ATLANTA - For the first time, health officials report that the AIDS virus can be spread by a mother pre-chewing her infant's food, a practice mainly seen in poor, developing countries. ADVERTISEMENT
Three such cases were reported in the United States from 1993-2004, government scientists said Wednesday in a presentation in Boston at a scientific conference.
It's blood, not saliva, that carried the virus because in at least two of the cases the infected mothers had bleeding gums or mouth sores, according to investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC officials say more study is needed. But they are asking parents and caregivers with HIV not to pre-chew infants' food, and are trying to educate doctors about this kind of transmission.
Health officials believe chewed-food transmission is rare in the United States, where such behavior is considered unusual. In some countries, mothers do it because they have no access to baby food or a means of pulverizing food for toothless infants.
"But even one case is too many," said the CDC's Dr. Ken Dominguez, who helped investigate the U.S. cases.
The first involved a 15-month-old African-American boy in Miami, diagnosed in 1993. His great-aunt was infected with HIV and pre-chewed food for the boy when he was between the ages of 9 months and 14 months.
Then a 3-year-old Caribbean-American boy was diagnosed in 1995, also in Miami. His HIV-infected mother pre-chewed food for her son.
Still uncertain they had definitively connected the practice to the spread of HIV, the doctors wanted more evidence. It was years later before they could confirm a third case, which occurred in 2004. A 9-month-old African-American girl was diagnosed with HIV in Memphis. The mother began pre-chewing the girl's food when she was about four months old.
All three children were infected with HIV at a time they would have been teething and had inflamed gums. It may be that both a caregiver and a child must have wounds in their mouths for the virus to have a good chance of passing from one bloodstream to another, the investigators said.
Previous studies have linked pre-chewing to the spread of other infections including Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that causes stomach ailments, and streptococcal pharyngitis, which triggers sore throat. That research, too, is preliminary and needs to be confirmed, CDC officials said.
In developing nations without other feeding options, any campaign against pre-chewing could be nutritionally harmful, said Kimberly Hagen at the Emory Center for AIDS Research in Atlanta.
"This would really take a lot of thinking before you could say, 'We've had three cases in 11 years, so you have to stop pre-chewing your child's food,'" Hagen said.
Read More..
Moms pre-chewing food gave HIV to kids
Don't Use a Hot Tub During Pregnancy
(HealthDay News) - While a hot bath may sound like a great way to soothe aching muscles during pregnancy, becoming overheated in a hot bath or a hot tub poses risks for a developing fetus, the American Pregnancy Association says.ADVERTISEMENT
So using a hot tub is generally not recommended for pregnant women.
If you decide to take a bath, the association offers this advice on how to do it safely:
Don't let the water get too hot, whether it's in a bath or hot tub.
If you do choose to use a hot tub, don't stay for more than 10 minutes.
Body temperatures of 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit or higher can be dangerous for a fetus, so take your temperature regularly to be sure it is not too high.
If you start to feel uncomfortable, sick, or notice that you've stopped sweating, get out of the water as quickly as possible.
Read More..
Scientists explain big vapor plume on Saturn moon
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists on Wednesday said they have an explanation how one of Saturn's moons can spew out a giant plume of water vapor, adding to evidence a source of life -- water -- lies beneath the moon's frozen surface. ADVERTISEMENT
Using a computer model, German researchers showed the temperature at the bottom of surface cracks on Enceladus has to be about 0 degrees Celsius, the so-called triple point of water where vapor, ice and liquid water all can coexist.
"This makes this moon very interesting for further study because there is a connection between liquid water and life," Sascha Kempf, a physicist at the Max Planck Institut in Heidelberg, said in a telephone interview.
"This is the kind of thing planetary scientists hope for."
The scientists published their findings in the journal Nature.
Mars, Jupiter's moon Europa and Enceladus are the only places in the solar system with direct evidence of water. Finding organisms different from those on Earth may provide scientists with answers to questions ranging from where diseases come from to how our sun and planets formed more than 4.5 billion years ago.
Scientists have taken an especially close look at Enceladus because it seems to have a smooth surface -- suggesting recent geological activity that, in turn, could mean liquid water.
They are also intrigued by the plume itself, a gigantic geyser of water vapor and tiny ice particles. One mystery was how the dust particles slowed down to keep the plume restrained by the gravity of the moon, said Kempf, who worked on the study.
Their model showed most of the dust particles collide with the walls of the surface crack as they are ejected and constrain the gas flow to keep the plume close to the surface rather than shooting into the atmosphere, Kempf said.
The team used images of the plume and properties of the escaping gas and dust particles to run their model. They found it only reproduced the plume when the temperature was at zero degrees at the bottom of the cracks, implying water exists there in liquid form.
"The density of the gas jet inside the cracks is so high that the small dust particles should have the same speeds to escape from the gravity of the moon," he said. "If this was true you wouldn't see plumes. You would see a long jets expanding into the system."
Saturn has at least 47 moons and at least seven rings. The joint U.S.-European Space Agency Cassini mission, launched in 1997, is spending four years examining Saturn.
Cassini is scheduled to fly 50 kilometers (31 miles) over the moon's surface in March, which will provide more information on the precise chemical composition of the particles and water vapor as scientists try to better understand the plume, Kempf said.
Read More..
Bev's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nutrition Info / Info Gizi
* Calories: 98 kcal
* Carbohydrates: 12 g
* Dietary Fiber: 1 g
* Fat: 5 g
* Protein: 1 g
* Sugars: 7 g
Ingredients / Bahan-bahan
1. 3/4 cup rolled oats
2. 1 cup whole-wheat flour
3. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1/4 cup butter, softened
6. 1/4 cup canola oil
7. 1/3 cup granulated sugar
8. 1/3 cup brown sugar
9. 1 large egg
10. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11. 1 cup chocolate chips
Cooking Directions / Cara Pembuatan
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, at least 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm around the edges and golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Still Hungry ?? / Masih Terasa Lapar ??
Eating Well reader Beverley Rosenber of Santa Barbara, California, contributed this recipe to our Kitchen to Kitchen department. She updated a favorite treat by cutting back on sugar and incorporating whole grains.
Notes:
To make ahead
The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Read More..
Muhammad : Sang Nabi Perang
Halo-2 aku sempat baca-2 artikel di internet dan aku menemukan sedikit artikel yang menarik jadi ya aku posting aja di blog aku, ya mungkin ada yang gak setuju atau mungkin ada yang setuju itu sih terserah para pembaca intinya aku cuman pengen nambah postingan di blog aku aja itu kok, ok pren so silahkan deh dinilai sendiri....
"Muhammad Sang Nabi PERANG"
Kenapa kehidupan Muhammad, nabinya Islam, jadi penting saat ini? 14 abad telah berlalu sejak dia lahir. Jutaan orang2 muslim telah hidup dan mati sejak saat itu dan banyak para pemimpin bangkit membimbing orang2 percaya, termasuk keturunan2 sang nabi itu sendiri. Pastilah Islam, seperti juga agama2 lain, telah berubah selama 1400 tahun ini.
Ini jawabnya, kenapa kehidupan Muhammad jadi punya penting artinya : Bertentangan dg apa yg para sekularis ingin utk kita percayai, bahwa agama2 tidak sepenuhnya ditentukan (atau disesatkan) oleh para pengikutnya seiring berlalunya waktu.Kehidupan dan perkataan dari para pendirinya tetap jadi pusat utama, tidak jadi masalah diabad berapa jaman dahulu mereka hidup. Gagasan darimana orang2 percaya membentuk sebuah agama malahan dihasilkan dari filosofi dekonstruksionisme yg menjadi mode ditahun 1960an, yg mengajarkan bahwa perkataan tertulis tidak punya arti lain selain apa yg diberikan pada mereka oleh pembacanya. Hal yg sama pentingnya (dan tentu saja bukan sebuah kebenaran religius); Arti yg dimiliki oleh seseorang sama dg arti yg dimiliki orang lain. Akhirnya, menurut teori dekonstruksionisme, kita semua menciptakan versi ‘kebenaran’ kita sendiri, yg tidaklah lebih baik atau lebih buruk dari versi orang lain.
Tapi bagi orang yg religius dijalan2 kota Chicago, Roma, Yerusalem, Damaskus, Kalkuta, dan Bangkok, kalimat2 dari Yesus, Musa, Muhammad, Krishna dan Buddha punya arti yg jauh lebih besar dibanding arti2 yg dimiliki oleh para individu yg membaca karya2 atau tulisan2 tentang mereka. Dan bahkan bagi pembaca yg kurang imannya, perkataan2 dari para guru besar religius ini jelas masing2 tidak sama pengertiannya.
Itu sebabnya saya tempatkan sebuah sidebar “Muhammad vs. Jesus” ditiap bab utk menegaskan fallacy dari mereka yg mengklaim bahwa Islam dan kristen - dan semua agama2 tradisi lainnya, dalam masalah itu – pada dasarnya mempunyai kemampuan yg sama utk mengilhami kebaikan atau kejahatan. Ini juga berarti utk menegaskan bahwa Barat, yg dibangun atas dasar kekristenan, layak dibela, meskipun jika kita hidup dijaman yg disebut era post-kristen. Selanjutnya, melalui kata2 dari Muhammad dan Yesus, kita dapat menarik sebuah perbedaan antara prinsip utama yg membimbing muslim dan kristen. Prinsip2 ini penting. Para pengikut Muhammad membaca perkataannya dan meniru perbuatan2nya, yg mengarah pada pengungkapan iman yg sangat berbeda dari kristen. Orang tidak perlu melihat jauh2 utk melihat bahwa kehidupan dalam sebuah negara islam berbeda dari kehidupan di amerika atau inggris. Perbedaannya dimulai dg Muhammad. Saat ini ketika begitu banyak perkataan dan perbuatan2 Muhammad dipakai utk membenarkan tindakan2 kekerasan dan pertumpahan darah, adalah penting utk terbiasa dg figur penting ini.
Bagi banyak orang di Barat, Muhammad tetap menjadi mister daripada figur2 agama lainnya. Banyak orang tahu bahwa Musa menerima 10 Perintah di Gunung Sinai, bahwa Yesus mati di kayu salib di Cavalry dan dibangkitkan dari kematian, dan mungkin tahu Budha duduk dibawah sebuah pohon dan menerima pencerahan. Tapi sedikit yg tahu tentang Muhammad, dan bahkan itupun masih diperdebatkan. Oleh karena itu, yg berikut ini akan diambil melulu dari kitab2 Islam.
Fakta dasar pertama: Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Abd al-Muttalib (570-632), nabi Islam, adalah Orang yg suka perang. Dia ajarkan para pengikutnya utk bertempur bagi agama barunya. Dia bilang bahwa tuhan mereka, Allah, memerintahkan mereka utk angkat senjata. Dan Muhammad, katanya tidak hanya duduk dibelakang meja, telah bertempur dalam banyak pertempuran. Fakta2 ini penting bagi siapapun yg sungguh2 ingin mengerti apa penyebab Perang salib berabad2 lalu atau, dijaman kita, apa yg menyebabkan kebangkitan gerakan Jihad Global.
Dalam rangkaian perang2 ini, Muhammad mengucapkan banyak prinsip2 yg diikuti para muslim jaman sekarang. Dg begitu, sangat penting utk mencatat hal2 penting dalam perang2nya Muhammad, yg dapat memberikan pengertian mendalam pada Judul2 Muka koran2 saat ini – wawasan yg terus, sedihnya, gagal dimengerti oleh para analis dan para ahli.
Diambil dari sebuah site : http:/www.indonesia.faithfreedom.org
Aku gak tau mana yang benar dan mana yang salah, maklumlah soalnya aku baru aja 3 tahun memeluk islam, ya tapi menurut aku semua itu tergantung dari orangnnya dan semua agama itu baik, kalo gak baik kenapa sampai tuhan menurunkan ajarannya kepada nabi-2nya… Ok Pren……
Read More..
The Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2008
AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women is an annual list compiled by AskMen.com readers and staff, ranking the famous females deemed to be the year's most alluring. In casting their votes, readers are asked to look beyond sex appeal and beauty to pick women who have the characteristics they value in a potential companion, like intelligence, humor, charisma, and ambition. The result is an annual list that acts as the definitive gauge for identifying what modern men desire most in their female companions.
This year, over 5 million votes were cast as AskMen.com readers identified the females from the worlds of music, fashion, sports, and entertainment who they felt best represented their ideal woman. Who has joined the exclusive ranks of previous winners Laetitia Casta, Charlize Theron, Monica Bellucci, Adriana Lima, Jessica Alba, and Beyonce Knowles in being named 2008's No.
Here's an exclusive sneak peak of some of the women voted onto the Top 99 list in 2008:
The Honorees:
Blake Lively - View her photos
Voted as the No. 99 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
2008 marks Blake Lively's debut on the AskMen.com Top 99 list. Although she's been acting for years in films like "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" (2005) and "Accepted" (2006), the 20-year- old California native had a breakout year in 2007 with her starring role as Serena van der Woodsen on the hit teen TV series "Gossip Girl."
Lindsay Lohan - View her photos
Voted as the No. 95 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Lindsay Lohan might have done everything except star in a hit movie this year. Plummeting 45 positions to finish at No. 95, Lindsay proved to be perfect tabloid fodder in 2007 with her highly publicized antics, which included a bizarre car crash, an arrest, and a subsequent stint in rehab.
Jessica Simpson - View her photos
Voted as the No. 47 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Jessica Simpson is the quintessential all-American girl, and in 2007 (after calling it quits with crooner John Mayer) she made the ultimate patriotic move to date All-American quarterback Tony Romo. After Dallas' suspiring NFC divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants, Cowboy fans tagged her with the nickname Yoko Romo. Aside from breaking her nose on the set of her upcoming 2008 film "Major Movie Star," Jessica announced that she will be returning to her Texas roots and releasing a country album in the coming year.
Eva Longoria - View her photos
Voted as the No. 29 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Eva Longoria is the reason why men don't complain about "Desperate Housewives." Eva sizzled as Gabrielle all year and still found time to make a cameo in "The Heartbreak Kid," model for Bebe Sport and host the 2007 NCLR ALMA Awards. In 2008, she'll appear in "Lower Learning," "Over Her Dead Body," "Foodfight!," and "Deep in the Heart of Texas." When told her she made AskMen.com's list again, she said: "[It's] probably ... because I married Tony Parker. So people think, 'Cool! Sports guy!' That is really flattering and fun. ... It's better than the alternate lists -- the not-so-hot of the year!"
Kim Kardashian - View her photos
Voted as the No. 28 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Hollywood socialite Kim Kardashian is one busy lady: She owns her very own high-end clothing boutique, stars in a reality TV show, "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," and still finds the time to cameo in the occasional homemade porn video. But while Kim Kardashian might have a talent for batting those eyelashes at the camera, it's her curvaceous Jessica Rabbit-like physique that drives the boys crazy.
Carrie Underwood - View her photos
Voted as the No. 23 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Quite possibly the most successful American Idol winner ever, Carrie Underwood was nominated for five Academy of Country Music awards in 2007 and for the "Best New Artist" Grammy -- the first time an Idol winner has been nominated in that category. She also became only the 11th country music star ever to perform on "SNL." Carrie released her second sophomore studio album, Carnival Ride, in '07, and continues to dominate airwaves on radio stations from coast to coast.
Halle Berry - View her photos
Voted as the No. 21 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
2007 proved to be a busy year for this Academy Award-winning actress, model and mother-to-be; after starring in two flicks, "Perfect Stranger" and "Things We Lost in the Fire," Halle received a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 2008 will be another busy year for Halle Berry, as she already has three films lined up.
Beyonce Knowles - View her photos
Voted as the No. 14 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Voted as the most Desirable Woman of 2007, Beyonce's physical and musical attributes have already translated into a stellar career as an award-winning singer and actress. She had several hit songs in 2007, including "Beautiful Liar," and fans everywhere now wait with bated breath for Beyonce's third solo album, due out in 2008.
Megan Fox - View her photos
Voted as the No. 12 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
This foxy Fox is known for having starring roles in a number of hit movies and television shows, including "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" (2004), the sitcom "Hope & Faith," and her starring role in 2007's box-office smash hit "Transformers." Though her resume is short, there is no denying Megan Fox's budding talent ... and her incredible good looks.
Jessica Alba - View her photos
Voted as the No. 5 Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Who doesn't love a beautiful woman with a great sense of humor? Jessica Alba showed us her funny side in "Good Luck Chuck," and her gorgeous side everywhere else she appeared. In 2007, she also reprised her role as Susan Storm in "Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer," and can next be seen starring in "The Eye," "The Love Guru," and 2009's "Sin City 2." Voted No. 1 of 2006, Jessica Alba is a perennial favorite among voters.
Katherine Heigl - View her photos
AskMen.com's Most Desirable Woman of 2008
Katherine Heigl has had an outstanding year. Her role on "Grey's Anatomy" garnered her an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also starred in the box-office hit "Knocked Up," was interviewed by journalist Barbara Walters as one of her "10 Most Fascinating People of 2007," and married singer Josh Kelley. A former model, Katherine Heigl is beautiful, well-spoken, humorous, talented ... the list goes on. No one belongs at the top of 2008's Top 99 more than Katherine Heigl.
Read More..
