Pain from the brain

Monday, February 25, 2013

Psychogenic diseases, formerly known as 'hysterical' illnesses, can have many severe symptoms such as painful cramps or paralysis but without any physical explanation. However, new research from the University of Cambridge and UCL (University College London) suggests that individuals with psychogenic disease, that is to say physical illness that stems from emotional or mental stresses, do have brains that function differently. The research was published today, 25 February, in the journal Brain.

Psychogenic diseases may look very similar to illnesses caused by damage to nerves, the brain or the muscles, or similar to genetic diseases of the nervous system. However, unlike organic diseases, psychogenic diseases do not have any apparent physical cause, making them difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat.

"The processes leading to these disorders are poorly understood, complex and highly variable. As a result, treatments are also complex, often lengthy and in many cases there is poor recovery. In order to improve treatment of these disorders, it is important to first understand the underlying mechanism," said Dr James Rowe from the University of Cambridge.

The study looked at people with either psychogenic or organic dystonia, as well as healthy people with no dystonia. Both types of dystonia caused painful and disabling muscle contractions affecting the leg. The organic patient group had a gene mutation (the DYT1 gene) that caused their dystonia. The psychogenic patients had the symptoms of dystonia but did not have any physical explanation for the disease, even after extensive investigations.

The scientists performed PET brain scans on the volunteers at UCL, to measure the blood flow and brain activity of both of the groups, and healthy volunteers. The participants were scanned with three different foot positions: resting, moving their foot, and holding their leg in a dystonic position. The electrical activity of the leg muscles was measured at the same time to determine which muscles were engaged during the scans.

The researchers found that the brain function of individuals with the psychogenic illness was not normal. The changes were, however, very different from the brains of individuals with the organic (genetic) disease.

Dr Anette Schrag, from UCL, said: "Finding abnormalities of brain function that are very different from those in the organic form of dystonia opens up a way for researchers to learn how psychological factors can, by changing brain function, lead to physical problems."

Dr Rowe added: "What struck me was just how very different the abnormal brain function was in patients with the genetic and the psychogenic dystonia. Even more striking was that the differences were there all the time, whether the patients were resting or trying to move."

Additionally, the researchers found that one part of the brain previously thought to indicate psychogenic disease is unreliable: abnormal activity of the prefrontal cortex was thought to be the hallmark of psychogenic diseases. In this study, the scientists showed that this abnormality is not unique to psychogenic disease, since activity was also present in the patients with the genetic cause of dystonia when they tried to move their foot.

Dr Arpan Mehta, from the University of Cambridge, said: "It is interesting that, despite the differences, both types of patient had one thing in common - a problem at the front of the brain. This area controls attention to our movements and although the abnormality is not unique to psychogenic dystonia, it is part of the problem."

This type of illness is very common. Dr Schrag said: "One in six patients that see a neurologist has a psychogenic illness. They are as ill as someone with organic disease, but with a different cause and different treatment needs. Understanding these disorders, diagnosing them early and finding the right treatment are all clearly very important. We are hopeful that these results might help doctors and patients understand the mechanism leading to this disorder, and guide better treatments."

###

University of Cambridge: http://www.cam.ac.uk

Thanks to University of Cambridge for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127002/Pain_from_the_brain

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Las Vegas seen as dangerous even as crime drops

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2013 file photo, law enforcement personal investigate the scene of a multi-vehicle accident and shooting in Las Vegas. Variously known as an adult playground and Disneyland for grown-ups, Las Vegas has worked to brand itself as a place where tourists can enjoy a sense of edginess with no real danger. But a series of high-profile and seemingly random incidents that have left visitors to the Strip dead or in the hospital is threatening Sin City?s reputation as a padded room of a town where people can cut loose with no fear of consequences. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jeff Scheid, File) LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2013 file photo, law enforcement personal investigate the scene of a multi-vehicle accident and shooting in Las Vegas. Variously known as an adult playground and Disneyland for grown-ups, Las Vegas has worked to brand itself as a place where tourists can enjoy a sense of edginess with no real danger. But a series of high-profile and seemingly random incidents that have left visitors to the Strip dead or in the hospital is threatening Sin City?s reputation as a padded room of a town where people can cut loose with no fear of consequences. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jeff Scheid, File) LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2013 file photo, law enforcement personal investigate the scene of a mulit-vehicle accident on Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo Road. Variously known as an adult playground and Disneyland for grown-ups, Las Vegas has worked to brand itself as a place where tourists can enjoy a sense of edginess with no real danger. But a series of high-profile and seemingly random incidents that have left visitors to the Strip dead or in the hospital is threatening Sin City?s reputation as a padded room of a town where people can cut loose with no fear of consequences. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jeff Scheid) LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? Variously known as an adult playground and Disneyland for grown-ups, Las Vegas brands itself as a place where tourists can enjoy a sense of edginess with no real danger.

But a series of high-profile episodes of random violence amid the throngs of tourists is threatening Sin City's reputation as a padded room of a town where people can cut loose with no fear of consequences.

A car-to-car shooting and fiery crash that killed two bystanders and an aspiring rapper Thursday followed a bizarre elevator stabbing and a movie theater parking lot shooting.

Though crime has been falling on the glitzy stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard that houses most of the city's major casinos, tourism officials worry that vacationers and convention planners could begin to steer clear of the town because of a perception of mayhem.

"We are concerned because it can create misperceptions about the safety of the city, the safety of the Strip," said Gary Thompson, spokesman for Caesars Entertainment, which owns 10 resorts in the tourist zone, including Caesars Palace and Paris Las Vegas.

Casinos are particularly worried about convention business, which helps fill rooms and gambling tables between weekends. Corporate planners can swing the market with a few decisions, said Gordon Absher, spokesman for MGM Resorts International.

"And that decision will bring thousands of people," he said. MGM operates several major casino-hotels, including CityCenter, where Thursday's convulsion of violence originated.

Violent crime, which includes murder, rape, robbery and assault, in the city's main tourist hub fell 13 percent in 2012, from 256 to 223 incidents, and is down 11 percent for the first part of 2013, with 50 incidents reported. The number of rapes has fallen by more than a third.

There have been two homicides just off the Strip this year, in addition to the three deaths Thursday, compared to none in the area during the first month and a half of 2012.

Had they taken place elsewhere, the incidents that made headlines in recent weeks would never have become national stories, Thompson said. But when the crime happens in a city that welcomes 40 million visitors a year, people tend to care even if they haven't seen the neon lights in years.

"It's like, 'I was there! I stayed in there in Las Vegas! I walked that part of the Strip!'" he said.

The spate of violence started just before the new year, when a man shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, an Excalibur hotel-casino concierge clerk, before fatally shooting himself.

The following week, a blackjack dealer was wrestled to the ground at the Bellagio with razor blades in both hands. She is charged with killing a 10 year-old girl and then slashing her co-worker's face.

On New Year's Eve, a man allegedly fired a gunshot into the floor of the crowded Circus Circus casino during an argument. A Saudi air force sergeant is accused of raping a 13-year-old boy in the rooms above the same night.

A nighttime shooting outside a Strip movie theater left two people critically wounded earlier this month. Last week, two random men allegedly assaulted a visitor in the elevator at the Mandalay Bay property, tackling him and stabbing him in such a frenzy that they also stabbed each other.

During the same period, Las Vegas courts sentenced a Florida teacher for killing a stranger with a single punch after trading words in a casino bathroom, and heard the case of two law students charged with beheading an exotic bird at the Flamingo casino-hotel.

The shoot-'em-up car chase that closed the Strip for 12 hours Thursday was the most public and deadly incident yet.

A person in a luxury SUV opened fire on an aspiring rapper in a Maserati near one of the busiest intersections on the iconic corridor. As the bullets flew, the Maserati ran a red light and crashed into a taxi, which burst into flames. The taxi driver, a passenger and the rapper were killed, and six people were injured.

Casino executives say they do all they can to keep visitors safe, with armies of guards, networks of high-definition surveillance cameras and undercover security workers scattered throughout nearly every major attraction.

"Unless you are a complete idiot, you're not going to want to commit many crimes in or around a casino because you're going to get caught," Thompson said.

But catching a criminal isn't the same as stopping the crime.

Commissioners in Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, are weighing steps to increase safety, including installing additional cameras in public spaces and broadening the sidewalks. In October, they banned potentially dangerous objects including fireworks, knives and toy guns from the Strip.

But real guns remain permissible. Nevada's relaxed gun laws, including the ability to carry them openly, have made Las Vegas an attractive spot for shooting ranges and gun shows.

Some observers think police should step up their presence on the Strip, just as they did after three slayings in 2011.

"Clearly they should be looking into this because they have had a string of incidents now, and while they've all been random incidents, they all did happen," said David Schwartz, the Director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

On Thursday, police spokesman Jose Hernandez said the department had no plans to send additional officers to the Strip, noting that crime remains relatively low for a town that accommodates so many visitors each day.

But with violent crime, as with so much else in Vegas, perception may outweigh reality. As a place built on the promise of letting loose, the city must work extra hard to banish all fear of danger, said Tony Henthorne, a marketing professor at the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration in Las Vegas.

"It's important for any destination that relies on tourism for a major percentage of its income to appear safe," he said, "and also actually to be safe."

___

Hannah Dreier can be reached at http://twitter.com/hannahdreier

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-23-US-Vegas-Safety-Fears/id-0ac883f255704945926a8b218125626e

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NRA uses Justice memo to accuse Obama on guns (The Arizona Republic)

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BillSobey published Rob Baxter delighted by Exeter Chiefs' win over London Welsh

Exeter Chiefs ended a run of five Aviva Premiership games without a win by beating London Welsh 47-16 at Sandy Park.

Fly-half Gareth Steenson kicked 22 points for the Devon side who also scored five tries through Jack Yeandle, Tom Hayes, Damian Welch, Sireli Naqelevuki and Jack Nowell.

The victory maintained Chiefs eighth-placed position in the Premiership table.

Head coach Rob Baxter said: "We got the ball to the men in try-scoring positions effectively today. What you saw today was us finishing a lot of the opportunities we created."

For full match reports, reaction and analysis read the Western Morning News and stay logged on to www.thisisdevon.co.uk this week

Source: http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/Rob-Baxter-delighted-Exeter-Chiefs-win-London/story-18233737-detail/story.html

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NATO considers post-2014 Afghan force of 8,000-12,000

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO Allies are discussing keeping a training force of between 8,000 and 12,000 troops in Afghanistan after most foreign soldiers leave in 2014, the United States said on Friday.

NATO-led forces are gradually handing over responsibility for security to their Afghan counterparts as the bulk of foreign combat forces prepare to withdraw by the end of next year.

"A range of 8-12,000 troops was discussed as the possible size of the overall NATO mission," Pentagon spokesman George Little said after a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels.

U.S. President Barack Obama has not decided how many American troops would remain in Afghanistan after 2014, he said, adding: "The president is still reviewing options."

German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere said earlier that U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had told allies in Brussels that the United States alone could keep 8,000 to 12,000 troops.

After Panetta denied this, de Maiziere issued a statement correcting himself and saying the number referred to the possible overall size of the post-2014 NATO mission, also expected to include European allies and some non-NATO nations.

Troop numbers are politically sensitive as voters in many allied countries are weary of the 12-year war with the Taliban.

Previous discussions at the White House focused on a range of options of between 3,000 and 9,000 U.S. troops, with military commanders most comfortable with the higher-end figures.

A senior NATO officer said last month the United States expects other NATO allies to contribute between a third and a half of the number of troops that Washington provides.

Apart from the NATO training mission, the United States will also lead a counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan after 2014, targeting al Qaeda.

REGIONS

NATO allies agreed in Brussels the trainers will be stationed in the capital Kabul and in four regional headquarters, where they can advise Afghan military commanders.

"Today we asked NATO to begin planning for a range of options on the post-2014 posture that would provide for an effective regional presence not only in Kabul but at fixed sites in the north, south, the east and the west," Panetta told a news conference in Brussels.

The NATO talks about the residual force in Afghanistan came just over a week after Obama announced the withdrawal of roughly half of the 66,000 U.S. forces by early next year.

Panetta confirmed the bulk of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan would remain through the summer, allowing more than 60,000 of them to assist Afghans through peak fighting months.

U.S. troop levels would fall to about 50,000 by November this year. Panetta said the United States would keep some 34,000 troops in the country through the April 2014 Afghan presidential election to assist with security.

"Once those elections were completed, we would then begin the final drawdown of our forces towards the end of 2014," he said.

NATO is strongly considering keeping Afghan forces, largely funded by the United States and its allies, at their peak strength of 352,000 until at least 2018, as opposed to cutting them by about a third after 2015. This would cost an extra $2 billion over the three years, a NATO source said.

A larger Afghan force would give the United States greater flexibility as it withdraws its troops, said Panetta, but he added Obama had yet to make a decision on the matter.

(Additional reporting by Justyna Pawlak; Editing by Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nato-considers-post-2014-afghan-force-8-000-173423950.html

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Cut Commitments, Not Muscle

In that year of happy memory, 1972, George McGovern, the Democratic nominee, declared he would chop defense by fully one-third.

A friendly congressman was persuaded to ask Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird to expatiate on what this might mean.

The Pentagon replied the Sixth Fleet might have to be pulled out of the Med, leaving Israel without U.S. protection against the fleet of Adm. Sergei Gorshkov, and provided the congressman a list of U.S. bases that would have to be shut down.

Radio ads were run in the towns closest to the bases on the Pentagon list, declaring they would be closed and all jobs terminated, should McGovern win.

Something akin to this is going on with the impending sequester.

A cut of 7 percent, $46 billion, in Pentagon spending, says Army chief Ray Odierno, will mean a "hollowing" out of his force.

The Navy? The carrier Harry Truman will not be sailing to the Persian Gulf. The Abraham Lincoln will not be overhauled in Newport News. Thousands of jobs will be lost.

Reporter Rowan Scarborough writes that the Air Force has produced "a map of the U.S. that shows state-by-state the millions of dollars lost to local economies," should the guillotine fall.

Military aid to Israel may be cut, says John Kerry.

But if an evisceration of the national defense is imminent, why did Obama not tell us in 2012? Why were the joint chiefs silent, when they are panicked now? Are the generals, admirals and contractors all crying wolf?

Undeniably, spending cuts by sequester slicer, chopping all equally, is mindless. And with the national security, it manifests a failure of both parties to come to terms with the world we are now in.

The Cold War is over. The Soviet Union is gone. Mao's China is gone, though a mightier China has emerged, as America's share of the global economy is shrinking. Moreover, as ex-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen contends, our greatest strategic threat is not Kim Jong Un or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but the soaring national debt.

And if, as Republicans insist, we have a debt crisis because we are "spending too much," spending will have to be cut ? discretionary spending, entitlements and defense. And the only question about the defense cuts is not whether they are coming, but where.

What is needed is what America, since the collapse of the Soviet Empire, has stubbornly resisted doing: a strategic review of all U.S. commitments abroad to determine which remain vital to the national security. Before we decide what our defense forces should be, let us determine what is in the U.S. vital interest to defend at risk of war.

Start with NATO. In 1961, President Eisenhower urged JFK to bring home the U.S. forces and let the Europeans raise the armies to defend themselves, lest they become military dependencies.

Yet, more than 20 years after the Wall fell, the Red Army went home, East Europe broke free and the Soviet Union fell apart, we have scores of thousands of troops in Europe.

Why? The European Union's economy is 10 times that of Russia. Europe's population is twice Russia's.

Why are we still there?

Though we have given NATO war guarantees to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, our McCainiacs want them handed out to the Ukraine and Georgia. Yet no president in his right mind is going to go to war with a nuclear-armed Russia over some Caucasus dustup or Baltic brawl.

If Richard Nixon could achieve a modus vivendi with Chairman Mao, have we no statesman who can patch it up with Vladimir Putin? A first step might be to pull all U.S. missiles out of Eastern Europe and put our democracy-meddlers on the next plane out of Moscow.

Even as Ike was telling JFK to bring the troops home from Europe, Gen. Douglas MacArthur was urging JFK not to put his foot soldiers in Asia ? advice not taken there, either.

On retirement, Robert Gates said any future defense secretary who advises a president to fight another land war in Asia ought to have his head examined. So why do we have 28,000 U.S. troops in Korea and 50,000 in Japan?

In his Guam Doctrine, Nixon declared that in any future Asian war, we should provide the weapons to our Asian allies and they should do the fighting. Does that not still make sense today? Before we can decide the size and shape of our defense budget, we need a consensus on what we must defend.

And if Republicans wish to remain a viable party, they cannot delegate these decisions to the "We-are-all-Georgians-now!" crowd that plunged us into Iraq and is bawling for intervention in Syria and war on Iran.

The GOP desperately needs a credible, countervailing voice to the uber-hawks whose bellicosity all but killed the party in the Bush era.

Obama is president because of them. And his most popular act, according to voter surveys from 2012? Ending the war in Iraq.

Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?" To find out more about Patrick Buchanan and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cut-commitments-not-muscle-080000844.html

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Samsung Galaxy S4 could replace your doctor, but it's running late

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will see you now, as reports suggest it will come equipped with a S Health app and accessory, but are processor woes forcing the Korean firm to delay the Galaxy S4 release?

S Health isn't a new invention with the Korean firm (quietly) launching the app and accompanying pad for use with the Galaxy S3, allowing users to monitor blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI, weight etc without a trip to the doctors.

Korean site Daum now reports the same set up will be heading to the upcoming Galaxy S4 and Samsung could make a bigger deal of it this time as the technology and been improved.

Snappy Dragon making S4 late

In other Galaxy S4 related news Barron's has spoken to an analyst (so take this with a sizable dosage of salt) who claims the flagship smartphone has been delayed due to problems with the Qualcomm made Snapdragon processor destined for the handset.

Apparently Samsung is lining up the ridiculously sized octo-core chipset for the Galaxy SIV, but power management issues has slowed down development.

Who are you trying to kid here? Credit: MobileFun

Rounding off this Samsung Galaxy S4 sandwich is a highly dubious report from Mobile Fun which claims to have received leaked shots of protective cases for the new handset from a Chinese accessory manufacturer.

We're hardly sold on these shots and we reckon Samsung may employ a more dramatic design overhaul for the Galaxy SIV than the cases suggest, so let's not get carried away. OK?

We'd love to know what you make of all this, so why not leave us a comment below, tweet us @TR_Phones or leave your musings on our Facebook wall.

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Aspiring Rapper Killed In Fiery Las Vegas Drive-By Near Tupac Site

Oakland's Kenny Clutch was gunned down on Thursday after someone fired shots at his Maserati.
By Gil Kaufman

Kenny Clutch
Photo: Kenny Clutch/ Facebook

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702425/kenny-clutch-shot-killed-las-vegas.jhtml

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Are social media mobsters influencing your kids? | WTKR.com ...

Posted on: 10:01 pm, February 21, 2013, by Laurie Simmons, updated on: 06:42am, February 22, 2013

We see it every day in movies, music and video games: society`s glorification of the gangster life.

Gang detectives here in Hampton Roads say that influence is spreading to kids, even as early as elementary school.

It doesn?t matter if your rich or poor, or live in the city or in the suburbs?because the so-called ?bad neighborhoods? you try to stay away from are now accessible to your kids on social media.

?Gang members are going to be on it just like everyone else, because its become the thing that?s popular,? said Detective Ken Gavin, an FBI Gang Task Force member with the Portsmouth Police Department.

The Hampton Roads FBI Task Force made major busts over the past few years, taking down big gangs like the Bounty Hunter Bloods in Norfolk and the Dump Squad in Newport News.

Still new ones are popping up ? with younger and younger members.

?Kids want to take their places and emulate their idols,? said Detective Erik Kempf, another FBI Gang Task Force member with the Newport News Police Department.

Like everyone else their age, they post on Facebook, tweet on Twitter, and upload videos to YouTube.

Instead of the latest gossip at school, though, they talk about shooting up rival gangs and how much money they make from drugs.

?If I commit a robbery, and no one knows about it, I don?t get the status for it, but if I can put it on a social media site, and say ?Hey, I did this in the name of my gang,? then I get that recognition,? said Detective B.K. Hall, another FBI Gang Task Force member with the Portsmouth Police Department.

Sometimes, these young kids don?t just join up with an existing gang ? they start one of their own.

Guess where they go to learn how to be a gangster.

?It?s much easier for them to get on the Internet or use their smart phone and talk to a Blood gang member from New York that they never would have met if not for MySpace or Facebook,? said Det. Gavin.

?They are communicating, ?oh, no, you do it like this, this way.? This is a way we are seeing these guys come together,? said Det. Hall.

It?s a continuous cycle on social media: Young kids learn about gangs from those that came before them, then post online about their exploits, influencing new, younger, more impressionable friends or followers.

With more and more absent parents busy at work or not caring about what their kids do online that cycle is breeding younger, and more vicious killers.

?These 15-16 year olds will kill you without thinking twice about it. They have absolutely no remorse, and absolutely no conscience,? said Det. Gavin.

?These kids don?t think they are going to live past 20. They are just living for the day,? said Det. Kempf

The evidence is seen in YouTube videos uploaded by gang members for everyone to view.

A young Blood member wearing his gang colors to the grave, with his favorite teddy bear by his side.

Two boys waiting for the school bus, filming their gang signs out in the open.

They are in your kids? classes, and on their friends lists on Facebook and Twitter.

The good news is those same sites open to your children are also open to police, and you better believe investigators are watching.

?We?ve been able to identify victims we didn?t even know about because of the postings,? said Det. Kempf.

?If there is going to be a fight in the neighborhood, it will be on Twitter, we will know way before it happens, right as its forming,? said Det. Hall.

The problem is that these gang members know police are watching and they just don?t seem to care.

In Portsmouth, police say a 17-year-old Blood member openly bragged on his Facebook profile about shooting at a rival Crip, even writing his post in the gang?s language.

?We are just a small concern for them. They are more concerned with promoting themselves and promoting their friends,? said Det. Kemp.

?Some of the worst criminals, people I don?t think will ever change, are some of the youngest I?ve dealt with, it?s very sad,? said Det. Gavin.

So how do we break the cycle? Police say it all comes down to the parents, regardless of long hours at work, or struggling to pay the bills.

?The biggest thing parents can do is pay attention to your kids,? said FBI Special Agent Crosby Brackett.

Before the social media mobster catches their attention instead.

Source: http://wtkr.com/2013/02/21/are-social-media-mobsters-influencing-your-kids/

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Special K Recall: Glass Fragments Found in Cereal

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/special-k-recall-glass-fragments-found-in-cereal/

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Cruz shocked name linked to Fla. clinic, PEDs

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:08 a.m. ET Feb. 15, 2013

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - Texas Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz says it was "shocking" and "depressing" when his name came up in connection to a clinic now at the center of Major League Baseball's latest drug investigation.

MLB is investigating Biogenesis of America LLC, a now-closed anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Fla. The Miami New Times reported last month that it obtained records detailing drug purchases several players, including Cruz, the 2011 AL championship series MVP.

Cruz spoke to the media Friday at spring training in Surprize, Ariz., his first public comments since the story broke. He said he would like to say more, but did not do so because of the MLB investigation.

Cruz hit .263 with 29 home runs and 87 RBIs last season in 124 games.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - Texas Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz says it was "shocking'' and "depressing'' when his name came up in connection to a clinic now at the center of Major League Baseball's latest drug investigation.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/50823674/ns/sports-baseball/

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Pistorius' girlfriend was a model, law graduate

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? The woman who was shot dead in double-amputee Olympian runner Oscar Pistorius' house was a model, a law school graduate and an entrepreneur who cared about empowering women and was to give an inspirational talk Thursday at a Johannesburg School.

Publicist Sarit Tomlinson said Reeva Steenkamp, known simply as Reeva, was one of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World for two years running, appeared in international and South African advertisements and was one of the celebrity contestants on Tropika Island of Treasure filmed in Jamaica.

At Twitter, she tweeted messages urging women to stand up against rape alongside her excitement about Valentine's Day. "What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow?" she tweeted. "It should be a day of love for everyone."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pistorius-girlfriend-model-law-graduate-122753586--spt.html

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Source: http://www.forexfactory.com/news.php?do=news&id=410415

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Broadcom outs smaller, more efficient LTE-Advanced modem for high-spec mobiles

Welcome to the BCM21892. It may sound like every other piece of Broadcom silicon we've covered, but it actually represents an important move from a company that is eager to start pecking at Qualcomm's lunch. First and foremost, this a 4G modem for flagship phones rather than any budget fare, with support for LTE-Advanced and data speeds of up to 150Mb/s. To deliver that kind of performance, carriers either need 20MHz of contiguous bandwidth -- a rarity these days -- or they need carrier aggregation technology, which allows a modem to exploit separate chunks of bandwidth simultaneously. The BCM21892 boasts that spec too, not to mention compatibility with most of the popular network standards in use around the world, from the TD and FD types of LTE right down to HSPA+, TD-SCDMA and EDGE/GSM. Finally, through a combination of small transistors (28nm) and clever algorithms, the chip is claimed to reduce power consumption by 25 percent compared to rival devices, and also to take up less space -- potentially leaving more room for other goodies (Broadcom suggests NFC). The chip is still only at the the sampling stage, however, so the folks at Qualcomm shouldn't have too much to worry about until at least 2014.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/12/broadcom-lte-advanced-modem/

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J. Cole Is Truly Yours Until Born Sinner Drops

Roc Nation MC releases 'a lot of my soul' in new project.
By Rob Markman

J. Cole
Photo: Alexandra Wyman/ AMA2012/ FilmMagic

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1701837/j-cole-turly-yours-born-sinner.jhtml

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UPDATED: Robotics Lab Willow Garage, Maker Of PR2, Not Shutting Down, But ?Changes Are Afoot?

A spokesman for Willow Garage said, "There are some changes afoot at Willow Garage" but the company is not planning to shut down. Willow Garage, the robotics maker that created the PR2, will likely shut down within the next few months, reports IEEE Spectrum, citing multiple sources within the company.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/KuhZ8pR5JoI/

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UT Psychologists Offer Five Tips for Healthy Relationships ...

As Valentine?s Day is just around the corner, romantic relationships are on many of our minds. Experts at UT are offering tips to ensure relationships stay healthy and strong.

?Couples find over time the romance can fade and even the best relationships can struggle a bit,? said Kristina Gordon, professor of psychology and director of RelationshipRx, a project seeking to make it easier for couples to take good care of their relationship health.

According to those at RelationshipRx, there are some easy steps people can take to build more intimacy and strengthen their relationships on a daily basis.

1. Take a Trip Down Memory Lane: Reminisce on how you first got together.

?With all the different stressors and issues couples face, it is easy to forget what brought you together in the first place,? said Gordon. ?What attracted you to your partner? What were your first impressions of each other??

Gordon says remembering these times can easily rekindle those initial loving feelings.

2. Learn to Listen: According Gordon, it is important to listen to your partner completely and non-judgmentally.

?Many people get caught up in trying to think of their response rather than listening,? she said. ?Make sure to avoid that trap. Couples who are skilled at providing each other with social support have been shown to be healthier and happier than less skilled couples.?

3. Draw Love Maps: Couples research shows partners can feel closer and more intimate by taking as little as five extra minutes a day to create something called ?love maps,? said Gordon.

?At the beginning of the day, share what your day will be like,? said Gordon. ?This way, during the day, you can think about your partner and appreciate what his or her day must be like.?

At the end of the day, partners should share and listen closely to how each other?s day went.

4. Show Support: Identify two small things that each of you can do to provide support when the other is having a difficult day, such as doing the dishes or allowing your partner to vent.

?Research has shown that partners who can support each other around shared challenges can actually experience increased intimacy in their relationship,? said Audrey Kasting, a counselor and psychology graduate student.

5. Play to Your Strengths. The experts say every couple is good at something.

?Find your strengths and use them to your advantage to help you deal with stress and other issues easier,? said Gordon.

Common strengths include:

• Friendships: Couples research has found that the quality of a couple?s friendship is one of the strongest predictors of relationship well-being.
• Acceptance: The healthiest couples have found ways to cope well with each other?s quirks and to accept each other for the ?natural flaws in the fabric.?
• Commitment: Couples research has consistently found a strong association between shared commitment and relationship health and stability.

For more information on RelationshipRx, visit the website.

?

C O N T A C T :

Kristina Gordon (865-974-3347, kgordon1@utk.edu)

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Source: http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/2013/02/11/psychologists-offer-tips-healthy-relationships/

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A new crossfire has emerged between the Argentine President Cristina Fernandez a...

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Source: http://www.facebook.com/buenosairesnews/posts/507352802639247

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Satellite blasts off to continue Landsat legacy

NASA

An Atlas 5 rocket rises from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Monday, carrying the Landsat Data Continuity Mission satellite into space.

By Mike Wall
Space.com

NASA's latest Earth-observation satellite blasted off Monday, continuing a storied four-decade effort to track environmental change and resource use across the planet.

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission?launched at 1:02 p.m. ET (10:02 a.m. PT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, riding a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket into space without any apparent hitches.

---

The $855 million LDCM spacecraft is the eighth satellite in the history of the Landsat program, a joint NASA-U.S. Geological Survey project that has been monitoring forest loss, glacial retreat, urban sprawl and other phenomena continuously since Landsat 1 lifted off in July 1972. [Photos: The Next Landsat Earth-Observing Spacecraft]?

LDCM is the most capable and advanced Landsat spacecraft?yet, and its successful launch could extend the program's legacy another decade or so into the future, researchers said.

"LDCM will continue to describe the human impact on Earth and the impact of Earth on humanity, which is vital for accommodating 7 billion people on our planet," LDCM project manager Ken Schwer, of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., told reporters Feb. 8 during a prelaunch press briefing.

The SUV-size LDCM satellite will eventually settle into a polar orbit with an altitude of 438 miles (705 kilometers). NASA will conduct key checkouts of the spacecraft over the next three months, after which it will be turned over to the USGS for operations and renamed Landsat 8.

NASA / GSFC / Landsat

An artist's view of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission spacecraft in orbit above the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

Landsat 8 will peer down at Earth with two sensitive instruments. The Operational Land Imager will collect data in visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared wavelengths, while the Thermal Infrared Sensor will measure surface temperatures around the planet.

Like its predecessors, Landsat 8 will acquire images with a spatial resolution of 98 feet (30 meters). It will send about 400 pictures per day to ground stations in South Dakota, Alaska and Norway.

By tracking urban expansion, natural resource use, global ice loss and other phenomena, Landsat 8 will help scientists and policymakers better understand how the growing human population is affecting the planet, researchers said.

"The Landsat data will allow us to understand why many natural land change processes are occurring, and what those changes and processes mean for life on land and in coastal areas," said mission program executive David Jarrett, of NASA Headquarters in Washington. "LDCM's land cover observations are critical in maintaining our ability to monitor and understand global change."

The last Landsat spacecraft to launch before LDCM was Landsat 7, which blasted off in April 1999. Landsat 7 is the only other satellite in the program that's currently operational. (Landsat 5 recently retired?after more than 28 years of service.)

Landsat orbits allow full global coverage every 16 days, but the teamwork of Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 will bring that down to a complete view of the planet every eight days, researchers said.

The partnership between the two satellites could last for several years, since Landsat 7 has enough fuel to stay in an operational orbit through 2016.

For its part, Landsat 8 has enough fuel for about a decade of operations, researchers said. The Landsat 8 spacecraft and the OLI instrument have design lives of five years, and TIRS was built to last at least three years.

"We hope that the spacecraft and the instruments will last well beyond their design lives, and we can continue to collect data for at least 10 years," said mission project scientist Jim Irons, of Goddard Space Flight Center.

Follow Space.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter?@michaeldwall?or Space.com?@Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook? and?Google+.

Copyright 2013 Space.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Updated 1:36 p.m. ET Feb. 11, 2013.

Source: http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/11/16926992-powerful-landsat-earth-observation-satellite-set-to-launch?lite

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Call to Duty: Illinois CPAs Support Troops with Free Tax Prep Program

By Deanna C. White

When visitors walk into the Springfield, Illinois, offices of David J. Hensley, CPA, Inc., the first sight they are greeted with is a folded and framed American flag proudly displayed on the most prominent wall of Hensley's unpretentious, independent office.

?

The flag, which once flew over a US base in Afghanistan, was given to Hensley as a gesture of gratitude by a Marine Corps officer whose taxes Hensley prepared and filed while the soldier was deployed overseas.

?

That officer is just one of the active duty, or recently returned, military men and women from Illinois Hensley has proudly served over the past six years working as a volunteer with the Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS) through the Military Service Tax Preparation Project. In partnership with the IRS, the project offers free federal and state income tax preparation ??performed by ICPAS member volunteers ??to active duty military members and their families throughout Illinois.?

?

Especially valuable during the height of tax season, this year-round program is available to members of the Armed Forces from Illinois who have recently returned from, or are still serving in, a combat zone or qualified hazardous duty area. Volunteer CPAs use their expertise to help military families take full advantage of the unique tax benefits, exclusions, and filing extensions available to them.

?

For the past decade, the ICPAS Military Tax Service Preparation Project has helped more than 300 military personnel by making the stressful task of tax preparation easier and alleviating one small concern for them at a trying time in their lives.

?

The ICPAS Military Service Tax Preparation Project is designed to help those who don't have a relationship with a CPA and who would otherwise have few resources for financial advice and information on IRS guidelines as they relate to military personnel.

?

To qualify for free tax preparation assistance, individuals must meet the following criteria:?

• Be an Illinois resident;
• Be a member of the US Armed Forces having served in a combat zone or qualified hazardous duty area within the 2012 tax calendar year; and
• Be a member of the US Armed Forces serving in a contingency operation.?

Hensley, who specializes in tax, accounting, and consulting services, has several family members in the military, including two brothers who are still active duty service members.

?

Hensley said he decided to volunteer for the ICPAS Military Tax Preparation Project because it allowed him to put his skills toward easing a relatively small worry for people who are sacrificing so much for their country ??people, Hensley feels "often [don't] receive the same compensation, or remuneration, that people in the private sector do."

?

According to ICPAS Vice President of Government Relations Marty Green, the project pairs qualifying members of the Armed Forces with ICPAS volunteers in the same regional area. ?

?

"The volunteer initially meets with the military member or family member for basic information and then schedules a follow-up meeting to review, complete, and execute the tax return. This also can be done remotely via e-mail, phone and fax," Green recently wrote in an article published in ICPAS' Insight magazine.

?

But Hensley says regardless of the person or method of contact, whether it's a soldier's mother dropping off paperwork at the office or a marine e-mailing from Afghanistan, one golden rule holds true in his office for all military members served through the project: They are his first priority.

?

"Everyone in this office understands that when we receive a request from a military member we respond immediately. We make them feel welcome, and no matter how busy we are, we make it abundantly clear that whatever the issue is, we have the time to talk to them," Hensley said.?

?

Green, who in addition to his duties with ICPAS is also a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard, said the ICPAS Military Tax Service Preparation Project and the level of commitment demonstrated by the CPA volunteers, truly make a huge impact on military personnel and their families.

?

"The most important thing about this program is that it shows military families that Americans care; that they recognize their service and sacrifice," Green said. "I've been in National Guard for sixteen years now, and it still always amazes me that every day people will stop and say 'thank you for your service,' or pick up the tab at a restaurant just to say thank you. The Military Tax Service Preparation Project is just the CPA profession's way of doing that."

?

It's a service, Hensley and his fellow ICPAS volunteers say they are honored to provide.

?

"When you work with these military members, you gain an absolute understanding of what they're going through; their fears, concerns, and worries . . . the separation from their families," Hensley said. "Yet they are 100 percent dependable. This is just one small, positive thing I can do to help them. It's certainly not up to their level of sacrifice and commitment, but it's what I can do."?

?

For more information about the Military Service Tax Preparation Project or to arrange for assistance from a volunteer CPA, visit the Illinois CPA Society website, www.icpas.org/militarytaxrequest/, or contact Jill Loeser, government relations manager, at (800) 572-9870 or via e-mail at loeserj@icpas.org.

?

Source: http://www.accountingweb.com/article/call-duty-illinois-cpas-support-troops-free-tax-prep-program/221123

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Obama asks Congress for short-term budget fix

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is urging Congress to pass a smaller set of spending cuts and tax changes while they hash out a broader budget deal.

Lawmakers face a March 1 deadline when automatic, across-the-board spending cuts, already postponed once, take effect.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama says he still wants a comprehensive package that deals with the debt. But he says that takes time. He's asking lawmakers to move forward with a short-term deal as they continue working on a longer-term solution.

He says if the cuts aren't averted, the military, middle-class families and the economy could suffer.

In the Republican address, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska says the U.S. must ramp up domestic energy production by streamlining regulations, investing in research and approving the Keystone XL pipeline.

___

Online:

Obama address: www.whitehouse.gov

Republican address: www.youtube.com/gopweeklyaddress

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-asks-congress-short-term-budget-fix-110100761--politics.html

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Apple iWatch rumors get wound up again

An Apple iWatch is back in the rumor mill today, running deep with Dick Tracy nostalgia, Bond envy, and wearable future fancy. Since we have the iPhone and the iPad, and nothing Apple has already made is ever good enough, it's only ever what's next that matters, and when that's not an iTV, it's this. Preamble done, here's Nick Bilton from the New York Times:

In its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Apple is experimenting with wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass, according to people familiar with the company?s explorations, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they are not allowed to publicly discuss unreleased products. Such a watch would operate Apple?s iOS platform, two people said, and stand apart from competitors based on the company?s understanding of how such glass can curve around the human body.

Mobile payments, proximity logins, notification projection, Siri integration, the dream list goes on and on.

It's not remotely outlandish to imagine Apple is considering just such a device in their labs. If Apple is ever to release an iWatch, beyond an Apple TV-like hobby, it would have to:

1. Make them money, i.e., sell tons of units at margin
2. Disrupt an existing industry and provide high value to Apple customers.
3. Increase the overall attraction of Apple's ecosystem.

iOS on a 1.5-inch screen would be interesting, but would it be interesting and far along enough for Apple to bring it to market this year?

Source: New York Times

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/2dqPZmhmobw/story01.htm

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Titanium Escape Ring puts survival tools on your finger

You wake up and find yourself alone in a dark room with only a fuzzy memory of being grabbed and shoved into a White van with no windows. As you wait for your eyes to adjust to the darkness you realize that you are handcuffed and your feet have been zip tied. Do you panic? [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/02/10/titanium-escape-ring-puts-survival-tools-on-your-finger/

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Video: Jesse Jackson Jr. admits to campaign finance violations

>>> we got word today jesse jackson jr . has signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors and has admitted to campaign finance violations. he acknowledged using campaign contributions to buy personal items, including a rolex watch and furniture. his sentence will be decided by a federal judge and could include still prison time.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50749613/

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Real Estate Q&A: Wise Investments and HOAs | Serious About Real ...

Each month, San Diego State University?lecturer and Zillow Blog contributor Leonard Baron answers two questions from readers regarding buying, selling and investing. Have a question? Send it to?Leonard@ProfessorBaron.com

Real estate as an investment

Hi Professor ??I?m looking at some different investment opportunities and considering buying some rental properties. I?ve done pretty well on stock and financial assets over the years, and quite frankly real estate doesn?t look all that appealing as an investment. Why do you think it is a good place to invest? Bob S., Hoboken, NJ

Hi Bob ??You hit the nail on the head! For many, real estate may not be a very good investment. If you?re able to earn the long-term average of 7-9 percent returns on financial assets, you?re probably doing a lot better than most real estate investors, probably with less risk and certainly with less hassle. Many property investors fail to do even the most basic financial analysis on properties they buy. This is because they don?t know how to project their investment returns. So they buy real estate in ?hopes? of it going up in value, even though it could have significantly negative cash flows, and voila, it?s a really bad financial decision.

And even if they get a fair deal, there?s still the management aspect, dealing with tenants, repairs, etc., that can make real estate less appealing as an investment.

Alternatively, a savvy buyer will buy positive?cash-flow properties that pay the bills, manage them well and earn some pretty fair returns on a nice solid asset. Being successful, however, takes a lot more time and hard work than most people believe. So all potential real estate investors should learn about the business, financials and management issues before jumping into the real estate game. It may or may not be for you, but at least do some research so you have an idea of what you?re getting yourself into. Good luck!

Single family home community in HOA

I am looking to buy a home, but the community I like has an HOA associated with it, and I?m really concerned about owning real estate in an HOA due to all the horror stories I hear. Have you seen this before, and what do I need to consider in this decision? Melanie N., State College, PA

Hi Melanie ??Yes, single family residence HOAs have become more common in recent years. And while there are some HOAs that are in bad financial/legal/operational shape, there are many in good shape, which should ease your concerns. And there are significant pluses to HOAs, especially an HOA that just has single family dwellings.

Most HOA issues are related to the community members, via the board of directors, not collecting enough HOA fees to pay for long-term repairs and replacements such as roofs, streets, pools and exterior paint. So when there isn?t enough money collected over time and saved in ?reserves,? and a repair is needed, a special assessment is set ??like $3,000 per unit ??and those are a huge complaint of owners, as you can imagine.

In HOAs with just single family residences, the homeowners are typically responsible for their own roofs, paint and yards, and the HOA only owns maybe a pool and/or clubhouse. Because the HOA doesn?t own much, there probably isn?t going to be special assessments because there are no big-ticket items to repair (in general, but you have to review each specific community?s balance sheet). So it can be a lot lower of a risk issue than an HOA for a big condominium building.

HOAs also have other pluses. Rules and regulations keep harmony in the community and ensure your neighbor doesn?t keep an inoperable vehicle in their front yard. So don?t be scared of HOAs. Do your research, and you might find that living within a common interest development may make sense for you.

Related:

Leonard Baron is America?s Real Estate Professor?. His unbiased, neutral and inexpensive ?Real Estate Ownership, Investment and Due Diligence 101? textbook teaches potential real estate buyers how to make smart and safe purchase decisions. He is a San Diego State University Lecturer, blogs at Zillow.com, and loves kicking the tires of a good piece of dirt! More at ProfessorBaron.com.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

Source: http://www.seriousaboutrealestate.com/Blog/2013/02/08/real-estate-qa-wise-investments-and-hoas/

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HTC Droid DNA vs. J Butterfly vs. Butterfly: fight!

HTC made quite an impression when it launched the Droid DNA with Verizon a couple of months ago, and we're happy to say that its Butterfly variants on the other side of the world -- namely Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), India and China -- have achieved similar success, with some areas struggling to keep up with the surprising demand. Still, if you're in the market to pick up one of these 5-inch quad-core beauties, it's worth noting the subtle physical and technical differences between them. At HTC's Frequencies event this week, we had the rare chance to get all four (yes, four!) models side by side, so read on for our detailed comparison.

Gallery: HTC Droid DNA vs. J Butterfly vs. Butterfly for South East Asia and China: fight!

Gallery: White HTC J Butterfly vs. Droid DNA

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/07/htc-droid-dna-butterfly/

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The Genes Behind Fido's Facial Features

Thanks to human breeders, dogs exhibit an impressive variety of skull shapes. Studying the genes that determine these shapes could provide insight into human skull development and craniofacial disorders, scientists say.

In a new study, scientists detail the biological and historical origins of dog skull shapes, highlighting some of the genetic developments that gave rise to different breeds.

"Sometime during the Paleolithic," the researchers write in the February issue of the journal Genetics, "a remarkable transformation occurred. Small numbers of gray wolves adopted a new pack master ? humans." Over the years, dog fanciers and breeders have tinkered with those canines so much that more than 400 dog breeds exist today worldwide.

Much of the variation is in skull characteristics.?"Dogs can serve as a model for skull growth and shape determination, because the genetic conservation between dogs and humans makes it highly likely that craniofacial development is regulated similarly between both species," study co-author Jeffrey Schoenebeck of the National Institutes of Health said in a statement. [See The 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds]

From the "pushed-in" face of a bulldog to the elongated snout of the Afghan, dog craniums run the gamut. Skull shape genetics is complex, and multiple genes are often involved. Researchers have begun to pick apart the genes that are responsible for shapes that resemble human conditions like brachycephaly (a flattened head) and dolichocephaly (an elongated head). Researchers have also studied traits that fit neither description, such as the Chihuahua's?rounded skull or the bull terrier's downward angled muzzle. By comparing genetic variations among these skull shapes, the team can tease out which genes may be responsible for a flattened head, for instance.

While the researchers note wryly, "the dog model is young in human years," they say that understanding these genes and their interactions might help explain craniofacial defects in humans.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/genes-behind-fidos-facial-features-150935725.html

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