Protein 97 Synapse-associated (SAP97)

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Researchers Reveal Secret of Key Protein in Brain and Heart Function

Synapse-associated protein 97The model shows the PDZ domain of the SAP97 protein in a ribbon format, highlighting its structural elements. The intra-cellular portion of the NMDA receptor is shown as ball-and-stick format atoms. SAP97 is a scaffolding protein, facilitating nerve signals.

Brown University researchers have solved the structure of a critical piece of SAP97, a protein used to keep hearts beating and brains learning. Results, reported by Dale Mierke in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, put science a step closer to understanding how this protein aids in brain and heart function.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University biologists have solved the structure of a critical piece of synapse-associated protein 97 (SAP97) found in abundance in the heart and head, where it is believed to play a role in everything from cardiac contractions to memory creation. Results are published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Dale Mierke, associate professor of medical science at Brown, said that knowing how a piece of SAP97 is built is an important step. Now that part of the protein’s structure is solved, scientists can create a molecule to disable it. That, in turn, will allow them to fully understand SAP97’s role in the body. And that will point drug makers to targets for developing new ways to treat cardiac or neurological diseases.

“To arrive at a solution, you need to understand the problem,” Mierke said. “Solving protein structures opens doors for effective treatments.”

SAP97 is found mainly in the central nervous system and is known as a “scaffolding” protein. In this role, it serves as a sort of tether, grabbing proteins inside the cell critical to nerve signaling and keeping them close to N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) receptors at the cell surface. NMDA receptors help usher in a neurotransmitter called glutamate that is essential for learning and memory and also plays a role in drug addiction. A similar scaffolding mechanism is at work in the heart, where it affects basic functions, including the heartbeat.

SAP97 is a complex protein made up of five “domains” similar to a train comprised of an engine and four boxcars. In their experiments, Mierke, graduate student Lei Wang and postdoctoral research fellow Andrea Piserchio – all colleagues in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology – focused on the engine. This domain, known as PDZ1, is where the protein links to NMDA receptors. The team used high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to solve the structure of PDZ1, as well as a small portion of the receptor to which it binds.

Mierke said the group is now developing a molecule that can inhibit PDZ1 as well as PDZ2, the first boxcar on the multi-domain protein.

The National Institutes of Health funded the work.

###### The News Service 38 Brown Street / Box R Providence RI 02912401 863-2476 Fax 863-9595 Distributed July 29, 2005 Contact Wendy Lawton Source: Srown News Service

cosmic string warps the space-time around it.

Is it a cosmic string we're seeing?

THE case for the existence of cosmic strings has just been boosted. If confirmed, these one-dimensional threads of energy that can span millions of light years could be the first sign of extra dimensions in the universe. Cosmic strings are predicted by string theory. They are gigantic counterparts of the strings that are thought to give rise to the fundamental particles of matter. String theory suggests that our universe may be a three-dimensional island, or "brane", and that the big bang was the result of a collision between our universe and another 3D brane. The collision would have given rise to one-dimensional cosmic strings, and finding such a string would strengthen the theory and support the idea that extra dimensions exist.

The immense energy of a cosmic string would warp the space-time around it. If one existed somewhere between us and a distant galaxy, say, the warped space-time would create two possible paths for the light from the galaxy to reach Earth. This would result in two identical images of the galaxy in our sky, just a whisker apart. Last year, that's exactly what Mikhail Sazhin of Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory in Naples, Italy, and the Sternberg Astronomical Institute in Moscow, Russia, and his colleagues found. They named the pair CSL-1 (New Scientist, 18 December 2004, p 30).

Many astronomers were sceptical of Sazhin's claim that a string was creating the images. Abraham Loeb of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said that CSL-1 is merely two very similar galaxies that happen to be close together. Now, Sazhin's team has presented more evidence that the two images are of the same galaxy. In March, the team used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope at Paranal, Chile, to record detailed spectra of the two galaxies and found that they are identical (www.arxiv.org/astro-ph/0506400 ). This adds further weight to the possibility that CSL-1 is an artefact of a string, he says. "We are 99.9 per cent sure of this."

Loeb remains unconvinced. "It is not clear whether the quality of the spectra is sufficient to separate, for example, the Milky Way galaxy from the Andromeda galaxy in the local group of galaxies," he says. "Both the Milky Way and Andromeda might have similar spectra." He adds that if the astronomers could use their technique to tell these neighbours apart, then it would make their case for CSL-1 much stronger. Sazhin believes his team's technique would be precise enough to distinguish the Milky Way from Andromeda, even if they were as far away as CSL-1, but admits more work needs to be done to demonstrate this.

If a string is producing the twin galaxy images, the edges of the images should be extremely sharp, but our turbulent atmosphere prevents telescopes on Earth from detecting this. Now Sazhin has been granted turbulence-free observation time on the Hubble Space Telescope. "The resolution of the HST will allow us to detect the specific signature produced by the cosmic string," he says. "We hope it will reduce the scepticism of other astronomers." ###

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THIS ARTICLE APPEARS IN NEW SCIENTIST MAGAZINE ISSUE: 30 JULY 2005

Author: Marcus Chown

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Contact: Claire Bowles (UK)claire.bowles@rbi.co.uk 44-207-611-1210
Kyre Austin (US) kyre.austin@reedbusiness.com 1-617-558-4939

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Northeast hot spell Dew point exceeded air-conditioning design

Why Northeast's hot spell was so draining: Dew point exceeded air-conditioning designs, according to Cornell climate experts, By Blaine P. Friedlander Jr.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- During last week's enervating hot spell in the Northeast, the discomfort was not entirely due to the heat or the relative humidity. The real culprit, say Cornell University climatologists, was the high dew point.

The dew point is the day-to-day measure of humidity in the atmosphere. Another critical measure is the "design dew point" -- the maximum humidity level at which air-conditioning systems can operate efficiently in different regions.

According to the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC) at Cornell, in 13 major Northeast cities last week, high dew points exceeded the design dew points -- meaning that the humidity exceeded the engineering specifications of air-conditioning systems, causing them to operate inefficiently, use more energy and lessen their cooling effect.

Boston's design dew point is 72 degrees, but the dew point there on July 18 was 76 degrees. The high temperature that day was a seasonal 86 degrees, but when combined with the high dew point, the heat index (what it felt like) rose to 96 degrees.

Meanwhile, the design dew point in Wilmington, Del., is 75 degrees, but the dew point on July 17 was 78 degrees. When that high dew point mixed with the day's high temperature (87 degrees), the result was a heat index temperature of 99 degrees.

On July 18, Syracuse, N.Y., tied its all-time record high dew point temperature of 77 degrees, set July 4, 1999. That dew point boosted the 91 degrees high temperature to a heat index of 104 degrees.

Not only has the Northeast seen high dew points, but they have persisted for weeks. So far this season, Albany, N.Y., and Pittsburgh have set new records for the number of days with 70-degree or higher dew points: Albany with 20 days, and Pittsburgh with 26 days.

Energy researchers use the design dew point as a convenient and meaningful threshold, explained Dan Graybeal, a research climatologist at the NRCC. Design dew points for U.S. and world cities are published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers. "The Northeast has had high energy demand," he said. "Exceeding the design dew point is an important factor in that high energy demand. The result is that, along with the high temperatures, air conditioning systems -- which are also dehumidifiers -- are being asked to carry quite a heavy load, even beyond their efficiency breakpoint," he said.

"Generally speaking, this is the Northeast's first hot summer in three years, marked by the return of the dominance of the Bermuda High," said Graybeal. The warm humid air flowing into the Northeast from the south has been exacerbated by muggy air created by moisture from decaying tropical storms -- Arlene and Dennis -- as they diminished over the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys. The storm remnants were carried over the region, bringing thunderstorms and high humidity. "These high dew points do not stem from local moisture sources, as much of the region has been drier than normal in rainfall this season," Graybeal said.

Relative humidity expresses the drying power of the air and is a percentage -- the ratio of the air's moisture content to how much moisture the air could sustain at its temperature. Because of this dependence on temperature, the relative humidity varies throughout the day, from high readings in the morning to low readings at midafternoon.

The dew point expresses the day-to-day moisture content of the air in terms of a temperature -- that is the temperature at which condensation occurs. "Dew point can be visualized by considering a beverage container in a muggy room," said Graybeal. "If the beverage is cooler than the dew point of the air in the room, condensation occurs on the container. It's a familiar summertime condition." -30-

Media Contact: Blaine Friedlander Jr.Phone: 607-254-8093E-Mail: bpf2@cornell.edu Source: Cornell News Service

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Ancient Tiberias uniqueness as a Jewish center

Ancient Tiberias reveals more of its beauty

Excavations at ancient Tiberias, showing the 'Galilee Street,' and the basilica complex, with the Sea of Galilee in the background. Download Full High Resolution Image

One of the 'Jesus coins' found this year in the excavations of ancient Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. The coin was minted in Constantinople in the 11th century and was probably brought to Tiberias by a Christian pilgrim.

The obverse side (shown) bears the likeness of Jesus, and the other an inscription reading 'Jesus Christ King of Kings.' Download Full High Resolution Image

Further revelations of the beauty of the ancient city of Tiberias and of its uniqueness as a Jewish center were revealed in this season's excavations there.

The excavations, funded by the Tiberias municipality, are turning the site into a significant archaeological park, according to dig director Prof. Yizhar Hirschfeld of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Antiquities Authority, and Prof. Katharina Galor of Brown University, Providence, RI.

Ancient Tiberias' location, just south of the modern city of Tiberias along route 90, was highly attractive in Roman times: on one side open to the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) and on the other bounded by Mount Berenice. Two main north-south streets dominated the city plan. One was the cardo, the main commercial thoroughfare of the town. The other was the promenade, which was open on one side to the lake and over which route 90 was built.

Excavations this year focused on the city's basilica complex, which was first discovered several years ago and is identified with the seat of the Sanhedrin, the ancient supreme Jewish religious authority. The eastern wall of the structure was preserved to a height of two meters and was bounded by the promenade.

The structure itself was built in the 4th century C.E. as a gigantic complex of at least 2,000 square meters. It has some 25 rooms with three main components: a colonnaded courtyard, which served as a gathering place for the townspeople, a passageway, and a reception hall with a semi-circular apse. Under the courtyard, excavators found a water cistern, supported by arches, that has survived the centuries unscathed

Beneath the apse hall, remains of an impressive, first-century, marble floor were found. There is no natural marble in Israel, and therefore, this floor must have been part of a grand structure belonging to an individual of extraordinary wealth. The excavators believe it was one of the palaces belonging to Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, who founded Tiberias in 20 C.E. A marble floor of this type from the Second Temple period has been found previously in Israel only at the Herodian palaces of Masada, Jericho, and Herodion.

The finds in the remains of the complex's ancient shops this season were extremely rich: complete oil lamps, bronze coins, including more of the "Jesus coins" (a coin from the 11th century bearing the image of Jesus, discovered in earlier excavations there), glass and stone vessels, jewelry and frescoes. On the western façade of the basilica complex, a row of shops was discovered along with a 50-meter section of street paved with basalt stones, which the archaeological team named "Galilee Street."

### Contact: Jerry Barach jerryb@savion.huji.ac.il 972-2-5882904 The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

more at Jesus or Galilee and Christian or Judaism and Hebrew or archaeology

BROCCOLI PACKS POWERFUL PUNCH TO BLADDER CANCER CELLS

BROCCOLI PACKS POWERFUL PUNCH TO BLADDER CANCER CELLS

COLUMBUS , Ohio – Researchers have isolated compounds from the vegetable broccoli that they believe may help prevent or slow the progress of bladder cancer.

The current work builds on a major study conducted six years ago by Harvard and Ohio State universities that found that men who ate two or more half-cup servings of broccoli per week had a 44 percent lower incidence of bladder cancer compared to men who ate less than one serving each week.

“We're starting to look at which compounds in broccoli could inhibit or decrease the growth of cancerous cells,” said Steven Schwartz, a study co-author and a professor of food science and technology at Ohio State University .

“Knowing that could help us create functional foods that benefit health beyond providing just basic nutrition.”

Some 63,000 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society. And more than 13,000 with the disease will die.

The researchers isolated compounds called glucosinolates from broccoli sprouts. During chopping, chewing and digestion, these phytochemicals morph into nutritional powerhouses called isothiocyanates – compounds that the scientists believed play a role in inhibiting cancer.

Their hunch was right, at least in the laboratory experiments. There, isothiocyanates hindered the growth of bladder cancer cells. And the most profound effect was on the most aggressive form of bladder cancer they studied.

“Cruciferous veggies have an effect on other types of cancer, too. We already know that they contain compounds that help detoxify carcinogens. We're thinking more along the lines of progression and proliferation, such as once cancer starts, is there a way to slow it down?”

The researchers presented their findings on July 18 in New Orleans at the annual Institute of Food Technologists meeting.

They first extracted and measured the levels of glucosinolates from broccoli sprouts. They then used a process that uses enzymes to convert the glucosinolates to isothiocyanates.

While young sprouts naturally have higher concentrations of these phytochemicals than full-grown broccoli spears, eating the spears also provides health benefits, Schwartz said.

He and his colleagues treated two human bladder cancer cell lines and one mouse cell line with varying amounts of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. Even though glucosinolates are converted to isothiocyanates, the researchers wanted to know if the former would have any effect on controlling the growth of cancer cells.

It didn't.

However, the isothiocyanates decreased proliferation in all three cell lines. The strongest effect was on the most aggressive of these lines – human invasive transitional cell carcinoma.

The researchers aren't sure what caused this effect, or exactly how these compounds keep cancer cells from proliferating. But they are looking into it.

“There's no reason to believe that this is the only compound in broccoli that has an anti-cancer effect,” said Steven Clinton, a study co-author and an associate professor of hematology and oncology at Ohio State. “There are at least a dozen interesting compounds in the vegetable.

“We're now studying more of those compounds to determine if they work together or independently, and what kind of effects they have on cancer cells,” he added.

Broccoli isn't the only cruciferous veggie with health benefits, the researchers say. The plant's kin, which include cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale, may all contain similar disease-fighting phytochemicals.

It's too early to suggest just how much broccoli or other cruciferous vegetables should be eaten to stave off or slow down the progression of bladder cancer. Still, they are an important part of the diet.

“Cruciferous veggies have an effect on other types of cancer, too,” Schwartz said. “We already know that they contain compounds that help detoxify carcinogens. We're thinking more along the lines of progression and proliferation, such as once cancer starts, is there a way to slow it down?”

He and Clinton conducted the study with Ohio State colleagues Robin Rosselot, a graduate student in food science and technology and Qingguo Tian, a research associate also in food science and technology. #

Contact: Steven Schwartz, 614-292-2934;Schwartz.177@osu.edu
Steven Clinton, 614-293-8396; Clinton-1@medctr.osu.edu
Written by Holly Wagner, 614-292-8310; Wagner.235@osu.edu

more at broccoli or bladder cancer and Cancer or Men's Health and General Health

Indonesia -- Developments in Aceh and Papua

Indonesia -- Developments in Aceh and Papua

The Indonesian Government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) plan to sign a landmark peace accord on August 15 to end the longstanding conflict that has plagued Aceh. The United States firmly supports this "Memorandum of Understanding" as described in broad outlines by the parties. The United States commends the parties for their commitment to a peaceful resolution, and recognizes the efforts both sides have made to find mutually agreeable terms. We look forward to supporting the implementation of the peace agreement in the coming months.

Likewise, with respect to Papua, the United States reiterates its firm support for the territorial integrity of Indonesia. The United States does not support or condone any efforts to promote the secession of Papua from the Republic of Indonesia. We believe that implementation of political and economic reforms, in the context of Special Autonomy and within a united Indonesia, is the key to addressing longstanding grievances, including human rights concerns.

Source: state.gov 2005/742 Press Statement, Sean McCormack, Spokesman, Washington, DC, July 29, 2005

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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Question: Will the U.S. be submitting its report on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to the United Nations Human Rights Committee?

Answer: The United States continues to work on a report of its implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In May of this year, the United States submitted its report on the implementation of the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Since that time, we have concentrated our efforts on completing the ICCPR report, which we hope to submit to the Human Rights Committee as soon as possible.

2005/ 747 Released on July 29, 2005

Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DCJuly 29, 2005 Question Taken at July 29, 2005, Daily Press Briefing

more at International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and United Nations or United Nations Human Rights Committee

Kyrgyz Republic Uzbek Asylum Seekers

Kyrgyz Republic Facilitates Humanitarian Transfer of Uzbek Asylum Seekers

The Secretary called Kyrgyz President-elect Kurmanbek Bakiyev this morning to express appreciation for the Kyrgyz government’s decision to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to transfer 439 asylum seekers from Kyrgyz Republic to Romania today. The asylum seekers, who had sought initial refuge in the Kyrgyz Republic, will remain in Romania on a temporary basis while the UNHCR arranges permanent resettlement in third countries.

By providing sanctuary for the asylum seekers and allowing today’s humanitarian transfer, the Kyrgyz Republic has demonstrated its commitment to support international efforts to assist individuals who seek protection from persecution. The Kyrgyz Republic deserves the thanks of all those in the international community who are committed to the U.N.’s humanitarian principles.

We and the UNHCR continue to strongly advocate for the transfer of the remaining fifteen Uzbek asylum seekers to a third country for resettlement processing. We hope that the Kyrgyz Republic will take immediate steps to ensure that the remaining asylum seekers’ human rights are fully protected. We welcome the Kyrgyz government’s pledge to consult with UNHCR before taking any action on any one of the Uzbek asylum seekers in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Source: state.gov 2005/740, Released on July 29, 2005 Press Statement, Sean McCormack, Spokesman, Washington, DC, July 29, 2005

nore at Romania and Uzbekistan or United Nations and Kyrgystan and State Department or Department of State

Call for Radovan Karadzic to Surrender

Ljiljana Karadzic’s Call for Radovan Karadzic to Surrender

We welcome and echo the statements of Mrs. Ljiljana Karadzic calling on her husband, Radovan Karadzic, to surrender to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. We admire Mrs. Karadzic’s courage to call for what is right and what is needed for both the Karadzic family and all the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, and throughout the entire Balkans region.

We urge politicians in the region to support and echo this call to surrender. We urge Radovan Karadzic to heed these calls and surrender. We also call upon Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina to do the same.

Source: state.gov 2005/741 Press Statement, Sean McCormack, Spokesman, Washington, DC, July 29, 2005, Released on July 29, 2005 Radovan Karadzic or Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina or Montenegro and Serbia

Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has asked Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky to play a leading role in U.S. efforts to foster and strengthen democracy. To reflect the importance that the Administration attaches to this goal, the title of Dr. Dobriansky’s position has been changed to Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs.

2005/748

Source: state.gov Released on July 29, 2005 Media Note, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC, July 29, 2005

more at Condoleeza Rice and State Department or Department of State and Paula Dobriansky

Japan: Secretary's Meeting with Foreign Minister Machimura

Japan: Secretary's Meeting with Foreign Minister Machimura

Question: Can you provide a readout on the Secretary’s meeting today with Japanese Foreign Minister Machimura?

Answer: Secretary Rice and Foreign Minister Machimura met this morning for thirty minutes. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Tsuneo Nishida also attended. The primary topic of discussion was Japan’s goal of obtaining a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The Secretary emphasized again that the U.S. strongly supports Japan for a permanent seat, but that changes to the Security Council must be viewed as one element of an overall agenda for UN reform.

The BSE issue also was discussed at the meeting. The Secretary stressed to the Foreign Minister that it is important to achieve the resumption of U.S. exports of beef to Japan soon.

2005/736, Released on July 28, 2005

Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC July 28, 2005 Question Taken at the July 28, 2005 Daily Press Briefing

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bush radio address 07/30/05 full audio, text transcript

bush radio address 07/30/05 full audio, text transcript

President's Radio Address

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This year Congress and I have addressed many key priorities of the American people and we're making great progress.

At the start of the year, I urged Congress to ease the burden of junk lawsuits on American workers, businesses and families, so Congress passed, and I signed, bipartisan class-action reform. We called for restoring integrity to the bankruptcy process, so Congress passed, and I signed common-sense reform of our nation's bankruptcy laws. I requested vital funds for our men and women in uniform, so Congress passed, and I proudly signed, critical legislation to give our troops the resources they need to fight and win the war on terror.

This past week has brought even more progress, with four major achievements. First, I signed into law a patient safety bill that will improve our health care system by reducing medical errors. Second, Congress came to an agreement on a highway bill that will improve safety, modernize our roads and bridges, and create jobs. Third, Congress passed the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement. This historic agreement will reduce barriers to American goods, services and crops, and make our nation more secure by strengthening the young democracies in our neighborhood.

Finally, after years of debate, Republicans and Democrats in Congress came together to pass a comprehensive energy plan that will reduce America's dependence on foreign sources of energy. This bill will encourage conservation and efficiency, increase domestic production, promote alternative and renewable resources, and modernize the electricity grid. I thank the members of Congress who worked so hard on this vital legislation and I look forward to signing it into law.

As members of Congress return home for their August recess, I plan to travel to seven states around the country. I will talk to Americans about our growing economy. Thanks to the tax relief we passed and the spending restraint, our economy today is growing faster than any other major industrialized country. The unemployment rate is down to 5 percent, lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. We created more than 2 million jobs in the past 12 months; more Americans are working today than ever before in our nation's history.

The 2005 deficit is projected to be $94 billion less than previously expected, and we're now ahead of the pace needed to meet my goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009.

We have more to do, and I will not be satisfied until every American who wants to work can find a job. I look forward to talking to the American people about our plans to continue strengthening the economic security of America's seniors and working families.

During August, I will also meet with our troops and their families, and update the American people on the latest developments in the war on terror. We have a comprehensive strategy in place; we're improving our homeland security and intelligence. The House renewed the key provisions of the Patriot Act that were set to expire at the end of this year. And I call on the Senate to do the same.

We're also spreading freedom, because free countries are peaceful. And we're staying on the offensive against the terrorists, fighting them abroad so we do not have to face them here at home.

I also urge members of the Senate to use August to prepare to act on my nomination of Judge John Roberts to serve on the Supreme Court. This talented and capable man will fairly interpret the Constitution and laws, not legislate from the bench. Judge Roberts' time on the D.C. Circuit Court, his service at the Department of Justice and at the White House in two administrations, his impressive career as a top attorney in private practice, and his stellar academic and legal background demonstrate why Americans of all points of view have expressed their support for him.

One of the highest honors for any lawyer is to argue a case before the Supreme Court. In his extraordinary career, Judge Roberts has argued a remarkable 39 cases before the nation's highest court. I look forward to working with the Senate in the weeks ahead so that Judge Roberts can receive a timely and dignified hearing and be confirmed before the Court reconvenes on October 3rd.

Our achievements so far this year show how much can be done when we come together to do what is right for the American people. When Congress returns in September, I will continue to work with the Republicans and Democrats to build on this good progress for all Americans.

Thank you for listening.

For Immediate Release, July 30, 2005

more at John Roberts and Supreme Court or President Bush and Congress

Freedom Calendar 07/30/05 - 08/06/05

July 30, 1866, Democrat-controlled City of New Orleans orders police to storm racially-integrated Republican meeting; raid kills 40 and wounds more than 150.

July 31, 2000, African-American U.S. Rep. J. C. Watts (R-OK) presides over Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.

August 1, 1916, Republican presidential candidate Charles Evans Hughes, former New York Governor and U.S. Supreme Court Justice, endorses women’s suffrage.
constitutional amendment; he would become Secretary of State and Chief Justice 2

August 2, 1810, Birth of anti-slavery activist and New Hampshire U.S. Rep. Amos Tuck, co-founder of the Republican Party.

August 3, 1990, President George H. W. Bush declares first National American Indian Heritage Month.

August 4, 1965, Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL) overcomes Democrat attempts to block 1965 Voting Rights Act; 94% of Senate Republicans vote for landmark civil right legislation, while 27% of Democrats oppose.

August 5, 1964, Hispanic-American Republican Lt. Everett Alvarez, USN, is shot down in Vietnam; becomes first U.S. prisoner of North Vietnamese and longest-serving POW in U.S. history.

August 6, 1965, Voting Rights Act of 1965, abolishing literacy tests and other measures devised by Democrats to prevent African-Americans from voting, signed into law; higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats vote in favor.

“Every one who shoots down negroes in the streets, burns negro school-houses and meeting-houses, and murders women and children by the light of their own flaming dwellings, calls himself a Democrat. Every New York rioter in 1863 who burned up little children in colored asylums, who robbed, ravished, and murdered indiscriminately in the midst of a blazing city for three days and nights, calls himself a Democrat.”

Governor Oliver Morton (R-IN), whose statue is in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol and also at the entrance to the Indiana State Capitol Building, 1866.

SOURCE: 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar more at Freedom Calendar or Republican and Republicans

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act, VIDEO

President Signs Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act FULL DTREAMING VIDEO of 2005, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Room 450 10:09 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Welcome. Good morning. (Laughter.) In a few moments, I'll have the honor of signing the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (S.544). This bill is a critical step toward our goal of ensuring top-quality, patient-driven health care for all Americans.

With this law, we'll be able to obtain more accurate information about medical treatments. And by providing doctors with information about what treatments work and what treatments cause problems, we will reduce medical errors that injure and cause the deaths of thousands of Americans each year.

I commend the members of Congress for their hard work in passing this piece of legislation. This has been a productive week for the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. I'm looking forward to signing an energy bill that will encourage conservation, increase domestic production, and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I'm looking forward to signing a highway bill that will strengthen our transportation infrastructure and improve the safety of our roads and create jobs.

I appreciate the House and the Senate for passing the Central American Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement that will level the playing field for America's goods, as well as promote democracy in our hemisphere. All these bills are good bills. They're good for the people of this country. And I appreciate their hard work in getting them to my desk.

I want to thank the Secretary of Health and Human Services for joining us, Mike Leavitt. I appreciate Senator Bill Frist, the Majority Leader -- Dr. Bill Frist. (Laughter.) I want to thank Committee Chairman Mike Enzi, Senator Judd Gregg and Ted Kennedy and Jim Jeffords for their good work in the United States Senate on this piece of legislation. I appreciate my friend from Texas, Joe Barton -- Congressman Joe Barton, and Nathan Deal and Mike Bilirakis for joining me here today as I sign this piece of legislation.

I want to thank Dr. Edward Hill, who is the President of the American Medical Association, straight out of Mississippi. (Laughter.) I appreciate Dr. Sophia Smith, who is the Children's National Medical Center; Dr. Janis Orlowski, who is the Senior Vice President of the Washington Hospital Center; and Susan Mintz -- Suzanne Mintz, the President of the National Family Caregivers Association. Thank you all for coming. I also want to welcome our professionals who are here with us today.

The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act will help ensure that Americans continue to benefit from the greatest medical system in the world. To maintain the highest standards of care, doctors and nurses must be able to exchange information about problems and solutions. Yet in recent years, many doctors have grown afraid to discuss their practices because they worry that the information they provide will be used against them in a lawsuit.

This bill will help solve that problem. This is a common-sense law that gives legal protections to health professionals who report their practices to patient safety organizations. By providing critical information about medical procedures, doctors and nurses can help others learn from their experiences. That's why I said it's a common-sense law. By making essential information more available across America, we will help ensure that patients benefit from the best medical treatment, no matter where they live. That seems to make sense to me.


This bill builds on other common-sense reforms we're making to the American health care system. By providing a new Medicare prescription drug benefit, we're giving seniors more choices and helping them get the medicine they need. By making health savings accounts more broadly available, we're helping more Americans own and control their own health coverage. By increasing funding for community health centers, we're helping the poor and the uninsured get the quality health care they deserve and need.

We'll continue working to improve our health care system. To make it easier for employers to offer coverage to their workers, we must allow small businesses to join together to buy insurance at the same discounts that big businesses can do. To reduce costs and improve care, we must harness the power of information technology to computerize health records.

And we've got to stop the frivolous lawsuits that are running up the cost of medicine and driving good professionals out of this important profession. We need medical liability reform now. (Applause.) The bill I sign today is an example of people coming together to do what's right for the country.

Again, I want to thank the members of Congress who are here. It is now my honor to sign this good bill into law. (Applause.)

(The bill is signed.) (Applause.)

END 10:15 A.M. EDT For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, July 29, 2005

more at Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act or President Bush and S.544

FRIST COMMENTS ON STEM CELL RESEARCH

FRIST COMMENTS ON STEM CELL RESEARCH

Floor Statement -- Remarks As Prepared For Delivery

July 29th, 2005 - Since 2001 when stem cell research first captured our nation’s attention, I’ve said many times the issue will have to be reviewed on an ongoing basis -- and not just because the science holds tremendous promise, or because it’s developing with breathtaking speed.

Indeed, stem cell research presents the first major moral and ethical challenge to biomedical research in the 21st century.

In this age of unprecedented discovery, challenges that arise from the nexus of advancing science and ethical considerations will come with increasing frequency. How can they not? Every day we unlock more of the mysteries of human life and more ways to promote and enhance our health. This compels profound questions -- moral questions that we understandably struggle with both as individuals and as a body politic.

How we answer these questions today -- and whether, in the end, we get them right -- impacts the promise not only of current research, but of future research, as well. It will define us as a civilized and ethical society forever in the eyes of history. We are, after all, laying the foundation of an age in human history that will touch our individual lives far more intimately than the Information Age and even the Industrial Age before it.

Answering fundamental questions about human life is seldom easy. For example, to realize the promise of my own field of heart transplantation and at the same time address moral concerns introduced by new science, we had to ask the question: How do we define “death?” With time, careful thought, and a lot of courage from people who believed in the promise of transplant medicine, but also understood the absolute necessity for a proper ethical framework, we answered that question, allowed the science to advance, and have since saved tens of thousands of lives.

So when I remove the human heart from someone who is brain dead, and I place it in the chest of someone whose heart is failing to give them new life, I do so within an ethical construct that honors dignity of life and respect for the individual.

Like transplantation, if we can answer the moral and ethical questions about stem cell research, I believe we will have the opportunity to save many lives and make countless other lives more fulfilling. That’s why we must get our stem cell policy right -- scientifically and ethically. And that’s why I stand on the floor of the United States Senate today.
*
Four years ago, I came to this floor and laid out a comprehensive proposal to promote stem cell research within a thorough framework of ethics. I proposed 10 specific interdependent principles. They dealt with all types of stem cell research, including adult and embryonic stem cells.

As we know, adult stem cell research is not controversial on ethical grounds -- while embryonic stem cell research is. Right now, to derive embryonic stem cells, an embryo -- which many, including myself, consider nascent human life -- must be destroyed. But I also strongly believe -- as do countless other scientists, clinicians, and doctors -- that embryonic stem cells uniquely hold specific promise for some therapies and potential cures that adult stem cells cannot provide.

I’ll come back to that later. Right now, though, let me say this: I believe today -- as I believed and stated in 2001, prior to the establishment of current policy -- that the federal government should fund embryonic stem cell research. And as I said four years ago, we should federally fund research only on embryonic stem cells derived from blastocysts leftover from fertility therapy, which will not be implanted or adopted but instead are otherwise destined by the parents with absolute certainty to be discarded and destroyed.

Let me read to you my 5th principle as I presented it on this floor four years ago:

No. 5. Provide funding for embryonic stem cell research only from blastocysts that would otherwise be discarded. We need to allow Federal funding for research using only those embryonic stem cells derived from blastocysts that are left over after in vitro fertilization and would otherwise be discarded (Cong. Rec. 18 July 2001: S7847).

I made it clear at the time, and do so again today, that such funding should only be provided within a system of comprehensive ethical oversight. Federally funded embryonic research should be allowed only with transparent and fully informed consent of the parents. And that consent should be granted under a careful and thorough federal regulatory system, which considers both science and ethics. Such a comprehensive ethical system, I believe, is absolutely essential. Only with strict safeguards, public accountability, and complete transparency will we ensure that this new, evolving research unfolds within accepted ethical bounds.

My comprehensive set of 10 principles, as outlined in 2001 (Cong. Rec. 18 July 2001: S7846-S7851) are as follows:

1. Ban Embryo Creation for Research;
2. Continue Funding Ban on Derivation;
3. Ban Human Cloning;
4. Increase Adult Stem Cell Research Funding;
5. Provide Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research Only From Blastocysts That Would Otherwise Be Discarded;
6. Require a Rigorous Informed Consent Process;
7. Limit Number of Stem Cell Lines;
8. Establish A Strong Public Research Oversight System;
9. Require Ongoing, Independent Scientific and Ethical Review;
10. Strengthen and Harmonize Fetal Tissue Research Restrictions.

That is what I said four years ago, and that is what I believe today. After all, principles are meant to stand the test of time -- even when applied to a field changing as rapidly as stem cell research.
*
I’m a physician. My profession is healing. I’ve devoted my life to attending to the needs of the sick and suffering and to promoting health and well being. For the past several years, I’ve temporarily set aside the profession of medicine to participate in public policy with a continued commitment to heal.

In all forms of stem cell research, I see today, just as I saw in 2001, great promise to heal. Whether it’s diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, or spinal cord injuries, stem cells offer hope for treatment that other lines of research cannot offer.

Embryonic stem cells have specific properties that make them uniquely powerful and deserving of special attention in the realm of medical science. These special properties explain why scientists and physicians feel so strongly about support of embryonic as well as adult stem cell research.

Unlike other stem cells, embryonic stem cells are “pluripotent.” That means they have the capacity to become any type of tissue in the human body. Moreover, they are capable of renewing themselves and replicating themselves over and over again -- indefinitely.

Adult stem cells meet certain medical needs. But embryonic stem cells -- because of these unique characteristics -- meet other medical needs that simply cannot be met today by adult stem cells. They especially offer hope for treating a range of diseases that require tissue to regenerate or restore function.
*
On August 9, 2001, shortly after I outlined my principles (Cong. Rec. 18 July 2001: S7846-S7851), President Bush announced his policy on embryonic stem cell research. His policy was fully consistent with my ten principles, so I strongly supported it. It federally funded embryonic stem cell research for the first time. It did so within an ethical framework. And it showed respect for human life.

But this policy restricted embryonic stem cell funding only to those cell lines that had been derived from embryos before the date of his announcement. In my policy I, too, proposed restricting number of cell lines, but I did not propose a specific cutoff date. Over time, with a limited number of cell lines, would we be able to realize the full promise of embryonic stem cell research?

When the President announced his policy, it was widely believed that 78 embryonic stem cell lines would be available for federal funding. That has proven not to be the case. Today only 22 lines are eligible. Moreover, those lines unexpectedly after several generations are starting to become less stable and less replicative than initially thought (they are acquiring and losing chromosomes, losing the normal karyotype, and potentially losing growth control). They also were grown on mouse feeder cells, which we have learned since, will likely limit their future potential for clinical therapy in humans (e.g., potential of viral contamination).

While human embryonic stem cell research is still at a very early stage, the limitations put in place in 2001 will, over time, slow our ability to bring potential new treatments for certain diseases. Therefore, I believe the President’s policy should be modified. We should expand federal funding (and thus NIH oversight) and current guidelines governing stem cell research, carefully and thoughtfully staying within ethical bounds.
*
During the past several weeks, I’ve made considerable effort to bring the debate on stem cell research to the Senate floor, in a way that provided colleagues with an opportunity to express their views on this issue and vote on proposals that reflected those views. While we have not yet reached consensus on how to proceed, the Senate will likely consider the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which passed the House in May by a vote of 238 to 194, at some point this Congress. This bill would allow federal funding of embryonic stem cell research for cells derived from human embryos that:

1. are created for the purpose of fertility treatments;
2. are no longer needed by those who received the treatments;
3. would otherwise be discarded and destroyed;
4. are donated for research with the written, informed consent of those who received the fertility treatments, but do not receive financial or other incentives for their donations.

The bill, as written, has significant shortcomings, which I believe must be addressed.

First, it lacks a strong ethical and scientific oversight mechanism. One example we should look to is the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) that oversees DNA research. The RAC was established 25 years ago in response to public concerns about the safety of manipulation of genetic material through recombinant DNA techniques. Compliance with the guidelines (developed and reviewed by this oversight board of scientists, ethicists, and public representatives) is mandatory for investigators receiving NIH funds for research involving recombinant DNA.

Because most embryonic stem cell research today is being performed by the private sector (without NIH federal funding), there is today a lack of ethical and scientific oversight that routinely accompanies NIH-(federal) funded research.

Second, the bill doesn’t prohibit financial or other incentives between scientists and fertility clinics. Could such incentives, in the end, influence the decisions of parents seeking fertility treatments? This bill could seriously undermine the sanctity of the informed consent process.

Third, the bill doesn’t specify whether the patients or clinic staff or anyone else has the final say about whether an embryo will be implanted or will be discarded. Obviously, any decision about the destiny of an embryo must clearly and ultimately rest with the parents.

These shortcomings merit a thoughtful and thorough rewrite of the bill. But as insufficient as the bill is, it is fundamentally consistent with the principles I laid out more than four years ago. Thus, with appropriate reservations, I will support the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
*
I am pro-life. I believe human life begins at conception. It is at this moment that the organism is complete -- yes, immature -- but complete. An embryo is nascent human life. It’s genetically distinct. And it’s biologically human. It’s living. This position is consistent with my faith. But, to me, it isn’t just a matter of faith. It’s a fact of science.

Our development is a continuous process -- gradual and chronological. We were all once embryos. The embryo is human life at its earliest stage of development. And accordingly, the human embryo has moral significance and moral worth. It deserves to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect.

I also believe that embryonic stem cell research should be encouraged and supported. But, just as I said in 2001, it should advance in a manner that affords all human life dignity and respect -- the same dignity and respect we bring to the table as we work with children and adults to advance the frontiers of medicine and health.
*
Congress must have the ability to fully exercise its oversight authority on an ongoing basis. And policymakers, I believe, have a responsibility to re-examine stem cell research policy in the future and, if necessary, make adjustments.

This is essential, in no small part, because of promising research not even imagined four years ago. Exciting techniques are now emerging that may make it unnecessary to destroy embryos (even those that will be discarded anyway) to obtain cells with the same unique “pluripotential” properties as embryonic stem cells.

For example, an adult stem cell could be “reprogrammed” back to an earlier embryonic stage. This, in particular, may prove to be the best way, both scientifically and ethically, to overcome rejection and other barriers to effective stem cell therapies. To me -- and I would hope to every member of this body -- that’s research worth supporting. Shouldn’t we want to discover therapies and cures -- given a choice -- through the most ethical and moral means?

So let me make it crystal clear: I strongly support newer, alternative means of deriving, creating, and isolating pluripotent stem cells -- whether they’re true embryonic stem cells or stem cells that have all of the unique properties of embryonic stem cells.

With more federal support and emphasis, these newer methods, though still preliminary today, may offer huge scientific and clinical pay-offs. And just as important, they may bridge moral and ethical differences among people who now hold very different views on stem cell research because they totally avoid destruction of any human embryos.

These alternative methods of potentially deriving pluripotent cells include:

1. Extraction from embryos that are no longer living;
2. Non-lethal and non-harmful extraction from embryos;
3. Extraction from artificially created organisms that are not embryos, but embryo-like;
4. Reprogramming adult cells to a pluripotent state through fusion with embryonic cell lines.
*
Now, to date, adult stem cell research is the only type of stem cell research that has resulted in proven treatments for human patients. For example, the multi-organ and multi-tissue transplant center that I founded and directed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center performed scores of life-saving bone marrow transplants every year to treat fatal cancers with adult stem cells.

And stem cells taken from cord blood have shown great promise in treating leukemia, myeloproliferative disorders and congenital immune system disorders. Recently, cord blood cells have shown some ability to become neural cells, which could lead to treatments for Parkinson’s disease and heart disease.

Thus, we should also strongly support increased funding for adult stem cell research. I’m a cosponsor of a bill that will make it much easier for patients to receive cord blood cell treatments.
*
Adult stem cells are powerful. They’ve effectively treated many diseases and are theoretically promising for others. But embryonic stem cells -- because they can become almost any human tissue (“pluripotent”) and renew and replicate themselves infinitely -- are uniquely necessary for potentially treating other diseases.

No doubt, the ethical questions over embryonic stem cell research are profound. They’re challenging. They merit serious debate. And not just on the Senate floor, but across America -- at our dining room tables, in our community centers, on our town squares.

We simply cannot flinch from the need to talk with each other, again and again, as biomedical progress unfolds and breakthroughs are made in the coming years and generations. The promise of the Biomedical Age is too profound for us to fail.
*
That’s why I believe it’s only fair, on an issue of such magnitude, that senators be given the respect and courtesy of having their ideas in this arena considered separately and cleanly, instead of in a whirl of amendments and complicated parliamentary maneuvers. I’ve been working to bring this about for the last few months. I’ll continue to do so.

And when we are able to bring this to the floor, we will certainly have a serious and thoughtful debate in the Senate. There are many conflicting points of view. And I recognize these differing views more than ever in my service as majority leader: I’ve had so many individual and private conversations with my colleagues that reflect the diversity and complexity of thought on this issue.

So how do we reconcile these differing views? As individuals, each of us holds views shaped by factors of intellect, of emotion, of spirit. If your daughter has diabetes, if your father has Parkinson’s, if your sister has a spinal cord injury, your views will be swayed more powerfully than you can imagine by the hope that cure will be found in those magnificent cells, recently discovered, that today originate only in an embryo.

As a physician, one should give hope -- but never false hope. Policy makers, similarly, should not overpromise and give false hope to those suffering from disease. And we must be careful to always stay within clear and comprehensive ethical and moral guidelines -- the soul of our civilization and the conscience of our nation demand it.

Cure today may be just a theory, a hope, a dream. But the promise is powerful enough that I believe this research deserves our increased energy and focus. Embryonic stem cell research must be supported. It’s time for a modified policy -- the right policy for this moment in time. Source: Bill Frist, M.D.

more at Bill Frist or Stem Cell Research and Embryonic Stem Cells or Politics and stem cells

Space Shuttle Discovery STS-114 External Tank Images

STS114-E-5008 (26 July 2005) ---- Handheld still images taken by Discovery's crew of the external fuel tank as it was jettisoned after launch on July 26 were transmitted to the ground early July 27. + Hi-res (329 Kb) + Low-res (26 Kb)

Engineers are analyzing these photos as part of the extensive imagery data being gathered to understand debris during the Shuttle's ascent during STS-114. These images of the external tank were taken with the tank closer to the Shuttle than on any past missions due to an earlier maneuver performed by the spacecraft shortly after main engine cutoff. (Image Credit: NASA)

+ Hi-res (192 Kb) + Low-res (13 Kb)

+ Hi-res (252 Kb) + Low-res (13 Kb)

S114-E-5002 (26 July 2005) --- Handheld still image taken by Discovery's crew of the external fuel tank as it was jettisoned after launch on July 26 were transmitted to the ground early July 27. + Hi-res (329 Kb) + Low-res (24 Kb)

Initial analysis of the imagery shows a large piece of foam that separated from the tank during the Shuttle's ascent to orbit. The foam detached from an area of the tank called the Protuberance Air Load (PAL) Ramp. This debris also was identified during ascent from a live video camera mounted on the external tank. The television view indicated the debris did not impact Discovery. In this still image, the area of missing foam on the tank is indicated by a light spot near the upper edge of the tank just below the liquid oxygen feedline. (Image Credit: NASA)

+ Low-res (47 Kb)

+ Low-res (52 Kb)

+ Hi-res (1.5 Mb) + Low-res (71 Kb)

+ Low-res (109 Kb)

S114-E-5070 (26 July 2005) --- Digital umbilical well images taken after Discovery separated from its external fuel tank following launch on July 26 were transmitted to the ground July 27. Initial analysis of the imagery shows a large piece of foam that separated from the tank during the Shuttle's ascent to orbit. The foam detached from an area of the tank called the Protuberance Air Load (PAL) Ramp. This debris also was identified during ascent from a live video camera mounted on the external tank. The television view indicated the debris did not impact Discovery. In this still image, the area of missing foam on the tank is indicated by a light spot centered just below the liquid oxygen feedline. (Image Credit: NASA) Source: NASA
more at Space Shuttle Discovery or Space Shuttle and STS-114 or Discovery

London, Five suspects arrested - 29/07/05

Five suspects arrested - 29/07/05

Police have today, 29 July 2005, conducted operations at two residential addresses in west London in connection with the ongoing investigations into attempted bomb attacks on the London transport network on 21 July.

Officers are now in the process of securing those two premises which are being treated as crime scenes.

Police have arrested two men at one address and a third man has been arrested at the second address. They are being taken to a central London police station for further questioning.

Two women were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 at Liverpool Street Station earlier today. They remain in custody.

Source: Metropolitan Police Service Bulletin 0000000245 29 July 2005

more at London or London Explosion or London bombing and London bomb or London Bombings

Nine arrested in Tooting, London

Nine arrested in Tooting

MPS officers this July 23th executed search warrants obtained under the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2000 at two addresses in the Tooting area.

Nine men have been arrested under TACT 2000. All men have been taken to a central London police station where they will be interviewed.

Six were arrested at one address and three at the second.

Searches of the addresses are ongoing.

Bulletin 0000000242 28 July 2005

Source: Metropolitan Police Service more at London or London Explosion or London bombing and London bomb or London Bombings

Four men arrested in West Midlands

Four men arrested in West Midlands

At approximately 4.30am this morning, Wednesday 27 July 2005, following a joint operation which involved officers from West Midlands Police and the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch and the Security Services, officers executed a warrant obtained under the Terrorism Act 2000 at an address in Hay Mills, Birmingham.

One man was arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The man was tasered during the operation. No firearms were discharged.

He has been taken into custody to a Central London police station.

A suspect package was found and as a precautionary measure some residents have been evacuated from the area and explosives officers are in attendance.

Shortly afterwards a second search warrant was executed at an address in Washwood Heath, Birmingham.

Three men were arrested at this address under the Terrorism Act 2000. They have been taken into custody in the West Midlands Police Force area.

Forensic examinations are being conducted at both addresses.

These operations are in connection with the incidents in London on 21 July 2005.

Source: Metropolitan Police Service more at London or London Explosion or London bombing and London bomb or London Bombings