Monday, April 29, 2013

Kerry Washington And Craig Robinson Cozy Up In Exclusive 'Peeples' Image

In "Peeples," Craig Robinson has to do what just about every boyfriend in history has dreaded, meeting his girlfriend's parents, but the Peeples aren't any family. They're the "Chocolate Kennedys" as Robinson's character describes them. "Peeples" tells the story of that meeting and how very, very wrong it goes. If Robinson's character wants to win [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/04/29/kerry-washington-craig-robinson-peeples-image/

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Thursday, April 18, 2013

NYU Student Arrested for Violating Restraining Order ? NYU Local

NYU student Naphtali Brooks was arrested last Thursday for violating a restraining order against ?corporate executives or employees of Liz Claiborne subsidiaries, Fifth and Pacific and Lucky Brand,? according to the New York Daily News.

Brooks, 21, allegedly called the Lucky Brand jeans store manager last week, saying, ?I know I?m not supposed to call, but I?m pretty sure I just did. What are you going to do? I know you called the police twice yesterday. Are you going to call again??

Brooks was arrested in February after he sent numerous emails to the company executives and CEO William McComb, made a dozen calls to the company headquarters, and actually returned to the store to confront his boss. The CEO reportedly responded to Brooks directly.

Detective David Locurto of the Midtown South Detective Squad said in court papers, Brooks? ?conduct has placed them in fear of bodily injury, in fear of harm to their business, careers, and employment.?

The New York Daily News interviewed Brooks at his New Jersey home in February. ?They told me they were going to discriminate against me because I?m African-American,? Brooks said. ?They also said it was because I?ve had homosexual experiences, even though I consider myself straight.? Brooks threatened to file a $15 billion lawsuit against Liz Claiborne for discrimination. When asked whether he was worried about his legal issues, Brooks responded no, and that he would ?be the CEO of Fifth & Pacific Companies.?

Brooks is currently on academic leave, though still officially an NYU student.

Violating a restraining order is considered a Class E Felony and carries up to 4 years in prison, although that sort of sentencing is unlikely.

We?ll be sure to update you on Brooks? legal status as the story develops.

[Image via]

Source: http://nyulocal.com/on-campus/2013/04/16/nyu-student-arrested-for-violating-restraining-order/

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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Treat yourself to a tax day reward

When Tax Day comes April 15, you can get a little relief from the stress of filing your return by taking advantage of freebies and special deals that companies will be offering on or around that day.

Note that while many distribute deals via Facebook, you don't have to be signed up to the service to view and download the coupons.

Want to celebrate your filing (or procrastinate some more) with a flick? Go to AMC Theatres and enjoy a free small popcorn with your movie. You can get the coupon here and it's valid for any movie between April 12 and April 15.

[More from Kiplinger.com: 61 Fabulous Year-Round Freebies]

Arby's is in its third year of offering a freebie ? this year offering the choice of potato cakes in addition to curly fries. Go to Arby's Facebook page to get a coupon and enter its sweepstakes to win one of 10 $500 tax relief payouts.

Boston Market is running a "Big Rib-bate" special (get it?): Two rib meals for $10.40 on Monday, April 15. No coupon needed. This offer includes a 1/4 rack of St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs with mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet corn and freshly baked cornbread.

Also a repeat promoter, Bruegger's Bagels will offer its Big Bagel Bundle for just $10.40 ? a savings of up to $3.50 ? April 12 through April 15. The Big Bagel Bundle includes a baker's dozen of Bruegger's bagels and two tubs of Bruegger's made-in-Vermont cream cheese. You'll need a coupon, which you can download from Bruegger's Facebook page.

The not-so-secret password for free queso and chips with every purchase at California Tortilla on Tax Day will be "1040."

Chili's will have a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an adult entree April 15 through April 18. The coupon will be made available on its Facebook page. You can print the coupon or show it to your server via smart phone.

Cinnabon will offer two free Classic Cinnabon Bites on April 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at participating locations as part of its Tax Day Bites promotion. No coupon needed. Last year, more than 60,000 bites were given out nationwide through the event, but it's first-come, first serve.

[More from Kiplinger.com: 7 Frugal Habits of the Super Rich]

Great American Cookies is sweetening up Tax Day this year by offering customers a free Birthday Cake Cookie (covered in sprinkles) on Monday, April 15 at participating U.S. locations nationwide. One per guest, folks.

Many HydroMassage locations nationwide will provide free massages between April 15 and April 19 to help eliminate the stress of tax filing. Get a coupon for a free massage at www.hydromassage.com/taxday.htm and call ahead to schedule a session.

Office Depot is letting customers make 25 single-sided black and white copies and offering up to 5 pounds of shredding for free through May 1. No coupon is necessary, and the offer is valid in stores nationwide.

A free ... phone? That's the offer from ooVoo, the social video chat provider. Their "Tech Refund" works like this: between now and April 15 visit ooVoo.com/Android to select a wireless carrier and preferred phone model. The new Android phone will come to your mailbox, according to ooVoo, just like a refund from the IRS. (Actually, you should really get your refund by direct deposit.) New two-year activation required, and there are other restrictions.

Panda Express is returning to the Tax Day specials, though they seem to have locked in on last year's date: There's a free single serving of its Samurai Surf and Turf at participating locations April 17. Get it with this coupon.

[More from Kiplinger.com: What Are the Odds That Your Tax Return Will Be Audited?]

Sonic, the nationwide drive-in franchise, is doing a half-price promotion all day on drinks, iced tea and slushes at participating locations.

Oh, and yes, the IRS. Yup, they have something for free: a calendar that includes important 2013 filing dates. The print run is over and all have been distributed but you can still download one in PDF form. Bring your own ink cartridge.

Procrastinators with adjusted gross incomes of $57,000 or less can file their federal returns (and some state returns) for free by using the IRS's Free File service. AARP offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income taxpayers of all ages. Search for an AARP Tax-Aide location near you.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tax-day-freebies-and-deals-133544366.html

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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Apple Patents Proximity-Based iOS-To-OS X File Transfer, Offline iTunes Purchasing

Screen Shot 2013-04-09 at 8.54.00 AMTransferring files from an iPhone to a Mac is still a bit more of a hassle than I'd like it to be. Most of the time I resort to email. But a new patent from Apple (via AppleInsider) describes a feature that would make it as easy as bringing the two together in close proximity. A second patent published by the USPTO also describes a means by which iTunes content could be purchased by a user even when they don't have an active Internet connection.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/zCTuTQBMkg8/

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Thinking About Self Improvement? Try These Tricks! - ProjectPB ...

Improving your life through personal development can make you feel more confident and capable. You should start by learning more about self improvement to realize the true potential of this approach. Some of the advice you?ll find below might be just what you need to kick off your self improvement routine.

Perhaps you have set high goals for yourself and keep failing to attain them. If this is the case, it is a good idea to stop and think why. Do some research online for examples of goals and ideas that are similar to yours, then compare your own goals to your findings. This could illuminate a problem with the feasibility of your goals, your technique for achieving such goals, or even simply not allowing the time necessary to complete them.

Avoiding decisions means missing opportunities in the arena of personal development. Even if your knowledge is not what it could be, have the courage to make choices. Your good instincts will develop through your successful decisions. Bad decisions have value though because they are experiences that teach lessons. When you make the incorrect decision, learn from this, and make sure that it never happens again.

TIP! Mistakes cannot be avoided, this includes going off of your diet. Stress hurts your body as much as a large slice of high calorie pie, so take it all in stride.

Are you having a hard time finding that special someone? Think about searching online. Some research shows that forty percent of those finding their dating partners are using the Internet. Like those cheesy eHarmony commercials say, the love of your life could be just a click away. Of course, both websites have their disadvantages, but they are worth a try.

Becoming more healthy is an important part of developing personally. It is vital that you maintain motivation to eat well and exercise regularly. If you feel healthy, then you will always be at the top of your game, which makes it easier to meet your other self improvement goals.

Seek out new challenges. When you face a challenge, you can find more possibilities in life. You may learn something new or develop a new skill. You might even aspire to reach a goal that no one has reached before. Look for your own thing to do, instead of accomplishing things people have already done.

TIP! You do not need to be dealing with unneeded stress. Stress is a cycle; when you over-react to a stressful situation, it only causes further stress.

Being selfless is a big step in self improvement. There are times when you may have to sacrifice something and simply care for someone else. Being able to sacrifice for others and being able to get fulfillment, will help you develop into a more well-rounded person.

On the road to self improvement, treat your body with respect. Get regular exercise and eat a healthy diet. If you feel sick, see your doctor to find out what the problem is so it can be corrected. Listen to what your body has to say. Doing so will enable your body to function efficiently down the road. Ignoring your body?s signals will only hurt you in the long run.

Determine the things that are vital to you, and be sure to focus on these things. Personal development involves focusing on the important things in life while allowing negativity and unimportant matters to drift past.

TIP! An important new trait called sexual capitol is currently being researched. This doesn?t mean you need to use your sexuality as a means of getting the results you desire.

Create a self improvement plan by determining what your personal values are. Focus on those areas first to make the positive changes that are most important to your happiness. Focus on positive aspects to improve. These aspects should mesh with your values. By doing this, changes that you choose to make will be much easier to adhere to.

Check up on how you are doing by staying organized. Take your major goals, and break them down into small, manageable components. You can then achieve each of these minor goals more quickly. Use a daily planner or a dedicated journal to keep track of changes in your personal development.

Let your personal principles guide your personal development. Everyone has beliefs that are central to their sense of self. Use your faith in these principles to drive your faith in yourself. If your goals are grounded by your principles, you?ll be more consistent in pursuing them.

TIP! Keep track of your progress and learn to organize yourself. You may find it easier to achieve your goals if you break them down into smaller components.

You can teach yourself how to deal with tough situations without getting overly emotional. Come up with methods that will help relieve your stress and remain calm when problems pop up. Learning to breathe deeply upon command can give you back your sense of control.

You may achieve encouraging personal development results by trying out just a few of the preceding suggestions. Self improvement takes plenty of work. That work is easier to do when you are assisted by a little bit of good advice.

To be the best you can be means hoping others share in your good fortune. Often the negative thoughts projected on others can boomerang and come back onto you. The idea here is that you should act toward others with a positive attitude. Focus on the positive energy within you and keep the negative feelings from pulling you into an undesirable place.

TIP! Treat yourself right by respecting your body. If your body is telling you that you are hungry, thirsty, etc.

Knowing what Self Improvement can and cannot do for you takes time to figure out. However, by reading great articles such as this one, you can acquire some great advice about Self Improvement. Take your time and read through all of the provided information so you can absorb it and use it all when needed.

Source: http://www.projectpb.net/blog/index.php/personal_development/thinking-about-self-improvement-try-these-tricks/

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Israel court: Life sentences for Jewish radical

JERUSALEM (AP) ? An Israeli court on Tuesday delivered two consecutive life sentences to a U.S.-born Jewish extremist for the murder of two Palestinians and the attempted murder of others.

Originally from Florida, Jack Teitel was living in the West Bank when arrested in 2009. He was convicted in January for the 1997 killings.

The Jerusalem District Court gave Teitel additional time for other charges, including weapon violations and incitement to violence. He was ordered to pay compensation to victims' families.

The indictment said Teitel sought to avenge the deaths of Israelis killed by Palestinians.

In addition to his Palestinian victims, Teitel also targeted a dovish Israeli professor with a pipe bomb and messianic Jews who venerate Jesus. A teenager was injured when opening a booby-trapped package.

The court rejected his insanity plea.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-court-life-sentences-jewish-radical-131528834.html

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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Demi Lovato Paints Over Love In 'Heart Attack' Video

Lovato blackens at the thought of heartbreak in Chris Applebaum-directed clip, the first visual from her upcoming Demi album.
By Emilee Lindner


Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack" cover art
Photo: Hollywood

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1705292/demi-lovato-heart-attack-music-video.jhtml

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PFT: Jets bringing in Geno Smith this week

New York Giants v Philadelphia EaglesGetty Images

The Eagles? steep fall in 2012 cost Andy Reid his job and left Philadelphia picking higher (No. 4 overall) than any other NFC team in April?s draft. New head coach Chip Kelly inherits a solid core of talent,?but there are still some needs to address:?

Offensive tackle:?The Eagles could stand pat at this position and might fare well enough in 2013, given the quality of starters Jason Peters and Todd Herremans. Nevertheless, adding a young tackle would give the Eagles some offensive line flexibility this season and beyond. Peters, the left tackle, has Pro Bowl talent, but he?s coming off an Achilles injury, and he?s slated to make close to $10 million in 2014, per Rotoworld. What?s more, he?s 31 years old. Herremans, who?s roughly nine months younger than Peters, has the ability to slide back to guard from right tackle if a promising tackle enters the fold.

Quarterback:?Michael Vick enters the final year of his contract, and he will be 33 in June. Nick Foles, the top backup, was drafted for Reid?s scheme, not Kelly?s. While ex-Oregon standout Dennis Dixon is no stranger to Kelly and his offense, he hasn?t been much of a factor on the NFL level. In short, it would make sense for the Eagles to add at this position.

Outside linebacker:?The Eagles have some intriguing options at this position, with Connor Barwin, Trent Cole and Brandon Graham the top three. That said, the 30-year-old Cole has never played outside linebacker at this level, and his annual compensation is set to soar in 2015, according to Rotoworld figures. Graham is switching positions, too. Barwin notched 11.5 sacks two seasons ago but just three in 2012. Like offensive tackle, the Eagles could logically play their existing hand at this position, but they could also be tempted to add a prospect to the mix.

Cornerback:?The Eagles will have two new starters at this position with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie signing with Denver and Nnamdi Asomugha landing with San Francisco after his release. While Philadelphia signed Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher early in free agency to restock the ranks, adding another corner via the draft would not be unwise. If a team?s best-laid plans at this position don?t work out, the results can be tough to watch. The Eagles know this well.

Wide receiver: Yes, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson are an above-average wide receiver tandem. However, Maclin is in the last year of his contract, and he will be only 26 at the start of ?the 2014 campaign. Considering his playmaking ability, production and relatively young age, Maclin could do very, very well for himself next offseason. Jackson, meanwhile, is slated to make close to $10 million in salary in 2014. There is no doubting his ability, but his consistency has sometimes left something to be desired.

How the Eagles approach this draft will be very interesting to watch. The?Eagles have undergone some serious organizational change, with Kelly replacing a successful head coach who had a heavy hand in the making of this roster. How will Kelly mesh some obviously skilled veterans with his first group of rookies?

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/09/geno-smith-visiting-the-jets-this-week/related

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Why Using a Food Journal Helps With Weight Loss

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Shape here on POPSUGAR Fitness.

Who remembers what they ate the night before when they wake up in the morning? Or even what their breakfast was at lunchtime? You probably think it doesn?t matter, but according to new research, it may help you control your appetite.

In the British study, individuals who had vivid memories of what they ate were more likely to consume less at their following meal. Researchers are uncertain if this was due to the exact memory of the food eaten or the memory of the calories consumed, but both were associated with changes in the amount eaten overall.

From collecting 24-hour recalls from my patients, I have found too often that many people completely forget what they ate after finishing a meal. Perhaps it is because they are multi-tasking while dining, simply eating too rapidly, or even having foods that they don?t love. In any event, this lack of memory could be a reason they are overeating and not losing weight.

As a general rule, I ask my patients to food journal. Nine times out of ten, the person who journals 100 percent of the time is the one who loses weight. This daily accountability of all foods eaten and the ability to review it afterward seem to help keep extra calories at bay.

RELATED: Discover how your dinnerware can help you slim down. (Really!)

Honestly, I am not a big fan of actual calorie counting, but I am a huge advocate of being calorie-conscious, which a food journal can capture nicely. But journaling may not be for everyone, especially if you have the memory of an elephant or if you tend to think about what you are eating 24/7.

Learn more ways to remember what you ate after the break!

Other tactics to help you remember what you ate include:

1. Slowing down. The slower you eat and the more time you take to savor every bite, the more likely you probably are to remember what you had.

2. Playing food paparazzi. Supposedly some restaurants have a problem with patrons snapping photos of their meals, but there?s nothing like a great pic of your entr?e to keep the memory of that dish alive, so I say go for it.

3. Keeping the evidence. At a party, hold onto the stirrers from your cocktails and the napkins from hors d'oeuvres so you have an easy count of how many you consumed.

4. Being shell-shocked. Buy nuts in the shell, keep the remains nearby, and count them when you are finished. It will hopefully lead you to put the bag away.

RELATED: Your brain is one powerful organ. Try this simple mental trick to eat less.

So here?s to a having a good memory in the hopes that it might keep you more in-tune to what you already ate and the potential to eat less later on. Now if only I could find my keys!

To get the latest health, fitness, beauty, and fashion news, follow @Shape_Magazine on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Source: http://www.fitsugar.com/Why-Using-Food-Journal-Helps-Weight-Loss-29098431

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Monday, April 8, 2013

Sweet success: Catalyzing more sugars from biomass

Apr. 7, 2013 ? Catalysis may initiate almost all modern industrial manufacturing processes, but catalytic activity on solid surfaces is poorly understood. This is especially true for the cellulase enzymes used to release fermentable sugars from cellulosic biomass for the production of advanced biofuels. Now, researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) through support from the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) have literally shed new light on cellulase catalysis.

Using an ultrahigh-precision visible light microscopy technique called PALM -- for Photo-Activated Localization Microscopy -- the researchers have found a way to improve the collective catalytic activity of enzyme cocktails that can boost the yields of sugars for making fuels. Increasing the sugar yields from cellulosic biomass to help bring down biofuel production costs is essential for the widespread commercial adoption of these fuels.

"The enzymatic breakdown of cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars has been the Achilles heel of biofuels, a key economic bottleneck," says chemical engineer Harvey Blanch, one of the leaders of this research. "Our research provides a new understanding of how multiple cellulase enzymes attack solid cellulose by working in concert, an action known as enzyme synergy, and explains why certain mixtures of cellulase enzymes work better together than each works individually."

Synthesized from the sugars in the cellulosic biomass of grasses, other non-food crops and agricultural waste, advanced biofuels represent a sustainable, non-polluting source of transportation fuel that would also generate domestic jobs and revenue. A recent report from the National Research Council stressed the need for advanced biofuels if the United States is to significantly reduce its use of fossil fuels in the coming decades. Fossil fuels are responsible for the annual release of nearly nine billion metric tons of excess carbon into the atmosphere.

Unlike the simple starch-based glucose sugars in corn and other grains, the sugars in cellulosic biomass are complex polysaccharides that must be extricated from a tough polymer called lignin and then broken down into fermentable glucose, a process called saccharification. Because individual cellulases interact preferentially with cellulose structures based on distinct structural motifs, saccharification is carried out with mixtures of cellulase enzymes -- called enzyme cocktails. To date the efficiency of these cellulose-to-glucose conversions has been limited, in part because of a limited ability to probe and study the interactions between cellulase enzymes and cellulose.

"The cellulose structures to which cellulase enzymes bind have always been classified as either crystalline or amorphous but these categories were probably more reflec?tive of the limitations of imaging methods than the underlying structural organization of the cellulose," says Jerome Fox, lead author of the Nature Chemical Biology paper and a member of Blanch and Clark's research groups. "Previously, it was not possible to resolve individual proteins on densely labeled heterogeneous surfaces, such as those in plant cell walls, and determine the specific location where an individual enzyme molecule was binding."

Enter PALM, a technique in which target proteins are labeled with tags that fluoresce when activated by weak ultraviolet light. By keeping the intensity of the UV light sufficiently low, researchers can photoactivate individual proteins to image them and determine their location.

"We're the first to use PALM to study the interplay of enzyme activity and substrate heterogeneity," says Liphardt, an expert in PALM technology. "This enables us to quantify how and where enzymes are binding to the cellulose."

Working with cotton -- a well-defined cellulosic material -- as their model system, the researchers applied PALM imaging in combination with a mathematical analysis they devised. Their results showed that cellulases exhibit specificities for cellulose structures that have many different levels of organization, ranging from the highly ordered to the highly disordered. They also developed a metric to show that combinations of cellulases designed to bind to cellulose structural organizations that are similar but not identical can generate valuable synergistic activity.

"We found that the specificity of a cellulase for a particular level of cellulose organization influences its ability to catalyze cellulose hydrolysis alongside other cellulases with different specificities," says Clark. "In particular, cellulases that bind within similar, but non-identical organizations have synergistic activity that could not be predicted from the more classical crystalline-or-amorphous cellulose classification system."

The new PALM-based technique should allow enzyme cock?tails to be optimally matched to the structural organizations of particular biomass substrates, such as grass or wood, so that all potential avenues of enzyme synergy can be exploited. This will increase saccharification efficiencies, which in turn will help reduce biofuel production costs. The technique also has applications beyond biofuels.

"Our technique takes us toward a much more complete understanding of how enzymes work on solid surfaces," Blanch says. "With this technique, we should be able to tell where any enzyme binds to a solid material and that can help in the design of cellulases for other cellulose materials"

In addition to Blanch, Liphardt, Clark and Fox, other co-authors of the paper "A single-molecule analysis reveals morphological targets for cellulase synergy" were Phillip Jess, Rakesh Jambusaria and Genny Moo.

EBI, which provided the funding for this research, is a collaborative partnership between BP, the funding agency, UC Berkeley, Berkeley Lab and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Jerome M Fox, Phillip Jess, Rakesh B Jambusaria, Genny M Moo, Jan Liphardt, Douglas S Clark, Harvey W Blanch. A single-molecule analysis reveals morphological targets for cellulase synergy. Nature Chemical Biology, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.1227

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/biochemistry/~3/jsFI0U8hfzA/130408103342.htm

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Retinoic acid gradient visualized for the first time in an embryo

Retinoic acid gradient visualized for the first time in an embryo [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 7-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Juliette Savin
pr@riken.jp
81-048-462-1225
RIKEN

In a ground-breaking study, researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan report a new technique that allows them to visualize the distribution of retinoic acid in a live zebrafish embryo, in real-time. This technique enabled them to observe two concentration gradients going in opposing directions along the head-to-tail axis of the embryo, thus providing long-awaited evidence that retinoic acid is a morphogen.

The report, published today in the journal Nature, puts an end to a long-standing debate around the presence of retinoic acid gradients across the vertebrate embryo, during the early stages of development. It also sheds light on the role of retinoic acid in tissue development.

Retinoic acid has been thought to be a morphogen, a signalling molecule that diffuses throughout the embryo switching genes on and off and imparting different cell fates depending on its concentration. However, retinoic acid concentration gradients had never been visualized because retinoic acid cannot be tagged with the commonly used 'green fluorescent protein' GFP, or GFP-like proteins, as label.

"Until now no one had succeeded in monitoring the concentration of retinoic acid in real-time in a live embryo, and there was no direct data proving the existence of a retinoic acid gradient in the vertebrate embryo, explains Dr. Miyawaki, who led the research.

In order to monitor the concentration of retinoic acid in live zebrafish embryos at the early stages of their development, Dr. Miyawaki and his colleague Dr. Shimozono developed a technique to tag the molecule that acts as receptor for retinoic acid with genetically-encoded, coloured fluorophores. Based on the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), the tags allow them to visualize the presence of retinoic acid and quantitatively determine its concentration over time.

By combining this technique with pharmacological and genetic manipulations, Miyawaki and his team demonstrate the presence of two linear retinoic acid concentration gradients across the antero-posterior axis of the embryo, from the trunk area to the head and the tail. Their findings suggest that retinoic acid diffuses quickly, thus establishing stable and robust gradients that are resistant to external perturbations.

"A better understanding of the gradients of retinoic acid is essential for research into the patterns of tissue development. It is necessary if we ever want to control the development of three-dimensional tissue structures from induced pluripotent stem cells, for regenerative medicine for example," concludes Dr. Miyawaki.

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Retinoic acid gradient visualized for the first time in an embryo [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 7-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Juliette Savin
pr@riken.jp
81-048-462-1225
RIKEN

In a ground-breaking study, researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan report a new technique that allows them to visualize the distribution of retinoic acid in a live zebrafish embryo, in real-time. This technique enabled them to observe two concentration gradients going in opposing directions along the head-to-tail axis of the embryo, thus providing long-awaited evidence that retinoic acid is a morphogen.

The report, published today in the journal Nature, puts an end to a long-standing debate around the presence of retinoic acid gradients across the vertebrate embryo, during the early stages of development. It also sheds light on the role of retinoic acid in tissue development.

Retinoic acid has been thought to be a morphogen, a signalling molecule that diffuses throughout the embryo switching genes on and off and imparting different cell fates depending on its concentration. However, retinoic acid concentration gradients had never been visualized because retinoic acid cannot be tagged with the commonly used 'green fluorescent protein' GFP, or GFP-like proteins, as label.

"Until now no one had succeeded in monitoring the concentration of retinoic acid in real-time in a live embryo, and there was no direct data proving the existence of a retinoic acid gradient in the vertebrate embryo, explains Dr. Miyawaki, who led the research.

In order to monitor the concentration of retinoic acid in live zebrafish embryos at the early stages of their development, Dr. Miyawaki and his colleague Dr. Shimozono developed a technique to tag the molecule that acts as receptor for retinoic acid with genetically-encoded, coloured fluorophores. Based on the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), the tags allow them to visualize the presence of retinoic acid and quantitatively determine its concentration over time.

By combining this technique with pharmacological and genetic manipulations, Miyawaki and his team demonstrate the presence of two linear retinoic acid concentration gradients across the antero-posterior axis of the embryo, from the trunk area to the head and the tail. Their findings suggest that retinoic acid diffuses quickly, thus establishing stable and robust gradients that are resistant to external perturbations.

"A better understanding of the gradients of retinoic acid is essential for research into the patterns of tissue development. It is necessary if we ever want to control the development of three-dimensional tissue structures from induced pluripotent stem cells, for regenerative medicine for example," concludes Dr. Miyawaki.

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/r-rag040413.php

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Schumer sees deal this week on immigration

(AP) ? Sen. Chuck Schumer said Sunday he's hoping for a bipartisan deal by the end of this week on a sweeping immigration bill to secure the border and allow eventual citizenship to the estimated 11 million people living here illegally.

"All of us have said that there will be no agreement until the eight of us agree to a big, specific bill, but hopefully we can get that done by the end of the week," said Schumer, D-N.Y., who's leading efforts by eight senators to craft the legislation. "That's what we're on track to do."

Schumer spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation" alongside Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., another leader of the immigration talks, who suggested there could be a tough road ahead for the contentious legislation.

"There will be a great deal of unhappiness about this proposal because everybody didn't get what they wanted," McCain said. "There are entrenched positions on both sides of this issue as far as business and labor."

A deal on immigration is a top second-term priority for President Barack Obama, and his senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer said Sunday that the bill being developed in the Senate is completely consistent Obama's approach ? even though the Senate plan would tie border security to a path to citizenship in a manner Obama administration officials have criticized.

Pfeiffer didn't answer directly when asked on "Fox News Sunday" whether Obama would sign legislation making a path to citizenship contingent on first securing the border, as negotiators in the Senate are doing. But he suggested Obama was supportive of the Senate plan.

"What they are looking at and what has been talked about in the Gang of Eight proposal is 100 percent consistent with what the president is doing so we feel very good about it," Pfeiffer said. "And they are looking at it in the right way."

Obama has stressed that a path to citizenship should not have major hurdles in front of it, and some immigration advocates believe that's what a requirement for a secure border would amount to. Obama's Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano, has rejected the argument that border security must be achieved before a comprehensive immigration package or any pathway to legalized status can be done.

But Republicans involved in the Senate negotiations have made clear that border security is a must for them before those living here illegally can be allowed to move toward citizenship.

"We are going to secure that border and it will be tied to a pathway to citizenship or there will be no deal," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., another negotiator on the bill, said Sunday.

Graham also suggested that disagreement over a new low-skilled worker program could still be hanging up an overall immigration deal ? even after an agreement a week ago between the AFL-CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The hard-won deal between labor and business would ultimately allow up to 200,000 workers a year into the U.S. to fill jobs in construction, hospitality, nursing homes and other areas where employers now say they have a difficult time hiring Americans or legally bringing in foreign workers. Even after the deal was struck, some industries, such as construction, continued to voice complaints about the terms.

Without offering details, Graham said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that negotiators were revisiting the low-skilled worker deal. But he issued a statement a short time later saying he was confident the agreement would hold.

Graham sounded optimistic overall, predicting the bill would pass the 100-member Senate with 70 votes in favor. Senators believe an overwhelming bipartisan vote is needed in the Democratic-led Senate to ensure a chance of success in the Republican-controlled House. Floor action could start in the Senate in May, Schumer said.

Meanwhile two lawmakers involved in writing a bipartisan immigration bill in the House, Reps. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., sounded optimistic that they, too, would have a deal soon that could be reconciled with the Senate agreement.

"I am very, very optimistic that the House of Representatives is going to have a plan that is going to be able to go to a conference with the Senate in which we're going to be able to resolve this," Gutierrez said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union".

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-04-07-Immigration/id-dde02a8041e444c6ae5adb348dda5a02

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Sunday, April 7, 2013

Arterial Hypertension Treatment with Siberian Pine Nut Oil | Your ...

newsPine Nut Oil.org released clinical study for Siberian pine nut oil in the comprehensive treatment of patients with arterial hypertension.

In patients with arterial hypertension who are receiving basic hypertension treatment, the consumption of a 17.5 g daily dose of Siberian pine nut oil demonstrated a cholesterol lowering effect, was accompanied by the normalization of the lipid spectrum of the blood and systolic pressure, and a decrease in excess body mass.

The prime objective in treating a patient with arterial hypertension is to lower his elevated blood pressure and thereby reduce the risk of the onset of cardiovascular complications that occur, as is well known, on the background of an elevated level of cholesterol in the blood and general obesity.

The goal of this study is to determine the level of effectiveness of using of Siberian oil in the comprehensive therapy of arterial hypertension.

Doctor Vika Budaeva (Medical Doctor, Professor of Biysk Institute of Technology, I. I. Polzunov Altai State Technical University, Biysk, Russia) said: ?In our study we used Siberian pine nut oil from http://www.SiberianPineNutOil.org, made according to the original technology of cold-pressing. It is a transparent liquid with the color of golden straw, a delicate nutty taste, and a characteristic aroma. The oil is obtained by the cold pressing of selected shelled kernels. The oil obtained in this manner is packed only in a glass container. The produced oil is unrefined and therefore the most valuable, since it preserves the natural fatty-acid composition of the kernel of the pine nut, tocopherols, sterols, phosphatides, and other native biologically active components, which ensure an extended shelf life of the product.?

Doctor V. Budaeva explained that ?The study was conducted with the participation of two groups of patient-participants in the ?School for Arterial Hypertension Patients? at Municipal Hospital No. 4 at Biysk. The basic group and control group did not differ in the age of the subjects or the expression of arterial hypertension (I-II stage), the blood content of total cholesterol, and also the body mass index. Patients in both groups received basic hypertension therapy and followed the recommendations for their diet. Patients of the first, basic group, in distinction to the second, control group, over the course of three months took a daily dose of 17.5 g of Siberian pine nut oil (as desired: on an empty stomach, one tablespoon twice a day, or during the consumption of meals, as part of vegetable salads).?

Doctor Budaeva stated that ?In patients of the first group, after one month, a substantial lowering of the level of LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and the atherogenic index was detected, after three months the lipid reducing effect of Siberian pine nut oil was even more pronounced. The level of HDL cholesterol in patients who received oil reliably increased after one month by 35%, and after three months, by 29% from the initial point. As a result, indicators, such as the level of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides reached the target value, while the level of LDL cholesterol was close to it. The atherogenic index, although decreased by 40%, did not reach the target value (2.6), but came to 2.9.

To read the full press release?..Click here

- Courtesy of PRWeb

Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/arterial-hypertension-treatment-with-siberian-pine-nut-oil/

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FINALS WATCH: Clean game, Advantage Michigan

ATLANTA (AP) ? Around the Final Four and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of everything surrounding the games.

___

CLEAN GAME

If it seems like this game is going faster than the first semifinal that's because there is more of a flow to it. It probably won't turn into the foul-fest that slowed down the Louisville-Wichita State matchup.

Michigan doesn't foul much, and the Wolverines don't draw very many fouls either. At the end of the first half with Michigan leading 36-25 only eight fouls have been called.

Louisville and Wichita State combined for a total of 43 fouls.

On offense, Michigan is getting contributions from its bench. Caris LeVert ? who at one point looked like he might redshirt the season ? has made a couple 3-pointers. He had 11 3-pointers all season before the national semifinal.

Spike Albrecht has also hit one from beyond the arc.

? Noah Trister ? http://twitter.com/@noahtrister

___

MICHIGAN TIMEOUT

A reminder of an infamous moment in Michigan basketball history can be seen near the court.

There's a sign that says "TIME OUTS LEFT" with the No. 5 on it. Hard to tell if the tone is a mocking one or if it's just a Michigan fan trying to be helpful. There is a block "M'' on the message.

Former Michigan star Chris Webber called a timeout in the last seconds of the 1993 championship game against North Carolina ? but the Wolverines didn't have any left. The play resulted in technical fouls against Michigan and the Tar Heels went on to win 77-71.

? Noah Trister

___

ADVANTAGE MICHIGAN?

Michigan fans are making their presence felt, but it isn't helping the Wolverines find their shooting touch.

This is a road game for Syracuse. The Orange are well-represented but they're outnumbered by Michigan fans. And the Wolverines faithful are loud.

Michigan seems to want to shoot over the top of the Syracuse zone. After five minutes, the Wolverines started just 1 of 6 shooting from behind the arc.

? John Affleck ? http://twitter.com/@affleckap

___

SYRACUSE vs. MICHIGAN

Louisville's got next.

Now, Syracuse and Michigan are playing to see which other team gets to stay on the court.

The Wolverines and Orange have tipped off the second half of the Final Four doubleheader at the Georgia Dome.

The winner between the No. 4 seeds will play Louisville, which rallied from a 12-point deficit to defeat Wichita State 72-68.

?Eddie Pells ? http://twitter.com/@epells

___

AIRCRAFT CARRIER vs. GEORGIA DOME

Syracuse forward James Southerland downplays the difficulties of shooting at the Georgia Dome.

"It can't be worse than a ship," Southerland said after practicing at the dome in preparation for the Final Four.

The Orange play their home games in the smaller Carrier Dome but opened the season against San Diego State in a game played on an aircraft carrier.

Mr. Southerland is about to find out which is tougher.

? Eddie Pells

___

MICHAEL JORDAN

The Final Four isn't the first time the Georgia Dome has held a massive crowd by basketball standards.

On March 27, 1998, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls played the Atlanta Hawks in the Georgia Dome as the Hawks' new Philips Arena was being built. The allure of seeing Jordan's last visit to Atlanta with the Bulls attracted a crowd of 62,046 ? the largest in NBA history.

Jordan, now owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, came back to Atlanta in his two seasons with the Washington Wizards.

? Charles Odum ? http://twitter.com/@CharlesOdum

___

LOUISVILLE ADVANCES

Louisville is moving on to the national championship game.

Barely.

Russ Smith scored 21 points, Luke Hancock added 20 off the bench and the Cardinals rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half to beat Wichita State 72-68.

The Cardinals move on to face either Michigan or Syracuse in Monday night's title game. Those teams will tip off in about a half hour at the Georgia Dome.

For the Shockers, a surprising run through the NCAA tournament is over.

Injured Louisville guard watched the game from the bench, his broken leg propped in a chair. He couldn't even watch in the closing seconds, covering his eyes with his No. 5 jersey. But he was celebrating at the buzzer.

? Paul Newberry ? http://twitter.com/@pnewberry1963

___

HANCOCK SHINES

Luke Hancock led Louisville to the brink of a spot in the national championship game.

Hancock came off the bench to score 20 points, pushing the Cardinals to a 72-68 lead win over Wichita State.

? Paul Newberry

___

WARE FACTOR

Can the Louisville story get any better?

Walk-on has swished back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Cardinals within 47-41 of Wichita State in the Final Four.

Henderson is getting more playing time because of the gruesome injury to Kevin Ware.

Now, the fill-in is coming up big for the Cardinals, who have battled back and lead 60-58 with 3:50 to play.

? Paul Newberry

___

FRESHMAN SHINES

Freshman Ron Baker is coming up big in the Final Four.

The Wichita State guard leads the Shockers with 11 points and five rebounds, a big reason the ninth-seeded team from Kansas has a 38-31 lead with just under 16 minutes remaining.

Baker has already made three shots from beyond the arc, and he's helping the Shockers cope with Louisville's suffocating press.

Louisville star Russ Smith leads all scorers with 12 points.

? Paul Newberry

___

HOLDING ONTO THE BALL

Louisville has forced at least 11 turnovers in every game this season. So far, the Cardinals have forced just four against Wichita State.

The Shockers have not been too rattled by the press and have stayed out of trouble in the halfcourt. They also have seven offensive rebounds.

Usually it's Louisville that creates all those extra opportunities. Not yet.

? Noah Trister

___

NOT INTIMIDATED

Say this about the Shockers: They aren't intimidated by mighty Louisville.

No. 9 seed Wichita State, trying to become the lowest-seeded team to win a national title, is holding its own against the top overall seed in the first game of the Final Four.

The Shockers lead the Cardinals 26-25 despite shooting just 30 percent from the field. Wichita State is putting its experience to good use against Louisville's touted press. The Shockers have only four turnovers, compared to seven for the Cardinals.

? Paul Newberry

___

THE BIG SLOW DOWN

Wichita State wanted to make the Final Four a knock-down, drag-out fight, and so far it's working. The blue-collar team has done a fairly good job the first half of breaking Louisville's press, and that's turned the game into a half-court blood-and-guts tussle.

Literally, in the case of Carl Hall.

The Shockers' high-energy forward spent an entire timeout with a wad of cotton stuck up his nostril after getting a bloody nose during one flurry under the basket.

? Dave Skretta ? http://twitter.com/@APdaveskretta

___

SHOCKING START

Top overall seed Louisville began like it was trying a little too hard to win one for Kevin Ware.

With the injured guard watching from the bench, the Cardinals got off to a dreadful start at the Final Four. They trailed Wichita State 8-0 at the first television timeout, turning it over twice and going 0-for-4 at the foul line.

? Paul Newberry

___

'GREAT TO BE HOME'

A broken leg couldn't keep Kevin Ware from sharing the Final Four experience with his Louisville teammates.

There was a loud cheer Saturday when Ware, wearing his No. 5 jersey and supported by crutches, followed his teammates onto the floor before the NCAA semifinal against Wichita State. Ware sat in a chair by the Louisville bench and propped up his surgically repaired right leg on a stack of towels situated on another chair.

Ware's right tibia snapped and broke through his skin in Sunday's Midwest Regional win over Duke. He had surgery Sunday night, was released two days later and on Wednesday flew with the team to Atlanta.

Ware said before the game he feels "great" and added "Obviously, it's great to be home."

Ware signed with Louisville from Rockdale County High School, about 30 miles east of Atlanta.

Louisville players paid tribute to Ware, No. 5, as they wore T-shirts over their jerseys in pregame warmups with the words "''Ri5e to the Occasion."

? Charles Odum ? http://twitter.com/@CharlesOdum

___

FIRST OUT

Wichita State was the first team to hit the floor at the Final Four on Saturday.

The Shockers slowly walked onto the elevated court of the Georgia Dome more than 60 minutes before their scheduled tip-off against Louisville in the first national semifinal.

Even though they'd had a couple practices in the cavernous football stadium, they still spent a minute staring up at the ceiling, the row upon row of seats and the video screens at each end, almost as if the No. 9 seed was seeing everything for the first time.

Once the balls were finally released by the NCAA, they began their warm-ups in earnest.

Louisville, which played in the Superdome in New Orleans in last year's Final Four, came out about 20 minutes later. The Cardinals wore their suddenly familiar "Ri5e" shirts meant to honor teammate Kevin Ware, who broke his leg in the regional finals against Duke.

? Dave Skretta

___

SHOCKER TRIFECTA

When top-seeded Gonzaga played Wichita State during the first week in Salt Lake City, the game plan revolved around stopping Malcolm Armstead and the Bulldogs succeeded. Armstead scored only eight points. Only problem: Ron Baker and Clhcombined for eight 3-pointers and 32 points. Coach Gregg Marshall said even he wasn't expecting that good a shooting night from his team.

Message to Louisville: There's more than one player to stop on the Shockers.

Message to Shockers: To pull another one, against a team like this, might be best if all those guys ? Armstead, Baker and Early ? are having good nights.

? Eddie Pells

___

THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

The Final Four tips off Saturday night and Steve Kerr has a few ideas on how to improve college basketball games.

"I could go on for a while," said Kerr, who played 15 seasons in the NBA and was the general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007-10. He went to the Final Four with Arizona in 1988 and is working his third straight national semifinals as an analyst for Turner/CBS.

A few of his ideas to watch during the Final Four:

? Eliminate timeouts after made shots. "It just makes the game so choppy."

? Cut out the mandatory media timeouts ? under 16, 12, 8 and 4 minutes on the game clock? if a team calls one just before the scheduled timeout." I understand that you've got to sell advertising, but there's plenty of time for advertising because there's enough timeouts already."

? Don't restart the 10-second backcourt count just because a team called a timeout.

? Change the interpretation of the charge/block so it's geared toward the offensive player. "We've got to make the game more pleasing to watch and more fluid."

? John Marshall ? http://twitter.com/@ jmarshallap

___

WARE 'EM OUT

There continues to be major focus on injured Louisville guard Kevin Ware.

Spotted at an apparel tent outside the Georgia Dome: A red T-shirt saying "WARE 'em out for Kevin."

Ware's compound leg fracture in last Sunday's regional final was probably the tournament's most gruesome moment, but the Cardinals have rallied around him at the Final Four. Louisville faces underdog Wichita State in Saturday night's semifinals.

? Noah Trister ? http://twitter.com/@noahtrister

___

FINAL FOUR FEVER

Spring weather arrived Saturday before Louisville and Wichita State tipped off the Final Four inside the Georgia Dome.

And some 100,000 fans descended on downtown Atlanta in the sunny, 70-degree weather? an estimated 20,000 packed Olympic Centennial Park to enjoy the free festivities and about 70,000 inside the arena.

? Charles Odum

___

NCAA Finals Watch follows the Final Four games and all the activities surrounding the event as seen by journalists from The Associated Press from across Atlanta. It will be updated throughout the day with breaking news and other items of interest. Follow AP reporters on Twitter where available.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/finals-watch-clean-game-advantage-michigan-021839301--spt.html

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What was the politic status of Rome and how can it be compared with its evolution to today?

Rome began as a Republic before it's imperial period. During its Republican period Rome was relatively small and unimportant. It had trade, but not at the level of nearby Carthage. It had a military but often relied on mercenaries from nearby, warlike peoples.

Its rise was a mix of determination during wars it should have lost, opportunism and luck in the beginning, followed by good organizational skills and flexibility on and off the battlefield.

As a side note, the Han dynasty in China was around at the same time as early Rome and was similarly powerful and populous.

Source: http://www.quora.com/World-History/What-was-the-politic-status-of-Rome-and-how-can-it-be-compared-with-its-evolution-to-today

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'Green' skyscraper demolition in Japan

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Source: http://www.kvue.com/marketplace/green/187472961.html

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Samsung 45mm f/1.8

By Jim Fisher

The Samsung 45mm f/1.8 ($299 list) is a fast prime lens for the NX compact interchangeable lens camera system. The lens delivers a field of view that is roughly equivalent to a 70mm lens on a full-frame D-SLR or a 35mm film camera. It's an awkward focal length, a bit too long to be your standard every day lens, and a bit too short for telephoto or to use as a dedicated portrait lens. It's still a sharp optic, but it doesn't oust the Samsung 30mm NX Pancake Lens as our Editors' Choice for standard angle lenses for compact interchangeable lens cameras.

The lens measures 2.4 by 1.8 inches (HD) and weighs 4.1 ounces. Adding the screw-in plastic hood nearly doubles its height. In a departure from the norm, the hood cannot be reversed for storage or transport. Using it will improve contrast and reduce the chance of lens flare, but will also require a bit more space in your gear bag. Minimum focus is limited to 19.7 inches, which is a bit constricting when trying to frame tightly. Samsung doesn't bill this as a macro lens, but it would be nice if it focused a bit closer; the 30mm Pancake lens can focus as close as 9.8 inches. The lens is almost physically identical to the $500 Samsung 45mm f/1.8 2D/3D lens, which allows you to capture 3D photos when used with the latest generation of NX cameras.

Flipping the AF/MF switch to the manual position lets you control the focus as you see fit via a physical ring, but turning it simply tells the camera to adjust the focus via electronic means. The response is rather quick, and the center of the frame is automatically magnified for precise control. It's a much better experience when compared with the sluggish electronic manual focus Canon EOS M shooters must endure. The other control button on the lens is one that is exclusive to the NX system. It activates the iFN system, which gives you quick access to camera settings. After pressing the button you can adjust the settings of your choice via the focus ring.

I used Imatest to check the sharpness of the lens when paired with the Samsung NX210 camera. It's one area where there are no disappointments; it exceeds the 1,800 lines per picture height that we require for a sharp image at every tested aperture. At f/1.8 it records 2,175 lines with sharp results from edge to edge. Stopping down to f/2.8 improves the resolution to 2,327 lines, and the score peaks at 2,586 lines at f/5.6. Distortion is a nonissue; the lens records only 0.3 percent. I did notice some chromatic aberration in the form of blue and red color fringing at the edges of the frame when shooting in Raw mode, but the NX210 removed it from JPG files. It was relatively minor, so Raw shooters won't have any trouble fixing it in Lightroom.

There's no question that the 45mm f/1.8 is a sharp lens, but it occupies an odd place in Samsung's system. The 45mm focal length is a little too long to be an everyday lens, a bit too short to dedicate to portraiture, and it doesn't focus close enough to work as a macro. If you're an NX shooter who opted for the 20mm NX Pancake Lens to supplement your kit lens and want a longer prime to go along with it, you may be attracted to the 45mm f/1.8. But you'll likely be better served with the company's 60mm f/2.8 Macro ED OIS SSA; it's more expensive and about a stop slower, but can focus extremely close. If you're an NX owner and you haven't yet moved beyond the standard zoom, go for the NX 30mm Pancake Lens. It's got a fast f/2 aperture, and its optical size, price, and optical performance were enough to earn our Editors' Choice award.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/lQ-Ot4KCg_A/0,2817,2417389,00.asp

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This Amazing Lego Recreation of Han Solo's Blaster Pistol Will Make You Want to Shoot First

This Lego recreation of Han Solo's DL-44 heavy blaster is incredible. Right down to the wood-colored handle and the offset scope, it looks as authentic as a Lego-built blaster can without actually firing lasers. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/yc8LoqAKoGk/this-amazing-lego-recreation-of-han-solos-blaster-pistol-will-make-you-want-to-shoot-first

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Saturday, April 6, 2013

Judge strikes restrictions on "morning-after" pill

By Jessica Dye

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make "morning-after" emergency contraception pills available without a prescription to all girls of reproductive age, while blasting top Obama administration officials for interfering with the process.

The ruling in a Brooklyn court is the latest step in the years-long legal saga over the pill known as "Plan B," which has sparked political controversy.

Currently, only women age 17 or older can obtain emergency contraception pills without a prescription. Point-of-sale restrictions require that all women present identification to a pharmacist before obtaining the drug.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Edward Korman said the FDA's rejection of requests to remove age restrictions was "arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable."

FDA spokeswoman Erica Jefferson declined to comment on the ruling, saying it was an ongoing legal matter.

The Center for Reproductive Rights and other groups had petitioned the FDA to strike down age and access limits, saying there was no scientific proof that girls younger than 17 could not safely use the drug without supervision.

Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, hailed the ruling. "Women all over the country will no longer face arbitrary delays and barriers just to get emergency contraception," she said.

The ruling is also likely to be well received by medical groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommended last year that pediatricians write advance prescriptions for patients under 17.

But opponents of abortion decried the ruling and warned that the pill's widespread availability could spur criminal activity.

"When these are right out there with the bubble gum, they're going to be part of the date rape cocktail," said Karen Brauer, president of Pharmacists for Life.

Some pharmacists across the United States have refused to dispense emergency contraceptives because it violates their religious faith. Making the pills available over the counter removes the pharmacist's role in dispensing the drug, which Brauer welcomed.

POLITICAL CONTROVERSY

Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd's Plan B in 1999 became the first emergency contraceptive available for prescription use in the United States. The company also markets Plan B One-Step, a one-pill version of Plan B.

"Teva has received the Court's decision and we are currently reviewing it," said company spokeswoman Denise Bradley. "We have no additional comment at this time."

Emergency contraceptives generally sell for $10 to $80. Although they can work as long as 120 hours after unprotected sex, they are most effective in the first 24 hours.

Sanford Bernstein analysts estimate Teva's 2013 sales for Plan B at just $1.5 million, though, because of generic competition like Next Choice from Actavis Inc.

In 2005 the FDA declined to approve over-the-counter sales of the drug, overruling its panel of outside experts as well as its own scientists.

In December 2011 the FDA reversed that stance and moved to approve over-the-counter sales with no age limits. But Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled it, ordering that girls under 17 could only get the pills with a prescription.

As a result of that policy, women well beyond their teens are often asked to present proof of age to show that they are old enough to purchase the pills without a prescription, Judge Korman said.

'QUESTION HER GOOD FAITH'

In his ruling on Friday, Korman said Sebelius' actions were clearly political.

"Nevertheless, even with eyes shut to the motivation for the secretary's decision, the reasons she provided are so unpersuasive as to call into question her good faith," he wrote.

Representatives of the Department of Health and Human Services were not immediately available to comment on the ruling.

One FDA veteran praised the decision, though.

"This has been a 10-year saga during which the FDA was not allowed to do its role properly, not allowed to make science-based decisions," said Susan Wood.

Wood resigned from the FDA as assistant commissioner for women's health in 2005 over its decision not to approve over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception. She is now director of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health at George Washington University in Washington.

"This decision gives the FDA the chance to reclaim its ability to make decisions based on science, medicine and evidence," Wood said, "not politics."

(Reporting by Jessica Dye in New York; Additional reporting by Sharon Begley in New York, Stephanie Simon in Boston and Toni Clarke in Washington; Writing by Ben Berkowitz; Editing by Martha Graybow, Gerald E. McCormick and Lisa Von Ahn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-strikes-restrictions-morning-pill-123759152.html

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Friday, April 5, 2013

BlackBerry Gets A Helping Hand From Canada With A $256M Loan For Telefonica To Buy BB Devices And Services

Image (1) canada_flag.gif for post 96379BlackBerry last week posted better than expected quarterly results, but it's not out of the woods yet. Now Canada is stepping in to help. Today, Export Development Canada, the Canadian export credit agency, announced that it has provided a ?200 million ($256 million) working capital facility to Telefonica, one of the world's biggest mobile operators, to procure BlackBerry smartphones, services and solutions for its global footprint, which covers 315.7 million subscribers across 24 countries.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/QOFsxZ4Bflo/

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Sony about to unleash four new Android smartphones later this year

Sony has been on quite a roll. At least as far as mobile phone launches are concerned. This year alone, five handsets in different segments have been launched by the company. These range from the high-end Xperia Z and ZL to the mid-range Xperia SP to the low-tier Xperia E and Xperia L. But it seems the company is not stopping at just these five.

Separate leaks today point at four other Sony handsets in the work. The first rumour comes from Japan in the form of a Smasoku report, which is based on a leaked roadmap for Sony devices.

More phones headed for the Xperia brand

?


According to the rumour, a certain Sony Xperia A, codenamed Dogo, will be added to the Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo?s line-up sometime in the summer months. It is said to have a 4.6-inch screen and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. Other specs include 2GB of RAM, 32GB of native storage and a 2300 mAh battery capacity. The phone will be water and dust resistant, like the Xperia Z and Tablet Z, and will bring along support for NFC. An IR Blaster is also said to be aboard.

Also on the roadmap is the Sony Xperia UL, which we are dreading to see since it is codenamed Gaga. The phone is said to be very closely based on the Sony Xperia ZL and will also have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 under the hood. Other specs that have leaked of the Xperia UL say it will have 32GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM and a 2300 mAh battery as well as NFC support.

The leaked roadmap also points to a phablet, codenamed Togari, which has been in the news previously. The Togari?s supposed front panel was leaked earlier this year and the rumour along with it said the phablet will have 6.4-inch full HD display. The rumour also says that Togari is currently being shown around to carriers in Japan in hope of a summer release.

Another rumour coming our way from Digitimes says, ?Sony plans to roll out a 5-inch entry-level model in the third quarter, which is likely to be powered by a MediaTek quad-core processor and manufactured by Arima, indicated the industry sources.? If this is true, then Sony may be looking at markets like India with this phone, where smartphones with high-specs and low-prices have been highly successful.

Source: http://tech2.com.feedsportal.com/c/34190/f/619587/s/2a5b1c2d/l/0Ltech20Bin0N0Cnews0Csmartphones0Csony0Eabout0Eto0Eunleash0Efour0Enew0Eandroid0Esmartphones0Elater0Ethis0Eyear0C855412/story01.htm

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