Tampa Bay Business Journal | Library at USF's new downtown Tampa medical school named for Florida health company Tampa Bay Business Journal The University of South Florida will name the library at the Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute being built in downtown Tampa after one of its major sponsors, Florida Blue, after the insurance company donated $1 million to the school. The ... |
Read the original:
Honor's Foxfire Liberty Hume (AKC Registration Number SB578950) was the Golden Retriever Presidential pet of Betty Ford and Gerald Ford. Liberty was born February 8, 1974 and given to the president as an 8-month-old puppy by his daughter Susan Ford and new White House photographer David Hume Kennerly in the fall of 1974. The breeder of the dark gold pup was Ann (Avis) Friberg of Mount Vernon, Washington.[1]
President Gerald Ford and Liberty in the Oval Office in 1974
Liberty was frequently photographed with Ford in the Oval Office, in the swimming pool at Camp David and on the South Lawn of the White House. She also had a litter of pups in the White House on September 14, 1975, one of which Misty was kept by Ford.[2] At one point Ford was locked in a White House stairwell after returning from walking the dog on the South Lawn early one morning.[3] Photographs of the dog were autographed with a rubber stamp of her paw print.[4] Stories indicated that if Ford wanted to end a conversation in the Oval Office he would signal Liberty and she would go to the guest wagging her tail creating a natural break.[5]
Ford discussed the dog in a speech on October 9, 1974 in a tribute to William Scranton in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:[6]
See the article here:
June 21, 2017 by Adam Harris
The Education Departments civil-rights office has closed a Title IX investigation of Liberty University that had been triggered by a sexual-assault claim. The office cited a lack of jurisdiction.
In a letter addressed to President Jerry L. Falwell Jr., Letisha Morgan, a team leader in the Office for Civil Rights, wrote that the office had learned that the person who filed the original complaint was not a student at Liberty and did not have meaningful and sustained contact with the institution at the time of the alleged sexual assault.
The letter also said the office had received conflicting information about whether the accused individual had been a graduate student at the time of the alleged assault. Even if true, the letter continued, the accuseds status as a graduate student would not obligate the university to respond under Title IX, because the person who filed the complaint was not a student and the alleged assault did not occur in connection with a university education program or activity.
The White House recently confirmed that Mr. Falwell would be a part of a task force that he says will look atpossible changesin higher-education regulations.
More:
Radio Liberty Persian Service: Mixed Reviews Wall Street Journal (subscription) Sohrab Ahmari's June 12 commentary In Iran, Radio Liberty Doesn't Live Up to Its Name asserts that the Persian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty parrots the editorial line of Iranian state media. While we will acknowledge any individual ... |
Link:
Radio Liberty Persian Service: Mixed Reviews - Wall Street Journal (subscription)
KHOU 11 Weather Team , KHOU 6:20 PM. CDT June 21, 2017
1 p.m. forecast track (Photo: KHOU 11)
HOUSTON - A tropical storm warning has been issued for Harris, Galveston, Chambers and Liberty counties as Tropical Storm Cindy moves northwest in the Gulf of Mexico.
The warning extends from San Luis Pass to the mouth of the Pearl River in Louisiana, even as the forecast track shifted back east overnight.
Voluntary evacuations are underway on Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County for those with medical conditions that depend on electricity.
The National Hurricane Center's 1 p.m. Wednesday update indicates Cindy is moving northwest at 9 mph with max sustained winds of 50 mph, down from 60 mph earlier in the morning.
The current forecast track would bring the storm onshore near the Texas-Louisiana border late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. NHCwarns that heavy rainfall could produce flooding across portions of the northern Gulf Coast.
Some parts of the Houston area have seen rain as of Wednesday evening. KHOU 11 Chief Meteorologist David Paul says this will not be a wind event for the Houston area. The main concern is the threat of flooding should slow moving thunderstorms move through our area.
The latest models show the heaviest rain hitting north and east of the Houston area around 5 a.m. Thursday. Paul says the models also show a heavy rain band hitting the heart of Houston -- around Montrose, downtown and the Heights -- around 7 a.m. Thursday.
As a precaution, Gov. Greg Abbott activated the Texas Emergency Task Forces on Tuesday night.
RELATED:Voluntary evacuation issued for Bolivar Peninsula
HURRICANE CENTRAL: What you need to know to prepare for a storm
BE READY:KHOU11 Hurricane & Severe Weather Preparedness Guide
LIVE BEACH CAMS: Gulf Coast cameras
The National Weather Service says residents in a Tropical Storm Watch should review evacuation routes and review their disaster supply kit. In a Tropical Storm Warning, the threat is more imminent, and residents should stand by for evacuation orders as well as check in with family and friends.
The Red Cross is on standby with shelters in Galveston, Bolivar, Vidor and Orange if needed.
TheKHOU11 weather team is closely monitoring Cindy and will keep you updated on-air and online until the threat has passed.
WATCH:Dr. Neil Frank, Chief Meteorologist David Paul forecast Tropical Storm Cindy
Many models continue to show a direct or near direct impact on the Houston area by Wednesday evening as a moderate to strong tropical storm. While there are a few model suits that show an impact in extreme east Texas of Louisiana, the vast majority now show a southeast Texas landfall near Galveston.
For that reason a Tropical Storm Watch has been extended west to include the cities of Galveston and Houston. A watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours.
It is possible that these watches could be expanded westward to include the rest of our viewing area and or upgraded to a warning Tuesday afternoon.
Probably not. However, there are some models that do show the upper-level wind shear weakening as the storm approaches land which would allow for additional strengthening. Due to the very unorganized nature of Cindy and it's eventual proximity to land by the time the wind shear relaxes, it is likely Cindy will not have an opportunity to strengthen much stronger than she is right now.
In fact the latest forecast out of theNHCsays the maximum sustained winds won't exceed 45 mph from now until landfall Wednesday night. However that's a forecast and is subject to change. I can tell you that some models do show a fairly healthy and strong tropical storm nearing the Texas coast.
The image above is courtesy of the University of Wisconsin. In simplest terms the red areas are bad for development chances and green areas are very favorable for development.
What you're looking at are the upper-level winds (shear). Hurricanes require a very relaxed atmosphere with calm winds above. A hurricane needs to be what we call "vertically stacked." That can only happen when the winds are blowing slowly; generally less than 10 knots. However the analysis above is showing 60 knots sheer! Those are screaming winds!
That's the reason why Cindylooks more like a kidney bean than the more typical spinning pinwheel of a well defined hurricane. The winds are blowing the tops of the thunderstorms away from the center of circulation. Until the winds relax, which likely won't happen due to an upper-level low near Texas, this will not become a hurricane. Expect a very ugly, lopsided, water-loaded tropical storm in the central gulf.
Areas of low pressure (tropical storms and hurricanes) always follow the path of least resistance. In this case, the least resistance path is somewhere between southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Many models, including the Euro model show a direct impact on the Houston/Galveston area. Other models show Beaumont while others still show southwest Louisiana.
The CMC model has been by far the most consistent with showing a landfall along the north gulf coast for well over a week. It has bounced back and forth between Houston and central Louisiana and continues to call for a landfall in southwest Louisiana.
The spaghetti models above are a conglomeration of many models showing the potential path of a tropical storm. Notice the consensus is the mouth of the Sabine River.
Just because a "hurricane" is not in the forecast doesn't mean it can't be just as damaging or deadly. Tropical storms are prolific rainmakers and in a flood-prone city like Houston, this system certainly warrants your attention.
If the storm makes landfall east of Houston near Beaumont, our area will be spared the brunt of any bad weather. That's not to say that a few rain bands won't be possible. The main impacts will be well east into Louisiana.
If the storm moves further west and makes landfall on Galveston Island as some models suggest then our forecast becomes more challenging. The main impacts still will be east of the Houston area but the flood threat becomes much more tantamount. Along and east of the center of circulation 5 to 10 inches of rain will be possible with isolated higher amounts. Therefore where the center arrives will determine who gets the worst impacts.
Remember, the further west the storm hits the worse off Houston will be. The further east the better.
Cindy never was and likely will never be a wind event. However gusty winds in excess of 30 to 40 mph will be possible along the coastal counties and areas near the bay. Winds may gust to 50 mph or stronger but it'll be isolated in nature.
This is NOT a wind event for the city of Houston.
Of course the "what to expect" is ever changing with the forecast.
2017 KHOU-TV
Continue reading here:
Tropical storm warning for Harris, Galveston, Chambers, Liberty counties - KHOU
PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 23: Kia Vaughn
WATCH: Highlights from the first-ever WNBA game, 20 years ago today by Howard Megdal
Geno Auriemma named US Olympic Committee Co-National Coach of the Year by Russell Steinberg
The New York Liberty have activated center Kia Vaughn, the team announced on Wednesday.
Vaughn had been on the temporary suspension list and missed the past six games as she competed for the Czech Republic in the 2017 EuroBasket Women Tournament. In three games overseas, Vaughn averaged 16 points and six rebounds.
Vaughn played the first five games of the season for the Liberty, posting 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest. She also led the team in field goal percentage at .609.
To make room for Vaughn, the Liberty have waived Ameryst Alston. Alston played sparingly over two games since joining the team earlier this month.
The Liberty host the Connecticut Sun on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.
See more here:
WNBA roster news: New York Liberty activate Kia Vaughn - Summitt Hoops
Photo: Historic And Design Review Commission
The slanted Liberty Bar building is on track to become a new restaurant at the Pearl after a plan to rehabilitate it won initial approval from the city on Wednesday.
The slanted Liberty Bar building is on track to become a new restaurant at the Pearl after a plan to rehabilitate it won initial approval from the city on Wednesday.
The HDRC also gave a thumbs-up to a proposal by downtown developer GrayStreet Partners to renovate the Depression-era Light building into creative office space.
The HDRC also gave a thumbs-up to a proposal by downtown developer GrayStreet Partners to renovate the Depression-era Light building into creative office space.
The HDRC is asking for a few changes to the design, such as the removal of a small tower that GrayStreet wanted to add, according to the meetings agenda.
The HDRC is asking for a few changes to the design, such as the removal of a small tower that GrayStreet wanted to add, according to the meetings agenda.
Pearl developer Silver Ventures wants to renovate the 1890s-era Liberty Bar and move it down the street, away from the off-ramp of US 281 and next to restaurants like Down on Grayson and Osteria Il Sogno.
Pearl developer Silver Ventures wants to renovate the 1890s-era Liberty Bar and move it down the street, away from the off-ramp of US 281 and next to restaurants like Down on Grayson and Osteria Il Sogno.
Click ahead to see other projects and plans from GrayStreet Partners High-profile local developer GrayStreet Partners is under contract to buy the historic San Antonio Light building from Hearst.
Click ahead to see other projects and plans from GrayStreet Partners High-profile local developer GrayStreet Partners is under contract to buy the historic San Antonio Light building from Hearst.
Local developer GrayStreet Partners has bought about 3.5 acres of real estate around the Pearls main entrance over the last few years.
Local developer GrayStreet Partners has bought about 3.5 acres of real estate around the Pearls main entrance over the last few years.
A pedestrian stands at the corner of Houston Street and St. Mary's Street across from the Hotel Valencia, one of the buildings in the deal announced Monday.
A pedestrian stands at the corner of Houston Street and St. Mary's Street across from the Hotel Valencia, one of the buildings in the deal announced Monday.
The sun lights the art deco features of the Kress Building along East Houston Street. The building was part of the deal between GrayStreet Partners and Federal Realty.
The sun lights the art deco features of the Kress Building along East Houston Street. The building was part of the deal between GrayStreet Partners and Federal Realty.
A valet runs by the Kress building now owned by San Antonio-based GrayStreet Partners.
A valet runs by the Kress building now owned by San Antonio-based GrayStreet Partners.
A cyclist rides along East Houston Street by the Bohanan's building. The building, that includes the Cato & Cato offices on the left, is now owned by GrayStreet Partners.
A cyclist rides along East Houston Street by the Bohanan's building. The building, that includes the Cato & Cato offices on the left, is now owned by GrayStreet Partners.
A woman walks by the Cato & Cato offices housed in the Frost Bros. Building on the 200 block of East Houston Street.
A woman walks by the Cato & Cato offices housed in the Frost Bros. Building on the 200 block of East Houston Street.
Pedestrians walk along 200 East Houston Street by property now owned by GrayStreet Partners.
Pedestrians walk along 200 East Houston Street by property now owned by GrayStreet Partners.
Pedestrians walk by the Walgreens building at 300 East Houston Street, now owned by GrayStreet Partners.
Pedestrians walk by the Walgreens building at 300 East Houston Street, now owned by GrayStreet Partners.
Historic commission approves rehabs of Liberty Bar, Light building
The slanted Liberty Bar is on track for its fourth lease on life, at least, as an eatery at The Pearl after a plan to rehabilitate and move the boarded-up building down the street won initial approval from the city Wednesday.
Pearl developer Silver Ventures wants to renovate the 1890s-era building and move it from its corner at the off-ramp of U.S. 281 to a new location next to the restaurants Down on Grayson and Osteria Il Sogno.
The firm would also move a small house next to the Liberty Bar and turn both buildings into a restaurant with an outdoor dining space.
The citys Historic and Design Review Commission approved the plan on its consent agenda Wednesday, despite having turned down a similar proposal in 2014 over concerns about removing the building from its historic context.
That proposal called for moving the building several blocks, but Silver Ventures wants to move it 250 feet down the same block this time.
We want the facade to relate to a corner that has a neighborhood life, as it once did, the firms spokeswoman Elizabeth Fauerso said this week. This is a very special building with a special history that relates to the Pearl.
The building, which was constructed by former Pearl Brewery brewmaster Fritz Boehler, was a beer garden for decades. It then served as the location of the Liberty Bar from 1985 to 2008, and local chef Andrew Weissman operated his restaurant Minnies Tavern & Rye House there until Silver Ventures bought the property in 2014.
Silver Ventures will have to return at a later meeting with more detailed plans for final approval.
The HDRC also gave a thumbs-up for a proposal by downtown developer GrayStreet Partners to renovate the Depression-era Light building into creative office space.
The commission is asking for a few changes to the design, such as the removal of a small tower that GrayStreet wanted to add, according to the meetings agenda.
GrayStreet, one of the most active developers downtown, bought the Light building in December from Hearst, the parent company of the San Antonio Express-News, and plans to turn it into 60,000 square feet of creative office space with a rooftop restaurant.
@rwebner
Here is the original post:
Historic commission approves rehabs of Liberty Bar, Light building - mySanAntonio.com
A PETA Investigation Dogs and Cats Suffer, Die at Liberty Research Inside a cluster of nondescript, windowless buildings in central New York:
A PETA eyewitness investigation reveals that dogs and cats were used in horrific experiments and suffered at the hands of incompetent staff at a contract laboratory.
Subject
Message
I was horrified and heartbroken to learn from PETA that dogs and cats were held in squalid conditions in windowless buildings, where they are used in cruel experiments, at Liberty Research, Inc. (Liberty), which I understand you have done business with. These animals--who are no different from our dogs and cats at home--were deprived of everything that makes life worth living. They were treated like unfeeling laboratory tools, and when they become sick or injured, some were deprived of adequate veterinary care. Some animals were recycled through test after test. In addition to the obvious ethical concerns raised here--imagine the long years of being caged in a cramped cell, never feeling the sunshine on your back or the wind in your face and being subjected to unending painful, sickening tests--this practice also raises scientific concerns, calling into question the value of any experimental results. I am confident that you would not want your company's reputation to become sullied through its association with Liberty, and I ask that you reconsider PETA's evidence as you decide which companies to do business with. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Read the original here:
Dogs and Cats Suffer, Die at Liberty Research - PETA (blog) (press release)
who wants diabetics to die as punishment for their sins of sloth and gluttony, the Trump Administration makes clear that this will be Administration policy too.
It needs to be clearly understood that the American Taliban Christians in the ranks of Trump defenders will support the denial of health care to every person whose illness they deem to be a divine judgment for sin. As court prophets to the rich and powerful, such prolife Christians will tell cancer victims, diabetics, the obese, pregnant women, STD and AIDS victims and a host of others that they are parasites who brought it on themselves and who should be punished with denial of health care because a just and righteous God wills it.
And all the while they pronounce death and judgment on the lebensunwertes leben in the name of a false Jesus, these Christians lie that it is a state social safety net and not their own brutal and vindictive hearts that keeps them from otherwise being as generous to sick as St. Francis of Assisi. Who do they think they are kidding?
Read the original here:
On the heels of my conversation with the Good Catholic Libertarian - Patheos (blog)
There has been debate this week about how many libertarians are there. The answer is: it depends on how you measure it and how you define libertarian. The overwhelming body of literature, however, using a variety of different methods and different definitions, suggests that libertarians comprise about 10-20% of the population, but may range from 7-22%.
Furthermore, if one imposes the same level of ideological consistency on liberals, conservatives, and communitarians/populists that many do on libertarians, these groups too comprise similar shares of the population.
In this post I provide a brief overview of different methods academics have used to identify libertarians and what they found. Most methods start from the premise that libertarians are economically conservative and socially liberal. Despite this, different studies find fairly different results. What accounts for the difference?
1) First, people use different definitions of libertarians
2) Second, they use different questions in their analysis to identify libertarians
3) Third, they use very different statistical methods.
Lets start with a few questions: How do you define a libertarian? Is there one concrete libertarian position on every policy issue?
What is the libertarian position on abortion? Is there one? What is the libertarian position on Social Security? Must a libertarian support abolishing the program, or might a libertarian support private accounts, or means testing, or sending it to the states instead? A researcher will find fewer libertarians in the electorate if they demand that libertarians support abolishing Social Security rather than means testing or privatizing it.
Further, why are libertarians expected to conform to an ideological litmus test but conservatives and liberals are not? For instance, what is the conservative position on Social Security? Is there one? When researchers use rigid ideological definitions of liberals and conservatives, they too make up similar shares of the population as libertarians. Thus, as political scientist Jason Weeden has noted, researchers have to make fairly arbitrary decisions about where the cut-off points should be for the libertarian, liberal, or conservative position. This pre-judgement strongly determines how many libertarians researchers will find.
Next, did researchers simply ask people if they identify as libertarian, or did they ask them public policy questions (a better method)? If the latter, how many issue questions did they ask? Then, what questions did they ask?
For instance, what questions are used to determine if someone is liberal on social issues? For instance, did the researcher ask survey takers about legalizing marijuana or did the researcher ask about affirmative action for women in the workplace instead? Libertarians will answer these questions very differently and that will impact the number of libertarians researchers find.
While there is no perfect method, the fact that academics using a variety of different questions, definitions, and statistical techniques still find that the number is somewhere between 7-22% gives us some idea that the number of libertarians is considerably larger than 0.
Next, I give a brief overview of the scholarly research on the estimated share of libertarians, conservatives, liberals, and communitarians in the American electorate. I organize their findings by methods used starting with most empirically rigorous:
Ask people to answer a series of questions on a variety of policy topics and input their responses into a statistical algorithm
In theses studies, researchers ask survey respondents a variety of issue questions on economic and social/cultural issues. Then, they input peoples answers into a statistical clustering technique and allow an algorithm to find the number of libertarians. This is arguably the strongest method to identify libertarians.
Ask people to answer a series of questions on a variety of policy topics and plot their average responses on a 2-dimensional plot
In these studies, researchers 1) average responses to multiple questions on economics and then 2) average responses to multiple questions on social/cultural/identity/lifestyle issues. They then take the two averaged scores to plot respondents on a 2-dimensional graph (Economic Issues by Social Issues).
Ask people to answer a question about economic policy and a question about social policy
While not as rigorous as asking people multiple questions, this is another quick way to observe the diversity of ideological opinion in surveys.
Ask people if they identify as libertarian and know what the word means
The Pew Research Center found that 11% of Americans agree that the word libertarian describes me well and know libertarians emphasize individual freedom by limiting the role of government.
Ask people if they identify as socially liberal and fiscally conservative, an oft-used definition of libertarianism
A 2011 Reason-Rupe poll found that 8% of Americans said they were conservative on economic issues and also liberal on social issues. But the same method found 9% identified as liberal on both social and economic issues, 2% identified as liberal on economic issues and conservative on social issues, and 31% identified as conservative on both social and economic issues. They remainder were somewhere in the middle These results are consistent with polls from Rasmussen, and Gallup which finds a public preference for the word conservative over liberal. This means many people who endorse liberal policy are inclined to self-identify as moderate or conservative.
Conclusions
In sum, the overwhelming body of empirical evidence suggests that libertarians share of the electorate is likely somewhere between 10-20% and the conservative and liberal shares arent that much greater. Libertarians exist, quite a lot, but you have to know what youre looking for.
Excerpt from:
How Many Libertarians Are There? The Answer Depends on the Method You Use - Cato Institute (blog)
Is there room for another heel in the Illinois governor's race?
Former pro wrestler Jon "The Illustrious One" Stewart says yes and he's looking to put his rivals for the Libertarian Party nomination in a half nelson, then body-slam Bruce Rauner and whoever the Democrats select in the general election.
"Politics is wrestling with suits and ties on," Stewart, 50, told Chicago Inc. "I'm comfortable on a mic, and I'm not afraid to tell the truth."
It isn't The Illustrious One's first run for elected office. Back in 1997, he unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for the state House on the North Shore with a little help from President Donald Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway.
"I was her first political client," said Stewart, who lives in Deerfield and now runs his family's used-car dealership. "She's probably one of the smartest people I've ever met so I'm not surprised she has got to where she is.
"I'm a little like her we both speak our minds, and sometimes we might speak out of turn, but we are not afraid."
But by Stewart's own admission, the best-known episode of his colorful life came in 2006 when he was mistaken for longtime "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart by a high school in Utah that accidentally booked him for a fundraising gala.
Stewart later took an unsuccessful stab at running for Congress as a Republican, before a falling-out with the late then-Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka led him to join the Libertarians in 2011.
Like Conway, Stewart remains a fan of Trump, who himself has dabbled in the pro-wrestling world. Stewart said he voted for Trump after previously backing Barack Obama because Trump is a necessary "Molotov cocktail thrown into the system in Washington, D.C."
That could cause problems for Stewart at the state Libertarian convention in March 2018, when party members will select their candidate in a caucus and might hold Stewart's failure to support Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson against him.
Two other Libertarian candidates, Matt Scaro and Kash Jackson, have also announced runs, and Illinois Libertarian Party Chairman Lex Green said Stewart "has to overcome" the irritation of party workers who spent $100,000 getting Johnson on the ballot in Illinois.
"But Jon is a good candidate, and there are many pragmatic libertarians who may be able to look past that," Green said.
Stewart is hoping that policies including a Trump-like plan to send 300 federal officers into Chicago's Englewood neighborhood to combat violence and replacing pensions with 401(k)s for new government hires will sway voters.
And he pointed to the 1998 election of former wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura as governor of Minnesota, as well as Trump's recent victory, as evidence of an enduring appetite for outsider candidates.
"When I first ran in the North Shore, I think most people were expecting a bleached blond guy in a leather motorcycle vest to show up, so they were surprised to find someone in a shirt who was engaged on the issues," Stewart said.
Though his campaign doesn't have much money, car dealers across the state have vowed to back him, he said, adding that people who underestimate him will be "surprised."
"The state's politics aren't working it's surreal at this point," he said. "How can the Democrats and the Republicans say, 'Give us one more chance?'"
Twitter @kimjnews
Read the rest here:
Former pro-wrestler with ties to Kellyanne Conway seeks Illinois governor nod - Chicago Tribune
Egypt's highest court on Wednesday ordered a temporary suspension of rulings by other courts on a 2016 deal that transfers two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, deepening the legal wrangling over the issue.
The Supreme Constitutional Court said its decision was made upon a government request and that the other tribunals may have infringed on the prerogatives of the government's legislative and executive branches.
Since the agreement was announced 14 months ago, two administrative courts have ruled to annul the deal, arguing that the islands of Tiran and Sanafir at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba belong to Egypt. A third court, however, ruled that it should be implemented and contended the other two tribunals had no jurisdiction over the issue.
Wednesday's decision open possibilities for new judicial moves that may or may not back the islands handover.
The government has insisted the islands were always Saudi but placed under Egyptian protection in the early 1950s amid Arab-Israeli tension. Parliament, a 596-seat chamber packed with government supporters, ratified the agreement last week. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has to sign off on the deal before it goes into effect.
The Supreme Constitutional Court is scheduled to open hearings next month on a request filed by the government seeking a ruling on whether the administrative courts that ruled against the agreement had jurisdiction.
In his first public comments on the issue since parliament's June 14 ratification, el-Sissi late Tuesday said the issue of the islands has been "concluded" and that his government has nothing to hide an allusion to charges that Egypt was giving up the islands in return for billions of dollars in Saudi aid.
"The rights of others must be restored," el-Sissi said, referring to the islands being Saudi territory.
Read the original:
Legal wrangling deepens over Egypt transfer of islands - ABC News
The Lonely Islands Andy Samberg has interviewed Future Islands for a new cover feature in Magnet. Samberg, a longtime fan, asked them about life on the road, how The Wire goes down in their native Baltimore, and singer Samuel T. Herrings longstanding obsession with rap music. In return, the bands William Cashion grilled Samberg on what its like to live in a home with Joanna Newsom, Sambergs wife, and her collection of harps. (Its kind of like a weird music fan dream come true that we have been so in love, Samberg says, because I get to hear her play harp all the time.) Read the full interview here.
At one point, Cashion asks about the origins of the Lonely Island and Justin Timberlakes Dick in a Box:
Cashion: Is that the question you get asked all the time? Samberg: Not the most, but definitely people say dick in a box to me as much as anything. Im very comfortable with it. I love it. The joke is that thats gonna be my epitaph: Made Dick In A Box. Theres worse epitaphs to have. Herring: Thats also a shitty thing to put on somebodys gravestone. Samberg: This guy was alive, now hes just a dick in a box. Herring: Works on many levels.
After reflecting on whether The Wire is Baltimores Dick in a Box, they continue:
Herring: Our Dick In A Box is probably the Letterman (performance of Seasons in 2014). Samberg: Are you guys sick to death of talking about that? You must be. Herring: Nah, its cool. Samberg: There you go, cause its your Dick In A Box.
Watch Future Islands recent performance at Ottobar via Pitchfork.tv:
View original post here:
Andy Samberg and Future Islands Talk Joanna Newsom, Dick in a ... - Pitchfork
Business Insider
Jun 20th 2017 7:01AM
You've probably heard of Ibiza, Corsica, and Santorini. But are you familiar with Formentera, Juist, or Saaremaa? Flying well under the tourist radar, these islands are a must-visit for anyone who feels that they have exhausted Europe's typical destinations.
Even if you haven't done much traveling in Europe, though, these breathtaking islands are well worth the detour.
They boast laid-back cultures, quiet charm, and an unspoiled nature that simply cannot be matched by the European mainland.
So pack your best camera and get ready for an adventure:
18 PHOTOS
Under the radar islands in Europe
See Gallery
Juist, Germany
Juist is one of seven inhabited East Frisian islands at the edge of Germany's Wadden Sea. Its miles of natural, windswept beach have earned it the nickname "Twerland" (meaning "magic land") in the local dialect. Although the Wadden Sea can be chilly, activities like hiking the mudflats and soaking in thalassotherapy spas make for a different kind of island experience.
Photo Credit: Getty
Formentera, Spain
If Ibiza is the older brother who throws the craziest parties, Formentera is the chilled-out, hippie younger sister. Even though the two are only an hour's ferry ride apart, they differ completely in atmosphere. Go to Formentera to have pristine Spanish beaches all to yourself. Experience local wildlife, go for a sail on turquoise waters, or swim over to Espalmador, a tiny neighboring island where you can slather yourself in revitalizing sulfurous mud.
Photo Credit: Getty
Sardinia, Italy
Just below Corsica, Sardinia mixes the best of Italian food and culture with an island paradise. Snorkel pastancient Roman shipwrecks, hike to crumbling lighthouses, or take in the sapphire ocean framed by dramatic hills. When you're done, eat top-notch seafood with your toes in the sand at a beachside restaurant, and wash it all down with some local Limoncello.
Photo Credit: Getty
Colonsay, Scotland
If you're looking for peace and solitude, the island of Colonsay in the Scottish Inner Hebrides might be just the place for you. At only eight miles long and three miles wide, it's a remote outpost where nature reigns supreme. Listen to the waves as they crash on its long stretches of golden sand, or hike some of the "McPhies" little peaks of about 300 feet. You'll forget about the modern world altogether.
Photo Credit: Getty
Saaremaa, Estonia
The largest of Estonia's islands, Saaremaa takes visitors back to the time of the pirates and Vikings who once called it home. It's easy to imagine them as the dense pine forests, thatched-roof houses, and little fairy-tale villages provide a window into the past. And don't forget to visit the beach Estonia's temperate climate means the water is perfect for swimming in the summer.
Photo Credit: Getty
Hydra, Greece
Although it's easily reachable from Athens, Hydra feels like a world away. Cars and bikes are banned on the island, so donkeys carry tourists' luggage up the winding cobblestone streets. Beyond cute, pebbly beaches full of bars and restaurants, Hydra boasts upscale shops and numerous nautical museums.
Photo Credit: Getty
Mljet, Croatia
With just barely 1,100 inhabitants, sleepy Mljet is a place of serenity and tranquility. Almost 90% of the island is covered in forest, and a huge national park offers miles of scenic walking trails. Fun fact: the island'sonly hotelis named after Homer's Odysseus, who is said to have lingered there, bewitched, for seven years.
Photo Credit: Getty
Graciosa, Canary Islands
Home to mostly fishermen, tiny Graciosa in Spain's Canary Islands is a far cry from its bustling neighbor Lanzarote. Caleta del Sebo is the island's only village, where whitewashed houses and roads of sand seem untouched by modern life. Go for a dive in crystal-clear waters that border a marine reserve, and take in Spanish culture at an even slower pace than usual.
Photo Credit: Getty
Mykines, Faroe Islands
Mykines is the place to go if you are seeking a complete escape. Besides the flocks of puffins, fewer than 20 people live here year-round. Sights to see include colorful, turf-roofed houses and sheer cliffs with impressive views across the Atlantic to Iceland. Mykines is reachable by ferry or helicopter from nearby Vgar.
Photo Credit: Getty
Fayal, Portugal
Lush Fayal Island is the westernmost point in Europe. Its volcanic origins make for an alluring terrain of hills and craters, and there are many opportunities for hiking, biking, canyoning, and horseback-riding. Visit in the summer months for a special treat: thousands of hydrangea plants bloom, turning the island blue.
Photo Credit: Getty
Gozo, Malta
Scenic Gozo, found right next to the main island of Malta, is an enchanting rural destination that's about the same size as Manhattan. Its selection of ancient temples are some of the world's oldest, and it's also considered to be one of the best diving spots in the Mediterranean. Don't miss the Azure Window, a geological formation that wasused as a backdropin Game of Thrones.
Photo Credit: Getty
Trna, Norway
For a slightly chillier island retreat, head to Trna: a collection of over 1,000 tiny Norwegian islands, of which only four are inhabited. See majestic caves and grottoes, and visit in July to attendTrna's famous music festivalin the full glow of the midnight sun.
Photo Credit: Getty
Belle-le-en-Mer, France
Belle-le-en-Mer literally means "Beautiful Island in the Sea," and this delightful haven off the coast of Brittany lives up to its name. Known for its pastel-painted buildings and 60 gorgeous beaches, the island also holds theFestival Lyrique en Mer: an internationally-renowned opera festival featuring some of the world's best emerging singers.
Photo Credit: Getty
Alderney, (Guernsey) Britain
Only 40 minutes from the UK, this most northerly of the Channel Islands offers a British experience with a laid-back, French flair. Explore green pastures, rugged cliffs, and snaking cobblestone streets if you get lost, the island is only 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide.
Photo Credit: Getty
Vis, Croatia
Vis, the furthest island from the Croatian mainland, is known for fabulous local wine, fresh seafood, and exciting nightlife activities. Its dramatic scenery evokes an aura of mystery that would fit a James Bond hideaway. Kayak through caves, sail the bays and lagoons, and take it all in from the top ofHum mountain.
Photo Credit: Getty
Stromboli, Italy
Flirt with danger on Italy's Stromboli: the island is home to one of themost active volcanoes on Earth,and it erupts almost continuously. Don't worry too much, though the explosions are small and barely faze the locals. Enjoy unique black-sand beaches by day, and look out for bursts of golden lava at night.
Photo Credit: Getty
Inishmore, Ireland
The appeal of Inishmore lies in its towering cliffs and eerie, blustery landscapes. Breathe in salty air on weathered bluffs, take a tour with a"pony and trap"(horse and buggy), and feast on fresh-caught mackerel. Look out for the seal colony that also calls the island home.
Photo Credit: Getty
HIDE CAPTION
SHOW CAPTION
Brittany Kriegstein contributed reporting to an earlier version of this article.
More from AOL.com: The top 20 most popular summer destinations in America, based on TripAdvisor's hotel pricing report 10 amazing honeymoon destinations in North America Summer's hottest European destinations revealed
Read the original here:
17 of the best under-the-radar islands to visit in Europe - AOL
FINDINGS
A new study by scientists at UCLA found that when mice eat a high-fat diet, the cells in their small intestines respond the same way they do to a viral infection, turning up production of certain immune molecules and causing inflammation throughout the body. The scientists also found that feeding the mice tomatoes containing a protein similar to that in HDL, or good cholesterol, along with the generic cholesterol drug Ezetimibe, reversed the inflammation.
The results could lead to new types of drugs, targeting the intestinal cells, to reduce peoples risk of heart attacks and strokes, or to treat other conditions linked to inflammation, including cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
Researchers already knew that prolonged obesity can cause inflammation of the liver and fat tissues, and that this inflammation contributes to the development of diabetes and heart disease. Studies have also shown that higher levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol, reduces a persons risk of heart disease.
The UCLA research team, led by Alan Fogelman, chair of the department of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA,previously developed genetically engineered tomatoes that contained 6F, a protein resembling the main protein in high-density lipoprotein. In early experiments on 6F, they found that the compound was active in the small intestines of mice, and that it reduced inflammation. But exactly how it did this was unclear.
The scientists fed either a standard chow or a high-fat, high-cholesterol Western diet to mice that were especially prone to developing clogged arteries. They also treated some of the mice with either 6F, in the form of a tomato concentrate containing the protein, Ezetimibe, or both. After two weeks, cells from the small intestines of the mice were collected and blood samples were taken. The researchers measured cholesterol levels as well as the levels of inflammatory and immune molecules in both the intestines and throughout the body.
The findings shed light on the molecular details of how high-fat diets cause inflammation in the body, by making the intestines activate the pathway normally triggered by a virus. This suggests that blocking this immune reaction as 6F and Ezetimibe do may treat inflammatory diseases and decrease peoples risk of heart attack and stroke.
The authors of the study are all faculty and researchers at UCLA, affiliated with the Department of Medicine; Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Department of Human Genetics; Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior; and Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. The first author is Pallavi Mukherjee; Fogelman is the senior author.
The studywas published June 7, 2017, in the Journal of Lipid Research.
The study was funded by the United States Public Health Service (2P01 HL-30568) and the Castera, Laubisch, and Milt Grey funds at UCLA.
Alan Fogelman, Mohamad Navab and Srinivasa Reddy are principals in Bruin Pharma, which is working to commercialize apoA-I mimetics, including the 6F peptide studied in this paper; Fogelman is additionally an officer of the company.
See the original post here:
High-fat diet leads to same intestinal inflammation as a virus - UCLA Newsroom
Theme: Novel Approaches to Unraveling the Human Genome and Genetic Disorders
Human Genetics Congress 2017 welcomes you to attend the 3rd World Congress on Human Genetics & Genetic Disorders which is going to be held at Toronto, Canada during October 20-21, 2017 with the theme of Novel Approaches to Unraveling the Human Genome and Genetic Disorders We cordially invite all the participants interested in sharing their knowledge and research in the arena of study of organisms and their relationship with Life Science.
Human Genetics do have boundaries, but determining where one Genetics starts and another begins can often be a challenge. We anticipate more than 300 participants around the globe with thought provoking keynote lectures, oral and poster presentations. The attending delegates include Editorial Board Members of related journals. The scope of Human Genetic-2017 is to bring the advancements in the field of science of all the relations of Genetics, all organisms in Life Science.
Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/Human-Genetics-Congress-2017-1427724823932698/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/preeyanca-williams-5a3546143/
Email 1: humangeneticscongress@geneticconferences.com
Email 2: humangenetics@conferencescanada.org
To personalize the content you see on Technology Networks homepage, Log In or Subscribe for Free
See more here:
3rd World Congress on Human Genetics & Genetic Disorders - Technology Networks
When it comes to attraction, the allure can begin even before she sets eyes on you. There seems to be something about the way youher dinnersmells from afar that makes you a desired target. While you are chatting with friends or overseeing the barbecue, that mosquito will go on the hunt and make you her next blood meal. But what makes you so attractive to tiny ankle biters?
This month a group of British researchers is launching a new investigation into the role of human genetics in this process. They are planning to collect smelly socks from 200 sets of identical and nonidentical twins, place the footwear in a wind tunnel with the bugs and see what happens next. The owners of the socks, the scientists hope, may naturally produce attractive or repellant chemicals that could become the basis for future mosquito control efforts. The researchers expect that studying the popularity of the garments the skeeters hone in onand analyzing both the odor compounds in them and the genetics of their ownerscould help.The study, which will include 100 twins each from the U.K. and from the Gambia, will start recruiting volunteers in the coming weeks.
We know very little about the genetics of what makes us attractive to mosquitoes, says James Logan, a medical entomologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who is leading the work. Earlier studies suggest visual, olfactory and thermal (body heat) cues all help drive mosquito attraction. We hope this study will give us more insights into the mechanisms that help change our body odors to make us more or less attractive to mosquitos, he says. If we can identify important genes, perhaps we could develop a pill or medication that would allow the body to produce natural repellents to keep mosquitoes away. The findings, he adds, could also help epidemiologists improve their models for how vulnerable certain populations may be to disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Already scientists know there are differences among us that contribute to why some of us get bitten more. Those of us who exhale more carbon dioxide seem to be a natural beacon for mosquitoes, in particular. Researchers have also found a correlation with body size, with taller or larger people tending to attract more bitesperhaps because of their carbon dioxide output or body surface area. There is also some evidence women who are pregnant or at certain phases of the menstrual cycle are more attractive to mosquitoes. Other work has found that people infected with malaria are more attractive to malaria-carrying mosquitoes during their transmissible stage of infection.
But what of our individual genetics? Two years ago Logans team published a small study looking at 18 sets of identical twins and 19 sets of nonidentical twins and their attractiveness to mosquitoes. They found that identical twins were more similar in their desirability to the blood-sucking insects than the nonidentical twins. Because earlier work had found that identical twins smell more alike than nonidentical twins, the British researchers surmised genes may play a role in this mosquito attractiveness.
This new study aims to nail down some more concrete conclusions with its larger sample size and add another population into the mix. (Most research in this area has focused on European Caucasians whereas this study will also include twins from the Gambia). There are other differences that set this apart from their earlier work, too: The 2015 study had tested attractiveness among Aedes mosquitoesthose that carry dengue and Zikawhereas this study will test attractiveness among Anopheles mosquitoes, a species that can transmit malaria. The team suspects the different species will be attracted to the same volatile compounds in human odor but wants to explore this further.
This is novel work and its a good step. It will tell us if there are genetic differences or not but it wont be a complete answer about mosquito attraction because other factors like diet, wind, time of day and mosquito species can all influence that, says Zainulabeuddin Syed, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame who studies the smell-influenced behavior and movement of insects and is not involved in the Logan project. Syeds work has found that people of various ethnic groups all seem to produce four major volatile compounds (although at varying levels) and there are some early hints that one compound in particular, called nonanal, may be particularly attractive, at least among certain species of mosquitoes.
Exactly what genes contribute to producing compounds that could possibly interest mosquitoes remains a vast unknown. Scientists that study human odors and genetics have previously suggested scent cues associated with genetics are likely controlled via the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes. Those genes appear to play a role in odor production and also in mammals mating choicesbecause humans and mice alike appear to prefer mates that smell less similar to themselves, which scientists have theorized may be a natural control against inbreeding. As a result, Logans team may target those odor-linked genes, but he says they are looking at all the options. In the next couple of years, he says, they hope to have some early answers. For now, and likely for many years to come, we can only slather on some bug repellant and hope for the best.
See more here:
Are You a Magnet for Mosquitoes? - Scientific American - Scientific American
An international team led by researchers from UCLA and Massachusetts General Hospital has identified the first definitive genes associated with Tourette syndrome, giving scientists a long-sought foothold on the biology of the disease.
The report in the June 21 issue of Neuron describes the discovery of rare mutations either deletions or duplications of genetic material in two neurodevelopmental genes, NRXN1 and CNTN6, in people with Tourette syndrome, a disorder characterized by multiple chronic, involuntary motor and vocal tics.
This is a first, key step in understanding the role of these genes in the disease process and ultimately in pointing the field toward possible therapeutic strategies, said Dr. Giovanni Coppola, a professor of psychiatry and neurology at UCLAs Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and the studys co-senior author. All of us in the field have been trying to understand which genes increase the risk of disease.
Theres no cure for Tourette syndrome, and no one medication that is helpful to all people with Tourette syndrome or suppresses all symptoms.
Previous research has shown Tourette syndrome has a clear genetic component. But genetic risk appears to be very complex, possibly involving different genes in different individuals. Several small studies have identified genes that appear to contribute to Tourette syndrome risk, Coppola said, but none of them met the statistical threshold of significance.
For this study, researchers analyzed data collected by the Tourette Syndrome Association International Consortium for Genetics and the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome GWAS (genome-wide association studies) Replication Initiative from more than 2,400 people with Tourette syndrome.
Of those people, only two dozen shared rare genetic mutations onNRXN1, which has a role in the development of synapses that transmit signals between neurons, orCNTN6, which is important in the development of neuronal connections involved in movement control.
To test whether these findings were specific to Tourette syndrome and not coincidence, researchers looked for the mutations in 4,100 people without Tourette syndrome. They found that the mutations were vastly predominant in people with Tourette syndrome.
The finding is also relevant to other neuropsychiatric disorders. More than 85 percent of people with Tourette syndrome have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder, or elevated risk for mood, anxiety, major depressive and autism spectrum disorders. Next, scientists plan to study cells from people with these rare genetic variantsto understand more precisely how they are involved in these diseases.
Tourette syndrome has long been considered a model disorder to study the parts of the brain that function at the intersection of our traditional concepts of neurology and psychiatry, said Dr. Jeremiah Scharf of the psychiatric and neurodevelopmental genetics unit in the Massachusetts General Hospital departments of psychiatry and neurology and co-senior author. Identifying additional genes will give us additional points on the map to let us focus in on exactly which cells in the brain are not functioning correctly at which specific times.
John Miller, president and CEO of the Tourette Association of America, which provided support for the study, called the identification of the two genes an enormous step forward. We congratulate our colleagues on this important discovery and on the real progress it means for individuals with Tourette.
The studys first author is Alden Huang, a doctoral student in the UCLA bioinformatics program. Additional co-senior authors of the study are Dr. Carol Mathews of the University of Florida and Peristera Paschou of Purdue University. Other support for the study came from the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke grants U01 NS040024, K02 NS085048, P30 NS062691 (Informatics Center for Neurogenetics and Neurogenomics, ICNN) and NS016648; National Institute of Mental Health grants K23 MH085057 and MH096767; and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant NS040024-07S.
Coppola said that he is especially grateful to patients who agreed to be part of the study. As a neurologist in Italy, where he trained, people volunteering for genetic studies would ask him, What is the possible outcome of this? and he would say, Most likely, nothing.
Now, with this studys results, Coppola can point to a success story: Next time your doctor asks you to give your DNA for testing, and tells you chances are dim for the result being relevant, keep in mind sometimes it works. And the more people enrolled, the better it works.
View original post here:
Rare genetic variants found to increase risk for Tourette syndrome - UCLA Newsroom
High schools all teach the same narrative in sex-ed: Chromosomes determine genitals, which determine sex, which determines gender. Women are XX, and men are XY. One has a penis, the other a vagina. Its science. Right?
But what about people born with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a disorder of sexual development (DSD) in which a person with two X chromosomes is born with a functioning penis? What if you have androgen insensitivity syndrome, where despite having a Y chromosome, your cells unresponsiveness to testosterone gives you a female body? What if you have Kenefelter syndrome, which is when youre born with two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome? Or what if youre among the 1 in 4,500 people born with ambiguous genitalia, many of whom are surgically altered while still infants to fit into the binary two-sex model?
The science is clear: Sex is not binary after all. And schools can bring about a true cultural shift if they begin teaching that fact to our youngest generations.
Sex and gender are much more complex and nuanced than people have long believed. Defining sex as a binary treats it like a light switch: on or off. But its actually more similar to a dimmer switch, with many people sitting somewhere in between male and female genetically, physiologically, and/or mentally. To reflect this, scientists now describe sex as a spectrum.
Scientists now describe sex as a spectrum.The more we have learned about human genetics, the more complicated it has revealed itself to be. Because of this, the idea of binary gender has become less and less tenable. As Claire Ainsworth summarizes in an article for Nature, recent discoveries have pointed to a complex process of sex determination, in which the identity of the gonad emerges from a contest between two opposing networks of gene activity. Changes in the activity can tip the balance towards or away from the sex seemingly spelled out by the chromosomes.
Despite the evidence, people hold on to the idea that sex is binary because its the easiest explanation to believe. It tracks with the messages we see in advertisements, movies, books, musicbasically everywhere. People like familiar things, and the binary is familiar (especially if youre a cisgender person who has never had to deal with sexual-identity issues). But science doesnt always care for the simple route.
Many people still defend the binary while claiming to be scientific. For instance, the famous evolutionary biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins has continued to describe trans issues in terms of a binary defined by chromosomes, despite research suggesting otherwise.
The lions share of such commentsagainst trans people, against nonbinary people, against all thats different and unknowncome from a place of ignorance. Large swaths of the public simply do not know about the state of the research in this area because nobody has ever told them about it.
Thats where schools can help.
Biology textbooks are not only just ignoring important content: Theyre actively misinforming students.The obvious places to cover these topics would be in biology and sex-ed classes. In recent years, sociologists and science educators have documented the refusal to integrate non-binary sex education into schools. For instance, in a 2011 study of biology textbooks in Ontario, University of Torontos researchers Jesse Bazzul and Heather Sykes found that any mention or discussion of sexuality or identity beyond the set heterosexual norm or the male/female sex binary is conspicuously absent. As a 2004 article in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching notes, publishers of science textbooks are unwilling to make decisions to include knowledge that is embroiled in political controversies and, through their silence, propagate the heterosexual norm. Unsurprisingly, attempts to fix these problems often face backlash; as a result, recent surveys have found that LGBT issues almost never come up in classroom discussions.
Biology textbooks are not only just ignoring important content: Theyre actively misinforming students. This misinformation is partially responsible for the bizarre state of the mainstream discourse on human sexuality, where mobs of angry people claim that anyone deviating from the binary of male and female is unnatural (even when 1 in 100 people are born with some form of DSD).
The problem here is worse than simple nave ignorance: People are defending an outdated and discredited model of human sex, and then using that scientifically unsound model to deny rights to trans and non-binary people, justify their oppression, and exclude them from society. The bathroom bills currently being proposed in several US states, which explicitly define sex in binary terms, are instances of poor education metastasizing into harmful laws.
Changing the way students learn about the biology of sex wont fix the whole problem. But its a step, and one of several ways schools can become more accepting of trans, intersex, and non-binary students. Teaching non-binary gender wouldnt mean overhauling entire curriculums, either: When teaching students what a chromosome is or how embryos grow, teachers could simply also talk about DSDs and other related topics alongside the lesson plan.
Schools need to update their biology curriculums to reflect the current state of the research, and they need to explicitly address the needs of their queer students through non-discriminatory sex-ed classes. To do anything less is not only unscientificit is also unjust.
You can follow Jeremy on Twitter. Learn how to write for Quartz Ideas. We welcome your comments at ideas@qz.com.
View post:
The myth that gender is binary is perpetuated by a flawed education system - Quartz
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have just reported a small but significant accomplishment: catching the replication of a single DNA molecule on video for the first time. And the footage has revealed some surprising details about this structure on which all life depends.
DNA is composed of two strands bound together in a helical shape, like a twisting ladder. These strands are made of four basesadenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine, abbreviated as A, G, C and T, respectivelystrung together in various patterns and paired in specific ways across the rungs of the ladders. A always pairs with T, and C always pairs with G. Sugar and phosphate molecules help provide architectural support to the ladder-like structure. Human DNA contains about 3 billion bases. Discrete, repeated sequences of bases form the individual genes that encode the instructions for all our working parts. And every time a cell divides, which happens incredibly often, DNA replicates so that each new cell contains a complete copy of our entire genome, or genetic blueprint.
A digital representation of the human genome. Scientists at UC Davis have discovered that DNA replication is not as smooth as they thought. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Tech & Science Emails and Alerts- Get the best of Newsweek Tech & Science delivered to your inbox
The process of DNA replication isa tremendous source of wonder and focus forresearch. The helix must unwind and have each strand copied smoothly and quickly. An enzyme called helicase triggers the unwinding and another called primase initiates the replication process. Athird, called polymerase, travels the length of a strand, adding the requisite base pairs along the way, leaving behind a new strand. Imagine splitting a ladder down the middle and assembling matching halves so that where there was once one ladder now there are two. That is DNA replication, only in place of saws, nails, wood and glue, there are enzymes and many microscopic and complex processes. Mysteries aboundwhen it comes to thishereditary material.
To better probe those mysteries, geneticist and microbiologist Stephen Kowalcyzkowski and colleagues watched DNA from bacteria replicate. They wanted to see exactly how fast the enzymes worked on each strand.
This first-ever view, shown in the video above, revealed a surprise: replication stopped unpredictably and moved at a varying pace. "The speed can vary about 10-fold," Kowalczykowski said in a statement. The two strands also replicated at different speeds.Sometimes the copying stalled on one strand while proceeding on the other. "We've shown that there is no coordination between the strands," said Kowalczykowski. "They are completely autonomous." The process, the researchers report in their study, published in Cell, is much more random than previously suspected.
The three enzymeshelicase, primase and polymeraseare also not alwys in sync. Even if polymerase stops its replication work, helicase can keep unzipping the helix. That lack of coordination leaves the half-helix of DNA exposed and vulnerable to damage. Such exposure is known to trigger repair mechanisms within the cell. Errors in replicating DNA, while often corrected, can also result ingenetic abnormalities that in turn lead to diseases.
This new look at DNA transforms the scientific understanding about replication. "It's a real paradigm shift," saidKowalcyzkowski, "and undermines a great deal of what's in the textbooks."
See the article here:
DNA Replication Filmed for First Time Shows How Awkward and Random Genetics Is - Newsweek