Memphis Redbirds Fall To Sky Sox 10-3.

Article by Memphis Redbirds
Posted on May 12, 2015
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Colorado Springs Sky Sox scored 10 runs over the final four innings to hand the visiting Memphis Redbirds a 10-3 defeat on Tuesday night at Security Service Field.
The road loss was the fourth in a row for Memphis, which dropped to 12-20 on the season.
Outfielder Stephen Piscotty drove in two while clubbing his fifth home run of the season in the loss. Ed Easley, Greg Garcia, and Mike O'Neill also added two hits apiece.
Memphis moved out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning on Piscotty's blast. After Easley worked a one-out walk, he promptly came home on Piscotty's first swing of the at-bat.
The Sky Sox scored four unanswered runs to move ahead at 4-2, beginning with an unearned run in the fifth inning on a Memphis throwing error. Matt Clark's team-leading seventh homer tied the game at 2-2 in the next frame, a solo shot to right.
Colorado Springs added two insurance runs in the seventh as Pete Orr tripled and scored on a Matt Long single. Ben Guez later walked and moved around to score on a Donnie Murphy RBI groundout.
The Sky Sox put the game out of reach in the eighth, batting around and plating six runs. The first seven batters of the inning reached safely, highlighted by a two-run double and two-run single. Memphis also issued two walks and hit a batter in the inning.
Redbirds starter John Gast tossed a no-decision, surrendering two runs (one earned) on five hits and eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Reliever Keith Butler (0-2) took the loss with two runs in 2/3 of an inning.
The Redbirds and Sky Sox continue their series at 12:05 pm CT on Wednesday afternoon at Security Service Field. Right-hander Zach Petrick (0-3, 5.76) will make the start for the Redbirds in the matinee against Sky Sox right-hander Drew Gagnon (1-3, 5.34).

Memphis Fire Department Responds To Summit Park Apartment Fire

Article by TennesseeGazette.com

Posted on May 12, 2015

Memphis, Tennessee--Memphis Fire Department responded to a reported  structure fire at the Summit Park Apartments  which is located at the 1700 block of Piping Rock in Whitehaven. When crews arrived they found smoke coming from several units. Fire Fighters were able to get the fire under control within 20 minutes of arriving on scene. No injuries were reported though  around six units sustain damage.

Amtrak Derails Killing 7 in Philly

Article by David Lear
Posted on May 12, 2015
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-- An Amtrak train headed to New York from Washington, DC derailed near the 2000 block of Wheatsheaf Lane in Philly. A report indicate that 7 people lost their life and 200 people were injured after 8 cars came off the tracks. 240 people were on the train at the time of derailment.

U.S. Pacific Command Assist Earthquake Relief in Nepal

Nepalese military service members unload supplies from a UH-1Y Huey in Charikot, Nepal, May 5, Nepal, May 5. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 and Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 262 carried supplies in a UH-1Y Huey and MV-22 Ospreys to Charikot, Nepal. The supplies will provide Nepalese people with shelter after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Nepal, April 25, causing fatalities, injuries and significant damage. The government of Nepal declared a state of emergency and requested international assistance. The U.S. military, at the direction of the U.S. Agency for International Development, will continue to support Nepal as needed. HMLA-469 and VMM-262 are attached to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mandaline Hatch/Released)

Article by Amaani Lyle, DoD News, Defense Media Activity

 

Posted on May 12, 2015

 

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii -- As Nepal grapples with the impact of the magnitude-7.8 earthquake that struck April 25, the U.S. Agency for International Development is working with multiple organizations -- including U.S. Pacific Command (Pacom) -- and nations from around the world to bring relief.The Nepal earthquake has claimed at least 8,000 lives, caused more than 16,000 injuries and left thousands more missing, according to news reports.Coordination between USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and Pacom helps bring relief to people simply trying to survive in the wake of a natural disaster, USAID/OFDA humanitarian advisor to Pacom Thomas Frey said in a recent interview.
‘Ring of Fire’ Region
“Pacific Command sits in the ‘Ring of Fire’ [volcanic region, with] earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, cyclones -- those sorts of disasters which occur throughout this area of responsibility,” Frey said.
But, he asserts, USAID’s greatest buffer against these seemingly apocalyptic threats is preparedness, presence, and the ability to leverage Pacom’s unique capabilities during a response.
USAID’s Relationship With Pacific Command
“As the lead US Government agency for coordinating foreign disaster relief, USAID/OFDA has a strong relationship with Pacific Command, and we have staff permanently stationed at Pacom to work with the command staff to plan for these events so that when a real event occurs, we’re there -- as part of Pacom’s planning and execution process,” Frey said.
According to Frey, USAID/OFDA has its own capabilities to draw on initially to respond to disasters. One of those capabilities is a Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART, a forward-deployable resource that coordinates and manages the U.S. government’s response in the country affected by a disaster.
USAID/OFDA has a DART on the ground in Nepal with about 125 staff, including two urban and search and rescue teams -- one from Los Angeles County and another from Fairfax County, Virginia. DoD transported the teams from the U.S. to Nepal and they are critical in rescuing people from collapsed structures, a USAID official said.
Frey said the DART has been assisting with rescue and relief operations in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu and beyond. “A heartwarming success was our urban search-and-rescue teams rescuing a 15-year-old boy in Kathmandu a few days ago; that was a positive thing amidst all the sadness” he said.
Other DART personnel work with the U.S. ambassador and the international humanitarian community and coordinate with Pacom’s Joint Task Force 505.
Pacific Command-sourced Assistance
Rescue and relief operations are where Pacom’s unique resources, especially U.S. Marine Corps helicopters, play a key role in getting out to remote locations and providing assistance that is not yet available through the normal humanitarian relief community, Frey said. “We’re using that capability as part of the overall unity of effort in Nepal.”
He added, “In a larger framework, the unity of effort between the Pacific Command, USAID/OFDA staff at Pacom and the DART on the ground [shows] that they’ve been able to begin reach out to the Nepalese people who have been affected by this disaster.”
Working With U.S. Military, International Partners
In Nepal, USAID/OFDA is collaborating with Pacom’s deployed staff as well as international partners, Frey said.
“A lot of countries have come in to assist with this [and] a lot of foreign militaries besides the U.S.,” he said. “It takes coordination and collaboration on the ground [and] working in support of the Nepalese government so we can work together to allocate resources to the most needy areas.”
Pacific Command is helping to deliver relief supplies into Nepal as well as coordinating and improving the movement of resources across the country, Frey said.
“There’s always confusion initially but things are improving and people understand now how to better coordinate in a unified way,” Frey said. “We know, unfortunately, that these disasters are going to occur again and we want to be ready.”
He added, “Our presence and our ability to work with the command has been excellent in the past and we hope for that in the future as well.”

Nepal Hit By Another Earthquake

Article by David Lear

File Photo.

Posted on May 12, 2015

Kathmandu, Nepal -- Nepal has been hit by another earthquake near the Capital of Kathmandu and Mount Everest, with at least four people confirmed dead. This earthquake strikes nearly three weeks after the country was devastated by an earthquake that killed more than 8,150 people and injured more than 17,860. 

Accelerated Brain Aging in Type 1 Diabetes

Article posted by TennesseeGazette.com

Posted on May 12, 2015

PITTSBURGH, PA – The brains of people with type 1 diabetes show signs of accelerated aging that correlate with slower information processing, according to research led by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. 

The findings indicate that clinicians should consider screening middle-aged patients with type 1 diabetes for cognitive difficulties. If progressive, these changes could influence their ability to manage their diabetes. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is online and will be published in the May 19 issue of the journal Neurology.

“The severity of cognitive complications and cerebral small vessel disease – which can starve the brain of oxygen – is much more intense than we expected, but it can be measured in a clinical setting,” said senior author Caterina Rosano, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor in Pitt Public Health’s Department of Epidemiology. “Further study in younger patients is needed, but it stands to reason that early detection and intervention – such as controlling cardiometabolic factors and tighter glycemic control, which help prevent microvascular complications – also could reduce or delay these cognitive complications.” 

Type 1 diabetes usually is diagnosed in children and young adults and happens when the body does not produce insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar into energy.  

Dr. Rosano and her co-authors examined brain MRIs, cognitive assessments, physical exams and medical histories on 97 people with type 1 diabetes and 81 of their non-diabetic peers. 

The people with type 1 diabetes were all participants in the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study, an ongoing investigation led by Pitt Public Health epidemiologist and study co-author Trevor Orchard, M.D., to document long-term complications of type 1 diabetes among patients diagnosed at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC between 1950 and 1980. 

The MRIs showed that 33 percent of the people with type 1 diabetes had moderate to severe levels of white matter hyperintensities (markers of damage to the brain’s white matter, present in normal aging and neurological disorders) compared with 7 percent of their non-diabetic counterparts. 

On three cognitive tests that measure abilities such as information-processing speed, manual dexterity and verbal intelligence, the people with type 1 diabetes averaged lower scores than those without the condition. 

Among only the participants with type 1 diabetes, those with greater volumes of white matter hyperintensities averaged lower cognitive scores than those with smaller volumes, though the difference was less pronounced. 

The associations held even when the researchers adjusted for high blood pressure and glucose control, which are conditions that can worsen diabetes complications. 

The study identified signs of nerve damage, such as numbness or tingling in extremities, as a risk factor for greater volumes of white matter hyperintensities. 

“People with type 1 diabetes are living longer than ever before, and the incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing annually,” said lead author Karen A. Nunley, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in Pitt Public Health’s neuroepidemiology program. “We must learn more about the impact of this disease as patients age. Long-term studies are needed to better detect potential issues and determine what interventions may reduce or prevent accelerated brain aging and cognitive decline.”

Additional authors on this study are Christopher M. Ryan, Ph.D., Howard J. Aizenstein, M.D., Ph.D., J. Richard Jennings, Ph.D., John Ryan, Ph.D., Janice C. Zgibor, R.Ph., Ph.D., Robert M. Boudreau, Ph.D., Tina Costacou, Ph.D., and Rachel G. Miller, M.S., all of Pitt; and John D. Maynard, M.S., of VeraLight Inc.

This research was supported by NIH grants R01 DK089028, R01 DK034818-25 and R01 HL101959.

Memphis Grizzlies Fall To The Warriors In Tonights Game.

Article by David Lear
Graphic by Memphis Grizzlies
Posted on May 11, 2015
Memphis--The Memphis Grizzlies have lost tonight's game after taking on the Golden State Warriors. In the first half the Grizzlies scored a total of 20 points while the Warriors scored 28. At the Half the Grizzlies‬ trailed the ‪Warriors‬ 44-61. The Warriors final score of 101 over The Grizzlies 84 allowed the Warriors to win the game. The next game for the Memphis Grizzlies is to take place on Wednesday at 9:30PM at ORACLE Arena Oakland CA. 

Anti-Islamist Group Gets Unwelcome Surprise After Two Killed Outside Event.

Article by Tennessee Gazette
Posted on May 3, 2015

Garland, Texas--An event hosted by an anti-Islamist group in Garland, Texas got an unwelcome surprise after two gunman open fire and were killed by SWAT outside the event. The event featured cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad according to local officials. 

Local Fighter Dies After Tree Accident

Article by David Lear, Reporter. 
File Photo by TennesseeGazette.com
Posted on May 3, 2015

Madison County, TN-- A local firefighter has died from injuries he sustained when a tree fell on him. Madison County Fire Department had responded to a vehicle fire on Highway 18 on Sunday.
At some point during the call a tree broke and fell on firefighter Chris Blankenship. Blankenship was transported to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Blankenship had been a member of the Madison County Fire Department for 10 years.

National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

 
Posted by Tennessee Gazette
Photo Credit  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Posted on May 3, 2015
 
Nashville, TN – May is designated as national Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol joined today to share a unified message: Share the Road.
“As the weather gets warmer, more and more motorcyclists will be on the road,” said Governor’s Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole. “It takes everyone working together to stay safe. Motorcyclists take extra precaution with protective gear and being aware of their surroundings. We are asking all other drivers to do their part and take the extra time to look twice.”
According to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, there were 2,710 known crashes involving a motorcycle in 2014 that resulted in 121 deaths.
“When a car collides with a motorcyclist, it is much different than a crash between two cars,” said Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott. “A motorcyclist has little defense against the tons of steel that will hit them. While traffic fatalities statewide are declining, motorcycle fatalities have continued to rise. Over the last decade, we have seen an approximate twenty-five percent increase.”
Among those speaking at the press event included motorcycle crash survivor Wayne Fielder. In 2008, Wayne was riding his 2005 Harley Davidson “Fatboy” in Lebanon when a car cut in front of him. He hit the bumper and side wheel of the other vehicle and was thrown several feet upon impact. “I am living proof of the consequences that can occur when drivers don’t take the extra second to look twice. There are countless others that don’t survive a crash like mine. If I can communicate one thing today, it’s please share the road.” Wayne suffered extensive nerve damage and injury required him to have below the knee amputation.
Dr. Brad Dennis, Director of Trauma Outreach and Education at Vanderbilt Medical Center, attended the event to discuss his experiences in the critical care unit. “The biggest threat to motorcyclists today is other drivers.  I encourage all drivers to be aware of those around them on roadways, especially motorcyclists.  The most important thing motorcyclists can do to protect themselves is to wear the appropriate gear.  Without a doubt, the most essential piece of protection is a full-face helmet.  There is overwhelming research that demonstrates that helmet-use is the best chance for survival in motorcycle crashes.”
There are additional steps that even a seasoned motorcycle rider can take to become more experienced. “The Tennessee Motorcycle Rider Education Program (MREP) can teach everyone to ride a motorcycle safely.  It also teaches experienced riders to ride safer.  We have a learn-to-ride program that fits everyone, from people who have never ridden a motorcycle to people who are experienced,” said MREP Instructor T. J. Tennent.
For more information about motorcycle safety, please visit the Governor’s Highway Safety Office website at www.tntrafficsafety.org.