Fed’s Plosser sees no US policy impact from Europe

May 31 (Reuters) – The euro zone’s debt crisis has raised uncertainty over the economy but not so much as to affect U.S. interest rate policy yet, Charles Plosser, president of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank, said on Monday.

Bonds | Global Markets

“I don’t see that happening as of yet,” Plosser, who has no voting rights on the U.S. interest rate-setting panel, told reporters in Seoul when asked if the European financial turmoil would delay U.S. interest rate increases. (Reporting by Yoo Choonsik; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Woods can’t put timetable on recovery

Tiger Woods says the neck injury hindering his game has his schedule “up in the air,” but said he was trying everything he can to get healthy.

Woods also insisted his current neck pain has “no connection” to the car crash outside his home in November, a mysterious accident that heralded the start of a sex scandal that drove him off the golf course for five months and left his reputation in tatters.

“Zero connection, absolutely zero,” Woods said as he spoke to reporters at the media day for July’s Philadelphia National tournament scheduled for July.

Woods had said before that the crash had left him with a “busted-up lip and pretty sore neck”.

But he said his current problem, which forced him out of The Players Championship on Sunday in the first mid-round tournament withdrawal of his professional career, began when he returned from a five-month absence.

“It started bugging me two weeks before the Masters,” Woods said.

“It was just on and off. I thought it was just sore, no big deal. But as I kept practising it kept getting worse.”

Woods had said he feared the injury could be a bulging disc, but he said he has yet to have any further examination or treatment.

However, he said he was “trying everything I can” to get healthy and continue his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major championship titles.

“A lot is up in the air, which I don’t like,” Woods said, adding that he still wants to defend his title at the Memorial tournament next month, and play the US Open at Pebble Beach later in June.

Woods says neck injury not connected to Thanksgiving car wreck

Philadelphia (US), May 11 (ANI): Golfer Tiger Woods has said his neck injury has nothing to do with the car wreck he was involved in on Thanksgiving Day.

Addressing a press conference at the Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia on Monday, Woods said the “bulging disk” in his neck has “zero connection” to his fateful Thanksgiving night car crash, and added that it was probably a result of doing too much to get ready for the Augusta Masters.

He said he has treated it with anti-inflammatories and a massage.

Woods is expected undergo an MRI upon his return to Orlando. He said that his immediate future is, as he put it, “up in the air.” (ANI)

Obama honours 100-year baseball tradition

US President Barack Obama has celebrated the centenary of a hallowed US sporting tradition, throwing at the ceremonial first pitch of the baseball season.

Obama’s toss, kicking off the game between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies here, floated high and wide of the plate, but was snared by Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, taking catching duties.

The president walked out to the mound wearing a red Washington Nationals jacket, but turned cheers from the crowd into a chorus of boos when he pulled on his trademark Chicago White Sox cap.

“A little high and outside,” Obama told reporters when asked to talk them through his pitch, but at least the President escaped the ignominy of throwing into the dirt or of not reaching the plate.

Obama’s pitch marked the 100th anniversary of presidential first pitches, a century after the day on April 14, 1910 when the 27th president, William Howard Taft, threw out an opening day pitch.

In a piece of historical symmetry, that game also involved teams from Washington and Philadelphia, the now defunct Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama had spent some time honing his throw, before heading out to Nationals Park.

“Like Major Leaguers making their debut today, the President has fit in a little spring training for his pitching, to try to get his arm in shape.”

Rosetta Genomics Now Processing Fine-Needle Aspirate Cell Block Samples for Lung Cancer Subclassification

Molecular test that helps determine treatment can now be performed before the
tumor is surgically resected

* Uses highly accurate microRNA-based technology of miRview squamous test on
Fine-Needle Aspirate (FNA) cell block samples to subclassify non-small cell lung
cancer (NSCLC) into squamous or non-squamous
* Subclassification of NSCLC using preoperative FNA samples currently presents a
challenge to physicians, with an estimated 30%-40% of cases remaining
unclassified or being misclassified
* In a recent study,1 Johns Hopkins University researchers demonstrated that
miRview squamous correctly subclassified 95% of FNA cell block specimens and
small biopsies originally diagnosed as poorly differentiated NSCLC

REHOVOT, Israel & PHILADELPHIA–(Business Wire)–
Rosetta Genomics, Ltd. (NASDAQ:ROSG), a leading developer and provider of
microRNA-based molecular diagnostics, announced today that starting April 1,
2010 physicians are able to send FNA cell block samples to Rosetta Genomics`
CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited laboratory in Philadelphia for analysis using
Rosetta`s miRview squamous test. FNA is a less invasive method to obtain tumor
cells compared with tumor resections or biopsies. This breakthrough will enable
patients and physicians to benefit from a highly accurate diagnostic assay
without having to undergo a more invasive procedure.

miRview squamous is a molecular diagnostic test that measures the expression
level of a single microRNA to accurately differentiate squamous from
non-squamous NSCLC. The test offers patients and physicians a highly accurate
diagnostic tool that produces standardized and reproducible results.

“Enabling physicians to subclassify NSCLC tumors with miRview squamous based on
FNA cell blocks, without the need for more invasive procedures, brings
significant value to lung cancer patient management,” noted Dr. Tina Edmonston,
Director of Rosetta Genomics` CLIA-certified laboratory. “As pathologists, we
are often faced with challenges especially when trying to subclassify poorly
differentiated NSCLCs. However, correct subclassification is crucial to
determine the treatment of the patient. We believe this new capability will help
physicians better address this issue.”

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the U.S., killing more
than 160,000 Americans annually. In over 60,000 of these patients with NSCLC,
identification of the squamous sub-type has significant clinical implications.
Squamous lung cancer carries increased risk of severe or fatal bleeding for
certain targeted biological therapies, including bevacizumab (Avastin) and other
drugs under development.2 Other approved therapies, such as pemetrexed (Alimta)
are indicated for non-squamous NSCLC only.3

“This improvement is an excellent example of how by adapting our proprietary
miRNA-based technologies to be used on FNA cell block specimens, our highly
accurate miRview squamous assay can be made available to more patients suffering
from lung cancer,” stated Ken Berlin, President and CEO of Rosetta Genomics.

In a recently published study in Clinical Cancer Research, Johns Hopkins
University researchers demonstrated that miRview squamous correctly
subclassified 95% of FNA cell block specimens and small biopsies originally
diagnosed as poorly differentiated NSCLC into squamous and non-squamous cell
carcinoma.

About microRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recently discovered, small RNAs that act as master
regulators of protein synthesis, and have been shown to be highly effective
biomarkers. MicroRNAs` unique advantage as biomarkers lies in their high tissue
specificity, and their exceptional stability in the most routine preservation
methods for biopsies, including Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) block
tissue and fine needle aspirate (FNA) cell blocks. It has been suggested that
their small size (19-21 nucleotides) enables them to remain intact in FFPE
blocks, as opposed to messenger RNA (mRNA), which tends to degrade rapidly. In
addition, early preclinical data has shown that by controlling the levels of
specific microRNAs, cancer cell growth may be reduced. To learn more about
microRNAs, please visit www.rosettagenomics.com.

About miRview Products

miRview are a series of microRNA-based diagnostic tests developed by Rosetta
Genomics. miRview mets accurately identifies the primary tumor site in
metastatic cancer and Cancer of Unknown Primary. miRview squamous accurately
identifies the squamous subtype of NSCLC, which carries an increased risk of
severe or fatal internal bleeding and poor response to treatment for certain
targeted therapies. miRview meso distinguishes mesothelioma, a cancer connected
to asbestos exposure, from other malignancies in the lung and pleura. miRview
tests are designed to provide objective diagnostic data; it is the treating
physician`s responsibility to diagnose and administer the appropriate treatment.
In the U.S. alone, over 100,000 patients a year may benefit from the miRview
mets test, 60,000 from miRview squamous, and 60,000 from miRview meso, with
similar numbers of patients outside the U.S. The company`s tests are now being
offered through distributors around the globe. For more information, please
visit www.mirviewdx.com.

About Rosetta Genomics

Rosetta Genomics is a leading developer of microRNA-based molecular diagnostics.
Founded in 2000, the company`s integrative research platform combining
bioinformatics and state-of-the-art laboratory processes has led to the
discovery of hundreds of biologically validated novel human microRNAs. Building
on its strong patent position and proprietary platform technologies, Rosetta
Genomics is working on the application of these technologies in the development
of a full range of microRNA-based diagnostic tools. The company`s first three
microRNA-based tests, miRview squamous, miRview mets and miRview meso, are
performed at the company`s Philadelphia-based, CLIA-certified and CAP accredited
lab. Rosetta Genomics is the 2008 winner of the Wall Street Journal`s Technology
Innovation Awards in the medical/biotech category. To learn more, please visit
www.rosettagenomics.com.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

Various statements in this release concerning Rosetta`s future expectations,
plans and prospects, including without limitation, statements relating to the
role of microRNAs in human physiology and disease, and the potential of
microRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, constitute forward-looking
statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially
from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various
important factors, including risks related to: Rosetta`s approach to discover
microRNA technology and to work on the application of this technology in the
development of novel diagnostics and therapeutic tools, which may never lead to
commercially accepted products or services; Rosetta`s ability to obtain,
maintain and protect its intellectual property; Rosetta`s ability to enforce its
patents against infringers and to defend its patent portfolio against challenges
from third parties; Rosetta`s need and ability to obtain additional funding to
support its business activities; Rosetta`s dependence on third parties for
development, manufacture, marketing, sales, and distribution of products;
Rosetta`s ability to successfully develop its products and services; Rosetta`s
ability to obtain regulatory clearances or approvals that may be required for
its products and services; the ability to obtain coverage and adequate payment
from health insurers for the products and services comprising Rosetta`s
technology; competition from others using technology similar to Rosetta`s and
others developing products for similar uses; Rosetta`s dependence on
collaborators; and Rosetta`s short operating history; as well as those risks
more fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of Rosetta`s Annual Report on
Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009 as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent
Rosetta`s views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied
upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Rosetta does not
assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements unless required
by law.

1 Justin A. Bishop, Hila Benjamin, Hila Cholakh, Ayelet Chajut, Douglas P.
Clark, William Westra. Accurate classification of non-small cell lung carcinoma
using a novel microRNA-based approach. Clinical Cancer Research, 2010, 16(2)
610-619.

2 Johnson et al, Randomized phase II trial comparing bevacizumab plus
carboplatin and paclitaxel with carboplatin and paclitaxel alone in previously
untreated locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin
Oncol 22:2184-91, 2004

3 Alimta website at www.alimta.com

Media Contact:
Rosetta Genomics, Ltd.
Ron Kamienchick, 215-382-9000 ext 318
investors@rosettagenomics.com
or
Investors Contacts:
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
Anne Marie Fields, 212-838-3777 x6604
afields@lhai.com
or
Bruce Voss, 310-691-7100
bvoss@lhai.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Obama to throw first ceremonial pitch on Opening Day

Washington, April 4 (ANI): President Barack Obama will be trying his best to throw a strike as he carries forward a century-old tradition on Monday when he tosses out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day in Washington.

The commander-in-chief has been traditionally throwing out the “first pitch of the season” since William Howard Taft began the practice in 1910, when the Washington Senators hosted the Philadelphia Athletics at National Park.

Presidents reprised the custom when baseball returned to Washington in 2005.

But throwing a baseball never comes easy for presidents, as they have often had to endure heavy booing from the audience on matters political and apolitical.

“You always know you’re going to get some boos, because at any ballpark the likelihood you’re going to get a 50-50 audience politically is a given,” Fox News quoted Mike McCurry, a former press secretary for President Bill Clinton, as saying.

According to baseball historian Paul Dickson, fans began jeering at the president in the 1930s, when Herbert Hoover attracted chants of “We Want Beer” from a crowd disgruntled over Prohibition.

Dickson, author of “Baseball: The Presidents Game”, said: “It may be traditional…but it may also be when the rubber hits the road. I’m sure there are some who might want to go in and boo President Obama, but he’s a big guy.”

Obama could not make an appearance at last year’s Nationals opener because of the G-20 summit in Europe, though he did toss the baseball at the All-Star Game last July in St. Louis.

Nationals officials hope fans will extend a warm welcome to Obama.

Nationals President Stan Kasten said: “I don’t tell fans how to act.

“I love the fans in Washington; I’m sure they will give an appropriately warm welcome to our commander-in-chief.” (ANI)

Hospitals, Healthcare Providers to Benefit from New Premier Agreements for Polysomnography, Neurological Equipment and Accessories

CHARLOTTE, N.C.–(Business Wire)–
Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, today announced new agreements for
polysomnography, neurological equipment and accessories have been awarded to
Cadwell Laboratories Inc. of Kennewick, Wash., a small business enterprise;
CareFusion of Madison, Wis.; Embla Systems Inc. of Broomfield, Colo.; and Nihon
Kohden America Inc. of Foothill Ranch, Calif.

Effective May 1, 2010, the agreements are available to acute care and continuum
of care members of the Premier healthcare alliance.

About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient

The Premier healthcare alliance is more than 2,300 U.S. hospitals and 66,000
other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare quality and
affordability. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier maintains the nation’s
most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information
and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping
deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service
North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.,
Premier also has offices in San Diego, Philadelphia and Washington. Follow
Premier on Twitter.

Premier Inc.
Tanya Bowman, 704-733-5231

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Yunupingu to strike a chord in US

Indigenous singer-songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has scored a US release for his platinum-selling debut album.

The self-titled record by the blind singer from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory picked up a string of awards following its release in 2008, including an ARIA for best independent album.

It will be released in the US on the Dramatico label in June.

Yunupingu will also go on a promotional concert tour taking in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Toronto, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“We’re very proud to partner with [Australian label] Skinnyfish and enthusiastically join the journey to make Gurrumul a global artist,” said Josh Zieman, Dramatico’s president of US operations.

A former Yothu Yindi and Saltwater Band member, Yunupingu sings almost exclusively in his Indigenous Yolngu language.

- AAP

‘Wardrobe malfunction’ fine to be reconsidered

PHILADELPHIA — A federal appeals court will re-examine the FCC fine it threw out against CBS over Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia on Tuesday will consider whether the FCC’s $550,000 fine for the broadcaster over the breast-baring performance is permissible.

The U.S. Supreme Court last year directed the lower court to consider reinstating the fine, following a ruling in another case that said the FCC could threaten fines even for fleeting profanity.

The lower court threw out the fine in 2008, saying the FCC acted arbitrarily and capriciously in issuing the fine for the half-second of nudity.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

How to stay fit in flu season

Washington, Sept 20 (ANI): As cold and flu season approaches, giving up junk food for more healthy options would help maintain a strong immune system.

Dr Ara DerMarderosian, professor of pharmacognosy for University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and an expert in nutraceuticals and natural foods, have provided guidance to change how you eat and break habits that pack on the pounds and compromise immunity.

? Don’t play “food police”

Be conscious of what and how much you eat, but don’t overdo self-monitoring to the point that a healthy lifestyle shifts from being a choice to becoming overwhelming, pushing other activities away and interfering with relationships.

? Pay attention to true hunger

Listen to your hunger signals and refrain from eating when you’re not hungry. Eating when your body doesn’t need food can cause you to overindulge.

? Eat slowly

Eat like a gourmet – enjoy each bite to have, chewing methodically, and truly enjoy the taste of your food. Eating slowly gives your body time to break down the food, which can prevent post-meal indigestion and feeling bloated.

? Focus on eating

Do not watch television, read or work while you eat. When you’re not focused on eating, it’s unlikely you’ll notice how much is going in your mouth.

? Avoid eating when stressed

Stress is a well-known cause of overeating and digestive issues, such as heartburn. A relaxing atmosphere, enjoyable company and conversation, and not feeling rushed for time makes for a healthy meal.

? Everything in moderation

Eating food is pleasurable, so enjoy a few morsels of candy, but limit the quantity. (ANI)

‘Renee Zellweger meets Bradley Cooper’s parents’

Washington, Sept 4 (ANI): Renee Zellweger’s relationship with Bradley Cooper seems to be heating up, for the actress has met his parents.

The couple was first snapped out in public together last month (Aug09), when Zellweger and Cooper escaped for a low-key break in Barcelona, Spain.

However, after coming back, the ‘Hangover’ star whisked Zellweger off to his native Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to introduce her to his mum and dad.

“Brad and Renee drove from New York to Philly so he could show her off to his parents and old friends. They fell in love with her,” Contactmusic quoted a source as telling National Enquirer.

“Renee poured on her Texas charm, even arriving with flowers and a box of cupcakes she picked up at a local bakery for his parents.

“Hours after the visit, Bradley’s family was on the phone with him, gushing about Renee,” the source added.

Cooper is planning to move from Los Angeles to the Big Apple to be closer to his new girlfriend.

The insider adds, “Bradley is already talking about putting down roots in New York, where Renee lives. They just seem happy to have found each other.” (ANI)

Pressmart delivers newspapers on Kindle and Sony eReader

London, Aug 25 (ANI/Business Wire India): Pressmart, a leading provider of multi-channel news publishing services, today announced the availability of eEditions compatible for reading on eReader devices like Kindle and Sony.

This unique technology enables news publishers to attract new subscribers who wish to read news and access their favorite newspaper content on the eReader screen in its original format.

With this latest addition to Pressmart on-demand digital delivery platform, publishers can go digital on web, mobile, eReader, podcast and RSS in a matter of minutes even if they do not have any technical knowledge.

Additionally, Pressmart offers access to state-of-art marketing, subscription and advertising tools using which publishers can start monetizing from digital delivery from almost day one.

Publishers can also benefit from Pressmart’s content delivery partnerships with news aggregators, telecom carriers, leading distributors and handset majors such as Motorola, Airtel, Curtis, BSNL, Spice and Samachar.com.

Some of the leading publishing titles such as Philadelphia Inquirer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Birmingham Post, Bangkok Post, theSun, Hindustan Times, Deccan Chronicle and Indian Express have partnered with Pressmart for repurposing content on new media delivery channels.

“Today’s product launch is an important milestone for Pressmart, reinforcing our position as a leading innovator in the digital publishing market and setting a new technology benchmark.” said Sanjiv Gupta, Chairman and CEO of Pressmart.

“It is our goal to continue to lead the evolution of the industry whilst delivering a first-class reading experience through our ‘Digital Editions’ in a format that today’s generation can use,” Gupta added. (ANI)

Spielberg ready to recreate invisible rabbit “Harvey” with new funding from India

Nevada (US), Aug.20 (ANI): With new funding from India, Oscar winner Steven Spielberg is ready to move ahead with production and we all shall be able to see six-plus foot invisible rabbit “Harvey” in the near future.

Indo-American Rajan Zed says they were glad to see the legendary director back in filmmaking. Spielberg has not reportedly produced after Transformers since separating from Paramount Pictures. Deal with India’s Reliance on Monday breathed life back into Spielberg’s dormant DreamWorks Studios and he can now start directing “Harvey”.

Spielberg’s directorial project “Harvey” is remake of Oscar winner James Stewart (The Philadelphia Story) starring 1950 film based on Mary Chase Pulitzer Prize-winning play, about amiable and eccentric bachelor Elwood P. Dowd and his friendship with imaginary Harvey. Oscar nominated Henry Koster (The Bishop’s Wife) directed the 1950 Harvey, which won an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

It is reportedly a co-venture between the new DreamWorks, Disney and 20th Century Fox. Spielberg and Don Gregory (Fire in the Dark) will be the producers. While casting and pre-production is expected to begin immediately, the production will begin in early 2010.

As Oscar winner Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump) has reportedly said no to the role of the polite Dowd, Spielberg will be looking for another likable top-notch leading actor who can convincingly talk to the invisible rabbit. (ANI)

Terrell Owens | American Football Wide Receiver | Terrell | National Football League

Terrell Owens | American Football Wide Receiver | Terrell | National Football League

Terrell Eldorado Owens born on December 7, 1973 in Alexander City, Alabama is an American football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League.

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, and holder of the league single-game reception record, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era. As good as he has been, Owens has been equally controversial, creating firestorms with each team he has played for as a professional. Originally selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers following a college football and basketball career at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Owens signed a large free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004.

Two years later, he was released and signed to another large pact by the Dallas Cowboys, only to be given his unconditional release on March 4, 2009 and signed by the Bills several days later.

The Cowboys released Owens on March 4, 2009. Owens later said that Jerry Jones had assured him that he would be remaining with the team and that he was blindsided by his release.

-Wiki.

What Obama may gift to Pope Benedict XVI during their meeting

Washington, July 11 (ANI): Barack Obama’s staff called the owner of a religious gift shop in Philadelphia, Louis DiCocco, for advice as to what gift should be given to Pope Benedict XVI when the U.S. President meets him.

“Someone there remembered us from the Pope’s last visit,” the Washington Post quoted DiCocco as saying in a phone interview.

It may be significant to note that DiCocco’s shop had designed and built the chair that was used by the pope when he met U.S. bishops in Washington last year.

And this time around, he and Obama’s staff went back and forth for five days, trying to strike the right balance of history, significance, and sentiment.

The newspaper report suggests that not just American-Vatican relations were at stake, but also Obama’s reputation as a decent gift giver.

DiCocco first suggested the state department officials that they select an antique chalice his family had in their shop, which could be traced back to the 1920s.

He told them that it was a parish priest style gold-plated cup with a highly engraved base, and that written around the mouth of the chalice were the words “Sanctus, Sanctus, Santus”-meaning “holy, holy, holy”.

However, watching that the officials were still looking around for something better, DiCocco suggested that they could take a sacred relic from the saint John Neumann-a stole-in possession of the Redemptorist, an order of Catholic priests and brothers that originated in 1732 at Naples.

When DiCocco suggested the stole to the state department, “it was just kind of a no-brainer,” he said.

“It was just the right touch of American Catholic history and relevance. I mean, here was this saint, an immigrant who came to America and did so much beautiful work,” he said.

DiCocco personally picked it up, and hand-delivered it to government officials in Washington last week.

The White House has declined to confirm the gift or discuss it before the meeting between Obama and Benedict.

The Redemptorist order, however, has said in a statement that it was “a delight” to be able to give something to the Holy Father.

“We’re giving the gift because it was asked for by our government to be given to the pope, and it’s an honor,” said Al Bradley, an official with the order.

DiCocco said that his family were ecstatic to have been able to serve their country and their pope, not just once with the chair last year, but now twice.

“We’re humbled by it all. And just know there’s going to be a piece of American history in the Vatican – not just American, but Philadelphia history – it’s just a great feeling,” he said. (ANI)

Beyonce Knowles wants to star in ‘Sister Act’ remake

Washington, July 06 (ANI): Beyonce Knowles is urging Disney bosses to remake 1992 movie ‘Sister Act’, for the actress is desperate to play the role of nun in the movie.

The singer’s interest developed after she watched ‘Sister Act’ stage musical in London’s West End theatre in between her UK ‘I Am Sasha Fierce tour’, reports the China Daily.

“Beyonce has asked her representatives to persuade Disney to develop the show into a film vehicle for her,” Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reports.

It adds: “If this comes to pass, she would take on, in musical form, the part Whoopi Goldberg creates in the 1992 ‘Sister Act’ film, although the stage version moves the action from the West Coast to Philadelphia.”

If the project is agreed upon, the Bodylicious hitmaker will play the role Deloris Van Cartier, which was previously portrayed by Whoopi Goldberg who is forced to dress up as a nun while fleeing a group of gangsters.

US actress Patina Miller is presently playing the lead character in the West End musical, which is co-produced by Whoopi.

Meanwhile, the Dreamgirls star is also in talks about releasing ‘Take Me To Heaven’, one of the musical’s well-known hits.

However, the filming is not expected to start before 2011, as the musical will move to New York’s Broadway theatre district in late 2010. (ANI)

Dev Patel, Freida Pinto fuel dating rumours with ‘dinner date’

London, June 30 (ANI): Slumdog Millionaire stars Dev Patel and Freida Pinto fuelled romance rumors when they were spotted going out for dinner.

Dev is filming The Last Airbender in Philadelphia while Freida is being chased by casting agencies for modelling and film work.

However, the stars finally got time to eat out in Philly, reports The Sun.

Rumours of a relationship began shortly before Millionaire swept the board at the Oscars in February.

Pinto and Patel denied they were an item, but their cover was blown by co-star Anil Kapoor.

“When I meet them, I feel there is something happening,” he said, adding that the couple shared “a magical chemistry”.

Pinto’s ex, Rohan Antao, also blamed Patel for their relationship breakdown.

“I don’t know if they were having a sexual relationship but if I came face to face with him I would have things to say. Now everywhere I go I see them on billboards. I am devastated,” he said. (ANI)

Study links more gene mutations to autism risk

Washington, June 26 (ANI): A collaborative team of geneticists from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and several other institutions say that they have found more autism susceptibility genes.

The researchers said that they identified 27 different genetic regions where rare copy number variations – missing or extra copies of DNA segments – were found in the genes of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), but not in the healthy controls.

The complex combination of multiple genetic duplications and deletions is thought to interfere with gene function, which can disrupt the production of proteins necessary for normal neurological development.

“We focused on changes in the exons of DNA-protein-coding areas in which deletions or duplications are more likely to directly disrupt biological functions,” said study leader Dr. Hakon Hakonarson, director of the Center for Applied Genomics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

“We identified additional autism susceptibility genes, many of which, as we previously found, belong to the neuronal cell adhesion molecule family involved in the development of brain circuitry in early childhood,” he added.

According to him, the study also revealed many “private” gene mutations, those found only in one or a few individuals or families-an indication of genetic complexity, in which many different gene changes may contribute to an autism spectrum disorder.

“We are finding that both inherited and new, or de novo, genetic mutations are scattered throughout the genome and we suspect that different combinations of these variations contribute to autism susceptibility,” said Dr. Maja Bucan, professor of Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Chair of the Steering committee for Autism Speaks’ Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE).

“We are grateful to families of children with autism spectrum disorders for their willingness to participate in genetic studies because family-based studies have many advantages. We have learned a lot both from genetic analyses of children with autism as well as analyses of their patents and their unaffected siblings,” the researcher added.

During the study, the researchers compared genetic samples of 3,832 individuals from 912 families with multiple children with ASDs from the AGRE cohort against genetic samples of 1,070 disease-free children from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

They said that their research also unveiled two novel genes in which variations were found, BZRAP1 and MDGA2. According to them, they were thought to be important in synaptic function and neurological development, respectively.

Key variants of these genes, say the researchers, were transmitted in some, but not all, of the affected individuals in families.

A research article on the findings has been published in the journal PloS Genetics. (ANI)

How ferocious piranhas got their fearful bite

Washington, June 26 (ANI): Researchers from Argentina, the US and Venezuela have uncovered the jawbone of a striking transitional fossil that sheds light on how the ferocious piranhas got their teeth.

Named ‘Megapiranha paranensis’, this previously unknown fossil fish bridges the evolutionary gap between flesh-eating piranhas and their plant-eating cousins.

Present-day piranhas have a single row of triangular teeth, like the blade on a saw, explained the researchers.

But, their closest relatives – a group of fishes commonly known as pacus – have two rows of square teeth, presumably for crushing fruits and seeds.

“In modern piranhas, the teeth are arranged in a single file,” said Wasila Dahdul, a visiting scientist at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in North Carolina.
But, in the relatives of piranhas, which tend to be herbivorous fishes, the teeth are in two rows,” said Dahdul.

Megapiranha shows an intermediate pattern: it’s teeth are arranged in a zig-zag row, which suggests that the two rows in pacus were compressed to form a single row in piranhas.

“It almost looks like the teeth are migrating from the second row into the first row,” said John Lundberg, curator at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and a co-author of the study.

If this is so, Megapiranha may be an intermediate step in the long process that produced the piranha’s distinctive bite.

To find out where Megapiranha falls in the evolutionary tree for these fishes, Dahdul examined hundreds of specimens of modern piranhas and their relatives.

“What’s cool about this group of fish is their teeth have really distinctive features. A single tooth can tell you a lot about what species it is and what other fishes they’re related to,” said Dahdul.

Her phylogenetic analysis confirms their hunch that Megapiranha seems to fit between piranhas and pacus in the fish family tree.

Cione’s find suggests that Megapiranha lived between 8-10 million years ago in a South American river system known as the Parana.

By comparing the teeth and jaw to the same bones in present-day species, the researchers estimate that Megapiranha was up to 1 meter (3 feet) in length, which is at least four times as long as modern piranhas.

“Although no one is sure what Megapiranha ate, it probably had a diverse diet,” said Cione. (ANI)

New approach may pave way for effective HIV vaccine

Washington, May 23 (ANI): Using gene transfer technology, scientists have developed a new approach to overcome the biggest hurdle in the development of an effective HIV vaccine.

The researchers used gene transfer technology, which produces molecules that block infection, to successfully protect monkeys from infection by a virus closely related to HIV-the simian immunodeficiency virus, or SIV-that causes AIDS in rhesus monkeys.

“We used a leapfrog strategy, bypassing the natural immune system response that was the target of all previous HIV and SIV vaccine candidates,” Nature magazine quoted study leader Dr. Philip R. Johnson, chief scientific officer at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, as saying.

Johnson developed the novel approach over a ten-year period, but warned that many hurdles still remain before the technique could be translated into an HIV vaccine for humans.

Most attempts at developing an HIV vaccine have used substances aimed at stimulating the body’s immune system to produce antibodies or killer cells that would eliminate the virus before or after it infected cells in the body. But, the approach has not been proved fruitful until now.

However, the approach used in the current study was divided into two phases-in the first phase, researchers created antibody-like proteins (called immunoadhesins) that were specifically designed to bind to SIV and block it from infecting cells.

After it was proven to work against SIV in the laboratory, DNA representing SIV-specific immunoadhesins was engineered into a carrier virus designed to deliver the DNA to monkeys.

The researchers chose adeno-associated virus (AAV) as the carrier virus because it is a very effective way to insert DNA into the cells of a monkey or human.

In the second part of the study, the team injected AAV carriers into the muscles of monkeys, where the imported DNA produced immunoadhesins that entered the blood circulation.

After a month of administrating the AAV carriers, the immunized monkeys were injected with live, AIDS-causing SIV.

It was found that the majority of the immunized monkeys were completely protected from SIV infection, and all were protected from AIDS, unlike a group of unimmunized monkeys, who were infected by SIV, and two-thirds died of AIDS complications.

“To ultimately succeed, more and better molecules that work against HIV, including human monoclonal antibodies, will be needed,” said Johnson and his co-authors.

The study has appeared in the online version of Nature Medicine. (ANI)