Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Everolimus prolongs progression-free survival for patients with neuroendocrine tumors

Everolimus prolongs progression-free survival for patients with neuroendocrine tumors [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Nov-2011
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Contact: Laura Sussman
lsussman@mdanderson.org
713-792-0655
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Combination treatment with octreotide shows improved results in tumors associated with carcinoid syndrome

HOUSTON -- Combination treatment with everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target rapamycin (mTOR), and octreotide has shown to improve progression-free survival for patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors and a history of carcinoid syndrome, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Results of the international, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase III study were published today in the journal Lancet.

The treatment combination of everolimus and octreotide long-acting repeatable (LAR), a somatostatin analogue that has shown antitumor activity, led to a clinically meaningful five-month delay in tumor growth, compared to octreotide alone.

Neuroendocrine tumors, also known as carcinoids, are uncommon tumors arising from various primary sites. Frequently, carcinoids spread to the liver, causing a variety of symptoms termed carcinoid syndrome.

"There are currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs for oncologic control of most neuroendocrine tumors," said James C. Yao, M.D., associate professor in MD Anderson's Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology. "This research offers a promising option where there were limited options previously."

Dangerous and rare tumors

According to Yao, the number of people diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors has increased more than five-fold over the past 30 years, from one in 100,000 people per year to 5.25 in 100,000 people per year. Nearly half of patients have regional or distant metastatic disease and 65 percent of those with advanced disease die within five years of diagnosis.

Everolimus, an immunosupressant agent used to prevent rejection of organ transplants, inhibits the mTOR protein, a central regulator of tumor cell division and blood vessel growth in cancer cells. Overaction of mTOR has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors.

Preclinical studies have shown that mTOR inhibition may control growth of neuroendocrine tumors, and an earlier Phase II study at MD Anderson showed promising anti-cancer activity for everolimus in neuroendocrine tumors.

In May of this year, an international randomized Phase III study showed everolimus improved progression-free survival in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, a related disease, leading to its FDA approval for treatment of those rare tumors.

Somatostatin analogues, such as octreotide, improve hormone-related symptoms associated with neuroendocrine tumors. Octreotide LAR has also shown antitumor activity, prolonging time to disease progression in patients with certain types of neuroendocrine tumors.

Increase in progression-free survival

The study, named RADIANT-2, enrolled 429 participants with low-grade or intermediate-grade advanced (unresectable locally advanced or distant metastatic) neuroendocrine tumors and a history of carcinoid syndrome. Disease progression had been established by radiological assessment within the past 12 months.

Patients were given either 10 mg per day oral everolimus or placebo, both in conjunction with 30 mg intramuscular octreotide LAR, every 28 days. Treatment was continued until disease progression, withdrawal from treatment because of adverse effects or withdrawal of consent.

Median progression-free survival by was 16.4 months in the everolimus plus octreotide LAR group and 11.2 months in the placebo plus octreotide LAR group.

Side effects were higher but manageable in the combination arm. They included stomatitis (62 percent vs. 14 percent), fatigue (31 percent vs. 23 percent) and diarrhea (27 percent vs. 16 percent).

Next steps

Yao said additional exploratory analyses to adjust for the effect of randomization imbalances will be presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) gastrointestinal annual meeting in 2012.

"We are working with industry sponsor [Novartis] to develop a confirmatory study in neuroendocrine tumors," he said.

###

Researchers with Yao included Marianne Pavel, M.D., Charite-Universitatsmedizin, Berlin; John Hainsworth, M.D., Cannon Research Institute, Nashville; Eric Baudin, M.D., Oncologie Endocrinienne et Medecine Nucleaire, Villejuif, France; Marc Peeters, M.D., Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium; Dieter Horsch, M.D., Klinik fur Innere Medizin, Zenttralklinik Bad Berka GmbH, Germany; Robert Winkler, M.D., Judith Klimovsky, M.D. and David Lebwohl, M.D., Ochsner Kenner Medical Center, Louisiana; Valentine Jehl, MSc, Novartis Pharma AB, Switzerland; Edward Wolin, M.D., Ceders Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; Kjell Oberg, M.D., University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden; and Eric Van Cutsem, M.D., University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. Yao is a consultant to and has received research funding from Novartis.



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Everolimus prolongs progression-free survival for patients with neuroendocrine tumors [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Laura Sussman
lsussman@mdanderson.org
713-792-0655
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Combination treatment with octreotide shows improved results in tumors associated with carcinoid syndrome

HOUSTON -- Combination treatment with everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target rapamycin (mTOR), and octreotide has shown to improve progression-free survival for patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors and a history of carcinoid syndrome, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Results of the international, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase III study were published today in the journal Lancet.

The treatment combination of everolimus and octreotide long-acting repeatable (LAR), a somatostatin analogue that has shown antitumor activity, led to a clinically meaningful five-month delay in tumor growth, compared to octreotide alone.

Neuroendocrine tumors, also known as carcinoids, are uncommon tumors arising from various primary sites. Frequently, carcinoids spread to the liver, causing a variety of symptoms termed carcinoid syndrome.

"There are currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs for oncologic control of most neuroendocrine tumors," said James C. Yao, M.D., associate professor in MD Anderson's Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology. "This research offers a promising option where there were limited options previously."

Dangerous and rare tumors

According to Yao, the number of people diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors has increased more than five-fold over the past 30 years, from one in 100,000 people per year to 5.25 in 100,000 people per year. Nearly half of patients have regional or distant metastatic disease and 65 percent of those with advanced disease die within five years of diagnosis.

Everolimus, an immunosupressant agent used to prevent rejection of organ transplants, inhibits the mTOR protein, a central regulator of tumor cell division and blood vessel growth in cancer cells. Overaction of mTOR has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors.

Preclinical studies have shown that mTOR inhibition may control growth of neuroendocrine tumors, and an earlier Phase II study at MD Anderson showed promising anti-cancer activity for everolimus in neuroendocrine tumors.

In May of this year, an international randomized Phase III study showed everolimus improved progression-free survival in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, a related disease, leading to its FDA approval for treatment of those rare tumors.

Somatostatin analogues, such as octreotide, improve hormone-related symptoms associated with neuroendocrine tumors. Octreotide LAR has also shown antitumor activity, prolonging time to disease progression in patients with certain types of neuroendocrine tumors.

Increase in progression-free survival

The study, named RADIANT-2, enrolled 429 participants with low-grade or intermediate-grade advanced (unresectable locally advanced or distant metastatic) neuroendocrine tumors and a history of carcinoid syndrome. Disease progression had been established by radiological assessment within the past 12 months.

Patients were given either 10 mg per day oral everolimus or placebo, both in conjunction with 30 mg intramuscular octreotide LAR, every 28 days. Treatment was continued until disease progression, withdrawal from treatment because of adverse effects or withdrawal of consent.

Median progression-free survival by was 16.4 months in the everolimus plus octreotide LAR group and 11.2 months in the placebo plus octreotide LAR group.

Side effects were higher but manageable in the combination arm. They included stomatitis (62 percent vs. 14 percent), fatigue (31 percent vs. 23 percent) and diarrhea (27 percent vs. 16 percent).

Next steps

Yao said additional exploratory analyses to adjust for the effect of randomization imbalances will be presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) gastrointestinal annual meeting in 2012.

"We are working with industry sponsor [Novartis] to develop a confirmatory study in neuroendocrine tumors," he said.

###

Researchers with Yao included Marianne Pavel, M.D., Charite-Universitatsmedizin, Berlin; John Hainsworth, M.D., Cannon Research Institute, Nashville; Eric Baudin, M.D., Oncologie Endocrinienne et Medecine Nucleaire, Villejuif, France; Marc Peeters, M.D., Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium; Dieter Horsch, M.D., Klinik fur Innere Medizin, Zenttralklinik Bad Berka GmbH, Germany; Robert Winkler, M.D., Judith Klimovsky, M.D. and David Lebwohl, M.D., Ochsner Kenner Medical Center, Louisiana; Valentine Jehl, MSc, Novartis Pharma AB, Switzerland; Edward Wolin, M.D., Ceders Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; Kjell Oberg, M.D., University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden; and Eric Van Cutsem, M.D., University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. Yao is a consultant to and has received research funding from Novartis.



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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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/uotm-epp112911.php

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Daily App Deals: Get Photoshop CS5 Extended Student & Teacher Edition for 85% Off in Today's App Deals [Deals]

Daily App Deals: Get Photoshop CS5 Extended Student & Teacher Edition for 85% Off in Today's App DealsThe Daily App Deals post is a round-up of the best app discounts of the day, as well as some notable mentions for ones that are on sale.

The Best

Daily App Deals: Get Photoshop CS5 Extended Student & Teacher Edition for 85% Off in Today's App DealsPhotoshop CS5 Extended Student & Teacher Edition (Amazon Appstore) Previously $999.00, now $149.99 + free shipping (US Only). Photoshop CS5 Extended Student & Teacher Edition for PC allows users to handle traditional image editing for print, web, and video. The software also allows users to create and edit 3D and motion-based content and more. Get it for $149.99. (via Dealnews)

Free

iOS

  • USB Stick | iTunes via 148Apps | Previously $1.99
  • Push Notifications | iTunes via AppShopper | Previously $9.99
  • Recipes Genius | iTunes via AppShopper | Previously 99?
  • Photo To PDF | iTunes via AppShopper | Previously $1.99
  • Keychain | iTunes via AppShopper | Previously 99?
  • TimeBite | iTunes via Dealzon | Previously $1.99
  • Windows

  • Trend Micro Internet Security | Newegg via Dealnews | Previously $69.99, now Free + free shipping with mail-in rebate
  • Ashampoo Photo Commander 8 (after download - choose English install) | ComputerBild.de via Dealnews | Previously $39.99
  • The Rest

    iOS

  • Sight Reading Trainer Bass | iTunes via 148Apps | Previously $2.99, now 99?
  • PocketLoan | iTunes via 148Apps | Previously $1.99, now 99?
  • Write 2 | iTunes via AppShopper | Previously $1.99, now 99?
  • 2Do: Tasks Done in Style | iTunes via AppShopper | Previously $6.99, now $2.99
  • LogMeIn Ignition | iTunes via Dealnews | Previously $29.99, now $14.99
  • Android

  • Photography Calculator | Amazon Appstore | Previously $2.99, now $1.49
  • MoneyWise Pro | Amazon Appstore | Previously $6.98, now $3.99
  • SeekDroid | Amazon Appstore | Previously $4.99, now $2.99
  • Droid Scan Pro | Amazon Appstore | Previously $4.99, now $2.99
  • LogMeIn Ignition | Android Market via Dealnews | Previously $29.99, now $14.99

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/0q4GnJUzEL0/daily-app-deals-get-photoshop-cs5-extended-student--teacher-edition-for-85-in-todays-app-deals

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Occupy LA deadline comes, but many say they won't go

With hours left before the midnight deadline Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa?and Police?Chief Charlie Beck gave for Occupy LA, very few of the occupiers were packing. Some are planning a Monday morning "eviction block party."

The protesters whose tents line the lawn of Los Angeles City Hall made it clear that they received the eviction notice issued by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Whether they'll heed it is much less certain.

Skip to next paragraph

With hours left before the Monday at 12:01 a.m. deadline the mayor and the police chief gave for Occupy LA, very few of the occupiers were packing, and many were instead making plans for what to do when they stay.

Some handed out signs Saturday mocked up to look like the city's notices to vacate, advertising a Monday morning "eviction block party."

Dozens attended a teach-in on resistance tactics, including how to stay safe in the face of rubber bullets, tear gas canisters, and pepper spray.

Police gave few specifics about what tactics they would use if protesters ignored the deadline. Chief Charlie Beck said at Friday's news conference that officers would definitely not be sweeping through the camp and arresting everyone just after midnight.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times published Sunday, Beck said that despite the lack of confrontations in the camp's two-month run, he's realistic about what might happen.

"I have no illusions that everybody is going to leave," Beck said. "We anticipate that we will have to make arrests."

But he added, "We certainly will not be the first ones to apply force."

Villaraigosa announced Friday that despite his sympathy for the protesters' cause, it was time for the camp of nearly 500 tents to leave for the sake of public health and safety.

The mayor said the movement is at a "crossroads," and it must "move from holding a particular patch of park to spreading the message of economic justice."

But occupiers showed no signs of giving up the patch of park too easily.

Will Picard, who sat Saturday in a tent amid his artwork with a "notice of eviction" sign posted outside, said the main organizers and most occupiers he knows intend to stay.

"Their plan is to resist the closure of this encampment and if that means getting arrested so be it," Picard said. "I think they just want to make the police tear it down rather than tear it down themselves."

But some agreed with the mayor that the protest had run its course.

"I'm going," said Luke Hagerman, who sat looking sad and resigned in the tent he's stayed in for a month. "I wish we could have got more done."

Villaraigosa expressed pride that Los Angeles has lacked the tension, confrontation and violence seen at similar protests in other cities. But that peace was likely to get its biggest test on Monday.

Ue Daniels, 21, said as an artist he's "as nonviolent as they come" but he planned on resisting removal any way he could.

"I think we'll comply as far as putting our tents on the sidewalk maybe, that's something that's been going around."

But as far as leaving altogether?

"They would probably have to drag me away," he said.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/LSUWW-7kUnU/Occupy-LA-deadline-comes-but-many-say-they-won-t-go

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'Flat Head' Syndrome in Babies Usually Temporary (HealthDay)

TUESDAY, Nov. 29 (HealthDay News) -- A new report reminds pediatricians that more young babies are sleeping on their backs, raising the risk of temporary head-flattening.

In general, the report says, the skull malformations are harmless and go away on their own, but doctors should be on the lookout for signs of serious problems.

Parents should be aware that they can prevent flattened heads on one side by coaxing babies to sleep with their head leaning to the other side, said report co-author Dr. Mark S. Dias. "Catch this early, reposition them and you can avoid a lot of grief down the road," he said.

However, it's still crucial to place babies on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), said Dias, a neurosurgeon at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

Pediatricians advise parents to avoid placing babies on their stomachs to sleep, and not allow them to lay on their stomachs -- "tummy time" -- unless they're awake and being watched. Back-sleeping is thought to reduce the risk of SIDS, whose cause remains mysterious and most frequently strikes babies aged from 1 month to 1 year.

The rate of deaths from the condition has dipped since a new push for back-sleeping began in the 1990s in the United States. However, doctors have seen more cases of babies with flattened heads, Dias and colleagues reported in the December issue of Pediatrics.

A 2002 study found that 13 percent of babies born alone (not as twins or other "multiples") had signs of head flattening. Another study, published in a recent issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, reported that Texas saw a ninefold increase in flattened-head cases between 1999 and 2007.

When it's caused by sleeping, the condition isn't thought to be dangerous and will vanish over time, although it may take three to five years, Dias said. "It's purely cosmetic, but it can be disfiguring and the kids' heads can look funny."

The report warns that a doctor should make sure a child with a flattened head isn't suffering from craniosynostosis, a serious skull problem that may require surgery.

In normal cases caused by pressure from sleeping, surgery typically isn't required, Dias said. He added that special medical helmets may not be necessary or worthwhile either.

Instead, he said, the best approach is to be aware that babies often prefer to sleep on their backs with their heads toward one side, typically the right side. To balance things out, he said, consider putting interesting things on the other side for them to look at.

"If there's a mobile, you could put it on the other side of the crib so the baby watches that," said Dr. Bradley Thach, a professor of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Parents may also try switching the position of a crib if it's near a window and the baby likes to turn to one side to look outside, he said.

Dr. Roya Samuels, a pediatrician at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., provided more advice. "Parents should make sure to bring their infant for regularly scheduled well-child visits as recommended by their pediatrician so that their physician can consistently monitor the infant's head shape and head circumference," Samuels said. "The window of intervention will therefore not be missed."

More information

For more about SIDS, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111130/hl_hsn/flatheadsyndromeinbabiesusuallytemporary

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Low-Cal Diet Cuts Fat Around Heart in Obese People: Study (HealthDay)

MONDAY, Nov. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Heart function improved in obese people with type 2 diabetes who ate a very low-calorie diet, a small new study says.

Researchers measured body-mass index (BMI) and used MRI to analyze heart function and pericardial fat in 15 obese people (seven men and eight women) with type 2 diabetes before and four months after they started consuming a 500-calorie-per-day diet.

Pericardial fat collects around the heart and can harm cardiac function.

Their diabetes improved immediately after cutting calories, according to the study.

Four months after the participants began the low-calorie diet, average BMI fell from 35.3 to 27.5 (statistical obesity begins at a BMI of 30), and pericardial fat decreased from 39 milliliters (ml) to 31 ml.

A key measure of diastolic heart function fell to healthier levels, as well, the study found. Diastolic heart function involves that period of the heart beat when the ventricles are filling up with blood. Poor diastolic heart function can lead to congestive heart failure.

After another 14 months of follow-up when the participants ate a regular diet, average BMI increased to 31.7, but pericardial fat only rose slightly to 32 ml and E/A ratio was 1.06.

The study was to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

"Our results show that 16 weeks of caloric restriction improved heart function in these patients," lead author Dr. Sebastiaan Hammer, of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, said in an RSNA news release. "More importantly, despite regain of weight, these beneficial cardiovascular effects were persistent over the long term."

While the results are promising and showed that lifestyle interventions appeared to provide more significant heart benefits than medication in these patients, obese people should not try to go on a very low-calorie diet on their own. It has to be done under medical supervision, Hammer noted.

Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more about diabetes treatments.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weightloss/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111128/hl_hsn/lowcaldietcutsfataroundheartinobesepeoplestudy

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Exclusive! Tori Spelling Responds to the Boob Twitpic

Earlier this month, Dean McDermott made headlines when he accidentally posted a photo of wife Tori Spelling's bare breasts to Twitter. The reality star thought he was sharing an innocent, goofy pic of their 4-year-old son Liam -- but a topless mama was clearly visible in the background.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/tori-spelling-responds-boob-twitpic-scandal/1-a-406473?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Atori-spelling-responds-boob-twitpic-scandal-406473

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Wi-Fi-Connected Laptop Hurts Sperm, Study Suggests (LiveScience.com)

A computer with a wireless Internet connection hurts sperm, but not because the machine can heat up your lap, a new study suggests.

The findings showed that sperm cells collected in lab dishes and placed beneath a laptop with a wireless Internet connection for four hours had less motility and more DNA damage than sperm placed in another room, away from electronic devices but kept at the same temperature.

"It is well-known that increased temperature may decrease sperm quality, and the use of portable computers on the lap increases scrotal temperature," the researchers wrote in their study.

But the findings suggested it wasn't the temperature beneath the laptop that was affecting sperm; instead, the radiation from the laptop was slowing the swimmers, according to the study. ?

Laptops emit radiation

The researchers in Argentina and Virginia used semen samples from 29 healthy men, whose average age was 34. The laptop was set to download and upload information over the course of the experiment, so the wireless connection was actively being used. The temperature under the laptop was held constant at 77 degrees Fahrenheit by an air-conditioning system. ?

Wireless Internet connections use radio-frequency electromagnetic waves. When the researchers measured the radiation coming from a laptop wirelessly connected to the Internet, they found it was at least three times higher than an unconnected laptop, and seven to 15 times higher than radiation in a general setting, according to the study, though the levels varied over the course of the experiment, depending on the flow of information coming to or from the computer.

There was no difference between the sperm samples held under the laptop and those kept away from it in terms of the percentage of sperm that were dead at the end of the experiment, according to the study.

Still, sperm motility and having undamaged DNA are important for fertilizing an egg.

"We speculate that keeping a laptop connected wirelessly to the Internet on the lap near the testes may result in decreased male fertility," the researchers wrote in their conclusion.

Why sperm cells are vulnerable

Sperm cells are different from other cells in the body ? their DNA is highly condensed into a small area, the researchers noted. This could make them more vulnerable to the effects of such radiation.

It's plausible that the magnetic and electromagnetic fields produced by the radio waves damage molecules in sperm called phospholipids, which are a needed to keep membranes within a sperm cell intact, the study researchers wrote.

It is not known whether all laptop computers might have the same effects as those seen in this study, nor is it known what other factors might heighten or lessen the damage, the researchers wrote in their conclusion.

"However, we cannot discard the possibility that damage to sperm is caused by the low radiation produced by the computer without Internet connection," they wrote, and this possibility should be studied further.

The study was published online Nov. 23 in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

Pass it on: Radiation from wireless internet connections might damage sperm cells.

This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. Find us on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20111129/sc_livescience/wificonnectedlaptophurtsspermstudysuggests

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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Timbuktu Chronicles: Investing in Health - Avenue Healthcare ...

Timbuktu Chronicles: Investing in Health - Avenue Healthcare (Kenya) receives a $2.5m investment

Investing in Health - Avenue Healthcare (Kenya) receives a $2.5m investment

In African Capital Markets News:
Aureos Africa Health Fund invested $2.5 million in a Kenyan hospital and health insurance company, the Avenue Group , which offers affordable healthcare cover, integrated with quality healthcare provision. It has a 70-bed full-purpose hospital in Nairobi, 7 clinics through Kenya as well as in-house clinics for corporate clients, a home-based care service for elderly, terminally ill or otherwise dependent patients, rental and sale of wheelchairs and other rehabilitation equipment for home use, and First Aid training schemes. It combines healthcare cover with quality, affordable outpatient and inpatient medical services. The group?s corporate medical schemes are designed to be accessible to businesses with as few as 10 employees and around 70% of the staff covered are in non-managerial roles. With Aureos investment, Avenue Group will expand into other regions in Kenya, building 2 more clinics in smaller towns and expanding existing in-patient facilities in Kisumu and Mombasa. The funding will ensure the group can continue non-profit activities, such as free medical camps across Kenya and public health screening days at Avenue clinics...[continue reading]

Source: http://timbuktuchronicles.blogspot.com/2011/11/investing-in-health-avenue-healthcare.html

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Caption Contest: KIRF Facebook shop clicks 'like' on fashion

Apple isn't the only one to get some shop-based imitation flattery -- now it looks like Facebook's got its first retail homage. Yep, this clothing store in Nablus, Palestine is unlikely to be a Zuckerberg-sanctioned outlet. A giant Facebook sign hangs over several mannequins, although we're not exactly sure what angle they're trying to work here. Most of them appear to be channeling the Facebook founder's mute, inoffensive fashion stylings. That is, aside from the guy in the hot pink tee and, well, he's lacking a head.

[Thanks Liviu]

Mat: "Facebook likes jeans, ignores footwear."
Dan: "You don't get 500 million friends without making a few terrible fashion decisions."
Brad: "Meanwhile, Tom from MySpace is realizing that he's completely neglected the oft-overlooked mannequin demographic."
Richard Lai: "The Bebo store was way more fun."
Darren: "Third person there from the left... it's complicated."
Jose: "Yes, all my friends are 'real', why?"
James: "Once again, the reaction to the new Facebook wall was ambivalent."
Joe Pollicino: "Added to my 'Block' list."
Amar: "The Winklevii really have fallen on hard times."
Josh: "People You May Know"
Sean Cooper: "Where's that darn 'unlike' button."
Tim: "Remember when you had to be a mannequin in a college bookstore to get in? Those were the good 'ol days."
Billy: "You would think this crowd would have popped up in my news feed, sheesh."
Dante: "Surprisingly, North Face fleeces were nowhere to be found."
Zach Honig: "How many Credits to change the name to Google+?"
Brian: "Social networking for dummies."

Caption Contest: KIRF Facebook shop clicks 'like' on fashion originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/SIIbhCJB7JI/

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Mid-morning snacking may sabotage weight-loss efforts

Mid-morning snacking may sabotage weight-loss efforts [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 28-Nov-2011
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Contact: Kristen Woodward
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org
206-667-5095
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Finding may not relate to time of day, but to the short interval between breakfast and lunch

SEATTLE Women dieters who grab a snack between breakfast and lunch lose less weight compared to those who abstain from a mid-morning snack, according to a study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

The results of this randomized trial, led by Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division and director of its Prevention Center, will be published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

In the course of the year-long study, the researchers found that mid-morning snackers lost an average of 7 percent of their total body weight while those who ate a healthy breakfast but did not snack before lunch lost more than 11 percent of their body weight. For the study, a snack was defined as any food or drink that was consumed between main meals.

"We think this finding may not relate necessarily to the time of day one snacks, but rather to the short interval between breakfast and lunch. Mid-morning snacking therefore might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy true hunger," said McTiernan, the corresponding author of the paper.

While snacking too close to a main meal may be detrimental to weight loss, waiting too long between meals also may sabotage dieting efforts, she said. "Snacking could be part of a dieter's toolkit if they're eating in response to true hunger. Individuals should determine if they experience long intervals such as more than five hours between meals. Adding a snack might help people deal better with hunger and ultimately help them to make more sound choices at their next meal."

The study also revealed that women who reported eating more than two snacks a day had higher fiber intake than those who snacked less frequently, and afternoon nibblers ate more fruits and vegetables compared to women who didn't snack between lunch and dinner.

The ancillary study, part of a larger randomized clinical trial designed to test the effects of nutrition and exercise on breast cancer risk, involved 123 overweight-to-obese postmenopausal Seattle-area women, ages 50 to 75, who were randomly assigned to either a diet-alone intervention (goal: 1,200 to 2,000 calories a day, depending on starting weight, and fewer than 30 percent of daily calories from fat), or diet plus exercise (same calorie and fat restrictions plus 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day, five days a week). While the women received nutrition counseling they were not given any specific instructions or recommendations about snacking behavior.

At the end of the study the women were asked to record the time, type and frequency of meals consumed on a normal day. Percent of calories from fat, fiber and fruit and vegetable intake were also estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire.

"Many people think that a weight-loss program has to mean always feeling hungry," McTiernan said. "Our study suggests that snacking may actually help with weight loss if not done too close to another meal, particularly if the snacks are healthy foods that can help you feel full without adding too many calories."

Nationwide surveys indicate that 97 percent of U.S. adults report snacking, and such behavior is consistent across age groups. One study that surveyed a national random sample of more than 1,500 adults found that the most commonly preferred snacks were salty and crunchy items such as potato chips, pretzels and nuts; baked goods such as cookies and cakes; fruits; and ice cream.

Not all snacks are created equal, however. Foods less conducive to weight loss include empty-calorie items that contribute fat, salt, sugar and little nutritional value, such as potato chips and sugar-sweetened beverages.

For a woman on a weight-loss diet, a healthy snack should pack a nutritional wallop without breaking the calorie bank. "Since women on a weight-loss program only have a limited number of calories to spend each day, it is important for them to incorporate nutrient-dense foods that are no more than 200 calories per serving," McTiernan said. "The best snacks for a weight-loss program are proteins such as low-fat yogurt, string cheese, or a small handful of nuts; non-starchy vegetables; fresh fruits; whole-grain crackers; and non-calorie beverages such as water, coffee and tea."

###

The National Cancer Institute funded the research and participated in the study, which also involved investigators from the University of Washington and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit http://www.fhcrc.org.



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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.


Mid-morning snacking may sabotage weight-loss efforts [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 28-Nov-2011
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Contact: Kristen Woodward
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org
206-667-5095
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Finding may not relate to time of day, but to the short interval between breakfast and lunch

SEATTLE Women dieters who grab a snack between breakfast and lunch lose less weight compared to those who abstain from a mid-morning snack, according to a study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

The results of this randomized trial, led by Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division and director of its Prevention Center, will be published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

In the course of the year-long study, the researchers found that mid-morning snackers lost an average of 7 percent of their total body weight while those who ate a healthy breakfast but did not snack before lunch lost more than 11 percent of their body weight. For the study, a snack was defined as any food or drink that was consumed between main meals.

"We think this finding may not relate necessarily to the time of day one snacks, but rather to the short interval between breakfast and lunch. Mid-morning snacking therefore might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy true hunger," said McTiernan, the corresponding author of the paper.

While snacking too close to a main meal may be detrimental to weight loss, waiting too long between meals also may sabotage dieting efforts, she said. "Snacking could be part of a dieter's toolkit if they're eating in response to true hunger. Individuals should determine if they experience long intervals such as more than five hours between meals. Adding a snack might help people deal better with hunger and ultimately help them to make more sound choices at their next meal."

The study also revealed that women who reported eating more than two snacks a day had higher fiber intake than those who snacked less frequently, and afternoon nibblers ate more fruits and vegetables compared to women who didn't snack between lunch and dinner.

The ancillary study, part of a larger randomized clinical trial designed to test the effects of nutrition and exercise on breast cancer risk, involved 123 overweight-to-obese postmenopausal Seattle-area women, ages 50 to 75, who were randomly assigned to either a diet-alone intervention (goal: 1,200 to 2,000 calories a day, depending on starting weight, and fewer than 30 percent of daily calories from fat), or diet plus exercise (same calorie and fat restrictions plus 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day, five days a week). While the women received nutrition counseling they were not given any specific instructions or recommendations about snacking behavior.

At the end of the study the women were asked to record the time, type and frequency of meals consumed on a normal day. Percent of calories from fat, fiber and fruit and vegetable intake were also estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire.

"Many people think that a weight-loss program has to mean always feeling hungry," McTiernan said. "Our study suggests that snacking may actually help with weight loss if not done too close to another meal, particularly if the snacks are healthy foods that can help you feel full without adding too many calories."

Nationwide surveys indicate that 97 percent of U.S. adults report snacking, and such behavior is consistent across age groups. One study that surveyed a national random sample of more than 1,500 adults found that the most commonly preferred snacks were salty and crunchy items such as potato chips, pretzels and nuts; baked goods such as cookies and cakes; fruits; and ice cream.

Not all snacks are created equal, however. Foods less conducive to weight loss include empty-calorie items that contribute fat, salt, sugar and little nutritional value, such as potato chips and sugar-sweetened beverages.

For a woman on a weight-loss diet, a healthy snack should pack a nutritional wallop without breaking the calorie bank. "Since women on a weight-loss program only have a limited number of calories to spend each day, it is important for them to incorporate nutrient-dense foods that are no more than 200 calories per serving," McTiernan said. "The best snacks for a weight-loss program are proteins such as low-fat yogurt, string cheese, or a small handful of nuts; non-starchy vegetables; fresh fruits; whole-grain crackers; and non-calorie beverages such as water, coffee and tea."

###

The National Cancer Institute funded the research and participated in the study, which also involved investigators from the University of Washington and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit http://www.fhcrc.org.



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/fhcr-msm112811.php

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Church Goers Get New Home 7 Years After Hurricane

WPBF.com

The New Avenue "S" Church of Christ opened Sunday morning, seven years after the old church was destroyed by hurricanes in 2004.

Hurricanes Francis and Jean tore through South Florida, taking the Riviera Beach church with them.

For seven years, churchgoers have been raising money and worshiping around the area.

Senior Pastor Jonathan Young said the long wait has been worth it.

"Through seven years of difficulty, we have come out with a better building with better technology," said Young.

Church member Rose Anne Brown said the church cost an estimated $2 million.

"Prayerfully we have stayed together, and believe it or not, we were able to come up with enough support from our neighbors to be in our building once again," said Brown.

Brown said now it's time for the church to give back to a community who supported them over the past seven years.

"Today we are shouting, rejoicing and getting ready to serve this community, because this community has stuck by this church," said Young.

Most Popular Stories at WPBF

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45455598/ns/local_news-west_palm_beach_fl/

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Video: Multimillion-mile Mars journey begins



>>> the folks at nasa are calling it the monster truck of mars. and tonight the world's biggest extraterrestrial explorer is on its way to the red planet . for nasa this new mission in search of life carries high hopes and high risks. nbc's tom costello has our report.

>> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

>> reporter: with the saturn five liftoff at the kennedy space center , nasa has launched its most sophisticated and ambition mission to mars yet. just traveling the 154 million miles to the red planet will take more than eight months. then next august a high-risk landing as a supersonic parachute slows the science lab 's descent to mars, 60 feet above the planet a sky crane will gently lower the rover naped curiosity onto the martial surface, leaving the rover on its own to look for signs of life , past or present.

>> do we anticipate that we'll learn a whole lot about mars? absolutely. do we know what specifically that will be? no clue.

>> reporter: curiosity is a six-wheeled rover standing more than six feet tall, able to drive long distances under an martian sun, analyzing rock and soil samples and sending the results back to earth. nasa has carefully selected the landing zone on mars in the gael crater where a huge mountain rises right out of the crater floor. scientists believe they see layers of sedimentary deposit here that they hope will help them understand more about mars' history but alsoless wh what happened to the lakes and rivers.

>> reporter: the evidence this scientist says now seems clear that mars once had a very warm environment.

>> perhaps even today.

>> reporter: that possibility poses a big problem. nasa has gone to great lengths to ensure curiosity doesn't carry any earth germs that could contaminate life on mars . high resolution cameras have already detected what appear to be large ice sheets buried under the martian surface. curiosity's mission to determine whether life is or ever was buried there, too. tom costello, nbc news, washington.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45445869/

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'Dark Knight Rises' Trailer Of My Nightmares

Clichés Warner Bros. needs to avoid in trailer, which premieres December 16, in this edition of <i>The Weekly Rising.</i>
By Kevin P. Sullivan


Christian Bale and Tom Hardy film "Dark Knight Rises"
Photo: Getty Images

A great trailer is a challenge to pull off. It needs to strike a delicate balance between not showing enough and giving everything away. A trailer establishes the tone and look of a film without getting too deep into the story to ruin the actual movie.

The pressure is now on for "The Dark Knight Rises" and its theatrical trailer, which will premiere in front of "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" on December 16. With so many looking forward to the conclusion of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, the first full-length trailer needs to make the appropriate impact. Unfortunately, a great trailer doesn't always get made. Studio execs can tinker with it into oblivion in the hopes of hitting all four quadrants.

Here's an outline for the "Dark Knight" trailer I don't want to see.

Vrooommmm, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.

Fade into the Warner Bros. logo surrounded by falling building debris, just like the teaser trailer.

Vrooommmm, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.

Fade into the Legendary Pictures logo surrounded by falling building debris, just like the teaser trailer.

Vrooommmm, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.

Suddenly, an "Inception"-esque Bwooonnng! rings outs to remind everyone of how much we all liked that movie. That's always a good way to get people's attention. Every other vaguely sci-fi action movie since last summer has used it in their trailer. Why shouldn't we?

We pan over the Gotham cityscape. Pay no attention to the fact that it doesn't look like Chicago anymore. This is just a different part of the city, the Little Pittsburgh district. From that, we take a closer look at the city. It's seven years later and things aren't great. The homeless riddle the streets. Someone smashes a window with a brick. A street vendor feeds his kids the falafel he sells from his cart.

"Gotham!" yells the muffled voice of Tom Hardy, as the villainous Bane, in a voice-over, sounding kind of like an elderly British woman. "Take back your city!" While the voice speaks, we cut to a slightly older Commissioner Gordon staring at the broken Bat signal, then John Blake slamming some handcuffed punk against the hood of a car. Finally, there's a slow fade onto Bruce Wayne. He's staring at his Batsuit, stored behind a thick pane of glass in the fully restored Batcave.

Transition to soft piano music. Tell Hans to string together four or five chords. Play them each 10 seconds apart. This will let them know there's some really heavy stuff going on here. "Master Wayne?" Alfred calls from the top of the stairs. He's in his bathroom, and it's clearly late. Bruce turns to look at his loyal butler.

"Are you all right?" Alfred asks, with sadness in his face. We're back with Bruce. He turns to face the encased suit and studies it for a moment. "I'm fine."

Now tell Hans to start up that cool chanting he had all those nerds do online. The one they yelled into their parents' computer.

Deshy! Deshy!

Bah-Sah-Rah! Bah-Sah-Rah!

The citizens are gathering, and it's not for "The Taste of Gotham" — that's next week. They're revolting. There are riots in the streets. Things are on fire. People are jaywalking all over the place. It's chaos! Everyone in Gotham is heading in one direction, toward something that looks like courthouse steps.

Toward Bane! He's there in his new fur-lined coat from the Burlington Coat Factory. He watches as people approach him and the mercenaries flank him on each side. The picture of Harvey Dent is in his hand. The mercenaries drag forward a hostage. He looks like a businessman, clearly some government type. Let Nolan figure it out. Bane is going to kill him.

We're back in the Batcave. Bruce watches on a set of monitors everything that's taking place. When he sees the hostage, he bolts for his suit. Finally decked out as Batman, he heads for the Batpod, but someone is already there. It's Catwoman! She kicks the bike to life and takes off out of the cave. "Perfect," Batman says.

From there, just cut together a few seconds of each awesome set piece, and let the audience know about everything cool that's going to happen.

Bane and Batman fight. Batman leads the police against Bane and his army of ticked-off citizens. Hint at the origin of Bane. We finish at a party. Alfred brings Bruce over to a most delightful young lady he just met. He's hoping to get his master over the whole "Rachel blew up" thing. We approach a raven-haired beauty from behind.

"Master Bruce, I have to introduce you to the most delightful young lady. Miss, you were saying your name was?" She turns. "Selina Kyle."

Everyone's minds explode. That's how you make a trailer. If Warner Bros. wants to make the fans happy with the first theatrical trailer, they should focus on tone and not the story. We're fast-forwarding seven or eight years, so a lot has changed. There's more than enough to catch up on just within the city of Gotham to fill a trailer. What kind of shape is Bruce Wayne in? Has he been gone all these years? The detail about the chronological jump forward is just the right note to whet appetites and keep people hooked until July.

Be sure to check out all of our updates from over the weekend on our Splash Page.

What do you want to see in the trailer? Let me know on Twitter via @KPSull, and we'll discuss next week. Also, be sure to check out our new weekly discussion show, "Talk Nerdy to Me."

Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

Related Photos

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674970/dark-knight-rises-trailer.jhtml

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Monday, November 28, 2011

How Job Seekers Are Using Mobile [INFOGRAPHIC] (Mashable)

The jobless rate is hovering above 9%, and job seekers have to be more savvy than ever to land a job. In fact, 77% of job-seekers are using mobile apps in their search. Why mobile? For one thing, people almost always have their phones on them, which means they can get job leads on the fly and respond faster than on their not-as-portable laptops. Not surprisingly, Android, which is dominating the smartphone market, is the most-used OS for these on-the-go job seekers. Check out the infographic below to see how people are using mobile apps and devices, and take a look at other career information in our weekly Job Search Series.

[More from Mashable: Apple vs. Samsung: The Patent Wars, Explained [INFOGRAPHIC]]

[More from Mashable: 8 Enormous Things That Are Smaller Than Apple, Inc. [INFOGRAPHIC]]

Infographic courtesy of Beyond.



Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we've selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting! This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personaltech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20111127/tc_mashable/how_job_seekers_are_using_mobile_infographic

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Man arrested after fatal shooting at Chicago hospital

By Associated Press

A housekeeping employee suspected in the fatal shooting of a co-worker inside a hospital parking garage, which prompted an hours-long lockdown, was arrested during a Friday traffic stop, police said.

Angela Bonds, 48, of Riverside, was shot late Thursday in a University of Illinois at Chicago hospital garage and later died, authorities said. She was a housekeeper at the hospital who worked the second shift, UIC spokesman Bill Burton said.

University police said the suspect also was a hospital housekeeper and characterized the killing as an "apparent domestic-related shooting" in a campus alert posted early Friday on the school's website.

Officers pulled the 47-year-old suspect over for a routine traffic stop at 6:30 a.m. Friday, and the officer recognized him from a description in the alert, university police spokesman Mark Rosati said. The suspect fled the car and was arrested a few blocks away, he said.

A weapon was recovered but officers didn't immediately know whether it was used in the shooting.

Rosati said the suspect had worked at the hospital for 15 years, but he declined to discuss his relationship to Bonds.

The hospital was locked down for hours while police searched for the gunman but resumed normal operations around 5 a.m. Friday. Rosati said authorities don't believe the gunman was ever inside the hospital after the shooting.

The garage is near the hospital but not attached to it, Rosati said. He wasn't sure whether the hospital has metal detectors but said the university has security cameras posted indoors and outdoors across its 250-acre campus.

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/25/9012181-manhunt-after-fatal-shooting-at-chicago-hospital

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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Companies give GOP, regulators, different messages

In this photo taken June 16, 2009, Anthony Earley Jr., then-chairman and CEO of DTE Energy, speaks at the National Summit in Detroit, Mich. Large and small utility companies have told Republican-led congressional committees what the party wants to hear: dire predictions of plant closings and layoffs if the Obama administration succeeds with plans to further curb air and water pollution. "Without the right policy, we could be headed for disaster," Early told a committee on April 16. Earley is now chairman and CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

In this photo taken June 16, 2009, Anthony Earley Jr., then-chairman and CEO of DTE Energy, speaks at the National Summit in Detroit, Mich. Large and small utility companies have told Republican-led congressional committees what the party wants to hear: dire predictions of plant closings and layoffs if the Obama administration succeeds with plans to further curb air and water pollution. "Without the right policy, we could be headed for disaster," Early told a committee on April 16. Earley is now chairman and CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

(AP) ? Large and small companies have told Republican-led congressional committees what the party wants to hear: dire predictions of plant closings and layoffs if the Obama administration succeeds with plans to further curb air and water pollution.

But their message to financial regulators and investors conveys less gloom and certainty.

The administration itself has clouded the picture by withdrawing or postponing some of the environmental initiatives that industry labeled as being among the most onerous.

Still, Republicans plan to make what they say is regulatory overreach a 2012 campaign issue, taking aim at President Barack Obama, congressional Democrats and an aggressive Environmental Protection Agency.

"Republicans will be talking to voters this campaign season about how to keep Washington out of the way, so that job creators can feel confident again to create jobs for Americans," said Joanna Burgos, a spokeswoman for the House Republican campaign organization.

The Associated Press compared the companies' congressional testimony to company reports submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The reports to the SEC consistently said the impact of environmental proposals is unknown or would not cause serious financial harm to a firm's finances.

Companies can legitimately argue that their less gloomy SEC filings are correct, since most of the tougher anti-pollution proposals have not been finalized. And their officials' testimony before congressional committees was sometimes on behalf of ? and written by ? trade associations, a perspective that can differ from an individual company's view.

But the disparity in the messages shows that in a political environment, business has no misgivings about describing potential economic horror stories to lawmakers.

"As an industry, we have said this before, we face a potential regulatory train wreck," Anthony Earley Jr., then the executive chairman of DTE Energy in Michigan, told a House committee on April 15. "Without the right policy, we could be headed for disaster."

The severe economic consequences, he said, would be devastating to the electric utility's customers, especially Detroit residents who "simply cannot afford" higher rates.

Earley, who is now chairman and CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp., said if the EPA had its way, coal-fired plants would be replaced with natural gas ? leading to a spike in gas prices. He said he was testifying for the electric industry, not just his company.

But in its quarterly report to the SEC, Detroit-based DTE, which serves 3 million utility customers in Michigan, said that it was "reviewing potential impacts of the proposed and recently finalized rules, but is not able to quantify the financial impact ... at this time."

Skiles Boyd, a DTE vice president for environmental issues, said in an interview that the testimony was meant to convey the potential economic hardship on ratepayers ? while the SEC report focused on the company's financial condition.

"It's two different subjects," he said.

Another congressional witness, Jim Pearce of chemical company FMC Corp., told a House hearing last Feb. 9: "The current U.S. approach to regulating greenhouse gases ... will lead U.S. natural soda ash producers to lose significant business to our offshore rivals...." Soda ash is used to produce glass, and is a major component of the company's business..

But in its annual report covering 2010 and submitted to the SEC 13 days after the testimony, the company said it was "premature to make any estimate of the costs of complying with un-enacted federal climate change legislation, or as yet un-implemented federal regulations in the United States." The Philadelphia-based company did not respond to a request for comment..

California Rep. Henry Waxman, the senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the SEC filings "show that the anti-regulation rhetoric in Washington is political hot air with little or no connection to reality."

House Republicans have conducted dozens of hearings, and passed more than a dozen bills to stop proposed environmental rules. So far, all the GOP bills have gone nowhere in the Democratic-run Senate.

"I will see to it, to the best of my ability, to try to stop everything," California Sen . Barbara Boxer, the Democratic chairman of the Senate's environment committee, vowed in reference to GOP legislation aimed at reining in the EPA. She predicted Republicans "will lose seats over this."

The Obama administration has reconsidered some of the environmental proposals in response to the drumbeat from business groups. In September, the president scrubbed a clean-air regulation that aimed to reduce health-threatening smog. Last May, EPA delayed indefinitely regulations to reduce toxic pollution from boilers and incinerators.

James Rubright, CEO of Rock-Tenn Co., a Norcross, Ga.-based producer of corrugated-and-consumer packaging, told a House panel in September that a variety of EPA, job safety and chemical security regulations would require "significant capital investment" ? money that "otherwise go to growth in manufacturing capacity and the attendant production of jobs."

Rubright conveyed a consulting firm's conclusion that EPA's original boiler proposal before the Obama administration withdrew it in May would have cost the forest products industry about $7 billion, and the packaging industry $6.8 billion.

Another industry study, he said, warned that original boiler rule would have placed 36 mills at risk and would have jeopardized more than 20,000 jobs in the pulp and paper industries ? about 18 percent of the work force.

But a month before his testimony? and three months after EPA withdrew its boiler proposal ? Rock-Tenn told the SEC that "future compliance with these environmental laws and regulations will not have a material adverse effect on our results or operations, financial condition or cash flows." The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-25-Clean%20Air%20Politics/id-8ad4e3b03aea42058f60b325cd31515b

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Black Friday draws crowds, but spending in doubt (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Retailers were hoping for more shoppers like Shawn Elzia as the annual Black Friday bargain stampede marked the unofficial start of what is widely expected to be a middling holiday shopping season.

The Brooklyn, New York teacher, one of hundreds of thousands of shoppers jostling for deals around the country, said he ended up spending about 25 percent more than he planned, even while worrying about the state of the economy.

"I did not expect such deals," the 33-year old said as he left a Macy's store in Jersey City, New Jersey clutching bags full of clothing for himself and his family.

"It's slashed down to the bones," he said. "There were some great discounts if you showed up early."

Deals are always part of the picture on the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year was notable for an earlier opening for some retailers and possibly for the one shopper using pepper spray to make sure she could get a popular video game system.

The early start by stores brought out younger shoppers such as Alina Ybarra, who spent the wee hours of the morning with her friends as they all looked for items for themselves.

"It's really chaotic," Ybarra, 17, said of her first Black Friday outing as she finished her shopping in Santa Monica, California. She said that she liked the deals at stores such as Gap Inc's Old Navy and Urban Outfitters.

"It seems like a lot of teenagers were the primary shoppers, maybe because of the hour, but I think net-net it's not really going to result in an incremental positive for retailers," Ed Yruma, senior equity analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets, said after checking out crowds at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. He said shoppers were not carrying a lot of shopping bags.

Leon Clare, 24, and Shawn Sykes, 27, both U.S. Navy Corpsmen, drove about 125 miles from 29 Palms Marine Base to Santa Monica so they each could spend close to $175 on a pair of Air Jordan Retro 3 shoes in "Black Cement," popular new sneakers from Nike Inc.

"This is for me," said Clare, who plans to spend more on holiday gifts later on in the season.

"I'm leaving for Afghanistan in March. I'm getting something for everyone, just in case I don't come back."

WORRIED... AGAIN

More than 120 stores at the Mall of America opened at midnight. The crowd at that point was about 15,000 people. Mall operators estimated that it was the largest crowd ever at the mall, which is big enough to hold seven Yankee Stadiums.

While eager shoppers emerged from stores around the country lugging big-screen TVs and bags full of video games and toys, it was far from certain that people will pull out their wallets for much more than the best deals this year. Shoppers with limited budgets started using layaway at chains such as Walmart as early as October.

Retail shares fell more than the overall market on Friday.

"Americans are still worried about jobs, still worried about the economy," said Mike Thielmann, group executive vice president at J.C. Penney, who noted that shoppers were buying gifts and for themselves, and said jewelry was selling well.

In Houston, Rico Salvosa, 60, bought two cameras at Best Buy and said he had saved about $170.

"It's worse than before because business is slow," Salvosa, who wholesales stone countertops, said as he left the store with his daughters. "I don't have a lot of savings for holiday shopping. I told them, 'I cannot buy everything that you'd like.'"

Competition among the retailers was fierce as it was among shoppers, as some stores opened hours earlier than before.

Outside Macy's flagship store in New York, some Occupy Wall Street activists chanted "boycott Macy's" and "stop supporting big corporations" even as about 9,000 people lined up to shop when the store opened at midnight.

Opening early appeared to work, judging from the long lines at stores such as Macy's, Toys R Us, Best Buy, Walmart and Target.

"It was crazy around midnight and one in the morning," said a Target employee at the chain's East Harlem, New York store, where the crowd thinned out later on Friday morning.

Even after a Toys R Us in New Jersey had been open for nearly an hour, at 9:50 p.m. EST on Thursday night, there was still a line of about 300 people waiting to get inside.

The 24 hours that started at 9 p.m. Thursday will be the biggest in retail history, with sales estimated at $27 billion, according to Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, one of the few experts predicting a strong season.

The term "Black Friday" commonly refers to the day after Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the busy holiday shopping season when retailers do brisk business. (See related story: Spirited 'Black Friday' has dark roots.

While it is the busiest day of the year in terms of store traffic, it does not always mean that sales will soar for the season.

Despite brisk sales right after Thanksgiving in 2008 and 2009, total holiday season sales fell as the recession gripped the country.

The National Retail Federation, an industry trade group, expects 152 million people to hit stores this weekend, up 10.1 percent from last year. Yet it expects sales for the full November-December holiday season to rise just 2.8 percent, well below the pace of last year when sales rose 5.2 percent.

Luxury chains such as Saks Inc and those catering to lower-income shoppers, such as dollar stores, are expected to do well this shopping season.

"For our products that are $25,000 and up, growth is phenomenal," said Mark Vadon, founder of online jewelry retailer Blue Nile. "Price points under $100 are also doing really well. For the mass part of the market, consumers are strapped and being a lot more wary."

Overall, retail executives and analysts expect a more competitive shopping season than in 2010. Unemployment remains at 9 percent, European debt woes are weighing on the stock market, and consumer confidence remains spotty.

Online sales on Thursday and Friday surpassed last year, and more shoppers used their mobile devices to buy, according to IBM data. The amount U.S. shoppers spent via eBay Mobile more than doubled on Thanksgiving, while eBay's PayPal Mobile unit saw a five-fold increase in global mobile payment volume versus last Thanksgiving.

The online push put pressure on some companies. Walmart.com saw some very high traffic, so some customers may have experienced delays as they tried to check out, it said.

Even Apple Inc gets into the Christmas spirit on Black Friday, the only day that it usually offers discounts. This year it offered its typical $101 discount on its $900-plus Mac laptops and $41 or more off its $499-plus iPads.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan, Liana B. Baker and Phil Wahba in New York, Mihir Dalal in Jersey City, New Jersey, Jessica Wohl in Chicago, Diane Bartz in Hyattsville, Maryland, Lisa Baertlein and Edwin Chan in Los Angeles, Alistair Barr in San Francisco and Bruce Nichols in Houston. Editing by Jon Loades-Carter, Phil Berlowitz and Robert MacMillan)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111126/bs_nm/us_usa_retail_thanksgiving

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