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Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Roche immune therapy cancer drug shows promise in early study
By Bill Berkrot
(Reuters) - An experimental drug that spurs the immune system to fight cancer appeared to be safe and demonstrated anti-tumor activity against a variety of cancers in a small early stage study, researchers said on Tuesday.
The drug, called MPDL3280A, was discovered and is being developed by Roche's Genentech unit. The Phase 1 trial of the drug in 30 patients with advanced cancer was designed as a dose escalation study to test for toxicity at higher doses.
But researchers were also pleased to find early signs of effectiveness of the drug.
"We saw clear evidence of anti-tumor activity in a broad range of diagnoses, including lung cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer and gastric cancer," said Dr. Michael Gordon, who presented the data on Tuesday at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Washington, D.C.
The drug is an engineered antibody that targets a protein called PD-L1, for programmed death-ligand 1, and enables T cells of the immune system to more effectively attack cancer cells. PD-L1 is found on the surface of many cancer cells and impairs the immune system's ability to fight the disease.
The drug was administered intravenously every three weeks, beginning with a dose of just 0.01 milligrams per kilogram of weight and increased up to a maximum dose of 20mg/kg.
"There were no dose limiting toxicities," Gordon, research director at Pinnacle Oncology Hematology in Scottsdale, Arizona, said in a telephone interview. "We achieved our highest deliverable dose without any undue toxicities."
Researchers and Genentech believe the PD-L1 approach may be more selective and safer than a similar promising class of immunotherapy called PD-1 inhibitors being developed by several other companies. The PD-1 drugs impact not only the intended target but potentially another receptor on healthy cells called PD-L2 and may cause lung inflammation that was not seen with the Roche drug, researchers said.
Although the study was very small, Gordon said he was impressed by the lasting effect of the drug in some of the advanced cancer patients in the trial, who were still alive for more than a year.
"The responses have been durable," he said. "In at least two cases there were near complete responses and patients are sustaining those responses in the absence of continued therapy and doing very well."
Roche is working on developing a diagnostic aimed at helping to better identify the patients most likely to respond to the PD-L1 drug. "It's efficacy and use will be defined by future clinical trials," Gordon said.
While the value of the Roche drug must also be determined in much larger clinical trials, Gordon was excited about the use of new immunotherapies in the war against cancer.
Bristol-Myers Squibb's Yervoy, which was approved in 2011 and uses a different mechanism to help the immune system fight cancer, was the first drug to significantly extend survival in patients with advanced melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
"I think the field of oncology is going to change dramatically with regard to their inclusion and incorporation in cancer care," Gordon said.
(This story has been fixed to correct drug identifier in the second paragraph to MPDL3280A from MPDL320A)
(Reporting by Bill Berkrot in New York; Editing by Grant McCool)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/roche-immune-therapy-cancer-drug-shows-promise-early-153233597--finance.html
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013
New York proposes new laws against public corruption
By Daniel Trotta
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed three new laws on Tuesday aimed at stopping government corruption, after federal prosecutors brought two criminal cases against elected officials in the state last week.
Decrying a culture of political corruption in New York and describing the two recent cases as "especially brazen and arrogant behavior," Cuomo promised to introduce the so-called Public Trust Act to the state legislature.
The act would create laws to punish bribery, scheming to corrupt the government, and failure to report corruption, he told a joint news conference with several chief prosecutors from the New York City area. It would also increase penalties for violations of existing laws.
New York state has gained a special reputation for political corruption.
Since 1999, 20 state legislators in New York have been ousted because of criminal or ethical issues, according to the good government group Citizens Union. The New York Public Interest Research Group found that, since 2007, state senators have been more likely to be arrested than to lose their seats in a general election.
"There have been too many incidents for too many years," Cuomo said. "They paint a truly ugly picture of our political landscape."
Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, brought the two cases last week. Cuomo thanked him, adding that he wanted to empower the state's 62 district attorneys to more easily prosecute public corruption.
As attorney general, before becoming governor, Cuomo sometimes passed corruption cases over to federal authorities because the U.S. laws were more stringent, he said.
Under the Public Trust Act, anyone convicted of a felony would be permanently barred from holding elected or civil office, serving as a lobbyist or doing business with the state.
"I want to strike while the iron is hot. A crisis is a terrible thing to waste," Cuomo said, referring to the scandals of last week.
On Thursday, New York State Assemblyman Eric Stevenson was charged with corruption on suspicion of taking more than $22,000 in bribes in exchange for official acts, and another state assemblyman was forced to resign after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors as a secret informant.
On Tuesday, in a separate case, Democratic New York State Senator Malcolm Smith was arrested and charged with trying to buy a slot on the Republican ticket in New York City's mayoral race, in what prosecutors said was his central role in a series of bribery schemes that reflected pervasive corruption in New York politics.
Five other politicians - three Republicans and two Democrats - were also arrested and charged with collectively accepting more than $100,000 of bribes in meetings that took place in parked cars, hotel rooms and state offices, according to court papers.
Bribery of a public servant is currently illegal, but state prosecutors must prove there was a corrupt agreement between the person paying and the person receiving the bribe, said Mylan Denerstein, counsel to Cuomo. The proposed law would remove that "corrupt understanding" loophole and make it easier to prosecute, she said.
The "corrupting the government" provisions would introduce a new class of crime that would hold public officials and private citizens accountable for defrauding the government, Denerstein said.
The Public Trust Act would for the first time make it a crime for any public official or employee to fail to report bribery, Denerstein said.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta in New York; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/york-proposes-laws-against-public-corruption-172249194.html
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Look for Less: Fergie?s Casual Cool
On Feb. 9, the pregnant singer really bumps it up in a chic maternity ensemble including a Salvatore Ferragamo python clutch. Check her out, plus our look for less.
Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/B2MeLG7CxHQ/
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TV watchers multitasking, viewing more online -global poll
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumers are multitasking and using other electronic devices such as phones and tablets while they watch television, according to a survey released on Monday.
The online poll of 3,501 consumers in France, Brazil, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States showed that an overwhelming majority, 90 percent, said they watched some video content over the Internet, with the tablet seeing the biggest increase.
"Consumers can't just watch TV anymore," said Francesco Venturini, of the management consulting and technology services firm Accenture's Media & Entertainment industry group.
"The rise in multitasking while watching TV suggests that scheduled programming, also known as Linear TV, may be losing its appeal for sophisticated users, presenting both challenges and opportunities for broadcasters and content providers," Venturini added.
According to the third annual Video Over Internet survey, 77 percent of consumers said they regularly use their computer while watching television, an increase of 16 percentage points from just a year ago.
But people also said their simultaneous computer usage is mostly unrelated to the programs they are watching.
An exception was the use of tablets, which correlated more closely with what consumers were watching compared to laptops or smartphones.
Only 17 percent of people using tablets during TV time said their activity was unrelated to the TV content they were viewing.
Tablet use during television viewing also saw the biggest increase in the past year, soaring from 11 percent to 44 percent, despite fewer people owning them compared to computers or smartphones.
The survey also found that consumers are increasingly using local online video service providers, an increase from 37 percent to 40 percent, a similar amount to the decrease in use by global providers like Netflix and YouTube.
And a majority of respondents identified traditional TV broadcasters as the providers they trusted most to offer video over the Internet on their TV screen.
Accenture consulting firm conducted the survey in February and March, with Brazil's sample disproportionately represented by urban populations. No margin of error was provided.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Patricia Reaney and Doina Chiacu)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tv-watchers-multitasking-viewing-more-online-global-poll-213337806.html
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Louisville beats Michigan to capture its third NCAA title
Montrezl Harrell and Chane Behanan celebrate Louisville's national title (Getty Images)
ATLANTA --- Two seconds still remained in Monday night's national title game when the party began.
As a sea of delirious red-clad Louisville fans pumped their fists, exchanged high-fives and raised their arms in victory, the Cardinals players and coaches did the same on the floor in celebration of a victory more than a year in the making.
Three hundred seventy-three days after its unexpected Final Four run came crashing to a halt against a superior Kentucky team last March, Louisville experienced the same joy its rival had at the Cardinals' expense. Behind 22 points from Luke Hancock, 18 from Peyton Siva and 15 from Chane Behanan, Louisville edged Michigan 82-76 in a scintillating national title game, delivering the school's third national championship and its first since 1986.
If just getting to the Final Four for the first time in seven years made last season a clear-cut success for Louisville, the Cardinals faced greater pressure this March to finish the job. Not only did they return five of their top seven players from last season, they also entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed after catching fire in the second half of league play and rolling to the Big East tournament title.
Louisville won't be remembered as a dominant champion in the mold of a 2012 Kentucky or a 2009 North Carolina, but the Cardinals did not collapse under the burden of high expectations. They used Kevin Ware's gruesome broken leg as inspiration to swat away Duke in the Elite Eight, they rallied from 12 down in the second half to survive Wichita State in the Final Four and they survived an otherworldly 17-point first half from reserve Spike Albrecht to beat Michigan.
Louisville's championship bolsters the legacies of those who achieved it.
Rick Pitino elevated his status among college basketball's all-time great coaches, capturing his second national title and becoming the first coach to win a championship at two different schools.
Hancock earned the honor of most outstanding player in the Final Four, another moment for his ailing father to treasure.
Siva and NBA-bound junior Gorgui Dieng ended their college careers in an ideal fashion, celebrating a title that will ensure they'll be welcomed as heroes whenever they return to Louisville.
If the past few national title games haven't always been scintillating, this one was electric from the opening tipoff until the final buzzer.
The first half was the stuff of fairytales.
Albrecht, a 5-foot-11 freshman only in the game because of early foul trouble for Trey Burke, erupted for 17 points before halftime, allowing the Wolverines to build a 12-point lead. Hancock, another reserve playing with a heavy heart because of his father's poor health, sank four 3-pointers in two minutes to bring the Cardinals all the way back.
Some semblance of normalcy returned in the second half when stars Burke and Siva stepped to the forefront. Burke scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half and kept Michigan competitive, but Siva answered with forays to the rim of his own to keep Louisville out in front.
The game swung on a critical call against Michigan with Louisville leading by three points and only five minutes to go.
Burke appeared to cleanly block Siva on a transition dunk attempt, but referees called the Michigan guard for a foul. Siva sank the free throws, sparking a quick 9-2 blitz that gave Louisville the breathing room it needed to close out the win.
The sight of Louisville players singing along with "We Are the Champions" after the game was a stark contrast to the scene in the Louisville locker room a year ago.
Speaking in hushed tones in a somber locker room after last March's crushing loss to Kentucky, Louisville players each lamented that they couldn't replay the six minutes when their title hopes slipped through their fingers after they had rallied to tie the score at 49.
One year later, the Cardinals have atoned for that loss and finished what they started.
NCAA tournament video from Yahoo! Sports
More NCAA tournament coverage from Yahoo! Sports
? Freshman's crazy alley-oop punctuates Cardinals' first-half comeback
? Rick Pitino caught off guard by celebration fireworks
? Little-known Spike Albrecht lights up first half of title game for Michigan
? Chris Webber arrival completes Fab Five appearance at final Four
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Monday, April 8, 2013
CA-BUSINESS Summary
Canada posts worst monthly job losses in more than four years
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada posted its worst monthly jobs loss in more than four years in March, another sign the economy is struggling to cope with weak foreign markets and a strong Canadian dollar. Canada shed 54,500 positions in March, more than wiping out the 50,700 jobs that were added in February, Statistics Canada said on Friday. Market operators had expected a modest gain of 8,500 jobs.
Canada's Flaherty: big March job losses just a snapshot in time
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's job losses in March are disappointing, Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Friday, but he described the broader performance of employment since the global recession as much more positive. "After strong job growth in February I am disappointed with the job numbers announced by Statistics Canada today," Flaherty said in a statement, referring to the loss of 54,500 positions in the month.
Judge approves BofA $2.43 billion settlement over Merrill
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp
TSX in five-day losing streak on lackluster jobs data
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index capped a five-day losing streak by slumping to its lowest in more than 3-1/2 months on Friday, led by declines in the financial sector, as gloomy Canadian and U.S. jobs data suggested the North American economy could be losing steam. The economic uncertainty weighed on oil prices, which fell to a five-month low, but a rising bullion price took gold shares higher.
China's big banks "faking" their micro loans: researcher
BOAO (Reuters) - China's big banks are not delivering on their promise to lend more to the smallest firms and are instead "faking" their micro loans, a researcher said on Saturday, suggesting a government drive to increase micro-lending is struggling. Ba Shusong, a researcher from the Development Research Center, a think-tank that advises China's cabinet, said the biggest Chinese banks are still setting tough collateral standards for small firms, who often cannot meet the demands.
IKEA halts moose lasagne sales after pork traces found
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Furniture retailer IKEA said on Saturday it had halted sales of moose lasagne after traces of pork were found in a batch of the product. Sales of the lasagne, of which about 10,000 tonnes has been produced by a Swedish supplier for IKEA, were stopped at its stores in 18 countries across Europe after tests by Belgian authorities late last month revealed traces of pork.
BizJet officers charged with bribing Latin American officials
(Reuters) - Two officers of a Lufthansa
Boeing completes 787 Dreamliner test flight for battery fix
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing
Big funds pick sides as Agrium-Jana battle nears climax
TORONTO (Reuters) - Agrium Inc's fierce battle with activist investor Jana Partners could go down to the wire as Agrium's large institutional investors look to be split on who they are backing ahead of a shareholder vote at Agrium's annual meeting next week. The big Canadian fertilizer maker and farm products retailer has been locked in a war of words for months with Jana Partners, a New York-based hedge fund, over the direction the company should take. Jana has named a slate of five nominees for election to Agrium's board and the battle is now set to come to a head at Agrium's AGM on its home turf in Calgary, Alberta, on April 9.
Boeing finishes 787 testing, focus shifts to regulators
NEW YORK (Reuters) - With a successful flight on Friday, Boeing moved closer to proving that a revamped safety system can prevent batteries on its new 787 Dreamliner from catching fire or overheating, and getting back the plane into service. Friday's test flight concludes testing after little more than three weeks, and moves the Dreamliner closer to resuming passenger flights, restarting jet deliveries, and stemming millions of dollars in losses that have piled up at airlines and Boeing since the jet was grounded more than two months ago.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-business-summary-000057342--finance.html
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