A few stories you might have missed over the weekend.

(HealthDay News) — Gene therapy using nerve growth factors reversed erectile dysfunction in rats within four weeks, say University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects between 15 million and 30 million men in the United States. Many men suffer nerve damage-related ED after surgery for prostate cancer.

The Pittsburgh team found that the genes for the “glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor” (GDNF) and the GDNF family ligand, called neurturin, were both effective in treating erectile dysfunction in the rats.

The genes were placed in a genetically engineered herpes simplex virus, which was then injected
into the rats’ damaged cavernous nerve.

The finding suggests a potential new treatment for ED in men.

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Paris Hilton expressed fear about her upcoming jail sentence while making a surprise visit to the MTV Movie Awards Sunday, saying she was “scared” but ready to do the time.

“I am trying to be strong right now,” said Hilton, who wore a black strapless dress and jewels.
She stopped briefly to pose for photos and speak to reporters.

The hotel heiress, ordered to report to jail by Tuesday for violating for violating her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case, said her family, friends and fans have helped her prepare for her nearly three-week sentence behind bars.

“I’ve received thousands of letters from around the world of support and it’s really been inspirational and really helped me,” she said. “I’m really scared but I’m ready to do this. And I hope that I’m an example to other young people.”

WASHINGTON - Ford’s Theatre, the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, will be mostly off-limits for visitors for the next year and a half while it undergoes renovations.

The theater in northwest Washington is slated to get an $8.5 million upgrade. The improvements include the theater’s first elevator, new restrooms and renovations to the heating, air conditioning, lighting and sound systems, the National Park Service said.

An exception to the closure will be the Ford’s Theatre Society’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol.”

It will go on as usual from late November through December, said Hannah Olanoff, a spokeswoman for the society. Other than that, the society has cleared its calendar for the coming season. It usually puts on four shows during the September-to-June season.

The 144-year-old theater last underwent restoration in the 1960s, said Park Service spokesman Bill Line.

The current repairs are being done in part to improve access for the disabled.

CHICAGO - Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella was suspended indefinitely and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Sunday for his latest dirt-kicking tirade against an umpire.

Piniella was ejected in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

After Angel Pagan was thrown out trying to steal third on a pitch that bounced away from the catcher, Piniella stormed out of the dugout and kicked dirt as he argued and tossed his cap, leading to his ouster by third-base umpire Mark Wegner.

MLB also said Piniella made contact with Wegner during the outburst - which Piniella denied.

Piniella began serving his suspension Sunday. The length of Piniella’s suspension will be determined Monday after a meeting with John McHale Jr., the MLB executive vice president for administration.

ROME (AFP) - Who could have guessed that throughout the rise and fall of Rome’s emperors, monarchs and politicians a lowly creature has reigned supreme in the ruins of Trajan’s mighty empire?

Potamon fluviatile, an unassuming freshwater crab, has shown superior staying power, thriving in the canals built by the Etruscans nearly 3,000 years ago, Italian zoologists say.

The ancient ruins of Trajan’s Forum in the heart of the Eternal City have provided the ideal habitat for the crustacean, which is much larger than its counterparts in lakes and rivers, Massimiliano Scalici told AFP.

The narrow canals that flow under Trajan’s Forum lead to the Cloaca Massima, the ancient Roman sewage system built in the sixth century BC initially to drain local marshes.

“Early results of a genetic analysis that we are doing show that the genes of the crabs at Trajan are very close to those of Greek freshwater crabs,” Scalici said.

Have a great week!

Jim