Are we eating away at our own life support systems?

Clues of Climate Change

Humans are “eating away at our own life support systems” at a rate unseen in the past 10,000 years by degrading land and freshwater systems, emitting greenhouse gases, and releasing vast amounts of agricultural chemicals into the environment, new research has found.

Two major new studies by an international team of researchers have pinpointed the key factors that ensure a livable planet for humans, with stark results.

Of nine worldwide processes that underpin life on Earth, four have exceeded “safe” levels — human-driven climate change, loss of biosphere integrity, land system change, and the high level of phosphorus and nitrogen flowing into the oceans due to fertilizer use.

Researchers spent five years identifying these core components of a planet suitable for human life, using the long-term average state of each measure to provide a baseline for the analysis.

They found that the changes of the last 60 years are unprecedented in the previous 10,000 years, a period in which the world has had a relatively stable climate and human civilization has advanced significantly.

Carbon dioxide levels, at 395.5 parts per million, are at historic highs, while loss of biosphere integrity is resulting in species becoming extinct at a rate more than 100 times faster than the previous norm.

Since 1950, urban populations have increased sevenfold, primary energy use has soared by a factor of five, while the amount of fertilizer used is now eight times higher. The amount of nitrogen entering the oceans has quadrupled.

All of these changes are shifting Earth into a “new state” that is becoming less hospitable to human life, researchers said.

“These indicators have shot up since 1950 and there are no signs they are slowing down,” said professor Will Steffen of the Australian National University and the Stockholm Resilience Center. Steffen is the lead author on both of the studies.

“When economic systems went into overdrive, there was a massive increase in resource use and pollution. It used to be confined to local and regional areas but we’re now seeing this occurring on a global scale. These changes are down to human activity, not natural variability.”

Steffen said direct human influence upon the land was contributing to a loss in pollination and a disruption in the provision of nutrients and fresh water.

“We are clearing land, we are degrading land, we introduce feral animals and take the top predators out, we change the marine ecosystem by overfishing — it’s a death by a thousand cuts,” he said. “That direct impact upon the land is the most important factor right now, even more than climate change.”

There are large variations in conditions around the world, according to the research. For example, land clearing is now concentrated in tropical areas, such as Indonesia and the Amazon, with the practice reversed in parts of Europe. But the overall picture is one of deterioration at a rapid rate.

“It’s fairly safe to say that we haven’t seen conditions in the past similar to ones we see today and there is strong evidence that there [are] tipping points we don’t want to cross,” Steffen said.

“If the Earth is going to move to a warmer state, 5-6 degrees C warmer, with no ice caps, it will do so and that won’t be good for large mammals like us. People say the world is robust and that’s true, there will be life on Earth, but the Earth won’t be robust for us.

“Some people say we can adapt due to technology, but that’s a belief system, it’s not based on fact. There is no convincing evidence that a large mammal, with a core body temperature of 37 degrees C, will be able to evolve that quickly. Insects can, but humans can’t and that’s a problem.”

Steffen said the research showed the economic system was “fundamentally flawed” as it ignored critically important life support systems.

“It’s clear the economic system is driving us towards an unsustainable future and people of my daughter’s generation will find it increasingly hard to survive,” he said. “History has shown that civilizations have risen, stuck to their core values and then collapsed because they didn’t change. That’s where we are today.”

The two studies, published in Science and Anthropocene Review, featured the work of scientists from countries including the U.S., Sweden, Germany, and India. The findings will be presented in seven seminars at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which takes place between Jan. 21 and 25.

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Facebook to start Amber Alerts in Newsfeeds

Facebook recently announced that it will deliver AMBER Alerts to people’s News Feeds in targeted search areas after a child has been abducted. Learn more here.

The new initiative will deliver AMBER Alerts to people’s News Feeds in targeted search areas after a child has been abducted and the National Center has issued an alert.

These alerts, which include photographs and other details about the missing child, are shown on mobile and desktop. People can share the alert with friends and link directly to the National Center’s missing child poster, which always has the most up-to-date information about the case.

For years, people have used Facebook to post news articles about missing children and AMBER Alerts. In several cases, someone saw a post or photo in their News Feed, took action, and a child was safely returned.

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When 14-hour days seven days a week are your normal, days sometimes run together. But then, right in the middle of feeling “every day is basically the same,” something happens to open your eyes to the importance of individuals looking out for each other. This is my story of how Facebook played a part in my unusual opportunity to help some total strangers.

My husband, Jon, and I have owned and run the Colonial Inn in South Carolina for more than 30 years. It is located in downtown Florence, which makes it a good stopover place for people traveling both North and South. It is a full time job for both of us to run a motel that is open 24 hours a day. Working the front office can get very hectic at times, but at other times I may have a stretch of down time. During these times, I sit down with my iPad and check my mail and go on Facebook.

One evening in early March started out just like so many others. When I had a moment to myself and opened up Facebook, I was surprised by something my friend Linda had posted. It was an AMBER Alert. I had seen them before, but this one was different because I recognized the two faces in the post!

The evening before, a man and his daughter checked in for the night. There was nothing out of the ordinary about them. The little girl appeared to be a happy, curious child. The next morning, when the man came in and paid for another night, I didn’t think anything about it. But at that moment, looking at the alert, there was no doubt in my mind it was the same man and child that were just across the parking lot from where I was sitting.

The alert said the man was suspected of committing a crime and taking his daughter with him as he ran from the law. The police in Baltimore had issued the alert, which meant the father and daughter had traveled about 400 miles to get to our motel. After checking our room registry to verify the man’s identity, I called the police. While I was startled that it was me who had made the connection, I didn’t feel scared.

Two police officers came by and I showed them the Facebook post and the registry. At that time, they took over and a SWAT team was assembled. When everything was in place, they went and knocked on the door. Thankfully, the man came out without any problems and the little girl was fine.

I never imagined that I would be the person to do something like this, but it has taught me how important one person can be. I am thankful my friend posted the alert, and I am thankful that God placed me in the office when they checked in and that I had time to stop and check Facebook when I did.

I hope my story will encourage others to look carefully at every AMBER Alert and then be aware of those around you. You never know who you might have seen or how you might be able to help.

Get more information about AMBER Alerts on Facebook & Like the Page.

See Facebook Stories

Wearable Pain Relief Technology

I have been using tens units for years. I was delighted to see user friendly versions coming to market soon. The Quell units seem to be aimed at the right nerves to help aid in pain relief. The electrical leads make contact with your calf, which Quell describes as a “veritable USB port” for plugging into your body’s nervous system. They will  be offered to doctors first then public second. Either way, I will definitely be investing in one or more of these units.

What it does

Small electrical impulses go from your calf to your lower brain, which in turn releases the body’s natural opiates to aid in pain relief. TENS technology is proven, but doesn’t work for everyone, so Quell will be offering a 60-day money-back guarantee—a nice safety net for skeptics. When you wear a TENS device, you feel only a faint buzzing, tingling sensation where the leads make contact with your skin. Pain relief usually kicks in within 15 minutes.

The Quell sensor promises 40 hours of pain relief on a single charge, and is designed to be worn 24-7. It even reduces to 80 percent intensity during the middle of the night to ensure a good night’s sleep. Quell also includes an accelerometer that provides sleep data through an iOS app.

NeuroMetrix President and Chief Executive Officer, Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., was interviewed in the Digital Health LIVE CES WebMD Lounge. The interview is available at:

C|NET profiled Quell in their CES2015 center. The segment is available at:

Quell was selected as one of four finalist in the Engadget Best of CES 2015 Digital Health and Fitness category.

Quell utilizes NeuroMetrix’s proprietary non-invasive neuro stimulation technology to provide relief from chronic pain, such as due to diabetes, sciatica, fibromyalgia, and degenerative knee conditions. The advanced wearable device is lightweight and can be worn during the day while active, and at night while sleeping. It has been cleared by the FDA for treatment of chronic pain without a prescription. Users of the device will also have the option of using their smartphone to automatically track and personalize their pain therapy.

Consumers and medical professionals can visit QuellRelief to learn more and sign up to receive information. The company expects to begin taking pre-orders for Quell in March and to ship during the second quarter. Quell will initially be available exclusively through doctor’s office and online.

NeuroMetrix is an innovative health-care company that develops wearable medical technology and point-of-care tests that help patients and physicians better manage chronic pain, nerve diseases, and sleep disorders.

For links to articles click here

 

 

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17 Year Old forced into Chemo Against Her Will !

The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a 17-year-old girl with cancer must continue to get chemotherapy against her will.

The girl, identified in court documents as Cassandra C., had asked the court to allow her to make her own medical decisions, even though she won’t turn 18 until September. But CBS Connecticut reports the justices unanimously upheld a lower court ruling ordering her to continue treatment.

The Associated Press reports Cassandra currently is confined in a room at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, where she is being forced to undergo chemotherapy. Doctors said the treatment would give her an 85 percent chance of survival, but without it she would likely die within two years.

Cassandra was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma four months ago. Doctors recommended she receive chemo, a common treatment for that type of cancer, but the girl refused and her mother supported her decision.

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Court sides with DCF, teen will remain in custody for forced chemotherapy

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The family searched for alternative treatments, but a judge ordered Cassandra to undergo chemotherapy. After two just treatments, she ran away from home. The Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) intervened and placed Cassandra into protective custody.

Cassandra’s mother, Jackie Fortin, told “CBS This Morning” earlier this week that it should be Cassandra’s choice to refuse to treat her cancer with chemotherapy.

“She does not want the toxins. She does not want people telling her what to do with her body and how to treat it,” Fortin said — even if the purpose of those toxins is to kill the cancer.

“They are also killing her body. They are killing her organs. They’re killing her insides. It’s not even a matter of dying. She’s not going to die,” Fortin said.

But the state argued that Fortin was putting her daughter at risk in a life-or-death situation. “We really do have the expert testimony, the expert advice of physicians who are saying unequivocally if she does not get the treatment that she needs she will die,” DCF’s Kristina Stevens said.

Fortin’s attorney asked the court to recognize what’s known as the “mature minor doctrine,” which allows 16- and 17-year-olds in some states to get a judge’s permission to make medical decisions for themselves.

But the justices said Cassandra had not proven mature enough or competent to make those decisions, citing the fact that she had run away from home.

The type of cancer Cassandra has, Hodgkin’s (or Hodgkin) lymphoma, is a cancer of the lymphatic system that strikes about 9,000 Americans each year. According to the National Cancer Institute, about 1,100 patients a year die from it.

I cannot understand how Abraham’s Law in Virginia lets a 14 year old decide on his own as to treatment but this 17 year old is not allowed this same right. Virginia lawmakers passed a bill called “Abraham’s Law” agreeing that 14 is the appropriate age for a teenager with a life-threatening condition to have a hand in making medical decisions.

The bill is named after Starchild Abraham Cherrix, 16, who won a court battle last summer to forgo chemotherapy and instead treat his lymphatic cancer with alternative medicine.

Virginia legislature enacted “Abraham’s Law”, which amended § 63.2-100 of the Code of Virginia

View the bill here

via Connecticut court rules on case of teen cancer patient refusing chemo – CBS News.