TripAdvisor and PATA Launch a New Community Education Programme for Destinations DATA

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TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*, in partnership with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and E-Tourism Frontiers announced today the launch of a new initiative to improve the way destinations use digital tools and content created by travellers. Known as DATA (Destination Academy with TripAdvisor), these regional events will bring together invited destinations to discuss the growing importance of digital platforms, tools and user-generated content in travel planning. With more and more consumers relying on content from 'fellow travellers' to plan their trips, it is vital for destinations to understand how this can be incorporated into their marketing strategies. DATA events will include training sessions, guided discussions, best digital practices, as well as analysis and trends from TripAdvisor.

The project is being run in conjunction with E-Tourism Frontiers, an online tourism training and education company that works with destinations and travel businesses worldwide to improve their use of technology and social content.

The inaugural DATA event will be held in Singapore on the 27th and 28th of November, 2014, and TripAdvisor will be partnering with PATA to host 20 regional Destination Managers.

Sarah Mathews, Destination Marketing Senior Manager, APAC, TripAdvisor, said, "We are delighted to partner with PATA to launch DATA, a highly innovative and dynamic programme specially designed for destinations. As the world's largest travel site with nearly 315 million unique monthly visitors**, we see that engagement with destinations is key, so that they can leverage the positive power of travellers reviews, opinions, and content in their marketing strategies. Travellers today want to hear from other travellers and see genuine, experience-driven content, and we can help destinations achieve this."

Damian Cook, the CEO of E-Tourism Frontiers, said, "While many regard online as impersonal, the human face of travel is really becoming more important online. We'll be looking at the evolution of destination management in a user controlled market. The value of local, real time content is now hugely important and sites such as TripAdvisor are seeing this change and ensuring that travel content has a genuine human presence. We want to show destinations how to connect and leverage user-generated content but also to build more adaptive destination strategies for the future."

PATA CEO Mario Hardy said he was delighted that Singapore would host the first DATA event: "We know that travel to Asia has increased significantly in the last few years. According to PATAmPOWER, the Association's next generation business decision-making tool, international visitor arrivals (IVAs) to Asia grew at an annual growth rate of around 6.9% between 2009 and 2013, with Southeast Asia and South Asia leading the pack with double-digit growth. Therefore, we want to equip destinations in the region with the most up-to-date knowledge, trends and research so they can incorporate the best use of social media into not only their marketing campaigns but in how they connect with travellers on a daily basis."

The events will also offer destinations the opportunity to hold DATA events in their home countries to educate and empower their travel trade.

About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel site*, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 315 million unique monthly visitors**, and more than 190 million reviews and opinions covering more than 4.4 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 45 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, comprising 90 government, state and city tourism bodies, nearly 30 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 57 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 43 local PATA chapters worldwide. The chapters organise travel industry training and business development events. Their grassroots activism underpins PATA"s membership of the Global Travel Association Coalition (GTAC), which includes ACI, CLIA, IATA, ICAO, WEF, UNWTO and the WTTC. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members" desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA"s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing, Sydney, Dubai, London and New York. Visit http://www.PATA.org.

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TripAdvisor and PATA Launch a New Community Education Programme for Destinations DATA

Stem Cells Treatment Not Useful In Stroke Patients Finds Indian Study

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A large-scale trial conducted in India has shown that stem cell therapy does not work in stroke patientsREUTERS

A study conducted on 120 patients in India has shown that stem cell treatment is not effective in treating paralysis resulting from a stroke.

The research which is thefirst large-scale study conducted in Indiacompared outcomes in those treated with stem cells to others and found no difference, reports Down to Earth.

While 60 patients with some form of disability of limbs caused by a stroke were given conventional treatment, an equal number received bone marrow stem cells in addition. All had experienced a stroke 3-4 weeks before the trial.

"We found that at the end of the first month, patients with stem cells showed more improvement compared to the control group. But at the end of the third month and one year, there was no difference," said Kameshwar Prasad, head, Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), who led the study.

On an average 280 million bone marrow cells were injected, of which blood forming stem cells were around 2.9 million per patient.

The average age of patients in the study was around 50.

The study, published in the current issue of American journal Stroke, was conducted at AIIMS in New Delhi and four other hospitals covering four cities.

The study comes when many others have been suggesting that stem cells could help treat paralysis in stroke patients. The earlier study was done on a small number of patients as compared to the AIIMs study.

More research needs to be done, before stem cells are used in therapy as in India, many private clinics are openly offering stem cell treatment for various diseases.

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Stem Cells Treatment Not Useful In Stroke Patients Finds Indian Study

Veteran Actor Darius McCrary from Family Matters Receives Stem Cell Procedures with Dr. Raj in Beverly Hills

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Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) November 17, 2014

Veteran television and movie actor Darius McCrary has received a revolutionary stem cell procedure for his painful knee and ankle. The regenerative medicine procedure with stem cells was performed by Dr. Raj, a top orthopedic doctor in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles.

Darius McCrary is well known for his decade long stint on Family Matters as character Eddie Winslow. He won a Best Young Actor Award for this role along with movie roles in both Mississippi Burning and Big Shots. Currently, Darius appears along with Charlie Sheen in the show Anger Management.

While staying in tip top shape for his career, Darius has developed persistent pain in his right knee and ankle. Rather than seek a regular cortisone injection for pain relief or opt for surgery, he desired the ability to repair the joint damage and achieve pain relief. "I couldn't imagine being immobilized because of injury, so I opted for a stem cell procedure."

The procedures were performed by Dr. Raj, who is a prominent Beverly Hills orthopedic doctor with extensive experience in regenerative medicine. The procedure consisted of a combination of platelet rich plasma therapy along with amniotic derived stem cell therapy. Anecdotal studies are showing that the stem cell procedures for extremity joints allow patients to achieve pain relief and often avoid the need for potentially risky surgery.

Dr. Raj has performed over 100 stem cell procedures for patients who have degenerative arthritis or sports injuries. "Patients do extremely well with the procedures. Minimal risk and there's a huge potential upside!"

With an active acting career, Darius McCrary cannot afford to be distracted with chronic pain. "I'm looking forward to getting back in the gym and going hard without this pain," he stated excitedly. The procedure was filmed and can be seen on Dr. Raj's Facebook page.

To discuss stem cell procedures at Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute and how they can benefit, call (310) 247-0466.

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Veteran Actor Darius McCrary from Family Matters Receives Stem Cell Procedures with Dr. Raj in Beverly Hills

India must reconnect to spiritual past: President Pranab Mukherjee

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IANS Nov 16, 2014, 03.57PM IST

(President Pranab Mukherjee)

VRINDAVAN: President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday said as India makes a "transformative change" from being a developing to a developed nation, it must reconnect to its spiritual past.

Speaking at the Chandrodaya temple being established by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) here, Mukherjee said India was one of the oldest and culturally rich civilizations in the world.

"As we now make the transformative change from being a developing to a developed economy, there will be immense pressures on our socio-economic and moral fabric. It is, therefore, imperative that we reconnect to our spiritual dimensions. There can be no better way of doing this than spreading the Bhagvad Gita's message of universal love and humanity," said the President.

Expressing happiness that the temple will disseminate the message of the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam in a rational manner, Mukherjee said that the message was particularly relevant for the society today.

"While we as a nation move up the developmental ladder, it is essential that our spiritual core, which forms the bedrock of our civilization, remains undiluted and strong as ever."

The president said Vrindavan should strive to become a world renowned center for spiritual enlightenment, from where the message of divinity and peace resonates across all humanity.

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India must reconnect to spiritual past: President Pranab Mukherjee

Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham – Walkthrough Part 8 – Space Station Infestation – Video

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Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - Walkthrough Part 8 - Space Station Infestation
This is TheMediaCows #39; full gameplay walkthrough of Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. This is Part 8 of the Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham walkthrough. Ray and Dewe...

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Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - Walkthrough Part 8 - Space Station Infestation - Video

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham – All the Rage – Part 13 (Xbox One Gameplay) – Video

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LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - All the Rage - Part 13 (Xbox One Gameplay)
The Asian Guy Gamer and The Asian Kid Gamer are playing LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham on the Xbox One!!! Be sure to hit the "LIKE" button for more LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham!!! LEGO ...

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LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - All the Rage - Part 13 (Xbox One Gameplay) - Video

Russia To Deploy Its Own Space Station In 2017: Report

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Russia will deploy its own orbital space station in 2017, using parts of modules originally destined for the International Space Station (ISS), according to Kommersant, a Russian daily newspaper.

The latest development follows an announcement by the countrys deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin earlier this year that Russia would not use the ISS after 2020, Sputnik reported, citing the Kommersant report, which cited a source close to the Central Research Institute of Machine Building, which is administrated by the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).

The new station will be located in a geometrically favorable location with the possibility of an extended field of view of the Earth's surface, the source told Kommersant. As much as 90 percent of Russia's territory and the Arctic offshore area will be visible from the new space station, while the ISS field of view covers not more than 5 percent of the region.

According to the Kommersant report, one of the principal tasks of the space station will be to test spacecraft bound for the moon. The spacecraft would be first delivered to the space station, before an attempt to reach the moon.

The newspaper said that the project's costs are as yet uncertain, but added, citing sources, that modules and devices developed for the Russian segment of the ISS would initially be used for the project, helping Moscow avoid additional costs.

In May, Rogozin announced that Russia would deny use of the ISS' Russian segment to the U.S. after 2020, and ban the use of Russian-made rocket engines for launching U.S. military satellites, in an apparent response to American sanctions imposed on Russia over the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

The Russian segment can exist independently from the American one. The U.S. one cannot, Rogozin said at the time. After 2020, we would like to divert these funds [used for ISS] to more promising space projects.

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Russia To Deploy Its Own Space Station In 2017: Report

Russia to Set up Own Orbital Space Station to Gain Edge Over ISS

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The Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station crew of Barry Wilmore of the US Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of Russia blasts off from the launch pad at the Baikonur cosmodromeShamil Zhumatov/Reuters

Russia is said to be planning to set up its own orbital space station in 2017 which would allow Moscow to have an edge over the International Space Station (ISS).

Moscow earlier announced that it would not be using the ISS after 2020.

The Russian daily Kommersant quoted a space engineering source as saying: "The new station will be located geometrically more advantageous, allowing an extended field of view of the earth's surface. As much as 90 percent of Russia's territory and the Arctic offshore are will be visible from the station."

The source added that only 5% of the region is presently visible from the ISS.

As part of the mission, a manned spacecraft would be dispatched to the lunar infrastructure which would first reach the station and eventually the moon.

"In fact, we are talking about the creation of a bridgehead first vehicles will be delivered to the station, and then to the moon," said the source.

The initial deployment for the new space station would involve the modules and devices stationed by the Russian side in the ISS as Moscow withdraws its resources.

The cost of the mission has not been estimated as yet, but Russian officials have hinted at an early exit from the ISS.

Amidst the West-Russia political tensions, Russia had announced in May 2014 that it would not allow the US to use the Russian segment of the ISS after 2020 and placed a ban on Russia-made rocket engines for American military satellites.

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Russia to Set up Own Orbital Space Station to Gain Edge Over ISS

Russia to start deploying its own orbital space station in 2017: report

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November 17, 2014 - 10:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia will start deploying its own orbital space station in 2017, using part of the modules constructed for the International Space Station (ISS), Kommersant newspaper reported Monday, Nov 17, citing a space engineering source.

"The new station will be located geometrically more advantageous, allowing an extended field of view of the Earth's surface. As much as 90 percent of Russia's territory and the Arctic offshore area will be visible from the station," the source said, noting that the ISS' field of view covers no more than 5 percent of the region.

Testing of piloted spacecraft for the lunar infrastructure will be one of the projected station's principal tasks, the source said. Spacecraft will first be delivered to the station, and then continue to the Moon, according to Sputnik.

The newspaper's source added that the project's costs have not been estimated yet. At the initial stage, it will use modules and spacecraft developed for the Russian Orbital Segment of the ISS. However, early winding up of works at the ISS is not planned, according to the source.

In May, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin announced that Moscow was not planning to use the International Space Station after 2020 and would instead re-focus its funding on more promising new space projects.

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Russia to start deploying its own orbital space station in 2017: report

Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole May Be a Neutrino Factory

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November 17, 2014

Provided by Janet Anderson, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Megan Watzke, Chandra X-ray Center

The giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way may be producing mysterious particles called neutrinos. If confirmed, this would be the first time that scientists have traced neutrinos back to a black hole.

The evidence for this came from three NASA satellites that observe in X-ray light: the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Swift gamma-ray mission, and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR).

Neutrinos are tiny particles that carry no charge and interact very weakly with electrons and protons. Unlike light or charged particles, neutrinos can emerge from deep within their cosmic sources and travel across the universe without being absorbed by intervening matter or, in the case of charged particles, deflected by magnetic fields.

The Earth is constantly bombarded with neutrinos from the sun. However, neutrinos from beyond the solar system can be millions or billions of times more energetic. Scientists have long been searching for the origin of ultra-high energy and very high-energy neutrinos.

Figuring out where high-energy neutrinos come from is one of the biggest problems in astrophysics today, said Yang Bai of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, who co-authored a study about these results published in Physical Review D. We now have the first evidence that an astronomical source the Milky Ways supermassive black hole may be producing these very energetic neutrinos.

Because neutrinos pass through material very easily, it is extremely difficult to build detectors that reveal exactly where the neutrino came from. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, located under the South Pole, has detected 36 high-energy neutrinos since the facility became operational in 2010.

By pairing IceCubes capabilities with the data from the three X-ray telescopes, scientists were able to look for violent events in space that corresponded with the arrival of a high-energy neutrino here on Earth.

We checked to see what happened after Chandra witnessed the biggest outburst ever detected from Sagittarius A*, the Milky Ways supermassive black hole, said co-author Andrea Peterson, also of the University of Wisconsin. And less than three hours later, there was a neutrino detection at IceCube.

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Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole May Be a Neutrino Factory

NASA Covering Up Artifacts Imaged By Curiosity Rover With Fake Sand – Video

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NASA Covering Up Artifacts Imaged By Curiosity Rover With Fake Sand
It has become more and more blatant and in your face what NASA and JPL have been doing to the "Raw Images" being beamed back from the Curiosity Rover on Mars. This is a prime example of how...

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NASA Covering Up Artifacts Imaged By Curiosity Rover With Fake Sand - Video

MANTECH Introduces 15-Minute COD Analysis For Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities

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PeCOD technology provides wastewater plant operations staff with unprecedented access to COD information in terms of time, accuracy and safety. Eliminates the use of hazardous dichromate reagents previously required for COD analysis.

Guelph, Ontario (PRWEB) - MANTECH INC., today announced the launch of PeCOD, a patented nanotechnology based approach for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) analysis that overcomes the limitations of current COD analysis methods for municipal wastewater applications.

Facility operators now have the ability to rapidly understand incoming waste streams that can vary in COD load, often over short time periods. Rapid analysis of COD at secondary stage treatment facilities enables aeration to be optimized and minimizes the challenges associated with unexpectedly high COD loads. PeCOD technology provides wastewater plant operations staff with unprecedented access to COD information in terms of time, accuracy and safety. It is the fastest available COD analysis method, with results generated in just 15 minutes vs several hours.

With PeCOD, operators no longer have to undertake potentially hazardous operations such as digesting samples with boiling sulphuric acid containing dichromate, mercury and silver salts (the dichromate method of COD analysis). Leading global regulatory agencies have already taken action to either ban or limit the use of the dichromate chemical in Europe and Ontario, Canada.

PeCOD is the fastest available method to quantify COD from a wide variety of waste streams, offering users unparalleled access to accurate information to make impactful process control decisions, said Robert Menegotto, President and CEO of MANTECH. The technology is currently in use at nearly 100 industrial and laboratory facilities around the world and with this launch, we expect to secure our first municipal wastewater clients in the near future. The core of the PeCOD unit is a nanotechnology based sensor, which consists of a UV-activated nanoparticale TiO2 (titanium dioxide) photocatalyst. The high electrochemical potential of the TIO2 gives it a substantial advantage over the modest chemical potential generated by the dichromate method commonly used for COD analysis.

The PeCOD approach measures photocurrent charge originating from the oxidation of organic species contained in a sample to qualify. The result is that the user obtains the most accurate measurement of organic pollution, in less than 15 minutes, with no use of dichromate or other hazardous chemicals.

About MANTECH

MANTECH INC., is the global leader in simplifying laboratory operations for institutional, municipal and industrial sectors worldwide. Through its proven portfolio of automated multi-parameter, titration, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) instrumentation solutions, MANTECH is creating value for its clients by reducing costs and increasing safety, while reducing sample analysis time. Over 1,700 MANTECH systems are in use in 45 countries.

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MANTECH Introduces 15-Minute COD Analysis For Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Tata Motors shelves Nano diesel project

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Image: Tata Nano. Photograph: Kind Courtesy, Tata Motors

With deregulation in diesel prices, a Nano diesel does not make sense with the lesser difference in petrol and diesel fuel prices and it only made sense for Tata to stop the development on the lost cause.

The Nano diesel has been a long awaited offering from Tata Motors that will now not see the light of the day.

A recent report suggests that Tata has indefinitely halted the development of the Nano diesel as its Engineering Research Centre (ERC) at Pimpri, Pune in order to focus on other projects instead.

In addition to the Nano diesel, the company has also stopped the development of a quadricycle based on the Magic Iris platform at the ERC for unknown reasons.

Image: Tata Nano. Photograph: Kind Courtesy, Tata Motors

Starting with the Tata Nano Diesel, the model has been long in the news with the automaker developing the same since quite some time now.

However, the extensive development has taken a toll on Tata as diesel prices have now been deregulated with the difference between petrol and diesel coming down to a minimal.

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Tata Motors shelves Nano diesel project