MedWorm: Economic Slowdown

With Uncle Sam's Help, Americans Return to the Farm

News stories via the Rural Assistance Center — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

MSNBC article tells how fueled by an economic downturn that has curtailed the upward mobility of many corporate jobs, general dissatisfaction with suburban stresses and growing discontent with what they see as the ills of industrialized agriculture, thousands of families across the United States have left suburban cul de sacs and headed to the countryside - forging a new demographic of family farmer. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

South Africa: HIV-Related Deaths Slow Economy

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:21:40 +0100

IPS (Johannesburg)-If there was no HIV/AIDS, South Africa would have 4.4 million more people than today, the size of a major city. This significant slow-down in population growth is causing a slow down in economic growth and resulting in social ills, researchers warn. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: HIV-Related Deaths Slow Economy

IPS Inter Press Service - HIV/AIDS — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:17:00 +0100

If there was no HIV/AIDS, South Africa would have 4.4 million more people than today, the size of a major city. This significant slow-down in population growth is causing a slow down in economic growth and resulting in social ills, researchers warn. (Source: IPS Inter Press Service - HIV/AIDS)

Toppling Off the Work-Life Balance Beam

Psychology Today Depression Center — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:44:57 +0100

While the term 'work-life balance' is just a construct, there are things we can do to remain in alignment with our belief systems.read more (Source: Psychology Today Depression Center)

Follow Your Bliss in an Economic Downturn

Psychology Today Work Center — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:24:35 +0100

Do you love what you do? Most Americans don’t. According to CareerFinders.com, four out of five Americans do not have their ideal jobs. It’s not always easy to do what you love for a career, but it’s definitely possible. read more (Source: Psychology Today Work Center)

Community Health Centers Struggle to Meet Demand from Poor and Uninsured Patients

News stories via the Rural Assistance Center — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:59:50 +0100

Courier-Journal, (KY) article reports that as the nations economic slump continues, growing numbers of uninsured patients are straining community health facilities. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

EDUCATION: Breezing Along with the RML -Wed. January 18, 2012 10:00 Mountain Time, 11:00 Central Time

Midcontinental Region News — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:54:13 +0100

Our first monthly update in 2012 from the MidContinental Region… 1) Join Jean Shipman, Director of the MidContinental Region and NLM Training Center, NNLM, as she guides an exploration and discussion into potential futures for health sciences librarians and thus libraries. Just what will we be doing in 2022 and how will we get there? What changes are on the horizon and how can we continue to adapt to or shape our future? Curious minds want to know! AND 2) The economy may be in a downturn, but your RML is still offering financial opportunities to improve your service and show your value. Claire Hamasu, Associate Director, will describe these opportunities and answer your questions. You have 4 months left to apply! URL: https://webmeeting.nih.gov/mcr/ Equipment: connec...

Why are wealthy consumers less likely to buy luxuries during a recession?

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Chicago Press Journals) During an economic downturn, even people who are not directly affected spend less on goods and services that signal social status, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Impact of the Economic Downturn on Nursing SchoolsImpact of the Economic Downturn on Nursing Schools

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:00:00 +0100

How much and in what ways does the overall economy really impact nursing education? Nursing Economics (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Advances And Progress In Drug Design - Discover The Latest Developments 20-21 February 2012, Copthorne Tara Hotel, London

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

The number of pharmaceutical products entering the market has declined in the last decade. With the economic downturn and increasing threat from generic companies, pharmaceutical companies have never been under greater pressure to develop new innovative drugs. Many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are now searching for effective strategies to improve hit-to-lead conversion and to identify unsuccessful compounds early in the development process. SMi's Drug Design Conference will aim to address many of the challenging issues faced by the pharmaceutical industry in drug design... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Health Spending Held Down by Recession

NYT — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:04:58 +0100

The economic downturn reined in the growth of health spending as many people lost jobs, income and health insurance, the government said in a report. (Source: NYT)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

The Global Financial Crisis Has Led To A Slowdown In Growth Of Funding To Improve Health In Many Developing Countries [Web First]

Health Affairs — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

How has funding to developing countries for health improvement changed in the wake of the global financial crisis? The question is vital for policy making, planning, and advocacy purposes in donor and recipient countries alike. We measured the total amount of financial and in-kind assistance that flowed from both public and private channels to improve health in developing countries during the period 1990–2011. The data for the years 1990–2009 reflect disbursements, while the numbers for 2010 and 2011 are preliminary estimates. Development assistance for health continued to grow in 2011, but the rate of growth was low. We estimate that assistance for health grew by 4 percent each year from 2009 to 2011, reaching a total of $27.73 billion. This growth was largely driven by t...

Jobless Tap Disability Fund

WSJ.com: Health — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:18:36 +0100

The prolonged economic slump has fueled a surge in applications for Social Security disability benefits, with many desperate Americans seeking refuge in the program as a last resort after their unemployment insurance and savings run out. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Spending growth for physician services rebounding

American Medical News - BUSINESS — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:13:23 +0100

Health care spending dampened during the economic downturn, but a report suggests that demand for care is on the upswing. (Source: American Medical News - BUSINESS)

Improvements in nation's health stalled after years of progress

American Medical News - HEALTH — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Economic downturn and rising rates of diabetes and obesity contributed to the halted progress, officials say. (Source: American Medical News - HEALTH)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Spending growth for physician services rebounding

American Medical News - BUSINESS — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:07:14 +0100

Health care spending dampened during the economic downturn, but a report suggests that demand for care is on the upswing. (Source: American Medical News - BUSINESS)

The Global Financial Crisis Has Led To A Slowdown In Growth Of Funding To Improve Health In Many Developing Countries [Web First]

Health Affairs — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Deaths from malaria fall but funding woes loom: WHO

Reuters: Health — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:29:15 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Deaths from malaria have fallen dramatically in the past decade thanks to increased aid giving more people access to nets and medicines, but the economic slowdown could curb future progress, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Nonprofits Add Jobs in Maryland Despite Economic Downturn

Public Health News Headlines from Johns Hopkins — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:23:28 +0100

(Source: Public Health News Headlines from Johns Hopkins)

Deaths from malaria fall, but funding woes loom: WHO

Reuters: Health — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:27:04 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Malaria deaths have fallen dramatically in the past decade thanks to increased aid allowing more people access to nets and medicines, but the economic slowdown threatens to curb future progress, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Study: Child abuse on decline in U.S.

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:43:21 +0100

Fears that the economic downturn would lead to more abused children seem largely unfounded, new study says (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Older Californians with disabilities struggle to remain at home as public programs lose funding

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0100

California's low-income seniors with disabilities are struggling to remain in their homes as public funding for long-term care services shrinks and may be slashed even further, according to a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research conducted with support from The SCAN Foundation. Should as much as $100 million in additional cuts be made to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) on Dec. 15, as proposed by the state Legislature, seniors with disabilities will lose crucial support systems that allow them to remain safely in their homes and out of nursing homes. This vulnerable group could face a 20 percent loss in the number of paid caregiver hours they receive, on top of cuts already enacted earlier this year. "California was once a national model for long-term care...

Giant pandas touch down in Edinburgh

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:09:51 +0100

Celebrity welcome for Tian Tian and Yang Guang, on 10-year loan from China for genetics and cognition researchWith all the trappings of A-list celebrity, giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang touched down at Edinburgh airport on Sunday precisely on schedule, to an eerily auspicious dusting of snow over their new home.They flew in on a private Boeing 777 airliner complete with customised "Panda Express" livery; a bespoke cuisine of bamboo, apples, carrots and specially prepared "panda cake"; and private suites of Perspex and steel.As their personalised crates were slowly lowered on to the tarmac by freight ramps, under the gaze of the world's media and the bitterly cold, dour winter skies of Edinburgh, Tian Tian and Yang Guang could be seen slowly ambling around like musicians limbering up ...

Tumbling Testosterone

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:08:47 +0100

What do you think makes you or your partner (or will in the future) a better dad? Dipping testosterone? The desire to be more central in raising your children? Or, an economic downturn that forces men to become stay-at-home fathers? Primary Topic: Behavioral Economics read more (Source: Psychology Today Parenting Center)

Institutional Management of Core Facilities during Challenging Financial Times.

Journal of Biomolecular Techniques : JBT — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Haley R Abstract The economic downturn is likely to have lasting effects on institutions of higher education, prioritizing proactive institutional leadership and planning. Although by design, core research facilities are more efficient and effective than supporting individual pieces of research equipment, cores can have significant underlying financial requirements and challenges. This paper explores several possible institutional approaches to managing core facilities during challenging financial times. PMID: 22131887 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Biomolecular Techniques : JBT)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

The impact of the economy and recessions on the marketplace demand for ophthalmologists (an american ophthalmological society thesis).

Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Over a 26-year period, HWI data suggest an increased need for subspecialists and academic ophthalmologists. The ophthalmic community has been quick to respond to marketplace demand. National research expenditure, stock market gains, GDP, and discretionary health care expenditure have been associated with the ophthalmology job market. These factors tend to decline with economic recessions. Historically, the demand for ophthalmologists has declined 2 to 3 years following a recession, which may mean lower demand in the near future, given the recent recession. PMID: 22253483 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society)

Results of the 2011 AORN Salary and Compensation Survey

AORN Journal — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:06:36 +0100

Abstract: AORN conducted its ninth annual compensation survey for perioperative nurses in June and July 2011. A multiple regression model was used to examine how a number of variables, including job title, education level, certification, experience, and geographic region, affect nurse compensation. Comparisons between the 2011 data and data from previous years are presented. The effects of other forms of compensation, such as on-call compensation, overtime, bonuses, and shift differentials, on base compensation rates also are examined. Additional analyses explore the effect of the current economic downturn on the perioperative work environment. (Source: AORN Journal)

Physician visits by privately insured patients decline 17%

American Medical News — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Researchers say consumers are reacting to the economic downturn, but that the trend could persist after the economy recovers. (Source: American Medical News)

David Cameron, we have a few questions for you…

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:01:02 +0100

From Piers Morgan to Polly Toynbee, Jemima Khan to Jarvis Cocker – David Cameron takes questions from public figures who want answersHear what the PM has to say in our audio interactiveDavid Mitchell, comedianDo you wish you were less posh?"[Laughs] No. You can't change who you are. For a long time I thought my full name was 'The Old Etonian David Cameron'. I had parents who gave me a wonderful start in life, who sacrificed a lot to give me a great education. So I don't ever want to change – I don't want to drop my accent or change my vowels. I am who I am."Piers Morgan, TV presenterIf you could relive one moment in your life, excluding births of children and marriage, what would it be?"God, that's a really good question. Piers, why don't you ever ask really good questions li...

Marketing Directly to Patients

Seminars in Orthodontics — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:13:29 +0100

In the present difficult economic environment, branding, marketing, and visibility in one's community is every bit as important as excellent diagnosis and orthodontic treatment. The practice that can consistently attract new patients without heavily relying on referrals from other dental professionals has a distinct advantage. In this article, the authors outline several attributes found in successful practices that are growing despite the recent economic downturn. Practices that are able to internalize and implement these strategies will see increased new patient flow, be less susceptible to the vagaries of the economy, and have the peace of mind that comes from proactively creating new patient flow rather than leaving it to chance. (Source: Seminars in Orthodontics)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Economic Woes One Way to Curb Health Spending

RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The economic slump has put the brakes on health spending, which may bolster a conservative truism: When consumers become more sensitive to the cost of health care, they cut back. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality)

Home foreclosure and risk of psychiatric morbidity during the recent financial crisis.

Psychological Medicine — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first prospective evidence linking foreclosure to the onset of mental health problems. These results, combined with the high rate of home foreclosure since 2008, suggest that the foreclosure crisis may have adverse effects on the mental health of the US population. PMID: 22099861 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Psychological Medicine)

Letters: The right words to shift perceptions of financial matters

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:00:04 +0100

The almost universal use of the terms "firepower" and "firewalls" in reporting on the financial crisis is odd and strangely revealing (Pressure on Germany to allow ECB to stop the rot, 8 November). Originally "firewalls" were used to combat forest fires, ie a destructive power in Nature, but now the image reminds us of computer programs that combat a malign human agency, albeit in the form of a "virus" and thus, once again, mysteriously, a threat of Nature. In the military analogy of "firepower", the enemy is human, but we all know that human enemies are more comfortably annihilated when they have first been demonised and thus deprived of their humanity.The implication is that, from the perspective of us kindly, ordinary people protected only by our pensions and savings, those wicked marke...

A Report on the Current Status of Grand Rounds in Radiology Residency Programs in the United States

Academic Radiology — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:13:05 +0100

Conclusions: GR programs among radiology residencies tend to have similar formats involving invited speakers, although the frequency, types of talks, and honoraria may vary slightly. Most programs value GR, and all programs integrate GR within resident education to some degree. The recent economic downturn has led to a decrease in the number of invited visiting speakers but not to a decrease in the amounts of honoraria. (Source: Academic Radiology)

Activity-Based Costing and Management in a Hospital-Based GI Unit

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:45:41 +0100

Over the last 2 decades, a number of attempts have been made to slow the rise in healthcare costs. Among them were Health Maintenance Organizations, which lowered costs through capitation. In most cases, this resulted in quality being sacrificed for cost and ultimately, many patients rejected the Health Maintenance Organization concept due to the lack of choice and access. The economic downturn and the passage of the Affordable Care Act have again focused scrutiny on rising healthcare costs. In the next several years, the healthcare industry will be challenged to provide more care to more people with fewer resources. (Source: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Economic Downturn Increasing Alcohol Abuse?

About.com Alcoholism — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:01:39 +0100

(Source: About.com Alcoholism)

Internal consultants demonstrate resilience in economic downturn

University of Bristol news — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:00:00 +0100

New findings from one of the first large scale studies of internal management consultancy in the UK reveal strength under considerable client pressure and scrutiny. In the current economic climate, there are lessons here for its external counterpart, long seen as the more successful and robust side of management consultancy. (Source: University of Bristol news)

[Editorial] Mental health care—the economic imperative

LANCET — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Countries at all stages of economic development have been hit by the global financial downturn. Some have been affected (and continue to be affected) more than others. Greece is one such country, and three letters in The Lancet today describe some of the negative health consequences of the debt crisis in this population. These include worrying effects on mental health such as increased rates of suicide attempts and suicide itself. (Source: LANCET)

Report shows nuclear medicine procedure volume slipping

AuntMinnie.com Headlines — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:00:06 +0100

The economic downturn, concerns over insurance preauthorization requirements, (more) (Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines)

The Psychological Toll of Recession

Psychology Today Depression Center — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:40:39 +0100

Volatility in the financial markets and discouraging economic news over the past several months has stoked fears that the American economy is heading towards a second "double-dip" recession. Financial analysts interviewed by the New York Times pegged the odds of a new recession at 40 percent. Primary Topic: Depression read more (Source: Psychology Today Depression Center)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Community Caring and Sharing

Pediatric Health Associates — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:33:00 +0100

This Saturday, October 22nd, volunteers will be accepting donations of all kinds at the Whole Foods parking lot in Naperville. Whole Foods is located near the intersection of Rt. 59 and 75th Street.All donations of household materials such as paint, nails, or roofing shingles will be taken to ReStore of Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity near the Westfield Fox Valley Mall. They in turn will sell the products with the money being used to raise funds to help put roofs over the heads of working families who can’t afford to shop the regular housing market. And don’t forget that the holiday season is fast approaching! Please check your pantry shelves for items you bought on sale but never got around to using to help families with Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whether its cereal, soup or a box of...

The causality analysis of climate change and large-scale human crisis [Anthropology]

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Recent studies have shown strong temporal correlations between past climate changes and societal crises. However, the specific causal mechanisms underlying this relation have not been addressed. We explored quantitative responses of 14 fine-grained agro-ecological, socioeconomic, and demographic variables to climate fluctuations from A.D. 1500–1800 in Europe. Results show that cooling from A.D. 1560–1660 caused successive agro-ecological, socioeconomic, and demographic catastrophes, leading to the General Crisis of the Seventeenth Century. We identified a set of causal linkages between climate change and human crisis. Using temperature data and climate-driven economic variables, we simulated the alternation of defined “golden” and “dark” ages in Europe and the Northern Hemisphe...

Connection Discovered Between Macroeconomic Conditions And Excessive Alcohol Drinking

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Previous studies have found that health outcomes improve during an economic downturn. Job loss means less money available for potentially unhealthy behaviors such as excessive drinking, according to existing literature on employment and alcohol consumption. A new study by health economist Michael T. French from the University of Miami and his collaborators has concluded just the opposite - heavy drinking and alcohol abuse/dependence significantly increase as macroeconomic conditions deteriorate... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

When the economy is down, alcohol consumption goes up

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(University of Miami) Previous studies have found that health outcomes improve during an economic downturn. Job loss means less money available for potentially unhealthy behaviors such as excessive drinking, according to existing literature on employment and alcohol consumption. A new study by health economist Michael T. French from the University of Miami and his collaborators has concluded just the opposite -- heavy drinking and alcohol abuse/dependence significantly increase as macroeconomic conditions deteriorate. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Maintaining momentum in an era of austerity

WHO Director-General speeches — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0100

10 October 2011 -- In 2011, efforts to improve health move forward against a backdrop of concentrated turmoil, like a deepening economic downturn, natural disasters, civil strife, and new tactics from Big Tobacco. As WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan notes, "It is horrific to think that an industry known for its dirty tricks and dirty laundry could be allowed to trump what is clearly in the public’s best interest." (Source: WHO Director-General speeches)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Economic recession and mental health: An overview. - Cooper B.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:10:04 +0100

Effects of the current global economic downturn on population mental health will emerge in the years ahead. Judging from earlier experience of financial crises in various parts of the world, stresses associated with rising unemployment, poverty and social ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Helping Children Survive Divorce: Three Critical Factors

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:40:37 +0100

Primary Topic: Child Development read more (Source: Psychology Today Parenting Center)

Tough economy may be keeping more drunks off roads

Modern Medicine — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

ATLANTA (Reuters) - The U.S. economic slowdown could have an upside: a dramatic decline in the number of drinking and driving incidents, a new federal study suggests. (Source: Modern Medicine)

HIV as a chronic disease: considerations for service planning in resource-poor settings

Globalization and Health — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

This paper reviews the healthcare issues facing nations which have a substantial caseload of chronic HIV cases. It considers the challenges of extending antiretroviral coverage to an expanding caseload as supplier price rises and international trade agreements come into force to reduce the availability of affordable antiretrovirals just as the economic downturn restricts donor funding. It goes on to review the importance in this context of supporting adherence to drug regimens in order to preserve access to affordable antiretrovirals for those already on treatment, and of removing key barriers such as patient fees and supply interruptions. The demands of those with chronic HIV for health services other than antiretroviral therapy are considered in the light of the fearful or discriminatory...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Nonprofit CHW posts $917M in profits on $10.6 billion in 2011 revenue

bizjournals.com Health Care:Hospitals headlines — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:39:58 +0100

San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West posted profits of more than $900 million for the year ended June 30, 2011, on revenue of nearly $10.6 billion, with most metrics showing positive movement. Not bad results in the midst of an economic slump/anemic recovery, although the 40-hospital system warned that upcoming Medicare and Medicaid cuts and the uncertain economy could cause problems down the road. And it's Catholic Healthcare West's second strong bounce-back year after struggling through a tough fiscal 2009... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Hospitals headlines)

Barriers to conducting clinical research in reproductive medicine: Australia and the United Kingdom

Fertility and Sterility — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:03:14 +0100

There are several major barriers to research in reproductive medicine in the United Kingdom and Australia. In Australia these mainly reflect income disparity between research and private practice whereas in United Kingdom they reflect the consequences of the economic downturn. (Source: Fertility and Sterility)

Downturn drives doctors to plastic surgery

Health News - UPI.com — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:04:12 +0100

NEW YORK, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The bad economy is driving more doctors into plastic surgery, leading to more botched procedures, the head of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Economic downturn drives doctors to plastic surgery

Health News - UPI.com — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:04:12 +0100

Retirement Lost?

Canadian Journal on Aging — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: McDonald L, Donahue P Abstract ABSTRACTIn this article, we raise the question as to whether retirement is lost as we currently know and understand it in Canada. With a selected review, we examine retirement research according to the scope of retirement and the new retirement, possible theoretical developments, the timing of transitions into retirement, and life as a retiree including the quality or lack of pensions. Accordingly, we propose that retirement is undergoing modifications on the basis of several trends that commenced before the 2008 economic downturn. The data would appear to lean towards the emergence of a different type of retirement, insofar as the collective Canadian vision of retirement is lost, notwithstanding the economic meltdown in global markets. P...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Easing the pain of an economic downturn: macroeconomic conditions and excessive alcohol consumption

Health Economics — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:03:36 +0100

This article investigates the effect of changing macroeconomic conditions (measured by the unemployment rate in the state of residence) on one type of risky behavior: excessive alcohol consumption. Using unique and recent panel data from waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) and estimating fixed‐effects models, we find that changes in the unemployment rate are positively related to changes in binge drinking, alcohol‐involved driving, and alcohol abuse and/or dependence. Some differences are present among demographic groups, primarily in the magnitude of the estimated effects. These results contradict previous studies and suggest that problematic drinking may be an indirect and unfortunate consequence of an economic downturn. Cop...

B2B Delivery, An Arizona Courier Service, Celebrates Second Year In...

PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:38:10 +0100

Arizona courier service B2B Delivery, celebrates its second year in business and continues to show aggressive growth despite the nation’s current economic slowdown.(PRWeb September 06, 2011)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/9/prweb8755504.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)

Insecurity Is Not a Recipe for Entrepreneurs--The Effects of the Recession on 20-somethings

Psychology Today Work Center — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:21:29 +0100

I was asked by a reporter recently whether this generation was an entrepreneurial generation. It's a question on our minds lately as we continue to endure this prolonged recession. We hope beyond hope that we'll somehow innovate our way out of this downturn. It's the American way, after all. read more (Source: Psychology Today Work Center)

Passing Fear: Do Fuel Economy Gains Compromise Quick Acceleration?

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Let's say a driver approaches a red light at 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour) and coasts to slow down, then the light turns green and he or she floors the accelerator. As the car slows down, the transmission automatically downshifts into lower gears, but a sudden command to increase speed reverses that process and the transmission has to find the proper gear for quick acceleration. With new technology introduced in the past couple of years to meet upcoming fuel economy standards , drivers of a small handful of the latest Ford, Chevy, GMC, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi models may feel engine hesitation when they goose the accelerator, which is a source of frustration, at minimum, to many drivers. But is it more than an annoyance? Is it a safety risk as well? Carmakers say no. [More] (So...

Nuclear physics: Isotope factory accelerates

Nature — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Nature 477, 7362 (2011). http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110831/full/477015a.html Author: Eugenie Samuel Reich US nuclear scientists find silver lining in economic downturn — lower construction costs. (Source: Nature)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Isotope factory accelerates

news@nature.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

US nuclear scientists find silver lining in economic downturn — lower construction costs. (Source: news@nature.com)

Cipla to see growth of 14 per cent this year: Chairman

The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:57:37 +0100

Drugmaker expects to meet domestic industry growth of 14% this year, its chairman said, but warned of a possible slowdown in its biz in Libya, Syria. (Source: The Economic Times Healthcare and Biotech News)

Shifting Domestic Roles For Men Who Lost Jobs In Current Recession Revealed By Study

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 07:00:00 +0100

The acute economic downturn that began in 2008 sometimes is called the "mancession" to reflect its harsher impact on men than women. As recently as last November, 10.4 percent of adult men were unemployed as compared to 8 percent of adult women. But how do unemployed men cope with their shifting domestic roles, especially when they become financially dependent on a wife or female partner? One University of Kansas researcher has investigated the impact of joblessness on masculinity and the "breadwinner ideology" within the context of traditional families... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Substance use and recessions: What can be learned from economic analyses of alcohol?

International Journal of Drug Policy — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Abstract: In this paper, I conduct a review of the economics literature examining the relationship between alcohol use and the macro economy comparing methods, measures and findings. Like illicit drug consumption, the relationship between alcohol use and economic conditions is not entirely straightforward since there are various theoretical explanations for why they might be positively or negatively related. Empirical findings suggest that the relationship between drinking and the economy depends on the type of user and whether use is examined in developing or developed countries. In developed countries, heavy drinkers consume less in a downturn, while light drinkers consume more. This pro-cyclical relationship found for heavy drinking does not hold for developed countries where disposable...

Poor women and welfare reform: working without a net

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(Indiana University) The economic downturn and recession has provided the first test of the US work-based welfare reforms enacted in 1996. Poor women in a study by Indiana University sociologist Kristin Seefeldt have received little to no help. "For the lowest income citizens in the US, they have very, very limited expectations about what government could or should do for them even though they are being hit so hard by the recession." (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

How Will S&P Downgrade Of U.S. Impact China?

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:30:23 +0100

On August 11, 2011,Frontier Strategy Group surveyed 52 senior executives representing America's largest multinational corporations on the effects of the S&P downgrade and slowdown in the U.S. and Eurozone on their businesses in emerging markets. Participants were asked to give their predictions of how the current economic uncertainty will affect their companies. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

Report: Medicare payments could plummet $5M in next decade

Cardiovascular Business News — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:40:07 +0100

The recent debt ceiling legislation, the increase in risk-based reimbursement and pressures from commercial payors have put hospitals in a “perfect storm,” according to a report released Aug. 16 by MedeAnalytics. Due to the current economic downturn, healthcare reform and reductions outlined in the Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act, hospitals can expect annual Medicare payments to drop $5 million over the next 10 years. (Source: Cardiovascular Business News)

Farmers turn away from organic as sales drop

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:40:41 +0100

The economic downturn means organic farmers are less likely to reap rewards of premium prices for their produceFarmers across the UK have been deserting organic farming, or holding back on plans to convert their land to more environmentally friendly farming methods, as sales of organic products have fallen in the economic downturn.Last year, only 51,000 hectares was in "conversion" – the process that farmers need to go through to have their land and practices certified as organic. That is less than half the amount of land that was in conversion in 2009, which itself was down markedly from the recent peak of 158,000Ha in 2007, according to statistics released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on Thursday morning.Far fewer farmers are interested in turning their lan...

Access Endangered: Profiles of the Medically Disenfranchised

Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:12:55 +0100

Shows that a growing number of Americans affected by the economic downturn, including middle class families, are turning to Community Health Centers for their health care needs. -- National Association of Community Health Centers (Source: Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Job Satisfaction Ranked Lower than Benefits

Psychology Today Work Center — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:25:14 +0100

Benefits and salary outweigh the need for job satisfaction when considering a job change as the world recession clings relentlessly. read more (Source: Psychology Today Work Center)

Which South Florida stocks are taking a pounding?

bizjournals.com Health Care:Hospitals headlines — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:49:34 +0100

South Florida stocks were pounded by a general downturn in the stock market as worries over the global economy pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average down by 376.72 points, or 3.17 percent, shortly before 2:30 p.m. Infrastructure companies, such as Dycom Industries and MasTec, and banks, including OptimumBank Holdings and BankAtlantic Bancorp, were among those most heavily impacted. But the list also includes companies with health care operations, such as Opko Health and Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, and consumer products, such as memorabilia company Dreams Inc... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Hospitals headlines)

A Costing Analysis for Decision Making Grid Model in Failure-Based Maintenance

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:11:07 +0100

Conclusions. The improvement of Decision Making Grid model for decision analysis with costing analysis is our contribution in this paper for computerized maintenance management system. (Source: Advances in Pharmacological Sciences)

New vehicle fuel-efficiency standards make sense

Los Angeles Times - Science — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100

The new standards represent the Obama administration's most significant step toward cleaning the air, cutting greenhouse gases and reducing oil consumption since the president took office.Environmentalists have had little reason to celebrate in 2011. A new favorite hobby in the GOP-controlled House is to toss off bills and amendments — which fortunately have little chance of getting past the Senate — designed to liberate polluters. President Obama long ago gave up promoting a bill to combat climate change, and his onetime focus on green initiatives has been undercut by the economic downturn. But that changed this week when the administration took the most significant step toward cleaning the air, cutting greenhouse gases and reducing oil consumption since the president took off...

World Bank urges China to tackle diseases

Reuters: Health — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:49:54 +0100

BEIJING (Reuters) - The World Bank on Tuesday urged China to step up efforts to fight chronic diseases, the main cause of death in the country, warning of rising health expenditure and an economic slowdown if rapid action is not taken. (Source: Reuters: Health)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

World Bank warns on economy if China fails to tackle diseases

Reuters: Health — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 03:41:59 +0100

World Bank urges China to tackle diseases

Modern Medicine — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Ethics of evidence

Evidence-Based Mental Health — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Human rights and responsibilities are perhaps at the very core of ethical issues in the mental health field. Across the globe there are examples of suffering whether as a result of natural disasters or human conflict. Issues of high youth unemployment are beginning to take their toll across Europe. In the UK the economic downturn is pushing many more families into poverty. It is perhaps worth reminding ourselves, from time to time, of these broader social and economic forces which can shape our understanding of mental health in modern societies. We know that there is an understanding of ‘mental health’ that, at one level, is trans-scientific and largely a cultural product of a particular time and place. It is arguably in these uncertain times when political expediency may be pr...

“Fair Use in the U. S. Economy” 2011 study by Computer & Communications Industry Association

News from STM — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:04:35 +0100

The 2011 study, “Fair Use in the U.S. Economy,” which was commissioned by the Computer & Communications Industry Association, incorporates data from 2008 and 2009 found that despite the economic downturn, industries that rely on fair use exceptions to copyright law like technology and the news media remained steady compared to the rest of the U.S. economy. http://bit.ly/qHnHge (Source: News from STM)

Number of Mexican immigrants returning home dropped during latest recession, study finds

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(RAND Corporation) Fewer Mexican immigrants returned home from the United States during 2008 and 2009 than in the two years prior to the start of the recession, a finding that contradicts the notion that the economic downturn has hastened return migration to Mexico, according to a new RAND Corporation study. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Brazil reaches out

Physics Today News Picks — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Chronicle of Higher Education: The Brazilian government has announced that it will fund 75 000 studentships to study abroad, worth $30 000 each. Brazil's university system is successful, but that success is not unqualified; scientific research is highly variable in quality, and there is a shortage of researchers. Student bodies of elite universities tend to be economically homogenous. The Brazilian government recognizes that the country's higher education system will need to expand rapidly while improving in quality if it is to support the country's economic growth: 7.5% last year, with another 4% predicted for 2011 despite the global slowdown. (Source: Physics Today News Picks)

Majority Of American Voters Believe The Federal Government Should Support Biotechnology Industry

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:00:00 +0100

A new national survey of 800 American voters by the Biotechnology Industry Organization - and conducted by the bipartisan pairing of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates - has found that during the current economic slowdown, while the nation's leaders are making hard choices about our national economic policies, a majority (53%) of voters believe the federal government should support the biotechnology industry through either tax policies or direct funding. "These numbers are a testament to the life-saving scientific research being conducted by biotechnology industry... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The recession's effect on hospital registered nurse employment growth.

Nursing Economic$ — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Buerhaus PI, Auerbach DI Abstract Recessions are not uncommon in the United States, but the most recent recession is arguably the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Although recessions result in increases in national unemployment in most sectors of the economy, they have resulted in increases in registered nurse (RN) employment as many non-working married RNs re-enter the workforce when their spouses lose their jobs. Over the past decade, hospital RN employment increased by more than 400,000 with virtually all of this growth associated with the two recessions that occurred during this period. The most recent recession led to an increase in hospital RN employment that was not only unprecedented in size, estimated at nearly 250,000, but wa...

Fertility drops in global recession

The Independent - Science — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:00:01 +0100

The global economic recession has curbed the general rise in fertility seen in many developed countries over recent decades, with some nations experiencing a significant decline in birthrates since the downturn of 2008, a study has found. (Source: The Independent - Science)

Women put off having babies until economy picks up

The Independent - Science — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:00:01 +0100

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

How Bob Crow is saving the economy | Aditya Chakrabortty

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:00:05 +0100

When unions throw their weight around, the result is more sustainable growthI've just been reading about the most terrible man. He's "demented" (according to London's mayor, Boris Johnson). He flaunts a "lack of responsibility to society" (Will Hutton in the Observer). And last week he was branded the "most hated man in Britain" and an MI5 agent sent to "destroy the trades union movement from within" (the Daily Mail's Richard Littlejohn – a columnist who never does things by halves, because he can't do the maths).The name of this vile, treacherous rogue? Bob Crow.Now, there are plenty of days when I run low on Crow-love, as yet another of his RMT union's tube strikes means getting up at some eyeburningly early hour to wedge myself on to a packed bus. Nor do I share his penchant for Millw...

Obesity Fight Calls for a Major Commitment [Editorial]

RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Eat Well, Play More Tennessee already reports some progress, but so much more must be done. Gov. Bill Haslam has built his health-care policy around the term “personal responsibility.” That is a big part of the solution, but it is not all. Healthy eating and physical fitness depend on having options. Our society affords options — selection of food stores, access to parks and fitness centers — to those who can afford it. Many Tennesseans are low-income, unable to leave their “food deserts” and high-crime areas where it isn’t safe to go for a walk. Now, thanks to the economic downturn, even more Tennesseans find themselves without options. That is why a full-on anti-obesity campaign is desperately needed. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity...

The other crisis: the economics and financing of maternal, newborn and child health in Asia

Health Policy and Planning — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008/2009 was the largest economic slowdown since the Great Depression. It undermined the growth and development prospects of developing countries. Several recent studies estimate the impact of economic shocks on the poor and vulnerable, especially women and children. Infant and child mortality rates are still likely to continue to decline, but at lower rates than would have been the case in the absence of the GFC. Asia faces special challenges. Despite having been the fastest growing region in the world for decades, and even before the current crisis, this region accounted for nearly 34% of global deaths of children under 5, more than 40% of maternal deaths and 60% of newborn deaths. Global development goals cannot be achieved without much faster and d...

Dads Find Financial Crisis Hits Family Life

Health News from Medical News Today — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Much coverage of the economic downturn has focussed on its immediate impact, yet it is likely to hold long-term implications for family life. A research study 'Changing Lives and Times' funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) at Cardiff University has explored the impact of the financial crisis on the daily lives and future plans of new fathers, finding that several men were making significant life changes... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Testosterone and high finance do not mix: so bring on the women

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 23:04:33 +0100

Gender inequality has been an issue in the City for years, but now the new science of 'neuroeconomics' is proving the point beyond doubt: hormonally-driven young men should not be left alone in charge of our finances…For the past few weeks I've had two books by my bed, both of which offer a first draft of what history may well judge the most significant event of our times: the 2008 financial crash. Read together, they are about as close as we might come to a closing chapter of The Rise and Fall of the American Empire. As literature, one of them – the final report of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission of the US Treasury – doesn't always make for easy reading: there are far too many nameless villains for a start. And, quite pointedly, there is not a heroine in sight. Reading the r...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

The origins of a New Zealand suicidal cohort: 1970-2007

Health Sociology Review — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Health Sociology Review 20(2): 219-228 Abstract Many western countries have experienced increased rates of youth suicide over recent years. This has been an issue of particular concern in New Zealand, since it had the highest rate of youth suicide among OECD countries in the mid-1990s. However, while attention is drawn to the now declining youth suicide rate by politicians and policy-makers, what is obscured is a cohort effect. In this paper we will argue that a cohort effect is clearly visible; suicide rates among 15-24 year olds came to the fore in the mid-1980s, peaking 10 years later, and were displaced by that among 25-35 year olds by the late-1990s. Further, this century has been characterised by the rise of suicide rates among 35-44 year olds. This effect correlates with a dramatic ...

Fathers find financial crisis hits family life

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(Economic & Social Research Council) Much coverage of the economic downturn has focused on its immediate impact, yet it is likely to hold long-term implications for family life. A research study "Changing Lives and Times" funded by the Economic and Social Research Council at Cardiff University has explored the impact of the financial crisis on the daily lives and future plans of new fathers, finding that several men were making significant life changes. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Lemonade without the Lemons: New Search Engine Looks for Uplifting News

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:00:00 +0100

Good news, if you haven't noticed, has always been a rare commodity. We all have our ways of coping, but the media's pessimistic proclivity presented a serious problem for Jurriaan Kamp, editor of the San Francisco-based Ode magazine --a must-read for "intelligent optimists "--who was in dire need of an editorial pick-me-up, last year in particular. His bright idea: an algorithm that can sense the tone of daily news and separate the uplifting stories from the Debbie Downers.Talk about a ripe moment: A Pew survey last month found the number of Americans hearing "mostly bad" news about the economy and other issues is at its highest since the downturn in 2008. That is unlikely to change anytime soon: global obesity rates are climbing, the Middle East is unstable, and camp...

Rise in male suicides linked to economic downturn

The Irish Times - Health — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:24:10 +0100

Unemployment and recession having adverse effects on men’s mental health, writes PATSY McGARRY (Source: The Irish Times - Health)

[Editorial] Global CO2 emissions: time to mitigate and adapt

LANCET — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:53:14 +0100

The latest statistics from the International Energy Authority ( IEA) on global CO2 emissions should come as a shock. After a dip in global CO2 emissions with the recent economic downturn, they rebounded in 2010 to a record high of 30·6 Gigatonnes (Gt). This is only 1·4 Gt lower than the maximum annual level that the IEA have advised should be heeded by 2020 to avoid dangerous effects of climate change. If the present trend continues, this threshold will be crossed in 2012. (Source: LANCET)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Cystic fibrosis research 'delay'

BBC News | Health | UK Edition — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:48:25 +0100

UK scientists say pioneering research into cystic fibrosis is being delayed by funding problems caused by the economic downturn. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

Adjusted Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) Rates for the Second and Third Quarters of Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11)

Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:48:54 +0100

This notice from the Department of Health & Human Services provides the adjusted Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) rates for the second and third quarters of Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11) to provide fiscal relief to states and to protect and maintain state Medicaid and certain other assistance programs in a period of economic downturn. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)

Life Science Tools Market Will Surpass $80B In 2016: companiesandmarkets.com

Pharmaceutical Online News — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:21:00 +0100

The life science tools market will reach over $80 billion by 2016, according to a new report on companiesandmarkets.com. The life science tools market has shown steady growth over the last couple of years despite the economic downturn. (Source: Pharmaceutical Online News)

Trends In Plastic Surgery Show The Growth Of Non-Surgical Procedures

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Non-surgical procedures have dramatically outpaced more traditional cosmetic surgery in the past ten years. Even with plastic surgery advances, the more subtle and less costly changes offered by non-surgical products have wide appeal. Has the downturn in the economy impacted the demand for cosmetic surgery in the US? According to Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Feldman of Advanced Aesthetics, PC, the short answer is no. There has been steady demand for plastic surgery procedures. The industry has changed dramatically in the past ten years, however... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Developments in Deinstitutionalization and Community Living in the Czech Republic

Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities — Tue, 31 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe Czech national policy on social services and health is based on the principal of human rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities. Based on published literature and reports, as well as knowledge and experience from working in the field, this mainly conceptual article summarizes progress over the past two decades in the Czech Republic in moving from an institutional era toward one that values community‐based alternatives. While European and national policy is supportive of community living, and new individualized funding streams have been created, progress in the Czech Republic toward the goal of community living for everyone with a disability has been slow and has met with many barriers. The authors highlight the need to consider issues such as the availability of da...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Ailing UN climate talks jolted by record surge in greenhouse gases

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 29 May 2011 21:00:01 +0100

Lord Stern talks of 'wake-up call' for governments meeting in Bonn next week with no sign of an agreement to succeed KyotoThe record leap in global greenhouse gas emissions last year has thrown the spotlight on the world's only concerted attempt to stem the tide of global warming – the United Nations climate negotiations.Next week, governments will convene in Bonn, Germany, for the latest round of more than 20 years of tortuous talks, aimed at forging a binding international agreement on climate change which so far has eluded them.Little is expected of the meeting, a staging post on the road to a bigger conference in Durban, South Africa, in December. But the data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) should shock even the most jaded of negotiators."I hope these estimates provide a ...

Fewer couples embrace marriage; more live together

USATODAY.com Health — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:16:42 +0100

Economic slowdown has prompted more couples to live together without tying the knot. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Fewer couples embrace marriage, more live together

USATODAY.com Health — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:22:30 +0100

Economic slowdown has prompted more couples to live together without tying the knot. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Economic Woes and Suicide: Will the United States Follow Japan?

Medscape Med Students Headlines — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:14:12 +0100

The dramatic increase in suicide rates in Japan attributed to that country's economic downturn should serve as a warning to the United States, new research suggests. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Med Students Headlines)

The business cycle and drug use in Australia: Evidence from repeated cross-sections of individual level data

International Journal of Drug Policy — Thu, 19 May 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Australia's recent economic slowdown has been characterised by rising unemployment rates without accompanying falls in income per capita. Based on our findings this slowdown should have encouraged young Australians aged 14–24 years to both drink and use cannabis more frequently. The slowdown would have had little impact on the frequency of drinking of older Australians. However it should have discouraged older Australians from using cannabis, and encouraged people in their late 30s and 40s to use less frequently, whilst encouraging those aged 25–34 years to use more frequently. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Migrants part of solution to growing elderly population: experts

Modern Medicine — Tue, 17 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Rich nations need migrant workers to provide and care for their rapidly aging populations, experts said this week, challenging a wave of hostility towards new arrivals driven by the impact of the economic downturn. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Zambia: Economic Downturn Threatens to Derail Anti-Aids Programme

AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs — Sat, 14 May 2011 23:18:01 +0100

CECILY'S Fund Charity and its supporters have expressed concern at the possible threat of derailment the global economic downturn could pose to progress being made in the fight against HIV and AIDS. (Source: AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs)

Researcher Says A Comparison With Epilepsy Is An Appropriate Prism To View Economics

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 13 May 2011 11:00:00 +0100

Since 2008, the U.S. economy has been "seizing" uncontrollably. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher says that a comparison of the multifaceted economic downturn with the uncontrolled spasms of an epileptic is not inappropriate - and may say something about the origins of the disaster. In a recent article published in the journal PLoS ONE, Prof. Eshel Ben-Jacob of Tel Aviv University's School of Physics and Astronomy, his doctoral student Dror Y. Kenett and economist Dr... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Weight‐loss dieting behavior: an economic analysis

Health Economics — Thu, 12 May 2011 03:20:23 +0100

SUMMARYIn light of the widespread phenomena of diet failure and excessive dieting, this paper presents a theoretical economic analysis of the decision‐making process of weight‐loss dieting. The paper incorporates behavioral elements involved in the process of dieting: effort exerted in dieting, influence of social norms concerning body weight, time‐inconsistent present biased preferences, and a distinction between naiveté and sophistication. The model explains cyclic dieting and provides interesting insights on the extent of weight‐loss dieting. The extent of dieting is an increasing function of initial body weight and a decreasing function of the effort exerted in dieting and the strength of social norms concerning ideal weight. Income and diet strictness have an ambiguous effect...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Illegal drug use and the economic recession—What can we learn from the existing research?

International Journal of Drug Policy — Tue, 10 May 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: As the price and the income effect may pull in opposite directions, the full effect on drug use is difficult to predict. Still, it seems likely that an economic downturn of the current magnitude could increase the use of drugs. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)

Increase in Uninsured Highlights Need for Health Reform

PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals — Thu, 05 May 2011 21:37:55 +0100

Since the economic downturn in 2008 the rise in uninsured rates in the United States has been unprecedented. Today, more than 50 million Americans are living without health insurance while the number...(PRWeb May 05, 2011)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8377341.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)

Trust in management hits record low

Management in Practice — Thu, 05 May 2011 10:31:00 +0100

Confidence in employers has fallen over the last six months due to the economic downturn (Source: Management in Practice)

Changes in Alan Greenspan's Language Use Across the Economic Cycle: A Text Analysis of His Testimonies and Speeches

Journal of Language and Social Psychology — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100

This study examined changes in Alan Greenspan’s language use across the economic cycle by analyzing his testimonies and speeches using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count Program (LIWC), which is a widely used text analysis program. Consistent with expectations, Greenspan showed an increase in the composite measure of psychological distancing as well as a decline in the measure of cognitive complexity between the economic expansion and downturn periods. Interestingly, these patterns of changes became more pronounced during the purported economic recovery period. In contrast to the measures of psychological distancing and cognitive complexity, the measure of emotionality remained relatively stable across the economic cycle. (Source: Journal of Language and Social Psychology)

The Great Recession’s Impact on Children

Maternal and Child Health Journal — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:41:32 +0100

Abstract Since that first day of the millennium the United States has experienced two recessions. The first recession began in 2001 and lasted for10 months. The second, now referred to as the Great Recession, began in December of 2007, was approximately 18 months in duration and was followed by a weak and jobless recovery that has persisted into the second decade of this century. This commentary will examine how low-income children have fared in regard to economic security, food insecurity and housing instability as a result of the Great Recession and recent economic downturn. It concludes with a call to action for a renewed investment in our children through a Children’s Recovery and Stimulus Initiative. Content Type Journal ArticlePages 1-2DOI 10.1007/s10...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Alien finding institute Seti runs out of cash to operate telescope

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:28:58 +0100

Organisation's brand new $50m array put in hibernation, reducing chances of finding elusive extraterrestrial signalIt is the scientific institute made famous in Carl Sagan's novel Contact, the organisation for which the main character, Ellie Arroway – played by Jodie Foster in the 1997 film version – worked day and night looking for signs of intelligent life in outer space.In real life, the Seti Institute has spent five decades hunting the skies for radio signals from deep space, possible communications which may indicate we are not alone in the universe. Now it has fallen prey to a very earthly problem: it has run out of cash. The institute's chief executive, Tom Pierson, has announced that there are "serious challenges" in finding operating funds and that from this week the organisat...

Alien hunters run out of cash

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:28:58 +0100

David Willetts has got his maths badly wrong on tuition fees | Aditya Chakrabortty

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:00:05 +0100

Doesn't the universities minister know anything about economics?For most of the past week, one question more than any other has been rattling round my head: is David Willetts a bit thick? Please understand my reservations in asking this. As a good Indian boy brought up to respect elders, such intergenerational impertinence doesn't come readily. And besides, Willetts is about as high-grade an intellect as Westminster has got: he writes books of political theory; he gives lectures on neuroscience; he even understands the benefits system, for heaven's sake. Put down Two Brains as slow off the mark, and another question soon follows: just what term do you dream up for Nicholas Soames?But as universities minister, Willetts is the man in charge of introducing higher tuition fees. Faced with this...

From the editors

Nature Reviews Neuroscience — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Nature Reviews Neuroscience 12, 243 (2011). doi:10.1038/nrn3038 The effects of the global financial downturn have been far reaching, affecting many spheres of life. We asked research leaders and a representative of a key funding body to present their views on the impact of the economic crisis on neuroscience research. The resulting Viewpoint, (Source: Nature Reviews Neuroscience)

Neuroscience in recession?

Nature Reviews Neuroscience — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Susan G. Amara, Sten Grillner, Tom Insel, David Nutt & Tadaharu Tsumoto As the global financial downturn continues, its impact on neuroscientists — both on an individual level and at the level of their research institute — becomes increasingly apparent. How is the economic crisis affecting neuroscience funding, career prospects, international collaborations and scientists' morale in different (Source: Nature Reviews Neuroscience)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Depression: Economic slump fuels 43% rise in use of anti-depressants

the Mail online | Health — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:56:09 +0100

Use of the drugs soared last year, with more than 41million prescriptions issued. Of these, almost 23million were for drugs such as Prozac and Seroxat. (Source: the Mail online | Health)

In praise of antidepressants | John Crace

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 06:30:43 +0100

Some see the hand of Big Pharma behind the rise in prescriptions. I just see drugs that workHere we go again. The number of antidepressants prescribed has been increasing for years. The latest figures show a 43% rise since 2006, and this has been put down to the rise in anxiety caused by the economic downturn.Whenever there's a such an increase, the backlash from psychotherapists and psychologists who most passionately advocate talking cures is never far behind. Surely not all the extra seven million prescriptions can be justified, the argument goes; this prescribing simply pathologises normal life. GPs and psychiatrists are fobbing patients off with pills – worse still, with pills that don't even work. It is as if the worst thing that could happen to someone is to be prescribed ant...

Australian PM Julia Gillard sees approval dwindle on carbon tax U-turn

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:21:00 +0100

Australian opposition party predicts 'people's revolt', alleging massive price rises as businesses factor in carbon taxAustralia's prime minister, Julia Gillard, has seen her approval ratings slump to their lowest level since taking office, following her plans to introduce a carbon tax.The poll, conducted by Nielson, puts Gillard's approval rating down 5% at 47%. Her opponent Tony Abbott, the Liberal leader has not benefited hugely from her loss of support – his approval rating slipped by just 3% to 43%, although the shift was not statistically significant."The new carbon tax is the most likely explanation for the change in attitudes towards her," said John Stirton from Neilsen polling. "It's being portrayed very much as something [that] will hit the hip pocket and also as a broken promi...

Economic downturn results in tick-borne disease upsurge

BioMed Central — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Background socio-economic conditions determine susceptibility to risk of TBE, while increased unemployment triggered a sudden increase in risk. Mechanisms behind this result may include reduced resistance to infection through stress; reduced uptake of costly vaccination; and more exposure of people to infected ticks in their forest habitat as they make greater use of wild forest foods, especially in those countries, Lithuania and Poland, with major marketing opportunities in such products. Recognition of these risk factors could allow more effective protection through education and a vaccination programme targeted at the economically most vulnerable. (Source: BioMed Central)

What's The Point of Staying Married?

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:42:54 +0100

It may be psychologically healthier to have two kinds of marriages during your lifetime. Or, to reassess why you want to stay in the marriage you're in. read more (Source: Psychology Today Relationships Center)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Online nutrition courses

Medicineworld.org: New Article Alert — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:47:23 +0100

Most of us have heard of Phoenix, no, not the mystical bird or the capital of Arizona, but the online university. As per the Babson Survey Research Group, enrollment in online courses is growing faster than overall higher education offerings due to various reasons like the economic downturn. With the increase in demand for online education, a study in the March/April 2011 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explores nine online nutrition courses........ (Source: Medicineworld.org: New Article Alert)

Online nutrition courses: Fad or growing trend?

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(Elsevier Health Sciences) Most of us have heard of Phoenix. No, not the mystical bird or the capital of Arizona, but the online university. According to the Babson Survey Research Group, enrollment in online courses is growing faster than overall higher education offerings due to various reasons like the economic downturn. With the increase in demand for online education, a study in the March/April 2011 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explores nine online nutrition courses. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Online Nutrition Courses: Fad Or Growing Trend?

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Most of us have heard of Phoenix, no, not the mystical bird or the capital of Arizona, but the online university. According to the Babson Survey Research Group, enrollment in online courses is growing faster than overall higher education offerings due to various reasons like the economic downturn. With the increase in demand for online education, a study in the March/April 2011 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explores nine online nutrition courses... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Chief nursing officer post to be split

OnMedica Latest News — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Top nurse will sit on NHS Commissioning Board and DHRelated items from OnMedicaHealth Secretary 'is no softy' warns GPC chairNot enough women doctors in senior roles says reportEconomic downturn - 'greatest threat to nursing'BMA leader slams market economy for healthDoctors slam 'disappointing' pay award (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

Little Historical Evidence To Support Cutting Global Health Aid During Recessions

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0100

The World Bank and World Health Organization have voiced fears that policymakers will break their commitments to support desperately needed global health services in low- and middle-income countries because of the ongoing global economic downturn. Yet, according to a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health, there is surprisingly little historical evidence to justify reversing these commitments... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Hard Times Do Not Justify Health Aid Cuts: Study

Medscape Business of Medicine Headlines — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:00:21 +0100

The World Bank and World Health Organization have voiced fears that donor nations will slash health aid budgets because of the economic downturn, but experts said on Friday such a move could harm recovery prospects. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Business of Medicine Headlines)

Referrals

Dental Abstracts — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

With the economic downturn in recent years, it is possible that patients and dentists will choose to use the services of specialists less often. These services are usually more expensive than those of general dentists, and patients often do not want to increase out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, dentists may be treating fewer patients or delivering fewer advanced procedures because patients postpone or decline to accept treatment. As a result of these economic forces, dentists may be performing procedures that would otherwise have been performed by a specialist. Problems can arise when the general dentist performs procedures with which he or she is not sufficiently familiar. The specialist can receive calls for advice and consultation to help fix the situation. Also patients may decide t...

Hard times do not justify health aid cuts: study

Reuters: Health — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:16:52 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - The World Bank and World Health Organization have voiced fears that donor nations will slash health aid budgets because of the economic downturn, but experts said on Friday such a move could harm recovery prospects. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Climate change no problem, says futurist Ray Kurzweil

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:04:00 +0100

Grist: Futurist Ray Kurzweil says "we have plenty of time" to replace fossil fuels with renewablesAuthor, inventor, and futurist Ray Kurzweil famously and accurately predicted that a computer would beat a man at chess by 1998, that technologies that help spread information would accelerate the collapse of the Soviet Union, and that a worldwide communications network would emerge in the mid 1990s (i.e. the internet).Most of Kurzweil's prognostications are derived from his law of accelerating returns -- the idea that information technologies progress exponentially, in part because each iteration is used to help build the next, better, faster, cheaper one. In the case of computers, this is not just a theory but an observable trend -- computer processing power has doubled every two years for n...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Decline in Alcohol Consumption in Estonia: Combined Effects of Strengthened Alcohol Policy and Economic Downturn

Alcohol and Alcoholism — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The precise roles of policy changes and the economic downturn in the decline of alcohol consumption, and whether the decrease will be sustained, are still unclear. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)

BMA president states health inequality priority

BMA daily feed — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:27:17 +0100

Professor Sir Michael Marmot warns of possible health consequences of economic slump (Source: BMA daily feed)

Economic Slump and Energy Efficiency Drive U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Drop

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:00:00 +0100

The period between 2008 and 2009 saw the largest decrease in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 20 years, according to U.S. EPA's Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report.While the 6 percent decrease correlates with the constriction of the global economy that followed the financial crisis in 2008, it was not the only reason for the drop, the report says. Advances in technology, efficiency and reuse of scrap industrial material also decreased energy use in key sectors. In addition, an increase in coal prices and a decrease in natural gas prices led to a switch from one source to the other. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

California Health Interview Survey releases newest data on state residents' health

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0100

The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), the nation's largest state health survey and a primary source of information on California's diverse population, released its latest data today on more than 100 topics affecting the health and well-being of the state's residents. The random–digit-dial telephone survey, conducted every two years by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, gathers essential information from tens of thousands of California households on a wide variety of topics, from health insurance and public program participation to diabetes, obesity and cancer screening. The latest survey also includes new questions on suicide, emergency preparedness, medical homes, veteran status, registered domestic partner status, flu shots and pre-diabete...

4.7 million Californians to gain coverage under health reform, new study estimates

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:30:00 +0100

Up to two-thirds of California's 7 million uninsured residents will become eligible for health insurance coverage when health care reform is implemented in 2014, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The study draws on the latest data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), which will be released shortly. The policy brief, "Two-thirds of California's 7 Million Uninsured May Obtain Coverage Under Health Care Reform," finds that 4.7 million Californians, including both adults and children, will likely be eligible in 2014 for new coverage options, either the health insurance exchange or Medi-Cal expansion. The brief presents county-by-county estimates of the number of Californians who had job-based, public or pri...

Epocrates goes public, raises $86.4 million

mobihealthnews — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:57:24 +0100

Medical app publisher Epocrates went public this morning. Along with its selling stockholders, Epocrates raised more than expected: $86.4 million before costs. This is Epocrates third IPO attempt: In 2008 it filed for a $75 million IPO, but withdrew it because of the economic downturn. Last summer Epocrates filed for another $75 million IPO. Apparently, being [...] (Source: mobihealthnews)

AstraZeneca Provides More Than Half Million People With Free Medicine In 2010

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:00:00 +0100

AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) announced that it provided $947 million in savings last year to the more than 545,000 patients in the United States who participate in its AZ&Me prescription savings programs. Through these programs that provide medicines at no cost to eligible participants, AstraZeneca saved patients a total of $2.3 billion on 10.6 million prescriptions since the economic downturn took hold in 2008... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Freshmen at US colleges remain optimistic about their prospects

Physics Today News Picks — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Chronicle of Higher Education: The Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA has released the survey it conducted last year of freshmen at US colleges and universities. The effects of the economic downturn were evident from the responses. More students than before are living at home and studying at universities within 100 miles of their hometowns. Still, the respondents remain optimistic about their prospects. The survey also revealed two trends that are not directly related to the economic slump: 38.2% of freshmen said they expected to communicate regularly with their professors, presumably through increased use of electronic media, and 31.5% said they intended to study abroad. (Source: Physics Today News Picks)

Economic Recession Contributes to a Record Slowdown in Health Care Spending in 2009 [News & Notes]

Psychiatr Serv — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychiatr Serv)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Moob jobs rise as plastic surgery beats recession

Scotsman.com News - Health — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

There has been a rise in the number of Britons going under the knife to improve their appearance - despite the economic downturn. (Source: Scotsman.com News - Health)

Reheating the climate change story | Jules Boykoff

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 16:08:04 +0100

The media have dropped climate change, with its tricky science. But cast in economic terms, it could recapture public interestHere's a climate conundrum: while scientists declared 2010 to be the hottest year on record, media mavens have been afire with the fact that US media coverage of climate change dropped precipitously, or as the popular Daily Climate blog put it, "fell off the map". 2010 was a scorcher of historic proportions, so proclaimed Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the World Meteorological Organisation, but the quantity of media coverage on this pivotal issue plunged to pre-Inconvenient Truth levels.As a revealing snapshot, 5,000 journalists attended the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit,...

Babies: The Movie

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:59:20 +0100

Almost from the moment the film was released, I was bombarded by queries from students, colleagues and friends: "Had I seen Babies and what did I think about it?" "Was it an accurate portrait of cross-cultural variation?" With all good intentions to satisfy their and my curiosity, I didn't actually see the film until I was on a flight to Madagascar last October. It seems that only while traveling at 900km/h was I able to slow down enough to take in a film.First the facts. The documentary film is the work of French filmmaker Thomas Balmès and Studio Canal. The film records episodes in the first year of life of 4 babies from San Francisco, Tokyo, somewhere on the Mongolian Steppe and a remote area of Namibia. It was released in May 2010 and earned $7.3 million in its first two months of cir...

Monsanto's Roundup Triggers Over 40 Plant Diseases and Endangers Human and Animal Health

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 07:00:00 +0100

The following article reveals the devastating and unprecedented impact that Monsanto's Roundup herbicide is having on the health of our soil, plants, animals, and human population.On top of this perfect storm, the USDA now wants to approve Roundup Ready alfalfa, which will exacerbate this calamity. Please tell USDA Secretary Vilsack not to approve Monsanto's alfalfa today. [Note: typos corrected from Jan 16th, see details]While visiting a seed corn dealer's demonstration plots in Iowa last fall, Dr. Don Huber walked passed a soybean field and noticed a distinct line separating severely diseased yellowing soybeans on the right from healthy green plants on the left (see photo).The yellow section was suffering from Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), a serious plant disease that ravaged the Midwest ...