firststone2012

FDA Approves First Lupus Drug in 50 Years The drug, made by Human Genome Sciences Inc., is designed to lessen the severity of lupus, a little-understood disease in which the body's immune system attacks tissues and organs, producing skin rashes, joint pain, chronic fatigue and in severe cases, heart and kidney complications. Even though Benlysta has been juicy couture bags shown to be only moderately successful in decreasing disease markers (an FDA advisory committee expressed some trepidation about its effectiveness last November), the dearth of other effective treatments makes Benlysta the hope of many a lupus researcher and patient. "We still have a long way to go in understanding and treating lupus, but it's important to approve this right now. It really is the first drug for lupus to meet clinical endpoints [in decades]," says Dr. Betty Diamond, a lupus researcher who heads the Center for Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Diseases at the Feinstein Institute. Current standard of care for lupus includes high-dose steroids and anti-malaria medication to hamper the body's immune system. These medications can cause bone deterioration, infection, muscle weakness, ulcers and more, which, compounded with the symptoms of the disease itself, greatly hinder quality of life. For Kathleen Nolan, 43, a registered nurse, currently available lupus treatments left her at the end of her rope. She still experienced severe fatigue and terrible joint pain that made it impossible for this registered nurse to get through the day without lying down. "I was so frustrated. My doctor told me there was nothing more they could do for me," Nolan says. That was when she was referred to the Feinstein Institute in Manhasset, N.Y., where she was enrolled in a trial for the Benlysta. Long-Awaited New Hope for Lupus Although she saw her condition improve within a few months, it was impossible to know whether she was receiving Benlysta in that first year because she was in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, and may have been taking a placebo. But after that first year, promising feedback from other Benlysta trials led researchers to switch all participants to various doses of Benlysta. "I'm able to exercise now. I still have some days that are better than others, but I can make it through the day without lying down. I can do housework again. This drug is such a major thing for us lupus patients," says Nolan, who has battled the disease for 15 years. "It gives us some hope." FDA's Wavering on Benlysta's Safety When Benlysta was brought before an FDA advisory panel last November, the members raised questions regarding the drug's efficacy and safety. For one, Benlysta doesn't seem to work for African-American patients. "It's not clear what the drug's effects will be in African-Americans," says Dr. Howard Belmont, a lupus expert at New York University Langone Medical Center. African-Americans tend to have a more aggressive form of the disease, and are resistant to treatment in general, he said, which may explain the clinical trials jimmy choo shoes less-than stellar results for this population. Benlysta's noted side effects included infection, depression and suicide, all of which have delayed its approval. Dr. Cynthia Aranow, co-director of the program for autoimmune diseases and clinical research at the Feinstein Institute, who was involved in the Benlysta trials, calls the safety profile for the drug "excellent," especially in light of the current standard of care for lupus. Since Benlysta seems to allow for reduced doses of steroids, which carry numerous negative side effects, she said it might offer "a spectacular new option for lupus treatment." Limited Application for Promising New Drug But even now that it has been approved, Benlysta will likely work in tandem with other lupus medications, and since Benlysta was not tested on patients with severe lupus in which the kidneys are heavily affected, it will most likely be prescribed only to those with mild to moderate disease. "It didn't work for all patients, but for those for whom it did, it did improve quality of life in treatment of what we call mild-moderate lupus," Belmont says. Whether or not Benlysta will become the groundbreaking new treatment that many hope for, lupus experts were eager to see it approved. "It's a long way from being a gucci shoes perfect drug, but I'll be interested to see if it can hold up as a usable drug," says Diamond.

Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel fined, suspended for two games Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel has been suspended for two games by the school, told to make an apology and fined $250,000 for failing to notify the women shoes online school of information about two players that involved possible NCAA violations. Ohio State also on Tuesday self-reported what it termed a major violation to the NCAA. The news release said the school became aware of the violation Jan. 13 "while reviewing an unrelated legal issue." Tressel's total compensation in 2010 was $3.89 million according to his contract, which was obtained by USA TODAY. Tressel also must attend a compliance seminar. The school also reprimanded him. Ohio State already is appealing sanctions from an NCAA investigation that led to players, including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, being suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season. It is unclear if the NCAA will come back and add to the school's penalties because of Tressel's admission. From the release: "The university became aware of this situation on Jan. 13, while reviewing information on an unrelated legal issue. The university's Office of Legal Affairs notified the appropriate institutional officials and an investigation began immediately. After conducting additional fact finding, including questioning Tressel, the university notified the NCAA on Feb. 3." Athletics director Gene Smith said in the statement that he was "disappointed that we find ourselves in this situation." He said at the news conference that Tressel will remain coach. Smith added: "I think everyone knows how I feel about Jim Tressel. There is no better coach at developing young people than Jim." The issue first came to light in a Yahoo! cheap shoes online Sports story. Tressel was made aware in April that players, including Pryor, were selling clothing and other items to Edward Rife, owner of Fine Line Ink Tattoos in Columbus. Yahoo! Sports said a person, whom it did not identify, reached out to Tressel with the information. Tressel admitted at the news conference that he was notified and said he should have notified someone at the school. Two days before Christmas, Pryor, running back Daniel Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey, defensive end Solomon Thomas and offensive lineman Mike Adams were suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season. Jordan Whiting was also suspended for a game in 2011 for receiving discounted services because of his status as a student-athlete. At that time those suspensions were announced, Tressel and the school said they did not know of the violations until earlier that month. This isn't the first time Tressel has run into 2011 women shoes sale trouble with the NCAA. Former Ohio State players Troy Smith and Maurice Clarett were suspended for receiving extra benefits in recent years.

Egypt's new cabinet sworn in CAIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, was sworn in on Monday before Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The new cabinet included cheap shoes online six new faces in ministries of interior, justice, foreign affairs, culture, manpower and immigration as well as petroleum. Two members from the opposition are Monir Fakhri Abdel-Nour, minister of tourism from Wafd Party and Gouda Abdel-Khaliq el- Sayed, minister of social security from Tagammu party. Four ministers from former government under Ahmed Nazif, kept their posts in the ministries of international cooperation and planning, electricity and energy, environment, and state ministry for military production. Other 15 ministers from caretaker Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq's government will continue in the newly care-taker government that carried 25 members other than the deputy of the prime minister Yehia El Gamal. Tantawi, head of the supreme council of armed forces that took the power of the country for the transition period after ousting the former ruling regime on Feb. 11, met with the new ministers and discussed the importance of combating corruption and achieving social equality among people. Tantawi further stated that the new ministers will handle all people's demands and find suitable solutions to their problems as soon as possible. He also stressed the significant role of people's participation in the process of voting over the constitutional amendment referendum. Sharaf urged the youth to push forward the economic and social development cycle stressing their civilized influence in the protests. He advised youth to stay away form distorting the public figures which leads to negative social impact. He also confirmed that the role of Egyptian women will be strengthened in the coming period with a committee for women under the supervision of the cabinet to take part in the country's progress. He also called on Egyptian abroad to 2011 women shoes sale participate in the prosperity of their country. The newly appointed prime minister asserted that Egypt has a free economy in the right direction in accordance with the social justice and that many partners from different countries desired to help with the economic reforms. The first meeting for the new cabinet will be held before the end of this week to discuss methods of bringing life to normalcy, legitimate demands of people and providing the basic needs, state- run MENA agency reported. Sharaf joined the protests since the beginning of the uprising to demand for political and economic change in Tahrir Square, the epic center of the 18-day nationwide demonstrations that hit the country and ousted the ruling regime. In 2004, Sharaf was appointed as minister of transport in former President Hosni Mubarak's government but he resigned in 2006. Sharaf's appearance after Friday prayers was very well received by gathering of protests who celebrated the resignation of former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq quitted on Thursday after 33 days in his post. The public believed that Shafiq's interim government couldn't tackle their demands especially regaining the security or the democratic reforms as he was part of the toppled system. Sharaf pledged to respond to the crowds' demands for democratic changes. "I will leave my place and join the juicy couture bags lines of protestors when I can't bring your demands into effect," he said.

Inflation Endangering China 'Dream' Spurs Wen Price Pledge March 7 (Bloomberg) -- Premier Wen Jiabao's pledge to stem inflation underscored forecasts for more interest-rate increases as a jump in food and housing prices risks sparking public anger. Wen, in his opening speech to the annual balance bracelets National People's Congress conclave in Beijing two days ago, said that reining in consumer and property prices is the nation's top priority. That will be welcome to fruit vendor Song Zhiqiang, 56, of the southwestern city of Guiyang, who says: "My rent's doubled in a year and my family's food budget has increased to 3,000 yuan," or $456, from 1,200 yuan. Policy makers' 4 percent inflation target for this year was exceeded by almost a percentage point in February, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey. Without higher deposit rates to encourage saving, and a stronger currency to ease import costs, the risk is that price pressures will keep escalating in coming months. "The skew of risks is very much for an extended period of uncontained inflation," said Glenn Maguire, chief Asia economist at Societe Generale SA in Hong Kong. "The danger is that inflation spikes as high as 10 percent in the third quarter, causing households tremendous pain and fuelling widespread social discontent." For their part, investors have signaled diminished concern that Wen's government will tighten monetary policy so fast that it will hobble growth in the world's fastest-expanding major economy. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index of stocks has climbed in five of the past six weeks, closing on March 4 at the highest level since mid-November. Boosting Rates Additional increases in benchmark interest rates and banks' reserve requirements may help to bring price pressures under control, Maguire said. Nomura Holdings Inc. forecasts 0.75 percentage point of interest-rate increases by year-end, along with gains in banks' reserve ratios. Wen didn't set any lending target for banks. New loans topped a 7.5 trillion yuan ($1.1 trillion) ceiling last year and the central bank said Feb. 17 that it will develop a wider measure of credit growth and liquidity, including off-balance- sheet lending, local and foreign-currency loans, and bond and stock sales. The key one-year lending rate is 6.06 percent after three increases since mid-October and the deposit rate is 3 percent. The yuan, described as "substantially undervalued" by the U.S., traded at 6.5686 per dollar on March 4. Home Prices "Exorbitant" house price increases in some cities are a top public concern, Wen told the thousands of lawmakers gathered in Beijing, adding that the government will curb speculation and "adjust and improve" real-estate tax policies. The budget for this year shows a 35 percent increase in spending on low-income housing. With real-estate values climbing in the aftermath of the record credit boom unleashed during the global financial crisis, slums have emerged in cities including Beijing and Shanghai as migrant workers and cash-strapped urban youth seek an affordable place to live. "My dream of owning a house is drifting further away because home prices have increased by a huge margin, outpacing my salary gains," said Tao Jianyi, 32, an electrical engineer in Beijing. "The government has a lot to do to make homes affordable and within the reach of ordinary income earners." At the congress, official reports confirmed targets of 4 percent inflation and 8 percent economic growth for this year and showed that the nation will spend more on the internal police force than the armed forces. Call for Protests An online call for protests power balance yellow in China, inspired by uprisings in the Middle East, has highlighted the risk of social unrest. The government has deployed hundreds of police in Beijing and Shanghai after an open letter called for "jasmine" rallies, named after the January uprising in Tunisia that overthrew President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Across the country, consumer prices rose an annual 4.9 percent in January as food costs jumped, while in Beijing, new home prices climbed 6.8 percent. In February, inflation was 4.8 percent, according to the median forecast in a survey of 22 economists. That number is due to be announced this week. In his speech, Wen said that keeping prices stable is the "top priority in macroeconomic control" for this year and the government aims to narrow the widening gap between rich and poor "as soon as possible." "People in China are very unhappy," said Huang Yiping, an economics professor at Peking University in Beijing. "Inflation driven by food prices is very destabilizing for the economy and society because it's reducing everybody's purchasing power and mostly it damages the welfare of low-income households." Growth Targets Wen had already disclosed that the nation will cut its annual growth target to 7 percent in the five-year plan running from 2011 to 2015 from 7.5 percent in the previous period. While such targets are routinely surpassed -- annual growth averaged 11 percent in the past five years -- the new goal may signal that the government accepts that the expansion will moderate as part of reshaping the economy. Wen, who describes China's growth model as "unsustainable," aims to curb dependence on exports and investment and bolster consumer demand. This year, subsidies for urban low-income earners and farmers and continued incentives for rural purchases of home appliances may help to boost spending, Wen said. The government plans more increases in minimum wages and to raise the income- tax threshold from 2,000 yuan. 'Glacial' Change "We still only expect glacial changes in the composition of China's economy in the coming five years," said Shen Minggao, head of China research at Citigroup Inc. in Hong Kong. "In the past, numerous reform efforts were delayed or gutted on downside risks to growth and upside risks to inflation." In Guiyang, fruit seller Song's expenses are surging at the same time as his sales have slowed because of rising prices, he said. The price of apples has leapt 40 percent from a year earlier to 7 yuan a jin (half a kilogram) and water melons are up 20 percent, he added. "I want to bring my wife's aging parents to live with us in the city from 100 kilometers away but we just can't afford it," he said. "Five years ago rents were cheaper and making money was easier." --Kevin Hamlin, with assistance power balance white from Zheng Lifei and Chinmei Sung. Editors: Paul Panckhurst, Peter Hirschberg.

Heat's dream season could turn ugly if they don't wake up MIAMI -- It was all supposed to be easy. LeBron James decided to take his talents to South Beach to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and the rewards were going to be bountiful. The Heat were going to win 70-plus Coach Wallets games and run through the regular season. Parade routes were being planned down Biscayne Blvd. They were guaranteed to be champions in their first year together, or so they thought. Now that dream appears to be dead. This Heat team is going nowhere, at least not this season, and reality might be setting in following Sunday's 87-86 loss to the Bulls. Miami has now lost four in a row and five of its past six games, and the Heat continue to struggle against quality opponents. Coach Erik Spoelstra said players were crying in the locker room after the game, and the panic alarm has become a screaming siren. "This is painful for every single one of us going through this," Spoelstra said. "It isn't a matter of want. It is a matter of doing and continuing to put ourselves in this position until we break through." Is it too soon to write the obituary on this Heat team? Maybe. There are still 19 games remaining in the regular season, and the Heat are headed to the playoffs, most likely as a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference. They can still correct their problems and find a way to be successful at the level many expected when the season began. But this Heat team is not going to win a championship. And there's a good chance they could lose in the first round of the playoffs, especially with a potential matchup against the Knicks. Miami is now 1-9 against the top five teams in the NBA (San Antonio, Dallas, Boston, Chicago and the Lakers), but more importantly the Heat are 0-6 against Boston and Chicago, the top contenders in the East. The players aren't giving up but it's clear frustration has set in. Bosh wouldn't say who was crying in the locker room, but he said he "almost did." Between Bosh, James and Wade, each player talked about staying strong and confident, but at some point they have to realize what they are -- which is a good team, just not a great one. "Any time you're in the same predicament and you have doubts, you are beaten," Bosh said. "Our attitude is to win every time we take the court. The minute we stop being like that we have failed ourselves, and we don't want to do that. We believe in each other. We believe that we're eventually going to get better. As much as it hurts, we just have to keep working." Sunday's loss showed all their flaws -- blowing double-digit leads, no inside presence, lack of a bench, poor point-guard play and late-game failures. All of these problems were evident in recent losses to New York, Orlando, San Antonio and Chicago twice. On Sunday, the Heat led by 11 in the third quarter but the Bulls made all the plays at the end when it counted. Chicago outscored Miami 36-30 in the paint and had 16 bench points to six. Derrick Rose, an MVP candidate at point guard, had 27 points and five assists. Miami's point-guard combo of Mario Chalmers and Mike Bibby combined for 11 points and five assists -- all from Chalmers. James again missed a game-winning coach backpacks shot, this one coming on a left-handed layup that he tried to shoot over Bulls center Joakim Noah. The rebound came to Wade, who missed a 15-footer from the baseline. James has now missed a potential game-winning or tying shot in four of the past five losses. "I put a lot of blame on myself," said James, who finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists. "I told the guys I just keep failing them late in games, and that I won't continue to do that. I'm going to continue to push." The Heat, to their credit, are trying to make adjustments. They added Bibby to help at point guard and improve the bench, and players are going "outside their comfort zone," as Wade put it, to try and end this recent slide. It showed in small spurts against the Bulls. Bosh, who went 1 of 18 from the field at Chicago on Feb. 24, had one of his more aggressive games since joining the Heat. He played in the post early instead of settling for jump shots and finished with 23 points and five rebounds on 9-of-14 shooting. Wade, not known for being a vocal leader, was noticeably more talkative, especially to Chalmers and Mike Miller on separate plays. He said he's tired of losing, and he wanted to do something about it. "One of the messages that I said before the game was, 'Let's try a little harder, let's do a little more,'" said Wade, who finished with 20 points, five assists and four rebounds. "I tried to do that -- just do a little more." But the Heat are going to have to do a lot more if they want to end this season with a long playoff run. And they're going to have to do it fast since time is running out. But what is the answer? If you ask fans in South Florida, they will say fire Spoelstra. Maybe that does make a difference, but he doesn't deserve all the blame. After all, he's not missing shots at the end of games or failing to block out the shooter on missed free throws, which happened Sunday with Luol Deng late in the fourth quarter. Deng missed a free throw, got fouled after Noah tipped the ball out to him and hit two more free throws to turn an 86-85 Heat advantage into the 87-86 final score. Bibby is not going to save this roster. The bench isn't going to miraculously improve even if Miller starts hitting shots (0 of 5 from the field Sunday) and Udonis Haslem (foot) comes back at 100 percent. Those players aren't difference makers even though they will help. If the Heat are going to win, it's going to be James, Wade and Bosh carrying them to a title. But as we've seen, this team just isn't good enough when it matters against quality opponents. Each loss magnifies that point and shows that a title power balance wholesale likely isn't coming to Miami this year. That might make you want to cry. It did for some Heat players Sunday since they realized their dream appears to be slipping away.

Gas Prices Climb Toward $4; Time to Tap Strategic Oil Reserves? For the first time since fighting in coach purses 2011 the Middle East sent gasoline prices skyrocketing, President Obama is thinking about tapping the country's oil reserves. "We're looking at the options. The issue of the reserve is one we are considering," Obama's Chief of Staff Bill Daley said today on NBC's "Meet the Press." But he added: "It is something that only is done and has been done on very rare occasions." He is talking about the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It's along the Gulf coast and is America's oil piggy bank. In underground salt domes, 727 million barrels of oil are stored. The oil is there to protect against a sudden cut off of supply. "It should be tapped when, physically, the market is lacking oil. And I don't think we're anywhere near that," Roger Diwan of PFC Energy told ABC News. Despite all the turmoil in the Middle East, there is no strain on demand. The Libyan oil fields and production have been shut down, but Saudi Arabia has promised to increase production to make up the difference. Still, gas prices in the United States have increased 25 percent in the past month. Diwan said the White House is sending the right message. "It's a good idea to signal the readiness to use it. But the conditions for using it are not there yet," he said. "It might help slow some of the speculation, but more importantly signal to the broader market that policy makers are watching." There is political pressure too. With Coach Handbags the economy just starting to rebound, drivers (also known as voters) are complaining about gas prices. "This is probably not about economics. It's about when the public wants the political system to have an answer for something, they come up with an answer for something. And the answer is something called the Strategic Petroleum Reserve," said Peter Van Doren, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. Van Doren studied an earlier release from the reserve made by President Clinton in 2000 shortly before an election. He concluded politics played a prominent role, and there was no proof the release of oil actually led to a decrease in gas prices. Food for thought for President Obama. "This decision would be, I think, have some, a bad odor to it. And so he's probably weighing whether the politics will go north or south," Van Doren said. As a candidate, Obama was not adverse to a release from the oil reserve in 2008. And while he's now considering Cheap Coach Backpacks such a move, he certainly didn't seem to be contemplating such a move two weeks ago when he said, "We actually think that we'll be able to ride out the Libya situation and it will stabilize."