Livejournal News - Patients with sickle cell disease move from pediatric to adult health care because they now depend more on the emergency room, says researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Reported at the American Society of Hematology's annual meeting in Atlanta, more than 3,200 patients with sickle cell disease demonstrates that emergency room visits tripled from age 15 to age 24 this is according to the study of Medicaid data. According to hematologist Morey A. Blinder, MD, associate professor of medicine, "There seems to be a breakdown in medical care during the transition from childhood to adulthood. Not only emergency department usage, but hospitalizations go up during this time as well." Blinder further added that one possible explanation for the increased reliance on emergency care is the relative lack of adult health care providers with experience caring for sickle cell patients. Alarming similar issues are arising for other pediatric diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and hemophilia. The said illnesses were previously fatal. What is more sad about the problem is over the past few decades the number of children and teenagers are living into adulthood with these conditions increased. What makes the matters worse is there often aren't enough primary care physicians who can provide care for these adult patients. Many are not familiar to the understanding of the sickle cell disease. It refers to a number of inherited genetic conditions the "sickle" shape red blood cells aren't normal, they are suppose to be normally round, disk-like red blood cells. The problems with these malformed red blood cells are prone to clogging smaller blood vessels and they do not carry oxygen to the body as well as healthy cells. The condition often causes pain in places the cells block blood flow that sometimes causes more severe complications include blindness, strokes and pneumonia. Medical patients from five states

Satellite images have surfaced recently revealing North Korea's digging of a tunnel in what seems to be a preparation for a new nuclear test. According to reports from intelligence officials, the excavation at northeastern Punggye-ri, where previous nuclear tests were done in 2009 and 2006, is already in the final stages. What observers are anxious of is a repeat of an incident in 2009 when the country walked out from nuclear negotiations and subsequently conducted a nuclear test. This report has come just as North Korea is prepping for their missile launch that the rest of the world suspects to be a missile test in disguise. US has said on Monday that an underground nuclear test along with the rocket launch are acts that will leave North Korea more isolated. Experts say the only reason for them to dig a new tunnel on that area will be to conduct a nuclear test. Moreover, nuclear tests done consist of closing the tunnel with dirt, which is the last step before the detonation. According to an analyst from Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, DPRK is in need of a new tunnel if they are planning on a nuclear test because the 2 tunnels they used have already caved in and became contaminated with radiation after previous tests. Moreover, if the upcoming launch is already deemed as "highly provocative" by the international community, a nuclear test will be worse. South Korea and Japan has been making preparations to shoot down the rocket if it threatens their territory, claiming their right to self-defense. Apparently, the Defense Minister of South Korea has been contacted by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to discuss North Korea's plans and according to a spokesman of Pentagon, both of them regards the launch as a "serious provocation". United States, Britain and Japan have been reiterating their demand that North Korea cancel the launch, with the warning that shooting a long-range rocket violates UN resolutions and its own pro

United Nation's Security Council has decided to freeze the assets of 3 North Korean companies and consequently ban them from global trade because of their involvement in exporting, procuring and financing nuclear-related weapons. UN's sanctions committee has named the 3 blacklisted firms as Korea Heungjin Trading Company, Amroggang Development Banking Corporation and Green Pine Conglomerate.