Archaeologist says he found oldest Hebrew writing
October 31, 2008
HIRBET QEIYAFA, Israel (AP) — An Israeli archaeologist has discovered what he believes is the oldest known Hebrew inscription on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard - a find that suggests Biblical accounts of the ancient Israelite kingdom of David could have been based on written texts. A teenage volunteer discovered the curved shard bearing five lines of faded characters in July in the ruins of an ancient town on a hilltop south of Jerusalem. Yossi Garfinkel, the Israeli archaeologist leading the excavations at Hirbet Qeiyafa, released his conclusions about the writing Thursday after months of study. He said the relic is strong evidence that the ancient Israelites were literate and could…
Risky maternity units (of alcohol)
October 31, 2008
As a GP, asking patients to stop drinking isn’t easy. Some faces fall if they have to go without during a seven-day course of antibiotics, let alone for…
Patient’s pioneering lung operation
October 31, 2008
Surgeons at Wythenshawe Hospital have carried out a lung transplant using new equipment that allows the lungs to breathe whilst outside the body.
Aetna Pushes Do-Overs for Breast Cancer Test
October 31, 2008
We can’t say we recall many instances of health insurers making a big show about what they’ll pay for twice. But Aetna put out an announcement today that says if there’s uncertainty about the accuracy of a test that breast-cancer patients get, the insurer will cover a do-over.
The test determines whether a patient’s tumor expresses an excess amount of a protein called HER2. If the test comes back positive, the patient may be a candidate for Genentech’s breast-cancer drug Herceptin, which targets HER2. But, as we pointed out early this year, the tests have sometimes proved unreliable. Some problems have to do with the labs’ technique; others have to do with how the results are interpreted by doctors.
Aetna isn’t making a big change to its benefits structure — it says its policy already allowed for re-dos — but the insurer is trying to draw more attention to the issue. “We are certainly trying to promote awareness of the problem, and if there is uncertainty, [then] repeat it,” Joanne Armstrong, head of Aetna’s genetics and women’s health programs, tells the Health Blog.
Aetna’s not alone. UnitedHealthcare put out a release in late 2006 that also pointed out the company pays for a second test. Lee Newcomer, SVP of oncology services at UnitedHealth, tells us there’s been a lack of consistency in how the test results are reported to doctors — which leads the docs to have trouble interpreting them. That’s improved, he adds, but the company remains concerned about labs’ technique, even in the wake of guidelines that the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the College of American Pathologists put out in late 2006.
Newcomer told us the company hasn’t seen a significant uptick in second tests, despite its announcement about its policy. UnitedHealth is sending 3,500 oncologists each a pound of coffee whose sales are tied to breast-cancer research, along with a written note about the issue.
Photo: AP
Men are better at detecting infidelities
October 31, 2008
UNFAITHFUL women beware. Chances are your male partner is on your case. In fact, he is likely to suspect infidelities even when you have kept to the straight and narrow. The flip side is that to counter this constant vigilance, women may be better than men at concealing illicit liaisons.
A Book for the Garlic Lover: The Complete Book of Garlic
October 31, 2008
With Halloween just two days away, I find myself thinking about vampires and garlic. Actually, I don’t find myself thinking so much about vampires but I do think about garlic quite a bit. I’ll go to the farmers’ market just to buy garlic. If a recipe calls for garlic, I’ll double the amount. If onions are called for in a recipe, I’ll add some garliceven when it’s not an ingredient. When I was a regular meat eater, nothing tasted better than grilled beef with garlic. My favorite Thanksgiving side is roasted garlic mashed potatoes. The first time I ever tasted a roasted head of garlic, I thought I was in heaven. I’ve attended the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival but I dream of one day attending the Gilroy Garlic Festival. This is all to say that I love garlic. So imagine my delight when I received a copy of The Complete Book of Garlic: A Guide for Gardeners, Growers, and Serious Cooks by Ted Jordan Meredith (Timber Press). I’ve been making my way through this very informative book. I’ve been learning about the plant’s structure and anatomy, as well as how to grow and harvest it. Meredith goes into depth about the many varieties available, such as Artichokes (the kind most commonly found in U.S. supermarkets), Creoles (thrives in hot climates), and Rocamboles (tastes sweet but stores poorly), and the photographs illuminate just how beautiful garlic can be. If I ever grow my own garlic, this is the book I’ll use as a reference. There is, however, one disappointing aspect: no recipes! But fear not because we’ve got thousands of garlic recipes in our database; click here for them. And be sure to check out our visual guide to alliums, including shallots and onions. So if you’re a fan of garlic, how do you like to eat it? And because I think ice cream can be eaten year-round, where can one find garlic ice cream?
Eating Tapas in Seville, Spain
October 31, 2008
When it comes to food, wine and conviviality, the Spanish seem to have it all figured out. Increased attention to Spanish grape varietals such as Albariño, Garanacha and Tempranillo have put more and more Spanish wine producers on the global map. Celebrit..
With Romo out, Giants looking to stop Barber
October 31, 2008
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - For the New York Giants’ defense, every game plan starts with stopping the run, and it doesn’t make a difference if the opponent is Dallas, Washington or Philadelphia. However, the need to stop the run will take on greater significance Sunday when the Giants (6-1) face the Dallas Cowboys (5-3), with Brad Johnson at quarterback instead of the injured Tony Romo. “As soon as your starting quarterback goes down, you naturally assume there is going to be a hit in the passing game,” Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. “They also…
The plight of the honey bee
October 31, 2008
Next Wednesday, on November 5, a swarm of beekeepers is marching on the Houses of Parliament, puffing their apiarist smokers and calling for MPs to save the British honeybee. Their 130,000-name petition is nothing short of a cry for survival in the face of serious bee-deaths and dire native honey shortages. The situation is so bad that there will be no English honey by Christmas, according to the Honey Association, which represents Rowse and Gales. The harvest has been dreadful. While some beekeepers had a decent crop, the majority suffered badly. Bees die every winter but the losses this year were up 25 per…
Delta, Northwest form biggest airline
October 31, 2008
Text: MINNEAPOLIS: Delta Air Lines completed its .8-bn acquisition of Northwest Airlines on Wednesday, turning two of America’s most storied airlines into the world’s biggest carrier. Delta and Northwest closed the deal just hours after the Justice Department said it had no anti-trust objections. The company will keep Delta’s name, Atlanta headquarters, and chief executive Richard Anderson, who used to run Northwest. Delta executives said travellers will see no differences right away. New uniforms will be phased in next year, and Northwest’s fleet…
