating for years."
He added that "as the quasi-species develops, the virus diverges. The further you are from infection, the more divergent the virus is; the closer you are to the initial infection, the more homogeneous the virus is."
"Once the virus robustly replicates and gets into the lymphoid tissue, for all practical purposes, the ballgame is over for a vaccine. No matter what we do, you don't eradicate the virus. . . . The focus really needs to be on blocking acquisition. That is the end game."
It is why he is focusing on very early events, far earlier than the adaptive immune system is capable of reacting to.
Dr. Fauci indicated that, taken together, the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response will play, at best, a small role in future research toward a preventive vaccine. It might have some role in immunotherapy for HIV disease, but his comments on the effectiveness, tolerability, and cost of available small-molecule drugs create a high bar in moving HIV immunotherapy from basic research into regular clinical practice.
Dr. Fauci has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) 13th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research: Session 8. Presented April 27, 2010.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
TEENS MORE LIKELY TO SMOKE IF PARENTS DO
If parents smoke, chances are their adolescents will too. The study, “Parental Smoking and Adolescent Smoking Initiation: An Intergenerational Perspective on Tobacco Control,” looked at 564 adolescents enrolled in the New England Family Study.
The authors found that there is a direct link between parental smoking and initiation of smoking by adolescents.
The factors impacting the initiation of smoking by teens were parents who were active regular smokers and parents who smoked around their children before age 13. Fathers who smoke are more likely to influence teen boys than girls.
The authors conclude that this study can be used to encourage parents to quit smoking as part of an effort to curb the initiation of smoking among teens.
statements appearing in the February ssue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
January 26, 2009, 12:01 am (ET)
The authors found that there is a direct link between parental smoking and initiation of smoking by adolescents.
The factors impacting the initiation of smoking by teens were parents who were active regular smokers and parents who smoked around their children before age 13. Fathers who smoke are more likely to influence teen boys than girls.
The authors conclude that this study can be used to encourage parents to quit smoking as part of an effort to curb the initiation of smoking among teens.
statements appearing in the February ssue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
January 26, 2009, 12:01 am (ET)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Codependency Flip
By: Drawk Kwast
I found myself on Wikipedia, researching the patterns for codependency, when I made a most interesting discovery. As an Alpha Male Life Coach, I basically teach the opposite of codependency. I teach inner-dependency (better known as independence). Here's where I took an interesting leap in logic. If a codependent person meets everyone else's needs at the exclusion of their own, wouldn't the opposite of this be a person who meets their needs to the exclusion of everyone else's? I had a huge problem with that conclusion because I don't consider being independent to go hand in hand with being a narcissist, a sociopath, or simply just not caring about others.
So let's start at the beginning. If I read the patterns for codependency, as listed in Wikipedia, and reverse them to reflect what I teach, I come up with the following list:
I easily identify how I am feeling and have no issue letting others know exactly how I feel.
I do not think it is selfish to take care of my needs. I know that my basic needs must be met before I will have the resources to help others.
I make quick decisions based on the best information I have available to me in that moment. I live without regret, because I know I made the best decision I could have at the time, even though new information after the fact may show my errors. I accept and value my failures as learning experiences.
I have no problem accepting praise for a job well done, but I don't let my ego distract me from getting back to work and making future advances.
I have no problem asking others for help. Only an idiot would drown rather than admit he doesn't know how to swim by asking for a life raft.
I have a list of people whose opinions I value based on past experience with them. I welcome their advice and criticism as a path to better my work and myself. The opinions of those whom I have not preselected are irrelevant and do not affect my mood or decisions. The things the average person will say about me reflect more on them than on me.
I am worthy of love, friendship, and enjoyable social interaction. My true value is in my ability to manage my emotional state and positively affect the emotional states of others.
I am open to explore the possibility that I may be wrong. I have no problem quickly letting go of incorrect concepts that I had previously been using to guide my actions. At the same time, I never compromise my integrity. I believe that those who don't have the balls to be hated don't deserve to be loved.
I place everything second to my life mission. A person aimlessly wandering around is not attractive to women or worthy of high-value male friends.
I know when to hold on to value that others don't see and when to let go of something that isn't enjoyable or moving me towards my goal. I am very loyal, but only to those who have shown themselves to deserve it.
I believe that no one cares about my goals as much as I do, nor should they, but I know when to call a specialist who will do a better job than I can.
It is easier to find people I resonate with rather than trying to convince others to see things my way. I understand the huge difference between letting go and giving up.
The best relationships are when neither person needs the other for anything. They are both completely independent. This leaves both people sure that the other person is with them just because they enjoy spending time together. The perfect romantic relationship is defined as two people accomplishing separate goals, together.
This list is interesting to me, because I have never categorized the results of what I teach in this way before. As I go though this little exercise, I am reminded what I think about the question if the human population is inherently good or inherently evil. I think that answer changes based on whether a person's self-perceived needs are being met or not. This is the outdated "moral" question of, "Is it ok for a man to steal bread to feed his family?" I remember back in my psychology 101 class answering that question with another question, "Is his family fat?"
I think that in general the human population will help its fellow man in a time of need. I think in times of crisis, we see those with resources helping those who truly need it. Hearing these stories makes us feel good to be part of the human race. I also think that if a man has to choose between letting his family suffer or hurting someone else to alleviate the suffering of his family, you will be amazed at what he will do. Nietzsche once said that the character of a man is not built out of the experiences he has had, but rather because of the experiences he has not had. He may be completely correct.
I think what it comes down to is simply this. When I travel by airplane, they always tell me to "secure my oxygen mask before helping secure the oxygen masks of others." I have never bothered to ask them why they say this. As an alpha male, I understand that if I pass out from lack of oxygen, I'm not going to be able to help very many people.
I'm honest with myself. I know that self preservation will always be top of the list. After that, though, life is a party, and a party without any guests is very boring. Treat your guests the same way you would want to be treated if you were at their party. True happiness is nothing more than your happiness reflected back to you through others. Click on the link below to get my free eBook as you find yourself ready to learn more.
Free eBook Here! Drawk Kwast is a life coach. His methods are unconventional, and he makes no apologies as he tells you how to dominate the competition at work, attract the most desirable women on the planet, and ultimately achieve a fulfilling life.
Smart Articles @ http://www.articlebrain.com
I found myself on Wikipedia, researching the patterns for codependency, when I made a most interesting discovery. As an Alpha Male Life Coach, I basically teach the opposite of codependency. I teach inner-dependency (better known as independence). Here's where I took an interesting leap in logic. If a codependent person meets everyone else's needs at the exclusion of their own, wouldn't the opposite of this be a person who meets their needs to the exclusion of everyone else's? I had a huge problem with that conclusion because I don't consider being independent to go hand in hand with being a narcissist, a sociopath, or simply just not caring about others.
So let's start at the beginning. If I read the patterns for codependency, as listed in Wikipedia, and reverse them to reflect what I teach, I come up with the following list:
I easily identify how I am feeling and have no issue letting others know exactly how I feel.
I do not think it is selfish to take care of my needs. I know that my basic needs must be met before I will have the resources to help others.
I make quick decisions based on the best information I have available to me in that moment. I live without regret, because I know I made the best decision I could have at the time, even though new information after the fact may show my errors. I accept and value my failures as learning experiences.
I have no problem accepting praise for a job well done, but I don't let my ego distract me from getting back to work and making future advances.
I have no problem asking others for help. Only an idiot would drown rather than admit he doesn't know how to swim by asking for a life raft.
I have a list of people whose opinions I value based on past experience with them. I welcome their advice and criticism as a path to better my work and myself. The opinions of those whom I have not preselected are irrelevant and do not affect my mood or decisions. The things the average person will say about me reflect more on them than on me.
I am worthy of love, friendship, and enjoyable social interaction. My true value is in my ability to manage my emotional state and positively affect the emotional states of others.
I am open to explore the possibility that I may be wrong. I have no problem quickly letting go of incorrect concepts that I had previously been using to guide my actions. At the same time, I never compromise my integrity. I believe that those who don't have the balls to be hated don't deserve to be loved.
I place everything second to my life mission. A person aimlessly wandering around is not attractive to women or worthy of high-value male friends.
I know when to hold on to value that others don't see and when to let go of something that isn't enjoyable or moving me towards my goal. I am very loyal, but only to those who have shown themselves to deserve it.
I believe that no one cares about my goals as much as I do, nor should they, but I know when to call a specialist who will do a better job than I can.
It is easier to find people I resonate with rather than trying to convince others to see things my way. I understand the huge difference between letting go and giving up.
The best relationships are when neither person needs the other for anything. They are both completely independent. This leaves both people sure that the other person is with them just because they enjoy spending time together. The perfect romantic relationship is defined as two people accomplishing separate goals, together.
This list is interesting to me, because I have never categorized the results of what I teach in this way before. As I go though this little exercise, I am reminded what I think about the question if the human population is inherently good or inherently evil. I think that answer changes based on whether a person's self-perceived needs are being met or not. This is the outdated "moral" question of, "Is it ok for a man to steal bread to feed his family?" I remember back in my psychology 101 class answering that question with another question, "Is his family fat?"
I think that in general the human population will help its fellow man in a time of need. I think in times of crisis, we see those with resources helping those who truly need it. Hearing these stories makes us feel good to be part of the human race. I also think that if a man has to choose between letting his family suffer or hurting someone else to alleviate the suffering of his family, you will be amazed at what he will do. Nietzsche once said that the character of a man is not built out of the experiences he has had, but rather because of the experiences he has not had. He may be completely correct.
I think what it comes down to is simply this. When I travel by airplane, they always tell me to "secure my oxygen mask before helping secure the oxygen masks of others." I have never bothered to ask them why they say this. As an alpha male, I understand that if I pass out from lack of oxygen, I'm not going to be able to help very many people.
I'm honest with myself. I know that self preservation will always be top of the list. After that, though, life is a party, and a party without any guests is very boring. Treat your guests the same way you would want to be treated if you were at their party. True happiness is nothing more than your happiness reflected back to you through others. Click on the link below to get my free eBook as you find yourself ready to learn more.
Free eBook Here! Drawk Kwast is a life coach. His methods are unconventional, and he makes no apologies as he tells you how to dominate the competition at work, attract the most desirable women on the planet, and ultimately achieve a fulfilling life.
Smart Articles @ http://www.articlebrain.com
Are you prepared for an Earthquake?
By: disasterstore Due to recent events in Haiti and the California coast, more and more people are becoming aware of the devastation a high magnitude earthquake can cause. Disasterrecoverystore.com has items for your home, automobile, and business to prepare for such a devastating event.
Earthquakes can happen anywhere in the world and no state is exempt from a possible earthquake. There are fault lines everywhere. In the last few weeks, beside Haiti, Illinios, California and Oklahoma felt earthquakes higher then a 3.0 magnitude earthquake. The days of feeling safe if you didn’t live in California, Alaska or another state that is known for earthquakes are long gone. It can happen anywhere. Disasterrecoverystore.com is here to make sure that you are well prepared for when the unthinkable happens...
It is important that you have several items on hand incase of an earthquake or any other disaster. Many government and safety agencies agree that there several items you should do prior to an earthquake.
• Strapping down water heater to wall studs, to prevent it from falling over.
• Bolting heavy and tall items that can fall during an earthquake (bookcases, china cabinets)
• Latches on cabinets, to avoid them opening and contents falling out or on people.
Besides securing heavy items in your house, every house should have certain essential items in some instances; you may not be able to leave where you were at the time of the earthquake. Disasterrecoverystore.com recommends that you have the following items, for that time.
• First Aid Kit (also include essential medication)
• Food and Water for all members of the household, including pets.(Ideally you should have a minimum of 3 days of food; this will include about 3 gallons worth of water per person / animal per day).
• Extra set of clothing for all members of the household
• Battery powered radio and flashlight with extra batteries.
• Instructions on how to turn off the water, gas and electricity should you be instructed to do so
• Any special items for members of the household (infants, elderly, disabled)
• Camping supplies in case your home is uninhabitable (camp stove, tent, sleeping bags etc…)
In this article we talked about what to have incase of that earthquake but what do you need to know when that earthquake strikes. The important things to remember is:
• DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON! The best thing to remember is to get under something sturdy, a desk, a table or a door jam (if you know it is a sturdy doorway). Do not stand near any heavy objects, a window, wires or anything that that if falls could injure you.
• If you are outside and can go inside do so, if you are inside do not go outside until the shaking has stopped.
• If you are in a vehicle, pull over away from any large trees, walls, bridges and utility lines.
Michael Gutkin at Disaster Recovery Store is the leading U.S. provider of Fire Safety kits, Emergency Kits, Survival Solutions and equipment offering customized first aid kits to the home, office, automobiles and your family.
Smart Articles @ http://www.articlebrain.com
Earthquakes can happen anywhere in the world and no state is exempt from a possible earthquake. There are fault lines everywhere. In the last few weeks, beside Haiti, Illinios, California and Oklahoma felt earthquakes higher then a 3.0 magnitude earthquake. The days of feeling safe if you didn’t live in California, Alaska or another state that is known for earthquakes are long gone. It can happen anywhere. Disasterrecoverystore.com is here to make sure that you are well prepared for when the unthinkable happens...
It is important that you have several items on hand incase of an earthquake or any other disaster. Many government and safety agencies agree that there several items you should do prior to an earthquake.
• Strapping down water heater to wall studs, to prevent it from falling over.
• Bolting heavy and tall items that can fall during an earthquake (bookcases, china cabinets)
• Latches on cabinets, to avoid them opening and contents falling out or on people.
Besides securing heavy items in your house, every house should have certain essential items in some instances; you may not be able to leave where you were at the time of the earthquake. Disasterrecoverystore.com recommends that you have the following items, for that time.
• First Aid Kit (also include essential medication)
• Food and Water for all members of the household, including pets.(Ideally you should have a minimum of 3 days of food; this will include about 3 gallons worth of water per person / animal per day).
• Extra set of clothing for all members of the household
• Battery powered radio and flashlight with extra batteries.
• Instructions on how to turn off the water, gas and electricity should you be instructed to do so
• Any special items for members of the household (infants, elderly, disabled)
• Camping supplies in case your home is uninhabitable (camp stove, tent, sleeping bags etc…)
In this article we talked about what to have incase of that earthquake but what do you need to know when that earthquake strikes. The important things to remember is:
• DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON! The best thing to remember is to get under something sturdy, a desk, a table or a door jam (if you know it is a sturdy doorway). Do not stand near any heavy objects, a window, wires or anything that that if falls could injure you.
• If you are outside and can go inside do so, if you are inside do not go outside until the shaking has stopped.
• If you are in a vehicle, pull over away from any large trees, walls, bridges and utility lines.
Michael Gutkin at Disaster Recovery Store is the leading U.S. provider of Fire Safety kits, Emergency Kits, Survival Solutions and equipment offering customized first aid kits to the home, office, automobiles and your family.
Smart Articles @ http://www.articlebrain.com
Statins Do Not Protect Against and May Increase Risk for Colorectal Adenomas
From Medscape Medical News
Nick Mulcahy
April 22, 2010 (Washington, DC) — Statins do not protect patients against colorectal adenomas, the benign precursors of colorectal cancer, and might increase the risk of developing them when used for 3 years or more, according to new research.
However, the increased risk is in need of further study, and not cause for patients to stop taking statins for cardiovascular benefit, said lead researcher Monica Bertagnolli, MD, who presented study results here at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 101st Annual Meeting.
I would hate to take away a life-saving drug for a theoretical risk.
"The clear message is that statins save lives in patients with cardiovascular disease. I would hate to take away a life-saving drug for a theoretical risk," said Dr. Bertagnolli, chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. She spoke to Medscape Oncology in the press room at AACR.
The new results come from the Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) trial, which was primarily designed to evaluate whether the arthritis drug celecoxib (Celebrex, Pfizer) could be used to prevent colon cancer (N Engl J Med. 2006;355:873-884).
However, about a third of the 2035 patients in the study also took cholesterol-lowering statins.
The new statin results are from a planned secondary analysis of the ACP trial and were published online April 19 in Cancer Prevention Research to coincide with the presentation at the meeting.
The randomized placebo-controlled APC trial was designed to assess the effect of concomitant medications on the development of adenomas and other study end points, Dr. Bertagnolli explained.
To make this assessment, the investigators separated out the 679 placebo users, 221 of whom used statins.
Like the rest of the participants in the trial, the patients on placebo were at high risk for adenomas, and underwent colonoscopic surveillance for 5 years after study enrollment.
After adjustment for covariates, including cardioprotective aspirin use, age, and sex, participants in the placebo group who used statins at any time had no benefit over 5 years, compared with participants who had never used statins (risk ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99 - 1.56; P = .065)
"Statins definitely did not prevent adenomas," said Dr. Bertagnolli.
However, an increased risk for adenomas over the 5-year study period was found in a subset analysis of patients taking statins for more than 3 years (risk ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.04 - 1.86; P = .024).
"We found more adenomas in this group," said Dr. Bertagnolli about the subset analysis. However, the finding was "intriguing only" and was in need of follow-up study, she said.
"We ought to study what happens to patients who take statins for more than 3 years," she said.
Accumulating Evidence or Final Word?
The results add to a literature that has mostly found statins not to be protective against colorectal neoplasia, according to an editorial that accompanies the study.
"The negative data that Bertagnolli et al provide add to the accumulating evidence that, at least overall, statins probably do not prevent colorectal neoplasia," writes John Baron, MD, of the Departments of Medicine and Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, New Hampshire.
It is conceivable that there are benefits.
However, Dr. Baron did not entirely close the door on a chemoprotective effect of statins. "It is conceivable that there are benefits with high cumulative doses or in genetically defined subgroups," he writes.
Dr. Baron's reference to genetically defined subgroups is related to another paper, also published online April 19 in Cancer Prevention Research.
In that study, an international group of researchers looked at 40 genes "important to cholesterol synthesis and metabolism." It was an effort to explain the mixed results found in different observational studies of colorectal cancer risk and statin use.
The researchers found that the colorectal cancer–statin association varied according to genotype of the HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) gene, with relative risks varying from 0.30 to 0.60.
"It is theoretically possible that the variants might differ from population to population, and so explain the varying observational findings," summarized Dr. Baron about the study.
However, at the AACR meeting, Dr. Bertagnolli spoke very differently about any possible connection between statin use and adenomas. "We feel very confident that stains don't prevent adenomas," she said.
Also, in a press statement, Dr. Bertagnolli closed the door on the possibility of any chemoprotective effect. "Given our results, we do not think that it is reasonable to further study statins for chemoprevention of colorectal cancer, as the chance that they have this activity is very small."
Dr. Bertagnolli reports receiving research funding from Pfizer and from the National Cancer Institute for this study. Dr. Baron reports being either a consultant to or on the advisory board of Merck and Bayer.
American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting. Abstract 1136. Presented April 19, 2010.
Cancer Prev Res. Published online April 19, 2010.
Nick Mulcahy
April 22, 2010 (Washington, DC) — Statins do not protect patients against colorectal adenomas, the benign precursors of colorectal cancer, and might increase the risk of developing them when used for 3 years or more, according to new research.
However, the increased risk is in need of further study, and not cause for patients to stop taking statins for cardiovascular benefit, said lead researcher Monica Bertagnolli, MD, who presented study results here at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 101st Annual Meeting.
I would hate to take away a life-saving drug for a theoretical risk.
"The clear message is that statins save lives in patients with cardiovascular disease. I would hate to take away a life-saving drug for a theoretical risk," said Dr. Bertagnolli, chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. She spoke to Medscape Oncology in the press room at AACR.
The new results come from the Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) trial, which was primarily designed to evaluate whether the arthritis drug celecoxib (Celebrex, Pfizer) could be used to prevent colon cancer (N Engl J Med. 2006;355:873-884).
However, about a third of the 2035 patients in the study also took cholesterol-lowering statins.
The new statin results are from a planned secondary analysis of the ACP trial and were published online April 19 in Cancer Prevention Research to coincide with the presentation at the meeting.
The randomized placebo-controlled APC trial was designed to assess the effect of concomitant medications on the development of adenomas and other study end points, Dr. Bertagnolli explained.
To make this assessment, the investigators separated out the 679 placebo users, 221 of whom used statins.
Like the rest of the participants in the trial, the patients on placebo were at high risk for adenomas, and underwent colonoscopic surveillance for 5 years after study enrollment.
After adjustment for covariates, including cardioprotective aspirin use, age, and sex, participants in the placebo group who used statins at any time had no benefit over 5 years, compared with participants who had never used statins (risk ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99 - 1.56; P = .065)
"Statins definitely did not prevent adenomas," said Dr. Bertagnolli.
However, an increased risk for adenomas over the 5-year study period was found in a subset analysis of patients taking statins for more than 3 years (risk ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.04 - 1.86; P = .024).
"We found more adenomas in this group," said Dr. Bertagnolli about the subset analysis. However, the finding was "intriguing only" and was in need of follow-up study, she said.
"We ought to study what happens to patients who take statins for more than 3 years," she said.
Accumulating Evidence or Final Word?
The results add to a literature that has mostly found statins not to be protective against colorectal neoplasia, according to an editorial that accompanies the study.
"The negative data that Bertagnolli et al provide add to the accumulating evidence that, at least overall, statins probably do not prevent colorectal neoplasia," writes John Baron, MD, of the Departments of Medicine and Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, New Hampshire.
It is conceivable that there are benefits.
However, Dr. Baron did not entirely close the door on a chemoprotective effect of statins. "It is conceivable that there are benefits with high cumulative doses or in genetically defined subgroups," he writes.
Dr. Baron's reference to genetically defined subgroups is related to another paper, also published online April 19 in Cancer Prevention Research.
In that study, an international group of researchers looked at 40 genes "important to cholesterol synthesis and metabolism." It was an effort to explain the mixed results found in different observational studies of colorectal cancer risk and statin use.
The researchers found that the colorectal cancer–statin association varied according to genotype of the HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) gene, with relative risks varying from 0.30 to 0.60.
"It is theoretically possible that the variants might differ from population to population, and so explain the varying observational findings," summarized Dr. Baron about the study.
However, at the AACR meeting, Dr. Bertagnolli spoke very differently about any possible connection between statin use and adenomas. "We feel very confident that stains don't prevent adenomas," she said.
Also, in a press statement, Dr. Bertagnolli closed the door on the possibility of any chemoprotective effect. "Given our results, we do not think that it is reasonable to further study statins for chemoprevention of colorectal cancer, as the chance that they have this activity is very small."
Dr. Bertagnolli reports receiving research funding from Pfizer and from the National Cancer Institute for this study. Dr. Baron reports being either a consultant to or on the advisory board of Merck and Bayer.
American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting. Abstract 1136. Presented April 19, 2010.
Cancer Prev Res. Published online April 19, 2010.
Folate and Vitamin B6 Lower Cardiovascular Risk
From Medscape Medical News
Emma Hitt, PhD
April 22, 2010 — Dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 reduce the risk for mortality from stroke and any cardiovascular disease in women and may reduce the risk for heart failure in men, according to a study conducted in Japan.
The findings were reported online April 15 in Stroke by Renzhe Cui, MD, from the Graduate School of Medicine at Osaka University, in Osaka, Japan, and colleagues.
"This study is the first to show that high dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 were associated with a reduced risk of heart failure mortality for men," the authors note.
Data from 23,119 men and 35,611 women (aged 40 - 79 years) who completed food frequency questionnaires as part of the Japan Collaborative Cohort study were analyzed. At a median 14 years of follow-up, 986 participants died from stroke, 424 died from coronary heart disease, and 2087 died from any cardiovascular disease.
Participants' intake of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 were classified into quintiles. Comparing the lowest vs the highest quintiles for each nutrient, the researchers found that higher consumption of folate and vitamin B6 was associated with significantly fewer deaths from heart failure in men, and significantly fewer deaths from stroke, heart disease, and any cardiovascular diseases in women. By contrast, vitamin B12 intake was not associated with reduced mortality risk.
The protective effects of folate and vitamin B6 remained significant after adjustment for the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and also after exclusion of supplement users (n = 7334) from the analysis.
The hazard ratios (HRs) of coronary heart disease for the highest vs the lowest quintiles were 0.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42 - 0.89) for folate, 0.51 (95% CI, 0.29 - 0.91) for vitamin B6, and 1.35 (95% CI, 0.80 - 2.27) for vitamin B12. The HRs of heart failure for the highest vs the lowest quintiles were 0.76 (95% CI, 0.51 - 1.13) for folate, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.32 - 1.13) for vitamin B6, and 1.57 (95% CI, 0.90 - 2.73) for vitamin B12.
"Mechanisms for these observed associations may involve the effects of these vitamin intakes on reduction of blood homocysteine concentrations," the researchers suggest.
This study has received grant funding from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of, Japan (Monbusho), Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. The study authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Stroke. Published online April 15, 2010.
Emma Hitt, PhD
April 22, 2010 — Dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 reduce the risk for mortality from stroke and any cardiovascular disease in women and may reduce the risk for heart failure in men, according to a study conducted in Japan.
The findings were reported online April 15 in Stroke by Renzhe Cui, MD, from the Graduate School of Medicine at Osaka University, in Osaka, Japan, and colleagues.
"This study is the first to show that high dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 were associated with a reduced risk of heart failure mortality for men," the authors note.
Data from 23,119 men and 35,611 women (aged 40 - 79 years) who completed food frequency questionnaires as part of the Japan Collaborative Cohort study were analyzed. At a median 14 years of follow-up, 986 participants died from stroke, 424 died from coronary heart disease, and 2087 died from any cardiovascular disease.
Participants' intake of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 were classified into quintiles. Comparing the lowest vs the highest quintiles for each nutrient, the researchers found that higher consumption of folate and vitamin B6 was associated with significantly fewer deaths from heart failure in men, and significantly fewer deaths from stroke, heart disease, and any cardiovascular diseases in women. By contrast, vitamin B12 intake was not associated with reduced mortality risk.
The protective effects of folate and vitamin B6 remained significant after adjustment for the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and also after exclusion of supplement users (n = 7334) from the analysis.
The hazard ratios (HRs) of coronary heart disease for the highest vs the lowest quintiles were 0.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42 - 0.89) for folate, 0.51 (95% CI, 0.29 - 0.91) for vitamin B6, and 1.35 (95% CI, 0.80 - 2.27) for vitamin B12. The HRs of heart failure for the highest vs the lowest quintiles were 0.76 (95% CI, 0.51 - 1.13) for folate, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.32 - 1.13) for vitamin B6, and 1.57 (95% CI, 0.90 - 2.73) for vitamin B12.
"Mechanisms for these observed associations may involve the effects of these vitamin intakes on reduction of blood homocysteine concentrations," the researchers suggest.
This study has received grant funding from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of, Japan (Monbusho), Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. The study authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Stroke. Published online April 15, 2010.
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