Leading Engineers and Scientists Identify Advances that Could Improve Quality of Life Around the World

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

21st Century grand engineering challenges unveiled

A diverse committee of experts from around the world, convened at the request of the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced 14 grand challenges for engineering in the 21st century that, if met, would improve how we live.

"Tremendous advances in quality of life have come from improved technology in areas such as farming and manufacturing," said committee member and Google co-founder Larry Page. "If we focus our effort on the important grand challenges of our age, we can hugely improve the future."

The panel, some of the most accomplished engineers and scientists of their generation, was established in 2006 and met several times to discuss and develop the list of challenges. Through an interactive Web site, the effort received worldwide input from prominent engineers and scientists, as well as from the general public, over a one-year period. The panel's conclusions were reviewed by more than 50 subject-matter experts.

The final choices fall into four themes that are essential for humanity to flourish -- sustainability, health, reducing vulnerability and joy of living. The committee did not attempt to include every important challenge, nor did it endorse particular approaches to meeting those selected. Rather than focusing on predictions or gee-whiz gadgets, the goal was to identify what needs to be done to help people and the planet thrive.

"We chose engineering challenges that we feel can, through creativity and commitment, be realistically met, most of them early in this century," said committee chair and former U.S. Secretary of Defense William J. Perry." Some can be, and should be, achieved as soon as possible."

The committee decided not to rank the challenges. The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is offering the public an opportunity to vote on which one they think is most important and to provide comments at the project Web site -- <http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/>.

The Grand Challenges site features a five-minute video overview of the project along with committee member interview excerpts. A podcast of the news conference announcing the challenges will also be available on the site starting next week.

The Challenges:

• Make solar energy affordable

• Provide energy from fusion

• Develop carbon sequestration methods

• Manage the nitrogen cycle

• Provide access to clean water

• Restore and improve urban infrastructure

• Advance health informatics

• Engineer better medicines

• Reverse-engineer the brain

• Prevent nuclear terror

• Secure cyberspace

• Enhance virtual reality

• Advance personalized learning

• Engineer the tools for scientific discovery

Source: NSF

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Time Stamp: 2/20/2008 at 11:47:19 AM CST

New Resource for Preventing Diabetes in African-Americans

Feb. 06, 2008

Joint CDC and NIH Program Releases New Resource for Use by Faith and Community-based Groups

A new diabetes prevention resource designed to encourage and help faith -- based and community organizations get actively involved in deterring preventable diabetes among African -- Americans was released by the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a joint venture of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health. 

The new interactive educational kit, Power to Prevent: A Family Lifestyle Approach to Diabetes Prevention, provides hands -- on instruction and guidance in making behavior changes that can help prevent diabetes.

"Too many African -- Americans have, or will get, diabetes," said Ann Albright, PhD., director of CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation. "Fortunately, many people and families can take steps to prevent that from happening.  It′s often difficult to change or adopt new behaviors, but this new resource gives many examples of things that most people can do that will help them avoid a very serious life -- long disease. This program also helps faith -- based and community organizations which are very important to many African -- American families provide the support that can make a difference in helping people take on new nutrition and exercise habits."

The Power to Prevent program includes 12 interactive group sessions that provide hands -- on instruction in ways to prevent diabetes, and shows how families and individuals can change their daily habits so that they get more physical activity, make healthy food choices and better control their food serving sizes.  The sessions are designed to be led by various members of the faith -- based or community organization, such as a recreation director.

"We know that churches, faith -- based organizations and community groups can be very effective in helping people learn about diabetes, and in helping take steps that can prevent diabetes for most people,"  said Albright. "That's why we created this new tool. We need faith and community -- based organizations to be actively involved in diabetes prevention among their members, and with this easy -- to -- use program, they can do that effectively."

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States; and the prevalence rate more than doubled among African -- Americans from 1980 to 2005, from 3.3 to 6.8. Diabetes is a disease associated with high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production that causes sugar to build up in the body.  It can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower -- extremity amputations; and can also lead to premature death. It is estimated that, among Americans aged 20 and older, more than 20 million have diabetes, of which more than 3 million are African -- Americans.  After taking into consideration the age differences in the various populations, non -- Hispanics blacks are 1.8 times as likely to have diabetes as non -- Hispanics whites.

The CDC Division of Diabetes Translation, through the NDEP (co-sponsored by the NIH), provides diabetes education to improve the treatment and outcomes for people with diabetes, promote early diagnosis, and prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. While the design and appearance of Power to Prevent is specifically directed toward African-Americans because of the increasing prevalence in this group, the basic content can be useful and relevant to all populations.

To download or order a free single printed copy of Power to Prevent go to www.cdc.gov/diabetes/ndep/power_to_prevent.htm. For general information about diabetes, please visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes.

Source: CDC

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Time Stamp: 2/6/2008 at 4:04:06 PM CST

CDC To Launch Study on Unexplained Illness

Jan. 29. 2008

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Division of Research launched a study to learn about an unexplained skin condition known as Morgellons. Persons who suffer from this condition report a range of symptoms including non-healing skin lesions associated with the emergence of fibers or solid material from the skin, abnormal skin sensations (such as stinging and biting or pins and needles) and non-cutaneous symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and short-term memory loss. Researchers hope to learn more about who might be affected, what symptoms they experience, and factors that may contribute to their illness. "We earnestly want to learn more about this unexplained illness which impacts the lives of those who suffer from it," said Dr. Michele Pearson, principal investigator leading the study for CDC. "Those who suffer have questions, and we want to help them."

CDC will identify patients in Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Health Plan to enroll in the study. The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research was awarded a $338,000 contract to assist CDC in this investigation because of the organization's location in a geographic area where self-reported cases are concentrated, the size of the patient population to draw from (Kaiser Permanente covers approximately 30 percent of the Northern California population), and its ability to systematically identify Kaiser Permanente patients who may have this unexplained illness.

"CDC is taking a multifaceted approach to this investigation with other external partners including the Armed Forces Pathology Institute," Dr. Pearson said. "We have a team of epidemiologists, laboratorians, and pathologists to carry out the study," Dr. Pearson added. The primary goals of the investigation are to better describe the clinical and epidemiological features of this condition and to generate hypothesis about possible risk factors.

The investigation may take 12 months or longer to complete. Initially investigators will identify and recruit participants and collect detailed information on participants' symptoms and potential factors that may contribute to the condition. Later eligible participants will undergo detailed clinical evaluations, including a general medical examination, dermatologic examination, mental health examination, skin biopsies, and multiple blood tests.

Results of this investigation will most likely be published in CDC's weekly bulletin called the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report or a peer-reviewed scientific journal. A designated web site and voice message line with prerecorded messages (404-718-1199) has been established and will provide updates about the investigation and new information as it becomes available. Interested persons are encouraged to visit the CDC's Unexplained Dermopathy/Morgellons web site (www.cdc.gov/unexplaineddermopathy) to obtain current information about CDC activities related to this condition.

Source: CDC

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Time Stamp: 1/29/2008 at 10:17:18 AM CST

Teen Birth Rate Rises for First Time in 14 Years

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

The teen birth rate in the United States rose in 2006 for the first time since 1991, and unmarried childbearing also rose significantly, according to preliminary birth statistics released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The statistics are featured in a new report, “Births: Preliminary Data for 2006, ” prepared by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, and are based on data from over 99 percent of all births for the United States in 2006. Although the findings in this early version will not change, the final report will have more detailed data.

The report shows that between 2005 and 2006, the birth rate for teenagers aged 15-19 rose 3 percent, from 40.5 live births per 1,000 females aged 15-19 in 2005 to 41.9 births per 1,000 in 2006. This follows a 14-year downward trend in which the teen birth rate fell by 34 percent from its all-time peak of 61.8 births per 1,000 in 1991.

“It’s way too early to know if this is the start of a new trend, ” said Stephanie Ventura, head of the Reproductive Statistics Branch at CDC. “But given the long-term progress we’ve witnessed, this change is notable. ”

The largest increases were reported for non-Hispanic black teens, whose overall rate rose 5 percent in 2006. The rate rose 2 percent for Hispanic teens, 3 percent for non-Hispanic white teens, and 4 percent for American Indian teens.

The birth rate for the youngest teens aged 10-14 declined from 0.7 to 0.6 per 1,000 and the number of births to this age group fell 5 percent to 6,405. The birth rate for older teens ages 18-19 is 73 births per 1,000 population – more than three times higher than the rate for teens ages 15-17 (22 per 1,000). Between 2005 and 2006 the birth rate rose 3 percent for teens aged 15-17 and 4 percent for teens aged 18 and 19.

The study also shows unmarried childbearing reached a new record high in 2006. The total number of births to unmarried mothers rose nearly 8 percent to 1,641,700 in 2006. This represents a 20 percent increase from 2002, when the recent upswing in non-marital births began. The biggest jump was among unmarried women aged 25-29, among whom there was a 10 percent increase between 2005 and 2006.

In addition, the non-marital birth rate also rose sharply, from 47.5 births per 1,000 unmarried females in 2005 to 50.6 per 1,000 in 2006 - a 7 percent one-year increase and a 16 percent increase since 2002.

The study also revealed that the percentage of all U.S. births to unmarried mothers increased to 38.5 percent, up from 36.9 percent in 2005.

The report contains other significant findings:

• The preliminary estimate of total births in the U.S. for 2006 was 4,265,996, a 3 percent increase -- or 127,647 more births -- than in 2005.

• Birth rates increased for women in their twenties, thirties and early forties between 2005 and 2006, as well as to teenagers.

• The Caesarean delivery rate rose again in 2006, to 31.1 percent of all births, a 3 percent increase from 2005 and a new record high. The percentage of all births delivered by cesarean has climbed 50 percent over the last decade.

• The preterm birth rate rose slightly between 2005 and 2006, from 12.7 percent to 12.8 percent of all births. The percentage of births delivered before 37 weeks of gestation has risen 21 percent since 1990.

• The low birthweight rate also rose slightly in 2006, from 8.2 percent in 2005 to 8.3 percent in 2006, a 19 percent jump since 1990.

• As a result of the increases in the birth rates for women aged 15-44, the total fertility rate – an estimate of the average number of births that a group of women would have over their lifetimes – increased 2 percent in 2006 to 2,101 births per 1,000 women. This is the highest rate since 1971 and the first time since then that the rate was above replacement – the level at which a given generation can replace itself.

Source: CDC

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Time Stamp: 12/5/2007 at 11:51:48 AM CST

Nation's Influenza Vaccine Supplies Continue to Increase

Friday, November 9, 2007

CDC Advises Broadening of Vaccination Efforts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that the nation′s influenza vaccine manufacturers report that more than 103 million doses of influenza (flu) vaccine have been distributed as of November 2 — an amount that represents more doses than had ever previously been distributed at this date.

“This is good news. Influenza vaccine appears to be more widely available than ever before, and we want people who should be receiving an annual flu vaccination to be sure that they do,” said Dr. Jeanne Santoli, deputy director of CDC′s Immunization Services Division. “Thanks to the increased production of flu vaccine, more people than ever can get protection from a potentially very serious disease. We are hopeful that this year a record number of people will get vaccinated.”

CDC officials believe that most influenza vaccine providers currently have supplies sufficient for meeting demand. As many as 132 million total doses of vaccine could be produced by the end of the 2007-2008 flu seasons, according to manufacturers. This record amount would be about 12 million more doses than were produced during the 2006-2007 season. During the 2006-2007 season, manufacturers distributed 102.5 million doses to providers. CDC officials have worked closely with flu vaccine manufacturers, distributors and the Food and Drug Administration to ensure improved flu vaccine availability.

Santoli noted that some health care providers may not have received their complete order of vaccine yet, as CDC has encouraged vaccine manufacturers and major distributors to use partial vaccine shipments to get doses to as many providers as possible at the earliest opportunity. Flu vaccine distribution typically continues through December and early January.

The 2007-2008 influenza season is just beginning, and nationwide, influenza activity is currently very low. So far, only two states are reporting local influenza activity. In the United States, influenza activity can begin as early as October and continues through May. Each year, on average, from five to 20 percent of the U.S. population is infected with influenza, with influenza estimated to result in 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations from flu-related complications in a typical year.

Santoli noted that almost 75 percent of Americans are recommended to be vaccinated, and that health care providers and people at higher risk for influenza-related medical complications should especially make getting a flu vaccination a high priority. While anyone can get influenza, the flu can be particularly dangerous for certain groups of people who are at greater risk of developing serious flu-related complications, such as pneumonia. Groups at higher risk of flu-related complications include infants and young children, pregnant women, children and adults with chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, and people 65 years old and older.

In addition, close contacts of high risk persons, such as other household members, caregivers and health care personnel should also get vaccinated in order to protect their loved ones or those they care for. Vaccination of those who live with or care for infants is particularly important because children less than six months of age should not get a flu vaccine. Vaccination is also encouraged for anyone who wants to decrease his or her risk of getting the flu.

Since the onset, duration and severity of flu season is unpredictable, and different types and strains of influenza circulate throughout the flu season, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that influenza vaccine be offered as long as influenza viruses are continuing to circulate in the community.

Source: CDC

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Time Stamp: 11/9/2007 at 7:14:54 PM CST