* Earnings of 46 cents a share match Wall Street estimates
* Comcast loses fewer cable video customers than expected
* NBC has ratings momentum-analyst
* Shares up 1.3 percent
Oct 26 (Reuters) - Comcast Corp posted a higher quarterly profit on Friday after its NBC Universal media unit scored $1.2 billion in additional revenue from its London Olympics coverage.
The leading U.S. cable TV company, whose shares rose more than 1 percent in premarket trading, also benefited from adding Internet users.
The London Olympics coverage helped NBC Universal's revenue climb more than 30 percent to $6.8 billion from a year earlier. The games drew a record audience that averaged 31.1 million viewers per night, 12 percent above the Beijing Olympics.
In the third quarter, revenue at NBC Universal's NBC broadcast unit jumped 84 percent to $2.78 billion.
Because of the Olympics, "broadcast actually made money for the first time in a long time," said Macquarie analyst Amy Yong.
The strong ratings performance over the summer means Comcast will at least break even on its $1.18 billion deal for Olympics broadcast rights, while analysts had initially expected it to lose money on the agreement.
Yong said Comcast shares were trading higher on Friday because NBC's ratings momentum could extend to the fourth quarter. To the surprise of industry analysts, NBC has been leading its competitors in TV ratings in the key 18-49 age group this fall.
Comcast took a 51 percent controlling stake in NBC Universal in January 2011, but still generates the bulk of its revenue from its steady cable TV business.
Revenue at the cable unit rose 7 percent to $9.97 billion. Its 287,000 new Internet customers also beat StreetAccount estimates of 277,000 additions. The company lost 117,000 video customers, smaller than the loss of 133,000 that the research firm had forecast.
Yong, the Macquarie analyst, said she had expected Comcast to add video subscribers in the fourth quarter.
Average revenue per video customer rose about 9 percent to $150.73 as more subscribers bought pricier products, such as high-definition digital recorder devices.
Comcast posted third-quarter net income of $2.1 billion, or 78 cents a share. Excluding gains from sales of spectrum and a stake in A&E Networks, earnings came to 46 cents a share, matching the analysts' average estimate, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Revenue rose 15 percent to $16.54 billion, which came in above Wall Street estimates of $16.08 billion.
Comcast shares were up 1.3 percent at $36.82 in trading before the market opened.
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) ? Millions of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia on Friday furiously cast pebbles in a symbolic stoning of the devil, carrying out a final rite of hajj, as Muslims around the world celebrated the start of Islam's biggest holiday, the Feast of Sacrifice.
After stoning three walls symbolizing Satan in a rejection of sin and temptation, male pilgrims changed out of the seamless terrycloth robes of pilgrimage and shaved their heads, as a sign of renewal. Women ? and those men who prefer not to undergo a complete shave ? had a lock of hair clipped.
Though pilgrims will repeat the stoning ritual for at least two more days, they could now call themselves "hajjis," referring to those who have done the pilgrimage.
Malik Evangelatos, from Ukiah, Calif., said the experience felt "wonderful, satisfying and humbling."
Evangelatos, who converted to Islam six years ago, said the simple pilgrim's garment that he had worn the past few days helped him "see the bigger picture in life and go back changed, happy and appreciative." For him, the hajj brought a chance to be truly equal regardless of ethnicity or race.
"It has probably been the highlight of my life outside of getting married and having a baby," he said. "You feel an emotional release. It is something that is not recreated anywhere else in the world."
For the stoning ritual, the 3.4 million pilgrims from around the world filed in crowds through a multi-level structure housing the walls symbolizing the devil in the desert valley of Mina, outside the holy city of Mecca.
The structure of ramps maintains traffic flow, moving pilgrims on four levels past the walls, as they throw seven pebbles at each. Some have criticized the nearly kilometer-long (0.6 mile) cement structure, which resembles a mega parking garage with escalators, saying it detracts from the simplicity and spiritual aspect of hajj.
But the facility protects lives, Hajj Ministry Director General Amin Fatani, told The Associated Press. The stoning ritual has been the scene of deadly crushes and stampedes killing hundreds ? the most recent in 2006 ? as pilgrims tried to squeeze past and throw their stones, especially since there used to be pillars instead of walls, meaning the massive throngs had to focus on a smaller point. Even with the walls, pilgrims on one side often get hit by pebbles thrown by people on the other side.
"The life of a hajji is precious to the government and their safety comes first," Fatani said. "If we leave hajj the way we had it been before, there will be a catastrophe from the first day."
On Friday, Muslims marked the holiday, known in Arabic as Eid al-Adha, commemorating what Muslims believe was Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail ? the Biblical Ishmael, though Christians and Jews believe his other son Isaac was the near-sacrifice ? as a test of his faith from God.
Around the world, Muslims slaughtered lambs, sheep and other livestock in remembrance, giving the meat to the poor. At Mina, pilgrims purchased tokens to have a sheep slaughtered at nearby slaughterhouses.
?
The day of stoning marked an exhausting trek for pilgrims between the string of ritual sites strung across the desert outside Mecca. They spent the day Thursday at Mount Arafat in a day of contemplation and prayers to wipe away past sins. Then overnight, they went to the nearby plain of Muzdalifah to collect the pebbles they would use in the stoning ritual before heading to Mina by the morning.
Between the movements, many also went back into Mecca to again circumambulate the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure toward which Muslims pray every day ? Islam's holiest site.
Tunisian pharmacist Ahlam Zahar said she teared up seeing the sheer number of people praying in unison as she approached the Kaaba late Thursday before coming to Mina for the stoning on Friday.
"Hajj needs energy and concentration," she said. "It's really hard under the heat."
For most pilgrims coming from poorer Muslim nations, it is common to sleep in the streets and walk the trajectory among the sites, a distance of around 30 kilometers (19 miles). Many have children or elderly relatives with them.
"I envy them," Ahmed Fahmy said of those enduring the difficult trek. "These people are following the footsteps of the Prophet (Muhammad). They could manage to get rides, but they exhaust themselves for the bigger reward with Allah."
Fahmy, the general manager of the Cairo-based Islamic Huda TV, said this was his 11th Hajj to complete. Despite feeling tired afterward, the reward of the pilgrimage is in the hardship one faces, he said.
"You feel obedient to Allah," Fahmy said. "I feel like it's something that is entirely for the pleasure of Allah."
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BALTIMORE (AP) ? A man accused of killing a Georgia megachurch volunteer leading a prayer service in a chapel was charged more than a decade ago with a shooting at a mosque in Maryland, police documents show.
Floyd Palmer was part of a security detail at a Baltimore mosque in June 2001 when he shot another man working with him, wounding him in the back, according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday. Palmer tried to fire again, but the gun jammed. When other people ran over to him, he turned the gun on them, but it wouldn't fire, according to the documents.
During a pretrial psychological evaluation, Palmer said the shooting occurred in part because he believed that NFL player Ray Lewis and members of his own family were out to get him.
Palmer was committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2004 after pleading not criminally responsible to the mosque shooting. Despite objections from prosecutors, a judge released him in 2006 on the condition that he abide by a number of restrictions for five years.
It's not clear when Palmer made his way south. He had been working at the Rev. Creflo Dollar's World Changers Church International just south of Atlanta, but quit in August for "personal reasons," Fulton County Police Cpl. Kay Lester said.
On Wednesday, authorities said the 51-year-old Palmer walked into a chapel and opened fire, killing Greg McDowell, 39, who was leading a morning prayer service for a group of about 25 people. McDowell is identified as a warehouse manager for the church on a LinkedIn web page.
A witness told police he heard about five gunshots, but that only McDowell was hit, according to a police report. The witness said he ducked down, then looked up and made eye contact with Palmer before the suspect began "walking calmly towards the exit of the chapel." The witness said he ran outside to get help and saw Palmer leaving the parking lot in a black vehicle, the report says. Officers recovered about a dozen shell casings for a .380-caliber handgun, but they have not located the weapon.
Police arrested Palmer several hours later when they spotted his Subaru station wagon at a mall in the upscale Buckhead community, north of downtown Atlanta.
Authorities were trying to figure out if Palmer and McDowell knew each other.
Visibly distraught members of McDowell's family showed up at the Fulton County jail for Palmer's first court hearing Thursday, but he waived his appearance. Later in the day, however, he changed his mind. Another hearing was scheduled for Friday.
Palmer faces murder and firearms charges. It was not immediately clear if Palmer has an attorney. The Fulton County public defender's office didn't return a phone message Thursday.
In Baltimore, officials were taking a closer look at the 2001 shooting. According to the pretrial psychological evaluation, Palmer said the shooting occurred because one of his cousins, Richard Lollar, was killed in Atlanta shortly after the 2000 Super Bowl.
Lewis, a Baltimore Ravens linebacker, was charged in the stabbing death of Lollar and another man, but he was exonerated. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice. Two other defendants were acquitted in the case.
Palmer said he shot Reuben Jerry Ash outside the mosque because he believed Ash was being paid by Lewis to "get rid of him," according to the psychological evaluation. The shooting left Ash paralyzed.
A judge released Palmer from the psychiatric hospital on the condition he live with his mother, not own or possess a weapon and continue treatment for the next five years. The judge noted Palmer's lack of a history of mental illness, his two-decade employment with the Social Security Administration and his full remission from mental illness.
The state attorney general's office objected, saying Palmer did not understand that he remained mentally ill. That "indicates a high likelihood that he will not be compliant," their response stated, adding there "was no real evidence Mr. Palmer would not be a danger to himself or others if released with or without conditions."
In Atlanta, the violence upset members and neighbors of the church, which is one of the largest in the United States, claiming 30,000 members at the main campus and a ministry of satellite churches across the country. It is led by Dollar, who was not there at the time of the shooting.
Along with Bishop Eddie Long, Dollar is one of the most prominent African-American preachers based around Atlanta who have built successful ministries on the prosperity gospel, which teaches that God wants to bless the faithful with earthly riches.
Dollar didn't respond to requests for comment from The AP, but he addressed the matter while preaching Wednesday evening at a Bible study in the campus's larger World Dome sanctuary.
He described McDowell as "one of our very faithful, loving, kind servant-volunteers," and someone who used to open the door for his mother at services. He recalled presiding over his marriage.
"This Wednesday... an employee of the church, a friend of the ministry, was doing corporate prayer and while he was praying he was shot several times and fell dead..." Dollar said, as some in the crowd wiped away tears.
"Many people say, 'What was that?'" Dollar said. "Because we work so hard to try to be prepared for the evil that comes from the outside in, and we work so hard to be prepared for the challenges that come from the outside in. But sometimes you have to be careful because you can be clipped by something that's on the inside, from behind. And that's what happened today"
Dollar said "a woman lost a husband, and two little boys lost their father." But Dollar also said he viewed the shooting as a double tragedy.
"Where some would say one life was lost, for me as a spiritual father, two lives were lost," he said. "It was a life of two precious brothers that was messed up."
___
Associated Press writers Norman Gomlak and Jeff Martin in Atlanta and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga., contributed to this report.
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Americans who care about science and its wider benefits should back Obama for a second term
I grew up in Pennsylvania during the breathtaking years of the space race. I graduated from high school in the summer Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. All the boys and girls, farmers and teachers, Democrats and Republicans felt that a career in science and discovery was the best that anyone could pursue.
That is why I became a scientist and a doctor and dedicated my career to uncovering what causes disease, eventually helping pioneer the field of epigenetics. I have made many discoveries, but only because I worked hard, had great teachers and students, and lived in a society that supported and believed in what I was doing. The US is full of people like me ? that's why we have the greatest scientific enterprise in the world.
Science matters for everything and everyone. Scientific research and innovation have made and continue to make huge improvements in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the energy we use, the medicines that prolong and improve the quality of our lives and, especially, in how we communicate.
But I am deeply concerned that without leadership and continued commitment to scientific research, the next generation of Americans will not make discoveries and benefit from them. That is why I am voting for Barack Obama.
Innovation must flourish
President Obama knows that in order to be globally competitive and to create an economy that is built to last, we must create an environment where invention and innovation can flourish. As 68 Nobel prizewinners in science or medicine noted in an open letter last month, he "understands the key role science has played in building a prosperous America and in the last four years, has delivered on his promise to renew our faith in science-based decision making and has championed investment in science and technology research, which is the engine of our economy".
Every dollar invested in research today improves productivity and growth in the future. That is why President Obama called for the US to invest more than 3 per cent of our economy in public and private research and development ? more than ever before ? and is doubling investments for key basic research agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy's Office of Science.
To prepare our children for the future and to support science and mathematics, the President set the goal of training 100,000 new science and math teachers over the next decade, noting: "These teachers will meet the urgent need to train one million additional science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) graduates over the next decade? bringing together leading businesses, foundations, non-profits, and professional societies to improve STEM teaching and learning."
Eco-friendly president
President Obama acknowledges and is acting on climate change. In the absence of a cooperative Congress, he set fuel economy standards for vehicles that will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 6 billion tonnes by 2025 ? the equivalent of taking every car in the world off the road for a year. He set carbon pollution standards for new fossil-fuel-fired power plants, helped negotiate international climate agreements and has demonstrated an untiring dedication to building a clean-energy economy.
Our ability to discover and innovate is what our country does best, but we risk losing that ability. Many politicians and pundits question whether we should keep investing in it. We need to stand up to them with a clear voice.
The US was founded by inventors and engineers with names like Jefferson and Franklin. But for much of the past decade, government stopped listening to scientists' objective reports and tried to "edit" them politically in areas ranging from global warming to evolution. It was a chilling period.
And now a vocal segment of politicians ? led by Mitt Romney's running mate Paul Ryan, architect of the extreme Republican budget ? and their supporters are demanding we gut government investment, saying industry will pick up the slack. This Romney-Ryan budget could devastate a long tradition of support for public research and investment in science at a time when this country's future depends, as never before, on innovation. If cuts are made across the board, this budget would gut funding for the National Institutes of Health by 20 per cent. That means the number of new NIH research grants, which support discoveries from disease mechanisms to the most fundamental workings of cells, would shrink by over 1600 in 2014 and by over 16,000 over a decade. Sparing the NIH from this would force even deeper cuts in education, or for the National Science Foundation.
Staying competitive
And this is on top of a record that undermines science across the board. Romney would roll back health reforms, and prefers ideology over clear scientific evidence on climate change.
While we ponder cutting research investments by a fifth, the rest of the world is making new investments. This is a matter of global competitiveness.
Support for science and research should not be a matter of debate, or of politics. Scientists are driven by facts, and we must have the courage to follow the facts wherever they lead. Here, the facts are clear. If we cannot come together and maintain these investments, I fear for our economic future, and for the discoveries we will never make. Where we go from here ? whether we move forward and keep innovating and discovering ? is up to the American people.
Profile
Andy Feinberg is a Gilman Scholar and professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. The views stated here are on behalf of the Obama campaign and do not express the position or views of the university. New Scientist also approached the Romney campaign for an article, but they declined
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The Gadget Lab Show: This week Reviews Editor Michael Calore and Staff Writer Nathan Olivarez-Giles take a look at Samsung's New Chromebook and Motorola's Droid Razr HD for a Google-packed episode.
I am learning GCSE Psychology Revision app has 178 UNIQUE QUESTIONS across the curriculum. Choose to play the game or use the default template to revise. Test yourself and see your results in easy to use reports.?The app comes from one of the UK?s most successful online revision providers, I am learning, which
is used by over a 1000 schools and over 500,000 users.?I am learning GCSE Psychology Revision app incorporates the main topics across all major exam boards making it an ideal resource to help improve results.Features include:- Play the game to make revision more fun- Questions randomize each time- Simple reports with red, amber, green indicators for performance- See which questions you have answered incorrectly (see what you don?t know)- Gap analysis ? see which questions you frequently answer incorrectly
Diversified electrical manufacturer Eaton?s previously announced pending acquisition of Cooper Industries has received clearance from Brazil?s Administrative Council for Economic Defense.
The pending acquisition, which has already been cleared by competition authorities in the US, Canada, South Korea and Turkey, also received clearance from the Federal Competition Commission in Mexico.
Eaton and Cooper had entered into a transaction agreement in May 2012, pursuant to which Eaton will buy Cooper through the formation of a new holding company incorporated in Ireland.
In connection with this acquisition, the power management company will merge with Turlock, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eaton.
The transaction, however, remains subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by the shareholders of both companies, and certain additional regulatory clearances.
Eaton provides energy-efficient solutions to help its customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power.
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Just how confident is Microsoft that its Surface tablets will take off? To the tune of 3 to 5 million units shipped in the fall alone, according to the Wall Street Journal's supplier contacts. While that wouldn't be much when Apple already ships more than three times as many iPads, even discounting the supposed 10 million tiny iPads coming this fall, it would represent a strong start for a company that's only just dipping its toes into own-brand computing. Microsoft isn't confirming any numbers at this stage, but the large production volume might explain that Busby Berkeley-style TV ad -- you'd want a full song and dance routine if you had that many Surfaces to sell.
Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant (3) and Atlanta Falcons punter Matt Bosher (5) react after Bryant kicked a 55-yard long field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant (3) and Atlanta Falcons punter Matt Bosher (5) react after Bryant kicked a 55-yard long field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant (3) kicks the ball for a 55-yard long field goal as Atlanta Falcons punter Matt Bosher (5) holds the ball and Oakland Raiders cornerback Michael Huff (24) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 26-23. (AP Photo/Rich Addicks)
Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant (3) walks off the field after kicking a 55-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the second half of tehir NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 26-23. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Asante Samuel (22) speaks with Falcons director of athletic performance Jeff Fish after an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 26-23. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Rod Streater (80) and cornerback Michael Huff react on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Atlanta. The Falcons won 26-23. (AP Photo/Rich Addicks)
ATLANTA (AP) ? Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons have plenty of mistakes to work on during their bye week.
Of course, it's sure easier to fix the problems when you're still unbeaten.
Asante Samuel returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes and Matt Bryant connected on a 55-yard field goal with 1 second remaining, allowing the Falcons to escape with a sloppy 23-20 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
Overcoming three interceptions by Matt Ryan, the Falcons (6-0) extended the best start in franchise history.
It wasn't easy against the pesky Raiders (1-4), who bounced back from Samuel's pick to tie the game with less than a minute to go, but left a little too much time on the clock for Atlanta's final possession.
Ryan completed four short passes, the last of them a 13-yarder to Tony Gonzalez that got Bryant in range for his longest field goal since joining the Falcons in 2009 ? and his second game-winning kick in three weeks. He beat the Panthers 30-28 on a 40-yard field goal with 5 seconds left.
"He knows how to get himself prepared, how to calm himself down, how to get it through those pipes," Ryan said. "He's made a lot of clutch kicks for us through the years."
Bryant actually missed one early, pulling a 43-yarder wide left to break a streak of 23 consecutive field goals going back to last season. He bounced back to connect from 41 and 20 yards before making the one that really mattered.
"Missing that one early kind of woke me up a little bit to focus even harder," Bryant said.
After a mostly ugly game, the final 3 minutes were thrilling. Tied at 13, the Raiders were in position for a go-ahead field goal when Samuel stepped in front of Carson Palmer's pass at the Atlanta 21 and returned it for a touchdown, racing to the end zone right in front of the Falcons' bench.
Palmer shook off that huge mistake, leading the Raiders down the field for the tying score. He connected with Derek Hagan on a 38-yard pass to the Atlanta 5, and Darren McFadden scored on a 2-yard run with 40 seconds left.
Just enough time for the Falcons, it turned out.
"You don't want to tell your back to take a knee," Raiders rookie coach Dennis Allen said. "We wanted to use up as much time as we possibly could, and unfortunately we gave them a little bit too much."
Ryan finished 24 of 37 for 249 yards and equaled his career high for picks, matching the three he had against New Orleans in 2009.
But he was cool as can be with the game on the line.
"We've been in these situations before," Ryan said. "We know what we need to do."
Palmer was 23 of 33 for 353 yards, putting up much better rating than Ryan. But the Raiders quarterback was kicking himself for that one devastating play: the pick by Samuel.
"Put the blame on me," Palmer said. "It's completely my fault."
Ryan came into the game with three interceptions in the first five weeks. He doubled his total by halftime.
On the fourth snap of the day, Ryan went over the middle looking for Harry Douglas but didn't see cornerback Joselio Hanson. Atlanta's third possession ended the same way. Ryan made an ill-advised decision to throw deep to Julio Jones, despite triple coverage. Michael Huff made an easy interception at the Oakland 2. Late in the second quarter, with Atlanta clinging to a 7-6 lead, Ryan got popped by blitzing linebacker Philip Wheeler just as he released the ball. The fluttering pass settled right in the arms of safety Tyvon Branch, giving Oakland the ball at the Falcons 28.
The Raiders quickly seized on the third interception. Palmer flipped a short pass to Denarius Moore, who took it all the way to the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown that gave Oakland a 13-7 lead at halftime. Sebastian Janikowski connected on field goals of 52 and 22 yards, while the Falcons' lone score was Ryan's 4-yard pass to Roddy White, capping a 10-play, 80-yard drive.
The third quarter turned into a defensive slog, the only points coming on Bryant's first two field goals.
John Abraham had a huge day on the Falcons' defense. He sacked Palmer three times and gave Atlanta's sputtering offense a chance to retake the lead in the third when he stripped the ball away from the quarterback just before his right arm came forward. Ray Edwards scooped up the fumble and rumbled to the Oakland 2.
But the Raiders held. Michael Turner was stopped just short of the goal line and, even after an offside penalty moved the tip of ball just short of the end zone, Atlanta couldn't get it in. Jason Snelling was thrown for a 2-yard loss on third down, forcing Atlanta to settle for Bryant's 20-yard field goal that tied the game at 13.
NOTES: Falcons coach Mike Smith improved his career record to 49-21, tying Dan Reeves as the winningest coach in team history. ... The Raiders rushed for 149 yards, more than double their NFL-worst average. But McFadden had another tough day, averaging 2.6 yards on 27 carrries. ... One week after making 13 catches against the Redskins, Gonzales was held to four receptions for 42 yards.
___
Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
CAPTAINS of commerce from around the region will be finding out about the sustainable ?food from the farm to the fork? ethos at a high profile business event.
Held in Peterborough, Business Focus is a one-day seminar showcasing success in the Business Environment Capital of the UK.
Staged at Peterborough Arena at the East of England Showground, the venue itself will be sharing its agri know how with seminar goers on Wednesday, October 17.
The charitable arm of the venue, the East of England Agricultural Society, will be among the many exhibitors and delegates to stage a seminar ? and has invited Professor Sai Gu to speak on the subject of advanced biofuel technologies for low carbon economy.
As part of the event the venue will be promoting its successful Fork Direct From the Farm philosophy with special taster samples for delegates during the day.
The innovative and inspirational FDFF initiative uses local, fresh and seasonal ingredients
This means the venue can dish up mouth-watering meals made with locally sourced,fresh and healthy ingredients.
And during Business Focus, the catering team will demonstrate that British-sourced ingredients can be used to creating some of the best-loved foods from around the world.
Peterborough Arena general manager Chris Dyers said: ?We want to celebrate Peterborough?s multicultural community and promote the use of British ingredients within world foods.
?We will be providing free canap?s at the Business Focus for visitors to try foods from China, India, Italy, Poland and the Caribbean.?
The FDFF current list of local suppliers includes:
- Seasonal strawberries and soft fruit from Lutton Farm near Oundle. - Aberdeen Angus from Briston Fen near King?s Lynn. - The Fruit Pig Company in Wisbech, supplying rare breed, free range pork - Grasmere Farm at Deeping St James - Fresh and seasonal vegetables Russell Farm Produce Limited, Wisbech - King Bros in Peterborough, suppliers of British cheeses. - Milk and cream from Peterborough Dairies. - Woburn Country Foods, located in Bedfordshire, who supply a range of bacon and sausages as well as smoked products, like venison, chicken and duck.
Gregg Pryce head chef said: ?Food Direct from the Farm succinctly describes the food consumed at the East of England Showground, whether for a Gala dinner, a conference or a consumer event.
?With over 800,000 visitors coming through the gates of the Showground each year, people will be guaranteed to eat locally sourced, fresh produce that is of the highest quality and best value.? FDFF was launched in 2003 by the East of England Agricultural Society to promote British Agriculture by sourcing all of the produce used in the Showground?s indoor and outdoor catering operations from local farmers and food producer. The initiative currently supports over 30 local businesses from across the region ? all members of the East of England Agricultural Society ? and is continuing to expand.
Join the growing number of exhibitors and delegates attending this year?s event. Book your stand or register at: www.businessfocus.uk.net
Pic cap: Peterborough Arena head chef Gregg Price will be preparing some tasty treats for delegates at the Business Focus event to sample.
Note to editors Peterborough Arena is a premier multi-purpose venue in East of England, hosting indoor shows, outdoor shows, conferences, trade exhibitions, concerts, corporate events.
For further press information please contact Cetti Long at Media Matters on 01733 371363 or email cetti@mediamatters-pr.co.uk or the Peterborough Arena team on (01733) 363500 or email: keith@peterborougharena.com
Tags: Business Focus, events in Peterborough, Peterborough Arena
I want to create a book, but I think I'm over thinking it - Can you give me some ideas on the types of reports to include that you think make a "good" book? I'm using FTM 2012. The family I'm using has 373 individuals across 12 generations- Your thoughts will be appreciated. Betty
'Dream team' wins $10 million grant to probe mystery of advanced prostate cancer Public release date: 9-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Elizabeth Fernandez elizabeth.fernandez@ucsf.edu 415-502-6397 University of California - San Francisco
Project focus: How does prostate cancer outsmart therapy?
Many men survive prostate cancer, but thousands of others -- whose cancer spreads -- inevitably develop resistance to even the most promising treatments, leaving them with few medical options and a dwindling span of life.
Now, armed with a new $10 million grant, a multi-center "dream team'' of scientists, led by UCSF, is embarking on a groundbreaking undertaking into personalized medicine. The goal: to overcome therapeutic resistance in the disease and revolutionize treatment for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
"I am incredibly excited about this project. It has the potential to completely transform the way we take care of our patients with advanced prostate cancer,'' said Eric J. Small, MD, a UCSF professor and deputy director of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is the principal investigator of the project.
"Despite a number of new drugs that have been approved for this disease, some of which we helped develop at UCSF, many of our patients still develop resistance to these agents and die from progressive disease,'' Small said. "This work will help identify the causes of resistance in an individual patient, and help us tailor therapy for that patient.''
Partnering on this west coast project are four campuses from the University of California (UCSF, UCLA, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz), the Oregon Health & Sciences University, and the University of British Columbia.
The co-leader of the project is Owen Witte, MD, a professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics and director of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center at UCLA.
Resistance to therapeutic approaches to cancer has become a core, baffling challenge for cancer scientists. Treatment of patients with hormone-dependent prostate cancer generally includes chemical or surgical castration, using drugs or surgery to reduce androgen hormones such as testosterone. But, as with most hormone-dependent tumors, the cancerous tumors often become resistant to treatment.
The dream team scientists will focus on identifying the causes of resistance in some 500 patients with advanced prostate cancer and tailoring therapy for them. Through this approach, known as precision or personalized medicine, the researchers hope that more effective therapies will be developed, and in the process, patients will be spared unnecessary treatment.
"So often when we start to use a new drug, the patient feels well and he responds well therapeutically -- you have a moment of hope,'' said Phillip G. Febbo, MD, a professor of medicine and urology, and co-director of the prostate cancer program at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Febbo was the architect of the dream team, helping to design the proposal and to bring together the various participants and institutions.
"But all too soon, the hope fades,'' Febbo said. "The benefits of therapy become short-lived, the cancer figures out how to adapt to the therapy, and it begins to grow again. It is incredibly frustrating for the physician, and deeply disturbing to the patient and his family. This project centers on determining how the cancer so quickly learns how to outsmart our therapy.''
In the United States, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men after lung cancer. A new case is diagnosed every 2.4 minutes, and one man dies every 18 minutes from it, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Altogether, more than 2 million men in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the disease.
In about a third of cases, patients require no treatment because the cancer does not spread. In another third of cases, patients are treated and cured. But for the remaining patients, the cancer recurs after treatment or it spreads to the bones, lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
The dream team project, involving more than 30 investigators at the six institutions, consists of three components:
Biopsies and blood samples of some 500 patients with advanced prostate will be obtained;
The samples will undergo a comprehensive molecular assessment and pathway-based analysis the scientists will search for biomarker predictors of sensitivity to specific therapies, along with predictors of resistance to the therapies;
Treatment approaches will be developed for each patient based on his individual genetic information.
Davide Ruggero, PhD, a UCSF associate professor of urology and the Helen Diller Family Endowed Chair of Basic Research in Urologic Cancer, will lead the development of genetically engineered mouse models to determine the pathways of therapeutic resistance.
"Once we discover the mechanisms of resistance, we can develop new therapies,'' Ruggero said. "This is a very big problem and with this project, we are hoping to make a leap forward.''
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz will develop a novel application called MedBook to connect patients, doctors, and researchers. Inspired by social media, MedBook is the brainchild of UCSC graduate student and former Apple executive Ted Goldstein, who describes it as a "Facebook for cancer.''
MedBook will support information exchange and discussion, connecting researchers in a way that will help them work collaboratively to discover new models of disease and match patients with targeted treatments. This information will be instrumental to the team's clinical working group for recruiting patients to specific trials.
The grant, which will provide up to $10 million over three years, is funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). The American Association for Cancer Research the scientific partner of SU2C oversees the selection and grant administration process, and provides scientific oversight during the research phases.
###
From UCSF, other key dream team participants are Allan Balmain, PhD, co-leader of the Cancer Genetics Program and director of the Genome Analysis Core Facility at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center; Robert Blelloch, MD, PhD, associate professor of urology; James Marks, MD, PhD, professor in the departments of anesthesia and pharmaceutical chemistry; Pamela Paris, PhD, associate professor of urology; Charles Ryan, MD associate professor of clinical medicine; Kevan Shokat, PhD, professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology; and Jack Youngren, PhD, associate adjunct professor of medicine at the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.
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.
'Dream team' wins $10 million grant to probe mystery of advanced prostate cancer Public release date: 9-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Elizabeth Fernandez elizabeth.fernandez@ucsf.edu 415-502-6397 University of California - San Francisco
Project focus: How does prostate cancer outsmart therapy?
Many men survive prostate cancer, but thousands of others -- whose cancer spreads -- inevitably develop resistance to even the most promising treatments, leaving them with few medical options and a dwindling span of life.
Now, armed with a new $10 million grant, a multi-center "dream team'' of scientists, led by UCSF, is embarking on a groundbreaking undertaking into personalized medicine. The goal: to overcome therapeutic resistance in the disease and revolutionize treatment for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
"I am incredibly excited about this project. It has the potential to completely transform the way we take care of our patients with advanced prostate cancer,'' said Eric J. Small, MD, a UCSF professor and deputy director of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is the principal investigator of the project.
"Despite a number of new drugs that have been approved for this disease, some of which we helped develop at UCSF, many of our patients still develop resistance to these agents and die from progressive disease,'' Small said. "This work will help identify the causes of resistance in an individual patient, and help us tailor therapy for that patient.''
Partnering on this west coast project are four campuses from the University of California (UCSF, UCLA, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz), the Oregon Health & Sciences University, and the University of British Columbia.
The co-leader of the project is Owen Witte, MD, a professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics and director of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center at UCLA.
Resistance to therapeutic approaches to cancer has become a core, baffling challenge for cancer scientists. Treatment of patients with hormone-dependent prostate cancer generally includes chemical or surgical castration, using drugs or surgery to reduce androgen hormones such as testosterone. But, as with most hormone-dependent tumors, the cancerous tumors often become resistant to treatment.
The dream team scientists will focus on identifying the causes of resistance in some 500 patients with advanced prostate cancer and tailoring therapy for them. Through this approach, known as precision or personalized medicine, the researchers hope that more effective therapies will be developed, and in the process, patients will be spared unnecessary treatment.
"So often when we start to use a new drug, the patient feels well and he responds well therapeutically -- you have a moment of hope,'' said Phillip G. Febbo, MD, a professor of medicine and urology, and co-director of the prostate cancer program at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Febbo was the architect of the dream team, helping to design the proposal and to bring together the various participants and institutions.
"But all too soon, the hope fades,'' Febbo said. "The benefits of therapy become short-lived, the cancer figures out how to adapt to the therapy, and it begins to grow again. It is incredibly frustrating for the physician, and deeply disturbing to the patient and his family. This project centers on determining how the cancer so quickly learns how to outsmart our therapy.''
In the United States, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men after lung cancer. A new case is diagnosed every 2.4 minutes, and one man dies every 18 minutes from it, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Altogether, more than 2 million men in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the disease.
In about a third of cases, patients require no treatment because the cancer does not spread. In another third of cases, patients are treated and cured. But for the remaining patients, the cancer recurs after treatment or it spreads to the bones, lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
The dream team project, involving more than 30 investigators at the six institutions, consists of three components:
Biopsies and blood samples of some 500 patients with advanced prostate will be obtained;
The samples will undergo a comprehensive molecular assessment and pathway-based analysis the scientists will search for biomarker predictors of sensitivity to specific therapies, along with predictors of resistance to the therapies;
Treatment approaches will be developed for each patient based on his individual genetic information.
Davide Ruggero, PhD, a UCSF associate professor of urology and the Helen Diller Family Endowed Chair of Basic Research in Urologic Cancer, will lead the development of genetically engineered mouse models to determine the pathways of therapeutic resistance.
"Once we discover the mechanisms of resistance, we can develop new therapies,'' Ruggero said. "This is a very big problem and with this project, we are hoping to make a leap forward.''
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz will develop a novel application called MedBook to connect patients, doctors, and researchers. Inspired by social media, MedBook is the brainchild of UCSC graduate student and former Apple executive Ted Goldstein, who describes it as a "Facebook for cancer.''
MedBook will support information exchange and discussion, connecting researchers in a way that will help them work collaboratively to discover new models of disease and match patients with targeted treatments. This information will be instrumental to the team's clinical working group for recruiting patients to specific trials.
The grant, which will provide up to $10 million over three years, is funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). The American Association for Cancer Research the scientific partner of SU2C oversees the selection and grant administration process, and provides scientific oversight during the research phases.
###
From UCSF, other key dream team participants are Allan Balmain, PhD, co-leader of the Cancer Genetics Program and director of the Genome Analysis Core Facility at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center; Robert Blelloch, MD, PhD, associate professor of urology; James Marks, MD, PhD, professor in the departments of anesthesia and pharmaceutical chemistry; Pamela Paris, PhD, associate professor of urology; Charles Ryan, MD associate professor of clinical medicine; Kevan Shokat, PhD, professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology; and Jack Youngren, PhD, associate adjunct professor of medicine at the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.
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.
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Public release date: 9-Oct-2012
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