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Eczema | National Eczema Association
Posted: May 7, 2017 at 11:23 pm
Chances are, youre here to look for answers and find support.
You might have first noticed an itchy, red patch on your babys cheeks, chin, or chest that she or he scratched until it became even more irritated. Sound familiar? Or maybe you experienced something similar on your own neck, inner elbows, or behind your knees.
Thats probably when you made an appointment with your doctor, who looked at it, talked to you about your symptoms, asked you questions about your family history and the types of products you use on your skin and in your home. Then your doctor told you it was eczema.
So what exactly is eczema? Who can get it and why? And what should you do, now that you or your child has been diagnosed?
Learning more about what kind of eczema you have and what may have triggered it, is the best starting point to treating and managing it, so that your eczema doesnt get in the way of your everyday life.
The good news is youve come to the right place. Were here to help guide you with all of the tools and support youll need every step of the way.
Eczema is very common. And in many cases, its also manageable. In fact, over 30 million Americans have some form of eczema.
Its most common for babies and children to develop eczema on their face (especially the cheeks and chin), but it can appear anywhere on the body and symptoms may be different from one child to the next. More often than not, eczema goes away as a child grows older, though some children will continue to experience eczema into adulthood.
Adults can develop eczema, too, even if they never had it as a child.
The most important thing to remember is that eczema and its symptoms are different for everyone. Your eczema may not look the same on you as it does on another adult, or on your child. It may even appear in different areas of the body at different times.
Eczema is usually itchy. For many people, the itch is usually only mild, or moderate. But in some cases it can become much worse and you might develop extremely inflamed skin. Sometimes the itch gets so bad that people scratch it until it bleeds, which can make your eczema worse. This is called the itch-scratch cycle.
What to look for:
You might have all of these symptoms of eczema or only just a few. You might have some flare ups or your symptoms could go away entirely. But the only way to know if you have eczema for sure, is to visit your doctor so he or she can look at your skin and ask you about your symptoms.
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Reasons for eczema susceptibility uncovered – Science Daily
Posted: at 11:23 pm
Hindustan Times | Reasons for eczema susceptibility uncovered Science Daily Atopic eczema is one of the commonest skin conditions in the UK, affecting up to 10% of adults and 20% of children in the UK. It's more common in children, often developing before their first birthday and often persists into adulthood with severe ... What causes eczema? Scientists blame it on lack of a protein skin barrier What Causes Eczema? Lack of Protein In Skin May Lead To Painful Inflammatory Condition Eczema caused by deficiency of protein in skin, confirm scientists |
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Reasons for eczema susceptibility uncovered - Science Daily
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Understanding genetic variations in black women could improve cancer outcomes – ScienceBlog.com (blog)
Posted: at 11:22 pm
Although the odds of developing breast cancer are nearly identical for black and white women, black women are 42 percent more likely to die from the disease. This mortality gapdriven by social and environmental, as well as biological factorscontinues to persist.
A large, multi-institutional study, published May 4 in JAMA Oncology, was designed to understand this gap by beginning to unravel the germline genetic variations and tumor biological differences between black and white women with breast cancer. This is the first ancestry-based comprehensive analysis of multiple platforms of genomic and proteomic data of its kind, the authors note.
Findings from this study could lead to more personalized risk assessment for women of African heritage and hasten the development of novel approaches designed to diagnose specific subtypes of aggressive breast cancers early and treat them effectively.
One new finding is that black women with hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative breast cancer had a higher risk-of-recurrence score than white women. The study also confirmed that black patients were typically diagnosed at a younger age and were more likely to develop aggressive breast-cancer subtypes, including basal-like or triple-negative cancerstumors lacking estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2as well as other aggressive tumor subtypes.
People have long associated breast cancer mortality in black women with poverty, or stress, or lack of access to care, but our results show that much of the increased risk for black women can be attributed to tumor biological differences, which are probably genetically determined, said study author Olufunmilayo Olopade,the Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor in Medicine and Human Genetics at the University of Chicago.
The good news, she said, is that as we learn more about these genetic variations, we can combine that information with clinical data to stratify risk and better predict recurrencesespecially for highly treatable cancersand develop interventions to improve treatment outcomes.
This is a great example of how team science and investments in science can accelerate progress in identifying the best therapies for the most aggressive breast cancers, said co-author Charles Perou, a member of the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor of genetics, and pathology & laboratory medicine at the UNC School of Medicine.
In the largest dataset to date that has good representation of tumors from black women, we did not find much difference between the somatic mutations driving tumors in black and white women, he added. Yet black women were more likely to develop aggressive molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Now we provide data showing that differences in germline genetics may be responsible for up to 40 percent of the likelihood of developing one tumor subtype versus another.
The study used DNA data collected from 930 women154 of predominantly African ancestry and 776 of European ancestryavailable through The Cancer Genome Atlas, established by the National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute. The researchers combed through the data methodically, looking for racial differences in germline variations, somatic mutations, subtypes of breast cancers, survival time, as well as gene expression, protein expression and DNA methylation patterns.
Most significantly, explained first author Dezheng Huo, associate professor of public health sciences at the University of Chicago, we observed a higher genetic contribution to estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer in blacks.
Black women were more likely to get these highly aggressive cancers. This is one of the first studies to connect genetics to this racial difference in tumor subtype frequencies.
The study also revealed 142 genes that showed differences in expression levels according to race. One gene, CRYBB2, was consistently higher in tumors from black patients within each breast cancer subtype, as well as in normal tissues, suggesting it may be a race-specific gene.
The researchers also found somatic mutations in 13 genes or DNA segments that differed in frequency in tumors from black and white women. One of them, a mutated gene called TP53, was more common in black women than white women and was a strong predictor of disease recurrence.
Despite the relatively short follow-up time in the TCGA dataset, we were able to detect a significant racial disparity in patient survival using breast cancer-free interval as the endpoint between patients of African and European ancestries, said co-first author Hai Hu, vice president for research at the Chan Soon-Shiong Institute of Molecular Medicine at Windber. Most of the worst outcomes came from basal-like subtype breast cancer patients of African Ancestry.
Black women in all categories, including the most common breast cancers, were likely to have a worse prognosis, Olopade said.
Understanding the basic, underlying genetic differences between black and white women, the higher risk scores and the increased risk of recurrence should lead us to alternative treatment strategies, said Perou.
The crucial long-term benefit of this study, according to Olopade, is that it is a step toward the development of polygenic biomarkers, tools that can help us better understand each patients prognosis and, as we learn more, play a role in choosing the best treatment.
Genes matter, she added. This is a foot in the door for precision medicine, for scientifically targeted treatment.
This study now outlines a path for us to personalize breast cancer risk assessment and develop better strategies to empower all women, especially black women, to know their genetics and be more proactive in managing their risk, Perou said.
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Prince Philip’s honesty may be politically incorrect, but it was also his greatest strength – The Independent
Posted: at 11:21 pm
It takes a lot to knock Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn off the front headlines on both the day of major local elections and in the midst of a general election. Yet Prince Phillip did it.
But despite all the attention rightly given to his landmark decision to step down from his royal duties, in many ways he has been the opposite of high profile. In reality, he is notable for his low visibility, either working alongside the Queen, but always two paces behind, or quietly making visits of his own on a daily basis. Even the forthright quotes that make juicy reading only work out at an average of one every three years.
Even when Prince Phillip has been outspoken, there has always been an element of truth to his remarks, which may have offended some sensitivities, but which also highlighted a serious point.
When on a school visit, he asked one of the pupils what he wanted to do when he grew up. On being told that the lad intended to be a space explorer, he blurted out: "But youre too fat to be an astronaut!" Was that an unjust remark that caused a brutal blow to the childs ego, or a helpful piece of advice that would change his lifestyle and improve his future?
Prince Philip jokes he can 'barely stand up'
He was equally capable of challenging the high and mighty. When discussing the plight of Englands uplands, which had become depopulated in recent years, a leading expert started pontificating on how important it was to get people to settle there.
"Why talk about it?" asked the Prince. "If you want people to do that, go there yourself and get people to follow your lead!" The man fell silent.
On another occasion, during a discussion on prison reform and how to improve the condition of prisons, he interjected: "Nonsense, we need to do the exact opposite, make prisons as horrible as possible, so much so that people in them arent keen to go back."
This would certainly displease those who want prison to be a place of education and rehabilitation, but would strike a chord with those who feel it should have a strong deterrent effect.
But whether one agreed or disagreed with particular comments, his bluntness was the product of a fundamental honesty that stands in stark contrast to those who just mouth platitudes, utter slogans or engage in verbal gymnastics.
Of course, the vast majority of his work has been away from the cameras, not consorting with the wealthy but meeting ordinary people in factories, or research laboratories, or day-care centres, or youth-training hostels, who work hard and do good, but who never receive publicity and appreciate his interest. He shows they matter to the national life and those visited feel he sprinkles fairy dust over what they do.
Equally hidden from view is his passion for engineering. The Prince Philip Designer Prize has encouraged many to develop their skills, including Ronal Hickman who went on to develop the all-purpose workshop bench known as "Workmate", while another contestant, Andrew Ritchie, designed the folding bicycle. Few people using either of them realise they have the Prince to partially thank.
Whereas the first Queen Elizabeth never married, apparently worried that a husband would take over and become a rival, the current monarch has found that having a husband meant she had a very dutiful "workmate" of her own. The Prince may be slowing down, but hopefully he will continue in good health and go on to receive the centenary letter that his wife sends out.
Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain is minister of Maidenhead Synagogue and author of Confessions of a Rabbi
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Prince Philip's honesty may be politically incorrect, but it was also his greatest strength - The Independent
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Maher needed to put away his notebook and be present at Chicago Theatre – Chicago Tribune
Posted: at 11:21 pm
What a missed opportunity.
A little over 100 days into the presidency of Donald J. Trump and political satirists are riding high on the fact that so many of their viewers are feeling very low. Comedian Bill Maher currently in the midst of his 15th season on HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher" has certainly been the beneficiary of increased viewership due to Trumpophobia. In fact, this season he's enjoying some of his highest ratings ever.
This is a moment for Maher to take his brand of politically incorrect liberalism the guy literally hosted a show titled "Politically Incorrect," for crying out loud and bring it to the stage. People want to laugh even if especially if they're terrified. They're also ready to be challenged.
But despite a full house and an eager audience, the cynical liberal fire he brings to his show was mostly absent Saturday night at the Chicago Theatre, where Maher treated his hourlong, opener-less show like a complete afterthought, running through a number of softly familiar punchlines in a frequently distracted set.
Much of the distraction stemmed from a notebook Maher brought with him and propped on a metal stand beside him to refer to throughout the show. Presumably the notebook was meant to keep him on track it's not uncommon for a comedian to reference some kind of set list but Maher's overreliance on it pulled his energy, hampered his delivery and kept him from ever truly connecting with the material or the audience.
He's a busy guy recording a new episode of "Real Time" every Friday and performing on a number of weekends but a few more rehearsals were in order here.
Despite landing a number of solid jabs directed at the current president, his family, his cabinet and the entire Republican party (and even a few at overly PC liberals), Maher was decidedly distant for most of his set.
"Does anyone ever tell Trump these executive orders he signs aren't laws?" he asked rhetorically. "Because I think he thinks they are."
As most people buying tickets to a Bill Maher show would expect, the vast majority of his barbs took this form and were aimed at Trump and his voters, with Maher at one point saying that a liberal tea party is brewing, "but of course with more teeth and less misspellings on the signs."
Jokes like this make an audience feel both reassured and superior, and both on his TV show and in this show, Maher wields them with smugly deadpan aplomb.
But even on an off night, Maher isn't complacent enough to pander to standard left-wing ideologies. Toward the middle of his set he launched into a biting criticism of Islam a topic he's been very vocal and very adamant about that sucked the air out of the room, in a way he clearly intended.
"Don't start with me," he said as laughter turned to uncomfortable silence. "It's a religion of peace," he said facetiously. "There's a piece of you over there. There's a piece of you over there."
And here is the type of moment that Maher revels in: a confrontation. His show is set up to provide a platform for people with differing opinions to duke it out, with Maher making it clear whose side he's on. Here it was him against the audience.
"Liberals are supposed to be against oppression," he said, in a condemnation of burqas. "If we agree Donald Trump is not normal it's also not normal to throw a tarp over a human like a motorboat."
Throughout this section the laughter was sparse, but, oddly, there were a number of cheers and applause for some of his statements (for example, "I'm not anti-Muslim. I'm anti-bad idea."). And when he transitioned from mocking Islam to mocking the Catholic church, the laughter returned in an immediate, almost relieved way. "Now we're back to making fun of white people, thank God," Maher quipped.
Maher has never been one to shy away from a controversial opinion or a joke that could be classified as offensive, and that's to his benefit, but here his often muted delivery undermined the points he was making.
"I'm a little tired of 'Check your white male privilege,' " he said toward the end. "I checked. Yes, I'm still privileged."
Maher has earned the privilege of a national platform and the name recognition that goes with it he now needs to earn the kind of audience investment that will carry his set through the tough spots. He could start with a few more rehearsals.
Zach Freeman is a freelance writer.
Twitter @ZachRunsChicago
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Ai Weiwei: How Censorship Works – New York Times
Posted: at 11:21 pm
New York Times | Ai Weiwei: How Censorship Works New York Times At first glance, the censorship seems invisible, but its omnipresent washing of people's feelings and perceptions creates limits on the information people receive, select and rely upon. The content offered by the Chinese state media, after its ... |
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Networks accused of ‘censorship’ for refusing to air pro-Trump ad … – Washington Times
Posted: at 11:21 pm
Four major television networks ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN have come under fire from the Trump camp for censorship after refusing to air a political ad over its reference to fake news.
Jamestown Associates, which produced the 30-second spot touting President Trumps record during his first 100 days in office, said Friday that the networks decision to reject the paid ad is unprecedented.
No matter your ideology, the notion of censorship should send a chill up your spine, said the Republican political consulting firm.
The First Amendment is first for a reason no right is more fundamental and inherently American than freedom of speech, said the Jamestown statement. Yet, CNN, CBS, ABC, and NBC decided you cannot see it on their airwaves. To our knowledge, this has never happened before.
Presidential daughter-in-law Lara Trump, a consultant for Donald J. Trump for President, which paid for the ad, denounced the move as an unprecedented act of censorship in America that should concern every freedom-loving citizen.
Apparently, the mainstream media are champions of the First Amendment only when it serves their own political views, said Ms. Trump, who is married to the presidents son Eric. Faced with an ad that doesnt fit their biased narrative, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC have now all chosen to block our ad.
At issue is a clip showing five prominent television news personalities overlaid with the words FAKE NEWS.
The voice-over says that America has rarely seen such success, but you wouldnt know it from watching the news.
Two networks NBC and CNN released statements saying that they would run the ad only if the phrase fake news were removed. CBS declined a request for comment.
Consistent with our policies, we have agreed to accept the ad if the inaccurate graphic which refers to journalists as fake news is corrected, said an NBCUniversal spokesperson.
In its statement, CNN said that the mainstream media is not fake news, and therefore the ad is false. Per our policy, it will be accepted only if that graphic is deleted. Those are the facts.
The ad ran afoul of ABCs guidelines prohibiting ads that include personal attacks and requiring political ads to be sourced and verified.
We rejected the ad because it did not meet our guidelines, said an ABC spokesperson. We have previously accepted Trump ads and are open to doing so in the future.
The five personalities shown in the ad MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell and Rachel Maddow, CNNs Wolf Blitzer, ABCs George Stephanopoulos and CBS Scott Pelley are among Mr. Trumps most visible critics in the media.
Fox News has aired the ad, said Jamestown creative director Len Khodorkovsky.
The $1.5 million television and digital ad campaign launched Monday.
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Trump Team Decries Censorship, Media Refuses ‘Fake News’ Ad – Newsmax
Posted: at 11:21 pm
Associates connected to President Donald Trump lashed back at CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC's refusal to broadcast his recent ad as an assault on free speech and "an unprecedented act of censorship," according to the U.K.'s Independent.
"Apparently, the mainstream media are champions of the First Amendment only when it serves their own political views," Lara Trump, wife of President Trump's son Eric, said in a Trump campaign press release.
"Faced with an ad that doesn't fit their biased narrative, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC have now all chosen to block our ad. This is an unprecedented act of censorship in America that should concern every freedom-loving citizen."
CNN claimed its refusal of the "false" ad was based on the "Fake News" graphic covering the faces of news anchors Andrea Mitchell of NBC, Scott Pelley of CBS, George Stephanopoulos of ABC, Wolf Blitzer of CNN, and Rachel Maddow of MSNBC. CNN said it would air the ad if the "Fake News" graphic was removed.
ABC echoed CNN's position, according to the report.
"We rejected the ad because it did not meet our guidelines," an ABC spokesperson told the Independent. "We have previously accepted Trump ads and are open to doing so in the future."
The Trump campaign reportedly spent $1.5 million to air the ad.
2017 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
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McDaniel: Censorship is nothing new at UW – Wyoming Tribune
Posted: at 11:21 pm
Having witnessed a handful of letters to the editor supporting state Sen. Anthony Bouchards conduct at the University of Wyoming, it seemed a contrary point of view was appropriate.
Who elected Bouchard to oversee UW? No one except Bouchard. The single-issue gun rights candidate took it upon himself to threaten at least one faculty member as he flaunted his faux-power recently on the UW campus. The leadership of the Wyoming Legislature needs to reign him in, assuming they want to, and that is a major assumption.
UW has experienced numerous attempts to deny academic freedom. There was a McCarthy-era witch hunt to censor textbooks at UW. Powerful legislators once attempted to close the law school when they didnt like a book by a law professor proposing removing cattle from public lands. The then-president of the state Senate felt UW should screen faculty to assure they would teach only Wyoming values.
Then there was Carbon Sink, a sculpture created to make a statement about climate change. The Wyoming Mining Association and their legislators felt it unfairly criticized the mining industry. They persuaded the then-UW president to destroy the sculpture.
Censorship is nothing new at UW. But this incident is different. Coming onto the campus to berate students and threaten faculty is a step too far.
Bouchard claims to know all there is to know about the Second Amendment, but he knows nothing about the First. Memo to Anthony: The First Amendment comes just before the Second. Its the one guaranteeing free speech and academic freedom, even when you dont like what you hear.
It seems the freshman Laramie County state senator showed up during the recent Shepard Symposium on Social Justice. He saw a notice online, decided he didnt like what he read and headed for the campus to make a nuisance of himself.
The presentation was the work of a couple of UW students exploring unique threats faced by African-American males by those carrying concealed weapons. Even before he heard the presentation, Bouchard decided it was race baiting.
Following the presentation, which Bouchard reportedly interrupted frequently with irrelevant assertions about the Second Amendment, Bouchard became disruptive. He made it known he was a state senator before engaging the students and a faculty member in a bizarre conversation.
Seemingly related to nothing, Bouchard complained about the response time of campus police. According to witnesses, he said he thought about detonating an explosive device on the campus to test their response time.
Then he turned his venom on the students and their academic work, telling their instructor, I vote on funding for this school. It was his way of threatening her as he asserted that he attended because, I think I should know what I should vote against. Bouchard told the media he intends to take a closer look at what is being taught at the university.
Why are we spending money for a teacher to teach this kind of stuff, he said.
Well Bouchard, taxpayers spend money on teachers like her for much the same reason we spend money on legislators. We spend that money in the hopes of hiring people with the ability to think critically about the problems that confront our state. In the case of the faculty member you attacked, we are getting our moneys worth.
So, Bouchard, you know whatever it is you think you know about the Second Amendment. Heres a brief lesson on the First Amendment and how it protects students and faculty from bullies: Fifty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a case titled Keyishian v. Board of Regents. Justice William Brennan wrote, Our nation is deeply committed to safeguarding academic freedom, which is of transcendent value to all of us, not merely to the teachers involved.
In other words, your election to the state Legislature gave you no authority to threaten students and faculty. Indeed, it gave you the responsibility to protect their rights as vehemently as you seek to protect the rights of gun owners.
Rodger McDaniel lives in Laramie and is the pastor at Highlands Presbyterian Church in Cheyenne. Email: rmc81448@gmail.com.
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Book review: Author delves into transhumanist movement in ‘To Be a Machine’ – SCNow
Posted: at 11:19 pm
To be or not to be a machine? That is indeed the question. To sleep, perchance to dream of becoming a robot? Give those fellows credit for being immune to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and being designed to outlive us all. But author Mark OConnells subject in To Be a Machine is not robot envy. He has been trekking various terrains to report on the brave new world of transhumanists. This assemblage of scientists, entrepreneurs, dreamers and the odd philosopher is dedicated to out-maneuvering our mortal destiny.
He toured Alcora, a facility near Phoenix, where he is prepped on how humanitys primary adaptations need to be reset after death derails them. Until that breakthrough, clients invest in a post-mortem cyronic suspension that freezes our mortal flesh for future uploading, especially the separated heads that encase our vital core. Seriously, if life began with a handful of elements and has so far evolved homo sapiens amazing brain, why stop now?
But why the singular focus? Because the superstar of the computer age is our brain. Its ability to accumulate and organize ever-greater masses of data is regaled by scientists. Brains are being credited with keeping us active players, not only in improving our lot but also in enabling our species to feel more uniquely alive. And so it is this constant flow of data fueled by 100 billion neurons that entices us to double down against death. With such infinite resources, why not embrace the transhuman task of phasing it out?
Because its also complicated. OConnell doesnt shy away from this agendas doubling back on itself. Enter AI: Artificial Intelligence, far more superior to mastering data than our cumbersome biology permits. But as AIs leave us in the dust, many fear were at their mercy, as well. Some in the field speculate that the new bosses might condescend to us as pets; others propose that since we cant beat em, join em and become robots. Crazy; but havent we already begun? Robocars can make pizza runs, drones can fight our wars, disembodied voices guide grocery self-checkouts, Dr. Google dispenses free medical advice. Face it, bit by bit humans are becoming redundant. Phasing out death, we may end up phasing out ourselves. Where will it end? No one dare say. But OConnell has devised an indispensable GPS for negotiating todays tomorrow-land.
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TO BE A MACHINE: Adventures among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death
By Mark OConnell
(Doubleday, $29.95, 256 pp.)
Publication: Feb. 28
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