Sears Holdings severs ties with Paula Deen

NEW YORK (AP) ? Paula Deen just lost another business partner.

Sears Holdings Corp. announced Friday that it is cutting ties with the Southern celebrity chef, adding to the list of companies severing their relationship following revelations that Deen used racial slurs in the past.

The company, based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., said Friday that it decided to phase out all products tied to the brand after "careful consideration of all available information."

"We will continue to evaluate the situation," said Amy Diamond, a spokeswoman at the parent company of Sears and Kmart stores.

Both Sears and Kmart sold Paula Deen products.

Sears joins Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp. and Home Depot as retailers that plan to stop selling cookware and other items with Deen's brand.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Novo Nordisk said it and Deen have "mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now." Deen, who specializes in Southern comfort food, had been promoting the company's drug Victoza since last year, when she announced she had Type 2 diabetes

On Monday, pork producer Smithfield Foods dropped her as a spokeswoman.

Caesars Entertainment also announced that Paula Deen's name is being stripped from four buffet restaurants owned by the company. Caesars said that its decision to rebrand its restaurants in Joliet, Ill.; Tunica, Miss.; Cherokee, N.C.; and Elizabeth, Ind., was a mutual one with Deen.

Last week, the Food Network said that it would not renew her contract.

The stakes are high for Deen, who Forbes magazine ranked as the fourth highest-earning celebrity chef last year, bringing in $17 million. She's behind Gordon Ramsay, Rachael Ray and Wolfgang Puck, according to Forbes.

Deen's empire, which spans from TV shows to furniture and cookware, generates total annual revenue of nearly $100 million, estimates Burt Flickinger III, president of retail consultancy Strategic Resource Group.

But Flickinger says that the controversy has cost her as much as half of that business. He also estimates that she could lose up to 80 percent by next year as suppliers extricate themselves from their agreements.

Still, book-buyers are so far standing by Deen. As of Friday morning, "Paula Deen's New Testament: 250 Recipes, All Lightened Up," remained No. 1 on Amazon.com. The book is scheduled for October. Another Deen book, "Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible," is No. 2. Several other Deen books were out of stock.

___

Follow Anne D'Innocenzio on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sears-holdings-severs-ties-paula-deen-150104907.html

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Watchdog warns of waste in Afghan aircraft buy

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Pentagon is spending more than three-quarters of a billion dollars to buy Russian-made helicopters and other aircraft for an Afghan aviation unit that lacks the troops and expertise to operate and maintain the equipment, a government watchdog warned.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said in a report Friday these shortcomings mean the helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft destined for the Afghan Special Mission Wing "could be left sitting on runways in Afghanistan, rather than supporting critical missions, resulting in waste of U.S. funds." The report recommended putting the purchases on hold until the Afghans develop the capacity to support the aircraft.

The findings are sure to reverberate on Capitol Hill, where there is stiff opposition to the purchase of the Mi-17 helicopters from Rosoboronexport, the state-run Russian arms exporter that is a top weapons supplier to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Pentagon announced June 17 that Rosoboronexport had been awarded a $554 million contract for 30 Mi-17s to be used by the Special Mission Wing, a move that came just days after the House approved a 2014 defense policy bill that included a prohibition on contracts with the Russian agency. The Senate Armed Services Committee included a similar ban in its version of the bill.

The defense policy bill for 2013 also barred the Pentagon from using funds from that fiscal year for contracts with Rosoboronexport. But the Pentagon said money from the 2012 fiscal year was being used for the Mi-17 acquisition, so the restriction does not apply.

A Defense Department spokesman said there was an "urgent, near-term need" to buy the wing the Mi-17s, a multimission aircraft designed to operate at high altitudes and uniquely suited for the wing.

"Careful consideration of all the information available to the department confirms that it would be in the public interest to procure the Mi-17s needed for the (wing) from Rosoboronexport," Army Lt. Col. Jim Gregory said in a statement.

In addition to the Mi-17s, the Pentagon is spending $218 million on 18 PC-12 cargo aircraft from the Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks, Nev., to allow the Special Mission Wing to perform counterterrorism and counternarcotics missions, the report said.

The special inspector general is recommending the purchase be suspended until the wing's staffing, recruiting and training problems are resolved. Chief among them is finalizing a memorandum of understanding between the Afghan interior and defense ministries that would give the military control of the wing. But the document remains unsigned due largely to the interior ministry's "resistance to surrendering authority" over the wing, according to the report.

Michael Dumont, the deputy assistant defense secretary for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, said in comments included in the report that delaying the purchase of the aircraft until the agreement was signed "would unacceptably delay our efforts to develop the (wing) into a capable force."

The wing was to have 806 personnel by mid-2015, but as of late January had just 180, according to the report.

Filling out the wing's ranks won't be easy, the report said, due to challenges of finding Afghan recruits who are literate in their own language, competent in English and can pass the strict, 18- to 20-month U.S. vetting process that includes eliminating candidates who have ties to criminal or insurgent activities.

The flow of Afghan trainees from helicopter flight training at Fort Rucker, Ala., to more intense training in the Czech Republic "has been slow and uneven, ranging from a low of two up to eight trainees at a time," according to the special inspector general.

The report blamed a lack of steady funding for the training from the Defense Department, failed background checks for prospective pilots and flight engineers, and the Czech government's requirement that each Afghan trainee have a certificate signed by Afghan authorities.

Compensation, especially for mechanics, is another barrier to recruitment because Afghans with a basic command of English are in high demand and can get higher pay elsewhere, the report said.

Another key shortcoming is the dearth of pilots capable of flying at night, when most counterterrorism missions are conducted. As of late January, only seven of the 47 pilots assigned to the wing were fully mission qualified to fly with night vision goggles, the report said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-28-US-Afghanistan-Aircraft/id-e674b36c65d645328c564cf89561e448

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Snowden's stealthy exit: How WikiLeaks and maybe Russia helped

The NSA leaker is traveling to Moscow en route to a third country. Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman told journalists Sunday that he knows nothing of Snowden's travel plans.

By Fred Weir,?Correspondent / June 23, 2013

A giant screen at a Hong Kong shopping mall shows Edward Snowden, the former contractor accused of leaking information about NSA surveillance programs. He left Hong Kong on Sunday.

Vincent Yu/AP

Enlarge

The fugitive National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has sprung yet another surprise. He's on the move, and reportedly traveling to Cuba, and then perhaps on to Venezuela or Ecuador, via Moscow.

Skip to next paragraph Fred Weir

Correspondent

Fred Weir has been the Monitor's Moscow correspondent, covering Russia and the former Soviet Union, since 1998.?

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Mr. Snowden left his temporary refuge in Hong Kong?Sunday?morning, just one day after the US government charged him with espionage and launched an urgent effort to extradite him from the former British colony. He boarded an Aeroflot flight to Moscow, and news reports say he has an onward ticket with the Russian national airline to fly to Cuba?on Monday.

In addition to the clear suggestion of official Russian aid with the fleeing whistleblower's logistics, Snowden appears to have received help from a more kindred source. WikiLeaks tweeted?Sunday?that it had "assisted Mr. Snowden's political asylum in a democratic country, travel papers and safe exit from Hong Kong."

Kremlin authorities earlier hinted that Russia might be willing to grant asylum to Snowden. But President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told journalists?Sunday?that he knows nothing about the NSA leaker's travel plans.

Authorities in Hong Kong announced Snowden's departure?Sunday?in an official statement?that noted he had left "on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel," and added that US authorities had already been informed.

The statement said the urgent US warrant to arrest Snowden could not be carried out "since the documents provided by the US Government did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law.... ?As the HKSAR [Hong Kong] Government has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr Snowden from leaving Hong Kong."

The statement included an extraordinary passage that may go far toward explaining why Hong Kong, which does have an extradition treaty and good relations with the US, appears to have turned so uncooperative in Snowden's case: "Meanwhile, the HKSAR Government has formally written to the US Government requesting clarification on earlier reports about the hacking of computer systems in Hong Kong by US government agencies. The HKSAR Government will continue to follow up on the matter so as to protect the legal rights of the people of Hong Kong."

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said in a statement?Sunday?that his organization was providing legal and logistical help to move Snowden to a safe haven in a "democratic country."

"Mr. Snowden is flying in an Aeroflot aircraft over Russian airspace, accompanied by WikiLeaks legal advisers," Mr. Assange said.

Upon arrival in Moscow he will be "met by diplomats from the country that will be his ultimate destination. Diplomats from that country will accompany him on a further flight to his destination," he added. The third country is still not named, but experts say it's most likely to be Venezuela or Ecuador.

"Owing to WikiLeaks' own circumstances, we have developed significant expertise in international asylum and extradition law, associated diplomacy and the practicalities in these matters," Assange said.?"I have great personal sympathy for Ed Snowden's position. WikiLeaks absolutely supports his decision to blow the whistle on the mass surveillance of the world's population by the US government."

Snowden's latest revelations, published in Hong Kong's South China Morning Post?on Sunday, indicate that US intelligence agencies have been hacking Chinese mobile phone companies to steal millions of text messages.

Russian security expert Andrei Soldatov, who edits Agentura.ru, an online journal that focuses on the secret services, says that in addition to granting Snowden safe passage to Cuba on an Aeroflot jetliner, Russia may have played a deeper role in helping to arrange his flight.

He suggests that the Kremlin's English-language satellite news network, RT, which enjoys very close relations with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, could have used its offices to help Wikileaks hook up with Snowden in Hong Kong,?

"There are reports that Assange's assistant, Sarah Harrison, is flying on the same plane with Snowden," says Mr. Soldatov.?"Involvement of RT would make sense, since RT has close cooperation with Assange, and he did a series of programs for them last year [Russia gives WikiLeaks' Julian Assange a TV platform]. The involvement of WikiLeaks requires no explanation. It wants to maintain itself as the key center for all disclosures of the kind that Snowden brought to the world," he adds.?

Soldatov says Russian assistance is also logical, for wider reasons than just an opportunity to stick it to Uncle Sam.

"Russia and China have been involved in a so-far unsuccessful struggle to change the rules of the Internet, by taking control of it away from the US-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and giving its functions to a wider, non-US-based entity," he says.

"The Russians and Chinese have been posing, for these purposes, as big defenders of Internet freedom. This political context helps to explain RT's close relations with WikiLeaks as well.... So, it makes sense for them to help Snowden too. Russian authorities see an opportunity to present themselves as the new center of refuge for whistleblowers against US dominance in Cyberspace. It's a coup for them," he adds.??

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/iTa4yt3JIhE/Snowden-s-stealthy-exit-How-WikiLeaks-and-maybe-Russia-helped

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Mouse cloned from drop of blood

26 June 2013 Last updated at 22:02 ET By Helen Briggs BBC News

Scientists in Japan have cloned a mouse from a single drop of blood.

Circulating blood cells collected from the tail of a donor mouse were used to produce the clone, a team at the Riken BioResource Center reports in the journal Biology of Reproduction.

The female mouse lived a normal lifespan and could give birth to young, say the researchers.

Scientists at a linked institute recently created nearly 600 exact genetic copies of one mouse.

Mice have been cloned from several different sources of donor cells, including white blood cells found in the lymph nodes, bone marrow and liver.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

This technique would be applicable for generating genetic copies of invaluable strains of mice?

End Quote Research team Riken BioResource Center, Tsukuba

The Japanese research group investigated whether circulating blood cells could also be used for cloning.

Their aim was to find an easily available source of donor cells to clone scientifically valuable strains of laboratory mice.

The team, led by Atsuo Ogura, of Riken BioResource Center in Tsukuba, took blood from the tail of a donor mouse, isolated the white blood cells, and used the nuclei for cloning experiments, using the same technique that produced Dolly the sheep in Edinburgh.

The process, known as somatic cell nuclear transfer, involves transferring the nucleus from an adult body cell - such as a blood or skin cell - into an unfertilised egg that has had its nucleus removed.

Reporting their findings in the US journal, Biology of Reproduction, the scientists said the study "demonstrated for the first time that mice could be cloned using the nuclei of peripheral blood cells".

'Invaluable strains'

They added: "These cells could be used for cloning immediately after collection and no donor animals need to be euthanised.

Continue reading the main story

The cloning method - somatic cell nuclear transfer

• Clones of adult animals are produced by a method called somatic cell nuclear transfer, which refers to the transfer of the nucleus from a somatic cell into an egg cell
• A somatic cell is any cell of the body apart from a germ (sex) cell
• In cloning, the nucleus of a somatic cell is removed and inserted into a donor unfertilised egg that has had its own nucleus (containing the genetic material) removed
• The embryo is then placed inside a surrogate mother.

"This technique would be applicable for generating genetic copies of invaluable strains of mice, which cannot be preserved by other assisted reproductive techniques such as conventional in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection."

Scientists in Japan have years of experience in cloning mice.

A team at a linked institute recently revealed they had produced almost 600 mice from one donor mouse after 25 consecutive rounds of cloning.

The research is aimed at large-scale production of high-quality animals for farming or conservation purposes, they say.

Commenting on the study, Professor Robin Lovell-Badge of the MRC National Institute of Medical Research in London, said it was a useful small advance on previous work showing that it is possible to clone mice from a variety of adult cell types, including white blood cells.

He told BBC News: "The efficiency of cloning from these cell types was very good, suggesting that even a small drop of blood will contain sufficient numbers...this is helpful if the intention is to use cloning to propagate and expand numbers of rare or valuable types of individual or species."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23068423#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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BlueStacks introduces the GamePop Mini, its first subscription-based 'free' game console

In an effort to outdo itself, BlueStacks is announcing the GamePop Mini for the cube-buying averse. The biggest difference between the Mini (seen above on the left) and the cube (the ... uh ... cube above) isn't the form factor, it's in pricing. Where the regular GamePop is $129 (unless you act soon) the Mini is "free" after a 12-month subscription of $7 per-month, or $84 total. At this price, it costs less than an Ouya, but slightly more than a GameStick. "If you keep it more than 12 months, you keep it forever," BlueStacks' Head of Marketing and Business Development John Garguilo told us. Of course, there's not much to do with with the Mini without a subscription. "It'd be like if Netflix did it this way and had hardware - the unit would be useless without the subscription." Additionally, if you return the Mini inside of 12 months, there's a $25 restocking fee.

The subscription gives users access to a plethora of games from 500 "popular mobile game partners." Those partners include the teams behind Jetpack Joyride and Fieldrunners. "Getting the kind of developer support we've gotten, it sets us apart. We saw what happened with the Dreamcast and we saw what happened with the Wii U. You need to have good launch titles; there needs to be games everyone recognizes and wants to play."

To make GamePop more enticing to developers, Bluestacks created Looking Glass -- proprietary tech allowing iOS-only apps to run on its Android-4.2-based console. When an iOS app makes calls to Apple's hardware, Looking Glass interprets those calls and translates them to the GamePop Mini's hardware. Of course, a few changes within the code are necessary. "[Porting is] not easy, but I would submit it's not hard, relatively speaking," Garguilo said.

Filed under: Gaming

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/pd_2Jcw685k/

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Baby Wipes Clogging Sewer Systems in Minnesota

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/baby-wipes-clogging-sewer-systems-in-minnesota/

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Heavyweights Matt Mitrione, Brendan Schaub exchange nasty insults on Twitter

UFC heavyweights Matt Mitrione and Brendan Schaub were once teammates on "The Ultimate Fighter." Since they both have backgrounds in football, that common ground would make for a good friendship, right? Well, not so much. They are fighting at UFC on Fox 8, and they exchanged some nasty insults on Twitter on Monday night.

Here's a sampling of what they had to say each other:

Planned parenthood should stop giving out birth control & start giving out copies of @BrendanSchaub 's 15 min. dry humping of Lavar Johnson

? Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) June 25, 2013

@mattmitrione my man remember when you pissed your pants on TUF and you said fighting wasn't for you. I do and Well it still isn't.

? Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) June 25, 2013

@mattmitrione I didn't ask to fight you. Your being disciplined remember? Well.. joe silva thought of a terrible match up for you.

? Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) June 25, 2013

Someone asked me if @BrendanSchaub is married. Seriously? I saw his Jiu Jitsu match. How you gonna get married when you refuse to engage?

? Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) June 25, 2013

It got uglier, as they used language we're not fond of around here, as well as insults involving Mitrione's wife and comparing Schaub's looks to an actor with Down's Syndrome. The discipline Schaub is speaking of is Mitrione's short suspension for his comments about trans fighter Fallon Fox.

It's still a month out until they face off in the cage. Does this sort of trash talk make the fight more interesting to you? Speak up on Facebook or Twitter.

Related coverage on Yahoo! Sports:
? Native American fighter Dan Hornbuckle more than a face in the crowd
? Yahoo! Sports' half-year MMA awards
? Is Chris Weidman the one to take out Anderson Silva?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/heavyweights-matt-mitrione-brendan-schaub-exchange-nasty-insults-171136080.html

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From tiny to massive: Mammal size evolution explained

June 25, 2013 ? Scientists have added another piece to the evolutionary puzzle to explain why certain mammal families evolved to be very large, while others remained tiny.

In research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, an international group of scientists including Monash University's Dr Alistair Evans proposed a new theory explaining the diversity of mammal sizes -- from the Etruscan shrew which weighs around two grams, to the blue whale which clocks in at almost 200 tonnes. Surprisingly, baby weight relative to adult body mass is key.

Dr Evans, of the Monash School of Biological Sciences, said size impacts on all aspects of an animal's physiology and anatomy, and the roles it can play in ecosystems.

"Size is fundamental to your life and your body -- how fast your heart beats, how much food you need to eat, and how you move," Dr Evans said.

Following the extinction of the dinosaurs, mammals flourished and their size increased dramatically. The study examined the maximum size of groups including whales, elephants, primates and rodents over this period to examine the constraints on size.

The researchers found that species that matured more quickly and produced a larger mass of young each year relative to body weight were able to evolve to a larger maximum size. Further, they are likely to reach that size in fewer generations.

This high rate of biological production is vital, regardless of whether many small young or just one large offspring are born in a year.

Dr Evans said whales were an excellent example of the theory.

"The blue whale is the largest animal to have evolved, even larger than dinosaurs, and it reached this size at the fastest rates we recorded. Key to this success is that they produce large young that mature quickly, reaching around 30 metres in eight to 10 years," Dr Evans said.

Lead author of the study, Dr Jordan Okie from Arizona State University, said primates were at the opposite end of the spectrum.

"Primates have a low production rate and have evolved very slowly. They have never got bigger than about 500 kilograms," Dr Okie said.

The study also linked maximum size to mortality rate. Because larger animals tend to breed less frequently than smaller animals, if the mortality rate doubles, the maximum size is predicted to be 16 times smaller.

"This is a really surprising finding," said Dr Evans.

"It points to why many of the large animals went extinct after the last Ice Age, as changing climates probably increase mortality rates. Large animals are also at high risk of extinction in modern environments because it takes a long time for their population to rebound from disasters."

In the future, this work will be extended to help explain how extinction risk may be reduced in the face of climate change.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/WVYra1sPi-A/130625092012.htm

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Couple lets coffee drinkers choose baby name

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (AP) ? A Connecticut couple has named its baby with help from customers at a Starbucks coffee shop.

Twenty-five-year-old Jennifer James and 24-year-old Mark Dixon of West Haven told the New Haven Register (http://bit.ly/1adT5d6 ) they had been struggling between two names for the boy they are expecting in September, so they decided to put it to a vote.

They placed signs at the Starbucks on the New Haven Green, where they are regulars, asking people to vote for either the name Jackson or Logan.

The couple said it got the idea for the voting based on a system used by that Starbucks location, where customers cast votes for the store's employee of the month.

"We saw that and thought we might as well see how it works," Dixon said.

They received about 1,800 votes in the coffee cup serving as a ballot box. The couple said voters did not limit themselves to the two choices they were given.

"We've gotten Obama, Jebediah, Lincoln. Someone put (a) write-in, Webster," James said.

James said that when she realized Dixon would sound similar to Jackson, she began pulling for the name Logan.

"I don't know why I didn't realize the 'Jackson Dixon' thing, but I think once I realized that, he was going to be Logan no matter what," she said.

The name Logan also was favored by the customers, but ultimately both names won.

The couple said it will name the baby Logan Jackson Dixon.

___

Information from: New Haven Register, http://www.nhregister.com

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-06-26-US-ODD-Baby-Name-Vote/id-e53fe64ccba044428bddae1cc8a72518

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Security Psychology And Why Even Messy Numbers Of Government Data Demands Are Valuable

People assume the worst. So when it comes to counting government "requests" for private data, a hard number, even a high number, is far better than the fear of infinity. That's why tech giants are fighting to show they aren't open books surrendered to the NSA. They want to prove only the suspicious are spied upon.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/PnGglyGfVBs/

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When Worry Takes Control: Generalized Anxiety Disorder | Living ...

Local resident Michael Schaaf knew something was wrong when his day-to-day worries began to interfere with his life. After consulting with a doctor, he decided to seek help for his generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) at Loyola University Medical Center.

Schaaf?s doctor, Aparna Sharma, says it?s important to remember that anxiety is a normal human emotion that aids in survival. However, when it becomes excessive and interferes with everyday life, people need to seek professional help.

Often, individuals with generalized anxiety experienced something traumatic as a child. Sharma says a coping mechanism, is to worry about trivial, day-to-day matters because these serve as a distraction from the real emotions at play. Memories may be traumatic and are often difficult to deal with.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are two main kinds of treatment for GAD. Cognitive behavior therapy can be used to change how the patient thinks, behaves, and reacts to certain situations. Medication is another alternative and typically patients are prescribed either anti-depression or anti-anxiety medications. As always, it?s important to talk with a doctor before obtaining any medication.

Sharma says that other solutions can as simple as doing enjoyable, relaxing activities such as reading, journaling, or exercising. If you or someone you know may have GAD, it?s important to seek professional help and know that anxiety is curable.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/how-is-gad-treated.shtml

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/generalized-anxiety-disorder/DS00502

http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics/mental-illness/anxiety.htm

Tags: Anxiety, CLTV, featured, generalized anxiety disorder, Jane Monzures, Loyola University, Loyola University Medical Center, Mental Health, stress, WGN, worry

Source: http://livinghealthytv.com/2013/06/16/when-worry-takes-control-generalized-anxiety-disorder/

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Police: OSHA to join La. blast investigation

DONALDSONVILLE, La. (AP) ? Federal investigators are expected in south Louisiana over the weekend at the site of an explosion that killed one worker a chemical plant in Donaldsville, La.

State Police Trooper Jared Sandifer said Saturday that officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were coming to the CF Industries facility as soon as the site was deemed safe. Sandifer said the state police's hazardous materials unit was at the plant overnight.

Police say 55-year-old Ronald "Rocky" Morris Jr. of Belle Rose, La., was killed in the Friday blast.

CF Industries identified its injured employees as Courtney Julien, Melvin Singleton, Jeramy Worsham and Kade Yarbrough. Three contractor employees also were hurt.

CF Industries manufactures ammonia and other nitrogen fertilizers at the Donaldsonville facility.

Officials say there were no hazardous materials at the site.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-osha-join-la-blast-investigation-163129224.html

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lern2play Resources and Information. This website is for sale!

By using our site, you consent to this privacy policy: This website allows third-party advertising companies for the purpose of reporting website traffic, statistics, advertisements, "click-throughs" and/or other activities to use Cookies and /or Web Beacons and other monitoring technologies to serve ads and to compile anonymous statistics about you when you visit this website. Cookies are small text files stored on your local internet browser cache. A Web Beacon is an often-transparent graphic image, usually no larger than 1 pixel x 1 pixel that is placed on a Web site. Both are created for the main purpose of helping your browser process the special features of websites that use Cookies or Web Beacons. The gathered information about your visits to this and other websites are used by these third party companies in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. The information do not include any personal data like your name, address, email address, or telephone number. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.

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Why crime rate is high ? Jonathan ? The Punch - Nigeria's Most ...

President Goodluck Jonathan
| credits:

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday in Abuja attributed the increase in social vices to deterioration of value system in the country.

Among the social vices enumerated by the President are armed robbery, cultism, ritual killing and drug peddling.

The President, represented by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple, said this during the launch of the National Campaign on Social Transformation organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria.

He urged the church, which typifies the body of Christ, to launch the country back on the path of righteousness through its teachings.

Jonathan traced the level of moral decadence in the country to homes, schools and churches.

He said, ?We have lost our moral values and principles. So much has gone wrong in our family life, schools, churches and society in general. The whole society has failed, that is one reason we have incidents of cultism, armed robbery, murder, ritual killings, drugs, sale of babies, kidnapping, sexual immorality, and the rest.

?It would appear we have the society we deserve. We therefore need both moral and spiritual transformation. We need to return to God-study and obey the word of God which is able to cleanse us.?

In a sermon entitled, ?If God can change Nigeria, God can change me,? the President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, stated that despite the challenges confronting the nation, there would be light at the end of the tunnel.

While admitting the prevalence of deceit at every aspect of national life, he bemoaned the culture of buck passing, stressing that the needed cohesion and peace could only be achieved through the efficacy of prayers and the determination to be a change agent.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/news/why-crime-rate-is-high-jonathan/

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Downey Jr. calms boy upset at not seeing Iron Man

SUNDERLAND, Mass. (AP) ? Robert Downey Jr. may not be a real superhero, but he sure acted like one for a little Massachusetts boy.

Heather Denno took her 1?-year-old son Jaxson to watch filming for the movie "The Judge," starring Downey, in her hometown of Sunderland this week.

Downey, star of the "Iron Man" movies, spotted the little boy and went over to say hello.

Heather Denno told Jaxson that Downey was "Iron Man."

Confused because of the lack of the trademark metallic red-and-gold suit, Jaxson burst into tears.

Downey put a comforting hand on the boy and calmed him.

Heather Denno tells The Boston Globe (http://b.globe.com/120iopK ) that Downey was "sweet and nurturing," and she could tell he's a dad.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/downey-jr-calms-boy-upset-not-seeing-iron-132608023.html

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Disappointing reports help push US stocks down

Trader Michael Mozian works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, June 10, 2013. Asian stocks rebounded Friday June 14, 2013 from Tokyo's sharp decline after investors were encouraged by positive U.S. economic news. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Michael Mozian works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, June 10, 2013. Asian stocks rebounded Friday June 14, 2013 from Tokyo's sharp decline after investors were encouraged by positive U.S. economic news. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Disappointing reports about the U.S. economy helped push the stock market lower on Friday.

Concerns that the Federal Reserve could announce plans to cut back its stimulus program next week also weighed on the mood.

Americans' confidence in the economy weakened in June and was lower than economists had estimated, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey out Friday. Another report said factories weren't as busy as expected.

The International Monetary Fund, a global lender, offered no help. The IMF said Friday that U.S. government spending cuts that kicked in March 1 were "ill-designed" and slowed the economy down.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index sank 9.63 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,626.73. Media company Gannett fell the most, dropping $1.61, or 6 percent, to $24.99.

"There was just no good news today," said Cam Albright, a director at Wilmington Trust Investment Advisors in Wilmington, Del. Add the handful of economic reports out Friday to the anxiety over the Fed's stimulus program, "and you have the recipe for a soft market to finish the week," he said.

The Dow Jones industrial dropped 105.90 points, or 0.7 percent, to 15,070.18. American Express led the Dow lower, losing $2.24, or 3 percent, to $72.97.

Market indexes flitted from slight gains to losses in morning trading, a contrast to the sudden lurches in previous days. All three major indexes lost 1 percent or more this week.

Trading has been volatile since late May as traders try to figure out when the Fed will dial back its aggressive support for the U.S. economy. This week was no different: The Dow slumped a total of 243 points on Tuesday and Wednesday then jumped 180 points Thursday. The blue-chip average has made moves of 100 points or more in seven of the last 10 trading days.

The Fed buys $85 billion in bonds every month as part of a campaign to keep interest rates extremely low. The aim is to encourage borrowing, spending and investing. Some investors worry that long-term interest rates could spike when the Fed pulls back, raising borrowing costs and threatening the economic recovery. Higher yields for government bonds have already started pushing mortgage rates up.

Policymakers at the Fed will start a two-day meeting Tuesday to discuss the central bank's next steps. After the meeting wraps up, the bank will release its policy statement and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will hold another press conference.

Scott King, senior fiduciary investment adviser at Unified Trust in Lexington, Ky., said that investors in recent weeks have been influenced more by wondering about what the Fed might do than by the underlying economy.

"You have a number of Fed governors saying the opposite to what Bernanke is saying," King said. "And that's made the markets more jittery."

King said investors were disappointed Friday by the drop in consumer confidence. He described the economy as "plodding along."

"Wage growth continues to be pretty meager, and unemployment continues to be lackluster," King said.

Banks led nine of the 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 lower. Utilities made slight gains. Investors tend to favor these safety plays when they want stable companies that pay steady dividends.

The S&P 500 hit a record high of 1,669 on May 21. The next day, Fed officials said they would consider pulling back on their stimulus program once the economy looks healthy enough. The S&P 500 has lost 2 percent since.

In other Friday trading, the Nasdaq composite index lost 21.81 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3,423.56.

The price of oil rose $1.16 to close at $97.85 a barrel, near its highest level of the year, as traders reacted to news that the U.S. would provide weapons to rebel forces in Syria.

Gold rose $9.80, or 0.7 percent, to $1,387.60 an ounce.

In the market for U.S. government bonds, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note dipped to 2.13 percent from 2.15 percent late Thursday. The yield reached a 14-month high of 2.29 percent on Tuesday. Expectations that the Fed will pare its bond buying have helped drive the yield up from 1.63 percent on May 3, when it was at its lowest level this year.

Among stocks making big moves:

? Casey's General Stores fell $2.60, or 4 percent, to $60.69. The Iowa-based convenience store reported earnings late Thursday that fell short of what financial analysts had expected.

? Myriad Genetics sank $4.42, or 14 percent, to $27.59. The decline came a day after the Supreme Court gave the diagnostic test maker a partial victory in a patent battle.

? Restoration Hardware jumped $9.51, or 16 percent, to $68.47. The high-end home products chain raised its forecast for full-year earnings late Thursday and announced plans to start two new businesses ? RH Kitchen and Tableware and RH Antiquities ? next year.

____

AP Business Writer Christina Rexrode contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-06-14-Wall%20Street/id-9e95183218554452bb992f3435ee6f67

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Rubio 'done' if immigration bill includes gay couple amendment

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, a co-author and key proponent of the Senate immigration bill, said he will revoke his support if an amendment is added that allows gay unauthorized immigrants to claim foreign same-sex partners as family.

"If this bill has something in it that gives gay couples immigration rights and so forth, it kills the bill. I'm done," Rubio said Thursday during an interview on the Andrea Tantaros Show. "I'm off it, and I've said that repeatedly. I don't think that's going to happen and it shouldn't happen. This is already a difficult enough issue as it is."

The amendment, introduced by Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy, would grant green cards to foreign partners of gay unauthorized immigrants who seek legal status under new rules in the bill. Leahy originally introduced the measure during the Senate Judiciary Committee markup of the bill, but he withdrew it under pressure from Republican lawmakers who said it would reduce the chance of the bill passing.

The effort underway in Congress to overhaul the nation's immigration system is a bipartisan one, and its success hinges on a fragile coalition of political, business and religious groups that span the ideological spectrum. Opponents of Leahy's amendment have said repeatedly that his proposal would cause some key groups to withdraw their support and kill the bill. Rubio's exit would be especially devastating to its survival.

The Senate is expected to vote on Leahy's amendment soon.

In the interview, Rubio also said that as the bill is currently written, it has "no chance" of passing.

"If the border situation is not improved in this bill, this bill won't pass," he said. "It won't pass the Senate and it has no chance in the House. It won't become a law and we're wasting our time."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/rubio-m-done-immigration-bill-includes-gay-couple-160223193.html

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Tornado warning sends people scrambling to safety

Send us your storm photos

EDMONTON - Had it been a little bit warmer out, ?it could have been a lot uglier,? an Edmonton meteorologist said Wednesday after tornado warnings that sent people scrambling for safety for much of the afternoon were dropped.

A fast-moving thunderstorm produced hail, wind, heavy rains and lightning as it moved through the Capital Region.

The storm also spawned at least one tornado near Pigeon Lake.

The afternoon was ripe for tornadoes because high wind rotation within the storm and cloud bases close to the ground, CTV meteorologist Josh Classen said.

Environment Canada also labelled the storm ?a dangerous and life-threatening situation? and recommended people take cover in a sturdy permanent building or underground.

The storm took shape in southwestern Alberta and increased in severity as it moved toward Edmonton.

Troy Monea was outside his farm near Pigeon Lake shortly after 1 p.m. when he snapped a picture of an apparent tornado on the north side of the lake.

?I?ve seen cold funnels before, but nothing like this,? Monea said. ?This was the biggest one I?ve ever seen.

Based on the photo Monea took, Classen believes the tornado did touch the ground, resulting in a waterspout on the lake. There are typically 10 to 12 tornadoes reported in Alberta each year. Most are in July and August but it is not uncommon to have tornadoes in June.

Classen said the worst part of the storm was heavy downpours and localized flooding.

Chris Ward, manager of drainage services with the City of Edmonton, said the city received 90 reports during and immediately after the storm of flooded roads and popped manhole covers.

Ward said extra crews were called in to deal with the situation Wednesday evening, and are dealing first with the most serious problems, such as flooded catch basins and missing manhole covers.

He said no damage or residential flooding has been reported and he encouraged residents of the city to call 311 to report any storm related problems, such as downed tree branches, flooded trails, or flooded basements.

Liquor International manager Ivan Yousif described the scene on Stony Plain Road as ?crazy,? with water lapping at his door.

He said other businesses in the block got water, but the liquor store stayed dry.

?I got lucky,? he said. ?I was just hoping that it would not go inside the business, and luckily it didn?t. I?ve never seen anything like that before.?

Police asked drivers to stay away from the area around 107th Avenue and 163rd Street after reports that cars and trucks were stalling in the area.

Edmonton Public Schools sent an alert to schools at 3 p.m. warning principals to evaluate the weather before sending kids home, said spokeswoman Jane Sterling.

Edmonton Catholic Schools spokeswoman Lori Nagy didn?t send students home by bus until the tornado warning was lifted.

Both the Catholic and Edmonton Public Schools districts indicated that their responses were unprecedented.

The airport was able to resume regular operations around 4:30 p.m., after being stopped for more than an hour due to lightning warnings. Most flights were subsequently delayed.

With files from Andrea Sands and Jana Pruden

asiekierska@edmontonjournal.com

Twitter.com/alicjawithaj

Source: http://feeds.canada.com/~r/canwest/F264/~3/2ouEJWjqUU0/story.html

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Ohlendorf's Washington debut a winning one

DENVER -- Ross Ohlendorf pitched six strong innings in his Washington debut, Ian Desmond drove in three runs and the Nationals beat the Colorado Rockies 5-1 Wednesday night.

The win was the Nationals' third in their last 12 road games.

Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Syracuse, Ohlendorf (1-0) allowed one run on two hits in his first start since last Aug. 17 against San Francisco while with San Diego.

Signed by Washington over the winter as a minor league free agent, Ohlendorf became the eighth different starting pitcher used by the Nationals this season, matching their total for all of last season. Starters Stephen Strasburg and Ross Detwiler remain on the disabled list.

Desmond extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games with an RBI single in the fourth to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead.

The Nationals struck for three more in the sixth and chased Rockies starter Jorge De la Rosa (7-4), beating him for the first time in their past five meetings.

De La Rosa, who has been dealing with a nagging cut on the middle finger of his pitching hand, went 5 1-3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. He struck out five and walked three. De La Rosa had gone 3-0 with a 4.44 ERA in his previous four starts against the Nationals.

Jeff Kobernus began Washington's burst with a one-out walk in the sixth and Ryan Zimmerman doubled to the wall in deep left-center, scoring Kobernus.

Left fielder Carlos Gonzalez and center fielder Dexter Fowler both converged on Zimmerman's drive, banging into each other as Fowler jumped at the wall. The ball dribbled on to the ground and Fowler threw it back in. Both players, though shaken up, remained in the game.

Adam Ottavino relieved De La Rosa and Wilin Rosario replaced catcher Yorvit Torrealba in a double switch. One out later, Adam LaRoche was walked intentionally and took second on a wild pitch before Desmond singled up the middle, scoring Zimmerman and LaRoche.

Gonzalez tripled in a run for Colorado in the bottom of the sixth but Washington got it back in the eighth on an RBI double by Anthony Rendon, who has a hit in seven straight games.

NOTES: Nationals C Wilson Ramos re-injured his left hamstring running first-to-third drills two days ago at the club's facility in Viera, Fla. Manager Davey Johnson termed it a slight setback but said it would be "a long shot" for Ramos to return before the All-Star break. ... The Nationals made room for Ohlendorf by optioning RHP Nathan Karns to Double-A Harrisburg. ... The Rockies announced prior to the game that they had signed their top draft pick, Oklahoma pitcher Jonathan Gray. The third overall selection in last week's draft, Gray is the highest draft pick so far to sign with his team. ... OF Eric Young Jr. was designated for assignment by the Rockies, and RHP Chris Volstad recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... OF Michael Cuddyer missed a fifth straight game for the Rockies because of a right ribcage strain but is expected to return for Thursday's series finale against Washington.

Source: http://www.modbee.com/2013/06/12/2760093/ohlendorfs-washington-debut-a.html

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PS+ Not Required For Free-to-Play Online Games - The Escapist

Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida said that Sony won't force free-to-play titles into PS+, leaving the decision up to publishers.

Earlier we reported perhaps the only bit of "bad news" from Sony's E3 press conference: online play of PS4 games will require a PlayStation Plus subscription. Sony executives, in an round-table with JoyStiq talked a little bit more on the how the service will work with its upcoming console, confirming that it won't be required for video streaming services, will remain the same price, and will only apply to free-to-play titles at the publisher's discretion.

"As far as free-to-play games are concerned," said Shuehei Yoshida, Sony Worldwide Studios President, "it's the publisher's decision whether they put it inside or outside of PS Plus." "All video services [on the PS4] will be outside of Plus," added SCE America VP of Publisher & Developer Relations Adam Boyes, going on to assure us the price of the PlayStation Plus service would remain $50 annually in North America.

The Sony PlayStation Plus service currently offers users a selection of free games every month, among other enhanced community features. $50 annually works out to around $5 a month, which puts the service about on par with Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold subscription, which is currently required to play Xbox 360 games online. Existing PlayStation Plus subscriptions will extend onto the new console when it launches this holiday season.

So this is kind of a good news, bad news situation. It's good that Sony won't personally enforce the PlayStation Plus paygate on free-to-play titles, but leaving it "up to the publisher" is a tad worrisome, as a lot of recent "monetization" decisions from certain publishers have left me somewhat, unwilling to trust them when it comes to trying to bleed the customer dry.

Source: JoyStiq

Source: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124956-PS-Not-Required-For-Free-to-Play-Online-Games

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Boeing, Bell win multibillion-dollar contract for 99 V-22s

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Boeing Co and Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc , on Wednesday won an additional $4.9 billion contract for work on 99 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, on top of a $1.4 preliminary contract awarded in December.

The deal, which has a combined value of around $6.3 billion, calls for construction of 92 MV-22 aircraft for the Marine Corps and 7 CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft for the Air Force, the Pentagon said in its daily digest of major arms contracts.

Work on the five-year contract, first reported by Reuters on Monday, must be completed by September 2019, the Defense Department said.

Marine Corps Colonel Gregory Masiello told Reuters on Monday that the multiyear contract, the second one signed for the V-22 program, included options for 22 additional aircraft. He said the government's decision to sign the five-year agreement underscored its confidence in a program that had once been threatened with cancellation.

Boeing and Bell Helicopter jointly build the V-22 aircraft, or Osprey, which can fly as fast as a plane but lands like a helicopter. The program is getting good reviews for its performance in combat after a rocky start that saw 23 Marines killed during flight testing in 2000. Two more Marines were killed during a training exercise in Morocco last year.

(Reporting By Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Chris Gallagher)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-bell-win-multibillion-dollar-contract-99-v-012345313.html

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Spain police dog wins British award for bravery

Police dog Ajax looks on as by his handler, Civil Guard Sergeant Juan Carlos Alabarces Munoz, 3rd left embraces a colleague after the dog won a medal in Mostoles, just outside of Madrid, Spain Tuesday June 11, 2013. The Spanish police dog has received an award by a British animal defense group in recognition of his bravery on detecting a bomb on the Spanish island of Mallorca allowing police to explode it. Ajax,?a bushy-coated gold and black 12-year-old German Shepherd? was presented with the award Tuesday at a ceremony on the outskirts of the Spanish capital by representatives of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals.(AP Photo/Paul White)

Police dog Ajax looks on as by his handler, Civil Guard Sergeant Juan Carlos Alabarces Munoz, 3rd left embraces a colleague after the dog won a medal in Mostoles, just outside of Madrid, Spain Tuesday June 11, 2013. The Spanish police dog has received an award by a British animal defense group in recognition of his bravery on detecting a bomb on the Spanish island of Mallorca allowing police to explode it. Ajax,?a bushy-coated gold and black 12-year-old German Shepherd? was presented with the award Tuesday at a ceremony on the outskirts of the Spanish capital by representatives of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals.(AP Photo/Paul White)

Police dog Ajax, right sits as by his handler, Civil Guard Sergeant Juan Carlos Alabarces Munoz makes a speech after the dog won a medal in Mostoles, just outside of Madrid, Spain Tuesday June 11, 2013. The Spanish police dog has received an award by a British animal defense group in recognition of his bravery on detecting a bomb on the Spanish island of Mallorca allowing police to explode it. Ajax,?a bushy-coated gold and black 12-year-old German Shepherd? was presented with the award Tuesday at a ceremony on the outskirts of the Spanish capital by representatives of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals.(AP Photo/Paul White)

Police dog Ajax is applauded by Civil Guards and officials as he walks with by his handler, Sergeant Juan Carlos Alabarces Munoz, right to collect a medal in Mostoles, just outside of Madrid, Spain Tuesday June 11, 2013. The Spanish police dog has received an award by a British animal defense group in recognition of his bravery on detecting a bomb on the Spanish island of Mallorca allowing police to explode it. Ajax,?a bushy-coated gold and black 12-year-old German Shepherd? was presented with the award Tuesday at a ceremony on the outskirts of the Spanish capital by representatives of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals. (AP Photo/Paul White)

MOSTOLES, Spain (AP) ? Ajax has a nose for trouble.

The retired Spanish police dog has received a prestigious award by a British animal charity group in recognition of his bravery and skill.

The bushy-coated, black-and-gold German Shepherd detected a bomb on the Spanish island of Mallorca only hours after two officers were killed in a terror attack on July 30, 2009.

The 12-year-old dog found the bomb planted under a car by the armed Basque group ETA in the town of Palma Nova.

He was decorated with the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals' Gold Medal at a ceremony Tuesday on the outskirts of Madrid.

Ajax is the 22nd dog to receive the award.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-06-11-Spain-Brave%20Dog/id-7634f587d7034a3cad1daf93c511c693

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Understanding the heart's rhythm

June 11, 2013 ? The heart's regular rhythm is crucial to the delivery of oxygenated blood and nutrients to all the organs of the body. It is regulated by a bundle of cells called "the pacemaker," which use electrical signals to set the pace of the heart. Dysfunction in this mechanism can lead to an irregular heartbeat, known as arrhythmia, and often necessitates the implantation of an artificial pacemaker.

Previously, scientists found that many cases of inherited arrhythmias originating in the pacemaker could be attributed to functional defects in the channels responsible for the flow of sodium and calcium. Now Prof. Bernard Attali of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and his fellow researchers have discovered a previously unidentified potassium channel in the cardiac pacemaker which helps to regulate the heartbeat. He hypothesizes that some cases of unexplained arrhythmia could be traced back to irregularities in this channel.

Developing therapies to target this potassium channel could be a significant step towards circumventing artificial pacemakers in favor of biological options, says Prof. Attali. This research has been reported in the journal PNAS.

A cellular heart model

To further investigate the workings of the biological pacemaker, Prof. Attali and his fellow researchers turned to embryonic stem cells isolated from human subjects. Once coaxed into differentiating into cardiac tissue, these cells began to beat automatically, like a small human heart.

While observing and recording the cells' electrical activity, researchers discovered the existence of a new channel in the pacemaker. Facilitating the flow of potassium from the pacemaker cells, this channel triggers the repolarization of the cells -- returning the cell membrane from a "beating" to a "resting" state -- and automatically renews or "restarts" the cycling of the heart.

Since discovering this channel in the embryonic heart, the researchers have shown that the channel exists in the adult heart as well. This finding deepens medicine's understanding of the heart's pacemaker function, which has been the subject of scientific research for over a century.

Screening for mutations

The next step is to conduct screening for mutations in the gene encoding the potassium channel, a process already underway at the TAU-affiliated Sheba Medical Center. "We would like to understand if there are genetic diseases linked to this channel," such as a previously unknown cause of arrhythmia, explains Prof. Attali. If a mutation is found, researchers can begin the hunt for drug compounds, which target this channel. The ultimate goal, he adds, is to be able to treat heart arrhythmias biologically by altering the properties of the pacemaker bundle, rather than relying on a human-made electric pacemaker.

One possible solution could be transplanting healthy pacemaker cells -- developed from a patient's own stem cells -- to replace dysfunctional cells and restore proper heart rhythm. This method would circumvent a common risk of the body rejecting a mechanical transplant.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/heart_disease/~3/u_8MrtbcoXU/130611122105.htm

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Discovery of gene responsible for multiple intestinal atresia in newborns

June 11, 2013 ? Physicians and researchers from Sherbrooke, Montreal and Quebec City have conducted a study that has led to the discovery of a gene that causes multiple intestinal atresia (MIA), a rare and life-threatening hereditary disorder that affects newborns. In addition to exploring novel therapeutic treatments for children with the disease, the discovery of the gene TTC7A will make it possible to develop a prenatal diagnostic test and a screening test for parents who are carriers.

The Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) should offer the tests. MIA is a congenital disease characterized by multiple obstructions all along the digestive tract -- from the stomach to the small intestine and colon -- often associated with severe immune deficiency. By studying the DNA of children with MIA, the research team identified mutations in the TTC7A gene, including one that turns out to be relatively common in the French-speaking population of Quebec.

A devastating and life-threatening disease While the disease is rare, about thirty cases have been recorded in Quebec over the last 30 years. Even today, it remains a devastating and fatal condition. "Multiple surgeries, intestinal transplants and bone marrow transplants have not led to any real solutions for the disease. Even after such interventions, the newborns' digestive tract does not always work the way it should. The life expectancy of these children is about two to three months. With the discovery of the gene responsible for the disease, it will now be possible to confirm an MIA diagnosis in newborns using genetic tests," states Dr. Bruno Maranda, who is a physician-geneticist at the CHUS, an investigator at the CHUS' Centre de recherche clinique ?tienne-Le Bel (CRCELB) as well as a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universit? de Sherbrooke (UdeS).

Heredity thought to be the cause

Although the disease is very rare, it nevertheless seems to occur at a higher frequency in the French-Canadian population of Quebec. According to the research, this population is affected more than any other population group in the world. The condition seemed to be most probably of genetic origin, since in some families more than one child is born with the condition. This suggests recessive heredity, which is carried by the parents. "We have discovered that a number of children born with MIA carry the same genetic mutation from both parents. This finding confirms the recessive disease hypothesis that the mutation is inherited from both the father and the mother. As they do not suffer from the disease and do not know that they can transmit the mutation. The identification of the defective gene (TTC7A) makes it possible for us to know the cause of the condition. This is excellent news both for Quebec families with the disease and families around the world where the mutation is present," confirms Vincent Raymond, co-author of the study and a researcher at the CHU de Qu?bec Research Center.

Screening tests for pregnant women and family members who are potential carriers

Couples with an MIA child have a 25% risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies. "The concept of prenatal diagnosis allows couples to proceed with tests at the beginning of the pregnancy to determine whether the child they are expecting will be affected. We can also, within the same family, determine whether, for example, siblings are carriers of this genetic condition, and eventually, whether their partner is at risk in order to predict the risk of recurrence in the following generations," stresses Dr. Maranda, the study's principal investigator and Head of the Department of Medical Genetics at the CHUS.

The CHUS will offer the prenatal diagnostic test and the screening test for MIA carriers in the summer of 2013. Further research will help to prevent MIA in children and support carriers of the gene. Prescription procedures, implementation dates and the conditions under which the tests will be carried out will be made known in the weeks to come by the CHUS. The test will fall within an overall research offer on genetic diseases.

The CHUS will offer the prenatal diagnostic test and the screening test for MIA carriers in the summer of 2013. Further research will help to prevent MIA in children and support carriers of the gene. Prescription procedures, implementation dates and the conditions under which the tests will be carried out will be made known in the weeks to come by the CHUS. The test will fall within an overall research offer on genetic diseases.

Novel therapeutic avenues

"The discovery of the gene opens the way to potential treatments for children with MIA, since it will help us understand the pathways of the disease, including the modulation of the immune system, in which the gene seems to be involved," explains the study's lead author Dr. Mark Samuels, a researcher in genetics at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center and a professor at the University of Montreal. "Why do certain patients also suffer from severe immune deficiency?" asks co-author Dr. Elie Haddad, a Sainte-Justine physician and researcher in immunology and University of Montreal professor. "The discovery of the gene will allow us to better understand the link between abnormal development of the digestive tract and abnormal development of the immune system."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/49RFSccHGsw/130611122101.htm

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