When owners and teams treat football like a business, media and fans shrug.? When players do, it?s regarded as an affront to the integrity of the game.
It?s not fair, but that?s the way it is.? And Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer needs to brace himself for that reaction as he tries to force his way out of Oakland.
It?s obvious Palmer wants out.? Two years ago, he finagled his exit from Cincinnati by feigning retirement.? The strategy looked to be a failure until Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell broke his collarbone and former Raiders coach Hue Jackson lost his damn mind, giving up a first-round pick and a second-round pick for a quarterback who isn?t the guy he used to be.
Now, Palmer is turning up his nose at $10 million from the Raiders, which sets the stage for the Raiders eventually to cut him ? and for Palmer to play for someone else.
As Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports explains it, Palmer wants to play for a contender, even if it means being a backup.? (Cough . . . Seahawks and Pete Carroll . . . cough.)? Of course, Palmer won?t get $10 million to be a backup, but his willingness to walk away from football in order to get out of Cincinnati proves that he?d be willing to walk away from $10 million in order to get a shot at winning.
Palmer?s posture also reflects a belief that, despite the hiring of G.M. Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen, Palmer doesn?t see the silver-and-black bus getting turned around in the immediate future.? Otherwise, he?d gladly take $10 million to stay put.
The problem is that the Raiders currently hold all the cards.? With no seven-figure trigger in Palmer?s deal, the $13 million doesn?t become fully guaranteed until Week One, which means the Raiders can cut him much later in the offseason, if they draft a quarterback early ? or if they eventually decide Terrelle Pryor can get the job done.? The only risk the Raiders are taking is that, if Palmer drops a dumbbell on his foot or pops an Achilles tendon in offseason conditioning drills or otherwise suffers a season-ending injury while on the clock, the Raiders will owe Palmer his full salary.
That could set the stage for a Steve McNair-style lockout.? Even without Palmer being barred from the building (which would violate the CBA), Palmer is making his second power play in two years.
When a team does it, we applaud.? Fair or not, Palmer should prepare for the jeers and the boos and the accusations of being a chronic quitter.
Sometimes simplicity works. Gaming headsets with bells and whistles like surround sound, USB audio processors, and wireless functionality are great, but when you get down to it, the most important thing is to be able to plug in a headset and be able to hear and be heard. The Razer Kraken Pro ($79.99 direct) is the embodiment of simplicity, while still offering great sound quality and a comfortable design. It's a nice alternative if you don't want to pay more than twice as much for, say, our Editors' Choice Razer Tiamat 7.1, which offers features galore including surround sound with a USB audio processor.
Design The Kraken is available in black or eye-burning neon green versions, the latter of which will certainly get the attention of anyone in the room. Both have black memory foam earcups and black rings on the outside of the cups, and opposite color (black for the green model, green for the black version) memory foam padding on the underside of the headband, along with a bendable arm on the boom mic.
Razer calls the Kraken Pro the most comfortable gaming headset ever, and it's certainly up there. Its large, over-the-ear cups and memory foam padding let the headset sit securely on my head without pinching, and it's light enough to not weigh down my head. It rivals the Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 5, and that's one of the most comfortable headsets I've tested. It isn't perfect, though. The boom mic fits in the left earcup on a bendable arm that pulls out of the cup, and when the mic is completely retracted it's awkward to get a good grip on it to pull it out if you have large fingers. Besides that, though, it's a very pleasant headset to wear for long gaming sessions. The ear cups fold inward to make it easier to carry, and I had no problem sticking it in my bag to take to the PAX East conference for on-the-go gaming.
This is a completely analog, direct headset, which makes setup a breeze. The 4.3-foot cable ends in a 3.5mm audio connector that lets the headset work with your smartphone or tablet, and a 6.6-foot PC adapter extends the cable to 10 feet and terminates in two 3.5mm connectors for the headphone and microphone ports on any computer. It doesn't support surround sound and it doesn't need a USB port to set up. Just plug it in and you're good to go. The headset doesn't have any volume controls, any adjustments to the headphones or microphone have to be made through the connected device. This is a slightly less convenient setup than more advanced, USB-powered headsets like the Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 5 or the Razer Tiamat 7.1, which have controls for adjusting volume and equalization either on the earcups or on an in-line remote that sits on your desk.
Bass Power Like any good gaming headset, the Kraken Pro handles bass very well. In my tests, not only did its 40mm stereo drivers provide a satisfying blast of rockets and mini-gun fire in Team Fortress 2, but it handled the thumping bass notes in The Knife's "Silent Shout" without distortion. I cranked up the volume until it was, well, painful and I didn't hear any crackle or warping.
The boom microphone works very well and, despite being initially hard to pull out of the earcup, the bending arm lets you adjust its position easily. My voice sounded clear and crisp, though it picked up a little too much outside noise to be useful for podcasts or recording.?
Besides bass, music and dialog sound good on the Kraken Pro, despite a few predictable flaws. I listened to Franz Ferdinand's "You Could Have It So Much Better," and the vocals, guitar riffs, and snares all came through clearly. However, the high end sounded slightly muted compared with the low end, and the drum beat and bass line were a bit more distinct than the lead guitar. This isn't the best headset for music, but it's primarily intended for gaming and voice chat in gaming, and at that, it works very well. You can't reasonably expect a flat or accurate response from a midrange gaming headset, because it has different audio priorities.
The Razer Kraken Pro isn't fancy and it doesn't have any special features like wireless capability or surround sound, but it's comfortable, powerful, and clear, which are the most important aspects of a gaming headset. Its analog design make it easy to set up with your computer or mobile device without installing anything, even if it doesn't offer any inline or on-headset controls. Its $80 price tag is a little high given its simplicity, but its build and audio quality justify the cost. If you're looking for a basic, powerful headset under $100, the Kraken Pro should be at the top of your list.
Ray Chung holds some edamame at a processing plant in Mulberry, Ark., on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeannie Nuss)
Ray Chung holds some edamame at a processing plant in Mulberry, Ark., on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeannie Nuss)
Ray Chung poses for a picture outside an edamame processing plant in Mulberry, Ark., on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeannie Nuss)
Some edamame is freeze-dried and sold as snacks. Some of the packaging is shown at a processing plant in Mulberry, Ark., on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeannie Nuss)
A truck drives near a population sign in Mulberry, Ark., on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeannie Nuss)
MULBERRY, Ark. (AP) ? A small but growing number of farmers have been experimenting with an edible soybean as they look to capitalize on Americans' interest in adding non-meat proteins to their diets.
The United States is one of the world's top soybean producers, but most beans grown here are used to make cooking oil and feed farm animals. They aren't eaten whole.
Now, some farmers from Arkansas to Minnesota are planting a type called edamame, which is commonly used in Asian cuisine.
Food trend experts and farmers say edamame remains a niche product ? somewhere between chia seeds and quinoa in popularity ? but they see potential for growth if food companies can figure out an efficient processing system for a crop that must be harvested and packaged quickly. Plus, with meat prices rising, Americans are interested in less expensive, alternative proteins. And possible marketing worries, including the notion that soybeans are livestock food, have faded.
"Soy has not historically been viewed as being an edible crop in the U.S., but now, with more people becoming aware of Asian foods like tofu and edamame . . . and more people adopting plant-based diets," things are changing, said Ray Chung, who runs an Arkansas plant billed as the first one in the U.S. dedicated to processing edamame.
Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst for The NPD Group, a consumer market research firm, said he's seen a trend in cost-conscious consumers looking for alternatives to meat.
"If you can make my proteins cheaper by providing me with an alternative protein source, I think you have a wider market because now you're talking about money saved," Balzer said.
It's not clear how much edamame is being produced in the U.S. because the Department of Agriculture doesn't distinguish it from other soybeans. But trade groups, such as the American Soybean Association and the Ankeny, Iowa-based Soyfoods Council, agree that the amount is small, and most of what Americans eat now comes from Asia.
Farmers who are testing the edamame market have mostly started small. Ray Gaesser has been planting about one-tenth of an acre on his farm near Corning, Iowa. His main business comes from some 6,000 acres of soybeans and corn.
"Growing edamame is the same thing as growing a conventional soybean. It's the harvesting that's the difference," said Gaesser, who is also first vice president of the St. Louis-based American Soybean Association.
Farmers typically plant soybeans ? edamame or otherwise ? in the spring. The plants sprout, grow leaves and flowers and, eventually, bean pods. Most commercially produced soy is left to dry in the fields before its seeds are harvested to make oil and animal feed. Edamame, on the other hand, is picked when the bean pods are green and tender.
"Once it's harvested, you've got a certain amount of time to get it to the processing plant to get it processed or you start losing quality and you start losing product," said Jeremy Ross, an extension soybean specialist at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Gaesser has been growing edamame for several years now and said he would consider planting more, but there's not a processing plant close enough to his farm to make it practical.
In Arkansas, Chung and his father convinced nearby farmers to grow some 900 acres of edamame last year for his company, American Vegetable Soybean & Edamame Inc. He plans to increase that number this year, although he wouldn't say by exactly how much. He wouldn't allow The Associated Press to talk to his farmers, either, citing confidentiality agreements.
Chung is protective of his company's share of what he estimates is a $175 million to $200 million market, with 25,000 to 30,000 tons of edamame being consumed each year in the United States.
All the edamame frozen at his plant about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock is grown in the U.S. Chung and Gaesser said that edamame could be more profitable for farmers than other kinds of soybeans.
Chung's company is selling now to stores including Sam's Club and Whole Foods. Someday, he hopes to export American-grown edamame to Asia, where people have been eating it for centuries.
"There's a big middle class that's emerging in China, and they're becoming more educated about food choices," Chung said. "And so, to them, when they see a 'Made in the USA' label . . . they want it."
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Follow Jeannie Nuss on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeannienuss
Mar. 25, 2013 ? Prebiotic supplements in infant formula may help to prevent eczema, according to a systematic review published in The Cochrane Library. However, the review highlights a lack of high quality evidence for the effects of prebiotics in preventing allergies.
It is thought that bacteria lining the gut may play an important role in a child developing sensitivities to certain foods and allergens, regulating immune responses and determining how they will react to the same substances in later life. Prebiotics are indigestible components of breast milk, fruit and vegetables that stimulate the growth and activity of healthy bacteria in the gut. They are distinct from probiotics, which are cultures of live bacteria such as those added to yoghurts and infant formula. Prebiotics can also be added to infant formula. However, it is unclear exactly what effect these supplements have on the development of allergies.
The researchers drew together data from four studies involving a total of 1,428 children. Children were given formula containing prebiotic supplements or, as a control, standard formula. Studies followed children to between four months and two years of age and reported the number who developed allergies. Eczema was significantly reduced in children who were fed formula containing prebiotics. Only two studies investigated asthma. The number of children who developed asthma was similar whether they were given formula with added prebiotics or without. In one study looking at urticaria (hives), giving children formula containing prebiotics did not prevent any cases of the allergy.
Only one study assessed the effect of giving formula containing prebiotics to high-risk children, who had close family members with allergies. In this study, prebiotics reduced both eczema and asthma, but there were no significant reductions in allergies overall in high-risk children. "Given these findings, it remains unclear whether the use of prebiotics should be restricted to infants at high risk of allergy or may have an effect in low risk populations," said lead researcher, John Sinn of the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia.
"Overall, we found some evidence that infant formula containing prebiotic supplements can help prevent eczema in children up to two years of age," said Sinn. "However, the quality of existing evidence is generally low or very low. More high quality research is needed before we can recommend routine use of prebiotics for prevention of allergy."
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Journal Reference:
JK Sinn, DA Osborn. Prebiotics in infants for prevention of allergy and food hypersensitivity. The Cochrane Library, 2013 (in press) DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006474
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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.
When 14-year-old Katelyn Norman learned that her bone cancer was going to take her life, she drew up a list of her final wishes ? attending the prom was at the very top of her list. But as her friends gathered at a venue in LaFollette, Tennessee on Tuesday night to throw the prom in her honor, Katelyn had to be airlifted to a nearby hospital after she began struggling to breathe. So, thinking fast, classmates and relatives brought the party to her bedside instead, bringing balloons, music and her smartly-dressed date to make sure she didn?t miss out on completing her bucket list.
Katelyn has been fighting osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer, for two years but doctors told her last week that it has spread to her heart, arteries, pelvis and spine and that there is nothing more they can do. An instructor at Katelyn?s school and prom coordinator, told WATE-TV, ?Once you meet her your life will never be the same, she has such an impact.? The Campbell County mayor, William Bailey, also headed to the prom ? where he announced Tuesday ? March 26 ? would be known as ?Katelyn Norman Day?. Her best friend Brandon Huckaby, 16, added ?She doesn?t care that she?s suffering. She cares that other people are suffering and she wants to stop that.? That?s the kind of person Katelyn is.
It?s powerfully evident how the community and the nation are getting swept up in supporting and sending Katelyn their prayers, support, and their love. Katelyn?s mother, Erica Nelson, said they hope to complete as many activities as possible as she spends her last days at home. ?She doesn?t let the fact that the doctors said she won?t last very long bother her,? her friend Brandon added, ?She has an attitude that, ?I?m Katelyn. I?m bald, I?m beautiful and I will beat this.?
And though it is sad that sometimes it takes the most tragic of events to reveal the most wonderful qualities of the human spirit, it is beautiful to be reminded of the special bond between all of us that makes this planet one worth living on. God bless you, Katelyn. I hope you get everything out of this life you desire and I send all my love and prayers to you.
You can donate to Katelyn?s bucket list fund HERE.
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Katelyn is presented a sash at her prom in hospital on Tuesday night. Her father kisses her.
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JROTC prepares an official entrance to the prom
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Friends and family entering the prom
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Katelyn entering her prom
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Her date presents her with a corsage
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Staff and family members gather for the prom
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Posing with a nurse
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Outside the hospital, thousands of people lined along Highway 63 as part of a candle-lit vigil for Katelyn, who had insisted that a party continue in her absence.
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Healthier days: Friends and family have said that Katelyn is headstrong, upbeat and one-of-a-kind
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Bald is beautiful
You can donate to Katelyn?s bucket list fund HERE. Found via Dailymail.co.uk
Pediatric researchers, investigating the biology of brain tumors in children, are finding that crucial differences in how the same gene is mutated may call for different treatments. A new study offers glimpses into how scientists will be using the ongoing flood of gene-sequencing data to customize treatments based on very specific mutations in a child's tumor.
"By better understanding the basic biology of these tumors, such as how particular mutations in the same gene may respond differently to targeted drugs, we are moving closer to personalized medicine for children with cancer," said the study's first author, Angela J. Sievert, M.D., M.P.H., an oncologist in the Cancer Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Sievert, working with co-first author Shih-Shan Lang, M.D., in the translational laboratory of neurosurgeon Phillip Storm, M.D., and Adam Resnick, Ph.D., published a study ahead of print today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study, performed in cell cultures and animals, focused on a type of astrocytoma, the most common type of brain tumor in children. When surgeons can fully remove an astrocytoma (also called a low-grade glioma), a child can be cured. However, many astrocytomas are too widespread or in too delicate a site to be safely removed. Others may recur. So pediatric oncologists have been seeking better options---ideally, a drug that can selectively and definitively kill the tumor with low toxicity to healthy tissue.
The current study focuses on mutations in the BRAF gene, one of the most commonly mutated genes in human cancers. Because the same gene is also mutated in certain adult cancers, such as melanoma, the pediatric researchers were able to make use of recently developed drugs, BRAF inhibitors, which were already being tested with some success against melanoma in adults.
The current study provides another example of the complexity of cancer: in the same gene, different mutations behave differently. Sievert and her colleagues at Children's Hospital were among several research groups who reported almost simultaneously in 2008 and 2009 that mutations in the BRAF gene were highly prevalent in astrocytomas in children. "These were landmark discoveries, because they suggested that if we could block the action of that mutation, we could develop a new, more effective treatment for these tumors," said Sievert.
However, follow-up studies in animal models were initially disappointing. BRAF inhibitors that were effective in BRAF-driven adult melanomas made brain tumors worse?via an effect called paradoxical activation.
Further investigation revealed how tumor behavior depended on which type of BRAF mutation was involved. The first-generation drug that was effective in adult melanoma acted against point mutations in BRAF called V600E alterations. However, in most astrocytomas the mutation in the BRAF gene was different; it produced a fusion gene, designated KIAA1549-BRAF. When used against the fusion gene, the first-generation drug activated a cancer-driving biological pathway, the MAPK signaling cascade, and accelerated tumor growth.
By examining the molecular mechanisms behind drug resistance and working with the pharmaceutical industry, the current study's investigators identified a new, experimental second-generation BRAF inhibitor that disrupted the cancer-promoting signals from the fusion gene, and did not cause the paradoxical activation in the cell cultures and animal models.
This preclinical work result lays a foundation for multicenter clinical trials to test the mutation-specific targeting of tumors by this class of drugs in children with astrocytomas, said Sievert. As this effort progresses, it will benefit from CHOP's commitment to resources and collaborations that support data-intense research efforts.
The direction of brain tumor research over the past several years reflects some of those data-driven advances, says Adam C. Resnick, Ph.D., the senior author of the current paper and principal investigator of the astrocytoma research team in the Division of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital. "For years, astrocytomas have been lumped together based on similar appearance to pathologists studying their structure, cell shape and other factors," said Resnick. "But our current discoveries show that the genetic and molecular structure of tumors provides more specific information in guiding oncologists toward customized treatments."
Earlier this year, Children's Hospital announced its collaboration with the gene-sequencing organization BGI-Shenzhen in performing next-generation sequencing of pediatric brain tumors at the Joint Genome Center, BGI@CHOP. The center's sophisticated, high-throughput sequencing technology will greatly speed the discovery of specific gene alterations involved in childhood brain cancers.
This genomic discovery program dovetails with the work of the Childhood Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium, a multi-institutional collaboration recently launched by CHOP, with support from the Children's Brain Tissue Foundation. Because even large research centers may not hold enough tumor tissue specimens to power certain research, the consortium pools samples from a group of institutions, providing an important scientific resource for cooperative studies.
"The better we understand the mutational landscape of tumors, the closer we'll be to defining therapies tailored to a patient's specific subtype of cancer," added Resnick.
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Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: http://www.chop.edu
Thanks to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for this article.
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New research into ageing processes, based on modern genetic techniques, confirms theoretical expectations about the correlation between reproduction and lifespan. Studies of birds reveal that those that have offspring later in life and have fewer broods live longer. And the decisive factor is telomeres, shows research from The University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Telomeres are the protective caps at the end of chromosomes. The length of telomeres influences how long an individual lives.
Telomeres start off at a certain length, become shorter each time a cell divides, decline as the years pass by until the telomeres can no longer protect the chromosomes, and the cell dies. But the length of telomeres varies significantly among individuals of the same age. This is partly due to the length of the telomeres that has been inherited from the parents, and partly due to the amount of stress an individual is exposed to.
"This is important, not least for our own species, as we are all having to deal with increased stress," says Angela Pauliny, Researcher from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Gothenburg.
Researchers have studied barnacle geese, which are long-lived birds, the oldest in the study being 22 years old. The results show that geese, compared to short-lived bird species, have a better ability to preserve the length of their telomeres. The explanation is probably that species with a longer lifespan invest more in maintaining bodily functions than, for example, reproduction.
"There is a clear correlation between reproduction and ageing in the animal world. Take elephants, which have a long lifespan but few offspring, while mice, for example, live for a short time but produce a lot of offspring each time they try," says Angela Pauliny.
The geese studied by researchers varied in age, from very young birds to extremely old ones. Each bird was measured twice, two years apart. One striking result was that the change in telomere length varied according to gender.
"The study revealed that telomeres were best-preserved in males. Among barnacle geese, the telomeres thus shorten more quickly in females, which in birds is the sex with two different gender chromosomes. Interestingly, it is the exactl opposite in humans," says Angela Pauliny.
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The journalBMC Evolutionary Biology has classified the research article "Telomere dynamics in a long-lived bird, the barnacle goose" as "Highly Accessed".
Link to the article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/257
University of Gothenburg: http://www.gu.se/english
Thanks to University of Gothenburg for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc is considering a radical plan to have store customers deliver packages to online buyers, a new twist on speedier delivery services that the company hopes will enable it to better compete with Amazon.com Inc.
Tapping customers to deliver goods would put the world's largest retailer squarely in middle of a new phenomenon sometimes known as "crowd-sourcing," or the "sharing economy."
A plethora of start-ups now help people make money by renting out a spare room, a car, or even a cocktail dress, and Wal-Mart would in effect be inviting people to rent out space in their vehicle and their willingness to deliver packages to others.
Such an effort would, however, face numerous legal, regulatory and privacy obstacles, and Wal-Mart executives said it was at an early planning stage.
Wal-Mart is making a big push to ship online orders directly from stores, hoping to cut transportation costs and gain an edge over Amazon and other online retailers, which have no physical store locations. Wal-Mart does this at 25 stores currently, but plans to double that to 50 this year and could expand the program to hundreds of stores in the future.
Wal-Mart currently uses carriers like FedEx Corp for delivery from stores - or, in the case of a same-day delivery service called Walmart To Go that is being tested in five metro areas, its own delivery trucks.
"I see a path to where this is crowd-sourced," Joel Anderson, chief executive of Walmart.com in the United States, said in a recent interview with Reuters.
Wal-Mart has millions of customers visiting its stores each week. Some of these shoppers could tell the retailer where they live and sign up to drop off packages for online customers who live on their route back home, Anderson explained.
Wal-Mart would offer a discount on the customers' shopping bill, effectively covering the cost of their gas in return for the delivery of packages, he added.
"This is at the brain-storming stage, but it's possible in a year or two," said Jeff McAllister, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. innovations.
Indeed, the likelihood of this being broadly adopted across the company's network of more than 4,000 stores in the United States is low, according to Matt Nemer, a retail analyst at Wells Fargo Securities.
"I'm sure it will be a test in some stores," he added. "But they may only keep it for metro markets and for higher-priced items."
Legal boundaries Start-ups such as TaskRabbit and Fiverr already let individuals rent out their time and expertise to companies and people looking for small jobs to be completed.
Zipments was founded in 2010 as a crowd-sourced delivery network that allowed anyone over 18 years old with a vehicle, a text-enabled phone, and a PayPal account to bid on courier services for local businesses.
Such online match-making businesses often push legal boundaries - and a Wal-Mart crowd-sourced delivery program would be no different, according to Nemer.
Online packages delivered by customers may never reach their destination, either through theft or fraud, the analyst said.
Such a crowd-sourced delivery service may not be as reliable as FedEx or United Parcel Service, which have insured drivers, he added.
"You are comfortable with a FedEx or UPS truck in your driveway, but what about a stranger knocking on your door?" Nemer said.
Zipments evolve While Zipments started out with a pure crowd-sourcing approach, the company now does more screening of drivers before allowing them to be part of its delivery network, Chief Executive and co-Founder Garrick Pohl said in an interview. It now serves big cities including New York and Chicago.
Theft, fraud and late deliveries have never been a problem, but insurance and licenses were an obstacle, Pohl explained.
Drivers often need personal liability insurance to cover package delivery activities. Cargo insurance is also needed. Zipments self-insures this risk up to $250, but the firm encourages its couriers to buy additional coverage for higher-value packages, Pohl said.
In some areas, like downtown Chicago, people also need a courier license to deliver things, he added.
"Zipments now helps people get all these things set up before allowing them to deliver goods," Pohl said.
Still, he said the issues are not insurmountable, citing pizza restaurants, which have used part-time drivers to deliver pies for years.
"It's a great solution for large retailers like Wal-Mart," Pohl said. "We'd like to see them move quicker, but it's great that they are considering it."
Zipments is trying to provide such services to retailers, although Pohl declined to say which companies the start-up is talking to about this.
Mar. 26, 2013 ? The genome of the mountain pine beetle -- the insect that has devastated British Columbia's lodgepole pine forests -- has been decoded by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre.
This is a first for the mountain pine beetle and only the second beetle genome ever sequenced. The first was the red flour beetle, a pest of stored grains. The genome is described in a study published Tuesday in the journal Genome Biology.
"We know a lot about what the beetles do," says Christopher Keeling, a research associate in Prof. Joerg Bohlmann's lab at the Michael Smith Laboratories. "But without the genome, we don't know exactly how they do it."
"Sequencing the mountain pine beetle genome provides new information that can be used to help manage the epidemic in the future."
The genome revealed large variation among individuals of the species -- about four times greater than the variation among humans.
"As the beetles' range expands and as they head into jack pine forests where the defensive compounds may be different, this variation could allow them to be more successful in new environments," says Keeling.
Researchers isolated genes that help detoxify defence compounds found under the bark of the tree -- where the beetles live. They also found genes that degrade plant cell walls, which allow the beetles to get nutrients from the tree.
Keeling, Bohlmann and their colleagues also uncovered a bacterial gene that has jumped into the mountain pine beetle genome. This gene codes for an enzyme that digests sugars.
"It might be used to digest woody tissue and/or the microorganisms that grow in the beetle's tunnels underneath the bark of the tree," said Keeling. "Gene transfers sometimes make organisms more successful in their environments."
This study involved researchers from the University of Northern British Columbia and the University of Alberta.
Characteristics of the mountain pine beetle genome
12 pairs of chromosomes
Approximately 13,000 genes
The mountain pine beetle separated from the red flour beetle -- the only other beetle genome sequenced to date -- about 230 million years ago. According to Keeling, "the two insects have about the same relatedness as a pine tree and a head of lettuce."
The mountain pine beetle is closely related to other significant pests in North American forests such as the southern pine beetle, Douglas-fir beetle, eastern larch beetle, and spruce beetle. Insights gained from sequencing the mountain pine beetle genome can be transferred to these beetles, and other forest insect pests around the world.
Mountain pine beetle epidemic
The mountain pine beetle has infested over 18 million hectares of lodgepole pine in British Columbia -- an area more than five times larger than Vancouver Island -- causing enormous damage to the environment and forest industry. In recent years, the insect has moved further north and east, over the Canadian Rockies, and is now approaching the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. It is also beginning to infest other pine trees -- jack pine, a jack-lodgepole hybrid, limber pine, and the endangered whitebark pine. Jack pine boreal forests extend from Alberta to the Atlantic provinces. The mountain pine beetle also lives in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and South Dakota.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of British Columbia.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Christopher I Keeling, Macaire MS Yuen, Nancy Y Liao, T Roderick Docking, Simon K Chan, Greg A Taylor, Diana L Palmquist, Shaun D Jackman, Anh Nguyen, Maria Li, Hannah Henderson, Jasmine K Janes, Yongjun Zhao, Pawan Pandoh, Richard Moore, Felix AH Sperling, Dezene PW Huber, Inanc Birol, Stephen JM Jones, Joerg Bohlmann. Draft genome of the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, a major forest pest. Genome Biology, 2013; 14 (3): R27 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2013-14-3-r27
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Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...
Proximity to coal-tar-sealed pavement raises risk of cancer, study findsPublic release date: 28-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Frank Raczkiewicz Frank_Raczkiewicz@baylor.edu 254-710-1964 Baylor University
WACO, Texas (March 28, 2013)- People living near asphalt pavement sealed with coal tar have an elevated risk of cancer, according to a study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. Much of this calculated excess risk results from exposures in children, age six or younger, to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the sealant.
"The increased cancer risk associated with coal-tar-sealed asphalt (CSA) likely affects a large number of people in the U.S. Our results indicate that the presence of coal-tar-based pavement sealants is associated with significant increases in estimated excess lifetime cancer risk for nearby residents," said E. Spencer Williams, Ph.D., principal author of the study and Baylor University assistant research scientist at the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences.
To watch video comments by Dr. Williams, click here: http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=128514
Follow this link to read the complete study: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es303371t
Researchers from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the U.S. Geological Survey in Austin, Texas, are the first to report on the potential human health effects of PAHs in settled house dust and soil in living spaces and soil adjacent to parking lots sealed with coal-tar-based products.
"Exposure to these compounds in settled house dust is a particularly important source of risk for children younger than six years of age, as they are expected to ingest this material at higher rates," Williams said. "This indicates that the use of coal-tar-based pavement sealants magnifies aggregate exposures to PAHs in children and adults in residences adjacent to where these products are used and is associated with human health risks in excess of widely accepted standards."
Data on PAHs in settled house dust used for this analysis were published previously by the same authors. In that study, settled house dust and parking lot dust were sampled for 23 ground-floor apartments in Austin, Texas. The parking lot surfaces adjacent to the apartments were coal-tar-sealed asphalt, asphalt-based sealant over asphalt pavement, or unsealed concrete. Concentrations of PAHs were 25 times higher in house dust in residences adjacent to coal-tar-sealed pavement compared to those with other pavement types. "This study was the first to find a strong association between a product or a behavior and PAHs in house dust," said Barbara Mahler, the USGS research hydrologist who oversaw the study.
For this study, doses and risk associated with residences adjacent to unsealed asphalt lots were considered relative to those adjacent to (CSA) parking lots. Benzo(a)pyrene concentrations in CSA-affected settled house dust were high relative to those reported in most parts of the U.S. where coal-tar-based sealcoat is not used (California and Arizona). Data for PAHs in coal-tar-sealed asphalt-affected soils and unsealed asphalt-affected soils are available from samples from New Hampshire and suburban Chicago.
The analysis did not consider exposure to the dust on the pavement itself, which has PAH concentrations 10s to 100s of times higher than those in house dust or soil, or inhalation of air over sealed pavement. "Over time, about half of the PAHs in the sealcoat are released into the air, and concentrations in air are extremely high, particularly in the hours to days after application," said Peter Van Metre, USGS research hydrologist and author of two papers on volatilization of PAHs from sealcoat.
Sealcoat is a black, shiny substance sprayed or painted on the asphalt pavement of parking lots, driveways, and playgrounds to improve appearance and protect the underlying asphalt. An estimated 85 million gallons of coal-tar-based sealant are applied to pavement each year, primarily east of the Continental Divide in the U.S. and parts of Canada. Coal-tar-based pavement sealants are 15 to 35 percent coal-tar pitch, which has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Over time, the dried sealant is worn away from pavement surfaces, and the resulting mobile dust particles can be transported into nearby homes.
"Although the analysis presented here is based on a limited dataset, the results indicate that biomonitoring might be warranted to characterize the exposure of children and adults to PAHs associated with coal-tar-based pavement sealant," Williams said. "Further investigation is also needed into the impacts of coal-tar-based pavement sealants on PAH concentrations in indoor and outdoor environments."
###
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.
ABOUT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University's oldest and largest academic division, consisting of 26 academic departments and 13 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit http://www.baylor.edu/artsandsciences
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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.
Proximity to coal-tar-sealed pavement raises risk of cancer, study findsPublic release date: 28-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Frank Raczkiewicz Frank_Raczkiewicz@baylor.edu 254-710-1964 Baylor University
WACO, Texas (March 28, 2013)- People living near asphalt pavement sealed with coal tar have an elevated risk of cancer, according to a study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. Much of this calculated excess risk results from exposures in children, age six or younger, to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the sealant.
"The increased cancer risk associated with coal-tar-sealed asphalt (CSA) likely affects a large number of people in the U.S. Our results indicate that the presence of coal-tar-based pavement sealants is associated with significant increases in estimated excess lifetime cancer risk for nearby residents," said E. Spencer Williams, Ph.D., principal author of the study and Baylor University assistant research scientist at the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences.
To watch video comments by Dr. Williams, click here: http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=128514
Follow this link to read the complete study: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es303371t
Researchers from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the U.S. Geological Survey in Austin, Texas, are the first to report on the potential human health effects of PAHs in settled house dust and soil in living spaces and soil adjacent to parking lots sealed with coal-tar-based products.
"Exposure to these compounds in settled house dust is a particularly important source of risk for children younger than six years of age, as they are expected to ingest this material at higher rates," Williams said. "This indicates that the use of coal-tar-based pavement sealants magnifies aggregate exposures to PAHs in children and adults in residences adjacent to where these products are used and is associated with human health risks in excess of widely accepted standards."
Data on PAHs in settled house dust used for this analysis were published previously by the same authors. In that study, settled house dust and parking lot dust were sampled for 23 ground-floor apartments in Austin, Texas. The parking lot surfaces adjacent to the apartments were coal-tar-sealed asphalt, asphalt-based sealant over asphalt pavement, or unsealed concrete. Concentrations of PAHs were 25 times higher in house dust in residences adjacent to coal-tar-sealed pavement compared to those with other pavement types. "This study was the first to find a strong association between a product or a behavior and PAHs in house dust," said Barbara Mahler, the USGS research hydrologist who oversaw the study.
For this study, doses and risk associated with residences adjacent to unsealed asphalt lots were considered relative to those adjacent to (CSA) parking lots. Benzo(a)pyrene concentrations in CSA-affected settled house dust were high relative to those reported in most parts of the U.S. where coal-tar-based sealcoat is not used (California and Arizona). Data for PAHs in coal-tar-sealed asphalt-affected soils and unsealed asphalt-affected soils are available from samples from New Hampshire and suburban Chicago.
The analysis did not consider exposure to the dust on the pavement itself, which has PAH concentrations 10s to 100s of times higher than those in house dust or soil, or inhalation of air over sealed pavement. "Over time, about half of the PAHs in the sealcoat are released into the air, and concentrations in air are extremely high, particularly in the hours to days after application," said Peter Van Metre, USGS research hydrologist and author of two papers on volatilization of PAHs from sealcoat.
Sealcoat is a black, shiny substance sprayed or painted on the asphalt pavement of parking lots, driveways, and playgrounds to improve appearance and protect the underlying asphalt. An estimated 85 million gallons of coal-tar-based sealant are applied to pavement each year, primarily east of the Continental Divide in the U.S. and parts of Canada. Coal-tar-based pavement sealants are 15 to 35 percent coal-tar pitch, which has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Over time, the dried sealant is worn away from pavement surfaces, and the resulting mobile dust particles can be transported into nearby homes.
"Although the analysis presented here is based on a limited dataset, the results indicate that biomonitoring might be warranted to characterize the exposure of children and adults to PAHs associated with coal-tar-based pavement sealant," Williams said. "Further investigation is also needed into the impacts of coal-tar-based pavement sealants on PAH concentrations in indoor and outdoor environments."
###
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.
ABOUT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University's oldest and largest academic division, consisting of 26 academic departments and 13 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit http://www.baylor.edu/artsandsciences
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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.
With his speech at the University of Southern California Tuesday night, retired Gen. David Petraeus ? commander of America?s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan before becoming director of the Central Intelligence Agency ? effectively signaled his return to public life.
In apologizing for the extramarital affair that ruined his career and expressing a desire to move forward, Mr. Petraeus ? once thought of as a potential presidential candidate ? has sparked questions about what his second act might be.
The scheduled topic ? about veterans affairs ? might offer clues.
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Though the speech was planned before Mr. Petraeus resigned from the CIA, according to one of his longtime friends, it showed at least one way that the former general might contribute to the national security debate going forward.
?This is something he may look towards in the future, as far as veterans issues go,? says the friend, who spoke to the Monitor only on condition that he not be named.
Veterans support groups ?are well intended, but they?re not pulling in the same direction,? the friend adds. Given his stature, Petraeus could ?gather the groups together? and help them prioritize.
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Whether or not Petraeus has any broader designs in returning to the public eye, the issue of veterans affairs is one of some urgency for the Pentagon as it ends two wars.
While the Pentagon has a responsibility to prepare troops for their departure from the service, it?s a job at which the military hasn?t excelled in the past, says Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Commanders tend to focus on preparing troops for battle, rather than for becoming civilians again. But that approach needs to change, Major Battaglia says.
?If we?re not doing that, shame on us,? he says.
It is a topic Petraeus picked up in his speech. ?There is often a view that, because an individual was a great soldier, he or she will naturally do well in and transition effortlessly to the civilian world.?
?In reality, the transition from military service to civilian pursuits often is quite challenging,? he added.
The longtime friend imagines that Petraeus could help veterans' groups choose their top five issues. "He?d have the name recognition and abilities to perhaps get them together.?
In the meantime, speeches like the one Tuesday give him an opportunity to rehabilitate his image. Petraeus began his speech by acknowledging his wrongdoing.
?Needless to say, I join you keenly aware that I am regarded in a different light now than I was a year ago,? he said. ?I am also keenly aware that the reason for my recent journey was my own doing.? He reiterated ?how deeply I regret ? and apologize for ? the circumstances that led me to resign from the CIA and caused such pain for my family, friends, and supporters.?
That said, the public can be forgiving. ?He didn?t rob a bank, he?s not a mass murderer, he didn?t steal a bunch of old peoples? retirement funds,? the friend argues, adding that the apology is very much in keeping with Petraeus?s personal philosophy.
As a commander, ?He?s always been one to own up to what you did, then move forward,? the friend adds. ?Just don?t do it again.?
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A new kind of tech accelerator has launched in one of the more unlikely places: the Italian Alps. TechPeaks (see what they did there?) calls itself a "People Accelerator" because individuals and teams will be able to join it without an idea but a desire to build something. It will launch with ?13 million in funding. It's also taking more of a partnership rather than competitive approach, working with seven Technology Universities (via the European Institute of Innovation and Technology ICT Labs) and seven other international tech accelerators, listed here. The idea is to help unite the many fragmented European tech initiatives. And oh my are they are fragmented.
Bowers & Wilkins is a well-respected, high-end brand for audio equipment, but have only recently reached further into the consumer realm. The Z2 ($399.99 list) is the least expensive product we've seen from the company yet?and it's a stunner. We've been waiting for a while for a do-it-all speaker?with a Lightning connector and wireless capability. The Z2 packs all of this into a conveniently sized dock with surprisingly transparent and natural sound. It's not perfect, but it certainly raises the bar for the kind of audio you can expect in a mid-price system, and is our new Editors' Choice for speaker docks, replacing the JBL OnBeat Xtreme.
Design and Connectivity The Bowers & Wilkins Z2 measures 7.09 by 12.6 by 3.94 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.73 pounds. The enclosure is made of glass-reinforced ABS plastic with a textured, soft-touch coating around the top and curved back panel. The top panel features the Lightning dock and a pair of touch-activated Volume buttons. Around back, you'll find an Ethernet port, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, and a DC input for the power adapter. There's also a pinhole Reset button and an easy-to-find Power button on the right side. The package contains the speaker, a small AC adapter and power cord, a remote control, an AirPlay setup manual, and a booklet about the company itself.
Bowers & Wilkins did some clever design work here. On the top panel, the Z2 hides the Lightning dock in such a way that when you use the Z2 in wireless streaming mode, it doesn't look odd, with an empty docking connector sitting out in the open and screwing up the the clean aesthetic. The dock is hinged, and can move back and forth by a significant amount; this reduces the chance that someone will accidentally snap off the connector if they grab the iPhone or iPod touch too quickly, and from an angle. (The connector doesn't support iPads, though you can stream from your Apple tablet via AirPlay.)
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Unfortunately, the remote control is the same one Bowers & Wilkins packages with its other powered speakers, such as the larger and more expensive Zeppelin Air. It's a small, black, simplistic, egg-shape piece of plastic with volume, track playback and skip, and power controls, along with a Select button for switching between the auxiliary input and AirPlay streaming. It's difficult to hold, and it's really tough to remove or replace the battery cover.
AirPlay setup is much simpler than before, as it's app driven?versions are available for iOS, PC, and Mac desktops. Power up the dock, and a small LED in the bottom right corner of the front panel will pulse red before flashing yellow. Then, in the app, go to Settings>Wi-Fi, and chose "Z2_Setup_70A1C" as the Wi-Fi network, and return to the app to continue setup. The Z2 only supports the 2.4GHz band, not 5GHz, which can be an issue if you have a lot of wireless interference. I had no problem setting the Z2 up on one of the many wireless networks in our test lab.
During normal operation, you'll see a solid red LED on the Z2, which turns blue when successfully docked with an iOS device?although it took upwards of 15 seconds to register the connection with an iPhone 5 and an iPod touch. Annoyingly, the Z2 chopped the first half-second or so of every track I cued up over wireless; for a while, it was even doing that when the iPhone was docked, but then the problem seemed to resolve itself. The Z2 isn't the first device we've tested to have this issue; the Pure Contour i200 Air did the same thing.
Performance and Conclusions Behind the metal grille is a pair of 3.5-inch full range drivers and a 20 watt-per-channel stereo amplifier. Bowers & Wilkins lists the system's frequency response as 50 to 20,000Hz +/- 3dB, with 6dB down points at 42Hz and 22kHz. The Z2 sounds warm, full, and rich at moderate volumes, with surprisingly deep, resonant bass. On our standard test track for bass response, The Knife's "Silent Shout," the Z2 rendered the synth bass and the 808-style kick drum with plenty of punch and weight. As I turned the volume up, some distortion began to creep into the signal. While the unit seems to be doing some signal processing to limit the bass as I turned up the volume, it still distorted a bit anyway.
Flunk's chill-out track, "Indian Rope Trick," sounded smooth, airy, and a little bright, which is pretty much how it was intended to sound. I didn't get much of a sense of the weighty synth bass extension, but the kick came through loud and clear and delivered sufficient punch. On Bill Callahan's "Drover," his baritone vocal sounded warm and natural, thanks to the Z2's excellent low-mid response, and as the plucked acoustic guitar and repeating kick drum come in, you get a surprising sense of space out of the recording. I say "surprising" because it's tough to achieve that with a dock the size of the Z2, at least without proper stereo separation, but it goes to show you what good drivers and amplification can obtain even out of a small enclosure.
With the Z2, Bowers & Wilkins is bringing a real taste of high-end sound to a lower price point than before. While $400 is by no means inexpensive, it's par for the course for an AirPlay speaker and combination iOS dock, so to get this level of sound quality at this price is remarkable.?The $500 JBL OnBeat Xtreme, our previous Editors' Choice winner, also sounds great and offers Bluetooth and iOS docking (via the older 30-pin dock connector), but it's not as elegantly styled, and it's $100 more expensive than the Z2.
Perhaps the closest competitor to the Bowers & Wilkins Z2 is the $500 Denon Cocoon Portable, but the Z2 is a better bet. While the Z2 also has some distortion issues, they're not as bad, and the Z2 costs $100 less, adds a docking connector, and is capable of more bass output. Bowers & Wilkins' own A5 offers better sonic performance than the Z2, but it costs $100 more and lacks a dock connector; it's purely a speaker for wireless streaming. The Zeppelin Air goes louder still, and Bowers & Wilkins just announced a new version with a Lightning Connector. But the Zeppelin Air's polarizing design isn't for everyone, it's $200 more expensive, and it's a much bigger unit than the Z2.
While the Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II is an exceptional portable speaker, it's not quite as capable thanks to its smaller size, and it lacks a Lightning connector. The Libratone Zipp is an inspired wireless speaker with good sound, although the Z2 is a little more robust-sounding overall. Finally, if you're a real bass fan, have a look at the Beats by Dr. Dre Beatbox Portable, which is also wireless-capable, but lacks the Z2's Lightning connector and beautiful midrange response.
AP
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Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
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A new kind of tech accelerator has launched in one of the more unlikely places: the Italian Alps.