A multidisciplinary Michigan Medicine team is shedding new light on the role of regulatory T cells in pancreatic cancer and, in mouse models, have uncovered a new potential target to improve immunotherapy approaches to the deadly disease.

Regulatory T cells are a subpopulation of immune cells that help keep the immune system from going overboard and running amok, but if the system is tamped down too much it can end up protecting cancer cells from the bodys own defenders.

Our study focused on the role of regulatory T cells during the onset and progression of pancreatic cancer, which is poorly understood, says study co-senior author Filip Bednar, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of Surgery at Michigan Medicine and member of the U-M Rogel Cancer Center. Contrary to our expectations, we found that depleting the regulatory T cells actually made tumor cells more aggressive and sped up the cancers progression.

Thats because there appear to be several parallel immunosuppression mechanisms at work, and removing one of them via the removal of the regulatory T cells allows for others to take its place and help tumors grow, the team reported in Cancer Discovery.

The teams findings point toward a particular chemokine receptor that might be additionally targeted to help overcome immunosuppression when treating pancreatic cancer. New treatment approaches are desperately needed, Bednar notes. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate around 9%.

Our work reveals complex cellular cross-talk between regulatory T cells and fibroblast cells within the pancreatic cancer microenvironment, says study lead author Yaqing Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the lab of senior author Marina Pasca Di Magliano, Ph.D. It also provides evidence that different fibroblast cells have different, even opposing functions, in the development of pancreatic cancer.

More online: Check out a tweetorial on the paper published by the Bednar lab.

Paper cited: Regulatory T cell depletion alters the tumor microenvironment and accelerates pancreatic carcinogenesis, Cancer Discovery. DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-19-0958

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UM Team Sheds New Light on the Role of Regulatory T Cells in Pancreatic Cancer - University of Michigan Health System News

At 12:50pm EST today a confidential source sent us the resignation letter from Giles Chater, the former head of UK Tough Mudder. One week ago, Giles sent the letter to Will Dean and several staff members listing his reasons for stepping down as Managing Director. The letter alleges Mr. Dean may be the reason the current Spartan acquisition is at an impasse, and paints Will Dean in a negative light.

Giles states in his letter Despite managements best efforts you have refused to pursue one of these paths in good faith and have actively blocked our attempts to act in what we believed to be the best interest of creditors, customers, employees and wider stakeholders He went on to say that Mr. Dean recently engaged in unacceptable behavior including harassment, threats, name-calling and vulgar language.

According to additional sources we have been working with in the US and UK Offices, Will Dean may be the sole reason Tough Mudder is currently not open for business. They allege Mr. Deans behavior has been selfish and erratic, including the recent firing of board member, Brad Dietz. Mr. Dietz was hired in March of 2019 as a turnaround specialist and from everything weve been hearing, had Tough Mudder trending in a healthy direction. Firing Mr. Dietz, and other recent alleged behavior caused the remaining board members to step down. This, in addition to several other factors, eventually led Kyle McLaughlin, American Tough Mudder CEO, to resign.

There is still unfinished business on many levels within this ordeal. There are three unpaid vendors who are attempting to put Tough Mudder into involuntary bankruptcy. Their goal was to have the Delaware Bankruptcy Court take the company out of Will Deans hands and put it into the hands of a Trustee who will take over the finances. The recent filing by the vendors and an additional filing by Spartan are requesting the courts have the Trustee put Joe in charge. Joe Desena told us his acquisition deal will Put Kyle McLaughlin and his team back to work as soon as possible on Tough Mudder events. Joe went on to tell us he hopes the court rule in his favor and said my deal gets everyone paid, and allows the company to move forward

Read the complete resignation letter below:

3rd January 2020

William Dean, Director, TM Ltd Guy Livingstone

Tough Mudder Management Team Tough Mudder London Office Matthew Martin, Pennington Manches Frank Young

Dear Mr Dean

It is with deep regret that I write to inform you that I have no choice but to resign from my position as Managing Director, Europe, effective 12pm GMT today. Please accept this as my formal letter of resignation. In light of my recent experiences with yourself, as Director of TM Ltd, and shareholder(s), I consider my position untenable and feel obligated to resign under the conditions.

You have clearly, and repeatedly, been presented with viable options for preserving Tough Mudder as a going concern. Despite managements best efforts you have refused to pursue one of these paths in good faith and have actively blocked our attempts to act in what we believed to be the best interest of creditors, customers, employees and wider stakeholders. Both by action and in writing you have refused to engage with multiple requests for governance and direction.

This refusal to engage with me, fulfil your duties as a Director and effectively provide governance to our organisation left me with no choice. Your callous contemptuous attitude towards our creditors, customers and employees is reprehensible. We have a clear duty to prioritise the interests of our creditors and in failing to do so you have placed me in a morally and professionally compromising position continued occupancy of which may expose me to personal liability Im unwilling to risk.

On numerous occasions I have witnessed, or been subject to, unacceptable behaviour including harassment, threats, name-calling and vulgar language. Requests to provide a safe working environment free from this behaviour were belittled or ignored.

Watching this business unnecessarily run into the ground has been excruciating. I have remained unwavering in my commitment to our creditors, customers and amazing team this year and resign as an absolute last resort.

I care deeply for this brand and the incredible community which has built up around it. I am truly heartbroken at the suffering this will cause for so many, not least our loyal talented employees and suppliers.

Please be advised I have set an external out-of-office directing people to you.

I reserve all rights and remedies available to me at any time under my employment agreement and applicable law in each case against and with respect to the Company and Director(s).

Giles Chater Managing Director Tough Mudder Ltd.

Read the most recent articles, and how we got to this point here.

is the host of the Obstacle Racing Media Podcast and the author of "Down and Dirty-The Essential Training Guide for Obstacle Races and Mud Runs". He is also the only (known) #wafflehouseelite obstacle racer.

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Leaked Tough Mudder Document Sheds Light On Tough Mudder Case - Obstacle Racing Media

Larry the Triceratops was first unearthed in the 67 million year old Hell Creek Formation of the U.S. Forest Service lands in southwest North Dakota in 1988 by former museum curator, Larry League. With over 70% of the skeleton preserved, the unusually complete specimen was placed on public display at Dickinsons dinosaur museum in 1993.

A little over two decades later, Fowler, while cleaning the skeleton with his staff, noticed a peculiar feature near the end of the dinosaurs tail: an angled crimp showing evidence of an injury sustained while the animal was still alive.

We were in there dusting everything and it just jumped out at me, Fowler told The Press, detailing the experience of his discovery. It was a really cool thing to see. We all have a bit of injury that were reminded of when bad weather occurs or we move wrong; The idea that dinosaurs were exactly the same is really cool.

Fowler held on to the project until he was approached by Illies who also took an interest in the animals life as a living creature. Together, the pair set to analyzing the crooked vertebrae in the hopes of determining the injurys possible cause.

The study proposes a few different hypotheses that might explain how the injury occured, a press release issued by the Dickinson Museum Center. Perhaps the tail was clumsily struck against a tree or rock. Maybe the injury could have been caused during an attack, being bitten by a Tyrannosaurus rex.

However, considering the fairly frequent appearance of these kinds of malformations in Triceratops, the likelihood of a T-rex attack seems quite low to Fowler. What seems more likely to the investigators is that the tail was accidentally stamped on by another of its kind in a herd-like setting.

Its a real example of some sort of behavior an event that happened in this animals life, Fowler said as he described the dinosaurs environment and behavior on the prehistoric Western Edge. It was really flat and a bit swampy. Things like Triceratops are actually more common in these swampy environments; They seem to like it more swampy.

Only within the last decade have researchers truly begun to understand the living habits of this supposedly social creature.

Weve started to find groups, preserved together, now, so we think they may have been in small groups, Fowler said. were not talking hundreds and hundreds like you might see in bison, but we are talking about small groups of maybe five to ten individuals.

No matter the findings, Fowler and his staff are admittedly happy to breathe life into the areas Cretaceous history with the new study and its accompanying exhibit.

It gives character to something thats been at the museum for quite some time, but it tells us a story about Larry the Triceratops, the researcher said. It also shows the new direction for the museum: were looking at researching the specimens weve had here for a long time, finding out new things about them and also finding new specimens.

Fowler had this to say of his institutions overall objectives: We had a nice picture done and hopefully it will show that Dickinson, as an institution, is growing were starting to produce research and hopefully it will get noted. Rather than being dusty old bones, these were animals that had events happen in their lives.

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More than old bones: New study sheds light on Triceratops behavior and living habits - The Dickinson Press

Front-of-house staffers at the Shed, the contemporary arts center thatopened in New York in April of last year, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday and are hoping to unionize. The institution is the latest in a wave of arts museums that have launched union drives including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the New Museum in New York.

Maida Rosenstein, president of Local 2110 UAW (United Auto Workers), told Hyperallergic, which first reported the news, that the employees, who include front-desk workers, gallery guides, ushers, and others representing the experience associates department, are organizing to achieve better pay and working conditions. The staff members began holding meetings about their options last summer and ultimately decided to make a union push.

There are thousands of workers in cultural institutions in the arts and education in the city that are unionized, and it really should be considered the norm for workers to be able to unionize without interference from their employer or delay tactics, Rosenstein said. Many workers in arts and cultural institutions and in publishing work very hard for very little compensation, yet make an essential contribution. Its time to change the dynamics.

Located in Manhattans new Hudson Yards complex, which was spearheaded by the real estate developer Stephen Ross, the Shed recently came under scrutiny when Ross threw a high-profile fundraiser in support of President Donald Trumps reelection campaign. Its affiliations with Ross, who was a board member of the venue at the time, led A.L. Steiner and Zackary Drucker to quietly pull works from an exhibition at the Shed last summer. Ross recently stepped down from the board to focus on his other philanthropic activities.

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Employees at the Shed in New York Move to Unionize - Artforum

The Shed (photo by Zachary Small for Hyperallergic)

Front of house staff at the Shed, a multidisciplinary cultural institution in New York City that opened last year, are looking to unionize. Hyperallergic confirmed the news with Maida Rosenstein, President of Local 2110 UAW (United Auto Workers), an amalgamated union that is working with the employees. She said that they filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday and are seeking a union election as soon as possible.

The Sheds front of house staff work in the institutions Visitor Experience Associates (VXA) department and include gallery guides, ticket takers, and ushers, among other part-time, hourly workers. According to Rosenstein, their decision comes from a desire to have a voice in their terms and conditions of employment and make their livelihood and employment more sustainable.

The Shed is part of the larger and controversial Hudson Yards complex which also includes the Vessel, a $200 million sculpture designed by Thomas Heatherwick that was reproached and borderline mocked by architecture critics, and a luxury mall complex. The entire development is estimated to have cost over $20 billion. News that Stephen Ross, a board member at the Shed and real estate developer, would be hosting a fundraiser for President Donald Trump in Southampton last summer prompted further outcry. DJ Thanu Yakupitiyage, who was part of the Sheds inaugural Open Call show, staged a performance piece that included audio clips of Ross bragging about Hudson Yards alongside the voices of migrants. Thereal-estate tycoon later resigned from the institution to focus on his other philanthropic activities.

JP Diaz, a Visitor Experience Associate at the Shed, says his department has around 82 employees, including an estimated 13 recent hires. They began hosting weekly and biweekly meetings last summer to exchange ideas. What led us to ultimately organize and mobilize was the fact that there were things at the Shed that were not to our liking, in the sense that there was a lot of ambiguity regarding policies and expectations, and ultimately the working conditions were not up to par, he told Hyperallergic. He says he has enjoyed his work at the Shed otherwise, and hopes the collective bargaining process will give him and his colleagues the tools to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities.

The people who make up the department are not only the front-facing staff, but they ultimately are the representation of what The Shed could offer to the community, he said. Our job is much more than just telling you where to go or what not to touch. It ultimately makes up that institutions identity. We want to make sure our hard work and labor is properly recognized.

Rosenstein expressed hope that the Shed will embrace their decision. There are thousands of workers in cultural institutions in the arts and education in the city that are unionized, and it really should be considered the norm for workers to be able to unionize without interference from their employer or delay tactics, she said.Many workers in arts and cultural institutions and in publishing work very hard for very little compensation, yet make an essential contribution. Its time to change the dynamics.

In an email, a spokesperson for the Shed told Hyperallergic, We respect workers rights and, above all else, we value our incredibly talented and hard-working staff. Whatever the outcome, we will support our employees in their decision on this matter.

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Front of House Staff at the Shed Seek to Unionize - Hyperallergic

Recorded live over the course of just five days, Dead Shed Jokers third full-length offering is a more considered and nuanced record than 2015s self-titled long-player. Titled All The Seasons, the album is a full formed monster, the intricacies and breadth of guitar work, due in part to the bands settled line up. Dead Shed Jokers underwent a personnel chaneg after their second album. Three guitar players in the studio made sure each sonic pathway is covered, with Stratocasters, a 1982 Gibson Sonex and an Epiphone ES-335 Pro being used throughout.

Despite the airtight performances and consistencies, theres plenty of bait and switch on the album, moving from QOTSA-indebted riffery to 90s balladry reminiscent of Temple Of The Dog with consummate ease.

So its no wonder Dead Shed Jokers have become firm favourites among numerous indie radio stations over the past year, letting their latest release gather more pace as 2019 drew to a close. Below, frontman Hywel Davies sheds (no pun intended) some light on his favourite guitar parts of All The Seasons.

This song took about two years to finish. Its easily the longest in the bands history, and was one that came from the jamming in the shed. It wasnt a million miles off in 2018 and we demoed it live a few times, but we all felt that something wasnt right. I stumbled across a recording of it recently and I couldnt believe how shit it was compared to the finished article. We ditched it for a year or so and then went back to it armed with a few ideas and cut it up.

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The original chorus riff is only in one section now (around 4:45), as a bridge which leads to the outro drop D riff which is probably one of my favourites on the album. We used it to go from minor to major keys, then the drumming mixes up the feel of the last riff until the beastly half time section at the end. Theres some cool fat, fuzzed-up tremolo on the intro and outro sections, too. Sometimes youve got to be brutal to get to the best version of a song. Its a big statement of intent and we couldnt have started the album with anything else.

Dead Shed Jokers' Sean and Kris

The main riff is in an open E tuning (G down to E) and the time signature varies from 4/4 to 6/4. Its a hefty groovy riff as it is but when Metz comes in with that screaming lead, it really fires a rocket up its arse. Less is really more on this occasion. When it [the main riff] reappears over the descending chord sequence at the end it gives the song an LA Womanvibe, as it goes up a few gears and races to the finish.

Metz came in with the lead line for this song and we were all taken by it. Its a sexy melody in the vein of Mr Josh Homme and QOTSA, and sounds great through the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. As well as the intro and outro with a big muff and two other fuzz pedals on! we cut it up as a call and response in the 2nd verse with the vocal, which turned out great. Theres a good smattering of heavier angular riffs throughout the song too, including some with a Spanish/Latin vibe towards the end (dont ask us why, Shed boys love samba!).

This ones a drop D number (our general tuning of choice as a band) and has a lot going on, guitar-wise. Its over six minutes long and we really wanted it to be an atmospheric journey with a satisfying crescendo, considering the personal lyrical content. Its a light/shade number with heavy Sabbath-esque chorus riffage paired with spooky, intricate verse parts dripping in delay. This was a tricky number to record live and took a few takes to nail, but I think we did it justice.

Image: Konstantina Frasia

The way this song came about represents everything I love about music; how it can just fall out of the sky and magically come to life from nothing. On a Friday night Id gotten pissed and was up late, then wrote the lyrics in about 10 minutes in one creative mind fart. The following day Nick came round the house and we finished the night (or morning probably) with an acoustic on the couch before crashing.

I ad-libbed the lyrics over him jamming some chords in Drop C tuning. The last half of the song was a jam in the studio and really captures the atmospheric live vibe of the band. Nick then topped it off with a one-take improvised solo overdub with his Gibson Sonex, which really takes the end section into the stratosphere. For every album he pulls something amazing out of his hat in the studio and reminds us why we he hasnt been sacked!

Image: Konstantina Frasia

Dead Shed Jokers All The Seasons is out now on Pity My Brain.

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Dead Shed Jokers break down the five best guest guitar parts on All The Seasons - Guitar.com

You know how some people are forever a certain age? Like how its hard to picture a toddler named Barbara and almost impossible to imagine a senior citizen named Ryleigh or McKaela or whatever you people are naming your kids now? Im worried that Shed Long will always be frozen in time, forever suspended in my head as a 24-year-old ultralight beam.

In my minds eye, Shedric Bernard Long Jr. is going to be eternally young, smiley, and vibrant. If all goes according to plan, the Mariners will be hoisting the 2025 World Series trophy at their downtown parade with Shed Long proudly touting the hardware, his grin turned up and his face unaged.

In the immediate future, when Shed will most definitely have his youthful exuberance still intact, the Mariners will likely be relying on him for 400+ plate appearances. As of this writing, hes listed as the starter at second base ahead of Dee Gordon. Obviously, trading Gordon is difficult now that his value has cratered, and benching a twentysomething Longwho put up a 111 wRC+ last yearfor a thirtysomething with a 77 wRC+ is the opposite of rebuilding. If the Mariners are serious about getting this current group into the postseason, they have to throw them in the deep end and see if they swim.

Long did more than enough to keep his head above water last year. In 42 games as a true rookie, he clubbed .263/.333/.454 with a judicious 9.5 BB%. Longs 0.7 fWAR also outpaced Gordon, Domingo Santana, and Mallex Smith, who each had at least 250 more plate appearances than him. Though hopefully the second baseman of the future, Long also flexed some positional versatility by filling in at third base and left field as needed. The Mariners, though, are certainly hoping that Longs bat, not his glove, will headline his big-league scouting report.

In his first go-round against major league pitching, Long diverted his hits from pole to pole. Some of his extra base hits, in fact, literally landed on the foul line.

His two most notable highlights perfectly showcase the slight sluggers hit profile. The first, a Crawford Box home run to break up a perfect game, could prove to be a nice I belong here moment for Long. While this ball is not a home run anywhere else, it counts all the same as an opposite field homer against one of baseballs best pitchers. Long turned around a 95 MPH heater and plopped it in the left field seats, the sound off his bat ringing through Minute Maid Park like a trash can in the night.

The second bullet point on Longs CV came in Pittsburgh. I hope you all find the strength to dispel negativity from your life like Long did to this poor baseball.

For a famously small man, Long possesses a spellbinding amount of power. In last years prospect rankings, I compared his swing plane to Cody Bellinger, one of the poster children of the launch angle revolution. Perhaps someone got in Longs ear about elevating the ball more often, as his ground ball rate went from 54.6% with the Reds 2018 Double-A affiliate to 47.3% in his abbreviated season with the Mariners. His strikeout rate stayed mostly in line too despite facing the best pitchers of his life.

Hopefully with a new year comes more opportunities to watch and analyze Shed Long. His debut stint had a lot of things to like, with my only note being that he needs to hydrate!

Shed Long doesnt drink water

You read that correctly. Lets just let Servais tell the story.

You know, you learn a lot from these guys. Interviewing (Long), when he got up the first day he said, I dont like drinking water.

I said, This could be a concern. Why dont we drink water?

Cause I dont like the way it tastes.

I said, Well, sometimes water tastes different in different parts of the country.

Haniger threw him a bottle of Aquafina, said Try this one. Its not too bad.

I would love to wake up on Opening Day and see Shed Long Jr. written in the lineup card as the second baseman, double fisting Hydro Flasks. This is less of an indictment on Dee Gordon, who has a 90-grade personality, and more of an endorsement for Shed. He is also an intriguing candidate for the leadoff spot, (Mallex Smith dont read this) as the Mariners dont have a natural fit there and Long has filled the role 17 times already.

Some other important things to know about Shed as we gear up for the new year are that he appears to be going by Shed Long Jr. now, he changed jersey numbers from 39 to 4, and he absolutely stunted on all of us from a throne of hay.

RIP, the rest of the Internet. This snapshot will be my lasting image of Shedric Bernard Long Jr. no matter if hes 24, 34, or 64 years old.

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40 in 40: Shed Long Jr. - Lookout Landing

After hearing about an unexpected connection made between a police officer, and a young man struggling with drug addiction, Fairhavens Alyssa Botelho decided to put her passion for writing and videography to use in the making of Junkie. The short film uses a true story to add a human perspective to an often-stigmatized issue. It was partially filmed in Mattapoisett, and one of the crew members is from Wareham.

Botelho said she got the inspiration for the film from a conversation she had with a family member in law enforcement. The relative told her about a shoplifter that they arrested, and later bonded with. After the arrest, the suspect was sent to the hospital for a mental evaluation. While there, he opened up about his struggles that led to his crime, and made an unexpected impression on the officer who arrested him.

The name Junkie may sound harsh, but for Botelho, thats precisely the point. While many may have negative assumptions about those struggling with addiction, the young filmmaker hopes that her project will show the people behind the issue as individuals, and not just addicts.

When asked about her heavy subject material, Botelho said in my movies, I like to depict reality.

Botelho is a junior, studying film and business at the University of Rhode Island, and created Junkie as part of an advanced course there. While this may be her biggest project to date, Botelhos love of writing and storytelling goes back about as far as she can remember.

Her mother got her a library card at just two-years-old, and took her to check out books on a regular basis. From there, Botelho said she fell in love with things like motifs and symbolism.

Her interests expanded to take on a more visual platform after taking a media production class with teacher Drew Furtado at Fairhaven High School.

At first, I just took it for an art credit, she admitted, but the class would go on to influence her current career path.

When I took media production with Drew Furtado, he showed me that you can translate the stuff I love about writing and books into film, and for me personally, it became that much more beautiful, she said.

While she has been shooting videos since her freshman year in high school, the creation of Junkie offered new experiences for the student-filmmaker.

It was like a whole new world for each step of the way, Botelho said.

She began writing in the Spring of 2019, and continued until the start of the fall semester. She shot the scenes in just three days, and used a fourth day for exterior shots to go along with the main sequences.

Botelho said that she led a cast and crew of about 25 people, some of whom included professional actors from New York City.

She also enlisted the help of her boyfriend Sean Campbell, who served as the director of photography. Warehams Tammy Dousay also contributed to the film as a production assistant.

Dousay spoke highly of her colleagues who made Junkie a reality.

To be around people who are that creative, and who can put their minds to work, and come up with such creative conclusions for things is truly a great experience, she said.

When asked about how this film compared to others she has been a part of, Botelho said This is the first time I really got to direct, and it felt so natural.

She added that being a director taught her to have confidence in her creative vision. She also said that managing the insane amount of pieces that are moving was the hardest part of making her vision a reality.

The opening scene of Botelhos film takes place in The Mattapoisett Diner. Although the film focuses on a serious topic, she said the diner scene offers a comedic intro, and a chance to meet the main characters.

While some business owners might be wary of a film titled Junkie, Botelho said that the people at the diner seemed to understand her positive message, and were very accomodating to her cast and crew.

She added that the diner even provided them with food, and that the film received a lot of curiosity from patrons who were there to see its creation.

Other scenes were filmed in Fairhaven, Dartmouth, New Bedford, and Rhode Island.

The first showing of Junkie will be at the Fairhaven Town Hall at 7 p.m. on Jan. 10. Admission will be free, and audience members will be able to ask Botelho questions at the end of the show.

Continued here:
Filmmaker sheds light on addiction with an unexpected story - Wareham Week

Mexicos president appeared to cry when listening to the Mormon history of La Mora and seemed sincere in wanting to capture the gunmen who killed three mothers and six children with Utah ties, two of the victims relatives said Monday.

President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador visited La Mora, in the Mexican state of Sonora, on Sunday to discuss the Nov. 4 deaths. Before public remarks later in the day, Lpez Obrador met in the home of Kenny Miller, whose daughter-in-law and four grandchildren were among the dead.

The meeting included an introduction by one of La Moras founders, Paul Langford, known as Don Pablo, who told the president how the community can trace its lineage to when members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fled violence in Missouri in the 1830s and then how some Mormons left Utah at the start of the 20th century to continue practicing polygamy.

The president appeared to tear up, Miller said in a text message. Lpez Obrador definitely looked emotionally affected, but then so was I.

The Salt Lake City-based faith abandoned polygamy more than a century ago, and now excommunicates members found practicing it. Only a handful of La Moras residents still practice polygamy.

Lafe Langford Jr., whose aunt and cousins were among the dead, said Lpez Obrador met with all three husbands of the murdered women as well as some of the victims parents. He also met with one of the survivors, Devin Langford, who was 13 when he helped hide his siblings and then walked miles back to La Mora to find help. Lpez Obrador said he planned to bestow an award on the boy, Lafe Langford said.

Another surviving Langford child, Cody, who was age 8 during the attack, also planned to meet the president, Lafe Langford said, but decided not to because the security forces with the Lpez Obrador reminded him of the gunmen who shot into the SUV that carried his family.

Lpez Obrador asked the families what he could do for them. Lafe Langford said they asked only for a monument to be erected to the victims and those who saved the survivors.

We recognize the incredible effort the government is making on our behalf, said Lafe Langford, who grew up in La Mora and still has a cattle ranch there but resides in Louisiana. Its very special; touched a lot of hearts, and I think a lot of people were moved and given some brief hopes that justice will be served.

It was an amazing confirmation that Mexico stands with us, and they are determined to bring these criminal killers to justice.

Lafe Langford, who was not allowed into the private meeting but heard the public remarks, said those in attendance were impressed with how Lpez Obrador arrived. La Mora is about 1,300 miles from Mexico City roughly the distance between Washington, D.C., and central Nebraska.

Rather than arrive by helicopter, Lpez Obrador flew to Agua Prieta and took the same transportation La Mora residents do. His caravan drove four hours down bumpy, winding dirt roads. Lafe Langford said he was told Lpez Obradors vehicle even had a flat tire along the way.

Mexicos director of security also traveled with Lpez Obrador. Lafe Langford said the families were allowed to watch a previously disclosed video taken by a captured suspect. It shows the moments between the shooting that killed Maria Rhonita Miller and four of her children and when the killers set her SUV ablaze.

Lpez Obrador said he would give the families another briefing in two months and would return to dedicate the monument in four to six months. Lafe Langford said the monument is expected to be at one of the two massacre sites or there may be a monument at both locations.

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Mexico's president shed tears when hearing the Mormon history of La Mora, witnesses say - Salt Lake Tribune

A painting discovered in Vienna can change the way art historians have looked at the life and career of Northern Renaissance artist Drer.

The news, which was first published in Art newspaper, pertains to a certain painting found buried beneath dirt and time in St. Stephens Cathedral of Vienna. Early investigations revealed that the painting was made in 1505. Whats more interesting, however, was the underdrawing which revealed the creator to be none other than Albrecht Drer.

Why is this revelation important? Most historians have believed that the famed face of Northern Renaissance lived most of his life in Germany. Any visit to Vienna was certainly not recorded. Not just that, but art historians have only found one wall painting made by Drer the work in Nuremberg town hall. However, that work (created in 1521) was destroyed in WWII bombings.

The work was first discovered months ago, though a lack of early conclusions suppressed the news. In November, a meeting of experts was convened to carry detailed investigation. It was soon concluded that the painting was definitely made by someone from Drers circle. The dating brought it somewhere in the 1510s. Another important conclusion was that even though Drer might have begun the work, it was finished later on by his assistants. This was made apparent from the change in style and drop in quality, as the assistants werent able to match Drers genius.

The work is in the form of a triptych, portraying three saints. St. Catherin and St. Margaret are on either side of the work. At the centre stands St. Leopold III, who also happens to be a patron saint of Austria. The results of the thorough investigation would be published in the form of a paper later this year. However, according to Erwin Pokorny (one of the experts on the team), the question that remains now is just when exactly Drer visited Vienna.

David Guido Pietroni is an Italian music and film producer. Since 2004, he has been a member of the Recording Academy for the Grammy Awards and is also a part of the Tribeca Film Center, the realized vision of Robert De Niro bring together and support the New York City Film Community. He has been into the art world his entire life and has started this initiative "The Art Insider" to contribute in the best way possible.. You can check my Wikipedia page for more information. You can connect with me at david@art-insider.com

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Painting in Vienna sheds new light on the life of Drer - The Art Insider