We handle the biggest injury news throughout the day in the Rumor Mill.
The rest goes right here, in the weekly injury report segment designed to freak you out.
1. The big names we?ve already covered Friday: Tom Brady, Logan Mankins, Osi Umenyiora, Aaron Rodgers, Charles Woodson, Reggie Bush, LeSean McCoy, and?Colt McCoy. ?(Note: The McCoys are not related.)
2. Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin was upgraded to doubtful with a knee injury after running on Friday. Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda (chest) is also doubtful. That?s a big loss for Baltimore.
3. The Bengals? biggest injury concern is defensive end Carlos Dunlap. He?s questionable with a hamstring injury. He did practice all week in a limited fashion.
4. The Titans are healthy for their game against Houston. Defensive end?Jason Jones is the only Titan not expected to play.
5. ?San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson is probable despite missing practice most of the week with a groin injury. Running back Ryan Mathews (calf) is a gametime decision.
6. The Broncos are expected to play without safety Brian Dawkins. He?s doubtful with a neck injury.
7. Rams quarterbacks Sam Bradford (ankle) and A.J. Feeley (thumb) are both doubtful to play in the season finale. Kellen Clemens will wrap up the season at quarterback for the Rams.
8. The Bears list Brian Urlacher (knee) as questionable, but he?s expected to play Sunday. Marion Barber (calf) is doubtful.
9. Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (achilles) will be a gametime decision against the Seahawks. ?Kevin Kolb (concussion) is listed as questionable, but he?s not expected to be active Sunday.
10. The Chiefs will head into Denver without running back Jackie Battle, who has been ruled out with a foot injury.
11. The Panthers will be without their best defensive player. Defensive end Charles Johnson (back) is doubtful. He finishes with nine sacks on the year.
12. New Orleans will be without running back?Mark Ingram (toe) and wideout Lance Moore (hamstring). It?s looking like Ingram won?t be back for the playoffs. Jonathan?Vilma (knee) and?Malcolm Jenkins (neck) are questionable. They should play after being limited in practice.
13. Dallas Clark is officially questionable with a neck injury. He should play in what could be his final game as a Colt. Oh, and Peyton Manning (neck) is officially listed as out for the 16th straight week.
14. Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) is officially probable. He?s fully expected to start, although he may not play the whole game against the Browns. Center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) is also probable. ?LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) is doubtful.
15. The Raiders are likely to get wideout?Jacoby Ford (foot) and safety Michael Huff (hamstring) back this week. They are both questionable, but practiced all week. Darren McFadden (foot) is out again.
16. The 49ers should have?Patrick Willis (hamstring) available if they want to use him. He?s questionable, but has practiced during the week.
17. The Redskins should get running back?Roy Helu (toe,?knee) back in the mix. He?s questionable.
Thanks for reading all year if you made it this far. Now say hello to your families.
Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, talked about his memoir. During this event he was interviewed by Jose Antonio Vargas, former Washington Post reporter and senior contributing editor at Huffington Post. He also .. Read More
Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, talked about his memoir. During this event he was interviewed by Jose Antonio Vargas, former Washington Post reporter and senior contributing editor at Huffington Post. He also responded to questions submitted by members of the audience. This was part of the Computer History Museum 2011 lecture series celebrating Revolutionaries.
Jetstar has revealed plans to attract another partner for its new Japan venture, the Jetstar Japan, adding up to the budget airline's present investors - Japan Airlines and trading firm Mitsubishi.
As part of Qantas', Jetstar's mother company, restructuring efforts for its ailing international services, Jetstar Japan is seen by the airline to beef up its regional strategy with focused on servicing flights within the world's third biggest economy.
Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan told The Australian that the low-cost airline is considering two locations for its operational hub - Tokyo and Kansai.
From there, Buchanan said Jetstar Japan will service flights in and out of Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa, with plans of adding more destinations in the immediate future, serving as the anchor of the company's pan-Asian expansion plans.
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That growth plan, Buchanan said, is hoped to generate at least $2.5 billion in the near term.
For starters, however, Jetstar Japan needs to strengthen its current standing, which according to Buchanan carries a start-up capital of $150 million, with up to 24 aircrafts to support its initial Japanese service flights.
Jetstar has scheduled for flights to commence by the last quarter of 2012, with a specific target of generating $1 billion in total revenues over the next two years, The Australian wrote.
To ensure greater success for the new Qantas investment, Jetstar is looking for another investor that will be given half the 16 percent stakes currently maintained by Mitsubishi.
This fourth entity, Buchanan said, will enjoy equal voting rights with Jetstar, Japan Airlines and Mitsubishi.
Transactions have already commenced and barring any major glitches, a deal could be struck early next year, Buchanan said.
"It is not too far away. Once we knuckle through things, it will be three to four months," the Jetstar chief was quoted by The Australian as saying in hinting the possibility of a closed deal by early 2012.
"There are quite a few interested parties up there. It is a great time to get in at this stage for what we think will be an exciting opportunity. We want to ensure that the partner we bring on brings maximum strategic advantage for the business," Buchanan added.
SMU basketball coach Matt Dougherty talks with Dale Hansen about the big double-header at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday night featuring the Mustangs vs. Oklahoma State and Baylor pitted against Mississippi.
SYDNEY?? Whaling opponents attempting to stop Japan's annual whale hunt in the Southern Ocean off Antarctica have deployed a new weapon: pilotless drone aircraft that have already spotted its whaling fleet.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whose campaigns are showcased on the Discovery Channel's Animal Planet, said it located the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru off Australia's western coast on Saturday using the drones, the first time this season it has made contact with the whalers.
Other Japanese ships shielded the vessel "to allow it to escape" as the Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin ship approached on Christmas Day, Sea Shepherd said in a statement.
"This time, however, the Japanese tactic of tailing the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker will not work because the drones, one on the Steve Irwin and the other on the Bob Barker, can track and follow the Nisshin Maru and can relay the positions back to the Sea Shepherd ships," the group stated.
"We caught them due west of Perth," founder Paul Watson told Reuters by satellite phone from the Steve Irwin. "For the next few days we will be chasing them. We are heading south."
On Monday, Watson posted on the group's Facebook page that "The chase is on. Three Sea Shepherd ships and seven ships for the whaling fleet all bound for the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary on opposite missions."
Watson earlier said that the two drones are equipped with cameras and detection equipment and allow Sea Shepherd to monitor the whaling fleet from a distance.
"Thanks to these drones, we now have an advantage we have never had before ? eyes in the sky," Watson added.
Watson said Sea Shepherd's three ships were well outside Antarctic waters when the Japanese vessel was seen. The Sea Shepherd waited for the Nisshin Maru after hearing from fishermen it had sailed through the Lombok Strait in Indonesia on its voyage to Antarctic waters.
The Sea Shepherd society's annual attempts to stop the Japanese whale hunt by "direct action" have been widely criticized by Japan.
However, it also has influential supporters and the two drones were provided by two companies based in New Jersey.
An international moratorium on whaling has been in place since 1986, but Japan uses a provision that allows whaling for scientific purposes to justify its hunts and sale of whale meat to local markets.
BOGOTA (Reuters) ? Colombians rejoiced at the killing of top FARC rebel leader Alfonso Cano and hoped the biggest blow yet against Latin America's longest insurgency could herald an end to nearly five decades of war.
In a triumph for President Juan Manuel Santos' government, forces bombed a FARC jungle hideout in southwestern Cauca region on Friday, killing several rebels, Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon said.
Troops then rappelled down from helicopters to search the area, killing Cano in a gun battle a short time later.
Pictures of his dead body -- with his trademark beard shaven off -- were broadcast on television.
The death of the former student activist, who had a $3.7 million bounty on his head, is unlikely to spell a quick end to a war that has killed tens of thousands in the Andean nation.
But it will further damage the drug trade-funded rebels' ability to coordinate high profile bombings, ambushes and kidnappings that have brought it worldwide notoriety.
"It is the most devastating blow that this group has suffered in its history," Santos said in a brief televised address to the nation.
"I want to send a message to each and every member of that organization: 'demobilize' ... or otherwise you will end up in a prison or in a tomb. We will achieve peace."
In one road on the outskirts of Bogota lined with bars and restaurants, revelers spilled into the street, dancing and chanting with joy: "Cano is dead!"
Even prior to its decapitation, the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, had been battered by a U.S.-backed military campaign that began in 2002. The waning insurgency has lost several other key commanders in the past four years.
"This brings us closer to victory and peace so that we can stop killing each other," said Jorge Cordero, a 19-year-old soldier on guard duty in the north of Bogota.
The death of Cano, 63, who took over leadership of the rebels after FARC's founder died in 2008, was a major strategic victory for Santos, who came to office last year promising to keep up a hard-line stance against the guerrillas.
It will ease the pressure he has been under over a recent upsurge in small-scale attacks, and will also reassure investors in the booming oil and mining sectors.
Cano's death followed the killing last year of one of his main henchmen, Mono Jojoy, in a bombing and raid of his camp.
REBELS WEAKEST IN DECADES
"It's going to be more and more hard for them to get through the next years," said Alfredo Rangel, an independent security analyst.
"There's no leader with the intensity that Cano has and it will be hard to get someone to replace him. In the short term there will be a lack of leadership. The end won't be automatic or immediate, but we are coming to the end of the FARC."
Cano went from being a middle-class communist youth activist in Bogota to become the top FARC leader after taking part in peace talks in Venezuela and Mexico during the 1990s.
The strike that killed him underscored how Colombia's military can now attack rebel leaders deep in the country's mountains and jungles. Once a powerful force controlling large swaths of Colombia, the FARC is at its weakest in decades.
Violence, bombings and kidnappings from the conflict have eased sharply as Colombian troops use better intelligence, U.S. training and technology to take the fight to the rebels.
Foreign investment in Colombia has surged since the military crackdown began in 2002, especially in oil and mining. But the FARC and other armed groups have continued to pose a threat in rural areas where the state's presence is weak and cocaine trafficking lets the rebels finance their operations.
Security gains have helped Colombia recoup investment-grade credit ratings from three Wall Street agencies this year.
"The death of Alfonso Cano confirms that there has been a turning point in the war against the FARC," said Daniel Loza, an analyst at local brokerage Serfinco. "It is another factor that boosts investor confidence in Colombia."
Desertions and military operations have whittled down rebel ranks to about 7,000 fighters, but the FARC has survived for more than 40 years, and still has a cadre of experienced mid-level commanders. Rebels are relying increasingly on hit-and-run tactics and ambushes in rural areas.
The FARC, whose rebels have made incursions into Venezuela and Ecuador at times to elude Colombia's army, are on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.
(Additional reporting by Nelson Bocanegra and Helen Murphy; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Todd Eastham)
The attorney for one of the women who accused Herman Cain of sexual harassment said Friday that the then-National Restaurant Association CEO engaged in ?inappropriate behavior? and ?unwanted advances? that led to a cash payout in 1999.
The woman declined to reveal her identity or detail the nature of the claim.
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Accuser's attorney on complaint
Sunday hosts on Cain saga
?These complaints were resolved in an agreement with her acceptance of a monetary settlement,? said Joel Bennett, the attorney, at a news conference outside his Washington, D.C. law office.
Reading a statement he said he wrote jointly with his client, Bennett declined to say how much money his client received. POLITICO has reported it was approximately $45,000.
Bennett indicated that the woman, now a federal employee, is happy in her current job and doesn?t want to publicly recount her experience with Cain.
?[I]t would be extremely painful to do so,? said the attorney, reading the statement.
Asked directly about the nature of the harassment against the woman, Bennett said: ?Beyond what?s in the statement, she has decided not to relive the specifics of the incidents so I cannot give any further detail.?
He did, however, say his client endured multiple encounters with Cain.
Questioned about Cain?s denials this week that he harassed the woman, Bennett said: ?Those statements are inaccurate factually.?
He added: ?Mr. Cain knows the specific incidents that were alleged. My client filed a written complaint in 1999 against him specifically and it had very specific incidents in it and if he chose to not remember or not acknowledge those, that?s his issue.?
The attorney said they had not asked the restaurant trade group to strike the non-disclosure language from her settlement, only to let him make the approved-upon statement.
In their own statement, the restaurant association confirmed that the woman ?filed a formal internal complaint? and that Cain disputed the charges.
?The Association and Mr. Bennett?s client subsequently entered into an agreement to resolve the matter, without any admission of liability,? said Dawn Sweeney, the group?s current CEO. ?Mr. Cain was not a party to that agreement. The agreement contains mutual confidentiality obligations. Notwithstanding the Association?s ongoing policy of maintaining the privacy of all personnel matters, we have advised Mr. Bennett that we are willing to waive the confidentiality of this matter and permit Mr. Bennett?s client to comment.?
Cain, seeking to move past a story that has engulfed his campaign this week, released a statement that made no mention of the issue at hand.
?We look forward to focusing our attention on the real issues impacting this country, like fixing this broken economy and putting Americans back to work through our ?9-9-9? plan, as well as strengthening national security,? said Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon.
The comparisons were inevitable, but Jennifer Lawrence would like to stop them before they grow too loud.
"The Hunger Games is not Twilight," the actress, who plays the main role of Katniss Everdeen in this March 23 release, says in the latest issue of Vanity Fair. "It's really premature to say that it will be the same phenomenon."
Lawrence stars in the movie alongside an impressive young cast, pictured above on set in North Carolina, that includes Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. They round out the teen participants forced to compete to the death in the government-mandated Hunger Games.
"I'm so proud of the work we did on the film," Lawrence gushes. "[Director] Gary Ross and the entire cast and crew were amazing, and I can't wait for it to be brought to life because I think it's an important story. If it does become a crazy phenomenon, I'll soak up my freedom now!"
Pick up the latest issue of Vanity Fair for more from this young, rising star. To get your first look at Lawrence as Katniss, view this sneak peek.
Erasing the signs of aging in cells is now a realityPublic release date: 3-Nov-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Juliette Hardy presse@inserm.fr INSERM (Institut national de la sant et de la recherche mdicale)
Inserm's AVENIR "Genomic plasticity and aging" team, directed by Jean-Marc Lemaitre, Inserm researcher at the Functional Genomics Institute (Inserm/CNRS/Universit de Montpellier 1 and 2), has recently succeeded in rejuvenating cells from elderly donors (aged over 100). These old cells were reprogrammed in vitro to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and to rejuvenated and human embryonic stem cells (hESC): cells of all types can again be differentiated after this genuine "rejuvenation" therapy. The results represent significant progress for research into iPSC cells and a further step forwards for regenerative medicine.
The results are published in the Genes & Development Journal dated 1 November 2011.
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are undifferentiated multiple-function cells. They can divide and form all types of differentiated adult cells in the body (neurones, cardiac cells, skin cells, liver cells, etc...)
Since 2007, a handful of research teams across the world have been capable of reprogramming human adult cells into induced pluripotent cells (iPSC), which have similar characteristics and potential to human embryonic stem cells (hESC). This kind of reprogramming makes it possible to reform all human cell types without the ethical restrictions related to using embryonic stem cells.
Until now, research results demonstrated that senescence (the final stage of cellular aging) was an obstacle blocking the use of this technique for therapeutic applications in elderly patients.
Today, Inserm researcher Jean-Marc Lemaitre and his team have overcome this obstacle. The researchers have successfully rejuvenated cells from elderly donors, some over 100 years old, thus demonstrating the reversibility of the cellular aging process.
To achieve this, they used an adapted strategy that consisted of reprogramming cells using a specific "cocktail" of six genetic factors, while erasing signs of aging. The researchers proved that the iPSC cells thus obtained then had the capacity to reform all types of human cells. They have the physiological characteristics of "young" cells, both from the perspective of their proliferative capacity and their cellular metabolisms.
A cocktail of six genetic factors...
Researchers first multiplied skin cells (fibroblasts) from a 74 year-old donor to obtain the senescence characterized by the end of cellular proliferation. They then completed the in vitro reprogramming of the cells. In this study, Jean-Marc Lemaitre and his team firstly confirmed that this was not possible using the batch of four genetic factors (OCT4, SOX2, C MYC and KLF4) traditionally used. They then added two additional factors (NANOG and LIN28) that made it possible to overcome this barrier.
Using this new "cocktail" of six factors, the senescent cells, programmed into functional iPSC cells, re-acquired the characteristics of embryonic pluripotent stem cells.
In particular, they recovered their capacity for self-renewal and their former differentiation potential, and do not preserve any traces of previous aging.
To check the "rejuvenated" characteristics of these cells, the researchers tested the reverse process. The rejuvenated iPSC cells were again differentiated to adult cells and compared to the original old cells, as well as to those obtained using human embryonic pluripotetent stem cells (hESC).
"Signs of aging were erased and the iPSCs obtained can produce functional cells, of any type, with an increased proliferation capacity and longevity," explains Jean-Marc Lemaitre who directs the Inserm AVENIR team.
tested on cells taken from donors over the age of 100.
The results obtained led the research team to test the cocktail on even older cells taken from donors of 92, 94 and 96, and even up to 101 years old. "Our strategy worked on cells taken from donors in their 100s. The age of cells is definitely not a reprogramming barrier." He concluded. "This research paves the way for the therapeutic use of iPS, insofar as an ideal source of adult cells is provided, which are tolerated by the immune system and can repair organs or tissues in elderly patients." adds the researcher.
Inserm Transfert filed a patent request for this research.
Jean-Marc Lemaitre took advantage of the Avenir programme in 2006. This programme was created in 2001 by Inserm and provides a platform for young researchers, who have obtained their PhD in science, to set up and coordinate a team within an existing research structure. In 2009, Inserm and CNRS merged their respective programmes aimed at young researchers, and from that date on they have launched a joint call for proposals: Atip-Avenir.
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.
Erasing the signs of aging in cells is now a realityPublic release date: 3-Nov-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Juliette Hardy presse@inserm.fr INSERM (Institut national de la sant et de la recherche mdicale)
Inserm's AVENIR "Genomic plasticity and aging" team, directed by Jean-Marc Lemaitre, Inserm researcher at the Functional Genomics Institute (Inserm/CNRS/Universit de Montpellier 1 and 2), has recently succeeded in rejuvenating cells from elderly donors (aged over 100). These old cells were reprogrammed in vitro to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and to rejuvenated and human embryonic stem cells (hESC): cells of all types can again be differentiated after this genuine "rejuvenation" therapy. The results represent significant progress for research into iPSC cells and a further step forwards for regenerative medicine.
The results are published in the Genes & Development Journal dated 1 November 2011.
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are undifferentiated multiple-function cells. They can divide and form all types of differentiated adult cells in the body (neurones, cardiac cells, skin cells, liver cells, etc...)
Since 2007, a handful of research teams across the world have been capable of reprogramming human adult cells into induced pluripotent cells (iPSC), which have similar characteristics and potential to human embryonic stem cells (hESC). This kind of reprogramming makes it possible to reform all human cell types without the ethical restrictions related to using embryonic stem cells.
Until now, research results demonstrated that senescence (the final stage of cellular aging) was an obstacle blocking the use of this technique for therapeutic applications in elderly patients.
Today, Inserm researcher Jean-Marc Lemaitre and his team have overcome this obstacle. The researchers have successfully rejuvenated cells from elderly donors, some over 100 years old, thus demonstrating the reversibility of the cellular aging process.
To achieve this, they used an adapted strategy that consisted of reprogramming cells using a specific "cocktail" of six genetic factors, while erasing signs of aging. The researchers proved that the iPSC cells thus obtained then had the capacity to reform all types of human cells. They have the physiological characteristics of "young" cells, both from the perspective of their proliferative capacity and their cellular metabolisms.
A cocktail of six genetic factors...
Researchers first multiplied skin cells (fibroblasts) from a 74 year-old donor to obtain the senescence characterized by the end of cellular proliferation. They then completed the in vitro reprogramming of the cells. In this study, Jean-Marc Lemaitre and his team firstly confirmed that this was not possible using the batch of four genetic factors (OCT4, SOX2, C MYC and KLF4) traditionally used. They then added two additional factors (NANOG and LIN28) that made it possible to overcome this barrier.
Using this new "cocktail" of six factors, the senescent cells, programmed into functional iPSC cells, re-acquired the characteristics of embryonic pluripotent stem cells.
In particular, they recovered their capacity for self-renewal and their former differentiation potential, and do not preserve any traces of previous aging.
To check the "rejuvenated" characteristics of these cells, the researchers tested the reverse process. The rejuvenated iPSC cells were again differentiated to adult cells and compared to the original old cells, as well as to those obtained using human embryonic pluripotetent stem cells (hESC).
"Signs of aging were erased and the iPSCs obtained can produce functional cells, of any type, with an increased proliferation capacity and longevity," explains Jean-Marc Lemaitre who directs the Inserm AVENIR team.
tested on cells taken from donors over the age of 100.
The results obtained led the research team to test the cocktail on even older cells taken from donors of 92, 94 and 96, and even up to 101 years old. "Our strategy worked on cells taken from donors in their 100s. The age of cells is definitely not a reprogramming barrier." He concluded. "This research paves the way for the therapeutic use of iPS, insofar as an ideal source of adult cells is provided, which are tolerated by the immune system and can repair organs or tissues in elderly patients." adds the researcher.
Inserm Transfert filed a patent request for this research.
Jean-Marc Lemaitre took advantage of the Avenir programme in 2006. This programme was created in 2001 by Inserm and provides a platform for young researchers, who have obtained their PhD in science, to set up and coordinate a team within an existing research structure. In 2009, Inserm and CNRS merged their respective programmes aimed at young researchers, and from that date on they have launched a joint call for proposals: Atip-Avenir.
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.
Ricki Lake earns top score, but Rob and J.R. Martinez aren't far behind. By Kelley L. Carter
Cheryl Burke and Robert Kardashian Photo: ABC
There wasn't much scary on Monday night's "Dancing With the Stars."
The reality competition show is down to the last six couples, and nearly everyone stepped up their game on the show's Halloween show. Everyone dressed the part -- some scary, some just plain old fun -- and the judges seemed mostly pleased.
Once again at the top of of the leaderboard were Ricki Lake and Derek Hough, who earned three 9's from the judges. The show also had the celebrities doing a group dance the judges also scored, which was added to their individual scores.
David Arquette and Kym Johnson Arquette and his partner took on the cha-cha-cha dressed as a magician and a magician's assistant, and the judges found the dance to be, well, magical. "Lots of tricks and lots of treats. You've turned yourself into a dancer here. You need a little bit more rhythm, but overall, well done," said head judge Len Goodman. 24/30
J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff The war hero has been consistently impressing judges -- and voters, apparently -- with his dance moves. On Monday night, he took on the tango, and the judges for the most part thought the duo captured the tone of the piece and found the dance to be upbeat, precise and sharp. "Another very solid performance. This timing was so hard and you actually lost it a few times. You know it," judge Bruno Tonioli said. 25/30
Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus Dressed as a devilish duo, the judges thought their routine was off this week. The big problem was the footwork, they said. "Well we have our good days and we have our not-so-good days. Last week was a good day, this week was not so good. I watched you, and you are having the time of your life, and I give you so much credit for that. But you sort of lost your choreography," judge Carrie Ann Inaba said. 21/30
Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke The Kardashians took on the tango this week and hoped to make the judges rethink the relative low scores they gave him last week. In the audience to cheer him on was his sister Kourtney, her boyfriend Scott and their son, Mason. (Missing, of course, was his sister Kim Kardashian, who filed for divorce after 72 days of marriage with NBA player Kris Humphries.) As for the performance, the judges thought it was his best dance yet. "I thought you did a terrific job. Your footwork was good; it had the right amount of attack. ... You did a terrific job. And this is a gruesome week, because we've got the team dance coming," Goodman said. 25/30
Ricki Lake and Derek Hough The former talk-show hostess danced the paso doble (dressed as Little Red Riding Hood), and the judges said that in spite of her nursing an injury, they loved the shapes and twists that she made. "It was like a blizzard of passion and fear! Another incredible performance," Tonioli said. 27/30
Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy The athlete danced the samba, and unlike past weeks, the judges thought that she coped well with what they considered to be a difficult dance. They liked the production and thought she danced as if her life depended on it. "There's a newfound ease with you, and it's beautiful to see," Inaba said. 24/30
All the celebrities also danced a group dance -- Team Tango and Team Paso Doble -- and they got scored by the judges. Team Tango (Grace, Martinez and Arquette) danced to Rihanna's "Disturbia," and the judges thought they didn't do as well when they danced individually as couples, but liked when they danced as a group. 23/30 Team Paso Doble (Lake, Kardashian and Solo) fared much better. They danced to Evanescence's "Wake Me Up Inside," and the judges thought it was powerful, moody and dramatic. 26/30
Who had your favorite dance Monday? Let us know in the comments!
That's the (incorrect) reason why Facebook has a minimum age requirement, according to parents in a peer-reviewed study, "Why Parents Help Their Children Lie to Facebook About Age: Unintended Consequences of the 'Children's Online Privacy Protection Act' (available from FirstMonday.org).
Other wrong responses included "because it?s more for adults," "children don?t need to have a social media presence"? and "due to adult content and language." Still,?"I don't know" was the most common response from parents who were even aware Facebook has an age restriction.
Of the 1,007 parents polled (all with kids aged 10-13), only two referenced?the correct answer: "Privacy." More specifically, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Live Poll
Should Facebook have an age restriction?
165693
No, it doesn't work!
25%
165694
Yes, it needs enforcement!
46%
165695
Nobody should be on Facebook!
12%
165696
Other (explain in comments)
2%
165697
How is this news?
14%
VoteTotal Votes: 310
Enacted?by U.S.?Congress in 1998 (practically the Paleozoic era of the Internet), COPPA?requires commercial websites to obtain parental permission before collecting the personal info of any user under the age of 13. Facebook and other popular social networks avoid COPPA's costly,?cumbersome restrictions by simply restricting user age.
Thirteen years later, parents know little about the government restrictions meant to protect their kids' privacy, and many allow their children to lie about their ages to?join Facebook, while losing the intended protections of the government.
That's not how it's supposed to work, according to?the study which published these findings:
Half of parents in the study reported that their child is on Facebook, even in cases where children do not meet the legal age requirement for use of the site.
Among parents of children who are old enough to be on Facebook ? the parents of 13? and 14?year?olds ? almost three quarters (72 percent) report that their child uses the site.
Almost a fifth (19 percent) of respondents who were reporting on their 10?year?old child?s online experiences also noted that the child has a Facebook account. This number increases to nearly a third (32 percent) for children age 11 and over half (55 percent) for 12?year?olds.
While only 53 percent of parents believe that there is a minimum age, most (89 percent) parents stated that they believe that there "should" be a minimum age for Facebook use.
Of the 89 percent who believe that there should be a minimum age, the average age that they suggest is 14.9, which is considerably higher than the current minimum age (13). Interestingly, this age is also higher than what these same parents suggest is an appropriate age for a child to join Facebook: 14.
Why parents help their children lie to Facebook
But it's not Facebook and other such sites that need to change, or even parents, the study concludes. It's COPPA.
For the most part, Facebook and other social networks respect COPPA by promptly dumping any account tied to an underage user.
"Facebook removes 20,000 people a day, people who are underage," Facebook privacy czar?Mozelle Thompson asserted in March, following a?study?by the Pew Internet & American Life Project that found nearly half of all 12-year-olds in the U.S. are using social network sites.
"If you are reporting a child?s account registered under a false date of birth, and the child?s age is reasonably verifiable as under 13, we will promptly delete the account. If the reported child?s age is not reasonably verifiable as under 13, then we may not be able to take action on the account," Thompson said.
Why parents help their children lie to Facebook about age
In May, Consumer Reports said that 7.5 million Facebook users are under age 13, and?"a majority of parents of kids 10 and under seemed largely unconcerned by their children?s use of the site.? Further, the magazine's survey found "found that their accounts were largely unsupervised by their parents, exposing them to malware or serious threats such as predators or bullies."
These findings don't differ much from the new study:
Although many sites restrict access to children, our data show that many parents knowingly allow their children to lie about their age ? in fact, often help them to do so ? in order to gain access to age?restricted sites in violation of those sites? Terms of Service (TOS). This is especially true for general?audience social media sites and communication services such as Facebook, Gmail, and Skype, which allow children to connect with peers, classmates, and family members for educational, social, or familial reasons.
Parents equate age restrictions with maturity, and many considered that the litmus test as to whether they allowed their kids to violate Facebook's Terms of Service by lying about their age to join, according to the study. It also found that parents are indeed concerned about privacy and online safety issues, but they also may?not understand the risks that children face or how their data or how their data are used. "
Perhaps parental unawareness of privacy issues speaks well of COPPA's initial effectiveness. "COPPA has succeeded both in stopping some egregious predatory data practices and in raising some level of awareness of the issue of collecting data about children," the study points out. "The FTC has actively enforced COPPA, leveraging civil penalties against those who fail to obtain parental consent or ineffectively implement its provisions."?
Of course, when kids lie about their age to get on Facebook, their personal data is collected, no parental consent needed. Indeed, a lot has changed since COPPA launched in 1998. "Social network sites, mobile communication technology, geo?locative data (i.e., a child?s physical location as known to a Web service or mobile device), and interactive media," are the examples cited?in 2010 by the FTC calling for public comments revisiting COPPA.
"Perverts" will always be an Internet danger parents need to be concerned about. "Adult content and language" is now unavoidable in any media form, and arguably "a social media presence" is now a fact of life. Laws can't replace parents when it comes to safely shepherding children through the unavoidable Internet, but there online privacy has its place for both children and adults.
As the government continues to wrestle with Internet regulation and online privacy, the study points out that age restriction ? given both the difficulty in online age verification and parental willingness to allow kids to lie?? is not a realistic solution. Instead, the study proposes that "policy?makers shift away from privacy regulation models that are based on age or other demographic categories and, instead, develop universal privacy protections for online users."?
Note:"Why Parents Help Their Children Lie to Facebook About Age: Unintended Consequences of the 'Children's Online Privacy Protection Act' (available from FirstMonday.org) is authored by Berkman Center for Internet & Society members danah boyd,?Eszter Hargittai, Jason Schultz, and John Palfrey.
More on the annoying way we live now:
Helen A.S. Popkin?goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job on Twitter and/or Facebook.?Also, Google+.
A hormone ensures its futurePublic release date: 2-Nov-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Yivsam Azgad news@weizmann.ac.il 972-893-43856 Weizmann Institute of Science
Scientists reveal the structure of a brain area where hormones that regulate vial body processes pass into the blood
Much of the body's chemistry is controlled by the brain from blood pressure to appetite to food metabolism. In a study published recently in Developmental Cell, a team of scientists led by Dr. Gil Levkowitz of the Weizmann Institute has revealed the exact structure of one crucial brain area in which biochemical commands are passed from the brain cells to the bloodstream and from there to the body. In the process, they discovered a surprising new role for the 'hormone of love,' showing that it helps to direct the development of this brain structure.
The area in question, the neuro-hypophysis, is an interface between nerve fibers and blood vessels located at the base of the brain. Here, some of the major brain-body interactions take place: Hormones released from nerves into the blood vessels regulate a series of vital body processes, including the balance of fluids and uterine contractions in childbirth.
Although the neurohypophysis has been studied for more than a century, the scientists in the Weizmann Institute-led study developed new genetic tools that enabled them to examine the exact three-dimensional arrangement of this brain structure and clarify the cellular and molecular processes leading to its formation. Since the human neurohypophysis is exceedingly complex, the scientists performed the research on live embryos of zebrafish. These fully transparent embryos offer a unique model for studying the vertebrate brain, lending themselves to genetic manipulation with relative ease and enabling researchers to observe the actual formation of a neurohypophysis under a microscope.
The study revealed a surprising new function for the hormonal messenger oxytocin, dubbed the 'hormone of love' because, in addition to controlling appetite and such female reproductive behaviors as breastfeeding, it is also involved in mother-child and mate bonding. The scientists showed that oxytocin, one of the two major hormones secreted in the adult neurohypophysis, is involved in the development of this brain area already in the embryo. At this stage, the oxytocin governs the formation of new blood vessels. 'The messenger helps to build the road for transmitting its own future messages,' says Levkowitz. Developmental Cell highlighted the study's findings in a preview headlined, 'The Hormone of Love Attracts a Partner for Life.'
These findings provide an important advance in basic research because they shed light on fundamental brain processes, but in the future they might also be relevant to the treatment of disease. Since the neurohypophysis is one of only a few portions of the brain able to regenerate after injury, an understanding of how it is formed may one day help achieve such regeneration in other parts of the central nervous system.
###
The research was conducted in Levkowitz's lab in the Molecular Cell Biology Department by Ph.D. student Amos Gutnick together with Dr. Janna Blechman. The Weizmann scientists worked in collaboration with Dr. Jan Kaslin of Monash University, Australia; Drs. Lukas Herwig, Heinz-Georg Belting and Markus Affolter of the University of Basel, Switzerland; and Dr. Joshua L. Bonkowsky of the University of Utah, United States.
Dr. Gil Levkowitz's research is supported by the Dekker Foundation; the Kirk Center for Childhood Cancer and Immunological Disorders; and the Irwin Green Alzheimer's Research Fund. Dr. Levkowitz is the incumbent of the Tauro Career Development Chair in Biomedical Research.
The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to 2,700 scientists, students, technicians and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials and developing new strategies for protecting the environment.
Weizmann Institute news releases are posted on the World Wide Web at http://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il, and are also available at http://www.eurekalert.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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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.
A hormone ensures its futurePublic release date: 2-Nov-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Yivsam Azgad news@weizmann.ac.il 972-893-43856 Weizmann Institute of Science
Scientists reveal the structure of a brain area where hormones that regulate vial body processes pass into the blood
Much of the body's chemistry is controlled by the brain from blood pressure to appetite to food metabolism. In a study published recently in Developmental Cell, a team of scientists led by Dr. Gil Levkowitz of the Weizmann Institute has revealed the exact structure of one crucial brain area in which biochemical commands are passed from the brain cells to the bloodstream and from there to the body. In the process, they discovered a surprising new role for the 'hormone of love,' showing that it helps to direct the development of this brain structure.
The area in question, the neuro-hypophysis, is an interface between nerve fibers and blood vessels located at the base of the brain. Here, some of the major brain-body interactions take place: Hormones released from nerves into the blood vessels regulate a series of vital body processes, including the balance of fluids and uterine contractions in childbirth.
Although the neurohypophysis has been studied for more than a century, the scientists in the Weizmann Institute-led study developed new genetic tools that enabled them to examine the exact three-dimensional arrangement of this brain structure and clarify the cellular and molecular processes leading to its formation. Since the human neurohypophysis is exceedingly complex, the scientists performed the research on live embryos of zebrafish. These fully transparent embryos offer a unique model for studying the vertebrate brain, lending themselves to genetic manipulation with relative ease and enabling researchers to observe the actual formation of a neurohypophysis under a microscope.
The study revealed a surprising new function for the hormonal messenger oxytocin, dubbed the 'hormone of love' because, in addition to controlling appetite and such female reproductive behaviors as breastfeeding, it is also involved in mother-child and mate bonding. The scientists showed that oxytocin, one of the two major hormones secreted in the adult neurohypophysis, is involved in the development of this brain area already in the embryo. At this stage, the oxytocin governs the formation of new blood vessels. 'The messenger helps to build the road for transmitting its own future messages,' says Levkowitz. Developmental Cell highlighted the study's findings in a preview headlined, 'The Hormone of Love Attracts a Partner for Life.'
These findings provide an important advance in basic research because they shed light on fundamental brain processes, but in the future they might also be relevant to the treatment of disease. Since the neurohypophysis is one of only a few portions of the brain able to regenerate after injury, an understanding of how it is formed may one day help achieve such regeneration in other parts of the central nervous system.
###
The research was conducted in Levkowitz's lab in the Molecular Cell Biology Department by Ph.D. student Amos Gutnick together with Dr. Janna Blechman. The Weizmann scientists worked in collaboration with Dr. Jan Kaslin of Monash University, Australia; Drs. Lukas Herwig, Heinz-Georg Belting and Markus Affolter of the University of Basel, Switzerland; and Dr. Joshua L. Bonkowsky of the University of Utah, United States.
Dr. Gil Levkowitz's research is supported by the Dekker Foundation; the Kirk Center for Childhood Cancer and Immunological Disorders; and the Irwin Green Alzheimer's Research Fund. Dr. Levkowitz is the incumbent of the Tauro Career Development Chair in Biomedical Research.
The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to 2,700 scientists, students, technicians and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials and developing new strategies for protecting the environment.
Weizmann Institute news releases are posted on the World Wide Web at http://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il, and are also available at http://www.eurekalert.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
ATHENS, Greece ? Greece's prime minister held firm early Wednesday to his shock decision to call for a referendum on a hard-fought European debt deal, despite anger from abroad, market turmoil across the world and dissent from within his own party.
George Papandreou's government still faced a battle for survival, with a vote of confidence scheduled for Friday and a grilling from frustrated European leaders expected later in the day ahead of the Group of 20 summit in the French Riviera.
After a grueling seven-hour Cabinet meeting that finished after 3 a.m. (0100GMT), government spokesman Ilias Mossialos said Papandreou's ministers expressed "total support for the initiatives taken by the prime minister." He said the referendum would be held "as soon as possible."
However, government officials said two ministers still had strong reservations with the idea of a referendum, which will be the first in Greece since the country voted to abolish the monarchy in 1974. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal details of the Cabinet meeting.
Papandreou told his ministers that putting the issue to the Greek people was the only way to safeguard the European deal.
"We will not implement any program by force, but only with the consent of the Greek people," he said. "This is our democratic tradition and we demand that it is also respected abroad."
A referendum, he said, "will be a clear mandate, and a clear message within and outside of Greece, about our European course and our participation in the euro," he said, according to a text of his speech to the meeting issued by his office.
"The dilemma is not 'this government or another one', the dilemma is 'yes or no to the agreement', 'yes or no to Europe', 'yes or no to the euro,'" he said.
World markets were hammered after Papandreou's surprise Monday night announcement amid fears the vote could unravel a deal which took European leaders months of complex negotiations among themselves and with banks to reach.
Greece's general price index plunged to close down 6.92 percent, while in Germany the Dax index, the major stock market average, lost 5 percent ? the equivalent of about 600 points on the Dow. The French stock market closed down 5.4 percent, the Italian 6.7 percent and London 2.2 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average finished down nearly 300 points, or 2.5 percent.
European leaders made no secret of their displeasure.
"This announcement surprised all of Europe," said a clearly annoyed French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has been scrambling to save face for Europe before he hosts leaders of the G20 major world economies beginning Thursday.
"Giving the people a say is always legitimate, but the solidarity of all countries of the eurozone cannot work unless each one consents to the necessary efforts," he said.
Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who have been at the forefront of Europe's efforts to contain the debt crisis, talked by phone and agreed to convene emergency talks Wednesday in Cannes, France, to which Papandreou was also summoned to discuss implementation of the bailout. The working dinner will also be attended by Jean-Claude Juncker, who chairs eurozone ministerial meetings, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde, top EU officials Herman Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso, and new European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.
French lawmaker Christian Estrosi was even more direct, saying on France-Info radio that the move was "totally irresponsible."
"I want to tell the Greek government that when you are in a situation of crisis, and others want to help you, it is insulting to try to save your skin instead of assuming your responsibilities," Estrosi said.
Papandreou's decision could upend the Oct. 27 deal that was the product of months of work by European leaders who were trying, sometimes opposed by their own people, to agree on the details of a second bailout for Greece and shore up their own economies in the name of saving the euro.
The deal would require banks holding Greek government bonds to accept 50 percent losses and provide Greece with about $140 billion in rescue loans from European nations and the IMF.
Greece has been relying since May 2010 on a first multibillion dollar bailout by other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund. Juncker said the referendum was a dangerous decision that could endanger Greece's next installment of bailout loans ? without which the country will run out of money in mid-November.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, meanwhile, said he would try to prevent the referendum plan, saying he would "attempt to see that it doesn't happen." But he conceded it was up to Greece how it approves or rejects the European deal.
Papandreou's decision had left his government teetering on the verge of collapse Tuesday as his own deputies rebelled and his Socialist party saw its parliamentary majority whittled down to just two seats in the 300-member legislature with the defection of lawmaker Milena Apostolaki. Others called for the prime minister's resignation and the creation of a national unity government.
"Yesterday's surprise and irrational announcement of the referendum has led me to doubt something that I considered certain until yesterday: That I am a member of a group that is striving to save our country from bankruptcy," Socialist deputy Hara Kefalidou said.
"I cannot back a referendum which is a subterfuge by a government that appears unwilling to govern."
Apostolaki's departure "shows clearly that the government itself is losing gradually its cohesion," said George Tzogopoulos, a political analyst from the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy.
Under a recently amended law, a referendum can be called on issues of grave national concern, but needs approval by an absolute majority in the parliament.
Papandreou's decision was such a surprise that even the finance minister, Evangelos Venizelos, apparently did not know about it ahead of time. He was unable to make the ministers' meeting Tuesday after being hospitalized with stomach pains. He remained in the clinic overnight.
____
Nicholas Paphitis and Theodora Tongas in Athens, Angela Charlton in Paris, Raf Casert in Brussels and Toby Sterling in Amsterdam contributed.
LIMA, Peru ? A magnitude-6.9 earthquake centered off Peru's central coast sent people running panicked into the streets Friday in cities badly damaged by a killer quake four years earlier. There were no reports of damage though hospital directors reported at least 20 injuries.
People who had lost loved ones and homes in the earlier quake were badly shaken and some broke into tears.
"It felt like the one in 2007 because it was very strong," Felix Sihuas told RPP radio. He said he was buried under rubble for six hours in the Aug. 15, 2007, quake, which killed 596 people and largely destroyed the town of Pisco.
Friday's quake was considerably less violent in Lima, a city of 8.5 million people. The capital shook for about 30 seconds in a series of moderate, swaying movements.
Several aftershocks followed with magnitudes up to 5.5, said the U.S. Geological Survey.
It said Friday's quake was centered 31 miles (51 kilometers) south-southwest of Ica, a provincial capital of about 200,000 people which suffered widespread damage in the 2007 quake. It was at a depth of 21.7 miles (35 kilometers).
The directors of two hospitals in Ica told RPP that 20 people were treated for non life-threatening injuries including two for broken bones.
Peru's government-run Institute of Geophysics put the quake's magnitude at 6.7 and put its depth at 19 miles (30 kilometers). The USGS said the killer 2007 quake was centered 24 miles (39 kilometers) deep.
A seismologist at the institute, Hernan Tavera, told RPP the 2007 quake released 33 times more energy than Friday's temblor but this time " the radius of action was far wider."
"There was panic, a lot of panic," said Ruben Vargas, a police official in Ica, which is flanked by asparagus fields and vineyards that produce wine and the liquor pisco.
Vargas said that many people were still in the streets nearly a half hour after the 1:54 p.m. (18:54 GMT) quake. "Little by little people are calming down but they're still outside their homes," he added.
In Pisco, police officer Julio Lopez said people were spooked though the quake wasn't nearly as bad as the 2007 temblor.
"It wasn't like the last time. It was shorter," said Jorge Luis Yupanqui, 30, from Pisco. "Some people started to cry."
He said there was a big traffic jam in Pisco because he, like many others, went home to make sure his family and home were safe.
About 40,000 homes were destroyed in the 2007 quake and the previous government of President Alan Garcia was widely criticized for the slow pace of reconstruction.
___
Associated Press writers Martin Villena and Carla Salazar contributed to this report.
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Public release date: 3-Nov-2011
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