Hospital usa Google Glass para "levar" crianças doentes ao zoológico

 

Recentemente, Children's Memorial Hermann, nos EUA, usou óculos da gigante de buscas para permitir que pacientes mirins conhecessem zoológico local.

Um hospital dos EUA usou o Google Glass para levar um pouco de felicidade a algumas crianças doentes que não podem sair do local. O Children’s Memorial Hermann, em Houston, no Texas, recentemente usou o óculos futurista da gigante de buscas para permitir que alguns dos seus pacientes mirins pudessem visitar um zoológico local, ainda que virtualmente.

Para isso, a instituição médica fez uma parceria com o zoológico da cidade, Houston Zoo, localizado do outro lado da rua. O zoo realizou videochamadas com as crianças para mostrar não apenas o que os visitantes comuns veem no local, como também os “bastidores” dos alimentadores, entre outras coisas.

“Isso deu ao meu filho a chance de ele se sentir uma criança normal. Ele conseguiu ver o zoológico – o que é melhor do que isso?”, afirmou a mãe de um menino de 6 anos com diabetes que participou do programa. 

Confira toda essa iniciativa pelo bonito vídeo abaixo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG9oN4hJUQ0

 

FDA Considering Statin Use for Those With Normal Cholesterol

 

MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2009 (Health.com) — Should people who dont have high cholesterol take a cholesterol-lowering statin? Maybe, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is considering an advisory panels recent recommendation to do just that.
If the FDA adopts the panel's recommendation—the agency isn't required to do so, but typically does in such cases—it would mark the first time that a statin was approved for heart-disease-free people with healthy cholesterol levels but other risk factors, including high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation.
It would also mean that roughly 6 million new patients would be eligible to take a statin—in this case, Crestor (rosuvastatin).
The recommendation “changes medical practice dramatically [and] will work its way into the guidelines," says Steven E. Nissen, MD, the chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.
Cardiologists are divided over the expanded use of the drug. Some say it will help fight heart disease; others are concerned about the data used by the panel and the potential side effects of statins. Adding to the debate is a new study, published this week in The Lancet, that calls into question the strength of the connection between CRP and heart disease.
The panel's decision was based almost entirely on the Jupiter trial, a study funded by Crestors maker, AstraZeneca, that compared a daily dose of Crestor to placebo in nearly 18,000 people who fit the description used by the panel (and who would not be eligible for a statin under the current guidelines).
“There was a 44% reduction in death, heart attack, and stroke among people taking Crestor,” says Dr. Nissen. “The benefit was very large and happened very quickly."
“I dont think the new labeling recommendation is really controversial," he adds. "The decision was very straightforward and among the people who treat lipids, this is a no-brainer."

Next Page: Not all experts agree

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Not all experts agree. Cholesterol is clearly not the only risk factor for cardiovascular disease—half of all heart attacks occur in people with normal levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol—but the accuracy of CRP as a predictor of cardiac risk has been disputed. And because statins, like many drugs, carry a risk of potentially serious side effects, the evidence for CRP may not be strong enough to justify prescribing these drugs to healthy people over the long term, they say.
Stephen Kopecky, MD, a professor of medicine and cardiovascular disease at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., points out that elevated CRP levels don't necessarily indicate an increased risk of heart disease. “There are a lot of things that make CRP levels increase that are not due to heart disease,” he says. Because CRP is a generic marker of inflammation, it can rise due to any condition that causes inflammation, such as an infection, he says.
In the Lancet study, the largest analysis of its kind to date, researchers analyzed the role of CRP in heart attack, stroke, and numerous other conditions (such as cancer) in more than 160,000 people. The study found that people whose CRP levels were three times higher than average had a 68% increased risk of heart attack and a 39% increased risk of stroke. But when more traditional risk factors for heart disease—such as cholesterol and blood pressure—were taken into account, the connection between CRP and heart disease was less apparent. Their findings, they write, "reduce the likelihood" that heart disease is directly caused by CRP.
Maria Belalcazar, MD, an assistant professor of endocrinology at University of Texas Medical Branch, in Galveston, says that CRP “is one more indicator of risk that we need to evaluate carefully to decide if a person needs [statin] therapy."
CRP, however, "needs to be evaluated in context of patients overall risk,” she says. “The whole risk profile needs to be taken into consideration for primary prevention because we are committing a person to taking the medication for more than 20 years.”
Although statins are generally well tolerated, side effects can include muscle pain or weakness and liver damage (which is usually reversible). In the Jupiter trial, a greater percentage of participants taking Crestor developed diabetes during the study; there were also 13 deaths related to gastrointestinal disorders and 18 patients who reported "a confusional state."
The advisory panel—as well as a separate FDA reviewer—decided that the benefits of Crestor outweighed these risks, however.
This may indeed be true in people who need to lower their LDL cholesterol, but it isn't necessarily the case among people with normal cholesterol, says Dr. Kopecky.
Dr. Nissen says that although liver enzymes rise in people who take statins, "there is no risk of liver failure," and "muscle weakness is real, but rare," he says.
"These are among the safest drugs and I am glad we have them,” he says.
For his part, Dr. Kopecky stresses that the emphasis on CRP, cholesterol, and statin therapy should not distract people—and physicians—from other important factors in heart disease, such as family history and lifestyle.
Statin therapy is useful, Dr. Kopecky says, but it shouldn't take the place of healthy living. “Statins are a great drug for the right person, but we have to make sure that their lifestyle is healthy before jumping to a medication,” he says.
"You just cant jump to medical therapy,” he explains. “I ask [patients],‘Do you exercise and eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day? Do you smoke? Is your weight in a reasonable range? Living a healthy lifestyle can cut your chance of heart attack or stroke by 90% in decades. That's better than any therapy.”

 

Hand Soap Ingredient Can Up Body Bacteria Burden

Apr 9, 2014 |By Christopher Intagliata

Residues of the antimicrobial agent triclosan can paradoxically boost bacterial growth in our bodies, by giving microbes a comfortable biofilm in which to rest. Christopher Intagliata reports

The antimicrobial triclosan is a common ingredient in hand soap. But it's also found in shampoos, deodorants, toothpaste, even lip gloss. So it's not too surprising that triclosan also shows up in blood, urine, breast milk and mucus. But here's the weird thing—those triclosan residues may actually boost bacterial growth in our bodies. So says a study in the journal mBio. [Adnan K. Syed et al, Triclosan Promotes Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization]
Researchers swabbed inside the noses of 90 adults. 37 of the 90 tested positive for triclosan—and those who did were twice as likely to have the bug Staphylococcus aureus living in their noses. Rats, too, were more susceptible to staph if fed triclosan.
Seems counterintuitive, but when bacteria are exposed to sublethal levels of antibiotics, they get stressed, and “they attach to surfaces and hunker down, in things we call biofilms." That's study author Blaise Boles, of the University of Michigan.
He says that stash of staph could put your health at risk. "Individuals that have Staph. aureus in their nose before they undergo surgery are about seven times more likely to get a Staph. aureus surgical site infection." Which is when you'll really need those antibiotics.
—Christopher Intagliata

 

18 Foods With a "Bad" Rap That Are Actually Good for You

 

 

Last Updated: Jul 17, 2013 | By Jess Barron

 

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Overview

Have you ever had someone tell you that a certain food was bad for you? Did you stop eating it and then put it on your “Foods Never to Eat” list? Some foods and beverages get bad reputations that they don’t really deserve -- many times because of incorrect or outdated information. The truth is, quite a few of the foods you may think are “bad” for you may actually help protect you from chronic diseases and may even help you peel off pounds. From white rice, to whole eggs (yes, including the yolks!) to pasta, here are 18 surprisingly healthy foods and beverages that you might want to consider eating more often, or at the very least not completely shun from your diet. Find out why bacon gets a mention on our list, and leave a comment below to let us know if your favorite food has a bad reputation.

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1. White Rice

Some of the healthiest nations, including Japan, enjoy white rice at most meals. Plus, research has found that people who eat rice are also less likely to be overweight. While it is true that white rice is more processed than brown rice, all white rice sold in the U.S. is enriched with the nutrients that are lost during processing. White rice has more essential nutrients than brown rice due to this fortification. It may also surprise you to hear that the bran layer of brown rice contains phytic acid, an antinutrient which makes minerals such as zinc and iron unabsorbable. In addition, brown rice contains higher levels of arsenic than white rice. Consumer Reports released a 2012 chart showing arsenic concentrations in specific brands of rice products.

Consumer Reports 2012 Chart Showing Arsenic Levels in Foods

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2. Eggs (Even the Yolks!)

If you’ve been avoiding eggs because you heard that they contain too much cholesterol, you may be surprised to hear that recent research has found that saturated fat -- and not dietary cholesterol -- is the primary contributor to poor heart health. Eggs have been wrongly accused of being unhealthy due to the foods they’re often served with, namely high-fat sausage or crispy bacon. A 2013 study showed that high protein egg breakfasts helped control participants’ appetites better than high carb breakfasts such as cold cereal. Don't skip the yolks! In addition to 3g of protein, egg yolks are packed with vitamin D, phosphorus, riboflavin, choline, and selenium.

Should You Be Eating Egg Yolks Every Day?

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3. Coffee

In addition to containing caffeine that helps get you alert for a busy day, coffee is also one of the top sources of flavonoids in the U.S. diet. Flavonoids are known to help improve heart health and protect cells from the natural negative effects associated with aging. Coffee may help reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. What's more, many studies have found that athletic performance benefits (such as increases in running speed) can be seen with moderate amounts of caffeine. Public health authorities seem to agree that moderate amounts of coffee (about 3-4 cups per day) can have modest health benefits and no evidence of health risk. Try to choose organic, sustainable, shade-grown coffee, whenever possible.

2009 New York Times Article on Caffeine and Athletic Performance

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4. Pasta

If you’ve given up white pasta because you believe it has a high glycemic index, there’s some good news. Pasta, such as spaghetti or macaroni made from white durum wheat, has a glycemic index of 45-50, which is considered low. That means eating pasta won’t cause a quick rise in blood sugar level, and it is more likely to keep you feeling fuller longer. The key to eating pasta is to keep your portions to no more than 1 cup cooked. Believe it or not, the recommended serving size of pasta is 1/2 cup of cooked pasta -- the amount you can hold in one cupped hand! If you were served that amount at a restaurant, you’d most likely feel cheated! Most people eat 2 cups of pasta for a meal. For a more balanced (and filling) meal, prepare pasta with veggies, seafood or lean protein such as chicken or tempeh, and top it with a tomato-based sauce rather than a cream-based sauce.

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5. Frozen Vegetables

Numerous studies suggest that frozen veggies have just as many nutrients as their fresh counterparts. Frozen vegetables are a great option because they’re picked and processed at the peak of freshness to lock in the nutrients. Since fresh produce losses nutrients every day that it’s not eaten, it’s not uncommon for frozen veggies to have more nutrients per serving. Frozen vegetables are an excellent solution during the winter months when fresh vegetables are often hard to come by or more costly. They’re also a great option to have on hand so you can always have include serving of veggies with any meal within minutes. Frozen vegetables don’t contain added sodium or preservatives. Plus, they are low in calories and rich in fiber and beneficial phytonutrients.

2006 Comparison of Fresh, Frozen and Canned Fruits & Vegetables

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6. Canadian Bacon

Bacon is EVERYWHERE lately, isn’t it? Crispy regular bacon is packed with saturated fat and sodium, but its cousin Canadian bacon -- while still high in sodium -- is lower in both calories and fat and still high in protein. Sodium aside, there’s a lot to love about Canadian bacon. A 1-oz serving of Canadian bacon has about 50 calories and 2g of fat, compared to regular bacon, which has about 165 calories and 14g of fat per ounce (i.e. about 4 slices of medium thickness). Canadian bacon also provides iron, zinc and B vitamins, along with the heart-friendly monounsaturated fats. When choosing Canadian bacon, look for the natural uncured variety (such as Niman Ranch Uncured Canadian Bacon or Jones All Natural Uncured Canadian Bacon), as they won’t contain nitrates. Cured bacon (both the regular kind and Canadian type) contains nitrates, which have been linked with cancer.

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7. Alcohol

Despite its sometimes bad reputation, drinking a moderate amount of alcohol does have health benefits. Moderate consumption is defined as about 1 drink per day for women; 2 for men. Moderate alcohol consumption can slash risk for heart attack, as well as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Additionally, moderate alcohol consumption can help keep your brain sharp as you age. A 2011 study showed that moderate drinkers were 23% less likely to develop mental diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. In addition, red wine and dark beers are antioxidant-rich, which may make certain bevvies even better for you. For certain people (pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol addiction or with a family history of alcoholism, and those with liver disease) the risks of drinking still do outweigh the benefits.

Moderate Drinking May Protect Against Alzheimer's and Cognitive Impairment

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8. Avocados

Avocados are technically a fruit, but nearly all their calories come from fat, making them nutritionally at least, a fat. They provide more than 20 essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including vitamins A, C, D, E, and K; fiber; potassium; and B vitamins. Avocados are also a source of heart-smart monounsaturated fats and the antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids are concentrated in the macula of the eye and may protect your eyes against age-related macular degeneration. Research from Ohio State University found that that avocados partnered with salsa or salad acts as a nutrient-booster and increased the absorption of fat-soluble phytonutrients.

Some Reasearch for This Slideshow Was Provided by Appetite for Health

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9. Beef

If you’re not vegetarian or vegan, but are instead one of those meat lovers who decided to give up the red stuff in order to lose weight or to make your diet more heart healthy, you may be happy to hear that eating moderate amounts of lean beef can actually help you lose weight and improve your overall diet quality. Today’s beef is leaner than ever. Many choices of beef sold at supermarkets are classified as lean, meaning the cuts provide up to 10g of total fat and no more than 4.5g of saturated fat in a 3 ½-oz serving. Even better, you can now also find beef containing no hormones and/or no antibiotics as well as grass-feed and organic options. Beef provides several 10 essential vitamins and minerals including B-vitamins, iron, zinc and protein.

Tips to Choose the Healthiest Red Meat

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10. Cranberry Juice

Perhaps you stopped drinking fruit juice because of the amount of natural or added sugars in it. It's important to remember that cranberry juice is unique in some of its health benefits, and is still worthy of inclusion in our diets. If you've had a urinary tract infection, chances are you’ve tried cranberry juice to help alleviate your symptoms. However, cranberry juice works best to help prevent recurrent UTIs in the first place. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins or PACs, unique flavonoids that inhibit E.Coli from adhering to urinary tract cells, where they can multiply and trigger an infection. A 2011 study at Worcester Polytechnic Institute showed that cranberry juice, itself, is far better at preventing biofilm formation, than any element extracted from the berry in pill form.

2011 Study Shows the Juice is Better than Extracts at Fighting Bacterial Infections

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11. Dark Chocolate

It’s every chocolate lover’s dream come true. Chocolate, more specifically dark chocolate, has been extensively studied for its health benefits, with positive results. Dark chocolate decreases LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, reduces blood clots, and is associated with better cognitive performance in the elderly. A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that overweight individuals who consumed a dark chocolate bar had improved blood vessel health and decreased blood pressure as compared with those who ate a placebo. As a general rule, look for dark chocolate with a higher cacao level (60% cacao or higher), as that will indicate more antioxidants and less added sugar. Also, because all chocolate (even the dark kind) is calorie-rich, stick with 1-2 oz per day or else you may have the unwanted side effect of eating too much: weight gain.

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12. Dried Fruit

Many dieters ditch dried fruit because it’s a more concentrated source of calories than fresh fruit. While this is true, dried fruit can serve as a stand-in when fresh fruit isn’t a convenient option — for instance when you’re traveling. Dried fruit can also be enjoyed as a replacement for calorie-rich, nutrient-poor desserts such as baked goods or candy. Dried fruits contain virtually the same nutrients as their fresh counterparts, so most are a good sources of vitamins A, C, potassium, fiber and folate. They are also antioxidant powerhouses. Look for options that have no added sugar such as dried apricots, apples, cranberries, raisins or prunes. Try them on top of your oatmeal or mixed with nonfat plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. Enjoy dried fruit with nuts for a healthy satisfying snack.

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13. Mushrooms

Because mushrooms are white or tan in color, some assume that they don’t pack the nutritional punch of more colorful produce like tomatoes or broccoli. But what mushrooms lack in color, they more than make up for in their health benefits. A serving of about 5 medium mushrooms has just 20 calories and contains niacin, selenium, riboflavin, vitamin D, iron and calcium. They’ve been shown to help maintain a healthy immune system and may have anti-cancer properties. According to the American Cancer Society, “Shiitake mushrooms are promoted to fight the development and progression of cancer… and are also said to help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels.” Mushrooms also act as a great meat replacement in recipes for vegetarians because they have some of the same flavor characteristics of meat.

American Cancer Society's Information on Shitake Mushroom Benefits

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14. Nuts

Nuts are high in fat and calories, but that doesn’t mean that eating them will make you gain weight. In fact, research shows just the opposite: People who enjoy nuts tend to be thinner and have higher quality diets than those who don’t. A 2013 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that those who replaced other foods with nuts in their diets lost more weight (about 1.4 lbs more) than those who did not. Nuts are also heart-healthy because they’re made up of primarily unsaturated fats. Additionally, nuts contain plant sterols, which have cholesterol-lowering properties.

Study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

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15. Shrimp

While shrimp IS high in dietary cholesterol, it contains almost no saturated fat. Recent research has concluded that unless dietary cholesterol intake is combined with high saturated fat, it does not elevate blood cholesterol. Like all fish and seafood, shrimp is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help temper inflammation and may reduce risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and much more. A serving of shrimp (3 ½ oz) has less than 100 calories, packs in 20g of protein and is low in saturated fat. Compared to many other sources of omega-3s, shrimp has one of the lowest amounts of mercury. According to Matthew Thompson, Food Editor for EatingWell Magazine, “It’s important to look for shrimp certified by an independent agency, such as Wild American Shrimp or the Marine Stewardship Council, which certifies that wild fisheries are well-managed and sustainable.”

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16. Peanut Butter

Yes, peanut butter is high in calories, but in moderation, it can actually help you control hunger and manage your weight. In fact, women who eat one serving of nuts OR peanut butter two or more times per week are nearly 25% less likely to be obese and gain fewer pounds than women who rarely eat these foods according to recent research from the Harvard School of Public Health. One possible reason: A snack that includes peanut butter helps you stay fuller longer due to the protein and fiber content. To keep calories in check, be sure to watch your serving size and stick to no more than 2 tablespoons. Try to choose a natural and/or organic variety of peanut butter with no added sugar.

10 Unexpected Lower Calorie Peanut Butter Snacks

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17. Potatoes

Potatoes often get a bad rap for making people pile on pounds, but according to nutritionists Julie Upton and Katherine Brooking at Appetite for Health, this bad rap is probably more about the way potatoes are being prepared – for instance, french fries or potato chips versus baked, roasted or grilled potatoes. A medium-sized potato contains just 170 calories. Plus, potatoes are rich in potassium and are a good source of fiber. Potato skins are also a source of antioxidants that may provide heart health and anti-cancer benefits. Finally, Potatoes provide resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested so it helps regulate blood sugar levels while helping to keep you full.

Appetite for Health Nutrition Pros, Julie Upton and Katherine Brooking

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18. Popcorn

If you only eat popcorn when you go to the movie theater, you’re missing out on one of the healthiest whole grains. Researchers at the University of Scranton recently reported that popcorn is literally packed with phytonutrients. The beneficial compounds are concentrated in the darker hulls of the kernel (the bits that get stuck between your teeth). The researchers revealed that popcorn contains nearly twice as many polyphenols compared to a serving of several types of fruit. What’s more, popcorn is 100% whole grain; unlike many “whole grain” breads, crackers and other whole grain foods that are only partially made with whole grains. You can enjoy three cups of popcorn for just 100 calories and it has 3g of filling fiber. Choose an air-popped, organic variety, whenever possible.

Google Glass está sendo testado pela Força Aérea dos EUA

 

 

Por Renê Fraga em 8 de abril de 2014 – 22:05

 

Google Glass vem sendo testado em locais como salas de cirurgia, campos de futebol, quadras de basquete e até mesmo pelo Departamento de Polícia de Nova York.

De acordo com uma publicação do VentureBeat, a Força Aérea dos EUA também está atualmente utilizando o Glass em um campo de batalha em sua Base Aérea de Wright Patterson, em Ohio.

A equipe de pesquisa tem explorado o “acesso rápido à informação, assim como seu baixo consumo de energia e seu design que fica totalmente acima dos olhos e não dificulta a visão”.

Embora o estudo não apresente nenhuma relação oficial com o Google, a gigante da internet provavelmente está contente com o progresso do dispositivo nas mãos dos desenvolvedores.

 

Toxins in Nutrition Supplements Still Escape FDA Oversight

 

By Dina Fine Maron | April 2, 2014 |  

 

When young and middle-aged adults started showing up at the hospital with liver failure last spring, doctors in Hawaii struggled to find the thread that connected the patients. They found it in the form of a popular sports supplement, OxyElite Pro.

The supplement was linked last May to severe hepatitis, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, tasked with removing such dangerous substances from store shelves, did not learn of the cases until four months later. By February, months after the product was voluntarily taken off the market, there were 97 cases linked back to the supplement, including one death and three liver transplants.

These and other statistics from a new report highlight continued weaknesses in the U.S. system’s ability to protect consumers from OxyElite Pro and other untested supplements. Consumers are continually being put at risk of consuming supplements tainted with harmful substances, Pieter Cohen, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, writes in the April 3 New England Journal of Medicine. About half of all U.S. adults take dietary supplements, meaning that literally millions of people could be at risk.

OxyElite Pro was far from the first such problematic incident. Even five years ago the U.S. Government Accountability Office highlighted serious supplement oversight issues, warning that FDA does not have enough authority to ensure the products are safe. That report, like Cohen’s, called for supplement manufacturers to be required to register their dietary supplements. Currently, the FDA relies on voluntary notifications about supplement-related deleterious health events from clinicians and consumers through an online reporting system called MedWatch. It also hears about such events from manufacturers who receive information of serious side effects or learn of health threats from other academic, federal or state public health partners that contact the agency. The manufacturer is supposed to ensure its own product is safe and also notify FDA if its supplement contains a new dietary ingredient at least 75 days prior to marketing the product, but even that requirement is often ignored. “Firms not submitting [new dietary ingredient] notifications remain a significant concern for the agency,” says Theresa Eisenman, an FDA spokesperson.

The threat of potentially toxic nutritional supplements often comes from pharmaceuticals, steroids, stimulants or other substances that are tucked inside the supplements. Just last year, Cohen and his colleagues detected a new cousin of methamphetamine in a different sports supplement. Meanwhile, FDA found a form of an amphetamine in nine supplements.

To address the woeful monitoring of nutritional supplements, Cohen calls for the creation of a supplement response team that would include clinicians, toxicologists, pharmacologists and chemists that could respond to reports of serious supplement-related adverse events in real time. Such a system, Cohen writes, would speed up responses to help protect consumers.

Cohen also backs another proposed fix. FDA officials told GAO in a follow-up report published in 2013 that one hold-up to acting on adverse event reports is that it’s often difficult to establish a causal relationship between a product and the health problem based on the limited information in the report. One solution, FDA has said, would be setting up an adverse event reporting service like a poison control hotline, especially since some consumers already report such incidents to poison control centers. Questions posed during that call could help fill in information gaps that could speed up investigations, but FDA has said that an obstacle there would be cost. A pilot project designed to test the waters with such a system had promising results, but it did not answer questions about if a nationwide system would actually generate information faster than a traditional system, Cohen says.

The prospects for any significant immediate change, however, seem slim, given that past reform efforts have all but flatlined. Sen. Dick Durbin (D–Ill.) has repeatedly tried to pass a bill that would require supplement manufactures to register their products and to provide more safety information, but it languished in 2011. An effort to attach provisions of the bill to other legislation as an amendment last year also proved unsuccessful. The bill was then reintroduced this session with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D–Conn.) as its cosponsor, although no one expects the legislation to move. There is also no companion legislation in the House.

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law in 2011, gave FDA slightly more power in this arena—providing it with new enforcement authority to order a recall when a product will likely cause serious harm or death. But with OxyElite Pro, its manufacturers ultimately voluntarily took the product off the market after FDA threatened that it would order the company to stop production otherwise. FDA has had to take action in other cases, however. The new recall authority, however, clearly does not go far enough to protect consumers.

Without sweeping legislative changes, even if Cohen’s other plans were enacted, consumers will continue to have a safety net full of holes.

Image: Womenshealth.gov

 

The Better-Butt Workout

 

Get a great rear view with these moves that lift and tone your glutes.

Credit: Cliff Watts

 

How Brooke got that booty

Brooke Burke-Charvet is a TV host, author, entrepreneur, clothing designer, and mom of four, and yet she still finds time to teach a fitness class called Booty Burn. Score her toned tush by doing her moves at home. Start with 30 seconds per side; work up to a minute.
Watch the video: 7 Moves for a Better Butt 

Coffee, Tea Fight Alzheimer's: Researchers

 

Coffee or tea? The answer may be both, if you're looking to preserve your memory and potentially ward off Alzheimer's disease, according to a pair of new studies.

According to new research published online in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, a team of French and German researchers found the caffeine in coffee has a positive effect on particular protein deposits in the brain linked to Alzheimer's, reducing the risk of memory loss and other cognitive impairments.

Meanwhile, a second study published in the journal Psychopharmacology by Swiss researchers at the University of Basel, found that a green tea extract enhances working memory and other cognitive functions that decline in dementia patients, suggesting it may have promising clinical implications for the treatment of Alzheimer's patients.
"We have taken a good step forward," said Christa E. Müller, from the University of Bonn, who helped lead the caffeine study, which involved laboratory animals. "The results of the study are truly promising."
ALERT: These 7 Things Activate Alzheimer’s In Your Brain

Dr. Müller's research suggests caffeine may block the formation of so-called tau deposits in the brain which, along with beta-amyloid plaques, are among the characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease. These protein deposits disrupt the communication of the nerve cells and lead to brain damage, memory loss, and cognitive impairments. Dr. Müller suggested the work could pave the way for a new class of drugs to treat Alzheimer's.

The second study found that green tea extract increases the brain's effective "connectivity" — the causal influence that one brain area exerts over another — leading to improvements in cognitive performance, memory among a group of men who consumed tea before solving working memory tasks.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the men's brains showed increased connectivity between the parietal and the frontal cortex of the brain — tied to memory and learning — after drinking green tea.

 

Cibercriminosos preferem "mega violações" a pequenos golpes

 

Estudo da Symantec mostra que grandes violações de dados passaram de 1 em 2012, para 8, em 2013; ao todo 552 milhões de identidades foram expostas.

Os cibercriminosos mudaram seu modo de agir e, em vez de executarem pequenos golpes para ter uma recompensa rápida, agora eles passam meses planejando seus ataques e realizam grandes "assaltos" na web. Essa mudança de hábito foi identificada pela empresa de segurança Symantec, no seu ultimo relatório anual de ameaças à segurança da Internet.

"Uma violação enorme pode valer o equivalente a 50 ataques menores", diz André Carraretto, especialista em segurança digital da Symantec. "Enquanto o nível de sofisticação continua a crescer entre os criminosos virtuais, a surpresa é que no último ano eles ficaram mais pacientes e esperam para agir até que a recompensa seja maior e melhor".

Em 2013, houve um aumento de 62% no número de violações de dados em relação ao ano anterior, o que resultou na exposição de mais de 552 milhões de identidades – provando que o cibercrime continua sendo uma ameaça real e nociva tanto para consumidores, quanto para empresas.

"Os incidentes de segurança, se bem administrados, podem melhorar a percepção do cliente sobre determinada empresa, mas, caso contrário, podem ser devastadores", explica Ed Ferrara, analista da Forrester Research. "Se os clientes perdem a confiança em uma empresa por conta da sua forma de lidar com os dados pessoais e privacidade, é bem provável que tenha prejuízo em seus negócios", finaliza.

Defesa x ataque

O tamanho e escopo das violações ganham proporções gigantescas e colocam a confiança e a reputação das empresas em risco e, cada vez mais, comprometem as informações pessoais de consumidores – como números de cartões de crédito, prontuários médicos, senhas e contas bancárias.

Durante o ano passado, cada uma das oito maiores violações de dados resultou na perda de milhões de registros de informações. Em comparação a 2012, apenas uma única violação de dados chegou a esse limite.

"Nada se reproduz mais rápido do que o sucesso, especialmente se você é um cibercriminoso", diz Cararretto. "O potencial de grandes ganhos significa que os ataques em grande escala vieram pra ficar. Empresas de todos os tamanhos precisam reavaliar, repensar e possivelmente replanejar sua postura de segurança", alerta o especialista.

Os ataques dirigidos apresentaram aumento de 91% e duraram em média três vezes mais do que as ameaças registadas em 2012. Os assistentes pessoais e profissionais de relações públicas foram as duas profissões que mais sofreram ataques – os cibercriminosos os usam como degraus para atingir alvos mais importantes, como celebridades ou executivos.

Panorama de Ameaças no Brasil

O estudo da Symantec revela que no Brasil, setores como de Manufatura, Construção e Serviços Profissionais, estiveram na mira da maioria dos ataques dirigidos identificados pela Rede Global de Inteligência da Symantec durante os últimos 12 meses. Vale destacar que o Brasil é o primeiro país da América Latina e o oitavo no mundo, atrás de países como Estados Unidos, China e Índia, no ranking de países que sofreram mais ataques cibernéticos em 2013.

O fluxo crescente de dados em smartphones, aplicativos e outros serviços online é tentador para os cibercriminosos. Porém, existem medidas que as empresas e os consumidores podem adotar para melhor se protegerem – seja de uma mega violação de dados, um ataque dirigido ou spam comum. Para evitar ser vítima, a Symantec recomenda um comportamento seguro nas seguintes boas práticas:

Para empresas:

-          Conheça seus dados: A proteção deve se concentrar na informação e não no aparelho ou Data Center. Entenda onde residem seus dados sensíveis e por onde trafegam para ajudar a identificar as melhores políticas e procedimentos para protegê-los.

-          Ensine os funcionários: Ofereça diretrizes sobre proteção de informações, inclusive com políticas e procedimentos da empresa para proteger dados sensíveis em aparelhos pessoais e corporativos.

-          Adote uma postura forte de segurança: Fortaleça sua infraestrutura de segurança com prevenção de perda de dados, segurança de rede, segurança de endpoint, criptografia, medidas fortes de autenticação e defesa, além de tecnologias com base em reputação.

Para Consumidores:

-          Tenha um comportamento seguro: Escolha uma senha forte e mantenha seus aparelhos – inclusive smartphones e tablets – atualizados com o software de segurança mais recente.

-          Fique atento: Revise extratos bancários e faturas de cartão de crédito em busca de irregularidades, seja cauteloso ao lidar com e-mails não solicitados ou inesperados e desconfie de ofertas online que parecem boas demais para ser verdade.

-          Saiba com quem você trabalha: Familiarize-se com as políticas de varejistas e serviços online que podem solicitar suas informações bancárias ou pessoais. Como boa prática, visite o site oficial da empresa para compartilhar informações sensíveis.

 

Marco Civil: Senado fará três audiências públicas

 

Debates estão previstos para ocorrer nos dias 10, 15 e 22 de abril. O que impedirá a sanção do PL durante a realização da Reunião Multissetorial Global Sobre Governança da Internet, conforme desejo do governo

As Comissões de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação, Comunicação e Informática (CCT), de Meio Ambiente, Defesa do Consumidor e Fiscalização e Controle (CMA) e de Constituição, Justiça e Cidadania (CCJ) acordaram hoje a realizarão três reuniões conjuntas para debater o projeto que regulamenta a internet brasileira, o chamado marco civil da internet (PLC 21/2014). As três audiências estão previstas para ocorrer nos dias 10, 15 e 22 de abril.

Serão convidados para o debate representantes da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel), do Comitê Gestor da Internet (CGI), do Sindicato Nacional das Empresas de Telefonia e de Serviços Móvel Celular e Pessoal (Sindtelebrasil) e do Instituto Nacional de Defesa do Consumidor (Idec), além de representantes de empresas de telecomunicações, provedores e especialistas.

O Marco Civil (PLC 21/2014) tramita no Congresso com pedido de urgência constitucional e recebeu 41 emendas no Senado. A maioria delas apresentadas pelos senadores Vanessa Grazziotin (PCdoB/AM) e Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (PSDB-SP).

Quatro emendas de senadores dizem respeito ao artigo do PLC que normatiza o fornecimento a terceiros de dados pessoais, inclusive registros de conexão e acesso a aplicativos da internet. As emendas tendem a deixar essa regra mais clara, para que a população esteja mais atenta a uma possível exposição do internauta.

No artigo 10 do texto aprovado pela Câmara, o PLC  dá a “autoridades administrativas” o direito ao acesso a dados cadastrais do usuário, “quando tiverem competência legal para a sua requisição”. Uma das emendas apresentadas pelo senador Aloysio Nunes troca a denominação “autoridades administrativas” por delegado de polícia e Ministério Público. Nas justificativas, o senador diz que o termo "autoridades administrativas" é muito vago e facultaria o acesso a informações pessoais a funcionários de várias instâncias do governo.

A neutralidade da rede – regra que determina tratamento igual para todos os conteúdos que trafegam pela internet – e suas exceções foram alvo de emendas também. No projeto original da Câmara, a regulamentação das exceções que justificam a discriminação de dados cabe à presidente da República, ouvidos o Comitê Gestor da Internet e a Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel). Tais exceções poderiam estar relacionadas com requisitos técnicos ou com a priorização dos serviços de emergência.

Uma das emendas, obriga a presidente a realizar consulta pública à sociedade brasileira antes de quebrar a neutralidade da rede. A única emenda retirada até agora proibia a exceção da neutralidade de forma integral.

Ou emenda, de autoria do senado Cristovam Buarque (PDT-DF), sugere que, além das duas hipóteses de exceção prevista no texto, seja acrescentada a demanda de escolas públicas por prioridade no recebimento de conteúdos.

A intenção do governo era a de ter o Marco Civil aprovado no Senado, sem alterações, a tempo de ser sancionado pela presidente Dilma durante a realização da Reunião Multissetorial Global Sobre Governança da Internet (#netmundial), programada para os dias 23 e 24 de abril de 2014, em São Paulo. Com uma audiência sendo realizada no dia 22 de abril,  o Senado frustra os planos do Planalto.