The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been forced to halt a study involving a potential vaccine for HIV, after finding that it was ineffective.regarding the decision on Thursday, the NIH stated that the vaccine also proved ineffective at reducing the amount of HIV found in the blood of those already infected.

The study, designated HVTN 505, had been going on for almost four years, and involved some 2,504 volunteers in 19 different cities. All of the participants were either homosexual men or transgender men who only have sex with other men.

Here is some of the key information that emerged on Thursday regarding the NIH's decision to halt its study involving this particular HIV vaccine.

* The study was being conducted through the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), which is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

* The number of volunteers given the actual vaccine versus those that were given a placebo were nearly equal, with 1,250 participants given the vaccine and 1,244 given the placebo.

* According to the NIH statement, structures from all three subtypes of HIV were included in the vaccine. Unlike some vaccinations designed to protect from other diseases, this HIV vaccine did not contain either live or weakened strains of HIV, so could not cause the disease itself.

* The vaccine trial was reportedly halted after an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) that reviewed the study recommended it.

* The news of the trial's failure to produce an effective HIV vaccine disappointed both those involved with the study and outside organizations. Mitchell Warren, who is the executive director for AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Protection, issued a statement to the media on Thursday, in which he said that "the trial has provided a clear, swift answer about a specific vaccine strategy." Warren expressed hope for future developments, however, noting that "it's not the answer we hoped for, but the search doesn't end here,"

*the NIH will continue to monitor the health of study participants, in order to follow up on the initial research data.

* Several other vaccine trials are either already in progress or planned. One of the most promising may involve the follow-up on the results of a 2009 study in Thailand, that produced results strong enough to encourage researchers that it may be possible to find a vaccine to protect people against HIV infection in the near future.

Visser, 35, and her partner Lodewijk Severein, 57, were reported missing on May 17, the Spanish police said in a statement. Two bodies fitting the descriptions of the couple were found in a shallow grave in a lemon grove outside Murcia on Sunday.

During their two-week search, the police were led to a building in the town of Molina de Segura, near Murcia, where the couple were thought by police to have arranged to meet the three suspects.

Murcia's chief of police Cirilo Duran told a news conference on Monday the meeting had been for "business reasons" which remain as yet unclear.

Investigators found evidence of a "violent episode, presumably linked with the disappearance of the Dutch citizens," the official police statement said.

"It was established that there had been three people in the dwelling and these are the three that have been arrested."

A 36-year-old Spaniard and two Romanians aged 47 and 60 were arrested separately in Valencia. All three are believed to be directly linked to the couple's disappearance.

The Spaniard was named as Juan Cuenca Lorente by the Spanish daily El Pais, the former manager and technical director of Club Atletico Voleibol Murcia 2005, in which Visser had played between 2009 and 2011.

"The Dutch authorities provided Ingrid Visser's contacts from her time here as a player," Duran added.

"I don't mean to say the volleyball club is linked, simply that I am speaking about contacts she had during the time she was here as a player."

The president of the Dutch volleyball federation paid tribute to the former international in a statement.

"Ingrid was one of the key players of the Dutch women's volleyball team," Hans Nieukerke said.

"From 1994 up to last year Ingrid totalled 514 caps, an incredible number. In 2007, I had the honour to award her our golden federation pin for her record status as an international.

"That her young life and Lodewijk's have been cut short so tragically is incredibly sad and shocking. Our sympathy goes out to their families, friends and everybody that loved them."

Visser competed in five World Championships and nine European Championships, winning the latter in 1995. She also played in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Severein was the Dutch team manager from 2006 to 2009.

(Reporting by Mark Elkington; Editing by John Mehaffey)

The study shows that, despite radical changes in society, women still dominate the retail marketplace. Although women's personal and professional advancements have grown significantly in recent decades, the time spent grocery shopping has not decreased.

According to the study, two-thirds of women say they still handle much of the grocery shopping and, furthermore, they still take the time to make the decisions with three quarters of them forming shopping lists and 53% taking time to clip coupons and search for specials. And 40% of women shoppers say they spend about an hour in the supermarket.

Women are also the rulers of the kitchen. Eighty-four percent of women still act as the sole preparer of meals in the household, with 61% of women stating they prepare meals at least five times per week. And the majority of these meals are not prepackaged meals that require a quick nuke in the microwave, 64% make most meals using fresh ingredients which generally take more time.

Aside from meal preparation and grocery shopping, women are also responsible for the other important household areas: Seven in ten women say cleaning the house is their job and three-fourths take on the majority of the laundry in the home. Since women are those making the purchases, they have become frequent store brand purchasers, with only three percent saying they never buy store brands.

The survey was conducted to assess the role the women play in household shopping and thus how marketing strategies would be impacted for U.S. retailers and store brand suppliers. The study included over 1,000 women who were pre-qualified as their household's primary shopper. The results of the study do show that for the majority of women their roles in the household have not changed in any significant way.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.Brian SharoffProfNet -

SOURCE Private Label Manufacturers Association

In rooms where corporate philanthropists brainstorm solutions for the continents problems, another use of the term is batted around: African orphan crops. Its a phrase that refers to a group of staple foodsfoods that help to feed more than one billion Africansthat the international community deems neglected or orphaned because they are not economically important on the global market.

That definition comes from a recent press release from Mars, Incorporateds , which announced that it plans to release the genome sequencing of 100 such crops to the public. AOCC hopes that the open-source genetic data will lead to higher nutritional content for society over the decades to come, thanks to plant scientists, breeders and farmers working with the genetic information and resulting hybrid and transgene plant varieties.

The globalization of agriculture, particularly as it relates to similar efforts to plant GE crops in developing nations, has led to cries of neocolonialism from some corners. In countries like Mexico, where corn was first domesticated and continues to be fundamental to sustenance farmers,are caught up in anxieties about not only individual livelihoods, but also regional economic struggles and national and ethnic identities tooits fraught stuff.

The AOCC efforts, unlike the situation in Mexico, are not strictly commercial, and Howard-Yana Shapiro, Mars chief agriculture officer, is calling on the notoriously protective biotech industry to share information on the 100 orphan crops. In light of that request,asks the obvious question: Can the kings of agricultural intellectual-property technology get onboard with open source agricultural information for Africa?

As criticisms of GMOs go, the economic argument is one of the most compellingand it is thoroughly substantiated too. In the United States, the cost of planting a single acre of soybean has risen 325 percnt between 1995 and 2011, according to the . If sustenance farmers are compelled to buy into the seed-licensing model that patented GMO crops necessitate, how will they afford to plant the crops they depend upon to survive? Crops developed specifically with the dietary concerns of the developing world in mind, like , have attempted to sidestep that issue by subsidizing the licensing fees for farmers in Southeast Asia with money paid by growers in developed countries. For some, this more altruistic model, which is a far cry from the , is far more palatable.

But orphan crops? AOCC references marula, Ethiopian mustard, baobab, African eggplant, egusi, amaranth, bananas and moringa as a few of its crops targeted for improvement, which, sure, were largely unfamiliar with. But is it fair to say that theyve been so thoroughly neglected by the global markets that they should be deemed orphans? Certainly not in the case of bananas. If youre of the mind that genetic engineering is the key to solving hunger problems in Africa, plant scientists in Uganda are already working on disease-resistant transgene variety, as thereported in 2008.

A more thorough list of orphan crops fromfeatures far less obscure plants, including peanuts, quinoa and sorghum; the latter is the dietary staple of more than 500 million people around the world. And, thinking in the terms of groups like AOCC, DuPont has already developed and patented a transgene variety with improved nutritional valuesa variety the chemical company donated to the African Biofortified Sorghum initiative.

The poor soil, draught, low yields, vitamin deficiencies and other agriculture and dietary concerns that are common throughout Africa are issues of undeniable importance. Addressing them in a manner that doesnt smack of paternalismwhite, American philanthropists as adoptive parents of African agricultureat best, and neocolonialism at worst would be a far better way to debate the solutions, whether they involve GMOs or not.

The letters against Ilda Boccassini have become more frequent since she requested a six-year jail sentence and a lifetime ban on holding public office for Berlusconi, Edmondo Bruti Liberati said.

"In the last few weeks there has been a crescendo of anonymous letters containing serious threats against Boccassini, including one yesterday containing two bullets," Bruti Liberati said in a statement.

On May 13, Boccassini requested the jail sentence and public office ban for Berlusconi, who is charged with paying for sex with a Moroccan night-club dancer when she was a minor and abusing his office to have her released from police custody.

In a six-hour-long closing argument, Boccassini said the so-called "bunga bunga" parties at villa of the 76-year old billionaire media tycoon involved a "system of organized prostitution." Berlusconi has denied the charges.

The verdict is expected on June 24.

(Reporting By Manuela D'Alessandro, Writing by Silvia Aloisi, Editing by Angus MacSwan)

The 35-year-old Froch, who lost to Kessler in Denmark three years ago, put on a typically gutsy performance to win with a scorecard that read 115-113, 116-112 and 118-110 in favor of the Nottingham fighter to the delight of the 20,000 crowd.

Froch's record is now 31-2, with his only other defeat coming at the hands of American Andre Ward in Atlantic City in 2011, compared to Kessler's 46-3 after an action-packed fight that saw the Dane hanging on near the end of the final round.

"It feels really, really good, only thing that feels bad is I have had to beat a real gentleman and a nice man, Mikkel Kessler," Froch told Sky Sports. "It's 1-1 now, who knows do you fancy a third one? Best of three maybe?

"I deserved to win, but he won't lie down for any man and massive respect to him," added Froch before turning his thoughts to a possible rematch with unbeaten WBA title holder Ward who was watching at ringside.

"The winner of this fight should be moving on to avenge their other loss and now I move on to the second best boxer in the world," said Froch. "Let's get Andre Ward over to the UK and fight him here."

The 34-year-old Kessler, whose only other defeats were against unbeaten Welshman Joe Calzaghe in 2007 and Ward in 2009, said: "I gave it my all but didn't have the energy and couldn't cope with Carl. It is nice to fight such a warrior."

(Writing by Ken Ferris; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Roy, who won two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and two with Colorado before retiring in 2003 after a 19-year career, reached an agreement in principal to become the sixth head coach in Avalanche history.

"This is an unbelievable day for me," Roy, 47, said in a statement released by the Avalanche. "It's a new and exciting challenge that I am really looking forward to.

The Canadian takes over a struggling Colorado team that has not made the playoffs since 2010 and finished the 2012-13 NHL season in last place in the Western Conference with the second-worst record in the league.

Roy will also serve as the club's vice president of hockey operations and will re-unite with former Avalanche teammate Joe Sakic, who is Colorado's executive vice president of hockey operations.

"All along Patrick was our top candidate and we are thrilled that he has decided to accept this offer," said Sakic.

"Patrick has a great hockey mind, is a tremendous coach and there is no one more passionate about this game. He will bring that winning attitude to our dressing room to help this young team grow."

Roy, the only player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy three times as most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs, has spent the last eight seasons as head coach and general manager of the Quebec Remparts in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

He guided the Remparts to a 348-196-0 record and also to the 2006 Memorial Cup title as the Canadian Hockey League champions.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006, Roy retired with the most regular season wins ever in the league (551), a number that now ranks second of all-time. His 151 postseason wins have never been eclipsed by a goaltender.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)

Sunday, May 26

Jaro Pietarsaari 1 TPS Turku1

HJK Helsinki 2 RoPS Rovaniemi 0

IFK Mariehamn2 Lahti2

Inter Turku3 JJK1

KuPS 1 FC Honka 2

MyPa Myllykoski3 VPS0

StandingsP W D L FAPts

1HJK Helsinki 9 5 2 2 13 817

-------------------------

2MyPa Myllykoski8 5 1 2 13 516

3Inter Turku9 4 2 3 11 814

-------------------------

4VPS8 4 2 2 8714

-------------------------

5FC Honka 9 4 2 3 11 11 14

6TPS Turku8 4 1 3 9813

7IFK Mariehamn9 3 3 3 11 13 12

8KuPS 9 3 2 4 10 911

9Jaro Pietarsaari 8 3 2 3 11 11 11

10 RoPS Rovaniemi 9 3 1 5 912 10

11 Lahti8 1 3 4 510 6

-------------------------

12 JJK8 0 3 5 514 3

1: Champions League preliminary round

2-3: Europa League

4: Europa League depending on domestic cup

12:Relegation

Brent is charged in the fatal car crash Dec. 8 that killed Jerry Brown, a Cowboys practice squad player, college teammate and friend. Police have accused Brent of driving with a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit.

As a condition of his $100,000 bond, Brent is required to wear an alcohol ankle monitor and appear for regular meetings with a county officer. Witnesses at Friday's hearing said he had repeatedly missed required times for his ankle monitor to download information, as well as two appointments with the officer.

Judge Robert Burns ordered a second form of monitoring to take breath samples, and for Brent to provide a urine sample. Burns said he would not increase Brent's bond amount.

Prosecutors had filed a motion Thursday asking for his bond to be revoked.

Brent's ankle monitor was set off for alcohol four times in February and March, but both sides agreed Friday that those instances were most likely caused by the presence of alcohol in the air or near Brent not drinking. His attorneys said they didn't know how the alcohol positives occurred, but suggested in court that they could have been triggered by things as benign as mouthwash or hand sanitizer.

Brent sat silently throughout the nearly hour-long hearing, though at times he tapped one of his attorneys, George Milner, on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. He did not testify and declined to answer questions outside court.

Heath Harris, the Dallas County first assistant district attorney, said authorities wanted to be certain that Brent wasn't drinking or doing anything to violate his probation.

"Even though ... we can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was drinking, we can't prove that he was not drinking," Harris said. "That's the biggest problem."

Milner accused prosecutors of making a show of otherwise ordinary issues, many of which are from earlier this year, due to Brent's notoriety as a Dallas Cowboys player. His career is on hold pending the outcome of this case.

"I think we've unequivocally established the fact that the district attorney's office is treating Mr. Brent differently because of the helmet that he wears," Milner told reporters outside court. "There's no disputing that now. Everybody down here knew it. Now it's out in un-contradicted, sworn testimony."

Harris denied the charge.

"This guy is a repeat alcohol offender that killed someone in our county," he said. "We take offense to that."

A crash report released by suburban Dallas police says Brent was driving the night of the crash with a suspended driver's license from Illinois, where he pleaded guilty three years ago to a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge. Brent and Brown both played college football at the University of Illinois.

Brent faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of intoxicated manslaughter, though he could also get probation.

___

Follow Nomaan Merchant on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nomaanmerchant

Visconti attacked near the top of the Crosara to win in 5 hours, 15 minutes, 34 seconds over the mainly flat 133-mile route from Caravaggio to Vicenza.

Ramunas Navardauskas led a group over the line to finish second, 19 seconds behind Visconti. Luka Mezgec was third.

Nibali maintained his lead of 1:26 over Cadel Evans. He finished third and second in his last two Giro races.

Visconti also won 15th stage last Sunday with an impressive solo climb.

The Giro ends Sunday in Brescia.