2005-2-21
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VOICE ONE:
This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Gwen
Outen.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Doug Johnson. On our
program this week: A medical condition called "broken heart
syndrome. " A warning about a new way to steal computer information.
And an answer to a listener's question about science and
engineering.
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VOICE ONE:
A small, new study has found that sudden emotional stress can
cause heart failure in mostly healthy older women. The condition is
known as stress cardiomyopathy. Some people call it broken heart
syndrome. That is because often the emotional stress is caused by
sadness. But, it also can be the result of fear, anger or shock.
Although stress cardiomyopathy is not a heart attack, experts say
the condition can be mistaken for one. A heart attack happens when a
blood clot or other blockage in the coronary arteries cuts off blood
flow to the heart. This can kill heart muscle cells and cause heart
muscle to die. Some signs of heart attack include crushing chest
pain, shortness of breath, fluid in the lungs, and heart failure.
VOICE TWO:
A person with stress cardiomyopathy has similar symptoms. But the
problem is caused by a weakening of the heart that decreases its
ability to pump blood. It is a temporary condition. Unlike a heart
attack, there is no lasting damage to the heart muscle after
treatment. And most patients fully recover very quickly.
A group of Japanese doctors first recognized broken heart
syndrome in the nineteen-nineties. But this is the first time
researchers have identified the condition in the United States. Ilan
Wittstein led a team of researchers at The Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. The study was published
in the New England Journal of Medicine.
VOICE ONE:
The researchers studied nineteen people who had been treated at
the hospital for signs of a heart attack between nineteen
ninety-nine and two thousand three. All but one of the people were
women. The average age of the patients was sixty-three. All of the
patients had experienced a sudden stressful event just before
suffering heart failure. These events included a car accident,
robbery and the death of a loved one. All the patients survived the
heart failure. But, the researchers say some would have died without
treatment.
VOICE TWO:
Researchers say some people react to extreme emotional events by
releasing very high levels of the stress-related hormone adrenaline
and other chemicals. They say these chemicals weaken the heart
muscle, making it temporarily unable to pump blood. The people in
the study had adrenaline levels that were between seven and
thirty-four times higher than normal. But when their level of stress
eased, their hearts began pumping normally again.
Doctor Wittstein says it is important that doctors be able to
tell the difference between a heart attack and stress
cardiomyopathy. He says as more doctors recognize the condition,
they will learn how to treat it. He says this will help people avoid
unnecessary medical operations and having to take heart medicines
for long periods of time.
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VOICE ONE:
The communications industry is warning computer users to guard
against a new way to steal private information. They say this kind
of theft is increasing. Thieves are linking their computers with
other computers and stealing information that can cost honest
computer users a great deal of money. They are doing this by using
the most modern computer communications method -- wi-fi.
Wi-fi is a short way of saying wireless fidelity. Wi-fi permits
computer users to link with the Internet communications system
without using wires and a telephone.
Computer industry experts say wi-fi is the fastest growing part
of the computer industry. The experts say there are about twenty
thousand wi-fi Internet places in the United States.
VOICE TWO:
This is how wi-fi works. Most modern wireless laptop computers
have special equipment that links them with the Internet. They use
an extremely low power radio in the laptop to make the link. The
laptop must be within several meters of a device called a router.
Routers can be placed almost anywhere.
The router is connected to another computer that is linked to the
Internet. As a result, a person with a small laptop computer can use
the machine to link with the Internet at any place that has a
router.
Router links have become very popular. They are in hotels,
airports and in eating places called coffee shops. Computer users
can do work, read electronic mail, buy or sell products and send and
receive business information. They can do this while they are eating
or waiting for an airplane.
VOICE ONE:
However, any information they send or receive with their computer
can be stolen. One method used by thieves to steal such information
is called the "evil twin." For example, a computer user is sitting
in a coffee shop and wants to link his computer with a local router
and the Internet.
Trying to link with the coffee shop's router will not succeed if
a thief's computer is closer to the router. A nearby thief has made
his computer copy the local router to make it a twin. The thief can
then copy information from the other computer without that person
knowing the information has been stolen. The honest person believes
the connection is to a legal router and the Internet. There is no
way of knowing the information in the computer is at risk.
VOICE TWO:
Security experts say another method used by thieves is to gather
information by reading a computer screen. Thieves do this in a
public place. They have even used video cameras to record the
information they are trying to steal.
Experts say it is easy to guard against this kind of theft. They
say to make sure no one can read your computer screen while you are
working in a pubic place. Other methods of protecting your
information involve special computer programs. One of these is
called a firewall. A firewall prevents anyone from electronically
entering your computer to search for information. Some programs make
your computer invisible to anyone on the Internet. Most also block
any attempt to spy on your Internet activities.
One expert says more than half the computers in the United States
that are used for business lack protection and could be attacked.
Information theft from wi-fi connections is a problem for computer
users everywhere.
Most experts agree that computer users should learn how to
protect their computers and information from those who would spy or
steal. Industry experts say only education and good security will
stop information theft.
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VOICE ONE:
A listener from Nigeria has sent us a timely question. Abdulkadir
Usman of Gombe State wants to know the difference between science
and engineering. Since this is National Engineering Week, we feel we
must answer!
The VOA Special English Word Book defines science as the study of
nature and the actions of natural things, and the knowledge gained
about them. The Word Book does not define engineering. But, it says
an engineer is a person who designs engines, machines, bridges,
roads and railroads.
VOICE TWO:
Perhaps that definition is a little narrow. There are engineers
who do not make any kind of engine or machine. For example, a
chemical engineer may develop new drugs or plastic products. Other
examples include biomedical engineers and environmental engineers.
Engineering is linked to science. However, we did not note that
connection in the Word Book. In fact, engineers are sometimes called
applied scientists. This is because engineers use science in their
work.
For example, a structural engineer will use physics, mathematics,
and material science to build bridges, underground passageways or
other structures. So the simple answer is that scientists usually
gather information in the field or laboratory. And, generally,
engineers use that information to produce things.
If you have a general question about science, we would like to
hear from you. Write to us at Special English, Voice of America,
Washington, D.C., two-zero-two-three-seven, U.S.A. Or listeners can
send e-mail to special@voanews.com.
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VOICE ONE:
This program was written by Cynthia Kirk, Paul Thompson and Caty
Weaver. Cynthia Kirk was our producer. I'm Gwen Outen.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Doug Johnson. Join us again next week for SCIENCE IN THE
NEWS in VOA Special English.