South Beaches: Changes at the beach after Labor Day Lorraine Thompson South Beaches News The summer of 2012 may be dwindling down, but the St. Johns County beach season continues year-round.
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Despite lack of lifeguards, swimmers flock to beaches
Many beachgoers, hoping for a supervised swim, may be disappointed that seasonal lifeguard service has ended at many Nova Scotia beaches.
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Tropical Storm Isaac Likely to Erode Beaches
Tropical Storm Isaac is likely to cause erosion of beaches and dunes over 89 percent of the Mississippi coast and 45 percent of Alabama's coast, according to a statement released by the National Hurricane Center this morning (Aug. 27).
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BAFact Math: The Sun is 400,000 times brighter than the full Moon | Bad Astronomy
[BAFacts are short, tweetable astronomy/space facts that I post every day. On some occasions, they wind up needing a bit of a mathematical explanation. The math is pretty easy, and it adds a lot of coolness, which I'm passing on to you! You're welcome.]
Todays BAFact: The Sun is 400,000 times brighter than the full Moon in the sky.
If youve ever looked at the full Moon through a telescope you know how painfully bright it can be. But you can do it if you squint, or use a mild filter to block some of the light.
On the other hand, if you try the same thing with the Sun (hint: dont) youll end up with a fried retina and an eyeball filled with boiling vitreous humor.
So duh, the Sun is much brighter than the Moon. But how much brighter?
Astronomers use a brightness system called magnitudes. Its actually been around for thousands of years, first contrived by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus. Its a little weird: first, its not linear. That is, an object twice as bright as another doesnt have twice the magnitude value. Instead, the system is logarithmic, with a base of 2.512. Blame Hipparchus for that: he figured the brightest stars were 100 times brighter than the dimmest stars, and used a five step system [Update: My mistake, apparently he didn't know about the factor of 100, that came later.]. The fifth root of 100 = 2.512 (or, if you prefer, 2.5125 = 2.512 x 2.512 x 2.512 x 2.512 x 2.512 = 100), so there you go. Ill give examples in a sec
Secondly, the other weird thing about the magnitude system is that its backwards. A brighter star will have a lower number. Its like an award; getting first place is better than third. So a bright star might be first magnitude, and a dimmer one third magnitude.
To figure out how much brighter one star actually is than another, subtract the brighter stars magnitude from the dimmer ones, and then take 2.512 to that power. As an example, the star Achernar has a magnitude of roughly 0.5. Hamal, the brightest star in the constellation of Aries, has a magnitude of 2.0. Therefore, Achernar is 2.512(2.0 0.5) = 2.5121.5 = 4 times brighter than Hamal. So you can say its four times brighter, or 1.5 magnitudes brighter. Same thing.
Its weird, but actually pretty handy for astronomers. And it doesnt stop at 0. A really bright object can have a negative magnitude, and the math still works. For example, Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, has a magnitude of about -1.5 (making it 6 times as bright as Achernar check my math if you want). Which brings us to the topic at hand
The Moon is pretty bright, and when its full has a magnitude of about -12.7. Thats bright enough to read by! But the Sun is way, way brighter. Its magnitude is a whopping -26.7. How much brighter is that?
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BAFact Math: The Sun is 400,000 times brighter than the full Moon | Bad Astronomy
Artificial Intelligence And Semantic Technology Conference In Kuching This September
You are here : Bernama News
August 27, 2012 22:32 PM
Artificial Intelligence And Semantic Technology Conference In Kuching This September
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- A conference which gathers famous researchers and scientists from all over the world to discuss artificial intelligence and semantic technology will be held in Kuching, Sarawak for five days from Sept 5.
Mimos Berhad (Mimos) Artificial Intelligence (AI) director Dr Dickson Lukose, the conference chairman, said organised by the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), the conference would be held in conjunction with the 2012 Technological Knowledge Week.
"It is the biggest conference in the Asia-Pacific region, after the conference in Europe and the United States.
"Careful planning was needed because the researchers and scientists who will be attending the conference are so famous and busy that their attendance had to be confirmed two years before the conference," he said in a statement, Monday.
-- BERNAMA
We provide (subscription-based) news coverage in our Newswire service.
Malaysian National News Agency, Wisma BERNAMA,No 28, Jalan 1/65A, Off Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel : 603-2693 9933 ( General Line ) E-mail : helpdesk@bernama.com
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Artificial Intelligence And Semantic Technology Conference In Kuching This September
ST Aerospace Injects Capital into Its Commercial Pilot Training Academy
Singapore, 28 August 2012 ST Aerospace Ltd today announced that it has, through its wholly owned subsidiary ST Aerospace Engineering Pte Ltd (STA Engineering), injected US$1.44m (approximately S$1.8m) into the capital of wholly owned subsidiary, ST Aerospace Academy Pte Ltd (STAA).
The capital injection affirms ST Aerospaces confidence in the pilot training business and its continued investment to upgrade STAAs flight training capacity and capabilities to meet rising training demand from airline customers and private self-funded individuals. STAA will use part of the funds to equip its new Flight Operations Centre (FOC) at the Ballarat Airport, featuring a state-of-the-art centralised flight operations and dispatch centre. The FOC will come with a new aircraft apron that can accommodate a fleet of up to 40 training aircraft. There is also plan to acquire a PA44 Seminole full flight simulator in late 2012. STAA expects to train 200 commercial pilot cadets by the end of 2012.
The fund injection is not expected to have any material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of ST Engineering for the current financial year.
ST Aerospace (Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd) is the aerospace arm of ST Engineering. Operating a global MRO network with facilities and affiliates in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe, it is the worlds largest commercial airframe MRO provider with a global customer base that includes leading airlines, airfreight and military operators. ST Aerospace is an integrated service provider that offers a spectrum of maintenance and engineering services that include airframe, engine and component maintenance, repair and overhaul; engineering design and technical services; and aviation materials and management services, including Total Aviation Support. ST Aerospace has a global staff strength of more than 8,000 engineers and technical specialists. Please visit http://www.staero.aero.
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ST Aerospace Injects Capital into Its Commercial Pilot Training Academy
Fitting Kv potassium channels in the PIP2 puzzle
Public release date: 27-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rita Sullivan King news@rupress.org 212-327-8603 Rockefeller University Press
A recent study in the Journal of General Physiology brings new insights to an area of ion channel regulation: whether voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels can be regulated by physiological changes to PIP2.
Potassium channels, microscopic pores that allow potassium ions to cross cell membranes, are crucial to such diverse processes as conduction of the nerve impulse, regulation of the heartbeat, and the secretion of hormones such as insulin. PIP2, a minor phospholipid component of cell membranes, regulates the activity of various proteins in the cell membrane, and previous studies have indicated that it might be a very important regulator of such channels. To probe the cell signaling roles of PIP2 under physiological conditions, Bertil Hille (University of Washington) and colleagues used a set of sophisticated molecular tools to rapidly deplete PIP2 in the membranes of intact cells and simultaneously monitor the PIP2 changes that occurred. Using this approach, they confirmed previous studies showing that the activity of "inward rectifier" potassium channels was strongly dependent on PIP2. Surprisingly, however, they found that various members of the Kv channel family thought to be PIP2 sensitive on the basis of studies that analyzed their activity in isolated patches of cell membrane were, in fact, unaffected by PIP2 depletion. Thus, the group demonstrated that large PIP2 changes at the membranes of intact cells did not modulate the function of these Kv channels, contrary to expectations.
According to Donald Hilgemann (UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas) in commentary appearing in the September 2012 issue of JGP, the findings are an important step forward in our understanding of PIP2 effects on Kv channels. Furthermore, the tools employed by the Hille group can now be used to address questions about PIP2 functions in other cellular processes. In addition to its complex roles in cytoskeleton regulation and endocytosis, PIP2 appears to influence many cell membrane processes, including the formation of membrane domains, membrane budding, and membrane turnover.
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About The Journal of General Physiology
Founded in 1918, The Journal of General Physiology (JGP) is published by The Rockefeller University Press. All editorial decisions on manuscripts submitted are made by active scientists. JGP content is posted to PubMed Central, where it is available to the public for free six months after publication. Authors retain copyright of their published works and third parties may reuse the content for non-commercial purposes under a creative commons license. For more information, please visit http://www.jgp.org.
Hilgemann, D.W., et al. 2012. J. Gen. Physiol. doi:10.1085/jgp.201210874. Kruse, M., G.R.V. Hammond, and B. Hille. 2012. J. Gen. Physiol. doi:10.1085/jgp.201210806.
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Fitting Kv potassium channels in the PIP2 puzzle
Study: For Body Fat, 30 Minutes of Exercise as Good as 60
Research in the American Journal of Physiology found that Danish men lost more weight with a half hour of daily exercise than they did with a full hour; their body fat remained the same in both cases. Moderation wins again.
PROBLEM: Creating a negative energy balance -- burning off more than you take in -- is the not-so-secret key to successful weight loss. Dieters, however, often find that eating less triggers compensatory mechanisms, such as increased appetite and a slowed metabolism, that make this balance difficult to maintain. Looking at the other side of this equation, is there an infinitely positive relationship between amount of exercise and pounds shed? Or is there a certain point where the compensatory mechanisms kick in, so that extra time on the treadmill ceases to affect weight loss?
METHODOLOGY: Sixtymoderately overweight Danish men were randomly assigned to either a moderate or high-dose aerobic routine of running, biking, or rowing. The moderate exercisers burned 300 calories per day, which took about 30 minutes, while the high-dose group burned 600 calories, which, predictably, took about twice as long. The subjects' body composition was monitored throughout the 13-week experiment, as were their compensatory behaviors (food intake and non-exercise physical activity). Their accumulated energy balance was calculated from their changes in body composition.
RESULTS: The group that practiced moderate exercise lost an average of 7.9 lbs in body weight, while the group that worked harder only lost an average of 6.0 lbs. Both saw similar losses in fat mass (about 8.8 lbs in the moderate group, and 8.3 pounds in the high-dose group). Researchers measured no significant difference in caloric intake or non-exercise energy expenditure.
CONCLUSION: Comparingmen who exercised for half an hour each day to men who worked out for twice as long, less exercise was actually associated with greater weight loss, and no significant difference infat loss. So the moderate exercisers got a lot more for their effort.
IMPLICATIONS: "Lose more weight in half the time" sounds like the kind of pitch that can get you into trouble. And the researchers aren't sure exactly why they got the results that they did. They suggest that less exercise may be associated with a greater willingness to engage in other forms of physical activity throughout the day that they did not measure, or that the more intense workouts may have lead to more compensatory food intake (though, within the limits of this study, they measured no difference). This calls to light the interplay of all the variables that go into weight loss and gain, and how, when factored in the bigger picture of life and physiology and behavioral psychology and taco rewards, more exercise isn't always better.
The full study, "Body fat loss and compensatory mechanisms in response to different doses of aerobic exercise -- a randomized controlled trial in overweight sedentary males," is published in the American Journal of Physiology.
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Study: For Body Fat, 30 Minutes of Exercise as Good as 60
Pathology Software – Developed by Nspire Technologies Nagpur. – Video
27-08-2012 01:57 Pathology Software is a fully loaded for pathology laboratories. It is use for Sugar Health Care management System.
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Pathology Software - Developed by Nspire Technologies Nagpur. - Video
Conditions prime for cricket invasion
Field crickets are taking advantage of the weather conditions and spreading like wildfire, according to OSU Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology.
These outbreaks seem to occur after periods of prolonged dry weather in spring and early summer followed by rainfall in July and August, said Rick Grantham, director of the Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Lab in Oklahoma State Universitys Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. Extensive soil cracking may be an important factor.
The current conditions provide good sites for egg deposition, an abundance of favorable food, vegetation for shelter and a scarcity of parasites and predators may also be involved. Crickets will feed on almost anything and occasionally damage alfalfa, cotton, strawberries, vegetables and ornamentals. Additionally, they will be drawn indoors by lights and sometimes damage fabrics, wood, plastic, rubber and leather goods.
Crickets commonly spend the daylight hours hiding in dark, damp areas. Eliminating piles of bricks, stones, wood or other debris around the home will help reduce numbers, Grantham said. Weeds and dense vegetation around the foundations of homes are other good hiding places.
Trash dumps provide both food and shelter for crickets and should be cleaned out. Eliminating light sources at night and ensuring there are tights seals around all doors and windows will reduce the number of crickets inside a house or business.
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Conditions prime for cricket invasion
Bode Technology Offers First Rapid DNA Service Delivering a DNA Profile from Evidentiary Samples in Under 90 Minutes
LORTON, Va., Aug. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Bode Technology Group, Inc. (Bode), a leading provider of innovative forensic DNA services, announced today the launch of their Rapid DNA Service to provide near real-time DNA analysis. This service delivers a DNA profile from forensic samples in less than 90 minutes resulting in a fast turnaround of investigative leads for law enforcement agencies holding persons of interest. Bode's Rapid DNA Service also allows for DNA to be used as a biometric application for identity resolution of detainees at critical screening points.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120619/PH27111LOGO)
"The 'CSI Effect' has raised the expectations of the public. Bode's new Rapid DNA Service, which provides a DNA profile from evidence samples or reference samples in under 90 minutes, has significantly closed the gap between television fiction and real life. This service also brings reality to the possibility of using DNA as a biometric for identity resolution," said Barry Watson, CEO & President of Bode. "DNA has been labeled the gold standard in forensic science by the National Academy of Science, and this rapid service makes it applicable in more situations."
Rapid DNA Service utilizes commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment already commonly used in forensic laboratories and capitalizes on improvements to both rapid thermal cycling and direct amplification. Bode scientists have also made significant advancements in obtaining DNA from virtually all forensic and biological evidence types, including cigarette butts, bloodstains, touch evidence and handled objects.
Mike Cariola, COO of Bode Technology, said, "We have achieved a breakthrough and are the only forensic laboratory providing a service that can successfully obtain high quality DNA profiles from evidentiary items this rapidly. We have implemented an amplification procedure that meets the FBI's Quality Assurance Standards for validation and sets a new performance level for the forensic community which is a testament to the ingenuity of our scientists."
Bode's expertise and innovation allows us to offer this industry leading service for evidentiary items. Other rapid DNA systems will soon reach the market, but require significant capital expenditure while providing lower throughput and are limited to only processing reference samples. In addition, these systems are still pending validation by the forensic community. Bode's Rapid DNA Service provides an immediate solution.
Bode's Virginia laboratory is one of the few private facilities worldwide to receive ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation from both the American Society of Crime Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB-International Program) and the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board/FQS for forensic testing.
For more information, see http://www.bodetech.com/rapid-dna.
About The Bode Technology Group, Inc.
Bode Technology provides a comprehensive set of state-of-the-art forensic DNA collection products, analysis services, and research services to law enforcement, justice system, and other government agencies around the world. Operating one of the most internationally respected private DNA laboratories, Bode's forensic DNA experts have assisted in identifying criminals in every state in the United States, and played a key role in the exoneration of numerous individuals. Bode provides immigration and paternity testing worldwide. Bode has also been instrumental in the identification of victims of natural disasters, war, crime, and terrorism, including the attack on the World Trade Center.
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Bode Technology Offers First Rapid DNA Service Delivering a DNA Profile from Evidentiary Samples in Under 90 Minutes
pH-sensitive liposomal cisplatin improves peritoneal carcinomatosis treatment without side-effects
Public release date: 27-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andrea Teixeira Carvalho atcteixeira@gmail.com Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
Scientists at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Federal University of Minas Gerais, led by Dr. Andra Teixeira-Carvalho and Dr. Mnica Cristina de Oliveira, have developed and characterized a circulating and pH-sensitive liposome containing cisplatin (SpHL-CDDP) aiming to promote the release of cisplatin near the tumor as well as decreasing toxicity. The development of analog drugs and new formulations are current strategies for increasing the effectiveness and safety of cisplatin as an anti-peritoneal carcinomatosis drug. The results, which appear in the August 2012 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine demonstrate that the treatment of initial or disseminated Ehrlich ascitic tumor-bearing Swiss mice with SpHL-CDDP improved the antitumor efficacy and decreased renal and bone marrow toxicity of cisplatin-based therapy.
"Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a serious concern in the treatment of abdominal tumors such as hepatic, gastric and gynecological tumors", says Dr. Oliveira. "The strategy of local chemotherapy is interesting due to the possibility to increase the therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic side-effects. SpHL-CDDP treatment was able to reduce cancer cell proliferation and increase survival, in the animal model, with no known toxicity clinical signs found in the free CDDP treatment." says Dr. Maroni.
These results open the possibility of future use of SpHL-CDDP in chemotherapy of peritoneal carcinomatosis. "New studies are underway in our research group to investigate the signaling pathways of cell death as well as use of high doses of SpHL-CDDP for the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis", says Dr. Teixeira-Carvalho.
Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, said " This very interesting study has utilized a new pH-sensitive circulating liposome containing cisplatin formulation which decreased cancer proliferation and drug toxicity in a mouse model. This provides the basis for further translational testing of this formulation leading to clinical trials aimed at more effective treatment of abdominal tumors".
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Experimental Biology and Medicine is a journal dedicated to the publication of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in the biomedical sciences. The journal was first established in 1903.
Experimental Biology and Medicine is the journal of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine. To learn about the benefits of society membership visit http://www.sebm.org. If you are interested in publishing in the journal please visit http://ebm.rsmjournals.com .
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pH-sensitive liposomal cisplatin improves peritoneal carcinomatosis treatment without side-effects
To cap or not to cap: Scientists find new RNA phenomenon that challenges dogma
ScienceDaily (Aug. 27, 2012) Some RNA molecules spend time in a restful state akin to hibernation rather than automatically carrying out their established job of delivering protein-building instructions in cells, new research suggests.
And instead of being a fluke or a mistake, the research suggests that this restful period appears to be a programmed step for RNA produced by certain types of genes, including some that control cell division and decide where proteins will work in a cell to sustain the cell's life.
This could mean that protein production in cells is not as clear-cut as biology textbooks suggest, scientists say.
"This could mean there are more variations to the proteins in our bodies than we realize; it means that RNAs can be stored and reactivated and we don't know what biological process that affects -- it could influence embryonic development, or neurological activity, or even cancer," said Daniel Schoenberg, professor of molecular and cellular biochemistry at Ohio State University and lead author of the study.
Schoenberg and colleagues discovered this phenomenon by tracing the origins of a cap-like structure on messenger RNA (mRNA) that is known to coordinate most of this RNA molecule's short life. Messenger RNA is manufactured in a cell's nucleus and each mRNA contains the instructions needed to produce a specific protein that a cell needs to live.
Until now, scientists have believed that once an mRNA is no longer needed to make protein, the cap comes off and the molecule is degraded, its job complete. But Schoenberg's lab discovered in 2009 that some mRNAs that were thought to be degraded were instead still present in the cell, but they were missing part of their sequence and had caps placed back on the newly formed ends. Because these mRNAs were in the cytoplasm, the changes had to happen there rather than inside the nucleus.
In this new study, the researchers were looking for further evidence of these apparent rogue mRNAs, but instead they found that a completely unexpected biological process occurs before some proteins are even a glimmer in a gene's eye: The uncapping and recapping of mRNAs outside the nucleus results from a cap recycling operation in the cell cytoplasm. This process appeared to enable certain RNAs to pause, without being degraded, before launching protein production.
"What this discovery tells us is a complete fundamental reworking of the relationship between a gene, messenger RNA and a protein. It's more complicated than we realize," Schoenberg said.
The research is published online in the open-access journal Cell Reports.
That fragments of mRNA could exist at all in the cell's main body was first reported by other scientists in 1992. Years later, Schoenberg asked a postdoctoral researcher in his lab to revisit these unexpected RNA fragments and confirm they exist. The postdoc's experiments showed that these mRNA, thought to be the dregs left over from their degradation, had caps on them -- suggesting they still had the potential to function in protein production. Schoenberg, also director of Ohio State's Center for RNA Biology, has been investigating this cytoplasmic capping operation ever since.
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To cap or not to cap: Scientists find new RNA phenomenon that challenges dogma
Loretta Devine: 'Anatomy' of An Emmy Nom
I don't know of a single performer with a more apt surname than Loretta Devine. From Dreamgirls to Waiting to Exhale to her recent Emmy-nominated turn on Grey's Anatomy, every role this multi-hyphenate takes on is instantly imbued with elegance and excellence.
TheInsider.com caught up with the divine Miss. Devine to talk about her Grey's arc (as Adele Webber the Alzheimer's afflicted wife of Seattle Grace's Chief of Staff), that proposed Exhale sequel and what fans can expect from a second season of The Client List!
TheInsider.com: Adele first appeared during the second season of Grey's -- at that time, did you have any idea of how important she'd be to the show? Loretta Devine: No, absolutely not. It's been almost eight years now and you never know when they're going to call you in it's always about availability. The last few seasons, I had a block of time and was excited about that. But when I found out she'd be dealing with Alzheimer's, I thought they were going to kill her off [laughs]. It's always so scary, because Richard was in love with Ellis, who also had Alzheimer's and they just killed her off! I mean, after a year of working ... dead. Good lord! [laughs]
RELATED - Grey's Creator Defends Finale Death
Insider.com: Alzheimer's can sometimes come across as very "act-y" -- how did you prepare and avoid those pitfalls? Loretta: A lot of it is in the writing Shonda Rhimes and her team have so much to do with the look of the character. My father passed and he had a touch of dementia, and I have some friends who are dealing with that with their parents too. I played Adele with a baseline of feeling she was fine for the first few episodes. But what was so great about this past season is she had to acknowledge she was sick, let go of her home, let go of her husband and move into this [assisted living facility]. It was so sad. Now she's sleeping with strangers and [Richard] is dating Debbie Allen [who plays Dr. Catherine Avery] -- it's funny, I was watching TV and finding some of this out with the rest of America and screaming at my television!
VIDEO - Whitney Houston Sparkles in Final Insider Interview
Insider.com: Do you know anything about what the future holds for Adele? Loretta: I don't know if I'm going to be back, or how theyre going to resolve the issue maybe they'll find a cure. I saw Jim [Pickens Jr., who plays Richard Webber] at the premiere of Sparkle and he didn't know either. So we'll see!
Insider.com: How was it seeing your friend Whitney in the film? Loretta: Oh my God, it's such a great loss. And that's what is so weird about movies you feel like the person is there but they're not. When I think of Whitney, I think of a young, vivacious girl, but in Sparkle, she plays this little old lady and I had to get used to seeing her doing that. She got a chance to sing in the film and it just breaks your heart. It's such a tremendous loss. But she was excellent in the movie. Right on point and I believed she believed what she was doing, so that was great.
RELATED - Waiting Sequel Moving Forward
Insider.com: Any update on the Waiting to Exhale sequel we've heard so much about? Loretta: Terry McMillan is still working on the script. They want it to be a tribute to Whitney, but I don't know if they're going to include her character or try something totally different. Also, Gregory Hines' character has to be dealt with too it can't be a movie full of funerals, so I don't know what their plan is. They're trying to get it together.
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Loretta Devine: 'Anatomy' of An Emmy Nom
Nutrition tied to improved sperm DNA quality in older men
Public release date: 27-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dan Krotz dakrotz@lbl.gov 510-486-4019 DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
A new study led by scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) found that a healthy intake of micronutrients is strongly associated with improved sperm DNA quality in older men. In younger men, however, a higher intake of micronutrients didn't improve their sperm DNA.
In an analysis of 80 healthy male volunteers between 22 and 80 years of age, the scientists found that men older than 44 who consumed the most vitamin C had 20 percent less sperm DNA damage compared to men older than 44 who consumed the least vitamin C. The same was true for vitamin E, zinc, and folate.
"It appears that consuming more micronutrients such as vitamin C, E, folate and zinc helps turn back the clock for older men. We found that men 44 and older who consumed at least the recommended dietary allowance of certain micronutrients had sperm with a similar amount of DNA damage as the sperm of younger men," says Andy Wyrobek of Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division.
"This means that men who are at increased risk of sperm DNA damage because of advancing age can do something about it. They can make sure they get enough vitamins and micronutrients in their diets or through supplements," adds Wyrobek.
Wyrobek conducted the research with a team of researchers that includes Brenda Eskenazi of the University of California at Berkeley's School of Public Health and scientists from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom. They report their findings in the August 27 online issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility.
Their research comes as more men over 35 have children, which raises public health concerns. Previous research conducted in Wyrobek's lab found that the older a man is, the more he's likely to have increased sperm DNA fragmentation, chromosomal rearrangements, and DNA strand damage. Older men are also more likely to have increased frequencies of sperm carrying certain gene mutations, such as those leading to dwarfism. These findings help explain why aging men are less fertile and are predicted to have more chromosomally defective pregnancies and a higher proportion of offspring with genetic defects.
But until now, researchers haven't understood whether diet can protect against the detrimental effects of aging on the sperm genome.
The scientists studied a group of about 80 men between 20 and 80 years old with an average age of 44. They were recruited several years ago as part of the California Age and Genetic Effects on Sperm Study when Wyrobek was at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Each man who participated in the study filled out a 100-item questionnaire that estimated their average daily vitamin intake, both from food and supplements.
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Nutrition tied to improved sperm DNA quality in older men
Lessons From Bangladesh
Glenn Hicks of the Institute for Integrative Genome Biology teaches a workshop at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
PHOTO CREDIT: G. HICKS, UC RIVERSIDE.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. Before he left for Bangladesh to conduct a workshop this summer, Glenn Hicks of the University of California, Riverside did not quite know what to expect. What he knew was that he would be leading a workshop, called Workshop on Genomics and Proteomics, from July 16 through July 24 at the University of Dhaka, the premier public university in Bangladesh. What his brief visit to that countrys capital taught him, though, was that education is critical for all of our futures and that with patience education could help overcome even great cultural and economic differences.
Aimed at providing an overview of genomics and proteomics, the workshop, the first of its kind that UC Riverside has offered in Bangladesh, was funded by the World Bank and hosted by the University of Dhakas Botany Department.
I learned, too, that many of the research projects in the department were biotechnology-oriented towards solving problems that are important for, and in some cases unique to, Bangladesh projects like plant virus and fungal disease resistance, bioremediation, and production of biomass for feeds and fertilizers, he added.
Faculty and students at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, recently attended a workshop presented by UC Riversides Glenn Hicks.
PHOTO CREDIT: G. HICKS, UC RIVERSIDE.
Hicks found that although the University of Dhaka is a large university, its infrastructure is limited in terms of opportunities for the most up-to-date research and postgraduate studies utilizing advanced methods and technologies. For example, the laboratories he toured had basic equipment for molecular biology research, but access to advanced instrumentation was limited. Still, the students and faculty were eager to learn, he found, and sincere in their desire for more high-quality research.
They have a strong hunger for more contemporary knowledge and hands-on scientific training, Hicks said. Many of the faculty are smart and forward looking. They are acutely aware of the need to target new areas for learning. While some of the highest-technology equipment is not available to them as yet, procuring knowledge is what matters as a start. From there, meaningful projects and focused infrastructure can follow. This was noted by the vice chancellor of the University of Dhaka, Professor Siddique, whom I was able to meet. He was very supportive of future interactions with UCR.
The trip to Bangladesh, his first, was an opportunity for Hicks to make a significant contribution beyond the UCR campus. An early difference he made there was getting the workshop participants to ask questions in the ten lectures he presented.
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Lessons From Bangladesh
Your NBA finds a perfect goliath on the across the world accepted
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It switch also made it feasible for Adidas Service provider to achieve much stronger realization in north america by the NBA affiliation, and Reebok would certainly continue to keep develop and erect all the running shoes which make him or her mistakes regarded store, beneath Adidas acquisition.This process step means any NBA to relocate in advance with an try to offshore promoting of an NBA products and services, and also garment, while at the same occasion increasing the various stores prepared to a worldwide marketplace. Foreign exchange trading is comprised of during 250,000 retail shops for 80 counties, and also earth's only NBA Store found in Right away York Metropolis, in addition to NBAStore.world wide web. nba basketball jerseys Beside the following new pic, typically the NBA is certainly producing important actions with regard to area outreach packages with good cause deposits, which unfortunately continually boost their view across the world, along with getting this NBA far more as opposed to a great "American" past-time, but in addition a globally noticed group, along with substantive connects around the world regional community all in all.
It is only just lately in which the brand new, unusual photo is something that is referred to straight into subject thru New york city Senator, of recent York; the very first, community maker for ones NBA's public jerseys and thus pants for just a portion of the NBA. Stating complications like for example U s of a's great pride with systems produced inside the States, together with the inappropriateness from offering standard nhl jerseys, outside the U . s a great "American" game.During arduous commercial events, particularly at this stage One is and will also be one of the largest QBs inside of NFL track record of the year, often the matter for your reduced jobs which the may supply is a really important dilemma, and 1 of which Senator Schumer appear to be taking advantage of.
Advising that will American's have a nice primary by injection to this NBA in auspices that it is "an United states Sport activity,Half inch Senator Schumer has told you that may to try formulation somewhere else may very well be "an insult for that Western technician and activities NBA devotees everywhere typically."In a time when society has grown to be minor, and therefore conversation has created just about all competitive sports a global futures trading ( blank ) it's a really big method in reverse for this united states to set up saying possession for virtually any definitely one exact outdoor activity. Activities like the as soon as the Western appearance will be fix the problem bruised on account of unusual happenings over the past years, you need to know that all the goals and objectives of your respective NBA really are a very good tip versus re-establishing a number of essential really good can. Sporting events maintain almost always provided not really a experience of indigenous fulfillment, as well as the extracting as a group involving locations. This can be a indication of what come together us all, certainly not all of the competitions the so frequently dissect all of us a part seeing that america's.
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Your NBA finds a perfect goliath on the across the world accepted
Dinosaur footprints discovered outside NASA's Maryland flight center
By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 15:12 EST, 26 August 2012 | UPDATED: 15:12 EST, 26 August 2012
In their constant bid to break new ground, it's rare for NASA's news to include any mention of dinosaurs.
But thats exactly what happened this week after a massive footprint of a lumbering, armoured dinosaur called a nodosaur was discovered at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
More than a hundred million years before scientists at NASA's Maryland-based centre were working on exploring the universe, it appears that the site was home to herbivore dinosaurs.
Incredible: A 12-inch-wide dinosaur footprint belonging to an armored, tank-like plant-eater called a nodosaur was discovered at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center this summer; NASA confirmed the discovery this week
Discovery: A model of a nodosaur sits in the giant footprint, which was found by amateur dino-hunter Ray Stanford
The incredible discovery was made all the more exciting after a second track - overlapping with the first - was unearthed suggesting that the tank-link nodosaur had a baby in tow.
The first giant footprint, which measures 12 inches wide and shows the imprint of four toes, was discovered earlier this summer by amateur dinosaur tracker Ray Stanford.
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Dinosaur footprints discovered outside NASA's Maryland flight center
NASA flyover a preview for space shuttle's dramatic L.A. entrance
NASA did some prep work Saturday for the highly anticipated tour across the skies of Southern California for the space shuttle Endeavour.
On Saturday, two NASA jets, a T-38 trainer and an F-18 Hornet, circled low across the Southland for several hours, scouting possible routes and backdrops for a scenic flyover by Endeavor before its Sept. 20 touchdown in Los Angeles, officials said.
NASA awarded the retired orbiter last year to the California Science Center in Exposition Park, where it will be put on permanent display. The shuttle will be ferried to Los Angeles from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on the back of a modified Boeing 747.
NASA spokesman Michael Curie said Saturday's flights, at about 1,500 feet, were intended to help the agency map out the shuttle's arrival, and the viability of a celebratory flyover.
He said the pilots would examine and photograph potential challenges and hazards in the area, including cellphone, radio and TV towers, and would consider various routes and altitudes. "They need to get as much information as possible ahead of time," he said.
But they also would be looking for the best camera angles for photographs of the shuttle flying over iconic Los Angeles-area landmarks, including the Hollywood sign, Disneyland and the ocean.
"There are a lot of landmarks and beautiful buildings and landscapes in the area that would make tremendous photo ops with the space shuttle flying near it," he said.
When Endeavour's sister shuttle, Discovery, arrived in Washington, D.C., in April, its arrival flight took it past the Capitol, the Washington Monument and other landmarks, creating memorable images.
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NASA flyover a preview for space shuttle's dramatic L.A. entrance
No rest for sleep-medicine practitioners
By Ben Sutherly
The Columbus Dispatch Sunday August 26, 2012 10:17 AM
Technician Joel Coffing fits Jay Wuersig with sensors to detect his sleep patterns at Central Ohio Sleep Medicine in Gahanna.
Seemingly overnight, sleep medicine has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. And it shows few signs of dozing off soon.
During the past five years, the sleep-clinic industry has expanded at an average annual rate of more than 13percent, to $5.8 billion in revenue this year, according to market-research firm IBISWorld Inc.Over the next five years, the industrys yearly revenue is expected to near $9 billion on the strength of 9 percent annual growth.
Meanwhile, manufacturers had combined revenue of $1.3 billion last year for sleep-disorder diagnostic and therapy products in the United States, according to research firm InMedica.
And Americans spent $1.7 billion on prescription sleep drugs in 2011, according to research firm IMS Health. That figure has declined in recent years as drug production shifts to less-expensive generics. (It doesnt include spending on over-the-counter sleep aids.)
Experts say the nations obesity epidemic has fueled the industrys growth by contributing to sleep disorders such as apnea. Another possible growth driver, IBISWorld says, is the proliferation of electronic devices, the light from which might interfere with the release of melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone.
To a large extent, sleep disorders are a modern mans issue, said Joyce E. Gray, secretary/treasurer and founding member of the Ohio Sleep Society.Were seeing more patients come in for different types of disorders.
In Ohio, one sign of the industrys growth is the Ohio Sleep Societys ballooning membership roll. Founded five years ago, the society now counts 125 members, among them pulmonologists, neurologists, cardiologists, psychologists, makers of durable medical equipment, nurses, nurse practitioners and dentists (dental appliances are in some cases emerging as an alternative treatment for sleep apnea).
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