For fans of HD and / or nature documentaries, the BBC Planet Earth series is the unquestioned champion, and to provide a proper followup the Brits are improving it the only way they know how: doing it live. What the broadcaster calls its "most ambitions global wildlife series ever" will air simultaneously in 140 countries (more on that bit later) starting Sunday May 6th, then every Thursday and Sunday for three weeks. The plan is to track animals in seven different locations around the world in real time as they struggle for survival and broadcast it all in HD. One segment features Top Gear's Richard Hammond following a pride of lions across southern Kenya, while another will track black bears in Minnesota. The bad news? If you're in the US or Canada you're not on that 140 country list and won't be seeing any of this live. We're not sure if there's time to make this a campaign issue in the 2012 presidential election but we figure that, or at least bugging BBC America (while we're on the subject -- where's our global iPlayer?) is worth a try. Check after the break for a press release with all the details on where and when it is airing, as well as a trailer.
Nationwide Poll found 7 out of 10 women suffering from menopausal symptoms are not treated; Majority not talking to their doctors about various relief options
May 1, 2012 (Chevy Chase, MD) Women going through menopause now have a first-of-its-kind interactive guide to help them better understand their menu of treatment options, including whether hormone therapy may be right for them. The Endocrine Society and its Hormone Health Network today released the "Menopause Map," an online tool to help women and their doctors discuss which hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options would be most effective and safe to relieve the sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause. A new accompanying survey found that the majority of women facing challenging symptoms are concerned about hormone treatment and are not discussing it, or other non-hormonal options, with their doctor. The Map was developed by Endocrine Society physician experts who specialize in menopause management.
The tool is based on the latest unbiased research and is intended to jumpstart conversations between women and their doctors about the choices available to them as they approach and experience menopause.
Hormone therapy has been under intense scrutiny since 2002, when a large government study called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) reported that hormone therapyspecifically the combination of estrogen and progestin togetherincreased the risk for blood clots, stroke, breast cancer and heart attacks. The researchers halted the study and concluded that the risks of hormone therapy outweighed the benefits. Although the study was designed to evaluate the role of hormone therapy in the prevention of diseases related to aging, many women and their doctors also abandoned it as therapy for menopausal symptoms.
Over the past 10 years, additional research has found that the level of risk depends on the individual woman, her health history, age, and the number of years since her menopause began. In general, younger women (under 60) who have recently started menopause are at a lower risk than older women when taking low doses of hormone therapy.
"Left with the false impression that hormone therapy isn't a safe option, far too many women have suffered in silence thinking their options for symptom relief were limited or non-existent," says Cynthia Stuenkel, MD, a member of The Endocrine Society and an endocrinologist specializing in menopause at the University of California, San Diego. "We know that for some women, hormonal therapy provides the only relief for severe menopausal symptoms. Women deserve some clear answers and helpful tools to engage their doctors in meaningful conversations about the multiple choices available to improve their menopausal symptoms."
When a woman enters menopause, she stops menstruating and her body produces less of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. The process of menopause takes years. During that time, women may experience moderate to severe symptoms, including hot flashes, interrupted sleep, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms that affect her quality of life.
The survey found that 72 percent of women currently experiencing symptoms have not received any treatment for them. Other findings include:
Majorities of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have not talked to their primary health care provider or OB/GYN about hormone therapy (62%) or non-hormone options (61%), and half of them have not talked about lifestyle changes;
Nearly half (49%) of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have a negative impression of hormone therapy; and
While the sample sizes of African Americans and Latinas in the survey are small, only 17 percent of African-American respondents say they have talked to their doctors about hormone therapy, compared to 39 percent of white women and 35 percent of Latinas, suggesting that disparities may exist.
"Unfortunately, as in many health care issues, significant disparities exist. Add to that, many primary care doctors don't have enough information about the latest research or what to prescribe," Dr. Stuenkel says. "We want to make health care providers across the nation aware of this tool so that they can facilitate better discussions with their patients."
The "Menopause Map" is an online interactive tool that guides a woman through the different options available to get relief from her symptoms through a series of prompting questions about those symptoms and her personal health history. The Map also has links to questionnaires that help assess current risk for breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The tool weighs hormonal and non-hormonal therapies against the risks based on individual symptoms and medical history.
The Map was not designed to be a self-diagnostic tool. It's recommended that women print out their results along with a list of provided questions to discuss the best treatment options for them with their provider. Women should revisit this tool to check their symptoms and have a continuous, informed dialogue with their provider.
The important facts to know about hormone therapy are:
Women 60 years and older should not use menopausal hormone therapy.
Women 50-59 years or younger, with no family or personal history of breast cancer, no history of heart disease or stroke, and with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms are the best candidates for hormone therapy.
If considering hormone therapy, women should talk with their health care provider to determine a plan that is right for them.
In addition, lifestyle approach also helps alleviate symptoms and benefit long-term health.
For those who decide on hormone therapy, this is an ongoing process and might require a period of trial and error to find the right fit for each individual woman.
For those who decide on non-hormonal options, there are several proven therapies available that may help with symptoms. It is important women share information about all medications they are using, including over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements, to make sure the choice of therapy doesn't interact with other medications.
###
The Menopause Map can be found at www.hormone.org/MenopauseMap.
About the Survey: The Endocrine Society commissioned Lake Research Partners to conduct a nationally representative survey of 810 women ages 45-60 years old, April 13 -17, 2012. The margin of sampling error is + 4.3 percentage points.
Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 15,000 physicians, scientists, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, MD. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at www.endo-society.org.
The Hormone Health Network works to join Endocrine Society physicians, primary care providers, patients and the public in meaningful, informed discussions about hormones and health. The Network offers patients and their providers free, on-line resources that are based on the Society's most advanced clinical and scientific knowledge of endocrine-related diseases and conditions. Join the Hormone Health Network today by visiting www.hormone.org and subscribing to Hormone Hotline, our monthly e-update on hormones and health.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
First of its kind 'menopause map' helps women navigate treatment Public release date: 1-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Nationwide Poll found 7 out of 10 women suffering from menopausal symptoms are not treated; Majority not talking to their doctors about various relief options
May 1, 2012 (Chevy Chase, MD) Women going through menopause now have a first-of-its-kind interactive guide to help them better understand their menu of treatment options, including whether hormone therapy may be right for them. The Endocrine Society and its Hormone Health Network today released the "Menopause Map," an online tool to help women and their doctors discuss which hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options would be most effective and safe to relieve the sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause. A new accompanying survey found that the majority of women facing challenging symptoms are concerned about hormone treatment and are not discussing it, or other non-hormonal options, with their doctor. The Map was developed by Endocrine Society physician experts who specialize in menopause management.
The tool is based on the latest unbiased research and is intended to jumpstart conversations between women and their doctors about the choices available to them as they approach and experience menopause.
Hormone therapy has been under intense scrutiny since 2002, when a large government study called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) reported that hormone therapyspecifically the combination of estrogen and progestin togetherincreased the risk for blood clots, stroke, breast cancer and heart attacks. The researchers halted the study and concluded that the risks of hormone therapy outweighed the benefits. Although the study was designed to evaluate the role of hormone therapy in the prevention of diseases related to aging, many women and their doctors also abandoned it as therapy for menopausal symptoms.
Over the past 10 years, additional research has found that the level of risk depends on the individual woman, her health history, age, and the number of years since her menopause began. In general, younger women (under 60) who have recently started menopause are at a lower risk than older women when taking low doses of hormone therapy.
"Left with the false impression that hormone therapy isn't a safe option, far too many women have suffered in silence thinking their options for symptom relief were limited or non-existent," says Cynthia Stuenkel, MD, a member of The Endocrine Society and an endocrinologist specializing in menopause at the University of California, San Diego. "We know that for some women, hormonal therapy provides the only relief for severe menopausal symptoms. Women deserve some clear answers and helpful tools to engage their doctors in meaningful conversations about the multiple choices available to improve their menopausal symptoms."
When a woman enters menopause, she stops menstruating and her body produces less of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. The process of menopause takes years. During that time, women may experience moderate to severe symptoms, including hot flashes, interrupted sleep, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms that affect her quality of life.
The survey found that 72 percent of women currently experiencing symptoms have not received any treatment for them. Other findings include:
Majorities of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have not talked to their primary health care provider or OB/GYN about hormone therapy (62%) or non-hormone options (61%), and half of them have not talked about lifestyle changes;
Nearly half (49%) of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have a negative impression of hormone therapy; and
While the sample sizes of African Americans and Latinas in the survey are small, only 17 percent of African-American respondents say they have talked to their doctors about hormone therapy, compared to 39 percent of white women and 35 percent of Latinas, suggesting that disparities may exist.
"Unfortunately, as in many health care issues, significant disparities exist. Add to that, many primary care doctors don't have enough information about the latest research or what to prescribe," Dr. Stuenkel says. "We want to make health care providers across the nation aware of this tool so that they can facilitate better discussions with their patients."
The "Menopause Map" is an online interactive tool that guides a woman through the different options available to get relief from her symptoms through a series of prompting questions about those symptoms and her personal health history. The Map also has links to questionnaires that help assess current risk for breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The tool weighs hormonal and non-hormonal therapies against the risks based on individual symptoms and medical history.
The Map was not designed to be a self-diagnostic tool. It's recommended that women print out their results along with a list of provided questions to discuss the best treatment options for them with their provider. Women should revisit this tool to check their symptoms and have a continuous, informed dialogue with their provider.
The important facts to know about hormone therapy are:
Women 60 years and older should not use menopausal hormone therapy.
Women 50-59 years or younger, with no family or personal history of breast cancer, no history of heart disease or stroke, and with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms are the best candidates for hormone therapy.
If considering hormone therapy, women should talk with their health care provider to determine a plan that is right for them.
In addition, lifestyle approach also helps alleviate symptoms and benefit long-term health.
For those who decide on hormone therapy, this is an ongoing process and might require a period of trial and error to find the right fit for each individual woman.
For those who decide on non-hormonal options, there are several proven therapies available that may help with symptoms. It is important women share information about all medications they are using, including over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements, to make sure the choice of therapy doesn't interact with other medications.
###
The Menopause Map can be found at www.hormone.org/MenopauseMap.
About the Survey: The Endocrine Society commissioned Lake Research Partners to conduct a nationally representative survey of 810 women ages 45-60 years old, April 13 -17, 2012. The margin of sampling error is + 4.3 percentage points.
Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 15,000 physicians, scientists, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, MD. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at www.endo-society.org.
The Hormone Health Network works to join Endocrine Society physicians, primary care providers, patients and the public in meaningful, informed discussions about hormones and health. The Network offers patients and their providers free, on-line resources that are based on the Society's most advanced clinical and scientific knowledge of endocrine-related diseases and conditions. Join the Hormone Health Network today by visiting www.hormone.org and subscribing to Hormone Hotline, our monthly e-update on hormones and health.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
This post by guest blogger Patty Gale appears as part of our series Small Business 500.?
I'm often asked how a small business can get the most out of branding on the web. After all, there's only so many hours in a day. With your website, social media, email marketing, etc. the walls between the personal you and the business you are practically invisible.
People want to see who you are and what makes you tick. By taking advantage of various opportunities, you can use this to your advantage to create a strong online brand that represents both you and your business in the best light possible.
1. Sponsor or speak at an online event
Being an event sponsor or guest speaker for someone else's online event gets your name out in front of an audience you might not have known before. It broadens your personal brand and can strengthen your influence and relationships with the people that already follow you.
Last fall, I spoke at the IVAA online summit on how Virtual Assistants can set themselves apart on the web. It was a wonderful opportunity to share and it directly resulted in several new clients.
2. Blog to share your story
Nothing strengthens your brand and relationships more than blogging and sharing your stories and experiences ... the good and the bad (as long as you can frame the negatives as learning experiences). The web today is not like the web of 10 years ago. Stuffy and sterile content is out. Being real, approachable and transparent is where it's at.?
3. Create your own product
Your brand will get a huge boost from creating a full product launch regardless of the industry you're in. On the web, that can be a digital ebook or perhaps a membership site where you educate your followers with your expertise. Use social media and email marketing to pre-sell and you'll strengthen your brand prior to product launch.
4. Build credibility
Whether you choose to write a book, guest blog, or maintain a steady stream of focused content on your own website, write about what you know! Getting your name out there with a specific focus will help you build credibility in your field, which will really boost your brand as well as help to raise your value and influence in the marketplace.
5. Be true to who you are?
You were designed for great things! Whether you're just starting out in business or looking for ways to grow an existing one, your brand is a reflection of who you are. Most people can smell a 'fake' a mile away. Being true to your brand will make it more attractive in the long run.?
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Patty Gale is the founder of Inspired WebWorks, a fun, dynamic web agency serving?women-owned businesses and start-ups. She is absolutely passionate about helping women use the internet to empower their lives as she believes that your business should fit into your life rather than your life fitting into your business.
NASA may have pushed back the Orion spacecraft's test flight to 2014, but you can get an early glimpse of the capsule in orbit thanks to this animated video from Full Werks studio. You'll see the capsule circle the planet before touching down in the Pacific -- all with a much better view than you can expect when that actual launch date rolls around. The animation features audio clips from the original Apollo and, as any NASA-related video worth its salt should, includes a vintage voiceover from space sage Carl Sagan.
Meghan McCain is bashing Fox News' Greta Van Susteren on Twitter for inviting Lindsay Lohan to this weekend's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Not just for the sake of hating on Lohan, a la Rosie O'Donnell.
“Let me get this straight,” Meghan McCain, 27, tweeted. “Greta Van Susteren is bringing Lindsay Lohan to the WHC Dinner but has a moral offense to Louie C.K?”
In March, Van Susteren called for a boycott of the Radio/TV Correspondence Dinner over comedian C.K.'s past controversial statements about women.
"The headliner of this year’s Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner is “comedian” Louis C.K. Comedian? I don’t think so. Pig? yes," she wrote.
"He uses filthy language about women. Yes, the C word…and yes, even to describe a woman candidate for Vice President of the United States. It isn’t just Governor Palin he denigrates. He denigrates all women and looks to the crowd to laugh."
Apparently Megs isn't offended ... except by Greta. The daughter of U.S. Sen. John McCain may not be crazy about Lindsay attending, but she's still going.
The Republican blogger, columnist and author Tweeted that she's "headed to DC for the nerd prom." Just hope they don't seat her with Greta or LiLo.
Intuit has just acquired marketing SaaS company Demandforce for $423.5 million in cash. Demandforce?s SaaS application automates internet marketing and communications, so customers can focus on running their day-to-day operations. The startup, which is profitable, has thousands of customers across service verticals that include dental care, automotive repair, spas, salons, chiropractors, and others.
BBC Planet Earth Live, YouTube | Email this | Comments 
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Public release date: 1-May-2012
Share ] 
I'm often asked how a small business can get the most out of branding on the web. After all, there's only so many hours in a day. With your website, social media, email marketing, etc. the walls between the personal you and the business you are practically invisible.
Patty Gale is the founder of Inspired WebWorks, a fun, dynamic web agency serving?women-owned businesses and start-ups. She is absolutely passionate about helping women use the internet to empower their lives as she believes that your business should fit into your life rather than your life fitting into your business.
Intuit has just