You know, one of those days where the reality of exactly how much is out of my control came into focus.? Acute focus.
Being the type of girl who likes control, this frustrates me to no end.
I?m a counselor, so I?m reminded nearly every day of exactly how much is beyond my influence. One of the first rules of counseling is to accept that you can?t change everything.??And that sometimes things just suck.
This reality slapped me in the face?on a daily basis in a former life, when I worked as a mental health counselor.? Now I work in higher ed. The slaps are still there, they just come less frequently.? Sometimes they come from places that I don?t expect.? Today was one of those days.
Fortunately , I come home to Jason.? He listens to me (not that counselors can say much), offers me a hug, a glass of wine, and a refill if I need it.
We cook dinner.? Life gets better.? I let go a little.
There?s something about chopping vegetables that?s therapeutic after a rough day.? The focus that?s required to dice and mince without losing a finger overrides my attempts to wrap my head around the things I don?t understand or can?t control.
Counseling requires patience and a faith that things will evolve into what they need to over time.? Transforming raw ingredients into a dish is?immediate, and that immediacy is satisfying.
Tonight we pulled together a simple sweet and sour pork dish.? The recipe is courtesy of the?Baltic Maid?blog.? Plenty of chopping and a return to peace.? I?ll worry about what I can and can?t control tomorrow ? tonight we cook, dine, and relax.
The protein C4BP is similar to a spider in its spatial form with eight "arms". The structure of the "spider body" has recently been described in detail by researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and the Technische Universit?t Darmstadt. This leads the scientists to unconventional ideas ? the protein is possibly suitable as a scaffold for the transport of active pharmaceutical substances, particularly biomolecules. The researchers are publishing their results in the current edition of the international journalJournal of Molecular Biology.
The so-called complement system is a part of the innate immune defence within the human body: more than sixty different proteins form one of the first countermeasures against invading pathogens. One of them is the C4b binding protein known as C4BP. It is involved in the immune defence against bacteria in the blood. How precisely such protein substance carries out its function or how it interacts with other molecules ? this can only be predicted by scientists once they have identified the spatial structure of the molecule. Structural biologists therefore examine the substance in its purest form with x-ray machines and are able to reconstruct the spatial design in a computer. Regarding the case of the recently-described C4BP, they found out that it has eight "arms" and thus resembles a spider to a certain degree. Seven of the "arms" are identical as "alpha chains", while the eighth, a "beta chain" is different from the others. The spider body that holds these side chains together is called the oligomerisation domain. Its structure was of special interest to researchers, since it determines the spatial alignment of the "arms".
The newly-described structure allows two possible variants. "However, there is one of these two possibilities that is more feasible because it is much more stable", says Thomas Hofmeyer, PhD student at the Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of TU Darmstadt and first author for the publication. And the C4BP is quite stable, as explained by the other first author Dr. Stefan Schmelz from the Department of Molecular Structural Biology of HZI: "Even boiling is not able to break down its form." Usually, human proteins remain stable up to about 40?C. Higher temperatures are of course not found in the body, but the stability of C4BP has a completely different purpose: "As is the case with all components of the complement system, the C4b binding protein is present in blood plasma. The proteins are exposed to enormous shear forces in the blood stream", explains Dr. Andrea Scrima, head of the junior research group "Structural Biology of Autophagy" at HZI. Therefore, the protein needs a high stability in order to be able to withstand these forces.
The researchers now would like to make use of the spatial structure. Their discoveries have facilitated biochemical synthesis of the molecule. In the context of replication within a test tube, the researchers can undertake alterations in a targeted way: "Instead of the seven alpha chains, we could implement other biomolecules", claims Prof. Harald Kolmar, director of the work group Applied Biochemistry at the Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Technische Universit?t Darmstadt. "We can use the oligomerisation domain as a framework, in order to decorate it with drug molecules." These could be vaccines, for example. Seven with one stroke, by means of the seven-fold binding capability. Bundled in this manner, more active ingredient could make its way to its target. The dosage could be reduced but the immune system would still be considerably stimulated. "It is thereby possible in the future that bottlenecks, limiting the supply of vaccine, could be avoided and side effects reduced", says Kolmar.
###
Thomas Hofmeyer*, Stefan Schmelz*, Matteo T. Degiacomi, Matteo Dal Peraro, Matin Daneschdar, Andrea Scrima, Joop van den Heuvel, Dirk W. Heinz, Harald Kolmar, * contributed equally
Arranged Sevenfold: Structural Insights into the C-Terminal Oligomerization Domain of Human C4b-Binding Protein Journal of Molecular Biology, 2013, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.12.017
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research: http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en
Thanks to Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
A title has to mean something or it can?t go on a business card. (flickr, rthrelkeld)
So much for all the senior vice presidents, vice presidents, executive vice presidents, managing directors and all the other clunky important-sounding titles that real estate brokerages love to parcel out to their top-sellers. For a long time, brokerages have crowned their best and brightest with meaningless titular appendages that brokers are only too happy to slap on their business cards. Now the satisfaction of a job well done, big fat commission checks and the money and power that come with selling millions of dollars in real estate will have to be reward enough.
As the Wall Street Journal reported, New York State is putting the kibosh on all the fake fancy titles because, as it happens, most people who sell real estate are actually prohibited from holding them.
In a kind of weird catch-22 outlined in a letter that the state recently sent to the Real Estate Board of New York?s attorney in response to a question about the use of titles, brokers can?t hold or promote themselves using titles unless they are actually officers of the corporation. Brokerages can?t just dole out the ultimately empty titles to reward top-producing salespeople. The titles, the state?s decision concludes, cannot be used for marketing purposes.
But as it turns out, the titles also can?t be legitimately bestowed on any agents or associate brokers, because real property law prohibits a real estate salesperson, a.k.a. anyone selling real estate?including associate brokers?under another broker, from holding a corporate management position.
?These provisions prohibit a real estate salesperson from holding voting stock or being appointed an officer in a corporate brokerage, a manager or membership of a limited liability corporation or a member of a partnership,? the decision states.
In other words, all those SVPs, EVPs and VPs out there are prohibited from calling themselves such unless they are elected or appointed to a corporate management position, but most people who sell real estate can?t legally be appointed.
It appears that only brokers can legitimately take fancy titles, if their brokerages actually appoint them. It?s unclear how many New York City brokers will be affected by the ego-deflating decision, but it?s almost certain to cause tumult in the status-obsessed industry.
As one brokerage spokesman griped to The Journal. ?How would you present yourself in the industry without a title? People would be very upset.?
But while the decision is sure to ruffle a lot of feathers (and require more than a few business card reprintings), given that the city?s real estate community came through the mortgage crisis relatively unscathed, we?re sure that it can manage to carry on with a few less SVPs.
Follow Kim Velsey on Twitter or via RSS. kvelsey@observer.com
Earlier this month, TakePart reported on the efforts of a group of high school students in Georgia raising funds to hold their county?s first multi-racial prom?otherwise known as regular prom in the rest of the country.
Last night, those kids got their wish at Wilcox County's first-ever "Integrated Prom," where students of all races were welcome. By all accounts, it was a remarkably successful event.
According to local crews, the entrance to the dance was so swarmed with news cameras, it resembled something closer to a Hollywood red carpet event, rather than a high school dance. Students made their way in front of reporters, stopping for pictures while throngs of parents cheered them on and held back tears.
Quanesha Wallace, one of the students responsible for organizing the event, told one news reporter, ?It turned out really well. I didn?t even know this many people were coming. I didn?t even know this many tickets were being sold.?
?
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Wilcox County, GA has had a segregated prom system since the school was racially integrated just several decades ago. The school's dances have always been privately funded and held away from school grounds, allowing for the segregation to continue without any legal consequence.
But this year, a group of students at Wilcox County High School had enough, with one in particular, Keela Bloodworth, explaining to WSFA, ?It?s embarrassing to know that I?m from the county that still does this.?
That?s when Bloodworth, Wallace, and a goup of their friends decided to raise funds on their own to hold an integrated prom. While their initial thoughts were of local bake sales and car washes, those became unnecessary once online news sites got a hold of their story. Just two days after that story broke, those students reached their funding goal, according to their Facebook page. Then they quickly surpassed it.
Since then, they?ve continued to collect donations from supporters across the country, with the excess money going towards their own college scholarships, as well as to funds for two unidentified local families, each of whom have recently ?suffered a major loss.?
In the weeks leading up to the dance, the students reported there had been some community backlash, mostly in the form of their fliers getting ripped down and disappearing.
And though several of Georgia?s lawmakers publicly championed the students? efforts, Georgia?s own governor, Nathan Deal initially refused to comment on the events because he didn't "want to take sides," according to a statement released by his spokesperson.
Nonetheless, after several weeks of mounting public pressure, Deal did release a carefully-worded statement, that concluded with, ?I think that people understand that some of these are just local issues and private issues, and not something that the state government needs to have its finger involved in.? And that may explain why segregation is alive and well in Georgia.
While their governor seemed content to sit this one out, these very determined high school students took it upon themselves to effect a change in their county, one that will hopefully be recognized for generations to come. In the meantime, if these are the kids who are representative of our future, we might be okay.
What would be your response if you found out that your county held segregated proms? Let us know in the Comments.
Related Stories on TakePart:
? These Los Angeles Cops Are Super-Excited About Taffeta and Tiaras
? What Every Parent Should Know: How to Help Your Kids Deal With Peer Conflicts at School
? Could Compassion Be the Key to Reducing Dropout Rates?
A Bay Area native, Andri Antoniades previously worked as a fashion industry journalist and medical writer.??In addition to reporting the weekend news on TakePart, she volunteers as a webeditor for locally-based nonprofits and works as a freelance feature writer for?TimeOutLA.com.
DHAKA (Reuters) - Fire broke out on Sunday in a garment factory that collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital, complicating attempts to find any survivors of a disaster that has killed 377 people.
Fire service officials said the blaze had been started by sparks from cutting equipment used by rescuers.
Police said the owner of the factory, Mohammed Sohel Rana,
was arrested on Sunday trying to flee to India, as hopes of finding more survivors from the country's worst industrial accident began to fade.
Rana was arrested by the elite Rapid Action Battalion in the border town of Benapole, Dhaka District Police Chief Habibur Rahman told Reuters, ending a four-day manhunt that began after Rana Plaza, which housed factories making low-cost garments for Western retailers, caved in on Wednesday.
Bangladesh television showed Rana, a local leader of the ruling Awami League's youth front, being flown by helicopter to the capital Dhaka, where he will face charges of faulty construction and causing unlawful death.
Authorities put the latest death toll at 377 and expect it to climb higher with hundreds more still unaccounted for.
Four people were pulled out alive on Sunday after almost 100 hours beneath the mound of broken concrete and metal, and rescuers were working frantically to try to save several others still trapped, fire services deputy director Mizanur Rahman said. One woman was pulled out of debris by rescuers but died, fire service officials said.
"The chances of finding people alive are dimming, so we have to step up our rescue operation to save any valuable life we can," said Major General Chowdhury Hassan Sohrawardi, coordinator of the operation at the site.
About 2,500 people have been rescued from the wrecked building in the commercial suburb of Savar, about 30 km (20 miles) from the capital, Dhaka.
Officials said the eight-storey complex had been built on spongy ground without the correct permits, and more than 3,000 workers - mainly young women - entered the building on Wednesday morning despite warnings that it was structurally unsafe.
A bank and shops in the same building closed after a jolt was felt and cracks were noticed on some pillars on Tuesday.
Police said one factory owner gave himself up on Sunday following the detention of two plant bosses and two engineers the day before.
Anger over the disaster has sparked days of protests and clashes, with police using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to quell demonstrators who set cars ablaze.
Garment workers blockaded a highway in a nearby industrial zone of Gazipur on Sunday demanding capital punishment for the owners.
The main opposition, joining forces with an alliance of leftist parties which is part of the ruling coalition, called for a national strike on May 2 in protest over the incident.
BUILT ON A FILLED-IN POND
Wednesday's collapse was the third major industrial incident in five months in Bangladesh, the second-largest exporter of garments in the world behind China. In November, a fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory in a suburb of Dhaka killed 112 people.
Such incidents have raised serious questions about worker safety and low wages, and could taint the reputation of the poor South Asian country, which relies on garments for 80 percent of its exports. The industry employs about 3.6 million people, most of them women, some of whom earn as little as $38 a month.
Emdadul Islam, chief engineer of the state-run Capital Development Authority (CDA), said on Friday that the owner of the building had not received the proper construction consent, obtaining a permit for a five-storey building from the local municipality, which did not have the authority to grant it.
Furthermore, three other storeys had been added illegally, he said. "Savar is not an industrial zone, and for that reason no factory can be housed in Rana Plaza," Islam told Reuters.
Islam said the building had been erected on the site of a pond filled in with sand and earth, weakening the foundations.
North American and European chains, including British retailer Primark and Canada's Loblaw, a unit of George Weston Ltd, said they were supplied by factories in the Rana Plaza building.
Since the disaster, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has asked factory owners to produce building designs by July in a bid to improve safety. (Writing by John Chalmers and Alex Richardson; Editing by Jeremy Laurence and Stephen Powell)
Nervous flyer? If so, it's probably best you weren't heading from Addis Ababa to Nairobi on business recently. If you were, you might have found yourself onboard the first commercial 787 Dreamliner flight since the global fleet was grounded due to concerns over battery failures. The flight comes just days after the FAA approved Boeing's fix, prompting deliveries of the new craft to resume. With Japan already having cleared the 787 for takeoff, we can expect to see a few more of them in our skies soon. We're more interested in joining the mile-high Android club.
DHAKA (Reuters) - Two factory bosses were arrested in Bangladesh on Saturday, 72 hours after the deadly collapse of a building where low-cost garments were made for Western brands, as the death toll rose to 325 and angry workers protested on the streets of the capital.
The owner of the eight-storey building that fell like a pack of cards around more than 3,000 workers was still on the run.
Police said two of his relatives had been detained to compel him to hand himself in, and an alert had gone out to airport and border authorities to prevent him from fleeing the country.
Officials said the Rana Plaza, on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, had been built illegally without the correct permits, and the workers were allowed in on Wednesday despite warnings the previous day that it was structurally unsafe.
The owner and managing director of the largest of the five factories in the complex, New Wave Style, surrendered to the country's garment industry association during the night and they were handed over to police.
The factory, which listed many European and North American retailers as its customers, occupied upper floors of the building that officials said had been added illegally.
"Everyone involved - including the designer, engineer, and builders - will be arrested for putting up this defective building," junior internal affairs minister Shamsul Huq told reporters.
Anger over the working conditions of Bangladesh's 3.6 million garment workers - most of whom are women - has grown since the disaster, triggering protests and clashes with police. Hundreds were on the streets again on Saturday morning, smashing and burning cars.
Miraculously, people were still being pulled alive from the rubble, seven in all since daybreak on Saturday.
Frantic efforts were under way to extract 15 people trapped under the mound of broken concrete who were being supplied with dried food, bottled water and oxygen.
About 2,500 people have been rescued, at least half of them injured, from the remains of the building in the commercial suburb of Savar, about 30 km (20 miles) from Dhaka.
WRONG PERMIT, ILLEGAL FLOORS
Emdadul Islam, chief engineer of the state-run Capital Development Authority (CDA), said on Friday the owner of the building had not received the proper building consent, obtaining a permit for a five-storey building from the local municipality, which did not have the authority to grant it.
"Only CDA can give such approval," he said. "We are trying to get the original design from the municipality, but since the concerned official is in hiding we cannot get it readily."
Furthermore, another three storeys had been added illegally, he said. "Savar is not an industrial zone, and for that reason no factory can be housed in Rana Plaza," Islam told Reuters.
Dhaka District police chief Habibur Rahman identified the owner of the Rana Plaza building as Mohammed Sohel Rana, a leader of the ruling Awami League's youth front.
"People are asking for his head, which is quite natural. This time we are not going to spare anybody," said H.T. Imam, an adviser to the prime minister.
Wednesday's collapse was the third major industrial incident in five months in Bangladesh, the second-largest exporter of garments in the world. In November, a fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory on the outskirts of Dhaka killed 112 people.
Such incidents have raised serious questions about worker safety and low wages, and could taint the reputation of the poor South Asian country, which relies on garments for 80 percent of its exports.
Sixty percent of Bangladesh's garment exports go to Europe. The United States takes 23 percent and Canada takes 5 percent.
North American and European chains, including British retailer Primark and Canada's Loblaw, said they were supplied by factories in the Rana Plaza building.
Marketing. Does that single word cause you to want to scream or run away? Well, it doesn?t need to cause that kind of reaction. Although every business, large or small, needs to market themselves on a regular basis, there is no need to be afraid of it. You really just need to do what is comfortable for you. One thing you can do is market your business online, and it is easier than you think. Here are seven of the most popular online marketing ideas:
Internet Marketing News
1. Have a professionally-designed web site If you have the skills and time needed to create your own professional site, by all means do it. If not, hiring a professional will be money well spent. It doesn?t have to cost an arm and a leg, either. Just keep it simple to educate others about what products or services you offer.
2. Online networking This is a great way to meet those in your target market, especially if you don?t enjoy networking in person. Two sites I can suggest that do not cost anything to join are:
*Ryze Business Networking, http://ryze.com/ *LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/
3. Submit articles online If you enjoy writing, a great way to drive more traffic to your web site is by submitting articles online. Find publications that your target market reads, and submit your articles there. Some sites offer directories of articles that others can use in e-zines or blogs. Submit to as many sites as possible, and don?t forget to include a short bio at the end. Reference your contact information, including a link back to your web site.
4. E-zines E-zines help you keep in touch with clients, customers and colleagues. This is also another opportunity to send more traffic to your site. Blogging is becoming much more popular these days. Blogs are less formal than e-zines, allowing you to become more up close and personal, while still promoting your business.
6. Message Boards Although this also falls under the category of online networking, posting to message boards is a great way to showcase your expertise. Offer a solution to a problem someone has posted about, or offer a helpful tip. The more you come across as being an expert in your field, the more you will build your credibility.
7. Advertise in online publications This option is not the least expensive way to get your business noticed, but can help if you know your target audience. There are plenty of sources for finding lists of publications that allow advertising.
As you can see, marketing your business online is fairly easy to do. Hopefully these suggestions will get you started in finding more business, and getting the word out there about you and your business.
Tags: dotcom internet marketing, internet marketers, internet marketing agencies, internet marketing blog, internet marketing news, internet marketing promotion, internet marketing specialist, internet marketing strategies, internet marketing tips, internet marketing tool, internet marketing website
FamilySearch?Helping people discover, preserve, and share family connections
FamilySearch is enhancing its offering to help more people discover, preserve, and share priceless family history findings and connect families across generations. Stop by the FamilySearch booth at NGS to learn about some of the new tools and the existing features that have made FamilySearch one of the most popular destinations for family history research. A few of our new tools include:
FamilySearch Family Tree: An easy way to organize your findings, see what others have discovered, collaborate with family on shared lines, and preserve your genealogy for generations to come.
Photos and Stories: A place to upload, share, and connect photos and stories with current and future generations.
Interactive Fan Chart: A new way to view ancestors and descendants, share the joy of genealogy with family, find gaps in your research, and make plans for next steps.
Of course, at FamilySearch you?ll still enjoy:
Billions of Free Online Records:? World?s largest collection of free family history and genealogy records from over 100 countries.
Largest Online Genealogy Reference Library: FamilySearch Research Wiki is an online encyclopedia that offers research guidance and a place to share your knowledge.? Includes over 600 informative classes to watch at your own convenience.
Free, Personal Help:? FamilySearch or research-specific help online, on the phone, and in over 4,600 local Family History Centers worldwide.
Visit booth #105 to see these new and enhanced FamilySearch features in action!? http://www.familysearch.org.
Editor's note:Peter Levine is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz. As a former CEO and senior executive, there was a time when I did not quite understand the profound impact a CEO has on the culture of a company, even though I always knew culture was important. The organization reflects the behavior and characteristics of the CEO, and that establishes the culture. Foster an environment of open communication and the organization inherits a culture of open communication. Operationally detailed? The organization becomes operationally detailed. Political? The organization becomes political. Curse a lot? The organization curses. Angry? The organization gets angry. Have a big office? Everyone wants a big office. It doesn?t matter what?s written on a coffee mug or on a ?culture? slide, what you do as a CEO, day in and day out, and how you behave will define your company?s culture.
Google Glass ? the glasses with a computer, Internet and camera built in ? is only the latest version of wearable technology. The wristwatch was one of the first.
Off Book, a Web video series from PBS, explorers the future of wearable technology ? from devices that help you figure out why you can't sleep to "smart" fabrics.
"For example, think about a garment you don't have to wash," says Sabine Seymour of Parsons, the New School for Design. "They can change their shape, their color ... fabrics that have a metallic coating, or yarns that are conductive. We want to make the actual fiber smart, so that through nanotechnology we can create a textile that can sense."
New 10-year risk predictors identified for liver relatedPublic release date: 26-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dimple Natali easlpressoffice@cohnwolfe.com 44-790-013-8904 European Association for the Study of the Liver
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Friday 26 April 2013: A study presented today at the International Liver CongressTM 2013 which evaluated the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), early predictors of atherosclerosis and the 10-year Framingham risk score (FRS) showed that NAFLD increases the risk of early atherosclerotic lesions independent of established cardiovascular (CV) risk factors.
NAFLD is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease. Patients with NAFLD have an excess prevalence of CV events and typically have an increase frequency of risk factors already known to be directly related to atherosclerosis. As a consequence, it remains unclear if the presence of fatty liver should be regarded as an independent risk factor for CV disease.
Over 5000 patients with two or more traditional CV risk factors (without previous CV events), low alcohol intake (1,5 mm at carotid bifurcation. The Fatty Liver Index (FLI), a surrogate marker of hepatic steatosis when >60, and the Framingham score (FRS) were calculated.
Patients with a FLI of 60 or more also had a higher BMI and increased levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT) (p
This study demonstrated that NAFLD is highly prevalent in patients at high risk of CV diseases and is an independent predictor of early atherosclerosis and 10-years CV risk beyond classical CV risk factors. These findings strengthen the evidence that NAFLD is a heterogeneous entity requiring a multidisciplinary approach and modified screening strategies.
Type-2 diabetes and dyslipidemia are known risk factors usually associated with cardiovascular and liver-related deaths in NAFLD. A second study presented today evaluated the 10-year prognostic value of non-invasive markers FibroTest and SteatoTest for overall survival (OS), survival without liver-related death (LRD) and cardiovascular-related death (CVD) in patients with diabetes and/or dyslipidemia without known liver disease.
Over 2000 patients were prospectively followed for 12 years and mortality data collected. The study found in diabetics, regardless of associated hyperlipidaemia, FibroTest had a significant 10-year prognostic value for the overall and without liver-related death survivals. SteatoTest was also predictive of CV-related death in hyperlipidemia patients.
Both OS and survival without CVD were significantly higher in the hyperlipidemia group than in the diabetic or diabetic with hyperlipidemia group. The hyperlipidemia group with advanced steatosis (AS) tested by Steatotest had lower survival without-CVD, compared to non-AS: 97(94-99) vs. 99(98-99, P=0.004). FibroTest remained significant for the prediction of OS in the diabetic group [risk ratio (RR) = 136.9 (95%CI 11.6-1610; P
The study concluded that patients with type-2 diabetes, especially those with associated hyperlipidemia, presented particularly higher rates of advanced fibrosis and steatosis as well as higher overall and liver-related mortalities than those with isolated hyperlipidemia.
EASL's Education Councillor, Jean-Francois Dufour commented. "These studies reinforce the view that in patients with other risk factors such as diabetes or other metabolic impairment, the degree of liver fat deposition is an important determinant of long term mortality, not only due to liver disease progression, but other causes, particularly cardiovascular events. Although patients with NAFLD have long been known to suffer from excess cardiovascular disease, it was uncertain if this was mediated through a higher risk of earlier atherosclerotic lesions. These studies show that NAFLD is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk."
Disclaimer: the data referenced in this release is based on the submitted abstract. More recent data may be presented at the International Liver Congress 2013.
###
Notes to Editors
About EASL
EASL is the leading European scientific society involved in promoting research and education in hepatology. EASL attracts the foremost hepatology experts and has an impressive track record in promoting research in liver disease, supporting wider education and promoting changes in European liver policy.
EASL's main focus on education and research is delivered through numerous events and initiatives, including:
The International Liver CongressTM which is the main scientific and professional event in
hepatology worldwide
Meetings including Monothematic and Special conferences, Post Graduate courses and other
endorsed meetings that take place throughout the year
Clinical and Basic Schools of Hepatology, a series of events covering different aspects in the field
of hepatology
Journal of Hepatology published monthly
Participation in a number of policy initiatives at European level
About The International Liver Congress 2013
The International Liver Congress 2013, the 48th annual meeting of the European Association for the study of the Liver, is being held at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam from April 24 28, 2013. The congress annually attracts in excess of 9000 clinicians and scientists from around the world and provides an opportunity to hear the latest research, perspectives and treatments of liver disease from principal experts in the field.
References:
1 Pais R et al, NAFLD IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED IN PATIENTS AT HIGH RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR
EVENTS AND IS CORRELATED WITH EARLY PREDICTORS OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND THE
FRAMINGHAM SCORE. Presented at the International Liver Congress 2013
2 Perazzo H et al, 10-YEARS PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF FIBROTEST AND STEATOTEST FOR LIVER-RELATED AND
CARDIOVASCULAR DEATH IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2 DIABETES AND/OR HYPERLIPIDEMIA. Presented at the International Liver Congress 2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New 10-year risk predictors identified for liver relatedPublic release date: 26-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dimple Natali easlpressoffice@cohnwolfe.com 44-790-013-8904 European Association for the Study of the Liver
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Friday 26 April 2013: A study presented today at the International Liver CongressTM 2013 which evaluated the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), early predictors of atherosclerosis and the 10-year Framingham risk score (FRS) showed that NAFLD increases the risk of early atherosclerotic lesions independent of established cardiovascular (CV) risk factors.
NAFLD is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease. Patients with NAFLD have an excess prevalence of CV events and typically have an increase frequency of risk factors already known to be directly related to atherosclerosis. As a consequence, it remains unclear if the presence of fatty liver should be regarded as an independent risk factor for CV disease.
Over 5000 patients with two or more traditional CV risk factors (without previous CV events), low alcohol intake (1,5 mm at carotid bifurcation. The Fatty Liver Index (FLI), a surrogate marker of hepatic steatosis when >60, and the Framingham score (FRS) were calculated.
Patients with a FLI of 60 or more also had a higher BMI and increased levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT) (p
This study demonstrated that NAFLD is highly prevalent in patients at high risk of CV diseases and is an independent predictor of early atherosclerosis and 10-years CV risk beyond classical CV risk factors. These findings strengthen the evidence that NAFLD is a heterogeneous entity requiring a multidisciplinary approach and modified screening strategies.
Type-2 diabetes and dyslipidemia are known risk factors usually associated with cardiovascular and liver-related deaths in NAFLD. A second study presented today evaluated the 10-year prognostic value of non-invasive markers FibroTest and SteatoTest for overall survival (OS), survival without liver-related death (LRD) and cardiovascular-related death (CVD) in patients with diabetes and/or dyslipidemia without known liver disease.
Over 2000 patients were prospectively followed for 12 years and mortality data collected. The study found in diabetics, regardless of associated hyperlipidaemia, FibroTest had a significant 10-year prognostic value for the overall and without liver-related death survivals. SteatoTest was also predictive of CV-related death in hyperlipidemia patients.
Both OS and survival without CVD were significantly higher in the hyperlipidemia group than in the diabetic or diabetic with hyperlipidemia group. The hyperlipidemia group with advanced steatosis (AS) tested by Steatotest had lower survival without-CVD, compared to non-AS: 97(94-99) vs. 99(98-99, P=0.004). FibroTest remained significant for the prediction of OS in the diabetic group [risk ratio (RR) = 136.9 (95%CI 11.6-1610; P
The study concluded that patients with type-2 diabetes, especially those with associated hyperlipidemia, presented particularly higher rates of advanced fibrosis and steatosis as well as higher overall and liver-related mortalities than those with isolated hyperlipidemia.
EASL's Education Councillor, Jean-Francois Dufour commented. "These studies reinforce the view that in patients with other risk factors such as diabetes or other metabolic impairment, the degree of liver fat deposition is an important determinant of long term mortality, not only due to liver disease progression, but other causes, particularly cardiovascular events. Although patients with NAFLD have long been known to suffer from excess cardiovascular disease, it was uncertain if this was mediated through a higher risk of earlier atherosclerotic lesions. These studies show that NAFLD is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk."
Disclaimer: the data referenced in this release is based on the submitted abstract. More recent data may be presented at the International Liver Congress 2013.
###
Notes to Editors
About EASL
EASL is the leading European scientific society involved in promoting research and education in hepatology. EASL attracts the foremost hepatology experts and has an impressive track record in promoting research in liver disease, supporting wider education and promoting changes in European liver policy.
EASL's main focus on education and research is delivered through numerous events and initiatives, including:
The International Liver CongressTM which is the main scientific and professional event in
hepatology worldwide
Meetings including Monothematic and Special conferences, Post Graduate courses and other
endorsed meetings that take place throughout the year
Clinical and Basic Schools of Hepatology, a series of events covering different aspects in the field
of hepatology
Journal of Hepatology published monthly
Participation in a number of policy initiatives at European level
About The International Liver Congress 2013
The International Liver Congress 2013, the 48th annual meeting of the European Association for the study of the Liver, is being held at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam from April 24 28, 2013. The congress annually attracts in excess of 9000 clinicians and scientists from around the world and provides an opportunity to hear the latest research, perspectives and treatments of liver disease from principal experts in the field.
References:
1 Pais R et al, NAFLD IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED IN PATIENTS AT HIGH RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR
EVENTS AND IS CORRELATED WITH EARLY PREDICTORS OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND THE
FRAMINGHAM SCORE. Presented at the International Liver Congress 2013
2 Perazzo H et al, 10-YEARS PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF FIBROTEST AND STEATOTEST FOR LIVER-RELATED AND
CARDIOVASCULAR DEATH IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2 DIABETES AND/OR HYPERLIPIDEMIA. Presented at the International Liver Congress 2013
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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (Reuters) - Southeast Asian nations stepped up efforts on Thursday to engage China in talks to resolve maritime tensions, agreeing to meet to try to reach common ground on disputed areas of the South China Sea ahead of planned discussions in Beijing later this year.
Efforts by ASEAN to craft a code of conduct to manage South China Sea tensions all but collapsed last year at a summit chaired by Cambodia, a close economic ally of China, when the group failed to issue a closing statement for the first time.
Cambodia was accused of trying to keep the issue off the agenda despite a surge in tension over disputed areas and growing concern about China's assertive stance in enforcing its claims over a vast, potentially energy-rich sea area.
Thursday's initiative came as the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) tried to patch up differences that shook the group last year, but struggled to make progress on long-held plans to agree on a dispute-management mechanism.
Thailand, which has the role of ASEAN coordinator with China, called for the talks ahead of an ASEAN-China meeting expected in August to commemorate 10 years since they formed a "strategic partnership".
ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh told reporters that ASEAN would approach China with a common stance.
"When we come to our partners to discuss important issues, we come as a group and we come with one common position," he said, adding that the next move would be to get China to participate in the negotiations.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory, setting it directly against U.S. allies Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also claim parts.
China insists on resolving sovereignty disputes on a bilateral basis. It has flexed its growing "blue water" naval muscle by occupying some areas claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines, leading to a rise in tension.
Without mentioning Cambodia, Philippine President Benigno Aquino drew a strong contrast with last year's discussions.
He described as "beautiful" the fact that Brunei had brought up the South China Sea issue as the first subject.
"We should really be thankful that the whole of ASEAN is willing to discuss this instead of putting it on the back burner," Aquino told reporters.
The tiny oil kingdom of Brunei, in marked contrast to Cambodia, it is keeping the maritime issue high on the agenda.
"WORK WITH CHINA"
But prospects for a legally binding code of conduct appear dim. The summit-concluding communiqu? on Thursday made no new announcement, but said ASEAN ministers had been tasked to "work actively with China" for a conclusion of the proposed agreement.
A U.S. move to rebalance its military forces to focus more on Asia has threatened to worsen tension, reinforcing China's fears of encirclement.
China has had a permanent naval presence for a year at the Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground 124 nautical miles off the Philippines northwestern coast.
Last month, it sent four warships to land troops on its southernmost claim - the James Shoal, 80 km (50 miles) off the Malaysian coast and close to Brunei.
Tensions are likely to rise again in coming months, as monsoon weather eases and China imposes a unilateral annual fishing ban that has irritated Vietnam and the Philippines.
Frustrated with the slow pace of regional diplomacy, the Philippines in January angered China by asking a United Nations tribunal to order a halt to Beijing's activities, such as those at Scarborough Shoal, that it said violated its sovereignty.
The Philippines appeared to win backing for that approach in Brunei, despite concern that it could be used by China as a reason to further delay talks on a code of conduct.
(Writing by Stuart Grudgings; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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Editor's note: Peter Levine is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz. As a former CEO and senior executive, there was a time when I did not quite understand the profound impact a CEO has on the culture of a company, even though I always knew culture was important. The organization reflects the behavior and characteristics of the CEO, and that establishes the culture. Foster an environment of open communication and the organization inherits a culture of open communication. Operationally detailed? The organization becomes operationally detailed. Political? The organization becomes political. Curse a lot? The organization curses. Angry? The organization gets angry. Have a big office? Everyone wants a big office. It doesn?t matter what?s written on a coffee mug or on a ?culture? slide, what you do as a CEO, day in and day out, and how you behave will define your company?s culture.![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 26-Apr-2013
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