Induced labor not associated with autism
Read Full Story Induction of labor appears not to be associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorders in children in a large new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The new finding suggests that concern about autism risk should not factor into clinical decisions about whether or not to induce labor.The study will be published online July 25, 2016 in JAMA Pediatrics.Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) —a group of permanent developmental disabilities characterized by impairments in social interaction, language development, and repetitive behaviors—are estimated to affect roughly 1 in 90 children in the U.S.Labor induction is recommended when labor doesn’t progress on its own and there’s concern that waiting for it to start could endanger the health of the baby or mother. Methods to induce labor include rupturing of membranes, mechanical or pharmacological ripening of the cervix, and administration of oxytocin, either used alone or in combination.In 2013, a large study in North Carolina found an association between induction of labor and risk of autism in offspring. The report gained widespread media attention, and although both the paper’s authors and other experts cautioned that the association may not be causal, obstetricians began reporting that some of their patients were expressing concern about or opposition to being induced. The Harvard Chan School researchers decided to further explore whether induction of labor truly causes increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders, in order to help in weighing the risks and benefits of this common therapeutic intervention.
Representatives of UNITE HERE, the labor union representing Ameristar Casino employees, described their campaign against the casino during the most recent Labor Cafe discussion sponsored by the Higgins Labor Program — a series of monthly discourses dedicated to educating the Notre Dame community about labor issues.Dominique Wilson, a representative from the Chicago-based UNITE HERE Local 1 chapter and employee at Bluechip Casino, and Stuart Mora, a UNITE HERE staff member and University alumnus, described the current boycott against Ameristar. The casino’s employees are asking for consumers to boycott the gambling venue as they campaign to keep their health insurance as it is.According to a UNITE HERE press release, Ameristar employees would like the consumer boycott to continue until the casino agrees to maintain the employees’ current healthcare plan.Ameristar, a casino owned by Las Vegas-based company Pinnacle Entertainment, proposed a healthcare plan that could charge employees up to $4,000 per year in payroll deductions — an amount that, for several workers, accounts for almost a quarter of their annual wages.Wilson said Ameristar’s refusal to maintain their employees’ health insurance has drastic implications and creates a significant financial burden for many of its employees.“[Bluechip and Majestic Star employees are] all going to back [the union workers] in this boycott because we don’t want them to lose — because then, we lose as well,” Wilson said. “We are not just going to let this happen to Ameristar or any other Casino in our union.”Wilson said while Ameristar’s union initiated the boycott, other casinos such as Majestic Star and Bluechip stand in solidarity. Wilson said the result of the negotiations with Ameristar will set the stage for negotiations with other casinos.“The way they negotiate everything that one company does, the other usually follows suit,” Wilson said. “If Ameristar can come in and take away health insurance and wages from […] Ameristar workers, when we sit down in a few months to talk to Majestic or Bluechip, they are going to do the same thing.“They’re going to say ‘Ameristar isn’t paying insurance. They’re not paying good wages, so why should we?’”Mora said the campaign for health insurance with Pinnacle Entertainment’s casinos is hardly a new issue.“There’s been a fight in each of these casinos over the last four years to keep that health insurance,” Mora said. “Pinnacle Entertainment is a Las Vegas-based company. [Ameristar] is their only union property out of 15 casinos.”Both Mora and Wilson said Pinnacle Entertainment has demonstrated resistance towards unions in the past. Wilson said many of Pinnacle Entertainment’s employees are not union workers and, at one point, the company fired several employees for expressing a desire to form a union.Wilson said the next steps for UNITE HERE union employees include a pledge campaign and several boycott Fridays, as well as a larger social action event April 25. Wilson said she hoped the community and consumer support would result in the boycott’s success.“When these casinos came, they promised to get people off of welfare, and now they’re basically trying to take it [health insurance] back and put people on assistance from the government and nobody wants that,” Wilson said. “We just want to go to work every day like we’ve been doing and get our insurance and get paid for what we’re worth and take care of our families.”Tags: Ameristar, Chicago, Higgins Labor Program, Labor Cafe, UNITE HERE
Tomatoes have been bred to create a wide array of colors, shapes and sizes, but not much commercial work has been done on breeding tomatoes that taste good.That may be because — despite the public’s love of tomatoes — there’s been no commercial demand for a better-tasting fruit and because breeding for taste is harder than it seems, said Manoj Sapkota, a doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics who recently presented a seminar on the genetics of tomato taste.However, all of that may soon change due to an increased interest in better-tasting crops, dedicated scientists and the discerning palates of trained taste testers, Sapkota said. Sapkota and others in UGA horticulture Professor Esther van der Knaap’s lab are working to breed better-tasting tomatoes.Meeting the high demand for tomatoesIronically, the public’s hunger for tomatoes has partially contributed to the degradation of their flavor. Tomatoes are in high demand all over the world, and the number of tomatoes farmers produce each year is increasing. In 2016, more than 117 trillion tons of tomatoes were produced globally. That’s equivalent to three times the weight of the Great Wall of China.Commercial tomato farmers seek to produce large yields of uniform fruit so that the crop can be more easily packed and processed on a mass scale, said Sapkota. To meet those physical demands, breeders have traditionally regarded flavor as a secondary priority.“These companies select for yield and appearance, not for flavor, and that’s why tomato flavor is degrading,” he said. “Flavor is hard to quantify, which is why it has been ignored in breeding programs.”The science of flavorEven if grocers and farmers were clamoring for better-tasting tomatoes, the science of altering the taste of tomatoes may make it more difficult for researchers to focus on flavor.A tomato gets its flavor, aroma and color from six classes of volatile compounds. There are a number of genes that control the volatile compounds, and they are very tedious and time-consuming to isolate, Sapkota said.University of Florida scientists Denise Tieman and Harry Klee have developed methods that use trained human taste testers to help them identify the compounds that are most important to pleasing tomato flavors.These scientists identify tomatoes with excellent flavor through taste testing and use chemical analysis to identify the desirable volatile compounds possessed by the tastiest tomatoes. Tomatoes that are rated most desirable by both human taste testers and chemical analysis become targets for selective breeding.Now researchers at the University of Florida and the University of Georgia, including van der Knaap, Sapkota, postdoctoral researcher Lara Pereira and postdoctoral researcher Lei Zhang, are using that new knowledge about tomato flavor to more quickly breed these flavor genes into already successful tomato lines.CAES scientists are using a similar approach to improve the flavor of peaches and blueberries.This research is funded by National Science Foundation grant IOS 1564366. For more information about plant breeding programs at CAES, visit plantbreeding.caes.uga.edu.
Cancellation of Constitution pipeline a troubling sign for other projects, analysts say FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享S&P Global Market Intelligence ($):The cancellation of a proposed natural gas pipeline into New York may be a sign of challenges ahead for other projects, both at the grassroots level and in Washington, D.C., according to energy analysts.Anti-fossil-fuel activists have grown more successful in recent years, but Williams Cos. Inc.’s move to scrap the Constitution Pipeline Co. LLC project earned a rare designation in the history of energy infrastructure, according to Katie Bays, co-founder of energy consultancy Sandhill Strategy.“It does take a lot to kill a pipeline project,” Bays said. “There’s really only a handful that have been killed by public policy. I think that was certainly a milestone.”Williams announced it would shelve the project after years of opposition from New York and environmentalists. The proposed line from Pennsylvania’s shale gas fields became a symbol of the movement to keep fossil fuels in the ground and a trend of Northeast states with ambitious clean energy goals denying key water permits to pipeline projects.Canceling Constitution is not “terribly material” for Williams, given the scale of the midstream giant’s operations, according to Stephen Ellis, energy and utilities strategist at Morningstar. But it does speak to challenges that Williams and other pipeline operators may continue to have on the East Coast, Ellis said. Other big projects facing a similar fight include Equitrans Midstream Corp.’s Mountain Valley pipeline and Dominion Energy Inc.’s Atlantic Coast project, Ellis said.Bays sees potential ripple effects for other high-profile projects facing opposition beyond New York, including the PennEast Pipeline Co. LLC gas system, TC Energy Corp.’s Keystone XL and Enbridge Inc.’s Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement in Minnesota. “There are other pipelines that are the target of environmental interference, and to see a pipeline get canceled certainly emboldens environmental groups,” Bays said.[Tom DiChristopher]More ($): Scrapped pipe project for New York a dire sign for other Northeast gas proposals
Haitian President Rene Preval has agreed not to release final results of the impoverished country’s disputed elections until consultation from regional grouping the OAS, an official told AFP. OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza “spoke with President Preval on 20 December and requested a delay of the announcement of the final results of the elections,” the assistant secretary general Albert Ramdin told AFP. After the call from the Organization of American States (OAS), Preval “agreed that he would ask the (previsional election council) not to announce any results for now, until the OAS can help with the clarification process,” Ramdin said. The Haiti electoral commission has said it will review the results of the presidential elections released earlier this month after Preval’s handpicked candidate Jude Celestin defied predictions to win a place in a run-off vote. “We will see if everybody agrees on these terms of reference, then start the process of clarification and recount,” Ramdin said. It was also important to not “only focus on the electoral aspect but also on creating momentum for political acceptance of the final outcome of the clarification process,” he added. The electoral commission plans a recount of tally sheets in the presence of the three main candidates, although popular singer Michel Martelly — ousted in the first round — and Mirlande Manigat — a former first lady who topped the poll — have refused to take part. Manigat meanwhile said on 17 December that she welcomed a second round in the poll but not with three or more candidates, a possibility that was raised earlier this week by French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie. By Dialogo December 21, 2010
8SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr Children spend a lot of time thinking about what they’ll get for the holidays. Use these tips to turn them into givers too.by: Chris Taylor, ReutersAh, the holidays. The season for time-honored traditions like decorating the tree, lighting the menorah, wrapping gifts … and wondering whether you have raised the most selfish kid in the world.Almost every parent has felt this at one time or another, as toddlers and teens obsess over accumulating more and more holiday stuff. Robin Gorman Newman is no different.“Like any kid, my son loves to receive,” says Newman, mom to an 11-year-old in Long Island, N.Y, and founder of the organization Motherhood Later for moms over 35.“They’re all obsessed with getting, especially when they’re younger,” Gorman says. “If you saw my basement, you would know what I’m talking about.” continue reading »
Know how much should you save before retirementAdvisors normally suggest you use about 70-85% of your pre-retirement income to maintain your standard of living and use your benefits for the rest. Many things factor into that number, such as how much you make, the standard of life you wish to continue, and when you started to claim social security.Decide when you should claim your benefitsMost people claim their benefits within the first few years of eligibility. By doing this, they are locking themselves into a smaller monthly rate. That rate is also locked in for the benefits your spouse will receive after you pass. If you can, wait as long as possible to claim your social security because the longer you wait, the bigger that check with be every month.Know what happens if you claim and still workYou can get Social Security benefits and still keep working, but if you are younger than the full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, your benefit will be reduced. If you continue working, you will continue to pay Social Security taxes on your earnings so your benefits have the potential to increase.Create a plan with your spouseThose who are married have a huge advantage over those who are single. The most common practice is to suspend claiming the breadwinner’s benefits right away to let the unclaimed benefits grow significantly while living off of retirement savings and the other spouse’s benefits.Consider mortalityIt isn’t morbid to think about your own death when you are strategizing the best plan to live life to the fullest in retirement. While it is a mystery for most, use what you know about your health and lifestyle to make an assumption. With modern medical technology and national averages showing we are living longer, it may be in your best interest to avoid claiming benefits too early. 53SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr,Tyler Atwell Web: www.cuinsight.com Details
APG is to spend $650m (€390m) on a 20% stake in Chinese warehousing developer and operator e-Shang as part of a joint venture agreement.The Dutch pension fund asset manager’s stake gives it exposure to China’s logistics sector.The partnership will invest in and develop logistics assets across China.Sachin Doshi, APG head of non-listed real estate for the Asia Pacific region, said the asset manager had watched the sector “closely” in recent years as it experienced the growth of third-party logistics and e-commerce, and the evolution of domestic consumption patterns. “Combined with a severe shortage of supply for modern facilities, logistics in China will be a long-term beneficiary of these trends,” he added.E-Shang, founded by private equity firm Warburg Pincus in 2011, owns 1.5m sqm of completed and ongoing projects in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and second-tier cities.Late last year, the company, which has raised $1bn of equity capital, secured a $120m pre-IPO loan from Goldman Sachs.Combined with project-level financing, the company said it had “several billion dollars” of funding.Chinese real estate has attracted institutional money in recent months, with joint venture strategies a common theme.In March, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) formed a partnership with China Vanke, the country’s largest residential developer.CPPIB, which invested in logistics in 2012, said it would invest $250m in the Chinese residential market.However, despite the renewed appetite, economic uncertainty in China slowed investment volumes for the Asia Pacific region in the first quarter of this year – with a 15% year-on-year fall to $23.1bn, according to JLL.Direct investment in China’s commercial real estate markets fell 18% year-on-year to $3bn.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, announces details for the public scoping meeting in Fort Lauderdale and the other meetings regarding the development of the new Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM). A series of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) public scoping meetings are being held throughout south Florida during the month of February and public scoping comments will be accepted until March 31, 2019.USACE is beginning preparation of a NEPA assessment for the LOSOM, which is required by Section 1106 of the 2018 Water Resource Development Act.The purpose of this effort is to reevaluate and define operations for the Lake Okeechobee regulation schedule that take into account additional infrastructure that will soon be operational, USACE said.The additional infrastructure that will be taken into consideration includes the Herbert Hoover Dike rehabilitation, Kissimmee River Restoration Project, as well as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) C-43 West Basin Storage Reservoir and C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area.Public scoping meetings:Fort LauderdaleTuesday, February 26, 2019, 3:30 to 5:30Broward County Main Library6th Floor Exhibit Area100 S Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301Note: Meeting will run 3:30 to 5:30 with doors open at 3.West Palm BeachWednesday, February 27, 2019, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.South Florida Water Management DistrictGoverning Board Auditorium3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406.Miami GardensThursday, February 28, 2019, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.North Dade Regional Library2455 NW 183rd Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33056.The public comment period ends on March 31, 2019.
The Nerazzurri are prepared to offer the 28-year-old, whom they know Atleti like, as part of the deal for the Spanish striker who they will continue to try and sign, according to a report in El Mundo Deportivo. Vecino has been involved in 23 games for the Milanese giants this campaign but has slightly fallen from prominence under Antonio Conte – starting just 14 Serie A matches from a possible 25. The midfielder arrived into Italy as a teenager and has previously impressed in spells with Fiorentina, Empoli and Cagliari. Morata has netted 18 goals for Atleti since joining from Chelsea in January 2019 (initially on a loan deal) including 12 in 32 outings this campaign – establishing himself as the club’s main striker ahead of Diego Costa, who has struggled for form.Advertisement Promoted Content9 Celebrities Who Look Older Than They Really Are10 Risky Jobs Some Women DoYou’ve Only Seen Such Colorful Hairdos In A Handful Of AnimeWhich Country Is The Most Romantic In The World?13 kids at weddings who just don’t give a hoot11 Most Immersive Game To Play On Your Table Top6 Extreme Facts About HurricanesTop 10 Most Populated Cities In The World8 Superfoods For Growing Hair Back And Stimulating Its GrowthBirds Enjoy Living In A Gallery Space Created For ThemUnderappreciated Movies You Missed In 2019The Rarest And Most Valuable Card In The Whole World Inter are not giving up in their pursuit of Atletico de Madrid striker Alvaro Morata and are willing to include midfielder Matias Vecino in the operation. The striker previously spent two years in Italy with Juventus – where he scored 15 goals in 63 games, helping them to two league titles and the 2015 Champions League final – but he played under Antonio Conte, now boss at Inter both in Italy and with Chelsea.
Read Also: Wenger wants players pay lowered to tackle football’s virus fallout Morata technically remains on loan at Atleti from Stamford Bridge, but the move will be made permanent this summer for €55m in a pre-agreed deal. It is claimed Inter want Morata to replace Lautaro Martinez, who has been strongly linked with a summer move to Barcelona. FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Loading… 