Disabled World Community Newsletter April 15 2009 Episode 2

By Thomas C. Weiss - Apr 16, 2009 7:49:03 AM

Disabled World Community Newsletter April 15th, 2009

Has HIV Become More Virulent

By Clinical Infectious Diseases

Damage to patients’ immune systems is happening sooner now than it did at the beginning of the HIV epidemic, suggesting the virus has become more virulent, according to a new study in the May 1, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

Conventional wisdom says several years will pass between HIV infection and the need for antiretroviral therapy. However, clinicians have observed that patients are entering HIV care with lower initial CD4 cell counts than in previous years and now often require antiretroviral therapy soon after entering care, raising the question of whether HIV has become more virulent.

Researchers studied data from more than 2,000 HIV-positive active-duty military personnel, retirees, and dependents between 1985 and 2007 who had tested HIV-negative within the previous four years. When they looked at patients’ first CD4 count after HIV diagnosis, they found that it decreased from an average of 632 cells/mm³ in 1985-1990 to 514 cells/mm³ in 2002-2007. Additionally, 25 percent of patients diagnosed with HIV in recent years already had fewer than 350 CD4 cells/mm3, the threshold for when antiretroviral therapy should begin, compared to only 12 percent of patients in the late 1980s.

Sochi 2014 Reports on Winter Games Progress

By Sochi 2014

The President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, has advised the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, that Sochi 2014’s cutting-edge volunteer, education and ‘Home City’ programs will become internationally-renowned features of Russia’s first ever Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Speaking during a session of the Presidential Council for Physical Culture, Sports and Preparation of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, chaired by President Medvedev, Mr. Chernyshenko suggested that Sochi 2014 will be characterized by a celebratory atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable volunteers, and world-class levels of professionalism and service.

The Presidential Council session was attended by representatives of every Games-relevant Russian government ministry and several other organizations involved in preparations for Sochi 2014, the 2013 World Summer Universiade in Kazan and the training of Russia’s athletes.

Key areas of discussion at the session included the construction of Olympic venues and related infrastructure; transport logistics; legal issues; energy provision; security; environmental initiatives; and the legacy of Sochi 2014.

Windows Vista Speech Recognition and Narrator

By Disabled World

Windows Vista can now be controlled by voice input, you can tell your computer what to do instead of searching for letters on your keyboard.

Not only can this save time, but for anyone with sight disabilities this is more then a luxury, it is a must. This feature is standard on the Windows Vista operating system.

The Speech recognition program can be mixed with a built in narrator which makes your computer talk back by reading all texts or actions taking place. When the computer is set to voice command there no longer has to be any interaction with the mouse and keyboard. Basically giving almost everyone the ability to use a computer regardless of disabilities.

Speech recognition is way up there in computer evolution, talking to a computer for the purpose of giving it orders used to be something from science fiction movies but is now becoming reality.

New Insights into Progressive Hearing Loss

By Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

In parallel studies in human and mouse, two groups of researchers have come to the same conclusion: that a new kind of gene is associated with progressive hearing loss. The new gene - called a microRNA - is a tiny fragment of RNA that affects the production of hundreds of other molecules within sensory hair cells of the inner ear.

The research provides important new genetic understanding of a condition that is common in humans but remains poorly understood.

One team, led by researchers from the Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain, followed families who showed hearing loss. The second team, led by researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK, examined a new line of mice, called diminuendo, that showed progressive hearing loss from an early age. The two groups shared their emerging data.

"We were able quite quickly to show that if the mice carried one copy of the gene variant they suffered progressive hearing loss, if they carried two variants they were profoundly deaf," explains Professor Karen Steel, principal investigator of the programme at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. "The important questions were could we determine what the variant is and how does it exert its effect on hearing?"

New York to Miami - The Atlantic Coast Route

By Mairead Foley

This route starts you off in New York, heads south along the east coast and finishes in Miami.

So you are in New York, the biggest city in the US. Undoubtedly you'll have a huge amount to see and do here before you set off on your trip. Go see the Empire State, visit the Statue of Liberty, go shopping on 5th Avenue, take a walk through Central Park, and soak up the atmosphere in Times Square.

Atlantic City is located about 200 kms to the south of New York. Most of the journey would be on the Garden State Parkway. Just inland of Atlantic City towards the city of Philadelphia you could take some time to visit the million-acre Pinelands National Preserve.

Atlantic City is probably best known for the fact that gambling is legal and you can visit a large number of casinos here. There's more to the city however, it's located on the Jersey coast and there's a beautiful beach to enjoy. The boardwalk between the beach and the city is very popular and a great way to do some people watching and moving between attractions.

Disabled Personals: Make your Profile Stand Out

By Andrea Marie

So, you've been browsing the disabled singles of your favorite dating sites and you're ready to get into the game yourself.

Your online dating profile is the first glimpse into you that your prospective dates get. It is the first, and it could be the last if you write a boring and typical profile like 99% of people out there.

How do you go about crafting a profile for yourself that will ensure dating, love, and maybe even marriage is on your horizon?

There are some basic tips, some more obvious than others, to advertising yourself online. And let's be frank: that's what you're doing! But if you don't have a knack for sales, don't worry. Here is a guide to getting personal.

Post a flattering, but realistic photo!

It goes without saying that you will need to have a photograph of yourself on hand as you join an online disabled dating website. Rarely will someone respond to a personal if it doesn't feature a picture – it makes it seem as if there's something to hide! So, go through your photo albums or take some snap shots of yourself and pick out a great pose. It's best if you're smiling. However, do not pick out a photo that makes you look better than you really look and do not make yourself look better with tools like Photoshop.

Antibiotics and Superbugs

By Dr Jenny Tylee

Infections have always been with us and they have caused a lot of suffering and fear. In an attempt to deal with the bacteria which cause some infections medical science has developed antibiotics. The antibiotics were developed without consideration being given to the real underlying reasons why people were developing infections.

Problems of hygiene, crowding, sanitation, toxic build up, nutrition, stress, fear, exhaustion, pre-existing diseases, drug therapy and other factors can all play their part in the development of an infection. However, when developing antibiotics the only point considered was the bacteria invading the body. No thought was given to improving and strengthening the body's natural defense mechanisms or dealing with other factors that are a part of the infection picture. The end result was a 'quick fix' in the form of a drug (like so many 'quick fix' answers in our health care system). The antibiotic was hailed as a cure for infections - the consequences of the approach taken to overcome infections were never considered.

VA Announces $1.4 Billion Recovery Spending

By Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will spend more than $1.4 billion as part of President Obama’s economic recovery plan to improve services to America’s Veterans.

VA’s Internet site – www.va.gov/recovery – provides current information about VA’s work to deliver its portion of Recovery Act funds into the economy to benefit Veterans.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) enables the VA to improve medical facilities and national cemeteries, provide grants to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities, and to modify or alter existing facilities to care for Veterans.

VA will dedicate ARRA funds to hire and train 1,500 temporary claims processors to speed benefits delivery to Veterans and pursue needed information technology initiatives for improved benefits and services. Funds will also be used to oversee and audit programs, grants, and projects funded under ARRA.

As part of the President’s Recovery plan, VA will also make one-time payments of $250 to eligible Veterans and survivors to mitigate the effects of the current economy. These payments will be issued as early as June 2009. VA estimates $700 million in payments will be made to eligible beneficiaries as part of this measure.

Defining Disability Today

By Kaduwanema John

How would you define or describe a disability today?

Officially, there are many ways of defining what a disability is, although the two most commonly used models used for deriving the definitions are known as the 'medical model' and the 'social model'.

The World Health Organization (WHO) created the medical model in the early 1980's and the definitions within were biased toward the convenience of medical personnel.

The medical model breaks disability down into three key definition areas:

Impairment - which means the loss or abnormality in structure or function;

Disability - which refers to the inability to perform an activity within the normal range of a human being because of said impairment;

Handicap - The inability to carry out normal social roles because of an impairment/disability. This model and associated terms are not popular with groups out with the medical profession, especially with the disabled themselves, as these definitions give the impression that disability is allied to ill health and it is the medical profession that hold the answers to solving the problems connected to disability.

What Type of Diabetes Diet is Best

By Janet Smith

For some, changing your diet can be one of the most difficult processes you will face while controlling diabetes. The good new is there is not one specific type of diabetes diet. You have a variety of ways to practice healthy diabetic eating and still enjoy the food you eat.

Being committed to healthier eating and controlling your blood sugar begins in your mind. Just like the old saying goes, "If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't. There is much truth to that statement. You must make up your mind to take control. If you don't take control of your diabetes the consequences could be brutal and even life threatening.

For me, just thinking about the complications caused by poor diabetes control is enough to motivate me to choose healthy nutrition for diabetes. Blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, and amputations are all primary complications of diabetes. The sad part is that if a person just makes the conscious decision to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise, the number of these complications could be drastically reduced. Avoiding these horrible complications takes daily management...not just an occasional thought of diabetes control. Eating to control your diabetes rewards you with a much healthier body, and thus allows you to live your life as you choose rather than as your diabetes and health allows.

Disability Hunting Information for the Disabled

By Thomas C. Weiss

Disability Hunting

People with disabilities are involved in many areas of recreation, including hunting. Each year there are more people with disabilities enjoying nature. Government; on Federal, State and local levels, is providing easier access to thousands of acres of trails, parks and wilderness areas. There are organizations and clubs with programs for persons with disabilities who want to participate in hunting activities. A number of volunteers donate many thousands of hours each year so that others can enjoy areas that were once thought to be unreachable.

The Missouri White Tails

One organization for people with disabilities who are involved in hunting is MissouriWhitetails.com. Rick is a member of their team, and is an accomplished hunter, as well as an avid outdoorsman. Rick has an extensive knowledge of the sport and is passionate about inspiring other people with disabilities to extend their lives through getting back to nature. Rick, who has adopted the nickname, 'Chairman,' is a moderator of the organizations, 'Hunting with a Disability,' topic on the organization's forum where there is a lot of good information available and people to interact with. You can find MissouriWhiteTails at: http://www.missouriwhitetails.com/hunting_with_a_disability.htm

Finding Twin Earths: Search for Earth Like Planets Harder Than Thought

By ESA/Hubble Information Centre

Does a twin Earth exist somewhere in our galaxy? Astronomers are getting closer and closer to finding an Earth-sized planet in an Earth-like orbit. NASA's Kepler spacecraft just launched to find such worlds. Once the search succeeds, the next questions driving research will be: Is that planet habitable? Does it have an Earth-like atmosphere? Answering those questions will not be easy.

Due to its large mirror and location in outer space, the James Webb Space Telescope (scheduled for launch in 2013) will offer astronomers the first real possibility of finding those answers. In a new study, Lisa Kaltenegger (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics) and Wesley Traub (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) examined the ability of JWST to characterize the atmospheres of hypothetical Earth-like planets during a transit, when part of the light of the star gets filtered through the planet's atmosphere. They found that JWST would be able to detect certain gases called biomarkers, such as ozone and methane, only for the closest Earth-size worlds.

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