Astronomy Picture of the Day (for iPad)

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By Tony Hoffman

Astronomy Picture of the Day (aka APOD), made by Concentric Sky in cooperation with NASA, takes the gorgeous imagery of the the popular NASA Web site Astronomy Picture of the Day and brings it to your iPad or iPhone device (I reviewed it on the iPad). As you might guess, each day a new picture showing some astronomical highlight (along with a written description) is available for you to view, download, or e-mail, and you can access random past images (or the image from a particular date) as well.

The APOD site was launched in 1995 and is managed by astronomers Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell. According to the app, the APOD archive contains the largest repository of annotated astronomical images on the Internet (one for each day since the site was launched. But while the APOD archive on the Web sites provides an index with titles as well as dates for each image, this app only includes the image dates. The site also lets you search on particular topics ("comet," ormore specifically"Comet PanStarrs," for example), but this app has no search feature. It's therefore best for people who want to access the current image, or enjoy looking at a random potpourri of space photos. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's a shame that the app doesn't offer the searchability of the service, which would make it vastly more useful.

APOD, the App When you open the app, it takes you to the current day's image, with date and image title visible at the top of the screen. An About this Image button at the screen's bottom right corner calls up the caption and credits, the same info you'd see on the APOD site. Next to it is a button titled About APOD, which gives you information about Astronomy Picture of the Day, as well as explaining that the app is a collaboration between the APOD project and Concentric Sky.

To the screen's bottom left is a Back arrow, which will take you to the previous day's image. If you're not on the current day's image, you'll also see a Forward arrow. At the bottom of the screen is a button titled Jump to Image. Clicking on it calls up a counter that lets you choose month, day, and year to select an image by date. Without titles, though, choosing an image by date is like Forrest Gump's mom's box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. A Random button on top of the counter will take you to an image for a random date, the Today button will take you to the current image, and Cancel removes the counter from the screen.

Although you must be online to download pictures, the app will cache recently viewed images. At the lower right corner of the screen is a Share button, which lets you save an image to your iPad's photo album, or e-mail it (it opens up a message with the image pasted in, and a link to the APOD site), or clear your image cache.

Your Daily Space Image Concentric Sky's free Astronomy Picture of the Day app is best for people who want quick, one-stop access to the day's APOD, or to randomly peruse astronomical images. Its lack of image titles or a Search feature precludes it from being useful to people interested in researching specific topics. The APOD site itself is a better tool for that audience, as its archive provides an index of image titles and adds a Search feature. There are several competing apps, most of them paid, out there, toobut we haven't reviewed any of them yet. Stay tuned. In the meanwhile, if you just want to look at current or random images on your iPad or iPhone, Astronomy Picture of the Day gives you easy access to some great pictures.

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Astronomy Picture of the Day (for iPad)

Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows ("SAMB") and Core Services Enter Multi-Year ERP Hosting Relationship

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SOMERSET, N.J., March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Core Services Corporation ("Core Services"), an Oracle Platinum Partner and OAUG Three Star Partner, is delighted to enter into a new multi-year Oracle ERP hosting relationship with Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows ("SAMB").

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091130/NY17702LOGO )

Tony Santagati, SAMB's CFO, comments, "We are very pleased to extend our long-term partnership with Core Services. We chose to extend this relationship knowing that Core provides the best value with their strong technical competence, reliable systems, and optimum system performance. Core Services has proven to be a critical and trusted component of our information technology infrastructure as we look to grow our business in complex market conditions. The entire team at Core Services is to be commended for a job very well done."

Jim Bistis, President and CEO of Core Services, added, "We look forward to continuing our strategic partnership with SAMB's team, as we take great pride in our ability to achieve outcomes that exceed client expectations. Core Services is dedicated to providing superior services to technologically savvy clients by developing intelligent solutions for their unique needs. In addition, our client-centric culture is ingrained whereby meeting client expectations is essential to providing clients with the peace of mind they deserve."

About Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows

Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows was founded on a breakthrough process for creating welded diaphragm metal bellows and has been in the Manufacturing industry for over 50 years. The company was established in 1955 and became a Senior Aerospace company in 1994.

Metal Bellows continues to refine and develop welded metal bellows technology and the integration of welded metal bellows into critical aerospace, semiconductor, medical, and industrial applications. The company operates in a 65,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Sharon, Massachusetts. For more information about Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows, visit http://www.metalbellows.com/.

About Core Services Corporation

Profitable every year since its founding in 1990, Core Services Corporation, an Oracle Platinum Partner and OAUG Three Star Partner, delivers expert Oracle Applications implementation, development, and support to clients worldwide via its Hosting, Cloud, and Consulting services. Additionally, Core Services is authorized to sell and service the Oracle Applications, leveraging Oracle's Business Accelerators. For more information about Core Services, visit http://www.coreservices.com.

Contact: Josh Rothman Marketing Manager, Core Services Corporation +1-732-384-7020; jrothman@coreservices.com

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Senior Aerospace Metal Bellows ("SAMB") and Core Services Enter Multi-Year ERP Hosting Relationship

Economic Action Plan 2013 Delivers for Canadian Aerospace

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OTTAWA, March 21, 2013 /CNW/ - The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) is very pleased with measures announced in the Economic Action Plan 2013 released today in Ottawa.

"The measures announced in the 2013 Economic Action Plan constitute an excellent short-term response to the Aerospace Review report released in December," said Jim Quick, President & CEO of AIAC.

The Action Plan specifically addresses several Emerson Report recommendations in what the government qualifies as "early actions in response to the Aerospace Review." These include:

The government also committed to additional action over the coming year to "improve the focus and coordination of federal programs and practices."

"AIAC and its member companies look forward to supporting this government work, particularly with respect to the space industry," said Mr. Quick, noting, "Canada's global success depends on the development of innovative technologies and securing sales in this highly competitive global industry. Supportive and well-implemented government programs are critical."

Other positive Action Plan measures deemed to have a significant positive impact for the Canadian aerospace industry include the use of key industrial capabilities for military procurement, small business incentives, skills development, domestic financing, technology development and demonstration.

"AIAC supports the Government of Canada's strategy to reduce the federal deficit through spending discipline, and by encouraging economic growth geared towards exports, investment and innovation," said Mr. Quick. "We thank the government for making aerospace growth a priority. Our industry is keen to play its part by making strategic technology investments and creating even more highly skilled jobs for Canadians."

AIAC is the national association representing Canada's aerospace manufacturing and services sector. As the world's fifth-largest aerospace industry, Canada's aerospace sector generates more than $22 billion, exports 80% of its output, and dedicates over 20% of its activity to research and development (R&D). Aerospace is responsible for the employment of 160,000 Canadians. AIAC represents the interests of over 700 aerospace companies across Canada.

SOURCE: Aerospace Industries Association of Canada

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Economic Action Plan 2013 Delivers for Canadian Aerospace

Aerospace industry adapts to global marketplace

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Public release date: 20-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Clea Desjardins clea.desjardins@concordia.ca 514-848-2424 Concordia University

This press release is available in French.

Montreal, March 20, 2013 The aerospace industry is a key sector of the Canadian economy. With sales of over $22.4 billion in 2011, Canada ranks fourth globally in aerospace production. Nearly half of that revenue was generated in Quebec, where Montreal is one of the few places worldwide in which all the components needed to assemble an aircraft are available within a single metropolitan area.

To determine whether Canada can keep up with the global pace, Industry Canada commissioned a study to evaluate how well Canadian aerospace firms, both large and small, are adapting to the changing marketplace. The research was conducted by Isabelle Dostaler, a professor in the Department of Management at Concordia's John Molson School of Business. The results, published in Operations Management Research, indicate that by adopting a "smaller is better" attitude, Canadian aerospace companies can to adapt to their new business environment.

In recent years, the aerospace industry has undergone major changes. The development and assembly of aircraft is now divided between numerous companies, with a handful of large manufacturers, like Bombardier, acting as "system integrators" meaning that they assemble large sections designed and manufactured by their suppliers to produce a complete aircraft. With globalization on the rise, the competition to be part of that supply chain is more intense than ever. Canadian aerospace suppliers often find themselves in competition with suppliers based in China, Brazil or Mexico, where labour costs are lower.

To conduct her study, Dostaler interviewed executives from several Canadian aerospace companies about best practices for winning contracts in this new business environment. She asked them about their particular business strategies and assessed the fit between their capabilities and the key success factors to win contracts in the industry. Respondents emphasized the increased pressure to keep costs low and added that dependability and quality were also critical concerns.

Dostaler's research reveals that successful aerospace companies pursue what is known as an "integrated low-cost differentiation strategy" which means that they provide a higher-quality product at a price that is still reasonable. In the new competitive landscape, buyers are no longer willing to pay a premium to buy differentiated products. By using the integrated business strategy, seven of the 13 companies studied created a good fit between their capabilities and the changing market; four more achieved an average fit.

This is encouraging news, but interview questions about the firms' weaknesses suggested room for further growth. Many companies saw their relatively small size as a weakness in the current industry structure. That's because the large manufacturers prefer to work with partners who can share the risks in new business ventures. The smaller the company's size, the more risk-averse it's likely to be.

The combat this situation, Dostaler suggests that "it might be time for smaller Canadian aerospace companies to focus more on market development." She also thinks that they should develop a marketing plan to convince large global companies that "small is beautiful." This may be the piece of the puzzle that is missing from some firms' efforts to adapt to changes in the industry.

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Aerospace industry adapts to global marketplace

NH defense, aerospace firms eye expanded exports

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CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- New Hampshire's aerospace and defense industry companies are working together to find opportunities overseas.

The New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense Export Consortium held its first formal meeting on Wednesday, just as many of its members are starting to feel the effects of the across-the-board federal spending cuts that began March 1. New Hampshire has about 300 aerospace and defense-related companies, and the industry is growing, but it is also deeply affected by what happens in Washington, said Christopher Way, interim director of the state Division of Economic Development.

"We're seeing the hiring that's starting to flatten. We're seeing expansions that aren't occurring and we're also seeing contracts that aren't being offered," he said. "We want to take a sector that has a pronounced impact on New Hampshire aerospace and defense and we want to do something more in the attack mode."

About 30 percent of the relevant companies haven't yet exported their products, Way said. The consortium is aimed at helping them, as well as the more experienced companies that face challenges navigating often confusing export regulations and laws.

Members of the group will take turns hosting monthly meetings, and the state is setting up a private online portal for them to exchange ideas and seek help."If there's an issue you're having or you want to pick someone's brain, you can either send them a message through the portal or you can start your own discussion group and everyone can feed into that," said Tina Kasim, of the state's International Trade Resource Center.

Harry Johnson of Profile Metal Forming in Newmarket asked the group to consider some kind of mentoring system to match up experienced companies with those just starting to explore exports.

"For a company starting down the path, it would be very helpful to have someone to speak with on various issues," he said.

The group will be focusing on countries that are increasing their defense spending and those that are seeing an increase in business and leisure travel. Among those who attended Wednesday's meeting, some said they want to do more business in the United Kingdom, while others were focused on South America, Australia and the Middle East.

While industry groups focused on exports are common overseas, they are less common in the United States, Way said.

"We've gotten more interest in this than probably anything in the last five years," he said. "An industry group like this, that's common ... but to add the export layer on that, that's what makes it a little bit different."

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NH defense, aerospace firms eye expanded exports

Ball Aerospace Sensor Aboard 8th Landsat Satellite Snaps First Images

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BOULDER, Colo., March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --The Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Operational Land Imager (OLI) aboard the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) has completed initial checkout and along with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center built Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) snapped the mission's first multispectral images.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130108/LA39163LOGO)

Link to the satellite's first images taken on March 18, 2013 of the intersection of the U.S. Great Plains and the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming and Colorado. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/landsat/news/first-images-feature.html

The stunning images follow the launch of the LDCM spacecraft on February 11, 2013 from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. Ball Aerospace built the sophisticated OLI instrument and also provided the cryocooler for TIRS, which was built by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The two sensors will coincidently collect multispectral digital images of the global land surface including coastal regions, polar ice, islands, and the continental areas.

"Release of the first image from LDCM is a great step toward ensuring these improved instruments provide the nation with the most up-to-date understanding of changes taking place across the planet," said Robert D. Strain, Ball Aerospace chief operating officer and incoming president.

For the past 40 years, the Landsat series, managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, has provided vital management information on the use of land resources, such as food, water and forests. For example, data from Landsat helped forest managers determine best response methods and resource allocation for the mountain pine beetle infestation in the Rocky Mountain region. Triggered by an extended drought in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Landsat allowed forest managers to study changes in the ecosystem and identify areas where dead trees should be removed from recreation and camping areas to prevent wildfires.

Improvements expected from the newest LDCM include increased radiometric sensitivity and additional spectral bands. LDCM will observe a total of 11 spectral bands, compared with eight bands on Landsat 7. Also, LDCM is expected to return 400 images per day, compared to 250 images per day from Landsat 7.

"We are very proud that the advanced remote sensing technologies we've provided for the LDCM will nearly double data collected and returned to the U.S. Landsat archive," said Strain.

Instruments on earlier Landsat satellites employed scan mirrors to sweep the instrument fields of view across the surface swath width and transmit light to a few detectors. Ball's OLI instrument instead uses long detector arrays, with over 7,000 detectors per spectral band, aligned across its focal plane to view across the swath. This "push-broom" design results in a more sensitive instrument providing improved land surface information.

Described as "the best Landsat ever launched" by LDCM project scientist Jim Irons, the data will significantly expand Landsat's 40-year archive, the only system of its type with a mission to collect, archive and distribute data of all the Earth's land surface for use by scientific, commercial and governmental agencies to understand the impact of global land changes.

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Ball Aerospace Sensor Aboard 8th Landsat Satellite Snaps First Images

APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY ® Receives key US Patent Award for its Unique NAVIGATOR™ Technology

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Applied Physiology Pty Ltd today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded a key patent for its unique Navigator technology for clinical decision support of circulatory management.

Sydney, Australia (PRWEB) March 20, 2013

The award of this broad suit of claims confirms our leading position in the marketplace for advanced cardiovascular decision support, said Dr Steve Gourlay, MD PhD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Physiology Ltd. Applied Physiologys FDA and CE Mark-approved Navigator has applications in a broad range of critical care situations including the intensive care unit, operating theatre and during dialysis.

The potential health and cost benefits of decision support technology such as Navigator were recently highlighted in a systematic review of Goal Directed Therapy (Cecconi et al. Critical Care 2013, 17:209). This paper reported a reduction in complications across all subgroups studied and a reduction in mortality in sicker patients.

About Applied Physiology Pty Ltd

Applied Physiology is global clinical decision support systems company with operations in Australia, the UK and Europe. It develops and commercializes clinical decision support systems for the critical care market. Its leading product, Navigator, is a guidance system for the circulation and is currently available as a touch screen monitor connectable to bedside multiparameter and cardiac output monitors.

Applied Physiology can be contacted at http://www.applied-physiology.com or +61 2 9209 4191.

Steve Gourlay

+61404971271 Email Information

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APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY ® Receives key US Patent Award for its Unique NAVIGATOR™ Technology

The Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society and Wiley extend over 60 years of partnership

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Public release date: 20-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Ben Norman Sciencenewsroom@wiley.com 44-012-437-70375 Wiley

Hoboken, NJ, March 20, 2013, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., has renewed its relationship with the Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society (SPPS); a partnership which began over sixty years ago. Wiley will continue to support the society's leading research journal Physiologia Plantarum, an international thought leader in the field of plant physiology.

The partnership began in 1948 when the society, known then as the Nordisk Frening fr Fysiologisk Botanik, began collaborating with Munksgaard, later a part of Wiley. That partnership has resulted in Physiologia Plantarum becoming an established thought leader in the field, gaining an Impact Factor of 3.112 in 2011.

The SPPS is currently based in Helsinki, yet while it is led by elected representatives from Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway, the society has a truly global focus with members from the USA, Japan and many other non-Scandinavian countries.

Physiologia Plantarum is an international journal committed to publishing the best original research which explores primary physiology, and the molecular, genetic and ecological mechanisms which govern plant development, growth and productivity. The Editor-in-Chief is Australian Professor Vaughan Hurry.

The journal also publishes Minireviews and Technical Focus papers, with the aim of providing a forum for the exchange of information on recent breakthroughs and technical advances.

"Over the past sixty years the SPPS and Wiley have worked together to promote the best research across the fields of experimental plant biology," said David Nicholson, Vice President & Journals Publishing Director, Wiley. "We are very proud to renew and extend this relationship as we continue to promote plant science research to an ever growing global audience."

Physiologia Plantarum is an official journal of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB), Europe's largest and most widely representative society of plant scientists.

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The Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society and Wiley extend over 60 years of partnership

Nutrition Month Theme Extends All Year

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For the 40th anniversary of National Nutrition Month in 2013, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (as the ADA is now known) is going back to basics but not back in time.

For todays disparate lifestyles, cultures, food preferences and health concerns, Americans are encouraged to follow the basic principles of healthy eating, but in a way that is meaningful and thus more beneficial for their individual diets and circumstances.

"There's no one-size-fits-all way to eat that's right for everyone," said registered dietitian and Academy spokesperson Jim White. "In reality, if the diet doesn't fit with your lifestyle and unique needs, it won't work in the long-term and can even leave you missing out on the nutrition you need to get you through the day."

When it comes to individual eating plans, peoples favorite foods arent crossed entirely off the list. In fact, it is the official position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that total diet or overall pattern of food eating is the most important focus of healthy eating.

Taken a step further, that means that favorite foods can be a part of that healthy eating pattern when consumed in moderation and in conjunction with some physical activity. "There can be a misperception that eating healthfully means giving up your favorite foods," noted registered dietitian and Academy president Ethan A. Bergman. Our 'Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day' National Nutrition Month theme encourages consumers to include the foods they love as part of a healthful eating plan that is tailored for their lifestyles, traditions, health needs and tastes."

To help consumers develop diets that work for them, the Academy has added helpful tools based on this years theme to its National Nutrition Month website. The site includes healthy eating and shopping tips, games, and various educational resources.

While eating plans are getting personal, some of the Academys tips are applicable to specific occasions or personality types.

For those who spend long days at work, the Academy suggests keeping single-serve packages of crackers, fruit, peanut butter or low-sodium soup at ones desk. For those on the go, tips include keeping portable, nonperishable foods in a backpack or briefcase. Sporting enthusiasts and athletes are encouraged to eat a light breakfast or snack before they exercise, such as low-fat yogurt, graham crackers and peanut butter or a cereal and banana with low-fat milk. College and high school students, meantime, can stick to both a healthy diet and a strict budget with foods that combine protein and carbs, like apples with peanut butter or carrots and hummus. And those preparing meals for their families can keep things simple by building a recipe file of healthy and quick meals and encouraging kids to get involved in meal preparation.

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Nutrition Month Theme Extends All Year

Nutrition 101: ‘Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day’

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To keep your body running at its best, its important to eat right which is easier said than done.

During National Nutrition Month in March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages you to follow an eating plan that fits your unique lifestyle and nutritional needs.

Registered dietitian Jacqueline Clemons of the Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center of the Washington Hospital says theres no one-size-fits-all plan to eat thats right for everyone.

Something may work for one individual and not for another. Its based on you needs, your lifestyle and your food accessibility, not just nutrient requirements, said Clemons. Im most concerned with balance.

Whether youre a student, athlete, busy parent, retiree, or work 9 to 5, its important to Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day, the slogan of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

No matter what stage of life youre in, you need to adjust your eating habits as you age in order to maintain a healthy weight and meet your nutrient needs.

Clemons offered the following tips to eat right at different stages of life:

Infancy and early childhood During those first years, a person has the highest requirement for all nutrients per kilogram of body weight than any other developmental age. Thats when a child is growing at the fastest rate, said Clemons. They also require increased protein and require essential fatty acids such as DHA, an Omega 3 fatty acid for brain development and mental function. It can be found in salmon and tuna, nuts and seeds. For picky children, a supplement is available.

Adolescence Clemons said that many children in this age group tend to skip breakfast, an important meal for growing bodies. She suggests preparing healthy grab-and-go foods for breakfast: cheese sticks, yogurt, trail mix, healthy granola bars (theyve come a long way, Clemons said) and fruit.

She also noted that busy teens eat on the go, but encouraged them to make good choices when they are out.

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Nutrition 101: ‘Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day’

NUTRITION MATTERS: The downside of technology at the table

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PREPARING and eating food is one of the most fundamental activities of humanity. Over the centuries, our eating habits have evolved as our physical and social environments changed. These changes have always been gradual happening over a period of years and decades but recent technological advances greatly accelerated this process.

Not only has it changed the way we shop and cook; its also changed who we are and how we think, and has literally opened up a world of culinary options.

Tweets at the table

Meal times have always given people the opportunity to gather and share stories and ideas. With more and more people using technology as their primary method of socialisation, it is no wonder so many of us are giving up around-the-table meals to dine with our computers or phones.

According to a recent US study Clicks and Cravings, The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture, by the Hartman Group up to a third of social media users are on a social networking website while eating or drinking at home and almost half of us text or socialise on our mobile devices during meal times.

Dont think yourself above or immune to this form of social interaction. Recently, while at a food and wine pairing event with my husband, I realised that I too use social media to interact with others while eating. It turns out that both my husband and I tweeted a picture and a comment after each of the seven courses served.

It seems the traditional family meal and the social interaction that comes with it could well be a thing of the past.

Information intake

Another US study, by the Rochester Institute of Technology in March 2011, is one of the first that set out to examine how new-media technology, like the internet and smartphones, is altering university students eating habits and their association to food. The findings show the respondents are more likely to have meals while sitting at the computer than at the kitchen table, and they use social media as the primary method of obtaining recipe and nutritional information.

The same study found people are more likely to ask friends on Facebook or Twitter for recipes than consult a cookbook, and they often used social media to judge the importance and legitimacy of food and nutritional information.

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NUTRITION MATTERS: The downside of technology at the table

Food Giants Get Ranked: New Index Grades Nutrition Attitudes

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When it comes to global nutrition, things have gotten dangerously lopsided. While obesity rates in the developing world continue to skyrocket, many people around the world are still undernourished. But should we be looking to our biggest multinational food companies to fix the problem? The creators of a new index released last week, and funded in large part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, says yes.

The Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) uses a complex algorithm to rank the worlds 25 largest processed-food makers according to the approach each takes towards global nutrition. This first of its kind ranking takes on policies, practices, and performance related to obesity and undernutrition. According to the stakeholders behind the index, the worlds largest food and beverage manufacturers must do more to increase access to nutritious products and positively exercise their influence on consumer choice and behavior.

The rankings are based on categories, like how transparently the companies labeled their products, whether they were investing time and money in developing foods they believed to be healthier, and how they market to children. The rankings are not based on the foods the companies actually produce, because the ATNI website explains, There is currently no universally accepted system for determining the nutritional quality of products relative to one another.

In other words, simply because a company defines a product as healthy, doesnt mean it is objectively so. Take PepsiCos Baked Lays, a reconstitution of dehydrated potatoes, modified food starch, sugar, corn oil, salt, soy lecithin, leavening, monocalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, and dextrose. While they may have fewer calories and less fat that original Lays potato chips, it would be hard for most nutritionists to argue that Baked Lays should be the foundation of a healthy diet.

Irrespective of their actual products, the companies that scored highest barely received passing grades. At the top of the list was Danone (the maker of Dannon yogurt and other dairy products, as well as Evian and Volvic bottled water), which earned a 6.3 on a 10-point scale. Unilever (maker of Best Foods, Ben & Jerry's, Slim Fast, as well as many cleaning and personal care products) and Nestl (maker of brands like Carnation, Dryers, Stoufers, Jenny Craig) came next. The next highest score went to PepsiCo (maker of the iconic soda brand, as well as Frito-Lay chips and Captain Crunch cereal), which earned a 4.4.

"It's a challenge to come up with a score when a company could have many thousands of products. I give [the ATNI team] high marks for courage for undertaking a difficult but very important task," Kelly Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University and one of the experts that provided guidance on the development of the index, told USA Today. With time the index will get refined and you'll have a better sense of what might be happening overall."

Inge Kauer, Executive Director of ATNI," calls the index an urgent call to action in the face of a global health catastrophe. But the larger question is whether or not processed food makers, whose main drive is to sell products, can really be expected to play a serious role in improving nutrition.

Nutritionist and blogger Andy Bellatti doesnt think thats a realistic ask, even if it sounds promising.

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Food Giants Get Ranked: New Index Grades Nutrition Attitudes

American Society for Microbiology to host 113th General Meeting in Denver

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Public release date: 19-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) will hold its 113th General Meeting, May 18-21, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. The meeting will feature approximately 3,000 individual scientific presentations spanning the breadth of microbiology and has an expected attendance of 8,000.

Microbiologists study living organisms and infectious agents, and their work is critical to human and animal health, agriculture, the environment and biotechnology. Many accomplishments in the microbiological sciences have significantly affected our lives, such as the development of treatments for infectious diseases, the prevention of food spoilage, the use of microorganisms to clean up pollutants and basic knowledge of the nature of all living things.

Among the topics to be presented are:

A continuing trend at this year's meeting is how new technologies are not only changing how scientists do microbiology, but also how researchers view the role of microbiology and how microorganisms are shaping our world in ways we never imagined possible a few years ago.

More detailed information, including program and abstracts, can be found online at http://bit.ly/asm2013news

Daily media events will be livestreamed on the internet via the ASM Newsroom and will be archived on YouTube.

Additional press materials can be found at this site as they become available. PLEASE NOTE: The housing deadline is April 15, 2013. While media will be allowed to register for the meeting after that date, they will be responsible for arranging hotel accommodations on their own.

Comprehensive media facilities will be available and meeting registration is complimentary for the media.

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American Society for Microbiology to host 113th General Meeting in Denver

Boiled Greek coffee may be key to longevity

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Washington, March 19 (ANI): When looking to discover the 'secrets of a longer life' many scientists turn to the elderly inhabitants of Ikaria, the Greek island, that boast the highest rates of longevity in the world.

Now, researchers investigating cardiovascular health believe that a cup of boiled Greek coffee holds the clue to the elderly islanders' good health.

Only 0.1 percent of Europeans live to be over 90, yet on the Greek island of Ikaria, the figure is 1 percent. This is recognized as one of the highest longevity rates anywhere - and the islanders tend to live out their longer lives in good health.

Gerasimos Siasos, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Athens Medical School, Greece set out with his team to find out whether the elderly population's coffee drinking had an effect on their health.

In particular, the researchers investigated links between coffee-drinking habits and the subjects' endothelial function. The endothelium is a layer of cells that lines blood vessels, which is affected both by aging and by lifestyle habits (such as smoking).

The team homed in on coffee because recent studies suggest that moderate coffee consumption may slightly reduce the risks of coronary heart disease, and that it may also have a positive impact on several aspects of endothelial health.

From a sample of 673 Ikarians aged over 65 who lived on the island permanently, the researchers randomly selected 71 men and 71 women to take part in the study. Medical staff used health checks (for high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) and questionnaires to get more detail on the participants' medical health, lifestyles and coffee drinking, in addition to testing their endothelial function.

The researchers investigated all types of coffee taken by participants - but interestingly more than 87 percent of those in the study consumed boiled, Greek coffee daily.

More importantly, subjects consuming mainly boiled Greek coffee had better endothelial function than those who consumed other types of coffee. Even in those with high blood pressure, boiled Greek coffee consumption was associated with improved endothelial function, without worrying impacts on blood pressure.

"Boiled Greek type of coffee, which is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants and contains only a moderate amount of caffeine, seems to gather benefits compared to other coffee beverages," Siasos said.

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Boiled Greek coffee may be key to longevity

Longevity Global Inc. Now Offers Full Range Of Plasma Cutters at Competitive Prices

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Longevity Global Inc. with its largest range of welders, cutters, Plasma cutting equipment and power generators offers full lineup that includes ForceCut and MaxArc series.

Hayward, Ca (PRWEB) March 19, 2013

They offer ForceCut series LP-80/Plasma Cutters at comprehensive discount of $ 200. This 80AMP Plasma Cutter is useful for Cutting up to 1.5" thick steel and compares and surpasses the leading brands. This plasma cutter is designed to cut through heavy gauge metal materials including copper, stainless steel and aluminum.

Nonetheless, this plasma cutter is adjustable from 20-80 amps making it a very versatile plasma cutter capable of cutting thin material as well as thick. A spokesperson at Longevity Global Inc. stated Plasma Cutters are an important industrial tool used for cutting metals such as stainless steel, aluminum, and other metals like brass in varying thickness.

We offer Plasma cutting solution and equipment at affordable prices and from widest range to choose from. All our equipment are covered with 5 year parts and labor warranty, he added further. To his opinion, all the Plasma cutters from the company are meant to provide an enhanced experience to clients for their industrial requirements.

Longevity Global Inc. stores inexpensive plasma cutters for sale and gives the best warranty for its equipment in the market. Most of the welding or cutting equipment is insured with the industrys leading 5 year parts and labor warranty. It also has global distributors in various countries to deliver its welding and other machines.

About the Company

Longevity Global Inc. is recognized worldwide for providing reliable Welding, cutting, and power generating equipment. Since their inception 2001, LONGEVITY has earned slogan, "The Power to Last" through innovation, customer satisfaction, and industry leading production. LONGEVITY constantly strives to provide global dealers, distributors, and users with the most innovative welding and cutting machines in the market. Their engineering team works together with their dealers and customers to develop the best equipment in the market.

To know more visit: http://www.longevity-inc.com/

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Longevity Global Inc. Now Offers Full Range Of Plasma Cutters at Competitive Prices

Carrillo suspension may signal confrontation ahead between MLB, star players

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Cesar Carrillo has been suspended 100 games by MLB despite not actually failing a drug test. (Cliff Welch/Icon SMI)

By Cliff Corcoran

Major League Baseball fired a warning shot at the players named on the Biogenesis documents obtained by the Miami New Timesby suspending minor league pitcher Cesar Carrillo on Friday for 100 games for his involvement with the since-shuttered Miami anti-aging clinic, which the New Times exposed as having supplied performance-enhancing drugs to a variety of athletes, including several major leaguers. Carrillos suspension was not the result a positive drug test. Rather, per ESPNs T.J. Quinn, Carrillo was suspended for 50 games for being on Biogenesis documents and another 50 for lying to MLB about knowing [Anthony] Bosch, the former head of Biogenesis.

As commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig has the power to suspend players without a positive test, but the litigious power of the players union has thus far kept him in check. Carrillo, however, is not on any teams 40-man roster, and is thus not a member of the union. That allowed baseball to strong-arm him into talking, and, when he refused, come down hard with the 100-game suspension. That suspension comes just two weeks after Selig spoke publicly about desiring stiffer penalties for positive tests and in conjunction with Quinns report that baseball is determined to punish the other players on Biogenesiss scrolls, including Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez.

The suspension of Carrillo, who was Brauns road roommate at the University of Miami a decade ago, was clearly intended to send a message to the other players connected to Biogenesis, as well as the rest of the league, but I wonder if its an empty threat. Im not a lawyer and have no inside information on this case, but it seems clear from its inaction that MLB doesnt have enough evidence to suspend players who are protected by the union, which as far as Ive seen means everyone but Carrillo (even Mets outfield prospect Cesar Puello is a member of New Yorks 40-man roster, and thus the union). MLB reportedly tried to get the FBI and DEA to investigate Biogenesis in the hope that such an investigation would produce sufficient evidence, but neither has shown any interest thus far. We learned last week that the Florida Department of Health is investigating Bosch for practicing medicine and/or pharmacology without a license, but that investigation seems to be so narrowly focused on Bosch that it is unlikely to produce any new information that would work in MLBs favor.

As things stand now, Carrillo seems to have been unfairly singled out because of his weak position. I worry that Selig and Major League Baseball, perhaps in response to seeing Brauns positive test overturned by an arbitrator a year ago (an arbitrator who, by the way, has since been fired), are abandoning due process when it comes to performance-enhancing drug cases. I dont approve of PED use in professional sports, but one need not be Jose Canseco to detect the degree to which the attempts to identify users in baseball over the past decade has come to resemble a witch hunt. My fear is that Carrillos suspension is a sign that the trials and executions have begun.

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Carrillo suspension may signal confrontation ahead between MLB, star players

Wrinkles: New Anti – Aging Skin Care Product Helps Reverse Signs of Aging

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PALM DESERT, Calif., March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Women and men of a certain age can reduce the appearance of wrinkles with the new, improved version of The Ageless Secret an all natural, hydrating skin energizing and tightening spray that lifts, tones, and hydrates like a beauty mask.

"The Ageless Secret allows you to look younger as you get older because it uses our proprietary technology, Energetic Cosmetic that helps reverse the signs of aging as it reduces the appearance of wrinkles on the face, forehead, eyes and other body parts," said Jim Kaszyk, a research chemist and president of KASZ Enterprises, Inc. which has been making and improving the product for the past 15 years.

"The Ageless Secret is a low-cost reverse-aging skin care product alternative to expensive facial procedures like surgery and specialized spa treatments," he said. "There is no pain, no down time and no side effects. The anti-wrinkle spray has a special energy that may help hydrate and revitalize skin stem cells."

The beauty product supports the body's built-in skin renewal system, which replaces skin cells on hands every 24 hours and on the face every 28 days.

"It is our job to make those new skin cells look the very best we can. With regular daily use you will see your skin's appearance improve. It produces a temporary skin tightening and improvement in skin elasticity. Skin regenerates from within, so it helps your body make those cells the best they can be."

The Ageless Secret boosts the electrical energy of the skin, revitalizes the water within, restores luster and smoothness and immediately improves skin elasticity by up to 50%.

The science behind the product is based on the research of Dr. Harold Saxton Burr of Yale and which was documented on a PBS video, "American Health Journal: Discoveries In Alternative Medicine."

The William A. Tiller Research Institute, an independent lab, verified that the product infused the water with energy.

To read more about the science and technology behind the product, go to: http://agelesssecret.com/index.php/start-here/free-reports.html

To find out how to reduce the effects of aging, the company offers a free ebook, called, "Ageless Secrets: Did You Know that You Are Not Supposed to Look Older as You Age?" at http://agelesssecret.com/Ageless-SECRETS-eBOOK.pdf

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Wrinkles: New Anti - Aging Skin Care Product Helps Reverse Signs of Aging

NASA ‘s Curiosity rover back online after memory glitch

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NASA's Curiosity rover, which has been exploring Mars since it landed to much fanfare last August, is back on active status Tuesday, after a memory glitch set the robot back.

"We expect to get back to sample-analysis science by the end of the week," said Curiosity Mission Manager Jennifer Trosper in a statement.

On February 28, controllers put the rover into "minimal activity safe mode" when they switched the machine's operations to a backup computer after detecting malfunctions in the primary computer's flash memory.

Engineers have diagnosed the software issue that prompted the alert last month, and are prepared to prevent it from happening again, NASA said.

The once-primary "A-side" computer is now back online as a backup, it added, and engineers are testing the B-side computer, which has taken over, by commanding a preliminary free-space move of the robotic arm.

The six-wheeled vehicle, with 10 scientific instruments on board, is the most sophisticated robot ever sent to another planet.

The $2.5 billion Curiosity mission, which is set to last at least two years, aims to study the Martian environment and to hunt for evidence of water in preparation for a possible future manned mission.

Last week, NASA announced that the rover's analysis of a rock sample had found conditions once suited to life on the Red Planet.

"A fundamental question for this mission is whether Mars could have supported a habitable environment," Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program, said. "From what we know now, the answer is yes."

At the televised press conference, the NASA team said this was the first definitive proof a life-supporting environment had existed beyond Earth.

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NASA 's Curiosity rover back online after memory glitch

Large asteroid heading to Earth? Pray, says NASA

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By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA chief Charles Bolden has advice on how to handle a large asteroid headed toward New York City: Pray.

That's about all the United States - or anyone for that matter - could do at this point about unknown asteroids and meteors that may be on a collision course with Earth, Bolden told lawmakers at a U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee hearing on Tuesday.

An asteroid estimated to be have been about 55 feet in diameter exploded on February 15 over Chelyabinsk, Russia, generating shock waves that shattered windows and damaged buildings. More than 1,500 people were injured.

Later that day, a larger, unrelated asteroid discovered last year passed about 17,200 miles from Earth, closer than the network of television and weather satellites that ring the planet.

The events "serve as evidence that we live in an active solar system with potentially hazardous objects passing through our neighborhood with surprising frequency," said Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Texas Democrat.

"We were fortunate that the events of last month were simply an interesting coincidence rather than a catastrophe," said Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican, who called the hearing to learn what is being done and how much money is needed to better protect the planet.

NASA has found and is tracking about 95 percent of the largest objects flying near Earth, those that are .62 miles or larger in diameter.

"An asteroid of that size, a kilometer or bigger, could plausibly end civilization," White House science advisor John Holdren told legislators at the same hearing.

But only about 10 percent of an estimated 10,000 potential "city-killer" asteroids, those with a diameter of about 165 feet have been found, Holdren added.

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Large asteroid heading to Earth? Pray, says NASA