Jobless rate, a lagging sign of economic performance, is now a leading political indicator (Star Tribune)

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Researchers discover a DNA marker may indicate differences in breast cancer

Public release date: 2-Jun-2012
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Contact: Emily Ng
eng3@nshs.edu
516-562-2670
North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System

CHICAGO, IL Researchers and doctors at the North Shore-LIJ Health System and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered a potential explanation for why breast cancer is not experienced the same way with African American and Caucasian patients. This data will be presented at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting to be held from Friday through Tuesday (June 1-5) in Chicago, IL.

Breast cancer is more common in Caucasian women than in African American women; however, African American women experience a more aggressive form of breast cancer that occurs almost a decade earlier than Caucasian women. Because of this, African American women have a lower breast cancer survival rate than Caucasian women. To explore the reasons why, researchers and doctors at the North Shore-LIJ Health System and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research conducted a study to determine 1) why the expression of a genetic marker embedded in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), called microRNA, differs between African American and Caucasian women, and 2) if variation in microRNAs may explain the observed survival difference between African American and Caucasian women.

In this study, microRNA profiles from the blood of 32 female patients were collected before removal of breast tumors. The mean age of the patients was 50 years, ranging from age 31 to 68, and 10 of the patients had stage III triple-negative breast cancer (five were African American and five were Caucasian), 10 patients had stage III estrogen-receptor or progesterone-receptor positive breast cancer (five were African American and five were Caucasian), and 12 patients were controls (six were African American and six were Caucasian). Triple-negative breast cancer refers to any breast cancer that does not express three receptors known to advance most breast cancers; estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Although triple-negative breast cancer is estrogen-receptor negative, progesterone-receptor negative and HER2 negative, and the most successful treatments for breast cancer target these receptors, triple-negative breast cancer typically responds to chemotherapy.

The study found that, 1) female Caucasian patients who had triple-negative breast cancer overexpressed 20 microRNAs (15 times higher than the controls), and none of the microRNAs these patients had were found in any of the African American patients, 2) female African American breast cancer patients overexpressed only six microRNAs (15 times higher than the controls), and none of these microRNAs were detected in Caucasian patients who had triple-negative breast cancer, and 3) four microRNAs in African American patients and eight microRNAs in Caucasian patients were not previously reported in association with breast cancer, which suggests that they may be connected to how the patient reacts to cancer.

"The striking difference in the patterns of microRNA expression between African American and Caucasian breast cancer patients may provide insight into answering why, when receiving similar treatments, outcomes are different between African Americans and Caucasians," said Iuliana Shapira, MD, director of the Cancer Genetics Program at the North Shore-LIJ Health System's Monter Cancer Center. "Breast cancer patients who have the most devastating outcome may carry the microRNAs that promote cancer. What we saw in this study is that Caucasian women may carry microRNAs that protect against cancer while African American women do not express those microRNAs. The lack of expressing these microRNAs in African Americans could be the cause of poor outcomes seen in these women. Methods to increase microRNAs in the blood before surgery for cancer, such as giving chemotherapy before surgery for cancer, may improve survival rates in African American women with triple-negative breast cancer."

###

About The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

Headquartered in Manhasset, NY, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is home to international scientific leaders in cancer research, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease, human genetics, pulmonary hypertension, leukemia, neuroimmunology, and medicinal chemistry. The Feinstein Institute, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, ranks in the top 5th percentile of all National Institutes of Health grants awarded to research centers. For more information visit www.FeinsteinInstitute.org

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 2-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Emily Ng
eng3@nshs.edu
516-562-2670
North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System

CHICAGO, IL Researchers and doctors at the North Shore-LIJ Health System and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered a potential explanation for why breast cancer is not experienced the same way with African American and Caucasian patients. This data will be presented at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting to be held from Friday through Tuesday (June 1-5) in Chicago, IL.

Breast cancer is more common in Caucasian women than in African American women; however, African American women experience a more aggressive form of breast cancer that occurs almost a decade earlier than Caucasian women. Because of this, African American women have a lower breast cancer survival rate than Caucasian women. To explore the reasons why, researchers and doctors at the North Shore-LIJ Health System and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research conducted a study to determine 1) why the expression of a genetic marker embedded in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), called microRNA, differs between African American and Caucasian women, and 2) if variation in microRNAs may explain the observed survival difference between African American and Caucasian women.

In this study, microRNA profiles from the blood of 32 female patients were collected before removal of breast tumors. The mean age of the patients was 50 years, ranging from age 31 to 68, and 10 of the patients had stage III triple-negative breast cancer (five were African American and five were Caucasian), 10 patients had stage III estrogen-receptor or progesterone-receptor positive breast cancer (five were African American and five were Caucasian), and 12 patients were controls (six were African American and six were Caucasian). Triple-negative breast cancer refers to any breast cancer that does not express three receptors known to advance most breast cancers; estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Although triple-negative breast cancer is estrogen-receptor negative, progesterone-receptor negative and HER2 negative, and the most successful treatments for breast cancer target these receptors, triple-negative breast cancer typically responds to chemotherapy.

The study found that, 1) female Caucasian patients who had triple-negative breast cancer overexpressed 20 microRNAs (15 times higher than the controls), and none of the microRNAs these patients had were found in any of the African American patients, 2) female African American breast cancer patients overexpressed only six microRNAs (15 times higher than the controls), and none of these microRNAs were detected in Caucasian patients who had triple-negative breast cancer, and 3) four microRNAs in African American patients and eight microRNAs in Caucasian patients were not previously reported in association with breast cancer, which suggests that they may be connected to how the patient reacts to cancer.

"The striking difference in the patterns of microRNA expression between African American and Caucasian breast cancer patients may provide insight into answering why, when receiving similar treatments, outcomes are different between African Americans and Caucasians," said Iuliana Shapira, MD, director of the Cancer Genetics Program at the North Shore-LIJ Health System's Monter Cancer Center. "Breast cancer patients who have the most devastating outcome may carry the microRNAs that promote cancer. What we saw in this study is that Caucasian women may carry microRNAs that protect against cancer while African American women do not express those microRNAs. The lack of expressing these microRNAs in African Americans could be the cause of poor outcomes seen in these women. Methods to increase microRNAs in the blood before surgery for cancer, such as giving chemotherapy before surgery for cancer, may improve survival rates in African American women with triple-negative breast cancer."

###

About The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

Headquartered in Manhasset, NY, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is home to international scientific leaders in cancer research, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease, human genetics, pulmonary hypertension, leukemia, neuroimmunology, and medicinal chemistry. The Feinstein Institute, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, ranks in the top 5th percentile of all National Institutes of Health grants awarded to research centers. For more information visit www.FeinsteinInstitute.org

---

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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18 Tips On Health, Wellness and Fitness Advice From 6 Health ...

by Chef Kirsten on May 31, 2012

I recently had the privilege of being on a panel with 5 other experts in the areas of helping others reach their goals. This was for the celebration of the Girl Power Hour 30 Day Fit & Fabulous Challenge. The 30 days was devoted to bringing the ?trifecta? together ? fitness, mindset and nutrition. We helped three teams ? Socialite with an Appetite (#teambikinimartini), Modern Maven (#teammodernmaven) and the Fast Mover (@teamfastmover) learn how to put all three together for lasting changes in health and hopefully dropping a few pounds ? for good!?

The event was such a success. Darnell Sue, the founder of Girl Power Hour, always puts on the most fabulous events and this one didn?t disappoint!

We even trended on Twitter! You can check out all of the coverage by checking out #FitFab on Twitter as well as following @GirlPowerHour. Great advice was tweeted by the panelists and the people in the audience. It was truly an honor to be a part of this! You can check out the partners and more information about all of the blogging that went on leading up to this event here.

One of the greatest takeaways from this event I think, was the fabulous advice from all of the panelists! I wanted to share all of the advice. Please connect with any of us if you would like continued help reaching YOUR goals! Enjoy!

Kat Kim ? Crazyass Redefining Beauty Project | Twitter: @Kat_Kim | Facebook: RevolutionSelfImage

• Your thoughts become your reality, so be careful of what you are thinking about your life and body.
• Make all your choices from a place of self love.
• At the end of your life, you will not look back and say ?I wish I could have dieted harder.? You will most likely say ?I wish I would have allowed myself to enjoy my body more.? Appreciate what you have now. Honor it, love it, respect it.

• Eat healthy, balanced, whole foods and limit processed foods and sugar as much as possible.
• Plan your meals snacks and create your grocery list from this once a week. Stick to the plan as much as possible.
• Live a balanced healthy lifestyle including: regular movement you enjoy, eating delicious healthy food, taking time to enjoy life and indulge and celebrate from time to time ? guilt free!

• Create a vision for your life and set goals to create a platform for your success. Get real with where you?re at in life. You have to know where you are to know where you?re going.
• Define your purpose for creating a healthy lifestyle and remind yourself of your purpose every time you get moving. Always think of the bigger picture. Visualize your healthy body.
• Challenge yourself more each week, but be mindful in your movement. Keep your workouts fresh and exciting and workout with a buddy or in a group when possible. Smile.

• Strength training, high intensity cardio, whole foods nutrition are the trifecta of a happy/healthy body.
• Do what you love (yoga, running, strength) but be willing to try new things.
• Love yourself. Forgive yourself. Every day is a new day!

• Cook once. Eat three times. When you cook, make enough for at least three meals and store extras to heat and eat later.
• Keep frozen veggies in the freezer. Pair them with a whole grain and fish, beans or lean met and you?ve got a healthy meal in minutes, even if you didn?t pick up fresh produce.
• Never leave the house without a healthy snack. If meetings or client events run later than expected, have some nuts, a Larabar, or an apple and feel your brain kick back into gear?.and your cravings disappear.

• Identify your vulnerability points (e.g. poor sleep, too hungry) and ramp up your self-care.
• If your body isn?t hungry, get curious about what you?re really hungry for (hint: it?s not food.)
• Try journaling before you eat so you can access that part of you that has something to say.

?

P.S. Have you subscribed to my blog yet? I?ll send you a free gift ?Mesa de Vida?s Guide to Healthy Family Favorites? ? don?t miss it! Sign up?HERE!??Want help reaching your goals ? putting healthy meals on the family table or losing weight, once and for all? I lost over 100 pounds by transforming my life ? let me help you reach your goals too!?Check it out!

Tagged as: best healthy recipes, Blog, easy recipes, Gluten Free, gluten free meal plans, gluten free recipes, Healthier alternatives to clean up your recipes!, Healthy living!, healthy meals, healthy recipes, healthy weekly meal plans, Personal Chef Service, Quick and Easy!, quick menu planning, Recipes, recipes for weight loss, weekly meal plans, weight loss

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Electric plane to fly across Atlantic non-stop

4 hrs.

John Roach

If all goes according to plan, an electric-powered airplane will soar across the Atlantic Ocean non-stop in 2014 along the same 3,600-mile?route Charles Lindbergh flew in 1927.

To do so, pilot-in-training Chip Yates, CEO of Flight of the Century, will take advantage of his company?s recently?patented technology that will enable him to dock with flying UAV battery pods for mid-air refueling.

The range of current batteries is the primary limiting factor in electric vehicles, be they cars or planes. The Nissan Leaf, for example, averages about 100 miles per charge.?

The public and private sectors are racing to improve battery technology in order to extend the range of electric vehicles, ?but Yates is impatient. He?s come up with an innovative work-around.

The flying battery pods would launch from predetermined points along the route and dock with the mothership. Depleted battery packs will be jettisoned, parachuting down for recovery and recharge.

?Our purpose in setting out on this very difficult path is to force innovation that drives electric flight technology forward in a significant way and measurable way,? Yates said in a press release.?

He added that this flight is possible today in an solar plane flying at 80,000 feet as well as a blimp or balloon, but they fail to ?get our society any closer to realizing long-range, legitimate payload, electric flight capabilities that everybody can actually benefit from.?

That said, Yates and his colleagues have some work to do. They need to build the plane, for example, and get the batteries ready for flight.

?The battery cells for the Lindbergh flight are in the lab right now but they?re not yet ready for prime time,? Yates told Gizmag. ?

In support of the transocean flight, the company is gearing up for a July maiden flight of its electric test aircraft, a converted Burt Rutan-designed Long-EZ.

The plane will serve as a development platform for the company?s battery pack technology and will also be used to attempt altitude and speed records.

In addition to the flying battery packs, the company is also working on what it calls Jettison and Balance System, which reduces aircraft weight ??thus extending range ? by sectioning battery packs and jettisoning depleted segments and rebalancing the aircraft.

A two-section battery pack gets a 40 percent range increase, according to the company. Ten drops nearly doubles the range thanks to the weight reduction.

?Our systems dramatically extend range without relying upon promises of future battery improvements,? Yates said in a press release.?

?We believe our technology, and especially our JBS product, represents a near-term breakthrough that can literally be implemented today.?

??Via Gizmag?

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

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Q & A:What are the most profitable home-based businesses ...

I?m in the same circumstance?caring for my elderly mother and cannot work outside my home. Having been down the road you?re just starting on, I?ve seen the detours and know where the potholes are.

Yes, as has been mentioned, you must be REALLY careful out there. Many people are only after the money that?s in your pocket, which is why you?ll find affiliate links in their answers to your question. (sorry guys?I call ?em as I see ?em) Remember?there is no ?magic bullet? no matter how good it sounds. You?re the one that has to put in the time and the effort, even if you purchase a $ 3500 program.

That said, I?m an advocate of free and/or very low cost tools and training AND multiple ?cash registers? all around me?it?s how I built my home based business and allows me to be here (and flexible) to care for my mom.

The most profitable home based business will likely be one based on something that you love doing?something YOU?RE passionate about. And given some thought, you?ll probably notice there?s more than one income stream attached to it.

For instance, if you are passionate about a healthy life style, you could blog about it, sell vitamins and weight loss products, sell exercise programs, become an affiliate for tennis shoes, exercise clothing, pedometers, etc. etc. A real business (think of a store in your town) has more than one item to insure as many income streams as possible

Start by asking yourself, ?What do I really like to do?? There are many ways you can turn what you love into a profitable business. Think, ?What do I spend money on to do it?? and you?ll find income streams.

Then type that into Google to find resources and training. There?s also lots of free training on sites like YouTube and the newly formed Home and Small Business Network?s blog.

You can do it with very little out of pocket.

Be careful?and good luck!!

P.S. Give your mama a hug for me.

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Police: 'Hero' saved others in Seattle shootings

Friends and neighbors stand at the scene of where a gunman killed four people and severely wounded another in a cafe a day earlier, Thursday, May 31, 2012, in Seattle. Police say the assailant later killed a woman during a carjacking before shooting himself. As officers closed in during a widespread manhunt on Wednesday, the suspect put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger and later died at a hospital. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Friends and neighbors stand at the scene of where a gunman killed four people and severely wounded another in a cafe a day earlier, Thursday, May 31, 2012, in Seattle. Police say the assailant later killed a woman during a carjacking before shooting himself. As officers closed in during a widespread manhunt on Wednesday, the suspect put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger and later died at a hospital. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Stacy Davis cries as she sits near a growing memorial at the scene of where a gunman killed four people and severely wounded another in a cafe a day earlier, Thursday, May 31, 2012, in Seattle. Police say he later killed a woman during a carjacking before shooting himself. As officers closed in during a widespread manhunt on Wednesday, the suspect put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger and later died at a hospital. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Jonny and Ali, who both declined to give their last names, comfort each other at the scene of where a gunman killed four people and severely wounded another in a cafe a day earlier, Thursday, May 31, 2012, in Seattle. The pair were close friends of two of the men killed there. Police say the assailant later killed a woman during a carjacking before shooting himself. As officers closed in during a widespread manhunt on Wednesday, the suspect put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger and later died at a hospital. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Police surround a house in the University district in Seattle near a cafe where a gunman killed two people and critically wounded three others Wednesday, May 30, 2012. The shooting took place about 11 a.m. at Cafe Racer, a restaurant and music venue north of the University of Washington. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

This frame grab provided by the Seattle Police Department shows a man believed to be the suspect in a shooting, left, at Cafe Racer on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 in the University district of Seattle. The gunman killed four people ? three at the cafe and another in a carjacking ? before he apparently shot himself as officers closed in following a citywide manhunt, authorities said. (AP Photo/Seattle Police Department, handout)

SEATTLE (AP) ? Someone inside an artsy Seattle cafe where a gunman opened fire threw stools at the assailant during a shooting rampage police described as "callous, horrific and cold," a move that allowed others to run to safety.

Ian Lee Stawicki was armed with two .45-caliber handguns and began shooting Wednesday morning at Cafe Racer, killing four people. Police said he fled and later killed a female motorist, taking off with her SUV.

Stawicki later killed himself as police closed in.

Police said more people could have been injured or even killed at the cafe were it not for the actions of the man, whom they did not identify. They did not say whether he was a patron or an employee.

"The hero picked up a stool and threw it at the suspect. Hit him. Picked up another stool, as the suspect is shooting and now pointing (a gun) at him and hits him with another stool," Assistant Chief Jim Pugel said.

"During that time, two or possibly three, people made their escape," he said, adding, "He saved three lives."

Police late Thursday released 911 tapes from the shooting spree, including one from a man who phoned authorities from inside a bathroom at the cafe.

"Somebody came in and shot a bunch of people. I'm hiding in the bathroom. We need help right away," the man says, adding he didn't see the gunman.

Initially, it doesn't appear that the dispatcher understands that the man is in the cafe. She presses him for a better description of the shooter.

"I can see people laying on the floor," the man says. "People are bleeding all over the place."

The dispatcher asks for more information.

"Sir, sir. I'm not the one driving out there so please answer my questions. This is serious," the dispatcher says.

After getting more detailed information, another man gets on the line with the dispatcher.

"We have people alive, barely alive here, do you have people coming?" the other man asks.

"Yes sir, we have a lot of people coming," the dispatcher says.

Wednesday's slayings further frayed nerves in an already jittery city that has seen 21 homicides so far this year ? as many as Seattle had in all of 2011.

"In my almost 30 years in this department, I've never seen anything more callous, horrific and cold," Deputy Police Chief Nick Metz said at a Thursday news conference after reviewing video footage of the killings.

The gunman's father struggled Thursday to understand how his son could have gone on a shooting rampage and apologized to the victims' families.

"The first thing I can say, and it doesn't go very far at this point, is I'm so sorry," Walter Stawicki told the Associated Press, his voice quivering. "It sounds so trite, that I feel their grief. ... I just hope they understand he wasn't a monster out to kill people."

The 21 homicides this year have the city's leaders wondering what if anything can be done.

"The city is stunned and seeking to make sense of it," Mayor Mike McGinn said. "I think we have to start by acknowledging the tremendous amount of grief that's out there from the families and friends of the victims."

In just over a month, a young woman was killed in a seemingly random drive-by shooting in a popular nightlife district, and a father who was driving with his family was killed by a stray bullet fired during a fight involving people on the street.

While the city still has a low murder rate, pressure is growing on the police to curtail the violence at a time when the department is facing accusations of excessive force. Police have told residents to expect more officers on patrol in high-crime areas.

McGinn said the highest priority would be addressing the "epidemic of gun violence that's plaguing the city." He said he'll look at redeploying officers, as well as legislation.

The gunman's family, meanwhile, is struggling with what could have been had they been able to get Stawicki help sooner.

Ian Stawicki, 40, had suffered from mental illness for years and gotten "exponentially" more erratic, his father said, but family members had been unable to get him to seek help.

Walter Stawicki said he was "bitter" that it was so hard to get his son help.

"He wouldn't hear it," he said. "We couldn't get him in, and they wouldn't hold him. ... The only way to get an intervention in time is to lie and say they threatened you."

Walter Stawicki recalled a son who liked dogs, kids and plants. He joined the U.S. Army after graduating high school, but the Army honorably discharged him after about a year, he said.

Since then, Ian Stawicki had bounced around serving as a roadie for bands and helping his mother with gardening.

According to the Seattle city attorney's office, police cited Stawicki in 1989 for carrying a concealed knife and, in 2008, a girlfriend who lived with him claimed he had assaulted her and had destroyed her property. She later recanted, and charges were dismissed because she would not cooperate with prosecutors.

Stawicki obtained a concealed weapons permit in 2010 from the Kittitas County sheriff's office. The permit shows he owned six firearms.

Other than a couple of traffic tickets and a fistfight with his brother several years ago ? charges were dropped ? Stawicki had no criminal record, his father said.

"When you knew him and he liked you, he was the best friend you could have. He was an old-fashioned gentleman," he said. "But when he was having bad days, he scared people."

Walter Stawicki also said he knew his son had guns, but he was more concerned that Ian ? a "beanpole" at 6-foot, 150 pounds ? would get in a physical altercation and lose.

Stawicki last spoke to his son the morning of the shooting. He recalled a cheerful conversation. "He handed the phone to his mother and I said, 'Gee, he sounds in a good mood.'"

The only survivor of the cafe shooting, Leonard Meuse, was upgraded from critical to serious condition at Harborview Medical Center.

A memorial in front of the cafe grew Thursday as people stopped by to drop off flowers, cans of beer and toy instruments. Two of the victims, identified by friends as Drew Keriakedes, 49, and Joe Albanese, 52, were old-time musicians and regulars at the cafe, where they often played or simply held court.

"They were the life of this place," said Janna Silver, who had known them for a few years. "They were very welcoming, and they'd talk to anyone."

The King County medical examiner's office confirmed the identification of Keriakedes and also identified another cafe victim, Kimberly Layfield, 36.

The carjacked woman was identified as Gloria Leonidas, 52. The Seattle Times said she was a married mother of two from suburban Bellevue. The medical examiner's office does not release hometowns.

Formal identification of the other victims, as well as the victims' cause and manner of death, will be released Friday, the medical examiner's office said.

___

Associated Press writer Chris Grygiel contributed to this report. Dininny reported from Yakima, Wash.

Associated Press

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Warren says she told schools of Native heritage

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren, right, takes questions from members of the media as Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick, left, looks on during an event at Warren's campaigns headquarters, in Somerville, Mass., Wednesday, May 30, 2012, during which Patrick formally endorsed Warren in her campaign for the Senate seat. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren, right, takes questions from members of the media as Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick, left, looks on during an event at Warren's campaigns headquarters, in Somerville, Mass., Wednesday, May 30, 2012, during which Patrick formally endorsed Warren in her campaign for the Senate seat. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON (AP) ? Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren has publicly acknowledged for the first time that she told officials at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania that she had Native American heritage.

The Harvard Law School professor's campaign said in a statement that she gave that information to the schools only after she had been hired.

Warren has provided no documentation of Native American heritage, which she has said was part of family lore.

She is running for the Massachusetts Senate seat held by Republican Scott Brown.

Associated Press

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