Recent Discovery Show Smoking Cause Permanent DNA Mutation

Scientists recently discovered that smoking creates an “archaeological record” of hundreds of DNA mutations. Unfortunately, the study reveals that the genetic mutations are permanent even if the individual has already stopped smoking.

A smoker who consumes 20 cigarettes a day can produce an average of 150 mutations in each lung every year. Scientist discovered the findings after sequencing thousands of tumor genomes.

Cause of Cancer

Analyzing DNA tumor may help researchers to find out the underlying origin of several cancers.

Pamela Pugh started smoking when she was 17 and quit during her early 50s. Sadly, the 69-year-old, doctors diagnosed her with lung cancer in 2013.

Pugh said that she never thought smoking can affect her even though she gave it up a long time ago. She added that “Had I known as a teenager that smoking caused mutations which would stay with me for life then I would never had started”.

Genetic Mutation

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridgeshire and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico along with other international group conducted the study. The journal Science published the research.

The study presents a direct link of the mutation in the tumor DNA and the total number of cigarettes smoked.

Scientist found out that an average pack smoked a day can lead to 150 mutations in each lung every year. This includes 97 in the larynx, 23 in the mouth, 18 in bladder and 6 in the liver mutations.

Prof Sir Mike Stratton, of Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the lead author said, “The more mutations there are, the higher the chance that these will occur in the key genes that we call cancer genes, which convert a normal cell into a cancer cell.”

Researchers discovered that in lung tissues, they found at least 60 carcinogens of the mutational signature chemicals in the tobacco smoke. The lungs are directly exposed to smoke.

However, the scientist did not find the same mutational pattern in the bladders tissues. Since the bladders are not directly exposed to smoke.

The exact event on how the organs react to smoking remains “mysterious and complex”. According to Prof Stratton, smoking contributes to the acceleration of the ordinary mutational sequences. He added that further studies of the investigative methodology can identify other underlying causes of cancer, those that are less known.

Prof Stratton said, “By looking in the genomes of the cancers, we will find the archaeological traces of past exposures which have been responsible for generating the cancers and that may potentially lead to prevention”.

Genetic disruption

A consultant oncologist at the Papworth Hospital and Roy Castle Lung Foundation, Dr. David Gilligan said, “For every 150 mutations in the cell each year that is 150 opportunities for lung cancer to develop. Lung cancer has been at the bottom of the survival league for many years, but there are many exciting developments, including immunotherapy and genetically targeted drug treatments.”

Pugh received a treatment of a trial drug for six months at Papworth and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals in Cambridgeshire. The drug aims to interrupt the contributing genes that make lung cancer progress.

Experts examined DNA tumors in the participants of the Matrix trial to see how the genes respond to the treatment. However, in Pugh’s case, a scan showed that the tumor in her right lung had grown. She needs to leave the experiment to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

In the UK alone, lung cancer partakes to 35,000 deaths annually. However, with proper medical care, experts estimated 9 out of 10 cases are treatable.

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Woman’s Vehicle Returned With Note And Gas Money After It Was Accidentally Stolen

Erin Hatzi’s husband came home on Tuesday and assumed she was out when he didn’t see her car in the garage or on the driveway.

He was surprised when he found her inside so he asked where she had parked.

Confused by his question, she said that she parked in the driveway.

“Nope!” he replied.

It was 9:30 p.m. and her red 2001 Subaru Impreza was missing. Panic started to set in.

The Portland, Oregon, couple anxiously examined security footage from a camera positioned outside of their garage. Sure enough, they saw a woman get into the car at around 7 p.m, back out of the driveway and took off.

So, they immediately called the police.

Hatzi told CBS News that they were pretty angry and flabbergasted that the car was taken directly from their driveway.

However, the car reappeared less than 24 hours later.

And it turns out, the whole thing seems to have been a huge mix-up.

They were able to make out the whole story after police barred a woman who drove up to the house in the missing car. Hatzi’s husband happened to head out the front door as police were making their stop.

Hatzi said that he told them that the car belonged to his wife and that it was taken from the driveway they were standing in front of.

As he inspected the car, he found a note and some cash inserted underneath the windshield wipers.

The woman wrote her name and phone number in it, and clarified:

“Hello, So sorry I stole your car. I sent my friend with my key to pick up my red subaru at 7802 SE Woodstock and she came back with your car. I did not see the car until this morning and I said, ‘that is not my car.’ There is some cash for gas and I more than apologize for the shock and upset this must have caused you. … So so sorry for this mistake.”

Initially, Hatzi thought this couldn’t possibly be true. However, following the police’s investigation, they confirmed that the woman’s story checked out.

An officer explained that the keys can be interchangeable in some older model Subarus. This explains how someone erroneously drove off with the wrong vehicle.

Hatzi said that she was very thankful and then it was mainly disbelief and amusement that something like this could happen,”.

Subaru of America has not immediately returned any request for comment on this matter.

 

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Nigeria: President Buhari’s “The Other Room” Comment Sparks International Outrage

Nigeria’s power couple seems to have a misunderstanding in their political views lately. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari took the opportunity in responding to his wife’s criticism on a visit to Germany. He said, “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.”

The Nigerian President delivered the provocative statement while alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel, who just stared at Buhari. Merkel is considered to be one of the most powerful women in the world.

The rift started when Buhari’s wife, Aisha Buhari showed her dismay regarding her husband’s governance. She said she will not support her husband’s candidacy in the next election unless “he got a grip on his government”.

President Buhari answered the reporter’s question in saying he “claims superior knowledge over her”. He points out his victory in the last elections after running three times for the presidency.

Aisha Buhari is a businesswoman and activist who helped mold the president’s campaign. She organized women’s and youth groups to campaign for her husband. Her discontentment on her husband’s government came as a surprise. According to BBC reporter Naziru Mikailu, it shows the level of dissatisfaction in Buhari’s administration.

A “few” puppet masters?

In an interview with BBC’s Hausa language service, she said the “few people” who manipulated her husband’s administration were behind most of the presidential appointments. She said in the interview, “The president does not know 45 out of 50 of the people he appointed and I don’t know them either, despite being his wife of 27 years”.

President Buhari’s statement also sparked outrage because it shows the president’s perception of the role of women. His spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu went on Twitter and explained that the president respected the role of women in society and believed in their ability.

Meanwhile, the social media went berserk on the president’s statement about “the other room”. Many are curious about what President Buhari meant by “the other room”. In Nigeria, the hashtag #TheOtherRoom went viral where people are posting pictures of different bedrooms.

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‘We Done Bitches’; Message on Electronic Sign on Just Completed Ring Road

An unidentified person blatantly displayed pleasure on the completion of the Anthony Henday Drive. One of the city’s electronic signs showed some coarse words.

The sign was featured in a video that started circulating on Facebook Saturday night. The first message shown informs motorist that the ring road was now open, then a naughty “we done bitches” to the amusement of travelers. The sign can be found on the westbound lane on Yellowtrail, right after Clover Bar Road.

“Only in Alberta do you see road signs that say ‘We done bitches,'” someone wrote. Another describes the sign as “awesome.”

The person who took the video Shauna Stelmaschuk, and her family drove through the recently finished ring road. As they came up on the sign, she read the messages aloud to her companions.

“We couldn’t believe what we saw,” she said. “We all laughed and took it as good humour.”

Road construction finally done

The construction of the final stretch of the Anthony Henday started in 2012. The first segment of the ring road was developed in the 1970’s however. The northeast portion finally opened to the motoring public. The construction represented Alberta’s first fully-operational ring road, hence the attendance of a number of VIPs.

The 27-kilometer stretch of road cost $1.8 billion and allows Edmontonians 80 kms of obstructionless, free-flow traffic.

This makes Provincial Transportation Minister Brian Mason a happy man. “[This will] improve the quality of life and the economy of communities around Alberta,” he said.
Stelmaschuk feels that the person responsible for the sign felt equally ecstatic, although he expressed it differently. She said,”I think that person, in humour, hopefully, just saw it as ‘we’re done, we’re here, let’s carry on.”

What the government thinks

Mason said his office knows about the video and that they will work on the sign.

“Two thousand people worked very hard to bring this project to completion, and there’s obviously a lot of pride in that work,” In a written statement, Mason’s press secretary Aileen Machell remarked, “It seems someone changed the sign as part of the celebrations, however the wording is not the kind we would use and we had it changed immediately.”

Nevertheless, Stelmaschuk stated that the messeage did not bother her. She said, “The language is not something I would want my children to repeat.” However, she added, “I understand [the criticism], but to be very honest it was not my initial reaction.
“I didn’t take offense to it at all.”
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US Team Ends Losing Streak, Wins Back Ryder Cup

The US Ryder Cup team gave Europe a 17-11 thrashing on Sunday as they snapped a losing streak and had their biggest rout of the biennial event in 35 years.

Ryan Moore, who was added as the 12th player only the day prior to the arrival of the team in Minnesota, sealed the rousing win over Europe by trouncing Lee Westwood 1-up for his second point of the competition.

US assistant captain Bubba Watson wept as he and captain Davis Love III hugged on the 18th green. Families, friends and teammates rushed onto the green to celebrate.

The Ryder Cup is staying in America for the first time since 2008 as Europe dominated eight of the previous ten meetings, winning three Cup victories in a row.

There was never really a chance for Europe, who was going for its fourth straight victory.

Patrick Reed outdueled Irishman Rory McIlroy in an unbelievable match.

McIlroy holed a long birdie from 60 feet out that silenced the audience. Playing to the crowd, he put his hand to his ear and shouted, “I can’t hear you, I can’t hear you,” elaborately.

Reed then followed with a 35-foot birdie putt and wagged his finger at McIlroy as the crowd was ecstatic. They bumped fists and patted each other on the back as they exited the green.

Reed’s 1-up win gave him 3.5 points in his five matches, topping the US team.

Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia collected 19 birdies between them, eight coming over the last five holes. They fittingly ended up all square.

To wrap up their victory, the US side took advantage of their superior depth. They won all of their matches against four of Europe’s six rookies in the late match ups.

Only rookies Thomas Pieters of Belgium and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello won against their American opponents in the later matches. Pieters beat JB Holmes and Cabrera-Bello topped Jimmy Walker, both by 3 and 2.

The Americans celebrated their victory on top of a bridge near the 18th green and dosed champagne on themselves and the crowd. Furthermore, the huge throng vigorously cheered “U-S-A” and “red, white, blue.”

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California; Police Release Video of Police Officers Shooting Unarmed Black Man

California Police authorities finally released the video of two police officers shooting an unarmed black man on Friday. The video quality, grainy and mostly without audio, did not help in calming the rage of the community.

On Tuesday, two officers fatally shot an Uganda born citizen, Alfredo Olango aged 31. Authorities however, made no decision that concerns filing a criminal case against the two officers involved.

El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said in a news conference. “This is as difficult a situation as any law enforcement officer will ever encounter and its one we never seek”. He then added “That being the case, a tragic event took place that took a life and had a major impact on our community.”

El Cajon officer Richard Gonsalves and Josh McDaniel both have 21 years in service. The two officers responded to an emergency call about a “mentally unstable” man walking in traffic.

The police officials said Olango ignored commands to take his hand out of his pocket. He then pulled out an object and assumed a “shooting stance”, and pointed the device. The object Olango carried turns out to be a vaping device, a 3-inch-long (8-cm) cylinder used to inhale nicotine. The police found no gun in the scene.

Series of events

Before police authorities released their video, two other videos surfaced showing the incident. The Los Ponchos Taco stand in El Cajon captured the incident on their drive thru window camera. The other video came from a bystander’s cellphone.

Both of the videos show two police officers confronting Olango, one with a gun the other with a taser before opening fire in the restaurant’s parking lot.

The video from the cellphone only last 17 seconds but a distinct voice of a woman can be heard in the background. It appears she shouted “Officer don’t shoot him!” before at least four shots resonated in the background with the woman screams.

An officer obscured the camera hence making it hard for authorities to see Olango’s action moments before he got shot.

Family members and activists appealed for several days for the police to release the video. Believing it will shed light on how police officers acted improperly during the confrontation.
During a press conference on Thursday, Olangos’ emotionally distressed mother said her son is having mental breakdown; instead of shooting her son, the police should have helped him.

On Friday, Dan Gilleon, the lawyer representing the family said that the newly released footage supported their position that the officers had “provoked a mentally disturbed person.”

 

Activists and family members also scrutinize police for releasing a still photograph of Olango. The photograph shows Olango pointing an object to an officer, giving misinterpretations and unfair judgments for the former Ugandan refugee

Anger from Africa

Olango’s death sparked controversy reaching several countries including Africa. International officials criticized not only Olango’s death but also the series of events in police killings of black men in the US.

The shooting led to a protest in El Cajon, a suburb of San Diego on Thursday. Police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd and arrested two men for unlawful assembly.

Police authorities put Gonsalves and MacDaniel on administrative leave while investigations continue.

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Obama Says Congress Veto of Saudi 9/11 Bill a Mistake

US President Barack Obama has said that congress made a mistake by overruling his veto on Wednesday and put into effect a bill that allows legal action versus Saudi Arabia over the 9/11 attacks.

Therefore, he said that the legislation set a dangerous precedent for individuals around the world to charge the US government.

“It’s a dangerous precedent and it’s an example of why sometimes you have to do what’s hard,” Mr. Obama told CNN on Wednesday. “And, frankly, I wish Congress here had done what’s hard.”

The Justice Against Sponsors to Terrorism, or JASTA bill, finally clears the way for victims to file lawsuits seeking damages from members of the Saudi government who may have played a part in the attacks.

The oil-rich nation has denied any role in the attacks. Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers, however, were Saudi nationals.

Obama contended that putting the bill into law would be harmful to US interests. If other countries passed a similar legislation, US officials, troops and companies may be exposed.

The European Union and other US allies have opposed the bill. Dow Chemical and General Electric also contested it.

Government officials including Secretary of Defense Ash Carter disputed the bill. CIA Director John Brennan said that the bill held “grave implications” for national security.

Political considerations vs “doing the right thing”

The US president also suggested that political considerations were behind the vote.

“If you’re perceived as voting against 9/11 families right before an election, not surprisingly, that’s a hard vote for people to take.” he said on CNN. “But it would have been the right thing to do.”

Obama’s ardent Democratic supporters in congress managed to uphold all prior 11 vetoes. However, most of them linked up with Republicans to oppose him before going on the campaign trail for the November 8 elections.

The Senate voted against the veto 97-1 after the House of Representatives disapproved it 348-77.

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