Monday, May 27, 2013

OPTN/UNOS: Change Policy to Allow Pediatric Transplants of Adult Lungs Based on Medical Necessity

OPTN/UNOS: Change Policy to Allow Pediatric Transplants of Adult Lungs Based on Medical Necessity
https://www.change.org/petitions/optn-unos-change-policy-to-allow-pediatric-transplants-of-adult-lungs-based-on-medical-necessity

Lungs Based on Medical Necessity

    1. Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    2. Petition by
      Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
  2.  
Ten-year-old Sarah Murnaghan has end-stage Cystic Fibrosis and has been on the lung transplant list for 18 months. Too sick to leave Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for three months, she has only a week or two before she will lose her battle. If she were two years older, she would have a high probability of receiving lungs in time. Sarah is eligible for adult donor lungs, but because of her age, she will only receive them after all adult candidates, regardless of how sick they are, have the opportunity to accept them.
This is a policy created by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the nation's organ procurement, donation and transplantation system and enforced through United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) which manages US organ transplant system under contract with the federal government.
Based on a 2000 ruling by the US Department of Health and Human Services, which mandated that organ allocation policies must be based on medical necessity rather than waiting time, OPTN implemented a new allocation system based on the severity of a patient's illness (the Lung Allocation Score, or LAS), rather than the amount of time served on the wait list in 2005. This reduced the number of deaths among patients awaiting lung transplant, ensured lungs were allocated to those with less stable diagnoses, and dramatically reduced the average wait time from over two years, and reduced the wait list by half. This new approach only applied to patients over the age of 12.
This approach was not extended to children. Despite the fact that many pediatric patients can use a partial lobar transplant from an adult donor, these young patients are only offered adult donor lungs after all adult patients, regardless of the severity of the child's illness. While Sarah has an LAS score over 60, which would normally place her as the highest priority for her blood type in region, all adults in region with her blood type will be offered the lungs first, even those with more stable diagnoses and lower LAS scores. Sarah will only be offered adult lungs if no adult candidates accept the organ.
Sarah is a top priority on the pediatric list, but the pediatric donors are far fewer than the adult donors, dramatically reducing the number of lungs Sarah is offered. So far in 2013, there were 1,133 adult deceased lung donors and only 70 under the age of 12. The result is only 4 pediatric lung donor recipients in 2013, and 291 for those over 12 years old.
This policy needs to change. The OPTN/UNOS Lung Review Board, a national group of transplant physicians and surgeons, can make an exceptional ruling for Sarah. And they can recommend new policies to OPTN. John Roberts is President of the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors.

Supporters

Reasons for signing

  • Reyna Kosla CROWNSVILLE, MD
    • 2 days ago
    Because my daughter had CF and a double-lung transplant. Give this little girl the life she is entitled to!
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  • Lorraine Husack EMMAUS, PA
    • 2 days ago
    She has just as much right to have a transplant as any adult. She could have her whole life if given that chance and for the parents to enjoy what some waiting adults have already experienced... (ie. A daughter's sweet 16 birthday, seeing a child off to college, marrying the love of her life. Her parents may never experience the joy because of this legal policy. I'm astounded at this police and my heart and prayers go to the parents of this beautiful little girl!
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  • Jennifer Ketarkus MADISON, WI
    • 2 days ago
    I know Sarah's mom, and how hard this family has fought, the decision on who gets organs should be based on acuity, not how old the child is.
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  • Barbara Ann Mellace NORWOOD, PA
    • 2 days ago
    Saving the life of a child should be important to everyone
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  • Nedda Dayley RICHLAND, WA
    • 2 days ago
    For Sarah and the other 25% of CF kids who will not make it to 18. They deserve a fighting chance at new lungs too. In honor of my own 9 yr old CF warrior Hunter. <3 p="">
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  • Chirstopher Haynes ORLANDO, FL
    • less than a minute ago
    Every life is important!
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  • Gina Bosick WILMINGTON, DE
    • 1 minute ago
    I have children and If I were faced with this horrible disease , I would want the best possible options for them and not face them dying because someone wouldnt give them an opportunity to get what they need a live..God Bless all who read this and who face this challenge each day
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  • Sammie McGinnis MIDDLETOWN, DE
    • 2 minutes ago
    because I am a Delawarean!
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  • Joseph Maiorano BROOMALL, PA
    • 2 minutes ago
    No one especially a child should have to suffer
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  • patricia scanlon VALLEY STREAM, NY
    • 2 minutes ago
    ARBITRARY RULES SHOULD NOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON AGE ALONE
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News

  1. CF sufferer fights for transplant; family learns she's under limit for lung

    Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    by Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    Petition Organizer
    http://bit.ly/10wbsVG
    Cystic fibrosis sufferer, 10, fights for life-saving transplant after her family learns she is just under the age limit for adult lungs
    Sarah Murnaghan was born with cystic fibrosis and has just weeks to live She has been on the waiting list for a lung transplant for 18 months Her family has just learned that because of her age, she does not qualify for an adult lung, which would work just as
  2. Reached 20,000 signatures

  3. Parents of Philly-Area Girl Challenge Lung Donor Rule

    Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    by Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    Petition Organizer
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/parents-of-ill-philly-area-girl-challenge-lung-donor-rule-they-say-is-blocking-transplant/2013/05/27/e4ee1eb6-c710-11e2-9cd9-3b9a22a4000a_story.html
  4. Reached 17,500 signatures

  5. Girl's Family Fights National Organ Donor Rule

    Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    by Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    Petition Organizer
    http://bit.ly/18mYMo8
    Girl's Family Fights National Organ Donor Rule
    A Newtown Square, Delaware County girl is battling a deadly disease. She is in serious need of a lung transplant. But now, a national organ rule may be standing in her way. FOX 29's Dave Kinchen sat down with this brave girl, who is fighting for her chance in the spotlight.
  6. Reached 12,500 signatures

  7. Family Fights for Lung Transplant for Dying Daughter

    Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    by Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    Petition Organizer
    http://bit.ly/12aDlWn
    NBC 10 Philadelphia : Family Fights for Lung Transplant for Dying Daughter
    Janet's 10-year-old daughter Sarah was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was 18-months-old. The genetic disease primarily affects the lungs and digestive tract by causing mucus to clog up the airways, making it hard for the person to breathe. It can also cause bacterial infection and make it difficult to digest food.
  8. Reached 10,000 signatures

  9. 10 year old hopes for new lungs, despite birth date

    Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    by Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    Petition Organizer
    http://bit.ly/Z8psUp
    10 year old hopes for new lung, despite birth date - CNN.com Video
    A 10 year-old girl with cystic fibrosis needs a lung transplant in the next week or two. However, her age makes that difficult.
  10. Reached 9,000 signatures

  11. Delco girl awaiting lung transplant 18-months later

    Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    by Family and Friends of Sarah Murnaghan
    Petition Organizer
    http://bit.ly/13T4yKV
    Delco girl still awaiting lung transplant 18-months later
    PHILADELPHIA - May 25, 2013 (WPVI) -- A Delaware County girl, being treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, is in desperate need of a lung transplant, but a policy hurdle is standing in her way. 10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan has remained on the lung transplant list for 18 months.
  12. Reached 5,000 signatures 
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What is Chupacabra


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Home networking-Keep your network secure





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If you were concerned after reading CNET's recent report that most home routers can be easily hacked, I don't blame you. The study did sound ominous, but the good news is that your network is likely far less susceptible than the report suggests. And more importantly, there are things you can do to make sure it's secure.

Related stories:


Two things are vital to keeping your network safe: proper settings and prudence. The first step is easy; you just need to adjust the settings on your router once. The second step, however, takes more effort. Whenever you're online, you'll need to be prudent about your activities.
Here are some router and network settings tips that will help keep your home network safe.
Before I begin, note that with most routers you'll need to access the Web interface to change the settings. You can read part 5 in this series for the full details. For Apple products, you can customize the applicable settings via the AirPort Utility, which is freely downloadable and included in Mac OS 10.7 or later.

Without a Web interface, Apple's routers trade flexibility and features for immunity to certain types of hacking. You still want to use the AirPort Utility to create strong Wi-Fi and log-in passwords, however.
Without a Web interface, Apple's routers trade flexibility and features for immunity to certain types of hacking. You still want to use the AirPort Utility to create strong Wi-Fi and log-in passwords, however.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

1. Encrypt your Wi-Fi network
Give your Wi-Fi network, identified by its SSID (a string of characters), a password so that (ideally) only those users you know and trust can connect to your network. This password should be hard to guess, but easy to remember and type -- even on a small smartphone keyboard. The password should be at least eight characters long and should include both numbers and letters. And if your router lets you use passwords with spaces, that's even better.
Note that depending on the router, this password will be referred to in the Web interface as either the encryption key, the pass-key, the pre-shared key, or the passphrase. The exact Settings menu where you determine your password will vary as well.
You also need to consider which industry security standards your router supports. The three current standards from strongest to weakest are WPA2, WPA, and WEP. Though WPA2 is more secure, at present WPA is compatible with more client devices.
2. Change important default settings
A router comes with many default settings. Since those are set by the vendor, they are public knowledge. Using the default settings may help make the setup process easier, but it also makes your router more susceptible to unauthorized access.
The two settings that you should change to keep your router safe are its default IP address and default log-in password. Why? Well, as mentioned in part 5, these are the two pieces of information that let you access your router's Web interface and manage all of its settings.

Making a strong router log-in password and turning off remote management and UPnP are a few ways to keep a router safer from intruders.
Making a strong router log-in password and turning off remote management and UPnP are a few ways to keep a router safer from intruders.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

First, in the Local Area Network (or LAN) setup part of the interface, set the router's IP address. You can change it to almost anything you want as long as the value of each dotted-decimal notation (the numbers separated by the dots in the IP address) is a number from 1 to 254. So for example, instead of the conventional 192.168.x.1, you can make it 10.11.12.13 or 1.2.1.2 or 20.21.22.23 and so on. Note that once you change the IP address, you'll need to use that new address to access the router's Web interface from then on. Also, avoid making the router's IP address the same as the IP assigned to your modem by your Internet service provider, called the WAN (wide-area network) IP address.

You can change the router's IP address to almost anything you want as long as the value of each dot-separated group is a number from 1 to 254.
You can change the router's IP address to almost anything you want as long as the value of each dot-separated group is a number from 1 to 254.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

You can change the router's default log-in password via the Tools or Administration parts of the Web interface. Make sure that this password is hard to guess and different from the password used for the Wi-Fi network mentioned above.
3. Turn off remote access-related features
Most routers are accessible over the Internet, so even when you're not at home you can remotely manage and use FTP (specifically for routers that come with a USB port to host an external hard drive for network storage). Don't turn these features on unless you know what you're doing. And when you do, make sure to use proper restrictions. For example, use HTTPS for the remote management, or change the port to something that's not conventional (which is a subject for another time).
Also, you should turn off the UPnP feature. It lets a UPnP-compatible device change certain router settings without logging in to the Web interface, and it could be exploited by hackers.
4. Update the router's firmware
Typically, firmware updates from the manufacturer help improve a router's performance and security. Depending on the router, updating the firmware can take a few easy clicks, or you may have to first download the firmware and install it manually. Either way, though, the process should take just a few minutes. Remember, don't do anything until the upgrade process is done. Otherwise, the router might become permanently nonfunctional (aka, you might brick it.).
Note that some firmware might reset the router's settings to the factory default. That's why it's a good idea to back up the router's settings before upgrading or making any major changes.
5. Log out properly
This step may sound trivial, but it's quite important. Make sure that you log out of the router's Web interface when you're finished making changes. Some interfaces have a log-out button, but with others you'll need to close the browser, too. Keeping a log-in screen open all the time could allow an attacker to access your router settings if your computer has already been compromised.
Bonus step: Turn on power line adapters' security features
Another thing that can easily be overlooked: if you use power line adapters in your network, it's a good idea to turn on their security features. This is especially important if you live in an apartment building, as unscrupulous neighbors could tap into your network by using an adapter in their homes.
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How to remove 'Yontoo' adware Trojan from your OS X system


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Security company Dr. Web is reporting on a new adware Trojan attack that is targeting Mac users, where malicious Web sites will trick users into installing a plugin that will track your browsing and display ads to you.
The malware, called "Yontoo," will be first encountered as a media player, download manager, or other plug-in requirement for viewing contents on some maliciously crafted Web sites disguised as sources for file sharing and movie trailers. When the plug-in prompt is clicked, you're redirected to a site that downloads the Trojan installer and requires you to run it. The installer is for a fake program called "Twit Tube," that when installed will place a Web plug-in or extension called "Yontoo" that will run in popular browsers like Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.
When the malware is running, affected systems will be actively tracked for browsing behaviors, and legitimate Web sites will be hijacked with ad banners and other content that attempts to lure you into clicking it.
Safari plug-ins menu
This menu option in Safari will show you the installed plug-ins, which you can review for the presence of Yontoo or any other unwanted plug-ins.
(Credit: Screenshot by Topher Kessler/CNET)
The malware appears to be an ad-revenue attempt by the criminals behind it, but if you have recently installed a suspicious plug-in on your system and are seeing bizarre deal links appearing on frequented Web sites, then check your installed plug-ins for any trace of this malware. You can do this in Safari and Chrome by going to the "Extensions" preferences to see if one called Yontoo is present there, but you can also select the "Installed Plug-Ins" option in Safari's Help menu to view information on your plug-ins. For Chrome, copy and paste the URL "chrome://plugins/" into your browser's address field to get to its plug-in settings. In Firefox you can choose "Add-Ons" from the Tools menu to check for extensions and plug-ins.
If you find a trace of the Yontoo plug-in on your system, then although you can disable it in each Web browser, a more-thorough option is to go to the Macintosh HD > Library > Internet Plug-Ins folder and remove the plug-in manually. Additionally, you should check the plug-in folder for your home directory, which can be accessed by choosing Library from the Go menu in the Finder (hold the Option key to reveal the library in this menu if it is missing), and then locate the Internet Plug-Ins folder in here. When the plug-in is removed, quit and relaunch your browsers.
Since Web plug-ins are one method for malware developers to target a system, one thing you can do to help ward off attacks is to get an inventory of your Web plug-ins folders so you know exactly what is in them, and then be able to better investigate any new items placed there. Another similar approach is to set up a monitoring service in OS X that will inform you whenever new items are placed in the Internet Plugins folders on your system. I recently outlined a method for doing this to monitor Launch Agent folders on a Mac, and you can similarly apply this method to the following two directory paths in addition to the Launch Agent paths outlined in the article:
Macintosh HD > Library > Internet Plug-Ins
Macintosh HD > Users > username > Library > Internet Plug-Ins
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Rare 3-Planet Sight Tonight: See Jupiter, Mercury and Venus Together

By Tariq Malik | SPACE.com – 23 hrs ago
Three planets will perform a rare celestial dance in the sunset sky tonight (May 26), a cosmic show that stars Jupiter, Venus andMercury.
Weather permitting, the three planets will shine together in a triangle formation low in the western sky in a planetary meet-up known as a conjunction. But there is more to the night sky sight than meets the eye.
"Triple conjunctions of planets are fairly rare," astronomer Tony Phillips explained in a NASA observing guide. "The last time it happened was in May 2011 and it won't happen again until October 2015."
What sets tonight's planetary show apart from other conjunctions is that it includes the three brightest planets visible in the May night sky. Venus is the brightest of the trio, with Jupiter a close second and Mercury coming in third.
The three planets will appear within a 3-degree field of the night sky and should fit inside the field of view of a typical set of binoculars. For comparison, your closed fist held out at arm's length covers about 10 degrees of the sky.
The best time to look for Jupiter, Venus and Mercury together is between 30 and 60 minutes after sunset. If you have clear weather, the planets will appear low on the western horizon, so an unobstructed view is vital.
The three planets have been closing in on one another for tonight's sky show over the last week, but if you miss them tonight don't fret. The planet trio will still be visible on Memorial Day Monday (May 27) as their triangle pattern begins to separate, Phillips wrote.
On Tuesday (May 27), Venus and Jupiter will appear extremely close together, separated by just 1 degree, in what could be a "truly spectacular pair," Phillips added.

Editor's note: If you snap an amazing picture of the three planets or any other night sky view that you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, send photos, comments and your name and location to Managing Editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.
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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Anand crea su ‘Gioconda’


El maestro indio del ajedrez produjo ayer la obra de arte más bella de su carrera

 16 ENE 2013 - 01:19 CET
Blancas: L. Aronián (Armenia, 2.802). Negras: V. Anand (India, 2.772).Defensa Semieslava (D46). LXXV Festival Tata. Wijk aan Zee (Holanda), 15-1-2013.
Anand produjo ayer la obra de arte más bella de su carrera, a partir de un análisis de laboratorio que preparó hace casi un año, para el Mundial contra Guélfand; pero pensó mucho desde la 15. Esta joya se parece un poco a otra inmortal, Rotlewi-Rubinstein, publicada aquí el 9 de diciembre: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Cf3 Cf6 4 Cc3 e6 5 e3 Cbd7 6 Ad3 dxc4 7 Axc4 b5 8 Ad3 Ad6 9 0–0 0–0 10 Dc2 Ab7 11 a3 Tc8 12 Cg5?! c5!(novedad; mucho mejor que 12 ..Axh2+ 13 Rxh2 Cg4+ 14 Rg1 Dxg5 15 f3! Cgf6 16 b4!, y las blancas tienen gran compensación) 13 Cxh7 Cg4!(la torre de f8 es intocable, por Axh2+ y Dh4) 14 f4? (la continuación más crítica es 14 h3! Ah2+ 15 Rh1 Dh4 -amenaza Dxh3– 16 Ae4 Axe4 17 Dxe4 f5 18 Dxe6+ Rxh7 19 Dxd7 cxd4 20 exd4 Ab8 21 Rg1, pero no es fácil saber si las negras tienen algo más que tablas por repetición) 14 ..cxd4 15 exd4 (si 15 Cxf8 Axf8 16 exd4 Cdf6 17 Rh1 Dxd4 18 h3 Ch5 19 hxg4 Cg3+ 20 Rh2 Cxf1+ 21 Axf1 Ac5 22 De2 Dg1+ 23 Rg3 Td8, con la amenaza Td3+, y el ataque es ganador) 15 ..Ac5!! 16 Ae2 Cde5!!(aún más fuerte que tomar en d4 o Dh4) 17 Axg4 (si 17 fxe5 Dxd4+ 18 Rh1 Dg1+ 19 Txg1 Cf2 mate); si 17 h3 Axd4+ 18 Rh1 Dh4 19 Cg5 f5 -amenaza Dg3– 20 fxe5 Cf2+ 21 Rh2 Axe5+ 22 Rg1 Dg3 23 Af3 Ce4 24 Td1 Dh2+ 25 Rf1 Axc3, y todo cae) 17 ..Axd4+ 18 Rh1 Cxg4 19 Cxf8(diagrama)(tras 19 Cg5 f5!, para Tf6–Th6, las blancas estarían perdidas) 19 ..f5!! (evita Dh7, y amenaza Dh4 y mate imparable) 20 Cg6 Df6 (ahora se amenaza Dxg6 y Dh5) 21 h3 Dxg6 22 De2 Dh5 (amenaza Dxh3) 23 Dd3 Ae3!, y Aronián se rindió. Correspondencia:ajedrez@elpais.es
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Mystery of structure at bottom of Sea of Galilee

Mystery of structure at bottom of Sea of Galilee

Sonar of the mysterious object. Picture: comp
Sonar of the mysterious object. Picture: comp

Published on 24/05/2013 08:28
A CIRCULAR structure lying at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee could contain the secrets of ­ancient life in the Middle East, researchers believe.
But the Israeli researchers have no way of finding out what lies beneath because they lack the funding to carry out a full-scale under-water ­excavation.
The archaeologists, who have seen grainy images of the conical structure, are trying to raise money to enable them to access the submerged stones that were first seen in a routine scan in 2003.
“It’s very enigmatic, it’s very interesting, but the bottom line is we don’t know when it’s from, we don’t know what it’s connected to, we don’t know its function,” said Dani Nadel, an archaeologist at the University of Haifa, who is one of several researchers studying the discovery. “We only know it is there, it is huge and it is unusual.” Archaeologists said the only way they can properly assess the structure is through an ­underwater excavation, a painstakingly slow process that can cost several hundred thousand pounds. If such an excavation is to take place, archaeologists said they believed it would be the first in the Sea of Galilee, an ancient lake which is home to historical remnants dating back thousands of years and the setting of many Bible scenes.
In contrast, Israeli researchers have carried out many excavations in the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
Much of the researchers’ limited knowledge about this structure was from the sonar scan a decade ago. Initial dives shortly afterwards revealed more information. In an article in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology published earlier this year, researchers disclosed it was asymmetrical, made of basalt boulders and that “fish teem around the structure and between its blocks”.
The cone-shaped structure is found at a depth of between 9 to 40ft, about half a kilometre from the sea’s south-western shore. Its base is buried under sediment.
The authors conclude the structure is man-made of stones from nearby, and it weighs about 60,000 tons. The authors wrote it “is indicative of a complex, well-organised society, with planning skills and economicability”.
The rest is a mystery. Yitzhak Paz, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority who is involved in the project, said that based on the build-up of sediment, it is between 2,000 and 12,000 years old. Based on other sites and artefacts found in the region, the research places the site’s origin some time during the third millennium BC.
“The period is hard for us to determine. No scientific work was carried out there, no excavations, no surveys. We have no artefacts from the structure,” the researcher added.
Archaeologists were also cautious about guessing the structure’s purpose.
They said possibilities included a burial site, a place of worship or even a fish nursery, which were common in the area. But they said they wanted to avoid speculation because they have so little information.
It was not even clear if the structure was built on shore when the sea stood at a low level, or if it was constructed underwater.
Researchers believe it was built on land, an indication of the sea’s low level at the time.
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