Reuters
Tue Dec 23, 2008 BERLIN (Reuters) - Some senior German politicians have caused a stir by suggesting that only citizens who pay church tax should be allowed to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Worried that regular churchgoers cannot find a seat due to the popularity of the traditional Christmas service, Thomas Volk, a top member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in Baden-Wuerttemberg, said the church should be selective.
"I support the idea of church services on December 24 being open only to those people who pay church tax," Volk, from the predominantly Catholic southern state, told top-selling Bild newspaper this week.
Martin Lindner, a member of the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) in Berlin, also expressed alarm at the lack of places in church and told Bild that parish members should get tickets entitling them to the best seats.
Germany's Catholic and Protestant churches get most of their funding from revenues collected by the tax office. Germans who officially leave their church are exempt from the church tax.
But the idea hit a storm of protest from church figures.
"The idea that only parish members should get a place in the church on Christmas Eve and that other people should be excluded is absurd," the head of Germany's EKD Protestant Church, Wolfgang Huber, told the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung.
(Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Giles Elgood)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Rare sleep disorder may be a harbinger of dementia | Health | Reuters
Health Reuters
Wed Dec 24, 2008. NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - More than half of people with a rare sleep disorder develop a neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson's disease, within 12 years of being diagnosed, results of a Canadian study published Wednesday indicate.
So-called "REM sleep behavior disorder" affects a small percentage of the population, Dr. Ronald B. Postuma, at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and colleagues explain in the journal Neurology. It is characterized by a loss of the normal muscle relaxation while dreaming and is seen most often in men aged 50 and older. REM sleep behavior disorder should not be confused with insomnia, night terrors, or confusional arousals.
Small studies have identified REM sleep behavior disorder as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease and dementia. To investigate further, Postuma's team conducted a follow-up study of 93 patients diagnosed with unexplained REM sleep behavior disorder between 1989 and 2006. The average time from diagnosis to last evaluation was 5.2 years.
During follow-up, 14 patients developed Parkinson's disease, 7 developed dementia, 4 developed Alzheimer's disease, and 1 developed a neurodegenerative disorder called multiple system atrophy (wasting).
The study showed that the chance a patient suffering from REM sleep behavior disorder will develop a neurodegenerative disease is 17.7 percent within 5 years of diagnosis, 40.6 percent within 10 years, and 52.4 percent within 12 years.
"These results establish a clear link and indicate that these sleep disorders could be a predictor of neurodegenerative disease," Postuma commented in a press statement.
"The results may help us better understand how these neurodegenerative diseases develop," Postuma added. "They also suggest that there may be an opportunity for protecting against the progression to disease, perhaps even preventing it before the symptoms can appear."
SOURCE: Neurology, online December 24, 2008.
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Wed Dec 24, 2008. NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - More than half of people with a rare sleep disorder develop a neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson's disease, within 12 years of being diagnosed, results of a Canadian study published Wednesday indicate.
So-called "REM sleep behavior disorder" affects a small percentage of the population, Dr. Ronald B. Postuma, at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and colleagues explain in the journal Neurology. It is characterized by a loss of the normal muscle relaxation while dreaming and is seen most often in men aged 50 and older. REM sleep behavior disorder should not be confused with insomnia, night terrors, or confusional arousals.
Small studies have identified REM sleep behavior disorder as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease and dementia. To investigate further, Postuma's team conducted a follow-up study of 93 patients diagnosed with unexplained REM sleep behavior disorder between 1989 and 2006. The average time from diagnosis to last evaluation was 5.2 years.
During follow-up, 14 patients developed Parkinson's disease, 7 developed dementia, 4 developed Alzheimer's disease, and 1 developed a neurodegenerative disorder called multiple system atrophy (wasting).
The study showed that the chance a patient suffering from REM sleep behavior disorder will develop a neurodegenerative disease is 17.7 percent within 5 years of diagnosis, 40.6 percent within 10 years, and 52.4 percent within 12 years.
"These results establish a clear link and indicate that these sleep disorders could be a predictor of neurodegenerative disease," Postuma commented in a press statement.
"The results may help us better understand how these neurodegenerative diseases develop," Postuma added. "They also suggest that there may be an opportunity for protecting against the progression to disease, perhaps even preventing it before the symptoms can appear."
SOURCE: Neurology, online December 24, 2008.
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Friday, December 12, 2008
Baby girl born from full ovary transplant...
Health - Reuters
Thu Dec 11, 2008. BOSTON (Reuters) - Doctors in St. Louis said they have successfully transplanted a full ovary from a volunteer, allowing her infertile twin sister to give birth to a healthy baby girl on November 11.
It is the first time an entire ovary has been transplanted and resulted in a live birth, the researchers said. Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, they said the method may offer a way to preserve fertility for cancer patients or for women who want to wait until they are older to start families.
One twin went into early menopause at age 15, but the transplanted ovary from her sister restored full fertility and she gave birth at the age of 38, Dr. Sherman Silber of the Infertility Center of St. Louis and his colleagues reported.
Previously they had transplanted the outer shell of the ovary and found that, even if the tissue is frozen, it can restore fertility.
Although six babies were born to eight women using those techniques, about two-thirds of the eggs die from lack of blood flowing through the tissue, and the women quickly slip into menopause after about three years.
Hoping to avoid those problems, the Silber team used a full ovary and reconnected two veins and one artery to feed the graft, which is a challenge because the blood vessels are so tiny.
Silber said although the work has involved identical twins where one had become prematurely infertile, the technique could eventually benefit two groups of women if frozen ovaries turn out to be as viable.
"One is the young cancer patient who is about to lose all her ovarian function as she's about to undergo chemotherapy. We just take that ovary out, freeze it and transplant it back. That's one big payoff," he said in a telephone interview.
The other, he acknowledged, is more controversial: extending the time a woman is fertile.
Women in their 20s could have one of their two ovaries removed so it can be frozen. "If she's 40 or 45 when she has it transplanted back, it's still a 25- or 30-year-old ovary, so she's preserving her fertility," he said. "We've actually done it for quite a few patients. I think there will be many more women who will want to do that."
The infertility rate at age 25 is only about 6 percent. It jumps to 70 percent by age 40 and is about 95 percent at age 43, said Silber.
(Editing by Maggie Fox and David Wiessler)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Thu Dec 11, 2008. BOSTON (Reuters) - Doctors in St. Louis said they have successfully transplanted a full ovary from a volunteer, allowing her infertile twin sister to give birth to a healthy baby girl on November 11.
It is the first time an entire ovary has been transplanted and resulted in a live birth, the researchers said. Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, they said the method may offer a way to preserve fertility for cancer patients or for women who want to wait until they are older to start families.
One twin went into early menopause at age 15, but the transplanted ovary from her sister restored full fertility and she gave birth at the age of 38, Dr. Sherman Silber of the Infertility Center of St. Louis and his colleagues reported.
Previously they had transplanted the outer shell of the ovary and found that, even if the tissue is frozen, it can restore fertility.
Although six babies were born to eight women using those techniques, about two-thirds of the eggs die from lack of blood flowing through the tissue, and the women quickly slip into menopause after about three years.
Hoping to avoid those problems, the Silber team used a full ovary and reconnected two veins and one artery to feed the graft, which is a challenge because the blood vessels are so tiny.
Silber said although the work has involved identical twins where one had become prematurely infertile, the technique could eventually benefit two groups of women if frozen ovaries turn out to be as viable.
"One is the young cancer patient who is about to lose all her ovarian function as she's about to undergo chemotherapy. We just take that ovary out, freeze it and transplant it back. That's one big payoff," he said in a telephone interview.
The other, he acknowledged, is more controversial: extending the time a woman is fertile.
Women in their 20s could have one of their two ovaries removed so it can be frozen. "If she's 40 or 45 when she has it transplanted back, it's still a 25- or 30-year-old ovary, so she's preserving her fertility," he said. "We've actually done it for quite a few patients. I think there will be many more women who will want to do that."
The infertility rate at age 25 is only about 6 percent. It jumps to 70 percent by age 40 and is about 95 percent at age 43, said Silber.
(Editing by Maggie Fox and David Wiessler)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Miss Congeniality, make way for Miss Constitution...
Reuters
Wed Dec 10, 2008. MOSCOW (Reuters) - The winner of a new Russian beauty contest must be attractive, talented and witty.But never mind wanting to help children. She should also symbolize Russia's constitution.
Russia's main pro-government youth group, Nashi, is to stage the "Miss Constitution 2008" contest as the Kremlin is pushing for changes to the constitution that critics say aims to let Prime Minister Vladimir Putin become president again.
"This constitution is a state brand and today we want to choose a girl worthy of its image," a Nashi spokeswoman.
Nashi will crown Miss Constitution on December 12 to celebrate the document's 15th anniversary. Other Russian youth groups will also take part.
"The girls must prove they are gifted in many ways," the spokeswoman said. "Talented, clever, erudite, artistic, witty, graceful, flexible and most important of all not without sparkle."
The Kremlin wants to extend the Russian presidential term to six years from four, a change critics say could be designed to allow Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to reclaim the top job.
Parliament has already approved the changes which now must be approved by Russia's regional legislatures.
Last year thousands of Nashi protesters marched to support Putin in parliamentary elections and demonstrate against his opponents but in 2008 the group has adopted a far lower profile.
(Writing by James Kilner; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Wed Dec 10, 2008. MOSCOW (Reuters) - The winner of a new Russian beauty contest must be attractive, talented and witty.But never mind wanting to help children. She should also symbolize Russia's constitution.
Russia's main pro-government youth group, Nashi, is to stage the "Miss Constitution 2008" contest as the Kremlin is pushing for changes to the constitution that critics say aims to let Prime Minister Vladimir Putin become president again.
"This constitution is a state brand and today we want to choose a girl worthy of its image," a Nashi spokeswoman.
Nashi will crown Miss Constitution on December 12 to celebrate the document's 15th anniversary. Other Russian youth groups will also take part.
"The girls must prove they are gifted in many ways," the spokeswoman said. "Talented, clever, erudite, artistic, witty, graceful, flexible and most important of all not without sparkle."
The Kremlin wants to extend the Russian presidential term to six years from four, a change critics say could be designed to allow Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to reclaim the top job.
Parliament has already approved the changes which now must be approved by Russia's regional legislatures.
Last year thousands of Nashi protesters marched to support Putin in parliamentary elections and demonstrate against his opponents but in 2008 the group has adopted a far lower profile.
(Writing by James Kilner; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Seeing red over scarlet-marked homework...
Reuters
<---Student studies her marked up paper.
Tue Dec 9, 2008. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Teachers using red pen to mark students' work could be harming their psyche as the color is too aggressive, according to education strategies drafted by an Australian state government.
The "Good Mental Health Rocks" kit, which was distributed this month to about 30 schools in Queensland state, offers strategies such as "don't mark in red pen (which can be seen as aggressive) - use a different color."
Other tips include structuring time for peer tutoring every day, apologizing to students when necessary and asking students to conduct a "personal skills audit" where they focus on their individual strengths rather than their weaknesses.
The kit, designed to help Queensland teachers address mental health in the classroom, suggests social and emotional wellbeing has been linked to young people's schooling, among other things.
The education aid has sparked a row in parliament, with deputy opposition leader Mark McArdle calling it "kooky, loony, loopy lefty policies."
But Health Minister Stephen Robertson, whose department devised the kit, said youth suicide was a serious issue.
"If mental health professionals determine that as one of a number of strategies teachers should consider, then I'll support them every day of the week," he told reporters recently. "This is not a matter for ridicule, this is serious."
According to some Australian mental health groups, the greatest number of people with mental illness are aged between 18 and 24 years, with 14 percent of Australian children and adolescents suffering from some sort of illness.
Boys are slightly more likely to experience mental health problems than girls and depression is one of the most common conditions in young people and increases during adolescence, the website of mental health group Mindframe said.
(Reporting by Pauline Askin, Editing by Miral Fahmy)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
<---Student studies her marked up paper.Tue Dec 9, 2008. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Teachers using red pen to mark students' work could be harming their psyche as the color is too aggressive, according to education strategies drafted by an Australian state government.
The "Good Mental Health Rocks" kit, which was distributed this month to about 30 schools in Queensland state, offers strategies such as "don't mark in red pen (which can be seen as aggressive) - use a different color."
Other tips include structuring time for peer tutoring every day, apologizing to students when necessary and asking students to conduct a "personal skills audit" where they focus on their individual strengths rather than their weaknesses.
The kit, designed to help Queensland teachers address mental health in the classroom, suggests social and emotional wellbeing has been linked to young people's schooling, among other things.
The education aid has sparked a row in parliament, with deputy opposition leader Mark McArdle calling it "kooky, loony, loopy lefty policies."
But Health Minister Stephen Robertson, whose department devised the kit, said youth suicide was a serious issue.
"If mental health professionals determine that as one of a number of strategies teachers should consider, then I'll support them every day of the week," he told reporters recently. "This is not a matter for ridicule, this is serious."
According to some Australian mental health groups, the greatest number of people with mental illness are aged between 18 and 24 years, with 14 percent of Australian children and adolescents suffering from some sort of illness.
Boys are slightly more likely to experience mental health problems than girls and depression is one of the most common conditions in young people and increases during adolescence, the website of mental health group Mindframe said.
(Reporting by Pauline Askin, Editing by Miral Fahmy)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
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