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PBS' 'NOW' Examines Violence In Antiabortion-Rights Movement, Features Online Debate
PBS" "NOW" on Friday examined whether violence against abortion providers should be prosecuted as domestic terrorism. The segment included comments from abortion providers LeRoy Carhart, who previously worked with murdered provider George Tiller at his Kansas clinic, and Warren Hern, a Colorado-based provider. Both Carhart and Hern perform abortions later in pregnancy. Carhart said that he and his family live as "targets" because of his work but that he plans to continue Tiller"s mission of providing abortion services to women who need the procedure later in pregnancy. Hern said that he has been living "under siege" for decades, working in a clinic that has four layers of bulletproof windows and 24-hour federal protection. The segment also examined claims that law enforcement officials did not adequately respond to threats against Tiller from his alleged killer (Hinojosa, "NOW," PBS, 6/12).Newman, Page Debate Abortion Access Later in Pregnancy PBS" "NOW" also included an online debate between Troy Newman -- president of Operation Rescue -- and Cristina Page -- an abortion-rights advocate, blogger and author -- about abortion in the third trimester of pregnancy. Page said that so-called "late-term" abortion generally refers to procedures that take place at or beyond 24 weeks" gestation. She noted that such procedures are extremely rare, as only 1% of abortions take place after 21 weeks" gestation. When asked under what circumstances abortion is appropriate later in pregnancy, Newman said that rather than terminating the pregnancy, viable fetuses that face life-threatening conditions "should be delivered and given the appropriate medical treatment." Page countered, "There are a wide array of tragic conditions that can harm a pregnancy, threaten the viability of the fetus, and the health and life of the woman. Until you have walked in the shoes of those who have suffered through these decisions, you can never know what the right course of action is."Newman and Page also responded to a question about the impact that access to late abortion procedures has on society. Newman said that there exists an "abortion culture that openly implies that a person who is inconvenient is somehow disposable," which "creates an environment that fosters violence and is something that the pro-life movement is working to change." Page said that "to understand the impact, we must hear from women and their families who have needed an abortion at this stage of pregnancy," adding that these cases typically are intended pregnancies "with grave or fatal anomalies."The debate also addressed the issue of domestic terrorism and the antiabortion-rights movement. Page said the movement "espouses non-violent measures to achieve its goals" but "has been tremendously injured by domestic terrorists independently acting under the banner "pro-life."" She added that Newman has a "tremendous opportunity to transform his organization into a beacon for non-violence in the abortion conflict" and that he "should take steps to de-escalate the rhetoric, continue to send strong and consistent messages in opposition to terror [through] the media and to his organization"s members and alert law enforcement to unstable people," such as Tiller"s alleged murderer (Newman/Page, "NOW," PBS, 6/12).
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Being Overweight With Heart Risk In Mid Life Followed By Weight Loss Linked To More Illness And Higher Risk Of Death Later
Researchers in Finland who tracked the health of over 1,000 men from middle age into old age found that being overweight and having high risk
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Nurses And Midwives Looking For Real Reforms, Australia
The Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing Federation, Ged Kearney and the Assistant Federal Secretary, Lee Thomas will be available for comment on the Prime Minister"s address on the challenges of Health Reform and the release of the NHHRC report.
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Technology Similar To An Inkjet Printer Could Aid Toxin Detection

If that office inkjet printer has become just another fixture, it"s time to take a fresh look at it. Similar technology may soon be used to develop paper-based biosensors that can detect certain harmful toxins that can cause food poisoning or be used as bioterrorism agents. In a paper published in the July issue of Analytical Chemistry, John Brennan and his research team at McMaster University, working with the Sentinel Bioactive Paper Network, describe a method for printing a toxin-detecting biosensor on paper using a FujiFilm Dimatix Materials Printer. The researchers demonstrated the concept on the detection of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as paraoxon and aflatoxin B1 on paper using a "lateral flow" sensing approach similar to that used in a home pregnancy test strip. The process involves formulating an ink like the one found in computer printer cartridges but with special additives to make the ink biocompatible. An ink comprised of biocompatible silica nanoparticles is first deposited on paper, followed by a second ink containing the enzyme, and the resulting bio-ink forms a thin film of enzyme that is entrapped in the silica on paper. When the enzyme is exposed to a toxin, reporter molecules in the ink change colour in a manner that is dependent on the concentration of the toxin in the sample. This simple and cost-effective method of adhering biochemical reagents to paper is expected to bring the concept of bioactive paper a significant step closer to commercialization. The goal for bioactive paper is to provide a rapid, portable, disposable and inexpensive way of detecting harmful substances, including toxins, pathogens and viruses, without the need for sophisticated instrumentation. The research showed that the printed enzyme retains full activity for at least two months when stored properly, suggesting that such sensor strips should have a good shelf life. Portable bio-sensing papers are expected to be extremely useful in monitoring environmental and food-based toxins, as well as in remote settings in less industrialized countries where simple bioassays are essential for the first stages of detecting disease. Applications for bioactive paper also include clinical applications in neuroscience, drug assessment, and pharmaceutical development. Gene Nakonechny McMaster University


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