Monthly Archives: July 2012

Several southern Maine beaches fail water quality tests

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Study shows public not well warned when pollution is high

No parking spots were available around noon as people were in the water and sand at York's Long Sands Beach on a beautiful Tuesday in Maine.Deb Cram/dcram@seacoastonline.com

PORTLAND, Maine Several beaches in York as well as Crescent Beach in Kittery were in the Top 20 of state beaches that most frequently failed water quality tests in 2011. Short Sands Beach and Cape Neddick Beach were in the Top 10.

Environment Maine released new beach water safety data Tuesday and called on the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to better inform the public when pollution levels exceed the state's health limits.

"Clean beaches are not only part of summertime fun, but they are also critical to our health, as well as to Maine's tourism and fishing economies," said Emily Figdor, director of Environment Maine, a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization.

"The public has a right to know when the water is safe and clean, and when it's not," Figdor said at a news conference held Tuesday at East End Beach.

"That's why I was astounded to hear the false and misleading statements made by the Department of Environmental Protection last week."

The Maine DEP issued a prepared statement Friday stating definitively that beach managers will post an advisory or a closure notice when bacteria levels exceed established health limits. The announcement also stated that more than two-thirds of Maine beaches had no water quality issues in 2011.

Figdor took issue with the guarantee that an advisory would be issued and the resulting conclusion about safety.

Environment Maine released Tuesday state data from the Natural Resources Defense Council's 22nd annual beach water report, "Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches."

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Several southern Maine beaches fail water quality tests

State’s astronomy educational workshops help launch students’ interest in science and beyond

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Since were in the middle of a heat wave, it seems like an appropriate time to ask this question. Why is it hot in the summer and cold in the winter?

If youre at a loss for an answer, dont worry, youre not alone.

Riverside Military Academy instructor James Myers says that point was made abundantly clear in a video, "Our Private Universe," that he incorporated into a NASA-funded workshop for educators that he recently facilitated at the University of Georgia.

"It begins by asking a group of Harvard University graduates a few simple science questions that are covered in middle school science and throughout the high school science curriculum," Myers said.

"One of the questions is What causes the seasons. Nearly all (participants) related the cause to the Earths varying distance from the sun rather than the tilt of the Earths axis.

"The point is that many well-educated people do not understand some of the basic facts of science."

One of the reasons why so many people know so little about astronomy is because its largely absent from public education. That is a travesty some say.

"Astronomy can be taught at an elementary level. My 5-year-old granddaughter told me about studying constellations in her pre-school," Myers said.

"Astronomy can also be taught at an advanced level with rigorous mathematics. A friend of mine who directs a planetarium in Kentucky said that all pre-schoolers are very interested in dinosaurs and astronomy.

"An interest in astronomy is native to most all people. A trained teacher can then use that interest in astronomy to teach lots of physics for sure, but also chemistry, history and biology."

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State’s astronomy educational workshops help launch students’ interest in science and beyond

Newborn star makes a cosmic bank shot | Bad Astronomy

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Like human babies, newborn stars tend to blast out gas from both ends. Unlike infant people, when stars do it its because of things like angular momentum, magnetic fields, and radiation pressure.

Also unlike human babies, when stars blast out gas its incredibly beautiful. Like in the case of HH110, seen here using the Hubble Space Telescope:

[Click to encollimate -- and you want to -- or grab the huger 4000 x 3000 pixel version.]

Breathtaking, isnt it? Ironically, given the analogy above.

Massive newborn stars are hot, bright, spin rapidly, and have strong magnetic fields. As matter flows away from the star, all of these combine to form two tornado-like structures, vast and violent, erupting away from the stars poles. These two focused beams (astronomers call them "jets") can scream away from the star at hundreds of kilometers per second. As a class, we call them Herbig-Haro objects, or HH objects for short.

HH110 is a bit of an oddball since it only appears to have one beam of material instead of two. Its also wider than most HH jets, and appears more turbulent, with lots of twisty structures and knots of material in it. And now we think we know why: its a bit of a fraud. Its not its own HH object, but part of another!

Less than a light year away is a fainter HH object, called HH270. One of the jets from HH270 is pointed right at HH110, which seems like a pretty big coincidence. And it probably isnt: the thinking now is that this HH270 jet is slamming into a dense cloud of material and getting deflected, and its this material splattering away thats forming HH110! Ive labeled the image above taken using the Subaru telescope to make this more clear (from the CASA website; there are images showing more of that region of space and its lousy with HH objects).

This idea makes a lot of sense, and explains the weird structure in HH110. Dense clouds of material are common near newborn stars after all, stars form from gas clouds! and its not too surprising that at some point a jet will slam in to one. You can even see the cloud in question in the picture; its the area which is black. The material there is so thick its blocking the light from stars behind it, so we see it because of whats not there.

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Newborn star makes a cosmic bank shot | Bad Astronomy

Researchers propose gold and DNA based dark matter detector

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ssDNA/Au Tracking Chamber: A WIMP from the Galaxy scatters elastically with a gold nucleus situated in a thin gold foil. The recoiling Au nucleus traverses hanging strings of single stranded DNA, and severs any ssDNA it hits. The location of the breaks can be found by amplifying and sequencing the fallen ssDNA segment, thereby allowing reconstruction of the track of the recoiling Au nucleus with nanometer accuracy. Image: arXiv:1206.6809v1

(Phys.org) -- One of the precepts of scientific theory is that at some point, physical evidence should become available to prove it true. In physics this is an ongoing process in many areas of study, one of which is the detection and measurement of so called dark matter. Most astrophysicists agree it exists, yet no one has been able to definitively prove it though the presentation of physical evidence. While there are some ongoing projects attempting to do just that, the results have not been strong enough to offer proof. To overcome that problem a team of physicists and biologists have proposed a new type of detector based on a thin sheet of gold with many strands of DNA dangling below. The idea the team says in its paper uploaded to the preprint server arXiv, is to follow the path of a gold nucleus after being struck by a dark matter particle as it makes its way through strands of DNA, severing them as it goes.

Dark matter, the theory goes, is all around us, but we cant see it or detect it using conventional means. Scientists believe its moving though, from the center of the universe towards us. The best analogy is water, in a stream; were like an island in it as is the sun. Thus, because we orbit the sun, and because our planet spins, we ought to be facing upstream sometimes and downstream others. Thats the basis of any dark matter detector, to first detect the weakly interacting massive particles, or WIMPs as researchers call them, and then to measure the amounts of them over the course of a day, or year to see if they conform to theory.

One way to build such a detector this new team says, is to dangle a dense forest of DNA strands from a thin sheet of gold. The idea is that when a WIMP strikes one of the gold atoms, its nucleus will be sent crashing down through the mass of DNA strands breaking the ones it strikes. Then, because each DNA strand would have a unique marker at its end, researchers could, by collecting the broken strands, figure out the trajectory of the nucleus though the strands and likewise that of the WIMP that struck it. Such a detector would go a long way towards proving that theories about dark matter are true.

Unfortunately, its not as simple as all that, because building such a detector would be a feat in and of itself. Making DNA strands that would be long enough to work in such a detector, for example, would be a challenge as would getting them all to align in a meter square trap and to dangle straight down instead of curling up.

On the other hand, the researchers say building such a detector would cost far less money than other efforts underway, and the detector once built would be far more accessible since it could be used at room temperature. Plus, if it worked, the team that built it would almost certainly go down in history as the scientists that finally proved that dark matter is real.

More information: New Dark Matter Detectors using DNA for Nanometer Tracking, arXiv:1206.6809v1 [astro-ph.IM] arxiv.org/abs/1206.6809

Abstract Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) may constitute most of the matter in the Universe. While there are intriguing results from DAMA/LIBRA, CoGeNT and CRESST-II, there is not yet a compelling detection of dark matter. The ability to detect the directionality of recoil nuclei will considerably facilitate detection of WIMPs by means of "annual modulation effect" and "diurnal modulation effect". Directional sensitivity requires either extremely large gas (TPC) detectors or detectors with a few nanometer spatial resolution. In this paper we propose a novel type of dark matter detector: detectors made of DNA could provide nanometer resolution for tracking, an energy threshold of 0.5 keV, and can operate at room temperature. When a WIMP from the Galactic Halo elastically scatters off of a nucleus in the detector, the recoiling nucleus then traverses thousands of strings of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) (all with known base sequences) and severs those ssDNA strands it hits. The location of the break can be identified by amplifying and identifying the segments of cut ssDNA using techniques well known to biologists. Thus the path of the recoiling nucleus can be tracked to nanometer accuracy. In one such detector concept, the transducers are a few nanometer-thick Au-foils of 1m times1m, and the direction of recoiling nuclei is measured by "DNA Tracking Chamber" consisting of ordered array of ssDNA strands. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and ssDNA sequencing are used to read-out the detector. The detector consists of roughly 1 kg of gold and 0.1 kg of DNA packed into (1m)^3. By leveraging advances in molecular biology, we aim to achieve about 1,000-fold better spatial resolution than in conventional WIMP detectors at reasonable cost.

Journal reference: arXiv

2012 Phys.Org

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Researchers propose gold and DNA based dark matter detector

Earth is not Enough

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03.07.2012 - (idw) Max-Planck-Institut fr Radioastronomie

Researchers at the Max-Planck-Institut fr Radioastronomie (MPIfR, Bonn, Germany) and the Astro Space Center (ASC, Moscow, Russia) have obtained the first detection of interferometric signals between the Effelsberg 100 m telescope in Germany, and the RadioAstron spacecraft telescope orbiting the Earth using the DiFX software correlator. This breakthrough enables new research to be pursued by the collaborators at the highest angular resolutions in astronomy, with simultaneous observations of two radio telescopes more than 300,000 km apart. Both telescopes were targeted at BL Lacertae, an Active Galactic Nucleus at a distance of approximately 900 million light years. RadioAstron is an international project for VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) observations in space, led by the Astro Space Center (ASC) in Moscow and employing a 10-meter radio antenna on board of the Russian Spektr-R satellite. Launched in July 2011, the Spektr-R is a spacecraft orbiting the Earth on an elliptical orbit reaching out to 350 000 km from Earth. Combining the space borne antenna together with other radio telescopes on Earth, the RadioAstron project uses interferometric measurements to achieve extremely high angular resolutions --- equivalent to the resolution that would be achieved by a single telescope the size of the distance from the Earth to the Moon! The RadioAstron mission will enable astronomers to study exciting scientific topics including particle acceleration near supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei, neutron stars and pulsars, to dark matter and dark energy.

The radio interferometry technique utilized by the RadioAstron mission relies on having pairs of telescopes that record the incoming radio wave signals, which are then electronically compared in a process called correlation. This processes, directly comparable to the optical "double-slit experiment" encountered in elementary optics classes by physics students, results in a series of sinusoidal intensity fluctuations as a function of the direction on the sky. Such sinusoidal variations are called "fringes" in radio astronomy, and the greater the distance between the two telescopes, the more precisely astronomers can measure the direction on the sky where a radio source is located.

In order to fit within the mass and size limits of the launch vehicle (rocket), the size of the RadioAstron antenna was limited to 10 meters. The RadioAstron antenna is therefore not very sensitive on its own. This is where the collaboration with the MPIfR is extremely important. The MPIfR operates the 100 meter diameter radio telescope in Effelsberg, Germany, a large and extremely sensitive radio telescope that is well suited for participating in interferometry experiments such as this.

First fringes for the RadioAstron project were already detected using the Effelsberg 100 m telescope and the ASC correlator in 2011 and presented in an earlier press release. The observation described here has targeted BL Lacertae, an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) in the constellation Lacerta (the Lizard) in a distance of approximately 900 million light years. With its high variability and significant optical polarization, BL Lacerta forms the prototype for a whole class of AGNs.

"An important new aspect of this analysis is that instead of having the radio signals processed by a hardware correlator, the radio signals were processed using the DiFX software correlator running on the VLBI computing stations at our institute in Bonn", states Anton Zensus, Director at MPIfR. "Our scientists, in consultation with RadioAstron experts, modified the DiFX source code to enable the use of radio signals from spacecraft orbiting the Earth." As traditional VLBI is performed using radio telescopes fixed to the surface of the Earth, these software changes included enabling DiFX to deal with telescopes moving in arbitrary ways, as well as correcting for the difference in the rate at which time progresses between the telescope on the ground and the spacecraft --- subtle changes predicted by the general relativity theory of Einstein that are essential for detecting interference signals between the two telescopes. The DiFX correlator is an open project involving many radio astronomers and geodetic (Earth science) scientists around the world, from Australia where it was initially developed to Europe and the United States. This will allow RadioAstron data to be processed using arrays of telescopes around the world, greatly opening up the opportunities for the RadioAstron mission to work together with other instruments around the world.

Another significant benefit of processing RadioAstron data using the DiFX correlator is that software tools commonly used by astronomers to process radio interferometry data already know how to use the data produced by DiFX, and astronomers can immediately start using their favorite software packages for processing RadioAstron data.

"This is an exciting development for the RadioAstron mission because it means that we can now successfully analyze the RadioAstron data from the point of view of studying the astronomy and physics", says James Anderson from Max-Planck-Institut fr Radioastronomie. "We can sit down and make radio images of these objects at resolutions approaching the micro-arcsecond level --- something we have never been able to do before."

Dr. Andrei Lobanov, Max-Planck-Institut fr Radioastronomie. Fon: +49(0)228-525-191 E-mail: alobanov@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de

Dr. James Anderson, Max-Planck-Institut fr Radioastronomie. Fon: +49(0)228-525-356 E-mail: anderson@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de

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Earth is not Enough

Earth is not enough: First fringes between effelsberg and RadioAstron using the DiFX correlator

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a): VLBI computing cluster at Max-Planck-Institut fr Radioastronomie, Bonn; b): Active galactic nucleus BL Lac - detection of interferometric signals ("fringes") between RadioAstron and the Effelsberg 100m radio telescope (PDF file). Credit: MPIfR/W. Alef (Fig. 1a); MPIfR/J. Anderson (Fig. 1b).

(Phys.org) -- Researchers at the Max-Planck-Institut fr Radioastronomie (MPIfR, Bonn, Germany) and the Astro Space Center (ASC, Moscow, Russia) have obtained the first detection of interferometric signals between the Effelsberg 100 m telescope in Germany, and the RadioAstron spacecraft telescope orbiting the Earth using the DiFX software correlator.

This breakthrough enables new research to be pursued by the collaborators at the highest angular resolutions in astronomy, with simultaneous observations of two radio telescopes more than 300,000 km apart. Both telescopes were targeted at BL Lacertae, an Active Galactic Nucleus at a distance of approximately 900 million light years.

RadioAstron is an international project for VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) observations in space, led by the Astro Space Center (ASC) in Moscow and employing a 10-meter radio antenna on board of the Russian Spektr-R satellite. Launched in July 2011, the Spektr-R is a spacecraft orbiting the Earth on an elliptical orbit reaching out to 350 000 km from Earth. Combining the space borne antenna together with other radio telescopes on Earth, the RadioAstron project uses interferometric measurements to achieve extremely high angular resolutions --- equivalent to the resolution that would be achieved by a single telescope the size of the distance from the Earth to the Moon! The RadioAstron mission will enable astronomers to study exciting scientific topics including particle acceleration near supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei, neutron stars and pulsars, to dark matter and dark energy.

The radio interferometry technique utilized by the RadioAstron mission relies on having pairs of telescopes that record the incoming radio wave signals, which are then electronically compared in a process called correlation. This processes, directly comparable to the optical "double-slit experiment" encountered in elementary optics classes by physics students, results in a series of sinusoidal intensity fluctuations as a function of the direction on the sky. Such sinusoidal variations are called "fringes" in radio astronomy, and the greater the distance between the two telescopes, the more precisely astronomers can measure the direction on the sky where a radio source is located.

In order to fit within the mass and size limits of the launch vehicle (rocket), the size of the RadioAstron antenna was limited to 10 meters (Fig. 2b). The RadioAstron antenna is therefore not very sensitive on its own. This is where the collaboration with the MPIfR is extremely important. The MPIfR operates the 100 meter diameter radio telescope in Effelsberg, Germany (Fig. 2a), a large and extremely sensitive radio telescope that is well suited for participating in interferometry experiments such as this.

Enlarge

Figure 2: a): 100m radio telescope near Bad Mnstereifel-Effelsberg/Germany. b): Artist's impression of Spektr-R, the 10-meter space-borne antenna of the RadioAstron project. Credit: MPIfR/N. Junkes (Fig. 2a), Lavochkin Association (Fig. 2b).

Figure 1b shows an image of the first Effelsberg to RadioAstron fringe detection of BL Lacertae using the DiFX correlator with different colors showing the intensity of the measured fringe signal.

"An important new aspect of this analysis is that instead of having the radio signals processed by a hardware correlator, the radio signals were processed using the DiFX software correlator running on the VLBI computing stations at our institute in Bonn", states Anton Zensus, Director at MPIfR. "Our scientists, in consultation with RadioAstron experts, modified the DiFX source code to enable the use of radio signals from spacecraft orbiting the Earth." As traditional VLBI is performed using radio telescopes fixed to the surface of the Earth, these software changes included enabling DiFX to deal with telescopes moving in arbitrary ways, as well as correcting for the difference in the rate at which time progresses between the telescope on the ground and the spacecraft --- subtle changes predicted by the general relativity theory of Einstein that are essential for detecting interference signals between the two telescopes. The DiFX correlator is an open project involving many radio astronomers and geodetic (Earth science) scientists around the world, from Australia where it was initially developed to Europe and the United States. This will allow RadioAstron data to be processed using arrays of telescopes around the world, greatly opening up the opportunities for the RadioAstron mission to work together with other instruments around the world.

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Earth is not enough: First fringes between effelsberg and RadioAstron using the DiFX correlator

Emmen Aerospace To Become BOSH Technologies

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va., July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Emmen Aerospace, Inc. (Emmen) announced today that it will rebrand to become BOSH Technologies, a member of The BOSH Group (TBG), effective October 1, 2012. The transition will formalize Emmen's induction into TBG, a family of companies dedicated to the development and operation of customized unmanned system solutions.

Emmen, which specializes in the development, production and support of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), adds complementary technologies to TBG's portfolio of capabilities. "Emmen has a proven track record of success in supplying affordable, easy-to-use Unmanned Aircraft Systems to U.S. government and military personnel at home and in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Robert Fitzgerald, CEO of The BOSH Group. "As BOSH Technologies, the company will build on that success, expanding into new markets by customizing field-proven unmanned systems to meet the specific needs of law enforcement, emergency responders and other civil communities."

BOSH Technologies will continue to produce the Emmen family of products, including the "Swiper," "Super Swiper," "Condor" and "Skynet" UAS, and will champion the expansion and improvement of these systems' capabilities while working to increase the company's product offerings. Current Emmen customers can count on the continuation of Emmen's quality service and improved products from BOSH Technologies.

About Emmen Aerospace, Inc.Emmen Aerospace, Inc. is a leader in the development of affordable unmanned systems. Specializing in the integration of robust air and surface unmanned systems, command and control systems, surveillance systems and target drones, Emmen is dedicated to the design and development of unique and innovative solutions for government, military and civil agencies. Offering a range of products tailored to meet the customer's specific requirements, Emmen provides affordable unmanned systems that are easily operated and maintained. For more information, visit http://www.emmenaerospace.com.

About The BOSH GroupThe BOSH Group is a parent organization providing centralized management and business support services for several specialized companies. Members of TBG offer a comprehensive range of technology products and service solutions built upon unmatched experience developing and supporting U.S. Department of Defense mission-critical surveillance and communications systems. Members' portfolios include production of cost-effective UAS and associated operational and analytical services designed to fulfill customer-specific needs in emerging commercial and civil UAS market segments.

For additional information: 757.283.9649

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Emmen Aerospace To Become BOSH Technologies

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

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/r4856w/united_states_neur) has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report "United States Neurology Devices Market Outlook to 2018 - Interventional Neurology, Neurological Diagnostic Equipment, Neurostimulation Devices and Others" to their offering.

This new report provides key market data on the United States 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.

This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalData's team of industry experts.

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 United States Neurology Devices market.

- Key players covered include Medtronic, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, Inc., Cyberonics, Inc., DePuy, Inc., Stryker Corporation and others.

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

Class Acts: Linnea Simcik, Bloomfield High School

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"We live in a country where people like to point out all the things that are wrong in the U.S. To me, yeah, nothing's perfect, but there are so many things we have right here. To truly be able to be grateful for those things, I need to give back and serve my country." - Linnea Simcik, Bloomfield HS (Courtesy of Linnea Simcik / July 2, 2012)

Linnea Simcik said she wants to go to medical school, and serve her country in the military.

"We live in a country where people like to point out all the things that are wrong in the U.S.," Simcik said. "To me, yeah, nothing's perfect, but there are so many things we have right here. To truly be able to be grateful for those things, I need to give back and serve my country."

Simcik will attend Southern Virginia University in the fall and study biology, with a minor in computer science. She will also attend Virginia Military Institute's ROTC program.

In the future, Simcik said she hopes to be a radiologist and, eventually, a military doctor. She said she is "fascinated" with medicine and how the body works.

"I've always known I wanted to go into a career where I could directly help people," Simcik said.

In addition to playing varsity tennis and leading her church's youth group, Simcik was a member of the National French and Spanish Honors Society and was a battalion commander in JROTC.

Simcik said she received the Yale Book Award and the University of Rochester Academic Award and was a Governor's Scholar Semifinalist, in addition to school achievement awards.

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Class Acts: Linnea Simcik, Bloomfield High School

EHRs Can Reduce Doctors' Malpractice Claims: Study

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Using electronic health records could help doctors face fewer malpractice suits, a study by Harvard Medical School researchers revealed.

In their study, called "The Relationship Between Electronic Health Records and Malpractice Claims," the Harvard researchers found that 84 percent of respondents were less likely to face malpractice claims after implementing EHR platforms.

The Archives of Internal Medicine, part of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) network, published the findings on its Website June 25.

Between 2005 and 2007, researchers interviewed 275 doctors in the surgical and medical specialties. Of the claims the doctors received during this period, 49 out of 51 involved events that happened before they adopted EHRs.

Participating doctors were members of Harvard Medical School and covered by a malpractice insurer, Controlled Risk Insurance Company/Risk Management Foundation (CRICO/RMF).

"The high quality and availability of proper documentation in EHRs may increase the likelihood of successful defense against malpractice claims," the report stated.

The authors of the study include Dr. Steven Simon, associate professor with Harvard Medical School and chief of general internal medicine at the VA Boston Healthcare System, as well as Dr. Mariah Quinn of the department of internal medicine at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, a nonprofit medical group practice serving eastern Massachusetts.

"At the very least, this study should provide doctors and medical groups with further assurance that EHR adoption is very unlikely to increase their odds of a malpractice claim," Simon told eWEEK in an email.

To arrive at the study's results, Harvard researchers used a statistical method called Poisson regression to find a linear correlation between its 2005 and 2007 results.

"Because physicians in the sample were insured for different durations and used EHRs for variable amounts of time, the number of insured years was calculated for each physician before and after EHR adoption," the report stated.

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EHRs Can Reduce Doctors' Malpractice Claims: Study

Students Interrupt John Key at Medical School opening

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Media Release 4 July 2012 For Immediate Use

Student Protestors Interrupt John Key at Medical School opening

A group of students has interrupted a speech from Prime Minister John Key as he opened the new Medical and Health Sciences complex at the University of Auckland yesterday.The students from protest group Blockade the Budget stood in the wind and rain chanting 'We're cold, we're wet, we're drowning is student debt!' - One protestor was able to make her way into the ceremony to address Key directly.

The protest was one of a series of demonstrations against the National Government's recent Budget cuts. The Student allowances will no longer be available for post-graduate study, and access will be limited to 200 weeks for longer courses, including many of the degrees on offer at the Medical School. Commenting at the protest, post-graduate student Wednesday Jones said 'Isn't it ironic that millions of dollars were spent on revamping the Medical School while thanks to his shortsighted, selfish and detrimental budget, the school will only ever be accessed by students from wealthy backgrounds.'

Health Sciences student Mark Nelson added 'There is always money for new buildings or public relations campaigns, but nothing to support students from less privileged backgrounds. We should be able to celebrate these facilities as a benefit for everyone, but we know that the business approach to education means that this is an elite facility that will be out of reach for most of us'

When asked about the protest action, Blockade the Budget replied with 'It's only a few weeks since 43 students were abused and arrested by police for protesting against the arrogance of this Government, now we have John Key up here cutting ribbons and acting like a great benefactor. We want people to know the truth, the National Government is destroying education.'

Students are planning a large public demonstration called 'Show and Tell' for the 21st of July. The issues that the group will be protesting against include $400 Million in cuts to early childhood education, the National Standards program, performance based pay for teachers, charter schools and education as a business, $13 Billion worth of Student Debt, cuts to the student allowance scheme and arts funding, the 7th highest tertiary fees in the world and 15% of tertiary students living in absolute financial distress.

Anyone interested in joining the rally against education cuts are encouraged to meet at 1pm on Saturday 21st July at Britomart, Auckland CBD.

ends

Scoop Media

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Students Interrupt John Key at Medical School opening

Importance Of Exercise In Health Plans Upheld By Supreme Court Decision

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness Article Date: 03 Jul 2012 - 8:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Importance Of Exercise In Health Plans Upheld By Supreme Court Decision

Janet Walberg Rankin, Ph.D., ACSM president and an associate dean at Virginia Tech, quoted a US Department of Health and Human Services announcement that physical inactivity will have caused about 7 million premature deaths in the country just in this decade.

Healthy lifestyles, including exercise and physical activity, need to be part of the healthcare equation. Physical activity has been proven to help prevent over 40 chronic conditions and diseases, including diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

Past president of ACSM, Robert Sallis, M.D., FACSM, stressed that having exercise in the health care equation is sound science, and an economic necessity.

Sallis also chairs the Exercise is Medicine global health care initiative that strives to make physical activity and exercise a part in helping prevent disease and treat medical conditions. One of their main goals is to show people that exercise is indeed medicine. The initiative hopes to make physical activity a concern in all health care visits, while leading to policy changes in both public and private settings for physical activity counseling and referrals in clinical settings.

According to the ACSM, 75% of America's healthcare spending goes on treating chronic diseases. Getting patients general physically active does not only help improve treatment outcomes, but can also be a powerful preventive weapon.

Sallis said:

Walberg Rankin and Sallis claim that people of all ages and health status who can become physically active and are able to exercise, are going to gain and maintain better wellness. They believe this should be a main concern in any debate on health policy.

Business already know about this, they added - local and national governments around the world are starting to become aware that there is an enormous impact on the bottom line if people are kept healthy. Between $233 and $381 billion are spent dealing with preventable diseases which would not now be affecting people if they were physically active.

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Importance Of Exercise In Health Plans Upheld By Supreme Court Decision

A few ways to enjoy and celebrate Andy Griffith

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By FRAZIER MOORE AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Through his decades-long career, Andy Griffith was beloved, yet somehow taken for granted. He early on gained immortality as Sheriff Andy Taylor. But his skill at playing cornpone decency blinded fans to his ability to master other roles.

It simply seemed that, as a denizen of make-believe Mayberry, N.C., Griffith, with his wide grin and gentle drawl, wasn't acting, but instead a natural. (Note that Griffith was overlooked for so much as an Emmy nomination for "The Andy Griffith Show," while his comical co-star, Don Knotts, bagged five trophies as Deputy Barney Fife.)

Sure, being Andy Taylor would've been plenty. But for Griffith, who died Tuesday at age 86, there was more to the act.

- As a reference point in understanding Griffith's range, there's no better place to start than with his first film, "A Face in the Crowd." Released in 1957, it would be notable for just the other names attached: director Eliza Kazan, writer Budd Schulberg, co-stars Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau and Lee Remick. But the film belongs to Griffith as Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, a drifter who becomes a power-mad media star with an evangelical streak. The film is a pioneering exploration of the corrupting influence of television in the wrong hands, and Griffith is riveting as a ruthless TV guru.

- A year later, Griffith showed his stuff as a comic actor in "No Time for Sergeants." In this hit film he reprises his role from the Broadway play as Will Stockdale, a country lad whose simple-mindedness is matched by his eternal good cheer. No wonder he turns the military upside down when he is drafted into the Air Force. Griffith is able to keep the performance riotously broad, yet believable and appealing. He proudly demonstrates his ability to read by struggling through a children's book: "Once they was a boy named Tony, who wanted a pony. So he went to his mama and sayed, 'May I have a pony?' And his Mama says, 'Naw, Tony, you may not have a pony.'" Hearing him, you laugh but also share his pride at plowing through it. And then there's the scene where, overeager as ever, Will rigs up the toilets in the latrine to respectfully "salute" the officers.

- The success of "Sergeants" helped pave the way for Griffith's hit sitcom (as well as inspiring a spinoff, "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C."). Serving as a pilot for his prospective new series was an episode of a popular comedy, "The Danny Thomas Show," in which Thomas' character was stopped for speeding in a small town where Andy Taylor was not only the sheriff, but also justice of the peace and editor of the paper. Playing bumpkin-boss to the hilt, Griffith was an ideal foil for the city slicker Thomas, whose condescending attitude finally got him thrown in the clink. The episode was a success, and a few months later, in October 1960, "The Andy Griffith Show" premiered. In that series' early episodes, Griffith's sheriff retained its clownishness. But soon he realized he was surrounded by comic giants (particularly Knotts), so Andy Taylor claimed his role of down-home dignity amidst his eccentric fellow citizens. Sheriff Taylor still carried the show, but you couldn't really tell - it rested light as a feather on Griffith's shoulders.

- "Hearts of the West" is an amusing, if largely forgotten, comedy released in 1975 and starring a baby-faced Jeff Bridges as a 1930s writer of Wild West novels who heads to Hollywood, where he's cast in B-movie westerns. In a supporting cast that also includes Blythe Danner and Alan Arkin, Griffith plays Billy Pueblo, a crusty western actor in a performance with as much grit as charm. After Bridges' character has injured his privates by landing on a horse for a scene without wearing a cup, Billy exclaims with harsh compassion, "Didn't anybody tell him?" Then he righteously lectures him on how to deal with the powers-that-be: "Whenever they want something special, like that kind of a jump, you've got to wait 'em out. You wait till the price gets high enough to make it worth your while."

- "Matlock," which ran nine years starting in 1986, was a pleasant, prolonged postscript to "The Andy Griffith Show" in the form of a light-hearted formulaic drama. A Southern lawyer instead of a Southern lawman, Matlock, with his slower gait and head of silver hair, could have been Andy Taylor at a later stage of life. Set in Atlanta, there was no sense of community on the show, as there was with mythical Mayberry, but Matlock, as a steadfast individual, embodied the same upright values and sense of order that helped make Sheriff Taylor so endearing. Matlock was a reassuring figure for viewers to visit, and Griffith made him that way.

- Griffith's Ritz cracker commercials. Nearly every actor who can do commercials does them, even though, too often, these mini-performances trivialize substantial work they may have done in other spheres. Not so with Griffith and Ritz, for which he served as a spokesman in the 1970s. So memorable were those ads that, 20 years later, he would speak of fans still approaching him and echoing the tagline: "Gooood crackuh." No wonder. The ads captured what people knew, or thought they know, about Griffith, and loved: the Andy Taylor in him. Griffith did grand work, maybe did it too well to have been granted the full complement of roles that he deserved, and that his Andy Taylor image may have denied him. But when he told the world, "Everything tastes great when it sits on a Ritz," there could be no dispute. In those few words he was exhibiting good-heartedness, a love of life, and appreciation for life's small delights. And viewers got it. "Mmmm-mmmmm! Gooood crackuh!" Good guy.

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A few ways to enjoy and celebrate Andy Griffith

Celebrity Chemistry: How Tom and Katie Compare to Other Star Pairs

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Among your "couple friends," you may have that one pair who still seem smitten with one another years or even decades into their relationship. If you're really lucky, you're one half of that relationship yourself. Hollywood couples are no different; a pair with sizzling chemistry can't hide that inevitable attraction. These matches seemed destined to happen.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the couple that no one saw happening, or at least not for long. Russell Brand and Katy Perry lasted just 14 months. Separately, each half of the brief partnership was young, talented and fairly attractive, yet it was obvious even to fans that they didn't fit. Their chemistry felt off-kilter. While the pair was together, they seemed intent on talking about how wonderful their relationship was, but happy couples don't need to announce their happiness.

The unforgettable image of Tom Cruise jumping on a sofa on the Oprah Winfrey Show years ago was another prime example of telling instead of showing. When love is self-evident, no one needs to jump on the furniture and shout it from a rooftop. Chemistry's impossible to hide, as Eddie Cibrian and LeAnn Rimes discovered. They're still facing the fallout from the actor's divorce from ex-wife Brandi Glanville, but they seem willing to face it together, bonded by their unmistakable chemistry.

Look at Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom. While no one would call any Kardashian shy or reticent to talk about her love life, Khloe's never made a big deal about her relationship with Lamar. Despite a one-month courtship, their marriage has already lasted three years and seems to be strong despite the stress of his job and her reality TV appearances.

Body language is another sure indicator of chemistry or a lack thereof, and it was obvious for years that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were speaking entirely different tongues. Their gazes were usually in different directions, rarely toward one another. Pictures in which they held hands appeared to have all the passion of a couple of kindergarten kids who didn't much like one another being forced together for the buddy system. Even their kisses captured on film looked dutiful.

Compare their lukewarm interaction to the electricity that pervaded "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt appeared together in the action flick. They weathered storms of controversy after their chemistry spilled over into real life, but it's still obvious from the way they look at one another on the red carpet: the inexorable force that pulled them together during filming that movie is still exerting its gravitational pull. Meanwhile, Tom and Katie appeared to travel in entirely separate orbits from early in their courtship.

When compared with celebrity couples who have genuine chemistry, the TomKat marriage looked doomed from the start. Perhaps the real surprise is that it lasted as long as it did.

Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Join the Yahoo! Contributor Network here to start publishing your own articles

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Celebrity Chemistry: How Tom and Katie Compare to Other Star Pairs

Nigeria: Stakeholders Challenge Jonathan Over Agricultural Biotechnology Law

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Ibadan Stakeholders including members of the National Assembly have berated President Goodluck Jonathan over his inability to assent into law till date the agricultural biotechnology bill which was passed by the 6th National Assembly since June 2011.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Capital Market, Senator Ayo Adeseun and the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, Abiodun Akinlade were among the stakeholders who met at the June Edition of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OPAB) in Ibadan.

The legislators expressed their displeasure over the inability of the President to ascent to the bill one year after it was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

The forum which drew agricultural professionals from different parts of the country including chief executives of the various research institutions had the theme "Biotechnology for improved Cocoa Production in Nigeria."

In an address, the governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, noted that "the domestication of biotechnology in Nigeria is a welcome development in view of the vital role it can play in the socio-economic development of the nation, including environment and agriculture, as evidenced from development in other climes the world over."

The governor was represented by his Deputy, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo.

Senator Adeseun, in his contribution, lamented that President Goodluck Jonathan was yet to sign into law several bills passed by the National Assembly, notably the agricultural biotechnology bill, emphasizing that this has been impacting negatively on the envisaged success of the much publicized agricultural transformation agenda of the present administration.

"Nigeria, despite its rich agricultural endowment has been importing an equivalent of one billion naira worth of rice per day, apart from other similar food importations," Adeseun said.

He was optimistic the the massive importation trend would change through the adoption of biotechnology.

He said: "In any case, if he (President Jonathan) fails to assent the Agricultural Biotechnology Bill, it is a matter of time we in the National Assembly will now assume that he has veto the bill and we will bring it back and we will override his veto."

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Nigeria: Stakeholders Challenge Jonathan Over Agricultural Biotechnology Law

Research and Markets: UK Biotechnology Sector: Industry Profile

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9kv7j8/uk_biotechnology_s) has announced the addition of the "UK Biotechnology Sector: Industry Profile" report to their offering.

This industry profile helps to gain an insight into the evolution of the industry and competitive dynamics prevalent in the market. It discusses the significant developments in the industry and analyzes the key trends and issues. The profile provides inputs in strategic business planning of industry professionals.

This profile is of immense help to management consultants, analysts, market research organizations and corporate advisors.

Key Topics Covered

Industry Snapshot

This section gives a holistic overview of the industry. It starts with defining the market and goes on to give historical and current market size figures. It also clearly illustrates the major segments of the market which would be discussed later on in the report.

Industry Analysis

It involves a comprehensive analysis of the industry and its market segments. This section discusses the key developments that have taken place in the industry. It also identifies and analyzes the driving factors and challenges of the industry. A description of the regulatory structure tells us about the major regulatory bodies, laws and government policies.

Country Analysis

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Research and Markets: UK Biotechnology Sector: Industry Profile

Anatomy of a fireworks show

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A typical fireworks show, which lasts about 20-25 minutes, takes about one year for preparation and procurement of products from China and Europe.

The company starts placing orders in July with the expectation of receiving the goods from November to April the following year.

Pyro Spectaculars is usually fully booked for Independence Day by April.

Then the show production team works with the sponsors, city planners, and fire departments in site selection for the shows.

Show design begins, with story-boards, choreographed to music.

From May 1 to the middle of June the shows are assembled, processed and packaged, ready for shipment.

In the last two weeks leading up to July 4, crews are loading hundreds of trucks, heaving firing equipment into them for every show.

On the morning of July 4, the crews arrive at 5:30 a.m. - eat hot dogs at 6 a.m. - to pick up their respective trucks loaded with fireworks, heading out to their shows.

Some shows set up several days before the show. On the Fourth of July, it will take all day to set up fireworks.

By 5 p.m., the shows are ready to fire. At 9 p.m. shows are launched.

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Anatomy of a fireworks show

5 Questions: Dr. John Bell

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Dr. John Bell has a Ph. D in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of California, San Diego. He is the Dean of Undergraduate Education and a professor in the Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology.

Q: What made you pursue physiology and pharmacology all the way to a Ph. D?

I wanted to be a scientist from the time I was a child. I discovered as an undergraduate student that I really liked a mixture of chemistry, physics and biology. Those disciplines offered that opportunity, as well as being disciplines in the life sciences, that are a bit more practical in terms of employment than some others that also interested me. There are both industrial as well as academic opportunities there. Academic opportunities in institutions like BYU that are predominately undergraduate as well as places that have professional schools, such as medical school, dental school and things like that. It offered me an opportunity to pursue my interests as well as provide a wide range of potential employment.

Q: Are you currently involved in any research or academic projects?

Thats all I do. I have administrative responsibilities for General Education, Honors and Freshman Year. The director of our Honors Program and I were just discussing some of the ideas of where the Honors Program might go. So, Im constantly involved in projects. In my research lab I study cell membranes and the physics of some of the molecules that are embedded in the cell membrane and how that impacts certain pathological situations involved with cancers and involved with inflammatory diseases. I would say the work I do is more basic than applied. That means its more in terms of identifying an understanding of what exists in nature. Other researchers, whose interest are more in the direction of application, take that information and apply it in ways to generate treatment.

Q: How has student-teacher interaction changed for you since becoming the Dean of Undergraduate Education?

There has been a change in what courses I teach because I felt an increased need to teach courses in the Honors Program or General Education. For many years Ive taught somewhat in those arenas, now I certainly think more about what happens in a course that I teach in General Education as well as for majors. I think in terms of General Education more than I used to. I have the opportunity of teaching in some situations that I would not have predicted. For example, I teach a course in mathematical modeling and a course in statistics for students that have specific kinds of backgrounds. While Ive had expertise in those areas in terms of my research and training, Ive never imagined myself teaching those things because Im not a member of those faculties. My interactions with Honors and General Education have offered me the opportunity to participate in those things where it would have otherwise not have happened.

Q: What is your personal teaching philosophy?

It is to focus on student learning, what the student is doing, whats happening in the students head and focus on helping students be empowered so that they have a very deep and thorough understanding. The goal is expertise, really. Students come as novices and the goal is that by the end of the course theyre experts. Not about everything, but what is in the course; they have expertise in those areas. My job is to help them make the transition from being a novice to being an expert. That means I need to understand what the characteristics of an expert are, and make those transparent to the student. Then I help the student learn whether they are acquiring those characteristics, whether those are things in their possession or are not yet acquired. That refocuses the students attention away from the study guide idea that if they memorize the words and say something intelligent about these concepts theyll be fine to saying, Am I an expert or not? Can I apply these? Can I solve problems? Can I think, talk and write about these? Do I thoroughly understand them? Do I own them? That means there needs to be effort in reflection. Its what we call metacognitive skills, where the student learns to evaluate their own understanding and assess whether they do or dont own them. It helps them to identify misconceptions and ways to resolve them, as well as identify resources that would be helpful. Its whole different strategy than simply reviewing notes, which is a potential challenge in a discipline that is information-rich. My philosophy is to help them develop their true understanding and expertise.

Q: How has your experience been at BYU?

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5 Questions: Dr. John Bell

New Recommendations Released in Diagnosis of HPV-Associated Squamous Lesions

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Newswise NORTHFIELD, ILL. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) jointly issued The Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology (LAST) Standardization Project for HPV-Associated Lesions: Background and Consensus Recommendations.

The CAP/ASCCP LAST Project consensus recommendations were released on June 28, 2012, in the online editions of Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (Archives) and in the Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease (JLGTD), the official journals of the CAP and the ASCCP, respectively.

The new recommendations provide standardization of diagnostic terminology of lesions associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) across lower anogenital tract body sites, including the appropriate use of biomarkers to distinguish these lesions. Through implementation of the recommendations, the two organizations aim to enhance communication between pathologists and clinicians leading to more effective patient management of HPV-associated disease and, ultimately, improved patient outcomes.

The CAP/ASCCP LAST Project consensus recommendations were developed based on the availability of new science, allowing pathologists to better classify HPV-associated lesions, said Teresa M. Darragh, MD, FCAP, the lead author of and steering committee co-chair for the LAST Project consensus recommendations and a professor of clinical pathology and obstetrics, gynecology & reproductive sciences at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and an attending physician in the UCSF/Mt. Zion Dysplasia Clinic in San Francisco, Calif. With this information, patients along with their physicians will be able to better weigh the benefits and risks of management options associated with HPV infections, allowing them to make more informed decisions about their health.

The recommendations were developed based on an extensive literature review of the terminology used historically, how terminology influences management of HPV-associated lesions by body sites, and the role of biomarkers in their diagnosis.

The CAP Pathology & Laboratory Quality Center, the Center, a forum for developing evidence-based guidelines and consensus recommendations, led the joint development of the LAST Projects consensus recommendations. Thirty-five professional organizations collaborated and participated in the review and final approval of the recommendations, which will be published in the July issue of JLGTD and in the October issue of Archives.

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About the College of American Pathologists The College of American Pathologists (CAP) celebrating 50 years as the gold standard in laboratory accreditation, is a medical society serving more than 18,000 physician members and the global laboratory community. It is the world's largest association composed exclusively of board-certified pathologists and is the worldwide leader in laboratory quality assurance. The College advocates accountable, high-quality, and cost-effective patient care.

About the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) The ASCCP is a non-profit professional organization of 3,300 members whose primary mission is the education of healthcare providers about the diagnosis and management of diseases of the lower female reproductive system, especially cervical cancer and its precursors.The Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease, the official journal of the ASCCP, is the leading source for the latest science in its field.

In September 2001 at the National Institutes of Health, ASCCPproduced the first Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Women with CervicalCytological Abnormalities and the Management of Women with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia. Draft guidelines with supporting evidence were presented, discussed, revised as needed and then voted upon by the appointed delegates representing 29 major medical organizations and federal agencies.The resulting cytology guidelines were published in JAMA (Wright TC, et al. 2002 Apr 24;287(16):2120-9.) and the histology guidelines in AJOG (Wright TC Jr, et al.2003 Jul;189(1):295-304.)In 2006, ASCCP conducted a second Consensus Conference, using the same 29 partner groups and the multistep, evidence-based review process, to revise the 2001 guidelines. The 2006 guidelines were published in AJOG and the JLGTD.

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New Recommendations Released in Diagnosis of HPV-Associated Squamous Lesions