(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm GwenOuten.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Doug Johnson. On ourprogram this week: A medical condition called "broken heartsyndrome. " A warning about a new way to steal computer information.And an answer to a listener's question about science andengineering.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

A small, new study has found that sudden emotional stress cancause heart failure in mostly healthy older women. The condition isknown as stress cardiomyopathy. Some people call it broken heartsyndrome. That is because often the emotional stress is caused bysadness. But, it also can be the result of fear, anger or shock.

Although stress cardiomyopathy is not a heart attack, experts saythe condition can be mistaken for one. A heart attack happens when ablood clot or other blockage in the coronary arteries cuts off bloodflow to the heart. This can kill heart muscle cells and cause heartmuscle to die. Some signs of heart attack include crushing chestpain, shortness of breath, fluid in the lungs, and heart failure.

VOICE TWO:

A person with stress cardiomyopathy has similar symptoms. But theproblem is caused by a weakening of the heart that decreases itsability to pump blood. It is a temporary condition. Unlike a heartattack, there is no lasting damage to the heart muscle aftertreatment. And most patients fully recover very quickly.

A group of Japanese doctors first recognized broken heartsyndrome in the nineteen-nineties. But this is the first timeresearchers have identified the condition in the United States. IlanWittstein led a team of researchers at The Johns Hopkins UniversitySchool of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. The study was publishedin the New England Journal of Medicine.

VOICE ONE:

The researchers studied nineteen people who had been treated atthe hospital for signs of a heart attack between nineteenninety-nine and two thousand three. All but one of the people werewomen. The average age of the patients was sixty-three. All of thepatients had experienced a sudden stressful event just beforesuffering heart failure. These events included a car accident,robbery and the death of a loved one. All the patients survived theheart failure. But, the researchers say some would have died withouttreatment.

VOICE TWO:

Researchers say some people react to extreme emotional events byreleasing very high levels of the stress-related hormone adrenalineand other chemicals. They say these chemicals weaken the heartmuscle, making it temporarily unable to pump blood. The people inthe study had adrenaline levels that were between seven andthirty-four times higher than normal. But when their level of stresseased, their hearts began pumping normally again.

Doctor Wittstein says it is important that doctors be able totell the difference between a heart attack and stresscardiomyopathy. He says as more doctors recognize the condition,they will learn how to treat it. He says this will help people avoidunnecessary medical operations and having to take heart medicinesfor long periods of time.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The communications industry is warning computer users to guardagainst a new way to steal private information. They say this kindof theft is increasing. Thieves are linking their computers withother computers and stealing information that can cost honestcomputer users a great deal of money. They are doing this by usingthe most modern computer communications method -- wi-fi.

Wi-fi is a short way of saying wireless fidelity. Wi-fi permitscomputer users to link with the Internet communications systemwithout using wires and a telephone.

Computer industry experts say wi-fi is the fastest growing partof the computer industry. The experts say there are about twentythousand wi-fi Internet places in the United States.

VOICE TWO:

This is how wi-fi works. Most modern wireless laptop computershave special equipment that links them with the Internet. They usean extremely low power radio in the laptop to make the link. Thelaptop 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 theInternet. As a result, a person with a small laptop computer can usethe machine to link with the Internet at any place that has arouter.

Router links have become very popular. They are in hotels,airports and in eating places called coffee shops. Computer userscan do work, read electronic mail, buy or sell products and send andreceive business information. They can do this while they are eatingor waiting for an airplane.

VOICE ONE:

However, any information they send or receive with their computercan be stolen. One method used by thieves to steal such informationis called the "evil twin." For example, a computer user is sittingin a coffee shop and wants to link his computer with a local routerand the Internet.

Trying to link with the coffee shop's router will not succeed ifa thief's computer is closer to the router. A nearby thief has madehis computer copy the local router to make it a twin. The thief canthen copy information from the other computer without that personknowing the information has been stolen. The honest person believesthe connection is to a legal router and the Internet. There is noway of knowing the information in the computer is at risk.

VOICE TWO:

Security experts say another method used by thieves is to gatherinformation by reading a computer screen. Thieves do this in apublic place. They have even used video cameras to record theinformation they are trying to steal.

Experts say it is easy to guard against this kind of theft. Theysay to make sure no one can read your computer screen while you areworking in a pubic place. Other methods of protecting yourinformation involve special computer programs. One of these iscalled a firewall. A firewall prevents anyone from electronicallyentering your computer to search for information. Some programs makeyour computer invisible to anyone on the Internet. Most also blockany attempt to spy on your Internet activities.

One expert says more than half the computers in the United Statesthat are used for business lack protection and could be attacked.Information theft from wi-fi connections is a problem for computerusers everywhere.

Most experts agree that computer users should learn how toprotect their computers and information from those who would spy orsteal. Industry experts say only education and good security willstop information theft.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

A listener from Nigeria has sent us a timely question. AbdulkadirUsman of Gombe State wants to know the difference between scienceand engineering. Since this is National Engineering Week, we feel wemust answer!

The VOA Special English Word Book defines science as the study ofnature and the actions of natural things, and the knowledge gainedabout them. The Word Book does not define engineering. But, it saysan engineer is a person who designs engines, machines, bridges,roads and railroads.

VOICE TWO:

Perhaps that definition is a little narrow. There are engineerswho do not make any kind of engine or machine. For example, achemical engineer may develop new drugs or plastic products. Otherexamples include biomedical engineers and environmental engineers.

Engineering is linked to science. However, we did not note thatconnection in the Word Book. In fact, engineers are sometimes calledapplied scientists. This is because engineers use science in theirwork.

For example, a structural engineer will use physics, mathematics,and material science to build bridges, underground passageways orother structures. So the simple answer is that scientists usuallygather 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 tohear from you. Write to us at Special English, Voice of America,Washington, D.C., two-zero-two-three-seven, U.S.A. Or listeners cansend e-mail to special@voanews.com.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Cynthia Kirk, Paul Thompson and CatyWeaver. Cynthia Kirk was our producer. I'm Gwen Outen.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Doug Johnson. Join us again next week for SCIENCE IN THENEWS in VOA Special English.