| Warmer days ahead
Tonight's low will dip back to near freezing, but Monday will see more sunshine and temperatures cracking the 60-degree mark, according to the National Weather Service. Don't break out the shorts and flipflops, however. A chance of showers returns on Tuesday, and highs will fall back into the lower 50s or upper 40s for the rest of the week, according to the forecast. .
Who's Blogging
The work appears in yesterday's online edition of the journal Science. Venter said the goal is to design novel microbes whose handcrafted genomes endow them with the ability produce useful chemicals, including renewable synthetic fuels that could substitute for oil. Critics, however, countered that without better oversight of the fledgling field, synthetic biology is more likely to lead to the creation of potent biological weapons and runaway microbes that could wreak environmental havoc. "Venter is claiming bragging rights to the world's longest length of synthetic DNA, but size isn't everything. The important question is not 'How long?' but 'How wise?' " said Jim Thomas of the ETC Group, a Montreal-based group that has called for a moratorium on the release and commercialization of synthetic organisms pending further public debate.
Thyroid Disease 101: Ten Facts Doctors Forget To Tell Patients
January marks Thyroid Awareness Month. With some experts estimating that as many as 59 million Americans suffer from thyroid conditions -- including Hashimoto's Disease, Graves' disease, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer -- it's crucial for patients and doctors to learn more about these common -- but frequently overlooked -- hormonal health problems.
According to thyroid patient advocate and author Mary Shomon, many doctors simply don't communicate with their patients about thyroid risks, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Says Shomon: "It's alarming -- millions of people are suffering from thyroid conditions, but they are not getting properly diagnosed and treated. I don't know whether the problem is a lack of knowledge on the part of doctors, or HMOs and insurance companies trying to curtail costs.
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