Monthly Archives: September 2012

DNA cigarette butt twist in Rayney trial

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DNA on a cigarette butt found outside Lloyd Rayney's home around the time of his wife's murder matched a person 'well known to police', murder trial told.

Lloyd Rayney dodges witches hats to get to court for day 31 of his murder trial. PICTURE: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

Sen-Const Warren Wheatley. Source: PerthNow

LAWYERS acting for barrister Lloyd Rayney today told the Supreme Court that DNA on a cigarette butt found by police outside the family home in Como matched that of a person "well known to police" as other witnesses told of "blood curdling" screams coming from Kings Park on the night Mr Rayney's wife Corryn disappeared.

In a new twist in the long-running trial, defence lawyer David Edwardson, QC, told trial judge Justice Brian Martin that the person whose DNA was found on the cigarette butt had the same surname - Eades - as the driver of a car which was stopped by Kensington police in Manning at about 9.10pm on August 7, 2007, the night Mrs Rayney was last seen alive.

"Your honour will hear evidence shortly that a cigarette butt was retrieved and that the DNA on that cigarette matched a person well known to police by the name of Eades," he said.

The cigarette butt was among items collected by police from the footpath and verge of the Rayney home on August 22, 2007.

Mr Edwardson's comments came as a former police officer, Darrel McLeod, gave evidence at Mr Rayney's murder trial today.

It has been alleged Mr Rayney killed his wife at the family home after she arrived home from a boot scooting class in Bentley.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charge and also to an alternative charge of manslaughter.

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Masten Completes Their Test Objectives; Xaero Not Recovered

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Washington D.C. - Today Masten Space Systems conducted a flight test of its unmanned Xaero from the Mojave Air & Space Port to a target altitude of one kilometer to test flight control at high ascent and descent rates. While the vehicle demonstrated better than expected performance through the test, unexpected instability developed during landing and the flight was terminated while the vehicle was well above ground level. The vehicle was destroyed on impact; no one was injured. The cause of the failure is under review, but a throttle valve malfunction is suspected.

CSF President Michael Lopez-Alegria stated, "Despite the loss of Xaero, the Masten team completed virtually all of their test objectives and collected invaluable data from the flight. More importantly, the personnel from Masten and from the Mojave Air & Space Port, as well as the hardware and software in the flight termination system, performed flawlessly. The vehicle impacted within the designated test area and no one was injured or endangered. It is the nature of the flight test business to occasionally experience anomalies; I'm confident that although Masten lost a vehicle, they gained important data that will be put to good use as they continue to develop their designs. I expect to see Masten in the skies again soon."

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation's member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Assistant Director Sirisha Bandla at sirisha@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1120.

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Masten Completes Their Test Objectives; Xaero Not Recovered

NASA's Mars rover ready to "drive, drive, drive"

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PASADENA, California (Reuters) - The Mars rover Curiosity was due to wrap up an exhaustive, weeks-long instrument check on Thursday, clearing the way for its first lengthy drive to determine whether the Red Planet has ever been hospitable to life, NASA officials said. The six-wheeled, nuclear-powered rover landed five weeks ago inside a giant impact basin called Gale Crater, near the Martian ...

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NASA's Mars rover ready to "drive, drive, drive"

Liberty 75, Mystics 62

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UpdatedSep 12, 2012 11:01 PM ET

Trailing late in the third quarter of a game they needed to win, the New York Liberty picked up their defensive intensity and ran away from the Washington Mystics.

Cappie Pondexter scored 22 points to lead the Liberty to a 75-62 victory over the last-place Mystics on Wednesday night. Nicole Powell had 15 points and Kia Vaughn added 10 points and 10 rebounds to help New York (13-17) finish 4-2 on a six-game homestand - including two wins against Washington.

The Liberty also moved a half-game ahead of Chicago for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

''It was an ugly win, but I'm glad we pulled it out in the fourth quarter,'' Pondexter said. ''We focused a little more, we began to help each other. I thought we rebounded well, forced them to make tough jump shots.''

Pondexter praised Vaughn's play in the final quarter, when the center and Plenette Pierson had eight points apiece to help New York outscore Washington 19-7 in the period. Vaughn had her first double-double of the season.

''I thought she played great down the stretch, she was confident,'' Pondexter said. ''The last two games we actually were talking about that baseline jumper, where she's great at. She focused in on doing it ... especially in the fourth quarter. I'm happy she was finally able to display the kind of basketball she's been trying.''

Monique Currie scored a season-high 24 points for Washington (5-25), which has lost nine straight. The Mystics dropped to 1-15 on the road this season, with their lone win against the Liberty on July 13 in the last game before the league's monthlong Olympic break.

''We played well throughout the game except for the fourth quarter,'' Currie said. ''We got cold and the Liberty were able to take advantage of that.''

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Liberty 75, Mystics 62

Liberty Interactive (LINTA)

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We upgrade our recommendation on Liberty Interactive (LINTA) to Outperform following its robust financial results for the second quarter of 2012. Both top- and bottom-line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimates. We believe the TV home shopping business will continue to flourish in the near future as the global macro-economy is expected to gradually stabilize compared with massive fluctuations in the last couple of years.

The company's prestigious QVC division continues to perform exceptionally well. The QVC shopping network has successfully transformed itself into a powerful global brand, which may facilitate Liberty Interactive to boost its revenue into double digits.

The strategic move taken by management to offer QVC programs on mobile platforms, such as smartphones and tablets, was a huge success. Furthermore, Liberty Interactive is continuously generating positive free cash flow to sustain its future endeavors.

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Pondexter lifts Liberty past last-place Mystics

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Trailing late in the third quarter of a game they needed to win, the New York Liberty picked up their defensive intensity and ran away from the Washington Mystics.

Cappie Pondexter scored 22 points to lead the Liberty to a 75-62 victory over the last-place Mystics on Wednesday night. Nicole Powell had 15 points and Kia Vaughn added 10 points and 10 rebounds to help New York (13-17) finish 4-2 on a six-game homestand - including two wins against Washington.

The Liberty also moved a half-game ahead of Chicago for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

''It was an ugly win, but I'm glad we pulled it out in the fourth quarter,'' Pondexter said. ''We focused a little more, we began to help each other. I thought we rebounded well, forced them to make tough jump shots.''

Pondexter praised Vaughn's play in the final quarter, when the center and Plenette Pierson had eight points apiece to help New York outscore Washington 19-7 in the period. Vaughn had her first double-double of the season.

''I thought she played great down the stretch, she was confident,'' Pondexter said. ''The last two games we actually were talking about that baseline jumper, where she's great at. She focused in on doing it ... especially in the fourth quarter. I'm happy she was finally able to display the kind of basketball she's been trying.''

Monique Currie scored a season-high 24 points for Washington (5-25), which has lost nine straight. The Mystics dropped to 1-15 on the road this season, with their lone win against the Liberty on July 13 in the last game before the league's monthlong Olympic break.

''We played well throughout the game except for the fourth quarter,'' Currie said. ''We got cold and the Liberty were able to take advantage of that.''

The Liberty grabbed the lead with an 11-2 run that started at the end of the third and carried over into the fourth. Pondexter made a 3-pointer with about 28 seconds left in the third to put the Liberty in front 56-55, and Vaughn opened the fourth with back-to-back jumpers to extend the lead to five with 7:23 remaining.

Pondexter's 3 gave New York a 67-58 advantage with 4:43 to go, and Washington got no closer than seven the rest of the way. The Liberty scored the final six points of the game.

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Pondexter lifts Liberty past last-place Mystics

Liberty Media Almost to the 50% Mark at Sirius XM

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Liberty Media is close to a 50% ownership position o f Sirius XM Satellite Radio after announcing on 9/12/2012 that it now owns 49.7% of the shares outstanding or equivalents. The Wall Street Journal reports that Liberty is likely to replace the Board and not likely to retain Mel Karmazin. For now, it appears that Liberty will retain SIRI in its own account and reclaim the $1.5 billion it is ...

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Liberty Media Almost to the 50% Mark at Sirius XM

Libertarian candidate running – literally – in all 100 counties

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Credit: Jeremy Detter/RECORD PHOTO

Barbara Howe, Libertarian candidate for Governor in North Carolina, runs through Newton on Wednesday night. Howe plans on running a 5k in each of the 100 counties in North Carolina. Catawba County was number 81.

NEWTON Barbara Howe really is running for governor.

The Libertarian candidate is running a solo 5-kilometer race in all 100 North Carolina counties to call attention to her candidacy and the Libertarian political philosophy. Wednesday morning, she ran in Taylorsville. That evening, she put on her running shoes in Newton. The Newton 5K was her 81st since her campaign began.

Howe, from Wingate, knows winning the governors mansion is the longest of shots, but shes determined to keep the message of liberty out there.

Libertarians endorse minimal government. The Republicans and the Democrats have their differences, but they still stand for big government, Howe said. They are variations of the same flavor.

Most of the time, Howe runs alone. Sometimes, somebody shes met will join her. She had company when she ran in Lenoir on Tuesday. But she meets people during her jaunts and chats with local folks afterward.

I always go to a caf or a restaurant in each county. I listen and I talk. But mostly I listen, she said.

Im learning that people in North Carolina are basically the same. They want to work, enjoy their free time and be left alone. That as in be left alone by government on all levels. This country was founded on freedom, responsibility and self-reliance, Howe said. We Libertarians dont want to tell people how to run their lives.

As one that advocates the government that governs least governs best, she has strong opinions on government entitlements and other programs. For example, Howe says everyone who has paid into Social Security should get their benefits as promised.

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Libertarian candidate running – literally – in all 100 counties

DaVita expands push into all health care with new Denver clinic

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Denver-based DaVita is expanding its push to dominate health care for all Americans, not just kidney patients, with the opening of a LoDo clinic offering primary care to the public.

A subsidiary of DaVita now has primary doctor clinics in 11 states, with plans for many more, including a build-out of a Denver network under the Paladina Health brand name.

The DaVita clinics operate under the "concierge" model, and are open to customers ranging from individuals to large, self-insured businesses.

Individuals pay $99 a month, or $59 for children, to receive most of their health care needs through the clinic. The doctors give cell phone numbers and are available 24 hours a day, coordinating preventive care, tests and specialty care.

For more specialized and expensive surgical or other procedures not handled by the clinic, patients are encouraged to have a backstop or catastrophic insurance plan with a high deductible. Paladina said that most patients will get 90 percent of their annual care through the clinic, for about $1,200 a year.

With two major acquisitions of a clinic group and a physician management company in the past year, DaVita is rapidly testing its premise that data-driven, wellness-focused care will improve health and turn big profits. Outsiders have warned the strategy transforms a dialysis company into a riskier insurance model, and that patients in the past have rebelled against cost-control efforts.

Paladina officials said their doctors have 700 to 800 patients each instead of the usual 3,000 to 4,000, and are compensated in part based on patient satisfaction and improving health.

Other branches of DaVita want to win government pacts to manage care for Medicare patients, for example, in arrangements where DaVita shares in any savings as long as it meets quality goals.

"That's how you fix health care. And we want to be those providers," said Rebecca Steinfort, senior vice president of Paladina Health.

DaVita acquired clinics in 10 other states when it bought operator ModernMed in January, and will consolidate them under Paladina.

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DaVita expands push into all health care with new Denver clinic

PETER ORSZAG: It's not hard to find health savings

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Last week, two important reports underscored the potential for improving the value of health care in the United States.

The first of these, "Best Care at Lower Cost: The Path to Continuously Learning Health Care in America," issued by the Institute of Medicine, highlights two crucial facts. The first is that the health system provides a great volume of care that doesn't help patients. The authors write "there is evidence that a substantial proportion of health care expenditures is wasted, leading to little improvement in health or in the quality of care. Estimates vary on waste and excess health care costs, but they are large" -- possibly amounting to more than $750 billion in a single year.

As the report notes, that is enough to pay the full salaries of all the nation's firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians for more than a decade.

Complexity engulfs doctors

Second, medicine is becoming so complex that it is virtually impossible for an individual doctor to keep pace -- especially without help from computers, the institute says. Consider that the number of medical journal articles has risen to more than 750,000 a year, from 200,000 in 1970. "Diagnostic and treatment options are expanding and changing at an accelerating rate, placing new stresses on clinicians and patients, as well as potentially impacting the effectiveness and efficiency of care delivery," the report concludes.

This report reaches well beyond diagnosis, however. It recommends sensible steps to move us toward a "continuously learning" health system. One of these is to give doctors and other providers expanded real-time access to the latest knowledge through the widespread use of clinical-decision- support computer software, bolstered by continuously updated data on clinical experience.

A second set of recommendations involves health-care payment policies, which, as the institute argues, "strongly influence how care is delivered." The U.S. needs to move faster away from paying providers a fee for each service and instead pay for what they accomplish toward helping patients. The report also calls on health-care leaders to promote and develop a culture of learning among doctors, while also empowering patients by giving them more information about their own medical decisions.

The second important health-care report last week, published in Health Affairs, is based on a comparison of health-care costs and quality among various regions. Although a vast body of previous research has explored the wide variance within Medicare -- and has shown that there is no apparent correlation between cost and quality -- this analysis used data from the private insurer UnitedHealth.

For common chronic conditions, for example, the least-expensive costs per medical episode (those at the 10th percentile of all episodes) were about one fifth to one third less than the median, while the most expensive costs per episode (at the 90th percentile) were three to five times the median. In other words, the highest costs are more than 10 times the lowest -- for treating the same condition.

This variation might be understandable if the higher spending bought better results. However, according to the researchers, "for the conditions that we analyzed, we found essentially no correlation between average costs and the measured level of care quality across markets."

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PETER ORSZAG: It's not hard to find health savings

Freedom walk

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Gayle Gilliam, left, and Breanna Carte, with American Legion Auxiliary Unit 19, followed by the Spring Hill High School Army Junior ROTC, get ready to lead the Freedom Walk Tuesday in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks at the American Legion Post 19 on Nashville Highway. Participants made 11 laps around Post 19 for the 11th anniversary of the tragedy.

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Global premiere of 'Freedom For Birth' documentary

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A new documentary that reframes childbirth as the most pressing global Human Rights issue today is launching with hundreds of premires all over the world on the same day, Thursday 20th September 2012. The screening in Wellington on that date is at the Penthouse Cinema at 8pm.

Freedom For Birth is a 60 minute campaigning documentary featuring a Who's Who of leading birth experts and international Human Rights lawyers all calling for radical change to the world's maternity systems.

Made by British film-makers Toni Harman and Alex Wakeford, Freedom For Birth film tells the story of an Hungarian midwife gnes Gerb who has been jailed for supporting women giving birth at home. One of the home birth mothers supported by Ms Gerb decided to take a stand.

When pregnant with her second child, Anna Ternovsky took her country to the European Court of Human Rights and won a landmark case that has major implications for childbirth around the world.

Toni Harman, one of the film-makers says, "the Ternovsky vs Hungary ruling at the European Court of Human Rights in 2010 means that now in Europe, every birthing woman has the legal right to decide where and how she gives birth. And across the world, it means that if a woman feels like her Human Rights are being violated because her birth choices are not being fully supported, she could use the power of the law to protect those rights. With the release of "Freedom For Birth", we hope millions of women become aware of their legal rights and so our film has the potential to spark a revolution in maternity care across the world. In fact, we are calling this the Mothers' Revolution."

Karen Guilliland, CEO of the New Zealand College of Midwives says that New Zealanders are likely to be shocked at the story told by Freedom For Birth. "We are one of the very few countries where pregnant women enjoy full rights as a person." Karen recently spoke at the Human Rights in Childbirth Conference at the Hague, in the Netherlands and says that the international audience was inspired by our system. "Human rights seem like such a given in New Zealand but much of the world still does not meet the human rights expectations we take for granted. However, we should never take our maternity rights for granted and Freedom For Birth will encourage us to cherish and protect what we have."

Hermine Hayes-Klein, US lawyer and organiser of the recent Human Rights in Childbirth Conference at the Hague, the Netherlands says, "Freedom For Birth" holds the answer to changing the system. Birth will change when women realise they have a right to meaningful support for childbirth and claim that right. Birth will change when women stand up against the abuses that are currently suffered in such high numbers and say, No More."

When asked why they are showing the film, the two Wellington mothers who are organising the local screening, Karen Gault and Vida Rye say, "We want all women to be fully informed of their birth options and to be supported in their choice of how and where they give birth. We feel privileged to have birthed in a country that has a maternity system that, in the main, respects those choices. However, we feel that we cannot be complacent about what we have, we need to hold on to it for our children and their children, there are still improvements needed".

The local screening of Freedom For Birth will take place at the Penthouse Cinema, Brooklyn, Wellington at 8pm on Thursday 20th September 2012. The screening is to raise funds for the "Birth Centre for Wellington" project.

To book your tickets http://www.birthhub.org/freedomforbirth or contact 04 589 7802.

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Global premiere of 'Freedom For Birth' documentary

Academic freedom debate continues

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Wednesday, 12 September 2012 22:28

Following last year's controversy about academic freedom at the university, Faculty Senate discussed academic freedom at their regularly scheduled meeting Monday.

"I think many of us can agree that there has been a chill on this campus with regard to academic freedom and our faith in academic freedom especially in the classroom," English professor Jill Ehnenn said.

Last year, several faculty members voiced their complaints when tenured sociology professor Jammie Price was placed on administrative leave after students made seven allegations against Price, including engaging in "inappropriate speech and conduct" in the classroom.

There has been a lot of fear, complaints and questions regarding academic freedom since last year, Enhenn said.

"This is not an issue that just reflects the voices of five or six people," Enhenn said.

Faculty members expressed their concerns, questions and suggestions to the Faculty Senate and Provost of Academic Affairs Lori Gonzalez.

The administration will come up with answers regarding professors' questions about academic freedom, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said she is committed to academics and hopes to answer questions in a way that doesn't "pit administration against faculty."

"I just ask that you offer the benefit of the doubt until you can prove that we are not supporting academic freedom," Gonzalez said.

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Academic freedom debate continues

Freedom Errors Help Miners Take Game One

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September 12, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom Florence, KY-The Southern Illinois Miners took advantage of two errors in the seventh inning and went on to defeat the Florence Freedom 5-3 in game one of the Frontier League Championship series.

With the game tied at 3-3 in the seventh, Jason Ganek reached on a Stephen Cardullo throwing error at third base. Jose Velazquez retired the next two batters bringing Chris Anderson to the plate with Ganek standing at third. Anderson hit a pop up to the right side of the infield which second baseman Pierre LePage dropped. This allowed Ganek to score. The two errors by the Freedom defense gave the Miners a 4-3 lead.

In the ninth, the Freedom had a chance against Miner closer Brandon Cunniff. With the bases loaded and with two outs, Cunniff got Peter Fatse to ground out to second base to end the ballgame.

The Freedom took a 1-0 lead on a Kyle Bluestein solo homerun in the second inning. The Miners then got back to back homeruns in the third. Anderson hit a two run homer off Freedom starter Andy Clark(0-2) and then Cannon Lester followed with a solo shot giving the Miners a 3-1 lead.

Drew Rundle hit his second homerun of the postseason in the sixth. It was a two run shot to left field which tied the game at 3-3.

David Harden(2-0) the Southern Illinois starter improved to 6-0 lifetime against the Freedom as he went 6.2 innings allowing seven hits on three earned runs. Cunniff picked up his fourth save of the postseason in as many tries.

Clark worked six innings giving up four hits on three earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts.

Bluestein and Fatse each had two hits for the Freedom who outhit the Miners 8-6.

The Freedom will look to even up the best of five series at a game apiece on Thursday night. LHP Daniel Calhoun(0-0, 7.20) gets the start for the Miners while the Florence starter is RHP Brandon Mathes(0-0, 4.00). The game can be heard with Steve Jarnicki starting at 6:20 on Real Talk 1160 and realtalk1160.com.

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Nod for 35 aerospace projects

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THE Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) has approved 35 aerospace industry-related projects with investments worth RM2.8 billion.

Its deputy chief executive officer, Datuk Azman Mahmud said of the total, 17 projects are in the maintenance, repair and overhaul business, 20 in the manufacturing, and two in research and development designs.

Speaking to reporters at the signing of a priority resources agreement between Strand Aerospace Malaysia Sdn Bhd (SAM) and France's AKKA Technologies here yesterday, he said the global market for aerospace services is expected to double over the next decade to US$1 trillion (RM3.07 trillion) by 2020.

"Today, much of the high value design works in Malaysia are being outsourced to Taiwan, South Korea and India.

Azman said Malaysia is progressively establishing itself to meet all the ranks in the aerospace industry value chain.

"It was not long ago that Malaysia's aerospace industry served only the airline and second- or third-tier original equipment manufacturer market.

"Now, Malaysia is at the forefront of several markets, including composite designs and manufacturing; aircraft component design and manufacturing; avionics and system designs," he said.

As such, Azman said, the collaboration between SAM and AKKA Technologies is testimony to the capabilities of local players in providing their services globally as well as the high level of confidence and trust the international business has in Malaysia.

He said SAM will capitalise on the strength of Malaysia's high quality engineering pool. SAM is the lead company in the Economic Transformation Programme initiative to grow the country's engineering services industry.

SAM chief operating officer Naguib Mohd Nor said the company, which was established in 2006, has about 70 engineers. This is expected to rise to 100 in the next six months.

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Nod for 35 aerospace projects

BRCA1/2 Mutation and FMR1 Gene Study Has Potential Implications for Cancer Screening and Treatment

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NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --BRCA1/2 gene mutations, widely associated with breast and ovarian cancer risks in women, are, in principle, lethal to human embryos, according to new research conducted by three teams of researchers from the Center for Human Reproduction (CHR) in New York City, the Medical University Vienna in Vienna, Austria, and the Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria. BRCA1/2-positive embryos will only survive when also carrying a specific FMR1 gene genotype.

In a paper just published in the prestigious online medical journal PLoS ONE(1), the researchers examined the distribution of FMR1 genotypes and sub-genotypes amongst women with BRCA1/2 mutations and in a control population of infertile women. Unexpectedly, almost all the 99 carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations demonstrated a specific FMR1 genotype, the so-called "low" FMR1 allele, defined by less than 26 CGG triple nucleotides. In contrast, over 300 controls presented with a normal distribution of FMR1 genotypes and sub-genotypes.

The authors note that the most likely explanation for such a skewed distribution of FMR1 in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is embryo lethality of BRCA1/2 in humans; only embryos carrying the "low" FMR1 allele are "rescued" from this embryo-lethality.

"We were very surprised by these results," says David H. Barad, MD, MS, Director of Clinical ART and Senior Scientist at CHR, a senior author of the study. "Since approximately 25% of all women have low FMR1 genotypes, this observation, if confirmed, can greatly impact current cancer screening methods for BRCA1/2-associated cancers in women, and greatly reduce costs."

"These findings also potentially explain the long-unexplained 'BRCA-paradox,'" notes Norbert Gleicher, MD, Medical Director and Chief Scientist of CHR, and another senior author of the study. "BRCA-paradox" refers to the fact that BRCA1/2 mutations are anti-proliferative in embryonic tissue but proliferative in cancer tissues. Dr. Gleicher continues: "Confirmed, these findings could mean that 'low' FMR1 alleles desuppress the antiproliferative activity of BRCA1/2 in both tissues, in embryonic tissues allowing the embryo to survive, while in cancers having the negative effect of allowing cancer to proliferate. This, of course, could open major therapeutic options for improving embryo growth and inhibiting cancer growth."

An Appellate Court recently reaffirmed Myriad Genetics' BRCA1/2 patent. Because of unusually high testing costs for BRCA1/2(ca. $3,000), breast cancer screening and ovarian cancer screening are currently recommended only for women with strong family histories of breast and ovarian cancers. This study suggests the possibility that much less costly FMR1 testing may be able to, at least partially, replace BRCA1/2 testing as a primary screening test. The FMR1 test application utilized in this research is pending U.S. patents, and has been licensed to Women's Laboratory Corporation, LLC, NY, NY.

(1) Weghofer et al, BRCA1/2 mutations appear embryo-lethal unless rescued by low (CGG n<26) FMR1 sub-genotypes: Explanation for the "BRCA paradox"? PLoS ONE 2012; http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044753

Drs. Barad and Gleicher are available for further comments in New York City. Dr. Weghofer, Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Vienna University, Visiting Associate Scientist at CHR and another senior author of the paper, is available for further comments from Vienna, Austria.

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BRCA1/2 Mutation and FMR1 Gene Study Has Potential Implications for Cancer Screening and Treatment