Turtles have fingerprints? New genetic technique reveals paternity and more

June 24, 2013 ? For 220 million years they have roamed the seas, denizens of the bustling coral reef and the vast open ocean. Each year, some emerge from the pounding surf onto moonlit beaches to lay their eggs. Throughout human history, we have revered them, used them, and worked to protect them, but we have only begun to understand these ancient, iconic creatures. Now, with all five of the sea turtle species in the U.S. threatened or endangered, knowledge is more crucial than ever.

NOAA scientist Dr. Peter Dutton leads a team that's trying to answer some important questions about marine turtles. What will happen as sea levels rise, covering the nesting beaches turtles have used for hundreds of years? Which turtle laid this mysterious clutch of eggs on a remote beach? Where in the ocean do they mate, and how big is this population?

Thanks to a recent breakthrough in the genetics lab, Dutton and his colleagues have a clever way to find answers. Like detectives, they have learned that fingerprints help solve the puzzle?genetic fingerprints. For decades, most sea turtle studies and conservation efforts have focused on nesting females and hatchlings, because they're easiest for humans to access. Male sea turtles, which don't come ashore, are elusive characters.

Dutton's team has pioneered a technique that allows them to fill in the blanks using tiny DNA samples from nesting females and hatchlings. As Dutton and his colleague Dr. Kelly Stewart wrote in a recent article, "Hidden in a hatchling's DNA is its entire family history, including who its mother is, who its father is, and to what nesting population it belongs." (See: http://seaturtlestatus.org/sites/swot/files/report/030612_SWOT7_p12_Sea%20Turtle%20CSI.pdf)

This innovative tool is opening up new avenues in marine turtle conservation. Population recovery goals are based on how long turtles take to reach maturity, and genetic fingerprinting can help reveal this key piece of information, which may be different for each population. Dutton's team developed the technique while studying endangered leatherbacks on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. In the last four years, they have sampled 20,353 hatchlings there, and discovered the genetic identity of the fathers, even when multiple males have sired a single clutch of eggs; how often individual turtles mate and their reproductive success; and the ratio of males to females among the breeding turtles.

On Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, critically endangered Kemp's ridley turtles have been leaving scattered nests along remote beaches, but females are often long gone by the time monitors find the nests. There, NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center and the National Park Service are using the technique to match mystery nests to mother turtles. Identifying who's nesting where and when, survival rate, and breeding success over many years will help us monitor this small population and gauge the impact of major events like disasters.

In the most surprising news yet, green turtles have begun nesting in the main Hawai'ian islands for the first time in generations. Green turtles, or honu, have nested in the remote Northwest Hawai'ian Islands, primarily on the quiet, low-lying beaches of French Frigate Shoals, a coral atoll about 500 miles from Honolulu.

Genetic fingerprinting shows that about 15 untagged females have become "founders" on the main Hawai'ian islands, boldly nesting where no one has nested before?at least not for hundreds of years. It's possible that this pioneer population could provide a kind of buffer as sea level rise threatens to shrink their traditional nesting beaches. Many questions remain, but for now science is giving turtles, and those who care about them, reason to hope.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/ldgcQeFmidI/130624143922.htm

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Report: Palestinian PM resignation accepted

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) ? The official Palestinian news agency says President Mahmoud Abbas has accepted the resignation of his newly appointed prime minister.

Rami Hamdallah had served only two weeks when he abruptly resigned last week over a conflict of authority. Abbas initially asked him to reconsider.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh was quoted Sunday by Wafa as saying the resignation was accepted. Hamdallah will remain head of a caretaker government until a replacement is found.

Abbas appointed Hamdallah, a university dean and political novice, earlier this month in an apparent move to consolidate power. Hamdallah replaced internationally known economist Salam Fayyad, who had clashed with Abbas. The latest twist could prove a political distraction as Abbas is focusing on a U.S. push to restart peace negotiations with Israel.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-palestinian-pm-resignation-accepted-081727224.html

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Kardashian baby name: the science of how names shape us

Kardashian baby name: some studies have linked unusual names to numerous disadvantages later in life. As for the Kardashian baby name, it remains to be seen.

By Elizabeth Barber,?Contributor / June 21, 2013

Kardashian baby name: This 2012 photo shows singer Kanye West, left, talking to his girlfriend Kim Kardashian before an NBA basketball game between the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks in Miami. A birth certificate released by the Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health shows that the couple's daughter North West, was born last Saturday in Los Angeles.

Alan Diaz/AP

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Kim Kardashian, for reasons that are not yet clear, has named her baby North West.

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It's an odd choice that's unlikely to much affect Kanye West's and Kardashian's little girl ? but, for a child born to non-famous parents, is a name that might critically shape who she grows up to be. Without the gilded Kardashian name to guarantee her success, that non-celebrity girl might struggle to fend off bullies, get hired, and overall surmount other people?s ? and eventually her own ? low expectations for her future.

Studies have increasingly shown that names are a highly relevant factor is how others perceive us and we perceive ourselves. In 2010, David Figlio of Northwestern University in Illinois analyzed names from millions of birth certificates for the probability that the name belonged to someone of low socioeconomic status ? children whose names met those criteria would go to be discriminated against throughout life, he found. Similarly, a 2003 study from The National Bureau of Economic Research found that resumes with White-sounding names receive 50 percent more callbacks for interviews than resumes with African-American-sounding names.

The significance of that research has grown in recent years, as baby names have become increasingly more unusual. In 2010, a British study of some 3,000 parents found that one-in-five of them regretted the name they had selected for their children, in that case often an unusual name or one with a strange spelling. That finding wasn?t surprising to scientists, since a growing crop of studies have linked unusual names to numerous disadvantages in life.

Much of how we perceive the world is unconscious, and our latent biases against particular names are often influential in how we treat people. A 2011 informal survey that combed baby name conversations on online message boards found that the names perceived to be highly trendy are the biggest culprits in jolting those biases and that those names often end up capping our lists of the most hated names.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/8qmeDm82OMA/Kardashian-baby-name-the-science-of-how-names-shape-us

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Okay, Yeah The Surface Of Venus Looks Really Hot

It's kind of hard to scope things out on Venus because the surface probes we send get obliterated pretty quickly by the heat. Pictures of Venus' surface do exist, though, and this one shows "large circular domes" that look pretty darn hot. The domes are thought to be magma erupting through vents, in a process that happens on Earth too, called volcanism. Get it? Volcanoes? Get it? Okay. Moving on.

The Magellan spacecraft circled Venus from 1990 to 1994 and used radar to map its surface. The picture above is computer generated based on those data. To get a sense of scale, the circular domes on Venus are estimated to be about 15.5 miles across, so we're not talking about some little magma bubble here. How long until Earth is just as inhospitable? [APOD]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/okay-yeah-the-surface-of-venus-looks-really-hot-548934139

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Gina The Doberman's Amazing Litter Of 13 Puppies (PHOTOS)

A two-year-old Doberman recently gave birth to an incredible litter of 13.

Gina was only expected to birth half a dozen puppies, with only three likely to survive. But, at five weeks old, all 13 puppies are doing well. Owners Mark and Olga Holcomb named the pups after several extreme weather events, like Tempest, Zephyr, Hale, Blizzard, Aurora, and Storm, according to the Daily Mail.

The couple already sold seven of the dogs for about $1,550 each, but plan to keep one at home with them in the UK.

If you're looking for a companion of your own and are ready for the responsibility, take a look at the ASPCA adoption site or Petfinder.com.

Below are more images of Gina and her adorable puppies:

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/22/gina-doberman-dog-puppy-pictures_n_3467863.html

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Timeshare prices, are they affordable? | Timeshare Solutions

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Source: http://timesharesolutions.blogspot.com/2013/06/timeshare-prices-are-they-affordable.html

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Fewer abortions with hospital consolidations

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) ? By joining with a much bigger Catholic health system, a prominent Orange County hospital hopes to enhance patients' access to a host of services ? except one.

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, based in Newport Beach, started banning elective abortions this year after reaching an agreement to affiliate with St. Joseph Health, riling some doctors and women's advocates.

The controversy has fueled a feisty debate in local editorial pages and prompted a rally outside the hospital, making the Southern California suburbs the latest scene of a culture clash occurring across the country as Catholic and non-Catholic hospitals strike deals in a wave of health care industry mergers.

Women's health advocates say affiliations between non-Catholic and Catholic hospitals have squelched abortions in a number of locations, and full-blown mergers have also affected health services such as sterilization and contraception.

Hoag has a flagship 485-bed hospital with sweeping Pacific Ocean views and another hospital in nearby Irvine. It joined with Irvine-based St. Joseph Health, which has 14 acute care hospitals in California and Texas, after winning state approval to form a regional health care system called Covenant Health Network.

The economic downturn and health care overhaul have driven many nonprofit hospitals to form partnerships or merge entirely in recent years, and cultural conflicts related to religion, teaching style or other differences often need to be hashed out for the ventures to succeed, said Lisa Goldstein, associate managing director of the not-for-profit hospital ratings team at Moody's.

Dr. Richard Afable, Hoag's former president who now heads Covenant, said Hoag took a closer look at its abortion practices because it was joining with a Catholic health system where the procedure isn't allowed.

Afable said the hospital decided to cease performing elective abortions because it does so few of them anyway ? only about 100 a year. He said Hoag will continue to perform abortions when medically indicated and that most elective abortions are done in a doctor's office or could be better performed at a center with a higher volume of the procedures.

"We looked very closely at all the things we do that are generally not supported at Catholic hospitals," he said. "We are not limiting any physician from conducting their medical practice in any way they would like. If a physician wants to do an elective abortion, there are places and locations where they can conduct that."

Obstetrician Dr. Richard Agnew said he worries Hoag may start to weed out other services over time. He also said he doesn't feel his patients who choose abortion should be shuffled off to a Planned Parenthood or different hospital, noting most are women who wanted to get pregnant but are carrying a fetus with genetic abnormalities and need a hospital level of care.

"It's not like they're doing anything illegal," Agnew said. "It's bad enough for them to have to make a decision."

Hospitals steeped in different faith traditions have had to contend with public concern over mergers and affiliations in states including Connecticut, Kentucky and Washington. The debate has most often surfaced in mergers involving Catholic hospitals due to the church's directives on issues ranging from abortion and birth control to end-of-life decisions.

In suburban Philadelphia, two hospitals, Abington and Holy Redeemer, called off a proposed partnership after community members were upset the plan would have ended abortions at Abington.

Catholic facilities account for more than one fifth of the country's hospital admissions, according to the Catholic Health Association.

Most commonly, affiliation agreements have led non-Catholic hospitals to stop providing abortions, while mergers and acquisitions have also led some institutions to stop performing other services, such as tubal ligation, said Sheila Reynertson, advocacy coordinator for New York-based Merger Watch, which tracks the effects of mergers between religious and secular hospitals on reproductive and other health services.

Lori Vandermeir, president of the National Organization for Women's Orange County chapter, said she worries the spate of hospital mergers will affect women's access to abortion even when no laws have changed.

"They have the ability to reset abortion-access behind the scenes, without the legislature being involved," she said.

In St. Joseph's statement of common values, the health system states that "direct abortion and physician assisted suicide are not part of St. Joseph Health services."

Afable said there have been no other changes to procedures offered at either hospital, noting Hoag will continue to perform sterilizations and provide contraception. He said no changes would be made to women's health services at Hoag for at least a decade under the agreement.

Pro-abortion rights groups staged a rally outside the hospital Thursday, while anti-abortion advocates who welcomed Hoag's decision held a counterdemonstration. The controversy has also sparked a spirited debate in the editorial pages of local newspapers.

Tom Johnson, a local businessman, wrote in the Orange County Register that while he supports abortion rights he doesn't see a problem with hospitals limiting their offerings. He recalled that he had to travel to Los Angeles for a kidney transplant eight years ago because Hoag did not perform the procedure.

"I'm 100 percent in favor of a woman's right to choose. Not 50 percent, not 75 percent - 100 percent," Johnson wrote in a guest column in the newspaper. "But I also, at the same time, respect the right of Hoag Hospital to choose what services it will provide and what services it will not."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fewer-abortions-hospital-consolidations-195939165.html

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Obama plans speech at Organizing for Action summit (The Arizona Republic)

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Lavrov: Syria peace conference could be derailed

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) ? Russia's foreign minister said Friday that Washington is sending contradictory signals on Syria that could derail an international conference intended to end the civil war, warning that U.S. talk about a possible no-fly zone would only encourage the rebels to keep fighting.

Sergey Lavrov, speaking in an interview with The Associated Press and the Bloomberg news agencies on Friday, also criticized demands that Syrian President Bashar Assad step down.

"Not because we like the regime, not because we want the regime to stay, but because it's for the Syrians to decide," Lavrov said. "And to say you must capitulate and deliver the power to us is just not realistic."

In addition, he dismissed allegations by the United States, Britain and France that Assad's regime has used chemical weapons.

Russia has been the key ally of Assad's regime throughout a two-year civil war, which has killed more than 93,000 people, shielding it from U.N. Security Council sanctions and continuing to provide it with weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that his country signed a contract for the delivery of S-300 state-of-the art air defense missile systems to Syria, but said it hasn't been fulfilled yet.

Lavrov defended the S-300 deal, pointing to the deployment of U.S. Patriot air defense missiles and fighter jets to neighboring Jordan.

"The contract on S-300s is absolutely legal, it's transparent and it's fully in line with the international norms and with the Russian export control legislation," he said.

"Second, the contract hasn't been yet finalized. Third, the Americans are leaving Patriots after this exercise in Jordan, together with F-16 planes, and no one is asking them not to do this. The region is really full of weapons, including offensive weapons which have been supplied in the past to the countries of the region, and some of these weapons are infiltrating into Syria."

He said supplies of weapons to the Syrian opposition, which have been promised by Washington and are being considered by the European Union, would be a "very big mistake."

Lavrov was asked if Russia is warning the West in particular against providing the rebels with shoulder-fired air defense missiles that could challenge Assad's air dominance. He replied: "We believe this is absolutely illegitimate, and we aren't going to legitimize it by starting discussing some conditions on which these supplies could be justified."

He said that while the U.S. says it favors sponsoring a Syria peace conference in Geneva, it has made statements that have sent a conflicting signal to the rebels. Lavrov said that the U.S. talk about a possible no-fly zone in particular has encouraged the opposition to step up fighting instead of sitting down for talks.

"The message the opposition is getting: Guys, don't go to Geneva, don't say you are going to negotiate with the regime, soon things will change in your favor," Lavrov said. "It's either the conference or the instigation of the opposition not to be flexible. I don't think it's possible to do both at the same time."

The date and location of the international conference on Syria haven't been announced yet, but it's already being dubbed "Geneva 2" since a similar event was held there a year ago.

"If our goal is the conference, then we must avoid any discussions and, of course, any action designed to establish a no-fly zone. We must avoid confrontational debates and one-sided resolutions in the General Assembly and in the Human Rights Council because all this isn't helping to create the atmosphere necessary to convene a conference," Lavrov said.

He shrugged off the U.S., British and French statements about the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime as ungrounded, saying they "smack of politics and speculation."

"We have been told by the Americans, by the French, by the British that they have proofs," he said. "What they showed to us is absolutely unconvincing. It's not based on facts, and it can't be taken as a proof."

He said that a new international probe must determine the truth and added that after the conflict is over, Syria could be encouraged to destroy its chemical weapons stockpiles.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lavrov-syria-peace-conference-could-derailed-131227642.html

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Flooding kills 3, forces 75,000 from Calgary homes

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) ? Floodwaters that devastated much of southern Alberta left at least three people dead and forced officials in the western Canadian city of Calgary on Friday to order the evacuation of its entire downtown, as the waters reached the 10th row of the city's hockey arena.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the level of flooding "stunning" and said officials don't know yet if it will get worse, but said the water has peaked and stabilized and noted that the weather has gotten better.

Overflowing rivers washed out roads and bridges, soaked homes and turned streets into dirt-brown waterways around southern Alberta. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Patricia Neely told reporters three were dead and two bodies were recovered. The two bodies recovered are the two men who had been seen floating lifeless in the Highwood River near High River on Thursday, she said.

Harper, a Calgary resident, said he never imagined there would be a flood of this magnitude in this part of Canada.

"This is incredible. I've seen a little bit of flooding in Calgary before. I don't think any of us have seen anything like this before. The magnitude is just extraordinary," he said.

"We're all very concerned that if gets much more than this it could have real impact on infrastructure and other services longer term, so we're hoping things will subside a bit."

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said the water levels have reached a peak, but have not declined.

"We've sat at the same level for many, many hours now," Nenshi said. "There is one scenario that would it go even higher than this, so you'll either see the Bow river continue at this level for many hours or you will see it grow even higher and we're prepared for that eventuality."

Twenty-five neighborhoods in the city, with an estimated 75,000 people, have already been evacuated due to floodwaters in Calgary, a city of more than a million people that hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics and serves as the center of Canada's oil industry.

Alberta Premier Alison Redford said Medicine Hat, east of Calgary, was under a mandatory evacuation order affecting 10,000 residents. The premier warned that communities downstream of Calgary had not yet felt the full force of the floodwaters.

About 350,000 people work in downtown Calgary on a typical day. However, officials said very few people need to be moved out, since many heeded warnings and did not go to work Friday.

A spokesman for Canada's defense minister said 1,300 soldiers from a base in Edmonton were being deployed to the flood zone.

Police were asking residents who were forced to leave the nearby High River area to register at evacuation shelter. The Town of High River remained under a mandatory evacuation order.

In downtown Calgary, water was inundating homes and businesses in the shadow of skyscrapers. Water has swamped cars and train tracks.

The city said the home rink of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames flooded and the water inside was 10 rows deep. That would mean the dressing rooms are likely submerged as well.

"I think that really paints a very clear picture of what kinds of volumes of water we are dealing with," said Trevor Daroux, the city's deputy police chief.

At the grounds for the world-famous Calgary Stampede fair, water reached up to the roofs of the chuck wagon barns. The popular rodeo and festival is the city's signature event. Mayor Nenshi said it will occur no matter what.

About 1,500 have gone to emergency shelters while the rest have found shelter with family or friends, Nenshi said.

The flood was forcing emergency plans at the Calgary Zoo, which is situated on an island near where the Elbow and Bow rivers meet. Lions and tigers were being prepared for transfer, if necessary, to prisoner holding cells at the courthouse.

Schools and court trials were canceled Friday and residents urged to avoid downtown. Transit service in the core was shut down.

Residents were left to wander and wade through streets waist-deep in water.

Newlyweds Scott and Marilyn Crowson were ordered out of their central Calgary condominium late Friday as rising waters filled their parking garage and ruptured a nearby gas line. "That's just one building but every building is like this," he said. "For the most part, people are taking it in stride."

Crowson, a kayaker, estimated the Bow River, usually about four feet deep, is running at a depth of 15 feet (4.57 meters).

"It's moving very, very fast," he said of the normally placid stream spanned by now-closed bridges. "I've never seen it so big and so high."

It had been a rainy week throughout much of Alberta, but on Thursday the Bow River Basin was battered with up to four inches (100 millimeters) of rain. Environment Canada's forecast called for more rain in the area, but in much smaller amounts.

Calgary was not alone in its weather-related woes. Flashpoints of chaos spread from towns in the Rockies south to Lethbridge.

More than a dozen towns declared states of emergency. Entire communities, including High River and Bragg Creek, near Calgary, were under mandatory evacuation orders.

Some of the worst flooding hit High River, where an estimated half of the town's residents experienced flooding in their homes.

Military helicopters plucked about 30 people off rooftops in the area. Others were rescued by boat or in buckets of heavy machinery. Some even swam for their lives from stranded cars.

Further west, in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, photos from the mountain town of Canmore depicted a raging river ripping at house foundations.

___

Associated Press writer Rob Gillies contributed from Toronto and AP writer Jeremy Hainsworth contributed from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/flooding-kills-3-forces-75-000-calgary-homes-020050347.html

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Border security: Boost for Senate immigration bill

FILE - In this June 6, 2013 file photo, Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., speaks during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing in Washington. Kirk said Thursday, June 20, 2013, he's been working with colleagues to craft immigration reform that's gaining momentum in the Senate. He says the measure will secure the U.S. border to the south and create a "tough but fair" path to citizenship. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE - In this June 6, 2013 file photo, Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., speaks during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing in Washington. Kirk said Thursday, June 20, 2013, he's been working with colleagues to craft immigration reform that's gaining momentum in the Senate. He says the measure will secure the U.S. border to the south and create a "tough but fair" path to citizenship. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio responds to reporters' questions on immigration reform legislation, jobs, and President Barack Obama's plan to put limits on the carbon emissions of existing power plants, Thursday, June 20, 2013, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, listens at left, as Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., speaks at a news conference hosted by the Tea Party Patriots to oppose the Senate immigration reform bill, Thursday, June 20, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. From left are, Martin; Akady Faktorovich, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union; Hans Marsen, an immigrant from England; Sessions; Niger Innis with TheTeaParty.Net, and George Wilkerson with The Remembrance Project. White House-backed immigration legislation gained momentum in the Senate on Thursday as lawmakers closed in on a bipartisan compromise to spend tens of billions of dollars stiffening border security without delaying legalization for millions living in the country unlawfully. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A breakthrough at hand, Republicans and Democrats reached for agreement Thursday on a costly, military-style surge to secure the leaky U.S.-Mexican border and clear the way for Senate passage of legislation giving millions of immigrants a chance at citizenship after years in America's shadows.

Lawmakers in both parties described a Southern border that would be bristling with law enforcement manpower and technology as a result of legislation at the top of President Barack Obama's second-term domestic policy agenda. The emerging deal called for a doubling of the Border Patrol, with 20,000 new agents, 18 new unmanned surveillance drones, 350 miles of new fencing, and an array of fixed and mobile devices to maintain vigilance.

"This is a border surge. We have militarized our border, almost," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican.

"Boots on the ground, drones in the air," summed up Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who has been at the center of efforts to push immigration legislation through the Senate.

The plan was announced by Sens. John Hoeven of North Dakota and Bob Corker of Tennessee, Republicans who had been publicly uncommitted on the legislation. Both said other GOP fence-sitters would also swing behind the measure if the changes were incorporated, and by late in the afternoon, two had done so.

A final vote on the legislation is expected by the end of next week.

The next move would be up to the House, where majority Republicans are overwhelmingly opposed to granting citizenship to immigrants living in the United States illegally. Talks on any final compromise would be held in the fall ? if then.

The White House declined to respond to requests for comment on the Senate proposal, even though congressional officials said administration officials were involved in the formal drafting of the terms. Obama met at the White House recently with key Democrats to discuss the measure, and kept apprised of the negotiations while on his just-completed European trip.

Under the emerging deal, an estimated 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally would be eligible to obtain legal status while border security was increased. They could not be awarded green cards, which bestow permanent residency status, until the entire border enhancement plan had been put into place.

That effectively would give the government a decade to set up the additional security, since the legislation envisions a pathway to citizenship that gives immigrants provisional status after six months but requires them to wait at least a decade before they become eligible for green cards.

Despite the changes, the legislation appeared certain to retain the basic contours negotiated over many months by a so-called Gang of Eight, four senators from each party.

Whatever its impact on the bill's prospects, the deal failed to satisfy a group of conservative Senate critics who want proof that the border has been secured before legalization begins, rather than the mere placement of new agents and equipment.

"My impression is this is a promise of future performance and there is no contingency in the form of a trigger" to assure its effectiveness, said John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., also cautioned that the highly touted agreement had not been drafted yet, much less read by members of the Senate and their staffs.

The legislation has a broad array of outside interests pushing for its passage, although two organizations objected to the plan for changes.

Speaking for CAMBIO, an organization that favors immigrant rights, Christian Ramirez said the deal should include lapel cameras to deter abuse by border agents, as well as the placement of 1,000 distress beacons in the desert.

The ACLU called the proposed agreement a "massive deployment of force" that would be "simply devastating for border communities."

Corker and Hoeven both said they expected the legislation to be formally unveiled in the Senate late Thursday, although for unexplained reasons, it had not yet materialized after several hours.

The agreement was a turn in the Senate spotlight for the two men, who have spent days in secretive talks with fellow Republicans, and then with Schumer and Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey.

"We must secure the border first" before anyone in the country illegally can gain citizenship, Hoeven said on the Senate floor. "That's what Americans demand and that's what we must do." He said the 10-year cost included $25 billion for the additional Border Patrol agents, $3 billion for fencing and another $3.2 billion for other measures. Other officials said the overall cost of the security upgrade could reach $40 billion over a decade.

Corker told reporters the plan amounted to 'border security on steroids" and said it would impart "tremendous momentum" to the bill on the Senate floor. By day's end, Republican Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois and Dean Heller of Nevada said they, too, were prepared to vote for the bill if the changes were incorporated.

That brought to 10 the number of Republicans who have indicated they will vote for the bill, far more than enough to assure it will have the 60 required to overcome any attempted filibuster by last-ditch opponents. Democrats control 54 seats, and party aides have said they do not expect any defections from their side of the political aisle.

Apart from the border security measures, the legislation as drafted already included implementation of a biometric system to track the comings and goings of foreigners at air and sea ports as well as land crossings, and a requirement for businesses to verify the legal status of job seekers.

At the same time the border security talks appeared all but settled, officials disclosed changes on other thorny issues.

Under one of them, sought by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, immigrants would not be able to claim credit for Social Security taxes they paid while working without lawful status. Credits are used to determine the amount in benefits a worker receives from the program after retirement.

Also under discussion was a second proposal by Hatch to prohibit the federal government or the states from making immigrants eligible for welfare until they had held legal status for five years.

Officials also said the White House had taken a role in drafting a change to clarify when immigrants would become eligible for federal subsidies under the health care law that is now taking full effect. Details were not immediately available.

Democrats and Republicans alike said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, was pressing for a toughening of the E-Verify program, and that a small group of Southern Republicans wanted changes made to a new program that would permit farm workers from other countries to work in the United States temporarily. The outcomes of those talks ? and the votes of several Republicans as well ?were unclear.

In addition to border security issues, the legislation would increase the number of visas going to high-skilled workers whose labor is sought by U.S. technology firms, create a new program for lower-skilled immigrants and allow farm laborers to come to the country temporarily to perform seasonal jobs.

Separately, younger immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children would be eligible for legal status more quickly than others.

For foreigners looking to move to the United States legally, a decades-old system that emphasizes family ties would be replaced by one that gives more weight to education, work skills, English proficiency and relative youth.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-20-Immigration/id-6826931aed3d4cba8ebd98ba3874afdb

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Danielle Bradbery: Signed to Taylor Swift's Record Label!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/danielle-bradbery-signed-to-taylor-swifts-record-label/

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Will 'Iron Man 3' Storm the Box Office This Weekend?

From Robert Downey Jr. suiting up and saving the country in Iron Man 3 to Ben Barnes and Amanda Seyfried's marriage catastrophe in The Big Wedding, here are the movies to check out. Will you be grabbing your popcorn and catching one of them this weekend?

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/movie-reviews-what-see-weekend-iron-man-3-and-big-wedding/1-a-534946?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Amovie-reviews-what-see-weekend-iron-man-3-and-big-wedding-534946

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Children with milk allergy may be 'allergic to school'

Public release date: 2-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Christine Westendorf
ChristineWestendorf@acaai.org
847-427-1200
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

Chalk dust can contain milk protein, triggering respiratory symptoms

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL. (May 2, 2013) Many of today's school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a study published in the May issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), this choice in chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy.

Casein, a milk protein, is often used in low-powder chalk. When milk allergic children inhale chalk particles containing casein, life-threatening asthma attacks and other respiratory issues can occur.

"Chalks that are labeled as being anti-dust or dustless still release small particles into the air," said Carlos H. Larramendi, MD, lead study author. "Our research has found when the particles are inhaled by children with milk allergy, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath can occur. Inhalation can also cause nasal congestion, sneezing and a runny nose."

Milk allergy affects an estimated 300,000 children in the United States, according to the ACAAI. Although it has been believed the majority of children will outgrow milk allergy by age three, recent studies contradict this theory, showing school aged children are still affected. However, 80 percent of children with milk allergy will likely outgrow it by age 16.

"Chalk isn't the only item in a school setting that can be troublesome to milk allergic students," said James Sublett, MD, chair of the ACAAI Indoor Environment Committee. "Milk proteins can also be found in glue, paper, ink, and in other children's lunches."

Even in the wake of whiteboards, overhead projectors and tablets, chalk is a classroom staple that likely won't become extinct anytime soon. Parents with milk allergic children should ask to have their child seated in the back of the classroom where they are less likely to inhale chalk dust, advises Sublett.

"Teachers should be informed about foods and other triggers that might cause health problems for children," said Sublett. "A plan for dealing with allergy and asthma emergencies should also be shared with teachers, coaches and the school nurse. Children should also carry allergist prescribed epinephrine, inhalers or other life-saving medications."

###

If your child is sneezing and wheezing at school, you should see a board-certified allergist for proper testing, diagnosis and treatment. For more information about pediatric allergies and asthma, and to find an allergist, visit http://www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org.

About ACAAI

The ACAAI is a professional medical organization of more than 5,700 allergists-immunologists and allied health professionals, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill. The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research. ACAAI allergists are board-certified physicians trained to diagnose allergies and asthma, administer immunotherapy, and provide patients with the best treatment outcomes. For more information and to find relief, visit http://www.AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org. Join us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

---

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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: 2-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Christine Westendorf
ChristineWestendorf@acaai.org
847-427-1200
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

Chalk dust can contain milk protein, triggering respiratory symptoms

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL. (May 2, 2013) Many of today's school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a study published in the May issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), this choice in chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy.

Casein, a milk protein, is often used in low-powder chalk. When milk allergic children inhale chalk particles containing casein, life-threatening asthma attacks and other respiratory issues can occur.

"Chalks that are labeled as being anti-dust or dustless still release small particles into the air," said Carlos H. Larramendi, MD, lead study author. "Our research has found when the particles are inhaled by children with milk allergy, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath can occur. Inhalation can also cause nasal congestion, sneezing and a runny nose."

Milk allergy affects an estimated 300,000 children in the United States, according to the ACAAI. Although it has been believed the majority of children will outgrow milk allergy by age three, recent studies contradict this theory, showing school aged children are still affected. However, 80 percent of children with milk allergy will likely outgrow it by age 16.

"Chalk isn't the only item in a school setting that can be troublesome to milk allergic students," said James Sublett, MD, chair of the ACAAI Indoor Environment Committee. "Milk proteins can also be found in glue, paper, ink, and in other children's lunches."

Even in the wake of whiteboards, overhead projectors and tablets, chalk is a classroom staple that likely won't become extinct anytime soon. Parents with milk allergic children should ask to have their child seated in the back of the classroom where they are less likely to inhale chalk dust, advises Sublett.

"Teachers should be informed about foods and other triggers that might cause health problems for children," said Sublett. "A plan for dealing with allergy and asthma emergencies should also be shared with teachers, coaches and the school nurse. Children should also carry allergist prescribed epinephrine, inhalers or other life-saving medications."

###

If your child is sneezing and wheezing at school, you should see a board-certified allergist for proper testing, diagnosis and treatment. For more information about pediatric allergies and asthma, and to find an allergist, visit http://www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org.

About ACAAI

The ACAAI is a professional medical organization of more than 5,700 allergists-immunologists and allied health professionals, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill. The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research. ACAAI allergists are board-certified physicians trained to diagnose allergies and asthma, administer immunotherapy, and provide patients with the best treatment outcomes. For more information and to find relief, visit http://www.AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org. Join us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

---

[ | 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/2013-05/acoa-cwm050113.php

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AP Sources: Kahn out as Wolves president, Flip in

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ? David Kahn is out as president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Flip Saunders is coming in.

The Timberwolves announced Thursday that owner Glen Taylor has decided not to pick up the option for next season on Kahn's contract. Three people with knowledge of the situation tell The Associated Press that Taylor is putting the finishing touches on a deal to hire Saunders as Kahn's replacement. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.

Saunders coached the Wolves from 1995-2005.

"We want to thank David for all of his efforts the past four years with our basketball team," Taylor said in a statement issued by the team. "These are always difficult decisions, but at this time, we believe it is in the best interest of our organization to make a change. We wish David all the best in the future."

Kahn spent four seasons leading the Timberwolves. He helped bring point guard Ricky Rubio and coach Rick Adelman to Minnesota, but his teams went 89-223 and missed the playoffs in all four of his seasons.

"It's always the owner's prerogative," Kahn told The AP. "I don't think it's appropriate to say whether it's fair or not. I'm very grateful for the opportunity that Glen gave me."

Taylor's decision brings an end to a polarizing reign for Kahn. After serving as an executive with the Indiana Pacers, Kahn was a surprise hire in 2009 to replace longtime Timberwolves executive Kevin McHale. Kahn eventually decided not to bring McHale back as head coach, then went about a massive rebuild of a team that was still trying to move on after trading franchise player Kevin Garnett to Boston in 2007.

Kahn tabbed Kurt Rambis to usher in a new identity and style of play, but he lasted just two seasons on the job. With cleaning up the team's salary cap situation a priority in the first season, the Wolves won just 15 games with a collection of retreads and journeymen surrounding Al Jefferson, who was in his first season back from a torn ACL, and Kevin Love, who was in his second season in the league.

Kahn and Rambis clashed repeatedly on the direction of the team and the philosophy on the court. Rambis was fired with a record of 32-132 and Kahn was able to lure Adelman in 2011 to take over a roster that was just starting to take shape. With Rubio emerging as a young dynamo in his rookie season and Love asserting himself as perhaps the best power forward in the game, the Timberwolves were on track to end a long playoff drought until Rubio went down with a torn ACL in March.

Perhaps more damaging, Kahn drew Love's wrath by refusing to give him a maximum five-year extension in January. Love instead signed a four-year deal with an opt-out after three seasons and didn't hide his disappointment. He seethed behind the scenes and publicly about the perceived slight, a grudge that would carry over into this season.

"I think Kevin is on a journey from the individual to the team," Kahn said. "It's a journey that many players have taken in their careers. I've had several positive conversations with Kevin in the last couple of months. I sense that he's making that journey, and he recognizes there are many bumps in the road, and he's making that journey to the team. I'm hopeful he'll arrive safely there. I like him a lot."

The team tumbled out of the playoff picture, but hopes were high at the start of this season when Kahn added Andrei Kirilenko, Chase Budinger, Alexey Shved and Dante Cunningham to the mix. Then Love broke his hand just before the regular season started and broke it again in January, limiting the Olympian to 18 games for the year. Rubio returned from his knee injury in mid-December but didn't regain his old form until February, Budinger missed more than three months with a knee injury and Kahn's gamble on Brandon Roy proved to be ill-fated. Kirilenko, Nikola Pekovic and JJ Barea also missed stretches because of injuries and the Wolves finished 31-51.

Most of Kahn's biggest missteps came in the draft. He chose Jonny Flynn over Stephen Curry in 2009 with the sixth overall pick, traded a pick that Denver used to take Ty Lawson and chose swingman Wes Johnson fourth overall in 2010. Only two of the 10 draft picks the Timberwolves made in his four years ? Rubio and 2011 No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams ? are currently on the roster.

"The team has been headed in the right direction and will continue to be headed in the right direction," Kahn said. "I think this team will be a force to be reckoned with for many years. It's young. It's deep. It's talented. It simply needs to become healthy again."

One of Kahn's biggest difficulties in his first job running the show was connecting with those who worked with and for him. Some coaches, players and other team employees were turned off by Kahn's aloof disposition, an approach that inspired little support for him in the organization.

"I've taken a lot of bullets for the team and will continue to do so," Kahn said. "I'm happy to do it. That's what we're hired to do. I don't want to make it about myself."

Going back to Saunders marks a return to the only truly competitive seasons the Timberwolves have had since coming into the NBA. He is the only coach to lead the team to the playoffs, but was fired the season after leading the Wolves to the Western Conference finals. That's the last time the Wolves have been to the postseason, the longest active drought in the NBA.

Saunders also coached in Detroit in Washington and still lives in Minnesota and remained close with Taylor even after a difficult split with the organization.

Saunders' first order of business will be pinning down Adelman's future. Adelman is currently mulling returning or retiring to spend more time with his wife, who suffered from seizures this season.

___

Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-sources-kahn-wolves-president-flip-193543960.html

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Study looks at muscle adaptation of transition to minimalist running

Public release date: 2-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Fariss Samarrai
fls4f@virginia.edu
434-924-3778
University of Virginia

For tens of thousands of years, humans ran on bare feet. Then we developed an assortment of specialized shoes, including particularly since the 1960s a seemingly limitless variety of running shoes. Despite the perceived advantages of foot protection, some runners in recent years have returned to barefoot running, believing it is a more natural way to run and therefore less injurious to the feet and legs.

As a result, several shoe manufacturers have produced specialized "minimalist" shoes to accommodate this, such as the Vibram FiveFingers shoes. Such shoes allow a runner to imitate barefoot running while providing some sole and toe protection. The design allows the feet and toes to spread out and conform to the terrain with each step, rather than being boxed in and stabilized by a contoured and cushioned shoe design.

The difference results in a different running stride people in running shoes strike first with the heel (because of all the cushioning), whereas barefoot and minimalist runners strike first with the forefoot. This difference affects how the muscles of the legs and feet respond and develop.

But, exactly, how do the muscles change when adapting to a new running style?

That is the question researchers at the University of Virginia are asking in a new one-of-a-kind study of runners who are transitioning from shoed running style to minimalist running.

"We want to know what happens to the muscles of the leg and foot when recreational runners make the switch to minimalist footwear," said Geoffrey Handsfield, a U.Va. Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering who is leading the study. "Many minimalist shoe manufacturers make claims that their shoes will lead to strengthening the muscles of the calf and feet while avoiding common running injuries. However, there is little scientific evidence supporting these claims."

The researchers aim to find out exactly which muscles get bigger or weaken, which elongate or shorten, and if some muscles do not change.

Handsfield and his co-investigators, biomedical engineering professor Silvia Blemker (Handsfield's adviser) and third-year undergraduate biomedical engineering student Natalie Powers, are using static and dynamic MRI with motion capture cameras and an instrumented treadmill to track the running technique and muscle tissue adaptations of recreational runners transitioning to minimalist running technique.

"Most studies and discussions have been about running form and the effects on bones and joints, but we're taking a different approach," Handsfield said. "We think it's relevant to look at the muscles' adaptations, which also affect the bones and joints in their interactions."

He said this is among the first longitudinal studies of runners switching to a new running technique and using a minimalist shoe, and the first to use advanced imaging to study the effects on muscles of different running techniques.

"Dynamic MRI allows us to image the tissue very rapidly so that we can observe displacements of the muscle tissue as our subject performs a controlled cyclic exercise," Handsfield said. "We're also using static MRI to determine the subjects' muscle volumes and lengths before and after their transition to minimalist footwear, allowing us to quantify how their muscles changed with minimalist training."

The researchers are not attempting to prove one running style is better than the other; rather they are interested in the affects of the change on muscles. The eventual results could help runners make their own decisions regarding footwear and running styles.

"Shoe companies are generally not equipped to undergo fundamental studies aimed at understanding how shoe designs affect muscles," Blemker said. "At a university, we are able to focus on this type of research that ultimately both advances our fundamental understanding of muscle adaptation and potentially provides a scientific basis for future shoe designs."

The researchers have completed the first phase of their study mapping the muscles of study participants who run in standard running footwear. They are about to begin the second phase, which will map changes to the muscles as those runners transition to minimalist footwear. The runners are 23- to 30-year-old recreational runners who run 12 to 30 miles per week.

The research is funded by a U.Va. "Double 'Hoo" grant that pairs graduate and undergraduate students (Handsfield and Powers) on research projects, and by a gift from the Merrell shoe company, which manufactures minimalist footwear.

The technology used in the study was developed under a project funded by the U.Va.-Coulter Translational Research Partnership. The same technology has also been applied to studying muscles in children with cerebral palsy, adults with knee pain and elite and collegiate athletes.

###

---

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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: 2-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Fariss Samarrai
fls4f@virginia.edu
434-924-3778
University of Virginia

For tens of thousands of years, humans ran on bare feet. Then we developed an assortment of specialized shoes, including particularly since the 1960s a seemingly limitless variety of running shoes. Despite the perceived advantages of foot protection, some runners in recent years have returned to barefoot running, believing it is a more natural way to run and therefore less injurious to the feet and legs.

As a result, several shoe manufacturers have produced specialized "minimalist" shoes to accommodate this, such as the Vibram FiveFingers shoes. Such shoes allow a runner to imitate barefoot running while providing some sole and toe protection. The design allows the feet and toes to spread out and conform to the terrain with each step, rather than being boxed in and stabilized by a contoured and cushioned shoe design.

The difference results in a different running stride people in running shoes strike first with the heel (because of all the cushioning), whereas barefoot and minimalist runners strike first with the forefoot. This difference affects how the muscles of the legs and feet respond and develop.

But, exactly, how do the muscles change when adapting to a new running style?

That is the question researchers at the University of Virginia are asking in a new one-of-a-kind study of runners who are transitioning from shoed running style to minimalist running.

"We want to know what happens to the muscles of the leg and foot when recreational runners make the switch to minimalist footwear," said Geoffrey Handsfield, a U.Va. Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering who is leading the study. "Many minimalist shoe manufacturers make claims that their shoes will lead to strengthening the muscles of the calf and feet while avoiding common running injuries. However, there is little scientific evidence supporting these claims."

The researchers aim to find out exactly which muscles get bigger or weaken, which elongate or shorten, and if some muscles do not change.

Handsfield and his co-investigators, biomedical engineering professor Silvia Blemker (Handsfield's adviser) and third-year undergraduate biomedical engineering student Natalie Powers, are using static and dynamic MRI with motion capture cameras and an instrumented treadmill to track the running technique and muscle tissue adaptations of recreational runners transitioning to minimalist running technique.

"Most studies and discussions have been about running form and the effects on bones and joints, but we're taking a different approach," Handsfield said. "We think it's relevant to look at the muscles' adaptations, which also affect the bones and joints in their interactions."

He said this is among the first longitudinal studies of runners switching to a new running technique and using a minimalist shoe, and the first to use advanced imaging to study the effects on muscles of different running techniques.

"Dynamic MRI allows us to image the tissue very rapidly so that we can observe displacements of the muscle tissue as our subject performs a controlled cyclic exercise," Handsfield said. "We're also using static MRI to determine the subjects' muscle volumes and lengths before and after their transition to minimalist footwear, allowing us to quantify how their muscles changed with minimalist training."

The researchers are not attempting to prove one running style is better than the other; rather they are interested in the affects of the change on muscles. The eventual results could help runners make their own decisions regarding footwear and running styles.

"Shoe companies are generally not equipped to undergo fundamental studies aimed at understanding how shoe designs affect muscles," Blemker said. "At a university, we are able to focus on this type of research that ultimately both advances our fundamental understanding of muscle adaptation and potentially provides a scientific basis for future shoe designs."

The researchers have completed the first phase of their study mapping the muscles of study participants who run in standard running footwear. They are about to begin the second phase, which will map changes to the muscles as those runners transition to minimalist footwear. The runners are 23- to 30-year-old recreational runners who run 12 to 30 miles per week.

The research is funded by a U.Va. "Double 'Hoo" grant that pairs graduate and undergraduate students (Handsfield and Powers) on research projects, and by a gift from the Merrell shoe company, which manufactures minimalist footwear.

The technology used in the study was developed under a project funded by the U.Va.-Coulter Translational Research Partnership. The same technology has also been applied to studying muscles in children with cerebral palsy, adults with knee pain and elite and collegiate athletes.

###

---

[ | 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/2013-05/uov-sla050213.php

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FDA: Morning-after pill OK for ages 15 and up

This undated image made available by Teva Women's Health shows the packaging for their Plan B One-Step (levonorgestrel) tablet, one of the brands known as the "morning-after pill." The Plan B morning-after pill is moving over-the-counter, a decision announced by the Food and Drug Administration just days before a court-imposed deadline. On April 30, 2013, the FDA lowered to 15 the age at which girls and women can buy the emergency contraceptive without a prescription ? and said it no longer has to be kept behind pharmacy counters. Instead, the pill can sit on drugstore shelves just like condoms, but that buyers would have to prove their age at the cash register. (AP Photo/Teva Women's Health)

This undated image made available by Teva Women's Health shows the packaging for their Plan B One-Step (levonorgestrel) tablet, one of the brands known as the "morning-after pill." The Plan B morning-after pill is moving over-the-counter, a decision announced by the Food and Drug Administration just days before a court-imposed deadline. On April 30, 2013, the FDA lowered to 15 the age at which girls and women can buy the emergency contraceptive without a prescription ? and said it no longer has to be kept behind pharmacy counters. Instead, the pill can sit on drugstore shelves just like condoms, but that buyers would have to prove their age at the cash register. (AP Photo/Teva Women's Health)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The government is moving the morning-after pill over the counter but only those 15 and older can buy it ? an attempt to find middle ground just days before a court-imposed deadline to lift all age restrictions on the emergency contraceptive.

Today, Plan B One-Step is sold behind pharmacy counters, and buyers must prove they're 17 or older to buy it without a prescription or else see a doctor first. Tuesday's decision by the Food and Drug Administration lowers the age limit to 15 ? and will allow the pill to sit on drugstore shelves next to condoms and spermicides or other women's health products. But customers must prove their age at the cash register.

Teva Women's Health, which makes Plan B, said it would begin over-the-counter sales in a few months.

The question is whether Tuesday's action settles a larger court fight. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Edward Korman of New York blasted the Obama administration for imposing the age-17 limit, saying it had let election-year politics trump science and was making it hard for women of any age to obtain the emergency contraception in time. He ordered an end to all age restrictions by Monday, for Plan B and its generic versions.

The FDA said Tuesday's decision was independent of the court case and wasn't intended to address it. Technically, the FDA approved Teva's application to sell Plan B in this manner.

The Justice Department remained mum on whether it planned to appeal Korman's decision, and the White House had no immediate comment.

The women's group that sued over the age limits said Tuesday's action is not enough, and it will continue the court fight if necessary.

Lowering the age limit "may reduce delays for some young women but it does nothing to address the significant barriers that far too many women of all ages will still find if they arrive at the drugstore without identification," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights.

The FDA said the Plan B One-Step will be packaged with a product code that prompts the cashier to verify a customer's age. Anyone who can't provide such proof as a driver's license, birth certificate or passport wouldn't be allowed to complete the purchase. In most states, driver's licenses, the most common form of identification, are issued at age 16.

"These are daunting and sometimes insurmountable hoops women are forced to jump through in time-sensitive circumstances, and we will continue our battle in court to remove these arbitrary restrictions on emergency contraception for all women," Northup said.

Other contraceptive contraception advocates called the move promising.

"This decision is a step in the right direction for increased access to a product that is a safe and effective method of preventing unintended pregnancies," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "It's also a decision that moves us closer to these critical availability decisions being based on science, not politics."

Social conservatives had opposed any efforts to loosen restrictions on sale of the morning-after pill, arguing that it was important for parents and medical professionals to be involved in such decisions involving young girls.

Half the nation's pregnancies every year are unintended, and doctors' groups say more access to morning-after pills could cut those numbers. The pills contain higher doses of regular contraceptives, and if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, can cut the chances of pregnancy by up to 89 percent. But it works best if taken in the first 24 hours.

The FDA had been poised to lift all age limits and let Plan B sell over-the-counter in late 2011, when Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in an unprecedented move, overruled her own scientists. Sebelius said some girls as young as 11 are physically capable of bearing children but shouldn't be able to buy the pregnancy-preventing pill on their own.

President Barack Obama supported Sebelius' move and a spokesman said earlier this month that the president's position hadn't changed.

The Justice Department could appeal Korman's ruling and seek a stay. If granted, the appeals process would move through the courts, while Plan B is sold over the counter whenever Teva has the product repackaged to meet FDA's requirements.

Absent a stay, "we will want to go back to court as quickly as possible and ask the judge to hold them in contempt," said Janet Crepps, a senior counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights.

The FDA said Tuesday that Teva had provided data proving that girls as young as 15 could understand how Plan B works and use it properly, without the involvement of a health care provider. Teva plans to conduct a consumer-education program, and indicated it is willing to audit whether stores are following the age requirement, the agency said.

FDA said its ruling applies only to Plan B One-Step, and not to generic versions of the pill which would remain behind pharmacy counters with the age-17 restriction.

If a woman already is pregnant, the morning-after pill has no effect. It prevents ovulation or fertilization of an egg. According to the medical definition, pregnancy doesn't begin until a fertilized egg implants itself into the wall of the uterus. Still, some critics say Plan B is the equivalent of an abortion pill because it may also be able to prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus, a contention that many scientists ? and Korman, in his ruling ? said has been discredited.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-04-30-US-MED-Morning-After-Pill/id-8af7299ad1b04b7a92eb59661bf16f45

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