Stopping the flow of cancer cells promotes the spread of tumours

ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2012) ? Researchers discover that the cellular component Prrx1 prevents cancer cells from lodging in other organs and, therefore, generating new focuses of cancer.

Metastasis is the cause of more than 90% of cancer deaths. The cancer cells break away from the original tumour and spread through the body anchoring to other organs and forming new tumours called metastases. For a focus of cancer to spread to other organs, its cells undergo a process known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which makes them mobile and invasive, and they begin to travel through the bloodstream. However, to re-anchor to a new organ or tissue they must first recover their initial characteristics, i.e. lose mobility.

The Institute of Neurosciences, a joint centre of the Universidad Miguel Hern?ndez of Elche and the National Research Council (CSIC), has found that the transition from mobile to stationary cancer cell involves the loss of its component Prrx1. The researcher ?ngela Nieto, who led the study, explains that "although this component is one of the factors favouring the initial spread of cancer cells and their arrival to other organs, it has to be turned off for these cells to group together to form other tumours."

Tumours with high amounts of Prrx1 have therefore better prognosis as they can not form metastases. The researcher ?scar Oca?a believes that "the therapeutic strategy of blocking the EMT to prevent the spread of tumours would only be effective if done before the first cancer cells detach from the primary tumour, which usually occurs in very early stages of the disease and usually before receiving the diagnosis." In fact, Nieto adds, "blocking the EMT in these conditions favours the appearance of new tumours." However, the research also shows that a strategy aimed at attacking other properties of cancer cells would work against metastasis.

The results have been obtained by studying various animal models: chicken, zebrafish and mouse, and by analysing patient samples. Other participants in the project include researchers from the Institute of Biomedical Research "Alberto Sols" in Madrid, the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute and the MD Anderson International Foundation.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Asociaci?n RUVID.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Oscar?H. Oca?a, Rebeca C?rcoles, ?ngels Fabra, Gema Moreno-Bueno, Herv? Acloque, Sonia Vega, Alejandro Barrallo-Gimeno, Amparo Cano, M.?Angela Nieto. Metastatic Colonization Requires the Repression of the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Inducer Prrx1. Cancer Cell, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2012.10.012

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/2Ru9eBwr-fM/121203091454.htm

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Boehner 'flabbergasted' at 'fiscal cliff' talks

President Obama and his White House team appear to have drawn a line in the sand in talks with House Republicans on the "fiscal cliff."

Tax rates on the wealthy are going up, the only question is how much?

"Those rates are going to have to go up," Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner flatly stated on ABC's "This Week." "There's no responsible way we can govern this country at a time of enormous threat, and risk, and challenge ... with those low rates in place for future generations."

But the president's plan, which Geithner delivered last week, has left the two sides far apart.

In recounting his response today on "Fox News Sunday," House Speaker John Boehner said: "I was flabbergasted. I looked at him and said, 'You can't be serious.'

"The president's idea of negotiation is: Roll over and do what I ask," Boehner added.

The president has never asked for so much additional tax revenue. He wants another $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years, including returning the tax rate on income above $250,000 a year to 39.6 percent.

Boehner is offering half that, $800 billion.

In exchange, the president suggests $600 billion in cuts to Medicare and other programs. House Republicans say that is not enough, but they have not publicly listed what they would cut.

Geithner said the ball is now in the Republicans' court, and the White House is seemingly content to sit and wait for Republicans to come around.

"They have to come to us and tell us what they think they need. What we can't do is to keep guessing," he said.

The president is also calling for more stimulus spending totaling $200 billion for unemployment benefits, training, and infrastructure projects.

"All of this stimulus spending would literally be more than the spending cuts that he was willing to put on the table," Boehner said.

Boehner also voiced some derision over the president's proposal to strip Congress of power over the country's debt level, and whether it should be raised.

"Congress is not going to give up this power," he said. "It's the only way to leverage the political process to produce more change than what it would if left alone."

The so-called fiscal cliff, a mixture of automatic tax increases and spending cuts, is triggered on Jan. 1 if Congress and the White House do not come up with a deficit-cutting deal first.

The tax increases would cost the average family between $2,000 and $2,400 a year, which, coupled with the $500 billion in spending cuts, will most likely put the country back into recession, economists say.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boehner-faces-line-sand-fiscal-cliff-talks-002614266.html

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World's smallest wrench puts new twist on microscopic manipulation; Harnesses laser light's ability to gently push and pull

ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2012) ? Harnessing laser light's ability to gently push and pull microscopic particles, researchers have created the fiber-optic equivalent of the world's smallest wrench. This virtual tool can precisely twist and turn the tiniest of particles, from living cells and DNA to microscopic motors and dynamos used in biological and physical research.

This new twist on controlling the incredibly small, developed by physicists at The University of Texas at Arlington, will give scientists the ability to skillfully manipulate single cells for cancer research, twist and untwist individual strands of DNA, and perform many other functions where microscopic precision is essential. The authors describe their new technique, which they dub a fiber-optic spanner (the British term for a wrench), in a paper published today in the Optical Society's (OSA) journal Optics Letters.

The innovation that distinguishes this technique from other optical tools is that it can, for the first time, spin or twist microscale objects in any direction and along any axis without moving any optical component. It's able to do this because it uses flexible optical fibers rather than stationary lasers to do the work. This has the added benefit that the optical fibers can be positioned inside the human body, where they can manipulate and help study specific cells or potentially guide neurons in the spinal cord.

Rather than an actual physical device that wraps around a cell or other microscopic particle to apply rotational force, or torque, the fiber-optic spanner is created when two beams of laser light -- emitted by a pair of optical fibers -- strike opposite sides of the microscopic object.

Individual photons impart a virtually imperceptible bit of force when they strike an object, but an intense beam of laser light can create just enough power to gently rotate microscopic particles. "When photons of light strike and then get reflected back from an object, they give it a small push from an effect called scattering forces," explains Samarendra Mohanty, assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at Arlington and lead author of the study. This technique is already used to perform optical "tweezing," which can move an object forward and backward along a straight line. "Optical tweezing is useful for biomedical and microfluidic research," said Mohanty. "But it lacks the control and versatility of our fiber optic spanner, especially when it comes to working deep inside."

In the team's new optical spanner, the optical fibers use laser beams to first trap an object and then hold it in place. By slightly offsetting the optical fibers, the beams are able to impart a small twisting force, which causes the object to rotate in place. Depending on the positioning of the fibers, it is possible to create rotation along any axis and in any direction. This greatly enhances researchers' ability to study and image cells and groups of cells for biological research and medical analysis.

In their research, Mohanty and graduate student Bryan Black used their new technique to rotate and shift human smooth muscle cells without damaging them. Demonstrating that the technique may have both clinical and laboratory uses.

For example, the spanner could rotate cells in a microfluidic analysis, image them with tomography, and then move them aside to allow the analysis of subsequent cells in the flow.

The technique could also be used to rotate single cells to determine by their spin if they are normal or cancerous. It could also help examine embryos to aid in in-vitro fertilization. It could mix or pump the fluids in lab-on-a-chip devices, or move and rotate micro-spheres attached to the opposite ends of a DNA strand to stretch and uncoil the molecule, allowing it to be sequenced more efficiently. In a follow-up paper to be published in Applied Physics Letters, Mohanty describes how this method can be used to rotate and fluorescently scan an object, which would reveal details about its chemical properties.

Non-medical macroscopic uses for the tool are also possible. "I envision applications in the direct conversion of solar energy to mechanical energy, rotating large, macroscopic objects using this technique," Mohanty says. This would "simulate an environment in which photons radiated from the Sun could propel the reflective motors in solar sails, a promising future technology for deep-space travel."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by The Optical Society.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Bryan J. Black, Samarendra K. Mohanty. Fiber-optic spanner. Optics Letters, 2012; 37 (24): 5030-5032 [link]

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/5kl-mJSiEuk/121203093417.htm

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Rookie RB Brown scores to put Eagles up on Cowboys

Philadelphia Eagles running back Bryce Brown (34) celebrates with Jeremy Maclin after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Philadelphia Eagles running back Bryce Brown (34) celebrates with Jeremy Maclin after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) passes the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett watches his team warm up before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek (87) is brought down by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) and inside linebacker Ernie Sims during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

(AP) ? Rookie Bryce Brown ran 10 yards for a touchdown and the Philadelphia Eagles led the Dallas Cowboys 7-3 early in the second quarter on Sunday night.

Brown, starting in place of LeSean McCoy for the second straight week, began the five-play scoring drive with a 42-yard run up the middle and finished it by going untouched around the left side of the Dallas defense. He had 34 yards rushing in the first quarter.

Brown set an Eagles rookie record with 178 yards in his first start since high school last week against Carolina.

Philadelphia was in front after the first quarter for the first time all season, but Dan Bailey got the Cowboys on the board with a 39-yard field goal early in the second.

Nick Foles, another rookie making his third straight start in place of Michael Vick, completed two passes for 29 yards on Philadelphia's 66-yard scoring drive. He also converted twice on third and long on the Eagles' first possession before they punted near midfield.

Vick and McCoy were inactive because of concussions. Vick was injured in the first Dallas-Philadelphia game three weeks ago.

Dallas running back DeMarco Murray returned after missing six games with a sprained right foot, and the Cowboys ran him the first three snaps after calling 52 straight pass plays from the second quarter to the end of a Thanksgiving loss to Washington. The first time Murray went to the sideline, Tony Romo was sacked by Brandon Graham on third-and-3.

After the Philadelphia touchdown, the Cowboys drove down the field for Bailey's field goal. Romo found tight end Jason Witten for 11 yards on third-and-10 and escaped pressure to complete a pass to Cole Beasley for 13 yards to the Eagles 41. Romo also had a 15-yard scramble.

Murray, who had 90 yards in the first half when he was injured against Baltimore on Oct. 14, had 31 yards on five carries in the first quarter.

Not only did Dallas get Murray back, but the offensive line was closer to full strength. Center Ryan Cook returned after missing time with a knee injury, which allowed Mackenzy Bernadeau to return to guard after two starts at center.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-02-FBN-Eagles-Cowboys/id-2a94c45baeb846f291e34f34fa7b9a66

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Time columnist Joel Stein on Scotch, fatherhood & his favorite ...

Joel Stein's book tour is sponsored by Stark Raving Wine and his Houston appearance at Cottonwood featured a wine pairing competition between a trio of food trucks, so I thought it might be relevant to ask him about what kind of food adventures he had while writing Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity.

"There's no food component in the book," says Stein, a humor columnist for Time magazine. "I wanted to do really stereotypically masculine stuff . . . I'm a pretty good cook, for stories I've worked in restaurants for a night or two and I was trying to do stuff I didn't know how to do personally."

That list included things like hunting turkeys in Vermont, but not eating a 10 lb. cheeseburger Man vs. Food-style. "That stuff seems kinda pussy to me on some level," says Stein.

?The impulse behind writing Man Made started, Stein explains, when he first saw a sonogram of his child and found out he was having a boy.?

"I did learn how to drink Scotch. I invited a bunch of really wimpy, Jewish, sitcom-writing friends over who couldn't drink alcohol and had a guy come from Macallen and teach us how to drink Scotch. I like Scotch now. I learned you could put a little water or ice cubes in it and that's okay. I learned that it doesn't have to burn and that there's a lot of other flavor once you get past the burn. It's almost like drinking coffee, which I've just started to do. Once you accept that bitter and that burn you can taste other things."

The impulse behind writing Man Made started, Stein explains, when he first saw a sonogram of his child and found out he was having a boy.

"I thought I didn't care what the gender of my child was and as soon as I saw a penis I had not exactly a panic attack, but it was more of a freak-out," he admits. "I realized that a penis would want to go camping, and a penis would want to play baseball and a penis would get in fights, and I wasn't good at that stuff as a kid.? I had an Easy Bake Oven and I had a sticker collection, I had a glass animal collection and I listened to show tunes.

"I was not good at being a boy, so I thought I better learn so that my son, if he was into that stuff, wasn't going to go to the neighbor's dad or the coach to do it with him. Very American Male 101," says Stein.

While in Houston, Stein says he had a great meal at Underbelly on Wednesday and that Chris Shepherd took him to Asian Market for lunch. "It was nice, but I think I would rather have had Gatlin's instead."

Stein appears to have developed an addiction to Gatlin's BBQ last year, when he joined Shepherd at the RodeoHouston World's Barbecue Championship.

"Food & Wine embedded me with the team that won the year before, so I went around with Chris Shepherd to Gatlin's and a bunch of barbecue places. I met with Robb Walsh at his house and he taught me how to use a smoker. It was great. The story is okay but the experience was really great," says Stein. But unfortunately some Texas barbecue wasn't the only thing Stein missed on his brief trip to town.

"You know what I like to do when I'm here? Go to [brunch] at Brennan's. On someone else's dime."

Source: http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/12-02-12-time-columnist-joel-stein-on-scotch-fatherhood-his-favorite-houston-foods/

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Broncos, Patriots, Falcons win divisions

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass to Denver Broncos defensive tackle Mitch Unrein (96) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass to Denver Broncos defensive tackle Mitch Unrein (96) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)

On the first weekend of December, four teams made the NFL playoffs.

With four weeks to go in the regular-season, New England owns the AFC East title, Denver has the AFC West and Atlanta won the NFC South.

Houston has not clinched the AFC South, although it has a three-game lead over Indianapolis, but it secured at least a wild-card spot on Sunday.

The Patriots beat Miami 23-16. Denver defeated Tampa Bay 31-23, and with that loss by the Bucs, the Falcons were guaranteed their division title.

The Texans beat Tennessee 24-10.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-02-FBN-Playoff-Teams/id-c5dc292e6afa4ddcbe12f114db106acc

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No. 7 Kansas State wins Big 12 title, beats Texas

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) ? Just as Collin Klein was preparing to trot onto the field for the biggest home game in Kansas State history, coach Bill Snyder put his arm around his senior quarterback and whispered something in his ear.

"He just told me how much he appreciated me, and that he loved me," Klein said. "It was a great moment. And I know he said that to every single one of us, and I wouldn't have it any other way. And that's pretty special."

Everything about this night was special for the Wildcats and their fans. With Klein passing for one touchdown and running for two, Kansas State beat Texas 42-24 to wrap up its third conference championship in 117 years, prompting thousands of people to rush onto the field as the sound system blared, "We are the champions."

The Wildcats (12-1, 8-1) had never played for a conference championship in their last game at home, and had never had a player end the regular season in such close contention for the Heisman Trophy as Klein.

With his main competitors, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel nor Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, off, Klein had the stage all to himself. He had one last chance to burnish his credentials for what would be Kansas State's first Heisman, and he made it count.

John Hubert scored three touchdowns on short runs for Kansas State, and Klein threw every Heisman question right back at the questioner.

"Tonight's all about our team and what we were able to accomplish tonight," he said. "And Texas didn't give it to us easily. Tonight's about K-State family. That's the most important thing."

After a slow start, Klein wound up hitting 8 of 14 passes for 184 yards and added 108 yards rushing on 23 carries.

In front of their sixth sellout in seven home games, the Wildcats also tied their team record for victories in a season and matched Oklahoma's Big 12 record.

It was Kansas State's fifth straight victory over Texas (8-4, 5-4), which led 10-7 at halftime, and capped and gave Kansas State coach Bill Snyder the conference title just four years after he came out of a brief retirement.

"Bill is unbelievable," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "I have said many times that I think what he has done here is the best in the country, from start to finish."

Oklahoma beat TCU earlier Saturday and immediately donned caps and T-shirts declaring themselves Big 12 champs. But Kansas State's 24-19 win at Oklahoma on Sept. 22 gives them the tiebreaker and sends them to the Fiesta Bowl.

"I think (the title) means an awful lot to all of us," Snyder said. "A great deal to the young people in our program. They were excited about it. Obviously I speak for everybody in our football family. I think it's significant and important for each and every one of us. I'm pleased for a lot of different people, the people that genuinely support this program."

Texas, which may be headed for the Cotton Bowl, lost its lead on Kansas State's first possession of the second half. Klein hit a 29-yard pass and Hubert broke free for 28 yards as Kansas State soared 75 yards in seven plays, with Hubert scoring from the 2.

Hubert also had a 2-yard TD run with 47 seconds left in the third quarter and scored on a 1-yard run for a 35-17 lead with a little more than 3 minutes to go after Drew Liddle recovered Texas' muffed punt.

A few minutes later, Allen Chapman intercepted Case McCoy's pass and ran it back 35 yards, setting up Klein's 9-yard TD run for a 42-17 lead with 1:53 left. The back-beaker may have been Klein's long pass to a wide-open Tyler Lockett that went for a 55-yard scoring play.

"Basically, they just out-executed us," said Texas safety Adrian Phillips. "They did what they were supposed to do and we did not come out to do our job after halftime."

McCoy threw a 14-yard TD pass to Jaxon Shipley in the second quarter and a 9-yard scoring pass to Malcom Brown less than 1 minute left in the game. Brown also scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter.

McCoy hit 26-of-34 passes for 314 yards, with two interceptions. He was sacked four times by a swarming Kansas State defense.

The Wildcats' lone touchdown of the first half came on a 1-yard run by Klein and after an embarrassing lapse by defensive back Nigel Malone.

With perfect timing, Malone jumped in front of McCoy's intended receiver on Texas' second possession, made the interception and sped 30 yards into the end zone. But the ball only traveled the 29. The play was initially ruled a touchdown, but upon review, it was determined Malone had let go of the ball and allowed it drop to the ground just as he was about to step across the goal line.

So it was placed on the 1 and Klein plowed into the end zone for his 21st rushing TD of the season and No. 54 for his career.

Klein was 0 for 4 in Kansas State's scoreless second quarter while McCoy was going 17 for 20 in the first half for 204 yards.

McCoy's longest pass play went for 70 yards, but almost all of that was the running of Daje Johnson right after Adrian Phillips intercepted Klein's pass in the end zone and gave the Longhorns the ball on the 20, setting up a field goal.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-7-kansas-state-wins-big-12-title-044827555--spt.html

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Russia, China press N. Korea to scrap rocket test

Kyodo via Reuters, file

Engineers check the top of a rocket sitting on the launch pad during a guided media tour by North Korean authorities last April. The launch, which was heavily criticized by Russia, China and the U.S., failed when the rocket broke apart over the sea.

By Reuters

Russia and China urged North Korea on Monday not to go ahead with a plan for its second rocket launch of 2012, with Moscow saying the launch would violate restrictions imposed by the U.N. Security Council.

North Korea's state news agency on Saturday announced the decision to launch another space satellite sometime between Dec. 10 and Dec. 22, and reportedly told neighbors it would take a similar path to that planned for a failed rocket launch in April.

The country is banned from conducting missile or nuclear-related activities under U.N. resolutions imposed after earlier nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea says its rockets are used to put satellites into orbit for peaceful purposes, but that assertion is not widely accepted.

'Grave provocation': North Korea vows to test long-range rocket

Washington and Seoul believe that the impoverished North is testing long-range missile technology with the aim of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Pyongyang's threats are aimed, in part, at winning concessions and aid from Washington, analysts say.

"We urgently appeal to the government (of North Korea) to reconsider the decision to launch a rocket," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Echoing its criticism of the April launch, Russia said North Korea had been warned not to ignore a U.N. Security Council resolution which "unambiguously prohibits (it) from launching rockets using ballistic technology."

South Korean warships are searching the Yellow Sea for debris from a recently failed rocket launch by North Korea. NBC's Richard Engel reports.

Has North Korea learned its lessons about launches?

China was not so direct in its criticism of North Korea, but urged "all sides" not to take any action that "worsens the problem."

"China believes that maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia accords with the interests of all sides and is the joint responsibility of all sides," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.?"In the present circumstances, we hope all sides can be calm and restrained and not take any moves to worsen the problem. China will remain in touch and coordinate with all sides."

Election provocation?
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland condemned the launch plan on Sunday as a provocative threat to the Asia-Pacific region.

The warnings come just weeks before South Korea's Dec. 19 presidential election in which the handling of North Korea is a major campaign issue. The isolated North has for years tried to influence major events in the South by issuing propaganda or launching armed attacks.

Elizabeth Dalziel / AP

From work to play, see pictures from inside the secretive country.

Q&A: Rocket is 'not a military missile ... but it's darn close'

North and South Korea have been technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, and regional powers have for years been trying to rein in the North's nuclear program.

Countries trying to stop North Korea's arms program believe it is using rocket launches to perfect technology to build a missile arsenal capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the United States.

North Korea is under U.N. sanctions that ban trading in missile or nuclear technology that have driven its already dire economy deeper in trouble by cutting off what was once a lucrative source of hard cash.

NBC gets a rare peek inside North Korea

Russia has often balanced criticism of Soviet-era client state North Korea's nuclear activities and missile launches with calls on other powers to refrain from belligerent actions against it, which Russia says can be counterproductive. Past launches by Pyongyang have caused concern among Russians living near the country's border with North Korea.

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Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/03/15635693-russia-china-press-n-korea-to-scuttle-planned-rocket-launch?lite

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Video: Lessons in lacrosse and life: Coach teaches inner city kids new sport

>>> in new hampshire, a group of kids who might not normally know much about lacrosse are learning a whole lot about the game thanks to one man's generosity. ron mott has more.

>> reporter: michael garrett spent his fall pushing a sport these youngsters hardly know. he started inner city lacrosse for kids just like coby spence.

>> i couldn't believe my ears when my mom told me you want to join lacrosse? i was like what?

>> a lot of people can't afford to participate in extracurricular activities. sometimes you find yourself in that predicament.

>> lacrosse, a lot of people think of it as an elite sport.

>> it is. but let's change that.

>> reporter: growing up in the shadows of an ivy league tower like yale university fueled a burning desire to overcome.

>> i grew up in the section where they told the yale students not to go.

>> reporter: single mom , youngest of six who jumped at the chance to get ahead.

>> when i walked on yale 's campus as a little boy going for enrichment classes, i felt so important. i felt smart. and so i want to introduce that element.

>> reporter: so he convinced equipment makers to give him free gear and persuaded coaches from yale and his alma mater , trinity college in hartford, to share their love of the game and academics with kids like him in need of an opportunity.

>> the excitement you have here on this field for this game is the same excitement you need to have at school.

>> reporter: michael's journey has taken him here, just a few hours drive from his connecticut roots but a world away to one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country, the phillips exiter academy. he helps find some of the best and brightest young minds across the world and hopes he's discovered even more out here.

>> that's what i want for the inner city kids, that they can have this imagination. that yes, you belong.

>> reporter: a message heard loud and clear.

>> so cool. my dream is to go to yale .

>> reporter: on a new field of dreams . ron mott, nbc news, exiter, new hampshire.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50037402/

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