Monthly Archives: October 2012

Does moral decision-making in video games mirror the real world?

Posted on by

Public release date: 3-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, October 3, 2012Making moral judgments is increasingly a central element of the plots of popular video games. Do players of online video games perceive the content and characters as real and thus make moral judgments to avoid feeling guilty? Or does immoral behavior such as violence and theft make the game any more or less enjoyable? The article "Mirrored Morality: An Exploration of Moral Choice in Video Games" published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers examines these types of questions. The article is available free online on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website.

Andrew Weaver and Nicky Lewis, Indiana University, Bloomington, studied how players make moral choices in video games and what effects those choices have on their emotional responses to the games. In general, players tended to make "moral" decisions and to treat game characters as though they were actual people. Although behaving in antisocial ways was associated with greater guilt, it did not affect player enjoyment.

"Although preliminary, these results point to the utility of games as teaching and educational tools, as well as important tools for the assessment of behavior," says Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCIA, Editor-in-Chief of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, from the Interactive Media Institute, San Diego, CA. "These findings indicate how real the virtual world can become when one suspends disbelief and immerses oneself in the scenario."

###

About the Journal

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in print and online that explores the psychological and social issues surrounding the Internet and interactive technologies. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed online on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Games for Health Journal, Telemedicine and e-Health, and Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.

View original post here:
Does moral decision-making in video games mirror the real world?

The GM Barnyard

Posted on by

Allergen-free cows milk and pigs with hardened arteries illustrate how the accuracy of genetic engineering has improved.

Two unsuspecting farm animals have helped to demonstrate the increasing accuracy of genetic engineering techniques. The first is a cow that produced hypoallergenic milk after researchers used RNA interference to block the production of an allergy-inducing protein, as reported this week (October 2) in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The second, reported in another paper in the same issue, is a pig that could be a model for atherosclerosis after researchers used an enzyme called a TALEN to silence a gene that helps to remove cholesterol.

Researchers have long struggled to remove cow milks allergy-inducing protein, beta-lactoglobulin, which can cause diarrhea and vomiting in children. They were previously unable to introduce foreign genes precisely enough, however, so they could never quite successfully replace the gene that codes for beta-lactoglobulin with a defective form.

But scientists at AgResearch in Hamilton, New Zealand, worked with molecules that interfere with messenger RNA (mRNA), which helps translate genes into proteins. They found microRNA (miRNA) in mice that targeted beta-lactoglobulin mRNA, so they inserted DNA encoding a version of this miRNA into the genomes of cow embryos. Out of 100 embryos, one calf produced beta-globulin-free milk. This isnt a quick process, Stefan Wagner, a molecular biologist at AgResearch, told Nature. One problem is that RNA interference cant eliminate the protein completely because some mRNA slips through.

Another technique could speed up the process. TALENs are enzymes that target and cut out a specific DNA sequence from the genome. As the break is repaired, mutations are introduced that scramble the targeted gene, leaving it unable to function.

The TALEN technology is staggeringly easy, quick, and leaves no mark in the genome, researcher Bruce Whitelaw, told Nature. Whitelaw, a molecular biologist at the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh, United Kingdom, used TALENs to disrupt genes encoding low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors in pigs. Without those receptors, which remove LDL from the blood, Whitelaws pigs develop atherosclerotic arteries. Such pigs could be reliable models for biomedical researchers studying human atherosclerosis.

See the original post:
The GM Barnyard

DNA Helps Locate Cold Case Murder Suspect

Posted on by

October 3, 2012 Updated Oct 3, 2012 at 5:41 PM EDT

Miami County, Ind. (Indianas NewsCenter) DNA evidence plays a key role in helping authorities make an arrest in a 20-year-old murder case.

The Miami County Prosecutors Office announced Wednesday Timothy J. Jimerson of Biloxi, Mississippi was arrested in connection to the cold case murder of Toni Spicer, who was found murdered in her mobile home in the southern part of Miami County, all thanks to DNA evidence collected 20 years ago.

Prosecutor Bruce Embrey says that due to the very detailed and thorough crime scene investigation performed by Sgt. Dean Marks and State Trooper Gary Boyles in 1992, police agencies at any time could help in the murder investigation.

The evidence collected from the scene was sent off for DNA examination and cataloging, awaiting a DNA hit so that a suspects name could be issued. But it wasnt until recently that a DNA match was found.

Since a DNA match in most cases isnt enough to identify a suspect, the help of the Biloxi, Mississippi Police Department was enlisted and after extensive investigation Jimerson was arrested and is now awaiting extradition back to Peru.

Copyright 2012 A Granite Broadcasting Station. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Original post:
DNA Helps Locate Cold Case Murder Suspect

Posted in DNA

DNA Scans Help Pinpoint Causes of Mental Retardation

Posted on by

Sequencing the genomes of 100 individuals with mental retardation with no known cause yielded genetic answers for 16 of them, a study found, suggesting the technique may help diagnose and aid in treatment.

While more than 400 genetic mutations are known to cause intellectual disability, they are responsible for less than half of the cases, said Han Brunner, a study author and head of human genetics at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands. The research is published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study shows how gene sequencing can improve diagnosis in patients with mental disabilities, many of whom never learn the cause. Knowing the genetic origin can help patients and families understand the prognoses and may lead to specific treatment options, the authors said in the study.

Half of the children and adults with intellectual disability never have an explanation of why they are retarded -- thats a big problem, leading many parents on a quest to numerous doctors looking for answers, Brunner said in a telephone interview. This is what people call the diagnostic odyssey, and people can put that to rest, by using genetic sequencing, he said.

Researchers scanned the DNA of children with mental retardation, defined as having an IQ of less than 50, as well as their parents, and looked for differences. While all children have some mutations, few lead to intellectual disability, Brunner said. Once the culprits are known, it can help direct some therapies or dietary changes.

We had two cases where the type of mutation would suggest that you might try a treatment for a metabolic disorder, and another with epilepsy, he said.

For instance, patients with a mutation in the PDHA1 gene would benefit from a ketogenic diet, which is high in fat, and those with SCN2A mutation should avoid sodium-channel blockers to better control their epileptic episodes and improve cognitive function, according to the study.

The research, funded in part by the European Union, demonstrates how the quickening pace of gene sequencing technology may lead to wider use in the clinic to help patients, said Heather Mefford, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle.

The technology used in the study is called exome sequencing and looks at the 1 percent of the DNA containing genes that create proteins. The researchers used equipment from Carlsbad, California-based Life Technologies Corp. (LIFE) to perform the sequencing.

Previously, you might test one or two genes. Or more recently, a panel of genes, Mefford, who wrote an accompanying editorial to the study, said in a telephone interview. That approach could take weeks or months and not lead to any answers, she said. This test allows us to look at all the genes at once.

Read the original here:
DNA Scans Help Pinpoint Causes of Mental Retardation

Posted in DNA

Referee charged in husband's death gives DNA sample

Posted on by

Lois Ann Goodman, 70, is charged with beating her husband to death with a coffee cup.

Andrew Burton/Reuters

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A nationally known professional tennis referee charged with the coffee-cup killing of her husband gave police a DNA sample Wednesday after dropping her opposition to the procedure.

Lois Ann Goodman, 70, who is charged with beating her husband to death with the cup last April, was accompanied by about 25 supporters, including friends and relatives, when she appeared briefly in court for a pretrial hearing.

A judge scheduled Goodman's next hearing for Nov. 8.

In the meantime, defense attorneys say they have a huge amount of evidence and court documents provided by prosecutors to review before a trial is scheduled. They also demanded to see original notes taken at Goodman's home by police officers who initially ruled the case an accidental death. In addition, they are seeking notes and recordings from coroner's investigators and the mortician who examined the body.

Goodman was arrested in August just before she was to referee at match at the U.S. Open.

Her attorneys say her 80-year-old husband was the victim of a freak accident.

Authorities initially believed Alan Goodman fell down stairs at home while she was away but later decided it was homicide. Prosecutors now believe he was struck 10 times on the head and stabbed with the broken cup.

The couple was married nearly 50 years with three grown children.

Read more:
Referee charged in husband's death gives DNA sample

Posted in DNA

Woman charged in husband's death gives DNA sample

Posted on by

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A nationally known professional tennis referee charged with the coffee-cup killing of her husband gave police a DNA sample Wednesday after dropping her opposition to the procedure.

Lois Ann Goodman, 70, who is charged with beating her husband to death with the cup last April, was accompanied by about 25 supporters, including friends and relatives, when she appeared briefly in court for a pretrial hearing.

A judge scheduled Goodman's next hearing for Nov. 8.

In the meantime, defense attorneys say they have a huge amount of evidence and court documents provided by prosecutors to review before a trial is scheduled. They also demanded to see original notes taken at Goodman's home by police officers who initially ruled the case an accidental death. In addition, they are seeking notes and recordings from coroner's investigators and the mortician who examined the body.

Goodman was arrested in August just before she was to referee at match at the U.S. Open.

Her attorneys say her 80-year-old husband was the victim of a freak accident.

Authorities initially believed Alan Goodman fell down stairs at home while she was away but later decided it was homicide. Prosecutors now believe he was struck 10 times on the head and stabbed with the broken cup.

The couple was married nearly 50 years with three grown children.

Defense attorneys Alison Triessl and Robert Sheahen told reporters that they anticipate surprise revelations in the case after all of the discovery materials are reviewed. They had opposed having Goodman provide a DNA sample but relented after losing an appeal on the issue.

''No DNA sample is going to prove anything,'' said Sheahen. ''Proving that her DNA is in her own home is ridiculous.''

More:
Woman charged in husband's death gives DNA sample

Posted in DNA

Inherited Diseases Found Sooner in Newborns With DNA Scan

Posted on by

Scanning the DNA of sick infants using a new speed-reading method can diagnose rare genetic disorders in two days instead of weeks, according to research that brings gene mapping a step closer to everyday hospital use.

Researchers at Childrens Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Missouri, created software that takes raw data from DNA scanning machines and combs though hundreds of genetic disorders to spot disease-causing mutations. The system provided likely diagnoses for three of four sick babies in about two days, results published in Science Translational Medicine found.

The new method has the potential to make genome sequencing practical for neonatal intensive care units, enabling doctors to diagnose mysterious genetic diseases more quickly, said Stephen Kingsmore, director of the Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine at Childrens Mercy and a study senior author. Fast diagnoses of sick babies could lead to life-extending treatments sooner in some or help avoid futile, costly therapies in others.

This is the biggest breakthrough in this technology for clinical applications we have seen in a few years, said David Dimmock, a geneticist at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, who wasnt involved in the study. The ability to sequence and interpret a genome in less than week is huge.

Dimmock said researchers at his institution were working on a similar fast genome interpretation system, but hadnt published the results yet. They beat us to the punch, he said.

There are about 3,500 known genetic diseases of which 500 have treatments, Kingsmore said. Many of these genetic illnesses hit young kids. Roughly 20 percent of infant deaths are caused by genetic conditions, according to the study released today.

The Childrens Mercy Hospital system was made possible in part by a new sequencing machine developed by San Diego-based Illumina Inc. (ILMN) that can decode an entire DNA sequence of a person in one day. This generates a colossal volume of raw data that must be analyzed by expert genetic researchers, a process that previously has taken weeks or months.

Heres where the system devised by Childrens Mercy researchers comes into play. Kingsmore and his team devised smart software that allows treating doctors to enter in a sick babys symptoms. The software then matches these reported symptoms to known genetic diseases that have similar symptoms, and scans through the babys genome results for likely harmful mutations in relevant genes.

We think this is going to transform the world of neonatology, Kingsmore said during a conference call with reporters. Until now, this was just not possible to get whole genome scan results quickly enough to help sick newborns in intensive care units, he said. Babies either died or else got better and were discharged home before the results of a gene test were returned.

For cases in which treatments are available, spotting the cause of a disease sooner may allow treatments to be started before it is too late, he said. Kingsmore estimated the total cost of the test to be about $13,500.

Read the original:
Inherited Diseases Found Sooner in Newborns With DNA Scan

Posted in DNA

How synthetic biology will change us

Posted on by

Lisa Poole / AP file

Harvard geneticist George Church shows off the DNA sequence of a colleague.

By Alan Boyle

In the future, genetically modified organisms could be making our medicines, our fuel, our housewares, our houses and they could even help us remake ourselves. All that may sound like science-fiction, but the future is already arriving, in the form of the bioplastic bottle you may be holding in your hand. Harvard geneticist George Church lays it all out in a new book, "Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves," written with Ed Regis.

"We are already remaking ourselves and our world, retracing the steps of the original synthesis redesigning, recoding and reinventing nature itself in the process," they write.

Even the book has been reinvented through DNA: "Regenesis" is one of those rare books that's been the focus of a research paper in the journal Science. All of its 53,426 words, along with 11 images and one Javascript app, were encoded into chunks of DNA, and then read back, just to prove it could be done. But DNA as a next-generation information storage medium is just one of the applications addressed in "Regenesis" and that's not really all that far out.

If you want to talk about far-out, how about regenerating extinct species, ranging from woolly mammoths to Neanderthals? How about synthetic methods for photosynthesis, the process that turns carbon dioxide, water and sunlight into oxygen and fuel? How about tweaking the human genome to make ourselves immune to multiple viruses? Heck, why not make ourselves virtually immortal?

Basic Books

"Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves" is written by Harvard geneticist George Church and science writer Ed Regis.

"Regenesis" explores all these issues the possibilities and the realities, the pros and the cons. Not even the sky is the limit: "We need to get at least some of our genomes and cultures off of this planet or trillions of person-years will be lost," Church and Regis write. They believe that biotechnology is the key to immortality, for the human species and perhaps for individual humans as well. But is all this a biotech pipe dream? I did a reality check during a telephone interview with Church this week. Here's an edited transcript of the Q&A:

Read the original:
How synthetic biology will change us

Upstate students ace biology but earn F in history section of state test

Posted on by

ANDERSON High school students in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties know their biology but need to brush up on the Bill of Rights.

Scores released to the public by the state Department of Education Tuesday indicate As in biology and Fs in the U.S. History and Constitution portions of the End-of-Course-Examination Program.

The test measures how well high school and some middle school students grasp core subjects including English, biology, algebra and history. The scores reflect testing from the 2011-12 school year.

Generally, students in certain grades take certain subject tests, said Jay Ragley, spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Education.

Ninth-graders and some gifted and talented eighth-graders take the English and algebra sections. Ninth- and tenth-graders take biology, and 11th-graders take the U.S. History and Constitution section. End-of-course subject exams account for 20 percent of each students final grade, and all students enrolled in a given subject must take the test.

School districts received letter grades based on percentages of those who passed and failed.

Students in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties made the most As in Biology 1 and 2 and made the most Fs in U.S. History and Constitution. None of the districts overall history scores were failing. Their mean scores ranged from 67 to 75. Anderson School District 3 had the most students receive Fs in the history test with 62 percent scoring poorly. Anderson School District 5 had the lowest number of students receiving Fs at 36 percent.

Biology proved a strong point with at least 25 percent of all test takers in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens school districts making an A. That subject showed the most improvement statewide in pass rate and average score, which grew by 8 percent and 3 percent.

State Superintendent Mick Zais said the testing benefits teachers and students.

Measuring student achievement is an important tool to improving instructional practices, he said. End-of-course assessments demonstrate how well high school students have mastered key concepts and skills they will use after graduation.

Originally posted here:
Upstate students ace biology but earn F in history section of state test

Pondicherry University to hold conference

Posted on by

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, will hold a two day national conference on current scenario and emerging trends in hepatocellular diseases.

According to a university release here today, the conference will focus on the key aspects of hepatology research, and strategies to explore liver at the cellular and molecular level.

"Liver is a vital organ in our body as it plays a central role in metabolic regulation and toxin excretion.

Liver is constantly exposed to a variety of stress due to our modern lifestyle adaptations, including tendency to avail drugs and substances, alcohol and fatty foods, resulting in liver injury, specifically to liver cells, hepatocytes. This leads to malfunction and disease conditions of the liver," the release said.

"The damage caused to liver worsens with time and hence it is essential to find a cure or treatment option via biocompatible drugs, herbal medicines and drugs at nanomolar concentrations which can help the liver cells to recuperate even at very minute concentrations," the release further added.

The conference would highlight the recent advances in the field of hepatology research and its future perspectives in various angles. (UNI)

The rest is here:
Pondicherry University to hold conference

Scholar dreams of finding cure for Alzheimer’s disease

Posted on by

MORGANTOWN As a little girl, Joy Wang couldnt grasp what was happening with her paternal grandmother.

Joy and her parents would visit Grandma, yet she did not recognize them, didnt even remember her own son.

The pain from those experiences changed Joys career plans from owning a zoo to curing Alzheimers, and she picked West Virginia University as the place to get the education to make that a reality.

WVU has a great biochemistry program and that will help guide me for the rest of my life, Joy said days before her official start on campus this month. WVU will be like a second family to me. Its always stood out from the rest as having a great atmosphere. Not only will I get support from my group of friends, but from faculty and staff. Everyone is so welcoming. I feel so accepted even though I havent attended classes yet.

Leola Humphries, known as Verna, suffered from dementia. She passed away when Joy was a teen. When Joy grew older, she began to realize on a deeper level the afflictions of her grandmothers illness.

It opened my eyes to how horrible neurological diseases are, Joy said, and it gave me the ability to sympathize with others.

Now I use that pain and those memories as a driving force, a real motivating factor to remind me of what Im doing.

What Joy is doing is working toward her dream to help people like her grandmother by becoming a neurosurgeon. Joy wants to find cures for Alzheimers disease and other disorders of the brain.

Quite ambitious for an 18-year-old. Yet the dream seems entirely attainable with a glance at Joys resume and work ethic thus far. She was part of the National Honor Society, marching band, student council, quiz bowl team, orchestra and swim team at Capital High School in Charleston. She graduated first in her class.

Joy literally could have gone anywhere to begin her journey.

Original post:
Scholar dreams of finding cure for Alzheimer’s disease

Dr. Alex Levenberg to Lecture on RF Solutions for Non-invasive Wrinkle Treatment at the Upcoming XII International …

Posted on by

Dr. Levenberg will present a clinical talk about Fractional RF Treatment for wrinkle reduction and skin tightening. He will also demonstrate Pollogen's TriLipoMED procedure - an advanced aesthetic breakthrough that allows practitioners to treat 4 layers of skin tissue with a single system delivering wrinkle reduction, skin tightening, wrinkle prevention, cellulite treatment, fat reduction and more.

(PRWEB) October 03, 2012

Dr. Levenberg's first clinical lecture will address Fractional RF Treatments for Wrinkle Reduction and Skin Tightening. His second lecture will present Pollogen's Maximus platform and TriLipoMED procedure - a non-invasive wrinkle reduction, skin tightening and body contouring treatment that treats 4 layers of skin - the epidermis, dermis, hypodermis and muscle.

During a 1 hour workshop Dr. Levenberg will conduct live demonstrations of the Maximus which includes 4 applicators - 3 applicators of different sizes delivering Pollogen's patented TriLipo technology for facial and body contouring and 1 fractional applicator delivering patented TriFractional technology for advanced skin resurfacing.

Dr. Levenberg stated "I have been using TriLipo for some time, and I am continuously impressed by the immediate anti-aging results. My patients are also consistently pleased with the immediate results. Treatment is completely non-invasive, short and pleasant."

Mr. Amichai Bar-Nir, Pollogens CEO stated: We are pleased that Dr. Levenberg will be presenting TriLipoMED procedure to such a distinguished medical community."

"Pollogen is constantly striving to develop the most cutting- edge technology that delivers dramatic anti-aging and body contouring results, in safe, effective and convenient procedures.

About Pollogen

Pollogen Ltd. is a global leader in the medical aesthetic market, providing professionals in over 60 countries with a wide variety of advanced aesthetic solutions to best serve their customers. Pollogen is the developer and manufacturer of three revolutionary technologies under the industry premier brand names TriPollar, TriLipo and TriFractional and offers a full line of clinically-proven, safe and effective, non-invasive anti-aging facial and body contouring treatment platforms for a range of aesthetic applications including circumference reduction, cellulite reduction and skin tightening. For more information, visit pollogen.com.

PollogenExpect More: More Innovation, More Results, More Service.

More:
Dr. Alex Levenberg to Lecture on RF Solutions for Non-invasive Wrinkle Treatment at the Upcoming XII International ...

Age Management MD Experts Gather in Chicago for Anti-Aging CME Workshop

Posted on by

Ageology's age management workshop highlights nutrition, adrenal fatigue and saliva testing and lead by Dr. Paul Savage, David Zava, Dr. Vesna Skul and Dr. James Wilson

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) October 03, 2012

Ageologys age management workshop will feature topics such as nutrition, fatigue and saliva testing to get area physicians up to date on the latest research and best practices for age management and anti-aging healthcare.

Dr. Paul Savage, CEO of Ageology and an expert in hormone replacement therapy, will serve as the facilitator for the age management workshop. The presenters are David Zava, Dr. Vesna Skul and Dr. James Wilson. http://ageology-eorg.eventbrite.com/

Weve gathered some of the foremost experts on age management to offer Chicago physicians an in-depth look at the current trends and best practices in anti-aging medicine, Savage says. Im honored to facilitate a roundtable with these prominent age management physicians and am confident all who attend will walk away with a new perspective on anti-aging medicine.

Dr. Zava is president and CEO of ZRT Laboratory, a CLIA certified diagnostic laboratory that supports health care professionals in health management through accurate, convenient and innovative lab testing. Dr. Zava is a biochemist with extensive experience in breast cancer research and an internationally known speaker on breast cancer, hormone replacement therapy and saliva hormone testing.

A graduate of Rush Medical College in Chicago, Dr. Skul is a board certified specialist in Internal Medicine, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Rush University. She has been among Chicagos top doctors as reported by Chicago magazine for nearly a decade and is founder and medical director of the Comprehensive Center for Womens Medicine, a multispecialty holistic medical practice for women.

Dr. Wilson coined the term adrenal fatigue to identify a specific kind of chronic tiredness that many people experience. After decades of working with stressed patients, Dr. Wilson wrote an easy-to-understand guide on stress and health, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, for the many individuals experiencing adrenalfatigue.

Wilson has three doctorates and two master's degrees, all in different health-related disciplines. He received his Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the University of Arizona, with minors in Immunology, Microbiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and research in Cellular Immunology. His doctorates in Chiropractic Medicine and Naturopathic Medicine are from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and the Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM). As one of the 14 founding members of CCNM, now the largest Naturopathic College in the world, Dr. Wilson has long been on the forefront of alternative medicine.

About Ageology

Read more:
Age Management MD Experts Gather in Chicago for Anti-Aging CME Workshop

Grey's Anatomy Star Vs Billy Corgan

Posted on by

10/03/2012 . (TMZ) "Grey's Anatomy" star Eric Dane has declared legal war on his "Smashing Pumpkins" neighbor Billy Corgan, claiming a falling tree nearly KILLED Eric's pregnant wife ... and it's all Billy's fault -- but Billy tells TMZ, he's innocent.

Eric and his wife Rebecca Gayheart filed the lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court -- claiming one of Billy's trees came crashing through their Beverly Hills home during a nasty storm last year ... flooding the house ... and breaking a giant power line.

Thanks to the fallen tree, Eric claims Rebecca -- nine months pregnant at the time -- had to evacuate a "quickly flooding" home while dodging live high-voltage wires. TMZ posted pics of the damage.

Eric claims Billy had been warned about the dangerous eucalyptus trees on his property and failed to take action.

But Billy tells TMZ, that's "patently untrue" ... insisting he was never warned about his dangerous trees and didn't realize they posed a threat until it was too late.

Billy says, "I was horrified when I learned about the tree falling during what was a massive storm, a storm with winds strong enough to uproot a 50 ft tree by its base! Thankfully no one was injured."

As soon as the accident happened, Billy says he called an expert to have similarly dangerous trees removed from his property. Billy calls the lawsuit "a shame ... because [Eric and Rebecca] are nice people."

Eric and Rebecca are suing for nuisance, negligence, and injunctive relief -- demanding unspecified damages. more on this story

TMZ submitted this story. Copyright TMZ - Excerpted here with permission.

Here is the original post:
Grey's Anatomy Star Vs Billy Corgan

'Grey's Anatomy' Star Eric Dane Sues Billy Corgan Over Fallen Tree

Posted on by

Actor Eric Dane has filed a lawsuit against Smashing Pumpkins' frontman and neighbor Billy Corgan, claiming a fallen tree on the rock star's property almost killed his wife.

In the lawsuit, the former "Grey's Anatomy" actor claims that the fallen tree smashed into his house last year, setting off the sprinkler system and snapping the power lines during a storm. Dane's pregnant wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, was home alone in the house during the incident and was forced to flee with their 20-month-old daughter.

The home was flooded and "surrounded by live high voltage wires, and without the benefit of any light whatsoever," Dane claimed in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Dane's wife and daughter were able to escape without harm.

WATCH: Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart Welcome First Baby

The Danes claim that Corgan was warned his trees were shaky and dangerous. In a statement, Corgan says the warning was "patently untrue."

"I was horrified when I learned about the tree falling. Thankfully, no one was injured," he added.

Dane did not respond to ABC News' request for a comment about the incident, but Corgan says the entire legal battle is a "shame because they [Eric and Rebecca] are nice people."

Noisy neighbor disputes involving celebrities are nothing new in Tinseltown. Actress Katherine Heigl called the cops to her Los Angeles home two years ago after a neighbor allegedly harassed her and husband Josh Kelley because they were making too much noise. The cops ultimately decided that no crime was committed.

When actor Dax Shepherd thought Justin Bieber was playing music too loud, he told the hosts of "The View" that living next to the teen pop star is "like living in Lebanon."

Here is the original post:
'Grey's Anatomy' Star Eric Dane Sues Billy Corgan Over Fallen Tree

Grey's Anatomy's Ramirez: I'm Concerned About the Future of Callie and Arizona's Relationship

Posted on by

Sara Ramirez

Arizona survived the deadly plane crash on Grey's Anatomy, but things aren't going to be easy for her and her wife Callie.

"It's very painful, it's very difficult and it's really heart-wrenching what happens," Sara Ramirez, who plays Callie, tells TVGuide.com.

On Thursday's episode, viewers will flash back to retrace the time between the rescue and the present. Though Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) specifically instructed Callie to save her leg, that didn't happen. Arizona is not only left distraught about her future, but also that her wife didn't keep her promise. Ramirez says that because of this, she's not sure how the couple can move on.

"Because they got married, because they have a child, certainly from Callie's perspective she's just trying to survive, she's trying to do what's right, [but] I'm really worried for them. I'm genuinely concerned about what's going to happen, how things are going to get better if they're going to get better."

5 major spoilers from the Grey's Anatomy Season 9 trailer

In the interview below, Ramirez warns viewers tuning into Thursday's episode: "Keep your Kleenex boxes nearby." Plus: Ramirez shares details about a new (platonic) relationship on the horizon for Callie.

Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Continue reading here:
Grey's Anatomy's Ramirez: I'm Concerned About the Future of Callie and Arizona's Relationship

5 major spoilers from the Grey's Anatomy Season 9 trailer

Posted on by

By Natalie Abrams,

Now that the fates of the Grey's Anatomy docs have been revealed, ABC has finally released the Season 9 trailer, which shows not only what's in store for this Thursday's episode-- which flashes back to when the docs were rescued from the plane crash-- but also from the forthcoming episodes ... and boy, are these new scenes juicy!

We dissected the trailer, which you can watch here, in case you miss any of the five major spoilers:

Grey's Anatomy Scoop: Jessica Capshaw discusses Arizona's fate and what's next

1. Derek (Patrick Dempsey) returns to the scene of the crash. Not literally, but he does get to see the destroyed plane again.

2. Callie (Sara Ramirez) will do her best to take care of Arizona (Jessica Capshaw), but even that's not enough. We see that Arizona crashes while at Seattle Grace-- is that where she loses her leg?

3. Jackson (Jesse Williams) and April (Sarah Drew) are ... getting married? Well, he asks her if she wants to get married, not to marry him, but she does respond with a kiss, so maybe wedding bells will be ringing soon?

Grey's Anatomy: Where were we and what's next?

4. Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) tries to convince Cristina (Sandra Oh) to stay in Seattle, but that clearly didn't work so well since the latter twisted sister is in Minnesota now. Still, Meredith appears to be fine, judging from the sexy times between her and Derek.

5. Cristina is catatonic following the crash, but it looks like things are on the up-and-up, considering we see her hooking up with someone-- but is it Owen (Kevin McKidd)?

Read more from the original source:
5 major spoilers from the Grey's Anatomy Season 9 trailer

MVA gets boost at JATA World Travel Fair

Posted on by

Thursday, October 04, 2012

As the closest U.S. destination to Japan, the Northern Mariana Islands joined forces with Brand USA at last month's Japan Association of Travel Agents World Travel Fair 2012 in Tokyo.

The Marianas Visitors Authority, which participates annually in the travel fair, joined other U.S. destinations under the Brand USA umbrella on Sept. 21-23, 2012, with positive results.

By having our booth physically situated with Brand USA this year and by coordinating with them, the MVA's overall impact and outreach to travel fair attendees was greater, said MVA managing director Perry Tenorio. We look forward to the new promotional opportunities this partnership has opened up.

The MVA joined the Brand USA signing ceremony launching Japan-U.S. Tourism Exchange Year, aimed at stimulating general travel demand from Japan to the United States with activities scheduled from September 2012 to August 2013, involving major Japanese travel wholesalers and agents with major airlines flying in and out of Japan to the United States. The MVA has formally endorsed the proposed activities.

The Northern Marianas also garnered stage time on the Brand USA stage by featuring a magic show by SandCastle Saipan and providing Saipan-da! backpacks for a charitable auction.

Other activities organized by Brand USA were a VIP reception at the U.S. Embassy on Sept. 20 and a happy-hour reception for 200 travel trade and media representatives on Sept. 21. Brand USA has spent over $5 million in the last three months advertising the launch of new programs to increase travel between Japan and the U.S.

The JATA World Travel Fair is the largest annual travel fair in Asia, attracting 125,989 attendees this year, a 7-percent increase over last year's. (PR)

Back to top

See the original post here:

MVA gets boost at JATA World Travel Fair

Vantage Deluxe World Travel Launches Two New Ships for its Deluxe European River Fleet

Posted on by

BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Vantage Deluxe World Travel (www.vantagetravel.com) today announced that the ms River Splendor and ms River Venture, the newest, most state-of-the-art vessels for American travelers in the European river cruise market, will depart on dual inaugural voyages from Antwerp to Amsterdam on March 13, 2013.

"Our travelers, mature Americans who have an interest in, and a curiosity about, the world and its people, have discovered the magic of river cruising," says Debbie Allen, CMO of Vantage Deluxe World Travel. "We've had an overwhelming demand for the up-close, just-unpack-once experience that European river cruising provides. These new vessels will help meet that demand by providing a Deluxe river cruise experience in a convivial, casual environment."

Designed with the American traveler in mind, the 442 ft. ms River Splendor and the 360 ft. ms River Venture will offer luxury amenities and the best crew-to-passenger ratios in the industry, says Allen. "Our extensive selection of river cruise itineraries is really changing the way travelers experience all corners of Europe."

The two vessels are part of a $120 million fleet investment program, which will double Vantage's river cruising fleet by 2014. They follow the successful inaugural season of the ms River Discovery II, which launched in March 2012. In addition to new amenities, passengers can choose from new itineraries along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers, a new Grand River voyage in France, and revamped itineraries in Portugal and Russia.

Vantage continues to be the leader in river boat innovation and passenger satisfaction with many industry firsts. The modernized new fleet is a testament to Vantage's commitment to meet the American traveler's growing expectations. The newest ships offer an array of luxurious guest accommodations such as:

Vantage has been a pioneer in the riverboat industry since 1999 and was the first river boat operator to offer their guests spacious statements with increased storage space, deluxe suites, upper level staterooms with two single beds which convert to double, and flat-screen television sets in every cabin. Vantage was the first company to introduce headsets, allowing passengers the freedom to listen to guided commentary without having to stand next to the guide, a European Vantage Program Manager per coachload to give personalized attention to each passenger and more included activities than any other company. Its famous Cultural Connections Program allows passengers to get closer to the local culture by experiencing authentic and quintessential experiences such as participating in local village chores, dining in local homes, and partaking in educational lectures and historical walking tours.

About Vantage Deluxe World Travel- Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2013, Vantage Deluxe World Travel is a world-renowned tour operator known for delivering the best popular programs, and the company owns a fleet of luxurious river cruise ships that sail the Rhine, Danube, Main, Moselle, Saone and Rhone rivers in addition to exclusively chartering a number of others. Vantage's Memorable Journeys include upscale escorted tours to a variety of destinations in North and South America, Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, and the South Pacific. Vantage Travel programs offer the industry's most comprehensive sightseeing journeys making guests feel like locals instead of tourists and turning a vacation into the trip of a lifetime. Vantage provides quality travel experiences and services that exceed the expectations of customers. For more information on current travel programs, please visit http://www.vantagetravel.com/.

Follow this link:

Vantage Deluxe World Travel Launches Two New Ships for its Deluxe European River Fleet

Fanless Embedded Computer features integrated HD4000 graphics.

Posted on by

The AEC-6637 comes with a DDR3 1066/1333/1600MHz SODIMM slot to support a maximum of 8GB of memory. Featuring superior connectivity with two 5 Gb/sec USB3.0 ports, one Full HD display via VGA, two Gigabit Ethernet, three RS-232 ports, one RS-232/422/485 port, one Line-out, the AEC-6877 provides extremely fast connections for enhanced efficiency with rich I/Os. The AEC-6637 offers a 6 Gb/sec SATAIII connector that can support a 2.5 HDD for storage and also offers a CFast slot that can support Cfast card for storage. Optional wireless features can be added via a PCIe 3.0 mini-Card slot that supports 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0. The powerful and passively cooled AEC-6637 embedded computer can operate in -10~60C (with airflow) environments. Designed with a wide voltage input range of DC 9~30V and offering four types of power protection: Over-Voltage, Low-Voltage, Short Circuit and Surge Protection, the AEC-6637 is well protected to operate in harsh environments that have unsteady power supply or variance in grounding.

In modern day demanding manufacturing facilities, smart buildings and transportation, compact and fanless computing systems with the highest processing power and the fastest available connectivity are in high demand, said Jackie Huang, Product Manager of AAEONs Panel Appliance & Automation Division. This is where the AEC-6637 fits right in the picture.

Intelligent Remote Device Management and Device Monitoring For effective remote device management, the free AAEON Hi-Manager program can be installed on each deployed AEC-6637, allowing BIOS-level remote management from a remote console. Hi-Manager can also be installed on an AEC-6637 to monitor other AAEON devices. For individual device monitoring, the free Hi-Safe program with its user-friendly monitoring interface can be installed.

Group Management using Hi-Manager The AAEON Hi-Manager is a powerful tool based on the Intel Active Management Technology 8.0 (iAMT 8.0) and has backward compatibility with earlier versions of iAMT. This allows users to locate all iAMT devices in the intranet, power On/Off target devices remotely, set power On/Off scheduling, arrange device groupings for better management, offer event logs and timer settings to wake up devices at specified times, recover systems that have crashed from virtual CD-ROM, remote KVM management, and access to target device hardware information for asset management. Hi-Manager can be installed on all AAEON platforms and can remotely manage AAEON client devices that use Intel Q77, QM77 and HM76 chipsets and run Microsoft Windows XP, Window 7 Operating Systems.

Status Monitoring using Hi-Safe The AAEON Hi-Safe is a free and powerful hardware-based program geared toward SDKs for UIs running Microsoft Windows Operating systems. It provides an easy way to develop the end users own UI software to monitor vital System information such as those for the processor, RAM and VGA. It monitors received data from the Super I/O, fan, temperature and voltage, offers configuration options for Digital I/O pin direction and data, provides watchdog timer and fan speed settings, SMBus base address detection and device ID settings, optional monitoring of UPS data information and offers two modes for backlight display control if one uses the LVDS interface. Being based on the user interface SDK, no coding is needed, and customers can create their own customized user interface by downloading the function codes provided by AAEON.

For more product information, please contact AAEON regional sales representatives or visit http://www.aaeon.com.

About AAEON AAEON Technology, Inc is a leading manufacturer of advanced industrial and embedded computing platforms. Committed to innovative engineering, AAEON provides integrated solutions, hardware and services for premier OEM/ODMs and system integrators worldwide. Reliable and high quality computing platforms include industrial motherboards and systems, industrial displays, rugged tablets, PC/104, PICMG and COM modules, embedded SBCs, embedded controllers and related accessories. AAEON also offers customized end-to-end services from initial product conceptualization and product development on through to volume manufacturing and after-sales service programs. AAEON is an Associate member of the Intel Intelligent Systems Alliance.

Press Contact AAEON Technology Inc. Ashley Liu TEL: +886-2-8919-1234 # 1110 Email: Ashley1Liu@aaeon.com.tw http://www.aaeon.com" target="directory" onclick="dcsExternal('/vlink.html','cid=-206494&prid=622512&WT.cg_n=Web+Link&WT.pn=NEWS+Web+Link&alink=www.aaeon.com%22%3Ewww.aaeon.com&TINCATL1=PRODUCTNEWS&TINCATL2=SITELINK&categorylist=1000010','news.thomasnet.com'); return logClick('prid=622512&lnty=curl&cid=-206494', '');">http://www.aaeon.com">http://www.aaeon.com

Here is the original post:

Fanless Embedded Computer features integrated HD4000 graphics.