Britain strips ex-RBS boss Goodwin of his knighthood (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Britain took the rare step of stripping former Royal Bank of Scotland chief Fred Goodwin of his knighthood, following intense criticism of his role in RBS' near-collapse during the 2008 credit crisis, and public anger towards wealthy bankers.

"The failure of RBS played an important role in the financial crisis of 2008-9 which, together with other macroeconomic factors, triggered the worst recession in the UK since the Second World War and imposed significant direct costs on British taxpayers and businesses," the government said in a statement.

"Fred Goodwin was the dominant decision maker at RBS at the time," it added, explaining a decision taken by a committee of civil servants.

Goodwin had been awarded the knighthood in 2004 for services to banking, but has since come under heavy criticism from the public after taxpayer funds were used to bail out the stricken bank.

The government said it would soon be announced that Goodwin's knighthood had been "cancelled and annulled".

The Scottish banker spearheaded RBS' disastrous acquisition of Dutch bank ABN AMRO, which nearly caused the collapse of RBS during the 2008 crisis.

RBS ended up having to be propped up with 45 billion pounds ($71 billion) of taxpayers' money, with the government finishing up with an 83 percent stake in the bank.

It is very rare for Britain to remove people of their knighthoods, and Goodwin joins the ranks of figures such as former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu who forfeited an honorary knighthood.

The woes of RBS have come to symbolize for many in Britain more serious problems with the country's banking industry.

Many are still angry at the fact that bankers are continuing to get paid millions while elsewhere thousands lose their jobs as the economy weakens.

On Sunday, the current chief executive of RBS - Stephen Hester - was forced to decline a million pound share bonus after the award had been attacked by all major British political parties.

($1 = 0.6337 British pounds)

(Reporting by Matt Falloon, Mohammed Abbas and Sudip Kar-Gupta)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120131/wl_nm/us_britain_rbs_knighthood

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Amber Portwood Cops Plea, Narrowly Avoids Jail in Probation Case

Maligned Teen Mom all-star Amber Portwood has copped a plea in her probation case and will not be sentenced to five years in prison ... at least not yet.

In jail since before Christmas awaiting trial for felony drug possession case, Ambs cut a deal Friday to avoid spending the foreseeable future behind bars.

Portwood pleaded not guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance - a medication she had no prescription for - and one probation violation.

In return, she remains on probation and, if she hopes to remain free, must complete the Madison County (Ind.) Drug Court program. Or else.

Her next hearing is scheduled for February 6.

Amber Portwood is on probation following her domestic violence case involving baby daddy Gary Shirley. She missed a probation hearing last month, a big no-no.

When police showed up at her house to check on her, they found the pills in her bag ... and she was unable to produce a prescription. Even bigger no-no.

While she's been in jail and making officials worried that she will shiv someone, Portwood's now-former landlord had sued to have her evicted.

A judge said she is already in the process of moving out, so the lawsuit is not necessary. A separate hearing on that issue is set for March 14.

[Photo: Fame Pictures]

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/amber-portwood-cops-plea-avoids-jail-in-probation-case/

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Belichick, Brady in cheerful mood at arrival (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS ? Even the usually dour Bill Belichick was joking around as the New England Patriots arrived in Indianapolis for Super Bowl week.

At his opening news conference Sunday night, Belichick was asked if he expected some Hoosier hospitality.

"I never had too much hospitality here," he said, noting that the Patriots aren't exactly popular in Colts country, "until I went for it on fourth-and-2."

His gamble on that play at the New England 28 with 2:08 to go failed and led to the Colts' winning field goal in a 2009 regular-season game.

"Fans greeted us lots more and were awfully friendly" after that, he added.

All-Pro receiver Wes Welker wasn't familiar with the term when asked the same question.

"What is Hoosier hospitality? What does that consist of?" Welker asked to laughs before getting a full explanation from a local television reporter. "I think it will be a little strange practicing at the Colts' facility. I don't know how many people like that, but we'll be calm and polite and not try to rub it in, so I hope everyone is appreciative of it."

Belichick, dressed in a suit ? no hoodie for the coach this time ? also said All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski is "day to day" with a high left ankle sprain for next Sunday's NFL title game against the New York Giants. Gronkowski has been wearing a walking boot since being injured in the AFC title game.

"You've got to prepare for every one of these situations that come up," quarterback Tom Brady said of the possibility Gronkowski will be limited or sidelined. "You always have to have some contingency plans."

Brady knows the Giants will bring lots of heat with their pass rush, but for now he was more comforted by not having to face a local rival who frequently has put Brady on his back.

"I see Dwight Freeney's picture up there (on the stadium)," Brady said. "When you come to Indy and don't have to play him, we are very fortunate for that."

The Patriots drew about 25,000 fans to Gillette Stadium earlier Sunday for what Brady termed "a pep rally." Team owner Robert Kraft, who has had an emotional year ? his wife passed away last July and he was instrumental in resolving the NFL's lockout of the players ? was thrilled by the turnout.

"We had 25,000 people come to our stadium today to send the team off," Kraft said. "At the stadium today it was so special, the time we are in now, to have 25,000 of our fans cheer our team is a very emotional experience."

This is Kraft's sixth Super Bowl as owner, and he vividly recalled the days when the team was lucky to draw 25,000 for a game.

"I sat with those crowds. I sat in the stands for 34 years and we had one home playoff game, in 1978, which we lost to Houston," Kraft said. "And last Sunday, we were privileged to host our 15th playoff game."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_patriots_arrive

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Iran vows to stop "some" oil sales as inspectors visit (Reuters)

TEHRAN (Reuters) ? Iran sent conflicting signals in a dispute with the West over its nuclear ambitions, vowing to stop oil exports soon to "some" countries but postponing a parliamentary debate on a proposed halt to crude sales to the European Union.

The Islamic Republic declared itself optimistic about a visit by U.N. nuclear experts that began Sunday but also warned the inspectors to be "professional" or see Tehran reducing cooperation with the world body on atomic matters.

Lawmakers have raised the possibility of turning the tables on the EU which will implement its own embargo on Iranian oil by July as it tightens sanctions on Tehran over the nuclear program.

But India, the world's fourth-largest oil consumer, said it would not take steps to cut petroleum imports from Iran despite U.S. and European sanctions against Tehran.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection delegation will try to advance efforts to resolve a row about the nuclear work which Iran says is purely civilian but the West suspects is aimed at seeking a nuclear weapon.

Tension with the West rose this month when Washington and the EU imposed the toughest sanctions yet in a drive to force Tehran to provide more information on its nuclear program. The measures take direct aim at the ability of OPEC's second biggest Oil exporter to sell its crude.

In a remark suggesting Iran would fight sanctions with sanctions, Iran's oil minister said the Islamic state would soon stop exporting crude to "some" countries.

Rostam Qasemi did not identify the countries but was speaking less than a week after the EU's 27 member states agreed to stop importing crude from Iran from July 1.

"Soon we will cut exporting oil to some countries," the state news agency IRNA quoted Qasemi as saying.

India, a major customer for Iranian crude, made clear it would not join the wider international efforts to put pressure on Tehran by cutting oil purchases.

"It is not possible for India to take any decision to reduce the imports from Iran drastically, because among the countries which can provide the requirement of the emerging economies, Iran is an important country amongst them," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters on a visit to the Unites States.

The United States wants buyers in Asia, Iran's biggest oil market, to cut imports to put further pressure on Tehran.

DISCUSSION POSTPONED

Iranian lawmakers had been due to debate a bill Sunday that could have cut off oil supplies to the EU in days, in a move calculated to hit ailing European economies before the EU-wide ban on took effect.

But Iranian MPs postponed discussing the measure.

"No such draft bill has yet been drawn up and nothing has been submitted to the parliament. What exists is a notion by the deputies which is being seriously pursued to bring it to a conclusive end," Emad Hosseini, spokesman for parliament's Energy Committee, told Mehr news agency.

Iranian officials say sanctions have had no impact on the country. "Iranian oil has its own market, even if we cut our exports to Europe," Oil Minister Qasemi said.

Another lawmaker said the bill would oblige the government to cut Iran's oil supplies to the EU for five to 15 years, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

By turning the sanctions back on the EU, lawmakers hope to deny the bloc a six-month window it had planned to give those of its members most dependent on Iranian oil - including some of the most economically fragile in southern Europe - to adapt.

NUCLEAR WATCHDOG

Before departing from Vienna, IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts said he hoped Iran would tackle the watchdog's concerns "regarding the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program."

Mehr quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi as saying during a trip to Ethiopia: "We are very optimistic about the outcome of the IAEA delegation's visit to Iran ... Their questions will be answered during this visit."

"We have nothing to hide and Iran has no clandestine (nuclear) activities."

Striking a sterner tone, Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, warned the IAEA team to carry out a "logical, professional and technical" job or suffer the consequences.

"This visit is a test for the IAEA. The route for further cooperation will be open if the team carries out its duties professionally," said Larijani, state media reported.

"Otherwise, if the IAEA turns into a tool (for major powers to pressure Iran), then Iran will have no choice but to consider a new framework in its ties with the agency."

Iran's parliament has approved bills in the past to oblige the government to review its level of cooperation with the IAEA. However, Iran's top officials have always underlined the importance of preserving ties with the watchdog body.

The head of the state-run National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said late Saturday that the export embargo would hit European refiners, such as Italy's Eni, that are owed oil from Iran as part of long-standing buy-back contracts under which they take payment for past oilfield projects in crude.

The EU accounted for 25 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in the third quarter of 2011. However, analysts say the global oil market will not be overly disrupted if parliament votes for the bill that would turn off the oil tap for Europe.

Potentially more disruptive to the world oil market and global security is the risk of Iran's standoff with the West escalating into military conflict.

Iran has repeatedly said it could close the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane if sanctions succeed in preventing it from exporting crude, a move Washington said it would not tolerate.

(Additional reporting by Hashem Kalantari, Robin Pomeroy and Hossein Jaseb in Tehran, Svetlana Kovalyova in Milan and Fredrik Dahl in Vienna; Writing by Parisa Hafezi and Robin Pomeroy; Editing by William Maclean and David Stamp)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/wl_nm/us_iran

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SKorean activists send socks to NKorea in balloons (AP)

PAJU, South Korea ? South Korean activists have floated giant balloons carrying boxes of socks into North Korea.

The activists hoped Saturday that North Koreans could wear the socks or trade them for food during the harsh winter. Associated Press video showed five helium-filled balloons rising into the air at an observation post in the South Korean border city of Paju.

South Korean activists have used balloons in the past to send anti-North Korean leaflets across the heavily guarded border.

North Korea strongly denounces the leaflets but hasn't mentioned past efforts to send daily necessities.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/nkorea/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_as/as_koreas_socks

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Video: Syrians say: ?We need intervention!?

NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin visits Zabadani, Syria, a once beautiful snowcapped resort town that has been deeply scarred by the recent military crackdown and speaks with members of the? anti-regime Free Syria Army.

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46154632/

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Scientists link evolved, mutated gene module to syndromic autism

ScienceDaily (Jan. 26, 2012) ? A team led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine reports that newly discovered mutations in an evolved assembly of genes cause Joubert syndrome, a form of syndromic autism.

The findings are published in the January 26 online issue of Science Express.

Joubert syndrome is a rare, recessive brain condition characterized by malformation or underdevelopment of the cerebellum and brainstem. The disease is due specifically to alterations in cellular primary cilia -- antenna-like structures found on most cells. The consequence is a range of distinct physical and cognitive disabilities, including poor muscle control, and mental retardation. Up to 40 percent of Joubert syndrome patients meet clinical criteria for autism, as well as other neurocognitive disorders, so it is considered a syndromic form of autism.

The cause or causes of Joubert syndrome are not well-understood. Researchers looked at mutations in the TMEM216 gene, which had previously been linked to the syndrome. However, only half of the expected Joubert syndrome patients exhibit TMEM216 gene mutations; the other half did not. Using genomic sequencing, the research team, led by Joseph G. Gleeson, MD, professor of neurosciences and pediatrics at UC San Diego, broadened their inquiry and discovered a second culprit: mutations in a neighboring gene called TMEM138.

"It is extraordinarily rare for two adjacent genes to cause the same human disease," said Gleeson. "The mystery that emerged from this was whether these two adjacent, non-duplicated genes causing indistinguishable disease have functional connections at the gene or protein level."

Through evolutionary analysis, the scientists concluded that the two TMEM genes became joined end-to-end approximately 260 million years ago, about the time some amphibians began transitioning into land-based reptiles. The connected genes evolved in tandem, becoming regulated by the same transcription factors.

"Prior to this transition, the two genes had wildly different expression levels," said Jeong Ho Lee, MD, PhD, and first author of the study. "Following this transition, they became tightly co-regulated. Moreover, we found that the two encoded proteins coordinate delivery of factors key for cilia assembly."

Gleeson said the findings suggest the human genome has evolved to take advantage of fortuitous ancestral events like gene translocations to better coordinate gene expression by assembling into specific modules. When these modules are disrupted, however, neurodevelopmental diseases may result.

This research was funded, in part, by the Simons Foundation, the American Philosophical Society, the National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - San Diego.

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. Jeong Ho Lee, Jennifer L. Silhavy, Ji Eun Lee, Lihadh Al-Gazali, Sophie Thomas, Erica E. Davis, Stephanie L. Bielas, Kiley J. Hill, Miriam Iannicelli, Francesco Brancati, Stacey B. Gabriel, Carsten Russ, Clare V. Logan, Saghira Malik Sharif, Christopher P. Bennett, Masumi Abe, Friedhelm Hildebrandt, Bill H. Diplas, Tania Atti?-Bitach, Nicholas Katsanis, Anna Rajab, Roshan Koul, Laszlo Sztriha, Elizabeth R. Waters, Susan Ferro-Novick, Geoffrey C. Woods, Colin A. Johnson, Enza Maria Valente, Maha S. Zaki, and Joseph G. Gleeson. Evolutionarily Assembled cis-Regulatory Module at a Human Ciliopathy Locus. Science, 26 January 2012 DOI: 10.1126/science.1213506

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://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126143651.htm

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Mutated Kras spins a molecular loop that launches pancreatic cancer

Public release date: 26-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Scott Merville
smerville@mdanderson.org
713-792-0661
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

UT MD Anderson-led team identifies new potential treatment avenue to block an elusive target

HOUSTON Scientists have connected two signature characteristics of pancreatic cancer, identifying a self-perpetuating "vicious cycle" of molecular activity and a new potential target for drugs to treat one of the most lehal forms of cancer.

The research, reported in the journal Cancer Cell and led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, connected the molecular dots between:

• Mutated versions of Kras, a gene that acts as a molecular on-off switch but gets stuck in the "on" position when mutated.
• Heightened activity of a protein complex called NF-?B that controls activation of genes.

"Kras is mutated in 80 to 95 percent of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, and is the most frequent mutation among all cancers," said senior author Paul Chiao, Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology.

About 42,000 new cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Estimates vary, but the 5-year survival rate has been 1 to 3 percent for decades and median survival after diagnosis is six months, the researchers note.

Interleukin-1? is a new potential drug target

"There have been many attempts to inhibit mutated Kras, but it's an elusive target that so far has defied treatment," Chiao said. "So if we can't hit Kras, maybe we can target one of its downstream genes. This research identifies some of those genes and suggests that interleukin-1apha (IL-1?) is a potential therapeutic target."

Chiao and colleagues identified IL-1? as a crucial player in a feed-forward loop that:

• Begins with mutationally activated Kras triggering a chain reaction that induces IL-1? expression;
• This in turn activates NF-?B via the protein kinase IKK2/?, which blocks the inhibitor of NF-?B.
• In the cell nucleus, NF-?B oversees gene transcription and regulates a number of inflammation-promoting genes, including IL-1?.
• IL-1? and another protein called p62 activate NF-?B which in turn cycles back to perpetuate the loop by activating its activators.

"It's a vicious cycle," Chiao said. The overactive NF-?B fuels pancreatic cancer by activating genes that promote inflammation, the growth of new blood vessels and block programmed cell death.

Chiao has three research grants from the National Cancer Institute to study pancreatic cancer. "We study signaling transduction pathways to try to find out why it's such a bad disease and to find a weak point for targeted therapy," he said.

In the Cancer Cell paper, the authors conclude: "Our findings suggest that the prime mover responsible for cancer-related inflammatory response and the development of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (precancerous lesions) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the mutant Kras-initiated constitutive activation of NF-?B."

This process, they further noted, creates a pro-tumor microenvironment by promoting inflammation, creation of new blood vessels and tissue repair that is similar to conditions found in inherited pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas that is linked to the development of cancer.

Kras mutation, IL-1?, NF-?B go together with poor survival

The team analyzed mouse and human tumors and mouse strains with mutated Kras expressed in their pancreases. In a series of experiments they found:

• Active IKK2/beta the activator of NF-?B was required for the Kras-mutated mice to develop either pancreatic cancer or precancerous legions.
• Deletion of IKK2/Beta interrupted Kras-stimulated inflammation and cell proliferation, suggesting that chronic inflammation is a key factor in promoting pancreatic cancer development.
• Microarray profiles of gene expression showed that several NF-?B-regulated inflammatory genes were present in high levels in mice with mutated Kras and active IKK2/beta but only found at lower levels in mice with IKK2/beta knocked out.
• In human pancreatic tumors, high expression of the same inflammatory genes in the mutated Kras mice were associated with positive lymph node status, high-risk, late tumor stage and poor survival.
• Expression of several genes regulated by NF-?B progressed from low levels in normal pancreases to higher levels in precancerous lesions and tumors, including IL-?.
• IL-1? was known to be both a target of and an inducer of NF-?B, but its expression had not previously been connected to mutated Kras. The team found that downstream targets of Kras, including IL-1?, are interrupted when IKK2/? is inactivated.
• Analysis of 14 human pancreatic cancer tumor samples showed that overexpression of IL-1?, the presence of Kras mutation and the activation of NF-?B are correlated and are associated with poor survival.
• Continued activation of NF-?B and its gene transcription activity are sustained by IL-1? and p62.

###

Co-authors with Chiao are Jianhua Ling, Ph.D., Rulying Zhao, M.D., Ph.D., Qianghua Xia, Ph.D., Zhe Chang, Ph.D., and Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology; Ya'an Kang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jason Fleming, M.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Surgical Oncology; Huamin Wang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jinsong Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Pathology; Dung-Fang Lee, Ph.D., and Ihor Lemischka, Ph.D., of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute of Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Jin Li, Ph.D., of the Center for Applied Genomics of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and Bailu Peng, Ph.D. of the Guangdong Entomological Institute, Guangdong, China.

The team's research was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, including MD Anderson's Cancer Center Core Support Grant.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 26-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Scott Merville
smerville@mdanderson.org
713-792-0661
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

UT MD Anderson-led team identifies new potential treatment avenue to block an elusive target

HOUSTON Scientists have connected two signature characteristics of pancreatic cancer, identifying a self-perpetuating "vicious cycle" of molecular activity and a new potential target for drugs to treat one of the most lehal forms of cancer.

The research, reported in the journal Cancer Cell and led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, connected the molecular dots between:

• Mutated versions of Kras, a gene that acts as a molecular on-off switch but gets stuck in the "on" position when mutated.
• Heightened activity of a protein complex called NF-?B that controls activation of genes.

"Kras is mutated in 80 to 95 percent of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, and is the most frequent mutation among all cancers," said senior author Paul Chiao, Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology.

About 42,000 new cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Estimates vary, but the 5-year survival rate has been 1 to 3 percent for decades and median survival after diagnosis is six months, the researchers note.

Interleukin-1? is a new potential drug target

"There have been many attempts to inhibit mutated Kras, but it's an elusive target that so far has defied treatment," Chiao said. "So if we can't hit Kras, maybe we can target one of its downstream genes. This research identifies some of those genes and suggests that interleukin-1apha (IL-1?) is a potential therapeutic target."

Chiao and colleagues identified IL-1? as a crucial player in a feed-forward loop that:

• Begins with mutationally activated Kras triggering a chain reaction that induces IL-1? expression;
• This in turn activates NF-?B via the protein kinase IKK2/?, which blocks the inhibitor of NF-?B.
• In the cell nucleus, NF-?B oversees gene transcription and regulates a number of inflammation-promoting genes, including IL-1?.
• IL-1? and another protein called p62 activate NF-?B which in turn cycles back to perpetuate the loop by activating its activators.

"It's a vicious cycle," Chiao said. The overactive NF-?B fuels pancreatic cancer by activating genes that promote inflammation, the growth of new blood vessels and block programmed cell death.

Chiao has three research grants from the National Cancer Institute to study pancreatic cancer. "We study signaling transduction pathways to try to find out why it's such a bad disease and to find a weak point for targeted therapy," he said.

In the Cancer Cell paper, the authors conclude: "Our findings suggest that the prime mover responsible for cancer-related inflammatory response and the development of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (precancerous lesions) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the mutant Kras-initiated constitutive activation of NF-?B."

This process, they further noted, creates a pro-tumor microenvironment by promoting inflammation, creation of new blood vessels and tissue repair that is similar to conditions found in inherited pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas that is linked to the development of cancer.

Kras mutation, IL-1?, NF-?B go together with poor survival

The team analyzed mouse and human tumors and mouse strains with mutated Kras expressed in their pancreases. In a series of experiments they found:

• Active IKK2/beta the activator of NF-?B was required for the Kras-mutated mice to develop either pancreatic cancer or precancerous legions.
• Deletion of IKK2/Beta interrupted Kras-stimulated inflammation and cell proliferation, suggesting that chronic inflammation is a key factor in promoting pancreatic cancer development.
• Microarray profiles of gene expression showed that several NF-?B-regulated inflammatory genes were present in high levels in mice with mutated Kras and active IKK2/beta but only found at lower levels in mice with IKK2/beta knocked out.
• In human pancreatic tumors, high expression of the same inflammatory genes in the mutated Kras mice were associated with positive lymph node status, high-risk, late tumor stage and poor survival.
• Expression of several genes regulated by NF-?B progressed from low levels in normal pancreases to higher levels in precancerous lesions and tumors, including IL-?.
• IL-1? was known to be both a target of and an inducer of NF-?B, but its expression had not previously been connected to mutated Kras. The team found that downstream targets of Kras, including IL-1?, are interrupted when IKK2/? is inactivated.
• Analysis of 14 human pancreatic cancer tumor samples showed that overexpression of IL-1?, the presence of Kras mutation and the activation of NF-?B are correlated and are associated with poor survival.
• Continued activation of NF-?B and its gene transcription activity are sustained by IL-1? and p62.

###

Co-authors with Chiao are Jianhua Ling, Ph.D., Rulying Zhao, M.D., Ph.D., Qianghua Xia, Ph.D., Zhe Chang, Ph.D., and Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology; Ya'an Kang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jason Fleming, M.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Surgical Oncology; Huamin Wang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jinsong Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Pathology; Dung-Fang Lee, Ph.D., and Ihor Lemischka, Ph.D., of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute of Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Jin Li, Ph.D., of the Center for Applied Genomics of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and Bailu Peng, Ph.D. of the Guangdong Entomological Institute, Guangdong, China.

The team's research was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, including MD Anderson's Cancer Center Core Support Grant.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/uotm-mks012612.php

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Italian borrowing costs drop sharply in bond sale (AP)

MILAN ? Italy easily raised euro5 billion ($6.47 billion) in a pair of bond auctions on Thursday that saw a sharp drop in borrowing rates, a sign that investor confidence in the country is improving.

The sale was the first test of market sentiment in the country's handling of its debt since ratings agency Standard & Poor's cut Italy's credit rating by two notches on Jan. 13.

Italy paid an interest rate of 3.763 percent on euro4.5 billion in two-year bonds, compared with 4.85 percent in a comparable auction in December. The borrowing cost for a new bond expiring in September 2014 was 3.2 percent.

UniCredit analysts said the sale was "positive" and an encouraging sign for upcoming auctions.

Nicholas Spiro, who heads a sovereign debt consultancy in London, noted the market was "particularly buoyant" after the U.S. Federal Reserve pledged to keep interest rates low until late 2014 to nurture the country's stubbornly slow economic recovery.

That will have encouraged traders to invest in riskier assets, such as bonds from economically weaker countries like Italy.

Italy has seen its borrowing costs ease in recent weeks, after yields on benchmark 10-year bonds pushed to the perilous 7 percent level last year. Following Thursday's auction, 10-year bonds were trading at 6.04 percent on the secondary market, where bonds are traded after they are sold.

The government has been trying to regain investor confidence by cutting public spending and reforming a sluggish economy.

Premier Mario Monti recently passed a euro30 billion austerity package and announced liberalization measures.

His government easily survived a confidence vote in the lower house of Parliament, by a margin of 469-74, on a series of additional measures that include an increase in tax on cigarettes and funds for Italians who have been exiled from Libya. A separate vote on the additional measures is expected by Tuesday.

Italy goes back to the bond markets on Friday, selling up to euro8 billion in six-month bonds and euro3 billion of bonds expiring in 11 months.

On Monday, Italy will try to raise another euro8 billion in the sale of longer term paper.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_italy_financial_crisis

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Space Shuttle Discovery headed to the Smithsonian (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum is preparing to welcome the space shuttle Discovery into its collection.

Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough (cluff) says the shuttle will be flown to Washington Dulles International Airport on the back of a Boeing 747 in April. A flyover is planned above the nation's capital before Discovery makes its final home at the museum's massive hangar in northern Virginia.

Clough said Monday the flyover is planned for April 17. A museum spokeswoman later said the flyover has not been confirmed, and details are still being finalized.

A formal welcome ceremony is planned for April 19 at the museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

Shuttle Endeavour will travel to the California Science Center in Los Angeles in the second half of the year.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_sc/us_smithsonian_space_shuttle

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Tips, Tricks (and a Few No-No?s!) for Treating Your Child?s Cold this Winter

Pediatrican and father of four boys, Dr. Zak Zarbock, shares his top tips and tricks to effectively treating your child's cold this winter.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/qh6_Ga5m70s/

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Huawei Honor Review

With a new Android device announced ever hour, it takes a lot to make a device stand out from the crowd. Some devices are marketed heavily, some bring new features and others just fall to the wayside after announcement, and the Huawei Honor is a handset that falls in the middle of a bunch of these categories. Claims of three-day battery life certainly piqued our interest, but we'll have to get this in the States first before we'll celebrate too much. But that didn't slow us down at all. We go thte Honor in our hands, and it's time to put it through its paces.

Could the Huawei Honor bring enough to the table to make some folks want to import the device, or to make it a daily driver for those who are able to purchase and make use of it? Let’s hit the break and take a look at how it rates.

The Huawei Honor offers a solid build quality, large screen, fast processor and a demo ICS ROM already.	The self-proclaimed amazing battery life was anything but, and the 8MP camera disappointed. Currently unavailable in the U.S.
The hardware is very well built and the Honor runs rather smoothly. We can expect to see support for ICS on this device since we already saw the demo ROM available, and with multiple colors available the device is sure to meet your style requirements.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/xWv14iWuiPg/story01.htm

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[OOC] Kuroshitsuji - The Raven Returns

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Heyo! I am kaz! Yeah, you can tell from my username...
Liong (lie?ung) N
-a strange being from a different world that bears a striking resemblance to a lion.
Oh my gosh! Look at that Liong!

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Peru gov't bans trips abroad for terror convicts (AP)

LIMA, Peru ? Peru's President Ollanta Humala has signed a law forbidding judges to let people convicted of terrorism-related crimes leave the country while on parole.

The law that takes effect Saturday was prompted by controversy over the case of a New York woman, Lori Berenson.

She is on parole after serving 15 years on a conviction of aiding leftist rebels in an alleged plot to take over Peru's Congress. Her sentence ends in 2015.

Many Peruvians were outraged when a judge let her take a 17-day trip to New York for the holidays. She honored conditions of the parole and returned Jan. 5.

Official reports show that three Chilean parolees also were allowed to make brief trips abroad in recent years.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_peru_terrorism

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They believed, Alex delivered

49ers quarterback is 2 victories away from ultimate football glory after nearly being left for dead

Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

49ers quarterback Alex Smith runs in for a touchdown during his team's victory over the Saints in the divisional playoffs last Saturday.

updated 6:06 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2012

Gregg Rosenthal

?We want Carr. We want Carr!?

It was the lowest moment of Alex Smith?s seven-year career in San Francisco, Oct. 12, 2010. The winless 49ers hosted the Eagles on Sunday Night Football, and the crowd was looking for blood.

After his fourth-quarter fumble, thunderous boos poured down on Smith. He was hearing it all game from the crowd, but this matched anything I?ve ever heard ? even in Philadelphia. The unmistakable chant that came with the booing was even more depressing.

?We want Carr. We want Carr!?

The home crowd wanted Smith benched in favor of backup quarterback David Carr. The fan base collectively waved the white flag. They were tired of their No. 1 overall pick bust and wanted to try another. It was only Week 5 of a rapidly devolving season.

Coach Mike Singletary tried to remove Smith from the game, but the quarterback barked back. He talked his way into staying in the contest. He wound up throwing for more than 300 yards with three touchdowns in a comeback attempt that fell just short, like so many other 49er games during Smith?s tenure.

The fans got their wish two weeks later when Carr replaced an injured Smith during a loss to the Panthers. Troy Smith wound up starting six games for the 2010 49ers. Alex Smith?s beleaguered run in San Francisco was all but over. If nothing else, that gave the fans something to smile about.

Between rare and extinct
David Carr tells us a lot about Alex Smith. Just like Smith, Carr was a No. 1 overall draft pick viewed as a franchise savior. Like Smith, Carr fell flat on his face.

Carr didn?t face the same injury struggles as Smith. Carr didn?t have two head coaches question his toughness. But after five years in Houston, Carr was beat up mentally and physically. When Carr hit free agency, he wanted to take a break.? He wanted out.

"I need to take a deep breath and be around a good environment and just start enjoying the game again,'' Carr said in 2007. ?I wanted to be on a team that was fun and exciting and whether I had a chance to play right away, it didn't matter to me.''

Smith had his chance to take a deep breath last offseason. His family wanted him to leave San Francisco, toasting to new beginnings after this season. Smith didn?t want to go anywhere.

That desire to finish what he started won over new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.

"I wanted to get to know him. I had never met him," Harbaugh said last week of his first meeting with Smith in January 2011. "I was just kind of looking in through the keyhole. But I guess the things that I wanted to know, if you boiled it down to one thing, was, did he want to start? Did he want be in the fire? Or did he want to wear the ball cap backward and backup somewhere??

Harbaugh was asking if Alex Smith wanted to be David Carr. (Or Vince Young. Or Matt Leinart. Or JaMarcus Russell.)

"I really felt that he had the competitive drive, the (desire) to prove himself, him wanting to do it here. That's the thing that probably intrigued me the most. That character of wanting to come back and do it here in San Francisco, which is pretty rare ? probably somewhere between rare and extinct. That's not just for football players. That's about anybody. ... And I thought we could really work with that character. To me that was special."

Smith?s seven fourth-quarter comeback victories this season are special. His league-leading interception percentage says a lot. But the most impressive part of Smith?s season is that he?s there at all. He survived.

The things Alex carries
Alex Smith carries his six seasons through the professional football meat grinder everywhere he goes. He carries the old playbooks; the losses; the chants; the manipulative coaches; the shoulder surgeries.

Smith has gone through this 14-3 season hesitant to look back. It?s as if he doesn?t want to jinx what?s happening.

Seven offensive coordinators
Smith?s first offensive coordinator was Mike McCarthy, who pushed the team to draft Smith over Aaron Rodgers with the No. 1 pick in 2005.

One touchdown, 11 interceptions by Smith later, McCarthy scored the Packers' head coaching job before his coaching stock sunk any further.

Norv Turner came next and guided Smith to a promising second season. Smith appeared to have turned a corner. It?s a reminder what good teaching can mean for a young quarterback.? Smith wouldn?t learn that lesson again until 2011.? Turner left after ?06 for the Chargers head coaching job.

Jim Hostler, Mike Martz, Jimmy Raye, and Mike Johnson followed Turner to disappointing results. Each man had a new idea of how an NFL offense should look and how Smith fit into their system. Some liked Smith more than others. Every spring meant a new playbook.

Smith?s seventh coordinator was the charm. Jim Harbaugh knows the quarterback position as well as any head coach, but he also brought in a terrific staff to help him. It?s one of the most underrated skills a head coach can have. Can he choose the right men to assist him?

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman and quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst have both done a fabulous job with Smith. It was Chryst who took over the play-calling late in the divisional round win over the Saints. Along with Harbaugh, the three men collaborate on one of the smartest offensive attacks in the league.

They create big-play opportunities without taking much risk. They accentuate what Smith does well and limit his weaknesses being exposed. They put Smith in position to succeed. That?s coaching.

2 misguided head coaches
Alex Smith?s rookie season was Mike Nolan?s rookie season as a head coach. Both men looked comfortable in their new role.

Nolan ran the 49ers through fear. He often seemed unnecessarily paranoid and played misguided mental games. When Smith?s shoulder was hurt in 2007, Nolan implied publicly that Smith wasn?t fighting through the injury. Nolan came out told the 49ers team behind closed doors that Smith was using his shoulder injury as an excuse for poor play. Smith fought back by speaking out.

?I felt it was trying to undermine me with my teammates,? Smith said back then.

Smith had shoulder surgery after the season.

The next 49ers head coach was a defensive-minded motivational speaker: Mike Singletary. Singletary said multiple times he didn?t think quarterback was the most important position on the field. He once called Smith ?meek.? After Singletary was fired, he was asked what he learned from the experience.

"You gotta have a quarterback," Singletary said.

These were the men in charge. They never believed in Smith.

Harbaugh saw something different in that first meeting with Smith. Most importantly, he saw a quietly improved player on film. Harbaugh?s effusive and immediate praise of Smith almost seemed comical. (He once said Smith had ?armadillo skin .?)

Smith, a free agent, publicly expressed doubt he?d return to San Francisco before Harbaugh started recruiting Smith with regular meetings. No one in San Francisco knew what to make of it. Why would the new hot shot coach stick out his neck for Smith?

?I?ve been studying Alex Smith and watching him and I believe that Alex Smith can be a winning quarterback in the National Football League,? Harbaugh said. ?Very accurate passer. Very athletic. And a guy that has played and been durable.?

This was January 2011. Harbaugh embraced the quarterback no one wanted. The message hasn?t changed since. The love affair has only grown.

The teammates
Smith was benched for the following quarterbacks during his 49ers career: Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, Trent Dilfer, Shaun Hill, J.T. O?Sullivan, and Troy Smith.

Guys like Carr and Cody Pickett replaced Smith when he was hurt. Only Hill went on to a modicum of success after leaving San Francisco.

The following wide receivers have started games during Smith?s tenure in San Francisco: ?Brandon Lloyd, Arnaz Battle, Johnnie Morton, Kevin McAddley, Antonio Bryant, Bryan Gilmore, Darrell Jackson, Ashley Lelie, Isaac Bruce, Bryant Johnson, Jason Hill, Josh Morgan, Michael Crabtree, Braylon Edwards, Ted Ginn, Kyle Williams, and Brett Swain.

Change was the only constant in San Francisco?s passing attack. Personnel objectives changed annually with the rotating offensive systems. Players past their prime were brought in like Morton, Jackson, and Bruce. Failed draft picks from other teams were given a second chance like Lelie, Johnson, Edwards, and Ginn. Very little stuck.

Even today, San Francisco?s wide receivers struggle to beat man coverage. It?s a concern this week going against a Giants defense that can get pressure with their front four and played great man coverage last week in Green Bay.

Harbaugh knows all this. He built an offense around the run game, his tight ends, and carefully orchestrated ?shot plays? the wideouts wouldn?t have to win consistently on the outside. He relied on Smith?s accuracy and decision making.

When Harbaugh has asked Smith and his receivers to carry the offense ? against the Giants and Saints ? they have found a way.

Bad habits
Smith deserves his share of blame for struggling until Harbaugh came along. He doesn?t have the big arm you?d expect of a top pick. He?s smart but has struggled to translate those smarts into instinct. He was deliberate making decisions.

Going back through five years of my game notes, the same word came up repeatedly describing Smith: tentative. He took the safe play. He didn?t have enough confidence in himself, his receivers, or perhaps his offense to make the difficult throw.

That slowly started to change this year. The 49ers are not an aggressive passing team, but Smith has played his best with the game on the line.

Back-to-back fourth-quarter comeback wins in Cincinnati and Philadelphia kick-started things. Smith threw a fourth-and-goal game-winner to Delanie Walker in Detroit. An insane 41-yard toss to Michael Crabtree set up the game-winning field goal in Seattle.

In most of those games, the 49ers still coached around Smith. Their wins were more about the defense, running game and short, safe passes. Last Saturday against the Saints, the 49ers coaching staff gave the keys to Smith.

"The winning touchdown to Vernon Davis ... and I'm taking nothing away from Vernon Davis's catch ... the throw made that play, not the catch," NFL Films guru Greg Cosell said on KNBR this week. ?He threw that ball before Davis even got past the underneath linebacker.?

The 49ers could have played for the tie, but they went for the win because of the confidence they had in Smith. It was the type of instinctive, anticipatory, gutsy throw we haven?t seen from Smith. Smith is starting to mix in aggression with his smarts. That could be a championship combination.

The other side
Alex Smith is Mark Sanchez if Sanchez went through another three years like the one he just had.

Smith took all the abuse we could hurl at him and emerged on the other side. He will never be Joe Montana, but that?s not the point. He?s here. He is one game away from playing in the Super Bowl. After what Smith has been through, he deserves to enjoy this moment.

Perhaps Smith will take a deep breath during the national anthem on Sunday and allow himself a peak at the opposing sideline. Giants backup quarterback David Carr will be standing there, representing the road more traveled.

When the anthem ends, Carr will reach to put on his backward hat. Smith will grab his helmet.

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More newsJed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46067758/ns/sports-nfl/

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O.J. Simpson Is Khloe Kardashian?s Dad (VIDEO)

O.J. Simpson Is Khloe Kardashian’s Dad (VIDEO)

The National Enquirer has dropped a bombshell, claiming that O.J. Simpson is Khloe Kardashian?s father. Now, before we slam the Enquirer…remember they’ve been spot on [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/oX_Qep9dUd0/

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US considering closing embassy in Syria (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The State Department said Friday it "may have no choice" but to close the U.S. embassy in Damascus and remove all US personnel from the country wracked by a 10-month revolt against the regime of President Bashar Assad unless Assad's government takes extra steps to protect the mission.

The department issued a statement late Friday noting that the Obama administration has "serious concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Damascus, including the recent spate of car bombs and about the safety and security of embassy personnel."

The uprising against Assad has killed an estimated 5,400 people since March. Although the revolt began with mostly peaceful protests, an increasingly strong armed element has developed, and many people are now fighting the regime.

The department said the administration has asked Syria to take additional security measures to protect the U.S embassy and that the Syrian government "is considering that request."

But it also said it warned Assad's government that "unless concrete steps are taken in the coming days we may have no choice but to close the mission."

The U.S. removed its ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, from Damascus in October over security concerns. He returned to Syria in December.

The administration argued at the time that Ford's presence in Syria was important for advancing U.S. policy goals by meeting with opposition figures and serving as a witness to the ongoing violence.

The Obama administration has long called for Assad to step down, and officials say his regime's demise is inevitable.

U.S. officials say Syria has become increasingly isolated, with Iran as one of its last remaining allies, and point to recent defections by some military and government leaders as a sign that Assad's grip on power is unraveling. The 10-month uprising against Assad has turned increasingly militarized and chaotic as more frustrated regime opponents and army defectors arm themselves and fight back against government forces.

___

Associated Press writer Julie Pace contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_syria

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Marriage, Cohabitation Provide Similar Health Benefit (LiveScience.com)

We've heard married people are happier, but that might not be a reason to rush to the altar, according to a new study.

In terms of health, self-esteem, and psychological well-being, marriage offers little benefit over simply living together without wedding rings, the study found.

It's the relationship itself, rather than its official status, that's key to its benefits, said study researcher Kelly Musick, an associate professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University's College of Human Ecology.

"Being in a romantic relationship, irrespective of the legal form, does provide benefits over remaining single," Musick said.

Moreover, the findings suggest that for some, cohabitation may be the better option than marriage, Musick said. Participants who cohabited in the study were happier and had greater self-esteem than those who were married. This may be because cohabitation offers more room for independence and personal growth, which may be particularly important for some people at certain stages in life, Musick said.

The study is published in the February issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.

Marriage vs. cohabitation

Many previous studies looking at the benefits of marriage have focused on comparing married couples with single people, or comparing married with cohabiting couples at one point in time.

The new study followed 2,737 single men and women over six years to see what happened when they entered a relationship or got married. The study data were drawn from national surveys given in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Participants rated their overall health and happiness, and were also asked questions to assess their self -esteem, depression and the strength of their ties to friends and family.

Over the study period, close to 900 participants married or began living with a romantic partner.

In general, both marriage and cohabitation came with an uptick in well being. Those who got married or started living with a partner experienced higher levels of happiness, and lower levels of depression, than those who remained single, although these advantages faded with time.

People who married did report better overall health compared with those who cohabited, which may be explained by the entitlements (such as health insurance for spouses) that come with marriage.

However, marriage and cohabitation also reduced contact with family and friends compared to being single, and this effect lasted over time.

The researchers noted it's been about 20 years since the surveys they used were performed, and the relative benefits of marriage versus cohabitation may have changed in recent years.

However, it's not clear whether their findings would be more or less true today, Musick said. On the one hand, the experiences of marriage and cohabitation have become increasingly similar. But on the other hand, marriage may still hold a greater social status than cohabitation in the United States, she said.

Better off married?

The new findings are extremely valuable because they provide a clearer picture of the advantages of marriage, and counter the view that "marriage is the solution to so many of our problems" said Gary Lee, professor and chair department of sociology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, who was not involved in the study. "I think that?s an incredibly naive view," Lee said.

People who claim marriage brings great benefits to everyone "are kind of cherry-picking the research," Lee said.

In reality, the people who aren't getting married may not be doing so because it won?t make them any better off, Lee said. In today's economic environment, marriage does not bring the same financial benefits as it used it, he said.

The researchers emphasized that "we are certainly not saying that marriage is irrelevant for individual well-being," Musick said. For some, marriage may be a great source of happiness.

Still, the findings call into question the value of using limited resources on campaigns to promote marriage over other family forms, Musick said. ?More research is needed to better inform policy-makers about the advantages, or lack thereof, of such campaigns.

Pass it on: Cohabitation may be just as good as marriage in promoting happiness and well-being.

This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily staff writer Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner. Find us on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20120120/sc_livescience/marriagecohabitationprovidesimilarhealthbenefit

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Sheboygan Mayor Receives the Most Votes in Recall Election

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) -- Mayor Bob Ryan and former state Rep. Terry Van Akkern have received the most votes in Sheboygan's first-ever mayoral recall election.

If the unofficial election results stand, Ryan and Akkern will face each other in the Feb. 21 general election.

The primary Tuesday resulted largely from Ryan's problems with alcohol, including fallout from a three-day drinking binge in Elkhart Lake last July.

Unofficial results show Ryan received about 33 percent of the votes. Terry Van Akkeren received about 26 percent. The winner needed more than 50 percent of the votes to avoid a general election.

The other candidates were retired financial executive Roberta Filicky-Peneski, restaurant employee Mark Hermann, Harbor Centre Business Improvement District Manager Randy Schwoerer, Alderwoman Jean Kittelson, high school senior Asher Heimermann and musician Erik Neave.

Source: http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/Sheboygan_Mayor_Receives_the_Most_Votes_in_Recall_Election_137549383.html

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Air controller error blamed in U.S. near-miss (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Safety investigators on Wednesday cited air traffic controller error for a near mid-air collision of a commuter jet and a small plane last year in Mississippi.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the ExpressJet flight with 53 people aboard and a single-engine Cessna 172 came within 300 feet of each other over the Gulfport-Biloxi airport last June 19.

Both took off nearly simultaneously from intersecting runways after receiving clearance to do so from the airport tower staffed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controllers, the NTSB said.

"Wow, that was close," the captain of the commuter jet was quoted as saying by his co-pilot, who was flying the plane.

The crew of the ExpressJet Embraer 145 operating as a United/Continental flight to Houston did not sense a potential conflict even though the two were monitoring radio traffic and acknowledged that the other plane had also been cleared for takeoff from the other runway, NTSB interview transcripts showed.

The crew said their plane's automatic proximity warning system did not sound and there was no need to take evasive action.

The commuter plane flew on to Houston where it landed uneventfully later that afternoon. The Cessna was ordered to go around the airport following takeoff to remove it from any danger.

The safety board documents alleged that the controller in question, who was not identified, had a history of "professional deficiencies" that included non-compliance with standard checklist procedures.

The controllers' union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, had no comment on any disciplinary issues but said it took "reports like these very seriously."

The FAA said in a statement it made management changes at Gulfport following the incident and suspended and decertified the controller involved. The controller has since been retrained and is back on the job.

NTSB investigators have made reducing air traffic controller errors and improving runway safety top transportation priorities.

The agency is investigating at least two other cases of potential air traffic mistakes, including one involving first lady Michelle Obama's plane flying near Washington last April.

In the other, two jumbo jets nearly collided on the ground at New York's John F. Kennedy airport last June, according to a Government Accountability Office report in October that said controller errors nearly doubled between 2008 and 2011.

The increase, the GAO said, may be attributable to a changes in FAA policies that encourage reporting mistakes without fear of disciplinary action.

(Reporting By John Crawley; Editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120119/us_nm/us_usa_airlines_nearmiss

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