Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/etlCLN79TiA/nasa-engineer-reveals-space-cats-secret
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Tuesday, 31 January 2012
NASA Engineer Reveals Space Cats Secret [Video]
Monday, 30 January 2012
Celebrity pot busts put tiny Texas county on map
FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2011 file photo, actor Armie Hammer poses for photographers after the Young Hollywood Panel during AFI FEST 2011 in Los Angeles. The town of Sierra Blanca, Texas, which is losing more and more residents every year, is attracting nationwide attention as a magnet for pot-toting celebrities who have been arrested for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town. Hammer was arrested Nov. 20, 2011, at a border patrol checkpoint in West Texas after a drug sniffing dog discovered marijuana in his car. The 25-year-old, who starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in "J. Edgar," spent about a day in jail before paying a $1,000 bond. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)
FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2011 file photo, actor Armie Hammer poses for photographers after the Young Hollywood Panel during AFI FEST 2011 in Los Angeles. The town of Sierra Blanca, Texas, which is losing more and more residents every year, is attracting nationwide attention as a magnet for pot-toting celebrities who have been arrested for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town. Hammer was arrested Nov. 20, 2011, at a border patrol checkpoint in West Texas after a drug sniffing dog discovered marijuana in his car. The 25-year-old, who starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in "J. Edgar," spent about a day in jail before paying a $1,000 bond. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)
SIERRA BLANCA, Texas (AP) ? Nestled among the few remaining businesses that dot a rundown highway in this dusty West Texas town stands what's become a surprise destination for marijuana-toting celebrities: the Hudspeth County Jail.
Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and actor Armie Hammer have been among the thousands of people busted for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town in recent years, bringing a bit of notoriety to one of Texas' most sparsely populated counties.
"Once I was in Arizona, and when I said where I was from, they said, 'That's where Willie Nelson was busted,'" said Louise Barantley, manager at the Coyote Sunset souvenir shop in Sierra Blanca.
Hudspeth County cameos aren't only for outlaws: Action movie star Steven Seagal, who's already deputized in Louisiana and Arizona for his reality show "Steven Seagal Lawman" on A&E, has signed on to become a county officer.
Locals already have found ways to rub shoulders with their celebrity guests.
Deputies posed for pictures with Snoop Dogg after authorities said they found several joints on his bus earlier this month. When Nelson was busted here in 2010, the county's lead prosecutor suggested the singer settle his marijuana charges by performing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court. Nelson paid a fine instead, but not before county commissioner Wayne West played one of his own songs for the country music legend.
West acknowledged he's a big fan of Nelson and wanted to capitalize on a golden chance to perform for such a noted "captive audience."
"Willie loved the song, he is a real outgoing individual" he added.
The once-thriving town of Sierra Blanca began to shrink to its current 1,000-person population after the construction of nearby Interstate 10 ? a main artery linking cities from California to Florida ? offered an easy way to bypass the community.
Now the highway is sending thousands of drug bust cases Sierra Blanca's way, courtesy of a Border Patrol checkpoint just outside of town where drug-sniffing dogs inspect more than 17,000 trucks, travelers ? and tour buses ? daily for whiffs of contraband that may have made its wait inland from the border.
Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, younger brother of the musically inclined commissioner, said his office handled about 2,000 cases last year, most of them having to do with drugs seized at the checkpoint.
Border Patrol agents say people busted with small amounts of pot often say they have medical marijuana licenses from California, Arizona or New Mexico ? three states along I-10 that, unlike Texas, allow for medicinal pot prescriptions ? and claim to believe the licenses were valid nationwide.
Nelson's publicists declined to comment about the specifics of the singer's case. Representatives for Snoop Dogg, who will pay a fine and court costs after being cited for possession of marijuana paraphernalia, did not return several messages seeking comment.
County authorities have not yet decided whether to prosecute or issue a citation for Hammer, who starred in the 2010 film "The Social Network" and more recently played FBI's number two man in "Edgar J." He was arrested in November after authorities said they found marijuana-laced brownies and cookies on his way to his wife's bakery in San Antonio. His attorney Kent Schaffer has called the case a "total non-issue."
Local officials say they're not on a celebrity witch hunt, but some residents are enjoying the publicity from the high-profile arrests. They say the once forgotten town of Sierra Blanca should take pride in not pandering to famous people caught breaking the law.
"We get attention because something is being done right," resident Adolfo Gonzalez said while shopping at a local convenience store. "It'd be worse if we'd let them go because they are celebrities."
That's not expected to change when Segal comes to town. Sheriff West insists the "Under Siege" star hasn't indicated any plans to film his show here ? but the sheriff isn't ruling it out.
"If he wants to, we can do it but that's not what he said this was about," West said.
West's spokesman, Rusty Flemming, said Seagal will patrol the area and train colleagues in martial arts and weapons techniques. The actor is expected to arrive in Hudspeth County within months, once he's done filming a new movie in Canada.
Segal's management agency did not return calls and emails seeking comment about his plans in Texas.
Commissioner West, meanwhile, is keeping his musical skills sharp ? just in case another performer pays a surprise visit to the county jail. The lead guitarist and vocalist of a local band, West said he regrets not having a chance to sing for Snoop Dogg, but wasn't sure if the rapper would have enjoyed the performance anyway.
"Our stuff is laid back," he said. "Mas o menos (more or less) country."
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Sunday, 29 January 2012
Video: The Road Ahead for the GOP
Did a strong performance in Thursday night's GOP debate lock up the nomination for Romney? Robert Costa, National Review; Ed Rogers, BGR Group; and Phil Musser, fmr. Romney 2008 campaign advisor, discuss.
Related Links:
Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com
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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46170435/
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Grammy-winning composer Clare Fischer dead at 83 (AP)
LOS ANGELES ? Clare Fischer, a Grammy-winning composer who wrote scores for television and movies and worked with legendary musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, has died. He was 83.
Fischer died Thursday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank after suffering a heart attack two weeks ago, family spokeswoman Claris Sayadian-Dodge said.
An uncommonly versatile musician, Fischer worked as a composer, arranger, conductor and pianist for more than 60 years.
He is best known for his arrangements for Prince, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Branford Marsalis, Raphael Saadiq, Usher and Brandy.
Nominated for a Grammy 11 times in the Best Instrumental Arrangement category, Fischer won in 1986 for his album "Free Fall" and in 1981 for "Salsa Picante plus 2+2."
Born in Durand, Mich., Fischer got his start playing piano and writing jazz-inspired arrangements for the group The Hi-Lo's, an a capella quartet popular in the 1950s.
He worked as the arranger on Gillespie's "Jazz Portrait of Duke Ellington."
Fischer recorded 51 albums over his lifetime with his son Brent Fischer. The music ranges in style from jazz to salsa to symphonies.
"Clare Fischer was a major influence on my harmonic concept," Herbie Hancock is quoted as saying on Fischer's website.
"(Fischer) and Bill Evans, and Ravel and Gil Evans, finally. You know, that's where it really came from. Almost all of the harmony that I play can be traced to one of those four people and whoever their influences were," Hancock said.
Clare Fischer is survived by his wife, Donna; sons Lee and Brent; daughter Tahlia; and three grandchildren.
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Saturday, 28 January 2012
Colts owner wishes Manning kept comments in-house (AP)
INDIANAPOLIS ? The Indianapolis Colts are a long, long way from being healed.
Two days after Peyton Manning publicly complained about the dour atmosphere at team headquarters following a 2-14 season and a rash of firings, Colts owner Jim Irsay introduced his new head coach and then stunned everyone by calling his franchise player a "politician" who had decided to air dirty laundry.
"I don't think it's in the best interest to paint the horseshoe in a negative light, I really don't," Irsay told reporters, referring to the team's longtime logo. "The horseshoe always comes first, and I think one thing he's always known, because he's been around it so long, is that, you know, you keep it in the family. If you've got a problem you talk to each other, it's not about campaigning or anything like that."
The comments suggest there is a rift between Manning and Irsay, who is just six weeks from a deadline to pay the four-time league MVP a $28 million bonus or risk losing him as a free agent. And it all blew up in public on a day the team desperately wanted attention focused on Chuck Pagano, the Ravens' defensive coordinator who takes over as head coach with a host of problems to address.
The biggest question mark is Manning, the face of the franchise and the primary reason for its run of success over the past decade. He is clearly upset with the fallout of the Colts' dismal season in which he never played a down after Sept. 8 neck surgery ? his third such procedure in a span of 19 months.
In the past three weeks, the Colts have fired vice chairman Bill Polian and general manager Chris Polian, coach Jim Caldwell and most of Caldwell's assistants. Irsay hired 39-year-old Ryan Grigson as the new general manager and on Wednesday chose Pagano as Caldwell's replacement.
Last week, actor Rob Lowe caused a media frenzy by writing on Twitter that Manning was about to retire. The story got so much attention that even Pagano, who was preparing for the Ravens' AFC championship game against New England, apparently took notice.
"You know, I've got a text or a call out to Rob Lowe and I haven't heard back yet, so I'm going to have to get back to you on that one," Pagano said when asked if he expected to be coaching Manning next season.
But the saga has taken an even more dramatic twist in the last 48 hours.
Manning told The Indianapolis Star that his only real conversation with Grigson, a first-time GM, had come in passing and that the vast overhaul at team headquarters had everyone "walking around on eggshells." He said it wasn't healthy for his healing, and then said that he had no idea where Irsay stood on the question of whether he was going to play again for the Colts.
Many analysts believe Manning's comments indicated that he was unhappy in Indianapolis and may be looking for a way out.
Whatever the explanation, Irsay didn't like it one bit.
"I have so much affection and appreciation for Peyton. I mean we're family. We always will be and we are," Irsay said. "He's a politician. I mean look at, when it comes to being competitive, let's just say on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, we're both 11s, OK? So there's been plenty of eggshells scattered around this building by him with his competitive desire to win."
Manning quickly began on a quest to mend fences.
Within hours of Irsay's comments, Manning told The Star he didn't intend to start a public feud.
"At this point, Mr. Irsay and I owe it to each other and to the fans of the organization to handle this appropriately and professionally, and I think we will. I've already reached out to Mr. Irsay," Manning said. "I wasn't trying to paint the Colts in a bad light, but it's tough when so many people you've known for so long are suddenly leaving. I feel very close to a lot of these guys and we've done great things together. It's hard to watch an old friend clean out his office. That's all I was trying to say.
"I just want to keep rehabbing and working hard, and when the time is right for Mr. Irsay and I to sit down, I look forward to a healthy conversation about my future. I've worked too hard and have such great respect and have so many great relationships inside the building and out, and it's incredibly important that those remain."
The drama may be just beginning.
Now that Irsay has his people in place in the front office, Pagano can focus his attention on selecting a staff. Grigson said Pagano will make those choices.
Irsay's decisions will be much more difficult.
Indy's horrendous season means the Colts landed the No. 1 overall pick, which Irsay has said they will use for their quarterback of the future ? presumably Stanford's Andrew Luck.
If so, Irsay must decide how much money he wants to invest in one position. Manning signed a five-year, $90 million contract in July and is due that bonus in March. The perennial Pro Bowler is said to be recovering well from his latest surgery, but he will also turn 36 on March 24 ? a little more than two weeks after the March 8 deadline to pay that bonus.
Irsay reiterated Thursday that his choice will come down to Manning's health, not money.
"I think fans already understand that," Irsay said when asked whether Manning may have played his final game in Colts' blue. "This isn't an ankle, it isn't a shoulder. Often times the NFL is criticized for putting someone out there at risk, and I'm not going to doing that. I think he and I just need to see where his health is because this isn't about money or anything else. It's about his life and his long-term health."
That's only the start of the Colts' questions.
Grigson and Irsay must figure out how to free up salary cap space and what to do with a group of high-priced veterans such as Gary Brackett and Melvin Bullitt, and whether they want to bring back some of their key free agents such as Robert Mathis, Jeff Saturday and Reggie Wayne.
Not surprisingly, Pagano wants as many of those guys back as he can get, including Manning.
"I just came from a great organization and just spent some time with one of the greatest leaders (Ray Lewis) to ever play this game," Pagano said. "And there's one of those leaders right here (Manning) and those are the types of individuals and people that you have to surround yourself with."
But it's Irsay who must make that decision, and it's obvious that the two haven't been talking much lately ? something Irsay acknowledged will change between now and March 8.
"It's a very simple issue, it's a health issue," Irsay said.
"It's one of those things where just when you think it's going in the right direction, things change," he said, explaining later there was no indication Manning has had a setback over the last month. "It's been very hard on everyone around here, and it's been very hard on Peyton, too."
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Movie Scores: How the critics rated the new movies (AP)
LOS ANGELES ? Liam Neeson continues to impress critics with his reinvention as an action hero as he approaches 60 in this weekend's "The Grey."
Neeson stars as one of a group of oil-rig workers who find themselves stranded in the snowy Alaskan wilderness when their plane to Anchorage crashes. AP Entertainment Writer Jake Coyle only gave the movie two stars out of four, though, saying: "`The Grey' is not `Jaws,' and it's certainly not `Moby-Dick.' In the script by (director Joe) Carnahan and Ian Mackenzie Jeffers, adapted from Jeffers' short story `Ghost Walker,' the philosophical subtext is forced and obvious."
Also opening this weekend to far less favorable reviews is "Man on a Ledge," starring Sam Worthington as a disgraced New York cop who threatens to jump off the 21st floor of a hotel to deflect attention from a heist going on across the street. AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire gave it one and a half stars out of four, writing: "`Man on a Ledge' is so cliched and reheated, it almost feels like a parody of a generic action picture ? only no one seems to be in on the joke."
Here's a look at how these movies and others fared on the top review websites as of Friday afternoon. Each score is the percentage of positive reviews for the film:
? "The Grey": Metacritic, 64; Movie Review Intelligence, 63.5; Rotten Tomatoes, 76. Average: 67.8.
? "Albert Nobbs": Metacritic, 58; Movie Review Intelligence, 64.2; Rotten Tomatoes, 53. Average: 58.4.
? "Man on a Ledge": Metacritic, 40; Movie Review Intelligence, 42.9; Rotten Tomatoes, 22. Average: 35.
? "One for the Money": Metacritic, 13; Movie Review Intelligence, 11; Rotten Tomatoes, 0. Average: 8.
___
Online:
http://www.metacritic.com/
http://moviereviewintelligence.com/
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/
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Friday, 27 January 2012
Mutated Kras spins a molecular loop that launches pancreatic cancer
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Public release date: 26-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Scott Merville
smerville@mdanderson.org
713-792-0661
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
UT MD Anderson-led team identifies new potential treatment avenue to block an elusive target
HOUSTON Scientists have connected two signature characteristics of pancreatic cancer, identifying a self-perpetuating "vicious cycle" of molecular activity and a new potential target for drugs to treat one of the most lehal forms of cancer.
The research, reported in the journal Cancer Cell and led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, connected the molecular dots between:
- Mutated versions of Kras, a gene that acts as a molecular on-off switch but gets stuck in the "on" position when mutated.
- Heightened activity of a protein complex called NF-?B that controls activation of genes.
"Kras is mutated in 80 to 95 percent of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, and is the most frequent mutation among all cancers," said senior author Paul Chiao, Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology.
About 42,000 new cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Estimates vary, but the 5-year survival rate has been 1 to 3 percent for decades and median survival after diagnosis is six months, the researchers note.
Interleukin-1? is a new potential drug target
"There have been many attempts to inhibit mutated Kras, but it's an elusive target that so far has defied treatment," Chiao said. "So if we can't hit Kras, maybe we can target one of its downstream genes. This research identifies some of those genes and suggests that interleukin-1apha (IL-1?) is a potential therapeutic target."
Chiao and colleagues identified IL-1? as a crucial player in a feed-forward loop that:
- Begins with mutationally activated Kras triggering a chain reaction that induces IL-1? expression;
- This in turn activates NF-?B via the protein kinase IKK2/?, which blocks the inhibitor of NF-?B.
- In the cell nucleus, NF-?B oversees gene transcription and regulates a number of inflammation-promoting genes, including IL-1?.
- IL-1? and another protein called p62 activate NF-?B which in turn cycles back to perpetuate the loop by activating its activators.
"It's a vicious cycle," Chiao said. The overactive NF-?B fuels pancreatic cancer by activating genes that promote inflammation, the growth of new blood vessels and block programmed cell death.
Chiao has three research grants from the National Cancer Institute to study pancreatic cancer. "We study signaling transduction pathways to try to find out why it's such a bad disease and to find a weak point for targeted therapy," he said.
In the Cancer Cell paper, the authors conclude: "Our findings suggest that the prime mover responsible for cancer-related inflammatory response and the development of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (precancerous lesions) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the mutant Kras-initiated constitutive activation of NF-?B."
This process, they further noted, creates a pro-tumor microenvironment by promoting inflammation, creation of new blood vessels and tissue repair that is similar to conditions found in inherited pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas that is linked to the development of cancer.
Kras mutation, IL-1?, NF-?B go together with poor survival
The team analyzed mouse and human tumors and mouse strains with mutated Kras expressed in their pancreases. In a series of experiments they found:
- Active IKK2/beta the activator of NF-?B was required for the Kras-mutated mice to develop either pancreatic cancer or precancerous legions.
- Deletion of IKK2/Beta interrupted Kras-stimulated inflammation and cell proliferation, suggesting that chronic inflammation is a key factor in promoting pancreatic cancer development.
- Microarray profiles of gene expression showed that several NF-?B-regulated inflammatory genes were present in high levels in mice with mutated Kras and active IKK2/beta but only found at lower levels in mice with IKK2/beta knocked out.
- In human pancreatic tumors, high expression of the same inflammatory genes in the mutated Kras mice were associated with positive lymph node status, high-risk, late tumor stage and poor survival.
- Expression of several genes regulated by NF-?B progressed from low levels in normal pancreases to higher levels in precancerous lesions and tumors, including IL-?.
- IL-1? was known to be both a target of and an inducer of NF-?B, but its expression had not previously been connected to mutated Kras. The team found that downstream targets of Kras, including IL-1?, are interrupted when IKK2/? is inactivated.
- Analysis of 14 human pancreatic cancer tumor samples showed that overexpression of IL-1?, the presence of Kras mutation and the activation of NF-?B are correlated and are associated with poor survival.
- Continued activation of NF-?B and its gene transcription activity are sustained by IL-1? and p62.
###
Co-authors with Chiao are Jianhua Ling, Ph.D., Rulying Zhao, M.D., Ph.D., Qianghua Xia, Ph.D., Zhe Chang, Ph.D., and Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology; Ya'an Kang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jason Fleming, M.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Surgical Oncology; Huamin Wang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jinsong Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Pathology; Dung-Fang Lee, Ph.D., and Ihor Lemischka, Ph.D., of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute of Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Jin Li, Ph.D., of the Center for Applied Genomics of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and Bailu Peng, Ph.D. of the Guangdong Entomological Institute, Guangdong, China.
The team's research was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, including MD Anderson's Cancer Center Core Support Grant.
[ | 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.
Public release date: 26-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Scott Merville
smerville@mdanderson.org
713-792-0661
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
UT MD Anderson-led team identifies new potential treatment avenue to block an elusive target
HOUSTON Scientists have connected two signature characteristics of pancreatic cancer, identifying a self-perpetuating "vicious cycle" of molecular activity and a new potential target for drugs to treat one of the most lehal forms of cancer.
The research, reported in the journal Cancer Cell and led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, connected the molecular dots between:
- Mutated versions of Kras, a gene that acts as a molecular on-off switch but gets stuck in the "on" position when mutated.
- Heightened activity of a protein complex called NF-?B that controls activation of genes.
"Kras is mutated in 80 to 95 percent of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, and is the most frequent mutation among all cancers," said senior author Paul Chiao, Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology.
About 42,000 new cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Estimates vary, but the 5-year survival rate has been 1 to 3 percent for decades and median survival after diagnosis is six months, the researchers note.
Interleukin-1? is a new potential drug target
"There have been many attempts to inhibit mutated Kras, but it's an elusive target that so far has defied treatment," Chiao said. "So if we can't hit Kras, maybe we can target one of its downstream genes. This research identifies some of those genes and suggests that interleukin-1apha (IL-1?) is a potential therapeutic target."
Chiao and colleagues identified IL-1? as a crucial player in a feed-forward loop that:
- Begins with mutationally activated Kras triggering a chain reaction that induces IL-1? expression;
- This in turn activates NF-?B via the protein kinase IKK2/?, which blocks the inhibitor of NF-?B.
- In the cell nucleus, NF-?B oversees gene transcription and regulates a number of inflammation-promoting genes, including IL-1?.
- IL-1? and another protein called p62 activate NF-?B which in turn cycles back to perpetuate the loop by activating its activators.
"It's a vicious cycle," Chiao said. The overactive NF-?B fuels pancreatic cancer by activating genes that promote inflammation, the growth of new blood vessels and block programmed cell death.
Chiao has three research grants from the National Cancer Institute to study pancreatic cancer. "We study signaling transduction pathways to try to find out why it's such a bad disease and to find a weak point for targeted therapy," he said.
In the Cancer Cell paper, the authors conclude: "Our findings suggest that the prime mover responsible for cancer-related inflammatory response and the development of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (precancerous lesions) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the mutant Kras-initiated constitutive activation of NF-?B."
This process, they further noted, creates a pro-tumor microenvironment by promoting inflammation, creation of new blood vessels and tissue repair that is similar to conditions found in inherited pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas that is linked to the development of cancer.
Kras mutation, IL-1?, NF-?B go together with poor survival
The team analyzed mouse and human tumors and mouse strains with mutated Kras expressed in their pancreases. In a series of experiments they found:
- Active IKK2/beta the activator of NF-?B was required for the Kras-mutated mice to develop either pancreatic cancer or precancerous legions.
- Deletion of IKK2/Beta interrupted Kras-stimulated inflammation and cell proliferation, suggesting that chronic inflammation is a key factor in promoting pancreatic cancer development.
- Microarray profiles of gene expression showed that several NF-?B-regulated inflammatory genes were present in high levels in mice with mutated Kras and active IKK2/beta but only found at lower levels in mice with IKK2/beta knocked out.
- In human pancreatic tumors, high expression of the same inflammatory genes in the mutated Kras mice were associated with positive lymph node status, high-risk, late tumor stage and poor survival.
- Expression of several genes regulated by NF-?B progressed from low levels in normal pancreases to higher levels in precancerous lesions and tumors, including IL-?.
- IL-1? was known to be both a target of and an inducer of NF-?B, but its expression had not previously been connected to mutated Kras. The team found that downstream targets of Kras, including IL-1?, are interrupted when IKK2/? is inactivated.
- Analysis of 14 human pancreatic cancer tumor samples showed that overexpression of IL-1?, the presence of Kras mutation and the activation of NF-?B are correlated and are associated with poor survival.
- Continued activation of NF-?B and its gene transcription activity are sustained by IL-1? and p62.
###
Co-authors with Chiao are Jianhua Ling, Ph.D., Rulying Zhao, M.D., Ph.D., Qianghua Xia, Ph.D., Zhe Chang, Ph.D., and Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology; Ya'an Kang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jason Fleming, M.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Surgical Oncology; Huamin Wang, M.D., Ph.D., and Jinsong Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Pathology; Dung-Fang Lee, Ph.D., and Ihor Lemischka, Ph.D., of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute of Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Jin Li, Ph.D., of the Center for Applied Genomics of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and Bailu Peng, Ph.D. of the Guangdong Entomological Institute, Guangdong, China.
The team's research was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, including MD Anderson's Cancer Center Core Support Grant.
[ | 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.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/uotm-mks012612.php
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Thursday, 26 January 2012
Egypt crowd gathers amid anger at military rulers
Mahmud Hams / AFP - Getty Images
Protesters in Tahrir Square hold up an obelisk with the names of those killed during last year's uprising.
By msnbc.com staff and news services
Updated at 9:55 a.m. ET: Reuters reports tens of thousands of people massed in Cairo's Tahrir Square to mark the anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak from power in Egypt, saying some witness estimates put the crowd at 150,000 or more.
One group of mostly youths stood near a street where protesters clashed in November and December with police and the army, chanting "Down with military rule" and "Revolution until victory, revolution in all of Egypt's streets."
Supporters of the once banned Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists also formed groups to celebrate. "I'm very happy with the anniversary of January 25. We never dreamed of this. The revolution's victory was reaped with the elected parliament," says Khaled Mohamed, 41, a member of the Brotherhood whose Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) secured the biggest bloc in parliament after the first free vote in decades.
?
Andre Pain / EPA
Protesters carried a giant Syrian national flag next to Egyptian ones as they are gathered to celebrate the uprising.
Updated at 4:45 a.m. ET: NBC News correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin?posts a picture of people gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square in a message on Twitter, saying there is "incredible showing of people already"?amid "scenes reminiscent' of Jan. 25 last year, when the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak began.
Updated 3 a.m. ET:Tens of thousands are now expected at the protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square later this morning, the BBC is reporting. It says authorities have built huge concrete barricades around Tahrir Square in order to control the crowds.
Website Ahram Online has posted a map showing the main paths expected to be taken by demonstrators as they converge on the center of the city.
Thousands of Egyptians gather in Cairo to mark the beginning of the revolt that led to the ousting of former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
Published 5 p.m. ET:CAIRO-- Egyptians head to Tahrir Square on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak with some seeking a new revolt against army rule and others celebrating the changes already achieved.
It is a year since protesters inspired by an uprising in Tunisia took to the streets in Egypt and the January 25 anniversary has exposed divisions in the Arab world's most populous country over the pace of democratic change.
Concerned the generals are obstructing reform to protect their interests, the pro-democracy activists behind the "January 25 revolution" plan marches to Tahrir Square to demand the military council that replaced Mubarak hand power to civilians immediately.
But well-organized Islamist parties which dominated Egypt's most democratic election since army officers overthrew the king in 1952 are among those who oppose a new uprising.
Mohamed Omar / EPA
An Egyptian protester holds a banner on the morning of the first anniversary of the uprising in Tahrir square, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 25. Demonstrators gathered in the square to mark the anniversary.
Signs of friction were on show as hundreds of people began to congregate in Tahrir Square late on Tuesday, pitching tents in winter rain and hanging the national flag from buildings.
"The military council is Mubarak," said Amr al-Zamlout, a 31-year-old protester clutching a sign declaring "there is no change" and stating his aim was to topple the army rulers.
Mohamed Othman, an accountant, stopped to put forward a different view based on the idea that Egypt needs stability for economic recovery, not more protests.
"The council will leave power in any case. Sure the revolution is incomplete but it doesn't mean we should obstruct life," he said. His criticism quickly drew a crowd and touched off an argument.
Grocery stores were unusually busy as shoppers stocked up, reflecting concern at the prospect of a repeat of last year when protests went on for 18 days before Mubarak was forced to step down on February 11.
Protests against the military council turned violent in November and December.
White House praise
The United States, a close ally of Egypt under Mubarak, praised "several historic milestones in its transition to democracy" this week, including the convening of parliament.
"While many challenges remain, Egypt has come a long way in the past year, and we hope that all Egyptians will commemorate this anniversary with the spirit of peace and unity that prevailed last January," a White House statement said.
Headed by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the military council has said it will cede power to an elected president by the end of June, thus completing a democratic transition.
Yet pro-democracy activists doubt their intentions, pointing to a surge in military trials and the use of violence against protesters as signs of autocratic ways familiar from the Mubarak era.
Tantawi, for two decades Mubarak's defense minister, again defended the military from such accusations during a televised speech on Tuesday. "The nation and the armed forces had one aim: for Egypt to become a democratic state," he said.
In an apparent attempt to appease reformist demands, the military council has in recent days pardoned some 2,000 people convicted in military courts since Mubarak was toppled. On Tuesday it announced a partial lifting of a state of emergency.
But it kept a clause saying emergency laws in place since 1981 would still apply in cases of "thuggery," a vague term that triggered calls for clarification from Washington and more criticism from human rights groups.
The activist movement, a coalition of groups united in calls for deeper and faster reform, have been fighting back in the run-up to the anniversary against what they describe as state efforts to present them as foreign-backed trouble makers.
The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group which won nearly half the seats in the parliament, said last week he was against calls for a new revolt against the military.
"I hope we will go down together to be joyful at what we have accomplished, to guard our Egypt and to complete the demands of the revolution," Mohamed Badie said in an interview with Egypt's Dream TV.
More from msnbc.com and NBC News:
Reuters contributed to this report.
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A Library Writer's Blog: CFP: Library Communications Journal - a ...
CFP: Library Communications Journal - a new journal for library communications professionals
As part of the formation of The Association of Library Communications and Outreach Professionals (ALCOP) which is scheduled to be announced on or before February 15th, a new online journal focused on library communications has been established, and we are now seeking articles for the first issue.
Library Communications Journal will be an online quarterly publication available to ALCOP members and will feature practical articles on a diverse range of issues of concern to library communications professionals today. At the helm of the new journal will be Ms. Jordan Strohl, an experienced journalist who has been a contributor to many professional journals focused on communications. Jordan will serve as the Managing Editor and Assistant to the Publisher.
We are seeking articles on such topics as:
???????? using social media to promote libraries
???????? ideas for outreach to underserved populations
???????? innovative program ideas and how to promote them
???????? how to motivate the library staff
???????? using technology in promoting the library
???????? how to plan a great special event
???????? best practices for working with the media
???????? fostering student engagement with the academic library
???? ... and many other issues relevant to you and how you do your job
We also seek all kinds of ?how to? articles as well as book reviews on new texts focusing on library marketing and public relations.
The journal will welcome articles directed at a general audience or specifically for practitioners serving public, academic, or special libraries.
We are seeking articles no more than 2,000 words in length and book reviews should not be more than 400 words. LCJ allows all authors to retain copyright privileges to their work.
To be considered for the inaugural issue of Library Communications Journal, please submit your articles in Word format to Jordan Strohl at librarycomm@yahoo.com no later than February 15, 2012. Please address any questions to Jordan at that same email address.
We hope you will be part of our first issue schedule to be published in the early Spring.
Source: http://librarywriting.blogspot.com/2012/01/cfp-library-communications-journal-new.html
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ZTE Optik Honeycomb tablet coming to Sprint with a $99 price tag
The ZTE Optik just made an appearance in the latest issue of the Sprint Playbook, and it's coming in at the right price. Because Sprint is dropping their Wimax support and building out their new LTE network, this one is going to be a 3G-only device, and at $99 with a new agreement, of course, it's bound to turn a few heads. (Or not, we suppose. We'll see.) Its specs fall in line with any current generation 7-inch tablet:
- 1.2 GHz dual-core CPU
- 16 GB internal memory
- 1 GB RAM
- 7-inch display
- microSD card support
- 4000 mAh battery
- Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)
Of course, with the new generation of tablets already showing up, this one isn't going to sit atop the heap. But for 99 bucks, it really doesn't have to. The Optik looks like a solid performer and a decent mid-range buy on first impression. ZTE has had some success with Android in Europe, where the Blade is a pretty popular budget handset, and we're glad to see them bringing their wares to this side of the pond.
You'll be able to grab the ZTE Optik online on February 5, and expect to see it in stores on March 11. We'll be sure to get our hands on one ourselves and take it for a test-drive. See the full page from the Playbook after the break.
Thanks, Anon!
 |  |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/4FJD7sUebMY/story01.htm
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[OOC] Dawn of Hearts 2.0
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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Dawn of Hearts 2.0?. Anything posted here will also show up there.Topic Tags:
Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Dawn of Hearts 2.0"
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Wednesday, 25 January 2012
HP to pay $425,000 over late notebook battery recall (Digital Trends)
Technology giant Hewlett-Packard has reached a settlement (PDF) with the Consumer Product Safety Commission that has the company paying a civil penalty of $425,000 for failing to notify the CPSC over reported problems with lithium-ion batteries in some of the company?s notebook computers.
The recalled lithium-ion battery packs could overheat, posing a risk of burning or fire. At least two of the incidents where the batteries malfunctioned injured consumers, with one consumer reportedly going to the hospital.
A full list of notebook models with impacted battery packs is available from HP?s Web site. Note that recalled battery packs spanned numerous HP Pavilion, HP Compaq, HP, and Compaq Presario lines.
Although Hewlett-Packard eventually issued a recall for some 70,000 notebook computer batteries, that didn?t happen until mid-2009. According to the CPSC, Hewlett-Packard was studying the battery packs for potential problems with the battery packs as early as March 2007, and HP knew about 22 incidents involving the lithium-ion battery packs by September 2007. However, the company didn?t get around to telling the commission about any problems until July of 2008?by which time HP knew about ?at least? 31 incidents.
The $425,000 civil penalty resolves the CPSC?s allegations that Hewlett-Packard knowingly failed to report problems with the battery packs. Under federal law, companies have just 24 hours to contact the CPSC once they have information that reasonably indicates a product may be defective. Although Hewlett-Packard is agreeing to the settlement, the company denies any wrongdoing or that it violated any reporting requirements. It also denies CPSC allegations that the battery packs posed any unreasonable risk.
This article was originally posted on Digital Trends
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Announcing A New TechCrunch TV Show: ?In the Studio?
I've been contributing to TechCrunch for a while now, and, it's been a blast and a privilege. As 2011 ended, I reached out Erick and Jon Orlin (who runs TechCrunch TV) and shared some ideas I had for a TV show around technology and entrepreneurship. After many email debates, we settled on something we're excited about and is dead-simple, which we'll simply call "In the Studio." Once a month, we'll spend half a day videotaping 1:1 interviews with guests in the studio at TechCrunch Headquarters in San Francisco. Each conversation will be anywhere from 8-13 minutes. I plan to sit down with all sorts of dynamic people in the startup world, everything from founders, developers, designers, marketers, recruiters, bloggers, investors, and more. Our goals are to (1) invite truly compelling guests to the studio and (2) offer them a platform to share perspectives on their work with all of us in an informal, conversational manner.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Cdi0Dy3dWG4/
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Jim Reeves' music royalties at issue in trial
FILE - In this in 1958 file photo Country singer Jim Reeves poses with his Gibson J-200 guitar on the "Country Music Jubilee." A trial over how music royalties of the late country singer "Gentleman" Jim Reeves should be split is set to begin this week. Reeves was a country music sensation when he died nearly 50 years ago in a plane crash at the age of 39. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - In this in 1958 file photo Country singer Jim Reeves poses with his Gibson J-200 guitar on the "Country Music Jubilee." A trial over how music royalties of the late country singer "Gentleman" Jim Reeves should be split is set to begin this week. Reeves was a country music sensation when he died nearly 50 years ago in a plane crash at the age of 39. (AP Photo, File)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? A trial over how music royalties of the late country singer "Gentleman" Jim Reeves should be split is set to begin this week.
Reeves was a country music sensation when he died nearly 50 years ago in a plane crash at the age of 39.
The two-day trial that begins Monday will focus on how much Terry Davis, who married Reeves' widow, should receive from royalties of up to $400,000 a year, The Tennessean reported (http://tnne.ws/w4mgtF ).
Reeves is best known for the lyric "Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone" but he stayed on the charts from 1970 through 1984 because of how his widow, Mary Reeves Davis, managed his posthumous career. His most popular songs included "He'll Have To Go" and "Welcome To My World."
Terry Davis has been locked in a battle with Reeves' nephew and niece since Mary Reeves Davis died in 1999.
The case will determine if Terry Davis should receive more than the $100,000 and some land that Mary Reeves Davis left to him. Terry Davis, who was married to Mary Reeves Davis for 30 years, has cited a provision of law allowing spouses an "elective share" of an estate based on how long the marriage lasted..
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It's Official: Google Is Evil Now [Google]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/w6s-Otq-aEo/its-official-google-is-evil-now
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Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Google to unify privacy policy across products (Reuters)
(Reuters) ? Google Inc plans to unify its privacy policy and terms of service across its online offerings, including its flagship search, Gmail and Google+ products, to make them easier to use, but the move could attract greater scrutiny from anti-trust regulators.
In an online blog post, Google said it expects to roll out the revised guidelines in over a month's time, consolidating more than 60 separate privacy policies it uses for its online products.
Google currently has more than 70 privacy policies covering all of its products.
Right now, users of Google products have to agree to a new set of privacy policy and terms of services almost every time they sign up for a new service.
This leaves them with an option to opt out of certain services like Google+ or Picasa.
After the new policy comes into effect, user information from most Google products will be treated as a single trove of data, which the company could use for its targeted advertising dollars, raising potential red flags for anti-trust regulators.
"If you're signed in, we may combine information you've provided from one service with information from other services," Google's director of privacy, product and engineering, Alma Whitten wrote in blog post.
"In short, we'll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience."
The announcement comes days after Google's decision to personalize its search feature drew criticism over privacy and anti-trust issues.
Online privacy has come under scrutiny from anti-trust regulators as a handful of web giants have been accused of compromising user privacy to attract advertisers.
Late last year, Facebook settled with the U.S. FTC agreeing to be regulated for a period of 20 years whenever it decided to change its privacy policy.
In 2010, the FTC settled charges with Twitter, after the agency alleged that the social networking service had failed to safeguard users' personal information.
U.S. regulators are reportedly looking into whether Google manipulates its search results to favor its own products and have expanded the probe to include Google+.
"Regulators globally have been calling for shorter, simpler privacy policies - and having one policy covering many different products is now fairly standard across the Web," Whitten said in the post.
The revised policy will take effect on March 1, the blog post said.
(Reporting by Himank Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier, Viraj Nair)
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/wr_nm/us_google
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Canadian man gets 18 years for credit fraud (AP)
FARGO, N.D. ? He was unemployed and receiving welfare, but Adekunle Adetiloye was somehow still living lavishly, complete with a Range Rover vehicle, extended trips to England and an expensive condominium.
That alone piqued authorities' interest, but then there were two credit cards tucked away in his wallet that seemed to confirm suspicions that the Canadian man was up to something nefarious. The pieces of plastic each bore different names ? Donald Douglas and Vincent Andriole ? and helped authorities prosecute a case they describe as one of the largest high-tech bank robberies in U.S. history.
Adetiloye was sentenced Monday to nearly 18 years in prison on fraud charges. During the hearing in North Dakota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Chase said the 40-year-old had an "insatiable hunger for other people's money."
Authorities believe Adetiloye masterminded a scheme to open nearly 600 fraudulent bank accounts and bilk 22 major banks out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson handed down a 214-month prison term and scheduled a Feb. 15 hearing to discuss returning nearly $1.5 million in losses to credit card companies and banks. The judge has said losses may have been as much as $5 million.
"Characterizing this fraud scheme as massive, if anything, is an understatement," Chase said in court documents.
Defense attorney Richard Henderson had asked for a sentence of fewer than 16 years. Henderson said any prison time for his client, a native of Nigeria, is more difficult than it would be for American citizens because he has no family in the United States. No decision has been made about whether he plans to appeal, said Neil Fulton, lead federal public defender for North Dakota and South Dakota.
"The sentence imposed today should send a strong message to those who would seek to scam the citizens and businesses of North Dakota and the United States," U.S. Attorney Timothy Purdon said in a statement released Monday. "We take the growing problem of foreign financial fraud seriously here and seeking justice for the victims of such crimes is a priority for our office."
Attorneys from both sides declined to detail the case ahead of sentencing, but investigators' efforts to deconstruct the multifarious case are laid out in the nearly 12,000 pages of court documents filed by lawyers in federal court.
Greg Krier, lead credit card fraud investigator for U.S. Bank, testified that it was the most complex case he had ever seen. His company, which has its own fraud unit, launched special training sessions focusing on the case in hopes of catching the culprits.
The case wound up in North Dakota after U.S. Bank's customer service center in Fargo intercepted calls by Adetiloye and others. The complexity of the scheme, which took five years to investigate and litigate, was highlighted in a sentencing phase that has lasted nearly a year and included numerous hearings and briefings.
The lead investigator, one of 25 people who worked on the case, put in 2,000 hours, authorities said.
Defense attorneys had argued that their client, the only person charged in the case, was a "marginal and minimal participant" whose role was to handle mail and withdraw money from ATMs. The government and the judge have said otherwise.
Investigators said the operation accessed information of nearly 16,000 people, about 500 of whom had their identities stolen for the purpose of obtaining credit cards. It's alleged that more than 100 commercial mailboxes were opened under false or stolen identities.
The government said Adetiloye went so far as to mask his handwriting after a judge ordered a test of his calligraphy
Erickson, the federal judge, said in court documents ahead of the sentencing that the evidence "indisputably demonstrates" that Adetiloye was a leader or organizer of the scheme. The judge has calculated losses to banks at about $1.5 million, but said it could have been as high as $5 million if credit limits had been maxed out.
The trauma cannot be measured, Erickson said.
"The non-monetary harm to the victims was substantial," the judge wrote. "They lost sleep, they lost time with their families, they lost time at work, and they lost their sense of security. Some victims spent hours trying to reclaim their credit record and their identities."
Court documents show that U.S. Bank suffered the most number of tainted accounts, at 130, for a total loss of about $76,000. The companies alleged to have lost the most money were Citibank, at about $271,000, and Discover, at about $248,000.
Brett Bogan, the security investigations manager at Reed Elsevier, the parent company of LexisNexis and ChoicePoint, told the court that data breaches of this type are extremely rare and knew of only one other case like it. He said the company sent out notices to more than 32,000 people whose personal information was compromised by the scheme.
"With their combined extensive and nationwide perspective, those entities place this fraud scheme at or near the top of their historical lists in terms of size and complexity," Chase said in court documents.
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'Underworld' sinks teeth into box office with $25M
Cast member Kate Beckinsale arrives at the premiere of "Underworld Awakening" in Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. "Underworld Awakening" will be released in theaters Jan. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Cast member Kate Beckinsale arrives at the premiere of "Underworld Awakening" in Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. "Underworld Awakening" will be released in theaters Jan. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Kate Beckinsale is back with a vengeance, with her latest "Underworld" movie opening at No. 1 this weekend.
"Underworld Awakening" made an estimated $25.4, distributor Sony Screen Gems reported Sunday.
This is the fourth film in the vampire action saga. Beckinsale starred in the first two movies as the warrior Selene, then bowed out of part three but returned for this latest installment. "Underworld Awakening" was shown for the first time in 3-D as well as on IMAX screens, where it made $3.8 million. That's 15 percent of the film's weekend gross, which is a record for an IMAX digital-only run.
Sony had hoped the film would end up in the low-$20 million range. But Rory Bruer, the studio's president of worldwide distribution, says the fact that it did even better ? despite a snow storm that hit much of the Midwest and East Coast ? primarily has to do with Beckinsale's return.
"She is such a force. Her character ? you just can't take your eyes off of her. I know the character is very dear to her, as well, and she just kills it," Bruer said. "The 3-D aspect of the film also brings something, makes it a fun, visceral ride."
Opening in second place was "Red Tails" from executive producer George Lucas, about the Tuskegee Airmen who were the first black fighter pilots to serve in World War II. It made an estimated $19.1 million, according to 20th Century Fox, which was well above expectations; the studio had hoped to reach double digits, said Chris Aronson, executive vice president of domestic distribution.
"I believe what George Lucas has stated all along: This is an important story and a story that must be told. It is a true story of American heroism and valor and audiences have really responded to this message," Aronson said. "People want to feel good about themselves, they want to be uplifted. We have enough hard crud going on in this country right now. Times are tough, and if we look back and are told a story of some really fantastic deeds, that's really compelling moviegoing."
Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian said a grassroots effort to get groups of people into the theaters to see "Red Tails," along with positive word-of-mouth, helped its strong showing. The film saw an uptick from about $6 million on Friday to $8.65 million on Saturday.
Overall box office is up 31 percent from the same weekend a year ago, Dergarabedian said, thanks to new releases as well as movies like "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," which had limited runs for awards consideration at the end of 2011 and are now expanding nationwide. The Sept. 11 drama from Warner Bros., starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, came in fourth place with $10.5 million.
Last week's No. 1 film, the Universal smuggling thriller "Contraband" starring Mark Wahlberg, dropped to the No. 3 spot with $12.2 million. It's now made $46.1 million in two weeks. Meanwhile, Steven Soderbergh's international action picture "Haywire" from Relativity Media, starring mixed martial arts superstar Gina Carano in her first film role, opened in fifth place with $9 million, which was above expectations.
"This is a great, perfect January weekend. You've got these holdover films and newcomers creating an overall marketplace that people are really responding to," Dergarabedian said. "It sounds cliche but this marketplace really has something for everyone."
As for worldwide box office, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn ? Part 1" has now crossed the $700 million mark. The first half of the finale of the girl-vampire-werewolf love triangle franchise has grossed an estimated $701.3 million in global box office receipts since its release last November, according to Lionsgate, which recently acquired Summit Entertainment, which distributes the series.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Underworld Awakening," $25.4 million ($13.4 million international).
2. "Red Tails," $19.1 million.
3. "Contraband," $12.2 million.
4. "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," $10.5 million.
5. "Haywire," $9 million.
6. "Beauty and the Beast (3-D)," $8.6 million.
7. "Joyful Noise," $6.1 million.
8. "Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol," $5.5 million. ($9.4 million international).
9. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $4.8 million. ($18.1 million international).
10. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," $3.75 million ($15.7 international).
___
Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:
"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $18.1 million.
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," $15.7 million.
"Underworld Awakening," $13.4 million.
"Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol," $9.4 million international.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $9.3 million.
"Puss in Boots," $8.7 million.
"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," $8.2 million.
"War Horse," $7.3 million.
"The Descendants," $6.2 million.
"The Darkest Hour," $5.1 million.
___
Online:
http://www.hollywood.com
http://www.rentrak.com
___
AP Movie Writer Christy Lemire can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/christylemire/
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