Monthly Archives: June 2012

Genetic Screening During Pregnancy Shows Promise

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics Also Included In: Genetics;Pediatrics / Children's Health Article Date: 08 Jun 2012 - 12:00 PDT

Current ratings for: 'Genetic Screening During Pregnancy Shows Promise'

1 (1 votes)

The researchers findings open up the possibility of assessing a fetus non-invasively for all single-gene disorders.

Approximately 1% of newborns are born with disorders that are caused by a defect in a single gene. These "Mendelian" disorders include cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and Tay-Sachs disease.

In the future, the new non-invasive technique could help screen for these types of genetic mutations in the fetus without increasing the risk of miscarriage, said Jay Shendure and his team at the University of Washington.

Shendure explained: "This work opens up the possibility that we will be able to scan the whole genome of the fetus for more than 3,000 single-gene disorders through a single, non-invasive test."

At 18.5 weeks gestation, the researchers were able to map the whole genome of a fetus and then reconstructed it using DNA from the mother's blood plasma and saliva from the father.

Although fetal DNA is found in the mother's blood plasma, it can be challenging to distinguish which genetic signature belongs to the fetus and which belongs to the mother. As a result the team used a new technique in order to identify blocks of haplotypes (genetic variation), that could be traced back to the mother's genome.

The researchers were then able to use this information, together with data from the father's saliva sample, to determine which genomes the fetus inherited. The team then conducted a more intensive examination of the mother's DNA sample in order to identify new genetic variations that appeared only in the fetal genome.

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Genetic Screening During Pregnancy Shows Promise

Ano ang Kalayaan para sa iyo? Shoot, post a pic for Freedom!

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FREEDOM MEANS different things to different people. To some, it may mean democracy and free and honest elections. To others, it may mean respect for human rights and the rule of law. And to some others, freedom from hunger and want.

On Tuesday, june 12, we mark the 114th anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence. And still the question haunts us all: what, dear readers, does FREEDOM mean to you?

We ask you now to answer the question Ano ang Kalayaan para sa iyo? with a single photograph you believe captures best the essence of freedom. Even better, you might please send it to us so we can share it online.

Is Freedom the flying of flags and the rituals held every year on June 12 at the Rizal Park in Manila and at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite? Or is it, more than the ceremonies of state, some things we have and want to find at school, work, and home, in our daily lives?

Grab your camera or phone and freeze-frame the image of Freedom in your mind! Other than the speeches, the pomp, and the routine, capture the day with a photo that speaks a thousand more thoughts about Freedom!

Your photo need not focus on the parades alone. Neither does it have to be shot in the Philippines only, or on June 12 itself. For all we know, you may be in Afghanistan or Angola or Arroceros in Manila, and thats all right. All we ask is that you take the photo yourself, and express yourself in it.

Heres how you can contribute your photos:

Starting June 11, Monday, you may post Freedom photos on your favorite online image hosting services (Twitpic, Instagram, Flickr, Tumblr, etc.) and share them with us, so we can share them with our fellow readers. You may share them through Twitter.com by using the #anoangkalayaan hashtag and well take it from there.

We ask that you place your watermark, if any, on the lower right corner of your image for uniformitys sake. Also please make sure that the watermark does not in any way diminish the beauty and message of your photo. If possible, ensure that your uploads are at least 900 pixels wide so it can be viewed better in larger screens.

We will upload the most compelling photos on the PCIJ institutional blog, http://www.pcij.or/blog, with full credit to their authors. We will begin sharing your photos on Tuesday, June 12, Independence Day.

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Ano ang Kalayaan para sa iyo? Shoot, post a pic for Freedom!

Research and Markets: Pharmacogenetics and Individualized Therapy

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xp9wx4/pharmacogenetics_a) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Pharmacogenetics and Individualized Therapy" to their offering.

The One-Stop Reference To Pharmacogenetics And Its Impact On Pharmaceuticals, Therapeutics, And Clinical Practices

Pharmacogenetics and Individualized Therapy offers thorough coverage of the study of the genetic determinants of drug response at the single gene leveland its impact on pharmaceuticals, therapeutics, and clinical practice. Providing an overview of the molecular basis of pharmacogenetics, the book helps readers understand the implications of genetic variability on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, as well as other aspects such as adverse drug reactions. Providing coverage of specific disease areas, including cardiovascular concerns, cancer and asthma/COPD, transplantation, and pain medication, the book also looks at the clinical practices, along with the psychiatric and ethical issues that have come to dominate conversation about pharmacogenetics.

The technological applications of pharmacogenetics, including genotyping, drug disposition (metabolism and enzymes), and the impact of this research on the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory matters are all addressed in chapters by internationally recognized leaders from both academia and industry.

Including chapters on specific therapeutic areas and clinical aspects, Pharmacogenetics and Individualized Therapy helps readers, whether they're students or researchers, to understand the implications of genetic variability on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Authors

ANKE-HILSE MAITLAND-van der ZEE, PhD, is Associate Professor of Pharmacogenetics

Pharmacogenomics at Utrecht University, the Netherlands.

ANN K. DALY, PhD, is Professor of Pharmacogenetics at Newcastle University, UK.

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Research and Markets: Pharmacogenetics and Individualized Therapy

Research and Markets: Germany Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 – Interventional Neurology, Neurological …

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/65qgpf/germany_neurology) has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report "Germany Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 - Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices and Others" to their offering.

GlobalData's new report, Germany Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 - Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices and Others provides key market data on the Germany Neurology Devices market. The report provides value (USD million), volume (units) and average price (USD) data for each segment and sub-segment within six market categories - CSF Management, Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices, Neurosurgical Products and Radiosurgery. The report also provides company shares and distribution shares data for each of the aforementioned market categories. The report is supplemented with global corporate-level profiles of the key market participants with information on company financials and pipeline products, wherever available.

Scope

- Market size and company share data for Neurology Devices market categories - CSF Management, Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices, Neurosurgical Products and Radiosurgery.

- Annualized market revenues (USD million), volume (units) and average price (USD) data for each of the segments and sub-segments within six market categories. Data from 2004 to 2011, forecast forward for 7 years to 2018.

- 2011 company shares and distribution shares data for each of the six market categories.

- Global corporate-level profiles of key companies operating within the Germany Neurology Devices market.

Reasons to buy

- Develop business strategies by identifying the key market categories and segments poised for strong growth.

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Research and Markets: Germany Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 - Interventional Neurology, Neurological ...

NNI Founder Urges International Collaboration in Nanotech Research

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Mihail Roco is a sometimes-polarizing figure in the development story of nanotechnology. On the one hand, he gave shape and purpose to what became the US National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and led it through its early formative years, but on the otherespecially among those who support a vision of nanotechnology involving molecular manufacturing (MNT)he was at least one of the agents behind moving US funding away from MNT and towards material science. A sin some still have not forgiven him for.

Whichever side of the fence you may be on that characterization, its hard to deny that Roco has been one of the most influential figures in nanotechnology, not just for the US but for the world. Roco was the man behind turning a scattering of papers in condensed matter/solid state physics or chemistry into a national initiative. In doing so, he unwittinglyor notlaunched an international nanotechnology arms race, which has seen at least 35 countries jump on to the bandwagon since the NNI was started.

Make no mistake, this race is no joke. There are billions of dollars at stake and national reputations seem to be built up on success in crossing the vague finish line before some other country.

Beyond mere reputation or pride, countriesincluding the USbelieve that by pumping money into nanotechnology (which up to this point has largely gone to building new research facilities) they will create for themselves an economic zone, a Silicon Valley of nanotech. Theres no sense in trying to explain that Silicon Valley was a complicated recipe that is probably nearly impossible to duplicate; governments are giving the money away so why not build a new microscopy lab in the middle of nowhere.

On top of everything, this past week we witnessed what may be the height of the nanotech arms race with the arrest and indictment of a nanotechnology scientist from Sandia National Labs, who is accused of sharing research information with the Chinese.

So after unleashing this billion-dollar nanotech arms race, Roco now is urging collaboration in nanotech to provide the push the field needs to progress.

International collaboration in nanoscale science and engineering is essential at this moment because the field is growing rapidly with different focuses and multidisciplinary breakthroughs in different countries, and the synergism of such contributions determines faster and more efficient development, said Roco in an interview with Korea Herald when he was attending the 9th Korea-US Nano Forum held at Hanyang University in Seoul.

Well, yes, of course, and its about time somebody said it. It probably couldnt have come from a better source either. Many have said that it took the virulent anti-communist Richard Nixon to open detente with China. Perhaps it will take the man who created national nanotechnology initiatives to urge that nanotechnology research is better served when national borders come secondary to scientific inquiry.

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NNI Founder Urges International Collaboration in Nanotech Research

Former refugee graduates from medical school, plans career in western Virginia

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ROANOKE, Va.

Edi Berbic plans to practice medicine in southwest Virginia. That's not surprising, perhaps, for a graduate of William Fleming High School and the Edward Via School of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, but his journey to Roanoke began in war-torn Bosnia, and included three years in a refugee camp in Croatia.

Berbic lived on Eden Drive for just three months, but the Roanoke neighborhood still holds a special place in his heart. "It represents the starting point for me and my new life here in the U.S.," Berbic told us. "You were living by yourself with your family and not sharing a bathroom with 50 other individuals. So it was very peaceful. It felt at home."

Earlier this month, Berbic received his degree from the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. He leaves next week for a three year residency in New Jersey. Not bad for a kid who couldn't speak English when he arrived in Roanoke in 1995.

"I didn't know a bit of English, so me starting 5th grade, it was very difficult because you see kids talking about you, making fun of you, laughing at you," he said. "So for me it was very difficult understanding what they were talking about and as a kid you take that to the heart."

Berbic credits his teachers, and the close relationship he shares with his parents and his brother Elvir. "To be honest, he was my role model at some point," Elvir Berbic told us, "because while he was working on his doctorate, I was just finishing up my bachelor's degree. A younger brother can definitely be a role model as well," he said.

The brothers hope their experiences will encourage others to follow their dreams.

"If I can do it," Edi Berbic said, "you can do it as well. So please have that goal and that determination."

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Former refugee graduates from medical school, plans career in western Virginia

Too Much Exercise Not As Beneficial As Moderate Training

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness Article Date: 08 Jun 2012 - 11:00 PDT

Current ratings for: 'Too Much Exercise Not As Beneficial As Moderate Training'

4 (1 votes)

The study, published in the June issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, found that training for, and competing in marathons, very long distance bicycle rides, and iron man distance triathlons, may result in structural changes to the heart and large arteries, leading to myocardial injury.

Micah True a 58 year-old legendary ultra-marathoner, would run as far as 100 miles in a day. However, on March 27, 2012, True died suddenly while on a routine 12-mile training run. Autopsy results showed that True's heart was enlarged and scarred and that he died of a lethal arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm).

The researchers speculate that the pathologic changes in True's heart may have manifestations of ""Phidippides cardiomyopathy," a condition caused by chronic excessive endurance exercise."

Jame H. O'Keefe, M.D., of Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, MO. explained:

However, as with any pharmacologic agent, a safe upper dose limit potentially exists, beyond which the adverse effects of physical exercise, such as musculoskeletal trauma and cardiovascular stress, may outweigh its benefits."

According to Dr. O'Keefe and his team, extreme endurance training can result in transient structural cardiovascular changes, as well as elevations of cardiac biomarkers, all of which return to normal within one week.

However, some people may develop patchy myocardial fibrosis, particularly in the atria, interventricular septum, and right ventricle, and an increased susceptibility to atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, as a result of months and years of repetitive injury.

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Too Much Exercise Not As Beneficial As Moderate Training

I'll Have Another out of the Belmont Stakes, out of the Triple Crown and retired for good

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ELMONT, N.Y. - A leg injury has taken I'll Have Another out of the Belmont Stakes and out of the running for the Triple Crown.

The issue is with a swollen left-front tendon. Trainer Doug O'Neill said something was first noticed in the leg on Thursday, but hoped I'll Have Another had "just hit himself."

Trainer Doug O'Neill, rear left, kneels to wrap I'll Have Another's left foot at Belmont Park on Friday. (AP)I'll Have Another looked fine during a morning workout on Friday, according to O'Neill, but in the cooling down period "you could tell that swelling was back and at that point I didn't feel very good."

O'Neill talked to owner Paul Reddam and the two summoned a doctor, who determined I'll Have Another showed signs of tendinitis beginning in his left-front leg.

The doctor indicated the horse would need 3-6 months of rest. After conferring, O'Neill and Reddam opted to retire I'll Have Another.

"It's a bummer," O'Neill said, "but it's far from tragic."

The inflammation to the tendon is a "one-bad-step injury," according to equine veterinarian Larry Bramlage, and doesn't have anything to do with overuse or I'll Have Another's schedule of races.

"In the whole scale of tendon injuries, it's minor. In the scale of the Triple Crown, it's huge," Bramlage said.

[Photos: Belmont favorite I'll Have Another out of racing with a leg injury]

There were indications Friday morning that something was amiss. O'Neill took I'll Have Another to the track for his morning jog hours earlier than he had been going for the past three weeks. O'Neill then left the Belmont track without speaking to the media, and Reddam was also not available. That was highly unusual for what had been a media-friendly group.

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I'll Have Another out of the Belmont Stakes, out of the Triple Crown and retired for good

Another lost chance for racing immortality

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ELMONT -- Excitement turned into disappointment at Belmont Park early Friday morning when I'll Have Another's attempt to claim thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown was dashed by a lower leg injury. Critics of the Triple Crown trail will be quick to blame the injury on the short timing between the three classic races and will be calling for longer periods in between the races and an overhaul to the entire Triple Crown campaign.

The purists will argue that winning the Triple Crown is a difficult road for a thoroughbred to maneuver and thus the challenge of achieving racing immortality. Three races in five weeks, at three different distances, at three different tracks, culminating in the Test of the Champion, a 1 1/2-mile marathon around Big Sandy makes the feat all the more difficult. I'm in the camp with the purists as we've seen 11 tries (almost 12) since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown, 34 years ago. This is a sign that the thoroughbred can still handle the grind of the trail, based on the near misses and the percentage of horses winning the first two legs since then.

For racing fans, while disappointment will radiate first and foremost, the possibility of a breakdown if the connections continued on despite the injury, would have been devastating to both the industry and to the millions watching at Belmont and on national television. The sport is just starting to recover from the catastrophic breakdown of Eight Belles in the 2008 Kentucky Derby and excitement was reaching a high not seen since the Smarty Jones attempt of 2004.

Thoroughbred racing is a sport that can have the highest of highs and the lowest of lows whether you're an owner, a fan or a horseplayer. From the exhilaration that Team I'll Have Another and his backers experienced in Louisville and Baltimore to the heartbreak of a career-ending injury and a lost chance at racing's immortality, the last five weeks have seen it all.

The Belmont Stakes itself now takes on a much different character this afternoon. The remaining 11 horses in the race will be running for a victory that will be somewhat tainted with the sudden departure of the Derby and Preakness champion. Television ratings will dive from an expected 10-12 range to 4-5. The crowd, once expected at over 100,000 will surely be much less than that. Tickets on sites such as StubHub were going at premium dollars will fall faster than Enron.

But there still will be a big race here at Big Sandy on Saturday. As last year's winning trainer Kelly Breen, who has My Adonis (15-1) entered, said "I'm sure that the fans will be disappointed, but the Belmont's the Belmont. It's still a Triple Crown race."

The new morning line favorite is Dullahan (9-5), who skipped the Preakness after finishing a late closing third in the Kentucky Derby. He broke badly in the Derby and was caught nine wide on the final turn, having too much ground to make up on the eventual winner. Trainer Dale Romans reflected on the Derby, "I told (jockey Kent Desormeaux) to get out in the clear, and he came running. He had to go a lot wider than he wanted to, but he finished strong. It was just an unlucky break." He also made a jockey change from Desormeaux to Javier Castellano, after recent off-track issues.

Pedigree doesn't appear to be an issue for Dullahan. His dam, Mining My Own, is the unraced daughter of Smart Strike, who was the dam of Curlin, who won the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic, the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), and the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, all at 10 furlongs. He also lost by a head to Rags to Riches in the 2006 Belmont Stakes. He is a definite win threat.

Romans is not exactly giddy about inheriting the favorite role.

"It's devastating," he said. "I really wanted him [I'll Have Another] to compete. This was going to be a special race, one of the biggest races of our time."

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Another lost chance for racing immortality

What Happens When Ideas Have Sex?

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Part 1 of the TED Radio Hour episode Where Ideas Come From. Watch Matt Ridley's full Talk When Ideas Have Sex on TED.com

"There's a sense in which this meeting and mating of ideas has ... a momentum of its own" Matt Ridley

"There's a sense in which this meeting and mating of ideas has ... a momentum of its own" Matt Ridley

At TEDGlobal 2010, author Matt Ridley showed how, throughout history, the engine of human progress has been the meeting and mating of ideas to make new ideas basically "ideas having sex with each other." The sophistication of the modern world lies not in individual intelligence or imagination, he says, instead it's a collective enterprise. That means it's not important how clever individuals are; what really matters is how smart the collective brain is.

About Matt Ridley

In his book The Rational Optimist, British author Matt Ridley sweeps the entire arc of human history to argue that it is our habit of trade, idea-sharing and specialization that has created the collective brain which set human living standards on a rising trend.

Ridley's previous works include Genome, which picks apart the Human Genome Project chromosome by chromosome, and Nature via Nurture, exploring the age-old question: Does nature or nurture that makes us who we are?

About the Entrepreneurs

Vijaya Thakur was working for an organization doing relief work in the Democratic Republic of Congo when she started thinking that relief could be done better at a smaller scale. She left her job and founded the Resolve Network, which aims to promote peace in Eastern Congo through literacy and microfinance.

While working for the Peace Corps in Morocco, Dan Driscoll kept seeing local artists and artisans get underpaid by foreign art dealers for their wares. Wanting to help them earn more revenue, Driscoll founded Anou, a Web-based platform for artisans around the world to sell their wares online.

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What Happens When Ideas Have Sex?

The 25th International Conference on Industrial, Engineering & Other Applications of Applied Intelligent Systems

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*In computer science, people come up with some metaphysical beach-head like artificial intelligence, and they sort of ooze over toward it all astral and handwave-y, and they they actually start coding. Then all kinds of weird boneless crude amphibian code-forms come gasping out of the surf and die on dry land.

IEA-AIE 2012 Event Full Name: Twenty Fifth International Conference on Industrial, Engineering & Other Applications of Applied Intelligent Systems Date: Sat, 06/09/2012 (All day) to Tue, 06/12/2012 (All day) Where: Dalian China Deadline: Fri, 11/11/2011 (All day)

Topics (((these are great))):

Adaptive Control Expert Systems Machine Learning Application to Design (((Im never gonna believe in a Designer Artificial Intelligence unless it designed its own interfaces and tidied away all its loose wiring))) Financial Applications (((Gosh thanks a lot))) Meta-heuristics Applications to Manufacturing Genetic Programming Model-based Reasoning Autonomous Agents (((Whats that helicopter rotor sound Im hearing Wait, were those gunshots?))) Heuristic Search Multi-Agent Systems Bio-informatics (((Ive got your Turing Machine right here in this Petri dish))) Human Robot Interaction (((Hey look, my new land-mine has Siri built in))) Natural Language Processing Case-based Reasoning (((In case someone mentions Teilhard de Chardin, you can GO TO the next paper))) Integration Systems for Real Life Applications (((Gimme $0.99))) Neural Networks Chance Discovery Intelligence (((Screw-Around Hermeneutics in Websurfing Class))) Intelligent Interfaces Reasoning under Uncertainty (((Am I in the right seminar?))) Computer Vision Intelligent Systems Social Networks Applications Constraint Satisfaction (((A big hit among the marriage-therapist user community))) Intelligent Systems in Education Soft Computing Conversational Informatics Internet Applications Spatial Reasoning Data Mining Interaction Planning and Scheduling Speech Recognition System Decision Support Systems KBS Methodology Temporal Reasoning Distributed Problem Solving Knowledge Management Evolutionary Algorithms Knowledge Processing

http://ssdut.dlut.edu.cn/iea-aie/webpages/index.htm

The 25th International Conference on Industrial, Engineering &

Other Applications of Applied Intelligent Systems

2012 Dalian, China

Sponsor:International Society of Applied Intelligence (ISAI)

Organized in cooperation with:

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The 25th International Conference on Industrial, Engineering & Other Applications of Applied Intelligent Systems

Genetic Screening During Pregnancy Shows Promise

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics Also Included In: Genetics;Pediatrics / Children's Health Article Date: 08 Jun 2012 - 12:00 PDT

Current ratings for: 'Genetic Screening During Pregnancy Shows Promise'

1 (1 votes)

The researchers findings open up the possibility of assessing a fetus non-invasively for all single-gene disorders.

Approximately 1% of newborns are born with disorders that are caused by a defect in a single gene. These "Mendelian" disorders include cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and Tay-Sachs disease.

In the future, the new non-invasive technique could help screen for these types of genetic mutations in the fetus without increasing the risk of miscarriage, said Jay Shendure and his team at the University of Washington.

Shendure explained: "This work opens up the possibility that we will be able to scan the whole genome of the fetus for more than 3,000 single-gene disorders through a single, non-invasive test."

At 18.5 weeks gestation, the researchers were able to map the whole genome of a fetus and then reconstructed it using DNA from the mother's blood plasma and saliva from the father.

Although fetal DNA is found in the mother's blood plasma, it can be challenging to distinguish which genetic signature belongs to the fetus and which belongs to the mother. As a result the team used a new technique in order to identify blocks of haplotypes (genetic variation), that could be traced back to the mother's genome.

The researchers were then able to use this information, together with data from the father's saliva sample, to determine which genomes the fetus inherited. The team then conducted a more intensive examination of the mother's DNA sample in order to identify new genetic variations that appeared only in the fetal genome.

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Genetic Screening During Pregnancy Shows Promise

Role of team chemistry still up for debate

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It is baseball's version of the chicken-and-egg conundrum. Which comes first, positive clubhouse chemistry or winning?

In search of insight, Reggie Jackson is always a nice place to start. Mr. October graced five World Series champions -- three with the Athletics, two with the Yankees -- and unloaded 18 homers in 17 postseason series. His intelligence quotient is top tier, like his monumental home runs.

Asked the question that cannot be definitively answered, Jackson -- traveling with the Yankees as a consultant, always happy to impart wisdom -- didn't hesitate.

"Winning creates chemistry," Jackson said. "It's all about strong leadership. You've got to have someone to keep everything and everybody in order. I've been on teams that didn't have great clubhouse chemistry, but won. We didn't always get along off the field, but between the lines we played the game hard, together.

"What those teams all had in common was leadership. That's what you have to have to win. In the NBA, you look at a guy like [Gregg] Popovich [of the Spurs]. He's got everything under control. That's how it was in the Lakers' "Showtime" days with [owner] Jerry Buss and Jerry West. They made sure they brought in good people. They weren't like the Oakland Raiders, who didn't mind having what you'd call incorrigibles on their roster."

In Oakland and later in the South Bronx during the tumultuous 1970s, Jackson was the star stirring potent drinks. The A's and Yankees, on his watch, shared an affinity for fighting among themselves before and after battling the opposition. Steve Garvey and Don Sutton fought in the visitors' clubhouse at Shea Stadium in 1978 while the Dodgers were en route to a second straight World Series against Reggie's Yankees.

You don't see or even hear of that kind of behavior anymore in Major League clubhouses. If there is discord, it's out of the media's view, in inaccessible back rooms.

Paul Konerko, on his way to another big season with the White Sox, comes down on the other side of the chemistry issue. When his 2005 South Siders rolled to a World Series title, the first baseman was convinced their collective attitude was the difference.

"When we left Spring Training," Konerko recalled, "no one thought we were a good team. Everyone on that team thought we had a solid team. We hung out together and started winning games, and it kind of took off. That was a team that had fun together, and it carried over to the field.

"We had a lot of close games. We didn't bomb a lot of people and put games away. We didn't score a ton of runs, but we put together rallies and won games late. Some of that has to come from being on the same page and pulling together. You have to believe in chemistry when you go through something like that."

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Role of team chemistry still up for debate

Research and Markets: Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury – Looks at Mercury's Impact on the Planet Today

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nb2x8l/environmental_chem) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury" to their offering.

The book that looks at mercury's impact on the planet today

Recent research by the EPA has concluded that one in six women of childbearing age have unsafe levels of mercury in their bodies, which puts 630,000 newborn babies each year at risk of neurological impairment. Mercury poses severe risks to the health of animals and ecosystems around the world, and this book provides the essential information that anyone interested in environmental sciences should know about the fundamentals of the entire mercury cycle.

Comprised of four parts that present an overview of mercury in the environment, mercury transformations, transport, and bioaccumulation and toxicology, each chapter of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury includes the basic concepts of the targeted subject, a critical review of that subject, and the future research needs.

This book explains the environmental behavior and toxicological effects of mercury on humans and other organisms, and provides a baseline for what is known and what uncertainties remain in respect to mercury cycling. The chapters focus on the fundamental science underlying the environmental chemistry and fate of mercury. This work will be invaluable to a wide range of policy experts, environmental scientists, and other people requiring a comprehensive source for the state of the science in this field.

Key Topics Covered:

1 OVERVIEW OF MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT

PART I ANALYTICAL DEVELOPMENTS

2 ADVANCES IN SPECIATION ANALYSIS OF MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT

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Research and Markets: Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology of Mercury - Looks at Mercury's Impact on the Planet Today

CAS Names 2012 SciFinder® Future Leaders in Chemistry Program Participants

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Outstanding Ph.D. students help shape the future of chemical information

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), the world's authority for chemical information, announced today the selection of 15 Ph.D. students in the chemical sciences for the 2012 SciFinder Future Leaders in Chemistry program. Each of these students demonstrated academic excellence, a commitment to research and an appreciation of chemical information, as evidenced through their exceptional essays and impressive letters of recommendation, distinguishing them among the hundreds of students who applied.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110829/CL58594-a)

Since 2010, the SciFinder Future Leaders in Chemistry program, formerly the SciFinder Academic Exchange Program, has served as an intensive mini-university where graduate students from around the world exchange ideas and experiences in chemistry and informatics. In only the third year of the program, applications were received from 32 countries around the world and more than doubled in number from last year, resulting in an acceptance rate of just over four percent. This year's class joins an elite group of scientists who have unique perspectives on how chemical information is vital to the advancement of research.

The following Ph.D. students have been selected:

Participants in the 2012 SciFinder Future Leaders in Chemistry program have the unique opportunity to share their insights on chemical information and learn from their peers. During their visit to the CAS campus in Columbus, Ohio, participants get a behind-the-scenes look at how CAS builds and maintains the most authoritative chemistry databases as they meet and exchange ideas with the CAS scientists and engineers responsible for SciFinder, the world's best chemical information research tool. As in past years, participants will also visit prestigious Central Ohio research organizations such as The Ohio State University, Battelle Memorial Institute and TechColumbus.

In addition, participants will join an expected 12,000 chemical professionals in Philadelphia , Penn., to attend the 244th ACS National Meeting & Exposition and listen to scientists present new research, hear the latest information in their areas of interest, and network with other chemists.

"This will be the third year we've welcomed students to our campus to share an exclusive look inside the world's premier organization for chemical information," said Christine McCue, vice president of marketing at CAS. "The program is an invaluable experience, providing the students and CAS a better understanding of the trends in chemical information and a fresh perspective on the needs of researchers around the world. We expect this year's program to be no different - but with a new name to reflect the remarkable accomplishments and leadership of these students, the future leaders in chemistry."

About SciFinder

SciFinder is the leading information research tool for chemistry and related disciplines. SciFinder provides scientists the essential content and proven results to increase productivity and make faster breakthroughs. The intuitive Web interface offers instant access to the CAS content collection, including CAS REGISTRY(SM)the gold standard of chemical substance and other related information. Fortune 500 corporations, more than 1,900 universities and major government agencies around the world rely on SciFinder to fuel R&D initiatives and foster innovation.

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CAS Names 2012 SciFinder® Future Leaders in Chemistry Program Participants

Anatomy of a bailout

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The Irish Times - Saturday, June 9, 2012

The cases so far

February 11th, 2010

EU leaders pledge to support Greece, thereby effectively abandoning the euro zones no bailout rule.

Greece

On April 23rd, 2010, the Greek government requests an initial loan of 45 billion from the EU and the International Monetary Fund to cover its financial needs for the remainder of that year. On May 1st, the government announced a series of austerity measures to secure a three-year, 110 billion loan.

In February 2012 a second bailout package worth 130 billion is agreed, conditional on the implementation of another austerity package of 3.3 billion in 2012 and another 10 billion in 2013 and 2014.

Greeks go to the polls on Sunday week after an election in May failed to produce a government. Opinion polls suggest a similar result may emerge.

Ireland

On November 29th, 2010, Ireland became the second euro zone country to seek an EU-IMF bailout. In a complex arrangement, a 67.5 billion bailout was agreed, involving those institutions (the IMFs Ajai Chopra, left, played a key part in the talks) and bilateral deals with three other, non-euro zone EU member states, the UK, Denmark and Sweden. Together with an additional 17.5 billion coming from Irelands reserves and pensions, the government received 85 billion, of which 34 billion was used to support the countrys ailing financial sector.

The rest is here:
Anatomy of a bailout

Great Wall of China dos and don'ts

Posted on by

By Mark Orwoll, International Editor, Travel + Leisure

updated 11:03 AM EDT, Fri June 8, 2012

Explore the Great Wall of China

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- One of the oldest existing man-made structures, more than 2,000 years old and a world-travel icon that ranks alongside the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge -- the Great Wall of China should be on every traveler's bucket list.

To make the most of your visit, take some advice from these dos and don'ts.

DO choose a section of the wall that's right for you.

Most travelers visit one of these sections from their hotel base in Beijing: Juyongguan (closest to Beijing but less interesting than most other sections); Badaling (close but crowded); Mutianyu (farther away but less crowded and set among gorgeous mountains); and Jinshanling and Simatai (farther away still, but perfect for adventurers). Note: Simatai is currently closed for site improvements.

Travel + Leisure: World's most-visited ancient ruins

DON'T spend less than two or three hours exploring the wall. You'll need at least that much time to get the true flavor of the centuries-old structure.

Read more here:

Great Wall of China dos and don'ts

Dos and don'ts at the Great Wall of China

Posted on by

By Mark Orwoll, International Editor, Travel + Leisure

updated 11:03 AM EDT, Fri June 8, 2012

Explore the Great Wall of China

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- One of the oldest existing man-made structures, more than 2,000 years old and a world-travel icon that ranks alongside the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge -- the Great Wall of China should be on every traveler's bucket list.

To make the most of your visit, take some advice from these dos and don'ts.

DO choose a section of the wall that's right for you.

Most travelers visit one of these sections from their hotel base in Beijing: Juyongguan (closest to Beijing but less interesting than most other sections); Badaling (close but crowded); Mutianyu (farther away but less crowded and set among gorgeous mountains); and Jinshanling and Simatai (farther away still, but perfect for adventurers). Note: Simatai is currently closed for site improvements.

Travel + Leisure: World's most-visited ancient ruins

DON'T spend less than two or three hours exploring the wall. You'll need at least that much time to get the true flavor of the centuries-old structure.

Read more:

Dos and don'ts at the Great Wall of China