The Jascon-4 capsized early on Sunday at a mooring point around 30 km (20 miles) off oil-producing Delta state. Of 12 people who had been on board, one was rescued alive and another is still missing.

"The search and rescue operation that has been under way since 26 May has had to be stopped for safety reasons," the ship's owner West African Ventures said in a statement.

"The vessel, which is located some 30 metres under water in an upside-down position, has become so unstable that the risk of injury to our rescue divers has become unacceptably high," said West African Ventures, which is owned by Sea Trucks Group.

Chevron operates offshore and onshore joint ventures with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp and says it spends around $3 billion a year on its Nigerian operations.

The U.S. energy firm's 2012 net daily production from Nigeria was 238,000 barrels of crude oil, 165 million cubic feet of natural gas and 4,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gas.

RELATED:

The House subcommittee that oversees the NOAA's budget says the agency will be given more "wiggle room" to adjust its funding so that they can honor the sequester cuts without actually losing any people, even temporarily. Every one of the agency's employees — including hundreds of meteorologists — , in an attempt to meet that across aboard budget cuts imposed by the Congress earlier this year. All government agencies were forced to either lay off workers or implement furloughs in an effort to save money, but so farand the NOAA have been formal reprieves to keep workers on the job.

RELATED:

A memo from NOAA Administrator Kathy Sullivan said, "The events over the past week, including more devastating tornadoes tonight in Oklahoma and Missouri, remind us how important every single employee within NOAA is to the health, safety and well-being of this nation." It's just unfortunate that took the deaths of dozen of people for Congress to recognize the importance of studying and understanding our weather. At least 16 people , includingwho were tracking tornadoes in Oklahoma. 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Knee pain appears to decrease up to one year after "prolotherapy," a series of sugar water injections at the site of the pain, according to a new study.

Previous research on the therapy that suggested positive effects was plagued by flaws, but the new report may be more reliable, according to Dr. John D. Loeser, a pain specialist and professor emeritus at the University of Washington in Seattle.

"This is a well-performed clinical trial that deals with many of the issues that have clouded prior reports of prolotherapy," Loeser, who was not involved in the study and has spoken out against the practice in the past, told Reuters Health in an email.

Knee osteoarthritis is common, especially among people over 65, but no single therapy has proven particularly beneficial.

In prolotherapy, which costs $200 to $1000 per session and is not covered by Medicare, small amounts of solution are injected at multiple painful ligament and tendon locations in the knee over several sessions. The hope is that a new minor irritation will stimulate the body to repair both old damage and new.

"The idea is to stimulate a local healing reaction," lead author Dr. David Rabago, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, told Reuters Health.

Rabago and his colleagues divided 90 people with knee osteoarthritis and between ages 40 and 76 years old into three groups: one got sugar-water prolotherapy injections, another got salt-water placebo injections, and the third was instructed in at-home exercise and received no injections.

The first two groups got injections at least three times, sometimes more if they asked for it, over 17 weeks, and were followed for one year.

The sugar water group reported better knee function, improving 16 points on a 100-point scale of osteoarthritis severity, compared to 5 points for saline and 7 points for the exercise group.

The sugar water group also reported less frequent and less severe pain, improving 14 points on the same scale, at one year, while the salt water and exercise groups improved 7 points and 9 points, respectively.

The study was small but not too small and included the right type of subjects: typical sufferers of knee osteoarthritis, researchers said.

One of the things that has held back previous studies of prolotherapy is the difficulty of mimicking the injections for a placebo group without actually injecting them with something - that makes it difficult to tell what's causing the improvements, the sugar water itself or the needle stick, bleeding or stretching the tissue, which can all have effects.

"The best one can do is control' for those effects by testing an agent against a similar treatment and varying only one thing, which is what we did," Rabago said.

But since the salt water group and the exercise-only groups had similar results, the benefit was probably not a placebo response, Loeser said.

"This study yields results that are more favorable than other carefully controlled studies of prolotherapy in other regions," Loeser said.

But there are a lot of questions to answer before this becomes widely adopted, he cautioned.

"Certainly, additional studies are needed before one accepts prolotherapy as standard treatment for knee OA," Loeser said.

Researchers don't yet know how long the pain benefit will persist after one year.

But Rabago said, "These results support its use as routine care for knee OA in patients who have not improved with more conservative measures." Though he doesn't yet know how prolotherapy works, he added that he would recommend the treatment for a member of his own family.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/ZbSdSw Annals of Family Medicine, online May 1, 2013.

It may help explain why black women have higher rates of breast cancer at young ages, a more aggressive form of the disease, and worse survival. It doesn't mean that all black women are at risk or even that all blacks with cancer need genetic counseling or testing, said the study's leader, Dr. Jane Churpek of the University of Chicago.

Experts offer some advice about what to make of this information:

Q. What are the genes?

A. Mostly BRCA1 and BRCA2. Everyone has two copies of these genes, and a mutation in one can give a woman up to an 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer and up to a 54 percent risk for ovarian cancer. Sixteen other genes also can raise risk but are thought to be less common.

Q. Why might blacks have high risk?

A. African-Americans' genes are more diverse than those of many other racial and ethnic groups. Most of the mutations identified in this study were novel, or unique to each woman, Churpek said. It's possible that more detailed tests in whites and other groups might find a higher prevalence of mutations than previous studies have found in them, too.

Q. Should more black women be tested?

A. National guidelines do not specify any groups that should be tested except Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish women with breast or ovarian cancer or a close relative who has had one of those diseases. Genetic counseling should be offered to black women who develop breast cancer before age 50, who have a close relative with the disease, or who have "triple-negative" breast cancer. Triple negative means tumors that are not fueled by estrogen, progesterone or the gene that the drug Herceptin targets.

Q. What can be done if a gene mutation is found?

A. Women who find the mutation after they have breast cancer may want to consider removing both breasts or their ovaries. Those who are screened before cancer develops can consider more frequent screening and prevention measures ranging from hormone-blocking drugs to removal of breasts and ovaries. They also can let relatives know about potential family risk.

Q. Why did this study find so many more gene flaws?

A. Standard tests look for just a few common mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. The tests cost around $3,000, and insurance will often cover them if a woman has a family history suggesting high risk. A second $750 test is needed to look for a different type of genetic flaw. That test often is not done or covered by insurance.

In the Chicago study, researchers decoded, or sequenced, all 18 genes tied to breast cancer risk, so it could pick up all types of mutations in any of them.

___

Online:

Breast cancer: http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/breast-cancer

and http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/brca

___

Marilynn Marchione can be followed at http://twitter.com/MMarchioneAP

NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - A federal judge has temporarily blocked an auction house from selling basketball great Kobe Bryant's jerseys, championship rings and other memorabilia worth up to $1 million in a case stemming from a dispute between the Los Angeles Laker and his mother.

The All-Star guard has asked the courts to halt the sale of his belongings, which are in possession of his mother, Pamela Bryant, saying he had not been consulted and only learned of the sale in a press release issued by Goldin Auctions.

"Although Pamela Bryant maintained possession of certain of plaintiff's personal property for benefit of plaintiff, he never granted his mother ownership of that property, nor the right to co-sign such property for auction," an attorney for Bryant said in a May 6 complaint filed in a California court.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford in Santa Ana, Calif., on May 8 issued a temporary restraining order blocking the sale until a scheduled May 13 hearing.

Goldin Auctions, which has filed a suit to have the June sale move forward, said Bryant's mother contacted the company in December with an offer to sell the items, including her son's Lower Merion High School jersey and six rings, one of which is his 2000 Lakers championship ring.

Bryant's mother allegedly told the auction house that the memorabilia had been in her possession for 15 years and that her son had told her five years ago the items belonged to her, according to court papers filed by Goldin Auctions.

The auction house said it wired a $450,000 advance to Bryant's parents, Pamela and Joseph.

The items were legally obtained, Goldin Auctions's lawyers said on Friday.

Pamela Bryant "provided certificates of authenticity and attested in a sworn affidavit to their lawful ownership," said attorney Jeffrey Cohen. "Goldin Auctions has already issued a substantial monetary advance for these items and is only interested in proceeding with its legal right to conduct its business without further interference.

A lawyer for Kobe Bryant, Mark Campbell, said in a statement that, "Mr. Bryant's personal property has ended up in the possession of someone who does not lawfully own it. We look forward to resolving this legal matter through the legal system."

(Editing by Paul Thomasch and Leslie Gevirtz)

LONDON (Reuters) - The new strain of bird flu that has killed 17 people in China has been circulating widely "under the radar" and has acquired significant genetic diversity that makes it more of a threat, scientists said on Friday.

Dutch and Chinese researchers who analyzed genetic data from seven samples of the new H7N9 strain say it has already acquired similar levels of genetic diversity as much larger outbreaks of other H7 strains of flu seen previously in birds.

"The diversity we see in these first few samples from China is as great as the diversity we have seen with a large outbreak in the Netherlands several years ago and one in Italy," said Marion Koopmans, head of virology at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, who worked on the study as part of a nine-member team.

"This means it (the H7N9 strain in China) has been spreading quite a bit and it's important to understand where exactly that is going on."

Its genetic diversity shows the virus has an ability to mutate repeatedly and is likely to continue doing so, raising the risk that it may become transmissible among humans.

Koopmans, whose research was published in the online journal Eurosurveillance, said the circulation would probably have taken place in either birds or mammals, but said exactly which animals were involved was not yet clear.

"Simply the fact that this virus is spreading under the radar - because that is what this data confirms - is of concern," she told Reuters in a telephone interview.

The H7N9 virus is so far known to have infected 87 people in China, killing 17 of them. Health officials raised further questions on Friday about the source of the new strain after data indicated that more than half of patients had had no contact with poultry.

MUTATIONS

A scientific study published last week showed the H7N9 strain was a so-called "triple reassortant" virus with a mixture of genes from three other flu strains found in birds in Asia. One of those three strains is thought to have come from a brambling, a type of small wild bird.

For their study, Koopmans and her team compared some data from the first two weeks of the China H7N9 outbreak with data from a large H7N7 flu outbreak in birds and people the Netherlands in 2003 and an H7N1 epidemic in birds in Italy in 1999 and 2000.

The Dutch outbreak resulted in infection of poultry on 255 farms and led to the culling of about 30 million chickens. Some 89 people were also diagnosed as having the H7N7 virus and one person, a vet, died as a result of the infection.

The comparison suggested that "widespread circulation (of the H7N9 strain in China) must have occurred, resulting in major genetic diversification", the researchers wrote in their study.

They added: "Such diversification is of concern, given that several markers associated with increased risk for public health are already present."

Flu experts in China and at the World Health Organization say there is no evidence so far that H7N9 is passing easily between people.

But scientists who analyzed the genetic sequence data from three early samples from China say the virus has already acquired some mutations that might make it more likely to be able to do so in the future, raising the risk of a human pandemic.

"Although human infections with H7 influenza viruses have occurred repeatedly over the last decades without evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, the absence of sustained human-to-human transmission of H7N9 viruses does not come with any guarantee," Koopmans' team wrote in their study.

(Editing by Ben Hirschler and Alison Williams)

"A savage capitalism has taught the logic of profit at any cost, of giving in order to get, of exploitation without thinking of people... and we see the results in the crisis we are experiencing," the pope said.

Francis greeted the men and women coming to the 'Gift of Maria' food kitchen, located at the walls of the Vatican.

The first non-European pontiff in centuries, the Argentine-born pope last week called for financial reform, condemning a "dictatorship of the economy" and a "cult of money".

Francis has set a simpler style for the papacy since taking office in March, shunning traditional ornate garments and living in a guest house instead of the Apostolic Palace. He has said he wants the 1.2-billion-member Catholic Church to defend the poor and to be more austere itself.

(Reporting by Naomi O'Leary; Editing by Michael Roddy)

In this time of a growing Hispanic demographic, corporate focus on ROI, and an increasingly competitive market, Thought Leadership is vital for Hispanic marketers to succeed. Through a series of research studies, webinars and strategic partnerships with the best market research companies, AHAA is leading the charge to help educate marketers on the increased need to segment properly for higher ROI and not treat the vast Hispanic market as a "one size fits all."

The study, underwritten by AARP, used Scarborough USA+ (2012) to measure product usage and Doublebase GfK MRI (2012) to measure attitudes and conducted a broad field study that tied the findings to key cultural metrics.

Generational buying patterns and behaviors reveal new opportunities

There have been significant demographic changes since 1980. Sixty percent of all Hispanics are U.S. born, and there are record numbers of multigenerational and multiracial households in the U.S. Coupled with linguistic and cultural differences among Hispanics and the expansion of online and social media, marketers are faced with new challenges and need to take greater measures to understand the differences among Hispanics.

The AHAA Generational Study delved into how generational segments behaved towards several aspects of Latino and Anglo cultures, such as food, music, language, media usage, and celebrations among others, and how the variations play a role in different category buyers when contrasted by generational segment. AHAA found that the cultural orientation of different category buyers often varies, widely suggesting that marketers that leverage relevant cultural cues to its target audience by generational segments can create a greater competitive advantage than those who treat all Hispanics (from Boomers to Millennials) as one monolithic segment.

Specifically, the study points out that there are huge opportunities for marketers in key categories where Hispanics are more likely to be its buyers.

Here are six major areas that sum up the findings:

Additionally, Latino Generational segments differ from each other in buying patterns, partly based on Generational macro-trends, as well as socio-economic and lifestage priorities.

Culture is a common bond

U.S. Hispanics do not live in one culture, but two the question is, which one? And what aspects of each culture are they embracing? It is important to differentiate between acculturation and cultural orientation: acculturation measures demographic variables such as language use, birthplace and media consumption, while cultural orientation measures cultural dimensions such as food, music and values. While measuring cultural orientation helps describe how Hispanics are culturally similar or different to each other and to non-Hispanics, understanding cultural orientation is what helps marketers tailor their messaging effectively because it uncovers aspects of culture, which Hispanics have shown an affinity for.

The AHAA Generational Study revealed that Hispanic cultural duality across all Hispanic generations appears well balanced, but younger Millennials have a higher Anglo cultural orientation than the other Hispanic generations. Marketers must acknowledge not only the changing demographic landscape, but the "cultural duality" the affinity toward two cultures among Hispanics.

This means that marketers with specific opportunities skewing towards a certain generational segment may want to investigate the specific needs and the cultural orientation nuances of their particular target. As millions of Latinos expand across all lifestages, more specific category opportunities abound, oftentimes requiring a mix of broader strategies and tactics.

Conclusion

As part of the AHAA's Thought Leadership strategy, the Generational Study findings pave the way for deeper analysis by marketers for their specific categories and should be used as a starting point. All three Hispanic generations have significant Hispanic values in their DNA, even though they have varying degrees of Anglo orientation. This suggests that great skill will be required to effectively reach them, as well as structure persuasive messaging. Understanding the differences and similarities of each segment can be used to plan how to reach them with broad reach media as well as more targeted ways to deepen engagement. Understanding the generational and cultural orientation differences can help define targeting priorities for product and service marketers.

For more information on this study, please visit .

About AHAA: Headquartered in McLean, VA, AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing represents the best minds and resources dedicated to Hispanic-specialized marketing. Companies trying to reach and connect with Hispanic consumers turn to AHAA members for unmatched cultural expertise and knowledge. As the voice of the Hispanic marketing industry since its founding in 1996, AHAA demonstrates the value of targeting Hispanics, showcases the impact of using AHAA member agencies, and provides forums for the discussion and dialogue between brands and industry professionals.

About AARP:AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin;; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Espaol, a Spanish language news source. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at.

SOURCE AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 52 points to close at 15,387 Tuesday, an increase of 0.3 percent.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose three points to 1,669, or 0.2 percent. The Nasdaq composite rise five to 3,502, or 0.2 percent.

Stock indexes wobbled between gains and losses in early trading, then took a turn higher after James Bullard, head of the Fed's St. Louis branch, said the Fed should keep buying bonds to energize the economic recovery.

Home Depot rose 2.5 percent after reporting an 18 percent increase in income.

More stocks rose than fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was average at 3.5 billion shares.