Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/04/29/daniel-day-lewis-barack-obama/
Trick or Treat Amy Weber Happy Halloween! Star Wars Episode 7 jfk airport faith hill metro north
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Daniel Day-Lewis Channels Another President, Barack Obama
Over the weekend, the White House Correspondents Dinner took place in Washington, D.C., and as is the tradition, it tends to be one of the more light-hearted events in the nation's capitol. Even the Presidents gets loose and cracks a few jokes. Two of the evening's special guests were the men behind "Lincoln," Steven Spielberg [...]
Monday, April 29, 2013
Shape-shifting mobile devices
Apr. 28, 2013 ? Prototype mobile devices that can change shape on-demand will be unveiled today [Monday 29 April] and could lay down the foundation for creating high shape resolution devices of the future.
The research paper, to be presented at one of the world's most important conferences on human-computer interfaces, will introduce the term 'shape resolution' and its ten features, to describe the resolution of an interactive device: in addition to display and touch resolution.
The research, led by Dr Anne Roudaut and Professor Sriram Subramanian, from the University of Bristol's Department of Computer Science, have used 'shape resolution' to compare the resolution of six prototypes the team have built using the latest technologies in shape changing material, such as shape memory alloy and electro active polymer.
One example of a device is the team's concept of Morphees, self-actuated flexible mobile devices that can change shape on-demand to better fit the many services they are likely to support.
The team believe Morphees will be the next generation of mobile devices, where users can download applications that embed a dedicated form factor, for instance the "stress ball app" that collapses the device in on itself or the "game app" that makes it adopt a console-like shape.
Dr Anne Roudaut, Research Assistant in the Department of Computer Science's Bristol Interaction and Graphics group, said: "The interesting thing about our work is that we are a step towards enabling our mobile devices to change shape on-demand. Imagine downloading a game application on the app-store and that the mobile phone would shape-shift into a console-like shape in order to help the device to be grasped properly. The device could also transform into a sphere to serve as a stress ball, or bend itself to hide the screen when a password is being typed so passers-by can't see private information."
By comparing the shape resolution of their prototypes, the researchers have created insights to help designers towards creating high shape resolution Morphees.
In the future the team hope to build higher shape resolution Morphees by investigating the flexibility of materials. They are also interested in exploring other kinds of deformations that the prototypes did not explore, such as porosity and stretchability.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaZHj9SEzLQ
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Bristol, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
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/oQOP2z3HA_Y/130428230421.htm
Electoral Map concede Obama Acceptance Speech Prop 30 Election 2012 Michigan Election Results Missouri Election Results
Sequester cuts hitting cancer patients
>>> hitting home in many other ways. among them, some cancer patients on medicare are being turned away from doctors officers. lisa myers has that story.
>> 68-year-old caroline davis is being treated for breast cancer in south carolina . but she recently had to start getting her infusions of a costly chemo drug at a nearby hospital out patient facility.
>> it's waiting when i get there, it's just not like here at the cancer center.
>> caroline says all the waitinging at the hospital adds to her level of exhaustion. dr. holiday says his center had no choice when medicare cut reimbursements to doctors who administer those drugs by 2%. some private clinics are finding that harder to absorb than hospitals.
>> approximately 75% of her most commonly used therapeutics cost us more to administer. we can't continue to function that way.
>> and a new york onkole ji clinic decided it could no longer see one-third of its patients.
>> they have to shift their care somewhere is unconscionable and we just need people to fix this.
>> but officials say they don't have the power to roll back the 2% cut and argue the system has been highly profitable for many clinics. in fact, the president's new budget proposes an even bigger adjustment coupled with rebates on drug prices for smaller clinics. a spokesman says this will ensure access and reduce overpayments, but many cancer doctors disagree.
>> the cost of the drug will be the same. the problem is the reimbursement to the physician will be less and the physician potentially will go out of practice.
>> what's more, doctors argue that any savings from cutting their payments may be a mirage because it will push more treatment to hospitals, which studies show usually leads to higher costs for the patient and taxpayers. for caroline davis and thousands like her, this budget battle has already cost too much. lisa myers , nbc news, washington.
ostara masters 2012 andy kaufman tom watson kawasaki disease resurrection masters tickets
Friday, April 26, 2013
Sprint Galaxy S3 OTA bringing multi-view and home screen security fix
Software version L710VPBMD4 rolling out in stages to devices starting today
Sprint's version of the Galaxy SIII (S3) has a software update rolling out today with notable feature enhancements and fixes. The biggest welcome improvement will likely be Multi-View, which has been a staple for users of the Galaxy Note 2 and other versions of the S3. Multi-View lets users run two apps simultaneously, each on one half of the screen. Beyond that, we're looking at improvements to the Gallery and Camera experiences, as well as the Paper Artist app.
There's also what Sprint is calling a "home screen security fix", which is always important, along with fixes for group SMS. The update is set to roll out OTA (Over The Air) in stages starting today, and some users in the forums are reporting seeing it on their own devices. Seeing the update yet? Let other users know in the forums.
Source: Sprint; More: Sprint Galaxy S3 Forums
     |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/D4KnZ3_pPOQ/story01.htm
alex jones Google Docs Huell Howser Justin Bieber Smoking Weed Katherine Webb Cut for Bieber AJ McCarron
Video: Apple's New Reality
Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/51648219/
Sasha McHale Boy Meets World elizabeth taylor cam newton FedEx Gabriel Aubry cyber monday deals
Anger on streets as Bangladesh building toll passes 300
By Ruma Paul and Serajul Quadir
DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh textile workers vented their anger on Friday, burning cars and clashing with police, as the death toll passed 300 following the collapse of a building housing factories that made low-cost garments for Western brands.
Miraculously rescuers were still pulling people alive from the rubble - 72 since daybreak following 41 found in the same room overnight - two days after the eight-storey building collapsed on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka.
But there were fears that hundreds of people were still trapped in the wreckage of the building, which officials said had been built illegally without the correct building permits.
"Some people are still alive under the rubble and we are hoping to rescue them," said deputy fire services director Mizanur Rahman.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she had ordered the arrest of the owners of the building and of the five factories that occupied it.
Army spokesman Shahinur Islam said the death toll had reached 304 and H. T. Imam, an adviser to the prime minister, said it could exceed 350.
Anger over the working conditions of Bangladesh's 3.6 million garment workers, the overwhelming majority of them women, has grown steadily since the disaster, with thousands taking to the streets to protest on Friday.
About 2,350 people have been rescued, at least half of them injured, from the remains of the building in the commercial suburb of Savar, about 30 km (20 miles) from Dhaka.
An industry official has said 3,122 people, most of them female garment workers, had been in the Rana Plaza building despite warnings that it was structurally unsafe.
WRONG PERMIT, ILLEGAL FLOORS
Emdadul Islam, chief engineer of state run Capital Development Authority (CDA), said that the owner of the building had not received the proper building consent, obtaining a permit for a five-storey building from the local municipality, which did not have the authority to grant it.
"Only CDA can give such approval," he said. "We are trying to get the original design from the municipality, but since the concerned official is in hiding we cannot get it readily."
Furthermore, another three storeys had been added illegally, he said. "Savar is not an industrial zone, and for that no factory can be housed in Rana Plaza," Islam told Reuters.
Bangladesh is the second-largest exporter of garments in the world but many factories remained closed for a second day on Friday, with garment workers protesting against poor conditions and demanding the owners of the building and the factories it housed face harsh punishment.
Police and witnesses said protesters set fire to a number of vehicles and damaged other garment factories.
Dhaka District police chief Habibur Rahman identified the owner of the Rana Plaza building as Mohammed Sohel Rana, a leader of the ruling Awami League's youth front.
Imam, the prime minister's adviser, said Rana had "vanished into thin air".
"People are asking for his head, which is quite natural. This time we are not going to spare anybody," Imam said.
STRING OF FATAL INCIDENTS
Wednesday's collapse was the third major industrial incident in five months in Bangladesh. In November, a fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory on the outskirts of Dhaka killed 112 people.
"This incident is devastating for us as we haven't recovered from the shock of Tazreen fire yet," said Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, who visited the site on Friday.
Such incidents have raised serious questions about worker safety and low wages in Bangladesh and could taint the poor South Asian country's reputation as a producer of low-cost products and services.
North American and European chains, including British retailer Primark and Canada's Loblaw, said they were supplied by factories in the Rana Plaza building.
Mohammad Atiqul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the proprietors of the five factories inside the building had ignored the association's warning not to open on Wednesday after cracks had been seen in the building the day before.
"We asked not to open the factories and told them we will send our engineer, and until you get the green signal don't open the factories," Islam told Reuters.
"But, unfortunately, they violated our instructions," he said. A bank in the building did close on Wednesday after the warning.
PRAYERS, MOURNING
Savar residents and rescuers dropped bottled water and food on Thursday night to people who called out from between floors. Nearby, relatives identified their dead among dozens of corpses wrapped in cloth on the veranda of a school.
Special prayers were offered for the dead, injured and missing at mosques, temples and pagodas across Bangladesh on Friday.
Ten labor groups called for a strike on Sunday by workers at garment factories across the country.
Sixty percent of Bangladesh's garment exports go to Europe. The United States takes 23 percent and Canada takes 5 percent.
Primark and Loblaw, as well as PWT, a Danish company whose Texman brand clothes were also made in factories at Rana Plaza, operate under codes of conduct aimed at ensuring products are made in good working conditions.
The largest factory, New Wave Style, which listed many European and North American retailers as its customers, occupied the sixth and seventh floors, documents seen by Reuters showed.
(Additional reporting by Anis Ahmed in Dhaka, John Chalmers in New Delhi, Jessica Wohl and Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Chicago, Solarina Ho in Toronto, Robert Hertz in Madrid and Mette Kronholm Fraende in Copenhagen; Writing by Paul Tait; Editing by Alex Richardson)
tracy morgan Chase.com Talk Like a Pirate Day raiders Demi Lovato iOS 6 Features big brother
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Pitt team finds melatonin delays ALS symptom onset and death in mice
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 25-Apr-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Anita Srikameswaran
SrikamAV@upmc.edu
412-578-9193
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Melatonin injections delayed symptom onset and reduced mortality in a mouse model of the neurodegenerative condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In a report published online ahead of print in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, the team revealed that receptors for melatonin are found in the nerve cells, a finding that could launch novel therapeutic approaches.
Annually about 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS, which is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and eventual death due to the failure of respiratory muscles, said senior investigator Robert Friedlander, M.D., UPMC Endowed Professor of neurosurgery and neurobiology and chair, Department of Neurological Surgery, Pitt School of Medicine. But the causes of the condition are not well understood, thwarting development of a cure or even effective treatments.
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is best known for its role in sleep regulation. After screening more than a thousand FDA-approved drugs several years ago, the research team determined that melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that blocks the release of enzymes that activate apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
"Our experiments show for the first time that a lack of melatonin and melatonin receptor 1, or MT1, is associated with the progression of ALS," Dr. Friedlander said. "We saw similar results in a Huntington's disease model in an earlier project, suggesting similar biochemical pathways are disrupted in these challenging neurologic diseases."
Hoping to stop neuron death in ALS just as they did in Huntington's, the research team treated mice bred to have an ALS-like disease with injections of melatonin or with a placebo. Compared to untreated animals, the melatonin group developed symptoms later, survived longer, and had less degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord.
"Much more work has to be done to unravel these mechanisms before human trials of melatonin or a drug akin to it can be conducted to determine its usefulness as an ALS treatment," Dr. Friedlander said. "I suspect that a combination of agents that act on these pathways will be needed to make headway with this devastating disease."
###
Co-authors of the paper include other scientists from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Harvard Medical School; Ohio State University; Weifang Medical University; Bedford VA Medical System, Boston; St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix; University of Texas Medical School at Houston; and VA Pittsburgh Health Care System.
The project was funded by grants NS051756, NS039324, and NS055072 of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health; the U.S. Department of Defense; and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.
Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www.medschool.pitt.edu.
[ | 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: 25-Apr-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Anita Srikameswaran
SrikamAV@upmc.edu
412-578-9193
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Melatonin injections delayed symptom onset and reduced mortality in a mouse model of the neurodegenerative condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In a report published online ahead of print in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, the team revealed that receptors for melatonin are found in the nerve cells, a finding that could launch novel therapeutic approaches.
Annually about 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS, which is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and eventual death due to the failure of respiratory muscles, said senior investigator Robert Friedlander, M.D., UPMC Endowed Professor of neurosurgery and neurobiology and chair, Department of Neurological Surgery, Pitt School of Medicine. But the causes of the condition are not well understood, thwarting development of a cure or even effective treatments.
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is best known for its role in sleep regulation. After screening more than a thousand FDA-approved drugs several years ago, the research team determined that melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that blocks the release of enzymes that activate apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
"Our experiments show for the first time that a lack of melatonin and melatonin receptor 1, or MT1, is associated with the progression of ALS," Dr. Friedlander said. "We saw similar results in a Huntington's disease model in an earlier project, suggesting similar biochemical pathways are disrupted in these challenging neurologic diseases."
Hoping to stop neuron death in ALS just as they did in Huntington's, the research team treated mice bred to have an ALS-like disease with injections of melatonin or with a placebo. Compared to untreated animals, the melatonin group developed symptoms later, survived longer, and had less degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord.
"Much more work has to be done to unravel these mechanisms before human trials of melatonin or a drug akin to it can be conducted to determine its usefulness as an ALS treatment," Dr. Friedlander said. "I suspect that a combination of agents that act on these pathways will be needed to make headway with this devastating disease."
###
Co-authors of the paper include other scientists from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Harvard Medical School; Ohio State University; Weifang Medical University; Bedford VA Medical System, Boston; St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix; University of Texas Medical School at Houston; and VA Pittsburgh Health Care System.
The project was funded by grants NS051756, NS039324, and NS055072 of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health; the U.S. Department of Defense; and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.
Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www.medschool.pitt.edu.
[ | 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/uops-ptf042413.php
Gangnam Style Ryan Lanza Sandy Hook kanye west Univision josh hamilton Susan Rice
Tumblr for iOS gets new social sharing features, options to save to Instapaper and Pocket
Ever since going native on iOS, the Tumblr app's been on the receiving end of many, many new features and improvements. Now, continuing its ongoing efforts to make the application as good as can be, the microblogging site has released a new version for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad owners. As of today, Tumblr for iOS will now allow posts to be shared via email and a few major social networks -- including, as you'd expect, Facebook and Twitter. In addition, v3.3.1 brings added integration with Pocket and Instapaper, giving users the ability to save content to either service for offline reading at a later time. Busy couple of days, eh, Tumblr?
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile
Source: App Store
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/bK3P7GnEbR0/
Samsung Galaxy S4 St Francis Anquan Boldin Pope Benedict Jesuits percy harvin percy harvin
Israeli focus on Syria gives Hagel respite on Iran
JERUSALEM (AP) ? On Chuck Hagel's inaugural visit to Israel as U.S. defense secretary, Syria surpassed Iran as the security threat of greatest urgency to the U.S.' closest Mideast ally. That quite unexpectedly gave the new Pentagon chief a temporary respite from the delicate duty of tempering Israeli warnings about attacking Iran to stop it from building a nuclear bomb.
Israeli leaders see Iran's nuclear ambitions as a threat to their country's very existence, given Tehran's vow to wipe it off the map. But Syria suddenly has emerged so prominently that it overshadowed Iran during Hagel's three days in Israel.
That explains, in part, why Hagel repeatedly stressed in public Israel's right to defend itself and to decide on its own, if necessary, whether and when to attack Iran. He gave less emphasis than usual by American officials to Washington's wish that diplomacy and sanctions be given more time to persuade Iran to change course.
Notably, Israel's new defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, said at a joint news conference with Hagel on Monday that he, too, thinks non-military means ought to be pursued further.
"By one way or another, the military nuclear project of Iran should be stopped," Yaalon said. "Having said that, we believe that the military option, which is well discussed, should be the last resort anyhow." He added, "There are other tools to be used and to be exhausted, whether it is diplomacy, economic sanctions, or even more support of the opposition in Iran."
Hagel seemed to sense slightly less urgency in the Israeli concern about Iran, although he by no means dismissed the problem. One year ago, Hagel's predecessor, Leon Panetta, was letting it be known that he feared Israel could attack Iran in a matter of weeks. Washington worries that such a strike could ignite a wider war in which it would be difficult for the U.S. to avoid getting involved.
That was before the Syrian civil war had reached the point of widespread concern that its illicit stockpiles of chemical weapons could pose a threat to Israel and other neighbors.
Jordan, too, is worried about transfers of Syrian chemical weapons. Hagel stopped briefly in Jordan Tuesday.
"The United States and Jordan share mutual concerns about the ongoing crisis in Syria and continue to consult closely on a number of issues including chemical weapons and the demands posed by the influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the violence," Pentagon press secretary George Little said after Hagel's meeting in Amman.
Little said the Pentagon has provided more than $70 million to Jordan this year to help secure its border and prevent the transfer of chemical weapons from Syria.
Hagel ended his day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, who also serves as the Saudi defense minister. Little said they discussed a proposed sale of advanced U.S. missiles for Saudi F-15 fighters as well as mutual concerns about Iran's nuclear program and the violence in Syria.
The Israelis see immediate dangers in the Syrian civil war, not only in the threat along Israel's northeastern border but also in the grim possibility that Syrian chemical weapons could fall into the hands of extremists. Israel says each of those possibilities is a "red line" beyond which it would have to act.
The concern is that if President Bashar Assad is overthrown, any of the Islamic extremist groups trying to oust him could turn his extensive arsenal against Israel.
A senior Israeli military intelligence official said Tuesday that Assad has repeatedly used chemical weapons against insurgent groups. It was the first such public claim by Israel and appeared to increase pressure on Washington and other Western countries to intervene in Syria.
President Barack Obama has warned that the use of chemical weapons by Assad would be a "game changer." Little, the Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday the U.S. government is still assessing reports of Syrian chemical weapons use, adding that such acts would be "entirely unacceptable." He did not elaborate on possible U.S. actions.
The White House said Tuesday the U.S. hasn't yet come to the conclusion that Assad has used chemical weapons even though close U.S. allies say he has.
In his assessment, Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, the head of research and analysis in Israeli military intelligence, told a security conference in Tel Aviv that Assad has used chemical weapons multiple times, including near Damascus, the capital, last month.
During Hagel's visit, Israeli leaders still emphasized the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran ? as did Hagel. But to a degree not foreseen when Hagel arrived in Israel over the weekend, the threat posed by Syria's chemical weapons overshadowed Iran.
Hagel wrapped up his visit Tuesday by meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who greeted him with a brief but pointed caution about resolving the Iran problem. He complained of Iran arming terrorist groups with sophisticated weapons, and its "attempt to arm itself with nuclear weapons."
"This is a challenge that Israel cannot accept, and as you and President Obama have repeatedly said, Israel must be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat," Netanyahu said.
___
Associated Press writer Ariel David contributed to this report.
Robert Burns can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/robertburnsAP
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israeli-focus-syria-gives-hagel-respite-iran-190331708--politics.html
king arthur king arthur there will be blood there will be blood nigel barker secret service fenway park
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Oops! N.Y.'s Suffolk County accidentally defaults on debt
By Edward Krudy and Pamela Niimi
NEW YORK (Reuters) - As if Suffolk County, home of the Hamptons and playground of the rich and famous on New York's Long Island, didn't have enough financial problems already.
A regulatory filing on behalf of the county dated April 16 shows it accidentally missed an interest payment on some of its debt, including $76.1 million of public improvement bonds, putting the county technically in default. Oops.
The county is wealthy with income per capita well above the national average but it has run into difficulty recently, declaring a fiscal emergency last year after an independent task force predicted a three-year deficit of $530 million.
The county could have a budget shortfall of as much as $250 million by the end of next year, local officials said last month.
The error is more of an embarrassing glitch than anything else. The missed payment - just $722.65 - would be small change for many of the county's residents.
That will buy you fewer than 20 butter-poached lobster rolls (not the most expensive thing on the menu) at Dave's Grill in Montauk, a quaint fishing village on the island's northern tip, or just 10 bottles of Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River 2009 at La Plage in Wading River. A mere picnic.
The mistake was pointed out by the Depository Trust Company, a clearing firm, the day after it was missed and the filing says the error was the fault of the county's escrow agent, M&T Bank.
"The county informed M&T of its error and the escrow agent immediately wired the $722.65 payment to DTC," the regulatory filing said.
So what went wrong? The county was making the first payment in a complicated arrangement that uses $17 million in state HEAL grants for medical costs, primarily related to the Foley Nursing home, said Richard Tortora, president of Capital Markets Advisors, the county's financial adviser.
The $722.65, part of a debt payment of over $1 million, was the portion of the payment from the HEAL grants. The $17 million is being held in an escrow account at M&T.
"M&T for reasons we can't fathom just blew it: 'Oops it wasn't in our system, we missed it'", said Tortora, president of Capital Markets Advisors. Tortora said missing the payment and having to make a regulatory filing with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board was frustrating after months spent putting the arrangement together for the county.
M&T Bank was not immediately available for comment.
Fitch Ratings, the credit ratings agency, downgraded Suffolk County's general obligation bond rating to A from A-plus last month, affecting about $1.4 billion of debt. General obligation bonds have the full faith and credit of the issuer and are the best gauge of how risky investors think the county is.
Fitch said it had concerns about the county's ability to become financially stable, let alone reduce its big deficit.
(This story was corrected to fix name of Suffolk County's financial advisers)
(Reporting by Edward Krudy, additional reporting by Pam Niimi; Editing by Kenneth Barry)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oops-yorks-suffolk-county-accidentally-defaults-debt-173732971--sector.html
temperance world bank kim kardashian flour bomb hunger games box office xavier joan crawford joan crawford
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
92% Jurassic Park: An IMAX 3D Experience
All Critics (95) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (95) | Rotten (8) | DVD (38)
The enthralling man-vs.-nature parable based on the late Michael Crichton's best-selling novel hasn't aged one bit.
The 3-D process adds not just dimension but depth - a technological extension of cinematographer Gregg Toland's deep-focus innovations in The Grapes of Wrath and Citizen Kane. The change in perspective creates greater intensity.
I'm a fan of this movie. It is thrilling, and the 3-D treatment is a nice enhancement.
This movie doesn't just stand the test of time, it transcends it.
"Jurassic Park" remains an absolute thrill from a Spielberg in top form: Funny, scary, fast-moving and full of just-right details.
"Jurassic Park" was impressive in 1993. Twenty years later, it's flawless.
The film is a classic and the chance to see it on the big screen again (or for the first time) should not be missed
Sentiment is explained by science as the family impulse that motivates so many Steven Spielberg stories is revealed to be an evolutionary imperative in this near-perfect action-adventure.
[Looks] better not only than effects-driven movies of the same period, but better, frankly, than half of what gets released nowadays.
Kids who love dinosaurs will love it. And who doesn't?
confirms both Spielberg's mastery of cinematic thrills and the comparatively empty bombast of today's summer tentpole movies, even the better ones.
Jurassic Park shows us a director in transition, and the film captures his transformation in its own kind of cinematic amber.
[The] 3D [conversion] provides the definitive version of this classic film. Jurassic Park has been transformed with with artistry, nuance and sophistication, and it's an absolute must-see during this brief run.
The 3D effects had me nearly jumping out of my seat. Some say Hollywood is converting too many old films to 3D. But, "Jurassic Park" was the perfect choice. There's nothing more fun than sharing a seat with a snapping dinosaur.
Spielberg treats us as he does his characters, leading us into a strange land and expecting us to make it out with all our faculties intact; it's a tall order, given the heart-stopping, bloodcurdling, limbs-numbing excitement packed into the second hour.
It is as if time has passed the movie by. "Jurassic Park" remains solid entertainment, but the awe and wonder have faded.
The thrill of seeing live dinosaurs on screen is not as acute today as it was 20 years ago admittedly, but there is still some 3D awe left in the creations that roared 65 billion years ago...
The 3D isn't pushed on the audience, but it does reveal the amount of depth that Spielberg actually put into the film 20 years ago.
While it's not the most profound of Spielberg's works or the most entertaining from a popcorn perspective, it's one of the most technically flawless movies he's ever produced.
Jurassic Park 3D is like being reunited with an old friend; an old friend that wants to eat you and maul you to death, but still. A classic is reborn in glorious IMAX with a vibrantly stunning use of 3D.
If releasing the film in 3-D is the only way to get it back in theaters, then the gimmick is an acceptable addition. The 3-D is good. But when a movie is this near flawless, nothing is needed to make it better.
The 3D conversion ruins everything, like the comet that killed the dinosaurs, making Jurassic Park the rare amusement I'd prefer to revisit at home.
A beast of a movie is gifted a superfluous-but-superb rouging of the cheeks, offering fanatics something new to study while newcomers will be ruined for any future television airings.
The tasteful Jurassic Park 3D conversion injects new wonder and excitement into one of the most captivating adventure movies ever made.
There is nothing like experiencing this fabulous, larger-than-life, groundbreaking movie where it was meant to be experienced. And in 3D!
Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jurassic_park_an_imax_3d_experience_1993/
The Pope bruno mars the Grammys 2013 State of the Union 2013 katy perry Rihanna Katy Perry Grammys 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Sniffing out solutions for millions of Americans with smell loss
Apr. 21, 2013 ? Snot. It's not something most of us spend a lot of time thinking about, but, for a team of researchers in Washington, D.C., it's front and center.
Robert I. Henkin, founder of the Taste and Smell Clinic in is charmingly self-deprecating. He says with a chuckle that he's often called a "spit and snot doctor," but he knows all too well that for his patients -- those who no longer can appreciate the fragrance of fresh-cut grass or the intricacies of an herb-infused sauce -- such loss is no laughing matter.
"You might think: 'Oh well, you can still hear. You can still see.' But it's amazingly important to be able to taste and smell," Henkin says. "When you say 'hello' in (some parts of China), you don't say 'hello' -- you say 'Have you eaten yet?' In other words, the social aspects of being able to eat and enjoy that are critical, and to lose that -- you lose a significant part of life."
Henkin, who at the National Institutes of Health established the first clinical program to study taste and smell dysfunction, has spent the better part of his professional life trying to get the lay of the land when it comes to the fluids that contribute to those two senses. He and his team over the years have conducted countless experiments to figure out what makes up nasal mucus and saliva and how those components affect taste and smell.
"The thing to recognize is there are 21 million people in the United States who have some abnormality of smell function. That's an amazing number," says Henkin.
On Sunday, April 21, Henkin will present new research results at the Experimental Biology 2013 conference with the hope that attendees there also will take the mission seriously, build upon his findings and come up with new therapies for patients like his.
Henkin's newest work describes the concentrations of cytokines, molecules involved in cell signaling, in nasal mucus. He'll present his findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which is being held in conjunction with the Experimental Biology 2013 conference.
"In a rather na?ve way, we went ahead and looked at these cytokines in nasal mucus because nobody's ever done it before," Henkin explains. This kind of strategy is par for the course for Henkin, who also was the first to report which proteins are present in saliva in 1978 and which proteins are present in nasal mucus in 2000. He emphasizes that "you can't understand the (disease) mechanisms unless you understand what's there."
"This whole role of nasal mucus -- what's there, how it works -- is something that (researchers) haven't really considered," he says. "It takes a dumb guy like me to go ahead and say 'OK, let's figure out what's there, and then we can see what we're going to do about it. It's a different approach."
What's so different about it? Henkin says most of his patients come to him as a last resort, because their primary physicians and even specialists can't offer any lasting solutions.
"The people who are interested in (smell loss) are primarily otolaryngologists, and they're trained as surgeons ? They're not trained to think about this" on the molecular level, Henkin says. "So they look at the nose, and if there's a polyp they'll take it out and say, 'Aha, there's the answer. We'll make the nasal cavity cleaner.' Well, these (molecular) structures in the nose that cause these problems are manifestations of some underlying disease process, which they've been trying to figure out for a while but haven't really succeeded."
Henkin's group has succeeded in restoring smell loss in many patients -- and sometimes by seemingly unconventional means. A few years back, they tested out a drug long used in asthmatics, theophylline, and they found that oral use could induce higher levels of a protein called cAMP in nasal mucus, which improved some patients' ability to smell. The team later found that administering a smaller dose intranasally produced a more profound effect.
Henkin says examples like that underscore the importance of understanding the molecular makeup of nasal mucus and the interactions within, rather than immediately turning to surgery or, another common practice, giving patients steroids.
"Because they've used these (steroids) to inhibit polyp formation in the nose, what happens is that in some people the smell comes back for a limited period of time. It may come back for a day or a week. And then when the drug wears off, they can't smell again," Henkin says. "We now understand a little bit about how that works -- how it affects those cytokines and other substances."
Cytokines are molecules that deliver information and induce some kind of response -- usually during immunological and inflammatory processes. Henkin's team found that in nasal mucus of patients with smell loss the concentration of anti-inflammatory cytokines was much higher than the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines . This balance is important, he says, because the cytokine interleukin-6, which is pro-inflammatory, was particularly abundant.
"We'd looked at the literature and recognized that IL-6 is obviously elevated in a number of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. As a matter of fact, with rheumatoid arthritis you commonly have smell loss," Henkin says. "We're trying to make these connections, you see, and understand the relationships in these underlying interactions -- to give people some idea (about) homeostasis in the nasal cavity, how it's occurring, what's in nasal mucus and how each of these substances plays a specific role in smell function."
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), via Newswise.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/5N55NUeUWDw/130421151622.htm
george huguely whitney houston casket photo match play championship the national enquirer marie colvin cm punk cm punk
Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Molecular signaling in early placenta formation gives clues to causes of pregnancy complications
Apr. 16, 2013 ? Understanding the molecular control of placenta formation, the organ which enables fetal growth, is critical in diagnosing and treating related pregnancy complications. A group of scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, and the University of Calgary, Canada has revealed a molecular feedback loop that governs the earliest steps of placenta formation in mice, which is known to mimic placenta formation in humans.
Their findings are published April 16 in the open access journal PLOS Biology.
The earliest steps of placenta formation involve the development of the labyrinthine layer, which comprises a convoluted epithelium that sits between the maternal and fetal blood vessels, facilitating the exchange of nutrients, gases, and wastes between the mother and fetus. Normal development of the labyrinthine layer involves the folding of a flat sheet of trophoblast cells (originally the outer layer of the very primitive embryo) into finger-like projections called villi, which go on to branch out, under developmentally controlled signaling, into a cavity where maternal blood circulates.
Previous studies have identified a transcription factor, Gcm1, that plays a key role in this process, and in the formation of a functional labyrinthine layer. However, the signals that trigger and maintain the initial Gcm1 pattern have to date been unresolved.
In the new research, groups led by Drs. Haibin Wang and James C. Cross found that the deletion of a Wnt receptor, Frizzled5, led to placental defects in mice that were similar to the defects observed when they were devoid of Gcm1. Wanting to identify the consequences of these defects on labyrinthine development, the research groups found that a positive feedback loop operates between Gcm1 and Fzd5 that is essential for the normal folding and branching actions of the trophoblast sheet. Specifically, they showed that Gcm1 upregulates Fzd5 at branching sites, and in turn this elevated Fzd5 expression maintains the Gcm1 expression.
The researchers also found that the Fzd5-Gcm1 mediated signaling triggers the breaking of cell junctions between the trophoblast cells -- a step that is known to be pivotal for initiating this 'branching' process. In addition, they found that Fzd5-mediated signaling upregulated the expression of a certain growth factor known to stimulate blood vessel growth, therefore potentially attracting fetal vessel invasion of the branching villi.
Finally, and with implications for human disease, the researchers demonstrated that this Gcm1-Fzd5 mediated signaling cascade also occurs in human trophoblast cells that are undergoing this same differentiation process in the laboratory.
"We provide here genetic, molecular, pharmacological, and physiological evidence that an amplifying feedback loop between Gcm1 and Fzd5 is essential for normal placental development of mice." said Dr. Wang. "Besides shedding light on the fundamental mechanisms of branching morphogenesis during mouse placental development, the finding has high clinical relevance, since the Gcm1-Fzd5 signaling cascade also operates in human trophoblasts, and when its regulation goes wrong, it can be linked to trophoblast-related diseases, such as preeclampsia."
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Public Library of Science.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Jinhua Lu, Shuang Zhang, Haruo Nakano, David G. Simmons, Shumin Wang, Shuangbo Kong, Qiang Wang, Lianju Shen, Zhaowei Tu, Weixiang Wang, Bingyan Wang, Hongmei Wang, Yanling Wang, Johan H. van Es, Hans Clevers, Gustavo Leone, James C. Cross, Haibin Wang. A Positive Feedback Loop Involving Gcm1 and Fzd5 Directs Chorionic Branching Morphogenesis in the Placenta. PLoS Biology, 2013; 11 (4): e1001536 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001536
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/~3/DhI1MCQzAl8/130416180019.htm
Daylight Savings Time 2013 DeAndre Jordan Oz the Great and Powerful elisabeth hasselbeck Mothers Day 2013 World Baseball Classic time change
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
England's smoking ban linked to annual 5 percent drop in emergency admissions for asthma
Apr. 15, 2013 ? his adds up to around 1900 fewer such admissions every year, the authors calculate, and confirms the value of public health interventions, such as smoking bans, they say.
They base their findings on the number of emergency admissions for asthma among adults aged 16 and over in England between April 1997 and December 2010.
Smoking in all public places was banned in July 2007 in England, where the prevalence of asthma is one of the highest in the world, affecting almost 6% of the population.
During the study period, 502,000 adults with asthma were admitted as emergencies. As expected, admissions were higher during the winter months than during the summer, although the numbers of admissions varied widely from region to region.
After taking account of seasonal temperatures, variations in population size, and long term trends in the prevalence of asthma, the figures showed that emergency admissions for the condition fell by 4.9% among adults for each of the first three years following the introduction of the smoking ban.
The percentage drop was similar across all geographical regions of the country.
Across England as a whole, the authors calculate that this adds up to around 1900 fewer such admissions in the year immediately following the ban, with a similar number in each of the two subsequent years.
The authors point out that although these figures are lower than those in other countries where smoking bans have been introduced, this might be because many workplaces in England had already adopted smoke free policies before the nationwide ban took effect.
The authors emphasize that although the association they found was significant, it does not prove that the legislation was responsible for the fall in emergency admissions for asthma. Nevertheless, they point out that their data are consistent with other research linking the smoking ban to measures of improved health, and attribute the association to a reduction in second hand exposure to tobacco smoke.
Furthermore, the size of the study population, plus the efforts to account for other underlying factors, add weight to the findings, they suggest.
"[The study] provides further support to a growing body of national and international evidence of the positive effects that introducing smoke free polices has on public health," they conclude.
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BMJ-British Medical Journal, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
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/top_news/~3/Hno6TAzxRj4/130415204909.htm
Michael Clarke Duncan Nazanin Boniadi Deval Patrick Dedication 4 labor day college football scores khan academy
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
GSF India, Which Aims To Be The ?TechStars Of The Emerging World?, Partners With MIT
GSF India, a new accelerator with hubs across several cities in India, is adding another global partnership to its roster. The incubator, which has already done deals with the U.K.’s Seedcamp and the U.S.’s 500 Startups, is linking up with MIT to bring founders and mentors from Boston back to India and to send local entrepreneurs back on an exchange. India’s top technical universities have long been a source of talent for global tech companies, yet the country’s startup ecosystem is only just beginning to find broader cultural acceptance in the country. In India, it’s still more prestigious in this day and age to have a secure job at a multi-national company than it is to start a company. GSF is looking to change that. “The best talent from abroad can come to India and create a new global language here. Our doors are open to the brightest talent from the rest of the world and we’re hoping the world will open its doors to the brightest startups from India,” said Rajesh Sawhney, who founded the accelerator after serving as president of Reliance Entertainment, in a talk announcing the partnership in Boston last week. Through the partnership, GSF is hooking up with MIT’s Global Startup Labs to create a cross-border startup exchange. That labs program has a special focus on entrepreneurship in emerging markets; since it was founded back in 2000, it has sent about 160 MIT students to fourteen emerging markets across Africa, Latin American and Asia. Those students work as teachers and mentors in training local undergraduates in these developing countries to start their own companies through a six to eight week incubation program. Startups that have come out of the program include Rwanda’s first mobile startup, Hehe, and iChecki, which has an app for tracking taxi cabs. In the deal, Boston-based startups from MIT’s Labs will head over the India, and get hands-on support from GSF’s mentor network and co-working or office space in one of GSF’s four accelerators around the country. The idea is that they’ll get the help they need to expand locally into India. In turn, GSF’s startups get access to the technical expertise of the MIT-based entrepreneurs and program managers when they do an exchange in Boston. MIT Ph.D. students will also get to mentor GSF startups in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. Michael Gordon, who is the faculty director for MIT’s program,Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/YCThhL356wI/
there will be blood there will be blood nigel barker 420 secret service fenway park philadelphia flyers
Monday, April 15, 2013
1 dead, 1 missing after avalanches hit Washington state
By Elaine Porterfield
SEATTLE, Washington (Reuters) - A woman died and a man was missing and presumed dead after two avalanches struck mountains in Washington state at the weekend, authorities said on Sunday.
The avalanches struck within a few miles of each other at noon on Saturday in an area popular for winter sports about an hour east of Seattle. Both victims were snowshoeing when hit, officers at the King County Sheriff's Office said.
The conditions were extreme enough on Sunday that rescuers were forced to call off the search for a 60-year-old man, who was swept away with two companions near Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains,
The companions suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the 50-mph avalanche, which ran for more than a quarter mile, the sheriff's office said.
King County Sheriff's Sergeant Cindy West said she had few details about the missing man except that he was an experienced outdoorsman.
In the other incident, near the Alpental Ski Area, a woman who later died was buried under six feet of snow for about 45 minutes, the sheriff's office said.
The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was alive but suffering from hypothermia and other possible injuries when rescuers arrived the scene more than two hours later. Near white-out conditions prevented the use of a helicopter, and rescuers were forced to bring the woman out by sled, the sheriff's office said.
The woman was declared dead at around midnight. The King County Medical Examiner's office has yet to announce the exact cause of death.
Another snowshoer from the group suffered hypothermia and was helped off the mountain by rescuers, authorities said.
(Editing by Edith Honan and David Brunnstrom)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-dead-man-missing-avalanches-hit-washington-state-005617476.html
jewel san francisco earthquake san francisco earthquake terminator salvation terminator salvation deron williams jarhead
Friday, April 12, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)