Mysterious Nodding Syndrome|『点头症』怪病

Spreading through Uganda

Large areas of northern Uganda are experiencing outbreaks of nodding syndrome, a mysterious disease that causes young children and adolescents to nod violently when they eat food. The disease, which may be an unusual form of epilepsy, could be linked to the parasitic worm responsible for river blindness, a condition that affects some 18 million people, most of whom are in Africa.

The current outbreaks are concentrated in the districts of Kitgum, Pader, and Gulu. The nematode worm that causes river blindness is known to infest all three affected districts. Nearly all the children with nodding syndrome are thought to live near permanent rivers, another hint of a connection with river blindness. While the disease continues to spread, no known cure for nodding syndrome currently exists, so Uganda's Ministry of Health has begun using anticonvulsants to treat its symptoms.

『点头症』怪病

　　乌干达北部广大区域爆发神秘疾病『点头症』，造成孩童和青少年在进食时剧烈点头。这种疾病也许是癫痫的罕见种类，可能与造成『河盲症』的寄生虫有关，而河盲症大约影响 1 千 8 百万人，其中大多居住在非洲。

　　目前爆发疫情的地区集中在 Kitgum、Pader 和 Gulu，而已知这 3 个疫区饱受这种导致河盲症的线虫侵扰。几乎全数罹患点头症的孩童都被认为住在常流河附近，这是另一项与河盲症相关的暗示。点头症疾病持续扩散，但目前还没有已知的治疗方法，乌干达卫生署于是开始使用抗痉挛药物来治疗该病症状。

『点头症』最初于 1980 年代出现在南苏丹，现存于南苏丹、坦尚尼亚和乌干达部分地区，主要发生在年龄 5 到 15 岁之间的儿童和青少年，感染者会间歇性不正常地猛点头，尤其是感觉寒冷或进食时，手部也会一直颤抖，严重者会一直点头点到昏倒，造成其他伤害，甚至致命。此外，患者大脑发育也会受到阻碍，导致心智障碍。

乌干达在 2009 年 12 月和 2010 年 8 月分别做了 2 次调查，但都无法确定致病原因和传染模式。目前怀疑可能与造成河盲症（river blindness）的『盘尾线虫』（Onchocerca volvulus）有关。不过，美国疾病管制中心去年底发表的乌干达疫情调查报告声称，断定点头症就是盘尾线虫引起仍为时尚早，因为其他没有爆发类似疫情的地区也常见这种寄生虫。由于当地长年内战，火炮弹药散发的有毒化学物质，也被怀疑可能与点头症有关。（数据源：自由电子报）

Papa John's Employee Calls Woman

Lady Chinky Eyes on Receipt

Papa John's apologized after an employee typed a racial slur on a receipt given to a customer named Minhee Cho at one of its locations in New York City. Cho posted an image of the receipt on Twitter, which called her lady chinky eyes. "Hey @PapaJohns just FYI my name isn't lady chinky eyes," she tweeted. The image went viral, and many tweeted complaints to Papa John's, such as "Your employees are your brand." The next day, the company reached out to Cho with an apology and also issued a public apology and explanation on their Facebook page.

"We were extremely concerned to learn of the receipt issue in New York. This act goes against our company values, and we've confirmed with the franchisee that this matter was addressed immediately and that the employee is being terminated," Papa John's stated.

凤眼妹的逆袭：美披萨店疑歧视亚裔人士

　　美国披萨连锁店 Papa John's 位于纽约市 1家分店的员工，在 1 位名为赵敏喜的顾客收据打上带有种族歧视意味的文字，事发后披萨店对此道歉。赵敏喜把带有『凤眼妹』字样的收据照片贴上 Twitter，并写道：『嘿，Papa John's，我只是想让你知道，我的名字不叫凤眼妹。』这张照片广为流传，许多人写下诸如『你的员工代表你的品牌』等对 Papa John's 不满的留言。隔天，披萨店公司向赵敏喜道歉，也在 Facebook 上发表公开道歉和声明。

　　该公司表示：『得知纽约分店的收据事件，我们深表关切。这样的行为有违本公司的价值观，我们已向该店加盟主确认整起事件已立即处理，也解雇该名员工。』

澳洲近来频传种族歧视丑闻，就连教育学子的大学殿堂也惹争议。麦考瑞大学（Macquarie University）在厕所张贴海报，指导国外留学生如何正确使用马桶，为了怕外国学生看不懂英文，海报还以图示正确和错误的上厕所姿势，让不少外国学生感到备受歧视。

海报上的内容包括：不要蹲在马桶坐垫上或是在马桶边如厕；女性民众应将卫生棉等私人卫生用品丢进垃圾桶，而非扔进马桶内冲走，如厕后要将马桶盖放下，甚至教育民众上厕所后要洗手。许多民众认为，连最基本的洗手都要教，简直是种族歧视。

麦考瑞大学澄清，会在厕所内张贴指导海报，是因时常接到清洁人员抱怨外国人不会用厕所，导致脏乱。该大学发言人说：『他们（清洁人员）认为许多学生蹲在马桶上，而不是坐在马桶上使用厕所。贴海报前已咨询国际留学生组织。』（数据源：今日新闻网）