Nov. 08, 2005 - 19:33 MST

IN THE WORLD

Seems like the bad and the evil are featured in the news to exhaustion, all day every day. Once in awhile some good things do show up. Often the technological advances prove out to be not as good as expected.

But, even so, things like that do make us veer away to another line of research.

There is an article in today's Rocky Mountain News by Bill Scanlon of that paper noting a possible advancement in medical science. In part:

TOOL IDs FLU STRAINS RAPIDLY

BOULDER (Colorado) -- University of Colorado researchers have developed a tool that can identy flu strains within 11 hours, rather than several days, and they are sharing it with the world in an effort to minimize deaths during a pandemic."

"We decided to make the announcement to make it available as widely as possible," Kathy Rowlen, co-principal investigator for Flu Chip, announced Monday."

"Tests on the new tecnology last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta showed that the CU Flu Chip can determine the genetic makeup of types and subtypes of the flu virus in less than 12 hours."

"In practice, it means that if someone has a mutated version of the avian flu that can easily pass from human to human, health officials can identify it fast and move quickly to contain an outbreak, Rowlen said."

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The article goes into more detail of just how the new process works, which is interesting. What is most interesting to me is that the researching scientists and it appears that Colorado University will not interfere with the new advance in medical science being given to the world. Kudos to them all.

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Also in todays paper is a small article by Rachel Hoad of the Associated Press, in full:

PALESTINIAN BOY'S ORGANS GO TO ISRAELIS

PETAH TIKVAH, Israel -- "The parents of a Palestinian boy shot by Israeli soldiers donated his organs to three Israeli children waiting for transplants."

"Ismail Khatib said the decision to donate his son Ahmed's organs Sunday was rooted in his memories of his brother, who died at age 24 while waiting for a liver transplant, and in his family's desire to help others, regardless of their nationality."

"I don't mind seeing the organs in the body of an Israeli or a Palestinian. In our religion, God allows to give organs to another person, and it doesn't matter who the person is," Khatib said. He added that he hoped the donation would send a message of peace."

"Ahmed, 12, was shot by Israeli soldiers Thursday while they were conducting a raid in the West Bank town of Jenin. The soldiers said the boy was carrying a toy rifle and they mistook him for a militant."

"Ahmed died of his wounds late Saturday, and on Sunday, three Israeli girls underwent surgery to receive his lungs, heart and liver."

"Khatib said he hoped to meet the recipients of his son's organs. "The most important thing is that I see the person who received the organs, to see him alive."

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Apparently Khatib's remarks were made before he learned that the organs were to be given to three children. Still I imagine he would like to see the girls when they have recovered. It is amazing to see something like this in a part of the world where hate runs in the blood of people. Kudos to Khatib.

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Then here locally recently is an article about a young man who I think will probably go far in whatever direction he wishes to go. The article is by Rosa Ramirez of the Rocky Mountain News in today's issue.

In full:

YOUNG HERO SHOWS A LOT OF SPUNK

8-year old calls 911, performs CPR after his mother collapses

"An act of courage by an 8-year old Windsor boy that helped save his mother's life underscores the need to teach children to recognize different kinds of emergencies, the boy's Mom said Monday."

"Today Jennifer Kaderka will talk to mothers of preschoolers about the importance of teaching youngsters how to react in times of crisis."

"The schools start teaching them about dialing 911 when your house is on fire or when there is an emergency," she said. " But we don't define for them what is an emergency."

"Monday as he played a video game, Zach Kaderka told his story. It was about 10 AM on Oct. 9 Zach and his brother Patrick, 6, were playing a video game in their living room when they heard something that resembled the family's "cats jumping off stuff," Zach said.

"I checked and saw my Mother collapsed on the bedroom floor. I tried to wake her up by shakiing her," he said. "I thought she had fallen asleep."

"Zach said he quickly realized something was terribly wrong when his Mom would not wake up. He rushed to the phone and dialed 911.

"Paramedics aked Zach to conduct CPR on his mother."

"They asked me to do this," he said, taking a large gulp of air and letting it out as if to blow out candles on a birthday cake. "I just followed instructions.

"I pretty much thought that my mother wasn't going to survive," Zach said."

"She did, fortunately, but spent 10 days in the hospital recovering. Jennifer Kaderka was told she suffers from long QT syndrome, a rare hereditary disorder in otherwise healthy people that affects the heart's electrical rhythm. Doctors said the syndrome has no symptoms or warning signs and that people who suffer an attack have a 98 percent fatality rate. While in the hospital, she had a pacemaker implanted to treat the condition."

"Everyone was fabulous. They got here quickly and were able to stabilize me and get me breathing again," she said of emergency workers. "I don't think Zach realizes what a big deal it was . . . . . he acted very quickly."

The youngster will be awarded the Medal of Courage by the Royal Rangers, a national christian ministry. The group awards 100 medals nationwide each year, Jennifer Kaderka said."

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So, again for me, another lesson of life. Another proof there are good, dedicated, kind people in all walks of life, even in their beginning steps.

I assume that Mrs. Kaderska's emergency was last year possibly, as that date in October this year has not been reached yet.

Willingness to share with the world a procedure that can save many lives, another thing that is amazing. Then a Palestinian father whose son was slain by Israeli soldiers, from his heart giving his son's organs to Israeli children that they might survive.

There are so many things good IN THE WORLD . . . . . . . . .

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