Monthly Archives: June 2012

ALEKS® Provides Personalized Learning for AP Chemistry Students

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IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ALEKS Corporation, a leading provider of web-based learning and assessment solutions for mathematics and science, has released two new courses: AP Chemistry and Prep for AP Chemistry. These courses offer an innovative approach to chemistry instruction with personalized learning and adaptive assessments. The targeted instruction provided by ALEKS enables students to master General Chemistry and build the essential knowledge needed for long term success in university level chemistry and other natural science and engineering courses.

ALEKS uses artificial intelligence and open-response questioning to target the exact needs of each student. Using this information, the program provides a truly individualized learning path that targets gaps in knowledge. Students move through course topics at their own pace, developing mastery of prerequisite skills before moving on to more challenging topics.

ALEKS has been a great resource for reinforcing critical chemistry skills. Students enjoy the immediate feedback that ALEKS offers and appreciate that the feedback is individualized, noted Mark Morehouse, who teaches at Fossil Ridge High School in Colorado. ALEKS has had a significant positive impact on my students understanding of chemistry.

Prep for AP Chemistry covers prerequisite and foundational material necessary for success in a rigorous AP Chemistry course, while AP Chemistry provides thorough coverage of topics typically covered in a university-level General Chemistry course and on the AP Chemistry exam.

With ALEKS, I've seen a big increase in test scores and comprehension of chemistry concepts, states Kevin Newman, a teacher at Frazer Public School in Montana. Students suddenly have light bulbs go on and they understand the class.

ALEKS directs student focus to mastering the precise topics they need to fill knowledge gaps and succeed in the course, while teachers receive access to real-time reporting that displays student and class progress in the course. This mastery-based approach leads to dramatic learning outcomes and allows students to achieve deeper understanding and higher AP exam scores, said JP Lenney, Senior Vice President of ALEKS Corporation.

Educators can explore ALEKS AP Chemistry or Prep for AP Chemistry as both a student and as a teacher by signing up for a complimentary trial at http://www.aleks.com/free_trial/instructor.

About ALEKS Corporation

ALEKS Corporation is a leader in the creation of web-based, artificially-intelligent educational software. ALEKS learning and assessment technologies were originally developed by a team of cognitive scientists, mathematicians, and software engineers at the University of California, Irvine, with major funding from the National Science Foundation. ALEKS is founded on groundbreaking research in mathematical cognitive science known as Knowledge Space Theory. Through adaptive questioning, ALEKS accurately assesses a students knowledge state, and then delivers targeted instruction on the topics a student is most ready to learn.

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ALEKS® Provides Personalized Learning for AP Chemistry Students

Going for the Biotechnology Gold

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Scientific American to unveil the most comprehensive country-by-country comparison of biotechnology-innovation capacity at the BIO International Convention As athletes around the world prepare to travel to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, Scientific American gets set to unveil the worlds premiere performers in biotechnology through its 4th Annual Worldview Report and Scorecard.

This summer, more than 200 countries will parade their best of the best in the opening ceremonies in London, as Scientific American celebrates the leaders in biotechnology and, simultaneously, encourages countries seeking to expand their biotechnology-innovation capacity.

The parallels between the Olympics and biotechnology run even more deeply, including variations in rules around the world impacting performances. At the 1972 Munich games, for example, a last-minute rule change banned gold medal-favorite Bob Seagrens vaulting pole, forcing him to compete with unfamiliar equipment, although he still fought his way to a silver medal. Similarly, champions in biotechnology must find ways to perform under the pressure of shifting rules in different lands. For instance, some biotechnology crops can be planted in certain countries but not in others, and pharmaceutical regulators often talk about harmonization more than they achieve it. In the end, all players in the biotechnology industry could benefit from Seagrens never-give-up attitude.

As the world of biotechnology evolves, so does the Scientific American Worldview Scorecard. This year, 50 countries will be included in the index and there is a new metric that measures a countrys policy climate and stability. In addition, the protection of intellectual property (IP) and its impact on biotechnology innovation is explored in-depth. This years Scorecard also examines data in some new areas, including collaboration and medical tourism, which shows the interactive nature of a range of elements related to a countrys capabilities for encouraging biotechnology innovation.

Based on the past four years of data gathering, Scientific American can now start looking across time at trends in country scores and rankings, as well as the changing dynamics of the biotechnology industry since the economic crisis that started in 2007.

The Scientific American Worldview Report and Scorecard will use its four-year comparison of overall scores and country rankings to highlight the competitive nature of the biotechnology industry. In the past four years, Scientific American has added countries, incorporated new metrics and adjusted the methodology to improve the comparative power of this index. Despite the evolution of the Scorecards techniques, we can analyze the performance of countries over time to reveal some consistencies as well as some volatility, and explore ongoing trends by comparing results year-over-year.

Beyond the countries that climb our Scorecard podium, this years version places more emphasis than ever on the value of smaller companies and countries with less mature biotechnology industries. The breadth of this industry and its ongoing expansion makes it possible for a wide range of players to compete, especially ones who make the best of their inherent capabilities, such as natural resources, or team up with other players around the world.

Which country will win gold in greatest public company revenues? Which country will reign supreme for most public companies overall? Which country has the strongest patent protection? Attend the BIO International Convention Super Session, and find out by grabbing this years report.

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Going for the Biotechnology Gold

Enamine, MRC LMB and IOCB Announce Collaboration to Identify Novel Rhomboid Protease Inhibitors for Treatment of …

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KIEV, Ukraine--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Enamine Ltd, a leading provider of screening compounds, chemical building blocks and discovery services, today announced that it has signed a collaboration agreement with the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC LMB), Cambridge, UK, and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IOCB), Prague, Czech Republic.The new alliance is aimed at discovering novel Rhomboid Protease inhibitors as potential drugs to treat infectious, parasitic, oncological, immune and cardiovascular diseases.

Under the terms of the agreement, Enamine will provide the MRC LMB and IOCB with access to its integrated drug discovery capabilities, including Molecular Modeling, Compound Library, Screening Assays, Hit Finding and Characterization, Hit to Lead Chemistry and ADMET. The three parties will jointly own the Intellectual Property resulting from this programme and will seek to partner the small molecule inhibitors generated with pharmaceutical companies for onward clinical development. The collaboration agreement was negotiated by MRC Technology on behalf of MRC LMB.

Dr. Sergey Zozulya, Vice President, Biology at Enamine, said: "We are delighted to launch this collaboration with high calibre partners, demonstrating the interest of prominent academics in realising the translational potential of their scientific discoveries through an alliance with Enamine. This alliance reflects our strategy to apply our integrated discovery platform, cost effective solutions and state-of-the-art technologies to create valuable IP for our partners and clients. With our recently introduced High Throughput Screening and bioanalytical service components, we have added capability to boost productivity."

Dr. Matthew Freeman, Head of Cell Biology Division at MRC LMB, commented: "We anticipate a very successful relationship with Enamine. This project provides evidence of the ability of our respective research centers to recognize valuable drug discovery models.

Dr. Kvido Strisovsky, Group Leader at IOCB, said: "We are delighted to be part of this collaboration and we hope that the project will realise its full potential for the benefit of patients.

ENDS

About Enamine http://www.enamine.net

Established in Kiev in 1991, Enamine is a medicinal chemistry driven company, provider of innovative screening libraries, comprehensive chemistry support in hit development, and integrated drug discovery services.

About the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology http://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/about-lmb

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Anatomy Of A Broadway Poster – The Story Behind The Art

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(credit: Thinkstock)

The ubiquitous Broadway poster is more than just eye candy for the busy New Yorker and tourist. These pretty pictures, which cover so much of the city, convey or at least suggest the experience a Broadway production holds for the potential audience member. What will you see, hear and (hopefully) feel once you plop down your hard-earned money for a seat in one of Broadways storied theatres? Its a shows calling card. It helps put people in seats.

Upon first glance, a Broadway poster may seem deceptively simple a picture or graphic with a title and some credits. But a lot of very creative people put a lot of thought and effort into creating whats known in the industry as key art. Its this key art gets that gets spun off into the countless versions you see online, in the subways, outside theatres and above Times Square. The final product, in all its forms, depends on the show and the audience its producers wish to attract.

(credit: SpotCo)

For Once, the Off-Broadway transplant about an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant brought together by music, the challenge was to reinvent a personal story for a broader audience. As Darren Cox, Associate Creative Director at SpotCo, an advertising agency that handles many of the most successful Broadway shows, explained, Once was this little fantastic gem of a show downtown that just flowered into this huge success. The original art, which SpotCo also developed, had a very personal, slice-of-life kind of aesthetic, which was very intimate and really really good for downtown, but we found out that other needs arose when the show moved to Broadway. The bigger stage and the bigger potential audience required an updated look and feel to get noticed.

The art needed to pack more of a punch. According to Cox, there was a little bit of a fear that the intimacy of the show and the kind of quiet beauty of the show could be sort of swallowed up The solution was to hold on to certain artifacts from the original as inspiration and then dial everything up. They hired a photographer and shot the actors in real environments in the theatre, on the street, at a bar. And then we pulled back in some of the graphics and the logo treatment that had that downtown intimate feel, but then married it to the larger brand. Looking at the original and updated art you can really see there is sort of this relationship where they do feel theyre kinda like in the same voice but one has a much stronger, louder, much more splashy kind of voice.

See more Broadway posters.

(credit: SpotCo)

One Man, Two Guvnors, a comedy about an easily confused man who agrees to work for both a local gangster and a criminal in hiding, required a different approach. The play, starring the talented comedic actor James Corden, came to Broadway from Londons West End. As Cox explained, It was something that already has a lot of traction and success, and we wanted to communicate that. But we wanted to communicate that in a way that was fun, interesting and sort of off-kilter like the show. The show had received rave reviews from British audiences and press, a sort of stamp of approval. But it still needed to be introduced to American theatergoers.

We knew we had a star in James Corden, noted Cox. And the art very much reflects that by hitting pretty hard the cred that its gotten from England. In addition to the shows star in a pose that suggests the plays physical humor, the poster features glowing comments and five-star ratings from various London papers. The National Theatre in London has a great track record of doing really wonderful shows, according to Cox. So we thought that that would make it more comfortable for consumers. The goal, in this case, is to make the unfamiliar seem familiar by lending it some credibility. We really tried to build that into the artwork so that people knew this was an established brand.

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Anatomy Of A Broadway Poster – The Story Behind The Art

Anatomy of a Cell Tower Death

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The site of William "Bubba" Cotton's fatal accident.

Understanding the contracting chain on cell tower jobs can be complicated, but crucial when workers die.

William Bubba Cotton, 43, was the first of 11 cell site workers who died on AT&T projects from 2006 through 2008, years when the carrier merged its network with Cingular and ramped up its 3G network for the iPhone.

As ProPublica and PBS Frontline reported last month, tower climbing ranks among the most dangerous jobs in America, having a death rate roughly 10 times that of construction.

The project Cotton was on involved several layers of subcontractors, which is common in the tower industry. The accident was more unusual. Most of the 50 tower climbers killed on cell site jobs since 2003 have died in falls, but Cotton was crushed to death by an antenna.

A wrongful death lawsuit subsequently filed by Cottons survivors, as well as a personal injury suit filed by his cousin and co-worker, Charles Randy Wheeler, explored two questions at the heart of every tower fatality: Who controlled the tower site? And who was responsible for the safety of the subcontractors working on it?

Heres a breakdown of what happened in the Cotton case:

The Project: An upgrade of a cell site in Talladega, Ala., replacing the antennas on a 400-foot tower. AT&T had designated the upgrade a top priority because of an upcoming NASCAR race, a company manager said in court testimony.

The Subcontractors: To handle the tower work, AT&T (then known as Cingular) hired Nsoro, a large management firm (also known as a turf vendor.) Nsoro hired a subcontractor, WesTower Communications, a large North American tower company. WesTower subcontracted the on-site work to a Missouri-based tower company, ALT Inc.

AT&T also directly hired Florida-based subcontractor Betacom Inc. to work on a concrete equipment shelter at the base of the tower.

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Anatomy of a Cell Tower Death

Suneva Medical Introduces ReGenica™, the Next Generation of Growth Factor Skincare

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SAN DIEGO, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Suneva Medical, a privately-held aesthetics company, has launched ReGenica Skincare, a three-product breakthrough anti-aging rejuvenation system, developed by the inventor of the key ingredient in TNS. ReGenica contains a highly potent, unique variety of proteins and growth factors in a serum-free solution. It is clinically proven to help reverse the signs of aging and aid in scarless wound healing. The product is available only through physician offices.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/suneva-medical-introduces-regenica-the-next-generation-of-growth-factor-skincare-157356985.html

ReGenica's Multipotent CCM Complex represents the next generation of growth factor skincare. The technology was developed by Dr. Gail K. Naughton, a pioneer in the field of regenerative medicine. Suneva Medical licensed ReGenica from Histogen Inc. in March 2012, expanding its portfolio of unique aesthetic products.

"Dr. Naughton is a well renowned regenerative medicine scientist and her research has helped advance the skincare industry. ReGenica's groundbreaking technology is both a novel advance and an ideal fit for our growing portfolio of highly differentiated aesthetic products. Suneva continues to strive to move into the future by offering our customers unique aesthetic products proven to help manage the appearance of aging," commented Nicholas Teti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Suneva Medical.

ReGenica is not simply another line of products with a promise of improved aesthetic results. Clinical studies have demonstrated ReGenica to deliver proven, measurable results in skin rejuvenation. In one study, ReGenica Advanced Rejuvenation Day Repair SPF 15 & Overnight Repair have been shown to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone and generate smoother skin over a ten (10) week period. In two published studies, ReGenica Facial Rejuvenation Complex Post Procedure has been found to improve healing and more rapid re-epithelialization as early as three (3) days post procedure.

Mr. Teti continued, "ReGenica is the next generation of regenerative medicine products and has the potential to change the topical aesthetics landscape."

To learn more about ReGenica visit http://www.ReGenica.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Suneva Medical Suneva Medical, Inc. is a privately-held aesthetics company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing novel, differentiated products for the dermatology, plastic and cosmetic surgery markets. The Company currently markets Artefill, Refissa and ReGenica Skincare in the U.S. and Bellafill in Canada. For more information visit http://www.sunevamedical.com.

Media Contacts:Kate Gilbert Vice President, Marketing Suneva Medical Phone: (858) 550-9999 x7844 or Kellie Walsh Phone: (914) 315-6072 kwalsh@kwmcommunications.com

Related LinksReGenica website Suneva Medical website

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Suneva Medical Introduces ReGenica™, the Next Generation of Growth Factor Skincare

The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs Named #1 World's Best Service

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The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs Named #1 World's Best Service in TRAVEL + LEISURE MAGAZINE'S WORLD'S BEST AWARDS 2012

Kauri Cliffs receives a perfect 100.00 point score - a first in the 17 year history of the awards

Matauri Bay, Northland, New Zealand, June 2, 2012 Travel + Leisure Magazine readers have chosen The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs as # 1 in the World in the World's Best Awards 2012 - World's Best Service.

And for the first time in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards' history, Kauri Cliffs is one of only three resorts*, all in far-flung destinations, to ever receive the unprecedented 100.00 point perfect service score.

Rankings are based on reader votes collected in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2012 Survey**

The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, a 6000 acre oceanfront hideaway on New Zealand''s North Island, is the only New Zealand property to be honoured in the World's Best Awards 2012 in any category.

Owned and developed by Julian Robertson and family and managed by Julian "Jay" Robertson III , The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs is sister property to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers (Hawke's Bay, New Zealand) and Matakauri Lodge (Queenstown, New Zealand). All are members of the exclusive Relais & Chateaux collection.

A Travel + Leisure reader's survey voter commented on the Kauri Cliff's service experience by saying, "the staff predicted our every need".

Staff ratio at The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs is 1:1

Managing Director Jay Robertson commented on the latest award, Kauri Cliffs has received many accolades over the past decade for its sheer beauty and world-class accommodation, but to make history at Travel + Leisure Magazine by attaining a perfect service score for the first time in the award's 17 year history may be the most gratifying award we have ever received. We have a wonderful team at Kauri Cliffs, many who have been with us since the lodge opened, and for them to be recognised by Travel + Leisure's readers as the best in the world is one of our greatest achievements. The award really belongs to this passionate and dedicated team of professionals who constantly deliver and ensure each and every guest at Kauri Cliffs is treated with the utmost care , Robertson said.

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The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs Named #1 World's Best Service

Havens Holiday Park, Church Farm, Earns 2012 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence

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HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, England, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Honoured as a Highly Rated Holiday Park as Reviewed by Travellers on the World's Largest Travel Site

Haven Holidays are delighted to announce today that their holiday park, Church Farm nr Pagham, has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Approximately 10 percent of accommodations listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award.

To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.

"Church Farm are thrilled to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence," said Andy Pope, General Manager at the Church Farm Park. "We work hard to offer our customers a truly memorable experience, and this accolade is evidence that our hard work is translating into positive traveller reviews on TripAdvisor. As trip Advisor is an independent review site we find it invaluable as it helps us to learn from our guests too."

"TripAdvisor is pleased to honor exceptional businesses for consistent excellence, as reviewed by travellers on the site," said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business. "The Certificate of Excellence award gives highly rated establishments around the world the recognition they deserve. From exceptional accommodations in Beijing to remarkable restaurants in Boston, we want to applaud these businesses for offering TripAdvisor travellers a great customer experience."

Haven Family Holidays have 35 parks around the UK for information call 0871 230 1900 or http://www.haven.com 23 parks have touring and camping areas http://www.haventouring.com or call 0871-230-1933 Holidayhomes are also available for sale on Haven parkshttp://www.havenholidayhomes.com

About Church Farm

Enjoying its own space, and offering a holiday village feel, Church Farm has been beautifully redeveloped over the last few years into the 5-Star award-winning holiday park it is today.Key Features: A 5-star park, Located on a Site of Special Scientific Interest next to Pagham Harbour, Direct access to shingle beach, Heated indoor and outdoor pools with an indoor flume and an outdoor heated terrace, Nature reserve and Lagoon next to park, New double glazed and central-heated caravans

If you would like additional information or a high-res photo from our 2012 library please contact havenpressoffice@haven.com

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Havens Holiday Park, Church Farm, Earns 2012 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence

GayCities, Inc. Partners with San Francisco Travel Association On 49 Places That Make Us Proud

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- GayCities--the world's largest LGBT community-driven city guide--today announcedthe launch of a special "check-in" promotion,49 Places That Make Us Proud, in partnership withSan Francisco Travel Association,the official tourism marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco. (http://sanfrancisco.gaycities.com/promos/49places/)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120605/CG19471)

The promotion, spanning San Francisco Pride Month of June, encourages San Francisco visitors to check-in using the GayCities iPhone app, Foursquare or Facebook to 49 places selected out of thousands of businesses and locations by GayCities editors for representing the best of the city that invented gay.

The 49 places range from the Levi's Store to Baker Beach to Lookout, a popular Castro bar. GayCities members checking in to these places are eligible for dozens of instant prizes as well as a grand prize: a return trip to San Francisco, includingairfare for two on American Airlines, a two-night stay at a Kimpton Hotel, a $100 dining certificate, and a pair of San Francisco CityPASSes. (Each check-in increases the chance of winning.)

The campaign is beginning of an extensive, 16-month partnership between GayCities and San Francisco Travelspanning multiple custom integrated marketing promotions that includes social media, tailored online content, mobile and offline events.

The number 49 has long had special significance for San Francisco. The city's population exploded with the Gold Rush of 1849. The city itself measures 49 square miles (or "49 square miles surrounded by reality," as one luminary noted). Motorists can tour the city on the 49 Mile Scenic Drive. And don't forget that famous football team with 49 in the name.

"Partnering with GayCities is a win-win for both of us: they are the leading LGBT travel and location-based social network, and San Francisco is a top LGBT destination and center of new media and technology," said Lynn Bruni, director of consumer marketing for San Francisco Travel Association. "GayCities provides us with opportunities to reach gay travelers in highly relevant, travel related content they're seeking up to date, location based user generated reviews, insider experiences via online and the GayCities iPhone app. We're especially excited to partner with them on the49 Places That Make Us Proudcheck-in challenge, using the newest technology to introduce visitors to the depth and variety of experiences the city offers."

"We're excited to partner with San Francisco Travel to create fun and innovative programs highlighting the best of this city byutilizing our expertise in content, social media, and mobile technology,"added Scott Gatz, CEO, GayCities, Inc. "Whether people are planning a trip, using our app to find what's happening around town or sharing their opinions afterwards, our guide to San Francisco is one of the most popular on GayCities, and our social features are all about connecting our members to great experiences."

Contact Scott Gatz, CEO, GayCities, Inc.Scott@GayCities.com(415) 871-1503

GayCities is the leading LGBT travel and location-based social network that helps people uncover the best of what's happening everywhere. Atwww.gaycities.com, members contribute their own experiences and discover what people like them really think about their town and cities around the world. GayCities brings together mobile checkins, reviews and up-to-date listings of bars, clubs, restaurants, shops, hotels and other venues in 215 cities via the web site and popular iPhone app. GayCities reaches 600,000 visitors each month.

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GayCities, Inc. Partners with San Francisco Travel Association On 49 Places That Make Us Proud

Royal Caribbean International Announces World's Largest Travel Agent Appreciation Day

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Taking its support of the travel agent community to the next level, Royal Caribbean International is dedicating June 6 as the first-ever “World’s Largest Travel Agent Appreciation Day.” Today, hundreds of the cruise line’s executives and employees around the world will call on more than 7,000 travel professionals worldwide to re-affirm Royal Caribbean’s appreciation for travel agents, and ...

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Royal Caribbean International Announces World's Largest Travel Agent Appreciation Day

The potential impact of olfactory stem cells as therapy reported in Cell Transplantation

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Public release date: 5-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Eve celltransplantation@gmail.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Tampa, Fla. (June 5 , 2012) A study characterizing the multipotency and transplantation value of olfactory stem cells, as well as the ease in obtaining them, has been published in a recent issue of Cell Transplantation (20:11/12), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/.

"There is worldwide enthusiasm for cell transplantation therapy to repair failing organs," said study lead author Dr. Andrew Wetzig of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "The olfactory mucosa of a patient's nose can provide cells that are potentially significant candidates for human tissue repair."

According to the study authors, olfactory neural stem cells can be derived from a patient's own cells, they are readily available by a minimally invasive biopsy technique, and they can be expanded in vitro. The cells are plentiful because the olfactory epithelium undergoes neurogenesis and continual replacement of sensory neurons throughout adult life.

"Using the rat as our animal model source, we examined the basic aspects of olfactory neural stem cell biology and its potential for self-renewal and phenotypic expression in various circumstances," said Dr. Wetzig. "Previously, we found that they have performed well in pre-clinical models of disease and transplantation and seem to emulate a wound healing process where the cells acquire the appropriate phenotype in an apparently orderly fashion over time."

The researchers concluded that the olfactory neurospheres contain stem cells whose capacity for differentiation is triggered by signals from the immediate environmental niche.

"Stem cell numbers were shown to be enriched by our culture methods," explained Dr. Wetzig. "We also demonstrated that when adult olfactory stem cells are transplanted into an environmental niche different from that of their origin, they demonstrate multipotency by acquiring the phenotype of the resident cells."

"This study highlights another potential source of stem cells that has shown some degree of promise in a number of studies" said Dr. John Sladek, professor of neurology and pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "Their relatively easy accessibility and multipotent properties are important factors that could rank these cells competitively with other stem cells thus giving them a potential impact as an excellent source for cell therapy".

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The potential impact of olfactory stem cells as therapy reported in Cell Transplantation

Marshall Space Flight Center to host annual 'Take Our Children to Work Day'

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HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The children of engineers, scientists and support workers at Marshall Space Flight Center will get a taste of what their parents do on Thursday for the center's annual "Take Our Children to Work Day."

The annual learning event is open to children from third grade to 12th grade, Angela Storey, a spokeswoman for Marshall, said in a news release.

"The program's busy schedule of activities and learning sessions is designed to celebrate the work of the nation's space program and demonstrate the value and rewards of studying science, engineering, math and technology," Storey said.

The children will learn about a variety of work done at Marshall, including vibration and shock testing on new spaceflight hardware and the scientific principles that guide NASA research.

There will also be sessions on water safety, bullying prevention, financial responsibility and careers in science, engineering and aerospace, the news release said.

The event will begin with a brief welcome by Gene Goldman, acting Marshall director, at 8:15 a.m., followed by the activities and site tours.

The annual event is organized by Marshall's Office of Diversity & Equal Opportunity. It is sponsored by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Redstone Federal Credit Union, Sci-Quest, Huntsville Utilities, Dynetics Corp., the North Alabama Coast Guard Auxiliary and WHNT-TV.

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Marshall Space Flight Center to host annual 'Take Our Children to Work Day'

SpaceX flight opens door for U.S. military payloads

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Space Exploration Technologies' unmanned Dragon capsule arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday following a test flight for NASA that could open the door to a long-desired and more elusive customer - the U.S. military. The cargo capsule blasted off May on 22 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida and three days later became the first privately owned spaceship ...

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SpaceX flight opens door for U.S. military payloads

Swimming with Scissors – EP: 17 – Video

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04-06-2012 11:00 So it's the last few weeks of the semester and here comes swim week, or as I like to call it "Lydia goes crazy". And if you think that was fun, just wait til you see the aftermath video. Remember to like, favorite, and share. Start from the beginning - Check out the merch at Twitter - Tumblr - Facebook - Google + - ------- The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a modernized adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel, Pride and Prejudice. The series is created by Hank Green and Bernie Su. See more details at Lizzie Bennet - Ashley Clements - http Lydia Bennet - Mary Kate Wiles - Executive Producer - Hank Green - Executive Producer - Bernie Su - Producer - Jenni Powell - Director - Bernie Su - Writer - Bernie Su - Cinematography - Jason Raswant Assistant Director - Stuart Davis - Editor - Hank Green - Consulting Producer - Margaret Dunlap - Transmedia Producer - Jay Bushman - Intro Music and Graphics - Michael Aranda - Makeup - Heather Begley Production Designer - Katie Moest - Production Assistant - Tahlena Chikami - Keywords: "Pride and Prejudice" "Lizzie Bennet Diaries" LizzieBennetDiaries literature "lizzie bennet" "elizabeth bennet" "lizzy bennet" funny fashion vlog fiction sisters friends friendship love romance talk "Pride And ...

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Swimming with Scissors - EP: 17 - Video

Cutting Heads 2D-Style With Dust: An Elysian's Tail [Xbox 360]

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To dub Dust: An Elysian's Tail a "furry" version of the Wii action beat-'em-up Muramasa: The Demon Blade may not do the XBLA title justice. While similar to the Wii title in terms of a unique heavily animated art style and battle-heavy concept, the game implements the nonlinear map-focused core from titles like Super Metroid or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It may seem like a melting pot of concepts, but Dust definitely feels like its own beast based on what we've played recently.

Players control a warrior named Dust on a 2D fantasy world; this sword-slinger can definitely take care of himself with his repertoire of moves. Pressing a combination of X and Y will make Dust perform quick sword slashes, air launchers, and even a series of stabs topped with a ground and air throw. After acquiring a power-up on the E3 2012 demo of the game early on, Dust gets the ability to perform a sword-spinning technique called Dust Storm.

Pressing and holding Y by itself will make Dust spin his sword in a wide radius to damage any foes within its path. While it looks great and is practical, you can't actually do it for too long. Dust will gradually turn red as he keeps doing the move; perform it for too long, and he'll knock himself out and get hurt.

Our hero also has a flying furry pixie who can shoot out pixie bullets. On its own, it isn't impressive, but if players combine it with the Dust Storm, they can unleash a conflagration of pixie bullets that can really do serious damage. We hope that more of these combinations will surprise us in the final game, because they look really spectacular and practical.

The demo itself let us explore a bit of the combat. We were faced with hordes of ghouls and mutants that fell prey to our main character's attacks and Dust Storm move. It wasn't all button-mashing the X and Y buttons though. There was a section where we had to use the Dust Storm and pixie bullet magic combo to hit a summoner that's impervious to conventional melee attacks.

At the tail end of the demo, we had to deal with a shield-bearing rock golem who we could only disarm and stun by doing a parry. Holding X while in accordance to an enemy's attack animation will push back its attack and leave it momentarily stunned. Even with the swarm of mini-dragons protecting the golem, it wasn't enough from our counterattack. Combat may seem like a huge focus for Dust, but there were bits where we had to use the sword wielder's slide to get past thorny barriers and navigate through chasms with updrafts while not getting hurt by spikes on the ceiling.

Complete with a gem upgrade system, and RPG-esque items-equipping and numbers-flying damage indicators, Dust seems to be doing a spectacular job being a map-based action-RPG platformer with eye-popping Disney-esque aesthetics. Gamers who dig that sort of mix will be glad to know that it will be out later this year under the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade release schedule.

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Cutting Heads 2D-Style With Dust: An Elysian's Tail [Xbox 360]

Pedroia Returns For Red Sox Against Orioles

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Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox heads out to the field before a game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park May 31, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

BOSTON (CBS) Dustin Pedroia is back in the Red Sox lineup Tuesday night.

Pedroia will bat second and play second as Boston opens a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway.

Pedroia returns after missing the last six games after leaving Bostons May 28 win over the Tigers. He was diagnosed with aslight tear in the adductor muscle in his right thumb, an injury heinitiallysuffered on May 2, but has avoided a trip to the disabled list.

Im real excited, Pedroia told WBZ NewsRadio 1030s Jonny Miller Tuesday afternoon.Obviously its still healing, but if we protect it the right way Im able to play while it heals up all the way.

Stats: Red Sox Injuries

Pedroia resumed taking batting practice on Saturday and Sunday in Toronto, with the help of a specially designed brace, and did not report any problems on Bostons off-day on Monday.Pedroia also switched the kind of bat he uses, opting not to use maple to lessen the impact on his hands.

Combine that with the brace, and some may be a little concerned there would be a getting-used-to period for Pedroia. But the former MVP isnt too worried, and may have even found a new part to his routine.

Hopefully this pad helps me out and who knows, I might wear it forever, he said.

The Red Sox went 4-2 in Pedroias absence, and have won six of their last nine games. Never one to want to miss time, Pedroia is extremely anxious to get back to helping out his team add more wins in the standings.

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Pedroia Returns For Red Sox Against Orioles

Finches' colour shows personality

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6 June 2012 Last updated at 07:33 By Michelle Warwicker BBC Nature

Gouldian finches have different personalities depending on the colour of their heads, researchers have found.

Scientists from Liverpool John Moores University and The Royal Veterinary College investigated the "highly sociable" Australian birds.

The team set the finches a series of behavioural tests to understand the purpose of their bright appearance.

They found that red-headed finches were more aggressive, while black-headed birds were bolder and took more risks.

The findings are published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

"Our idea is that the colour signals their behavioural tactics," said lead researcher Leah Williams.

She explained that the research also suggests that "bolder" black-headed finches may act as "leaders" in a group.

Gouldian finches are found in open, subtropical woodland and are known for their colourful plumage.

In the wild, the majority of the birds have black or red heads, although a very small number are yellow-headed.

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Finches' colour shows personality

NASA | It’s Coming… – Video

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04-06-2012 10:12 The LASCO C3 coronograph on board the SOHO spacecraft has been watching the approach of Venus for its last solar transit until 2117. With coronagraphs, the Sun is being blocked by an occulting disk, seen here in blue, so that SOHO can observe the much fainter features in the Sun's corona. The actual size of the Sun is represented by the white disk. The transit of Venus begins tomorrow, June 5, at about 6pm Eastern Daylight Time, or about 10pm Universal Time. It will last approximately 6 hours. This video is public domain, and it is available to download at: Like our videos? Subscribe to NASA's Goddard Shorts HD podcast: Or find NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on Facebook: Or find us on Twitter:

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NASA | It's Coming... - Video