Experts in Chile Fear Catastrophe as 300

Quakes Hit in One Week

BY ALEXANDER SMITH
hile's northern coast has been hit by more than 3 earth!"a#es in the $ast %ee#
in %hat seismolo&ists %arne' T"es'ay co"l' be the $rec"rsor to a lon&(o)er'"e
'isaster* Most o+ these !"a#es ha)e been too small to be +elt on lan', b"t $eo$le
li)in& near the city o+ I!"i!"e ha)e e-$erience' the r"mblin& o+ "$ to a 'o.en tremors
$er 'ay*
/
E-$erts analy.in& this +loo' o+ 'ata are %orrie' the increase' seismic acti)ity co"l' be a
si&n the re&ion is abo"t to e-$erience its +irst 'e)astatin& !"a#e in 031 years* The last
e)ent, a ma&nit"'e(2*3 !"a#e in 021 1, #ille' tho"san's o+ $eo$le an' create' a 'ea'ly
ts"nami that reache' Ha%aii an' 4a$an*
5It is )ery "n"s"al acti)ity an' %e are tryin& to +in' o"t %hat is ca"sin& it,5 sai' Mario
6ar'o, 'e$"ty hea' o+ the seismolo&y center at the 7ni)ersity o+ /hile
58e "s"ally &et aro"n' 0 earth!"a#es $er 'ay in this area 9many o+ them )ery small:,
b"t no% %e ha)e been &ettin& "$ to 0 $er 'ay,5 he tol' NB/ Ne%s )ia tele$hone +rom
the co"ntry's ca$ital T"es'ay*
6ar'o tol' NB/ Ne%s that seismolo&ists are $artic"larly concerne' abo"t this cl"ster o+
!"a#es beca"se $ress re$orts +ollo%in& the 0211 e)ent sai' there %as a similar 5s%arm5
o+ tremors be+orehan'*
58e ha)e been %aitin& +or a bi& one in this area +or some time ( this is a $lace %here %e
are e-$ectin& an earth!"a#e o+ o)er 2*3 ma&nit"'e,5 he sai'*
6a"lina ;on.ale., an e-$ert at the 7ni)ersity o+ Santia&o, bac#e' "$ this analysis* 5The
latest strin& o+ !"a#es is note%orthy beca"se the last one ha$$ene' in this seismic .one
more than 03 years a&o* It's a .one %here !"a#es sho"l' ha$$en more o+ten, an' they
ha)en<t in a )ery lon& time,5 she tol' The Associate' 6ress
/hile is one o+ the %orl''s most earth!"a#e($rone co"ntries, %ith its =,3(mile coastline
tracin& %here the Na.ca tectonic $late meets the So"th American $late*
In 0>? it %as hit by the lar&est earth!"a#e e)er recor'e'@ The Aal'i)ia earth!"a#e, also
#no%n as the ;reat /hilean Earth!"a#e, %as a catastro$hic ma&nit"'e(>*3 e)ent that
#ille' "$ to ?, $eo$le an' create' an 2(+oot ts"nami that reache' as +ar as Hon&
Bon&*
B"t this, alon& %ith a ma&nit"'e(2*2 earth!"a#e in =0, hit m"ch +arther so"th than the
re&ion a++ecte' by the c"rrent cl"ster* The maCor %orry +or northern /hile is that the 0211
!"a#e create' %hat is #no%n as a seismic &a$ ( a +a"lt line li#ely to $ro'"ce
earth!"a#es beca"se it has been !"iet +or some time*
Consider This Your Reminder To Wash Your
Cutting Boards !ter "reparing "oultr#
BY AMANDA L* /HAN
A ne% st"'y in the Co"rnal In+ection /ontrol an' Hos$ital E$i'emiolo&y sho%s the
$resence o+ m"lti('r"& resistant E* coli on a small $ercenta&e o+ c"ttin& boar's collecte'
+rom hos$itals an' ho"sehol's an' abo"t hal+ o+ &lo)es "se' in hos$ital #itchens, all o+
%hich %ere "se' to han'le $o"ltry*
Dor the st"'y, researchers +rom 7ni)ersity Hos$ital in Basel, S%it.erlan', e-amine' 03E
c"ttin& boar's +rom the 7ni)ersity Hos$ital an' 0EE c"ttin& boar's +rom $ri)ate homes
a+ter they %ere "se' in the $re$aration o+ meat Fan' be+ore bein& cleane'G, incl"'in&
$o"ltry, bee+ an' )eal, $or#, +ish an' lamb* Si-ty(+o"r o+ the 03E c"ttin& boar's +rom the
hos$ital %ere "se' to $re$are $o"ltry, %hile ?= o+ the 0EE c"ttin& boar's +rom the $ri)ate
homes %ere "se' to $re$are $o"ltry* They also e-amine' = &lo)es that %ere "se' by
hos$ital #itchen em$loyees a+ter bein& "se' to han'le $o"ltry*
The researchers teste' all the c"ttin& boar's an' &lo)es +or E* coli bacteria that $ro'"ce
e-ten'e'(s$ectr"m beta(lactamases FESBL($ro'"cin& E* coliG, %hich is m"lti('r"&
resistant*
None o+ the c"ttin& boar's "se' to han'le non($o"ltry meats teste' $ositi)e +or ESBL(
$ro'"cin& E* coli, b"t ?*3 $ercent o+ the hos$ital c"ttin& boar's "se' to $re$are $o"ltry
an' 3*3 $ercent o+ the home c"ttin& boar's "se' to $re$are $o"ltry teste' $ositi)e +or
the bacteria* In a''ition, hal+ o+ the &lo)es e-amine' in the st"'y teste' $ositi)e +or
ESBL($ro'"cin& E* coli* The $resence o+ ESBL($ro'"cin& bacteria 'i' not seem to be
lin#e' %ith the co"ntry o+ ori&in o+ the meat*
5H"r st"'y $ro)i'es e)i'ence that #itchen e!"i$ment an' han's can easily become
contaminate' %ith ESBL($ro'"cin& E* coli a+ter $rocessin& o+ ra% $o"ltry, re)ealin& an
im$ortant $otential so"rce +or on&oin& transmission in both hos$ital #itchens an' $ri)ate
ho"sehol' settin&s,5 the researchers %rote in the st"'y* 5These +in'in&s em$hasi.e
han' hy&iene not only a+ter han'lin& ra% $o"ltry b"t also a+ter contact %ith c"ttin&
boar's "se' +or $o"ltry $re$aration*5
6o"ltry is not the only so"rce o+ bacteria that can ca"se +oo' $oisonin&I a recent st"'y
+rom /enters +or Disease /ontrol an' 6re)ention researchers sho%e' that lea+y &reens
an' s$inach are act"ally the bi&&est so"rce o+ +oo' $oisonin&* FSo ma#e s"re to %ash
c"ttin& boar's a+ter "sin& them to $re$are $ro'"ce, tooJG
Dor more in+ormation on ho% lon& common bacteria an' )ir"ses can last on s"r+aces,
chec# o"t this in+o&ra$hic*
Coffee Linked With Lower Liver
Cancer Risk
BY AMANDA L* /HAN
Yo"r 'aily co++ee habit co"l' $rotect yo" +rom 'e)elo$in& the most common #in' o+ li)er
cancer, a ne% st"'y s"&&ests*
An' the more co++ee yo" 'rin# a 'ay, the lo%er the ris# o+ he$atocell"lar carcinoma,
accor'in& to researchers +rom the 7ni)ersity o+ So"thern /ali+ornia Norris
/om$rehensi)e /ancer /enter*
5No% %e can a'' H// 9he$atocell"lar carcinoma: to the list o+ me'ical ailments, s"ch
as 6ar#inson<s 'isease, ty$e = 'iabetes, an' stro#e, that may be $re)ente' by co++ee
inta#e,5 st"'y researcher A* 8en'y Setia%an, 6h*D*, an assistant $ro+essor in the
De$artment o+ 6re)enti)e Me'icine at the "ni)ersity, sai' in a statement* 5Daily co++ee
cons"m$tion sho"l' be enco"ra&e' in in'i)i'"als %ho are at hi&h ris# +or H//*5
The +in'in&s %ere $resente' at the ann"al meetin& o+ the American Association +or
/ancer ResearchI beca"se they ha)e yet to be $"blishe' in a $eer(re)ie%e' Co"rnal,
they sho"l' be consi'ere' $reliminary*
The st"'y incl"'e' 01>,2> men an' %omen o+ )aryin& races, incl"'in& 4a$anese
Americans, A+rican Americans, Latinos, Nati)e Ha%aiians an' /a"casians* Researchers
+ollo%e' them +or "$ to 02 years an' #e$t trac# o+ their co++ee cons"m$tion an' other
li+estyle +actors*
E)ent"ally, E>2 o+ the $artici$ants 'e)elo$e' he$atocell"lar carcinoma* Researchers
+o"n' a 'ose('e$en'ent relationshi$ bet%een 'e)elo$ment o+ the cancer an'
cons"m$tion o+ co++ee* S$eci+ically, $eo$le %ho 'ran# one to three c"$s o+ co++ee each
'ay ha' a => $ercent lo%er ris# o+ 'e)elo$in& he$atocell"lar carcinoma, com$are' %ith
$eo$le %ho 'ran# +e%er than si- c"$s o+ co++ee a %ee#* An' $eo$le %ho 'ran# +o"r or
more c"$s o+ co++ee a 'ay ha' a E= $ercent lo%er ris#*
This isn't the +irst time co++ee('rin#in& has been associate' %ith a 'ecrease' li)er cancer
ris#* A re)ie% $"blishe' last year in the Co"rnal /linical ;astroenterolo&y an'
He$atolo&y, that incl"'e' 0? st"'ies $"blishe' +rom 0>>? an' =0=, sho%e' that
he$atocell"lar carcinoma ris# 'ecrease' E $ercent %ith co++ee cons"m$tion, %ith the
ris# &oin& 'o%n to 50 $ercent %ith cons"m$tion o+ three c"$s o+ co++ee each 'ay
Energ# $anagement in The Cloud
BY Dr* NHRBERT AS/HENBRENNER
iemens is enablin& smaller m"nici$al "tility com$anies to mar#et ener&y +rom
rene%able so"rces thro"&h the clo"'* The sol"tion's main element is a clo"'(
base' ener&y mana&ement system that combines 'istrib"te' electricity $ro'"cers
into a )irt"al $o%er $lant* It allo%s small(scale $ro'"cers to $artici$ate in the electricity
mar#et C"st li#e bi& $o%er stations* As a res"lt, 'istrib"te' $ro'"cers can tra'e electricity
on ener&y e-chan&es or o++er l"crati)e controllin& $o%er +or increase' earnin&s* In most
cases, it 'oesn't $ay o++ +or small an' me'i"m(si.e m"nici$al "tilities an' ener&y
s"$$liers to in)est in their o%n ener&y mana&ement systems* Siemens has sol)e' this
$roblem %ith a 8eb(base' ser)ice that is 'eri)e' +rom a com$act )ersion o+ its
Decentrali.e' Ener&y Mana&ement System FDEMSG* The ne% system is c"rrently bein&
teste' at R8E an' %ill be o++ere' be&innin& in the early s"mmer o+ =0E*
S
;ermany c"rrently has abo"t 2 m"nici$al "tility com$anies* Some o+ them, s"ch as
Sta't%er#e MKnchen, alrea'y o$erate a )irt"al $o%er $lant* The technolo&y's #ey
element is an ener&y mana&ement system that net%or#s electricity $ro'"cers Fi*e* %in'
+arms, solar $ar#s, bio&as +acilitiesG as %ell as ener&y stora&e 'e)ices an' in'i)i'"al
cons"mers* This net%or# o$erates li#e a lar&e, controllable $o%er station* It can sell
electricity on the ener&y e-chan&e %hen the con'itions are +a)orable, an' also ta#e $art
in the mar#et +or controllin& $o%er* To 'o this, the mar#et $artici$ants $ro)i'e $o%er
reser)es, %hich the net%or# o$erator can call "$ in or'er to #ee$ s"$$ly an' 'eman'
al%ays in balance* This ma#es it $ossible to o++set one o+ the &enerators 'ro$$in& o"t or
a s"''en +all in 'eman'* Airt"al $o%er $lants also allo% $ro'"cers o+ ener&y +rom
rene%able so"rces to o++er this ser)ice*
To enable smaller m"nici$al "tilities to access these mar#ets, Siemens is o++erin& all o+
the DEMS +"nctions that ma#e it $ossible to combine an' control 'ecentrali.e' $o%er
stations as a clo"'(base' ser)ice* These +"nctions incl"'e +acility ca$acity +orecasts,
$o%er $lant control systems, an' a 8eb $ortal %here the o$erators o+ the 'ecentrali.e'
ener&y &eneration "nits can noti+y the )irt"al $o%er station %hether their +acilities are
a)ailable* The )ario"s ener&y s"$$liers 'on't ha)e to in)est in the har'%are, s#ille'
$ersonnel, an' other elements o+ a se$arate ener&y mana&ement system* Siemens
o++ers a hi&h IT sec"rity stan'ar' an' a'a$ts the +"nctions to any chan&es in the ener&y
economy or re&"latory +rame%or# that mi&ht occ"r* M"nici$al "tilities also bene+it +rom
the +act that they no lon&er ha)e to 'irectly concern themsel)es %ith the com$le-
$rocesses on ener&y e-chan&es* The electricity is mar#ete' thro"&h the )irt"al $o%er
$lant, %hich is alrea'y $art o+ the ener&y mar#et*
D"e to their ability to combine an' control 'ecentrali.e' ener&y $ro'"cers, )irt"al $o%er
stations are a #ey technolo&y +or +"t"re smart &ri's* They also hel$ &reen electricity to
be 'irectly mar#ete', as recommen'e' by the amen'ment to ;ermany's Rene%able
Ener&y So"rces Act in =0=* The clo"'(base' ser)ice +or )irt"al $o%er stations hel$s to
increase the amo"nt o+ 'irectly mar#ete' ener&y by &i)in& smaller electricity s"$$liers
access to the ener&y e-chan&es*
"aris Bans Hal! o! ll Cars !rom %ts
Roads & 'ut Ele(tri( )ehi(les
are Exempt
BY *THO*Y %*+R$
a.ar'o"s le)els o+ $oll"tion ha)e ca"se' a"thorities in 6aris to enact its +irst
car ban since 0>>1* The Drench ca$ital %ill ban all )ehicles on alternate o''
an' e)en license $lates to'ay an' tomorro% in an e++ort to re'"ce the o"t$"t o+
$oll"tin& $articles in the air +ollo%in& a r"n o+ %arm, %in'less 'ays that ha)e tra$$e'
$oll"tion in the city*
H
Ho%e)er, 'ri)ers o+ electric an' hybri' )ehicles %ill be e-em$t +rom the restrictions,
re$orts The Independent, as are ta-is, b"ses, emer&ency )ehicles, an' cars carryin&
three or more $eo$le* All Drench license $lates en' in a t%o('i&it n"mber* This n"mber
%ill be "se' to 'etermine %hich cars are allo%e' thro"&h the city each 'ay* A similar
system has $re)io"sly been "se' in /hina to c"rb its o%n $oll"tion $roblems*
As $oll"tion le)els climb abo)e 2 micro&rams o+ $artic"lates $er c"bic meter, 6arisian
$oll"tion $roblems are bein& blame' on the hi&h n"mber o+ 'iesel )ehicles on Drench
roa's*
Hi&h le)els o+ $artic"late matter are blame' +or )ario"s res$iratory 'iseases, %hile
hi&her o-i'es o+ nitro&en are a $rimary ca"se o+ smo&* Dear o+ )oter re$risal has seen
s"ccessi)e &o)ernments shy a%ay +rom increasin& 'iesel ta-es, as t%o thir's o+ cars on
Drench roa's "se the +"el*
6arisian o++icials $re)io"sly raise' the i'ea o+ bannin& classic )ehicles +rom the city<s
roa's as a %ay o+ re'"cin& le)els o+ $oll"tion* S"ch a ban %o"l' remo)e some o+
Drance<s most iconic )ehicles +rom the ca$ital<s streets an' an&er classic car +ans,
%hose )ehicles ma#e "$ only three $ercent o+ tra++ic in the city*
In =0, 6aris triale' a ban o+ &as(&"..lin& S7As, ho$in& to re'"ce $oll"tion an'
&reenho"se &as o"t$"ts* The latest ban is s"re to be "n$o$"lar %ith the city<s resi'ents,
tho"&h some b"s an' "n'er&ro"n' $"blic trans$ortation ser)ices are o++erin& +ree transit
+or the 'ays o+ the ban in an e++ort to hel$ #ee$ cars o++ the roa'*
B"t as tra++ic le)els increase, the Drench ca$ital<s ban on $oll"tin& )ehicles is "nli#ely to
be its last L an' co"l' be a'o$te' by other cities +acin& similar challen&es in +"t"re*