ALBANY, New York (AP) ? Singer Leslie Carter, the sister of Aaron Carter and former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, has died in upstate New York. She was 25.
A publicist for the Carter family confirmed the death, but provided no details Wednesday on where or how she died.
A statement from the family says they're grieving for Carter and requested "the utmost privacy."
Carter's single "Like Wow" was on the soundtrack for "Shrek" in 2001. In 2006, she appeared in all eight episodes of the reality show "House of Carters."
Wojtek S wsoko52 at gmail.com Fri Feb 3 06:43:34 PST 2012 shag: " what the well off do to "volunteer" is, ahem, nothing like what a poor person does. a well to do person chairs meetings, telling others what to do, including the person who actually does the project management. a less well off person, you know, paints the women's shelter and plants shrubs at a daycare center for low income families."
[WS:] Absolutely. Not just different kinds of work but also different conceptualizations of it. My favorite line by a working class person asked if he volunteers "Society ladies volunteer, we help each other." That is why we always recommend abstaining from using the world volunteering in the survey and instead using field tested descriptive terms (I do this stuff for a living, you may check http://www.unv.org/en/news-resources/resources/on-volunteerism/doc/measuring-volunteering-toolkit.html and http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@stat/documents/publication/wcms_162119.pdf).
As far as the September Supplement to the CPS (a tool that the BLS uses to measure volunteering in the US - which I used as a reference) they do use term "volunteer" but they also have a follow up question in which they give some descriptive examples. However, they measure only volunteering through organizations, which may produce skewed results since poor people are more likely to help each other directly rather than through organizations. We tried to estimate both organizational and direct volunteering in developed and developing countries http://ccss.jhu.edu/publications-findings?did=321 and it seems that the rate of direct/organizational volunteering is higher in the Global South than in the Global North. With that in mind, I think that distribution of volunteering by education would look differently from what the BLS data show, had the direct volunteering been counted.
Having said that - volunteering is likely to play different roles in different social classes that rely on different forms of cultural and social capital (which is a straightforward interpretation of Bourdieu's "Distinctions.") That was the point of my argument - what appears as differences in "charitable" behavior associated with political views may in fact be differences due to social class.
RE: "> *from gouldner: "sociologists keep two sets of books, one for the study of > 'laymen' and another when he thinks about himself....the sociologist"
[WS:] I am not sure I understand the relevance of this reference. Sociology is probably one of the most reflexive sciences - more eager to systematically examine biases brought by the observer (sociologist) and observation process than all other sciences, except anthropology. So if such bias is noted by a sociologist, it is a result of the fact that its being systematically looked for rather than due to greater incidence of it in sociology than elsewhere. If i were to name one discipline that is least reflexive and most systematically oblivious to its own biases, it would be the "dismal science" not sociology.
Wojtek
More information about the lbo-talk mailing list [lbo-talk] conservatives vs. leftists
Wojtek S wsoko52 at gmail.com Fri Feb 3 06:43:34 PST 2012 shag: " what the well off do to "volunteer" is, ahem, nothing like what a poor person does. a well to do person chairs meetings, telling others what to do, including the person who actually does the project management. a less well off person, you know, paints the women's shelter and plants shrubs at a daycare center for low income families."
[WS:] Absolutely. Not just different kinds of work but also different conceptualizations of it. My favorite line by a working class person asked if he volunteers "Society ladies volunteer, we help each other." That is why we always recommend abstaining from using the world volunteering in the survey and instead using field tested descriptive terms (I do this stuff for a living, you may check http://www.unv.org/en/news-resources/resources/on-volunteerism/doc/measuring-volunteering-toolkit.html and http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@stat/documents/publication/wcms_162119.pdf).
As far as the September Supplement to the CPS (a tool that the BLS uses to measure volunteering in the US - which I used as a reference) they do use term "volunteer" but they also have a follow up question in which they give some descriptive examples. However, they measure only volunteering through organizations, which may produce skewed results since poor people are more likely to help each other directly rather than through organizations. We tried to estimate both organizational and direct volunteering in developed and developing countries http://ccss.jhu.edu/publications-findings?did=321 and it seems that the rate of direct/organizational volunteering is higher in the Global South than in the Global North. With that in mind, I think that distribution of volunteering by education would look differently from what the BLS data show, had the direct volunteering been counted.
Having said that - volunteering is likely to play different roles in different social classes that rely on different forms of cultural and social capital (which is a straightforward interpretation of Bourdieu's "Distinctions.") That was the point of my argument - what appears as differences in "charitable" behavior associated with political views may in fact be differences due to social class.
RE: "> *from gouldner: "sociologists keep two sets of books, one for the study of > 'laymen' and another when he thinks about himself....the sociologist"
[WS:] I am not sure I understand the relevance of this reference. Sociology is probably one of the most reflexive sciences - more eager to systematically examine biases brought by the observer (sociologist) and observation process than all other sciences, except anthropology. So if such bias is noted by a sociologist, it is a result of the fact that its being systematically looked for rather than due to greater incidence of it in sociology than elsewhere. If i were to name one discipline that is least reflexive and most systematically oblivious to its own biases, it would be the "dismal science" not sociology.
Android malware is on the rise. But Google says its new 'Bouncer' system has already been successful in repelling waves of spammers and phishers.?
Roughly 47 percent of smartphone owners in the US use an Android phone, according to the most recent figures from tracking firm comScore. A big number, obviously, and with it have come very big vulnerabilities, including a flood of Android malware. As we noted late last year, Android phones are the top target for Internet ne'er-do-wells; in fact, in the third quarter of 2011, practically all malware was directed right at Android.?
Skip to next paragraph
Enter "Bouncer," a new service from Google.?Bouncer, Google exec?Hiroshi Lockheimer wrote in a blog post today, is a kind of virtual guardian, which automatically scans the?Android Market, and notifies Google of any possible malware.?
Bouncer "looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags," Lockheimer explained. "We actually run every application on Google?s cloud infrastructure and simulate how it will run on an Android device to look for hidden, malicious behavior. We also analyze new developer accounts to help prevent malicious and repeat-offending developers from coming back."?
And there is evidence that Bouncer is already working ? according to Lockheimer, the service, which has been active for several months, has led to "a?40% decrease in the number of potentially-malicious downloads from Android Market." In other words, malware is still being flung at the Android market, but the new security system is keeping out at least some of it.?
And thank goodness for that, writes Dan Goodin of Ars Technica.
"For years, critics have said Google doesn't do enough to police its own servers for apps that steal user data, rack up expensive charges, and carry out other undisclosed abuse," Goodin notes. "Google's?guidelines for Android developers?promise they have 'complete control over when and how they make their applications available to users.' While many developers and users welcome the freedom, it has also allowed malware purveyors to install their titles on tens of thousands of Android phones."?
For more tech news, follow us on?Twitter @venturenaut. And don?t forget to sign up for the weekly?BizTech newsletter.
Fresh off his double-digit victory in Tuesday's Florida Republican primary, a chipper Mitt Romney hit the morning talk-show circuit on Wednesday, appearing on the "Today" show, "Good Morning America," "CBS This Morning," "Fox and Friends" and CNN's "Starting Point" via satellite from Tampa.
With Newt Gingrich vowing to stay in the race until the Republican Convention--and to continue his attack on the frontrunner--Romney dismissed the notion that a long campaign would hurt his chances in a general election against Barack Obama.
"The attacks that have come from him have probably toughened us up and helped us learn how to respond," Romney told Charlie Rose on "CBS This Morning." "Clearly, what Barack Obama comes with will be a lot more money, even more vitriol than what we faced so far, but we're prepared."
Romney had clearly been practicing his talking points.
"I think what you're seeing now from Speaker Gingrich is just a precursor of what you'll see from President Obama," Romney told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on "GMA." Perhaps what we're getting now inoculates us, or at least prepares us, for what will come down the road. No question that Barack Obama's billion dollar machine will organize the most vitriolic, spiteful campaign in American history and we're going to have to be ready for that."
Romney trotted out the "billion" line to Soledad O'Brien on CNN as well: "I know that if I'm the nominee, Barack Obama is going to spend almost a billion dollars attacking me. So you might as well get it out there now.? Learn how to respond, and make sure that we're able to get back to the real issue people care about when the time of the general election comes around."
The former Massachusetts governor said the same to Matt Lauer on "Today": "I think the back and forth and even the attacks have been helpful because what's going to come from Barack Obama will be the same, just a heck of a lot more of it."
Perhaps the only news Romney made while making the rounds came during his interview with Lauer, when he confirmed he'll seek the endorsement of Rep. Michele Bachmann.
"I would like all the endorsements I can possibly get," he said. "By the way, any question about the support of conservatives, I think, was cleared up last night in Florida. People who call themselves conservative and very conservative overwhelmingly supported my campaign. Tea partiers supported my campaign. I hope I can convince people in Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado. I have to get a lot of support from many in my party.
Still, he added on ABC: "I'm feeling pretty good today, obviously."
Other popular Yahoo! News stories: ? Newt Gingrich's southern-fried lunch: Scenes from the 2012 Florida primary ? For Mitt Romney, wealth is an awkward subject: 'He doesn't like talking about his money' ? The secrets of Wolf's success: CNN anchor dishes to Yahoo News on debates, the 'Magic Wall,' and his rigorous exercise regime
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Named after a town in Yunnan province, the place where it originated, pu-er tea is a winner of a tea. It is made from rather large leaves that are oxidized twice in a process that imparts a very special earthy flavor. You may know this tea as Bo-lay or Bo-lei tea, both of these are Cantonese pronunciations. In years past, very long ago, this broad-leaf tea was called nuo-shan and it came from a plant that may be related to pre-glacier trees. That Quingmao tea tree, as it is called, is in the family of Camellia or tea plants. It has long ovine-shaped leaves and grows mainly in the highlands in and near Xishanghanna along the Lancanjiang River in the southwestern region of China. One tale about Pu-er tea tells that Kublai Khan's troops introduced this earthy tea to the rest of China. The veracity of this is questionable. Some say that a Chinese emperor was first to introduce this variety of tea to the west. He sent some to the king of England in 1806. One thing that is guaranteed is that in 1986, Pu-er tea garnered an international award at a fair in Barcelona, Spain; so it truly is a winner. Pu-er tea is considered a mild tea. Those leaves with a light coating of mold are considered the best. Traditional medicine practitioners recommend the tea to relieve indigestion and diarrhea and to reduce cholesterol. These are only some of the medicinal effects attributed to this tea. There are many others. Popular since Tang Dynasty times (618 - 907 CE), this tea is mistakenly spoken of as a black tea. Professionals understand why, because it is semi-fermented twice and this process is done longer than most oolong or semi-fermented teas, close to the cusp of what is done for black teas. Several call teas that are not quite black, as is pu-er, a 'Formosa oolong.' Tea made this way keeps its flavor through many infusions, more than almost all other teas. That, too, is a winner. One thing to note about pu-er tea is that it is the only tea the Chinese like to age. Another notable fact is that they drink it with the same respect Westerners give to a fine wine that is well-aged. A third is that this is tea afficionados like to consume this tea in a leisurely fashion and after a extremely good dinner. Should you like to so indulge, as several of us did a few years ago in Toronto at the five-star Lai Wah Heen restaurant in the Metropolitan Hotel, buy the very best. We ordered a pot of pu-er for the table at a cost of forty-eight dollars. There were ten to enjoy it and the pot? many refills throughout the dinner. Some at the table gulped, but they calmed down when told it only cost about the same price per person as a decent cup of coffee, and lots less than a decent glass of wine. And, we were to have not one but many cups full. Why was this particular one costing so much? Ordered, was a vintage forty-year-old pu-er to accompany a very fine dinner.
Compatriots at the table thought heads had turned to putty when with it was ordered individual bowls of shark's fin soup costing more than ten times that per person. After drinking the first cup of tea, they questioned their sanity and ours. Two infusions later, they were praising the decision, and by the seventh pot of tea, they deemed it phenomenal. For the first time, those new to this aged tea began touting its praises, even touting mine for ordering it. Unusual among teas, pu-er teas are fermented (but the technical term is really 'oxidized') as a white tea or green one, or they are semi-oxidized and called an 'oolong' tea. That is the kind we had at that dinner. They can also be fully oxidized and be a black tea. Except for the oolong variety, the others are rare and often not good. The very best leaves are usually prepared as an oolong tea. Emperor Zhong of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 CE) learned how great this tea was when he ordered his steamed; he used only the buds with hair on them and said that was the best.?
Pu-er is versatile in other ways. Some like it mixed with chrysanthemum tea. That is called gupa cha. Made with white tea as the Emperor had it, it is called pu show. Pressed into a bowl shape, as are many other fine teas, it is called tou cha. And as a seven layer cake-tea, it is called bing cha. Made into balls, it is called tuan cha, and in a rectangular cake, it is fang cha. No matter the shape, be sure to learn how long the tea has been set aside and properly aged. Teabags of pu-er found in a Chinatown supermarket were labeled as two-years old, others said 'five-years-old,' and some had no age. They tasted less good than either of the others. Do not expect the broken leaf teabag types to taste anywhere as good as the longer aged whole leaf varieties; but they are better than some other teas, particularly by the third and fourth infusion.
When making your tea, except for the white or green renditions, be sure the water is at a rolling boil. Most formosa oolong and black teas need water that high, past when they just start to boil. Green teas brew better at thirty degrees lower than that. And, if you want to make the very best tea eggs, use a pu-er tea, aged from two to five years. If you want to emulate the French in their tea-drinking, as in many other food behaviors, do drink aged pu-er tea. About one-quarter of all tea consumed in France is pu-er tea. Mr. Twining, one of England's favorite tea packers, has a fine new pu-er tea. The first tea brought to England in 1712 was a pakho or 'pekoe' tea. Not the pekoe of today, the tea then was white-haired tea, the kind loved by the Emperors of China. Today the English also import lots of pu-er tea. Researchers at Xiyuan Hospital and others at the Beijing Academy of Traditional Medicine have been going through old records. They report that in the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911 CE), pu-er tea leaves and medicinal herbs were decocted together. Called 'Elixir Tea' and recorded in the Secret Recipes of Pills, Powders, Ointments and Pellets of Chinese Medicine in the Imperial Hospital. A recipe for it appears eight times in the Records of Pulse Conditions of Concubine Ying of Emperor Jiaqing. Medicinals using pu-er tea during Qing court times (1644 - 1911 CE) were mixed with purple leaves of perilla and grass-leaf sweetflags. Also included were the rhizome of water-plantain and Chinese hawthorn slices, among other things.
Other items about this tea were touted in Ming times from Tao Hongjing's (456 - 536 CE) annotations about bitter tea. They recommended using it with asparagus shoots and China-greenbriar leaves. Then and now, 'Elixir Tea' is thought useful for the aged. In the Records in Pulse Cases of the Qing Courts, this tea was recommended to cure chills and fevers, headaches and pains from colds, indigestion after a sickness, and nausea. The nobility of the time, who had a liking for and overindulged in greasy and sweet food, believed in drinking pu-er tea. To them, in any of the above mixtures, it was useful in reducing obesity, improving digestion, alleviating depression, and promoting blood circulation. They also liked its taste and its effects on their mood. 'Elixir Tea' can be purchased in upscale Chinese supermarkets and tea emporia. It is still thought to be efficacious as an agent to reduce obesity. In China, it has been successfully tested on animals. Do not be fooled, however, should you want to use it to lose weight. Not all teas sold as a diet tea have it or any of the combination of ingredients used in Elixir Tea, nor are there any guarantees it will work. The Chinese classify tea as a cold and bitter food. Its contribution when used for herbal purposes dates back at least to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE). Mixing teas with herbs is thought to have begun with the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 - 581 CE) and continued to today. Large-scale consumption, that is every day drinking of tea in China started in early Tang Dynasty times (618 - 907 CE). It was the great poet Su Dong Po (1037 - 1101 CE) when writing about the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 CE) who said that tea drinking was essential for (his own) good health. His living to age sixty-four was cause enough for other Chinese to follow him. They believed and took his words to heart. Jing Xinbo in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 CE) went further, he wrote about different teas in his book Food and Drink Recipes and said that one should drink it because it aids when needing to cure a disease, and it prolongs life.
Have you had your tea this day? Invest as the emperors did and be sure that at least some of the time you drink pu-er tea. You will be delighted you did. The Chinese believe in its many positive effects including its mood-enhancing effects and reduction of melancholy. They confirm that it stimulates digestion and should always be consumed after a large meal. In addition, they drink pu-er tea to help in weight reduction and detoxification as they say it cleanses the body of damaging substances. For those who drink it regularly, the Chinese believe that all tea stimulates their Qi and aids in assuring a long and healthy life.
FDA approves new skin cancer drug first tested in Arizona by Scottsdale Healthcare and TGenPublic release date: 1-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Steve Yozwiak syozwiak@tgen.org 602-343-8704 The Translational Genomics Research Institute
World's first patient on drug was at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Feb 1, 2012 A new skin cancer drug tested for the first time in the world five years ago at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare just received expedited approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a remarkable accomplishment in new drug development.
Vismodegib (GDC-0449) was administered for the first time in the world Jan. 23, 2007, in a phase I clinical trial at Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at Scottsdale Healthcare, a partnership with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). Vismodegib received FDA approval on Jan. 30, 2012. Clinical trials progress through three phases and can take up to 10 years or more to successfully complete.
The drug is the first to receive FDA approval to treat inoperable basal cell carcinoma. Successful early trial results led to a broader subsequent study sponsored by Genentech. Continued positive study results led to Monday's FDA approval for marketing the drug under the name Erivedge.
Vismodegib is used to treat adult patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. It is intended for use in patients with locally advanced basal cell cancer who are not candidates for surgery or radiation and for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic), according to the FDA.
Arizona has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world, and in the United States two million new cases of basal cell carcinoma are diagnosed every year. Most instances of basal cell cancer can be effectively treated, but in some cases, the cancer cells spread and develop an aggressive form of the cancer that does not respond to standard surgical treatment.
"Until now, we did not have any treatments that can effectively slow the tumor growth in these patients with advanced skin cancer," said Daniel Von Hoff, MD, lead investigator. Dr. Von Hoff is physician-in-chief at TGen and chief scientific officer at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at Scottsdale Healthcare, where cancer patients receive treatment with promising new drugs.
"The drug works by inhibiting the Hedgehog pathway that is active in most basal cell cancers, preventing development, growth and survival of certain cancer cells. Results showed a durable clinical benefit tumor shrinkage visible on X-ray or other physical exam or improvement in symptoms without tumor growth," said Glen Weiss, MD, director of Thoracic Oncology at Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials and Clinical Associate Professor and Translational Physician Scientist at TGen.
Patient response during the clinical trials was assessed through physical examination and imaging. "Integrating genomic data with state-of-the-art clinical and imaging information to develop and apply targeted therapies has certainly taken a major step forward with the encouraging results from the Hedgehog trial," added Ron Korn, MD, a radiologist and medical director of the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare.
San Francisco-based Genentech developed Vismodegib. Successful results of early clinical trials at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, Johns Hopkins University and Karmanos Cancer Institute were published in the Sept. 17, 2009 New England Journal of Medicine and led to interest in increased access to the drug.
"In some patients there is progression to life-threatening, locally advanced or metastatic tumors. Approved as a pill to be taken once a day, we believe this new drug represents an opportunity to improve quality of life for these patients," said Dr. Weiss.
###
Individuals seeking information about eligibility to participate in clinical trials at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare may contact the cancer care coordinator at 480-323-1339; toll free at 1-877-273-3713 or via email at clinicaltrials@shc.org.
About the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare
The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare in Scottsdale, Ariz. offers comprehensive cancer treatment and research through Phase I clinical trials, diagnosis, prevention and support services in collaboration with leading scientific researchers and community oncologists. Scottsdale Healthcare is the nonprofit parent organization of the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale Healthcare Research Institute, Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center and Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital. For more information, visit www.shc.org.
Press Contact:
Keith Jones
Public Relations Director, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center
480-323-1383
kjones@shc.org
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of translational research where investigators are able to unravel the genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. TGen is affiliated with the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
syozwiak@tgen.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
FDA approves new skin cancer drug first tested in Arizona by Scottsdale Healthcare and TGenPublic release date: 1-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Steve Yozwiak syozwiak@tgen.org 602-343-8704 The Translational Genomics Research Institute
World's first patient on drug was at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Feb 1, 2012 A new skin cancer drug tested for the first time in the world five years ago at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare just received expedited approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a remarkable accomplishment in new drug development.
Vismodegib (GDC-0449) was administered for the first time in the world Jan. 23, 2007, in a phase I clinical trial at Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at Scottsdale Healthcare, a partnership with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). Vismodegib received FDA approval on Jan. 30, 2012. Clinical trials progress through three phases and can take up to 10 years or more to successfully complete.
The drug is the first to receive FDA approval to treat inoperable basal cell carcinoma. Successful early trial results led to a broader subsequent study sponsored by Genentech. Continued positive study results led to Monday's FDA approval for marketing the drug under the name Erivedge.
Vismodegib is used to treat adult patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. It is intended for use in patients with locally advanced basal cell cancer who are not candidates for surgery or radiation and for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic), according to the FDA.
Arizona has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world, and in the United States two million new cases of basal cell carcinoma are diagnosed every year. Most instances of basal cell cancer can be effectively treated, but in some cases, the cancer cells spread and develop an aggressive form of the cancer that does not respond to standard surgical treatment.
"Until now, we did not have any treatments that can effectively slow the tumor growth in these patients with advanced skin cancer," said Daniel Von Hoff, MD, lead investigator. Dr. Von Hoff is physician-in-chief at TGen and chief scientific officer at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at Scottsdale Healthcare, where cancer patients receive treatment with promising new drugs.
"The drug works by inhibiting the Hedgehog pathway that is active in most basal cell cancers, preventing development, growth and survival of certain cancer cells. Results showed a durable clinical benefit tumor shrinkage visible on X-ray or other physical exam or improvement in symptoms without tumor growth," said Glen Weiss, MD, director of Thoracic Oncology at Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials and Clinical Associate Professor and Translational Physician Scientist at TGen.
Patient response during the clinical trials was assessed through physical examination and imaging. "Integrating genomic data with state-of-the-art clinical and imaging information to develop and apply targeted therapies has certainly taken a major step forward with the encouraging results from the Hedgehog trial," added Ron Korn, MD, a radiologist and medical director of the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare.
San Francisco-based Genentech developed Vismodegib. Successful results of early clinical trials at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, Johns Hopkins University and Karmanos Cancer Institute were published in the Sept. 17, 2009 New England Journal of Medicine and led to interest in increased access to the drug.
"In some patients there is progression to life-threatening, locally advanced or metastatic tumors. Approved as a pill to be taken once a day, we believe this new drug represents an opportunity to improve quality of life for these patients," said Dr. Weiss.
###
Individuals seeking information about eligibility to participate in clinical trials at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare may contact the cancer care coordinator at 480-323-1339; toll free at 1-877-273-3713 or via email at clinicaltrials@shc.org.
About the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare
The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare in Scottsdale, Ariz. offers comprehensive cancer treatment and research through Phase I clinical trials, diagnosis, prevention and support services in collaboration with leading scientific researchers and community oncologists. Scottsdale Healthcare is the nonprofit parent organization of the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale Healthcare Research Institute, Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center and Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital. For more information, visit www.shc.org.
Press Contact:
Keith Jones
Public Relations Director, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center
480-323-1383
kjones@shc.org
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of translational research where investigators are able to unravel the genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. TGen is affiliated with the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
syozwiak@tgen.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and his wife Ann address a primary election night event in Tampa, Florida, January 31, 2012 after trouncing main rival Newt Gingrich in Florida's Republican primary.
By Michael O'Brien, msnbc.com
?
Updated 9:38 p.m. ET
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney staked his claim to the distinction of being the frontrunner for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination with a win Tuesday in Florida?s Republican primary.
Romney easily won?the contest, which was limited to only registered Republican voters, followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the winner of the Jan. 21 South Carolina GOP primary, in a distant second. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum finished third, and Texas Rep. Ron Paul came in fourth.
Romney, in remarks shortly after polls closed, turned his attention back to President Obama and sought to project Republican unity. Gingrich, meanwhile, defiantly vowed to carry on in his presidential bid, all the way through August's Republican convention.
Romney?s victory reflects a rebound in his fortunes over the past 10 days, during which Gingrich had initially seemed to be charging into Florida with momentum after the Palmetto State victory. The ex-speaker seemed to emerge as a primary threat to Romney?s shot at the nomination, mostly by stoking doubts among conservatives about the former Massachusetts governor?s ideological core.
But Gingrich ran into a barrage of advertising in Florida sponsored by both the Romney campaign and a super PAC working on Romney?s behalf, which questioned the baggage Gingrich had accumulated as speaker, and pointed to the work Gingrich had done as speaker on behalf of troubled mortgage giant Freddie Mac after leaving office.
Mitt Romney addresses supporters after winning the Florida Republican primary, insisting that the heated primary prepares the eventual candidate, and attacking President Obama on the economy and healthcare.
Romney made a veiled reference to the hard-fought Florida battle in his remarks, in which he sought to posture himself as the GOP's standard-bearer.
"A competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us. And we will win," Romney said, adding later: "I stand ready to lead this party and to lead our nation."
The Romney campaign and the super PAC, Restore Our
Future, outspent the Gingrich campaign and a super PAC supporting the former speaker by a 4-to-1 ratio in Florida, a testament to the effectiveness of negative advertising, especially in a large, expensive state that prizes TV ads.
The contest had essentially become a two-man showdown in Florida, since Santorum and Paul ? the two other remaining GOP candidates ? scarcely competed in Florida, and barely spent any resources in the state.
Gingrich, in his remarks following Florida's results, said the race would be a two-person race going forward, as well.
"It is now clear that this will be a two-person race between the conservative leader, Newt Gingrich, and the Massachusetts moderate," the former speaker said of the results in Florida. "We are going to contest every place, and we are going to win, and we are going to be in Tampa as the nominee in August."
Romney's victory over Gingrich, though, was mostly complete, spreading most parts of the state, and he besting Gingrich among every age, race, gender and income group, according to exit poll data. Romney did particularly well with women, who made up almost half of the primary electorate, and Latinos ? who, in Florida, were mostly Cuban voters.
Romney also performed well with voters who rated the economy as their top issue, and voters who named the ability to beat President Obama as the most important quality in a candidate. Both are core strengths of Romney?s candidacy, and Gingrich edged Romney in both categories in South Carolina.
But while the former Massachusetts governor beat Gingrich among self-described conservatives as a whole, but exit poll data suggest that Romney still faces challenges in winning over the most conservative elements of the GOP.
Gingrich beat Romney among ?very conservative? voters in the primary, who made up about a third of the electorate. Strong supporters of the Tea Party ? who composed roughly 35 percent of voters ? also broke for Gingrich.
Newt Gingrich thanks his supporters in Florida, calling for help in defeating Mitt Romney's big money campaign, and outlines his plans for his first day in office as President of the United States.
And while Republican primary voters Tuesday in Florida expressed positive opinions of Romney as a person, about four in 10 voters said his positions on issues are insufficiently conservative.?Thirty-eight percent of primary voters said they wished another Republican candidate would enter the race, underscoring the lingering reluctance of Republicans ? especially conservatives ? to coalesce behind Romney.
But for as much as Romney took strides to tamp down Gingrich during the last 10 days in Florida, he turned his attention back to the president in much of his victory speech.
"Together, we will build an America where 'hope' is a new job with a paycheck, not a faded word on an old bumper sticker," he said.
Still, the primary battle is set to go forward, though Tuesday's contest?caps a relatively busy month for the Republican candidates, which saw Santorum eke out a victory in Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses, and Romney decisively win New Hampshire's Jan. 10 primary.
The campaign is now set to enter a new phase, with a relatively dead period for candidates in the next month.
Nevada and Maine host caucuses on Saturday; Romney won in the former (which has a sizable Mormon population) in 2008. Colorado and Minnesota each hold caucuses on Feb. 7, too. Because caucuses typically favor candidates with money and organization, Romney and Ron Paul, who's focused intently on those contests, are expected to perform best.
Those are the only nominating contests until late February, when Arizona and Michigan host its primaries. The Wolverine State is expected to strongly favor Romney -- it' where he was raised and his father served as governor.
The structure of the calendar means that Romney could work to secure a stranglehold on the race for the nomination or, if nothing else, dismiss competitors like Gingrich with the kind of relentless advertising that took its toll on the former speaker in the last week.
Gingrich has defiantly vowed to take his candidacy all the way to the Republican convention, signifying the prospect of a prolonged battle for delegates. The former speaker might have his best chance to pick up some of those delegates on March 6 -- the "Super Tuesday" of the 2012 cycle, when a number of southern and more conservative-leaning states, which tend to favor Gingrich, hold their nominating contests.
Santorum commented on the results in Nevada after a town hall, arguing that the Florida results show that he -- and not Gingrich -- was the candidate best positioned to challenge Romney.
"We need another alternative, we need someone who doesn't have the baggage, and the personal issues as well as the inconsistencies in policies that Newt has to be the clear alternative Mitt Romney," he said.
The former Pennsylvania senator also took aim at Romney, promising to deliver a speech on Wednesday on "Romneycare and Obamacare."
NBC's Andrew Rafferty contributed reporting.
Rick Santorum speaks before supporters in Nevada after placing third in Florida's primary, and stresses the need for the Republican candidates to elevate the tone of their campaigns and argue the issues instead of attacking each other's character.
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Public release date: 1-Feb-2012
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