ulysses herbivore: April 2013

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Did Ron Paul go too far this time?

Former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul has slammed US law enforcement for responding to the Boston Marathon bombing with ?police state tactics.?

In a post on the website of libertarian activist Lew Rockwell, Mr. Paul said Monday that the governmental reaction to the tragic explosions was worse than the attack itself. The forced lockdown of much of the Boston area, police riding armored vehicles through the streets, and door-to-door searches without warrants were all reminiscent of a military coup or martial law, Paul added.

?The Boston bombing provided the opportunity for the government to turn what should have been a police investigation into a military-style occupation of an American city,? according to Paul.

RECOMMENDED: Quiz: How much do you know about terrorism?

Furthermore, this response did not result in the capture of suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Paul charged. He was discovered hiding in a boat by a private citizen, who called police.

?And he was identified not by government surveillance cameras, but by private citizens who willingly shared their photographs with the police,? Paul wrote on Lew Rockwell?s site.

Yikes. This isn?t going to go down well in Watertown, is it? Citizens there applauded when police finally carted off Tsarnaev alive. The Boston police commissioner told his troops over the radio that ?it?s a proud day to be a Boston police officer.? In the wake of the suspect?s capture the media have generally portrayed law enforcement officers as heroes.

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But Paul?s contrarian take perhaps should not be surprising. After all, he?s a committed libertarian who at one point in the GOP presidential debates said that the border fence with Mexico might at some point be used to keep US citizens penned in.

And while Paul?s position here is, um, not in the majority, there are other public figures who charge that the Boston response was overkill. In some ways this is one of those points in the circle of American politics were conservative libertarianism and liberal progressivism meet.

The generally left-leaning Guardian columnist Glenn Greenwald, for instance, told PBS host Bill Moyers over the weekend that the public lionization of police in the wake of the Boston bombing isn?t necessarily a good thing.

?The way in which Americans now related to their government, the way in which they get nationalistic pride is through the assertion of this massive military or police force, and very few other things produce that kind of pride,? Greenwald said. ?I think [this] shows a lot about our value systems and what the government is failing to do. And that?s the way in which this culture becomes coarsened.?

However, state and local officials have continued to defend their decision to shut down much of Boston for the Tsarnaev manhunt. At the time they did not know whether the suspect had more explosives or fellow conspirators, and they did not want to risk another tragedy.

?I think we did what we should have done and were supposed to do with the always-imperfect information that you have at the time,? Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) said at a news conference last week.

And Paul in particular is now drawing criticism for the company he keeps. Lew Rockwell, Paul?s former congressional chief of staff, now heads the Ludwig von Mises Institute, a think tank with ?deep ties to the neo-Confederate movement,? which believes the wrong side won the Civil War, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

As a Paul employee, Rockwell oversaw newsletters published under the former congressman?s name that contained controversial statements about race, homosexuality, and other hot-button topics.

Furthermore, Paul?s own new organization, the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, has an advisory board that contains a ?bevy of conspiracy theorists, cranks, and apologists for some of the worst regimes on the planet,? according to Daily Beast writer James Kirchik.

These include Southwestern Law School professor Butler Shaffer, who has written a post for the Lew Rockwell website titled ?9/11 was a conspiracy,? notes the Daily Beast.

RECOMMENDED: Quiz: How much do you know about terrorism?

Big data analysis identifies prognostic RNA markers in a common form of breast cancer

Apr. 29, 2013 ? A Big-Data analysis that integrates three large sets of genomic data available through The Cancer Genome Atlas has identified 37 RNA molecules that might predict survival in patients with the most common form of breast cancer.

The study by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center -- Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC -- James) initially analyzed messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA expression, DNA methylation data and clinical findings for 466 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common type of breast cancer.

The analysis identified 30 mRNAs and seven microRNAs -- short snippets of RNA -- that were consistently associated with patient outcome across 44 clinical and molecular subclasses, including early-stage tumors. The researchers then validated the prognostic signature using genome-wide expression data from 2,399 breast-cancer patients in eight independent groups and found that it performed better than other RNA signatures currently used for breast-cancer risk stratification.

"This is the first prognostic signature in breast cancer or other type of cancer that combines both mRNA and microRNA," says first author and researcher Dr. Stefano Volinia, associate professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics at the OSUCCC -- James, "and we believe this concise RNA signature could prove useful for the clinical management of breast-cancer patients."

Principal investigator Dr. Carlo M. Croce, professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics, and director of Human Cancer Genetics, notes that most of the genes involved in the RNA signature have not previously been linked to breast cancer and that unlike many other prognostic signatures, this one does not contain genes involved in the cell cycle or tumor grade.

"Most of these prognostic genes are newcomers, and therefore they might represent novel drug targets," says Croce, who is also the John W. Wolfe Chair in Human Cancer Genetics. "They also are novel genes with unknown function and need further study."

He noted that these genes could also be candidates for a blood test for early detection.

Key points related to the study's findings include:

The identified RNA signature might predict response to treatment, as well as being prognostic;
DNA methylation was used to confirm the association between mRNA expression and overall survival;
The signature includes mutations in PIK3CA and its pathway, indicating that the PIK3CA/AKT2/PTEN axis is an important and independent cofactor in prognosis;
The prognostic value of the integrated signature was highest in early stage I and II breast cancers, making this a potentially valuable biomarker signature in clinical practice.

Funding from the NIH/National Cancer Institute (grant CA 152758-03) and the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) supported this research.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Ohio State University Medical Center.

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

Journal Reference:

S. Volinia, C. M. Croce. Prognostic microRNA/mRNA signature from the integrated analysis of patients with invasive breast cancer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1304977110

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/health_medicine/genes/~3/q8fgK2k_NJs/130429154109.htm

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Benchmark's Bill Gurley: Late-Stage Market Is ?Most Frothy? Since The Late 1990s

Bill Gurley, a general partner at one of Silicon Valley’s top tier venture firms Benchmark Capital, said that the late-stage market is the “most frothy” he’s ever seen since the late 1990s. Even though Facebook, Groupon and Zynga shares are still all underperforming relative to where they debuted at in their IPOs, growth-stage investors are still pouring capital into later-stage companies. “The late-stage private market continues to be the most frothy thing I’ve seen since the late 1990s,” he said on-stage in an interview with TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington. “I thought it was going to go away when you had these IPOs trading at fractions of the opening price, but if you have a company that people have selected as the ‘chosen one,’ you’ve got people knocking on your door.” Gurley said this has more to do with the supply of capital than the supply of companies. Basically, a lot of new participants like hedge funds have moved into late-stage funding, while other competing VC firms have scaled up with big growth funds. “Historically, this has been shown over time to be a bad thing,” he said. If companies take on generous amounts of funding, they may feel pressure to spend a lot of that on marketing. At the same time, the availability of growth funding on private markets may tempt companies to keep postponing an IPO past the point where they might miss their window if growth slows. Notably, Benchmark elected not to do a growth fund. When they raised for their seventh fund back in 2011, they raised $425 million plus $80 million for a “Founders Fund.” “We want to be an artisan business,” he said. He said when the firm tried to do a European fund a decade ago, they found that they were spending too much time managing offices in other countries. They even missed a deal when Gurley punted a company to a European partner and the founder felt insulted that he was passed off. That European arm is now Balderton Capital and Gurley adds, “They’ve done fine and they’ve had IPOs. We just found that we were spending less time doing what we love to do, which is help entrerepeneurs build great companies.” On the totally opposite end of the market, there’s a dearth of capital for seed-stage companies that want to progress to a Series A round. “There were so many new angel-funded

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/7Nm1I3P2dvs/

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Monday, April 29, 2013

Bombing shifts Mass. Senate race before primaries

BOSTON (AP) ? Even before the explosions, polling suggested that Massachusetts voters weren't excited about the looming special election to replace former U.S. Sen. John Kerry.

But in the days after bombs ripped through the Boston Marathon's crowded streets, politics were all but forgotten as authorities launched an unprecedented manhunt and a region grappled with terror. It didn't matter that competitive primary contests were 15 days away; everything was put on hold.

"There are things that are more important than campaigning and that horrific event was clearly one of them," said U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, who is competing against U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch for the Democratic nomination to replace Kerry, now the secretary of state.

After suspending political activities for roughly a week, the candidates have been forced to walk a delicate balance as they engage voters ahead of Tuesday's Republican and Democratic primaries. They have largely avoided the site of the attack out of sensitivity for victims, but some have tweaked campaign advertising to address the bombing, highlighted their national security credentials and tried to use the sudden focus on terrorism to shift the direction of the race.

"It completely changed the landscape," Lynch aide Scott Ferson said of the bombing.

Indeed, a campaign once dominated by debates about the environment, health care and women's rights has become more focused on enemy combatants, Miranda rights and counterterrorism agencies. Some candidates welcomed the shift.

On the Democratic side, Lynch has seized on national security in recent days to attack Markey, thought to be the front-runner. One of the most memorable moments in last week's Democratic debate, just a week after the bombing, focused on support for federal security efforts

"Unlike my colleague Mr. Markey, I've actually voted for the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bills," Lynch charged.

Markey responded: "He's taking a page right out of the Karl Rove swift boat playbook, and it's very sad, especially just one week after what just happened in Boston, Cambridge and Watertown."

Through Tuesday's primary election, Markey outspent Lynch on television advertising $1.7 million to $1.2 million, according to advertising figures obtained by The Associated Press. But only Lynch focused on the bombings in a television ad that blanketed the state last week, while Markey focused on traditional Democratic priorities such as women's reproductive rights.

"We hold in our hearts those we lost, but we will get through this together and work toward a brighter day," Lynch says in the campaign ad.

But Lynch was forced to distance himself last week from a so-called robo-call made on his behalf by the leader of an ironworkers' union, who mentions the bombings while encouraging voters to support someone who "understands the day-to-day problems facing working families." It was an awkward moment for the Lynch campaign, which called on the group to stop the calls.

But it's unclear how many people were paying attention.

"The bombings basically sucked all the air out of the room," said Steve Koczela, president of MassINC Polling Group, which found last month that more than 40 percent of likely Democratic voters and nearly 50 percent of likely Republican voters hadn't settled on a candidate.

"It just doesn't seem like ? even as of the last poll ? people were really paying attention to who was running," Koczela continued. "There's room for any of the candidates to make a move."

On the Republican side in particular, the recent violence shifted the contours of the contest.

GOP candidate Gabriel Gomez, a former Navy SEAL, finished running the marathon minutes before the bombs exploded along the finish line, killing three and injuring more than 260.

Like other candidates, Gomez immediately pulled television ads off the air and suspended campaign activities. He said he was focused on being respectful as he eased back into campaigning the following weekend.

"We can't let the terrorists win and completely suspend what is fundamental right in the United States," Gomez said.

He charged that President Barack Obama's administration should have designated 19-year-old suspect Dzhohkar Tsarnaev an "enemy combatant" and tried him outside the traditional criminal justice system.

Another GOP candidate, Mike Sullivan, says the federal government should have denied Tsarnaev his Miranda rights, tried him as an enemy combatant and revoked his U.S. citizenship.

"Our first concern must always be preventing future terrorist acts against our people," said Sullivan, a former U.S. attorney whose campaign has been reminding people that he previously led the prosecution of shoe bomber Richard Reid.

Republican candidate Dan Winslow, a former judge and chief legal counsel under former Gov. Mitt Romney, said the entire GOP field has experience with national security.

"We've got a Navy SEAL, a former prosecutor and a former judge all in the field for Republicans," Winslow said. "I think we all have our own credentials. The key is, Who's got the better ideas? Who's got the better electability in June?"

The key may also be which candidate can get his supporters to get to the polls as the bombing continues to dominate attention in Massachusetts. State officials were already predicting a low turnout, likely less than 20 percent of eligible voters, even before the attack.

Wendy Becker, 45, of Newton, was among the thousands who visited the bomb site in Copley Square late last week. A registered voter, she said she didn't know the primaries were happening so soon.

"I didn't even know it was Tuesday and haven't cared," she said, noting that her little brother and brother-in-law ran in the marathon. She's been glued to the television coverage of the aftermath ever since.

The general election, featuring the primary winners, is scheduled for June 25.

___

Associated Press writer Steve LeBlanc contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bombing-shifts-mass-senate-race-primaries-170401370.html

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Bangladesh Building Collapse: Fire Breaks Out In Factory Wreckage

SAVAR, Bangladesh ? The fugitive owner of an illegally constructed building that collapsed and killed at least 377 people was captured Sunday by a commando force as he tried to flee into India. At the disaster site, meanwhile, fire broke out in the wreckage and forced authorities to suspend the search for survivors temporarily.

Mohammed Sohel Rana was arrested in the western Bangladesh border town of Benapole, said Jahangir Kabir Nanak, junior minister for local government. Rana was brought back by helicopter to the capital of Dhaka where he faced charges of negligence.

Rana's capture was announced by loudspeaker at the disaster site, drawing cheers and applause from those awaiting the outcome of a continuing search-and-rescue operation for survivors of Wednesday's collapse.

Many of those killed were workers at clothing factories in the building, known as the Rana Plaza, and the collapse was the deadliest disaster to hit the garment industry in Bangladesh that is worth $20 billion annually and is a mainstay of the economy.

The fire that broke out late Sunday night sent smoke pouring from the piles of shattered concrete and halted some of the rescue efforts ? including a bid to free a woman who was found trapped in the rubble.

The blaze was caused by sparks as rescuers tried to cut through a steel rod to reach the woman, said a volunteer, Syed Al-Amin Roman. At least three rescuers were injured in the fire, he said. It forced them to retreat while firefighters frantically hosed down the flames.

Officials believe the fire is likely to have killed the trapped woman, said army spokesman Shahinul Islam. Rescue workers had delayed the use of heavy equipment for several hours in the hope that she could be extricated from the rubble first. But with the woman presumed dead, they began using heavy equipment around midnight.

An exhausted and disheveled Rana was brought before reporters briefly at the Dhaka headquarters of the commando team, the Rapid Action Battalion.

Wearing a printed shirt, Rana was sweating as two security officers held him by his arms. A security official helped him to drink water after he gestured he was thirsty. He did not speak during the 10-minute appearance, and he is likely to be handed over to police, who will have to charge him and produce him in court within 24 hours.

A small-time politician from the ruling Awami League party, Rana had been on the run since the building collapsed Wednesday. He last appeared in public Tuesday in front of the Rana Plaza after huge cracks appeared in the building. Witnesses said he assured tenants, including five garment factories, that the building was safe.

A bank and some shops on the first floor closed Wednesday after police ordered an evacuation, but managers of the garment factories on the upper floor told workers to continue their shifts.

Hours later, the Rana Plaza was reduced to rubble, crushing most victims under massive blocks of concrete.

Rana's arrest was ordered by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the Awami League leader.

On Saturday, police arrested three owners of two factories. Also detained were Rana's wife and two government engineers who were involved in giving approval for the building design. Local TV stations reported that the Bangladesh High Court has frozen the bank accounts of the owners of all five garment factories in the Rana Plaza.

Three floors of the eight-story building apparently were built illegally.

A garment manufacturers' group said the factories in the building employed 3,122 workers, but it was not clear how many were inside when it fell. About 2,500 survivors have been accounted for.

Army Maj. Gen. Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardy, the coordinator of the rescue operations, said the next phase of the search involved the heavy equipment such as hydraulic cranes that were brought to the disaster site Sunday. Searchers had been manually shifting concrete blocks with the help of light equipment such as pickaxes and shovels, he said.

The work will be carried out carefully so as not to mutilate bodies, he said. "We have engaged many private sector companies which supplied us equipment, even some heavy ones," Suhrawardy said.

In a rare bit of good news, a female worker was pulled out alive Sunday. Rescuer Hasan Akbari said when he tried to extricate a man next to the woman, "he said his body was being torn apart. So I had to let go. But God willing, we will be able to rescue him with more help very soon."

The collapse and previous disasters in garment factories have focused attention on the poor working conditions of workers who toil for as little as $38 a month to produce clothing for top international brands.

The death toll surpassed a fire five months ago that killed 112 people and brought widespread pledges to improve worker-safety standards. But since then, very little has changed in Bangladesh.

Its garment industry was the third-largest in the world in 2011, after China and Italy, having grown rapidly in the past decade.

Among the garment makers in the building were Phantom Apparels, Phantom Tac, Ether Tex, New Wave Style and New Wave Bottoms. Altogether, they produced several million shirts, pants and other garments a year.

The New Wave companies, according to their website, make clothing for several major North American and European retailers.

Britain's Primark acknowledged it was using a factory in Rana Plaza, but many other retailers distanced themselves from the disaster, saying they were not involved with the factories at the time of the collapse or had not recently ordered garments from them.

Wal-Mart said none of its clothing had been authorized to be made in the facility, but it is investigating whether there was any unauthorized production.

AP writers Farid Hossain and Gillian Wong in Dhaka contributed to this report.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/28/bangladesh-building-collapse-fire-factory_n_3174732.html

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Obama: 'I Remember When BuzzFeed Was Just Something I Did In College Around 2 A.M.' (VIDEO)

Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, from left, Michael Scherer, White House correspondent for TIME, late-night television host Conan O'Brien and first lady Michelle Obama attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Comedian Conan O'Brien (L) smiles as US President Barack Obama (C) and US first lady Michelle Obama arrive for the White House Correspondents? Association Dinner April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama attended the yearly dinner which is attended by journalists, celebrities and politicians. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama looks to the podium during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Comedian Conan O'Brien (L) and US first lady Michelle Obama joke during the White House Correspondents? Association Dinner April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama attended the yearly dinner which is attended by journalists, celebrities and politicians. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Barack Obama, Conan O'Brien, Michelle Obama, Michael Clemente

Late-night television host Conan O'Brien, from left, first lady Michelle Obama, Michael Clemente, Executive Vice President of Fox News, and President Barack Obama attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Comedian Conan O'Brien listens during the White House Correspondents? Association Dinner April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama attended the yearly dinner which is attended by journalists, celebrities and politicians. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Alicia Quarles attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Megan Hilt attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Morena Baccarin attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Musician John Legend attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Model Chrissy Teigen attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

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Entertainer John Legend arrives at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC, April 27, 2013. AFP Photo/ Chris KLEPONIS (Photo credit should read CHRIS KLEPONIS/AFP/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Musician Psy attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

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Director Steven Spielberg uses his smart phone during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Amy Poehler attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Claire Danes attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Julia Louis-Dreyfus attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Kerry Washington attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Rebel Wilson and Olympic Gymnist Gabby Douglas attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Kate Mara attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Aasif Mandvi and Ty Burrel attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Al Sharpton and Chris Matthews attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Emily Mortimer attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Connie Britton attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Patricia Arquette attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: John Oliver and Kate Oliver attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Ryan Kwanten attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Jessica Pare attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Justin Bartha attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Julie Bowen attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: NFL player Victor Cruz (L) and Elaina Watley attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Ty Burrell attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Olivia Munn attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

TIME/CNN/PEOPLE/FORTUNE Pre-Dinner Cocktail Reception

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Jeffrey Katzenberg, Time Magazine Managing Editor Rick Stengel and Steven Spielberg attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Time, Inc)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Elizabeth Banks attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Aasif Mandvi attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Sofia Vergara attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Michelle Dockery attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Constance Zimmer attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Tony Goldwyn attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Thomas Roberts attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Ed Helms attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Korie Robertson and Willie Robertson attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

TIME/CNN/PEOPLE/FORTUNE Pre-Dinner Cocktail Reception

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Gerard Butler and Piers Morgan attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Time, Inc)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Matthew Perry attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Piers Morgan and Gerard Butler attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/27/obama-buzzfeed_n_3171864.html

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Motherhood, Humility and Empty Vessels | - Generation Cedar

It?s the ~~one and only~~ two preggo pictures for this, my 10th baby. You know you gotta have one. When I say ?tenth baby? it?s so hard for me to believe I have ten children. I?m glad and thankful, just surprised and never imagined it for my life. It doesn?t feel like it sounds, apparently. Because when I?m out by myself and someone asks me ?is this your first baby? and I say ?no?, and then it?s inevitable that I must answer the hyper-ventilating-invoking question, the response feels more dramatic than my life feels.

I understand the surprise, that ten children is not exactly common. But compared with my actual life, we?re just a regular family who drives a small bus. And shares clothes. And hugs more than the average times per day. And doesn?t stress anymore about germs. And, oddly enough, is more excited at the announcement of a new baby than just about anything else on earth. And shares the housework so that really, everybody probably does less work than normal. And has to take turns talking or it can get a little out of hand at the dinner table.

But other than that, I don?t feel different until we all go out in public.

Mostly, at this stage in my life, I?m humbled more than ever. And where I?m not, I?m praying to be. Andrew Murray said, in his book our family is reading again?Humility:

?True humility comes when before God we see ourselves as nothing, have put aside self, and let God be all. The soul that has done this, and can say, ?I have lost myself in finding You,? no longer compares itself with others.?

I think a lot about how motherhood can be so ?emptying? and how maybe that?s why our culture has become a consistent enemy of motherhood, at least of the motherhood that would threaten to empty. As my husband read that sentence, I thought of how contrary it is to every message around us?even to our own flesh, and why then, there is such a gulf between what God has said is ?right and good? and what everything else poses as ?right and good?.

Pregnancy (since I?m here in this time of reflection) is, literally speaking, a body who ?empties? part of itself to contain another human being. It?s a perfect picture of a ?life-giving vessel?, emptied so it can be filled.

And so it is with us in spirit. God can only fill an empty vessel, a surrendered heart. And then, the miracle of that filling! It is only when we can reach our hands to Heaven and say with Christ, ?Not my will, but Thine be done?, that we can walk in perfect peace, knowing He truly orders our steps.

So when another person says to me, ?pregnancy is just so hard on your body?, intending to persuade me that I?ve ?done? a silly thing by carrying another person, I can exhale with a calm knowing of the greater rewards of being emptied. I?ve had similar, encouraging epiphanies about motherhood and broken vessels. When my back hurts and round ligament pain makes me wince, I tell my children, I did it for you and it was so worth it. I don?t want pain to always be associated with something to be avoided.

Today is the anniversary of the tornado that ripped away all our earthly things. Emptying. Painful. And I can truly say I?m grateful for that life-changing event. It has helped me empty my hands of the more meaningless things in life (although I?m still working on it), to be able to hold what is most dear. I whisper a word of praise to the Father for that too, His perfect will. As a side note, I looked at some of those posts and re-read your comments the other day. Tears just streamed down my face?I probably wasn?t completely cognizant the first time I read them?and they were SUCH a huge blessing to me, two years later, as I reflected on your love and God?s goodness to put things in our lives in order to reveal such love. Thank you again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Along the lines of equipping ourselves to see past this world?s idea of success or happiness?to become WOMEN OF VISION?I highly recommend ?The Best of Visionary Womanhood?. Packed with articles full of wisdom, solid truth and a burning vision, it will help you keep focused when all around you seem to be getting off track.

BUT?even though you can buy it now for $5.00, why not wait until Monday when you can get 96 additional, INCREDIBLE books for $29.97?! Keep them all, give some as gifts, but it?s a deal you don?t want to pass up.

Motherhood, Fear & Resolving to Fight
?When Motherhood Feels Too Hard? (Ebook) is FINALLY HERE!
Humility: The Only True Mark
Loving Motherhood in an ?I?m Bored? Society
Joyful Motherhood

Source: http://www.generationcedar.com/main/2013/04/motherhood-humility-and-empty-vessels.html

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Saturday, April 27, 2013

Mobile Brisbane Speech Therapist and OT | Boost Therapies ...

About Boost Therapy

Boost Therapy is a mobile speech pathology and occupational therapy service for children in Brisbane. Occupational Therapist Christine Wyatt and Speech Pathologist Kate Sharma can travel to your home, your child?s school or educational facility so that assessment and therapy are easy and convenient for you. We are experienced therapists and believe that working together with families is very important.

How OT and Speech Therapy Can Help

Our Occupational therapist, Christine can help children who have difficulties in self-care (e.g. toilet and sleep routines), play skills, fine motor and gross motor skills, sensory processing and school skills. Speech pathology can assist children who have difficulty understanding or using language, using correct speech sounds to make themselves understood, stuttering, literacy difficulties, play skills and social skills difficulties. Kate and Christine can both work with children who have Autism, learning difficulties and other developmental delays.

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Why Work With Boost Therapy?

One of the great advantages of working with us at Boost Therapy is that we work together very closely ? if your child needs both speech therapy and occupational therapy, then we are able to work together to look at your child holistically and ensure that they are getting the best out of both their speech therapy and occupational therapy sessions. We frequently receive positive feedback about the benefits of our co-ordinated approach to therapy as well as the convenience of home visits for busy families.

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Where We Travel in Brisbane

We service most areas in Brisbane that are within 30 minutes of the CBD, and may charge a small additional fee for families residing outside this area. We also service Logan.

Funding Options

We are registered with Medicare and most private health funds. Your child may be eligible for an Enhanced Primary Care Plan (EPC) if your GP has provided a referral. An EPC comes with a rebate of $50 for 5 sessions. Ask your GP for details.

We are also registered providers of the Helping Children with Autism Package (HCWA).

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?Our Approach

We understand that kids need to be kids, therefore we use fun and stimulating activities so that your child will want to participate in our sessions. We aim to make our sessions as individualised as possible so that they suit your child.

Head to our website at http://boosttherapy.com.au for further details or give us a call on 0422 891 012 (Kate ? Speech Therapist) or 0434 282 804 (Christine ? Occupational Therapist) to make an enquiry or book an appointment.

Source: http://www.brisbanekids.com.au/2013/04/mobile-brisbane-speech-therapist-and-ot-boost-therapies/

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Italian government could be settled on Saturday: sources

By Paolo Biondi

ROME (Reuters) - Italian prime minister-designate Enrico Letta could announce a new government on Saturday and spell out its programme early next week, political sources said on Friday, while outgoing premier Mario Monti said he did not expect to be a minister.

Letta, deputy leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, has been in discussions to iron out remaining differences with Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PDL) party following an initial round of talks on Thursday.

After two months of political stalemate following an inconclusive general election in February, Letta is under pressure to move quickly and form a government capable of leading Italy out of recession.

In a series of lengthy meetings, he conferred with President Giorgio Napolitano, Monti and PDL national co-ordinator Angelino Alfano.

Monti said in an evening television interview that he advised Letta not to put frontline politicians from any party in key cabinet posts in order to reduce potential tensions. He said this meant he himself would be excluded.

"I don't believe I will be in the cabinet and I have not requested to be," he told TV channel La7.

Several political sources close to Letta said he expected to announce his cabinet on Saturday and take Sunday to prepare an initial speech to parliament on Monday, which would be followed by confidence votes in the two houses of parliament.

The horse-trading around the formation of a new government represents a cooling of post-election hostilities and few politicians or commentators doubt the government will be formed.

Yet big problems remain, including securing the lasting support of Letta's own divided party and ensuring cohesion in a cabinet of long-time adversaries.

One potential stumbling block is the PDL's demand for the abolition and repayment of a housing tax introduced last year by Monti's technocrat government.

Scrapping the tax for 2013 and repaying last year's contribution would blow an 8 billion euro ($10.40 billion) hole in this year's budget plans and create further problems for medium-term finances in the years ahead.

In an interview with Italian newspapers on Friday, Berlusconi expressed optimism that a solution could be found but, in a sign that problems remained, politicians on both sides avoided public comment on how talks were progressing.

Letta has declared his chief priorities will be measures to create jobs and help small business and to reform ineffective political institutions, including an electoral law that was a leading cause of the deadlocked vote.

He has also joined a chorus of voices calling for a change to the European Union's austerity mantra to put more emphasis on economic growth and investment, a line that Berlusconi's PDL has also pushed strongly.

VIABLE COALITION?

Letta's Democratic Party has come close to breaking apart after a mutiny last week over the election of the president of the republic which forced Pier Luigi Bersani to resign as party leader.

Many in the party refuse to accept any coalition with the scandal-plagued Berlusconi, their enemy for almost 20 years, who is appealing against a four-year sentence for tax fraud and fighting charges of paying for sex with a minor.

Younger party activists have protested loudly against any deal and there has already been speculation that some rebels may refuse to support Letta in confidence votes in parliament.

The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, Berlusconi's former allies in the Northern League and the PD's own former allies in the leftist Left Ecology Freedom party have already declared they will not be in a government dominated by the PD and PDL.

The PDL insists that the government be made up mostly of politicians from the main parties rather than technocrats, putting it at odds with many in Letta's party.

Berlusconi pressed for Renato Brunetta, a combative former economics professor who is currently the PDL's lower house leader, to be given the economy ministry, ruling out Bank of Italy official Fabrizio Saccomanni, who had been mooted.

Other possible candidates include former prime minister Giuliano Amato, while either Monti or former prime minister Massimo D'Alema have been considered possible foreign ministers.

Berlusconi claimed a role in a group deciding institutional reforms and urged a transformation of the electoral system to include a directly elected head of state along the lines of the French model.

($1 = 0.7689 euros)

(Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Tom Pfeiffer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italian-government-could-settled-saturday-sources-035335771.html

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U.S. health insurance survey: 84 million people were uninsured for a time or underinsured in 2012

Apr. 26, 2013 ? Eighty-four million people?nearly half of all working-age U.S. adults?went without health insurance for a time last year or had out-of-pocket costs that were so high relative to their income they were considered underinsured, according to the Commonwealth Fund 2012 Biennial Health Insurance Survey. The survey also found that the proportion of young adults ages 19-25 who were uninsured during the year fell from 48 percent to 41 between 2010 and 2012, reversing a nearly decade-long trend of rising uninsured rates in that age group. This reversal is likely due to a provision in the 2010 Affordable Care Act allowing young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26, the authors say.

The report, Insuring the Future: Current Trends in Health Coverage and the Effects of Implementing the Affordable Care Act, finds that the percentage of Americans who were uninsured, underinsured, or had gaps in their health coverage grew steadily between 2003 and 2010, with the number of underinsured nearly doubling from 16 million in 2003 to 29 million in 2010. However, between 2010 and 2012, the numbers of underinsured adults leveled off, growing to 30 million. The authors say that this is partly a result of slower health care cost growth and lower overall health spending by consumers, combined with declining household incomes. But provisions in the health reform law -- such as requiring insurers to cover recommended preventive care without any cost to patients -- also are beginning to make health care more affordable for many consumers.

"The early provisions of the Affordable Care Act are helping young adults gain coverage and improving the affordability of health care during difficult economic times for American families," said Sara Collins, Ph.D., a Commonwealth Fund vice president and the study's lead author. "It will be critical to continue to monitor the effects of the law as the major provisions go into effect in 2014 and beyond to ensure it achieves its goal of near-universal, comprehensive health insurance."

Millions Are Struggling to Afford Health Care and Falling into Medical Debt

According to the survey, people are increasingly skipping needed health care because they can't afford it. In 2012, 80 million people reported that, during the past year, they did not go to the doctor when they were sick or did not fill a prescription due to cost. Reports of skipping needed care rose substantially from 2003, when 63 million people did not get care because of cost.

Medical debt also continues to burden U.S. households. According to the report, in 2012, 41 percent of working-age adults, or 75 million people, had problems paying their medical bills or were paying off medical bills over time, up from 58 million in 2005. Nearly one of five (18%) adults were contacted by a collections agency over unpaid bills, and 16 percent had to change their way of life because of medical bills. The report finds that medical debt has substantial consequences: 42 percent of survey respondents who reported having trouble with medical bills, or an estimated 32 million people, had a lower credit rating because of unpaid bills and 6 percent, or an estimated 4 million, had to declare bankruptcy because of their bills.

Impact of the Affordable Care Act

The health reform law has already helped millions of young adults gain insurance coverage and protected people from insurance company practices like cancelling policies retroactively when a subscriber becomes sick, or putting a limit on how much they will pay out in a given year or lifetime. But the bulk of the law's effects will not be felt until 2014, when the health insurance reforms are fully implemented and the new state insurance marketplaces are up and running. Using the survey findings to determine how the Affordable Care Act will impact Americans currently uninsured or underinsured, the report finds that:

Eighty-seven percent of the 55 million people who were uninsured for some time during the year in 2012 have incomes that would make them eligible for subsidized health insurance through the insurance marketplaces or expanded Medicaid under the law, though coverage is limited to those legally present in the U.S.
Up to eighty-five percent of the 30 million underinsured adults might be eligible for either Medicaid or subsidized health insurance plans with reduced out-of-pocket costs under the law.

The authors say it is critical that the federal government and the states continue to implement the Affordable Care Act, cautioning that if states don't expand Medicaid as the law originally intended, millions of low-income families will be at risk for being uninsured even after the law takes full effect in 2014.

"The costs of health care and health coverage in the United States have been on an unsustainable trajectory, straining family and government budgets," said Commonwealth Fund president David Blumenthal, M.D. "It is important that lawmakers and regulators across the country take the steps necessary to ensure that all Americans can benefit fully from the law's improvements to the quality, efficiency, and affordability of our health care system."

Additional Report Findings:

In 2012, about three-fourths of working-age adults with low incomes (less than $14,856 a year for an individual or $30,657 for a family of four) -- an estimated 40 million people -- were uninsured or underinsured.
Fifty-nine percent of adults with moderate incomes (between $14,856 and $27,925 for an individual or between $30,657 and $57,625 for a family of four) -- or 21 million people -- were uninsured or underinsured.
Adults who were uninsured were less likely to receive recommended preventive care in 2012. For example, only 48 percent of women who were uninsured during the year received a mammogram within the recommended period, compared to 77 percent of those who were well insured all year.

Report: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2013/Apr/Insuring-the-Future.aspx

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Commonwealth Fund.

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/top_health/~3/zL82dA6SO7g/130426073856.htm

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Weight loss programs via virtual reality

Apr. 25, 2013 ? Weight loss is a topic of concern for nearly 36% of Americans who are considered obese. There are many barriers that can interfere with weight loss. For those attending face-to-face weight loss programs, barriers can include travel, conflict with work and home, need for childcare, and loss of anonymity.

In a new study released in the May/June 2013 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, investigators from The University of Kansas Medical Center continue to explore alternative weight management delivery methods to eliminate some of these barriers. The solution they are investigating -- virtual reality for weight loss and weight maintenance.

Looking at the results from twenty overweight and obese individuals after 3 months of a weight loss program at a weekly clinic delivered via face-to-face or virtual reality and then 6 months of weight maintenance delivered via virtual reality, the investigators found virtual reality compares favorably with face-to-face for weight loss and may facilitate greater weight maintenance. Debra Sullivan, lead investigator, adds, "Although we found weight loss was significantly greater for face-to-face compared to virtual reality, weight maintenance was significantly better for virtual reality."

The virtual reality weight maintenance program was conducted using Second Life, a Web-based virtual reality environment available to the public. Participants in Second Life create virtual representations of themselves, called ''avatars,'' which can interact with other avatars and navigate through the virtual world of Second Life. Voice communication is accomplished via headset, which allows for person-to-person and group interaction. Education and training takes place on an ''island,'' which is purchased from Second Life and provides restricted group access to the nutrition education/training area.

To further explain how Second Life can be used in this capacity, Dr. Sullivan explains, "Individuals who want to participate in real-life scenarios without real-life repercussions can use virtual reality. For example, participants can practice meal planning, grocery shopping, and dietary control when eating at restaurants and holiday parties to a much greater extent with Second Life compared with the time-limited clinic meeting. Virtual reality may even be able to serve as a more feasible option to monitor individuals after completing a weight loss program."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Elsevier Health Sciences.

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

Journal Reference:

Debra K. Sullivan et al. Improving Weight Maintenance Using Virtual Reality (Second Life). Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, May/June 2013

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/bogh1gGK3B8/130426115628.htm

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Friday, April 26, 2013

Rethinking early atmospheric oxygen

Thursday, April 25, 2013

A research team of biogeochemists at the University of California, Riverside has provided a new view on the relationship between the earliest accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere, arguably the most important biological event in Earth history, and its relationship to the sulfur cycle.

A general consensus exists that appreciable oxygen first accumulated in Earth's atmosphere around 2.4 to 2.3 billion years ago. Though this paradigm is built upon a wide range of geological and geochemical observations, the famous "smoking gun" for what has come to be known as the "Great Oxidation Event" (GOE) comes from the disappearance of anomalous fractionations in rare sulfur isotopes.

"These isotope fractionations, often referred to as 'mass-independent fractionations,' or 'MIF' signals, require both the destruction of sulfur dioxide by ultraviolet energy from the sun in an atmosphere without ozone and very low atmospheric oxygen levels in order to be transported and deposited in marine sediments," said Christopher T. Reinhard, the lead author of the research paper and a former UC Riverside graduate student. "As a result, their presence in ancient rocks is interpreted to reflect vanishingly low atmospheric oxygen levels continuously for the first ~2 billion years of Earth's history."

However, diverse types of data are emerging that point to the presence of atmospheric oxygen, and, by inference, the early emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis hundreds of millions of years before these MIF signals disappear from the rock record. These observations motivated Reinhard and colleagues to explore the possible conditions under which inherited MIF signatures may have persisted in the rock record long after oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere.

Using a simple quantitative model describing how sulfur and its isotopes cycle through the Earth's crust, the researchers discovered that under certain conditions these MIF signatures can persist within the ocean and marine sediments long after O2 increases in the atmosphere. Simply put, the weathering of rocks on the continents can transfer the MIF signal to the oceans and their sediments long after production of this fingerprint has ceased in an oxygenated atmosphere.

"This lag would blur our ability to date the timing of the GOE and would allow for dynamic rising and falling oxygen levels during a protracted transition from an atmosphere without oxygen to one rich in this life-giving gas," Reinhard said.

Study results appear in Nature's advanced online publication on April 24.

Reinhard explained that once MIF signals formed in an oxygen-poor atmosphere are captured in pyrite and other minerals in sedimentary rocks, they are recycled when those rocks are later uplifted as mountain ranges and the pyrite is oxidized.

"Under certain conditions, this will create a sort of 'memory effect' of these MIF signatures, providing a decoupling in time between the burial of MIF in sediments and oxygen accumulation at Earth's surface," he said.

According to the researchers, the key here is burying a distinct MIF signal in deep sea sediments, which are then subducted and removed from Earth's surface.

"This would create a complementary signal in minerals that are weathered and delivered to the oceans, something that we actually see evidence of in the rock record," said Noah Planavsky, the second author of the research paper and a former UC Riverside graduate student now at Caltech. "This signal can then be perpetuated through time without the need to generate it within the atmosphere contemporaneously."

Reinhard, now a postdoctoral fellow at Caltech and soon to be an assistant professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, explained that although the researchers' new model provides a plausible mechanism for reconciling recent conflicting data, this can only occur when certain key conditions are met ? and these conditions are likely to have changed through time during Earth's long early history.

"There is obviously much further work to do, but we hope that our model is one step toward a more integrated view of how Earth's crust, mantle and atmosphere interact in the global sulfur cycle," he said.

Timothy W. Lyons, a professor of biogeochemistry at UCR and the principal investigator of the research project noted that this is a fundamentally new and potentially very important way of looking at the sulfur isotope record and its relationship to biospheric oxygenation.

"The message is that sulfur isotope records, when viewed through the filter of sedimentary recycling, may challenge efforts to precisely date the GOE and its relationship to early life, while opening the door to the wonderful unknowns we should expect and embrace," he said.

###

University of California - Riverside: http://www.ucr.edu

Thanks to University of California - Riverside for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127923/Rethinking_early_atmospheric_oxygen

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Latin America threatened with cancer epidemic | The Raw Story

By Agence France-Presse
Friday, April 26, 2013 7:13 EDT

Latin America faces a cancer epidemic unless governments act quickly to improve health care systems and treat the poor, scientists said.

The researchers pointed to around 13 deaths for every 22 cancer cases in the region, compared to around 13 deaths for every 37 cases in the United States and around 13 deaths for every 30 cases in Europe.

The main reason, according to the study published in the British journal The Lancet Oncology, is that too many people are diagnosed with cancer at a late stage when the disease is much harder to treat and more likely to kill.

?Researchers estimate that by 2030, 1.7 million cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than one million deaths from cancer predicted to occur annually,? said the report launched at the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) 2013 conference in Sao Paulo.

The disease currently means losses of $4 billion a year for the region, including not just the cost of treatment and medicine, but also the impact on businesses and the economy of lives prematurely cut short by cancer.

?These costs will rise substantially if governments do not take coordinated action now to arrest the growing impact of cancer in the region,? the report warned.

And it noted that ?many people across the region, especially those in poor, rural, or indigenous communities, have little or no access to cancer services, a problem exacerbated by low, and highly inequitable, health investment in most Latin American countries.?

Another factor is that more than half (320 million people) of the Latin American population have inadequate or no health insurance, the authors said.

?Latin American countries have focused their health investment on prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, whereas spending on non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, has not kept pace,? noted Paul Goss of Harvard Medical School.

?However, cancers are diseases of aging people, and researchers estimate that by 2020 more than 100 million people in Latin America will be over 60 years of age.?

Goss led the team of experts, predominantly from Latin America, that produced the report.

While conceding that many regional countries have managed to improve some aspects of cancer care in recent years, the study called for measures to address health inequities, rethink health infrastructure and access to drugs and medical devices, and increased government spending on health.

Governments can bring down cancer rates at relatively low cost, by encouraging people to give up smoking, avoid cooking smoke, reduce their alcohol intake and adopt healthy diets and exercise, it noted.

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/26/latin-america-threatened-with-cancer-epidemic/

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Twitter #music (for iPhone)

After months of rumor and speculation, Twitter officially unveiled #music, the company's foray into the music space. Twitter #music (pronounced Twitter Music), however, isn't like any other iPhone?music app on the market. Twitter #music leverages your social circle to serve up music recommendations and song samples. In this regard, Twitter #music is fairly effective, but it asks you to jump through some rather bizarre hoops to receive those personalized recommendations or listen to full tracks?hoops that will likely turn away many people expecting a true streaming music service. Note: This review covers the iPhone app, but Twitter #music?exists as a website as well.

Getting Started
Twitter #music's iPhone app, by default, takes you to the panel-driven homescreen which displays the 140 most popular songs currently trending on the 140-character social network. If you'd like to bypass the most popular artists, a drop-down menu in the top-center of the screen lets you check artists who are? Emerging (described as "the hidden talent found in the Tweets"), Suggested (recommended tracks based on musicians you follow), Now Playing (music "Tweeted by people you follow"), and the ones you follow, called Me in the menu. You can also navigate through these sections by swiping left or right.

An artist panel features an artist's photo and Twitter handle, but tapping a square reveals more information. A highlighted panel increases in size to stand out from the others and reveals the artist's name, a Twitter follow icon, an "Explicit" label when appropriate, and a play button which streams a crisp iTunes song snippet when clicked (you can also purchase the song from iTunes). This is easily Twitter Music's most disappointing and frustrating aspect as you need to use other services?namely Rdio or Spotify?to listen to tracks in their entirety.? Existing Rdio and Spotify subscribers may see the integration as a nice touch, but those who don't subscribe to those streaming music services (or use a non-supported service like Slacker Radio) may feel left out in the cold.

Music Discovery, Not Music Listening
Tapping either the Rdio or Spotify icon causes Twitter #music to request permission to access either music service. I logged into my $9.99 per month Spotify Premium account?an account I set up exclusively to test the Twitter #music website.

I dove into the music catalog by playing the #1 most popular song on Twitter?Maroon 5's "Love Somebody." It was, as one would expect from crowded sourced recommendations, typical pop music fare. At least the audio streamed smoothly and sounded good. As a song streams, a metallic-looking record icon spins in the lower-left portion of the screen. Tapping that opens a nearly full-screen player that lets you forward- and backward-swipe between songs. It also serves up a single track from an artist at a time?there's no way to see, for example, an album's track listing from within Twitter #music. You can, however, click on the Rdio or Spotify icon to visit the external artist pages on those sites if you'd like more information.

Twitter #music also gives you the option to Tweet what you're listening to at the moment. My immediate thought was that if the service caught on, my Timeline would be filled with these annoying shout outs and links to Rdio and Spotify. I could happily do without it.

That said, Twitter #music may serve music artists well. No matter where you are in the app, an artist is staring back at you. The sheer number encourages exploration, but that may not result in finding music you like. In my case, the Popular section meant nothing to me?it was mainly pop swill. Now Playing, the music tweeted by my Twitter buds, didn't help much either (at least on launch day). There were nine recommendations and none moved me. The Emerging section was a mixed bag of potential Vice-worthy indie darlings, but certainly a step up from Popular. The Suggested section proved the most helpful as it recommended songs based on the two musicians I follow: Chuck D and Talib Kweli. Naturally, there were a lot of hip hop-heavy songs from the likes of Q-tip, Pharoahe Monch, and Bumpy Knuckles. I would have preferred if my actual tweets influenced the suggested artists, too, as I tweet about all types of music. In order to get a more varied suggestion range, I would have to follow more artists?and I don't want to do that. I prefer a clean Twitter feed.

There's also a search button, but it doesn't return song results?it returns user names. Type in "Walk This Way" and you'll get zilch unless that name is actually a Twitter handle. In this instance, Twitter #music felt even less like a music service and simply a tool to drive up artist's engagement numbers.

Room For Improvement
The comingling of music and social network in the manner presented here is troublesome. I like, for example, John Mayer's music, but do I really want to follow his Twitter account in order to receive Mayer-like recommendations? No.? Plus, I don't want to clutter my Twitter stream with a slew of artists just to help sculpt personalized suggestion results.

The Twitter brand has given this service a lot of buzz, but I predict that the hype will quickly fade when the limitations arise. By requiring users to sign up for a premium Rdio or Spotify account and follow musicians to receive personalized music recommendations, Twitter #music has erected roadblocks for those who simply want to hear a quick song or two. That's not to say that Twitter #music doesn't have room for improvement. Should Twitter #music implement album info and create a way to get personalized recommendations without the need for users to follow artists it could be worth consideration. For now? Pass unless you're a Twitter diehard.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/VbMr8cXU2cc/0,2817,2418108,00.asp

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Balanced Diet ? The Key to Remain Fit and Healthy - Food Fitness ...

Posted by Jitesh Manaktala on Apr 25, 2013 in Food & Recipe, Health & FitnessGoogle+

Consuming a balanced diet is the biggest but usually and overlooked challenge that a majority of people face during their lifetime. Each one of us knows that eating a healthy and balanced diet is important to stay fit and healthy but we often ignore this fact. To realize the importance of a good diet people must ask themselves a few questions: Balanced-Diet

? What factors can shorten your lifespan?

? What are things that constantly make you feel sick or unhealthy?

? What are the major causes behind early deaths in your family if any?

Finding answers to these questions will help your realize that diseases like heart attacks, cancer, diabetes and many other diseases that are common nowadays are based on wrong dietary choices.
It is a well known fact that people love to enjoy their lives and food plays a major part in this enjoyment. But it is important to choose the right kind of food that will help us to remain healthy and fit.

A strong attitude and the correct perception towards life are the key factors that can help us choose a good diet to maintain health and fitness of our body. Be very careful in choosing the right kind of food that can do you good and is enjoyable as well. Changing your perception towards the choice of can help you choose a diet that is good for health and fitness.

Correct visualization and meditation can help a person a great deal. With sustained effort and a little determination you can achieve your desired goals quickly.

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Source: http://www.foodfitnesslifelove.com/food-recipe/balanced-diet-the-key-to-remain-fit-and-healthy/

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