There is a crazy rumor going around that Selena Gomez, 20, was caught getting cozy with Gucci Mane, 33, on the set of “Spring Breakers”. A production assistant revealed that Gucci and Selena were hooking up and spent most of their time alone together in their trailers. Hmmm… Insiders said, “We thought it was [odd] ...
As of Thursday evening, former University of Miami football assistant coaches Joe Pannunzio and Jeff Stoutland, or their legal representation had not received Notices of Allegations in the UM case involving former booster Nevin Shapiro.
They are not expected to receive NOAs.
Pannunzio is the director of football operations at the University of Alabama, where Stoutland recently left to take a job in the NFL.
?UA has not received any correspondence from the NCAA about Joe Pannunzio, Jeff Stoutland or the NOA at Miami,? Deborah Lane, Alabama assistant to the president and associate vice president for university relations, wrote in an e-mail to The Miami Herald in response to a public records request.
A source familiar with the NCAA case said neither Pannunzio nor Stoutland would be charged in any Shapiro-related allegations. However, The Associated Press on Wednesday night reported in a Twitter post that Pannunzio is in the NOA for ?text messages,? indicating it was ?minor, if anything.?
Two sources said the texting situation stems from UM formerly being investigated by the NCAA for recruiting-related text messages by coaches in various sports, first reported by The Miami Herald in August 2010.
The text-message situation, the sources said, will be included as part of the overall case. But they are expected to be alleged secondary violations listed after the Shapiro-related allegations. Pannunzio, thus, would not be subject to receiving an NOA or appearing before the infractions committee if an allegation was not major.
Also as of Thursday night, Louisville had not released former UM football assistant Clint Hurtt?s NOA but indicated in an e-mail to The Miami Herald that the related records would likely be sent later this week.
Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich told reporters Thursday regarding Hurtt, that ?Clint is due his due process, and I think that?s the only fair thing we can do as a university. Clint?s side of the story is much different than the allegations, so I think we just have to wait the 90 days and see how it unfolds.?
??Senator Joseph Abruzzo wrote a letter to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi asking that she initiate an investigation into the NCAA?s actions ?during its probe of the [UM] athletic program.??
??Three former Miami assistant coaches filed a motion with the NCAA asking that their infractions cases be dismissed because of the mistakes that governing body for college athletics made in their long investigation of the Hurricanes.
Former football assistant Aubrey Hill and former basketball assistants Jake Morton and Jorge Fernandez had their motion delivered to the NCAA?s Committee on Infractions, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side authorized the release of any information.
The motion, according to the person, says the three coaches believe the NCAA?s alliance with the attorney for the former booster at the center of the Miami scandal has created a scenario where they cannot ?get a fair and reasonable proceeding.?
A conference call on the matter is scheduled for Friday with the NCAA.
Miami Herald wire services contributed to this report.
MOSCOW (AP) ? The U.S. ambassador to Moscow on Friday called on Russian authorities and media to stop "sensational exploitations" of the death of an adopted boy in the United States.
The Jan. 21 death of 3-year-old Max Shatto, born Maxim Kuzmin, has fueled a fight over Russian adoptions in the U.S. as senior Russian officials accused the boy's adopted mother, Laura Shatto, of killing the boy.
The medical examiner's office in West Texas has not officially pronounced the cause of death and presented only early results, but the report of bruises on Max's body ? although their origin has not been established ? made some Russians jump to a conclusion.
Russian children rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov last week branded the death as "killing" by Shatto's adoptive American mother. The State Duma's petition to the U.S. Congress on Friday mentioned that the death is "connected to the fact of violence" by the Shattos. The Russian theory that the boy was killed has topped the news on state-controlled media which have been using the case to justify country's move on Dec. 28 to ban all adoptions to the U.S. The ban sparked criticism abroad and a thousands-strong protest rally in Moscow.
In a response to Russian authorities and some state media which were nearly gloating over the death, U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul said he was "troubled by how my people and my country are being portrayed by some in the Russian press."
"It is time for sensational exploitations of human tragedy to end and for professional work between our two countries to grow, on this issue and many others," he wrote in a blog post on Friday.
Russia's state-controlled Rossiya TV channel aired a live talk show Thursday evening featuring the biological mother of the boy, Yulia Kuzmina, who lost parental custody for Max and his half-brother Kirill Kuzmin over negligence and serious drinking problems.
In a tightly choreographed interview, Kuzmina insisted that Russian custody officials took advantage of her absence from her home town to seize her children. The program's host Mikhail Zelenin introduced Kuzmina as "mourning for Maxim and hoping to get Kirill back" while the experts commenting on the case were largely Kremlin loyalists including author Maria Arbatova who insisted that Kuzmina's children were "stolen" from their mother.
Kuzmina said she gave up drinking and found a job and pledged to fight to get back her other son Kirill, who was also adopted by the Shatto family.
Valentina Chernova from the children's welfare office in Kuzmina's home Pskov region said on the talk show that the woman was stripped of custody of her second children for drinking bouts during pregnancy and her negligence with her first-born.
The RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies reported Friday that Kuzmina and her boyfriend, who were traveling Thursday night from Moscow to their home town, were taken off the train by police after a drunken brawl.
"It's up to court to decide how fit Kirill and Maxim Kuzmin's mother is for regaining parental custody," Astakhov said in his Twitter account Friday afternoon. "She deserves pity anyhow."
Max's adoptive mother, Laura Shatto, told authorities earlier this week that Max and his half-brother were playing outside the family's home near Odessa, Texas. Shatto said she came out and found the boy unconscious on the ground.
Shirley Standefer, chief investigator for the Ector County Medical Examiner's Office, said that there were signs of bruising on Max's lower abdominal area, but added that a full autopsy would be needed to determine what kind of bruising that was. Authorities also have not received a toxicology report that would have details on whether Max was being given any medication.
The Texas Child Protective Services spokesman said that they had received allegations of physical abuse and neglect, but had not determined whether those allegations were true.
BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC)- From February 20 to February 26, 300 collegiate athletes will showcase their skills at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Nestled atop a hill in Birmingham lies D1, a training facility that specializes in helping those NFL hopefuls prepare for the physical and mental tests at the Combine.
"When I got done playing college ball I didn't have a trainer or coach," D1 facility coordinator Stephen Madrid said.
"The first combine I went to, I didn't know anything about how to do the drills properly. There's technique to it. There's ways to get a better time. If you don't know how to do that, you're totally unprepared and you're blown away by the guys that are."
D1 works to teach athletes the proper form and guide them into the best ways to safely improve their performance. Some of the biggest names in football including Peyton Manning, Hershal Walker and Tim Tebow have all jumped on the D1 bandwagon.
"We take guys that are fringe guys that might not make the NFL," D1 founder Will Bartholomew said. "(We) get them into camp then perform well and make teams. Every year we put out the fastest times at Indianapolis."
D1 not only works with athletes to improve athletes performance at the NFL Combine through speed specific training, but also they work to keep the athletes healthy with in-house doctors, nutritionists, physiatrists and physical therapists.
"There's an intensity to combine preparation and with that intensity can occasionally come injuries," said D1 orthopedics surgeon Dr. Geoffrey Connor.
"Generally speaking, these guys have been football players for a long time. Being football players for a long time very often, for better or worse, involves having been injured before. We're making a baseline assessment of that injury and modifying the training program," Connor said.
The purpose of combine training is to increase an athlete's value, thus bettering his chance at being drafted sooner, which directly impacts his salary.
But the training comes at a price. The full combine training package ranges from $1,000 to $1,500 a week for eight to ten weeks. The majority of those athletes have their agents cover the steep training expenses. With that kind of financial investment comes a great deal of pressure to perform. And the difference between a 4.3 second 40-time and a 4.5 second 40-time can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"It's big money, so there should be some pressure," Bartholomew said. "That kind of brings the best out of people. We're just running a one-day track event. All we have to do is run one fast forty, the fastest forty ever."
And to prepare for the testing, many of the athletes that train at D1 work six to seven days a week for eight to twelve hours each day.
"I think the biggest misconception is that they just show up to collect a paycheck and that they're naturally gifted athletes," Madrid said. "I think a lot of people feel like they just show up and perform. (But) there's just so much more that goes into it. This is a full-time job for them."
But for many collegiate athletes it's worth it. Any they are willing to do whatever it takes to make their lifelong dream become a reality.
Tybee Island and the Humane Society of the United States hosted a Coyote Hazing Training Workshop Wednesday night after several recent sighting were reported and two coyotes were found dead on the island. Hazing is a new tool used to spook coyotes out of an area and to discourage undesirable behavior.
"Most of the concerns involve attacks on pets or people who are afraid that coyotes will attack their kids but attacks on people by coyotes are very rare. You are more likely to be killed by a champagne cork or golf ball than you are to be bitten by a coyote. As long as you walk your pet on a leash and you are outside with them, you have nothing to worry about," said Lynsey White Dasher, Humane Society of the United States.
Urban wildlife specialists say hazing has been used successfully in other communities.
By Harmeet Shah Singh, Dan Rivers and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN
updated 9:53 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
David Cameron visits a memorial to a 1919 massacre in the Indian city of Amritsar
Cameron: "We must never forget what happened here"
British prime minister stops short of a formal apology for the colonial-era massacre
Hundreds of people were killed when British troops opened fire on unarmed protesters
New Delhi (CNN) -- UK Prime Minister David Cameron visited the site of the infamous 1919 Amritsar massacre by British troops in India on Wednesday -- but those hoping he might apologize for the atrocity were disappointed.
Cameron, the first serving British prime minister to visit Amritsar, a Sikh holy city in the northwestern state of Punjab, laid a wreath at a memorial to the hundreds killed in the massacre.
Writing in a book of condolences at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial, he described the massacre as "a deeply shameful event in British history." He added, "We must never forget what happened here."
However, he did not give a formal apology for the atrocity, which occurred while India was part of the British Empire.
A spokesman for Cameron said the British state had always described the massacre as monstrous, but that "we need to be careful about going around apologizing for things that happened 40 years before the prime minister was born."
Cameron's trip to India is focused on promoting closer trade and business links.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, previously visited Amritsar in 1997.
In 1920, then-cabinet minister Winston Churchill condemned the massacre as "an episode which appears to me to be without precedent or parallel in the modern history of the British Empire ... It is an extraordinary event, a monstrous event, an event which stands in singular and sinister isolation."
The atrocity occurred when a British Army general ordered troops to open fire to disperse a crowd of unarmed protesters who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar.
A report by a British-led committee in the wake of the massacre put the number killed at close to 400, with three to four times as many people injured. Indian observers put the number killed at more than 1,000.
Part of complete coverage on
updated 3:37 PM EST, Tue February 19, 2013
He declared last summer to be a "dream come true." Now Oscar Pistorius has entered what could be one of the darkest periods of his life.
updated 1:16 PM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
Why has Italy fallen apart so badly over the past 20 years? Bill Emmott says it reminds him of the decline of the once great city-state of Venice.
updated 12:58 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
Director Eva Jin says the booming China film industry operates on "China Speed" -- much faster than Hollywood.
updated 7:58 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
After Mukhtar Mai was gang raped in Pakistan in 2002, tradition dictated she would commit suicide. But she fights on for women's rights.
updated 10:42 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
John Sutter says a proposal to airdrop food for polar bears in the Arctic is a sign of just how critical climate change has become.
It's that time of the year, and the Academy Awards are almost upon us. We want to know your favorite Oscar picks for this year.
updated 6:26 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
The Chinese government is sponsoring cyber-espionage to attack top U.S. companies, according to vice president of security firm Mandiant.
updated 7:55 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
Little more than a year after he resigned in disgrace as prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi is campaigning to win his old job back -- for the fourth time.
updated 8:35 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
The eyes of the gaming world are on Sony, which on Wednesday is expected to unveil the brand new PlayStation 4.
updated 8:38 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
Born into grinding poverty and almost blind, Terezinha Guilhermina first became aware of her athletic abilities when fleeing a school bully.
updated 9:42 AM EST, Wed February 20, 2013
"Driving from Europe all the way across the Sahara, you must be ready to die," says environmentalist, Newton Jibunoh.
Kim Kardashian's baby isn't due until summer, but she says that motherhood has already changed her. In the spring issue of DuJour magazine, the reality star -- looking gorgeous in a white bikini with almost zero makeup -- talks about her desire to turn over a new leaf.
NIXALL Vet Response & NIXALL Med Response OTC Receive FDA Clearance!
TWO Revolutionary new products for ANIMALS & HUMANS ? available NOW!
Congratulations to Seriously Clean Ltd., producers of NIXALL Vet Response earning FDA clearance for the next generation horse, animal and pet care product.
NIXALL Med Response OTC received FDA clearance December 2012 for human use, both over the counter and prescription strength!
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NIXALL Vet Response, released and evaluated at the Pinto World Championship Show, received rave reviews by World Champion Trainers and Owners! ?Our World Champion mare had a terrible skin irritation? says Judy Ford of Ford Farms; ?We used NIXALL Vet Response with fast results of less than two weeks treatment, the horrible skin condition was cured, the mare went back to the show ring and looked great!?
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Yaohua Wang receives Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Best Paper Award 2012Public release date: 19-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Joan Robinson joan.robinson@springer.com 49-622-148-78130 Springer
Young chemist awarded prize for her research in connection with the anticancer drug doxorubicin
Yaohua Wang (30) is the recipient of the Best Paper Award 2012, presented by the Springer journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (ABC). Wang is the lead author of a paper published in ABC on a method to isolate peroxisomes with biological function from other cellular organelles. Her research could lead to further developments in the investigation of the anticancer drug doxorubicin. The award, accompanied by 1,000 euros, was created by Springer to honor exceptional young scientists and to stimulate their research careers. The ABC Best Paper Award has been given since 2005.
One of the major focuses of Yaohua Wang's research is the investigation of the subcellar distribution and metabolism of doxorubicin (DOX). DOX is effective in the treatment of hematological malignancies and cancers localized in solid tissues, however use of this drug is impaired by its side effects which may be associated with subcellular-specific accumulation of DOX metabolites. The most notorious side effect of DOX is cardiotoxicity, which is irreversible. Up to now, no one has investigated the accumulation and metabolism of DOX in peroxisomes. The investigation of DOX metabolism in peroxisomes provides a more comprehensive view of DOX toxicity in cells and is an indispensable part of Dr. Wang's research.
Yaohua Wang was born in 1982. She received her Ph.D. degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2010. In 2008-2009, she received the Merck Research Laboratories Fellowship in Analytical/Physical Chemistry to recognize her outstanding research work.
Dr. Sylvia Daunert, Editor of ABC, said, "The elegant and innovative work of Dr. Wang and her mentor, Dr. Arriaga, focused on understanding the metabolism of DOX. It is important in that it sheds light on the mechanism of toxicity of a very well-known widely used anticancer drug. Her discoveries will help in understanding how drug resistance and drug toxicity occur in cellular compartments. This, in turn, can lead to the design and preparation of new drugs with reduced toxicity. The work of Dr. Wang is not only of analytical significance, but is also a perfect example of how bioanalytical work can impact the field of medicine."
###
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry's mission is the rapid publication of excellent and high-impact research articles on fundamental and applied topics of analytical and bioanalytical science. Its scope is broad, encompassing the entire range of analytical and bioanalytical research and encouraging multidisciplinary solutions to problems in this field. ABC counts among the leading journals in its field and is partly owned by eight prestigious chemical societies.
Springer Science+Business Media is a leading global scientific publisher, providing researchers in academia, scientific institutions and corporations with quality content via innovative information products and services. Springer is also a trusted local-language publisher in Europe especially in Germany and the Netherlands primarily for physicians and professionals working in the automotive, transport and healthcare sectors.
The article "Analysis of the bioactivity of magnetically immunoisolated peroxisomes" is freely available online at www.springer.com/abc or can be requested as a pdf.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Yaohua Wang receives Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Best Paper Award 2012Public release date: 19-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Joan Robinson joan.robinson@springer.com 49-622-148-78130 Springer
Young chemist awarded prize for her research in connection with the anticancer drug doxorubicin
Yaohua Wang (30) is the recipient of the Best Paper Award 2012, presented by the Springer journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (ABC). Wang is the lead author of a paper published in ABC on a method to isolate peroxisomes with biological function from other cellular organelles. Her research could lead to further developments in the investigation of the anticancer drug doxorubicin. The award, accompanied by 1,000 euros, was created by Springer to honor exceptional young scientists and to stimulate their research careers. The ABC Best Paper Award has been given since 2005.
One of the major focuses of Yaohua Wang's research is the investigation of the subcellar distribution and metabolism of doxorubicin (DOX). DOX is effective in the treatment of hematological malignancies and cancers localized in solid tissues, however use of this drug is impaired by its side effects which may be associated with subcellular-specific accumulation of DOX metabolites. The most notorious side effect of DOX is cardiotoxicity, which is irreversible. Up to now, no one has investigated the accumulation and metabolism of DOX in peroxisomes. The investigation of DOX metabolism in peroxisomes provides a more comprehensive view of DOX toxicity in cells and is an indispensable part of Dr. Wang's research.
Yaohua Wang was born in 1982. She received her Ph.D. degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2010. In 2008-2009, she received the Merck Research Laboratories Fellowship in Analytical/Physical Chemistry to recognize her outstanding research work.
Dr. Sylvia Daunert, Editor of ABC, said, "The elegant and innovative work of Dr. Wang and her mentor, Dr. Arriaga, focused on understanding the metabolism of DOX. It is important in that it sheds light on the mechanism of toxicity of a very well-known widely used anticancer drug. Her discoveries will help in understanding how drug resistance and drug toxicity occur in cellular compartments. This, in turn, can lead to the design and preparation of new drugs with reduced toxicity. The work of Dr. Wang is not only of analytical significance, but is also a perfect example of how bioanalytical work can impact the field of medicine."
###
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry's mission is the rapid publication of excellent and high-impact research articles on fundamental and applied topics of analytical and bioanalytical science. Its scope is broad, encompassing the entire range of analytical and bioanalytical research and encouraging multidisciplinary solutions to problems in this field. ABC counts among the leading journals in its field and is partly owned by eight prestigious chemical societies.
Springer Science+Business Media is a leading global scientific publisher, providing researchers in academia, scientific institutions and corporations with quality content via innovative information products and services. Springer is also a trusted local-language publisher in Europe especially in Germany and the Netherlands primarily for physicians and professionals working in the automotive, transport and healthcare sectors.
The article "Analysis of the bioactivity of magnetically immunoisolated peroxisomes" is freely available online at www.springer.com/abc or can be requested as a pdf.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Data on novel IL-1 inhibitor protein for topical treatment of dry eye disease publishedPublic release date: 18-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kathryn Morris kathryn@theyatesnetwork.com 914-204-6412 The Yates Network
Results in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlight the beneficial effects of EBI-005 rationally-designed to target and block IL-1 for ocular inflammation
Cambridge, MA, February xx, 2013 Eleven Biotherapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company creating novel and differentiated protein-based biotherapeutics, has published preclinical data in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) showing beneficial effects of EBI-005, the first rationally-designed topically administered IL-1 protein for the treatment of ocular diseases. In the paper entitled "Design of a superior cytokine antagonist for topical ophthalmic use," the scientists, including drug developers from Eleven Biotherapeutics and collaborators from Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University School of Medicine, describe how EBI-005 was designed to specifically bind more tightly to its target than IL-1Ra providing a dramatic increase in potency in vivo. EBI-005 was also shown to have substantially greater stability, potentially providing the convenience of room temperature storage.
"To date, blocking of IL-1 has only taken the conventional form of proteins as injectable therapies." said Thomas M. Barnes, Vice President of Discovery at Eleven Biotherapeutics and lead author of the PNAS publication. "These published data reflect the basis of our innovative approach to rationally design proteins with ideal therapeutic properties, including the specificity to target and block IL-1 providing localized treatment of ocular diseases through topical administration."
"EBI-005 is unique in that it is rationally designed to be a topically-administered protein with IL-1? and IL-1? blocking capabilities and other ideal pharmacologic and pharmaceutical properties," said Abbie Celniker, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Eleven Biotherapeutics. "We are currently evaluating the potential of EBI-005 in a multi-center Phase 1b clinical study in patients with dry eye disease and plan to report top line data in the second half of 2013."
Key findings include:
EBI-005 binds to its target, IL-1R1, 85-fold more tightly than IL-Ra, translating into a 100-fold increase in potency in vivo.
EBI-005 is more thermally stable than IL-1Ra, indicating potential for a room temperature-stable product.
EBI-005 has been rationally designed by chimerizing two IL-1 receptor ligands, IL-1? and IL-1Ra, to create an optimized receptor antagonist, for topical ocular administration.
As a rationally-designed antagonist, EBI-005 represents a novel approach to therapeutic design that can potentially be exploited for other proteins in the IL-1 and FGF families.
###
About Dry Eye Disease
Dry eye disease (DED) is an ocular surface inflammatory condition caused by a dysfunction of tears. The dysfunction can occur through decreased tear production or excessive tear evaporation, both of which result in drying of the eye surface (desiccating stress). The stressed ocular surface induces an inflammatory cascade regulated by IL-1. Dry eye disease affects approximately 10% of individuals between 30 to 60 years of age, and up to 15% of those over 65. Despite its prevalence and impact on quality of life, dry eye disease is under-diagnosed, under-treated, and has few safe and effective treatment options.
About EBI-005
Eleven Biotherapeutics' lead product candidate, EBI-005, is a novel, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist currently in Phase 1 clinical development as rationally designed topical protein for the treatment of inflammatory diseases at the surface of the eye. The mechanism of action for EBI-005 was validated in a clinical proof-of-concept study in which IL-1 blockade was generally safe and well-tolerated with significant improvements in both signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. EBI-005 has been designed to have superior physical, pharmaceutical and therapeutic properties including topical ophthalmic administration for the treatment of ocular diseases including dry eye and severe ocular allergy. In preclinical studies, EBI-005 demonstrated optimal properties for the treatment of dry eye disease, such as high potency, very low systemic exposure, which minimizes the potential for adverse effects and thermal stability, providing for a room-temperature stabile product.
About Eleven Biotherapeutics
Eleven Biotherapeutics creates novel and differentiated biotherapeutics: first-of-a-kind protein-based drugs with significantly improved physical, pharmaceutical, and therapeutic benefits. The company's AMP-Rx product engine brings capabilities beyond conventional approaches for making protein therapeutics, opening up new territory for the products to have novel structures, enhanced biophysical properties, and more effective targeting in disease pathways. Eleven's success is built on designing proteins 'fit for purpose' that are rationally designed to have ideal therapeutic characteristics and result in best-in-class biotherapeutic products for a wide range of diseases. The Cambridge, Mass.-based company was founded in 2010 by life science investors Flagship Ventures and Third Rock Ventures and world-renowned scientific experts. For more information, please visit www.elevenbio.com.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Data on novel IL-1 inhibitor protein for topical treatment of dry eye disease publishedPublic release date: 18-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kathryn Morris kathryn@theyatesnetwork.com 914-204-6412 The Yates Network
Results in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlight the beneficial effects of EBI-005 rationally-designed to target and block IL-1 for ocular inflammation
Cambridge, MA, February xx, 2013 Eleven Biotherapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company creating novel and differentiated protein-based biotherapeutics, has published preclinical data in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) showing beneficial effects of EBI-005, the first rationally-designed topically administered IL-1 protein for the treatment of ocular diseases. In the paper entitled "Design of a superior cytokine antagonist for topical ophthalmic use," the scientists, including drug developers from Eleven Biotherapeutics and collaborators from Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford University School of Medicine, describe how EBI-005 was designed to specifically bind more tightly to its target than IL-1Ra providing a dramatic increase in potency in vivo. EBI-005 was also shown to have substantially greater stability, potentially providing the convenience of room temperature storage.
"To date, blocking of IL-1 has only taken the conventional form of proteins as injectable therapies." said Thomas M. Barnes, Vice President of Discovery at Eleven Biotherapeutics and lead author of the PNAS publication. "These published data reflect the basis of our innovative approach to rationally design proteins with ideal therapeutic properties, including the specificity to target and block IL-1 providing localized treatment of ocular diseases through topical administration."
"EBI-005 is unique in that it is rationally designed to be a topically-administered protein with IL-1? and IL-1? blocking capabilities and other ideal pharmacologic and pharmaceutical properties," said Abbie Celniker, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Eleven Biotherapeutics. "We are currently evaluating the potential of EBI-005 in a multi-center Phase 1b clinical study in patients with dry eye disease and plan to report top line data in the second half of 2013."
Key findings include:
EBI-005 binds to its target, IL-1R1, 85-fold more tightly than IL-Ra, translating into a 100-fold increase in potency in vivo.
EBI-005 is more thermally stable than IL-1Ra, indicating potential for a room temperature-stable product.
EBI-005 has been rationally designed by chimerizing two IL-1 receptor ligands, IL-1? and IL-1Ra, to create an optimized receptor antagonist, for topical ocular administration.
As a rationally-designed antagonist, EBI-005 represents a novel approach to therapeutic design that can potentially be exploited for other proteins in the IL-1 and FGF families.
###
About Dry Eye Disease
Dry eye disease (DED) is an ocular surface inflammatory condition caused by a dysfunction of tears. The dysfunction can occur through decreased tear production or excessive tear evaporation, both of which result in drying of the eye surface (desiccating stress). The stressed ocular surface induces an inflammatory cascade regulated by IL-1. Dry eye disease affects approximately 10% of individuals between 30 to 60 years of age, and up to 15% of those over 65. Despite its prevalence and impact on quality of life, dry eye disease is under-diagnosed, under-treated, and has few safe and effective treatment options.
About EBI-005
Eleven Biotherapeutics' lead product candidate, EBI-005, is a novel, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist currently in Phase 1 clinical development as rationally designed topical protein for the treatment of inflammatory diseases at the surface of the eye. The mechanism of action for EBI-005 was validated in a clinical proof-of-concept study in which IL-1 blockade was generally safe and well-tolerated with significant improvements in both signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. EBI-005 has been designed to have superior physical, pharmaceutical and therapeutic properties including topical ophthalmic administration for the treatment of ocular diseases including dry eye and severe ocular allergy. In preclinical studies, EBI-005 demonstrated optimal properties for the treatment of dry eye disease, such as high potency, very low systemic exposure, which minimizes the potential for adverse effects and thermal stability, providing for a room-temperature stabile product.
About Eleven Biotherapeutics
Eleven Biotherapeutics creates novel and differentiated biotherapeutics: first-of-a-kind protein-based drugs with significantly improved physical, pharmaceutical, and therapeutic benefits. The company's AMP-Rx product engine brings capabilities beyond conventional approaches for making protein therapeutics, opening up new territory for the products to have novel structures, enhanced biophysical properties, and more effective targeting in disease pathways. Eleven's success is built on designing proteins 'fit for purpose' that are rationally designed to have ideal therapeutic characteristics and result in best-in-class biotherapeutic products for a wide range of diseases. The Cambridge, Mass.-based company was founded in 2010 by life science investors Flagship Ventures and Third Rock Ventures and world-renowned scientific experts. For more information, please visit www.elevenbio.com.
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Source: www.nytimes.com --- Sunday, February 17, 2013 A team that was torn apart under Bobby Valentine has come together under John Farrell, with off-season acquisitions creating a new team dynamic. ...
As business owners and leaders, we understand that climate change if not addressed, will impose substantial economic costs on the United States. All of us will spend more money to harden our infrastructure, repair storm-damaged homes, pay more for health care and fresh water and watch property values deteriorate. These costs will make the US economy less productive and less competitive. This is especially bad news for the small to mid-size businesses that create the most jobs in our country.
The proposed Keystone XL pipeline is not an economically viable project. We believe that the market would not be able to bear the true cost of the pipeline without the government absorbing liability and shifting the costs of risks onto society as a whole. This is similar to the case of nuclear energy, where no plant would be built without government shouldering liability. This is as much a government subsidy as a direct payment would be.
If the private sector were to internalize the full cost, including the setting up of a fully adequate fund against damage from the possible spills, land despoliation, water clean-up, medical costs, carbon emissions, and other damages associated with the pipeline, it would be a losing proposition financially.
We do not believe that the pipeline will create the large number of jobs its supporters contend. As a March 2012 study from Cornell University noted, an equal investment in clean energy generates 3 to 4 times as many jobs as investments in fossil fuels, without the potential environmental hazards posed by pipelines like Keystone XL. The pipeline will do very little (and at great cost) to improve the nation?s energy security. In fact, much of the output is destined for export.
Instead of risking our future by increasing fossil fuel use, the United States needs to take action to both invest in clean energy and lower our own carbon output. Doing so will put us in a better negotiating position to encourage other large emitting nations (mainly China and India) to reduce their own GHG emissions.
The money needed to build the pipeline would be more productively directed towards energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and infrastructure (such as smart grid). The US needs to step up investments in the $5 trillion global clean technology market ?? and the jobs that go with it. We applaud the gains that Germany and other nations are making in clean energy, and are concerned that the United States is becoming less competitive in this dynamic industry.
All these economic reasons and more are why close to 1,000 business leaders have signed a letter to the President asking to cancel the Pipeline.
The director of Baltimore's police training academy didn't know that instructors were holding exercises at an abandoned psychiatric hospital in Owings Mills. There were no supervisors on ...
2 arrested in robbery of students in College Park
Associated Press - Saturday 16th February, 2013
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Prince George's County police have arrested two men accused of robbing two University of Maryland students in College ...
Postal Service official admits taking bribes from Maryland company
Washington Examiner - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Quarles also forwarded various private call-in numbers for conference calls between USPS officials, where official business was discussed, so that AHCC employees could anonymously listen in and get ...
Justin Tucker Anquan Boldin Josh Charles appear on Fallon
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Justin Tucker and late-night host Jimmy Fallon on his show Friday night, in a spirited match of bubble soccer. You'll have to watch (left) to see who wins. ...
Protesters recall civil rights battle over Northwood Theatre
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
In 1963, a man blocks the entrance to the Northwood Theater where some 150 members of the Civic Interest Group demonstrated last night. All were arrested and charged with trespassing and disorderly ...
Balt. Co. Police Still Trying To Identify Body Found Over A Year Ago
WJZ 13 - Saturday 16th February, 2013
MIDDLE RIVER, Md. (WJZ) ? Baltimore County police remain confused over an unidentified body found more than a year ago. The man was found in the waters near Middle River and, ...
4 rescued from grounded boat near Tangier Island
Associated Press - Saturday 16th February, 2013
But the marine police boat that responded also ran aground after picking up the boat owner and his son, prompting the Coast Guard to respond with an MH-60 Jayhawk ...
NFL players coaches and others share memories about Ravens Ray Lewis
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Ray Lewis left a lasting impression on many in the NFL in his 17 seasons with the Ravens. Here are a few of their stories. -- Jeff Zrebiec, Aaron Wilson, Monique Jones and Peter ...
Man robs bank in Upper Marlboro
Washington Examiner - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Prince George's County police said that at about 1:00 p.m. on Friday, a man entered a SunTrust Bank in the 5700 block of Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro. He walked up to a teller and passed a ...
Laurel Marine allegedly solicited teen for sex
Washington Examiner - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Rashon Levante Dickason, 22, of Laurel allegedly solicited sex from a teenage boy between July and December 2012. Police were called to a home in Laurel in late December, where a man accused ...
Man crashes car into house
ABC 2 - Saturday 16th February, 2013
EDGEWATER, Md. - A twenty-one-year-old man is in critical condition after he slammed his car into a house in Edgewater Saturday morning. Police said just after 1:30 Saturday morning police were ...
Jurrjens joins new teammates at Os camp
Baltimore Orioles - Saturday 16th February, 2013
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Jair Jurrjens walked into the Orioles' clubhouse on Saturday morning with his locker and uniform No. 48 already waiting for him. After an initial one-year deal with Baltimore ...
Prince Georges County slams brakes on gun shows
Washington Examiner - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Silverado Gun Show owner Frank Krasner found out about the decision while he was planning a show at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro. In the middle of a contract dispute, he said, county ...
Peter Beilensons next great adventure in health care
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Howard County health officer, quick-study scholar and decoder of federal regulations ? remains one of our most interesting men.A person whose leadership has certainly improved the lives of ...
Lawmakers May Soon Require Headgear For Women?s Lacrosse
WJZ 13 - Saturday 16th February, 2013
You are using Internet Explorer 6. Internet Explorer 6 is unsupported by this site and you may experience layout and functionality issues. It is recommended that you upgrade to a newer version of ...
Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders hopefuls get pointers from pros
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Emily Hair, 25, Odenton, takes part in the prep clinic the 2012 Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders and coaching staff hold at their training ground. Hair tried out last year and will do it again in ...
Hopkins Dr. Benjamin Carson annointed new Fox darling of the right on Hannity
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Much of Friday's political-media online chatter was focused on Fox news hiring failed presidential candidate and pizza executive Herman Cain as a political analyst. But the big story that ...
Jameel McClain still consulting doctors after spinal injury outlook is positive
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Ravens starting inside linebacker Jameel McClain is still consulting with doctors after ending the season on injured reserve with a spinal cord contusion. The outlook for McClain to resume playing ...
Police raid Dundalk flea market
ABC 2 - Saturday 16th February, 2013
DUNDALK, Md. - Baltimore County police raided the North Point Plaza Flea Market in Dundalk looking for counterfeit items, police say. Around 10 a.m. Saturday detectives began serving search ...
Md. flea market investigated for counterfeit goods
Associated Press - Saturday 16th February, 2013
DUNDALK, Md. (AP) -- Baltimore County police have shut down a Dundalk flea market that detectives say was selling counterfeit movies, music and other ...
Maryland police seek federal help to take ill-gotten gains
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Federal prosecutors tried to take Gay Lynn Diffenderffer-Baldwin home when police investigating her husband's disappearance and eventual suicide discovered a marijuana growing operation ...
Pistorius slain girlfriend had planned future uncle says
Baltimore Sun - Saturday 16th February, 2013
Oscar Pistorius , known as the "Blade Runner", was planning a future with the girlfriend he is accused of shooting dead this week, his uncle said on Saturday. Pistorius, 26, one of the ...
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) - Indians first baseman Nick Swisher has left the team's spring training camp following the death of his mother.
Swisher, who signed a four-year, $56 million free agent contract with the Indians this winter, returned to Columbus, Ohio, for the funeral. Swisher is expected to be back with the team on Saturday night.
Swisher will play first base this season for Cleveland, moving to the infield after the team signed free agent outfielder Michael Bourn earlier this week. Swisher spent the past four seasons playing mostly right field for the New York Yankees. He has played in 307 career games at first, posting a .994 fielding percentage. Swisher will also be used as the team's designated hitter, with Mark Reynolds playing first.
Swisher missed the Indians' first full-squad workout on Friday.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Complete ... on paper
CSN: Jayson Werth believes the Nationals are "complete on paper." Will that documentation translate into further improvement following a surprising 2012?
BANGKOK (AP) ? Oil prices were little changed Friday, a day after data from Europe showed both big and small economies in the region mired in an economic slowdown.
Benchmark oil for March delivery was up 3 cents to $97.34 per barrel at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 30 cents to finish at $97.31 per barrel on the Nymex on Thursday.
Output in Europe's biggest economy, Germany, contracted by more than anticipated in the last three months of 2012 as the recession deepened across the 17 European Union countries that use the euro. France, Europe's second-biggest economy, also saw output drop.
Caroline Bain, commodities analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said the combined economy of the euro nations is likely to contract again this year and oil consumption in the region will also fall. However, oil prices could move higher this year as a result of modest growth in China and an upswing in U.S. oil consumption after two years of contraction, Bain said.
"Although there are still concerns about the dampening impact of fiscal policy in the US, it is our view that steadily improving labor market and housing data will lead to higher US consumer confidence which is positive for oil consumption," Bain said in a written commentary.
Brent crude, which is used to price oil that many U.S. refineries buy to make gasoline, was down 10 cents to $117.90 per barrel in London.
In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:
? Heating oil rose 0.3 cent to $3.214 a gallon.
? Wholesale gasoline rose 0.9 cent to $3.325 a gallon.
? Natural gas rose 0.3 cent to $3.16 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Global pop icon and committed animal advocate Ke$ha will receive the prestigious Wyler Award at The Humane Society of the United States? 2013 Genesis Awards Benefit Gala on Saturday, March 23, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.
Ke$ha To Be Honored By HSUS Credit/Copyright: Yu Tsai via HSUS
The HSUS? Wyler Award is one of the animal protection organization?s highest honors and is bestowed on a celebrity or public figure for increasing awareness of animal issues via the media.
Humane Society International's first Global Ambassador for animals, Ke$ha balances her hectic career as a platinum recording singer/songwriter and one of the world?s most dynamic performers with her outspoken stance on critical animal protection issues. Ke$ha has spread the word about street dogs, the trophy hunting of endangered lions, shark-finning, Canada?s commercial seal slaughter, dogfighting and cruelty-free cosmetics, among many other important animal welfare concerns, highlighting a different animal issue each month on her website and urging her massive fan base and social media following to take action for animals. By talking about her role with The HSUS? international arm, Humane Society International, and her commitment to helping animals in numerous media interviews, she has brought worldwide attention to the cause.
?It means so much to me to be recognized by The Humane Society of the United States because advocating for animals is second nature to me,? said Ke$ha.?My affinity with animals and the natural world inspires me and my music. I don?t understand how anyone can justify abusing or exploiting animals, and as long as it continues, I intend to keep talking about it.?
?The animals have a bold and passionate ambassador in Ke$ha, who is not known for holding back on what she thinks,? says Beverly Kaskey, senior director of The HSUS? Hollywood Outreach and executive producer of The HSUS? Genesis Awards Benefit Gala. ?The Humane Society of the United States is grateful to Ke$ha for informing her millions of fans worldwide about new and ongoing threats to our fellow creatures, while connecting them to resources that enable them to take action.?
Global superstar Ke$ha has taken the world by storm since the release of her debut album ?Animal? in 2010. That year she was declared Billboard?s Hot 100 Artist and her smash debut single, ?TiKToK,? was named Billboard?s #1 Hot 100 Song, was the most played song of that year and was the biggest-selling digital track in the world. Her debut album ?Animal? has sold over 2.5 million units worldwide, and Ke$ha has had seven consecutive Top 10 hits including four #1 singles in ?TiKToK,? ?Your Love Is My Drug,? ?We R Who We R,? and the latest, ?Die Young.? Ke$ha recently released the track ?C?Mon,? the second single from her critically acclaimed second album, Warrior. Ke$ha has toured the world, playing over 200 live shows in support of ?Animal? and its companion album, ?Cannibal.? She took home the MTVEMA for Best New Act in November, 2010 and was nominated for two American Music Awards, three MTVVMA Awards and six Billboard Awards. She has performed on dozens of television programs all over the world, including MTV Europe Music Awards, Much Music Awards (Canada), Echo Awards (Germany), X Factor (Australia), American Music Awards, Billboard Awards, American Idol, Saturday Night Live and The Today Show Summer Concert Series. She has over 22 million Facebook likes, over three million Twitter followers and over 330 million views on VEVO. She has sold over 27 million combined tracks and ringtones in the U.S alone and over 34.5 million worldwide to date. Ke$ha is an international powerhouse.?Animal? has been certified Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum in 15 markets (including Platinum in the United States) and was the biggest selling debut album from an international female in 2010 in the UK. In November, 2012, Ke$ha released her first book through Touchstone Publishing. The full-color photo journal/scrapbook entitled, ?My Crazy Beautiful Life,? sheds light on Ke$ha?s hectic, non-stop life on tour and provides an exclusive look into the creative process of her latest album, ?Warrior.? Also in late 2012,Ke$ha announced Ke$ha Rose by Charles Albert, a new jewelry line that reflects the singer?s distinctive personality throughout the collection.
The Wyler Award is named after former Broadway actress, animal advocate and founder of The Genesis Awards, Gretchen Wyler. Ke$ha joins Wyler Award alumni Sir Paul McCartney, Hayden Panettiere, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Kristin Davis and Ian Somerhalder.
Honoring the news and entertainment media for their role in raising awareness of animal issues, The HSUS? Genesis Awards Benefit Gala marks 27 years of inspiring change for animals, with this year?s event benefitting three of the organization?s top animal welfare priorities: Pets for Life, Chimps Deserve Better and Farm Animal Protection.
The HSUS? 2013 Genesis Awards Benefit Gala is sponsored in part by Misix, One Car One Difference, Market Development Group, Prai Beauty Group, Tenet, and Havas Edge.
(Reuters) - Securities regulators filed suit on Friday against unknown traders in the options of ketchup maker H.J. Heinz Co, alleging they traded on inside information before the company announced a deal to be acquired for $23 billion by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc and Brazil's 3G Capital.
The suit marks the second time in six months that the SEC has taken legal action for alleged insider trading on a 3G deal.
The suit, in federal court in Manhattan, cites "highly suspicious trading" in Heinz call options just prior to the February 14 announcement of the deal. The regulator has frequently in past filed suit against unnamed individuals where it has evidence of wrongdoing, but is still trying to uncover the identities of those involved.
That trading, the suit said, caused the price of the particular call option they bought to soar 1,700 percent and generated unrealized profits of more than $1.7 million.
The regulator claims the traders are either in, or trading through accounts in, Zurich, Switzerland. The account had no history of trading in Heinz over the last six or so months.
It has also obtained an emergency order to freeze assets in the Swiss account linked to the trading. In the suit, the SEC refers to the account as the "GS Account" and in a statement Goldman Sachs Group Inc said it was cooperating with the regulator's investigation.
"Irregular and highly suspicious options trading immediately in front of a merger or acquisition announcement is a serious red flag that traders may be improperly acting on confidential nonpublic information," Daniel Hawke, chief of the SEC's Division of Enforcement's Market Abuse Unit said in a statement.
Representatives of Heinz and Berkshire Hathaway were unavailable for immediate comment. A 3G representative declined to comment. The founder of 3G, Jorge Paulo Lemann, is from Brazil, but has made a home in Switzerland since the 1990s. He has not been implicated in any wrongdoing related to the deal.
After the deal was revealed on Thursday, options market experts called Wednesday's trading "suspicious and incredibly well-timed."
The suit marks the second time in less than six months that the SEC has taken action over a 3G acquisition. In September 2012, the regulator got a court order to freeze the assets of a Wells Fargo & Co stockbroker who allegedly traded on inside information about 3G's 2010 acquisition of Burger King.
In that case, the SEC said the Brazilian stockbroker got the information from a client who had invested at least $50 million in one of 3G's funds.
The suit also marks the second time in two years that controversy has erupted over a Berkshire acquisition target.
In March 2011, Berkshire struck a deal to buy chemical company Lubrizol for $9 billion. Less than three weeks later, Berkshire said Buffett lieutenant David Sokol was resigning and disclosed he had been buying Lubrizol shares while pushing Buffett to acquire the company. The SEC dropped a probe into Sokol's trading earlier this year.
The suit is Securities and Exchange Commission v. Certain Unknown Traders in the Securities of H.J. Heinz Co, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 13-1080.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Bernard Vaughan.; Writing by Ben Berkowitz.; Editing by Andre Grenon, Mary Milliken, Gary Hill)
Tuesday night the president delivered his fourth State of the Union address to Congress and the American people. From immigration to gun control, to troop levels in Afghanistan, the president touched on several hot topics. So how did he do on his delivery?
Saint Mary?s College Professor Michael Kramer joined us on 16 Morning News to weigh in.
?It was almost as if he was saying I?m here for four more years, here are a bunch of things I would be interested in pursuing, if you want to do that I?m here and I?ll sign whatever legislation you want to pass.? Kramer said.
The president had several key guests in the audience, such as families of shooting victims. Kramer says it is very effective.
?I think it is very effective. It goes back to Ronald Reagan who did this very well. It puts a face on an issue and puts someone who is relatable, someone who is been through a difficult situation whether that be a job loss or a loss of a child, and suddenly that issue becomes a lot less abstract and becomes something that the public cares about.?
There is a crazy rumor going around that Selena Gomez, 20, was caught getting cozy with Gucci Mane, 33, on the set of “Spring Breakers”. A production assistant revealed that Gucci and Selena were hooking up and spent most of their time alone together in their trailers. Hmmm… Insiders said, “We thought it was [odd] ...
On the heels of 
Congratulations to Seriously Clean Ltd., producers of NIXALL Vet Response earning FDA clearance for the next generation horse, animal and pet care product.![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 19-Feb-2013
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