Science Fiction Comes Alive as Researchers Grow Organs in Lab -

Science Fiction Comes Alive as Researchers Grow Organs in Lab - 




In additional to the artificial nose, Dr. Seifalian is making cardiovascular body parts. He sees a time when scientists would grow the structures needed for artery bypass procedures instead of taking a vein from another part the body. As part of a clinical trial, Dr. Seifalian plans to transplant a bioengineered coronary artery into a person later this year. His employer, University College London, has designated a person to oversee any future commercialization of it and other man-made organs.

The development of lab-built body parts is being spurred by a shortage of organ donors amid rising demand for transplants. Also, unlike patients getting transplants, recipients of lab-built organs won't have to take powerful anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives. That's because the bioengineered organs are built with the patients' own cells.

Until the late 1980s, few scientists believed it would be possible to make human organs because it was a struggle to grow human cells in the laboratory. The task became easier once scientists figured out the chemicals—known as growth factors—that the body itself uses to promote cellular growth.

Scientists started out growing simple organs. In 1999, Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., implanted lab-grown bladders into the first of several children with severely dysfunctional bladders. The organs have continued to function well for several years. Dr. Atala's team now is trying to grow a whole range of bioengineered parts, from simple blood vessels to human livers.

Read more - 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323699704578328251335196648.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLE_Video_Top

Cypriot president ‘warned his friends to move money abroad’ before financial crisis hit -

Cypriot president ‘warned his friends  to move money abroad’ before financial crisis hit - 


Cypriot president Nikos Anastasiades ‘warned’ close friends of the financial crisis about to engulf his country so they could move their money abroad, it was claimed on Friday.
The respected Cypriot newspaper Filelftheros made the allegation which was picked up eagerly by German media.
Germans are angry at the way their country has been linked to the Nazis and Hitler by Cypriots angry at the defunct rescue deal which called for a levy on all savings.
The Cyprus newspaper did not say how much money was moved abroad but quoted sources saying the president ‘knew about the possible closure of the banks’ and tipped off close friends who were able to move vast sums abroad.
Italian media said the 4.5 billion euros left the island in the week before the crisis.

Read more - 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2297383/Cyprus-bailout-President-Nikos-Anastasiades-warned-friends-money-abroad.html

Texas Wants Its Gold Back From The Fed -

Texas Wants Its Gold Back From The Fed - 


Texas Moves to Repatriate its Gold from the Federal Reserve

This is one of the most interesting stories I have read regarding the precious metals market in quite some time.  It appears that Texas Rep. Giovanni Capriglione has a bill in play that would move the state’s gold from New York (where its under the “safekeeping” of the ultra shady Federal Reserve) to a depository within the state of Texas itself.  The reason this would be such a big deal if it happens, is because a lot of the gold bought and sold globally is not very likely not actually owned by those that “buy” it.  From my perspective, pretty much the only countries that actually buy gold and bring it within their borders are China, Russia and Iran.  Most other nations that claim they “bought” gold, most likely hold a certificate that states they have gold in London or New York.  So in other words, they have no gold.  It looks like Texas is wising up.

From the Star-Telegram:

Freshman Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, is carrying a bill that would establish the Texas Bullion Depository, a secure state-based bank to house $1 billion worth of gold bars owned by the University of Texas Investment Management Co., or UTIMCO, and stored by the Federal Reserve.

“If you think gold is a hedge, or a protection, you always want it as close to the individual and the entity as possible,” Paul told The Texas Tribune on Thursday.” Texas is better served if it knows exactly where the gold is rather than depending on the security of the Federal Reserve.”
You’ve gotta love Ron Paul.  The guy is still raising hell even after he left Congress.

The highly political Governor also appears to be on board…

“If we own it,” Perry said, “I will suggest to you that that’s not someone else’s determination whether we can take possession of it back or not.”

“We don’t want just the certificates. We want our gold. And if you’re the state of Texas, you should be able to get your gold.”

Come on Rick, that sounds like terrorist talk.

The United States and many other countries stopped pegging their currencies to the gold standard decades ago. Capriglione said the bill is not about putting Texas on its own gold standard. Rather, a depository would give the state a reputation as being more financially secure in the event of a financial crisis.

Transporting gold from New York City or other banks to Texas would be impractical from a security and logistics standpoint, Capriglione said.

Ok, that’s just weird.  Gold is shipped all over the world every single day.  This isn’t even an international shipment.  My guess is that the Fed has already made it clear they will not be sending any gold to Texas.

He believes that it makes more sense to sell the gold that Texas has elsewhere and repurchase it within state lines.

He said the measure wouldn’t pose a significant expense, because the gold bars could be safeguarded in a small area, no bigger than 20 square feet.

Again, if that’s all it is what’s so hard about shipping it?

Such a bill might not divide lawmakers strictly along party lines. Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, called it “an interesting concept” but said he wants to learn more about it and talk to “colleagues in the financial industry” before weighing in on its merits.

Read more - 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-03-23/texas-wants-its-gold-back-fed

Salad is more dangerous than beefburgers, leading food expert warns -

Salad is more dangerous than beefburgers, leading food expert warns - 


Salad labelled as "ready-to-eat" is more dangerous than beefburgers, one of Britain`s top food experts has said, following a spate of Cryptosporidium infections linked to the product.

Certain types of bacteria found in the pre-cut salad bags can be almost impossible to kill, Professor Hugh Pennington said, unless the leaves are irradiated – a process the public would oppose.
His claim follows a Health Protection Agency investigation into an outbreak of salad-linked Cryptosporidium infections that affected around 300 people in England and Scotland in May.
In the analysis of the exposure to different salad vegetables a significant statistical association was found between infection and the consumption of pre-cut spinach.
When specific retailers were included in the analysis, the strongest association with infection was found to be with consumption of ready to eat pre-cut mixed salad leaves from a major supermarket chain.
"Together these findings suggest that one or more types of salad vegetables could have been contaminated," said the HPA.

Professor Pennington said the case also followed on from several in the USA where they are "very worried" about "washed and ready-to-eat" bagged salad.
Last year produce giant Dole issued a recall on its American Blend bagged salad in 10 states in those two regions, after the Tennessee Department of Health found listeria bacteria in one sample.
Demand for salad has boomed because of healthily eating campaigns. But salad is considered one of the products most likely to cause food-related illness – largely because greens are grown directly in the soil, and some pathogens can only be killed by heat or strong detergents, not just water.
Professor Pennington said: "It is generally safer to eat a burger than the salad that goes with it.

Read more - 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/9948987/Salad-is-more-dangerous-than-beefburgers-leading-food-expert-warns.html

Delta employee had pizza delivered to stranded plane -

Delta employee had pizza delivered to stranded plane - 


A Delta employee ordered 60 pizzas for delayed passengers on an Atlanta-bound flight from Tennessee after the plane was stranded on the tarmac for three hours on Monday.
Michele Carson-Vaughn, Delta Director of Field Services for the Southeast, says the airline's Knoxville station manager who has not been named was behind the idea, reports the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Department of Transportation rules require airlines to let passengers leave a plane after a three-hour tarmac delay and to provide food and water after two hours.  Pizza, on the other hand, is not required --and neither is a police escort for the food.
Delta reportedly worked with TSA to clear the delivery through security and the pizzas were delivered to the plane by a police car that had its lights flashing, reports the Chronicle.
One passenger told NBC she and her fellow passengers were pretty excited to see the Pizza Hut pizza. 
"Everyone appeared happy after the pizza feed -- "but they just wouldn't serve us beer," said Vazmina."And yes we asked a bunch of times."


Read more:  -

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2013/03/21/delta-employee-had-pizza-delivered-to-stranded-plane/?intcmp=obnetwork