Thursday, February 28, 2013

GearZap Nexus 7 Case-Compatible Desktop Sync and Charge Cradle review

My favorite gadget right now is my Nexus 7 tablet. ?I don’t go too many places without it, because it has become a natural extension of my work and my leisure. And so, I am always on the lookout for accessories for it. ?But all accessories are not created equal, as you know. ?When GearZap [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/02/28/gearzap-nexus-7-case-compatible-desktop-sync-and-charge-cradle-review/

CJ Spiller tracy morgan Chase.com Talk Like a Pirate Day raiders Demi Lovato iOS 6 Features

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Bucking party, GOP leaders sign pro-gay marriage brief

By Miranda Leitsinger, Staff Writer, NBC News

Supporters of same-sex marriage hope for a boost this week when dozens of high-profile Republicans, many no longer in office, submit their legal argument to the Supreme Court on why gays and lesbians should be allowed to wed, bucking their party's platform in a move that one who had a change of heart on the issue said would ?strengthen our nation as a whole.?

More than 80 Republicans have signed the brief to be filed in the case of Proposition 8, a California law banning same-sex marriage, according to the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which is waging the legal battle against the law. The nation?s high court will hear arguments in the case in late March.

Credit: Stephen Lam / Reuters file

Meg Whitman, HP's chief executive officer and president, at a meeting on Jan. 16. She says she has had a change of heart on the issue of gay marriage.

One scholar described the effort as ?inconceivable? just two years ago, and one of the signers, former California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, said in a blog that she had changed her mind on the issue, ?like several others who have either sought or held public office, including President Obama.?

?As the Republican nominee for governor of California three years ago, I supported the majority of Californians who voted for Proposition 8 and against same sex marriage,? Whitman, president and chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard Co., said in a statement. ?After careful review and reflection since then, I have come to embrace civil marriage for same sex couples.?

She noted in her blog that same-sex families ?should have equal access to the benefits of marriage? and later added: ?Establishing a constitutional right of marriage equality in California will strengthen our nation as a whole.?

Six former governors, including Jon Huntsman of Utah and Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, and members of President George W. Bush?s cabinet, such as former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, four former and two current members of Congress signed the brief, AFER said. Members of the Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain presidential campaigns also signed.

The brief will be filed Thursday, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group.?Additional names were still being added to it, said AFER, which noted one of its lead attorneys on the case was a conservative, former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson, who argued for Bush before the Supreme Court after the disputed 2000 presidential election.?

Michael Klarman, a Harvard Law School professor and author of ?From the Closet to the Altar: Courts, Backlash, and the Struggle for Same-Sex Marriage,? called it an ?incredibly important development? and noted the brief could influence Justice Anthony Kennedy, whom he said was the swing vote on gay marriage.

?The fact that more and more Republicans are coming out in favor of gay marriage simply confirms how dramatic the shift in public opinion has been -- and that is a fact that likely is of great significance to Justice Kennedy,? he wrote to NBC News in an email. ?Even two years ago, it would have been inconceivable that this many prominent Republicans would have been willing to buck their party platform on the issue.?

In an article last week, former Republican presidential candidate Huntsman wrote that as governor he had backed civil unions but now was supporting marriage for gays and lesbians.

?The party of Lincoln should stand with our best tradition of equality and support full civil marriage for all Americans,? he wrote. ?This is both the right thing to do and will better allow us to confront the real choice our country is facing: a choice between the Founders? vision of a limited government that empowers free markets, with a level playing field giving opportunity to all, and a world of crony capitalism and rent-seeking by the most powerful economic interests.?

Huntsman?s argument echoed parts of the legal brief, which The New York Times?? first to report on the brief???said made the case that allowing same-sex marriage would promote conservative ideals of limited government and individual freedom as well as provide the children of gay couples?a two-parent home.

The legal brief was dismissed by the National Organization for Marriage, which on Monday pledged $500,000 to defeat Republican lawmakers supporting any law to allow same-sex marriage in Minnesota, a state considering such legislation.

?None of these people are actively in politics. They are not running for office because they know ? supporting same-sex marriage will end your career if you?re a Republican,? said Brian Brown, NOM's president. ?There?s overwhelming support for traditional marriage in the Republican Party, that?s why it?s part of the party platform, and any attempt by the establishment to redefine marriage and redefine what it means to be a conservative will mean the death of the Republican party.?

But LGBT groups said the brief was further proof of changing attitudes on the issue. Marc Solomon, national campaign director for Freedom to Marry who saw the brief, said the list included Republicans going back to the Reagan administration.

He noted Meg Whitman?s new position represented a ?significant shift,? while others who had signed, such as Republican Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Richard Hanna of New York, have also sponsored federal legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Steve Schmidt, who worked on the 2004 Bush re-election effort and as chief strategist on McCain?s 2008 presidential bid, has been a ?powerful supporter? of same-sex marriage, Solomon said.

?I think most importantly, it?s the broad swath of leaders? on the list, Solomon told NBC News. ?We?re no longer just dealing with ? one or two ?mavericks? who are willing to sort of stick their neck out. ?

?This is a big swath of Republicans, of mainstream Republicans, who view the freedom to marry as part of their conservatism rather than something separate from it.?

The Supreme Court will also hear arguments in late March on DOMA, which the Obama administration has encouraged the justices to strike down. In its argument, the federal government noted that Proposition 8 and similar measures in other states was evidence that anti-gay discrimination remained a major problem.

Related:
US asks Supreme Court to strike down law denying benefits to same-sex couples
Supreme Court to take up same-sex marriage issue

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/26/17102594-once-inconceivable-republican-leaders-sign-pro-gay-marriage-brief?lite

cnn news Connecticut shooting Nancy Lanza school shootings cbs news Jenni Rivera chase

Kenya: Official who oversaw 2007 chaotic poll dies

Feb 25 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 2. Matt Kuchar $1,987,000 3. Hunter Mahan $1,412,965 4. John Merrick $1,296,014 5. Phil Mickelson $1,232,760 6. Dustin Johnson $1,200,125 7. Tiger Woods $1,144,000 8. Russell Henley $1,129,080 9. Brian Gay $1,089,181 10. Charles Howell III $1,087,944 11. Jason Day $1,009,164 12. Chris Kirk $990,013 13. Steve Stricker $940,000 14. Josh Teater $870,934 15. Bill Haas $816,300 16. Jimmy Walker $812,620 17. Scott Piercy $789,592 18. Charlie Beljan $785,800 19. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kenya-official-oversaw-2007-chaotic-poll-dies-140105570.html

Beyonce Lip Sync Star Wars citizens bank Hansel and Gretel LGBT Giovanna Plowman martin luther king jr quotes

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

A Natural Way to Prevent Migraines ? Sharecare.com Blog

For a migraine sufferer, there?s nothing better than a medicine that will make the headache go away ? nothing, that is, except never having the migraine at all. Because let?s face it: Migraine drugs aren?t perfect. They can be pricey, and they can have side effects. What a lot of migraine sufferers don?t realize, though, is that a few simple steps can often work just as well as the drugs, without as much cost or risk. Here are a few moves that may help you control your headaches without so much as looking at your medicine cabinet:

Step 1: Start a food journal. Migraine experts know that some foods may trigger migraines. The biggest culprits are those that contain a relatively high amount of a substance known as tyramine, which can cause headaches by increasing blood pressure. High-tyramine foods include aged cheeses, alcohol, processed meats and red wine. By keeping track, you can learn your triggers, and then avoid them to decrease the number of headaches you suffer.

Step 2: Exercise. A study done in Sweden found that regular exercise can be just as effective at preventing migraines as the drug Topamax. When study participants rode a stationary bike for 40 minutes three times a week, they had as big a reduction in headaches as participants who took 200 milligrams (mg) of Topamax a day. The only difference was that a third of the Topamax users had side effects, while the exercisers had none (unless you count a boost in fitness). Exercise increases endorphins, which may be the mechanism by which it prevents headaches.

Step 3: Try some healthy supplements. A number of studies have found that a daily dose of 400 mg of the B vitamin riboflavin can prevent migraines. It can?t stop one that?s already in progress, but people who take it for three months see their migraines drop by half.

Another nutrient that wards off migraines: magnesium, a common mineral found in beans, pumpkin seeds and nuts. The amount recommended varies according to which expert you ask, ranging from 600 to 1000 mg daily, provided you don?t have kidney problems. A study done in Germany found that when migraine sufferers were given 600 mg magnesium daily for a month, their migraines decreased by more than 40%. Magnesium helps by calming the brain. And there?s a bonus: It?s good for the heart, too.

Moving on to herbs, the herbal extract butterbur has been used for thousands of years for a variety of health issues. Several studies have found that in a dose of 50-75 mgs twice daily, it can reduce the number of migraines by as much as 50%.

With so many promising supplements to choose from, you might wonder what to try first. I generally recommend starting with magnesium and riboflavin. If those don?t help, then I suggest adding butterbur.

In addition, I recommend trying 150 mg daily of coenzyme Q10. In one study, this supplement halved the number of ?migraine days,? probably by improving blood flow in the brain. Studies have also found that 1000 mg daily of omega 3 fatty acids reduce the frequency of migraines by reducing inflammation.? Both of these supplements are good for general health.

These supplements are all generally safe (though, as with any supplement, you should discuss them with your doctor before you start). Whichever you choose, you?ll need to take it regularly for prevention, and you?ll still need your normal remedies for any migraines that do strike. Still, if you?re a migraine sufferer, it?s worth discussing alternatives like these with your doctor. They?re inexpensive, have fewer side effects than many migraine meds ? and just might make your head feel much better.

What?s helped you take control of your migraines? Share your best tips in the box below.

File under: Expert Spotlight

Contributor

Robin Miller
Robin Miller

Dr. Robin Miller, Sharecare Editorial Advisory Board Member, currently practices Internal Medicine and serves as the medical director of Triune Integrative Medicine, a highly innovative Integrative Medicine clinic in Medford, Oregon. She has produced the award-winning health series, ?Is there a Doctor in the House,? which is shown nationwide on the GE-sponsored Patient Channel, and is the author of "Kids Ask the Doctor" and the co-author of ?The Smart Woman's Guide to Midlife and Beyond: A No-Nonsense Approach to Staying Healthy after 50".

View my Sharecare profile

Source: http://blog.sharecare.com/2013/02/25/a-natural-way-to-prevent-migraines/

danica patrick Michelle Laxalt Alabama Shakes PlayStation 4 michael jordan Safe Haven Robbie Rogers

Dell S320wi


Short-throw interactive projectors like the Dell S320wi are best understood as less expensive, but nearly as good, alternatives to ultra short throw models like the Editors' Choice Epson BrightLink 485Wi. For any given size image, you can't put them as close to the screen as with ultra short throw projectors, but they generally work just as well otherwise. More important, the S320wi in particular is a reasonably capable representative of the breed.

Built around an XGA (1024 by 768) DLP chip, the S320wi offers a 3,000-lumen brightness rating, putting it in the typical range for current models meant for small to medium-size rooms. It weighs only 7 pounds, which makes it potentially portable. If you want to carry it with you, however, you'll have to buy a carrying case separately. Dell doesn't include one with the projector, which isn't surprising given that projectors in this weight class--particularly interactive projectors?are most likely to wind up on a cart or permanently installed in a wall mount.

Short Throw vs. Ultra Short Throw
Short-throw projectors have the advantage of projecting a big image from a short distance. They're not a match for ultra short throw projectors, on this score, but the difference isn't as much as you might think. For the 78-inch wide image we use for most testing, I measured the distance between the screen and the front of the S320wi at just 49 inches, which is a lot less than the 110 inches or more for most standard projectors at maximum zoom. I measured the Epson BrightLink 485Wi's distance at just 10-inches, but that's not a truly comparable measurement.

With almost all ultra short-throw projectors, including the 485Wi, the image comes from the back of the projector rather than the front. For the 485Wi, the actual throw distance for a 78-inch wide screen comes out to 21 inches. As a practical matter, if the projectors are mounted above the screen, that doesn't give it much advantage over the S320wi for eliminating shadows when you're standing near the screen. However, it can make a more noticeable difference for projectors on a cart.

Setup and Interactivity
Setting up the S320wi is standard fare. Connection options on the back include an HDMI 1.3 port for a computer or video source, plus the usual assortment of VGA, composite video, and S-Video ports. There's also a? USB A port for reading files from a USB key, a USB B port for connecting to your computer for interactive control and mouse control, a LAN port for both sending images to the projector and controlling it over a network, and support for a Wi-Fi connection.

As with most DLP-based interactive projectors, including, for example, the Editors' Choice Optoma TW610STi the S320wi uses the Texas Instruments interactive technology, which doesn't need calibration between the supplied pen and the projector. In addition the pen doesn't need to touch the screen to interact, so you can turn literally any surface into the equivalent of an interactive whiteboard.

As is typical for projectors using TI's approach to interactivity, I saw a slight lag between moving the pen and the results onscreen at times, but the responsiveness was good enough so I don't consider it a problem.


Brightness and Image Quality
The S320wi is bright enough for the 78-inch wide (98-inch diagonal) image size I used in my tests to easily stand up to the level of ambient light you'll find in most offices and classrooms. Turn on interactive mode, however, and the brightness drops noticeably. The good news is that even with interactive mode, the image was bright enough for a 66-inch wide (83-inch diagonal) image with moderate ambient light.

Very much on the plus side, the S320wi did reasonably well for data image quality on our standard suite of DisplayMate tests. Color balance was good, with most preset modes delivering suitably neutral grays over the entire range from black to white. Colors were a little dark in terms of a hue-saturation-brightness color model, but the colors were generally well saturated. More important for data images, the projector holds details well, with text easily readable at sizes as small as 6.8 points.

Video quality is also good for a DLP data projector. The S320wi handled skin tones well, I didn't see any posterization (shading changing suddenly where it should change gradually) even in scenes that tend to cause the problem, and I saw only minimal noise in large solid areas, like blank walls. I also saw moderate loss of shadow detail (details based on shading in dark areas) in scenes that tend to cause the problem, but many, if not most, data projectors do far worse with shadow detail.

One potential issue for any DLP based projector is rainbow artifacts, with light areas breaking up into little red-green-blue rainbows. I see this rainbow effect relatively easily, but it showed so rarely with data screens on the S320wi that few people, if any, are likely to find it bothersome. As with most DLP projectors, however, the rainbows show more often with video. Anyone who's sensitive to the rainbow effect may well see it often enough with video to consider it annoying.

Other Issues
Two other issues that demand mention are the S320wi's audio system and its 3D support. The audio quality is good enough so I could hear every word of some quietly spoken dialog that's almost impossible to make out with most projectors. Unfortunately, that's balanced by low volume, with a five-watt speaker. For larger rooms, you'll want to use an external sound system.

The 3D support, using DLP-Link glasses, is typical for DLP projectors, which means the S320wi is designed to work with computers that include Quad Buffered, Open GL 3D-compatible graphics cards. It also comes without any DLP-Link glasses, which are currently about $30 each for the cheapest models available. Buying enough glasses for a large audience can be costly enough to make 3D impractical. But at least the feature's available if you want it.

Overall, if you need an XGA interactive projector, the Dell S320wi offers a lot to like, with its short throw and its level of data and video image quality. However it's also a little pricey. Comparable in most ways to the Optoma TW610STi but with a lower resolution, at XGA (1,024-by-768) instead of WXGA (1,280-by-800), it should cost less. Instead, it costs more. That said, if XGA is the resolution you need, the Dell S320wi will be the better fit. And despite its price, it's a fairly reasonable choice.

More Projector Reviews:
??? Dell S320wi
??? NEC NP-VE281
??? InFocus IN1144
??? BenQ MW519
??? Epson PowerLite 1835 XGA 3LCD Projector
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/5Oeitf3_YeU/0,2817,2415938,00.asp

brad paisley zac brown band aubrey born to run pranks pregnancy test april fools day 2012

Monday, February 25, 2013

Economic News: China denies it's world's biggest trader | BirchIndigo


The Apple share price is shown on a stock ticker on Aug. 21, 2012, in New York. It was a day after the company?s market cap had made it the world?s most valuable company.(Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP)

Story Highlights

  • Despite recent stock price drop, Apple expected to stay on top
  • No big growth surges for Microsoft, but its software dominance continues
  • Exxon embraces clean energy, plans to invest $ 185 billion next 5 years

Each January, 24/7 Wall St. forecasts the publicly traded U.S. companies that will have the highest profits in the year ahead.

This year, Apple (AAPL) almost certainly will keep first place, well ahead of No. 2 Exxon (XOM), as the most profitable corporation in America. It already passed the oil giant in market capitalization. However, while the market appears to anticipate continued rapid growth from Apple, its prospects have dimmed somewhat. After reaching all-time highs last year, Apple?s stock advance has stopped and shares have sold off recently.

The list of most profitable companies is still dominated by oil companies, banks and big tech. A look back at profits over the past five years shows that this trend has continued. Some of these companies have not grown much on the top line of revenue for several years. But they continue to be earnings machines because of their long-time sales success, which will help them produce higher profits in the foreseeable future. Microsoft (MFST) is the best example of this. The software company is no longer considered a leader in the tech world, a position taken by public corporations like Google (GOOG) . Yet, Microsoft?s Windows and business franchises still have huge profit margins. Microsoft?s net income is greater than that of almost all other tech firms.

24/7 Wall St. used Capital IQ data to identify companies with the largest profits, defined as net income, over the past 12 months. This included revenue and earnings forecasts and pricing data. We reviewed earnings forecasts for the final quarter of 2012 and for the full year of 2013 to gauge growth prospects. In addition, 24/7 Wall St. looked at the top 100 companies in the Fortune 500 based on revenue and again reviewed earnings and earnings forecasts for these based on Capital IQ data. Here are what 24/7 Wall St. predicts will be the 10 most profitable companies of 2013:

1. Apple, market cap: $ 491.6 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 191 billion, up 23%, earnings of $ 46 billion, up 10%
? Stock price: $ 500, trading between $ 418.66 ? $ 705.07 per share

More than a year after the death of co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, Apple?s efforts to maintain preeminence in the smartphone and tablet PC markets are under constant scrutiny. Apple?s pace of change has been remarkable. When it launched the iPhone, the company was a PC and portable music player company. Just over five years late, the iPhone accounts for almost half of Apple?s revenue and two-thirds of its profits. Competition from a broad array of products from other companies, led by the Samsung line of smartphones and Amazon.com?s Kindle tablet, has eroded Apple?s lead. Apps built for the Google Android mobile operating system threatens Apple?s strength in the app business, in which it has had a mammoth lead. There is a great deal of speculation about what Apple will do to remain ahead of its competition in all markets, including talk of launching an Apple TV and a cheaper version of the iPhone. Nervousness about Apple?s prospects have pushed down its shares about 15% the past six months.

2. Exxon Mobil, market cap: $ 406.2 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 473 billion, down 1%, earnings of $ 37 billion, up 2%
? Stock price: $ 90.80, trading between $ 77.13 ? $ 93.67 per share

Exxon Mobil is the world?s fourth-largest oil company, the largest company in the U.S. based on revenue, and the second-largest public corporation in the world based on market cap. Like most large energy companies, Exxon has made a large bet on the oil sands business, a relatively new way to produce significant amounts of crude. It also continues to increase its capacity to bring crude from deep-sea locations, and it is investing $ 14 billion in the Hebron fields off the coast of Newfoundland. As have most of the world?s largest energy companies, Exxon has embraced the clean energy and fuel-efficiency movements, and it says it plans to spend a staggering $ 185 billion in energy projects the next five years.

3. (tie) Chevron (CVX), market cap: $ 216.2 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 260 billion, up 8%, earnings of $ 24 billion, unchanged
? Stock price: $ 110.47, trading between $ 95.73 ? $ 118.53 per share

Chevron is the third-largest company in the U.S., based on revenue, according to Fortune, behind Wal-Mart and Exxon. Like most other large U.S. oil and diversified energy firms, much of Chevron?s revenue comes from overseas. In the most recent quarter, Chevron?s total sales were $ 55.7 billion, of which $ 32.4 billion was pegged as ?international.? Chevron recently forecast its financial results for the final quarter of 2012 would be particularly strong. Chevron has significant operations in the natural gas sector, operates gas stations under the Chevron, Texaco and Caltex brands, and has large shipping and pipeline operations. Chevron?s stock has outperformed those of most of its global peers over the past five years and has risen 20% over that period.

3. (tie) Microsoft, market cap: $ 222.7 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 80 billion, up 9%, earnings of $ 24 billion, up 7%
? Stock price: $ 27.25, trading between $ 22.26 ? $ 32.95 per share

Microsoft, once the most powerful and largest software company in the world, has fallen on hard times. Its flagship product ? Windows ? was recently updated. The new operating system, Windows 8, has not done well, partly because global PC sales have slowed considerably. Unfortunately for Microsoft, PC sales are not expected to improve this year, as consumers move to tablets and smartphones. Microsoft has several other challenges. Its Online Services Division, made up of its Bing search engine and MSN portal, has struggled with losses. Google remains the dominant search engine by far, which has hurt Bing?s growth chances. Microsoft has also had trouble gaining adoption of its mobile Windows product, which relies in large part on its partnership with handset giant Nokia (NOK). Microsoft?s struggles have hurt it on Wall Street ? its stock is down more than 20% the past five years.

5. JP Morgan Chase (JPM), market cap: $ 175.4 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 100 billion, up 2%, earnings of $ 20 billion, up 6%
? Stock price: $ 46.46, trading between $ 30.83 ? $ 46.49 per share

Until recently, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon was considered the preeminent chief executive in his industry. His name was often mentioned as a possible candidate for Treasury Secretary when Tim Geithner retired. As a matter of fact, Warren Buffett said he favored Dimon for the job. But JP Morgan has had its share of trouble recently, and Obama?s chief of staff, Jack Lew, was nominated to be the next Treasury secretary. The heart of JP Morgan?s trouble was a large trade that cost the bank more than $ 6 billion. It was made by London investment employee Bruno Iksil, who has been called the ?London Whale? because of the magnitude of the hit to JP Morgan?s financials. Dimon readily admitted that poor management was the cause of the problem, which cost the bank?s chief investment officer her job and caused Dimon to replace the head of London trading operations. As a result, Dimon lost most of his bonus for last year.

6. (tie) Wells Fargo (WFC), market cap: $ 183.4 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 85 billion, down 1%, earnings of $ 19 billion, up 9%
? Stock price: $ 34.93, trading between $ 28.77 ? $ 36.60 per share

Wells Fargo is one of America?s ?big four? commercial banks, alongside Chase, Citigroup (C) and Bank of America (BAC). The company recently reported better-than-expected earnings. The quality of those numbers confirmed what many analysts believe: Wells Fargo has been able to build ?a reputation as one of the strongest banks in the country,? as ABC News reported. An indication of Wall Street?s admiration for the bank is that its share price has well outperformed its peers the past five years. Like the other large American banks, Well Fargo is highly diversified. It has retail bank operations, commercial operations that handle business lending, an investment bank and a wealth management business.

6. (tie) International Business Machines (IBM), market cap: $ 217.9 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 107 billion, up 2%, earnings of $ 19 billion, up 10%
?Stock price: $ 194.47, trading between $ 177.35 ? $ 211.79 per share

IBM is one of America?s largest tech companies. It is also one of the most diverse. Its strength in sales to corporations and government has allowed it to largely avoid many of the troubles that have faced firms like Dell (DELL) and HewlettPackard (HPQ), which are more dependent on sales to consumers. IBM has significant operations in Europe and Asia. It sells hardware ? including mainframe computers ? software and IT services. It also has consulting operations and a finance division. IBM is one of America?s oldest tech companies, and in 2011 celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. The company last year appointed its first female CEO ? Ginni Rometty.

8. General Electric (GE), market cap of $ 222 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 148 billion, up 2%, earnings of $ 18 billion, up 11%
? Stock price: $ 22.04, trading between $ 18.02 ? $ 23.18 per share

GE is considered the world?s largest conglomerate. It provides global infrastructure products and services, health care systems, jet engines and transportation services, and household appliances. It also has a large financial services division. One of the major criticisms of GE management is that the company has grown very little over the past several years. Wall Sreet has reacted negatively, and the stock price has fallen by over a third over the past five years. GE CEO Jeff Immelt is highly visible in business and government circles, and currently heads the U.S. Jobs Council set up by President Obama.

9. Pfizer ( PFE), market cap: $ 197 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 58 billion, down 1%, earnings of $ 17 billion, up 6%
? Stock price: $ 26.54, trading between $ 20.75 ? $ 26.77 per share

Pfizer?s largest challenge, like that of most other large pharmaceutical companies, is the expiration of patents for much of its drug portfolio. Cheaper, generic versions of these drugs have taken market share. In a recent example, Pfizer had to drop the price of Viagra in Canada to compete with generic versions sold there. Pfizer has gone through a series of layoffs to protect its margins, most recently at its U.S. sales operations. In the latest reported quarter, revenue fell to $ 14 billion from $ 16.6 billion in the same period a year ago.

10. Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), market cap: $ 228.7 billion
? Forecast: Revenue of $ 467 billion, up 5%, earnings of $ 16 billion, up 10%
? Stock price: $ 69.20, trading between $ 57.18 ? $ 77.60 per share

Wal-Mart employs more than 2 million people, making it the largest company in America by headcount. In the most recent Fortune 500 ranking, Wal-Mart fell just behind Exxon in total revenue. Wal-Mart is made up primarily of three divisions: Wal-Mart?s domestic stores, its Sam?s Club warehouse operation and Wal-Mart International. Wal-Mart has had a year marked by scandal. Allegedly, executives at the company?s Mexico division bribed government officials. Democratic Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings and Henry A. Waxman recently released information indicating Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke was aware as early as 2005 of allegations company executives had bribed Mexican government officials.

McIntyre is a partner of 24/7 Wall St.,a financial news website.

Tags: Submit Your News??Politics??Conspiracy??Spontaneous??Confessions??
Author:
Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomMoney-TopStories/~3/V4hMYf7ngBE/

Check out these interesting topics:

Source: http://www.birchindigo.com/economic-news-china-denies-its-worlds-biggest-trader/

guernsey nit colcannon dystonia tourettes gonzaga rosie o donnell

Virus shows promise as prostate cancer treatment

Virus shows promise as prostate cancer treatment [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

A recombinant Newcastle disease virus kills all kinds of prostate cancer cells, including hormone resistant cells, but leaves normal cells unscathed, according to a paper published online ahead of print in the Journal of Virology. A treatment for prostate cancer based on this virus would avoid the adverse side effects typically associated with hormonal treatment for prostate cancer, as well as those associated with cancer chemotherapies generally, says corresponding author Subbiah Elankumaran of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg. The modified virus is now ready to be tested in preclinical animal models, and possibly in phase I human clinical trials.

Newcastle disease virus kills chickens, but does not harm humans. It is an oncolytic virus that hones in on tumors, and has shown promising results in a number of human clinical trials for various forms of cancer. However, successful treatments have required multiple injections of large quantities of virus, because in such trials the virus probably failed to reach solid tumors in sufficient quantities, and spread poorly within the tumors.

The researchers addressed this problem by modifying the virus's fusion protein. Fusion protein fuses the virus envelope to the cell membrane, enabling the virus to enter the host cell. These proteins are activated by being cleaved by any of a number of different cellular proteases. They modified the fusion protein in their construct such that it can be cleaved only by prostate specific antigen (which is a protease). That minimizes off-target losses, because these "retargeted" viruses interact only with prostate cancer cells, thus reducing the amount of virus needed for treatment.

Retargeted Newcastle disease virus has major potential advantages over other cancer therapies, says Elankumaran. First, its specificity for prostate cancer cells means it would not attack normal cells, thereby avoiding the various unpleasant side effects of conventional chemotherapies. In previous clinical trials, even with extremely large doses of naturally occurring strains, "only mild flu-like symptoms were seen in cancer patients," says Elankumaran. Second, it would provide a new treatment for hormone-refractory patients, without the side effects of testosterone suppression that result from hormonal treatments.

About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and one in 36 will die of this disease. Men whose prostate cancer becomes refractory to hormone treatment have a median survival of about 40 months if they have bone metastases, and 68 months if they do not have bone metastases.

###

A copy of the manuscript can be found online at http://bit.ly/asmtip0213b. Formal publication of the article is scheduled for the first April 2013 issue of Journal of Virology.

(R. Shobana, S.K. Samal, and S. Elankumaran, 2013. Prostate-specific antigen-retargeted recombinant Newcastle disease virus for prostate cancer virotherapy. J. Virol. online ahead of print, 23 January 2013, doi:10.1128/JVI.02394-12)

Journal of Virology is a publication of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The ASM is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. Its mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.


[ 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.


Virus shows promise as prostate cancer treatment [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

A recombinant Newcastle disease virus kills all kinds of prostate cancer cells, including hormone resistant cells, but leaves normal cells unscathed, according to a paper published online ahead of print in the Journal of Virology. A treatment for prostate cancer based on this virus would avoid the adverse side effects typically associated with hormonal treatment for prostate cancer, as well as those associated with cancer chemotherapies generally, says corresponding author Subbiah Elankumaran of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg. The modified virus is now ready to be tested in preclinical animal models, and possibly in phase I human clinical trials.

Newcastle disease virus kills chickens, but does not harm humans. It is an oncolytic virus that hones in on tumors, and has shown promising results in a number of human clinical trials for various forms of cancer. However, successful treatments have required multiple injections of large quantities of virus, because in such trials the virus probably failed to reach solid tumors in sufficient quantities, and spread poorly within the tumors.

The researchers addressed this problem by modifying the virus's fusion protein. Fusion protein fuses the virus envelope to the cell membrane, enabling the virus to enter the host cell. These proteins are activated by being cleaved by any of a number of different cellular proteases. They modified the fusion protein in their construct such that it can be cleaved only by prostate specific antigen (which is a protease). That minimizes off-target losses, because these "retargeted" viruses interact only with prostate cancer cells, thus reducing the amount of virus needed for treatment.

Retargeted Newcastle disease virus has major potential advantages over other cancer therapies, says Elankumaran. First, its specificity for prostate cancer cells means it would not attack normal cells, thereby avoiding the various unpleasant side effects of conventional chemotherapies. In previous clinical trials, even with extremely large doses of naturally occurring strains, "only mild flu-like symptoms were seen in cancer patients," says Elankumaran. Second, it would provide a new treatment for hormone-refractory patients, without the side effects of testosterone suppression that result from hormonal treatments.

About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and one in 36 will die of this disease. Men whose prostate cancer becomes refractory to hormone treatment have a median survival of about 40 months if they have bone metastases, and 68 months if they do not have bone metastases.

###

A copy of the manuscript can be found online at http://bit.ly/asmtip0213b. Formal publication of the article is scheduled for the first April 2013 issue of Journal of Virology.

(R. Shobana, S.K. Samal, and S. Elankumaran, 2013. Prostate-specific antigen-retargeted recombinant Newcastle disease virus for prostate cancer virotherapy. J. Virol. online ahead of print, 23 January 2013, doi:10.1128/JVI.02394-12)

Journal of Virology is a publication of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The ASM is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. Its mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.


[ 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/2013-02/asfm-vsp022513.php

seth macfarlane jennifer lawrence kristen stewart daniel day lewis anne hathaway Jennifer Aniston channing tatum

Governors press for alternative to impending spending cuts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Less than a week before billions of dollars of U.S. spending cuts are set to begin, governors meeting in Washington ratcheted up the pressure on Congress and President Barack Obama to find an alternative to the reductions and give states more say in bringing down the federal debt.

"I certainly join the chorus of voices that are calling for that administration and members of Congress to come together and find more responsible cuts," said Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a Republican who served in the House of Representatives during the 2011 negotiations that led to the cuts.

Congress is expected to return to work on Monday to try to forge an agreement on avoiding the cuts, which are known as sequester or sequestration and are intended to save $1.2 trillion over 10 years. At the end of 2012, lawmakers decided to push the sequester's start date back to March 1 from January 1.

Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat who served in the House of Representatives for nearly 20 years, anticipates they will decide again to delay the start of the process.

"I think there will be a push-off," he said on Saturday. "But what will happen is some deep breaths will be taken, some real soul-searching will take place about what the political implications are going to be if this happens again and again. And I think a more long-term resolution ... will take place."

Republican and Democratic governors agree the federal government must shrink the deficit. They have already met with the White House and lawmakers in the first two months of 2013 to discuss sequestration alternatives.

In those meetings "We said, look we all know we've got to suffer a little bit together to get this ship righted," said Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, a Democrat. "We're willing to take our share, but we don't want to take more than our share."

They are asking that any plan addressing the deficit should also help states save money, give them flexibility in deciding which areas to cut in their states, and not shift costs onto their budgets, said Governor Mary Fallin, a Republican from Oklahoma.

Sequestration was designed as a threat by Congress, which set itself a deadline in the fall of 2011 to agree on spending reductions. Because it missed the deadline, a scheme of automatic cuts decided by formula kicked in.

"We should all remember that sequestration was originally designed by Congress as something so odious, so repellant that it would force both sides into a compromise," said Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado, a Democrat. "There can be no question that this is something nobody wants."

'DOUBLE WHAMMY'

During and after the 2007-09 recession, states' revenues plummeted to lows not seen in decades, while newly jobless and homeless residents turned to the their governments for help. Only in the last year have their revenues returned to pre-recession levels and spending demands eased. Many governors see sequestration as a threat to their slowly improving economies.

The two main sources of federal money for states - Medicaid, the healthcare program states run with federal reimbursements, and highway funding - are exempt from sequestration.

The remaining programs that are subject to sequestration directly provide on average 6.6 percent of states' revenues, according to Pew Center on the States. In South Dakota, they provide 10.3 percent.

The federal government, by employing people and buying goods and services, also plays an indirect role in states' economic fortunes.

On average, federal spending on procurement, salaries and wages within a state represents 5.3 percent of its gross domestic product, according to Pew. For Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland, federal spending has the most economic impact, making up 19.7 percent of their GDP.

For federal defense spending, the average is 3.5 percent of state GDP, with Hawaii having the highest at 14.6 percent.

An analysis by Wells Fargo Securities Economics Group last week found that under sequestration states close to the nation's capital and in the South "will be the hardest hit, while states in the Midwest and the West Coast will likely be impacted to a lesser extent."

Governor Peter Shumlin, of Vermont, who also heads the Democratic Governors Association, called the reduced direct funds and potentially harmful economic effects a "double whammy."

"I have no idea what they're going to do down here," he said about Congress reaching an agreement. "All I can tell you is that the President ... seems quite convinced they're actually willing to push the button and undermine the economic recovery and prosperity that we're seeing in our states."

Democratic and Republican governors alike say statehouses and businesses have been left with too much uncertainty as the country approaches sequestration. Federal agencies are only now disclosing where they will cut spending and reduce work forces.

Fallin has pushed since the summer for an alternative and also does not want sequestration repeatedly postponed.

"Do the least harm and give us the flexibility," she said. "It is not good to have the sequester talk every couple of months."

(Editing by Eric Walsh)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/governors-press-alternative-impending-spending-cuts-005657999.html

boxing day george h w bush Belk Led Zeppelin Ned Rocknroll Norman Schwarzkopf Avery Johnson

Sunday, February 24, 2013

FDA Approves New Targeted Breast Cancer Drug

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-a-kind breast cancer medication that targets tumor cells while sparing healthy ones.

The drug Kadcyla from Roche combines the established drug Herceptin with a powerful chemotherapy drug and a third chemical linking the medicines together. The chemical keeps the cocktail intact until it binds to a cancer cell, delivering a potent dose of anti-tumor poison.

Cancer researchers say the drug is an important step forward because it delivers more medication while reducing the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy.

"This antibody goes seeking out the tumor cells, gets internalized and then explodes them from within. So it's very kind and gentle on the patients ? there's no hair loss, no nausea, no vomiting," said Dr. Melody Cobleigh of Rush University Medical Center. "It's a revolutionary way of treating cancer."

Cobleigh helped conduct the key studies of the drug at the Chicago facility.

The FDA approved the new treatment for about 20 percent of breast cancer patients with a form of the disease that is typically more aggressive and less responsive to hormone therapy. These patients have tumors that overproduce a protein known as HER-2. Breast cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer in U.S. women, and is expected to kill more than 39,000 Americans this year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The approval will help Roche's Genentech unit build on the blockbuster success of Herceptin, which has long dominated the breast cancer marketplace. The drug had sales of roughly $6 billion last year.

Genentech said Friday that Kadcyla will cost $9,800 per month, compared to $4,500 per month for regular Herceptin. The company estimates a full course of Kadcyla, about nine months of medicine, will cost $94,000.

FDA scientists said they approved the drug based on company studies showing Kadcyla delayed the progression of breast cancer by several months. Researchers reported last year that patients treated with the drug lived 9.6 months before death or the spread of their disease, compared with a little more than six months for patients treated with two other standard drugs, Tykerb and Xeloda.

Overall, patients taking Kadcyla lived about 2.6 years, compared with 2 years for patients taking the other drugs.

FDA specifically approved the drug for patients with advanced breast cancer who have already been treated with Herceptin and taxane, a widely used chemotherapy drug. Doctors are not required to follow FDA prescribing guidelines, and cancer researchers say the drug could have great potential in patients with earlier forms of breast cancer

Kadcyla will carry a boxed warning, the most severe type, alerting doctors and patients that the drug can cause liver toxicity, heart problems and potentially death. The drug can also cause severe birth defects and should not be used by pregnant women.

Kadcyla was developed by South San Francisco-based Genentech using drug-binding technology licensed from Waltham, Mass.-based ImmunoGen. The company developed the chemical that keeps the drug cocktail together and is scheduled to receive a $10.5 million payment from Genentech on the FDA decision. The company will also receive additional royalties on the drug's sales.

Shares of ImmunoGen Inc. rose 2 cents to $14.32 in afternoon trading. The stock has ttraded in a 52-wek range of $10.85 to $18.10.

Source: http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/73099-fda-approves-new-targeted-breast-cancer-drug

obscura grok cirque du freak paul pierce pope joan pope joan strikeforce tate vs rousey

Saint Joseph's starts fast, defeats George Washington

MEMBER LOGIN:

'); } else { document.write('

Welcome ' + readCookie("username") + '

'); } if(readCookie("regConfirmationStatus") && readCookie("regConfirmationStatus") == "pending") { document.write(''); document.write(''); } else { document.write('');} if(readCookie("ssoUser") == "true"){ document.write(''); } else { document.write(''); } } else { document.write(' '); }

Source: http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168361&44=192754041&32=3796&7=195227&40=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/st_josephs/20130223_St_Josephs_starts_fast__defeats_George_Washington.html

Black Mesa matt ryan matt ryan att wireless Mother Jones cars Bacon Number

Conservative favored in Cyprus presidential runoff

Opposition party leader and presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades votes with his grandson Andis, in the Presidential election in southern port city of Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Faced with the specter of financial meltdown, Cypriots are choosing a new president with the conservative candidate favored to win over his left-wing rival in a runoff vote Sunday.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Opposition party leader and presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades votes with his grandson Andis, in the Presidential election in southern port city of Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Faced with the specter of financial meltdown, Cypriots are choosing a new president with the conservative candidate favored to win over his left-wing rival in a runoff vote Sunday.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A man votes in the presidential election in southern port city of Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Opposition party leader Nicos Anastasiades garnered 45.46 per cent of the vote in the first round of voting, some 18 points over communist-backed Stavros Malas. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Left-wing presidential candidate Stavros Malas votes in the Presidential election in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Faced with the specter of financial meltdown, Cypriots are choosing a new president with the conservative candidate favored to win over his left-wing rival in a runoff vote Sunday. (AP Photo/Philippos Christou)

A replica of a ballot with two presidential candidates, right-wing opposition leader Nicos Anasatsiades, left, and left-wng Stavros Mallas is posted on a wall by a police officer, right, at a polling station in southern port city of Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Opposition party leader Nicos Anastasiades garnered 45.46 per cent of the vote in the first round of voting, some 18 points over communist-backed Stavros Malas. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Right-wing opposition leader and presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades with his granddaughter Nikoletta leaves after voting in the presidential election in southern port city of Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Anastasiades garnered 45.46 per cent of the vote in the first round of voting, some 18 points over communist-backed Stavros Malas. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

(AP) ? With Cypriots facing the specter of financial meltdown, the conservative candidate in a presidential election runoff was favored to beat his left-wing rival Sunday.

Opposition leader Nicos Anastasiades garnered 45.46 percent of the vote in the first round of voting, about 18 points more than Stavros Malas, who is backed by outgoing President Dimitris Christofias' communist-rooted AKEL party. The candidate who gets the simple majority in the second round will win the race.

The new president will be under pressure to quickly finalize a financial rescue package with the eurozone's other 16 countries, and the International Monetary Fund to keep the country solvent as the economy shrinks and state coffers run dry. He will face a tough battle convincing reluctant countries, especially Germany, that tiny Cyprus deserves help after its banks lost billions of euros on bad Greek debt.

Last year, Cyprus sought financial assistance of up to ?17 billion ($22.7 billion), a sum roughly equivalent to its annual gross domestic product, which has raised concerns whether the country would be able to pay back any loan. The country has been unable to borrow from international markets since mid-2011, and turned to long-time ally Russia last year for a ?2.5 billion ($3.3 billion) loan to keep it afloat.

Cyprus, a divided island of around 1 million people in the far eastern end of the Mediterranean, is one of the smallest members of the 27-nation European Union and faces deep political and economic problems.

In 1974, it was split into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Decades of talks on resolving that division so far have gone nowhere, and dealing with the financial crisis now takes priority. Only the 545,000 eligible voters in the south can cast their ballots in the election.

The conservatives have capitalized on widespread discontent over what many view as five years of failed rule by Christofias. An Anastasiades campaign billboard reading "Could you stand another five years of the same?" plays to that discontent.

"Today's choice is twofold: one is to carry on with today's government and the dead ends that we face. The other is a choice for a new era," Anastasiades, 66, said after voting. "(Voters) will conscientiously choose the future of our county, either to go forward or stay in the past."

Malas, a political newcomer, urged voters to select "policies that will help our country to resist and to safeguard social cohesion."

"We are determining the future of our country in a Europe that is contemplating which course it will follow given this great economic crisis," he said.

Voters understand that financial recovery will be a long, tough struggle, regardless of who wins.

"Whoever wins today will have a difficult time to overcome all these problems, because of the mistakes of the past," said Maria Constantinou, 31. "But with the right policies now, things might get better for us with the president after this new one."

Economist Evangelos Loizides, 60, said: "Things are very, very difficult for us now. A solution won't come from the politicians. It'll come from the Cypriots themselves through their hard work."

Another voter expressed doubt whether either candidate can really deliver.

"Let me put it to you this way. I prefer a Ferrari, but I can only choose between a Mitsubishi and a Toyota," said 36-year-old Panayiotis, who didn't give his last name. "We could've had better choices, more options, but this is what we're presented with."

Eurozone leaders are expected to discuss a Cyprus bailout in the latter half of March. Some have voiced doubt whether Cyprus ? which contributes only 0.2 percent to the eurozone's economy ? is really worth saving, even though Cypriot and European Union officials have warned that allowing the country to fall would jeopardize the eurozone's fragile recovery.

Cyprus has already enacted deep public sector wage cuts and tax hikes under a preliminary bailout agreement.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-02-24-Cyprus-Presidential%20Election/id-3c1b52c58eb141878b544cc497c0a5a4

gisele bundchen tom brady randy travis arrested dickens greg kelly cujo karen handel hangout

What's the Best Way to Clean a Grater?

What's the Best Way to Clean a Grater?There are few kitchen tools more difficult to clean than a grater. Whether it's cheese, ginger, or whatever, crusty bits invariably get stuck. Save your knuckles by following these cleaning tips from the cooks at Q&A network Stack Exchange.

Jacob R Asks:

A grater is a very useful instrument in the kitchen and it's fun to use. You can use it for a lot of food: cheese, citrus fruit peel, nutmeg, all kinds of vegetables, etc. But cleaning a grater is a pain.

Anyone here knows an easy and effective way to clean a grater?

Justin Answers:

Clean it immediately, before anything has a chance to dry. As soon as I'm done grating anything, I run the grater under water and wipe it with a sponge. Wipe with the direction of the blades, then run a little water inside it. Optional: put the grater in the dishwasher to clean fully.

Theodore Murdock Answers:

The best way that I've found to clean a grater is to use a toothbrush. The bristles offer the right combo of stiffness and flexibility?they don't get caught in the blades of the grater (so you don't end up with grated toothbrush bristles)?and they are fine and tightly packed, fitting into the tiny spaces and removing stuck on bits of ginger or cheese quite well.I expect some vegetable brushes might also work well, if the bristles are thin and tightly packed. For the shredding or slicing sides, a washcloth is usually a better choice, but for the grating sides, I haven't found anything as effective as a toothbrush.

gail Answers:

Try giving your grater a spray with Pam before using. It makes it easier to dislodge small bits when cleaning.

underarock Answers:

Comparison of the Microplane Classic, Professional Coarse, and Professional Extra-Coarse via Amazon.com

First, if you are using the common 4 sided grater with the hard-to-clean truncated pyramid interior, say scrap it and get a microplane grater. Microplane graters aren't just a lot easier to clean, they're better at grating. But for all graters, clean immediately after use. Take a rough sponge or plastic hair brush and scrape towards yourself, or in the opposite direction you would grate.


Illustration by Sean Gallagher.

Find more answers at the original post here. See more questions like this at Seasoned Advice, the cooking site at Stack Exchange. And of course, feel free to ask a question yourself.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/YkDVfVh3nBQ/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-a-grater

mpaa south carolina debate lauren scruggs william shatner seattle weather skier sarah burke gingrich wife

Study reveals new clues to Epstein-Barr virus

Friday, February 22, 2013

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) affects more than 90 percent of the population worldwide and was the first human virus found to be associated with cancer. Now, researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have broadened the understanding of this widespread infection with their discovery of a second B-cell attachment receptor for EBV.

The new findings, which currently appear on-line in Cell Reports, reinforce current directions being taken in the development of a vaccine to guard against EBV, and raise important new questions regarding the virus's possible relationship to malaria and to autoimmune diseases.

"Our discovery that CD35 is an attachment receptor for EBV helps explain several previously unsolved observations," explains the study's senior author Joyce Fingeroth, MD, a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases at BIDMC and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

First discovered in the early 1960s, EBV is one of eight viruses in the human herpesvirus family. The virus affects nine out of 10 people at some point in their lifetimes. Infections in early childhood often cause no disease symptoms, but people infected during adolescence or young adulthood may develop infectious mononucleosis. EBV is also associated with several types of cancer, including Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and has been linked to certain autoimmune disorders.

"EBV was the first human virus that was discovered to be a tumor virus," explains Fingeroth. "In fact, individuals who have had infectious mononucleosis have a four times increased risk of developing Hodgkin's disease." After the initial infection, the EBV virus remains in a person's body for life.

To gain entry, viruses must first attach to their host cells. For herpesviruses, receptors on the viral envelope become connected to complementary receptors on the cell membrane. In the case of EBV, the virus gains access to the immune system by attaching to primary B cells.

Nearly 30 years ago, Fingeroth and her colleagues discovered that this attachment occurs via the CD21 protein, which until now was the only known B cell attachment receptor for EBV. The recent finding that B cells from a patient lacking CD21 can be infected and immortalized by EBV had indicated that an alternative attachment receptor must exist. The identification of this second receptor -- CD35 -- by Fingeroth's team, led by first author Javier Ogembo, PhD, of BIDMC and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, not only underscores an important finding regarding primary infection but also underscores the importance of EBVgp350/220, (the virus protein that has been found to bind to both attachment receptors) for the development of a vaccine against EBV.

"The EBV glycoprotein gp350/220 is the most abundant surface glycoprotein on the virus," notes Fingeroth, adding that these results further suggest the virus fusion apparatus is the same for both receptors. "An EBV vaccine might be able to prevent infection or, alternatively, greatly reduce a person's risk of developing infectious mononucleosis and EBV-associated cancers, without necessarily preventing the EBV infection itself."

Interestingly, she adds, whereas a human has now been identified to be lacking the CD21 receptor, no persons are known to lack CD35.

"CD35 is a latecomer in evolution and in its current form, exists only in humans," says Fingeroth. "We know that it is often targeted in autoimmune diseases and was recently identified as a malaria receptor. Our new discovery may, therefore, reveal new avenues for the exploration of unexplained links between EBV, autoimmune diseases, malaria and cancer."

###

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu

Thanks to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for this article.

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

This press release has been viewed 34 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126972/Study_reveals_new_clues_to_Epstein_Barr_virus

kola boof burmese python ferris bueller god bless america earned income credit florida primary 2012 super bowl

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The lifetime journeys of manure-based microbes

Feb. 22, 2013 ? Studies at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are shedding some light on the microbes that dwell in cattle manure -- what they are, where they thrive, where they struggle, and where they can end up.

This research, which is being conducted by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the agency's Agroecosystems Management Research Unit in Lincoln, Neb., supports the USDA priority of ensuring food safety. ARS is USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency.

In one project, ARS microbiologist Lisa Durso used fecal samples from six beef cattle to identify a core set of bovine gastrointestinal bacterial groups common to both beef and dairy cattle. She also observed a number of bacteria in the beef cattle that had not been reported in dairy cows, and identified a diverse assortment of bacteria from the six individual animals, even though all six consumed the same diet and were the same breed, gender and age.

In another study, Durso collaborated with ARS agricultural engineer John Gilley and others to study how livestock diet affected the transport of pathogens in field runoff from manure-amended soils. The scientists added two types of manure to experimental conventional-till and no-till fields at 1-, 2-, or 4-year application rates. The manure had been collected from livestock that had consumed either corn or feed with wet distillers grains.

After a series of simulated rain events, the team collected and analyzed samples of field runoff and determined that neither diet nor tillage management significantly affected the transport of fecal indicator bacteria. But they did note that diet affected the transport of bacteriophages -- viruses that invade bacteria -- in field runoff.

Gilley also conducted an investigation into how standing wheat residues affected water quality in runoff from fields amended with 1-, 2-, or 4-year application rates of manure. The scientists found that runoff loads of dissolved phosphorus, total phosphorus, nitrates, nitrogen, and total nitrogen were much higher from plots with residue cover. The team also observed that runoff from fields amended with 4-year application rates of manure had significantly higher levels of total phosphorus and dissolved phosphorus than fields amended with 1-year or 2-year manure rates.

Results from these studies have been published in Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, and Transactions of the ASABE.

Read more about this research in the February 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/feb13/cows0213.htm

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by USDA/Agricultural Research Service. The original article was written by Ann Perry.

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


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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/qfSF_hrZ_QU/130222143227.htm

oklahoma city bombing robbie robertson the curious case of benjamin button secret service prostitute rich ross april 20 jennifer love hewitt

Twin bombings kill 13, wound more in south India

HYDERABAD, India (AP) ? A pair of bombs exploded in a crowded shopping area in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, killing at least 13 people and wounding scores of others in the worst bombing in the country in more than a year, officials said.

The blasts occurred about two minutes apart at around 7 p.m. Thursday outside a movie theater and a bus station, police said. Storefronts were shattered, motorcycles covered in debris, and food and plates from a roadside restaurant were scattered on the ground near a tangle of dead bodies. Passersby rushed the wounded out of the area.

"This is a dastardly attack, the guilty will not go unpunished," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said. He appealed to the public to remain calm.

The bombs were attached to two bicycles about 150 meters (500 feet) apart in Dilsukh Nagar district, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters in New Delhi. The district is a usually crowded shopping area near a residential neighborhood.

When asked if the government had any suspects, Shinde responded: "We have to investigate."

Andhra Pradesh state Home Minister P. Sabita Reddy said 11 people died on the spot in the two blasts and another two succumbed to their injuries in hospital on Thursday night.

She said another 78 people were injured and hospitalized in the city.

Top state police officer V. Dinesh Reddy said improvised explosive devices with nitrogen compound were used in Thursday's blasts.

Mahesh Kumar, a 21-year-old student, was heading home from a tutoring class when a bomb went off.

"I heard a huge sound and something hit me, I fell down, and somebody brought me to the hospital," said Kumar, who suffered shrapnel wounds.

Hyderabad, a city of 10 million in the state of Andhra Pradesh, is a hub of India's information technology industry and has a mixed population of Muslims and Hindus.

"This (attack) is to disturb the peaceful living of all communities in Andhra Pradesh," said Kiran Kumar Reddy, the state's chief minister.

The explosions were the first major bomb attack to hit India since a September 2011 blast outside the High Court in New Delhi killed 13 people. The government has been heavily criticized for its failure to arrest the masterminds behind previous bombings.

Officials from the National Investigation Agency and commandos of the National Security Guards arrived from New Delhi to Hyderabad to help with the investigation.

The United States, whose Secretary of State John Kerry was meeting Thursday in Washington with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, condemned the attack.

"The United States stands with India in combating the scourge of terrorism and we also prepared to offer any and all assistance Indian authorities may need," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a news briefing.

Rana Banerji, a former security official, said India remains vulnerable to such attacks because there is poor coordination between the national government and the states. Police reforms are also moving very slowly and the quality of intelligence gathering is poor, he said.

"The concept of homeland security should be made effective, on a war footing," he said.

Rajnath Singh, the president of main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, demanded a thorough probe into the blasts. His party called for a general strike in the state on Friday.

India has been in a state of alert since Mohammed Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri, was hanged in a New Delhi jail nearly two weeks ago. Guru had been convicted of involvement in a 2001 attack on India's Parliament that killed 14 people, including five gunmen.

Many in Indian-ruled Kashmir believe Guru did not receive a fair trial, and the secrecy with which the execution was carried out fueled anger in a region where anti-India sentiment runs deep.

___

Associated Press writers Ashok Sharma in New Delhi and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/twin-bombings-kill-13-wound-more-south-india-014557344.html

texas news kim mulkey sarah palin today show dallas tornado video 1940 census instagram for android dallas news