Saturday, September 29, 2012

Postal Service regulator questions cost-saving plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Postal Service's regulator on Friday questioned the potential savings from a plan to shut mail processing sites and slow mail delivery, saying the mail agency could save about the same amount without making major changes to delivery times.

The Postal Service plans to close nearly half its mail processing sites over the next few years, part of its response to tumbling mail volumes as Americans use email more.

But postal officials' assumption that the best response to lower volume was to slow delivery caused it to overlook other cost-cutting options, the Postal Regulatory Commission said in a non-binding opinion.

"The commission's range of potential net savings estimates is lower than that projected by the Postal Service," according to the advisory opinion.

"The vast majority of mail processing savings that the Postal Service expects to attain can be captured without significantly changing service," the PRC said.

The critique is the latest backlash to the Postal Service's cost-cutting ideas. Lawmakers from rural communities, as well as big mailers, have pushed back against plans to close facilities. A Postal Service plan to close thousands of post offices was derailed earlier this year.

The Postal Service says it no longer handles enough mail to justify its current number of facilities and workers.

In May, the mail agency said it would consolidate 140 of its 461 processing sites by February 2013, with more to follow. The plan involved shrinking the area where customers can expect mail to be delivered the next day, with the eventual expectation that delivery would slow further.

The PRC opinion said that at most, that plan would save about $2 billion, slightly less than the Postal Service has projected. But if the move depleted mail volumes by driving advertisers and other mailers online, savings would be much lower, the PRC said.

It also said the Postal Service focused on moving processing from small plants to large ones, but the PRC found that it could save more by looking at productivity rather than size.

Using a model that would close the less productive sites first, the PRC said the USPS could save about $1.8 billion with minimal revenue loss and fewer changes to delivery times.

The Postal Service said when it announced the plan that its second phase of closings and service changes would begin in early 2014. The PRC recommended the USPS use that time to study the initial changes and consider other cost-cutting options.

A Postal Service spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing the advisory opinion.

(Reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Gary Hill)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/postal-regulator-questions-cost-saving-plan-001256036--sector.html

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Making it easier to make stem cells: Kinase inhibitors lower barrier to producing stem cells in lab

ScienceDaily (Sep. 25, 2012) ? The process researchers use to generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) -- a special type of stem cell that can be made in the lab from any type of adult cell -- is time consuming and inefficient. To speed things up, researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) turned to kinase inhibitors. These chemical compounds block the activity of kinases, enzymes responsible for many aspects of cellular communication, survival, and growth.

As they outline in a paper published September 25 in Nature Communications, the team found several kinase inhibitors that, when added to starter cells, help generate many more iPSCs than the standard method. This new capability will likely speed up research in many fields, better enabling scientists around the world to study human disease and develop new treatments.

"Generating iPSCs depends on the regulation of communication networks within cells," explained Tariq Rana, Ph.D., program director in Sanford-Burnham's Sanford Children's Health Research Center and senior author of the study. "So, when you start manipulating which genes are turned on or off in cells to create pluripotent stem cells, you are probably activating a large number of kinases. Since many of these active kinases are likely inhibiting the conversion to iPSCs, it made sense to us that adding inhibitors might lower the barrier."

According to Tony Hunter, Ph.D., professor in the Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and director of the Salk Institute Cancer Center, "The identification of small molecules that improve the efficiency of generating iPSCs is an important step forward in being able to use these cells therapeutically. Tariq Rana's exciting new work has uncovered a class of protein kinase inhibitors that override the normal barriers to efficient iPSC formation, and these inhibitors should prove useful in generating iPSCs from new sources for experimental and ultimately therapeutic purposes." Hunter, a kinase expert, was not involved in this study.

The promise of iPSCs

At the moment, the only treatment option available to many heart failure patients is a heart transplant. Looking for a better alternative, many researchers are coaxing stem cells into new heart muscle. In Alzheimer's disease, researchers are also interested in stem cells, using them to reproduce a person's own malfunctioning brain cells in a dish, where they can be used to test therapeutic drugs. But where do these stem cells come from? Since the advent of iPSC technology, the answer in many cases is the lab. Like their embryonic cousins, iPSCs can be used to generate just about any cell type -- heart, brain, or muscle, to name a few -- that can be used to test new therapies or potentially to replace diseased or damaged tissue.

It sounds simple enough: you start with any type of differentiated cell, such as skin cells, add four molecules that reprogram the cells' genomes, and then try to catch those that successfully revert to unspecialized iPSCs. But the process takes a long time and isn't very efficient -- you can start with thousands of skin cells and end up with just a few iPSCs.

Inhibiting kinases to make more iPSCs

Zhonghan Li, a graduate student in Rana's laboratory, took on the task of finding kinase inhibitors that might speed up the iPSC-generating process. Scientists in the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, Sanford-Burnham's drug discovery facility, provided Li with a collection of more than 240 chemical compounds that inhibit kinases. Li painstakingly added them one-by-one to his cells and waited to see what happened. Several kinase inhibitors produced many more iPSCs than the untreated cells -- in some cases too many iPSCs for the tiny dish housing them. The most potent inhibitors targeted three kinases in particular: AurkA, P38, and IP3K.

Working with the staff in Sanford-Burnham's genomics, bioinformatics, animal modeling, and histology core facilities -- valuable resources and expertise available to all Sanford-Burnham scientists and the scientific community at large -- Rana and Li further confirmed the specificity of their findings and even nailed down the mechanism behind one inhibitor's beneficial actions.

"We found that manipulating the activity of these kinases can substantially increase cellular reprogramming efficiency," Rana said. "But what's more, we've also provided new insights into the molecular mechanism of reprogramming and revealed new functions for these kinases. We hope these findings will encourage further efforts to screen for small molecules that might prove useful in iPSC-based therapies."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Zhonghan Li, Tariq M. Rana. A kinase inhibitor screen identifies small-molecule enhancers of reprogramming and iPS cell generation. Nature Communications, 2012; 3: 1085 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2059

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/dN6VwlNnmS0/120925121351.htm

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Microsoft Office for Mac Updated for Retina Display, Secondary Mobile Displays, and More, The 'Book Review

General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in Mac News Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV news is covered in iOS News Review. Older Macs are covered in Vintage Mac News. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

Purchases made through links to Amazon.com and Apple's iTunes/iBook/App/Mac App Store support Low End Mac.

News & Opinion

Products & Services

Software

Bargain 'Books

News & Opinion

Office for Mac 2011 Upgraded to Support Retina Display

The Office for Mac Team has announced that Office For Mac 2011 (Version 14.2.4) now supports Retina Display for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, and says text is now "incredibly crisp" and all key areas of the interface are now sharper than ever.

As long as you have Microsoft AutoUpdate set to check for software updates automatically, you'll be notified when this update is available.

To check your AutoUpdate settings, open any Office for Mac program, click Help from the menu bar, then select Check for Updates. You can choose to update Manually or Automatically on the schedule of your choice.

Led by Apple's MacBook Air, 20 Million Ultraportable Notebooks to Ship in 2012

PR: Despite Intel's marketing campaign to educate audiences about the ultrabook computing platform, most consumers are not biting, and new data from market intelligence firm ABI Research suggests that Intel may have jinxed itself with a premature prediction that 40% of all notebook computers this year would be Ultrabooks. ABI Research found the uptake of thin and light portable computers during the first half of 2012 was disappointing, though new data forecasts 20 million will ship worldwide in 2012.

Ultrabooks, a term coined and trademarked by Intel for ultraportable notebook computers based on its processor architecture, are part of the broader portable computing market typically associated with the terms "laptop" or "notebook" PCs. Targeted at midrange prices, the most popular ultraportable today is not strictly speaking an Ultrabook, but Apple's MacBook Air.

"Initial Ultrabooks came to market several hundred dollars above consumer expectations," comments senior practice director Jeff Orr. High systems prices and waiting for the upcoming Windows 8 operating system are two leading reasons for lack of adoption. Next-generation systems that bring prices down closer to audience requirements along with touchscreen models that provide versatile input methods are promised for 2013. The ultraportable segment has significant growth potential as consumer expectations are met. A healthy growth rate of 53% is predicted over the 2012 to 2017 forecast period."

At the low end of portable computing is the netbook PC. Netbooks kept the portable computing market afloat during the 2009 global recession by offering a low-cost solution for families and students. Now the majority of PC OEMs have shifted focus away from low-margin netbook toward more profitable media tablets.

"The remaining netbook vendors are focused on educational deployments as a learning tool. Both OLPC and Intel's Classmate PC partners continue to promote the use of technology within classroom settings all over the globe. More than 15 million netbooks are expected to ship worldwide this year. Latin America has already taken advantage of the netbook opportunity, while the Eastern European markets are ramping deployments," says Orr.

The new market data Netbooks, Smartbooks & Ultrabooks tracks and analyzes audience and device segmentation for ultraportable computers. It forms part of ABI Research's Netbooks, Smartbooks and Ultrabooks Research Service, which comprehensively analyzes the technology segments affecting growth of global portable computing.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research's worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

Publisher's note: Lots of unknowns here. Apple doesn't provide sales figures by model, but best estimates are the Apple sells about 2-3x as many MacBook Air computers as all ultrabooks combined. dk

Battery life infographicWhen Will Batteries Last the Work Week?

Lenovo blogger William Hong notes that most of us only fuel our cars approximately once per week. When can we expect to get the same mileage from our laptops? Imagine charging your laptop once and having it last a 40-hour work week without ever needing more juice. With ever more efficient hardware and processors, Hong says that sort of performance is now on the horizon. So when exactly will it happen?

Lenovo has posted an infographic that breaks down the past, present, and future of battery life. It follows the technological progress of batteries through the years - for example, in 1989 the average battery on a PC laptop would die after 16 minutes of usage.

Hid prediction: We'll have to wait a good 10 years before we see 40 hours of battery life from a single charge.

7" Tablets Could Help Notebooks Stage a Comeback

Tech.Pinions' Ben Bajarin thinks that increasing popularity of 7(ish)-inch tablets could set the stage for a laptop comeback, contending that the fundamental aspect of a solutions-based approach to personal computing understands that multiple screens working seamlessly in conjunction together will equal personal computing.

Bajarin notes that tablets are not a mature category yet with regards to the mass market and says it will most likely take customers at least two generations of owning a tablet to fully establish their needs, wants, and desires for the platform.

Bajarin relates that after switching to a Nexus 7 instead of an iPad as his primary tablet, he began using his notebook more, leading him to speculate that rising popularity of 7" tablets will help to rejuvenate the notebook market.

Publisher's note: This stands in stark contrast to predictions made earlier this year that tablets will improve the sale of desktop PCs (see The iPad May Kill Laptops and Save the Desktop). Although the PC market (not including tablets) is essentially stagnant overall, laptops have been outselling desktops since mid 2008. In 2010, Forrester Research (which counts tablets at PCs) predicted that desktop PCs will only account for 18% of the market in 2015, notebooks and netbooks 59%, and tablets the remaining 23%. That's a desktop decline of 15% from 2010, 3% for laptops, and 17% growth for tablets. With tablets growing the market significantly, laptops are not in trouble. dk

Products & Services

Monster Digital Daytona Series SSDs for Laptops, Ultrabooks, and Desktops

Monster Digital 480 GB SSDPR: Monster Digital is broadening its selection of Solid State Drives (SSD), making it easier to adopt leading-edge SSD technology with its new ultrahigh speed Daytona Series Solid State Drives. The 2.5" Daytona Series SSDs are claimed to be conservatively rated with 550/515 read/write speeds, 60k IOPS, are over-provisioned for extended reliability. Packaged in a super thin 7mm universal fit stainless steel case, they are available as bare drives in capacities of 90 GB, 120 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB for suggested retail prices of $99.99, $109.99, $229.99, and $479.99 respectively. Monster Digital Daytona Series bare drives are available now on Amazon.com, at Fry's Electronics and PC Mall.

Simple DIY Computer Upgrade Experience

The 120 GB, 240 GB and 480 GB Daytona Series drives are also available with the industry's best and most straightforward Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Easy Installation Kit. The kit allows users to install their new SSD on their own without hiring a computer tech or leaving their laptop at a service center. The all-inclusive kit includes cloning software (Windows), an SATA 3/USB 3.0 adapter, 3.5 drive bay adapter, and quick start guide. It also includes a link to a helpful installation video and even a screwdriver with all the bits necessary to safely and securely install the new SSD drive. Notably, the kit duplicates a computer's existing hard drive onto the SSD, ensuring a seamless transition and an exact clone of all data (Mac users should be able to achieve the same result using OS X Disk Utility, Time Machine, or third-party cloning software). Once installed, users enjoy their exact same computer and data only thanks to its new SSD drive, it's faster and has longer battery life. The Daytona Series upgrade kit is available for a suggested retail price of $134.99 (for 120 GB), $234.99 (for 240 GB), and $484.99 (for 480 GB). The Easy Installation Kit configurations will be available at the end of September at Amazon.com and Fry's Electronics.

Dramatically Faster Than Magnetic Drives

Monster Digital's SSDs are claimed to be 5x faster than conventional 7,200 RPM Hard Disc Drives and 10x as reliable. Notably, because there are no moving parts and are over provisioned Daytona provides superior reliability and touts a 2,000,000 hour MTBF.

Thanks to their low power consumption, Daytona drives provide significantly longer battery life. Power consumption is <5W active and <200mW inactive. Users also enjoy the peace of mind that comes with airtight data security via 256-bit AES encryption. Even compared to most competitors' SSDs, the Daytona series is claimed to be more reliable with more consistent speed due to Reduced Write Amplification and Over Provisioning. Monster Digital SSDs also support TRIM and come with a 3-year warranty.

Monster Digital CEO Jay Tandon notes: "Demand for high-performance SSDs continues to build among today's computer users. Everyone wants faster access speeds, longer laptop battery life and the reliability only SSDs can offer. With our new Daytona Series, we are providing an easily accessible, high-speed option for reliable storage with significantly lower energy consumption and silent operation compared to conventional hard drives. They are the ideal choice for people who want the very best performance and efficiency. Our new Daytona drives are especially well suited to laptops. If your Ultrabook doesn't have an SSD, install a Daytona drive with our upgrade kit today. You'll be amazed at your computer's new performance."

Daytona series drives are available at Amazon.com, Crutchfield, Fry's, InMotion Stores, PCMall, RadioShack or ask your local electronics retailer. D&H Distributing and Synnex Corporation are distribution partners.

Monitor2Go Creates New Product Category for Mobile Secondary Displays

Monitor2GoPR: Mobile Monitor Technologies (MMT) have announced the availability of its next generation products. Building upon its success with Field Monitor Pro, touted as the industry's first full-size laptop companion, MMT has again altered the mobile landscape with an entirely new portable display for iPads, iPhones, iPods, MacBooks, and iMacs, as well as other portable devices and computers.

With a 15.6" HD+ screen, Monitor2Go boasts a resolution of 1600 x 900. And its portable, super-slim design facilitates adding a second screen to MacBook, iMac and Mac Pro displays via USB, and to function as a second display for iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices through HDMI.

Monitor2Go"Using iPhones and iPads in the workplace has become a global phenomenon, but viewing, interacting with, and sharing content on these devices can be extremely problematic due to their small screens," says Larry Pensack, President of MMT. "Now with the ability to add dual display capabilities to mobile devices, Monitor2Go is an ideal solution whether you're working or enjoying personal media content."

Monitor2Go is claimed to improve both the business and entertainment value of portable devices in a variety of ways. For business, sharing content with clients, customers and colleagues becomes easier. Show a fullscreen Keynote presentation from the iPhone. Mirror the

iPad screen and say good-bye to fingerprints and covered content during demonstrations, and remove hand navigation from the audience's view. For entertainment, watch movies from an iPhone or iPod touch or enjoy an HD mobile theater at home, in a car or from a hotel room.

Monitor2GoMMT says what makes Monitor2Go so enticing is the added benefit of its patent-pending iPad slot that houses both iPad?2 and the New iPad (3rd generation). This integrated, brushed aluminum design not only folds to protect and lock iPad during transport, but also allows the user to share the tablet's content on Monitor2Go's larger display with the turn of a wrist. Monitor2Go's display is more than 2X larger than the iPad screen itself and features 360 degrees of accessible, viewable screen area.

While Monitor2Go was designed with Apple products in mind, it also works with all PCs and HDMI compatible devices.

Monitor2Go for Business: Rotate Monitor2Go's 15.6 HD+ screen to share bright, vivid presentations, videos, apps, and more with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or any HDMI compatible device. With laptops and notebooks, Monitor2Go literally doubles screen real estate and adds second screen productivity via a USB cable

Monitor2Go for Entertainment: Connect your iPhone, iPod touch or any HDMI compatible media player for a mobile theater. Enjoy movies, TV, home video and photo slideshows in crisp HD wherever you go.

Monitor2Go Features

  • Stunning 15.6" HD+ (1600 x 900) display
  • Brushed aluminum and rubberized ABS design
  • 0.45" at its slimmest point, 1.09" at thickest, and weighs only three pounds
  • HDMI input, USB mini-B input and two spare USB-A accessory ports
  • Works with all USB Mac and Windows laptops and desktops
  • Daisy chain up to 6 Monitor2Go's off a host computers single USB port through
  • DisplayLink USB virtual graphics
  • Works with HDMI compatible devices iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, tablets, smartphones, DVD players and more
  • Carry, protect, and lock iPad (iPad?2 and new iPad generation 3)
  • 180 degrees screen pivot in either left or right rotation. Use in either landscape or portrait modes
  • Audio jack output for speakers and headphones (when using HDMI input)
  • Optional battery module
  • Optional VESA mounting bracket

Monitor2Go is available now in two models: HD+ with 1600 x 900 resolution at $329, and HD with 1366 x 768 resolution for $299.

Software

Turn That Extra PC into a Second Display with Avatron Software's Air Display for Windows

Air Display for WindowsPR: People are always upgrading their PC or switching from Windows to Mac. Now they can spare the landfill and get more screen space by using the old PC as an additional monitor with mobile app developer Avatron Software's new version of Air Display for Windows. Users can now get extra real estate on their PC for the PowerPoint presentation, one for the Word doc and another to monitor email or social networks. The PC joins the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android smartphones and tablet to extend your desktop wirelessly for enhanced productivity and mobility.

Regardless of how its used, Air Display like all Avatron productivity apps blurs the boundaries between personal computers, mobile devices and the cloud:

  • Business: Move all of your iWork and Office tool palettes and inspector windows onto the extra screen, and let your document fill the main screen.
  • Fill your second display with essential apps like Outlook, Mail, social networks, and more.
  • Graphic design: Make Photoshop and Illustrator usable on your laptop by putting your tool palettes on the second display.
  • Music: Use your extra PC as the ultimate control surface for Logic or Pro Tools with always-on access.
  • Programming: Use the extra display area for such auxiliary development tools
  • Photography: Hold a live feed on one screen; adjust lighting with the other.
  • Keep that second PC working for you as an external monitor, rather than adding to the landfill and get more mileage out of depreciated computers.

"Our newest version of one of our most popular apps allows users to extend the life of their still-useful PCs by turning them into a second display to mirror or extend their desktop," says Dave Howell, CEO of Avatron Software. "Our users have shown us unlimited ways to employ multiple screens for increased productivity and mobility and PCs offer an excellent new option for a whole new audience."

The cross-platform wireless Air Display app, which users can try for free for up to an hour before purchasing, boasts simple setup and instantaneous benefits connecting with a device over a local wireless network. The required Mac or Windows components are installed on the main machine with the Air Display app loaded on the Mac or Windows PC, or iOS or Android-based tablet or smartphone. Immediately following connection, the Air Display screen becomes a second monitor for the main Mac or PC. Simple controls determine whether the second PC acts as a separate monitor or mirrors the contents of the main screen.

While the iOS edition of Air Display just works wirelessly, both the Mac and Windows editions enable either wireless or wired use over an Ethernet connection for optimal frame rate and image quality.

The Air Display app, which has already scored excellent reviews from Cnet, Gizmodo, PC Magazine and Wired, creates extra monitor space for graphics software like Photoshop, Office or iWork or games that require more area than a traditional laptops 13 screen.

Air Display for iPad and iPhone is available for $9.99 in the App Store. Air Display is part of Avatron's family of productivity apps for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

Bargain 'Books

For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4, iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.

We also track iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals. LEM

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lowendmac/hGTC/~3/AW7id5-wl5w/0921.html

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Friday, September 21, 2012

Report: Ambassador Stevens said he was on al-Qaeda hit list

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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Windows Olympia - Finding Good Windows











You have probably noticed that to keep your windows clean and clear they have to be washed a couple of times a year. As with many home maintenance tasks, spring and fall are excellent times to clean your windows. While you certainly desire the sparkling results, you also know cleaning all the windows in your home is hard, time-consuming work. You also know how frustrating it can be to clean your own windows only to be left with unsightly streaks. For these reasons, it is a good idea to hire professionals to do your Windows Olympia cleaning for you.

While you may not love the idea of having to pay for professional Windows Olympia cleaners, it is probably worth the investment in terms of opportunity cost. You have a busy life and to save an afternoon from being washed away with window cleaning is in your best interest. Professional window cleaners have the skills and tools to clean your windows more thoroughly and more quickly than you could ever do yourself. Leave the Windows Olympia cleaning to the professionals and spend your time getting other things done.

When you hire quality Windows Olympia cleaners, you will find that they do an excellent job cleaning your windows. Quality window cleaning does require certain techniques. These techniques ensure windows are completing cleaned on all areas of the pane. They ensure that not only dirt, but bird droppings and hard water deposits, are removed from your windows. Proper equipment and technique also makes it possible to have completely streak-free windows. What's more, professional window cleaning continues to look clean and bright for a long period of time.

Once you experience labor free, high quality professional window cleaning, you will never want to go back. Luckily, many companies offer packages that make individual cleanings more affordable. The exterior of your windows can be cleaned at any time, so you don't have to be home. Interior windows do not need to be professionally cleaned as often as those on the exterior.

Professional window cleaners often offer a number of window cleaning services. There may be a different charge for heavily soiled windows than for windows that have been regularly maintained. If additional chemicals are needed to remove excessive hard water stains, this can be taken into account. Professionals can clean windows of all shapes and sizes and in all locations around your home.

Dirty windows make a home look dirty. Keep your windows crystal clear using a professional window cleaning service. Save yourself the time and hassle of washing windows yourself. The pros can do a better job as a result of their specialized cleaners and equipment, and you will avoid the dangers that can come from cleaning high or hard to reach windows. Professional window cleaning is well worth the small investment.

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Lift-off for Metop weather sat

A European satellite that will acquire data critical for weather forecasters has launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

A Soyuz rocket carried the four-tonne Metop-B spacecraft aloft for a flight to orbit that lasted just over the hour.

The spacecraft will ensure there is continuity of observations following Metop-A, which was launched in 2006.

The computer models that provide our daily forecasts have come to rely heavily on this satellite's data.

Metop-A's information now makes the single largest contribution to the accuracy of the one-day look-ahead.

"Now, you could not imagine predicting the weather without satellites," said Dr Alain Ratier, the director general of Eumetsat, the intergovernmental organisation charged with running Europe's weather platforms.

"Based on scientific studies run by the main met services in Europe, it can be shown that 25% of the performance of 24-hour forecasts can be explained by the input data of the Metop class," he told BBC News.

Lift-off from Baikonur occurred at 22:29 local time (16:29 GMT; 17:29 BST). The Soyuz mission was declared a success after the rocket's upper-stage ejected Metop-B at an altitude just over 800km.

Controllers immediately acquired a signal from the satellite and began the process of deployment of the solar array.

Metop-A and B will fly around the globe from pole to pole in tandem, passing over the equator at 0930 local lime.

Their formation operation will enable their observations to be cross-calibrated.

Scientists can then be satisfied by the quality of the new data and reassured of its continuing availability as Metop-A, which is now operating beyond its design lifetime, begins to fail.

Metop-B carries the exact same instruments as the A platform.

This suite of sensors looks down through the different layers in the atmosphere to record a wide range of variables.

These include measurements of temperature and humidity, cloud properties, and an array of gases such as ozone, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen dioxide.

Metop will also monitor sea surface temperature, snow and ice cover, and the state of land vegetation. It has even found important roles in watching for fires on the ground and the spread of volcanic ash in the air.

The Metop system is run in unison with the Americans, who have their own polar-orbiting satellites. This space information complements that from balloons, surface stations and aeroplanes (and not forgetting other types of satellite).

All of this data is fed into the numerical models that produce weather forecasts several hours to 10 days ahead, but Metop's input is recognised to have by far the biggest impact on what has been a steady improvement year by year.

"The forecasts have improved tremendously over the past decades," said Dr Florence Rabier from the numerical weather prediction group at Meteo France.

"We say that we gain in predictability about a day per decade, which means that every decade the four-day forecast is now as accurate as the three-day forecast was 10 years ago."

Europe has a third satellite already built and in store - Metop-C. Assuming the B platform continues to work as expected, no decision will be made to put up this C satellite until later in the decade.

However, a determination is required very soon on what to do about a Metop follow-on project.

The so-called Eumetsat Polar System, Second Generation (EPS-SG) is expected to cost just shy of 3bn euros.

Although its first spacecraft will likely not be needed until the early 2020s, the complexity of the systems involved means R&D work must get under way as soon as possible.

Eumetsat will engage the European Space Agency (Esa) for this. The member states of Esa are due to meet in November to approve the arrangements and funding for the R&D on EPS-SG.

Eumetsat's own members also still need to approve the overall programme.

Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19619779#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Monday, September 17, 2012

Educational Psychology | Diet and Fitness Online

Psychology for Educators: Psychopedagogical conception of Vigotsky Vigotsky (1989) used the concept of tool with the idea of something that is used for, that thinks based on a task to realise or of a profit that is beyond the tool in himself. Thus, the tool has an instrumental value, it serves and it is worth insofar as he will be useful to make reference to diverse facilitators of the action and the thought, not limiting itself the tool like a physical object. The tools are facilitators for the internalization. They are not only square of graphical registry or formats, but any resource generally (action, use of objects, appeal to determined contexts as consultation books, graphs, etc ), that contributes to the possibility of knowing. If we thought in terms of tools instead of in terms of associated contents to objectives, we will be synthesizing these last ones in a single concept, since the tool does not exist without an implicit objective.

Simultaneously, to think about tools imply to think about a knowledge object that is boarded by means of diverse strategies, and are those strategies which is taught, more than the object in himself. In that sense, we would be approaching us the education of strategies before of concepts. ? Types of boarding: Whichever major is the baggage of tools of which educating arranges to approach the knowledge object, major wealth will have its relation with this one, and as much better it will internalise the concepts define that it. It indicates different types from boarding: Selective boarding: It consists of choosing to approach the object, or of spontaneous form, by affinity, by means of the establishment of an intention that involves To imagine to one same one interacting with that object. Organizational boarding: It consists of becoming familiar with the intention of knowledge, its elements and characteristics, to the point of being able to anticipate it moderately.

Source: http://www.dietandfitnessonline.com/educational-psychology

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Friday, September 14, 2012

faiththomas1s: Life Changing Self Hypnosis Mp3s By Email ...

September 09, 2012

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Source: http://healthfitness.techserveglobal.com/life-changing-self-hypnosis-mp3s-by-email/

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Source: http://faiththomas1s.blogspot.com/2012/09/life-changing-self-hypnosis-mp3s-by.html

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Insecticide resistance caused by recombination of 2 genes

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Helicoverpa armigera: a global pest

Larvae of the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) are dreaded pests all over the world. They have a very wide host range: About 200 different plant species are known as potential food for the voracious insect. The herbivore attacks crops in Africa, South Europe, India, Central Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. Nearly 30% of all globally used insecticides ? Bt toxins as well as pyrethroids ? are applied to protect cotton and other crops against the bollworm.

Resistance to pyrethroids

Pyrethroids are synthetic substances based on compounds of the natural insecticide pyrethrum in Tansy flowers (Tanacetum). They have been successfully applied in fruit, vegetable and crop farming for decades. In cotton bollworms, development of resistance to the particularly effective pyrethroid fenvalerate was observed in Australia since 1983. In 1998, David Heckel, who became director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in 2004, mapped the location of the resistance gene in the genome of the insect for the first time. This gene locus was later found to encode a P450 monooxygenase enzyme. These so-called cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are also known in human medicine, because they can render toxins or pharmaceuticals ineffective by metabolizing the active molecule.

Nicole Jou?en, scientist at the institute and expert on P450 enzymes, studied the Helicoverpa armigera strain "TWB" resistant to fenvalerate. She could identify the P450 monooxygenase in this strain, suspected to mediate pyrethroid resistance. After cloning larger genome regions, DNA sequencing, and performing crossing experiments as well as biochemical analyses, she was surprised to find that of the seven P450 enzymes only one, CYP337B3, hydroxylates the fenvalerate molecule to 4'-hydroxyfenvalerate. This chemical reaction increases the resistance to this toxin 42-fold: A LD50 value of 1.9 ?g of fenvalerate was measured in resistant TWB larvae, whereas half of the non-resistant caterpillars died after intake of only 0.04 ?g of the toxin.

Unequal Crossing-Over led to the formation of the CYP337B3 Gene

The CYP337B3 gene was formed in a very special way: by a process called "unequal crossing-over" by geneticists. If very similar DNA sequences, for example transposable elements, get in contact with one another during the division of cell nuclei, novel gene combinations occur. As a consequence, some of the genetic information is lost on one DNA strand, and new genetic information is inserted and sometimes even doubled on the other strand. This natural process is important for the evolution of gene families, as could now be observed in the case of the CYP337B3 gene. "For the first time, our results reveal a mutation mediating resistance to an insecticide, which is caused by a crossing-over event," says David Heckel. The scientists studied CYP337B3 and found that the gene consists of parts of two other P450 genes, B1 and B2, encoding enzymes neither of which can detoxify fenvalerate. The unique combination of parts of the B1 and B2 precursor genes in the chimeric B3 gene is responsible for the new capability of the P450 enzyme to bind, hydroxylate, and finally detoxify the insecticide.

Once the CYP337B3 gene was formed, spraying cotton bollworms with pyrethroids caused its frequency in the population to gradually increase. This resistance was successfully delayed in Australia by restricting the use of pyrethroids to once per year, and using other insecticides at other times. This contrasts with the situation in other cotton-growing countries, where pyrethroids were overused, resistance rapidly developed, and then pyrethroids became ineffective against the bollworm. [AO/JWK]

###

Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology: http://www.ice.mpg.de

Thanks to Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology for this article.

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

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/123423/Insecticide_resistance_caused_by_recombination_of___genes

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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Nokia Lumia 820 hands-on

DNP Nokia Lumia 820 handson

Nokia's Lumia 820 is here, after countless leaks, and the budget-friendly handset is exactly what we expected. We'll admit we're sad to see the rather singular design of its spiritual forebearer, the Lumia 800, fall by the wayside, but we can't complain about the build quality here. The usual attention to detail and materials we've come to appreciate from the Finnish phone maker is on full display. The flat glass panel on the front may lack the mystique of the curved display on the 920 and 800, but it's hardly something that should factor into your decision to buy this handset or another. The ceramic volume rocker and lock button on the right side have a pleasant and satisfying click, though, we're sad to report that the camera button still leaves us wanting. Sure, any dedicated camera key is better than none, but its squishy response to our press was hardly encouraging. We were also a bit put off by the shine of the body. The Lumia series stole our hearts with its matte finish when it first debuted, now the coats of paint are a little more likely to throw some glare and attract fingerprints.

What's under the hood certainly makes up for some of those shortcomings. The 1.5 GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM simply chewed through the light-weight Windows Phone 8, leaving us to wonder if Apple and Google can truly keep up. All of the UI animations were smooth and fluid, and apps launched with nary a hiccup. And, can we just say that Windows Phone 8 is a an absolute pleasure to use. At the risk of angering quite a few people -- there's simply no mid-range Android phone or iOS device that's as quick and satisfying to use as the Lumia 820, and much of that is thanks to the highly optimized Microsoft OS. It's a pleasure to see that new features like the highly-customizable home screen and background multitasking haven't weighed down Redmond's phone platform.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 820 hands-on

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Nokia Lumia 820 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 11:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/H9Brf7-_JJ4/

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Monday, September 3, 2012

No Comments - Fitness Magazine: FitnessX Magazine, Exercises ...

Photos By: B-House Photography

Looking for a way to drop body fat, get fitter, and looking for a challenge ? in a minimum amount of time?? Well, this is your answer!? It?s called interval training, and it?s long been the secret of top athletes and their coaches.? If you?re alot like me, you love spending time in the great outdoors!? During the summer, I absolutely love to take my interval workouts to the local track and field.

Interval-based workouts are an excellent way to burn fat fast and add the variety needed to bust through any boredom or plateau you may have.? This type of athletic training system combines short bursts of intense activity, called intervals, with periods of lower intensity, or rest?periods.? By alternating the two throughout your workout, your body is forced to exert more effort than it normally would during a steady, continuous workout of moderate intensity.? This makes your heart and lung stronger and also burns more fat and calories overall during each workout.? Interval workouts are perfect for leaning out your legs, building your glutes, and whittling your waistline!? Now, what women doesn?t want that?? Well?Time to hit the track!

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ABOUT THE WRITER:? Kat?Painter earned a BSBA with a degree in Marketing Management from the University of Alabama.? She transformed her body, mind and soul after deciding to get healthy and drop nearly 30 pounds 14 years ago.? After spending most of her life in Alabama, she now resides in Los Angeles, California.? She has been actively involved in the fitness industry for the past 12 years working as a group exercise instructor, certified personal trainer, sports nutritionist, weight-loss consultant, PT manager, fitness director, and fitness company owner.

To read more about Kat Painter, ?go to?www.gofusionfitness.net.

Click on this to download the PDF of the workout!?

Source: http://www.fitnessx.com/back-on-track-to-blast-the-fat/

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Sunday, September 2, 2012

Local teen raises awareness on eating disorders :: The Valley News

Friday, August 31st, 2012
Issue 35, Volume 16.


Temecula student Maddy Grey is on a mission to raise awareness about eating disorders among the youth in her community. A Great Oak senior, Grey struggled with her own illness after being concerned about image and weight instead of health. After battling her eating disorders, Grey is now happy, healthy, and eager to bring to light the truths and dangers behind such illnesses.

"[Going through a disorder] made me realize how fragile life is and how strong I really am," Grey said. "It showed me how to avoid the world?s skewed version of beauty and what true beauty actually is."

Grey focuses on helping the youth in her community because she feels that if neglected, eating disorders have the potential to ruin and even take lives. She has begun fundraising for the National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA) walk ? a one-mile walk through Ronald Reagan Sports Park taking place on September 16?at 9 a.m. She hopes the walk will raise awareness and money toward eating disorder treatment.

"I hope the NEDA walk brings light to Advertisement
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a shushed topic in our town, so those silently suffering can get help," Grey said.

Her goal is to raise five thousand dollars through the walk to aid those in need.

Because she battled eating disorders in the past, Grey understands that society creates an image of youth and beauty that often times is not realistic. She believes that society is so focused on evading obesity that it tends to augment the desire to lose weight in a rapid and unhealthy manner. Instead, she believes that people are beautiful no matter their body type.

In the past year, Grey has held Eating Disorder Awareness Weeks at her school, giving away free pairs of jeans to encourage young students to embrace their real bodies and helping students understand the dangers of disorders. She has created her own school club called Eating Disorders Anonymous as a place for struggling students to gather and collectively seek the path to a healthy, happy lifestyle.

To support Maddy Grey and find out more about the NEDA walk, visit her website at?eatingdisordersanonymous.weebly.com.

Source: http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/66153/

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Saturday, September 1, 2012

St. Jude Cuts 300 Jobs to Save up to $60 Million a Year

St. Jude Medical Inc., a maker of heart rhythm devices, said it is firing 300 workers in a reorganization that will save $50 million to $60 million in annual pretax expenses starting next year.

St. Jude is merging its four divisions into two product operating units, the implantable electronic systems division and the cardiovascular and ablation technologies division, the St. Paul, Minnesota-based company said Thursday in a statement. The move will allow the company to bundle support and other staff, improve efficiency and cut costs.

St. Jude said in July that its 2012 outlook is worsening as last year?s recall of Riata, a defibrillator wire, hampers sales of other products and a stronger dollar erodes overseas profit. Sales of devices that manage heart rhythms, including defibrillators to shock the heart and pacemakers to regulate it, fell 6 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier.

?This is another piece of fallout that we can attribute at least in large part to the medical device tax,? said Thomas Gunderson, senior analyst at Minneapolis-based Piper Jaffray & Co., in a telephone interview. ?From a shareholder standpoint and Wall Street standpoint, it?s always good to cut expenses.?

Medical device makers will have to pay a 2.3 percent excise tax on products starting next year. The levy was designed to raise $20 billion to expand coverage of the uninsured as part of the 2010 health-care reform law.

St. Jude declined less than 1 percent to $37.84 at 2:32 p.m. New York time. The company had dropped 17 percent in the past 12 months through yesterday.

Sales Skid

Sales of pacemakers and defibrillators have declined among concerns about safety and overuse, even as hospitals and insurers are paying less for the potentially life-saving technology. St. Jude?s sales are expected to decline 1 percent to $5.55 billion in 2012, the first year-over-year decrease since at least 1990, according to the average estimate of 22 analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

?The reorganization we have announced today is part of a comprehensive plan to accelerate our growth,? Daniel Starks, chairman, president and chief executive officer of St. Jude, said in the statement. ?We are focused on reducing costs, leveraging economies of scale, maintaining the highest level of quality, and funding our entire portfolio of new growth drivers.?

? Copyright 2012 Bloomberg News. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.moneynews.com/Companies/stjude-medical-devices-job/2012/08/30/id/450408

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