Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/281254876?client_source=feed&format=rss
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বৃহস্পতিবার, ৩১ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৩
Nature Communications ? Nanoparticles Digging the World's ...
Graphite consists of layered carbon atoms. A metal particle bores into the graphite sample from the edges of these layers. Image: KIT
The world?s smallest tunnels have a width of a few nanometers only. Researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Rice University, USA, have dug such tunnels into graphite samples. This will allow structuring of the interior of materials through self-organization in the nanometer range and tailoring of nanoporous graphite for applications in medicine and battery technology. Results are now presented in the scientific journal Nature Communications. (DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2399)
The tunnels are manufactured applying nickel nanoparticles to graphite which then is heated in the presence of hydrogen gas. The surface of the metal particles, that measure a few nanometers only, serves as a catalyst removing the carbon atoms of the graphite and converting them by means of hydrogen into the gas methane. Through capillary forces, the nickel particle is drawn into the ?hole? that forms and bores through the material. The size of the tunnels obtained in the experiments was in the range of 1 to 50 nanometers, which about corresponds to one thousandth of the diameter of a human hair.
To furnish proof of the real existence of these graphite tunnels, the researchers have made use of scanning electron and scanning tunneling microscopy. ?Microscopes, in fact, image only the upper layers of the sample,? the principal authors of the study, Maya Lukas and Velimir Meded from KIT?s Institute of Nanotechnology, explain. ?The tunnels below these upper layers, however, leave atomic structures on the surface whose courses can be traced and which can be assigned to the nanotunnels by means of the very detailed scanning tunneling microscopy images and based on computerized simulations.? In addition, the depth of the tunnels was determined precisely by means of a series of images taken by a scanning electron microscope from different perspectives.
Porous graphite is used, for example, in the electrodes of lithium ion batteries. The charge time could be reduced using materials with appropriate pore sizes. In medicine, porous graphite could serve as a carrier of drugs to be released over longer periods of time. Replacing graphite by nonconductive materials, e.g. boron nitride,? with atomic structures similar to that of graphite,? the tunnels could serve as basic structures for nanoelectronic components such as novel sensors or solar cells.
The graphite tunnel study was carried out by the study groups headed by Pulickel M. Ajayan from Rice University, USA, and Ralph Krupke and Wolfgang Wenzel from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
For further information on research by the KIT study groups, please refer to www.int.kit.edu.
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Global shares, oil steady before U.S. data, Fed meeting
LONDON (Reuters) - European shares consolidated near two-year highs on Tuesday and oil prices steadied as investors seeking evidence of a lasting economic recovery awaited U.S. data and a Federal Reserve policy decision later in the week.
U.S. stock futures signaled Wall Street would probably open lower before a series of earnings reports, although the S&P 500 index <.spx> had held above the 1,500 point level on Monday, suggesting there was still support for the market. <.n/>
Accommodative monetary policies by the world's major central banks, signs of an end to the euro zone crisis and solid corporate results have spurred investors back into riskier assets this year, despite expectations of modest global growth.
Analysts believe the current pause is likely to be only temporary given the demand by investors for higher returns after years of holding safe but low yielding assets.
"The markets are currently overbought after one of the longest winning streaks in years and we are due for a period of consolidation. This will probably not be too violent as there is a lot of money waiting at the sidelines," Philippe Gijsels, head of research at BNP Paribas Fortis Global Markets, said.
Gains across Asian markets on Tuesday, led by a big rally in Australian shares, helped to lift MSCI's world equity index <.miwd00000pus> by 0.15 percent to near a 20-month high.
The FTSE Eurofirst 300 index <.fteu3> of top European shares was virtually flat, although it hit a 23-month high on Monday. Share markets in London <.ftse>, Paris <.fchi> and Frankfurt <.gdaxi> were flat to slightly lower.
Peter Sullivan, head of European Equity Strategy at HSBC, said the past 9 weeks have seen steady equity inflows from retail investors after four years dominated by outflows.
Sullivan said these new equity flows were going primarily into emerging markets and Europe but they did not yet represent a full switch from bonds to equities. "Bond flows remain positive, they are just at a reduced level," he said.
FED AWAITED
Investors now await the outcome of the two-day Federal Reserve policy meeting which begins later in the day. The Fed is not expected to change its stance after deciding only in December to loosen conditions further. However, investors are watching to see if changes in the membership of the policy-setting committee for 2013 could signal a shift in the future.
"At their last meeting they talked about potentially slowing the rate of purchases within QE3 (quantitative easing)," said Nic Brown, head of commodity research at Natixis. "If we get any more talk like that, it would be an interesting signal that the Fed thinks that there is more than enough liquidity in the system."
The first estimate of U.S. fourth-quarter gross domestic product is also will be released on Wednesday, followed by the non-farm payrolls report on Friday.
In Europe investors are looking to Spanish GDP data and Italian and German debt auctions on Wednesday, and the first big day of European earnings on Thursday to confirm the improving outlook for region. Official data on China's giant manufacturing and services sectors due on Friday will also be important, especially for commodities markets.
Brent crude and U.S. oil were mixed on Tuesday but, in line with equities, movements were limited with Brent crude up 13 cents to $113.35 a barrel and U.S. crude rising 11 cents to $96.55.
STEADY TONE
Gold snapped a four-day losing streak to rise 0.5 percent to around $1,663.50 an ounce, but any hint that the Fed is considering an end to its loose monetary policy would probably send the precious metal down.
Copper on the London Metal Exchange rose to $8,043 a tonne, up slightly from a close of $8,030 on Monday.
The euro slipped for a second straight day against the dollar to $1.3435, although it was not far from Friday's 11-month high of $1.3480, which was its highest since February last year.
The common currency gained a big boost at the end of last week from news of early repayments by euro zone banks of three-year loans to the European Central Bank, which suggested that parts of the banking system may be on the mend.
The euro, which has risen 1.8 percent against the dollar and over 4 percent against the yen since the start of 2013, faces a series of major resistance levels near $1.35, including its 2012 high of $1.34869.
Meanwhile the market for German government bonds was stabilizing after the positive news on the European banks and some better than expected U.S. data had caused a selloff on Monday.
Ten-year German yields were 1.6 basis points lower at 1.68 percent, according to Reuters data, just off Monday's 4-1/2 month high of 1.712 percent and almost 40 basis points higher since the end of last year.
U.S. Treasury 10-year note yields were also flat at 1.96 percent having broken through 2 percent for the first time since last April on Monday.
(Additional reporting by Harpreet Bhal)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-cautious-fed-u-data-021048785--finance.html
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Brockley Central: Family gardening day in Deptford | The online ...
Sunday 3rd February, 12pm to 4pm
Old Tidemill community garden
Frankham street
SE8 4RN
http://assembly-se8.tumblr.com/
The Assembly?writes:
We are hosting a mums and kids-friendly volunteering day on Sun 3rd February to bring life to the Old Tidemill community garden in Deptford. Located in Frankham street, just off the Deptford library, counts a recently built tree house, a circular pond and theatre space.
Local families in Lewisham are invited to join cleaning, digging and planting seeds for the spring season. The Assembly aims to create a community space where kids can play and learn about plants, animals and design. Please wear suitable clothing for being outside and potentially getting a bit muddy.
Source: http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/2013/01/family-gardening-day-in-deptford.html
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বুধবার, ৩০ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৩
FHFA Reports Mortgage Interest Rates - Federal Housing Finance ...
Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.
Source: http://www.fhfa.gov/webfiles/24921/MIRS_Jan_2013_final.pdf
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The Simplest Makeover of All ? Paint - Aussie Blog
If you are preparing to sell, or have just bought a dated place in need of a makeover, painting is the simplest way to breathe new life into a room and even make it look bigger or smaller.
Handyman Magazine has kindly given us permission to share an excerpt of painting tips from its February issue.
Following the Trends
?It appears homeowners are getting bored with neutrals,? says interior designer and TV host Shaynna Blaze.
?The minimalist style has been prevalent for the last decade but now it?s about character and personality.?
During her 20 years in interior design Shaynna has redecorated many homes and says that while
a lot of people still play it safe with whites and neutrals, she believes a real connection to a space is forged when colour is introduced.
?Richness is the key word at the moment. Jewel hues with amazing depth are popular, particularly in sunburst colours such as tangerine orange and beautiful honeysuckle pink,? she says.
?At the same time peacock blues are also in demand, ranging from turquoise to emerald.?
A Simple Equation
Too many different colours can overwhelm so as a general rule the dominant colour should take
up 60% of the space, an intermediate colour another 30% and an accent colour the remaining 10%.
?I suggest taking the colour cues from an accessory,? says Shaynna.
?Also take into account the mood you wish to create. These two factors can make selecting the right palette pretty straightforward.?
Setting the Scene
Colour choice sets the ambience of the room so take time to consider the atmosphere you want to create.
White is seen as peaceful and feels airy but black is considered overwhelming and depressing.
Strong colours like red, yellow and violet are thought to raise energy and heighten emotions. The colours of nature, such as greens, blues and earthy neutrals, are perceived to be the most calming and restful.
Shaynna emphasises that a heavy-handed approach with strong colour is likely to backfire.
?It?s not about dramatic feature walls and challenging the senses, it?s about using beautiful colour in ways you?re comfortable with and can live with for at least five years until the next paint job is needed.?
Handyman Magazine is available via subscription or from Bunnings outlets.
To subscribe to Handyman, call 1300 138 900 or go to handyman.net.au
Source: http://blog.aussie.com.au/simplest-makeover-paint/
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Mayer's 'Rigoletto,' set in Vegas, opens at Met
In this Friday, Jan. 25 2013 photo, Zeljko Lucic, left, performs the title roll alongside Stefan Kocan performing as Sparafucile during the final dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
In this Friday, Jan. 25 2013 photo, Zeljko Lucic, left, performs the title roll alongside Stefan Kocan performing as Sparafucile during the final dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
In this Friday, Jan. 25 2013 photo, Piotr Beczala performs as The Duke during the final dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
In this Friday, Jan. 25 2013 photo, Diana Damrau performs as Gilda during the final dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
In this Friday, Jan. 25 2013 photo, Piotr Beczala, left, performs as The Duke alongside Diana Damrau performing as Gilda during the final dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
In this Friday, Jan. 25 2013 photo, Piotr Beczala performs as The Duke during the final dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
NEW YORK (AP) ? For all the bright lights and razzle-dazzle of the Las Vegas locale, the most illuminating stretches in Michael Mayer's showy new production of "Rigoletto" at the Metropolitan Opera occurred when the three commanding singers were left alone at the front of the stage and the splashy scenery receded into the background.
The opening-act fan dancers were distracting and the third-act topless stripper/hooker was gratuitous. Countess Ceprano resembled Marilyn Monroe and the Count of Monterone was an Arab sheik. Gilda was carried off in a sarcophagus when she was kidnapped, then died in the trunk of a Cadillac Coupe Deville.
Clearly this wasn't the "Rigoletto" that played at the Met 841 previous times over 129 years.
Overall, Mayer's transfer of Verdi's first great middle-period opera from 16th-century Mantua to a 1960 hotel and casino on the Strip resulted in straightforward storytelling. The gamble with regietheater was largely successful, an entertaining, bold rendition that some will conclude lacks new insight and others will find frenetic and fun. The notoriously conservative Met audience mostly cheered the Tony-winning director following Monday night's production premiere, with only a few boos scattered in.
In her first performance since giving birth to her second child in October, Diana Damrau gave a searing, loving portrayal of Gilda, a total melding of her silvery soprano with the persona of a vulnerable, confused young girl, unsure how to deal with her overprotective father and sexual awakening amid the bawdy decadence of Sin City.
Zeljko Lucic let loose a fierce and pained baritone as Rigoletto, combining with Damrau for an unforgettable second-act duet filled with emotion, inflection and even tears. Piotr Beczala as the Duke was a breezy, sleazy leader of the Rat Pack, a Frank Sinatra-type lurching from bender to hookup. His arias were winning and convincing, his tenor perhaps underpowered by the slightest tad.
Even before opening night, there was sharp disagreement among aficionados over Mayer's switch from the Renaissance Palazzo Ducale to a casino floor filled with slot machines, gambling tables and faux neon. The photos and videos posted on the Met's Facebook page inflamed factions pro and con that contemptuously regard each other as Luddites and Jacobins.
The locale of "Rigoletto" changed even before its first performance in 1851 ? Francesco Maria Piave adapted the libretto from an 1832 Victor Hugo play set in France, but objections by censors led to the shift to Italy. In recent decades, Jonathan Miller's controversial 1982 English National Opera production, filled with Mafioso in New York's Little Italy circa 1950, has been followed by concepts as goofy as relocating the action to "The Planet of the Apes" in a 2005 staging in Munich, Germany.
Rigoletto, the Duke's court jester in Piave's libretto, is transformed by Mayer into a hanger-on and comic along the lines of Don Rickles and Joey Bishop. Monterone's curse created what some may perceive as an anti-Semitic overtone.
Like Franco Zeffirelli with his hyper-realistic sets for the Met's productions of "La Boheme," ''Tosca" and "Turandot" in the 1980s, Mayer, set designer Christine Jones and lighting designer Kevin Adams go for spectacle, sometimes at the expense of clarity.
The Duke's opening "Questa o quella (This or that)" is delivered while clothed in a white tuxedo jacket. He waves an arm and croons into a microphone ? no worries, amplification is not used ? as eight dancers shake large yellow-and-orange feathers. Rigoletto's biting humor is lost in the extravaganza, to some extent evaporating that plotline and the reason for the anger of the Duke's toadies.
The staging settles down after that, with a few silhouetted palm trees in green and gold, enabling the basic story to come through: the kidnapping of Gilda by an entourage mistaking her for Rigoletto's mistress, the lecherous Duke's rape of Gilda, her unwavering crush and her father's quest for revenge. In the calamitous conclusion, she disguises herself in a trench coat and hat, allowing herself to be killed by the hit man her father hired to murder the Duke.
The Duke sings "Possente amor (A great love)" while swilling Scotch from a bottle (one verse only) and "La donna e mobile (Women are fickle)" while swinging around the stripper pole.
Monterone is shot in the head at the Duke's apartment ? which has three chandeliers that are replicas of the ones hanging from the Met's ceiling. Sparafucile's inn becomes a seedy strip club out in the desert.
Mayer, making his opera debut, has a keen eye for detail. Gilda dabs tears from her father's eyes and with an embarrassed look buttons the top of her dress as she speaks with her father. She clutches and smells the white coat the Duke leaves on his apartment floor. While nearly all the Duke's buddies watch stone-faced as Rigoletto pleads, Marullo alone is disgusted, turns away and hangs his head.
Susan Hilferty's costumes had the Duke looking dashing, Rigoletto frumpy and Gilda girlish. The supporting cast was top-notch, with Stefan Kocan a vocally and visually imposing Sparafucile and Maria Zifchak a spineless Giovanna. In their Met debuts, Robert Pomakov was a booming Monterone and Oksana Volkova a seductive Maddalena. Emalie Savoy, in a floor-length gown, was a standard for glamour as Countess Ceprano.
Conductor Michele Mariotti impressed, drawing color, energy and dynamics from the orchestra.
Mayer's interjection of a half-naked stripper at the start of the third act was greeted with cheers ? and then countered quickly by a few loud boos. His decision to have the sycophant group remain in the back of the Duke's apartment in the shadows during Gilda's confessional "Tutte le feste (Each holy day)" was jarring, and there the chorus remained through Damrau's chilling high note that ended the "Si, vendetta" duet.
Marring the evening were gimmicky updated Met Titles by Michael Panayos and Paul Cremo. Mayer's direction spoke for itself. No need for the chorus' "Vittoria!" to become "Jackpot!" and Sparafucile's "further on the stream is deeper" to be replaced by "it's a long drive to the river. Make sure you have enough gas!" Some in the audience giggled.
There are seven more performances with this cast through Feb. 23, with the Feb. 16 matinee telecast to theaters around the world. It returns for six nights in April and May with different principal singers. It will be interesting to see how Mayer's vision comes across with other casts.
___
Online:
http://www.metopera.org
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RIM faces its day of reckoning with BlackBerry 10 launch
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The innovative line of BlackBerry smartphones that Research In Motion Ltd will formally unveil on Wednesday has already succeeded on one crucial count - getting RIM back in the conversation.
The new BlackBerry 10 has created a buzz among technology watchers and financial analysts, thanks to nifty features that may set it apart in an overcrowded smartphone market. RIM stock has almost tripled over the past four months on hopes the devices can restore RIM to sustained prosperity.
Reviewers like the browser speed and the intuitive keyboard on RIM's new touchscreen. A feature called BlackBerry Balance, which keeps corporate and personal data separate, could help RIM rebuild its traditional base of big business customers.
It's a welcome start for RIM, the smartphone pioneer that has teetered on the brink of irrelevance. But success will come only if consumer and business customers embrace the new technology in the weeks and months after CEO Thorsten Heins takes the wraps off the phone at a glitzy New York launch.
RIM is gambling its survival on the much-delayed BlackBerry 10, hoping to claw its way back into an industry now dominated by Apple Inc's iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Galaxy.
The timing may be just right. The new phone hits the market just as the iPhone's remarkable run is showing some signs of slowing.
"I really do believe that the consumer market as a whole is ready for something new," said Kevin Burden, head of mobility at Strategy Analytics, an industry consulting firm.
"I have to believe that there is some level of user fatigue that plays into the longevity of some of these platforms," he added, referring to Google Inc's Android and Apple's iOS, which are both more than five years old. "RIM is probably timing it right."
U.S. BATTLEGROUND
To be sure, RIM shares are about 90 percent below a 2008 peak near $150 a share and the company still has a tough fight ahead. It may take investors some time to determine whether RIM's big gamble on an untested technology has paid off.
RIM's market share collapsed in the three years ahead of the launch. Strategy Analytics data shows RIM's global share of the smartphone market was about 3.4 percent in the fourth quarter, down from around 20 percent just three years ago.
While RIM has done well in developing markets, it has hemorrhaged customers in the United States, a market that sets technology trends. RIM's fourth-quarter North American market share fell to 2 percent from more than 40 percent three years ago.
Acknowledging that it is crucial to win back U.S. customers, RIM will hold its main BlackBerry 10 launch in New York, although there are simultaneous events in six cities across the globe.
Underscoring the point, RIM is splurging on a costly Super Bowl ad to tout its new devices and attempt to brighten its faded image in the U.S. market.
BIG QUESTIONS
Over 150 carriers already have tested the new devices and RIM has said the launch will be the largest ever global rollout of a new platform.
The two big questions the market expects RIM to answer on Wednesday are when the phones - a full touch-screen device and one with a traditional physical keyboard - will hit store shelves, and how much they will cost.
The company is expected to unveil specifics on pricing and availability in different regions at the launch.
"The Street is expecting mid-February for a launch. Anything earlier than that is a positive, anything later will be viewed as negative," said RBC Dominion Securities analyst Paul Treiber.
That said, there are few mysteries to be cleared up on Wednesday. Leaked photos and specifications of the devices have been splashed across the tech world.
"We've had the beta devices for a few weeks and in terms of the devices, they are right up there with the competition," said Andy Ambrozic, head of IT Infrastructure at Ricoh Canada. "The Balance feature is crucial for corporations that are becoming increasingly concerned about data security."
Scotiabank analyst Gus Papageorgiou feels RIM has a good chance of a comeback. He says the new BB10 operating system outpaces Apple's iOS platform and Google's market-leading Android system in every category except app selection and content.
"There is, we believe, huge potential for the platform and devices to bring people back to BlackBerry or draw entirely new users into the platform," said Papageorgiou, who has a "sector outperform" rating on the stock.
BlackBerry 10 will not be able to compete on the number of apps, but RIM says its operating system will have the largest application library for any new platform at launch, with more than 70,000 apps available.
It has already gathered big-name music and video partners for its BlackBerry 10 storefront, including Walt Disney Studios and Sony Pictures, Universal Music and Warner Music Group.
Wireless carriers already report strong demand for the new devices. Rogers Communications Inc, Canada's top wireless carrier and the first globally to take pre-orders for the new devices, said orders are already in the thousands.
"Our customers are excited," said John Boynton, Rogers' head of marketing, adding that some users are holding off on upgrades in anticipation of the BB10 launch.
(Additional reporting by Alastair Sharp and Allison Martell in Toronto; Editing by Frank McGurty, Janet Guttsman and Andre Grenon)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rim-faces-day-reckoning-blackberry-10-launch-192309624.html
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মঙ্গলবার, ২৯ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৩
Bomb explodes in southern district of Lebanese capital
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A bomb planted under a car exploded in a southern suburb of Beirut late on Monday, a Lebanese security source said, rocking a Shi'ite Muslim area that is a stronghold of the militant group Hezbollah.
The bomb destroyed the car and damaged buildings in the residential area of Hay al-Sellom but there were no casualties, the source said.
It was not immediately clear what the target of the bomb was but the car was parked near a office for Shi'ite Hezbollah-aligned Amal political group.
Lebanon is still recovering from an October car bomb which killed Wissam al-Hassan, a security official who was leading an investigation that implicated Syria and Hezbollah in the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, a Sunni.
During the country's 15-year civil war which ended in 1990, tit-for-tat assassinations of prominent political figures were common and many fear sensitivities around the war in neighbouring Syria could lead to further instability in Lebanon.
(Reporting by Laila Bassam; Writing by Oliver Holmes; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bomb-explodes-southern-district-lebanese-capital-203655099.html
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In breast cancer metastasis, researchers identify possible drug target
Jan. 27, 2013 ? The spread of breast cancer to distant organs within the body, an event that often leads to death, appears in many cases to involve the loss of a key protein, according to UC San Francisco researchers, whose new discoveries point to possible targets for therapy.
In the January 27, 2013 online edition of Nature Cell Biology, UCSF scientists describe for the first time how the protein, known as GATA3 -- which is abnormal or absent in many cases of human breast cancer -- normally acts downstream in biochemical pathways to prevent the distant spread of cancer, an event called metastasis.
The discovery points to a biochemical control point that simultaneously holds in check several key events required for tumor cells to successfully spread.
"When GATA3 is present, it turns off many genes that are active in metastasis," said Zena Werb, PhD, a UCSF professor of anatomy who led the research. "We now have identified the molecular mechanisms involved."
The key finding of the new study is that GATA3 acts downstream biochemically to activate a molecule -- obscure until now -- called microRNA29b. MicroRNA29b in turn stops protein production from other genes that play vital roles in metastasis.
The absence or loss of GATA3 can free cancerous cells to break free from their defined roles and tethers within a tumor, to move away from the tumor mass, to induce cancer-promoting inflammation, and to stimulate the development of new blood vessels that can help spreading cancerous cells regrow as tumors in new locations.
"People knew that some of these genes were turned on in some cancers, but they did not know they were turned on because GATA3 and microRNA29b were turned off," Werb said. "If you have 20 genes that are becoming less active all at once due to microRNA29b, it could have a profound effect."
Working with mice, the researchers found that restoring microRNA29b to one of the most deadly types of breast cancer stopped metastasis. But the researchers also found that if they knocked out the microRNA29b, tumors spread even in the presence of GATA3, suggesting that microRNA29b can be the driver of metastasis.
In the mouse models of breast cancer studied by Werb's team, GATA3 normally restrains cancerous cells from breaking away from the main tumor and migrating to other organs.
It might be possible, Werb said, to develop drugs that inhibit breast cancer metastasis by re-activating these controls in cancerous cells that have lost the normal protein.
Many researchers who study early stages of cancer focus on abnormal genes and proteins that cause cells to expand their numbers rapidly, a hallmark of cancer.
However, the ability to spread to distant places and to eventually cause lethal complications requires not only cell division and tumor growth, but also changes in how the cancerous cell negotiates with its surroundings. This relationship must be altered to permit cancer to spread, according to earlier research findings by Werb and others.
"Many of the key processes in cancer that GATA3 suppresses take place outside the cell, in the surrounding environment," she said.
GATA3 is a master control for luminal cells, which line the milk-carrying ducts of the breast. In essence, GATA3 dictates the defining characteristics of a normal breast cell, Werb said.
Luminal breast cancers are the most common form of the disease, and the hormones estrogen and progesterone drive their growth. Loss of the normal GATA3 protein as luminal breast cancers evolve is associated with a greater risk of death, Werb said, and occurs in roughly 10 percent of luminal breast cancer cases.
But, along with many other proteins, GATA3 also is absent in "triple negative," breast cancers, which are more often fatal. Triple negative breast cancers, which disproportionately affect black women and younger women, do not depend on the hormones, nor do they require a third growth factor, called HER2.
Triple negative breast cancers, which account for roughly one-in-five breast cancers, have been more difficult to target successfully with newer treatments.
"The targeting we would like to do is to give back microRNA29b specifically to breast tumor cells to prevent metastasis," Werb said.
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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/9MKEP8kbDFI/130127134214.htm
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Report: There Were 94 Tech M&A Deals in 2012 Above $100M, Average Deal Value Was $717M
Towers Watson?s M&A practice recently published the results of Quarterly Deal Performance Monitor (QDPM) which is conducted in partnership with Cass Business School, and has examined all the data on all deals over $100 million completed in 2012. The results are really interesting, especially when you look at what was happening in the public markets. In 2012, there were 94 deals in the tech sector with an average value of $717 million. In 2012, there were 768 M&A deals across all sectors above $100 million.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/fYsOfNgFE1Q/
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Age Actively Using these Resources | Fun and Fit: with Fitness Pros ...
About Fun and Fit
Get practical exercise advice, your fitness questions answered, and cutting edge health edu-tainment that is accessible and doable from long time fitness experts, Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA. We have taught on land, sea, and airwaves for 3 decades on 4 continents. From writing to speaking, emceeing to hosting a radio show, reviewing products to teaching classes, we believe that little steps turn into big paths. Move a little more than the day before. FitFluential Ambassadors and award-winners both online and off.Source: http://funandfit.org/age-actively-using-these-resources/
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Senators Agree on Immigration Plan That Gives Legal Status to ...
WASHINGTON, D.C. ? A bipartisan group of senators has agreed on a plan to grant legal status to most of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., which could form the basis for a far-reaching overhaul of immigration laws this year.
The Senate blueprint, drafted during weeks of closed-door meetings by leading senators from each party, will probably set parameters for a contentious legislative battle over the next several months. The eight senators involved intend to release their proposal publicly Monday. A copy was provided to The Times? Washington bureau on Sunday by Senate aides.
The Senate plan is more conservative than President Obama?s proposal, which he plans to unveil Tuesday in a speech in Las Vegas. But its provisions for legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants go further than measures that failed to advance in Congress in previous years ? a reminder of how swiftly the politics of immigration have shifted since Latino voters? strong influence in the November election.
In terms of the number of people who would potentially receive legal status, it would be more than three times larger than the amnesty plan passed under President Reagan in 1986, which legalized about 3 million immigrants.
The senators involved hope to begin committee votes on a bill as soon as March. The timing of their proposal and Obama?s, coupled with that schedule ? quick by Senate standards ? could set up a dynamic in which an eventual bill falls somewhere between the bipartisan plan and the president?s.
Latino activists and other advocates for comprehensive immigration reform have pushed for quick action in the Senate, hoping that a large bipartisan vote for a bill that includes a path to citizenship would put pressure on the House.
Many members of the House Republican majority represent districts where proposals for legalization remain highly unpopular, but many Republicans also worry about the political price if the party takes the blame for killing immigration reform.
The Senate proposal would allow most of those in the country illegally to obtain probationary legal status immediately by paying a fine and back taxes and passing a background check. That would make them eligible to work and live in the U.S. They could earn a green card ? permanent residency ? after the government certifies that the U.S.-Mexican border has become secure, but might face a lengthy process before becoming citizens.
Obama is expected to push for a faster citizenship process that would not be conditional on border security standards being met first. The structure of the citizenship process will probably be among the most hotly debated parts of any immigration plan.
Less-controversial provisions would tighten requirements on employers to check the immigration status of new workers; increase the number of visas for high-skilled jobs; provide green cards automatically to people who earn master?s degrees or PhDs in science, technology or math at U.S. universities; and create an agricultural guest-worker program.
On Sunday, a White House spokesman said the president was ?pleased that progress is being made with bipartisan support.?
?At the same time, he will not be satisfied until there is meaningful reform, and he will continue to urge Congress to act,? Obama spokesman Clark Stevens said.
Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who heads the Senate subcommittee that handles immigration legislation, briefed the White House on Sunday, according to a Senate aide who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The eight senators scrambled over the weekend to come to an agreement before Obama unveiled his plan, hoping to head off any potential Republican backlash against a White House proposal and show common ground.
At a news conference Sunday in New York, Schumer noted that ?the devil is in the details,? but said that he and the other senators in the group had made good progress.
?I?m impressed with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle over their desire to meet in the middle. We can?t pass it without both Democrats and Republicans,? said Schumer, adding that he and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had ?developed a little bit of a friendship? during the negotiations.
The group has met in person five times in Washington since the November election, alternating between the Capitol Hill offices of Schumer and McCain. Participants include Democrats Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado, and Republicans Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida and Jeff Flake of Arizona.
Rubio, a conservative favorite widely seen as a potential contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, was asked to join the Senate group in early December. In their discussions, Rubio focused on strengthening employee-verification provisions and improving border security before the new class of immigrants could be eligible for citizenship, a Senate aide said.
So far, the group has negotiated legislative language on implementing the legalization program and on increasing border security, said a Senate aide familiar with the discussions. The senators will turn their attention next to details on how to increase the flow of legal immigration to reduce the incentive for illegal border crossings, the aide said.
One sticking point could be how the government decides the border is secure ? the determination that would trigger the provisions allowing citizenship.
The senators have proposed a commission of border-state governors, attorneys general and community leaders to monitor border security. But if the government fails to meet the panel?s standard, those granted the new probationary legal status could be living indefinitely as a second class of Americans, allowed to remain in the U.S. but unable to vote, enroll in Medicare or receive federal student loans.
Another issue involves establishing an exit-visa system to track when people leave the country. The proposal calls for exit visas at seaports and airports, but does not specify whether they also would be required at land border crossings, which could be considerably more expensive. A system for tracking when people leave is a priority for the senators, because about 40% of the country?s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants entered with a legal visa and overstayed.
Even before the bipartisan plan?s release, immigration experts have said the chances for reform are better than in previous years.
?When both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue are talking about the issue in calm tones but with a sense of urgency, that is the makings for legislative action,? said Angela Kelley, an expert on immigration policy at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington.
Both the White House and lawmakers seem to be moving fast to get a bill introduced, Kelley said, adding: ?The players are about as caffeinated as I?ve seen them.?
-Los Angeles Times
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Source: http://ktla.com/2013/01/27/senators-agree-on-immigration-plan-that-gives-legal-status-to-millions/
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সোমবার, ২৮ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৩
"Shooting Straight" panels take WWE fans behind the curtain during Royal Rumble weekend
PHOENIX ? It wasn?t long after Michael Cole politely reminded the members of D-Generation X that WWE is now in a post?Attitude Era during their ?Shooting Straight? panel that Triple H fired out a word that would have had network executives pulling out their hair had it been uttered during a live Raw broadcast.
From that moment on, it was clear that WWE?s new ?Shooting Straight? panels were going to be every bit as uncensored as the advertisements promised.
Introduced to the WWE Universe as part of Royal Rumble?s Fan Fest weekend, the three sessions ? which focused on 1997?s Montreal Screwjob, D-Generation X and WCW ? gave an intimate crowd of WWE fans the opportunity to hear inside stories about some of the most pivotal moments in sports-entertainment history from the men who lived them. (PHOTOS)
?I think it?s something we should have done a long time ago,? Booker T told WWE.com shortly after participating in Sunday?s WCW panel. ?Letting our fans get a chance to ask those questions they?ve been wanting to ask for years and getting a true answer from someone who was there ? I think it?s priceless.?
It was early Saturday night when WWE Hall of Famers Shawn Michaels, Bret ?Hit Man? Hart and Jerry ?The King? Lawler sat down with Michael Cole to discuss the infamous events of the 1997 Survivor Series. Although it has been nearly 16 years since the most notorious night in WWE history, it was clear that the controversies of that evening still resonate with WWE fans. As for HBK and Hart, both have matured considerably and have let go of any animosity. Still, The Excellence of Execution took pleasure in graphically describing the loogie he spit in Mr. McMahon?s face seconds after he was conned out of the WWE Title.
?That was like a 10 egg white omelet,? the ?Hit Man? said with a laugh.
The next panel got just as messy as D-Generation X members Shawn Michaels, Triple H, X-Pac, Billy Gunn and The Road Dogg got together with Michael Cole to reminisce about the most anti-authority group in WWE history. In between crude jokes and bouts of riotous laughter, The Game revealed that he was nearly paired up with The Honky Tonk Man before DX took off. Another untold tale aired out for those in attendance was how, following DX?s infamous ?attack? on WCW in Norfolk, Va., a subsequent invasion of WCW?s Atlanta headquarters nearly got the boys thrown in jail.
?They called the police and told them they were under attack from a militia group,? Triple H said, still in disbelief. ?A hundred cops came with riot squads!?
The weekend?s final panel got underway on Sunday morning when former WCW competitors Booker T, Big Show, X-Pac and Kevin Nash talked??with moderator Matt Striker about the rise of The New World Order and The Monday Night War. As expected, nothing was left unsaid as Nash revealed that Sting was nearly the third man to join the original nWo and that the reckless Goldberg was his least favorite competitor to face. On the topic of Goldberg, X-Pac added that the former WCW Champion wanted to call himself ?The Hybrid? before his impressive winning streak began.
By the time the WCW panel ended, it was clear that WWE had taken a revolutionary step in inviting the audience behind the scenes. For the traditionally guarded world of professional wrestling, it?s a major shift, but one that is welcome.
?Whoever came up with this idea is an absolute genius, because the goal of WWE is to grow and I saw children out there who don?t remember The nWo and now they?re going to go back and learn about them,? Striker told WWE.com.
If you weren?t able to be in Phoenix for the first ?Shooting Straight? panels, don?t fret. Chances are WWE will be bringing these innovative sessions to your town in the near future.
?I think it was a hit,? The Game said during the final moments of the DX panel. ?And I think it?s something we?re going to do more often.??
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Stay one step ahead of change ? Business Management Daily ...
One of the best reasons to do strategic planning is to help your team anticipate change. To lead your colleagues to think strategically:
1. Identify triggers. Brainstorm to list variables that can cause change. Examine potential drivers using ?TIME? headings (technology, industry, market, event). This means identifying how technological advances, industry trends, market forces and special events (such as political elections or regulatory developments) can affect your business.
Assess the odds of such triggers impacting your organization within a defined time frame. Then plan for the most probable near-term drivers.
2. Imagine different future narratives. Work together to tell plausible stories, capturing what the future might look like.
For example, assume that a controversial regulation becomes law. One year from now, create a narrative that describes how your team is complying with the new rule.
3. Evaluate the customer?s changing role. Define how you?ll treat the customer differently. Will you need to allocate more resources to retain your best clients? Will certain target markets displace the ones you?re currently pursuing? Will you need to adopt new tactics to attract profitable customers?
4. Conduct an internal gut-check. Re??view your organizational culture. Explore to what extent employees are ready to embrace change, even if it creates dis?ruptions and uncertainties. Determine whether you possess sufficient internal resources to implement change initiatives?and plug any holes now so you?re equipped for what?s to come.
? Adapted from Business Model Renewal, Linda Gorchels, McGraw-Hill.
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CDC: Flu seems to level off except in the West
New government figures show that?flu cases?seem to be leveling off nationwide. Flu activity?is declining in most regions although?still rising in the West.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hospitalizations and deaths spiked again last week, especially among the elderly. The CDC says quick treatment with antiviral medicines is important, in particular for the very young or old. The season's first flu case resistant to treatment with Tamiflu was reported Friday.
Eight more children have died from the flu, bringing this season's total pediatric deaths to 37. About 100 children die in an average flu season.
There is still vaccine available although it may be hard to find. The CDC has a website that can help.
___
CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
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Today on New Scientist: 25 January 2013
Hagfish gulped up in first video of deep-sea seal hunt
Watch the first sighting of a seal's underwater eating habits spotted by a teenager watching a live video feed
World's oldest portrait reveals the ice-age mind
A 26,000-year-old carved ivory head of a woman is not just an archaeological find - a new exhibition in London wants us to see works like this as art
Dung beetles navigate using the Milky Way
Forget the Pole Star: on moonless nights dung beetles use the Milky Way to follow a straight path with their dung ball
Stress's impact can affect future generations' genes
DNA analysis has yielded the first direct evidence that chemical marks which disable genes in response to stress can be passed on to offspring
Uncharted territory: Where digital maps are leading us
The way we use maps is evolving fast, says Kat Austen, and it will change a great deal more than how we navigate
Feedback: Tales of the stony turd industry
Fossilised faeces in Shitlington, confusing railway notices, organic water, and more
Duolingo gives language learning a jump start
First evidence that Duolingo, a new website that helps you learn a language while translating the web, actually works
Dolphins form life raft to help dying friend
A group of dolphins was caught on camera as they worked together to keep a struggling dolphin above water by forming an impromptu raft
Zoologger: Supercool squirrels go into the deep freeze
Hibernating Arctic ground squirrels drop their body temperatures to -4??C, and shut their circadian clocks off for the winter
Greek economic crisis has cleared the air
The ongoing collapse of Greece's economy has caused a significant fall in air pollution, which can be detected by satellites
Body armour to scale up by mimicking flexible fish
Armour that is designed like the scales of the dragon fish could keep soldiers protected - while still letting them bend
Astrophile: Split personality tarnishes pulsars' rep
Pulsars were seen as cosmic timekeepers, but the quirky way in which one example shines suggests we can't take their behaviour for granted
Shrinking proton puzzle persists in new measurement
The most precise experiment yet to find the proton's radius confirms that it can appear smaller than our theories predict - is new physics needed?
Tight squeeze forces cells to take their medicine
A short sharp squash in these channels and a cell's membrane pops open - good news when you want to slip a molecule or nanoparticle in there
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Teleportations and Other Escapes in MV
I like Patch's thoughts about the immediate escape from consequences. That seems to be a prevalent theme in Multiversal encounters. Despite reality hanging on such a thin thread within the realms of that roleplay, I don't like the idea of someone being able to just dance out of the way, laughing, either. Especially irking is when this character has the mysterious teleportation ability suddenly, at random, without mention previously in their profile or even in the conversation.
One of my characters, Carter Fleetham, is called an Extractor. An Extractor can take an Immediate with them when they teleport, making them effective for stinger or rescue operations. An Extractor needs a firm mental handle on where they are teleporting with their Immediate, so being extremely tactile is key.
It is harmful and difficult for an Extractor to make the jump within the same room, or more specifically, in the same line of sight or sound. So if Carter was in a pinch in the bar, he wouldn't be able to just teleport out of the way. He'd have to teleport across the country, back to where he came from, anything like that.
As I mentioned in the god/demigod thread, I don't have a problem with powerful abilities so long as there is some tension, some stipulation that goes with them that invites conflict in a compelling way.
And, to close, I have to echo what the venerable Patch said: When in doubt, talk it out. Contact the freaking other player.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/EBbPIRWD2sk/viewtopic.php
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Jeremy Renner And Gemma Arterton Teach 'Badass 101' On After Hours
What a badass might do in a given situation is largely a mystery to those who haven't mastered the arts of coolness, toughness, and general awesomery, but with some help from "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunter" stars Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner, anyone can learn how to be untouchable. On the latest episode of After [...]
Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/01/24/jeremy-renner-gemma-arterton-after-hours/
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Chameleon star baffles astronomers
Jan. 24, 2013 ? Pulsars ? tiny spinning stars, heavier than the sun and smaller than a city ? have puzzled scientists since they were discovered in 1967.
Now, new observations by an international team, including University of Vermont astrophysicist Joanna Rankin, make these bizarre stars even more puzzling.
The scientists identified a pulsar that is able to dramatically change the way in which it shines. In just a few seconds, the star can quiet its radio waves while at the same time it makes its X-ray emissions much brighter.
The research ?challenges all proposed pulsar emission theories,? the team writes in the Jan. 25 edition of the journal Science and reopens a decades-old debate about how these stars work.
Unexpected X-rays
Like the universe?s most powerful lighthouses, pulsars shine beams of radio waves and other radiation for trillions of miles. As these highly magnetized neutron stars rapidly rotate, a pair of beams sweeps by, appearing as flashes or pulses in telescopes on Earth.
Using a satellite X-ray telescope, coordinated with two radio telescopes on the ground, the team observed a pulsar that was previously known to flip on and off every few hours between strong (or ?bright?) radio emissions and weak (or ?quiet?) radio emissions.
Monitoring simultaneously in X-rays and radio waves, the team revealed that this pulsar exhibits the same behaviour, but in reverse, when observed at X-ray wavelengths.
This is the first time that a switching X-ray emission has been detected from a pulsar.
Flipping between these two extreme states ? one dominated by X-ray pulses, the other by a highly organized pattern of radio pulses ? ?was very surprising,? says Rankin.
?As well as brightening in the X-rays we discovered that the X-ray emission also shows pulses, something not seen when the radio emission is bright,? said Rankin, who spearheaded the radio observations. ?This was completely unexpected.?
No current model of pulsars is able to explain this switching behavior. All theories to date suggest that X-ray emissions would follow radio emissions. Instead, the new observations show the opposite. ?The basic physics of a pulsar have never been solved,? Rankin says.
Looking for the switch
The research was conceived by a small team then working at the University of Amsterdam, including UVM?s Rankin, who has studied this pulsar, known as PSR B0943+10, for more than a decade; Wim Hermsen from SRON, the Netherlands Institute for Space Research in Utrecht, and the lead author on the new paper; Ben Stappers from the University of Manchester, UK; and Geoff Wright from Sussex University, UK.
These researchers were joined by colleagues from institutions around the world to conduct simultaneous observations with the European Space Agency?s X-ray satellite, XMM-Newton, and two radio telescopes, the Giant Meter Wave Telescope (GMRT) in India and the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) in the Netherlands, to reveal this pulsar?s so-far unique behavior.
?There is a general agreement about the origin of the radio emission from pulsars: it is caused by highly energetic electrons, positrons and ions moving along the field lines of the pulsar's magnetic field,? explains Wim Hermsen.
?How exactly the particles are stripped off the neutron star's surface and accelerated to such high energy, however, is still largely unclear,? he adds.
By studying the emission from the pulsar at different wavelengths, the team?s study had been designed to discover which of various possible physical processes take place in the vicinity of the magnetic poles of pulsars.
Instead of narrowing down the possible mechanisms suggested by theory, however, the results of the team?s observing campaign challenge all existing models for pulsar emission. Few astronomical objects are as baffling as pulsars, and despite nearly fifty years of study, they continue to defy theorists? best efforts.
Of the more than 2,000 pulsars discovered to date, a number of them have erratic behavior, with emissions that can become weak or disappear in a matter of seconds but then suddenly return minutes or hours later.
B0943+10 is one of these erratic stars. Discovered at Pushchino Radio Astronomical Observatory near Moscow, ?this star has two very different personalities,? that were uncovered by Svetlana Suleymanova in the 1980s, says Rankin.
?But we?re still in the dark about what causes this, and other pulsars, to switch modes,? Rankin says. ?We just don?t know.?
?But the fact that the pulsar keeps memory of its previous state and goes back to it,? says Hermsen, ?suggests that it must be something fundamental."
Recent studies indicate that the switch between ?radio-bright? and ?radio-quiet? states is correlated to the pulsar's dynamics. As pulsars rotate, their spinning period slows down gradually, and in some cases the slow-down process has been observed to accelerate and slow down again, in conjunction with the pulsar switching between bright and quiet states.
This correlation between a pulsar?s rotation and its emission has led astronomers to wonder about a connection between the star?s surface and the much-larger surrounding magnetosphere, which may extend up for 30,000 miles.
These new observations ?strongly suggest that a temporary ?hotspot? appears close to the pulsar?s magnetic pole which switches on and off with the change of state,? says Geoff Wright, one of the team?s astronomers from the University of Sussex.
But the new results also suggest that something in the whole magnetosphere is changing suddenly and not just at the poles or other hotspots. ?Something is happening globally,? Rankin says, across the whole star.
In order for the radio emission to vary so radically on the short timescales observed, the pulsar's global environment must undergo a very rapid ? and reversible ? transformation.
?If that is true, it means the entire magnetosphere is alive and connected in very important ways,? Rankin says, allowing a change in the pulsar?s basic mode of shining in about one second, less time than it takes it to spin once on its axis.
?Since the switch between a pulsar's bright and quiet states links phenomena that occur on local and global scales, a thorough understanding of this process could clarify several aspects of pulsar physics,? says Hermsen. ?Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to explain it.?
No model works
The team planned to search for the same pattern in X-rays that has been observed in radio waves ? to investigate what causes this switching behavior. They chose as their subject PSR B0943+10, a pulsar that is well known for its switching behavior at radio wavelengths and for its X-ray emission, which is brighter than might be expected for its age.
?Young pulsars shine brightly in X-rays because the surface of the neutron star is still very hot. But PSR B0943+10 is five million years old, which is relatively old for a pulsar: the neutron star's surface has cooled down by then,? explains Hermsen.
Astronomers know of only a handful of old pulsars that shine in X-rays and believe that this emission comes from the magnetic poles ? the sites on the neutron star's surface where the acceleration of charged particles is triggered. ?We think that, from the polar caps, accelerated particles either move outwards to the magnetosphere, where they produce radio emission, or inwards, bombarding the polar caps and creating X-ray-emitting hot-spots,? Hermsen adds.
There are two main models that describe these processes, depending on whether the electric and magnetic fields at play allow charged particles to escape freely from the neutron star's surface. In both cases, it has been argued that the emission of X-rays follows that of radio waves.
Monitoring the pulsar in X-rays and radio waves at the same time, the astronomers hoped to be able to discern between the two models.
?The X-ray emission of pulsar PSR B0943+10 beautifully mirrors the switches that are seen at radio wavelengths but, to our surprise, the correlation between these two emissions appears to be inverse: when the source is at its brightest in radio waves, it reaches its faintest in X-rays, and vice versa,? says Hermsen.
The new data also show that the source pulsates in X-rays only during the X-ray-bright phase ? which corresponds to the quiet state at radio wavelengths. During this phase, the X-ray emission appears to be the sum of two components: a pulsating component consisting of thermal X-rays, which is seen to switch off during the X-ray-quiet phase, and a persistent one consisting of non-thermal X-rays.
Neither of the leading models for pulsar emission predicts such behavior.
In the second half of 2013, the team plans to repeat the same study for another pulsar, PSR B1822+09, which exhibits similar radio emission properties but with a different geometry.
In the meantime, these observations will keep theoretical astrophysicists busy investigating possible physical mechanisms that could cause the sudden and drastic changes to the pulsar's entire magnetosphere and result in such a curious flip in how they shine.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Vermont. The original article was written by Joshua E. Brown.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- W. Hermsen, J. W. T. Hessels, L. Kuiper, J. van Leeuwen, D. Mitra, J. de Plaa, J. M. Rankin, B. W. Stappers, G. A. E. Wright, R. Basu, A. Alexov, T. Coenen, J.- M. Griessmeier, T. E. Hassall, A. Karastergiou, E. Keane, V. I. Kondratiev, M. Kramer, M. Kuniyoshi, A. Noutsos, M. Serylak, M. Pilia, C. Sobey, P. Weltevrede, K. Zagkouris, A. Asgekar, I. M. Avruch, F. Batejat, M. E. Bell, M. R. Bell, M. J. Bentum, G. Bernardi, P. Best, L. Birzan, A. Bonafede, F. Breitling, J. Broderick, M. Bruggen, H. R. Butcher, B. Ciardi, S. Duscha, J. Eisloffel, H. Falcke, R. Fender, C. Ferrari, W. Frieswijk, M. A. Garrett, F. de Gasperin, E. de Geus, A. W. Gunst, G. Heald, M. Hoeft, A. Horneffer, M. Iacobelli, G. Kuper, P. Maat, G. Macario, S. Markoff, J. P. McKean, M. Mevius, J. C. A. Miller-Jones, R. Morganti, H. Munk, E. Orru, H. Paas, M. Pandey-Pommier, V. N. Pandey, R. Pizzo, A. G. Polatidis, S. Rawlings, W. Reich, H. Rottgering, A. M. M. Scaife, A. Schoenmakers, A. Shulevski, J. Sluman, M. Steinmetz, M. Tagger, Y. Tang, C. Tasse, S. ter Veen, R. Vermeulen, R. H. van de Brink, R. J. van Weeren, R. A. M. J. Wijers, M. W. Wise, O. Wucknitz, S. Yatawatta, P. Zarka. Synchronous X-ray and Radio Mode Switches: A Rapid Global Transformation of the Pulsar Magnetosphere. Science, 2013; 339 (6118): 436 DOI: 10.1126/science.1230960
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/top_news/~3/K4Gau1iFpyQ/130124183444.htm
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New Synthetic Polymer Is First to Match Rigidity of DNA or Collagen
The stiff supergel mimics cell scaffolding such that a cold solution of it poured on to a wound could quickly form a gel barrier when it warmed to body temperature
Take one kilogram of polyisocyanide polymer. Sprinkle liberally across an Olympic swimming pool. Warm gently. Within minutes, your jelly is ready. Serves 25 million.
Alan Rowan, a materials chemist at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, is describing the properties of a remarkable polymer developed in his lab and unveiled today in Nature. He has not actually run the swimming-pool experiment, but he sounds as if he would love to give it a try. When it comes to forming gels, he says excitedly, his polymer is ?probably the best in the world ? an order of magnitude better than anything else?.
But it offers much more than record-breaking dessert portions: it is the first synthetic polymer that can match the rigidity found in many biological polymers, says Margaret Gardel, a biophysicist at the University of Chicago, Illinois, who wrote a News and Views article to accompany the publication. ?Nearly all biopolymers, like DNA or collagen, have some inherent rigidity,? she explains; synthetic polymers, by contrast, tend to be extremely floppy.
Rowan?s polymer strands have a helical backbone with thousands of short peptides jutting out from the sides, each carrying long tails made of repeating carbon and oxygen chains. Nitrogen and hydrogen atoms in neighboring peptides bond to each other to give the backbone rigidity, and the carbon and oxygen tails readily grab water molecules, making the polymer extremely soluble.
The polymer has a helical backbone (red) and tails (blue) that link to neighbouring strands.
Image: Kouwer, P. H. J. et al. Nature
Strong structure
Once the polymer is dissolved, warming it causes the tails to squeeze water molecules away and form links with neighboring polymer strands. Above a certain temperature, the solution transforms into a gel in seconds as the strands self-assemble into bundles roughly 10 nanometers wide. As with the biopolymers in a living cell, or the fibers in a rope, the bundling stiffens the whole structure. ?The nanoscale mechanism is the same as at the macroscale,? says Rowan.
Researchers already knew that bundling was important in strengthening biopolymers. But Rowan?s team has measured the stiffness of individual strands and of the bundles, and has shown the relationship between the two. ?Now that we understand the principles, we can start making gels at even lower concentrations,? predicts Rowan.
The polymer?s ability to form a gel on heating is relatively unusual: the opposite is true for most gels. A gelatin solution, for example, must be cooled to form jelly. Rowan imagines that a cold solution of his polymer poured on to a wound to protect the tissue would quickly form a gel barrier when it warmed to body temperature; applying an ice pack could liquefy it when it was no longer needed. The researchers are now running tests on this concept, ?using a leg of pork that we put in the oven at 40 ?C?, says Rowan.
This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on January 23, 2013.
Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=91ab8e88be8da5fdd32cbe71df4693e9
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শুক্রবার, ২৫ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৩
Lockheed CEO Hewson sees deals for next F-35 jets in first half
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp
Hewson said the F-35 fighter uses similar lithium-ion batteries as those being investigated on Boeing Co's
She said investigators were still trying to determine what caused a problem that prompted the Pentagon to ground the U.S. Marine Corps variant of the F-35 last week.
(Reporting By Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Maureen Bavdek)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lockheed-ceo-hewson-sees-deals-next-f-35-122342242--sector.html
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Proton's radius revised downward
Surprise measurement may point to new physics
By Andrew Grant
Web edition: January 24, 2013
Only in physics can a few quintillionths of a meter be cause for uneasy excitement. A new measurement finds that the proton is about 4 percent smaller than previous experiments suggest. The study, published in the Jan. 25 issue of Science, has physicists cautiously optimistic that the discrepancy between experiments will lead to the discovery of new particles or forces.
?Poking at small effects you can?t explain can be a way of unraveling a much bigger piece of physics,? says Carl Carlson, a theoretical physicist at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., who was not involved in the study. ?And this case is particularly intriguing.?
For years, physicists have used two indirect methods to determine the size of the proton. (Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a subatomic ruler.) They can fire an electron beam at protons and measure how far the flying particles get deflected. Alternatively, physicists can study the behavior of electrons in hydrogen atoms. They shoot a laser at an atom so that the one electron jumps to a higher, unstable energy level; when the electron returns to a low-energy state, it releases X-rays whose frequency depends on the size of the proton. Both methods suggest the proton has a radius of about 0.88 femtometers, or 0.88 quadrillionths of a meter.
That measurement was not in doubt until 2010, when physicist Aldo Antognini at ETH Zurich and his team developed a new technique to probe proton size. They also used hydrogen atoms, but replaced the electrons with muons ? particles similar to electrons but more than 200 times as massive. Muons? additional heft enhances their interaction with protons and makes their behavior more dependent on proton size. After measuring the X-rays emitted by muons shifting between energy states, Antognini?s team published a paper in Nature saying that the proton radius is 0.84 femtometers ? about 4 percent less than previous estimates (SN 7/31/10, p. 7).
Now, two-and-a-half years later, the team has reexamined muon-containing hydrogen and measured the X-ray frequencies resulting from two energy level shifts. Both emissions yielded the same, slimmed-down value for the size of the proton. The new study eliminates the possibility of certain systematic errors and reduces the measurement?s uncertainty by 40 percent.
?This shows that our experiment is consistent and that there were no mistakes,? Antognini says.
Carlson agrees, although he says physicists may still be overlooking an error in either the muon or electron experiments. Researchers are on the case, scouring the details of each experiment in the hopes of a consistent value for proton size.
Yet as a theorist Carlson can?t help but entertain the possibility that new physics, not human error, causes the varying size measurements. According to the standard model of physics, electrons and muons should differ only in mass, but Carlson and other theorists are exploring the possibility that there is a yet-undiscovered particle that interacts only with muons. ?It would certainly shake things up,? he says.
Researchers are desperate to discover new physics because, while successful in describing most of what we see in everyday life, the standard model is terrible at describing phenomena such as gravity at small scales and the accelerating expansion of the universe.
The best test for theorists? ideas could come in two or three years, when physicists hope to introduce yet another independent method of determining proton size. John Arrington, a physicist at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, is helping to develop a muon beam that would be fired at protons. If such an experiment yields similar results to the muonic hydrogen one, Arrington says, then it?s likely that new physics is at work. ?That,? he says, ?is the most intriguing possibility.?
Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/347775/title/Protons_radius_revised_downward
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