&Andrew Koenigs weeping relatives appeared on the "Today Show" Wednesday (Feb 24) with an interest for any report about the former "Growing Pains" star."Its very, really tough," pronounced his father&Walter Koenig, who played Chekov on "Star Trek." "He was really vexed about his life."His mom Judy added, "He is most desired and dear in this world, and I only goal he gets that feeling."The Koenigs sojourn carefree their son is okay. Asked either he might have harm himself, Walter said, "We"re perplexing not to think that way."Andrew, 41, left on eighth month in Vancouver on Feb. 14. Reported sightings of the actress have been made, but no lead is solid.Walter Koenigs website asks: "If you"ve seen Andrew given Feb 14th, PLEASE hit Detective Raymond Payette of the Vancouver PD at 604-717-2534."Follow&Zap2its Dish Rag on Twitter&and&Zap2it on Facebook&for the ultimate celeb headlines and buzz.Related:"Growing Pains" star Kirk Cameron to Andrew Koenig: "Please call me""Growing Pains" star Andrew Koenig missing, confirms sister [Updated]Celebs seeking for Boner: "Growing Pains" Andrew Koenig missing, contend pals [Updated]

Gas costs majority given 2008

Motorists are profitable the majority for gasoline given Oct 2008. Retail prices rose Thursday on an approaching enlarge in direct and as some-more costly open and summer blends have their approach to the pumps.

The national normal strike $2.80 per gallon, a penny higher than Wednesday, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. In the Triangle, the normal was only a tad reduce Thursday at $2.76 per gallon for unleaded.

Nationally, prices have right away jumped 18.9 cents in the past month and are 87.9 cents higher than a year ago. On Oct. 23, 2008, prices averaged $2.8215 per gallon. The Energy Department and most industry experts design prices to tip $3 this spring.

Gasoline prices lend towards to move higher in the open as some-more drivers strike the highway and refiners close down units for maintenance, as they hope for to have some-more costly summer blends with fewer smog-causing emissions.

Wholesale gasoline prices, too, are at their top given Oct 2008.

Americans right away outlay about a $1 billion a day to keep their cars and trucks filledan enlarge of scarcely $300 million from a year ago. With the normal motorist utilizing about 50 gallons a month of fuel, the check runs $140 per month and is approaching to climb over the subsequent multiform weeks.

The strike from gas prices comes as oil prices corroborated off their two-month highs Thursday. Crude prices fell 73 cents to solve at $82.20 a tub on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Oil has traded at $70 to $85 for months as mercantile reports vary on the strength of the mercantile liberation in the United States, the greatest consumer of oil.

"The subject is, essentially right right away in the world, is $85 justified?" pronounced Phil Flynn of PFGBest.

While oil and gasoline prices have been rising, healthy gas prices have finished the opposite. Prices fell scarcely 4 percent Thursday after the Energy Information Administration pronounced healthy gas stockpiles shrank less than approaching last week. Prices have forsaken some-more than thirty percent given the commencement of the year.

Despite a bitterly cold winter in most of the nation that has driven clever demand, abounding reserve have kept a lid on prices.

Lehman to court: Barclays perceived tip bonus

Emily Chasan NEW YORK Fri April 9, 2010 5:20pm EDT Related News Barclays seeks Lehman assets, over keeper disputesTue, April 6 2010Barclays seeks Lehman assets, over keeper disputesTue, April 6 2010Lehman UK section says item physical education instructor plan is as well soonMon, April 5 2010UPDATE 1-Lehman UK section says item physical education instructor plan is as well soonMon, April 5 2010Lehman: Creditor claims should be cut to $605 billionMon, March twenty-nine 2010 Stocks & &

A workman waits for commercial operation in a bend of Barclays bank in London Feb 16, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Jas Lehal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (LEHMQ.PK) told a U.S. failure decider on Friday that Barclays Plc (BARC.L) should be forced to lapse certain resources it perceived in the 2008 merger of Lehman"s core U.S. brokerage, since Barclays organised a tip $5 billion discount.

Deals

In opening arguments at a conference in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, an profession for Lehman Brothers claimed that Lehman and Barclays employees had dark report about the bonus from their lawyers and the court, among heated understanding negotiations in the darkest days of the monetary crisis.

Lehman filed the largest failure in story on Sep 15, 2008, offering the flagship U.S. brokerage commercial operation to Barclays for about $1.85 billion less than a week later.

But Lehman is right away asking Judge James Peck to have changes to the sequence that certified the understanding after months of review suggested that the sale described to the justice was not the sale essentially executed.

"Barclays programmed on and insisted on the bonus and they programmed on the guilt numbers being inflated," Robert Gaffey, a Jones Day profession representing Lehman, told the court.

"It was not the wash described to the (Lehman) board, it was not the net good described to the estate," he continued, claiming that Barclays perceived an $11.2 billion evident asset distinction on the resources it acquired, whilst the justice was told that the sale would essentially give Lehman a good of about $4 billion in conditions of marked down liabilities and cash.

Gaffey showed the justice emails from Lehman employees who had been offering new jobs at Barclays, divulgence the conflicts they might have had as they were operative to prepare the deal.

"They were on their approach to new careers, they were portion their new master," Gaffey said.

He pronounced the Lehman employees had organised for Barclays to get a $5 billion bonus on Lehman"s $70 billion book of bonds -- personally shortening the values of the resources on Lehman"s books, whilst their lawyers told the justice that the markets had forced the change.

"It was not since the markets dropped, it"s since the Lehman traders had instructions from Barclays to revoke the values to murder value," Gaffey said.

Gaffey pronounced that either the send of resources was a inapplicable designation or conscious did not matter, and that Lehman is entitled to the lapse of assets.

In opening the hearing, Judge Peck pronounced that this was "the begin of a prolonged slog," on this dispute, and he might listen to multiform alternative arguments prior to creation any decision.

BARCLAYS SAYS THE DEAL WAS RISKY

Barclays" profession David Boies fought behind opposite Lehman"s claims after on Friday, revelation the justice that the understanding was regularly dictated to be rught away certain for the British investment bank.

"This was a "bet your company" investment for Barclays -- it was an huge risk," Boies said. "It was something where Barclays was the usually bidder -- there wasn"t anybody else."

Boies pronounced that Barclays had been concerned, similar to most others on Wall Street, that Lehman had been overly assertive with the outlines on the assets, and Barclays didn"t wish to risk carrying to after take a write-down on the acquisition.

He told the justice that Lehman and the creditors are perplexing to shift the understanding right away that the markets have improved, observant the sheer contrariety with the wild swings going on in the surrounded by of the 2008 negotiations.

Lehman attorneys additionally told the justice that Barclays might have arrogant a little of the liabilities it pronounced it would assume, such as those associated to stability practice of Lehman staff, and that a "clarification letter" tacked on to the understanding after the justice authorized it materially altered the deal.

Barclays doubtful Lehman"s claims that their attorneys had been kept in the dark, and pronounced that Lehman could have addressed these concerns most earlier.

"Everybody supposed it since that was the understanding and at the time. They knew it was the deal," Boies said. "Yes, people were scrambling at the last minute. Yes, the understanding was becoming different at the last minute, but once the construction minute was created everyone had a duplicate of it."

James Giddens, the keeper in assign of liquidating Lehman"s brokerage and creation certain commercial operation embrace their assets, additionally assimilated the brawl opposite Barclays. An profession for the keeper pronounced that $769 million of supervision bonds and a little $4 billion in money never should have been eliminated to Barclays.

Susheel Kirpalani, an profession for Lehman"s Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, told the justice that Barclay"s was creation a "circular argument" and that Lehman was usually in justice right away since new justification showed the understanding had left wrong.

"This is not a box about seller"s remorse," Kirpalani said. "There is an even larger open process issue at fool around -- that is transparency."

Lehman shares sealed down some-more than 5 percent at about eleven cents in the over-the-counter marketplace on Friday, whilst Barclays shares sealed at 356.5 pence on the London Stock Exchange, down 0.2 percent.

The box is In re: Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, No. 08-13555.

(Reporting by Emily Chasan, modifying by Matthew Lewis and Bernard Orr)

Deals

Portsmouth players face difficult preference if they reach FA Cup Final Portsmouth

Nick Szczepanik & ,}

Portsmouth players have been told to relinquish hundreds of thousands of pounds in bonuses if they wish to fool around in the FA Cup Final.

As most as 6 players have been warned that they might never fool around for the bar again after tomorrows semi-final opposite Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. Avram Grant, the manager, pronounced he is unknowingly of the development.

Andrew Andronikou, the director perplexing to find a customer for the uneasy club, has told the players that Portsmouth cannot equates to additional payments or new contracts that will be triggered should they stay in the initial team. He has asked them to give up bonuses of up to 100,000.

Clauses in their stream contracts meant that the semi-final triggers a set number of games that possibly equates to the player is entitled, automatically, to have his stipulate renewed for subsequent season, or that it triggers a accumulation of cash payments trimming from 100,000 to 50,000, he said.

Related LinksGrant hopes for some-more Cup distractionPortsmouth fighting to the sour endFresh doubts are expel over Chainrai

Andronikou has suggested that one player contingency determine to abandon bonuses prior to he can face Spurs. That would be comfortless for the player if the group are in the final, he said. But it will be the preference of the players, or their agents.

They are going to have to pledge those contractual obligations or they cannot fool around again. It does denote the problems that were carrying contractually, but additionally how everybody is pulling together for the consequence of the club. They all wish to play.

Andronikou refused to exhibit the names of the players involved, but they could include Steve Finnan and Kanu, whose contracts finish at the finish of the season, and loan signings together with Hassan Yebda, who has already done twenty appearances.

Others on or around twenty-five appearances embody Nadir Belhadj (25), Aaron Mokoena (24), Tal Ben-Haim (23) and Hayden Mullins (24). Aruna Dindane, the striker, cannot fool around after tomorrows compare but triggering an involuntary 4 million remuneration to Lens. David James, the England goalkeeper, has already forfeited his right to a new contract.

Budget 2010: Rich homebuyers will equivocate stamp avocation

By Graham Ruddick, City Reporter (Property) 645AM GMT twenty-six March 2010

Charles Smith, handling executive of Sotheby"s International Realty in London, likely exchange on top of 1m would be increasingly finished by offshore vehicles, house names, and family trusts.

In his Budget on Wednesday, Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, lifted the starting point for stamp avocation to 250,000 for first-time buyers but increasing stamp avocation on purchases of 1m or some-more to 5pc from 4pc.

Budget 2010 key points Tables how singular people, couples, pensioners fared Budget 2010 winners Budget 2010 losers

Analysts interpreted the proposals as a brazenly domestic "Robin Hood" taxation written to capture votes in extrinsic constituencies forward of the ubiquitous election.

However, Mr Smith warned "If it is meant to be directed at really abounding people afterwards he [the Chancellor] is positively in error since these people will make use of offshore vehicles. This does zero to residence stamp avocation avoidance."

Out of the Mayfair office, about 95pc of the homes Sotheby"s markets are value some-more than 1m.

One of the majority profitable properties for sale at benefaction is a 20m palace in Mayfair. Under the new 5pc rate, to be introduced subsequent April, stamp avocation on the home will climb 200,000 to 1m.

"It is unhelpful," Mr Smith pronounced of the tax. "It is positively gimmicky, that is a genuine contrition to see."

The "vast majority" of purchasers of Sotheby"s skill are money buyers and Mr Smith pronounced assorted schemes of deterrence were "being promoted by lawyers and accountants". Buying a skill by a corporate name is one intensity process since blurb exchange are free from the 5pc rate.

Data from the Land Registry show 4,410 homes value 1m or some-more were sole in the UK last year, with 83pc in London and the South East. In contrast, only 23pc of homes sole for less than 250,000 were in the region. This led to upmarket estate representative Knight Frank to call the changes to stamp avocation a "tax on London".

However, Mr Smith downplayed the stroke the shift could have. "It is an distrurbance but the not something that will stop them you do a deal," he added.

U.S. answers not nonetheless sufficient for Mideast talks: Dahlan

Ali Sawafta RAMALLAH, West Bank Mon March 1, 2010 3:41pm EST Related News Violence flares at Jerusalem holy siteSun, February twenty-eight 2010Violence flares at Jerusalem holy siteSun, February twenty-eight 2010Israel won"t draw towards Palestinians to violence: FayyadFri, February twenty-six 2010Israel plans some-more homes for East Jerusalem: reportFri, February twenty-six 2010Clinton sounds upbeat on Israeli-Palestinian talksWed, February twenty-four 2010 Related Video Violence flares at al-Aqsa mosque Sun, February twenty-eight 2010 < 1 / 6 >

Children will humour if propagandize construction programme is cut says CABEEducation Education

The head of the Governments advisory physique on pattern will advise currently that slicing propagandize building a whole programmes would imperil the hold up chances of millions of immature people.

Paul Finch, the newly allocated authority of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) that advises ministers on pattern will contend it is necessary the benefits of the building a whole programme "are not squandered". Without it, he argues, pupils will be attacked of their proclivity to stay at propagandize and examination formula might suffer.

Financial analysts have warned that the subsequent supervision will have to trim the �55bn Building Schools for the Future programme as a outcome of mercantile pressures. Labour has warned that the intrigue could face estimable cuts underneath the Conservatives" plans to broach a new network of independent, Swedish-style "free" schools saved by the state.

Speaking to The Independent forward of his speech, Mr Finch said: "A third of internal authorities have nonetheless to see any great from Building Schools for the Future. We think it would be a really bad thought if young kids who occur to live in these authorities work in second-class schools compared with people in beside districts who have been piece of the programme. It would be an additional postcode lottery."

He said: "At worst, a little of the young kids in these schools are taught in humid and joyless buildings that are bad for the spirit of pupils and bad for the spirit of teachers." He combined that the CABE was formulation investigate to establish the stroke a schools sourroundings had on pupils" learning. "We think the idea there is no justification that a great building a whole has an outcome on propagandize opening is wrong. In health, it has been shown that the peculiarity of the sourroundings has an outcome on liberation times."

Mr Finch, who is additionally the programme executive of the World Architectural Festival, added: " If the earthy premises, for example, are well designed, it will inspire great teachers to request for jobs in these places. If they are poor, it will inspire them to see elsewhere."

He pronounced the programme had reached dual thirds of internal authorities in England and had been a "success story" in mending standards in propagandize design.

Mr Finch, who will broach his residence at a discussion in London organized by the Building Schools Exhibition and Conference, added: "CABE positively understands the need for economy and worth in the building a whole of new buildings, but this is the wrong place to begin to have cuts that would have the outcome of targeting a little of the majority exposed people in society: children."

A orator for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "Decisions on destiny spending have nonetheless to be made. However, ministers have done it regularly transparent they are dynamic to finish the full programme."

Michael Gove, the Conservatives shade schools secretary, said: "Getting the right sourroundings for training is crucial. We await investment in propagandize buildings but the Governments doing has been noted by waste, bureaucracy and inefficiency."

Contralateral preventative mastectomy compared with presence in name breast cancer patients

Published online Feb twenty-five in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, itthe initial population-based investigate to find an organisation in in in between the procession and presence in any organisation of breast cancer patients. The commentary should suggest justification to both the women creation this mostly painful preference and the physicians obliged for their care.

According to Isabelle Bedrosian, M.D., partner highbrow in M. D. AndersonDepartment of Surgical Oncology, a flourishing series of breast cancer patients are opting for the procedure; new census interpretation have shown that the rate of CPM in women with theatre I-III breast cancer increasing by 150 percent from 1998 to 2003 in the United States.

In the clinic, we"ve seen a thespian enlarge in the series of women requesting CPM, and opposite the breast cancer community, studies have shown that the function of the procession is skyrocketing, pronounced Bedrosian, the studyco-corresponding author. Until now, we"ve counseled these patients on a unequivocally important, personal preference in a vacuum. With the study, the idea was to assimilate the implications of the surgery and who might benefit.

For the retrospective, population-based study, the researchers used the National Cancer InstituteSurveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry, the premier population-based cancer registry right away representing twenty-six percent of the countrypopulation, to brand 107,106 breast cancer patients who underwent a mastectomy for treatment, as well as a subset of 8,902 women who had CPM. All of the women were treated with colour for stages I -- III breast cancer in in in between 1998 and 2003. Patients were stratified for ER status, theatre of disease and age. Breast cancer-specific presence served as the studyprimary endpoint.

Rigorous investigate was peerless in the pattern of the study, pronounced George J. Chang, M.D., partner highbrow in M. D. AndersonDepartment of Surgical Oncology.

It was vicious to take a vicious eye and see at all the opposite ways the interpretation could be misinterpreted to safeguard that biases were not impacting the findings, pronounced Chang, the studyco-corresponding author. Using multi-variable investigate as well as risk stratification, we did the investigate in most opposite ways -- by SEER, comparing the presence of these patients to that of the ubiquitous population, as well as examining non-cancer associated contra cancer-specific survival. All pick analyses resulted in the same conclusion; we found one organisation for whom this surgery offers a loyal presence benefit.

The researchers found a transparent presence good for a name organisation of women that represents less than 10 percent of the breast cancer population. Those younger than age 50 with theatre I or II cancer with ER disastrous disease had a presence good of 4.8 percent at five years. However, both Bedrosian and Chang design that destiny investigate will show increasing presence good with longer follow-up in the population, as a patientlikelihood of removing a second breast cancer increases with time.

While the commentary should offer as a guideline for breast cancer patients and their physicians to have an informed, medically-based contention about CPM, they do not establish that CPM is medically inapt for all others with the disease, pronounced the researchers.

Our investigate found that breast cancer patients over the age of 60 can be reassured that they will not good from CPM, pronounced Bedrosian. However, there are alternative populations -- such as women in in in between the age of 50 and 60 -- where the commentary about the procession sojourn less clear. In addition, for immature women with early stage, estrogen receptive certain breast cancer who embrace Tamoxifen for usually five years, we unequivocally do not know either they would get a life-long protecting in effect from a second breast cancer event. Therefore, for a little one more breast cancer patients, CPM might unequivocally well be a medically-appropriate option.

In addition, the researchers note, the investigate prisoner conjunction family story nor BRCA status; it additionally did not embody DCIS, or theatre 0 breast cancer patients.

In further to Bedrosian and Chang, Chung Yuan Hu in the Department of Surgical Oncology, additionally authored the all-M. D. Anderson study.

Work Addiction Measured With New Scale

First we sense about sex addiction, right away researchers are investigate workaddiction and how improved to magnitude the disorder.

In a new study, Spanish researchers have grown a new scale for measuring obsession to work.

According to credentials information, around twelve percent of all workingpeople in Spain humour from the disorder. The experts contend that 8 percent of the operative race in Spain devotes some-more than twelve hours per day to their job.

"Addiction to work is a kind of psychosocial complaint that is characterized by dual first facilities operative excessively and operative compulsively," Mario Del L�bano, lead writer of the paper, said.

The results, published in the Spanish biography Psicothema, not usually endorse the dual measure of workaholism, but additionally describe theresults with psychosocial contentment (perceived health and happiness), in sequence to prominence the disastrous facilities of obsession to work in Spain.

"People are usually workaholics if, on tip of operative excessively, they work compulsively in sequence to revoke stress and the feelings of shame that they get when theye not working," Del L�bano explains. "This investigate helps to weigh obsession along with alternative phenomena that affect the psychosocial health of workers, but the time taken to fill in the petition carrying any stroke on their motivation," he adds.

The new scale, called DUWAS (Dutch Work Addiction Scale), has been certified as a outcome of the criticisms about the effect and trustworthiness done by dual analysis collection that have been majority used to date the WorkBAT (Workaholism Battery) and the WART (Work Addiction Risk Test).

Data on the worldwide superiority of obsession to work change from one investigate to another. It is placed at around twenty percent in countries such asJapan, whilst in Spain the total are in between 11.3 percent and twelve percent, according to investigate carried out in 2004 by S�nchez Pardo, Navarro Botella and Valderrama Zuri�n, and Del L�banos organisation in 2006, respectively.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says that 8 percent of the operative race devotes some-more than twelve hours per day to their contention in sequence to shun from personal problems. According to the experts, spending some-more than 50 hours per week operative could be a last cause in addiction.

Addiction to work is characterized by impassioned wake up in and friendship to work (with people even operative outward operative hours, at weekends and on holidays), constraint to work (inability to delegate), jagged impasse with work (people relating their self-esteemto their work), and focusing on work to the wreckage of their every day lives (poor interpersonal communication).

Some risk factors that can lead to such obsession embody financial, family and amicable pressures; fright of losing ones job; foe in the work market; the need to grasp a preferred turn of success; fright of overbearing, perfectionist or melancholy bosses; high levels of personalwork efficiency; and miss of personal affection, with the chairman tryingto have up for this with their work.

In addition, workaholic people can additionally finish up receiving bootleg substances to assistance them work harder, enabling them to enlarge their workplace opening and overcome lassitude and the need for sleep.

Internet: Obessession or Addiction? 5 Habits You Should Still Quit 10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp

Scientists find mom of all skin cells

Kate Kelland LONDON Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:31pm EST

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found the "mother," or origin, of all skin cells and say their discovery could dramatically improve skin treatments for victims of serious wounds and burns.

Science&&&&Health

Hans Clevers and a team of Dutch and Swedish researchers conducted a study in mice and found that the stem cell that gives produces all the different cells of the skin actually lives in hair follicles.

The findings, which they say will translate for human use, mean it may be possible to harness these stem cells to help with wound repair or skin transplants for burns victims, they said in a study in the Science journal on Thursday.

"This is the mother of all the stem cells in the skin -- it makes all the other stem cells," Clevers, of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in Utrecht, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"The same stem cells exist in humans, we can see them, and the promise is that these cells are probably going to be much better than anything we have had to date at making new skin."

The skin has three different populations of cells -- hair follicles, moisturizing sebaceous glands, and the tissue in between, known as the interfollicular epidermis. Stem cells are original cells, or drivers, from which all human cells develop.

Scientists had previously thought that stem cells in each of these three skin populations were capable of producing their own cell type, but until now, a "mother" stem cell which produces all three types had not been found.

Clevers" team found that a group of stem cells that live in hair follicles and which have high levels of a gene called Lgr6 are the original epidermal stem cells.

In tests on mice with wounds, they found that Lrg6 cells around the wound drove new skin growth and repaired the skin.

Scientists are already able to grow new skin in laboratories using tissue from existing skin cells from patients who have been badly burned, but the new skin is often brittle, dry and does not have hair -- making it look unusual.

Clevers said the advantage offered by the "mother" stem cell finding would be that they could grow skin from its original basis -- allowing it to be "real new skin" with moisture from sebaceous glands and the ability to grow hair.

He said researchers now need to learn how to isolate the Lrg6 cells from human skin. That could take 2 to 3 years.

"We are learning how to grow the mouse cells in culture. Once we know how to do this and can isolate the human variant, we should be able to grow human cells as well," he said.

"Since there is a lot of experience already with growing and transplanting skin for burn wound patients, it should be relatively easy to incorporate the new stem cells ... and conduct trials in patients."

(Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)

Science Health

Bladder growth risk higher after childhood cancer

Thu Mar 4, 2010 4:13pm EST Related News Roche"s Avastin helps in ovarian cancerThu, Feb 25 2010UPDATE 2-Roche"s Avastin helps in ovarian cancerThu, Feb 25 2010UPDATE 2-Roche"s Avastin fails in stomach cancer trialTue, Feb 23 2010Genome study shows what cancers have in commonWed, Feb 17 2010Aspirin cuts death risk after breast cancer: U.S. studyTue, Feb 16 2010

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Childhood cancer survivors are at a four-fold increased risk of developing new cancers of the bladder later in life, new research shows.

Health

But their risk is still very small; based on the findings, fewer than one-half of a percent of all childhood cancer survivors will be diagnosed with bladder cancer by age 55.

About three-quarters of children diagnosed with cancer will survive for at least five years, Dr. Clare Frobisher of the University of Birmingham in the UK and her colleagues note in BJU International. These individuals are known to be at higher risk of developing a new cancer later on.

To investigate the specific risk associated with bladder cancer, Frobisher and her team looked at nearly 18,000 people diagnosed with childhood cancer in the UK between 1940 and 1991 who had survived for at least five years after their cancer diagnosis. Seventeen had been diagnosed with bladder cancer during follow-up, about four times as many as would be expected in the general population.

The highest risk was seen in patients who had initially developed heritable retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer mainly seen in children younger than five. Survivors of this type of cancer were more than nine times as likely to develop bladder cancer as childhood cancer survivors overall. Chemotherapy upped the likelihood of bladder cancer about four-fold.

But again, the risks were still small; about four in every 100,000 childhood cancer survivors would develop bladder cancer in a given year; 34 of every 100,000 retinoblastoma patients would.

While following all childhood cancer survivors for bladder cancer would be impractical, given the rarity of the disease, the researchers say, it may be warranted in heritable retinoblastoma survivors and others with a genetic tendency to develop tumors.

SOURCE: BJU International, online February 22, 2010.

Health

Dubai Mall evacuated after cracks crop up in hulk aquarium

Part of the vast Dubai Mall has been evacuated after its giant aquarium developed a leak, a police official said today.

The aquarium, one of the largest tanks in the world at 167ft by 66ft, has hundreds of living animals including Sand Tiger sharks and rays.

It is thought to have developed a crack and a witness said people in part of the mall were evacuated and dozens of emergency vehicles were outside.

Leak: A torrent of water gushes out of the giant Dubai Mall aquarium after a crack opens up in the glass

The police official, who declined to be identified, said: "There was a small problem, a simple crack, and the water leaked."

More...Woman trainer dies after attack from 12,000lb "serial" killer whale at SeaWorld

Six divers entered the tank and appeared to be coordinating with workers outside the glass, while workers mopped up water from the floor.

Emaar"s chairman Mohammed Alabbar denied there was a leak in the aquarium, saying there was a "technical fault in the operating device," according to a statement carried on the country"s official news agency WAM.

Emergency crews are seen arriving at Dubai Mall following the incident

Security personnel inside the mall after it was evacuated when water started gushing out of the aquarium

But a witness said water had been leaking from a crack in the aquarium glass.

"Isaw a small crack in the aquarium glass and there was a little watercoming out and a lot of water on the floor," said Ranjin, a 27-year oldcorporate secretary.

"The police came and evacuated the area around the aquarium."

Dubai Aquarium is planning to have more than 33,000 animals representing more than 85 species in the giant tank.

It also features an underwater zoo which has penguins, seals, crocodiles and water rats among its attractions.

It is operated by Emaar Properties and also features the world"s largest acrylic viewing panel.

One million people had already visited the aquarium seven months after it had opened.

Visitors view the huge aquarium in Dubai Mall (file photo)

This is the latest in a string of problems for the aquarium.

Shortly before its opening in October 2008, over ten per cent of the sharks in thetank were been killed in attacks that marred the build-up to itsunveiling.

Sand Tiger sharks killed atleast 40 smaller reef sharks and were aggressive towards divers workingon final preparations in the giant tank.

Dubai Mall, the world"s largest shopping mall by total area, contains around 600 retailers and had over 37 million visitors in its first year of operation.

It now has an average of 750,000 visitors every week. As well as shops and restaurants, the Mall also contains an ice rink and cinema.

EmaarProperties, the Arab world"s largest developer, came under scrutinyearlier this month when it closed the observation deck at Burj Khalifa,the world"s tallest tower and the firm"s flagship project, just a monthafter its fanfare opening.