Update: Europe Bans X-Ray Full-Body Scanners Over Health Concerns

The Europeans, for whom data privacy is kind of a capital-T thing and has been for a very long time, had been slow to deploy full-body scanners across the continent in part exactly because of privacy concerns. The new policy introduces a number of safeguards that will be very familiar to US travelers: no storing of the images, no looking at the images except from a different room, and no forcing passengers to walk through the machines without offering an opt-out.

And then there's the part that's glaringly different from the US. Airports that use full-body scanners will not be allowed to use x-ray devices, only millimeter-wave devices. Europe has decided that the health effects of x-ray scanners haven't been studied enough, and that they could pose "health and safety" risks to passengers."

'via Blog this'Europe Bans X-Ray Full-Body Scanners Over Health Concerns || Jaunted:

Update: China Development Bank Provide Critical Support for Hydro Project (Alternative Energy for Climate Change)

"China Development Bank focuses on such areas as infrastructure development, industrial upgrading, regional coordination, and development and improvement of public welfare. Its mission is to strengthen China's competitiveness and improve the living standards of its people. In 2010, the bank issued debt securities totaling RMB850 billion (US$133.6 billion) and provided electric sector loans totaling RMB509.6 billion ($80.1 billion).

The bank has provided financial support to many power generation and transmission/distribution projects in China, including the Xiluodu and Xiangjiaba hydro projects on the Jinshajiang River."

'via Blog this'Banks Provide Critical Support for Hydro Project Development: In July 2011, the bank signed a $2 billion credit with Ecuador's government to support irrigation and hydro projects. Of this total, $680 million will be used for four hydro plants, including 21 MW Mazar-Dudas, 276 MW Minas San Francisco, 50 MW Quijos and 15 MW Villonaco. The eight-year loan has a 6.9% interest rate and two-year grace period.

And in October 2010, the bank agreed to lend more than $11 billion to China Three Gorges Corp., developer of the 22,400 MW Three Gorges project. The credit lines will come as $7.2 billion and another $4 billion over five years and will be used to develop other hydro projects, as well as to build wind farms and undertake power projects in overseas markets. As of the time of this announcement, China Development Bank had loaned CNY47.8 billion ($7.5 billion) to China Three Gorges Corp. and its affiliates.

Wellness in Education: To Improve Performance of 63,000 plus Undernourished School Children, DepEd to Pursue Feeding Program

According to Education Secretary Armin Luistro, the feeding program aims to address under-nutrition and short-term hunger syndrome among public schoolchildren who do not eat breakfast and walk long distance to reach school. “This is the most vulnerable group who finds it hard to pay attention to the lessons in class because of hunger and are in danger of dropping out if no intervention is made,” Luistro explained.

The DepEd chief added that the program — which was initially implemented in Pangasinan, Bohol and Lanao del Norte — will be expanded to 15 more divisions during the school year. Based on the prevalence of under-nutrition in these divisions and the capability of school heads to manage and administer the program, the new beneficiaries are schools from the divisions of Quirino, Zambales, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Sorsogon, Kabankalan City, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Norte, Kalinga, Maguindanao, and Quezon City."

'via Blog this'DepEd to pursue feeding program | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online: "

Health Tip: Help Your Child Create a Healthy Body Image

Discuss with your child the fact that weight gain, especially during puberty, can be a normal and healthy part of development; Don't speak negatively about weight, food, body shape and size; Encourage your child to make personal decisions about food, but offer a variety of healthy options.
Praise and compliment your child for things he or she has accomplished; Limit your child's television time, and when it is on, watch together to encourage discussion about images in the media; Be active in your child's school, promoting policies that protect against discrimination, bullying and a healthy approach toward weight; Communicate openly with your child."

'via Blog this'Health Tip: Help Your Child Create a Healthy Body Image - US News and World Report: "

Update: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Actively Supports Development of Renewable Energy Sector

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development finances projects from central Europe to central Asia. The bank is owned by 61 countries, the EU and the European Investment Bank. The bank invests only in projects that could not otherwise attract financing on similar terms. Direct investments generally range from €5 million ($6.8 million) to €230 million ($313.1 million), and EBRD typically funds up to 35% of the total project cost.

EBRD is actively supporting the development of the renewable energy sector within its countries of operation as part of its objective to improve the environmental performance and long-term stability of the power sector."

'via Blog this'Banks Provide Critical Support for Hydro Project Development: "EBRD approved a loan of €110 million ($149.8 million) to state-owned hydropower company Hidroelectrica S.A. in May 2011 for modernization work at the 210 MW Stejaru Bicaz project in Romania. The loan will finance rehabilitation of six units at this project, on the Bistrita River in northeastern Romania, ensuring a new life cycle for the entire power plant of at least 30 years, with increased availability, efficiency and safety in operation. This is the oldest hydro project in the country. Total project cost is estimated to be €136.9 million.

In April 2011, an announcement was made that EBRD will lend Macedonia €6 million ($8.2 million) for small hydro development. Macedonian PCC Hydro DOOEL Skopje will get the loan for four plants with total capacity of 4.1 MW.

Together, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation are providing a $115.5 million credit to Georgia-Urban Energy to co-finance the construction and operation of its 87 MW Paravani project on the Paravani River in Georgia. IFC will provide $40.5 million and EBRD will provide $52 million. The remaining $23 million will be syndicated via commercial banks. EBRD also will take $5 million in equity in Georgia-Urban Energy. Paravani will help the country reduce carbon-based generation and cut dependence on imported fuels in winter months. Total cost of the project is anticipated to be about $160 million.

Tip: Dentists & Diabetes Educators Can Collaborate to Fight Diabetes & Heart Disease

The epidemic rates of prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes could be decreased, and the depressingly prevalent rate of heart disease and diabetes complications could be reduced. There is a heavy burden on health-care professionals today regarding the recognition, treatment, and proactive management of a disease that has reached epidemic proportions worldwide.
'via Blog this'The Dynamic Duo - RDH:

The relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease is a two-way street!

• People with diabetes are at greater risk for developing infections6,7
• Periodontal disease (chronic infection) can impair diabetes control6,7
• More definitive link than cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, preterm, low birth-weight infants8
• Management of periodontitis can result in significant reduction in A1C9,10

A1C is a blood test that measures the weighted, average glucose level over a two to three month period, which is the life cycle of the red blood cell. It is the standard for assessing glucose control for patients with diabetes and, as of February 2010, is an acceptable test to be used for diagnosis of diabetes.

The accepted diagnosis guidelines for the American Diabetes Association follows these parameters for A1C:

• 5.6 and below is normal
• 5.7 through 6.4 is prediabetes
• 6.5 and above is diabetes

Update: U.N. Sec-Gen Ban Ki-moon urged World Leaders to Finalize Financing for Multibillion-Dollar Fund to Fight Effects of Climate Change

"Delegates at a U.N.-sponsored climate change conference that starts Nov. 28 in Durban, South Africa, are to consider ways to raise $100 billion a year for the Green Climate Fund created last December to help countries cope with global warming.
Ban told the opening session of a climate meeting in Bangladesh's capital that the world should make a concerted effort to finance the fund. "Governments must find ways — now — to mobilize resources up to the $100 billion per annum pledged," he said. "An empty shell is not sufficient."

Representatives of about 30 nations in the Climate Vulnerable Forum are meeting for two days in Dhaka to formulate a united stand on funding for schemes to limit the damage from global warming. The countries from Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific are also seeking action by industrialized nations to cut carbon emissions and provide technical and financial support."

'via Blog this'UN: Create fund to fight climate change – USATODAY.com: