jillayne linwood: March 2013

Sunday, March 31, 2013

How Have Your Pets Changed Your Life? | Care2 Healthy Living

Katie Waldeck
March 29, 2013
2:45 pm
10 comments

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Study after study has shown all of the positive impacts of having an animal companion ? less stress, better health, more exercise etcetera. But for many of us, the benefits of having our beloved pet are more intangible than that. Unconditional love? Happiness? Something that cares that you?re feeling down? Indeed, it?s no wonder people have kept pets in their lives for thousands of years.

So what?s your story? How have your pets changed your life? Tell us about it in the comments!

Earlier:
What Should You Do if You Find a Baby Bird?
5 Incredible Things Dogs Sense About You

Read more: Animal Rights, Behavior & Communication, Cats, Dogs, Everyday Pet Care, Humor & Inspiration, Inspiration, Less Common Pets, Pets, Spirit, ask the readers

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go ahead, give it a little love

Katie Waldeck

Katie is a freelance writer focused on pets, food and women?s issues. A Chicago native and longtime resident of the Pacific Northwest, Katie now lives in Oakland, California.

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Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-have-your-pets-changed-your-life.html

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Singer India.Arie laughs off skin-lightening talk

NEW YORK (AP) ? India.Arie is laughing off talk that she may have lightened her skin.

The R&B songstress is known for singing about being authentic and celebrating one's true self. But some accused India.Arie of lightening her skin when a publicity photo for her song "Cocoa Butter" released this week made it look as though she were several shades lighter than her dark brown complexion.

But India.Arie took to Twitter on Friday to deny the accusations, saying she has no desire to bleach her skin because she loves herself and her brown skin "more than ever." She also said that "magnificent lighting" is the cause for her "glow."

She added that she'd like to keep the conversation going, though, on the issue of racism and colorism in the black community.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/singer-india-arie-laughs-off-skin-lightening-talk-231340708.html

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

U.S. B-2 bombers sent to Korea on rare mission: diplomacy not destruction

By Warren Strobel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The stealthy, nuclear-capable U.S. B-2 bomber is a veteran of wars in Iraq and Libya, but it isn't usually a tool of Washington's statecraft.

Yet on Thursday, the United States sent a pair of the bat-winged planes on a first-of-its-kind practice run over the skies of South Korea, conducting what U.S. officials say was a diplomatic sortie.

The aim, the officials said, was two-fold: to reassure U.S. allies South Korea and Japan in the face of a string of threats from North Korea, and to nudge Pyongyang back to nuclear talks.

But whether North Korea's young new leader, Kim Jong-un, interprets the message the way the White House hopes is anybody's guess. His first reaction, according to North Korean state media, was to order his country's missiles ready to strike the United States and South Korea.

A senior U.S. official said Kim's late father, Kim Jong-il, was at least more predictable: He would issue threats that got the world's attention without provoking open conflict, and then use them as leverage in subsequent diplomatic negotiations.

This time, U.S. intelligence analysts are divided over whether Kim Jong-un is pursuing the same strategy. "It's a little bit of an 'all bets are off' kind of moment," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity,.

The official said the idea for the practice bombing run, part of annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises named Foal Eagle, emerged from government-wide discussions over how to signal to Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would back them in a crisis.

It is less clear whether Washington informed China, North Korea's neighbor and only major ally, in advance.

The plan was approved by the White House and coordinated with South Korea and Japan, the official said.

REASSURING ALLIES

While the 20-year-old B-2 often flies for long durations - 44 hours is the record - Thursday's flight of approximately 37-1/2 hours was the plane's first non-stop mission to the Korean peninsula and back from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, Air Force officials said.

With Pyongyang threatening missile strikes on the U.S. mainland, as well as U.S. bases in Hawaii and Guam, the flight seemed designed to demonstrate how easy it would be for the United States to strike back at North Korea.

It is far from clear that Pyongyang, which has had mixed success in its missile tests, can make good on its own threats.

"This is useful reminder to the South Koreans that the U.S. nuclear arm can reach out and touch North Korea from anywhere. We don't need to be sitting there at Osan Air Base," south of Seoul, said Ralph Cossa, president of the Hawaii-based Pacific Forum CSIS think tank.

"This also reminds the Chinese that North Korean actions have consequences. It tells them that the U.S. is taking North Korean threats seriously but we're not panicking," he added.

The senior U.S. official said that once the Foal Eagle exercises are concluded, the Obama administration hopes to pivot to a diplomatic approach to North Korea, and hopes Pyongyang will reciprocate.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to travel to East Asia in about two weeks, the first of a parade of senior Washington officials headed toward the region.

45-MINUTE NAPS

Thursday's drill was a rare moment in the limelight for the B-2 "Spirit" bomber, which began life with a slew of cost and development troubles for manufacturer Northrop Grumman Corp but has become a mainstay of U.S. nuclear deterrence.

Long-duration missions, in which the bomber is refueled in midair, are "a challenge on your body and mind, staying sharp," said an Air Force captain and B-2 pilot. Under the service's security rules, the pilot could only be identified by his radio call sign, "Flash."

The captain, who did not participate in Thursday's practice mission over South Korea, said flight doctors have devised special regimens to keep the plane's two-man crew sharp.

They include 45-minute naps, on a cot in the back of the plane, that end a half hour before "critical events" such as in-air refueling or dropping ordinance, he said.

All 20 of the United States' B-2 bombers are based at Whiteman, and they saw combat during the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the NATO mission that led to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's overthrow.

In the 1980s, the Pentagon had planned to buy 132 of the bombers, whose main mission was to penetrate the Soviet Union's airspace undetected. The program was drastically cut back after the Berlin Wall collapsed in 1989.

So elite is the B-2 pilot corps that more people have been in outer space than have flown the aircraft, "Flash" said.

(Reporting by Warren Strobel; Additional reporting by Phil Stewart and Paul Eckert; Editing by Tiffany Wu and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-b-2-bombers-sent-korea-rare-mission-224238177.html

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Vine enables video embeds, keeps web viewers in the loop

Vine video posts have had an ephemeral quality when there's been few ways to show them off outside of catching a web link the moment it appears. There's a better way to make those six seconds last an eternity now that the Twitter-run service offers support for embedding its loops on the web. As long as you have access to an existing web link or share a clip through an updated iOS app, you can get HTML code to embed a video in two styles and three different sizes. While it's not quite the expanded platform support that some are hoping for, embedded viewing does make it easier to see what Vine is about -- and potentially delight (or annoy) blog readers who'd have otherwise missed your ultra-short movie projects.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet

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Source: App Store, Vine

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/6Ge3NrGuxrw/

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States move to tackle drone privacy issues on their own

Domestic drones that can track your movement in public places are on their way to local law enforcement officials, but some state lawmakers are moving on their own to stop them.

Private drones. Source: Creative Commons.

The remote-controlled aircraft have created a buzz among privacy advocates for several years, and Rand Paul?s recent Senate filibuster made drones a trendy discussion topic.

But can local police, if they have access to their own drones, really photograph you in public, or in your backyard if someone can see your house from a public spot?

In some case, these law-enforcement drones may be able to do more than just take your picture, as the rules evolve about a technology that?s moving faster than the legal system.

To be clear, there are really three types of drone use that have raised questions: the federal government?s use of drones in national security situations, private citizens and companies using drones for domestic purposes, and state and local law enforcement using drones for official investigations.

When it comes to local law enforcement, more police departments are investigating drones as a cost-saving way to gather information and do their jobs in a safer manner. Law enforcement could use drones to follow suspects and safely handle situations under the proper circumstances. For example, FBI drones were used in a nationally televised hostage standoff in Alabama this year, to help rescue a kidnapped six-year-old boy. Also, in theory, fire departments are expected to use drones to assess dangerous conditions that would threaten fire fighters.

It?s the definition of ?proper? that is up in the air when it comes to drones and local law enforcement.

One specific issue is the matter of the police obtaining a search warrant before they look into a house.

The Fourth Amendment affirms ?the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.?

There doesn?t seem to be a clear-cut answer, despite the Fourth Amendment?s message, partly because of the technology wrapped up inside a potential police drones. Some drones can not only see clearly into your backyard, but can als0 theoretically listen (in some circumstances) and take thermal-sensitive pictures. More sophisticated drones can intercept electronic communications, track GPS information, and use facial recognition technology.

Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Privacy Information Center are pushing hard for privacy-law reforms that would require law enforcement to strictly follow the Fourth Amendment when it comes to drone surveillance.

And in recent months, local politicians have started pushing for state laws that will force police to get warrants and in some cases, delay their drone usage until privacy issues can be settled.

The ACLU says 34 states have been examining some type of legislation related to drones and privacy and 29 states are still in the process of considering measures.

Virginia is close to a two-year moratorium on drone usage by local law enforcement. Two bills have passed in legislature and a debate is set for next week on an amended bill. Montana?s Senate has also passed two bills involving drones and privacy issues.

In most cases, the proposed state laws would require investigators to get a probable cause warrant before a drone is used for surveillance purposes.

Another high-profile drone case was in Seattle, where its police force grounded a drone program in February after a public backlash at an open forum.

Mayor Mike McGinn said the program was stopped to allow the city to ?focus its resources on public safety and the community building work that is the [police] department?s priority.? Seattle sent two dozen drones back to their manufacturer after the move.

In North Carolina, a bipartisan bill called the Preserving Privacy Act of 2013 was filed in March to place restrictions on drone use.

Florida is also considering a Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act that bars law enforcement from using drones to track suspects without a warrant.

Recent Constitution Daily Stories on Drones

Don?t look now, but something?s watching you

Constitution Check: Could the president legally order a drone strike inside the U.S.?

Why a drone can hover over your home, and you can?t stop it

Constitution Check: Would a ?drone court? be unconstitutional?

Amie Stepanovich, director of EPIC?s Domestic Surveillance Project, told senators recently that her group recognized there were many positive uses for drones related to public safety measures, but rules were needed about the reasonable expectation of privacy and gathering personal data about ?identifiable individuals.?

?The increased use of drones to conduct surveillance in the United States must be accompanied by increased privacy protections. The current state of the law is insufficient to address the drone surveillance threat,? she told a Senate subcommittee on March 20.

On a federal level, Representative Ed Markey has introduced House legislation that would require search warrants for drone surveillance and the tracking of data collection efforts.

But it was a more old-fashioned snooping tool that could have a broader impact on privacy and drones that was involved in a Supreme Court decision this week.

In a 5-4 decision, the court decided that a homeowner was protected by the Fourth Amendment after a police dog sniffed marijuana outside of the man?s house and alerted an officer, who then arrested the suspect, Joelis Jardinas, after obtaining a post-sniff warrant.

?It?s very important for privacy issues because we?re dealing with people in the place where they live and that?s where they have the highest degree of privacy interests,? said Howard Blumberg, Jardinas? attorney, in an interview with NPR.

Justice Antonin Scalia said it was the presence of a trained police dog on the porch that made the difference.

Ryan Calo, a professor from the University of Washington School of Law who studies drone privacy issues, pointed out to NPR that the technology already exists for chemical sensors to perform a long-range sniff test without the equipment being present on a subject?s property.

Scott Bomboy is the editor-in-chief of the National Constitution Center.

Source: http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2013/03/states-move-to-tackle-drone-privacy-issues-on-their-own/

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Digital Magazine App Zinio Will Make Its Windows Phone Debut As A Nokia Lumia Exclusive

On the off-chance that you?re running out of things to read on that Windows Phone of yours, just hang tight ? you?ll soon have plenty of mobile reading material to dive into. Digital magazine app Zinio will be making its Windows Phone 8 debut in the coming weeks, and it will do so as a Nokia Lumia exclusive.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/e3ShL6jDzT0/

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So, how?s that apology to Turkey working out? (Powerlineblog)

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Army vet accused of fighting alongside al-Qaida

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) ? A U.S. Army veteran, who boasted on Facebook of his military adventures with Syrian rebels, was charged Thursday with firing rocket propelled grenades as part of an attack led by an al-Qaida group against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Eric Harroun, 30, of Phoenix, was charged in U.S. District Court in Alexandria with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction ? specifically, a rocket propelled grenade launcher ? outside the U.S.

According to an FBI affidavit, Harroun, who served three years in the Army before being medically discharged, was engaged in military action in Syria, siding with rebel forces against the Syrian government, from January to March of this year.

Harroun told FBI investigators that he traveled to Turkey in November hoping to join the Free Syrian Army, a rebel group. In January, he crossed the border and made contact with the Free Syrian Army, which outfitted him two Russian rifles, according to the affidavit.

Within days, Harroun participated in an attack on a Syrian army encampment that was carried out jointly by the Free Syrian Army and the al-Nusrah Front, commonly known as "al-Qaida in Iraq" and designated a terrorist group by the U.S., according to the affidavit.

After that battle, Harroun retreated in the back of an al-Nusrah truck. Harroun told the FBI that at the al-Nusrah camp, he was initially treated like a prisoner but was later accepted by the other members and participated in several attacks with them, according to the affidavit.

Harroun said al-Nusrah fighters would ask him why the U.S. had designated them as terrorists, according to the affidavit.

Harroun used RPG launchers in the attacks and once, on his Facebook page, claimed credit for downing a Syrian helicopter. According to the affidavit, Harroun told the FBI that he shot an estimated 10 people in his various battles, though he was unsure if he had ever killed anyone.

On the Facebook page, Harroun also stated that "the only good Zionist is a dead Zionist" and that he intended to travel to the Palestinian territory because of Israeli atrocities there, according to the affidavit. The affidavit states that Harroun served in the Army from 2000 to 2003, when he received a medical discharge after he was injured in a car accident.

An Army spokesman said Harroun served at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and Fort Riley in Kansas, and that his record listed no overseas deployments.

The federal public defender was appointed to represent Harroun at an initial public appearance Thursday, and a detention hearing was scheduled for Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Peterson said Harroun faces up to life in prison.

Harroun flew back to the U.S. Wednesday through Dulles International Airport. He was arrested after being questioned by FBI agents there.

The public defender for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael Nachmanoff, declined comment Thursday, saying he had not yet had time to review the case in any depth.

Last year, Nachmanoff's office represented a northern Virginia man, Mohamad Soueid, who pleaded guilty to spying on U.S.-based Syrian dissidents on behalf of the Assad regime. Soueid said he was motivated to help the Syrian government because of his fear that Islamic extremists would take hold in Syria if Assad's secular regime were overthrown.

Harroun is not charged with providing material support to a terrorist group, but instead conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the U.S., a law that applies to U.S. nationals operating anywhere in the world. The statute makes no distinction or exception for an individual who may be fighting a hostile regime.

Harroun appeared to make no effort to hide his activities in Syria. His Facebook page includes multiple photos of him wielding military rifles and a photo of Assad, with the caption "Wanted Dead or NOT alive!!!!"

Harroun gave several interviews through Skype to journalists Greg Tepper and Ilan Ben Zion, who wrote articles for Foreign Policy magazine and Fox News.

In one interview, Harroun described himself as a "freedom fighter" and said joining up with al-Nusrah is "not rocket science." At other times, though, he disputed a connection with the group.

His father, Darryl Harroun, told FoxNews.com the car accident that led to his son's military discharge left him with a steel plate in his head, and exacerbated depression from which his son already suffered.

Darryl Harroun said that family and friends call his son "Arizona Jones."

Efforts by AP to reach Darryl Harroun Thursday were not immediately successful.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-army-vet-charged-fighting-al-qaida-184044925.html

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Best Afternoon Tea Service in Vancouver? You Make the Call ...

Afternoon tea at Shangri-La?s Xi Shi Lounge

Love for afternoon tea usually begins in childhood. When I was a kid, we had an annual high tea tradition: my mother, my best friends and their mums all got together for tea once a year. After dressing up together, we raced through the tiny, crust-less sandwiches on the bottom tier to earn the scones and, finally, the fancy-pants cakes at the very top. It was all about the ritual; the conversation facilitated by bottomless pots of tea was a bonus.

As an adult, I have many Vancouver friends who still love an afternoon tea get together. These days, the catching up comes first, the scones come second. But we still take the food and atmosphere seriously.

What are Vancouver?s best spots for a spot of afternoon tea? I?ve tried a few, most recently afternoon tea at the Xi Shi Lounge in the Shangri-La Hotel (1128 West Georgia).?

Afternoon tea at Shangri-La Hotel?s Xi Shi Lounge

Shangri-La Hotel is very much the upscale urban sanctuary it claims to be. We sat in the elegant digs on Saturday, enjoying live piano and pampering. With effort, you can people watch the crowd outside, but you?re separated by floor to ceiling glass walls and filmy curtains.

The tea selection is vast and it comes in Blue Willow china, which would please a die-hard, pinkie-crooking afternoon tea traditionalist. I opted for Ceylon (although Lady Grey is the house tea) and enjoyed the constant refills of hot water as we awaited our tiered tea trays. The tea treats ? ham sandwiches, cucumber tarragon sandwiches, lox on mini bagels, buttermilk raisin scones with cream and jam, pistachio macarons, tiramisu cupcakes, chocolate mousse cups and more ? were pleasant. Nothing was knock-your-socks off; everything was well above average.

We had trouble finishing and got to take the extras home, which was nice, given that it?s $34-$45 per person. As for the service, the staff couldn?t have been friendlier and there?s no rush to finish. You can lounge and talk to your heart?s content. You can add a glass of bubbly. Your bladder will disrupt you before the check arrives.

I?ve also tried afternoon tea at the nearby establishment The Urban Tea Merchant (1070 West Georgia Street).? If you?re looking for variety, they have a wide range of luxurious tea service offerings including? seasonal Easter and Sakura (Vancouver Cherry Blossom) tea services, Signature Sweet Plates and even Childrens? Tea. The tea selection is among the largest and most sophisticated I?ve come across ? everything is exclusively by TWG tea. The chef really knows his stuff and is constantly inventing new treats, ranging from savory crab & artichoke tea sandwiches to sweet ?French Earl Grey? chocolate pot de cr?me.

For budget-friendly afternoon tea with lovely scenery, Truffles Cafe at VanDusen Botanical Garden (5151 Oak St.) offers more casual fare, and great value for money at just $28 for two people or $50 for four.

What?s your favourite spot for afternoon tea in Vancouver? Help out by commenting below.

Want more updates on Vancouver fun? Follow me on Twitter @TJerven

Source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2013/03/25/best-afternoon-tea-service-in-vancouver-you-make-the-call/

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Report: Pentagon must do more to stop sex assaults (The Arizona Republic)

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Obesity may be linked to microorganisms living in the gut

Mar. 26, 2013 ? How much a person eats may be only one of many factors that determines weight gain. A recent Cedars-Sinai study suggests that a breath test profile of microorganisms inhabiting the gut may be able to tell doctors how susceptible a person is to developing obesity.

The study, published online Thursday by The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, shows that people whose breath has high concentrations of both hydrogen and methane gasses are more likely to have a higher body mass index and higher percentage of body fat.

"This is the first large-scale human study to show an association between gas production and body weight -- and this could prove to be another important factor in understanding one of the many causes of obesity," said lead author Ruchi Mathur, MD, director of the Diabetes Outpatient Treatment and Education Center in the Division of Endocrinology at Cedars-Sinai.

The study, which will also appear in JCEM's April 2013 issue, analyzed the breath content of 792 people. Based on the breath tests, four patterns emerged. The subjects either had normal breath content, higher concentrations of methane, higher levels of hydrogen, or higher levels of both gases. Those who tested positive for high concentrations of both gases had significantly higher body mass indexes and higher percentages of body fat.

The presence of methane is associated with a microorganism called Methanobrevibacter smithii. This organism is responsible for the majority of methane production in the human host.

"Usually, the microorganisms living in the digestive tract benefit us by helping convert food into energy. However, when this particular organism -- M. smithii -- becomes overabundant, it may alter this balance in a way that causes someone to be more likely to gain weight," Mathur said.

These organisms scavenge hydrogen from other microbes and use it to produce methane -- which is eventually exhaled by the host. Researchers theorize this interaction helps neighboring hydrogen-producing bacteria thrive and extract nutrients from food more efficiently. Over time, this may contribute to weight gain.

"Essentially, it could allow a person to harvest more calories from their food," Mathur said.

In an ongoing study funded by the American Diabetes Association, Mathur is working to confirm the link between M. smithii, obesity and pre-diabetic conditions by determining how efficiently people digest food before and after eliminating the microorganism with a targeted dose of antibiotic. Participants who have evidence of methane on their breath are given a standard diet over three days, undergo an oral glucose challenge, and swallow a "smart pill" to track how fast the food moves through their bodies. In addition, their stool is collected and sent for calorie analysis allowing researchers to determine how many calories are being harvested during digestion. Participants then repeat the same tests after taking the antibiotic regimen to see if elimination of the organism results in measureable changes.

"This should let us know just how energy balance is affected by M. smithii," Mathur said, "We're only beginning to understand the incredibly complex communities that live inside of us. If we can understand how they affect our metabolism, we may be able to work with these microscopic communities to positively impact our health."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Ruchi Mathur et al. Methane and Hydrogen Positivity on Breath Test is Associated with Greater Body Mass Index and Body Fat. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2013; (in press)

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.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/1rYGnU62ogc/130326095058.htm

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Internet Marketing Information to Kick Start Your Online Business ...

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Gene therapy may aid failing hearts

Mar. 25, 2013 ? In an animal study, researchers at the University of Washington show that it was possible to use gene therapy to boost heart muscle function. The finding suggests that it might be possible to use this approach to treat patients whose hearts have been weakened by heart attacks and other heart conditions.

Led by University of Washington (UW) Professor and Vice Chair of Bioengineering Michael Regnier and Dr. Chuck Murry, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Biology and co-director of the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine at UW, the study appears online today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Normally, muscle contraction is powered by a molecule, the nucleotide called Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP). Other naturally occurring nucleotides can also power muscle contraction, but, in most cases, they have proven to be less effective than ATP.

In an earlier study of isolated muscle, however, Regnier, Murry and colleagues had found that one naturally occurring molecule, called 2 deoxy-ATP (dATP), was actually more effective than ATP in powering muscle contraction, increasing both the speed and force of the contraction, at least over the short-term.

In the new PNAS study, the researchers wanted to see whether this effect could be sustained. To do this, they used genetic engineering to create a strain of mice whose cells produced higher-than-normal levels of an enzyme called Ribonucleotide Reductase, which converts the precursor of ATP, adenosine-5'-diphosphate or ADP, to dADP, which, in turn, is rapidly converted to dATP.

"This fundamental discovery, that dATP can act as a 'super-fuel' for the contractile machinery of the heart, or myofilaments, opens up the possibility to treat a variety of heart failure conditions," Regnier said. "An exciting aspect of this study and our ongoing work is that a relatively small increase in dATP in the heart cells has a big effect on heart performance."

The researchers found that increased production of the enzyme Ribonucleotide Reductase increased the concentration of dATP within heart cells approximately tenfold, and even though this level was still less than one to two percent of the cell's total pool of ATP, the increase led to a sustained improvement in heart muscle function, with the genetically engineered hearts contracting more quickly and with greater force.

"It looks as though we may have stumbled on an important pathway that nature uses to regulate heart contractility," Murry added. "The same pathway that heart cells use to make the building blocks for DNA during embryonic growth makes dATP to supercharge contraction when the adult heart is mechanically stressed."

Importantly, the elevated dATP effect was achieved without imposing additional metabolic demands on the cells, suggesting the modification would not harm the cell's functioning over the long-term.

The finding, the authors write, suggest that treatments that elevate dATP levels in heart cells may prove to be an effective treatment for heart failure.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Washington - Health Sciences, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Sarah G. Nowakowski, Stephen C. Kolwicz, Frederick Steven Korte, Zhaoxiong Luo, Jacqueline N. Robinson-Hamm, Jennifer L. Page, Frank Brozovich, Robert S. Weiss, Rong Tian, Charles E. Murry, and Michael Regnier. Transgenic overexpression of ribonucleotide reductase improves cardiac performance. PNAS, March 25, 2013 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1220693110

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.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/F2dumpqeqr0/130326101618.htm

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The Social Web Will Help Protect Us From Another Dot-Com Fizzle

You’ve all heard stories about the infamous dot-com bubble burst of the early aughts. It wasn’t pretty, a lot of people lost a lot of money – and their livelihoods to boot. There will always be talk of whether we are close, or ever could get close, to a similar situation again. I spent some time with an early employee of everything-you-can-think-of-on-demand-delivery-service Kozmo.com, Micah Baldwin of Graphicly, which was a poster child for early dot-com excess. The company raised $250 million before it shut its doors in 2001, since it had only become popular with college students and young professionals, they said. In 1999, its revenues were only $3.5 million, leaving the company with a net loss of $26.3 million. Ouch. This service was a lot like hot companies of today?Postmates and TaskRabbit. The difference was that Kozmo didn’t have the social Internet, mobile devices or apps to spread the word about its free delivery service. Mind you, being a free delivery service makes zero sense, so no wonder why it flamed out. Baldwin and I discussed an early commercial campaign that the company was super proud of, spending millions upon millions of dollars to produce and air. It starred an older version of the Million Dollar Man, Lee Majors. It got me to thinking, and this is exactly why Kozmo fizzled: It was a cute commercial, but since it cost so much money to hire the agency to come up with the concept, cast it and air it, it was already an incredibly wasteful idea before it was complete. However, what was Kozmo to do? There was no Facebook, no Twitter and there certainly wasn’t YouTube for something like this to go (ick) “viral.” There were no Facebook pages to like, no accounts to follow and no apps to download. Kozmo had a few choices to get its name out there to the world, and all of them were expensive. This is why so many companies crashed and burned: There were no ways to do things cheaply. Failing and going back to the drawing board was impossible. To hit yet another demographic, Kozmo paid to have a different commercial created, but this one never hit the airwaves: Again, cute and not awful. However, both of the commercials are something that companies are creating quickly and cheaply these days, passing them around to networks of millions of people thanks to

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/DfnpcmUMANA/

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PFT: Broncos now turn to Freeney or Abraham

Getty Images

When it comes to the NFL?s willingness to accept an openly gay player, some think that the absence from the NFL of an openly gay player proves the league isn?t ready.

Under that standard, the NFL may soon be ready.? Ready or not.

Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com reports that ?a current gay player is strongly considering coming out publicly within the next few months ? and after doing so, the player would attempt to continue his career.?

Per Freeman, the player fears the reaction not from within the locker room, but from homophobic fans.? And that?s a legitimate concern; the combination of paying for a ticket and supporting a team and consuming a little alcohol (or a lot) turns normal people into loud, classless, profane jerks who will do and say anything to get under the skin of the members of the visiting team.? And sometimes the members of the home team.

We?ve been discussing the issue of gay NFL players with folks in and around the game for the past several weeks, and the consensus is that, because sexual orientation isn?t obvious, a gay football player will be inclined to remain discreet, because football players ultimately are just that ? football players.? They want to play football, and the fame/notoriety/whatever that comes from coming out will serve only to keep the focus on something other than football.

Most players don?t want to create distractions, for any reason.? Players who aren?t stars fear that, if they create distractions, the team will choose another player of relatively equal skill who doesn?t draw attention away from the team.

Team is the key.? Most football players are committed to that concept.? Drawing attention to themselves undermines the philosophy of team first.

But this doesn?t mean a player who perhaps sees his career ending won?t consider the boost that may come from coming out.? That?s why the precise language of Freeman?s report is intriguing.

?The player would attempt to continue his career? after coming out, Freeman writes.? This suggests that the player may not currently have a team, or that the player believes he may not make it onto the final 53-man roster of the team for which he currently plays.

We?re reluctant to apply cynicism to what would be a watershed moment for pro sports, but it would be naive to assume, given the team-first focus of football, that a gay player thinking about coming out of the closet hasn?t considered both how the move could hurt him and how it could help him.? For a marginal player who may be on his way out of the league, the indirect benefit of coming out could be getting another chance to play from a team that chooses to embrace diversity ? or that doesn?t want to be perceived as shunning it.

Regardless of the motivation or the timing, it will require significant courage for any current NFL player to come out.? And we hope that the decision by one gay NFL player to embrace who he is will prompt more to do the same, immediately thereafter.? That way, the distraction will be diluted and those who would begrudge people the ability to simply be who they are would have reason to quickly get past an issue that has no bearing on a person?s football ability.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/24/as-broncos-close-door-on-dumervil-they-open-it-for-freeney-abraham/related/

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Snow, wintry rain: Messy Monday for East Coast

In the first days of spring, people across the Midwest are digging out of a major snowstorm that barreled across the country, dropping over a foot of snow on St. Louis. Today more snow is expected up and down the East Coast. The Weather Channel's Mike Seidel reports.

By Alastair Jamieson and Erin McClam, NBC News

It?s the winter that wouldn?t die.

Five days into spring, a winter storm raked the Midwest and Northeast on Monday, turning commutes messy and threatening to dump up to 4 inches of snow around Philadelphia and Washington.

The good news: Temperatures hovering at or just above freezing should hold accumulations down.

?The roads are in pretty good shape this morning because, after all, it is March,? Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Seidel said from Frederick, Md.

More coverage from weather.com

During the morning drive, the storm was dropping snow across a curlicue swath of the country, from the Mid-Atlantic coast back through the southern Great Lakes and down into the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky and Tennessee.

In New York and parts of New Jersey, a winter weather advisory was in effect starting at 6 a.m. EDT. Snow and rain showers were expected to continue through late afternoon and wind down by early evening.

In Philadelphia, rain during the morning commute was expected to change to a wintry mix that will last for most of the day. Untreated roads could turn slippery, said Brittney Shipp, a meteorologist for NBC affiliate WCAU.

Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images

A woman removes snow from her driveway Monday in Silver Spring, Md. A messy Monday is in store for millions along the East Coast.

Inside the Washington Beltway, forecasters called for a mix of rain and snow, with accumulations of less than an inch. North and west of the capital, 2 to 4 inches of snow was expected ? and perhaps as much as 8 inches west of Interstate 81.

Over the weekend, the same storm system pounded parts of the Rocky Mountains east to the Ohio Valley. Denver got almost a foot of snow, and Goodland, Kan., reported 15 inches.

On Friday, a qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup outside Denver was played in near-blizzard conditions ? so much snow that officials had to bring in a yellow-and-purple soccer ball.

The United States beat Costa Rica 1-0, and Costa Rica has asked the governing body of soccer to order a replay.

A storm system blanketed the Midwest in snow, while thunderstorms and wind gusts slammed the South, NBC's Janel Klein reports.

This story was originally published on Mon Mar 25, 2013 5:02 AM EDT

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/29f6f133/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C250C174518590Esnow0Ewintry0Erain0Emessy0Emonday0Efor0Eeast0Ecoast0Dlite/story01.htm

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GameStick strikes up XBMC partnership, will add the full Media Center experience

Playjam, the team behind GameStick, has announced that a new deal with tech company Pivos will ensure that the previously-mentioned XBMC will arrive fully-formed on its Kickstarter console. All those Media Center features will sidle up alongside your games selection and while the company maintains that gaming is still the focus of its device, given the competition, we'd say this announcement makes a whole lot of sense.

Filed under: Gaming, HD

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/NWt5bViwabk/

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

Wolfsbane - Looking for new members!

WARRIOR NATION
We Just Wanna Take Over The World!

Server: Wolfsbane
VOIP: Dedicated Mumble server
Language: English
Age Requirement: 13
Members: 1443
Age Span: 13-60
Class Needs: ALL

Warrior Nation[WNx] is now recruiting new members to join our great gaming community. We are hoping for a small presence in Rift and have high hopes to becoming one of the most successful clans ingame. We love to have new members and enjoy gaming at its finest. We are recruiting all classes and levels. We are interested in having pvp'ers, raiders, along with casual players as well.

Who is Warrior Nation[WNx]? - History Lesson:

Warrior Nation is a global multi-genre, multi-platform gaming community which has been a presence in the wider online gaming community since 1998. We have over 1000 active members spread across 55 different games and platforms. Our goal is to take over the world and support some of the best games out there.

Firstly, Warrior Nation is a huge international community with members in almost every country, across a wide range of games. The nation has a clear leadership structure which allows us to grow each day and improve on our core beliefs, enjoying a good game! We are all about enjoying gaming, taking part in competitions/fun events and meeting new people. We take part in all content of the game and just have a great time, otherwise whats the point?!

-::- To Join -::-

www.warriornation.net

What You get if You join us:

You get a nice community to play with and you won't have the feeling that you are playing alone. Also we use VOIP both in-game and third party softwares, such as Mumble to communicate with our fellow members and in-game members.

You will have a place where you can share your thoughts, ideas and participate in chilling or funny discussions, when we are not in the game.

You will have the opportunity to participate in contests made by clan members or beta key giveaways.

These words are: I want to join!

Also we have some rules as well, to make the community organized, but nothing that limits You to the ground.

That would be it in a nutshell!

Please feel free to have a chat with me or any other WNx member. You can also find us in the guild lookup tool in game. You can send me a PM in the game, on this post, and contact me by any one of the details listed below:

WNxAzia
IGN: Mellodia/Sekmeta
xFire: AniFan29
Email: wnxazia@yahoo.com

Thanks for taking the time to read this thread and I hope to speak to some of you soon and possibly get some new members signed up for our Rift section!

Source: http://forums.riftgame.com/rift-general-discussions/guild-recruitment/355090-warrior-nation-looking-new-members.html

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This Week?s Most Popular Posts: March 15th to 22nd

This Week’s Most Popular Posts: March 15th to 22nd This week we looked at the jankiest life hacks around, learned how to be happier, replaced Google Reader, and watched out for our doomed relationships. Here's a look back.