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HIV symptoms not being diagnosed properly, claims charity
People showing the symptoms of early-stage HIV infection are routinely being misdiagnosed by doctors, according to a report by the National AIDS Trust.
NAT, the UK’s leading independent policy and campaigning charity on HIV and AIDS, has found that in one Brighton study, almost half of those who sought medical advice for what eventually turned out to be HIV symptoms were not diagnosed correctly.
Symptoms of early-stage HIV include sore throat, fever and rash and will show within two to six weeks of infection in 70-90 per cent of cases.
But the study found that GPs and other healthcare professionals were commonly dismissing these symptoms as signs of common viral infections, with comments such as: "Probably glandular fever" or "Come back in two weeks if you’re not feeling better."
NAT argues that while these symptoms may seem innocuous, coupled with recent risky behaviour, they should suggest possible HIV infection and the need for a HIV test.
"Diagnosing HIV at an early stage could have a significant impact on reducing HIV infections in the UK," said NAT Chief Executive Deborah Jack.
"Our advice is simple; if you suspect you may have been infected with HIV seek medical advice immediately. Do not wait."
HIV testing has seen great advances in recent years. The majority of cases can now be diagnosed from 12 days after infection.
However, the figures for HIV infection rates in the UK remain high. Over 80,000 people live with HIV.
A third of people with HIV are not diagnosed, and a third of those that are diagnosed are diagnosed late.
Should patients have to specify if they're potentially high-risk for exposure to HIV on a routine visit to the doctor with something like a sore throat, fever and rash, when they could be perfectly benign symptoms? Is it up to the GP to search out this kind of sensitive information, or is it for the patient to volunteer it? Is it possible to have a trusting and sympathetic relationship with your GP (I've rarely seen the same one twice in my local surgery) or does that not even matter?
People showing the symptoms of early-stage HIV infection are routinely being misdiagnosed by doctors, according to a report by the Nat... more -
Man jailed for attacks on gay men he met in chatrooms
A life sentence has been handed to a Swedish man for his brutal attacks against gay men.
Swedish website The Local reported that the 35-year-old was convicted of killing a man in his own home on December 28th 2007 and of the robbery and attempted murder of a 44-year-old man the day before. He was also convicted of robbing two men on the ninth and 15th of December, having finished a sentence in January 2007 for similar crimes.
The man met his victims through internet chat sites and gave the impression that he wanted to have sex with them, meeting them in their apartments in Stockholm.
His last victim died from knife wounds and a knife was used in the attempted murder. The victim received a number of threats and stab wounds, including one on the sole of his foot as he lay naked in bed with his hand tied behind his back. He also had his wallet, holding 900 kronor (around £75), stolen.
"All the victims were, or are, homosexual," said public prosecutor Fredrik Ingblad at the man's indictment hearing. "He has taken advantage of their sexual preferences and violated them."
Have you ever met someone in person that you'd 'met' on the internet? Did they tie you up, stab you in the foot and steal your wallet? (I hope not) Can it ever be safe to meet up with someone you 'met' online? Are minority groups particularly vulnerable in cases like this?
A life sentence has been handed to a Swedish man for his brutal attacks against gay men. ... more -
AT&T, DirecTV are backing MPAA's DVR-blocking initiative
As Ars Technica has reported, the petition comes from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which wants a waiver on that restriction in the case of high-definition movies broadcast prior to their release on DVD. SOC lets video distributors close down analog or digital output on broadcasts, which could be used to force HD downscaling to SD and/or block output to devices such as DVRs, an option that MPAA says will allow it to more securely distribute early-run studio films on TV. "The Petitioners' theatrical movies are too valuable in this early distribution window to risk their exposure to unauthorized copying," MPAA wrote to the FCC in June. "Distribution over insecure outputs would facilitate the illegal copying and redistribution of this high value content, causing untold damage to the DVD and other 'downstream' markets."
As of now, well over 500 individuals and groups have filed opinions with the Commission, most of them brief. Here is a summary of the longer comments. As Ars Technica has reported, the petition comes from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which wants a waiver on that r... more -
John Todd Wins Buckminster Fuller Challenge!
Permaculture, Paul Stamets, and John Todd have the tools to thrust us in a more sustainable direction. They enable 'natural' solutions, commonly by employing the 4 billion yrs experience of mother earth. Their outputs are beyond sustainable.. they are regenerative.
Congratulations JT! Permaculture, Paul Stamets, and John Todd have the tools to thrust us in a more sustainable direction. They enable 'natural' solutions... more -
When Blogs Go Bad
IT infrastructure security company Sophos, has identified that the number one host for viral nasties on the web is Blogger (Blogspot.com) accounting for 2% of the total malware code on web 2.0.
But Blogger is not the only service being compromised, and malicious code has been uncovered on Facebook and LinkedIn with viruses and trojans hidden behind fake profiles and innocent links.
To protect data theft some companies already curb their employee's access to these and similar sites, permanently blocking the blog. But who is there to oversee and protect the casual home user?
And, why is more not being done by the web host companies to protect the blogging community? IT infrastructure security company Sophos, has identified that the number one host for viral nasties on the web is Blogger (Blogspot.c... more -
Asprox computer virus infects key government and consumer websites
Cyber-criminals have attacked key government and consumer websites, allowing them to steal the personal details of anyone browsing the sites, The Times has learnt.
Eastern European hackers are suspected of placing the Asprox virus on more than a thousand British websites, including those run by the NHS and a local council, in the past two weeks.
Experts described the Asprox virus as an alarming departure from commonplace viruses, which tend to be spread through rogue e-mails and unregulated websites.
Unlike other viruses, Asprox sits undetected on mainstream sites, with any visitor at risk of being infected. The virus automatically installs itself on a visitor's computer, allowing a hacker to access financial information.
It is not known how many people are affected by the virus, but security experts estimate that it has spread to at least two million computers worldwide.
Detective Constable Bob Burls, of the Metropolitan Police computer crime unit, said that there had been a sudden rise in infection rates. “The virus got into the job pages of a local council’s internet page,” he said. “It’s a new thing that people who visit mainstream websites are clobbered.”
Such incidents have only come to light after people have found money removed from their bank accounts or other personal data frauds.
“We’ve dealt with two major websites in as many weeks,” he said.
Ben Taylor, an engineer from South London, had £560 fraudulently taken from his bank account this month. After reporting the theft he installed an anti-virus system, which identified “SQL malware” embedded on his computer — technology associated with Asprox. “I only use the internet a few times a week and didn’t look at anything dodgy,” he said. “It’s scary to think that a criminal was controlling my computer. I’ve got rid of it now.”
Last week, Asprox infected the Norfolk NHS website, used by thousands of people a day. Hackney Council’s website was one of 12 local council websites also compromised, meaning that anyone logging on to pay a parking ticket or council tax was at risk over a three day period.
And visitors to Nigella Lawson’s website last week were in danger of picking up something less palatable than a recipe for goose-fat potatoes. A spokesman for Ms Lawson said that the virus, which was installed on the website last Monday, was dealt with “instantly” and that nobody was infected.
Yuval Ben-Itzhak, chief technical officer of Finjan, an online security company who exposed the rapid growth of Asprox around the world, said: “This is very serious threat.
“Five years ago when your computer got infected by a virus, you noticed immediately that your PC was broken. These days, you don’t notice anything. This is exactly what the hacker wants. It gives him complete control over the infected machine.”
Once installed on a personal computer, the Asprox virus allows a hacker to steal files, e-mails and passwords. It can also be used to infect other computers and even make attacks against companies and foreign governments.
Any computer without up-to-date anti-virus software is vulnerable. But only around half of current anti-virus programmes can detect Asprox, Mr Ben-Itzhak said.
In the US, the virus has successfully penetrated mainstream sites belonging to Sony’s Playstation, the city of San Francisco and Snapple.
A spokeswoman for Apacs, the payments organisation, said: “There is a responsibility on website owners to ensure that they have sufficient security software installed so that criminals are not able to easily compromise their sites. Cyber-criminals have attacked key government and consumer websites, allowing them to steal the personal details of anyone browsing the... more -
Big LED Breakthrough at Purdue University Could Change the World : TreeHugger
Better, Cheaper LEDs
The incandescent lightbulb that wastes 90% of the electricity as heat is dying, we all know that. But a new breakthrough in solid state lighting might also kill compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) faster than some expected. Scientists at Purdue University have figured out how to manufacture LED solid-state lights on regular metal-coated silicon wafers (more details below). What this means is: much lower costs.
10% Reduction in Total Electricity Use
And since about 1/3 of U.S. electricity is used to produce light, this is major. "If you replaced existing lighting with solid-state lighting, following some reasonable estimates for the penetration of that technology based on economics and other factors, it could reduce the amount of energy we consume for lighting by about one-third. That represents a 10 percent reduction of electricity consumption and a comparable reduction of related carbon emissions," said Timothy D. Sands, professor of Materials Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering states at Purdue. Better, Cheaper LEDs ... more -
Scientists makes first paper based transistor
Elvira Fortunato and colleagues from the Centro de Investigação de Materiais (Cenimat/I3N), at Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, made the first Field Effect Transistor (FET) with a paper «interstrate» layer. A new device which rivals in electrical performance with the actual state of the art of oxide based thin film transistors (TFTs) produced on glass or crystalline silicon substrates. These results will be published next September in IEEE Electron Device Letters.
Nowadays, there is an increased interest in the use of biopolymers for low-cost electronic applications. Since cellulose is the Earth’s major biopolymer, some international teams have reported using paper as the physical support (substrate) of electronic devices. But, until now, no one had ever used paper as an interstrate component of a FET.
In a new approach, scientists from Cenimat/I3N – a research group coordinated by Elvira Fortunato and Rodrigo Martins – used a common sheet of paper as the dielectric layer on oxide FETs.
The research team fabricated the devices on both sides of the paper sheet. This way, the paper acts simultaneously as the electric insulator and as the substrate. «Is a two in one», says Elvira Fortunato.
Furthermore, electric characterization of devices showed that the hybrid FETs’ performance outpace those of amorphous silicon TFTs, and rival with the actual state of the art of oxide thin film transistors.
These results suggest promising new disposable electronics devices, like paper displays, smart labels, smart packaging, bio-applications, RFID tags, among others. Elvira Fortunato and colleagues from the Centro de Investigação de Materiais (Cenimat/I3N), at Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Uni... more -
Robot submarine gliding across the Atlantic Ocean
An unmanned submersible operated by Rutgers University's Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory (COOL) is "flying" -- underwater -- from New Jersey to Spain. The remote-controlled undersea glider will travel more than 3,800 miles, and will collect key scientific information on the temperature and salinity of the Atlantic Ocean.
"The big advantage is, it's totally unmanned," according to Conrad Lautenbacher, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which sponsors the submersible. "It's very efficient and can be used to obtain the same kind of data we gather from ships."
In general, sea gliders are Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) that use small changes in buoyancy in conjunction with wings to convert vertical motion to horizontal, and thereby propel themselves forward with very low power consumption. While not as fast as conventional AUVs with propulsion systems, gliders using buoyancy-based propulsion represent a significant increase in range and endurance compared to vehicles propelled by electric motor-driven propellers. The sea glider has a battery-powered data collection and satellite communication system. The U.S. Navy as well as NOAA have been developing such sea gliders for several years.
During its trans-Atlantic cruise the glider will periodically rise to the surface of the ocean to transmit data up to a satellite. But most of the time the COOL glider will travel at depths between 15 feet to 300 feet below the surface. The COOL researchers will share all collected oceanographic data with the Navy and other interested agencies. The lack of a propulsion system will aid in data collection, alleviating self-noise interference.
The Navy is also looking into glider-type AUVs -- which it calls UUVs for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles -- for several missions, primarily to undertake environmental measurements in areas where surface ships or aircraft (dropping sensors) cannot easily operate. And, of course, flotillas of such unmanned gliders would be much cheaper than manned research ships and craft.
The COOL-developed submersible is yellow, less than 8 feet long, and weighs about 130 pounds. Developed by Rutgers University, the craft will also provide the university with other important information, such as how long the craft’s batteries will last and systems reliability. Larger and more capable AUV/UUVs are being developed by the Navy under the auspices of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command’s systems center in San Diego and the Office of Naval Research.
According to the 2000 Program Guide to the U.S. Navy, the highest priority missions for Navy UUVs, presumably including gliders, are intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; mine countermeasures (i.e., locating and mapping mines); and anti-submarine warfare. Sea gliders could be very useful in collecting environmental information for ASW operations. An unmanned submersible operated by Rutgers University's Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory (COOL) is "flying" -- underwater -- from... more -
Hardware/software co-design comes of age
The concurrent design and verification of hardware and software has become a reality thanks to a plethora of resources in ESL flows, emulation, modeling and standards, and more.
There once was a time when system design was completely serial. Entire hardware platforms were designed, prototyped, debugged, and virtually completed before any software development began. Of course, such methodologies corresponded to the days of much broader market windows. The very idea of such a quaint approach is enough to make one snicker.
Today, it’s quite different. Those market windows have narrowed to a sliver. Hardware development typically lags far behind software, but no one can afford to wait for hardware prototypes to begin shaking out the system’s drivers, operating system, and bus protocols. It’s become imperative for the software-development process to begin as early as possible so the software and hardware can be verified together.
But how is this to be done when silicon is essentially unavailable, or at best difficult to gain access to? Additionally, in this early stage of a system design cycle, the final specifications are a moving target. There’s the problem of setting up a testbench for the device. Often, the information on which you’ll base debug and performance analysis is incomplete. And on top of all of that, the hardware platform itself includes heterogeneous multicores with complex interconnect, memory hierarchy, and multiple dependent software stacks.
Fortunately for design teams, the means by which software can be effectively verified for a substantially non-existent hardware platform have come a long way. To be sure, one part of the solution has been an increased reliance on so-called platform systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), a genericized hardware architecture that draws from an established, known-good IP portfolio. Such methodologies can help stack the deck in favor of the design team when it comes to software development.
But for those intrepid souls looking to build on a customized hardware platform, hardware/software co-design generally entails assembling a highly abstract model of the hardware platform. There are a number of approaches to this methodology. Additionally, emulation technology has improved substantially in recent years, making it easier to run more clock cycles’ worth of simulation with slightly more detailed models. And, standardization activity of late has helped the industry get on the same page with its modeling. The concurrent design and verification of hardware and software has become a reality thanks to a plethora of resources in ESL flows, e... more -
Virus infiltrates government websites
A new computer virus called Asprox has put the personal details of thousands of internet users at risk after it infected a number of key government and consumer websites, including those run by Norfolk NHS and 12 local councils. Security experts believe that the virus has spread across two million computers worldwide after hitting US corporate sites like Sony Playstation and Snapple, though the infection only became obvious after people discovered money had been removed from their bank accounts.
The Asprox virus has the worrying quality of appearing on mainstream sites. It then installs itself on a user's computer, allowing the hacker access to files, emails, passwords and, of course, bank information. The virus is thought to have originated from Eastern European hackers, though it is not known how many people have so far been affected. A new computer virus called Asprox has put the personal details of thousands of internet users at risk after it infected a number of k... more -
'Average student' owns £6,000 worth of gadgets, instruments and clothes
So much for starving students. A new survey by Ensleigh Insurance has found that the average student has over £6,000 worth of gadgetry, musical instruments, and clothes knocking about in their digs. This has gone up from 'just' £2,000 two years ago and includes items such as mobile phones, iPods, computers and a surprisingly expensive amount of musical instruments. Added to this, the study also found that only two in five students have insurance, and tend to underestimate the worth of their stuff by as much as half. So much for starving students. A new survey by Ensleigh Insurance has found that the average student has over £6,000 worth of gadgetr... more
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Sexy 'Desktop Keeley' sets download record
The Sun Online racked up a record 10,000 downloads in just three days for its Page 3 desktop application, Desktop Keeley, which is based on the newspaper's popular Page 3 model Keeley Hazell. And it's Free!!!
The Sun Online racked up a record 10,000 downloads in just three days for its Page 3 desktop application, Desktop Keeley, which is bas... more -
Magazine Launches Moving Displays with E-Ink
Esquire magazine has announced that it will be launching the first ever magazone edition to incorporate E-Ink, a type of electronic paper that could revolutionise the way we think about books and magazines. You can already see its extremely impressive abilities in the aforementioned Sony Reader, as well as its rival, the Amazon Kindle. The technology is still in rather embryonic stages, as the font-page displays have to be assembled by hand and the battery powering it will run out in 90 days. The magazines must also be transported by refrigerated transport, which is pretty impractical.
The E-Ink technology will be inserted into 100,000 copies of the magazine, featuring a cover message reading "The 21st Century Begins Now", with a full Ford advert (the initiative's sponsors) appearing on the inside cover, also in E-Ink. Esquire magazine has announced that it will be launching the first ever magazone edition to incorporate E-Ink, a type of electronic pa... more -
Apple Macbook Touch - Rumours of Gadget To Hit Stores This October!
There have been rumours flying that a MacBook touch could be hitting the market as early as October 2008. Allegedly these rumours are substantiated too, as they came from a MacDaily News source that broke the wireless iTunes story early as well. There have been rumours flying that a MacBook touch could be hitting the market as early as October 2008. Allegedly these rumours are ... more
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Condé Nast to launch Wired in the UK and Italy
"Condé Nast will launch a UK version of Wired magazine and its accompanying website next year and has hired the Jewish Chronicle's editor, David Rowan, to edit it.
The UK debut issue of the monthly technology magazine will arrive on newsstands in the first half of 2009.
Guardian Media Group previously tied up with Wired for a short-lived UK version of the magazine in the mid-1990s.
The publisher will also launch a version of Wired in Italy early next year, prior to the UK launch."
Picture: http://flickr.com/photos/22445617@N00/181301226/sizes/o...
I can't wait to read the Wired in Italian, but was a British version necessary? "Condé Nast will launch a UK version of Wired magazine and its accompanying website next year and has hired the Jewish Chronicle's edi... more -
Six websites criticized for being "vulgar"
An organisation called the 'Internet Society of China' has accused six websites of "spreading low and vulgar content". The sites are mostly China-based community and picture-sharing forums. The ISC is rather like an additional tool for the government to keep websites in line and has previously required Chinese websites to sign self-discipline pledges when they're found to transgress.
'Spreading low and vulgar content? Welcome to the internet, baby! An organisation called the 'Internet Society of China' has accused six websites of "spreading low and vulgar content". The sites are ... more -
Chinese police wage war on 'emulational' guns
Xinhua reports that Chinese police have launched a one-month crackdown on the production, sale and trafficking of emulational guns to ensure security in the run up to the August Olympics.
Police are cracking down on such imitations by destroying the production and trafficking sites. Chinese law states that those caught producing, trafficking or selling such imitation weapons could be detained for a maximum of 15 days and face harsher punishment if their products lead to casualties.
Makes a nice change from those synonymous shooting soldier toys that seem to be everywhere, though I think they're probably not talking plastic toys here. Xinhua reports that Chinese police have launched a one-month crackdown on the production, sale and trafficking of emulational guns to ... more -
Pen-enabled Mac Modbook
The one and only pen-enabled tablet Mac, the Modbook, allows users to draw and write directly on the 13.3-in. diagonal LCD screen. The unit’s condensed form factor and integrated pen-based user experience is a real joy in terms of flexibility and control. And it’s fast!
This product seamlessly integrates an Apple MacBook computer, an advanced Wacom Penabled digitizer display, and Axiotron’s own hardware and software technology. It’s the only tablet Mac on the market. Since it runs on the Mac OS X Leopard platform, any application that runs on OS X like Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop will run on this unit.
All the features of an Apple MacBook are in the Modbook. Although it does not come with a keyboard or mouse for inputs, these can be connected via a pair of USB ports or Bluetooth. Text can also be entered through Axiotron’s Quickclicks software keyboard.
With a weight of 5.5 lbs, this product is a bit heavy, but when you try out all its features and capabilities, you’ll soon forget about the heft. It has the same features as an Apple MacBook, Leopard’s built-in Inkwell handwriting recognition, the same processing-power and memory-storage capability, a built-in iSight camera, a 24x DVD Combo drive or an 8x DVD Superdrive, depending on the model, and built-in GPS capability.
The most recent configurations include 2.1-GHz or 2.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors and 120-Gbytes or 160-Gbytes of hard-disk memory, respectively, which makes this product twice as fast and powerful as any slate-type tablet PC on the market. This tablet Mac is super sensitive with its unparalleled 512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity.
And its price is competitive. It is available in the U.S. and Canada exclusively through Axion authorized resellers, at a price of $2290 and $2499 (Canadian dollars), respectively.
http://axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook The one and only pen-enabled tablet Mac, the Modbook, allows users to draw and write directly on the 13.3-in. diagonal LCD screen. The... more -
Google In Final Negotiations To Acquire Digg For “Around $200 Million”
Google’s on and off negotiations with Digg have been back on in a big way for the last six weeks, we’ve heard from multiple sources inside and outside of Google. The two companies have reportedly signed a letter of intent and are close to a deal that will bring Digg under the Google News property. The acquisition price is in the $200 million range, says one source. Google’s on and off negotiations with Digg have been back on in a big way for the last six weeks, we’ve heard from multiple sources in... more
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