Long-delayed school snack rules to come soon: Vilsack

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After more than a year's delay, American schools will soon see new U.S. government rules targeting the kinds of snacks sold to students, a move nutritionists say could play an important role in fighting childhood obesity.

Anxious schools have waited more than a year to find out how sales of potato chips, candy bars, sodas and similar treats to students will be restricted. These rules on food sold outside traditional cafeteria meals are a key part of the first major overhaul on school food in more than three decades.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently told Reuters that the rules on what snacks may be offered in vending machines, school stores and the like, originally due in late 2011, are expected to be finished in the early part of this year. (http://reut.rs/URlL5N)

Officially, USDA said it expects the proposal by April, at which point a 60-day public comment period would kick in before final rules are issued - potentially for the next school year.

Vilsack said the delay was in part to give food and drink manufacturers, as well as schools, time to adjust to a revamp of cafeteria breakfasts and lunches in early 2012.

Those earlier sweeping changes, dictating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables on school menus, led to a few complaints and some hungry children. USDA later gave schools more flexibility on the new menus.

"The whole idea is that they eat more fruits and vegetables ... that's not going to happen overnight," said Gail Koutroubas, who oversees food services for the public school district in Andover, Massachusetts, near Boston.

The school nutrition overhaul seeks to make a dent in the nation's obesity epidemic at a time when government statistics show more than one-third of those younger than 18 are too heavy.

Health advocates want the snack changes to include smaller portions, reduced fat and less sugar. Acceptable drinks for most students would include low- or no-fat milks, 100 percent juices and water.

"We're not saying get rid of the vending machines. Just change what's in them," said Margo Wootan, head of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group. "We, as parents, don't want our kids eating candy bars and Gatorade for lunch."

Recent USDA data shows most U.S. public schools sell snacks in some way, but access to vending machines varies.

Machines are in just 13 percent of elementary schools for young children, but are in 67 percent of middle schools, where students are around 11 to 14 years old, and 85 percent of high schools, USDA said in December.

USDA also found more than 80 percent of school districts have either restricted or banned sugary drinks. More than 75 percent also have some kind of limit or ban on snack foods.

DRINKMAKERS 'COOPERATIVE'

Tops on the list of concerns are drinks, particularly high-calorie, sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and sports drinks that are popular among youth but cited by public health experts as empty calories with no nutritional benefit.

"The beverage industry from our perspective has been very cooperative. They understand and appreciate there has to be a different approach in terms of what's available in vending machines," Vilsack said.

Representatives from Coke and other drink makers met with White House and USDA staff last June to present industry-funded data on their voluntary effort in schools, according to one representative at the meeting.

The American Beverage Association said it wants USDA's snack rules to match the industry lobbying group's 2005 pledge to limit certain lower calorie sodas and sports drinks to mostly older students.

Cranberry growers also are pushing to allow sugar-sweetened cranberry juices, saying their fruits are too tart otherwise. Pizza companies are also seeking some exemptions.

Some health experts worry that the food and beverage industries' lobbying power will dilute the new nutrition law. They are also concerned that the delay signals a more cautious approach from the Obama administration.

Overall, food and beverage companies and groups spent more than $26 million in lobbying on a variety of issues over the last year, led by Coke and Pepsi, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

"We're very concerned," said Maya Rockeymoore, head of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program targeting childhood obesity. "Certainly sugar-sweetened beverages ... need to be completely eliminated from the equation."

Many states and schools have plowed ahead with their own standards rather than wait for USDA. About half of all U.S. states have already passed laws addressing snack items, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Money can also be an issue, since snack foods sales are often profit centers for schools, sports teams and other groups, especially given the current tight school budgets.

Advocates say the changes are necessary to help stave off a health crisis that impacts students' academic performance and even national security.

Vilsack says he has a personal stake in the issue, recalling how he was taunted as a "fatso" growing up on Pennsylvania.

"I've struggled with my weight all my life, and it's not an easy thing to deal with," Vilsack told Reuters. "And if you're dealing with it, you're dealing with a lot of consequences of feeling badly about yourself."

(Editing by Ros Krasny and Jackie Frank)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/long-delayed-school-snack-rules-come-soon-vilsack-131617210--sector.html

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Hostage suspect was loner, missed court appearance

By Matthew DeLuca, Staff Writer, NBC News

The Alabama man who is suspected of taking a young boy hostage had only lived in the area a few years and kept to himself, according to neighbors and officials.

Sources close to the investigation in the Dale County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect to NBC News as Jimmy Lee Dykes, age 65.

Police in the small town of Midland City, Ala. scrambled Tuesday afternoon after a gunman shot a local school bus driver and took a boy, age 5 or 6, hostage.

Local NBC station WSFA reported on Wednesday that the suspect was talking to police through a PVC pipe from an underground bunker where the man kept the boy captive overnight.

But before the dramatic events of the past two days, neighbors were worried about Jimmy Lee Dykes.

Dykes missed a bench hearing on a misdemeanor charge of menacing at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dale County Court Circuit Clerk Delores Woodham told NBC News.

That charge is related to an allegation by a James E. Davis, Jr., who said that on Dec. 10 Dykes threatened him with a pistol and then fired at Davis? truck as he pulled away, according to a document filed in Dale County District Court on Dec. 26, 2012,

The sources close to the investigation told NBC News that police did not know if the missed court appearance had anything to do with Dykes' motive.

Deputies from the county sheriff?s office had arrested Dykes on the charge of menacing. He was placed in Dale County Jail on Dec. 22 and bond was set at $500, according to the documents. No employment was listed on the documents. Dykes was bonded out that same day by D&D Bonding Co., Woodham said.

Neighbor Danny Dean, 57, said that he saw Dykes working in his yard most of the time.

?He's always got a shovel,? said Dean, who had lived in the neighborhood for about twelve years. ?He loved to shovel for some damn reason.?

Dean said that Dykes only moved into the area about a year and a half ago. A property tax clerk for Dale County confirmed that Dykes has paid his taxes on his 1.5 acre property on time for the past two years.

Boy held hostage in bunker after being snatched from school bus

Dean, whose property is about three-tenths of a mile from Dykes? home, said that he did not know the man well, but that no one else seemed to, either.

?He just works in the yard constantly,? Dean said of Dykes, who dug his own driveway. ?As far as passing, he?s always been a friendly fellow.?

Another neighbor, Claudia Davis, told the Associated Press that she had seen a darker side of Dykes.

?Before this happened, I would see him at several places and he would just stare a hole through me,? Davis, 54, told the AP. ?On Monday I saw him at a laundry mat and he seen me when I was getting in my truck, and he just stared and stared at me.?

Tim Byrd, a chief investigator with the Dale County Sheriff?s Office, told the Southern Poverty Law Center?s Hatewatch that Dykes was a ?survivalist? with ?anti-American? views.

?His friends and his neighbors stated that he did not trust the government, that he was a Vietnam vet, and that he had PTSD,? Byrd told the SPLC. ?He was standoffish, didn?t socialize or have any contact with anybody.?

?He?s the type that thinks the government?s out to get him,? neighbor Michael Creel told local paper the Dothan Eagle. ?He?s not right in the head.?

Another man who said he lives near Dykes told the AP that the man had once threatened his children after Smith?s dogs went on to Dykes? property. Smith told the AP that his son and daughter were on the school bus during the shooting in Midland City on Tuesday.

?He?s very paranoid,? Smith told the AP. ?He goes around in his yard at night with a flashlight and a shotgun.?

Eva Syples, a clerk for the Dale County Probate Office, said she has lived in the area since 1968 and the small town has never seen anything like the situation that developed Tuesday. She said most people just stop at the fresh fruit and vegetable stands and barbecue joints that dot Highway 231 on their way by the town to Montgomery or the beaches of Panama City, Florida.

It?s the kind of small town where people extend an unasked for hand, Syples said: ?They have true southern hospitality down here. We go above and beyond to help your neighbor.?

The owner of one of those nearby barbecue stands, Charlie Webb, said his restaurant sits on Highway 231 about 300 yards from the property where law enforcement converged on Tuesday afternoon.

?Most people just pulled up in the parking lot wanting to know what was going on,? Webb, 59, said of the people that pulled into his Webb?s 231 Bar-B-Q last night to watch the police lights. ?They?re all just pretty shocked.?

NBC News correspondent Gabe Gutierrez contributed to this report.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/30/16775172-hostage-suspect-was-loner-missed-court-appearance?lite

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Physical therapy student develops program for Girl Scouts

2:17 p.m., Jan. 29, 2013--As a Girl Scout, Jazmine Tooles participated in activities like self-defense classes and mock space shuttle missions, so it?s not surprising that she chose the organization as a way to teach young girls about the field of physical therapy.

Now a student in the University of Delaware?s doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program, Tooles and her colleagues in the class of 2013 recently hosted a workshop called ?Explore the Magic of Motion? for Girl Scouts ranging from 6th to 12th grade. ?

Legislative Fellows

UD students are working with the Delaware General Assembly as part of the Legislative Fellows Program.

Exploring the magic of motion

Jazmine Tooles, a student in UD's doctor of physical therapy program, has developed a comprehensive program to teach young women about the field of physical therapy through the Girl Scouts.

Tooles also created three Scout badges and had them approved by Girl Scouts USA last fall.

The Magic of Motion badge teaches 6th to 8th graders how to be physically active and demonstrates the role exercise plays in healing the body and maintaining health. It also invites girls to investigate professions that use exercise for healing.

The Healing through Motion badge teaches 9th and 10th graders how physical therapy improves the quality of life for many people and encourages girls to promote healthy living through exercise as physical therapists. ?

The Healing People, Changing Lives badge is a career-oriented patch that teaches 11th and 12th graders about the profession of physical therapy and the steps involved in becoming a physical therapist.?

?Jazmine did an amazing job designing these new Girl Scout badges, and she developed a great program for the 40 girls who attended the workshop,? says Laura Schmitt, associate director of clinical education in UD?s physical therapy department.

The workshop used four stations ? ?Technology that Treats,? ?Muscles and Machines,? ?Follow Your Heart,? and ?Stress Strategies? ? to teach the participants many of the principles incorporated into the badges. The scouts also toured UD?s PT Clinic, made their own stress balls, and created information cards about stress management so they could promote wellness to family and friends.

?The event stemmed from an idea sparked at an American Physical Therapy Association conference I attended in 2011,? Tooles says. ?A prominent topic was how physical therapy professionals could better promote the field and show that it entails much more than just giving massages. As we brainstormed in small groups, I reflected on the many experiences I had as a Girl Scout. That?s when I decided that creating Girl Scout badges would be a great avenue for promoting the profession to young girls and their parents.?

Tooles hopes to see the program continue at UD after she graduates in December.? Her bigger dream is for it to be shared with other physical therapy programs around the nation. ?

?I think the Girl Scouts is a great way to reach girls who are beginning to think about not only what what they want to pursue in college but also how to gain control of their own health,? Tooles says.

UD?s DPT curriculum includes a service learning requirement that comprises four categories: diversity, promoting the profession, promoting primary and secondary prevention in health and wellness, and volunteerism.

Article by Diane Kukich

Source: http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2013/jan/scouts-physical-therapy-012913.html

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Algeria crisis strangling Sahara tourism

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) ? The awe-inspiring dunes and wild mountains of Algeria's Sahara have lured adventure travelers for decades, but their latest incarnation ? as a crossroad for the al-Qaida militants who attacked a natural gas complex ? is likely to make them even more inaccessible.

At least 37 hostages died in the four-day siege deep in the desert. Algeria's government, ambivalent about tourism in the best of time, is expected to impose new restrictions on the vast south, whose residents eke out a living on the few intrepid tourists who arrive.

"The Sahara is an iconic wilderness much like the Himalaya or Antarctica and most agree that Algeria, the ninth biggest country in the world, is the best place to experience the full range of desert landscapes, authentic Tuareg culture, pre-historic rock art, adventure and so on," said Chris Scott, a Sahara guide and author. "It's all there and the people of the south have decades of experience in delivering what tourists want."

Scott just returned from leading a two-week New Year's camel trek through Tassili N'Ajjer National Park, 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of the Ain Amenas gas facility that was attacked.

But he is an exception. The numbers of tourists visiting the deep south dropped from 1,807 in 2011 to 643 last year, according to authorities in Tamanrasset, the main Saharan city. Already, 70 of the 76 tourist companies in the city have closed, and most Europeans planning on coming canceled their reservations after the attack, said Azzi Addi Ahmed, head of the local tourism association.

This is a far cry from 20,000 tourists a year in the 1980s, when restrictions were few and you could travel without the local tourist agencies that are now mandatory.

The region has long been loved by Europeans. The towering dunes and palm-fringed oases that epitomize the desert can be found in Algeria's Grand Ergs. Even farther the south, the rugged wind-carved mountains are dotted with 10,000-year-old cave paintings.

In 1911, a French soldier turned monk made his home among the Tuareg tribesmen and built a hermitage atop the nearly 10,000 foot (2,800 meter) Mount Assekrem in the Hoggar range near Tamanrasset, describing the surrounding peaks as more magnificent than any cathedral.

"My hermitage here is on a summit that overlooks practically the whole of the Hoggar and stands amid wild-looking mountains beyond which the seemingly limitless horizon makes one think of the infinitude of God," wrote Charles Foucauld.

Even then, the southern deserts were perilous: He was killed by marauding Senoussi tribesmen in 1916, and beatified by the Roman Catholic church in 2005.

The Sahara was largely closed to tourists during Algeria's years of civil war and wasn't reopened until the late 1990s when business rapidly picked up as Europeans rushed back to do desert safaris.

But, the government's victories against the militant Islamists in the north forced them to find refuge in the deserts to the south, mainly in northern Mali and Niger, where they engaged in smuggling and then the occasional lucrative kidnapping of foreigners.

Algeria's desert tourism received a major blow in 2003 when a precursor to al-Qaida snatched 32 foreign tourists, though all but one were eventually rescued and business recovered.

All that changed, however, when the overthrow of the Libyan regime flooded the desert with weapons, and a rebellion broke out in neighboring Mali, massively boosting al-Qaida's strength in the region.

"Already a large number of agencies have closed, leaving just those who do it for the love of the business to barely scratch by," said Iyad Gholami of the Assouf desert travel company in Tamanrasset. "We're collateral damage from the security crisis."

Phil Hassrick, who runs the California-based Lost Frontiers adventure travel company, stopped going to Algeria a few years ago.

"We couldn't guarantee the safety of the clients," he said, though back then it was more concern with banditry.

The impact is the most severe on the local Tuareg for whom tourism was one of the few sources of income, aside from smuggling.

Over the past year, the government said it would try to encourage Algerians to travel to the south, including periodic government and company visits, but operators complain that the visits are short, rare and don't involve the weeks of driving or trekking through the mountains desired by foreigners, who paid $1,500 a week to local guides.

In December, the remaining agencies petitioned the government to save the industry.

"At the very least we ask for the erasing of the debts linked to accumulated taxes as has been done for other sectors in difficulty, such as agriculture," Ahmed suggested. Lowering fares to the south on the state-owned carrier, Air Algerie, would be a big help, he said, but fears it may be too late.

"The attack on Ain Amenas is for us the coup de grace," Ahmed said. "It is the death of tourism in south Algeria."

_______

Schemm reported from Rabat, Morocco.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/algeria-crisis-strangling-sahara-tourism-145054282.html

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Apple prepping 128 GB iPad model: report

13 hrs.

Devin Coldewey , NBC News

Leaked inventory listings suggest that Apple will soon launch a 128 GB version of its popular iPad. That would give it twice the storage of the largest iPad available now, reportedly for a $100 premium.

The information comes from a few sources, with code in the latest Apple?iOS and iTunes releases suggesting upcoming 128GB devices, and more recently from an inventory listing leaked to 9to5Mac.com.

The listing has iPads at prices $100 over the existing models, totaling $799 for a Wi-Fi only version, or $929 for a cellular-enabled one. The description in the listing is "ultimate," which makes sense: Existing 16, 32?and 64 gigabyte iPads have been described in inventory descriptions as "good," "better" and "best" respectively.

Together, the pricing and description are highly suggestive of a new 128?GB iPad model, but there's nothing yet to indicate timing. Apple's release schedule has grown?increasingly difficult to predict, and while the last iPads were unveiled in October, the company previously updated the device line earlier in the year.

Some think that an early-2013 event will bring the larger iPad model and some other refreshes to existing product lines, while brand-new versions of both the iPhone and iPad will be released later in the year, possibly in October. NBC News contacted Apple for comment; if we hear back, we'll update this post.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBCNews Digital. His personal website is?coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/apple-prepping-128-gb-ipad-model-report-1C8150691

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Japan ex-China envoy: Tokyo erred on islands row

TOKYO (AP) ? Japan's former envoy to China says his country erred in choosing to buy islands claimed by both Japan and China last fall, infuriating Beijing, and now both sides have no choice but to allow the issue to cool.

Uichiro Niwa, a former trading house executive who served as ambassador to Beijing from mid-2010 until late last year, told reporters on Monday that the purchase of the uninhabited islands in the East China Sea by Japan's central government was poorly timed and seemed driven by factors he could not explain.

"They may have had access to information that I didn't know," Niwa said at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. "But from my personal point of view the timing was bad."

Niwa, the first private sector figure to be chosen as ambassador to China, found himself at odds with the Japanese government, especially after then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda pushed ahead with a plan to buy several of the islands from their private owner.

The purchase was apparently aimed at pre-empting a plan by outspoken Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara to not only buy the islands but develop them, but Beijing was outraged. The islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkakus in Japan, have been under Japanese control for decades, but Beijing says they have been Chinese territory for centuries. Taiwan also claims them.

The purchase prompted sometimes violent anti-Japanese protests in China and hammered exports to Japan's biggest overseas market.

"The Japanese government should have taken into account the possibility that this may have been a point of contention," Niwa said. At the very least, he said, Japan needed to provide "a better explanation to China and to the international community."

Niwa, whose former company Itochu Corp. has extensive interests in China, faced criticism from some in Japan for not being tough enough toward China regarding the disputed islands, which are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and a potential wealth of gas, oil and other undersea resources.

The first envoy named to replace Niwa, Shinichi Nishimiya, died before he could take up his position in Beijing, which was later filled by veteran diplomat Masato Kitera.

Apart from confrontations between Chinese and Japanese vessels near the islands, both sides have scrambled fighter jets to trail each other's planes, raising the risk of missteps that could lead to a clash.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who took office a month ago following a landslide parliamentary election victory by the Liberal Democratic Party, appears to be seeking to cool tensions.

Last week, a senior envoy conveyed a letter from Abe to Chinese leader Xi Jinping that struck a cordial tone and noted the two sides' "shared responsibility for peace and prosperity" in the region.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama arrived in China on Monday in the latest effort to use diplomatic backchannels to improve ties. Former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama also recently visited. Both senior leaders are considered friendly to China.

Niwa said that based on his many meetings with top communist party officials, he believed Beijing would not want the territorial tensions to veer into armed conflict.

But he said he believed the Chinese side viewed Tokyo's actions as a violation of an unstated agreement to avoid raising the dispute.

"There was a feeling on the Chinese side that Japan violated a relationship of trust," he said. Coming shortly after a meeting between Noda and Chinese President Hu Jintao, it was viewed in Beijing as an "insult."

"It is unfortunate the Japanese side misread the situation," he said.

Commenting on the ongoing dispute, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Monday emphasized the need for the sides to "overcome the prominent difficulty and work toward the strategic mutually beneficial relations between China and Japan."

However, Hong also expressed concern about a report that Japan was boosting defense spending, in part to deal with increased Chinese activity around the islands.

"We hope Japan can take the path of peaceful growth, respect the concerns of other countries in the region, learn from history and focus their efforts more on regional peace and stability," Hong said at a regularly scheduled press briefing.

Niwa said that regardless of why relations between China and Japan have deteriorated, given their close relations as neighbors and trading partners, both sides have no choice but to take a break and cool off.

"If we were a married couple, we could opt for a divorce, but we cannot," Niwa said. "There is simply no other choice."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japan-ex-china-envoy-tokyo-erred-islands-row-085829225.html

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SAG Awards 2013: Justin Timberlake And More Best Dressed!

Jennifer Lawrence and Claire Danes also look modern and chic on the red carpet.
By Maud Deitch

Justin Timberlake arrives at 2013 SAG Awards
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700863/sag-awards-2013-fashion.jhtml

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Celts top Heat 100-98 in 2 OT; Rondo out for year

BOSTON (AP) ? Paul Pierce hit a go-ahead jumper with 31 seconds left and the Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat 100-98 in double overtime Sunday then learned that All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Rondo will have surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He was hurt late in Boston's 123-112 loss, also in two overtimes, to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

The postgame mood in the locker room "was good" before he told his players the extent of the injury, coach Doc Rivers said, "and then it went down."

This game was the first in Boston for Ray Allen since he left the Celtics after five seasons and signed as a free agent with Miami. He scored 21 points.

Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Pierce added 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Celtics, who ended a six-game losing streak, their longest in six seasons. LeBron James had 34 points for the Heat, whose winning streak stopped at four.

"As much as I've been a rival with Boston over the years, I never want to see anyone go down," James said. "It's terrible, not only for their team but for the league."

Pierce's basket gave the Celtics a 99-98 lead. James had a chance to put the Heat ahead but missed a 12-foot jumper with 6.8 seconds to go from the left with defender Jeff Green jumping out at him. Pierce got the rebound and was fouled.

He sank the first shot. Then, as a fan shouted, "This one's for Rondo," he missed the second.

Miami had one last chance, but Shane Battier missed a long jumper at the buzzer.

The Heat also could have won in the first overtime, but Dwyane Wade, who had 17 points, missed a long jumper as the buzzer sounded. They had led 93-89 after consecutive baskets by James, but Garnett hit a layup with 1:45 remaining and a shot from the right baseline with 1:14 to go.

Boston could have avoided the first overtime when Pierce inbounded from behind his backboard with two seconds left to Jason Terry. But Terry's shot from the top of the key was short. The Heat had tied it on a 3-pointer by James with seven seconds remaining in regulation after Allen missed a 3-pointer from the left corner with 15 seconds to go.

Rondo arrived at TD Garden on Sunday for a pregame shootaround but was taken to a hospital after complaining of knee pain. Courtney Lee started in Rondo's place.

The initial report was a hyperextended knee, but the team announced during the game that tests showed the ACL tear. His teammates didn't find out until after the final buzzer.

Allen was part of the Big Three with Pierce and Garnett starting in 2007-08. In their first season together, Boston won its 17th NBA championship. He played against the Celtics once before this season, a 120-107 Heat win in Miami in the opener.

The crowd gave Allen a standing ovation when highlights of his career with the Celtics were shown on the video board above center court during a timeout with 5:33 left in the first quarter. At the Miami bench, he raised his left hand in recognition.

Allen entered the game about a minute later and was booed when he touched the ball. The boos came down again when he took two free throws ? missing the first, making the second ? three minutes into the second quarter.

Allen went back into the game with 30 seconds left in the first half with the score tied at 43 and made a layup with 16 seconds to go. But Pierce sank a driving layup with 4.3 seconds remaining to tie it 45-45 at halftime.

It was Miami's first game in Boston since it won Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals behind James' 45 points.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/celts-top-heat-100-98-2-ot-rondo-214433973--spt.html

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Planet Hunters

When I first reviewed the Planet Hunters Web site in January 2011, the project was in its infancy. The site and its navigation had some bugs to work out. But it had a compelling yet seemingly quixotic premise: That a group of volunteers, peering in Web browsers at graphs of stars' brightness based on public data from NASA's Kepler planet-hunting telescope, might be able to discover planets that Kepler's own search algorithms may have missed.

Two years later, that concept has been borne out beyond any skeptic's wildest imaginings. In September 2011, Planet Hunters announced its first two planet candidates, and soon after announced several more. The project's first confirmed discovery?a planet circling a binary star in a quadruple star system?came in fifth on CNN's list of the top 10 science stories of 2012.

In January 2013, the project announced a second confirmed planet?a Jupiter-sized world orbiting in the so-called habitable zone of a sunlike star?as well as 42 new planetary candidates, including 15 in their respective stars' habitable zones. These worlds?ranging in size from about 2.5 Earth radii up to slightly larger than Jupiter?are too large to support life as we know it, presumably being gas giants, they may well have large moons.

Planet Hunters volunteer Kian Jek was recently awarded the Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award, the American Astronomical Society's most prestigious award given annually to an amateur astronomer, for his work on behalf of the project. Kian, one of the two hunters credited with Planet Hunters' initial confirmed discovery, is one of a small cadre of skilled volunteers that have supported the Planet Hunters science team?who, although professionals, also volunteer their time to work on this project? by vetting and cataloguing potential planetary candidates, modeling stellar and planetary systems, keeping tabs on exotic variable stars such as ?heartbeat binaries? and dwarf novae, as well as tracking unlisted eclipsing binary systems in which a pair of stars orbit each other in our line of sight, each eclipsing the other in turn.

PC Planet Hunting
I've participated in a number of ?citizen science? online astronomy projects over the years, but none ?has sparked my imagination like Planet Hunters, which lets anyone with a computer and an Internet connection take part in one of modern science?s great quests: the search for planets orbiting other stars. On the Planet Hunters site, you can look for signs of these so-called exoplanets in public data from NASA's Kepler mission. If you're among the first to report a new planet, you get credit for the find and in some cases can have your name appear as a co-author on the discovery paper.

Planet Hunters is a collaboration between Yale University and the Zooniverse, a Web hub that hosts a number of citizen science projects. It got started with astronomy projects, the first being Galaxy Zoo, in which the public was enlisted to classify galaxies in images from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey; it's since added others such as Moon Zoo and Solar StormWatch. Nearly half of the 14 Zooniverse projects are astronomy related; of the others, one of them, Cell Slider focuses on identifying cells for cancer research; others are related to tracking wildlife, climate science, and studying the ancient Greeks. ?Although Planet Hunters isn't officially connected to the Kepler mission, there are close ties and cooperation between the two.

150,000 Points of Light
Kepler, a space telescope, was launched in March 2009, tasked with ??exploring the structure and diversity of planetary systems?.? (by discovering them), looking in particular for Earth-sized planets, and worlds in a star's habitable zone. After Kepler completed its basic mission in 2012, the mission was extended for another 3 years.

Kepler uses the ?transit method? for planet hunting, searching for tiny dips in a star?s brightness caused by the passage (transit) of a planet in front of the star. Kepler repeatedly (every 29 minutes) images the same star field near the constellation Cygnus showing more than 150,000 stars, using a photometer to precisely measure each star's brightness. These readings generate light curves?plots showing variations in a star's luminosity over time. A transit shows as a string of data points descending below the star's light curve. Kepler uses search algorithms to find transits in its data?so far it's credited with more than 100 exoplanet discoveries, and has published a list of more than 2,700 planet candidates.

But Kepler monitors a huge variety of stars: some of constant brightness, others that flicker erratically or pulsate like clockwork. Eclipsing binaries?two stars that orbit each other and periodically eclipse one another?often show transits similar to those from planets. Although Kepler's planet search algorithms are very good at detecting prospective planets, they don?t catch everything, and the human eye has been shown to be better at detecting anomalies in some pattern-recognition tasks than a computer. That's where Planet Hunters comes in. Having multiple participants view each image greatly improves the odds of not missing a world.

Keep Reading: The Planet Hunters Site

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/-8OZLoI4h7E/0,2817,2379660,00.asp

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Power helps you live the good life by bringing you closer to your true self

Jan. 28, 2013 ? How does being in a position of power at work, with friends, or in a romantic relationship influence well-being? While we might like to believe the stereotype that power leads to unhappiness or loneliness, new research indicates that this stereotype is largely untrue: Being in a position of power may actually make people happier.

Drawing on personality and power research, Yona Kifer of Tel Aviv University in Israel and colleagues hypothesized that holding a position of authority might enhance subjective well-being through an increased feeling of authenticity. The researchers predicted that because the powerful are able to "navigate their lives in congruence with their internal desires and inclinations," they feel as if they are acting more authentically -- more "themselves" -- and thus are more content.

Their findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

In their first experiment, the researchers surveyed over 350 participants to determine if internal feelings of power are associated with subjective well-being in different contexts: at work, with friends, or in romantic relationships.

The results indicated that people who feel powerful in any context tend to be more content.

The most powerful people surveyed felt 16% more satisfied with their lives than the least powerful people. This effect was most pronounced in the workplace: Powerful employees were 26% more satisfied with their jobs than their powerless colleagues. The power-based discrepancy in happiness was smaller for friendships and romantic relationships. The researchers posit that this may be because friendships are associated with a sense of community rather than hierarchy, and therefore having power in this kind of relationship is less important.

In the second and third experiments, Kifer and colleagues examined the causal relationship between power, feelings of authenticity, and general well-being, by manipulating each of the factors independently. The results revealed that being in a position of power causes people to feel more authentic and "true to themselves" -- that is, it allows their actions to more closely reflect their beliefs and desires. Feelings of authenticity, in turn, enhance subjective feelings of well-being and happiness.

"By leading people to be true to their desires and inclinations -- to be authentic -- power leads individuals to experience greater happiness," the researchers conclude.

Kifer and colleagues propose that future research into power dynamics, happiness, and authenticity should focus on specific kinds of power, both positive (such as charisma) and negative (such as punishment).

Together, these findings suggest that even the perception of having power can lead people to live more authentic lives, thereby increasing their happiness and well-being.

Co-authors on this research include Daniel Heller of Tel Aviv University, Wei Qi Elaine Perunovic of University of New Brunswick, and Adam Galinsky of Columbia Business School.

This research was supported by grants from the Henry Crown Institute of Business Research in Israel and by a Harrison McCain Young Scholar award.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Y. Kifer, D. Heller, W. Q. E. Perunovic, A. D. Galinsky. The Good Life of the Powerful: The Experience of Power and Authenticity Enhances Subjective Well-Being. Psychological Science, 2013; DOI: 10.1177/0956797612450891

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/GNPq8b8wg7o/130128143016.htm

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WWE NXT's Bo Dallas earned a spot in the Royal Rumble Match

PHOENIX ? Early Saturday morning, Bo Dallas was just another hardworking WWE NXT competitor, fighting for a spot on WWE?s main roster. By late afternoon, he was preparing himself for the 2013 Royal Rumble Match, where he would be tangling with 29 WWE Superstars for an opportunity to challenge for a World Title on The Grandest Stage of Them All at WrestleMania 29.

How did Dallas? fortunes change so dramatically in just a few short hours? Give credit to perseverance and good fortune. The resilient kid from Brooksville, Fla., won an eight-man tournament held during the Royal Rumble Fan Fest to earn a coveted spot in WWE?s classic over-the-top-rope melee. (PHOTOS)

?This doesn?t even feel like real life,? Dallas told WWE.com only moments after his victory. ?I?m hovering above myself and watching this happen. An unreal experience, man.?

Starting out on an unseasonably rainy day in Phoenix, Dallas tested his resolve in three grueling matches over the course of four hours. In the third-generation competitor's way stood big Luke Harper, the unpredictable Conor O?Brian and the devious Leo Kruger ? three of WWE NXT?s most highly touted prospects. (MORE ON NXT?S TOP TALENT) By the time he scored the final pinfall on Kruger, it was clear that the battered Dallas had given everything he had in him to become the first WWE NXT Superstar to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match.

?To be in the history books for anything is amazing,? the dynamo admitted. ?But being the first NXT Superstar to be in the Royal Rumble Match? I don?t know if I?m allowed to say this, but that?s badass!?

Now headed into one of the most pivotal bouts of the year, Dallas no doubt realizes that this rare opportunity could turn him into a sports-entertainment phenomenon overnight. While the Royal Rumble Match has traditionally been won by established Superstars like ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin, John Cena and Shawn Michaels, the chaotic, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants atmosphere of the brawl presents the perfect opportunity for a competitor like the 225-pound youngster to shock the world.

?I?m always the underdog,? he said. ?I never let that get me down. I take the punches, but if there?s one thing I believe, it?s??always get up.? And that?s how I live life.?

Dallas has already made history by becoming the first WWE NXT Superstar to grab a spot in the Royal Rumble Match, but can he do it again by becoming the first WWE NXT Superstar to headline WrestleMania? The WWE Universe will find out Sunday night when 30 Superstars battle for an opportunity at sports-entertainment's richest prize at Royal Rumble.

View Comments

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2013/wwe-nxts-bo-dallas-earned-a-spot-in-the-royal-rumble-match

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Managua makes top 100 outsourcing destinations | PRLog

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PRLog (Press Release) - Jan. 25, 2013 - Managua, Nicaragua?s capital city, was recently added to Tholons? list of Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations, thanks to its improved infrastructure, competitive costs, a skilled bilingual workforce and an attractive geographical location. According to the referential list, Managua ranks one position above Guatemala City, which also makes its first appearance on Tholons? 2013 index.

Nicaragua is now on the map and getting its due as an up-and-comer in the industry with major players such as Sitel, 24/7 Customer and Stream Global Services, Managua.

Javier Chamorro, Executive Director of PRONicaragua, the official investment promotion agency, says Nicaragua is satisfied with its recognition as an emerging industry player. Nicaragua?s initial call-center growth with 25 companies that have altogether employed nearly 5,000 Nicaraguans over the past seven year, has been impressive and augurs well for the future of the business process outsourcing industry here.

?Being listed in the Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations implies that international experts in the industry recognize the country as a world-renowned destination for outsourcing, still above other countries in the region such as El Salvador and Guatemala, which started developing the sector years before Nicaragua,? Chamorro told The Nicaragua Dispatch.

He also added, ?this means that the country is attracting the right attention and stands out as an emerging destination due to the excellent investment opportunities it offers to companies looking to expand their operations and increase their global competitiveness.?

And when it comes to global competitiveness, Nicaragua has several advantages of its own, Chamorro says.

?Among the country?s main competitive advantages for the sector is its strategic location, close to the largest outsourcing market in the world, the U.S.,? Chamorro says. Plus, he adds, Nicaragua has a young and vibrant workforce that ?not only speaks good quality English, but has a cultural affinity with the market due to the ?reverse brain drain? phenomenon, which refers to people who left the country in the past and have returned to Nicaragua with English skills and market knowledge.?

The country?s ?greatest advantages,? however, are its cheap labor costs and generous tax incentives for outsourcing. ?It is because of this that Nicaragua is able to compete with the global players in the industry, as it offers lower costs with a near shore location, allowing it to provide timely services to the United States without losing valuable working hours,? Chamorro says.

This article first appeared in the Nicaragua Dispatch.

Source: http://www.prlog.org/12067125-managua-makes-top-100-outsourcing-destinations.html

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China-Hollywood Connection Changes Movie Business (Voice Of America)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/279629337?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Liberty Ross Files For Divorce From Rupert Sanders!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/liberty-ross-files-for-divorce-from-rupert-sanders/

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Obama's 'Abuse of Power' Case on Recess Appointments

Here are the ratios of deficit to GDP for the past five presidents:

Ronald Reagan
1981-88 4.2 %
1982-89 4.2
Average 4.2

George H. W. Bush
1989-92 4.0
1990-93 4.3
Average 4.2

Bill Clinton
1993-2000 0.8
1994-2001 0.1
Average 0.5

George W. Bush
2001-08 2.0
2002-09 3.4
Average 2.7

Barack Obama
2009-12* 9.1
2010-12 8.7
Average 8.9

Just putting it out there.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-abuse-power-case-recess-appointments-215502297--abc-news-politics.html

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Video: PRESS Pass: Martin Indyk

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/50574526#50574526

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Research Looks At Starchy Diet's Role In Dogs' Evolution

Some dogs need to be on specialized diets for health reasons, but most eat just about anything. That wasn't always the case, however. The domestic dog's ancestor, the wolf, ate only meat. Research suggests for dogs to live with humans, they had to adapt to a starchy diet.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/24/170135510/wolves-starchy-diet-led-to-domesticated-dogs?ft=1&f=1007

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Video: Bank Stocks Still Lag 2007 Highs

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50588159/

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Bayer healthcare head returns to Novartis as Chairman

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Bayer AG said the head of its healthcare division, Joerg Reinhardt, is leaving to join his former employer Novartis as chairman.

Novartis earlier on Wednesday said its long-standing chairman and former Chief Executive would step down next month.

Reinhard will run for non-executive Chairman of the Board at Novartis' annual general meeting at the end of February and plans to take office on August 1. He will quit Bayer on February 28, the German group said on Wednesday.

Reinhard used to be Chief Operating Officer of Novartis.

Bayer's head of research and development Wolfgang Plischke will become interim head of Bayer HealthCare until a successor is appointed.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bayer-healthcare-head-returns-novartis-chairman-064714123--finance.html

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Live Well!/Bien Vivre! health coaches help New Brunswickers, one ...

Health coaches: Yves Bulger (Acadian Peninsula), Chad Duplessie (Miramichi), Lesley Melanson (Saint John), Cindy Cheng, (Edmundston) Claude Vautour (Moncton) and Christine Mayrand (Upper River Valley).

By Sean Sullivan
Communications Coordinator, HEPAC

An innovative project to help New Brunswickers who want to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes is introducing health coaches to six regions across the province.

Live Well!/Bien Vivre! is bringing non-clinical health coaches to Edmundston, the Upper River Valley, Saint John, Moncton, Miramichi and the Acadian Peninsula. The coaches will work one-on-one with clients to make informed lifestyle choices and set realistic goals for wellness.

The project is collaboration between the Canadian Diabetes Association, Medavie Health Foundation and the New Brunswick Department of Health. Participants can self-refer by contacting their local coach, or sign up at one of the many Live Well!/Bien Vivre! risk-assessment clinics that will be offered around New Brunswick.

Julie Atkinson, project manager for Live Well!/Bien Vivre!, says it?s a unique approach that takes into account the unique needs of each community and individual.

?Research tells us that healthy lifestyle choices can prevent type 2 diabetes from developing and prevent or delay complications of those living with the disease,? she said.

While primary healthcare providers ? e.g., doctors, nurses and dietitians? ? provide health coaching, they often don?t have the time within a busy practice to help the person go through all the motions, Atkinson said.

That?s where the Live Well!/Bien Vivre! health coaches come in.

?We?re like any coach: Our role is to motivate our clients,? said Christine Mayrand, a registered dietician and health coach for the Upper River Valley. ?We?re a friend they can count on if they have questions, and someone who will call to check in on their progress.?

Mayrand meets with clients on their own turf to develop personal plans for wellness, whether that?s at a grocery store, library or a local coffee shop. The objective is to help those at risk of developing or those already living with type 2 diabetes create personal, attainable goals: smoking cessation, eating healthy, improving physical fitness or gaining greater self-confidence to self manage.

?Everyone has something different they want to work on,? she said. ?I?m there to support them in healthy changes and make them more accountable for their goals.?

At the risk-assessment clinics, a one-page handout and checklist from the Canadian Diabetes Association asks about family history of diabetes, health complications, blood pressure and more, allowing individuals to work with the health coach to self-assess their risk of diabetes.

The results of the assessment may be a wake-up call for some, Atkinson said.

One-third to one-half of people with diabetes may not be diagnosed, the Public Health Agency of Canada has warned. That?s especially relevant in New Brunswick, where one in 10 people are estimated to be living with diabetes, according to the province?s department of health. That?s up from one in 13 just six years ago.

?For many who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the flood of new information can be overwhelming?, Atkinson said. ?Health coaches live in the community, know of the available resources and can help develop a personal plan for wellness.?

?As an example, our health coach may ask, ?Where do you want to start?? If it?s walking, then they?ll help the client set goals for walking, or connect them with a local walking club,? she said.

?We?re there to help the client work through challenges in a real-life, non-judgmental way.?

Individuals who wish to take part can contact their regional health coach:

Edmundston: Cindy Cheng | Cindy.Cheng@diabetes.ca | 506-253-9975

Upper River Valley: Christine Mayrand | Christine.Mayrand@diabetes.ca | 506-425-0630

Saint John: Lesley Melanson | Lesley.Melanson@diabetes.ca | 506-608-6498

Moncton: Claude Vautour | Claude.Vautour@diabetes.ca | 506-227-7253

Miramichi: Chad Duplessie | Chad.Duplessie@diabetes.ca | 506-624-4391

Acadian Peninsula: Yves Bulger | Yves.Bulger@diabetes.ca | 506-397-4308

Other upcoming programs included with Live Well!/Bien Vivre! include public education sessions on diabetes prevention and management, a ?food skills for families? community kitchen program, and a telephone-based peer support program.

ssullivan@hepac-csssap.ca

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Source: http://hepac.ca/2013/01/live-wellbien-vivre-health-coaches-help-new-brunswickers-one-goal-at-a-time/

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St. Barnabas Offers Tips for Quitting Smoking - Maplewood, NJ Patch

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The following release is from Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention:

For many Americans, the first of January is filled with hope and resolve to make positive changes. It may be a promise to exercise more, choose healthier foods or even spend time with family. For many, it was the life-changing decision to quit smoking.??

?There truly is no ?bad? time to quit smoking,? says Dennis Lee, Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention (IFP), ?but tobacco dependence is an addiction and it?s important to understand that quitting takes preparation and thought to ensure your efforts are successful.? ??

If you are finding yourself struggling to fulfill your resolution to quit smoking, you are certainly not alone. To help make your quit efforts successful, IFP offers these suggestions:??

• The New Year certainly comprises more than only one day. Try thinking of your plan to quit smoking as the ?Quitting Season,? and choose a quit date. ?Your quit date doesn?t have to be on January 1 to make it a New Year?s resolution,? explains Helene Long, Tobacco Treatment Specialist, IFP. ?Picking a date in February or even March, is a positive step in the right direction.??

• One of the keys to successfully quitting smoking is having a strong support system. ?Letting your friends and family know your plans can help you stay on track,? adds Ms. Long. ?Also, be sure to share your success. The encouragement of loved ones is often what helps motivate us.??

IFP?s Tobacco Dependence Treatment Program offers a great way to share your quit milestones on Facebook with tobacco ?success stamps.? Visit www.facebook.com/barnabashealthifp and choose the ?tobacco success stamps? folder under photos.?

• Write it down! Whether it?s your reasons for quitting, what you will do with the money you save, strategies for dealing with situations that trigger your desire to smoke, or a list of things that will help keep you entertained when a craving approaches, writing can help you focus on your goals and plans.?

• Drink plenty of water. According to Mr. Lee, water helps in so many ways when dealing with the challenges of quitting. It helps curb hunger, aides your body in healing the damage caused by smoking, and it doesn?t even have any calories!?

• Most importantly, do not hesitate to reach out for assistance and support from professionals. IFP offers a specialized Tobacco Dependence Treatment program featuring a customized quit-smoking plan; ongoing individual, group and/or family counseling; up-to-date information on the latest prescription and non-prescription smoking medications; effective tools to reduce withdrawal symptoms; and weight and stress management strategies.??

For more information about Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention?s Tobacco Dependence Treatment program, or to schedule a free, confidential assessment, please call 973-926-7978 (northern NJ) or 732-886-4149 (central and southern NJ). ?

Source: http://maplewood.patch.com/articles/st-barnabas-offers-tips-for-quitting-smoking

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Monkeys stressed from longer foraging times

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Endangered Mexican howler monkeys are consuming more leaves and less fruit as a result of habitat disturbance by humans, which is forcing them to invest much more time foraging for sustenance and leading to increased 'stress' levels, as detected through hormone analysis.

The research, published today in the International Journal of Primatology, took place in the tropical rainforests of the Mexican state of Veracruz, which are being deforested and fragmented by human activity - primarily the clearing of forest for cattle raising. It shows that increases in howler monkey 'travel time' ? the amount of time needed to find requisite nourishment ? are leading to increases in levels of stress hormones called glucocorticoids.

These hormones are not only indicators of stress, but are also known to relate to diminished reproductive success and lower survival rates. Researchers believe the study could serve as a model for behavioural change and resulting health implications more generally in primates living in habitats disturbed by human activities, such as deforestation.

"Howlers are arboreal primates, that is to say they spend their wholes lives in the trees", said Dr Jacob Dunn from Cambridge's Department of Biological Anthropology, who carried out the research.

"As forests are fragmented, the howlers become cut off, isolated on forest 'islands' that increasingly lack the fruit which provide an important component of their natural diet. This has led to the monkeys expending ever more time and effort foraging for food, often increasing leaf consumption when their search is, quite literally, fruitless."

Fruit occurs in natural cycles, and the monkeys will naturally revert to 'fallback' foods, including leaves, when fruit is scarce. But as habitats shrink, and fruit is harder to find, leaves from second-choice plants, such as lianas, have increased in the Mexican howlers' diet.

While leaves may sound like a plentiful resource in a rainforest, many leaves are difficult to digest and can be filled with toxins - a natural defence mechanism in most trees and plants - so the monkeys are actually forced to spend more time seeking out the right foliage to eat, such as new shoots which are generally less toxic.

"The traditional view was that the leaves exploited by howler monkeys were an abundant food source - but this is not the case," said Dunn.

"The monkeys rely much more heavily on fruit than previously believed, and when turning to foliage for food - as they are increasingly forced to do ? they have to be highly selective in the leaves they consume, visiting lots of different trees. This leads to the increased 'travel time' and consequent high levels of stress we are seeing in these primates as their habitats disintegrate."

As trying to catch the howlers to examine them would in itself be highly stressful for the animal, the best way of evaluating stress levels in wild primates is by analysing their faeces for glucocorticoid stress hormones, which are general to all vertebrates.

Through statistical modelling, the researchers were able to determine that it is the 'travel time' - rather than the increased foliage intake - causing high levels of stress.

"Monkeys in disturbed habitats suffering high levels of stress is in itself unsurprising perhaps, but now we think we know why, the root cause from the primates perspective. Our results also highlight the importance of preserving and planting fruit trees - particularly those species such as figs that can produce fruit during periods of general fruit scarcity - for the conservation of howler monkeys? said Dr Jurgi Crist?bal-Azkarate, also from Cambridge, who led the research in collaboration with Dr Joaquim Vea from the University of Barcelona.

The authors say that further studies are required to fully understand the significance of increases in stress in howler monkeys living in disturbed habitats. "Determining the full relevance of our results for the conservation of primates living in forest fragments will require long-term studies of stress hormones and survival", said Dunn.

###

University of Cambridge: http://www.cam.ac.uk

Thanks to University of Cambridge 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.

This press release has been viewed 35 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126393/Monkeys_stressed_from_longer_foraging_times

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Key facts about Israel's election

Key facts about Israel's general election:

?What's at stake: Voters will elect a 120-member parliament, or Knesset, Israel's 19th.

Citizens vote for party lists, not individual candidates. Seats are allocated in the Knesset according to the percentage of the vote the parties win.

?Who's running: There are 32 parties running. Key parties are the governing Likud Party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who takes a hard line against the Palestinians and Iran; Jewish Home, led by high-tech millionaire Naftali Bennett, Netanyahu's chief rival for the support of settlers; Labor, headed by former journalist Shelly Yachimovich, emphasizing closing economic gaps; and Yisrael Beiteinu, the far-right secular party led by former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Likud and Yisrael Beitenu have joined forces in a unified list for the election, but will continue to function as separate parties after the election. Two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties could play key roles after the election. A party must receive at least 2 percent of votes cast to be represented in parliament. In the 2009 election, 33 parties registered to run, but only 12 got enough votes to win seats.

?Forming a government: In Israel's 64-year history, no party has ever won an outright majority of 61 seats, and the country has always been governed by a coalition. Israel's president meets with party factions to determine which party has the best chance of forming a government. The president then taps the head of that party, usually but not necessarily parliament's largest, to undertake that task. That person will have up to six weeks to form a coalition. If successful, he or she becomes prime minister; if not, the president chooses another party to try.

The Vote: There are 5,656,705 eligible voters. Most of the 10,128 polling stations across the country opened at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT, 12 a.m. ET) and close at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT, 3 p.m. ET). Exit polls will be released immediately after voting ends, and official results will trickle in throughout the night. Voter turnout in the last election in 2009 was 65.2 percent. Election Day is a national holiday, and most workers have the day off.

?Israel by the numbers: Population: Nearly 8 million, of whom 75 percent (6 million) are Jews, 20 percent (1.6 million) are Arabs and the rest are classified as "others," most of them non-Jewish immigrants. Per capita GDP is $30,500.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/key-facts-israels-election-170317417.html

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Cancer Death Rates Drop 20 Percent Since 1991 ? CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE?(WJZ) ??More than?a half a million people are predicted to die this year in America from all forms of cancer. Though the overall number is staggering,? the predicted deaths are showing a decrease from a high reached in 1991.

Mike Schuh reports.

The American Cancer Society says the three most commonly diagnosed cancers are: breast,? lung and colorectal.

Dr. Stephen Noga, the Medical Director of the Medstar Health Cancer Network,?says better education, early diagnosis and?treatments are causing the drop in the cancer rate and in cancer deaths.

Cancer deaths reached a high in 1991 and are down 20?percent?since then. Overall deaths are down, but the incidence of cancer is higher for melanoma, and cancers of the liver, thyroid and pancreas.

The Cancer Society predicts there will be 1,660,290 new cases of cancer in 2013.

To read the full report from the American Cancer Society, click here.

Source: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/01/22/for-the-first-time-since-1991-predicted-cancer-deaths-show-a-decrease/

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279990 :: 16312 Bayberry View Drive, Lithia FL, 33547

3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
Home size: 2,275 sq ft
Lot Size: 4,972 sq ft
Added: 11/27/12, Last Updated: 01/21/13
Property Type: Residential / All, Residential / Single Family
MLS Number: T2545245
Tract: Fishhawk Ranch Tract 8 Partial Replat
The price of this listing was last reduced on 1/22/2013 by 3%

Brand new home currently under construction offers all the bells and whistles! Brick paver driveway to covered entry. Home opens to a spacious family room that is perfect for entertaining. Large kitchen with baker?s island, 42? upper cabinets with crown molding, and granite countertops opens to family room. 18?x18? ceramic tile throughout first floor. Dark painted staircase railing to match kitchen cabinets and white spindles is just one of the many masterful design selections in this beautiful home. This home also features all bedrooms upstairs (split plan). Master bedroom has tray ceilings; master bath has double high top vanity and separate garden tub and shower. Huge walk-in closet! This new home has all the upgrades you can imagine!

Listed with WEEKLEY HOMES REALTY COMPANY

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Brought to you by Julia Vakulenko, Tampa4U.com realty. Call me today at 813-671-6657, or visit my website at www.tampa4u.com!

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Posted on Jan 22nd, 2013 by julia | No Comments

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Source: http://www.tampa-mls.com/property/279990-16312-bayberry-view-drive-lithia-fl-33547.html

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Looking for a real estate agent in Australia? Consider these factors ...

Most often than not, many people do not know the difference between?real estate agents - a realtor and broker. Though at times some have interchangeably used these words, understanding the thin-line between them is helpful in finding the best agent here in Australia. As a big country and an ever-growing economy, Australia has seen a lot of boom in the real estate industry with most developers concentrating on the commercial and residential properties. To visit the definitions a bit, a broker simply acts like a go between the seller of property and the interested buyer. Though the agent actually does the same, they are not capable of doing their business without being under a broker and are further divided into different groups.? The term realtor on the other hand just point to the fact that the?property managers?are registered with the relevant body and are therefore dully licensed to transact. An illustration would be a lawyer being registered by the law society.

Prior to looking into the characteristics of a good real estate agent, it is beneficial to know the type of such agents available in major Australian cities (such as Sydney or even Brisbane). There is the Seller Agent whose main expertise lies in finding suitable property buyers. They are always acting on behalf of the property seller and thus must serve their employer?s interests. Seller Agents are also known as Listing Agent and are governed by listing agreements signed between them and the property owners.

The other type of a real estate agent Sydney would be the Buyer Agent who, as the name suggests acts on behalf of those who want to purchase property. They can however work for sellers on other deals separate from where they are buyer?s agents. Though not always appreciated and may be illegal, there are cases where an agent can be both a listing and buyer?s agent if both are need for a transaction to take place. This type of agent is commonly referred to as ?Dual Agent?. Finally, there is the Transaction Agent who in essence does not represent any party during the sale of a property but rather restricted to the facilitation of the transaction process.

Factors that define good?property management?Brisbane begin with respect for the client, being practical and always able to come up with solutions to different problems facing the client. Consistency and humility are virtues that are conspicuous in a good property management too. In addition, there are things that a buyer or a seller should also confirm from an agent before settling on them. First, the reputation of the agent and how many properties they have closed. It is preferable to work with agents who have worked with a family member or close friend.

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Source: http://blondblue.com/looking-for-a-real-estate-agent-in-australia-consider-these-factors/

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How cells' DNA repair machinery can destroy viruses

Jan. 21, 2013 ? A team of researchers based at Johns Hopkins has decoded a system that makes certain types of immune cells impervious to HIV infection. The system's two vital components are high levels of a molecule that becomes embedded in viral DNA like a code written in invisible ink, and an enzyme that, when it reads the code, switches from repairing the DNA to chopping it up into unusable pieces. The researchers, who report the find in the Jan. 21 early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, say the discovery points toward a new approach to eradicating HIV from the body.

"For decades, we've seen conflicting reports on whether each of these components helped protect cells from viruses," says James Stivers, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences. "By plotting how much of each are found in different types of cells, as well as the cells' response to HIV, we learned that both are needed to get the protective effect."

Researchers have long known that DNA's code is made up of four building blocks called nucleotides, commonly abbreviated A, T, G, and C. Before a cell divides, DNA-copying enzymes string these nucleotides together based on existing templates, so that each of the new cells gets its own copy of the genome. But because the T nucleotide, dTTP, is very similar to dUTP, a fifth nucleotide that doesn't belong in DNA, the copying enzyme sometimes mistakenly puts in a U where there should be a T.

To prevent this, says Stivers, most human cell types have an enzyme whose job is to break down dUTP, keeping its levels very low. Another quality control measure is the enzyme hUNG2, which snips stray Us out of newly copied DNA strands, leaving the resulting holes to be filled by a different repair enzyme. Certain immune cells called resting cells lack the first quality-control mechanism because, Stivers explains, "They're not replicating their DNA and dividing, so they couldn't care less if they have a lot of dUTP."

This is a critical piece of information, Stivers says, because when a retrovirus like HIV invades a cell, its first order of business is to make a DNA copy of its own genome, then insert that copy into the host cell's genome. If there are many dUTPs floating around in the cell, they will likely make their way into the new viral DNA, and, potentially, later be snipped out by hUNG2. The question, Stivers says, left open by the conflicting results of previous studies, was what effect, if any, this process has on HIV and other viruses.

To address this question, Amy Weil, a graduate student in Stivers' laboratory, measured dUTP levels and hUNG2 activity in a variety of human cells grown in the laboratory, then exposed them to HIV. Cells with high dUTP but little hUNG2 activity succumbed easily to the virus, which appeared to function just fine with a U-ridden genome. Similarly, cells with low dUTP levels but high hUNG2 activity were susceptible to HIV. For these cells, it seemed, hUNG2 would snip out the few stray Us, but the resulting holes would be repaired, leaving the viral DNA as good as new.

But in cells with both high dUTP and vigilant hUNG2, the repair process turned into a hack job, Stivers says, leaving the viral DNA so riddled with holes that it was beyond repair. "It's like dropping a nuclear bomb on the viral genome," he says.

By showing how dUTP and hUNG2 work together to protect resting cells from infection, Stivers says, the study identifies a new pathway that could restrict HIV infection in non-dividing cells. Current anti-retroviral drugs effectively suppress the virus, but, Stivers explains, they miss copies of the virus that hide out in non-dividing cells, and "the minute you stop taking anti-retrovirals, it starts replicating again." He suggests that drug strategies could be devised to target this pathway in affected cells, possibly lessening the pool of viruses hiding out in non-dividing cells. The principle could also be applied to other retroviruses, he says, since they, like HIV, all make DNA copies of their genomes as part of the infection process.

Other authors on the paper were Devlina Ghosh, Yan Zhou, Lauren Seiple and Robert F. Siliciano of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Moira A. McMahon of the University of California, San Diego; and Adam M. Spivak of the University of Utah School of Medicine.

The study was funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (grant number GM056834) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Extramural Activities (grant number AI081600).

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine, via Newswise.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/DC3IVg5qJY4/130121161751.htm

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