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Even if you don't think you do, you already know plenty about commodities. Want us to prove it? No problem.
What makes oil produced in Saudi Arabia different from oil exported from Nigeria? It's the same thing that makes the corn you ate at last summer¿s barbecue different from the corn used to produce ethanol. Stumped? Well, don't feel bad, it's a trick question. The answer? Absolutely nothing. Corn is corn no matter where it comes from -- just as wheat is wheat and natural gas is -- right! -- natural gas. (Though the quality may differ, the make-up is uniform.)
So, in less elaborate terms, corn and oil (and all other commodities) are homogenous goods that can be processed, resold and more often than not, used as an input to the production of other goods or services. These goods are traded on a commodity exchange, thus setting the price-per-barrel (or other metric unit) used to value them.
Now pay attention, here's a question that indeed does have an answer: What is the difference between a commodity and a stock? While a stock can tank and become worthless, a commodity cannot have its value be wiped to zero. One other difference: Most commodities are traded in futures, meaning traders buy and sell where they think the price of a product will be at a certain point in the future. Stocks trade based on the value of the underlying company at that point in time.
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Preterm Birth Contributes to Growing Number of Infant Deaths
Comtex
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 29, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ ----More than 28,000 Infants Died in 2005
Babies born too soon and too small accounted for a growing proportion of infant deaths, according to new statistics released today from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Babies who died of preterm-related causes accounted for 36.5 percent of infant deaths in 2005, up from 34.6 percent in 2000, according to "Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2005 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set," Vol. 57, No. 2, of the National Vital Statistics Report, released today by the NCHS.
The nation's infant mortality rate inched up slightly in 2005 to 6.9, from 6.8 percent in 2004, although the change is not statistically significant, according to the report. While the infant mortality rate dropped more than 9 percent between 1995 and 2005, the changes since 2000 have not been statistically significant.
"Essentially, there has been no improvement in the infant death rate since 2000, and the increase in the proportion of infants who die from preterm-related causes is troubling," said Joann Petrini, PhD, director of the March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center. "Preventing preterm birth is crucial to reducing the nation's infant mortality rate and giving every baby a healthy start in life."
More than a half million babies are born prematurely (less than 37 weeks gestation) each year, and those who survive face the risk of lifelong health consequences, such as breathing and feeding problems, cerebral palsy and learning problems.
Mortality rates for infants born even a few weeks early, or "late preterm" (between 34-36 weeks of gestation), were three times the rates for full-term infants.
The NCHS report found that the mortality rate for very low birthweight infants (those weighing less than 1,500 grams or 3 1/3 pounds) has not changed since 2000, despite rapid improvement between 1983 and 2000. The mortality rate for this group of infants was more than 100 times the rate for normal birthweight infants (at or more than 2,500 grams or 5 1/2 pounds).
Low birthweight and preterm birth are leading causes of infant mortality, and the rates of both have increased steadily since the mid-1980s. The rise in multiple births from the increased use of assisted reproductive technology and increases in cesarean sections and inductions of labor for preterm infants have contributed to this increase.
The March of Dimes remains committed to preventing preterm birth and has extended its Prematurity Campaign by 10 years to 2020 and pledged to address preterm birth globally. The expansion, announced in June at the Surgeon General's Conference on the Prevention of Preterm Birth, supports the national action plan created during the two-day conference that addressed the growing crisis of preterm birth.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. For detailed national, state and county perinatal data visit, marchofdimes.com/peristats.
SOURCE March of Dimes
http://www.marchofdimes.com/
Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
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