Whether you are looking to grab another device for yourself but don't want to spend a fortune, or you want to get out of the grasp of your current cellular provider, US Cellular has again made an enticing offer to lure you in. For a limited time US Cellular will be offering a $100 activation credit on your account, in addition to waiving any activation fees, all for only signing up for a new US Cellular plan. Unlike many other providers, this offer is good whether you decide to go with the free HTC Wildfire S, or the HTC Merge, or any of their other Android devices they have available. This offer is unfortunately available via web only, but to make up for this they have offered free shipping on any purchase you make. Additionally if you happen to leave your current carrier in favor of US Celluar and chose one of their value packed plans you can be eligible for an additional $150 credit for trading in a qualified smartphone.
This deal may not be for everyone, but if you are looking for a way out of the phone and contract you have now, you may want to give US Cellular some thought, and check out this new promotion before it is to late.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Forgot where you put your glasses? A Japanese robot can find them for you, and guide you to where they are.
Gaming By Left Hand! Do not feel like you are the only one who has a tough time finding solid information about arcade board. There are few things more infuriating than needing direction and not figuring out where to find it. There is so much information on the web, and honestly it can be very difficult finding and knowing what you can rely on. We have been in that precise spot very many times and concerning many things. What we will do for you is talk about some solid specifics regarding this topic, and you will have the ability to have a firm grasp of what to do next.
Getting involved in an online gaming community involves more than learning how to work the left handed mouses that are out there. There is obviously something to the online gaming phenomenon, as millions of players compete in hugely popular role playing games such as World of Warcraft and EverQuest and a wide variety of other MMORPGs (Massive MultiPlayer Online Role Playing Games). Some people take gaming very seriously. For others, it?s a fun way to relax every so often. What kind of gamer do you want to be? How do you get the most out of gaming? Let?s look at some strategies to help you get more out of the time you spend gaming.
If you are left handed then you are definitely going to want to buy one of the left handed mouses that are available. An ambidextrous keyboard is something else that you?ll find helpful. Ambidextrous keyboards come in two parts, which enables you to use them in the most convenient way. There are even some keyboards that are made specifically for gaming and once in a while one of them will be designed for left handed players. They cost a little bit more money but if it makes the physical part of playing the game easier, then isn?t it worth the money?
Do you have friends who enjoy playing online games? It can be fun to get together with friends and play. Figuring out all the complexities of MMORPGs without help can be hard. Fortunately, if you don?t have friends who play online games, you can easily find new ones through the gaming community. That?s one of the best things about online games such as EverQuest. With such a large number of people taking part in these games, it?s easy to make new friends. If you are a skillful player and reach out to people, you can meet many new people in this environment. It?s quite a bit of fun to participate in online gaming when you have friends who also play.
Don?t forget that games are supposed to be fun. Games are supposed to provide us with a great means of entertainment at home. As you may already know, these games are not a means for substitution of real life. If you end up too wrapped up in a game it is important to realize you need a brain break, go do something else away from the game console, left handed mouses and keyboards for a while. Try switching games or leaving your computer all together. Not having fun with your games affects more than just you it affects those around you as well. Never forget the most important part of this is you plus your moving forward after reading about arcade fans, here. If you want a little advice, as soon as you are done reading this then do not stop; immediately get to work.
Of course people are aware of their conditions, which most do not like, but there is some kind of habit of never doing anything about it. The phenomenon of inertia is something that plays out in the lives of so many millions of people, and it has to be dealt with in your life.
It is not hard at all, really, to use this information if you become aware and commit to it. So do keep reading more because we are not done, yet. Online gaming is really just a way of entertainment for people. But that has all changed, and at this point it is only growing as a world-wide community of like-minded people. However the fun has not been forgotten. We can say, though, that your ability to have the most amount of fun will depend on your gear (think left handed mouse) and other important factors. At its heart, however, the goal of any online game is to give you a good time and a good escape.
The information in this article really only represents a small fraction of all there is to know about free online games. There is related material in addition to more in-depth understanding on this important subject. In just a moment you will be able to experience the type of related material and extended points we are talking about. When you are reading more, keep your own circumstance in mind at all times.
Are You Serious About Left Handed Gaming? If you have been doing some research into %LINK1%, then you may possess a decent idea of what is known. It does appear that what can be taken and used is dependent on certain requirements. Your specific situation will affect what additional areas of study you have to consider. So it can sometimes feel like you are not making improvement because you may not find exactly what you need. To be sure, perhaps the best online researchers sometimes get stumped when looking for special types of information. Well, we have done our exploration into this subject, and we feel it will be of good use for you.
If you are a left handed gamer you have probably discovered that it is more difficult to play left handed than it is for right handed gamers. They need to buy left handed mouses. If you are a left handed gamer you need to set your shortcuts to the left hand side of the keyboard. Believe it or not, often these are just excuses made by poor gamers who need something to blame when they don?t have the fun they were hoping to have. This is because the equipment used is simply a portion of your experience. Although the right equipment is important, real gamers know that gaming goes way beyond buying a left handed mouse. Here are some hints for people who want to have a better time playing games online.
Anyone who is left-handed needs a left handed mouse to get their gaming up to speed. Ambidextrous keyboards are also available. Ambidextrous keyboards come in two parts, which enables you to use them in the most convenient way. There are gaming keyboards as well, and you can even find one that ?s made specifically for left-handers. They cost a little bit more money but if it makes the physical part of playing the game easier, then isn?t it worth the money? A fast connection speed is a plus. Probably the hardest situation to deal with is if you?re forced to use a dial-up modem. It is hard to have fun if the computer you are using is very old or has a slow processor. Check out what you need to optimally do your gaming with the greatest advantages and rewards. You probably won?t know for sure what you need, so that?s why it?s important to read the specs for the game you want. Take the time to check everything out so you?re not angry if you run it and it?s working at about 50%.
Having goals makes it easier to improve your gaming. Don?t let your characters get stuck, but keep them leveling up. You should strive at collecting as many valuables as you can in these games, such as trinkets, gold, rewards or whatever is awarded. It is good to have a goal to work toward when you play games online. When you do this, the game becomes more enjoyable. It can also help you feel like you are being productive, even while you spend hours sitting in front of your monitor. If you aren?t accomplishing anything, it won?t be much fun after a while. Tracking down treasures and going on quests with end goals in mind is a lot better. You want to know more about %LINK2%, but the other important side of the coin is that you have to get up and move on it. The only way you will ever make a difference in your own life is by overcoming inertia that binds so many others.
Of course people are aware of their conditions, which most do not like, but there is some kind of habit of never doing anything about it. The most critical aspect of this is making the decision that you will make a difference in your life.
Therefor, think how you can best make good utility from what you are reading and then go forward. As you can see, we are not done yet ? please keep reading to learn more.
Just have fun when you?re online gaming. Even the most complex game universes are supposed to be pure fun. Naturally, there are some things you may want to consider if you want to get the most out of it. For lefties? make your keyboard shortcuts, and then be sure you have a left-handed mouse. Have the willingness to accept advice and criticism ? be humble and lose the attitude. Everybody will have a lot more fun when everyone gets along.
The amount of data and content concerning %LINK3% overwhelms a lot of people when they begin researching it. We have covered a number of important points that we know will have a direct effect in many ways. Even so, be careful thinking there is no more outstanding information, either. You will gain the most by getting to know and using the kind of information that offers you the very best leverage. Plus you can gain a significant advantage if you follow the successful steps and methods in the following discussion.
There were rumors last year about ASUS releasing a strange, form-changing phone-cum-tablet. Those rumors are now reality; say hello to the Padfone, the latest in a rash of schizophrenic mobile handsets. More »
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Happiness and success ' indeed, totally changing your life ' lies in your ability to develop your awareness and, in particular, your self awareness. Self improvement, personal development, personal growth ' call it what you will ...
Etihad Airways has commenced daily, nonstop service to Washington Dulles International Airport from its Abu Dhabi hub. The flights, which will be performed on A340-500 aircraft, will offer a weekly freight capacity of 140 tonnes and complement the carrier?s existing cargo routes to and from North America.
The daily route will enable Etihad to address increased trade volumes between the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates, which surged 43 percent, year-over-year, in 2011, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data. In fact, the UAE ranks as the largest export market for U.S. goods in the Middle East.
The U.S. is also the UAE?s fifth largest trading partner, according to a press release.
Washington, D.C., in particular, provides Etihad with significant trade opportunities, James Hogan, Etihad?s president and CEO, explained. ?The point-to-point traffic between D.C. and Abu Dhabi is expected to contribute significantly to overall loads on the route,? he said in a statement. ?The schedule also allows maximum connectivity to key markets in the GCC, Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.?
Hogan anticipates that cargo and passenger volumes on this route will only grow over time. ?The Washington, D.C., metropolitan area ranks as one of the strongest-performing economies in the country,? he said. ?A large and fast-growing population in the D.C. metro area, coupled with increasing ties to the UAE, means that the demand for travel across all cabins will only increase.?
This route marks the carrier?s fourth North American destination. Etihad launched service to Toronto, New York and Chicago in 2005, 2006 and 2009, respectively.
NEW ORLEANS -- The man authorities say slew his sisters and their husbands before killing himself at a suburban Atlanta spa appears to be the same person acquitted of killing three men in 1989 in Louisiana.
Jefferson Parish officials confirmed that records show a man named Jeong Soo Paek was acquitted of the slayings in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, La. In those slayings, Jeong was shot in the face and lost an eye. The file on the case was destroyed in 1994, officials said.
The shooter in this week's spa slayings was missing an eye and was also named Jeong Soo Paek, said Norcross police Chief Warren Summers. Summers was not able to confirm it was the same person but said he had heard the 59-year-old Jeong had been involved in a crime in Louisiana in the past.
Sang Pok Yi, 54, and his sons, Sang "Robert" Man Yi, 26, and Sung Tae Yi, 27, were fatally shot a home in Metairie. Jeong worked for Sang Pok Yi in a building maintenance business.
In court testimony reported by The Times-Picayune at his trial in 1990, Jeong said the men became hostile toward him when he told them he might start his own business. He said he was beaten, and fired a .45-caliber pistol when he thought one of the men was about a draw a gun. It was never established which gun the bullets that wounded Jeong came from.
Several jurors said there was not enough evidence to support finding Jeong guilty of murdering the men.
In its 1990 story on the acquittal, the newspaper reported jurors said a turning point was the testimony of a plastic surgeon who treated Jeong for facial wounds at a local hospital on the night of the killings. The paper also reported Jeong's tongue was destroyed by the bullets.
The prosecution alleged Jeong shot himself three times in the neck and face ? tearing out his right eye ? in a suicide attempt soon after shootings.
The plastic surgeon, Dr. Richard Sabatier, said it was highly unlikely the man could have shot himself three times. A forensic pathologist testified the cheek wound that took out his eye was from a gun probably fired more than 2 feet away and so too far to be self-inflicted.
Also, a former head of the sheriff's office crime laboratory who quit in a dispute with the sheriff testified for the defense, saying detectives and crime scene technicians made many mistakes in the case. He said a bloody carpet in the house should have been removed for blood typing to determine if the three men were aggressively moving toward Jeong when he shot them.
When he was acquitted, rejoicing with Jeong were his wife and twin 9-year-old daughters, according to the newspaper.
Police in Georgia have given little information about Jeong's personal life. But court records from 2006 show that Jeong's family was afraid of his violent tendencies, Atlanta television station WSB reported Friday.
The victims of the killings in Georgia were 61-year-old Kum Hi Song, 64-year-old Byong Ok Kang, 57-year-old Kum Sook Kim and 55-year-old Tae Yol Kim.
One of the victims, Jeong's sister Kum Song, asked for a temporary protective order while he was serving a sentence for assaulting her.
"I am concerned that he is becoming more threatening and wants to harm us with his guns. My brother has also threatened to commit suicide with his guns," WSB reported she wrote to a judge.
About 20 people were inside the white-columned spa, a gathering place for Korean-Americans in the Atlanta suburb of Norcross, during Tuesday's shooting.
Police said just hours earlier, Jeong was asked to leave the Su Jung Health Sauna because he was being disruptive. He returned around 8:30 p.m. and opened fire, they said. A .45-caliber gun believed used in the shooting was recovered.
Detectives were trying to determine a motive, but said they believe the shootings could have involved a financial dispute or a fight over food.
Avast! Internet Security - encompasses all the high technology for one purpose: to provide you with the highest level of protection against computer viruses. avast! Internet Security includes antivirus Avast, and virtualization module processes, anti-spam filter and built-in firewall. Supported by a virus in the letters, there is a script blocker. Virus database is constantly updated and can be downloaded via the Internet.
The solution of avast! Internet Security provides comprehensive protection against viruses, spyware, spam, and firewall protection with the help and now supplemented by new technology, avast! SafeZone. This technology creates an isolated virtual desktop invisible to potential attackers, where it is safe to make purchases and banking transactions online.
Improvements and changes in avast! 7.0: - New installer; - Improvements in the GUI; - Service FileRep (by clouds); - Streaming updates; - Improvements in the sandbox sandbox and automatic; - Improve the web browser security; - Function Remote Assistance to solve problems with remote computers; - Tools support; - Export / Import settings; - Update splash screen (screensaver); - Runs on Win8 Developer Preview; - And many other security enhancements. ? Service reputation - Services allow the reputation of avast! make better decisions by sending queries to the database avast! the reputation of the file. ? Streaming updates - Streaming allows you to update avast! provide permanent protection against the latest threats. ? Install in compatibility mode - Set mode as a second line of defense. Allows you to install antivirus software avast! in compatibility mode. This means that you can use avast! with anti-virus program, which now stands on your computer. Some of the features in this case will not be installed. ? Remote assistance - Function Remote assistance allows users of avast! establish connections and to show each other desktops computers. This can be handy if you need technical support, as well as for general administrative purposes.
Key technologies: ? core antivirus and antispyware ? Protection against rootkits in real-time ? Base avast! Community IQ ? Study methods intruders in unprotected networks ? Intelligent checker avast! Intelligent Scanner ? Intelligent update virus databases ? Auto / game mode ? "Green" Computer ? Shield the file system / e-mail ? Web Shield ? Shield P2P/mgnovennyh posts ? Network Shield ? Shield of Conduct ? Shield Script ? isolated environment avast! Sandbox ? Automatic firewall ? Anti-spam
Key technologies: ? Antivirus and antispyware kernel - the core Innovative Scanning protects against viruses, spyware and other harmful agents. ? Protection against rootkits in real time - Prevents loading hidden malware (rootkits) that during the boot process the computer is invisible to other scanners. ? Automatic firewall - Blocks hackers from using the heuristic and behavioral analysis, as well as "white" list of safe applications. ? Anti-spam - Comprehensive spam and phishing filter, which functions as a plug-in for MS Outlook and general proxy for other POP3/IMAP4 email clients. ? avast! WebRep - Provides ratings of reliability and reputation of the website based on feedback from the user community. ? avast! CommunityIQ - Our technology uses a global network of sensors to transmit to us (anonymous) data on the actual experiences of the Internet users of avast!, Wished to leave comments. These are then used to protect all users of avast! by providing the latest information about viruses and infected web sites. Thanks to the avast! CommunityIQ over the past 30 days, avast! identified 73,711 infected Web sites and defended 122,464,309 users of their visit.
High-tech features: ? The scanner operating at system initialization - Scans your computer for infection even before the OS will be able to activate any viruses contained in it (now supported in Windows 7 and Windows Vista). ? avast! SafeZone - Opens new (empty) desktop so that other applications are not "see" what is happening - the perfect solution to carry out banking operations or secure ordering and purchasing goods. Following the closure does not leave "footprints". ? AutoSandbox - Offers users to run suspicious applications in a virtual environment "sandbox." ? avast! Sandbox - Provides an extra layer of protection for your PC and its applications in a virtual environment in which no attacks will not go unnoticed (instead of a real PC). ? Intelligent Scanner - Reduces the number of inspections required for 80% of files with "white" list of safe applications. Files identified as safe, not re-scanned, unless they are changed. ? Mode "without notification / game" - Automatically detects and disables full-screen applications, "pop-up" windows, and other notifications without compromising security. ? ?Green? Computer - consumes a minimum of computer resources through effective and efficient technology.
Displays real-time protection avast! - Protection 24/7: ? Display a file system - Scan the open / executable files in real time. ? Screen-mail - Checks all incoming and outgoing mail for malicious software (for MS Outlook uses a special plug-in). ? Web-based screen - Scans all web pages viewed, downloaded files and java-script. With intelligent stream scanning the web screen will not slow down your online experience. ? Screen P2P / IM screen - Checks files downloaded using P2P-programs, the use of instant messaging programs or chat rooms. ? Firewall - Provides protection against network viruses from two components: Blocking URL-addresses to block malicious URL and undemanding to resources of the intrusion detection system. ? The screen scripts - Detects malicious scripts hidden in Web pages, not letting them take control of your computer and cause potential harm to him. ? The screen behavior - Blocks threats of "zero day" and unknown malware even before the virus definitions.
Other: ? Supports 64-bit versions - Platform Support Windows 7 and Windows Vista 64-bit architecture. ? Heuristic core - Proactively detect malware is not detectable using standard definitions and virus signatures. ? The emulator code - implemented the principle of dynamic translation, different speed than traditional emulation, for a total extraction of heuristic and within the nucleus. ? Automatic processing - Infected files are processed automatically without requiring user instructions. ? Intelligent update of virus definitions - Incremental update minimizes the file size of regular updates. ? Fast application of updates - new file format speeds up the virus definitions updates and reduces the need for CPU and memory resources, thereby ensuring smooth operation of your computer. ? Optimization of multi-test - Ability to separate large files between the nuclei, thereby accelerating the process of checking for new multi-core CPUs and further increases the speed of the avast!. ? Wake / Scheduled scan - Scan Design at night or any other PC is idle. ? Command-line scanner - Start scanning directly from the command line.
ScienceDaily (Feb. 24, 2012) ? Researchers at the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics have discovered an answer to the long-standing mystery of how brain cells can both remember new memories while also maintaining older ones. They found that specific neurons in a brain region called the dentate gyrus serve distinct roles in memory formation depending on whether the neural stem cells that produced them were of old versus young age.
The study will appear in the March 30 issue of Cell and links the cellular basis of memory formation to the birth of new neurons -- a finding that could unlock a new class of drug targets to treat memory disorders.
The findings also suggest that an imbalance between young and old neurons in the brain could disrupt normal memory formation during post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and aging. "In animals, traumatic experiences and aging often lead to decline of the birth of new neurons in the dentate gyrus. In humans, recent studies found dentate gyrus dysfunction and related memory impairments during normal aging," said the study's senior author Susumu Tonegawa, 1987 Nobel Laureate and Director of the RIKEN-MIT Center.
Other authors include Toshiaki Nakashiba and researchers from the RIKEN-MIT Center and Picower Institute at MIT; the laboratory of Michael S. Fanselow at the University of California at Los Angeles; and the laboratory of Chris J. McBain at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
In the study, the authors tested mice in two types of memory processes. Pattern separation is the process by which the brain distinguishes differences between similar events, like remembering two Madeleine cookies with different tastes. In contrast, pattern completion is used to recall detailed content of memories based on limited clues, like recalling who one was with when remembering the taste of the Madeleine cookies.
Pattern separation forms distinct new memories based on differences between experiences; pattern completion retrieves memories by detecting similarities. Individuals with brain injury or trauma may be unable to recall people they see every day. Others with PTSD are unable to forget terrible events. "Impaired pattern separation due to the loss of young neurons may shift the balance in favor of pattern completion, which may underlie recurrent traumatic memory recall observed in PTSD patients," Tonegawa said.
Neuroscientists have long thought these two opposing and potentially competing processes occur in different neural circuits. The dentate gyrus, a structure with remarkable plasticity within the nervous system and its role in conditions from depression to epilepsy to traumatic brain injury -- was thought to be engaged in pattern separation and the CA3 region in pattern completion. Instead, the MIT researchers found that dentate gyrus neurons may perform pattern separation or completion depending on the age of their cells.
The MIT researchers assessed pattern separation in mice who learned to distinguish between two similar but distinct chambers: one safe and the other associated with an unpleasant foot shock. To test their pattern completion abilities, the mice were given limited cues to escape a maze they had previously learned to negotiate. Normal mice were compared with mice lacking either young neurons or old neurons. The mice exhibited defects in pattern completion or separation depending on which set of neurons was removed.
"By studying mice genetically modified to block neuronal communication from old neurons -- or by wiping out their adult-born young neurons -- we found that old neurons were dispensable for pattern separation, whereas young neurons were required for it," co-author Toshiaki Nakashiba said. "Our data also demonstrated that mice devoid of old neurons were defective in pattern completion, suggesting that the balance between pattern separation and completion may be altered as a result of loss of old neurons."
The work was supported by the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Otsuka Maryland Research Institute, Picower Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
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[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Christian Science Monitor - The film ???Act of Valor,??? opening this weekend in theaters nationwide, is a fictional account of a potential terrorist attack on American soil using, as the press materials tout, ???real-life??? active duty US Navy SEALs.
Thanks to the gameness of the talented ensemble cast, Wanderlust provides at least one solid laugh per scene, with a few stretches of more extended hilarity (along with more than one riff that dies writhing before our eyes). Aniston and her off-screen boyfriend Theroux both get some funny moments, but it?s Rudd who holds the whole ramshackle thing together with his indomitably sweet spirit (a quality on ample display in last year?s underappreciated Our Idiot Brother, in which he played a well-meaning hippie dropout who would?ve felt perfectly at home on the Elysium grounds). In the best scene, George tries to summon the courage for a maritally approved tryst with commune hottie Eva (Malin Akerman) by practicing his horndog dirty talk in a bathroom mirror. His filthy locutions feel improvised on the spot, as do his increasingly absurd lascivious facial expressions (in a blooper reel over the credits, Rudd cracks up, breaks character, and tells the crew, ?I?m grossing myself out!?). That two-minute stretch of Rudd in the mirror?plus a loopy final coda that uses a local news-show format to wrap up the main characters? fates in ludicrous yet satisfying ways?make the shaggy but agreeable Wanderlust worth the detour.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Ford Motor is on track to double the number of dealerships in China by 2015, its country chief said on Friday, as it launches a half-billion-dollar plant and races to narrow the gap with foreign rivals in the world's largest auto market.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton blasted Russia and China as "despicable" for opposing U.N. action aimed at stopping the bloodshed in Syria, and more than 60 nations began planning a civilian peacekeeping mission to deploy after the Damascus regime halts its crackdown on the opposition.
Hercules announced their new HD Twist webcam during CES this past January in Las Vegas. With a suggested retail price of only $34.99, this webcam features 30fps, a 720p sensor that provides 1280×720 video resolution, 5 megapixel photo resolution, and a built in microphone with noise reduction. The unique thing about this webcam is its?flexible [...]
TGIF! Ring in the weekend with these news-worthy finds: “If you love your baby, do not sleep with your baby,” says Milwaukee mayor — Momformation Felicity Huffman: What does being a good mom mean? — iVillage French preschool teaches kids the alphabet through Twitter — The Stir Do you like your baby’s name? More than [...]
In women?s life, one of the most important stages is menopause. It?s the natural and transition period generally happened between the ages of 45 and 55 and could last for five or more years. In this period, women?s mental and physical situation change from the last menstrual period. Some women have problems like hot flashes, vaginal dryness and irritation, and weak bones. But not all women face these health problems; it depends on how you take it up and view it.
When you turn into menopause, you stop producing estrogens; there is a drop in the levels of estrogens in your blood. This fall in hormone levels disrupts your menstrual cycle and produces the other symptoms that are associated with menopause. This time you may have certain symptoms and hormone imbalance and don?t know it! But things you should do is to make it clear what has been going on with your body and deal with those that may affect your health.
The average age of US women at the time of menopause is 51 years.
When occurs younger than 40 years, it is a premature. While occurs in a woman older than 55 years it is considered to be a late one. In the last one to two years of pre-menopause, the decrease in estrogen accelerates. At this stage, many women experience menopause symptoms. While in the post menopause stage, women?s symptoms increase with the age.
If you find it hard to cope with the menopause symptoms, you can turn to your doctor for help. Your doctor can help you make a smooth transition into menopause and beyond by: Letting you know what physical and emotional changes to expect Helping you explore all your options to handle minor or complex issues Working with you to develop an individual strategy, depending on your symptoms and your preferences
Now let?s discuss the changes. The most obvious sleeping problem is that some women sweat heavily and have to get up to change the sheets several times a night. Some women sweat heavily and have to get up to change the sheets several times a night. Also there are vaginal changes, such as dryness and loss of tone. Mood changes such as irritability, depression or anxiety, although it?s possible that these are due to life changes rather than the menopause itself. In addition, your vaginal walls can become thin and dry because the cells lining the vagina will not contain as much estrogen.
Don?t be afraid of this stage of your life. Both short and long-term conditions can be managed with your doctor?s help. Most common used method to deal with menopause symptoms is HRT, which is Hormone replacement therapy. There are many ways of taking HRT, with the most usual being a daily tablet. If you think it necessary, ask your doctor for detailed and specific medical aid.
The humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa continues to be desperate. In addition to hunger, there is disease and violence. NBC?s Rohit Kachroo reports.?? ?
As Google inches closer to completing its Motorola Mobility acquisition, it made another strategic move in its mobile plans: today it announced it would sell its 6.5 percent stake in 4G operator Clearwire, for a value of $1.60 per share, or $47 million. The sum represents a substantial discount on the share price of Clearwire, currently trading at $2.27.
Highlights from the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Vancouver, February 16-20
Web edition : Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012
New calculations boost carbon released from thawing permafrost
Changes in permafrost as it thaws could release more carbon into the atmosphere than scientists had suspected, new research suggests. When permanently frozen ground thaws, it deepens the ?active layer? of soil from which carbon can percolate, Charles Koven of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California reported February 19. Under pessimistic scenarios in which greenhouse gases continue to rise, some 60 to 80 percent of permafrost could disappear by 2100, he said. Calculations of how soil types vary by depth suggest that up to 700 petagrams (700 billion metric tons) of carbon could be vulnerable to decomposition. ?Typically people haven?t thought of the depth distribution of soil carbon, but that?s critical,? Koven said. ?Alexandra Witze
Lab-grown meat ready to eat this year, scientists say
A hamburger made from meat grown in the lab might be ready to eat this October, Mark Post from Maastricht University in the Netherlands reported on February 19. So far, scientists using bovine stem cells have made pieces of skeletal muscle that are about 3 centimeters long. Citing the growing global demand for meat and the environmental costs of raising livestock, Post said ?we need to get alternatives.? Post ? who received ?250,000 (about U.S. $331,000) from an anonymous donor for this project ? thinks that with adequate funding, lab-grown meat products could be commercially available in?10 to 20 years. ?Rebecca Cheung
Contact: Heather Buschman, Ph.D. hbuschman@sanfordburnham.org 858-795-5343 Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Sanford-Burnham researchers determine the first 3-D structure of the botulinum neurotoxin, together with the protein bodyguard that guides it through the body -- revealing weak spots that could be exploited to develop new counterterrorism measures
LA JOLLA, Calif., February 23, 2012 Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) and the Medical School of Hannover in Germany recently discovered how the botulinum neurotoxin, a potential bioterrorism agent, survives the hostile environment in the stomach on its journey through the human body. Their study, published February 24 in Science, reveals the first 3D structure of a neurotoxin together with its bodyguard, a protein made simultaneously in the same bacterium. The bodyguard keeps the toxin safe through the gut, then lets go as the toxin enters the bloodstream. This new information also reveals the toxin's weak spota point in the process that can be targeted with new therapeutics.
"Now that we better understand the structure of the bacterial machinery that was designed for highly efficient toxin protection and delivery, we can see more clearly how to break it," said Rongsheng Jin, Ph.D., assistant professor in Sanford-Burnham's Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research Center and senior author of the study.
The Janus-faced toxin
The botulinum neurotoxin is two-faced. On one side, it's the most poisonous substance known to man, causing botulism. Accidental botulinum neurotoxin poisoning is usually food-borne, but it's also considered a potential bioterrorism agent. On the other side, botulinum neurotoxin is also used an effective therapy and popular cosmetic, such as in BOTOX.
The neurotoxin accomplishes both the good and the bad using the same trickparalyzing muscle cells by disrupting their connections with the nerves that tell them how and when to move. But before the neurotoxin can gain access to muscles and the neurons that control them, it must make a remarkable journey through the bodysurviving the digestive enzymes and extreme acidic environment in the stomach, penetrating the small intestine, and entering the bloodstream.
Sneaking a peek at the neurotoxin and its bodyguard
This latest study on the botulinum neurotoxin was the result of a close collaboration between the Jin group and a research group at the Institute of Toxicology at the Medical School of Hannover, led by Andreas Rummel, Ph.D., an expert on clostridial neurotoxins. They used a technique called X-ray crystallography, which uses powerful X-ray beams to produce 3D images of proteins at the atomic level, to study a genetically inactivated, nontoxic version of the botulinum neurotoxin.
These experiments helped the team visualize the atomic structure of all three parts of the toxin: 1) the region that recognizes neurons, 2) the enzyme that acts like a pair of scissors to cut human neural proteins and cause paralysis, and 3) the needle that punches holes to help deliver the enzyme to the nerve terminal. What's more, the researchers also captured the toxin's interaction with a second bacterial protein, called nontoxic nonhemagglutinin (NTNHA).
"We were surprised to see that NTNHA, which is not toxic, turned out to be remarkably similar to botulinum neurotoxin. It's composed of three parts, just like a copy of the toxin itself. These two proteins hug each other and interlock with what looks like a handshake," said Jin.
As the toxin moves through the body, NTNHA acts as its bodyguard, keeping it from being degraded when times are tough in the acidic stomach. However, as this study revealed, the toxin has a weak spot: when the toxin/NTNHA complex punches its way out of the small intestine, it's the change in pH that triggers a conformational change, breaks up the duo, and releases only the unprotected toxin into the bloodstream.
Towards prevention and therapy
According to Jin, this new knowledge about how the botulinum neurotoxin and NTNHA balance the need for strong binding and a timely release could be exploited to outsmart them.
"We now hope we might be able to fool the toxin and its bodyguard using a small molecule that sends the wrong signalmimicking pH change, prematurely breaking up their protective embrace, and leaving the stomach's digestive enzymes and acid to do their job," he said. "We envision this type of therapyeither alone or in combination with other therapies currently in developmentcould be given preventively at a time when botulinum neurotoxin contamination becomes a public health concern."
Moreover, this type of therapy could be designed for oral delivery, rather than injection, making it easier to treat large numbers of people during an outbreak. A similar strategy could be used to deliver other protein-based drugs that usually need to be injected. "Here, protein drugs could be linked to a botulinum neurotoxin fragment and protected with NTNHA. Then we could possibly take them by mouth," Jin said.
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This research was partly funded by a start-up fund from Sanford-Burnham, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the German Research Foundation, the Robert-Koch-Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The study's co-authors include Shenyan Gu, Sanford-Burnham; Sophie Rumpel, Medical School of Hannover; Jie Zhou, Sanford-Burnham; Jasmin Strotmeier, Medical School of Hannover; Hans Bigalke, Medical School of Hannover; Kay Perry, Cornell University and Argonne National Laboratory; Charles B. Shoemaker, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine; Andreas Rummel, Medical School of Hannover; and Rongsheng Jin, Sanford-Burnham.
About Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is dedicated to discovering the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. The Institute consistently ranks among the top five organizations worldwide for its scientific impact in the fields of biology and biochemistry (defined by citations per publication) and currently ranks third in the nation in NIH funding among all laboratory-based research institutes. Sanford-Burnham is a highly innovative organization, currently ranking second nationally among all organizations in capital efficiency of generating patents, defined by the number of patents issued per grant dollars awarded, according to government statistics.
Sanford-Burnham utilizes a unique, collaborative approach to medical research and has established major research programs in cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and infectious, inflammatory, and childhood diseases. The Institute is especially known for its world-class capabilities in stem cell research and drug discovery technologies. Sanford-Burnham is a U.S.-based, non-profit public benefit corporation, with operations in San Diego (La Jolla), Santa Barbara, and Orlando (Lake Nona). For more information, please visit our website or blog. You can also receive updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
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Contact: Heather Buschman, Ph.D. hbuschman@sanfordburnham.org 858-795-5343 Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Sanford-Burnham researchers determine the first 3-D structure of the botulinum neurotoxin, together with the protein bodyguard that guides it through the body -- revealing weak spots that could be exploited to develop new counterterrorism measures
LA JOLLA, Calif., February 23, 2012 Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) and the Medical School of Hannover in Germany recently discovered how the botulinum neurotoxin, a potential bioterrorism agent, survives the hostile environment in the stomach on its journey through the human body. Their study, published February 24 in Science, reveals the first 3D structure of a neurotoxin together with its bodyguard, a protein made simultaneously in the same bacterium. The bodyguard keeps the toxin safe through the gut, then lets go as the toxin enters the bloodstream. This new information also reveals the toxin's weak spota point in the process that can be targeted with new therapeutics.
"Now that we better understand the structure of the bacterial machinery that was designed for highly efficient toxin protection and delivery, we can see more clearly how to break it," said Rongsheng Jin, Ph.D., assistant professor in Sanford-Burnham's Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research Center and senior author of the study.
The Janus-faced toxin
The botulinum neurotoxin is two-faced. On one side, it's the most poisonous substance known to man, causing botulism. Accidental botulinum neurotoxin poisoning is usually food-borne, but it's also considered a potential bioterrorism agent. On the other side, botulinum neurotoxin is also used an effective therapy and popular cosmetic, such as in BOTOX.
The neurotoxin accomplishes both the good and the bad using the same trickparalyzing muscle cells by disrupting their connections with the nerves that tell them how and when to move. But before the neurotoxin can gain access to muscles and the neurons that control them, it must make a remarkable journey through the bodysurviving the digestive enzymes and extreme acidic environment in the stomach, penetrating the small intestine, and entering the bloodstream.
Sneaking a peek at the neurotoxin and its bodyguard
This latest study on the botulinum neurotoxin was the result of a close collaboration between the Jin group and a research group at the Institute of Toxicology at the Medical School of Hannover, led by Andreas Rummel, Ph.D., an expert on clostridial neurotoxins. They used a technique called X-ray crystallography, which uses powerful X-ray beams to produce 3D images of proteins at the atomic level, to study a genetically inactivated, nontoxic version of the botulinum neurotoxin.
These experiments helped the team visualize the atomic structure of all three parts of the toxin: 1) the region that recognizes neurons, 2) the enzyme that acts like a pair of scissors to cut human neural proteins and cause paralysis, and 3) the needle that punches holes to help deliver the enzyme to the nerve terminal. What's more, the researchers also captured the toxin's interaction with a second bacterial protein, called nontoxic nonhemagglutinin (NTNHA).
"We were surprised to see that NTNHA, which is not toxic, turned out to be remarkably similar to botulinum neurotoxin. It's composed of three parts, just like a copy of the toxin itself. These two proteins hug each other and interlock with what looks like a handshake," said Jin.
As the toxin moves through the body, NTNHA acts as its bodyguard, keeping it from being degraded when times are tough in the acidic stomach. However, as this study revealed, the toxin has a weak spot: when the toxin/NTNHA complex punches its way out of the small intestine, it's the change in pH that triggers a conformational change, breaks up the duo, and releases only the unprotected toxin into the bloodstream.
Towards prevention and therapy
According to Jin, this new knowledge about how the botulinum neurotoxin and NTNHA balance the need for strong binding and a timely release could be exploited to outsmart them.
"We now hope we might be able to fool the toxin and its bodyguard using a small molecule that sends the wrong signalmimicking pH change, prematurely breaking up their protective embrace, and leaving the stomach's digestive enzymes and acid to do their job," he said. "We envision this type of therapyeither alone or in combination with other therapies currently in developmentcould be given preventively at a time when botulinum neurotoxin contamination becomes a public health concern."
Moreover, this type of therapy could be designed for oral delivery, rather than injection, making it easier to treat large numbers of people during an outbreak. A similar strategy could be used to deliver other protein-based drugs that usually need to be injected. "Here, protein drugs could be linked to a botulinum neurotoxin fragment and protected with NTNHA. Then we could possibly take them by mouth," Jin said.
###
This research was partly funded by a start-up fund from Sanford-Burnham, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the German Research Foundation, the Robert-Koch-Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The study's co-authors include Shenyan Gu, Sanford-Burnham; Sophie Rumpel, Medical School of Hannover; Jie Zhou, Sanford-Burnham; Jasmin Strotmeier, Medical School of Hannover; Hans Bigalke, Medical School of Hannover; Kay Perry, Cornell University and Argonne National Laboratory; Charles B. Shoemaker, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine; Andreas Rummel, Medical School of Hannover; and Rongsheng Jin, Sanford-Burnham.
About Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is dedicated to discovering the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. The Institute consistently ranks among the top five organizations worldwide for its scientific impact in the fields of biology and biochemistry (defined by citations per publication) and currently ranks third in the nation in NIH funding among all laboratory-based research institutes. Sanford-Burnham is a highly innovative organization, currently ranking second nationally among all organizations in capital efficiency of generating patents, defined by the number of patents issued per grant dollars awarded, according to government statistics.
Sanford-Burnham utilizes a unique, collaborative approach to medical research and has established major research programs in cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and infectious, inflammatory, and childhood diseases. The Institute is especially known for its world-class capabilities in stem cell research and drug discovery technologies. Sanford-Burnham is a U.S.-based, non-profit public benefit corporation, with operations in San Diego (La Jolla), Santa Barbara, and Orlando (Lake Nona). For more information, please visit our website or blog. You can also receive updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
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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.
Just why has Minneapolis? Carlson Real Estate Company hired an investment banking firm to review the company?s 5.5-million-square-foot real estate investment portfolio?
It?s a good question. But it?s not one that Matt Van Slooten, president of Carlson Real Estate is ready to answer.
Minnesota Real Estate Journal contacted Carlson to ask why the company in February hired investment banking firm Eastdil Secured to assist it in reviewing and evaluating strategic alternatives for its real estate investment portfolio.
A spokesperson for Carlson said that Van Slooten is not available for interviews on this topic.
It is certain, though, that Carlson might be willing to sell some or all of its real estate holdings if it receives the right bids for its properties.
Carlson?s real estate portfolio includes properties in Minnesota, North Carolina and Arizona. Key properties among the Minnesota portion of the portfolio include the business park surrounding the corporate campus of the Carlson Companies in Minnetonka and the 36-story office tower in downtown Minneapolis that holds the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Plaza Seven Office Tower.
In a press release, Carlson Real Estate Company said that it has directed Eastdil to explore a full range of possibilities that could include a sale or joint-venture arrangement of its real estate business operations or portions of its portfolio.
The company?s Minnesota portfolio is anchored by several properties within Carlson Center, the business park surrounding the Carlson headquarters at the intersection of Interstate-394 and Interstate-494 in the western suburbs of Minneapolis.
CREC also owns a 36-story mixed-use project in downtown Minneapolis containing the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Plaza Seven Office Tower.
Though Van Slooten did not want to hold a telephone interview about Carlson?s arrangement with Eastdil, the company president did release an official statement: ?This is an exciting time for Carlson Real Estate. We are exploring new forms of financial arrangements from what we?ve had in the past, with the goal of maximizing the potential of our real estate business.?
Carlson Real Estate Company has operated as a separate business from Carlson?s other operating groups for more than 25 years.
Tags | Carlson Real Estate Company
? 2012 Real Estate Communications Group. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from the Real Estate Publishing Group. For information on reprint or electronic pdf of this article contact Mark Menzies at 312-644-4610 or menzies@rejournals.com
AP - Rick Santorum is looking for another upset or two, while Mitt Romney is hoping to keep his leading rival at bay in the run-up to the 20th debate of the race for the Republican presidential nomination.