For children with allergies, reading food labels is crucial

 

Food allergy reactions can range from a rash to respiratory distress and even death. The uncertainty of how a child will react when exposed to food allergens is a great concern for parents. "It is impossible to know how a child will react to a food allergen. Just because they had a mild reaction before doesn't mean it won't be more severe the next time," said Joyce Rabbat, MD, medical director of the Pediatric Allergy Division at Loyola University Health System and assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Division of Allergy and Immunology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Rabbat says that avoiding the allergen is extremely important for a child with a food allergy and reading food labels is crucial for keeping the child safe. "Avoidance is the mainstay of treatment. For a child who is allergic, ingesting even a small amount of the allergen could result in an allergic reaction. This is why becoming familiar with what to recognize on food labels is of utmost importance," said Dr. Rabbat. Though a 2004 law mandated that food labels list major fool allergens, not all possible allergens need to be listed. The only food allergens that must be listed are milk, eggs, soybean, wheat, peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. "Any food not on the list does not have to be listed on food labels. In addition, manufacturers are not required to list possible cross-contact or cross-contamination of the food with allergens. Many will print these potential cross contaminates, though this is not required by law. It is important for parents to be vigilant," said Dr. Rabbat. Dr. Rabbat also notes that ingredients usually are listed in order of quantity. "The first few ingredients are the main ingredients represented in higher quantities. This is important because every child has a threshold of reactivity; in select cases, patients may tolerate small quantities of the food. But if too much is ingested, they may react. It's important to discuss food allergen avoidance with your allergist, to determine what is safe for an individual to eat, and what to avoid." Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Loyola University Health System. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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He Demanded His Wife To Bury Him With All Of His Money…

 

July 10, 2015 He worked hard every day of his life, which left him feeling entitled to the money he had earned. He felt no desire to give it away. He wanted to keep it to himself. Guided by that line of thinking, when it came time for him to ask a dying wish, he asked his wife to bury him with the remainder of his money. She wasn’t into the idea of granting him his miserly wish, so she came up with another brilliant idea. “There was a man who had worked all of his life and has saved all of his money,” his widow wrote. “He was a real cheapskate when it came to his money. He loved money more than just about anything, and just before he died, he said to his wife, ‘Now listen, when I die I want you to take all my money and place it in the casket with me. Because I want to take all my money to the after life.’ She promised him that she would bury him with all his money in the casket with him. And then he died. As the ceremony was coming to a close, the undertakers began to close his casket. Before they could his wife yelled out “Wait a minute!” She had a shoebox with her, which she placed in his casket. The undertakers locked the casket and rolled it away. Her friend said to her, ‘I hope you weren’t crazy enough to put all that money in there with that stingy old man.’ She said, ‘Yes, I promised. I’m a good Christian, I can’t lie. I promised him that I was to put that money in that casket with him.’ ‘You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in the casket with him?’ ‘I sure did,’ said the widow. ‘I got it all together, put it into my account and I wrote him a check.’ Clever! source : www.higherperspectives.com

Engagement in STEM through robotics, mechatronics, cybersecurity and more

 

Discovery With NSF funding, Summer of STEM at NYU Polytechnic supports and encourages students and teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics High-school teachers and Fellows work together in the SMART summer program. Credit and Larger Version July 9, 2015 NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering kicks off its Summer of STEM today. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are the focus, with both teachers and students gaining new opportunities for learning and development. Many of the projects announced today are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Susan Singer, NSF's director of the Division of Undergraduate Education, joins NYU School of Engineering President and Dean Katepalli R. Sreenivasan and other officials to announce a number of efforts that make up the Summer of STEM. "It is a priority for NSF to invest in research that will engage students in STEM and give their teachers new tools for deepening their knowledge and integrating STEM topics into their students' learning," said Singer. "We at NSF are excited about the new and ongoing work at NYU Polytechnic." Some highlights: Discovery Research for Teachers: Four teachers--from P.S./I.S. 109 The Glenwood Academy of Science & Technology and Park Place Community Middle School 266, both in Brooklyn--will spend three weeks at the NYU School of Engineering as part of a comprehensive year-round STEM development program. Ultimately, 44 teachers from 22 New York City middle schools will participate in the new program, funded by a $2.5 million grant from the NSF Discovery Research K-12 program. NYU will field a team of interdisciplinary experts in robotics, engineering, education, curriculum design, and assessment to make robotics central to and sustainable in the city's science and math classrooms. Science and Mechatronics Aided Research for Teachers with an Entrepreneurship expeRience (SMARTER): This program pairs middle- and high-school teachers with faculty and graduate students in the NYU School of Engineering laboratories for two weeks of advanced STEM workshops and four weeks of research. Starting with the premise that kids cannot resist STEM subjects when robots are involved, SMARTER adds the excitement of entrepreneurial explorations. Twelve teachers engage in high-level research projects and curriculum development, then return to their schools capable of establishing engineering programs and facilities. SMARTER is funded by the NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Site program. Cybersecurity for Teachers RET: Home of one of the oldest and most recognized cybersecurity programs in the country, the NYU School of Engineering hosts training and research opportunities for 10 high-school teachers, particularly those from schools with diverse and economically disadvantaged student bodies. The program aims to engage students in hardware and software security and digital forensics, thereby opening up high-demand career paths to the students. Sponsored by the NSF RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) Site program, the summer programs sends teachers back to their own schools with the knowledge, curriculum, and hands-on demonstrations to launch programs there. Teachers will also prepare their students to participate in the NYU School of Engineering's annual Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW)--the nation's biggest set of student challenges in hacking, protection, and digital forensics. Cybersecurity for College Instructors RET: A similar NSF-funded camp educates 10 college instructors and prepares them to develop information security programs for their community colleges and four-year institutions. AMPS/CBSI: Applying Mechatronics to Promote Science, which is funded by NSF and the Central Brooklyn STEM Initiative, sends NYU School of Engineering students into Brooklyn elementary, middle and high schools throughout the year to challenge students to design, build and operate robotic devices, teach science, math and engineering, and provide training to advance teachers' understanding of STEM subjects. The results are significant: From 2009 to 2012, 70.8 percent of the more than 3,000 participating students increased their STEM grades by a half or full letter grade. This summer, up to six elementary-, middle-, and high-school teachers are training alongside NYU School of Engineering graduate fellows and preparing to take STEM knowledge back to their schools. GenCyber: Computer Science for Cybersecurity: With an extra session added this year, the program introduces 75 high-school girls to role models, programming, virtuous hacking and digital forensics during three intensive and supportive two-week-long programs designed to encourage them to pursue educational opportunities in cybersecurity--a field that is growing at more than 10 times the overall job market but is notoriously bereft of female professionals. GenCyber also prepares young women to participate in the popular NYU School of Engineering CSAW High School Digital Forensics Contest. More information is available in NYU Polytechnic's press release. -- Maria C. Zacharias, (703) 292-8454 mzachari@nsf.gov Investigators Nasir Memon Ramesh Karri Justin Cappos Vikram Kapila Benjamin Esner Noel Kriftcher Orit Zaslavsky Catherine Milne Magued Iskander Phyllis Gail Frankl Related Institutions/Organizations New York University Locations New York , New York Related Programs Graduate K-12 CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service Related Awards #0741714 New, GK12: Applying Mechatronics to Promote Science (AMPS) #1241568 Building Cyber Security Capacity in Two Year and Four Year Colleges #1241653 ASPIRE: An SFS Program for Interdisciplinary Research and Education (Renewal) #1132482 RET Site: Science and Mechatronics Aided Research for Teachers with an Entrepreneurship expeRience (SMARTER) #1407161 RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: Research Experience and Training in Cyber Security for Pre-College Teachers #1417769 DR K-12: Teaching STEM with Robotics: Design, Development, and Testing of a Research-based Professional Development Program for Teachers Years Research Conducted 2008 – 2018 www.nsf.gov

Hubble Looks at Stunning Spiral

 

 

This little-known galaxy, officially named J04542829-6625280, but most often referred to as LEDA 89996, is a classic example of a spiral galaxy. The galaxy is much like our own galaxy, the Milky Way. The disk-shaped galaxy is seen face on, revealing the winding structure of the spiral arms. Dark patches in these spiral arms are in fact dust and gas — the raw materials for new stars. The many young stars that form in these regions make the spiral arms appear bright and bluish.

The galaxy sits in a vibrant area of the night sky within the constellation of Dorado (The Swordfish), and appears very close to the Large Magellanic Cloud  — one of the satellite galaxies of the Milky Way.

The observations were carried out with the high resolution channel of Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. 

Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Acknowledgement: Flickr user C. Claude
Text credit: European Space Agency

Last Updated: July 10, 2015

Editor: Ashley Morrow

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Prevention

 

When power outages occur after severe weather (such as hurricanes or tornadoes), using alternative sources of power can cause carbon monoxide (CO) to build up in a home and poison the people and animals inside. Every year, at least 430 people die in the U. S. from accidental CO poisoning. Change the batteries in your CO detector every six months. If you don't have a battery-powered or battery back-up CO detector, buy one soon. CO is found in fumes produced by portable generators, stoves, lanterns, and gas ranges, or by burning charcoal and wood. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned and can die from breathing CO. How to Recognize CO Poisoning The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. People who are sleeping or who have been drinking alcohol can die from CO poisoning before ever having symptoms. CO Poisoning Prevention Tips Click here for Important CO Poisoning Prevention Tips in 16 Additional Languages. Never use a gas range or oven to heat a home. Never leave the motor running in a vehicle parked in an enclosed or partially enclosed space, such as a garage. Never run a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside a basement, garage, or other enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open, unless the equipment is professionally installed and vented. Keep vents and flues free of debris, especially if winds are high. Flying debris can block ventilation lines. Never run a motor vehicle, generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine less than 20 feet from an open window, door, or vent where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area. Never use a charcoal grill, hibachi, lantern, or portable camping stove inside a home, tent, or camper. If conditions are too hot or too cold, seek shelter with friends or at a community shelter. If CO poisoning is suspected, consult a health care professional right away. CO poisoning is entirely preventable. You can protect yourself and your family by acting wisely in case of a power outage and learning the symptoms of CO poisoning. For more information, please visit the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning website .  source : www.cdc.gov

Wellness at Work

 

Your health is important wherever you go. And now that many people are spending most of their day sitting at a desk or inside an office, implementing health programs inside the workplace has become a vital piece of a healthy lifestyle.  Chronic Disease at Work Chronic diseases such as depression and hypertension can lead to a decline in the overall health of employees in a workplace, contribute to an increase in health-related expenses for employers and employees, and lead to lower productivity and/or days of work missed. Many businesses have realized the benefits of health promotion, and to curb the costs of rising health care offer workplace health programs to their employees. Ideally, the office should be a place protecting the safety and well-being of employees while providing them with opportunities for better long-term health. In a study published January 2014 in CDC's Preventing Chronic Disease, Bonauto and colleagues looked at data from 37,626 employees in Washington State and found that the overall incidence of obesity among workers was 24.6%.1 The authors also note that obesity rates varied by job type. For instance, only 11.6% of those in health-diagnosing occupations, for example doctors, dentists, and veterinarians, were obese. On the other hand, 38.6% of truck drivers, who spend most of their days sitting, were obese. The authors of this study acknowledge the importance of physical activities and their availability at the workplace in preventing obesity. Although chronic diseases like obesity are among the most common and costly of all health problems, adopting healthy lifestyles can help prevent them. A workplace health program aimed at keeping employees healthy is a key long-term human asset management strategy. Workplace health programs include policies intended to facilitate employee health, including allowing time for exercise, providing on-site kitchens and eating areas, offering healthful food options in vending machines, holding "walk and talk" meetings, and offering financial and other incentives for participation. What is a Workplace Health Program? A workplace health program is a health promotion activity or organization-wide policy designed to support healthy behaviors and improve health outcomes while at work. These programs consist of activities such as health education and coaching, weight management programs, medical screenings, on-site fitness programs, and more. Workplace health programs also include policies intended to facilitate employee health, including allowing time for exercise, providing on-site kitchens and eating areas, offering healthful food options in vending machines, holding "walk and talk" meetings, and offering financial and other incentives for participation. Effective workplace programs, policies, and environments that are health-focused and worker-centered have the potential to significantly benefit employers, employees, their families, and communities. Need a Workplace Health Program at Your Office? Ask your employer if they offer a wellness or health promotion program. If not, suggest implementing one at your office. If you are an employer looking to start a program of your own, read the CDC's Worksite Health ScoreCard and other materials for recommendations on implementing a health promotion program at your workplace. References Bonauto DK, Lu D, Fan ZJ. Obesity Prevalence by Occupation in Washington State, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Prev Chronic Dis 2014;11:130219. DOI.. Gerteis J, Izrael D, Deitz D, LeRoy L, Ricciardi R, Miller T, Basu J. Multiple Chronic Conditions Chartbook.[PDF - 10.62 MB] AHRQ Publications No, Q14-0038. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2014. Accessed November 18, 2014. source – www.cdc.gov

Mysteries of the Brain: Perceiving Brain

 

Sabine Kastner, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Princeton University, is studying how the brain determines what information is most important in everyday scenes. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, Kastner is able to peek inside the brain and see what areas are active when a person sees a face, place or object. "Mysteries of the Brain" is produced by NBC Learn in partnership with the NSF.

Credit: NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation

Mysteries of the Brain: Brain-Computer Interface

 

Neuroengineer Rajesh Rao of the University of Washington is developing brain-computer interfaces, devices that can monitor and extract brain activity to enable a machine or computer to accomplish tasks, from playing video games to controlling a prosthetic arm. "Mysteries of the Brain" is produced by NBC Learn in partnership with the NSF.

Credit: NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation (NSF)

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