Exxon pipeline leaks thousands of barrels of Canadian oil in Arkansas

By Matthew Robinson and David Sheppard

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil was working to clean up thousands of barrels of oil in Mayflower, Arkansas, after a pipeline carrying heavy Canadian crude ruptured, a major spill likely to stoke debate over transporting Canada's oil to the United States.

Exxon shut the Pegasus pipeline, which can carry more than 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Pakota, Illinois, to Nederland, Texas, after the leak was discovered on Friday afternoon, the company said in a statement.

Exxon, hit with a $1.7 million fine by regulators this week over a 2011 spill in the Yellowstone River, said a few thousand barrels of oil had been observed.

A company spokesman confirmed the line was carrying Canadian Wabasca Heavy crude. That grade is a heavy bitumen crude diluted with lighter liquids to allow it to flow through pipelines, according to the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), which referred to Wabasca as "oil sands" in a report.

The spill occurred as the U.S. State Department is considering the fate of the 800,000 bpd Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry crude from Canada's oil sands to the Gulf Coast. Environmentalists, concerned about the impact of developing the oil sands, have sought to block its approval.

Supporters say Keystone will help bring down the cost of fuel in the United States.

The Arkansas spill was the second incident this week where Canadian crude has spilled in the United States. On Wednesday, a train carrying Canadian crude derailed in Minnesota, spilling 15,000 gallons of oil.

Exxon expanded the Pegasus pipeline in 2009 to carry more Canadian crude from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast refining hub and installed what it called new "leak detection technology".

Exxon said federal, state and local officials were on site and the company said it was staging a response for a spill of more than 10,000 barrels "to be conservative". Clean-up crews had recovered approximately 4,500 barrels of oil and water.

"The air quality does not likely present a human health risk, with the exception of the high pooling areas, where clean-up crews are working with safety equipment," Exxon said in a statement.

U.S. media said the spill was in a subdivision. Mayflower city police said the oil had not reached Lake Conway nearby.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency categorized the rupture as a "major spill," Exxon said, and 22 homes were evacuated following the incident.

A spokesman for the Department of Transportation confirmed that an inspector from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration had been sent to the scene to determine what caused the failure. The Environmental Protection Agency is the federal on-scene coordinator for the spill.

Some environmentalists argue that oil sands crudes are more corrosive than conventional oil, although a CEPA report, put together by oil and gas consultancy Penspen, argued diluted bitumen is no more corrosive than other heavy crude.

The U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this week proposed a fine of 1.7 million for Exxon over pipeline safety violations relating to a 2011 oil spill in the Yellowstone River. Exxon's Silvertip pipeline, which carries 40,000 barrels per day of crude in Montana, leaked about 1,500 barrels of oil into the river in July 2011 after heavy flooding in the area.

In 1989, the Exxon Valdez supertanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound off Alaska and spilled 250,000 barrels of crude oil.

(Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner in WASHINGTON; Editing by Philip Barbara, Eric Beech and Paul Tait)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exxon-shuts-oil-pipeline-major-pipeline-spill-arkansas-010122537--finance.html

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Privately owned daily newspapers return to Myanmar

Kyaw Min Swe, chief editor in The Voice newspaper, holds a copy of his daily during an interview with the Associated Press in his office in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The reform process under President Thein Sein, who took office two years ago this month, has included the abolition of direct censorship of local media. On Monday, independent daily newspapers will be able to publish for the first time since 1964. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Kyaw Min Swe, chief editor in The Voice newspaper, holds a copy of his daily during an interview with the Associated Press in his office in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The reform process under President Thein Sein, who took office two years ago this month, has included the abolition of direct censorship of local media. On Monday, independent daily newspapers will be able to publish for the first time since 1964. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Journalists work in the newsroom of The Voice daily newspaper in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The reform process under President Thein Sein, who took office two years ago this month, has included the abolition of direct censorship of local media. On Monday, independent daily newspapers will be able to publish for the first time since 1964. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Journalists work in the newsroom of The Voice daily newspaper in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The reform process under President Thein Sein, who took office two years ago this month, has included the abolition of direct censorship of local media. On Monday, independent daily newspapers will be able to publish for the first time since 1964. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Kyaw Min Swe, chief editor in The Voice daily newspaper, gestures during an interview with the Associated Press in his office in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The reform process under President Thein Sein, who took office two years ago this month, has included the abolition of direct censorship of local media. On Monday, independent daily newspapers will be able to publish for the first time since 1964. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? For most people in Myanmar, it will be a novelty when privately run daily newspapers hit the streets on Monday. Many weren't even born when the late dictator Ne Win imposed a state monopoly on the daily press in the 1960s.

But for 81-year-old Khin Maung Lay, the rebirth of daily newspapers is like a second lease on life. He is chief editor of Golden Fresh Land, one of four dailies going on sale Monday as Myanmar takes another step in its march toward democracy.

He's old enough to recall there once had been a big and vibrant daily press in the Burmese, English, Indian and Chinese languages in the period of parliamentary democracy after Myanmar, known then as Burma, won independence from Britain in 1948.

Khin Maung Lay worked as a senior newsman at the Burmese language Mogyo daily before it was driven out of business by government pressure in 1964.

Now as chief editor of Golden Fresh Land ? the name sounds less awkward in the original Burmese ? he heads a team of young journalists he recruited from various weeklies, who have only the briefest of acquaintances with the concept of a free press, having grown up under the military government that ruled for five decades. They are up against some media behemoths and papers belonging to the country's top political parties.

Khin Maung Lay acknowledges there are innumerable challenges ahead, but said he is ready to face them "in the name of freedom of press." He's well acquainted with the cutting edge of the concept ? he went to jail three times under Ne Win, including a three-year stretch in "protective custody," a catch-all phrase the military regime used as a reason for imprisoning critics.

"I foresee several hurdles along the way," he said. "However, I am ready to run the paper in the spirit of freedom and professionalism taught by my peers during the good old days."

The newspaper renaissance is part of the reform efforts of President Thein Sein, who, after serving as prime minister in the previous military regime, took office in March 2011 as head of an elected civilian government. Political and economic liberalization were at the top of his agenda, in an effort to boost national development.

The press has been a major beneficiary. The government lifted censorship in August last year, allowing reporters to print material that would have been unthinkable under military rule.

It's not smooth sailing yet. The draconian 1962 Printing and Registration Act remains in place until a new media law is enacted. It carries a maximum seven-year prison term for failure to register and allows the government to revoke publishing licenses at any time.

The government announced in December that any Myanmar national wishing to publish a daily newspaper was welcome to apply and could begin publishing on April 1.

There were nearly two dozen applications, and Golden Fresh Land was one of 16 to win approval. Others include dailies to be put out by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party and Thein Sein's ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party.

The Voice Daily is making its debut Monday, issued by the same group that has published a popular weekly since 2004.

"I am very excited that we are finally printing daily editions. It is a dream come true because that was our objective when we began publishing the Voice Journal in 2004," 42-year-old editor-in-chief Kyaw Min Shwe said Sunday, as reporters hustled around his newsroom to put out their first edition.

He said the established government newspapers have an advantage in terms of money and distribution, but "I can say with absolute confidence that we can compete with government papers in terms of content and quality of news."

Most coverage of local and national news in the state press is little more than the equivalent of government press releases, typically reporting on less-than-riveting topics such as the names of all the officials who attended the inauguration of a new bridge. Opinion pieces invariably reflect conservative positions that seem decades behind the times.

Aware of its vulnerability, the English-language state paper, the New Light of Myanmar, is seeking a joint venture partner to help with a makeover.

The entry of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party, called the Union Daily, plans to make use of its strong financial base. The pro-military party, which holds a strong majority in parliament, is backed by many tycoons. Chief editor Win Tin said the paper will be distributed free of charge for the first 10 days beginning Monday.

"We are financially strong and we have many experienced people," he said, adding that the party will have its own separate propaganda sheet and that the newspaper will not be a mouthpiece for it.

Strong competition will come from savvy big media groups who say they will launch later.

"We need more time for preparation. It is quite challenging for the reporters to switch from weeklies to dailies," said Nyein Nyein Naing, executive editor of the 7-Day weekly news journal.

"We need more time for preparation and we have to have test runs before we start the daily edition," said Dr. Than Htut Aung, CEO of the popular Eleven media group, which plans to launch The Daily Eleven on May 3.

"I will print my first daily edition on May 3, Press Freedom Day, because it is very symbolic," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-31-AS-Myanmar-New-Newspapers/id-b744f6d6f8ad44eabae90588078fa82b

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Partisan discord finds roots in toss-up districts

In this photo taken March 25, 2013, Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, uses a chart to talk about the U.S. budget deficit during a town hall meeting with constituents in Montgomery, Ohio. Here in the Cincinnati suburbs, where people tend to be polite, one finds seeds of the bitter partisanship that gnaws at Washington, 500 miles away. If any Republican House members might be open to compromise with President Barack Obama and Democratic lawmakers, Chabot would seem near the top. Yet he toes an unyielding conservative line on virtually every big issue. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

In this photo taken March 25, 2013, Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, uses a chart to talk about the U.S. budget deficit during a town hall meeting with constituents in Montgomery, Ohio. Here in the Cincinnati suburbs, where people tend to be polite, one finds seeds of the bitter partisanship that gnaws at Washington, 500 miles away. If any Republican House members might be open to compromise with President Barack Obama and Democratic lawmakers, Chabot would seem near the top. Yet he toes an unyielding conservative line on virtually every big issue. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

In this photo taken March 25, 2013, Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, listens to constituents' questions at a town hall meeting in Montgomery, Ohio. Here in the Cincinnati suburbs, where people tend to be polite, one finds seeds of the bitter partisanship that gnaws at Washington, 500 miles away. If any Republican House members might be open to compromise with President Barack Obama and Democratic lawmakers, Chabot would seem near the top. Yet he toes an unyielding conservative line on virtually every big issue. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

In this photo taken March 25, 2013, Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, takes time after his town hall meeting to answer questions one-on-one with constituents in Montgomery, Ohio. Here in the Cincinnati suburbs, where people tend to be polite, one finds seeds of the bitter partisanship that gnaws at Washington, 500 miles away. If any Republican House members might be open to compromise with President Barack Obama and Democratic lawmakers, Chabot would seem near the top. Yet he toes an unyielding conservative line on virtually every big issue. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, listens to a question from a constituent during a town hall meeting, Monday, March 25, 2013, in Montgomery, Ohio. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

MONTGOMERY, Ohio (AP) ? Here in Cincinnati's suburbs, where people tend to be polite, one finds seeds of the bitter partisanship that gnaws at Washington, 500 miles away.

If any Republican House members might be open to compromise with President Barack Obama and Democratic lawmakers, Rep. Steve Chabot would seem near the top of the list. He comes from an area so politically competitive that he lost his seat in 2008 to a Democrat, then won a rematch two years later. His new, redrawn district is safer, but Mitt Romney's 5-point margin over Obama was hardly a landslide.

Moreover, Chabot readily acknowledges that political compromise is the only way to accomplish anything in a democratic society as divided as the United States.

Yet Chabot toes an unyielding conservative line on virtually every big issue before Congress. He opposes any new taxes, even if they might lead to Democratic concessions on spending for Medicare and Social Security. He sees no need for new gun laws, including broader background checks on buyers.

He wants to overturn Obamacare, despite the president's re-election and the Supreme Court's decision upholding the health care law. He'd like to balance the federal budget in four years without new taxes, an improbable feat that would require extraordinary spending cuts far beyond those now triggering complaints.

Chabot, a former teacher and lawyer who has spent most of his career in politics, fits comfortably and quietly in the House GOP caucus. Outwardly, he's one of its more accommodating, measured members, rejecting the notion that compromise is cowardly or foolish.

"We have divided government in our country," Chabot recently told 75 constituents at one of two town hall meetings he held on a snowy Monday. "Neither side can pass anything on its own. You have to work with the other side."

But Democrats say Chabot and his colleagues have strange notions of compromise, especially on the tax-and-spend issues that preoccupy Congress.

Obama repeatedly says he can't begin to rein in costly entitlement programs dear to liberals such as Medicare and Social Security without Republicans agreeing to new taxes, chiefly on the rich. That's a non-starter for Chabot.

"I think we're already overtaxed," he told the gathering here. If anything, taxes should be cut, he said.

Like most of his House GOP colleagues, Chabot says Obama extracted all the new tax revenue he'll get when he forced Republicans to swallow the year-end "fiscal cliff" deal. It will generate about $620 billion in new revenues over 10 years. That's well below the $1 trillion the Republican House speaker suggested in December as part of a deficit-reduction "grand bargain," which never came to fruition.

"It's pretty hard to get to my right," Chabot said in an interview. It's a boast often heard from House Republicans, many of whom live in fear of losing a primary election to GOP challengers who accuse them of being too cozy with Democrats.

Whether it's because of his strategy or not, Chabot, 60, says he has never had a Republican primary challenger in his congressional career, which began in 1994.

Some might argue that Chabot's popularity with GOP primary voters would free him to edge toward the political center, in search of independent voters who can prove crucial in November general elections. Indeed, his town hall meetings ? in contrast to some that are dominated by flag-waving tea partyers ? drew a smattering of political moderates urging bipartisan cooperation.

Chabot, unfailingly polite and soft-spoken, stuck to positions embraced by his fierier, take-no-prisoners colleagues.

One woman said she supports "responsible gun ownership" and "sensible gun laws." She said she supports background checks on all gun buyers, and restrictions on military-style weapons.

Chabot offered the same reply he gave later to a woman who said the only difference between a free person and a slave "is a gun." He's unlikely to support any new gun laws, Chabot said, because criminals would ignore them, and there are already enough laws on the books.

When a man asked Chabot why he called Obama's 2010 health care law "a takeover" instead of a Supreme Court-backed act of Congress, the congressman replied: "I consider it a government takeover." The only reason it hasn't been overturned, Chabot said, is because "we just don't have the votes."

At an evening town hall meeting in the North Bend suburb of Cincinnati, Bill Groll agreed with Chabot on just about everything. Groll, a retired engineering technician for General Electric, said both parties in Washington should work together to shrink the deficit.

"The Republicans are trying," he said in an interview, "but the Democrats won't let them."

Groll, 62, said there's no need to raise taxes, even if it's the price Democrats demand for slowing the growth of entitlement programs. "Social Security is not really an entitlement," Groll added. "You pay into it. It's like an insurance thing."

As Chabot's hour-long session continued, chances for bipartisan agreements seemed to dim.

"The food stamp program is replete with waste and fraud and abuse," Chabot said, citing programs he says can stand deeper spending cuts. Money spent on public housing, he said, should go toward reducing the deficit.

When a man asked, "is Obama working toward a socialist country?" Chabot replied, "He would say no."

But the United States is becoming more like Europe, the congressman added, so "we're getting pretty close."

___

Follow Charles Babington on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbabington

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-03-30-Congress-Partisanship/id-d8aa22d648b74a1e9f6a529eae20b69a

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FGCU's NCAA run ends with 62-50 loss to Florida

Florida's Will Yeguete dunks against Florida Gulf Coast during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Florida's Will Yeguete dunks against Florida Gulf Coast during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

From left, Florida Gulf Coast's Brett Comer, Sherwood Brown, Eddie Murray and Dajuan Graf react during the final minutes of a regional semifinal game against Florida in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Florida Gulf Coast's Eric McKnight (12) reacts during the final minutes of a regional semifinal game against Florida in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Florida's Mike Rosario (3) reacts after beating Florida Gulf Coast 62-50 after a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Florida's Scottie Wilbekin (5) shoots as Florida Gulf Coast's Sherwood Brown (25) defends during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? That high-flying act from "Dunk City" busted most everybody's NCAA tournament brackets and left an indelible mark on March.

Bet you know what FGCU is now.

Florida Gulf Coast, the No. 15 seed few people knew much about only a week ago, had its improbable run to the NCAA round of 16 ended by a 62-50 loss late Friday night ? actually only a few minutes before midnight. SEC regular-season champion Florida is headed to its third consecutive regional final.

"We definitely defied a lot of odds," said Sherwood Brown, the dreadlocked guard who is Gulf Coast's only senior starter. "Pretty much no one in the nation expected us to make it this far."

Early against Florida, the Eagles (26-11) seemed even looser than they had in their victories over No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 7 seed San Diego State. And they had a big run that came early this time.

Chase Fieler had 3-pointers to start and cap an 11-0 run, raising his hands in the air after the second that put Gulf Coast ahead 15-4 and led to a timeout by Florida coach Billy Donovan less than 7 minutes into the game.

In between the 3s, Gulf Coast had some of the schoolyard-like plays that earned them that "Dunk City" moniker.

After Brett Comer stole a pass, he ran down the court and threw up an alley-oop pass for the trailing Brown, who delivered an emphatic slam that sent the announced crowd of more than 40,000 into a frenzy ? except for those in Gator orange.

Comer then flipped another backward pass to Bernard Thompson for a 3-pointer before Fieler's other 3.

"It was very exciting to get out to that big run, playing in the Sweet 16, playing the way we were playing early in the tournament against a great team in Florida," Fieler said.

That run was so similar to extended spurts they had in upsetting No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 7 seed San Diego State.

But the Gators (29-7) still had plenty of time ? and know how to go on big runs of their own.

"I thought we did a great job of putting pressure and making those guys feel uncomfortable," said Mike Rosario, who led Florida with 15 points.

The Eagles had 12 turnovers in the first half ? one less than they had in each of their first two NCAA tourney games ? and finished with 20.

Michael Frazier made a pair of 3-pointers from in front of the FGCU bench, the only baskets he made, to start a 16-0 run late in the first half.

That put the Gators in the lead to stay.

"As bad as we started off, I'm happy for my team that we fought back. They're a second-half team. We did a good job of attacking them in the first 4 minutes of the second half," said Kenny Boynton, whose three-point play sparked a quick 7-0 Gators run right after halftime.

The Gators will play Michigan in the South Regional final on that raised court at Cowboys Stadium on Sunday. They are trying to get to their first NCAA Final Four since consecutive national championships in 2006 and 2007.

Michigan overcame a 14-point deficit and knocked off No. 1 seed Kansas 87-85 in overtime earlier Friday night.

Brown led FGCU with 14 points, while Fieler had 12. Scottie Wilbekin had 13 points for Florida and Casey Prather 11.

This is the last chance for seniors Boynton and Erik Murphy to win a title of their own. And there was a business-like feel in the winning Florida locker room after the game.

On the other side, things weren't all that bleak despite the disappointment of being done and matching a season low for points.

"It's sad we lost tonight, but it was a great ride," said post player Eddie Murray, the only other senior on the Gulf Coast roster. "It hurts right now but when you step back and look at it, it's all been amazing."

FGCU heads back to Fort Myers (aka Dunk City), where it has man-made lakes and a beach on campus, having given the tournament a blast of fresh air while its players were just having a blast. The South Florida state school also got about the best free publicity its administrators could ever hope for.

"It was great to see the excitement across the country with the underdog and it's just a real feeling when you're the underdog and you're the talk of the nation," coach Andy Enfield said. "Our plan wasn't to become some great national story. Our plan was to go in and compete and win games. It was unbelievable to see the excitement and passion of not only our local community, the students, but also the national level.

"Our players believed, and they accomplished something special."

Associated Press

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Travel Companies In India Will Make Your Holiday Dreams Come True

Whether you're bitten by the travel bug or you need a vacation from the daily grind, help is at hand in the form of travel companies in India offering support to people booking holidays in destinations within India and outside. You can travel to some of the most well-known - and not so well-known places in India. Visit well-known tourist hubs such as Rajasthan, Agra, and Kerala. Or, travel to places off the beaten track, where you might be the sole tourist, taking in the sights and sounds that few travelers know about. A vast country like India offers many sightseeing experiences to travelers. From the majestic peaks of the Himalayas to the quiet lagoons of Kerala, the golden deserts of Rajasthan to the lush forests of Sundarbans, there is a lot to explore within India.

If you would like to explore destinations in Europe, you can use the services of travel companies in India to find the best flight and to book your hotel. A lot of people are afraid to travel, fearing hassles like hotel bookings, flights, or the cost of travel. These companies take care of these fears and worries, and leaving you free to enjoy your dream vacation. You can use the web site of these companies to locate the cheapest and most convenient flights to and from your chosen destination. You can also carry out hotel bookings online. Having a choice of multiple flights and hotels ensures that you can select the cheapest options, and thus be able to enjoy a budget-friendly holiday.

Whether you're looking for a family vacation, or a dreamy honeymoon, you can find the best resources on the website of a travel company. There are other advantages to using the help of a travel company to locate the best hotels and flights. For example, you get customer support and help in finding the information you require.

Travel Packages for All Occasions

If you cannot afford an extended vacation, even a quick weekend trip to a hill resort might be enough to refresh you and rejuvenate your mind. Travel companies offer weekend packages where all the expenses from hotel booking to meals and traveling are taken care of. Therefore, you do not have to worry about logistics during the trip. Just enjoy your vacation, go sightseeing, trek through some of the most beautiful hillside paths and enjoy partaking in the local life.

It's not just leisure travelers who are booking flights and holiday packages offered by these companies. Businesses are also using travel companies to find the ideal destinations for holding conferences, training camps, and seminars. These corporate packages are affordable and enable visitors to go sightseeing in many different locations, when they are not busy figuring out the intricacies of business.

Whatever your preferences, whether you're looking for a short trip outside the city, or an extended vacation in a foreign destination, there are plenty of choices. Thanks to travel companies in India, there is no dearth of options for travelers.

About the Author:
Overall Travel backed by excellent customer support and customer friendly refund processes, is one of the best travel companies in India. Whether you're looking for a family vacation, or a dreamy honeymoon, you can find the best resources at Overall Travel.

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Scientists find new gene markers for cancer risk

NEW YORK (AP) ? A huge international effort involving more than 100 institutions and genetic tests on 200,000 people has uncovered dozens of signposts in DNA that can help reveal further a person's risk for breast, ovarian or prostate cancer, scientists reported Wednesday.

It's the latest mega-collaboration to learn more about the intricate mechanisms that lead to cancer. And while the headway seems significant in many ways, the potential payoff for ordinary people is mostly this: Someday there may be genetic tests that help identify women with the most to gain from mammograms, and men who could benefit most from PSA tests and prostate biopsies.

And perhaps farther in the future these genetic clues might lead to new treatments.

"This adds another piece to the puzzle," said Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research U.K., the charity which funded much of the research.

One analysis suggests that among men whose family history gives them roughly a 20 percent lifetime risk for prostate cancer, such genetic markers could identify those whose real risk is 60 percent.

The markers also could make a difference for women with BRCA gene mutations, which puts them at high risk for breast cancer. Researchers may be able to separate those whose lifetime risk exceeds 80 percent from women whose risk is about 20 to 50 percent. One doctor said that might mean some women would choose to monitor for cancer rather than taking the drastic step of having healthy breasts removed.

Scientists have found risk markers for the three diseases before, but the new trove doubles the known list, said one author, Douglas Easton of Cambridge University. The discoveries also reveal clues about the biological underpinnings of these cancers, which may pay off someday in better therapies, he said.

Experts not connected with the work said it was encouraging but that more research is needed to see how useful it would be for guiding patient care. One suggested that using a gene test along with PSA testing and other factors might help determine which men have enough risk of a life-threatening prostate cancer that they should get a biopsy. Many prostate cancers found early are slow-growing and won't be fatal, but there is no way to differentiate and many men have surgery they may not need.

Easton said the prospects for a genetic test are greater for prostate and breast cancer than ovarian cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, with more than 1 million new cases a year. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after lung cancer, with about 900,000 new cases every year. Ovarian cancer accounts for about 4 percent of all cancers diagnosed in women, causing about 225,000 cases worldwide.

The new results were released in 13 reports in Nature Genetics, PLOS Genetics and other journals. They come from a collaboration involving more than 130 institutions in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. The research was mainly paid for by Cancer Research U.K., the European Union and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Scientists used scans of DNA from more than 200,000 people to seek the markers, tiny variations in the 3 billion "letters" of the DNA code that are associated with disease risk.

The scientists found 49 new risk markers for breast cancer plus a couple of others that modify breast cancer risk from rare mutated genes, 26 for prostate cancer and eight for ovarian cancer. Individually, each marker has only a slight impact on risk estimation, too small to be useful on its own, Easton said. They would be combined and added to previously known markers to help reveal a person's risk, he said.

A genetic test could be useful in identifying people who should get mammography or PSA testing, said Hilary Burton, director of the PHG Foundation, a genomics think-tank in Cambridge, England. A mathematical analysis done by her group found that under certain assumptions, a gene test using all known markers could reduce the number of mammograms and PSA tests by around 20 percent, with only a small cost in cancer cases missed.

Among the new findings:

? For breast cancer, researchers calculated that by using all known markers, including the new ones, they could identify 5 percent of the female population with twice the average risk of disease, and 1 percent with a three-fold risk. The average lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 12 percent in developed countries. It's lower in the developing world where other diseases are a bigger problem.

? For prostate cancer, using all the known markers could identify 1 percent of men with nearly five times the average risk, the researchers computed. In developed countries, a man's average lifetime risk for the disease is about 14 to 16 percent, lower in developing nations.

?Markers can also make a difference in estimates of breast cancer risk for women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. Such women are rare, but their lifetime risk can run as high as 85 percent. Researchers said that with the new biomarkers, it might be possible to identify the small group of these women with a risk of 28 percent or less.

For patients like Vicki Gilbert of England, who carries a variation of the BRCA1 gene, having such details about her cancer risk would have made decision-making easier.

Gilbert, 50, found out about her genetic risk after being diagnosed with the disease in 2009. Though doctors said the gene wouldn't change the kind of chemotherapy she got, they suggested removing her ovaries to avoid ovarian cancer, which is also made more likely by a mutated BRCA1.

"They didn't want to express a definite opinion on whether I should have my ovaries removed so I had to weigh up my options for myself," said Gilbert, a veterinary receptionist in Wiltshire. "...I decided to have my ovaries removed because that takes away the fear it could happen. It certainly would have been nice to have more information to know that was the right choice."

Gilbert said knowing more about the genetic risks of cancer should be reassuring for most patients. "There are so many decisions made for you when you go through cancer treatment that being able to decide something yourself is very important," she said.

Dr. Charis Eng, chair of the Genomic Medicine Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, who didn't participate in the new work, called the breast cancer research exciting but not ready for routine use.

Most women who carry a BRCA gene choose intensive surveillance with both mammograms and MRI and some choose to have their breasts removed to prevent the disease, she said. Even the lower risk described by the new research is worrisomely high, and might not persuade a woman to avoid such precautions completely, Eng said.

___

AP Medical Writer Maria Cheng contributed to this report from London.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-gene-markers-cancer-risk-162853893.html

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Sea hares' sticky defence uncovered

28 March 2013 Last updated at 09:33 By Michelle Warwicker Reporter, BBC Nature

The sea hare, a soft-bodied marine creature, uses a sticky secretion to fool hungry predators, say scientists.

The slow-moving animals are known for defending themselves by squirting an off-putting mixture of purple ink and a white substance called opaline.

However, exactly how this sticky opaline is used to deter predators was previously unknown.

Now scientists have shown the substance coats predators' antennae, deactivating their chemical senses.

Researchers suggested that with their sense of smell blocked predators lose their appetite and spend a long time cleaning themselves of the sticky coating, allowing the sea hares to escape.

The team from Georgia State University, Atlanta, US said that their study is the first time "sensory inactivation" as a defence against predators has been shown in an experiment.

Details of their findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Research team member Dr Charles Derby described the finding as "significant".

"It is the first demonstration involving not only the chemical senses, but to our knowledge, for any sensory system," he told BBC Nature.

Watch an "inking" sea hare uses its sticky opaline defence to block a spiny lobster's sense of smell

Ink squirting

Wild sea hares have a variety of defensive adaptations, including chemicals found in their skin and skin mucus as well as their ability to squirt ink secretion onto predators.

"Inking is a last line of defence," explained Dr Derby, "[It is] only produced when the sea hare is taken into the mouth of a fish or only after being bitten by a lobster."

The purple ink and sticky white opaline squirted during "inking" are produced in separate glands, and sea hares can release them separately or together.

To simulate how opaline affects predators' chemical senses in the wild, the research team used an extract taken from sea hares' glands and painted it onto the antennules - the first pair of antennae and olfactory organs - of spiny lobsters in water tanks.

With the predators' antennules coated with the sticky substance, Dr Derby and his colleagues presented the lobsters with the appetising odour of "shrimp juice".

Continue reading the main story

The strange lives of sea hares

Sea hares are gastropod molluscs. They appear to have no shells, but in fact do have small, completely internal ones.

Aplysia is the name of the sea hare genus, which contains many different species found around the world.

Other than their chemical defences, sea hares' large size puts off many predators: some species grow up to 70cm in length.

The creatures are called sea hares because of the resemblance of some species to a sitting hare.

They then measured the electrical activity in the chemosensory and motor neurons in their antennules which detect odours and are responsible for sending signals from the brain to the muscles.

Both types of neuron are activated by food odours and are essential for the animal's motivation and ability to feed.

The team found that the spiny lobsters' responses to tasty smells were significantly reduced when their antennae were blocked compared to when they were clean.

The finding that sticky opaline physically limits predators' reception of food odours represents one of at least three ways sea hares use ink secretion as a defence.

Dr Derby's previous studies have also shown high concentrations of amino acids in ink can be appetising to some animals, effectively acting as a distraction.

"A lobster, when it bites a sea hare and gets a whiff of the ink, will drop the sea hare and attend to the ink secretion," he explained.

And off-putting chemical compounds found in the ink such as aplysioviolin, which gives it its purple colour, also help drive away attackers.

"Sea hares have many potential predators, each with feeding habits [and] sensory systems... So, some chemicals may work on some predators and not on others," said Dr Derby, explaining the animals' multiple defences.

"A combination of mechanisms acting simultaneously may be more effective than any one alone."

Join BBC Nature on Facebook and Twitter @BBCNature.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21929070

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Link between faster 'biological' aging and risk of developing age-related diseases

Mar. 27, 2013 ? An international team of scientists led by the University of Leicester has found new evidence that links faster 'biological' ageing to the risk of developing several age-related diseases -- including heart disease, multiple sclerosis and various cancers.

The study involved scientists in 14 centres across 8 countries, working as part of the ENGAGE Consortium (list of research teams is give below). The research is published online today (27^th March) in the journal Nature Genetics.

The project studied a feature of chromosomes called telomeres. Telomeres sit on the end of our chromosomes -- the strands of DNA stored in the nucleus of cells. The telomeres shorten each time a cell divides to make new cells, until they reach a critical short length and the cells enter an inactive state and then die. Therefore telomeres shorten as an individual gets older. But, individuals are born with different telomere lengths and the rate at which they subsequently shorten can also vary. The speed with which telomeres wear down is a measure of 'biological ageing'.

Professor Nilesh Samani, British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiology at the University of Leicester and Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, who led the project said: "Although heart disease and cancers are more common as one gets older, not everyone gets them -- and some people get them at an earlier age. It has been suspected that the occurrence of these diseases may in part be related to some people "biologically" ageing more quickly than others."

The research team measured telomere lengths in over 48,000 individuals and looked at their DNA and identified seven genetic variants that were associated with telomere length. They then asked the question whether these genetic variants also affected risk of various diseases. As DNA cannot be changed by lifestyle or environmental factors, an association of these genetic variants which affect telomere length with a disease also would suggest a causal link between telomere length and that disease.

The scientists found that the variants were indeed linked to risk of several types of cancers including colorectal cancer as well as diseases like multiple sclerosis and celiac disease. Most interestingly, the authors found that in aggregate the seven variants also associated with risk of coronary artery disease which can lead to heart attacks.

Professor Samani added: "These are really exciting findings. We had previous evidence that shorter telomere lengths are associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease but were not sure whether this association was causal or not. This research strongly suggests that biological ageing plays an important role in causing coronary artery disease, the commonest cause of death in the world. This provides a novel way of looking at the disease and at least partly explains why some patients develop it early and others don't develop it at all even if they carry other risk factors."

Dr Veryan Codd, Senior Research Associate at the University of Leicester who co-ordinated the study and carried out the majority of the telomere length measurements said: "The findings open of the possibility that manipulating telomere length could have health benefits. While there is a long way to go before any clinical application, there are data in experimental models where lengthening telomere length has been shown to retard and in some situations reverse age-related changes in several organs."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Leicester.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Veryan Codd, Christopher P Nelson, Eva Albrecht, Massimo Mangino, Joris Deelen, Jessica L Buxton, Jouke Jan Hottenga, Krista Fischer, T?nu Esko, Ida Surakka, Linda Broer, Dale R Nyholt, Irene Mateo Leach, Perttu Salo, Sara H?gg, Mary K Matthews, Jutta Palmen, Giuseppe D Norata, Paul F O'Reilly, Danish Saleheen, Najaf Amin, Anthony J Balmforth, Marian Beekman, Rudolf A de Boer, Stefan B?hringer, Peter S Braund, Paul R Burton, Anton J Mde Craen, Matthew Denniff, Yanbin Dong, Konstantinos Douroudis, Elena Dubinina, Johan G Eriksson, Katia Garlaschelli, Dehuang Guo, Anna-Liisa Hartikainen, Anjali K Henders, Jeanine J Houwing-Duistermaat, Laura Kananen, Lennart C Karssen, Johannes Kettunen, Norman Klopp, Vasiliki Lagou, Elisabeth M van Leeuwen, Pamela A Madden, Reedik M?gi, Patrik K E Magnusson, Satu M?nnist?, Mark I McCarthy, Sarah E Medland, Evelin Mihailov, Grant W Montgomery, Ben A Oostra, Aarno Palotie, Annette Peters, Helen Pollard, Anneli Pouta, Inga Prokopenko, Samuli Ripatti, Veikko Salomaa, H Eka D Suchiman, Ana M Valdes, Niek Verweij, Ana Vi?uela, Xiaoling Wang, H-Erich Wichmann, Elisabeth Widen, Gonneke Willemsen, Margaret J Wright, Kai Xia, Xiangjun Xiao, Dirk J van Veldhuisen, Alberico L Catapano, Martin D Tobin, Alistair S Hall, Alexandra I F Blakemore, Wiek H van Gilst, Haidong Zhu, CARDIoGRAM consortium, Jeanette Erdmann, Muredach P Reilly, Sekar Kathiresan, Heribert Schunkert, Philippa J Talmud, Nancy L Pedersen, Markus Perola, Willem Ouwehand, Jaakko Kaprio, Nicholas G Martin, Cornelia M van Duijn, Iiris Hovatta, Christian Gieger, Andres Metspalu, Dorret I Boomsma, Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin, P Eline Slagboom, John R Thompson, Tim D Spector, Pim van der Harst, Nilesh J Samani. Identification of seven loci affecting mean telomere length and their association with disease. Nature Genetics, 2013; 45 (4): 422 DOI: 10.1038/ng.2528

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/top_news/top_health/~3/i6UmrgokBGg/130327133339.htm

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Potential Chagas vaccine candidate shows unprecedented efficacy

Mar. 26, 2013 ? Scientists are getting closer to a Chagas disease vaccine, something many believed impossible only 10 years ago. Research from the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has resulted in a safe vaccine candidate that is simple to produce and shows a greater than 90 percent protection rate against chronic infection in mice.

In a paper published online in PLOS ONE, the researchers describe how they identified and tested potential Trypanosoma cruzi (also known as T. cruzi or Chagas disease) antigen candidates and delivery models to establish the safety and efficacy of a vaccine formulation known asTcVac3. This potential vaccine could halt the irreversible heart and organ damage that afflicts approximately 30 percent of those infected with Chagas.

"This signals a scientific breakthrough -- unprecedented vaccine efficacy for a common parasitic disease with no cure for chronic sufferers," said lead author Nisha Garg, PhD, professor of microbiology, immunology and pathology at UTMB. "If this vaccine proves practical, it could be approved in as few as five years for use in canines, which are reservoir hosts of the disease. As many as 20 percent of dogs may be infected in Texas alone, developing the same heart conditions as humans but mistaken by vets for heartworm."

The study also provides further evidence that a human Chagas vaccine is possible, a topic of debate among some who still believe that Chagas heart disease is the result of an autoimmune disorder, she added.

T. cruzi, transmitted by the triatomine insect, or "kissing bug," is prevalent in almost all Latin American countries and is becoming more common in the U.S. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 10 million people -- mostly children -- are infected worldwide. Approximately 13,000 die each year from the complications of Chagas-induced heart disease -- a result of the chronic infection Garg and her team aim to vaccinate against. It is estimated that the global economic burden of Chagas is about $7 billion a year.

TcVac3: The Path of Discovery

TcVac3 is the result of rigorous computational/bioinformatics analysis and screening of the T. cruzi genome for potential candidate antigens over several years by Garg and her team. These analyses led the researchers to three potential antigens (TcG1, TcG2 and TcG4) for further investigation.

Next, they began testing these antigens and potential vaccine delivery models -- how the components are arranged in the actual vaccine -- to determine the best approaches.

Early experiments proved that delivery of the candidate antigens by a DNA-prime/protein boost approach, along with co-delivery of IL-12 and GM-CSF cytokine adjuvants meant to enhance the immune response, was effective in generating antibody and T cell responses capable of providing more than 90 percent control of acute infection and parasite burden in infected mice.

Recognizing, however, that this vaccine delivery model was quite complex, the scientists sought to simplify the vaccine using a DNA-prime/Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-boost approach -- a delivery model that offers many advantages: it can accommodate multiple foreign genes in its genome; may be administered by a variety of routes; has an excellent safety record; and has been shown to generate immune responses to a variety of foreign antigens. MVA itself can act as an adjuvant since it provides a signal to the innate immune system and can boost T cells.

Based on preliminarystudies by the researchers that showed this delivery model to be potent, the scientists next tested the protective efficacy of TcVac3, constituted of just the TcG2 and TcG4 candidates and lacking the adjuvants, delivered by the DNA/MVA approach.

With two doses of the vaccine, the mice with TcVac3-induced antibodies exhibited 92 to 96 percent protection against chronic infection. They found that the DNA/MVA approach increased the vaccine efficacy enough to omit one of the antigens and the adjuvants, making it a much simpler but still highly effective vaccine.

"Because Chagas is most prevalent in developing countries, it is essential that a potential vaccine be inexpensive to develop and easy to deliver," said Garg. "TcVac3 accomplishes this goal, making it not just an effective candidate, but an ideal one."

Future research will determine if the vaccine composition can be simplified even further. In addition, the scientists are already conducting related trials in canines. Garg and her team are also working on pre-clinical trials of human patient samples, testing for immune response in patients that are already infected but not showing signs of chronic disease. Results of both studies are anticipated later this year.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Shivali Gupta, Nisha Jain Garg. TcVac3 Induced Control of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection and Chronic Myocarditis in Mice. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (3): e59434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059434

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/health_medicine/genes/~3/VjL8lyxglJo/130326194104.htm

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Foodpanda Takes Over Hungarian Rival After Only ... - The Next Web

Online food delivery is a hot space, with heavily-financed European startups such as Just-Eat, Delivery Hero, Lieferando and others quickly trying to gain market share all across the world.

The Samwer brothers? Rocket Internet accelerator has got some skin in the game as well with its Foodpanda / HelloFood business, which it has been launching in a slew of countries worldwide at its typical rapid pace.

Today, Foodpanda is announcing that it has acquired Hungarian online food ordering service provider ?telvitel KFT, a mere three months after launching in the country.

According to a press statement, Etelvitel currently boasts more than 200 partner restaurants (only in Budapest, though).

After this move, Foodpanda delivers food in Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Russia, Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Argentina and Venezuela.

We caught up with Ralf Wenzel, Foodpanda?s global managing director, to learn more about the move and the company?s overall strategy.

TNW: Foodpanda essentially lets people order food online. What makes it special compared to other Internet food delivery services?

RW: Food delivery is all about choice, quality and convenience. We aim to offer the broadest choice of restaurants and covering every possible regional area and city. We ensure highest quality standards by rating and assessing all restaurants, taking into consideration our customers? recommendations and feedback.

Foodpanda provides a very simple, fast and convenient way for ordering food, online and through mobile channels. We also feel responsible for the fast delivery and the overall service.

If the restaurant does not offer delivery, we will do it.

How many countries are you in now, and which countries or regions are up next?

We are already the most global food delivery service: Foodpanda with our affiliated brand HelloFood targets by now 3 billion people worldwide, which is almost half of the world population.

At the moment, we deliver food in 25 countries, focusing on markets like Brazil, India, Russia or Singapore.

In the last couple of months alone, we were able to bring Foodpanda to 14 more countries, serving an additional number of over 800 million people.

Is this basically a numbers game, where you roll out as quickly in as many countries as possible, or is each regional launch carefully considered and assessed?

The nice thing about food delivery is that it works pretty much everywhere, since everywhere people are interested in food and more people become aware of the possibility of ordering food online. Though we always analyze new markets very carefully, look into local infrastructure, cultural behavior, Internet penetration and the competitive landscape.

Based on that we decide about the next countries to launch. And even though this is a global business model, some countries qualify much more than others. I think our central team in Berlin has learned a lot from our local teams and vice versa. We believe in investing in opportunities but always focus on feasibility and quality.

Where is most growth coming from, geographically speaking, from a user and revenue perspective?

Foodpanda is already famous in Asia, since we had a bit of a head start there and in some Asian countries we are the market leader already. But Africa, Latin America and especially Eastern Europe are catching up really fast. One example is Hungary: we have just started 3 months ago but we are already taking over the service of our competitor ?telvitel KFT.

In just one step, we now cooperate with more than 200 new partner restaurants to guarantee the greatest variety.

This takeover is the logical consequence of our worldwide expansion. Foodpanda is a global movement.

You recently became Foodpanda?s global MD ? what differences in culture between different countries and regions have you encountered that Foodpanda has had to adapt to?

Food belongs to every country?s culture and is a central part of everyone?s daily life. As such there are more similarities than differences. However people?s preferences differ from country to country and this can be sometimes very surprising to us.

In Senegal, the most ordered food is croissants, whereas the Vietnamese favor Mexican food. Overall, we adapt to local cultures by always offering a customized choice of the best and most recommended cuisines and restaurants.

The fact that people share one culture doesn?t mean that they all prefer the same meal. Our goal is that people immediately think of Foodpanda when they think about food, no matter what cuisine.

What?s the ratio between customer orders from mobile versus the Web? What about Android vs. iOS?

Our mobile app is now available in 21 countries: the number of customers using our mobile service has been growing rapidly. At the moment, Web predominates but we expect that the mobile orders are going to pick up even more in the future. iOS is used twice as much as Android for now but this also differs widely from country to country. It?s important for us to accept orders through all locally important online channels.

What?s the deal with marketing both foodpanda and hellofood? Or will they be folded under the same umbrella brand in the future ? and if so, which one?

In Asia and Eastern Europe, we work as Foodpanda; in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America we are called HelloFood. We set the same ambitious standards and the service remains the same. We have a strong central team in Berlin and local experts in all of our countries.

This close cooperation creates perfect synergy. The whole coordination is done in Berlin with central teams for IT, Product, Marketing and Business Intelligence. The centralization enables us to expand into new countries very fast, both as Foodpanda and HelloFood.

You face quite some stiff competition from Just-Eat, Delivery Hero and others, all of which are heavily funded and also expanding internationally fast. Do you see consolidation on the horizon, or is there room for many players in this field?

The majority of the market is unexplored. Most customers still order their food offline, via phone. The next years we will see a big shift in offline to online.

Offering the widest reach of the best restaurants, having an easy to use product and an overall outstanding customer journey will allow us to capture a large part of this growing market. And the reality proves us right: Once people come to our website they come back again and again.

Most importantly, we know our customers. This enables us to be successful in such diverse markets. We already have a big network of restaurant partners and a robust supply and distribution.

How does Rocket Internet, and your experience working for other Samwer brothers-founded ventures in the past, help you scale the business?

I have now been working in the Internet industry for about 10 years and many experiences can be used and leveraged.

But still, every venture is different and performance management on this global scale is an exciting challenge. We are a very young venture and profit a lot from Rocket Internet?s expertise. Our growth in 25 countries would not have been possible without them.

Top image credit: istolethetv / Flickr

Source: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/03/26/foodpanda-acquires-interview/

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Cleverly designed vaccine blocks H5 avian influenza in animal models

Mar. 25, 2013 ? Until now most experimental vaccines against the highly lethal H5N1 avian influenza virus have lacked effectiveness. But a new vaccine has proven highly effective against the virus when tested in both mice and ferrets. It is also effective against the H9 subtype of avian influenza. The research is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Virology.

The strength of the new vaccine is that it uses attenuated, rather than "killed" virus. (Killed viruses are broken apart with chemicals or heat, and they are used because they are safer than attenuated viruses.) Killed virus vaccines against avian influenza are injected into the bloodstream, whereas this vaccine is given via nasal spray, thus mimicking the natural infection process, stimulating a stronger immune response.

The danger of current attenuated virus vaccines is that they might exchange dangerous genetic material with garden variety influenza viruses of the sort that strike annually, potentially rendering a lethal but very hard to transmit influenza virus, such as H5, easily transmissible among humans. To mitigate those dangers, the study authors, led by Daniel Perez of the University of Maryland, came up with an ingenious design. Influenza viruses carry their genetic material in eight "segments," explains coauthor and University of Maryland colleague Troy Sutton. When viruses reassort, they exchange segments. But each segment is unique, all eight are needed, and the viruses are unfit if they contain more than eight segments.

The vaccine is based on an attenuated version of the H9 virus, with an H5 gene added into one of the H9 virus' segments, to confer immunity to the H5 virus. Segment 8, which is composed of the so-called NS1 and NS2 genes, was split apart, and the NS2 gene was moved into segment 2, adjacent to the polymerase gene, which copies the virus' genetic material during replication. Placing NS2 next to the polymerase gene slowed its function, interfering with the virus' replication. That makes the vaccine safer.

The next step was to engineer the H5 gene into the vaccine. It was inserted into segment 8, where the NS2 gene had been.

Another aspect of the new vaccine's design makes it safer still, by rendering successful reassortment less likely. Both NS1 and NS2 are needed for viral replication. Since the two genes are now separated into different segments, any reassortment will have to include both segments, instead of just segment 8, in order for a reassortant virus to be viable. This greatly reduced the probability of successful reassortment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes avian influenza subtypes H5, H7, and H9 as potential pandemic viruses, because they all have in rare instances infected humans, and because they circulate in wild birds. Single reassortants could be sufficient to breach the species barrier, and since they do not circulate among us, we lack any immunity. Moreover, H5 is unusually lethal, having killed roughly half of those few it is confirmed to have infected.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society for Microbiology.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. L. Pena, T. Sutton, A. Chockalingam, S. Kumar, M. Angel, H. Shao, H. Chen, W. Li, D. R. Perez. Influenza viruses with rearranged genomes as live-attenuated vaccines. Journal of Virology, 2013; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02490-12

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/top_news/top_health/~3/mfBeja0RPaM/130325125649.htm

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Pa. groundhog's handler taking blame for forecast

PITTSBURGH (AP) ? An Ohio prosecutor who light-heartedly filed a criminal indictment against the famous Pennsylvania groundhog who fraudulently "predicted" an early spring said he may consider a pardon now that the animal's handler is taking the blame.

Bill Deeley, president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle, told The Associated Press on Monday that the animal rightly predicted six more weeks of winter last month, but he mistakenly announced an early spring because he failed to correctly interpret Phil's "groundhog-ese."

"I'm the guy that did it; I'll be the fall guy. It's not Phil's fault," Deeley said.

Butler County, Ohio, prosecutor Mike Gmoser told the AP that he's reconsidering the charges in light of the new evidence and may issue a full pardon.

"Frankly, he is a cute little rascal, a cute little thing," Gmoser said. "And if somebody is willing to step up to the plate and take the rap, I'm willing to listen."

The Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, a borough about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, attracts worldwide attention each year. But the attention stretched well beyond Feb. 2 when Gmoser last week issued an indictment as winter-like weather continued across much of the nation even as spring began.

"Punxsutawney Phil did purposely, and with prior calculation and design cause the people to believe that spring would come early," Gmoser's indictment said. The penalty? Death, Smoser said, tongue firmly in cheek.

Deeley said this is the second year in a row he's misinterpreted Phil's forecast. "Remember, last year at this time it was 80 degrees and Phil had predicted six more weeks of winter," Deeley said.

Under normal circumstances, Deeley's interpretation of the forecast is infallible, as long as he clings to the gnarly, magical "Arcadian" cane while the rodent whispers the forecast into his ear. Deeley still doesn't know what went wrong, but he said the borough is nonetheless pleased to still be in the news more than six weeks later ? although there's more snow on the ground, and local schools were closed Monday.

"We couldn't have generated this much publicity with a $10,000 ad campaign," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pa-groundhogs-handler-taking-blame-forecast-135937251.html

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Blake Shelton: Usher is a 'thorn in my side' on 'The Voice'

By Susan C. Young, TODAY contributor

Mark Seliger / NBC

Blake Shelton and new "Voice" coach Usher.

Blake Shelton says he?s not going to BS? ? ?The Voice? is going to be different when it comes back Monday night.

Gone are fellow coaches Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera. Their revolving red thrones will now be occupied by one-name wonders Shakira and Usher.

?It?s different with different personalities and a different chemistry,? Shelton shared at NBC's party at the TV Critic's winter press tour.

For one thing, he and fellow returning coach Adam Levine will be competing with smooth operator Usher and international superstar Shakira for the best competitors on the ?The Voice.?

Right away, he knew Usher would be a fierce competitor.

?This is the guy who found Justin Bieber,? Shelton said. ?That's what we are trying to do on this show, and he?s already done it.?

The country superstar knew a lot about Usher, but less about Shakira before the show started.

?The most intimidating thing came later. I had heard of Shakira, but one day I Googled her and Wikipediaed her,? Shelton said. ?And I saw where she had sold over a 100 million records and I was like, ?What the (expletive)?!???

He said that?s when he and Levine looked at each other and said, ?Hey, we?ve been worrying about the wrong person.?

The pre-voting shows have already been recorded, and although Shelton has won the last two battles with his team representative, he said he often gets shut down when he and other judges turn for the same contestant ? and have to woo the singer to their respective teams.

?The thorn in my side many times was Usher,? Shelton said. ?Adam always takes artists away from me and I?m used to that. But when Usher would turn around, especially if it was a girl, they would just melt when they saw that guy. So yeah, he was a problem.?

Not that it was so easy with Shakira, though.

?This is a girl who knows how to affect an audience, and she does it worldwide, ? Shelton said. ?I?m excited when I leave Oklahoma and somebody knows who I am.?

But does he engage in a little nose rubbing when it comes to his past wins?

?I don?t mention it unless I?m around Adam, knowing how competitive he is and what a baby he can be,? Shelton said with an impish grin.

For fans eager to watch how well the new judges mesh with the vets, there will be a spectacular joint performance.

?I?m not going to say which song because somebody will be bitching at me,? Shelton said. ?I will say the only thing that compares to it was the first season when we did Cee Lo?s ?Crazy.? I felt we were truly a band.?

"The Voice" airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

How do you think the new group of coaches will do this season? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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Out-of-control car lands on roof of LA home

A California man lost control of his car on Saturday, which sent the vehicle reeling before ending up on a neighbor's roof. Authorities said a preliminary report showed a mechanical issue was to blame. TODAY's Jenna Wolfe reports.

By NbcLosAngeles.com

A Glendale man lost control of his vehicle Saturday, sending the car down an embankment and landing on a neighbor's roof.?

The incident happened about 5:45 p.m. in 400 block of Audraine Drive in Glendale.?

After the vehicle came to a stop on the roof, a neighbor rushed over with a ladder, helping the driver and a female passenger off the home.?

"There was a gentleman that was in the house that was home at the time, but he was not hurt," Glendale Fire Department spokesman Carlos Guerrero said.

See original report at NBCLosAngeles.com

Authorities used a crane to remove the vehicle.

A preliminary report indicated there was a mechanical issue with the car, according to the Glendale Police Department.?

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Fake manuka honey growers costing Kiwi manufacturers... | Stuff.co.nz

Avenue

Blossoming: Manuka flowers, the valuable side of the honey market.

Joing together to?tackle a mutual threat to their industry is something that doesn't come easily to small business owners.

But a project paid for by a group of manuka honey producers may be as little as a year away from a foolproof chemical marker test that regulators around the world could adopt to prevent their consumers from being duped with counterfeit manuka honey.

No-one knows how much fake manuka honey is sold every year, but legitimate honey makers in New Zealand are concerned about the threat posed to their industry by the widespread faking, adulteration and passing off of non-active manuka honey as active.

That last is among the biggest bones of contention, because big health claims are made for what is termed active manuka honey, which is used in products like wound dressings, and is widely sold by healthfood shops around the world.

Many New Zealand manuka honey producers, whose exports are worth about $120 million a year, banded together about 10 years ago under the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) Honey Association to establish a trademarked consumer confidence badge they could use to reassure the public that their product was real, active manuka honey.

The next step for the association is to complete a cheap and easy test for the real deal. Regulators in New Zealand and overseas have so far shown little interest in policing manuka honey quality, so the association is trying to make it as easy as possible.

Earlier this month, scientists from Germany and Australia were in New Zealand to consult on the progress of the project, which is using a technology called high-resolution mass spectrometry to produce a chemical profile of manuka honey, against which all honeys being marketed as manuka can be compared.

Association general manager John Rawcliffe says the project offers the New Zealand industry the chance of lifting the value of exports to as much as half a billion dollars.

The theory is that not only would it enable more of the fake products to be removed from the shelves, but the uplift in quality would boost the shelf price.

Among the visitors was Dr Peter Brooks, of the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, and Professor Karl Speer, of the Technical University of Dresden in Germany.

Both are among the international scientists reviewing the data to verify the test, and both claim a personal and national interest in honey-verification testing.

For Brooks, the national interest comes from Australia having its own nascent manuka honey industry, although it doesn't go by that name.

Australia has its own variety of manuka tree, known as the jellytree.

Hitching a ride on the global reputation of New Zealand manuka, the Australians are branding their jellytree as "Australia's manuka".

However, Brooks has concerns that not all jellytree honey is true to the label, threatening the development of the industry there.

Speer's interest stems from Germany's massive honey-consumption levels and the premium earned by German-produced honeys, which he believes provides an incentive for counterfeiting.

The testing is being done at the Analytica Laboratories in Hamilton and it will profile not only manuka, but also other New Zealand "monofloral" honeys - that is, honeys which are produced by bees primarily visiting one kind of flower, such as kanuka or rewarewa.

Rawcliffe says the ground-breaking testing technology, once reviewed, will be rolled out through the international network of laboratories the association has established as the UMF brand gains recognition in world markets.

"Critically, in the short term, it may enable the simple and economical testing of honey being sold in different markets to ensure that it is true to label when claiming to be manuka honey, rather than a blend containing cheaper, less-sought-after honey or substitutes," he said.

Consumers would have a new level of protection, not currently readily available to them, Rawcliffe said.

"In the medium term, this analytical chemistry will enable the New Zealand honey industry to progress further along the value chain, from being a food into untapped and lucrative niches in the nutraceutical and potentially pharmaceutical spaces," he said.

"Consumers are prepared to pay real premiums for the highly prized attributes and benefits of manuka honey, and especially so for trademarked New Zealand unique UMF manuka honey.

"It's not surprising, then, that our overseas markets are also increasingly demanding of the levels of assurance now enabled by this partnership between the [honey association] and Analytica."

- ? Fairfax NZ News

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Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/8460536/Fake-manuka-honey-growers-costing-Kiwi-manufacturers

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