World War Z, Marc Forster's adaptation of the popular zombie novel by Max Brooks, has suffered a development wobble of late, with the film's release date being pushed back in order to allow for significant reshoots.
Paramount were thought to have concerns over major deficiencies in the story, with Prometheus scribe Damon Lindelof hired to rewrite the film's ending. Now it turns out that Lindelof only came up with the idea for the new conclusion, with The Cabin In The Woods' Drew Goddard charged with doing the actual writing.
A previous screenwriter for Lost (alongside Lindelof) and having also written the script for Cloverfield, Goddard certainly has sci-fi pedigree, although whether or not his busy schedule will allow him to perform a full re-write remains to be seen.
The finished film will star Brad Pitt as a UN employee facing a desperate race against time as he attempts to stop a zombie pandemic from sweeping across the globe. Pitt will be joined by Matthew Fox, David Morse and James Badge Dale, as well as a whole host of shambling, brain-munching types.
The latest release date for the film is 21 June 2013, although we'd only pencil that one in for now, as further delays could arise from any further script issues. Let's just hope Goddard has the time available to give this one the finale it deserves.
Cells derived from debrided burn tissue may be useful for tissue engineeringPublic release date: 11-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: David Eve celltransplantation@gmail.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair
Putnam Valley, NY. (July 11, 2012) A research team in the Netherlands has found that cells from burn eschar, the non-viable tissue remaining after burn injury and normally removed to prevent infection, can be a source of mesenchymal cells that may be used for tissue engineering. Their study compared the efficacy of those cells to adipose (fat)-derived stem cells and dermal fibroblasts in conforming to multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) criteria.
Their study is published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:5), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/.
"In this study we used mouse models to investigate whether eschar-derived cells fulfill all the criteria for multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells as formulated by the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT)," said study co-author Dr. Magda M.W. Ulrich of the Association of Dutch Burn Centres, The Netherlands. "The study also assessed the differentiation potential of MSCs isolated from normal skin tissue and adipose tissue and compared them to cells derived from burn eschar."
According to the researchers, advances in burn treatment have meant that the percentage of patients surviving severe burn injuries is increasing. This escalating survival rate has also increased the number of people who are left with burn scars, which lead to functional problems with the skin, such as contracture, and the social and psychological aspects of disfigurement.
Tissue engineering to rebuild the skin is the most promising approach to solving these problems. However, two problems arise with tissue engineering the source of the cells and the design of the scaffold aimed at creating a microenvironment to guide cells toward tissue regeneration.
"The choice of cells for skin tissue engineering is vital to the outcome of the healing process," said Dr. Ulrich. "This study used mouse models and eschar tissues excised between 11 and 26 days after burn injury. The delay allowed time for partial thickness burns to heal, a process that is a regular treatment option in the Netherlands and rest of Europe."
The researchers speculated that during this time the severely damaged tissues could attract stem cells from the surrounding tissues, as elevated levels of MSCs have been detected in the blood of burn victims.
"MSCs can only be beneficial to tissue regeneration if they differentiate into types locally required in the wound environment," noted Dr. Ulrich. "We concluded that eschar-derived MSCs represent a population of multipotent stem cells. The origin of the cells remains unclear, but their resemblance to adipose-derived stem cells could be cause for speculation that in deep burns the subcutaneous adipose tissue might be an important stem cell source for wound healing."
The researchers concluded that more research is needed to identify the origins of the stem cells they found in burn eschar, their possible link to myofibroblasts, and how their function is influenced by the wound environment.
"This study demonstrates that the body's attempts to heal itself frequently require additional help to maximize the impact of these efforts," said Dr. Amit N. Patel, director of cardiovascular regenerative medicine at the University of Utah and section editor for Cell Transplantation. "Enhancing the endogenous production of MSCs, or transplantation of exogenous cells following burn injury, could prove useful in the remodeling of burnt tissue. Determining the original source of the cells is likely to be an important factor in developing an autologous (or otherwise) therapy."
###
Contact: Dr. Magda M.W. Ulrich, Association of Dutch Burn Centres, Postus 1015, 1940 EA Beverwijk, The Netherlands.
Tel. +31 251275506
Fax. + 0031 251264948
Email mulrich@burns.nl
Citation: van der Veen, V. C.; Vlig, M.; van Milligen, F. J.; de Vries, S. I.; Middelkoop, E.; Ulrich,
M. M. W. Stem Cells in Burn Eschar. Cell Transplant. 21(5):933-942; 2012.
The Coeditor-in-chief's for CELL TRANSPLANTATION are at the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Center for Neuropsychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, TaiChung, Taiwan. Contact, Shinn- Camillo Ricordi, MD at ricordi@miami.edu or Zong Lin, MD, PhD at shinnzong@yahoo.com.tw or David Eve, PhD at celltransplantation@gmail.com
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
Cells derived from debrided burn tissue may be useful for tissue engineeringPublic release date: 11-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: David Eve celltransplantation@gmail.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair
Putnam Valley, NY. (July 11, 2012) A research team in the Netherlands has found that cells from burn eschar, the non-viable tissue remaining after burn injury and normally removed to prevent infection, can be a source of mesenchymal cells that may be used for tissue engineering. Their study compared the efficacy of those cells to adipose (fat)-derived stem cells and dermal fibroblasts in conforming to multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) criteria.
Their study is published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:5), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/.
"In this study we used mouse models to investigate whether eschar-derived cells fulfill all the criteria for multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells as formulated by the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT)," said study co-author Dr. Magda M.W. Ulrich of the Association of Dutch Burn Centres, The Netherlands. "The study also assessed the differentiation potential of MSCs isolated from normal skin tissue and adipose tissue and compared them to cells derived from burn eschar."
According to the researchers, advances in burn treatment have meant that the percentage of patients surviving severe burn injuries is increasing. This escalating survival rate has also increased the number of people who are left with burn scars, which lead to functional problems with the skin, such as contracture, and the social and psychological aspects of disfigurement.
Tissue engineering to rebuild the skin is the most promising approach to solving these problems. However, two problems arise with tissue engineering the source of the cells and the design of the scaffold aimed at creating a microenvironment to guide cells toward tissue regeneration.
"The choice of cells for skin tissue engineering is vital to the outcome of the healing process," said Dr. Ulrich. "This study used mouse models and eschar tissues excised between 11 and 26 days after burn injury. The delay allowed time for partial thickness burns to heal, a process that is a regular treatment option in the Netherlands and rest of Europe."
The researchers speculated that during this time the severely damaged tissues could attract stem cells from the surrounding tissues, as elevated levels of MSCs have been detected in the blood of burn victims.
"MSCs can only be beneficial to tissue regeneration if they differentiate into types locally required in the wound environment," noted Dr. Ulrich. "We concluded that eschar-derived MSCs represent a population of multipotent stem cells. The origin of the cells remains unclear, but their resemblance to adipose-derived stem cells could be cause for speculation that in deep burns the subcutaneous adipose tissue might be an important stem cell source for wound healing."
The researchers concluded that more research is needed to identify the origins of the stem cells they found in burn eschar, their possible link to myofibroblasts, and how their function is influenced by the wound environment.
"This study demonstrates that the body's attempts to heal itself frequently require additional help to maximize the impact of these efforts," said Dr. Amit N. Patel, director of cardiovascular regenerative medicine at the University of Utah and section editor for Cell Transplantation. "Enhancing the endogenous production of MSCs, or transplantation of exogenous cells following burn injury, could prove useful in the remodeling of burnt tissue. Determining the original source of the cells is likely to be an important factor in developing an autologous (or otherwise) therapy."
###
Contact: Dr. Magda M.W. Ulrich, Association of Dutch Burn Centres, Postus 1015, 1940 EA Beverwijk, The Netherlands.
Tel. +31 251275506
Fax. + 0031 251264948
Email mulrich@burns.nl
Citation: van der Veen, V. C.; Vlig, M.; van Milligen, F. J.; de Vries, S. I.; Middelkoop, E.; Ulrich,
M. M. W. Stem Cells in Burn Eschar. Cell Transplant. 21(5):933-942; 2012.
The Coeditor-in-chief's for CELL TRANSPLANTATION are at the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Center for Neuropsychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, TaiChung, Taiwan. Contact, Shinn- Camillo Ricordi, MD at ricordi@miami.edu or Zong Lin, MD, PhD at shinnzong@yahoo.com.tw or David Eve, PhD at celltransplantation@gmail.com
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gestures during remarks to volunteers working at the Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado to distribute food to those affected by the wild fire at the on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gestures during remarks to volunteers working at the Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado to distribute food to those affected by the wild fire at the on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
HOUSTON (AP) ? Mitt Romney isn't going to win the black vote. But he's making a pitch to African-Americans at the NAACP's annual meeting, giving a major speech that's also aimed at showing independent and swing voters that he's willing to reach out to diverse audiences ? and demonstrating that his campaign and the Republican Party he leads are inclusive.
Romney's advisers say he plans to focus, as he usually does, on the economy. The 14.4 percent unemployment rate among blacks is much higher than the 8.2 percent national average. He's also likely to mention his plan to increase school choice ? he's called education the "civil rights issue of our era."
It's a difficult sell ? 95 percent of blacks backed President Barack Obama in 2008. But no matter what Romney tells the NAACP on Wednesday, Republicans and Democrats say he's making a statement just by speaking to the nation's oldest civil rights group.
"The first thing you need to do is show up, so I ultimately think he's doing the right thing," said Rep. Tim Scott, R-S.C., one of two black Republicans in Congress. "What he's saying to everyone is that he's (running to become) America's president and not just those folks he thinks he can get votes from right now. I think that's a very important statement."
"You've got to get credit for showing up ? for being willing to go ? no question," said Karen Finney, a Democratic consultant who worked in the Clinton White House. "It's more about your actions than it is about what you say."
Obama spoke to the group during his 2008 campaign, as did his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain. Obama doesn't plan to speak this year ? instead, Vice President Joe Biden will address the annual convention on Thursday. Obama plans to address the Urban League later this month.
Romney rarely speaks to a predominantly black audience at political events. One exception was a May visit to a charter school in Philadelphia, where he cast fixing the education system as a way to help blacks and other minorities.
In framing education as a civil rights issue, Romney is following in George W. Bush's footsteps. At a sweeping address to the NAACP in 2000, Bush, then the Republican presidential nominee, said the education system should "leave no child behind" ? and he labeled the "soft bigotry of low expectations" as part of the problem facing black students.
The likely 2012 Republican nominee has a personal history with civil rights issues. Romney's father, George, spoke out against segregation in the 1960s and as governor of Michigan toured his state's inner cities as race riots wracked Detroit and other urban areas across the country. He went on to lead the Housing and Urban Development Department, where he pushed for housing reforms to help blacks.
Mitt Romney invoked that legacy during a 2007 interview on NBC's "Meet the Press": "My dad's reputation ... and my own has always been one of reaching out to people and not discriminating based upon race or anything else."
In recent months, Obama has approached race from an intensely personal perspective. After the shooting of unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin in a Florida neighborhood ? an act many blacks saw as racially motivated ? Obama spoke directly to Martin's parents from the Rose Garden. "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon," Obama said.
Diminished enthusiasm for the president in the wake of the economic downturn could dampen black turnout. And that could make the difference in Southern states Obama won in 2008, particularly North Carolina and Virginia.
Other factors could keep blacks away from voting booths. Romney's address to the group comes as Democrats and minority communities are expressing concern over a series of tough voter identification laws in a handful of states. Critics say the laws could make it harder for blacks and Hispanics to vote.
"He'll be standing in that room asking people for their votes at the same time that Republican legislators are trying to disenfranchise minority communities," said Finney, the Democratic consultant.
Romney expressed support for such laws during a late April visit to Pennsylvania, which now has one of the toughest voter identification statutes in the nation. "We ought to have voter identification so we know who's voting and we have a record of that," Romney said then.
Strangely, the Austrian city of Klagenfurt doesn't have a public library, even though it hosts the Festival of German-Language Literature. However, an initiative dubbed Project Ingeborg is turning the municipality into a book repository of sorts with 70 QR code and NFC chip-equipped stickers. Plastered throughout town, they direct users to web pages where they can download public domain works, largely from Project Gutenberg. Oftentimes, e-books will be located in relevant locations -- so you'll be sure to find Arthur Schnitzler's The Killer near the police station, for example. Come August, the team behind the effort will partner with local talent to distribute books, music and other digital content too. In an effort to build a stronger bond to the location, the organizers have prevented search engines from indexing the links, so you'll have to visit Klagenfurt to access the curated goods. If you'd like to turn your city into a library, the group hopes to release instructions for replicating their system soon.
NEW YORK?? An eyewear website operator was imprisoned without bail Wednesday after witnesses said he threatened them with murder or rape when they complained about eyeglass orders.
U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan in Manhattan ordered Vitaly Borker, 36, jailed as soon as the last of five witnesses from across the country finished testifying about the terror they felt from his threats. The judge said he found "highly credible" their claims that Borker made threats that included murder, rape and, in one instance, slicing off a woman's legs.
Borker pleaded guilty last year to making threats and fraud charges. He was to be sentenced earlier this year but the judge stopped the proceeding and asked to hear from witnesses after Borker's lawyer, Dominic Amorosa, insisted Borker never threatened anyone with rape or death despite claims by numerous individuals that he did. Amorosa cited sales of more than 100,000 pairs of eyeglasses to show that the business was successful. He conceded that Borker made threats but denied he ever said he would kill anyone.
Federal sentencing guidelines call for a sentence of roughly three years in prison, but Sullivan has said he might impose a harsher sentence.
Prosecutors said well over 200 complaints against Borker had been filed with the Federal Trade Commission since 2007 over the operation of his website, DecorMyEyes.com.
Sarah Lauch, testifying from the Chicago area via videotape, said Wednesday that she began getting threats after she tried to cancel her glasses order, taking advantage of the money-back guarantee that was promised on the website.
"It was horrible. It was a nightmare for a month and a half," she said.
Lauch said Borker in a voicemail message said: "I hope you die. I want to slice your legs off." She said she did not save the message.
Marlene Pedesclaux, testifying via videotape from a Marrero, La., courthouse near New Orleans, said she was harassed after she canceled her $149 credit card transaction in 2010 when she was sent damaged sunglasses.
"Yes, a lot of F-bombs went flying," she said of Borker's language.
Pedesclaux said Borker threatened to kill her and her family and to stalk her relentlessly unless she withdrew her canceled order.
"I asked him if it was worth it for $149," she said.
Melissa Kross, another Chicago-area resident, testified in Manhattan that she was threatened through emails and phone calls after she canceled her $200 order for glasses when the glasses never arrived.
"I was terrified," Kross said. "At one point, he had even threatened to kill me."
She said she was so scared that she contacted police and spent $500 on a home security system.
After the testimony, Sullivan summoned court officers from the back of the courtroom to take Borker away even though more witnesses are scheduled to testify next week.
"Thus far, I have found all the witnesses to be highly credible," he said.
Amorosa declined comment as he left court. At an earlier hearing, he blamed Borker's actions on psychiatric problems including bipolar behavior and said his client was "full of remorse for what he did to these people."
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The 16GB version will be available to purchase online starting July 11 (that's this Wednesday) and will arrive in retail stores by the end of the week. The 32GB version will be made available 'shortly after that'.
The cost of both will be $199.99 (16GB) and $249.99 (32GB) after a $100 mail-in rebate.
So if you weren't able to get your pre-order in or you're just waiting to play with one, you'll be able to pick one up tomorrow and at the end of the week directly from the store. If you do pick one up, share your experience in the Samsung Galaxy S III Forum!
In this image made off North Korea's KRT video footage, North Korea's new Moranbong band and performers dressed as America's cartoon characters perform in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, July 6, 2012. Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh took the stage for new leader Kim Jong Un, in an unusual performance featuring Disney characters in North Korea. (AP Photo/KRT)
In this image made off North Korea's KRT video footage, North Korea's new Moranbong band and performers dressed as America's cartoon characters perform in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, July 6, 2012. Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh took the stage for new leader Kim Jong Un, in an unusual performance featuring Disney characters in North Korea. (AP Photo/KRT)
In this image made off North Korea's KRT video footage, North Korea's new Moranbong band and performers dressed as America's cartoon characters perform in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, July 6, 2012. Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh took the stage for new leader Kim Jong Un, in an unusual performance featuring Disney characters in North Korea. (AP Photo/KRT)
In this image made off North Korea's KRT video footage, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from right, watches performances by North Korea's new Moranbong band in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, July 6, 2012. Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh took the stage during the concert for Kim in an unusual performance featuring Disney characters in North Korea. (AP Photo/KRT)
North Koreans bow in front of a statue of Kim Il Sung on the 18th anniversary of the late North Korea founder's death on Sunday, July 8, 2012, at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon)
North Koreans visit the statues of late leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il, right, on Sunday, July 8, 2012, on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea, to pay tribute to Kim Il Sung on the 18th anniversary of the former North Korean leader's death. (AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon)
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) ? Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh took the stage in North Korea during a concert for new leader Kim Jong Un, in an unusual performance featuring Disney characters.
Performers dressed as Minnie Mouse, Tigger and others danced and pranced as footage from "Snow White," ''Dumbo," ''Beauty and the Beast" and other Disney movies played on a massive backdrop, according to still photos shown on state TV.
The inclusion of characters popular in the West ? particularly from the United States, North Korea's wartime enemy ? is a notable change in direction for performances in Pyongyang. Actors and actresses also showed off new wardrobes, including strapless gowns and little black dresses.
In recent years, performances such as the "Arirang" mass games featured performers dressed as panda bears in homage to North Korean ally China.
This appears to be the first time Disney characters have been included in a major performance, though Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse have been popular among children for several years. Backpacks, pencil cases and pajamas imported from China often feature Disney characters, and stories such as "Dumbo" have been translated into Korean for North Korean schoolchildren. However, it is unusual to make such images a central part of a North Korean performance and to publicize it on state TV.
Zenia Mucha, chief spokesperson for The Walt Disney Co., said the use of Disney characters in the North Korean performance was not authorized by the U.S. entertainment company.
"This was not licensed or authorized by The Walt Disney Company," Mucha told the AP by telephone on Sunday.
U.S. sanctions prohibit the import of North Korean goods to the United States, but do not ban the sales of American consumer products in North Korea unless they involve officials or companies on the U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions blacklist.
The performance was staged Friday by the Moranbong band, which was making its debut after being assembled by Kim himself, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.
Kim, who took power after his father, longtime leader Kim Jong Il, died in December, has a "grandiose plan to bring about a dramatic turn in the field of literature and arts this year," KCNA said.
The dispatch made no mention of Disney characters, but said the concert included the traditional folk tune "Arirang" as well as a number of upbeat foreign songs.
Featuring Disney characters signals that Kim may be seeking to carve out a different image than his father and grandfather by easing restrictions on Western culture, said Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korean studies professor based in Seoul, South Korea.
Kim, who is in his late 20s, has sought to project an image of youth, vitality and modernity.
Early Sunday, he led top officials in paying their respects to his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, at the mausoleum where he lies in state. Kim died 18 years ago Sunday.
Earlier in the year, a quintet of accordionists became a YouTube sensation for their arrangement of "Take on Me," a pop song by the Norwegian band a-ha.
North Korea and the United States remain in a technical state of war because they signed a truce, not a peace treaty, after three years of fighting in 1953. The foes do not have diplomatic relations.
___
Associated Press writers Jean H. Lee and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
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Public release date: 11-Jul-2012
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