St. Jude study links Parkinson's, bird flu

In a study offering tantalizing clues into the origins of a devastating and mysterious ailment, Memphis-based researchers concluded that people who survive a strain of the bird flu have a significantly greater risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Published in Monday's edition of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study by a team at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found that mice infected with the A/Vietnam/1203/04 strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus suffered neurological damage similar to that associated with Parkinson's.

The researchers found that the virus, having replicated in the lungs, travels nerve pathways and attacks small groups of cells in the brain stem.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/aug/11/study-links-parkinsons-bird-02/

Hawaii Braces for Impact of Tropical Storm Felicia

As if 50 mph winds aren't enough to worry about, Tropical Storm Felicia now brings the potential of deadly landslides to the Pacific paradise of Hawaii.

The storm was 395 miles east-northeast of the Big Island at 5 a.m. ET today, according to KITV, an ABC affiliate in Hawaii. Felicia is traveling west at about 10 mph.

High surf warnings are already in effect for the eastern-facing shores, as waves could potentially exceed 18 feet.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=8293516&page=1

Two Earthquakes Strike Indian Ocean Region, Japan

Aug. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Two potentially destructive earthquakes struck minutes apart in the Indian Ocean and Japan today, generating tsunami alerts for India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh and Japan.

The larger of the two quakes was a magnitude-7.6 temblor that hit the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean. It was followed less than 15 minutes later by a 6.6-magnitude quake in Japan southwest of Tokyo.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ajriIG8eRHEg

H1N1 tracker

For all your up to date H1N1 needs... http://h1n1tracker.org/

Philippines hit by Typhoon "Kiko" (Morakot), dozens killed

A powerful typhoon has killed dozens of people, affected over 28,000 people in the Philippines and caused the evacuation of 21,190 people from south east China.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Philippines_hit_by_Typhoon_%22Kiko%22_(Morakot),_dozens_killed?curid=130320