Clarifying the effect of stem cell therapy on cancer

Apr. 28, 2013 ? Injection of human stem cells into mice with tumors slowed down tumor growth, finds research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), isolated from bone marrow, caused changes in blood vessels supplying the tumor, and it is this modification of blood supply which seems to impact tumor growth.

The use of stem cells in treating cancer has been controversial, with some studies finding that stem cells force tumors to enter programmed cell death. However other studies find that stem cells actually promote tumor growth by inducing infiltration of new blood vessels. In attempting to sort out this puzzle researchers from INSERM groups at Universit? Joseph Fourier in collaboration with CHU de Grenoble investigated the impact of MSC on already established subcutaneous or lung metastasis in mice.

For both the subcutaneous and lung tumors, injection of MSC reduced cell division, consequently slowing the rate of tumor growth. Part of the mode of action of stem cells therefore appears to be due to with angiogenesis, but the mechanism behind this is still unclear.

Claire Rome who led this study explained, "We found that MSC altered vasculature inside the tumor -- although new blood vessels were generated, overall they were longer and fewer than in untreated tumors. This could be restricting the oxygen and nutrients to the tumor, limiting cell division." She continued, "Our study confirms others which propose that stem cells, in particular MSC, might be one way forwards in treating cancer."

Commenting on this study Celia Gomes, from the University of Coimbra, said, "One of the interesting questions this study raises is when MSC promote tumor growth and when they restrict it. The answer seems to be timing -- this study looks at already established tumors, while others, which find that MSC increase growth, tend to be investigating new tumors. This is a first step in the path to identifying exactly which patients might benefit from stem cell therapy and who will not."

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Michelle K?ramidas, Florence de Fraipont, Anastassia Karageorgis, Ana?ck Moisan, Virginie Persoons, Marie-Jeanne Richard, Jean-Luc Coll and Claire Rome. The dual effect of MSCs on tumour growth and tumour angiogenesis. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 2013, 4:41 [link]

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/SFxmSeqXAZ0/130428230425.htm

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Ashton Kutcher Fights Security Guy at Stagecoach Festival

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/ashton-kutcher-fights-security-guy-at-stagecoach-festival/

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Physicists, biologists unite to expose how cancer spreads

Monday, April 29, 2013

Cancer cells that can break out of a tumor and invade other organs are more aggressive and nimble than nonmalignant cells, according to a new multi-institutional nationwide study. These cells exert greater force on their environment and can more easily maneuver small spaces.

The researchers report in the journal Scientific Reports that a systematic comparison of metastatic breast-cancer cells to healthy breast cells revealed dramatic differences between the two cell lines in their mechanics, migration, oxygen response, protein production and ability to stick to surfaces. The researchers discovered new insights into how cells make the transition from nonmalignant to metastatic, a process that is not well understood.

The resulting catalogue of differences could someday help researchers detect cancerous cells earlier and someday prevent or treat metastatic cancer, which is responsible for 90 percent of all cancer deaths, according to the study. It was conducted by a network of 12 federally funded Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OC) sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. PS-OC is a collaboration of researchers in the physical and biological sciences seeking a better understanding of the physical and chemical forces that shape the emergence and behavior of cancer.

"By bringing together different types of experimental expertise to systematically compare metastatic and nonmetastatic cells, we have advanced our knowledge of how metastasis occurs," said Robert Austin, professor of physics and leader of the Princeton PS-OC, along with senior co-investigator Thea Tlsty of the University of California-San Francisco.

Researchers with the Princeton PS-OC, for instance, determined that metastatic cells, in spite of moving more slowly than nonmalignant cells, move farther and in a straighter line, Austin said. The investigators studied the cells' behavior in tiny cell-sized chambers and channels etched out of silicon and designed to mimic the natural environment of the body's interior.

"The mobility of these metastatic cells is an essential feature of their ability to break through the tough membrane [the extracellular matrix] that the body uses to wall off the tumor from the rest of the body," Austin said. "These cells are essentially jail-breakers."

The tiny silicon chambers were built using Princeton's expertise in microfabrication technology ? typically used to create small technologies such as integrated circuits and solar cells ? and are an example of the type of expertise that physicists and engineers can bring to cancer research, Austin said. For the current study, the Princeton team included physics graduate students David Liao and Guillaume Lambert, and postdoctoral researchers Liyu Liu and Saurabh Vyawahare. They worked closely with a research group led by James Sturm, Princeton's William and Edna Macaleer Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and director of the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM) where the microfabrication was done.

The Princeton PS-OC also includes collaborators at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of California-Santa Cruz.

The nationwide PS-OC program aims to crack the difficulty of understanding and treating cancer by bringing in researchers from physics, engineering, computer science and chemistry, said Nastaran Zahir Kuhn, program manager for the PS-OC at the National Cancer Institute.

Other notable findings from the paper include that metastatic cells recover more rapidly from the stress of a low-oxygen environment than nonmetastatic cells, which is consistent with previous studies. Although the low-oxygen environment did kill many of the metastatic cells, the survivors rebounded vigorously, underscoring the likely role of individual cells in the spread of cancer. The study also looked at total protein production and detected proteins in the metastatic cells that are consistent with the physical properties such as mobility that malignant cells need to invade the extracellular matrix.

"The PS-OC program aims to bring physical sciences tools and perspectives into cancer research," Kuhn said. "The results of this study demonstrate the utility of such an approach, particularly when studies are conducted in a standardized manner from the beginning."

For the nationwide project, nearly 100 investigators from 20 institutions and laboratories conducted their experiments using the same two cell lines, reagents and protocols to assure that results could be compared. The experimental methods ranged from physical measurements of how the cells push on surrounding cells to measurements of gene and protein expression.

"Roughly 20 techniques were used to study the cell lines, enabling identification of a number of unique relationships between observations," Kuhn said.

For example, a technique known as atomic force microscopy indicated that metastatic cells are softer than nonmalignant cells whereas a different technique, traction force microscopy, suggested that metastatic cells exert more force on their surroundings, Kuhn said. Together these two findings may indicate that metastatic cells can exert force to stick to, migrate on and remodel the tough extracellular matrix that surrounds the tumor, while remaining flexible enough to squeeze through small spaces in that membrane.

###

Princeton University: http://www.princeton.edu

Thanks to Princeton University 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/127975/Physicists__biologists_unite_to_expose_how_cancer_spreads

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NewsRel Uses Machine Learning To Summarize News Stories And Put Them On A Map

After 24 hours of staring at their screens, the teams that participated in our?Disrupt NY 2013?Hackathon?have now finished their projects?and are currently presenting them onstage. With more than 160 hacks, there are far too many cool ones to write about, but one that stood out to me was NewsRel, an iPad-based news app that uses machine-learning techniques to understand how news stories relate to one other. The app uses Google Maps as its main interface and automatically decides which location is most appropriate for any given story. The app currently uses Reuters‘ RSS feed and analyzes the stories, looking for clusters of related stories and then puts them on the map. Say you are looking at a story about the Boston Marathon bombings. The app, of course, will show you a number of news stories about it clustered around Boston, then maybe something about the president’s comments about it from Washington and another article that relates it to the massacre during the Munich Olympics in 1972. In addition to this, the team built an algorithm that picks the most important sentences from each story to summarize it for you. As you scroll through the stories, the app always recalculates the related stories on the fly, too, which makes for a pretty interesting news-reading experience. Besides the map, the team also decided to develop the user interface around gestures, so you swipe down to read the full story on the news service’s webpage and you can swipe left and right to scroll from one story to the next The team members have a background in machine learning and iOS engineering. They met during their undergrad studies a few years ago and decided to team up for the hackathon. They told me that they plan to keep working on the app and release it in the near future.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/rf7XpRCwtWc/

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Watch A House Of Cards Spoof With Kevin Spacey And Obama Make A BuzzFeed Pot Joke

Netflix’s “House of Cards” took center stage at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, with an official spoof about the back room jockeying over seat assignments at the coveted press dinner. The clip even gave a big nod to BuzzFeed’s alternative BBQ held during the actual dinner. Despite their admirable popularity, BuzzFeed is not a member of the White House Correspondents Association and didn’t get a table. “A colonoscopy would be cooler than that dinner,” BuzzFeed Editor in Chief, Ben Smith, says to Kevin Spacey’s character. BuzzFeed even got a shoutout from the president himself during his annual stand-up routine: “I remember when BuzzFeed was just something I did in college around 2 a.m.,” said the president in an obvious reference to his pot-smoking college days. Watch the whole routine below: The “House Of Cards” cast was out in full force at DC’s stargazing weekend. There are a lot of?entertainers who stroll into town, but Kevin Spacey was the uber-celebrity. Even at Tammy Haddad’s famous Garden Brunch, the A-list crowd couldn’t help but turn heads upon Spacey’s arrival. On top of viewers, “House of Cards” has made Netflix the talk of the town among policymakers, which could be worth more political capital than the $1 million they spent on lobbying last year. It seemed like everyone was happy to talk with Netflix’s representatives, even just as an excuse to dish about the drama and get some inside details about Capitol Hill’s new favorite?pastime. Interestingly enough, Netflix’s other original series, “Hemlock Grove,” may be off to a better start?in terms of viewers, but doesn’t seem to have the same buzz. An obvious but valuable lesson: influential fans are worth a lot.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Bc-xUn9ca9U/

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Two police officers shot as Italian government sworn in

ROME (Reuters) - Two police officers were shot and wounded outside the Italian prime minister's office on Sunday as Enrico Letta's new government was being sworn in around a kilometer (mile) away at the president's palace, police and witnesses said.

One man, described by witnesses as well dressed, was arrested at the scene of the shooting where a crowd was waiting for Letta to arrive but it was initially unclear whether the attack was linked to the launch of the new government.

"We still have to understand who he is. He's been caught," Antonio Catricala, a cabinet undersecretary in the former government told reporters.

A police official told Reuters that the man was from the southern region of Calabria and having fired several shots at the two police on duty outside the prime minister's office, he shouted "shoot me, shoot me" to other police nearby.

Letta and his new cabinet were due to come to the prime minister's office to accept a transfer of power from the outgoing government of Mario Monti at 1 p.m. (7:00 a.m. EDT).

One of the officers was shot in the neck and was in a serious condition, a police official said. Another was hit in the leg and was less seriously hurt. Italian media said a passer-by had also been injured but not seriously.

Five or six shots were fired and police had found five spent shells from a small caliber weapon, another official said.

Letta, 46, the moderate deputy head of the Democratic Party (PD), on Saturday ended two months of political stalemate since February's inconclusive election when he brought together former political rivals in a broad coalition government.

Letta's ministers stepped forward one by one to swear allegiance to the republic before President Giorgio Napolitano, who personally picked Letta as prime minister and had a central role in the choice of his cabinet team.

(Reporting by Gavin Jones, Antonella Cinelli, Roberto Landucci; Editing by James Mackenzie and Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italian-government-under-enrico-letta-sworn-094720376.html

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Survey shows iPhone loyalty still beating out Android

A recent survey produced some fairly promising results for iPhone's future in the U.S. About half of respondents said they were using an Android phone, and only about 30% iPhone. The same amount (42%) said they would go with either Android and iOS for their next smartphone. Though that sounds a little dour, what's really interesting are the retention rates.

Only 6% of iOS users were intending to switch to Android, with 91% intending to buy another iPhone. Meanwhile 24% of Android users planned to defect, 18% to iPhone. These results have led the researchers to project that there will be more iPhone owners in the U.S. than Android by 2015. The study, conducted by Yankee Group, spanned 16,000 Americans over the last 12 months, so you can expect that these results are fairly representative, if not their projections.

There have been plenty of studies in the past which cement Apple loyalty, and it's good to see that the trend is keeping up. Let's be fair - the HTC One looks pretty sweet, and should appeal to many of the physical design sensibilities ingrained in iPhone users, but how many of you are seriously considering a switch for your next phone? What is it about the iPhone that keeps you coming back model after model?

Via: AllThingsD

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/DXjO0zOf_8E/story01.htm

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ZyXEL CloudEnabled IP Camera (IPC4605N)

ZyXEL's CloudEnabled Network Pan & Tilt Camera provides some fairly sophisticated network surveillance camera features that can benefit small businesses. Remote camera movement control, bundled Network Video Recorder (NVR) software, and infrared motion detection all make this an attractive and affordable video surveillance solution for a home or small business. But the web-based and bundled software need some significant improvements before the product can be considered a home run. Without robust NVR software, Zyxel's camera is more on par with consumer webcams and, in that space, Logitech's Alert 750n Indoor Master System??is actually a better home IP camera.

Introducing the CloudEnabled Network Pan & Tilt Camera
Without a doubt, many will find that ZyXEL's camera looks like a miniaturized robot or some machine roving the surface of Mars?it's very impressive looking. The camera sits on a base, and a motor moves the camera head so you can position it remotely. You can turn the lens up, down, left, or right while viewing a live feed.

The camera features a 1/3-inch CMOS Megapixel sensor. The lens specs include a focal length of 4.0 mm and a 10x digital zoom.

The rear panel has an Ethernet port, an EXT port, audio out, microphone in, a microSD slot, and a USB port only for connecting the accompanying wireless USB adapter. At first I thought you could add a USB flash drive for storage purposes in the port, but you can't.

The camera ships with a power adapter, Ethernet cable (it can operate wired on a network or wirelessly), a quick installation guide and install CD. The camera can be ceiling or wall mounted?it also comes with a wall mount plate, screws for a ceiling mount, screw anchors, and a camera pad.

Setup
The camera's installation disc has a setup utility, bundled software, and a user manual. I set up the camera following the quick-start guide's instructions. These instructions cover connecting the camera to a router via the Ethernet cable (this must be done for initial setup even if you plan to operate the camera wirelessly).

Once the camera is powered up, its red LEDs light up and the camera rotates on its own with robotic-like movements?making for a very cool boot-up.? ZyXEL's camera also has an additional LED on the front which turns from a psychedelic purple color to solid blue once the power and a network connection is established.

Insert the disc and the "eaZy" wizard launches. The wizard offers a diagram how all the cables connect from the camera to a computer to a router. It then advises that even if you plan to use the wireless, you still have to set up through a wired connection first.?

The LED in the front should be blue, the wizard states, once the power and LAN connections are made.? The software wizard also detected my camera on my network right away and displayed its IP address.? I then gave the camera a name and description, which is optional.

The camera supports DHCP, or you can give it a static IP address. During setup, you also specify how you plan to orient the device, either upright or hanging upside down from a ceiling mount. In the latter case, the video is rotated 180 degrees.

If you plan on operating the camera wirelessly, you can choose that option during setup. The setup software performs a scan of all wireless networks in proximity and you can select one to connect to. The wireless setup is a bit of a hassle, because you have to know what type of encryption the Wi-Fi network you're connecting to uses, and not just the fact it may use WPA2 but whether its AES or TKIP encryption. Ideally, since the software can perform a Wi-Fi survey, it should be able to pick up the encryption method.

The fact that you have to initially set this up on a wired network makes for some potential network conflict once you connect wirelessly if the wireless router is on a different network. I had some difficulty doing this kind of setup. The software doesn't handle the network change well and gives no indication at which point you should disconnect the LAN cable.? I ended up having to use a router that was on the same network as my wired connection?your best bet for the wireless setup. Most SOHO small business users will likely have one network, for wired and wireless, all powered by the same router, but if not the network conflicts are a possibility setting up wireless. Setup wraps up by asking you to create an iSecurity account. This is a cloud service that allows for remotely viewing the camera from a browser or mobile device.

iSecurity
iSecurity provides a live feed from your camera. The interface has arrow buttons that allow you to move the camera at different angles. There are also some configuration options, such as setting the video stream resolution (640x480, 320x240, 160x120), frames per second, and video quality.

It's a decent cloud service, but the free version is very limited. To share camera streams with friends or to access advanced features, you'll have to get a paid iSecurity subscription for $5.99 per month (or $59 per year).

After I activated the paid account, I had some more options such as a sharing tab, which lets you invite friends to view your stream. Just enter in their email address, add a note, and they are sent a link. The invited viewers must also create an iSecurity account (they can view with the free account).

An "events and motion" tab lets you set motion detection sensitivity and enable notifications. With notifications on, an email is sent to an inbox or a notice is sent to a mobile device (if using the iSensitivity mobile app) whenever motion is detected.? With these events, the camera will record images that you can flip through like a slideshow.

The iSecurity interface is easy to navigate, but I found it somewhat lacking. For instance once you log in to the cloud service, the "Login" button remains at the top of the screen. This was confusing as I moved around the interface: Unless I was on the live camera feed page, I couldn't tell if I was logged in or not.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/0dvVDlHtG24/0,2817,2418140,00.asp

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Uncover gives your MacBook's lid a new, Apple-less kind of glow

Etsy stickers adorning your MacBook's lid, oft making a cute play on the presence of that glowing Apple? That's so 2012. Uncover, a Dutch company showcasing its talents here at The Next Web Conference in Amsterdam this week, has crafted a new method of customizing one's MacBook lid. And, perhaps most importantly, it involves the seamless removal of the Apple logo altogether. In essence, these guys use a specialized laser cutting process that can etch out anything your brain can muster -- from band logos to company mantras. And, as you'll see in the gallery below, the Apple logo doesn't have to be a part of the equation.

The outfit will take in any aluminum-faced MacBook from around the world, and once it lands in Holland, you'll typically see it headed back to your domicile within four to five days. If you're selecting one of Uncover's designs, you can have your machine tweaked for as little as €249 (around $325), while completely custom work starts at €599 ($780). (And yes, you can just buy a totally new Mac from Uncover as well.) We spoke to Jasper Middendorp, the company's CEO, and he confessed that only MacBooks are being accepted due to Apple's unique backlighting arrangement. They're obviously keen to offer similar work for PCs, but to date, every one he has seen blocks or covers the backlight in some way. For those looking to get it on the fun, allow the source link below to be your guide.

Gallery: Uncover MacBook lid modification

Filed under: Laptops

Comments

Source: Uncover

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/27/uncover-macbook-lid-mod-apple-light-laser-cutting/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Einstein was right -- So far

Friday, April 26, 2013

An international team has discovered an exotic double object that consists of a tiny, but unusually heavy neutron star that spins 25 times each second, orbited every two and a half hours by a white dwarf star. The neutron star is a pulsar that is giving off radio waves that can be picked up on Earth by radio telescopes. Although this unusual pair is very interesting in its own right it is also a unique laboratory for testing the limits of physical theories.

This pulsar is named PSR J0348+0432 and is the remains of a supernova explosion. It is twice as heavy as the Sun, but just 20 kilometres across. The gravity at its surface is more than 300 billion times stronger than that on Earth and at its centre every sugar-cubed-sized volume has more than one billion tonnes of matter squeezed into it. Its companion white dwarf star is only slightly less exotic; it is the glowing remains of a much lighter star that has lost its atmosphere and is slowly cooling.

"I was observing the system with ESO's Very Large Telescope, looking for changes in the light emitted from the white dwarf caused by its motion around the pulsar," says John Antoniadis, a PhD student at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) in Bonn and lead author of the paper. "A quick on-the-spot analysis made me realise that the pulsar was quite a heavyweight. It is twice the mass of the Sun, making it the most massive neutron star that we know of and also an excellent laboratory for fundamental physics."

Einstein's general theory of relativity, which explains gravity as a consequence of the curvature of spacetime created by the presence of mass and energy, has withstood all tests since it was first published almost a century ago. But it cannot be the final explanation and must ultimately break down [1].

Physicists have devised other theories of gravity that make different predictions from general relativity. For some of these alternatives, these differences would only show up in extremely strong gravitational fields that cannot be found in the Solar System. In terms of gravity, PSR J0348+0432 is a truly extreme object, even compared to the other pulsars that have been used in high precision tests of Einstein's general relativity [2]. In such strong gravitational fields small increases in the mass can lead to large changes in the spacetime around such objects. Up to now astronomers had no idea what would happen in the presence of such a massive neutron star as PSR J0348+0432.It offers the unique opportunity to push tests into new territory.

The team combined Very Large Telescope observations of the white dwarf with very precise timing of the pulsar from radio telescopes [3]. Such a close binary radiates gravitational waves and loses energy. This causes the orbital period to change very slightly and the predictions for this change from general relativity and other competing theories are different.

"Our radio observations were so precise that we have already been able to measure a change in the orbital period of 8 millionths of a second per year, exactly what Einstein's theory predicts," states Paulo Freire, another team member.

This is just the start of detailed studies of this unique object and astronomers will be using it to test general relativity to ever greater precision as time goes on.

###

ESO: http://www.eso.org

Thanks to ESO 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.

This press release has been viewed 27 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127938/Einstein_was_right____So_far

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Body found in Providence River identified as missing student

By Richard Weizel

BOSTON (Reuters) - A body found floating in the Providence River was that of a 22-year-old Brown University student who had been missing for more than a month, Rhode Island officials confirmed on Thursday.

The body of Sunil Tripathi, who had been missing since March 16, had been found by the university's men's crew team late on Tuesday.

"We have been able to conclusively determine the body is that of Sunil Tripathi, but will not be able to determine the cause of death for several months," said Dara Chadwick, a spokeswoman for the Rhode Island Department of Health.

The case received national media attention after social media websites last week lit up with a false rumor that Tripathi, who was on an approved leave from Brown, was one of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings.

The actual suspects have been identified as brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

While Tripathi's family blasted those reports last week, they posted a statement of thanks on Thursday on a special website which had been set up to help find the missing student.

"As we carry indescribable grief, we also feel incredible gratitude," the family said. "To each one of you - from your hometown to many distant lands - we extend our thanks for the words of encouragement, for your thoughts, for your prayers and for the love you have generously shared."

Brown University President Christina Paxson said on Thursday: "We extend our deepest condolences to Sunil's family for their loss and for the immeasurable pain they have endured during this period."

The university plans a memorial service for Tripathi on Saturday afternoon.

(Reporting by Richard Weizel in Milford, Connecticut; editing by Scott Malone, G Crosse)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/body-found-providence-river-identified-missing-student-172807069.html

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Stocks inch higher after jobless claims fall

Trader James Denaro, center, and Jonathan Corpina, right, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, April 24, 2013. World stocks were mostly higher Thursday April 25, 2013 as a slump in orders for U.S. durable goods and other data convinced investors that central banks would continue efforts to help the global economic recovery. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader James Denaro, center, and Jonathan Corpina, right, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, April 24, 2013. World stocks were mostly higher Thursday April 25, 2013 as a slump in orders for U.S. durable goods and other data convinced investors that central banks would continue efforts to help the global economic recovery. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? U.S. stocks edged higher Thursday morning as investors were encouraged by a decrease in the number of claims for unemployment benefits last week and several strong earnings from companies.

Weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 16,000 to 339,000, the second-lowest level in more than five years, according to the Labor Department.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 59 points to 14,735 points after the first hour of trading, or 0.4 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 was up nine at 1,588, a gain of 0.6 percent.

The drop in jobless claims is especially welcome in a job market that has suffered some recent setbacks. In March, employers added only 88,000 jobs. That was a sharp drop from the previous four months, when hiring averaged 220,000 per month. The unemployment rate fell to 7.6 percent from 7.7 percent, but only because more people stopped looking for jobs.

Many companies have been reporting better first-quarter results, but not necessarily because of stronger economic conditions.

So far this season, 71 percent of S&P 500 companies have beat analysts' profit expectations, according to John Butters, senior earnings analyst at FactSet. But that has come more from cost-cutting than from business going gangbusters. Fifty-six percent of those companies have missed estimates for revenue.

The trend has a precedent: Last year, less than half of S&P 500 companies beat revenue estimates in the second and third quarters, according to Butters.

Dow Chemical, which reported results Thursday, fit both descriptions. The company managed to increase profits even as revenue slipped because it cut costs and paid down debt. The stock was up 4 percent at $33.59.

In a report to clients Thursday morning, ConvergEx Group analyst Nicholas Colas noted the higher earnings but said they don't match the "real feel" of an economy still crimped by "lackluster jobs growth, a flattening rate of improvement in the housing market, and incremental government austerity measures."

"If U.S. companies have proven anything in the last four years of subpar macroeconomic results," Colas wrote, "it is that they can make gallons of lemonade from just a few shriveled bits of citrus."

Profit and revenue jumped at the cruise line Royal Caribbean as more people booked vacations than a year ago, and the stock jumped 7 percent to $36.66. This year's comparisons, however, are a bit unusual: Last year's results were hurt because of the sinking of the Costa Concordia, owned by rival cruise line Carnival.

Profit and revenue also rose at 3M, maker of Scotch tape and construction equipment. But the stock was down 3 percent at $104.51. Investors were unnerved when the company cut its profit predictions for the year, citing a "low-growth economic environment."

Profit and revenue fell at Cliffs Natural Resources and Carbo Ceramics, but the stocks went in opposite directions. Cliffs, which sells iron ore, shot 15 percent higher to $21.05. Carbo, which provides services and parts for the petroleum industry, plunged 13 percent to $74.92.

At Cliffs, the lower profits were still better than analysts had expected. At Carbo, investors were worried because the company said Chinese ceramic imports were hurting its pricing, and because drilling companies were taking more rigs out of action.

The Nasdaq composite index was up 27 to 3,296, or 0.8 percent.

In other markets, gold futures rose 2 percent to $1,452 an ounce and the price of crude oil edged up 0.3 percent to $91.67 a barrel. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note edged up to 1.72 percent from 1.71 percent.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-25-US-Wall-Street/id-d5a53c2553db4ca6bbc515ebb706aa30

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WHO: New flu passes more easily from bird to human

BEIJING (AP) ? A new strain of bird flu that emerged in China over the past month is one of the "most lethal" flu viruses so far, worrying health officials because it can jump more easily from birds to humans than the one that started killing people a decade ago, World Health Organization officials said Wednesday.

Scientists are watching the virus closely to see if it could spark a global pandemic but say there is little evidence so far that it can spread easily from human to human.

WHO's top influenza expert, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, told reporters at a briefing in Beijing that people seem to catch the H7N9 virus from birds more easily than the H5N1 strain that began ravaging poultry across Asia in 2003. The H5N1 strain has since killed 360 people worldwide, mostly after contact with infected fowl.

Health experts are concerned about H7N9's ability to jump to humans, and about the strain's capacity to infect birds without causing noticeable symptoms, which makes it difficult to monitor its spread.

"This is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses we have seen so far," Fukuda said. But he added that experts are still trying to understand the virus, and that there might be a large number of mild infections that are going undetected.

The H7N9 bird flu virus has infected more than 100 people in China, seriously sickening most of them and killing more than 20, mostly near the eastern coast around Shanghai. Taiwan on Wednesday confirmed its first case, a 53-year-old man who became sick after returning from a visit to the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu.

In comparison, the earlier bird flu strain, H5N1, is known to kill up to 60 of every 100 people it infects.

Wednesday's briefing came at the end of a weeklong joint investigation by WHO and Chinese authorities in Beijing and Shanghai.

Experts said they still aren't sure how people are getting infected but said evidence points to infections at live poultry markets, particularly through ducks and chickens. They said it was encouraging that reported infections appeared to slow down after the closure of live poultry markets in affected areas.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/flu-passes-more-easily-bird-human-073635353.html

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Four questions that will be answered by UFC 159

UFC 159 is just over 48 hours from now. What questions will be answered by Saturday's fights?

Does Chael Sonnen have any real chance at beating UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones? Sonnen's moving up to 205 lbs. after spending his entire UFC career at middleweight. He is 2-3 in his last five fights, with both losses coming to Anderson Silva. Two of those wins were decisions, including a close one with Michael Bisping. Though Sonnen talks a good game, he just isn't on the same level as Jones. Every fighter has a puncher's chance in the cage. Will Sonnen find that one punch to get it done?

Will any punches be thrown in Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes' bout? When a Division I NCAA champion wrestler and a world champion jiu-jitsu player face off, will their ground game be neutralized? Watching their match will be like a chess match unfold.

Can Jim Miller change UFC president Dana White's mind about the next lightweight title shot? After Benson Henderson defended the UFC lightweight championship belt, White said the next title shot will go to the winner of Gray Maynard's May bout with T.J. Grant. Miller said this week that he wants to perform so well against Pat Healy that White will be forced to reconsider.

"It all comes down to timing and performances," he said. "I'm looking to make a statement on Saturday night. I'm hoping Dana forgets all the things he just said about the Maynard-Grant fight. It's happened before. Nothing's guaranteed about a No. 1 contender spot. I might (have to do some talking). But I plan on making some noise with my fists and my elbows and my knees."

Will Miller be able to get that title shot he's always wanted?

Can Sheila Gaff's finishing ability neutralize Sara McMann's wrestling? McMann is one of the most well-credentialed wrestlers to ever enter the octagon. She was an Olympic silver medalist in 2004, plus has three medals from world championships. Gaff's last three fights have ended in a first-round knockout, so will she be able to come up with another big finish against McMann's elite wrestling?

Don't forget to make your picks for UFC 159 on Cagewriter's Facebook page.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/four-questions-answered-ufc-159-160657311--mma.html

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Research finds psychological vulnerable older adults more susceptible to experience fraud

Public release date: 25-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Julie O'Connor
julie.oconnor@wayne.edu
313-577-8845
Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research

Detroit Researchers at Wayne State University, in collaboration with Illinois Institute of Technology, recently published a study advising clinical gerontologists in the field to be aware of older adults' needs for assessment of financial exploitation or its potential when working with highly vulnerable individuals.

Financial exploitation of the elderly is on the rise according to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and the numbers are expected to continue to grow as Baby Boomers age. This exploitation, which includes telemarketing scams, fake home repairs, fake check scams, identity theft and more, costs approximately $3 billion each year.

The study, "Is Psychological Vulnerability Related to the Experience of Fraud in Older Adults?" published in the recent issue of Clinical Gerontologist, is the first study to include prospective predictors of reported financial fraud victimization of older adults, and is the first to review financial exploitation of any kind with the same population from a psychological-vulnerability perspective.

"This study illustrates how we can enhance our understanding of this major issue by performing a clinical analysis instead of one that stops at epidemiological or broad population-based reviews," said Peter Lichtenberg, Ph.D., director of WSU's Institute of Gerontology and lead author of the paper. "Those in the clinical study showed characteristics of extreme depression symptoms and perceived low social-status fulfillment, thus showing they were more vulnerable to the experience of theft of scams. "

The study included 4,440 participants. Those participants that were the most psychologically vulnerable with the highest levels of depression and lowest levels of social-needs fulfillment, experienced higher levels of fraud compared to those that were not vulnerable psychologically.

"One of the most significant findings of our study was with the most psychologically vulnerable population," said Lichtenberg. "The combination of high depression and low social-status fulfillment was associated with a 226 percent increase in fraud prevalence in this population. This supports our theory that depressive symptoms and lack of social-needs fulfillment have an effect on fraud prediction, and serves as a reminder to clinical gerontologists how psychological vulnerability can affect older adults' lives in a variety of ways.

The research team recommends that this population be assessed for the potential of financial exploitation, and this assessment should be a regular part of clinicians' toolkits when working with highly vulnerable individuals.

###

Wayne State University is one of the nation's preeminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.

---

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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.

Public release date: 25-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Julie O'Connor
julie.oconnor@wayne.edu
313-577-8845
Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research

Detroit Researchers at Wayne State University, in collaboration with Illinois Institute of Technology, recently published a study advising clinical gerontologists in the field to be aware of older adults' needs for assessment of financial exploitation or its potential when working with highly vulnerable individuals.

Financial exploitation of the elderly is on the rise according to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and the numbers are expected to continue to grow as Baby Boomers age. This exploitation, which includes telemarketing scams, fake home repairs, fake check scams, identity theft and more, costs approximately $3 billion each year.

The study, "Is Psychological Vulnerability Related to the Experience of Fraud in Older Adults?" published in the recent issue of Clinical Gerontologist, is the first study to include prospective predictors of reported financial fraud victimization of older adults, and is the first to review financial exploitation of any kind with the same population from a psychological-vulnerability perspective.

"This study illustrates how we can enhance our understanding of this major issue by performing a clinical analysis instead of one that stops at epidemiological or broad population-based reviews," said Peter Lichtenberg, Ph.D., director of WSU's Institute of Gerontology and lead author of the paper. "Those in the clinical study showed characteristics of extreme depression symptoms and perceived low social-status fulfillment, thus showing they were more vulnerable to the experience of theft of scams. "

The study included 4,440 participants. Those participants that were the most psychologically vulnerable with the highest levels of depression and lowest levels of social-needs fulfillment, experienced higher levels of fraud compared to those that were not vulnerable psychologically.

"One of the most significant findings of our study was with the most psychologically vulnerable population," said Lichtenberg. "The combination of high depression and low social-status fulfillment was associated with a 226 percent increase in fraud prevalence in this population. This supports our theory that depressive symptoms and lack of social-needs fulfillment have an effect on fraud prediction, and serves as a reminder to clinical gerontologists how psychological vulnerability can affect older adults' lives in a variety of ways.

The research team recommends that this population be assessed for the potential of financial exploitation, and this assessment should be a regular part of clinicians' toolkits when working with highly vulnerable individuals.

###

Wayne State University is one of the nation's preeminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/wsu--rfp042513.php

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Tsarnaev's name was in terrorism database

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The federal government added the name of the dead Boston Marathon bombing suspect to a terrorist database 18 months before the deadly explosions, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The CIA made the request to add Tamerlan Tsarnaev's name to the terrorist database after the Russian government contacted the agency with concerns that he had become a follower of radical Islam. About six months earlier, the FBI had separately investigated Tsarnaev, also at Russia's request, but the FBI found no ties to terrorism, officials said.

The new disclosure that Tsarnaev was included within a huge, classified database of known and suspected terrorists before the attacks was expected to drive congressional inquiries in coming weeks about whether the Obama administration adequately investigated tips from Russia that Tsarnaev had posed a security threat. Shortly after the bombings, U.S. officials said the intelligence community had no information about threats to the marathon before the April 15 explosions.

Tsarnaev died Friday in a police shootout hours before his younger brother, Dzhokhar, was discovered hiding in a boat in a suburban back yard.

The terrorist database is called TIDE, the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment. Analysts at the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center submit names and even partial names into TIDE. About a year ago, there were some 745,000 people listed in the database. Intelligence analysts scour TIDE, trying to establish connections and update files as new intelligence is uncovered.

For entries with a full name, date of birth and intelligence indicating a reasonable suspicion that a person is a terrorist or has terror ties, the person's name is sent to a terror watch list, which feeds into lists like the one that bans known or suspected terrorists from traveling on planes.

Officials say they never found the type of derogatory information on Tsarnaev that would have elevated his profile among counterterrorism investigators and placed him on the terror watch list.

Five days after the U.S. determined who was allegedly behind the deadly Boston marathon terror attacks, Washington is piecing together what happened and whether there were any unconnected dots buried in U.S. government files that, if connected, could have prevented the bombings.

Lawmakers who were briefed by the FBI said they have more questions than answers about the investigation of Tsarnaev. U.S. officials were expected to brief the Senate on the investigation Thursday.

This combination of undated file photos shows Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, left, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19. The FBI says the two brothers are the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing, and are also ... more? This combination of undated file photos shows Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, left, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19. The FBI says the two brothers are the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing, and are also responsible for killing an MIT police officer, critically injuring a transit officer in a firefight and throwing explosive devices at police during a getaway attempt in a long night of violence that left Tamerlan dead and Dzhokhar captured, late Friday, April 19, 2013. Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev sought to embrace American lives after immigrating from Russia _ joining a boxing club, winning a scholarship and even seeking U.S. citizenship. But their uncle last week angrily called them ?losers? who failed to feel settled even after a decade of living in the United States. (AP Photo/The Lowell Sun & Robin Young, File) less? ?

"The review is just beginning, but I haven't seen any red flags thus far," said Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who sits on the House Intelligence Committee and was briefed on the investigation Wednesday. House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., however, said lawmakers intend to pursue whether there was a breakdown in information-sharing.

U.S. officials described to the AP what the government knew about Tsarnaev since he was first placed on the intelligence community's radar 18 months ago. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the ongoing investigation.

Russia's internal security service, the FSB, sent information to the FBI about Tamerlan Tsarnaev on March 4, 2011. The Russians told the FBI that Tsarnaev, an ethnically Chechen Russian immigrant living in the Boston area, was a follower of radical Islam and had changed drastically since 2010. Because of the subsequent FBI inquiry, Tsarnaev's name was added to a Homeland Security Department database used by U.S. officials at the border to help screen people coming in and out of the U.S. That database is called the Treasury Enforcement Communications System, or TECS.

The FBI's Boston office opened a preliminary review of Tsarnaev and searched government databases for potentially terror-related communications. Investigators looked into whether Tsarnaev used online sites that promoted radical activity. They interviewed Tsarnaev and his family members but found nothing connecting him to terror activity. The FBI shared that information with Russia and also asked for more information on Tsarnaev, but never heard back. The FBI's review into Tsarnaev was closed in June 2011.

Then, in late September 2011, Russia separately contacted the CIA with nearly identical concerns about Tsarnaev. The Russians provided two possible birthdates for him and a variation of how his name might be spelled, as well as the spelling in the Russian-style Cyrillic alphabet.

The CIA determined that Tsarnaev should be included in TIDE, and the National Counterterrorism Center added it into the database. The spelling of Tsarnaev's name in TIDE was not the same as the spelling the FBI used in its investigation. The CIA also shared this information with other federal agencies in October.

In January 2012, Tsarnaev traveled to Russia and returned to the U.S. in July. Three days before he left for Russia, the TECS database generated an alert on Tsarnaev. That alert was shared with a Customs and Border Protection officer who is a member of the FBI's Boston joint terrorism task force. By that time, the FBI's investigation into Tsarnaev had been closed for nearly six months because the FBI uncovered no evidence that he was tied to terror groups.

On Jan. 21, 2012, the airline on which Tsarnaev was traveling misspelled his name when it submitted its list of passengers to the U.S. government for security screening. Airlines are required to provide the list of passengers on international flights so the U.S. can check their names through government databases, including the terrorist watch list. Because his name was misspelled, there was not another alert like there was three days earlier.

In July 2012, Tsarnaev returned to the U.S., and another alert was generated in TECS. This information was again shared with the Customs and Border Protection officer on the FBI's Boston joint terrorism task force. But because the FBI had closed its investigation into Tsarnaev a year earlier, there was no reason to be suspicious of his travels to Russia.

"Later on, these agencies will be judged," said Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. "But right now, it's way too soon to criticize or to start making political arguments or who failed or whatever."

___

Associated Press writer Pete Yost contributed to this report.

___

Follow Eileen Sullivan on Twitter: http://twitter.com/esullivanap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/officials-dead-bomber-name-terrorism-database-224317195.html

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Moving To West Coast | La Habra Relocations Blog

Southern California; the land of beauty, beaches, business and of course Hollywood.? Not only is this fantastic area a destination for vacationers all over the world but permanent inhabitants as well.? Moving to West Coast cities in the United States has been a common occurrence for over a century.? Starting of course with The California Gold Rush, but mining gold isn?t what people are moving that way for now.? It?s the entire package.? When thinking about why you should move to Southern California it?s not why ? it?s why not!

1. Arts and Culture- Culture in southern California is unbeatable.? The LA area is obviously famous for its film scene; Hollywood is film capital of the world!? However Southern California is a fantastic hub for all of the arts.? With endless museums, galleries, music venues, and equity culinary destinations they not only support the arts but embrace them!
2. Business/Jobs- Many of the nation?s most influential companies were born and still reside on the West Coast.? Always a step ahead of the curve new business and job opportunities are booming in the southern California area.
3. Outdoor Recreation- The beauty of the west coast is close to unmatched worldwide with some of the most amazing beaches and scenery on the planet.? Not only does its geographic location lend itself to onlookers but outdoor recreation enthusiasts alike!? Hiking, aquatic sports like surfing, golf and countless outdoor activities can be practiced year long because of the climate.
4. Schools- Be it a Kindergarten or Graduate School many of the nation?s top performing schools are available in this admired area.

With the endless opportunities on the west coast you can understand why this area has become one of the most sought after residences in the country.? As a seasoned west coast moving company we here at La Habra Relocations have all of your moving requirements covered.? If considering moving to or from this wonderful area contact us today for your free quote!

This entry was posted in Uncategorized by La Habra Relocations. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://blog.lahabrarelocations.com/2013/04/23/moving-to-west-coast/

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EV Grieve: Cooper Union students protest school's decision to start ...

Earlier today, Cooper Union officials announced that, for the first time, the school would start charging tuition, effective the fall of 2014.

As a result, several hundred students and faculty members staged a walk-out this afternoon.

Per The Nation:

Using similar theatrical tools that activists have employed in previous demonstrations, Cooper art and architecture students ran around the building hugging the walls in a human chain while chanting ?Free as air and water...Save Cooper Union.?

The students also held an ?Irish wake,? setting a hat ablaze on the pavement and singing satirically in front of the same building students occupied some months ago. While some students seem disillusioned by the school?s decision, many more are angered that the Board of Trustees met secretly in the morning while students were in class to avoid any disruption of their meeting.

Large numbers of the NYPD were also on-hand...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Source: http://evgrieve.com/2013/04/cooper-union-students-protest-schools.html

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Heavy fighting in northeast Nigeria, death toll unclear

By Tim Cocks and Isaac Abrak

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian authorities said on Monday there had been heavy fighting between security forces and Islamist militants in a remote part of the northeast, but there was no confirmation of reports from a local official that 185 people had been killed.

Fighting erupted on Thursday in Baga, a fishing town in Borno state on the shores of Lake Chad, by the Chadian border -- an area officials say is a stronghold for Islamist fighters and a smuggling point for weapons from across the Sahara.

Defense spokesman Brigadier General Chris Olukolade said Nigerian forces had exchanged fire with militants, killing 25 of them, while only one soldier was killed.

Many hundreds have died in the rebellion by Boko Haram, a movement loosely modeled on the Afghan Taliban that is seen as the number one security threat to Africa's top energy producer.

A local community representative had put the death toll at 185, Umar Gusau, spokesman for Borno state which administers the area, said after visiting the town with a delegation on Sunday.

"For now, we don't have a very good basis for the figure," Gusau said. "These people say ... they have buried them. From my experience, most times residents exaggerate figures."

He said since they had buried the victims quickly, in line with the Muslim custom, authorities had been unable to count the bodies independently, although an investigation was ongoing.

Sagir Musa, a spokesman for the mixed military and police Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno state, said by telephone that the death toll had been "terribly inflated" by residents.

The military, which rarely admits killing civilians, is often accused by locals of understating civilian casualties.

A spokesman for U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked and saddened at reports of high numbers of civilians killed", adding that he urged "all concerned to fully respect human rights and safeguard the lives of civilians".

President Goodluck Jonathan's office said he had ordered a full investigation into the report of civilian casualties in Baga.

The statement said his administration would "do everything possible to avoid the killing or injuring of innocent bystanders in security operations against terrorists and insurgents."

The violence came as Jonathan awaits a report from a panel he set up to offer an amnesty to the insurgents if they give up their struggle for an Islamic state.

Boko Haram has so far shown no interest in talks and two mediators have already pulled out, including Islamic cleric Ahmed Datti, the only person whom Boko Haram have said they trusted.

Jonathan, a Christian, has failed to quell the violence through military means and traditional leaders in the mostly Muslim north have put pressure on him to cut a deal.

If 185 people did die in the Baga fighting, it would be the greatest loss of life in the conflict since 186 people were killed in coordinated strikes by Boko Haram fighters in January 2012 in the north's main city of Kano.

Gusau said parts of Baga were badly damaged when he visited it on Sunday, with several houses burned. He said Nigerian soldiers sometimes over-reacted when attacked by Boko Haram gunmen, killing many in retaliation.

(Reporting by Tim Cocks and Isaac Abrak; Editing by Michael Roddy and Mike Collett-White)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nigeria-says-heavy-fighting-northeast-no-word-casualties-152826728.html

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Chinese victim of Marathon blasts remembered

BOSTON (AP) ? Lu Lingzi was passionate about the piano, a daughter who always made her father laugh and a standout statistics student. She was killed by the Boston Marathon blasts two days after acing qualifying exams.

Friends and family on Monday night vowed not to forget the light in their lives that was extinguished too soon.

"You need us to be strong and brave," Jing Li said of her roommate, killed as she watched the marathon a week ago. "We will keep running to finish the race for you and we will try to realize your unfinished dream."

Hundreds of people packed a hall at Boston University to say goodbye to Lu, a 23-year-old graduate student. She was one of three people killed in last Monday's bombings. Gov. Deval Patrick was among the people who showed up to listen to an hour of music and stories about Lu.

Jing told the crowd how when she met Lu in April 2012 they discovered they were both from the northern part of China, both piano lovers and both without boyfriends.

"We believed we were long-lost sisters and could not wait to begin our adventure in Boston," she said. "I was so grateful that I had such a lovely sister in my life, but I had no idea that this friendship would only last one year."

Speakers recalled a bubbly young woman who loved dogs and blueberry pancakes and who was also a driven student.

Her father, Lu Jun, thanked everyone for helping the family over the recent dark days before offering a eulogy "to comfort the heavenly soul of my beloved daughter."

"She was the family's Shirley Temple, if you will, the little elf and a little jolly girl, bringing everyone in the family ceaseless laughter," said Lu Jun, who spoke in his native tongue and was followed by an English interpreter.

"She's gone but our memories of her are very much alive," her father said. "An ancient Chinese saying says every child is actually a little Buddha that helps their parents mature and grow up."

Family members accepted gifts from students. They turned and bowed to the crowd at the end of the service.

Eric Kolaczyk, director of the school's program in statistics, said Lu was an excellent student who passed her qualifying exams with "flying colors" just before her death. He said that though she will never achieve her goal of becoming a financial analyst, a scholarship set up in her name by Boston University will help others meet their goals.

"Lingzi's potential will instead be fulfilled by many others," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-victim-marathon-blasts-remembered-010008548.html

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Boston bombing suspect may be linked with another murder

>>> another twist in the life of the suspected boston marathon bomber, tamerlan tsarnaev. a man described as his best friend , brendan moss and two other friends were found dead on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. their throats were slashed. their bodies apparently sprinkled with marijuana. $5,000 left on the scene outside of boston. michael daly wrote about this case. he joins me now. the relevance of the reference all over the bodies, the authorities thought this was some kind of drug deal gone bad. but the drugs and the money reportedly left behind .

>> that would mean a drug deal gone really bad. yang a drug rip-off leaving $5,000 around unless they did not see it. you would think they would have taken the spotted pot rather than sprinkle it around them. a year and a half into this, they haven't come up with any suspects. and in the aftermath you find out one of the three victims was the best friend , the person that tamerlan described as his best friend . you have to wonder if there is somehow some connection. would you have to horrific acts of violence and one common denominator.

>> it is still open. i didn't mean to interrupt you. the case has remained open. they say they will pursue any leads that arise from the boston marathon bombing case. i think they're going to ask if they saw any people around the apartment. they'll be going through attemptland's apartment to see if there is anything from brendan mess's place. they'll go over the forensics. i think they'll look for any possible connection. as far as the link between them, i've read they were best friends , that they were workout buddies, it is all over the place. what have you been able to find out regarding their friendship or relationship?

>> what i've been told is they did work out together. tamerlan was a boxing guy. the other guy was a martial arts guy. what i've been told at one point, tamerlan introduced brendan as his best friend . i think brendan may have been tamerlan 's only friend. i haven't seen anyone coming forward saying he was my friend, we used to do this together, that together. a couple people that were roommates on boxing trips but there doesn't seem to be a real friendship developed. the only real friend out of this is brendan mess. and he seemston a very pleasant generally happy go lucky guy a lot of people liked.

>> thank you very much. people should go on to the daily beast and read more of your report on this investigation. this triple murder investigation with its strange ties to

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b139fd1/l/0Lvideo0Bmsnbc0Bmsn0N0Cid0C51635577/story01.htm

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