Irish Catholic bishop: 'Attempts to equate same-sex unions with ...

An Irish bishop says same-sex relationships can never be seen as ?equal? to heterosexual relationships.

Christopher Jones is the chairman of the Catholic bishops? Council for Marriage and the Family.

Mr Jones said he would welcome the opportunity to make an oral submission on same-sex marriage to the Irish Convention on the Constitution.

The convention is examining equal marriage, along with other key issues, in a year-long consultation exercise.

According to the Irish Times, Mr Jones warned that marriage was at risk of being attacked in Ireland.

In a written submission to the convention he said: ?attempts to equate same-sex unions with marriage will always ultimately fail because it is objectively impossible for homosexual couples to achieve the same natural end toward which the sexual complementarity of male and female is ordered.?

He continued: ?Therefore, were society to treat same-sex relationships and marriage as the same and therefore ?equal? would be to suggest that same-sex unions can be something that they are not.?

?Any change to the definition of marriage would create great difficulties,? he said, ?and in the light of this if there were two totally different definitions of marriage the church could no longer carry out the civil element.?

Mr Jones spoke of their being a ?potential impact? on the relationship between the ?family and the State, notably in relation to the rights of children?.

Meanwhile, the Church of Ireland Changing Attitude Ireland (CAI) group has strongly supported the extension of civil marriage to same-sex couples, in its submission to the?convention.

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Source: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/04/02/irish-catholic-bishop-attempts-to-equate-same-sex-unions-with-marriage-will-always-fail/

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Sorting out Parkinson's protein structure: Computer modeling may offer hints for new drug-design strategies

Apr. 1, 2013 ? Clumps of proteins that accumulate in brain cells are a hallmark of neurological diseases such as dementia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Over the past several years, there has been much controversy over the structure of one of those proteins, known as alpha synuclein.

MIT computational scientists have now modeled the structure of that protein, most commonly associated with Parkinson's, and found that it can take on either of two proposed states -- floppy or rigid. The findings suggest that forcing the protein to switch to the rigid structure, which does not aggregate, could offer a new way to treat Parkinson's, says Collin Stultz, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT.

"If alpha synuclein can really adopt this ordered structure that does not aggregate, you could imagine a drug-design strategy that stabilizes these ordered structures to prevent them from aggregating," says Stultz, who is the senior author of a paper describing the findings in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

For decades, scientists have believed that alpha synuclein, which forms clumps known as Lewy bodies in brain cells and other neurons, is inherently disordered and floppy. However, in 2011 Harvard University neurologist Dennis Selkoe and colleagues reported that after carefully extracting alpha synuclein from cells, they found it to have a very well-defined, folded structure.

That surprising finding set off a scientific controversy. Some tried and failed to replicate the finding, but scientists at Brandeis University, led by Thomas Pochapsky and Gregory Petsko, also found folded (or ordered) structures in the alpha synuclein protein.

Stultz and his group decided to jump into the fray, working with Pochapsky's lab, and developed a computer-modeling approach to predict what kind of structures the protein might take. Working with the structural data obtained by the Brandeis researchers, Stultz created a model that calculates the probabilities of many different possible structures, to determine what set of structures would best explain the experimental data.

The calculations suggest that the protein can rapidly switch among many different conformations. At any given time, about 70 percent of individual proteins will be in one of the many possible disordered states, which exist as single molecules of the alpha synuclein protein. When three or four of the proteins join together, they can assume a mix of possible rigid structures, including helices and beta strands (protein chains that can link together to form sheets).

"On the one hand, the people who say it's disordered are right, because a majority of the protein is disordered," Stultz says. "And the people who would say that it's ordered are not wrong; it's just a very small fraction of the protein that is ordered."

"This paper seems to bridge the gap" between the two camps, says Trevor Creamer, an associate professor of molecular and cellular biochemistry at the University of Kentucky who was not involved in this research. Also important is the model's prediction of new structures for the protein that experimental biologists can now look for, Creamer adds.

The MIT researchers also found that when alpha synuclein adopts an ordered structure, similar to that described by Selkoe and co-workers, the portions of the protein that tend to aggregate with other molecules are buried deep within the structure, explaining why those ordered forms do not clump together.

Stultz is now working to figure out what controls the protein's configuration. There is some evidence that other molecules in the cell can modify alpha synuclein, forcing it to assume one conformation or another.

"If this structure really does exist, we have a new way now of potentially designing drugs that will prevent aggregation of alpha synuclein," he says.

Lead author of the paper is Thomas Gurry, an MIT graduate student in computational and systems biology. Other authors are Orly Ullman, an MIT graduate student in chemistry; Pochapsky, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Brandeis; Iva Perovic, a graduate student in Pochapsky's lab; and Charles Fisher, a Harvard graduate student in biophysics.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Anne Trafton.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Thomas Gurry, Orly Ullman, Charles K. Fisher, Iva Perovic, Thomas Pochapsky, Collin M. Stultz. The Dynamic Structure of ?-Synuclein Multimers. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2013; 135 (10): 3865 DOI: 10.1021/ja310518p

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/kvkaYuWaeuo/130401111638.htm

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'Dangerous' inmates escape from Texas jail

Texas authorities are using helicopters and dogs to search for two "dangerous" Texas inmates who escaped from jail this morning by squeezing through a gate, leaving behind their black and white prison suits on the railroad tracks behind the jail.

Authorities believe Brian Tucker, 44, and John King, 39, escaped from Hopkins County Jail in Sulphur Springs, Texas, at around 8:30 a.m. today. The jail has approximately 80 inmates who are held there while they await trial.

"Both are considered dangerous," Deputy Alvin Jordan of the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office told ABCNews.com.

Area schools are on lockdown and businesses are on high alert, according to police.

Tucker was awaiting trial in jail for capital murder charges and King had been indicted for evading arrest.

"They were put out on rec yard to have outside rec and undoubtedly squeezed through the gate and took off," Jordan said. "We did find their black and whites about 100 yards behind the facility."

The recreation yard is an open space with a high fence and Hopkins County Sheriff Butch Adams said someone was supposed to be watching the inmates.

Tucker and King were both segregated from other inmates because of the types of crimes they have committed, according to Jordan.

Search dogs tracked their scents northeast, Adams said at a news conference.

"Right now, we don't know if they split up or if they're still together," Adams said. "We found their uniforms when they discarded them on the road behind us and the dogs tracking them and we found footprints."

It is unknown what the men are wearing or whether they may have used some kind of transportation after leaving the jail yard, Jordan said.

Asked if there is any reason to believe they could be armed, Jordan said, "At this point, unless they picked up anything from here to where they're at, the weapons part is unknown."

Their only known connection at this time is that they were inmates at the same time in the same jail with no known previous ties.

"We've still got a perimeter up and hopefully we'll find the," Adams told ABC News. "I've got a lot of good people and volunteers that have come in from other counties."

Authorities are warning people to be careful and call 911 if they see the men.

"If they're spotted, make sure they lock their doors, call 911 and tell us what area they're in," Jordan said. "Don't try to let them approach you."

Tucker is 5-foot-7-inches and about 170 pounds. He has brown eyes, brown hair and multiple tattoos. King is 5-foot-8-inches and 165 pounds. He has black hair, hazel eyes and multiple tattoos.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/two-dangerous-inmates-escaped-texas-203903585.html

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What To Look For In A Tampa Plumber

Finding a Tampa plumber at a site such as http://www.gennaroplumbingtampa.com shouldn?t be a drain. In fact, it?s relatively easy to spot a talented plumber. Take care of your Tampa plumbing service issues quickly by asking the following questions before you hire a professional to fix that overflowing toilet, clear out the malfunctioning disposal or install bathroom plumbing implements. By educating yourself regarding what makes a Tampa plumbing repair person exceptional, you?ll select one with whom you can have a longstanding business relationship with, ending the need to scramble to find a professional anytime you have a plumbing emergency.

Questions to ask before you invite a Tampa plumber into your home include:

? How experienced are you? Though a professional who has just received his certification may be plenty qualified for your job, it is always a good bet to hire someone with experience.

? Are you familiar with the newest appliances? If your home is stocked with low flow toilets and other revolutionary plumbing, you?ll want to know that this plumber is familiar with their care and upkeep. You don?t want to be the guinea pig for the plumber who mainly deals with older fixtures; as many plumbers charge by the hour, you may end up paying more in such a situation. That leads you to the next question.

? How do you prefer to be paid? If you are more familiar paying by the job, find a plumber who will quote based on your unique plumbing needs. Some people prefer an hourly rate; in that case, you?ll need to be able to trust that the plumber will finish the job in a timely manner. It?s up to you as to how you wish to pay for your plumbing assistance. If the quote or hourly rate sounds too steep, say so; the plumber may have a good reason for his or her fee such as experience or speed of job completion.

? How quickly can you arrive in the case of an emergency plumbing job? It is wonderful to find a plumber who arrives when he/she says they will and finished the job quickly and expertly. If your potential plumber balks at giving you a time range, it is better to find someone who can give you at least a general time period during which they will appear to do your job.

Source: http://www.informationbible.com/article-what-to-look-for-in-a-tampa-plumber-297084.html

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The Walking Dead: Who Were the 27 People Who Died? - Comic Book

Going into tonight?s season finale, there was a lot of discussion about the 27 people (not zombies, but people) who would die during the finale. That number kept coming up over and over again, so ComicBook.com decided to count them all up and do our best to identify the named characters, and give at least a time of death to ?Random Woodbury Soldier #6.?

Here?s what we came up with:

1. Milton

The Governor?s right-hand man for most of the season, his recent crisis of conscience led to his death when he was no longer willing to ?look the other way,? leading him to go after the Governor and be stabbed to death by his old friend.

2. Jody (or Noah)

We thought that 14-year-old asthmatic we all knew was going to get it was the one who came across Carl Grimes in the woods and didn?t make it out. But apparently, according to Talking Dead, it was ?Jody.? He doesn?t look like Noah, but it made thematic sense?and that?s who the Walking Dead Wiki have it as.

3 through 26. Woodbury Army

We only counted 12 specifically, but given the repeated statement that there would be 27 deaths, apparently there were We?ll do our best to name them all in the next hour or so based on casting, Talking Dead and the Wiki?but the Governor?s slaughter probably provided the highest body count ever for a single scene.

Here?s the named characters of the Woodbury Army that weren?t the Governor, Shupert, Martinez or Karen.

• Bruce Cooper
• Gabe
• Jim Bridges
• Eric
• Sam
• Wes
• Jared
• Daniel
• Matthew
• Lilly Caul
• Either Noah or Judy, whichever didn?t just go?

27. Andrea

?I just didn?t want anyone to die? were her dying words. Bitten, she elected to shoot herself before she turned.

This season was really all about redemption, and it paid off with Andrea today. She and Merle both got hero?s send-offs at the end of the season, bringing two of the most loathed characters on the series into someone you cared about.

Source: http://comicbook.com/blog/2013/03/31/the-walking-dead-who-were-the-27-people-who-died/

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Novartis loses landmark India cancer drug patent case

By Kaustubh Kulkarni and Suchitra Mohanty

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's top court dismissed Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG's attempt to win patent protection for its cancer drug Glivec, a blow to Western pharmaceutical firms targeting India to drive sales and a victory for local makers of cheap generics.

The decision sets a benchmark for intellectual property cases in India, where many patented drugs are unaffordable for most of its 1.2 billion people, and does not bode well for foreign firms engaged in ongoing disputes in India, including Pfizer Inc and Roche Holding AG, analysts said.

It cements the role of local companies as big suppliers of inexpensive generics to India's rapidly growing $13 billion-a-year drugs market and also across the developing world.

Among the chief beneficiaries of Monday's Supreme Court ruling will be India's Cipla Ltd and Natco Pharma Ltd, which already sell generic Glivec in India at around one-tenth of the price of the branded drug.

"The multinational companies will have to find new ways of doing business in India," said Deepak Malik, healthcare analyst at brokerage Emkay Global, suggesting they may consider licensing agreements with local firms to offer cheap versions of branded drugs like Glivec.

Ranjit Shahani, managing director of Novartis India Ltd, the firm's locally listed unit, said it will be cautious about investing in India, especially over introducing new drugs, and seek patent protection before launching any new products. It will continue to refrain from research and development activities there.

"The intellectual property ecosystem in India is not very encouraging," Shahani told reporters in Mumbai after the ruling.

Healthcare activists have called on the government to make medicines cheaper in a country where many patented drugs are too costly for most people, 40 percent of whom earn less than $1.25 a day, and where patented drugs account for under 10 percent of total drug sales.

"This appears to be the best outcome for patients in developing countries as fewer patents will be granted on existing medicines," said Leena Menghaney, Medecins Sans Frontieres' Access Campaign manager for India.

Over 16,000 patients in India use Glivec and the vast majority of those get it free of charge, Novartis says. By contrast, generic Glivec is used by more than 300,000 patients, according to industry reports.

The Supreme Court's decision comes after a legal battle that began when Novartis was denied a patent for Glivec in 2006.

EXTRA WORK

Novartis had argued it was entitled to a patent for the amended version of Glivec because the original patented compound was never suitable for making into a pill. Developing the final chemically stable form took years of extra work and it was this effort that marked the real breakthrough in developing Glivec as a life-saving cancer medicine, the Swiss company said.

Glivec is used to treat certain forms of leukemia and gastrointestinal cancer, as well as some other rare tumors.

Shares in Novartis' Indian unit ended 1.8 percent lower after falling as much as 6.8 percent after the verdict. Natco Pharma stock ended 5.4 percent higher after earlier gaining nearly 11 percent and Cipla gained 1.3 percent, beating the benchmark index which ticked up 0.15 percent.

India's domestic drugs market is the 14th-largest globally, but with annual growth of 13-14 percent and the world's second-biggest population, international pharmaceutical firms say India has massive potential at a time when traditional developed markets have slowed down.

The ruling may dampen enthusiasm from foreign pharmaceutical firms in the short term, said S. Majumdar, head of law firm S. Majumdar & Co based in the eastern city of Kolkata.

"They will have to get used to it and learn to live with the law," he said.

NOT SO EVERGREEN

Pfizer's cancer drug Sutent and Roche's hepatitis C treatment Pegasys lost their patented status in India last year, decisions the companies are fighting to have reversed. The Supreme Court's latest ruling will make it tougher for them to win back patent protection.

"Henceforth, multinational pharma companies are likely to want that their patents are first recognized in India before launch of a patented product," said Ameet Hariani, managing partner at Mumbai-based law firm Hariani & Co.

India has refused protection for Glivec on the grounds that it is not a new medicine, but an amended version of a known compound. By contrast, the newer form of Glivec has been patented in nearly 40 countries including the United States, Russia and China.

Indian law bans firms from extending patents on their products by making slight changes to a compound, a practice known as "evergreening". The Supreme Court said Glivec does not satisfy a patent's "novelty" requirement, Pravin Anand, lawyer for Novartis, told reporters.

Novartis can file a review petition within 90 days.

Indian Trade Minister Anand Sharma called the ruling "a historic judgment" that reaffirmed legal provisions mandating the need for substantial innovation before new patents are issued on medicines.

(Additional reporting by Ben Hirschler in LONDON; Editing by Daniel Magnowski and Matthew Tostevin)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/indias-top-court-dismisses-novartis-petition-glivec-patent-052240790--finance.html

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District attorney, wife found dead in Texas county where assistant DA was shot, police say

NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports from Kaufman County, Texas, where residents are on edge after a district attorney and his wife were found dead in their home.

By Frank Heinz, NBCDFW.com

Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia were found shot to death inside their Forney home Saturday, nearly two months to the day after his top assistant was gunned down on his way to work earlier this year.

Kaufman County Sheriff's Department investigators confirmed the deaths to NBC 5 Saturday evening, but officials have had little else to say about the investigation since. Sources close to the investigation told NBC 5 Saturday evening that McLelland and his wife were found at about 4 p.m. that day by a concerned relative or friend who had gone to the house after being unable to reach the couple. Other sources told NBC 5 that the McLelland's front door had been forced open and that gunshots had been fired and that an assault rifle was used in the murders.

On Sunday afternoon, Kaufman County Sheriff David Byrnes spoke with the media, but offered little on the investigation thus far and wouldn't confirm details released by sources. Byrnes also wouldn't speculate on whether the murders are connected to the Jan. 31 slaying of Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse saying, "there is nothing to indicate that, for sure."

See original report at NBCDFW.com

While there remains no immediate, confirmed link between Saturday's murders and Hasse's murder, the similarities between the cases prompted county officials to conduct welfare checks on all employees in the district attorney's office Saturday. All were OK, though one former Kaufman County prosecutor was "in hiding" Saturday evening and said others were as well.

Meanwhile, as a connection between the Hasse and McLelland murders is explored, investigators continue to search for possible connections between Hasse's murder, the slaying of Colorado prison official Tom Clements and the shooting of Montague County Sheriff's Deputy James Boyd that sparked a wild car chase that ended with the fatal shooting of Evan Ebel last week in Wise County.

Byrnes also refused to comment on whether security measures have been put in place for the staff of the district attorney's office other than to say they are taking precautions. Byrnes did say that there would be an increased and visible security presence at the Kaufman County Courthouse on Monday.

"It's unnerving to the law enforcement community and the community at large.? That's why we're striving to assure the community that we are still providing public safety and will be able to do that," Byrnes said, about the McLelland murders.

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A tip line has been set up for the investigation and anyone with information to share with investigators is asked to call 1-877-847-7522.

McLelland Vowed to Catch Hasse's Killer

While police officers are frequently the target of violence while trying to apprehend criminals, attacks on prosecutors are extremely rare, though not unheard of.? McLelland said as much in January when speaking about his slain friend when he said Hasse was aware of the dangers associated with being a prosecutor.

At the time, he described Hasse as a really, really good man that was an excellent friend and a spectacular prosecutor who wouldn't be easily replaced. He also vowed to catch Hasse's killers saying, "I hope that the people that did this are watching. Because we're very confident that we're going to find you, pull you out of whatever hole you're in, bring you back and let the people of Kaufman County prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."

FBI agents and Texas Rangers, who were still investigating the unsolved slaying of Hasse, are now leading the investigation into Saturday's murders, according to a federal law enforcement source.

McLelland and his wife, Cynthia Woodward McLelland, have five children including two daughters and three sons.? One of the sons is a Dallas police officer.

NBC 5's Ray Villeda and Scott Gordon contributed to this report.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2a2bff9a/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C30A0C175342190Edistrict0Eattorney0Ewife0Efound0Edead0Ein0Etexas0Ecounty0Ewhere0Eassistant0Eda0Ewas0Eshot0Epolice0Esay0Dlite/story01.htm

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