Small business latest focus of House Republicans (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The House neared a vote Thursday on legislation that would give more weight to the impact of federal regulations on small businesses, whose owners can be a powerful political force and are being courted by both parties.

The bill, which would go to the Senate if passed, is the first of three Republican measures that attempt to curb what GOP lawmakers say are aggressive and sometimes costly regulations by the Obama administration.

While the Republican-run House has passed numerous bills this year to overturn or delay proposed rules, most were aimed at specific proposals. The latest bills would not be limited to any particular rule or agency.

A 1980 law requires federal agencies to assess the economic impact of regulations on small businesses. If the impact is significant, less burdensome alternatives must be considered.

Republicans believe, however, that federal agencies are ignoring their obligation to do a thorough analysis. The proposed legislation would empower a small business advocacy office, part of the Small Business Administration, to make sure that requirement is being fulfilled.

The assessment would have to include indirect impacts of proposed rules that are not specifically designed to regulate small business.

Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., chairman of the House Small Business Committee, said the bill would force agencies to consider how their actions affect small businesses.

"Some may argue that agencies already do this when they draft regulations. However, nearly 30 years of experience ... shows that agencies are not considering the consequences of their actions. And it is about time that they do so," he said.

OMB Watch, a nonprofit advocacy organization that monitors federal regulations, objected to the legislation and said it was too broad.

"Virtually any action an agency proposes ? even a guidance document designed to help a business comply with a rule ? could be subject to a lengthy review process," the group said.

"By requiring additional and wasteful analyses, this bill would make it impossible for federal agencies to protect the public and respond to emerging hazards."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_go_co/us_republicans_regulations

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Children with HIV/AIDS falling through the cracks of treatment scale-up efforts

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 1-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Violaine Dllenbach
vdallenbach@dndi.org
41-794-241-474
Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative

[Geneva/New York, 1 December 2011] Less than one-quarter (23%) of children with HIV/AIDS who need treatment are getting it, according to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the occasion of World AIDS Day (1 December 2011). Although treatment coverage for adults has been steadily climbing and has now reached approximately half of those in need, coverage for children is lagging far behind, highlighted the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a non-profit research and development organization that has recently launched a new paediatric HIV drug development programme.

'Children with HIV/AIDS are falling through the cracks', said Dr Bernard Pcoul, Executive Director of the DNDi. '250,000 children died of HIV-related complications in 2010 that's nearly 700 each day. This is simply unacceptable.'

There are several reasons for this situation including lack of access for pregnant women to antenatal care, HIV testing, and antiretrovirals (ARVs) to prevent mother-to-child transmission and treat expecting mothers, as well as difficulties diagnosing HIV in infants. But one of the most important, and overlooked, is the lack of suitable formulations of ARVs adapted for children, particularly babies and toddlers. The reason for this neglect lies, ironically, with the success of the virtual elimination of HIV among newborns in wealthy countries.

'There's little profit to be made from developing treatments for the millions of children with HIV/AIDS, 90% of whom are the poorest of the poor in sub-Saharan Africa, and the lack of market incentive means pharmaceutical companies do not develop ARVs adapted to their needs', Dr Pcoul continued. 'Without treatment, half of the children born with HIV die before their second birthday.'

WHO recommends immediate ART for all HIV-positive children less than two years old, but the safety and correct dosing have not been established in very young children for the majority of ARVs approved for adults. In addition, key existing paediatric ARV formulations taste bad, require impractical multiple liquid preparations and refrigeration, and have undesirable interactions with tuberculosis (TB) drugs.

DNDi's new paediatric HIV programme aims to develop an improved first-line therapy for children under three years of age. Ideally, this ARV combination therapy needs to be easy to administer and better tolerated by children than current drugs, as well as heat stable and easily dispersible (dissolvable in water or breast milk). It must also carry minimal risk for developing resistance and require minimum weight adjustments. Finally, any new formulations must be compatible with TB drugs.

'Given the current funding crisis, we are deeply concerned that children with HIV/AIDS who are already invisible and largely voiceless will fall even further down on the agenda', said Dr Marc Lallemant, Head of DNDi's Paediatric HIV Programme. 'And while everything possible needs to be done to achieve the long-term goal of "eliminating" new infections among infants, including through scale-up of prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes, a more serious response is urgently needed for HIV-positive children today.'

###

DNDi is a not-for-profit research and development organization working to deliver new treatments for neglected diseases, in particular human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, malaria, and, with the recent expansion of its portfolio, specific helminth infections, and paediatric HIV. DNDi was established in 2003 by Doctors Without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF), the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation from Brazil, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, the Ministry of Health of Malaysia, and the Pasteur Institute of France. The Special Programme for Tropical Disease Research (TDR) serves as a permanent observer. Since 2003, DNDi has delivered five new treatments for neglected patients with malaria, sleeping sickness, and visceral leishmaniasis. www.dndi.org

Media contact:
Oliver Yun, Communications Manager
DNDi North America (New York)
Mobile: +1.646.266.5216
Tel: +1.646.616.8681
Email: oyun@dndi.org

Violaine Dllenbach, Press and Communications Manager
DNDi (Geneva)
Mobile: +41.79.424.1474
Tel: +41.22.906.92 47
Email: vdallenbach@dndi.org


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


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 1-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Violaine Dllenbach
vdallenbach@dndi.org
41-794-241-474
Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative

[Geneva/New York, 1 December 2011] Less than one-quarter (23%) of children with HIV/AIDS who need treatment are getting it, according to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the occasion of World AIDS Day (1 December 2011). Although treatment coverage for adults has been steadily climbing and has now reached approximately half of those in need, coverage for children is lagging far behind, highlighted the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a non-profit research and development organization that has recently launched a new paediatric HIV drug development programme.

'Children with HIV/AIDS are falling through the cracks', said Dr Bernard Pcoul, Executive Director of the DNDi. '250,000 children died of HIV-related complications in 2010 that's nearly 700 each day. This is simply unacceptable.'

There are several reasons for this situation including lack of access for pregnant women to antenatal care, HIV testing, and antiretrovirals (ARVs) to prevent mother-to-child transmission and treat expecting mothers, as well as difficulties diagnosing HIV in infants. But one of the most important, and overlooked, is the lack of suitable formulations of ARVs adapted for children, particularly babies and toddlers. The reason for this neglect lies, ironically, with the success of the virtual elimination of HIV among newborns in wealthy countries.

'There's little profit to be made from developing treatments for the millions of children with HIV/AIDS, 90% of whom are the poorest of the poor in sub-Saharan Africa, and the lack of market incentive means pharmaceutical companies do not develop ARVs adapted to their needs', Dr Pcoul continued. 'Without treatment, half of the children born with HIV die before their second birthday.'

WHO recommends immediate ART for all HIV-positive children less than two years old, but the safety and correct dosing have not been established in very young children for the majority of ARVs approved for adults. In addition, key existing paediatric ARV formulations taste bad, require impractical multiple liquid preparations and refrigeration, and have undesirable interactions with tuberculosis (TB) drugs.

DNDi's new paediatric HIV programme aims to develop an improved first-line therapy for children under three years of age. Ideally, this ARV combination therapy needs to be easy to administer and better tolerated by children than current drugs, as well as heat stable and easily dispersible (dissolvable in water or breast milk). It must also carry minimal risk for developing resistance and require minimum weight adjustments. Finally, any new formulations must be compatible with TB drugs.

'Given the current funding crisis, we are deeply concerned that children with HIV/AIDS who are already invisible and largely voiceless will fall even further down on the agenda', said Dr Marc Lallemant, Head of DNDi's Paediatric HIV Programme. 'And while everything possible needs to be done to achieve the long-term goal of "eliminating" new infections among infants, including through scale-up of prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes, a more serious response is urgently needed for HIV-positive children today.'

###

DNDi is a not-for-profit research and development organization working to deliver new treatments for neglected diseases, in particular human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, malaria, and, with the recent expansion of its portfolio, specific helminth infections, and paediatric HIV. DNDi was established in 2003 by Doctors Without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF), the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation from Brazil, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, the Ministry of Health of Malaysia, and the Pasteur Institute of France. The Special Programme for Tropical Disease Research (TDR) serves as a permanent observer. Since 2003, DNDi has delivered five new treatments for neglected patients with malaria, sleeping sickness, and visceral leishmaniasis. www.dndi.org

Media contact:
Oliver Yun, Communications Manager
DNDi North America (New York)
Mobile: +1.646.266.5216
Tel: +1.646.616.8681
Email: oyun@dndi.org

Violaine Dllenbach, Press and Communications Manager
DNDi (Geneva)
Mobile: +41.79.424.1474
Tel: +41.22.906.92 47
Email: vdallenbach@dndi.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/2011-12/dfnd-cwh120111.php

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Australia backs security pact with U.S., India: report (Reuters)

CANBERRA (Reuters) ? Australia's government backed on Wednesday the idea of a new three-way security pact bringing fast-rising India together with Australia and the United States, and said its formation could be smoothed if Canberra agreed to sell uranium to New Delhi.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, in an interview with the Australian Financial Review, said a new trilateral pact bringing in India was worth exploring because "from little things big things grow".

"The response from the Indian government has really been quite positive," Rudd told the newspaper.

Australia, a close Washington ally, is already involved in a tripartite economic and security dialogue with Japan and the United States, and has embarked on a $65 billion defence modernisation including new assault ships, submarines and warplanes.

A four-way security pact proposed by the United States in 2007 which would have drawn Australia, the United States, Japan and India together disintegrated when Japan and India floated concerns that it would look like an attempt to encircle China.

But a prominent Chinese military commentator, People's Liberation Army Major General Luo Yuan, said this week that U.S. President Barack Obama's recent diplomatic push into the Asia-Pacific region was clearly an attempt to fence in Beijing.

"The United States is making much of its 'return to Asia', has been positioning pieces and forces on China's periphery, and the intent is very clear -- this is aimed at China, to contain China," Luo wrote on the website of the People's Daily newspaper.

During Obama's visit to Australia, both allies announced plans to bolster Washington's military presence in Australia's Asia-facing north and west with more frequent rotations of U.S. warships, aircraft and thousands of marines.

Both countries also agreed to explore the establishment of a new joint Australia-U.S. naval base on the Australian territory of Cocos Islands, in the Indian Ocean midway between Australia and Sri Lanka.

The idea of an Australian, Indian and U.S. trilateral security dialogue -- in part to counter China's rising naval power -- has been strongly pushed by a trio of influential strategic think-tanks in all three countries, but has yet to be formally adopted by any government.

But Rudd told the AFR that a looming weekend vote and expected approval by Australia's ruling Labor Party to drop a longstanding ban on uranium sales to non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty countries like India could help clear the way for formation of a new pact.

(Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Ed Davies)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/india/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111130/india_nm/india607940

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Kanye gets 7 Grammy noms; Adele, Mars, Foos get 6

From left, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, and Ari Levine are seen backstage at the Grammy Nominations Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

From left, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, and Ari Levine are seen backstage at the Grammy Nominations Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Scorpio, left, and Melle Mel are seen backstage at the Grammy Nominations Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Grace Potter is seen backstage at the Grammy Nominations Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The Band Perry, from left, Neil Perry Kimberly Perry, and Reid Perry, are seen at the Grammy Nominations Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

LL Cool J is seen backstage at the Grammy Nominations Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

It was Adele's year, and when the Grammy Awards are revealed next February, it very well may be her night.

But on Wednesday night, the British songstress shared in the Grammy nominations glory. While she was nominated for six trophies, including album of the year for "21" and record and song of the year for her bitter groove "Rolling in the Deep," Bruno Mars and the Foo Fighters also received six each, and it was Kanye West who was the night's top leader, with seven nominations.

West was nominated for song of the year for his all-star anthem "All of the Lights," which featured everyone from Rihanna to Elton John. But even though the album from which it came, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," heralded an epic album by critics when it was released last year, it was not featured in the best album category (so far, no obligatory West rant has surfaced in response).

Bon Iver, the folky indie rock act that was a key part of "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" and received a popularity boost from its association with Kanye, was one of the night's big winners, receiving four nominations, including for best artist, and song and record of the year for "Holocene." And last year's critical darlings, Mumford & Sons, were once again nominated, receiving among their bids for song and record of the year for "The Cave."

Other multiple nominees were Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Radiohead, and dubstep artist Skrillex, who landed a bid for best new artist among his surprising five nominations.

Among the evening's biggest eye-openers were the artists not mentioned in certain categories. Taylor Swift, who won best album in 2010 for "Fearless" and was considered to be a key favorite for her multiplatinum "Speak Now," only got her three nominations in the country fields, and Tony Bennett, who had a feel-good story as his "Duets II" album made him the oldest act to debut an album at No. 1 at age 85, was not nominated for album of the year, as some critics had predicted.

West's joint album with Jay-Z, "Watch the Throne," was also ignored for best album.

Mars, who like Adele was nominated in all the top three categories ? record, album and song of the year ? was estatic about his night. He was nominated for song and record of the year for "Grenade," album for "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," and best pop solo performance, among other bids.

"It feels incredible. Me and these guys, we locked ourselves in the studio not too far from here and worked on this album, especially 'Grenade.' That's the song we worked the hardest on. That's like our trophy right there. Of all the songs we've been fortunate enough to be a part of this year, we were most proud of that one," Mars said after the nominations, some of which were announced in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre as part of the Recording Academy's hour-long concert nominations special.

Mars, who was part of the CBS special, along with Rihanna, Lady Gaga, The Band Perry and others, also got key nominations last year. But he said of awards: "I'm trying to get used to it. It's hard for me, because Adele is incredible. Kanye West is incredible. All these people are just incredible and they all offer something different, so the fact that this album got recognized and is being categorized alongside these acts, that's the craziest part, because I'm a fan of all of this music."

The academy seemed to be fans of a wide variety of music as well. They top categories honored rap, pop, indie music, folk and dance.

Adele's "21" is the year's top-selling album with more than 4.5 million albums sold, and the singer-songwriter's mournful post-breakup album produced smash hits like the torch ballad "Someone Like You." Besides "21," the best album candidates inclduded Lady Gaga; Gaga garnered her third straight nod in the category for "Born This Way," while veteran rockers the Foo Fighters were nominated for "Wasting Light," along with Mars' debut album, and Rihanna's steamy dance album "Loud."

For record of the year, besides Bon Iver, Adele, Mars and Mumford & Sons, Katy Perry's inspirational anthem "Firework" got a nod. The category looked virtually the same for song of the year, with "Firework" being replaced by West's "All of the Lights."

Unlike the past two years, which saw Swift and fellow country act Lady Antebellum soar in the general categories, the only country act that got a mainstream nomination was the country sibling act The Band Perry. Best known for their poignant ballad "If I Die Young," they got a nomination for best new artist. Their competition also includes Bon Iver, Jay-Z rap prot?g? J. Cole, Skrillex and rapper-singer Minaj.

"It's been an amazing evening," said lead singer Kimberly Perry. "We got the good news yesterday that our debut album went platinum, it was certified yesterday, to so follow it with a nomination tonight is phenomenal. We're just in the clouds, absolutely."

The 54th Grammys will be held Feb. 12 in Los Angeles. The ceremony will mark the first since the academy shaved its categories from 109 to 78 this year, amid some protest. Some of the more niched categories, like best Zydeco or Cajun music album, were eliminated.

In addition, men and women now compete together in vocal categories for pop, R&B and country, instead of having separate categories for each sex. This year, the category is best pop solo performance and Bruno Mars is the only man nominated for "Grenade." His competition includes Adele for "Someone Like You," Lady Gaga for "You and I," Pink for "(Expletive) Perfect" and Perry for "Firework."

___

Online:

http://www.grammy.com

___

Entertainment Writer Sandy M. Cohen contributed to this report.

____

Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the AP's music editor. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi. AP Entertainment Writer Sandy M. Cohen is at http://www.twitter.com/apsandy

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-01-Grammy%20Nominations/id-c18daa2b4d0f4158b67bed4428c7e36c

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Shaq?s Tiny Girfriend ?Hoopz? Gives Him Piggyback Ride (VIDEO)

Ex-Wis. Gov. Thompson launches GOP bid for Senate (AP)

MADISON, Wis. ? The toughest opponent Tommy Thompson may have to overcome in next year's U.S. Senate race is Tommy Thompson himself.

The former Wisconsin governor and U.S. Cabinet secretary was set to formally launch his Senate bid with a rally Thursday, 13 years since he last appeared on a ballot.

Early in the campaign, Thompson has found himself under criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike over his shifting position on President Barack Obama's health care reform law. And conservatives in his party say his record as governor and as President George W. Bush's first health and human services secretary was far too moderate.

"The world has changed since he was elected to office," said Chris Chocola, the president of the conservative Club for Growth, which has endorsed one of his opponents, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann. "Now we're talking about how much less we'll spend rather than how much more we'll spend."

The growth in state spending and the size of government during his 14 years as governor are being cast as a liability by Thompson's rivals, and his consensus-building approach to politics seems almost quaint in the current bitterly partisan political environment.

But Thompson has some things the two more conservative GOP candidates in the race don't: More than 40 years in public life, unparalleled name recognition, and a vast reservoir of good will.

"It's going to be a very bloody, divisive primary where most of the fire is focused on Thompson and his big spending record and flip flopping on issues," said Matt Canter, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

The seat, which has been in Democratic hands since 1957, is opening due to Herb Kohl's retirement. A victory in Wisconsin would be a major pickup for Republicans looking to regain control of the Senate.

One of those challenging Thompson is Jeff Fitzgerald, the conservative speaker of the Wisconsin state Assembly, who helped shepherd through the Legislature Gov. Scott Walker's proposal attacking union rights. The other is Neumann, who has the support of both the Club for Growth and U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican who is a favorite among tea party conservatives.

The only Democrat running is U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, a liberal from Madison.

Fitzgerald said his recent record delivering on the conservative agenda sets him apart from Thompson and Neumann.

"I'm kind of the outside guy, the dark horse," Fitzgerald said. "I have the clear cut message that I just delivered on these promises."

Fitzgerald said Thompson's former statements in support of health care reform are a liability.

"I think he's got a problem with that with our base," Fitzgerald said.

Neumann said repealing Obama's health care reform package is one of the top issues with conservative voters and his call for repealing it has been the most consistent message from Republican candidates.

Thompson declined to be interviewed but instead sent an email statement defending his conservative credentials, citing welfare reform and implementation of school choice programs.

"People said I was too conservative to run for governor," Thompson said in the email. "I won and we sparked a successful conservative revolution right here in Wisconsin."

The biggest issue Thompson's had to deal with in the nascent campaign, and one that could be pivotal as he tries to survive a Republican primary, is his position on Obama's health care reform law.

Thompson initially spoke favorably of the law and the need for health care reform, while also raising concerns about some parts of Obama's proposal, including the mandate forcing people to buy health insurance.

As it was working its way through Congress, Thompson called Obama's proposal "another important step" toward achieving health care reform. But he also raised concerns about certain parts of the plan, including the mandate forcing people to buy health insurance.

He now favors repeal of the law, saying it wasn't the right solution.

Thompson reiterated in his email that he was committed to repealing the Obama health care reforms.

Thompson was the strongest Republican advocate for the law at the time it was being debated, said Canter with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Obama himself even mentioned Thompson in 2009 as a supporter of health care reform, even though most congressional Republicans oppose it.

By now arguing for repeal, Thompson is "catering to what's in his best political interests," Canter said.

Thompson is facing a problem common to candidates who run for election after long absences from office, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College. Often the issues of the day and the focus of a party's agenda shift if there's a long gap between runs, he said.

"In the 1990s this country was in a time of great prosperity, and at least the federal budget was in surplus," he said. "It's a completely different situation now."

Thompson, who was first elected to the state Assembly in 1966 and was elected governor four times starting in 1986, has cultivated a base of supporters that is unlikely to leave him, while Fitzgerald and Neumann are fighting over largely the same pool of more conservative voters, said University of Wisconsin political science professor Charles Franklin.

"That divides the more conservative wing of the party which is probably to Thompson's benefit in a three-way race," Franklin said. "Anything he does to divide the competition is probably good."

___________

Henry C. Jackson in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_el_se/us_wisconsin_senate

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Surprise role of nuclear structure protein in development

Monday, November 28, 2011

Scientists have long held theories about the importance of proteins called B-type lamins in the process of embryonic stem cells replicating and differentiating into different varieties of cells. New research from a team led by Carnegie's Yixian Zheng indicates that, counter to expectations, these B-type lamins are not necessary for stem cells to renew and develop, but are necessary for proper organ development. Their work is published November 24 by Science Express.

Nuclear lamina is the material that lines the inside of a cell's nucleus. Its major structural component is a family of proteins called lamins, of which B-type lamins are prominent members and thought to be absolutely essential for a cell's survival. Mutations in lamins have been linked to a number of human diseases. Lamins are thought to suppress the expression of certain genes by binding directly to the DNA within the cell's nucleus.

The role of B-type lamins in the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into various types of cells, depending on where in a body they are located, was thought to be crucial. The lamins were thought to use their DNA-binding suppression abilities to tell a cell which type of development pathway to follow.

But the team--including Carnegie's Youngjo Kim, Katie McDole, and Chen-Ming Fan--took a hard look at the functions of B-type lamins in embryonic stem cells and in live mice.

They found that, counter to expectations, lamin-Bs were not essential for embryonic stem cells to survive, nor did their DNA binding directly regulate the genes to which they were attached. However, mice deficient in B-type lamins were born with improperly developed organs?including defects in the lungs, diaphragms and brains?and were unable to breathe.

"Our works seems to indicate that while B-type lamins are not part of the early developmental tissue-building process, while they are important in facilitating the integration of different cell types into the complex architectures of various developing organs," Kim, the lead author, said. "We have set the stage to dissect the ways that a cell's nuclear lamina promote tissue organization process during development."

###

Carnegie Institution: http://www.ciw.edu

Thanks to Carnegie Institution for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115469/Surprise_role_of_nuclear_structure_protein_in_development

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Receding floods reveal crocs lurking in Bangkok

Murky floodwaters are receding from Bangkok's inundated outskirts to reveal some scary swamp dwellers who moved in while flooded residents were moving out ? including crocodiles and some of the world's most poisonous snakes.

Special teams from the Thai Fishery Department have responded to numerous reports of reptilian menaces, like the 3-foot-long croc that Anchalee Wannawet saw sitting next to the outhouse one morning, its toothy jaw wide open.

"I ran away, and it ran into there," the 23-year-old said, pointing toward the reedy swamp behind the construction site where she works in Bangkok's northern Sai Mai district. "I haven't dared to go the bathroom since. I'm peeing in a can."

Thailand has long been a center for the breeding, exporting and trafficking of exotic animals, especially crocodiles. Farmed both legally and illegally, crocs are popular because of the value they fetch for their meat, bones and especially their skins, used to make luxury bags and accessories.

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This year's record monsoon rains, which prompted Thailand's worst flooding in a half century and killed more than 600 people, also swamped some of the country's estimated 3,000 crocodile farms. Many of the reptiles escaped ? though probably not as many as residents think they are seeing around the city.

Thais adjust to life in waist-deep water

"We get a lot of reports at the Fishery Department, but only about 5 to 10 percent of them turn out to be true," said Praphan Lipayakun, a fishery department official, adding that many false reports end up being large monitor lizards, which are generally shy and harmless.

"We even get reports of people being bitten, but when we follow up, we can't get in touch with the supposed patient, or when contacted, the doctor that treated the wound says that it in no way resembled a crocodile bite."

Still, officials and volunteer veterinarians have confirmed many flood-affected animals on the loose or in distress ? and not only reptiles.

Monkeys, lions, bears
A team of volunteer veterinarians rescued scores of animals ? from deer and Capuchin monkeys to lions, tigers and bears ? from the yards and homes of Thailand's rich.

"Most of the ones we found in the Bangkok area are privately owned, and a lot of them are for fun or for pleasure ? like a farm or some exotic species in the house," said Nantarika Chansue, president of the Zoo and Wildlife Veterinary Society of Thailand and a member of the team of volunteers.

"Some of the owners left home already and left the animals in the cage as the water rose. Some of them have illegal animals and are afraid of being prosecuted, so they are afraid to tell us and just leave them there."

Some of the rescued animals had had to be treated for respiratory diseases from inhaling disease-infested floodwaters, Nantarika said.

Calls about snakes have spiked from the usual two per day to about 10, said Sompob Sridaranop, a snake rescue expert from the Thai Marine Department. Most residents report pythons ? but occasionally the calls are about highly venomous cobras and pit vipers, he said.

Video: Man in Thailand volunteers as snake catcher (on this page)

"A lot of snakes are coming out now because they, too, are flooded. Their homes are usually under houses, or in pipes, but they can't sleep in the water, so they are escaping," he said.

In Nakhon Sawan province, north of Bangkok, Anan Dirath said his family found about 10 nonpoisonous snakes in the house since the waters receded, while his neighbors found cobras, which they caught and sold for their meat.

In Bangkok's Sai Mai district, not far from where Anchalee spotted the crocodile, a large zoo called Safari World was flooded, endangering primates, giraffes, dolphins and other exotic animals in captivity. At the height of the flooding, zoo official Litti Kewkacha said staff were piling up earth, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to stay higher than the flood levels.

Crocodile farms were not so successful at keeping their wards safe in captivity.

Since the floods began in July, the Fishery Department's crocodile teams have captured 10 that have escaped and found their way into residential areas in Bangkok and suburbs just to the north. Some have been easy catches: Residents had closed them into fenced yards.

'Footprints'
Then there are those like the one Anchalee saw, lurking in areas that are boxed in, but large, and with plenty of vegetation for cover. That one proved a special challenge for the crocodile chasers.

"These are its footprints. It's around here," Praphan said under a mid-afternoon sun.

Video: Experience life amid Thailand's floodwaters (on this page)

As the team toured the area's perimeter by boat, 42-year-old crocodile zoo performer and volunteer Chalaew Busamrong concurred that the trapped animal must be a crocodile.

"It has been floating around here a long time," Chalaew said. "It can't find its way out. If it were a monitor lizard, it would have found its way out by now."

The team decided that the area was too wide and wild to try to close in on the beast, so they baited their giant-sized hooks with raw chicken carcasses. It's a tactic with an often-inconclusive result, because if local residents find a trapped crocodile, they're likely to grab it and sell it.

"We've left bait before in other areas, but because crocodiles are so valuable, we're never sure if they are captured or not," Praphan said.

As they attached the wires to nearby trees in the swamp and prepared to head home, they heard a heavy movement in the reeds. The team stiffened, fell quiet, and backed away, hoping the crocodile might move forward.

Video: Stranded animals rescued in Thailand (on this page)

Suspecting the crocodile might be hungry enough to take the bait, Chalaew decided to stay the night.

Nearby, construction workers slept uneasily, but there were no sounds of frantic splashing, as had been hoped. As the sun rose, the chicken carcasses remained untouched.

One week later, the area remained flooded. Neighbors told Anchalee that they shot and killed two crocodiles a few streets away.

Foul-smelling water
"I don't know if it's true or not, but that's what they say," she said by phone. "We haven't seen it since, and the chicken has all fallen off into the water. We only hear the dogs howling."

Meanwhile, knee-deep in foul-smelling water, workers piled office equipment, documents and food onto fiber boats that ferry them from one building on Hana Microelectronics' 12-acre company site in Ayutthaya, about 50 miles north of Bangkok, to another with more space on higher floors.

The firm, Thailand's biggest semiconductor packager, managed to get its integrated circuits ?a vital part in virtually all electronic equipment from mobile phones and tablets to computers ? outside the flood zone a week before the water breached defensive dikes on October 13.

Video: Thailand submerged by floods (on this page)

But it could do nothing about the dozens of machines weighing up to 5 tons each on the ground floor of the main building, which was almost entirely submerged.

"As you can see, it's still a big mess here," said general manager Bruce Stromstad, as he directed some of the 50 staff? ? skilled workers mucking in with the rest ? scrubbing dirty floors and removing sandbags in the burning sun.

Damage to equipment could go as high as $30 million, with the whole clean-up costing several million dollars more, said the 67-year-old executive from Silicon Valley, California.

Two crocodiles have been spotted in the parking lot and a cobra snuck into the building.

With the slow-moving water still washing through some parts of Thailand, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has proposed spending 130 billion baht ($4.2 billion) on reconstruction and steps to prevent future floods.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45451370/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

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Earth's past gives clues to future changes

ScienceDaily (Nov. 28, 2011) ? Scientists are a step closer to predicting when and where earthquakes will occur after taking a fresh look at the formation of the Andes, which began 45 million years ago.

Published recently in Nature, research led by Dr Fabio Capitanio of Monash University's School of Geosciences describes a new approach to plate tectonics. It is the first model to go beyond illustrating how plates move, and explain why.

Dr Capitanio said that although the theory had been applied only to one plate boundary so far, it had broader application.

Understanding the forces driving tectonic plates will allow researchers to predict shifts and their consequences, including the formation of mountain ranges, opening and closing of oceans, and earthquakes.

Dr Capitanio said existing theories of plate tectonics had failed to explain several features of the development of the Andes, motivating him to take a different approach.

"We knew that the Andes resulted from the subduction of one plate, under another; however, a lot was unexplained. For example, the subduction began 125 million years ago, but the mountains only began to form 45 million years ago. This lag was not understood," Dr Capitanio said.

"The model we developed explains the timing of the Andes formation and unique features such as the curvature of the mountain chain."

Dr Capitanio said the traditional approach to plate tectonics, to work back from data, resulted in models with strong descriptive, but no predictive power.

"Existing models allow you to describe the movement of the plates as it is happening, but you can't say when they will stop, or whether they will speed up, and so on.

"I developed a three-dimensional, physical model -- I used physics to predict the behaviour of tectonic plates. Then, I applied data tracing the Andes back 60 million years. It matched."

Collaborators on the project were Dr Claudio Faccenna of Universita Roma Tre, Dr Sergio Zlotnik of UPC-Barcelona Tech, and Dr David R Stegman of University of California San Diego. The researchers will continue to develop the model by applying it to other subduction zones.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Monash University.

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Journal Reference:

  1. F. A. Capitanio, C. Faccenna, S. Zlotnik, D. R. Stegman. Subduction dynamics and the origin of Andean orogeny and the Bolivian orocline. Nature, 2011; DOI: 10.1038/nature10596

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128121130.htm

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