вторник, 3 июля 2012 г.
четверг, 15 марта 2012 г.
Round-up times at local schools
The following is a list of locations, dates and times forremaining kindergarten sign-ups in Kanawha County: n AlbanElementary: 8:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m., April 2 * Alum Creek Elementary: 8a.m.-noon, April 4 * Anne Bailey (Head Start): 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.,April 5 * Bonham Elementary: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., April 3 * BridgeElementary: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., April 3 * Bridgeview Elementary: 9 a.m.-2p.m., April 3 * Cedar Grove Elementary: 8:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m., April 2* Chandler …
Bryzgalov Wins Again; Coyotes Top Leafs
Ilya Bryzgalov made 25 saves for his fourth straight victory since joining Phoenix after being claimed off waivers from Anaheim, leading the Coyotes to a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Phoenix's four-game winning streak is its longest since a seven-game run last Dec. 26-Jan. 9. Toronto has lost four of its last five.
The Coyotes scored four goals in the first period, two in an 18-second span.
Daniel Winnik opened the scoring at 4:16, and Peter Mueller then beat Andrew Raycroft to the short side at 8:24. At that point, Toronto coach Paul Maurice pulled Raycroft for Vesa Toskala.
…Earnings beat expectations
Wall Street topped off a strong week with a big rally Friday, after results from companies like Citigroup Inc. and Google Inc. helped ease investor anxiety about the health of …
среда, 14 марта 2012 г.
Standox certification course approved by I-cAR
NEWSBITS
Standox has announced that its Painter Certification Training course has been approved by I-CAR as a part of its Industry Training Alliance Program. Certification classes consist of performance-based training and education processes that improve the knowledge and abilities of automotive professionals.
Technicians who successfully complete the Standox Painter Certification Training course will be awarded six I-CAR Gold Class Points. These points apply to both the Gold …
Student Spelunkers in Texas Found Safe
AUSTIN, Texas - Three college students exploring a cave got lost but were rescued and declared uninjured Sunday, more than a day after they entered the cavern, authorities.
The two women and one man, found in a 500-foot-long crawl space about the width of a sewer pipe, waited there knowing search teams would arrive, said Lt. Matt Cox of the Austin Fire Department.
"They did everything right," Cox said. "They came out safe and sound, and they're going to school tomorrow."
The University of Texas students emerged from Airman's Cave tired and hungry Sunday night but with no injuries. They had left a trail of leaves during their exploration so crews could find them …
Russia: no government money for Sochi Games
The Russian government won't finance the preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi this year and next because there is enough financial support from private investors, a top government official said Tuesday.
Alexander Zhukov, the deputy prime minister overseeing preparations in the Black Sea resort, said the funds raised by Sochi's local organizing committee exceed the government's expectations.
"Therefore, we have decided today that the organizing committee will not receive subsidies from the federal budget in 2009-2010," he said in televised comments.
He said the move will save the government 2.7 billion rubles ($88 million) …
Nathan Neuberger, Watchmaker
Nathan Neuberger, 94, a Chicago watchmaker for more than 50years, died Friday in Miami, Fla.
Mr. Neuberger owned and operated Nueberger Sales Co., a watchcompany, in the Mallers Building, 5 S. Wabash.
He was a longtime resident of the North …
Hanoi axes millennium fireworks after deadly blast
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has canceled dozens of fireworks displays planned across the capital for Hanoi's 1000th anniversary celebration, two days after four people were killed in a pyrotechnics accident while preparing for the event, officials said Friday.
The government had planned fireworks in 29 different sites Sunday as part of celebrations of the millennial anniversary of Hanoi's founding, a much-promoted event intended to stoke national pride and demonstrate how far the country has advanced beyond its long history of war.
The official Communist Party website said Friday that fireworks would be canceled.
The notice did not mention this week's blast at My Dinh …
US, Russia resume nuclear arms talks in Geneva
American and Russian negotiators resumed talks Tuesday to reduce their nuclear weapons arsenals in the latest attempt to find a successor deal to the expired 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
The U.S. and Russian delegations were meeting in Geneva, said Michael Parmly, spokesman for the U.S. diplomatic mission in the Swiss city. He declined to say when a new agreement might be ready.
"We're committed to concluding negotiations," Parmly said.
The two powers are trying to find a successor to the 1991 pact that limited how many nuclear warheads and carrier systems each side could deploy. They were supposed to reach an agreement by Dec. …
Air-powered snips can carve out a sunroof
Q. I am the proud owner of a 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis stationwagon. Right now, it's painted spearmint green with two large racingstripes up the middle. I have also attached several strands ofChristmas tree lights to the hood. This all works fine, but I wasthinking that a real big sunroof would make the car perfect. Being apoor, recently graduated student and seeing how the car isn't likelyto last another year, I want to build the sunroof myself with thehelp of a saw. Will I do something really bad to the car by tryingthis myself? Josh
TOM: The only caution is that you don't want to make the sunrooftoo big or you'll decrease the structural safety of the car - ofwhich …
McCain: Afghan drawdown unnecessary risk
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John McCain said Sunday the Obama administration is taking an unnecessary risk in drawing down the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," the senator said none of the U.S. military commanders has recommended the drawdown.
President Barack Obama has ordered a troop reduction of 10,000 by the end of the year and another 23,000 by September 2012.
The Marine general who is expected to carry out the president's order to begin withdrawing U.S. troops has said the drawdown schedule is a bit more …
Bank of America reports $2.42 billion profit
Bank of America has joined other big banks this week in reporting a big second-quarter profit.
Bank of America's profit of $2.42 billion, or 33 cents per share, beat Wall Street forecasts. Analysts had expected the bank to earn 28 cents per share.
The company, like Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., said it had a handsome profit from its …
Salmond in bridge promise
First Minister Alex Salmond has pledged to ease congestion at anotorious North-east bottleneck.
The country's leader has said improvements to the InveramsayBridge are a top priority.
Gordon MSP Mr Salmond criticised the previous Liberal Democrat administration for not doing work to the bridge, which carries therailway between Aberdeen and Inverness.
The bridge has been a source of frustration for motorists on thetrunk road near Pitcaple.
It weaves through a tight bend along a single carriagewaycontrolled at both sides by traffic lights.
Aberdeenshire councillors were today due to discuss plans toremove the Inveramsay obstacle.
SNP leader Mr Salmond has now renewed an election pledge where hevowed to put the bridge on the government's improvement programme and"get the job done".
вторник, 13 марта 2012 г.
Light sentences don't deter drunken driving
As a victims' advocate for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and onbehalf of our members killed or injured from this violent crime, Ithink the $1-a-week settlement in the Susan Herzog case isappropriate and not at all vengeful or unforgiving.
Drunken driving death is still the only socially acceptable formof murder in America. Drunken drivers, who chose to disobey ourlaws, ignore our rules for survival and send 2,000 victims everymonth to their graves, are routinely sentenced to probation orcommunity service as an alternative to jail.
This lenient sentence does not assuage the victims or theirfamilies, nor does it deter this crime. Victims and their familiesdo not want revenge, only justice. The crime of DUI, involvingreckless homicide or serious injury, should not be a probationaloffense.
After someone we love is senselessly killed by a drunken driver,we still remember them, on every warm, sunny morning, on every lovelystarry night, every birthday, every holiday and every ordinary momentof our lives. Only our deaths will end the pain from their deaths,for us.
The people killed . . . will always be dead, the family of thedead . . . will always miss them and the drunken driver . . . willalways be the killer.
But we live in a society that looks for a quick fix. After acouple of months probation, our criminal justice system allowsdrunken drivers to put the past behind them, to forget about it . . .because it was just a bad mistake and too painful to recall.
I feel the contract making a drunken driver pay a $1 a week foras many years as his victim lived, is a very creative and effectivepunishment. At least one drunken driver will remember that his"mistake" instantly killed a girl in a blue Volkswagen and will allowhim to share the pain, for only 18 years, that her family must sufferfor the rest of their lives. Joan J. Messenger, vice president, MADD North Suburban Branch, Arlington Heights Lack of support
Isn't it amazing that Lithuania is fighting to become a free,democratic nation, with almost non-existent support from PresidentBush, and he in turn tells the National Association of Broadcastersto "stand for freedom" for TV Marti? Ramune M. Miglinas, Chicago Lawn Sensible column
While I am not usually a fan of Judy Markey, I feel I mustrespond to Kathy Szydagis' letter of March 27. My advice to Ms.Szydagis is "read with understanding."
In her column of March 20, Markey did not conclude that poorpeople are unsafe drivers. She stated there is no current accidentdata of car phone users since its recent lower cost has made it moreaffordable for many more people to own one.
The only data available is the old 1985 information which isslanted because, as she pointed out, only the rich could afford themin their chauffeur-driven cars.
If Ms. Szydagis needs an indication of safety problems caused bycar phones, let her cruise Lake Shore Drive and watch phone usersveer over lanes as they try to negotiate the Oak Street curve, themodified "S" curve and the museum curves with one hand on thesteering wheel and the other either dialing the phone or holding thephone to their ear.
While talking to a passenger, drivers can keep their eyes on theroad and have the ability to keep two hands on the steering wheel.When dialing and talking on the phone, and in some cases, looking atpapers from a briefcase, it is impossible to do the same. Lloyd B. Idelman, Evanston Ultimate insult
As Mikhail Gorbachev's Red Army is terrorizing peacefulLithuania, we the U.S. taxpayers are filing our 1989 federal incometax returns.
I cannot escape the ultimate insult that some of my tax dollarswill be financing the purchase of subsidized wheat by the SovietUnion to feed the Red Army. Would not it make more sense to directour subsides elsewhere? Ervin Ruutelmann, Glen Ellyn Ironic stance
It is ironic that this country, which never recognized theannexation of the Baltic republics into the U.S.S.R., now refuses togrant diplomatic recognition to the free government of Lithuania.
This is not a civil war. Lithuania shook off its yoke andexpressed its determination to chart its own destiny and to rejointhe community of nations. She stands alone, resolute, facing heroppressor.
It was the democratic idealism that started the AmericanRevolution, and this revolution may have failed if France was notsupportive. And America had less reason to rebel than Lithuaniadoes.
Lithuania now holds this torch, and she holds it higher than itwas held before.
Don't let her drop it, President Bush. Acknowledge heraspirations by granting immediate diplomatic recognition. Joseph Svaras, Algonquin Needless bashing
In the matter of "Kick meat habit," a letter reporting that ittakes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat: Not so.
A report by Paul Q. Guyer of the University of Nebraska shows adaily intake far less. Typically, a cow or steer during growthaverages a daily gain of three pounds. In Mr. Guyer's report allsorts of animals were considered (cows, nursing calves, bred-dry cowsand heifers, bulls, growing and finishing cattle) and related tovarious weight levels during production and to all months of the yearand the monthly mean temperatures.
The worst scenario insofar as water consumption is for a1,200-pound finishing cattle in July at an ambient temperature of 90degrees F. The average requirement is 23.0 gallons.
If one takes all the data for July, from a 400-pound animal to a1,200-pound finished steer, and assumes 30 days for each month'sstated requirements, we come up at worst, with less than 5,000gallons to produce 800 pounds gain over 12 months.
There is something to be said for conserving water, but it isalso fair to make certain that an industry that provides neededprotein is not needlessly bashed. B. A. Bannon Jr., Glenview Reasoning flaw
While respecting the opinions expressed by Ms. Judy I. Schneckein her March 9 letter "Kick meat habit," I kindly wish to point out aflaw in the reasoning.
While Ms. Schnecke is impressed by the book Diet for a NewAmerica by John Robbins, perhaps both of their judgments are notquite up to simple logic. The statistics quoted say it takes 2,500gallons of water to produce a pound of beef.
Based on my 25 years of experience as a cattleman who isresponsible for 3,600 head of cattle per year, one steer will gain anaverage three pounds of beef per day. If I take three pounds of gainx 2,500 gallons of water x eight pounds to the gallon, I would needto provide 60,000 pounds of water per day per animal.
Is this possible? Hell, no.
A 1,000-pound steer, in the hottest months of the year, willdrink an average of 20.5 gallons of water per day. This issufficient water to float a rubber ducky in your bathtub, butcertainly not a destroyer, as claimed. Vernon L. Schiller, Shamrock Beef Cattle Farm, McHenry More dangerous
It angers me to see the city announce that steel barriers arebeing installed on the north end of Lake Shore Drive. The south endis even more dangerous. The stretch of Lake Shore Drive between 57thand 51st is very dangerous! There are absolutely no barriers in thatarea. I say to you, Mayor Daley, spread out your money so that bothends of the drive get equal treatment. Regina Porter, Douglas Enhanced value
In the wake of recent church closings in Chicago, it isimportant for us to remember that this problem affects many people,and not just the members of the churches themselves.
Anyone who has driven through the city's neighborhoods knowsthat the best residential blocks are often those in close proximityto a church building. Can we expect this to remain the case afterthe church has been demolished? Beautiful churches can usually beassociated with higher property values in the immediate area, and mayeven help attract gentrification in some neighborhoods.
Landmark-quality church buildings enhance property values for atleast two reason: 1) they are attractive, visible buildings thatpeople like to associate with, and 2) they are neighborhood symbolsospiritual faith and community stability.
As a professional real estate consultant, and as a concernedcitizen, I urge two courses: 1) other interested parties besides thechurch should get involved, and 2) the churches themselves shouldwelcome this involvement.
Other interested parties should include developers, investors,neighborhood business and industry, community groups, and mostimportant, the city itself, which needs to protect its own tax base.
The Chicago archdiocese should invite outside help before simplycutting its losses . . . . This is not the time or place forseparation between church and state. Landmark church buildings arevitally linked to the social economic welfare of the neighborhoods. William Farina, Near North Side Not stirred
With biblical fire and brimstone, the black clergy assail theevils of white bigotry.
But Cokely, Farrakhan and Savage stir not the clergy's wrath. Nathan Kaplan, Loop
AIG expects 4Q charge of $4.1B for loss reserves
NEW YORK (AP) — American International Group Inc. said Wednesday that it expects a fourth-quarter charge of $4.1 billion to build up loss reserves for its Chartis property and casualty insurance units.
The New York insurance company said Wednesday that it also reached a deal with the Treasury Department allowing it to keep $2 billion in proceeds from the sale of its life insurance divisions. Those proceeds, and other funds, will be used to support the Chartis units' capital in connection with the strengthening of the loss reserve.
AIG, which was pulled from the brink of bankruptcy by a $182 billion U.S. bailout, said the strengthening of the reserve reflected "adverse development" in businesses including asbestos, excess casualty and workers' compensation, mostly covering years before 2006.
AIG says it will report its complete fourth-quarter financial results after the market closes Feb. 24.
Earlier this year, the government rescue came closer to an end as AIG paid its $21 billion outstanding balance to the New York branch of the Federal Reserve. AIG also converted preferred stock owned by the Treasury Department into more than 1.6 billion shares of common stock that can be sold on the open market.
The government, which now owns about 92 percent of AIG's common shares, will wind down its largest and most complex rescue from the financial crisis by selling stock over the next two years. AIG first announced its repayment plan in September. Since then, the company has worked to raise cash to pay back the government by selling parts of itself around the world.
Earlier this month AIG finished selling the two life insurance units. The company sold Japan-based AIG Star Life Insurance Co. Ltd. and AIG Edison Life Insurance Co. to Prudential Financial Inc. for $4.2 billion in cash and will assume $600 million in third-party debt.
AIG became a symbol for lax regulation and excess risk on Wall Street during the financial crisis that crested in late 2008. The company agreed to cover losses on hundreds of billions in mortgage investments held by banks. When the investments lost value, AIG could not afford to make good on its contracts. It used billions of government money to pay the banks.
Bode Miller extends break for another week
Bode Miller has extended his break from the ski circuit for another week to spend time with his young daughter.
After skipping two races in Sestriere, Italy, last weekend, the defending overall World Cup champion will also sit out a giant slalom and slalom in Kranjska Gora this weekend.
Miller announced last week that he has a one-year-old daughter and was taking a break to visit her in San Diego.
"Bode's enjoying his time at home with his daughter and resting up his ankle to go for the downhill title," U.S. Ski Team men's head coach Sasha Rearick said.
Miller trains and races on his own and is no longer a member of the U.S. team, but he still has to coordinate with Rearick to be entered for races.
While he ranks only eighth in this season's overall World Cup, Miller still has a shot at the downhill title, trailing discipline leader Michael Walchhofer by 35 points with three races remaining.
Last season, Miller lost the downhill title to Didier Cuche.
Two downhills are scheduled for Kvitjfell, Norway, March 6 and 7. Another downhill will be held at World Cup finals in Are, Sweden, the following week.
"He will be there for sure," Rearick said of the Norway and Sweden races.
Miller injured his ankle in a crash in December and has failed to win a race this season, finishing second three times. He failed to medal at the World Championships in Val d'Isere, France, earlier this month.
Inex releases results from Marqibo studies
Vancouver - Inex Pharmaceuticals Corp. announced results from clinical studies indicating its lead anticancer drug, Marqibo, has shown antitumor activity in patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin's disease and pediatric malignancies.
"The data presented from these clinical studies continue to demonstrate the activity of Marqibo in a variety of different cancers. Our current focus for Marqibo is finalizing the design of phase III clinical trials in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in order to file Special Protocol Assessments with the FDA as well as continue our discussions with potential development and commercialization partners," David Main, President and CEO of Inex said.
Belleville - Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. has received a US patent on its core mycobacterial cell wall technology, which comprises compositions with antiviral, immune adjuvant, immune stimulatory, and anti-inflammatory activity, as well as chemotherapeutic activity against cancer cells.
Toronto - Tm Bioscience Corp. has signed an agreement to supply Quest Diagnostics (NYSL:DGX) with its Tag-It reagents for use in tests that identify disease-causing genetic mutations. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The first products covered under the agreement are Tm Bioscience's ASRs(x) for the GBA, FANCC, IKBKAP, SMPD1, Hex A, BLM, ASPA, and MCOLN1 genes. Mutations in these genes occur at a higher frequency in the Ashkenazi Jewish population.
Vancouver - Cardiome Pharma Corp. and Draxis Health Inc. have been selected to become a members of the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index.
Alcoa revenues slide though net loss shrinks
Alcoa reported a smaller net loss for the fourth quarter Monday, though revenue shrank with no improvement in its aerospace, commercial building and gas turbines businesses.
The company, based in Pittsburgh, reported a net loss of $277 million, or 28cents per share, compared with a loss of $1.19 billion, or $1.49 per share, during the same period last year.
Alcoa said free cash flow turned positive for the first time since the second quarter of 2008, however.
The company's quarterly report signals the beginning of the earnings season for S&P 500 companies and it can be a sign of things to come.
Analysts on Monday were looking for better sales from Alcoa Inc. after a year in which major corporations salvaged profits with severe cost cuts.
Revenue fell from $5.68 billion to $5.43 billion.
Alcoa reported results after the market closed and shares tumbled 6 percent, or $1.05, to $16.40 in aftermarket trading.
War Stretches Nation's Ammo Supply
DES MOINES, Iowa - Ammunition shipments to local gun shops and police departments are being delayed for months because the Army has more than tripled its demand for small caliber ammunition.
Ammunition plants have dramatically ratcheted up production, but company officials acknowledge delays to police and retailers of up to a year.
"There are millions of rounds backordered because the war has put such a demand on the manufacturers," said Lana Ulner, manager of Rapid City, S.D.-based Ultramax Ammunition, a distributor for several manufacturers. "In some cases, it can take eight to 12 months."
The Army's demand for small caliber ammunition has soared from 426 million rounds in 2001 to 1.5 billion rounds in 2006, according to the Joint Munitions Command at the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois.
The government spent $688 million on ammunition last year, up from $242 million in 2001, said Gail Smith, a Joint Munitions Command spokeswoman. The most common rounds ordered are 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and .50 caliber, she said.
Much of the ammunition used by the Defense Department comes from a plant in Lake City, Mo., owned by Alliant Techsystems Inc. The plant's production has increased nearly fourfold, said company spokesman Bryce Hallowell.
"We have ... hired hundreds of people and turned our plants into 24/7 operations where they weren't just a couple of years ago to meet that demand," said Hallowell, whose company also has plants in Anoka, Minn., and Lewiston, Idaho. "We're running full-out."
He said the war, depleted ammunition reserves and the lack of foreign competition have all contributed to the surging demand.
The strong sales helped Minnesota-based Alliant's ammunition systems group see a 10 percent increase in sales for the fourth quarter and a 15 percent for the last fiscal year.
"The increase reflects higher volumes in medium-caliber gun systems and ammunition, civil ammunition and military small-caliber ammunition," the company said in a statement.
Ann Pipkin, a spokeswoman for East Alton, Ill.-based Winchester Ammunition, said the company also is seeing a backlog on orders for certain types of ammunition, but she wouldn't give specifics.
Because of the increased demand, police in Des Moines said it's taking twice as long to get ammunition orders as a few years ago - up to eight months. Still, the department has not decreased it use of ammunition.
"We're not experiencing any shortages, but they are planning ahead to accommodate for the delay caused by the war," said Sgt. Todd Dykstra, a police spokesman.
Larry Maynes, owner of JLM Gun Shoppe in Urbandale, said military ammunition and weapons are popular with his customers because the mass production makes them less expensive.
"I have some in stock, but it won't be easy to replace," he said.
In most cases, customers buy the military-style weapons for target practice, but some people use them to shoot small animals, Maynes said.
"Guys like those for prairie dogs and coyotes primarily," he said.
At Darr's Shooting Supply in Chattanooga, Tenn., the wait for some types of ammunition was four months at the end of 2006, said salesman Jeff Brewton.
Given the Army's need for ammunition, he said few customers complain.
"There hasn't been a whole lot of problems," Brewton said. "They ... understand what's going on."
Jeff Lepp, chief executive of Specialty Sports & Supply, a high-volume dealer in Colorado Springs, Colo., agreed.
"I certainly concur that the military should have the ammunition in a situation like this," Lepp said.
---
On the Net:
Joint Munitions Command: http://www.jmc.army.mil
Alliant Techsystems: http://www.atk.com
LA judge admonished for Ku Klux Klan comment
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles has been admonished for a comment referring to the Ku Klux Klan in a case involving two African-American defendants.
The California Commission on Judicial Performance admonished Judge Harvey Giss on Wednesday for saying the only way he could convince the defendants to plead guilty would be to come out in a white sheet with a pointy hat.
When the defense protested and requested his removal from the case, the judge conceded it was a bad statement but also remarked that people don't have a sense of humor anymore.
The commission said the comments by the judge were inappropriate and offensive and issued the public admonishment as punishment for violating the Code of Judicial Ethics.
A call to the judge was not immediately returned.
World faces limits to getting aid into Myanmar
It is a life-or-death question: If millions of people are at risk, is it acceptable to sit on the sidelines and watch an undemocratic and unprepared regime mismanage a crisis?
With the death toll climbing, foreign leaders and international aid organizations are faced with an increasingly urgent need to balance respect for Myanmar's sovereignty with a moral responsibility to help its population.
Just hoping the government in Myanmar, also known as Burma, will do the right thing may not be enough. And though it appears unlikely they will be called in, several military powers are capable of intervening, whether the junta likes it or not.
"We want to do this in a collaborative, cooperative way with the authorities in Burma," said Mark Malloch-Brown, the British minister for Africa, Asia and the United Nations.
But he stressed "a lot of lives are at risk."
"The international community cannot take 'no' for an answer," he said here Thursday. "It's a race against time, and we are not racheting up fast enough."
Options available to foreign powers include unauthorized airdrops, coastal landings or helicopter operations. But considering the junta's current stance, any such moves could potentially spark a military incident.
Authorization of intervention by the United Nations Security Council remains unlikely. China, Myanmar's biggest ally, has veto power and has in the past blocked resolutions against the junta.
Some aid, perhaps just enough for Myanmar's leaders to keep foreign governments from making unauthorized aid drops or boat landings, was getting through two weeks after the deadly cyclone of May 2-3.
Tons of foreign aid including water, blankets, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, medicines and tents have been sent to Myanmar, but its delivery has been slowed down by bottlenecks, poor infrastructure and bureaucratic tangles.
The highest hurdle is political _ persuading a fearful and out-of-touch military regime to give up, even temporarily, a bit of its control.
The junta has allowed the U.N. and some other agencies to hand out the aid directly but prohibited their few foreign staff allowed into Myanmar from leaving Yangon, the country's largest city and former capital.
Under intense pressure from Washington and the United Nations, the junta has allowed the U.S. military to ferry in emergency supplies provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
After initially agreeing to one flight on Monday, Myanmar's leaders have opened the door to daily flights by Marine and Air Force C-130 cargo planes. As of Saturday, the U.S. military had flown 21 C-130s loaded with about 500,000 pounds of aid into Yangon from their makeshift base in Utapao, Thailand.
Another four flights left Friday from the U.S. military's emergency headquarters at Utapao Air Base, in central Thailand.
"At this time, the needs are so immense, they are so large, that we're taking some risks to hope that we can get the assistance through to the ones who are most in need," said USAID administrator Henrietta Fore. "There is an enormous humanitarian urgency to this effort."
Thai and Indian military missions also have been approved, and British, French and Australian warships were converging on the area.
Still, the U.N. and the international Red Cross say that between 1.6 and 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food, water and shelter. Only 270,000 have been reached so far by the aid groups.
Malloch-Brown estimated that 24 C-130 flights a day would be needed to meet the crisis _ far higher than the current level. And, so far, U.S. requests to bring in helicopters, one of the few means of reaching the worst-hit regions, have been denied.
Myanmar's government has less than 40 helicopters, most old and in disrepair, and some 15 transport planes, primarily small jets unable to carry hundreds of tons of supplies.
The lack of motion is all the more visible because of the vast resources that are available to help.
Because of an annual exercise scheduled well before Cyclone Nargis hit, the U.S. has 11,000 troops in and around Thailand, and a Marine ship capable of conducting amphibious landings and long-range helicopter operations is just 30 miles off Myanmar's coast.
The French navy ship Le Mistral was waiting some 13 miles outside Myanmar's territorial waters, hoping to go in and unload its cargo of 1,000 tons of food _ enough to feed 100,000 people for 15 days. The aid also includes shelters for 15,000 people.
France's U.N. Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert warned Friday that the government's refusal to allow aid to be delivered to people "could lead to a true crime against humanity."
Frustrated by the inability to use such resources, dozens of U.S. congressmen signed off on a letter to President Bush asking that the United States join any international effort to intervene in Myanmar's stricken Irrawaddy Delta region by bypassing the junta's efforts to interfere with aid.
For the time being, the U.S. military will not send in aid without Myanmar's approval. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Timothy Keating, head of the U.S. forces in the Pacific, have publicly stated that coercive intervention is not on the plate.
"We're not going to do anything unilaterally," said Lt. Col. Douglas Powell, a spokesman for the U.S. relief effort, dubbed Operation Caring Response.
"Our hope is that they will see we have the means and the capabilities," he said. "We need them to take the next step and allow us to do more."
Aid organizations also expressed doubt that unauthorized air drops would be effective.
"At best aid air-drops can only be a partial solution, at worst they give the illusion that somehow we are addressing this ever worsening humanitarian crisis," said Jane Cocking, a spokeswoman for the British aid group Oxfam. "The biggest risk is that aid airdrops will be a distraction from what is really needed _ a highly effective aid operation on the ground."
___
Associated Press Writer Grant Peck contributed to this report.
понедельник, 12 марта 2012 г.
Depressive Symptomatology in the Immediate Postnatal Period: Identifying Maternal Characteristics Related to True- and False-Positive Screening Scores
Objective: To determine whether true- and false-positive postnatal depression screening scores can be distinguished during the early postpartum period by examining characteristic differences between 2 groups: 1) women with depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum who continue to exhibit symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum, compared with those who do not; and 2) women with depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum who previously exhibited symptoms at 1 week postpartum, compared with those who did not.
Method: As part of a longitudinal postpartum depression study, a population-based sample of 594 women completed mailed questionnaires at 1, 4, and 8 weeks postpartum.
Results: Among women with depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum, diverse variables distinguished between those whose symptoms persisted or remitted at 8 weeks. These variables included recent immigrant status, psychiatric history, premenstrual symptoms, vulnerable personality, low self-esteem, child abuse history, and insufficient support. Variables that distinguished between women with depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum who previously exhibited symptoms at 1 week postpartum and those who did not included vulnerable personality, life stressors, perceived stress, insufficient support, and partner conflict.
Conclusions: To address both the benefits and potential harms of early screening, positive screening scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale should also include an assessment of each individual woman's risk for postpartum depression and (or) chronic major depression.
(Can J Psychiatry 2006;51:265-273)
Information on funding and support and author affiliations appears at the end of the article.
Clinical Implications
* Health professionals should be aware of the high rate of false-positive scores likely to result when screening tools are administered during the immediate postpartum period.
* Screening in the immediate postpartum period can identify most women with depressive symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum, possibly facilitating earlier receipt of care.
* To address both the benefits and potential harms of early screening, positive screening scores obtained with the EPDS in the immediate postpartum period should also include an assessment of each individual woman's risk for postpartum depression and (or) chronic major depression.
Limitations
* Although the EPDS has established psychometric properties in screening for depression, no diagnostic measure of depression was administered in this study.
* Although the study sample was diverse in relation to socioeconomic and educational levels, the number of ethnic minority and single mothers was reduced.
Key Words: postpartum depression, screening, false positive, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
In the development of postpartum depression, the predictive power of maternal mood during the immediate postpartum period (the first 2 weeks postpartum) has consistently been reported. For example, the EPDS (1) was used to measure depressive symptomatology in 217 UK mothers at 5 days and 6 weeks postpartum (2). A significant positive correlation between the 2 EPDS scores was found (r = 0.60, P < 0.001), and of the 25 women who scored above 12 on the EPDS at 6 weeks, 17 (68%) had similar symptomatology in the first week postpartum (that is, a 5-day EPDS score above 9). In addition, mothers scoring above 9 on the EPDS at 5 days were 8 times more likely to score above 9 at 6 weeks than were those scoring below 10. Similar findings were found with Canadian (3), Japanese (4), Irish (5), and French (6) mothers.
However, despite the concordance in maternal mood across the early postpartum period, researchers and health professionals have traditionally been cautioned against screening for depression in the first couple of weeks postdelivery because a significant number of women identified with depressive symptoms do not remain symptomatic 6 to 8 weeks later (7,8). The primary cause of this false-positive rate is the high prevalence of "postpartum blues," reported to affect up to 75% of women during the first week postpartum (9). Screening in the immediate postpartum period could therefore result in substantial costs-both economic, in terms of resources required to follow up all cases of positive screens, and maternal, in terms of burden and potential risk associated with implementation of unnecessary interventions for women with false-positive scores. Conversely, early detection from early screening may improve outcomes for women with true-positive scores. This population-based study aimed to determine whether true- and false-positive screening scores can be distinguished during the early postpartum period by examining characteristic differences between 2 groups: 1) women with depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum who continued to exhibit symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum, compared with those who did not; and 2) women with depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum who previously exhibited symptoms at 1 week postpartum, compared with those who did not.
Method
Sample
Participants completed questionnaires as part of a longitudinal study to develop a multifactorial predictive model of postpartum depression (10); the study was conducted in a health region near Vancouver, British Columbia, from April 2001 to January 2002. Eligible women, who were aged at least 18 years and able to understand English, were recruited after the study received approval from the university ethics committee and authorization from the participating health region. To obtain a population-based sample, study packages that included informed consent procedures were provided either antenatally (through participating family physician, obstetrician, and midwifery offices) to women at more than 32 weeks gestation or postnatally during the standard 48-hour posthospital discharge call provided by public health nurses to new mothers. The same questionnaires were mailed to all participants at 1, 4, and 8 weeks postpartum; reminder telephone calls were provided to women who did not return their questionnaires within 2 weeks of mailing.
Antenatally, 166 participants were recruited, with 115 (69%) returning the 1-week postpartum questionnaire. Of the approximately 971 women screened postnatally, 857 were eligible. The most common reason for ineligibility was inability to read English (24%). Of the eligible women, 190 (22%) declined enrolment, with the most common reason for declining being lack of interest or time. Of the 667 new mothers who agreed to participate in the study, 479 returned the 1-week postpartum questionnaire, yielding a 72% response rate. In total, 594 participants returned the 1-week postpartum questionnaire. Of these mothers, 535 (90%) returned the 4-week questionnaire, and 498 (84%) returned the 8-week questionnaire. All participants who returned the 1-week postpartum questionnaire were included in this study.
Measures
Assessment of Depressive Symptomatology. The EPDS (1), a 10-item, self-report instrument, was used to assess depressive symptomatology at 1 and 8 weeks postpartum. Items were rated on a 4-point scale to produce a summative score ranging from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating lower maternal mood. In this study, women who scored more than 9 on the EPDS were defined as exhibiting depressive symptomatology. This cut-off point has been recommended for community-based screening (11,12) and has been shown to have high sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive power for postpartum depression (11,13).
Maternal Characteristics. To identify maternal characteristics potentially associated with depressive symptomatology, we conducted a literature search of MEDLINE, PubMed, Cinahl, PsycINFO, and EMBASE. Consistently reported risk factors were included in the 1-week postpartum questionnaire, categorized into the following domains: sociodemographic, biological, psychological, psychiatric history, pregnancy-related, life stressors, social support, obstetrical, and maternal adjustment (Table 1). Several risk factors were also quantified according to standardized measures. We used the Vulnerable Personality Style Questionnaire (14), a 9-item Likert-type instrument, to assess personality traits (for example, poor coping style, timidity, worry about what others think, need for order and control in life, perfectionism, quickness to anger with temper outbursts, difficulty asking for help). Items were rated on a 5-point scale to produce a summative score ranging from 0 to 45, with higher scores indicating a more vulnerable personality style. To assess self-esteem,we included Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (15), a 10-item self-report instrument. Items were rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale to produce a summative score ranging from 10 to 40, with higher scores indicating higher levels of self-esteem. To assess the psychosocial health of women, we incorporated the ALPHA form (16). This questionnaire was developed from a systematic literature review of antenatal risk factors associated with poor postpartum family outcomes (17); included in this study were yes-no responses to 14 questions related to substance abuse and family violence. We used a 25-item life-events checklist (18) based on the Life Events Scale (19) to assess stressors in the past 12 months. Yes-no responses to items were summed to produce a total score ranging from 0 to 25, with higher scores indicating an increased number of stressful events. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (20) was administered to measure the extent to which situations in one's life are appraised as stressful. Items inquire about stressful events over the past month and are rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale to produce a total score ranging from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived stress. To measure maternal perceptions of global support, we included the 24-item Social Provisions Scale (21); women were asked to "think about their current relationships with family, friends, coworkers, community members, and so on." Items were rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale to produce a total score ranging from 24 to 96, with higher scores indicating higher perceived global support. Similarly, to examine relationship-specific social support, we included the 30-item Social Provisions Checklist (22). This measure was completed separately for the 4 following relationships: partner, mother, mother-in-law, and other women with children. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale to produce a total score ranging from 30 to 150, with higher scores indicating higher perceived support related to a specific relationship. Finally, we included a modified version of the Quality of Relationships Inventory (23) to examine relationship-specific conflict. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale to produce a total score ranging from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating higher perceived conflict related to a specific relationship.
Statistical Analysis
In this study, we divided participants into 2 groups: 1) women with depressive symptomatology (EPDS score > 9) at 1 week postpartum and 2) women with depressive symptomatology (EPDS score > 9) at 8 weeks postpartum. Women with depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum were then subcategorized as follows: women who remained symptomatic (continued EPDS score > 9 at 8 weeks postpartum) and those who did not (EPDS score ≤ 9 at 8 weeks postpartum). Similarly, women with depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum were subcategorized as follows: women who were previously symptomatic (EPDS score > 9 at 1 week postpartum) and those who were not (EPDS score ≤ 9 at 1 week postpartum). We used chi-square tests to examine differences between 2 groups for dichotomous categorical variables; independent sample t tests were conducted for continuous variables. We used SPSS (Version 11.0 for Windows) to analyze the data.
Results
Women with Depressive Symptomatology at 1 Week Postpartum
At 1 week postpartum, 175 (29.5%) women exhibited depressive symptomatology (EPDS > 9). The mean age of this sample was 28.1 years, SD 4.9, with a range of 17 to 44 years. Eighty-nine percent of the women were white (n = 154), with 88% indicating they were married or living common-law (n = 152). Of the mothers, 39% (n = 68) had a high school diploma or less education; 42% (n = 72) had a college diploma or went to a trade school; and 19% (n = 32) had a university degree or higher education. In relation to annual household income, 48% (n = 78) of mothers had an income less than CDN$40 000; 26% (n = 42) had incomes between $40 000 and $60 000; and 26% (n = 41) had incomes greater than $60 000. Of the women, 47% (n = 83) were primiparous; 71% (n = 123) delivered vaginally; and 63% (n = 110) were discharged home within 48 hours of delivery.
Among the mothers with depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum, 45.2% (n = 66) had an EPDS score ≤ 9 at 8 weeks postpartum and formed the "nondepressive group," whereas 54.8% (n = 80) of women had an EPDS score > 9 at 8 weeks postpartum and formed the "depressive group." Table 2 lists significant group differences in maternal characteristics. In particular, among the sociodemographic variables, the following were associated with a continued EPDS score > 9 at 8 weeks postpartum: born outside Canada, immigration within the last 5 years, and multiparous parity. Biological factors that were significantly different between the 2 groups included number of premenstrual symptoms; significant psychological factors included vulnerable personality and self-esteem. There were also significant differences in relation to depression during pregnancy, history of postpartum depression, and family history of depression in pregnancy. Mothers who continued to exhibit depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum had significantly higher levels of perceived stress, were more likely to have a partner with a drug or alcohol problem, and were more likely to have been sexually abused as a child. In terms of social support, low perceptions of global support and relationship-specific support from the partner, mother, and other women with children were associated with continued depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum. These women also had significantly higher levels of conflict with their partners and other women with children and were more likely to report that they had no one available to provide help without asking. There were no group differences in relation to pregnancy, obstetric, or maternal adaptation factors.
Women With Depressive Symptomatology at 8 Weeks Postpartum
At 8 weeks postpartum, 101 (20.3%) women exhibited depressive symptomatology (EPDS > 9). The mean age of the sample was 28.8 years, SD 4.9, with a range of 20 to 44 years. Of the women, 91% were white (n = 91), with 94% indicating that they were married or living common-law (n = 94). Forty-two percent (n = 42) of mothers had a high school diploma or less education, 44.4% (n = 44) had a college diploma, and 13.1 % (n = 13) had a university degree or higher education. In relation to annual household income, 45.7% (n = 47) of mothers had an income less than CDN$40 000; 29.2% (n = 27) had incomes between $40 000 and $60 000; and 25% (n = 23) had incomes greater than $60 000. Of the women, 38% (n = 39)were primiparous; 59% (n = 59) delivered vaginally; and 67.3% (n = 68) were discharged home within 48 hours of delivery.
Among the mothers with depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum, 20.8% (n = 21 ) had an EPDS score ≤ 9 at 1 week postpartum and formed the "nondepressive group," whereas 79.2% (n = 80) of women had an EPDS score > 9 and formed the "depressive group." Table 3 lists significant group differences in maternal characteristics. In particular, among the sociodemographic variables, being born outside Canada was the only factor associated with a previous EPDS score > 9 at 1 week postpartum. The only significant psychological factor included a vulnerable personality. Mothers who previously exhibited depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum also had significantly higher levels of perceived stress and number of stressful life events in the past 12 months, compared with women who did not have depressive symptomatology at 1 week. In terms of social support, low perceptions of global support and relationship-specific support with the mother-in-law were associated with previous depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum. These women also had significantly higher levels of conflict with their partners. There were no group differences in relation to biological factors, past psychiatric history, pregnancy, obstetric, or maternal adjustment factors.
Discussion
This study aimed to determine whether true- and false-positive screening scores can be distinguished during the early postpartum period by examining differences between 1) women with depressive symptomatology at 1 week postpartum who continue to exhibit symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum, compared with those who do not; and 2) women with depressive symptomatology at 8 weeks postpartum who previously exhibited symptoms at 1 week postpartum, compared with those who did not. This is the first known population-based study to specifically examine these differences.
Consistent with previous research (7), screening at 1 week postpartum was associated with a high false-positive rate: nearly 50% of women with EPDS scores > 9 at 1 week postpartum no longer screened positive for probable depression at 8 weeks postpartum (EPDS > 9). However,we identified several significant differences between those women whose depressive symptoms continued and those whose symptoms resolved. Several of the variables that differentiated between these 2 groups of women are known risk factors for postpartum depression. In particular, depression during pregnancy has consistently been established as one of the strongest risk factors for postpartum depression (24-26). In about 20% to 30% of cases, women who are identified with postpartum depression report that their symptoms had onset during pregnancy (27,28). It therefore follows that women with persistent depressive symptoms were more likely than women with remitting depression to have reported symptoms of depression during pregnancy. Other known risk factors for postpartum depression that differentiated between the persistent and remitting depressive symptoms groups include vulnerable personality, history of postpartum depression, low self-esteem, perceived stress, and lack of social support (14-29). In addition, women who were born outside Canada and (or) immigrated to Canada within the last 5 years were more likely to exhibit persistent symptoms of depression. This finding is consistent with other recent reports indicating that the prevalence of postpartum depression is high among immigrant populations (10-12,30-32).
Other maternal characteristics that differed significantly between the persistent and remitting depression groups-including premenstrual symptoms, history of postpartum depression, and family history of depression during pregnancy-may indicate that women with persistent depression could have an underlying hormonal or genetic vulnerability to perinatal depression. There is evidence that a subgroup of women may be particularly sensitive to the normal hormonal changes that accompany pregnancy and childbirth. For example, Bloch and colleagues found that, when the pregnant and postpartum states were mimicked with exogenous hormones, women with a history of postpartum depression exhibited mood changes, whereas a control group with no history of postpartum depression exhibited no response (33). In addition, women who develop postpartum depression are known to have significantly more first-degree relatives with a history of depression, compared with women who do not develop postpartum depression (18-34). Women who screen positive for depression during the immediate postpartum period and have one or more of these biological risk factors may therefore be more likely to continue to exhibit symptoms of depression later in the postpartum period.
Other variables, such as childhood sexual abuse (35), that distinguished between the persistent and remitting depressive symptoms groups are known to be associated with depression in women, independent of childbirth. Considering that major depression is common among women in their childbearing years (36), a proportion of this population-based sample would likely have met criteria for major depression prepregnancy, during pregnancy, and continuing throughout the postpartum period; as such, variables that are associated with chronic major depression would be expected to differentiate between those women whose symptoms of depression continued beyond the immediate postpartum period and those women whose symptoms resolved.
Consistent with previous research (3-6,37), nearly 80% of women with elevated EPDS scores at 8 weeks postpartum also had elevated scores in the immediate postpartum period. The variables that differentiated the women with new-onset symptoms of depression from those with persistent symptoms were very similar to the variables identified in the previous analysis of true- and false-positive scores. As would be expected on the basis of the postpartum depression risk-factor literature (26), immigrant status, recent life stressors, perceived stress, low social support, conflict with partner, and a vulnerable personality were also associated with new onset of depressive symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum.
Although the EPDS has good sensitivity and specificity when compared with diagnostic clinical interviews, no psychiatric interviews were conducted for this study. Further, there is some possibility for selection bias because only 72% of the mothers returned the first-week postpartum questionnaire. Although this is an exploratory study, a large number of variables were assessed, which possibly led to chance findings. Despite these limitations, the findings confirm that screening for depressive symptoms during the early postpartum period will yield a significant number of false-positive scores, that is, women whose symptoms of depression will spontaneously remit by 8 weeks postpartum. However, our findings also confirm that most women with depressive symptoms later in the postpartum period (8 weeks) can be identified from elevated depression scores in the immediate postpartum period. Strategies to address both the benefits and limitations of early screening are therefore needed.
Our data show that several characteristics differentiate women with persistent, compared with remitting, symptoms of depression. These are, primarily, known risk factors for postpartum depression and (or) chronic major depression in women, including depression during pregnancy, lack of perceived social support, and childhood sexual abuse. These findings therefore suggest that, when screening tools are administered during the immediate postpartum period, positive scores should be interpreted in the context of each individual woman's risk for depression. Many practice settings collect data regarding such risk factors during the prenatal period (using, for example, a psychosocial screening tool such as the Antenatal Psychosocial Health Assessment; 16). Women with a positive screen for depressive symptoms in the immediate postpartum period, together with one or more known risk factors for depression, could then be targeted for further assessment and possible intervention.
Further research, including diagnostic assessments of depression and economic evaluations, is required to identify optimal screening procedures for postpartum depression. However, our results suggest that an understanding of a woman's biological and psychosocial risk for postpartum depression, together with use of a screening tool such as the EPDS, may assist health professionals to identify early symptoms of depression.
R�sum� : La symptomatologie d�pressive dans la p�riode postnatale imm�diate : identifier les caract�ristiques maternelles reli�es aux scores de d�pistage de vrai et de faux positif
Objectif : D�terminer si les scores de d�pistage de vrai et de faux positif de la d�pression postnatale peuvent �tre distingu�s durant la p�riode du postpartum pr�coce, en examinant les diff�rences de caract�ristiques entre 2 groupes : 1) les femmes pr�sentant une symptomatologie d�pressive � 1 semaine de postpartum qui pr�sentent encore des sympt�mes � 8 semaines de postpartum, comparativement � celles qui n'en pr�sentent pas; et 2) les femmes pr�sentant une symptomatologie d�pressive � 8 semaines de postpartum qui avaient des sympt�mes � 1 semaine de postpartum, comparativement � celles qui n'en pr�sentaient pas.
M�thode : Dans le cadre d'une �tude longitudinale de la d�pression postpartum, un �chantillon populaire de 594 femmes ont rempli des questionnaire postaux aux 1^sup re^, 4^sup e^ et 8^sup e^ semaines de postpartum.
R�sultats : Parmi les femmes pr�sentant une symptomatologie d�pressive � 1 semaine de postpartum, diverses variables distinguaient entre celles dont les sympt�mes persistaient ou diminuaient � 8 semaines. Ces variables comprenaient le statut d'immigrante r�cente, les ant�c�dents psychiatriques, les sympt�mes pr�menstruels, la personnalit� vuln�rable, la faible estime de soi, des ant�c�dents de violence dans l'enfance, et un soutien insuffisant. Les variables qui distinguaient entre les femmes pr�sentant une symptomatologie d�pressive � 8 semaines de postpartum qui avaient des sympt�mes � 1 semaine de postpartum et celles qui n'en pr�sentaient pas comprenaient la personnalit� vuln�rable, les stresseurs de la vie, le stress per�u, le soutien insuffisant et le conflit avec le partenaire.
Conclusions : Les scores de d�pistage positifs � l'�chelle de d�pression postnatale d'�dimbourg devraient aussi inclure une �valuation, pour chaque femme, du risque individuel de d�pression postpartum et (ou) de d�pression majeure chronique, pour tenir compte des avantages et des pr�judices potentiels d'un d�pistage pr�coce.
[Reference]
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[Author Affiliation]
Cindy-Lee Dennis, PhD1, Lori E Ross, PhD2
[Author Affiliation]
Funding and Support
Dr Dennis received financial support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research through a postdoctoral research fellowship, as well as financial support from the Hamber Foundation and the Fraser Valley Health Region.
[Author Affiliation]
Manuscript received September 2005, revised, and accepted January 2006.
1 Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
2 Research Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario.
Address for correspondence: Dr C-L Dennis, University of Toronto, Faculty of Nursing, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8
cindylee.dennis@utoronto.ca
NRA endorses McCain in Arizona Republican primary
The National Rifle Association endorsed John McCain Thursday in Arizona's Republican Senate primary.
The endorsement was a significant boost for McCain, providing high-profile support for his conservative credentials as he tries to shake a primary challenge by former U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth.
Hayworth has attacked McCain's record on gun rights, saying the four-term Senator has supported restrictive legislation.
Hayworth touts an endorsement from Gun Owners of America, a smaller gun-rights lobbying group.
The NRA endorsed McCain in three of his four previous runs for the U.S. Senate, but it stayed out of his race in 2004 against a little-known Democrat.
The organization endorsed Hayworth in at least six of his seven U.S. House races.
Ex-postman charged with hiding mail
Holderness makes a splash with record
Butleigh swimmer Rob Holderness set a new national swimmingrecord at the Commonwealth games in Delhi on Tuesday.
The former Millfield School student swam a time of 1minute1.90seconds in the 50m breaststroke heats, a new Welsh record. The20-year-old's third-placed finish also earned him a place in thesemi-finals.
Holderness' sister, Georgia, also tasted success on Tuesday asshe made the semi-finals of the 100m freestyle, following her semi-final appearance in the 50m breaststroke the previous day.
The siblings study and swim at Florida State University and havehad plenty of success at national school competitions.
The young athletes also have previous international experience,having represented Great Britain before. Georgia is competing at herthird Commonwealth games at just 22, having first swam at theManchester Games in 2002 aged 14.
In what must have been a nail-biting day for the Holdernessfamily, Rob swam in the second semi-final of his event, missing outon the final by 0.04 seconds.
The race was immediately followed by Georgia in the 100mfreestyle, who was equally unfortunate not to reach the final,finishing seventh in her semi-final.
Both Rob and Georgia are back in action early this morning, Rob in the 50m breaststroke, before Georgia in the 50m freestyle and100m breaststroke.
Rob will finish an exhausting week for the pair by competing inthe 200m breaststroke on Saturday.
Indicted Iowa Bank Exec's Family Killed
Investigators are focusing on a former bank executive who had been charged with embezzlement as they seek answers in the killings of his wife and four children, whose bodies were found in their home.
Steven Sueppel was missing after his family's bodies were discovered Monday morning. However, his van was found wrecked and ablaze on Interstate 80 about nine miles away, and police said they were all but certain that the body in the van was his.
"It's not possible to do an ID short of an autopsy. The fire was that intense," police Sgt. Troy Kelsay said.
He added, however, that "if I was a betting man I would comfortable betting a fair chunk of money" that the body was Sueppel's.
"It fits the time of the accident," he said. "He is the only person unaccounted for."
The Iowa State Patrol's initial crash report on the van said the vehicle "entered median for an unknown reason and struck concrete support and sign pole. ..."
Autopsies on the six bodies were scheduled Tuesday.
"This does not appear to be a random crime," Kelsay said. "It appears that possibly it is the work of Steven Sueppel."
Police said the victims were found in the unlocked house after someone called 911 dispatchers.
A recording of the 911 call, made at about 6:30 a.m. Monday, was released Tuesday by the Johnson County Sheriff's Department. The caller wasn't identified, but Iowa City police believe it was Steven Sueppel.
The caller gave the address of the house and said: "Please go there immediately." He then hung up after the dispatcher asked what was happening at the address.
About six minutes after that call, other callers told dispatchers that a minivan had crashed on I-80.
Initial alerts said there had been a shooting at the house, but Kelsay said that was not yet determined.
"I'm not certain that a firearm was ever involved. Nobody reported hearing any shots fired," Kelsay said.
The victims' names weren't released, but Kelsay confirmed they were Sueppel's wife and children, ages 3, 5, 7 and 10. According to legal documents, his wife's name was Sheryl Sueppel.
Sueppel was indicted last month on federal charges of stealing about $560,000 from Hills Bank and Trust in Johnson County, where he was vice president and controller, court records show.
Sueppel, 42, pleaded not guilty to embezzlement and money laundering and was released on $250,000 bail. His trial was scheduled for April 21.
Sueppel's attorney in that case, Leon Spies, said he had heard of the deaths and called it "an unimaginable professional and personal tragedy for a lot of people," he said.
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Associated Press writers Melanie S. Welte and David Pitt in Des Moines contributed to this report.
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