Farmed fish fed vegetable matter may have residual pesticides

ScienceDaily (Nov. 8, 2011) ? Today, half of all the fish we eat comes from fish farms. The problem is that these fish are increasingly being fed vegetable matter, which could lead to a build-up of residual pesticides in them. A new test shows how high the risk of contamination really is.

People are eating more and more fish. To meet rising demand, fish are increasingly being cultivated in fish farms. Aquaculture is the fastest-developing branch of the global food industry, with annual growth of nine per cent. This rapid rise is also pushing up demand for fish feed, producers of which are facing a formidable challenge, because the supply of fishmeal and fish oil -- important ingredients in feed -- is dwindling. They are set to be replaced by crops such as soya, maize and rape, but the trouble with these is that feed pellets made from them might contain pesticides.

To protect consumers, there has to be a way to test fish bred in captivity for pesticide residues, but this has not been possible up to now. While techniques known as metabolism studies are already used to test how the active ingredients in pesticides accumulate and break down in ruminants, poultry and pigs, these techniques are not suitable for use with fish. Germany's Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety has let it be known that urgent action is required. Now scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME in Schmallenberg have developed a system to test whether chemical substances accumulate in fish that are fed contaminated feed.

"First, we test whether ingestion of the feed leads to a build-up of pesticide residues in fish tissue, and we look to see which degradation products or metabolites result from the fish's metabolic processes. Essentially, the more fat-soluble a substance is, the higher the probability of it accumulating in fish," explains Dr. Christian Schlechtriem, a scientist at the IME. "Our tests form the basis for later studies on feeding. The results determine whether these subsequent studies, which ascertain maximum pesticide residue levels, are required."

For their metabolism studies the researchers use water tanks that are two cubic meters in size. Into these tanks they place carp and rainbow trout each weighing 300 to 500 grams; both these freshwater fish are frequently bred in farms. To detect and identify pesticide residues and their metabolites, Schlechtriem and his team add a radiolabeled test substance to the pellet feed -- a challenge for the researchers, as radiolabeled material is difficult to handle under aquatic conditions. A powerful filtering system prevents the dissolved test substance from accumulating in the water. The researchers then test the flesh of these fish for pesticide residues using highly sensitive analytical methods which permit even the smallest quantities of a substance to be detected with certainty. Dr. Dieter Hennecke, head of the IME's ecological chemistry department, says: "Our new test leaves no stone unturned in the search for pesticides and their degradation products in fish -- from breeding through to tissue analysis in the laboratory."

In autumn 2011, the European Commission will publish new data requirements for fish as part of the approval process for pesticides. These will oblige every producer and importer who intends to bring a new pesticide onto the European market not only to register it but also to provide information proving it cannot accumulate in the edible parts of fish. The fish test developed at the IME will supply the information required.

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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://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108094342.htm

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PTC Trashes Glee as "Reckless" for Teen Sex Depiction


Glee will take on the topic of teenage sex tonight, airing an episode titled "The First Time" for the reason you might expect: two couples will share their first sexual experience with each other.

In response, the Parents Television Council has issued a statement condemning the storylines, which will center around Blaine and Kurt, Rachel and Finn.

“The fact that Glee intends to not only broadcast, but celebrate children having sex is reprehensible,” said PTC president Tim Winter. “The gender of the high school characters involved is irrelevant. Teen sex is now more prevalent on TV than adult sex and Glee is only playing into that trend. Research proves that television is a teen sexual super peer that can, and likely will, influence a teen’s decision to become sexually active. Fox knows the show inherently attracts kids; celebrating teen sex constitutes gross recklessness.”

This isn't the first time the PTC has called out Glee for sensationalizing sex.

What do you think? Is it wrong to air a storyline based on teenagers having intercourse?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/11/ptc-trashes-glee-as-reckless-for-teen-sex-depiction/

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Oil rises as Greece moves to salvage bailout (AP)

SINGAPORE ? Oil prices hovered above $94 a barrel Monday in Asia after Greek leaders agreed to a coalition government that will likely approve an European Union-led bailout package.

Benchmark crude for December delivery was up 5 cents at $94.31 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 19 cents to settle at $94.26 in New York on Friday.

Brent crude was up 53 cents at $112.50 a barrel on the ICE Futures Exchange in London.

Greece's embattled prime minister and main opposition leader agreed Sunday to form an interim government to ensure the country's new European debt deal, capping a week of political turmoil that saw Greece face a catastrophic default that threatened its euro membership and roiled international markets.

Prime Minister George Papandreou also agreed to step down halfway through his four-year term. Any interim government that is formed with the support of both major parties will be almost guaranteed to push the European rescue package through parliament, which would provide Greece with an additional $179 billion (euro 130 billion) in rescue loans and bank support.

Crude has jumped about 25 percent from $75 on Oct. 4 amid growing investor optimism that Europe will be able to at least temporarily contain its sovereign debt crisis. However, some analysts say the crisis has already undermined economic growth.

"Even if a reasonable temporary solution is achieved (in Greece), debt problems in Italy will continue to provide an obstacle to sustainable European economic growth," energy consultant Ritterbusch and Associates in a report. "We look for the eurozone to continue to provide a mix of headlines that will keep trading quite volatile."

In other Nymex trading, heating oil rose 1.4 cents to $3.08 per gallon and gasoline futures jumped 2.2 cents to $2.69 per gallon. Natural gas slid 4.4 cents at $3.74 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111107/ap_on_re_as/oil_prices

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Belfast hosts pop royalty for MTV awards (Reuters)

BELFAST (Reuters) ? Belfast has had its first taste of "Biebermania" with the arrival of Canadian singing sensation Justin Bieber, in the city for the annual MTV Europe Music Awards staged later on Sunday.

Hundreds of screaming girls crowded outside the Merchant Hotel to catch a glimpse of the 17-year-old hit machine late on Saturday, and thousands more are expected at the main show at the Odyssey Arena nearby.

The hype, which some have likened to "Beatlemania" in the 1960s, could even overshadow that surrounding Lady Gaga, another global superstar who is in Belfast for the show.

"He's beautiful, he's like an angel," said Aya Lawlor, a 14-year-old from Belfast who stood for hours in the cold just to see Bieber. "He's proven that anyone can do it."

She said she was not put off by recent allegations made by a young woman that Bieber fathered her child when he was 16.

The singer has addressed the issue on his Twitter account, which has more than 14 million followers, and denied the claims on the U.S. Today show.

"I'd just like to say basically that none of those allegations are true," said Bieber. "I know that I'm going to be a target, but I'm never going to be a victim."

Adding to media interest in the MTV show in Belfast is the fact that Bieber's girlfriend Selena Gomez, an actress and singer, is hosting the event.

When she met the press on Saturday, journalists did not have the opportunity to ask her questions.

COLDPLAY, HOT CHILI PEPPERS

The celebrity couple will joined in Belfast by Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga among others at what is billed as the biggest night in music outside the United States.

Northern Irish rockers Snow Patrol, whose 2006 album "Eyes Open" sold over five million copies worldwide, also make an appearance as do the surviving members of Queen, who will pick up the Global Icon accolade.

"Very often Northern Ireland in the past has been in the news for other reasons and this is a really, really amazingly positive reason to be in the news," said Gary Lightbody, Snowpatrol lead singer.

Thousands of people are expected to watch the main concert at Odyssey Arena and other performances in the open and in smaller venues around Belfast.

The awards tend to be dominated by U.S. acts even though they are held in a different European city each year and are mostly decided by fans from the region.

Last year it was Gaga who dominated the winners, picking up prizes for best female, best pop act and best song for "Bad Romance." This year she leads the way again with six nominations.

In four categories -- best song ("Born This Way"), best pop and live act and best female artist -- she is up against rival chart-topping diva Katy Perry.

Lady Gaga's other two nominations are best video ("Born This Way") and biggest fans, a new category introduced this year.

Bruno Mars joins Perry with four nominations -- best new, best male, best "push" or up and coming act, and best song for "Grenade."

Adele, Britain's own international chart queen, is short-listed three times -- best female act and best song and best video for "Rolling in the Deep."

Bieber competes for best pop, best male and biggest fans, while Thirty Seconds to Mars is up for best alternative, best world stage and biggest fans.

Bieber, who launched his new album "Under the Mistletoe" this week, has also been named the inaugural winner of the MTV Voices award in recognition of his charity work.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Sophie Hares)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111106/music_nm/us_mtv_europe

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University Hospitals Case Medical Center neurosurgeons champion brain bypass in select patients

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 7-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: George Stamatis
george.stamatis@uhhospitals.org
216-844-3667
University Hospitals Case Medical Center

Preserving a lost art

CLEVELAND A microsurgical procedure that has lost some ground to advances in endovascular therapy still plays a critical role in the management of selected neurovascular disorders, according to a University Hospitals Case Medical Center neurosurgeon who performs the procedure.

"Though its indications are rare, the ability to perform brain bypass correctly can make all the difference for certain patients who have complex brain aneurysms or other cerebrovascular disorders," said Nicholas C. Bambakidis, MD, Director, Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Surgery, University Hospitals (UH) Neurological Institute, UH Case Medical Center, and Associate Professor, Neurological Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Brain bypass, also known as extracranial to intracranial (EC-IC) bypass, was first performed successfully in 1967 to treat a blocked internal carotid artery. The procedure involves connecting the external carotid artery to the internal carotid artery, either directly or by grafting a vein or artery. The choice of graft depends on the size of the recipient and donor vessels, graft availability and the extent of required blood flow augmentation. In a Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery article (2010;2:229-236) discussing the current role of cerebral revascularization for ischemic disease, Dr. Bambakidis and co-author Shakeel Chowdhry, MD, Neurological Institute, UH Case Medical Center, Resident, Department of Neurological Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, note that the procedure was originally envisioned as a treatment option for cerebrovascular occlusive and ischemic disease, but is now rarely used for these indications.

"As newer, minimally invasive technology has come online in vascular treatment, the pendulum swings toward avoidance of surgical treatment at all costs," said Dr. Bambakidis. "As a result, many centers are doing endovascular treatment of aneurysms, but fewer are doing brain bypass procedures. In a sense, it's almost becoming a lost art. The expertise is becoming more and more concentrated in larger centers."

While an endovascular procedure is the optimal treatment for many brain aneurysms, in select cases, endovascular treatment poses a higher risk of stroke than brain bypass, Dr. Bambakidis said. "There are certain brain aneurysms that simply can't close without the sacrifice of some normal blood vessels," he explained. "The EC-IC bypass is designed to bypass the aneurysm and provide blood to those vessels which you would otherwise have to close off, and having that blood supply reduces the risk of stroke."

Complex giant aneurysms (greater than 2.5 cm) are the main indication for brain bypass, although Dr. Bambakidis recently performed the procedure on a young patient with a smaller aneurysm. "This was a 14-year-old boy with a 2-cm aneurysm; we did the bypass using a radial artery from his wrist," he noted. "Aneurysms in younger people are rare, but when we do see them they tend to be these larger ones that often require some kind of bypass or complicated open surgery." He added that although brain bypass is not typically indicated for ischemic brain stroke, it is a critical treatment modality for certain young patients with vascular insufficiency and resultant ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes.

"These patients, who often have a disease called moyamoya syndrome, can have their symptoms improve dramatically after surgery," Dr. Bambakidis said.

New technology such as fluorescent videoangiography is making brain bypass easier and safer, Dr. Bambakidis said, but it is still a delicate procedure that's difficult to perform well. "Multidisciplinary expertise and coordination of care between neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons is critical to achieving an optimal result for the patient," he said. "Because we're known as a center that offers this expertise, our patients come from areas far beyond Greater Cleveland to undergo the brain bypass procedure."

###

About University Hospitals

University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of hospitals, outpatient centers and primary care physicians. At the core of our health system is University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research centers of excellence in the nation and the world, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics and spine, radiology and radiation oncology, neurosurgery and neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, organ transplantation and human genetics. Its main campus includes the internationally celebrated UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information, go to www.uhhospitals.org
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?


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.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 7-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: George Stamatis
george.stamatis@uhhospitals.org
216-844-3667
University Hospitals Case Medical Center

Preserving a lost art

CLEVELAND A microsurgical procedure that has lost some ground to advances in endovascular therapy still plays a critical role in the management of selected neurovascular disorders, according to a University Hospitals Case Medical Center neurosurgeon who performs the procedure.

"Though its indications are rare, the ability to perform brain bypass correctly can make all the difference for certain patients who have complex brain aneurysms or other cerebrovascular disorders," said Nicholas C. Bambakidis, MD, Director, Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Surgery, University Hospitals (UH) Neurological Institute, UH Case Medical Center, and Associate Professor, Neurological Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Brain bypass, also known as extracranial to intracranial (EC-IC) bypass, was first performed successfully in 1967 to treat a blocked internal carotid artery. The procedure involves connecting the external carotid artery to the internal carotid artery, either directly or by grafting a vein or artery. The choice of graft depends on the size of the recipient and donor vessels, graft availability and the extent of required blood flow augmentation. In a Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery article (2010;2:229-236) discussing the current role of cerebral revascularization for ischemic disease, Dr. Bambakidis and co-author Shakeel Chowdhry, MD, Neurological Institute, UH Case Medical Center, Resident, Department of Neurological Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, note that the procedure was originally envisioned as a treatment option for cerebrovascular occlusive and ischemic disease, but is now rarely used for these indications.

"As newer, minimally invasive technology has come online in vascular treatment, the pendulum swings toward avoidance of surgical treatment at all costs," said Dr. Bambakidis. "As a result, many centers are doing endovascular treatment of aneurysms, but fewer are doing brain bypass procedures. In a sense, it's almost becoming a lost art. The expertise is becoming more and more concentrated in larger centers."

While an endovascular procedure is the optimal treatment for many brain aneurysms, in select cases, endovascular treatment poses a higher risk of stroke than brain bypass, Dr. Bambakidis said. "There are certain brain aneurysms that simply can't close without the sacrifice of some normal blood vessels," he explained. "The EC-IC bypass is designed to bypass the aneurysm and provide blood to those vessels which you would otherwise have to close off, and having that blood supply reduces the risk of stroke."

Complex giant aneurysms (greater than 2.5 cm) are the main indication for brain bypass, although Dr. Bambakidis recently performed the procedure on a young patient with a smaller aneurysm. "This was a 14-year-old boy with a 2-cm aneurysm; we did the bypass using a radial artery from his wrist," he noted. "Aneurysms in younger people are rare, but when we do see them they tend to be these larger ones that often require some kind of bypass or complicated open surgery." He added that although brain bypass is not typically indicated for ischemic brain stroke, it is a critical treatment modality for certain young patients with vascular insufficiency and resultant ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes.

"These patients, who often have a disease called moyamoya syndrome, can have their symptoms improve dramatically after surgery," Dr. Bambakidis said.

New technology such as fluorescent videoangiography is making brain bypass easier and safer, Dr. Bambakidis said, but it is still a delicate procedure that's difficult to perform well. "Multidisciplinary expertise and coordination of care between neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons is critical to achieving an optimal result for the patient," he said. "Because we're known as a center that offers this expertise, our patients come from areas far beyond Greater Cleveland to undergo the brain bypass procedure."

###

About University Hospitals

University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of hospitals, outpatient centers and primary care physicians. At the core of our health system is University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research centers of excellence in the nation and the world, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics and spine, radiology and radiation oncology, neurosurgery and neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, organ transplantation and human genetics. Its main campus includes the internationally celebrated UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information, go to www.uhhospitals.org
[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2011-11/uhcm-uhc110711.php

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Jackson's doctor found guilty of manslaughter

Michael Jackson's doctor was convicted Monday of involuntary manslaughter after a trial that painted him as a reckless caregiver who administered a lethal dose of a powerful anesthetic that killed the pop star.

The verdict against Dr. Conrad Murray marked the latest chapter in one of pop culture's most shocking tragedies ? the death of the King of Pop on the eve of the singer's heavily promoted comeback concerts.

Members of Jackson's family, including his sister LaToya, wept quietly after the verdict was read.

Opinion: Jackson music will live on long after trial
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Murray sat stone-faced during the verdict and was handcuffed and taken into custody without bail until sentencing on Nov. 29. He appeared calm as officials led him out of the courtroom.

There was a shriek in the courtroom when the verdict was read, and the crowd erupted outside the courthouse.

The jury deliberated less than nine hours. The Houston cardiologist, 58, faces a sentence of up to four years in prison. He could also lose his medical license.

Slideshow: See fans gathering at courthouse (on this page)

Murray's attorneys left the courtroom without commenting.

In Las Vegas, a former Murray patient and current friend, Donna DiGiacomo, sobbed and said she thought the jury was under "overwhelming pressure to convict."

"This man didn't deserve this. They needed a scapegoat," said DiGiacomo, 53, a former Long Island, N.Y., teacher's aide who said she didn't believe Murray did anything to intentionally harm Jackson.

Jackson died on June 25, 2009, and details of his final days dribbled out over several months.

The complete story, however, finally emerged during the six-week trial. It was the tale of a tormented genius on the brink of what might have been his greatest triumph with one impediment standing in his way ? extreme insomnia.

Story: Tito Jackson: Security kept family from Michael

Testimony came from medical experts, household employees and Murray's former girlfriends, among others.

The most shocking moments, however, came when prosecutors displayed a large picture of Jackson's gaunt, lifeless body on a hospital gurney and played the sound of his drugged, slurred voice, as recorded by Murray just weeks before the singer's death.

Jackson talked about plans for a fantastic children's hospital and his hope of cementing a legacy larger than that of Elvis Presley or The Beatles.

"We have to be phenomenal," he said about his "This Is It" concerts in London. "When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, 'I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world.'"

Throughout the trial, Jackson family members watched from the spectator gallery, fans gathered outside with signs and T-shirts demanding, "Justice for Michael," and an international press corps broadcast reports around the world. The trial was televised and streamed on the Internet.

Slideshow: Watch Jackson's face change over the years (on this page)

Prosecutors portrayed Murray as an incompetent doctor who used the anesthetic propofol without adequate safeguards and whose neglect left Jackson abandoned as he lay dying.

Murray's lawyers sought to show the doctor was a medical angel of mercy with former patients vouching for his skills. Murray told police from the outset that he gave Jackson propofol and other sedatives as the star struggled for sleep to prepare for his shows. But the doctor said he administered only a small dose on the day Jackson died.

Lawyers for Murray and a defense expert blamed Jackson for his own death, saying the singer gave himself the fatal dose of propofol while Murray wasn't watching. A prosecution expert said that theory was crazy.

Murray said he had formed a close friendship with Jackson, never meant to harm him and couldn't explain why he died.

The circumstances of Jackson's death at the age of 50 were as bizarre as any chapter in the superstar's sensational life story.

Jackson was found not breathing in his own bed in his rented mansion after being dosed intravenously with propofol, a drug normally administered in hospitals during surgery.

The coroner ruled the case a homicide and the blame would fall to the last person who had seen Jackson alive ? Murray, who had been hired to care for the singer as the comeback concerts neared.

Slideshow: See photos from Michael Jackson?s life and career (on this page)

Craving sleep, Jackson had searched for a doctor who would give him the intravenous anesthetic that Jackson called his "milk" and believed to be his salvation. Other medical professionals turned him down, according to trial testimony.

Murray gave up his practices in Houston and Las Vegas and agreed to travel with Jackson and work as his personal physician indefinitely.

For six weeks, as Jackson undertook strenuous rehearsals, Murray infused him with propofol every night, the doctor told police. He later tried to wean Jackson from the drug because he feared he was becoming addicted.

Jackson planned to pay Murray $150,000 a month for an extended tour in Europe. In the end, the doctor was never paid a penny because Jackson died before signing the contract.

During the last 24 hours of his life, Jackson sang and danced at a spirited rehearsal, reveling in the adulation of fans who greeted him outside. Then came a night of horror, chasing sleep ? the most elusive treasure the millionaire entertainer could not buy.

Testimony showed Murray gave Jackson intravenous doses that night of the sedatives lorazepam and midazolam. Jackson also took a Valium pill. But nothing seemed to bring sleep.

Finally, Murray told police, he gave the singer a small dose of propofol ? 25 milligrams ? that seemed to put him to sleep. The doctor said he felt it was safe to leave his patient's bedside for a few minutes, but Jackson was not breathing when he returned.

Witnesses said he was most likely dead at that point.

What happened next was a matter of dispute during the trial. Security and household staff described Murray as panicked, never calling 911 but trying to give Jackson CPR on his bed instead of the firm floor.

A guard said Murray was concerned with packing up and hiding medicine bottles and IV equipment before telling him to call 911. Prosecutors said Murray was distracted while Jackson was sedated, citing Murray's cell phone records to show he made numerous calls.

Authorities never accused Murray of intending to kill the star, and it took eight months for them to file the involuntary manslaughter charge against him. It was the lowest possible felony charge involving a homicide.

There was no law against administering propofol or the other sedatives. But prosecution expert witnesses said Murray was acting well below the standard of care required of a physician.

They said using propofol in a home setting without lifesaving equipment on hand was an egregious deviation from that standard. They called it gross negligence, the legal basis for an involuntary manslaughter charge.

The defense team countered with its own expert who presented calculations suggesting that Jackson gave himself the fatal dose.

In closing arguments, the prosecutor said the mystery of what happened behind the closed doors of Jackson's bedroom on the fatal day probably would never be solved.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45161548/ns/today-entertainment/

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#scio11 - It's All Geek to Me


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Bora ZivkovicBora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

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--> Bora ZivkovicBorn in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia), Bora was always interested in animals and nature. His studies in veterinary medicine were interrupted by the 1990s war in the Balkans, when he arrived in the USA. He went to graduate school at North Carolina State University where he studied how bird brains measure time of day (circadian rhythms) and time of year (photoperiodism). He started ‘A Blog Around The Clock’ in 2004. He teaches introductory biology to non-traditional students at North Carolina Wesleyan College, organizes the annual ScienceOnline conference, and edits Open Laboratory – the annual anthology of the best writing on science blogs. - http://coturnix.org - boraz Contact Bora Zivkovic via email.
Follow Bora Zivkovic on Twitter as @boraz. Or visit their website.-->

It?s All Geek to Me from NASW on Vimeo.

This is a recording of a session from ScienceOnline2011, the fifth annual conference on Science and the Web. Join us for the sixth ? bigger and better edition ? next January at ScienceOnline2012.

Bora ZivkovicAbout the Author: Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

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'Tower Heist': The Reviews Are In!

Most critics are lukewarm on the Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller caper flick.
By Kevin P. Sullivan


Ben Stiller and Gabourey Sidibe in "Tower Heist"
Photo: Universal Pictures

The 99 percent finally have their own heist movie! In "Tower Heist," Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller team up to take back money from an evil executive who Ponzi-ed it away from the staff of his New York apartment building.

The reviews certainly aren't glowing, and most paint it as a less entertaining "Ocean's Eleven" but admit there are some laughs to be had. We've rounded up some of the reviews to give you an idea of what the critics are saying. Take a look below to find out if you should join in on "Tower Heist."

The Story "The employees at a gilded Manhattan apartment complex, led by manager Ben Stiller, decide to rob the ass of a Madoff-like billionaire in the penthouse (a supremely slimy Alan Alda). Why? He's bilked them out of their pensions. Stiller recruits a bankrupt resident (Matthew Broderick) and a bellhop (Michael Peña). But the friskiest conspirator is Slide (Eddie Murphy), a thief with his own agenda." — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Eddie Murphy "Here, though, Murphy's crow's-feet are showing, and while it should help promote his gig as next year's Academy Awards host, the casting makes 'Heist' a jumble of a film. As occasionally convincing as co-stars Ben Stiller and Casey Affleck can be as blue-collar workers bilked of their pensions, Murphy's role seems to be a criminal Yoda: a wisecracking ex-con with street smarts, staccato delivery and quick grin." — Scott Bowles, USA Today

The Action "It runs a refreshingly unbloated 104 minutes, and the action scenes are less frequent and less destructive than we're used to in our late-Michael Bay era. Not that this movie skimps on the spectacular stunts — one pivotal scene involves a Ferrari being lowered from a skyscraper window by a winch while a man dangles from the front fender — but in comparison with, say, the last 'Fast Five' movie, this is a miniaturist character study." — Dana Stevens, Slate

Gabourey Sidibe "And Gabourey Sidibe, the striking plus-size Oscar-nominated star of 'Precious,' makes her Hollywood leap as a feisty Jamaican chambermaid who gets in on the heist action. (The girl's got mad safecracking skills.) I don't know why Ratner and cinematographer Dante Spinotti felt compelled to push the camera in close, as if gawking at Sidibe's dramatic coloring and size. But then, I also don't know why she wasn't used more." — Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

The Direction "Mr. Ratner goes for the safe bet and the easy score, which means that, for all his shows of solidarity with the working stiffs, he has more in common with the wealthy scam artist who took their hard-earned money." — A.O. Scott, New York Times

The Final Word "This is a sadly common example of a filmmaker designing his production for inattentive, lazy audiences who don't really care about story coherence or consistency. It's a 'turn off the brain' movie." — James Berardinelli, Reelviews

Check out everything we've got on "Tower Heist."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673770/tower-heist-reviews.jhtml

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