As expected the American League announced that Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer will start the All-Star game tomorrow night, matching up against Mets right-hander Matt Harvey.
Scherzer?s winning streak came to an end in his final first-half start, but he?s 13-1 with a 3.19 ERA and 152/31 K/BB ratio in 130 innings. If not for the impressive win total (and Jim Leyland doing the choosing) it?s possible that Scherzer would not have gotten the assignment, as he ranks ninth in the AL in ERA. Of course, regardless of how you feel about evaluating pitchers on win-loss records he?s been really, really good for the Tigers.
This is Scherzer?s first All-Star game and dating back to mid-June of last season he?s 24-4 with a 2.88 ERA and 295 strikeouts in 247 innings spread over 38 starts.
OK, quick, whose quotes are whose? Democratic Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel or Republican antitax champion Grover Norquist.
"There's nothing like the dedication of a child of an immigrant. They know in their DNA that they are here, they are lucky, and this better not get screwed up because their parents are going to kill you."
?
"I get a kick out of people asking whether we should be pro-immigrant: That's like asking the United States if McDonald's should sell hamburgers."
This could be the one issue where you would not be able to pull apart the position of Emanuel from Norquist (whose quotes are in that order): There's an easy answer to whether to take up immigration reform, according to both polar-opposite power players. And it's yes.
There were some shots, subtly, at one another at a forum hosted byThe Atlantic?at its Watergate office (incidentally, as a sister publication, National Journal is located there, too). Norquist was quick to remind the crowds that, historically, opposition to immigration has come from organized labor. He also said things like: "In Canada, that's the one in the north," directed at Emanuel.
"If you wouldn't tell anyone we were here together," Emanuel said toward the end, "it would not work back home for me, and it won't work for him in Washington. "
The Atlantic's Steve Clemons moderates a discussion between Grover Norquist and Rahm Emanuel. (Brian Resnick)
But their tone and dissatisfaction with the House Republican holdup of immigration reform both rang similar, with Norquist, actually, invoking the harsher criticism. He described the anti-immigration reform position as being "anti-people."
"The economics of this is so clear," Norquist said. "If you have more people moving into an area of economic growth, you actually get more growth. People are an asset. The argument that immigration depresses wages is the same argument against children" because children are people who can eventually enter the job market to compete with their parents. "They [Republicans against reform] tag immigrants with something else that they are focused on," he later said?like welfare. Those opposed to immigration reform say it will inflate the entitlement state. Norquist argues that the welfare system is indeed broken, but that's a separate issue from immigration. "Most of the people whose lives are damaged by welfare were born here," Norquist argued. But that's what makes changing minds difficult in this case. You have to reconcile each individual's pet fears.
Chicago is a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants, and a sizable portion of the city's economy comes from its diverse ethnic neighborhoods. And just on Monday, the city announced a program to set up path to citizenship information centers at local libraries. But, according to the mayor, you can't pretend like stories of success in Chicago will resonate with middle America, and deep-red states like Kansas.
"You can't give them a national story, there are anecdotes and examples in Kansas's own history that you have to weave in a very local way," he said. "And I would not treat it disrespectfully. There's a story and narrative in Kansas that you have to go find."
According to Norquist, the House Republicans are staving off a vote because they fear a change in the tides. "Voices that are shrill, arguing for let's not have a vote are doing so because every day the Republican caucus is moving toward yes," he said, later adding, "it doesn't show up in the votes the way it shows up in the tongue wagging you can get in talk radio."
Emanuel followed: "The party has allowed itself to have a few voices to describe and define its position on immigration."
Main Category: Cancer / Oncology Also Included In: Heart Disease Article Date: 14 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT
Current ratings for: Researchers Discover A Role For A Protein That Has Implications For Treatment Of Cancer And Heart Disease
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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have discovered that a protein used by cancer cells to evade death also plays a vital role in heart health. This dual role complicates efforts to develop cancer drugs that target the protein, but may lead to new therapies for heart muscle damage. The research appeared in a recent edition of the scientific journal Genes & Development.
The protein, MCL1, is currently the focus of widespread cancer drug development efforts. MCL1 is best known as an inhibitor of death via the cell's suicide pathway in a process called apoptosis. The protein is elevated in a variety of cancers, and a number of MCL1 inhibitors are in the cancer drug development pipeline worldwide. The protein has also been linked to drug resistance in cancer patients. Until now, however, MCL1's role in heart muscle cells was unclear.
"Our study shows that MCL1 is required for normal cardiac function and that the protein may be critical in protecting the heart from apoptosis," said Joseph Opferman, Ph.D., an associate member of the St. Jude Department of Biochemistry and the paper's corresponding author. Unlike skin or blood cells, heart muscle cells cannot be replaced, so even a small loss through apoptosis can be devastating. In this study, knocking out MCL1 in mice led to death from cardiomyopathy within weeks.
"These findings suggest that cancer-related drug development efforts should focus on reducing MCL1 expression in target cells rather than eliminating the protein's function completely," Opferman said.
The results also have implications for treating heart muscle damage following heart attacks or other insults. While limiting MCL1 in cancer cells might aid in destroying them, providing higher levels of the protein in heart muscle cells might benefit a patient recovering from a heart attack or other heart damage. "These findings have broad implications for human health," Opferman said.
MCL1 belongs to a protein family involved in regulating apoptosis. The body uses apoptosis to rid itself of damaged, dangerous or unneeded cells. MCL1 prevents apoptosis by blocking the activity of other members of the same protein family that promote the process.
This research builds on previous work from Opferman's laboratory that identified a second form of MCL1. That form works inside rather than outside the mitochondria and helps to produce the chemical energy that fuels cells. Mitochondria are specialized structures inside cells that serve as their power plants.
The latest results suggest both forms of MCL1 are necessary for normal heart function, said the paper's first author Xi Wang, a University of Tennessee Health Science Center graduate student working in Opferman's laboratory.
When investigators knocked out the mouse version of the human MCL1 gene in the heart and skeletal muscle of both embryonic and adult mice, the animals rapidly developed lethal cardiomyopathy. Without MCL1, researchers found that muscle fiber in heart muscle cells was replaced by fibrous tissue, and the pumping ability of the animals' hearts diminished. Loss of MCL1 was also associated with a rise in apoptosis sufficient to cause fatal heart muscle weakness.
To better understand MCL1's role in normal heart function, researchers blocked apoptosis by deleting genes for the proteins Bak and Bax as well as MCL1. Bak and Bax promote apoptosis. Knocking out all three genes restored normal heart function in the mice. The animals lived longer, but mitochondria in the heart muscle did not look or function normally. These results suggest that normal heart function requires both forms of MCL1. "The question is whether, with time, you would see deleterious effects from the loss of MCL1 separate from apoptosis," Opferman said.
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source. Visit our cancer / oncology section for the latest news on this subject.
The other authors are Madhavi Bathina, John Lynch, Brian Koss, Christopher Calabrese, Sharon Frase, John Schuetz and Jerold Rehg, all of St. Jude.
The research was funded in part by a grant (HL102175) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a grant (CA021765) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the NIH, the National Cancer Society and ALSAC.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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A woman in China is reported to have been killed by an electric shock discharged from her iPhone 5 whilst the device was charging.
Ma Ailun, a 23-year-old woman from Xinjiang, northwestern China, was killed by an electric shock over the weekend. Her older sister took to Chinese social networking site Sina Weibo, purporting that the fatal charge was delivered when Ma answered her phone as the device was charging.
According to her sister, the device had been purchased in December and was under warranty. The device has since been handed over to the authorities as part of the investigation into her death.
In a statement following the news, Apple said:
We are deeply saddened to learn of this tragic incident and offer our condolences to the Ma family? We will fully investigate and cooperate with authorities in this matter.
Whilst incidents such as this are incredibly rare, experts have noted that there is a risk to using electrical devices whilst being charged. The news pushed the hashtag ?iPhone 5? into Twitter?s top ten worldwide trends.
AAA??Jul. 13, 2013?5:32 PM ET At court, groups gather to await Zimmerman verdict By TAMARA LUSHBy TAMARA LUSH, Associated Press??
George Zimmerman arrives in the courtroom for his trial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, in Sanford, Fla., Friday, July 12, 2013. Zimmerman is charged in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Joe Burbank, Pool)
George Zimmerman arrives in the courtroom for his trial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, in Sanford, Fla., Friday, July 12, 2013. Zimmerman is charged in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Joe Burbank, Pool)
George Zimmerman wipes his face after arriving in the courtroom during his trial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, in Sanford, Fla., Friday, July 12, 2013. Zimmerman is charged in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Joe Burbank, Pool)
FILE - This undated file family photo shows Trayvon Martin. Trayvon, 17, was slain in a 2012 shooting in Sanford, Fla., by neighborhood crime-watch captain George Zimmerman. Zimmerman's defense attorney began his final arguments Friday, July 12, 2013, trying to convince six jurors that the neighborhood watch volunteer acted in self-defense when he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Martin Family, File)
George Zimmerman wipes his face after arriving in the courtroom for his trial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, in Sanford, Fla., Friday, July 12, 2013. Zimmerman is charged in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Joe Burbank, Pool)
Assistant state attorney Bernie de la Rionda shows George Zimmerman's gun to the jury while presenting the state's closing arguments against Zimmerman during his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. Thursday, July 11, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Gary W. Green, Pool)
SANFORD, Fla. (AP) ? Sheriff's deputies separated some supporters of George Zimmerman from advocates of Trayvon Martin outside the Seminole County Courthouse following a heated exchange.
No physical contact was made Saturday afternoon between the supporters as they waited for a verdict in George Zimmerman's trial for second-degree murder.
Zimmerman is pleading not guilty, claiming he shot the 17-year-old Martin in self-defense.
About 100 supporters have gathered outside the courthouse as they await the jury of six women to reach a verdict.
Despite its shortcomings, Vine is a hit. In case you're not familiar with it, this free social video app from Twitter curtails your iPhone videos to a mere 6 seconds?a sort of video-only Instagram. Though still in its infancy, the video-sharing app has undergone a fairly substantial, feature-adding update in the new Vine 1.3 version. While the update brings real improvements, the app is still lacking compared with Viddy and Instagram, which recently added video shooting and sharing with more editing capabilities than Vine.
First off, here's a list of the major new attractions that have made their way in the app:
? Channels?Browse or submit your posts to 15 new channels?from Comedy, Art & Experimental, to Cats, and more. ? On The Rise?Discover new and interesting Viners right from your Explore screen. ? Revining?Share your favorite posts with all your followers on Vine in one tap. ? New Capture Tools?Shoot with style using the new focus, grid, and ghost tools. ? Protected Accounts?Allow only people you approve to follow you and view your posts.
I'll discuss these new features in the relevant review sections below. But first off, let's be clear: Vine isn't a case of "video finally comes to Twitter." You've long been able to embed a DailyMotion, YouTube or Vimeo video into a Twitter post, so this isn't the first time anyone's been able to add video to tweets. Vine is more of an attempt to co-opt the craze for animated GIFs, most prominently evidenced on image-heavy mini-blogging site Tumblr, as well as to become the Instagram of video. ?
Vine movies, which play to today's short attention spans, may be limited in length, but like animated GIFs, they loop infinitely, which actually does the opposite of increasing their impact. Let's see how it stacks up against other social video apps, such as Lightt, ?Yahoo's new Qwiki, Socialcam, Viddy, ?and Instagram itself.
Signup and Setup The app store entry for Vine says you must be over 17 to install it, and that it contains "Frequent/Intense Sexual Content or Nudity." That actually was a problem at its original launch, when a porn Vine made it to the app's Editor's Picks section (which no longer exists). The app requires an iPhone 3GS or later running iOS 5.0 or later. It's optimized for iPhone 5, but not for iPad, where you'll either have to view it in a small window or zoomed to 2x. Like a good many of the latest crop of iPhone apps, Vine asks whether it can interrupt you with notifications and wants access to your location.
As you'd expect with an app just acquired by Twitter, you can sign in with your Twitter account, or create a new Vine account using an email address. The typical social app would also let you sign up via Facebook, but that's not an option for obvious reasons. Conveniently, you don't need to actually provide your Twitter credentials, the app can take them from your iPhone's Settings. But even though Vine is owned by Twitter, you'll still have to create a new Vine account even if you sign up via Twitter.
The new private option is similar to Twitter's?it's all or nothing. You can't designate some videos as private and others as public, as you can in Viddy. To go private, on your Settings page, scroll down to "Your content" and you'll see to slider options: Posts are protected and Sensitive posts (for aspiring pornographers). Both choices apply to all your posts.
Interface After setup, my view was of an Instagram-like newsfeed of GIF-like videos from contacts I didn't know I had. Apparently, these were preselected Vine/Twitter employees' accounts. The well-designed and simple interface has but two buttons in the top corners above the feed?on the left Home, and on the right a movie camera. Pressing the home button offered three more options in addition to the home view I was already viewing: Explore, Activity, and Profile. These first two were encouraging, reminding me of the addictive similar pages of Flickr.
A banner across the top of the home screen encouraged me to get my own new Vine follows. I could find these by scanning my phone's local address book, Twitter (of course). Facebook has been removed as a source of new contacts. Tit-for-tat for when Twitter blocked the Facebook-owned Instagram. This means war! I could also simply search for Vine user names, or invite friends to the service using email or SMS.
As in every self-respecting social network, each user gets a profile page, and Vine's resembles Twitter's, except it offers separate tabs for Posts and Likes. On top is the user's photo, a text area for inspirational self-description and a big Follow button. If something or someone offends you, you can report or block a profile for inappropriate posting.
The redesigned Explore page is an even bigger treat than it was originally. You still get Popular Now, but this is joined by On the Rise, which makes discovering amusing Vines even easier. Colorful Windows 8-like tiles now offer YouTube-like sections, rather than hashtags; the latter now appear below the colorful tiles, and are now trending hastags, rather than just the preset ones like #sports, #travel, and so on.
Once you do discover a video you love, you can Like (thanks to a smiley face button), comment, and now "Revine" it. The last is just like retweeting in Twitter; it even uses the same button icon. It really is instantaneous, with no options required before taking hold. As with the Like button, the Revine button turns dark green, and you can tap it again to un-favorite it.
If someone shares a Vine link, you can watch it on a bare-bones Vine-hosted Web page, but there's no website where you can view all your own and contacts' Vines or do any of the social connecting and browsing. You can watch the videos inside Twitter apps or in your Twitter feed. Vine videos also can play on Facebook.
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