WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Consumer spending rose in February and sentiment among Americans perked up this month, further signs of an acceleration in economic activity in the first quarter after a near stall in late 2012.
The data on Friday also showed a rebound in income growth, putting the economy in a better shape to deal with tighter fiscal policy, particularly the $85 billion in across-the-board federal government spending cuts, known as the "sequester."
"The economy is in a good place now in terms of momentum and strength and it will need it as the government spending cuts will take something off growth as the year progresses," said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ in New York.
Consumer spending increased 0.7 percent last month after a 0.4 percent rise in January, the Commerce Department said.
Though part of the increase in spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, was because of higher gasoline prices, Americans also bought long-lasting goods such as automobiles and spent more on services.
After adjusting for inflation, spending was up 0.3 percent after advancing by the same margin in January. That prompted some economists to bump up their first-quarter economic growth estimates.
Barclays raised its gross domestic product estimate by 0.7 percentage point to 3.3 percent. Macroeconomic Advisers lifted their estimate by three-tenths of a point to 3.5 percent.
The economy grew at only a 0.4 percent annual pace in the fourth quarter.
A separate report showed households this month shrugged off the deep government spending cuts, focusing instead on the steady labor market improvement, which is starting to boost wages.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment rose to 78.6 from 77.6 in February.
"Consumers have discounted the administration's warning that economic catastrophe would follow the reductions in federal spending, and consumers have renewed their expectation that gains in employment will accelerate through the rest of 2013," said survey director Richard Curtin.
And they have reason to be optimistic. Income increased a healthy 1.1 percent after tumbling 3.7 percent in January.
Personal income had increased sharply in December as businesses rushed to pay dividends and bonuses before tax hikes took effect this year. That also skewed income data for January.
LITTLE SIGN OF FISCAL DRAG
A 2 percent payroll tax cut expired on January 1 and tax rates for wealthy Americans also went up. The consumer spending and sentiment reports were the latest to show little sign the tighter fiscal policy has been a major drag on the economy.
Employment growth accelerated in February, factory activity touched a 1-1/2 year high and first-time applications for unemployment benefits have only increased moderately in March.
Last month, the income at the disposal of households after inflation and taxes increased 0.7 percent in February after dropping 4.0 percent in January.
With income growth outpacing spending, the saving rate - the percentage of disposable income households are socking away - rose to 2.6 percent from 2.2 percent in January.
The higher gasoline prices pushed up inflation, with a price index for consumer spending rising 0.4 percent after being flat for two straight months. February's increase in the PCE index was the largest since August.
But a core reading that strips out food and energy costs rose only 0.1 percent after increasing 0.2 percent in January, showing no sign of underlying inflation pressures.
Over the past 12 months, inflation has risen 1.3 percent after rising by the same margin in the period through January.
Core prices were up 1.3 percent, well below the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target. They also had risen 1.3 percent in the 12 months through January.
The benign inflation picture should give the U.S. central bank room to continue with its monetary stimulus as it seeks to boost job growth.
The Fed said last week it would maintain its monthly $85 billion purchases of mortgage and Treasury bonds until it saw a substantial improvement in the job market.
"This is plenty of ammunition for all those Fed officials, who currently do not want to scale back the degree of monetary accommodation," said Harm Bandholz, chief U.S. economist UniCredit Research in New York.
"For investors this must looks like Goldilocks: Better economic data and ongoing monetary accommodation at the same time."
(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani, additional reporting by Luciana Lopez in New York; Editing by Neil Stempleman)
FRIDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) ? Although some parents worry about the sheer number of vaccines babies typically receive, a new U.S. government study finds no evidence that more vaccinations increase the risk of autism.
Looking at about 1,000 U.S. children with or without autism, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found no connection between early childhood vaccinations and autism risk.
Children with autism and those without had the same total exposure to vaccine antigens ? the substances in vaccines that trigger the immune system to develop infection-fighting antibodies.
?This should give more reassurance to parents,? said lead researcher Dr. Frank DeStefano, director of the CDC?s Immunization Safety Office.
The findings, which appear online March 29 in the Journal of Pediatrics, cast further doubt on a link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders ? a group of developmental brain disorders that impair a child?s ability to communicate and socialize.
The first worries came from a small British study in 1998 that proposed a connection between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. A spate of research since has found no link, and the original study was eventually retracted by the Lancet, the journal that published it.
Then came concerns about thimerosal, a preservative once used in certain childhood vaccines (but never MMR) that contains small amounts of ethyl mercury. Again, international studies failed to show a link to autism.
More recently, worries have shifted to the notion that children are getting ?too many vaccinations, too soon.? In the United States, children can be immunized against 14 different diseases by the time they are 2.
DeStefano said his team focused on antigen exposure, rather than just the number of vaccinations, because that gives a more precise idea of the ?immune system stimulation? kids received through vaccines.
A recent survey found that about one-third of parents thought children receive too many vaccinations in their first two years of life, and that the shots could contribute to autism.
But there?s no scientific evidence of that, said Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia.
He said it?s understandable that parents might worry. ?You see your baby receiving all these vaccines. It looks like too much. It feels like too much,? Offit said.
But, he said, there?s no biological basis for the idea that vaccines ?overstimulate? the immune system, and that somehow leads to autism.
Every day, babies? immune systems battle many more antigens than are present in vaccines, DeStefano explained. ?Most infants can handle exposure to many antigens,? he said.
The findings are based on 256 children with an autism spectrum disorder and 752 autism-free kids who were matched to them based on age, sex and health insurance plan.
The CDC team found that kids? total antigen exposure in the first two years of life was unrelated to their risk of developing an autism disorder.
That was also true when they considered babies? antigen exposure in the first three months of life, and the first seven months. Nor was there any connection between autism risk and the amount of vaccine antigens children received on any single day.
?This provides evidence that concerns about immune system overstimulation are unfounded,? DeStefano said.
Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for the advocacy group Autism Speaks, said the study ?adds to the existing literature showing no connection between vaccines and autism in large epidemiological studies.?
She added, though, that further research is needed ?to explore whether, in rare cases, a genetic vulnerability might increase susceptibility to vaccine-related side effects, including the triggering of autism symptoms in a genetically and medically susceptible child.?
Both Offit and DeStefano stressed that there is no reason for parents to delay vaccinating their child.
?This is one more piece of evidence to help reassure parents,? Offit said.
More information
The American Academy of Pediatrics has information on vaccine safety.
Same-sex marriages are legal in 9 states and the District of Columbia, but the federal government does not recognize those unions. Based on their statements on Wednesday, it appears the majority of the country's Supreme Court justices are questioning the law which bars such unions from federal recognition.?
By Mark Sherman,?Associated Press / March 27, 2013
Plaintiff Edith Windsor of New York waves to supporters in front of the Supreme Court in Washington Wednesday after the court heard arguments on her Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) case.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
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Concluding two days of intense debate, the Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it could give a boost to same-sex marriage by striking down the federal law that denies legally married gay spouses a wide range of benefits offered to other couples.
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As the court wrapped up its remarkable arguments over gay marriage in America, a majority of the justices indicated they will invalidate part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act ? if they can get past procedural problems similar to those that appeared to mark Tuesday's case over California's ban on same-sex marriage.
Since the federal law was enacted in 1996, nine states and the District of Columbia have made it legal for gays and lesbians to marry. Same-sex unions also were legal in California for nearly five months in 2008 before the Proposition 8 ban.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, often the decisive vote in close cases, joined the four more-liberal justices in raising questions Wednesday about a provision that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman for purposes of federal law.
It affects more than 1,100 statutes in which marital status is relevant, dealing with tax breaks for married couples, Social Security survivor benefits and, for federal employees, health insurance and leave to care for spouses.
Kennedy said the Defense of Marriage Act appears to intrude on the power of states that have chosen to recognize same-sex marriages. When so many federal statutes are affected, "which in our society means that the federal government is intertwined with the citizens' day-to-day life, you are at real risk of running in conflict with what has always been thought to be the essence of the state police power, which is to regulate marriage, divorce, custody," Kennedy said.
Other justices said the law creates what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called two classes of marriage, full and "skim-milk marriage."
If the court does strike down part of?DOMA, it would represent a victory for gay rights advocates. But it would be something short of the endorsement of gay marriage nationwide that some envisioned when the justices agreed in December to hear the federal case and the challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage.
Still, the tenor of the arguments over two days reflected how quickly attitudes have changed since large majorities in Congress passed the federal?DOMA?in 1996 and President Bill Clinton signed it into law. In 2011, President Barack Obama abandoned the legal defense of the law in the face of several lawsuits, and last year Obama endorsed gay marriage. Clinton, too, has voiced regret for signing the law and now supports allowing gays and lesbians to marry.
In 1996, the House of Representatives' report on the legislation explained that one of its purposes was "to express moral disapproval of homosexuality." Justice Elena Kagan read those words in the courtroom Wednesday, evoking a reaction from the audience that sounded like a cross between a gasp and nervous laughter.
Kagan's quotation gave lawyer Paul Clement, representing the Republican-controlled House of Representatives that has taken up defense of the law in place of the administration, some uncomfortable moments at the lectern.
"Does the House report say that? Of course, the House report says that. And if that's enough to invalidate the statute, then you should invalidate the statute," Clement said. But he said the more relevant question is whether Congress had "any rational basis for the statute." He supplied one: the federal government's interest in treating same-sex couples the same no matter where they live.
Clement said the government does not want military families "to resist transfer from West Point to Fort Sill because they're going to lose their benefits." The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is in New York, where same-sex marriage is legal, and Fort Sill is in Oklahoma, where gay marriages are not legal.
Opposing Clement was the Obama administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, Donald Verrilli, who said the provision of?DOMA?at issue, Section 3, impermissibly discriminates against gay people.
"I think it's time for the court to recognize that this discrimination, excluding lawfully married gay and lesbian couples from federal benefits, cannot be reconciled with our fundamental commitment to equal treatment under law," Verrilli said.
Both Verrilli and Roberta Kaplan, the lawyer for Edith Windsor, the 83-year-old New York woman who sued over?DOMA, told the court that views about gay people and marriage have shifted dramatically since 1996 when the law was approved.
Mar. 27, 2013 ? A computer model provides important clues for the production of tightly packed electronic components.
Greater numbers of ever-smaller components are required to fit on computer chips to meet the ongoing demands of miniaturizing electronic devices. Consequently, computer chips are becoming increasingly crowded. Designers of electronic architectures have therefore followed the lead of urban planners and started to build upward. In so-called 'three-dimensional (3D) packages', for example, several flat, two-dimensional chips can be stacked on top of each other using vertical joints.
Controlling the properties of these complex structures is no easy task, as many factors come into play during production. Faxing Che and Hongyu Li and co-workers from the A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics, Singapore, have now developed a powerful modeling method that allows large-scale simulations -- and optimization -- of the fabrication process, which provides welcome assistance to designers.
Among the challenges of producing tightly packed computer chips is the need to prevent warpage of the underlying silicon wafer as electronics components are stacked on it. Warpage leads to a number of unwanted effects. "Strong warpage can cause wafer breakage, it makes tight packing more difficult and some processing machines cannot handle high-warpage wafers," explains Li. The degree of warpage depends on many design and process parameters, and optimizing the procedure experimentally is time-consuming and costly.
Using their computer model, Che and Li studied a wide range of parameters that influence the warpage of an 8-inch diameter silicon wafer. They focused, in particular, on how a silicon substrate responds to the deposition of layers of copper -- through which electrical currents eventually flow. "This is the first time that a model has been able to predict warpage [at] the level of the entire wafer," says Li. Moreover, the stress on the wafer can be determined accurately. The calculated values agreed well with experimental data. Importantly, with the computer simulations, the researchers could explore regimes that cannot be easily studied experimentally, such as how the depth of the connections between layers influences wafer warpage.
The next goal is to simulate even larger wafers with variable connection sizes, explains Li. "Today, there are two industry standards for 3D packaging applications, 8-inch and 12-inch wafers, but the latter are becoming increasingly important," she says. The team's model is applicable to these larger wafers, too, but it requires optimization. Currently, Che, Li and their co-workers are collecting warpage and stress data for 12-inch wafers. They will use these data for developing their model further, according to Li.
The A*STAR-affiliated researchers contributing to this research are from the Institute of Microelectronics
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
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Journal Reference:
Faxing Che, Hongyu Y. Li, Xiaowu Zhang, Shan Gao, Kenghwa H. Teo. Development of Wafer-Level Warpage and Stress Modeling Methodology and Its Application in Process Optimization for TSV Wafers. IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology, 2012; 2 (6): 944 DOI: 10.1109/TCPMT.2012.2192732
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
(Reuters) - The Rolling Stones will play Britain's Glastonbury music festival for the first time, organizers announced on Wednesday, joining Arctic Monkeys and folk band Mumford & Sons as headliners at the three-day June event.
The appearance by the veteran British rock group follows weeks of rumors that the Stones, who in 2012 celebrated 50 years in the music business with a handful of concerts, finally would play at Glastonbury, one of Europe's biggest music festivals.
According to a line-up on the Glastonbury website for the June 28-30 festival in western England, the Rolling Stones will play the main Pyramid Stage. The exact date of their appearance was not listed.
"Can't wait to play Glastonbury. I have my wellies and my yurt!" Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger wrote on Twitter on Wednesday, referring to rain boots and an elaborate tent.
The line-up also includes British rapper Dizzee Rascal, rock band Primal Scream, Australian rocker Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, singer Elvis Costello, veteran American country singer Kenny Rogers and British folk-rocker Billy Bragg among others.
Members of the Stones have been saying for weeks that they would like to play Glastonbury for the first time in their long careers.
The band played a series of mini-concerts in London and the United States in November and December that sold out quickly, as well as marking 50 years of hits like "Honky Tonk Women" and "Angie" with a documentary, photograph book and greatest hits album.
Speculation has also been rife that the Stones will launch a full world tour in 2013, which would be the band's first since their 2005-2007 "A Bigger Bang" tour.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles; Editing by Will Dunham)
Mar. 27, 2013 ? Scientists at Harvard may have new hope for anyone who's tried to fight the battle of the bulge.
New research, conducted in collaboration with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, has found that the gut microbes of mice undergo drastic changes following gastric bypass surgery. Transfer of these microbes into sterile mice resulted in rapid weight loss. The study is described in a March 27 paper in Science Translational Medicine.
"Simply by colonizing mice with the altered microbial community, the mice were able to maintain a lower body fat, and lose weight -- about 20% as much as they would if they underwent surgery," said Peter Turnbaugh, a Bauer Fellow at Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Center for Systems Biology, and one of two senior authors of the paper.
But as striking as those results were, they weren't as dramatic as they might have been.
"In some ways we were biasing the results against weight loss," Turnbaugh said, explaining that the mice used in the study hadn't been given a high-fat, high-sugar diet to increase their weight beforehand. "The question is whether we might have seen a stronger effect if they were on a different diet."
"Our study suggests that the specific effects of gastric bypass on the microbiota contribute to its ability to cause weight loss and that finding ways to manipulate microbial populations to mimic those effects could become a valuable new tool to address obesity," said Lee Kaplan, director of the Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute at MGH and the other senior author of the paper.
"We need to learn a good deal more about the mechanisms by which a microbial population changed by gastric bypass exert its effects, and then we need to learn if we can produce these effects -- either the microbial changes or the associated metabolic changes -- without surgery," Kaplan, an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, added. "The ability to achieve even some of these effects without surgery would give us an entirely new way to treat the critical problem of obesity, one that could help patients unable or unwilling to have surgery."
While the results were exciting, Turnbaugh warned that it may be years before they could be replicated in humans, and that such microbial changes shouldn't be viewed as a way to lose those stubborn last 10 pounds without going to the gym. Rather, the technique may one day offer hope to dangerously obese people who want to lose weight without going through the trauma of surgery.
"It may not be that we will have a magic pill that will work for everyone who's slightly overweight," he said. "But if we can, at a minimum, provide some alternative to gastric bypass surgery that produces similar effects, it would be a major advance."
While there had been hints that the microbes in the gut might change after bypass surgery, the speed and extent of the change came as a surprise to the research team.
In earlier experiments, researchers had shown that the guts of both lean and obese mice are populated by varying amounts of two types of bacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. When mice undergo gastric bypass surgery, however, it "resets the whole picture," Turnbaugh said.
"The post-bypass community was dominated by Proteobacteria and Proteobacteria, and had relatively low levels of Firmicutes," he said. What's more, Turnbaugh said, those changes occurred within a week of the surgery, and weren't short-lived -- the altered gut microbial community remained stable for months afterward.
While the results may hold out the hope for weight loss without surgery, both Turnbaugh and Kaplan warned that future studies are needed to understand exactly what is behind the weight loss seen in mice.
"A major gap in our knowledge is the underlying mechanism linking microbes to weight loss," Turnbaugh said. "There were certain microbes that we found at higher abundance after surgery, so we think those are good targets for beginning to understand what's taking place."
In fact, Turnbaugh said, the answer may not be the specific types of microbes, but a by-product they excrete.
In addition to changes in the microbes found in the gut, researchers found changes in the concentration of certain short-chain fatty acids. Other studies, Turnbaugh said, have suggested that those molecules may be critical in signaling to the host to speed up metabolism, or not to store excess calories as fat.
Going forward, Turnbaugh and Kaplan hope to continue to explore those questions.
"We think such studies will allow us to understand how host/microbial interactions in general can influence the outcome of a given diet," Kaplan said. "To some degree, what we're learning is a comfort for people who have an issue with their weight, because more and more we're learning that the story is more complicated than just how much you exercise and how much you eat."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Harvard University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
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Journal Reference:
A. P. Liou, M. Paziuk, J.-M. Luevano, S. Machineni, P. J. Turnbaugh, L. M. Kaplan. Conserved Shifts in the Gut Microbiota Due to Gastric Bypass Reduce Host Weight and Adiposity. Science Translational Medicine, 2013; 5 (178): 178ra41 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3005687
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
While we wouldn't have blamed you for thinking ICS was the end of the road for the Droid Bionic, a Motorola Support page now indicates that a Jelly Bean update is on its way in Q2 2013. The handy little tool that Motorola introduced last year to help people find out about upcoming updates on their device reveals the information when selecting the Bionic from a list of support devices. As pointed out by Droid-Life, prominently at the bottom of the page it lists "Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) upgrade rollout expected to begin Q2 2013."
Now that's a pretty darn vague window, if true, to have the update "start" somewhere in the next three months, but we're not going to look this gift horse in the mouth. If it does come true, there are going to be some seriously happy Bionic owners out there.
This year's Battlefield series entry -- Battlefield 4 -- is headed to PCs this fall. The game wasn't given other platforms, but logic dictates it'll arrive on the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox 360 successor. Apparently, since only Sony's next-gen console is a known quantity and Microsoft's staying mum, EA isn't sharing other platforms yet (but hey, it's probably PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox). The game's being built on the latest iteration of DICE's Frostbite engine, though no other details were given about the engine just yet.
Like previous Battlefield entries, EA-owned Swedish game studio DICE is at the helm, and Battlefield 4 remains planted in current times (unlike the pseudo-future of Call of Duty's latest entry, Black Ops 2). A beta for the game will go live some time this fall, and folks who bought last year's Medal of Honor: Warfighter are automatically part of said beta. We'll have more info as EA offers it up, but color us not surprised if Battlefield 4 makes a reprise appearance at Microsoft's still undated Xbox 360 successor unveiling.
Update: EA also released a 17-minute gameplay demo of the game's prologue section, played on a PC. It features a squad of four soldiers on the run from Russian spec-ops militants in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. You'll find it just beyond the break.
Update 2: Per a listing on EA's digital store, Battlefield 4 is headed to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to the PC. PlayStation 4 is curiously missing, as is mention of Microsoft's next-gen game console.
UFC featherweight Chan Sung Jung has a fight with Ricardo Lamas coming up in July. The fight will likely have title implications, and will give "The Korean Zombie" a chance to prove he belongs at the top of the UFC's 145-lb. class. But the upcoming fight didn't keep Jung from speaking up to one of the UFC's biggest stars.
Jung posted a letter on his Facebook page to UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre about the Rising Sun symbol GSP wore to his fight with Nick Diaz.
Dear Mr. Georges St. Pierre Hi, My name is Chan Sung Jung from South Korea. As one of many Koreans who like you as an incredible athlete, I feel like I should tell you that many Korean fans, including myself, were shocked to see you in your gi designed after the Japanese 'Rising Sun Flag'. For Asians, this flag is a symbol of war crimes, much like the German Hakenkreuzflagge. Did you know that? I hope not.
Just like Nazis, the Japanese also committed atrocities under the name of 'Militarism'. You can easily learn what they've done by googling (please do), although it's only the tiny tip of an enormous iceberg.
Furthermore, the Japanese Government never gave a sincere apology, and still to this day, so many victims are dying in pain, heartbroken, without being compensated. But many westerners like to wear clothes designed after the symbol under which so many war crimes and so much tragedy happened, which is ridiculous.
I know most of them are not militarists. I know most of them do not approve unjustified invasion, torture, massacre, etc. They're just ignorant. It's such a shame that many westerners are not aware of this tragic fact. Wearing Rising Sun outfits is as bad as wearing clothes with the Nazi mark on it, if not worse.
Since you're influenced by Japanese Martial Arts, your wearing a headband designed after Japanese flag is understandable. But again, that huge 'Rising Sun' on your Gi means something else.
Many people say GSP is the best Welterweight fighter throughout history, to which I totally agree. This means you have a great influence on every single fan of yours all around the world. And I do believe your wearing 'the symbol of War Crime' is a very bad example for them, not to mention for yourself.
So, what do you reckon? Do you want to wear the same Gi next time as well?
The Rising Sun flag was used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II, and it was banned by the United Nations in 1945. Jung is not the only person to have an issue with seeing it used by an athlete. During the 2012 Olympics, Japanese gymnasts wore a leotard that was inspired by the Rising Sun, and some South Koreans were not happy about it.
When one-time MMA sponsor Hoelzer Reich used Nazi imagery on the gear UFC and WEC fighters wore into the cage, the promotions banned their items from the cage. Jung has the courage to speak up to a fighter he admittedly admires. GSP and the UFC owe him a response.
UPDATE: Both GSP and Hayabusa, the company who made GSP's gi, have apologized. GSP posted a statement from Hayabusa:
Since Georges St-Pierre wore our walkout gi at UFC 158 we have received attention surrounding the negative connotation of the rising sun graphic used. The last thing we want is to offend or alienate anyone with the choice of design on our products.
We at Hayabusa have the utmost respect for culture and history and appreciate all of our customers worldwide. As such, we accept full responsibility for this design and are taking all complaints and comments very seriously.
The gi worn by GSP will not be brought to market. In addition, we will be very conscious of this specific design element when developing future communication materials and products.
Please accept our sincerest apology for any offence this has caused. If you have any questions or comments regarding this matter, please feel free to discuss it with us at customerservice@hayabusafightwear.com. One of our representatives will be happy to assist you.
And GSP added:
I'd like to also personally apologize to anyone who was offended by this. I am very sorry, that was never my intention.
Both GSP and Hayabusa acted quickly to apologize. Though it would have been better if the symbol was never used, Jung used the moment to educate others on the issues with the symbol. For that, he should be commended.
Mar. 24, 2013 ? In a collaborative study published online in Nature Genetics, researchers from Cardiff University, BGI, International Wildlife Consultants, Ltd., and Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, have completed the genome sequencing and analysis of two iconic falcons, the peregrine (Falco peregrinus) and saker (Falco cherrug). The work provides an invaluable resource for the deep understanding of the adaptive evolution in raptors and the genetic basis of their wide distribution.
Peregrine and saker falcons are widespread, and their unique morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations make them successful hunters. The peregrine is renowned as the world's fastest animal, and the falcon is the national emblem of United Arab Emirate. In recent decades, peregrine and saker falcons have been listed as endangered due to rapid population declines caused by a wide range of factors including environmental change, overharvesting for falconry, habitat loss and bioaccumulation of pesticides (e.g. DDT, PCBs).
In this study, researchers focused on the evolutionary basis of predatory adaptations underlying peregrine and saker. They conducted whole genome sequencing and assembled the high quality ~1.2 Gb reference genomes for each falcon species. Phylogenic analysis suggested that the two falcon species might diverged 2.1 million years ago.
Comparing with chicken and zebra finch, researchers found the transposable element composition of falcons was most similar to that of zebra finch. Large segmental duplications in falcons are less frequent than that in chicken and zebra finch, and comprise less than 1% of both falcon genomes. They also found that a gene expansion in the olfactory receptor ?-c clade in chicken and zebra finch is not present in falcons, possibly reflecting their reliance on vision for locating prey.
Observing genome-wide rapid evolution for both falcons, chicken, zebra finch and turkey, researchers found that the nervous system, olfaction and sodium ion trans-port have evolved rapidly in falcons, and also the evolutionary novelties in beak development related genes of falcons and saker-unique arid-adaptation related genes.
Shengkai Pan, bioinformatics expert from BGI, said, "The two falcon genomes are the first predatory bird genome published. The data presented in this study will advance our understanding of the adaptive evolution of raptors as well as aid the conservation of endangered falcon species."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BGI Shenzhen.
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Journal Reference:
Xiangjiang Zhan, Shengkai Pan, Junyi Wang, Andrew Dixon, Jing He, Margit G Muller, Peixiang Ni, Li Hu, Yuan Liu, Haolong Hou, Yuanping Chen, Jinquan Xia, Qiong Luo, Pengwei Xu, Ying Chen, Shengguang Liao, Changchang Cao, Shukun Gao, Zhaobao Wang, Zhen Yue, Guoqing Li, Ye Yin, Nick C Fox, Jun Wang, Michael W Bruford. Peregrine and saker falcon genome sequences provide insights into evolution of a predatory lifestyle. Nature Genetics, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/ng.2588
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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
The Barnes & Noble Nook isn't doing amazingly well by most accounts, including a recently introduced giveaway program from the company itself that isn't quite (but sure resembles) a fire sale. Now, B&N has made an announcement that is clearly designed to prop up developer interest in the platform, with the introduction of a feature that brings it up-to-speed with others: in-app purchases.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? A helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan has killed five American service members, officials said Tuesday.
Monday night's crash brought the total number of U.S. troops killed that day to seven, making it the deadliest day for U.S. forces so far this year. Two U.S. special operations forces were gunned down hours earlier in an insider attack by an Afghan policeman in eastern Afghanistan.
The NATO military coalition said in a statement that "initial reports" showed no enemy activity in the area at the time. The cause of the crash is under investigation, the statement said.
A U.S. official said all five of the dead were American. The official said the helicopter went down outside Kandahar city, the capital of Kandahar province. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information had not been formally released.
The five dead included everyone aboard the UH-60 Black Hawk, said Maj. Adam Wojack, a spokesman for the international military coalition in Afghanistan.
Their deaths make 12 U.S. troops killed so far this year in Afghanistan. There were 297 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan in 2012, according to an Associated Press tally.
It was the deadliest crash since August, when a U.S. military helicopter crashed during a firefight with insurgents in a remote area of Kandahar. Seven Americans and four Afghans died in that crash.
In March 2012, a helicopter crashed near the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and four Afghan civilians on the ground, officials said. And in August 2011, insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter, killing 30 American troops, mostly elite Navy SEALs, in Wardak province in central Afghanistan.
Also Tuesday, a statement from the Interior Ministry said insurgent attacks killed six Afghan civilians.
Four died when the tractor they were on struck a roadside bomb in the southern province of Helmand on Monday. Then on Tuesday, two women were killed when a mortar fired by insurgents hit their house in the same province.
While Machinima has spread its wings beyond its namesake game engine-based movies, the company has only occasionally broken out of its familiar video game template. Those horizons are about to get wider through a collaboration with Ridley Scott's production house, RSA. Scott and RSA president Jules Daly will serve as executive producers for a project generating 12 short sci-fi films for Machinima's channels, with the directors culled from among RSA's superstar ranks. In theory, it's a win-win scenario: Machinima gets professionally-made movies to diversify its library, while directors can explore ideas that wouldn't necessarily be approved for a full-length feature. There's a hope for District 9-style regular movies co-developed with Machinima if all goes well, but we'd advise patience when the partnership hasn't even chosen its directors. It will take some time before we're catching a sci-fi mini-drama from the comfort of our living rooms.
FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2013 file photo, George P. Bush, left, talks to businessmen prior to making the opening statements at the Texas Business Leadership Council in Austin, Texas. Ending months of speculation about what post the grandson of one former U.S. president and nephew of another planned to seek, spokesman Trey Newton told The Associated Press that Bush filed the official paperwork Tuesday, March 12, 2013 to run for land commissioner, a popular stepping stone to higher office.(AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2013 file photo, George P. Bush, left, talks to businessmen prior to making the opening statements at the Texas Business Leadership Council in Austin, Texas. Ending months of speculation about what post the grandson of one former U.S. president and nephew of another planned to seek, spokesman Trey Newton told The Associated Press that Bush filed the official paperwork Tuesday, March 12, 2013 to run for land commissioner, a popular stepping stone to higher office.(AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? George Prescott Bush filed the official paperwork Tuesday to run for Texas land commissioner next year, hoping to use a little-known but powerful post to continue his family's political dynasty in one of the country's most-conservative states.
A Spanish-speaking attorney and consultant based in Fort Worth, Bush is considered a rising star among conservative Hispanics, and his political pedigree is hard to match. He is the grandson of former President George H.W. Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush and the son of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush ? himself often mentioned as a 2016 presidential hopeful.
Bush unveiled a new campaign website with a "George P. Bush for Land Commissioner" logo and featuring a three-minute video in which he says, "Texas is an exceptional state because we as Texans are exceptional."
In the video, Bush describes spending recent months traveling the state and having hundreds of conversations with Texans ? but says he kept returning to the advice of his grandmother, former first lady Barbara Bush, whom he calls "Ganny." Bush says she taught him the importance of public service.
"If you believe, as I do, that Texas is truly an exceptional place with a rich heritage and a future of unbound potential, than I ask for your support as I run for Texas land commissioner in 2014," Bush said.
George P. Bush has been active in politics for years. Last summer, he was promoted to deputy finance chairman of the Texas Republican Party.
Bush filed paperwork last November with the Texas Ethics Commission signifying he would run for statewide office next year, but he did not say which post he would seek. That touched off rumors he could try to become attorney general or even governor.
But Bush spokesman Trey Newton told The Associated Press that Bush spoke with current Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson late Monday before amending his previously filed Ethic Commission forms a day later. Paterson plans to leave the post to run for lieutenant governor.
In a January interview with the AP, Bush said he was already leaning toward a run for land commissioner but didn't plan to formally announce his decision until this summer. Asked why he ultimately announced sooner, Newton said, "George P. has said he was looking to run for Texas Land Commissioner since day 1 but wanted to show the proper respect for Commissioner Patterson."
Even though he had yet to officially settle on an office, Bush's campaign raised an impressive $1.3 million between early November and Dec. 31.
Patterson said he believes running with the Bush name is "both a blessing a curse." Some critics accused Bush of cynically shopping for the most politically opportunistic Texas office rather than being seriously interested in a specific one. But Patterson said that was a mere byproduct of Bush not being ready to make an announcement yet.
"That's the problem you have when your last name is Bush," Patterson said. "It's impossible to control the message."
The land commissioner administers state-owned lands and mineral resources. It is a post that can be a stepping stone to higher office: Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst was land commissioner before winning his current job.
Patterson described Bush as smart and qualified but stopped short of offering an official endorsement Tuesday. Not that Bush would necessarily need the help ? with his family name again coming to Texas ballots, other Republicans who once eyed the office might now look elsewhere.
A Democrat has not won statewide office in Texas since 1994, but Hispanics accounted for two-thirds of the state's population growth over the last decade and now make up 35 percent of its population. They tend to vote overwhelmingly Democratic ? tough the state GOP hopes Bush can change that.
His mother ? Jeb Bush's wife, Columba ? was born in Mexico.
In the campaign video, Bush said the state knows how to honor its veterans but also notes that Texas needs to improve its schools: "It is time for true, meaningful reform to a system that fails too many of our children." He added that Texans have a "higher responsibility of stewardship of our natural resources."
Bush describes in the video that, in addition to its work on natural resources, the General Land Office plays an important part in veterans' affairs while also overseeing investment in the Permanent School Fund, which administers funding to public school districts around Texas.
Beside Patterson and now Bush, the Ethics Commission said Tuesday it had only two other candidates listed as possibly running for land commissioner next year ? and both staged unsuccessful campaigns previously and then simply failed to close their accounts, making it unlikely they would run again.
Still, Matt Glazer, executive director of the liberal advocacy group Progress Texas, suggested it may be too early to anoint the next Bush a future political force to be reckoned with.
"Serving in elected office is a privilege, not a birthright," Glazer said in a statement. "George Bush must go through the same public screening as any other candidate."
__
Associated Press Writer Paul J. Weber contributed to this report.
QS Global 200 Business Schools Report 2012/2013 | QS Intelligence Unit
The QS Global 200 Business Schools Report reveals the opinion of MBA employers about the top business schools from which they most like to recruit MBAs.
The ratings provide a detailed overview of the most popular business schools around the world, based on details provided to QS by over 3,300 employers who actively recruit MBA graduates. The research is intended to be of use to MBA employers, prospective MBA students and institutions worldwide that are interested in international business education and recruitment trends.
Contents
Find out from which business schools employers prefer to hire in:
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Latin America
Middle East and Africa
As well as by the following specializations:
Strategy
Finance
Leadership
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Corporate Social Responsibility
Operations Management
Information Management
International Management
Innovation
QS Global 200 Business Schools Report 2012/2013
Description
A detailed overview of the most popular business schools around the world.
? QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited 1994-2012. All rights reserved.
Study shows on-pump bypass comparable to off-pump at year markPublic release date: 11-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Beth Casteel bcasteel@acc.org 240-328-4549 American College of Cardiology
30-day neurocognitive differences disappeared by one-year follow up
SAN FRANCISCO (March 11, 2013) Patients who underwent heart bypass surgery without a heart- lung machine did as well one year later as patients whose hearts were connected to a pump during surgery in a study presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.
CORONARY, an international, multicenter trial of on-pump (with a heart-lung machine) versus off-pump bypass surgery, enrolled 4,752 patients already scheduled to undergo a bypass procedure. The study is the largest to compare the two approaches.
For the primary endpoint of patients' composite outcomes of death, stroke, heart attack or new kidney failure requiring dialysis within one year of surgery, researchers found no significant difference between patients receiving the off-pump and on-pump procedures (12.2 vs. 13.3 percent, p = 0.24.) The study previously looked at this primary endpoint for patients at 30 days and also found the two methods to be statistically neutral in the short-term, but conflicting results from other research studies raised uncertainty about patients' intermediate (one year post-surgery) and long-term outcomes.
"We found that both on-pump and off-pump bypass have similar results, even at one year," said Andre Lamy, MD, lead author of the CORONARY study and professor in the division of cardiac surgery at McMaster University in Ontario. "Both surgical approaches are effective when provided by experienced surgeons."
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is one of the most commonly performed operations in the U.S. and the world and consumes more resources in cardiovascular medicine than any other procedure. In on-pump CABG, the patient's heart is stopped and blood is circulated through a heart-lung machine, where it is oxygenated and returned to the patient. In the off-pump technique, the surgeon uses a retractor to lift the still-beating heart and perform all coronary artery grafts. Off-pump CABG eliminates the need to insert a tube called a cannula into the aorta (the main artery distributing blood to the brain and body), cross-clamp the aorta, connect the patient to the heart-lung machine and stop and restart the heart.
The CORONARY study included patients from 79 centers in 19 countries who were scheduled to undergo CABG. Participants were randomly assigned to receive on-pump or off-pump CABG after a complete assessment to ensure they were appropriate for both techniques. In addition to the primary endpoint, researchers looked at the need for coronary revascularization between groups. This entails restoring blood flow to the heart through a repeat CABG or placement of a stent and indicates the initial CABG procedure was not successful. Again, results were similar between groups with 1.4 percent of patients in the off-pump group and 0.8 percent of patients in the on-pump group requiring this additional procedure.
The study also assessed the neurocognitive function and quality of life of patients in each group through the use of standardized scales.
"We found a transient improvement in neurocognitive function at hospital discharge among those receiving an off-pump bypass," Dr. Lamy said. "But at one year, our results are similar with both techniques."
According to Dr. Lamy, this transient difference in patients' neurocognitive functions came as a surprise to researchers, as smaller studies have shown evidence of short-term neurocognitive declines among patients receiving both types of bypass. Researchers found patients' quality of life to be similar after both on- and off-pump bypass.
The CORONARY study results differ from those emerging from another large trial that suggested improved outcomes at one year with on-pump surgery. According to Dr. Lamy, this discrepancy is likely related to surgeons' expertise in the two techniques, as well as the surgical risk of each patient.
"Compared to the other trial, our patients were older and sicker, and our surgeons were more experienced, particularly in performing off-pump bypass," he said.
Off-pump bypass requires a higher degree of surgical expertise since the operation occurs while the patient's heart is still beating. Thus, surgical expertise is a key factor affecting patient outcomes, and it is possible that other studies have not controlled for this, Dr. Lamy said.
All surgeons participating in the CORONARY study were required to have performed a minimum of 100 cases in the approach used, though the vast majority of surgeons in their study were highly experienced in both types of procedure, Dr. Lamy said.
"The CORONARY study shows that off-pump bypass is just as good as on-pump. Therefore, surgeons should tailor their surgical approach to their technical expertise and expected technical difficulty," Dr. Lamy said.
The CORONARY study will follow patients for five years. Researchers hope this continued evaluation will provide needed evidence about the success of on- and off-pump bypass beyond the first year.
###
The CORONARY study was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
The ACC's Annual Scientific Session brings together cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists from around the world each year to share the newest discoveries in treatment and prevention. Follow @ACCMediaCenter and #ACC13 for the latest news from the meeting.
The American College of Cardiology is a nonprofit medical society comprised of 43,000 physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers. The College is dedicated to transforming cardiovascular care, improving heart health and advancing quality improvement, patient-centered care, payment innovation and professionalism. The ACC also leads the formulation of important cardiovascular health policy, standards and guidelines. It bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists, provides professional education, supports and disseminates cardiovascular research, and operates national registries to measure and promote quality care. For more information, visit cardiosource.org.
This study will be simultaneously published online in the New England Journal of Medicine at the time of presentation.
Dr. Lamy will be available to the media on Monday, March 11 at 9:40 a.m., in Moscone Center, South, Room 300.
Dr. Lamy will present "CORONARY: The Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery Off or On Pump Revascularization Study: Results at 1 Year" on Monday, March 11 at 8:54 a.m., in Moscone Center, South, Esplanade Ballroom.
Media Contacts
Beth Casteel
240-328-4549
bcasteel@acc.org
Dana Korsen
301-744-9636
acc@ecius.net
ACC.13 News Room
415-978-3511
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
Study shows on-pump bypass comparable to off-pump at year markPublic release date: 11-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Beth Casteel bcasteel@acc.org 240-328-4549 American College of Cardiology
30-day neurocognitive differences disappeared by one-year follow up
SAN FRANCISCO (March 11, 2013) Patients who underwent heart bypass surgery without a heart- lung machine did as well one year later as patients whose hearts were connected to a pump during surgery in a study presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.
CORONARY, an international, multicenter trial of on-pump (with a heart-lung machine) versus off-pump bypass surgery, enrolled 4,752 patients already scheduled to undergo a bypass procedure. The study is the largest to compare the two approaches.
For the primary endpoint of patients' composite outcomes of death, stroke, heart attack or new kidney failure requiring dialysis within one year of surgery, researchers found no significant difference between patients receiving the off-pump and on-pump procedures (12.2 vs. 13.3 percent, p = 0.24.) The study previously looked at this primary endpoint for patients at 30 days and also found the two methods to be statistically neutral in the short-term, but conflicting results from other research studies raised uncertainty about patients' intermediate (one year post-surgery) and long-term outcomes.
"We found that both on-pump and off-pump bypass have similar results, even at one year," said Andre Lamy, MD, lead author of the CORONARY study and professor in the division of cardiac surgery at McMaster University in Ontario. "Both surgical approaches are effective when provided by experienced surgeons."
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is one of the most commonly performed operations in the U.S. and the world and consumes more resources in cardiovascular medicine than any other procedure. In on-pump CABG, the patient's heart is stopped and blood is circulated through a heart-lung machine, where it is oxygenated and returned to the patient. In the off-pump technique, the surgeon uses a retractor to lift the still-beating heart and perform all coronary artery grafts. Off-pump CABG eliminates the need to insert a tube called a cannula into the aorta (the main artery distributing blood to the brain and body), cross-clamp the aorta, connect the patient to the heart-lung machine and stop and restart the heart.
The CORONARY study included patients from 79 centers in 19 countries who were scheduled to undergo CABG. Participants were randomly assigned to receive on-pump or off-pump CABG after a complete assessment to ensure they were appropriate for both techniques. In addition to the primary endpoint, researchers looked at the need for coronary revascularization between groups. This entails restoring blood flow to the heart through a repeat CABG or placement of a stent and indicates the initial CABG procedure was not successful. Again, results were similar between groups with 1.4 percent of patients in the off-pump group and 0.8 percent of patients in the on-pump group requiring this additional procedure.
The study also assessed the neurocognitive function and quality of life of patients in each group through the use of standardized scales.
"We found a transient improvement in neurocognitive function at hospital discharge among those receiving an off-pump bypass," Dr. Lamy said. "But at one year, our results are similar with both techniques."
According to Dr. Lamy, this transient difference in patients' neurocognitive functions came as a surprise to researchers, as smaller studies have shown evidence of short-term neurocognitive declines among patients receiving both types of bypass. Researchers found patients' quality of life to be similar after both on- and off-pump bypass.
The CORONARY study results differ from those emerging from another large trial that suggested improved outcomes at one year with on-pump surgery. According to Dr. Lamy, this discrepancy is likely related to surgeons' expertise in the two techniques, as well as the surgical risk of each patient.
"Compared to the other trial, our patients were older and sicker, and our surgeons were more experienced, particularly in performing off-pump bypass," he said.
Off-pump bypass requires a higher degree of surgical expertise since the operation occurs while the patient's heart is still beating. Thus, surgical expertise is a key factor affecting patient outcomes, and it is possible that other studies have not controlled for this, Dr. Lamy said.
All surgeons participating in the CORONARY study were required to have performed a minimum of 100 cases in the approach used, though the vast majority of surgeons in their study were highly experienced in both types of procedure, Dr. Lamy said.
"The CORONARY study shows that off-pump bypass is just as good as on-pump. Therefore, surgeons should tailor their surgical approach to their technical expertise and expected technical difficulty," Dr. Lamy said.
The CORONARY study will follow patients for five years. Researchers hope this continued evaluation will provide needed evidence about the success of on- and off-pump bypass beyond the first year.
###
The CORONARY study was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
The ACC's Annual Scientific Session brings together cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists from around the world each year to share the newest discoveries in treatment and prevention. Follow @ACCMediaCenter and #ACC13 for the latest news from the meeting.
The American College of Cardiology is a nonprofit medical society comprised of 43,000 physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers. The College is dedicated to transforming cardiovascular care, improving heart health and advancing quality improvement, patient-centered care, payment innovation and professionalism. The ACC also leads the formulation of important cardiovascular health policy, standards and guidelines. It bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists, provides professional education, supports and disseminates cardiovascular research, and operates national registries to measure and promote quality care. For more information, visit cardiosource.org.
This study will be simultaneously published online in the New England Journal of Medicine at the time of presentation.
Dr. Lamy will be available to the media on Monday, March 11 at 9:40 a.m., in Moscone Center, South, Room 300.
Dr. Lamy will present "CORONARY: The Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery Off or On Pump Revascularization Study: Results at 1 Year" on Monday, March 11 at 8:54 a.m., in Moscone Center, South, Esplanade Ballroom.
Media Contacts
Beth Casteel
240-328-4549
bcasteel@acc.org
Dana Korsen
301-744-9636
acc@ecius.net
ACC.13 News Room
415-978-3511
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
UFC featherweight Chan Sung Jung has a fight with Ricardo Lamas coming up in July. The fight will likely have title implications, and will give "The Korean Zombie" a chance to prove he belongs at the top of the UFC's 145-lb. class. But the upcoming fight didn't keep Jung from speaking up to one of the UFC's biggest stars.
Since you're influenced by Japanese Martial Arts, your wearing a headband designed after Japanese flag is understandable. But again, that huge 'Rising Sun' on your Gi means something else.
The Barnes & Noble Nook isn't doing amazingly well by most accounts, including a recently introduced giveaway program from the company itself that isn't quite (but sure resembles) a fire sale. Now, B&N has made an announcement that is clearly designed to prop up developer interest in the platform, with the introduction of a feature that brings it up-to-speed with others: in-app purchases.
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Public release date: 11-Mar-2013
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