The two cases being taken up by the Supreme Court involve a challenge to California?s Prop. 8 ban on gay marriage and a suit from New York City testing the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
By Warren Richey,?Staff writer / December 7, 2012
In this 2008 photo, a couple holds hands as they look for a quiet spot to hold their wedding at City Hall in San Francisco. The US Supreme Court decided Friday to hear the appeal of a ruling that struck down Proposition 8, the state?s measure that banned same sex marriages.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
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The US Supreme Court announced Friday that it will take up two potential landmark gay rights cases, one testing California?s Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage and the other examining the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
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At issue is whether the measures unconstitutionally discriminate against gay and lesbian couples.
The action positions the high court at the center of a heated debate over same-sex marriage in America.
It comes roughly a month after voters in three states ? Maryland, Washington, and Maine ? agreed to authorize marriages without regard to sexual orientation. That brings to nine the number of states plus the District of Columbia that allow same-sex marriages in the US.
In contrast, 37 states have either passed constitutional amendments or enacted state statutes upholding the traditional definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
The appeals likely will be set for oral argument in March or April, with decisions by late June.
At issue in the California Prop. 8 case is whether the state-wide referendum in 2008 banning same-sex marriage violated the equal protection rights of gay and lesbian couples seeking to marry.
The appeal ? by supporters of Prop. 8 ? asks the justices to overturn decisions by a federal judge and a federal appeals court panel striking down the state-wide ballot initiative.
The ballot campaign was launched to reverse a 4-3 decision by the California Supreme Court earlier that year that the state?s constitution required recognition of same-sex marriages.
The referendum took that question directly to California voters. They decided 52 percent to 48 percent to overturn the court ruling and amend the state constitution to explicitly define marriage in California as a union of one man and one woman.
The appeals court panel ruled 2-to-1 that Prop. 8 was unconstitutional because it used a campaign of animosity against homosexuals to rescind a constitutional right that had already been granted. The ballot initiative violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, the appeals court said.
The appeal in the DOMA case, meanwhile, asks the high court to examine whether the 1996 statute is a form of unlawful discrimination against same-sex couples whose marriages were recognized as legal by their home states.
The measure received bipartisan support, passing 342 to 67 in the House of Representatives and 85 to 14 in the Senate, and was signed into law by then President Bill Clinton.
It determined that federal spousal benefits would be distributed based on Congress?s definition of marriage ? one man and one woman. Prior to that, the federal government had followed each state?s determination of who was legally married.
The legislation was passed in reaction to a state court ruling in Hawaii that suggested it might recognize a right to same-sex marriage.
DOMA defines marriage for purposes of federal benefits as a union of one man and one woman. It means that under federal law heterosexual married couples are eligible to receive some 1,100 spousal benefits that are not available to same-sex married couples. These benefits include a waiver from the estate tax, collection of Social Security survivor benefits, filing a joint tax return, and inclusion in a federal employee health-care plan, among others.
Specifically, the court said it will decide the DOMA issue via a case involving an elderly woman in New York City who is challenging a decision by the government to deny her a spousal waiver from the federal estate tax.?
Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer spent 42 years together in New York City. They first met in 1963 and got engaged to each other in 1967 ? a time when there was no recognition of same-sex marriage.
Ten years later in 1977, Ms. Spyer was diagnosed with multiple scleroris, a condition that eventually left her a paraplegic requiring 24-hour care.
In 2007, when doctors concluded that Spyer did not have much longer to live, Windsor and Spyer traveled to Canada to fulfill a shared lifelong dream. They got married.
Two years later, when Spyer passed away, Windsor sought to settle the couple?s estate. New York State recognized the marriage as valid, but under DOMA the federal government did not.
That meant that Windsor would not be entitled to claim the standard marital exemption from the federal inheritance tax. Even though she and Spyer had dedicated their lives to each other and obtained a legal marriage recognized as valid by their home state, their marriage remained invalid in the eyes of the federal government.
Windsor was forced to pay a $363,000 assessment. Had Spyer been a man, that assessment would have been $0.
Windsor sued, claiming DOMA violated her right to equal protection. A federal judge and a federal appeals court panel both agreed, ruling that DOMA violates the constitutional mandate that the government treat all citizens equally and fairly.
Windsor?s DOMA case was selected among eight appeals challenging the federal marriage law. The court took no action on the other pending appeals.
The accepted cases are Hollingsworth v. Perry (12-144) and US v. Windsor (12-307).
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's economy is finally regaining traction, official and private sector factory surveys showed on Thursday, although the recovery remains sluggish with the latter recording its 12th straight month of slowing growth.
Evidence is mounting that the economy revived in October after domestic credit curbs and poor demand from overseas markets pushed economic growth in the third quarter to its weakest rate since the depths of the global financial crisis.
The final reading for the HSBC Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 49.5 in October - just shy of the 50-point line that divides accelerating from slowing growth - from 47.9 in September. The reading was the highest since February, and deviated more than usual from the October flash, or preliminary, reading of 49.1 released last week.
"October's final PMI rose to an eight-month high, implying that China's industrial activity continues to bottom out following a modest pick-up last month," wrote HSBC economist Hongbin Qu in a statement accompanying the survey.
"This is mainly driven by the increase of new orders, thanks to the filtering-through of the earlier easing measures, while exports outlook remains challenging."
The new orders sub-index rose to 51.2 - its first time in expansionary territory since October of last year.
Earlier the October PMI reading from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that index rose to 50.2, from 49.8 in September, just below a 50.3 forecast by a Reuters poll last week and confirming a trend towards recovering growth in the world's second-largest economy.
"The continued rebounding of sub-indexes including new orders, export orders and quantity of purchases, indicates companies' de-stocking process has basically ended," said Zhang Liqun, a researcher with the Development Research Centre of the State Council, said in a statement accompanying the index.
"We expect China's economic growth will end its decline and rebound slightly in the future."
Indeed, the two surveys seem to indicate that the economy stabilized in September and began perking up in October.
BETTER FOURTH QUARTER SEEN
"The return of the PMI above 50 suggests economic momentum has indeed picked up. It indicates the effect of policy easing may have been stronger than the consensus expected," Zhiwei Zhang of Nomura wrote in a comment emailed to Reuters.
"We believe macro data will continue to surprise on the upside in coming months, as the government continues to ease policy through the period of leadership transition."
China is widely expected to see an improved fourth quarter after economic growth slowed to an annual 7.4 percent in the third quarter - putting it on track to beat the government target of full-year growth of 7.5 or above.
The private HSBC PMI captures views mainly of smaller, export-oriented firms in China's vast factory sector.
Manufacturers reported higher input costs - particularly for raw materials - but for the first time in a year were able to pass those on by raising prices, Markit Economics, which compiles the survey for HSBC, wrote in an accompanying analysis.
An employment sub-index also rose to its highest level in eight months, although overall factories continued to shed jobs. China has so far avoided the massive job losses or urban unrest feared by the ruling Communist Party, which has seen a year of political infighting as factions ready for a once-in-a-decade leadership transfer in November.
An output sub-index in the HSBC PMI also improved after a September dip, and average lead-times - a proxy for how busy factories are - lengthened.
"Survey respondents that experienced longer delivery times attributed deteriorated supplier performance to a rise in the number of orders placed to vendors," Markit wrote.
On the export front "weak demand from Europe and the U.S. was reported", it said.
After monetary loosening moves earlier in the year, credit supply in China has increased but inflation has stayed low, allowing planners to relax and hold off on further adjustments. Some expect additional moves after the 18th Party Congress in November, to present the new leadership with an economic boost.
(Additional reporting by Xiaoyi Shao; Editing by Nick Edwards and Alex Richardson)
When it comes to presidential debates ? and most other things ? Mitt Romney is a stickler for the rules. Watch for it during Monday's presidential debate.
By Josh Lederman,?Associated Press / October 22, 2012
Republican presidential candidate. Mitt Romney speaks while President Barack Obama listens during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. When it comes to debates, Mitt Romney takes on not just his opponent but the moderator.
AP Photo/David Goldman/ File
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When it comes to debates, Mitt Romney loves the rules.
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The eyes of millions of voters upon him, the Republican candidate is quick to poke holes in his rival's arguments. But he's just as ready to take the moderator to task when he believes the predetermined ground rules have been breached.
Expect more of the same Monday when he and President Barack Obama square off for the third and final time.
Romney bickered with moderator Jim Lehrer in the first presidential debate over whose turn it was to have the final say on taxes. "Jim, the president began this segment, so I think I get the last word," he said. He lodged a similar complaint in the second debate when denied one last chance to weigh in, prompting moderator Candy Crowley to interject that "it doesn't quite work like that."
"The last part, it's for the two of you to talk to one another, and it isn't quite as ordered as you think," she said.
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It is that ordered for Romney, who seems at his best and most relaxed in settings with clearly defined parameters that many others experience as overly rigid or stilted. Romney's fondness for the rules mirrors other traits that have been frequent themes throughout his personal and professional life: organization, personal discipline and meticulous attention to detail.
For voters, it offers a window into the fastidiousness and precision he would likely bring with him to the Oval Office.
"He's highly analytical, highly linear in his thinking," said Doug Gross, who chaired Romney's 2008 campaign in Iowa. "When someone steps out of line and your logic is linear, that causes dissonance in your brain."
Romney's partiality to rules in the debate setting was on display throughout the Republican primary, where he resisted efforts by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., to relax them. Gingrich, whose come-from-behind victory in South Carolina in January was fueled by robust debate performances, wanted audiences to be able to participate more freely in future debates.
Not so fast, said Romney, arguing that candidates seeking the nomination ought to be prepared for the much stricter rules imposed during general-election debates.
You might have thought Romney himself was the moderator in a debate last October when he cut off Texas Gov. Rick Perry to lay down the letter of the law.
"You get 30 seconds," Romney told his opponent. "The way the rules work here is that I get 60 seconds, and then you get 30 seconds to respond, right?"
Republican incumbent Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren are honing their campaign pitches to union workers as they scrap for every vote in Massachusetts' U.S. Senate race.
While Warren has the backing of the AFL-CIO and has appeared with union activists on the campaign trail, Brown is courting rank-and-file workers and scooping up his own endorsements, many from police organizations.
Brown is facing more than just a battle of endorsements, however.
The AFL-CIO's support of Warren brings with it a small army of campaign workers and financial support. The group has already helped flood voter mailboxes with fliers promoting Warren's candidacy.
Warren has been aggressive about courting union votes.
Last month, she accepted the backing of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts outside a fire station in the city's South Boston neighborhood.
"I know that if anything goes wrong, the firefighters of the commonwealth of Massachusetts have my back," she said. "I guarantee you if I go to Washington, I'll have their back."
Brown also has reason to hope his message to union workers is resonating.
AFL-CIO officials have acknowledged nearly half their members voted for Brown in the 2010 special election when he won the seat left vacant by the death of longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy.
Researchers report widespread Internet use by caregivers of children with shuntsPublic release date: 23-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jo Ann Eliason jaeliason@thejns.org 434-982-1209 Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group
Charlottesville, VA (October 23, 2012). When faced with disease, patients and caregivers now readily turn to the Internet for information and emotional support. This is particularly true in the case of caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Researchers at Children's of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that adults caring for children with hydrocephalus reported greater regular use of the Internet than the general population (91.7 percent compared with 74 percent). The majority of these caregivers (81.9 percent) also use the Internet to obtain information about the disease, although they are somewhat skeptical about the overall veracity of information gained from the Web and are interested in well-respected hydrocephalus-related websites (such as that of the Hydrocephalus Association) and physician-suggested sites. When it comes to social media, these caregivers prefer Facebook, YouTube, and blogs over Twitter and Myspace for both personal and hydrocephalus-related use. Full details on this study and its findings can be found in the article "Technology preferences among caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Clinical article," by neurosurgeon Robert Naftel and colleagues, published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics.
Three hundred caretakers of children with hydrocephalus filled out a questionnaire covering computer and Internet usage; hydrocephalus and shunts; social networking, blogs, and YouTube; hydrocephalus support groups; and personal information. The researchers focused on caretakers' use of the Internet and social media as well as the technological hardware involved in accessing them.
The researchers found that most caregivers in the study group (91.7 percent) use the Internet: 62.8 percent of caregivers reported using it 7 days per week and 83 percent at least 4 days per week. The Internet was mostly accessed on computers at home (rather than those at work) followed by using smart phones. Most caretakers who reported Internet use (95.1 percent) accessed some form of social media. Facebook and YouTube were the most commonly used; blogs, Twitter, and Myspace were accessed less frequently.
With respect to personal use of the Internet and related technologies, the researchers found socioeconomic disparities associated with race, income, and education. More whites than African-Americans used computers, smart phones, and the Internet; similarly, greater usage was found among persons with higher household yearly incomes and higher levels of educational achievement. The researchers found no significant differences in computer, smart phone, and Internet use when they looked at caregiver's age or geographic location (rural or urban); usage also did not differ according to the number of adults in the household.
Social media personal use, on the other hand, did not vary significantly when race, income, geographic location, or age of the caregiver was examined. Significant differences were identified when caregivers were separated according to their educational achievement. Almost all caregivers whose formal education stopped at high school graduation or earlier (99.1 percent) regularly visited social media sites. Fewer caregivers with higher education (92.1 percent) visited social media sites.
When hydrocephalus-related Internet and social media use were examined, the researchers found that the majority of caregivers who did use the Internet (81.9 percent) reported that they searched for hydrocephalus-related information online. A lower percentage of these caregivers (59.5 percent) used social media for hydrocephalus-related purposes. Most Internet-savvy caregivers found the Internet at least somewhat helpful in providing information on hydrocephalus. Despite this, the majority of caregivers (57.8 percent) expressed some skepticism about information learned online, and most (89.8 percent) expressed interest in obtaining guidance from neurosurgeons about what websites were most valuable to learn about hydrocephalus, shunt failure, and additional potential therapies.
In general, patterns of Internet and social media use paralleled personal use with respect to socioeconomic and racial disparities. Despite this, the researchers found that use of smart phones is expanding, knocking down socioeconomic and racial barriers, and granting greater access to Internet information and social media sites.
The authors were surprised by the extent of hydrocephalus-related use of the Internet by caregivers and by their healthy skepticism concerning information provided in this manner. When asked, Dr. Robert Naftel, the first author, stated that the researchers "were also surprised by the fact that social media was reversing the socioeconomic disparity found in regular Internet use for hydrocephalus" and by the "low number of participants who used the Internet and social media for online support groups," although a review of other healthcare studies showed that the number of caregivers in the present study who used the Internet and social media for emotional support was actually a bit higher than in other groups.
When asked what spurred the investigation, Dr. Robert Naftel stated, "we began noticing that parents were coming to the table with more information than ever before, and their source was the Internet. We were worried that they could be receiving misinformation and placing too much trust in false information. Therefore, to better understand our patients and their parents, we sought to find out what the current state of Internet and social media use was. We also believed that it was important for parents to have social support. With social media, people are able to form social groups and support one another. Oftentimes, parents will not ask their physician about how to find social support. Now, we can provide them with information about where to find these online support groups."
In response to the finding that caregivers are very interested in obtaining guidance on the best websites, Dr. Naftel, now at the University of Pittsburgh, explained that the Birmingham group "is currently in the process of compiling a list of recommended sites. What is important is not only having great information, but also providing a platform that is pleasing from an audiovisual standpoint and is easily navigated. The same point can be made for YouTube videos. We recently performed another study that is currently being written about the quality, reliability, and comprehensiveness of YouTube videos on hydrocephalus. There is great disparity with these videos. Additionally, there is now a Birmingham Hydrocephalus Support Group on Facebook. It seems to be an ideal platform for caregivers to interconnect and plan events. Caregivers desire guidance in finding the best information on the Internet. Neurosurgeons have an opportunity to help direct them to trustworthy information that will help them in caring for their child and provide them with the social support for which many yearn."
Valuable information on hydrocephalus has long been provided on the Internet. The authors point out that as early as 2001, hydrocephalus was considered the best-covered neurosurgery-related topic on the Web. As Internet use continues to expand, the authors encourage neurosurgeons and hospitals to provide patients and caregivers with recommendations for websites that offer credible information on hydrocephalus. They also suggest that social media be utilized to a greater extent to provide patient education and caregiver support.
###
Naftel RP, Safiano NA, Falola MI, Shannon CN, Wellons JC III, Johnston JM Jr: Technology preferences among caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Clinical article. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, published online, ahead of print, October 23, 2012; DOI: 10.3171/2012.9.PEDS12208.
Disclosure: The authors report no potential conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper.
For additional information, please contact:
Ms. Jo Ann M. Eliason, MA, ELS
Communications Manager
Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group
One Morton Drive, Suite 200
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Email: jaeliason@thejns.org
Telephone 434-982-1209
Fax 434-924-2702
The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics is a monthly peer-reviewed journal focused on diseases and disorders of the central nervous system and spine in children. This journal contains a variety of articles, including descriptions of preclinical and clinical research as well as case reports and technical notes. The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics is one of four monthly journals published by the JNS Publishing Group, the scholarly journal division of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, an association dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to promote the highest quality of patient care. The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics appears in print and on the Internet.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Researchers report widespread Internet use by caregivers of children with shuntsPublic release date: 23-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jo Ann Eliason jaeliason@thejns.org 434-982-1209 Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group
Charlottesville, VA (October 23, 2012). When faced with disease, patients and caregivers now readily turn to the Internet for information and emotional support. This is particularly true in the case of caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Researchers at Children's of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that adults caring for children with hydrocephalus reported greater regular use of the Internet than the general population (91.7 percent compared with 74 percent). The majority of these caregivers (81.9 percent) also use the Internet to obtain information about the disease, although they are somewhat skeptical about the overall veracity of information gained from the Web and are interested in well-respected hydrocephalus-related websites (such as that of the Hydrocephalus Association) and physician-suggested sites. When it comes to social media, these caregivers prefer Facebook, YouTube, and blogs over Twitter and Myspace for both personal and hydrocephalus-related use. Full details on this study and its findings can be found in the article "Technology preferences among caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Clinical article," by neurosurgeon Robert Naftel and colleagues, published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics.
Three hundred caretakers of children with hydrocephalus filled out a questionnaire covering computer and Internet usage; hydrocephalus and shunts; social networking, blogs, and YouTube; hydrocephalus support groups; and personal information. The researchers focused on caretakers' use of the Internet and social media as well as the technological hardware involved in accessing them.
The researchers found that most caregivers in the study group (91.7 percent) use the Internet: 62.8 percent of caregivers reported using it 7 days per week and 83 percent at least 4 days per week. The Internet was mostly accessed on computers at home (rather than those at work) followed by using smart phones. Most caretakers who reported Internet use (95.1 percent) accessed some form of social media. Facebook and YouTube were the most commonly used; blogs, Twitter, and Myspace were accessed less frequently.
With respect to personal use of the Internet and related technologies, the researchers found socioeconomic disparities associated with race, income, and education. More whites than African-Americans used computers, smart phones, and the Internet; similarly, greater usage was found among persons with higher household yearly incomes and higher levels of educational achievement. The researchers found no significant differences in computer, smart phone, and Internet use when they looked at caregiver's age or geographic location (rural or urban); usage also did not differ according to the number of adults in the household.
Social media personal use, on the other hand, did not vary significantly when race, income, geographic location, or age of the caregiver was examined. Significant differences were identified when caregivers were separated according to their educational achievement. Almost all caregivers whose formal education stopped at high school graduation or earlier (99.1 percent) regularly visited social media sites. Fewer caregivers with higher education (92.1 percent) visited social media sites.
When hydrocephalus-related Internet and social media use were examined, the researchers found that the majority of caregivers who did use the Internet (81.9 percent) reported that they searched for hydrocephalus-related information online. A lower percentage of these caregivers (59.5 percent) used social media for hydrocephalus-related purposes. Most Internet-savvy caregivers found the Internet at least somewhat helpful in providing information on hydrocephalus. Despite this, the majority of caregivers (57.8 percent) expressed some skepticism about information learned online, and most (89.8 percent) expressed interest in obtaining guidance from neurosurgeons about what websites were most valuable to learn about hydrocephalus, shunt failure, and additional potential therapies.
In general, patterns of Internet and social media use paralleled personal use with respect to socioeconomic and racial disparities. Despite this, the researchers found that use of smart phones is expanding, knocking down socioeconomic and racial barriers, and granting greater access to Internet information and social media sites.
The authors were surprised by the extent of hydrocephalus-related use of the Internet by caregivers and by their healthy skepticism concerning information provided in this manner. When asked, Dr. Robert Naftel, the first author, stated that the researchers "were also surprised by the fact that social media was reversing the socioeconomic disparity found in regular Internet use for hydrocephalus" and by the "low number of participants who used the Internet and social media for online support groups," although a review of other healthcare studies showed that the number of caregivers in the present study who used the Internet and social media for emotional support was actually a bit higher than in other groups.
When asked what spurred the investigation, Dr. Robert Naftel stated, "we began noticing that parents were coming to the table with more information than ever before, and their source was the Internet. We were worried that they could be receiving misinformation and placing too much trust in false information. Therefore, to better understand our patients and their parents, we sought to find out what the current state of Internet and social media use was. We also believed that it was important for parents to have social support. With social media, people are able to form social groups and support one another. Oftentimes, parents will not ask their physician about how to find social support. Now, we can provide them with information about where to find these online support groups."
In response to the finding that caregivers are very interested in obtaining guidance on the best websites, Dr. Naftel, now at the University of Pittsburgh, explained that the Birmingham group "is currently in the process of compiling a list of recommended sites. What is important is not only having great information, but also providing a platform that is pleasing from an audiovisual standpoint and is easily navigated. The same point can be made for YouTube videos. We recently performed another study that is currently being written about the quality, reliability, and comprehensiveness of YouTube videos on hydrocephalus. There is great disparity with these videos. Additionally, there is now a Birmingham Hydrocephalus Support Group on Facebook. It seems to be an ideal platform for caregivers to interconnect and plan events. Caregivers desire guidance in finding the best information on the Internet. Neurosurgeons have an opportunity to help direct them to trustworthy information that will help them in caring for their child and provide them with the social support for which many yearn."
Valuable information on hydrocephalus has long been provided on the Internet. The authors point out that as early as 2001, hydrocephalus was considered the best-covered neurosurgery-related topic on the Web. As Internet use continues to expand, the authors encourage neurosurgeons and hospitals to provide patients and caregivers with recommendations for websites that offer credible information on hydrocephalus. They also suggest that social media be utilized to a greater extent to provide patient education and caregiver support.
###
Naftel RP, Safiano NA, Falola MI, Shannon CN, Wellons JC III, Johnston JM Jr: Technology preferences among caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Clinical article. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, published online, ahead of print, October 23, 2012; DOI: 10.3171/2012.9.PEDS12208.
Disclosure: The authors report no potential conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper.
For additional information, please contact:
Ms. Jo Ann M. Eliason, MA, ELS
Communications Manager
Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group
One Morton Drive, Suite 200
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Email: jaeliason@thejns.org
Telephone 434-982-1209
Fax 434-924-2702
The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics is a monthly peer-reviewed journal focused on diseases and disorders of the central nervous system and spine in children. This journal contains a variety of articles, including descriptions of preclinical and clinical research as well as case reports and technical notes. The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics is one of four monthly journals published by the JNS Publishing Group, the scholarly journal division of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, an association dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to promote the highest quality of patient care. The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics appears in print and on the Internet.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
TOKYO (AP) ? Japan's trade deficit widened in September as exports plunged 10.3 percent from a year earlier, weighed down by Europe's debt crisis and a surge in antagonisms with China that have damaged close economic ties.
The deficit for the month was 558.6 billion yen ($7.2 billion), the Finance Ministry said Monday, higher than the forecasts of many analysts and bigger than a deficit of about $3.7 billion a year earlier. The deficit in August was $9.6 billion.
The world's third-largest economy is "leveling off," central bank governor Masaaki Shirakawa told a quarterly meeting of the bank's regional managers. He warned that the risk of shocks to the financial system from the debt crisis in Europe remains high and slowing global growth is hitting manufacturing and exports.
With the risk of recession rising, the Bank of Japan needs to convince markets that it will do anything necessary to pull the economy out of its two-decade old malaise, said Matthew Circosta, an economist with Moody's Analytics in Sydney, Australia.
Instead of sporadic monetary easing, "they need to make it sustained and powerful," he said. "They've just got to be more aggressive than they are now."
Many expect the central bank to opt for further easing soon, perhaps as early as the next board meeting, on Oct. 30.
September's exports totaled 5.4 trillion yen ($68.7 billion). Imports rose 4 percent from a year earlier to 5.9 trillion yen ($75.9 billion), inflated by additional imports of oil and other fuels for power generation as most nuclear reactors remain offline in the aftermath of last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster.
So far, Japan's trade deficit for 2012, according to the ministry's provisional figures, is about 4.73 trillion yen ($60.6 billion).
The ministry figures show exports to all regions falling, apart from a meager 0.4 percent year-on-year gain in shipments to North America. Exports to crisis-stricken Europe plummeted 26 percent.
A territorial dispute with China that sparked anti-Japanese riots in September took a heavy toll, with exports to China sinking 14 percent from a year earlier to 953.4 billion yen ($12.2 billion). Imports from China climbed 3.8 percent to 1.28 trillion yen ($16.4 billion).
The rise in antagonisms over disputed islands in the East China Sea has been especially hard on the auto industry. Auto exports fell 15 percent in September from the year before
The strong Japanese yen has hurt the country's export competitiveness, while demand has evaporated as growth slowed in most regions. Exports of consumer electronics, a mainstay, fell by double-digit figures from a year earlier.
Resource-scarce Japan is almost entirely dependent on imported fuel, and it has long relied on robust exports of high-value consumer goods and industrial products such as machine tools to help counter the cost of importing its energy needs.
With most of the country's nuclear plants shut down, manufacturers and utilities have increased their reliance on traditional energy sources such as oil and gas, while stepping up conservation and investments in renewable energy.
Boosted partly by higher prices, imports of fuels jumped 18 percent in September from a year earlier to 2.15 trillion yen ($27.6 billion), accounting for more than a third of Japan's total imports.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? Burglars have struck a Philadelphia house two weeks in a row, first stealing all the food in the family's refrigerator, then snatching their puppy.
Rachel Schortye tells WCAU-TV (http://bit.ly/TKmNcT ) that the latest theft happened late Saturday or early Sunday. She says the burglars took their 52-inch flat-screen TV, winter clothes and party favors for her 8-year-old son's upcoming birthday party.
Schortye says the thieves also took her 3-month-old puppy Miss Piggy from her cage. She says they entered the home through a screen on her porch.
The burglars first struck Oct. 15. Schortye says they entered through the unlocked front door and emptied the family's fridge.
Police say similar burglaries have been reported in the same neighborhood.
Schortye says she doesn't have the money to replace all that was stolen.
All Critics (183) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (174) | Rotten (9)
'Argo' is one of the best movies of the year.
Argo has that solid, kick-the-tires feel of those studio films from the 70s that were about something but also entertained. Only it's as laugh outright amusing as it is sobering.
The movieland satire is laid on thick, but it's also deadly accurate. Schlock has never seemed so patriotic, and Arkin and Goodman have rarely been so good.
Argo is a rollicking yarn, easily the most cohesive and technically accomplished of Affleck's three films so far, but a part of me wishes the director hadn't cast himself in the lead role.
If nothing else, it proves that every so often, the CIA can pull something off - and that yes, Canadians are just about the nicest people on the planet.
The film is a whopper of a tale, one designed for Oscar nominations, Best Picture and Best Director among them.
It's okay to take a few liberties in the name of a good story
A funny trip to Hollywood and gripping escape from Tehran.
The scenes involving Goodman and Arkin are ribald and laugh-out-loud funny. You couldn't ask for two more expert actors to play these jaded movie veterans.
If there's one lesson to be gleaned from director Ben Affleck's relentlessly tense, painstakingly detailed Argo, it's that we should consider the possibility that our history has been manipulated more than many of us would care to admit.
Argo smacks of being another dreary Oscar contender but in actuality it's destined to be one of the fall's most purely enjoyable films.
Ar-go see them in action.
... a crackling good suspense thriller ...
I was literally in tears for parts of Argo, a purely physical reaction, not an emotional one, to deal with the tension... That isn't only some serious movie magic, it's a downright master class in suspense filmmaking from director Ben Affleck.
Under its own terms as an upscale mainstream thriller, it's a total success. This is classy moviemaking, from its well-observed performances to immaculate eye for period detail.
a crackerjack based-on-a-true story thriller that finally allows actor/director Ben Affleck to demonstrate his behind-the-camera muscles in a location other than his native Boston
Successfully manages to be respectful about the turbulent events and function as an exciting Hollywood spy thriller.
As the suspense intensifies, it becomes increasingly obvious that many of these suspense-laden plot points are simply made up. The story turns into a standard Hollywood formula and it loses credibility because of that.
Argo feels like a proper old-fashioned 70s thriller, the kind Alan J Pakula used to make: taut and lean, but with dialogue to die for, plus character and attitude to spare.
Impeccably directed, superbly written and brilliantly acted, this is a terrifically entertaining thriller that gets everything right and confirms Ben Affleck as a major directing talent.
For a story about out-of-the-box thinking and high-risk heroism, Argo plays it surprisingly safe.
This is a film that runs the gamut from grim to absurd.
Combining laughs and thrills with plenty of verve, Ben Affleck continues his smart directorial career with a stylish, gripping hostage drama.
Argo is tense, affective and not just Affleck's best film but one of the best films of the year.
New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma runs off the field after the coin flip before an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma runs off the field after the coin flip before an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tiquan Underwood (11) celebrates with teammates tackle Demar Dotson (69) and wide receiver Mike Williams after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/ Phelan Ebenhack)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Ronde Barber (20) runs with the ball after intercepting a pass from New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees during the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/ Phelan Ebenhack)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marques Colston (12) dives past the marker after getting past Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Mark Barron (24) and outside linebacker Quincy Black (58) to score on a 17-yard touchdown reception during the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. Saint's Darren Sproles, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma (51) bends over in front a loose football during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/ Phelan Ebenhack)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? A chipper Jonathan Vilma gave New Orleans' struggling defense an emotional lift, while Drew Brees did the rest for the suddenly resurgent Saints.
Vilma played for the first time while appealing a season-long suspension for his role in the Saints' bounty program Sunday, finishing with one quarterback hit but no tackles in a 35-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"It's awesome to have him back," receiver Lance Moore said. "To go through the things that he's gone through individually, then to just kind of break through and get a chance to get out there, be with his teammates ? he spoke to us last night, got us all fired up, and we had to come out here and play well."
While it's debatable how much Vilma's play impacted the defense, the Saints stopped two threats near the end zone in the second half, including the final drive of the game to preserve New Orleans' second straight win.
Brees, meanwhile, continued the stellar play the Saints (2-4) are counting on getting from him to turn their season around following an 0-4 start.
Brees extended his NFL record for consecutive games with at least one TD pass to 49, while leading long scoring drives on four straight possessions to turn a 14-point deficit into a 28-21 halftime lead.
Vilma was very business-like, answering questions while getting dressed in the New Orleans locker room. He said he wasn't sure how many snaps he played, but that he felt fine and believed he was in good enough condition to play an entire game.
The veteran linebacker said he had always believed he'd get an opportunity to play this season.
"Most people didn't, but it was a long, drawn-out process, and for good or bad, it ended up this way and I was able to be back on the field with my teammates. That was a great feeling," Vilma said.
"I talked to the team last night. I don't really want to get into it," Vilma added. "I think my talk, hopefully it worked since we won today."
The Saints (2-4) barely had the ball in the third quarter, but took advantage of Tampa Bay's inability to get into the end zone when Brees put together a 12-play, 95-yard march that Pierre Thomas finished with a 5-yard TD run that made it 35-21 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game.
Brees threw TD passes of 17 yards to Marques Colston, 9 yards to Darren Sproles, 48 yards to Joseph Morgan and 20 yards to David Thomas to overcome the New Orleans defense yielding 513 yards. He has thrown for three or more touchdowns in five of six games this season.
"We want to get on a streak here. You've got to win more than one before you're on a streak," Brees said. "So now we've got two, and we want to keep that going."
Josh Freeman threw for a career-high 420 yards and three touchdowns for the Bucs (2-4), who scored on their first three possessions of the game to build a 21-7 lead. Dallas Clark's 3-yard scoring reception trimmed Tampa Bay's deficit to 35-28 with four minutes left, and Freeman completed two passes to Vincent Jackson to help the Bucs get into position to possibly force overtime.
Jackson had seven receptions for 216 yards, but failed to score on a 95-yard play in which safety Malcolm Jenkins ran him down to make the tackle at the Tampa Bay 1. LeGarrette Blount was stopped for no gain on three straight runs, then Freeman lost 4 yards on a quarterback keeper on fourth down.
Brees launched the Saints' final scoring drive from there. He also led TD drives of 80, 80, 79 and 72 on consecutive possessions in the opening half.
Vilma pressured Freeman on an incompletion that was nearly intercepted by Roman Harper, and got his hands on another pass that he tipped first with his right hand and then his left before it fell incomplete.
"Having him back just, emotionally, really made a difference in this game," interim Saints coach Aaron Kromer said. "We were trying to get him in in certain packages, and we had a couple of linebackers go down early in the game."
Brees said Vilma's presence made a difference.
"You could just feel how grateful he was (for) just the opportunity to get out there again, but also, just the intensity. He's just one of those guys, very vocal. He obviously knows guys very well, they know him, so his ability to say certain things at the right time and just provide a lift, whether it be just his productivity on the field or making a play, or something he would say, that presence was definitely felt this week," Brees said.
Down a touchdown and out of timeouts, Freeman marched the Bucs from his own 19 to the New Orleans 9 in the final two minutes. He threw incomplete for Jackson, who came down with the ball out of the end zone on third down. On the game's final play, Freeman rolled to his left to find Mike Williams open in the corner of the end zone.
But the receiver had been pushed out of the back of the end zone before coming back into the field of play. So, what appeared to be a possible tying catch was nullified for illegal touching.
"I thought we had the game tied. I see the flag down, think it's a pass interference call or something. They say it's illegal touching," Williams said. "A swing of emotions. He gave me a little push. I have to be strong enough to stay inbounds."
Freeman threw TD passes of 13 yards to Tiquan Underwood and 17 yards to Jackson in the first half. Doug Martin scored on a 36-yard run for Tampa Bay.
NOTES: Lance Moore had nine receptions for 121 yards for the Saints, which finished with 458 yards total offense. ... Tampa Bay's 513 yards total offense was a season-high. ... It was Kromer's last game as interim coach. Assistant head coach Joe Vitt returns from his suspension this week and will lead the Saints in Sean Payton's absence the rest of the season.
___
Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
CHICAGO (AP) ? When it comes to the birds and the bees, some parents may want to have that talk with their boys a little sooner than they expected.
Researchers have found signs of puberty in American boys up to two years earlier than previously reported ? age 9 on average for blacks, 10 for whites and Hispanics. Other studies have suggested that girls, too, are entering puberty younger.
Why is this happening? Theories range from higher levels of obesity and inactivity to chemicals in food and water, all of which might interfere with normal hormone production. But those are just theories, and they remain unproven.
Doctors say earlier puberty is not necessarily cause for concern. And some experts question whether the trend is even real.
Dr. William Adelman, an adolescent medicine specialist in the Baltimore area, says the new research is the first to find early, strong physical evidence that boys are maturing earlier. But he added that the study still isn't proof and said it raises a lot of questions.
Earlier research based on 20-year-old national data also suggested a trend toward early puberty in boys, but it was based on less rigorous information. The new study involved testes measurements in more than 4,000 boys. Enlargement of testes is generally the earliest sign of puberty in boys.
The study was published online Saturday in Pediatrics to coincide with the American Academy of Pediatrics' national conference in New Orleans.
Dr. Neerav Desai, an adolescent medicine specialist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, said he's seen a subtle trend toward slightly earlier puberty in boys. He said it's important for parents and doctors to be aware so they can help children emotionally prepare for the changes that come with puberty.
Doctors generally consider puberty early if it begins before age 8 in girls and before age 9 in boys.
Boys are more likely than girls to have an underlying physical cause for early puberty. But it's likely that most, if not all, of the boys in the study were free of any conditions that might explain the results, said lead author Marcia Herman-Giddens, a researcher at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Problems such as thyroid abnormalities and brain tumors have been linked to early puberty. But boys with chronic medical conditions or who were using medicines that could affect puberty were excluded from the research.
In girls, early puberty has been linked with increased chances for developing breast cancer, but whether it poses health risks for boys is uncertain. Some scientists think early testes development may increase the risk for testicular cancer, but a recent research analysis found no such link.
"If it's true that boys are starting puberty younger, it's not clear that means anything negative or has any implications for long-term," said Adelman, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' committee on adolescence.
For the new study, researchers recruited pediatricians in 41 states who participate in the academy's office-based research network. Doctors asked parents and boys aged 6 to 16 to take part during regular checkups. The visits took place between 2005 and 2010.
Half of the boys were white. The rest were almost evenly divided among blacks and Hispanics.
On average, white boys started puberty at age 10, a year and a half earlier than what has long been considered the normal average. For black boys, the average age of 9 was about two years earlier than in previous research. Among Hispanics, age 10 was similar to previous research that only involved Mexican-American boys. The new study included boys from other Hispanic backgrounds.
Testes enlargement was seen at age 6 in 9 percent of white boys, almost 20 percent of blacks and 7 percent of Hispanics.
Pubic hair growth, another early sign of puberty, started about a year after testes enlargement in all groups but still earlier than previously thought.
In girls, breast development is the first sign, and recent research suggested that it starts at age 7 in about 10 percent of white girls, 23 percent of blacks and 15 percent of Hispanics. That's substantially higher than rates reported more than a decade ago.
But some experts have questioned methods used in studies in girls, noting that the age when girls start menstruating has not changed much and remains around age 12 on average.
Dr. Dianne Deplewski, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Chicago, has not seen any increase in boys referred to her for signs of early puberty. She said it's possible that the new study results were skewed by families who brought their boys to the doctor because they already had concerns about their health.
The study had other limitations. Testes were measured just once, and doctors weren't randomly recruited but volunteered to participate. That means it's possible that those with early maturing patients were overly represented, but Herman-Giddens said it's unlikely boys in the study were different from those in the general U.S. population.
She said the research methods weren't perfect but that they're the best to date. She also stressed that the results shouldn't be used to establish a "new normal" for the start of puberty in boys.
"Just because this is happening doesn't mean this is normal or healthy," the researcher said.
___
Online:
Pediatrics: http://www.pediatrics.org
Puberty: http://tinyurl.com/7mmntdz
___
AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner
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An alleged counterfeit condiment operation blew its cover, literally, when exploding bottles of repackaged Heinz ketchup became hard to ignore for the other tenants of a New Jersey warehouse.
Preliminary investigations from Heinz officials show that the Dover, N.J., operation had a simple ploy in mind: Purchase bulk quantities of traditional Heinz ketchup, transfer the sauce via large bladders into individual containers labeled "Simply Heinz," one of the company's premium recipes, then shunt the result off to unwitting consumers at a cushy markup.
The backers of the ill-fated ketchup syndicate have not yet been identified, but there's another mystery beneath the lurid headlines: Why did the bottles, which allegedly contained an ordinary, shelf-stable Heinz variety, begin to explode in the first place? What's keeping an average person at a diner counter from becoming the next victim of a spontaneous ketchup detonation?
It's not yet known whether the ketchup schemers adulterated the traditional Heinz recipe with contaminating additives or fillers, but even if they didn't, the simple act of moving the condiment from one container to another would likely have been enough to lay the groundwork for explosions, according to Rutgers University food chemist Thomas Hartman. [Stuck Ketchup Problem Solved by MIT Engineers]
"When you get expansion and containers blowing up like that, a lot of the time it's from gas buildup within the container, and that's usually a red flag for microbial growth," said Hartman. "By transferring the ketchup from one container to another, they could have breached the [containers'] sterility."
The reason you're unlikely to hear about unopened ketchup bottles blowing up on pantry or supermarket shelves, even if they've been there for years, is because the product has been heated in the factory to kill microbes before being packaged. When the seal is breached, carb-hungry microbes can move in and start building pressure inside a bottle as they convert their feast into gas.??
Refrigerating ketchup stifles microbial growth after the bottle has been opened, but unrefrigerated bottles of ketchup are a common sight at restaurants and in the homes of people who don't like cold ketchup on hot fries. So why don't these bottles explode like the ones in New Jersey??
In the right conditions, especially unusually warm ones, they could. But Hartman says ketchup explosions are not normal occurrences in diners and homes partly because the bottles are opened frequently, so pressure doesn't have a chance to build up.
It's not clear how long the exploding ketchup bottles were left sealed in New Jersey, but Heinz investigators say the site of the operation appeared to have been abandoned before the project came to fruition. And if the thousands of phony bottles had been exposed to elevated temperatures while they sat in the warehouse unattended, microbes would have been given a boost in overcoming ketchup's growth-retarding acidity.?
A Heinz spokeswoman told ABC News that the company has no reason to believe any of the counterfeit ketchup reached market, but if New Jersey grocers start reporting ketchup eruptions, science will point back to a warehouse in Dover.
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ScienceDaily (Oct. 20, 2012) ? A study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has documented that boys in the U.S. are experiencing the onset of puberty six months to two years earlier than reported in previous research.
The study, "Secondary Sexual Characteristics in Boys: Data from the Pediatric Research in Office Settings Network," will be published in the November 2012 Pediatrics and published online Oct. 20 to coincide with the AAP National Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans. The trend toward earlier onset of puberty in girls is now generally accepted and supported by extensive research. Until now, little research was available on the age of onset of puberty in boys in contemporary times.
The study was designed and conducted through the AAP Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) practice-based research network, a system of hundreds of pediatricians nationwide who contribute data to AAP-led scientific studies on children's health. A 1997 PROS study was the first large study to document earlier pubertal onset in US girls. For the study of pubertal characteristics in boys, 212 practitioners in 144 pediatric offices in 41 states recorded information on more than 4,100 boys.
This new research found that the observed mean ages of stage 2 genital and pubic hair growth, and early testicular enlargement -- standard indications of pubertal onset -- were six months to two years earlier than documented by data several decades earlier. Pediatricians recorded the earliest stage of puberty as occurring in non-Hispanic white boys at age 10.14 years; in non-Hispanic African-American boy at age 9.14 years, and in Hispanic boys at age 10.4.
Overall, African-American boys were more likely to start puberty earlier than white or Hispanic boys. Study authors say the causes and public health implications of an apparent shift toward a lower age of puberty onset for boys is unclear and warrants further research.
"Contemporary data on the ages of pubertal characteristics in U.S. boys from onset to maturity, lacking until now, are needed by pediatricians, public health scientists, and parents," said study author Marcia E. Herman-Giddens, DrPH. "Following changes in growth and development is an important part of assessing the health of the nation's children. I am grateful to the pediatricians and the boys who participated in this exciting study."
"All parents need to know whether their sons are maturing within the contemporary age range, but, until now, this has not been known for U.S. boys," said PROS Director Richard C. Wasserman, MD, MPH, FAAP. "The PROS study provides 21st century standards."
"The landmark PROS study of the 1990s provided contemporary data for girls' puberty," Dr. Wasserman said. "A study on boys puberty was a logical follow-up. Our pediatric endocrinologist colleagues now use the PROS puberty assessment training materials in their own studies and fellowship training."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Academy of Pediatrics, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Marcia E. Herman-Giddens, Jennifer Steffes, Donna Harris, Eric Slora, Michael Hussey, Steven A. Dowshen, Richard Wasserman, Janet R. Serwint, Lynn Smitherman, and Edward O. Reiter. Secondary Sexual Characteristics in Boys: Data From the Pediatric Research in Office Settings Network. Pediatrics, October 20, 2012 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2011-3291
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.
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Public release date: 23-Oct-2012
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