Sunday, September 30, 2012

Mass. wants men to know they can get breast cancer

BOSTON (AP) -- Gov. Deval Patrick wants Massachusetts men to know that they also can get breast cancer.

Men rarely get breast cancer, but those who do often don't survive as long as women, mainly because they don't even realize they can get it and are slow to recognize the warning signs.

A recent study found that men's breast tumors were larger at diagnosis, more advanced and more likely to have spread to other parts of the body.

Many men have no idea that they can get breast cancer, and some doctors are in the dark, too, dismissing symptoms that would be an automatic red flag in women.

Patrick is hoping to change that in Massachusetts beginning Monday, when he signs a bill designating the third week of October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49227552/ns/local_news-boston_ma/

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Mickelson and Bradley gel in Ryder Cup debut

MEDINAH, Illinois (Reuters) - Phil Mickelson looked on like a proud father as he watched Keegan Bradley enjoy a spectacular Ryder Cup debut teaming up with his young protege to contribute two wins to the United States 5-3 lead over Europe on Friday.

Mickelson, the most experienced member of the U.S. Ryder Cup brigade with nine appearances, provided the knowhow and Bradley the youthful energy.

They combined to brush aside Briton Luke Donald and Spaniard Sergio Garcia 4&3 in the morning foursomes then followed up with a 2&1 victory over the Northern Ireland duo of world number one Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell.

"His (Bradley) energy is so positive, it's so good," Mickelson gushed. "His driver and his putter is off the charts.

"We've had a lot of fun, and that brings out best golf out."

When Bradley joined the PGA Tour in 2011, he and Mickelson struck up an instant friendship that has blossomed into a full-fledged bromance.

The two golfers displayed an obvious chemistry, enjoying every minute they spent inside the Ryder Cup pressure cooker, playfully slapping each other on the back, trading fist-pumps and high-fives and charming the pro-American galleries who roared their support.

"I just loved every second of it," said Bradley, who won the PGA Championship in his rookie season. "To be able to walk down the fairway with Phil and do this is just a dream come true.

"It's another moment in my life that I can't believe I'm a part of. It could be the best day of my life. It's just a blast.

"This is literally what I've dreamt about since I was a little kid and I got to do it next to my idol all day."

Bradley dropped the decisive putt to cap the morning match and did much of the heavy lifting in the afternoon, carding six birdies.

But it was Mickelson who delivered the decisive blow with a pinpoint tee shot at the 17th that ended the match with a handshake as McIlroy and McDowell conceded defeat.

"It's awesome and right here on the 17th, it was incredible," said Mickelson. "We've had so much fun and it's what brought our best golf out and to close out with that shot feels spectacular.

"This is one of the most emotional days playing a Ryder Cup that we'll ever have.

"I felt young, and it felt great. To finish it like this was just great."

(Editing by Julian Linden)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mickelson-bradley-gel-ryder-cup-debut-022837116--golf.html

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Canada aware of two cyber attacks, won't say if China involved

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada said on Friday it was aware of an attempt by hackers to target a domestic energy company, the second time in 24 hours Ottawa had acknowledged a cyber security attack against a Canadian firm.

In both cases the Canadian government declined to comment on reports which suggested a Chinese connection.

The news comes at an awkward time for Canada's Conservative government, which is deciding whether to approve a landmark $15.1 billion bid by China's CNOOC Ltd to take over Canadian oil producer Nexen Inc.

Some Conservative legislators are wary of the proposed CNOOC takeover, in part because of what they say are China's unfair business practices.

Ottawa revealed the second case after being asked about a security report from computer manufacturer Dell Inc, which said it had tracked hackers who targeted a number of firms around the world, including an unnamed energy company in Canada. Dell said on its website that the hackers had used a Chinese service provider based in Beijing Province.

"The Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre is aware of this incident," said Jean-Paul Duval, a spokesman for Canada's public safety ministry. Dell did not name the firm and Duval declined to comment further.

Less than 24 hours earlier Duval said Canada knew hackers had breached security at a domestic manufacturer of software used by big energy companies.

Calgary-based Telvent Canada Ltd, which is owned by France's Schneider Electric SA, warned customers about the attack, which hit operations in the United States, Canada and Spain, the cyber security news site KrebsOnSecurity.com reported on Wednesday. It cited experts who said digital fingerprints left during the attack pointed to Chinese hackers.

China is often cited as a suspect in various hacking attacks on companies in the United States and other nations. Beijing dismisses allegations it is involved.

The U.S. Cyber Command's top intelligence officer accused China on Thursday of persistent efforts to pierce Pentagon computer networks.

Candice Bergen, an aide to Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, did not directly address the Telvent incident when asked about it in Parliament.

The opposition New Democratic Party said the Conservatives needed to pay more attention to security concerns when looking at foreign takeover bids.

"Cyber security is something we have to pay attention to and that ... includes how deals are set up and trade deals are set up and acquisitions are made," said legislator Paul Dewar, the party's foreign affairs spokesman.

Although Industry Minister Christian Paradis is responsible for deciding whether the CNOOC bid should be approved, independent Conservative legislator Peter Goldring says a parliamentary committee ought to examine it.

"One of the main priorities of this committee will be to determine whether a foreign state-owned enterprise is an acceptable bidder ... for taking over a Canadian corporation," he said in a statement.

If a committee were set up it could delay the government's timetable for a ruling on the CNOOC deal. Paradis is expected to announce that decision by Nov 12.

An organization that regulates U.S. electric utilities is looking into the breach at Telvent Canada Ltd, which makes software that energy companies use to manage production and distribution of electricity. Telvent acknowledged a breach had taken place but gave few details.

The government's Canadian Security Intelligence Service says hackers try to break into government networks every day.

"Another traditional economic espionage target we often come across is the oil and gas industry," the spy agency said in its annual report released last week.

CSIS did not identify nations it said were responsible for the attacks. In 2010, the head of CSIS said ministers in two of Canada's 10 provinces were under "the general influence of a foreign government" and made clear he was talking about China.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Carol Bishopric)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canada-aware-two-cyber-attacks-wont-china-involved-021157759--finance.html

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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Nickelblock: An element's love-hate relationship with battery electrodes

Friday, September 28, 2012

Anyone who owns an electronic device knows that lithium ion batteries could work better and last longer. Now, scientists examining battery materials on the nano-scale reveal how nickel forms a physical barrier that impedes the shuttling of lithium ions in the electrode, reducing how fast the materials charge and discharge. Published last week in Nano Letters, the research also suggests a way to improve the materials.

The researchers, led by the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Chongmin Wang, created high-resolution 3D images of electrode materials made from lithium-nickel-manganese oxide layered nanoparticles, mapping the individual elements. These maps showed that nickel formed clumps at certain spots in the nanoparticles. A higher magnification view showed the nickel blocking the channels through which lithium ions normally travel when batteries are charged and discharged.

"We were surprised to see the nickel selectively segregate like it did. When the moving lithium ions hit the segregated nickel rich layer, they essentially encounter a barrier that appears to slow them down," said Wang, a materials scientist based at EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE user facility on PNNL's campus. "The block forms in the manufacturing process, and we'd like to find a way to prevent it."

Lithium ions are positively charged atoms that move between negative and positive electrodes when a battery is being charged or is in use. They essentially catch or release the negatively charged electrons, whose movement through a device such as a laptop forms the electric current.

In lithium-manganese oxide electrodes, the manganese and oxygen atoms form rows like a field of cornstalks. In the channels between the stalks, lithium ions zip towards the electrodes on either end, the direction depending on whether the battery is being used or being charged.

Researchers have known for a long time that adding nickel improves how much energy the electrode can hold, battery qualities known as capacity and voltage. But scientists haven't understood why the capacity falls after repeated usage -- a situation consumers experience when a dying battery holds its charge for less and less time.

To find out, Wang, materials scientist Meng Gu and their collaborators used electron microscopy at EMSL and the National Center for Electron Microscopy at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to view how the different atoms are arranged in the electrode materials produced by Argonne National Laboratory researchers. The electrodes were based on nanoparticles made with lithium, nickel, and manganese oxides.

First, the team took high-resolution images that clearly showed rows of atoms separated by channels filled with lithium ions. On the surface, they saw the accumulation of nickel at the ends of the rows, essentially blocking lithium from moving in and out.

To find out how the surface layer is distributed on and within the whole nanoparticle, the team used a technique called three-dimensional composition mapping. Using a nanoparticle about 200 nanometers in size, they took 50 images of the individual elements as they tilted the nanoparticle at various angles. The team reconstructed a three-dimensional map from the individual elemental maps, revealing spots of nickel on a background of lithium-manganese oxide.

The three-dimensional distribution of manganese, oxygen and lithium atoms along the surface and within the particle was relatively even. The nickel, however, parked itself in small areas on the surface. Internally, the nickel clumped on the edges of smaller regions called grains.

To explore why nickel aggregates on certain surfaces, the team calculated how easily nickel and lithium traveled through the channels. Nickel moved more easily up and down the channels than lithium. While nickel normally resides within the manganese oxide cornrows, sometimes it slips out into the channels. And when it does, this analysis showed that it flows much easier through the channels to the end of the field, where it accumulates and forms a block.

The researchers used a variety of methods to make the nanoparticles. Wang said that the longer the nanoparticles stayed at high temperature during fabrication, the more nickel segregated and the poorer the particles performed in charging and discharging tests. They plan on doing more closely controlled experiments to determine if a particular manufacturing method produces a better electrode.

This work was supported by PNNL's Chemical Imaging Initiative.

###

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: http://www.pnnl.gov/news

Thanks to DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/123961/Nickelblock__An_element_s_love_hate_relationship_with_battery_electrodes

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Where to get the cheap web hosting service? | Bohol Chamber of ...

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Learning Your Lessons From Past Relationship Mistakes | Black and ...

Marriage

by BMWK Staff ?|? on September 28th, 2012 ?|? Broken Heart

Photo Credit: Alex Bruda

by Grace Pamer

We are all creatures of habit, aren?t we? I don?t know about you, but the ?mistake cycle of life,? as I call it and fall prey to time and time again, goes a bit like this: I make a mistake, I feel terrible, I vow to never do it again, time passes and the negative memory of the event fades, and I make the same mistake again.

I may proclaim to friends and family, like many other people will do, that ?I won?t make the same mistake twice!? ? but I do. Take the example of a speeding ticket. There is nothing worse than the blue lights in the rear view mirror, in addition to the heavy fine, hassle and fear of increased insurance rates. For months after the experience, I will drive slower than my grandmother used to, with frustrated and impatient drivers riding my bumper. But then something happens ? the speedometer begins creeping up again once more and I?ve erased the negative memory from my mind ? destined to get another speeding ticket in the near future.

Romantic relationships are also frequently the victims of the ?mistake cycle of life.? After breaking up, I vow to never consider dating anyone ?like him? again. As I sulk, completely alone, I think about all of the qualities I didn?t like which caused me pain, and commit to staying far away from any partner who seems even remotely ?like he was.? But then I become blinded by the euphoria that the honeymoon phase of a new relationship brings, and I?m right back where I started from, destined for another heartbreak.

Whether a speeding ticket or romantic relationship, my failure comes from never learning a lesson. Given how often I see other acquaintances doing the same, I assume I am not alone. Life gives us lessons everyday and we can ignore them or grow and become better, happier individuals. For me, the time has come to start paying attention and find value in the pain. Life is a school and I no longer want to flunk out, so to speak.

Love and relationships, healthy ones that is, can lead to such a rich and fulfilling life. I want a lifetime of loving and laughter, not anger and tears. Assuming you feel the same, it is time that we start learning from past relationship mistakes. With pen and notebook in hand, the time is now to begin reflecting on what went wrong each time the partnership eroded. One column is for your past partners, things out of your control. The other column, however, is for you. Yes we all contribute to the health and/or destruction of relationships.

When the list is complete, this is where learning your lesson begins. Where your partners are concerned, look for themes that keep coming up. Do you tend to go for ?bad boys? or ?father figures?? Were their friends always first or did your partner suffocate you by being attached to your hip? Once you begin to see a pattern, you can create a healthy list of qualities that are essential in any future mate ? and stick to it!

Finally, there is the issue of you. Sometimes we make the same mistakes in love because of our own weaknesses. Maybe you fear being alone, you date anyone who comes along, feeling lucky simply to be asked out. Perhaps you have difficulty with trusting others and over time that pushes your lover away. Whatever the case may be, the lesson to be learned isn?t always about the faults of others. Sometimes when we make the same mistakes again and again, the lesson to be learned is that it is us who needs to change.

Grace Pamer is the author of www.RomanceNeverDies.com, a blog which gives insights into the art of putting together the best marriage proposal ideas and relationship advice.


About the author

Content and articles from the staff and guest contributors of BlackandMarriedWithKids.com

?

Source: http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2012/09/learning-your-lessons-from-past-relationship-mistakes/

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Friday, September 28, 2012

Windows on Evolution - can you outdo "March of Progress" imagery?

Windows on Evolution - can you create the iconic image of this extraordinary idea?

?

Charles Darwin?s grand discovery of evolution by natural selection (oh and hey ? what?s up, Wallace!) has been with us for over 150 years and transformed medicine, society and any number of scientific disciplines. Paleoart and nature illustration are thriving, lively fields.

So why are we still stick with the Ascent of Man, March of Progress imagery as the iconic image of evolution? (I hesitate to call it Ascent of ?Humans? ? the gender bias of the image is as outdated and iconic as the linear path it suggests.)

The original "March of Progress" (1965) by Rudolph Zallinger for Time-Life books. This image should totally be a jumble of primates jockeying for position and way more crowded. Someone fix this.

It?s speaks volumes that even an inaccurate and tongue-in-cheek version of this image can cause such dissonance in?creationists when the successive primates would like to be a Pepper too.

Really creationists? *Really??*

?

Science-Art Nature, a group with one of the shortest and most elegant mission statements I?ve ever read, wants to see if today?s generation in the burgeoning field of science-art can do better than a line-up of sexist apes or evolution-via-soda.

From the Windows on Evolution site:

?Science Art-Nature invites you to participate in a juried virtual exhibit,?WINDOWS ON EVOLUTION:? An Artistic Celebration of Charles Darwin, commemorating Darwin Day, February 12, 2013.

  • The top 40 entries will be posted on Darwin Day, but all qualifying works will eventually be added.
  • The exhibit will remain accessible through the Science Art-Nature website indefinitely.

?We intend to have the exhibit announced through various websites including that of the Darwin Day Organization.? Darwin Day, as described there, is ?an international celebration of science and humanity.?? Visit their?site to see videos, lectures on evolution, and information on Darwin, evolution, Darwin Day events and more.

?As always, our aim is to display and promote the best contemporary Science Art and to encourage discourse between the scientific and artistic communities.?

(More information and the forms here.)

Deadline for entries is October 15th, and there?s a small fee to enter. They?re also taking donations to help make this exhibit free to view and giving away swag to donors over certain thresholds ? the standard crowdsourcing-for-awesomeness model.

Have you got what it takes to describe evolution and fire the imagination of the masses? A painting almost done, an image in your sketchbook, an idea noodling around in your head that you?ve never gotten to? Now?s the time to create and add to the grandeur of modern science art and communication.

Make sure to hover over this image at the Windows on Evolution page to reveal all the species! ? Carel Brest Van Kempen.

- -

Windows on Evolution Entry Guide

Donation incentives! Help make this gallery possible and get evolutionary swag!

Windows on Evolution Gallery ? launching February 12 2013

Science-Art Nature

Carel Brest Van Kempen ? inhumanly talented artist who designed the logo, co-organizer of the event.

Darryl Wheye ? artist, human dynamo behind Science-Art Nature, co-organizer.

Twitter @SciArtNature

Facebook

- -

Disclosure ? I was briefly on the Board on Science-Art Nature and have helped with this event a little. ?Because it?s awesome. This post was written by me and not the organizers.?-Glendon

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=9b4f08fe494fa1b8ddb72f0ed7f7d586

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Activists: Heavy fighting in Syria's largest city

A man cries near the body of his brother, killed by a Syrian Army sniper, near Dar El Shifa Hospital in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)

A man cries near the body of his brother, killed by a Syrian Army sniper, near Dar El Shifa Hospital in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)

A Syrian man is comforted after the death of his brother, killed by a Syrian Army sniper, outside Dar El Shifa Hospital in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/ Manu Brabo)

Free Syrian Army fighter scans for targets from a building in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/ Manu Brabo)

Combatientes del Ej?rcito de Libre Siria cargan el cuerpo de un compa?ero ca?do lejos del frente de combate contra las tropas leales al presidente Bashar Assad en Alepo, Siria, el mi?rcoles 26 de septiembre del 2012. Las autoridades sirias enviaron el jueves mensajes de texto en los tel?fonos celulares de todo el pa?s con un mensaje para los rebeldes que pelean contra el r?gimen del presidente Bashar Assad: "El juego ha terminado". (Foto AP/Manu Brabo)

(AP) ? Fighting over Syria's largest city intensified Friday with some of the fiercest battles in two months as rebel forces launched a new offensive to rout President Bashar Assad's forces from Aleppo, activists said.

The city of 3 million, once a bastion of support for Assad, has emerged as a key battleground in Syria's civil war. Its fall would give the opposition a major strategic victory with a stronghold in the north near the Turkish border. A rebel defeat, at the very least, would buy the regime more time.

Activists reported some of the fiercest clashes yet between rebels and government forces in Aleppo, where the two sides have been stalemated for weeks.

Fighters from the main rebel group known as the Free Syrian Army began a new push to drive regime forces from their strongholds Aleppo, Syria's commercial capital on Thursday, calling it the "Decisive Battle," activists said.

The Syrian military sent text message on cellular telephones to members of the armed rebellion reading: "Game over."

Aleppo had been relatively quiet until rebels stormed parts of it in late July. Neither side has been able to deliver a decisive blow, despite sporadic clashes.

"The city is witnessing one of the most violent days. All fronts are on fire," said Aleppo-based activist Baraa al-Halabi. He said clashes had broken out in neighborhoods including Midan, old Aleppo, Maysaloun, Azamiyeh, Salaheddine, Seif al-Dawla and Sheikh Maksoud.

Some activists and rebels said that members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which for decades had close ties with the Syrian government, were participating in the Aleppo battles for the first time since the uprising against Assad's regime began in March last year.

Al-Halabi said some of the heaviest battles were taking place in a predominantly Kurdish area of Sheikh Maksoud where PKK fighters were fighting alongside regime forces. The major rebel group in the city ? the Tawhid Brigade ? said on its Facebook page that its members have entered the neighborhood and fought with PKK gunmen there.

However, another Aleppo-based activist, Mohammed Saeed, said PKK fighters withdrew shortly after the fighting began without taking part in the battle.

Meanwhile, state-run Syrian TV says government troops repulsed an attack on the neighborhood with the help of its residents.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the pro-government gunmen in Sheikh Maksoud are local Syrians known as "Mardiliyeh" ? a clan known to support the regime.

The reports could not be independently confirmed because the government has imposed tight restrictions on the media.

In July, government forces withdrew from Kurdish areas in northeastern Syria and were quickly replaced by Kurdish fighters from the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD. The group is affiliated with the PKK, rebels fighting for autonomy in the Kurdish-dominated southeast region of Turkey. The PKK maintains bases in northern Iraq from where they launch hit-and-run attacks on Turkish targets.

Government forces also stormed several tense neighborhoods in the Syrian capital, Damascus, activists said. Troops raided homes looking for activists in Barzeh, Jobar and Qaboun, according to the Observatory and the Local Coordination Committees.

Both groups also reported some fighting between rebels and troops in and near the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk.

When Syria's unrest began, the country's half-million Palestinians at first struggled to stay on the sidelines. But in recent months, young Palestinian refugees ? enraged by mounting violence and moved by Arab Spring calls for greater freedoms ? have been taking to the streets and even joining the rebels.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-28-Syria%202nd%20Ld-Writethru/id-f79c23f0ebc74e59899d45195cf96d6d

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Kodak dropping out of the consumer inkjet printer business in 2013

DNP Kodak dropping out of the consumer inkjet printer business in 2013

More gloomy news from Kodak: the company just announced that it will stop selling consumer inkjet printers in 2013 and instead focus its efforts on commercial printing products. This decision hardly comes as a surprise: Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and attempted to auction off a stockpile of patents valued at up to $2.6 billion. The company stated on Friday that it expects to take a $90 million hit due to its floundering inkjet business. Kodak's garage sale attracted interest from unlikely alliances in the form of Apple and Microsoft versus Google and Samsung, but reportedly only reeled in disappointing offers under the $500 million mark. Hoping to rebound next year as a "lean," mean, successful machine, we'll just have to wait and see what develops for this fallen photography frontrunner.

Continue reading Kodak dropping out of the consumer inkjet printer business in 2013

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Lawyer-Proof Your Life in the Cook Islands and Panama | Sovereign ...

If you?re waiting for a problem to start knocking ? whether it?s an individual litigant or the U.S. government itself ? it?s already too late. The best time for asset protection is long before a problem arrives.

Right now, like it or not, problems are heading straight up your driveway and your front door is within easy reach.

Through taxation and regulation, the U.S. government has stepped up attacks on our wealth. Eager to avoid dealing with our fundamental fiscal issues, our politicians will continue to dig deeper into our pockets to grab every penny they can, no matter who wins the upcoming election.

At the same time, a bad economy is making more people lawsuit-happy. Does your neighbor have a petty grievance against you and your barking dog? You?d better take that complaint seriously ? anyone with money (even people of moderate wealth) can become a target.

As sovereign individuals, we understand these trends and guard against them. Wisely, we choose where we place our assets and identify places where we can find safety and privacy guaranteed by law.

For true security, we require a system that also guarantees maximum possible legal tax avoidance, the highest possible financial privacy, the strongest asset protection and access to the most profitable investments available worldwide.

Fortunately, there is one legal device that does all of this: the offshore Asset Protection Trust (APT).

The idea of setting up an offshore APT may seem daunting, but it doesn?t have to be a complicated process. In some of my favorite offshore havens, you can lay the groundwork for a solid asset-protection strategy in just three days.

Making Yourself a Hard Target

One of the biggest threats to your financial well-being is litigation. The American judicial system is too often an enemy of prosperity. Courts in the United States are clogged with civil suits demanding enormous sums for imagined or statutorily-concocted injuries that create supposed victims of harassment, disability or discrimination.

No matter how safe you think you are, it doesn?t take much to have a lawsuit filed against you these days. Recent headlines have warned that people are now being sued for ?defamation? for writing negative product reviews on places like Amazon.

A U.S. group, Legal Reform Now, claims that more than 15 million lawsuits will be filed in state courts alone by the end of 2012, one new lawsuit every two seconds, one for every 12 adults in America. According to consulting firm Towers Watson, the direct cost of U.S. tort lawsuits in 2009 was $250 billion ? that?s a little over 1.5% of the entire U.S. gross domestic product.

For lawsuit protection, the best tactic is to shrink yourself and your assets as targets ? and an offshore asset protection trust can help you do exactly that. By transferring legal title and reducing control over assets through donating them to your offshore APT, you make yourself a smaller target. Once an APT is set up, this is something that can be done quickly and easily.

And any time hard assets are transferred to another nation (as when cash, stock shares or precious metals are moved to an offshore trust account, or an offshore trustee?s safe deposit box), a home country creditor will have difficulty reaching them, even if the existence of your offshore trust is known.

There is also the benefit of a harassing party knowing your assets are beyond immediate reach. The cost and difficulty of pursuit may discourage legal action or encourage an advantageous compromise.

A Foundation for a Secure Financial Future

Beyond being just a tool against legal threats, an offshore APT can serve as a powerful wealth-preservation structure in building a secure financial future for you and your family. The offshore APT has long been a favorite of those seeking a legal and safe way to distribute wealth to their heirs. While a U.S. domestic trust provides limited protection, that strength multiplies with distance when the APT is located outside U.S. jurisdiction.

As part of a sound estate plan, it can protect your assets while assuring that your heirs and chosen beneficiaries receive exactly what you wish after you?re gone. This can help you minimize estate taxes through planned giving, and also provide maintenance and tax-free income for a surviving spouse. Offshore APTs can also be set up to make sure you meet your family?s needs in the years ahead ? paying for medical care or arranging funds to pay for your grandchildren?s college education, for example.

Even as our privacy in the U.S. continues to dwindle and disappear, the security of offshore trusts are rooted in the financial privacy laws of the country in which they are created. And these are often always more strict than those at home.

While the U.S. economy continues to sputter, and the dollar continues its decades-long decline, an offshore APT can serve as an excellent investment vehicle with access to offshore profits and exposure to stronger currencies. These will provide you with the income you need to help build a secure retirement.

Where to Set Up Your Trust

While it is possible to set up a trust in as little as three days in places like Liechtenstein, or in five days in Panama, the more time you allow yourself to draft a solid plan, the more it will be able to meet all of your needs in the years ahead. That?s why the time to start planning is now ? when trouble is knocking at the door, it will be too late.

Many offshore financial centers specialize in the creation and administration of offshore asset protection trusts.

What the corporation-friendly State of Delaware is to U.S. companies, these jurisdictions are to asset protection trusts. Many are well developed, globally recognized financial centers. They boast modern, efficient banking, legal and other professional providers who understand servicing offshore APTs and offshore finance in general. Before you choose a place for your trust, always make certain of the latest developments in the jurisdiction you?re considering.

My top havens, based on my own personal experiences, are Panama and the Cook Islands.

Panama has had strong investor and asset protection-friendly laws in place governing trusts since the 1920s. The country has a growing, vibrant economy with a solid banking system that boasts maximum privacy.

A former British protectorate, the Cook Islands began adopting wealth protection laws in the 1980s that now have financial services second only to tourism as the biggest part of this island nation?s economy. The Cook Islands trust law embodies all the best legal concepts concerning modern trusts. As such, it has served as the example for many other offshore centers, from Nevis to Belize.

Both Panama and the Cook Islands can provide you with modern financial services and rock-solid financial privacy, making either an excellent home for your offshore trust. As places of both beauty and protection for your assets and your business interests, I would recommend either.

Faithfully yours,

?
Bob Bauman

P.S. Setting up an offshore asset protection trust is an important step towards securing your financial future, but it?s far from the only one. In my Offshore Confidential service, I?m tracking the latest threats to your wealth and liberty and what you can do to protect both. To learn more about how you can take advantage of my research and the steps you can start taking today, click here to read my special report.
?
?

Other Posts from the Author

Source: http://sovereign-investor.com/2012/09/26/lawyer-proof-your-life-in-cook-islands/

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Video: Romney-Ryan partnership hits rocky road

Angry pet owners take jerky treat fight to stores

??Grieving pet owners have started warning other consumers with fliers, cards and posters about potentially dangerous chicken jerky treats from China. After the death of her German shepherd, one Illinois woman gathered 60,000 signatures demanding retailers stop selling the treats.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/49186367#49186367

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Health & Fitness : How to Run 2 Miles Faster | How Can You Lose ...

?

In order to run Faster, a person must increase their leg strength and strength of their cardiovascular system. Find out how to incorporate interval training into an overall routine with help from a Fitness trainer in this free video on health and staying in shape. Expert: CarolAnn Contact: www.StudioGroupX.com Bio: CarolAnn has 19 years of professional fitness training experience and holds a master?s degree in exercise science and health promotion. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz


Load up on a wordpress plugin menu while it is still totally free.Foremost bloggers advocate a forum wordpress plugin for your Wordpress site.

Source: http://howcanyouloseweighttoday.com/2012/09/27/health-fitness-how-to-run-2-miles-faster/

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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Video: Look inside Reese Witherspoon?s $10 million home

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3041440/vp/49162149#49162149

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Could viruses be used to treat acne? - Infections -Skin Care -

? Infections ? ? Skin Care ? Sep 24, 2012

Scientists have isolated and studied the genomes of 11 viruses, known as phage, that can infect and kill the acne-causing bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, potentially paving the way for topical therapies that use viruses or viral products to treat this vexing skin condition. Their results are reported in the September 25 issue of mBio?, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

?There are two fairly obvious potential directions that could exploit this kind of research,? says Graham Hatfull of the University of Pittsburgh, an author of the study. ?The first is the possibility of using the phages directly as a therapy for acne. The second is the opportunity to use phage-derived components for their activities.?

P. acnes is a normal resident on human skin, but its numbers increase substantially at puberty, eliciting an inflammatory response that can lead to acne. Although antibiotics can be effective in treating acne, antibiotic-resistant strains of P. acnes have emerged, highlighting the need for better therapies.

Hatfull and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh along with scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles, isolated phages and P. acnes bacteria from human volunteers with and without acne, then sequenced the phages? genomes. What they found in those genomes was surprising. The phages were all remarkably similar, sharing more than 85% of their DNA, an unheard of level of similarity among viruses, which usually exhibit a great deal of diversity. This lack of genetic diversity suggests that resistance to phage-based antimicrobial therapy is less likely to develop, they say.

All of the phages carry a gene that makes a protein called endolysin, an enzyme that is thought to break down bacterial cell walls and kill the bacteria. Enzymes like this are used in other applications, says Hatfull, suggesting that endolysin from these phages might also be useful as a topical anti-acne therapeutic. ?This work has given us very useful information about the diversity of that set of enzymes and helps pave the way for thinking about potential applications,? he says.

From here, Hatfull says, research with these phages will explore how they might be used therapeutically, but phages like these can also provide useful tools, like genes and enzymes, that can be used to manipulate and understand the bacteria they infect. ?The information derived from these phages helps contribute toward those kinds of genetic tools,? says Hatfull.

###

mBio? is an open access online journal published by the American Society for Microbiology to make microbiology research broadly accessible. The focus of the journal is on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. It can be found online at http://mBio.asm.org.

The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM?s mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.

###

Jim Sliwa
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

Provided by ArmMed Media




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Get free support - Headache Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment on HeadacheCare.net

Source: http://www.health.am/ab/more/could-viruses-be-used-to-treat-acne/

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Shifting gears! Plan to elevate Bridge Park velodrome makes room ...

By Natalie O?Neil

The Brooklyn Paper

A $40 million indoor bike track in Brooklyn Bridge Park will offer more space for other sports after critics bashed project backers for only catering to a niche group of cyclists.

Under the new plan, designers will raise the velodrome to create an eight-foot-tall ground-floor space that accommodates teams and community groups near Pier 5.

The plan adds 3,000 extra square feet of recreation space ? slightly smaller (and far shorter) than a high school basketball court ? which is perfect for activities such as yoga, pilates, and weight-lifting, project supporters say.

?We discovered an overwhelming demand for diverse recreation,? said the project director Greg Brooks. ?It?s a tremendous opportunity for the community.?

Some Brooklynites cheered the still-in-the works plan, saying it?s a creative way to make the most of the site.

?It?s a really imaginative way of maximizing space,? said Larry Weiss of Brooklyn Friends School, who said his students would likely use the new, low-ceilinged space for activities such as gymnastics and fencing.

Some critics say the new recreation area will still cater primarily to practitioners of niche sports, while others cited concerns about traffic in nearby neighborhoods, saying streets will be backed up unless parking spaces are added.

?Parking is not part of the plan; it raises questions about how people are going to get there,? said Jane McGroarty.

The new proposal comes after bike-boosting philanthropist Joshua Rechnitz announced he would give the largest-ever park donation in the city?s history to build a year-round recreational facility where people of all ages can rent and race fixed-gear bikes.

Rechnitz did not return calls seeking comment on Monday ? but Brooks said project backers had met with more than 50 organizations to discuss the plan, adding the facility could prompt a cultural shift in the way the city enjoys and defines year-round recreation.

The facility will feature ?drop in? cycling for all ages ? for $10 to $32 ? and be open to summer camp and after school programs and feature about 1,200 spectator seats.

At a Brooklyn Bridge Park Community Advisory Council meeting on Monday, some panel members said they would not support the project until representatives present a formal rendering and proposal.

?We need a full opportunity to go through this in detail,? said project opponent Peter Flemming.

But others ? even some of the harshest critics of public-private partnerships ? called the new plan a big win for Brooklyn.

?It sounds great; more recreation is what we need,? said park advocate Roy Sloane.

Source: http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/39/dtg_raisedvelodrome_2012_09_28_bk.html

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Zoo panda cub that died had liver abnormalities

FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2011 file photo shows Mei Xiang, the female giant panda at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington. The panda cub born to Mei Xiang on Sept. 16, 2012, after five consecutive pseudo pregnancies over the years, died Sept. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh/File)

FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2011 file photo shows Mei Xiang, the female giant panda at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington. The panda cub born to Mei Xiang on Sept. 16, 2012, after five consecutive pseudo pregnancies over the years, died Sept. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh/File)

(AP) ? The 6-day-old giant panda cub that died at the National Zoo had liver abnormalities and fluid in its abdomen, but zoo officials said Monday that they don't yet know the cause of death.

The cub, believed to be female, died Sunday morning, less than a week after its birth surprised and delighted zoo officials and visitors. The zoo had all but given up on the panda mother's chances of conceiving.

A necropsy on the cub will be completed within two weeks, and officials expect to have a definitive answer on the cause of death. Panda cubs are about the size of a stick of butter at birth and are susceptible to infections and fatal injuries.

There was no evidence of fluid in the cub's lungs, which would suggest pneumonia, and the cub was not accidentally crushed by its mother, which has happened to other cubs born in captivity. On any given day in the first two weeks of life, pandas born in captivity have a mortality rate of about 18 percent, zoo officials said. Their mortality rate in the wild is unknown, but only a few thousand giant pandas are believed to remain in the wild. Only a few hundred are in captivity.

The fluid in the cub's abdomen was unusual and could have been a symptom of the liver problem, said Suzan Murray, the zoo's chief veterinarian. The liver, about the size of a kidney bean, was harder than usual and discolored, she said.

There was milk in the cub's gastrointestinal tract, but the initial examination could not determine how well it had been nursing, Murray said.

The cub's mother, 14-year-old Mei Xiang, has come out of her den and started eating again and interacting with her keepers, Murray said. The panda slept well Sunday night and has been cradling a plastic toy.

"We think this is her natural mothering instinct," National Zoo director Dennis Kelly said.

Zoo officials said it was too early to know if they would attempt to breed Mei Xiang again next year, but the breeding program at the zoo will continue. Mei Xiang had five consecutive pseudopregnancies before giving birth on Sept. 16. A pseudopregnancy occurs when a panda ovulates but does not conceive.

Mei Xiang had been artificially inseminated with sperm from her male partner, Tian Tian. The pair's only cub, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and became the zoo's star attraction before he was returned to China in 2010.

Four U.S. zoos have pandas, but the bears at the National Zoo are treated like royalty. The zoo was given its first set of pandas in 1972 as a gift from China to commemorate President Richard Nixon's historic visit to the country.

The zoo's first panda couple, Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing, had five cubs during the 1980s, but none lived more than a few days.

Because Mei Xiang's other cub survived and she appeared to be taking good care of the newborn, zoo officials were cautiously optimistic about the new cub. Kelly said he was not aware of anything that could have been done to improve its chances of survival.

Thousands of people watched Mei Xiang tend to her cub on the zoo's online "pandacam," which also allowed zookeepers to monitor the mother and newborn. On Monday, fans lamented the cub's death in messages posted on Twitter and other social media sites, using the same hashtag used after the panda's birth: "cubwatch." The video feed of Mei Xiang remained online Monday.

The staff was taking the loss especially hard because of the work they'd put in over the past 6 years to produce another cub, Kelly said.

"Every loss is hard," he said. "This one is especially devastating."

___

Follow Ben Nuckols on Twitter at http://twitter.com/APBenNuckols.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-09-24-National%20Zoo-Panda/id-e677438372de4c17a2c047f077cb9e4b

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Vietnam retail revenues continue to rise | Vietnam Business News

Viet Nam?s retail and service revenues in the first three quarters are estimated to have risen 17.15% against the same period last year, valuing VND 1,710 trillion.

According to the General Statistics Office, the nation?s retail and service revenue in September reached nearly VND 193,000 billion, up 1.08% against August.

The trade sector generated VND 1,320 trillion, a year-on-year growth of 16.3%, and accounted for 77.2% of the total sum.

Hotel and restaurant sector reported a rise of 27.4% to VND 227,000 billion, accounting for 11.3% while tourism saw an increase of 30.7% to VND 18.3 trillion, accounting for 1.1%.

Individual businesses generated VND 834,000 billion (up 17.1%), making up 48.8%. The foreign direct investment (FDI) sector gained VND 48,000 billion (up 33.8%) while the State-owned sector?s revenue is estimated at VND 202,000 billion (up 0.1%), accounting for 11.8%.

Tags: Vietnam retail, vietnam retail industry, Vietnam retail market, Vietnam Retail sector

Source: http://businesstimes.com.vn/vietnam-retail-revenues-continue-to-rise/

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The Best Way to Study TOEFL

The TOEFL (Test Of English Fluency Level) test has been taken by thousands of people around the world. It is a globally accepted test that provides colleges and many others with information about a person?s English fluency level, and TOEFL scores can even be included in college applications. Therefore, a lot of people choose to study for it. I study TOEFL as well, and over the recent summer break, I was able to pull my grade up from 103 to 113. I feel that I have learned skills and tips that I can share with others. In my opinion, the best way to study for TOEFL tests is to practice understanding logical structures of passages. The following passages explain why I believe so, and how you can practice it.

Why?

Logic is very important in TOEFL. The ability to understand the logical relationships between ideas presented in passages is considered as the border that separates scores from 0 to 100 and 100 to 120. A lot of people study hard to cross that border. If you are studying for TOEFL, this means that your English is fluent to some degree. You probably do not have that much problems with vocabulary and sentencing skills. People like you will have no problems with getting perfect scores on the TOEIC and TEPS tests (some other kinds of English tests) but will need to work harder to perfect a TOEFL test. In the ?Reading and Listening sections, TOEFL wants to see if you could understand the author?s purpose of mentioning certain topics or the speaker?s intention of making a speech. In order to do this, you must be able to link the ideas using logic through the context provided. In the?Writing and Speaking sections, TOEFL wants to see if you can speak and write in decent English with your argument supported by your sub-ideas, logically. Thus, making logical relationships between ideas is the most important thing if you want to get a score above 100 points.

How?

Now, how can we study effectively for TOEFL tests?

First of all, you should memorize as many words as possible. This is so that you won?t have any problems with understanding passages and expressing your thoughts while taking the test. I would suggest memorizing as many words as you can until you run into the words you already memorized from before. If you are a Korean, the books ?Hackers Vocabulary? by David Cho and ??? ?? Vocabulary? by Tomato are highly recommended. Memorize them all!

Practice is the next key.

With the Listening and Reading section, you should practice to see the logical structure of passages: ?Why is the author saying this??, ?Why did the student call his friend?? and so on. You should keep on solving problems until you get used to the question types and time limits as well. Practice, practice, and practice.

With the Speaking and Writing section, you should practice giving responses that are logically structured. For example, if you want to talk about why you like apples, your explanations shouldn?t say because you don?t like bananas. With the Speaking section, you just have to practice speaking. Watch American or British TV series to improve your English accent. The ?TOEFL test encourages you to speak in either one of those two accents as they are two of the most used English in the world.

To sum up, the best way to study for TOEFL tests is to practice understanding logical structures of passages. However, the most important thing is having the passion for studying for the TOEFL test and?investing?in one?s future.

?

Source: http://review.brentsubic.edu.ph/2012/09/the-best-way-to-study-toefl/

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Monday, September 24, 2012

Drug originally developed for cancer proves effective for children with progeria

ScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2012) ? Results of the first-ever clinical drug trial for children with Progeria, a rare, fatal "rapid-aging" disease, demonstrate the efficacy of a farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI), a drug originally developed to treat cancer. The clinical trial results, completed only six years after scientists identified the cause of Progeria, included significant improvements in weight gain, bone structure and, most importantly, the cardiovascular system, according to The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF) and Boston Children's Hospital.

The study results were published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), is a rare, fatal genetic disease characterized by an appearance of accelerated aging in children. All children with Progeria die of the same heart disease that affects millions of normal aging adults (atherosclerosis), but instead of occurring at 60 or 70 years of age, these children may suffer heart attacks and strokes as early as age 5 years, with the average age of death at 13 years.

"To discover that some aspects of damage to the blood vessels in Progeria can not only be slowed by the FTI called lonafarnib, but even partially reversed within just 2.5 years of treatment is a tremendous breakthrough, because cardiovascular disease is the ultimate cause of death in children with Progeria," said Leslie Gordon, MD, PhD, lead author of the study, medical director for PRF, and mother of a child with Progeria. In addition, Dr. Gordon is a staff scientist at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and associate professor at Hasbro Children's Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Results Yield Improvements in One or More Study Measures for All Children

Twenty-eight children from sixteen countries participated in the two-and-a-half year drug trial, representing 75 percent of known Progeria cases worldwide at the time the trial began. Of those, 26 are children with the classic form of Progeria. The children traveled to Boston every four months to receive comprehensive medical testing through Boston Children's Hospital's Clinical and Translational Study Unit.

Treatment consisted of the FTI lonafarnib, supplied by Merck & Co., given to children orally, twice-a-day over the course of the study, under the supervision of principal investigator Mark Kieran, MD, PhD, director of pediatric medical neuro-oncology at the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center.

The research team, which included specialists at Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, evaluated the children's rate of weight gain compared to their pre-therapy rate as the primary outcome because children with Progeria experience severe failure to thrive, and have a consistent, very slow linear rate of weight gain over time. Researchers also examined arterial stiffness (a predictor of heart attack and stroke in the general population), bone density and rigidity (indicators of osteoporosis). Every child completing the study showed improvement in an ability to gain additional weight, increased flexibility of blood vessels or improved bone structure.

Results included improvement in one or more of the following areas:

  • Weight: One in three children demonstrated a greater than 50 percent increase in annual rate of weight gain or switched from weight loss to weight gain, due to increased muscle and bone mass.
  • Bone Structure: On average, skeletal rigidity (which was highly abnormal at trial initiation) improved to normal levels after FTI treatment.
  • Cardiovascular:Arterial stiffness, strongly associated with atherosclerosis in the general aging population, decreased by 35 percent. Vessel wall density also improved with treatment.

Following the 2003 discovery of the gene that causes Progeria, researchers identified FTIs as a potential drug treatment for Progeria. Children with Progeria have a genetic mutation that leads to the production of the protein progerin, which is responsible for Progeria. Progerin blocks normal cell function and part of its toxic effect on the body is caused by a molecule called a "farnesyl group," which attaches to the progerin protein. FTIs act by blocking the attachment of the farnesyl group onto progerin.

"In the early stages of planning for this clinical trial, we realized that my team's experience using FTIs to treat children with brain cancer could bring together PRF's preclinical research efforts and the expertise we needed to study the drug in children with Progeria," said Kieran, the study's senior author and associate professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. "The premise behind studying this drug was that by stopping the attachment of the farnesyl group onto progerin in children with Progeria, progerin may be inactivated, reducing some effects of the disease."

"PRF provides a model for disease research organizations, and is a good example of successful translational research, moving from gene discovery to clinical treatment at an unprecedented pace," added Dr. Kieran.

Since PRF's founding in 1999, the organization and its scientific partners have identified the genetic mutation that causes the disease, funded preclinical research and funded clinical trials. A second clinical trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health and PRF, is currently underway and more trials are expected to follow.

"The partnership between The Progeria Research Foundation, the research team and these courageous families was essential for success," said Dr. Gordon. "It required identifying children and their home doctors from around the globe, obtaining the essential pre-trial clinical information, transporting families to and from Boston, supplying translators both inside and outside of the hospital setting, and putting together a multidisciplinary clinical team to assess treatment effects. But it was all worth it, and I believe we have set in motion a blueprint for successful treatment trials for children with Progeria and for other rare diseases."

"The results of this study provide our family with excitement and hope for Megan's future," said Sandy Nighbor, mother of Megan, a 12-year-old child who participated in the clinical trial. "We're grateful to The Progeria Research Foundation and all of the doctors for their commitment to helping my daughter and all children with Progeria."

Progeria Linked to Normal Aging Process

Previous research shows that progerin is also produced in the general population and increases in the body with age. A number of studies successfully linked progerin with normal aging, including a causal link between progerin and genetic instability, specifically telomere dysfunction in the aging process. Researchers plan to continue researching the effect of FTIs, which may help scientists learn more about cardiovascular disease that affects millions, as well as the normal aging process.

"One of the main reasons we achieved breakthrough results in this first trial is because of the tremendous supporters who provided funding, and helped get us one step closer to achieving our ultimate goal -- a cure for Progeria," said Audrey Gordon, Executive Director of PRF. "Every donation makes a difference. With continued support, we will fund research that will not only allow children with Progeria around the world to live long and healthy lives, but may also advance our understanding of the normal aging process that affects us all."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Boston Children's Hospital.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Leslie B. Gordon, Monica E. Kleinman, David T. Miller, Donna S. Neuberg, Anita Giobbie-Hurder, Marie Gerhard-Herman, Leslie B. Smoot, Catherine M. Gordon, Robert Cleveland, Brian D. Snyder, Brian Fligor, W. Robert Bishop, Paul Statkevich, Amy Regen, Andrew Sonis, Susan Riley, Christine Ploski, Annette Correia, Nicolle Quinn, Nicole J. Ullrich, Ara Nazarian, Marilyn G. Liang, Susanna Y. Huh, Armin Schwartzman, and Mark W. Kieran. Clinical trial of a farnesyltransferase inhibitor in children with Hutchinson?Gilford progeria syndrome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1202529109

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/nvfrlSFIvvk/120924152539.htm

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Avalanche on Nepal peak kills at least 9 climbers

In this photo provided by Nepalese airline Simrik Air, an injured victim, center, of an avalanche is rescued at the base camp of Mount Manaslu in northern Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The avalanche swept away climbers on a Himalayan peak in Nepal on Sunday, leaving at least nine dead and six others missing, officials said. (AP Photo/Simrik Air)

In this photo provided by Nepalese airline Simrik Air, an injured victim, center, of an avalanche is rescued at the base camp of Mount Manaslu in northern Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The avalanche swept away climbers on a Himalayan peak in Nepal on Sunday, leaving at least nine dead and six others missing, officials said. (AP Photo/Simrik Air)

In this photo provided by Nepalese airline Simrik Air, rescuers attend to injured victims, unseen, after an avalanche at the base camp of Mount Manaslu in northern Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The avalanche swept away climbers on a Himalayan peak in Nepal on Sunday, leaving at least nine dead and six others missing, officials said. (AP Photo/Simrik Air)

In this photo provided by Nepalese airline Simrik Air, an injured victim of an avalanche is carried to a helicopter after being rescued at the base camp of Mount Manaslu in northern Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The avalanche swept away climbers on a Himalayan peak in Nepal on Sunday, leaving at least nine dead and six others missing, officials said. (AP Photo/Simrik Air)

In this photo provided by Nepalese airline Simrik Air, rescuer attend to injured victims, unseen, in an avalanche at the base camp of Mount Manaslu in northern Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The avalanche swept away climbers on a Himalayan peak in Nepal on Sunday, leaving at least nine dead and six others missing, officials said. (AP Photo/Simrik Air)

French national Claude Belmas, 52, left, and Armand Manel, 42, survivors of an avalanche at Mount Manaslu in northern Nepal, give their details at a clinic in Katmandu, Nepal, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The avalanche swept away climbers on a Himalayan peak in Nepal on Sunday, leaving at least nine dead and six others missing, officials said.(AP Photo/Binod Joshi)

(AP) ? Rescue helicopters flew over the high slopes of a northern Nepal peak again Monday to search for climbers lost in an avalanche that killed at least nine mountaineers and injured others. Many of the climbers were French, German and Italian.

The avalanche a day earlier hit a camp with more than two dozen climbers high up the slopes of the world's eighth-highest peak, Mount Manaslu. It came at the start of Nepal's autumn climbing season, when the end of the monsoon rains makes weather in the high Himalayas unpredictable.

Police official Basanta Bahadur Kuwar said three rescue helicopters resumed the search on Monday morning. Bad weather had forced them to halt flyover searching Sunday afternoon. Other climbers and guides on the mountain were also searching on foot and had managed to bring three more bodies to the base camp on Monday, Kuwar said.

The bodies of a Nepalese guide and a German man were recovered on Sunday and rescue pilots had reported spotting seven other bodies on the slopes. Spain's Foreign Ministry said from Madrid that one climber killed was Spanish. The identities of the others were still being confirmed.

Ten climbers survived, but many were injured and were flown to hospitals by rescue helicopters.

Nepal's autumn mountaineering season is less popular than spring, when hundreds of climbers crowd the high Himalayan peaks. Italian, German and French teams were on the mountain, with a total of 231 climbers and guides, but not all were at the higher camps hit by the avalanche, officials said.

The avalanche hit a camp at 7,000 meters (22,960 feet) early in the morning as the climbers were preparing to head toward the summit, which is 8,156 meters (26,760 feet) high.

Rescue pilot Pasang, who uses only one name, said three injured French citizens and two Germans had been transported to hospitals in Katmandu. He said rescuers were also attempting to bring the bodies of the dead back to the base camp.

Nepal has eight of the 14 highest peaks in the world. Climbers have complained in recent years that climbing conditions have deteriorated and risks of accidents have increased.

Veteran mountain guide Apa, who has climbed Mount Everest a record 21 times, traveled for months across Nepal earlier this year campaigning about the effects of global warming on the mountain peaks.

He told The Associated Press the mountains now have considerably less ice and snow, making it harder for climbers to use ice axes and crampons on their boots to get a grip on the slopes.

Loose snow also increases the risk of avalanches. The cause of Sunday's avalanche was not immediately determined.

Bill Amos, of Portland, Oregon, an avid mountaineer and ice climber who founded the mountaineering apparel company NW Alpine, said "it's super sad when our fellow climbers die." Amos said his initial thought when he heard about the deadly avalanche in Nepal was that the mountain was being overcrowded with climbers.

"That seems to be the same thing that's going on in Everest," he said. "All of that is overcrowding and these commercial expeditions trying to make money."

Amos added that people who venture into the mountains need to understand the risks and dangers associated with backcountry travel and be able to spot avalanche terrain and dangerous snowpack.

____

Associated Press writer Thomas Peipert in Denver contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-24-Nepal-Avalanche/id-541bd449f0b740809f98a8e4b666a9ca

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