Dear Friends for Life, A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine reports another new success. These were patients who had lost the sight in one eye from a chemical burn. The burn had so scarred their cornea that they were blind in that one eye. In this new approach researchers took a small number of stem cells from the healthy eye's cornea, multiplied them in the lab and put them on the burned eye. They grew into normal transparent corneal cells, restoring the patient's eyesight. The treatment worked completely in 82 out of 107 cases and partially in 14 more. Adult Stem Cells for Parkinsons? In Yale, scientists have successfully transplanted adult stem cells from one type of tissue (lining of the womb) into another type of tissue (the brain). After transplant these new brain cells were able to produce dopamine, the chemical that is missing in Parkinson's disease. International use of adult stem cells saves lives.In Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), May 2010, looking only at transplants of blood-forming cells from bone marrow blood and umbilical cords, reports that world-wide in 2006 over 50,000 transplants was performed using adult stem cells. Of these, 57% used the patient's own cells and 43% donor adult stem cells. Note: embryonic stem cells were not used. God Bless, Jerry Novotny, OMI (Quote) "All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady." - J.R.R. Tolkien ****************************** ********** Lifeissues.net NEWSLETTER #492 September 19, 2010 ****************************** ********** (TABLE OF CONTENTS): 1. The Health Care Council and "Humanae Vitae" 2. Affirming Love, Avoiding AIDS 3. Can you hear us now? 4. A question of respect 5. Risk of HIV infection stalks Tokyo's gay enclave 6. Hard questions: 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died 7. Ayn Rand: Architect of the culture of death 8. Dying At Home Better For Cancer Patients: Study 9. Benefits Of Stem Cells To Human Patients 10. Contraception and Marriage 11. More on Marriage and Contraception 12. Manila archbishop issues pastoral letter on abortion ****************************** ************************* (Focus on Asia): "China: Improved services set for rapidly aging population" - The country's top labor authorities on Friday vowed to improve services for its rapidly aging population, two days after researchers said that every pensioner will be supported by two taxpayers by 2035. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7137022.html ****************************** ************************* ITEM #1. The Health Care Council and "Humanae Vitae" Here is the address delivered Sept. 3 by Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, the president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, at the four-day "Celebration of Love and Life" seminar that marked the 25th anniversary of the Pope Paul VI Institute. View full article at Zenit: http://www.zenit.org/article-30320?l=english ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #2. Affirming Love, Avoiding AIDS The "conventional wisdom" prevalent in the United States, European Nations, and the United Nations is that the best way to prevent HIV/AIDS in Africa (or anywhere, for that matter) is to practice "safe sex," that is, to make use of condoms and other prophylactic devises. The Catholic Church is regularly criticized for its failure to urge the use of condoms and "safe sex" in Africa and is blamed for the AIDS "epidemic" in sub-Sahara Africa. View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/may/may_26avoidingaids.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #3. Can you hear us now? Australian women raise a collective shout against the pornification of culture. View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/rei/rei_01pornification.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #4. A question of respect Wrestling with difficult questions is routine work for ethicists. But some are much more difficult than others. Recently, an editor asked me one that falls in the former category: What did I believe was now the world's most dangerous idea? I replied, "The idea that there is nothing special about being human and, therefore, humans do not deserve 'special respect,' as compared with other animals or even robots." View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/som/som_16respect.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #5. Risk of HIV infection stalks Tokyo's gay enclave Over the last decade and a half, however, the general trend of reported HIV infections and AIDS cases has been that of a steady increase. As to the risk in the gay community, the numbers speak for themselves: JFAP has found that 70 percent of new HIV infections last year were due to men having sex with men. View full article at The Tokyo Reporter: http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2010/09/14/risk-of-hiv-infection-stalks-tokyos-gay-enclave/ ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #6. Hard questions: 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died There are many questions about the invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, but surely the most important is: was it a just war? This was the question when the war began and it is still the question now. How can we move on without confronting it squarely and honestly? ... The website Iraqi Body Count estimates that between 97,700 and 106,600 Iraqi civilians have died violent deaths since 2003. ... These numbers are almost impossible for us to grasp in comfortable countries like the US and Australia. View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://lifeissues.net/writers/coo/coo_19iraqi.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #7. Ayn Rand: Architect of the culture of death No philosopher ever proposed a more simple and straightforward view of life than the one Ayn Rand urges upon us. Article is located at CERC: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/philosophy/ph0014.htm ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #8. Dying At Home Better For Cancer Patients: Study Cancer patients who die at home do so more peacefully -- and their caregivers end up doing better emotionally, too, researchers reported on Monday. At-home hospice care not only saves money but saves physical and emotional pain as well, they reported online September 13th in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. "Patients with cancer who died in an intensive care unit or hospital experienced more physical and emotional distress and worse quality of life at the end of life," lead author Dr. Alexi Wright of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and colleagues wrote. "If patients are aware that more-aggressive care may affect not only their quality of life, but also their loved ones after their death, they may make different choices," Dr. Wright said in a statement. Wright's team studied 342 terminal cancer patients and their loved ones until the patients died, usually about 4 1/2 months later. "Although most patients with cancer prefer to die at home, 36% die in a hospital and 8% die in an intensive care unit (ICU)," they wrote. Article can be found at Reuters: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/728463?sssdmh=dm1.637471&src=nldne&uac=152427BZ ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #9. Benefits Of Stem Cells To Human Patients Given all the hype and exaggerated promises surrounding embryonic stem cells, most people are simply unaware of the progress being made in treating human patients, right now, with adult and cord blood stem cells. In fact, whenever an advance in treatments using stem cells is made, many people simply assume, incorrectly, that it is from embryonic stem cells. But the truth is, embryonic stem cells have yet to be tried on one human patient; in marked contrast, patients are already benefiting from being treated with adult and cord blood stem cells for 73 different conditions and diseases. View entire article at stemcellresearch.org: http://stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #10. Contraception and Marriage I believe a priest who knows that a couple intends to practice contraception after they marry should do his best to persuade them otherwise. His attempt at persuasion should involve more than telling them that what they are doing is wrong. He should explain as clearly as he can the reasons that contraceptive intercourse is wrong; and do so with charity and patience realizing that for many people, including many Catholics, the truth of the wrongness of contraception is very hard to see. View entire text at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/bru/bru_23contraception.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #11. More on Marriage and Contraception In a previous piece "Contraception and Marriage", I argued that contraceptive intercourse is not suitable to consummate a validly ratified marriage. I will briefly summarize my argument. To be consummative (i.e., to be an act by which the spouses become one flesh), intercourse must be "marital." To be marital, it must be performed "in a human way" and must be "in itself suitable for the procreation of children" (1983 Code of Canon Law, Canon 1061). View entire text at LifeIssues.net: http://lifeissues.net/writers/bru/bru_25marriagecontraception.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #12. Manila archbishop issues pastoral letter on abortion Days after several high-profile incidents of abortion and a newborn baby abandoned in a Gulf Air trash bin, the Archdiocese of Manila promptly issued a pastoral letter reminding its flock about the importance of human life. In the letter released on Friday, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales condemned abortion as a "moral evil," and said those who get abortions as well as those who help obtain the procedure face excommunication before the Catholic Church. He said unwanted pregnancies could be avoided if only people are "less selfish, more disciplined and capable of self control, exercising a strong will, and capable of making sacrifices." View entire text at ABS-CBNnews.com: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/09/17/10/manila-archbishop-condemns-abortion ****************************** ************************** YOU CAN CHANGE SOCIETY: 1. BE INFORMED: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6. Visit Lifeissues.net Website for insights into current Life Issues www.lifeissues.net. All prior email Newsletters Archives are located online at http://lifeissues.net/newsletters/mojo.cgi?flavor=archive&list=lifenews&start=0 3. PRAY DAILY: for the courage to be God's presence in society and to strongly support those who are deemed "unworthy of life". "If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 4. BECOME INVOLVED: Several years ago Fr. Jerry created a project entitled, "Journey for Life into the Heart of Asia". The project appeals for donations to help finance plane travel for lectures and seminars to developing countries in Asia. Strong focus is centered on reaching Asian Catholic Major Seminaries, Universities, Parishes, Hospitals and Family/Pro Life related groups. The lectures place emphasis on "The Asian Family at Crossroads: Life Issues, Trends and Challenges". For information about no-cost Pro Life Talks to your group in Asia: contact Fr. Jerry at jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp. To become a supportive Missionary participant for this Asian project, kindly send your donations to: ** Fr. Jerry Novotny, OMI ** LifeIssues.net, Editor ** Akebono-cho 1-15-9 ** Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072 (or transfer donation directly to ProLife bank account: Jerome Novotny, Shikoku Bank, Asakura Branch, No. 102-1-0080824) ------------------------------ Get a weekly dose of clear thinking: subscribe to our free Lifeissues newsletter! Sign up at www.LifeIssues.net. Pass this free service to your friends and various groups. ------------------------------ Contact EDITOR: Jerry Novotny, OMI Akebono-cho 1-15-9 Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072 [tel/fax: 088-843-0406] [email: jerry@lifeissues.net (or) jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp] ------------------------------ Websites by Editor: English LifeIssues Site: http://www.lifeissues.net, Japanese LifeIssues Site: http://www.japan-lifeissues.net, OMI Site: http://www.omijapankorea.net/index.html ------------------------------Saturday, September 18, 2010
Lifeissues.net Newsletter #492
Dear Friends for Life, A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine reports another new success. These were patients who had lost the sight in one eye from a chemical burn. The burn had so scarred their cornea that they were blind in that one eye. In this new approach researchers took a small number of stem cells from the healthy eye's cornea, multiplied them in the lab and put them on the burned eye. They grew into normal transparent corneal cells, restoring the patient's eyesight. The treatment worked completely in 82 out of 107 cases and partially in 14 more. Adult Stem Cells for Parkinsons? In Yale, scientists have successfully transplanted adult stem cells from one type of tissue (lining of the womb) into another type of tissue (the brain). After transplant these new brain cells were able to produce dopamine, the chemical that is missing in Parkinson's disease. International use of adult stem cells saves lives.In Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), May 2010, looking only at transplants of blood-forming cells from bone marrow blood and umbilical cords, reports that world-wide in 2006 over 50,000 transplants was performed using adult stem cells. Of these, 57% used the patient's own cells and 43% donor adult stem cells. Note: embryonic stem cells were not used. God Bless, Jerry Novotny, OMI (Quote) "All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady." - J.R.R. Tolkien ****************************** ********** Lifeissues.net NEWSLETTER #492 September 19, 2010 ****************************** ********** (TABLE OF CONTENTS): 1. The Health Care Council and "Humanae Vitae" 2. Affirming Love, Avoiding AIDS 3. Can you hear us now? 4. A question of respect 5. Risk of HIV infection stalks Tokyo's gay enclave 6. Hard questions: 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died 7. Ayn Rand: Architect of the culture of death 8. Dying At Home Better For Cancer Patients: Study 9. Benefits Of Stem Cells To Human Patients 10. Contraception and Marriage 11. More on Marriage and Contraception 12. Manila archbishop issues pastoral letter on abortion ****************************** ************************* (Focus on Asia): "China: Improved services set for rapidly aging population" - The country's top labor authorities on Friday vowed to improve services for its rapidly aging population, two days after researchers said that every pensioner will be supported by two taxpayers by 2035. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7137022.html ****************************** ************************* ITEM #1. The Health Care Council and "Humanae Vitae" Here is the address delivered Sept. 3 by Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, the president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, at the four-day "Celebration of Love and Life" seminar that marked the 25th anniversary of the Pope Paul VI Institute. View full article at Zenit: http://www.zenit.org/article-30320?l=english ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #2. Affirming Love, Avoiding AIDS The "conventional wisdom" prevalent in the United States, European Nations, and the United Nations is that the best way to prevent HIV/AIDS in Africa (or anywhere, for that matter) is to practice "safe sex," that is, to make use of condoms and other prophylactic devises. The Catholic Church is regularly criticized for its failure to urge the use of condoms and "safe sex" in Africa and is blamed for the AIDS "epidemic" in sub-Sahara Africa. View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/may/may_26avoidingaids.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #3. Can you hear us now? Australian women raise a collective shout against the pornification of culture. View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/rei/rei_01pornification.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #4. A question of respect Wrestling with difficult questions is routine work for ethicists. But some are much more difficult than others. Recently, an editor asked me one that falls in the former category: What did I believe was now the world's most dangerous idea? I replied, "The idea that there is nothing special about being human and, therefore, humans do not deserve 'special respect,' as compared with other animals or even robots." View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/som/som_16respect.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #5. Risk of HIV infection stalks Tokyo's gay enclave Over the last decade and a half, however, the general trend of reported HIV infections and AIDS cases has been that of a steady increase. As to the risk in the gay community, the numbers speak for themselves: JFAP has found that 70 percent of new HIV infections last year were due to men having sex with men. View full article at The Tokyo Reporter: http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2010/09/14/risk-of-hiv-infection-stalks-tokyos-gay-enclave/ ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #6. Hard questions: 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died There are many questions about the invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, but surely the most important is: was it a just war? This was the question when the war began and it is still the question now. How can we move on without confronting it squarely and honestly? ... The website Iraqi Body Count estimates that between 97,700 and 106,600 Iraqi civilians have died violent deaths since 2003. ... These numbers are almost impossible for us to grasp in comfortable countries like the US and Australia. View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://lifeissues.net/writers/coo/coo_19iraqi.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #7. Ayn Rand: Architect of the culture of death No philosopher ever proposed a more simple and straightforward view of life than the one Ayn Rand urges upon us. Article is located at CERC: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/philosophy/ph0014.htm ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #8. Dying At Home Better For Cancer Patients: Study Cancer patients who die at home do so more peacefully -- and their caregivers end up doing better emotionally, too, researchers reported on Monday. At-home hospice care not only saves money but saves physical and emotional pain as well, they reported online September 13th in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. "Patients with cancer who died in an intensive care unit or hospital experienced more physical and emotional distress and worse quality of life at the end of life," lead author Dr. Alexi Wright of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and colleagues wrote. "If patients are aware that more-aggressive care may affect not only their quality of life, but also their loved ones after their death, they may make different choices," Dr. Wright said in a statement. Wright's team studied 342 terminal cancer patients and their loved ones until the patients died, usually about 4 1/2 months later. "Although most patients with cancer prefer to die at home, 36% die in a hospital and 8% die in an intensive care unit (ICU)," they wrote. Article can be found at Reuters: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/728463?sssdmh=dm1.637471&src=nldne&uac=152427BZ ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #9. Benefits Of Stem Cells To Human Patients Given all the hype and exaggerated promises surrounding embryonic stem cells, most people are simply unaware of the progress being made in treating human patients, right now, with adult and cord blood stem cells. In fact, whenever an advance in treatments using stem cells is made, many people simply assume, incorrectly, that it is from embryonic stem cells. But the truth is, embryonic stem cells have yet to be tried on one human patient; in marked contrast, patients are already benefiting from being treated with adult and cord blood stem cells for 73 different conditions and diseases. View entire article at stemcellresearch.org: http://stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #10. Contraception and Marriage I believe a priest who knows that a couple intends to practice contraception after they marry should do his best to persuade them otherwise. His attempt at persuasion should involve more than telling them that what they are doing is wrong. He should explain as clearly as he can the reasons that contraceptive intercourse is wrong; and do so with charity and patience realizing that for many people, including many Catholics, the truth of the wrongness of contraception is very hard to see. View entire text at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/bru/bru_23contraception.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #11. More on Marriage and Contraception In a previous piece "Contraception and Marriage", I argued that contraceptive intercourse is not suitable to consummate a validly ratified marriage. I will briefly summarize my argument. To be consummative (i.e., to be an act by which the spouses become one flesh), intercourse must be "marital." To be marital, it must be performed "in a human way" and must be "in itself suitable for the procreation of children" (1983 Code of Canon Law, Canon 1061). View entire text at LifeIssues.net: http://lifeissues.net/writers/bru/bru_25marriagecontraception.html ------------------------------ ----------- ITEM #12. Manila archbishop issues pastoral letter on abortion Days after several high-profile incidents of abortion and a newborn baby abandoned in a Gulf Air trash bin, the Archdiocese of Manila promptly issued a pastoral letter reminding its flock about the importance of human life. In the letter released on Friday, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales condemned abortion as a "moral evil," and said those who get abortions as well as those who help obtain the procedure face excommunication before the Catholic Church. He said unwanted pregnancies could be avoided if only people are "less selfish, more disciplined and capable of self control, exercising a strong will, and capable of making sacrifices." View entire text at ABS-CBNnews.com: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/09/17/10/manila-archbishop-condemns-abortion ****************************** ************************** YOU CAN CHANGE SOCIETY: 1. BE INFORMED: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6. Visit Lifeissues.net Website for insights into current Life Issues www.lifeissues.net. All prior email Newsletters Archives are located online at http://lifeissues.net/newsletters/mojo.cgi?flavor=archive&list=lifenews&start=0 3. PRAY DAILY: for the courage to be God's presence in society and to strongly support those who are deemed "unworthy of life". "If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 4. BECOME INVOLVED: Several years ago Fr. Jerry created a project entitled, "Journey for Life into the Heart of Asia". The project appeals for donations to help finance plane travel for lectures and seminars to developing countries in Asia. Strong focus is centered on reaching Asian Catholic Major Seminaries, Universities, Parishes, Hospitals and Family/Pro Life related groups. The lectures place emphasis on "The Asian Family at Crossroads: Life Issues, Trends and Challenges". For information about no-cost Pro Life Talks to your group in Asia: contact Fr. Jerry at jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp. To become a supportive Missionary participant for this Asian project, kindly send your donations to: ** Fr. Jerry Novotny, OMI ** LifeIssues.net, Editor ** Akebono-cho 1-15-9 ** Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072 (or transfer donation directly to ProLife bank account: Jerome Novotny, Shikoku Bank, Asakura Branch, No. 102-1-0080824) ------------------------------ Get a weekly dose of clear thinking: subscribe to our free Lifeissues newsletter! Sign up at www.LifeIssues.net. Pass this free service to your friends and various groups. ------------------------------ Contact EDITOR: Jerry Novotny, OMI Akebono-cho 1-15-9 Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072 [tel/fax: 088-843-0406] [email: jerry@lifeissues.net (or) jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp] ------------------------------ Websites by Editor: English LifeIssues Site: http://www.lifeissues.net, Japanese LifeIssues Site: http://www.japan-lifeissues.net, OMI Site: http://www.omijapankorea.net/index.html ------------------------------
