Monthly Archives: June 2012

Five Small, Eco-Friendly Luxury Cars That Sip Gas

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High-End Cars Go Small

Rising fuel costs and stricter environmental standards are affecting car selection for everyone, including luxury-car buyers. In 2012, premium auto manufacturers have responded by introducing vehicles that combine eco-friendly features and a more compact size with the typical performance and quality characteristics of luxury brands.

It's a growing trend; high-end cars are going small.

The eco-friendly car was once the domain of budget-conscious or niche buyers. But today, discerning shoppers can find environmentally friendly autos in such cars as the fuel-sipping Lexus hybrid hatchback or high-performance BMW small coupe.

These smaller luxury cars often have lower price points when compared to their standard versions. Many have starting prices of about $30,000. This means some shoppers will have an opportunity to enter the luxury market at an affordable price point.

Here are some 2012 premium compact models that fit that mold of combining eco-friendly features with high-end luxury and performance packaging.

This four-door hybrid hatchback was chosen as a 2012 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS. It did so by receiving top marks for frontal and side impact, roof strength and head restraints.

The CT 200h has a Vehicle Proximity Notification System, which warns pedestrians and cyclists of its approach by emitting a low-pitch sound. This hybrid luxury car also includes a trial of the Safety Connect system, a subscription-based telematics service package that includes emergency assistance, automatic collision notification and a stolen-vehicle locator.

Eco-conscious drivers will likely appreciate the automaker's claims that it is designed to be at least 90% recyclable. The CT 200h is Bluetooth compatible, has a six-speaker audio system, rain-sensing wipers and eight air bags.

Mercedes-Benz claims the world's largest supply of fuel-cell vehicles in operation, and the B-Class F-Cell is on the cutting edge as the first zero-emission Mercedes-Benz available.

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Five Small, Eco-Friendly Luxury Cars That Sip Gas

Eco Wave Power installs medium-scale wave energy generation system in the Black Sea

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Eco Wave Power has reported the completion of a medium-scale version of its Wind Clapper and Power Wing wave energy generation system. The company has released a video showing the system in action and is currently undertaking testing and evaluation before work begins on the construction of the first commercial scale EWP wave power plant... Continue Reading Eco Wave Power installs medium-scale ...

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Eco Wave Power installs medium-scale wave energy generation system in the Black Sea

South Beaches: Oyster reef in the making

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South Beaches Neighbors: Oyster reef in the making

Lorraine Thompson

South Beaches News

Biologists, volunteers, local restaurants and high school students are working together to create a man-made oyster reef using shucked oyster shells from local participating restaurants. The project coordinator, Lauren Flynn, will provide oyster visual demonstrations and describe how she and volunteers are building a reef that will restore a lost shoreline and lure oysters to rebuild oyster beds where they once thrived in local waters.

Flynn will present a program from 10 to 11 a.m. June 19 at the GTM Research Reserve field station in Marineland.

One of the many values oysters have to humans and the marine environment is to filter pollutants from the water and thus help maintain water quality. Together, the GTM Research Reserve, in partnership with the Friends of the GTM NERR and St. Johns Technical High School plan to boost oyster habitat. The GTM Research Reserve site is located just off A1A at 9741 Ocean Shore Blvd. at the south end of the Town of Marineland. For reservations call 823-4500.

Learn about invasive cactus moth control and the conservation of our native cacti at the June meeting of the Florida Native Plant Society. The local Sea Oats chapter meets at 7 p.m. June 19 at the St. Augustine Beach City Hall, 2200 A1A South.

Emily Montgomery, coastal training coordinator for Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, will discuss the invasive cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) and the conservation implications to our native prickly pear cactus (Opuntia stricta). This cactus is listed as a threatened plant species in Florida and plays an important role in coastal plant communities.

The program is free and open to the public.For information, visit http://www.fnps.org or call 347-2704.

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South Beaches: Oyster reef in the making

L.A. County official nominated to fill John Noguez's post

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Santos Kreimann, director of beaches and harbors, would succeed the assessor, who is on a leave of absence while under investigation by county prosecutors. A longtime Los Angeles County employee who now is the director of beaches and harbors was nominated Tuesday to temporarily run the beleaguered assessor's office.

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L.A. County official nominated to fill John Noguez's post

Swell danger closes southeast beaches

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BIG SURF: Dangerous conditions at Currumbin Alley on the Gold Coast. Picture: Jono Searle Source: The Courier-Mail

LIFESAVERS have warned people to keep out of the water as huge swells pound southeast Queensland and northern NSW beaches.

All beaches except two were closed on the Gold and Sunshine coasts yesterday.

Appealing to people to follow directions, Gold Coast City Council chief lifeguard Warren Young said lifeguards had been placed in danger trying to rescue stubborn swimmers.

"It's not right that people put others' lives at risk," he said.

Beaches would remain closed this morning and the situation reassessed in the afternoon.

Sunshine Coast chief lifeguard Scott Braby said all beaches were closed except for Noosa and Mooloolaba.

"We'll reassess things (today). It might be dropping a little," he said.

Weather Bureau forecaster Michelle Berry said a low about 400km east of Cape Moreton was generating the dangerous swell.

Queensland's cold snap is set to ease, with average temperatures expected for the rest of the week after Brisbane got down to 11C.

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Swell danger closes southeast beaches

Not vaccinated? No kisses! | Bad Astronomy

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I love this. Just love it. Short, simple, and to the point.

This was a billboard designed by Every Child By Two, a vaccination advocacy group I like a lot and strongly support (in fact, if you buy a Zen Pencils print of my Science Fare speech half the profits go to ECBT). While people like Meryl Dorey and Judy Wilyman vilely attack parents of babies who have died from vaccine-preventable diseases, groups like ECBT are trying valiantly to save babies lives.

Go talk to your board certified doctor and find out if you need to be vaccinated, and if you need your TDAP booster. Help save lives.

Related Posts:

- Followup: Antivaxxers, airlines, and ailments - Whooping cough outbreak in Boulder - Pertussis can kill, and you can stop it - I got shot

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Not vaccinated? No kisses! | Bad Astronomy

Exploring The Universe With The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

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A workshop on funding opportunities for African-European radio astronomy partnerships brought together Members of the European Parliament, officials of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank, as well as leading African and European radio astronomers and representatives of global industry, to discuss how to further develop cooperation in radio astronomy between Africa and Europe.

The workshop took place days after the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) Organisation decided that the South Africa, along with its eight SKA partner countries in Africa, will host the mid-frequency dish array and dense aperture array of the iconic SKA radio telescope. The fruitful meeting ended with an elaboration of next steps to establish a dedicated African-European Radio Astronomy Platform (AERAP) vehicle to enhance cooperation.

Radio astronomy is recognised as one of the disciplines with the most exciting potential for building Africa's science and technology capacities and is also an area of great strategic importance for the future of research in Europe. The workshop "Leveraging new funding opportunities for African-European Astronomy partnerships - Realizing the objectives of the European Parliament's Written Declaration 45/2011" followed a landmark decision for the international astronomy community.

On 25 May 2012 the Members of the SKA Organisation agreed to construct two of the three SKA receiver components in Africa (with the other located in Australia and New Zealand). The SKA will be about 50 - 100 times more sensitive than any other radio telescope. Its construction is expected to cost about 1.5 billion Euros.

Dr Michiel van Haarlem, Interim Director General of SKA Organisation: "We are looking forward to working together with African colleagues on the SKA. This will be part of a global collaboration with African countries, Australia and New Zealand."

Prof George Miley, Vice President of the International Astronomical Union and International Coordinator of the EU Universe Awareness project: "Astronomy is a unique instrument for development.

It links cutting edge technologies, frontier sciences and our deepest cultural layers. South Africa has been a role model for the International Astronomical Union in exploiting astronomy for capacity building. A large part of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be built in Africa. This will be enormous iconic project for Africa, Europe and World and an enormous boost for capacity building in Africa."

During the workshop recent policy developments in EU-Africa cooperation, such as a European Parliament Written Declaration and an African Union Assembly Decision, which endorsed radio astronomy as a priority focus area for Africa-EU cooperation, were presented.

Discussions focused on how the radio astronomy community could best leverage Africa-EU funding opportunities, resulting from this favourable policy environment, for scientific and education cooperation, including researcher mobility and student and staff exchange programmes, as well as industrial partnerships in areas such as ICT, energy and advanced manufacturing.

Prof Luis Magalhaes, Co-Chair of the Africa-EU Science, Information Society and Space Partnership Joint Expert Group: "Cooperation in radio astronomy is very interesting for Europe and Africa. It involves science, technology and communication aspects.

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Exploring The Universe With The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

Are Shorts Watching LMI Aerospace?

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There's no foolproof way to know the future for LMI Aerospace (Nasdaq: LMIA) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result.

A cloudy crystal ballIn this series, we use accounts receivable and days sales outstanding to judge a company's current health and future prospects. It's an important step in separating the pretenders from the market's best stocks. Alone, AR -- the amount of money owed the company -- and DSO -- the number of days' worth of sales owed to the company -- don't tell you much. However, by considering the trends in AR and DSO, you can sometimes get a window onto the future.

Sometimes, problems with AR or DSO simply indicate a change in the business (like an acquisition), or lax collections. However, AR that grows more quickly than revenue, or ballooning DSO, can also suggest a desperate company that's trying to boost sales by giving its customers overly generous payment terms. Alternately, it can indicate that the company sprinted to book a load of sales at the end of the quarter, like used-car dealers on the 29th of the month. (Sometimes, companies do both.)

Why might an upstanding firm like LMI Aerospace do this? For the same reason any other company might: to make the numbers. Investors don't like revenue shortfalls, and employees don't like reporting them to their superiors.

Is LMI Aerospace sending any potential warning signs? Take a look at the chart below, which plots revenue growth against AR growth, and DSO:

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Data is current as of last fully reported fiscal quarter. FQ = fiscal quarter.

The standard way to calculate DSO uses average accounts receivable. I prefer to look at end-of-quarter receivables, but I've plotted both above.

Watching the trendsWhen that red line (AR growth) crosses above the green line (revenue growth), I know I need to consult the filings. Similarly, a spike in the blue bars indicates a trend worth worrying about. LMI Aerospace's latest average DSO stands at 60.5 days, and the end-of-quarter figure is 64.4 days. Differences in business models can generate variations in DSO, and business needs can require occasional fluctuations, but all things being equal, I like to see this figure stay steady. So, let's get back to our original question: Based on DSO and sales, does LMI Aerospace look like it might miss its numbers in the next quarter or two?

The raw numbers suggest potential trouble ahead. For the last fully reported fiscal quarter, LMI Aerospace's year-over-year revenue grew 9.6%, and its AR grew 27.3%. That's a yellow flag. End-of-quarter DSO increased 17.4% over the prior-year quarter. It was up 9.8% versus the prior quarter. That demands a good explanation. Still, I'm no fortuneteller, and these are just numbers. Investors putting their money on the line always need to dig into the filings for the root causes and draw their own conclusions.

What now?I use this kind of analysis to figure out which investments I need to watch more closely as I hunt the market's best returns. However, some investors actively seek out companies on the wrong side of AR trends in order to sell them short, profiting when they eventually fall. Which way would you play this one? Let us know in the comments below, or keep up with the stocks mentioned in this article by tracking them in our free watchlist service, My Watchlist.

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Are Shorts Watching LMI Aerospace?

Aerospace Supplier DEMA Drives Costs Down With MSC Nastran Nonlinear

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SANTA ANA, CA--(Marketwire -06/12/12)- MSC Software Corporation, the leader in multidiscipline simulation solutions that accelerate product innovation, today announced that Design Manufacturing SpA (DEMA), a major tier-one aerospace supplier based in Naples, Italy, utilized MSC Nastran finite element analysis (FEA) software to solve stamping stress concentration and blank size issues prior to building tooling for an aluminum acoustic barrier.

"Finite element analysis saved us a considerable amount of money and time by helping to identify and correct these problems before we made a major investment in tooling," said Danilo Malacaria, Structural Engineering Manager for DEMA.

A part of the acoustic barrier is produced in a stamping operation in which a female die applies pressure to a flat aluminum blank, forcing the blank against a male die to form the finished part. Frequently the first stage of tool and blank shows problems such as cracking or excess trim on the formed sheet. Changes are then made to the tooling and the new tooling is tested again to see if the problem was fixed. It's not unusual for six iterations of modifications taking two weeks each to be required to meet the customer's quality standards.

Instead, DEMA simulated the stamping operation by using the implicit nonlinear capabilities available in MSC Nastran. The simulation results highlighted two potential problems: the material stress exceeded its failure limits and there was excess material around the perimeter of the finished part. DEMA engineers addressed these problems by changing the model and re-running the simulation until they found a final design that eliminated these problems.

"The result was that the die worked perfectly the first time we hit it," Malacaria concluded. "This application demonstrates how we can provide high quality and faster deliveries to our customers by utilizing the latest generation of computer simulation software. There is no way to know for sure exactly how much money and time was saved by not having to re-cut and re-test the die but it's clear that the savings were substantial."

About DEMADEMA -- Design Manufacturing SpA -- has been operating in the aerospace field since 1993 as an innovative company and has the capabilities to offer a complete, integrated product. DEMA group, with a staff of about 800 employees, is present in Somma Vesuviana (Naples), Pomigliano d'Arco (Naples), Paolisi (Benevento), Podenzano (Piacenza) and Brindisi with manufacturing facilities and engineering departments.

Dema produces a wide range of aerostructures including aircraft fuselage sections, floor panels, cockpits, tailcones, fan cowls, ramps, cargo doors, slide boxes, horizontal stabilizers, helicopters fuselages and helicopter tail booms. Dema's customers include Alenia Aermacchi, Bombardier, Airbus Military and Augusta Westland for aircraft programs including the Boeing 787, Airbus 380 and A321, ATR 42-72 and Augusta Westland AW139. For additional information about Dema, please visit: http://www.demaspa.it

About MSC SoftwareMSC Software is one of the ten original software companies and the worldwide leader in multidiscipline simulation. As a trusted partner, MSC Software helps companies improve quality, save time, and reduce costs associated with design and test of manufactured products. Academic institutions, researchers, and students employ MSC's technology to expand individual knowledge as well as expand the horizon of simulation. MSC Software employs 1,000 professionals in 20 countries. For additional information about MSC Software's products and services, please visit: http://www.mscsoftware.com

The MSC Software corporate logo, Simulating Reality, MSC Nastran, Adams, Actran, Dytran, Easy5, Marc, Patran, MSC, Masterkey, Masterkey Plus, Mvision, SimDesigner, SimManager, and SimXpert are trademarks or registered trademarks of the MSC Software Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. NASTRAN is a registered trademark of NASA. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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Aerospace Supplier DEMA Drives Costs Down With MSC Nastran Nonlinear

Research and Markets: Global Aerospace Industry Outlook 2015

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bwzqrm/global_aerospace_i) has announced the addition of the "Global Aerospace Industry Outlook 2015" report to their offering.

In the past few years, the global aerospace industry has witnessed an impressive growth, with the civil aviation segment emerging as the major contributor to its expansion. The US and European countries are the dominant markets for aerospace industry, and acting as catalyst for the overall growth. The global aerospace industry is forecasted to register CAGR of around 2.5% during 2012-2015.

As per our new research report, Global Aerospace Industry Outlook 2015, the aerospace industry has globally emerged as a highly potential market, even after the recession. In order to apprise our clients about the direction in which the aerospace industry is likely to progress in the coming years, we have presented the forecasts for global, civil, and military aerospace industry till 2015. The overall study also provides the regional-level analysis of developed markets.

Moreover, our study has found that US represents the biggest aerospace market in the world, followed by France, UK, Germany and Canada. In near future, developing nations, like China, India, Mexico, and Brazil are expected to emerge as potential marketplaces for aerospace products.

On studying the market trends and drivers, we found how growing air traffic and increasing merger & acquisition activities are adding growth to this strong industry. Our report provides an extensive research and objective analysis of the global aerospace market, and its various segments, including civil and military aerospace. In addition, the report entails a detailed analysis of the industry in terms of developed and emerging markets. Our research work contains information on the key players such as Business Description and Recent Developments which will help clients assess opportunities existing in the global aerospace market, and formulate appropriate strategies.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bwzqrm/global_aerospace_i

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Research and Markets: Global Aerospace Industry Outlook 2015

Research and Markets: 3D Displays

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2fnxxj/3d_displays) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "3D Displays" to their offering.

This book addresses electrical engineers, physicists, designers of flat panel displays (FDPs), students and also scientists from other disciplines interested in understanding the various 3D technologies. A timely guide is provided to the present status of development in 3D display technologies, ready to be commercialized as well as to future technologies.

Having presented the physiology of 3D perception, the book progresses to a detailed discussion of the five 3D technologies: stereoscopic and autostereoscopic displays; integral imaging; holography and volumetric displays, and:

- Introduces spatial and temporal multiplex for the two views needed for stereoscopic and autostereoscopic displays;

- Outlines dominant components such as retarders for stereoscopic displays, and fixed as well as adjustable lenticular lenses and parallax barriers for auto- stereoscopic displays;

- Examines the high speed required for 240 Hz frames provided by parallel addressing and the recently proposed interleaved image processing;

- Explains integral imaging, a true 3D system, based on the known lenticulars which is explored up to the level of a 3D video projector using real and virtual images;

- Renders holographic 3D easier to understand by using phasors known from electrical engineering and optics leading up to digital computer generated holograms;

- Shows volumetric displays to be limited by the number of stacked FPDs; and,

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Research and Markets: 3D Displays

Athletics: Does a woman’s menstrual cycle affect her running performance?

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Acclaimed trainer explains the significant impact of hormones on female physiology

Champaign, IL--While a man's hormonal system remains relatively stable, a female's hormonal system is constantly changing. According to Jason Karp, PhD, an exercise physiologist and 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, hormonal fluctuations can affect how women will respond and adapt to training. "The phase of the menstrual cycle significantly affects a female runner's hormonal environment and therefore her physiology," Karp explains. "Any physiological changes resulting from menstrual cycle-induced fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone are exacerbated during exercise, especially if it's intense."

In the book Running for Women (Human Kinetics, 2012), Karp and coauthor Carolyn Smith, MD, explain how various aspects of physiology are affected by the phase of the menstrual cycle, including oxygen consumption, body temperature, and metabolism.

Oxygen Consumption

"Progesterone stimulates ventilation independent of the intensity of the run, which can increase the perception of effort since runners typically link their perception of effort to how much they're breathing," Karp explains. "Breathing is greater during the luteal phase, when progesterone concentration is highest, making women feel more winded during luteal-phase workouts compared to follicular-phase workouts." The increased breathing during the luteal phase may also increase the oxygen demand of breathing since the muscles responsible for breathing need oxygen to work just like leg muscles do. More oxygen being used by breathing muscles means less oxygen is available for the leg muscles to aid with running.

Body Temperature

Body temperature changes rhythmically throughout the menstrual cycle, peaking during the luteal phase in response to the surge in progesterone. "A higher body temperature during the luteal phase makes it harder to run in the heat, because you don't begin sweating to dissipate heat until you have reached a higher body temperature," Karp says. "Women also have a decreased ability to dilate the small blood vessels under the skin, which compromises their ability to release heat to the environment." Thus, long, intense workouts and races in the heat, such as half marathons and marathons, can be more difficult during the luteal phase of the cycle.

Metabolism

"Menstrual phase variations in running performance may largely be a consequence of changes to exercise metabolism stimulated by the fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone concentrations," Karp says. "The magnitude of increase in these hormones between menstrual phases and the ratio of estrogen to progesterone concentration appear to be important factors determining an effect on metabolism." Research suggests that estrogen may improve endurance performance by altering carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism, and progesterone often acts antagonistically to estrogen. Estrogen promotes both the availability of glucose and uptake of glucose into slow-twitch muscle fibers, providing the fuel during short-duration exercise.

According to Karp, a woman's responsiveness to strength training can also be influenced by the menstrual cycle. "One study found that weight training every second day during the follicular phase and once per week during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle increased maximal quadriceps strength by 32.6 percent compared to just 13.1 percent by training once every third day over the whole menstrual cycle," Karp says.

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Athletics: Does a woman's menstrual cycle affect her running performance?

Mainland Medical lab named for longtime doctor

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Special to The Daily News

TEXAS CITY Mainland Medical Center dedicated the hospitals lab in honor of Dr. Herman Koester. Koester was the chief of pathology for Galveston County Hospital, now Mainland Medical Center, for 30 years.

Herman founded Mainland Pathology Associates and Physicians Laboratory in 1975, and he and his partners also managed the pathology departments at St. Johns Hospital and the former Danforth Hospital in Texas City.

Dr. Herman Koester was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who passed away on Monday, Dec. 19, 2011, hospital officials said. It is with great honor that he is remembered through his dedication to the community and that the laboratory at Mainland Medical Center in Texas City be forevermore known as the Herman Lott Koester Laboratory.

In addition, Koester was chief of staff at Mainland Medical Center and a member of the hospitals board of directors until his retirement. Koester was a member of the Galveston County Medical Society, the Texas Medical Association, the College of American Pathologists, the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the American Society of Cytologists and the American Medical Association.

He served as a member of the board of the Blood Bank, College of the Mainland board of trustees and the University of Texas Medical Branch Development Board.

Paula Cashion is the Marketing Coordinator for Mainland Medical Center.

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Mainland Medical lab named for longtime doctor

Nutrition in schools

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Select a Publication: N E W S P A P E R S ---------------------------------------------- ---Alberta--- Airdrie - Airdrie Echo Banff - Banff Crag and Canyon Beaumont - Beaumont News Calgary - The Calgary Sun Camrose - Camrose Canadian Canmore - Canmore Leader Central Alberta - County Market Cochrane - Cochrane Times Cold Lake - Cold Lake Sun Crowsnest Pass - Crowsnest Pass Promoter Devon - Dispatch News Drayton - Drayton Valley Western Review Edmonton - Edmonton Examiner Edmonton - The Edmonton Sun Edson - Edson Leader Fairview - Fairview Post Fort McMurray - Fort McMurray Today Fort Saskatchewan - Fort Saskatchewan Record Grande Prairie - Daily Herald Tribune Hanna - Hanna Herald High River - High River Times Hinton - Hinton Parklander Lacombe - Lacombe Globe Leduc - Leduc Representative Lloydminster - Meridian Booster Mayerthorpe - Mayerthorpe Freelancer Nanton - Nanton News Peace Country - Peace Country Sun Peace River - Peace River Record Gazette Pincher Creek - Pincher Creek Echo Sherwood Park - Sherwood Park News Spruce Grove - Spruce Grove Examiner Stony Plain - Stony Plain Reporter Strathmore - Strathmore Standard Vermilion - Vermilion Standard Vulcan - Vulcan Advocate Wetaskiwin - Wetaskiwin Times Whitecourt - Whitecourt Star ---Manitoba--- Altona - Alton Red River Valley Echo Beausejour - Beausejour Review Carman - Carman Valley Leader Gimli - Interlake Spectator Lac Du Bonnet - Lac Du Bonnet Leader Morden - Morden Times Portage la Prairie - Portage Daily Graphic Selkirk - Selkirk Journal Stonewall - Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times Winkler - Winkler Times Winnipeg - The Winnipeg Sun ---Ontario--- Amherstburg - Amherstburg Echo Bancroft - Bancroft this Week Barrie - Barrie Examiner Barry's Bay - Barry's Bay this Week Belleville - Intelligencer Bradford - Bradford Times Brantford - Expositor Brockville - The Recorder & Times Chatham - Chatham Daily News Chatham - Chatham This Week Chatham - Today's Farmer Clinton - Clinton News-Record Cobourg - Northumberland Today Cochrane - Cochrane Times Post Collingwood - Enterprise Bulletin Cornwall - Standard Freeholder Delhi - Delhi News-Record Dresden - Leader Spirit Dunnville - Dunnville Chronicle Elliot Lake - Standard Espanola - Mid-North Monitor Fort Erie - Times Gananoque - Gananoque Reporter Goderich - Goderich Signal-Star Grand Bend - Lakeshore Advance Haliburton - Haliburton Echo Hanover - The Post Ingersoll - Ingersoll Times Innisfil - Innisfil Examiner Kapuskasing - Kapuskasing Northern Times Kenora - Kenora Daily Miner and News Kenora - Lake of the Woods Enterprise Kincardine - Kincardine News Kingston - Frontenac This Week Kingston - Kingston This Week Kingston - Kingston Whig Standard Kirkland Lake - Northern News Leamington - Leamington Post Lindsay - The Lindsay Post London - The London Free Press London - The Londoner Lucknow - Lucknow Sentinel Midland - Free Press Minden - Minden Times Mitchell - Mitchell Advocate Napanee - Napanee Guide Niagara-on-the-Lake - Niagara Advance Niagara Falls - Review Niagara Falls - Niagara Shopping News Niagara Falls - W. Niagara Community Newspapers North Bay - North Bay Nugget Northumberland - Northumberland Today Norwich - Norwich Gazette Orillia - Packet and Times Ottawa - The Ottawa Sun Owen Sound - Sun Times Oxford - Oxford Review Paris - Paris Star Online Pelham - Pelham News Pembroke - Daily Observer Peterborough - Peterborough Examiner Petrolia - Petrolia Topic Picton - County Weekly News Port Colborne - Inport News Port Hope - Northumberland Today Port Elgin - Shoreline Beacon Sarnia - Observer Sarnia - Sarnia This Week Sault Ste Marie - Sault Star Sault Ste Marie - Sault This Week Seaforth - Seaforth Huron Expositor Simcoe - Simcoe Reformer St. Catharines - St. Catharines Shopping News St. Catharines - Standard St. Thomas - St. Thomas Times-Journal Stirling - Community Press Stratford - The Beacon Herald Strathroy - Strathroy Age Dispatch Sudbury - Sudbury Star Thorold - Thorold News Tillsonburg - Tillsonburg News Timmins - Daily Press Timmins - Timmins Times Toronto - The Toronto Sun Trenton - Trentonian Wallaceburg - Wallaceburg Courier Press Welland - Tribune Welland - Welland News West Lorne - The Chronicle Wiarton - Wiarton Echo Woodstock - Sentinel Review ---Saskatchewan--- Meadow Lake - Meadow Lake Progress Melfort - Melfort Journal Nipawin - Nipawin Journal MAGAZINES & SPECIALTY PUBLICATIONS --------- Biz Magazine Business London Cottage Home and Property Showcase Food and Wine Show Hamilton Halton Weddings Hamilton Magazine InterVin International Wine Awards Kingston Life London Citylife Muskoka Magazine Muskoka Trails Niagara Food and Wine Expo Niagara Magazine Ontario Farmer Ontario Golf Sault Good Life Simcoe Life The Home Show Vines Magazine What's Up Muskoka

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Nutrition in schools

Quitting smoking, even after 60, may boost longevity

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(CBS News) A new report shows that quitting smoking might make you live longer - regardless of how old you are.

The study, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine on June 11, looked at results from17 studies conducted in seven countries. Even seniors lived longer if they were willing to part with their cigarettes.

According to the researchers, smoking is one of the 10 leading risk factors for death, and takes the lives of 12 percent of males and six percent of females of the world. If current rates continue, one billion deaths due to smoking are expected in the 21st century.

Surgeon General's "shocking" teen smoking report sparks call for action Blowing smoke: Vintage ads of doctors endorsing tobacco Former smokers speak up in graphic CDC video ads

Researchers reviewed studies that ranged in duration from three to 50 years and looked at anywhere from 863 participants to more than 877,000 people. One study showed that 59 percent of non-smokers were alive at age 80, compared to 26 percent of smokers. Another study showed that those who had quit before the age of 40 had the same death rates as those who had never smoked.

The researchers also found that smokers who were 60 years and older were 83 percent more likely to die at any given age than those in the same age group who had never smoked. Some causes of death - such as cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx - increased up to 10 times for current smokers in that age group. Those who quit smoking still had a higher risk of dying at any given age compared to those who never picked up the habit - 34 percent - but it was much lower than those who never quit.

However, for those willing to quit, mortality was comparable with never-smokers the longer they had stopped using cigarettes.

"These results strongly suggest that smoking cessation is effective for mortality reduction also at older age, a suggestion that should be corroborated by intervention studies, ideally with interventions specifically designed and developed for this target group," the researchers wrote.

A weaker, yet similar correlation was also found for those who were 80 and older.

The researchers suggested that even people who smoked their whole lives without negative consequences should be encouraged to quit. Because the retirement age has been pushed back due to the need to work longer, the individual and public health burden of smoking-related illness will increase unless strides are made to help people stop.

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Quitting smoking, even after 60, may boost longevity

Older Dads May Pass on Longevity to Kids

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Son and daughter walking with their dad at sunset.

TUESDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- People whose fathers or grandfathers started having children at a later age may live longer, according to a new study.

Northwestern University researchers looked at telomere length in people in the Philippines. Telomeres are bits of DNA that protect the ends of chromosomes from deterioration. Longer telomeres appear to be associated with slower aging, while shorter telomeres seem to be associated with health problems that occur with aging.

[Read:Competing for Internships With Mom and Dad.]

Longer telomeres were found in people whose fathers and grandfathers began families later in life, according to the study published June 11 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"If your father and grandfather were able to live and reproduce at a later age, this might predict that you yourself live in an environment that is somewhat similar -- an environment with less accidental deaths or in which men are only able to find a partner at later ages," lead author Dan Eisenberg, a doctoral candidate in anthropology, said in a Northwestern news release. "In such an environment, investing more in a body capable of reaching these late ages could be an adaptive strategy from an evolutionary perspective."

The findings are fascinating, said co-author Christopher Kuzawa, an associate professor of anthropology.

"If our recent ancestors waited until later in adulthood before they reproduced, perhaps for cultural reasons, it would make sense for our bodies to prepare for something similar by investing the extra resources necessary to maintain healthy functioning at more advanced ages," Kuzawa said in the news release.

[Read:Stay at Home Moms Face Credit Card Bias.]

However, the researchers said their findings should not be interpreted to mean that men should intentionally have children at a later age. Previous research has shown that older fathers are more likely to pass along harmful genetic mutations to their children.

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Older Dads May Pass on Longevity to Kids

DNA sample leads to suspect in sexual assault

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MINNEAPOLIS - Sex Crimes investigators say a DNA sample led to the arrest of a suspectin a robbery and sexual assault on the north side of Minneapolis in late May.

Police received a call on May 24 from a resident on the 1600 block of Fremont Avenue North who told them she had been awakened by a who had broken into her home.She told officers that the man forced her to perform a sex act on him at knifepoint.

The suspect fled the scene but investigators found he left evidence behind, including a knife. DNA evidence was extracted from these items and entered into the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's (BCA) data base.

The victim was also able to provide officers with a detailed suspect description.

DNA samples sent to the BCA lab matched an offender who was already in the agency's computer database. The victim then picked that offender from a photographic lineup.

That man, 41-year-old Nathan Dwayne Jones, was charged with one count of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree and one count of first degree burglary.

Jones is currently being held in the Hennepin County Jail.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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DNA sample leads to suspect in sexual assault

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DNA Seattle Secures Five New Accounts

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SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Building upon a track record of breakthrough work that has created distinctive Northwest brands such as PEMCO and BECU, DNA Seattle announced today that it has signed five new clients, including Group Health Cooperative, Benaroya Research Institute, Trupanion, RDM Properties and Futures Without Violence.

An independent full-service agency with expertise in brand strategy, advertising, digital strategy and media, DNA Seattle will work to create transformational campaigns by tapping into the real meaning within these organizations that is not just entertaining, but engaging.

These new wins are really a result of the success and momentum were seeing with many of our existing clients, said Chris Witherspoon, principal and director of client service at DNA Seattle. Each of these new clients have come to us to help them create meaning for their brands. Brands that truly make a difference in peoples lives: healthcare, insurance, and even the not-for-profit segment. Were working with great organizations that match our own DNA and that we think can be pioneers in their respective categories.

Group Health Cooperative: Group Health is recognized nationally for its unique non-profit health plan and health delivery model. As brand advertising agency of record, DNA will focus on helping Group Health communicate its compelling brand story in an effort to grow the membership base in Washington State.

Benaroya Research Institute: Viewed as an international leader in immune system and autoimmune disease research, DNA will work to increase awareness of this groundbreaking organization, as well as increase fundraising efforts and clinical trial patients.

Trupanion: This health insurance provider for pets is looking to grow the number of insured customers globally. DNA will draw upon its experience in creating meaning and differentiation to turn the shared values and love people have for their pets into a deeper connection and loyalty with the Trupanion brand.

RDM Properties: A developer of market rate apartments in Seattle, RDM has secured DNA to attract tenants based on a commitment to the local community in which their developments are located. DNAs exceptional insight into the Northwest will allow the agency to effectively brand each development as an integral part of its neighborhood.

Futures Without Violence: A San Francisco-based recipient of a grant from the Avon Foundation, DNA is working with Futures Without Violence to build a digital, global exchange of ideas, communications materials and best practices for organizations trying to reduce domestic violence against women and children.

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DNA Seattle Secures Five New Accounts

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