10 percent global rise in biotech crops: study (AFP)

SAO PAULO (AFP) – Global plantings of genetically modified crops increased 10 percent in 2010 compared to the prior year, according to a study which has been released by an organization that promotes crop biotechnology.
Last year, 15.4 million farmers in 29 countries planted genetically modified crops on 148 million hectares (366 million acres), said the report from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
The group's chairman, Clive James, said a rapid increase since 1996 shows that "biotech crops are the fastest-adopted crop technology in the history of modern agriculture."
The United States remained the largest biotech crop growing country with nearly 67 million hectares (165 million acres) of soybeans, corn and cotton.
Brazil was second with 25 million hectares (62 million acres), an increase of 19 percent over 2009.
Developing countries grew 48 percent of biotech crops last year, the report said, adding that they will surpass industrialized countries by 2015.
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A case study of cleaner composition of APIs with the Reader monad

Posted by Debasish Ghosh, January 3, 2011

In my earlier post on composable domain models, I wrote about the following DSL that captures the enrichment of a security trade by computing the applicable tax/fees and then the net cash value of the trade. It uses chained composition of scalaz functors .. In this post we are going to improve upon the compositionality, introduce a new computation structure and make our APIs leaner with respect to type signatures ..

scala> (((trd1 ° forTrade) ° taxFees) ° enrichWith) ° netAmount
res0: Option[scala.math.BigDecimal] = Some(3307.5000)

Here are the building blocks for the above .. the individual functions and the type definitions for each of them ..

forTrade: Trade => (Trade, Option[List[TaxFeeId]])
taxFees: (Trade, Option[List[TaxFeeId]]) => (Trade, List[(TaxFeeId, BigDecimal)])
enrichWith: (Trade, List[(TaxFeeId, BigDecimal)]) => RichTrade
netAmount: RichTrade => Option[BigDecimal]

and here’s the chaining in action with wiring made explicit ..

figure

Note how we explicitly wire the types up so as to make the entire computation composable. Composability is a worthwhile quality to have for your abstractions. However in order for your functions to compose, the types for input and output for each of them must match. In the above example, we need to have forTrade spit out a Trade object along with the list of tax/fee id, in order for it to compose with taxFees.

For an API to be usable, the secret sauce is to make it lean. Never impose any additional burden on to your API’s interface that smells of incidental complexity to the user. This is exactly what we are doing in the above composition. Note we are carrying around the Trade argument pipelining it through each of the above functions. In our use case the Trade is a read-only state and needs to be shared amongst all functions to read the information from the object.

Enter the Reader Monad

Refactor the above into the Reader monad. A Reader is meant to be used as an environment (it’s also known as the Environment monad) for all the participating components of the computation. What we need to do for this is to set up a monadic structure for our computation. Here are the modified function signatures .. I have changed some of the names for better adaptability with the domain, but you get the idea ..

val forTrade: Trade => Option[List[TaxFeeId]] =
val taxFeeCalculate: Trade => List[TaxFeeId] => List[(TaxFeeId, BigDecimal)] =
val enrichTradeWith: Trade => List[(TaxFeeId, BigDecimal)] => BigDecimal =

Every function takes the Trade but we no longer have to do an explicit chaining by emitting the Trade also as an output. This is where a monad shines. A monad gives you a shared interface to many libraries where you don’t need to implement sequencing explicitly within your DSELs.

And here’s our DSEL that runs through the sequence of enriching a trade while using the passed in trade as an environment .. (thanks @runarorama for the help with the Reader in scalaz)

val enrich = for {
taxFeeIds <- forTrade
taxFeeValues <- taxFeeCalculate
netAmount <- enrichTradeWith
}
yield((taxFeeIds ° taxFeeValues) ° netAmount)

This is a comprehension in Scala which is like the do notation of Haskell. Desugar it as an exercise and explore how flatMap does the sequencing.

Here’s what the type of enrich looks like ..

scala> enrich
res1: (net.debasishg.domain.trade.dsl.TradeModel.Trade) => Option[BigDecimal] =

enrich is monadic in nature and follows the usual structure of a monad that sequences its operations through bind to give it an imperative look and feel. If any of the above sub-computations fail, the whole computation fails. But show it to a person who knows the domain of security trading – the steps in enrich nicely models the ubiquitous language.

I have the entire DSL in my github repo. You can get the use of enrich here in the test case ..

No comments yet.

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Study: Doctors order tests out of fear of lawsuits (AP)

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione, Ap Medical Writer – Wed Feb 16, 6:56 pm ET

SAN DIEGO – CT scans, MRIs and other pricey imaging tests are often more for the doctor's benefit than the patient's, new research confirms.

Roughly one-fifth of tests that bone and joint specialists order are because a doctor fears being sued, not because the patient needs them, a first-of-its-kind study in Pennsylvania suggests.

The study comes a day after President Barack Obama began a push to overhaul state medical malpractice laws as a way to reduce unnecessary tests that drive up health care costs.

"This study is a glimpse behind the curtain of what's happening in a doctor's mind," said its leader, Dr. John Flynn of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. If doctors sense you might second-guess them or cause trouble, "you could potentially be risking more tests being done."

Results were reported Wednesday at an American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons conference in California.

Patients expect the highest level of care and think this means the most advanced technology, Flynn said. Many patients feel better when a doctor orders lots of tests — until they get the bill.

Besides hurting your wallet and adding to health care costs, unnecessary tests can expose people to radiation that accumulates over a lifetime and can raise the risk of cancer. Ordinary X-rays are rarely a concern, but an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging scan, can cost $1,000 or more. And super-sharp X-rays called CT scans involve relatively large radiation doses.

Yet doctors often order tests they don't really think a patient needs because they fear being sued if the diagnosis was wrong or they miss detecting a problem.

Previous studies of how often this happens have relied on doctor surveys. This is the first one to enlist doctors in advance to track their decisions over time.

It involved 72 orthopedic surgeons throughout Pennsylvania who tracked tests they ordered on 2,068 patients, mostly adults, in ordinary office visits, emergency rooms and other settings. Doctors checked a box saying a test was either required for clinical care or done "for defensive reasons."

Defensive imaging accounted for 20 percent of total tests — 11 percent of X-rays, 38 percent of MRIs, 33 percent of CT scans, 57 percent of bone scans and 53 percent of ultrasounds.

Defensive medicine also accounted for 35 percent of costs, nearly all of it from MRIs.

One example: a torn meniscus, a knee cartilage injury that is a leading reason for knee surgery. Studies have shown that a doctor's judgment based on symptoms and an exam is even better than an MRI to diagnose the condition. Yet patients hardly ever go to surgery without having the imaging test, Flynn said.

Surprisingly, the study found that newer doctors were less likely to be defensive.

"That's counterintuitive," Flynn said. "You would expect when you're new in practice, not as trustful of your clinical judgment, you'd order more."

Doctors who have been sued in the last five years were more likely to order tests defensively, said Robert Miller, a Temple University medical student who helped lead the study and presented the results at the conference. The authors said similar studies are needed on defensive imaging in other specialties.

Dr. Lawrence Wells, a Philadelphia surgeon who participated in the study, said doctors learn to develop "a radar" for problem patients.

"It's disheartening" to be sued, he said. "Someone's accusing you of a bad outcome or a wrong," and that can affect how a doctor behaves the next time he sees a similar case.

Patients need to trust their doctor's judgment on what is needed, Wells said.

On Tuesday, Obama made a budget proposal that includes money to help states rewrite malpractice laws. Possible measures include caps on awards. The administration also has proposed health courts where specially trained judges rather than juries would decide such cases.

Questions to ask about a medical test:

_Is it truly needed? How will it change my care?

_Have you or another doctor done this test on me before?

_Does the test involve much radiation and is there an alternative that does not?

_How many images are needed?

_Do you have a financial stake in the machines that will be used?

___

Online:

Orthopedics group: http://www.aaos.org/

Consumer information: http://www.radiologyinfo.org and http://tinyurl.com/2wv5fg

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Obesity Alone Raises Risk of Fatal Heart Attack, Study Finds (HealthDay)

MONDAY, Feb. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Obese men face a dramatically higher risk of dying from a heart attack, regardless of whether or not they have other known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a new study reveals.

The finding stems from an analysis involving roughly 6,000 middle-aged men, and it suggests that there is something about carrying around excess weight that contributes to heart disease independent of risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and arterial disease.

What exactly that something is, however, remains unclear, although the researchers suggest that the chronic inflammation that typically accompanies significant weight gain might be the driving force behind the increased risk.

"Obese, middle-aged men have a 60 percent increased risk of dying from a heart attack than non-obese middle-aged men, even after we cancel out any of the effects of cholesterol, blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors," noted study author Jennifer Logue, a clinical lecturer of metabolic medicine with the British Heart Foundation's Cardiovascular Research Centre at the University of Glasgow, in Scotland. "This means [that] obesity itself may be causing fatal heart attacks through a factor that we have not yet identified."

Logue and her colleagues report their observations in the Feb. 15 online issue of Heart.

To explore the subject, the authors spent nearly 15 years tracking 6,082 male patients who were diagnosed with high cholesterol but had no history of either heart disease or diabetes.

Over the study period, the research team noted 214 heart disease fatalities, along with another 1,027 heart attacks and/or strokes that did not result in death.

The team confirmed the well-established theory that being obese is linked to a greater chance for having all of the classic risk factors linked to heart disease.

That said, even after ruling out relevant variables such as age and smoking history, the risk of death among obese men -- those with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 39.9 -- was still 75 percent higher than it was for non-obese men.

What's more, even after also accounting for risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes (as well as medication history), the chance of experiencing a fatal heart attack was 60 percent greater among obese men, as compared with non-obese men.

The one caveat: in and of itself, being obese was not linked to a higher risk of experiencing a non-fatal heart attack or stroke.

Logue cautioned that further research is needed to confirm the findings, and to uncover the exact mechanism by which obesity itself is a risk factor for fatal heart attacks.

"Possible reasons include particular chemicals that the fat cells are releasing. Or perhaps it is related to the fact that obese people tend to have larger hearts to cope with the additional stress of their larger size, and this already stressed heart does not manage to continue to work during a heart attack," she said.

"However, it certainly makes me think that we cannot just treat cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes in obese men without also considering their weight," Logue added. "We need to find easier and more effective ways to help people lose weight and find out if losing weight can help reduce the risk of fatal heart attacks. We also need to dedicate far more resources to preventing obesity in the first place."

Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that the current study "provides further evidence as to why there needs to be global efforts to prevent and treat obesity though lifestyle modification."

"While obesity is associated with elevations in blood pressure, increased risk of diabetes and abnormal lipid levels, it has been less clear whether the increased risk of mortality associated with obesity can be entirely explained by these well-established cardiovascular risk factors or whether other factors related to obesity may also be contributing to excess mortality risk," he noted.

Dr. Murray A. Mittleman, director of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School in Boston, agreed.

"It's not surprising that not all of the risk can be explained by traditional risk factors," he said. "But no one study is going to definitively answer the question as to what other mechanisms for risk might be. So the primary issue would still continue to be working towards overall weight reduction, to reduce the risk for all of the pathways that we already know go along with obesity."

More information

For more on obesity and heart disease, visit the American Heart Association .

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2 Pesticides Linked to Parkinson's in Study (HealthDay)

THURSDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- People who use the pesticides rotenone and paraquat have a 2.5 times increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a new study finds.

U.S. researchers compared 110 people with Parkinson's disease and 358 people without the nervous system disorder. All of the participants were enrolled in the Farming and Movement Evaluation Study involving licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses.

"Rotenone directly inhibits the function of the mitochondria, the structure responsible for making energy in the cell," study co-author Freya Kamel, a researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said in an institute news release.

"Paraquat increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures," she added. "People who used these pesticides or others with a similar mechanism of action were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease."

The study was recently published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

"These findings help us to understand the biologic changes underlying Parkinson's disease. This may have important implications for the treatment and ultimately the prevention of Parkinson's disease," lead author Dr. Caroline Tanner, clinical research director of the Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center in Sunnyvale, Calif., said in the news release.

The two pesticides are not approved for home or garden use in the United States. Paraquat use is restricted to certified applicators, and rotenone's only approved use is to kill invasive fish, according to the news release.

More information

We Move has more about Parkinson's disease.

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Energy Drinks May Hurt Kids: Study (HealthDay)

MONDAY, Feb. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Energy drinks such as Red Bull, AMP and Rockstar have no health value and may even harm some children and teens, a new review finds.

The increasingly popular, highly caffeinated drinks are especially risky for children with heart abnormalities, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other health or emotional problems, said Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, co-author of the study, published online Feb. 14 in the journal Pediatrics.

"It's a set of products that are totally unregulated and have no therapeutic benefit," said Lipshultz, chairman of pediatrics at the University of Miami.

Surveys suggest that 30 percent to 50 percent of U.S. teenagers and young people consume energy drinks, despite warnings about their safety. Many users mix the energy drinks with alcohol, further heightening the potential for ill effects, say the researchers.

But even without the addition of alcohol, the beverages carry some measure of risk, according to the study authors, who reviewed numerous articles for their report.

For one thing, safe levels of energy drinks, which contain stimulants such as caffeine, taurine and guarana, have not been established for children and teens, the authors said.

An 8-ounce energy drink may contain dozens or hundreds of milligrams of caffeine, compared to 100 milligrams of caffeine in a generic cup of coffee. An 8-ounce serving of Red Bull contains 77 milligrams of caffeine, compared to 28 milligrams in an equal amount of Mountain Dew, the report noted.

Energy-drink manufacturers often add other ingredients, such as sugar and herbal supplements, whose effects haven't been well-studied. And, some ingredients can interfere with medications, the authors added.

But the maker of Red Bull took issue with the findings.

"This article just draws together material from the Internet, and largely ignores in its conclusions the genuine, scientifically rigorous examination of energy drinks by reputable national authorities. For example, the European Unions food safety authorities spent 10 years thoroughly examining energy drinks and concluded that the key ingredients [taurine and glucuronolactone] are of no concern," Red Bull officials said in a statement. "The effects of caffeine are well-known, and as an 8.4-ounce can of Red Bull contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee [80 mg], it should be treated accordingly."

Although energy drinks contain caffeine in amounts similar to those in a few cups of coffee, Lipshultz said the drinks are consumed differently and faster.

"They're usually served chilled or iced. They might chug a couple of these after physical activity, or it's something you might take while studying," he said. "You might take a couple at a time; it's unusual to take a hot cup of coffee and rapidly ingest multiple cups. It's a little bit different."

Besides young people with ADHD and heart problems, the drinks can be hazardous to children who suffer from diabetes, seizures and psychological problems. "There needs to be awareness by pediatricians and the public of the possible effects of energy drinks, especially in the vulnerable populations," Lipshultz said.

In countries that track adverse events from energy drinks, cases of agitation, liver damage, kidney failure, psychosis and a heart attack in a 23-year-old have been reported. Nearly half of the 5,448 caffeine overdoses reported in the United States in 2007 occurred in people under the age of 19, the study noted although these were not directly tied to energy drinks.

Caffeine can affect young people more than adults, because they may not have developed tolerance for it and their bodies may be smaller, said Bruce Goldberger, director of toxicology at the University of Florida College of Medicine, who has studied energy drinks.

Even so, "I think they're probably safe generally," said Goldberger.

Currently, the FDA limits caffeine drinks to 71 mg per 12-ounce serving, but energy drink makers get around the rule by labeling their products "natural," the authors noted.

"We need to be doing the right surveillance so we gather data and make decisions based on accurate information," Lipshultz said.

More information

For more on energy drinks, try the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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Study: Harmful medical devices get OK too easily (AP)

CHICAGO – Most medical devices recalled in recent years because of deaths or life-threatening problems were cleared for approval under less stringent regulations that don't require human testing, an analysis found.

The report comes as the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing sweeping proposals to revise the medical device approval process. The studied devices fell under rules for products similar to ones on the market, not regulations for brand new ones, which call for more extensive testing.

Thousands of deaths or serious medical problems occurred in patients with the recalled devices, which included external heart defibrillators, brain shunts and implanted pumps that deliver cancer drugs, the researchers said.

Device makers say the new data are flawed and conflict with previous reports.

For their analysis, the researchers looked at the FDA's list of high-risk devices that were recalled from 2005 through 2009.

Of the 113 highest-risk recalled devices, 71 percent, or 80 devices, had been approved through the less stringent regulation. Only 19 percent, or 21 devices, were approved under a stricter process for brand new products that involves inspections and human testing. Eight were registered with the FDA but exempt from regulation.

"Because so many medical devices are not being held to a higher safety standard, people are dying who wouldn't otherwise die and who don't have to die, and people are being harmed who don't have to be harmed," said study co-author Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Research Center for Women & Families, a Washington-based health advocacy group.

FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley said the study's findings aren't new and noted that the recalls it highlighted represent a small portion of the more than 19,000 devices cleared through the less strict standard during those years.

The report appears in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine. An editorial says the analysis shows that "millions of Americans may be at risk for device-related injuries and recalls from high-risk devices that were cleared by FDA without any supporting clinical trial data."

"The public deserves better protection," the editorial said.

The researchers didn't include a tally of all deaths and injuries linked with the recalled devices. They noted that in 2006 alone, the FDA received reports of 2,830 potential device-related deaths and more than 100,000 injuries. More than half of the deaths were linked with devices approved under the less rigid process.

AdvaMed, a medical device makers trade group, said the analysis conflicts with other reports — including one with industry ties — showing devices cleared through that process have a good safety record.

Under the FDA's 510(k) process, new devices can be approved without human testing if they are similar to devices already on the market. A stricter category, the pre-market approval process, requires scientific evidence, typically extensive testing that is similar to what is required of new medicines.

The 510(k) process is "a short-cut backdoor approach" stemming from a 1976 law, when there weren't many implanted devices meant to sustain life, said study co-author Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.

He and Zuckerman are among FDA critics who've urged the agency to subject such devices to more rigorous testing, which device makers oppose.

The FDA has said it is awaiting input from the Institute of Medicine, an independent government advisory group, before making a final decision on revisions to the device approval process.

___

Online:

Archives: http://www.archinternmed.com

FDA: http://www.fda.gov

AdvaMed: http://www.advamed.org

___

Online:

http://www.archinternmed.com

http://www.fda.gov

http://www.advamed.org

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Study: Eating more fiber could mean longer life (AP)

By CARLA K. JOHNSON, AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson, Ap Medical Writer – Mon Feb 14, 4:35 pm ET

CHICAGO – Eat more fiber and you just may live longer.

That's the message from the largest study of its kind to find a link between high-fiber diets and lower risks of death not only from heart disease, but from infectious and respiratory illnesses as well.

The government study also ties fiber with a lower risk of cancer deaths in men, but not women, possibly because men are more likely to die from cancers related to diet, like cancers of the esophagus. And it finds the overall benefit to be strongest for diets high in fiber from grains.

Most Americans aren't getting enough roughage in their diets. The average American eats only about 15 grams of fiber each day, much less than the current daily recommendation of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, or 14 grams per 1,000 calories. For example, a slice of whole wheat bread contains 2 to 4 grams of fiber.

In the new study, the people who met the guidelines were less likely to die during a nine-year follow-up period.

The men and women who ate the highest amount of fiber were 22 percent less likely to die from any cause compared to those who ate the lowest amount, said lead author Dr. Yikyung Park of the National Cancer Institute.

The study, appearing in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, included more than 388,000 adults, ages 50 to 71, who participated in a diet and health study conducted by the National Institutes of Health and AARP.

They filled out a questionnaire in 1995 or 1996 about their eating habits. It asked them to estimate how often they ate 124 food items. After nine years, more than 31,000 of the participants had died. National records were used to find out who died and the cause of death.

The researchers took into account other risk factors including weight, education level, smoking and health status and still saw lower risks of death in people who ate more fiber.

"The results suggest that the benefits of dietary fiber go beyond heart health," said Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, who wasn't involved in the new research but co-authored an editorial in the journal.

The evidence for fiber's benefits has been strongest in diabetes and heart disease, where it's thought to improve cholesterol levels, blood pressure, inflammation and blood sugar levels. Fiber's benefits also may come from its theorized ability to bind to toxins and move them out of the body quicker. High-fiber diets can promote weight loss by making people feel full, which has its own health-promoting effects.

However it works, fiber may offer a prevention benefit against killers like pneumonia and flu, the new study suggests. The cancer benefit may have shown up only in the men because they're more likely than women to die from cancers related to diet, Park said.

Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables and beans. But fiber from grains was most strongly tied to the lowered risk in the study.

"That's what seemed to be driving all these relationships," said Lawrence de Koning of the Harvard School of Public Health, a co-author of the editorial.

Whole grains also contain vitamins and minerals, which may play a role in reducing risk, he said. For that reason, supplements may not be as effective.

"Nothing beats the original food," he said. He suggested substituting whole wheat bread for white bread as a simple way to increase fiber from grains.

What does a high-fiber diet look like? A woman who wants to meet the 25 gram guidelines for daily fiber intake could eat one-third cup of bran cereal (9 grams), a half cup of cooked beans (10 grams), a small apple with skin (4 grams) and a half cup of mixed vegetables (4 grams).

To reach 38 grams, a man could eat all that — plus about 23 almonds (4 grams), a baked potato (3 grams), an oat bran muffin (3 grams) and an orange (3 grams).

Experts recommend adding fiber gradually to allow your digestive system time to get used to it.

___

Online:

Dietary guidelines: http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov

Archives: http://www.archinternmed.com

___

Online:

http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov

http://www.archinternmed.com

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Women on bone drugs have less colon cancer: study (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Women taking certain bone drugs after menopause appear less likely to develop colon cancer, Israeli and U.S. researchers said Monday.

The finding has them excited about the prospect of using the drugs -- called bisphosphonates -- to help prevent cancer in healthy people, but other experts are less enthusiastic.

"The lower risk of colorectal cancer risk seen among bisphosphonate users in this study is intriguing," Eric Jacobs of the American Cancer Society, who wasn't involved in the study, told Reuters Health by e-mail.

"However, these results should be interpreted with caution and require confirmation by additional studies."

The new work looked at 933 women with colon cancer, whose average age was just over 70. The researchers then found a comparison group of women without the disease, who matched the first group in age, ethnicity and clinics where they received treatment.

Earlier studies have found that women taking bisphosphonates have a lower risk of breast cancer. But it was unclear if that effect could be chalked up to the drugs, because the condition they are meant to treat -- bone thinning, or osteoporosis -- is tied to low estrogen levels, which also cuts breast cancer risk.

Colon cancer, on the other hand, has not been linked to estrogen, said Dr. Gad Rennert of the Carmel Medical Center in Haifa, whose findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

His team found that women who had been taking bisphosphonates -- mainly the drug alendronate (Fosamax), which costs around $10 per month in the U.S. -- for at least a year had a considerably lower risk of developing colon cancer later on.

Even after considering other factors tied to the disease -- like aspirin or statin use and eating lots of vegetables -- their risk was 59 percent lower than that of women who hadn't taken the drugs.

According to the American Cancer Society, one in 19 men develops colorectal cancer at some point, and slightly fewer women do. The disease is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

Rennert said in an e-mail that alendronate is used by millions of women across the globe and has few side effects. The long-term effects are less well-known, however, and in rare cases it can cause bone death of the jaw, which would be important if healthy people were to take it.

Also, not all patients asked to participate in the study agreed, which could limit the results further.

Jacobs of the American Cancer Society added that one earlier study from the UK had found no link between bisphosphonate and colon cancer. Indeed, it found a higher risk of throat cancer in patients on the medication.

"Based on current evidence, bisphosphonates should not be used for prevention of colorectal cancer," Jacobs said. "Fortunately, there are proven ways to help prevent colorectal cancer. In particular, all Americans, 50 or older, should get a screening test so that precancerous polyps can be detected and removed before they turn into cancer."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/aaGhWR Journal of Clinical Oncology, online February 14, 2011.

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Apple still reigns in film downloads, study says

Apple's iTunes owns over two thirds of the download-to-own and Internet video-on-demand markets, iSuppli says.
(Credit: Screen shot by Greg Sandoval/CNET)
Netflix may be the Web's top movie rental service, but nobody sells more download-to-own movies than Apple, according to market research by iSuppli.
Apple's iTunes accounted for 64.5 percent of all the money spent in 2010 on electronic sell through (EIS) and Internet video on demand (IVOD) despite facing increased competitive pressure from Microsoft's Zune (Xbox), Amazon, Sony's Playstation, and Wal-Mart.
"Microsoft in 2010 accounted for 17.9 percent of U.S. movie EST/IVOD consumer spending, up from 11.6 percent in 2009," iSuppli found. "Sony in 2010 maintained the No. 3 position in the U.S. with a 7.2 percent share, up from 5.7 percent in 2009."
Apple, however, did give up some ground last year. In 2009, iTunes held 74.4 market share, and its share fell 9 percent last year, according to iSuppli. The good news is that the overall market grew by more than 60 percent. Could this increase in download sales have hurt DVD sales?
Last week, several of the top Hollywood studios reported dismal disc sales in the holiday quarter.
According to iSuppli, Apple managed to hang on to such a big market lead with the help of the iPad and the upgraded Apple TV, the research firm said.
"We expect that in the United States, Apple's strong performance in IVOD will allow it to continue to bypass the video-on-demand services offered by many major cable operators."
Here's more from iSuppli about how competition is heating up in the sector.

Competition from Microsoft intensified...because of the highly successful launch of its Kinect 3D motion controller system for its Xbox 360. This resulted in a bumper fourth quarter for movie revenue on the Zune Video platform, cementing the No. 2 market rank for Microsoft.
Wal-Mart's aggressive drive for market share for its U.S. online movies service Vudu has generated a spike in consumption for the service starting in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company announced $0.99 promotional pricing on IVOD movies and support for a wider range of living room devices, including Sony's PlayStation 3 video game console.

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