Sleep apnea may offer unusual protection for heart attack patients

Jan. 2, 2013 ? People who suffer from breathing disorders such as sleep apnea are usually at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. But an intriguing new study from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology scientists suggests that some heart attack patients with these conditions may actually benefit from mild to moderate sleep-disordered breathing.

Apnea and other types of sleep-disordered breathing can boost the numbers and functions of rare cells that help to repair and build new blood vessels, according to the Technion's Dr. Lena Lavie and her colleagues. They say the findings could help predict which patients are at a greater health risk after a heart attack, and may even suggest ways to rebuild damaged heart tissue.

Sleep-disordered breathing is characterized by cycles of apnea-induced hypoxia, where the sleeper experiences a temporary drop in oxygen levels. It occurs in about 5 to 10% of the general adult population, but is extremely common in patients with cardiovascular diseases -- somewhere between 40-60%. Many studies have shown that sleep apnea is a risk factor for everything from high blood pressure to chronic heart failure, Lavie noted. Earlier studies by the Technion scientists suggest apnea increases oxygen-related stress and inflammation in the heart and blood vessels.

The scientists' study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (vol. 187, no. 1) could help resolve a puzzling medical issue. If sleep disordered breathing is associated with cardiovascular disease, why is it that people who suffer from breathing disorders in sleep seem to do as well as healthy sleepers after a heart attack?

Lavie, along with researchers Dr. Slava Berger, Prof. Doron Aronson and Prof. Peretz Lavie, looked for clues to this puzzle in 40 male patients -- a mix of healthy sleepers and those with sleep disordered breathing, who had had a heart attack just a few days earlier.

Blood samples drawn from these patients revealed that the sleep disordered breathing patients had markedly higher levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which give rise to new blood vessels and repair the injured heart, than the healthy sleepers. They also had higher levels of other growth-promoting proteins and immune cells that stimulate blood vessel production.

The Technion researchers were able to trigger a similar increase in vessel-building activity in vascular cells taken from a second set of twelve healthy men and women, by withholding oxygen from the cells for short periods. "Indeed, our results point at the possibility that inducing mild-moderate intermittent hypoxia may have beneficial effects," Lena Lavie said.

In an accompanying editorial in the journal, Dr. Leila Kheirandish-Gozal of the University of Chicago and Prof. Ramon Farr? of the Universidad de Barcelona said the Technion study moves toward reconciling the ideas that apnea can stress the heart but also "pre-condition" it for repair.

Patients with sleep-disordered breathing, they noted "are essentially better prepared to harness the recruitment of EPCs when [a heart attack] comes knock at the door."

"Heart attack is a potent stimulus for EPC mobilization," said Aronson, who is also affiliated with RAMBAM Medical Center. He also explained that the cells move from bone marrow to the heart to repair damaged tissue after a heart attack.

"The field of cell-based cardiac repair has struggled to find the best approach to enhance recruitment of EPCs to the heart following myocardial infarction," said Aronson. The Technion findings, he said, suggest that intermittent periods of oxygen deprivation in heart attack patients "provides a simple and powerful means to boost EPC mobilization."

"It should be further investigated if inducing intermittent hypoxia immediately after a heart attack, in patients without sleep disordered breathing, will also have such an effect," Lena Lavie said.

The researchers would like to test this possibility in animal studies, as well as expand their studies of the underlying mechanisms that activate EPCs and other vessel-building factors.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Technion Society. The original article was written by Kevin Hattori.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. S. Berger, D. Aronson, P. Lavie, L. Lavie. Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Sleep-disordered Breathing. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2012; 187 (1): 90 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201206-1144OC

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/heart_disease/~3/7UCTxOfRT5Q/130102161108.htm

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U.N. worried about reports of air strikes in Myanmar

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern on Wednesday at reports of air strikes in Myanmar's Kachin State, where a 20-month conflict between government troops and rebels has been escalating.

"(Ban) has taken serious note of the most recent reports indicating air strikes against targets in Kachin State," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said in a statement.

"While details of these reports are still emerging and being closely followed, the Secretary-General calls upon the Myanmar authorities to desist from any action that could endanger the lives of civilians living in the area or further intensify the conflict in the region," he said.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, has introduced social and economic reforms since a quasi-civilian government took power in 2011 after nearly half a century of military rule.

The changes have attracted large numbers of foreign investors and prompted the United States and European Union to ease longstanding sanctions to encourage further reform.

But ethnic conflicts continue across the Southeast Asian nation, including in Kachin State.

"The ongoing hostilities have already caused large-scale displacement of civilians who continue to be in need of humanitarian assistance," Nesirky said. "It is vital that timely access be provided for the delivery of aid to vulnerable communities." (Reporting By Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-worried-reports-air-strikes-myanmar-204659349.html

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Video: Clinton recovery continues in hospital for third night (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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House to vote: New Year's Night on the 'cliff'

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., left, with Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, enters a second Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., left, with Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, enters a second Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A Marine sentry stands guard, indicating that President Obama is working in the West Wing of the White House, as discussions regarding the fiscal cliff continue on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, center right, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., center left, walk down stairs to a second Republican conference meeting to discuss the "fiscal cliff" bill_ which was passed by the Senate Monday night_ at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., center, flanked by Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-NY, left, and Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, to discuss the fiscal cliff bill passed by the Senate last night that's waiting for a vote in the Republican-controlled House. The House Democrats met earlier with Vice President Joe Biden who has been shuttling between the White House and Capitol Hill to help negotiate a legislative path to avert the across-the-board tax increases and sweeping spending cuts that could damage the economy. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner Ohio walks to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, as legislation to negate a fiscal cliff of across-the-board tax increases and sweeping spending cuts moves to the GOP-dominated House following a bipartisan, middle-of-the-night approval in the Senate. Boehner is expected to encounter opposition from conservatives within his own party. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Maneuvered into a political corner, House Republicans abandoned demands for changes in emergency legislation to prevent widespread tax increases and painful across-the-board spending cuts and cleared the way for a final, climactic New Year's night vote.

The decision capped a day of intense political calculations for conservatives who control the House. They had to weigh their desire to cut spending against the fear that the Senate would refuse to consider any changes they made in the "fiscal cliff" bill, sending it into limbo and saddling Republicans with the blame for a whopping middle class tax increase.

Adding to the GOP discomfort, one Senate Democratic leadership aide said Majority Leader Harry Reid would "absolutely not take up the bill" if the House changed it. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity, citing a requirement to keep internal deliberations private.

The legislation cleared the Senate hours earlier on a lopsided pre-dawn vote of 89-8. Administration officials met at the White House to monitor its progress.

"I do not support the bill. We are looking, though, for the best path forward," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., declared after one meeting of the party's rank-and-file.

Despite Cantor's remarks, Speaker John Boehner took no public position on the bill as he sought to negotiate a conclusion to the final crisis of a two-year term full of them.

It wasn't the first time that the tea party-infused House Republican majority has rebelled against the party establishment since the GOP took control of the chamber 24 months ago. But with the two-year term set to end Thursday at noon, it was likely the last. And as was true in earlier cases of a threatened default and government shutdown, the brinkmanship came on a matter of economic urgency, leaving the party open to a public backlash if tax increases do take effect on tens of millions.

After intensive deliberations ? a pair of rank-and-file meetings sandwiched around a leadership session, the GOP high command had not yet settled on a course of action by early evening.

Instead, they canvassed Republicans to see if they wanted simply to vote on the Senate measure, or whether they wanted first to try and add spending cuts totaling about $300 billion over a decade. The cuts had passed the House twice earlier in the year but are opposed by most if not all Senate Democrats.

"We've gone as far as we can go," said Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga. "I think people are ready to bring this to a conclusion, and know we have a whole year ahead of us" for additional fights over spending.

The economic as well as political stakes were considerable.

Economists have warned that without action by Congress, the tax increases and spending cuts that technically took effect with the turn of the new year at midnight could send the economy into recession.

Even with enactment of the legislation, taxes are on the rise for millions.

A 2 percentage point temporary cut in the payroll tax, originally enacted two years ago to stimulate the economy, expired with the end of 2012. Neither Obama nor Republicans have made a significant effort to extend it.

The Senate-passed bill was designed to prevent that while providing for tax increases at upper incomes, as Obama campaigned for in his successful bid for a second term.

It would also prevent an expiration of extended unemployment benefits for an estimated two million jobless, block a 27 percent cut in fees for doctors who treat Medicare patients, stop a $900 pay increase for lawmakers from taking effect in March and head off a threatened spike in milk prices.

At the same time, it would stop $24 billion in spending cuts set to take effect over the next two months, although only about half of that total would be offset with spending reductions elsewhere in the budget.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said the measure would add nearly $4 trillion over a decade to federal deficits, a calculation that assumed taxes would otherwise have risen on taxpayers at all income levels. There was little or no evident concern among Republicans on that point, presumably because of their belief that tax cuts pay for themselves by expanding economic growth and do not cause deficits to rise.

The relative paucity of spending cuts was a sticking point with many House Republicans. Among other items, the extension of unemployment benefits costs $30 billion, and is not offset by savings elsewhere.

"I personally hate it," said Rep. John Campbell of California. "The speaker the day after the election said we would give on taxes and we have. But we wanted spending cuts. This bill has spending increases. Are you kidding me? So we get tax increases and spending increases? Come on."

Others said unhappiness over spending outweighed fears that the financial markets will plunge on Wednesday if the fiscal cliff hasn't been averted.

"There's a concern about the markets, but there's a bigger concern, which is getting this right, which is something we haven't been very good at over the past two years," said Rep. Steve LaTourette of Ohio.

House Democrats met privately with Biden for their review of the measure, and the party's leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, said afterward that Boehner should permit a vote.

"That is what we expect. That is what the American people deserve," she said.

For all the struggle involved in the legislation, even its passage would merely clear the way for another round of controversy almost as soon as the new Congress convenes.

With the Treasury expected to need an expansion in borrowing authority by early spring, and funding authority for most government programs set to expire in late March, Republicans have made it clear they intend to use those events as leverage with the administration to win savings from Medicare and other government benefit programs.

McConnell said as much moments before the 2 a.m. Tuesday vote in the Senate ? two hours after the advertised "cliff" deadline.

"We've taken care of the revenue side of this debate. Now it's time to get serious about reducing Washington's out-of-control spending," he said. "That's a debate the American people want. It's the debate we'll have next. And it's a debate Republicans are ready for."

The 89-8 vote in the Senate was unexpectedly lopsided.

Despite grumbling from liberals that Obama had given way too much in the bargaining, only three Democrats opposed the measure.

Among the Republican supporters were Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, an ardent opponent of tax increases, as well as Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, elected to his seat two years ago with tea party support.

It marked the first time in two decades that Republicans willingly supported higher taxes, in this case on incomes over $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for couples. Taxes also would rise on estates greater than $5 million in size, and on capital gains and dividend income made by the wealthy.

___

Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor, Larry Margasak and Julie Pace contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-01-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-92efa7ff7e674bd99e2ae769f130c8c6

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Time Machine App Transports You Back to 2012

It's 2013. By now there is a mobile app for that, this and the other thing. It's safe to say, however, that there is a brief list of feats that mobile apps will never accomplish.

There will never be an app to raise the dead. No app will ever have a recipe for spagetti sauce that tastes as good as your grandma's. And even the most innovative hacker will never be able to transport you back in time with the push of a button.

[More from Mashable: 7 Apps for Creepers]

How do we know this? Stephen Hawking said so.

If you've already come down with a bad case of 2012 nostalgia, however, there may be a cure. An iOS app called 2012 Time Machine will help you remember the year's highlights with thoughtfully curated videos.

[More from Mashable: 8 Tech Resolutions for the New Year]

The app has a growing library that currently features more than 1,000 videos from the past year broken down into 11 categories including Movies, Music, TV, Sports, Games, Tech, Events, Politics, Style, Tabloid and Viral Videos. The company that developed the app, Original Victories, also produced the extremely popular and highly rated Video Time Machine app.

Check out viral classics like "5 Peeps 1 Guitar" or discover new ones such as "The Ultimate Dog Shaming Video." For something more serious, go back through the political videos to relive all the highlights (and lowlights) of the U.S. Presidential Election.

The app is a fun discovery tool because it selects videos to play at random, whether you choose the category or hit the dice icon which will cause it to select a random category as well. When it picks a video you may have already seen, you'll get that one-of-a-kind feeling of, "Oh yeah, I remember that."

In terms of pricing, 2012 Time Machine will set you back $.99. Also, keep in mind you will need a strong broadband connection so the videos will load. Anything less than four bars and you'll probably be waiting around for them to buffer.

If you do find yourself waiting for a video to load, take a moment to consider the words of Confucius: "Study the past if you would define the future."

Which was your favorite video moment of 2012? Share it with us in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Flickr, DeLerkim. Screen shots via Original Victories Inc.

BONUS: 10 Mock Reddit Threads From the Past and Future

1. In Big Bang

Thread: "In the beginning..."

Click here to view this gallery.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/time-machine-app-transports-back-2012-101427460.html

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'YOLO,' 'fiscal cliff': 12 words that must be banned

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By Jeff Karoub, The Associated Press

Spoiler alert: This story contains words and phrases that some people want to ban from the English language. "Spoiler alert" is among them. So are "kick the can down the road," "trending" and "bucket list."?

A dirty dozen have landed on the 38th annual List of Words to be Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The nonbinding, tongue-in-cheek decree released Monday by northern Michigan's Lake Superior State University is based on nominations submitted from the United States, Canada and beyond.?

"Spoiler alert," the seemingly thoughtful way to warn readers or viewers about looming references to a key plot point in a film or TV show, nevertheless passed its use-by date for many, including Joseph Foly, of Fremont, Calif. He argued in his submission the phrase is "used as an obnoxious way to show one has trivial information and is about to use it, no matter what."?

At the risk of further offense, here's another spoiler alert: The phrase receiving the most nominations this year is "fiscal cliff," banished because of its overuse by media outlets when describing across-the-board federal tax increases and spending cuts that economists say could harm the economy in the new year without congressional action.?

"You can't turn on the news without hearing this," said Christopher Loiselle, of Midland, Mich., in his submission. "I'm equally worried about the River of Debt and Mountain of Despair."?

Other terms coming in for a literary lashing are "superfood," "guru," "job creators" and "double down."?

University spokesman Tom Pink said that in nearly four decades, the Sault Ste. Marie school has "banished" around 900 words or phrases, and somehow the whole idea has survived rapidly advancing technology and diminishing attention spans.?

Nominations used to come by mail, then fax and via the school's website, he said. Now most come through the university's Facebook page. That's fitting, since social media has helped accelerate the life cycle of certain words and phrases, such as this year's entry "YOLO" ? "you only live once."?

"The list surprises me in one way or another every year, and the same way every year: I'm always surprised how people still like it, love it," he said.?

Rounding out the list are "job creators/creation," "boneless wings" and "passion/passionate." Those who nominated the last one say they are tired of hearing about a company's "passion" as a substitute for providing a service or product for money.?

Andrew Foyle, of Bristol, England, said it's reached the point where "passion" is the only ingredient that keeps a chef from preparing "seared tuna" that tastes "like dust swept from a station platform."?

"Apparently, it's insufficient to do it ably, with skill, commitment or finesse," Foyle said. "Passionate, begone!"?

As usual, the etymological exercise ? or exorcise ? only goes so far. Past lists haven't eradicated "viral," "amazing," "LOL" or "man cave" from everyday use. ?

{"contentId":"16267122","totalVotes":"10422"}

Which word or phrase would you MOST like to see banned?

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?

YOLO	? 30.5% (3,178 votes)
Fiscal cliff	? 27.8% (2,896 votes)
Job creators/creation	? 12.1% (1,257 votes)
Trending	? 8.4% (872 votes)
Bucket list	? 4.9% (506 votes)
Kick the can down the road	? 3.6% (372 votes)
Double down	? 2.9% (307 votes)
Superfood	? 2.9% (298 votes)
Boneless wings	? 2.2% (229 votes)
Guru	? 1.8% (191 votes)
Passion/passionate	? 1.8% (189 votes)
Spoiler alert	? 1.2% (127 votes)

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/31/16267122-yolo-fiscal-cliff-12-words-that-must-be-banned?lite

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Jay-Z Is Scoring The Great Gatsby

When the first trailer for director Baz Luhrmann?s ambitious adaptation of the classic novel The Great Gatsby debuted online, many were jarred by the juxtaposition of Jay-Z and Kanye West?s ?No Church in the Wild? against the film?s period setting.? The decision to use that song in the trailer wasn?t a complete shock, as Luhrmann has shown a propensity for populating his period films with modern music. ?He had no problem mixing Shakespeare with Radiohead in?Romeo + Juliet and 1900s France with Madonna?in?Moulin Rouge!.? Now, though, it appears that Luhrmann isn?t just repurposing existing songs for The Great Gatsby, but is having Jay-Z himself provide an original score for the film.? Hit the jump for more details.

Rumors have swirled for months regarding the score and soundtrack for The Great Gatsby, with previous reports noting that Prince and Lady Gaga might be providing original songs for the film.? Yesterday, singer/songwriter/producer Jeymes Samuel of The Bullitts fame took to Twitter (via The Film Stage) to confirm that he and Jay-Z are composing the film?s score:

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No other details are known at this time, but I?m pretty excited to see what comes of this collaboration.? Luhrmann isn?t exactly known for his?subtlety?as a filmmaker, and the trailers for The Great Gatsby promise a wildly ambitious and visually arresting iteration of F. Scott Fitzgerald?s American classic.? It?s entirely possible that the whole thing may turn out to be a complete disaster, but I remain (maybe foolishly) overly optimistic.

In case you missed it, check out the latest trailer for the film below.? The Great Gatsby opens in 3D on May 10, 2013.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926568/news/1926568/

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