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Studies show drug-resistant bug threats in Europe

LONDON (Reuters) – Drug-resistant infections with the "superbug" Clostridium difficile are rising in Europe and are widespread, scientists said on Tuesday, but there are big variations in the way health authorities monitor them.

In a Europe-wide study, researchers found the incidence of C-difficile infections in hospitals had risen to 4.1 per 10,000 patient days in 2008 from 2.45 per 10,000 patient days in 2005.

"It is clearly on the increase, that's for sure," said Ed Kuijper of Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands, who led the study with his colleague Martijn Bauer.

"There is also a huge variation of incidence in different European countries -- mainly due to the fact that each country uses its own surveillance system and its own diagnostic tests, so in some countries it is underestimated and in other countries it is overestimated."

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in recent decades have fueled a rise in drug-resistant "superbug" infections like C-difficile, a bacterial infection in the gut, and methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA).

Earlier this year, scientists warned that a new so-called superbug from India known as New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1) could spread around the world.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that up to 400,000 patients in the region suffer multi-drug resistant infections and antibiotic resistance remains a major public health problem.

"SERIOUS THREAT"

Launching a campaign to increase awareness of antibiotic overuse, the ECDC highlighted a particular bug called Klebsiella pneumoniae, a common cause of infection amongst hospital patients, which like NDM-1 is becoming increasingly resistant to powerful last-line antibiotics such as carbapenems.

"Antibiotic resistance remains a serious threat to patient safety, reducing options for treatment and increasing lengths of hospital stay, as well as patient morbidity and mortality," said ECDC director Marc Sprenger.

Kuijper's study, which was published in The Lancet medical journal found C-difficile infection rates were high in countries such as Finland, Poland and Britain, which had rates of 19.1, 12.5 and 10.4 per 10,000 patient days respectively, and lower in places such as France and Hungary, which had incidences of 2.1 and 2.0 per 10,000 patient days.

When the researchers followed the patients up after three months, they found that 22 percent had died, and C-difficile infection had played a part in 40 percent of those deaths.

"This is the most important hospital-acquired infection in Europe, because if you look at the outcomes, there is a high mortality rate," Kuijper said in a telephone interview.

"There should be European-wide guidelines for hospitals to monitor this disease more carefully using uniform standards."

Commenting on the findings, experts from the United States said good surveillance was vital to fight drug-resistant bugs.

"To stay ahead of these costly and deadly outbreaks, we need to know what is out there," wrote Cirle Warren and Richard Guerrant of the University of Virginia. "One thing is certain: antibiotic-resistant C-difficile is here to stay, as long as antibiotics are around."

(Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Massive Mac OS X Update Shatters Illusion of Security

Perhaps you've heard that the Apple Mac OS X operating system is simply more secure by design and not prone to the security flaws and vulnerabilities that plague the dominant Microsoft Windows operating system? Well, don't believe the hype. Apple unleashed an update for Mac OS X this week which fixes a massive 134 vulnerabilities.

To put that in perspective, Microsoft had a record breaking month with the --when it fixed 49 vulnerabilities. October and November combined, Microsoft only fixed 60 flaws. To surpass 134 vulnerabilities, you have to combine six months' worth of Patch Tuesdays--from June through November. And, in fairness to Microsoft, Patch Tuesdays address a variety of applications such as , SQL Server, Exchange Server, etc. that are outside of the Windows operating system itself.

Apple may release fewer total updates, and it may patch on a less frequent or regular basis, but when the dust settles it turns out that Apple is scrambling to fix just as many flaws--and sometimes more--than Microsoft has to address in the Windows operating system (and the rest of the combined software managed through Windows Update). And, every year Mac OS X isby hackers competing in the Pwn2Own contest.

In fact, Charlie Miller, the winner of the Pwn2Own contest to hack the Mac for last three consecutive years, says that in spite of the massive number of flaws fixed by Apple with this update, there are still many vulnerabilities left open."Apple releases huge patch, still miss all my bugs. Makes you realize how many bugs are in their code (or they're very unlucky)."

Apple doesn't deal with the spectrum of software that Microsoft does in its Patch Tuesday security bulletins, but it does include fixes for Adobe Flash in its updates because it bundles the technology with the Mac OS--or at least it did. To Apple's credit, it turns out that 55 of the vulnerabilities are related to Adobe Flash in some way.

This revelation supports Apple's crusade against Adobe Flash--based largely on security related issues. It was also discovered that Adobe Flash can be a significant drain on the . As of the latest release of Mac OS X, Apple is no longer bundling Flash, so future updates from Apple may be significantly smaller.

I am aware of all of the arguments that Mac OS X is more secure despite the massive number of vulnerabilities. While that can be debated, it is also not relevant. What is relevant is that Mac OS X is not invulnerable, despite the perception by many Mac users.

Mac users are lulled into a false sense of security--a combination of the hype that the Mac is just secure by default, and the fact that Mac's are largely ignored by malware developers because the market isn't big enough to be worth the effort.

Mac OS X has been gaining market share, though, and may start creeping onto the malware radar. When that happens, malware developers will apparently have a vast array of vulnerabilities to exploit, and Mac OS X users could be in for a culture shock.

Statement of Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on August employment numbers

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 – WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the August 2010 Employment Situation report released today:

"This past August, the economy gained 67,000 jobs in the private sector, and the unemployment rate increased to 9.6 percent. šTotal nonfarm employment declined by 54,000 over the month, as 114,000 temporary census jobs wrapped up between July and August and more than offset the private sector job gains.

"We have now added private sector jobs for eight straight months, totaling 763,000 private sector jobs since the beginning of the year. šWhile we need to pick up the pace of recovery, erase the job losses and get Americans back to work, this encouraging growth shows that we are headed in the right direction. š

"As soon as we took office, this administration took action to stop the economic bleeding. šTo help put people back to work, we passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which already has saved or created more than 2.5 million American jobs. šThe actions this administration undertook helped our economy grow for four consecutive quarters.

"It's important to remember how far we've come. šWhen this administration took office, we were losing 750,000 jobs each month. šThe question was whether we'd enter another depression. This year, we've averaged 95,000 private sector jobs added each month, and the debate is about the pace of the recovery. šBut we know we still have a ways to go.

"To support growth, it is critical to support our small businesses, which are key drivers of our economic recovery. šIndeed, two out of every three jobs created in our economy are created by small businesses. šSo far, this administration has helped pass eight different tax cuts for small businesses, and we know there is more we can do to help. šThe Small Business Jobs Act, pending in the Senate, would provide a set of tax breaks and lending incentives to spur investment and hiring by small businesses. It would accelerate $55 billion of tax relief to encourage American businesses, small and large, to expand their investments over the next 14 months. šWe join the president, small business leaders and those Americans looking for work, and call upon the Senate to pass this critical piece of legislation to ensure that we continue on the path of recovery.

"At the Department of Labor, we continue to provide essential tools to help job seekers find employment. šWe recognize that in a tough labor market it can be difficult for the jobless to figure out what jobs they are most qualified for, or what kind of training can help workers successfully transition into a new career. So, this Labor Day we are unveiling "mySkills myFuture" - a new online tool to help job seekers do just that. By visiting , job seekers can see exactly what skills and training they need, find local training and education providers, and view real job postings in their area.

"Without a doubt, we are climbing out of this recession and are on the road to recovery. šThe president and I have confidence in the American economy, and we have confidence in the American people. šWe will continue fighting every day to keep this economy moving forward."

U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at . šThe information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. šPlease specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. šThe Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations.š For more information, please visit .

SOURCEU.S. Department of Labor

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Catching up with "Beverly Hills, 90210"

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – After 10 seasons on the small screen, fans of Fox's primetime soap "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990-2000) can relive the magic without guilt. After all, the date is 9/02/10.

"Chuck" executive producer Josh Schwartz tweeted a fan-made video of a "Gossip Girl" opening to "Beverly Hills, 90210's" iconic 1990s theme. Star Jennie Garth, who was a regular for the entire 10-season run said via Twitter, "Love to the original cast and crew. And the new kids too."

The original hourlong drama introduced us to a slew of stars (and two-time Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank) both past and future, and a decade after the show ended its run, several castmembers went on to other projects. But would they be able to sustain success in their post-"90210" careers?

The biggest surprise -- and possible discovery -- was Swank's 16-episode arc as Steve Sanders' (Ian Ziering) girlfriend Carly Reynolds in the ninth season. A year after she left the show, she would go on to win her first Academy Award for "Boys Don't Cry."

Jason Priestley, who led the series for eight seasons as the straight-laced Brandon Walsh (and also directed several episodes), went on to star in other TV projects, including the short-lived "Love Monkey," "Tru Calling" and ABC Family telepic "I Want to Marry Ryan Banks." As of late, Priestley has been known more as a director, shooting episodes of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," web series "The Lake" and one for present-day CW update "90210."

Luke Perry, who was introduced in the second episode as bad boy Dylan McKay, appeared in "Windfall," "John From Cincinnati," Showtime's post-apocalyptic series "Jeremiah" and "FCU: Fact Checkers Unit" in his notable post-"90210" roles.

After starring in the defunct WB Network's "What I Like About You" opposite Amanda Bynes, Garth reprised her role as Kelly Taylor on the CW update. (She is also married to "Nurse Jackie" and "Twilight" star Peter Facinelli.) Like her counterpart, Shannen Doherty -- who exited the series early in its run because of on-set drama -- returned as Brandon's sister Brenda on "90210," but not before a long stint on "Charmed."

Tori Spelling, who grew up in the industry, became a reality-show enterprise, appearing in and producing "Tori & Dean: Inn Love," the upcoming "Tori & Dean: Storibook Weddings" and "So noTORIous." But who could forget the family drama surrounding her and mother Candy Spelling after the death of "Beverly Hills, 90210" producer and father Aaron Spelling?

Gabrielle Carteris left the series in 1995 for her own talk show, "Gabrielle," which failed to catch on, lasting for only one season. (She was also the oldest cast member at 29 when the series debuted.)

Brian Austin Green, who we saw literally grow up on the show, recently landed a gig on ABC's "Desperate Housewives," but may be better known as Mr. Megan Fox. "Southland's" Michael Cudlitz appeared in an 11-episode guest arc. Rebecca Gayheart starred in a few episodes, while James Pickens Jr., who currently costars with Gayheart's husband Eric Dane on "Grey's Anatomy," also appeared in 10 episodes of the teen soap.

Vanessa Marcil and Daniel Cosgrove are now daytime soap stars. Tiffani Thiessen, formerly of "Saved by the Bell" fame, is a series regular on USA's "White Collar." "Parenthood" star Peter Krause even a recurring role in 1992.

Want more? Jessica Alba appeared in two episodes and "Hawaii Five-0" remake star Daniel Dae Kim also had a short stint in the popular TV ZIP code. Jamie Walters, who played Ray, went on to "The Heights," which launched the popular song "How Do You Talk to an Angel?." Dean Cain (a.k.a. Clark Kent) and future "Sex and the City" star Jason Lewis was among the list of notables.

In addition to serving as a launching pad for acting and writer-producers, "Beverly Hills, 90210's" success also reinvigorated the teen soap, as shows like "Dawson's Creek," "The O.C." and "The Vampire Diaries" found ratings success.

Darren Star, series creator of the original "90210," brought the concept back to the CW, which premiered in 2008.

John Eisendrath, who worked on the initial "90210" for a few seasons, left the teen soap genre to write and exec produce "Alias" before taking on the Jimmy Smits starrer and upcoming legal drama "Outlaw."

Chip Johanssen, who had only one writing credit ("Married With Children") before jumping on to "Beverly Hills, 90210," ditched the teenage melodrama format in favor of sci-fi: cult hits "Dark Angel" and "Moonlight" followed, and after "Dexter" showrunner Clyde Phillips left the Showtime drama after Season 4, Johanssen joined as an exec producer.

Director Jack Bender may be known primarily for his work on "Lost," but he led the charge on three episodes from 1992-95; and Laurie McCarthy went on to write and exec produce projects including "Felicity," "CSI: Miami," "Windfall" and the recently axed "Ghost Whisperer."

Now, good luck getting that catchy theme song out of your head. Maybe it'll be gone by 9/03/10.

Chile seeks to speed up rescue of trapped miners

COPIAPO, Chile (Reuters) – Chile was looking at ways on Saturday to speed up the rescue of 33 miners trapped deep underground for 23 days who officials have said might have to wait three to four months to see the light of day.

Mining Minister Laurence Golborne said rescuers were considering other options, including digging a second escape shaft to rescue the miners, who survived over two weeks on mouthfuls of tinned tuna, cookies and milk.

"Obviously we are looking into other options and we will welcome any option that speeds up the rescue," Golborne told reporters at the mine in the rugged mountains of the Atacama desert near the city of Copiapo.

Officials plan on Sunday to start digging a shaft about 2 feet in diameter that would take three months to reach the trapped miners. They would be lifted up one by one with a pulley.

Rescuers said on Saturday they were considering drilling a second shaft closer to the tunnel where the miners are located that would take about 60 days to reach them.

"We are very happy. Any possibility of bringing them out sooner is great news," said Cristina Nunez, 26, whose husband, Claudio, is trapped underground.

The miners were found alive last Sunday after they tied a note to a drill looking for them 2,300 feet underground, triggering celebrations across Chile and focusing world attention on what would be the toughest mining rescue ever attempted.

In a video released this week, bearded miners, some of them noticeably thin, explained how they organized themselves to survive in a tiny refuge in the bowels of the mountain.

They said they had areas designated to sleep and play dominoes as well as a space for water and items like toothpaste and deodorant.

Government officials are worried five of the men have started to show signs of depression after they did not appear in a video filmed by the miners.

The government is bringing in NASA experts for tips on how to help the miners cope with lengthy confinement.

Rescuers have started to lower card games, miniature video projectors and MP3 players to battle boredom inside the hot and humid tunnel.

The San Jose mine accident has put the spotlight on safety conditions in the world's top copper producer where authorities have closed at least 30 small mines since the August 5 cave-in.

The government has also promised changes to safety regulation, although stricter controls and closures of small mines are unlikely to dent copper output significantly.

(Writing by Alonso Soto; Editing by Peter Cooney)