psychology heartbeat: April 2013

Monday, April 29, 2013

Microchip proves tightness provokes precocious sperm release

Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
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Contact: William Raillant-Clark
rw.raillantclark@gmail.com
514-566-3813
University of Montreal

This press release is available in French.

Sperm cell release can be triggered by tightening the grip around the delivery organ, according to a team of nano and microsystems engineers and plant biologists at the University of Montreal and Concordia University. Concordia's nanobiotech team devised a microchip that enabled the University of Montreal biologists to observe what happened when pollen tubes the sperm delivery tools used by plants tried to negotiate a microscopic obstacle course. The pollen tubes were exposed to a series of narrow, elastic openings resulting in a variety of cellular responses. When the opening was too narrow or tight, pollen tube growth stalled. However, the elongating tubes successfully penetrated slightly larger openings. Curiously, the pollen tubes burst and released the sperm cells when passing openings of a particular size relative to the pollen tube width.

The microchip was designed to imitate the mechanical challenges that the female flower tissues place in the path of the rapidly growing pollen tube on its way to the egg cell. Unlike its human counterpart, a microscopic single-cell organ undertakes sperm delivery in plants: a cylindrical protuberance formed by the male gametophyte, the pollen grain. "Similarly to elongated human cells such as neurons, the pollen tubes are tip growing cells that invade other tissues, in this case those of the female flower organs. Unlike those found in humans or other animals, the invasive ability of tip growing cells in plants remain largely unexplored. Our goal was to address this lack of knowledge using pollen tubes, whose invasive life style is the fundamental underpinning of sexual reproduction in flowering plants," said senior co-author Anja Geitmann of the University of Montreal. "Since they are encased in a stiff cellular envelope, plant cells grow and invade differently from animal cells," explained Concordia University senior co-author Muthukumaran Packirisamy. "From a mechanical point of view, the process of pollen tube elongation is similar to that of a balloon catheter used for angioplasty - forces are generated based on the principle of a hydroskeleton, or fluid under pressure. We designed microchannels through which the pollen tubes had to forcefully squeeze in order to continue their elongation."

Microsystems technology was required to undertake this experiment due to the tiny size of pollen tubes and the consequently minute amount of force they exert to accomplish penetration. The pollen tube requires not only an invasive force to overcome the mechanical resistance of the surrounding tissue, but also the protection of the contents that is to be transported, the sperm cells, of which there are exactly two in each tube. It is crucial that the pollen tube remains tubular while winding its way through the pistil, since kinks and collapses of this catheter-like organ prevent the passage of the sperm cells, similar to a blockage in a twisted garden hose. A typical pollen tube can become many centimeters long but is only between 5 and 20 micrometres wide. By way of comparison, a human hair is typically 100 micrometres thick. "To fit the dimensions of this cell, we had to design the microchip with microscopic channels and obstacles that are narrower than the pollen tubes. We used high resolution soft and direct write lithography techniques to produce this micron-sized obstacle course. Furthermore, measuring the pressure that pollen tubes exert requires materials that are just the right consistency not too hard and not too soft. We chose an elastic polymer material, and as the tubes deformed the material at some levels of tightness, we can be certain that the softness was just right. Mechanical modeling allowed us to calculate the forces exerted by these cells. Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) technology allows us to assess cellular behavior much better than the conventional Petri dish," Packirisamy said.

Sexual reproduction in plants is in many ways analogous to human biology. "In order to find its path to the ovule and the egg cell, the pollen tube has to invade a series of female tissues in the receptive flower," Geitmann explained. "The male and the female organs continuously communicate during the process. The female aids the process by lubricating the path, but the male exerts significant force to overcome any residual resistance." The pollen tube must penetrate through a central canal that connects the stigma, or pollen landing platform, to the ovary, the organ that houses the ovules. Upon reaching the ovary, it then passes onto the internal surface of the placenta, finds and enters the opening in the ovule, and finally bursts open when connecting with the egg cell, enabling its fertilization by one of the two sperm cells it delivers. The other sperm cell fertilizes another cell of the female gametophyte to give rise to a tissue that nourishes the growing embryo.

How the timely discharge of the sperm cells is triggered in plants has essentially been unknown. The control of this process is crucial for successful fertilization and seed set, since plant sperm is not motile and must therefore be delivered precisely to its target. A precocious discharge (before the pollen tube reaches the ovule) will not allow the sperm cells to reach the egg, whereas on the other hand, a failure to discharge equally precludes fertilization. "Our findings show that a tight grip around the tube does result in sperm release. This illustrates that plant cells perceive and respond to mechanical stimuli," Geitmann said. "However, the particularities of the cellular responses we observed suggest that other factors, such as protein-based signals, are likely to be in play." The researchers believe that these particularities and the mechanisms that control pollen tube diameter and growth behavior warrant further research. "We're still not sure exactly what causes the sperm cell release from the pollen tube in vivo, but a mechanical trigger might be part of the signaling mechanism," Packirisamy said.

###
About this study:
Amir Sanati Nezhad, Mahsa Naghavi, Muthukumaran Packirisamy, Rama Bhat and Anja Geitmann published "Quantification of cellular penetrative forces using Lab-on-a-Chip technology and finite element modeling" in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This study received funding from Fonds de recherche du Qubec Nature et Technologies. Mechanical modeling expertise was contributed by co-author Professor Rama Bhat, Concordia University. The University of Montreal is officially known as Universit de Montral.
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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.

Microchip proves tightness provokes precocious sperm release Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: William Raillant-Clark
rw.raillantclark@gmail.com
514-566-3813
University of Montreal

This press release is available in French.

Sperm cell release can be triggered by tightening the grip around the delivery organ, according to a team of nano and microsystems engineers and plant biologists at the University of Montreal and Concordia University. Concordia's nanobiotech team devised a microchip that enabled the University of Montreal biologists to observe what happened when pollen tubes the sperm delivery tools used by plants tried to negotiate a microscopic obstacle course. The pollen tubes were exposed to a series of narrow, elastic openings resulting in a variety of cellular responses. When the opening was too narrow or tight, pollen tube growth stalled. However, the elongating tubes successfully penetrated slightly larger openings. Curiously, the pollen tubes burst and released the sperm cells when passing openings of a particular size relative to the pollen tube width.

The microchip was designed to imitate the mechanical challenges that the female flower tissues place in the path of the rapidly growing pollen tube on its way to the egg cell. Unlike its human counterpart, a microscopic single-cell organ undertakes sperm delivery in plants: a cylindrical protuberance formed by the male gametophyte, the pollen grain. "Similarly to elongated human cells such as neurons, the pollen tubes are tip growing cells that invade other tissues, in this case those of the female flower organs. Unlike those found in humans or other animals, the invasive ability of tip growing cells in plants remain largely unexplored. Our goal was to address this lack of knowledge using pollen tubes, whose invasive life style is the fundamental underpinning of sexual reproduction in flowering plants," said senior co-author Anja Geitmann of the University of Montreal. "Since they are encased in a stiff cellular envelope, plant cells grow and invade differently from animal cells," explained Concordia University senior co-author Muthukumaran Packirisamy. "From a mechanical point of view, the process of pollen tube elongation is similar to that of a balloon catheter used for angioplasty - forces are generated based on the principle of a hydroskeleton, or fluid under pressure. We designed microchannels through which the pollen tubes had to forcefully squeeze in order to continue their elongation."

Microsystems technology was required to undertake this experiment due to the tiny size of pollen tubes and the consequently minute amount of force they exert to accomplish penetration. The pollen tube requires not only an invasive force to overcome the mechanical resistance of the surrounding tissue, but also the protection of the contents that is to be transported, the sperm cells, of which there are exactly two in each tube. It is crucial that the pollen tube remains tubular while winding its way through the pistil, since kinks and collapses of this catheter-like organ prevent the passage of the sperm cells, similar to a blockage in a twisted garden hose. A typical pollen tube can become many centimeters long but is only between 5 and 20 micrometres wide. By way of comparison, a human hair is typically 100 micrometres thick. "To fit the dimensions of this cell, we had to design the microchip with microscopic channels and obstacles that are narrower than the pollen tubes. We used high resolution soft and direct write lithography techniques to produce this micron-sized obstacle course. Furthermore, measuring the pressure that pollen tubes exert requires materials that are just the right consistency not too hard and not too soft. We chose an elastic polymer material, and as the tubes deformed the material at some levels of tightness, we can be certain that the softness was just right. Mechanical modeling allowed us to calculate the forces exerted by these cells. Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) technology allows us to assess cellular behavior much better than the conventional Petri dish," Packirisamy said.

Sexual reproduction in plants is in many ways analogous to human biology. "In order to find its path to the ovule and the egg cell, the pollen tube has to invade a series of female tissues in the receptive flower," Geitmann explained. "The male and the female organs continuously communicate during the process. The female aids the process by lubricating the path, but the male exerts significant force to overcome any residual resistance." The pollen tube must penetrate through a central canal that connects the stigma, or pollen landing platform, to the ovary, the organ that houses the ovules. Upon reaching the ovary, it then passes onto the internal surface of the placenta, finds and enters the opening in the ovule, and finally bursts open when connecting with the egg cell, enabling its fertilization by one of the two sperm cells it delivers. The other sperm cell fertilizes another cell of the female gametophyte to give rise to a tissue that nourishes the growing embryo.

How the timely discharge of the sperm cells is triggered in plants has essentially been unknown. The control of this process is crucial for successful fertilization and seed set, since plant sperm is not motile and must therefore be delivered precisely to its target. A precocious discharge (before the pollen tube reaches the ovule) will not allow the sperm cells to reach the egg, whereas on the other hand, a failure to discharge equally precludes fertilization. "Our findings show that a tight grip around the tube does result in sperm release. This illustrates that plant cells perceive and respond to mechanical stimuli," Geitmann said. "However, the particularities of the cellular responses we observed suggest that other factors, such as protein-based signals, are likely to be in play." The researchers believe that these particularities and the mechanisms that control pollen tube diameter and growth behavior warrant further research. "We're still not sure exactly what causes the sperm cell release from the pollen tube in vivo, but a mechanical trigger might be part of the signaling mechanism," Packirisamy said.

###
About this study:
Amir Sanati Nezhad, Mahsa Naghavi, Muthukumaran Packirisamy, Rama Bhat and Anja Geitmann published "Quantification of cellular penetrative forces using Lab-on-a-Chip technology and finite element modeling" in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This study received funding from Fonds de recherche du Qubec Nature et Technologies. Mechanical modeling expertise was contributed by co-author Professor Rama Bhat, Concordia University. The University of Montreal is officially known as Universit de Montral.
[ | 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/uom-mpt042413.php
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Syrian premier escapes bomb attack in Damascus

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrian fire fighters extinguishing burning cars after a car bomb exploded in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 29, 2013. State-run Syrian TV says the country's prime minister has escaped an assassination attempt when a bomb went off near his convoy. The TV says Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi was unhurt in the attack in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh. (AP Photo/SANA)

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrian fire fighters extinguishing burning cars after a car bomb exploded in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 29, 2013. State-run Syrian TV says the country's prime minister has escaped an assassination attempt when a bomb went off near his convoy. Syrian TV says Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi was unhurt in the attack in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh. (AP Photo/SANA)

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows a Syrian man reacts after a car bomb exploded in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 29, 2013. State-run Syrian TV says the country's prime minister has escaped an assassination attempt when a bomb went off near his convoy. Syrian TV says Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi was unhurt in the attack. (AP Photo/SANA)

EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT -- This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrians carrying a charred body after a car bomb exploded in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 29, 2013. State-run Syrian TV says Prime Minister Wael al-Halqir has escaped unhurt in an assassination attempt when a bomb went off near his convoy. (AP Photo/SANA)

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) ? Syria's prime minister escaped an assassination attempt Monday when a bomb went off near his convoy in Damascus, state media reported, the latest attack targeting a top official in President Bashar Assad's regime.

Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi was unhurt in the bombing in the capital's western neighborhood of Mazzeh, state TV said. The TV showed footage of heavily damaged cars and debris in the area as firefighters fought to extinguish a large blaze set off by the explosion.

The state SANA news agency said one person was killed and several were wounded in the blast.

The daring attack in the upscale neighborhood, which is home to many embassies and government officials, was another blow to the regime, exposing its vulnerability in the very seat of Assad's powerbase.

Syria's conflict started with largely peaceful anti-government protests in March 2011 but eventually turned into a civil war that has so far killed more than 70,000 people, according to the United Nations.

A Syrian government official told The Associated Press that an improvised explosive device was placed under a car that was parked in the area and was detonated as al-Halqi's car drove by. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The state-run Al-Ikhbariya station said al-Halqi went into a regular weekly meeting with an economic committee straight after the bombing and showed him sitting around a table in a room with several other officials.

The TV said it was showing the video as a proof that al-Halqi was not hurt. But the prime minister's comments after the meeting did not refer to Monday's blast and he was not asked about it by reporters, leaving doubts as to whether the footage was filmed before or after the bombing.

Al-Halqi condemned the blast, SANA said, adding that the attempt exposes how armed groups "are bankrupt" after the latest advances made by Syrian troops around the country.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday's bombing killed al-Halqi's bodyguard and that one of his drivers was in critical condition. The group relies on a network of activist around the country.

The brazen attack in the highly secure Mazzeh neighborhood took place only about 100 meters (yards) from the residence of the Swiss ambassador. The posh area is also home to a major military air base, and security forces sealed it off shortly after the blast, allowing only pedestrians to come close.

At the scene of the bombing, damaged cars were surrounded by debris, their seats soaked with blood. A blackened shell of a school bus was left standing. A man told state TV that none of the students on board were hurt because the explosion went off shortly after they had left the bus and headed into the school.

The attack was not the first targeting a high official in the Syrian capital over the past year.

On July 18, a blast at the Syrian national security building in Damascus during a meeting of Cabinet ministers killed top four officials, including the defense minister and his deputy, who was Assad's brother-in-law. That attack also wounded the interior minister.

In December, a car bomb targeted the Interior Ministry in Damascus, killing several people and wounding more than 20, including Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar. Initially, Syrian state media said al-Shaar was not hurt in the Dec. 12 blast. News of his wounds emerged a week later, after he was brought to neighboring Lebanon for medical treatment for a serious back injury.

Earlier in April, Ali Ballan, head of public relations at the Ministry of Social Affairs and a member of Syria's relief agency, was shot dead while dinning in a restaurant in Mazzeh.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's attack.

Massive bombings like the one that struck the prime minister's convoy have been a trademark of Islamic radicals fighting alongside the Syrian rebels, raising concerns about the extremists' role in Syria's civil war.

Al-Halqi, a senior member of Assad's ruling Baath party, took office last year after his predecessor, Riad Hijab, defected to Jordan. Al-Halqi was Syria's health minister before taking the post. He is a member of Assad's ruling Baath party and hails from the southern city of Daraa, the birthplace of the Syrian uprising.

Elsewhere in Syria, the Observatory reported fighting Monday near the Damascus International Airport to the south of the capital. The group said there were also clashes in the northern neighborhood of Barzeh and shelling of the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, south of Damacus.

The Observatory and another activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, reported clashes and air raids around the military helicopter base of Mannagh near the border with Turkey in the northern province of Aleppo. On Sunday, the Aleppo Media Center said that the rebels have seized 60 percent of the Mannagh air base.

Both groups also reported clashes and shelling Monday in the northwestern province of Idlib and the central region of Homs.

___

Associated Press writers Barbara Surk and Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-04-29-Syria/id-ef082db9a6c449c0b65c2cadd10092de

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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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Two Meteorites Discovered In Antarctica May Be From The Same Supernova

There's nothing more fascinating or TV special-worthy than twins separated at birth. Whether they're reunited at 15 or 50 it's safe to say that there'll be some eerily similar food preferences and a whole lot of crying. But what about two chemically identical grains of silica that haven't seen each other for more than 4.6 billion years? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bzvphgpRnU0/two-meteorites-discovered-in-antarctica-may-be-from-the-same-supernova

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Friday, April 26, 2013

AmaWaterways unveils 2014 Africa Safaris & Wildlife Cruise brochure

AmaWaterways proudly announces the release of its new 2014 Africa Safaris & Wildlife Cruise brochure. The brochure provides complete details about AmaWaterways? one-of-a-kind program in Africa, with four different land safari itineraries ? Discover Africa, Stars of South Africa, Rivers & Rails of Africa and Golden Trails of East Africa ? all which include a wildlife river safari on Botswana?s Chobe River. AmaWaterways is the only river cruise company operating in Africa that offers both river and land-based safari programs.

Guests aboard AmaWaterways? wildlife river cruise will enjoy a 4-night stay on the 28-passengerZambezi Queen. As a modern ?eco-ship,? the Zambezi Queen offers deluxe accommodations, fine dining and floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, making it an excellent vantage point for game-viewing. Following the cruise, guests will spend two full days at the legendary Victoria Falls.

?Africa is a truly magical destination, and our goal was to convey some of the ambiance of a classic African safari with this beautiful brochure,? said AmaWaterways? Executive Vice President and Co-Owner Kristin Karst. ?Our African itineraries offer our guests up-close, unhurried and unforgettable wildlife viewing opportunities, as well as unique cultural encounters and other in-depth, authentic travel experiences.?

AmaWaterways? cruise-and-land safari programs include the 12-day Discover Africa, the 15-day Rivers & Rails of Africa, the 16-day Stars of South Africa and the 18-day Golden Trails of East Africa. New enhancements to the 2014 program include the ?Rivers & Rails of Africa? itinerary option, which features two nights aboard the Rovos Rail luxury train, as well as exclusive use of some of the most incredible accommodations in Africa (such as Singita Sweni Lodge and Singita Sabora Tented Camp, both of which have been ranked among the world?s ?Top 10 Hotels? by Travel + Leisure). Other program highlights include city tours, wine tastings, morning and afternoon game drives, an excursion in a traditional dugout canoe, private game reserve picnics, a traditional African boma dinner onshore, a visit with local villagers and a guided tour of Victoria Falls.

"Chief Porn Identification Officer:" The Best Job You'll Never Have

If you could do anything—anything—for a living what would it be? Well that's dumb; it would be "looking at porn." And though you may not be so lucky, someone working for China will be, boasting the prestigious title of Chief Porn Identification Officer. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5FrLPOBZtqE/chief-porn-identification-officer-the-best-job-youll-never-have

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Boosting the powers of genomic science

Apr. 25, 2013 ? As scientists probe and parse the genetic bases of what makes a human a human (or one human different from another), and vigorously push for greater use of whole genome sequencing, they find themselves increasingly threatened by the unthinkable: Too much data to make full sense of.

In a pair of papers published in the April 25, 2013 issue of PLOS Genetics, two diverse teams of scientists, both headed by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, describe novel statistical models that more broadly and deeply identify associations between bits of sequenced DNA called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs and say lead to a more complete and accurate understanding of the genetic underpinnings of many diseases and how best to treat them.

"It's increasingly evident that highly heritable diseases and traits are influenced by a large number of genetic variants in different parts of the genome, each with small effects," said Anders M. Dale, PhD, a professor in the departments of Radiology, Neurosciences and Psychiatry at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. "Unfortunately, it's also increasingly evident that existing statistical methods, like genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that look for associations between SNPs and diseases, are severely underpowered and can't adequately incorporate all of this new, exciting and exceedingly rich data."

Dale cited, for example, a recent study published in Nature Genetics in which researchers used traditional GWAS to raise the number of SNPs associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis from four to 16. The scientists then applied the new statistical methods to identify 33 additional SNPs, more than tripling the number of genome locations associated with the life-threatening liver disease.

Generally speaking, the new methods boost researchers' analytical powers by incorporating a priori or prior knowledge about the function of SNPs with their pleiotrophic relationships to multiple phenotypes. Pleiotrophy occurs when one gene influences multiple sets of observed traits or phenotypes.

Dale and colleagues believe the new methods could lead to a paradigm shift in CWAS analysis, with profound implications across a broad range of complex traits and disorders.

"There is ever-greater emphasis being placed on expensive whole genome sequencing efforts," he said, "but as the science advances, the challenges become larger. The needle in the haystack of traditional GWAS involves searching through about one million SNPs. This will increase 10- to 100-fold, to about 3 billion positions. We think these new methodologies allow us to more completely exploit our resources, to extract the most information possible, which we think has important implications for gene discovery, drug development and more accurately assessing a person's overall genetic risk of developing a certain disease."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California, San Diego Health Sciences, via Newswise.

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

Journal References:

Andrew J. Schork, Wesley K. Thompson, Phillip Pham, Ali Torkamani, J. Cooper Roddey, Patrick F. Sullivan, John R. Kelsoe, Michael C. O'Donovan, Helena Furberg, Nicholas J. Schork, Ole A. Andreassen, Anders M. Dale. All SNPs Are Not Created Equal: Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal a Consistent Pattern of Enrichment among Functionally Annotated SNPs. PLoS Genetics, 2013; 9 (4): e1003449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003449
Ole A. Andreassen, Wesley K. Thompson, Andrew J. Schork, Stephan Ripke, Morten Mattingsdal, John R. Kelsoe, Kenneth S. Kendler, Michael C. O'Donovan, Dan Rujescu, Thomas Werge, Pamela Sklar, J. Cooper Roddey, Chi-Hua Chen, Linda McEvoy, Rahul S. Desikan, Srdjan Djurovic, Anders M. Dale. Improved Detection of Common Variants Associated with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Using Pleiotropy-Informed Conditional False Discovery Rate. PLoS Genetics, 2013; 9 (4): e1003455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003455

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/W-16k4bufPw/130425213754.htm

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Acer Aspire V5-571PG-9814

We've seen a lot of systems come through the PC Labs with touch screens?tablets, convertible PCs, all-in-one desktops, and touch-friendly ultrabooks?but for a lot of these systems, touch was the crowning feature, the shiny bit of flash to draw a buyer's attention. The Acer Aspire V5-571PG-9814 does things a little differently. While it does have a touch screen, the overall design is a little bland, and the design, while fairly trim, isn't supermodel thin. What should catch your attention, however, is the hardware hidden inside?a newer, faster Intel Core i7 and a discrete Nvidia GPU. The combination of speedy hardware and solid (if not flashy) design should have more than a few shoppers considering the Aspire V5-571PG over competitors like the Editors' Choice Asus VivoBook S400CA-UH51 ($699 direct, 4 stars) or the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-4010nr.

Design and Features
The Aspire V5-571PG has a slim chassis and falls into that nebulous area between slim ultrabooks, thick ultrabooks with touch, and standard notebooks. While it is slim?1.0 by 13.5 by 9.6 inches (HWD)?and touch-enabled, it's no ultrabook, lacking the required solid-state drive or flash cache needed for the much touted snappy performance that Intel demands. That said, it's a fairly slim laptop, and given that it offers a capacitive touch screen with 10-digit tracking, it looks surprisingly svelte. It's also light for a 15-inch system, at 4.63 pounds.

The 15.6-inch display offers 1,366-by-768 resolution, in addition to the touch capabilities, with decent viewing angles and Acer's Active Matrix TFT Color LCD. Joining the display is Dolby Advanced Audio v2 enhancement software, producing sound that, while not spectacular, offers good volume. The sound is a bit reedy, and offers almost no bass, but it will do for regular use. The chiclet keyboard offers both a full-size keyboard and a compact numeric pad?the number keys are narrow, but still very usable?with backlight for better low-light visibility. The touchpad is comfortably large, with right- and left-buttons integrated into the clickpad surface.

You'll find the usual collection of ports on the sides of the laptop, but one may be unfamiliar?Acer's proprietary combination Ethernet and VGA, which we've seen before on the Acer Aspire V5-571-6869The slim port saves space and eliminates a second port, but requires a special (included) adapter dongle, which you'll need to remember to bring along if you want to use either connection.

The Aspire V5-571PG offers three USB ports (one 3.0 and two 2.0), HDMI output for connecting to a projector or HDTV, and a multiformat card slot. A tray-loading DVD+-RW dual-layer drive takes care of your disc-burning needs, while 802.11n Wi-Fi gets you online without hassling with the included Ethernet adapter. Inside the laptop is a generous 1TB hard drive, which should offer enough storage space for a healthy digital life, full of photos and media files.

Acer doesn't hold back on the preinstalled software, starting with several proprietary programs, like Clear.fi Photo and Media, for locally sharing media va Wi-Fi, and Acer Cloud, which lets you backup and access your files anywhere there's a web connection. But the programs don't stop there, with plenty of extras piling on?Amazon Kindle, ChaCha, eBay, Encyclopedia Britannica, Evernote, Hulu Plus, iCookbook, Netflix, newsXpresso, Skitch, Skype, SocialJogger, Spotify, StumbleUpon, TuneIn Web radio, and a handful of sample games from Wild Tangent. You'll need a good 30 minutes to clear off all the unwanted crud, but a number of those utilities may be useful enough to keep. Additionally, Acer covers the Aspire V5-571 with a one-year hardware warranty, and 90-days of free software support.

Performance
The V5-571PG-9814 is outfitted with a 2GHz Intel Core i7-3537U dual-core processor, a step up from the ultra-mobile Core i7 seen in the HP Spectre XT Touchsmart 15-4010nr. Paired with 8GB of RAM, it offered better overall performance than comparable systems, racking up 2.84 points in Cinebench, well ahead of the leading Asus VivoBook S400CA-UH51 (2.40 points), and topping the HP Spectre XT (1.97 points). The faster processor led to better performance, as seen in Handbrake, where the Acer Aspire led in both Handbrake (1 minute 13 seconds) and Photoshop (4 minutes 22 seconds).

But where the V5-571PG-9814 really takes the cake is graphics performance, thanks to a discrete Nvidia GeForce 710M graphics processor. It pounded through 3DMark 11 with leading scores?1,981 points at Entry settings and 358 at Extreme settings?and then beat out all competitors in our gaming tests. The discrete GPU won't be enough to let you play high-end games like Skyrim or Crysis 3, but for less demanding titles, like Team Fortress 2 or League of Legends, you'll be able to get in on the game.

Last but not least, the 4-cell lithium ion battery sealed into the V5-571PG-9814 lasted 3 hours 37 minutes in our rundown test?a 12-hour loop of the entire Extended Edition Lord of the Rings Trilogy?which isn't terrible, but it does come up short when compared with competitors, like the Asus VivoBook S400CA-UH51 or the Sony VAIO T15 Touch (SVT15112CXS), which both lasted 4:18 (give or take a few seconds).

While it fell short in battery life and doesn't impress with its bland looks and middling port selection, the Acer Aspire V5-571PG-9814 does offer the best all-around processing and graphics performance of any of the 14- and 15-inch touch-screen laptops we've seen in recent months. While raw performance isn't enough to take the Editors' Choice from the Asus VivoBook S400CA-UH51, it is enough to recommend it to anyone shopping for a reasonably priced touch-enabled Windows 8 laptop.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/98ZNUKs7Kbc/0,2817,2418122,00.asp

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Serbia-Kosovo deal clears path to EU accession, but long road remains

The agreement to 'normalize' relations between Serbia and Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia five years ago, removes a major obstacle to each one's bid to join the EU.

By Andrew MacDowall,?Correspondent / April 25, 2013

Members of the Serbian government attend a session in Belgrade, Serbia, on Monday. The Serbian government approved a potentially landmark agreement to normalize relations with breakaway Kosovo that could end years of tensions and put the Balkan rivals on a path to European Union membership.

Marko Drobnjakovic/AP

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This week?s breakthrough deal between Serbia and the disputed territory of Kosovo moves both closer to European Union membership and a conclusion to one of Europe?s last frozen conflicts. But progress towards EU accession is still fraught with difficulty, as Europe continues to struggle with its economic crisis.

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On Monday, the European Commission, the EU?s executive body, recommended that Brussels start formal negotiations on Serbian accession, after the Serbian government agreed to sign a draft agreement ?normalizing? relations with Kosovo, which it still refuses to recognize.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008, nine years after a NATO bombing campaign led to Serbian withdrawal from most of the territory, which the majority of Serbs see as part of their country. The deal allows the ethnic-Albanian-dominated government in Pristina to control all of Kosovo, including the predominantly Serbian north.

?This is not recognition, but it is a big step towards it,? says James Ker-Lindsay, senior research fellow on South East European politics at the London School of Economics. ?You can take the view that the agreement still allows Serbia to maintain the fiction that Kosovo is a province of Serbia, just ruled from Pristina. But eventual acceptance of Kosovo is where Serbia is going with all this.?

'A big step'

The deal came after months of on-off negotiations brokered by the EU. Belgrade agreed to sign after Kosovo made concessions on policing of the north, and on a clause which now states that the two countries must not try to block each other?s EU accession process. The revised wording ? which previously referred to membership of any international institutions ? allows Serbia to continue its opposition to Kosovo joining the UN, a related but separate diplomatic battle that had been a sticking point in the EU talks.

Pristina?s reward for this ? other than the de facto recognition of its sovereignty over the whole territory ? will be a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, considered the first step towards membership.

For Serbia, the prospect of EU talks has particular political, diplomatic, and economic significance. It indicates that the country, considered an international pariah less than 15 years ago, is increasingly being accepted back into the international mainstream.

The fact that the Kosovo deal was signed by a coalition of nationalists and socialists which was decried last year for its far-right past and links to late strongman president Slobodan Milosevic has a Nixon-to-China element to it; an EU deal may boost the government?s standing further before possible snap elections in the autumn.

And for the beleaguered Serbian economy, which re-entered recession last year, concrete steps towards the EU should provide a boost in terms of greater stability, impetus for reform, and future funding.

A long way to go

However, accession is far from an easy process, or a short one. Serbia is not likely to join before the next decade, after painstaking economic, judicial, and administrative restructuring. Serbia?s unhappy recent past ? and the EU's experience of integrating Romania and Bulgaria ? mean that Brussels is likely to be particularly stringent in ensuring that the country meets its standards.

As Dr. Ker-Lindsay points out, it is not even certain that negotiations will start any time soon.

?There is a real possibility that Germany or other countries will say that this is still not good enough, which would have a very harmful effect, and lead to a sense of betrayal in Serbia,? he says.

With the EU faced with record levels of skepticism among its own citizens, and its economies struggling to recover from prolonged crisis, Serbian accession may not seem a priority; it is hardly a vote-winner with EU electorates. And it remains to be seen what sort of EU Serbia would be joining ? in a decade?s time it could be a rather different organization.

But for all the necessary caveats, this week?s agreement could prove a landmark in resolving conflicts in a troubled region.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Y4hTvqN63pI/Serbia-Kosovo-deal-clears-path-to-EU-accession-but-long-road-remains

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UT News ? Blog Archive ? College of Business and Innovation's ...

The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation?s undergraduate program has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek magazine for the first time in Businessweek?s Top Undergraduate Business Schools for 2013.

?It is a tremendous recognition for the College of Business and Innovation to be ranked No. 116 in the nation by Businessweek,? said Dr. Thomas Sharkey, interim dean of the UT College of Business and Innovation. ?This is the first time the college has been ranked by Businessweek, and this ranking reflects the remarkable work performed by our faculty, advisers, students and staff day after day, year after year.?

?There are a total of 1,654 schools in the United States offering business programs,? noted Dr. Terribeth Gordon Moore, senior associate dean of the College of Business and Innovation. ?To identify the top undergraduate business programs, Bloomberg Businessweek uses a methodology that includes nine measures of student satisfaction, post-graduation outcomes and academic quality.

?During the ranking process, seven new colleges of business were invited to participate this year, and we were one of the seven,? she said. ?The student survey portion ranked us 95th within the student satisfaction segment, which we believe is outstanding.?

Founded in 1929, Bloomberg Businessweek magazine is a market leader, with more than 4.7 million readers each week in 140 countries.

?It is particularly rewarding to obtain this ranking so recently after our continuing recognition by U.S. News and World Report and Eduniversal,? Sharkey said.

U.S. News and World report ranked the College of Business and Innovation as the only Ohio program in the top 50 in its 2013 Best Online Graduate Business Programs.

Eduniversal, an international higher education ranking agency, rated the college ?excellent? and included it as the only northwest Ohio business school in its list of 180 schools in North America in its fifth edition of the Best 1,000 Business Schools in 154 Countries, 2012.

Earlier this year, Eduniversal also ranked the college?s Human Resources Management Program No. 37 in North America and one of the top 200 HR master?s programs worldwide.

?This recognition by a series of prestigious publications and organizations validates what we have long known: The College of Business and Innovation is a premier provider of business education programs not only in northwest Ohio, but throughout the United States and around the world,? Sharkey said.

UT students surveyed by Businessweek for the ranking echoed that sentiment as they identified what makes the college unique. Their comments included:

? ?The collaboration between local business and the college really helps students network and take part in internships.?

? ?Real-life experience, great selection of professional business organizations to help you network, and plenty of knowledgeable teachers that are willing to help. ?

? ?They provide us with so much knowledge and skills relating to the real world ? group projects, resum? writing sessions, daily emails about job opportunities and scholarships, etiquette dinners, mock interviews, sales role plays, etc. They put a lot of effort into making us successful and marketable.?

? ?Our professional sales program went above and beyond. One of the major worries of students these days is finding a job after graduation. I had to turn down job offers that were being thrown at me.?

? ?The UT College of Business and Innovation stands out from the rest because of how student-centered they are. The interactions they have with the students are far and beyond what they have to do. They want to prepare you in the best way possible, and they continue to do that every year.?

This entry was posted ?on? Thursday, April 25th, 2013?at? 4:52 am?and is filed under? Business and Innovation, News, UToday.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.? You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.?

Source: http://utnews.utoledo.edu/index.php/04_25_2013/college-of-business-and-innovations-undergraduate-program-nationally-ranked-by-businessweek?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=college-of-business-and-innovations-undergraduate-program-nationally-ranked-by-businessweek

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Thursday, April 25, 2013

President George W. Bush Gets a Second, Mostly Favorable Look

With the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas, some are starting to take a second look at the 43rd president of the United States. The re-evaluation depends on who is doing it.

Former staffers laud the former president

Understandably, many of the people who worked for Bush have fond memories of their former boss. Dana Perino, now an analyst at Fox News but then a White House press secretary, offers a series of personal vignettes that she feels reveals the character of the man. Karl Rove, who also works for Fox News and was Bush's chief political adviser, suggests that the former president's moral clarity defined his administration. He mentions 9/11, the effort to combat AIDS in Africa, the attempt to reform social security and the Iraq War as accomplishments in his favor.

A more jaundiced view from the media

Jill Lawrence, writing for the National Journal, suggests that most historians still regard the Bush administration as a failure with two-thirds maintaining that he has little chance of improving that evaluation. However, she does admit that there is precedence for presidents, initially thought ill of, getting a good second look as the passage of time provides a certain perspective. Both Truman and Eisenhower are now thought to have been, on the whole, pretty good presidents, something they were not when they left office.

Bush takes a look at himself

Bush himself took a candid look at his own administration in his memoir "Decision Points," in which he eschewed the usual approach to such accounts. He related the most important decisions of his life, most of which took place during his presidency, and evaluated not only the successes, but failures and attempted to explain the reasons why.

The people take a second look

The Christian Science Monitor relates that a Washington Post/ABC News Poll now suggests that 47 percent of the American people approve of how President Bush performed during his eight years in office, remarkable when one considers that he left office with a 23 percent approval rating. One explanation may be that, Katrina and Iraq aside, Bush rallied the nation after 9/11 and mostly presided over a period of relative prosperity. Whatever the media and the rest of the chattering class have to say, many people seem to be responding to the famous poster that shows a smiling Bush with a caption that reads, "Miss me yet?" with a decided "yes."

Texas resident Mark Whittington writes about state issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/president-george-w-bush-gets-second-mostly-favorable-162200744.html

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Congress looking for quick fix to flight delays

By Richard Cowan and Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate leaders are frantically trying to pull together a plan to alleviate widespread airline flight delays - brought about by last month's automatic federal spending cuts - with legislation that could be voted upon as early as Thursday.

The House of Representatives could vote soon after but leaders in that chamber first want to see what the Senate produces, fearing a retreat on this issue could open the door to easing other budget cuts.

Lawmakers are eager to find a fix before they head out of town for next week's congressional recess. They are concerned about deepening public resentment over the delays caused by the furloughs of air traffic controllers.

Airline passengers have grown increasingly irritated over the past week with delays at major hubs like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Some have reported multi-hour delays in takeoff times and planes being put in holding patterns in the air, with pilots blaming furloughs for landing delays.

The Federal Aviation Administration has said it had no alternative to furloughing controllers this week after Congress failed to come up with a budget deal that would have averted the $85 billion in across-the-board federal spending cuts.

One option senators are exploring is attaching legislation to an unrelated Internet sales tax bill currently being debated, a Senate aide said on Thursday.

A possible approach could be a measure that would give the FAA flexibility to transfer existing funds within the agency's budget - or the Department of Transportation more broadly - so that air traffic controllers' salaries can be fully paid, and those furloughs can be stopped.

According to the Senate aide, the White House is open to Congress dealing promptly with the FAA's funding problem. But the aide said that no decisions had yet been finalized on how to move an FAA measure forward quickly.

The House will await action in the Senate before deciding on how it would handle any legislation to avert further airline delays, according to a Republican leadership aide.

The early Senate plan adds to other stand-alone legislative proposals that have been floated in recent days.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Wednesday proposed replacing the budget reductions by claiming savings from the decrease of war spending, but congressional Republicans have rejected the proposal, saying counting war savings is an accounting gimmick.

A more likely fix may be one of the bipartisan pieces of stand-alone legislation that would give the DOT flexibility to move around funds to pay air traffic controllers.

"These are simply irresponsible cuts that have real and detrimental impacts on the traveling public on the airline industry, on the hospitality industry and they will cause widespread delays to the air traffic system," Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said on the Senate floor. Collins is behind one of the stand-alone legislative proposals.

While Republicans are joining the effort for a quick fix, many have been skeptical about whether the White House and FAA are taking advantage of flexibility they already have.

Republicans have accused the Obama administration of maximizing the disruptions to try to shift budget blame on Republicans - an allegation the administration has denied. Republicans have created a Twitter hashtag, #Obamaflightdelays, for people to complain about the delays.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, a California Republican, and House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican, on Thursday sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asking for internal documents discussing budget flexibilties. The DOT did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, a congressional aide involved in the original automatic spending cut legislation that was enacted in August 2011 told Reuters that the administration cannot under the law shift money from outside accounts to fund the air traffic controller account.

SEQUESTRATION FALLOUT

The FAA has said it will have to furlough 47,000 employees for up to 11 days through September 30 in order to save $637 million that is required by the "sequestration," automatic spending cuts that started on March 1 for most federal agencies.

Of those 47,000 workers, nearly 13,000 are air traffic controllers.

The FAA issued an update that said more than 863 delays in the system on Wednesday were attributable to staffing reductions resulting from the furloughs.

Another 2,132 delays were attributed to weather and other factors, the FAA said. The agency said it would work with airlines to minimize delays.

Airlines, many of which are reporting earnings this week, have pushed the government to quickly ease the flight delays caused by the furloughs.

JetBlue CEO Dave Barger said on a conference call on Thursday that he is frustrated airlines were told the impact would be limited. "This is government not working - capital letters, exclamation point - when we're sitting here holding the traveling public hostage in the midst of sequestration," Barger said.

Jeff Smisek, chairman and chief executive of United Continental Holdings Inc, said his company's network operations center is working around the clock to minimize the impact of fewer controllers.

"We are disappointed that the FAA chose this path, that maximizes customer disruptions and damage to airlines instead of choosing a less disruptive method to comply with the budget obligations," Smisek said on a conference call.

CLOSED-DOOR TALKS

Thursday's flurry of activity in Washington followed a meeting late on Wednesday with the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, LaHood and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to discuss what steps Congress could take to provide the FAA with the flexibility it needs to cancel the furloughs.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, and Senator John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, are considering "a few options" that came out of that conversation, but are not ready to discuss details yet, a congressional aide said.

If a fix were to pass the Senate, it is not clear how the House would respond, especially if it is attached to the Internet sales tax bill, which has faced fierce opposition from many online merchants, including eBay Inc and Overstock.com Inc.

Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Senate Democrat who is shepherding the Internet sales tax bill through the Senate, told Reuters that "we are working on" ways to deal with an FAA funding fix.

But he added that senators have to consider whether exempting some FAA programs from the tough spending-cut law would be unfair to other agencies and their constituents, who also want to get out from under sequestration.

It also could face a tough time in the House. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte has expressed reservations with the Internet sales tax bill and some conservatives have called for hearings. His panel has jurisdiction over the measure.

The House potentially could vote on an FAA budget fix in a different way, however, unrelated to the Internet sales tax bill.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan, with additional reporting by Doug Palmer, Thomas Ferraro, David Lawder, Karen Jacobs and Nivedita Bhattacharjee; Writing by Karey Van Hall; Editing by Vicki Allen and Bill Trott)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-weighs-quick-move-stop-airline-flight-delays-144010521.html

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Engadget Giveaway: win a diskless ioSafe N2!

Nobody enjoys losing their precious documents, photos or other files, yet it's easy for all of that crucial data to just magically disappear at the most inopportune moments. ioSafe has been hard at work offering rugged NAS solutions to keep your information safe and sound, and it's now offering a diskless N2 system (valued at $600) to a lucky reader! This is a huge grab -- no pun intended -- so do your due diligence in entering this week's giveaway. Good luck!

Note: Please enter using the widget below, as comments are no longer valid methods of entry. The widget only requires your name and email address so we know how to get in touch with you if you win (your information is not given out to third parties), but you will have an option to receive an additional entry by liking ioSafe on Facebook if you so desire.

Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/5n6qBNQxWk4/

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Bayern tops AP rankings for 4th straight week

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ? It's turning into a procession for Bayern Munich in the Associated Press global soccer poll.

For the fourth straight week, the German champions were voted the top team by a panel of journalists following back-to-back 6-1 wins ? first against Wolfsburg in the German Cup semifinals and then over Hannover on Saturday for its 13th straight Bundesliga victory.

"As much as I like Barcelona, boy is it tough not to like the way Bayern Munich is playing right now," said Tom Timmermann, of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Two 6-1 wins in one week? I don't care who you're playing. I like to see that."

There was more good news for Germany with national team playmaker Mesut Oezil voted the best player of the week thanks to his double for Real Madrid in a 3-1 home win over Real Betis.

Oezil's silky display at the Santiago Bernabeu overshadowed that of international colleague Mario Gomez, whose five goals last week earned him a share of second place with Tottenham forward Gareth Bale.

The showy display of scoring last week included Robin van Persie, whose hat trick in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa secured Manchester United a 20th English title. But it landed him only seventh in the player voting.

Whether Bayern stays at the head of the line or is toppled by Barcelona could hinge on the outcome of Tuesday's Champions League semifinal first leg between two of Europe's heavyweight clubs.

"The best German title-winning side ever?" Will Tidey, of the Bleacher Report, asked of Bayern. "The argument is being made and you can see why based on Bayern's depth and their dominance this season."

Nine of the 17 voters gave Bayern top marks, leaving Jupp Heynckes' side 30 points ahead of second-place Juventus in the poll.

Gomez and fellow striker Claudio Pizarro have been scoring in recent weeks for Bayern and both made the top six.

"There's a Mario Gomez song button you can press every time he scores," Tidey added. "It's been pressed five times in the past week."

Juve is closing in on the Italian title and can have Arturo Vidal to thank for pressing home the team's advantage this week. The midfielder from Chile scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Lazio on Monday before landing the winner over AC Milan on Sunday. Two of those goals came from the penalty spot.

"I'm not really big on rewarding him for someone else's work in drawing the foul," Timmermann said. "Still, we've seen enough players botch penalty kicks to know they're not quite gimmies."

Bale's return from an ankle injury inspired Tottenham to a 3-1 win against Manchester City and he was rewarded with 81 points from the panel. Tottenham was third among the teams.

"Tottenham may not be a one-man team, but they are a completely different proposition when Gareth Bale is in the side," said Julian Bennetts, of the Hayters News Agency in England.

Luis Suarez may have finished higher had he not attempted to take a chunk out of Branislav Ivanovic's arm in Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Chelsea. The Uruguay striker set up Daniel Sturridge's tying goal and scored himself in the final minute of injury time to earn 30 points and ninth place in the players list ? but by that time he had been caught on video biting Ivanovic.

It may be the last time we see Suarez in the AP poll for a while.

"Luis Suarez does not make it onto my list as his conduct when he appears to bite Branislav Ivanovic outweighs the impact he made in creating a goal and scoring the equalizer that earned a point," said Mike McGrath, of Wardles News Agency and The Sun.

____

AP Global Soccer Rankings for the week ending April 22.

Based on 17 voters, using 10 points for first, nine for second, one for bottom place. Previous rankings in parentheses.

Teams:

1. Bayern Munich (1), 141 points.

2. Juventus, 111.

3. Tottenham, 87.

4. Real Madrid (3), 71.

5. Barcelona (4), 67.

tie. Manchester United (6), 67.

7. Paris Saint-Germain (7), 58.

8. Borussia Dortmund (2), 55.

9. Valencia, 50.

10. Arsenal, 21.

Players:

1. Mesut Oezil, 95 points.

2. Gareth Bale, 81.

(tie) Mario Gomez, 81.

4. Robert Lewandowski (6) 47.

5. Roberto Soldado, 45.

(tie) Arturo Vidal, 45.

7. Robin van Persie (10), 38.

8. Radamel Falcao (5), 33.

9. Luis Suarez, 30.

10. Daniel Sturridge, 29.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bayern-tops-ap-rankings-4th-straight-week-135518728--sow.html

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