15 Major Corporations You Never Knew Profited from Slavery

The enslavement of African people in the Americas by the nations and peoples of Western Europe, created the economic engine that funded modern capitalism. Therefore it comes as no surprise that most of the major corporations that were founded by Western European and American merchants prior to roughly 100 years ago, benefited directly from slavery.

Lehman Brothers, whose business empire started in the slave trade, recently admitted their part in the business of slavery.

According to the Sun Times, the financial services firm acknowledged recently that its founding partners owned not one, but several enslaved Africans during the Civil War era and that, “in all likelihood,” it “profited significantly” from slavery.

“This is a sad part of our heritage …We’re deeply apologetic … It was a terrible thing … There’s no one sitting in the United States in the year 2005, hopefully, who would ever, in a million years, defend the practice,” said Joe Polizzotto, general counsel of Lehman Brothers.

Aetna, Inc., the United States’ largest health insurer, apologized for selling policies in the 1850s that reimbursed slave owners for financial losses when the enslaved Africans they owned died.

Aetna, Inc., the United States’ largest health insurer, apologized for selling policies in the 1850s that reimbursed slave owners for financial losses when the enslaved Africans they owned died.

“Aetna has long acknowledged that for several years shortly after its founding in 1853 that the company may have insured the lives of slaves,” said Aetna spokesman Fred Laberge in 2002. “We express our deep regret over any participation at all in this deplorable practice.”

JPMorgan Chase recently admitted their company’s links to slavery.

“Today, we are reporting that this research found that, between 1831 and 1865, two of our predecessor banks—Citizens Bank and Canal Bank in Louisiana—accepted approximately 13,000 enslaved individuals as collateral on loans and took ownership of approximately 1,250 of them when the plantation owners defaulted on the loans,” the company wrote in a statement.

New York Life Insurance Company is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States. They also took part in slavery by selling insurance policies on enslaved Africans.

According to USA Today, evidence of 10 more New York Life slave policies comes from an 1847 account book kept by the company’s Natchez, Miss. agent, W.A. Britton. The book, part of a collection at Louisiana State University, contains Britton’s notes on slave policies he wrote for amounts ranging from $375 to $600. A 1906 history of New York Life says 339 of the company’s first 1,000 policies were written on the lives of slaves.

USA Today reported that Wachovia Corporation (now owned by Wells Fargo) has apologized for its ties to slavery after disclosing that two of its historical predecessors owned enslaved Africans and accepted them as payment.

“On behalf of Wachovia Corporation, I apologize to all Americans, and especially to African-Americans and people of African descent,” said Ken Thompson, Wachovia chairman and chief executive officer, in the statement released late Wednesday. “We are deeply saddened by these findings.”

N M Rothschild & Sons Bank in London was linked to slavery. The company that was one of the biggest names in the City of London had previously undisclosed links to slavery in the British colonies. Documents seen by the Financial Times have revealed that Nathan Mayer Rothschild, the banking family’s 19th-century patriarch, made his first personal gains by using enslaved Africans as collateral in dealings with a slave owner.

Norfolk Southern also has a history in the slave trade. The Mobile & Girard company, which is now part of Norfolk Southern, offered slaveholders $180 ($3,379 today) apiece for enslaved Africans they would rent to the railroad for one year, according to the records. The Central of Georgia, another company aligned with Norfolk Southern Line today, valued its slaves at $31,303 ($663,033 today) on record.

USA Today has found that their own parent company, E.W. Scripps and Gannett, has had links to the slave trade.

According to reports, FleetBoston evolved from an earlier financial institution, Providence Bank, founded by John Brown who was a slave trader and owned ships used to transport enslaved Africans.

The bank financed Brown’s slave voyages and profited from them. Brown even reportedly helped charter what became Brown University.

CSX used slave labor to construct portions of some U.S. rail lines under the political and legal system that was in place more than a century ago.

Two enslaved Africans who the company rented were identified as John Henry and Reuben. The record states, “they were to be returned clothed when they arrived to work for the company.”

Individual enslaved Africans cost up to $200 –  the equivalent of $3,800 today -  to rent for a season and CSX took full advantage.

The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec that serves Canada and the midwestern and southern United States. The company also has a history in which it benefited from slavery. The Mobile & Ohio, now part of Canadian National, valued their slaves lost to the war and emancipation at $199,691 on record. That amount is currently worth $2.2 million.

Brown Brothers Harriman is the oldest and largest private investment bank and securities firm in the United States, founded in 1818. USA Today found that the New York merchant bank of James and William Brown, currently known as Brown Bros. Harriman owned hundreds of enslaved Africans and financed the cotton economy by lending millions to southern planters, merchants and cotton brokers.

Brooks Brothers, the high end suit retailer got their start selling slave clothing to various slave traders back in the 1800s. What a way to get rich in the immoral slave industry!

Barclays, the British multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom has now conceded that companies it bought over the years may have been involved in the slave trade.

USA Today reported that New York-based AIG completed the purchase of American General Financial Group, a Houston-based insurer that owns U.S. Life Insurance Company. A U.S. Life policy on an enslaved African living in Kentucky was reprinted in a 1935 article about slave insurance in The American Conservationist magazine.

AIG says it has “found documentation indicating” U.S. Life insured enslaved Africans.

“TROOPER OF THE YEAR” GOOD COP SEXUALLY ASSAULTS A 4-YR-OLD GIRL MULTIPLE TIMES, “CRIES” WHEN HE IS SENTENCED

Officer Andrew Demers worked as a police officer for 26 years with the Maine State Police.

He was a so-called good cop. Police supporters trusted him.

He received the “Trooper of the Year” award twice.

He was one of the most highly “decorated” police officers in Maine’s history.  He was a model of what faithful police wives have in mind when they say “Yeah but some cops are GOOD!”

This “good cop” has been sentenced to prison for only four years — and may get out sooner because of his statist privilege — for sexually assaulting an innocent child.

The child was only 4-yrs-old.

Now that he’s been caught, Officer Demers began “crying” as he pleaded guilty in a courthouse to molesting the 4-yr-old child.

We wonder, did he ever shed one tear as he molested this poor child over and over again?

Officer Demers will pay just $5,000 to the child, a tiny fraction of what he made as a police officer, funded by American taxpayers.

Some might question whether Demers feels any remorse for what he did to this helpless child, given that part of his defense case used the excuse that his actions were “out of character” and were caused by all of his stress working as a police officer.

“Crimes like this come from a dark place within a person that are often buried deep within and unknown,” the judge said.

Despite pleading guilty to sexually assaulting the child, the courthouse was packed with police supporters, police wives, and statists who kept defending him by referring to his “exemplary” behavior as an officer.

The child’s parents, however, sat silently on the other side of the courthouse, mourning over what this monster did to their little daughter.

At first Officer Demers was facing 30 years in prison for gross sexual assault. But his attorney was able to get that charge dismissed.

After that the parents wanted a sentence of at least eight years — at least something! — but even that sentence was again reduced. In all Officer Demers will spend only four years in prison.

Officer Demers admitted to sexually assaulting the child multiple times.

“He took my little girl’s innocence,” the child’s mother stated.

Demers’ defense attorney claimed that Officer Demers was already punished because his reputation was ruined and because he brought heartache to his family.

“Officer Demers is, by every single account, the last person that anyone ever expected would be involved in an offense like this and this alone speaks volumes about who he is, as he has lived his life in a way that is the farthest cry from behavior at issue here than one can imagine,” his attorney wrote.

“There are also very real, significant concerns about Andy’s safety while incarcerated in the custody of the Department of Corrections,” he added.

The attorney requested that Demers be allowed to serve a lesser sentence in the county jail instead of prison.

The judge rejected that request.

Officer Demers at one point pulled a handkerchief from his suit to “wipe tears” from his eyes in front of the court room.

As he walked out of the courthouse, a reporter tried to ask him a question but he would not answer. 

Officer Demers decided to plead guilty as part of an offer between the attorneys. Originally Officer Demers was going to receive a Class A felony charge of gross sexual assault, for which he would face up to 30 years in prison. By pleading guilty, that charge was dismissed.

Officer Demers will be released soon, but the child’s trauma and anguish caused by this “good cop’s” sexual assault could last a lifetime.

What else did this “good cop” do that we don’t know about? How many fathers, mothers, and children did he lock in cages for smoking a harmless plant? How many people did he beat? How much money did he steal from hardworking Americans in order to generate revenue for the State in the form of “traffic tickets”? How many times was he silent as his “brothers in blue” abused and harassed citizens? Did he rape any other children that we haven’t found out about?

Unarmed Man Shot At By NYPD Has Been Charged With Assault Because Bullets Hit Bystanders

Glenn Broadnax, a 35-year-old black man from Brooklyn, was unarmed on the night of September 14 when NYPD officers shot at him in the middle of Times Square, striking two bystanders.

Instead of apologizing, the New York Times reports that the city has charged Broadnax “with assault, on the theory that he was responsible for bullet wounds suffered by two bystanders.”

Broadnax was emotionally disturbed and dodging cars in the middle of the street when officers say he reached into his pocket to grab what they believed was a weapon, prompting them to open fire. His lawyers say he was reaching for his wallet.

So because the NYPD is made up of trigger happy, crappy marksmen who fire at unarmed black people with impunity, Broadnax might spend up to 25 years in prison on trumped up assault charges, which the Manhattan district attorney insisted on:

Initially Mr. Broadnax was arrested on misdemeanor charges of menacing, drug possession and resisting arrest. But the Manhattan district attorney’s office persuaded a grand jury to charge Mr. Broadnax with assault, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 25 years. Specifically, the nine-count indictment unsealed on Wednesday said Mr. Broadnax “recklessly engaged in conduct which created a grave risk of death.”

“The defendant is the one that created the situation that injured innocent bystanders,” said an assistant district attorney, Shannon Lucey.

Meanwhile, the two cops behind the shooting are on desk duty pending an investigation. If the past is any indication, that means they will be back on the streets in no time.

The Truth About Prescription Drug Abuse

Is it possible that you or someone you love is addicted to prescription drugs? Most of us take prescription drugs only for the reason the doctor intended. Nevertheless, an estimated 48 million people (aged 12 and older), according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in their lifetime. That figure represents approximately 20% of the U.S. population.

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in prescription drug misuse or abuse. This increase has led to a corresponding increase in ER visits because of accidental overdoses as well as admissions to drug treatment programs for drug addictions.

What Is a Drug Addiction?

Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease. It causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the addicted person as well as the people around that person. The abuse of drugs -- even prescription drugs -- leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain.

For most people, the initial decision to take prescription drugs is voluntary. Over a period of time, however, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse affect a person's self control and ability to make sound decisions. While this is going on, the person continues to experience intense impulses to take more drugs.

Which Prescription Drugs Are Commonly Abused?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the three classes of prescription drugs that are often abused include:

Opioids used to treat pain

Central nervous system (CNS) depressants, such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonopin), used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders

Stimulants, such as Adderall or Ritalin, used to treat attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy (a sleep disorder)

 

How Do Opioids Work on the Brain and Body?

Since the early 1990s, doctors' prescriptions for opioid medications -- such as codeine and morphine -- have greatly increased. That increase can be attributed to an aging population and a greater prevalence of chronic pain. Other drugs in this class include oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), meperidine (Demerol), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid).

When they're taken as prescribed, opioids and other painkillers manage pain quite effectively. They can improve quality of life for people with chronic pain. In fact, using opioids for the short-term or under a doctor's cautious supervision rarely leads to addiction or dependence. However, when used long-term, opioids may lead to drug abuse with physical dependence and/or addiction. Opioids can also be life threatening. When they are taken with substances that depress the central nervous system -- including alcohol, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Valium -- there is a greatly increased risk of respiratory depression, even death.

Opioids induce a euphoric feeling that's usually mild. However, opioids such as OxyContin are sometimes inappropriately snorted or injected to increase the euphoric effects.

How Do CNS Depressants Work on the Brain and Body?

Benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), and

clonazepam (Klonopin) depress the central nervous system (CNS). They are used by millions in the U.S. to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, including insomnia. These CNS depressants affect the brain neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA works by decreasing brain activity, which results in a drowsy or calming effect.

Barbiturates, including phenobarbital (Nembutal) and mephobarbital (Mebaral), are also CNS depressants. They are commonly used for anesthesia and are prescribed to treat seizures and, occasionally, insomnia or anxiety on a short-term basis. 

Taking CNS depressants for a few days to a few weeks may help you feel calm and sleepy. After a while, however, you may need larger doses to get the same calm and sleepy feeling. In addition, using CNS depressants with alcohol can slow down your heart and respiration and lead to death.

After taking CNS depressants for a long period of time, stopping suddenly can have life-threatening consequences such as withdrawal seizures.

How Do Stimulants Work on the Brain and Body?

Stimulants give your body a fast jumpstart, causing a great increase in alertness, energy, and attention. Stimulants increase heart rate and blood pressure, constrict blood vessels, increase blood sugar, and open the pathways of the respiratory system.

Initially, stimulants were used to treat asthma and obesity. Today, stimulants are prescribed to treat problems such as ADHD, ADD, depression, narcolepsy, and other problems. Examples of stimulants include methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall).

Taken appropriately and under a doctor's supervision, Ritalin and other stimulants are safe. When they are abused -- for instance, by taking the medicines in higher doses or crushing the pills to get a high -- they have the potential for addiction and ongoing abuse. Using stimulants with decongestants may cause irregular heart rhythms, and high doses of stimulants can cause high body temperatures.

Why Is Prescription Drug Abuse on the Rise?

Most experts are unsure why prescription drug abuse is on the rise. It's thought, though, that because there are more drugs available to more people, the opportunity for abuse is greatly increased. Doctors report writing more prescriptions for patients than ever before. That includes prescriptions for commonly abused drugs such as opioids, CNS depressors, and stimulants. In addition, you only have to go on the Internet to find vast numbers of online pharmacies selling these highly addictive drugs. Online pharmacies make it easy to get these drugs -- even for children or teens.

It's not uncommon for teens to talk about stealing medication from their parents' medicine cabinets. Instead of taking illegal substances commonly sold in back alleys, many teens today tell of having prescription parties where they gather at someone's home, mix their parents' prescription pills in a bowl, and then help themselves to whichever pill looks most appealing. The problem is most teens have no idea what medications they are taking and which medications may cause serious problems, even death, if taken with other drugs or alcohol.

 

Why Do Some People Become Addicted and Others Don't?

Risk for addiction appears to be influenced by a person's biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors you have, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. As an example, sometimes addictions run in families with a strong genetic link. In addition, social environment including friends or colleagues may also influence addiction. Equally important is the person's developmental stage in life. Studies show the earlier someone begins to abuse drugs, the greater the chances are that the addiction may progress into more serious problems.

Why Do Some People Become Addicted and Others Don't?

Risk for addiction appears to be influenced by a person's biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors you have, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. As an example, sometimes addictions run in families with a strong genetic link. In addition, social environment including friends or colleagues may also influence addiction. Equally important is the person's developmental stage in life. Studies show the earlier someone begins to abuse drugs, the greater the chances are that the addiction may progress into more serious problems.

How Do I Know if I'm Abusing Prescription Drugs?

If you are abusing prescription drugs, you may be taking larger doses than your doctor prescribed. For instance, if your doctor prescribed a pain medication to be taken three times daily and you find yourself taking the same medication more frequently or taking twice as much, you are abusing prescription drugs. If you take the same pain medication for reasons other than prescribed -- such as, because you feel out of sorts or bored -- this is also an abuse of the prescription medication.

Your doctor may notice that you're calling more frequently for refills for the medication or that you're asking for increasing amounts of medications. This may also be a sign of abusing prescription drugs. In addition, your pharmacist may notice prescription drug abuse by spotting false or altered prescription forms or multiple prescriptions for controlled substances from different doctors.

Are There Some Guidelines for Using Prescription Drugs Safely?

According to the FDA, guidelines for using prescription medications safely include:

Always follow the prescription medication directions carefully.

Don't increase or decrease medication doses without talking with your doctor first.

Never stop taking medication on your own.

Don't crush or break pills (especially important if the pills are time-released).

Be clear about the drug's effects on driving and other daily tasks.

Learn about possible interactions of the prescription medicine with alcohol and other prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

Talk honestly with your doctor about any history of substance abuse.

Never allow other people to use your prescription medications and don't take theirs.

Is There Treatment for Prescription Drug Addiction?

There are treatments, including nonaddictive medications that can help people counteract the symptoms of prescription drug addiction and regain control. Drugs like methadone, buprenorphine (sometimes combined with naloxone), and naltrexone can be taken in various forms to help addicts stay drug free. Experts believe that combining addiction treatment medications with cognitive behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients.

Are There any Warnings for Using Opioids, CNS Depressors, and Stimulants?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, opioids should never be used with substances that cause CNS depression, including:

    Alcohol

    Antihistamines

    Barbiturates

    Benzodiazepines

    General anesthetics

CNS depressors should never be used with other substances that depress the CNS, such as:

 Alcohol

 Prescription opioid pain medicines

 Some OTC cold and allergy medications

 Stimulants should never be used with other substances that stimulate the nervous system, including:

Antidepressants, unless supervised by a doctor

OTC decongestant medications

Some asthma medications

How Can I Help a Loved One Who Is Addicted to Prescription Drugs?

If you believe that a family member or close friend is abusing prescription drugs, talk with your health care professional. Doctors can give you referrals to drug treatment programs for the family member or friend. Many of these programs use outpatient treatment with medications and behavioral therapy.

Most importantly, talk to the person about your concerns so he or she knows that you are aware of the problem. Be prepared for a considerable amount of resistance and denial. Many people with addiction must experience serious consequences before they acknowledge their illness. Then, stand beside the person as he or she works to move beyond the addiction.

New Tick-Borne 'Bourbon Virus' Is Deadly And Unlike Anything Previously Seen In U.S.

Researchers have identified the cause of a Kansas farmer's mysterious death this summer as Bourbon virus.

Thought to be transmitted by ticks, the virus "was fast-moving and severe, causing lung and kidney failure, and shock," The New York Times reported, killing the previously healthy man after only 10 days in the hospital.

Together, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and University of Kansas Hospital researchers identified the virus as a thogotovirus, part of a larger type of viruses called orthomyxoviruses, Dana Hawkinson, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at The University of Kansas Hospital said in the video statement above.

Bourbon virus, named after Bourbon County, Kansas, where the only known patient lived, is similar to viruses seen previously in Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, said Hawkinson, but nothing like it had ever been identified in the Western Hemisphere before.

He called the experience of working with a never-before-seen virus frustrating, as the lack of understanding of the illness left many questions unanswered for both the patient's family and the researchers. "We don't know the full spectrum of disease because it's the first case," he said. For example, no one knows whether or not the disease is usually deadly or if there could be more mild cases from which future patients could recover.

Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches and a general feeling of malaise. But while similar tick-borne illnesses typically are treated with antibiotics, this disease is transmitted by a virus, and therefore won't respond to the medication. Indeed, the Kansas patient did not respond to traditional therapies after testing negative for typical tick-borne diseases at the University of Kansas Hospital, New York Daily News reported.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the U.S., with over 27,000 confirmed cases in 2013, the most recent year from which data is available. Cold weather typically keeps ticks and disease-transmitting insects at bay, but from roughly April to September, Hawkinson said, be sure to protect yourself by wearing long clothes and insect repellent when you could be exposed, and to do a thorough tick check after returning home.

Cat 101: The basics of living with and caring for cats

Cats are wonderful companions and they can bring many years of fun, joy and unconditional love to your home. But before you bring home a cat, there are some things you need to consider.

First, are you ready for a cat? Do you live in a place where cats are allowed? Can you afford the veterinary care your cat needs in order to stay healthy? Will your other animals and human housemates be able to tolerate a new cat? Are you willing to commit to a relationship that can last well over 10 years?

Second, what kind of cat do you want? Would you like to rescue a cat from a local animal shelter, or do you want a purebreed? Do you want a kitten or an adult cat? A male or a female?

If you adopt a kitten, make sure he or she is at least 8 weeks old. Kittens are not fully weaned until they are 8 weeks old. A kitten younger than that will need a lot of extra help to grow healthy and strong.

Before you bring your cat home, make sure you have all the basics. You will need a litter box, cat litter, cat food and dishes for food and water. Avoid plastic dishes; they tend to get scratches that trap food particles and odors. Stainless steel or ceramic dishes are best.

You will need a cat carrier to bring the cat home and for safe travel to vet appointments. Make sure you have a variety of toys for your cat to play with. You can buy a cat bed, too, but your cat will be quite content with a cardboard box lined with a pillow and a nice, soft fleece blanket.

Find a veterinarian before you bring your cat home. Ask cat-owning friends or co-workers who their vet is and what they like about him or her. Visit the vet clinic yourself to check out the environment. If you call ahead, you may be able to talk to the veterinarian for a few minutes.

Once you bring your cat home, make an appointment with your vet for a checkup. If you adopt your pet from a shelter, you may get a voucher for a free “well cat” exam from an area veterinarian. This is a good chance for you to get to know the vet and for your vet to get to know your cat.

Your vet is the second most important person in your cat’s life, so it’s very important that you feel good about your veterinarian and how he or she treats your cat. It’s also important that you feel you can ask questions and get answers, and that your vet treats you well, too.

When it comes to veterinary treatment, there are two things you must do: Get your cat vaccinated and have your cat spayed or neutered.

Maine law requires that all cats be vaccinated against rabies. Veterinarians also recommend that cats be immunized against feline leukemia and distemper. If your cat is going to be indoor-only, your vet may tell you that the leukemia vaccination is optional. Your vet may recommend other vaccinations, but rabies, distemper and leukemia are the “big three.”

Have your cat spayed or neutered. This simple procedure will help you avoid unpleasant problems like urine spraying, fighting, roaming, yowling and calling of female cats in heat, and unwanted kittens. Unspayed female cats have an increased risk of cancer of the uterus and mammary glands. Many people don’t have their cats spayed because they can’t afford the surgery, but financial assistance is available (see sidebar).

Please don’t have your cat declawed. Declawing is more than just “clipping the toenails.” The whole first joint of each toe is amputated. It’s like having the tips of all your fingers cut off. The recovery from the surgery is long and painful. Train your cat to use a scratching post and learn how to trim your cat’s claws, and you will be able to avoid scratching-related problems.

Give your cat the highest quality food you can afford. Good nutrition is the key to good health. Cats generally prefer a mix of dry food and canned food. Make sure you feed your cat the amount recommended on the label. If you feed your cat too much, it will become obese and can suffer from health problems like diabetes. Feeding your cat too little will result in health problems of other kinds.

Spend time with your cats. Cats are not the solitary creatures they were once thought to be. In order to be happy and healthy, they need companionship and love. Play with your cat a couple of times a day using a “thing on a string” toy. Move it around as if it’s a mouse or an insect, and watch your Mighty Hunter massacre it again and again. Cuddle with your kitty and learn where he or she likes to be petted. There’s nothing as heart-warming as the sound of a contented cat’s purr.

Learn about cat care by reading books by cat experts or consulting cat-related Web sites. Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat, Not a Sour Puss by Pam Johnson-Bennett has lots of information on feeding, training and taking care of your cat.

CatSmart: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Caring for, and Living with Your Cat by Myrna Milani, D.V.M., is a great book to help you figure out whether a cat is for you and what kind of cat might best suit your lifestyle. There are sections at the end of each chapter for potential owners to think about important questions regarding veterinary issues, personality issues, and much more.

Adopting a cat is a long-term commitment. The average lifespan of a well cared-for cat is 12 to 16 years. Once you adopt your cat friend, be prepared to consider your cat in everything you do. You will have to live in animal-friendly housing, be prepared to pay for unexpected medical costs, arrange for animal care if you go away on trips, and so on. But the rewards are well worth the effort.

Brothers Arrested For Child Porn Fantasized About Killing: Cops

An investigator testified that two brothers arrested on child pornography charges had discussed fantasies of sexually assaulting and killing a baby.

Crest Hill residents Andrew Castro, 26, and Levi Castro, 29, were taken into custody Dec. 19 after officers executed a search warrant on their home, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Andrew Castro was charged with three counts of possession of child pornography and one count of distributing child porn, according to online court records. If convicted, the tattooed-suspect faces 30 years in prison.

Levi Casto was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces three to seven years, the Tribune reported.

At a bond hearing on Dec. 20, an investigator with the Will County State's Attorney High Technology Crimes Unit testified that the brothers had planned to find, rape, and murder a baby, Deputy Chief Ed Clark told the HuffPost.

The investigator told how the Castro brothers “discussed possibly kidnapping a child, a baby, sexually assaulting the baby and then killing, or disposing of the baby, and if the mother of the child got in the way, killing the mother,” the official said.

Both men are being held on a $2 million bond. Their next court date is January 12th.

Killed as he bought a Christmas gift for his mom: Horror at Louisiana mall as gunman opens fire on shoppers killing man

A man who had just bought something at a suburban New Orleans shopping mall on Christmas Eve was shot to death at close range and a suspect was in custody, police said. 

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office has said that the victim was James Vaughn, 24, and the suspect is 25-year-old Gary M. Francois.

Vaughn purchased a present for his mother right before the deadly shooting, his grandmother told WDSU. 

It happened about 4:21 p.m. Wednesday, less than two hours before the Oakwood Center mall in Gretna was scheduled to close for the holiday, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said. 

The victim had just purchased something from Foot Locker and had turned from the cash register when a man walked to within three or four feet of him and began shooting, Normand said. No one else was injured.

'Obviously, based on witness accounts, he walked in with purpose of shooting this particular individual,' Normand said when asked if the victim was targeted.

The sheriff said at least three shots were fired and Vaughn was pronounced dead on the scene.

'In the aftermath of the shooting, there was bedlam in the mall,' the sheriff said. 

Witness Glenda Hulbert told WWLT 'We were in the mall purchasing the iPhone 6 for my niece, then you heard the shots.'

Another person in the mall, Paul Horton, told the television station 'I've seen a lot of people running and policeman coming in like it was in Cambodia or something, like a war.'

Clerks say they've seen the victim and perpetrator shop at this store before,' Normand said, according to WDSU.

Mall security, deputies and Gretna police calmed everyone to make for an orderly evacuation, Normand said.

Normand said the shooter was apprehended several blocks from the mall and is being questioned by authorities. No charges were immediately filed.

Normand said authorities were still questioning the man and that he likely would face a charge of second-degree murder. 

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman John Fortunato said in a release that both Vaughn and Francois have been arrested multiple times.

He said that 'François has a prior criminal history with arrests for aggravated battery, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, simple criminal damage, simple battery, numerous counts of unruly and uncontrollable along with a number of traffic attachments.

'Vaughn has a prior criminal history with arrests for numerous counts of parole violation, illegal carrying a concealed weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine, aggravated battery, resisting arrest, simple assault, aggravated criminal damage, simple battery, theft and numerous counts of contempt of court.' 

What You Need To Know About Learning Disabilities

  Definition

Learning disability is a classification that includes several areas of functioning in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors.

While learning disability, learning disorder and learning difficulty are often used interchangeably, they differ in many ways. Disability refers to significant learning problems in an academic area. These problems, however, are not enough to warrant an official diagnosis. Learning disorder, on the other hand, is an official clinical diagnosis, whereby the individual meets certain criteria, as determined by a professional (psychologist, pediatrician, etc.). The difference is in degree, frequency, and intensity of reported symptoms and problems, and thus the two should not be confused. When the term "learning disabilities" is used, it describes a group of disorders characterized by inadequate development of specific academic, language, and speech skills.

 Types of learning disabilities include reading disability (dyslexia), mathematics disability (dyscalculia) and writing disability (dysgraphia).

The unknown factor is the disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive and process information. This disorder can make it problematic for a person to learn as quickly or in the same way as someone who is not affected by a learning disability. People with a learning disability have trouble performing specific types of skills or completing tasks if left to figure things out by themselves or if taught in conventional ways.

Individuals with learning disabilities can face unique challenges that are often pervasive throughout the lifespan. Depending on the type and severity of the disability, interventions and current technologies may be used to help the individual learn strategies that will foster future success. Some interventions can be quite simplistic, while others are intricate and complex. Current technologies may require student training to be effective classroom supports. Teachers, parents and schools can create plans together that tailor intervention and accommodations to aid the individuals in successfully becoming independent learners. School psychologists and other qualified professionals quite often help design the intervention and coordinate the execution of the intervention with teachers and parents. Social support may improve the learning for students with learning disabilities.

Learning disabilities can be categorized by either the type of information processing affected by the disability or by the specific difficulties caused by a processing deficit.

By stage of information processing

Learning disabilities fall into broad categories based on the four stages of information processing used in learning: input, integration, storage, and output.[9] Many learning disabilities are a compilation of a few types of abnormalities occurring at the same time, as well as with social difficulties and emotional or behavioral disorders.

Input: This is the information perceived through the senses, such as visual and auditory perception. Difficulties with visual perception can cause problems with recognizing the shape, position, or size of items seen. There can be problems with sequencing, which can relate to deficits with processing time intervals or temporal perception. Difficulties with auditory perception can make it difficult to screen out competing sounds in order to focus on one of them, such as the sound of the teacher's voice in a classroom setting. Some children appear to be unable to process tactile input. For example, they may seem insensitive to pain or dislike being touched.

Integration: This is the stage during which perceived input is interpreted, categorized, placed in a sequence, or related to previous learning. Students with problems in these areas may be unable to tell a story in the correct sequence, unable to memorize sequences of information such as the days of the week, able to understand a new concept but be unable to generalize it to other areas of learning, or able to learn facts but be unable to put the facts together to see the "big picture." A poor vocabulary may contribute to problems with comprehension.

Storage: Problems with memory can occur with short-term or working memory, or with long-term memory. Most memory difficulties occur with one's short-term memory, which can make it difficult to learn new material without more repetitions than usual. Difficulties with visual memory can impede learning to spell.

Output: Information comes out of the brain either through words, that is, language output, or through muscle activity, such as gesturing, writing or drawing. Difficulties with language output can create problems with spoken language. Such difficulties include answering a question on demand, in which one must retrieve information from storage, organize our thoughts, and put the thoughts into words before we speak. It can also cause trouble with written language for the same reasons.

 Difficulties with motor abilities can cause problems with gross and fine motor skills. People with gross motor difficulties may be clumsy, that is, they may be prone to stumbling, falling, or bumping into things. They may also have trouble running, climbing, or learning to ride a bicycle. People with fine motor difficulties may have trouble with handwriting, buttoning shirts, or tying shoelaces.

By function impaired

Deficits in any area of information processing can manifest in a variety of specific learning disabilities. It is possible for an individual to have more than one of these difficulties. This is referred to as comorbidity or co-occurrence of learning disabilities. In the UK, the term dual diagnosis is often used to refer to co-occurrence of learning difficulties.

  Types

Reading disorder 

Reading disorder is the most common learning disability. Of all students with specific learning disabilities, 70%-80% have deficits in reading. The term "Developmental Dyslexia" is often used as a synonym for reading disability; however, many researchers assert that there are different types of reading disabilities, of which dyslexia is one. A reading disability can affect any part of the reading process, including difficulty with accurate or fluent word recognition, or both, word decoding, reading rate, prosody (oral reading with expression), and reading comprehension. Before the term "dyslexia" came to prominence, this learning disability used to be known as "word blindness."

Common indicators of reading disability include difficulty with phonemic awareness—the ability to break up words into their component sounds, and difficulty with matching letter combinations to specific sounds (sound-symbol correspondence).

Disorder of Written Expression 

The DSM-IV-TR criteria for a Disorder of Written Expression is writing skills (as measured by standardized test or functional assessment) that fall substantially below those expected based on the individual's chronological age, measured intelligence, and age appropriate education, (Criterion A). This difficulty must also cause significant impairment to academic achievement and tasks that require composition of written text (Criterion B), and if a sensory deficit is present, the difficulties with writing skills must exceed those typically associated with the sensory deficit, (Criterion C).

Individuals with a diagnosis of a Disorder of Written Expression typically have a combination of difficulties in their abilities with written expression as evidenced by grammatical and punctuation errors within sentences, poor paragraph organization, multiple spelling errors, and excessively poor penmanship. A disorder in spelling or handwriting without other difficulties of written expression do not generally qualify for this diagnosis. If poor handwriting is due to an impairment in the individuals' motor coordination, a diagnosis of Developmental coordination disorder should be considered.

By a number of organizations, the term "dysgraphia" has been used as an overarching term for all disorders of written expression.

Math disability 

Sometimes called dyscalculia, a math disability involves difficulties such as learning math concepts (such as quantity, place value, and time), difficulty memorizing math facts, difficulty organizing numbers, and understanding how problems are organized on the page. Dyscalculics are often referred to as having poor "number sense".

Nonverbal learning disability: 

Nonverbal learning disabilities often manifest in motor clumsiness, poor visual-spatial skills, problematic social relationships, difficulty with mathematics, and poor organizational skills. These individuals often have specific strengths in the verbal domains, including early speech, large vocabulary, early reading and spelling skills, excellent rote-memory and auditory retention, and eloquent self-expression

Disorders of speaking and listening: Difficulties that often co-occur with learning disabilities include difficulty with memory, social skills and executive functions (such as organizational skills and time management.

Causes

The causes for learning disabilities are not well understood, and sometimes there is no apparent cause for a learning disability. However, some causes of neurological impairments include:

  Heredity – Learning disabilities often run in the family. Children with learning disabilities are likely to have parents or other relatives with similar difficulties.

Problems during pregnancy and birth – Learning disabilities can result from anomalies in the developing brain, illness or injury, fetal exposure to alcohol or drugs, low birth weight, oxygen deprivation, or by premature or prolonged labor.

Accidents after birth – Learning disabilities can also be caused by head injuries, malnutrition, or by toxic exposure (such as heavy metals or pesticides).

Management

Interventions include:

   Mastery model:

Learners work at their own level of mastery.

Practice

Gain fundamental skills before moving onto the next level

Note: this approach is most likely to be used with adult learners or outside the mainstream school system.

   Direct Instruction:

Emphasizes carefully planned lessons for small learning increments

Scripted lesson plans

Rapid-paced interaction between teacher and students

Correcting mistakes immediately

Achievement-based grouping

Frequent progress assessments

   Classroom adjustments:

Special seating assignments

Alternative or modified assignments

Modified testing procedures

Quiet environment

   Special equipment:

Word processors with spell checkers and dictionaries

Text-to-speech and speech-to-text programs

Talking calculators

Books on tape

Computer-based activities

   Classroom assistants:

Note-takers

Readers

Proofreaders

Scribes

    Special Education:

Prescribed hours in a resource room

Placement in a resource room

Enrollment in a special school for learning disabled students

Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Educational therapy

Sternberg has argued that early remediation can greatly reduce the number of children meeting diagnostic criteria for learning disabilities. He has also suggested that the focus on learning disabilities and the provision of accommodations in school fails to acknowledge that people have a range of strengths and weaknesses, and places undue emphasis on academic success by insisting that people should receive additional support in this arena but not in music or sports. Other research has pinpointed the use of resource rooms as an important—yet often politicized component of educating students with learning disabilities.

What Do You Want to Know About Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. It is also sometimes also referred to as impotence.

Occasional ED is not uncommon. Many men experience it during times of stress. However, frequent ED can be a sign of health problems that need treatment. It can also be a sign of emotional or relationship difficulties that may need to be addressed by a professional. 

Not all male sexual problems are caused by ED. Other types of male sexual dysfunction include:

premature ejaculation

delayed or absent ejaculation

lack of interest in sex

How Common Is Erectile Dysfunction?

Up to 30 million American men are affected by ED, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The prevalence of ED increases with age. ED affects only four percent of men in their 50s, but nearly 17 percent of men in their 60s. Furthermore, almost half of all men over the age of 75 will suffer from ED.

Although the risk of ED increases with age, ED is not an inevitable consequence of getting older. It may be more difficult to get an erection as you age, but that does not necessarily you mean you will develop ED. In general, the healthier a man is, the better his sexual function.

The potential causes of ED are numerous. They include:

cardiovascular disease

diabetes

damage from cancer or surgery

injuries

stress

anxiety

relationship problems

drug use

alcohol use

smoking

These factors can work singly or in combination.

What Are the Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction?

ED is defined by an inability to get or sustain an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. It has no other symptoms.

What Is the Outlook for Erectile Dysfunction?

ED is a treatable condition. There are a number of ED treatments available. The type of treatment generally depends on the underlying cause of ED. 

Treatments for ED range from counseling and lifestyle changes to drugs and surgery. If you suffer from ED, it is important to talk to your doctor. A doctor can help identify the cause of your ED and figure out the most appropriate treatment.

Because it can be embarrassing to discuss ED, many men look for treatment options online. However, not all treatments are safe for all men. You should not self-prescribe for ED. In addition, many of the treatments available on the Internet are scams. They may not help your ED, and could damage your health. 

      Erectile Dysfunction Prevention

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common problem. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), occasional ED affects up to 30 million men each year. ED in younger adult men is often temporary. However, the incidence increases with age—four percent of men over the age of 50 and more than 17 percent of men in their 60s experience a total inability to get and maintain and erection. (NKUDIC, 2012). However, ED is not a natural consequence of aging, and it doesn’t have to ruin your sex life or your self-esteem.

ED can be caused by a variety of factors, including certain medications, injuries, chronic diseases and mental disorders, and even drug use. Although not all ED is preventable, there are things that you can do to reduce your risk of ED.

   Lead a Healthy Lifestyle

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Whole body health contributes to sexual health. It is important to keep your arteries and nerves healthy to maintain good circulation and prevent damage later on.

Poor diet and exercise and unhealthy behaviors can increase your risk for ED, as well as other health conditions. There are number of lifestyle changes that can help you stay healthy. To reduce your risk of ED, consider:

losing weight

exercising regularly

eating well

quitting smoking

avoiding excessive alcohol use

Control Your Chronic Illness

Chronic diseases are some of the major causes of ED. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes significantly increase ED risk in older men. Therefore, it is important to control chronic diseases by taking all medications as directed and leading a healthier lifestyle. Doing so can help you maintain functional erections.

You’ll want to:

regulate your blood sugar

try to keep blood pressure at healthy levels

manage your cholesterol through diet and medication, if needed

take medications for chronic conditions, if needed

In addition to the aforementioned diseases and conditions, prostate disorders—specifically, prostate cancer and treatment—often cause ED.  Surgery to remove the prostate gland and surrounding tissues, called a radical prostatectomy, can often damage nerves and tissues near the penis, which can lead to ED. However, studies have found that getting erections after surgery can help prevent ED in the future. These erections usually require injections, vacuum pumps, or other assistance. This is also called penile rehabilitation.

Although controversial, penile rehabilitation seems to improve the health of the penile tissue. It appears to improve blood flow and prevent scarring.

Additional research has shown that regular intercourse—at least once per week—reduced the risk for developing ED in men aged 55 to 75.

Don’t Neglect Mental Health

Mental and emotional stress can also contribute to ED, and in some cases, may even be the underlying cause of ED. Depression and anxiety can interfere with your ability to get and maintain an erection, which in turn can create additional stress. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety that interfere with your day-to-day activities, including your sex life, talk to your doctor. There are a variety of treatment options available.

Communication is Key

No matter the cause of your ED, open, honest communication is crucial for treatment and prevention. ED can undoubtedly affect your sex life and relationships, and creates a significant amount of stress.  However, failing to manage that stress can actually exacerbate ED.  Talking to your partner about what you are experiencing can help alleviate stress and may also help you and your partner find other forms of intimacy while you are seeking treatment for ED.

While ED can be an uncomfortable or potentially embarrassing subject, having a frank discussion about your symptoms with your doctor is the first step towards finding treatment.

   Medications for Erectile Dysfunction

   Oral Medications

Medications for ED can be extremely effective. They can be taken alone or in combination with other treatments. Several oral medications for ED are currently available. These drugs increase blood flow by heightening the effect of nitric oxide (NO) in the body. NO causes the muscles of the penis to relax. This allows the increase in blood that leads to an erection.

Drugs that increase NO are called phosophodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. Several different formulations are available. Some are taken on a daily basis. Others are taken right before sex. Which drug is right for you is dependent on a variety of factors.  It is important to discuss your options with your doctor. Currently, there are three approved drugs in this class:

Viagra (sildenafil)

Cialis (tadalafil)

Levitra (vardenafil)

PDE inhibitors only work in 30 to 40 percent of people with ED. However, sometimes they do not work because men do not use them correctly. Simply taking one of these drugs will not give you an erection. You also need to have sexual thoughts or stimulate your penis. These drugs aid in sexual arousal. They are not a substitute for interest.

In addition, these drugs are not safe for all men. You should not take them if you:

take nitrate drugs, such as those prescribed for angina

use blood thinners, such as warfarin

take alpha blockers, for an enlarged prostate

have been prescribed high blood pressure medication

have a history of stroke

have a history of heart disease or heart failure

have low blood pressure or uncontrolled high blood pressure

have uncontrolled diabetes

Injectable Drugs

Other medications for ED have a more direct effect on penile blood flow. These drugs are injected directly into the base of the penis. They are highly effective ways to achieve an erection.

Drugs used in this way include:

apaverine

alprostadil

phentolamine

Alprostadil can also be inserted into the urethra as a suppository. The urethra is the channel through which urine and semen are expelled from the penis.

Testosterone

ED can be caused by low levels of testosterone. Testosterone replacement therapy may help some men. 

Things That You Need To Know About Menopause

Definition

Menopause is the cessation of a woman's reproductive ability, the opposite of menarche. Menopause is usually a natural change; it typically occurs in women in midlife, during their late 40s or early 50s, signalling the end of the fertile phase of a woman's life.

Menopause is commonly defined by the state of the uterus and the absence of menstrual flow or "periods", but it can instead be more accurately defined as the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the ovaries. What ceases is the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the build-up of the uterine lining, and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining (the menses or period).

The transition from a potentially reproductive to a non-reproductive state is normally not sudden or abrupt, occurs over a number of years, and is a consequence of biological aging. For some women, during the transition years the accompanying signs and effects (including lack of energy, hot flashes, and mood changes) can be powerful enough to significantly disrupt their daily activities and sense of well-being. In those cases various different treatments can be tried.

Medically speaking, the date of menopause (in a woman with an intact uterus) is the day after the final episode of menstrual flow finishes. "Perimenopause" is a term for the menopause transition years, the time both before and after the last period ever, while hormone levels are still fluctuating erratically.

 "Premenopause" is a term for the years leading up to menopause.

 "Postmenopause" is the part of a woman's life that occurs after the date of menopause; once a woman with an intact uterus (who is not pregnant or lactating) has gone a year with no flow at all she is considered to be one year into post menopause.

  Signs

During the menopause transition years, as the body responds to the rapidly fluctuating and dropping levels of the body's own hormones, a number of effects may appear. Not every woman experiences bothersome levels of these effects; the degree to which they occur varies greatly from person to person.

The majority of women find that their menstrual periods are gradually becoming more erratic, and the timing of the start of the flow usually becomes more and more difficult to predict. In addition the duration of the flow may be considerably shorter or longer than normal, and the flow itself may be significantly heavier or lighter than was previously the case, including sometimes long episodes of spotting.

It is not uncommon to have a 2-week cycle when an ovulation has been skipped. Further into the process it is common to skip periods for months at a time, and these skipped periods may be followed by a heavier period. The number of skipped periods in a row often increases as the time of last period approaches. If a woman keeps a written record of all the erratic episodes of flow, she will know how many months have passed with no flow at all, and thus will be able to know at what date she reached postmenopause, which is important medical information that will subsequently frequently be requested by doctors.

Effects such as formication (crawling, itching, or tingling skin sensations), may be associated directly with hormone withdrawal. Effects that are caused by the extreme fluctuations in hormone levels (for example hot flashes and mood changes) will usually disappear or improve significantly once the perimenopause transition is completely over, however, effects that are due to low estrogen levels (for example vaginal atrophy and skin drying) will continue after the menopause transition years are over.

Hot flashes and mood changes are the most commonly mentioned symptoms of perimenopause, but in a 2007 study, lack of energy was identified by women as the most distressing effect. Other effects can include palpitations, psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, irritability, memory problems and lack of concentration, and atrophic effects such as vaginal dryness and urgency of urination.

One way of assessing the impact on women of some of these menopause effects are the Greene Climacteric Scale questionnaire, the Cervantes Scale and the Menopause Rating Scale

  General

Hot flashes (aka hot flushes), also including night sweats, and, rarely, cold flashes. Technically known as vasomotor instability, i.e. the inability to regulate body temperature properly.

Possible but contentious increased risk of atherosclerosis

Migraine

Rapid heartbeat

Dysfunctional bleeding as part of menstruation. 

Women approaching menopause often experience this due to the hormonal changes that accompany the menopause transition. In post-menopausal women however, any genital bleeding is an alarming symptom that requires an appropriate study to rule out the possibility of malignant diseases, however, spotting or bleeding may simply be related to vaginal atrophy, a benign sore (polyp or lesion) or may be a functional endometrial response. The European Menopause and Andropause Society has released guidelines for assessment of the endometrium, which is usually the main source of spotting or bleeding.

  Urogenital atrophy

Thinning of the membranes of the vulva, the vagina, the cervix, and also the outer urinary tract, along with considerable shrinking and loss in elasticity of all of the outer and inner genital areas.

Itching

Dryness

Watery discharge

Urinary frequency

Urinary incontinence may worsen the menopause-related quality of life, although urinary incontinence is more related to obstetric events than to menopause

  Urinary urgency

Increased susceptibility to inflammation and infection, for example vaginal candidiasis, and urinary tract infections

  Skeletal

Back pain

Joint pain, Muscle pain

Osteopenia and the risk of osteoporosis gradually developing over time

  Skin, soft tissue

Breast atrophy

Breast tenderness ± swelling

Decreased elasticity of the skin

Formication (itching, tingling, burning, pins, and needles, or sensation of ants crawling)

Skin thinning and becoming drier

   Psychological

Depression and/or anxiety

Fatigue

Irritability

Memory loss, and problems with concentration

Mood disturbance

Sleep disturbances, poor or light sleep, insomnia, and daytime sleepines

     Sexual

Painful intercourse

Decreased libido

Problems reaching orgasm

Cohort studies have reached mixed conclusions about medical conditions associated with the menopause. For example, a 2007 study found that menopause was associated with hot flashes; joint pain and muscle pain; and depressed mood.In the same study, it appeared that menopause was not associated with poor sleep, decreased libido, and vaginal dryness. However, in contrast to this, a 2008 study did find an association with poor sleep quality.

Treatment

Menopause itself is a normal part of life and not a disease that requires treatment. However, treatment of associated symptoms is possible if these become substantial or severe.

Oral contraceptive pills

Oral contraceptive pills are another form of hormone therapy often prescribed for women in perimenopause to treat irregular vaginal bleeding.

Prior to treatment, a doctor must exclude other causes of erratic vaginal bleeding. Women in the menopausal transition tend to have considerable breakthrough bleeding when given estrogen therapy. Therefore, oral contraceptives are often given to women in the menopause transition to regulate menstrual periods, relieve hot flashes, as well as to provide contraception. The list of contraindications for oral contraceptives in women going through the menopause transition is the same as that for premenopausal women.

Local (vaginal) hormone and non-hormone treatments

There are also local (meaning applied directly to the vagina) hormonal treatments for the symptoms of vaginal estrogen deficiency. Local treatments include the vaginal estrogen ring (Estring), vaginal estrogen cream, or vaginal estrogen tablets. Local and oral estrogen treatments are sometimes combined for this purpose.

Vaginal moisturizing agents such as creams or lotions (for example, K-Y Silk-E Vaginal Moisturizer or KY Liquibeads Vaginal Moisturizer) as well as the use of lubricants during intercourse are non-hormonal options for managing the discomfort of vaginal dryness.

Applying Betadine topically on the outer vaginal area, and soaking in a sitz bath or soaking in a bathtub of warm water may be helpful for relieving symptoms of burning and vaginal pain after intercourse.

Other pharmaceutical therapies for menopause

Antidepressant medications: The class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and related medications have been shown to be effective in controlling the symptoms of hot flashes in up to 60% of women. Specifically, venlafaxine (Effexor), a drug related to the SSRIs, and the SSRIs fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), and citalopram (Celexa) have all been shown to decrease the severity of hot flashes in some women. However, antidepressant medications may be associated with side effects, including decreased libido or sexual dysfunction.

Other medications: Other prescription medications have been shown to provide some relief for hot flashes, although their specific purpose is not the treatment of hot flashes. All of these may have side effects, and their use should be discussed with and monitored by a doctor. Some of these medications that have been shown to help relieve hot flashes include the antiseizure drug gabapentin (Neurontin) and clonidine (Catapres), a drug used to treat high blood pressure.

Alternative medical therapies for menopause

Plant estrogens (phytoestrogens, isoflavones)

Isoflavones are chemical compounds found in soy and other plants that are phytoestrogens, or plant-derived estrogens. They have a chemical structure that is similar to the estrogens naturally produced by the body, but their effectiveness as an estrogen has been estimated to be much lower than true estrogens. Their estrogen potency has been estimated to be only 1/1000 to 1/100,000 of that of estradiol, a natural estrogen.

Two types of isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, are found in soy beans, chick peas, and lentils, and are considered to be the most potent estrogens of the phytoestrogens.

Studies have shown that these compounds may help relieve hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. In particular, women who have had breast cancer and do not want to take hormone therapy (HT) with estrogen sometimes use soy products for relief of menopausal symptoms.

There is also a perception among many women that plant estrogens are "natural" and therefore safer than HT, but this has never been proven scientifically. Further research is needed to fully characterize the safety and potential risks of phytoestrogens.

Vitamin E

Some women report that vitamin E supplements can provide relief from mild hot flashes, but scientific studies are lacking to prove the effectiveness of vitamin E in relieving symptoms of menopause. Taking a dosage greater than 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E may not be safe, since some studies have suggested that greater dosages may be associated with cardiovascular disease risk.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh is an herbal preparation that has been popular in Europe for the relief of hot flashes. This herb has become more and more popular in the U.S., and the North American Menopause Society does support the short-term use of black cohosh for treating menopausal symptoms, for a period of up to six months, because of its relatively low incidence of side effects when used short term. However, there have still been very few scientific studies done to establish the benefits and safety of this product. Research is ongoing to further determine the effectiveness and safety of black cohosh.

A large study known as the Herbal Alternatives for Menopause Trial (HALT) tested the effectiveness of different herbal or alternative ingredients versus estrogen therapy or placebo for the relief of menopausal symptoms. After one year of therapy, there was no significant reduction in the frequency or severity of hot flashes in women receiving any of the herbal preparations (including a group who received black cohosh) when compared to placebo at any of the follow-up times (3, 6, and 12 months).

Other alternative therapies

There are many supplements and substances that have been advertised as "natural" treatments for symptoms of menopause, including licorice, dong quai, chasteberry, and wild yam. Scientific studies have not proven the safety or effectiveness of these products.

Lifestyle factors in controlling the symptoms and complications of menopause

Many of the symptoms of menopause and the medical complications that may develop in postmenopausal women can be lessened or even avoided by taking steps to lead a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise can help protect against cardiovascular disease as well as osteoporosis, and exercise also has known mental health benefits. Proper nutrition and smoking cessation will also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

CDC reports potential Ebola exposure in Atlanta lab

Researchers studying Ebola in a highly secure laboratory mistakenly allowed potentially lethal samples of the virus to be handled in a much less secure laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, agency officials said Wednesday.

One technician in the second laboratory may have been exposed to the virus and about a dozen other people have been assessed after entering the facility unaware that potentially hazardous samples of Ebola had been handled there.

The technician has no symptoms of illness and is being monitored for 21 days. Agency officials said it is unlikely that any of the others who entered the lab face potential exposure. Some entered the lab after it had been decontaminated. Officials said there is no possible exposure outside the secure laboratory at CDC and no exposure or risk to the public.

“At this time, we know of only the one potential exposure,” CDC Director Tom Frieden said in a telephone interview.

The mistake took place Monday afternoon. It was discovered by laboratory scientists Tuesday and within an hour reported to agency leaders. The error, which is under internal investigation, was reported to Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell and to a program that has oversight over pathogens such as Ebola and anthrax.

VIEW GRAPHIC 

This is the largest outbreak of the Ebola virus in history.

The mistake comes after a series of incidents this summer involving the mishandling of dangerous pathogens at the nation’s labs. An incident at a CDC lab in June potentially exposed dozens of employees to live anthrax because employees failed to properly inactivate the anthrax when transferring samples.

In a statement, Frieden said he was troubled by the mistake in the CDC’s Ebola research lab. “Thousands of laboratory scientists in more than 150 labs throughout CDC have taken extraordinary steps in recent months to improve safety,” he said. “No risk to staff is acceptable, and our efforts to improve lab safety are essential — the safety of our employees is our highest priority.”

The CDC has advanced biosafety laboratories in which dangerous pathogens such as Ebola can be handled by investigators who wear biohazard suits that keep them from being exposed. But what happened this week illustrates the impossibility of eliminating human error from even a state-of-the-art facility.

In the interview, Frieden said the agency’s goal to have systems in place to mitigate human error “was not met here.”

The mistake was discovered Tuesday when workers looked in the freezer in the Ebola research lab — one of the highest-security biosafety labs, known as a Level 4 — and saw material that was supposed to have been sent to a different, less-secure lab in the same building.

They realized something was wrong.

The researchers had been studying the effects of Ebola on guinea pigs in the high-security lab to find out whether the Ebola strain that has devastated West Africa this year is deadlier than previous strains.

But there was a mix-up this time: Less-hazardous material that should have gone to the second lab down the hall was placed in the first lab’s freezer. The hazardous material, which possibly contained live Ebola virus, was put in a spot to be transferred to the second lab, CDC officials said.

The technician in the second lab should have recognized, via the color coding on the test tubes, that this was hazardous material that should have stayed at the first lab, officials said. That technician is the person who could have been exposed.

The lab where Monday’s potential exposure occurred was decontaminated and the material destroyed as a routine procedure before the error was identified. The laboratory was decontaminated for a second time and is now closed. Transfers from the high-security lab have stopped while the review is taking place.

The high-security lab where the first mistakes were made also performs diagnostic tests for Ebola, and has conducted hundreds of those tests since July. Stuart Nichol, a top CDC official, said diagnostic testing for Ebola will be moved to a different lab.

The latest incident comes at a time when the CDC is taking a leading role to fight the epidemic that has killed more than 7,500 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and to improve domestic preparedness against Ebola. More than 170 CDC infectious disease specialists are in West Africa. Frieden returned late Saturday from his second trip to the region.

After the summer’s incidents, the CDC temporarily banned transfer of all biological materials from its labs, conducted a wide-ranging safety review, appointed a new director of lab safety and created an outside lab safety advisory group. The CDC labs conduct some of the world’s most sophisticated research into infectious disease.

8 Incredible Things About Black Genetics That Will Amaze You

Black People Are Genetically Stronger Than Their White Counterparts

Back in 2008, a Cornell University study revealed that the genetics of Europeans have far more harmful mutations than people of African descent. These harmful mutations have continued to build up and continue to plague European bloodlines.

 

Black People Are Genetically More Diverse Than White People 

The same Cornell University study also revealed that people of African descent had far greater variations in their genetics than their European counterparts.

Black Genes Prove the First Humans Are at Least 70 Percent Older Than Previously Estimated

After one African man, Albert Perry, passed away, researchers discovered an unusual distinct Y chromosome. While all humans had previously been traced back to one common ancestor, referred to as Adam, DNA technicians traced Perry’s lineage to a much earlier time. It means that Perry, and others with the same distinct Y chromosome, found in a small area of Cameroon, actually are not descendants of  “Adam.” Their origins push the dawn of humanity back from 140, 000 to 338,000 years ago – or 70 percent earlier than previously estimated, according to the study.

 

 

Black Babies Advance Earlier and Faster Than European Babies 

In The Developmental Psychology of the Black Child, Dr. Amos Wilson analyzes studies conducted by white social scientists that revealed significant differences in how quickly Black babies seemed to develop compared to European babies. The study found that at only 9 hours old African babies were able to prevent their heads from falling backwards. It took European babies roughly six weeks to accomplish this. By the time African babies were 11 months old, they were able to climb the steps alone while European babies typically didn’t accomplish this until they were 15 months old. The study focused specifically on African babies, but Wilson explains that the same trends were also found to be true in Black children of other nationalities.

Some African Genes Represent a More Complex Image of the Evolution of Modern Humans

In 2011, researchers discovered human fossils from a Nigerian site called Iwo Eleru. The fossils turn out to be an incredibly rare mix of ancient and modern features, which suggests that this was the result of breeding between archaic and modern humans. According to Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London, this is a sign of a “more complex scenario for the evolution of modern humans in Africa.”

 

The Miracles of Melanin 

The very pigment that gives Black people their skin complexion is the source of many miraculous health benefits. Melanin provides incredible protection against the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation, neutralizes harmful effects of others forms of radiation, fights off signs of aging and so much more. Perhaps even more astounding is melanin’s unique ability to absorb certain energy sources such as light and sound waves, and convert them into reusable energy.

West Africans Are Genetically Better Sprinters

James M. Tanner, the author of The Physique of the Olympic Athlete, pointed out the major racial differences among athletes in the Olympics and discovered that there is a reason so many of the top track and field competitors are of African descent. Studies revealed that the muscle composition of West Africans genetically allows them to be “the most anaerobically efficient athletes” due to the way their bodies process energy.

 

 

Kenyans Are Genetically Proven to Have High Endurance

Recent studies revealed that Kenyans have “little ammonia accumulation in their muscles from protein combustion and less lactic acid buildup. They have more of the muscle enzymes that burn fat, and their glycogen reserves are not burned as quickly, which improves endurance.”