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WASHINGTON (AP) – Sophia is the new most popular baby name for girls, while Jacob is the top name for boys for the 13th straight year in a new list of popular baby names heavily influenced by religion and reality TV.

Isabella, which had been the top girl’s name for two years, dropped to second place in 2011, according to the list released Monday by the Social Security Administration. Emma, Olivia and Ava rounded out the top five.

Mason, as in Mason Kardashian, jumped 10 spots to become the second most popular name for newborn boys last year, knocking Michael out of the top five for the first time in 63 years. Kourtney Kardashian, the reality TV star, gave birth to Mason in December 2009 following a heavily publicized pregnancy.

Rounding out the top five: William, Jayden and Noah. Michael came in sixth, his lowest ranking since 1948.

The Social Security Administration provides lists of baby names dating to 1880 on its website. The top two names that year were John and Mary. The list, which includes top baby names by state, draws millions of people. The agency hopes that people go to the website to see the baby names and stay to learn about other services, said Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue.

Top girl names tend to be more volatile – changing from year to year – while the top boy names are more stable, Astrue said. William, for example, has been a popular boy’s name for more than 100 years, never falling out of the top 20. Mason is the exception, entering the top 100 for the first time in 1997.

On the girls’ side, Sophia first cracked the top 100 in 1997. Isabella dropped off the list altogether from 1949 to 1990.

Social Security also tracks which names increase in popularity from year to year and which ones drop.

The fastest rising name for girls: Briella, which jumped 394 spots, to No. 497. Briella Calafiore stars in “Jerseylicious,” a reality TV show about battling stylists at a beauty salon in Green Brook, N.J. She’s also in a spinoff called “Glam Fairy.”

Brantley was the fastest rising name for boys, jumping 416 spots to No. 320. Brantley Gilbert is a singer who had a No. 1 country hit called “Country Must Be Country Wide”.

Americans get baby names from a lot of places – religion, relatives and, yes, popular culture, said Laura Wattenberg, creator of the website, babynamewizard.com.

Wattenberg likened baby naming trends to “a fossil record of our culture.”

“It shows what we’re paying attention to, what we’re thinking about,” she said. “Today, you can’t walk through a supermarket without learning more than you hoped to know about the Kardashian family. That’s just reality.”

But, Wattenberg said, parents aren’t necessarily paying homage to celebrities. In many cases, they are simply using a name they might not have heard otherwise.

“Celebrity naming is just about the exposure, and about everybody hearing that name at the same time,” Wattenberg said. “It’s not about the fame, it’s about the name.”

Religion continued to have a big influence on baby names, but with a twist.

“The traditional biblical names were New Testament names – John, James and Mary and Elizabeth,” Wattenberg said. “Today, the hot names are all names from the Old testament precisely because they were neglected for so many generations.”

In addition to Jacob and Noah, Elijah at No. 13 and Joshua at No. 14 were all from the Old Testament.

Among the names that fell in popularity, Brisa dropped more spots than any other – 343 places, to No. 807. Dana, Desiree and Denise also plummeted.

Brett dropped more than any other name for boys, 119 spots, to No. 508. Jamarion, Shaun and Jaydon also dropped.

Social Security counts names with different spellings separately. For example, Aiden was No. 9 among boys, while Aidan was No. 107 and Aaden was No. 797. Among the girls, Sophia was No. 1 while Sofia was No. 19. Sophie was No. 51. Zoey was No. 29 and Zoe was No. 31.

Elvis returned to the list at No. 904, after dropping off for a year. When Elvis dropped off the in 2010, it ended a run that had started in 1955.

Astrue, a big Elvis fan, said he was all shook up when Elvis left the list.

“Congress may not listen to me,” Astrue said. “But God bless the American people for listening to me last year when I raised concerns about Elvis dropping off.”

Were they listening to him when they named their daughters after the star of “Jerseylicious?”

“I don’t even know what that show’s about,” Astrue said.

___

Online:

Social Security Administration: www.ssa.gov

The Baby Name Wizard: www.babynamewizard.com

Article source: http://www.denverpost.com/rss/ci_20619416?source=rss

A baby found in a car seat in the middle of a Massachusetts road led police to a brutal crime scene in a case authorities are calling “very disturbing” and “peculiar.”

Two women are in the hospital in critical condition today and one man is dead in Worcester, Mass.

At 11:56 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a call from a driver who spotted a baby sitting in a car seat in the middle of the road.

The 3-month-old baby boy was unhurt, but taken to a hospital for evaluation. Police began canvassing the neighborhood and knocking on doors in search for the parents. They were directed to a home at 326 Lovell St.

“Police knocked on several of the doors to that apartment but did not receive an answer,” Worcester police said in a news release. “Police heard sounds of a person in distress inside the apartment, so a forced entry was conducted.”

Inside, police discovered a man and woman lying on the floor. The man was unresponsive and the woman was injured, police said. Another woman as found injured elsewhere in the apartment. A loose pit bull was also in the residence.

The man, later identified as 32-year-old Javier Maldonado, was declared dead and the two women, ages 36 and 18, were taken to the hospital where they are in critical condition, police said. The 18-year-old is the mother of the baby that was found in the street.

Police will not comment on what kind of injuries the women sustained and an autopsy is being performed on Maldonado today.

(Image credit: WCVB/ABC News)

Authorities are tight-lipped about the investigation.

“We’re trying to piece together why the child was left in the middle of the road. It was highly unusual,” Sgt. Kerry Hazelhurst told ABCNews.com. “There are a lot of questions we have unanswered right now.”

Hazelhurst called the baby in the road “very disturbing and unusual and peculiar.” He could not comment on how or why the baby was left in the street.

Police have not made any arrests and are “trying to cultivate” a list of suspects.

A neighbor who lives across the street from the house said he was in bed on Saturday night when he heard the commotion.

“It was a surprise because it was close to the midnight and we saw the flashing police cars,” the neighbor, who did not wish to be named, told ABCNews.com. “[At first], I didn’t pay too much attention, but then I got up because there were so many police cars.”

He said he believes that the two women had moved into the house about a month ago, but he did not know the people well.

“The police came over and talked to my wife and he said it was awful,” the neighbor said.

The baby was unharmed and is in the custody of the Department of Children and Families. The pit bull was taken by a Worchester Police animal control officer.

Article source: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/05/baby-in-road-leads-to-grisly-crime-scene/

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sophia is the new most popular baby name for girls, while Jacob is the top name for boys for the 13th straight year in a new list of popular baby names heavily influenced by religion and reality TV.

Isabella, which had been the top girl’s name for two years, dropped to second place in 2011, according to the list released Monday by the Social Security Administration. Emma, Olivia and Ava rounded out the top five.

Mason jumped 10 spots to become the second most popular name for newborn boys last year, knocking Michael out of the top five for the first time in 63 years. Kourtney Kardashian, the reality TV star, gave birth to Mason in December 2009 following a heavily publicized pregnancy.

Rounding out the top five: William, Jayden and Noah. Michael came in sixth, his lowest ranking since 1948.

The Social Security Administration provides lists of baby names dating to 1880 on its website. The top two names that year were John and Mary. The list, which includes top baby names by state, draws millions of people. The agency hopes that people go to the website to see the baby names and stay to learn about other services, said Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue.

Top girl names tend to be more volatile — changing from year to year — while the top boy names are more stable, Astrue said. William, for example, has been a popular boy’s name for more than 100 years, never falling out of the top 20. Mason is the exception, entering the top 100 for the first time in 1997.

On the girls’ side, Sophia first cracked the top 100 in 1997. Isabella dropped off the list altogether from 1949 to 1990.

Social Security also tracks which names increase in popularity from year to year and which ones drop.

The fastest rising name for girls: Briella, which jumped 394 spots, to No. 497. Briella Calafiore stars in “Jerseylicious,” a reality TV show about battling stylists at a beauty salon in Green Brook, N.J. She’s also in a spinoff called “Glam Fairy.”

Brantley was the fastest rising name for boys, jumping 416 spots to No. 320. Brantley Gilbert is a singer who had a No. 1 country hit called “Country Must Be Country Wide”.

Americans get baby names from a lot of places — religion, relatives and, yes, popular culture, said Laura Wattenberg, creator of the website, babynamewizard.com.

Wattenberg likened baby naming trends to “a fossil record of our culture.”

“It shows what we’re paying attention to, what we’re thinking about,” she said. “Today, you can’t walk through a supermarket without learning more than you hoped to know about the Kardashian family. That’s just reality.”

But, Wattenberg said, parents aren’t necessarily paying homage to celebrities. In many cases, they are simply using a name they might not have heard otherwise.

“Celebrity naming is just about the exposure, and about everybody hearing that name at the same time,” Wattenberg said. “It’s not about the fame, it’s about the name.”

Religion continued to have a big influence on baby names, but with a twist.

“The traditional biblical names were New Testament names — John, James and Mary and Elizabeth,” Wattenberg said. “Today, the hot names are all names from the Old testament precisely because they were neglected for so many generations.”

In addition to Jacob and Noah, Elijah at No. 13 and Joshua at No. 14 were all from the Old Testament.

Among the names that fell in popularity, Brisa dropped more spots than any other — 343 places, to No. 807. Dana, Desiree and Denise also plummeted.

Brett dropped more than any other name for boys, 119 spots, to No. 508. Jamarion, Shaun and Jaydon also dropped.

Social Security counts names with different spellings separately. For example, Aiden was No. 9 among boys, while Aidan was No. 107 and Aaden was No. 797. Among the girls, Sophia was No. 1 while Sofia was No. 19. Sophie was No. 51. Zoey was No. 29 and Zoe was No. 31.

Elvis returned to the list at No. 904, after dropping off for a year. When Elvis dropped off the in 2010, it ended a run that had started in 1955.

Astrue, a big Elvis fan, said he was all shook up when Elvis left the list.

“Congress may not listen to me,” Astrue said. “But God bless the American people for listening to me last year when I raised concerns about Elvis dropping off.”

Were they listening to him when they named their daughters after the star of “Jerseylicious?”

“I don’t even know what that show’s about,” Astrue said.

___

Online:

Social Security Administration: www.ssa.gov

The Baby Name Wizard: www.babynamewizard.com

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/sophia-jacob-most-popular-baby-names-2011-132553697.html

BETHESDA, Md., May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Almost three-quarters (74 percent) of baby boomers (those born between 1945 and 1965) have never been tested or are unsure if they have been tested for hepatitis C, and 80 percent do not consider themselves at any risk for having the disease, according to a new survey by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). This lack of knowledge has significant implications — nearly 5 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C[1] of which 82 percent[2] are baby boomers, but three in four people infected don’t know they have it.[3]  Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver failure, liver cancer or the need for a liver transplant in the U.S.[4] 

In addition to a lack of knowledge, the survey showed a lack of action: 83 percent of the baby boomers surveyed have never discussed hepatitis C with their health-care provider, even though it is diagnosed with a simple blood test and for many people, can be cured.[5]  Findings were released today by the AGA in advance of National Hepatitis Testing Day (May 19) to encourage baby boomers to talk to their health-care providers about getting tested—discussions that could potentially save lives. The survey of more than 1,000 baby boomers not previously diagnosed with hepatitis C was conducted online by Harris Interactive* on behalf of the AGA as part of a new educational campaign called I.D. Hep C.

“Many baby boomers have a potentially dangerous ‘it’s not me’ mentality about hepatitis C, and this survey underscores how poorly most people in that generation understand that risk factors do apply to them,” said Ira M. Jacobson, MD, AGAF, chief, division of gastroenterology and hepatology and professor of medicine, The Joan Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and physician co-advisor to AGA’s I.D. Hep C campaign. “Given the potentially deadly consequences of allowing hepatitis C to go undiagnosed, the AGA urges all baby boomers to talk to their doctors about getting tested.”  

To help combat the looming hepatitis C public health issue and address this knowledge gap, the AGA has launched I.D. Hep C, a new campaign to educate people, especially baby boomers, about hepatitis C and encourage them to speak up and get tested. By visiting www.IDHepC.org, people can learn more about hepatitis C and testing and get information on where to get tested — including free or low-cost screening events in some regions in the days surrounding National Hepatitis Testing Day (May 19).  At www.IDHepC.org, the AGA is also encouraging people to show their commitment to stopping this silent killer by taking a virtual pledge to get tested and spread the word.

Hepatitis C is a serious liver disease that is spread through infected blood.[6]  Hepatitis C is responsible for about 15,000 deaths annually in the U.S., more than HIV.[7]  Liver damage from hepatitis C gets worse over time, and because many boomers have been infected for decades, the number of people who die from hepatitis C-related liver problems is expected to increase by 207 percent from 2000 to 2030.[8]

Survey Findings

The survey also revealed baby boomers are largely unaware of other important facts about hepatitis C:

• Eighty-three percent of baby boomers don’t realize their generation is most likely to have hepatitis C.  Instead, half (52 percent) believe all age groups have a similar risk and nearly one quarter (24 percent) think those in Generation X (ages 31 to 46) are more likely to have the disease.
• Fifty-five percent of baby boomers think every ethnic group has the same likelihood of having hepatitis C, even though African Americans and Hispanics are affected by hepatitis C at a significantly higher rate than the general population.[9],[10]
• Fewer than one in five (18 percent) baby boomers know that for many people, hepatitis C can be cured.

“The disease can’t be treated if people don’t know they are infected. With treatment, the chance of a cure is greater than ever,” said Michael Ryan, MD, clinical professor of medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, practicing gastroenterologist with Digestive and Liver Disease Specialists of Norfolk, VA, and physician co-advisor to AGA’s I.D. Hep C campaign. “I see every day the devastation hepatitis C can cause, especially to those who have lived with the disease for years without knowing it. Baby boomers shouldn’t wait – they should talk to their doctors today about getting this simple test.” 

About the Survey Methodology*

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of the AGA and Vertex from April 9-13, 2012, among 1,006 baby boomers (born between 1945 and 1965) not previously diagnosed with hepatitis C.

Additional survey findings are available at www.IDHepC.org.

About the Campaign

I.D. Hep C is a new campaign to educate people, especially baby boomers, about hepatitis C and encourage them to speak up and get tested to learn their status. By visiting www.IDHepC.org, people can take a virtual pledge to learn more and educate others about hepatitis C and testing and get information on where to get tested — including free or low-cost screening events in some regions in the days leading up to and following National Hepatitis Testing Day (May 19). At www.IDHepC.org, the AGA is also encouraging people to show their commitment to stopping this silent killer by taking a virtual pledge to get tested and spread the word. This campaign is funded by Vertex.

About Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is spread through direct contact with the blood of infected people and ultimately affects the liver. Chronic hepatitis C can lead to serious and life-threatening liver problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer. Though many people with hepatitis C may not experience symptoms, others may have symptoms such as fatigue, fever, jaundice and abdominal pain. [6] 

People who are at risk for hepatitis C include:

• People born between born between 1945 and 1965.
• People who had blood transfusions or organ transplants before 1992.
• People with tattoos or body piercings.
• People who used intravenous drugs, even once.
• People who work in a healthcare setting.
• People with HIV.[4]

Unlike HIV and hepatitis B virus, for many people, chronic hepatitis C can be cured.[5] More than 170 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis C.[11] In the U.S., up to 5 million people have chronic hepatitis C[1] and 75 percent of them are unaware of their infection.[3] Hepatitis C is five times more prevalent in the U.S. compared to HIV.[12] The majority of people with hepatitis C in the U.S. were born between 1945 and 1965, accounting for 82 percent of all people with the disease.[2]  In the U.S., hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplantations[4] and is reported to contribute to 15,000 deaths annually.[7]

About the AGA Institute

The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to include 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. www.gastro.org.

Like AGA on Facebook.

Join AGA on LinkedIn.

Follow us on Twitter @AmerGastroAssn; include our campaign hashtag: #IDHepC.

Check out our videos on YouTube.

[1] Chak, E, et. al. Hepatitis C Virus Infection In USA: An Estimate of True Prevalence. Liver Intl. 2011;1096 -1098.

[2] Smith BD, et al. Hepatitis C virus antibody prevalence, correlates and predictors among persons born from 1945 through 1965 United States, 1999-2008.  Abstract #394. Presented at: American Association for the Study of Liver Disease 2011 Annual Meeting; San Francisco, CA; November 5, 2011.

[3] Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Hepatitis and liver cancer: a national strategy for prevention and control of hepatitis B and C. Colvin HM and Mitchell AE, ed. Updated January 11, 2010. Available at: http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Hepatitis-and-Liver-Cancer-A-National-Strategy-for-Prevention-and-Control-of-Hepatitis-B-and-C.aspx. Accessed May 3, 2012.

[4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis C FAQs for the Public. June 9, 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/cFAQ.htm. Accessed May 3, 2012.

[5] Pearlman BL and Traub N. Sustained Virologic Response to Antiviral Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Cure and So Much More. Clin Infect Dis. 2011 Apr;52(7):889-900.

[6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis C Fact Sheet: CDC Viral Hepatitis. June 2010. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/PDFs/HepCGeneralFactSheet.pdf. Accessed May 3, 2012.

[7] Ly KN, et al. The Increasing Burden of Mortality From Viral Hepatitis in the United States Between 1999 and 2007. Ann Intern Med. 2012;156:271-278.

[8] Davis GL, Albright JE, Cook SF, Rosenberg DM. Projecting Future Complications of Chronic Hepatitis C in the United States Liver Transpl. 2003;4:331-8.

[9] Hepatitis C Support Coalition. Hepatitis C and Latinos. 2011. Available at:  http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Latinos.pdf Accessed May 13, 2012.  

[10] Pearlman BL. Hepatitis C in African Americans. Clin Infect Dis. 2006;42:82-91.

[11] Ghany MG, Strader DB, Thomas DL, Seeff, LB. Diagnosis, management and treatment of hepatitis C; An update. Hepatology. 2009;49 (4):1-40.

[12] HCV Advocate. HIV/HCV Coinfection. March 2010. Available at: http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/HIV_HCV%20coinfecton_10.pdf. Accessed May 3, 2012.

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/most-baby-boomers-never-tested-130000827.html

Lacey Buchanan never dreamed that a Youtube video she created about her blind baby boy and his rare cleft palate condition would spread virally, racking up some 7 million views and delivering hundreds of personal messages of support to her Facebook and email inboxes.

In the seven-minute video, which she made using her iPhone, the 25-year-old mother from Woodbury, Tenn., describes the triumph of witnessing 14-month-old Christian’s giggles in the face of the constant stares and whispers they encounter in public when strangers see her baby.

He was born with an an extremely rare condition called Tessier cleft, which means that he was unable to fully close his mouth, and that his eyes are also clefted such that they never even formed.

Buchanan, who works at a day care center and also attends the Nashville School of Law, said she made the video about their struggle because she wanted her son “to grow up knowing he’s important, knowing he has value, despite the way that he looks,” Buchanan said.

“I never thought it would be as big as it has gotten, but I’m thrilled that Christian is becoming a face and a voice for this, that beauty is so much deeper than what you look like,” she said.

Her own video was inspiredby a film made by a woman named Lizzie, who tells the story of how her disfigured face, caused by a rare, unnamed medical condition, led classmates to call her “the world’s ugliest woman.”

In the video, Buchanan faces the camera while holding Christian to her chest without revealing his face, the boy’s tousled blond hair the same shade as hers. Her expressive face turns from beaming to tearful as she wordlessly holds up signs and photos to the camera, describing how thrilled she and her husband were to learn of her pregnancy, the difficult news that their unborn son would have a cleft palate, and their joy that he was born alive, since doctors worried that his internal organs wouldn’t be fully formed and that he wouldn’t be able to breathe properly on his own.

But the road ahead was hard. While Christian’s internal organs were completely normal, he was born without eyes, and underwent surgery on his cleft palate when he was just four days old, spending four weeks recovering in the neonatal intensive care unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. It took the hospital two months just to give his rare condition a name, Buchanan said, and the couple discovered that only about 50 other people in the world had the same diagnosis of Tessier cleft.

Buchanan and her husband had no idea how to care for a blind baby — and in particular, they weren’t prepared for how people would stare at him.

“The first time I went to the grocery store, I didn’t expect to leave crying because people were whispering behind my back,” she said. “It was something I had to try to get used to.”

Children would ask their mothers “what was wrong with ‘that baby,’” and one acquaintance even cruelly messaged Buchanan on Facebook to tell her she was a “horrible person” for not aborting Christian.

Despite the negative attention, the Buchanans received ample support from friends and family, and from their local Baptist church, which has held multiple fundraisers for Christian’s medical care and constantly checks in with the couple to inquire how their son is doing.

And, as Buchanan describes in her video, Christian grew into a happy baby who, in the face of strangers’ comments, “would start giggling … and they would giggle, too,” which eventually spurred an outpouring of messages to her family on Facebook, and well-wishes in public from people who recognized them after hearing about their story.

Only at the end of the video does she turn Christian around to reveal his face to the camera, and she lovingly kisses his cheek while he sucks on a pacifier (which he is now able to do because of surgeries on his cleft palate).

She posted the video two months ago, and it has since generated nearly 7 million views and 1.8 million Facebook “likes” after an inspired fan reposted it on the Christian video site GodVine.

Because of the attention, Buchanan has connected with three other people who have Tessier cleft — two adults and the parent of another — and she said the support has been lifechanging.

“I try to make the best decisions I can for Christian, especially medically, and sometimes I’m put into corners, where whichever decicion I make is going to impact Christian’s life,” she said. “Being able to reach out to someone who has lived there [with his condition], it takes a huge burden off me.”

Since making the video, she’s also created a Facebook page for Christian, and receives so many messages of support that she now turns off her iPhone notifications at night so she’s able to sleep.

Buchanan knows Christian faces a much more difficult road ahead of him than a baby born without his condition, but she’s thrilled her video has inspired so many people.

“When Christian’s old enough, let’s ask him if he’s glad I let him live,” she said. “His laugh is so valuable, at 14 months old, and is making more of a difference than most people ever do.”

Also Read

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/mothers-inspiring-video-blind-baby-son-173140041--abc-news-parenting.html

Lacey Buchanan never dreamed that a Youtube video she created about her blind baby boy and his rare cleft palate condition would spread virally, racking up some 7 million views and delivering hundreds of personal messages of support to her Facebook and email inboxes.

In the seven-minute video, which she made using her iPhone, the 25-year-old mother from Woodbury, Tenn., describes the triumph of witnessing 14-month-old Christian’s giggles in the face of the constant stares and whispers they encounter in public when strangers see her baby.

He was born with an an extremely rare condition called Tessier cleft, which means that he was unable to fully close his mouth, and that his eyes are also clefted such that they never even formed.

Buchanan, who works at a day care center and also attends the Nashville School of Law, said she made the video about their struggle because she wanted her son “to grow up knowing he’s important, knowing he has value, despite the way that he looks,” Buchanan said.

“I never thought it would be as big as it has gotten, but I’m thrilled that Christian is becoming a face and a voice for this, that beauty is so much deeper than what you look like,” she said.

Her own video was inspiredby a film made by a woman named Lizzie, who tells the story of how her disfigured face, caused by a rare, unnamed medical condition, led classmates to call her “the world’s ugliest woman.”

In the video, Buchanan faces the camera while holding Christian to her chest without revealing his face, the boy’s tousled blond hair the same shade as hers. Her expressive face turns from beaming to tearful as she wordlessly holds up signs and photos to the camera, describing how thrilled she and her husband were to learn of her pregnancy, the difficult news that their unborn son would have a cleft palate, and their joy that he was born alive, since doctors worried that his internal organs wouldn’t be fully formed and that he wouldn’t be able to breathe properly on his own.

But the road ahead was hard. While Christian’s internal organs were completely normal, he was born without eyes, and underwent surgery on his cleft palate when he was just four days old, spending four weeks recovering in the neonatal intensive care unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. It took the hospital two months just to give his rare condition a name, Buchanan said, and the couple discovered that only about 50 other people in the world had the same diagnosis of Tessier cleft.

Buchanan and her husband had no idea how to care for a blind baby — and in particular, they weren’t prepared for how people would stare at him.

“The first time I went to the grocery store, I didn’t expect to leave crying because people were whispering behind my back,” she said. “It was something I had to try to get used to.”

Children would ask their mothers “what was wrong with ‘that baby,’” and one acquaintance even cruelly messaged Buchanan on Facebook to tell her she was a “horrible person” for not aborting Christian.

Despite the negative attention, the Buchanans received ample support from friends and family, and from their local Baptist church, which has held multiple fundraisers for Christian’s medical care and constantly checks in with the couple to inquire how their son is doing.

Article source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/mothers-inspiring-video-blind-baby-viral/story?id=16335288

Baby formula someday may include the ingredient of mucus, to help protect babies against viral infections, researchers say.

Unlike breast milk, baby formula lacks elements of the mother’s immune system that protect the baby against disease. This may be one reason mothers hesitate to switch to baby formula, said Katharina Ribbeck, a biological engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“It would be great if we could improve the quality and add those missing components,” Ribbeck said.

In their recent study, Ribbeck and colleagues showed that mucins, which are the proteins that are the main component of mucus, protected cells against infection by human papillomavirus(HPV), influenza A (a type of flu virus) and Merkel cell polyomavirus (a virus that can cause skin cancer).

Although the researchers tested only these three viruses, they suspect mucins protect against infection by other types of viruses.

The findings suggest mucins might be added to a variety of products, from hygiene products to baby formula, as an antiviral supplement, the researchers said. Mucins are already added to some products, but not for their antiviral properties; for example, they are added to certain moisturizers for their moisturizing properties.

However, obstacles remain. The study was conducted on human cells in a dish, so more work would be needed to show the same thing would happen in the human body.

In addition, the mucins used in the study were collected from pigs’ stomachs. Some people may not be comfortable with the idea of consuming an animal product, Ribbeck said.

In the future, researchers may find a way to mass-produce synthetic mucins, Ribbeck said. She noted that in the case of insulin, a synthetic version was created after the first studies used a version isolated from pigs.

Mucus, which coats wet surfaces of the body, is a natural barrier against pathogens, Ribbeck said. But rather than simply functioning as a passive roadblock, mucins appear to play an active role in the body’s immune system, Ribbeck said.

In the study, Ribbeck and colleagues coated cells with a gel of mucins before exposing the cells to the three viruses. The viruses became trapped in the gel and did not infect the cells, likely because of the action of the mucins. It could be that viruses bind to sugar molecules on the mucins, which are similar to the molecules the viruses normally attach to on host cells, Ribbeck said.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and appeared April 4 in the journal Biomacromolecules.

Pass it on: Components of mucus may be able to boost the healthfulness of baby formula and other products, but more work must first be done.

Follow MyHealthNewsDaily staff writer Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner. Find us on Facebook.

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Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/mucus-added-baby-formula-184745988.html

PLANO, TX, May 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Baby All Corp. (BABA.OB) reported that it has completed the previously-announced share exchange with shareholders of Santa Fe Operating, Inc. (SFO), as a result of which SFO is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Baby All (the “Exchange”).  In the Exchange, former shareholders and warrant holders of SFO received (i) 33,478,261 shares of Baby All common stock and (ii) warrants to purchase 6,754,856 shares of Baby All common stock at $0.50 per share (the “Warrants”).  Baby All’s outstanding shares of common stock now total 39,478,261.  In connection with the Exchange, management of Baby All anticipates that Baby All will change its name to Santa Fe Petroleum, Inc.

Baby All is an exploration-stage company engaged in acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties.  With a focus on finding and producing oil in the prolific Fort Worth Basin of north Texas and led by an experienced industry team, Baby All is implementing an aggressive lease acquisition and drilling plan giving priority to projects with near-term cash flow potential.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities.  The offer and sale of the Warrants and any other securities has not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and the Warrants and any other securities may not be reoffered or resold in any jurisdiction in which such offer or sale would contravene applicable securities laws.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on current management’s expectations.  These statements may be identified by their use of words like “plans,” “expect,” “aim,” “believe,” “projects,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “will,” “should,” “could,” and other expressions that indicate future events and trends.  All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about our business strategy, expenditures, and financial results are forward-looking statements.  Actual results could differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements due to a number of uncertainties including, but not limited to, those discussed in this section.  Factors that could cause future results to differ from these expectations include general economic conditions, further changes in our business direction or strategy; competitive factors, oil and gas exploration uncertainties, and an inability to attract, develop, or retain technical, consulting, managerial, agents, or independent contractors.  As a result, the identification and interpretation of data and other information and their use in developing and selecting assumptions from and among reasonable alternatives requires the exercise of judgment.  To the extent that the assumed events do not occur, the outcome may vary substantially from anticipated or projected results, and accordingly, no opinion is expressed on the achievability of those forward-looking statements.  No assurance can be given that any of the assumptions relating to the forward-looking statements are accurate, and management assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/baby-corp-completes-share-exchange-210200082.html

In Los Angeles, red carpet treatment is not just for celebrities. Here, mere mortals can find specialists — medical concierges, cat whisperers, image consultants — for almost everything.

And that includes experts who are hired to help families prepare for their newest members.

Enter the baby planner.

Before the advent of the current expert culture, it was a role that used to be filled by mothers, grandmothers and best friends, doling out advice, shopping lists and favors. But in the last few years, professionals have stepped in to grab the attention — and money — of busy, freaked-out mothers-to-be. They are referred to as baby planners or baby concierges or maternity consultants. And if you doubt that baby planning is truly an industry, just remember that Bravo’s “Pregnant in Heels,” a “docu-drama,” follows “maternity concierge, fashion designer and pregnancy guru Rosie Pope as she guides expecting mothers through the joys and perils of preparing to have a baby.” (The show returns for its second season Tuesday.)

Services provided for expecting families include setting up baby registries, finding doulas and lactation consultants and kitting out a nursery. “We once had clients who were obsessed with keeping their dog — their first baby — in the style to which he was accustomed,” says baby planner Ellie Miller. “They had us find a stroller [for their newborn] with a big enough basket for the dog to fit in. The dog’s name is Monkey.”

Most of the time, however, Miller and her partner, Melissa Gould, focus on tiny humans and their entrance into the world.

Miller and Gould were among the first to market themselves as baby planners when they founded Ellie Melissa, the Baby Planners in Studio City almost six years ago. Since then, they have expanded their business to include product research for corporations, preschool placement services and producing videos for DisneyFamily. But the core of their business remains setting up registries, particularly for clients — mostly working moms — with specific needs. “We have had clients who adopted, used surrogates, lots of parents with twins, single parents and, yes, celebrities, but our core is working couples,” Miller says.

“Our motto is ‘We take the labor out of your delivery,’” Gould says. “People use wedding planners for the same reason — to pick off some of that anxiety, to be reassured that you’re doing the right thing.”

Hiring a baby planner can cost anywhere from $85 an hour to sky’s the limit. Most planners offer personalized packages that start in the neighborhood of $300.

“Our clients fill out a lifestyle survey that asks everything from whether or not your neighborhood has hills to where you park and what kind of car you have,” Miller says. “What we’re ultimately trying to do is save you money. If you are living in the hills, you don’t need a big Bugaboo stroller. Maybe a City Bob is a better option for your lifestyle.”

Like a wedding planner sifting through bad ’80s cover bands, baby planners do the legwork and narrow down the options.

“When I was pregnant, I knew this huge change was about to happen and that I needed to be getting my act together, but I didn’t know what questions to ask,” says Vanessa Karubian Saxe, who is 38 and lives in L.A.’s Carthay Square area. “I had so many questions: What’s going to happen in the hospital? How will this affect my marriage? Do I need to know infant CPR? Wouldn’t it be great to have a one-stop shop where pregnant moms could get all that information?”

To that end, Saxe founded Babytalk LA, a Beverly Hills-based concern that offers expecting parents a $400 eight-week course with experts who talk about baby gear, birthing, infant CPR,breast-feeding, bringing baby home and dealing with family. “Think of it as a primer that distills down the key information,” Saxes says.

Some say the baby planning industry had its birth in Los Angeles, but the market has since gone global — and institutional. In 2009, for example, Mary Oscategui founded the International Maternity Institute near San Francisco, which offers a 16-week online certification process for baby planners and has an international network of graduates. The program, which costs $1,900, includes courses in maternity stress management, sleep consulting and baby-proofing. The institute also offers specialized à la carte courses focused on environmental concerns for new parents.

“When I was pregnant with twins, I was trying to do things as green as possible,” says Jen Benson, 40, a social media marketing consultant who lives in Laurel Canyon. “There is so much information and so many products out there, it’s overwhelming, especially with twins. Most eco-friendly cribs will run you $1,000, and I needed two. I knew there had to be better options, but as a working mom I didn’t have the time to research.”

Benson hired Miller and Gould to do the legwork. They found the Babyletto Modo three-in-one crib for $380, as well as green options for cloth diapering, mattresses, cleaning products, strollers, car seats and more. “Using a baby planner was definitely money well spent. The money I saved was my time.”

Time — or lack thereof — is something of a recurring theme with new parents. When an adoptive mother approached Ali North of Sweet Expectations last December about preparing to bring her baby home, the mother had only a couple of weeks notice to get ready.

“It was very sensitive because the couple had gone through the adoption process through delivery once before and the biological mother ended up keeping the baby,” North says. “My client was very guarded as she knew it could happen again, but she wanted to be prepared for newborn care, bottle feeding, what to expect if the adoption went through. She wanted to have the key things to bring baby home from the hospital, and we kept it very basic. I’m happy to say that it all worked out, and Mom and baby are doing great.”

image@latimes.com

Article source: http://www.latimes.com/features/image/la-ig-baby-planners-20120513,0,832502.story?track=rss

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – British intelligence played a central role in the undercover operation to foil an underwear bomb plot involving al Qaeda’s Yemeni offshoot, counterterrorism sources told Reuters. The undercover informant in the plot linked to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, was a British citizen, possibly …

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/search-missing-baby-ferry-fall-075742157.html