Urine teeth are entirely possible, according to a team of researchers based in China.
The BBC first reported on the finding Monday after an article published in Cell Regeneration Journal revealed that human urine could be the next big development in dental health.
(Before filing this one away as a future ?Go Home, Science, you?re drunk? Internet meme, hear us out.)
By using urine as a jumping off point, scientists at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health were able to coax out stem cells, which then formed into small tooth-like structures.
Cells from the lining of the body?s waterworks, were lab-harvested and mixed with other materials taken from the lab mice and then implanted back into the animals.
After three weeks, the cell cluster began resembling a tooth, which contained ?dental pulp, dentin, enamel space and enamel organ,? researchers said.
Stem cells, if you?re not already in the know, are master cells capable of growing into any type of tissue. They have been both a popular and controversial form of research, particularly in the US where the stem cell creation process has been linked with harvesting unborn fetuses by opponents.
Researchers at Guangzhou believe urine teeth will be an effective way to replace lost teeth and fight the tide of poor dental hygiene throughout the world. Other scientists are (understandably) skeptical.
Take Chris Mason, a stem cell scientist and professor at University College London, who called human urine ?a poor starting point? in comments to the BBC.
?It is probably one of the worst sources, there are very few cells in the first place and the efficiency of turning them into stem cells is very low,? Mason said. ?You just wouldn?t do it in this way.?
Mason issued concerns about contamination risk through contact with bacteria, adding, ?The big challenge here is the teeth have got a pulp with nerve and blood vessels which have to make sure they integrate to get permanent teeth.?
(And here we thought it was the idea of having a mouthful of pee.)
While the concept of urine teeth is certainly a strange one, it?s not the first time in recent weeks that the waste product has proven effective in more ways than relief after a heavy night of drinking, telling us that this guy may be on to something.
Earlier this month, scientists charged a mobile phone using the substance, and in February, we brought you a report on a new smartphone app that will let you test your own urine for disease.
But what about urine teeth? Would you be okay with a few of those in your head?
Police say Pedro Vargas was shot and killed after going on a deadly shooting spree in his Florida apartment complex.
/ CBS Miami
(AP) HIALEAH, Fla.-- Pedro Vargas, the gunman who police say went on a shooting rampage at his South Florida apartment building, killing six people, was a lonely man who spoke about having pent up anger, those who knew him said Sunday.
Vargas, 42, lived on the fourth floor of a barren, concrete apartment complex in the Miami suburb of Hialeah with his elderly mother. He rarely spoke with others there, and confided to a man who worked out at the same gym that he liked to work out his anger by lifting weights and trying to get big.
"He'd just say this was the only thing that would keep him normal, pulling out all the anger in the gym," Jorge Bagos told The Associated Press.
Bagos said the gunman expressed frustration over bad experiences with women and losing all his hair from using steroids.
On Friday night, Vargas set a combustible liquid on fire in his apartment, sending the unit into flames, police said. Building manager Italo Pisciotti and his wife went running toward the smoke.
Vargas opened his door and shot and killed both of them, Lt. Carl Zogby, a spokesman with the Hialeah Police Department said.
Vargas then went back into his apartment and began firing from his balcony. One of the shots struck and killed Carlos Javier Gavilanes, 33, who neighbors said was returning home from his son's boxing practice.
Vargas then stormed into a third-story apartment, where he shot and killed a family of three: Patricio Simono, 64, Merly Niebles, 51, and her 17-year-old daughter.
For eight hours, police followed and exchanged gunfire with Vargas throughout the five-story apartment complex as terrified residents took cover in bathrooms and huddled with relatives, sometimes so close to the gunfire they could feel the shots. In the final hours, Vargas took two people captive in a fifth-story unit.
Police?attempted to negotiate with him, but the talks fell apart and a SWAT team swarmed in, killing Vargas and rescuing both hostages.
On Sunday, neighbors struggled to remember anything more than cursory exchanges with Vargas. He was often seen taking his mother, who used a walker, to run errands and go to doctor appointments.
Sometimes, he greeted residents and politely held open doors. Other times, he could be noticeably anti-social.
One woman recalled how she would see him wait for the elevator, only to then take the stairs if he saw someone was inside when it arrived. And neighbors never saw him with anyone other than his mother.
"He looked very alone," said Isael Sarmiento, 42, who lived on the same floor as Vargas, across an open, gray and red concrete terrace. "I saw it in his face sometimes, like he was someone who had spent many years alone."
Nearly every morning, Vargas would get dressed in gym shorts and a tank top and drive to an L.A. Fitness gym, water bottle in hand, neighbors said.
"He looked like an athlete," said Consuela Fernandez.
When shown Vargas' photo, many of the men working out at the gym recalled seeing him there, doing pull ups and lifting weights for hours at a time. Bagos said Vargas worked out almost religiously, and always alone.
"Sometimes it looked like he was in his own world," Bagos said.
Vargas didn't talk much, but occasionally he would share hints of the frustrations he described taking out at the gym.
"He said he'd rather be by himself, that women were no good," Bagos said.
Vargas also described how he was dieting and wanted six-pack abs. He was tall and relatively muscular, but when Bagos suggested Vargas get a tan so that his muscles would look better, he scoffed.
"I don't like the heat," Bagos remembered Vargas saying. "The heat makes me mad."
Lately, Vargas seemed to keep even more to himself. When Bagos tried saying hello, Vargas would turn and walk in the other direction.
"I thought he was going through problems and I kept away from him," he said.
Police said Vargas had no known criminal history, and they'd never responded any calls from the home. His past, they said, was "unremarkable."
"Nobody seems to know why he acted the way he acted," Zogby said.
On Sunday, residents stayed away from the building or kept inside their apartments. A few lingered in the stairways, staring from time to time at Vargas' apartment. The front door was half burnt and a black mix of water and ash from the blaze was scattered along the walkway.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The House is set to go along with a bipartisan Senate compromise that would link college students' interest rates to the financial markets and offer borrowers lower rates this fall.
The Senate bill hews closely to one the House already has passed, and leaders from both parties and in both chambers expect those differences won't stand in the way of quick resolution, perhaps as early as Wednesday.
House approval would send the measure to President Barack Obama, who has said he would sign it into law "right away."
But critics note that if the economy improves, as expected, rates could climb higher.
If the Republican-led House consents to the Senate's tinkering with the House's earlier proposal, and Obama signs the legislation before students start returning to campus, families would see better deals on some federal loans this year than they did in 2012. Undergraduates could borrow at rates as low as 3.4 percent for subsidized Stafford loans and 6.8 percent on unsubsidized Stafford loans last year, while graduate students and parents borrowed at 7.9 percent last year.
Those 3.4 percent rates doubled on July 1 because Congress did not act. Lawmakers from both parties said the rate increase was unacceptable and worked on various proposals to extend rates, overhaul rates and even remake the entire program before classes start this fall.
Both chambers would link the interest rate to the 10-year Treasury note plus an added percentage, based on the type of loan. Each sets caps on how high the loans can go.
But under the Senate bill, once a student or parent takes a loan for the school year the rate would not change. The House bill would make the interest rate variable, meaning it could change every year until the loan is repaid.
A look at what the House and Senate bills would mean for students and their parents:
UNDERGRADUATES:
Senate: Undergraduates who take subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans would pay the 10-year Treasury note, plus an additional 2.05 percent. That would put the interest rate at about 3.9 percent this fall. Rates would be capped at 8.25 percent.
House: Under the House bill, undergraduates who take subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans would pay the 10-year Treasury note, plus an additional 2.5 percent. That would translate to an interest rate of about 4.3 percent interest rates for loans taken this fall. Rates would be capped at 8.5 percent.
GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Senate: Graduate students would borrow at the interest rate of the 10-year Treasury notes plus an additional 3.6 percent. That would bring 5.4 percent interest rates for borrowers this fall. Rates would be capped at 9.5 percent.
House: Graduate students and parents would borrow at the 10-year Treasury note plus an additional 4.5 percent. Under this formula, graduate student loans this fall would carry a 6.3 percent interest rate. Rates would be capped at 10.5 percent.
PARENTS AND SOME GRADUATE STUDENTS:
Senate: Parents and some graduate students would borrow at the 10-year Treasury note plus an additional 4.6 percent. That works out to a 6.4 percent interest rate for fall term. Rates would be capped at 10.5 percent.
House: Graduate students and parents would borrow at the 10-year Treasury note plus an additional 4.5 percent. That would bring about 6.3 percent interest rates for borrowers this fall. Rates would be capped at 10.5 percent
___
Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_elliott
E.C. Rivera, center, speaks with other members of the 8th Ranger Company at Bob Black's house in Carlisle, Pa. as part of reunion for members of the company in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement.
By Bill Briggs, NBC News contributor
Trapped by the enemy, calculating his company had 20 minutes to live, the Army Ranger belly-climbed a napalm-fried hill as Chinese bullets peppered the dirt. From that peak, he glimpsed below ?the most beautiful sight of my life? ? four waiting U.S. tanks. "We are in bad shape," he radioed.
On the 60th anniversary of the final shots fired during what that Ranger, E.C. Rivera, and fellow Korean veterans call ?the Forgotten War,? Rivera, 84, and five survivors of that mission will reunite Saturday in Carlisle, Pa.
The Korean War lasted just three years, but combat claimed 34,000 American lives.?This week, Rivera has been emotional ? crying some about that brazen rescue and the lifelong bonds it forged, fuming some about the welcome home they never received.
?Nobody gave a rat?s ass about us,? Rivera said. ?Nobody cared. They (people in America) were very cold to us. And it was bad because we put ourselves at the top of that hill and let them shoot at us and, believe me, they weren't shooting rubber bullets.?
Rivera?s bold crawl to snatch a radio signal helped save 65 men. He did not earn him a medal for that maneuver. Bob Black, a fellow Ranger, saw it unfold. And when Black eventually returned from Korea, he entered a local clothing store where a clerk remarked: ?I haven?t seen you in ages! You been outta town??
Army Heritage Museum
Lt. Dave Teich during the Korean War.
'I've got a moral obligation' Exactly six decades after an armistice was signed ending the war, retired Army Maj. Dave Teich, 87, feels the need explain why he defied orders.
As 300,000 Chinese troops rumbled south toward his tank platoon ? parked about five miles south of what is now the 38th parallel that divides North and South Korea ? Teich monitored radio chatter from the 8th Ranger Company. He heard Rivera?s report: they were cutoff with a mess of wounded.
Kris Connor / for NBC News
David E Teich Sr. of Aurora, Colo., was a member of the 8th Ranger Company that served in the Korean War.
Teich, then a lieutenant, asked his captain if he and his fellow tankers could roll north for a rescue attempt. The captain?s response: ?We've got orders to move out. Screw them. Let them fight their own battles.?
?If somebody asks for help, you can?t deny them,? said Teich, who lives in Aurora, Colo. ?When these guys talked to me on the radio, they were in a real bad position. It?s up to me. I?ve got a moral obligation as an officer to do things that are right. Just as a human being, you?ve got to do things that are right.?
Despite the command to withdraw on April 24, 1951, Teich said he ?volunteered to stay behind,? and lead four tanks to the surrounded Rangers. His captain and other U.S. troops, meanwhile, bolted south.
?I know I did the right thing in my heart because if I didn?t and those guys got wiped out,? Teich said, ?I could never live that down.?
Dozens of men saved As the tanks moved north, the Rangers? leader, Capt. James Herbert, called in air and artillery strikes on what Herbert later described as ?a river of Chinese soldiers? flowing south, blocking the Rangers' escape. The Chinese returned fire, killing several Americans and wounding dozens more, including Herbert, who was hit in the right shoulder, right arm and neck.
Kris Connor / for NBC News
Brigadier General James Herbert at his home in Lebanon, Pa. Herbert was part of the 8th Ranger Company which served during the Korean War.
?The medic pulled me down and said, ?Can you put your left thumb in the left-side hole in your neck and reach around and put your left index finger in the hole on the right?? Placing a tourniquet there would have choked me to death,? recalled Herbert, 89, who retired as a brigadier general and lives in Lebanon, Pa. ?Then he told me to squeeze.
?The able-bodied had to carry the diseased. The wounded had to walk,? Herbert said. ?That?s the way we worked ourselves over a mile to the tank platoon.?
They heard the tanks in the valley. That?s when Rivera scaled Hill 628 to radio Teich to hold and wait. En route to the tanks, the Rangers took fire. They climbed up or were loaded aboard. Not even the tank guns were visible with 65 guys draped on the armor. The tanks returned south.
?Though we don?t always say it, Dave Teich saved our lives,? Herbert said. ?If it wasn?t for him, we figure all of the survivors of the battle would have been killed or captured by Chinese. We look upon Dave as our savior.?
?For the last 62, 63 years,? Teich said, ?I?ve been getting letters and phone calls from these guys, and I don?t know them other then their names.?
They may feel ?forgotten? by time, but they also feel like they still have each other, even as the brotherhood shrinks. From an original Ranger company of 117 plus 20 replacements, about 12 to 15 are living, estimated Rivera, who lives in Santa Fe, N.M.
'The blood is the same' Six will gather Saturday at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, for a ceremony commemorating the armistice ? and for the dedication of an exhibit highlighting their 1951 mission.
Army Heritage Museum
Col. Bob Black as a corporal in Korea
Kris Connor / for NBC News
Colonel Bob Black (Ret) speaks at his house in Carlisle, Pa. as part of reunion for members of the 8th Ranger company in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement. Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for NBC
Each man takes pride that they were part of a greater good.
?As time went by I asked myself, what did we do over there? Did we lose that war? Then a kind of a miracle occurred,? said Black, 84, who lives in Carlisle.??I began to see what the South Koreans were doing. They?re now one of the leading economies ? Hyundai, Kia, LG and Samsung. That?s a country taking off.?
To a man, they monitor the younger generation of their old enemy.
?If North Korea does anything, it?s going to be one hell of a fight because they?re going to wipe out somebody with those nuclear weapons but they?re going to get it in retaliation,? Teich said. ?There?s going to be nothing left.?
And those who remain cling to one another. On Thursday, Black hosted a dinner for Teich, Rivera and other veterans of that operation.
?There is no such thing as ?the greatest generation,? ? Black said. ?A man who died on a hilltop in Korea gave just as much for his country as did a man who died at Omaha Beach. History isn?t fair. The big wars, the big battles get the attention. But the blood is the same.?
PORTLAND, Ore. -- A federal jury in Oregon has awarded $18.6 million to a woman who spent two years unsuccessfully trying to get Equifax Information Services to fix major mistakes on her credit report.
Julie Miller of Marion County was awarded $18.4 million in punitive damages and $180,000 in compensatory damages, though Friday's award against one of the nation's major credit bureaus is likely to be appealed, The Oregonian reported.
The jury was told she contacted Equifax eight times between 2009 and 2011 in an effort to correct inaccuracies, including erroneous accounts and collection attempts, as well as a wrong Social Security number and birthday. Her lawsuit alleged the Atlanta-based company failed to correct the mistakes.
"There was damage to her reputation, a breach of her privacy and the lost opportunity to seek credit," said Justin Baxter, a Portland attorney who worked on the case with his father and law partner, Michael Baxter. "She has a brother who is disabled and who can't get credit on his own, and she wasn't able to help him."
Tim Klein, an Equifax spokesman, declined to comment on specifics of the case, saying he didn't have any details about the decision from the Oregon Federal District Court.
Miller discovered the problem when she was denied credit by a bank in early December 2009. She alerted Equifax and filled out multiple forms faxed by the credit agency seeking updated information. She had found similar mistakes in her reports with other credit bureaus, Baxter said, but those companies corrected their errors.
A Federal Trade Commission study earlier this year of 1,001 consumers who reviewed 2,968 of their credit reports found 21 percent contained errors. The survey found that 5 percent of the errors represented issues that would lead consumers to be denied credit.
Has any one implemented Faceted Search using Google App Engine + full text search api + datastore ? I'm aware of solutions based on datastore only (e.g. http://code.google.com/p/bigtablesearch/ ) but we would like to take advantage of the full text search api features as well(they have some nice features) so I'm wondering if there is any feasible solution to combine the tree.
NEW YORK (AP) ? A mixed batch of earnings results gave investors little direction on Friday as traders began looking ahead to a packed schedule next week.
The stock market slumped in early trading, climbed steadily the rest of the day, then ended little changed.
Volume was thin as traders prepared for a deluge of potentially market-moving events next week: a Federal Reserve meeting, the government's monthly employment report and much more.
"Traders seem to be erring on the side of caution today," said Jeffrey Kleintop, the chief market strategist for LPL Financial.
Expedia plunged 27 percent, the worst fall in the Standard & Poor's 500 index. The online travel agency reported earnings late Thursday that badly missed analysts' expectations. Higher costs were the main culprit. Expedia lost $17.80 to $47.20.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index inched up 1.40 points, or 0.08 percent, to 1,691.65. The index ended the week with a tiny loss, the first this month.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 3.22 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 15,558.83. The Nasdaq composite index edged up 7.98 points, or 0.2 percent, to 3,613.16.
It's halftime in the second-quarter earnings season, and corporate profits are shaping up better than some had feared.
Analysts forecast that earnings for companies in the S&P 500 increased 4.5 percent over the same period in 2012, according to S&P Capital IQ. At the start of July, they predicted earnings would rise 2.8 percent. Nearly seven out of every 10 companies have surpassed Wall Street's profit targets.
The results aren't exactly impressive, said Sam Stovall, the chief equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ. Investors often argue that analysts set the bar for earnings so low that most companies are bound to jump over it. On average, more than six of every 10 companies beat Wall Street's targets every quarter.
Starbucks posted results late Thursday that beat analysts' estimates. Lower costs for coffee beans and better sales of salads and sandwiches helped. Starbucks jumped $5.19, or 8 percent, to $73.36.
The stock market hasn't ended the week with a loss since June 21, when speculation that the Federal Reserve would start easing off its support for the economy rattled financial markets.
Kleintop cautioned against reading too much into the market's moves on Friday or the weekly loss. The S&P 500 is still up 5.3 percent for the month and 18.6 percent for the year.
"It's just one week down after four up," he said. "If the market just goes higher and higher week after week, you would see a major swoon when it runs into some disappointing news."
In the market for U.S. government bonds, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.56 percent from 2.57 percent late Thursday.
Long-term interest rates have swung in a wide range since early May as traders attempt to anticipate the Fed's next move. The yield on the 10-year note went as low as 1.63 percent on May 1 and as high as 2.74 percent on July 5.
"Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's some entangled photons, so jump into a wormhole with me maybe?"
It's Alice's last desperate plea to her sweetheart, Bob. The lovebirds, rebellious teenagers with a firm grasp of advanced physics, have just been sent light-years apart by their warring families. These star-crossed lovers don't need to cross the stars to meet again though, as long as they are willing to pay the ultimate price.
Welcome to the first romance enabled by quantum physics. The pair can be reunited thanks to a new theory of wormholes that says these tunnels in space-time emerge via quantum entanglement a new theory of wormholes that says these tunnels in space-time emerge via quantum entanglement . Wormholes are a sci-fi staple, but until now there was no sure-fire way to make them using known materials. The theory offers a recipe.
The resulting wormholes are not ideal - you could not use them to go time-travelling, say - but there's at least one instance where they might be useful. Here's what Alice and Bob need to do to meet again:
Alice may be locked in her room, but she has still got access to her physics kit. Burning out several stars to keep the electricity running, she prepares an enormous batch of entangled photon pairs. She sends one half of each pair off to Bob at the speed of light, keeping the other for herself.
Photons are massless, but energy and mass are equivalent - so pack them together densely enough and Alice and Bob can create two entangled black holes.
At a pre-arranged moment, Alice and Bob each jump into their black holes.
Alice and Bob can meet up in the common interior of the entangled black holes - the connecting wormhole that arises from the entanglement.
As they speed toward the singularity inside the wormhole, which will end their lives, Alice and Bob spend their last moments together. Depending on the mass of the black holes, they could have anywhere from a fraction of a second together (for a black hole the mass of a planet or star) to days or even weeks (for a black hole with the mass of a small galaxy or more).
This article appeared in print under the headline "Thoroughly modern Romeo and Juliet"
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University of Michigan and Ann Arbor police have increased patrols in the North Ingalls and Central Campus area after a 25-year-old medical student was found shot to death in his fraternity house Wednesday.
Paul DeWolf
Courtesy photo
Police are still investigating Paul DeWolf's death. He suffered a single gunshot wound, autopsy results showed.
DeWolf, a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, was set to graduate from U-M medical school in May. His body was discovered at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in his room in the 200 block of North Ingallls Street, across the street from U-M's medical school and two blocks from Central Campus. DeWolf was a 2010 graduate of Grand Valley State University and a Schoolcraft, Mich., native.
U-M police spokeswoman Diane Brown said police want to increase visibility in the area so residents feel at ease.
"Regardless of where they are assigned, all of our officers over the course of their shifts, throughout 24 hours, will make patrols in this area," she said.
Added Ann Arbor Police Department Lt. Ed Dreslinski: "We don?t have a lot of homicides in this city, so we?re tying to show a presence in the area to help put everybody at ease and maybe we run into something that helps us in our investigation."
Homicides rare at U-M
This is the first homicide of a student on or near campus in at least a decade.
Michael R. Logghe, a former lieutenant and historian with the Ann Arbor Police Department who retired in 2009, said student murders in Ann Arbor are "virtually nonexistent."
"It's an extremely safe campus, an extremely safe city. It's an aberration when it happens," he said. "It's very, very, very rare.... That's why it's so shocking."
U-M homicide investigation continues
Police continue to investigate the death of a U-M medical student
In 1999 a U-M senior killed her boyfriend, a U-M graduate, in his apartment at 727 Kingsley St. and then turned the gun on herself. Also in 1999, a man in his early 20s was killed during a party thrown by U-M students at a home in the 900 block of East University. He was shot when he tried to break up a fight, according to Logghe. He was not a student.
In 1997, Tamara Williams was killed by her boyfriend in the family housing area of North Campus.
Private gathering planned
The Medical School is holding a private gathering in remembrance of DeWolf, U-M spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham said. U-M has not planned a public service yet, she said. A funeral for DeWolf is being planned, an Air Force official said.
The school sent a crime alert email to all students, faculty and staff on Wednesday at 11 p.m., informing them that DeWolf was found dead in his home. On Thursday, U-M police updated their website to reflect that the death is being investigated as a homicide.
"We extend our deepest condolences to Paul?s family, friends and colleagues," U-M President Mary Sue Coleman said in a statement released around 2 p.m. Friday. "He was working and training among a close, nurturing community of healers and I know they will help each other through this difficult time. They will need the support of the broader campus community in the weeks and months ahead, and we will provide it."
U-M Health System CEO Ora Pescovitz updated her blog with a condolence message on Friday.
"The tragic and sudden death of Paul DeWolf has left a senseless and painful void in our Health System community," she wrote. "Paul was a talented medical student, a treasured friend and family member, and an individual who was dedicating his life to helping others. He will be greatly missed by many."
U-M students and staff can receive grief counseling through medical school counselors, the university?s Counseling and Psychological Services program for students and the Employee Assistance Program.
Cunningham said school officials have been at DeWolf's apartment providing "instrumental physical and emotional support to Paul?s family and friends."
Counseling resources
Office of Medical Student Education?s Class Counselors at (734) 764-0219
CAPS program for students (734) 764-8312
Employee Assistance Program at (734) 763-5409.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Ann Arbor Police tip line 734-794-6939, or e-mail TIPS@a2gov.org or Crimestoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP.
Correction: This article has been corrected to reflect that in 1999 a woman killed her boyfriend and then killed herself.
WATERLOO, Ontario (AP) -- BlackBerry has given layoff notices to 250 workers at its product testing facility in Waterloo, Ontario, where the global smartphone company is based.
The employees supported the company's manufacturing, research and development efforts.
BlackBerry said Thursday that the cuts were part of the next stage of its turnaround plan to increase efficiencies and scale its company correctly for new opportunities in mobile computing.
About 5,000 employees were laid off last year in restructuring efforts.
BlackBerry is trying to recover a stronger position in the highly competitive smartphone market with its new BlackBerry 10 line of phones and operating system.
At the company's annual general meeting earlier this month, CEO Thorsten Heins told shareholders that BlackBerry is in the midst of a complex transition.
PUBLISHED: 04:59 EST, 25 July 2013 | UPDATED: 08:06 EST, 25 July 2013
He?s played many parts in his career from super sleuth Sherlock Holmes to a Star Trek villain but Benedict Cumberbatch found himself in an altogether different leading role over the weekend.
The actor served as the officiant for the wedding of two friends in Ibiza.
The ceremony saw two of the star?s male friends marry in an outdoor civil ceremony on the sunny Spanish isle.
From detective to officiant! Benedict Cumberbatch presides over the marriage of two gay friends in Ibiza
The 37-year-old conducted the ceremony, jetting to the White Isle just hours after learning he?d been nominated for an Emmy Award.
Just before packing his bags, Benedict told Vulture of his wedding gig: 'Of course I?m going to make a joke after it if it goes well- "I do weddings. Next will be children?s parties and bat mitzvahs."
?
'It?s a mainly Jewish and gay audience so hopefully they will be lenient towards me,' he joked of his high-pressure role.
Big day: Benedict (centre) officiates at the outdoor ceremony, marrying friends Seth Cummings and Rob Rinder
Sunshine break: Benedict relaxes with a group of friends in Ibiza, after officiating at his friends' wedding
Dressed in a dapper black suit and open necked shirt the star was pictured reading from his notes as he presided over the ceremony of his friends Seth Cummings and Rob Ridner.
The stunning location of the Hacienda Hotel saw the happy couple exchange their vows against a backdrop of cliffs as the sun blazed down.
Wedding guest, writer Julie Burchill, raved about the ceremony and Benedict: ?The hotel was lush, the bridegrooms were beautiful, and the man who married them (to each other) was Benedict Cumberbatch ? so yes, it was quite a blast.?
Benedict has had a busy year starring in Star Trek Into Darkness and shooting the new series of Sherlock which returns to screens later this year
It looks like the busy star is making the most of his sunshine break as another photo from the White Isle sees the actor posing shirtless with a group of pals in an outdoor restaurant.
The actor beamed for the snap alongside bikini-clad model Katia Elizarova, entrepreneur Ivan Massow, one of the grooms Rob and fashion designer Ben de Lisi, who was modelling a very deep tan.
According to rumours, Benedict and gorgeous Russian Katia, 26 are getting close with?NowMagazine reporting that the pair were spotted kissing and cosying up on a sun lounger after the nuptials.
Cumberbatch and Elizarova were first linked last year after being spotted out together.
However, Cumberbatch denied the rumours at the time, telling the Daily Telegraph that the two are 'just old friends'.
Celebrating: The star found out his latest Emmy nomination, for drama Parade's End, just before jetting to Ibiza
It was a weekend of celebrations for Benedict after his arrival in Ibiza on Friday, which happened to be his 37th birthday. The star had just discovered he had been nominated for an Emmy for his part in BBC drama Parade?s End, his second nod following recognition in 2012 for his lead role in Sherlock.
The actor joked that the Ibiza bash would be a double celebration telling Vulture:?
?My friend doesn?t even know this. I?ve been so busy trying to get luggage from one airport to another, I haven?t even gotten around to telling him. I managed to tell my mum and dad, who are over the moon.?
Next up for Benedict is his portrayal of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in forthcoming film The Fifth Estate. His portrayal has already set tongues wagging thanks to the critical response from the man himself, and is set for release this October.
Club Friendly: South China vs Tottenham 07.27.13 6:00AM EST
__________________
July 11th, 2013 - The day TheStruggle became THE ONE ABOVE ALL in Sherdog
July 25th, 2013 - The Day neckbeards caught a severe case of Asspain by Kevin Nash
The retired high school teacher, who lives in DeKalb, began taking care of her mother after her father died in 1988.
At about the same time, her husband was dealing with a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder, which she described as being an arthritis of the mouth. All the while, she was taking care of her own newborn son.
?The [summer weather] would have sent [my husband] into pain for a couple of weeks at a time,? Chapman said. ?We tried everything we could imagine.?
Chapman?s husband died in 1999, but shortly thereafter, her mother moved in when her Alzheimer?s worsened. Chapman said she provided financial assistance, as well as arranged doctor appointments and transportation, to her mother until she died in 2008.
Chapman is a baby boomer ? one of the 76 million people who were born between 1946 to 1964 after World War II. This large generation has left an indelible mark on society, transforming America?s culture and economy that led to the United States? rise as a global leader.
As baby boomers cross the threshold into retirement age ? 10,000 boomers a day turn 65 ? more of their attention is turning to family and the need to care for their aging parents while helping their adult children in a down economy.
?You have this group of individuals who were looking forward to retirement, and then everything burst, and now they?re having to work longer,? said Tara Culotta, executive director of DeKalb County Elder Care Services. ?Or they?re having grown adult children move back home with them, who are unemployed or are having their own financial problems.?
Elder Care Services provides information assistance to people older than 60, on topics such as managing their finances. They also investigate instances of elder abuse.
Culotta said the agency knew the senior population was increasing, but she is seeing higher numbers of younger seniors needing help. Earlier in her career, Culotta said she dealt with mostly 80-year-olds who were trying to maintain their independence.
Now, many of the people who come into the agency are younger seniors who are having difficulty paying their rent or mortgages, and they?re frustrated.
?I think a lot of them are frustrated because they?re finding themselves in these predicaments they never dreamed of being in at this age,? Culotta said. ?I think all of them kind of thought they had planned well enough or saved enough. They just didn?t picture themselves thrown in a situation where they?re asking for help for somebody to clean their home, or some financial assistance.?
?Sandwich generation?
At the same time, there are baby boomers who are taking care of an older parent while also helping their children. Culotta referred to them as being a ?sandwich generation.?
Nearly 10 million American adult children over the age of 50 now provide care for their aging parents, a 2011 study from MetLife on the caregiving costs for working baby boomers found.
The total lifetime financial impact ? in terms of lost wages, Social Security benefits and private pensions ? for the average baby boomer to care for their parents is $303,880, the study found. That is the cost for leaving the labor force early and/or reduced hours of work because of caregiving responsibilities.
The caregiving role ranges from helping with the bills to helping with medical treatment. About a third of caregivers, the study showed, work less hours or leave the workforce early to focus their efforts on caring for their elderly parents.
?The trend is that people want to live in their homes and not in an institutionalized program,? said Betsy Creamer, supervisor for the Illinois Department on Aging?s Office of Older American Services. ?Baby boomers are providing more and more care to their families as caregivers.?
Creamer?s office helps administers the department?s community care program, which provides in-home services for seniors. The state of Illinois has seen a ?fairly dramatic? increase in demand for the program, which now serves 46,750 more residents than in 2003, Creamer said.
Many baby boomers also feel an obligation to help their children, who are more frequently returning home after college to look for career-oriented job prospects in a slow economy that includes persistently high unemployment.
A 2012 survey from the National Endowment for Financial Education found that 59 percent of parents are providing financial support to adult children who no longer are in school.
The support includes assistance with living expenses, transportation costs, medical bills and repaying home loans, the survey found.
The findings were released at the same time MetLife Mature Market Institute surveyed 2,123 Americans ages 21 to 65 on the level of financial responsibility people of different generations feel in a variety of family roles.
About 44 percent of baby boomers felt an absolute or strong responsibility to provide for their child?s higher education. A near identical amount ? 45 percent ? felt the same way about allowing a child to live at home during times of financial difficulty.
Connie and Ronnie Clarner are perhaps an exception to the rule: As they enter retirement, they have not had to take care of any family members, nor are they taking care of their adult sons, Tom and Jeff.
But that?s because by the time Connie Clarner was 28, she had lost her whole family. Her mother died from a brain tumor at age 50. Five years later, her father suffered a severe heart attack and died in his bathroom at age 61. Three years after that, her sister was shot to death by her husband.
?I outlived them all,? said Clarner, now 65. Her husband Ronnie is in a similar situation ? both of his parents and his brother have died from cancer.
Instead, Clarner takes care of her husband, who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident in 2000. She said she is enjoying retirement, but she recognizes she is fortunate. A lot of her insurance is covered by Northern Illinois University, where her husband worked for decades.
?I was very worried,? Clarner said. ?I kept thinking, ?It?s time to retire,? because the job was getting stressful. But I was very worried because now suddenly you?re going to be taking home a lot less money than what you were used to bringing in.
?But for some reason, it works. It?s because you?re not buying the clothes cause you?re not working. It?s not going every day in the car using gas ... Something?s different.?
There are 26 hours, 59 minutes remaining to comment on this story.
PEORIA, Illinois (AP) ? Second-quarter earnings at Caterpillar fell 43 percent as dealers cut inventories more than the company expected. The world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment cut its profit and revenue outlook for the year.
Caterpillar reported earnings of $960 million, or $1.45 per share, compared with $1.7 billion, or $2.54 per share a year ago. Revenue slid 15.8 percent to $14.63 billion.
That's well short of Wall Street's expectations. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected a profit of $1.69 per share on revenue of $15.09 billion.
The Peoria, Ill., company said dealers cut inventories by $1 billion as the global mining industry slowed due to reduced growth in China.
Commodity prices have fallen as well, forcing miners to cut back on orders.
Shares of Caterpillar Inc. fell 1.3 percent, or $1.12, to $84.40 in premarket in premarket trading.
Caterpillar also said it had currency translation and hedging losses during the quarter.
CEO Doug Oberhelman predicted improved profits during the second half of the year as the company takes further cost-cutting measures.
But Caterpillar still cut its full-year profit outlook from about $7 per share to $6.50. Revenue is now expected to come in between $56 billion and $58 billion, down from previous guidance of $57 billion to $61 billion.
Dealers, Oberhelman said, used inventory from Caterpillar's product distribution during the quarter rather than stocking their own businesses. Company inventory also dropped by $1.2 billion.
"With the sharp reduction in dealer inventory and the decline in mining, 2013 is turning out to be a tough year," Oberhelman said in a statement.
Dealers are positioned to cut inventory even further, and the company expects it to fall by $1.5 billion to $2 billion in the second half, Oberhelman said.
"That means we are underselling end-user demand this year, and it sets us up for better sales in 2014," he said.
He said the company already has temporarily closed factories and had rolling layoffs. "We've taken significant action already, and we will be taking additional cost reduction measures in the second half of 2013," he said.
Caterpillar cut its global full-time work force by more than 10,000 people compared with the second quarter of last year. The company had 122,402 employees at the end of June. The temporary work force also dropped by 9,633 during the quarter.
Profits fell in each of Caterpillar's big divisions. Operating profit fell 61 percent to $550 million in resource industries, which includes mining. It was down 47 percent to $362 million for construction equipment, and down 3 percent to $955 million in power systems, which makes items including large electrical generators and locomotive engines.
The company also said it repurchased $1 billion worth of stock in the second quarter, and based on strong cash flow, it expects to buy another $1 billion worth in the third quarter.
Caterpillar Inc. said Tuesday that global sales of its heavy equipment fell 8 percent for the three-month period that ended in June, hurt by a steep drop in demand from Asia.
That followed a 7 percent decrease for the three months that ended in May and a 9 percent slide for the three months that ended in April, the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Sales in Caterpillar's Asia region dropped 21 percent in the most recent period, while North American sales fell 10 percent.
The only region to post an increase was Latin America, where sales rose 9 percent.
The figures are based on unit sales as reported by Caterpillar's dealers.
The global mining industry is slowing as commodity prices drop, hurting Caterpillar.
The June numbers show a "gradual bottoming process, albeit a bit slower than many had hoped," said Jefferies analyst Stephen Volkmann.
So much for the new, "tougher" Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
FERC, as the agency is known, is in the process of negotiating a settlement with JPMorgan Chase & Co., the huge New York bank that has been accused of serial frauds against California electricity customers and the state's electric distribution system.
The reported size of the settlement price could be as high as $500 million, which would be a record penalty in a FERC proceeding.
That certainly sounds like a big number. But here's the number that measures the deterrent effect the settlement likely would have on JPMorgan's inclination and ability to stage similar schemes again and again: zero.
That's true for two reasons. First, it's unlikely that the settlement would cost any high-ranked Morgan executive any money, much less his or her job. (The most often-mentioned individual is Blythe Masters, who essentially created Morgan's commodity business.) Second, there's no sign that FERC is inclined to bar Morgan permanently from the electricity trading business. That's a costly sentence that could really make the bank reconsider its past misbehavior.
No matter the size of the fine the regulators impose, these players will always find a way to outsmart the watchdogs. "The more complicated the market, the more opaque it is," Robert McCullough, an energy consultant who follows the trading markets from Portland, Ore., told me. "We're going to learn what yesterday's manipulation is, but we're never going to get ahead of it."
In fact, there's evidence that Morgan actually evaded a stiff penalty FERC imposed for its earlier shenanigans by concocting yet another shady scheme. More on that in a moment.
Morgan's behavior may not be menacing Californians' pocketbooks at the moment; in May it sold to Southern California Edison its rights to control and trade the output of 12 California power generating units, removing a headache its presence in the market had caused for state regulators. But its past trading has already roiled state power sales. And nothing says Morgan couldn't reenter the California market any time it wishes. Morgan wouldn't comment on any aspects of its adventures in the California electric power market.
In any case, the settlement negotiations dodge the most important question about the business model of Morgan and other banks: Why are they allowed in the commodity markets in the first place?
That question was the subject of a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Banking Committee, which delved into the drawbacks of allowing big commercial banks into the electricity, metals and oil trading businesses. The upshot, observed Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), has been "a host of anticompetitive activities."
The banks contend that they perform a service for clients and the economy as a whole by making the trading markets more liquid, reducing costs for the commodities' buyers and sellers alike.
But Saule T. Omarova, a regulatory expert at the University of North Carolina law school, pointed out that the potential for conflicts of interest, market manipulation and bank profiteering might outweigh those benefits.
"There's no particular benefit to the economy in having JPMorgan play the role that Enron played," Omarova told me.
Indeed, a spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator, a quasi-state agency that oversees much of California's electrical distribution grid and filed the initial complaints about Morgan's scheme, essentially told me that the ISO regards electricity-trading banks as pests.
"The banks have introduced a new culture in the market, not consistent with the kind of trading we've seen with energy companies," says the spokeswoman, Stephanie McCorkle.
Let's not overlook that the activities Morgan was accused of are crimes: market manipulation, fraud and lying to government officials. If JPMorgan were just an average mook on the street, by now it would have been consigned for life to San Quentin under the state's three-strikes law. But its color is green and its collar is white, and as a result it continues to skate. No criminal charges against the bank, its traders or its executives are on the table, and that's improper.
The $500-million penalty wouldn't rank as a big hit in terms of the bank's wealth. It comes to about 2.35% of Morgan's $21.3-billion profit last year. If the sum were to come directly out of its shareholders' hides, it would cut their annual $1.20 dividend per share less than three cents.
?
A Morgan settlement with FERC would come on the heels of several other eye-catching actions by the agency, which has been playing itself up as a serious sheriff over the electricity markets. Earlier this month, the agency slapped a $470-million penalty on Barclays Bank for market manipulation in California. Barclays says it will fight the case in court.
What's worst about enforcement by cashier's check is that it allows FERC to evade the real lesson taught by these endlessly repeated shenanigans in the energy markets ? the markets are too complex, and the potential profits from wrongdoing are too high, for government regulators to supervise properly.
While I haven't been bold enough to try Botox and other cosmetic treatments, I have done extensive research and found interesting facts about Restylane. Have you heard about it? Well, it has been around for a while, but apparently hasn't gotten the popularity that Botox and others have gotten. However, women who have the treatment done have commented that it has helped. I am not endorsing anything here, but choose to provide the information that I have discovered so that you can make the right choice for your own personal gain.
Women, as they grow older, will definitely notice the signs of inevitable aging. Some of this is due to laugh lines and worry lines. When your skin starts to show less elasticity, you will see a loss in smoothness and you no longer look as youthful. This means that you may need a proven method of revitalizing your skin without the stress of surgery and restylane may be the answer.
What is Restylane? This is a derma-filling agent cosmetically and primarily used on a woman's face. It is manufactured using hyaluronic acid, which is a natural element found in the skin. It is used by plastic surgeons to plump up your skin or lift the face to make it look fuller. Sun and other elements of nature will damage the skin. Naturally aging makes the skin lose its collagen and that is when you will see the sagging, the lines and the wrinkles. Of course, many women opt for anti-aging creams, exfoliators, firming creams, and moisturizers used on a nightly basis, but how do you know which one will work for your skin? You would have to see a beauty consultant and some women don't want to spend the money or the time to wait for something to happen. They would rather go the faster route with Restylane.
If you consistently use the beauty products that compliment your skin, you may see results before long. However, if you decide to do the Restylane treatment, the surgeon will inject certain areas of the skin to fill in the features that are sunken. You can use the treatment to enlarge the lips, get rid of the wrinkles and restore the plumpness in your hollow cheeks.
Restylane cost about $500 for each treatment. Are your ready to foot that bill? This is really not a bad price, though, for something so effective. However, the temporary results may last only for a year and then you have to do it all over again. What a woman has to do to look young, right? It is an excellent alternative, though to the bigger price tag of plastic surgery. Be sure to receive treatment from someone who is properly trained and certified.
Conclusion Youthfulness is a commodity that many of us chase. Nothing is wrong with that as long as it makes you feel good. What is your take on this topic? Would you consider cosmetic surgery? How far will you go? Put your comments below. We want to start a dialogue with you.
Report documents organ transplantation as source of fatal rabies virus casePublic release date: 23-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Melissa Dankel mdankel@cdc.gov 404-639-4718 The JAMA Network Journals
An investigation into the source of a fatal case of raccoon rabies virus exposure indicates the individual received the virus via a kidney transplant 18 months earlier, findings suggesting that rabies transmitted by this route may have a long incubation period, and that although solid organ transplant transmission of infectious encephalitis is rare, further education to increase awareness is needed, according to a study in the July 24/31 issue of JAMA.
The rabies virus causes a fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and can be transmitted through tissue or organ transplantation. "Unique rabies virus variants, distinguishable by molecular typing methods, are associated with specific animal reservoirs. Globally, an estimated 55,000 persons die of rabies every year, with most transmission attributable to dog bites. Approximately 2 human rabies deaths are reported in the United States every year and during 2000 through 2010, all but 2 domestically acquired cases were associated with bats. Despite raccoons being the most frequently reported rabid animal in the United States, only l human rabies case associated with the raccoon rabies virus variant has been reported," according to background information in the article. In February 2013, a kidney recipient with no reported exposures to potentially rabid animals died from rabies 18 months after transplantation.
Neil M. Vora, M.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether organ transplantation was the source of rabies virus exposure in the kidney recipient, and to evaluate for and prevent rabies in other transplant recipients (n = 3; right kidney, heart, and liver) from the same donor. Organ donor and all transplant recipient medical records were reviewed. Laboratory tests to detect rabies virus-specific binding antibodies, rabies virus neutralizing antibodies, and rabies virus antigens were conducted on available specimens, including serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and tissues from the donor and the recipients.
The researchers found that in retrospect, the kidney donor's symptoms prior to death were consistent with rabies (the presumed diagnosis at the time of death was ciguatera poisoning [a foodborne illness]). Subsequent interviews with family members revealed that the donor had significant wildlife exposure, and had sustained at least 2 raccoon bites, for which he did not seek medical care. Rabies virus antigen was detected in archived autopsy brain tissue collected from the donor. The rabies viruses infecting the donor and the deceased kidney recipient were consistent with the raccoon rabies virus variant and were more than 99.9 percent identical across the entire N gene, thus confirming organ transplantation as the route of transmission.
The 3 other organ recipients did not have signs or symptoms consistent with rabies or encephalitis. They have remained asymptomatic, with rabies virus neutralizing antibodies detected in their serum after completion of postexposure prophylaxis.
"This transmission event provides an opportunity for enhancing rabies awareness and recognition and highlights the need for a modified approach to organ donor screening and recipient monitoring for infectious encephalitis. This investigation also underscores the importance of collaboration between clinicians, epidemiologists, and laboratory scientists," the authors write.
(JAMA. 2013;310(4):398-407; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)
Editor's Note: This investigation was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, North Carolina Division of Public Health, and Florida Department of Health and funded as part of routine infectious disease outbreak investigation activities. All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of interest and none were reported.
Editorial: Donor-Derived Infections With Central Nervous System Pathogens After Solid Organ Transplantation
In an accompanying editorial, Daniel R. Kaul, M.D., of the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, writes that during the past decade, numerous instances have been reported of donor-derived infection among recipients of solid organ transplants with pathogens associated with central nervous system (CNS) infections, including the West Nile virus and rabies virus.
"Educational efforts to improve recognition of donors with CNS infection and the risks associated with using these donors should be directed not just at the transplant community but at the larger community of physicians involved in the care of potential donorsparticularly critical care specialists, neurologists, and infectious disease physicians. These clinicians may not be aware of the potential for donor-derived infection, but accepting transplant centers must rely on the clinical impression of those caring for the potential donor. Although the risk of donor-derived disease is inherent in the process of organ transplantation and cannot be eliminated, raising awareness of the risk of using donors with undiagnosed CNS infection is the best way to reduce the occurrence of these transmissions."
(JAMA. 2013;310(4):378-379; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)
Editor's Note: The author has completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none were reported.
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Report documents organ transplantation as source of fatal rabies virus casePublic release date: 23-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Melissa Dankel mdankel@cdc.gov 404-639-4718 The JAMA Network Journals
An investigation into the source of a fatal case of raccoon rabies virus exposure indicates the individual received the virus via a kidney transplant 18 months earlier, findings suggesting that rabies transmitted by this route may have a long incubation period, and that although solid organ transplant transmission of infectious encephalitis is rare, further education to increase awareness is needed, according to a study in the July 24/31 issue of JAMA.
The rabies virus causes a fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and can be transmitted through tissue or organ transplantation. "Unique rabies virus variants, distinguishable by molecular typing methods, are associated with specific animal reservoirs. Globally, an estimated 55,000 persons die of rabies every year, with most transmission attributable to dog bites. Approximately 2 human rabies deaths are reported in the United States every year and during 2000 through 2010, all but 2 domestically acquired cases were associated with bats. Despite raccoons being the most frequently reported rabid animal in the United States, only l human rabies case associated with the raccoon rabies virus variant has been reported," according to background information in the article. In February 2013, a kidney recipient with no reported exposures to potentially rabid animals died from rabies 18 months after transplantation.
Neil M. Vora, M.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether organ transplantation was the source of rabies virus exposure in the kidney recipient, and to evaluate for and prevent rabies in other transplant recipients (n = 3; right kidney, heart, and liver) from the same donor. Organ donor and all transplant recipient medical records were reviewed. Laboratory tests to detect rabies virus-specific binding antibodies, rabies virus neutralizing antibodies, and rabies virus antigens were conducted on available specimens, including serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and tissues from the donor and the recipients.
The researchers found that in retrospect, the kidney donor's symptoms prior to death were consistent with rabies (the presumed diagnosis at the time of death was ciguatera poisoning [a foodborne illness]). Subsequent interviews with family members revealed that the donor had significant wildlife exposure, and had sustained at least 2 raccoon bites, for which he did not seek medical care. Rabies virus antigen was detected in archived autopsy brain tissue collected from the donor. The rabies viruses infecting the donor and the deceased kidney recipient were consistent with the raccoon rabies virus variant and were more than 99.9 percent identical across the entire N gene, thus confirming organ transplantation as the route of transmission.
The 3 other organ recipients did not have signs or symptoms consistent with rabies or encephalitis. They have remained asymptomatic, with rabies virus neutralizing antibodies detected in their serum after completion of postexposure prophylaxis.
"This transmission event provides an opportunity for enhancing rabies awareness and recognition and highlights the need for a modified approach to organ donor screening and recipient monitoring for infectious encephalitis. This investigation also underscores the importance of collaboration between clinicians, epidemiologists, and laboratory scientists," the authors write.
(JAMA. 2013;310(4):398-407; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)
Editor's Note: This investigation was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, North Carolina Division of Public Health, and Florida Department of Health and funded as part of routine infectious disease outbreak investigation activities. All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of interest and none were reported.
Editorial: Donor-Derived Infections With Central Nervous System Pathogens After Solid Organ Transplantation
In an accompanying editorial, Daniel R. Kaul, M.D., of the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, writes that during the past decade, numerous instances have been reported of donor-derived infection among recipients of solid organ transplants with pathogens associated with central nervous system (CNS) infections, including the West Nile virus and rabies virus.
"Educational efforts to improve recognition of donors with CNS infection and the risks associated with using these donors should be directed not just at the transplant community but at the larger community of physicians involved in the care of potential donorsparticularly critical care specialists, neurologists, and infectious disease physicians. These clinicians may not be aware of the potential for donor-derived infection, but accepting transplant centers must rely on the clinical impression of those caring for the potential donor. Although the risk of donor-derived disease is inherent in the process of organ transplantation and cannot be eliminated, raising awareness of the risk of using donors with undiagnosed CNS infection is the best way to reduce the occurrence of these transmissions."
(JAMA. 2013;310(4):378-379; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)
Editor's Note: The author has completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none were reported.
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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.
On the heels of the ?Guardians of the Galaxy? surprise presentation at Comic-Con International this weekend, Marvel Studios announced Tuesday that principal photography on the film has officially begun.
In fact, production began about 10 days before the Comic-Con presentation on Saturday, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige noted during the presentation in the San Diego Convention Center?s 6,500-seat Hall H. Director James Gunn (?Super?) even showed off some early footage from the movie, which seems to be aiming for a very different tone than Marvel?s ensemble blockbuster ?The Avengers.?
The film, based on the Marvel comic series of the same name, follows roguish antihero Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, (Chris Pratt) and his squad of aliens (including the furry, fan-favorite character Rocket Raccoon), tasked with teaming up to battle cosmic threats. It?s an oddball idea, and the Comic-Con footage suggested the film adaptation will embrace its humorous elements with snark and irreverence.
FULL COVERAGE: San Diego Comic-Con 2013
?[Star-Lord] had a hard time as a kid, and now he goes around space, making out with hot alien girls and just being a rogue and a bit of a jerk, and through teaming up with these guys, finds a higher purpose for himself,? Pratt told the audience at Comic-Con.
The ?Guardians of the Galaxy? cast boasts plenty of stars familiar to fans of genre entertainment, as well as some seemingly unlikely newcomers. Marvel on Tuesday confirmed the casting of Glenn Close (?Fatal Attraction,? ?Mars Attacks?) as Nova-Prime, the highest ranking officer in Marvel Comics? intergalactic police force Nova Corps. Though several comic characters have held the Nova-Prime title, all have been men.
Joining Pratt and Close are Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Djimon Hounsou as Korath, Benicio del Toro as the Collector and John C. Reilly as Rhomann Dey.
?Guardians of the Galaxy,? currently filming at the U.K.?s Shepperton Studios, is slated for an Aug. 1, 2014, release in the U.S.
Click through a gallery above for a look at the film and its presentation at Comic-Con.
? Noelene Clark |?@NoeleneClark?|?Google+
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?Guardians of the Galaxy?: Surprise Comic-Con panel
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Public release date: 23-Jul-2013
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