Saturday, August 29, 2015

Saturday 8-29-15

A pint of water before meals is the secret to losing weight, scientists claim

A new study by the University of Birmingham revealed that obese adults who 'pre-loaded- with 500ml of plain tap water lost an average of 9.5lbs in 12 weeks

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pint-water-before-meals-secret-6324889

Utah man dies from plague in 4th fatal case in US this year

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah man in his 70s has died after contracting the plague, bringing to four the number of deaths from the disease reported in the United States this year, health officials said Thursday.
Officials are still trying to determine how the Utah person contracted the disease, but believe it might have been spread by a flea or contact with a dead animal, according to the state Department of Health.
"That's the most common way to get it," said JoDee Baker, an epidemiologist with the agency. "That's probably what happened, but we're still doing an investigation into that."
Plague is a rare disease that is carried by rodents and spread by fleas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 11 other cases have been reported in six states since April 1. The other three people who died were ages 16, 52 and 79.
(AP) This Aug. 6, 2015, photo, shows prairie dogs, in southern Utah. Utah health...Full Image
Anywhere between one and 17 cases of the illness have been reported each year in the U.S. since 2000, according to the CDC. Deaths are rare, with no more than two a year having been recorded over the past 15 years.
However, Mead said four deaths so far this year is not necessarily a cause for alarm.
"Yes, it's twice as many, but when you're dealing with small numbers, you have that kind of variation," he said Thursday.
Patients in a few of the 11 other cases this year came down with the plague after visiting Yosemite National Park in California.
The last human case of plague in Utah was in 2009, but state Health Department spokeswoman Charla Haley said no deaths from plague have been recorded in the state in at least 35 years.
Haley said the latest patient got the disease in Utah, possibly after being in rural areas and near campgrounds. The person was hospitalized about five days after coming down with symptoms, and died in mid-August at the University of Utah's Hospital.
State health officials declined to release the patient's age, gender or hometown, saying the person's family wanted to keep those details private. However, Mead confirmed the Utah case involved a man in his 70s.
Health officials checked with family members who may have been exposed to the person, but Baker said the incubation period has passed and no family members or anyone else reported symptoms.
Plague is naturally occurring in Utah rodents and is often seen in prairie dog populations, the Department of Health said. Wildlife and health officials confirmed in July that an outbreak of bubonic plague killed 60 to 80 prairie dogs in an eastern Utah colony.
Annette Roug, a veterinarian with Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources, said Thursday state investigators found prairie dog burrows near the person's property but no sign that animals were still living there.
Roug said if wildlife officials find prairie dog burrows in the area, they may treat them with insecticide to kill fleas that carry the disease. She declined to say where the affected area is in Utah.
Human cases of plague often occur in areas where wild rodent populations are near campsites and homes. Transmission between people is rare.
Baker said anyone going to rural areas or campgrounds can protect themselves by wearing insect repellent; thoroughly cooking any wild game and sanitizing knives and preparation tools; wearing gloves when handling or skinning wild animals; and ensuring pets are wearing flea collars.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150827/us-plague-death-utah-79ccf3e144.html

U.S. commuters spend about 42 hours a year stuck in traffic jams

A heavy traffic jam on New York's 2nd Avenue builds up during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26, 2013. REUTERS/Zoran Milich
Reuters/Reuters - A heavy traffic jam on New York's 2nd Avenue builds up during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26, 2013. REUTERs

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - A strong economy and cheap gas have put more motorists on U.S. roads, leading to the worst-ever traffic congestion and forcing the average urban commuter to waste about 42 hours a year stuck in traffic jams, a report released on Wednesday said.
The Texas Transportation Institute report estimates U.S. highway congestion costs $160 billion a year, including from lost productivity, gas burned while idling in traffic and additional wear and tear on vehicles.
"The higher congestion levels are clearly the downside of increased economic activity," said Bill Eisele, senior researcher for the TTI, which put together the annual Urban Mobility Scorecard along with traffic tracking company INRIX. TTI is part of Texas A&M University.
Eisele said Americans drove a record number of miles in the last 12 months, surpassing the previous peak set in 2007, before the start of the massive economic downturn.
"Congestion is mirroring the national trend," he said.
In 1982, motorists spent an average of 16 hours a year sitting in traffic jams, by 2010, that time had grown to 38 hours, TTI said. 
Tim Lomax, a report co-author, said Washington, D.C., has the worst gridlock in the country, with commuters wasting 82 hours a year stuck in traffic, nearly twice the national average. 
The other most congestion-plagued cities include Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and San Jose. 
Six of the country's 10 most congested stretches of highway are in metro Los Angeles, with two each in Chicago and New York City. The "worst" highway in the country is US 101 in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. 
During the rush hour, it can take 91 minutes to travel 26 miles (42 km) on the 101, at an average speed of 17 mph (27 kph), it said.
"Our growing traffic problem is too massive for any one entity to handle," Lomax said. 
"Businesses can give their employees more flexibility in where, when and how they work, individual workers can adjust their commuting patterns, and we can have better thinking when it comes to long-term land use planning."
Eisele said big-city level traffic congestion is trickling down to smaller metro areas.
"Nationwide, the average travel delay per commuter is more than twice what it was in 1982," he said. "For cities of less than 500,000 people, the problem is four times worse than in 1982."

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/u-commuters-spend-42-hours-stuck-traffic-jams-040942901.html

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