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MICHAEL R. SISAK,
LARRY O'DELL
PHILADELPHIA (AP) —
The man accused of grabbing a Philadelphia woman off the street this week and taking her to Maryland has a history of violence, choking his ex-wife a decade ago and abducting a 16-year-old Virginia girl just last month with the intention of killing her, authorities say.
MARILYNN MARCHIONE,
AP Chief Medical Writer
NEW ORLEANS (AP) —
Philanthropist Bill Gates says he wants to end malaria in his lifetime and will give more money toward that goal.
His plan includes developing a drug or vaccine to purge the malaria parasite in people who carry it without showing symptoms. In all, Gates said his foundation will commit more than $500 million this year to fight malaria, pneumonia, and diarrheal and parasitic diseases.
EBOLA
He and his wife have pledged $50 million to help contain it and for research on treatments, rapid tests and vaccines. Another Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, has pledged $100 million, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, $25 million.
MALARIA
It kills more than 600,000 people each year. It is caused by parasites spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Gates plan includes $156 million over five years to the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative to develop vaccines that prevent mosquitoes from infecting people and vice versa.
POLIO
Gates called polio eradication "my top priority," noting the viral disease remains endemic in three countries — Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Polio was eliminated in India earlier this year, and as of early September, Nigeria had confirmed only six wild poliovirus cases this year. There is a good chance of getting the polio case count down to zero.
DENGUE FEVER
The mosquito-borne disease, also known as breakbone fever for the pain it causes, has spread from a few countries a few decades ago to more than 100 today, including the southern United States. Gates said his foundation would work to build on that work and make a vaccine available to all who need it.
CHIKUNGUNYA
Another mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya causes fever and extremely painful joints. It spread to the Caribbean last year after expanding in Africa and South Asia, and in July. It's an important field for research and vaccine development, Gates said.
By Linda S. Nikolakopoulos
November is American Diabetes Month. It is a time to raise awareness about diabetes and to take action against the increased incidence of this disease.
Diabetes is currently listed as the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.
Recent studies estimate that if the rate of people developing diabetes continues on the current track, as many as one in three American adults will have diabetes by the year 2050.
What is diabetes and is there cause for concern?
Diabetes is a disease that involves the impairment or inability of the pancreas to produce insulin appropriately. The result is that sugar levels in the blood get too high, which can then lead to additional medical problems. There is also a risk of blood sugars getting too low in people with diabetes, which can also lead to medical issues.
When people with diabetes don’t keep their blood sugars under good control, over time, this can result in long-term medical complications. Consequences of poorly controlled diabetes include kidney disease, neuropathy, foot amputations, eye problems and even blindness. Furthermore, having a diagnosis of diabetes places individuals at an increased risk for heart disease and stroke.
These medical conditions can be devastating. The good news is that people with diabetes can do something to help prevent or, at the least, delay the onset of these consequences.
Aside from medications, a big part of the treatment for diabetes is diet. In many cases of newly diagnosed diabetes, the first line of treatment is diet alone.
Many people are able to keep their blood sugars under good control and prevent diabetes complications through what they eat and drink on a daily basis. By doing so, this avoids the need to start any new medication for the disease. If and when taking medication becomes necessary, how and what a person is eating will greatly affect the degree to which diabetes is being controlled.
The key nutrient to monitor for a person with diabetes is carbohydrate. This includes breads, cereals, crackers, pasta, rice, and, of course, sugar. This does not mean that these foods need to be eliminated from a person’s daily diet. More precisely, it is the portion of these foods that needs to be monitored. A healthy, balanced diet is what is recommended, including lean protein, vegetables, whole grains and one low in added sugars, saturated and trans fats.
While these are general guidelines, it is important to work closely with a registered dietitian to devise a meal plan that is specific and realistic for each person’s individual stages of diabetes and dietary needs.
Keep in mind that managing your diabetes properly can prevent or delay medical complications.