Google buys solar-powered drone maker Titan Aerospace to boost wireless internet access
As Web search giant, Google steams ahead with plans to bolster their target of delivering wireless Internet access to even the most remote parts of the world...
By: JewishNewsOne
Link:
Google buys solar-powered drone maker Titan Aerospace to boost wireless internet access - Video
Widow of writer: 'our agnosticism brings us nearer to God'
(by Francesca Ambrogetti) (ANSA) - Buenos Aires, April 16 - Many years ago, the celebrated Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges met with Jorge Mario Bergoglio - today, Pope Francis - an event that many recall with fondness. "During the years in which Borges was a professor of literature, Bergoglio invited him to give a lesson to high school students where he taught and asked (Borges) to write a prologue to a book of their stories," recalled the widow of Argentina's leading writer, Maria Kodama. Bergoglio is a great admirer of the author's work, The Aleph, and at a certain point, many years ago, the lives of the two crossed paths. This fact is well known, but in Buenos Aires, it again became a topic of conversation after a presentation of the Courtyard of Gentiles, a meeting place between worshippers of different religions and non-believers, inspired by Benedict XVI and supported by Pope Francis. "With Borges, one spoke often of the fact that perhaps our agnosticism brings us closer to God, if he existed, because we took a parallel path for trying to understand in the only impossible way: reason," Kodama remembered in a letter during the presentation of the event, scheduled in November both in Buenos Aires and in Cordoba, where round tables, debates, seminars, shows and exhibits will take place. Echoing the long years spent with Borges, Kodama also remembered her first meeting with the pope last year in which she gave him the complete works of the writer. "As I waited to introduce myself, I remembered the poetry in which Borges said 'we had a homeland and we lost it'," she recalled. "I said to myself that perhaps faith, or a religion, represents the homeland of the soul, a homeland that we had, because we were both baptized and then, as agnostics, we lost it". Kodama did not hide her own satisfaction in knowing that both the pope and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the president of the Pontificate Council of Culture promoting the event, are readers of Borges as well as supporters, among other things, of the idea of giving his work prominence, in particular to numerous Borges-influenced writings that tackle the theme of transcendence. http://popefrancisnewsapp.com/
View original post here:
Borges' widow recalls highschool meeting with pope
Advanced Cell Technology is testing a stem-cell treatment for blindness that could preserve vision and potentially reverse vision loss.
Vision support: The cells used in Advanced Cell Technologys clinical trials produce dark pigments and cobblestone-like patterns that can be readily recognized in cultures.
A new treatment for macular degeneration is close to the next stage of human testinga noteworthy event not just for the millions of patients it could help, but for its potential to become the first therapy based on embryonic stem cells.
This year, the Boston-area company Advanced Cell Technology plans to move its stem-cell treatment for two forms of vision loss into advanced human trials. The company has already reported that the treatment is safe (see Eye Study Is a Small but Crucial Advance for Stem-Cell Therapy), although a full report of the results from the early, safety-focused testing has yet to be published. The planned trials will test whether it is effective. The treatment will be tested both on patients with Stargardts disease (an inherited form of progressive vision loss that can affect children) and on those with age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss among people 65 and older.
The treatment is based on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells that have been grown from embryonic stem cells. A surgeon injects 150 microliters of RPE cellsroughly the amount of liquid in three raindropsunder a patients retina, which is temporarily detached for the procedure. RPE cells support the retinas photoreceptors, which are the cells that detect incoming light and pass the information on to the brain.
Although complete data from the trials of ACTs treatments have yet to be published, the company has reported impressive results with one patient, who recovered vision after being deemed legally blind. Now the company plans to publish the data from two clinical trials taking place in the U.S. and the E.U. in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Each of these early-stage trials includes 12 patients affected by either macular degeneration or Stargardts disease.
The more advanced trials will have dozens of participants, says ACTs head of clinical development, Eddy Anglade. If proved safe and effective, the cellular therapy could preserve the vision of millions affected by age-related macular degeneration. By 2020, as the population ages, nearly 200 million people worldwide will have the disease, estimate researchers. Currently, there are no treatments available for the most common form, dry age-related macular degeneration.
ACTs experimental treatment has its origins in a chance discovery that Irina Klimanskaya, the companys director of stem-cell biology, made while working with embryonic stem cells at Harvard University. These cells have the power to develop into any cell type, and in culture they often change on their own. A neuron here, a fat cell thereindividual cells in a dish tend to take random walks down various developmental paths. By supplying the cultures with fresh nutrients but otherwise leaving them to their own devices for several weeks, Klimanskaya discovered that the stem cells often developed into darkly pigmented cells that grew in a cobblestone-like pattern. She suspected that they were developing into RPE cells, and molecular tests backed her up.
Now that her discovery has advanced into an experimental treatment, Klimanskaya says she is excited by the hints that it may be able to preserve, and perhaps restore, sight. She recalls a voice mail she received during her second year at ACT: a person blinded by an inherited condition thanked her for her work, whether or not there was a treatment available for him. When you get a message like this, you feel like you are not doing it in vain, she says.
Original post:
Stem-Cell Treatment for Blindness Moving Through Patient Testing
PALMYRA -- Gunny, an 8-year-old German shepherd, who has been suffering from painful arthritis in his hips, got a new lease on life Wednesday after receiving an injection of stem cells from his own body.
Gunny was the first of two dogs with degenerative joint disease who were treated with a new, faster and less expensive procedure at the Palmyra Animal Clinic, 920 E. Main St. The new process, which is available for dogs, cats and horses, uses stem cells taken from fatty tissue in the animals to combat osteoarthritis to improve their quality of life.
The process has been around for a decade, but with new technology, the local clinic is able to do the process in-house, in less time and at less cost. The clinic has been offering stem cell therapy since 2008.
While stem cell therapy has been commercially available for about a decade, Dr. Calvin Clements, owner of the clinic, said, "there was a several-day turnaround, multiple anesthesias, and it was considerable expense. With this technique, we have the ability to collect the cells, inject the cells and bank the cells."
The cost of the procedure is about $1,300, compared to $3,000 when sent out of house, Clements said.
On mobile? Click here to view photo gallery
On Wednesday, Clements and his associate, Dr. Richard Hann, used the new process - known as Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Procedure - for the first time in their office with Gunny, and Hudson, an 8-year-old toy fox terrier, who has arthritis in his knees.
Clements said an animal's pain from degenerative disease is similar to humans.
"Like the pain that anyone who has advanced joint degenerative disease experiences, at first, it doesn't hurt too bad but as time progresses some are in considerable pain. It can be very severe," he said.
"We're looking to improve their joint function. Stem cell therapy has really proven itself just by the outcome that we've had in patients when we were shipping it out," Clements said. "This is more convenient. It's a faster process. It's in-house, and we know how the samples are being handled from beginning to end."
Follow this link:
Palmyra Animal Clinic adds new stem cell therapy to improve animals' lives
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
16-Apr-2014
Contact: Tom Abate tabate@stanford.edu 650-736-2245 Stanford University Medical Center
STANFORD, Calif. Consider the marvel of the embryo. It begins as a glob of identical cells that change shape and function as they multiply to become the cells of our lungs, muscles, nerves and all the other specialized tissues of the body.
Now, in a feat of reverse tissue engineering, Stanford University researchers have begun to unravel the complex genetic coding that allows embryonic cells to proliferate and transform into all of the specialized cells that perform myriad biological tasks.
A team of interdisciplinary researchers took lung cells from the embryos of mice, choosing samples at different points in the development cycle. Using the new technique of single-cell genomic analysis, they recorded what genes were active in each cell at each point. Though they studied lung cells, their technique is applicable to any type of cell.
"This lays out a playbook for how to do reverse tissue engineering," said Stephen Quake, PhD, the Lee Otterson Professor in the School of Engineering and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.
The researchers' findings are described in a paper published online April 13 in Nature. Quake, who also is a professor of bioengineering and of applied physics, is the senior author. The lead authors are postdoctoral scholars Barbara Treutlein, PhD, and Doug Brownfield, PhD.
The researchers used the reverse-engineering technique to study the cells in the alveoli, the small, balloon-like structures at the tips of the airways in the lungs. The alveoli serve as docking stations where blood vessels receive oxygen and deliver carbon dioxide.
Treutlein and Brownfield isolated 198 lung cells from mouse embryos at three stages of gestation: 14.5 days, 16.5 days and 18.5 days (mice are usually born at 20 days). They also took some lung cells from adult mice.
Continue reading here:
Stanford scientists develop 'playbook' for reverse engineering tissue
CollabRx has appointed Paul Billings to its board of directors. Billings is a board certified internist and clinical geneticist and most recently served as chief medical officer for Life Technologies. He is executive chairman of Melanoma Diagnostics, a director of Trovagene, and a co-founder and past medical director of the Cordblood Registry. He was also a senior vice president for corporate development at Laboratory Corporation of America and a co-founder of Omicia. Billings also currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the US Food and Drug Administration, the Genomic Medicine Advisory Committee at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicines Roundtable on Genomics.
Kathy Hibbs, former senior VP and general counsel at Genomic Health, has joined 23andMe as chief legal and regulatory officer. Hibbs joins 23andMe while the firm is in the midst of regulatory discussions with the US Food and Drug Administration regarding its Personal Genome Service. Hibbs has also worked at Monogram Biosciences and Varian Medical Systems, and is actively engaged in a number of industry groups, such as the American Clinical Laboratory Association, the Coalition for 21st Century Medicine, and the Personalized Medicine Coalition.
Stephen Rusckowski has been named chairman of the American Clinical Laboratory Association's board of directors. Rusckowski has served as Quest Diagnostics' president and CEO since May 2012. Before joining Quest Diagnostics he was CEO of Philips Healthcare.
ProteinSimple has appointed Joe Keegan and Chris van Ingen to its board of directors. Keegan was previously the CEO of ForteBio and Molecular Devices. Van Ingen was previously president of Agilent Technologies' bio-analytical measurement business. He currently serves on the boards of Bruker, Accelrys, and Promega.
Read more:
Celera Researchers Investigating Genetic Risk Signature to Predict Atrial Fibrillation
New Castle, Delaware (PRWEB) April 16, 2014
The College of Technology and the College of Social and Behavioral Science of Wilmington University will host leaders in security and information technology from the FBI, InfraGard and the Delaware Department of Homeland Security at a day-long conference from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2014 in the Doberstein Admissions Center of Wilmington University in New Castle, Delaware.
Entitled "Threat Considerations in Today's Climate," this intensive program will be taught by subject matter experts from the FBIs profiler, counter improvised explosive device (IED) and counter terrorism programs along with educators from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. It will address the warning signs and pre-indicators that may be observed in a potentially active shooter like those seen in recent news and found anywhere today from shopping malls to schools and universities.
Registration is $25.00, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Pre-registration is advised.
Attendees are required to provide their agency/organization identification during on-site registration/check-in and must provide a work email address during on-line registration.
Presentations will concentrate on the pre-behavioral indicators of active shooters, precursor chemicals of IEDs, active shooter/domestic terrorist case studies and high risk behaviors of special needs children. Others will focus on helping those in public settings from academia to retail outlets to be better prepared in the event of an attack or threats of terrorism in addition to identity theft and global security breaches.
This training is recommended for school administrators and guidance counselors, campus police and public safety officers, school resource officers, and those in faith-based organizations. The program is also recommended for retail, commercial and government entities who operate in risk, safety and security positions.
Conference topics include:
Dr. Chris Trowbridge, Dean of the College of Behavioral Sciences, will open the conference. "The University is honored to welcome field experts who will educate attendees and to be a center for raising the level of preparedness for unexpected threats in our community," said Dr. Trowbridge.
"In light of so many shooting incidents and acts of domestic terror that have happened in recent memory, this conference is timely and critical to anyone in public service," said Dr. Ed Guthrie, Dean of the College of Technology at Wilmington University. Dr. Guthrie is also president of the Delaware chapter of Infragard, an association of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, dedicated to sharing intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the United States.
Continue reading here:
Wilmington University Presents Conference on Domestic Threat Considerations
O JESUS O BABY O FISH O HOLY O COMETS
A=4 B=8 C=12 D=16 E=20 F=24 G=28 H=32 I=36 J=31 K=35 L=39 M=43 N=47 O=51 P=55 Q=59 R=63 S=67 T=62 U=66 V=70 W=74 X=78 Y=82 Z=86. Full alphabet at original fu...
By: MightyMesser
More here:
Comets - Natalia Doco feat Frero Delavega
By: Natalia Doco
Originally posted here:
Bill Haley and His Comets - Rock Around The Clock - Acoustic Cover - Danny McEvoy
Please like my Facebook Page..https://www.facebook.com/pages/Danny-McEvoy/122209577855371?fref=ts..I post up all the chords to the songs I do as well as thou...
By: TheWalrusWasDanny
The rest is here:
Bill Haley and His Comets - Rock Around The Clock - Acoustic Cover - Danny McEvoy - Video
Jordan Lynn Minnesota comets basketball tournament(1)
Top freshman point guard in Minnesota.
By: mrcslynn
See more here:
Jordan Lynn Minnesota comets basketball tournament(1) - Video
Jordan Lynn Minnesota comets basketball tournament(2)
Top freshman point guard in Minnesota.
By: mrcslynn
View post:
Jordan Lynn Minnesota comets basketball tournament(2) - Video
MN Fury U16 Wilde - Comets Shootout Tournament
http://www.mnfuryboys.com.
By: RHS Hoops
Here is the original post:
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announces that it will hold its 15th Global Summit in Madrid, Spain, in April 2015.The Global Summit, which is the biggest annual gathering of Travel & Tourism leaders, will be held on 15-16 April 2015 and is to be hosted by Ministerio de Industria, Energa y Turismo del Gobierno de Espaa; Comunidad de Madrid and Ayuntamiento de Madrid.
The venue of the next Global Summit 2015 was presented today in Madrid, with the attendance of David Scowsill, President & CEO of WTTC, Isabel Borrego, Secretary of State of Tourism of the Government of Spain; Ignacio Gonzalez, President of Comunidad de Madrid and Ana Botella, Mayor of Madrid.
Scowsill said "The WTTC Global Summit is the most influential Travel & Tourism event of the year, bringing together around 700 leaders, to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing our industry today. Travel & Tourism is a major generator of jobs and economic wealth globally, contributing 9% to global GDP and providing 1 in 11 of all jobs on the planet. The Global Summit will ask what more the public and private sectors can do to generate long-term sustainable growth in Travel & Tourism across the world."
Spain is a major Travel & Tourism economy. According to WTTC data the contribution of the industry to Spain's overall economy is $161 billion the 7th highest of any country in the world and supports 2.7 million jobs. Similarly, UNWTO ranks Spain second in international tourism receipts, second to the US and 3rd in terms of international arrivals.
2013 has been a historic year for Spain after receiving 60.6 million tourists, 5.6% more than the previous year. These travelers spent 59,082 million euros, which means an increase of 9.6% respect 2012. The contribution of the tourism sector to the country's GDP was 10.9% and represented 12% of total employment.
Scowsill continued: "I am very pleased that Madrid has been chosen as the host for the 15th Global Summit in April 2015. It will be held in Europe for the first time since 2007, providing the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the economic and social importance of Travel & Tourism to consumers and governments in Europe and across the world. Spain is one of the largest Travel & Tourism economies in the world and hosting the Global Summit will enable its capital to showcase its tourism assets.
The 2014 WTTC Global Summit will be held in Hainan, China, 24-25 April.
Read more:
Partnering for Success: The University of Texas Stampede Supercomputing Data Center
The Stampede data center at the University of Texas, Austin contains a super computer meant to solve Texas-sized problems. So building it required not just t...
By: Schneider Electric
Read the rest here:
Partnering for Success: The University of Texas Stampede Supercomputing Data Center - Video
Gay Spirituality: The Sacred Dance: Keepers of Beauty
This is part 2 of a retreat held at St. Boniface Church in Brooklyn, NY in March 2014.
By: Fr. Michael K. Holleran
View original post here:
Gay Spirituality: The Sacred Dance: Keepers of Beauty - Video
PIMPIN - spirituality
The physical self versus the spiritual self must be intune together to transition this world of .....PIMPIN.
By: TooCool2Khan
See the original post:
Sam Harris "Waking Up: Science, Skepticism, Spirituality"
Sam Harris Videos!
By: Sam Harris Videos
See the original post:
Sam Harris "Waking Up: Science, Skepticism, Spirituality" - Video
Lifestyle Harmony - SPIRITUALITY with Lori A Andrus
Lifestyle Harmony - SPIRITUALITY with Lori A Andrus WEBSITE: Lori A Andrus - http://www.loriaandrus.com SPIRITUALITY The term "spirituality" is very hard to ...
By: Brad Gudim
See the rest here:
CHAMBERSBURG >> Featured speakers at the 2014 Spirituality and Aging Conference on May 6 will be Gerald and Marlene Kaufman, authors of "Necessary Conversations," who will discuss those important talks that families should begin as parents age such as finances, medical care, end of life wishes, living arrangements and when to stop driving.
The Kaufmans believe that having direct conversations prevent the necessity of forced conversations in emergency situations and avoids decision making under pressure.
The seminar will take place at Northgate at Menno Haven, 1500 Northfield Drive.
It will begin at 9 a.m. with the talk "Changing Roles"; at 10:30 the topic will be "Parent's Finances"; at 1:15 p.m., "Medical Needs and Safety"; and at 2:15, "Age Diversity as Strength."
Lunch will be served at noon.
Cost is $13 for those registered by April 25, and includes lunch. Cost is $15 for those who register after April 25.
To make reservations, call 1-800-222-6695.
See the original post here: