Monday, April 22, 2013

Finally, Revis a Buc (almost)

NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers v Atlanta FalconsGetty Images

With the NFL Draft approaching, we?re taking a team-by-team look at the needs of each club. Up next is the team with the No. 30 overall selection, the Atlanta Falcons. They have a total of 11 picks, and aren?t afraid to make bold moves, so their picking somewhere north of 30 is a real possibility.

Defensive end: There?s already noise about the Falcons wanting to move up in the order, and it makes sense that their target would be a pass-rusher.

John Abraham was still producing right up until the time they released him, and they have to find someone to replace that production other than Osi Umenyiora, who has not produced at the same consistent level. If they can get into the top half of the first round, they can find someone in the Abraham mold, before the run starts.

Cornerback: This would be the other drastic need that could be the target for a move-up. It seems like forever ago they were three-deep with excellent players. But with Brent Grimes gone to Miami and and Dunta Robinson released and resurfaced in KC, they?re down to Asante Samuel and a bunch of guys.

Linebacker: You could probably run down the list of defensive positions, and the Falcons could stand to upgrade. Sean Weatherspoon is quite good, but the rest of their linebacking corps is fairly ordinary.

Tackle: The thinking is the release of Tyson Clabo opened the door for Lamar Holmes to start at right tackle, and that could work. But they still need cover here, particularly if newly rich left tackle Sam Baker goes back to the 2011 version instead of the 2012 salary-push version.

Guard: The retirement of Todd McClure leaves a big hole, but they could slide 2012 second-rounder Peter Konz over from right guard. But that leaves another vacancy. They have some in-house candidates, but need depth here.

As good as they are, they?re not as well-covered as you?d think. They have nothing to speak of in terms of depth on defense. Heck, they don?t even have a full complement of starting-caliber players on that side of the ball.

But their offensive skill-position talent is so good, it might not matter. As long as Matt Ryan, Steven Jackson, Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez are together, the Falcons are going to be among the best in the NFC.

But until they get at least a little bit better on defense, it?s going to be hard for them to make the next step.

Their offseason efforts have focused on retaining their own, and making a few surgical signings of veterans who came looking for rings. Their team is good enough that 11 draft picks aren?t making their 53-man roster, so they might as well make some moves, and see if they can plug some starters in on defense.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/21/jets-most-likely-will-get-a-third-round-pick-in-2014-for-revis/related/

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Low-dose aspirin stymies proliferation of two breast cancer lines

Apr. 21, 2013 ? Regular use of low-dose aspirin may prevent the progression of breast cancer, according to results of a study by researchers at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo., and the University of Kansas Medical Center.

The study found that aspirin slowed the growth of breast cancer cell lines in the lab and significantly reduced the growth of tumors in mice. The age-old headache remedy also exhibits the ability to prevent tumor cells from spreading.

The lead author of the study, Gargi Maity, a postdoctoral fellow who works in the cancer research unit at the VA Medical Center, will present the team's findings on Sunday, April 21, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which is being held in conjunction with the Experimental Biology 2013 conference in Boston. The senior author is Sushanta Banerjee, director of the cancer research unit and a professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.

The role of aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, in preventing and treating cancer has intrigued researchers since the late 1980s, when an Australian study found that people who regularly used aspirin were less likely to develop colorectal cancer. Aspirin use also has been shown to reduce the risk of squamous cell esophageal cancer and prostate cancer.

Anecdotal evidence indicated that breast cancer was less likely to return in women who took aspirin to lower their risk of heart attack or stroke. But the science behind this relationship is not well understood.

The VA study found that aspirin may interfere with cancer cells' ability to find an aggressive, more primordial state. In the mouse model the researchers used, cancer cells treated with aspirin formed no or only partial stem cells, which are believed to fuel the growth and spread of tumors.

Banerjee, a professor of medicine in division of hematology and oncology, says first-line chemotherapy treatments do not destroy stem cells. Eventually, the tumor will grow again. "If you don't target the stemness, it is known you will not get any effect," he says. "It will relapse."

In lab tests, aspirin blocked the proliferation of two different breast cancer lines. One of the lines tested is often called triple-negative breast cancer, a less common but more difficult treat form of the disease. "We are mainly interested in triple negative breast cancer, because the prognosis is very poor," Banerjee says.

Triple-negative breast cancers, which will be addressed in a special thematic program at the ASBMB annual meeting, lack receptors for estrogen, progesterone and Her2. Aspirin also may improve the effectiveness of current treatments for women whose breast cancers are hormone-receptor positive. In the team's study, aspirin enhanced the effect of tamoxifen, the usual drug therapy for hormone-receptor positive breast cancer.

Aspirin is used in the treatment of a number of different conditions. Banerjee says its ability to attack multiple metabolic pathways is what makes it potentially useful in the fight against cancer. "Cancer is not a single-gene disease," he says. "Multiple genes are involved."

Aspirin is a medicine with side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding. Researchers will continue to explore if the positive effects of regular use of the drug outweigh the risks. In 2012, the National Cancer Institute asked scientists to design studies that would illuminate the mechanisms by which aspirin and drugs with other uses appear to reduce the risk of cancer or improve the prognosis for those diagnosed with the disease. Banerjee says his lab will apply for one of the grants.

Other co-authors at the cancer research unit include Snigdha Banerjee, associate professor of medicine in hematology and oncology at KU, and postdoctoral scholars Archana De and Amlan Das.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/O6RFShvmszU/130421151610.htm

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Egypt's Morsi to reshuffle Cabinet amid turmoil

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi defended his handling of some of the nation's most pressing problems in a nearly two-hour television interview on Saturday, and pledged to appoint new Cabinet ministers in a move that could ease the country's deep political polarization.

Reshuffling the Cabinet has been a key demand of the nation's largely liberal and secular opposition, which is at odds with Morsi's Islamist backers over a myriad of issues that have surfaced since the 2011 uprising that ousted longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

In the interview with Al-Jazeera, Morsi said the Cabinet changes would involve a number of key ministries, although he did not say how many. He also did not give a timeline or say which ministries would be affected.

It would be the second reshuffle since Morsi took office in July. The last ministerial shake-up in January led to the appointment of a new interior minister to oversee the police force. Rights groups allege that since Mohammed Ibrahim took the post, police have used excessive force, killing dozens of people nationwide in protests against Morsi.

There is no guarantee that a reshuffle of Cabinet posts would help bridge the deepening divide between Morsi's opponents and supporters, but it could help the country build political consensus around painful austerity measures needed to secure a nearly $5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.

"I do these changes based on what is best for the people," Morsi said. "The aim is to fulfill what is best."

The interview aired a day after violent street clashes erupted over whether the judiciary was being allowed to act independently. It also fell on the same day that an Egyptian court ordered the release of deposed President Mubarak pending further investigation into corruption charges. He will continue to be imprisoned on two other corruption cases.

Friday's violence erupted after the president's Muslim Brotherhood backers took to the streets to call for a "cleansing" of the judiciary and for loyalists of the former regime to be purged from state institutions. Egypt's secular-minded and liberal opposition rejected their call. They deemed it a cover for upcoming measures by Morsi and the country's temporary parliament to liquidate the judiciary and infuse their own members as a means to monopolize the judicial branch.

Morsi sought to allay those fears, telling Al-Jazeera that he was among those imprisoned under Mubarak for speaking out in favor of an independent judiciary away from presidential control.

"I hear the words purging the judiciary in the framework of people's worries," he said. "This worry is from people who see recent verdicts that do not live up to their expectations."

"The acquittals of former regime figures worries people," he said. "We can appreciate this worry."

The judiciary has been a significant battleground in the political unrest that has swept Egypt. It is the sole branch of government not dominated by Morsi's Islamist allies.

On his relationship with the Brotherhood, Morsi acknowledged he once headed the group's political party and was their candidate for president.

"But the president who was elected for Egypt is the president of all Egyptians," he said, denying that the Brotherhood was running his administration from behind the scenes.

He said his administration and the opposition agree on the country's goals, but differ on the way to achieve them.

He also deflected reports that there was a rift between him and the country's powerful military, from which the past four presidents have hailed. Morsi is the first civilian and first Islamist president to be elected in the country's first free presidential race.

He said that the presidency and the army are "on the same side."

Morsi needs the military and police to help secure the country amid protests against his rule. He reported there were around 1,200 protests in February and March alone, but insisted this did not reflect waning popularity for his rule.

"Egyptians are very wise and able to know who works for them and who works against them," he said.

Morsi said he believes his popularity is growing by the day, although his opponents, including liberals, socialists and ultraconservative Islamists, contend the government is not being transparent about economic measures that could further hurt Egypt's poor. The IMF loan is linked to economic reforms.

A team from IMF left Egypt this week without broad backing from Morsi's opponents to the terms of the loan, which they said have not been made public.

The loan is seen as critical to boosting investor confidence in Egypt and freeing up around $15 billion in other international aid and investments the country desperately needs. Foreign reserves, needed to pay for vital subsidies that millions rely on for survival, stand at $13.4 billion, less than two-thirds what they were prior to the uprising.

Morsi said he will not accept conditions attached to any loan and said Egypt was not to blame for talks about the loan that have dragged on for more than a year. He said his government was acting transparently.

"There is continuous dialogue about what is best for Egyptians in the future so that we do not enter a phase that imposes price hikes and other things," he said.

Senior IMF officials say Egypt needs to restore confidence in its economy and foster political stability. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said recently that "there is clearly more work to be done" regarding discussions over the loan for Egypt.

Local media have sharply criticized Morsi for his handling of the country in the 10 months he has been in office.

A number of complaints filed by Islamists and Brotherhood lawyers against media personalities have further outraged rights advocates.

Morsi said he supports freedom of the press. He said that since last year, dozens of TV stations and newspapers have been given licenses to work. He also noted that he had issued a law that bans journalists from being imprisoned for media-related charges until court verdicts are handed down.

One of the most talked about issues in the local press has been Qatar's $5 billion support package to Morsi's government and how the oil-rich Gulf state has made bids for numerous acquisitions in Egypt. There is also concern that the Palestinian Hamas group ? an offshoot of the Brotherhood that runs the Gaza Strip ? is strengthening its position in northern Sinai where Islamic militant attacks on the military and police are frequent.

Morsi, however, insisted he will not allow foreign meddling.

He has also been sharply criticized for turning to Iran to promote tourism in Egypt. Ultraconservative Sunni hard-liners have protested improving ties with the Shiite nation, particularly as it continues to support the Syrian regime against a largely Sunni Muslim opposition.

Asked if his efforts to bolster Egypt's relationship with Iran was being done to spite countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their past support of Mubarak, Morsi said he was simply working in the interest of Egyptians, and added that he supports having Iran play a role in solving the Syrian crisis.

In the wide-ranging interview, Morsi also commented on his government's relationship with the United States.

Asked why there has not yet been a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama, Morsi said only that Egypt's relationship with Washington was "good and continuous" and built on mutual interest.

On Israel, he reiterated his respect of Egypt's peace treaty with the Israelis, and said they were working as neighbors on border security.

Turning to unrest in his own country, Morsi played down frequent clashes between Muslims and Christians, including one that led to a recent assault on a main Coptic cathedral in Cairo. He refused to characterize the clashes as sectarian violence.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-morsi-reshuffle-cabinet-amid-turmoil-202225492.html

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Sunday, April 21, 2013

Ebert links to his Urbana home remained tight

URBANA, Ill. (AP) ? Michael Esteves wakes up every day in the spot Roger Ebert called the center of the universe, and it isn't Chicago, New York or Cannes.

Esteves owns the place, in fact. He has since 2005, when he bought the two-bedroom home in Urbana where the late movie critic grew up, writing once that it was the best possible place, the hub of it all. Since then, Esteves has gotten used to students, Ebert fans and even Asian tourists stopping by in reverence to the hometown hero who made it so big.

"People in India know about Roger Ebert," Esteves marveled.

Ebert was celebrated as a citizen of Chicago and the world after he died April 4 of cancer, but his connection with his hometown ? and the University of Illinois, his alma mater ? was strong and permanent.

Ebert donated money and more to the school, and he helped journalism students there with advice and, occasionally, connections. And he held an annual film festival in Champaign, the town next door that shares the university with Urbana. This year's version of Ebertfest goes on without him through Sunday, though his wife, Chaz Ebert, is there.

Ebert started the festival 15 years ago to showcase movies he felt were underappreciated ? some relatively new, many years old.

When Ebert died, there were no big, public displays of mourning around Champaign and Urbana. But a little like his writing, the signs were sometimes small and subtle that they hold him dear.

A sack of his favorite fast food, from Steak 'n Shake, sat among a modest handful of bouquets on the sidewalk front of the old house. You'd have to walk up close to see the small plaque embedded in the sidewalk out front, marking the spot as a landmark.

The marquee on the old Virginia Theater in Champaign ? the 92-year-old theater Ebert and his film festival helped raised money to restore ? reminded people that Ebertfest was still coming soon. Chaz Ebert emceed the opening as a tribute to her husband, and organizers say Roger Ebert left behind a long list of films that could program the festival for years to come.

And at the campus newspaper, The Daily Illini, the staff worked on a tight deadline to assemble everything it could about Ebert, a man five decades older than most of them but still tightly connected to them. He helped gather money here, too, to keep the financially strapped paper publishing. And he still proofread the program for his film festival, which the students produce every year.

Ebert was editor in chief at the Daily Illini 50 years ago. The student who holds that position now is Darshan Patel.

"To be in this chair that he once occupied, I guess it's really ? I don't know how to describe it," a clearly shaken Patel said the afternoon Ebert died. "I'm in shock ? we're in shock."

That connection to the student newspaper has inspired several current and former students.

Will Leitch, the founding editor of the sports website Deadspin and now a writer for another site, Sports on Earth, was one of them. He grew up about 45 miles south in the small town of Mattoon.

"For me personally, the idea that there was a guy who went to a high school that we played in basketball who was on television talking intelligently, and everybody knew his name, was quite a revelation," Leitch said.

His first contact with Ebert came in an email exchange in the early 1990s. An intoxicated Leitch worked up the courage late one night to ask his hero about rumors of a romantic encounter he'd had in the newsroom. Ebert issued a witty denial, and the two started a correspondence that eventually led Ebert to help Leitch find occasional work reviewing movies.

Leitch says he still has a lot of those old emails. The writing there and elsewhere says a lot about where Ebert came from, Leitch said.

"There's something inherently un-showy about where he's from, and where I'm from," Leitch said. "Put your head down, do the work, do it right ? and then go do it again. That's the way Mattoon is, and that's the way most of downstate is."

Ebert's accomplished life probably puts him at the top of the list of the most well-known people from Urbana ? but the list is a long one for a town of 41,000

After Ebert, there's fellow Illinois graduate and writer George Will. And a number of university professors, Nobel Prize winners among them. And a fictional entry, HAL, the quietly menacing computer from "2001: A Space Odyssey." In the movie he says he was assembled in Urbana.

Ebert, all his life, celebrated the place.

"The Illini were the University of Illinois, the world's greatest university, whose football stadium my father had constructed ? by himself, I believe," Ebert wrote, with a bit of exaggeration, in the same blog post in which he explained how the barbecue pit his dad built out back helped make his old home the center of all existence.

Nate Kohn is an Urbana native and University of Georgia professor who directs Ebertfest. Though the two were in school together as kids, he didn't know Ebert until they met while putting together a birthday party for HAL at the university back in the 1990s.

Urbana, Kohn says, stuck with Ebert for two reasons. One, Ebert was a creature of habit ? "He worked at one place his whole life, the Chicago Sun-Times," Kohn said.

And the other? "It was, I guess in many ways, an idyllic childhood, a classic American childhood," Kohn said.

Esteves isn't from Urbana, but he's lived there for years, moving down from Chicago and never leaving.

Since he bought Ebert's home, those occasional visitors once in a while included Ebert himself, starting with the day in 2009 when the city unveiled the plaque. After the ceremony, Ebert asked if he could come inside.

Ebert by then couldn't speak because of his long bout with cancer, but Esteves says he roamed the rooms, writing notes.

"(He said) 'Oh, I did a million dishes in here.' It was funny," Esteves said. And Ebert, he said, looked over his movie collection, heavy with super-hero flicks and movies from the 1980s.

"He was like, 'Two thumbs up!'"

___

Follow David Mercer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidmercerap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ebert-links-urbana-home-remained-tight-190059508.html

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Saturday, April 20, 2013

Facebook launches real-time graphs to highlight its data center efficiency

Image

Curious as to the effect that your poking wars are having on the planet? Facebook is outing power and water usage data for its Oregon and North Carolina data centers to show off its sustainability chops. The information is updated in near-real time, and the company will add its Swedish facility to the charts as soon as it's built. The stats for the Forest City, NC plant show a very efficient power usage effectiveness ratio of 1.09 -- thanks, in part, to that balmy (North) Carolina air.

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Via: GigaOm

Source: Facebook, Open Compute Project

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/19/facebook-pue-real-time-charts/

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Harman Kardon ships AVR 2700 and 3700 receivers with 4K scaling and AirPlay

Harman Kardon AVR 2700 and 3700 receivers tout both 4K scaling and AirPlay

Now that Ultra HD TVs are poised to hit the market in force, it's more important than ever to have receivers that can handle them -- even if our bank accounts often can't. Harman Kardon knows this well enough to ship its AVR 2700 and AVR 3700 receivers, both of which carry 4K passthrough and upscaling on their eight HDMI ports as a matter of course. The two also support AirPlay streaming alongside more commonplace DLNA media sharing and offer remote control mobile apps. Home theater futureproofers mostly have to decide on audio channels and network support before they buy: the $800 AVR 2700 produces 7.1-channel surround and sticks to Ethernet alone for networking, while the $996 AVR 3700 introduces 7.2-channel audio and WiFi. Few of us will use either receiver to its full potential right now, but well-heeled 4K TV owners (or just the well-prepared) can pick one up today.

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Source: Harman Kardon (1), (2)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/20/harman-kardon-avr-2700-3700-receivers-4k-scaling-airplay/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Pre-caffeine tech: Sext spam, double Doctor Whos

Our pre-caffeine roundup is a collection of the hottest, strangest, and most amusing stories of the morning.

Anonymous "brandjacked" Westboro Baptist Church on Facebook. Lots of people found it to be hilarious.

Is is any wonder Anonymous just raised $54,000 on Indiegogo launch its own news website.

Thousands Of people tweeted Rep. Mike Rogers to let him know they're Not 14, not in their basement, and they still oppose CISPA.

Yoinks! Nude sext spam hit Snapchat app users.

Twitter #Music is coming to iOS and Web, to will help you discover new tunes.

Oh! Twitter is also bringing out ads targeted to your individual tweets.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, mobile service providers rarely provide critical security updates for Android smartphones, and the organization wants the FTC to do something about that.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is starting two-step verification for email and other services.

Why is it so hard to make a phone call in emergency situations? Let's find out.

In closing: ERMAHGERD! It's the 10th Doctor and the 11th Doctor TOGETHER AT LAST!

Compiled by Helen A.S. Popkin, who invites you to join her on Twitter and/or Facebook.

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Friday, April 19, 2013

At prom, flowers not just for corsages and boutonnieres anymore

Prom flowers these days are not only something to stick on a lapel or strap around a wrist. New arrangements created by creative florists have flowers popping up on prom attire from head to toe.?

By Associated Press / April 18, 2013

Prom flowers, traditionally worn on the wrist or lapel, are migrating north and south to become an important and fashionable prom accessory. This flower ring is created with a pink sweetheart rose, wax flower, beads and a few rhinestones.

Gillespie Florists/Associated Press

Enlarge

The elaborate invitation has been proffered and accepted, the limo rented and the outfits coordinated, so what's next when planning for prom?

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That traditional pop of spring, of course, in the corsage and boutonniere.

Once a sweet surprise and often all white to go with any outfit, prom flowers have made the leap into the new millennium with glitzy embellishments, jewelry attachments, and a world of creativity for the florists who design them.

No more scratchy, throwaway wristbands (unless you want one) and no more fumbling with straight pins as your nervous date squirms. Today's corsages don't even have to be corsages. Flowers can be worn on the head, upper arm or shoe, at the shoulder, on a necklace, as a ring or even stuck right onto a bare back or leg.

These days, flowers have taken their place as a key accessory rather than mere appendage handed over in time for photos before heading out the door.

"Everyone wants to be unique and different from someone else and that's a big deal, trying to do something different," said Jasmine Snow, accessories editor for Seventeen magazine. "It's so cool to be able to try these new modern takes on using fresh flowers as opposed to just doing the normal."

Attachments

Bangles, beads, multiple strands of rhinestones, fancy cuff bracelets in silver, gold or any wire creation imaginable have replaced the cheapy wristlets of corsages past. Slap bracelets are also used as a base, easily painted or sprayed with glitter to match an overall look. Some florists stock options but invite customers to bring along their own jewelry.

"These days you can safely glue on so you don't damage the jewelry, and then the girl has something to keep after prom instead of us being 20 years later with dry old roses. You've actually got this bracelet or this necklace that you can look back at and go, 'Oh, that was so much fun,'" said Della Mendenhall, a manager and product developer at Gillespie Florists in Indianapolis.

Boutonniere holders (think ice cream cone shape) often anchor the traditional male floral in metal. They come in filigree, vine and many other designs. Magnet sets can be used to keep them in place, and they can be reused for high schoolers who plan to attend more than one prom.

Sparkly broaches or decorative pins can also be used as an attachment for teens of any gender.

Embellishments

Anything goes regardless of where you decide to place your flowers ? and whether you're the one in a dress or a tux. Colored feathers, ribbons of different textures, prints and widths and silk leaves can be mixed. Arrangements can have dangling strands of beads or rhinestones or bejeweled pins. And in a trend borrowed from the wedding industry, plant succulents and pods are used as accents.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/qwyppfxUBGc/At-prom-flowers-not-just-for-corsages-and-boutonnieres-anymore

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Thursday, April 18, 2013

Babies as young as six months victims of rape in war: U.N. envoy

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In her first seven months as U.N. envoy on sexual violence in conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura has visited a Congolese district where rebels raped babies, and Somalia where a woman was paid $150 restitution for the rape of her 4-year-old daughter.

She met a refugee at a camp in Kenya who had been raped at gunpoint when she was eight-months-pregnant while gathering firewood and a Somali father who was fighting for justice for his daughters, aged 4 and 6, who had both been raped.

"The stories are horrific and heartbreaking and when these survivors tell you what they endured, and continue to endure, you know that one person raped in war is one too many," said Bangura, who briefed the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.

She told the 15-member council it was still largely "cost-free" to rape a woman, child or man in conflict and that this must be reversed to make it a "massive liability to commit, command or condone sexual violence in conflict."

Any future peace and ceasefire deals in conflicts like Syria and Mali must include sexual violence prevention, Bangura said. Bangura, a former health minister of Sierra Leone, said she plans to visit Syria, Mali and South Sudan as soon as possible.

"I visited a community where last year 11 babies, between 6 and 12 months old, were raped by elements of Mai Mai Morgan," she said, referring to a rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "It is unimaginable that anyone could have committed such an atrocity."

Bangura also told reporters that in the same community - the Ituri district in turbulent eastern Congo on its border with Uganda - 59 children aged between 1 and 3, and 182 children between 5 and 15 years old had been raped last year.

"Under the cold light of strategy and tactics, the rationale and purpose is clear. What more effective way can there be to destroy a community than to target and devastate its children?" she told the Security Council.

WAR'S 'LEAST CONDEMNED CRIME'

Bangura said Congolese President Joseph Kabila had pledged to prosecute crimes of sexual violence more effectively and that the country's parliament had said it would establish a working group on the issue.

A written report to the Security Council from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, based on Bangura's work, named 14 armed groups along with the Congolese army and police that it said used sexual violence in conflict.

The report also lists groups in Central African Republic and groups and government forces in Ivory Coast, Syria and Mali.

Since January 2012, there have been 211 cases of sexual violence reported in Mali, including rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage and gang rape, according to the report.

"The majority of women and girls refused to report for fear of retribution and banishment by their spouses and the community," Ban's report said. "In rebel-controlled zones, rape was used as a tactic of war."

Bangura told reporters the insecurity and lack of access in Syria meant it was hard to determine the scale of the problem.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin and Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari criticized the report for not reporting accusations of sexual violence by opposition groups during Syria's two-year-old civil war.

"Responsibility for sexual crimes in Syria is placed only on government forces and their supporters. Similar crimes committed by the opposition are only obliquely referenced in spite of the presence of many such claims of them," Churkin told the council.

Bangura described sexual violence in conflict as "war's oldest and least condemned crime."

"Sexual violence has been used throughout the ages because it's such a cheap and devastating weapon," she told the Security Council. "The perpetrators must understand that there can be no hiding place, no amnesty, no safe harbor."

The U.N. report can be seen here: www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2013/149

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/babies-young-six-months-victims-rape-war-u-203330594.html

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White House threatens veto on cybersecurity bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House on Tuesday threatened a veto against a House bill intended to improve cybersecurity through information-sharing, warning lawmakers that the president won't sign the measure unless changes are made to protect privacy and civil liberties.

The bill would free companies and the federal government to swap data about cyberthreats, giving the federal government a broader role in helping banks, manufacturers and other businesses protect themselves. But the White House, echoing privacy advocates, said the bill fails to require irrelevant personal information to be removed before data is sent to the government or other companies.

"We have long said that information sharing improvements are essential to effective legislation," said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council. "But they must include proper privacy and civil liberties protections, reinforce the appropriate roles of civilian and intelligence agencies, and include targeted liability protections."

Still, the White House praised the Republican and Democrat who worked together to craft the bill, and said it's committed to working to improve the legislation so Obama can sign it into law.

It was the second time in a year that the White House threatened a veto against the bill, which lawmakers say they have already altered to respond to privacy concerns raised last year. This year's iteration was approved by a House committee last week and is set for a full House vote this week.

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA, is widely backed by industry groups that say businesses are struggling to defend against aggressive and sophisticated attacks from hackers in China, Russia and Eastern Europe. Businesses say the House version, which doesn't include any mandates or stipulations, is the only way they would feel comfortable sharing information with the government about the vulnerability of their networks.

But privacy groups and civil liberties experts say the bill would open up Americans to spying by the military. While the legislation does not identify the National Security Agency specifically, it's widely expected that the military intelligence agency would take a lead role in analyzing threat data because of its expertise in the matter.

Another issue is that companies won't be required to strip personal data like health or credit records from the information they share with the government. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California tried to amend the bill to hold companies responsible for not sharing personal data, a restriction the White House supported. Republicans, however, on Tuesday blocked Schiff's proposal from this week's floor debate.

"Citizens have a right to know that corporations will be held accountable ? and not granted immunity ? for failing to safeguard personal information adequately," the White House said in its veto threat.

Another proposal, by Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, would specifically bar the military from taking a central role in data collection. Republicans blocked her amendment, too.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., who cosponsored the bill, have said that such changes aren't practical and would discourage businesses from participating.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-threatens-veto-cybersecurity-223441334.html

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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Lodging In North Conway

Lodging in North Conway NH offers one of the best ways to experience and appreciate the wild outdoors as well as partake in sport and adventure. Read on the article more to know about the lodging available in North Conway, New Hampshire.

The White Mountains centered in the Appalachian region is the primary attraction site in the region. Lodging in North Conway offers one of the best ways to spend time in the area. The panoramic views of the surrounding area include the expansive mountain ranges consisting of 48 mountain peaks stretching across the entire region, the peaks heights range from four thousand feet to the highest peak standing at 6288 feet high.

A stay in North Conway gives a visitor a chance to venture into the rugged mountain glaciers and challenge nature by scaling the colossal heights. This feat is a real test for adrenaline junkies, the various peaks offer good mountain climbing tests while still enjoying the surrounding sceneries. The location is also well situated for hiking as well as camping out the wild. The location also gives a lodger an easy access to observe diverse and beautiful wildlife. Some notable wildlife includes deer, foxes, moose, beaver, porcupine, bears etc as well as bird species such as falcons, eagle, peregrine etc. Red maples, beech, sugar maple, yellow birch, ash glow are some of the tree species that make the mountain ranges radiate with beautiful and vivid colors throughout the different seasons.

The destination offers the opportunity to indulge in sporting activities as a way of leisure and sport. The expansive glacier cover is well suited for mountain skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, frozen waterfall climbing, snow tubing, ice fishing, snow mobile racing, bob sledding etc. There is also mountain biking, carriage riding tennis, trail, swimming, fly fishing etc. For the more conservative visitor a round of golf in a nine- hole or 18- hole golf course will go a long way. After a hectic outdoor a visitor can indulge is relaxation, beauty treatment at the at a modern spa facilities that offers services such as massage therapy, steam bath, sauna etc.

The sightseeing tour of the region is made possible through the elaborate transport system. There is a railway service serving the western side, an auto road transport service that offers self drive facilities on the eastern side. The rail service also offers scenic tours of the region through a fleet of steam, diesel and electric locomotives that feature a variety of cars and coaches. Visiting the attraction sites using gondolas is a crowd puller during the summer season.

A visitor is given the opportunity of participating in history by visiting well known landmark sites that hold historical significance to the region. A visit to the museums enables a visitor to observe the culture of the people in the region. North Conway plays host to many food joints. This ranges from road side inns to high class accommodation to suit the desires of a tourist. The hotels also come in different classes to cater for the budget tourist as well as having luxurious hotels to cater for the more extravagant and affluent visitors. A Lodging in North Conway NH is the best place to spend your vacations away from city life.

About the Author:
The author of this article is associated with Stonehurst Manor, one of the renowned North Conway hotels.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Lodging-In-North-Conway/4545056

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2013 Mater Dei Prep Girls Soccer Camp | Holmdel-Hazlet Sports ...

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Source: http://holmdel-hazlet.patch.com/events/2013-mater-dei-prep-girls-soccer-camp

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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Comcast Is Going to Start to Encrypting Basic Cable Data

There are about to be some very unhappy Comcast customers scattered around the country—because the cable provider has just begun to notify customers in several of its markets that it's about to start encrypting basic cable data. In other words: time for a new box, suckers. More »
    


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/dV-pZCOGl2w/comcast-is-going-to-start-to-encrypting-basic-cable-data

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Skin cells turned directly into the cells that insulate neurons

Apr. 15, 2013 ? Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have succeeded in transforming skin cells directly into oligodendrocyte precursor cells, the cells that wrap nerve cells in the insulating myelin sheaths that help nerve signals propagate.

The current research was done in mice and rats. If the approach also works with human cells, it could eventually lead to cell therapies for diseases like inherited leukodystrophies -- disorders of the brain's white matter -- and multiple sclerosis, as well as spinal cord injuries. The study will be published online April 14 in Nature Biotechnology.

Without myelin to insulate neurons, signals sent down nerve cell axons quickly lose power. Diseases that attack myelin, such as multiple sclerosis, result in nerve signals that are not as efficient and cannot travel as far as they should. Myelin disorders can affect nerve signal transmission in the brain and spinal cord, leading to cognitive, motor and sensory problems.

Previous research in rodent disease models has shown that transplanted oligodendrocyte precursor cells derived from embryonic stem cells and from human fetal brain tissue can successfully create myelin sheaths around nerve cells, sometimes leading to dramatic improvements in symptoms. "Unfortunately, the availability of human fetal tissue is extremely limited, and the creation of OPCs from embryonic stem cells is slow and tedious," said the study's senior author, Marius Wernig, MD, assistant professor of pathology and a member of Stanford's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. "It appeared we wouldn't be able to create enough human OPCs for widespread therapeutic use, so we began to wonder if we could create them directly from skin cells."

Nan Yang, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in the Wernig laboratory and lead author of the study, pointed out that there is another advantage to using this technique. "By using the patient's own skin cells, we should be able to generate transplantable OPCs that are genetically identical to the patient's natural OPCs," Yang said. "This allows us to avoid the problem of immune rejection, which is a major complication in transplantation medicine."

Last year, Wernig's team successfully created human nerve cells out of skin cells. Other researchers had successfully used a similar process to turn skin cells into embryonic-like cells called induced pluripotent stem cells, and then grow those iPS cells into nerve cells, but Wernig's lab was the first to convert skin cells directly into nerve cells without the intermediate iPS cell step.

The team's current research project also involved directly converting skin cells into OPCs without having to create iPS cells. The researchers showed that mouse and rat skin cells could be directly converted into OPCs, and that these cells would successfully myelinate nerve cells when transplanted into the brains of mice with a myelin disorder.

Next, the team plans to reproduce the research in human cells; if successful, the approach could lay the groundwork for therapies for a wide array of myelin disorders and spinal cord injury.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Stanford University Medical Center. The original article was written by Christopher Vaughan.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Nan Yang, J Bradley Zuchero, Henrik Ahlenius, Samuele Marro, Yi Han Ng, Thomas Vierbuchen, John S Hawkins, Richard Geissler, Ben A Barres, Marius Wernig. Generation of oligodendroglial cells by direct lineage conversion. Nature Biotechnology, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nbt.2564

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/c6P1AiDhxCc/130415124807.htm

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Monday, April 15, 2013

Identical Triplet Boys Shine In Top Cuba Ballet School (PHOTOS)

HAVANA -- Visitors to the elite feeder school for Cuba's renowned National Ballet might be forgiven for thinking they're suddenly seeing triple.

Identical triplets Angel, Cesar and Marcos Ramirez wear matching black leotards and white socks as they leap, prance and twirl across the linoleum floor of the mirrored studio. They share the same wiry build, olive complexion, mussed hairstyles and coffee-colored eyes. And they speak the same fast-paced Spanish in the high-pitched voice of children.

Even their instructors have trouble telling the Ramirez boys apart, but they say the 13-year-olds have already separated themselves from their peers technically and artistically, and all three have the talent to make a big splash in the ballet world when they grow up.

If they succeed, they will join a long line of celebrated dancers trained in Cuba, where fans from every social stratum follow the careers of ballet stars like Carlos Acosta and Rolando Sarabia as closely as those of baseball players or boxers.

"I want to be a dancer. The National Ballet of Cuba turns out great male dancers," said Marcos, sweat dripping from his face after a recent workout in the steamy studio as his brothers nodded in agreement. "And go on tour in many countries and travel the world by dancing."

Toward that end, the Ramirez brothers spend 12 hours a day at the National School of Ballet, housed in a graceful, cream-porticoed building that occupies a full half-block in colonial Old Havana. Classes include not only dance, but more mundane subjects like language, math and history.

A former social club with broad hallways and a majestic marble staircase, this is where the creme de la creme of young dancers from across the country train for a shot at stardom.

The school was founded seven decades ago by famed prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, now age 92, who is probably the most recognized person in Cuba not named "Castro."

"This school means a lot to us," Angel said. "It gives us the training to graduate as ballet dancers, which is the thing we want most."

While the odds are tough, Mirlen Rodriguez, a 24-year-old teacher and former student at the school, says the brothers all have a chance of making their careers onstage.

"They are at a level that is beyond high," Rodriguez said.

The three have already beaten long odds simply by being born.

According to 2010 data compiled by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, only 0.14 percent of births that year were triplets or higher-order multiple births.

Naturally born identical triplets, involving a single egg separating into three fetuses rather than multiple eggs being fertilized, are much rarer.

Mothers of Supertwins, a U.S. nonprofit group that provides support, education and research on higher-order multiple births, says about one of every 62,500 pregnancies results in identical triplets ? or 0.0016 percent.

The Ramirezes, born into a family that lives in the gritty neighborhood of Center Havana, say they are extremely close.

In conversation they often finish each other's thoughts. They also seem to have fun with their uniqueness, introducing themselves to a reporter as if their relationship wasn't apparent.

"My name is Angel Jesus Ramirez Castellanos, and I'm 13 years old," the first said with a sly smile, followed in turn by the others:

"My name is Marcos Abraham Ramirez Castellanos, and I'm 13 years old."

"My name is Cesar Josue Ramirez Castellanos, and I'm 13 years old."

While some identical siblings find it difficult to carve out their own identities, the Ramirezes say they relish their tripleness.

"For me it's a real stroke of luck being a triplet, being able to count on my brothers," Cesar said. "The disadvantage is that sometimes they scold you or correct you for something that another one did."

Instructors rely on tricks to tell them apart.

"There's one that has a little mark above the eyebrow. Another one gets dimples when he laughs," Rodriguez said.

"Then there's another that doesn't have dimples or a mole. During exams you have to put one of them there, another one here, the other way over there, and they have to stay in that formation."

She added, however, that while the boys share the same DNA and have been trained by the same instructors, they have unique personalities that show up in their dance. One is more mischievous, another more serious, the third the most talkative.

"They have the same physical form, the same configuration of legs and arms, but in their minds, each one is unique," Rodriguez said.

The triplets say they fell in love with dance in 2007 when their mother took them to a performance of "The Nutcracker," which is put on every Christmas season and costs just pennies to attend.

All three said it never occurred to them to worry about being teased for taking up dance. Ballet is broadly popular in Cuba, and the idea of a man donning a leotard has remarkably little stigma attached to it for a society that in other ways retains some macho attitudes.

The Ramirezes enrolled in the ballet school at age 10 after passing a rigorous exam and being selected over dozens of other children with similar dreams. More than 300 boys and girls train here in eight different grades, all hoping to make it to the National Ballet.

"It's a virus that can't be cured with antibiotics," said Ramona de Saa, the school's director. "And all that passion can be felt in the school."

The grueling day runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mornings are devoted to traditional school subjects, while afternoons are for perfecting demi plies and barre work.

"One, two, three, four!" an instructor's voice called out during a recent rehearsal as the Ramirezes twirled around and around on tiptoe. "Again!"

"It's a career that requires a lot of sacrifice. It takes away much of your childhood," Rodriguez said. "While others maybe are at home watching cartoon movies, they have to be at rehearsal."

___

Associated Press writer Peter Orsi contributed to this report.

___

Follow Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/14/cuba-triplets-ballet-dancers_n_3079947.html

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Sunday, April 14, 2013

INOVA Microlight STS ? Keychain flashlight with touch controls

EDC flashlights are usually either of the clicky or twisty variety. The INOVA Microlight STS (Swipe to Shine) just blew my mind because it is ?a touch controlled light for your keychain. That’s right, this small 16 lumen LED flashlight does not have any buttons or switches that you have to press or slide in [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/04/13/inova-microlight-sts-keychain-flashlight-with-touch-controls/

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Netherlands' Rijksmuseum opens to the public

AMSTERDAM (AP) ? Amid brass bands and a daytime fireworks display, the Netherlands' Queen Beatrix on Saturday officially reopened the Rijksmuseum, the country's national museum, after a 10-year, 375 million euro ($480 million) renovation.

The museum houses the largest collection of treasures from the Netherlands' cultural history, including works painted by Dutch masters Jan Steen, Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt van Rijn in the country's 17th-century Golden Age. Then the Netherlands was a major naval power and Amsterdam was one of the world's most influential and wealthy cities.

The renovation by Spanish architectural firm Cruz y Ortiz sought to bring light into the courtyards at the center of the 1885 brick structure, which resembles a fairytale castle. Meanwhile the museum's displays were completely redone to modern standards, with cultural items displayed alongside artwork from the same period ? and sometimes even directly related to the art or artist.

For instance, one room houses paintings portraying the June 1667 Raid on the Medway, a naval battle in which the Dutch defeated the English. The room centers on an intricate model of a ship from the period more than two meters (yards) long. It displays an actual sword and goblet once owned by the victorious Dutch Adm. Michiel de Ruyter.

And above one doorway hangs the actual metal stern-piece from the English flagship HMS Royal Charles, which features a lion and a unicorn. De Ruyter's forces towed the ship away during the battle, and then took it back to the Netherlands.

Only one of the 8,000 works in the Rijksmuseum's collection returns to its original display position: Rembrandt's "The Night Watch," widely considered his greatest masterpiece. It sits at the end of the museum's main gothic-style Gallery of Honor, acting as the symbolic altarpiece of a secular church.

That enormous canvas ? 4.35 meters wide and 3.79 meters high (14.86 x 12.43 feet) ? portrays a company of Amsterdam volunteer militiamen, rather than a religious work.

In honor of the opening by Queen Beatrix, who is the head of the Netherlands' ruling House of Orange, the museum has been outfitted with a large orange carpet leading to its new entrance. At an opening ceremony broadcast live on national television, museum Director Wim Pijbes handed the queen a ceremonial key to the museum.

Then the museum was opened to the public. It will remain open until midnight, free of charge. Tickets will normally cost 15 euros ($19).

The museum expects to welcome thousands of visitors Saturday, and up to 2 million visitors per year now that it is open again.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/netherlands-rijksmuseum-opens-public-101558648.html

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Verizon confirms 12-month Device Payment Plan for phones is launching April 21st

Verizon confirms 12month Device Payment Plan for phones is launching April 21st

Look: we know many on Verizon aren't happy that the carrier has revealed plans to lengthen its upgrade intervals right as smartphone update season is hitting full stride. However, there may be a consolation prize. As of April 21st, "some devices" in its smartphone range, not just the existing tablets, will qualify for a Device Payment Plan that spreads out the full costs over the course of a year, letting those who crave the latest mobile hardware (presumably, you) upgrade without either having to sign a contract or pay everything up front. Sounds like a very UnCarrier thing to do, doesn't it? Not quite, unfortunately. The carrier tells us that these payments sit on top of existing service plans, not inside them -- the base service rate won't go down in year two. T-Mobile will remain the better bargain for anyone constantly replacing handsets, then, but those on Verizon will at least have a degree of freedom.

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New film boosts immigration fight

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The immigration overhaul pending before Congress is picking up more high-profile support as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, bankrolls a new documentary to promote the effort, directed by Academy Award-winner Davis Guggenheim.

Guggenheim directed Al Gore's film on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth," and 2010's "Waiting for Superman," on the wretched state of the nation's public schools.

His new effort, "The Dream is Now," tells the stories of immigrant youths here illegally who are eager to succeed in America but can't because they lack legal status.

Jose is trained as a mechanical engineer, but working as a construction laborer because he can't get a job in his chosen profession.

Ola hopes to become a surgical oncologist, but fears deportation even as she pursues her studies.

The 30-minute film was screened at the Capitol for members of the House and Senate earlier this week and it will be shown on college campuses and elsewhere in coming weeks.

"My hope is that people will watch this film, it'll open their minds about what's really at stake in immigration reform," Guggenheim said in an interview with The Associated Press. "You see firsthand what happens if we don't fix this broken system we have."

Laurene Powell Jobs chairs Emerson Collective, a nonprofit that supports education reform and other efforts. Through her work in education she encountered youths here illegally who couldn't advance because of their status, and became interested in their stories, Guggenheim said.

The youths in the film would benefit from legislation called the DREAM Act because it would allow citizenship to people brought here in their youths who fulfill certain requirements. Congress has tried but failed to pass that measure but it's expected to be incorporated in a comprehensive immigration overhaul bill to be released next week by bipartisan Senate negotiators.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/film-boosts-immigration-fight-155048779.html

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Teenager, 17, died from leukaemia 10 days after doctors sent her ...

  • Sophie Coldwell's parents blame no one for her death and hope what happened to her can help save other lives
  • Sent home from NHS walk-in centre but died in hospital 10 days later
  • Boyfriend's tribute to 'amazing' girl: 'My world, my rock, my shoulder'

By Hugo Gye

PUBLISHED: 05:14 EST, 11 April 2013 | UPDATED: 06:22 EST, 12 April 2013

A teenage girl died from a rare form of leukaemia just 10 days after doctors told her she was only suffering from tonsillitis and fatigue.

Sophie Coldwell, 17, had been feeling tired for some time, but her parents attributed it to the increased burden of schoolwork.

In fact, she was suffering from a cancer so aggressive that a hospital consultant said he had never seen anything like it - and now her family hopes to save others by raising awareness of the devastating condition.

Tragic: Sophie Coldwell, 17, died after falling victim to a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia last month

Sophie visited an NHS walk-in centre on March 7, but was sent home after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue, tonsillitis and inflamed gums.

But her condition failed to improve in the following days, and on March 16 her parents called an ambulance to their home in Yardley, Birmingham when her breathing became shallow and raspy.

She lost consciousness on the way to Solihull Hospital and although she was later transferred to Heartlands Hospital she never recovered, dying in the early hours of March 17 from suspected acute monoblastic myeloid leukaemia.

Helpless: Doctors sent her home 10 days earlier, and her parents thought she was just tired from working harder at school

Helpless: Doctors sent her home 10 days earlier, and her parents thought she was just tired from working harder at school

Sophie's father Andy, 46, a manager at Jaguar Land Rover, said today that he hoped the news of her sudden death could save lives in the future.

'Sophie wasn't feeling that well,' he said. 'She couldn't eat because her mouth was that sore. She had a tough 10 days, really.

'She felt tired. At the time, we put that down to it being her first year in college, it was longer hours - it didn't really raise any concerns at the time.

'As a father, I question everything I did and whether any more could have been done. The fact it took everybody by surprise doesn't mean you still don't do that as parents.

'The consultant said teams would learn from this because of how aggressive and quickly it happened.'

Her mother Sherry, 46, a receptionist at a doctor's surgery, added: 'The consultant said he had never seen anything so aggressive. How quickly it happened was just something he had not seen before.'

Sophie was a student at Solihull Sixth Form College, and had been going out with her boyfriend Matt Robinson since November last year.

The 18-year-old knew his girlfriend was unwell, but had no idea how serious her condition would turn out to be.

In a moving last text he wrote to Sophie, he said: 'You've gone from a girl I added on Facebook to being my life, my heart, my soul, my world, my rock, my shoulder, my everything.

'You're just amazing. Everything about you is stunning, from your smile to your eyes, from your hair to your half-painted nails, from your freckles on top of your shoulders to the freckles on your forehead my perfection.'

Death: Sophie lost consciousness on the way to Heartlands Hospital, pictured, and never recovered

Death: Sophie lost consciousness on the way to Heartlands Hospital, pictured, and never recovered

Her sister Katie, 14, wrote a poignant letter to Sophie which was printed in the order of service at her funeral.

SYMPTOMS OF LEUKAEMIA

The five most common signs of cancer in young people aged 13 to 24 are persistent and unexplained pain, extreme tiredness, weight loss, an unexplained lump, bump or swelling or changes in a mole.

Other symptoms of acute myeloid leukaemia include: pale skin, breathlessness, having repeated infections over a short space of time, unusual and frequent bleeding (such as bleeding gums or nose bleeds).

Easily bruised skin, excessive sweating and bone and joint pain are others.

She wrote: 'Your life was only just beginning, there is so much that you're going to miss out on, but I know that you will be watching over me and making sure that I make the right decisions, which is all I can ask from you.

'I hope that you are okay up there and I bet you're still saying "Get out of my room". One day, we will be together again. I just wish that I was there to say goodbye.'

Mr Coldwell said: 'Every day is a struggle, and that's really down to how quickly it happened. It's taken a while for us to get our heads around.

'We have had really fantastic support from family, friends and Sophie's friends, who are taking Katie out and promise to look after her.

'She met Matt in November. I'm a typical father but Matt, right from the start, hit it off with Sophie and with us. From a dad point of view, he ticked all the boxes straight away. You could almost see the connection they had.'

For more information: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Leukaemia-acute/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
http://www.teenagecancertrust.org/

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Madonna: Malawi president is 'furious' after her office attacks star without her approval

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Mother, 54, choked to death in pub eating competition after swallowing boiled egg

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Germany's Nurburgring racetrack closed after vandals paint 30ft PENIS on tarmac

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Police seeking Joshua Dean Wilson, 23, after Leeds University student's death in Harrogate

Joshua Dean Wilson, of Harrogate, may have seen woman before she diedDeceased is thought to have been a student at Leeds UniversityNorth Yorkshire police are treating her death as unexplained By Harriet Arkell PUBLISHED: 06:24 EST, 12 April 2013 | UPDATED: 06:24 EST, 12 April 2013 Joshua Dean Wilson, 23, of Harrogate, is wanted by North Yorkshire Police as they believe he may have...

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Talk about that Paw-casso! Talented tigers show off their painting skills at Florida zoo

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