Canadá, el segundo país tras España que registra contagios entre humanos

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Una enfermera se tapa la boca con una mascarilla. | Ap

Agencias | Otawa | Bogotá | México

Actualizado viernes 01/05/2009 09:26 horas

La provincia de Nueva Escocia registró su primer caso de la nueva cepa H1N1 de gripe que se propagó de una persona a otra dentro de Canadá, dijo el jueves un funcionario.

Un portavoz del Departamento de Protección y Fomento de Salud de la provincia canadiense dijo que la víctima registra síntomas moderados de la gripe porcina, contagiados a partir de una persona que había viajado a México.

Además, las autoridades sanitarias informaron de que el número de casos de gripe AH1N1 en el país se situó en 34, pero dijeron que todos son leves.

En Japón se ha detectado el primer caso sospechoso en un joven estudiante de 17 años de Yokohama (este de Tokio) que viajó a Canadá entre el 10 y el 25 de abril, informó este viernes el Ministerio de Sanidad.

Según el ministro nipón de Sanidad, Yoichi Masuzoe, se necesitarán dos días para determinar si este estudiante japonés, que formó parte de una excursión escolar a la Universidad de Columbia en Canadá, está infectado con este nuevo virus AH1N1. Ninguno de sus familiares ni sus compañeros de clase han presentado síntomas de este virus, según el Gobierno de Yokohama.

Por su parte, los casos de contagio del virus AH1N1 en México subieron a 312, aunque se mantiene la cifra de 12 muertos por la epidemia, según las 679 pruebas realizadas hasta ahora, informó el jueves el secretario mexicano de Salud, José Ángel Córdova.

En el informe anterior, dado a conocer por la mañana, Córdova había situado el número de contagiados en 260, entre los cuales estaban los 12 fallecidos.

Córdova dijo en una rueda de prensa que hay signos "alentadores", aunque advirtió de que eso no quiere decir que el virus no esté circulando".

América del Sur, libre del virus de momento

América del Sur sigue, de momento, libre de la gripe AH1N1, al haberse descartado este jueves un caso que se dio en principio por confirmado en Perú.

El ministro peruano de Salud, Óscar Ugarte, declaró que una vez concluidos los exámenes no se pudo confirmar el factor N1 en la ciudadana argentina que llegó al aeropuerto internacional de Lima procedente de México, y que el miércoles se había dicho que era el primer caso de la gripe AH1N1 en Perú y en toda América del Sur.

Sin embargo, las autoridades peruanas han prohibido todos los vuelos hacia y procedentes de México, pero el presidente Alan García instó a la población a mantener la calma y a adoptar las precauciones necesarias para evitar el contagio.

La mandataria Michelle Bachelet también llamó a la tranquilidad en Chile, donde ya se han descartado 16 de los 42 casos sospechosos, y señaló que no se plantea cerrar las fronteras con el vecino Perú.

Solidaridad con México

El impacto de la epidemia en México llevó a los presidentes de Guatemala, Álvaro Colom, y de El Salvador, Elías Antonio Saca, a expresar su "solidaridad con el pueblo y Gobierno" de ese país, tras una reunión en la que acordaron "fortalecer sus cordones sanitarios".

El virus AH1N1, que da nombre por decisión de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) a la hasta ahora llamada gripe porcina, es relativamente benigno en comparación con los que causaron pandemias en el pasado, según científicos estadounidenses.

De hecho, incluso algunos señalan que ese virus puede resultar mucho menos letal que la gripe común, que provoca alrededor de 36.000 muertes al año en EEUU y entre 250.000 y 500.000 en el mundo.

En Estados Unidos, el más afectado después de México, los casos confirmados han aumentado a 114, repartidos por 12 estados, y entre ellos figura el niño mexicano de dos años fallecido en Texas.

Además, según la Casa Blanca, un funcionario de seguridad que formaba parte del séquito del presidente de EEUU Barack Obama, en su reciente visita a México muestra síntomas de la gripe.

En tanto, Costa Rica tiene dos infectados y 56 casos sospechosos, por lo que el Gobierno prepara cinco millones de dólares para hacer frente a la enfermedad.

Otros cinco millones de dólares se destinarán a labores de prevención en Panamá, cuyas autoridades indicaron que cinco pacientes sospechosos de padecer el mal han dado negativo, pero otros cuatro están bajo investigación.

Llamamiento a la calma

En cuanto a Guatemala, los 14 casos sospechosos analizados hasta ahora se han descartado, en Honduras se han investigado 16, de los que 12 han sido negativos, y en El Salvador hay tres pacientes con síntomas parecidos a los que causa el virus AH1N1.

Pese a que tampoco se ha registrado ningún caso en Nicaragua, el presidente Daniel Ortega decretó anoche el estado de emergencia sanitaria durante 60 días.

Países como Paraguay barajan declarar en breve el estado de emergencia sanitaria y en Bolivia el Gobierno prepara un decreto en caso de que llegue la gripe, que prevé restricciones a los vuelos con escalas en México.

Todos los Gobiernos insisten en llamar a la calma estos días y lo hizo el de Argentina, cuyas autoridades sanitarias subrayaron que hay nueve casos en estudio y medicinas suficientes para afrontar un brote.

En Brasil, que tiene 52 hospitales preparados para atender a los posibles pacientes, existen cuatro casos sospechosos y otras 42 personas permanecen "en observación".

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Relembre momentos históricos de Senna na F1

01 de maio de 2009 • 00h01 • atualizado às 02h31

Senna conseguiu vitória em Interlagos, em 1991

30 de abril de 2009

Getty Images

Rafael Gomes

São Paulo

Vitórias, poles, rivalidades e um amor pelo Brasil e seu povo. Essas são algumas das marcas de Ayrton Senna, tricampeão mundial de Fórmula 1 e que morreu em um acidente há exatos 15 anos, na Itália, mas que até hoje é lembrado pelos fãs do automobilismo, que choraram sua morte ocorrida no circuito de Ímola, mais precisamente na curva Tamburello, quando ele bateu forte com sua Williams.

Antes da tragédia, Senna protagonizou boas disputas na F1, a maioria delas envolvendo o francês Alain Prost, tetracampeão do mundo e que chegou a ser seu desafeto declarado. Em pouco mais de dez anos na categoria, de 1984 a 1994, o brasileiro conquistou os títulos de 1988, 1990 e 1991.

Para chegar a esses títulos, Senna teve de passar pelo kart e em outras categorias do automobilismo europeu, como a Fórmula 3 Inglesa, antes de disputar a F1. Considerado o "Rei da Chuva", o brasileiro conquistou 41 vitórias e fez 65 poles na categoria, somando 614 pontos e 80 pódios até o fatídico 1º de maio de 1994.

Confira o histórico de Senna na F1:

1984
Depois de testar pela Williams no ano anterior, Senna aceitou o desafio de ingressar na Fórmula 1 em 1984, como piloto oficial, pela modesta Toleman. Então destaque da Fórmula 3 Inglesa, ele fez sua estréia no GP do Brasil e marcou seus primeiros pontos na África do Sul, quando largou em 13º e fechou a prova em sexto.

Em Mônaco, sob pista molhada, Senna fez uma prova magistral, depois de largar em 13º, e foi passando seus adversários - incluindo o austríaco Niki Lauda, campeão do mundo em 1984 - até encostar no líder da prova, o francês Alain Prost, declarado vencedor logo em seguida, quando a prova foi paralisada por causa da chuva. Era o primeiro pódio da carreira do brasileiro.

1985
No cockpit da Lotus, Senna não pontuou na primeira corrida de 1985, no Brasil, mas levou o País ao lugar mais alto do pódio logo no GP seguinte, em Portugal, depois de largar na pole position. Nas sete próximas seguintes, porém, o brasileiro não somou pontos e ficou de fora da briga pelo título, que ficou nas mãos de Prost de forma antecipada.

Na segunda metade da temporada, Senna venceu outra corrida na F1, desta vez na Bélgica, e somou outros quatro pódios. O brasileiro só voltou a cair de rendimento nas duas últimas provas do ano, mas já com a certeza de que poderia fazer ainda mais para ele o automobilismo do País na categoria.

1986
Em sua segunda temporada na Lotus, Senna já dividia as atenções do público brasileiro com Nelson Piquet, que na carreira também conquistou três títulos mundiais da F1.

Como no ano anterior, o brasileiro venceu a segunda corrida do ano, desta vez na Espanha, e voltou a comemorar um triunfo nos Estados Unidos, quatro provas depois. Naquela mesma corrida, para minimizar a tristeza brasileira pela eliminação para a França no Mundial do México, o piloto pegou a bandeira brasileira e a carregou dentro do cockpit após vencer a corrida - um gesto imortalizado.

1987
Mantendo a média dos últimos anos, Senna conquistou duas vitórias com a Lotus na temporada de 1987 da F1, em Mônaco e Estados Unidos, e fechou sua participação em terceiro lugar, atrás do inglês Nigel Mansell e do campeão Piquet. O brasileiro chegou a liderar o Mundial de Pilotos e iniciou ali um longo relacionamento com a Honda, fornecedora de motores da Lotus e posteriormente da McLaren.

Com propostas para deixar a Lotus, Senna aceitou o desafio de ser colega de equipe de Prost na McLaren, mas desde que tivesse as mesmas condições do francês, hoje tetracampeão mundial de F1, e contasse com um carro capaz de ganhar títulos. As exigências surtiram efeito logo na temporada seguinte.

1988
A trajetória de Senna na McLaren começou bem, cravando a pole para o GP do Brasil de 1988, mas sem conseguir fechar a prova após ser desclassificado. A primeira vitória, porém, veio logo na corrida seguinte, em San Marino, e outras cinco vieram até a decisão em Suzuka.

Disputando o título ponto a ponto com Prost, Senna levou a melhor na disputa com o francês no GP do Japão. Naquela corrida, o brasileiro, pole, teve problemas na largada e caiu para a 14ª posição. Em uma prova de recuperação memorável, Senna ultrapassou todos os seus rivais até chegar ao colega de equipe, então líder da disputa, e também deixá-lo para trás, garantindo seu primeiro título na F1 de forma antecipada.

1989
A segunda temporada de Senna na McLaren desencadeou uma das principais rivalidades da história da F1, envolvendo ele e Prost. Depois que o brasileiro ultrapassou o rival e ficou com a vitória no GP de San Marino, enquanto havia um "pacto" para que um evitasse passar o outro, por questões de segurança, a "guerra interna" ganhou proporções ainda maiores.

O estopim desse duelo particular foi, mais uma vez, no GP do Japão. Em vantagem no Mundial de Pilotos, Prost jogou seu carro em cima de Senna para forçar um duplo abandono, mas o brasileiro conseguiu voltar à prova e cruzou a linha de chegada em primeiro. Sua vitória, porém, foi anulada pela Fisa (atual FIA), à época dirigida por seu desafeto Jean Marie Balestre, e o título ficou nas mãos de Prost.

1990
Passada a polêmica decisão do GP de Suzuka do ano anterior, Senna iniciou a temporada de 1990 na McLaren com o austríaco Gehard Berger como colega de equipe. Atual campeão, Prost trocou a equipe inglesa pela Ferrari para formar dupla com o inglês Nigel Mansell.

Com um bom início - apesar do terceiro lugar no GP do Brasil, depois de largar na pole e ser atrapalhado pelo japonês Satoru Nakajima -, Senna chegou ao final da temporada em Suzuka brigando pelo título com Prost, assim como nos anos anteriores. Desta vez, porém, foi o brasileiro - em vantagem na classificação - quem causou um acidente com o francês, os dois saíram da prova e o bicampeonato ficou com Senna.

1991
Um ínicio de temporada arrasador em 1991 deu mostras de que Senna estava pronto para se tornar tricampeão mundial de F1. Quatro triunfos, incluindo o primeiro no Brasil - o primeiro do País desde que Piquet venceu em 1986 -, deixaram o piloto da McLaren em vantagem na liderança do Mundial de Construtores.

Em Interlagos, Senna fez história ao terminar apenas com a primeira e a sexta marcha nas últimas voltas. Por causa do enorme esforço, o piloto precisou de ajuda para deixar o carro no final da corrida e, emocionado, virou com apenas uma das mão o champagne no alto do pódio. Guiando a Williams, Mansell se destacou a partir do meio da temporada, mas Senna voltou a brilhar no Japão e assegurou o seu terceiro título mundial. No GP de Suzuka, a McLaren fez um belo jogo de equipe. Berger largou em primeiro, com o brasileiro em segundo e Mansell, que chegou a abandonar a prova, em terceiro. Senna chegou a liderar a prova, mas cedeu sua posição a Berger nos metros finais como forma de agradecê-lo pela ajuda na conquista do tri.

1992
Com os motores Honda em decadência, a McLaren de Senna não conseguiu acompanhar a arrasadora Williams, com seus propulsores da Renault, e o brasileiro viu Mansell liderar a temporada de 1992 de ponta a ponta, com direito a nove vitórias no ano e outros três pódios.

Diante do cenário pouco competitivo, restou a Senna ficar com o quarto lugar no Mundial de Pilotos, atrás do então jovem promissor Michael Schumacher. O brasileiro, ao menos, somou três vitórias: Canadá, Hungria e Itália.

1993
A rivalidade entre Senna e Prost voltou a dominar a F1, com o brasileiro na McLaren e o francês na Williams. Senna poderia até ter trocado de equipe antes da temporada, mas a Renault já tinha um contrato com Prost e ele "vetou" uma possível contratação do brasileiro para ser seu colega de equipe na Williams.

Com carros diferentes, Senna e Prost brigaram pelo título e o francês acabou levando a melhor - e também deixando a Williams logo depois de ser campeão. A decisão abriu caminho para o acerto entre Senna e Williams, antes de o brasileiro somar mais cinco vitórias - uma delas histórica, em Interlagos, quando ele largou em terceiro, na chuva, e "driblou" o inglês Damon Hill para ficar com a vitória, comemorada pelos fãs que o carregaram ainda na pista.

Outra vitória marcante naquele ano foi em Donington Park, onde, debaixo sob forte chuva e pista extremamente escorrregadia, fez uma das melhores "primeiras voltas" de um piloto na história da F1. Na Austrália, Senna despediu-se da McLaren com uma vitória e, no pódio, fez as pazes com Prost ao puxar o tetracampeão, segundo na corrida, para ficar ao seu lado no ponto mais alto.

1994
Contratado pela melhor equipe da F1 na época, a Williams, agora sem Prost, Senna entrou para a disputa da temporada de 1994 como grande favorito ao título. As duas primeiras corridas, porém, foram ruins para o brasileiro, uma delas em Interlagos, quando ele abandonou a prova após cometer um erro quando tentava se aproximar de um novo rival, Schumacher. Na etapa seguida, em Aida, Senna abandonou ao ser tocado na largada e viu o alemão da Benetton abrir 20 pontos.

O GP de San Marino, em Ímola, terceira prova da temporada de 2009, ficaria marcada na lembrança dos brasileiros. E de quem gosta do esporte e teme pela segurança dos pilotos, já que, nos treinos de sexta-feira, Rubens Barrichello bateu forte e foi impedido de correr, enquanto, no sábado, o austríaco Roland Ratzenberger morreu após um terrível acidente no treino classificatório.

Mesmo com a tragédia, os carros alinharam no grid de Ímola no dia 1º de maio de 1994. Cabisbaixo antes da corrida, Senna foi à pista como os demais pilotos e guiou sua Williams até a curva Tamburello, quando bateu forte e morreu. Naquele momento, o Brasil parou para acompanhar o fim de um ciclo na F1.

Redação Terra

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Analista do BC confessa que assassinou mendigos

Folha de S. Paulo

BRASÍLIA -- Um funcionário do Banco Central confessou anteontem ter matado dois moradores de rua em Brasília. O crime ocorreu na chamada praça do Índio, local em que há 12 anos o pataxó Galdino Jesus dos Santos foi morto por adolescentes.

O analista José Cândido do Amaral Filho, 48, tem dois filhos e uma enteada. Ficha limpa, salário de R$ 11 mil mensais, é aficionado por armas e assuntos militares. Tinha brevê de piloto, emitido em 1983, e uma coleção de armas e munição herdadas do pai, que já foi campeão paulista de tiro.

Da coleção saiu um revólver calibre 38, e do revólver três tiros que mataram, acertando a cabeça, os dois homens, Paulo Francisco de Oliveira Filho, 35, e Raulhei Fernandes Mangabeiro, 26. Ele não tinha porte de armas. Disse ter conseguido a arma do crime ao trocar com uma mais antiga.

O crime aconteceu na manhã de 19 de janeiro. Na noite anterior, Amaral disse à polícia que viu os dois moradores de rua trocando carícias, enquanto andava pela praça com os filhos. Sua casa fica a cerca de 200 metros do lugar, e a presença dos moradores de rua, segundo depoimento prestado à polícia, já o incomodava há algum tempo.

Amaral afirmou no depoimento que não conseguiu dormir à noite pensando nos "atos libidinosos" dos dois. O estopim do ataque teria sido o suposto roubo de uma tocha que tinha em seu jardim. "Depois disso, o sangue subiu à cabeça", disse em entrevista, segundo publicou o jornal "Correio Braziliense". "Queria limpar eles de lá", disse ele, ainda segundo a publicação.

Segundo o depoimento, Amaral foi à praça por volta das 6h30, com uma moto Falcon que tinha alugado, e matou os dois homens. Três dias depois, como despiste, registrou ocorrência simulando furto da moto. Por causa da ocorrência do furto, as pistas contra ele ficaram mais claras.

A defesa de Amaral confirma todas as declarações, e afirma que ele sofre de problemas psicológicos. Os advogados vão defender quadro de depressão e esquizofrenia no caso.

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Sobe para quatro o número de casos suspeitos de gripe suína no Brasil

Do UOL Notícias*
Em São Paulo

Atualizada às 17h54

O Ministério da Saúde afirmou, nesta tarde, que são agora quatro os casos suspeitos de gripe suína entre humanos no país. Ontem, eram dois os casos considerados suspeitos.


Segundo a nota, os quatro casos respondem aos critérios estabelecidos pelo ministério. Os pacientes estão sendo acompanhados em Minas Gerais (3) e São Paulo (1). Eles estão internados em hospitais de referência para tratamento da doença.

Além deles, outros 42 casos estão sendo investigados, em 12 Estados (veja tabela ao fim do texto). Em São Paulo, está o maior número deles, 14. Esses casos são de pessoas que estiveram em áreas afetadas e apresentaram alguns sintomas. Segundo o ministério, elas "não são consideradas suspeitas, porque não atendem à definição de caso suspeito preconizada pelo Ministério da Saúde".

Desde o informe de ontem, dois casos que vinham sendo acompanhados foram descartados: um em Minas Gerais e um em Mato Grosso do Sul. O caso de Mato Grosso do Sul foi descartado nesta quinta-feira (30/4).

No mundo, a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) aumentou hoje o número oficial de casos confirmados da gripe suína para 257. No México, 12 mortes foram já, de forma confirmada, atribuídas à doença, e nos Estados Unidos, 1.

Classificação
Segundo o Ministério da Saúde, um caso suspeito é caracterizado por apresentar febre alta de maneira repentina (acima de 38ºC) e tosse, podendo estar acompanhadas de algum de dificuldade respiratória e dor de cabeça, musculares e nas articulações.

Além disto, é preciso que a pessoa tenha estado, necessariamente, nas áreas afetadas até dez dias antes de começar a ter os sintomas. Outra possibilidade é que a pessoa tenha tido contato próximo, neste período, com uma pessoa que seja um caso suspeito de influenza suína. Para o Ministério da Saúde, contato próximo é a pessoa que cuida, convive ou teve contato direto com secreções respiratórias ou fluidos corporais de um caso suspeito.

Até o momento, os países em que há casos suspeitos são México, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Espanha, Reino Unido, Nova Zelândia, Israel, Alemanha, Áustria, Suíça e Holanda.

Máscara descartável não é 100% eficaz, mas é suficiente para a maior parte das pessoas

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Recomendações
Segundo o ministério, a pessoa que sentir algum dos sintomas e que tiver passado por áreas afetadas pela gripe suína deve procurar um serviço público de saúde.

No país, há 52 hospitais de referência (ao menos um por Estado) para tratar a doença. A automedicação, nestes casos, pode mascarar ou atenuar os sintomas da gripe suína, além de provocar resistência aos medicamentos recomendados para o tratamento da doença.

Total de casos no Brasil

Estado	Monitorados	Casos suspeitos *	Confirmados **	Descartados ***
Amazonas	4	0	0	0
Bahia	3	0	0	0
Ceará	1	0	0	0
Espírito Santo	2	0	0	0
Mato Grosso do Sul	1	0	0	1
Minas Gerais	2	3	0	1
Pará	1	0	0	0
Paraná	4	0	0	0
Rio de Janeiro	4	0	0	0
Rio Grande do Norte	3	0	0	0
Santa Catarina	3	0	0	0
São Paulo	14	1	0	0
Total	42	4	0	2

• * Casos que preenchem definição (veja texto)
  ** Confirmados por meio de testes laboratorias
  *** Monitorados ou suspeitos que foram descartados por meio de testes laboratoriais
  Fonte: Ministério da Saúde

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Jornal Hoje em Dia 28-29/04/2009

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Man says he shot himself while asleep

Published: Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.


NORTHPORT | A man who said he was sleeping with a gun in his bed accidentally shot himself in the shoulder Wednesday morning.

The 24-year-old told investigators that he must have hit the .40-caliber pistol with his hand, said Capt. Loyd Baker of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit.

The man lives in Northgate Apartments, in the 3700 block of 34th Avenue in Northport.

The gunshot wound was not life-theatening, Baker said.

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Simple operation to cure blindness could be available in just six years

By Daniel Bates
Last updated at 11:39 AM on 20th April 2009

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In sight: Stem cells could offer a cure for blindness in the elderly

A simple 45-minute operation being developed by British scientists could cure blindness in millions of people around the world.

The revolutionary procedures could take place in six years and could be as commonplace as cataract surgery in less than a decade.

The improvement is likely to be great enough to transform lives, allowing the blind to regain the ability to carry out everyday tasks such as reading or driving.

The pioneering stem cell surgery, being spearheaded by researchers at the world-famous Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, tackles age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in the elderly.

There are about 500,000 sufferers in this country and the number is expected to treble in the next 25 years.

AMD, which affects a quarter of over-60s in the UK and more than half of over-75s to some degree, occurs in two forms. While the 'wet' form can be combated with drugs, there is no treatment for the 'dry' form which accounts for 90 per cent of cases.

The new treatment centres on human embryonic stem cells grown in a laboratory.

These are 'blank' cells with the power to turn into different cell types and are used to create small patches identical to the cells damaged in the eyes of AMD sufferers.

Packaged into a syringe, the patch is injected into the back of the eye where it replaces damaged cells and restores sight.

The technique has been successfully trialled on rats and pigs and human trials will begin within two years.

Along with doctors at Moorfields Eye Hospital, researchers at University College London, also in London are involved in the London Project to Cure Blindness.

The project is led by Professor Pete Coffey who is working alongside Lyndon da Cruz, a surgeon at Moorfields.

Professor Coffey said: 'There are about half a million people in the UK at this moment would qualify for the treatment - about 25 per cent of the population aged over 65.'

He explained that the treatment would take 'less than an hour, so it really could be considered as an outpatient procedure. We are trying to get it out as a common therapy'.

Professor Peng Khaw, director of the Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, added: 'This shows that stem cell therapy is coming of age. It offers great hope for many sufferers around the world who cannot be treated with conventional treatment.'

Mr da Cruz has previously said it was feasible to do the procedure under local anaesthetic in 45 minutes and that within ten years the procedure could become as commonplace as cataract surgery.

Although many believe it is wrong to use embryonic stem cells - plucked from an embryo in the first days of life - in medicine, sophisticated laboratory techniques mean it should be possible to generate a treatment for millions of people from cells derived from a single embryo.

Stem cell research offers hope for treating and curing a host of conditions.

British experts have succeeded in growing a 'mini liver' - a tiny bundle of liver cells - from stem cells, while Israeli scientists have grown a tiny section of beating heart tissue from stem cells gleaned from human embryos.

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The kitchen that keeps an eye on Alzheimer's patients by using digital technology

By David Derbyshire
Last updated at 12:37 AM on 29th April 2009

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It looks like the sort of kitchen found in any fashionable home.

But inside its wooden cabinets and laminated worktops, it is anything but ordinary.

Devised by British scientists, the kitchen is packed with an array of hidden sensors, projectors and electronics that can help Alzheimer's patients live independently.

Enlarge

Kitchen of the future: A prototype of the 'ambient kitchen' is being developed at Newcastle University in a £36million project

The sensors - hidden away in every cupboard door, appliance and utensil - tell a central computer exactly what task a dementia patient is doing at any time.

If the kitchen thinks the individual has become confused, it projects written reminders of what to do next on to the closest wall.

A prototype of the 'ambient kitchen' is being developed at Newcastle University in a £36million project to find new uses for digital technology.

Researchers believe it could be in homes within five years.

Professor Paul Watson, who developed the room, said it would offer a lifeline to sufferers of dementia.

'This is for people starting to suffer from Alzheimer's disease who may get half way through cooking a meal or making a cup of tea but who then get stuck,' he said.

'There are sensors in the utensils and floor so it knows when people are cutting vegetables or using the kettle.

'It is designed to learn people's behaviour and spot when something unusual has happened - then prompt them.

'The idea is to put it into your own home. The cost will be hundreds of pounds - and it will save on the costs of sheltered accommodation.'

Every appliance and utensil in the kitchen comes with a sensor - similar to the motion detecting devices in the handsets of the Wii computer game.

The sensors hide inside plastic handles that can be fitted to knives, chopping boards, whisks, kettles, fridge doors and food containers.

Pressure pads under the floor reveal where the owner is standing and which way they are facing.

Information from the sensors is sent wirelessly to a computer hidden away in one of the cupboards.

'We have also fitted radio frequency identification tags to a cookery book so that the kitchen knows what recipe someone is looking at and can give assistance,' added Professor Watson.

The kitchen can be programmed to alert neighbours or family members if the householder doesn't use their kitchen. It will also learn the typical behaviour of its owner - and spot inconsistencies that could be cause for alarm.

The ambient kitchen is just one project being carried out at three research 'hubs' launched to find new ways of using digital technology-to help the elderly, disabled and poor.

The centres - at Newcastle, Aberdeen and Nottingham universities - are being funded by Research Councils UK.

One is developing a health kit that monitors a patient's heartbeat, temperature and breathing rates and sends the information wirelessly to a doctor.

The idea is aimed at rural dwellers with chronic illness or recovering from operations

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Meet Snowball, the cockatoo born to boogie! Parrots have rhythm, just like humans

By David Derbyshire
Last updated at 12:54 AM on 01st May 2009

His musical taste may be more than a little questionable.

But as Snowball bobs, shakes and taps his feet along to American boyband The Backstreet Boys, his talent as a dancer is without doubt.

The dancing cockatoo was yesterday hailed by scientists as proof that humans aren't the only creatures with a sense of rhythm.

Lost in music: Snowball the cockatoo sways to the beat on the back of a chair

Snowball's dancing antics have made him an internet star. In a clip posted on the video sharing website YouTube and viewed by millions, he struts his stuff along the back of a sofa to the 1997 pop hit Everybody.

The bird, a sulphur-crested Eleonora, bobs his head, steps to the side, lifts his leg and shakes his body with impeccably good timing. At the end, the cockatoo even takes a dozen bows to an appreciative audience.

In other clips he dances to Queen's Another One Bites the Dust.

Let's groove: Snowball starts dancing in the video

Adena Schachner studied Snowball along with hundreds of other birds for a Phd in psychology at Harvard University.

'These birds' movements were more lined up with the musical beat than we'd expect by chance,' she said. 'We found strong evidence that they were synchronising with the beat, something that has not been seen before in other species.'

Along with colleagues, she searched the internet site Youtube for videos of animals dancing to music - including parrots, dogs and cats.

Hot stuff: Snowball keeps perfect time

She studied each video frame by frame, comparing the speed of the music and the movements of the creatures. Suspect videos - where the music appeared to have been added afterwards - were ignored, as were videos where an animal could have been following movements offscreen.

From more than 1,000 videos, they found

evidence that 14 species of parrot and one species of elephant can move in time to music. Chimpanzees, dogs and cats appeared to have no sense of rhythm. The findings are published in the journal Current Biology.

'For a long time, people have thought that the ability to move to a beat was unique to humans,' added Dr Schachner.

'After all, there is no convincing evidence that our closest relatives, chimpanzees and other apes, can keep a beat, and there is similarly no evidence that our pet dogs and cats can line up their actions with a musical beat.'

Headbanger: The cockatoo takes a dozen bows to his appreciative audience

After identifying the dancing birds, the researchers studied Snowball - who lives in a bird shelter in Indiana - in the lab.

Dr Aniruddh Patel of The Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, lead author of one of the studies, said: 'We've shown that if the music speeds up or slows down across a wide range, he adjusts the tempo of his dancing to stay synchronised to the beat.'

The team also played pop music to an African grey parrot Alex whose intelligence has been compared to that of a fiveyearold child. Again, they found he was able to keep the beat.

The scientists believe the parrots' sense of rhythm is closely linked to their ability to mimic songs.

Dr Schachner added: 'If you are imitating a sound, you constantly monitor your memory of the sound you are trying to imitate, as well as the sound you are producing, so if you notice a difference, you can change your vocalisation. So it seems plausible that vocal mimicry and keeping a beat might rely on some of the same mechanisms.'

The same ability to dance could also be shared by other mimics in the natural world - such as seals, dolphins, elephants and song birds, she said.

Watch snowball strut his stuff here...

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Swine Flu Cases Passes 100

FORT WORTH - APRIL 30: Fort Worth Independent School District custodian Necie Homer wipes down a desk inside a classroom with disinfectant in an effort to stop the spread of swine flu at Arlington Heights High School on April 30, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. FWISD officials closed all schools in Fort Worth late on April 29 in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Posted: Thursday, 30 April 2009 8:18PM



WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nearly 300 schools scattered around the country closed as the nation's swine flu caseload passed 100 Thursday, and U.S. authorities said they eventually could produce enough vaccine for everyone if necessary _ but that shots couldn't begin until fall at the earliest.

The outbreak penetrated over a dozen states and even touched the White House, which disclosed that an aide to Energy Secretary Steven Chu apparently got sick helping arrange President Barack Obama's recent trip to Mexico but that the aide did not fly on Air Force One and never posed a risk to the president.

An estimated 12,000 people logged onto a Webcast where the government's top emergency officials sought to cut confusion by answering questions straight from the public: Can a factory worker handling parts from Mexico catch the virus? No. Can pets get it? No.

And is washing hands or using those alcohol-based hand gels best? Washing well enough is the real issue, answered Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He keeps hand gel in his pocket for between-washings but also suggested that people sing ``Happy Birthday'' as they wash their hands to make sure they've washed long enough to get rid of germs.

It is safe to fly, U.S. officials found themselves stressing after Vice President Joe Biden got off message Thursday. Biden said he'd discourage family members from flying or even taking the subway. The White House insisted the vice president meant to say he was discouraging just nonessential travel to Mexico, the hardest-hit area.

``It is safe to fly. There is no reason to cancel flights,'' Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. Not just planes but ``all modes of transportation are safe in America,'' he added.

But anyone with flu-like symptoms shouldn't be traveling anywhere unless they need to seek medical care _ the same advice that doctors give during the winter when regular flu kills 36,000 Americans each year.

``If you're ill, you shouldn't get on an airplane or any public transport to travel,'' CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told a congressional hearing. ``If you're sick, stay home. I can't tell you how many times I've said that this week.''

So far U.S. cases are fairly mild for the most part, with one death, a Mexican toddler who visited Texas with his family _ unlike in Mexico where more than 160 suspected deaths have been reported. In fact, Schuchat said most of the U.S. cases so far didn't need a doctor's care.

Still, the U.S. is taking extraordinary precautions, including shipping millions of doses of anti-flu drugs to states in case they're needed against what the World Health Organization has called an imminent pandemic, because scientists cannot predict what a brand-new virus might do. A key concern is whether this spring outbreak will resurge in the fall.

Remember, CDC's Besser cautioned, not every pandemic is like the disaster of 1918. ``There are some pandemics that look very much like a bad flu season,'' he said.

Scientists are racing to prepare the key ingredient to make a vaccine against the never-before-seen flu strain, but it will take several months before the first pilot lots begin required human testing to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective. If all goes well, broader production could start in the fall _ if officials decide that's needed in addition to, or instead of, regular flu vaccine.

``We think 600 million doses is achievable in a six-month time frame'' from that fall start, Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Craig Vanderwagen told lawmakers.

``I don't want anybody to have false expectations. The science is challenging here,'' Vanderwagen told reporters. ``Production can be done, robust production capacity is there. It's a question of can we get the science worked on the specifics of this vaccine.''

The number of closed schools more than doubled overnight to nearly 300 when the Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas announced it was closing its 140 schools, affecting about 80,000 students. High schools sports were suspended in Texas and Alabama.

``We do think it's very prudent to close schools when a case has been confirmed or is highly suspect,'' CDC's Schuchat told lawmakers Thursday.

Colleges are seeing cases too. Four were confirmed at the University of Delaware, and in Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock University will hold a separate graduation Saturday for 22 students who recently returned from Mexico and won't be beyond an incubation period.

``People went to Mexico for spring break, came back and now we're seeing second and third generation spread,'' said Dr. Dan Jernigan, CDC senior science officer.

Closing a school alone won't stop community spread.

``If a school is closed, it's not closed so kids can go out to the mall or go out to the community at large,'' Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said. ``Keep your young ones at home.''

That means businesses will have to handle parents who miss work, Biden reiterated: ``And the hope is that the employers will be generous in terms of how they treat that employee's necessary action of taking that child home and not being at work.''

The CDC confirmed 109 cases Thursday, and state officials confirm 22 more. Cases now are confirmed in: New York, Texas, California, South Carolina, Kansas, Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Maine, Colorado, Georgia and Minnesota.

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British explorers discover the light at the end of the tunnel... in the world's largest cave

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 7:07 PM on 30th April 2009

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A British caving team believe they have discovered the world's largest cave passage in the heart of the Vietnamese jungle.

The rocky passage is 150metres long and measures a towering 200metres in height - seven times as high as the vaulted ceiling of York Cathedral.

Possibly the world's largest cave passage, Hang Son Doong was discovered in the heart of the Vietnamese jungle by a British caving team. At 150m long and 200m high, it is seven times as high as York Cathedral

Called Hang Son Doong (Mountain River Cave) it is believed to be almost twice the size of the current record holder.

'It is a truly amazing sized cave and one of the most significant discoveries by a British caving team,' said Adam Spillane, a member of the 13-man expedition team.

Using a laser measuring device known as the LaserRace 300, which measures height and width, the team are now back in the UK analysing their readings.

Originally discovered in 1991, the cave had not been entered since, due to the terrifying wind and noise from the large underground river

The cave was originally discovered in 1991 by a Vietnamese Jungle man called Ho Khanh. However Mr Spillane said no-one had entered if before because 'it emitted a frightful wind and noise which was due to a large underground river'.

But assisted by representatives of Hanoi University of Science, the joint British-Vietnamese Caving Expedition 2009 spent five days exploring the cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in mid-April.

The team spent six hours trekking through the jungle to reached the cave. Climbing down into a large chamber, they had to negotiate two underground rivers before reaching the main passage of the Hang Son Doong.

The team spent five days exploring the cave after trekking six hours through the jungle to find it. They had to negotiate two underground rivers before reaching the main passage

The team will return to Vietnam later in the year to complete the expedition of the cave and conduct a full survey.

'The cave is 6.5km long at present but the end of the main passage still continues with a calcite wall of over 45m high halting our progress,' Mr Spillane said.

'More work on the next expedition is required to make a complete exploration of Hang Son Doong and obtain a complete photographic record of the cave.

'It is a great achievement in this day and age to discover and explore such a fantastic cave.'

The Hang Son Doong cave is believed to be almost twice the size of the current record holder. It has been hailed as 'amazing' and a 'significant discovery' by the expedition team

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Florida Officers Battle Drivers in Legal Street Races

Posted: Thursday, April 30, 2009

Updated: April 30th, 2009 12:06 PM EDT

IBS/WPLG-TV Officers said they have seen a drastic reduction in illegal street racing since "Beat the Heat" started in 2007.

IBS/WPLG-TV

MIAMI --

If you talk to Anthony Gonzalez, you will realize quickly that there is no talking him into slowing down on the road.

"Adrenaline rush -- the closer I feel to getting killed, the more I love it," Gonzalez said.

The trick is controlling the passion for racing from spilling onto public roadways.

"How fast have you gone?" Local 10's Sasha Andrade asked Gonzalez.

"One-hundred-sixty, 170," he replied.

Police officers are redirecting people like Gonzalez from the street to the County Line Drag Way. The program is called Beat the Heat. Once a month, officers will race anyone over the age of 18 for $25.

"You could bring your mother’s minivan. You can bring a pure racing car. It doesn't matter," said Officer Jose Ayala with the Medley Police Department.

"We're actually getting a lot of kids and adults alike come here and say, 'We used to race in Davie. You probably used to chase us around, and now we're here on the track and we want to race your car,'" said Officer Ron Bradley with the Davie Police.

Officers said they have seen a drastic reduction in illegal street racing since Beat the Heat started in 2007.

"We used to have races in the warehouse district almost every Friday, Saturday night. They've completely stopped," Bradley said.

Racers told Local 10 that they actually prefer the track.

"It's better and it's safer," one racer said.

The next Beat the Heat race is May 23 at 7 p.m. at the County Line Drag Way on Okeechobee Road.

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Enjoy a drink at this Texan bar - but watch out for the pool sharks...

By Eddie Wrenn
Last updated at 10:39 AM on 30th April 2009

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Here's a bar with a difference - but you might want a stiff drink before stepping on the dancefloor.

For nine inches beneath your feet are two species of shark and four species of stingray, all swimming around and no doubt peeking up at the tasty legs standing just above their heads.

The bar, in Austin, Texas, boast a 20,000 gallon tank filled with black tip reef shark and leopard sharks.

The QUA Bottle Lounge has a floor with a difference - sharks swimming around in a pool

Underfoot: The sharks swim beneath the feet of brave drinkers at the Texan bar

However visitors who feel they might needs a stiff drink before venturing inside can be reassured by the bar's safety features. Dancers are separated from the sharks by four 3in acrylic panels placed on top of each other, each weighing over a ton.

And those worried about the shark's comfort and quality of life have been reassured by the bar's owners, who say there is a 9in gap between the water surface and acrylic surface.

A spokesman said: 'It's physically impossible to disturb the water's surface from above the tank. The visual ripple on the surface is from the tank circulation system housed in a secure and soundproof room approximately 40ft away.

The sharks are visible through clear acrylic panels, giving the brave dancer an extra thrill during their boogie

'We have a staff of highly educated and well trained individuals who spent months researching and developing the exhibit. For daily care and maintenance we have an employee who was most recently employed at Miami’s renowned Seaquarium and responsible for the water quality of the entire park.

'We are well aware that sharks have highly adept sensory features designed to pick up electrical impulses in the water.

'We carefully observe our animals daily and have seen no signs of stress or change in behavior when people are present or music is played. Still, we have voluntarily contracted with an independent company to run a series of hydrophone tests in QUA.'

However the unique bar has raised the ire of Peta, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who have complained about 'this cruel display'.

The shark species were chosen for their compatibility, as well as their different behavioural patters, with the black tip constantly roving while the leopard enjoying leisurely naps at the bottom of the pool.

The aquarium dancefloor is sure to rock the rhythm of a few movers and shakers

The luxury bar offers spacious seating and a front-row view of the fearsome predators

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Al Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri calls the shots, says State Department

BY James Gordon Meek
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Thursday, April 30th 2009, 10:04 PM

Getty

Ayman Al-Zawahiri

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda's No. 2 thug has "emerged" as its operational leader after seven years on the run with the same $25 million bounty on his head as Osama Bin Laden.

Despite years of Bush administration claims that Ayman al-Zawahiri - an Egyptian doctor turned Bin Laden deputy - was on the lam with his boss and unable to exert control, the opposite is now true, a State Department report said Thursday.

"Al Qaeda has reconstituted some of its pre-9/11 operational capabilities" in Pakistan's tribal safe haven on the Afghan border, replaced lost lieutenants and achieved "the restoration of some central control by its top leadership, in particular Ayman al-Zawahiri," the annual Country Reports on Terrorism said.

"Although Bin Laden remains the group's ideological figurehead, Zawahiri has emerged as Al Qaeda's strategic and operational planner," the report added.

The new assessment wasn't a surprise to terror experts, since Zawahiri put out 12 audio and video messages last year and four this year, including one last week.

"As important as it is to neutralize Al Qaeda's top leaders, you also have to maintain an unblinking focus on disrupting its operations," said Kenneth Wainstein, a top George W. Bush homeland security adviser now with the O'Melveny and Myers law firm.

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8-year-old Saudi girl divorces 50-year-old husband

AFP/File – A Saudi schoolgirl walks to school in the eastern city of Dammam. An eight-year-old Saudi girl who was …

By HADEEL AL-SHALCHI, Associated Press Writer Hadeel Al-shalchi, Associated Press Writer – Thu Apr 30, 9:18 pm ET

CAIRO – An 8-year-old Saudi girl has divorced her middle-aged husband after her father forced her to marry him last year in exchange for about $13,000, her lawyer said Thursday. Saudi Arabia has come under increasing criticism at home and abroad for permitting child marriages. The United States, a close ally of the conservative Muslim kingdom, has called child marriage a "clear and unacceptable" violation of human rights.

The girl was allowed to divorce the 50-year-old man who she married in August after an out-of-court settlement had been reached in the case, said her lawyer, Abdulla al-Jeteli. The exact date of the divorce was not immediately known.

A court in the central Oneiza region previously rejected a request by the girl's mother for a divorce and ruled that the girl would have to wait until she reached puberty to file a petition then.

There are no laws in Saudi Arabia defining the minimum age for marriage. Though a woman's consent is legally required, some marriage officials don't seek it.

But there has been a push by Saudi human rights groups to define the age of marriage and put an end to the phenomenon.

One Saudi human rights activist Sohaila Zain al-Abdeen was optimistic that the girl's divorce would help efforts to get a law passed enforcing a minimum marriage age of 18.

"Unfortunately, some fathers trade their daughters," she told The Associated Press. "They are weak people who are sometimes in need of money and forget their roles as parents."

It was not clear if the man received money for the divorce settlement. The man had given the girl's father 50,000 riyals, or about $13,350, as a marriage gift in return for his daughter, the lawyer said.

The 8-year-old girl's marriage was not the only one in the kingdom to receive attention in recent months. Saudi newspapers have highlighted several cases in which young girls were married off to much older men or young boys including a 15-year-old girl whose father, a death-row inmate, married her off to a cell mate.

Saudi Arabia's conservative Muslim clergy have opposed the drive to end child marriages. In January, the kingdom's most senior cleric said it was permissible for 10-year-old girls to marry and those who believe they are too young are doing the girls an injustice.

But some in the government appear to support the movement to set a minimum age for marriage. The kingdom's new justice minister was quoted in mid-April as saying the government was doing a study on underage marriage that would include regulations.

There are no statistics to show how many marriages involving children are performed in Saudi Arabia every year. Activists say the girls are given away in return for hefty marriage gifts or as a result of long-standing custom in which a father promises his infant daughters and sons to cousins out of a belief that marriage will protect them from illicit relationships.

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Source: Justice Souter retiring

By MARK SHERMAN and JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writers Mark Sherman And Jennifer Loven, Associated Press Writers – 26 mins ago

Play Video AP – Source: Justice David Souter retiring

WASHINGTON – Justice David Souter is planning to retire after nearly two decades on the Supreme Court, giving President Barack Obama his first chance to fill a vacancy on the high court.

The White House has been told that Souter will retire in June, when the court finishes its work for the summer, a source familiar with his plans said Thursday night. He almost certainly would remain on the bench until a successor is confirmed.

The source spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak for Souter.

Souter had no comment Thursday night, a Supreme Court spokeswoman said.

Souter's retirement is unlikely to alter the ideological balance on the closely divided court because Obama is certain to replace the liberal-leaning justice with someone with similar views.

But the vacancy could lead to another woman on the bench to join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, currently the court's only woman.

At 69, Souter is much younger than either Ginsburg, 76, or Justice John Paul Stevens, 89, the other two liberal justices whose names have been mentioned as possible retirees. Yet those justices have given no indication they intend to retire soon and Ginsburg said she plans to serve into her 80s despite her recent surgery for pancreatic cancer.

Souter, a regular jogger, is thought to be in excellent health.

Interest groups immediately began gearing up for what could be a grueling battle over a high court vacancy.

"We're looking for President Obama to choose an eminently qualified candidate who is committed to the core constitutional values, who is committed to justice for all and not just a few," said Nan Aron, president of the liberal Alliance for Justice.

Some of the names that have been circulating include recently confirmed Solicitor General Elena Kagan; U.S. Appeals Court Judges Sonya Sotomayor, Kim McLane Wardlaw, Sandra Lea Lynch and Diane Pamela Wood; and Leah Ward Sears, chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. Men who have been mentioned as potential nominees include Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Harvard Law professor Cass Sunstein and U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo of Chicago.

The Obama White House began from almost its first days in office preparing for the possibility of a retirement by thinking about and vetting potential high court nominees. Those efforts only accelerated with Ginsburg's cancer surgery.

The timing may have been unexpected, but Souter has long yearned for a life outside Washington.

He has never made any secret of his dislike for the capital, once telling acquaintances he had "the world's best job in the world's worst city." When the court finishes its work for the summer, he quickly departs for his beloved New Hampshire.

He has been on the court since 1990, when he was an obscure federal appeals court judge until President George H.W. Bush tapped him for the Supreme Court.

Bush White House aide John Sununu, the former conservative governor of New Hampshire, hailed his choice as a "home run." And early in his time in Washington, Souter was called a moderate conservative.

But he soon joined in a ruling reaffirming woman's right to an abortion, a decision from 1992 that remains still perhaps his most noted work on the court.

Souter became a reliable liberal vote on the court and was one of the four dissenters in the 2000 decision in Bush v. Gore that sealed the presidential election for George W. Bush.

Yet as Souter biographer Tinsley Yarbrough noted, "he doesn't take extreme positions." Indeed, in June, Souter sided with Exxon Mobil Corp. and broke with his liberal colleagues in slashing the punitive damages the company owed Alaskan victims of the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Souter is the court's 105th justice, only its sixth bachelor. He works seven days a week through most of the court's October-to-July terms, a pace that he says leaves time for little else. He told an audience this year that he undergoes "an annual intellectual lobotomy" each fall.

Souter earned his bachelor's and law degrees from Harvard sandwiched around a stay at Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar.

He became New Hampshire's attorney general in 1976 and became a state court judge two years later. By 1990, he was on the federal appeals court in Boston for only a few months when Bush picked him to replace Justice William Brennan on the Supreme Court.

National Public Radio first reported Souter's plans Thursday night.

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Estudo identifica gene com papel-chave em risco de autismo

Austismo afeta comunicação e interação social

Um estudo realizado nos Estados Unidos e publicado na revista científica Nature apresentou as provas mais convincentes encontradas até hoje de que os genes tem um papel fundamental no desenvolvimento do autismo.

Cientistas da Universidade da Pensilvânia detectaram pequenas mudanças genéticas que parecem ter um forte impacto na probabilidade de um indivíduo desenvolver o autismo e outras doenças relacionadas, como a síndrome de Asperger.

As mudanças influenciam genes que ajudam a formar e manter conexões entre as células do cérebro.

O estudo destacou em particular uma variante genética comum, que, se "consertada", poderia diminuir os casos de autismo em 15%.

Pesquisas anteriores já relacionou outras variantes genéticas ao autismo, mas todas elas são relativamente raras.

Proteínas

Para o atual estudo, os pesquisadores analisaram mais de 10 mil pessoas, buscando no genoma humano as pequenas diferenças entre as pessoas que sofrem de autismo e aquelas que não apresentam o problema.

Eles encontraram muitas variantes genéticas normalmente associadas ao autismo - todas elas apontavam para genes específicos do cromossomo 5, que controla a produção de proteínas que ajudam as células a se manterem juntas e a realizar as conexões nervosas.

Uma variante, entretanto, ligada a um gene chamado CDH10, está presente em mais de 65% dos casos de autismo, e os pesquisadores calcularam que solucionando esta mudança seria possível cortar o número de casos em 15%.

Segundo os cientistas, o autismo também está relacionado, com menos intensidade, a um grupo de cerca de 30 genes que produzem proteínas que ajudam as células cerebrais a migrar para os lugares certos e a se conectarem às células vizinhas.

Outras mudanças genéticas notadas pelos pesquisadores ocorrem em genes envolvidos em um sistema de "reciclagem" celular que provavelmente assegura que essas proteínas atuem em perfeita ordem.

Complexo

Hakon Hakonarson, chefe da equipe de pesquisadores, reconheceu que a genética por trás do autismo é complexa.

"Outros pesquisadores da doença já sugeriram que ela ocorre por causa das conexões anormais entre as células cerebrais durante o desenvolvimento da criança ainda nos primeiros estágios da vida. Por isso, nos sentimos obrigados a encontrar provas de que mutações em genes envolvidos nas conexões cerebrais aumentam o risco de uma criança desenvolver o autismo", afirmou.

"Mas provavelmente cada gene contribui um pouco para o risco, e cada um interage com outros genes e com fatores externos para desencadear a doença."

Segundo Simon Baron-Cohen, especialista em autismo da Universidade de Cambridge, na Grã-Bretanha, até hoje já foram identificados 133 genes que podem estar ligados à doença. Mas, para ele, ainda são necessários novos estudos para se descobrir como eles interagem entre si e com o ambiente externo.

"O quebra-cabeças está sendo montado pouco a pouco, e a ciência do autismo está acelerando de maneira promissora", afirmou.

O autismo e doenças relacionadas afetam a interação social, a capacidade de comunicação e o comportamento.

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JUSTICE SOUTER TO RETIRE

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Marcus Baram

Justice David Souter has decided to retire from the Supreme Court when the current term ends, according to several reports.

NPR, which was first to break the news, reported:

Souter is expected to remain on the bench until a successor has been chosen and confirmed, which may or may not be accomplished before the court reconvenes in October.

Reached at home, Supreme Court spokesperson Kathy Arberg repeatedly declined comment to Huffington Post on the report of Souter's resignation. Asked specifically if the report of Souter's planned resignation was inaccurate, Arberg repeated, "All I can tell you is no comment."

NPR's Nina Totenberg adds that Souter 69, has informed the White House of his decision and reports that President Obama intends to appoint a woman:

At 69, Souter is nowhere near the oldest member of the court, but he has made clear to friends for some time now that he wanted to leave Washington, a city he has never liked, and return to his native New Hampshire.

NBC News

According to various government officials, Justice David Souter plans to retire either at the end of this court term or once President Obama's choice to replace Souter is confirmed by the Senate. Look for more on the Souter retirement news tomorrow morning on TODAY.

Watch MSNBC's report on the planned retirement:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Earlier in the day, the Associated Press had the legal word buzzing with a story that hinted at Souter's retirement due to the fact that he has yet to hire any law clerks compared to the other eight justices who have each hired their four clerks.

Why does this matter? Under the scenario that counts, Souter, 69, would not be hiring clerks because he isn't planning to be in Washington in the fall. A retirement would give President Barack Obama his first chance to nominate a justice and the next few months would bring Senate confirmation hearings.

If Souter does indeed retire, all eyes will turn to President Obama and who he selects to fill that vital seat on the Supreme Court.

The move comes as a surprise since the most often-cited candidates for retirement have been Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 76, who is undergoing chemotherapy, and John Paul Stevens, 89.

The AP points out that Ginsburg has said she plans to serve into her 80s and Stevens has expressed no intention of leaving.

Souter came close to retiring out of despair with the infamous 2000 Bush vs. Gore decision which ended the Florida recount, in which he dissented along with three other justices.

According to Jeffrey Toobin's book, "The Nine," Souter was crushed by the decision and often wept when he reflected on it:

David Souter alone was shattered. He was, fundamentally, a very different person from his colleagues. It wasn't just that they had immediate families; their lives off the bench were entirely unlike his. They went to parties and conferences; they gave speeches; they mingled in Washington, where cynicism about everything, inluding the work of the Supreme Court, was universal. Toughened, or coarsened, by the their worldly lives, the other dissenters could shrug and move on, but Souter couldn't. His whole life was being a judge. He came from a tradition where the independence of the judiciary was the foundation of the rule of law. And Souter believed Bush v. Gore mocked that tradition. His colleagues' actions were so transparently, so crudely partisan that Souter though he might not be able to serve with them anymore.


Souter seriously considered resigning. For many months, it was not at all clear whether he would remain as a justice. That the Court met in a city he loathed made the decision even harder. At the urging of a handful of close friends, he decided to stay on, but his attitude toward the Court was never the same. There were times when David Souter thought of Bush v. Gore and wept.

Souter, nominated by the first President Bush in 1990, disappointed conservatives with his more-liberal interpretations of the Constitution. His decision in Casey vs, Planned Parenthood case, in which he upheld the Roe v. Wade decision that gave women the right to choose, also provided a clear indication of his thinking.

Here is a list of Justice Souter's decisions.

Souter graduated Phi Betta Kappa in 1961 from Harvard, majoring in philosophy.

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