Meet the beetles: Social networks provide clues to natural selection

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Think of them as a group of guys, hanging out together, but not spending much time with the ladies, nor getting much "action." Except these "guys" are forked fungus beetles.

Forked what? Yes, forked fungus beetles. Like other insects and animals, they have their own societies. Most are highly social, but some hang out in small guy groups.

It turns out, maybe not surprisingly, that the cliquish ones ? the small groups of male beetles that live on the fringes of society with their buddies ? are less likely to meet up with females, copulate and pass on their genes to offspring.

Why does it matter? Because social interactions likely are the products of evolution by natural selection ? Charles Darwin's description for nature's process whereby characteristics that help individuals to survive and propagate are spread through the population.

And so forked fungus beetles and their activities are of immense interest to Vince Formica and Butch Brodie, evolutionary biologists in the University of Virginia's College of Arts &Sciences. They study the beetles in a remote forest near U.Va.'s Mountain Lake Biological Station in southwest Virginia.

"Forked fungus beetles are not pretty ? they look like tree bark ? but they're helping us better understand the evolution of social behavior," Formica said. He is the lead author on a paper about the study published in the January edition of the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.

Formica and his team wanted to know if an individual beetle's place in society is related to its reproductive success.

"In the world of evolutionary biology, we are interested in how natural selection can shape traits or characteristics of organisms," he said. "Studying social networks are a way of analyzing the structure of animal societies. In this case, we were asking if an individual's position in a social network is a trait or characteristic of an individual that can experience natural selection. Apparently it is."

Formica said there are essentially two parts to evolution by natural selection: The first is a trait related to the number of offspring produced, and the second is the ability to pass that trait on to offspring, what scientists call heritability.

"We've shown that the trait of sociability is under natural selection, but we don't know yet if it's heritable," he said. "This is one of only a few studies that has shown that position in a social network is a trait that can experience natural selection and therefore has the potential to evolve. It's clear in this study that being central in a large social network is key to high reproductive success. If a trait ? such as an individual's position in a network ? is related to reproductive success, you can say it is experiencing natural selection and has the potential to evolve."

Formica chose forked fungus beetles as his study models partly because they are easy to capture, tag and observe.

"We can sit and watch their whole universe," he said.

But the beetles are nocturnal, so researchers spend long nights in the forests watching them.

"We drink a lot of espresso," he said.

The biologists tag the beetles with extreme-miniature ID numbers that glow when scanned under ultraviolet lights. The researchers then are able to watch their social activities ? everything from fighting to eating to mating, to just sitting there like bark on logs.

Formica's team, made up mostly of undergraduate students, observed that some of the beetles are very social and have a large network of friends. These active beetles also have a lot of sex. But the male beetles that have small social networks ? just a few male friends ? tend to spend little time with females and copulate rarely.

"Do individual behaviors cause their position to evolve, and does it cause the society to evolve as well? That's what we're attempting to answer," he said.

While Formica is hesitant to draw direct connections from his findings to the romantic lives of humans, he does believe that uncovering how social networks operate, even in a tiny bark-shaped beetle, is vital if we want to understand how all societies evolve.

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University of Virginia: http://www.virginia.edu

Thanks to University of Virginia for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117193/Meet_the_beetles__Social_networks_provide_clues_to_natural_selection

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Ford posts big 4Q profits but misses Wall Street

DEARBORN, Michigan (AP) ? An accounting change boosted Ford's fourth-quarter net income, but without the gain the company fell short of Wall Street's expectations.

Weak sales in Europe and lower production in Thailand eroded Ford's profits.

Investors punished the stock in pre-market trading, where shares fell nearly 5 percent to $12.14.

Ford earned $13.6 billion in the fourth quarter, due to a decision to move deferred tax assets back onto its books. Without that change, the company's pretax operating profit totaled $1.1 billion, or 20 cents per share, missing analysts' forecasts of 25 cents.

The company lost money in Europe and Asia in the fourth quarter. But its North American operating profit rose 33 percent to $889 million.

"The quarter was really driven by North America," Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth said.

Booth also said November flooding in Thailand, which affected its parts suppliers, had a greater impact than the company expected. Ford lost 34,000 units of production in Thailand and in South Africa, which relies on Thai-made parts. He said the company also saw higher costs for steel and other commodities. Ford spent $2.3 billion more on commodities in 2011 than the prior year, or $100 million more than it had forecast.

Europe's debt crisis weighed on car sales in that region.

For the full year, the U.S.-based company made $20.2 billion, or $4.94 per share. Without the accounting gain, it earned $8.76 billion, or $1.51 per share, its highest operating profit since 1999. Full year revenue rose 13 percent to $136.3 billion.

Analysts had forecast full-year earnings of $1.86 per share on revenue of $127.31 billion.

Based on its full-year North American results, Ford said it will make profit-sharing payments of around $6,200 each to its 41,600 U.S. hourly employees. Employees will get their checks in March.

Ford moved $15.7 billion worth of tax credits and other assets off its books starting in 2006 because it wasn't making money so it couldn't take advantage of them. The company moved most of them back onto its books in the fourth quarter because it anticipates using them now that it's profitable.

The change will affect Ford's tax rates going forward. Ford's tax rate was 9 percent in 2010 because of the assets that were being held in the valuation allowance account. Ford's new rate will be closer to 30 percent.

Booth said the change is a strong indication that the company expects to remain profitable. Another is Ford's decision last month to reinstate a 5-cent quarterly dividend starting in March.

But Booth said the international climate remains turbulent. Ford is trying to hold the line on incentive spending in Europe, but that could cost some sales. He doesn't expect Asia to be a solid contributor to profits for several more years, as the company tries to expand there. The South American market is also getting more competitive, he said, and Ford's products there are older than some new entries.

Ford is cutting European production in the first quarter by 36,000 vehicles because of weak sales. It's also making smaller production cuts in Asia and South America, but is increasing production in North America by 18,000 vehicles.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-27-Earns-Ford/id-737fb8ce494d493f9a775348bd67df98

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Populist, combative Obama gets love from Democratic lawmakers (Reuters)

CAMBRIDGE, Maryland (Reuters) ? Congressional Democrats have complained in the past that they have not felt the love from U.S. President Barack Obama and accuse the White House of not consulting them on key policies. But when Obama addressed them on Friday it was a love-fest.

Democratic members of the House of Representatives gave him a standing ovation and a compact disc in which they all sang "I'm So In Love With You," the first line of Al Green's hit song "Let's Stay Together."

Just three months ago some lawmakers talked privately of keeping their distance from Obama in 2012 because they feared voters' unhappiness with his economic stewardship would hurt their election campaigns.

Relations between Obama and congressional Democrats deteriorated after Republicans won the House in 2010. Democrats complained Obama was too willing to compromise at the expense of Democratic principles.

But ties have improved as Obama has become more combative toward Republicans over taxes and jobs and sought to draw a sharp contrast with Republican presidential hopefuls vying to face him in the November 6 election.

Wrapping up a cross-country tour to promote a populist agenda laid out in this week's State of the Union address, Obama hammered home a re-election campaign appeal for greater economic fairness.

Obama used his speech to the Democratic lawmakers' retreat in Maryland to turn up the heat on Republicans, who have accused him of pursuing class warfare and assailed his State of the Union proposals, including higher taxes on wealthier Americans.

"Where they obstruct, where they're unwilling to act, where they're more interested in party than they are in country ... then we've got to call them out on it," Obama said to loud applause. "We've got to push them. We can't wait. We can't be held back."

'RISE OR FALL TOGETHER'

Obama called on congressional Democrats to close ranks with him as he seeks to persuade voters to give him a second term despite a fragile economy and high unemployment.

Obama is campaigning against a "do-nothing" Congress, highlighting the partisan gridlock that has paralyzed decision-making on job creation and tackling record deficits. "Congress" is White House code for Republicans, but some Democratic lawmakers worry that distinction may be lost on voters, who already have a low opinion of the polarized legislature.

"We are going to rise or fall together," Representative Henry Waxman said of the Democrats' bid to retain the Senate, keep the presidency and take back the House.

Waxman's comments were echoed by other lawmakers at the retreat who signaled that the tensions that bedeviled relations with the White House in 2011 were in the past.

"There is always some tension between the legislative and executive branches of government," said Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House. "But we are a team, and we want to head in the same direction."

While Congress's approval ratings are at record lows, Obama's have edged up to nearly 50 percent.

"The president is running a lot stronger than we are," said Representative Jim Moran. "His train is moving in the right direction. We ought to get on," said Moran, who just months ago questioned how vigorously Democrats would campaign for Obama.

Jennifer Duffy of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report said the Democrats' warmer embrace of Obama underscored that "you always reach a point in an election cycle, and I think we are now there, where you realize it's hard not to run with the president, it's hard to walk away from the head of the ticket."

The retreat in the waterfront town of Cambridge featured a number of private sessions to ready Democrats for the campaign, including one entitled: "How to run when the president is running against Congress."

Obama first tested his anti-Congress strategy late last year, upsetting Democrats over what they saw as his failure to differentiate between Democrats and Republicans.

"The president upset a lot of us with the attacks," said a top Democratic aide. "It showed White House arrogance. They didn't even bother to consult with us on it."

Obama has since soothed hard feelings by being more discriminate in his attacks, although he still frequently refers to his willingness to act when Congress will not.

Most Democratic lawmakers figure Obama will be more of a help than a hindrance to their own re-elections, particularly in raising money and rallying the party's liberal base, lawmakers and analysts say.

Yet many, particularly those in conservative states, are likely to run away from his 2010 overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system, which drew Republican fire and a public backlash.

Vice President Joe Biden, speaking at the retreat on Friday, predicted Democrats would win the House and jokingly acknowledged that the White House could help or hurt members, depending on the politics of their respective districts.

"I'm prepared to row or ski anywhere and campaign for you. (But) if it helps to be against you, I'll be against you," Biden quipped.

Opinion polls show that voters have a slightly higher opinion of Democrats in Congress than their Republican counterparts, but pollsters say Democrats will struggle to pick up the 25 House seats they need to regain control of the 435-seat chamber.

(Additional reporting by Alister Bull and Matt Spetalnick in Washington, writing by Thomas Ferraro, editing by Ross Colvin and Marilyn Thompson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/pl_nm/us_usa_campaign_obama_democrats

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Your Logitech Revue is now a collector's item

The Logitech Revue never quite lived up to its potential as the first set-top box to sport Google TV. That much was made clear by Logitech in late 2011 when it was said to have "cost us dearly." And now the Revue has officially been put out to pasture.

Logitech posted its Q3 2012 (they're on a weird schedule) today and in doing so it repeated that sales figures were negatively impacted by the Revue -- and that it no longer has any units on hand. Here's the official word from Logitech:

A major factor in the 8 percent decline in the Americas sales compared to the prior year was Logitech Revue for GoogleTV. We began shipments of Logitech Revue in Q3 of the prior year and delivered sales of $22M that quarter. Sales of Logitech Revue this year were down by $15M due to the combination of a significant price reduction in Q2 of this fiscal year and our previously announced intention to exit the category. We are now sold out of all new Logitech Revue units.

So that's it, boys and girls. The Logitech Revue is done. Finished. Kaput. It is no more. But that's not entirely true, of course. A good many of us still have Revue units, and they still work relatively well, if a little underpowered, and they're actually running the latest version of the Google TV branch of Android. Treat them well. (Or at least try not to fear them too much.)

And as for Google TV, it's not done yet, either. We're already seeing the likes of Vizio coming out with new products, and we're willing to bet more are on the way. Sit back, relax, and get ready for Android to take over your TV.

Source: Logitech

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/gUFSScIETSc/story01.htm

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Columbia Business School's Andreas Mueller awarded 2012 Arnbergska prize

Public release date: 26-Jan-2012
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Contact: Sona Rai
sr2763@columbia.edu
212-854-5955
Columbia Business School

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences honored Professor Mueller with the prize for his research on the composition of the unemployed during recessions

New York, NY -- Columbia Business School is proud to announce that Andreas Mueller, Assistant Professor, Finance and Economics, was awarded the 2012 Arnbergska Prize by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in the amount of 70,000 kronor. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is an independent organization whose overall objective is to promote the sciences and strengthen the science's influence in society.

The award recognizes Professor Mueller for his research on the compositional changes in the pool of unemployed workers in the United States from 1979-2008. The research presented evidence that in recessions, the pool of unemployed shifts towards high-wage workers, a finding that has not been documented previously. Professor Mueller showed that a possible explanation for these patterns is that firms face tighter borrowing constraints in recessions: they would like to keep their highly valued employees but cannot do so because these workers are too expensive relative to their current productivity.

Mueller's research spans a broad spectrum of issues in macroeconomics and labor economics. His focus is on unemployment and, more generally, the interaction between the business cycle and labor market. He has also done extensive research on the job search behavior of unemployed workers. He received a Ph.D. from the Institute of International Economic Studies (IIES) at Stockholm University.

The Arnbergska Prize was first awarded in 1903 to chief engineer Johan August Brinell for his work concerning the properties of iron and steel. The award is named in honor of Dr. Johan Wolter Arnberg, who was elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1884 and was a lifelong supporter of progressive artists, economists, and scientists. Today the award is bestowed annually to recognize achievements in technical, economical, and statistic sciences.

###

About Columbia Business School

Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics, Columbia Business School seeks to provide a truly global business education that lasts and evolves over a lifetime, preparing students for strong leadership in any industry. The School's cutting-edge curriculum bridges pioneering academic theory with industry practice, imparting not only functional skills, but the entrepreneurial mindset required to recognize and capture opportunity in a competitive business environment. Beyond academic rigor and teaching excellence, the School offers programs that are designed to give students practical experience making decisions in real-world environments. The strength of its ideas, the breadth and accessibility of its alumni network, and the extent of its connections to New York City combine to make Columbia Business School one of the most innovative and dynamic business communities in the world. The School offers MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) degrees, as well as nondegree executive education programs. For more information, visit http://www.gsb.columbia.edu.

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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: 26-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sona Rai
sr2763@columbia.edu
212-854-5955
Columbia Business School

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences honored Professor Mueller with the prize for his research on the composition of the unemployed during recessions

New York, NY -- Columbia Business School is proud to announce that Andreas Mueller, Assistant Professor, Finance and Economics, was awarded the 2012 Arnbergska Prize by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in the amount of 70,000 kronor. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is an independent organization whose overall objective is to promote the sciences and strengthen the science's influence in society.

The award recognizes Professor Mueller for his research on the compositional changes in the pool of unemployed workers in the United States from 1979-2008. The research presented evidence that in recessions, the pool of unemployed shifts towards high-wage workers, a finding that has not been documented previously. Professor Mueller showed that a possible explanation for these patterns is that firms face tighter borrowing constraints in recessions: they would like to keep their highly valued employees but cannot do so because these workers are too expensive relative to their current productivity.

Mueller's research spans a broad spectrum of issues in macroeconomics and labor economics. His focus is on unemployment and, more generally, the interaction between the business cycle and labor market. He has also done extensive research on the job search behavior of unemployed workers. He received a Ph.D. from the Institute of International Economic Studies (IIES) at Stockholm University.

The Arnbergska Prize was first awarded in 1903 to chief engineer Johan August Brinell for his work concerning the properties of iron and steel. The award is named in honor of Dr. Johan Wolter Arnberg, who was elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1884 and was a lifelong supporter of progressive artists, economists, and scientists. Today the award is bestowed annually to recognize achievements in technical, economical, and statistic sciences.

###

About Columbia Business School

Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics, Columbia Business School seeks to provide a truly global business education that lasts and evolves over a lifetime, preparing students for strong leadership in any industry. The School's cutting-edge curriculum bridges pioneering academic theory with industry practice, imparting not only functional skills, but the entrepreneurial mindset required to recognize and capture opportunity in a competitive business environment. Beyond academic rigor and teaching excellence, the School offers programs that are designed to give students practical experience making decisions in real-world environments. The strength of its ideas, the breadth and accessibility of its alumni network, and the extent of its connections to New York City combine to make Columbia Business School one of the most innovative and dynamic business communities in the world. The School offers MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) degrees, as well as nondegree executive education programs. For more information, visit http://www.gsb.columbia.edu.

---

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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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/cbs-cbs012612.php

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Actor Armie Hammer nabbed in Texas for marijuana (AP)

SIERRA BLANCA, Texas ? Authorities say Hollywood actor Armie Hammer was arrested at a border patrol checkpoint in West Texas after a drug sniffing dog discovered marijuana in his car.

The 25-year-old, who starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in "J. Edgar," spent about a day in jail before paying a $1,000 bond.

Arrest records show he had 0.02 ounces of marijuana, three medicinal marijuana cookies and one brownie when arrested Nov. 20 in Sierra Blanca, a few miles from the Mexican border.

El Paso's district attorney declined to prosecute because a felony requires more than 4 ounces of actual marijuana. The county attorney could pursue lesser charges since the case is going back to the local sheriff, but Hammer's lawyer Kent Schaffer says no charges have been presented.

Hammer also starred in "The Social Network."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_en_mo/us_armie_hammer_pot_arrest

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Russia to keep blocking UN sanctions on Syria

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia will stonewall any U.N. sanctions on Syria and will push for a quick start of talks between the Syrian government and the country's opposition, the Russian foreign minister said Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would block any attempts to get the U.N. approval for sanctions against Syria that have been imposed by other nations, saying that such a move would be "unfair and counterproductive."

The U.S., the European Union, the Arab League and Turkey all have introduced sanctions against Damascus in response to Syrian President Bashar Assad's violent crackdown on opponents. The uprising has left more than 5,400 people dead, according to the U.N. estimates.

The U.N. Security Council has been unable to agree on a resolution since the violence began in March because of a strong opposition from Russia and China.

Lavrov said Russia's own draft of a U.N. Security Council resolution on the violence in Syria, which circulated earlier this month, remains on the table, and that Moscow was open for any "constructive proposals." Western diplomats said the Russian proposal fell short of their demand for a strong condemnation of the Syrian regime's crackdown on civilians.

But Lavrov reaffirmed that any U.N. resolution must say clearly it "couldn't be interpreted to justify any foreign military interference in the Syrian crisis."

"We believe that our approach is fair and well-balanced, unlike the attempts to pass one-sided resolutions that would condemn only one party and, by doing so, encourage another one to build up confrontation and take an uncompromising stance," Lavrov said. "We have seen that in Libya, and we will not allow the repetition of the Libyan scenario."

Russia abstained in the U.N. vote authorizing military intervention in Libya, but harshly criticized NATO for what it saw as an excessive use of force and civilian casualties during the NATO bombing campaign against strongman Moammar Gadhafi's regime. The NATO-backed rebels in Libya eventually succeeded in overthrowing Gadhafi.

Russian officials have strongly warned the West against emulating the Libyan experience in Syria.

Lavrov called for a quick start of talks between the Syrian government and the opposition, suggesting they could be hosted by Egypt, the Arab League, Turkey or Russia.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-25-EU-Russia-Syria/id-832f83c48f2d467dbf9e6d22aab6359f

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Can Newt Gingrich win Florida without Mitt Romney's bucks?

Gaining momentum with a win in South Carolina, Newt Gingrich appears to be a serious contender in Florida. But Mitt Romney has the upper hand in organization and fundraising.

With a big win in South Carolina and momentum building in Florida, Newt Gingrich suddenly appears poised to be a contender.

Skip to next paragraph

At the very least, it seems like it will be tougher than Mitt Romney once envisioned to lock up the GOP nomination quickly, with Florida cementing a series of victories.

But Mr. Gingrich also faces a daunting challenge: fundraising.

Florida is a notoriously expensive market, and Mr. Romney has already been advertising heavily there ? virtually alone ? for weeks.

As a late surger, Gingrich isn't nearly as well-positioned as Romney is for either organization or funding.

He hasn't reported how much cash he's raised in the last quarter (his deadline to release those numbers is Jan. 31), but it's almost certainly significantly less than Romney, who had $19 million in his campaign war chest as of Dec. 31.

At the end of the last reporting period, Romney had a $14 million advantage over Gingrich.

And it's a challenge Gingrich is focused on.

Within minutes of winning the South Carolina primary, he tweeted: "Thank you South Carolina! Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida. Join our Moneybomb and donate now."

And in his victory speech, he told supporters, "I need your help in reaching out to people in Florida ... to sign up, to donate, to get involved." He added, "We don?t have the kind of money that at least one of the candidates does, but we do have ideas."

The pleas helped. The Gingrich campaign announced on Monday that it raised more than $1 million in the 24 hours following the South Carolina win.

And Gingrich has some big donors ? most notably Sheldon Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate who contributed $5 million to a pro-Gingrich super political-action committee earlier this month that spent heavily to promote him in South Carolina, and may have helped him to victory.

On Monday, Jon Ralston, political reporter at the Las Vegas Sun in a tweet said that Mr. Adelson's wife, Miriam Adelson, has promised another $5 million to the super PAC,?Winning Our Future, which plans to spend heavily on advertising in Florida starting Tuesday.

Still, Florida is a formidable state to advertise in. The Wall Street Journal estimates it could cost candidates $10 million to campaign effectively there. And Romney, who has an extensive fundraising network, plans to raise that much before the end of the month.

Romney has tended to attract donors from among the Republican establishment, and he has proved adept at fundraising. According to The Wall Street Journal, one Romney event in January raised $2 million, more than double its goal.

With the deep-pocketed Rick Perry opting to leave the race, new opportunities have opened up ?for the remaining candidates. But it's uncertain who will best take advantage of them.

Mr. Perry endorsed Gingrich, but it's not clear that his followers will agree with him. Romney has already recruited many of Perry's top fundraisers, including the two men who co-chaired Perry's fundraising committee.

So far, the momentum seems to be in Gingrich's favor. And there's nothing like success to pull in more money.

But it remains to be seen whether Gingrich can make up such a large financial gap in a short time, and how much the money will matter.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/DjWqZEvEkZs/Can-Newt-Gingrich-win-Florida-without-Mitt-Romney-s-bucks

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Lifestyle counseling reduces time to reach treatment goals for people with diabetes

Public release date: 24-Jan-2012
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Contact: Marjorie Montemayor-Quellenberg
mmontemayor-quellenberg@partners.org
617-534-2208
Brigham and Women's Hospital

BOSTON, MA -- Lifestyle counseling, practiced as part of routine care for people with diabetes, helps people more quickly lower blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels and keep them under control, according to a large, long-term study published in the February issue of Diabetes Care.

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) conducted a retrospective cohort study of more than 30,000 people with diabetes who received diet, exercise and weight-loss counseling in a primary care setting over the course of at least two years (with an average follow-up time of almost seven years) and who had elevated blood glucose, blood pressure or cholesterol.

They found that the use of counseling reduced the time it took for patients to lower blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Previous studies have documented the success of counseling in a clinical trial setting, but until now many have questioned whether it would be as effective when conducted as part of ongoing treatment in a primary care setting, where fewer resources are available and patients may be less motivated.

"This study shows that persistent lifestyle counseling can and should be a critical piece of any routine diabetes treatment plan," said senior author Alexander Turchin, MD, MS, director of informatics research at the BWH Division of Endocrinology. "Clearly it gets people to goals faster than when they are not given continued encouragement and information on how to increase physical activity levels, eat properly and reduce lipids. Primary care providers should take these findings to heart."

The study found that the more frequently patients received counseling, the faster they reached their treatment goals, with those who received counseling at least once a month achieving the best results. Those who received face-to-face counseling once a month or more took an average of 3.9 weeks to reach their target goals for A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol, as compared to 13.5 months for those who received counseling only once every one to six months.

Because counseling can be time intensive researchers recommend that working with providers such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants or dietitians, as well as providing support in group settings, may be more cost-effective ways of providing this necessary support.

###

This research was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Library of Medicine, and Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation.

This press release was provided by the American Diabetes Association.

Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery network. BWH is the home of the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, the most advanced center of its kind. BWH is committed to excellence in patient care with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. The BWH medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives and its dedication to educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), http://www.brighamandwomens.org/research, BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, involving more than 900 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by more than $537 M in funding. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative. For more information about BWH, please visit http://www.brighamandwomens.org.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 24-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Marjorie Montemayor-Quellenberg
mmontemayor-quellenberg@partners.org
617-534-2208
Brigham and Women's Hospital

BOSTON, MA -- Lifestyle counseling, practiced as part of routine care for people with diabetes, helps people more quickly lower blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels and keep them under control, according to a large, long-term study published in the February issue of Diabetes Care.

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) conducted a retrospective cohort study of more than 30,000 people with diabetes who received diet, exercise and weight-loss counseling in a primary care setting over the course of at least two years (with an average follow-up time of almost seven years) and who had elevated blood glucose, blood pressure or cholesterol.

They found that the use of counseling reduced the time it took for patients to lower blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Previous studies have documented the success of counseling in a clinical trial setting, but until now many have questioned whether it would be as effective when conducted as part of ongoing treatment in a primary care setting, where fewer resources are available and patients may be less motivated.

"This study shows that persistent lifestyle counseling can and should be a critical piece of any routine diabetes treatment plan," said senior author Alexander Turchin, MD, MS, director of informatics research at the BWH Division of Endocrinology. "Clearly it gets people to goals faster than when they are not given continued encouragement and information on how to increase physical activity levels, eat properly and reduce lipids. Primary care providers should take these findings to heart."

The study found that the more frequently patients received counseling, the faster they reached their treatment goals, with those who received counseling at least once a month achieving the best results. Those who received face-to-face counseling once a month or more took an average of 3.9 weeks to reach their target goals for A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol, as compared to 13.5 months for those who received counseling only once every one to six months.

Because counseling can be time intensive researchers recommend that working with providers such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants or dietitians, as well as providing support in group settings, may be more cost-effective ways of providing this necessary support.

###

This research was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Library of Medicine, and Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation.

This press release was provided by the American Diabetes Association.

Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery network. BWH is the home of the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, the most advanced center of its kind. BWH is committed to excellence in patient care with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. The BWH medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives and its dedication to educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), http://www.brighamandwomens.org/research, BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, involving more than 900 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by more than $537 M in funding. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative. For more information about BWH, please visit http://www.brighamandwomens.org.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/bawh-lcr012412.php

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Joe Paterno, revered coach tainted by scandal, dies (Reuters)

STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (Reuters) ? Penn State's Joe Paterno, the winningest coach in major college football history who was fired in November over a child sexual abuse scandal involving an assistant that rocked America, died on Sunday of lung cancer. He was 85.

Paterno won adoration from fans of the highly successful and profitable Penn State football program and they unleashed invective at the university board of trustees who fired him unceremoniously after 46 years as head coach, tarnishing his outsized legacy.

Equally outraged were his critics and advocates for victims of sexual abuse who faulted Paterno for his relative inaction upon hearing an accusation that former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky had sexually abused a young boy in the Penn State football showers in 2002.

Paterno told university officials but not police, opening him to criticism that he protected an accused child molester for nine years.

Sandusky, 67, who has maintained his innocence, faces 52 criminal counts accusing him of sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years, using his position as head of a The Second Mile, a charity dedicated to helping troubled children, to find his victims. The court placed him under house arrest.

Waves of mourners descended on a makeshift shrine to Paterno outside the university's Beaver Stadium. They draped an American flag on a statue of Paterno and wrapped its neck with a Penn State scarf.

Sobbing at the statue's feet was Dana Gordon, a 1982 graduate who blamed the school's board of trustees for hastening Paterno's death by firing him in a "callous way."

"The way the board treated him took a lot of the fight out of him," Gordon said.

Later, a few thousand mourners braved freezing cold temperatures to attend a vigil. Many held candles while the football team's marching band played somber music, including "Amazing Grace."

"I am not only a better player because of him, but also a better person as well," Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin said in a ceremony that made only vague references to the scandal. "This guy was not only a football coach. He was also a father, a husband, and I consider him a friend."

The scandal raised questions about the measures the university took to protect Sandusky and a football program that Forbes magazine estimated made a profit of $53 million in 2010, especially since accusations against him first surfaced in 1998. At that time a university police detective admonished Sandusky to stop showering naked with boys but stopped short of bringing criminal charges.

One of the biggest scandals in college sports history, it provoked a national discussion about pedophilia in the same way charges involving Roman Catholic priests did years earlier.

The matter also drew impassioned arguments about the balance between protecting the young and the rights of criminal defendants, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

"I hope his passing and the controversy surrounding Sandusky will deter other people, especially powerful people, from covering up child sex crimes," said David Clohessy, director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a support group.

"Even decades of professional achievement should not obscure dreadfully reckless and callous inaction that results in child sex crimes," Clohessy said.

Sandusky issued a statement sending condolences to the Paterno family but did not mention the investigation.

"Nobody did more for the academic reputation of Penn State than Joe Paterno. He maintained a high standard in a very difficult profession," Sandusky said.

Paterno won a reputation for making sure his players graduated and one of the program's mottos was "Success With Honor."

Paterno's downfall was spectacular. For decades he was a symbol of vitality who patrolled the Penn State sidelines with unchallenged authority, easily recognizable by his thick eyeglasses and jet-black hair that grayed a little in his later years. His two national championships, in 1982 and 1986, won him enduring loyalty from fans who affectionately called him "JoePa."

In the end, he was confined to a wheelchair upon breaking his hip in a fall one month after being fired, and he wore a wig after losing his hair to chemotherapy, according to the Washington Post, which interviewed Paterno about a week before his death.

Paterno was surrounded by family when he died 9:25 a.m. on Sunday of metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung, Mount Nittany Medical Center said in a statement.

IMPACT ON CRIMINAL CASE

Paterno's death may not significantly affect the case against Sandusky, but was more likely to weaken the criminal case against two university officials charged with perjury, legal experts said.

Paterno learned of at least one accusation against Sandusky in 2002, when graduate assistant Mike McQueary told Paterno he witnessed Sandusky molesting a boy of about 10 years old in the showers of the Lasch Football Building.

Paterno told university officials but not police, a decision that ultimately led to his downfall.

Paterno, in an interview with the Washington Post published on January 14, said he was uncertain how to handle the matter and trusted the university administration.

Paterno testified before the grand jury that he informed former athletic director Tim Curley about what McQueary told him. About 10 days later, McQueary testified, he was called to a meeting with Curley and university finance official Gary Schultz to discuss what happened.

Curley and Schultz both face perjury charges based on their inaction. Schultz also testified before the grand jury he was aware of the 1998 investigation of Sandusky.

University President Graham Spanier was fired along with Paterno, and Curley and Schultz stepped down.

"If he (Paterno) had known the devastation that this means, he would have reacted differently," said Peter Pelullo, founder of Let Go, Let Peace Come In, a support group helping some of Sandusky's accusers with counseling.

Because Paterno was not believed to have witnessed any purported abuse, his testimony would not have been crucial to Sandusky trial, said Paul Callan, a former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney.

But his death could set back the criminal case against Curley and Schultz because they will be denied the chance to cross-examine an important witness.

Max Kennerly, a Philadelphia trial lawyer who has followed the case, said Paterno's death was unlikely to alter any civil litigation being contemplated by Sandusky's accusers. If any were considering suing Paterno, they could just name his estate.

"Death doesn't change your status as a party," Kennerly said.

(Additional reporting by Ian Simpson, Barbara Goldberg, Noeleen Walder and Andrew Longstreth; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/ts_nm/us_usa_paterno

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Environmentalists see reason for alarm in GOP race (The Arizona Republic)

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HBT: Pineda-Montero trade near to being finalized

The multi-player deal between the Yankees and Mariners headlined by Jesus Montero and Michael Pineda is moving closer to completion.

Montero was delayed from taking a physical due to weather, plane and visa problems in his native Venezuela, but Larry Stone of the Seattle Times reports that the 22-year-old arrived in the United States yesterday and was en route to Seattle.

The Pacific Northwest was rocked by a pretty nasty winter storm this week, so there?s no guarantee Montero?s travel plans went off without a hitch. However, assuming no problems with his flight and scheduled physical, an official announcement could happen within the next day or two.

The deal between the Yankees and Mariners, which was agreed upon last Friday, will send Montero and right-hander Hector Noesi to Seattle for Pineda and prospect right-hander Jose Campos.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/21/the-jesus-montero-for-michael-pineda-swap-is-finally-close-to-being-official/related/

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Investing in beaten-down market sectors could be good bet in 2012 ...

Investors placing their bets for 2012 are faced with the classic dilemma. Stick with market sectors that performed best last year, or search for value in beaten-down names?

The question is especially tricky considering that 2011 was a turbulent ride of mixed economic news at home, worse news abroad and painful sell-offs that tested even seasoned traders. Investors? reaction was textbook ? dive into stock mutual funds stuffed with big, dividend-paying companies known for relative stability in good times and bad.

That meant top-performing funds focused on utilities, consumer staples and health care companies. On the other hand, mutual funds heavy on financial stocks were among the worst, sideswiped by Standard & Poor?s downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and continued financial turmoil in Europe.

With the U.S. economy showing more signs of strength, now might be a good time to move some money into depressed sectors.

But is that strategy a good policy for personal investing in 2012? Here?s a look at the sectors that analysts are watching:

Financials flop ? Mutual funds that focus on banks and brokerages are certainly trading at prices well below a year ago, but many analysts are not yet ready to jump in.

The S&P 500 financials were crushed in 2011, falling 18 percent amid Europe?s tumult and lingering trouble in the battered real estate industry. Not surprisingly, mutual funds that are heavy in financials got battered last year. Analysts say the banking industry remains under pressure, especially with no sign that the European debt crisis is ready to let up. There are a number of reasons to be concerned about the sector.

Story continues below

?You?ve got other factors, like regulation, Dodd-Frank, that are crimping the way large banks do business,? said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. He also pointed out that low interest rates hamper the sector.

Defensive moves ? With the state of the global economy in doubt, as it was for much of 2011, investors flocked to defensive stocks, companies that produce things people buy whether or not the economy is thriving. Utilities were the top-performing sector in the S&P 500. Consumer staples jumped 10.5 percent.

Many of the year?s top-performing funds focused on the utilities sector, including top-ranked ProFunds Utilities UltraSector, which returned nearly 26 percent. But some experts say defensive sectors such as utilities and consumer staples now are a little too expensive.

Health care stocks remain promising despite last year?s run-up, several analysts said. That?s because even after a 10 percent gain for the S&P health care stocks in 2011, the sector is still far below historic highs. And even with uncertainty in Washington about the future of health care, an aging population will increasingly need medical care.

Technology boost ? An anticipated jump in business spending may make technology ? a flat sector last year ? a good bet in 2012.

Since the financial crisis in 2008, corporations across the globe dialed back spending and instead sat on their cash. This might be exactly the time when companies begin to replace aging computers and other technology, especially with the U.S. economy looking a bit brighter. Tech stocks in the S&P 500 inched up just 1.3 percent overall in 2011.

Next Page ?

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/53336362-79/investors-percent-sectors-care.html.csp

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HBT: Carmona arrested for using false identity

Jorge Arangure of ESPN.com passes along word from reporter Yancen Pujols that Indians right-hander Fausto Carmona was arrested in the Dominican Republic and is being charged with using a false identity.

According to Pujols, Dominican police arrested Carmona?whose real name is apparently Roberto Hernandez Heredia?while he was leaving the American consulate after renewing his visa.

Last month Marlins reliever Leo Nunez was arrested in the Dominican Republic when it was discovered that his real name is Juan Carlos Oviedo.

Oviedo was later released from jail and the incident didn?t stop the Marlins from tendering him a contract and signing him for $6 million to avoid arbitration, so based on how that played out Carmona/Heredia may not be in serious trouble either. However, he may struggle to get a visa in time for spring training.

Carmona/Heredia finished fourth in the Cy Young award voting in 2007, going 19-6 with a 3.06 ERA in 215 innings as a 23-year-old rookie, although now perhaps he wasn?t actually 23 and since then he has a 5.01 ERA in 645 innings. Back in October the Indians exercised their $7 million option on Carmona/Heredia despite his 5.25 ERA in 32 starts last season.

UPDATE: Dionisio Soldevilla of the Associated Press reports that Carmona/Heredia is actually 31 years old, not 28 as everyone believed. That means his standout rookie season came at age 26 and could give the Indians a way to void his contract.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/19/report-fausto-carmona-arrested-in-dominican-republic-for-using-false-identity/related/

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Apple jumps into digital textbooks fray (Reuters)

NEW YORK, Jan 19 ? Apple Inc took a big jump into the digital textbooks market with the launch of its iBooks 2 software on Thursday, aiming to revitalize the U.S. education market and quicken the adoption of its market-leading iPad in that sector.

The giant consumer electronics company has been working on digital textbooks with publishers Pearson PLC, McGraw-Hill Cos Inc and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a trio responsible for 90 percent of textbooks sold in the United States.

The move pits the maker of the iPod and iPhone against Amazon.com Inc and other content and device makers that have made inroads into the estimated $8 billion market with their electronic textbook offerings.

It could also see Apple shake up the traditional textbook market significantly, changing the emphasis from content to hardware; but publishers said working would be a great opportunity to revive and expand the market.

"I give such incredible marks to Steve Jobs and Apple for having this vision and pushing it through the iPad," said Terry McGraw, chief executive of McGraw-Hill. He said he had been talking to Apple's founder Jobs and his team since last June about recreating textbooks as applications. Jobs died in October.

He said having textbooks on iPads will open up the market beyond high school and university students to everyday consumers. "I think without a doubt this will open up a learning agency for anybody and anywhere."

The early plan is to enable students to buy their books directly through Apple rather than through their school districts. The books in the pilot launch are priced at $14.99 each on the iPad, with a range of interactive features.

McGraw confirmed that Apple would take a cut of each sale, believed to be its standard amount of some 30 percent. He said he was "very relaxed" about having to share his profits with Apple, as printing and distributing textbooks accounts for about 25 percent of their cover prices.

Apple also unveiled iBooks Author, a new free application available on the Mac App Store which enables anyone to create a book. It also re-introduced its iTunes U service as a standalone app, with up to 100 complete university online courses from colleges including Yale and Duke.

At an event at New York's Guggenheim Museum, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller and Apple Internet chief Eddy Cue introduced tools to craft digital textbooks and demonstrated how authors and even teachers can create books for students.

The "value of the app is directly proportional to students having iPads," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with industry research firm Gartner.

REINVENTING THE TEXTBOOK

Apple's Schiller said it is time to reinvent the textbook, adding that 1.5 million iPads are in use now in education.

"It's hard not to see that the textbook is not always the ideal learning tool," he said. "It's a bit cumbersome."

IBooks 2 will be available as a free app on the iPad, starting Thursday. High school textbooks will be priced at $14.99 or less, Schiller said.

"You'll see textbooks for every subject for every level," he added.

At the event, the first since the passing of Jobs, Schiller said teachers need help and Apple is trying to figure out how it can do its part.

"In general, education is in the dark ages," he said, adding that education has challenges that are "pretty profound."

Cue told Reuters that young students would be quick to adopt the iBooks 2 technology, which is based on its iPad. But he declined to comment on whether Apple would introduce a cheaper iPads to make the iBooks software available to poorer students.

"Our iPads are very affordable; they start at $499. It's an amazing product with all the capabilities that it brings; that's what we've got and we feel very good about that," said Cue.

Other media and technology companies have eyed the U.S. education market as ripe for some sort of upheaval. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp launched an education business two years ago and hired former New York City Education Chancellor Joel Klein to lead it.

According to Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson, Murdoch met with Jobs last year and discussed the possibility of Apple's entrance into a market Jobs estimated at $8 billion a year and believed was ripe for disruption.

Shares in Apple dipped 10 cents to $429.01 on the Nasdaq in afternoon trade.

(Additional reporting by Liana Baker in New York and Poornima Gupta in San Francisco; editing by Mark Porter and Gerald E. McCormick)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120119/wr_nm/us_apple_education

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Etta James Remembered By will.i.am, Hayley Williams

Late blues singer also mourned by Flo Rida, whose latest hit, 'Good Feeling,' samples James' 'Something's Got a Hold on Me.'
By Jocelyn Vena

Etta James in 1965
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

As the world mourns the loss of Etta James, many of her celebrity fans are taking to Twitter to remember the soul singer, known best for songs like "At Last," "All I Could Do Was Cry" and "Tell Mama."

Adam Lambert, Mya, Keri Hilson and Russell Brand kept their reaction to a simple "RIP," while others decided to remember the singer in more personal ways. "Showing respect appreciation and love for all the wonderful music and joy #ettajames brought to the world...#ettajamesforever," Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am tweeted.

"Rip [to] Etta James," the Roots' ?uestlove wrote. "I will hold the torch high for The Roots name in your honor."

Photos: The life and career of Etta James.

Proving that her soulful voice and influence spanned generations and genres, Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams recalled how James' music influenced her. "#EttaJames, I will be forever grateful for your voice and your soul. Rest in peace."

British pop singer Jessie J reacted to the news as well, saying, "Just been told the legend that is Etta James has passed. Thank you for your voice your dedication to us and your gift. Your voice is timeless and will forever live on. I will always look to you for inspiration. R.I.P."

Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill tweeted, "RIP Etta James. One of the greatest voices of all time. Thanks for the many romantic moments your music created."

Guns N' Roses' Duff McKagan called James "a WARRIOR of a woman. A talent without equal."

Rapper Flo Rida — whose latest hit, "Good Feeling," samples James' "Something's Got a Hold on Me" — added, "I'm deeply saddened by the passing of the Great Etta James and I will be forever grateful for the gift she Blessed me with."

"American Idol" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe noted how "inspirational" James has been to young singers. "One of the #IDOL finalists just sang 'I'd Rather Go Blind' yesterday," he tweeted. "We were saying how great Etta James was and now we've lost her."

It's not just the music community bidding the singer a fond farewell. "Pretty Little Liars" star Shay Mitchell wrote, "R.I.P Etta James. I'll keep playing your records over and over again, especially this song," tweeting a link to her iconic track "At Last." "Vampire Diaries" actress Candice Accola tweeted, "Oh Etta, you live on in our hearts and leave us dreaming of a Sunday kind of love. Rest in peace."

"Glee" diva Amber Riley added that the jazzy singer had "such a unique & beautiful voice."

James died Friday (January 20) after a lengthy battle with leukemia. She was 73 years old.

Share your condolences with Etta James' friends and family on our Facebook page.

Related Photos

• Etta James: A Life In Photos

Related Artists

• Etta James

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677631/etta-james-dead-reactions.jhtml

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Russia: New sanctions against Iran too stifling (AP)

MOSCOW ? A military attack on Iran would trigger a "chain reaction" that destabilizes the world, while new sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear program would "stifle" the Iranian economy and hurt its people, Russia's foreign minister warned Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia is "seriously worried" about the prospect of a military action against Iran and is doing all it can to prevent it.

"The consequences will be extremely grave," he said. "It's not going to be an easy walk. It will trigger a chain reaction and I don't know where it will stop."

The threat of more sanctions as well as the possibility of military action against Iran are linked to concerns about its uranium enrichment program. The U.S. and its Western allies suspect it is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Iran insists its efforts are designed for civilian power generation and research.

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran a threat to its survival and has hinted it could take military action if sanctions fail to stop Iran's nuclear bid. The U.S. considers a military strike on Iran's known nuclear facilities undesirable because it could have unintended consequences and would likely only stall, not end, Tehran's nuclear drive. Washington worries that Iran's recent claim that it is expanding nuclear operations might prod Israel closer to a strike.

Russia has long walked a fine line on the Iranian nuclear crisis, mixing careful criticism of Iran, an important trading partner, with praise for some of its moves and calls for more talks. Although Moscow, which built Iran's first nuclear power plant, has backed some of the previous U.N. sanctions against Iran, it has in recent months firmly rejected new ones.

In a press conference, Lavrov predicted that a military attack on Iran would send refugees streaming into its Caspian Sea neighbor Azerbaijan and further on to Russia, and said it could also "add fuel to the smoldering confrontation between Sunnis and Shiites." The Sunni Arab states in the Gulf like Saudi Arabia are close U.S. allies, locked in decades-old rivalries with Iran's Shiite-led Islamic Republic.

The U.S. already has imposed new sanctions targeting Iran's central bank and, by extension, refiners' ability to buy and pay for crude. The EU is weighing whether to impose sanctions on buying Iranian oil, which is the source of more than 80 percent of Tehran's foreign revenue.

On Wednesday, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said his nation will back a possible EU oil embargo against Iran that would start July 1 even though it would inflict "huge damage" on its two major oil importers.

Cash-strapped Greece has indicated it wants to stall any action because it is an importer of Iranian oil and gets the best payment terms from Tehran. EU ambassadors will address the issue Thursday ahead of next Monday's meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Lavrov, however, said sanctions on Iranian oil exports have "nothing to do with a desire to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation." "It's aimed at stifling the Iranian economy and the population in an apparent hope to provoke discontent," the Russian foreign minister said.

Russia believes that "all conceivable sanctions already have been applied" and that new penalties could derail hopes for continuing six-way negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program, provoking Iranian intransigence, Lavrov said.

He noted that the EU's consideration of new sanctions comes as Iran plans to host a delegation from the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

"We believe that there is every chance to resume talks between the six powers and Iran, and we are concerned about obstacles being put to them," he said. "The sanctions could hardly help make the talks productive."

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Wednesday upon arrival in the Turkish capital that Istanbul is the likely venue for further talks with world powers on his country's nuclear program. He did not give a date for the negotiations, but said Turkey is in touch with Iranian and EU officials.

Meanwhile, Iran's official IRNA news agency said a senior security official, Ali Bagheri, headed to Moscow for talks with Lavrov and other Russian officials Wednesday.

____

Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran, Iran and Selcan Hacaoglu in Ankara, Turkey contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_iran

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McCain?s entire oppo book on Romney from 2008 found online (Americablog)

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