রবিবার, ৩১ মার্চ, ২০১৩

Study upholds breast cancer mortality for hormone replacement

In the nearly 11 years since researchers first rang alarm bells that women on hormone replacement therapy faced an increased risk of breast cancer, some have suggested that taking estrogen and progestin to treat symptoms of menopause might not be so dangerous after all.

Though it was generally agreed that woman who took the two hormones to curb their hot flashes and night sweats upped their chances of developing the disease, many studies suggested that the cancers the women developed were less likely to be deadly.

A new analysis of data from the Women's Health Initiative now casts doubt on those findings. The study, published Friday by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, concludes that the prognosis for cancers related to hormone replacement therapy is just as dire as for other breast cancers. As a result, women who turn to the treatment are more likely to die of breast cancer than their peers who don't take hormones.

"You could fill a basketball arena with the women who get the disease," said Dr. Rowan Chlebowski, the principal investigator for the Women's Health Initiative and lead author of the new study. "It seems like you'd want to reach a higher threshold before you take it."

Nearly 70,000 postmenopausal women participated in randomized clinical trials as part of the Women's Health Initiative project. The study participants who took estrogen plus progestin had higher rates of breast cancer diagnoses and of breast cancer deaths.

At the same time, more than 90,000 additional women took part in a related observational study that tracked details about their health and hormone use over an average of 11 years. Along with many other observational studies, this one found that women who took hormones to treat menopause symptoms and got breast cancer were less likely to die from the illness than women who got breast cancer without taking hormones.

Chlebowski, an oncologist based at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute in Torrance, suspected that the discrepancy could have resulted from key differences between the women in the randomized trial and the women in the observational study.

So he and his team identified a subset of more than 41,000 women from the observational study who more closely matched the women who took part in the randomized trial. In doing so, the researchers set aside data on women who were not using hormones when they participated in a study but had taken them in the past ? a factor that had the potential to complicate the findings.

The new results fell more closely in line with the findings from the original randomized trial: Survival after breast cancer was similar for both hormone users and non-users. Tumors that arose in women who took hormones were no less deadly.

They had appeared to be, however, because women who had taken hormones years before might have already developed aggressive cancers and would not have been able to participate in the study in the first place. Because of the study design, they had been selected out, Chlebowski said.

Dr. Patricia Ganz, director of cancer prevention and control research at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, applauded the new study's rigor.

"If you're going to take these therapies, you need to know there's an increased risk," said Ganz, who was not involved in the study. "Make sure there's a good indication. And don't take them for a long period of time."

The new findings apply only to women who take estrogen and progestin, a synthesized form of the natural hormone progesterone. Women who have had hysterectomies can take estrogen alone, a regimen that doesn't seem to increase breast cancer risk. But those who still have a uterus must take both estrogen and progestin to avoid developing endometrial cancer.

When the Women's Health Initiative was launched in 1993, about 40% of postmenopausal women were taking hormones. Many of them ? and their doctors ? believed they'd get benefits including improved bone, cardiovascular and cognitive health, Chlebowski said.

As research revealed that was not the case, and that the treatment was associated with cancer risk, the number of users fell by half, to about where it remains today.

Dr. Joanne Mortimer, director of the Women's Cancers Program at City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, said that in general, she does not recommend hormone replacement therapy for patients with menopause symptoms.

But Mortimer, who was not involved with the study, said she does discuss the pros and cons of the treatment with "the ones who are up all night with hot flashes and want to kill people. There are still women on it and they will cut your arm off if you take it away."

For a certain percentage of women, she added, hormones provide the only relief.

Last year, a coalition of women's health groups led by the North American Menopause Society, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Endocrine Society issued a statement reiterating that hormone therapy was "still an acceptable treatment for menopausal symptoms." They called the treatment "relatively safe."

eryn.brown@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/M1KU8jC-BMY/la-sci-hormone-replacement-therapy-cancer-20130330,0,3275635.story

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Sporting KC hands Montreal its first defeat

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:22 p.m. ET March 30, 2013

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Claudio Bieler scored his third goal of the season, and Sporting Kansas City defeated previously unbeaten Montreal 2-0 on Saturday night in a match that saw the ejection of Impact coach Marco Schaellibaum.

Schaellibaum was sent off in the 81st minute, shortly after Graham Zusi's goal put Sporting up 2-0, for squirting water out of a water bottle at Sporting's bench and fourth official Matthew Foerster. He will miss the Impact's home game against Columbus on April 13. Montreal lost for the first time after a 4-0 start.

Sporting (2-1-2) broke a three-match winless streak and a 197-minute goal drought, and Jimmy Nielsen recorded his third straight shutout. Benny Feilhaber recorded his first two assists of the season.

In the fifth minute, Feilhaber sent a through ball to Bieler, who made one touch to get free and put his shot into the lower right corner. Zusi made it 2-0 in the 80th, taking Feilhaber's pass and shaking off defender Karl Ouimette before chipping the ball home.

Montreal did not get a shot on goal until the 60th minute, when Nielsen had to dive to his left to knock away Marco Di Vaio's left-footed volley.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Wichita State upsets OSU 70-66 for Final Four trip

Wichita State's Carl Hall (22) and teammates pose with the regional trophy after defeating Ohio State 70-66 in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Wichita State's Carl Hall (22) and teammates pose with the regional trophy after defeating Ohio State 70-66 in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Wichita State's Carl Hall, right rear, Fred Van Vleet, left, and Demetric Williams celebrate their team's 70-66 win over Ohio State in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall celebrates after Wichita State defeated Ohio State 70-66 in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Wichita State players react to a field goal scored against Ohio State during the second half of the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Wichita State's Carl Hall, rear, and Malcolm Armstead, right, break up a scoring attempt by Ohio State forward Evan Ravenel (30) during the first half of the West Regional final in the NCAA mens' college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

(AP) ? Cleanthony Early kept stealing glances down at the hat in his hands while he waited for his turn to climb the stepladder, scissors in hand. The Wichita State forward seemed stunned at the words embroidered on his brand new ballcap: "Final Four Atlanta."

"It's crazy. I still can't believe we're here," Early said. "You try to expect it, but you expect a lot of things that don't happen. This really happened."

Believe it. Wichita State is going to Atlanta, and these Shockers are no longer a surprise after the way the tenacious ninth seeds held off mighty Ohio State in the West Regional final.

Malcolm Armstead scored 14 points, Fred Van Vleet bounced in a big basket with 1 minute left, and Wichita State earned its first trip to the Final Four since 1965 with a 70-66 victory over the Buckeyes on Saturday.

Van Vleet scored 12 points as the Shockers (30-8) followed up last week's win over top-ranked Gonzaga with a nail-biting victory over the second-seeded Buckeyes (29-8), whose 11-game winning streak ended one short of their second straight Final Four. Wichita State's 20-point lead in the second half dwindled to three in the final minutes, but several Shockers stepped up with big plays to stop the surge, heeding coach Gregg Marshall's halftime command to "play angry."

All that anger turned into a joyous postgame party at midcourt, even though the Shockers realize they've got more work to do.

Wichita State is just the fifth team seeded ninth or higher to reach the Final Four since seeding began in 1979, but the second in three years following 11th-seeded VCU's improbable run in 2011. The Shockers' celebration was wild, if a bit disbelieving, in front of several thousand roaring fans.

"Last year we were watching all this on television," said Early, who scored 12 points despite spraining his ankle in the second half. "Now I'm looking at a hat that says 'Final Four Atlanta' with my team on it. ... It feels good, and it feels even better that I could experience it with these guys who had to struggle so hard to get here."

Wichita State roared to a 20-point lead with 11 minutes to play after Ohio State played an awful first half, but LaQuinton Ross scored 15 of his 19 points after halftime, leading a ferocious rally that got the Buckeyes within three points in the final minutes.

Tekele Cotton hit a clutch 3-pointer for Wichita State with 2:20 left and grabbed a key offensive rebound moments later, allowing VanVleet to score on a shot that bounced all over the rim before dropping. Ron Baker and Cotton hit last-minute free throws to secure the second Final Four trip in Wichita State's history and a school-record 30th win.

"We're happy, but I'm still shocked," said Carl Hall, the glasses-wearing big man who scored eight points and led the Shockers' strong defensive effort. "We've got a team full of fighters. I brought them all together near the end and said, 'No matter what happens, I love y'all.' We had to fight so hard. We've got each other's backs, and it's hard to beat a team that's got five guys who work together like us."

Deshaun Thomas scored 21 points after missing nine of his first 12 shots for Ohio State, which made just 24 percent of its first-half shots. Aaron Craft scored nine points on 2-for-12 shooting against Armstead and a host of defenders for the Buckeyes, who dug a hole too deep to escape with their second-half rally.

"The way we shot coming into the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, everything was falling," Thomas said. "Today, it just wasn't our night. Nothing was falling. We had great looks, some of them, but they just weren't falling."

Yet after two weeks of upsets in the wild West bracket, underdog Wichita State seemed an appropriate pick to cut down Staples Center's nets. The Shockers' well-balanced roster managed built that enormous lead with the same consummate team play that they've shown throughout the tournament.

The Shockers are also the kings of Kansas, reaching the national semifinals after the powerful Jayhawks and Kansas State both went down.

Two sections packed with cheering Shockers fans provided all the encouragement necessary for a team that didn't win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and was thought to be a bubble team for an NCAA berth. Now, Wichita State is the MVC's first Final Four team since Larry Bird led Indiana State to the title game in 1979.

Another giant awaits the Shockers in Atlanta next weekend: They'll face the winner of Sunday's Midwest Regional final between Duke and Louisville.

"We're all new to this, but I think we're ready for this," Early said. "We're going to prepare ourselves, and this game was pretty good preparation. We started at the bottom, and we've been working our way up."

Seven seasons after underdog George Mason crashed the Final Four and underlined college basketball's growing parity, the Shockers are the latest smallish school to get on a big roll in the tournament. Butler made the national championship game in 2010 and 2011, and the Bulldogs were joined by that VCU team in the Final Four two years ago.

This year's tournament included stunning wins by Florida Gulf Coast, La Salle and Harvard, but nobody kept it going longer than Wichita State.

Although the Shockers have a beautiful home arena and robust support from fans and donors in Kansas' largest city, Marshall acknowledged that Wichita State's athletic budget is a fraction of what a BCS school can spend. He hasn't let it slow the Shockers, who made the NCAA tournament last year only to lose to 12th-seeded VCU in the first round.

After the Shockers easily beat La Salle two days ago to reach their first regional final since 1981, Marshall's pregame speech to the Shockers on Saturday finished with talk of cutting down the nets at Staples Center before getting on that plane back to Kansas, saying Wichita State didn't have to play "a perfect game" to beat mighty Ohio State.

"The Mecca awaits in Atlanta," he said.

Marshall was right, but he couldn't have anticipated just how imperfect Ohio State would be.

The postseason-tested Buckeyes appeared calm and confident during warmups in front of their healthy fan contingent, yet they proceeded to play the first half just like NCAA newbies.

They missed their first seven shots after the opening tip in a string capped by an airballed 3-pointer from Thomas, who missed his first five overall. The junior star was labeled "a bad-shot taker and a bad-shot maker" by Marshall on Friday, but he only lived up to the first part of that billing while going 4 for 13 in the first half.

Early hit two 3-pointers in the opening minutes, and the Shockers stretched their lead to 13 points shortly before halftime.

"You've got to give them credit," Craft said. "They really came out firing and we really didn't regain our footing until it was too late."

Hall went to the locker room after drawing a charge from Thomas early in the second half, holding the back of his head after Thomas' elbow clipped him on the jaw. Hall found his glasses and got back in the game 66 seconds later.

Wichita State gradually stretched its lead early in the second half, with Early's layup putting the Shockers up 53-33 with 12:09 to play.

Ross desperately tried to rally the Buckeyes, scoring eight consecutive points and leading a 23-6 run midway through the second half. Ohio State went into a full-court inbounds defense, and Shannon Scott's free throws with 2:49 left cut the lead to 62-59 ? but Ohio State couldn't get any closer.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-30-BKC-NCAA-Wichita-St-Ohio-St/id-358a2d25bf37425eb61200777759e8ad

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Business, labor resolve dispute on immigration bill (cbsnews)

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This Week On The TechCrunch Gadgets Podcast: 3D Printing, Ouya, And The Facebook Fone

gadgets130329This week on the TechCrunch Gadgets Podcast we celebrate episode number two of everyone's favorite audio file! We also talk about 3D printing, the Ouya console, and the Facebook Fone AKA the FF.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/NSH8M4grFgU/

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I would like to buy with cash only - Zillow Real Estate Advice

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Indoor GPS: Why tech companies want to track you inside

This week Apple purchased WiFiSLAM, an "indoor GPS" company whose technology allows precise navigation inside buildings. Indoor GPS could make navigating shopping centers and airports easier, but Apple and other companies will have to implement it in a way that respects users' privacy.

By Jeff Ward-Bailey,?Contributor / March 28, 2013

Indoor GPS would allow Apple's iPhone, and other devices, to give users detailed navigation in buildings. Here, a man looks at his iPhone's screen as he walks down a street in downtown Shanghai.

Carlos Barria/Reuters/File

Enlarge

Every modern phone has a GPS built in, and some sort of navigation service to give you directions on the highway. But as soon as you get out of the car, that service isn't much use -- you might be able to guide yourself to a store that's a block away, but as soon as you step indoors you're out of luck. GPS can't help you find your friends in a mall, or direct you to the correct gate at an airport.?

Skip to next paragraph Jeff Ward-Bailey

Writer

Jeff began writing for the Monitor's Horizons blog in 2011, covering product news and rumors, innovations from companies like Apple and Google, and developments in tech policy.

Recent posts

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But that might change soon. This week Apple purchased Silicon Valley start-up WiFiSLAM, an "indoor GPS" company whose technology can pinpoint a device's location indoors. Indoor GPS works by using Wi-Fi signals, as well as data from phone sensors like a compass and accelerometer, to enable much more precise tracking than is possible with regular GPS. The company says that it can peg a user's indoor location to within 2.5 meters, or about 8 feet.

So far, WiFiSLAM has been marketing its technology to app developers who want to be able to make indoor maps, according to Jessica Lessin at The Wall Street Journal. That might also allow for new kinds of retail apps -- picture what it would be like to have your phone give you sale information about whatever kind of produce you're standing in front of at the grocery store.

The purchase of WiFiSLAM is almost certainly a way for Apple to step up its mapping game against rival Google. Google Maps has included indoor navigation for a little while already, albeit only for buildings that the company has mapped already -- things like sports arenas and shopping centers. (Google says its database includes 10,000 buildings in 13 countries.) Apple, meanwhile, foundered initially as its own mapping service debuted last year to critical reviews. The company has since worked hard to improve Apple Maps, and WiFiSLAM could be a big step up -- for starters, since the technology relies partially on data from phone sensors, everyone using an iPhone indoors would be helping to create maps of the buildings they're in.

Indoor GPS, of course, raises some privacy concerns -- not least because it would allow Apple, or any other company that employs it, to collect pretty specific data on users' movements and habits. Since companies need to find a way to make money on services like this, it's probably not reasonable to expect a free indoor GPS that also completely respects users' privacy.

For more tech news, follow Jeff on?Twitter:?@jeffwardbailey.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/WY-liiOcsn0/Indoor-GPS-Why-tech-companies-want-to-track-you-inside

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World Camp: Free Secondary Education in Malawi?


Talk of Malawi?s 2014 presidential election has fostered significant debate regarding the state of education in Malawi, specifically, the United Democratic Front?s proposition to provide free secondary education for Malawi?s youth. Malawi?s current education system is comprised of a primary system consisting of eight grades, while secondary and university systems have four years of curriculum each. In an opinion column for the Nyasa Times, writer Steve Sharra provided what he sees as the pros and cons of this proposal and the potential of the education system to develop a more prosperous Malawi.
Currently, Malawi has a free primary education system which is beneficial but has had its fair share of flaws and shortcomings. Subsequently, opponents of this free secondary education system look to the history of the primary education system, and worry that past mistakes will be repeated. In 2010 the World Bank published a study on the education system in Malawi and found that compared to other Sub Saharan African (SSA) countries, Malawi performs worse in post-primary levels and technical, entrepreneurial, vocational education and training. Malawi?s Southern African Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ) scores in Mathematics and English reading are among the lowest. Dropout rates are high and lead to a 35 percent completion rate for students within the system. As of 2010, the primary education system requires 23 years to produce one Standard 8 graduate, instead of eight years with an ideal internal efficiency. The retention rate in secondary education is much better, with very few dropouts within the cycle. (World Bank)

Having a sufficient number of teachers as well as ensuring they are adequately qualified through their own education and training is a significant issue. The ratio of student to trained teacher hovers at 88:1. When only looking at urban schools, however, the student-teacher ratio (STR) drops to 46:1

In addition to the lack of physical resources to maintain a thriving education system, opponents also worry about the implications of further dependency on donors for Malawi?s economy and ability to thrive and be competitive on a global scale. The cost of providing more free education is beyond the financial means of Malawi?s budget and an argument is made that investing in other areas of national development could produce benefits within a shorter time frame.

Proponents of a completely free education system acknowledge past failures in the education system but see these as a resource to create a better system. ?Knowing where things went wrong ought to mean knowing how to do things differently next time,? says Sharra. For example, when free primary education was implemented, little to no consideration was made to how an influx of students would affect secondary education and its ability to accommodate such an increase in enrollment. If secondary education becomes free as well, the same mistake cannot be made at the University level.

Other considerations for a fully free education system would include a detailed list of what physical infrastructure needs to be created, how this will affect federal budget, where to get money to supplement the national budget for education, and a targeted plan for application until full-scale implementation is viable. Another important consideration is providing programs for those who are beyond secondary school age, but have not yet completed secondary level requirements.

Providing for education is a direct investment in the future of Malawi and affects economic activity for individuals as well as the nation. Education has the potential to strengthen human capital, and aid Malawians in thinking critically in a world of economic crises and high unemployment to find new and innovative responses to problems. There is much to consider though, including infrastructure, capacity, and economic feasibility.

Source: http://worldcampforkids.blogspot.com/2013/03/free-secondary-education-in-malawi.html

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শনিবার, ৩০ মার্চ, ২০১৩

GWH News and Notes: March 30 Birthdays and Memoriams

GWH News and Notes: March 30 Birthdays and Memoriams

March 30 Birthdays and Memoriams


Bill Alexander, Ron Garvin, Mike Rotunda, and Zach Gowen celebrate birthdays today. Terry McGinnis died at the age of 41 on this day in 1952, and Barney Tucker was 88 when he passed in 2008.

Source: http://www.gwhnews.com/2013/03/march-30-birthdays-and-memoriams.html

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HBT AL East preview: Yanks down, Jays up?

For the past few days?we?ve been previewing the 2013 season. Here, in handy one-stop-shopping form, is our package of previews from the American League East.

The Blue Jays totally revamped the rotation and added Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera to the lineup. Is that enough for a 20+ game swing and the division title?

The Rays lost James Shields but they still have tons of pitching. But where is the offense going to come from?

Is the Jeter-Rivera Yankees dynasty finally over? Do the Bombers have a better chance at first place or the cellar?

The Orioles shocked the world by making the playoffs in 2012. Was it smoke and mirrors or the beginning of a sustained return to prominence in Baltimore?

The Red Sox? 2012 was a train wreck. Are they back on track in 2013?

Below are our team-by-team previews for the AL East as well as our HBT Extra feature on the division. Enjoy.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/29/2013-preview-the-american-league-east/related/

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University of Illinois' Blue Waters supercomputer now running around the clock

University of Illinois' Blue Waters supercomputer now running around the clock

Things got a tad hairy for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Blue Waters supercomputer when IBM halted work on it in 2011, but with funding from the National Science Foundation, the one-petaflop system is now crunching numbers 24/7. The behemoth resides within the National Center for Supercomputing Application (NCSA) and is composed of 237 Cray XE6 cabinets and 32 of the XK7 variety. NVIDIA GK110 Kepler GPU accelerators line the inside of the machine and are flanked by 22,640 compute nodes, which each pack two AMD 6276 Interlagos processors clocked at 2.3 GHz or higher. At its peak performance, the rig can churn out 11.61 quadrillion calculations per second. According to the NCSA, all that horsepower earns Blue Waters the title of the most powerful supercomputer on a university campus. Now that it's cranking away around-the-clock, it'll be used in projects investigating everything from how viruses infect cells to weather predictions.

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GE Talked With Dell About Buying Finance Unit - Deal Journal - WSJ

By Sharon Terlep and Kate Linebaugh

General Electric Co?s financial services arm talked with Dell Inc. recently about buying the computer maker?s financing unit, though the talks didn?t lead to a deal, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

The talks were separate from talks GE has been having with Blackstone Group LP, the private-equity firm that is proposing to take control of Dell, the people said. As part of that plan, Blackstone is considering selling all or part of Dell?s finance business. People familiar with those talks have said GE would be the most likely buyer.

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Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2013/03/29/ge-talked-with-dell-about-buying-finance-unit/

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SEO oriented ITALIAN copywriter - repost | Academic Writing | Article ...

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Pat Riley to Danny Ainge: Shut up

(AP) ? Miami Heat President Pat Riley has added another chapter to his rivalry with the Boston Celtics.

After LeBron James complained about calls and Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge chided him for it, Riley lashed back Friday night.

Riley's response: "Danny Ainge needs to shut the (expletive) up and manage his own team."

This saga started Wednesday after Miami's 27-game winning streak ended in Chicago. James told reporters that night that he does not believe some of the hard fouls he takes are "basketball plays." A day later, Ainge told Boston radio station WEEI that "it's almost embarrassing that LeBron would complain about officiating."

Riley was clearly irked, calling Ainge "the biggest whiner going when he was a player."

The Heat and Celtics play April 12 in Miami.

Miami beat New Orleans 108-89 on Friday night, with James leading the way with 36 points. When informed afterward of the statement, James said he appreciated Riley having his back.

"That's who we are," James said. "We ride together, all of us, from the top to the bottom. We all protect each other on and off the floor and it was big-time to see that."

Associated Press

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Pest Control Tricks For Ridding Your Home Of - Professur ...

Do you have annoying pests in and around your home? Are you being driven crazy by these critters? Pests can be really problematic to your life as a whole. Some pests pose serious health risks. Continue reading to find out how to address your pest issues.

If you?re having a major pest problem, try switching out all of your small appliances. Ask your loved ones for extra toasters and coffee pots, and dispose of the ones in your house. Some bugs will settle in every crack and hole they can find, including the inside of appliances.

Nobody likes the idea that there are microscopic bugs in their bedding and other areas of their environment. Many have dust-mite allergies, but even if you are not allergic, it is always a great idea to keep them under control. Make sure to wash your bedding in very hot water every week and utilize pillow cases that are non-permeable.

Solutions to pest and bug problems are just around the corner. Go to a local store that specializes in home improvement and see if the professionals can help you eliminate pests. They are trained to know which remedies work effectively for all the different types of pests.

Start from where the starting line is. You have to cut off the pests food source to stop them from coming into your home. Pests may be drawn to your house because water, food and shelter can be found there. Leaks, entry points, and food scraps need to all be eliminated.

Outdoor lighting is awesome for keeping away strangers, but it?s not so great at keeping away pests. Choose bulbs in colors of pink, orange or yellow if you want pests to be less attracted.

If you are hiring a pest-control company, always check with the BBB to make sure they have no complaints filed against them. Also make sure they have the proper licenses to spray pesticides. They must be insured and bonded, as well. This documentation must meet your eyes before letting them step food in your home.

Make sure the exterior of your house is clean. Keep your grass trimmed and sweep your drive, walkways and porches. Cleanliness is a powerful weapon against pest infestation.

If a professional has installed stations for baiting mice, learn where they?re placed. You must keep your pets away from these baited traps. If your pet or child was to accidentally ingest some of the poison, it could kill them.

Reduce the amount of clutter that you have in your home or basement to eliminate bugs. There are many areas in the home that are clutter magnets, like bookshelves counters, and tables. Invest some time in reducing the clutter in your home to eliminate places where rodents and bugs like to nest.

Don?t try to deal with a bee infestation yourself. Hire a professional for this task. It can be difficult to know whether your bee problem is due to Africanized bees; it can be the difference between life and death and important to know for sure.

After reading this article, you should know that pests are a problem that every homeowner must face eventually. To make sure you don?t have pests, apply the tips in this article to your life. Do not procrastinate. Put these tips to use today, and permanently get rid of pests. internet building and pest inspection sunshine coast

Source: http://www.damm-net.org/blog/2013/03/pest-control-tricks-for-ridding-your-home-of-those-annoying-critters/

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PS4's hardware, controller and origins detailed

A PlayStation 4 panel at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco Wednesday yielded some interesting new details on the upcoming console and how it will be better for gamers and developers alike ? and, surprisingly, that work began on it as early as 2008.

As far as changes players will notice right away, Sony representatives noted that the Blu-ray drive built in is 3 times faster than its predecessor's, meaning shorter loading times for disc-based games.

The controller, apart from the obvious additions of the touchscreen and colored LED, has also been tweaked: The analog sticks have been tightened, and the unresponsive "dead zone" in the center reduced, for improved sensitivity. The LED will be tracked by the new Eye camera, allowing motion controls and other in-game perks.

Unfortunately, there's still no indication of what the PS4 itself will look like ? that will likely have to wait until E3.

The news that the console had such an early start may come as a surprise to many, considering Sony denied they were working on a PS4 in 2011. Indeed, many industry commentators thought until recently that a 2013 debut for the next-generation consoles would be premature.

But Mark Cerny, the lead system architect for the PS4, told Gamasutra that he began canvassing developers and planning the architecture as early as 2008 ? making the decision to move away from the specialized Cell architecture of the PS3 and towards the more developer-friendly hardware found in ordinary PCs.

The PS3 has always been criticized as being tricky to develop for: Lots of power that is difficult to use properly. Its successor, as Sony repeated continually at its debut, will be far easier to navigate, and the newly-revealed specs bear that out.

Its 8 GB of high-speed RAM (GDDR5, normally found in high-powered graphics cards) will help to that end, and the 8-core CPU struck a balance between power and accessibility, as suggested by developers interviewed by Cerny. And the game-building tools are integrated tightly with existing Windows 7 development environments, removing a lot of trouble from the process.

More details are likely to be forthcoming as GDC wears on, although many are aimed more at technically-savvy developers than gamers themselves. The conference runs until Friday.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2a1bec00/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cingame0Cps4s0Ehardware0Econtroller0Eorigins0Edetailed0E1C9130A914/story01.htm

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Egypt: NGO Bill infringes international standards ? UN ... - Africa News

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- A group of United Nations independent human rights experts today urged the Egyptian Shura Council not to adopt a draft law on civil society organisations, which, in its current form, does not comply with international human rights norms and standards relating to freedom of association.

?It is highly regrettable that a government that was formed as a response to peaceful social activism can place such restrictions on people's right to freedom of association,? said the UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, on human rights defenders, and on freedom of opinion and expression. ?All actors should play a role in the conduct of public affairs.?

The human rights experts regretted that valuable recommendations put forward by Egyptian civil society actors were not taken into account in the drafting of the text.

?We are seriously concerned that numerous provisions contained in the draft law may be used to hamper the legitimate work of civil society organisations, particularly those advocating human rights,? they noted. The experts welcomed the Egyptian authorities' initiative to revise law 84/2002 due to its lack of compliance with international standards; however, they warned that ?the draft legislation currently being considered by the Shura Council has a number of serious shortcomings.?

According to the draft legislation on civil society organisations, associations' funds will be considered public funds; and associations will also be banned from obtaining funds from abroad without prior permission.

?These provisions, combined with the right for the administration and any interested individual to object to any decision taken by an association or to any of its activities, will compromise the role of independent civil society organisations, which is essential, particularly in times of political transition,? warned the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai. ?By stipulating that representatives of associations may be subjected to prison sentences and heavy fines if the organisation receives foreign funding without authorisation, the authorities will deter civil society from seeking funding, thereby restricting an integral and vital part of the right to freedom of association.?

The draft law also limits the activities which can be carried out by a foreign non-governmental organisation to those consistent with the needs of Egyptian society and in accordance with the priorities of development plans, and taking into account the public order and morals.

?For human rights defenders, acting freely and independently to assess the human rights situation is a fundamental aspect of their role, regardless of their official status,? underlined the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya. ?The draft law gives excessive power to the authorities and this may well ultimately impede associations from fulfilling their crucial function in the promotion and protection of human rights.?

The Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, drew special attention to the fact that the draft law prohibits the registration of foreign non-governmental organisations that receive ?governmental funds directly or indirectly' and carry out activities that promote ?views or policies of a political party in its country of origin or violate national sovereignty.' ?These terms are vague, and may be arbitrarily interpreted and may thus lead to further restrictions of the right to freedom of expression,? he warned.

The three UN independent experts recalled Egypt's adoption of an important resolution on human rights defenders passed by the UN Human Rights Council on 21 March 2013.

?We welcome the stance taken by the Government of Egypt in the Human Rights Council, by signing onto the resolution on human rights defenders last week, and we now urge the authorities to comply with their own engagements at the international level,? Mr. Kiai, Ms. Sekaggya and Mr. La Rue said.

?We stand ready to provide any technical support and assistance to ensure that this draft legislation meets international standards, including by undertaking official country visits,? the Special Rapporteurs concluded.

Source: http://www.africanews.it/english/egypt-ngo-bill-infringes-international-standards-un-rights-experts-urge-legislators-to-reject-it/

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North Koreans Rally to Support Threat of Military Strike (Voice Of America)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295408028?client_source=feed&format=rss

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How herpesvirus invades nervous system

Mar. 27, 2013 ? Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a component of the herpesvirus that "hijacks" machinery inside human cells, allowing the virus to rapidly and successfully invade the nervous system upon initial exposure.

Led by Gregory Smith, associate professor in immunology and microbiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, researchers found that viral protein 1-2, or VP1/2, allows the herpesvirus to interact with cellular motors, known as dynein. Once the protein has overtaken this motor, the virus can speed along intercellular highways, or microtubules, to move unobstructed from the tips of nerves in skin to the nuclei of neurons within the nervous system.

This is the first time researchers have shown a viral protein directly engaging and subverting the cellular motor; most other viruses passively hitch a ride into the nervous system.

"This protein not only grabs the wheel, it steps on the gas," says Smith. "Overtaking the cellular motor to invade the nervous system is a complicated accomplishment that most viruses are incapable of achieving. Yet the herpesvirus uses one protein, no others required, to transport its genetic information over long distances without stopping."

Herpesvirus is widespread in humans and affects more than 90 percent of adults in the United States. It is associated with several types of recurring diseases, including cold sores, genital herpes, chicken pox, and shingles. The virus can live dormant in humans for a lifetime, and most infected people do not know they are disease carriers. The virus can occasionally turn deadly, resulting in encephalitis in some.

Until now, scientists knew that herpesviruses travel quickly to reach neurons located deep inside the body, but the mechanism by which they advance remained a mystery.

Smith's team conducted a variety of experiments with VP1/2 to demonstrate its important role in transporting the virus, including artificial activation and genetic mutation of the protein. The team studied the herpesvirus in animals, and also in human and animal cells in culture under high-resolution microscopy. In one experiment, scientists mutated the virus with a slower form of the protein dyed red, and raced it against a healthy virus dyed green. They observed that the healthy virus outran the mutated version down nerves to the neuron body to insert DNA and establish infection.

"Remarkably, this viral protein can be artificially activated, and in these conditions it zips around within cells in the absence of any virus. It is striking to watch," Smith says.

He says that understanding how the viruses move within people, especially from the skin to the nervous system, can help better prevent the virus from spreading.

Additionally, Smith says, "By learning how the virus infects our nervous system, we can mimic this process to treat unrelated neurologic diseases. Even now, laboratories are working on how to use herpesviruses to deliver genes into the nervous system and kill cancer cells."

Smith's team will next work to better understand how the protein functions. He notes that many researchers use viruses to learn how neurons are connected to the brain.

"Some of our mutants will advance brain mapping studies by resolving these connections more clearly than was previously possible," he says.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Northwestern University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Sofia?V. Zaichick, Kevin?P. Bohannon, Ami Hughes, Patricia?J. Sollars, Gary?E. Pickard, Gregory?A. Smith. The Herpesvirus VP1/2 Protein Is an Effector of Dynein-Mediated Capsid Transport and Neuroinvasion. Cell Host & Microbe, 2013; 13 (2): 193 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2013.01.009

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/DpfJns9Ndl0/130328091754.htm

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Filipino devotees reenact crucifixion of Christ

SAN PEDRO CUTUD, Philippines (AP) ? Devotees in villages in the northern Philippines took part in a bloody annual ritual to mark Good Friday, a celebration that mixes Roman Catholic devotion and Filipino folk beliefs and sees some reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

The crucified devotees spent several minutes nailed to crosses in Pampanga province while thousands of tourists watched and took photos of the spectacle, which the church discourages. Earlier in the day, hooded male penitents trudged through the province's villages under the blazing sun while flagellating their bleeding backs with makeshift whips. Others carried wooden crosses to dramatize Christ's sacrifice.

Devotees undergo the hardships in the belief that such extreme sacrifices are a way to atone for their sins, attain miracle cures for illnesses or give thanks to God.

Alex Laranang, a 58-year-old vendor who was the first to be nailed to a cross Friday, said he was doing it "for good luck and for my family to be healthy."

It was the 27th crucifixion for sign painter Ruben Enaje, 52, one of the most popular penitents from San Pedro Cutud village. He began his yearly rite after surviving a fall from a building.

Enaje screamed in pain as men dressed as Roman soldiers hammered stainless steel nails into his palms and feet. A wireless microphone carried his voice to loudspeakers for everyone watching to hear.

His cross was raised and he was hanged there for several minutes under the searing afternoon sun before the nails were pulled out and he was taken on a stretcher to a first aid station.

"It's intriguing and fascinating what makes people do something like this, how you can believe so much that you make yourself suffer to that extent," said Dita Tittesass, a tourist from Denmark.

Remigio de la Cruz, the chief of San Pedro Cutud village, explained that the practice began in his village in the 1950s.

Archbishop Jose Palma, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, told the church-run Radio Veritas that the practice is "not the desire of Jesus Christ."

"We are aware that this has been practiced long before ... but we still hope that this will not be done any more," he said. "We should all concentrate on prayers."

_____

Associated Press writer Oliver Teves contributed to this from Manila.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/filipino-devotees-reenact-crucifixion-christ-093544016.html

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