Zhang Ruifang, a 101-year-old woman in China has developed a growth on her forehead that strongly resembles a horn similar to those found on goats. The horn is approximately 6cm on the left side of her forehead. While doctors appear to be stumped, there may be a simple explanation to the horn-like feature: a cutaneous horn. The horn is made of keratin and is sometimes found in elderly individuals who are exposed to sunlight for long periods of time.
On Tuesday, January 11 2009, a massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The quake was followed by two strong aftershocks with 5.9 and 5.5 magnitudes, compounding the devastation of the original rumble. There are fears that hundreds of thousands may be dead, but the extent of the damage is still uncertain.
This is Haiti’s works quake in two centuries. The quake hit hard south of the capital at Port-au-Prince, destroying the presidential palace, the UN headquarters and other buildings. The Red Cross estimates that up to three million people have been affected by the disaster.
Haiti’s envoy to the US approximates that the cost of the damage runs in the billions of dollars. A number of nations including the US, UK, and Venezuela, are preparing to send aid as quickly as possible.
Immediately following the quake, phone lines in Haiti began to fail. There is no official word on the number of casualties and the extent of the damage is only now being assessed as dawn breaks.
Some speculation has been occurring from various nations. China has indicated that eight of its peacekeepers are buried and feared dead. Another ten peacekeepers are unaccounted for. The Jordanian army has been quoted saying that three of its peacekeepers have been killed and at least 21 wounded. The Brazilian army lists four of its peacekeepers as deceased and a large number of them are missing. A French official has stated that about 200 people went missing in the Hotel Montana, a popular tourist attraction, which collapsed in the quake.
As is familiar in many natural disasters, there were reports of looting occurring overnight. The capital was in total darkness, making it an easy target for criminals.
Bodies covered in white dust have been seen piled into the back of pick-up trucks as groups tried to get injured individuals to the hospital.
Haiti has suffered several natural disasters recently including four hurricanes and other storms in 2008 that killed hundreds of people. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere.
For a visual of the aftermath of the Haiti quake and the disaster it has wrought, check out the video from CBS news below.
Scientists in China are claiming that the 11 hour snowfall in Beijing this past Sunday was a result of their geoengineering.
To bring moisture to dry farmland in the north, China’a meteorologists fired 186 explosive rockets loaded with chemicals to “seed” clouds and encourage snow to fall on Saturday night.
“We won’t miss any opportunity of artificial precipitation since Beijing is suffering from a lingering drought,” Zhang Qiang, head of the Beijing Weather Modification Office, told state media.
Psoriasis is a chronic non-contagious skin disorder which is difficult to cure as the disease is recurrent in nature and may become resistant to a specific therapy over time. Some treatments may lessen the symptoms of the condition, however.
An article from Reuters titled “Indigo Plant May Treat Chronic Skin Disease” describes a study showing that Indigo naturalis, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, was found to be effective in the treatment of psoriasis. Psoriasis may not be contagious but oftentimes persons afflicted by the condition are shunned by others due to lack of sufficient information about the disease. It is a relief to know that medicine is finding new ways of treating psoriasis since its treatment can certainly help alleviate the quality of life of those affected by the affliction.
Indigo plant may treat chronic skin disease
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Indigo naturalis, a dark blue plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, appears to be effective in treating psoriasis, a study in Taiwan has found.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease for which no cure is known, though some therapies bring about a remission. It causes red scaly patches, or plaques, which take on a silvery-white appearance and often occur on the arms, elbows, knees and legs.
A study of the findings of a clinical trial involving 42 patients who had had the condition for at least two years was published in the latest issue of Archives of Dermatology.
11 April 2005 London — “The IEA is heartened by Russia’s progress to date in defining its electricity reform process and the Government’s reaffirmed commitment in late 2004,” said Claude Mandil, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, today in London at Russian Economic Forum where the IEA launched its new study. “We consider the greatest challenges lie ahead in the many technical details that will need to be resolved to bring such a substantial reform to a successful conclusion. It is our hope that this book will provide objective guidance and encourage efforts to see reforms through to a successful conclusion.”
The new book “Russian Electricity Reform: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities” examines the proposed market structure and the strength of the inter-regional grid system to maintain healthy trade and competition, and to minimise the potential for market power abuse. “In this respect, Russia’s extremely costly experience in privatising its oil sector over the early 1990s should provide a sharp reminder of the potential dangers of this process,” Mr. Mandil added. Keys to the success of competitive markets in electricity and eventually other parts of Russia’s energy sector will be a truly independent grid operator and strong, well resourced, well informed, well-trained and independent regulators that can rise to the challenge of establishing access to network and other monopoly products and services on fair and reasonable terms for all market players.
Russian Electricity Reform: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities describes and assesses Russia’s progress to date and stresses how the reform program will have to create market structures, market rules and a regulatory framework that will foster the emergence of competitive wholesale and retail markets in electricity, if reforms are to succeed. The book commends the Russian government in its recognition that tariff rebalancing and especially the removal of cross-subsidies is a necessary pre-condition for successful introduction of market reforms. “The recent public backlash against monetization of certain public services demonstrates the importance of getting this balance right. Although recently proposed reforms are likely to extend the transitional period, they have the potential to provide greater stability, certainty and public acceptance to the implementation process. This should help to enhance the likelihood of the reform being fully and successfully implemented”, added Mr. Mandil.
Russian policymakers have recognised that attracting timely and appropriate investment will remain a substantial and ongoing challenge, which can most effectively be addressed through the creation of efficient, competitive electricity markets operating in response to cost-reflective price signals, within a robust and predictable legal and regulatory framework. Such markets can deliver the efficient, reliable and internationally competitive performance needed to meet the government’s economic targets in the longer term. They can also attract the new investment the industry will need, especially in order to ensure security of electricity supply beyond 2010. “As in the many IEA member countries having taken steps in electricity reform in the past, many challenges are to be expected over the course of the Russian reform process, both at the policy stage and during implementation.” Mr. Mandil said.
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Zhang Ruifang, a 101-year-old woman in China has developed a growth on her forehead that strongly resembles a horn similar to those found on goats. The horn is approximately 6cm on the left side of her forehead. While doctors appear to be stumped, there may be a simple explanation to the horn-like feature: a cutaneous horn. The horn is made of keratin and is sometimes found in elderly individuals who are exposed to sunlight for long periods of time.