Immune system to fight brain tumors

Public release date: 30-May-2013
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Contact: Sara Fritzell
sara.fritzell@med.lu.se
46-462-228-585
Lund University

Research at Lund University in Sweden gives hope that one of the most serious types of brain tumour, glioblastoma multiforme, could be fought by the patients' own immune system. The tumours are difficult to remove with surgery because the tumour cells grow into the surrounding healthy brain tissue. A patient with the disease therefore does not usually survive much longer than a year after the discovery of the tumour.

The team has tested different ways of stimulating the immune system, suppressed by the tumour, with a 'vaccine'. The vaccine is based on tumour cells that have been genetically modified to start producing substances that activate the immune system. The modified tumour cells (irradiated so that they cannot divide and spread the disease) have been combined with other substances that form part of the body's immune system.

The treatment has produced good results in animal experiments: 75 per cent of the rats that received the treatment were completely cured of their brain tumours.

"Human biology is more complicated, so we perhaps cannot expect such good results in patients. However, bearing in mind the poor prognosis patients receive today, all progress is important", said doctoral student Sara Fritzell, part of the research group led by consultant Peter Siesj.

She has previously tested combining the activation of the immune system with chemotherapy. When the chemotherapy was applied directly to the tumour site, the positive effects reinforced each other, and a huge 83 per cent of the mice survived.

"Our idea is in the future to give patients chemotherapy locally in conjunction with the operation to remove as much of the tumour as possible", said Sara Fritzell.

Peter Siesj is currently applying for permission to carry out a clinical study on stimulation of the immune system with or without local chemotherapy as a treatment for patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

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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.

Public release date: 30-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sara Fritzell
sara.fritzell@med.lu.se
46-462-228-585
Lund University

Research at Lund University in Sweden gives hope that one of the most serious types of brain tumour, glioblastoma multiforme, could be fought by the patients' own immune system. The tumours are difficult to remove with surgery because the tumour cells grow into the surrounding healthy brain tissue. A patient with the disease therefore does not usually survive much longer than a year after the discovery of the tumour.

The team has tested different ways of stimulating the immune system, suppressed by the tumour, with a 'vaccine'. The vaccine is based on tumour cells that have been genetically modified to start producing substances that activate the immune system. The modified tumour cells (irradiated so that they cannot divide and spread the disease) have been combined with other substances that form part of the body's immune system.

The treatment has produced good results in animal experiments: 75 per cent of the rats that received the treatment were completely cured of their brain tumours.

"Human biology is more complicated, so we perhaps cannot expect such good results in patients. However, bearing in mind the poor prognosis patients receive today, all progress is important", said doctoral student Sara Fritzell, part of the research group led by consultant Peter Siesj.

She has previously tested combining the activation of the immune system with chemotherapy. When the chemotherapy was applied directly to the tumour site, the positive effects reinforced each other, and a huge 83 per cent of the mice survived.

"Our idea is in the future to give patients chemotherapy locally in conjunction with the operation to remove as much of the tumour as possible", said Sara Fritzell.

Peter Siesj is currently applying for permission to carry out a clinical study on stimulation of the immune system with or without local chemotherapy as a treatment for patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

###

---

[ | 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/2013-05/lu-ist053013.php

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No charge against Chinese mother of baby in sewer

BEIJING (AP) ? A newborn whose rescue from a sewer pipe in China captivated the world has been returned to his mother after authorities decided he became trapped because of an accident, a local official said Thursday.

The baby's stunning, two-hour rescue from a pipe underneath a squat toilet in Pujiang county prompted both horror and an outpouring of charity on behalf of the boy, who has been taken away from a hospital by the unwed mother and a man believed to be the father.

The man has requested a paternity test and ? if the baby is his ? is ready to discuss with the woman how to support the child, an official at the Pujiang county propaganda office in Zhejiang province in the eastern part of the country said Thursday.

It was not clear if the couple would raise the child together. Officials have not publicly released the names of either of the two adults.

The case has raised discussion of China's lack of proper education about sex and birthing in many schools. Unwanted pregnancies have been on the rise because of an increasingly lax attitude toward pre-marital sex.

Police concluded that the 22-year-old single woman faces no charges, deciding she did not initially step forward because she was frightened, and that she gradually had a change of heart and began to tell the truth, said the official, who did not give his name, as is customary among low-ranking Chinese bureaucrats.

The woman told police she got pregnant after a brief affair with the man, hid her pregnancy from family and neighbors, and secretly delivered the child Saturday in a rental building's restroom. She said the infant accidentally slipped into the squat toilet and raised the alarm. Yet, she did not initially claim the child was hers.

Firefighters who arrived at the rental building found the infant trapped in an L-shaped section of sewage pipe just below the squat toilet in one of the building's shared restrooms.

In video footage, officials were shown removing the pipe from a ceiling that apparently was just below the restroom and then, at the hospital, using pliers and saws to gently pull apart the pipe, which was about 10 centimeters (about 3 inches) in diameter.

The baby, who weighed 2.8 kilograms (6 pounds, 2.8 ounces), had a low heart rate and some minor abrasions on his head and limbs, but was mostly unhurt, according to local reports. The placenta was still attached.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-charge-against-chinese-mother-baby-sewer-034959757.html

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Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active gets approved by FCC with AT&T LTE

We've already seen pictures (and video) of the water-defiant Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active, so despite its unannounced status, it's difficult to refute its existence. Fortunately, we're starting to get even more evidence that its launch is rapidly approaching, as an AT&T-compliant version of the rugged device -- the SGH-I537 to be exact -- has made its way through the federal approval process. As you may already know, this is by no means any guarantee that it will be picked up by the mammoth GSM operator, but its inclusion of the same four LTE bands found in most current AT&T smartphones (2, 4, 5 and 17, if you're curious) is a pretty positive indicator. We're still in the woods as to the exact specs, but we're bracing ourselves for a midrange handset that doesn't sport quite the same oomph as its original namesake; that said, it appears to at least be a slick-looking rugged device, which is a rarity these days. It wouldn't surprise us to see this beaut in its full sporty glory June 20th in London, but we'll have to wait it out a few weeks to know if our hunch was right.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung, AT&T

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Source: FCC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/29/samsung-galaxy-s-4-active-fcc/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Decontaminating patients cuts hospital infections

CHICAGO (AP) ? Infections in U.S. hospitals kill tens of thousands of people each year, and many institutions fight back by screening new patients to see if they carry a dangerous germ, and isolating those who do. But a big study suggests a far more effective approach: Decontaminating every patient in intensive care.

Washing everyone with antiseptic wipes and giving them antibiotic nose ointment reduced bloodstream infections dramatically in the study at more than 40 U.S. hospitals.

The practice could prove controversial, because it would involve even uninfected patients and because experts say it could lead to germs becoming more resistant to antibiotics. But it worked better than screening methods, now required in nine states.

The study found that 54 patients would need to be decontaminated to prevent one bloodstream infection.

Nevertheless, the findings are "very dramatic" and will lead to changes in practice and probably new laws, said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious-disease specialist who was not involved in the research. Some hospitals are already on board.

The study targeted ICU patients, who tend to be older, sicker, weaker and most likely to be infected with dangerous bacteria, including drug-resistant staph germs.

The decontamination method worked like this: For up to five days, 26,000 ICU patients got a nose swab twice a day with bacteria-fighting ointment, plus once-daily bathing with antiseptic wipes.

Afterward, they were more than 40 percent less likely to get a bloodstream infection of any type than patients who had been screened and isolated for a dangerous germ called MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

In the year before the experiment began, there were 950 bloodstream infections in intensive care patients at the hospitals studied. The results suggest that more than 400 of those could have been prevented if all hospitals had used the decontamination method.

"We've definitively shown that it is better to target high-risk people," not high-risk germs, said lead author Dr. Susan Huang, a researcher and infectious-disease specialist at the University of California, Irvine.

The hospitals in the study are all part of the Hospital Corporation of America system, the nation's largest hospital chain. HCA spokesman Ed Fishbough said the 162-hospital company is adopting universal ICU decontamination.

The study was published online Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study focused on the MRSA germ. It can live on the skin or in the nose without causing symptoms but can be life-threatening when it reaches the bloodstream or vital organs. It is especially dangerous because it is resistant to many antibiotics.

More than 70,000 ICU patients were randomly selected to get one of three treatments: MRSA screening and isolation; screening, isolation and decontamination of MRSA carriers only; and universal decontamination without screening. Partial decontamination worked better than just screening, and universal decontamination was best.

About a decade ago, hospital-linked invasive MRSA infections sickened more than 90,000 people nationwide each year, leading to roughly 20,000 deaths.

As hospitals improved cleanliness through such measures as better hand-washing and isolating carriers of deadly germs, those numbers dropped by about a third, with fewer than 10,000 deaths in 2011, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has been recommending screening and isolation in certain cases. Now it's having experts review the results and help determine whether the agency should revise its recommendations, said the CDC's Dr. John Jernigan.

"It is a very important finding. It advances our understanding of how best to control infections caused by MRSA" and other germs, Jernigan said.

The CDC and the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality helped pay for the study. Dr. Carolyn Clancy, who heads the research agency, said the findings have "the potential to influence clinical practice significantly and create a safer environment where patients can heal without harm."

Jernigan said the decontamination approach is much simpler than screening and isolation. But he said its costs need to be studied.

Huang said the five-day nose treatment costs about $35 for brand-name ointment but only $4 for a generic version. The antiseptic wipes cost only about $3 to $5 more per day than usual washing methods, she said. But those costs might be offset by other savings from avoiding widespread screening and isolation, she said.

Intensive care patients are already routinely bathed. The study just swapped soap with wipes containing a common antiseptic. Some study authors have received fees from makers of antiseptic wipes or have done research or unpaid consulting for those companies.

The nose ointment treatment is more controversial because it could cause more germs to become resistant to the antibiotic, Jernigan said.

"That's something we're going to have to very closely monitor if this practice is implemented widely," he said.

An editorial accompanying the study voices similar concerns and notes that research published earlier this year found that using just antiseptic wipes on ICU patients reduced bloodstream infections. Two infection control specialists at Virginia Commonwealth University wrote the editorial.

Editorial co-author Dr. Michael Edmond said his university's hospital is among those that already use antiseptic wipes on ICU patients.

While MRSA screening and isolation is widely accepted, Edmond said that approach "takes a toll on patients." Isolating patients who test positive for MRSA but don't have symptoms makes patients angry and depressed, and studies have shown that isolated patients are visited less often by nurses and tend to have more bedsores and falls, he said.

___

Online:

NEJM: http://www.nejm.org

MRSA: http://www.cdc.gov

___

AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-05-29-Hospital%20Infections/id-e6e317ef78aa4969b79ea600fe14b4af

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#1 item to pack for travel with a kid? Travel insurance! | Break out of ...

Photo by Brian Jeffery Beggerly

Earlier this month, I was horrified to read the story about Steve Flesch, a backpacker who was shot in the back of the head by members of a gang in Costa Rica. The poor man, after a month in the hospital under an induced coma, sadly succumbed to his injuries. Adding weight to this tragedy was the fact that Steve hadn?t purchased travel insurance. His family would be responsible for paying tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills.

I know many single people- like Steve- who decide not to get travel insurance. The thought makes me shiver. Yet it?s families who decide not to invest in travel insurance who I really worry about.?

Yes, there really are families who decide not to get travel insurance. Many of them, in fact. Mine isn?t one of them. While I hope my daughter and I will be healthy and happy during all of our international trips, the mere thought of something happening to either of us and not being able to pay for it is enough to make me bite the proverbial bullet and purchase travel insurance.

While there are countless providers, I buy our travel insurance through?World Nomads. Our insurance covers unexpected medical care, emergency or security evacuations, trip cancellation or interruption and lost and stolen property. I opted for a slightly more expensive plan that would cover injuries received from adventure sports and activities. The total for five weeks in Peru for the two of us? $314.

While in Peru, I?ll be carrying copies of the documents with me, and have already sent the details to my parents. I?ve told my kid where she can find the documents in our belongings, and also what she should do if the worst ever happens. Hopefully we won?t need to ever use our travel insurance, but if we do, it?s there. My immediate AND extended family can rest easy knowing that they?ll never need to put together a huge fundraising campaign to raise funds to cover international medical bills.

Think emergencies never happen? What?about this couple in their 70s, who had to come up with close to 100,000 pounds to get their son home to England after he crashed on a motorbike in Indonesia?

Here?s another story about a second family in England who needed to come up with funds to help their son after he also got into a motorbike accident in Indonesia.

Or what about this woman, who traveled with her partner for a quick five-day trip to Spain and unexpectedly gave birth to her daughter 13 weeks early? The couple and their new daughter became stranded, as they didn?t have the insurance needed to send them home by air ambulance.

Bottom line, travel insurance is the #1 item to purchase for a trip. It not only provides peace of mind, but, if the going gets rough, it would ensure that my extended family wouldn?t need to break the bank to fish us out of deep water.

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Source: http://breakoutofbushwick.org/1-item-to-pack-for-travel-with-a-kid-travel-insurance/

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Google Starts Using Computer Vision To Let You Search Your Google+ Photos

Google almost completely revamped the Google+ photo experience last week, but somehow the company didn't get around to announcing one of the coolest photo-related features in its repertoire: Google now uses computer vision and machine learning to let you search your photos for things like sunsets, food and flowers. I also tried terms like "cars," "beach" and "bikes" and Google consistently returned the right results. This search is built into Google+, but you can also use the regular Google search and use the query term [my photos of xyz] to find the right images.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/YIn-pxMrmfg/

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James, Bryant voted to All-NBA first team

NEW YORK (AP) ? LeBron James was a unanimous pick for the All-NBA team and Kobe Bryant earned his record-tying 11th first-team selection.

James received all 119 votes for the first team from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the U.S. and Canada. Joining the league's MVP and Bryant on the first team Thursday were Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, San Antonio center Tim Duncan and Clippers guard Chris Paul.

Bryant tied Utah Hall of Famer Karl Malone with his 11th first-team nod.

NBA scoring leader Carmelo Anthony led the second team, joined by guards Russell Westbrook and Tony Parker, center Marc Gasol and forward Blake Griffin.

The third team was Houston's James Harden, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Lakers center Dwight Howard and forwards Paul George of Indiana and David Lee of Golden State.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/james-bryant-voted-nba-first-team-175827912.html

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Hands-on with Kwikset and UniKey's Kevo keyless entry system

Kwikset and UniKey are set to update their home entry systems, which have remained largely unchanged since they were first invented more than a hundred years ago. Using a Bluetooth daughter card in the lock mechanism, a couple Bluetooth antennas and a clever app this lock opens by simply touching a finger to the outside of the housing when you approach the door.

At its simplest, the companies' Këvo system isn't too unlike a keyless car entry system, though it takes advantage of your iPhone's Bluetooth LE -- Android and BB10 versions will arrive as soon as those platform's stacks are sorted -- or the included keyfob for the proximity technology. Security is handled through the phone or desktop app enabling you to share keys with your family as administrative users, normal users, one-off entry or even scheduled access. For those concerned about leaving your phone too near the door and thereby allowing anybody access, the system actually uses two antennas, one on the inside and one out. So should you stand behind the closed door the system won't trigger access to those outside. Battery life for the four AAs is rated for a year, and you've no need to worry about being surprised by an outage, either: the system will notify you well in advance using the lock's eight RGB LEDs or through the app. Pricing will be somewhere in the $199 range when it hits the shops, though sadly we don't have an exact date to share. We're pretty stoked to get a chance to check this system out for ourselves but until that time, check out the quick video of it in action below.

Gallery: Kwikset and UniKey's Kevo keyless entry system hands-on

Filed under: Wireless

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/22/kwikset-and-unikeys-kevo-keyless-entry-system-hands-on/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Star Trek Into Darkness: The Spoiler FAQ

After making a mere $84 million at the U.S. box office, Star Trek Into Darkness is considered by some to be a disappointment. Perhaps the problem is that it was a touch confusing. To help our readers better understand it, we've complied and answered these Frequently Asked Questions about the movie.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/XghAJe-KRIc/star-trek-into-darkness-the-spoiler-faq-508927844

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Moniz: LNG exports on hold until data reviewed

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said Tuesday he will delay final decisions on about 20 applications to export liquefied natural gas until he reviews studies by the Energy Department and others on what impact the exports would have on domestic natural gas supplies and prices.

Moniz, who was sworn in Tuesday as the nation's new energy chief, said he promised during his confirmation hearing that he would "review what's out there" before acting on proposals to export natural gas. Among the things Moniz said he wants to review is whether the data in the studies are outdated.

A study commissioned by the Energy Department concluded last year that exporting natural gas would benefit the U.S. economy even if it led to higher domestic prices for the fuel.

Senate Energy Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and other critics have said the DOE study was flawed and relied on old data and unrealistic market assumptions.

Moniz, speaking to reporters after a brief speech to a forum on global energy efficiency, said he wants to complete his review as quickly as possible.

"Right now we have no plans of commissioning new studies, but everything's on the table until I have done my analysis," he said. "That's my commitment to Chairman Wyden."

Many U.S. energy companies are hoping to take advantage of an ongoing natural gas boom by exporting liquefied natural gas, or LNG, to Europe and Asia, where prices are far higher. About 20 applications to export LNG to countries that do not have free trade agreements with the United States are pending before the Energy Department.

Business groups support LNG exports as a way to create thousands of jobs and spur more U.S. production.

Consumer advocates and some manufacturers that use natural gas as a raw material or fuel source oppose exports, saying they could drive up domestic prices and increase manufacturing costs. Many environmental groups also oppose LNG exports because of fears that increased drilling could lead to environmental problems.

Natural gas results in fewer global warming emissions than other fossil fuels such as coal or oil, and Moniz has backed natural gas as a bridge fuel to reduce carbon dioxide and other pollutants that contribute to global warming. Environmental groups worry that drilling techniques such as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, could harm drinking water supplies or cause other problems.

Moniz replaces Steven Chu, who served as energy secretary in President Barack Obama's first term. Moniz served as an energy undersecretary in the Clinton administration. He joked Tuesday that his return to government was like a second marriage, "where you place hope over experience."

In an email to Energy Department employees, Moniz said he looks forward to advancing Obama's all-of-the-above energy strategy, as well as promoting innovation in clean energy technology, boosting nuclear security and cleaning up nuclear waste left over from the Cold War.

"I believe we can, and must, commit ourselves to the highest standards of management excellence, delivering results for the American people as efficiently and effectively as possible and enhancing our capacity to succeed in our critical missions," Moniz said.

___

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/moniz-lng-exports-hold-until-204728135.html

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Obama administration spied on Fox News reporter James Rosen: Report

President Barack Obama crosses the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, May 19, 2013. (Jonathan Ernst/??The Justice Department spied extensively on Fox News reporter James Rosen in 2010, collecting his telephone records, tracking his movements in and out of the State Department, and seizing two days of Rosen?s personal emails, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

In a chilling move sure to rile defenders of civil liberties, an FBI agent also accused Rosen of breaking the law with behavior that?at least as described?falls inside the bounds of traditional news reporting. (Disclosure: This reporter counts Rosen among his friends.)

The revelations surfaced with President Barack Obama?s administration already under fire for seizing two months of telephone records of reporters and editors at the Associated Press. Obama last week said he makes ?no apologies? for investigations into national security-related leaks. The AP's CEO, Gray Pruitt, said Sunday that the seizure was "unconstitutional."

The Obama administration has prosecuted twice as many leakers as all previous administrations combined.

?The president is a strong defender of the First Amendment and a firm believer in the need for the press to be unfettered in its ability to conduct investigative reporting and facilitate a free flow of information,? White House press secretary Jay Carney insisted last week. ?He also, of course, recognizes the need for the Justice Department to investigate alleged criminal activity without undue influence.?

The details of the government's strategy against Rosen sound like something out of a spy novel.

Investigators looking into disclosures of sensitive information about North Korea got Rosen?s telephone records and a warrant for his personal emails but also used his State Department security badge to track his movements in and out of that building, the Post reported, citing court documents.

The case began when Rosen reported on June 11, 2009, that U.S. intelligence believed North Korea might respond to tighter United Nations sanctions with new nuclear tests. Rosen reported that the information came from CIA sources inside the hermetic Stalinist state.

Investigators zeroed in on State Department arms expert Stephen Jin-Woo Kim, who was among a small group of intelligence officials to receive a top-secret report on the issue the same day that Rosen's piece ran online.

But FBI agent Reginald Reyes wrote that there was evidence Rosen had broken the law, ?at the very least, either as an aider, abettor and/or co-conspirator,? the Post said.

Here is how the Post described Reyes' report:

Using italics for emphasis, Reyes explained how Rosen allegedly used a ?covert communications plan? and quoted from an e-mail exchange between Rosen and Kim that seems to describe a secret system for passing along information.

In the exchange, Rosen used the alias ?Leo? to address Kim and called himself ?Alex,? an apparent reference to Alexander Butterfield, the man best known for running the secret recording system in the Nixon White House, according to the affidavit.

Rosen instructed Kim to send him coded signals on his Google account, according to a quote from his e-mail in the affidavit: ?One asterisk means to contact them, or that previously suggested plans for communication are to proceed as agreed; two asterisks means the opposite.?

He also wrote, according to the affidavit: ?What I am interested in, as you might expect, is breaking news ahead of my competitors? including ?what intelligence is picking up.? And: ?I?d love to see some internal State Department analyses.?

The communications system is a bit cloak-and-dagger, but it's not clear from the Washington Post report whether Rosen did anything outside the bounds of traditional reporting. People who know Rosen will smile at the Butterfield reference: The tenacious Fox News reporter is known as a Beatles fanatic, Tom Wolfe devotee and Watergate obsessive.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-admin-spied-fox-news-reporter-james-rosen-134204299.html

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Yahoo's post-Tumblr purchase press event is live tonight, get your liveblog here!

Well, Yahoo! has already officially announced its $1.1 billion cash deal to snatch up social darling and microblogging platform du jour, Tumblr. The question on everyone's mind is, what else could the struggling web pioneer have up it's sleeve? Truth is we have no idea. Could Mayer have another acquisition to announce or a special new product lined up for tonight's event? Or, is she simply going to talk about the finer details of the Tumblr deal for an hour. You'll have to check back in at 5:00pm ET to find out.

Yahoo! NYC press event

Filed under: Internet

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/yahoos-press-event-is-live-tonight/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Metro-North: Conn. train outage expected for days

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) ? Tens of thousands of commuters are bracing for a difficult trip around southwest Connecticut and to New York City beginning Monday as workers repair the Metro-North commuter rail line crippled by a derailment and crash.

Crews will spend days rebuilding 2,000 feet of track, overhead wires and signals following the collision between two trains Friday evening that injured 72 people, Metro-North President Howard Permut said Sunday. Nine remained hospitalized.

"This amounts to the wholesale reconstruction of a two-track electrified railroad," he said.

Several days of around-the-clock work will be required, including inspections and testing of the newly rebuilt system, Permut said. The damaged rail cars were removed from the tracks on Sunday, the first step toward making the repairs.

Service disruptions on the New Haven line between South Norwalk and New Haven are expected to continue "well into the coming week," Permut said.

Each day, approximately 30,000 Metro-North customers use the stations where service has been shut down, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates Metro-North.

Amtrak service between New York and New Haven also was suspended, and there was no estimate on service restoration. Limited service was available between New Haven and Boston.

Jim Cameron, chairman of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council, said he's asked officials in numerous towns to suspend parking rules to accommodate what could be tens of thousands of motorists driving to unaffected train stations. Twelve stations are affected by the shutdown.

Starting with the Monday morning rush-hour, a shuttle train will operate about every 20 minutes between New Haven and Bridgeport and two shuttle buses will run between Bridgeport and Stamford stations, state transportation officials said.

For morning and evening peak commutes, limited train service will operate between Grand Central Terminal and Westport.

State officials say travel times will be significantly longer than normal and trains will be crowded. Commuters are advised to use the Harlem line in New York.

Cameron said he doubts many commuters will use three modes of transportation to get to work: driving their cars to catch a bus to get to a train station for the final leg.

Commuters will more likely rely on their cars, leading to massive traffic problems on highways that are already clogged on normal days, Cameron said. He suggested that local and regional officials post highway signs directing motorists to available parking so motorists "don't get off the highway and drive in circles looking for where to dump their cars."

About 700 people were on board the trains Friday evening when one heading east from New York City's Grand Central Terminal to New Haven derailed just outside Bridgeport. It was hit by a train heading west from New Haven.

Dan Solomon, a trauma surgeon who lives in Westport and was headed to work at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, was on the train that derailed. He said he treated several injured passengers, including a woman with severely broken ankles.

He said he was in a front car that was not as badly affected as cars in the rear of the train.

"I hardly lost my iced tea," Solomon said in an interview.

He said walls were torn off both trains and he quickly checked injured passengers to separate the most badly injured from others.

"When the EMS arrived, I was covered in everyone's blood," he said.

Investigators are looking at a broken section of rail to see if it is connected to the derailment and collision.

NTSB investigators arrived Saturday and are expected to be on site for seven to 10 days. They will look at the brakes and performance of the trains, the condition of the tracks, crew performance and train signal information, among other things.

The MTA operates the Metro-North Railroad, the second-largest commuter railroad in the nation. The Metro-North main lines ? the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven ? run northward from New York City's Grand Central Terminal into suburban New York and Connecticut.

The last significant train collision involving Metro-North occurred in 1988 when a train engineer was killed in Mount Vernon, N.Y., when one train empty of passengers rear-ended another, railroad officials said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/metro-north-conn-train-outage-expected-days-164538940.html

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Europa Report Trailer: Watch Now!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/05/europa-report-trailer-watch-now/

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Last-minute fortune seekers buy Powerball tickets

Armous Peterson figures out what numbers he is going to play in the Powerball lottery at Jimmy's Mart on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Columbia, S.C. Peterson keeps track of what numbers he plays from week to week. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Armous Peterson figures out what numbers he is going to play in the Powerball lottery at Jimmy's Mart on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Columbia, S.C. Peterson keeps track of what numbers he plays from week to week. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

A customer, right, waits for his Powerball lottery ticket at a convenience store in Chicago on Saturday, May 18, 2013. A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week's drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in the Mega Millions game in March 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A clerk dispenses a Powerball Lottery ticket in Oklahoma City, Friday, May 17, 2013. Powerball officials say the jackpot has climbed to an estimated $600 million, making it the largest prize in the game's history and the world's second largest lottery prize.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

A Powerball lottery ticket is printed out of a lottery machine at a convenience store in Chicago on Saturday, May 18, 2013. A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week's drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in the Mega Millions game in March 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Brianwa Flores, left, and Katie Cosentino from Illinois State Lottery greet hockey fans before Game 2 of an NHL hockey playoff Western Conference semifinal between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago, Saturday, May 18, 2013. A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week's drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in the Mega Millions game in March 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? It's all about the odds.

With the majority of possible combinations of Powerball numbers in play, someone is almost sure to win the game's highest jackpot during Saturday night's drawing, a windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars ? and that's after taxes.

The problem, of course, is those same odds just about guarantee the lucky person won't be you.

The chances of winning the estimated $600 million prize remain astronomically low: 1 in 175.2 million. That's how many different ways you can combine the numbers when you play. But lottery officials estimate about 80 percent of those possible combinations have been purchased, so now's the time to buy.

"This would be the roll to get in on," said Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich. "Of course there's no guarantee, and that's the randomness of it, and the fun of it."

That hasn't deterred people across Powerball-playing states ? 43 plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands ? from lining up at gas stations and convenience stores Saturday for their chance at striking it filthy rich.

At a mini market in the heart of Los Angeles' Chinatown, employees broke the steady stream of customers into two lines: One for Powerball ticket buyers and one for everybody else. Some people appeared to be looking for a little karma.

"We've had two winners over $10 million here over the years, so people in the neighborhood think this is the lucky store," employee Gordon Chan said as he replenished a stack of lottery tickets on a counter.

Workers at one suburban Columbia, S.C., convenience store were so busy with ticket buyers that they hadn't updated their sign with the current jackpot figure, which was released Friday. Customer Armous Peterson was reluctant to share his system for playing the Powerball. The 56-year-old was well aware of the long odds, but he also knows the mantra of just about every person buying tickets.

"Somebody is going to win," he said. "Lots of people are going to lose, too. But if you buy a ticket, that winner might be you."

The latest jackpot is the world's second largest overall, just behind a $656 million Mega Millions jackpot in March 2012. The $600 million jackpot, which could grow before the numbers are drawn at 10:59 EDT Saturday, currently includes a $376.9 million cash option.

Charles Hill of Dallas says he buys lottery tickets every day. And he knows exactly what he'd do if he wins.

"What would I do with my money? I'd run and hide," he said. "I wouldn't want none of my kinfolks to find me."

Clyde Barrow, a public policy professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, specializes in the gaming industry. He said one of the key factors behind the ticket-buying frenzy is the size of the jackpot ? people are interested in the easy investment.

"Even though the odds are very low, the investment is very small," he said. "Two dollars gets you a chance."

That may be why Ed McCuen has a Powerball habit that's as regular as clockwork. The 57-year-old electrical contractor from Savannah, Ga., buys one ticket a week, regardless of the possible loot. It's a habit he didn't alter Saturday.

"You've got one shot in a gazillion or whatever," McCuen said, tucking his ticket in his pocket as he left a local convenience store. "You can't win unless you buy a ticket. But whether you buy one or 10 or 20, it's insignificant."

Seema Sharma doesn't seem to think so. The newsstand employee in Manhattan's Penn Station has purchased $80 worth of tickets for herself. She also was selling tickets all morning at a steady pace, instructing buyers where to stand if they wanted machine-picked tickets or to choose their own numbers.

"I work very hard ? too hard ? and I want to get the money so I can finally relax," she said. "You never know."

Officials will conduct the drawing live Saturday night from Tallahassee, Fla.

___

Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, S.C., Betsy Blaney in Lubbock, Texas, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga., John Rogers in Los Angeles and Verena Dobnick in New York contributed to this report.

___

Follow Barbara Rodriguez at http://twitter.com/bcrodriguez .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-05-18-US-Powerball-Jackpot/id-fc71bf579384449d9b5bc775ca4a3418

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3 priorities for Pakistan's new government

After 14 years, Nawaz Sharif is back at the helm in Pakistan. The center-right politician?s herculean exertions to claw back from exile and resurrect his political party from collapse leave little doubt about his desire for power. But even Mr. Sharif could be forgiven a few pangs of buyer?s remorse when confronted with the welter of looming problems.

Pakistan is on the brink of economic collapse and its citizens have suffered horribly from a recent spike in terrorism. Then there are tensions with neighboring Afghanistan and India, along with the frustrating and unpopular counter-terror partnership with the United States.

Fortunately, most of the rest of the world will be rooting for Sharif to succeed, or at least not to fail. Pakistan?s burgeoning population of nearly 200 million people, expanding nuclear arsenal, and history of regional violence are all reasons to hope he can get his country turned in the right direction. Twice prime minister in the 1990s, the old Sharif displayed more interest in consolidating his political power than governing effectively. If his third time at bat is to be different, he will want to focus on the following three priorities.

- Daniel Markey,?Op-ed contributor, May 14, 2013

Nawaz Sharif speaks to members of the media at his residence in Lahore, Pakistan, on May 13. The Pakistani politician is poised to become the country's next prime minister. He said Monday that Islamabad has 'good relations' with the United States, but called the CIA's drone campaign in the country's tribal region a challenge to national sovereignty. (K.M. Chaudary/AP)

1. The economy

Daniel Markey is a senior fellow at The Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., and is the author of the forthcoming ?No Exit from Pakistan.??

Pakistan?s stock market surged on news of Sharif?s victory. His party, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) is more business-friendly than the outgoing left-leaning government of the Pakistan People?s Party (PPP). Spurring economic growth should be the PML-N?s top priority, not only to uplift society, but to reduce the appeal of violent extremist groups that prey on Pakistan?s alienated and underemployed youth.

The beauty of Sharif?s relatively strong representation in the National Assembly is that he can forge ahead on painful but necessary reforms, starting with tax policy. That, in turn, would appease international lenders and avert a near-term financial crunch. From there, Sharif can build positive political momentum if he revises regulations and creates incentives for private investment in the power sector, thus reducing Pakistan?s rolling blackouts that shackle industrial production and infuriate the public.

Next, the PML-N will need to demonstrate that it can turn enhanced revenues into better government services, from education to infrastructure. Showy new bus lines and highways will invariably be used to reward his loyal constituents in his home base of Punjab Province, but Sharif will also want to consider projects beyond that to escape a reputation for being Punjab-centric and to support the sort of nationwide development required for stability.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/wAUH6jJ75iU/3-priorities-for-Pakistan-s-new-government

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Satellites see double jeopardy for Southern California fire season

May 13, 2013 ? New insights into two factors that are creating a potentially volatile Southern California wildfire season come from an ongoing project using NASA and Indian satellite data by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.; and Chapman University, Orange, Calif.

The scientists tracked the relationship between rainfall and the growth and drying-out of vegetation in recent months, during an abnormally dry year. They found the timing of rains triggered regional vegetation growth in January and early February, which then dried out faster than normal during a period of low rainfall, strong winds and high temperatures in March and April. The combination likely elevates wildfire risks by increasing available fuel.

The two institutions are combining satellite datasets to monitor moisture changes in vegetation and soil across Southern California's vast wilderness areas in order to identify early warning signs of potential wildfires. The scientists are using measurements of soil moisture change from the Indian Oceansat-2 satellite scatterometer (OSCAT) and of vegetation stress from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite.

"The increased soil moisture from the rains, as observed by OSCAT, occurred at an opportune time at the start of the vegetation growth season," said JPL scientist Son Nghiem, principal investigator of the project. "This timing enhanced vegetation growth early this year, particularly in Ventura County, supplying significant new fire fuel, despite one of the driest overall rainfall seasons on record. Had the rains fallen earlier, when the vegetation was in a dormant state, the effects would have been minimal." OSCAT measurements provide insight into how much rainwater sinks into the soil to enhance vegetation growth.

The resulting stress on vegetation and abnormal dry-out, which occurred even before the start of the dry season, has been seen in measurements by fire agencies at various sampling locations and in satellite data from MODIS across the Southland, notes Professor Menas C. Kafatos, who leads the Chapman University team.

Nghiem said the unusual conditions this season underscore the challenge local fire officials face in tracking how soil moisture changes in response to precipitation and affects the condition of vegetation. The conditions also highlight the potential for using satellite observations to enhance fire information and management systems.

The satellite data will support decision-making by wildland fire authorities, including fire departments in Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange Counties, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service Forecast Office in Oxnard, Calif. While that office is not responsible for fire management, it supports local fire agencies by issuing fire weather forecasts, watches and warnings to four California counties, which are home to 11 million people. The collaboration between scientists and fire agencies will allow them to develop satellite data products that will be combined with other information to improve the assessment of wildfire danger.

Orange County fire planning specialist George Ewan recently hosted the scientists during a field excursion in Black Star Canyon, where he demonstrated how he carefully collects snippets of brush growth and returns them to his laboratory at the Orange County Fire Authority headquarters in Irvine, Calif., to measure the moisture content of the vegetation.

But collection of plant samples is simply not feasible for all areas of concern across California and the rest of the United States, Nghiem said. "Mountainous wildlands are difficult to access, and collecting data manually in them is laborious," he said. "The potential payoff from this satellite research is significant, both for California's extensive and complex terrain and for the many regions around the world threatened by wildfires each year."

Kafatos noted that "the combination of satellite observations with live fuel moisture estimates and calculations from our teamwork is opening new vistas in this important scientific application serving society."

"The initial results of this effort are very promising examples of putting satellite observations into practical use for fire management and public benefit," said Lawrence Friedl, director of the NASA Applied Sciences program in the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/PgA7k6DJLNQ/130513174502.htm

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Tim Tebow blackballed by NFL?

Tim Tebow blackballed? As a football player, Tim Tebow brings too much media baggage, say some coaches. Is 'Tebowmania' why Tim Tebow is being blackballed?

By David Clark Scott,?Staff writer / May 11, 2013

Denver Broncos' Tim Tebow kneels on the sideline after scoring the game winning touchdown beating the New York Jets 17-13 in 2011. After being released by the Jets in April, does Tebow have a future in the NFL? Does it matter?

(AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

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Has Tim Tebow been unofficially blackballed from the NFL?

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That's what Yahoo Sports writer Michael Silver is suggesting.

After one season, the New York Jets released the third-string quarterback on April 29. And in the ensuing three weeks, no serious offers have been made.

"No NFL team seems to want him ? as a starter, backup, converted H-back or fake-punt decoy ? and it's not like he's fending off big-money offers from Canada, either," writes Silver. And Silver blames "Tebowmania."

Yes, Tim Tebow draws a media crowd ? everywhere he goes. As a backup, backup quarterback, one could easily argue that all the attention on Tim Tebow was a distraction for the other Jets players. His media coverage was way beyond his contribution to the team. That kind of spotlight should be on your starting quarterback.

Silver quotes an unnamed AFC coach who says: "He seems like a great guy to have on a team, and I'd be tempted to bring him in as our backup. But it's just not worth dealing with all the stuff that comes with it."

There's a simple solution to that: Play Tebow. Judge him by his performance on the field, not by the attention his fans give him.

Tebow was good enough as a starting quarterback in Denver to produce a 7-4 record, and pull off an overtime win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs. Yes, Tebow doesn't have the arm that most starting NFL quarterbacks boast ? in a game that has evolved into a QB-centric passing sport. That's a huge disadvantage for Tebow.

So, maybe Tebowmania is the excuse that is being given for those who don't believe he has the appropriate skill set.

But why isn't more credence being given to the former Jets QB Vinny Testaverde's comments about Tebow?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/5ym28AiGFZk/Tim-Tebow-blackballed-by-NFL

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Imported From Israel: 4 Key Start-up Lessons

On a per capita basis, you could argue that Israel leads the world in start-up success. Inc.com contributor Peter Cohan looks at how several Israeli entrepreneurs beat unlikely odds.

Israel has about 7 million citizens. One hundred of its start-ups are listed on the NASDAQ. On a per capita basis, it leads the world in start-up success.

The reasons for this high rate of success are hotly debated. They probably include a sense of fearlessness and camaraderie flowing from universal military service, a huge influx of brilliant scientists and mathematicians from Russia in the 1990s, great educational institutions, and a small local market for its start-ups? products to which they adapt by being ?born global.?

On May 5, I attended a Combined Jewish Philanthropies-sponsored presentation by three Israeli entrepreneurs that highlighted how individual start-ups beat the odds. The speakers included Yosef Abramowitz, president of the solar energy producer, Arava Power Company; Eyal Gura, a venture partner at Israeli venture capital firm Pitango Venture Capital; and Karen Tal, whose work leading a public school for poor children from 50 countries was featured in an award-winning film Strangers No More.

Based on my interpretation of their stories, four general principles for venture success emerged that could help start-ups anywhere.

1. Don?t be afraid of a big opponent.

Entrepreneurs face very daunting odds of achieving success. Moreover, my interviews with venture capitalists suggest that they meet with about 1,000 entrepreneurs a year and invest in only one or two of them.
And once funded, they have very long odds of success. One Silicon Valley venture capitalist told me earlier this year that for every 10,000 ventures that get funded, only one becomes a significant company--e.g., a valuation of greater than $1 billion.

This means that entrepreneurs must not be afraid of a big opponent. Abramowitz, a Massachusetts native who moved to Israel in 2007, takes great pride in his ability to prevail in fights against long odds.

He bragged about his success in the passage of Proposition 2 1/2, which capped property tax increases in the state and of winning a court challenge to then-Boston University president, John Silber, who wanted to kick Abramowitz out of the college for his vocal campaign for BU to divest its holdings in South Africa to oppose Apartheid.

When Abramowitz moved to Israel, his citizenship ceremony was held in the Israeli desert last August and the heat there was oppressive. The powerful sunlight there led Abramowitz to conclude that someone in Israel must have figured out a way to harness the sun to help meet its needs for energy.

When he asked about this, he was surprised to learn that Israel had no solar energy industry. He decided to start Arava Power to kickstart that industry. Abramowitz originally thought it would take six months. But then he learned that he would face at least 100 regulatory challenges to his vision. It took him six years but he prevailed in each battle and Arava succeeded.

2. Listen to your spouse.

Thomas Edison was famous for many things including his comment that genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. For the inspiration, Gura has consistently relied on his wife.

For example, Gura?s wife suggested that many people on the Internet were using copyrighted photos from Getty Images without paying for them. This gave Gura the idea to build PicScout, a company that would scan all of Getty?s images, search the Internet for duplicates, and send notices to those who were using the images to either take them down or pay.

After two years of trying to persuade Getty to allow him to load those images into his company?s database, Gura got a thumbs-down. So he contacted 10,000 of the people who took those photos who were not getting paid for them, and got their permission to put those images in his database.

His company was so successful at generating revenue from people using the photos that Getty ended up agreeing to license its images to Gura. And later, Getty bought the company.

Another one of Gura?s wife?s ideas? A company that would make it easier to pool money to buy a big gift for a mutual friend. Gura was the founding investor of The Gifts Project that implemented his wife?s idea. EBay acquired the company in September 2011.

3. When your back?s against the wall, improvise.

Sometimes life throws big challenges at entrepreneurs. The question is what to do about them.

In the case of Tal--who ran a Tel Aviv public school that was being pressured to close unless it improved its graduation rate--that surprise came in the form of a telephone call from the mayor of Tel Aviv.

The mayor asked her the day before classes started in the fall to take on 21 refugee children from Darfur. Tal learned that the children and over 100 of their family members were sitting in a church in Tel Aviv.

When she went there, she could not communicate with them because they spoke a unique Arabic dialect. Fortunately, one of Tal?s teachers also spoke Arabic but that teacher would not able to handle all the individual interviews that Tal needed.

So Tal called the teacher and asked her to invite her Arabic-speaking friends and family to join her in interviewing the Darfur refugees and their families. Tal successfully took in the Darfur children and got help for their families.

4. No matter how much you?ve achieved, you could do more.

Gura jokes that Israel?s start-up success can be attributed to one factor: Jewish mothers. For example, if a child brings home a report card with four 100s and one 98, the Jewish mother will ask what happened to the other two points.

Gura pointed out that this mindset is not limited to Jewish mothers--it is an essential element of entrepreneurial success anywhere. And the general idea is that the start-up CEO should maintain the attitude that no matter what the venture has achieved, it could always improve.

Without this nagging voice, successful companies become complacent. And that makes them vulnerable to more aggressive start-ups.

If you?re trying to beat the odds against start-up success, follow these four tips.

Strategy consultant, start-up investor, teacher, corporate speaker, pundit, and author Peter Cohan has invested in six start-ups, three of which were sold for a total of $2 billion. Before founding Peter S. Cohan & Associates in 1994, he worked with HBS strategy guru Michael Porter.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/inc/headlines/~3/iwZGi5a0JwY/imported-from-israel-4-startup-lessons.html

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Britney Spears Flaunts Bikini And Confirms Las Vegas Shows

'Scream & Shout' singer takes to the cover of Shape so show off her performance-ready body.
By Emilee Lindner

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1707026/britney-spears-bikini-shape-mag-vegas-shows.jhtml

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Next phase of Arias trial postponed until next week

PHOENIX (AP) ? The next phase of the Jodi Arias murder trial was postponed Thursday and will continue next week.

Court officials didn't provide a reason for the delay. The trial will resume Wednesday.

The jury was scheduled to return to the courtroom to decide whether Arias should be eligible for the death penalty for killing her one-time boyfriend on June 4, 2008.

The jury convicted Arias on Wednesday of first-degree murder in Travis Alexander's slaying at his suburban Phoenix home.

Despite Arias' wish that she get death, the decision is only up to a jury at this point. Arias could choose not to testify at the penalty phase and not appeal her conviction if she were to get death, but such scenarios are rare and still take years to play out.

The sheer brutality of the attack and previous testimony from the Maricopa County medical examiner that Alexander did not die a quick death will be at the heart of the prosecution's argument that Jodi should receive the ultimate punishment for her crime.

Alexander was stabbed and slashed nearly 30 times, shot in the forehead and had slit his throat from ear to ear, leaving the motivational speaker and businessman nearly decapitated. Friends found his decomposing body in his shower about five days later.

Arias spoke out about the verdict minutes after her conviction Wednesday, telling a TV station that she would "prefer to die sooner than later."

"Longevity runs in my family, and I don't want to spend the rest of my natural life in one place," a tearful Arias told Fox affiliate KSAZ. "I believe death is the ultimate freedom and I'd rather have my freedom as soon as I can get it."

Arias, 32, fought back tears as a court clerk read aloud the highly anticipated verdict after a four-month trial in which the jury heard 18 days of testimony from the defendant, saw a series of gruesome crime scene photos and heard a raunchy phone sex chat between Arias recorded with Alexander just weeks before he died.

The next portion of the trial is called the "aggravation phase," and it will focus on whether the jury believes the crime was committed in an especially cruel, heinous and depraved manner. If jurors find the aggravators exist, the next step will be the penalty phase during which the panel will recommend either life in prison or death. The process could take several more weeks to wrap up.

The trial quickly became an Internet sensation and transformed Arias from a little-known waitress to a morbid curiosity and a star of a real-life true-crime drama that the public followed incessantly. The presence of cameras in the courtroom, the advance of Internet streaming video and social media, the salacious details of the case, and the attention it got on cable networks like HLN gave the trial the feel of a celebrity proceeding.

The jury heard all about the stormy relationship between Alexander and Arias after they met at a 2006 conference in Las Vegas and he persuaded her to convert to Mormonism. They began dating but broke up five months later, at which point prosecutors said she began stalking him and became increasingly obsessed with Alexander.

The 30-year-old victim was a rising star at a legal services company called Prepaid Legal, where he gave rousing motivational speeches to colleagues and was a beloved co-worker to people across the organization.

Arias sought to portray him as an abusive sexual deviant in her trial, hoping that the jury would buy her claims that she killed him in self-defense after being unable to take the abuse anymore. She claimed he attacked her and forced her to fight for her life. Prosecutors said she killed out of jealous rage after Alexander wanted to end their affair and planned to take a trip to Mexico with another woman.

Alexander's family members wept and hugged each other after the verdict. They thanked prosecutor Juan Martinez and the lead detective on the case, but declined comment until after sentencing.

Alexander's friend, Chris Hughes, said he was happy with the verdict, pointing out a bold proclamation Arias made in one of her jailhouse interviews that she wouldn't be found guilty.

"She said, 'No jury would convict me. Mark my words.' This jury convicted her," Hughes said. "Luckily, we had 12 smart jurors. They nailed it."

When asked about Alexander's family, Arias told the station, "I just hope that now that a verdict has been rendered, that they'll be able to find peace."

Arias seemed to cry silently when asked about her mother. With tears falling, she said her mom "has been a saint and I haven't treated her very well."

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said no more media interviews with Arias would be granted. She has been placed on suicide watch.

Outside court, more than 200 spectators and reporters watched for the verdict on their smartphones. A ripple of relief spread as people learned the result. The crowd cheered, with some people jumping, waving, high-fiving and dancing in approval.

Hughes said it was frustrating to hear the defense besmirch his friend's reputation during the trial, but praised the jurors for the verdict. He said he and the Alexander family were shocked by the international attention the case had received.

"Travis was grandiose, so it's interesting how this played out ... it is a bit of a circus. We were all surprised that it's like this," he said.

___

Brian Skoloff can be followed at https://twitter.com/bskoloff

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/arias-trial-postponed-until-next-week-203447987.html

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