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9 South Shore Beaches Closed To Swimming

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

BOSTON (CBS/AP) State environmental officials have closed 9 South Shore beaches to swimmers after testing showed elevated bacteria counts in the water due to recent heavy rains.

Wollaston Beach in Quincy. (Photo by Carl Stevens)

A spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Recreation says the beaches in Quincy, Duxbury and Marshfield will be tested again on Friday.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030s Carl Stevens reports

In Duxbury, Residents Beach had 30 times the recommended level of bacteria according to a Save the Harbor/Save the Bay spokesman.

Beaches are tested on a regular basis during warm weather months to ensure the water is safe for swimming.

High levels of bacteria in the water are not uncommon after heavy rain.

More than an inch of rainfall was recorded in the past 10 days.

Bacteria in the water can cause upset stomachs, diarrhea, rashes, or earaches.

Here is the complete list:

Grand Strand beaches reopen after suspected shark bites

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

MYRTLE BEACH Beaches have reopened after beachgoers were stranded on the sand for about two hours Thursday afternoon when four people said they were bitten by sharks.

The bites were reported over a 10-minute span between 72nd Avenue North and 82nd Avenue North, but police have not confirmed if a shark is to blame, and experts say its unusual to have so many bites on the Grand Strand in the early afternoon. Swimming wasnt allowed as a precaution while Myrtle Beach police investigated.

Myrtle Beach police took photos of the injuries and are planning to send them to the University of Florida for a research team to review them to determine what kind of marine animal was involved, Capt. David Knipes said Friday.

Video from around the world

A lifeguard on duty was more certain about what caused the bites, even though he didnt see anything in the ocean.

Nobody saw them, said lifeguard Denny Starr. Even the guys that got bit didnt see it. Theyre definitely shark bites. One guys foot was opened up. The other had a full mouth print around his leg.

Starr was on duty around 76th Avenue North around 1:20 p.m. when the bites were reported and didnt see the other injuries.

Three people were taken by EMS to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. The fourth drove himself.

Its not likely the same animal bit all four people, according to marine science professor and local shark expert Dan Abel. Without seeing pictures of the bite marks he couldnt say for sure what kind of shark it may have been, but said black tip sharks are most probable in this instance.

The likelihood of anything else being around and biting is not real high, Abel said. ... it was probably black tip sharks inshore feeding and mistaking people.

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Grand Strand beaches reopen after suspected shark bites

Spectacular View of Two Seemingly Colliding Galaxies Captured By Hubble [Astronomy]

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

Hubble has captured this beautiful new view of NGC 3314, two spiral galaxies located in the constellation Hydra, between 117 and 140 million light-years away from Earth. But they are not really colliding. If they were, they would look like this.

It's an optical effect: NGC 3314A (on the foreground) and NGC 3314B (on the background) are just overlapping, separated "ten times the distance between our Milky Way and neighboring Andromeda galaxy."

I just like to think they are in love and smooching. [NASA]

Spectacular View of Two Seemingly Colliding Galaxies Captured By Hubble [Astronomy]

Looking down into the throat of a lightning storm | Bad Astronomy

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

Traveling over west Africa at 8 kilometers per second in the International Space Station, astronaut Andr Kuipers took this eerie and lovely picture of a storm cloud just as it was illuminated by a lightning stroke:

[Click to enlighten yourself.]

Wow. This is easily as cool as another amazing shot of a lightning-illuminated cloud over Brazil taken from space in 2011, too.

And hmmmm. Scientists have detected gamma rays extremely high-energy light presumably generated by lightning storms and shooting straight up into space. I hope nothing makes Andr stressed any time soon. The ISS is no place for him to Hulk out!

[P.S. Before anyone asks -- and as much as I hate to explain a joke, I guess I really should in this case -- the gamma rays emitted by lightning storms are extremely weak, and not a danger to the astronauts.]

Credit: ESA/NASA

- The softly glowing night sky - Buenos noches - Rocky Mountain (very) high - Astronaut opens up the window to see the Moon rise

The rest is here:

Looking down into the throat of a lightning storm | Bad Astronomy

Astronomy Update: Exoplanets hint at extraterrestrial life

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

Editor's note: Astronomy Update is a monthly column provided by the Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society, Hobbs Observatory and the L.E. Phillips Planetarium, compiled by Lauren Likkel of the UW-Eau Claire physics and astronomy department.

Last month saw the opening of "The Avengers," which so far has taken in more than $575 million worldwide.

I contributed my $8.50.

The movie exercised the belief of aliens, or extraterrestrial life, from outer space who were about to take over the world.

Countless movies have such scenarios, but why?

Many human beings are fascinated with outer space organisms because of the unknown aspects.

Recently, there have been many discoveries of exoplanets, or planets not in our solar system, orbiting other stars. More than 200 have been confirmed, while thousands more are possible candidates of being exoplanets.

This brings the hope that extraterrestrial life exists.

The first exoplanet was found in 1995 and is orbiting the star 51 Pegasus, with a planet year of merely four days and a planet mass half the size of the massive Jupiter.

That is a big exoplanet orbiting very close to its star.

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Astronomy Update: Exoplanets hint at extraterrestrial life

Mickey Mouse MESSENGER Mercury | Bad Astronomy

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

MESSENGER is a spacecraft thats been orbiting Mercury since early 2011, sending back to Earth huge amounts of data about the tiny planet, including incredible high-resolution close-up images. Its an amazing mission

but I wonder what kind of Mickey Mouse outfit would put up this kind of image for display?

[Click to enmusculate.]

Well, at least I know to whom NASA can turn if the current budget cuts get through Congress.

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

- X Crater: First Class - Watermelon planet - MESSENGER contacts the Borg - Lets pass over Mercury - Clair de Mercury

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Mickey Mouse MESSENGER Mercury | Bad Astronomy

Computer AI makes sense of psychedelic trips

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

Artificial intelligence could help us better understand the effects of psychedelic drugs, by analysing narrative reports written by people who are using them.

Scientists barely understand how existing psychedelic drugs work to alter perception and intensify emotions, let alone keep pace with new ones flooding the market often sold as "bath salts" or "herbal incense".

Enter artificial intelligence. Matthew Baggott of the University of Chicago and colleagues used machine-learning algorithms a type of artificial intelligence that can learn about a given subject by analysing massive amounts of data to examine 1000 reports uploaded to the website Erowid by people who had taken mind-altering drugs.

They found that the frequency with which certain words appeared could identify the drug taken with 51 per cent accuracy on average compared with 10 per cent by chance. MDMA (ecstasy) usage was identified with an accuracy of 87 per cent.

The drug DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) acts on the brain in different ways from the drug Salvia (Salvia divinorum), but the algorithms inferred that both elicit a similar response. This might be because both are typically smoked and so enter the bloodstream quickly, says Baggott. "Smoked psychedelic drugs may 'hit' people hard and fast in a similar way."

Baggott hopes the work will aid research into the effects of new and existing drugs. "You need to start with some theories about the effects of a drug," he says. "Machine learning can help us form those theories."

Journal reference: arxiv.org/abs/1206.0312

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

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Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article

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Computer AI makes sense of psychedelic trips

Good News, Aerospace Dept.

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

Quotes are real-time for NASDAQ, NYSE, and NYSEAmex when available. See also delay times for other exchanges. Quotes and other information supplied by independent providers identified on the Yahoo! Finance partner page. Quotes are updated automatically, but will be turned off after 25 minutes of inactivity. Quotes are delayed at least 15 minutes. All information provided "as is" for informational purposes only, not intended for trading purposes or advice. Neither Yahoo! nor any of independent providers is liable for any informational errors, incompleteness, or delays, or for any actions taken in reliance on information contained herein. By accessing the Yahoo! site, you agree not to redistribute the information found therein.

Fundamental company data provided by Capital IQ. Historical chart data and daily updates provided by Commodity Systems, Inc. (CSI). International historical chart data and daily updates provided by Morningstar, Inc.

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Good News, Aerospace Dept.

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: FLY) Announces Lead Order for Previously Announced Non-Brokered Private …

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire -06/15/12)- NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. (the "Corporation") (FLY.V) today announced BluMont Capital has placed a lead order of $800,000 or four million units for its previously announced non-brokered private placement (press released on May 25, 2012 (http://flyht.com/flyht-aerospace-solutions-ltd-tsx-vfly-announces-2-million-brokered-private-placement-and-2-million-non-brokered-private-placement/) and June 14, 2012 (http://flyht.com/flyht-aerospace-solutions-ltd-tsx-vfly-announces-revised-pricing-for-previously-announced-brokered-and-non-brokered-private-placement/)).

"The corporation is pleased that a long term shareholder supports the efforts FLYHT has made over the past few years and sees the importance in the milestones that have been achieved in recent months," stated Bill Tempany, President and CEO of FLYHT.

"We are very pleased to be the lead $800,000 order for this financing, and that-upon closing of the financing-our participation will take us above the 10% ownership threshold," stated Hugh Cleland of BluMont Capital. "After a two year lull in sales, the successful launch of the AFIRS 228 heralds a new era for FLYHT. With the NetJets deal and the L-3/OEM assembly line deal as strong signs of pent-up industry demand, we believe that this capital is sufficient to allow FLYHT to become a generator of significant free cashflow. We believe that FLYHT is now positioned to grow its installed base to 3,000 planes or higher over our investment horizon, and we are encouraged that at least four other institutions appear to see the same potential we do, investing in this round of financing at a time when capital is difficult to come by for small and microcap companies."

With the recent announcements, the Corporation is excited about the acceptance of FLYHT's solutions by major aviation organizations.

About FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

FLYHT provides proprietary technological products and services designed to reduce costs and improve efficiencies in the airline industry. The Company has patented and commercialized three products and associated services currently marketed to airlines, manufacturers and maintenance organizations around the world. Its premier technology, AFIRS UpTime, allows airlines to monitor and manage aircraft operations anywhere, anytime, in real time. If an aircraft encounters an emergency, FLYHT's triggered data streaming mode, FLYHTStream, automatically streams vital data, normally secured in the black box, to designated sites on the ground in real-time. The Company has been publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange since 2003 and recently changed its trading symbol from AMA to FLY. Shareholders approved a Company name change from AeroMechanical Services Ltd. to FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. in May 2012.

AFIRS, UpTime, FLYHT, FLYHTStream and aeroQ are trademarks of FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

Join us on social media!

http://www.facebook.com/flyht

Ball Aerospace Southwest Ops Recognized with Cogswell Award

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

BOULDER, Colo., June 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.'s Southwest Operations is a 2012 recipient of the James S. Cogswell Award for outstanding security practices by defense contractors.

The Cogswell Award is the most prestigious honor in the U.S. defense industrial security field. To be considered, the facility's industrial security representative must nominate the facility, allowed only after two consecutive superior industrial security review ratings. A sustained degree of excellence and innovation must also be demonstrated in the overall security program management, implementation and oversight.

Ball's Southwest Operations is one of 26 cleared defense contractors nationwide to win the honor. There are more than 13,000 defense contractors in the United States.

"With less than one percent of all cleared contractors selected to receive this award annually, Ball Aerospace has joined a very elite group," said Rob Strain, chief operating officer, Ball Aerospace. "This award recognizes Ball's commitment to protecting our warfighter at home and abroad."

The Cogswell Award honors the late Colonel James S. Cogswell, USAF, the first chief of the Department of Defense's unified Office of Industrial Security.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions for national agencies such as the Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft, advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific applications. For more information visit http://www.ballaerospace.com.

Ball Corporation (BLL) is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates, " "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at http://www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

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Ball Aerospace Southwest Ops Recognized with Cogswell Award

Osiris Receives Second Approval for Stem Cell Drug

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ev1

More Topics: Choose a Sector Accounting Firms Advertising/Media/Communications Capital CEO/Board General Business Health/Biotech Internet/Technology Investment Firms Law Firms Mergers & Acquisitions Money Managers People Private Companies Public Companies Venture Capital

Posted June 14, 2012

COLUMBIA, Md. --Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.(NASDAQ: OSIR) has received consent from New Zealand to market its first-in-class stem cell therapy Prochymal (remestemcel-L), for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) in children. New Zealand joins Canada, which last month became the world's first internationally recognized regulatory authority to grant approval to a stem cell drug. Prochymal is also the first therapy approved for GvHD - a devastating complication of bone marrow transplantation that kills up to 80 percent of children affected, many within just weeks of diagnosis.

"With each of our approvals it becomes clearer that the time for life-saving stem cell therapies in the practice of medicine has arrived, and we are humbled to have a leading role," saidC. Randal Mills, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Osiris. "I would like to thank the professionals at Medsafe for their thoughtful and expeditious review of this complex application. I would also like to thank the team at Osiris that continues to do an outstanding job of making Prochymal available to children around the world suffering from the devastating effects of GvHD."

Osiris submitted a New Medicine Application to Medsafe (New Zealand's medical regulatory agency) in May of 2011, and was granted Priority Review in June of 2011. Priority review provides expedited review for new drugs which offer a significant clinical advantage over current treatment options. Prochymal was granted provisional consent under Section 23 of the Medicines Act 1981.

"The incidence of GvHD is likely to rise as the demographic profile of our transplant population evolves," saidHans Klingemann,M.D., Ph.D., a Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Bone Marrow & Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program at Tufts University School of Medicine. "Effective strategies to manage the often lethal consequences of GvHD reduce the overall risk to transplantation and provide the transplant physician with better options when approaching their most difficult cases."

Clinical trials have shown that Prochymal is able to induce an objective, clinically meaningful response in 61-64 percent of children with GvHD that is otherwise refractory to treatment. Furthermore, treatment response with Prochymal resulted in a statistically significant improvement in survival.

"As a mother who watched my son Christian suffer and die from the horrifying effects of GvHD, while waiting for the regulatory approvals necessary to allow him access to Prochymal, words cannot express how happy I am that significant progress is finally being made," saidSandy Barker,President and Co-founder of the Gold Rush Cure Foundation. "We are proud to stand side-by-side with Osiris in this historic battle for our children around the world. Our motto is 'not one more child, not one more family' and when it comes to GvHD mortality, zero is the only acceptable number."

Prochymal is now approved in Canada and New Zealand, and is currently available in seven other countries including the United States under an Expanded Access Program (EAP). It is expected that Prochymal will be commercially available in New Zealand later this year.

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. is a stem cell company, having developed the world's first approved stem cell drug, Prochymal. The company is focused on developing and marketing products to treat medical conditions in inflammatory, cardiovascular, orthopedic and wound healing markets. Osiris has developed an extensive intellectual property portfolio to protect the company's technology, including 48 U.S. and 144 foreign issued patents.

Original post:
Osiris Receives Second Approval for Stem Cell Drug

Mead Johnson to Present at the 9th Annual Deutsche Bank Global Consumer Conference

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ev1

GLENVIEW, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (MJN) announced today that it will present at the 9th Annual Deutsche Bank Global Consumer Conference in Paris, France, on June 19, 2012. The presentation by Stephen W. Golsby, president and CEO, and Kathy A. MacDonald, vice president, Investor Relations, will begin at 11:15 a.m. CEST and will be available by webcast.

The webcast will be broadcast over the Internet at meadjohnson.com. To listen to the webcast, visit the website at least 15 minutes before the webcast and click on the Investors tab. A webcast link will appear on Latest News and also Events and Presentations. A replay of the webcast will be available one hour after the presentation through midnight CDT Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at meadjohnson.com.

About Mead Johnson

Mead Johnson, a global leader in pediatric nutrition, develops, manufactures, markets and distributes more than 70 products in over 50 countries worldwide. The company's mission is to nourish the worlds children for the best start in life. The Mead Johnson name has been associated with science-based pediatric nutrition products for over 100 years. The company's "Enfa" family of brands, including Enfamil infant formula, is the world's leading brand franchise in pediatric nutrition. For more information, go to http://www.meadjohnson.com.

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Mead Johnson to Present at the 9th Annual Deutsche Bank Global Consumer Conference

Crowdfunding Nutrition: Using Kickstarter to Make Kids Healthier

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ev1

Can the popular startup make a dent in nutrition education? One school finds it more difficult than expected.

Kristy McCarron/Kickstarter

Childhood nutrition and anti-obesity campaigns are a hot topic these days. Gardens and cooking classes are in demand in schools around the country.

But how much would you, personally, be willing to shell out of pocket to help our nation's kids eat healthier? In a time of tight purse strings, several schools are asking that question with the help of the popular crowd-funding site, Kickstarter.

"My name is Kristy McCarron, and this is where I spend my day off," a young woman's voice tells us in the intro video of one Kickstarter campaign. She's referring to a classroom at Walker Jones elementary school in Washington, D.C., where she teaches kids about food -- where it comes from, why it's good for them, and how to cook it, too.

McCarron is now trying to raise $25,000 to help build a "food lab" kitchen at the school, which she would run as a full-time teacher.

While many of us may think of Kickstarter as a place where tech-savvy 20-somethings raise money to make the newest iPhone accessory, McCarron says it was a perfect fit for her school, too.

"I kind of just took a big leap of faith and quit my job and started this fundraising pitch," she says, confessing that she hadn't even heard of Kickstarter until a friend turned her onto it for this project.

McCarron has spent the past 8 months volunteering as a part-time nutrition instructor at Walker Jones, which is a historically African American, title-one high poverty school where 100 percent of the students receive free breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She worked nights as a chef at Nora, a well-known, upscale organic restaurant in downtown D.C.

A lot of excitement has surrounded her classes, from kids and parents alike, she says, though she had to get creative with the classes for lack of equipment.

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Crowdfunding Nutrition: Using Kickstarter to Make Kids Healthier

DNA focus for Dechaine trial

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ev1

1:00 AM

By Ann S. Kim akim@mainetoday.com Staff Writer

PORTLAND -- Expert witnesses who testified Thursday in Dennis Dechaine's hearing on a new trial offered contrasting views on whether the DNA evidence at issue is a result of contamination.

Three DNA experts, with doctorates in genetics and extensive backgrounds in forensic science, testified about the partial DNA profile that is at the center of the multi-day hearing. Dechaine's lawyer, Steve Peterson, is trying to convince a judge that the jurors would not have convicted Dechaine of the 1988 murder and kidnapping of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry had they known about the DNA from an unknown male on the girl's left thumbnail.

Two witnesses for the state testified that the autopsy conditions described to them posed a high risk for DNA contamination. At the time, DNA technology was new and lacked the kinds of safeguards that are used today.

In 1988, the State Medical Examiner's Office did autopsies in the morgue of the Kennebec Valley Medical Center in Augusta. Earlier testimony indicated that instruments were kept in a metal tool box with towel-lined drawers. Instruments were sometimes rinsed and sometimes simply put back into the drawers. The towels got soiled with blood over time and were changed after several months.

"That scenario that you described would really be a textbook recipe for the potential for contamination for many, many steps along the way," Frederick Bieber said after the conditions were recounted by Deputy Attorney General William Stokes.

Bieber, who holds positions at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said he has been at autopsies done under similar conditions, and dozens of people would handle instruments.

It probably wasn't until the early 1990s that precautions to prevent DNA cross-contamination became widespread in autopsy rooms, he said. Before then, it was common for autopsies to be done with bare hands. The first precautions were not related to DNA, but to guard against the transmission of infections like HIV or to protect cells that would be cultured.

Carll Ladd, supervisor of the DNA section of Connecticut's forensic lab, agreed that the conditions at the time of Sarah Cherry's autopsy would have been "ideal" for contamination.

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DNA focus for Dechaine trial

DNA contamination focus of testimonyat Dechaine hearing

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ev1

1:00 AM

BY ANN S. KIM

PORTLAND -- Expert witnesses who testified Thursday in Dennis Dechaine's hearing on a new trial offered contrasting views on whether the DNA evidence at issue is a result of contamination.

Bieber, who holds positions at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said he has been at autopsies done under similar conditions, and dozens of people would handle instruments.

Carll Ladd, supervisor of the DNA section of Connecticut's forensic lab, agreed that the conditions at the time of Sarah Cherry's autopsy would have been "ideal" for contamination.

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DNA contamination focus of testimonyat Dechaine hearing

DNA test boosts Beaman's innocence claim

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ev1

BLOOMINGTON New DNA test results shake up the list of possible suspects in the 1993 murder of Jennifer Lockmiller and strengthen Alan Beamans claim of innocence.

Recently tested evidence contained no DNA from Beaman, who spent more than a dozen years in prison before a court ordered him released, or from three other men considered suspects in the death of the Decatur woman. It did, however, contain DNA from two unknown males.

Documents submitted Thursday to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board by Beamans lawyers contained the results of tests a Missouri lab did on a vaginal swab taken from Lockmiller.

Beaman, now 39, was released in 2008, following the reversal of his murder conviction by the Illinois Supreme Court in an opinion that called the evidence in his 1995 jury trial tenuous.

McLean County prosecutors opted to dismiss the murder charges against Beaman but have maintained that authorities consider Lockmillers death an open case. Beaman and Lockmiller had a rocky dating relationship that ended shortly before she was found strangled and stabbed in her Normal apartment.

Assistant States Attorney Pablo Eves said Thursday that his office has received the results, which are being reviewed.

The significance of the new evidence cannot be overstated, said Beaman lawyers Karen Daniel and Jeff Urdangen in their supplemental report to the clemency board considering recommending a pardon to Gov. Pat Quinn.

Crime scene evidence indicating that Lockmiller had been sexually assaulted combined with the DNA report very strongly suggests that at least one, if not both, of the contributors of the semen raped and killed her, said the lawyers.

The DNA report also demonstrates that the prosecutions theory of the case at Alan Beamans trial was utterly false, said the lawyers with the Center on Wrongful Convictions in Chicago.

The recent round of DNA testing was completed as part of a certificate of innocence petition filed by Beaman in 2009. The McLean County States Attorneys Office has opposed the certificate, which, if granted, would qualify Beaman to receive $170,000 from the state as compensation for the 13 years he served of a 50-year sentence.

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DNA test boosts Beaman's innocence claim

Special Alan Turing issue Fundamenta Informaticae published

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ev1

Public release date: 14-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: A. Engelen a.engelen@iospress.nl 31-206-883-355 IOS Press

The journal Fundamenta Informaticae honours Alan Turing with a Special Issue: Watching the Daisies Grow: from Biology to Biomathematics and Bioinformatics.

In 1951 Alan Turing wrote a paper entitled The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis in which he developed the reactiondiffusion theory, which became one of the basic models of theoretical biology and is also considered a foundation of chaos theory.

The story started much earlier, in spring 1923, as documented by his mother in a caricature called Hockey or Watching the Daisies Grow. Crucial motif in the drawing is that, while most players are engaged by the game, Turing is investigating a flower emerging just off the field.

In his Outline of the Development of a Daisy, Turing writes: "At a certain point in the development of the daisy the anatomical changes begin. From this point, as has been mentioned, it becomes hopelessly impracticable to follow the process mathematically."

Guest-editors Anna Gambin and Anna Marciniak-Czochra: "In this special issue, we present a selection of papers commemorating Alan Turing and arguing that he should be also considered the co-founder of biomathematics and bioinformatics. His late works were inspired by curiosity about the role of mathematics in natural phenomena. Turing's ideas on diffusion-driven instability leading to a formation of stable spatial structures provided mathematical explanations of symmetry break and de novo pattern formation during development, and the shapes of animal coat markings. They also led to the prediction of oscillating chemical reactions, the behavior which were first observed only about 10 years after Turing's death. In this volume, various applications of mathematical theories inspired by Turing's work to natural phenomena are considered."

###

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Special Alan Turing issue Fundamenta Informaticae published

Most expensive travel insurance providers revealed

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

A comparison of travel insurance providers has revealed dramatic differences. Picture: Supplied Source: The Advertiser

AUSTRALIAN travellers are paying up to four times too much for their travel insurance by buying it through airlines and travel agents instead of shopping around, new research shows.

Independent financial comparison site Mozo.com.au went mystery price shopping for three different holidays: a family trip to the US, a couple visiting Europe, and a backpacker heading to Thailand and Europe.

Quotes from Qantas, Virgin Australia, Flight Centre, Jetset Travel and Harvey World Travel were stacked up against other travel insurance providers.

Director Kirsty Lamont said the price differences were staggering.

"Quotes for travel insurance for a family of four travelling to the US for 15 days ranged from a whopping $756 from Qantas to $177 from travel insurance specialist Fast Cover," she said.

"One of the reasons is the huge commission airlines can earn - Qantas gets up to 53 per cent commission on the travel insurance policies it sells, according to the fine print on its own website."

Travel insurance for a 21-year-old backpacker travelling to Thailand and Europe for 2 months was $495 with Jetset Travel and $246 with DU Insure.

The research also found travellers who pick up insurance as an afterthought may not be getting sufficient coverage.

"Insurers have different definitions, different exclusions and different levels of cover, so it's vital to compare options to find a policy that offers the best price as well as the best fit with your needs," Ms Lamont said.

Link:

Most expensive travel insurance providers revealed

Major international hotel companies launch standardised approach to carbon measurement

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

The International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with 23 leading global hospitality companies, are today launching a methodology to calculate and communicate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in a consistent and transparent way. ...

Major international hotel companies launch standardised approach to carbon measurement

Sheldon Adelson: 7 surprising facts about 2012's biggest donor

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Danzig

The conservative casino mogul has dropped at least $35 million into the 2012 election, and is bankrolling a Romney-friendly super PAC. Who is this guy?

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Sheldon Adelson: 7 surprising facts about 2012's biggest donor

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