2015年5月31日 星期日

a criminal complaint against Nestlé's India's most-popular instant noodle brand, Maggi

Food safety inspectors have filed a criminal complaint against Nestlé after finding dangerous levels of lead in a batch of one of India's most-popular instant noodle brands, Maggi.

Indian food-safety inspectors said Sunday they had filed a criminal...
BLOGS.WSJ.COM|由 PREETIKA RANA 上傳

2015年5月28日 星期四

人類對地球的過份索求Humans’ staggering effect on Earth;印度的熱浪為什麼可致命的


In the two weeks ending May 27th, according to press reports, a total of over 1,100 people died in India as a result of intense and prolonged high temperatures. In Delhi road surfaces were shown melting. Every year at least hundreds are said to die from the heat. This year seems especially bad. Why are heatwaves in India so deadly?http://econ.st/1ez9Lke

The Economist explains
ECON.ST




Washington Post 分享了 1 條連結

Images of consumption are the theme of the book, “Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot.” It addresses environmental deterioration through subjects including materialism, consumption, pollution, fossil fuels...
WASHINGTONPOST.COM

Harvard neuroscientist: Meditation not only reduces stress, here’s how it changes your brain


"Our data shows changes in the brain after just eight weeks."

Some people practiced 40 minutes pretty much every day. Some people...
WASHINGTONPOST.COM

2015年5月27日 星期三

中國核電發展幾近瘋 狂 安全措施不足應暫停 (中國科學院院士何祚庥)

中國科學院院士何祚庥說:「老實說,我已經88歲了,核能安不安全對我沒什麼差別。但我關心的是子孫的福祉,對新的核能計畫我們不該只考量能否獲利。」
他認為中國發展核能的風險包括「貪腐、管理與決策能力低落」,在安全控管不足之下快速擴張核電廠,以理論物理為專長的這位中科院院士直言「根本就是瘋了」。
中國的核能建設在福島核災後曾一度全面叫停,但霾害空污與火力發電過於依賴進口能源等問題,仍讓中國準備恢復規模驚人的核電廠興建計畫。...
STORM.MG




The Guardian
Proposals to build nuclear plants inland are particularly risky, the physicist He Zuoxiu says, because an accident could contaminate rivers that hundreds of millions of people rely on for water and farms.

He Zuoxiu, a leading Chinese scientist, says the country is not investing...
THEGUARDIAN.COM|由 EMMA GRAHAM-HARRISON 上傳

中科院院士:中國核電發展幾近瘋



狂 安全措施不足應暫停 (10:39)




廣東嶺澳核電站一期。(資料圖片)
內地學者警告,中國在發展核電的安全措施不足,發展速度亦「幾近瘋狂」,應考慮暫時停建核設施。
中國科學院院士何祚庥接受英國《衛報》訪問時警告,中國建設核設施的速度太快,可能難以確保建成後的安全。「國內對核電有兩種聲音,其中一種認為發展比安全重要,另一聲音則剛剛相反。」
《衛報》報道,中國在2011年福島核事故後停止建設新核電廠,今年3月再度批出興建兩所新核電廠,以減低溫室氣體排放和對石油的依賴。
何祚庥認為,在中國建設核設施的風險包括「貪腐、管理不善」等因素,又說計劃在2020年全國核能達到58兆瓦,最終達120至200兆瓦的目標是「瘋狂的」。何祚庥認為,中國應該暫停建設核電設施,吸取營運足夠營運經驗,才考慮復建。
他更透露,當局曾考慮引入更嚴格安全機制,但後來因要求快速發展的壓力太大而未有落實。「過去4年,曾有聲音要求提高安全規格,但要實行就要額外投資,影響盈利」。
(衛報)

河南魯山養老院火災 當局稱將嚴懲責任人

養老院火災當局稱將嚴懲責任人

導致數十人喪生的河南魯山縣一老年公寓火災事件發生一天后,有關當局宣布,將“嚴厲懲罰”所有責任者。
China Brand im Altersheim
(德國之聲中文網)新華社當地時間5月26日晚間報導說,已有12名責任人“被控制”,還有3人正在“查找落實”。報導說,被控制人員中包括7名護工。
根據官方提供的數字,5月25日在河南平頂山市魯山縣康樂園老年公寓發生的火災中,有38人死亡,6人受傷。家屬則表示,至少有50人喪生。他們批評養老公寓的建築質量,指出房子都是簡易預製建築,其牆壁內填充的均是易燃泡沫材料。
未經證實的消息稱,短路電纜引發了大火。
新華社報導說,中國國家安全生產監管總局副局長孫華山表示,將嚴厲懲治對火災有責任的機構和個人,防止未來發生類似災難。
中國當局下令在全國范圍進行安全檢查,重點是養老院、幼兒園、醫院、學校以及其它社會機構。公安部部長郭坤生稱,任何問題和潛在危險都不能忽視,“必須從此次火災中汲取教訓”。

膽固醇除罪化。少甜。Why years of cholesterol advice was a lot of nonsense

Why years of cholesterol advice was a lot of nonsense

Flawed science triggers U-turn on cholesterol fears
DAILYM.AI


Nutrition Panel Calls for Less Sugar and Eases Cholesterol and Fat Restrictions


美:非心臟病元兇 不必為膽固醇忌口






雞蛋含高膽固醇,民眾常因顧慮不敢多吃。資料照片

【李寧怡、簡竹君╱綜合報導】高膽固醇食物多年來被視為萬惡淵藪,但美國農業部前天宣布,2015年新版的《美國民眾膳食指南》將把膽固醇「除罪化」,不再限制民眾攝取膽固醇,因無證據顯示高膽固醇飲食與血清膽固醇或心臟病有關。國內營養師也同意此建議。

現行的2010年版《美國民眾膳食指南》(Dietary Guidelines for Americans)建議民眾每天攝取最多300毫克膽固醇,只要吃2顆雞蛋或1塊10盎斯(約300公克)牛排就可能超標。但全美14位營養學、醫學與公共衛生權威專家組成的委員會建議取消膽固醇攝取上限。此建議非最後定案,將開放公眾評論45天,並於下月開會討論。
紐約預防心臟病學專家史坦包姆(Suzanne Steinbaum)指出,多年來醫界對膽固醇攝取一直有爭議,「尤其是雞蛋,雖含高膽固醇但營養豐富」,專家委員會顯然是要「消除民眾對膽固醇的疑慮」。但該委員會仍反對攝取過量飽和脂肪,建議飽和脂肪佔每日攝取熱量不超過8%,較現行10%的上限更低。
委員會也首度指出,每天喝3至5杯黑咖啡有助降低罹患第二型糖尿病與心臟病風險,前提是不加糖、奶精或牛奶,建議民眾以蔬果、全穀類、豆類的「植物性飲食」為主。 

適量食用沒問題

台北馬偕醫院營養師趙強表示,他基本上同意取消300毫克膽固醇的上限,許多老人家因怕膽固醇過高,不敢吃蛋和海鮮,但其實適量的蝦(去蝦頭)、花枝、牡蠣、每天1顆蛋,不會有問題,較需提防的是全脂奶、肥肉和奶油(包括人造奶油與動物奶油)。 

GHP茶飲工廠不合格率高達6成 悅氏八種產品勒令停工、統一、光泉等不合格

(大廠不合格率驚人,點入文內看詳細)25家GHP茶飲大廠抽查,不合格有六成四,包含金車、統一、光泉、悅氏、黑松等大廠衛生狀況不合標準,其中悅氏共有8種罐頭產品沒有殺菌值評估報告,遭勒令停工。http://www.newsmarket.com.tw/blog/70395/

糖尿病是失智症的風險因素

Two recent studies show blood-sugar levels can affect the brain—adding new evidence that diabetes might be a significant risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

University of Pittsburgh researchers found negative effects on cognition...
WSJ.COM|由 JOSEPH WALKER 上傳

Deep roots

In recent years the sight of historic neighbourhoods, their houses often a century or more old, reduced to rubble to make way for grim new structures has been tragically common in Chinese cities. Officials have often appeared to care little about the architecture they destroy and the communities they scatter. Oddly, however, they have just as often made strenuous efforts to preserve one beloved feature of the urban landscape: ancient trees http://econ.st/1c7X9yX

RECENT years the sight of historic neighbourhoods, their houses often a century or more old, reduced to rubble to make way for grim new...
ECON.ST

2015年5月26日 星期二

柯文哲自爆攝護腺肥大血尿


病因揭曉 日前急診 柯自爆攝護腺肥大血尿

 長柯文哲本月六日參加台北一○一國際登高賽自爆,他當天早上六時才到台大醫院掛急診,當時他不透露病因,僅稱:「年紀大了,總是這裡有問題、那裡有問題。」昨晚他出席政治大學「政大30大講堂」活動才坦言,因他有攝護腺肥大問題,當天尿不出來而一早去急診導尿,還導出血尿。
柯文哲昨說,他意志力堅強,因此當天還能完成登高;被問到攝護腺肥大問題有無改善,他回應:「還好啦,吃藥就有好一點了。」他也說到北市議會接受議員質詢時,上台前會吃乙型阻斷劑(高血壓用藥)。 

服藥改善效果佳

振興醫院泌尿科主治醫師蔡昇翰說,攝護腺肥大是中年男子常見問題,會尿不出來或尿不乾淨,嚴重時須導尿,患者因陰莖血管增生,導尿一開始會有血尿;通常服藥改善效果不錯,但若用藥無效或反覆發炎甚至結石,就須手術治療。
記者張博亭、陳威廷 

MERS-CoV(中東呼吸症候群冠狀病毒感染症)逼近台灣


新SARS 逼近台灣

致死率4成 韓暴增4例

 

【綜合報導】死亡率高達4成的中東呼吸症候群冠狀病毒感染症(MERS-CoV,前稱新SARS),可在4小時內傳人!南韓一名女子因照顧感染該症的父親,在病房待了4小時,昨證實染上MERS-CoV,成為南韓第四起確診病例,昨並傳出有醫師及護士也疑遭感染。目前我和南韓一年有逾115萬人次交流,疾管署說,此症目前無疫苗及藥物可治療,不排除會傳入台灣。感染科醫師警告,MERS-CoV傳染力比SARS更強,是防疫警訊。

主要在沙烏地阿拉伯等中東國家流行的MERS-CoV(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus),目前已知碰觸或吸入染病駱駝、病患的飛沫和分泌物會被傳染,其致死率約40.7%,遠高於SARS(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome,嚴重急性呼吸道症候群)的9.6%,現已在全球造成1142人感染、465人死亡。 
南韓爆出四例MERS-CoV確診病例,但未在社區流行,因此桃園機場僅維持入境旅客發燒監測。黃仲明攝

女顧病父4小時感染

南韓上周爆發MERS-CoV首例,是東北亞地區第一個出現此病例的國家。一名曾赴巴林、沙國等中東國家的68歲男子返韓後出現症狀,雖數度就醫,病情卻未好轉,上周三確診感染MERS-CoV,隔天該男子的63歲妻子和曾和他住同一病房的76歲男病患,也被確診。
南韓官方昨公布,這名76歲男病患的40多歲女兒證實染MERS-CoV,成為南韓第四例確診病例,該女為照顧父親在病房待了4小時。另外,2名曾接觸首例病患的醫護也出現疑似症狀,現正隔離治療。 
中東呼吸症候群冠狀病毒

我邊境維持發燒監測

為防止病毒擴散,南韓當局昨決定對來自中東的客機乘客量體溫,並將發燒溫度標準從38℃下調至37.5℃;南韓17家政府指定醫院隔離病床已啟動使用。官方稱,曾與患者密切接觸者會被要求居家隔離14天,研判演變為社區擴散的可能性低。
我疾病管制署副署長周志浩昨說,目前無疫苗及藥物可治療,從南韓已證實的4起病例可觀察到傳染仍不脫親密接觸者範圍,研判當地疫情仍屬局限性人傳人,無社區流行跡象,該署暫不會提高對南韓的旅遊疫情建議等級,邊境將維持發燒監測做法,暫不對來台的南韓旅客有其他特殊措施。
但周志浩坦言,台灣未來也可能出現病例,該署現階段評估最大風險是來自中東,針對此症的旅遊疫情建議(第1級風險最低,第3級最高),沙烏地阿拉伯為第2級,建議避免去農場、可接觸駱駝的場所,阿拉伯聯合大公國、約旦、卡達、伊朗、阿曼、巴林為第1級,建議加強個人衛生。 
MERS-CoV和SARS比較表

傳染力比SARS更強

台大兒童醫院感染科主任黃立民說,SARS通常要等患者出現嚴重肺炎時才有強大傳染力,從南韓現況來看,第3例76歲男病患應該還沒病重到入住加護病房,僅住一般病房,女兒才能長時間陪伴,患者既未病重便可傳染,顯示MERS-CoV病毒傳染力比SARS更強,加上此症致死率遠高於SARS,若傳染力又高,對各國都是防疫考驗。
黃立民說,所幸目前此症病毒只傳給家人等密切相處者,尚未傳給鄰居,成為有效的人傳人,但若病毒突變,威脅勢必大幅提高。 

未提高南韓旅遊警示

周志浩表示,此症病毒有無突變還要分析,不過若已突變到傳染力大幅增強,中東以外地區的確診數應有明顯攀升,但目前非中東國家還是只有零星病例。
周志浩說,我國自SARS疫情後已建置傳染症醫療網,台灣一旦有此症確診病例,會優先轉送地區內專責醫院隔離治療,其接觸者也會隔離觀察,民眾不用擔心。
據統計,去年國人赴南韓62.6萬多人次,南韓來台52.7萬多人次;觀光局說,南韓出現病例是境外移入,並非流行地區,故南韓出團不受影響。外交部說,暫不提高南韓旅遊警示,但呼籲民眾在當地注意個人衛生。
至於風險最高的中東地區,觀光局說,台灣團一年約5千人,該局已發文給旅行社,提醒業者留意避免騎乘駱駝,並加強防疫,業者回報出團不受影響。 

MERS-CoV預防之道

★赴中東地區,應勤洗手,少到人群聚集或空氣不流通地方,避免前往當地農場、接觸駱駝或生飲駱駝等動物奶
★南韓已有4起確診病例、2起疑似病例,尚無社區流行跡象,民眾前往當地,只須注意個人衛生及勤洗手即可
★自中東返台,若出現發燒或急性呼吸道症狀,應通報港埠檢疫人員,配合檢疫、後送作業
★從中東返台14天內,如有呼吸道或發燒症狀,須戴外科口罩速就醫,並告知旅遊史
資料來源:疾管署 

Hudson River PCB Dredging Project

  • Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site | US Environmental ...

    www.epa.gov/hudson/
    Protecting Public Health During the Hudson River PCB Dredging Project · Exit EPA ...with GE to Further Investigate Upper Hudson River Floodplain (10/01/14).
  • Hudson River PCB Dredging Project

    www.hudsondredging.com/
    General Electric provides information about PCB contamination and environmental clean-up of the Hudson River. Page includes the status of the project to ...



  • In this clip, former GE CEO Jack Welch talks to Bill Moyers in 2002 about why he believes cleaning up PCBs from the Hudson River "is just nuts." GE, which legally dumped PCBs into the Hudson over many years, claimed that the dredging would take decades. But, as of 2015, GE is about to complete its sixth and last year of removing PCBs, although environmental advocacy groups say the corporation should expand its work and more thoroughly cleanup the river.

    2015年5月25日 星期一

    Is Asiana Undermining Its Own Safety Chief? By IN-SOO NAM

    Is Asiana Undermining Its Own Safety Chief?

    String of incidents at South Korean airline prompts worries safety czar doesn’t have enough power

    The damaged wheel of Asiana’s Airbus A320 after the plane skidded off the runway while landing in Hiroshima, Japan, on April 14.ENLARGE
    The damaged wheel of Asiana’s Airbus A320 after the plane skidded off the runway while landing in Hiroshima, Japan, on April 14.PHOTO: JAPAN TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
    SEOUL—Two years ago, in the wake of a fatal accident in San Francisco, Asiana AirlinesInc. brought in a high-profile expert to revamp safety procedures at the South Korean carrier.
    But after a number of new safety concerns,—including one last month where a jet skidded off a runway in Japan, some Asiana pilots and independent experts are questioning whether the company could be inadvertently undermining its safety czar’s effectiveness.
    Asiana’s safety chief, Akiyoshi Yamamura, doesn’t have power over hiring and firing pilots, and can only propose measures that must be approved by a safety panel he doesn’t lead. That challenges his ability to effect meaningful change in safety policy, experts say.
    For example, an Asiana pilots union leader said members aren’t using a hotline Mr. Yamamura established to anonymously propose safety improvements because they don’t think he has the authority to make changes.
    The union, which counts more than 900 pilots, prefers to raise such matters through management-labor meetings, the leader said.
    “There’s not much [Mr. Yamamura] can do alone in his capacity as chief safety officer. Although he is an executive, his reach is quite limited. He’s an outsider,” said Kim Byung-soo, an Asiana pilot.
    Mr. Yamamura declined to comment. Asiana declined to comment on whether his effectiveness is undermined by the company’s corporate structure.
    Aviation safety and pilot training have come under scrutiny in Asia as traffic rises in the region and investigations continue following a series of tragedies over the past year, including the Dec. 28 crash of AirAsia Bhd. Flight 8501 in the Java Sea and thedisappearance in March 2014 of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which still hasn’t been found.
    Seoul-based Asiana has had two recent safety incidents. On April 14, an Asiana plane skidded off a runway in Hiroshima, Japan, after hitting an approach light and a six-meter-tall communications tower just before touchdown, leaving 25 passengers injured.
    Last year, Asiana was ordered to suspend its Incheon-Saipan route for a week after the airline found that pilots on a flight to the Pacific Island ignored an engine problem and continued the journey, in violation of safety rules; the captain lost his job over the incident.
    Asiana, South Korea’s second-biggest airline behind Korean Air Lines Co., brought in Mr. Yamamura, now 67 years old, in December 2013 as executive vice president and chief safety officer, a newly created post. The Japanese aviation veteran had spent more than 40 years at Japan’s All Nippon Airways Co. as a pilot, safety officer and auditor, and had worked as a safety inspector at the International Air Transport Association.
    There’s not much [Mr. Yamamura] can do alone in his capacity as chief safety officer. Although he is an executive, his reach is quite limited. He’s an outsider.
    —Asiana pilot Kim Byung-soo
    Since joining Asiana, Mr. Yamamura, who leads a staff of 49 people, has increased training hours for pilots based on experience levels and tweaked lessons using feedback on difficult takeoffs and landings. For some pilots, training on new routes rose to 90 hours from 60 hours. He also set up the safety hotline.
    But an Asiana spokesman said Mr. Yamamura isn’t responsible for detecting and punishing violators—a role experts say most safety czars have.
    Mr. Yamamura’s role is limited to proposing measures, the spokesman said. His remit covers the entire company, but his department sits apart from the flight business division, which manages pilot personnel matters, the spokesman said.
    Safety infractions are reported to a disciplinary division, which doesn’t report to Mr. Yamamura.
    An Asiana spokesman said the roles of safety chiefs and the division between disciplinary and safety units are the prerogative of individual airlines, adding that structures vary across the industry.
    Park Jun-soo, a director at Seoul’s transport ministry who worked as a safety inspector at the International Civil Aviation Organization, said there are no international rules on safety chiefs, but it is the industry’s best practice for them to have nearly full control over safety issues, including monitoring, detection and punishment of violations.
    Tom Haueter, a former aviation safety officer at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board who Asiana hired as its representative during the San Francisco crash probe, said that while Asiana has been proactive in introducing safety programs that meet global standards, the limits on its safety chief are problematic.
    “Like in other airlines, Asiana’s safety officer can’t make drastic changes alone. But he may need to have greater power to raise issues, investigate violations and direct changes,” said Mr. Haueter, whose term with the carrier ended once the NTSB report was completed. He met Mr. Yamamura, he said, but didn’t work with him.
    Airlines that lack a strong chief safety officer also tend to have difficulties persuading pilots and mechanics to voluntarily report incipient hazards before they turn into incidents or accidents, since they are more likely to be punished for doing so. There is widespread agreement among experts, however, that such reports are essential to improving safety.
    In contrast, experts point to Korean Air Lines, which hired an American, retired Delta Air Lines Inc. executive David Greenberg, as safety chief in 2000 after accidents in the late 1980s and 1990s tarnished its brand.
    As Korean Air’s executive vice president for operations, Mr. Greenberg wasn’t directly involved in hiring and firing, but he was responsible for monitoring and discipline of safety infractions, as well as promotions and transfers, a Korean Air spokesman said, putting him on equal footing with other executives at the airline.
    Mr. Greenberg, who left the airline in 2005, chaired safety-committee meetings and reported to the CEO what was discussed and adopted, a protocol that continues under Korean Air’s current safety chief, Michel Gaudreau. Mr. Gaudreau declined to comment.
    In contrast, the safety panel Asiana set up in the wake of the San Francisco accident is chaired by Chief Executive Officer Kim Soo-cheon, a spokesman said. At monthly meetings, Mr. Yamamura can propose safety measures, which the body discusses and may adopt—giving him less autonomy than Korean Air’s safety czar.
    Korean Air hasn’t had a major accident in years, which Jung Yun-sik, an aeronautical science professor at Kyungwoon University, attributed in part to Mr. Greenberg’s efforts and his power over discipline and personnel.
    The cause of Asiana’s Hiroshima accident is still under investigation. Japan’s Transportation Safety Board said May 13 that the plane’s digital flight data recorder showed the captain appeared to try to turn the plane around and reattempt the landing two seconds before it hit the structure.