Prostate Cancer Screening: What You Need to Know

Prostate Cancer Screening: What You Need to Know

"A panel of cancer experts is recommending against testing for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), the most commonly used prostate cancer screen, in healthy men.

According to its review of the best available data, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the potential harms of PSA testing — which include further, more invasive testing that may result in impotence and incontinence — outweigh any benefits in healthy men. The panel is expected to release on Tuesday a comprehensive report detailing the value of PSA testing, but the group's draft recommendation was made public this week.

What does this mean for men who are concerned about prostate cancer? Here's some information that can help you decide whether it's right for you.

What is the PSA test?

The PSA test is a blood test that measures levels of prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. It tends to show up on cancer cells, so higher levels of the antigen could be a sign of tumors. Men normally have low levels of PSA, but those levels may rise for reasons unrelated to cancer, which is why a high PSA level alone cannot be used to determine whether a man has cancer or some other benign condition.

What conditions other than prostate cancer can raise PSA levels?

There are many: benign growth of the prostate (the gland typically enlarges with age), infection or inflammation of the prostate, ejaculation, and riding a bicycle can all push PSA levels higher.

Who should get the PSA test?

Currently, there is no major medical group that recommends routine PSA testing, but millions of men over age 50 get it. The American Cancer Society, for example, does not have a specific recommendation for routine screening of healthy men without symptoms of prostate cancer, but it advises otherwise healthy men who have reason for concern about increased prostate risk to begin discussing screening with their doctors at age 50. That's because the risk of prostate cancer tends to increase with age. (...)"

in Time

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Thieves Steal An Entire Metal Bridge in Pennsylvania

Thieves Steal An Entire Metal Bridge in Pennsylvania

"It's one of the strangest – and most unwieldy – thefts we've ever come across. Police in a small western Pennsylvania town are searching for a missing steel bridge.

Salvaging scrap metal is nothing new. But most thieves go for easy targets like piping, gutters and even manhole covers. A 50-foot-long bridge made of impossibly heavy steel doesn't quite fit into that same category. But some enterprising criminals managed to haul away the bridge from North Beaver Township, Pa., about 50 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

The 40-ton bridge, tucked away on an access road at an industrial park in the sparsely populated area near the Ohio border, isn't very heavily trafficked. But its disappearance is obvious, not least because it's worth an estimated $100,000.

The most likely scenario is that the thieves used a blowtorch to cut apart the bridge and haul it away. New Castle Development, who owns the property, remembers the bridge being there on Sept. 27. But sometime in the past 10 days, it disappeared. New Castle Development spokesman Gary Bruce told WFMJ, "I thought that with the rain it got washed away."

But that's quite a tall tale for the bridge that's been standing since the early 1900s. The bridge was lifted off its foundation, marks visible where the metal was ripped from its supports. "Its old beams are probably hundreds and hundreds of pounds per foot," Robert Obed, who lives in the area, told WTAE. But metal thefts aren't uncommon in the area. Coincidentally enough, the bridge was recently closed because of copper thefts nearby."

in Time

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AT&T sold 200,000 iPhones in 12 hours

AT&T sold 200,000 iPhones in 12 hours

"AT&T (T.N) sold more than 200,000 of Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) latest iPhone in the first 12 hours and said it had seen "extraordinary demand" for a gadget unveiled a day before the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

The iPhone 4S was unveiled on Tuesday and immediately underwhelmed fans who had hoped for a revolutionary design after a wait of more than 15 months.

But Wall Street analysts are betting that hardware updates and software enhancements, including a well-reviewed voice-recognition software system, will pull in buyers.

AT&T, Verizon (VZ.N) Wireless and Sprint (S.N) began taking U.S. online orders for the device on Friday.

Comparisons are difficult because the iPhone is now carried by three wireless operators, versus just one. Last year AT&T was the only carrier to sell the phone. But the previous generation of the smartphone, the iPhone 4, was the fastest-selling mobile in Apple's history, with 1.7 million devices selling in the first three days.

Estimates vary, but some analysts expect Apple to sell about 27 million to 28 million iPhones in the October-December quarter.

The latest iPhone 4S hits store shelves around the world on October 14. It debuts at a critical juncture for Apple.

Phones based on Google Inc's (GOOG.O) Android -- such as Samsung's (005930.KS) Galaxy -- are providing heightened competition just as a new CEO, Tim Cook, takes the reins. "

in Reuters

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Apple's Steve Jobs dead

Apple's Steve Jobs dead

"Passionate, prickly, and deemed irreplaceable by many Apple fans and investors, Steve Jobs made a life defying conventions and expectations.

And despite years of poor health, his death on Wednesday at the age of 56 prompted a global gasp as many people remembered how much he had done to transform the worlds of computing, music and mobile phones, changing the way people communicate and access information and entertainment.

"The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come," said Microsoft co-founder and long-time rival Bill Gates.

"For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor."

The founder of Apple Inc died on Wednesday in Palo Alto, surrounded by his family. The circumstances of his passing were unclear, but Jobs has had a long battle with cancer and other health issues.

Jobs' family thanked many for their prayers during the last year of Steves illness.

A college dropout, Jobs floated through India in search of spiritual guidance prior to founding Apple - a name he suggested to his friend and co-founder Steve Wozniak after a visit to a commune in Oregon he referred to as an "apple orchard."

With his passion for minimalist design and marketing genius, Jobs changed the course of personal computing during two stints at Apple and then brought a revolution to the mobile market. (...)"

in Reuters

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'The Simpsons' is in danger in 23rd year

'The Simpsons' is in danger in 23rd year

"In its 23rd year on TV, "The Simpsons" could be on the endangered species list.

The show's producer said Tuesday the show can't continue under its current financial model, following a report that big pay cuts are being sought for the actors who provide voices for Homer, Marge and Bart Simpson and other characters.

"We believe this brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model," said Chris Alexander, spokesman for 20th Century Fox Television. He said producers hope a deal can be reached.

The animated series is a fixture on Fox's Sunday night schedule, and critics consider it one of the best shows in the medium. But like many programs that have been on the air for a long time, the cost of making it has become prohibitive.

The Fox network reportedly loses money each year on new episodes, even as all the old episodes run in perpetuity in reruns and are a cash cow for producers and creators.

The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that producers are demanding a 45 percent pay cut from the six voice actors, who reportedly make nearly $8 million each for a season. The website said the voice actors have offered to take a 30 percent pay in return for a portion of the show's syndication and merchandise revenue.

Allan Mayer, a spokesman for one of the show's voice actors, Harry Shearer, said he had no comment on the talks. The manager for Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, told The Associated Press she didn't know about the negotiations, and creator Matt Groening didn't immediately return a phone call.

"The Simpsons" is averaging 7.1 million viewers for its new episodes this fall, down 14 percent from last year. Back in the 1991-92 season, an average of 21.7 million people watched it every week, Nielsen said.

The median age of the show's viewers back two decades ago was 23, and this season it is still very young for a TV show - 32, Nielsen said. That's an indication of how the show has regenerated its audiences as the years go by.  (...)"

in Awaz.Tv

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Italian appeal court clears Amanda Knox of murder

Italian appeal court clears Amanda Knox of murder

"Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend left prison after four years Monday when an Italian appeals court cleared them of the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Seattle native Knox and Italian computer student Raffaele Sollecito, had appealed against a 2009 verdict that found them guilty of murdering the 21-year-old Kercher during what prosecutors had said was a drug-fueled sexual assault four years ago.

A whoop of joy was heard in the court as the ruling overturning their sentences was read out but Knox herself broke down and was led out sobbing and supported by police officers.

"As you could see from the images, Amanda was a nervous wreck who just collapsed. She wasn't able to say anything other than 'thank you' in a flood of tears," one of her lawyers, Maria Del Grosso, told reporters.

Speaking to a crowd outside the courtroom, Knox's sister Deanna thanked her legal team and supporters.

"We're thankful that Amanda's nightmare is over. She suffered for four years for a crime she did not commit," she said. "We are also thankful to the court for having the courage to look for the truth and to overturn the conviction."

The verdict, a severe embarrassment to the Italian justice system, came after independent forensic investigators sharply criticized police scientific evidence in the original investigation, saying it was unreliable.

Kercher's half-naked body, with more than 40 wounds and a deep gash in the throat, was found in 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in the Umbrian hill town of Perugia where both were studying.

Both Knox and Sollecito, 27, consistently had maintained their innocence throughout the original investigation and trial. A third man, Ivorian drug dealer Rudy Guede, was imprisoned for 16 years for his role in the murder.

Knox returned briefly to the Perugia jail where she had been held to complete formalities before being driven away to an unknown destination in a black Mercedes with shaded windows.

She is expected to return to the United States Tuesday although it was not immediately clear whether she would be returning on a regular flight or on a private plane.

Sollecito, who had been held in a separate jail near Perugia, also left custody but his lawyer refused to say where he would be spending his first night of freedom.

"It was obvious that he had nothing to do with the death of that poor girl," Sollecito's father, a doctor, said after the verdict which he said had "given me back my son."

The court upheld a conviction against Knox for slander, after she had falsely accused barman Patrick Lumumba of the murders. It sentenced her to three years in prison, a sentence which she has now already served. "

in Reuters

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Wish You Had a Girlfriend? New Service Offers You (a Fake) One

Wish You Had a Girlfriend? New Service Offers You (a Fake) One

"Craving some female attention? Fakegirlfriend.co offers a bit of the textual kind.

If for some reason you've found yourself in need of a fake girlfriend — NewsFeed doesn't want to imagine what that reason might be, but concedes there could be one — a new service will pose as a faithful paramour, who sends you loving text messages and phone calls when you need them most. According to the website Fakegirlfriend.co, you simply save the company's number in your phone under whatever name you've given your imaginary lady friend and then send a text when you're out with your friends, co-workers or whoever you've been lying to. The service will then send you a "girlfriend-esque message," closely followed by a phone call.

So exactly what are these "girlfriend-esque" messages and calls saying? According to MSNBC's Digital Life, the messages and calls range in content but most are along the lines of, "Why don't you leave the boys and come hang out with me?" and "Please come hang out with me? Please? I really miss you."

Which, to be honest, is totally baffling to NewsFeed and likely anyone who's ever read a women's magazine. We thought men were supposed to hate behavior like this? Now it seems some of them are requesting it."

in Time

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