Bionic Eye 'Enables Blind People To See'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

A bionic eye has enabled blind people to read letters and simple words.

The implant converts images from an external camera into electronic signals that the brain can "see".

Tests on 21 patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease that destroys light-receiving cells at the back of the eye, showed that three quarters were able to correctly identify single letters.

More than half were able to read four-letter words, according to results published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Before being fitted with the device Richard Barrett only had vague light perception in one eye.

Now he can locate objects and find his way around.

He said: "When I am indoors I can see where windows are. To go to a door you can scan and pick up where the door frame is.

"If you have a path and grass down one side, you can pick up the edge of the path. That's where the device comes into its own."

Lyndon da Cruz, consultant retinal surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, said the Argus II device could "restore some meaningful vision in patients that otherwise would have been left blind".

He told Sky News: "At the best end of it they can start to read small 5cm letters formed into words. This was a huge change in perception of what we thought this device could do."

The Argus II is currently the only approved retinal prosthesis. A camera mounted on a pair of glasses feeds pictures along a cable to an electronic chip resting against the retina inside the eye.

The chip stimulates the optic nerve, which carries signals to the visual processing centre of the brain, giving the wearer a highly pixellated black and white view of the world.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shark-Wrestler Sacked As He Was On Sick Leave

A man who was hailed a hero after grappling with a shark in Australia has been sacked after it emerged he was on long-term sick leave with stress.

Paul Marshallsea, 62, waded in to the surf and grabbed the 6ft shark by the tail amid fears it would attack paddling children.

The charity worker, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, claims he risked his life at the beach outside Brisbane in January.

A local news crew caught his exploits on camera and his story made headlines around the world and earned him praise from lifeguards.

But now Mr Marshallsea has lost his job with children's charity the Pant and Dowlais Boys & Girls Club, because he had been signed off with work-related stress since last April.

The grandfather-of-one and his wife Wendy, 56, who also worked for the charity and was off ill at the time, flew back to Britain to letters informing them they had been sacked.

He has now hit back saying he was "disgusted" by the way he has been treated. He said: "What am I going to do now? There's not much call for shark wrestlers in Merthyr Tydfil."

Mr Marshallsea claims that he should have received a pat on the back for his efforts and that he only took the holiday with his wife on the advice of his GP.

"If I hadn't gone in to save the kids on that beach that day my wife and I would still have a job," he told WalesOnline.

Mr Marshallsea worked as project co-ordinator at Dowlais Engine House, where the charity has a base, and his wife was a senior youth worker.

He had been featured on Sky News for his work with the charity and once met Prince Charles, who visited to find out about the project's work in the town.

The letter he received read: "Whilst unfit to work you were well enough to travel to Australia and, according to recent news footage of yourself in Queensland, you allegedly grabbed a shark by the tail and narrowly missed being bitten by quickly jumping out of the way, the photographs and footage appearing in newspapers and television broadcasts."

A follow-up letter added: "The breakdown of the trustees' confidence and trust in you and your ability to perform the role is so great that we find that dismissal is the only course of action we can recommend."

Mr Marshallsea said running the club became increasingly stressful as it gained in success and the couple were working up to seven days a week.

"We created a whip to hit our own backs. It grew so big and we didn't realise. There was no stopping it."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

No Smoking Day: Charity Launches 'Hijacking' App

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has pledged to hijack cigarette packs from today - No Smoking Day - by virtually transforming them in smokers' hands into items they could afford if they quit.

The charity is encouraging smokers to "swap fags for swag" by thinking about how much money they could save if they quit.

Someone who smokes 20 cigarettes a day could save £7 a day, £49 a week, £210 a month and £2,555 a year if they kicked the habit, the BHF said.

The charity has developed a new smartphone app, Blippar, which virtually transforms a cigarette pack into a puff of smoke, before revealing items they could afford with a week, month, or year's worth of smoking savings.

This year's BHF No Smoking Day campaign

Betty McBride, director of policy and communications at the BHF, said: "The tobacco giants are notoriously protective about their slick cigarette packaging - here's a bit of slick that does some good for once.

"We need to up our game if we are going to help people beat their addiction to tobacco by finding new ways to reach out to them."

The new app comes on BHF's 30th annual No Smoking Day. A survey conducted for the 2013 campaign found that 11% of smokers are desperate to kick the habit.

And 82% of 2,000 UK smokers surveyed had tried and failed to quit.

Around one in five people smoke, according to the charity, and the latest data from the World Health Organisation shows that smoking prevalence in Europe is higher than the rest of the world.

A separate poll, conducted on 2,000 ex and current smokers by Pru Health, found that the average smoker spends 11% of income on tobacco.

:: Smokers who want help in quitting are encouraged to visit wequit.co.uk or call 0800 434 6677

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Minimum Alcohol Pricing: Anger Over U-Turn

The Government is planning to ditch proposals for a minimum price on alcohol in another U-turn by David Cameron, according to Sky sources.

The Prime Minister has personally backed the move for a base price in England and Wales, which experts argue would save lives and cut crime.

But it has been blocked by senior Tories, with opponents said to include Home Secretary Theresa May who has been at the centre of recent leadership rumours.

Education Secretary Michael Gove and Commons leader Andrew Lansley have also signalled their doubts about the proposal.

There were believed to be concerned about hitting responsible drinkers already struggling as the cost-of-living rises, as well as potentially breaking EU laws.

Senior Tory backbencher David Davis said he would welcome the abandonment of what he called a "blunderbuss of a policy" doomed to failure.

"It will hit poor people, it will hit people in the north, it will hit the pensioner having their one bottle of wine a week, it'll hit the hard-up couple doing the same," he said.

"It will transfer £1bn from the public to the people who sell alcohol and it's not going to work."

Theresa May (right) was among senior Tories to disagree with David Cameron

But other Tories who support the change expressed their dismay at the U-turn, which follows a 10-week consultation.

Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston - a former GP - told Sky News: "We know that when alcohol is too cheap, people die. That is the bottom line. This is about saving lives."

She suggested the plans could go through, with a sunset clause so that the impact could be judged after three years.

Her Tory colleague Tracey Crouch added that the base price would not hit responsible drinkers, who would still be able to buy a bottle of wine for £5.

She said: "We know that the Prime Minister is personally quite committed to this policy so I think we need to continue to press our case."

Campaigners also warned that a change of heart would be a mistake and urged the Government not to give into pressure from the drinks industry.

Eric Appleby, from Alcohol Concern, said: "All the evidence shows it will save lives and reduce crime - and we mustn't allow the interests of big business to derail this important policy."

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore from Alcohol Health Alliance UK added: "We are seeing admissions to hospital rising, we are seeing deaths rising every year. If the Government caves in to pressure from the global drinks industry it will be a disaster.

"At the moment, the UK is being praised around the world for taking tough action and to see a U-turn would be very sad indeed for everyone."

But Miles Beale, the chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said consumers would welcome the move.

"Minimum unit pricing would penalise responsible drinkers and treat everyone who is looking for value in their shopping as a binge-drinker," he said. "Evidence has also shown it will do little to tackle problem drinking."

Labour accused Mr Cameron of "weak leadership and weak government", calling the U-turn a "humiliating climbdown".

Shadow home office minister Diana Johnson said: "The Home Secretary and the Prime Minister said this measure would cut crime and prevent alcohol abuse. What's changed?"

Introducing a 45p base price per unit would mean a can of strong lager could not be sold for under £1.56 and a bottle of wine for under £4.22.

Last year, ministers claimed the change would cut the number of crimes by 5,000, slash hospital admissions by 24,000 and lead to 700 fewer alcohol-linked deaths annually.

The Home Office said consultation on the plans had ended on February 6 and that it would "listen to all views" before setting out a response.

Scotland is already set to introduce a 50p minimum price but is facing legal challenges due to claims the price floor could breach EU free trade rules.

Northern Ireland is still examining the issue.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Economy: Triple-Dip Fears Reignited

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

The pound has fallen by more than half a cent against the dollar as a sharp fall in manufacturing output raised the likelihood that the UK could slip back into recession.

Sterling dropped from just under $1.492 to $1.484 in intraday trading after the Office for National Statistics reported a 1.5% fall in manufacturing output in January.

The figures, which analysts had expected to be flat, feed directly into the first estimate of UK gross domestic product, which will determine whether Britain is back in recession.

They add to growing fears that the UK economy has slumped decisively over the past six months, and will raise the prospect that the Bank of England acts to pump more stimulus into the economy at its next Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

The Bank Governor, Sir Mervyn King, voted for more quantitative easing at last month's meeting.

Overall industrial production, which also includes mining and quarrying, dropped 1.2% in January – far worse than the 0.1% increase economists had expected.

Some analysts said that the figures had been affected by poor weather in the month, but even bearing that in mind, they were worse than anticipated.

James Knightley of ING said: "It looks as though this sector is going to be a major drag on growth in the first quarter of 2013.

"We have already had poor construction numbers for the start of the quarter so the prospect of yet another return to technical recession is very real.

"This will intensify the pressure on the BoE to do more to help support the economy given government officials suggests they have no intention of letting up on austerity.

"As a result more QE remains probable with sterling very much biased to the downside."

The pound has fallen by around 10% against the dollar since the start of the year, and some economists expect it to fall further in the coming months. It has rarely dropped beneath $1.50 in the long run.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brian Lynch: Runaway Killer Held In Manchester

Police have arrested a convicted murderer who fled prison while on day release.

Brian Lynch, 44, was held just before 5am at an address in Gorton, Manchester.

A woman, 40, who was also at the address was arrested on suspicion of harbouring an escaped prisoner.

Lynch fled from Preston city centre last Thursday afternoon while on a day trip from nearby HMP Kirkham.

He was jailed in 1988 for the killing of 21-year-old Chi Yeung Yip in Clayton, Manchester.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police said: "Absconded prisoner Brian Lynch was arrested in the early hours of this morning at an address in the Gorton area of Manchester.

"A 40-year-old woman has been arrested for harbouring an escaped prisoner and both are currently in police custody in Manchester.

"Lynch will be charged with absconding and will be sent back to prison."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snow And Ice Cause Chaos On Rail And Roads

Police are still assisting hundreds of motorists stuck in their cars across the country after heavy snowfall - with more on its way.

Ice warnings are in place for much of the country, and drivers in snow-hit areas have been urged to postpone journeys if possible.

The Met Office has issued yellow "be aware" warnings for parts of the South East and Scotland.

Temperatures are expected to stay below freezing in many areas for the next few days, with the minimum as low as -7C.

Up to 10cm (4in) of snow is forecast to settle in the worst-affected areas, including Kent, Sussex and southern Hampshire, and over higher ground in areas like the Pennines, while large areas could see around up to 4cm (1.6in) accumulate.

The M20 southbound remains gridlocked due to the severe weather

Some of the roads where driving conditions are at their worst include the M20 in Kent and the A2.

The Highways Agency has warned motorists heading north from the Dover Ports to take the M20 London bound and avoid the A2, while those driving in and around West Sussex have been advised to avoid the A23 and M23.

Rail services also face disruption. Southern has warned of short-notice cancellations and delays of up to an hour on all services.

There have been delays to Southeastern services between Paddock Wood and Strood in Kent because of a signalling problem, while some Gatwick Express services have been cancelled.

On First Capital Connect, journeys between Bedford and Brighton are also subject to short-notice cancellations, with delays of up to 45 minutes.

Popstars Toyah Willcox and Cheryl Baker were among those trapped

Intense showers and possible snowfall are due across Suffolk, Essex and the London area, with gusty winds of up to 55mph.

Eastern and central parts of Scotland have also been hit by poor weather conditions, and a dusting of snow is expected in all other areas of the country.

Ice and snow has made roads across much of the South East impassable, with Dover and Folkestone among the worst affected.

The Channel Tunnel has reopened after technical issues, with delays back to Junction 10 (Ashford) on the M20.

Eurostar has suspended its services until further notice because of bad weather in France and Belgium.

A message on its website said: "Our advice to passengers is not to travel today and not to come to our stations. Exchanges and refunds will be available to affected passengers."

Poor road conditions have hampered much of the UK

At the Port of Dover in Kent, cross-Channel ferry operations are operating "as far as possible", but passengers have been advised to allow extra time for their journeys amid possible road blockages on the A2 and A20.

Jersey Airport is closed all day due to snow, while travellers heading for Gatwick have been warned to allow extra time to reach the West Sussex airport due to snow on the roads in the area.

Speed restrictions are in place on the M48 Severn Bridge in Monmouthshire due to strong winds.

Police in Sussex have attended more than 300 crashes in the past 24 hours across the county, where some motorists were trapped in their cars in the snow for up to 10 hours in blizzard-like conditions.

The British Red Cross sent emergency teams out to help those stranded in the freezing conditions overnight on the A23 with tailbacks stretching 30 miles.

A spokesman for the police force said it was stretched to "capacity" recovering abandoned vehicles and helping those stranded.

Residents in Crawley wake up to the snow

Chief Inspector Phil Nicholas, from the force's roads policing unit, said: "Today is going to be about helping recover vehicles as many people fell asleep in their cars or abandoned them, so even when the roads did become clearer they were still blocked.

"Although the conditions have improved slightly, we are asking people to not make any journeys unless they are essential."

Cheryl Baker, the 1980s pop star with the Eurovision-winning group Bucks Fizz, was among those stuck on the A23 as she tried to make her way to Brighton to her children.

At 10.30am she tweeted: "WE'RE HOME!! Only taken 15 1/2 hours!!"

South East Coast Ambulance Service has asked the public to only dial 999 in a genuine emergency with its staff having to be picked up in 4x4s where possible because they are struggling to get into work.

The continuing disruption follows a night of chaos on the roads during which snow ploughs and gritters struggled to get through to clear the roads after a number of vehicles jackknifed causing gridlock.

Temperatures plummeted to as low as -3C (27F), forcing many people to abandon their vehicles for service stations.

Abandoned cars had to be moved to allow the gritters, snow ploughs and emergency teams to pass.

Snow ploughs and gritters were stuck in the traffic. (Pic: Jonathan Lava)

The worst affected areas were the A23 between Crawley and Brighton and the M23 around Handcross Hill.

Toyah Willcox, another 1980s pop star, who was among those stranded on the A23 around 15 miles from Brighton, tweeted: "Still on A23, not moved yet northbound is moving freely. 6 hours! Come on snow isn't that bad."

A number of motorists questioned why gritters had failed to keep the roads clear despite clear forecasts of heavy snow.

The Highways Agency said extra gritters had been out on the roads since 6am on Monday preparing for the freezing weather.

A spokesman said: "We've been working hard with our contractors and partners, including local authorities and the police, to keep the roads across the south east open.

"Our roads have been treated throughout the day; however some lorries have jackknifed causing closures at several locations and as a result our salt spreaders and recovery vehicles have become stuck in the traffic."

Forecasters believe Monday was the coldest March day in 27 years, since March 1, 1986. Saughall, in south Lanarkshire, reached -12C (10F).

Ladbrokes said they have been forced to slash the odds of snow reappearing across Easter weekend, March 29 to April 1.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Savile: Police Failings 'Could Happen Again'

The failings identified in the Jimmy Savile sex abuse investigation "could happen all over again", one of Britain's top policemen has warned.

Sir Peter Fahy, the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said officers are "cautious in taking cases to court" because they fear victims will be put under too much pressure when giving evidence.

He added that the lack of a "national headquarters for policing makes achieving consistent national standards all the more difficult".

It comes after a damning report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) found Savile was first named in connection with a sexual abuse investigation in 1964.

A separate report by the Metropolitan Police and the NSPCC said his offending spanned from 1955 to 2009, meaning his reign of abuse could have been cut short by 45 years.

Sir Peter Fahy's comments follow a damning report by HMIC

Sir Peter said: "Police forces have significantly improved the way that victims are treated but the fact is many, many victims do not come forward or if they do are reluctant to support a prosecution.

"This highlights another issue in the way our adversarial court system treats victims.

"Whatever other evidence is collected, prosecutions for sexual offences rely hugely on the evidence of the victim.

"In a case of burglary, the victim will not be blamed for leaving the front door unlocked. In sexual offences, the behaviour of the victim - whether they had been drinking, any weaknesses of character, how they were dressed - may well be picked over at great length in the court room.

"Where the details are particularly salacious or the case involves a celebrity, then these very intimate details will receive full publicity in the media."

Just five allegations and two pieces of intelligence were recorded against Savile during his lifetime, HMIC found.

This is in stark contrast to the 450 claims made against the former Top Of The Pops presenter after Operation Yewtree was launched by the Metropolitan Police in October.

Savile's offending is believed to have spanned from 1955 to 2009

Alan Collins, a solicitor from law firm Pannone who is representing more than 40 of Savile's victims, said many opportunities to investigate Savile had been lost.

"Consequently, Savile was able to carry on regardless, duping the country in the process, and the price was paid by his many victims," he said.

"There is a definite risk that unless policies and attitudes change, Savile will happen again."

As well as the 1964 Metropolitan Police ledger, a record of an anonymous letter was found that was received by the Met in 1998, alleging that Savile was a paedophile.

In addition, five victims made complaints against the presenter - one to the Met in 2003, three to Surrey in 2007 and one to Sussex in 2008.

HMIC expressed concern that other police forces did not deal with complaints properly with eight victims claiming that they tried, unsuccessfully, to report crimes.

These include four who approached the Met and one each who went to police in Cheshire, Merseyside, West Yorkshire and the then Royal Ulster Constabulary.

One man who came forward in 1963 in Cheshire to make an allegation of rape against Savile was told to "forget about it" and "move on", HMIC said.

Jimmy Savile's TV shows included Jim'll Fix It and Top Of The Pops

HM Inspector of Constabulary Drusilla Sharpling said: "The findings in this report are of deep concern, and clearly there were mistakes in how the police handled the allegations made against Savile during his lifetime."

The letter received by the Metropolitan Police Service in 1998 claiming the DJ was a paedophile was classed as "sensitive", meaning other investigators could not find it.

"The 1998 MPS anonymous letter was marked as 'sensitive' because of Savile's celebrity status and because there were allegations of blackmail and paedophilia," the inspectors said.

"This categorisation meant that the intelligence was not readily available to be searched by later investigating officers."

The Met sent the letter to West Yorkshire Police, the area where Savile lived, but other investigators could not access the information until 2011.

Considering whether such abuse on a similar scale could happen again, Ms Sharpling said it was neither "enough nor correct to say this couldn't happen now".

The HMIC report warned that "the inconsistencies in approach that the forces have taken mean that there is a distinct possibility that such failures could be repeated".

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "The public rightly want answers to how victims' voices were ignored for so long. This report brings into sharp focus police failings that allowed Savile to act with impunity over five decades.

A Met Police spokesman said: "All of this needs to be seen in the context of how much we have achieved through our approach to the public response to Operation Yewtree.

"We have seen a step change in the reporting of abuse, with a significant rise in the numbers of people coming forward."

The HMIC report recommended that recently formed professional body the College of Policing should issue guidelines to all police forces about how to deal with investigations into child abuse.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Heavy Snow To Cause Travel Problems

Heavy snowfall across parts of Britain is likely to cause travel disruption, as the possibility of a white Easter looms.

The southern counties of England are expected to take the brunt of heavy, repeated snow showers moving in from the South West.

That will be followed by a second band of wintry weather which will hit eastern and central parts of Scotland and England.

A dusting of snow is expected in all other areas, bringing with it a risk of travel problems for the morning and evening rush hours.

Up to 10cm (4in) will settle in the worst-affected areas, including Kent, Sussex and southern Hampshire, as well as over higher ground in areas like the Pennines, while large areas could see around up to 4cm (1.6in) accumulate.

The snow is expected to fall on Monday and Tuesday, and temperatures will remain below freezing in many areas for the next few days, with minimum temperatures as low as -7C.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning of snow in the South West and yellow warnings across east Scotland and England and in the southern regions, urging the public to be prepared for disruption.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "As well as the snow picture it's going to be a bitterly cold day thanks to those brisk northeasterly winds that will be gusting up to 60mph (96kph) added to the wind chill."

Ladbrokes said they have been forced to slash the odds of snow reappearing across Easter weekend, March 29 to April 1.

On Sunday evening it was even money for snow to fall in any major city, and there is a 4/1 chance it is the coldest Easter on record, the bookmaker said.

Spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: "The odds of snow falling over Easter are dropping as quick as the temperatures.

"Only a week ago the UK was basking in the sunshine but there's no chance that this month will be the warmest March on record now."

The bookmaker said snow could also play havoc with Cheltenham Festival next week.

Motoring services firm RAC said it expects potential breakdowns to increase by 20% over the next few days and has an increased number of patrols planned.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Antibiotic Resistance 'A Ticking Time Bomb'

Q&A: When Should Antibiotics Be Used?

Updated: 10:58am UK, Monday 11 March 2013

The Government's top doctor has warned of a "ticking time bomb" as diseases could become resistant to antibiotics and people may be less able to fight infections.

Professor Dame Sally Davies called for better protection of our current stock of antibiotics and is also urging GPs to prescribe antibiotics only when absolutely necessary amid fears they are being overused.

But what are antibiotics and why should they not be used to treats colds and most coughs?

:: What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are important medicines used to treat infections caused by bacteria.

Bacteria can adapt and find ways to survive the effects of an antibiotic.

They become 'antibiotic resistant', meaning that the antibiotic no longer works.

The more often we use an antibiotic, the more likely it is that bacteria will become resistant to it.

Some bacteria that cause infections in hospitals, such as MRSA, are resistant to several antibiotics.

:: Why shouldn't antibiotics be used to treat colds, most coughs and sore throats?

All colds and most coughs and sore throats are caused by viruses and generally these will get better on their own.

Antibiotics do not work against infections caused by viruses.

Viral infections are also much more common than bacterial infections. 

:: Why can't other antibiotics be used to treat resistant bacteria?

They can, but they may not be as effective and may have more side effects.

Eventually the bacteria will become resistant to them, and we may not always be able to find new antibiotics to replace them.

In recent years fewer new antibiotics have been discovered. 

:: How can antibiotic resistance be avoided?

By using antibiotics less often, we can slow down the development of resistance.

It's not possible to stop it completely but slowing it down stops resistance spreading and buys some time to develop new types of antibiotics.

:: What can I do about antibiotic resistance?

You can use antibiotics only when it's appropriate to do so.

When they are prescribed, the complete course should be taken in order to get rid of the bacteria completely.

If the course isn't completed some bacteria may be left, and they may develop resistance. 

:: So when will I be prescribed antibiotics?

When it's appropriate. Your doctor will only prescribe antibiotics when you need them, for example for a kidney infection or pneumonia.

Antibiotics may be life-saving for infections such as meningitis.

By not using them unnecessarily, they're more likely to work when we do need them.

Source: NHS

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More