Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/302311437?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Monday, April 29, 2013
Sniffing out schizophrenia
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Public release date: 29-Apr-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University
Neurons in the nose could be the key to early, fast, and accurate diagnosis, says a Tel Aviv University researcher
A debilitating mental illness, schizophrenia can be difficult to diagnose. Because physiological evidence confirming the disease can only be gathered from the brain during an autopsy, mental health professionals have had to rely on a battery of psychological evaluations to diagnose their patients.
Now, Dr. Noam Shomron and Prof. Ruth Navon of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, together with PhD student Eyal Mor from Dr. Shomron's lab and Prof. Akira Sawa of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, have discovered a method for physical diagnosis by collecting tissue from the nose through a simple biopsy. Surprisingly, collecting and sequencing neurons from the nose may lead to "more sure-fire" diagnostic capabilities than ever before, Dr. Shomron says.
This finding, which was reported in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, could not only lead to a more accurate diagnosis, it may also permit the crucial, early detection of the disease, giving rise to vastly improved treatment overall.
From the nose to diagnosis
Until now, biomarkers for schizophrenia had only been found in the neuron cells of the brain, which can't be collected before death. By that point it's obviously too late to do the patient any good, says Dr. Shomron. Instead, psychiatrists depend on psychological evaluations for diagnosis, including interviews with the patient and reports by family and friends.
For a solution to this diagnostic dilemma, the researchers turned to the olfactory system, which includes neurons located on the upper part of the inner nose. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University collected samples of olfactory neurons from patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and a control group of non-affected individuals, then sent them to Dr. Shomron's TAU lab.
Dr. Shomron and his fellow researchers applied a high-throughput technology to these samples, studying the microRNA of the olfactory neurons. Within these molecules, which help to regulate our genetic code, they were able to identify a microRNA which is highly elevated in those with schizophrenia, compared to individuals who do not have the disease.
"We were able to narrow down the microRNA to a differentially expressed set, and from there down to a specific microRNA which is elevated in individuals with the disease compared to healthy individuals," explains Dr. Shomron. Further research revealed that this particular microRNA controls genes associated with the generation of neurons.
In practice, material for biopsy could be collected through a quick and easy outpatient procedure, using a local anesthetic, says Dr. Shomron. And with microRNA profiling results ready in a matter of hours, this method could evolve into a relatively simple and accurate test to diagnose a very complicated illness.
Early detection, early intervention
Though there is much more to investigate, Dr. Shomron has high hopes for this diagnostic method. It's important to determine whether this alteration in microRNA expression begins before schizophrenic symptoms begin to exhibit themselves, or only after the disease fully develops, he says. If this change comes near the beginning of the timeline, it could be invaluable for early diagnostics. This would mean early intervention, better treatment, and possibly even the postponement of symptoms.
If, for example, a person has a family history of schizophrenia, this test could reveal whether they too suffer from the disease. And while such advanced warning doesn't mean a cure is on the horizon, it will help both patient and doctor identify and prepare for the challenges ahead.
###
American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.
Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 29-Apr-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University
Neurons in the nose could be the key to early, fast, and accurate diagnosis, says a Tel Aviv University researcher
A debilitating mental illness, schizophrenia can be difficult to diagnose. Because physiological evidence confirming the disease can only be gathered from the brain during an autopsy, mental health professionals have had to rely on a battery of psychological evaluations to diagnose their patients.
Now, Dr. Noam Shomron and Prof. Ruth Navon of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, together with PhD student Eyal Mor from Dr. Shomron's lab and Prof. Akira Sawa of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, have discovered a method for physical diagnosis by collecting tissue from the nose through a simple biopsy. Surprisingly, collecting and sequencing neurons from the nose may lead to "more sure-fire" diagnostic capabilities than ever before, Dr. Shomron says.
This finding, which was reported in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, could not only lead to a more accurate diagnosis, it may also permit the crucial, early detection of the disease, giving rise to vastly improved treatment overall.
From the nose to diagnosis
Until now, biomarkers for schizophrenia had only been found in the neuron cells of the brain, which can't be collected before death. By that point it's obviously too late to do the patient any good, says Dr. Shomron. Instead, psychiatrists depend on psychological evaluations for diagnosis, including interviews with the patient and reports by family and friends.
For a solution to this diagnostic dilemma, the researchers turned to the olfactory system, which includes neurons located on the upper part of the inner nose. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University collected samples of olfactory neurons from patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and a control group of non-affected individuals, then sent them to Dr. Shomron's TAU lab.
Dr. Shomron and his fellow researchers applied a high-throughput technology to these samples, studying the microRNA of the olfactory neurons. Within these molecules, which help to regulate our genetic code, they were able to identify a microRNA which is highly elevated in those with schizophrenia, compared to individuals who do not have the disease.
"We were able to narrow down the microRNA to a differentially expressed set, and from there down to a specific microRNA which is elevated in individuals with the disease compared to healthy individuals," explains Dr. Shomron. Further research revealed that this particular microRNA controls genes associated with the generation of neurons.
In practice, material for biopsy could be collected through a quick and easy outpatient procedure, using a local anesthetic, says Dr. Shomron. And with microRNA profiling results ready in a matter of hours, this method could evolve into a relatively simple and accurate test to diagnose a very complicated illness.
Early detection, early intervention
Though there is much more to investigate, Dr. Shomron has high hopes for this diagnostic method. It's important to determine whether this alteration in microRNA expression begins before schizophrenic symptoms begin to exhibit themselves, or only after the disease fully develops, he says. If this change comes near the beginning of the timeline, it could be invaluable for early diagnostics. This would mean early intervention, better treatment, and possibly even the postponement of symptoms.
If, for example, a person has a family history of schizophrenia, this test could reveal whether they too suffer from the disease. And while such advanced warning doesn't mean a cure is on the horizon, it will help both patient and doctor identify and prepare for the challenges ahead.
###
American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.
Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/afot-sos042913.php
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Fish win fights on strength of personality
Monday, April 29, 2013
When predicting the outcome of a fight, the big guy doesn't always win suggests new research on fish. Scientists at the University of Exeter and Texas A&M University found that when fish fight over food, it is personality, rather than size, that determines whether they will be victorious. The findings suggest that when resources are in short supply personality traits such as aggression could be more important than strength when it comes to survival.
The study, published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, found that small fish were able to do well in contests for food against larger fish provided they were aggressive. Regardless of their initial size, it was the fish that tended to have consistently aggressive behaviour - or personalities - that repeatedly won food and as a result put on weight.
Dr Alastair Wilson from Biosciences at the University of Exeter said: "We wondered if we were witnessing a form of Napoleon, or small man, syndrome. Certainly our study indicates that small fish with an aggressive personality are capable of defeating their larger, more passive counterparts when it comes to fights over food. The research suggests that personality can have far reaching implications for life and survival."
The sheepshead swordtail fish (Xiphophorus birchmanni) fish were placed in pairs in a fish tank, food was added and their behaviour was captured on film. The feeding contest trials were carried out with both male and female fish. The researchers found that while males regularly attacked their opponent to win the food, females were much less aggressive and rarely attacked.
In animals, personality is considered to be behaviour that is repeatedly observed under certain conditions. Major aspects of personality such as shyness or aggressiveness have previously been characterised and are thought to have important ecological significance. There is also evidence to suggest that certain aspects of personality can be inherited. Further work on whether winning food through aggression could ultimately improve reproductive success will shed light on the heritability of personality traits.
###
University of Exeter: http://www.exeter.ac.uk
Thanks to University of Exeter for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127971/Fish_win_fights_on_strength_of_personality
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HP Slate 7 Android tablet now available
HP has just released its 7″ Android tablet in the US – the Slate 7. ?It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and?features an?ARM Cortex-A9 Dual-Core (1.6 GHz) processor, 8GB internal memory, 1GB DDR3 SDRAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a 1024 x 600 screen. ?It?has a front-facing (VGA) webcam and a 3MP rear-facing webcam. A microSD [...]
Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/04/28/hp-slate-7-tablet-now-available/
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Sunday, April 28, 2013
Jurors set to get roadmap of Jackson civil trial
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The most complete account of Michael Jackson's final months is about to unfold in a cramped Los Angeles courtroom nearly four years after the pop superstar's death.
Lawyers for Jackson's mother will attempt to convince a jury that the company promoting the pop superstar's 2009 comeback concerts is responsible for his untimely death. The attorneys will try to prove that AEG Live hired and controlled the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter over Jackson's demise.
AEG Live denies any wrongdoing and contests that they hired the physician who for months was giving Jackson doses of a powerful anesthetic in the singer's bedroom to help him sleep.
Opening statements on Monday will provide a roadmap for a case that will delve into Jackson's addiction struggles and issues previously unexplored in court. Many of those in the singer's orbit ? family, famous friends, doctors and his teenage children ? may testify during the months-long trial.
Some of the stars listed on the witness list include Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, Lou Ferrigno and Spike Lee. Both of Jackson's ex-wives, Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe, are also listed as potential witnesses.
Katherine Jackson sued in September 2010, claiming AEG failed to properly investigate her son's doctor, Conrad Murray. All but one of her claims has been dismissed, but millions and possibly billions of dollars are at stake. The trial pits the family of a global superstar against AEG Live, a private company that as part of the Anschutz Entertainment Group has helped spark the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles with its venue, the Staples Center.
Unlike the 2011 trial that ended with Murray's conviction, the civil trial will explore the troubled finances of both men ? a situation that Katherine Jackson's attorneys say created a conflict of interest for Murray that AEG should have been aware of.
The Houston-based cardiologist was deeply in debt when he agreed to serve as Jackson's personal doctor for a series of 50 concerts in London dubbed "This Is It." The doctor had liens and owed back child support when he began working with Jackson, expecting a $150,000 a month salary. Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication before the contract was fully signed.
The trial is expected to include detailed testimony about other doctors' treatment of Jackson, a subject that was largely off-limits in the criminal case. Unlike Murray's trial, which was broadcast live, the civil case will play out without cameras in a courtroom with only 45 public seats.
AEG denies they hired Murray, and have contended he should be considered an independent contractor, a designation many hospitals deem surgeons and other physicians.
Katherine Jackson's attorneys, Brian Panish and Kevin Boyle, have repeatedly cited emails sent by top AEG executives referencing Murray's pay and his obligations to get Jackson to perform.
Marvin S. Putnam, an attorney for AEG who was not available to comment, has said the company could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to Murray's administration of propofol to Jackson as a sleep aide.
AEG has said in court filings that Jackson's family is seeking $40 billion in damages, but Panish denies that's the figure he's seeking.
"We've never asked for $40 billion," he said. "The jury is going to decide what the loss is."
The high figure, Panish said, is the company's attempt to "prejudice everybody against the Jacksons." He says the case isn't about money.
"It's about getting the truth," he said. "We'd like to get out all the evidence. The evidence is going to speak for itself that AEG had a lot of involvement and they completely deny responsibility."
Jackson's three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket are also listed as plaintiffs on the case.
Asked whether he and the Jacksons are concerned about the image of the "Thriller" singer that will emerge in court, Panish said the trial will show a different side of the superstar. "Mrs. Jackson and her grandchildren suffered a tremendous loss and AEG has never recognized that and continues to deny responsibility," he said. "The other side of the story hasn't been told."
A jury of six men and six women has been selected to decide the case.
Monday's remarks by Panish and Putnam will provide the jurors' their first true insight into the evidence they will likely hear, and once again pull back the veil of Michael Jackson's private life.
___
Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jurors-set-roadmap-jackson-civil-trial-160010550.html
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Saturday, April 27, 2013
US economy accelerates at 2.5 percent rate in Q1
WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. economic growth accelerated to an annual rate of 2.5 percent from January through March, buoyed by the strongest consumer spending in more than two years. Government spending fell, though, and tax increases and federal budget cuts could slow growth later this year.
The Commerce Department said Friday that the economy rebounded from an anemic 0.4 percent annual growth rate in the October-December quarter. Much of the gain reflected a jump in consumer spending, which rose at an annual rate of 3.2 percent. That was the biggest such jump since the end of 2010.
Growth was also helped by businesses, which responded to the greater demand by rebuilding their stockpiles. And home construction rose further.
But government spending fell at a 4.1 percent rate, led by another deep cut in defense spending. The decline kept last quarter's increase in economic growth below expectations of a 3 percent rate or more.
Many economists say they think growth as measured by the gross domestic product is slowing in the April-June quarter to an annual rate of just 2 percent. Most foresee growth remaining around that subpar level for the rest of the year.
GDP is the broadest gauge of the economy's health. It measures the total output of goods and services produced in the United States, from haircuts and hamburgers to airplanes and automobiles.
Across-the-board government spending cuts, which began taking effect March 1, have forced federal agencies to furlough workers, reduced spending on public projects and made businesses more nervous about investing and hiring.
Consumers' take-home pay has also fallen because President Barack Obama and Congress allowed a Social Security tax cut to expire. A person earning $50,000 a year has about $1,000 less to spend this year. A household with two high-paid workers has up to $4,500 less. Consumers' take-home pay is crucial to the economy because their spending drives roughly 70 percent of growth.
Americans appeared to shrug off the tax increase at the start of the year. They spent more in January and February, helped by a stronger job market. In part, that's why growth is expected to be solid in the first quarter.
But hiring slowed sharply in March. And consumers spent less at retail businesses, a sign that many were starting to feel the tax increase. Economists expect spending to stay weak in the second quarter as consumers adjust to their smaller paychecks.
Ben Herzon, an economist at Macroeconomics Advisers, said the tax increases could shave roughly 1 percentage point from growth this year. He also expects the government spending cuts to reduce growth by about 0.6 percentage point.
The drop in government spending cut growth in the January-March quarter by 0.8 percentage point. Three-fourths of that decline came from defense spending.
Income growth slowed sharply after a big surge in the final three months of 2012. The fourth-quarter gain had reflected a rush to pay dividends and make bonus payments before higher tax rates took effect on Jan. 1. Incomes were also held back in the first three months by the increase in Social Security taxes.
The big jump in consumer spending, along with slower income growth, meant that the saving rate fell to 2.6 percent of after-tax income in the first quarter. That was down from 4.7 percent in the fourth quarter.
The first-quarter growth figures will be revised twice more based on more complete data.
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To-do list app Remember The Milk gets a healthy update on Android (video)
We have a soft spot for Remember the Milk, not least because the cross-platform app is handy for divvying up to-do lists between different groups in remote locations. If you're on Android and in the market for a new productivity tool, a significant update to version 3.0 makes this a good time to try it. There's a video after the break showing how the new interface works with vertical columns, similar to those on the iOS version, so you see a selection of lists on the left, list contents in the middle and the precise details of a task when you swipe to the right. Sounds simple perhaps, but it's more fluid -- especially on smaller screens. It's also good that the constant "reminders" about upgrading to a Pro account aren't as in-your-face as they were in the old version, which makes the whole thing feel a bit more chilled out. For more personal and less urgent stuff, however, you might find Springpad to be a bit friendlier.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Software, Mobile
Source: Remember the Milk
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/OoRePuX-0NQ/
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Friday, April 26, 2013
Rumored low-spec Samsung Galaxy Core has 4.3-inch display, vague hints of GS4 styling (update: dual SIM)
Samsung has a thing for releasing budget chasers soon after the main shot. There have already been strong hints of a GS4 Mini to capitalize on the flagship's buzz and now a purported leak over at hi-tech@mail.ru suggests another, even more cut-down model could be on its way, this time called the Galaxy Core. According to the Russian site -- which has some pedigree -- the Core has a 4.3-inch display with an 800 x 480 resolution, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 768MB RAM, 8GB of internal storage (plus microSD), a 5MP rear camera, 1,800mAh battery and likely Android 4.1-flavored TouchWiz. In other words, it could be very similar to the Galaxy S II Plus or the slightly smaller Galaxy S III Mini or the slightly bigger China-destined Galaxy Win -- so similar, in fact, that it leaves us largely indifferent. The rumored price of 14,000 rubles ($430) also seems way overboard -- although Russian prices often do.
Update: As a number of you spotted, this phone has another differentiating spec. It turns out dvuhsimochny means dual SIM, which makes complete sense when you say it out loud.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Via: AndroidBeat
Source: Hi.tech@mail.ru (Russian)
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CA-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Midler wins raves on Broadway as Hollywood agent Sue Mengers
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bette Midler marked her return to Broadway after more than 30 years on Wednesday, and critics lined up to heap praise on her turn in the one-character play "I'll Eat You Last: A Conversation with Sue Mengers" in which she portrays the legendary Hollywood agent. The late Mengers was famous as a brash, foul-mouthed, witty and fearsome force of nature whose clients included Barbra Streisand, Faye Dunaway and Gene Hackman to name but a few and critics noted the comfortable fit between the show's star and its subject. They also cited Midler's confident possession of the stage and seduction of the audience and most were impressed with the play itself as well.
Mamma Mia! Bookie offers odds on ABBA reunion
LONDON (Reuters) - A British bookmaker is taking bets on an ABBA comeback after singer Agnetha Faltskog hinted at a possible reunion for Sweden's most successful band. Faltskog, who has come out of retirement to release a solo album called "A", was asked by German's Die Zeit Magazine if she would be open to an ABBA reunion and she responded positively.
Psy knocked from top of Korean charts by 63-year-old singer
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean rapper Psy, whose latest video "Gentleman" tracked global megahit "Gangnam Style" by going viral on the Internet, has been knocked from the top of the music charts in his native country by a 63-year-old easy listening pop singer. "Gangnam Style", which holds the YouTube record for most views with more than 1.5 billion, catapulted the sunglassed Korean with the garish jackets to world stardom and made him one of the best-known faces to grace the growing K-pop music scene.
Gwyneth Paltrow named People's most beautiful woman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow on Wednesday was named the world's most beautiful woman for 2013 by People magazine, knocking pop singer Beyonce out of the top spot. The 40-year-old mother of two credits a five-day-a-week exercise regimen for keeping her in shape as she grows older.
A Minute With: Colin Firth from royal to ordinary 'Arthur Newman'
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After winning a Best Actor Oscar for playing a stuttering British royal in 2010 film "The King's Speech," Colin Firth is back on screen as a character who appears ordinary to the point of boring in indie drama "Arthur Newman." Opening in select U.S. movie theaters on Friday, Firth plays an American man who is dissatisfied with his life and hits the road with a new identity. Things get derailed when he meets Mike (Emily Blunt) a troubled young woman fleeing from her own issues.
Ang Lee, Kidman join Cannes Film Festival jury
LONDON (Reuters) - Double Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and Australian actress Nicole Kidman will be on the nine-member jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, organizers said on Wednesday. The panel, led by triple Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg, will decide the awards handed out when the world's most important annual cinema showcase closes on May 26.
Coinstar bets on "Man of Steel," "Iron Man" to boost rental business
(Reuters) - Coinstar Inc raised its full-year adjusted profit forecast as it bets on a slate of movies scheduled to be released in the third quarter to boost its Redbox video rental business, sending its shares up 8 percent after the bell. Coinstar, which plans to change its name to Outerwall Inc, acquired Redbox in 2008 for its DVD kiosk business, and it has become its primary source of sales since then.
"The English Teacher" follows footsteps of "Weeds," "Nurse Jackie"
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fans of "Nurse Jackie," "Weeds," and "The Big C" will recognize the quirky lead of "The English Teacher" as she steps out of her straight-laced life to encounter unexpected consequences, the movie's director said in an interview. In "The English Teacher," which has its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday, lead character Linda Sinclair, played by Julianne Moore, tries to mount a high school production of a play written by a former student (Michael Angarano) who has returned to his small hometown in Pennsylvania.
Kurdish singer sparks identity debate on Arab talent show
ARBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - A singer from Iraq's Kurdistan region has made it through to the semi-final of an Arab talent contest, igniting heated debates over Iraqi identity and politicizing the popular TV show. A panel of judges praised 24-year-old Parwaz Hussein and she was voted through to the next round of "Arab Idol", in which aspiring popstars from Morocco to Bahrain compete for a recording contract.
Swedish police find drugs on Justin Bieber bus, no suspects
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish police said on Thursday they found drugs on teen idol Justin Bieber's tour bus in Stockholm, but had no suspects and were unlikely to pursue the case further. A police officer on crowd duty smelled marijuana on an empty tour bus outside the hotel where Bieber was staying just before his concert in the capital on Wednesday night, police spokesman Kjell Lindgren said.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-entertainment-summary-081913052.html
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Thursday, April 25, 2013
GE shareholders reject proposal to split chair, CEO roles
By Ernest Scheyder
(Reuters) - General Electric Co
The proposal from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) pension plan failed at the company's annual shareholder meeting in New Orleans, receiving roughly 25 percent of shares voted.
Roughly 77 percent of GE's 10.4 billion shares were voted at the meeting.
The movement to split the two roles gained steam across corporate America after the 2008 financial crisis as a way to increase management accountability. A broader push for independent boards began with passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002.
GE, the AFSCME argued, needs an independent chairman who can check a CEO's power and hold the executive accountable.
"Shareholder value is enhanced by an independent board chair who can provide a balance of power between the CEO and the board and support strong board leadership," the group said in a proxy filing.
GE's current board argued its current system worked "because it allows one person to speak for and lead the company and board while also providing for effective oversight and governance."
GE, like Caterpillar Inc
The AFSCME said it hasn't decided whether to offer a similar proposal at GE's next shareholder meeting, but was encouraged more shareholders voted to split the roles this year than at 2012's meeting. The proposal received about 22 percent of votes cast at the 2012 meeting, and roughly 25 percent this year.
"There's a growing trend for these type of proposals," said the AFSCME's John Keenan, who spoke at GE's meeting.
The group is pushing a similar measure at JPMorgan Chase & Co
Bank of America Corp
GE shareholders also rejected proposals that would have imposed 15-year term limits on current board members, required at least two candidates to be nominated for each available board seat and would have canceled stock options and bonuses for current executives.
The Fairfield, Connecticut-based's 17 directors were all re-elected, including Mary Shapiro, former chairwoman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and W. Geoffrey Beattie, deputy chairman of Thomson Reuters Corp
KPMG
GE shares rose 2.1 percent to $21.95 in afternoon trading.
(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder in New York; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Jeffrey Benkoe and Nick Zieminski)
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Just what makes that little old ant? change a flower's nectar content?
Apr. 24, 2013 ? Ants play a variety of important roles in many ecosystems. As frequent visitors to flowers, they can benefit plants in their role as pollinators when they forage on sugar-rich nectar. However, a new study reveals that this mutualistic relationship may actually have some hidden costs. By transmitting sugar-eating yeasts to the nectar on which they feed, ants may be indirectly altering the nectar-chemistry and thus affecting subsequent pollinator visitations.
Many species of plants benefit from interacting with ants, and some even secrete special sugary substances to attract ants. Plants produce sugar, in the form of nectar, and in exchange ants provide services such as pollination or protection from herbivores.
The main components of nectar that attract pollinators include three dominant sugars -- sucrose, fructose, and glucose -- and amino acids (or proteins). The chemical composition of nectar differs among plant species and has been thought to be a conservative trait linked to pollinator type. For example, plants pollinated by hummingbirds tend to have nectar with high amounts of sucrose. In addition, nectar composition is thought to be regulated by the plant.
"When people think about how flowers are pollinated, they probably think about bees," notes Clara de Vega, a postdoctoral researcher at the Estaci?n Biol?gica de Do?ana, Spain. "But ants also pollinate flowers, and I am interested in the role ants play in pollination since it is still poorly understood."
De Vega joined forces with Carlos M. Herrera, an evolutionary ecologist at the Estaci?n Biol?gica de Do?ana, to investigate the relationship between ant pollinators and nectarivorous yeasts. Nectar-dwelling yeasts, which consume sugars, have recently been discovered in the flowers of many temperate and tropical plant species. De Vega and Herrera have already discovered that some ant species not only carry certain types of sugar-metabolizing yeasts on their bodies, but they also effectively transmit these yeasts to the nectar of flowers they visit.
In their most recent work, published in the American Journal of Botany, De Vega and Herrera investigated whether flowers visited by these ants differed from flowers that were not visited by ants in their sugar chemistry, and whether sugar-chemistry was correlated with the abundance of ant-transmitted yeasts found in the nectar.
By excluding ants from visiting inflorescences of a perennial, parasitic plant, Cytinus hypocistis, and comparing the nectar chemistry to inflorescences that were visited by ants, the authors tested these ideas experimentally.
When the authors compared the sugar content in the nectar of flowers visited by ants versus those enclosed in nylon mesh bags to exclude ants, they found that nectar of flowers exposed to ants had higher levels of fructose and glucose, but lower levels of sucrose compared with the ant-excluded flowers.
Interestingly, in flowers visited by ants, there was a high correlation between yeast cell density and sugar content. Nectar that had higher densities of yeast had more fructose and less sucrose, suggesting that the types of yeasts change the sugar content of the nectar. Flowers that were excluded from ants did not have any yeast in their nectar.
"Our study has revealed that ants can actually change the nectar characteristics of the flowers they are pollinating," says de Vega. "The microorganisms, specifically yeasts, that are present on the surface of ants change the composition of sugar in the flower?s nectar."
"This means that nectar composition is not completely controlled by the flower -- it is something created in cooperation with the ants that visit the flower," she notes. "We also think that these ant-transported yeasts might have the potential to affect plant reproduction."
Indeed, if a plant cannot control the sugar content of its nectar, then it may lose some of its target pollinators, which would potentially affect overall seed set and plant fitness.
Moreover, if introducing these yeasts to nectar changes the chemistry of the very components that serve to attract pollinators, then perhaps ants are indirectly changing the foraging behavior of subsequent flower visitors and thereby affecting seed dispersal patterns.
This study has revealed an additional layer in the complex association between ants and flowering plants, as pollinating ants alter sugar-nectar chemistry in flowers via sugar-consuming yeasts. But the story does not end here. De Vega plans to continue researching the role that these nectarivorous yeasts play on the reproduction of plants.
"I plan to study the whole interaction of plants, yeasts, and pollinators -- how are they interrelated and what mechanisms shape these relations?"
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Journal of Botany, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- C. de Vega, C. M. Herrera. Microorganisms transported by ants induce changes in floral nectar composition of an ant-pollinated plant. American Journal of Botany, 2013; 100 (4): 792 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1200626
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/most_popular/~3/So3AeTCfj8w/130424185232.htm
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Top Blogging Sites | Content for Reprint
Word Count: 1031 Date:
At the present time, your online business needs a strong focus on Website marketing. Promoting yourself and your website online is vital to the success of your business. If you're not engaged in Online marketing already, now's the time to begin. Before you get started, make sure you check out these marketing tips to help you promote your web business.
Give something away to those visiting your website. One of the most popular giveaways used by online businesses is an interesting and relevant article. For example, if you are a general contractor, you might have a good article of home repair tips for your customers to download. This tells customers that you care about what is important to them.
Use persuasive words in your emails to customers, encouraging them to take a specific action. Actions you want customers to take can range from purchasing a product, visiting a page on your site or subscribing to your ezine. Since you can track these actions, you will be able to see how effective your marketing efforts are.
There is no exact formula to internet marking, rather it is half art and half science. You must research the online advertising methods that are effective within your industry and learn about newly designed techniques. This can sometimes be challenging.
Whatever claims you make in your website advertizing about top blogging sites, make sure you can back it up with facts. If people believe you are trying to sell them something, they are likely to be distrustful. Credibility is key; augment your sales pitch with support like references, customer testimonials and fact-based evidence. Unless you can substantiate your claims, you run the risk of appearing dishonest or lazy in the eyes of your prospective customers.
To advertise your product, you should create a sort of FAQ. For each issue or question, write a helpful answer, and be sure to mention your products as a solution. Write your questions with this in mind, giving yourself the subtle opportunity to promote your wares.
Affiliate marketing takes a lot of work and research. Choose a trusted mentor that you admire online. Many veteran internet marketers give out free advice, and some mentor newbies for a fee. Once you have chosen a technique you want to try, stick with it until it proves profitable or shows that you need to move on to a new technique. You may have a slow start, but in the end, it will be well worth the effort.
Customers should be able to provide a rating for products in your listing. Additionally, at your discretion, you can allow them to write a review of a product they have purchased. Not only can these reviews help you improve your products, but they allow potential customers to feel more confident in their purchasing decision.
Always avoid spam. Web crawlers, which quickly post hundreds or thousands of comments in a short amount of time, rarely produce the desired effect for your business. Instead, the lack of personalization when advertising could turn your customers off and cause them to become less interested.
Make sure the design of your website on blogging for dummies, makes your links highly visible. This will give the people interested in you, more ease when looking through your website. All of your information will not be hidden away in obscure links that no one can seem to find.
Always try to keep your content fresh and current on your website. If your site only contains dated information, potential customers may think the website is old or your company is closed. A website that is user-friendly and up-to-date is inviting for readers.
Tailor versions of your website to different audiences worldwide. Translate the content into multiple languages so that people all over the world can read your site. This is a potent approach to increase global sales. Customers who can read your website in their own language are more likely to make a purchase from the site.
Ask major companies to add your link to their site, this will make you more credible. Visitors will see these familiar and trusted names on your site and have a tendency toward association, giving you the benefit of the doubt as well as a favorable customer image. In the future, their larger customer base will think of you when they think of them.
Design your banners to be subtle and not annoying to visitors to your website. Do not let them know that it is really a link. Many people do not click banners, but they will not hesitate to click a link that will lead them to more info.
When marketing your business online, it's important that you make your customers feel as if they're in control. This might require you to set up your content in such a way that the customer actually dictates the flow. This is important today in a marketing world full of spam and unwanted opinions. Always have a link people can click on if they wish to discontinue emails from you.
Create a 500 error page that is user-friendly. This happens when your code does not work properly. A boring page that gives this message may annoy your potential customer. You can inform your customers that you know about the problem and are working on resolving it in by better methods than resorting to the generic error page.
Change around the links you use in your emails. Emails that are always the same are the ones that are most often ignored. Customers don't like seeing the same thing repeatedly, and it's important to offer variation to keep them engaged.
Most of the tactics you'll learn about are very easy to implement. You just need to make sure you implement them correctly. There are several approaches for this. So much information is at your disposal to begin to reap the rewards. By following these tips, you are well on your way to becoming a successful internet marketer.
Businesses go to so much trouble when there is one sure-fire, simple, very inexpensive way to attract new clients to a business: Teach a free class. That is what article marketing is like. Your articles are just like free classes. You teach your target readers something helpful in your article. Your resource box then says, "If you enjoyed this article you can visit my website and apply what you have learned."
Being an entrepreneur and earning multiple streams of income is a dream that many have, but in reality it does take some initial hard work to achieve this. Earning multiple streams of income is the wave of the future, and here are some tips and advice for you when you are looking for ways in which to do this for yourself.
Starting a home based business to earn income online takes a significant amount of time and energy upfront to get things going. Not seeing results immediately can be discouraging and cause people to give up too early. In this article, we look at the process of starting a home based business and working through the frustrations to be there when the sales come flowing in.
Cyber marketing has now become an indispensable segment of e-commerce as well as the internet and World Wide Web related topics. Cyber marketing simply refers to a technique of attracting potential customers by advertising your products or services through such means as websites, emails, and banners.
If you want your SEO to work you now need to concentrate on appeasing Google Panda, and to do this you need to know what Google Panda's spiders/bots will be looking for. Find out here how to search engine optimise your website for the latest Google Panda algorithm, and achieve the success you deserve.
Source: http://www.content4reprint.com/internet-marketing/top-blogging-sites.htm
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Can we celebrate the NHS a bit more please? ? Hospital Dr
I?m actually getting more than a bit fed up ? almost said pissed off, but remembered myself just in time ? by the all-pervading Uriah Heepish admissions about how awful the NHS is. It all started with Stafford, of course, and there?s no doubt that the situation there was unacceptable and had to be addressed (although we?re still waiting to see evidence of those ?hundreds? of avoidable deaths trumpeted in the media).
Equally, I don?t doubt that there are other corners of the NHS where the target-obsessed culture and associated under-resourcing have produced similar results.
But that doesn?t mean that the whole of the health care system is a heap of ordure, staffed by uncaring and incompetent wasters. That?s the impression you get from reading the papers though, and if this goes on, we?ll be caught up in a self-fulfilling cycle of despondency. The fact is that surveys reveal high levels of public satisfaction with the health service, and the NHS is consistently demonstrated to be one of the most efficient health care systems anywhere in the developed world. And we do all this with fewer hospital beds and fewer doctors per capita than mainland Europe, not to mention fewer than half the number of MR scanners, and a third the number of CT scanners as our French and German counterparts. Not that availability of beds and imaging equipment is the only factor contributing to good outcomes, but it does suggest that we are doing a pretty good job with the resources at our disposal.
We certainly deliver better care, and more of it, than the American model that this government seems hell-bent on emulating, while spending only 40% as much.
I don?t know about you, but when I look around me, I see highly-skilled colleagues delivering good care to patients, frequently working beyond their contracted hours and in the face of significant resourcing restraints.
I?ve been on the receiving end of medical care over the past couple of years, and although ?yes?, I was a consultant in my own hospital, I?ve been retired for a while now, and the departments dealing with me had?seldom had to call on my undoubted skills as a nuclear medicine specialist. So most of the staff I met had no idea who I was, but both I, and the other patients I met on the wards and in the clinics, received nothing but polite, kind and efficient care, and I suspect that the same would have been true in most other hospitals around the country.
Now, I?m not stupid. I know that waiting times in A&E are rising again, and that we are going to have to deal with that, and with the many other problem areas, while coping with a real-terms decrease in spending. But that?s a challenge that we won?t be able to meet if the staff responsible for delivering the necessary changes in working practices are bowed down by media-induced guilt, and feel that whatever they do they will be maligned for not doing more.
Neither will we do it if the senior managers and the politicians responsible for the health service (yes Jeremy, I mean you) seem to feel that their role is to denigrate the efforts of hard-working NHS staff.
We need a bit more celebration, and a bit less humility. Perhaps we could swap Jeremy Hunt for Danny Boyle? ? he must be at a loose end after the Olympics.
Source: http://www.hospitaldr.co.uk/blogs/bob-bury/can-we-celebrate-the-nhs-a-bit-more-please
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Cryogenic machining enables guaranteeing safety of aeronautic sector parts
Public release date: 24-Apr-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Irati Kortabitarte
i.kortabitarte@elhuyar.com
34-943-363-040
Elhuyar Fundazioa
CIC marGUNE, the Cooperative Research Centre for High-Performance Manufacture, is coordinating a line of research on cryogenic machining for developing the safety of parts for the aeronautic sector. This machining method has less impact on the environment than conventional methods. Moreover, it considerably enhances the useful life of safety parts and reduces costs. CIC marGUNE is working in collaboration with the High-Performance Manufacturing Group at the Higher Engineering School in Bilbao (UPV/EHU), Tecnalia and the University of Mondragon.
Cryogenic machining involves employing refrigerant gas in the process of machining. CIC marGUNE is coordinating a line of research on cryogenic machining, in which the UPV/EHU, Tecnalia and the University of Mondragn are participating. The aim of the line of research is to guarantee a clean manufacturing process and, moreover, to contribute to the safety of parts in the aeronautics sector.
Machining is a process of manufacturing parts though the elimination of material (swarf). The cutting fluids used in most machining operations producing swarf have two aims: on the one hand, lubricating the cutting zone and, on the other, refrigeration, i.e. eliminating the heat in the cutting zone so as not to affect the machined surface. But these fluids are harmful to the environment and for persons there are a hundred illnesses associated with this kind of lubricant.
To solve these problems presented by conventional machining methods, one of the principal alternatives that is being currently investigated is cryogenic machining - an innovative method of refrigerating the cutting tool and the critical points of the part during machining, thanks to the use of a very cold refrigerant gas, which can be liquid nitrogen or CO2.
Both liquid nitrogen and CO2 are basic and cheap products but, moreover, "CO2 can be applied externally to an already existing machine, without the need for any modification to the equipment, greatly saving on investment", according to Mr Franck Girot, coordinator of the CIC marGUNE research line. "There are already proof that the technology functions and so it is a research line directly related to our companies, and which may well arrive on to the market shortly".
Greater safety at lower cost
Safety parts for the aeronautic, automobile, railway, etc. sectors are currently being worked on. Sectors in which parts or components to be machined have to have a certain quality and, above all, not have surface damage, given that a break in a part is generally due to surface defects. This is why, "for these types of applications, cryogenic machining is a guarantee of avoiding such defects" stated Mr Girot. "This is an increasingly more controlled topic, especially in the aeronautic sector", he added. Each part undertaken has specific monitoring so as to know under what conditions the machining has been carried out and, at the same time, to guarantee that the part is not going to break during its life cycle due to surface defects.
Mr Girot highlighted that, in comparison with conventional machining systems, refrigeration of the cutting area which suffers the highest temperature during the process, avoids changes in the microstructure of the tool. This results in enhancements, often notable ones, in certain performance parameters of the materials; outstanding in this respect the increase in the life of the parts of between 50 and 100 %, in the resistance to wear and tear, in fatigue life, etc.
Moreover, "it is a process totally friendly to the environment, given that no kind of waste or dumping arises", stated Mr Girot. The cryogenic gases are obtained from other processes, and, thus, is a reuse of the gases, which otherwise would have to be eliminated without such benefit. During the machining of the parts, the fluid evaporates rapidly and returns to the atmosphere in a natural manner. The part is left completely clean of impregnations from the cutting fluids and do not produce any waste which might contaminate the machine tool, the swarf or the workplace. This is of major economic importance.
The system can work at higher speeds than those of conventional machining machines. Thus, productivity is increased and work of a higher quality is obtained, resulting in a reduction in the costs of producing the parts.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 24-Apr-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Irati Kortabitarte
i.kortabitarte@elhuyar.com
34-943-363-040
Elhuyar Fundazioa
CIC marGUNE, the Cooperative Research Centre for High-Performance Manufacture, is coordinating a line of research on cryogenic machining for developing the safety of parts for the aeronautic sector. This machining method has less impact on the environment than conventional methods. Moreover, it considerably enhances the useful life of safety parts and reduces costs. CIC marGUNE is working in collaboration with the High-Performance Manufacturing Group at the Higher Engineering School in Bilbao (UPV/EHU), Tecnalia and the University of Mondragon.
Cryogenic machining involves employing refrigerant gas in the process of machining. CIC marGUNE is coordinating a line of research on cryogenic machining, in which the UPV/EHU, Tecnalia and the University of Mondragn are participating. The aim of the line of research is to guarantee a clean manufacturing process and, moreover, to contribute to the safety of parts in the aeronautics sector.
Machining is a process of manufacturing parts though the elimination of material (swarf). The cutting fluids used in most machining operations producing swarf have two aims: on the one hand, lubricating the cutting zone and, on the other, refrigeration, i.e. eliminating the heat in the cutting zone so as not to affect the machined surface. But these fluids are harmful to the environment and for persons there are a hundred illnesses associated with this kind of lubricant.
To solve these problems presented by conventional machining methods, one of the principal alternatives that is being currently investigated is cryogenic machining - an innovative method of refrigerating the cutting tool and the critical points of the part during machining, thanks to the use of a very cold refrigerant gas, which can be liquid nitrogen or CO2.
Both liquid nitrogen and CO2 are basic and cheap products but, moreover, "CO2 can be applied externally to an already existing machine, without the need for any modification to the equipment, greatly saving on investment", according to Mr Franck Girot, coordinator of the CIC marGUNE research line. "There are already proof that the technology functions and so it is a research line directly related to our companies, and which may well arrive on to the market shortly".
Greater safety at lower cost
Safety parts for the aeronautic, automobile, railway, etc. sectors are currently being worked on. Sectors in which parts or components to be machined have to have a certain quality and, above all, not have surface damage, given that a break in a part is generally due to surface defects. This is why, "for these types of applications, cryogenic machining is a guarantee of avoiding such defects" stated Mr Girot. "This is an increasingly more controlled topic, especially in the aeronautic sector", he added. Each part undertaken has specific monitoring so as to know under what conditions the machining has been carried out and, at the same time, to guarantee that the part is not going to break during its life cycle due to surface defects.
Mr Girot highlighted that, in comparison with conventional machining systems, refrigeration of the cutting area which suffers the highest temperature during the process, avoids changes in the microstructure of the tool. This results in enhancements, often notable ones, in certain performance parameters of the materials; outstanding in this respect the increase in the life of the parts of between 50 and 100 %, in the resistance to wear and tear, in fatigue life, etc.
Moreover, "it is a process totally friendly to the environment, given that no kind of waste or dumping arises", stated Mr Girot. The cryogenic gases are obtained from other processes, and, thus, is a reuse of the gases, which otherwise would have to be eliminated without such benefit. During the machining of the parts, the fluid evaporates rapidly and returns to the atmosphere in a natural manner. The part is left completely clean of impregnations from the cutting fluids and do not produce any waste which might contaminate the machine tool, the swarf or the workplace. This is of major economic importance.
The system can work at higher speeds than those of conventional machining machines. Thus, productivity is increased and work of a higher quality is obtained, resulting in a reduction in the costs of producing the parts.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/ef-cme042413.php
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